Lack of DMBT1 expression in oesophageal, gastric and colon cancers

The cell-wall characteristics of Gardnerella vaginalis grown in conventional and biofilm systems were studied by electron microscopy. The gram-positive nature of the cell wall was confirmed. Novel cell-wall particles which appeared to be associated with cell division were also identified, particularly in organisms of biofilm origin.     

Tracheal intubation in infants

BACKGROUND: So far only a few cases of carcinoma in situ of the fallopian tube have been reported, but its detailed clinical and pathologic findings, including cytology, have not been fully described. CASE: A 70-year-old female was admitted to our hospital because of irregular genital bleeding. Endometrial smear revealed a small number of atypical cells with a clear background. Hysterectomy, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy and omentectomy were performed. Grossly, a grayish white papillary tumor, measuring 1.5 x 1.0 cm, was observed within the lumen of the left fallopian tube. Microscopically, the diagnosis of papillary adenocarcinoma in situ of the left fallopian tube was made according to 1992 International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians fallopian tube staging. CONCLUSION: Although endometrial brush cytology is not sensitive enough to detect a primary carcinoma of the fallopian tube, our case indicates that it may contribute useful information on extrauterine diseases and can detect a stage 0 cancer of the fallopian tube. Clinicians, as well as pathologists, should consider the possibility of fallopian tube cancer if cervical or endometrial cytology shows atypical cells with papillary patterns with a clear background but endometrial curettage cannot prove malignancy.     

Interactions between lonidamine and beta- or hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin

Equilibrium dialysis and Scatchard plots were used to establish that human and rabbit paraoxonases both have two calcium binding sites. Independent-site and stepwise constant analyses were used to calculate a higher affinity site (Kd1) of 3.6 +/- 0.9 x 10(-7) M for human A paraoxonase, and 1.4 +/- 0.5 x 10(-8) M for rabbit paraoxonase, and a lower affinity site (Kd2) of 6.6 +/- 1.2 x 10(-6) M for human A paraoxonase, and 5.3 +/- 0.94 x 10(-6) M for rabbit paraoxonase. In both species, the higher affinity sites were found to be essential to maintain hydrolytic activity; complete removal of calcium led to irreversible inactivation. The lower affinity sites were required for catalytic activity, and their binding of calcium was reversible. Experimentally estimated values of Kd2 based on the concentration of calcium required to obtain half the maximum enzymatic activity were 3 microM for human A and B paraoxonases, and also in the order of 3 microM for rabbit paraoxonase, using three different substrates. Calcium was the only metal found that protects against denaturation and also confers hydrolytic activity with these two mammalian paraoxonases.     

Tonsillar carcinoma: analysis of treatment results

A diffusion cell with an artificial membrane and the single-pass perfused rabbit ear were used to evaluate the percutaneous absorption of clonazepam from various 2-hydroxyethyl acetate (HEA) patches. The influence on drug permeation of the various type of enhancers (isopropylmyristate, lauryl alcohol, propylene glycol and water) in the patches was tested. A comparison between the two types of systems of percutaneous absorption of clonazepam has been done. The results showed that HEA patches produce controlled uniform drug release, modulated by the addition of enhancers.     

A neuronal ryanodine receptor mediates light-induced phase delays of the circadian clock

Circadian clocks are complex biochemical systems that cycle with a period of approximately 24 hours. They integrate temporal information regarding phasing of the solar cycle, and adjust their phase so as to synchronize an organism's internal state to the local environmental day and night. Nocturnal light is the dominant regulator of this entrainment. In mammals, information about nocturnal light is transmitted by glutamate released from retinal projections to the circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus. Clock resetting requires the activation of ionotropic glutamate receptors, which mediate Ca2+ influx. The response induced by such activation depends on the clock's temporal state: during early night it delays the clock phase, whereas in late night the clock phase is advanced. To investigate this differential response, we sought signalling elements that contribute solely to phase delay. We analysed intracellular calcium-channel ryanodine receptors, which mediate coupled Ca2+ signalling. Depletion of intracellular Ca2+ stores during early night blocked the effects of glutamate. Activators of ryanodine receptors induced phase resetting only in early night; inhibitors selectively blocked delays induced by light and glutamate. These findings implicate the release of intracellular Ca2+ through ryanodine receptors in the light-induced phase delay of the circadian clock restricted to the early night.     

Potential application of p53 as an intermediate biomarker in Barrett's esophagus

Diagnosis of the neoplastic progression in Barrett's esophagus using the histologic classification of dysplasia is frequently difficult. The tumor suppressor protein p53, when mutated, confers a promoter effect on cell growth. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the applicability of p53 as an intermediate biomarker of malignancy in Barrett's esophagus. Archival analysis of 100 biopsy specimens of Barrett's esophagus and 10 esophageal adenocarcinomas were compared with 35 chronic esophagitis biopsy specimens. Immunocytochemistry using an anti-p53 monoclonal antibody was performed and elevated immunoreactivity quantitated microscopically. Data were analyzed using a logistic regression model. Significant p53 immunoreactivity occurred as follows: chronic esophagitis (0%), Barrett's esophagus without dysplasia (10%), with low-grade dysplasia (60%), with high-grade dysplasia (100%), and adenocarcinoma (70%). All cases of Barrett's esophagus were significantly immunoreactive when compared with the chronic esophagitis cases (p = 0.001). There was an increase in p53 immunoreactivity as the histologic classification progressed toward adenocarcinoma (p = 0.001). Progression to high-grade dysplasia may be predicted based on p53 immunoreactivity. These findings suggest a role for p53 as an intermediate biomarker in Barrett's esophagus.