Implications of test revisions for assessment with Asian Americans

There are serious gaps in knowledge with respect to the use of standardized assessment instruments such as the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition (WAIS-III; D. Wechsler, 1997) or the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (MMPI-2; J. N. Butcher, W. G. Dahlstrom, J. R. Graham, A. Tellegen, & B. Kaemmer, 1989) with Asian Americans. Issues surrounding the availability, reliability, and validity of assessment instruments must be addressed before extended discussions about the implication of test revisions for this population can take place. The authors review the current status of the WAIS-III and MMPI-2 with Asian Americans with respect to their availability, reliability, and validity, including reasons why Asian Americans have been severely underrepresented in validation studies. The authors argue for the need to collect data on the use of standardized assessment instruments with Asian Americans and conclude with recommendations for the inclusion of this population in future test revision projects.

Comparative molecular analysis of HTLV-I proviral DNA in HTLV-I infected members of a family with a discordant HTLV-I-associated myelopathy in monozygotic twins

In order to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of a discordant case with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) in monozygotic twins, we investigated HTLV-I tax sequences of 10 - 18 polymerase chain reaction-based clones each derived from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the twins as well as their infected mother and an elder brother who also suffered from HAM/TSP. Sequence comparison revealed that three of the infected individuals including a twin with HAM/TSP shared the consensus tax sequence identical to the reference, ATK-1, but that of another healthy twin was different at five nucleotide positions including three nonsynonymous changes from ATK-1. This finding strongly suggested that different HTLV-I strains infected the monozygotic twins and the difference in infected proviral sequences determined the discordant clinical outcomes. Transfection and subsequent reporter assays failed to show a significant difference in transactivation activity on HTLV-I LTR and NF-kappaB elements between the products of the two sequences. Two HAM/TSP patients (a twin and elder brother) among three members infected with the ATK-1 type virus shared a paternal HLA allele which was absent in the healthy individual (mother). Genetic analysis of sequence variation in the tax sequences of the discordant twins showed that the Dn/Ds ratio was high in the healthy twin but low in the twin with HAM/TSP, implying the presence of more intense selection forces in the carrier. Our findings strongly suggested that a particular combination of HTLV-I strains with an HLA genotype would be a risk for HAM/TSP.

Illumination system design for a three-aspherical-mirror projection camera for extreme-ultraviolet lithography

A scanning critical illumination system is designed to couple a synchrotron radiation source to a three-aspherical-mirror imaging system for extreme ultraviolet lithography. A static illumination area of H x V = 8 mm x 3 mm (where H is horizontal and V is vertical) can be obtained. Uniform intensity distribution and a large ring field of H x V = 150 mm x 3 mm can be achieved by scanning of the mirror of the condenser. The coherence factor (sigma) of this illumination system is approximately 0.6, with the same beam divergence in both the horizontal and the vertical directions. We describe the performance of the imaging optics at sigma = 0.6 to confirm that the illumination optics can meet the requirements for three-aspherical-mirror imaging optics with a feature size of 0.06 microm.

Characterization and catalytic property of surfactant-laccase complex in organic media

The oxidation of o-phenylenediamine catalyzed in anhydrous organic solvents by surfactant-laccase complex was investigated. The complex was prepared by utilizing a novel preparation technique in water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions. The surfactant-laccase complex effectively catalyzed the oxidation reaction in various dry organic solvents, while laccase, lyophilized from an aqueous buffer solution in which its activity was optimized, exhibited no catalytic activity in nonaqueous media. To optimize the preparation and reaction conditions for the surfactant-enzyme complexes, we examined the effects of pH in the water pool of W/O emulsions, the concentration of enzyme and surfactant at the preparation stage, and the nature of organic solvents at the reaction stage on the laccase activity in organic media. Surfactant-laccase complex showed a strong pH-dependent catalytic activity in organic media. Its optimum activity was obtained when the complex was prepared at a pH of about 3. Interestingly, native laccase in an aqueous buffer solution exhibited an optimum activity at the same pH of 3. The optimum preparation conditions of surfactant-laccase complex were [laccase] = 0.8 mg/mL and [surfactant] = 10 mM, and the complex showed the highest catalytic activity in toluene among nine anhydrous organic solvents. The effect of a cosolubilized mediator (1-hydroxybenzotriazole (HBT)) on the reaction was also investigated. The addition of HBT at the preparation stage of the enzyme complex did not accelerate the catalytic reaction because HBT was converted to an inactive benzotriazole (BT) by laccase. However, the addition of HBT at the reaction stage enhanced the catalytic performance by a factor of five compared to that without HBT.

[Intraoperative autologous blood transfusion was effective in a massive blood loss during living-related donor liver transplantation]

We have experienced massive blood loss (> 80,000 g) during living-related donor liver transplantation (LRDLT) of a 14-year old girl with biliary atresia. As available homologous blood was not sufficient, we transfused autologous blood (13,400 ml) during operation. Although immunosuppressant was administered to the patient, severe infection did not occur for 10 days after the operation. Cold ischemia time of the graft liver was about 16 hr, but her postoperative liver function was well-maintained. The case suggests that intraoperative autologus blood transfusion is effective if homologous blood is insufficient during LRDLT.

Surfactant-protease complex as a novel biocatalyst for peptide synthesis in hydrophilic organic solvents*

The peptide synthesis from N-acetyl-L-phenylalanine ethyl ester with alaninamide catalyzed by a surfactant-protease complex has been performed in anhydrous hydrophilic organic solvents. Proteases derived from various sources were converted to surfactant-coated complexes with a nonionic surfactant. The surfactant-subtilisin Carlsberg (STC) complex had a higher enzymatic activity than the other protease complexes and the initial reaction rate in tert-amyl alcohol was 26-fold that of STC lyophilized from an optimum aqueous buffer solution. Native STC hardly catalyzed the same reaction. The addition of water to the reaction medium activated the lyophilized STC, however, the reaction rate was much lower than that of the STC complex, and a hydrolysis reaction preferentially proceeded. The STC complex exhibited a high catalytic activity in hydrophilic organic solvents (e.g. tertiary alcohol). The addition of dimethylformamide as a cosolvent improved the solubility of amino acid amides and further activated the STC complex due to the water mimicking effect. When hydrophilic amino acid amides were employed as an acyl acceptor, the peptide formation proceeded efficiently compared to that using hydrophobic substrates. The surfactant-STC complex is a powerful biocatalyst for peptide synthesis because the STC complexes display a high catalytic activity in anhydrous hydrophilic organic solvents and did not require the excess amount of water. Thus the side (hydrolysis) reaction is effectively suppressed and the yield in the dipeptide formation is considerably high.

Treatment delay among Asian-American patients with severe mental illness

Length of treatment delay and cultural-familial correlates were studied in a group of 62 Asian-American patients with severe mental illness, and 40 of their relatives. Contrary to prior findings of long treatment delay among Asian Americans, this cohort reported relatively low levels of stigma and shame and relatively short delay between onset of psychiatric symptoms and inception of treatment. Higher levels of shame and stigma felt by the relatives were associated with patients' longer treatment delay.

Acute pure red cell aplasia associated with allopurinol therapy

Several investigators have reported patients with acute pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) caused by anticonvulsants, antibiotics, or antithyroid agents. Allopurinol is known to be a causative agent of aplastic anemia, but there have been few reports of acute PRCA induced by allopurinol. We describe here a 15-year-old boy who suffered from anemia 6 weeks after initiation of allopurinol therapy; his anemia immediately improved after cessation of the drug. His bone marrow showed severe erythroid hypoplasia with a myeloid/erythroid ratio of 18.6 and low expression of glycophorin A detected on cell-surface antigen analysis. No morphological abnormalities were observed in myeloid series and megakaryocytes. The prolonged plasma iron disappearance rate and the decreased plasma iron turnover rate also indicated erythroid hypoplasia. He had been free from any infections, including parvovirus B19, before manifestation of PRCA. Taken together, these results suggest a diagnosis of acute PRCA. This side effect of allopurinol should be taken into consideration.

Clinical manifestation and survival of patients with idiopathic bilateral atrial dilatation

We studied the histories of eight patients who lacked clear evidence of cardiac abnormalities other than marked bilateral atrial dilatation and atrial fibrillation, which have rarely been discussed in the literature. From the time of their first visit to our hospital, the patients' chest radiographs and electrocardiograms showed markedly enlarged cardiac silhouettes and atrial fibrillation, respectively. Each patient's echocardiogram showed a marked bilateral atrial dilatation with almost normal wall motion of both ventricles. In one patient, inflammatory change was demonstrated by cardiac catheterization and endomyocardial biopsy from the right ventricle. Seven of our eight cases were elderly women. Over a long period after the diagnosis of cardiomegaly or arrhythmia, diuretics or digitalis offered good results in the treatment of edema and congestion in these patients. In view of the clinical courses included in the present study, we conclude that this disorder has a good prognosis.

Ectopic bronchus: an insufficiently recognized malformation causing respiratory morbidity in VATER association

An 11-month-old boy presented with recurrent wheezing and atelectasis in the right upper lobe of the lung. Bronchoscopy and bronchography confirmed an ectopic bronchus arising from the right main bronchus. The diagnosis of VATER association was made on the basis of multiple vertebral and rib anomalies, imperforate anus with a perineal fistula, unilateral hydronephrosis, atrial septal defect, and a preauricular tag, he did not have tracheo-esophageal fistula. We emphasize the importance of recognizing tracheobronchial anomalies in VATER association.

Unstable retrovirus mutants with acquired transforming activity: rapid changes in the number of repeats of a specific junD polynucleotide segment

We have previously reported that the non-transforming jun D (wild type) gene can acquire transforming activity through spontaneous mutations when it is replicated through avian replication-competent retrovirus vectors in chicken embryo fibroblasts. In two of these spontaneous mutants, T1 and T2, which were isolated from proviral DNA in the same transformed cell clone, a specific 48 bp polynucleotide segment of the jun D coding sequence was tandemly repeated three and five times, respectively. We report here that the number of direct repeats in these mutants rapidly changes (mostly decreases) in the context of either RSV-based replication-competent or MLV-based replication-defective retroviruses, most likely during the process of reverse transcription, while these mutations are stable in the cellular chromosome. We also show that the growth conditions of the infected culture modulate the proportions of polymorphic proviral populations in the infected culture. We finally discuss the possible molecular mechanisms that generate genetic diversity in these amplification mutants.

Two proteins translated by alternative usage of initiation codons in mRNA encoding a JunD transcriptional regulator

The junD gene encodes one component of the transcription factor, AP-1. Since two forms of JunD protein have been reported, we analyzed here the molecular mechanisms involved in the isoform production. Immunochemical analysis indicated that the longer and shorter forms of mouse JunD (JunD-L and JunD-S, with apparent molecular weights of 44 and 39 kDa, respectively) differ in their content of an N-terminal peptide. Mutational analysis further indicated that JunD-S is the translational product initiated at the third AUG located 144 bp from the first AUG, at which JunD-L translation starts. Such production of two junD isoforms from a single mRNA using the same reading frame seems to be conserved in human, rat, and chicken. To examine the functional differences between the isoforms, each type of JunD was exclusively expressed by the use of retrovirus vectors harboring the mutated junD gene. The exogenous expression of either one of these forms did not cause cellular transformation of NIH3T3, but suppressed the anchorage-independent growth of NIH3T3 transfor-bold by the activated K-ras or v-src gene. These two isoforms were expressed in all the mouse tissues examined and in various cell lines established from human tumors, though the expression ratio between JunD-L and JunD-S varied, suggesting that some factor(s) modulate the alternative usage of the initiation codon of the junD gene.

Erythropoietin mRNA in hepatocellular carcinomas and kidney in male B6C3F1 mice with secondary polycythemia

The purpose of this study was to investigate the cause of polycythemia occurring in hepatocellular carcinoma-bearing control male B6C3F1 mice from 2-yr carcinogenicity studies. Erythrocyte counts and plasma levels of erythropoietin in mice with hepatocellular carcinomas were significantly increased compared with the values in non-tumor-bearing mice. Erythropoietin mRNA in 4 of 5 non-tumor-bearing mice was detected in the kidney, but no visible signals for hepatic erythropoietin mRNA in 5 of 5 non-tumor-bearing mice were detected by the reverse transcriptase competitive polymerase chain reaction method. Erythropoietin mRNA was expressed in neoplastic hepatocytes from 8 of 9 hepatocellular carcinoma-bearing mice, and this expression was accompanied by decreased expression of erythropoietin mRNA in the kidneys from these mice. The present findings show that polycythemia in hepatocellular carcinoma-bearing mice occurs secondary to excess synthesis of erythropoietin mRNA by neoplastic hepatocytes.

Biochemical and functional analysis of highly phosphorylated forms of c-Jun protein

We report here that, upon UV irradiation or growth stimulation, endogenous c-Jun (40 kDa) in chicken embryo fibroblasts (CEF) is converted into several forms with apparently higher molecular weights in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (45, 44, 42 kDa). Two of the bands (44 and 45 kDa) were transient after growth stimulation, but were much more persistent after UV irradiation. In both cases, the drastic mobility shifts were accompanied with the activation of endogenous JNK activity but not of MAPK activity, and the bands were shown to represent different phosphorylation states of c-Jun rather than ubiquitinated c-Jun. Biochemical analysis indicated that phosphorylation at Ser63 and Ser73 was not sufficient to produce these drastic mobility shifts, which additionally required phosphorylation at Thr91 and Thr93. Substitution of both Ser63 and Ser73 with either Ala or Asp had no significant effect on the transforming activity of c-Jun, but the mutants failed to show drastic mobility shifts even after UV irradiation. These results indicate that Ser63 and Ser73 are essential for the drastic mobility shifts and further suggest that the highly phosphorylated forms of c-Jun are not directly involved in cellular transformation.

Clinicopathological studies on association of gallbladder carcinoma and pancreaticobiliary maljunction

During the past 17 years, 1,722 of 4,832 consecutive patients investigated with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) were assessed by the radiological criteria of the Japanese Study Group of Pancreaticobiliary Maljunction (PBM). Out of these 1,722 patients, PBM was found in a total of 52, representing 3.0%, of which gallbladder carcinoma was associated with 14. These 14 with gallbladder carcinoma consisted of 10 (62.5%) of the 16 with PBM without association of congenital bile duct dilatation (CBDD) and 4 (11.1%) of the 36 PBM with CBDD. The relationship between PBM and gallbladder carcinoma was closely examined; PBM was noted in 14 (32.6%) of a total of 43 patients with gallbladder carcinoma compared to 38 (2.3%) among the 1,679 patients with various diseases excluding gallbladder carcinoma. Similarly, it was revealed that gallbladder carcinoma was predominantly noted in the 14 (26.5%) of the 52 patients with PBM in contrast to an incidence of 1.7% (29) among the 1,670 patients without PBM. As we studied the characteristic clinical features of the 14 gallbladder carcinoma patients with PBM when compared with 29 of those without PBM, the following was disclosed: on average, the patients with PBM were 10 years younger (49.4 vs 61.4 years in mean age); there was a preponderance of women (0/14 vs 12/17, male-female ratio); there existed a significantly lower incidence of associated gallstone disease (7.1% vs 72.4%). These figures were shown to be statistically significant. We concluded that the results prove a link between the crucial features of gallbladder carcinoma and PBM, and also suggest the promotive role of PBM in carcinogenesis of the gallbladder.

Evaluating therapist competency and adherence to behavioral family management with bipolar patients

The present study assessed fidelity to the behavioral family management (BFM) model for treating bipolar disorder patients and their families. The BFM Therapist Competency/Adherence Scale (BFM-TCAS) was developed to evaluate clinicians' competency and adherence to BFM, as outlined by Miklowitz' (1989) BFM Manual for use with bipolar patients. Therapist competency and treatment adherence was also evaluated with regard to two family characteristics: overall level of family difficulty and family expressed emotion (EE) status. The BFM-TCAS was used to code 78 videotaped sessions of 26 families with a bipolar member, selected from a larger treatment study of bipolar disorder patients. The findings suggest that, overall, clinicians adhered closely to the BFM manual. Specific areas in which there was high competency and treatment adherence were (a) skill in conveying factual information about bipolar illness, (b) establishment of a therapeutic environment, and (c) ability to take command of therapy sessions. The one area in which there was less competency and relatively weak adherence to the manual was the use of between-session homework assignments to assist families in mastering the BFM exercises. Results of this study also suggest that, for the most part, therapist competency and adherence ratings were not related to overall level of difficulty or to family EE status.

Antitumor activity of a novel quinoline derivative, TAS-103, with inhibitory effects on topoisomerases I and II

A novel quinoline derivative, TAS-103 (6-[[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]amino]-3-hydroxy-7H-indeno[2,1-c]quinolin -7-one dihydrochloride), was developed as an anticancer agent targeting topoisomerases (topo) I and II, with marked efficacy in solid tumors. TAS-103 inhibited topo I and II (IC50: 2 microM, 6.5 microM) at a concentration similar to or lower than those of previous agents, and had a strong cytotoxic effect on P388 and KB cells (IC50: 0.0011 microM, 0.0096 microM). TAS-103 stabilized topo I and II-DNA cleavable complexes in KB cells, generating a similar amount of topo II-DNA complex to that induced by etoposide (VP-16) but a smaller amount of topo I-DNA complex than that produced by camptothecin (CPT). In the in vivo study, intermittent i.v. administration was markedly effective against s.c.-implanted murine tumors. Furthermore, TAS-103 had marked efficacy against various lung metastatic tumors, and a broad antitumor spectrum in human tumor xenografts (derived from lung, colon, stomach, breast, and pancreatic cancer). The efficacy of TAS-103 was generally greater than that of irinotecan (CPT-11), VP-16, or cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (CDDP).

Single and repeated intravenous toxicity studies of pamiteplase (genetical recombination) in rats and monkeys

Single and repeated intravenous toxicity studies of Pamiteplase (genetical recombination) YM866, a novel recombinant human tissue-type plasminogen activator, were conducted. No animal died from toxic effects of YM866 after single administration to F344 rats, squirrel monkeys and cynomolgus monkeys. Male and female F344 rats were given YM866 intravenously for 4 weeks at doses of 0 (vehicle), 0.1, 0.3 and 1 mg/kg/day. An increase in platelet count, slight decreases in hemoglobin and hematocrit, increases in plasma phospholipids, total cholesterol and total protein, and liver weight were observed at 1.0 mg/kg. Histopathology revealed no changes in any organ except for hemorrhage at the injection sites. These changes recovered after 4 weeks of withdrawal. Male and female squirrel monkeys were given YM866 intravenously for 4 weeks at doses of 0 (saline), 0 (vehicle), 0.1, 0.3 and 1 mg/kg/day. Prolongation of coagulation time at the injection site was observed at 0.3 mg/kg or more. Subcutaneous hemorrhage and a transient decrease in locomotor activity were observed at 1 mg/kg. Prolongation of coagulation time at the injection site was considered to be related to the pharmacological action of YM866. The results show that the approximate single lethal dose of YM866 is more than 60 mg/kg in rats, and more than 10 mg/kg in squirrel monkeys and cynomolgus monkeys. The no-toxic-effect level of YM866 after repeated administration for 4 weeks in rats and squirrel monkeys is considered to be 0.3 mg/kg.

Chondrocytes as a specific target of ectopic Fos expression in early development

The Finkel-Biskis-Jinkins murine sarcoma virus, which carries v-fos, induces osteosarcomas, whereas high-level expression of exogenous c-fos in transgenic and chimeric mice leads to postnatal development of osteogenic and chondrogenic tumors, respectively. To test whether such target cell specificity of an oncogene can be detected even in early development, we induced ectopic expression of fos in chicken limb buds by microinjecting replication-competent retrovirus into the presumptive leg field of stage 10 embryos. This caused cartilage truncation of all the long bones of the injected leg, which was mainly attributable to chondrodysplasia due to severe retardation of differentiation of the proliferating chondrocytes into mature or hypertrophic chondrocytes, as well as a slight delay in precartilagenous condensation. Expression of genes for all the other known members of chicken AP-1, which include such transforming genes as c-jun and fra-2, however, caused no macroscopic abnormalities in limb formation, indicating a specific function of Fos proteins in embryonic endochondral bone differentiation. The extent of truncation was stronger with v-Fos than with c-Fos, and comparative analysis of these proteins, as well as v-Fos mutants, revealed that strong transforming activity of Fos protein is necessary to cause dysplasia, suggesting that common molecular mechanisms are involved in both embryonic chondrodysplasia and bone tumor formation in postnatal mice.

A new family of site-specific retrotransposons, SART1, is inserted into telomeric repeats of the silkworm, Bombyx mori

The telomeres of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, consist of pentanucleotide repeats (TTAGG)n . We previously characterized the non-LTR element TRAS1, which terminates with oligo (A) in a head to tail orientation at the exact position (between A and C) of the (CCTAA) n repeats. Here we characterized another family of telomere-specific non-LTR retrotransposon named SART1. The SART1 family was inserted at another site of the (TTAGG) n in a reverse orientation from that of TRAS1. The complete unit of SART1, 6.7 kb in length with a poly (A) stretch, contains two open reading frames encoding putative gag and pol products, overlapping by 54 bp in the -1 reading frame. Most of the 600 SART1 copies in the silkworm haploid genome are completely conserved in structure without 5'truncation. All SART1 sequences analyzed were inserted at the same position (between T and A) within the (TTAGG) n repeats. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that many of the SART1 copies were localized in the chromosomal ends. A phylogenetic tree showed that the SART1, TRAS1 and two other site-specific elements, R1 and RT, which insert into 28S ribosomal RNA genes in insects, belong to the same group. Based on the orientation for the chromosomal insertion and structural similarities, these elements could be further classified into two subgroups, R1/TRAS1 and RT/SART1, suggesting that the target specificity of the two telomere-associated elements was changed independently.

Sources of ethnic differences between Asian American and white American college students on measures of depression and social anxiety

This study tested an affect-specific explanation for the Asian and White American differences in depression and social anxiety. Construal of the self as independent or interdependent in relation to others (H. R. Markus & S. Kitayama, 1991) was hypothesized to be 1 possible way in which culture may be expressed in individuals' psychological functioning, which in turn was hypothesized to be linked specifically to social anxiety. College students (N = 348; 183 White Americans and 165 Asian Americans) completed self-report measures of depression, social anxiety, and self-construals. Asian Americans scored significantly higher than White Americans on measures of depression and social anxiety. When the covariance between depression and social anxiety was statistically controlled, ethnicity and self-construal variables were found, as predicted, to be associated with measures of social anxiety but not depression. These findings suggest a more differentiated perspective on the relations between culture, ethnicity, and emotional distress.

Acute neurotoxicity of L-glutamate induced by impairment of the glutamate uptake system

We examined the effect of the glutamate uptake inhibitor L-trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylic acid (PDC) on the neurotoxicity of L-glutamate in organotypic cultures of rat spinal cord. Eighteen-day-old cultures were incubated with 500 microM L-glutamate, 1 mM PDC, or both. After 72 hours, the tissues were stained for acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and the ventral horn AChE-positive neurons (VHANs) analyzed using morphometry. Neither L-glutamate nor PDC affected AChE staining, but in combination they produced markedly reduced AChE staining in the dorsal horn and a significant decrease in the number of VHANs (especially the smaller VHANs) as compared with the control. Moreover, treatment with 200 microM PDC for 2 weeks preferentially affected the smaller VHANs. The neurotoxicity of L-glutamate plus PDC was blocked by the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist 3-((RS)-2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)-propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP). Results suggest that glutamate uptake system has an important protective function in the aggravation of acute neuronal damage.

Effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide and interleukin 6 on myoblast differentiation

Effects of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) on muscle cell differentiation were studied using cultured rat myoblasts (L6 cells). Cell morphology and the amounts of the messenger RNAs (mRNAs) of myogenin and Myf-5, DNA content, creatine kinase (CK) activity, and myoglobin (Mb) content in the cultured cells were examined serially over 10 days of culture. In the presence of CGRP or IL-6, the mRNAs of myogenin and Myf-5 were expressed earlier and at a higher concentration in the treated cells than in the control cells. The ratios of CK activity to DNA content (CK/DNA) and of Mb content to DNA content (Mb/DNA) on day 10 of culture also were greater than in the control cells. Furthermore, the mRNAs of myogenin and Myf-5 in cultured cells incubated with both CGRP and IL-6 increased more rapidly than in cells cultured with CGRP or IL-6 alone, and the ratios of CK/DNA and Mb/DNA on day 10 were more than twice those in the presence of CGRP or IL-6. These findings indicate that both CGRP and IL-6 facilitate the differentiation of myoblasts and may have an additive effect.

Positive inotropic and chronotropic effects of beraprost sodium, a stable analogue of prostacyclin, in isolated guinea pig myocardium

1. Inotropic and chronotropic effects of beraprost sodium (beraprost), a chemically stable prostacyclin analogue, were examined in isolated myocardial preparations of guinea pigs. 2. In the left atria, 10(-9) - 10(-7) M beraprost had no significant effect on the contractile force, but 10(-6) and 10(-5) M produced a concentration-dependent positive inotropic response. This effect was antagonized by S-145, a potent and selective thromboxane A2 (TXA2) receptor antagonist, but not by propranolol. 3. Beraprost, from 10(-9) to 10(-5) M, had no significant inotropic effect in the right ventricular papillary muscles. 4. In the right atria, 10(-9) and 10(-8) M beraprost had no significant effect, but 10(-7) - 10(-5) M caused an increase in beating rate; this effect was not affected by S-145. 5. The present study demonstrates that beraprost has positive inotropic and chronotropic effects at high doses on isolated guinea pig atria. The inotropic effect may be mediated by the TXA2 receptor, but some mechanism other than the TXA2 receptor is responsible for the chronotropic effect.

[Smoking habits in chronic schizophrenics]

The smoking habits of 48 chronic schizophrenics who were inpatients of private psychiatric were examined. Subjects were divided into three groups; non-smokers, moderate smokers and heavy smokers, and tested by Fagerstrom's Tolerance Questionnaire (FTQ) as a tobacco dependence evaluation, and Bender Gestalt Test (BGT) and Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) as a neuropsychological battery. In addition, we used the Scales for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) to evaluate the degree of schizophrenic negative symptoms, confirming the correlation between SANS score and the amount of nicotine intake or FTQ item. From the results of FTQ scores and their correlation with SANS scores, the amount of nicotine intake was significantly related to the severity of schizophrenic negative symptoms including affective blunting, poverty of thinking and attention impairment. BGT and BVRT showed disturbances in visual-motor gestalt function, and attention and memory, in chronic schizophrenics who smoked, especially in heavy smokers. These results suggest that smoking behavior in chronic schizophrenics might increase the individual vigilance against negative symptoms, from the perspective of self-medication.

Disruption of the mouse RBP-J kappa gene results in early embryonic death

The RBP-J kappa protein is a transcription factor that recognizes the sequence C(T)GTGGGGA. The RBP-J kappa gene is highly conserved in a wide variety of species and the Drosophila homologue has been shown to be identical to Suppressor of Hairless [Su(H)] which plays important roles in the development of the peripheral nervous system. To explore the function of the RBP-J kappa gene in mouse embryogenesis, a mutation was introduced into the functional RBP-J kappa gene in embryonic stem (ES) cells by homologous recombination. Null mutant ES cells survived but null mutant mice showed embryonic lethality before 10.5 days of gestation. The mutant mice showed severe growth retardation as early as 8.5 days of gestation. Developmental abnormalities, including incomplete turning of the body axis, microencephaly, abnormal placental development, anterior neuropore opening and defective somitogenesis, were observed in the mutant mice at 9.5 days of gestation. RBP-J kappa mutant embryos expressed a posterior mesodermal marker FGFR1. Their irregularly shaped somites expressed a somite marker gene Mox 1 but failed to express myogenin. The RBP-J kappa gene was revealed to be essential for postimplantation development of mice.

Structural analysis of TRAS1, a novel family of telomeric repeat-associated retrotransposons in the silkworm, Bombyx mori

We characterized TRAS1, a retrotransposable element which was inserted into the telomeric repetitive sequence (CCTAA)n of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The complete sequence of TRAS1, a stretch of 7.8 kb with a poly(A) tract at the 3' end, was determined. No long terminal repeat (LTR) was found at the termini of the element. TRAS1 contains gag- and pol-like open reading frames (ORFs) which are similar to those of non-LTR retrotransposons. The two ORFs overlap but are one nucleotide out of frame (+1 frameshift). Most of the approximately 250 copies of TRAS1 elements in the genome were highly conserved in the structure. Chromosomal in situ hybridization showed that TRAS1 elements are clustered at the telomeres of Bombyx chromosomes. A phylogenetic analysis using the amino acid sequence of the reverse transcriptase domain within the pol-like ORF revealed that TRAS1 falls into one lineage with R1, which is a family of non-LTR retrotransposons inserted into the same site within the 28S ribosomal DNA unit in most insects. TRAS1 may have been derived from R1 and changed the target specificity so that TRAS1 inserts into the telomeric repetitive sequence (CCTAA)n. Southern hybridization and Bal 31 exonuclease analyses showed that TRAS1 elements are clustered proximal to the terminal long tract of (CCTAA)n. TRAS1 is a novel family of non-LTR retrotransposons which are inserted into the telomeric repetitive sequences as target sites.

Inhibition of restenosis by beraprost sodium (a prostaglandin I2 analogue) in the atherosclerotic rabbit artery after angioplasty

We examined the effect of beraprost sodium (BPS), a stable prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) analogue, on restenosis after balloon angioplasty in the atherosclerotic artery in rabbits. Regional atherosclerosis was induced in the femoral artery of New Zealand white rabbits by balloon deendothelialization and 2% cholesterol diet. After establishment of atheroma in the femoral artery, angioplasty was performed. In all, 65 rabbits were assigned to the following six subcutaneous drug treatment groups: control group (n = 13, saline 0.25 ml/kg); BPS low-dose group (n = 11, BPS 50 micrograms/kg twice daily); BPS high-dose group (n = 12, BPS 100 micrograms/kg twice daily); 2-day BPS high-dose group (n = 11, BPS 100 micrograms/kg twice daily for 2 days after angioplasty); aspirin (ASA) group (n = 10, ASA 30 mg once daily); and BPS+ASA group (n = 8, BPS 50 micrograms/kg twice daily plus ASA 30 mg once daily). Administration of each drug was started 30 min before balloon angioplasty and was continued until 4 weeks thereafter, except in the 2-day BPS high-dose group. Re-examination 4 weeks after the angioplasty showed significant (p < 0.05) preservation of the luminal diameter in the BPS high-dose and 2-day BPS high-dose groups (1.30 +/- 0.15 and 1.25 +/- 0.09 mm, respectively) as compared with that in the control group (0.83 +/- 0.10 mm); however, the luminal diameter in the BPS low-dose, ASA, and BPS+ASA groups (0.94 +/- 0.18, 1.06 +/- 0.11, and 1.05 +/- 0.15 mm, respectively) was not significantly different from that in the control group.

Biodegradation of toluene diamine (TDA) in activated sludge acclimated with aniline and TDA

The biodegradability of toluene diamine (TDA) which has been regarded as a "recalcitrant compound" was examined in activated sludges. In this study, a microorganic-enzyme system which metabolized TDA was obtained by acclimating the activated sludge with aniline and TDA. In the sludge subject to be 200 days' acclimation, the considerable increase in respiration rate with the addition of TDA, accompanied the sharp decrease in its concentration. This indicated that TDA was metabolized fortuitously. The rate of biodegradation of TDA in the absence of aniline was first order with respect to its concentration when the initial TDA concentration was less than about 5 mg/l. The rate constant in this relation was proportional to mixed liquor suspended solid (MLSS). However, when the initial TDA concentration exceeded 5 mg/l, the plots were deviated from a first order rate equation.

The prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder in Japan: a study of students using the Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory and DSM-III-R

The prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was measured in 424 Japanese students using a Japanese version of the Maudsley Obsession-Compulsive Inventory (MOCI-J). Six students (1.7%) of 350 interviewed students were diagnosed as OCD according to DSM-III-R. When the cut-off point of the MOCI-J was 12, the sensitivity was 100% and the specificity was 96%. Our results suggest that individuals with OCD are not rare among the young Japanese population and that the MOCI-J is a useful tool for screening OCD.

[A resected case of esophageal leiomyoma with 15 cm in long diameter, diagnosed by transesophageal ultrasonic endoscopy]

A 28-year-old man whose chest X-ray film showed a mass on the right upper mediastinum was admitted. Preoperative examination, including CT, MRI, esophagogram, did not make it possible to determine clinically from which organ the tumor originated. On diagnosing with transesophageal ultrasonic endoscopy (TUE) the tumor was found to originate in the esophageal submucosa, with no involvement of the mediastinal organ apparent. Esophageal sub-mucosal tumor enucleation was performed. The resected tumor was 15 cm in long diameter and weighed 125 g. We therefore believe that TUE is clinically useful in diagnosing the tumor originating in the esophageal wall or adjoining esophageal wall.

Optically switching parallel processors by means of Langmuir-Blodgett multilayer films

The photoexcitation transport and the reversible photochemical reaction in Langmuir-Blodgett film is studied and shows its applicability to an optical parallel processor. The excitation transport is switched depending on UV or visible irradiation, which controls the photochromic reaction. The performance of this photochromic Langmuir-Blodgett multilayer is 10(12) NOT operations s(-1) and is comparable with other types of optical processors, such as a liquid-crystal light valve.

[52-week oral toxicity study of lactitol (NS-4) in rats followed by 9-week recovery test]

Twenty five male and 25 female Slc:SD rats were given orally lactitol, a hepatic encephalopathy drug, for 52 weeks at doses of 0, 0.4, 2 or 10 g/kg/day. A 9 week recovery test was conducted after the discontinuation of the drug treatment. Treatment related death, soft stool, diarrhea, decreased body weight gain and food intake and increased water consumption were observed in the 10 g/kg group. Urinalysis showed increased Ca excretion in the 2 and 10 g/kg groups. In the 10 g/kg group, there were increased Ca++ excretion and urine specific gravity and decreased K+ and Na+ excretion and urine volume. Hematologic examination showed decreased platelet count in the 10 g/kg group. Biochemical examination revealed higher A/G ratio in the 2 and 10 g/kg groups. In the 10 g/kg group, there were lowered level of total cholesterol, triglyceride, phospholipid, Na+, Cl- and total protein. Distention of the cecum with increased organ weight was seen pathologically in the 2 and 10 g/kg groups. In the 10 g/kg group, cecal mucosa was hyperplasic. The adrenal gland was hypertrophic in the zona glomerulosa in the 2 and 10 g/kg groups. In the 10 g/kg group, the adrenal weight was increased. Dilatation of renal tubules was also found in the 10 g/kg group. The above mentioned changes were satisfactorily reversible except for the increased cecum weight in the 10 g/kg group. Based on the results obtained, the NOAEL of this study was suggested to be 0.4 g/kg/day.

Magnetic resonance imaging of subacute thyroiditis

Clinical, laboratory, and scintigraphic findings, and magnetic resonance (MR) images of three patients with subacute thyroiditis are presented in all three at the time of diagnosis. On T1-weighted images, regions of abnormality with irregular margins and slightly high intensity were demonstrated. On T2-weighted images, markedly increased intensity was shown in the same sites. On follow-up MRI in two patients after treatment, these findings had disappeared or become more normal.

[Single dose toxicity studies of lactitol (NS-4) in mice and rats]

The single dose toxicity studies of lactitol, a hepatic encephalopathy drug, were performed in ddY mice and SD rats of both sexes by administering the drug orally, intravenously or subcutaneously. The drug was administered as a single dose followed by a 14-day observation. Oral LD50 values of lactitol were estimated to be between 23 and 30 g/kg in male mice, approximately 30 g/kg in female mice, and more than 30 g/kg in male and female rats. Lethal dose was more than 10 g/kg intravenously and subcutaneously in mice and rats of both sexes. The signs of toxicity in mice and rats observed following the administration of this drug included the following: decreased spontaneous movement [p.o., i.v., s.c.]; diarrhea, oligopnea or prone position, transient decreased body weight [p.o]. There were no treatment-related changes in gross examination. Based on these results, it was found that lactitol had a very low acute toxicity when administered by a single dose method in mice and rats.

A novel nuclear protein with zinc fingers down-regulated during early mammalian cell differentiation

We introduced a promoter trap vector carrying a neo gene as a selectable marker into F9 cells and established several cell lines in which the expression of neo gene is under the control of an endogenous host gene that is active only in the undifferentiated F9 cells. Using one of these cell lines, G19, we isolated the integrated neo construct and its flanking host sequences by the plasmid rescue method, identified the host gene which contributes to the expression of neo gene, and named it the Zfp-57 gene. Two different Zfp-57 transcripts (1.8 and 3.2 kilobases) were identified in the undifferentiated F9 cells, and the levels of these transcripts were decreased significantly within a short time after induction of differentiation. We examined mouse organs for the presence of the Zfp-57 RNAs and found that the 1.8-kilobase RNA was detected only in the testis. The Zfp-57 cDNAs corresponding to the two different RNAs were isolated, and a comparison of the nucleotide sequences revealed that their coding regions were completely identical, but they differed both in length and in sequence of the 3'-untranslated region. The Zfp-57 cDNA encoded a protein consisting of 421 amino acids with an extremely high content of basic amino acid residues and multiple zinc finger motifs. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that this protein is localized in the nucleus. These findings suggest that the Zfp-57 protein is a DNA-binding protein.

Effect of starving and refeeding on lipid metabolism in suncus

We have previously reported that fatty liver is easily induced in a novel experimental animal, Suncus murinus (suncus) by withholding food, and that apolipoprotein B (apo B) is not actively synthesized in the liver. In the present paper we describe the effect of starving and refeeding on lipid and lipoprotein metabolism in suncus, in order to explore the mechanisms of induction of fatty liver by starving and of its improvement by refeeding. Starvation induced increase in triglyceride content and decrease in glycogen content of the liver. Although the glycogen content returned to the level before starvation at 12 h after refeeding, the triglyceride content decreased gradually but did not reach the prestarvation level even at 24 h after refeeding in suncus. Plasma lipids, glucose, and insulin levels were decreased by starvation and returned to the levels before starvation between 8 and 24 h after refeeding. On the other hand, the plasma levels of free fatty acid and ketone bodies were elevated significantly by starvation and decreased rapidly by refeeding. These responses to starvation and refeeding, except for the change in hepatic triglyceride, are in common with other experimental animals, suggesting that there are no abnormalities in glucose metabolism or in fatty acid metabolism in suncus. In conclusion, the fatty liver induced by starvation in suncus may be caused by impaired triglyceride transport out of the liver, for which apolipoprotein B is mostly responsible, as reported previously.

Effect of chylomicron remnants on apolipoprotein E synthesis in HepG2 cells

The effect of chylomicron remnants (CM-R) on apolipoprotein (apo) E synthesis by HepG2 cells was studied. The accumulation rate of apo E in the medium was increased in cells incubated with CM-R (chylo-cells) compared with that in the control cells. However, the abundance of apo E mRNA was not greater in chylo-cells than in control cells. The time course of apo E accumulation in the medium showed that apo E increased in the chylo-cells linearly up to 24 hours, whereas it increased in the control cells linearly only up to 6 hours, when it reached a plateau. The results suggest that the secretion rate of apo E was not affected by incubation with CM-R, but that uptake of the newly secreted apo E by the cells may be depressed by incubation with CM-R. Autoradiography of newly synthesized apo E showed that chylo-cells produced much more "larger" apo E than did the control cells. Two-dimensional electrophoresis of the apo E newly synthesized by the chylo-cells showed that the larger apo E was slightly acidic even after treatment with neuraminidase. Pulse-chase labeling of apo E showed that the larger apo E was secreted by both control and chylo-cells equally and that the larger apo E was converted to regular apo E in the medium more effectively in control cells than in chylo-cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Nucleosides and nucleotides. 123. Synthesis of 1-(2-deoxy-2-isocyano-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl)cytosine and related nucleosides as potential antitumor agents

2'-Deoxy-2'-isocyano-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (8, NCDAC) has been synthesized as a potential antitumor antimetabolite from a corresponding 2'-azido-2'-deoxy-1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyluracil derivative 2a. Uracil and thymine analogues 6a and 6b of 8 were also prepared. Attempts to synthesize 2'-deoxy-2'-isocyanocytidine (14b) failed due to the insertion of the 2'-alpha isocyano group into the 3'-OH group, affording the 2',3'-oxazoline derivative 15b. Stability of the isocyano derivative 6a and 2',3'-oxazoline derivative 15a under basic and acidic conditions were examined. The isocyano group in 6a was stable in basic conditions but unstable even in weakly acidic conditions to furnish the corresponding 2'-beta formamide derivative 17. Compound 15a was easily hydrolyzed the corresponding 2'-alpha formamide derivative 16 on treatment with H2O at room temperature. The cytotoxicity of 8, 6a, and 6b was examined in mouse and human tumor cells in vitro and compared with that of ara-C. Of these nucleosides, 8 was moderately cytotoxic to these cell lines. In vivo antitumor activity of 8 against Lewis lung carcinoma cells was also investigated and 8 showed only moderate tumor volume inhibition.

[Effect of intracarotid injection of neuropeptide Y (NPY) on cerebral blood flow in rats and possible application of NPY to the selective drug chemotherapy for brain tumor]

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) was continuously administered to Wistar rats in the normal and glioma bearing conditions intracarotidly via the external carotid artery and local cerebral blood flow (LCBF) was measured by a [14C] iodoantipyrine technique. In the normal rats, the LCBF at the injecting side of NPY markedly reduced in 2 minutes after beginning of drug administration. In glioma-bearing rats, LCBF in the cerebral cortex and caudate nucleus reduced to the same level as normal rats. However reduction of LCBF in the tumor was not significantly different from that of ipsilateral cortex and caudate nucleus. The results of this study suggest that flow moduration by NPY injection increases delivery of intra-carotid administered anticancer drugs to the brain tumor with concomitant decrease of neurotoxicity to the normal brain.

Identification of a pentanucleotide telomeric sequence, (TTAGG)n, in the silkworm Bombyx mori and in other insects

A pentanucleotide repetitive sequence, (TTAGG)n, has been isolated from a silkworm genomic library, using cross-hybridization with a (TTNGGG)5 sequence, which is conserved among most eukaryotic telomeres. Both fluorescent in situ hybridization and Bal 31 exonuclease experiments revealed major clusters of (TTAGG)n at the telomeres of all Bombyx chromosomes. To determine the evolutionary origin of this sequence, two types of telomeric sequence, (TTAGG)5 and a hexanucleotide repetitive sequence, (TTAGGG)4, which is conserved mainly among vertebrate and several invertebrate telomeres so far examined, were hybridized to DNAs from a wide variety of eukaryotic species under highly stringent hybridization conditions. The (TTAGGG)5 oligonucleotide hybridized to genomic DNAs from vertebrates and several nonvertebrate species, as has been reported so far, but not to any DNAs from insects. On the other hand, the Bombyx type of telomere sequence, (TTAGG)n, hybridized to DNAs from 8 of 11 orders of insect species tested but not to vertebrate DNAs, suggesting that this TTAGG repetitive sequence is conserved widely among insects.

Identification of a pentanucleotide telomeric sequence, (TTAGG)n, in the silkworm Bombyx mori and in other insects

A pentanucleotide repetitive sequence, (TTAGG)n, has been isolated from a silkworm genomic library, using cross-hybridization with a (TTNGGG)5 sequence, which is conserved among most eukaryotic telomeres. Both fluorescent in situ hybridization and Bal 31 exonuclease experiments revealed major clusters of (TTAGG)n at the telomeres of all Bombyx chromosomes. To determine the evolutionary origin of this sequence, two types of telomeric sequence, (TTAGG)5 and a hexanucleotide repetitive sequence, (TTAGGG)4, which is conserved mainly among vertebrate and several invertebrate telomeres so far examined, were hybridized to DNAs from a wide variety of eukaryotic species under highly stringent hybridization conditions. The (TTAGGG)5 oligonucleotide hybridized to genomic DNAs from vertebrates and several nonvertebrate species, as has been reported so far, but not to any DNAs from insects. On the other hand, the Bombyx type of telomere sequence, (TTAGG)n, hybridized to DNAs from 8 of 11 orders of insect species tested but not to vertebrate DNAs, suggesting that this TTAGG repetitive sequence is conserved widely among insects.

Modification of hepato- and renal carcinogenesis by catechol and its isomers in rats pretreated with N-ethyl-N-hydroxyethylnitrosamine

Modifying effects of catechol, resorcinol, and hydroquinone on second stage hepato- and renal carcinogenesis was investigated in rats pretreated with N-ethyl-N-hydroxyethyl-nitrosamine (EHEN). Groups of twenty 6-week-old Wistar/Crj male rats were treated with 0.1% EHEN in the drinking water for 3 weeks. Starting 1 week after the termination of EHEN treatment, they were given a diet containing 0.8% catechol, 0.8% resorcinol, or 0.8% hydroquinone or basal diet for 36 weeks. Further groups of 15 rats were each treated with the same doses of phenolic compounds or basal diet alone without EHEN pretreatment. All surviving animals were killed at the end of week 40 when histopathological assessment revealed significant reduction of the numbers per rat of hepatocellular adenomas and hepatocellular carcinomas by resorcinol, whereas hydroquinone significantly enhanced the numbers per rat of renal microadenomas and renal cell tumors. On the other hand, the number of alpha 2u-globulin positive tubules in the animals treated with hydroquinone was significantly lower than controls, without any alteration in bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation. Lipid peroxidation, as evaluated by thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), was at control levels in the kidneys of rats treated with hydroquinone throughout the experiment. The results showed that the known renal carcinogen hydroquinone potently enhances the second stage of EHEN-induced renal carcinogenesis, while its isomer resorcinol inhibited hepatocarcinogenesis. alpha 2u-Globulin and lipid peroxidation may not play roles in hydroquinone-associated promotion of renal carcinogenesis.