Growth and development of colorectal cancer with subclassification on submucosa and proper muscle infiltrating cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) infiltrating the submucosa (sm cancer) and the proper muscle (mp cancer) represent an early and an intermediate stage in the development of CRC, and sm and mp cancer are therefore appropriate to discuss the natural history of CRC. A total of 337 sm cancers and 291 mp cancers resected in our series were evaluated. We divided sm and mp cancers into three categories, respectively, sm 1, sm 2, sm 3, mp 1, mp 2, and mp 3, according to the depth of infiltration of the submucosa or the proper muscle. The deeper the invasion, the larger of the tumor size, and the proportion of depressed type in their configuration increases. On the contrary, the proportion of tumors with adenomatous component decreases. A larger proportion of tumors in all categories of infiltration showed PG more of ten than that of NPG in their marginal structure. In this study, 17% of sm cancer and 23% of mp cancer might develop not via the adenoma-carcinoma sequence.     

Antibody against single-stranded DNA useful for detecting apoptotic cells recognizes hexadeoxynucleotides with various base sequences

Our previous study demonstrated that an antibody against single-stranded DNA could detect apoptotic cells [Naruse et al. (1994) Histochemistry 101, 73-78]. In this paper we describe the development of an improved method for the production of the antibody and investigations into the antigenic determinants of the antibody so that it could be of practical use for detecting apoptotic cells. Rabbits, hyperimmunized with complexes of alkaline-denatured calf thymus DNA and methylated bovine serum albumin, produced an IgG antibody to single-stranded DNA. Analysis by sandwich ELISA using various naturally occurring nucleic acids revealed that the antibody was specific to single-stranded DNA. Furthermore, using synthetic polymers in the assay, it was found that the antibody could recognize single-stranded DNA with various base sequences. Gel electrophoresis retardation assays, with synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides with differing lengths of single-stranded DNA, indicated that a hexadeoxynucleotide constituted the minimum size of the antigenic determinants, and suggested that the antibody probably consists of several antibodies which recognize hexadeoxynucleotides with various base sequences. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the antibody can recognize both a DNA ladder and oligonucleosomes prepared from rat liver nuclei with endogenous endonuclease. The present findings demonstrate that this antibody is a useful tool for detecting apoptotic cells.     

Immunofluorescence localization of a 25-kDa Tetrahymena EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding protein, TCBP-25, in the cell cortex and possible involvement in conjugation

The Tetrahymena Ca(2+)-binding protein of 25 kDa (TCBP-25) is a member of the calmodulin family containing four EF-hand Ca(2+)-binding loops, but its biological role has not yet been investigated. In this study, TCBP-25 was expressed in Escherichia coli as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein and then purified. Purified TCBP-25 showed a typical Ca(2+)-dependent shift in electrophoretic mobility, consistent with conformational change caused by Ca(2+)-binding. Localization of TCBP-25 was examined by indirect immunofluorescence using an antiserum specific for TCBP-25. Strong immunofluorescence was observed all over the cell cortex except in and around basal bodies. From the results of immunofluorescence using detergent-extracted cells, TCBP-25 is suggested to exist as an insoluble form in the cell cortex. TCBP-25 appears to be localized in the cortical alveoli or the epiplasm and exists around both the migratory and the stationary gametic pronuclei at the pronuclear exchange stage during conjugation. Therefore, we speculate that TCBP-25 may play crucial roles in Ca(2+)-mediated signaling processes in the cell cortex and in a Ca(2+)-dependent pronuclear exchange process during conjugation.     

Plasma levels of pentosidine in diabetic patients: an advanced glycation end product

Nonenzymatic reactions between glucose and proteins yield advanced glycation end products (AGE) such as pentosidine. AGE accumulate in diabetic patients, alter the structure and function of tissue proteins, stimulate cellular response, and have thus been implicated in diabetic tissue damage. The present study was undertaken to assess the factors determining plasma total pentosidine level in diabetic patients and the possible relation between plasma pentosidine level and diabetic complications. In diabetic patients, including patients with renal failure, plasma pentosidine levels, assessed by HPLC assay, were correlated with serum creatinine (P < 0.0001). In patients with normal renal function, pentosidine levels were correlated with blood glucose control (hemoglobin Alc: P = 0.0028; fructoselysine: P = 0.0133), serum creatinine (P = 0.029), patient age (P = 0.0416), duration of diabetes (P = 0.0431), and total cholesterol (P = 0.0056) and LDL-cholesterol (P = 0.0208). Multiple regression analysis revealed an independent influence of hemoglobin Alc and serum creatinine on pentosidine levels (r2 = 0.216, P = 0.0026). Pentosidine levels were higher in patients with than in those without hypertension (P = 0.043) or ischemic heart diseases (P = 0.0061). No such differences were observed between patients with and without albuminuria or retinopathy. Multiple regression analysis revealed an independent influence of plasma pentosidine on the presence of hypertension (r2 = 0.129, P = 0.0382) and of plasma pentosidine and HDL-cholesterol on the presence of ischemic heart disease (r2 = 0.326, P = 0.0012). The present study demonstrated that plasma pentosidine level was significantly influenced by the quality of glycemic control and renal function. Pentosidine level was also correlated with hypertension and ischemic heart disease, and might be taken as a biomarker of diabetic cardiovascular risk.     

Microscopic implication of rapid shrinking of comb-type grafted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogels

The shrinking mechanism of comb-type grafted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gel was investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The SAXS reveals that the microdomain structure with characteristic spacing of 460 Å is developed in the comb-type grafted poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) gel during the shrinking process. These observations suggest that the freely mobile characteristics of the grafted chains are expected to show the rapid dehydration to make tightly packed globules with temperature, followed by the subsequent hydrophobic intermolecular aggregation of the dehydrated graft chains. The dehydrated grafted chains created the hydrophobic cores, which enhance the hydrophobic aggregation of the networks. These aggregations of the NIPA chains contribute to an increase in void volume, which allow the gel having a pathway of water molecules by the phase separation.     

Novel SOI p-channel MOSFETs with higher strain in si channel usingdouble SiGe heterostructures

We have studied p-channel advanced SOI MOSFETs using double SiGe heterostructures fabricated by the combination of SIMOX and high-quality strained-Si/SiGe regrowth technologies, in order to introduce higher strain in Si channel. It was revealed that this double SiGe structure of second Si_0.82Ge_0.18Si_0.93Ge_0.07 allows the second SiGe layer to relax by about 70%, because of the elastic energy balance between the second and the first-SiGe layers. As a result, the strain of Si layer on this double SiGe structure becomes higher than that of the single SiGe structure. Strained SOI p-MOSFETs using the double layer SiGe structure exhibited higher hole mobility than that of strained-SOI MOSFETs with single Si_0.9Ge_0.1 structure. The hole mobility enhancement of 30% and 45% was achieved in the strained-SOI MOSFETs with double SiGe structures, compared to that of the universal curve and the control-SOI MOSFETs, respectively     

Growth and photoreactive properties of a- and c-axis cerium-doped strontium barium niobate single-crystal fibers

The authors report on the photorefractive properties of cerium-doped strontium barium niobate (Ce:SBN60) single-crystal fibers grown by the laser-heated pedestal growth method. Single-crystal fibers, 250 mu m in diameter, were successfully grown along both the a- and c-axes. The diffraction efficiency and grating formation time results for each fiber in two beam coupling experiments are compared, with emphasis on their crystal orientation and relevant figure of merit. It is found that the hologram efficiency of the a-axis fiber is larger than that of the c-axis fiber and that its grating formation time is faster. The results suggest that Ce-doped SBN single-crystal fiber grown along the a-axis is a promising candidates for holographic storage, parallel data processing, and phase-conjugation mirrors.<>     

Large area ZnO films optimized for graded band-gap Cu(InGa)Se2-based thin-film mini-modules

In this study, two deposition methods (i.e. MOCVD and sputtering methods) to prepare n-type ZnO window layers for CIGS-based thin-film solar cells are discussed. In order to make ZnO : Al transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films prepared by DC magnetron sputtering comparable to ZnO : B TCO prepared by MOCVD, a new ZnO sputtering process is proposed by introducing a multilayer structure. Using these films, CIGS thin-film solar cells with efficiencies of greater than 14% have been fabricated with an active area of 3.2 cm². This structure was adapted to fabricate CIGS thin-film mini-modules with efficiencies around 11% having aperture area of 50 cm².