Expression of c-kit Protein and Mutational Status of the c-kit Gene in Osteosarcoma and Their Clinicopathological Significance

We examined c-kit protein expression and mutations of the c-kit gene in 40 human osteosarcoma samples to their relationship with clinicopathology and prognosis of the disease. The expression of c-kit protein was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and single-strand conformational polymorphism was performed to evaluate c-kit gene mutations in exons 11 and 17. Expression of c-kit protein occurred in 25 (62.5%) osteosarcoma samples. Patients with osteosarcomas with higher c-kit protein expression levels were significantly more likely to experience local disease recurrence and had a significantly lower survival time than patients with lower c-kit expression. We found no evidence of mutations in exons 11 or 17. This study suggests that c-kit protein expression might serve as a prognostic marker for osteosarcoma, however exons 11 and 17 might not be suitable targets for osteosarcoma treatments based on suppression of c-kit tyrosine kinase activity.

Drug delivery to the spinal cord tagged with nanowire enhances neuroprotective efficacy and functional recovery following trauma to the rat spinal cord

The possibility that drugs attached to innocuous nanowires enhance their delivery within the central nervous system (CNS) and thereby increase their therapeutic efficacy was examined in a rat model of spinal cord injury (SCI). Three compounds--AP173 (SCI-1), AP713 (SCI-2), and AP364 (SCI-5) (Acure Pharma, Uppsala, Sweden)--were tagged with TiO(2)-based nanowires using standard procedure. Normal compounds were used for comparison. SCI was produced by making a longitudinal incision into the right dorsal horn of the T10-T11 segments under Equithesin anesthesia. The compounds, either alone or tagged with nanowires, were applied topically within 5 to 10 min after SCI. In these rats, behavioral outcome, blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) permeability, edema formation, and cell injury were examined at 5 h after injury. Topical application of normal compounds in high quantity (10 microg in 20 microL) attenuated behavioral dysfunction (3 h after trauma), edema formation, and cell injury, as well as reducing BSCB permeability to Evans blue albumin and (131)I. These beneficial effects are most pronounced with AP713 (SCI-2) treatment. Interestingly, when these compounds were administered in identical conditions after tagging with nanowires, their beneficial effects on functional recovery and spinal cord pathology were further enhanced. However, topical administration of nanowires alone did not influence trauma-induced spinal cord pathology or motor functions. Taken together, our results, probably for the first time, indicate that drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy are enhanced when the compounds are administered with nanowires.

Detection and localization of naturally transmitted avian leukosis subgroup J virus in egg-type chickens by in situ PCR hybridization

Avian leukosis virus (ALV) subgroup J (ALV-J) is an exogenous ALV and causes myeloid leukosis in meat-type chickens. We have previously reported the isolation and identification of ALV-J in commercial layer flocks from 12 farms in northern China. In this report, we further characterized this virus by in situ polymerase chain reaction (PCR) hybridization in various affected organs of chickens from six of the 12 farms. A routine method for hybridization of nucleic acid uses radioactive probe, such as a P32-labelled probe. We found that the non-radioactive digoxigenin (DIG) probe is sensitive enough to detect the nucleic acid of virus in chicken tissues. We used a pair of published primers (H5/H7) specific to the gp85 envelope gene and 3' region of pol gene of prototype ALV-J strain HPRS-103. The total RNA extracted from tumour, bone marrow, oviduct, liver and spleen of the diseased chickens from six commercial flocks, and cDNA was successfully amplified. Using the primers and cDNA, we obtained an ALV-J-specific cDNA probe of 545 bp in length by PCR. In situ PCR with H5/H7 primers was carried out in the paraffin sections from tissues of the diseased chickens, followed by in situ hybridization using the DIG-labelled cDNA probe. Positive hybridization signals were detected in the cytoplasm of paraffin sections of tumours and other organ tissues. The intensity of the signals was documented using an image analysis system measuring integral optical density (IOD). The IOD values for tissue sections treated by in situ PCR hybridization are significantly higher than that by in situ hybridization alone (P < 0.01). These data taken together suggest that in situ PCR hybridization is a more sensitive technique for detection of ALV-J in tissue sections.

Configurational and conformational classification of pyranose sugars

Automated cluster analysis is used to examine the conformation and configuration of pyranose sugars. Previous findings on this issue are confirmed, importantly from an analysis that requires no prior knowledge of the significant factors determining the conformational classification. The findings on the conformations adopted in the crystalline solid state are found to be different to existing quantum chemical calculations performed for D-glucose in the gas phase, but consistent with empirically determined conformations in the solution state. The use of this clustering analysis in studying chirality in the determined structures is discussed, as is the ability of this type of method to examine higher dimensions within the metric multi-dimensional scaling formalism.

Supporting evidence for reverse cochlear traveling waves

As a result of the cochlea's nonlinear mechanics, stimulation by two tones results in the generation of distortion products (DPs) at frequencies flanking the primary tones. DPs are measurable in the ear canal as oto-acoustic emissions, and are used to noninvasively explore cochlear mechanics and diagnose hearing loss. Theories of DP emissions generally include both forward and reverse cochlear traveling waves. However, a recent experiment failed to detect the reverse-traveling wave and concluded that the dominant emission path was directly through the fluid as a compression pressure [Ren, 2004, Nat. Neurosc.7, 333-334]. To explore this further, we measured intracochlear DPs simultaneously with emissions over a wide frequency range, both close to and remote from the basilar membrane. Our results support the existence of the reverse-traveling wave: (1) They show spatial variation in DPs that is at odds with a compression pressure. (2) Although they confirm a forward-traveling character of intraocochlear DPs in a broad frequency region of the best frequency, this behavior does not refute the existence of reverse-traveling waves. (3) Finally, the results show that, in cases in which it can be expected, the DP emission is delayed relative to the DP in a way that supports reverse-traveling-wave theory.

Systems biology of the neurospora biological clock

A major challenge of systems biology is explaining complex traits, such as the biological clock, in terms of the kinetics of macromolecules. The clock poses at least four challenges for systems biology: (i) identifying the genetic network to explain the clock mechanism quantitatively; (ii) specifying the clock's functional connection to a thousand or more genes and their products in the genome; (iii) explaining the clock's response to light and other environmental cues; and (iv) explaining how the clock's genetic network evolves. Here, the authors illustrate an approach to these problems by fitting an ensemble of genetic networks to microarray data derived from oligonucleotide arrays with approximately all 11 000 Neurospora crassa genes represented. A promising genetic network for the clock mechanism is identified.

Isolation and some properties of newly isolated oxalate-degradingPandoraeasp. OXJ-11 from soil

AIMS

To isolate and characterize an oxalate-degrading Pandoraea sp. OXJ-11.

METHODS AND RESULTS

A new bacterium Pandoraea sp. OXJ-11 was isolated from soil samples, which can grow in the medium with oxalate as the sole carbon and energy source. The isolate OXJ-11 is Gram-negative straight rod. It occurs singly and is motile by means of a double polar flagellum. Catalase is positive and nitrate is not reduced. It grows aerobically and the optimum growth temperature and the optimum pH are at 30 degrees C and pH 6.0, respectively. The polyphasic taxonomic data along with 16S rRNA sequence comparison demonstrate that the isolate OXJ-11 should belong to the genus Pandoraea and represent a new member in this family.

CONCLUSIONS

Oxalate could be degraded and the oxalate-degrading enzyme activity was detected when the isolate OXJ-11 grew in the medium with oxalate as carbon source.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

Oxalate-degrading Pandoraea sp. OXJ-11 would be beneficial to the potential application in the control of sclerotinia stem rot in economically important plants caused by fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and in making plants resistant to the white mold disease by oxalate-degrading enzyme transgene.

Serious arterial thromboembolic events (sATE) in patients (pts) with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) treated with bevacizumab (BV): Results from the BRiTE registry

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Introduction: BV prolongs overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) when added to 1st- or 2nd -line chemotherapy (CT) in mCRC. Though serious toxicities specific to BV are uncommon, a retrospective pooled analysis of 5 randomized trials showed an association of arterial thromboembolic events (ATEs) with BV use (3.8% vs 1.7% with CT alone), with age ≥65 and prior history (Hx) of ATE identified as associated risk factors (Skillings, JCO 2005). The BRiTE mCRC registry evaluated BV-associated serious adverse events (SAEs), including ATEs presenting as SAEs (sATE), in a general practice setting. Methods: Pts and methods have been described (Hedrick ASCO 2006). Hx of sATE, timing of prior sATE relative to starting BV, and anti-platelet agent (anti-plt) use were summarized. Definition of sATE included myocardial infarction (MI), cerebral vascular accident (CVA), transient ischemic attack (TIA), and peripheral arterial disease. Incidence rate of sATE was expressed as events per pt-yr of follow-up. Fisher’s exact test and multiple logistic regression was used to assess the univariate and multivariate associations. Results: Median follow- up was 17.5 mo. Of 1953 evaluable pts, 45.9% (n=896) were ≥65, 18.0% (n=352) had Hx of sATE, and 11.2% (n=219) received anti-plt. A total of 38 sATE [CVA (n=14), MI (n=11), sudden cardiac death (n=1), TIA (n=7), and other (n=5)] were reported in 34 (1.7%) pts. Median time to sATE was 3.6 mo. The calculated sATE rate was 2.2/100 pt-yr overall and 4.7/100 pt-yr in pts with prior sATE. Table 1 summarizes the results of univariate and multivariate analyses. Conclusions: In this series of BV-treated pts, the incidence of sATE associated with BV use was comparable with the rate of analogous events reported in previous controlled trials of BV in mCRC. In this series, prior history of sATE and ECOG PS were found to be associated with sATE risk in multivariate analyses.

[Table: see text]

[Table: see text]

Association between exposure to bevacizumab (BV) beyond first progression (BBP) and overall survival (OS) in patients (pts) with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC): Results from a large observational study (BRiTE)

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Background: While BV prolongs OS when used with standard 1st- or 2nd-line chemotherapy (CT) in mCRC, no data exist on the effects of BBP. A previous report from BRiTE showed favorable median OS (27.1 mo, 95% CI 24.8-NE), with 1st line PFS (median 10.1 mo, 95% CI:9.7–10.4) comparable to historical mCRC trials, suggesting significant impact of post-progression survival on OS. This exploratory analysis evaluates the association of various pre- and post-treatment variables with OS in BRiTE. Methods: Pt population and methods have been described previously (Kozloff, ASCO 2006). All pts in BRiTE received BV as part of 1st-line therapy. The use of BBP and choice of CT were at investigator’s discretion. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to estimate PFS and OS. Cox’s proportional hazard model was used to assess the independent effects of pre- and post-treatment pt- related factors on OS, including age, ECOG PS, albumin, alkaline phosphatase, site of primary tumor, 1st-line CT regimen, 1st-line PFS, exposure to all 3 active CT agents, receipt of any 2nd-line CT, exposure to cetuximab, and BBP. Though there was variability observed in patterns of BBP, including continuous and discontinuous use, for the purpose of this analysis, BBP was defined as any exposure to BV after 1st progression (PD). Results: A total of 1,953 pts were treated in BRiTE. At median follow-up of 17.5 mo, there were 1,369 1st PD and 839 deaths. Among pts with 1st PD, 65.2% received any 2nd-line CT, 34.8% received cetuximab, and 53.8% received BBP. In a multivariate analysis, BBP and exposure to any 2nd-line CT were independently associated with increased OS (both p<0.0001). Age ≥65, PS ≥1, low albumin, elevated alkaline phosphatase, colon primary, and use of IFL were associated with inferior OS. Conclusions: BBP appears to be associated with longer OS in BRiTE. This finding supports the evaluation of BBP in prospective randomized clinical trials. Other factors that may have impacted this finding, including physician-related variables, will be investigated in future analyses.

[Table: see text]

Scala vestibuli pressure and three-dimensional stapes velocity measured in direct succession in gerbil

It was shown that the mode of vibration of the stapes has a predominant piston component but rotations producing tilt of the footplate are also present. Tilt and piston components vary with frequency. Separately it was shown that the pressure gain between ear canal and scala vestibuli was a remarkably flat and smooth function of frequency. Is tilt functional contributing to the pressure in the scala vestibuli and helping in smoothing the pressure gain? In experiments on gerbil the pressure in the scala vestibuli directly behind the footplate was measured while recording simultaneously the pressure produced by the sound source in the ear canal. Successively the three-dimensional motion of the stapes was measured in the same animal. Combining the vibration measurements with an anatomical shape measurement from a micro-CT (CT: computed tomography) scan the piston-like motion and the tilt of the footplate was calculated and correlated to the corresponding scala vestibuli pressure curves. No evidence was found for the hypothesis that dips in the piston velocity are filled by peaks in tilt in a systematic way to produce a smooth middle ear pressure gain function. The present data allowed calculations of the individual cochlear input impedances.