Neuregulin 3 does not confer risk for schizophrenia and smooth pursuit eye movement abnormality in a Korean population

Located on chromosome 10q22-q23, the human neuregulin3 (NRG3) is considered to be a strong positional and functional candidate gene for schizophrenia pathogenesis. Several case-control studies examining the association of polymorphisms in NRG3 with schizophrenia and/or related traits such as delusion have been reported recently in cohorts of Han Chinese, Ashkenazi Jews, Australians and white Americans of Western European ancestry. Thus, this study aimed to comprehensively investigate the association of NRG3 genetic variations with the risk of schizophrenia and smooth pursuit eye movement (SPEM) abnormality in a Korean population. Using TaqMan assay, six single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the intronic region of NRG3 were genotyped and two major haplotypes were identified in 435 patients with schizophrenia as cases and 393 unrelated healthy individuals as controls. A total of 113 schizophrenia patients underwent an eye tracking task, and degree of SPEM abnormality was measured using the logarithmic values of the signal/noise (Ln S/N) ratio. Differences in frequency distributions were analyzed using logistic and regression models following various modes of genetic inheritance and controlling for age and sex as covariates. Subsequent analysis revealed that the frequency distributions of NRG3 polymorphisms and haplotypes were similar between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls of Korean ethnicity. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed between the genetic variants tested for SPEM abnormality. By elucidating a lack of association in a Korean population, findings from this study may contribute to the understanding of the genetic etiology focusing on the role of NRG3 in schizophrenia pathogenesis.

High power Er:YAG laser with radially-polarized Laguerre-Gaussian (LG01) mode output

A simple method for conditioning the pump beam in an end-pumped solid-state laser to allow direct excitation of the first order Laguerre-Gaussian doughnut (LG01) mode is reported. This approach has been applied to a hybrid (fiber-laser-pumped) Er:YAG laser yielding 13.1 W of continuous-wave output at 1645 nm in a radially-polarized LG01 doughnut beam with beam propagation factor (M(2)) < 2.4 for 34 W of incident pump power at 1532 nm. The corresponding slope efficiency with respect to incident pump power was 48%. The prospects of further power scaling and improved laser performance are discussed.

Novel technique for mode selection in a multimode fiber laser

A simple technique for transverse mode selection in a large-mode-area (multimode) fiber laser is described. The technique exploits the different spectral responses of feedback elements based on a fiber Bragg grating and a volume Bragg grating to achieve wavelength-dependent mode filtering. This approach has been applied to a cladding-pumped thulium-doped fiber laser with a multimode core to achieve a single-spatial-mode output beam with a beam propagation factor (M2) of 1.05 at 1923 nm. Without mode selection the free-running fiber laser has a multimode output beam with an M2 parameter of 3.3. Selective excitation of higher order modes is also possible via the technique and preliminary results for laser oscillation on the LP11 mode are also discussed along with the prospects for scaling to higher power levels.

Abstract 4772: A novel agonist antibody to human death receptor 4, AY4, induces apoptotic cell death in head and neck cancer through ROS generation: in vitro and in vivo

Background : The proapoptotic tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptors death receptor (DR) 4 and DR5 are attractive targets to develop the receptorspecific agonistic monoclonal antibodies (mAb) as anticancer agents because of their tumor-selective cell death-inducing activity. Here, we describe the characterization of a novel agonistic mAb (AY4) against human DR4 and apoptosis through reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in head and neck cancer model.

Methods : The effects of AY4 in head and neck cell lines (KB, SNU899, HN9, FaDu) was studied on apoptosis using MTT assy, TUNEL, Annexin V assay and western blotting and was examed on the production of reactive oxygen species with DCFDA staining, intracellular signaling and animal model. In addition, we analyzed the anticancer effect of AY4 in nude mice xenograft model. In addition, drug toxicity (embryotoxicity and neurotoxicity) of AY4 were investigated in vivo zebrafish model.

Results: The DR4 was expressed in head and neck cancer cell lines by Flow cytometry (FACS) and western blotting. AY4 inhibited cell growth in KB and HN9 excluding SNU899 and FaDu and caused cell death via caspase-dependent apoptosis. The apoptotic cell death by AY4 decreased by N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant, suggesting ROS generation involved in the cell death. Moreover, NAC and AY4 cotreatment augmented the reduced expression of antiapoptotic molecules, Bcl-XL and XIAP. In vivo administration of AY4 significantly inhibited tumor growth of head and neck cancer preestablished in athymic nude mice. In addition, in a zebrafish model used for toxicity testing, a considerable dose of AY4 did not result in embryotoxicity or neurotoxicity.

Conclusion : Our results demonstrates the effect of AY4 on apoptosis and tumor inhibition via ROS production and provide potential use of AY4 as an anticancer therapeutic agent in head and neck cancer.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4772. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4772

c-Met expression as an indicator of survival outcome in patients with oral tongue carcinoma

BACKGROUND

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) can promote proliferation, invasion, and angiogenesis in various tumor cells. However, the prognosis according to expression of HGF/c-Met has not been reported in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral tongue (SCCOT).

METHODS

Tumors from 61 patients with SCCOT were evaluated for the expression of HGF and c-Met by immunohistochemistry. For Western blot, we used fresh normal and cancer tissues from 3 patients with SCCOT.

RESULTS

The positive rates of HGF and c-Met immunostaining in SCCOT were 57.3% and 54.1%, respectively. The c-Met staining was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (p = .005), tumor classification (p = .004), and recurrence (p = .018). Survival was significantly affected in patients with positive c-Met expression (p = .003). HGF and c-Met were strongly expressed in cancer tissues on Western blot.

CONCLUSION

The c-Met expression may play an important role in the progression and the survival outcome of patients with SCCOT.

Relationship between radiological characteristics and combined 1p and 19q deletion in World Health Organization grade III oligodendroglial tumours

OBJECTIVE

The radiological characteristics of World Health Organization grade III oligodendroglial tumours in relation to chromosome 1p and 19q deletions were analysed.

METHODS

56 patients recently diagnosed with anaplastic oligodendroglioma (AO, n=49) or anaplastic oligoastrocytoma (AOA, n=7) were studied. Their preoperative magnetic resonance images were examined. Deletions of chromosome 1p and 19q were determined using the fluorescence in situ hybridisation method. Both 1p and 19q chromosomes had deletions (1p19q codeletion) in 39 patients (36 AO and 3 AOA).

RESULTS

Tumors associated with the 1p19q codeletion were predominantly located in the frontal lobe (p=0.044). The magnetic resonance image characteristics of indistinct tumour borders (p=0.005 on T1, p=0.036 on T2) and a heterogeneous intratumoural signal intensity (p=0.033 on T1, p=0.041 on T2) were significantly correlated with the 1p19q codeletion. Analysis of patient survival showed those with the 1p19q-co-deleted tumours survived significantly longer than those lacking the 1p19q codeletion (p=0.042). The presence of a heterogeneous signal intensity in T2-weighted images, a characteristic significantly related to the 1p19q codeletion, indicated a favourable prognosis for patients' survival (HR; 0.125, 95% CI, 0.016 to 0.963, p=0.046) based on multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

A relationship between radiological characteristics and molecular signatures in AO/AOAs was shown. It is believed that radiological characteristics have prognostic value as a surrogate marker for molecular characteristics.

Effectiveness of slow freezing and vitrification for long-term preservation of mouse ovarian tissue

This study was conducted to evaluate the interaction between cryo-damage and ART outcome after cryopreservation of mouse ovarian tissues with different methods. Either a vitrification or a slow freezing was employed for the cryopreservation of B6CBAF1 mouse ovaries and follicle growth and the preimplantation development of intrafollicular oocytes following parthenogenesis or IVF were monitored. Both cryopreservation protocols caused significant damage to follicle components, including vacuole formation and mitochondrial deformities. Regardless of the cryopreservation protocols employed, a sharp (P < 0.0001) decrease in follicle viability and post-thaw growth was detected. When IVF program was employed, significant (P < 0.05) decrease in cleavage and blastocyst formation was notable in both modes of cryopreservation. However, such retardation was not found when oocytes were parthenogenetically activated. In the IVF oocytes, slow freezing led to better development than vitrification. In conclusion, a close relationship between cryopreservation and ART methods should be considered for the selection of cryopreservation program.

A case-control study of robotic radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy using 3 robotic arms compared with abdominal radical hysterectomy in cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to compare surgical outcomes of robotic radical hysterectomy (RRH) using 3 robotic arms with those of abdominal radical hysterectomy (ARH) in the treatment of early-stage cervical cancer.

METHODS

Thirty-two patients with stage IA2-IIB cervical carcinoma according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics underwent RRH between June 2006 and February 2009. Patient outcomes were compared with those of a historic cohort of 32 patients who underwent ARH, who were matched for age, stage according to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, and type of radical surgery.

RESULTS

All RRHs were completed robotically with no conversions to laparotomy. Robotic radical hysterectomy showed favorable outcomes over ARH in terms of the mean length of hospital stay (11.6 vs 16.9 days, P < 0.001) and the mean estimated blood loss (220 vs 531 mL, P = 0.002). The mean operating time and the number of lymph node retrievals were comparable. There were no significant differences in the incidence of postoperative complications between the 2 groups. The mean follow-up time was 15.3 months, and 2 patients in the RRH group had recurrences.

CONCLUSIONS

Robotic radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy using 3 robotic arms is feasible and preferable over ARH for the treatment of cervical cancer patients. Prospective randomized trials should be completed to confirm the potential benefits associated with RRH.

Graded zirconia glass for resistance to veneer fracture

Failures of zirconia-based all-ceramic restorations appear to be predominantly chips and fractures in the porcelain veneer, from occlusally induced sliding contact damage. We hypothesized that such failure may be substantially mitigated by controlled grading of the elastic modulus at the ceramic surface. In this study, we fabricated graded structures by infiltrating glass into zirconia plates, resulting in improved aesthetics and diminished modulus at the surfaces. Individual plates were then embedded in epoxy or cemented to dental composites and subjected to single- or multi-cycle sliding contact. Plates of porcelain-veneered zirconia and monolithic zirconia served as controls. Graded zirconia-glass structures exhibited over 3 times better resistance to single-cycle sliding damage than monolithic zirconia and 25 times better than veneered zirconia, and had a fatigue sliding damage resistance comparable with that of monolithic zirconia. These zirconia-glass materials can be engineered in shades from white to yellow, and have potentially better cementation properties than homogeneous zirconia.

Differential gene expression of ewes varying in tolerance to dietary nitrate

Ruminants consuming diets with increased concentrations of nitrate (NO(3)(-)) can accumulate nitrite (NO(2)(-)) in the blood, resulting in toxicity. In a previous experiment, ewes identified as highly tolerant to subacute dietary NO(3)(-) were able to consume greater amounts of NO(3)(-) than lowly tolerant ewes without exhibiting signs of toxicity. We hypothesized that highly tolerant and lowly tolerant ewes differ in their ability to metabolize NO(3)(-) and thereby differ in the expression of hepatic genes involved in NO(3)(-) metabolism. Therefore, our objective was to identify hepatic genes differentially expressed between ewes classified as lowly tolerant and highly tolerant after administration of a subacute quantity of dietary NO(3)(-). Analysis of the Bovine Oligonucleotide Microarray data identified 100 oligonucleotides as differentially expressed (P < 0.05) between lowly tolerant and highly tolerant ewes. Functional analysis of the genes associated with these oligonucleotides revealed 2 response clusters of interest: metabolic and stress. Genes of interest within these 2 clusters (n = 17) and nonclustered genes with the greatest fold changes (FC; n = 5) were selected for validation by real-time reverse-transcription PCR. Relative expression, genomic regulation, and FC agreed between microarray and real-time reverse-transcription-PCR analyses, and FC differences (P < 0.05) between lowly tolerant and highly tolerant ewes were confirmed for 12 genes. Metabolic genes that were downregulated (P ≤ 0.032) in lowly tolerant ewes vs. highly tolerant ewes included aldehyde oxidase 1, argininosuccinate lyase, putative steroid dehydrogenase, 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase1, and sterol carrier protein 2. In contrast, the metabolic gene homeobox was upregulated (P = 0.037) in lowly tolerant ewes. The glutathione peroxidase 3 and inter-α (globulin) inhibitor H4 genes in the stress response cluster were upregulated (P ≤ 0.045) in lowly tolerant ewes. Genes with the greatest FC, but did not cluster within the functional analysis included haptoglobin, which was upregulated (P = 0.024) in lowly tolerant ewes, and fatty acid desaturase 2 and thyroid hormone responsive, both of which were downregulated (P ≤ 0.019) in lowly tolerant ewes. Results from this study indicate that hepatic gene expression differs in ewes identified as lowly tolerant and highly tolerant to increased dietary NO(3)(-).

Neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio for preoperative diagnosis of uterine sarcomas: a case-matched comparison

BACKGROUND

Uterine sarcomas are rare among all uterine malignancies, and frequently misdiagnosed as benign uterine diseases such as leiomyoma and adenomyosis because of lack of feasible tools for the preoperative diagnosis. Although some studies have suggested the role of serum CA-125 levels for the preoperative diagnosis, the efficacy is controversial. Since malignancy is known to be associated with systemic inflammation which leads to hematological alteration, we compared the efficacy for the preoperative diagnosis of uterine sarcomas between the neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and serum CA-125 levels using a case-match comparison.

METHODS

From November 2004 to December 2008, 55 patients with carcinosarcoma (n=21), leiomyosarcoma (n=20) and endometrial stromal sarcoma (n=14) were matched to 330 patients with leiomyoma (n=165) and adenomyosis (n=165) in terms of age at diagnosis, body mass index and uterine volume.

RESULTS

The receiver operating characteristic curve showed the best cut-off values of the NLR (>or=2.12) and serum CA-125 levels (>or=27.5U/ml) for the preoperative diagnosis of uterine sarcomas, demonstrating that the NLR was more powerful for the preoperative diagnosis of uterine sarcomas than serum CA-125 levels (sensitivity, 74.5% vs. 52.3%; specificity, 70.3% vs. 50.5%; positive predictive value, 29.5% vs. 15.1%; negative predictive value, 94.3% vs. 86.5%; accuracy, 60.6% vs. 49.6%; p<0.05). Furthermore, the NLR reflected recurrence and progression more accurately than serum CA-125 levels in patients with uterine sarcomas.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the NLR may be more useful than serum CA-125 levels as a cost-effective tool for the preoperative diagnosis in patients with uterine sarcomas.

Utility of injection laryngoplasty in the management of post-thyroidectomy vocal cord paralysis

BACKGROUND

This prospective study investigated the efficacy of injection laryn-goplasty in the management of postthyroidectomy vocal cord paralysis (VCP).

METHODS

From March 2005 to December 2008, 174 consecutive injection laryngoplasties were performed in patients with unilateral glottic insufficiency. This included 34 patients with post-thyroidectomy VCP: 15 with temporary VCP and 19 with permanent VCP. Percutaneous injection was performed under local anesthesia into the vocalis muscle, using disposable 25G-long needles through the cricothyroid membrane or directly through the thyroid cartilage. Patients completed the acoustic, aerodynamic, perceptual, stroboscopic, and voice handicap index evaluations before and at 3 and 6 months after the injection.

RESULTS

All injection laryngoplasty could be performed under local anesthesia without morbidity. Acoustic and perceptual parameters (overall grade of hoarseness, roughness, breathiness, asthenia, and strain), maximum phonation time, jitter, and shimmer, voice handicap index, and grades of mucosal waves and glottic closure were significantly improved after the injection and they remained stable over 6 months in both the temporary VCP and permanent groups (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Based on these preliminary results, injection laryngoplasty improved the voice, and voice-related quality of life in patients with post-thyroidectomy VCP. It is a simple, safe, and useful method for rehabilitating post-thyroidectomy VCP patients.

Effects of heat stress and nutrition on lactating Holstein cows: II. Aspects of hepatic growth hormone responsiveness

Heat stress (HS) is a multibillion-dollar problem for the global dairy industry, and reduced milk yield is the primary contributor to this annual economic loss. Feed intake declines precipitously during HS but accounts for only about 35% of the decreased milk synthesis, indicating that the physiological mechanisms responsible for decreased milk production during HS are only partly understood. Thus, our experimental objectives were to characterize the direct effects of HS on the somatotropic axis, a primary regulator of metabolism and milk yield. We recently reported no differences in mean growth hormone (GH) concentrations, GH pulsatility characteristics, or GH response to growth hormone releasing factor in HS versus pair-fed (PF) thermoneutral controls. Despite similarities in circulating GH characteristics, plasma insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I concentrations were reduced during heat stress conditions but not in PF animals, suggesting that uncoupling of the hepatic GH-IGF axis may occur during HS. We investigated this possibility by measuring proximal indicators of hepatic GH signaling following a GH bolus. Heat stress but not PF decreased abundance of the GH receptor and GH-dependent signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-5 phosphorylation. Consistent with reduced GH signaling through STAT-5, basal hepatic IGF-I mRNA abundance was lower in HS cows. Thus, the reduced hepatic GH responsiveness (in terms of IGF-I gene expression) observed during HS appears to involve mechanisms at least partially independent of reduced nutrient intake. The physiological significance of reduced hepatic GH receptor abundance during HS is unclear at this time. Aside from reducing IGF-I production, it may reduce other GH-sensitive bioenergetic processes such as gluconeogenesis.

Clinical significance of tumor volume and lymph node involvement assessed by MRI in stage IIB cervical cancer patients treated with concurrent chemoradiation therapy

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of tumor volume assessed by pretreatment MRI in stage IIB cervical cancer patients with concurrent chemoradiation therapy.

METHODS

A retrospective chart review was performed on seventy five patients with cervical cancer who were treated with concurrent weekly cisplatin (40 mg/m(2)) and radiotherapy between January 2000 and April 2007. Potential prognostic factors were age, chemotherapy numbers, histology, tumor diameter and volume, lymph node (LN) involvement and pretreatment squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) levels.

RESULTS

The median follow-up time was 55 months (range, 8 to 104 months). The median tumor size and volume (range) were 4.5 cm (2 to 10) and 33.1 mL (4.2 to 392.7), respectively. Pelvic LN enlargement rate was 58.7%. Para-aortic LN enlargement rate was 14.7%. Using multivariate analysis, a tumor volume (>33 mL, p=0.025), pelvic LN enlargement (p=0.044) revealed a significantly unfavorable outcome on overall survival. PFS was influenced by tumor histology (p<0.001), pelvic LN enlargement (p=0.015) and pretreatment SCC-Ag levels (p=0.018). We found that 22 (29.3%) patients had recurrences and 14 (18.7%) patients died of disease. The 5-year overall survival rate was 80.6% (standard error, 4.9%) and 5-year PFS rate was 71.3% (standard error, 5.3%).

CONCLUSION

Tumor volume and pelvic LN involvement showed possibility to predict overall survival in patient with stage IIB cervical cancer. Optimal tumor volume and pelvic LN assessment by pretreatment MRI might be helpful to predict treatment outcome.

Robot-assisted staging using three robotic arms for endometrial cancer: comparison to laparoscopy and laparotomy at a single institution

PURPOSE

To demonstrate the feasibility of robot-assisted staging surgery using three arms in patients with endometrial cancer.

METHODS

One hundred nine patients with clinical stage I endometrial cancer who underwent staging surgery at Yonsei University Health System were enrolled from May 2006 to January 2009. Patient demographics and operative outcomes were prospectively collected.

RESULTS

Robotic surgery using three arms was performed in 28 patients, laparoscopy in 25, and laparotomy in 56. There were no differences among the three groups in terms of patient demographics. The number of harvested pelvic lymph nodes was lower in the laparoscopy group than in the laparotomy group (18.36 +/- 7.25 vs. 24.39 +/- 10.08, respectively, P = 0.025), but there was no difference between the robot and laparotomy groups. The number of resected para-aortic lymph nodes and operative time did not differ among the three groups. The average hospital stay was longer for the laparotomy group than the robot and laparoscopy groups (10.78 days vs. 7.92 days vs. 7.67 days, respectively, P < 0.001). Operative complications and transfusions developed more frequently in the laparotomy group than in the robot and laparoscopy groups (25.0% vs. 7.1% vs. 8.0%, respectively, P = 0.049; 42.9% vs. 14.3% vs. 16.0%, respectively, P = 0.006).

CONCLUSION

Robot-assisted surgery using three arms is a feasible method for surgical staging in patients with clinical stage I endometrial cancer.

Efficient in-band pumped Ho:LuLiF(4) 2 microm laser

An efficient Ho:LuLiF(4) laser in-band pumped by a cladding-pumped Tm-doped silica fiber laser operating at 1937 nm is reported. At low-cavity output coupling, the Ho:LuLiF(4) laser yielded 5.1 W of output at a wavelength of 2066 nm for 8.0 W of absorbed pump power with a slope efficiency of 70%. At high-cavity output coupling, the lasing wavelength shifted to 2053 nm and the laser produced an output power of 5.4 W with a slope efficiency of 76%. The beam propagation factor (M(2)) was measured to be approximately 1.1 at the maximum output power confirming fundamental transverse mode (TEM(oo)) operation. The influence of resonator design on laser performance is discussed, along with prospects for further power scaling and improvement of the laser efficiency.

High-power linearly-polarized single-frequency thulium-doped fiber Master-Oscillator Power-Amplifier

We report a high power narrow-linewidth source at approximately 2 microm based on a Tm-doped fiber distributed-feedback master-oscillator and three Tm fiber amplifier stages. The master-oscillator and first two amplifier stages were in-band pumped by Er,Yb fiber lasers operating at 1565 nm, and the final stage amplifier was cladding-pumped at 795 nm by two spatially-combined diode-stacks. The MOPA yielded 100 W of single frequency output at 1943 nm with a beam propagation factor (M(2)) of 1.25 and with a polarization extinction ratio of >94%. The output power was limited by thermally-induced damage in the final amplifier stage. The prospects for further power scaling are considered.

Genomic tools for characterizing monogenic and polygenic traits in ruminants--using the bovine as an example

Next generation sequencing platforms have democratized genome sequencing. Large genome centers are no longer required to produce genome sequences costing millions. A few lanes of paired-end sequence on an Illumina Genome Analyzer, costing < $10,000, will produce more sequence than generated only a few years ago to produce the human and cow assemblies. The de novo assembly of large numbers of short reads into a high-quality whole-genome sequence is now technically feasible and will allow the whole genome sequencing and assembly of a broad spectrum of ruminant species. Next-generation sequencing instruments are also proving very useful for transcriptome or resequencing projects in which the entire RNA population produced by a tissue, or the entire genomes of individual animals are sequenced, and the produced reads are aligned to a reference assembly. We have used this strategy to examine gene expression differences in tissues from cattle differing in feed efficiency, to perform genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism discovery for the construction of ultrahigh-density genotyping assays, and in combination with genome-wide association analysis, for the identification of mutations responsible for Mendelian diseases. The new 800K SNP bovine genotyping assays possess the resolution to map trait associations to the locations of individual genes and the 45 million polymorphisms identified in > 180X genome sequence coverage on over 200 animals can be queried to identify the polymorphisms present within positional candidate genes. These new tools should rapidly allow the identification of genes and mutations underlying variation in cattle production and reproductive traits.

Diagnosis and staging of primary ovarian cancer: correlation between PET/CT, Doppler US, and CT or MRI

PURPOSE

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), pelvic Doppler ultrasonography (US), abdomino-pelvic computed tomography (CT), and pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for detection of ovarian cancer and to assess the role of PET/CT in evaluating the dissemination of ovarian cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred thirty-three women suspected to have ovarian cancer were enrolled in a prospective study before surgery between March 2005 and August 2007. The accuracy of each modality in detection of malignancy was estimated by computing the relevant areas under a receiver operating characteristics curve. Histopathologic results served as the reference standard.

RESULTS

Histopathology showed benign tumors in 25 patients, borderline tumors in 13 patients, and malignant tumors in 95 patients. In distinguishing malignant/borderline from benign ovarian tumors, the accuracy of PET/CT (0.921) was higher than that of pelvis US (0.830) and abdomino-pelvic CT or pelvis MRI (0.749; P=0.013). Radiologic staging by PET/CT was concordant with surgical staging in 78% of patient and PET/CT revealed 15 (15.8%) unpredicted extra-abdominal lymph node metastasis in 95 patients with ovarian cancer. In addition, PET/CT detected new, unexpected co-existing malignant tumors in five (3.8%) cases including two thyroid tumors, two breast tumors, and one pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer.

CONCLUSION

PET/CT is superior to pelvis US, abdomino-pelvic CT, and pelvic MRI for diagnosis of malignant ovarian tumors and is useful in revealing metastatic ovarian cancer and co-existing malignant tumors. Therefore, we suggest that PET/CT could be used during pre-operative evaluation of patients suspected to have ovarian cancer.

Acute toxicity of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor rofecoxib as a radiosensitizer for concurrent chemoradiation in the treatment of uterine cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the acute toxicity of rofecoxib during concurrent use with cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with cervical cancer.

METHODS

We evaluated 67 FIGO stage IB2-IVA cervical cancer patients treated with CCRT between June 2002 and July 2004. The study group included patients who received rofecoxib (N=30) and the control group included patients who received CCRT only (N=37). The patients' medical records were retrospectively reviewed for patient characteristics, toxicity related to CCRT and treatment results.

RESULTS

There were no significant differences in toxicity between the two groups. The most common acute grade 3/4 toxicity was neutropenia (13.3% in the study group and 21.6% in the control group). Grade 3/4 late toxicity was observed in 2 (6.6%) patients in the study group and 3 (8.1%) in the control group. There was no treatment-related deaths in either group. Six (20.0%) patients in the study group had treatment failure. In the control group, 6 (16.2%) patients experienced treatment failure. Progression-free and overall survival was 55.8+/-4.2 and 59.0+/-2.8 months, respectively, in the study group, and 69.7+/-4.3 and 71.6+/-3.6 months, respectively, in the control group. There were no differences in progression-free and overall survival between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSION

Our data indicate that rofecoxib, at a dose of 25 mg twice daily, has acceptable acute toxicity as a radiosensitizer during CCRT. Although rofecoxib was not efficacious as a radiosensitizer in the present study, the benefit of rofecoxib as a radiosensitizer should be further evaluated in a prospective study.

Correlation of human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) expression and disease progression in epithelial ovarian cancer

Human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) expression has been reported to be relevant to cancer development and immune tolerance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between HLA-G expression and disease progression and to assess the use of HLA-G expression as a prognostic immunomarker in epithelial ovarian carcinoma. Human leukocyte antigen-G expression in 41 ovarian cancer tissues and 8 normal ovarian tissues was analyzed using immunohistochemistry and Western blot assay. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for HLA-G messenger RNA (mRNA) expression. Human leukocyte antigen-G mRNA and protein levels were significantly greater in advanced ovarian cancer tissues than in normal or early stage ovarian cancer tissues (P < .05 and P < .05, respectively). Patients with HLA-G expression had a significantly worse prognosis. There is a significant correlation between HLA-G immunoreactivity and patient survival in univariate analysis (P = .04). Our data was consistent with the concept that HLA-G expression might play a pivotal role in the development and disease progression of epithelial ovarian cancer.

Endoscopic hemithyroidectomy with prophylactic ipsilateral central neck dissection via an unilateral axillo-breast approach without gas insufflation for unilateral micropapillary thyroid carcinoma: preliminary report

BACKGROUND

Recently, various endoscopic approaches have been applied to thyroid surgery. However, few specific data exist on endoscopic thyroidectomy with central neck dissection (CND) for micropapillary thyroid carcinoma. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and safety of endoscopic hemithyroidectomy (HT) plus CND.

METHODS

In this study, 29 consecutive patients underwent endoscopic HT with ipsilateral CND via a unilateral axillo-breast approach (endo group), and 30 matched control patients underwent conventional open HT with ipsilateral CND (open group). The following variables were compared between these two groups: perioperative complications, surgery-related outcomes, and pathologic outcomes.

RESULTS

The operating time in the endo group was longer than in the open group (p = 0.012). In terms of parathyroid gland (PTG) preservation, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups. The mean numbers of dissected central lymph nodes and metastatic central lymph nodes were similar in the two groups (p = 0.506 vs. 0.975). The endo group had a significantly longer mean hospital stay (6.21 +/- 0.94 days) than the open group (4.30 +/- 1.02 days; p = 0.000). No significant difference was observed in the overall perioperative complications between the two groups.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates that the endoscopic approach of CND plus HT is feasible for selected unilateral, intrathyroidal, micropapillary carcinomas. In the future, prospective and comparative studies on the surgical techniques of total thyroidectomy and CND are needed to verify their oncologic safety.

A multicenter phase II study of belotecan, new camptothecin analogue, in patients with previously untreated extensive stage disease small cell lung cancer

Belotecan (Camtobell, CKD602) is a new camptothecin derivative antitumor agent that belongs to the topoisomerase inhibitors. The aim of this phase II study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of single agent belotecan in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Patients with previously untreated extensive stage disease (ED) SCLC were entered into the study. Belotecan was given by daily intravenous infusion at 0.5mg/m(2)/day for 5 consecutive days, every 3 weeks. 62 patients were enrolled in this study. The overall response rate to chemotherapy on an intention-to-treat basis was 53.2%. The median overall survival was 10.4 months, the median time to progression 4.6 months, and the 1-year survival rate 49.9%. The most common toxicity was hematologic. Grade 3/4 neutropenia occurred in 71.0% of patients and grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia 12.9%. Non-hematologic toxicity of grade 3 or 4 was low. The results suggest that belotecan is relatively active and well tolerable as single agent in patients with ED SCLC. Further investigations with platinum or other active agents are needed.

Anchorage-independent cell growth signature identifies tumors with metastatic potential

The oncogenic phenotype is complex, resulting from the accumulation of multiple somatic mutations that lead to the deregulation of growth regulatory and cell fate controlling activities and pathways. The ability to dissect this complexity, so as to reveal discrete aspects of the biology underlying the oncogenic phenotype, is critical to understanding the various mechanisms of disease as well as to reveal opportunities for novel therapeutic strategies. Previous work has characterized the process of anchorage-independent growth of cancer cells in vitro as a key aspect of the tumor phenotype, particularly with respect to metastatic potential. Nevertheless, it remains a major challenge to translate these cell biology findings into the context of human tumors. We previously used DNA microarray assays to develop expression signatures, which have the capacity to identify subtle distinctions in biological states and can be used to connect in vitro and in vivo states. Here we describe the development of a signature of anchorage-independent growth, show that the signature exhibits characteristics of deregulated mitochondrial function and then demonstrate that the signature identifies human tumors with the potential for metastasis.

Influence of energy-transfer-upconversion on threshold pump power in quasi-three-level solid-state lasers

A simple analytical expression for threshold pump power in an end-pumped quasi-three-level solid-state laser, which takes into account the influence of energy-transfer-upconversion (ETU), is derived. This expression indicates that threshold pump power can be increased dramatically by ETU, especially in low gain lasers and lasers with pronounced three-level character due to the need for high excitation densities in the upper manifold to reach threshold. The analysis has been applied to an Er:YAG laser operating at 1645 nm in-band pumped by an Er,Yb fiber laser at 1532 nm. Predicted values for threshold pump power as a function of erbium doping concentration are in very good agreement with measured values. The results indicate that very low erbium doping levels (approximately 0.25 at.% or less) are required to avoid degradation in performance due to ETU even under continuous-wave lasing conditions in Er:YAG.

Comparison of risk factors and clinical responses to proton pump inhibitors in patients with erosive oesophagitis and non-erosive reflux disease

BACKGROUND

There has been no report on the response to proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy and on-demand or the relapse rate of non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) and erosive oesophagitis in Korea.

AIM

To compare the risk factors, clinical symptoms and PPI responses between patients with erosive oesophagitis and NERD patients.

METHODS

A survey was performed prospectively in the erosive oesophagitis (205 patients) and NERD group (200 patients). Clinical symptoms, risk factors and PPI responses were analysed. On-demand therapy and the relapse rate of GERD symptoms were investigated during a one-year follow-up.

RESULTS

BMI > or = 25 (OR 3.0, 95% CI 1.1-8.3), alcohol use (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.0-8.3), hiatal hernia (OR 5.0, 95% CI 1.2-20) and triglyceride > or =150 mg/dL (OR 4.0, 95% CI 1.7-10) were more common in the erosive oesophagitis group than in the NERD group by multivariate analysis. The ratio of oesophageal to extra-oesophageal symptoms was higher in the erosive oesophagitis group compared with the NERD group (P < 0.001). The PPI response rates at 8 weeks were different (P = 0.02); refractory rates were higher in the NERD group (16.7%) compared with the erosive oesophagitis group (6.0%). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in on-demand therapy or the relapse rate.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of erosive oesophagitis and NERD are distinct.

Comparison of modified Cherney incision and vertical midline incision for management of early stage cervical cancer

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare operative feasibility and surgical outcome of the modified Cherney incision and vertical midline incision in patients undergoing radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy.

METHODS

Between March 2005 and December 2007, retrospective data of 78 patients (n=17; modified Cherney incision, n=61; vertical midline incision) with early stage cervical cancer who received radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy were reviewed.

RESULTS

Baseline characteristics of patients who underwent modified Cherney incision and vertical midline incision were similar except for age (mean+/-SD: 32.3+/-3.4 yr vs. 52.5+/-8.4 yr, p<0.001). Patients who received modified Cherney incision had earlier initiation of soft diet (mean+/-SD: 46.5+/-19.5 hr vs. 56.4+/-25.4 hr, p<0.016) and shorter hospital stay compared to those who received vertical midline incision (mean+/-SD: 18.0+/-4.8 days vs. 21.7+/-3.7 days, p<0.042). There was no difference in the number of dissected pelvic lymph nodes, hemoglobin change, postoperative pain, postoperative ileus, Foley indwelling duration, and perioperative complications.

CONCLUSION

Excluding the selection bias for age, there was no significant difference of the clinical outcome between the modified Cherney incision group and the vertical midline incision group. Modified Cherney incision can be cosmetically performed in young age women obtaining equal number of lymph nodes without increased operative morbidity compared to vertical midline incision.

Impact of hypertension on coronary artery spasm as assessed with intracoronary acetylcholine provocation test

Both hypertension and coronary artery spasm (CAS) are associated with endothelial dysfunction. Thus, a higher incidence of CAS is expected in hypertensive patients. We evaluated the impact of hypertension on CAS with intracoronary acetylcholine (ACh) provocation test. A total of 986 patients (685 hypertensive patients vs 301 normotensive patients) who underwent coronary angiography with ACh provocation test were enrolled. ACh was injected into the left coronary artery in incremental doses of 20, 50 and 100 microg min(-1). Significant CAS was defined as a transient >70% luminal narrowing with concurrent chest pain and/or ST-segment changes. Although the incidences of significant ACh-induced CAS were similar between hypertensive and normotensive patients (35.8 vs 39.2%, P=0.303), multivariate logistic analysis showed that hypertension was negatively associated with ACh-induced CAS (odds ratio: 0.70, 95% confidence interval: 0.51-0.94, P=0.020). The angiographic characteristics of ACh-induced CAS were similar between these two groups. Subgroup analysis regarding the impact of the status of blood pressure control on CAS showed that hypertensive patients with controlled blood pressure had a significantly higher incidence of CAS than those with uncontrolled blood pressure (45.2 vs 27.9%, P<0.001), and that uncontrolled blood pressure was negatively associated with ACh-induced CAS (odds ratio: 0.56, 95% confidence interval: 0.40-0.79, P=0.001). In conclusion, despite the expected endothelial dysfunction, hypertension and uncontrolled blood pressure are negatively associated with CAS, suggesting that the mechanisms and risk factors of CAS may be significantly different from those of coronary artery disease.

Markov analysis of sleep dynamics

A new approach, based on a Markov transition matrix, is proposed to explain frequent sleep and wake transitions during sleep. The matrix is determined by analyzing hypnograms of 113 obstructive sleep apnea patients. Our approach shows that the statistics of sleep can be constructed via a single Markov process and that durations of all states have modified exponential distributions, in contrast to recent reports of a scale-free form for the wake stage and an exponential form for the sleep stage. Hypnograms of the same subjects, but treated with Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, are analyzed and compared quantitatively with the pretreatment ones, suggesting potential clinical applications.

Coarsening kinetics of a spinodally decomposed vicinal Si(111) surface

The coarsening kinetics of the stepped-and-terrace groove structure formed on a vicinal Si(111) surface was investigated by in-situ synchrotron x-ray scattering. The time evolution of the groove period L at various temperatures below the (1 x 1)-to-(7 x 7) transition falls onto a universal curve when the annealing time is scaled by a scale factor. Distinctive stages of spinodal decomposition, coarsening, and saturation are identified in the evolution of the groove period. L increases following a power law, L approximately t;{n} with n = 1/6 and 0.29 in the initial stage and the late stage of coarsening, respectively. The initial coarsening proceeds via collective motion of step bunches while the late stage is dominated by the diffusion of individual steps.

X-ray reflectivity study on the structure and phase stability of mixed phospholipid multilayers

Vertically oriented multilayers composed of two saturated phospholipids, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoserine (DPPS), were deposited on silicon. X-ray reflectivity was used to investigate the structures of the variously mixed phospholipid multilayers as a function of composition. Then, the phase stability was investigated at various annealing temperatures under humid conditions. The results indicated that the lipid spacing of the mixed phospholipid multilayers varied systematically as a function of the DPPC/DPPS ratio and that no macroscopic phase separation occurred during the annealing process under both dry and humid conditions.

Association between bacterial vaginosis and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine whether the presence of bacterial vaginosis (BV) is associated with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and human papilloma virus (HPV) infection.

METHODS

A total of 588 women who had abnormal Pap smears and had finally undergone loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP) in our institute from September 2002 to May 2006 were selected. The screening tests for BV were done in 552 of the 588, and BV was diagnosed if three of the following four findings were satisfied: presence of abnormal discharge, vaginal pH>4.5, presence of clue cells, positive amine or whiff test. Five hundred and five patients had HPV typing tests by the HPV DNA chip. Forty two patients diagnosed with invasive cancer were excluded from this study. CIN was subdivided into low-grade CIN (CIN I) and high-grade CIN (CIN II/III) groups.

RESULTS

There was no statistically significant difference in patient characteristics between BV-present and BV-absent group. The incidence of CIN was significantly higher in the BV-present group (p=0.043), however, no statistical significance of BV on CIN was observed on multivariate analysis. HPV infection showed no significant relationship with BV. BV with or without HPV infection did not influence the incidence of CIN, regardless of the severity.

CONCLUSION

There was significant correlation between BV and the presence of CIN, regardless of the severity of CIN. In addition, there was no significant association between the presence of BV and HPV infection.

The role of serum CA-125 levels in early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer on preoperative CT and MRI

BACKGROUND

We sought to identify the role of serum CA-125 levels in early-stage epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) on preoperative CT and MRI.

METHODS

Clinical data of 101 patients with early-stage EOC on preoperative CT and MRI were collected between January 2000 and December 2007. Clinical stage I (n=59) was defined as tumor limited to the ovaries with or without ascites, whereas clinical stage II (n=42) was defined as tumor within the pelvis with or without ascites. The primary endpoint was to investigate the efficacy of serum CA-125 levels for the prediction of advanced-stage disease, and secondary endpoints were to evaluate the accuracy of preoperative CT and MRI, and to examine the role of serum CA-125 levels as a prognostic factor for survival.

RESULTS

The results of preoperative CT and MRI were concordant with no peritoneal implants outside the pelvis in 50/101 (50%) and no lymph node metastasis in 71/101 (70%) patients. The receiver operating characteristic curves showed that best cut-off values of serum CA-125 levels were 320 U/ml (71% sensitivity, 84% specificity) and 510 U/ml (67% sensitivity, 80% specificity) for the prediction of peritoneal implants outside the pelvis and lymph node metastasis. The serum CA-125 level (> or =320 U/ml) was a significant factor for the prediction of advanced-stage disease (adjusted OR, 7.43; 95% CI, 2.39-23.04). However, it was not an independent prognostic factor for survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Serum CA-125 levels may be very useful for the prediction of advanced-stage disease in early-stage EOC on preoperative CT and MRI.

Cancer patients' awareness of clinical trials, perceptions on the benefit and willingness to participate: Korean perspectives

To understand patients' perceptions of clinical trials (CTs) is the principal step in the enrolment of patients to CTs. However, these perceptions in eastern countries are very rare. From 12 February 2007 to 13 April 2007, we consecutively distributed the questionnaire to 842 cancer patients who initiated a first cycle of chemotherapy regardless of each treatment step in the Seoul National University Hospital. Younger age, higher educational degree, higher economic status, and possession of private cancer insurance were related with significantly higher awareness of CTs (P=0.001, P=0.006, P=0.002, and P=0.009, respectively). However, unlike awareness, perceptions on benefits of CTs were not changed according to age, educational degree, and economic status (P=0.709, P=0.920, and P=0.847, respectively). Willingness was also not changed according to age, educational degree, economic status, and private cancer insurance (P=0.381, P=0.775, P=0.887, and P=0.392, respectively). Instead, males and heavily treated patients had more positive perceptions on benefits (P=0.002 and P=0.001, respectively) and more willingness to participate in CTs (OR=1.17, 1.14–2.75: OR=1.59, 1.01–2.51, respectively). In summary, cancer patients' awareness of CTs, perceptions on the benefit in CTs, and willingness to participate are differently influenced by diverse medical and social conditions. This information would be very helpful for investigators to properly conduct CTs in eastern cancer patients.

Expression of the p16 and Ki-67 in relation to the grade of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and high-risk human papillomavirus infection

OBJECTIVE

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the expression of p16(INK4a) (referred as to p16) and Ki-67 in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), and the correlation between high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the above biomarkers.

METHODS

We analyzed 31 patients who were diagnosed with CIN at Kwandong University Myongji Hospital from October 2006 to September 2007. CIN specimens (CIN1, 12; CIN2, 6; CIN3, 13) were obtained by colposcopy-directed biopsy (CDB) or loop electrical excision procedure (LEEP). The expressions of p16 and Ki-67 were evaluated by immunohistochemical methods with antibodies to p16 and Ki67. The immunohistochemical staining results were classified into four grades: 0, 1, 2 and 3. HPV genotyping or Hybrid Capture-II test was used to detect high-risk HPV.

RESULTS

The expression of p16 (p<0.001) and Ki-67 (p=0.003) were positively associated with CIN grade. p16 expressions increased significantly with high-risk HPV infection (p=0.014), especially HPV type 16 and 58. Ki-67 expression was not related with high-risk HPV. There was positive correlation between the expression of the p16 and Ki-67 (p=0.007).

CONCLUSION

CIN grade were positively related to the expression of p16 and Ki-67. p16 expressions of high-risk HPV specimens significantly increased more than Ki-67. Therefore, in the diagnosis of CIN and high-risk HPV infection, p16 can be a useful biomarker.

Orbital recurrence of retinoblastoma following enucleation

BACKGROUND/AIMS

To determine the incidence, clinical presentation and histopathological profile of patients developing orbital recurrence following enucleation for retinoblastoma.

METHODS

A cohort of 1674 consecutive patients undergoing enucleations between 1914 and 2006 was retrospectively reviewed to identify cases of orbital recurrence. A detailed chart review of all identified patients with orbital recurrence following enucleation was performed. The main outcome measures were histopathological features of the enucleated globe, clinical presentation, status of metastatic disease and clinical outcomes of treatment at last follow-up.

RESULTS

There were 71 cases of orbital recurrence identified in the study, for an incidence of 4.2% (71 of 1674 cases). The diagnosis of orbital recurrence was made between 1 and 24 months after enucleation (mean 6 months), with 69 of the 71 patients (97%) being diagnosed within the first 12 months. Over a follow-up period of 3-208 months (mean 34.8 months), 60 of 71 patients developed metastatic disease (85%), and 53 of 71 patients died from metastatic retinoblastoma (75%). For the subgroup of cases diagnosed as having orbital recurrences after 1984, 10 of 11 patients (91%) are alive and well.

CONCLUSIONS

All patients undergoing enucleation for retinoblastoma need to be followed carefully for the first 2 years after surgery for the possibility of orbital relapse. The majority of retinoblastoma patients with orbital tumour recurrence develop systemic metastatic disease, although mortalities appear to be improving in the modern era.

Characteristics of recurrence in adult-type granulosa cell tumor

Granulosa cell tumor (GCT) of the ovary is a very rare neoplasm, which is characterized by an indolent clinical course. Thus, the clinical characteristics, optimal treatment, and follow-up protocols are not well established. The goal of this study is to evaluate clinical findings, prognostic factors, and recurrent features of GCT in Korean patients. Between 1987 and 2005, 42 cases of GCT were diagnosed in our institution. There were 35 cases showing adult-type GCT, which were available for evaluation. All charts were reviewed, and the clinical data along with treatment results were retrospectively studied. Statistical analyses were performed for risk factors of recurrence and disease-free survival. GCT accounted for 3% of all ovarian malignancies in our institution during the study period. The median age was 45 years (range, 24-68 years). Abdominal and hormone-related symptoms were the main causes of first presentation. There were eight cases of recurrence including two cases of disease-related deaths during the median follow-up period of 177 months (range, 8-212 months). Factors affecting the recurrence involved residual tumor and stage, but residual tumor was the only significant factor of recurrence in multivariate analysis. The median time to relapse was 75 months (range, 55-137 months), and the liver was the most common extra-pelvic metastatic site followed by the intestine. Continuous long-term follow-up with pelvic and whole-abdominal surveillance is absolutely required. Active management including complete tumorectomy is the most important treatment modality in both primary surgeries and recurrent cases.

High-power and wavelength-tunable operation of an Er,Yb fiber laser using a volume Bragg grating

Efficient high-power operation of double-clad Er,Yb-doped fiber lasers with fixed-wavelength and wavelength-tunable resonator configurations using volume Bragg gratings for wavelength selection are reported. The fixed-wavelength laser yielded a maximum output power of 103 W at 1552.6 nm with a linewidth of ~0.4 nm (FWHM) for a launched pump power of 290 W at 976 nm. The wavelength-tunable laser could be tuned from 1528 to 1550 nm with a linewidth of 0.2 nm (FWHM) and with output power in the range 30-38 W for a launched pump power of 120 W. The prospects for further improvement in performance are considered.

Further evidence of association between two NET single-nucleotide polymorphisms with ADHD

The norepinephrine transporter (NET) gene is an attractive candidate gene for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Noradrenergic systems are critical to higher brain functions such as attention and executive function, which are defective in ADHD. The clinical efficacy of medications that target NET also supports its role in the etiology of ADHD. Here, we have applied a dense mapping strategy to capture all genetic variations within the NET gene in a large number of ADHD families (474 trios). As a result, we found association of the same alleles from two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (rs3785143 and rs11568324) previously identified in another large-scale ADHD genetic study (International Multisite ADHD Geneproject). Furthermore, the effect sizes were consistent across both studies. This is the first time that identical alleles of NET from different studies were implicated, and thus our report provides further evidence that the NET gene is involved in the etiology of ADHD.

Nature of Ho magnetism in multiferroic HoMnO3

Using x-ray resonant magnetic scattering and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism, techniques that are element specific, we have elucidated the role of Ho3+ in multiferroic HoMnO3. In zero field, Ho3+ orders antiferromagnetically with moments aligned along the hexagonal c direction below 40 K, and undergoes a transition to another magnetic structure below 4.5 K. In applied electric fields of up to 1 x 10(7) V/m, the magnetic structure of Ho3+ remains unchanged.