Epigenomic profiling of the infrapatellar fat pad in osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a prevalent, complex disease of the joints, and affects multiple intra-articular tissues. Here, we have examined genome-wide DNA methylation profiles of primary infrapatellar fat pad and matched blood samples from 70 osteoarthritis patients undergoing total knee replacement surgery. Comparing the DNA methylation profiles between these tissues reveal widespread epigenetic differences. We produce the first genome-wide methylation quantitative trait locus (mQTL) map of fat pad, and make the resource available to the wider community. Using two-sample Mendelian randomization and colocalization analyses, we resolve osteoarthritis GWAS signals and provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underpinning disease aetiopathology. Our findings provide the first view of the epigenetic landscape of infrapatellar fat pad primary tissue in osteoarthritis.

Genome-wide meta-analysis of 92 cardiometabolic protein serum levels

OBJECTIVES

Global cardiometabolic disease prevalence has grown rapidly over the years, making it the leading cause of death worldwide. Proteins are crucial components in biological pathways dysregulated in disease states. Identifying genetic components that influence circulating protein levels may lead to the discovery of biomarkers for early stages of disease or offer opportunities as therapeutic targets.

METHODS

Here, we carry out a genome-wide association study (GWAS) utilising whole genome sequencing data in 3,005 individuals from the HELIC founder populations cohort, across 92 proteins of cardiometabolic relevance.

RESULTS

We report 322 protein quantitative trait loci (pQTL) signals across 92 proteins, of which 76 are located in or near the coding gene (cis-pQTL). We link those association signals with changes in protein expression and cardiometabolic disease risk using colocalisation and Mendelian randomisation (MR) analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of previously unknown signals we describe point to proteins or protein interactions involved in inflammation and immune response, providing genetic evidence for the contributing role of inflammation in cardiometabolic disease processes.

Bridging the diversity gap: Analytical and study design considerations for improving the accuracy of trans-ancestry genetic prediction

Genetic prediction of common complex disease risk is an essential component of precision medicine. Currently, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) are mostly composed of European-ancestry samples and resulting polygenic scores (PGSs) have been shown to poorly transfer to other ancestries partly due to heterogeneity of allelic effects between populations. Fixed-effects (FETA) and random-effects (RETA) trans-ancestry meta-analyses do not model such ancestry-related heterogeneity, while ancestry-specific (AS) scores may suffer from low power due to low sample sizes. In contrast, trans-ancestry meta-regression (TAMR) builds ancestry-aware PGS that account for more complex trans-ancestry architectures. Here, we examine the predictive performance of these four PGSs under multiple genetic architectures and ancestry configurations. We show that the predictive performance of FETA and RETA is strongly affected by cross-ancestry genetic heterogeneity, while AS PGS performance decreases in under-represented target populations. TAMR PGS is also impacted by heterogeneity but maintains good prediction performance in most situations, especially in ancestry-diverse scenarios. In simulations of human complex traits, TAMR scores currently explain 25% more phenotypic variance than AS in triglyceride levels and 33% more phenotypic variance than FETA in type 2 diabetes in most non-European populations. Importantly, a high proportion of non-European-ancestry individuals is needed to reach prediction levels that are comparable in those populations to the one observed in European-ancestry studies. Our results highlight the need to rebalance the ancestral composition of GWAS to enable accurate prediction in non-European-ancestry groups, and demonstrate the relevance of meta-regression approaches for compensating some of the current population biases in GWAS.

Gene-based whole genome sequencing meta-analysis of 250 circulating proteins in three isolated European populations

OBJECTIVE

Deep sequencing offers unparalleled access to rare variants in human populations. Understanding their role in disease is a priority, yet prohibitive sequencing costs mean that many cohorts lack the sample size to discover these effects on their own. Meta-analysis of individual variant scores allows the combination of rare variants across cohorts and study of their aggregated effect at the gene level, boosting discovery power. However, the methods involved have largely not been field-tested. In this study, we aim to perform the first meta-analysis of gene-based rare variant aggregation optimal tests, applied to the human cardiometabolic proteome.

METHODS

Here, we carry out this analysis across MANOLIS, Pomak and ORCADES, three isolated European cohorts with whole-genome sequencing (total N = 4,422). We examine the genetic architecture of 250 proteomic traits of cardiometabolic relevance. We use a containerised pipeline to harmonise variant lists across cohorts and define four sets of qualifying variants. For every gene, we interrogate protein-damaging variants, exonic variants, exonic and regulatory variants, and regulatory only variants, using the CADD and Eigen scores to weigh variants according to their predicted functional consequence. We perform single-cohort rare variant analysis and meta-analyse variant scores using the SMMAT package.

RESULTS

We describe 5 rare variant pQTLs (RV-pQTL) which pass our stringent significance threshold (7.45 × 10-11) and quality control procedure. These were split between four cis signals for MARCO, TEK, MMP2 and MPO, and one trans association for GDF2 in the SERPINA11 gene. We show that the cis-MPO association, which was not detectable using the single-point data alone, is driven by 5 missense and frameshift variants. These include rs140636390 and rs119468010, which are specific to MANOLIS and ORCADES, respectively. We show how this kind of signal could improve the predictive accuracy of genetic factors in common complex disease such as stroke and cardiovascular disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Our proof-of-concept study demonstrates the power of gene-based meta-analyses for discovering disease-relevant associations complementing common-variant signals by incorporating population-specific rare variation.

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing of Human Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Macrophages for Quality Control of The Cell Therapy Product

Macrophages exhibit high plasticity to achieve their roles in maintaining tissue homeostasis, innate immunity, tissue repair and regeneration. Therefore, macrophages are being evaluated for cell-based therapeutics against inflammatory disorders and cancer. To overcome the limitation related to expansion of primary macrophages and cell numbers, human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived macrophages are considered as an alternative source of primary macrophages for clinical application. However, the quality of hPSC-derived macrophages with respect to the biological homogeneity remains still unclear. We previously reported a technique to produce hPSC-derived macrophages referred to as iMACs, which is amenable for scale-up. In this study, we have evaluated the biological homogeneity of the iMACs using a transcriptome dataset of 6,230 iMACs obtained by single-cell RNA sequencing. The dataset provides a valuable genomic profile for understanding the molecular characteristics of hPSC-derived macrophage cells and provide a measurement of transcriptomic homogeneity. Our study highlights the usefulness of single cell RNA-seq data in quality control of the cell-based therapy products.

Mendelian Randomization Analysis Reveals a Causal Influence of Circulating Sclerostin Levels on Bone Mineral Density and Fractures

In bone, sclerostin is mainly osteocyte-derived and plays an important local role in adaptive responses to mechanical loading. Whether circulating levels of sclerostin also play a functional role is currently unclear, which we aimed to examine by two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR). A genetic instrument for circulating sclerostin, derived from a genomewide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis of serum sclerostin in 10,584 European-descent individuals, was examined in relation to femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD; n = 32,744) in GEFOS and estimated bone mineral density (eBMD) by heel ultrasound (n = 426,824) and fracture risk (n = 426,795) in UK Biobank. Our GWAS identified two novel serum sclerostin loci, B4GALNT3 (standard deviation [SD]) change in sclerostin per A allele (β = 0.20, p = 4.6 × 10^-49 ) and GALNT1 (β  = 0.11 per G allele, p = 4.4 × 10^-11 ). B4GALNT3 is an N-acetyl-galactosaminyltransferase, adding a terminal LacdiNAc disaccharide to target glycocoproteins, found to be predominantly expressed in kidney, whereas GALNT1 is an enzyme causing mucin-type O-linked glycosylation. Using these two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as genetic instruments, MR revealed an inverse causal relationship between serum sclerostin and femoral neck BMD (β = -0.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.20 to -0.05) and eBMD (β = -0.12, 95% CI -0.14 to -0.10), and a positive relationship with fracture risk (β = 0.11, 95% CI 0.01 to 0.21). Colocalization analysis demonstrated common genetic signals within the B4GALNT3 locus for higher sclerostin, lower eBMD, and greater B4GALNT3 expression in arterial tissue (probability >99%). Our findings suggest that higher sclerostin levels are causally related to lower BMD and greater fracture risk. Hence, strategies for reducing circulating sclerostin, for example by targeting glycosylation enzymes as suggested by our GWAS results, may prove valuable in treating osteoporosis. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Population-wide copy number variation calling using variant call format files from 6,898 individuals

Copy number variants (CNVs) play an important role in a number of human diseases, but the accurate calling of CNVs remains challenging. Most current approaches to CNV detection use raw read alignments, which are computationally intensive to process. We use a regression tree-based approach to call germline CNVs from whole-genome sequencing (WGS, >18x) variant call sets in 6,898 samples across four European cohorts, and describe a rich large variation landscape comprising 1,320 CNVs. Eighty-one percent of detected events have been previously reported in the Database of Genomic Variants. Twenty-three percent of high-quality deletions affect entire genes, and we recapitulate known events such as the GSTM1 and RHD gene deletions. We test for association between the detected deletions and 275 protein levels in 1,457 individuals to assess the potential clinical impact of the detected CNVs. We describe complex CNV patterns underlying an association with levels of the CCL3 protein (MAF = 0.15, p = 3.6x10^-12 ) at the CCL3L3 locus, and a novel cis-association between a low-frequency NOMO1 deletion and NOMO1 protein levels (MAF = 0.02, p = 2.2x10^-7 ). This study demonstrates that existing population-wide WGS call sets can be mined for germline CNVs with minimal computational overhead, delivering insight into a less well-studied, yet potentially impactful class of genetic variant.

Complete mitochondrial genome of the Amur hedgehog Erinaceus amurensis (Erinaceidae) and higher phylogeny of the family Erinaceidae

We sequenced and characterized the complete mitogenome (KX964606) of the Amur hedgehog Erinaceus amurensis to provide more data for comparative mitogenomics of the genus Erinaceus (Erinaceidae). The mitogenome of E. amurensis is a circular molecule 16,941 bp long, consisting of a control region and a conserved set of 37 genes containing 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, and two rRNA genes (12S rRNA and 16S rRNA). The mitogenome of E. amurensis is AT-biased, with a nucleotide composition of 33.9% A, 21.1% C, 32.6% T, and 12.4% G. The mitogenomes of E. amurensis and the closely related hedgehog species E. europaeus, excluding the control region (66.7%), share over 90% sequence similarity. According to the inter-generic relationship based on six mitogenomes described from five genera of Erinaceidae, the subfamilies Erinaceinae and Galericinae are strongly supported as monophyletic groups, with each genus well placed within its own subfamily. Within the subfamily Erinaceinae, E. amurensis is a sister species to E. europaeus, and the relationship between Hemiechinus and Erinaceus is strongly supported. Within the subfamily Galericinae, the clade of Hylomys + Neotetracus was sister to that of Echinosorex, with clades supported by high values. Our findings will help to understand the codon usage pattern and molecular evolution of E. amurensis, and provide insight into inter-generic relationships within the family Erinaceidae. In future studies, the inclusion of mitogenomes from other genera would greatly enhance our understanding of higher phylogeny within the Erinaceidae.

Effect of Nicardipine on Haemodynamic and Bispectral Index Changes following Endotracheal Intubation

We investigated the effect of IV nicardipine on haemodynamic and bispectral index responses to the induction of general anaesthesia and intubation. Forty patients were randomly allocated to two groups of 20 to receive normal saline or nicardipine 15 μg/kg IV 30 s after induction. Ninety seconds later, tracheal intubation was performed. Systolic blood pressure, heart rate and bispectral index were measured at baseline, 1 min after induction, pre-intubation, and every minute until 5 min after endotracheal intubation. Rate–pressure product values were calculated. In the nicardipine group, systolic blood pressure decreased compared with the control group, and heart rate increased compared with the control group. Bispectral index and rate–pressure product showed no differences between the two groups. In conclusion, the administration of 15 μg/kg nicardipine IV does not affect anaesthetic depth in response to the induction of general anaesthesia and intubation.

Amiodarone Offsets the Cardioprotective Effects of Ischaemic Preconditioning against Ischaemia/Reperfusion Injury

Both ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) and amiodarone protect against myocardial ischaemia. We examined whether a combination of IPC and amiodarone demonstrated an additive protective effect in isolated rat hearts ( n = 40). The controls (group I) were subjected to ischaemia/reperfusion injury; group II was subjected to cycles of IPC prior to ischaemia/reperfusion injury; group III was subjected to ischaemia in the presence of amiodarone (10−10 mol/l); and group IV was subjected to IPC followed by ischaemia in the presence of amiodarone (10−10 mol/l). Amiodarone produced the best preserved left ventricular end-systolic pressure and dP/dtmax, less developed ventricular stiffness, the shortest arrhythmia duration, and the smallest infarct size among the groups. All of the myocardial protective effects against ischaemia/reperfusion injury were diminished or abolished when IPC and amiodarone were applied sequentially.

Effect of Administration of Ketorolac and Local Anaesthetic Infiltration for Pain Relief after Laparoscopic-assisted Vaginal Hysterectomy

The efficacy of local anaesthetic infiltration and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for post-operative analgesia following laparoscopic-assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) was investigated in 83 patients, randomized into four groups in this double-blind, placebo-controlled study: group BK, local infiltration with bupivacaine and pre-incisional intramuscular (IM) ketorolac; group NN, saline local infiltration IM; group BN, local infiltration with bupivacaine and saline IM; group NK, local infiltration with saline and ketorolac IM. Post-operative pain scores were assessed at 1 h, 3 h, 6 h, 12 h and 24 h using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The major pain site, first analgesic request time and incidence of analgesic requests were also recorded. At 1 h, 3 h and 6 h after surgery, group BK patients had significantly lower VAS pain scores than group NN patients. The first analgesic request time was significantly longer in group BK than in groups NN, BN and NK. Pre-incisional treatment with ketorolac IM and local infiltration with bupivacaine reduced post-operative pain after LAVH.

Gene organization and characterization of the complete mitogenome of Hypsugo alaschanicus (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

We sequenced and characterized the complete mitogenome of Hypsugo alaschanicus (Vespertilionidae) to provide more data for comparative mitogenomics of the genus Hypsugo. The mitogenome of H. alaschanicus is a circular molecule of 17,300 bp, consisting of a control region and a typically conserved set of 37 vertebrate genes containing 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, and two rRNA genes (12S rRNA and 16S rRNA). The mitogenome of H. alaschanicus is AT-biased, with a nucleotide composition of 34.1 A, 30.9 T, 22.4 C, and 12.6% G. In the 13 mitochondrial PCGs of H. alaschanicus, the start codon ATG is used in all PCGs, except Nd2 and Nd3 (which use ATT), and Nd5 (which uses ATA). Eight PCGs (Nd1, Cox1, Cox2, Atp8, Atp6, Nd4L, Nd5, and Nd6) use TAA as the stop codon, while the stop codon AGA occurs only in Cytb. Incomplete stop codons (T--) are used in the other four PCGs (Cox3, Nd2, Nd3, and Nd4). These findings contribute to our understanding of the nucleotide composition and molecular evolution of the mitogenomes of the genus Hypsugo, and provide more data for comparative mitogenomics and higher phylogeny in the family Vespertilionidae.

Detection and sequence analysis of the DNA repair gene RAD51 in the Korean spider Callobius koreanus (Amaurobiidae)

We identified a partial sequence (483 bp) of the RAD51 gene from the Korean spider Callobius koreanus. Sequence variation was found at one position during alignment with the human RAD51 gene sequence. This partial sequence included the region corresponding to exon 4 in the human RAD51 gene, which encodes 39 amino acids. These results show that the RAD51 gene is highly conserved between human and spiders.

Complete mitochondrial genome and codon usage of the Nepalese whiskered bat Myotis muricola (Vespertilionidae)

We sequenced and characterized the complete mitogenome of the Nepalese whiskered bat Myotis muricola (Vespertilionidae) to provide more data for comparative mitogenomics and codon usage in the genus Myotis (Vespertilionidae). The mitogenome of M. muricola is a circular molecule of 17,224 bp, consisting of a control region and a conserved set of 37 genes containing 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, and two rRNA genes (12S rRNA and 16S rRNA). The mitogenome of M. muricola is AT-biased, with a nucleotide composition of 33.6% A, 29.7% T, 23.3% C, and 13.4% G. The total length of the 13 mitochondrial PCGs, excluding stop codons, is 11,376 bp, or 3792 amino acids. The relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) of codons ending in A/T was generally higher than that for codons ending in G/C. The most frequently used codons are CTA(Leu) and CGA(Arg), with RSCU values greater than 2.0. The most rarely used codons, all terminating in G, are TCG(Ser), CCG(Pro), GCG(Ala), AAG(Lys), TGG(Try), CGG(Arg), and ACG(Thr), with RSCU values below 0.2. TCG(Ser) occurs only five times, and has the lowest RSCU value (0.091). These results are valuable for a better understanding of the molecular evolution of mitogenomes in the genus Myotis.

Suppression of tumor growth in lung cancer xenograft model mice by poly(sorbitol-co-PEI)-mediated delivery of osteopontin siRNA

Small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated gene silencing represents a promising strategy for treating diseases such as cancer; however, specific gene silencing requires an effective delivery system to overcome the instability and low transfection efficiency of siRNAs. To address this issue, a polysorbitol-based transporter (PSOT) was prepared by low molecular weight branched polyethylenimine (bPEI) crosslinked with sorbitol diacrylate (SDA). Osteopontin (OPN) gene, which is highly associated with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was targeted by siRNA therapy using siRNA targeting OPN (siOPN). Characterization study confirmed that PSOT formed compact complexes with siOPN and protected siOPN against degradation by RNase. PSOT/siOPN complexes demonstrated low cytotoxicity and enhanced transfection efficiency in vitro, suggesting that this carrier may be suitable for gene silencing. In the A549 and H460 lung cancer cell lines, PSOT/siOPN complexes demonstrated significant silencing efficiency at both RNA and protein levels. To study in vivo tumor growth suppression, two lung cancer cell-xenograft mouse models were prepared and PSOT/siOPN complexes were delivered into the mice through intravenous injection. The siOPN-treated groups demonstrated significantly reduced OPN expression at both the RNA and protein levels as well as suppression of tumor volume and weight. Taken together, siOPN delivery using PSOT may present an effective and novel therapeutic system for lung cancer treatment.

Fabrication of nanocrystalline surface composite layer on Cu plate under ball collisions

It was demonstrated that the severe plastic deformation of a surface induced by repeated ball collisions can be effectively used for fabrication of the nanocrystalline surface composite layers. The Cu disk was fixed at the top of a vibration chamber and ball treated. Al, Zr, Ni, Co and Fe were introduced into a Cu plate as contaminants from the grinding media one after the other by 15-min ball treatment. The composite structure was formed as a result of mechanical intermixing of the components. The particle size in as-fabricated layer ranged from 2 nm to 20 nm, with average values of about 7 nm. As-fabricated layer contained non-equilibrium multicomponent solid solution based on FCC Cu crystal structure, Zr-based phase, nanosized steel debris and amorphous phase. The hardness of the as-fabricated composite was almost ten times that of the initial Cu plate.

Use of permanent marker to deposit a protection layer against FIB damage in TEM specimen preparation

Permanent marker deposition (PMD), which creates permanent writing on an object with a permanent marker, was investigated as a method to deposit a protection layer against focused ion beam damage. PMD is a simple, fast and cheap process. Further, PMD is excellent in filling in narrow and deep trenches, enabling damage-free observation of high aspect ratio structures with atomic resolution in transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The microstructure, composition, gap filling ability and planarization of the PMD layer were studied using dual beam focused ion beam, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy. It was found that a PMD layer is basically an amorphous carbon structure, and that such a layer should be at least 65 nm thick to protect a surface against 30 keV focused ion beam damage. We suggest that such a PMD layer can be an excellent protection layer to maintain a pristine sample structure against focused ion beam damage during transmission electron microscopy specimen preparation.

Aerosol delivery of kinase-deficient Akt1 attenuates Clara cell injury induced by naphthalene in the lungs of dual luciferase mice

Conventional lung cancer therapies are associated with poor survival rates; therefore, new approaches such as gene therapy are required for treating cancer. Gene therapies for treating lung cancer patients can involve several approaches. Among these, aerosol gene delivery is a potentially more effective approach. In this study, Akt1 kinase-deficient (KD) and wild-type (WT) Akt1 were delivered to the lungs of CMV-LucR-cMyc-IRES-LucF dual reporter mice through a nose only inhalation system using glucosylated polyethylenimine and naphthalene was administrated to the mice via intraperitoneal injection. Aerosol delivery of Akt1 WT and naphthalene treatment increased protein levels of downstream substrates of Akt signaling pathway while aerosol delivery of Akt1 KD did not. Our results showed that naphthalene affected extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) protein levels, ERK-related signaling, and induced Clara cell injury. However, Clara cell injury induced by naphthalene was considerably attenuated in mice exposed to Akt1 KD. Furthermore, a dual luciferase activity assay showed that aerosol delivery of Akt1 WT and naphthalene treatment enhanced cap-dependent protein translation, while reduced cap-dependent protein translation was observed after delivering Akt1 KD. These studies demonstrated that our aerosol delivery is compatible for in vivo gene delivery.

Trabectedin plus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in relapsed ovarian cancer delays third-line chemotherapy and prolongs the platinum-free interval

BACKGROUND

OVA-301 is a large randomized trial that showed superiority of trabectedin plus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD; CentoCor Ortho Biotech Products L.P., Raritan, NJ, USA). over single-agent PLD in 672 patients with relapsed ovarian cancer, particularly in the partially platinum-sensitive subgroup [platinum-free interval (PFI) of 6-12 months]. This superiority has been suggested to be due to the differential impact of subsequent (platinum) therapy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

a detailed analysis of subsequent therapies and survival outcomes in the overall population and in the subsets according to platinum sensitivity was therefore conducted.

RESULTS

similar proportions of patients received subsequent therapy in each arm (76% versus 77%), including further platinum-based regimens (49% versus 55%). Patients in the trabectedin/PLD arm received subsequent chemotherapy at a later time (median delay 2.5 months versus PLD arm). Overall survival from subsequent platinum was significantly prolonged in the partially platinum-sensitive disease subset (hazard ratio = 0.63; P = 0.0357).

CONCLUSION

the superiority of trabectedin/PLD over single-agent PLD in OVA-301 cannot be explained by differences in the extent or nature of subsequent therapies administered to these patients. On the other hand, these exploratory analyses support the hypothesis that the enhanced survival benefits in the partially platinum-sensitive subset might be due to an extended PFI leading to longer survival with subsequent platinum.

Trabectedin plus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin in relapsed ovarian cancer: outcomes in the partially platinum-sensitive (platinum-free interval 6-12 months) subpopulation of OVA-301 phase III randomized trial

BACKGROUND

OVA-301 is a large randomized trial that showed superiority of trabectedin plus pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD) over PLD alone in relapsed ovarian cancer. The optimal management of patients with partially platinum-sensitive relapse [6-12 months platinum-free interval (PFI)] is unclear.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

within OVA-301, we therefore now report on the outcomes for the 214 cases in this subgroup.

RESULTS

Trabectedin/PLD resulted in a 35% risk reduction of disease progression (DP) or death [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.45-0.92; P = 0.0152; median progression-free survival (PFS) 7.4 versus 5.5 months], and a significant 41% decrease in the risk of death (HR = 0.59; 95% CI, 0.43-0.82; P = 0.0015; median survival 23.0 versus 17.1 months). The safety of trabectedin/PLD in this subset mimicked that of the overall population. Similar proportions of patients received subsequent therapy in each arm (76% versus 77%), although patients in the trabectedin/PLD arm had a slightly lower proportion of further platinum (49% versus 55%). Importantly, patients in the trabectedin/PLD arm survived significantly longer after subsequent platinum (HR = 0.63; P = 0.0357; median 13.3 versus 9.8 months).

CONCLUSION

This hypothesis-generating analysis demonstrates that superior benefits with trabectedin/PLD in terms of PFS and survival in the overall population appear particularly enhanced in patients with partially sensitive disease (PFI 6-12 months).

Hyperthermal neutral beam sources for material processing

Hyperthermal neutral beams have a great potential for material processes, especially for etching and thin film deposition for semiconductor and display fabrication as well as deposition for various thin film applications. Plasma-induced damage during plasma etching is a serious problem for manufacturing deep submicron semiconductor devices and is expected to be a problem for future nanoscale devices. Thermal and plasma-induced damage is also problematic for thin film depositions such as transparent conductive oxide films on organic light emitting diodes or flexible displays due to high temperature processes in plasma environments. These problems can be overcome by damage-free and low-temperature processes with hyperthermal neutral beams. We will present the status of the hyperthermal neutral beam development and the applications, especially, in semiconductor and display fabrication and introduce potential applications of thin film growing for optoelectronic devices such as light emitting diodes.

An adaptive M-wave canceler for the EMG controlled functional electrical stimulator and its FPGA implementation

Biopotential signals have been used as command and feedback signals in systems using electrical stimulation of motor nerves to restore the lost function. In order to use the voluntary electromyography (EMG) as a control signal for the functional electrical stimulation of the same muscle, it is necessary to suppress the M-wave evoked by the electrical stimulation. We present a Gram-Schmidt (GS) prediction error filter which effectively eliminates the M-wave from voluntary EMG. The GS filter has systolic array structure, so it offers advantages for the real-time processing on the field programmable gate array (FPGA). On basis of the data obtained from model for M-wave and voluntary EMG and from CNS injury patient, the proposed GS filter showed a very promising performance.

Phospho-ser 15-p53 translocates into mitochondria and interacts with Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL in eugenol-induced apoptosis

Our previous studies demonstrated that antiallergic effects of herbs such as clove and Magnoliae Flos (MF) resulted from the induction of apoptosis in mast cells. We here examined whether the antiallergic activity was caused by eugenol (4-allyl-2-methoxyphenol) which was one of major ingredients in the essential oils or extracts of numerous plants including clove and Magnoliae Flos. RBL-2H3 cells were treated with eugenol, and DNA electrophoresis, Western blotting, immunocytochemistry, confocal microscopy and immunoprecipitation were conducted. Effect of eugenol was tested using a rat anaphylaxis model. RBL-2H3 cells treated with eugenol showed typical apoptotic manifestations and translocation of p53 into mitochondria. Antisense p53 partially prevented the induction of apoptosis. Noticeably, we observed that p53 translocated into mitochondria was phosphorylated on ser 15. Phospho-ser 15-p53 physically interacted with Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL in mitochondria and its translocation into mitochondria preceded cytochrome c release and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) reduction. We also depicted that the survival of animals even after administration of the fatal dose of compound 48/80 might result from the decreased number of mast cells by eugenol pretreatment. In conclusion, eugenol induces apoptosis in mast cells via translocation of phospho-ser 15-p53 into mitochondria.

Phase III double-blind placebo-controlled study of farnesyl transferase inhibitor R115777 in patients with refractory advanced colorectal cancer

PURPOSE

To determine whether R115777 improves survival in patients with refractory advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) in a multicenter, double-blind, prospective randomized study.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Three hundred sixty-eight patients were randomly assigned to R115777 (300 mg twice daily) orally for 21 days every 28 days or placebo in a 2:1 ratio. All patients received best supportive care. The primary end point was overall survival; secondary end points were progression free survival, tumor response, toxicity, and quality of life.

RESULTS

The two treatment groups were well balanced for baseline demographics, including previous chemotherapy for advanced CRC. The median overall survival for R115777 was 174 days (95% CI, 157 to 198 days), and 185 days (95% CI, 158 to 238 days) for those patients receiving placebo (P =.376). One patient achieved a partial response in the R115777 arm. Stable disease (> 3 months) was observed in 24.3% patients in the R115777 group compared to 12.8% in the placebo arm. This did not translate into a statistically significant increase in progression-free survival. Overall, treatment was well tolerated. There was an increased incidence of reversible myelosuppression (neutropenia, thrombocytopenia), rash, and grade 1 to 2 diarrhea in the R115777 arm. There was no statistically significant difference in quality of life between arms.

CONCLUSION

Single agent R115777, given at this dose and schedule, has an acceptable toxicity profile, but does not improve overall survival compared to best supportive care alone in refractory advanced CRC.

Partial outlet obstruction of the rat bladder induces a stimulatory response on proliferation of the bladder smooth muscle cells

Outlet obstruction of the rat bladder induces hypertrophy/hyperplasia characterized by increases in bladder mass, smooth muscle content, and collagen deposition. In order to understand the mechanism of the outlet obstruction-induced hypertrophy and hyperplasia, we first determined the temporal pattern of changes in bladder mass after inducing the outlet obstruction. Histological analysis revealed that the smooth muscle cells with hypertrophy and hyperplasia, fibroblasts and connective tissue were increased in a time-dependent manner, corresponding to the temporal pattern observed in the changes in bladder mass, although the phase of changes in these tissue components was somewhat different. In order to further determine whether any proliferation-stimulatory factors were released from the bladder with obstruction in correspondence with increased bladder mass, soluble fractions were prepared from the bladders with outlet obstruction for 3-30 weeks, and their effects on proliferation of smooth muscle cells were examined. The soluble fractions prepared from the bladders at 3 to 14 weeks after obstruction slightly but significantly facilitated the proliferation of cultured smooth muscle cells, while the soluble fractions released after 20 weeks rather suppressed the proliferation. These results suggest that the initial increase in bladder mass might be in part due to the facilitated proliferation of smooth muscle cells of the bladder body induced by growth factors released into the soluble fractions, and that hypertrophy might then play a role in the increased bladder mass at later phases.

Expression of an artificial polypeptide with a repeated tripeptide glutamyl-tryptophanyl-lysine in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

AIMS

Artificial genes, which encode 48 or 64 repeats of a tripeptide, glutamyl-tryptophanyl-lysine have been cloned to the yeast expression vector pAM82 containing the PHO5 promoter and expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae AH22.

METHODS AND RESULTS

When the yeast cells harbouring recombinant plasmids pALTG6-2 and pALTG4-4 were derepressed in Burkholder minimal medium (Toh-e, A., Ueda, Y., Kakimoto, S.I. and Oshima, Y. (1973) Journal of Bacteriology113, 727-738) containing low phosphate (0.03 g l-1 KH2PO4 and 1.5 g l-1 KCl), the expression was the highest after 24 h induction and the artificial polypeptides were synthesized to about 10% (pALTG6-2) and 14% (pALTG4-4) of the total cell protein.

CONCLUSIONS

The artificial polypeptides produced in yeast were made to react with the rabbit antiserum against the polypeptide purified from Escherichia coli and found only in the pellet fraction of cell lysates, indicating the formation of inclusion body. Artificial polypeptide consisting of Glu-Trp-Lys may be useful as partial supplement in food and feeds.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

The production of single cell enriched with homopolymers of an essential amino acid in yeast might be an important tool of supplementing cereal diets and feed grain rations and could be used as means for improvement of the amino acid profile of single cell protein and production of pharmaceutical peptides.

Redox factor-1: an extra-nuclear role in the regulation of endothelial oxidative stress and apoptosis

The rac1 GTPase promotes oxidative stress through reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, whereas the DNA repair enzyme and transcriptional regulator redox factor-1 (ref-1) protects against cell death due to oxidative stimuli. However, the function of ref-1 in regulating intracellular oxidative stress, particularly that induced by rac1, has not been defined. We examined the role of ref-1 in vascular endothelial cell oxidative stress and apoptosis. Ref-1 was expressed in both the cytoplasm and nuclei of resting endothelial cells. Cytoplasmic ref-1 translocated to the nucleus with the oxidative trigger hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R). Forced cytoplasmic overexpression of ref-1 suppressed H/R-induced oxidative stress (H(2)O(2) production), NF-kappaB activation, and apoptosis, and also mitigated rac1-regulated H(2)O(2) production and NF-kappaB transcriptional activity. We conclude that inhibition of oxidative stress is another mechanism by which ref-1 protects against apoptosis, and that this is achieved through modulation of cytoplasmic rac1-regulated ROS generation. This suggests a novel extra-nuclear function of ref-1.

A new enzymic method for the isolation and culture of human bladder body smooth muscle cells

Cultured cells of the human urinary bladder smooth muscle are useful for investigating bladder function, but methods for culturing them are not well developed. We have now established a novel enzymic technique. The smooth muscle layer was separated out and incubated with 0.2% trypsin for 30 min at 37 degrees C. The samples were then minced and incubated with 0.1% collagenase for 30 min and centrifuged at 900 g. The pellets were resuspended in RPMI-1640 medium containing 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) and centrifuged at 250 g. The smooth muscle cells from the supernatant were cultured in RPMI-1640 containing 10% FCS. The cells grew to confluence after 7-10 days, forming the "hills and valleys" growth pattern characteristic of smooth muscle cells. Immunostaining with anti-alpha-actin, anti-myosin, and anti-caldesmon antibodies demonstrated that 99% of the cells were smooth muscle cells. To investigate the pharmacological properties of the cultured cells, we determined the inhibitory effect of muscarinic receptor antagonists on the binding of [3H]N-methylscopolamine to membranes from cultured cells. The pKi values obtained for six antagonists agreed with the corresponding values for transfected cells expressing the human muscarinic M2 subtype. Furthermore, carbachol produced an increase in the concentration of cytoplasmic free Ca2+ an action that was blocked by 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methiodide, an M3 selective antagonist. This result suggests that these cells express functional M3 muscarinic receptors, in addition to M2 receptors. The subcultured cells therefore appear to be unaffected by our new isolation method.

Cephalometric and physiologic predictors of the efficacy of an adjustable oral appliance for treating obstructive sleep apnea

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether any physiologic or cephalometric parameters could be used to predict the efficacy of an adjustable mandibular advancement appliance for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Forty-two male and 5 female patients with OSA were recruited on the basis of baseline polysomnography with a documented Apnea and Hypopnea Index (AHI) greater than 15 per hour. Repeat polysomnography was performed with the appliance in place. Baseline cephalometry was performed for each patient, and follow-up cephalometry was completed for 19 of the subjects. The subjects were divided into 3 groups on the basis of the degree of change in the AHI with oral appliance therapy: good response (> 75% decrease in AHI), moderate response (25% to 75% decrease in AHI), and poor response (< 25% decrease in AHI). Patients with a good response were younger and had smaller upper airways. In a linear regression analysis, the change in AHI (%) was associated with physiologic (age and body mass index), cephalometric (overjet, height of the maxillary molars, vertical height of the hyoid bone), and airway variables. However, changes in either overbite or overjet were not related to changes in any of the polysomnographic variables for the 19 subjects. A stepwise regression analysis revealed a better treatment response with the adjustable mandibular advancement appliance in patients who were younger and had a lower body mass index, a longer maxilla, a smaller oropharynx, a smaller overjet, less erupted maxillary molars, and a larger ratio of vertical airway length to the cross-sectional area of the soft palate.

Results of neurilemoma treatment: a review of 78 cases

Between 1984 and 1994, a total of 78 patients underwent surgery for neurilemoma of the trunk or extremities. The incidence according to the involved nerve was analyzed and the follow-up results and complications after surgical treatment were reviewed. The median nerve was most frequently involved among 15 different nerves. Marginal excision was performed in 70 (90%) patients, incisional biopsy in 6 (8%), and wide excision in 2 (2%). Postoperative complications were paresthesia in 7 patients. There was no recurrence or malignant transformation until the average 47 months of follow-up. In most patients, marginal excision was sufficient to prevent local recurrence and did not impair nerve function significantly.

Identification of muscarinic receptor subtypes of cultured smooth muscle cells and tissue of human bladder body

BACKGROUND

Muscarinic receptor subtypes of cultured smooth muscle cells from the human bladder body were investigated by the receptor binding assay method. The result was compared with that obtained from the human bladder body tissue to confirm whether the receptor subtypes of the cells are not changed after several passages of cell culture.

METHODS

Inhibitory effects of various muscarinic antagonists on the binding of [3H]-N-methylscopolamine ([3H]-NMS) to membrane preparations obtained from cultured smooth muscle cells from the fourth subculture of the human bladder body were compared with those prepared from the human bladder body tissue and cells expressing human muscarinic receptor subtypes.

RESULTS

Binding-inhibition constants (pKi) for atropine, pirenzepine, methoctramine, 4-diphenylacetoxy-N-methylpiperidine methiodide (4-DAMP), oxybutynin and propiverine obtained from membrane preparations of cultured smooth muscle cells were 8.91, 6.35, 8.24, 8.53, 7.29 and 5.61, respectively. pKi values of these muscarinic receptor antagonists against the membrane preparation of human bladder body tissue were 9.08, 6.66, 8.05, 8.79, 7.53 and 6.04, respectively. pKi values of cultured smooth muscle cells and tissue from human bladder body were correlated closely with those of insect cells expressing the cloned human M2 receptor subtype.

CONCLUSION

The binding affinities for various muscarinic receptor antagonists of cultured human smooth muscle cells were maintained through the fourth subculture and it was suggested that the M2 receptor subtype is predominantly expressed in cultured smooth muscle cells of human bladder body as well as in tissue of the human bladder body.

Effects of isoproterenol and butylscopolamine on the friction between an artificial stone and the intraureteral wall in anesthetized rabbits

PURPOSE

We evaluated the effects of the nonselective beta-adrenoceptor agonist isoproterenol and the nonselective muscarinic antagonist butylscopolamine on ureteral wall tension, namely friction between an artificial stone and the intraureteral wall, in anesthetized rabbits.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The relaxing effect of the drugs on the KCl induced tonic contraction was examined in isolated rabbit ureters. The effect of the drugs on the applied force needed for the artificial stone to pass at a constant speed through the ureter, called sliding force, was evaluated in anesthetized rabbits.

RESULTS

In a concentration dependent manner isoproterenol but not butylscopolamine reduced the KCl induced contraction in isolated ureter (mean pD2 7.35 +/- 0.06). Intravenous administration of 1 and 10 microg./kg. isoproterenol significantly decreased the friction between the artificial stone and intraureteral wall in anesthetized rabbits with sliding force at 15 minutes after drug administration decreased by 54.5% and 63.6%, respectively. In contrast, 100 and 1,000 microg./kg. butylscopolamine intravenously had no evident effect on ureteral wall tension.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results strongly suggest that ureteral smooth muscle relaxation by beta-adrenergic stimulation reduces ureteral wall tension, thereby, diminishing mechanical effects impeding the movement of a ureteral stone down the ureter.

Bilateral sudden deafness as a prodrome of anterior inferior cerebellar artery infarction

BACKGROUND

Acute ischemic stroke in the distribution of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery is known to be associated with hearing loss, facial weakness, ataxia, nystagmus, and hypalgesia. There have been few reports on bilateral deafness and vertebrobasilar occlusive disease. Furthermore, previous reports have not emphasized the inner ear as a localization of bilateral deafness.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the presentation of acute ischemic stroke in the distribution of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery as sudden bilateral hearing loss with minimal associated signs.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Case report and tertiary care hospital.

PATIENT

A 66-year-old man with diabetes mellitus developed sudden bilateral deafness, unilateral tinnitus, and vertigo 7 days before the onset of dysarthria, facial weakness, and ataxia. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans showed hyperintensities in the right lateral pons and right middle cerebral peduncle and a possible abnormality of the left middle cerebellar peduncle. A magnetic resonance angiogram showed moderately severe stenosis of the distal vertebral artery and middle third of the basilar artery. The patient's right limb coordination and gait improved steadily over several weeks, but there was no improvement in hearing in his right ear.

CONCLUSIONS

The relatively isolated onset of deafness as well as the severity and persistence of the hearing loss led us to conclude that the hearing loss in this case was likely due to prominent hypoperfusion of the internal auditory artery, with labyrinthine infarction as the earliest event. Vertebrobasilar occlusive disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis of sudden bilateral deafness.

Distribution and hydrodynamic model of the Keumdong oil spill in Kwangyang Bay, Korea

Oil concentrations in the seawater, seabed sediments, and shoreline sediments were measured from the samples collected 165 days after the Keumdong oil spill accident, which had occurred in Kwangyang Bay of the South Sea, Korea in September 1993. Distribution patterns of the concentrations in the seabed and shoreline sediments have allowed us to hindcast the transport and fate of the spilled oil. Overall, the patterns agree better with the southward (seaward) surface water circulation than with the northward (landward) bottom water circulation over the region. Rapid, initial dispersal of the spilled oil to the south and its subsequent grounding onto the intertidal seabed sediments, as well as onto the shorelines, appear to have made ineffective the subsurface oil transport by the bottom current.

Structural basis of caspase inhibition by XIAP: differential roles of the linker versus the BIR domain

The inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) represent the only endogenous caspase inhibitors and are characterized by the presence of baculoviral IAP repeats (BIRs). Here, we report the crystal structure of the complex between human caspase-7 and XIAP (BIR2 and the proceeding linker). The structure surprisingly reveals that the linker is the only contacting element for the caspase, while the BIR2 domain is invisible in the crystal. The linker interacts with and blocks the substrate groove of the caspase in a backward fashion, distinct from substrate recognition. Structural analyses suggest that the linker is the energetic and specificity determinant of the interaction. Further biochemical characterizations clearly establish that the linker harbors the major energetic determinant, while the BIR2 domain serves as a regulatory element for caspase binding and Smac neutralization.

Reduced cardiotoxicity and preserved antitumor efficacy of liposome-encapsulated doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide compared with conventional doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide in a randomized, multicenter trial of metastatic breast cancer

PURPOSE

To determine whether Myocet (liposome-encapsulated doxorubicin; The Liposome Company, Elan Corporation, Princeton, NJ) in combination with cyclophosphamide significantly reduces doxorubicin cardiotoxicity while providing comparable antitumor efficacy in first-line treatment of metastatic breast cancer (MBC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Two hundred ninety-seven patients with MBC and no prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease were randomized to receive either 60 mg/m(2) of Myocet (M) or conventional doxorubicin (A), in combination with 600 mg/m(2) of cyclophosphamide (C), every 3 weeks until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Cardiotoxicity was defined by reductions in left-ventricular ejection fraction, assessed by serial multigated radionuclide angiography scans, or congestive heart failure (CHF). Antitumor efficacy was assessed by objective tumor response rates (World Health Organization criteria), time to progression, and survival.

RESULTS

Six percent of MC patients versus 21% (including five cases of CHF) of AC patients developed cardiotoxicity (P =.0002). Median cumulative doxorubicin dose at onset was more than 2,220 mg/m(2) for MC versus 480 mg/m(2) for AC (P =.0001, hazard ratio, 5.04). MC patients also experienced less grade 4 neutropenia. Antitumor efficacy of MC versus AC was comparable: objective response rates, 43% versus 43%; median time to progression, 5.1% versus 5.5 months; median time to treatment failure, 4.6 versus 4.4 months; and median survival, 19 versus 16 months.

CONCLUSION

Myocet improves the therapeutic index of doxorubicin by significantly reducing cardiotoxicity and grade 4 neutropenia and provides comparable antitumor efficacy, when used in combination with cyclophosphamide as first-line therapy for MBC.

Schizophrenic delusions in Seoul, Shanghai and Taipei: a transcultural study

In this transcultural study of schizophrenic delusions among patients in Seoul, Shanghai and Taipei, we discovered that both the frequency and content of delusions differed among the three groups; and that these differences could perhaps be explained by varying sociocultural and political situations. Delusional themes that are sensitive to sociocultural or political situations include guilt, love/sex, religion, somatic damage, economy/business and politics. Delusions regarding longevity, love/sex, dysmorphophobia/dysosmophobia, religion or supernatural matters, and espionage/spy stories were most frequent in Seoul patients. Those in Taipei predominantly had delusions about possession, religion or supernatural matters, hypnotism, and mass media/computers. Shanghai patients often had delusions of poisons, being prickled by poisoned needles, their brain and viscera extracted and being a family member of political authorities.

[A case of squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder that was successfully treated with multidisciplinary therapies]

A 45-year-old man with hematopyuria detected at another hospital visited our department for further examination. Endoscopic examination revealed a disintegration abscess between the bladder neck and prostatic urethra. Transurethral biopsy demonstrated squamous cell carcinoma of the bladder. He received 40 Gy of radiation combined with M-VAC (methotrexate, vinblastine, dovorubicin cisplatin) chemotherapy. Pathologically, a complete response was found when he underwent total cystourethrectomy. There has been no sign of recurrence for one and a half years postoperatively.

A convenient method for oxidation of organophosphorus pesticides in organic solvents

Since organophosphorus pesticides can be oxidized to oxons in vivo and in the environment and their determination based on inhibition of cholinesterases can be more sensitive after their oxidation to oxons, development of an efficient method for their in vitro oxidation is important for their toxicological and analytical studies. This study demonstrated that treatment of organophosphorus pesticides with 10 molar excess bromine in acetonitrile is a rapid and efficient method for their oxidation. For the nine organophosphorus pesticides tested, the reaction was complete within a few seconds. All reactions gave the respective oxons as single major product, except that of fenthion, which gave two major products, the respective oxon and another product from further oxidation of the oxon. The yields of the oxons were 82-100%. The inhibitory power of the pesticides on acetylcholinesterase before and after oxidation was measured and, for all pesticides tested, the power after oxidation was much higher than that before oxidation. Inhibition calibration curves for both unoxidized and oxidized forms of fenitrothion and parathion were obtained. The sensitivity of the detection of these pesticides was much higher after oxidation.

Existence of a beta3-adrenoceptro and its functional role in the human ureter

PURPOSE

We tried to determine the beta-adrenoceptor (AR) subtypes distributed in the human ureter and to clarify their functional role in ureteral relaxation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

1) Effects of beta-AR agonists on either spontaneous or KCl-induced contractions of the human ureter and the antagonism by beta-AR antagonists on isoprenaline (a non-selective beta-AR agonist)-induced effects were evaluated in vitro. 2) Displacement by beta-AR antagonists of [3H]-dihydroalprenolol binding to a membrane preparation derived from human ureteral smooth muscle was evaluated. 3) A reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay was performed to determine the expression of the mRNA for beta1-, beta2- and beta3-ARs in human ureteral smooth muscle.

RESULTS

1) Isoprenaline and procaterol (a beta2-AR agonist) concentration-dependently suppressed both spontaneous and KCl-induced contractions of the human ureter. The beta3-AR agonists, CGP-12177A and CL-316243, also suppressed these ureteral contractions, but dobutamine (a beta1-AR agonist) had little relaxing effect. The rank order of relaxing potency for the catecholamines was isoprenaline > adrenaline > noradrenaline. ICI-118,551 (a beta2-AR antagonist) only partially antagonized the isoprenaline-induced relaxation. 2) Propranolol (a non-selective beta-AR antagonist) and ICI-118,551 concentration-dependently displaced [3H]-dihydroalprenolol binding to the membrane with Ki values of 1.5 x 10-9 M and 6.3 x 10-9 M, respectively, while metoprolol (a beta1-AR antagonist) was less effective in this assay. 3) beta1-, beta2- and beta3-AR mRNAs were all expressed in human ureteral smooth muscle.

CONCLUSION

The present results provide the first evidence that the beta3-AR subtype is distributed in human ureteral smooth muscle and that it, and beta2-AR, mediate the ureteral relaxation induced by adrenergic stimulation.

Children's experience of violence in China and Korea: a transcultural study

OBJECTIVE

There were two aims: First, to compare children's rates of being battered in home, by peers, and by teachers among students between China and Korea, and second, to identify particular risk factors for such violence.

METHODS

Children in grades four through six in Shanghai (238 cases) and Yanji (245 cases) in China and Seoul (248 cases) and Kimpo (241 cases) in Korea were surveyed by questionnaire method. They were asked to complete the Straus' Conflict Tactics Scale and their frequencies in the three situations respectively, and other demographic items.

RESULTS

Family violence during the last 1 year was experienced in 70.6% (minor 42.2%; serious 22.6%) of the children in China and 68.9% (minor 9.4%; serious 51.3%) of those in Korea. Experience rates of violence by peers were 42.7% (minor 25.7%; serious 13.7%) in China and 26.0% (minor 11.5%; serious 14.3%) in Korea. Finally, rates of corporal punishment by teachers were 51.1% (minor 28.0%; serious 4.1%) in China and 62.0% (minor 8.8%; serious 43.8%) in Korea. The most important and common risk factor for violence in one situation was the presence of violence in another situation.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate that the differences in children's overall experience rates were not particularly striking. However, Korean children experienced more severe forms of violence from family members and from teachers. Findings of risk factors clearly imply that there are children vulnerable to violence from multiple sources.

Nitric oxide synthesis and TNF-alpha secretion in RAW 264.7 macrophages: mode of action of a fermented papaya preparation

Macrophage inducible nitric oxide synthase is able to generate massive amounts of nitric oxide (NO) which contributes to the host immune defense against viruses and bacteria. Monocyte-macrophages stimulated with the bacterial wall component lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and cytokines such as interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) express the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Furthermore, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is one of the central regulatory cytokines in macrophage antimicrobial activity and synergizes with IFN-gamma in the induction of NO synthesis. Because of its pivotal role in both antimicrobial and tumoricidal activities of macrophages, a significant effort has focused on developing therapeutic agents that regulate NO production. In the present study fermented papaya preparation (FPP) is shown to exert both immunomodulatory and antioxidant activity in the macrophage cell line RAW 264.7. Interestingly, a low and a high molecular weight fraction (LMF and HMF, respectively) of FPP exhibited different activity patterns. FPP fractions alone did not affect NO production. However in the presence of IFN-gamma, both LMF and HMF significantly increased iNOS activity and nitrite as well as nitrate accumulation. NO radical formation measured in real-time by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy was higher in the presence of LMF and IFN-gamma. On the contrary, iNOS mRNA levels were enhanced further with HMF than with LMF. Moreover, LMF displayed a stronger superoxide anion scavenging activity than HMF. In the presence of IFN-gamma, both FPP fractions stimulated TNF-alpha secretion. However in non-stimulated macrophages, TNF-alpha secretion was enhanced by HMF only. Since water-soluble FPP fractions contained no lipid A, present data indicate that FPP is a macrophage activator which augments nitric oxide synthesis and TNF-alpha secretion independently of lipopolysaccharides.

A novel mechanism of TRAF signaling revealed by structural and functional analyses of the TRADD-TRAF2 interaction

TRAF proteins are major mediators for the cell activation, cell survival, and antiapoptotic functions of the TNF receptor superfamily. They can be recruited to activated TNF receptors either by direct interactions with the receptors or indirectly via the adaptor protein TRADD. We now report the structure of the TRADD-TRAF2 complex, which is highly distinct from receptor-TRAF2 interactions. This interaction is significantly stronger and we show by an in vivo signaling assay that TRAF2 signaling is more readily initiated by TRADD than by direct receptor-TRAF2 interactions. TRADD is specific for TRAF1 and TRAF2, which ensures the recruitment of clAPs for the direct inhibition of caspase activation in the signaling complex. The stronger affinity and unique specificity of the TRADD-TRAF2 interaction are crucial for the suppression of apoptosis and provide a mechanistic basis for the perturbation of TRAF recruitment in sensitizing cell death induction.