[Adjuvant treatment of penetrating moxibustion at governor vessel for persistent allergic rhinitis of deficiency-cold syndrome]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the efficacy and action mechanism of penetrating moxibustion at governor vessel for persistent allergic rhinitis of deficiency-cold syndrome.

METHODS

Ninety patients with persistent allergic rhinitis of deficiency-cold syndrome were randomly divided into an observation group (n = 45) and a control group (n = 45). The patients in the control group were treated with momethasone furoate nasal spray, 2 sprays per side per time, once a day. On the basis of treatment in the control group, the patients in the observation group were additionally treated with penetrating moxibustion at governor vessel, 2 h per treatment, once a week. Both groups were treated for 4 weeks. The TCM symptom score, visual analogue scale (VAS) score and rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ) score were observed in the two groups before and after treatment. The serum level of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and complete blood count of eosinophil (EOS) were measured before and after treatment, and the clinical effects were compared.

RESULTS

Compared before treatment, the TCM symptom scores, VAS scores, RQLQ scores, serum levels of IgE and complete blood count of EOS in the two groups were all reduced after treatment (P<0.05), and those in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 95.6% (43/45), which was higher than 82.2% (37/45) in the control group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Based on the momethasone furoate nasal spray, the adjuvant treatment of penetrating moxibustion at governor vessel could significantly improve the clinical symptoms in patients with persistent allergic rhinitis of deficiency-cold syndrome, and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of immune disorder.

miR-128 Regulates Tumor Cell CD47 Expression and Promotes Anti-tumor Immunity in Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly fatal disease worldwide. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) could regulate the protein-coding RNAs related to tumor growth, invasion, and immune evasion. Therefore, the investigation of novel miRNAs may be helpful in the development of more effective therapies for PDAC. In this study, we investigated the role and mechanism of action of miR-128 in PDAC. By using bioinformatics methods, we found that decreased expression of miR-128 was associated with poor overall survival of PDAC. miR-128 was inversely correlated with cluster of differentiation 47 (CD47), which was positively related to zinc finger E-box-binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) in PDAC. Through in vivo experiments, we found that miR-128 could suppress the growth and metastasis of PDAC. Analysis of the immune microenvironment demonstrated that overexpression of miR-128 on tumor cells could increase the percentages of dendritic cells (DCs), CD8⁺ T lymphocytes, and natural killer T cells (NKT) in the tumor and spleen, consequently enhancing anti-tumor immunity. In vitro assays showed that miR-128 could inhibit cell proliferation, clonogenicity, migration, and invasion in Panc02 cells and could also enhance the phagocytosis of macrophages and the activity of DCs. Western blot and qRT-PCR confirmed that miR-128 could regulate ZEB1 and further inhibit CD47 in pancreatic cancer cells. Therefore, we identified a novel regulatory anti-tumor mechanism by miR-128 in PDAC, which may serve as a novel therapy for PDAC.

Influencing factors of postoperative early delayed gastric emptying after minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy

BACKGROUND

The main clinical treatment for esophageal cancer is surgery. Since traditional open esophageal cancer resection has the disadvantages of large trauma, long recovery period, and high postoperative complication rate, its clinical application is gradually reduced. The current report of minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy (MIILE) is increasing. However, researchers found that patients with MIILE had a higher incidence of early delayed gastric emptying (DGE).

AIM

To investigate the influencing factors of postoperative early DGE after MIILE.

METHODS

A total of 156 patients diagnosed with esophageal cancer at Deyang People's Hospital were enrolled. According to the criteria of DGE, patients were assigned to a DGE group (n = 49) and a control group (n = 107). The differences between the DGE group and the control group were compared. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to further determine the influencing factors of postoperative early DGE. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess potential factors in predicting postoperative early DGE.

RESULTS

Age, intraoperative blood loss, chest drainage time, portion of anxiety score ≥ 45 points, analgesia pump use, postoperative to enteral nutrition interval, and postoperative fluid volume in the DGE group were higher than those in the control group. Perioperative albumin level in the DGE group was lower than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Age, anxiety score, perioperative albumin level, and postoperative fluid volume were independent factors influencing postoperative early DGE, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The ROC curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) for anxiety score was 0.720. The optimum cut-off value was 39, and the sensitivity and specificity were 80.37% and 65.31%, respectively. The AUC for postoperative fluid volume were 0.774. The optimal cut-off value was 1191.86 mL, and the sensitivity and specificity were 65.3% and 77.6%, respectively. The AUC for perioperative albumin level was 0.758. The optimum cut-off value was 26.75 g/L, and the sensitivity and specificity were 97.2% and 46.9%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Advanced age, postoperative anxiety, perioperative albumin level, and postoperative fluid volume can increase the incidence of postoperative early DGE.

High-throughput metabolomics for discovering metabolic biomarkers from intestinal tumorigenesis in APC min/+ mice based on liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry

As a major public health concern, colon cancer is one of the most common cancer types, which is also the second cause of cancer death in developed countries and the third most common cancer in other parts of the world. It was reported that patients diagnosed at early stage have a chance to obtain 5-year survival rates at least compared to patients with late stage. Facing the multistep process in intestinal tumorigenesis, there is an urgent need to develop more effective early detection strategies for ameliorating the patient clinical outcome. Metabolomics open up a novel avenue of seeking valuable potential biomarkers for assessing disease severity and prognosticating course by dynamic snapshot of small molecule metabolites. The study aims to provide deeper insights into the discovery, identification and functional pathways analysis of differentially expressed metabolites in intestinal tumorigenesis in APC ^min/+ mice used by the serum metabolomics, and bring about useful information for further effective prevention and treatment of the disease. 17 marker metabolites and related metabolism pathway were identified using non-targeted metabolomics based on liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS) associated with multivariate statistical analysis. The ingenuity pathway analysis platform involved multiple-pathways was applied to metabolic network analysis for further understanding the relationship between functional metabolic pathways and disease.

[Analysis of neurobehavioral function of school-aged children with sleep disordered breathing]

Objective: To investigate the neurobehavioral function(attention, executive skills, behavior) of school-aged with varying degrees of SDB and control children with no history of SDB recruited from the community.Method: One hundred and sixty-three children aged from 7 to 12 were enrolled in the study. Children were devided into 4 groups through the data of Routine overnight polysomnography(PSG): PS(n=71) group, mild OSAHS (n=29) group, moderate/severe OSAHS(n=21) group, and controls(n=42) group. The Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function(BRIEF) and the Child Behavior Checklist(CBCL) were used to assess attention, executive function and behavioral function. Result: There was significant difference of AHI, OAI, RAI, SAI and SpO ₂ nadir between the mild/MS groups and the control/PS groups(F=1174.3, 1178.0, 2348.3, 34.7, 377.7, P<0.05). Total sleep time(TST) of the MS OSAHS group was significantly less than that in the control group(F=178.8, P<0.05). Increased rates of behavioral executive dysfunction were found depending on the SDB spectrum(F=181.2, 274.2, 284.5, P<0.05). Children with all severities of SDB had signicantly higher rates of total, internalizing and externalizing behavioral problems compared to control group(F=361.7, 168.3, 564.0, P<0.05). Conclusion:Our study suggests that behavioral, attention, and executive function difficulties are present in children with PS as well as OSAHS. These results have implications for the treatment of milder forms of SDB, particularly PS, which is commonly viewed as benign.

Sustained Abdominal Aorta Compression Elevates Coronary Perfusion Pressure after Asphyxia-Induced Cardiac Arrest in a Rabbit Model

Objective

To investigate whether sustained abdominal aorta compression (SAAC) can improve coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and improve resuscitation outcomes without causing liver laceration.

Design and Setting

Animal study.

Methods

Cardiac arrest was induced by asphyxia in 28 New Zealand rabbits and maintained for 2 minutes before resuscitation. Animals were resuscitated using either standard CPR (STD-CPR group) or standard CPR and SAAC (SAAC-CPR group). Restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), restoration of spontaneous breathing (ROSB) and cerebral performance category score were determined. CPP, mean arterial pressure (MAP) and ROSC were compared in the two groups.

Results

MAP and CPP in the SAAC-CPR group were significantly higher than in the STD-CPR group. However, MAP and blood gas results showed no significant difference between the two groups during ROSC. ROSC was achieved in seven of fourteen animals in the STD-CPR group and in eleven of fourteen animals in the SAAC-CPR group. Five animals in the STD-CPR group and nine in the SAAC-CPR group survived 24 hours after ROSC. No liver injury occurred in the two groups.

Conclusions

SAAC-CPR produces an increased CPP and MAP than traditional CPR and it does not lead to liver laceration/injury.

[The combination of percutaneous iohexol-ethanol injection with radiofrequency ablation for the treatment of primary liver cancer in high-risk locations]

Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with percutaneous iohexol-ethanol injection (PIEI), compared with RFA plus transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) for patients with primary liver cancer(PLC)in high-risk locations. Methods: From January 2012 to December 2014, 54 patients with PLC in high-risk locations were enrolled. They were divided into Group A (RFA combined with PIEI) and Group B (RFA plus TACE). The efficacy and adverse events were assessed. Results: 54 patients had 74 lesions in high-risk locations. There were 26 cases with 40 lesions in Group A, and 28 cases with 34 lesions in Group B. The complete ablation rate of Group A was significantly higher than that of Group B (92.5% vs 70.6%, P=0.014). The two-year local tumor progressionrateand two-year overall survival rate were similar between these two groups (Group A 20.0% vs Group B 38.2%, P=0.083; 90.3% vs 84.3%, P=0.523). Furthermore, the surgery-related severe adverse events of Group A (7.1%, one case of liver abscess and one case ofhematobilia) were more common than that of Group B (0%, P=0.491). No significant differences were found in common adverse events including fever, pain, elevation of aminotransferase and bilirubin. Conclusions: Compared with RFA plus TACE, RFA plus PIEI resulted inbetter complete ablation rate in patients with primary liver cancer in high risk locations. Prospective, randomized, controlled trials are warranted for further evaluation.

[Efficacy of intratympanic gentamicin and dexamethasone in the treatment of intractable Meniere's disease]

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of low-dose intratympanic gentamicin (ITG) compared with intratympanic dexamethasone (ITD) in patients with intractable Meniere's disease (MD). Method:Seventy patients affected by definite unilateral MD were enrolled. 1 ml of gentamicin sulfate(40 g/L) was buffered with 0.5 ml of sodium bicarbonate to obtain a 6.4 pH solution with 26.7 g/L concentration. Thirty-five patients were treated with the buffered gentamicin solution on every week for 2 times. Thirty-five patients were treated with ITD (5 mg) in the first two days, and then every week for 4 weeks. At 2-year follow-up, mean outcome measurements consisted of control of vertigo attacks, pure tone average (PTA), dizziness handicap inventory and tinnitus handicap inventory.Result:Among 34 cases with complete follow-up data in the ITG group, complete control of vertigo (class A) was achieved in 27 patients and substantial control of vertigo (class B) in 5 patients. Among 32 cases with complete follow-up data in the ITD group, class A and B were achieved in 13 and 6 patients respectively (P< 0.05). There were no statistically significant variations between the two groups in PTA and THI (t= 1.737 and t=－0.197, P> 0.05).Conclusion:Low-dose ITG achieves better outcome than ITD in the control of vertigo attacks in patients suffering from unilateral intractable MD, with a very low incidence of hearing deterioration.

[Clinical analysis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigowith multiple canal involvement]

Objective:To compare the clinical features and outcomes between patients with multi-canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo(BPPV) and single-canal BPPV.Method:Five-hundred and seventy-eight patients with BPPV were retrospectively analyzed and divided into three groups: single-canal BPPV(526 cases),multi-canal BPPV in unilateral ear(11 cases) and multi-canal BPPV in both ears(41 cases).All patients were diagnosed by using the Dix-Hallpike test or roll test and treated with the canalith repositioning procedure.The following factors,including aetiology,age,sex,response to treatment and recurrence,were compared among the three groups.Results:①Greater percentage of idiopathic cases were identified in single-canal(66.2%:48.2%,P<0.01).Traumatic origin and prior history of BPPV were more common in bilateral multi-canal(41.6%:9.2%,P<0.05)and unilateral multi-canal (36.2%:0,P<0.01)respectively.②The recurrence rate was higher in multi-canal BPPV(40.4%:14.3%,P<0.01).Conclusion:Idiopathic BPPV is more common in single-canal BPPV.Potential causes may be identified in multi-canal BPPV.However,over 90% of the patients with single-canal and multi-canal BPPV are cured.

[Value of videonystagmography and electrocochleography in prognosis prediction of patients with acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss]

Objective:To predict the prognosis of acute lowtone sensorineural hearing loss（ALHL）by using the videonystagmography(VNG) and electrocochleography(ECochG).Method:A retrospective study was done in 70 patients with ALHL after long-term follow-up. The recurrence rate and rate of progression to definite Meniere 's disease were determined according to the results of VNG and ECochG tests at the onset of the first episode of hearing loss.Result:Twentynine patients（41.4%）experienced recurrent hearing loss and 5 patients（7.1%）developed to Meniere's disease. In patients with an elevated SP/AP ratio and spontaneous nystagmus, the recurrence rate was 81.8%. However, in those with a normal SP/AP ratio and without spontaneous nystagmus, the recurrence rate was 23.3%.There was a statistically significant difference in the progression rate of Meniere's disease between the groups with(15.2%) and without spontaneous nystagmus.Conclusion:It has a certain reference value to predict prognosiswhen spontaneous nystagmus and an elevated SP/AP ratio are detected on initial examination in patients with ALHL.

Effect of dietary supplementation of rutin on lactation performance, ruminal fermentation and metabolism in dairy cows

The effect of long-term dietary supplementation with rutin on the lactation performance, ruminal fermentation and metabolism of dairy cows were investigated in this study. Twenty multiparous Chinese Holstein cows were randomly divided into four groups, and each was offered a basal diet supplemented with 0, 1.5, 3.0 or 4.5 mg rutin/kg of diet. The milk yield of the cows receiving 3.0 and 4.5 mg rutin/kg was higher than that of the control group, and the milk yield was increased by 10.06% and 3.37% (p < 0.05). On the basis of that finding, the cows supplemented with 0 or 3.0 mg rutin/kg of diet were used to investigate the effect of rutin supplementation on blood metabolites and hormone levels. Compared with the control group, the serum blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration of the 3.0 mg rutin/kg group is significantly decreased (p < 0.05). In another trial, four adult cows with permanent rumen fistula and duodenal cannulae were attributed in a self-control design to investigate the peak occurrence of rutin and quercetin in different parts of the gastrointestinal tract, ruminal fermentation and microbial population in dairy cows. The cows supplemented with 3.0 mg rutin/kg in the diet differed from the control period. Samples of rumen fluid, duodenal fluid and blood were collected at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 h after morning feeding. Compared to the control group, the pH, ammonia nitrogen concentration, number and protein content of rumen protozoa and blood urea nitrogen were lower, but the concentration of total volatile fatty acid (TVFA), microbial crude protein (MCP) and serum lysozyme content were higher for the cows fed the rutin diets. The addition of 3.0 mg rutin/kg to diets for a long term tended to increase the milk yield and improve the metabolism and digestibility of the dairy cows.

Contact electrification and energy harvesting using periodically contacted and squeezed water droplets

We investigate the contact electrification occurring when a small water droplet resting on a metal electrode is brought periodically in contact with a hydrophobic film of fluorinated ethylene propylene. It is found that the maximum current increases with the drop volume according to a power law. The time scale for the contact current to develop is consistent with that required for a droplet to spread and is, therefore, longer than the time required to form the electric double layer. Adding salt into the water does reduce the contact current but not entirely, which suggests that any remaining water layer cannot entirely neutralize the charges developed upon contact. With an average power of 0.7 μW and a peak power near 5 μW at a frequency of 5 Hz, a 200 μL droplet of pure water can be used to light up a light-emitting diode.

Effects of transthoracic vs transabdominal hiatal approaches for treatment of esophago-gastric junction adenocarcinoma

AIM: To compare the effects of transthoracic and transabdominal hiatal approaches for the treatment of Siewert types Ⅱ and Ⅲ adenocarcinoma of the esophago-gastric junction.

METHODS: A total of 350 patients who were pathologically diagnosed with Siewert type Ⅱ or type Ⅲ adenocarcinoma of the esophago-gastric junction and underwent surgical treatment at our hospital were included, of whom 148 received surgery via the transthoracic approach (transthoracic group) and 202 received surgery via transabdominal hiatal approach (transabdominal hiatal group). Intraoperative parameters, postoperative recovery and complications were compared between the two groups of patients.

RESULTS: The number of patients receiving multi-visceral resection was more in the transabdominal hiatal group than in the transthoracic group (χ² = 12.744, P = 0.002), but the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, length of esophageal resection and number of patients receiving transfusion were lower in the transabdominal hiatal group (P = 0.039, 0.011, 0.009, 0.000). Postoperative pain score and antibiotic use duration in the transthoracic group were significantly higher than those in the transabdominal hiatal group (t = 5.879, 9.388, P = 0.005, 0.000), and the length of hospital stay, postoperative hospitalization cost, reoperation, and readmission rate showed the same trend (P = 0.027, 0.021, 0.048, 0.025). Although the rates of abdominal cavity infection and anastomotic stenosis showed no statistical differences between the two groups (χ² = 1.524, 0.149, P = 0.217, 0.700), the rates of lung infection, postoperative bleeding and anastomotic leakage were significantly higher in the transthoracic group than in the transabdominal hiatal group (χ² = 9.031, 9.031, 4.215, P = 0.003, 0.040, 0.024).

CONCLUSION: Patients with type Ⅱ or Ⅲ adenocarcinoma of the esophago-gastric junction treated via the transabdominal hiatal approach suffered from less intraoperative trauma and had quicker recovery and lower incidence of complications.

Stable transfection and identification of a hair follicle-specific expression vector of IGFBP-5 in goat fetal fibroblasts

The insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-5 (IGFBP-5) is one of the 6 members of the IGFBP family and is involved in the regulation of cell growth, apoptosis, and other IGF-stimulated signaling pathways. To determine the significance of IGFBP-5 in the Inner Mongolia Cashmere goat (Capra hircus), a hair follicle-specific expression vector of IGFBP-5, pCDsRed2-K-IGFBP5 (6.7 kb), was constructed by cloning IGFBP-5 downstream of the keratin-association protein (KAP)6-1 promoter and inserting this fragment into pCDsRed2, which contains a red fluorescent protein (DsRed) expression unit. Inner Mongolia Cashmere goat fetal fibroblast (GFb) cells were transfected with the expression vector by using Lipofectamine(TM) 2000. Cell clones that stably expressed red fluorescence were obtained after selection with Geneticin (G418). The transgene in the cell clones was examined by polymerase chain reaction to verify that exogenous DNA (pKAP6-1 and IGFBP-5) had integrated stably into GFb cells. These data suggest that this method can be used for the construction of a hair follicle-specific expression vector for functional genetic analyses and for obtaining stable transfection donor cells for nuclear transfer.

Molecular Characterization and Expression Pattern of Gene IGFBP-5 in the Cashmere Goat (Capra hircus)

Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein-5 (IGFBP-5) is one of the six members of IGFBP family, important for cell growth, apoptosis and other IGF-stimulated signaling pathways. In order to explore the significance of IGFBP-5 in cells of the Inner Mongolian Cashmere goat (Capra hircus), IGFBP-5 gene complementary DNA (cDNA) was amplified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) from the animal’s fetal fibroblasts and tissue-specific expression analysis was performed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The gene is 816 base pairs (bp) in length and includes the complete open reading frame, encoding 271 amino acids (GenBank accession number JF720883). The full cDNA nucleotide sequence has a 99% identity with sheep, 98% with cattle and 95% with human. The amino acids sequence shares identity with 99%, 99% and 99%, respectively. The bioinformatics analysis showed that IGFBP-5 has an insulin growth factor-binding protein homologues (IB) domain and a thyroglobulin type-1 (TY) domain, four protein kinase C phosphorylation sites, five casein kinase II phosphorylation sites, three prenyl group binding sites (CaaX box). The IGFBP-5 gene was expressed in all the tested tissues including testis, brain, liver, lung, mammary gland, spleen, and kidney, suggesting that IGFBP-5 plays an important role in goat cells.

Utility of semivariogram for spatial variation of soil nutrients and the robust analysis of semivariogram

The spatial variation of soil nutrients in topsoil (0-20 cm) was analyzed using semivariogram in the Zunhua County of Hebei Province, China. The effect on semivariogram with randomly deleted data and kriged estimates using various reduced sample sizes was also analyzed. The semivariograms of available N, total N, available P, organic matter were best described by a spherical model, except for available K, which best fitted a complex structure of exponential model and linear with sill model. The ratio of nugget to total sample variance ranged from 34.4% to 68.4%, indicating the spatial correlation of tested soil nutrients on a large scale was moderately dependent. Among five soil nutrients, available nitrogen and available phosphorus had the shortest spatial correlation range (5 km and 5.5 km), available K had the longest range (25.5 km), whereas total nitrogen and organic matter had intermediate spatial correlation range (14.5 km and 8.5 km). The semivariograms of available N, total N, available P, and organic matter were insensitive to a 50%-60% reduction in original sampling density, while for available K, it is up to 70%. The estimated spatial distributions of total N by kriging, under various reduced sample sizes, all correlated significantly (P = 0.001) with those obtained from original data. The results showed that the semivariogram was a relatively robust tool when used in a large region and sufficient spatial variation information could be retained regardless of a higher deletion proportion of the original data. The original sample data could be reduced by kriging and the estimates showed no loss of spatial information, however, the results may be unreliable unless a clearly identified semivariogram model could be obtained. The results may provide useful information for determining the appropriate sampling densities for these scales of soil survey.

[Neocartilage formation in vitro using transduced mesenchymal stem cells cultured on biomimetic biodegradable polymer scaffolds]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of transforming growth factor (TGF) beta 1 gene transfection on the growth of mesenchymal stem cells(MSCs) and to evaluate a new biomimetic biodegradable polymer as scaffolds for applications in articular cartilage tissue engineering.

METHODS

Principles of tissue engineering were combined organically with principles of gene therapy to produce cultured periosteum-derived MSCs transduced with the full-length rat TGF-beta 1 cDNA in vitro. These cells were then seeded onto three-dimensional porous poly-DL-lactide scaffolds modified with poly-L-lysine that mimicked cell-binding domains found on natural extracellular matrix to promote specific cell adhesion. The adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation of the transfected MSCs were examined with scanning electron microscope within 2 weeks.

RESULTS

All cells adhered to the biomimetic matrices well, but more cartilage-like tissue was formed for TGF-beta 1 gene modified MSCs/scaffolds composites than for the control groups. Transfer of gene encoding TGF-beta 1 to MSCs promoted its proliferation and differentiation significantly.

CONCLUSIONS

The TGF-beta 1 gene transduced MSCs/biomimetic matrix composites used in this study was the first attempt to apply the principles of molecular tissue engineering for articular cartilage repair. This new molecular tissue engineering approach could be of potential benefit to repair damaged articular cartilage, especially in osteoarthritis. The new biomimetic biodegradable polymer matrices modified with biomolecules not only have good structural compatibility, but also have better interfacial compatibility and bioactivity, and can be used as scaffolds for articular cartilage tissue engineering.

Pigmented renal clear cell carcinoma with melanocytic differentiation

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is the most common malignant tumor of the adult kidney, and its incidence has been steadily rising. RCC consists of several subtypes, each of which has its own clinical features, and cytogenetic and molecular characteristics. Recognizing histologic patterns of RCC is important not only for correct diagnosis, but also for providing insight into the biological behavior of the tumor and subsequent appropriate medical care for the patient. Pigments other than hemosiderin has been observed in RCC, but none of them have been proved to be melanin. Melanotic tumors, either primary or metastatic, are rare in the kidney. We present an unusual case of melanin-pigmented clear cell RCC with melanocytic differentiation, an unusual variant that may lead to errors in diagnosis and treatment.

Interactions at the NH2-terminal interface of cardiac troponin I modulate myofilament activation

Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is an essential element in activation of myofilaments by Ca2+ binding to cardiac troponin C (cTnC). Yet, its role in transduction of the Ca2+ binding signal to cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and tropomyosin-actin remain poorly understood. We have recently discovered that regions of cTnI C-terminal to a previously defined inhibitory peptide are essential for full inhibitory activity and Ca(2+)-sensitivity of cardiac myofilaments (Rarick et al., 1997). However, apart from its role in structural binding to cTnC, there is little knowledge concerning the role of the N-terminus of cTnI in the activation and regulation of cardiac myofilaments. To address this question, we generated wild-type mouse cardiac TnI (WT-cTnI; 211 residues) and two N-terminal deletion mutants of mouse cTnI, cTnI54-211 (missing 53 residues), and cTnI80-211 (missing 79 residues). The cTnI54-211 mutant retained the ability to bind to cTnT, but lost the ability to bind to cTnC, whereas the cTnI80-211 mutant lost the ability to bind to cTnT, but bound weakly to cTnC. Both mutants bound to F-actin. In the absence of Ca2+, cTnI54-211 was able to inhibit the unregulated MgATPase activity of myofibrils lacking endogenous cTnI-cTnC to the same extent as WT-cTnI, whereas cTnI80-211 had some impairment of its inhibitory capability. Reconstitution with cTnI54-211/cTnC complex did not restore Ca(2+)-activation of myofibrillar MgATPase activity at all, however, the cTnI80-211/cTnC complex restored Ca(2+)-activation to nearly 50% of that obtained with WT-cTnI/cTnC. These data provide the first evidence of a significant function of a cTnT-binding domain on cTnI. They also indicate that the structural cTnC binding site on cTnI is required for Ca(2+)-dependent activation of cardiac myofilaments, and that cTnT binding to the N-terminus of cTnI is a negative regulator of activation.

Myocardial uptake of iodine-125-labeled 15-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(R,S)-methyl pentadecanoic acid is decreased in chronic diabetic rats with changes in subcellular distribution

Iodine-123-labeled 15-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(R,S)-methyl pentadecanoic acid (123I-BMIPP) is widely used to detect myocardial metabolic changes, but the preferred energy substrates in the myocardium would be expected to be altered in the presence of metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus (DM). We investigated the metabolism of branched-chain fatty acids in the myocardium of rats with DM. Streptozotocin-induced DM rats were examined 48 h (acute; AD) and 6 weeks (chronic; CD) after injection of streptozotocin. Hearts were excised 15 min or 60 min after injection of 0.185 MBq of 125I-BMIPP, followed by homogenization in an EDTA-Tris buffer. The homogenates were subjected to differential centrifugation to obtain the mitochondrial (MF) and cytoplasmic (CF) fractions. Myocardial 125I uptake tended to increase in the AD group, but the change was not significant. Myocardial 125I uptake at 15 min was significantly lower in the CD group than in the control group, even in the insulin-treated rats [control (CC), 4.4+/-0.4; not treated (CDN), 3.3+/-0.5; insulin-treated (CDI), 3.4+/-0.4 x 10(4) cpm/g, p<0.05 in each case]. The 125I count value corrected for the blood count (counts/min (cpm) per g of protein divided by blood cpm) in the MF decreased by 40% at 60 min in the CC group, but increased by 60% in the CDN group. The results of the present study suggest that the myocardial uptake of branched-chain fatty acids is decreased in rats with chronic diabetes, probably as a result of mitochondrial dysfunction.

Compressive fatigue behavior of bovine trabecular bone

We studied the fatigue behavior of bovine trabecular bone specimens under stress control using a sinusoidal uniaxial compressive load profile with a frequency of 2 Hz. The stress range was determined from the corresponding initial global platen-to-platen strain range, where the maximum initial strain was between 0.8 and 2.1% and the minimum strain was 0.6%. The local strain distribution was measured on the same type of specimen by affixing glass spheres and photographing them in the unloaded and loaded positions using multiple exposures. The number of cycles to failure (defined as a 5% decrease in secant modulus) was strongly correlated with the initial global maximum strain (r2 = 0.78) and ranged from 20 cycles at 2.1% strain to 400,000 cycles at 0.8% strain. All of the fatigue specimens showed a region of transverse failure approximately 1 mm from the end of the specimen. Microscopic examination of the failure zones revealed two failure modes: a straight transverse brittle-like fracture through the trabeculae, most often found in trabeculae transverse to the loading direction, and buckling-like failure, common in oblique trabeculae, involving bending and splitting. The local strain increased towards the ends of the specimens to a value 2-4 times that in the middle. Modulus degradation with the number of cycles was distinctively different for high-cycle and low-cycle fatigue, suggesting the possibility that both creep and damage accumulation contribute to fatigue failure of trabecular bone.

Periosteal and endosteal control of bone remodeling under torsional loading

The shape changes that occur in the mid-diaphysis of a long bone due to adaptive remodeling induced by increasing or decreasing the axial and/or torsional loading of the bone are investigated using a simple model. In this model the mid-diaphysis of a long bone is represented as a hollow thick-walled right-circular cylinder, and different optimal strategies for bone remodeling are considered. It is shown that if such a thick-walled right-circular cylinder capable of surface remodeling is subjected to an axial compressive load and a twisting torque, then the remodeling patterns depend on whether the periosteal surface or the endosteal surface controls the limits of the remodeling process. It is shown that the effect of increasing the torque is always opposite to the effect of increasing the compressive load. Thus, similar remodeling patterns are obtained by increasing one type of loading and decreasing the other. Aside from the restriction of idealized cylindrical geometry, the only assumptions made are that the bone tissue is linearly elastic and that there exists a finite range of remodeling equilibrium stresses. Only those loading situations which maintain the bone in remodeling equilibrium are considered in this work. It follows that the results presented are independent of the specific type of rule governing the temporal evolution of the bone shape, since any such rule applies only in situations where there is active remodeling and, hence, no remodeling equilibrium.

Lipophilic N-acylpyrazinamide derivatives: synthesis, physicochemical characterization, liposome incorporation, and in vitro activity against Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare

N-acetyl-(2), N-caproyl-(3), N-capryl-(4) and N-palmitoyl-pyrazinamide (5) were synthesized by reacting pyrazinamide (1) with acetic anhydride to prepare (2), or by reacting (1) in chloroform with the corresponding acid chlorides to prepare (3-5). Products were identified by high resolution mass spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and 1H NMR. Melting points, enthalpies of fusion, solubility and octanol-water partition coefficients were determined. Hydrolysis of (2) indicated a pseudo first-order, pH-dependent degradation reaction. Apparent half life times of degradation ranged from 74.2 hours at pH 3 to 5.4 hours at pH 7.34. Derivative (5) was incorporated in liposomes consisting of soy phosphatidylcholine and dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol (7:3 molar ratio). The in vitro susceptibility of Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare (MAI) to the liposomal compound containing (5) was tested. MAI was susceptible to (5) at concentrations of 12.5-25 micrograms/ml, although MAI is not susceptible to the parent drug (1). Thus, a new class of antimycobacterial agents with physicochemical properties suitable for stable incorporation within liposomes and high antibiotic efficacy against MAI is presented.

The two Caenorhabditis elegans basement membrane (type IV) collagen genes are located on separate chromosomes

We have identified and characterized the two genes, clb-1 and clb-2, that encode basement membrane collagen (IV) in Caenorhabditis elegans. Both genes encode 5.5-kilobase mRNAs, similar in size to the mammalian and Drosophila type IV collagen gene transcripts but much larger than the cuticle collagen transcripts of C. elegans. The nucleotide sequences of the NC1 regions of both genes were determined. Comparisons of the clb-1 and clb-2 NC1 amino acid sequences with those of mouse and human show that clb-1 shares 72% identity with mammalian alpha 2(IV) and clb-2 shares 63% identity with mammalian alpha 1(IV), suggesting that clb-1 is the alpha 2(IV) homologue and clb-2 is the alpha 1(IV) homologue. The presence of two type IV collagen genes in C. elegans and the mammals, but a single gene in Drosophila, indicates that the primordial type IV collagen gene had already duplicated early in the evolution of the invertebrates and that one of the genes has been subsequently lost from Drosophila. The mouse and human alpha 1(IV) and alpha 2(IV) genes are separated by only about 130 base pairs and are transcribed in opposite directions from overlapping promoters. We show that the C. elegans genes are located on separate chromosomes, clb-1 on X and clb-2 on III, demonstrating that the mammalian arrangement is not a requirement for all type IV collagen genes. We have identified a candidate genetic locus for the clb-2 basement membrane collagen gene, which will allow us to pursue a genetic analysis of basement membrane structure and function in C. elegans.

[Pattern recognition on the trace element spectrum in gastric cancer and peptic ulcer]

The trace element spectrum of gastric tissue and whole blood specimens from gastric cancer and peptic ulcer patients was recognized with pattern recognition technique in order to obtain the chemical information of gastric cancer. Thirty specimens were obtained from cancer patients in each of the 58 gastric tissues and 54 whole blood specimens. Five pathological types were divided into two groups: peptic ulcer and dysplasia as the ulcer group; well-differentiated, undifferentiated and mucinous carcinoma as the cancer group. The accuracy of recognizing the several spectra was 90%: nine trace element spectra (Cu, Zn, Ni, Co, Cr, Cd, Mn, Fe and Mg) for the tissue specimens from the cancer and ulcer groups; six (Cu, Zn, Mn, Co, Cr and Cd) for dysplasia and well-differentiated adenocarcinoma tissues; five (Cu, Ni, Cr, Cd and Fe) for the whole blood specimens from these two groups and six (Cu, Zn, Cr, Cd, Fe and Ni) for the whole blood specimens from dysplasia and peptic ulcer (including 10 normal individuals). The data were treated by non-linear mapping method and calculated by TRS-80 III type microcomputer.