Subcellular localization of Bcl-2 protein in synovial sarcoma

The subcellular localization of Bcl-2 protein in surgically resected, fixed-frozen tissue specimens of seven tumors from six cases of synovial sarcoma and a synovial sarcoma cell line was examined using laser-scanning confocal microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy. Bcl-2 protein in synovial sarcoma cells was detected in the nuclear envelope, endoplasmic reticulum membrane, and mitochondrial circumference. Based on the finding of pre-embedding immunoelectron-microscopy observation, the distribution of Bcl-2 protein in such membranous organella was patchy. A computer-based image analysis failed to reveal any quantitative differences between the inner and the outer mitochondrial membranes. The tumorigenesis of synovial sarcoma is also discussed from the viewpoint of Bcl-2 overexpression.     

Detection of human papillomavirus gene sequences in laryngeal tumors and premalignant changes by polymerase chain reaction

Human papillomavirus gene sequences have been detected in a number of malignant and benign tumours. Non-oncogenic types 6 and 11 are etiological factors of benign mucosal tumours. Types 16 and 18 can be detected in malignancies most often but their role in the etiopathogenesis of cancers is still unclear. In our study we examined formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded archive laryngeal tissues containing squamous cell carcinoma, papilloma and precancerous lesions for the presence of human papillomavirus genes. As a control we also examined tissues harbouring laryngeal nodules which represented the normal larynx in our study. After DNA preparation from the paraffin blocks we performed polymerase chain reaction to detect the DNA of human papillomavirus types 6, 11, 16 and 18. In the squamous cell carcinomas, papillomas and precancerous lesions the presence of human papillomavirus gene sequences was significantly higher than in the control group. To verify the integrity of DNA we also amplified a sequence deriving from the cellular beta-globin gene. Based on the 100% positivity for this gene we declare that the combination of our DNA preparation and polymerase chain reaction is a reliable method for detecting DNA sequences from formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues.     

Molecular analysis of p21 and p27 genes in human pituitary adenomas

OBJECTIVES: To determine the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in institutionalised elderly people in Cape Town and to assess the usefulness of an abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) concentration as a screening test in this group. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Four old-age homes in Cape Town. SUBJECTS: Old-age home residents aged 60 years and over. OUTCOME MEASURES: Serum concentrations of TSH, free thyroxine and free tri-iodothyronine. RESULTS: Serum TSH estimations were performed on 658 participants, and were abnormal in 103 (15.6%)-41 (6.2%) being elevated (> 5.0 microU/ml) and 62 (9.4%) being low (> 0.4 microU/ml). There were 3 newly diagnosed cases of hyperthyroidism and 7 of hypothyroidism. Subclinical disease was diagnosed in 40 subjects. The overall prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in this population was 11.2%. In 22 (3.4%) this had previously been recognised, while in 50 (7.8%) the dysfunction was newly diagnosed by the current survey. The positive predictive value of a TSH concentration > 20 microU/ml in predicting hypothyroidism is 67%, while it will predict 100% of cases of subclinical hypothyroidism. A TSH concentration < 0.1 microU/ml will predict 23% of cases of hyperthyroidism, but 81% of cases of subclinical disease. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in institutionalised elderly people in Cape Town is similar to that reported for elderly people in other centres. Thyroid dysfunction had not previously been recognised in approximately two-thirds of the subjects in this study. The serum TSH concentration is a reliable screening test for thyroid dysfunction in the elderly, but is less useful if used to identify biochemical thyroid disease. An elevated TSH concentration is a better predictor of thyroid dysfunction in the elderly than a depressed TSH concentration.     

Effect of grain boundary orientation on the sensitization of austenitic stainless steel

The effect of grain misorientation on the sensitization of grain boundaries in austenitic stainless steel was investigated by sensitizing samples consisting of a large number of 50–80 μm size grains that were sintered to flat, 10 mm2 single crystals. Seven different sensitization treatments were employed and samples were intergranulary corroded in the modified Strauss test. X-ray pole figures were obtained for each sample and were used to identify the grain misorientations that were resistant to sensitization. In general, macroscopic grain boundary geometry could not explain the sensitization behaviour of most grain boundaries. Nevertheless, the Σ = 9 boundary was found to be especially resistant to sensitization. Results suggest that grain misorientation primarily affects the growth of sensitization rather than its nucleation. Finally, the crystallographic plane of the grain boundary appears to have an effect on sensitization. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Ti3+ ion concentration and Ti:sapphire laser performance

The pulsed and CW laser performance of a range of titanium sapphire laser crystals is reported. Titanium ion concentration in the crystals ranged from 0.07 at.% to 0.25 and 0.41 at.% for some recently developed heavily doped crystals. Values of the crystal figure of merit lay between 30 and 220. Threshold, slope efficiency, tunability, and temporal response are assessed. Comparisons are made with the predictions of a simple rate equation model     

Global change and the human prospect

The opportunity afforded by International Space Year (ISY) for a dynamic interaction among science, technology, and society that addresses the urgent ecological, economic, and social problems confronting humanity is explored. Issues of population, economics, and equity are examined. The role of the global scientific framework, technological advances, and programmatic innovations of the 1980s is discussed     

Development of `information collection and delivery sensor basesystem' for large-scale power systems

The authors present a real-time database system capable of collecting and delivering a large amount of information accurately at a high speed and by a simple method. This system has a microprocessor unit (MPU) for each private communication line around the main memory and coordinates the independent parallel operation for a number of these MPUs with the main memory access operation, using a fixed cyclic scan method and having all the MPUs perform multi-operation. Many advantages can be expected when this method is adopted, especially for the monitoring and control of power systems. Degradation of the system can be avoided during an information rush due to accidents, and it can be easily extended when adding to or expanding the power facilities in the future. Excellent daily maintainability can be assured, and a low overall cost can be expected     

A critique of the methods for measuring the impact of CASE software

There is a common belief that CASE software enhances developer productivity and the quality of applications software. However, though the few empirical studies of the impact of CASE have produced inconclusive findings, they do indicate an absence of appreciable productivity gains. There is a need to determine the extent to which CASE products are worth their cost, and this paper focuses on the key methodological issues involved in assessing the cost-effectiveness of CASE products. Existing studies of the impact of CASE software have considered developers' perceptions, but have not considered system users' perceptions nor used software metrics to assess applications software. It is also rare for the characteristics of the development environments and other factors that have an important bearing on the productivity and quality of software to be investigated. In this paper, perceptual and objective measurement, and the different ways of designing the research and of accessing the population of CASE users, are outlined and evaluated. While the aim is to establish the most appropriate research design and measurement approaches for determining the value of CASE tools, the conclusions are also relevant to the assessment of the impact of other new software technologies.     

Antitumor activity of 1 M tegafur-0.4 M 5-chloro-2,4-dihydroxypyridine-1 M potassium oxonate (S-1) against human colon carcinoma orthotopically implanted into nude rats

The purpose of this study was to establish a nude rat orthotopic (organ-specific) human colorectal cancer model as an in vivo secondary screen for general evaluation of new anticancer agents against colorectal cancer and to evaluate practically the antitumor activity of 1 M tegafur-0.4 M 5-chloro-2,4-dihydroxypyridine-1 M potassium oxonate (S-1), a new p.o. fluoropyrimidine, in comparison to 1 M tegafur-4 M uracil [(UFT) effective on colorectal tumor in clinical]. After implantation of KM12C, a human colorectal cancer cell line, into the subserosal layer of the colon as a single-cell suspension, extensive local tumor growth and invasion to both the mucosal and the serosal sides were observed in all rats. Metastatic foci were also formed in both lymph nodes and lungs following local tumor growth in all of them. Using this method, an equitoxic dose of S-1 (15 mg/kg/day) and UFT (30 mg/kg/day) was administered p.o. for 14 consecutive days from 7 days after tumor cell implantation. S-1 showed a higher tumor growth inhibition than UFT did [S-1, 57% (significantly different from the tumor weight of the untreated group at P < 0.05) and UFT, 18% (P > 0.05)]. When both drugs were administered to nude rats bearing KM12C injected into the cecal wall for 28 consecutive days at equitoxic doses, the mean survival in the S-1 group was 16 days longer than that in the untreated group (P < 0.01) but that in the UFT group was only 8 days longer (P > 0.05). After the administration of an equitoxic dose of both drugs, S-1 gave the higher levels than UFT in various pharmacokinetic parameters as follows: area under the curve 0-24 h of 5-fluorouracil in plasma (3.5-fold), area under the curve 0-24 h of 5-fluorouracil incorporated into RNA in the tumor (1.3-fold), and thymidylate synthase inhibition rate (percentage) in the tumor (about 20%). Collectively, these findings suggested that this orthotopic human colorectal tumor model in nude rats is useful to evaluate the clinical therapeutic efficacy of drugs or therapies for colorectal cancer, and that S-1 had a higher therapeutic effect on human colorectal tumor than UFT did.     

rdgE: a novel retinal degeneration mutation in Drosophila melanogaster

We report isolating the Drosophila retinal degeneration E (rdgE) mutation. The hypomorphic rdgE1 allele causes rapid photoreceptor degeneration in light and a slower rate of degeneration when the flies are raised in constant darkness. The rdgE1 flies exhibited an electrophysiological light response that decreased with age, coinciding with the degeneration. This suggests that degeneration caused the loss of the light response. We determined that the ninaE (rhodopsin) mutation, but not norpA [phospholipase C (PLC)], slowed the rdgE-dependent degeneration. This was consistent with the light-enhanced degeneration, but revealed that the degeneration is independent of the PLC-mediated phototransduction cascade. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that rdgE1 photoreceptors exhibited a number of vesicular transport defects including unpacking/vesiculation of rhabdomeres, endocytosis of novel vesicles by photoreceptors, a buildup of very large multivesicular bodies, and an increased amount of rough endoplasmic reticulum. We determined that the rdgE null phenotype is a late embryonic lethality. Therefore, rdgE+ is required in cells outside of the retina, quite possibly in a large number of neurons. Thus, rdgE may define a mutational class that exhibits both light-enhanced retinal degeneration and a recessive null lethality by perturbing neuronal membrane biosynthesis and/or recycling.