Charged Kaon interferometric probes of space-time evolution in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[S(NN)]=200 GeV

Bose-Einstein correlations of charged kaons are used to probe Au+Au collisions at sqrt[S(NN)]=200 GeV and are compared to charged pion probes, which have a larger hadronic scattering cross section. Three-dimensional Gaussian source radii are extracted, along with a one-dimensional kaon emission source function. The centrality dependences of the three Gaussian radii are well described by a single linear function of N(part)1/3 with a zero intercept. Imaging analysis shows a deviation from a Gaussian tail at r greater than or approximately equal to 10 fm, although the bulk emission at lower radius is well described by a Gaussian. The presence of a non-Gaussian tail in the kaon source reaffirms that the particle emission region in a heavy-ion collision is extended, and that similar measurements with pions are not solely due to the decay of long-lived resonances.

Measurement of bottom versus charm as a function of transverse momentum with electron-hadron correlations in p + p collisions at square root of s = 200 GeV

The momentum distribution of electrons from semileptonic decays of charm and bottom quarks for midrapidity |y|<0.35 in p+p collisions at square root of s=200 GeV is measured by the PHENIX experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider over the transverse momentum range 2<pT<7 GeV/c. The ratio of the yield of electrons from bottom to that from charm is presented. The ratio is determined using partial D/D-->e(+/-)K(-/+)X (K unidentified) reconstruction. It is found that the yield of electrons from bottom becomes significant above 4 GeV/c in pT. A fixed-order-plus-next-to-leading-log perturbative quantum chromodynamics calculation agrees with the data within the theoretical and experimental uncertainties. The extracted total bottom production cross section at this energy is sigma(bb)=3.2(-1.1)(+1.2)(stat)(-1.3)(+1.4)(syst)mub.

Gluon-spin contribution to the proton spin from the double-helicity asymmetry in inclusive pi0 production in polarized p+p collisions at [sqrt]s=200 GeV

The double helicity asymmetry in neutral pion production for pT=1 to 12 GeV/c was measured with the PHENIX experiment to access the gluon-spin contribution, DeltaG, to the proton spin. Measured asymmetries are consistent with zero, and at a theory scale of micro2=4 GeV2 a next to leading order QCD analysis gives DeltaG[0.02,0.3]=0.2, with a constraint of -0.7<DeltaG[0.02,0.3]<0.5 at Deltachi2=9 (approximately 3sigma) for the sampled gluon momentum fraction (x) range, 0.02 to 0.3. The results are obtained using predictions for the measured asymmetries generated from four representative fits to polarized deep inelastic scattering data. We also consider the dependence of the DeltaG constraint on the choice of the theoretical scale, a dominant uncertainty in these predictions.

Fbw7 promotes ubiquitin-dependent degradation of c-Myb: involvement of GSK3-mediated phosphorylation of Thr-572 in mouse c-Myb

Expression of oncoprotein c-Myb oscillates during hematopoiesis and hematological malignancies. Its quantity is not only regulated through transcriptional control but also through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, accompanied by phosphorylation, although the mechanisms are poorly understood. In this report, we tried to identify an E3 ubiquitin ligase, which targets c-Myb for ubiquitin-dependent degradation. We found that an F-box protein, Fbw7, interacted with c-Myb, which is mutated in numerous cancers. Fbw7 facilitated ubiquitylation and degradation of c-Myb in intact cells. Moreover, depletion of Fbw7 by RNA interference delayed turnover and increased the abundance of c-Myb in myeloid leukemia cells concomitantly, and suppressed the transcriptional level of gamma-globin, which receives transcriptional repression from c-Myb. In addition, we analysed sites required for both ubiquitylation and degradation of c-Myb. We found that Thr-572 is critical for Fbw7-mediated ubiquitylation in mouse c-Myb using site-directed mutagenesis. Fbw7 recognized the phosphorylation of Thr-572, which was mediated by glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3). In consequence, the c-Myb protein was markedly stabilized by the substitution of Thr-572 to Ala. These observations suggest that SCF(Fbw7) ubiquitin ligase regulates phosphorylation-dependent degradation of c-Myb protein.

Suppression pattern of neutral pions at high transverse momentum in Au + Au collisions at sqrt[sNN]=200 GeV and constraints on medium transport coefficients

For Au + Au collisions at 200 GeV, we measure neutral pion production with good statistics for transverse momentum, pT, up to 20 GeV/c. A fivefold suppression is found, which is essentially constant for 5 < pT < 20 GeV/c. Experimental uncertainties are small enough to constrain any model-dependent parametrization for the transport coefficient of the medium, e.g., q in the parton quenching model. The spectral shape is similar for all collision classes, and the suppression does not saturate in Au + Au collisions.

Onset of pi(0) suppression studied in Cu+Cu collisions at sqrt S NN=22.4, 62.4, and 200 GeV

Neutral pion transverse momentum (p(T)) spectra at midrapidity (|y| less than or approximately 0.35) were measured in Cu+Cu collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=22.4, 62.4, and 200 GeV. Relative to pi_(0) yields in p+p collisions scaled by the number of inelastic nucleon-nucleon collisions (N(coll) the pi_(0) yields for p(T) more than or approximately 2 GeV/c in central Cu+Cu collisions are suppressed at 62.4 and 200 GeV whereas an enhancement is observed at 22.4 GeV. A comparison with a jet-quenching model suggests that final state parton energy loss dominates in central Cu+Cu collisions at 62.4 and 200 GeV, while the enhancement at 22.4 GeV is consistent with nuclear modifications in the initial state alone.

J/psi production in sqrt s_NN=200 GeV Cu+Cu collisions

Yields for J/psi production in Cu+Cu collisions at sqrt s_NN=200 GeV have been measured over the rapidity range |y|<2.2 and compared with results in p+p and Au+Au collisions at the same energy. The Cu+Cu data offer greatly improved precision over existing Au+Au data for J/psi production in collisions with small to intermediate numbers of participants, in the range where the quark-gluon plasma transition threshold is predicted to lie. Cold nuclear matter estimates based on ad hoc fits to d+Au data describe the Cu+Cu data up to N_part approximately 50, corresponding to a Bjorken energy density of at least 1.5 GeV/fm(3).

Particle-species dependent modification of jet-induced correlations in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV

Measurements in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200 GeV of jet correlations for a trigger hadron at intermediate transverse momentum (p_{T,trig}) with associated mesons or baryons at lower p_{T,assoc} indicate strong modification of the away-side jet. The ratio of jet-associated baryons to mesons increases with centrality and p_{T,assoc}. For the most central collisions, the ratio is similar to that for inclusive measurements. This trend is incompatible with in-vacuum fragmentation but could be due to jetlike contributions from correlated soft partons, which recombine upon hadronization.

Source breakup dynamics in Au + Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV via three-dimensional two-pion source imaging

A three-dimensional correlation function obtained from midrapidity, low p(T), pion pairs in central Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV is studied. The extracted model-independent source function indicates a long range tail in the directions of the pion pair transverse momentum (out) and the beam (long). A proper breakup time tau(0) ~ 9 fm/c and a mean proper emission duration Delta tau ~ 2 fm/c, leading to sizable emission time differences ({|Delta t(LCM)|} approximately 12 fm/c), are required to allow models to be successfully matched to these tails. The model comparisons also suggest an outside-in "burning" of the emission source reminiscent of many hydrodynamical models.

Elliptic flow for phi mesons and (anti)deuterons in Au+Au collisions at square root of sNN=200 GeV

Differential elliptic flow (v(2)) for phi mesons and (anti)deuterons (d)d is measured for Au+Au collisions at square root of sNN=200 GeV. The v(2) for phi mesons follows the trend of lighter pi+/- and K+/- mesons, suggesting that ordinary hadrons interacting with standard hadronic cross sections are not the primary driver for elliptic flow development. The v(2) values for (d)d suggest that elliptic flow is additive for composite particles. This further validation of the universal scaling of v(2) per constituent quark for baryons and mesons suggests that partonic collectivity dominates the transverse expansion dynamics.

Lactate quantification by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy using a clinical MRI machine: A basic study

The purpose of this study was to establish quantification method of lactate concentration by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) carried out using a conventional 1.5-T MRI machine. We used a lactate phantom with known concentrations (1, 1.5, 3, 6, 12 and 14 mmol/L). As a clinical example, a patient with mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) was evaluated. Proton MRS was carried out using a clinical 1.5-T super-conducting magnetic resonance whole-body system. Data were acquired by point resolved spectroscopy. A coupling constant of J = 7.35 Hz (2/J = 272 ms) and two long in-phase echo time of 272 ms and 544 ms were used to calculate the T2 relaxation time. The tissue water signal was used as an internal standard to quantify lactate. The correlation coefficient R between the calculated lactate concentrations and the known concentration of lactate was 0.99 with a constant factor of 0.32 (1/3.14). In patients with MELAS, the lactate concentration measured by MRS was 6.2 mmol/kg wet weight, which is similar to the value obtained in previous studies. In the present study, we have established a reliable method for lactate quantification in a phantom study and have shown a sample of clinical case of MELAS.

System size and energy dependence of jet-induced hadron pair correlation shapes in Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions at square root sNN=200 and 62.4 GeV

We present azimuthal angle correlations of intermediate transverse momentum (1-4 GeV/c) hadrons from dijets in Cu+Cu and Au+Au collisions at square root sNN=62.4 and 200 GeV. The away-side dijet induced azimuthal correlation is broadened, non-Gaussian, and peaked away from Delta phi=pi in central and semicentral collisions in all the systems. The broadening and peak location are found to depend upon the number of participants in the collision, but not on the collision energy or beam nuclei. These results are consistent with sound or shock wave models, but pose challenges to Cherenkov gluon radiation models.

J/psi production versus transverse momentum and rapidity in p+p collisions at square root s=200 GeV

J/psi production in p+p collisions at square root s=200 GeV has been measured by the PHENIX experiment at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider over a rapidity range of -2.2<y<2.2 and a transverse momentum range of 0<pT<9 GeV/c. The size of the present data set allows a detailed measurement of both the pT and the rapidity distributions and is sufficient to constrain production models. The total cross section times the branching ratio is Bll sigma pp J/psi=178+/-3stat+/-53sys+/-18norm nb.

J/psi production versus centrality, transverse momentum, and rapidity in Au+Au collisions at square root sNN=200 GeV

The PHENIX experiment at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) has measured J/psi production for rapidities -2.2<y<2.2 in Au+Au collisions at square root sNN=200 GeV. The J/psi invariant yield and nuclear modification factor RAA as a function of centrality, transverse momentum, and rapidity are reported. A suppression of J/psi relative to binary collision scaling of proton-proton reaction yields is observed. Models which describe the lower energy J/psi data at the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron invoking only J/psi destruction based on the local medium density predict a significantly larger suppression at RHIC and more suppression at midrapidity than at forward rapidity. Both trends are contradicted by our data.

Scaling properties of azimuthal anisotropy in Au+Au and Cu+Cu Collisions at sqrt[s NN]=200 GeV

Differential measurements of elliptic flow (v2) for Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at sqrt[sNN]=200 GeV are used to test and validate predictions from perfect fluid hydrodynamics for scaling of v2 with eccentricity, system size, and transverse kinetic energy (KE T). For KE T identical with mT-m up to approximately 1 GeV the scaling is compatible with hydrodynamic expansion of a thermalized fluid. For large values of KE T mesons and baryons scale separately. Quark number scaling reveals a universal scaling of v2 for both mesons and baryons over the full KE T range for Au+Au. For Au+Au and Cu+Cu the scaling is more pronounced in terms of KE T, rather than transverse momentum.

Measurement of high-pT single electrons from heavy-flavor decays in p + p collisions at square root of s = 200 GeV

The momentum distribution of electrons from decays of heavy flavor (charm and bottom) for midrapidity absolute value of y < 0.35 in p + p collisions at square root of s = 200 GeV has been measured by the PHENIX experiment at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider over the transverse momentum range 0.3 < pT < 9 GeV/c. Two independent methods have been used to determine the heavy-flavor yields, and the results are in good agreement with each other. A fixed-order-plus-next-to-leading-log perturbative QCD calculation agrees with the data within the theoretical and experimental uncertainties, with the data/theory ratio of 1.71+/-0.02stat+/-0.18sys for 0.3 < pT < 9 GeV/c. The total charm production cross section at this energy has also been deduced to be sigma cc = 567+/-57stat+/-193sys microb.

Luminescent yeast cells entrapped in hydrogels for estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemical biodetection

In the construction of luminescent yeast cell based fibre-optic biosensors, we demonstrate a novel approach for estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) biodetection by entrapping genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, containing the estrogen receptor alpha-mediated expression of the luc reporter gene, in hydrogel matrices based on calcium alginate or PVA. In order to insure a significant signal, an optimal immobilization ratio of 1:2 alginate 3% (w/v): 5 x 10(6) [cells/ml], respectively, was used with the highest 17-beta-estradiol (beta-E2) induction factor after 2.5 h of incubation with 10[nM] beta-E2. It was shown that biocompatible alginate beads, 4.27-4.55 x 10(5) [CFU/bead], which were characterized by a detection limit of 0.08[microg l(-1)] and an EC50 of 0.64[microg l(-1)] for beta-E2, retained their viability for luminescence measurements after 1 month of storage at -80 degrees C slow freeze condition, and thus repeated cell cultivations were not required. The assay reproducibility for each tested EDC, represented by the coefficients of variation (CV), ranged from 4.35 to 18.47%. An alternative immobilization method, based on a room temperature partial drying of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution (LentiKat Liquid) and cell suspension mix, was investigated with only a slightly lower detection limit for beta-E2 than that reported with alginate beads. Alginate yeast based hydrogels may also be applicable to the analysis of environmental water samples since the trend of detected estrogenic activities with alginate beads roughly correlated with LC-MS-MS analytical results.

The hepatitis B virus X protein enhances AP-1 activation through interaction with Jab1

Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) has many cellular functions and is a major factor in hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma caused by HBV infection. A proteomic approach was used to search for HBx-interacting proteins in order to elucidate the molecular mechanism of hepatocarcinogenesis. HBx was attached to myc and flag tags (MEF tags) and expressed in 293T cells; the protein complex formed within the cells was purified and characterized by mass spectrometry. COP9 signalosome (CSN) subunits 3 and 4 were subsequently identified as HBx-interacting proteins. In addition, CSN subunit 5, Jun activation domain-binding protein 1 (Jab1), was shown to be a novel cellular target of HBx. In vivo and in vitro interactions between HBx and Jab1 were confirmed by standard immunoprecipitation and GST pull-down assays. An analysis of HBx deletion constructs showed that amino acids 30-125 of HBx were responsible for binding to Jab1. Confocal laser microscopy demonstrated that HBx was mainly localized in the cytoplasm, while Jab1 was found mainly in the nucleus and partially in the cytoplasm, and that the two proteins colocalized in the cytoplasm. The cotransfection of HBx and Jab1 resulted in substantial activator protein 1 (AP-1) activation and knockdown of endogenous Jab1 attenuated AP-1 activation caused by HBx. In addition, the coexpression of HBx and Jab1 potentiated phosphorylation of JNK, leading to the subsequent phosphorylation of c-Jun, whereas the level of c-Jun and JNK phosphorylation induced by HBx was decreased in Jab1 knockdown cells. These results suggest that the interaction between HBx and Jab1 enhances HBx-mediated AP-1 activation.

Rb plays a role in survival of Abl-dependent human tumor cells as a downstream effector of Abl tyrosine kinase

The retinoblastoma (Rb) gene product is a tumor suppressor that is mutated or inactivated in many types of human cancers. Although Rb is known to be an upstream negative regulator of Abl protein tyrosine kinase, we propose here that Rb also functions as a downstream effector of Abl that plays a positive role in survival of Abl-dependent human tumor cells, including Bcr/Abl-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). We show that Rb is constitutively phosphorylated at tyrosine in Abl-dependent tumor cells, and that Abl phosphorylates Rb specifically at Y805 within the C-terminal domain of the molecule. We also show that ectopic expression of Rb induces apoptosis in Abl-dependent tumor cells by inhibiting the Abl tyrosine kinase activity, and that Rb-induced apoptosis is compromised by Abl-catalysed phosphorylation of Rb at Y805. Furthermore, the silencing of endogenous Rb by RNA interference induced apoptosis in Abl-dependent tumor cells. Thus, our findings suggest that Abl-catalysed tyrosine phosphorylation of Rb is necessary for survival of Abl-dependent human tumor cells, and raises the possibility that this phosphorylated Rb can be a molecular target for cancer therapy aimed at inducing apoptosis of Abl-dependent tumor cells, such as Bcr/Abl-positive CML.

Irinotecan and etoposide for previously untreated extensive-disease small cell lung cancer: A phase II trial of West Japan Thoracic Oncology Group

Irinotecan is a topoisomerase I inhibitor that is highly active against small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Etoposide is another drug that is effective for SCLC. Since combination of these two topoisomerase inhibitors revealed a synergistic effect in vitro and showed a safety in phase I study, we conducted a phase II study in patients with previously un-treated extensive disease (ED) SCLC to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of this combination. Fifty patients with previously untreated ED-SCLC were enrolled. Irinotecan was administered intravenously at 60mg/m(2) on days 1, 8, and 15, while etoposide was given at 80mg/m(2) on days 2-4. Treatment was repeated every 4 weeks for four cycles. The overall response rate was 66.0%, with a complete response rate of 10.0%. The median survival time was 11.5 months and the 1- and 2-year survival rates were 43.2 and 14.4%, respectively. The major toxicity of this regimen was myelosuppression, including grade 3 or 4 neutropenia (62.9%), leukopenia (28.0%), and anemia (14%). The other grade 3 toxicity was diarrhea (2%). This irinotecan and etoposide regimen is active against ED-SCLC with relatively mild toxicity.

Saturation of azimuthal anisotropy in Au + Au collisions at (square root)s(NN) = 62-200 GeV

New measurements are presented for charged hadron azimuthal correlations at midrapidity in Au+Au collisions at (square root)s(NN) = 62.4 and 200 GeV. They are compared to earlier measurements obtained at (square root)s(NN) = 130 GeV and in Pb + Pb collisions at (square root)s(NN) = 17.2 GeV. Sizeable anisotropies are observed with centrality and transverse momentum (pT) dependence characteristic of elliptic flow (upsilon2). For a broad range of centralities, the observed magnitudes and trends of the differential anisotropy, upsilon2(pT), change very little over the collision energy range (square root)s(NN) = 62-200 GeV, indicating saturation of the excitation function for upsilon2 at these energies. Such a saturation may be indicative of the dominance of a very soft equation of state for (square root)s(NN) approximately 60-200 GeV.

Incidence of insulin resistance in obese subjects in a rural Japanese population: the Tanno and Sobetsu study

OBJECTIVES

Although it is well known that obesity is closely related to insulin resistance, the incidence of the development of insulin resistance in people with obesity is not known. In this study, we investigated the incidence of insulin resistance in citizens of two rural communities in Japan.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The subjects were 102 men and 126 women over the age of 30 years selected from 1035 citizens who had undergone medical examinations in the towns of Tanno and Sobetsu, Hokkaido, in 1991 and 1998. Those who were on medication for hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, coronary heart disease and cerebral vessel disease were excluded. The simple index to determine insulin resistance [i.e. homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-R) > or = 1.73] was used, and subjects who were determined to be positive for insulin resistance according to this index in 1991 were also excluded in order to determine the incidence of insulin resistance in subjects who had no abnormalities other than obesity. The systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), triglyceride level, high-density lipoprotein level, blood sugar level, serum insulin value and HOMA-R were measured in all subjects in 1991 and in 1998. Moreover, the subjects were divided into two groups according to BMI, a normal group consisting of subjects with BMI < 25 and an obesity group consisting of subjects with BMI > or = 25. We also compared the incidences of insulin resistance in normal and obesity groups of subjects who were newly determined to be positive for insulin resistance on the basis of data obtained from medical examinations conducted in 1998.

RESULTS

The incidence of insulin resistance was significantly higher in the obesity group than in the normal group (25.0 vs. 4.5%). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that obesity was closely related to insulin resistance and that the relative risk of development of insulin resistance adjusted for age, sex, SBP, FPG and HDL was 3.193 (95% CI 1.085-9.401).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of insulin resistance was significantly higher in the obesity group than in the normal group in this study, suggesting that improvement in obesity is important for prevention of the occurrence of type 2 diabetes or atherosclerotic disease based on insulin resistance.

[Lung cancer with ground glass opacity diagnosed by transbronchial lung biopsy using an ultrathin bronchoscope and virtual bronchoscopy]

Although thoracic computed tomography (CT) screening indicated that there are many patients who have pulmonary shadow with ground glass opacity, it is sometimes difficult to obtain the appropriate specimens for histological diagnosis of such patients. We herein report a lung cancer patient with ground glass opacity who was diagnosed preoperatively by an ultrathin bronchoscope and virtual bronchoscopy. A 78-year-old female was admitted to our hospital due to bacterial pneumonia. At the admission, CT showed another abnormal small shadow in her right middle lobe. Since the shadow was not visible by fluoroscopy, we reconstructed the images of virtual bronchoscopy using the data obtained by multidetector CT. The location of the shadow was determined in the peripheral area of a dorsal branch of right B4aialpha. Then the transbronchial lung biopsy using an ultrathin bronchoscope with simultaneous CT guidance was performed. The histological findings of the biopsy specimens revealed that the shadow was highly suspicious for malignancy. Therefore, the right middle lobectomy was conducted, and the tumor was diagnosed as an adenocarcinoma. An ultrathin bronchoscope with virtual bronchoscopy is useful to diagnose a pulmonary shadow with ground glass opacity.

[Right-sided infective endocarditis with a large size vegetation]

A 2-year-old boy with ventricular septal defect(VSD) had suffered from right-sided infective endocarditis with a vegetation 1.0 cm in size, involving pulmonary valve. Resection of the vegetation and partial resection of the pulmonary valve and patch closure of the VSD was performed after 3 weeks intravenous antibiotic therapy. In right-sided infective endocarditis, it is still unclear, however, which factors may be useful in predicting outcome or determining the need of surgical intervention. We recognize that following factors are the risk for need of surgical intervention. 1. persistent infection, 2. sever right-sided heart failure, 3. multiple embolic episodes, 4. infected by Staphylococcus aureus, 5. infection involving the annulus of the valve, 6. infection of prosthetic valve, 7. vegetation which is floppy and greater than 1.0 cm in size.

[Surgical treatment in an infant with atrial septal defect and persistent left superior vena cava draining into the coronary sinus; report of a case]

A 8-month-old boy with ostium secundum atrial septal defect and persistent left superior vena cava draining into the coronary sinus underwent surgical treatment because he had required long-term ventilator support due to congestive heart failure and respiratory distress. The left superior vena cava and dilated coronary sinus produce a ridge in the left atrium, causing a subdivided left atrium. In this case, the early symptom could be explained by an obligatory left to right shunt at the level of the left atrium resulting from a ridge produced by the left superior vena cava and the colonary sinus, as a subdivided left atrium.

Chromosome rearrangements between chicken and guinea fowl defined by comparative chromosome painting and FISH mapping of DNA clones

Chromosome homology between chicken (Gallus gallus) and guinea fowl (Numida meleagris) was investigated by comparative chromosome painting with chicken whole chromosome paints for chromosomes 1-9 and Z and by comparative mapping of 38 macrochromosome-specific (chromosomes 1-8 and Z) and 30 microchromosome-specific chicken cosmid DNA clones. The comparative chromosome analysis revealed that the homology of macrochromosomes is highly conserved between the two species except for two inter-chromosomal rearrangements. Guinea fowl chromosome 4 represented the centric fusion of chicken chromosome 9 with the q arm of chicken chromosome 4. Guinea fowl chromosome 5 resulted from the fusion of chicken chromosomes 6 and 7. A pericentric inversion was found in guinea fowl chromosome 7, which corresponded to chicken chromosome 8. All the chicken microchromosome-specific DNA clones were also localized to microchromosomes of guinea fowl except for several clones localized to the short arm of chromosome 4. These results suggest that the cytogenetic genome organization is highly conserved between chicken and guinea fowl.

Solid-state 1H and 27Al NMR studies of amorphous aluminum hydroxides

Two kinds of amorphous aluminum hydroxides, a sample precipitated from admixing AlCl3 and NaOH aqueous solutions and the commercial product, were measured by 27Al and 1H solid-state NMR spectroscopy. Pentahedral and tetrahedral coordinations, as well as octahedral coordination of oxygen atoms for aluminum, are observed in 27Al magic angle spinning (MAS) spectra of both amorphous samples. In contrast, octahedral coordination is only observed in gibbsite, bayerite, and boehmite. According to 1H MAS-NMR spectra under conditions of high spinning rate (35 kHz) and high field (14.09 T), free waters and OH groups coupled with aluminum for amorphous samples are observed at approximately 5 and approximately 4.5 ppm, respectively, the latter peak being broader. This is consistent with the differential spectra between spin echo and transfer of populations in double resonance. We conclude that the subunits of AlO4, AlO5, and AlO6 in amorphous aluminum hydroxides are bound through hydrogen bonds with a wide distribution of bonding strength.

KL-6 as an indicator for lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP) in a human T-lymphotrophic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) carrier

A 59-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital complaining of a productive cough, dyspnea on effort, and low-grade fever. Although chest X-rays showed no marked abnormalities, her level of serum KL-6 was extremely high. We therefore suspected the presence of interstitial pneumonia. High-resolution computed tomography (CT) scan revealed infiltrative shadows in S6 of the right lung, and her serum was positive for antihuman T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) antibodies. From the clinical symptoms, radiographic findings, and histological findings, the diagnosis was probable lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (LIP). After high-dose corticosteroid therapy, the level of serum KL-6 decreased rapidly. We conclude that KL-6 is a convenient and reliable marker for evaluating the activity of pulmonary manifestations in HTLV-1 carriers and that it is especially useful in monitoring the effectiveness of treatments.

Chronological change of brain abscess in (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy

We studied chronological magnetic resonance spectral changes in brain abscesses before and after medical and/or surgical treatment. We examined five patients with MRI imaging and (1)H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) on two or more occasions, using two volume-of-interest patterns, and saw chronological changes related to the evolution of the abscess. A spectrum specific for brain abscess was found in three of the five cases, while two showed a single lactate peak in the first study. In two cases, phenylalanine or alanine appeared in the second study. We observed the disappearance of the specific spectra and a single lactate peak following surgery. Only one patient showed different spectra in different volume of interest.

Complete, long-lasting protection against lethal infectious bursal disease virus challenge by a single vaccination with an avian herpesvirus vector expressing VP2 antigens

Marek's disease herpesvirus is a vaccine vector of great promise for chickens; however, complete protection against foreign infectious diseases has not been achieved. In this study, two herpesvirus of turkey recombinants (rHVTs) expressing large amounts of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) VP2 antigen under the control of a human cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter or CMV/beta-actin chimera promoter (Pec promoter) (rHVT-cmvVP2 and rHVT-pecVP2) were constructed. rHVT-pecVP2, which expressed the VP2 antigen approximately four times more than did rHVT-cmvVP2 in vitro, induced complete protection against a lethal IBDV challenge in chickens, whereas rHVT-cmvVP2 induced 58% protection. All of the chickens vaccinated with rHVT-pecVP2 had a protective level of antibodies to the VP2 antigen at the time of challenge, whereas only 42 and 67% of chickens vaccinated with rHVT-cmvVP2 or the conventional live IBDV vaccine, respectively, had the antibodies. The antibody level of chickens vaccinated with rHVT-pecVP2 increased for 16 weeks, and the peak antibody level persisted throughout the experiment. The serum antibody titer at 30 weeks of age was about 20 or 65 times higher than that of chickens vaccinated with rHVT-cmvVP2 or the conventional live vaccine, respectively. rHVT-pecVP2, isolated consistently for 30 weeks from the vaccinated chickens, expressed the VP2 antigen after cultivation, and neither nucleotide mutations nor deletion in the VP2 gene was found. These results demonstrate that the amount of VP2 antigen expressed in the HVT vector was correlated with the vaccine efficacy against lethal IBDV challenge, and complete protective immunity that is likely to persist for the life of the chickens was induced.

Intranasal immunization with recombinant Ascaris suum 14-kilodalton antigen coupled with cholera toxin B subunit induces protective immunity to A. suum infection in mice

Animals can be rendered immune to Ascaris parasites by immunization with infectious-stage larvae. The specific parasite gene products that mediate protective responses in ascariasis are unknown. We have identified a cDNA encoding Ascaris suum 14-kDa antigen (As14) and evaluated the vaccinal effect of the Escherichia coli-expressed recombinant protein (rAs14). GenBank analysis showed that As14 has low similarity at the amino acid level to a Caenorhabditis elegans gene product and to antigens of the filarial nematodes but not to other known proteins. In addition, As14 homologues were found to be expressed in human and dog roundworms. In mice that received intranasal administration of rAs14 coupled with cholera toxin B subunit (rAs14-CTB), there was a 64% reduction of recovery of larvae compared with that in the nontreated group. The vaccinated mice showed a significant increase in the total serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels and the mucosal IgA responses. Elevation of the rAs14-specific IgE response was also seen. Measurement of the IgG subclasses showed a higher level of IgG1 and a lower level of IgG2a antibody response in the sera of the immunized mice, suggesting that protection was associated with a type II immune response. As14 is the first protective antigen against A. suum infection to be identified. Our immunization trial results in laboratory animals suggest the possibility of developing a mucosal vaccine for parasitic diseases caused by ascarid nematodes.

Relation between brain displacement and local cerebral blood flow in patients with chronic subdural haematoma

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the relation between brain displacement, clinical signs and symptoms, and local cerebral blood flow (lCBF) in patients with chronic subdural haematoma (CSDH).

METHODS

Forty five patients (age range 58-87 years, mean 71.9 (SD 8.4)) with unilateral CSDH were studied. Patients were categorised into three groups: I, headache (n=16); II, paresis (n=14); and III, mental change (n=15). T1 weighted MR images were obtained in all patients preoperatively. Quantitative values of maximum haematoma thickness, midline shift, and brain rotation angle were measured on axial and coronal MR images. In 21 patients, lCBF was measured by Xe enhanced CT. Values for lCBF were obtained in selected regions of interest in the frontal cortex, thalamus, and hemisphere on both the haematoma and contralateral sides.

RESULTS

The lCBF reduction in the ipsilateral frontal cortex showed the best linear correlation with haematoma thickness (r=0.57), whereas the reduction in the ipsilateral thalamus had the most significant correlation with pineal shift (r=0.65) and third ventricle incline (r=0.67). In patients with paresis, lCBF decreased significantly on the ipsilateral side of both the frontal cortex and thalamus (p<0.05), whereas patients with mental change showed a significant reduction of lCBF on both sides of the thalamus (p<0.01) and in the ipsilateral frontal cortex (p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

The lCBF reduction and clinical symptoms correlated well with local brain displacement in patients with CSDH. The lCBF in the central cerebral area including the thalamus was reduced in patients with clinical signs. The mental changes found were thought to derive from mild impairment of consciousness due to upper brain stem displacement.

Dioxin induces a novel nuclear factor, DIF-3, that is implicated in spermatogenesis

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; dioxin), a member of a class of environmental pollutants represented by polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, is one of the most toxic artificial compounds ever developed. In this study, we identified a novel TCDD target gene, DIF-3 (dioxin inducible factor-3), by cDNA representational difference analysis. DIF-3 protein is a nuclear factor and possesses a zinc-finger motif at its N-terminus. High DIF-3 mRNA expression in the testes was demonstrated by Northern blot analysis and abundant DIF-3 protein was detected during spermatogenesis. Thus, these results suggest that DIF-3 may be a target gene mediating the reproductive toxicity induced by TCDD.

Increased sensitivity to cocaine by cholinergic cell ablation in nucleus accumbens

Chronic exposure to cocaine causes long-lasting behavioral changes associated with cocaine reinforcement and addiction. An important neural substrate for cocaine addiction is the nucleus accumbens (NAc), which receives dopaminergic input from the ventral tegmental area. Although the neural circuit of the NAc is controlled by several other neurotransmitters, their involvement in cocaine addiction remains elusive. In this investigation, we ablated cholinergic interneurons from the adult NAc with immunotoxin-mediated cell targeting and examined the role of acetylcholine transmitter in adaptive behavioral changes associated with cocaine reinforcement and addiction. Acute exposure to cocaine induced abnormal rotation in unilaterally cholinergic cell-eliminated mice. This abnormal turning was enhanced by repeated exposure of cocaine. In bilaterally cholinergic cell-eliminated mice, chronic cocaine administration induced a prominent and progressive increase in locomotor activity. Moreover, these mice showed robust conditioned place preference with a lower dose of cocaine, compared with wild-type littermates. This investigation demonstrates that acetylcholine in the NAc plays a key role in both acute and chronic actions of cocaine.

Isolation and proteomic characterization of the major proteins of the nucleolin-binding ribonucleoprotein complexes

Nucleolin (NCL) is one of the most abundant nucleolar proteins of exponentially growing eukaryotic cells. It is known to interact only transiently with rRNA and preribosomal particles and not to be detectable in mature cytoplasmic ribosomes, and is believed to function as multi-protein complexes during ribosome biogenesis and maturation. However, those multiprotein complexes remain only partially characterized due to the difficulty of conventional protein analysis methods. Here we report isolation of NCL-binding protein complex and its proteomic characterization with the use of an analytical method based on matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight analysis coupled with searching peptide mass databases. The NCL-binding protein complex was isolated by immunoprecipitation with anti-Flag antibody from human kidney 293 cells that were transfected with the Flag-tagged NCL gene, and showed RNA integrity for holding their protein constituents. Interaction between NCL and its binding complex was disrupted by an RNA oligonucleotide with a NCL recognition element, indicating that NCL binds to the ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex mainly through the sequence specific protein-RNA interaction. We confirmed that an RNA-binding domain of NCL alone was sufficient to hold the entire NCL-binding RNP complex, indicating the strict binding specificity of NCL to the isolated RNP complex in 293 cells. We identified forty ribosomal proteins from both the large and small subunits, and twenty nonribosomal proteins. These results together suggest that the isolated NCL-binding RNP complex is a preribosomal particle present in the nucleolus of 293 cells.

Carboplatin AUC and gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase gene expression in peripheral mononuclear cells of lung cancer patients

BACKGROUND

To investigate the association between glutathione-related enzymes and carboplatin (CBDCA) dose, we examined gene expression levels for both subunits of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (heavy; gamma-GCSh, light; gamma-GCS1) in peripheral mononuclear cells (PMN) of lung cancer patients before and after CBDCA administration.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

PMN and plasma samples were obtained from 10 advanced non-small lung cancer patients before and after CBDCA administration. We analyzed the gene expression levels by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

Gamma-GCSh expression levels in PMN increased within 24 hours after CBDCA administration, whereas gamma-GCS1 expression levels did not. However, the actual area under the concentration curve (AUC) of CBDCA did not correlate with gamma-GCSh expression at 24 hours or the increased ratio of gamma-GCSh expression in PMN.

CONCLUSION

Expression of gamma-GCSh is induced by CBDCA, however, CBDCA AUC is not a determinant for the increased expression levels of gamma-GCSh in PMN.

BIA-MS-MS: biomolecular interaction analysis for functional proteomics

One of the experimental processes of functional proteomics is the analysis of protein interaction. Here, we review a new analytical platform, BIA-MS, for protein interaction analysis. BIA-MS is an integration of a surface plasmon resonance biosensor for real-time interaction analysis and mass spectrometry for the subsequent identification of interacting molecules.

Pathogenicity of Leucocytozoon caulleryi for specific pathogen-free laying hens

The pathogenicity of Leucocytozoon caulleryi against specific-pathogen-free laying hens was investigated. Many large schizonts (second-generation schizonts) of L. caulleryi were seen in the ovary and oviducts of chickens. Edema and pressure atrophy of the adjacent tissues were associated with these schizonts. The eggshell-secreting portion of the uterus exhibited the most severe damage in the oviduct. This experiment reconfirms that L. caulleryi may stop egg production in laying hens, presumably as a result of damage to ovaries and oviducts.

Syndrome of inappropriate secretion of ADH (SIADH) following cisplatin administration in a pulmonary adenocarcinoma patient with a malignant pleural effusion

We report a patient with pulmonary adenocarcinoma complicated by the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) following systemic chemotherapy with cisplatin (CDDP) and vindesine (VDS). A 66-year-old woman was diagnosed as having pulmonary adenocarcinoma with malignant pleural effusion following investigations for cough and dyspnea. After drainage of the effusion she received combination chemotherapy with CDDP and VDS. She developed SIADH 48 hours following chemotherapy. Interestingly, the use of carboplatin (CBDCA) and VDS in the subsequent treatment course was well tolerated indicating that the SIADH was most likely to have been induced by administration of CDDP.

Stability of amorphous indomethacin compounded with silica

The stability of indomethacin (IM) compounded with SiO(2) either by co-grinding or by melt-quenching was examined by recrystallization kinetics under the conditions 30 degrees C and 11% relative humidity. A decrease of the recrystallization rate with and without an appreciable induction period was observed in both compounds. Higher stability of amorphous IM compounded with SiO(2) was attained by prolonged co-grinding than by melt-quenching. This was explained by the stronger chemical interaction at the interface between IM and SiO(2) by co-grinding, as revealed by (29)Si and (13)C solid state NMR. Incomplete co-grinding with the rest of the crystalline state, however, made the amorphous state appreciably unstable, since the remaining crystallites serve as seeds for recrystallization.

Association between expression of the MRP3 gene and exposure to platinum drugs in lung cancer

To investigate the roles played by the multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP1) homologues MRP3 and MRP4 in resistance to platinum drugs, we examined steady-state levels of mRNA for both MRP3 and MRP4 in normal lung and lung cancer specimens as well as peripheral mononuclear cells (PMN) after platinum drug exposure. MRP3 and MRP4 gene expression levels were monitored in the PMN of 10 previously untreated lung cancer patients within 24 hr after carboplatin (CBDCA) administration. Expression levels for both genes were also examined in 80 autopsy samples (40 primary tumors and 40 corresponding normal lung tissues) from 40 patients with lung cancer. MRP3 and MRP4 gene expression levels were assessed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. MRP3 expression levels in the PMN rose rapidly within 24 hr after administration of CBDCA, whereas MRP4 expression levels remained the same. Furthermore, MRP3 expression levels in normal lung and tumor tissues from autopsy samples that had been exposed to platinum drugs while the patients were alive were significantly higher than those in unexposed tissues, but again MRP4 expression levels remained the same. These results suggest that platinum drugs and/or the physiological stress response to xenobiotics induce expression of the MRP3 gene.

Cloning and chromosome mapping of human and chicken Iroquois (IRX) genes

Three highly homologous homeobox genes (caupolican, araucan and mirror) have been identified in Drosophila. These genes belong to the novel Iroquois complex, which acts as a pre-pattern molecule in Drosophila neurogenesis. Recently several vertebrate Iroquois homologues (Irx) were isolated and found to be involved in pattern formation of various tissues. Here we report cytogenetic mapping of four human and five chicken Iroquois genes by FISH. Our findings revealed that vertebrate Irx genes are clustered at two different loci.