Bone morphogenetic proteins and bFGF exert opposing regulatory effects on PTHrP expression and inorganic pyrophosphate elaboration in immortalized murine endochondral hypertrophic chondrocytes (MCT cells)

We isolated cDNA clones encoding five S-RNases (S1-, S3-, S5-, S6-, S7-RNases) from pistils of Pyrus pyrifolia (Japanese pear), a member of the Rosaceae. Their amino acid sequences were aligned with those of other rosaceous S-RNases sequenced so far. A total of 76 conserved amino acid residues were stretched throughout the sequence, but were absent from the 51-66 region which was designated the hypervariable (HV) region. The phylogenetic tree of rosaceous S-RNases showed that S-RNase polymorphism predated the divergence of Pyrus and Malus. Pairwise comparison of these S-RNases detected two highly homologous pairs, P. pyrifolia S1- and S4-RNases (90.0%) and P. pyrifolia S3- and S5-RNases (95.5%). The positions of amino acid substitutions between S1- and S4-RNases were spread over the entire region, but in the pair of S3- and S5-RNases, amino acid substitutions were found in the 21-90 region including the HV region. The substitutions in this restricted region appear to be sufficient to discriminate between S3 and S5 pollen and to trigger the self-incompatible reaction.     

SSX: a multigene family with several members transcribed in normal testis and human cancer

The behavioral effects were studied of monoclonal antibodies (MA) against A3G7 protein, which is known to be associated with the processes of nervous cell differentiation. Elaboration, storage, and retention of acoustic startle (ASR) habituation and freezing behavior were tested in adult rats. The MA applied in a dose of 50 ng on cerebellar vermis selectively impaired only the ASR long-term habituation storage whereas its dose of 5 mcg impaired both long-term habituation storage and fear-conditioned freezing. Application of 10 mcg of MA disrupted the elaboration and storage of the ASR short- and long-term habituation as well as fear-conditioned freezing. The results are considered as experimental verification of systemogenesis theory and hypothesis about a common molecular basis of learning and development.     

Accuracy and completeness of the registration of childhood leukaemia in The Netherlands, 1989-1992

In the Netherlands, childhood leukaemia is recorded by the Dutch Childhood Leukaemia Study Group (DCLSG, set up in 1972) and by nine regional cancer registries which together form the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR, set up in 1989). The data files from the incidence years 1989-1992 of the two registries were linked in order to evaluate accuracy and completeness and to calculate and equalise the incidence rates for childhood leukaemia in The Netherlands. Unlinked records or records with disagreements (birth date, sex, type of leukaemia and incidence date) were checked by the DCLSG and by the regional cancer registries. The DCLSG recorded 431 cases of childhood leukaemia, while the NCR recorded 434 cases. After record linkage and review of the cases, it was concluded the 445 records should have been recorded as childhood leukaemia. The NCR had recorded 425 of the 445 correct cases (95.5%), but had missed 20 cases (4.5%). The DCLSG had recorded 431 of the 445 correct cases (96.9%) and had missed 14 cases (3.1%). In addition, the NCR had recorded 9 cases incorrectly as childhood leukaemia. Part of the disagreement was caused by differences in coding rules (definition of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and the myelodysplastic syndrome versus leukaemia). It could be concluded that the quality and completeness of the two registries was very high. Regular comparison of the recorded data will help to reveal the inherently problematic disagreement between definitions and coding.     

Anatomical and surgical aspects of splenic segmentectomies

Cypermethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid that belongs to a group of insecticides with low mammalian toxicity but high insecticidal activity. The present study was designed to investigate the toxicity of cypermethrin on freshly isolated hepatocytes from male and female rats. Hepatocytes were harvested by a collagenase perfusion technique and were exposed to different concentrations of cypermethrin (100, 200, 400, or 800 ng/2 x 10(6) cells) for up to 2 h. Cell viability and the leakage of aspartate transaminase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) were determined throughout the incubation period. The cell viability of the hepatocytes from male and female rats exposed to 400 ng and 800 ng was significantly reduced after 60 and 30 min of incubation, respectively. With cells from female rats, viability was also reduced upon exposure to 200 ng cypermethrin for 2 h. The decrease in cell viability was dose and time dependent. The leakage of ALT and AST was significantly increased with 400 and 800 ng concentrations at 60 and 30 min, respectively. ALT leakage from female hepatocytes was significantly increased at 60 min of incubation with the 200-ng dose, whereas 2 h of incubation was required for the leakage of ALT from the cells of male rats. The present data indicate that cypermethrin has toxic effects on male and female rat hepatocytes in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The data suggest that female rat hepatocytes may be more sensitive to the toxic effects of cypermethrin than male cells.     

Baseline pain as a moderator of hypnotic analgesia for burn injury treatment.

Sixty-one patients hospitalized for severe burns were randomly assigned to conditions in which they received either hypnosis or a control condition in which they received attention, information, and brief relaxation instructions from a psychologist. The posttreatment pain scores of the 2 groups did not differ significantly when all patients were considered. However, when a subset of patients who reported high levels of baseline pain were examined, it was found that patients in the hypnosis group reported less posttreatment pain than did patients in the control group. The findings are used to replicate earlier studies of burn pain hypnoanalgesia, explain discrepancies in the literature, and highlight the potential importance of motivation with this population. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Demonstration of an interferon gamma-dependent tumor surveillance system in immunocompetent mice

This study demonstrates that endogenously produced interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) forms the basis of a tumor surveillance system that controls development of both chemically induced and spontaneously arising tumors in mice. Compared with wild-type mice, mice lacking sensitivity to either IFN-gamma (i.e., IFN-gamma receptor-deficient mice) or all IFN family members (i.e., Stat1-deficient mice) developed tumors more rapidly and with greater frequency when challenged with different doses of the chemical carcinogen methylcholanthrene. In addition, IFN-gamma-insensitive mice developed tumors more rapidly than wild-type mice when bred onto a background deficient in the p53 tumor-suppressor gene. IFN-gamma-insensitive p53(-/-) mice also developed a broader spectrum of tumors compared with mice lacking p53 alone. Using tumor cells derived from methylcholanthrene-treated IFN-gamma-insensitive mice, we found IFN-gamma's actions to be mediated at least partly through its direct effects on the tumor cell leading to enhanced tumor cell immunogenicity. The importance and generality of this system is evidenced by the finding that certain types of human tumors become selectively unresponsive to IFN-gamma. Thus, IFN-gamma forms the basis of an extrinsic tumor-suppressor mechanism in immunocompetent hosts.     

Arrhythmia detection and response in a monitoring technician and pocket paging system

Technologically advanced telemetry systems have begun to produce alternatives to the need for continuous visual observation of the electrocardiogram (ECG). Few studies have been conducted to determine the efficacy of these systems in the clinical setting. The purpose of this study was to describe two different approaches to communication of arrhythmia events and corresponding nurse response. One approach, on a cardiac medical unit, utilized a monitoring technician to continuously observe ECGs at a central monitoring technician station (MTS) and notify the nurse of changes. The other approach, on a general medical unit, eliminated the use of the monitoring technician and utilized a pocket paging system (PPS). The PPS interfaced with the computerized arrhythmia detection system from the ECG monitor, which directly alerted the nurse to arrhythmia events. A quasi-experimental comparative post-test design was used. The sample consisted of 50 randomly selected, 2-hour observation periods on each unit during a 3-month period. Data collectors recorded the interaction of the monitoring technician with the arrhythmia detection system and the nurse on the MTS unit, or the nurse using the PPS. Results of this study revealed all arrhythmia events activated an alarm by the computerized arrhythmia detection system. Length of time to notify the nurse was within 0 to 1 minute for both systems. This study demonstrated that the PPS is a viable approach to arrhythmia detection and communication in the medical/cardiac patient population.