A novel gene, LGI1, from 10q24 is rearranged and downregulated in malignant brain tumors

Loss of heterozygosity for 10q23-26 is seen in over 80% of glioblastoma multiforme tumors. We have used a positional cloning strategy to isolate a novel gene, LGI1 (Leucine-rich gene-Glioma Inactivated), which is rearranged as a result of the t(10;19)(q24;q13) balanced translocation in the T98G glioblastoma cell line lacking any normal chromosome 10. Rearrangement of the LGI1 gene was also detected in the A172 glioblastoma cell line and several glioblastoma tumors. These rearrangements lead to a complete absence of LGI1 expression in glioblastoma cells. The LGI1 gene encodes a protein with a calculated molecular mass of 60 kD and contains 3.5 leucine-rich repeats (LRR) with conserved flanking sequences. In the LRR domain, LGI1 has the highest homology with a number of transmembrane and extracellular proteins which function as receptors and adhesion proteins. LGI1 is predominantly expressed in neural tissues, especially in brain; its expression is reduced in low grade brain tumors and it is significantly reduced or absent in malignant gliomas. Its localization to the 10q24 region, and rearrangements or inactivation in malignant brain tumors, suggest that LGI1 is a candidate tumor suppressor gene involved in progression of glial tumors.     

Efficacy of immunosorption in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: double blind controlled trial

Efficacy of immunosorption (IS) employing perfusion of whole blood through activated charcoal containing DNA was studied in 11 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). 11 SLE patients exposed to hemosorption on charcoal free from DNA served as controls. When used in combination with intensive therapy (corticosteroids and cytostatic immunosuppressant), IS produced a positive effect on lupus nephritis symptoms in 8 out of 10 patients with kidney affection. AntiDNA antibodies blood level decreased by 53.6% after two IS procedures, while only by 36.4% after nonselective hemosorption. Reduced count and functional activity of B-cells recorded after IS contribute much to final outcome of the treatment.     

The effect of mammalian anxiety factors on insects. The action of the corticoliberin 2-4 fragment on the behavior of the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor

The effect of the corticoliberin 2-4 fragment--tripeptide Pro-Pro-Ile (PPI) inducing increase in epileptiform activity of mammal on T. molitor males behaviour has been studied. The "open field" method modified for insects has been used. PPI in doses of 30, 60, 100, 1000 micrograms/kg was injected in hemolymph of the beetles. The horizontal activity (HA), number of turns (TN) and other parameters were registered during 6 min. The tripeptide in dose 30 micrograms/kg was non-effective. PPI in doses 100 and, especially, 1000 micrograms/kg evoked stable decrease in HA that was observed as early as 0.5 h after injection. This effect lasted throughout 4-24 hrs and, apparently, induced by nonspecific action of high doses of the peptide. PPI in dose 60 micrograms/kg produced the significant intensification of stressogenic influence of experimental situation: in 2-4 hrs after injection the level of HA and TN increased. It is suggested that PPI can be regarded as an anxiogenic factor of insects.     

Effect of perturbations in the electrode wire feed system on the quality of welded joints

Composite gallium solder pastes for low-temperature diffusion soldering of cermet sections are investigated. The compositions of the solders and the properties of the joints are presented. The effect of the soldering conditions on the mechanical properties of the solders is investigated.     

Empirical solvent-mediated potentials hold for both intra-molecular and inter-molecular inter-residue interactions

Whether knowledge-based intra-molecular inter-residue potentials are valid to represent inter-molecular interactions taking place at protein-protein interfaces has been questioned in several studies. Differences in the chain connectivity effect and in residue packing geometry between interfaces and single chain monomers have been pointed out as possible sources of distinct energetics for the two cases. In the present study, the interfacial regions of protein-protein complexes are examined to extract inter-molecular inter-residue potentials, using the same statistical methods as those previously adopted for intra-molecular residue pairs. Two sets of energy parameters are derived, corresponding to solvent-mediation and "average residue" mediation. The former set is shown to be highly correlated (correlation coefficient 0.89) with that previously obtained for inter-residue interactions within single chain monomers, while the latter exhibits a weaker correlation (0.69) with its intra-molecular counterpart. In addition to the close similarity of intra- and inter-molecular solvent-mediated potentials, they are shown to be significantly more residue-specific and thereby discriminative compared to the residue-mediated ones, indicating that solvent-mediation plays a major role in controlling the effective inter-residue interactions, either at interfaces, or within single monomers. Based on this observation, a reduced set of energy parameters comprising 20 one-body and 3 two-body terms is proposed (as opposed to the 20 x 20 tables of inter-residue potentials), which reproduces the conventional 20 x 20 tables with a correlation coefficient of 0.99.     

Autoimmune insulin syndrome. The first Danish case report

This is the first case published in Denmark of autoimmune insulin syndrome (mb. Hirata). The patient, a 53 year old female suffering from a rheumatoid systemic disease, demonstrated high concentrations of autoimmune insulin antibodies in serum, a diabetic glucose tolerance test and recurrent postprandial hypoglycaemic attacks.     

HLA-DR typing of women with recurrent late spontaneous abortion and unsuccessful cervical cerclage

The release of certain cytokines, e.g. tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, in the amniotic fluid has been suggested to be a cause of preterm birth. The predisposition to excessive liberation of cytokines from peripheral leukocytes has been shown to depend partly on the individual's HLA-DR genotype. The HLA-DR1 and -DR3 alleles have previously been reported as being associated with a TNF-alpha high responder status and have also been associated with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortions. In the present study, HLA-DR typing was performed in 10 women who had experienced recurrent very early preterm births resulting in perinatal death, or late spontaneous abortions under a clinical picture resembling that traditionally attributed to cervical incompetence. All patients had had at least one mid-trimester miscarriage in spite of the insertion of a cervical cerclage. Nine out of 10 (90%) patients had the HLA-DR phenotypes DR1 and/or DR3 compared with 37% in the background population (P < 0.005). The results suggest that HLA-DR-associated immunological factors might play a part in recurrent late spontaneous abortions and extremely preterm births under a cervical incompetence-like picture, at least in the subset of cases not treatable by cervical cerclage.