Immunohistochemistry of unclassified sex cord-stromal tumors of the testis with a predominance of spindle cells

Onpi-to (TJ-8117) is a herbal medicine composed of five crude drugs (Rhei Rhizoma, Glycyrrhizae Radix, Ginseng Radix, Zingiberis Rhizoma and Aconiti Tuber). Our previous experiments have demonstrated that TJ-8117 suppressed the development of glomerulosclerosis and retarded the deterioration of renal function in 5/6 nephrectomised rats. In the present study, the effects of TJ-8117 and (-)Epicatechin-3-O-gallate (ECG), which is a component of Rhei Rhizoma, on glomerular cell proliferation, extracellular matrix accumulation and glomerular hypertrophy were investigated in 5/6 nephrectomized rats. Male Wistar rats (170-180 g) were subjected to 5/6 nephrectomy, and TJ-8117 (0.32%, 0.64%) or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril (CAP 0.08%) was administered daily by mixing in normal chow and ECG (2 mg, 8 mg/100 ml) by drinking water from the day after 5/6 nephrectomy. Following 5/6 nephrectomy, glomerular cell poliferation was increased and reached a maximum at 1 week in the untreated control rats, but was suppressed significantly at 1 and 2 weeks after treatment with TJ-8117 and at only 1 week after treatment with CAP. Extracellular matrix accumulation was detected after 1 week and increased gradually until 4 weeks in the control rats, whereas it was significantly inhibited in both the TJ-8117- and CAP-treated rats. In addition, immunohistochemistry revealed that TJ-8117 significantly inhibited the increase of fibronectin, and tended to reduce type I and type IV collagen at 4 weeks. Furthermore, TJ-8117 suppressed glomerular hypertrophy at 4 weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and urinary protein excretion (UP) were higher in the control rats than sham-operated rats. TJ-8117 prevented this increase of SBP and UP at 1 week. ECG also suppressed glomerular cell proliferation and the increase of SBP and UP at 1 week after 5/6 nephrectomy. These findings suggest that ECG was one of active components of TJ-8117. These results suggest that TJ-8117 suppressed proliferating changes in glomeruli at an early stage in 5/6 nephrectomized rats, and inhibited the development of glomerulosclerosis.     

Understanding family relationships in the late 1990s

No one marries only an individual. Each marries the partner plus his or her kin, parents, grandparents, and siblings. Marriage and inlaws are discussed.     

Fuzzy data fusion approach for image processing

The use of fuzzy set theory to combine the results of different image processing techniques is discussed, and it is shown how classical decision theory can be used to guide the choice of fuzzy methods to take account of observation inter-dependencies and risk in a meaningful way     

The effect of edelfosine on CTP:cholinephosphate cytidylyltransferase activity in leukemic cell lines

Analogs of ether phospholipids have been shown to have selective anti-neoplastic activity. The compounds are known to inhibit phospholipid biosynthesis. This paper examines the effect of the alkyl-lysophospholipid, edelfosine, on the rate-limiting enzyme, CTP:cholinephosphate cytidylyltransferase, in de novo phosphatidylcholine synthesis in sensitive and resistant leukemic cell lines. Enzyme activity was measured by the incorporation of 14C-phosphocholine into CDP-choline by lysates of HL60 and K562; cells demonstrated inhibition of incorporation of 14C-phosphocholine in HL60 cell lysates but no inhibition in K562 lysates. Partial purification of cytidylyltransferase by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and immunoblotting demonstrated similarity between the enzyme isolated from each cell line. Cloning and sequencing of cytidylyltransferase cDNA of HL60 cells was accomplished using a probe encoding the entire protein sequence of the K562 cytidylyltransferase gene. A substitution at nucleotide 751 from A in the HL60 cell cDNA clone to G in the K562 cDNA clone resulted in a change in amino acid number 251 from lysine (positively charged) in the HL60 enzyme to glutamic acid (negatively charged) in the K562 enzyme. This negative charge in the lipid-binding domain of the K562 enzyme may result in a weaker binding of edelfosine and the observed decrease in activity, as evidenced by resistance to edelfosine by K562 cells.     

Analyzing outcome-based staging for clinically localized adenocarcinoma of the prostate

BACKGROUND: A clinical staging system based on the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and the calculated prostate carcinoma volume (cVCa) construct previously has been proposed. This study was performed to assess whether this proposed clinical staging system was valid in an independent surgical and radiation data set in patients with clinically localized disease. METHODS: Cox regression multivariable analyses were used to assess the significance of staging systems (1992 American Joint Commission on Cancer Staging [AJCC] clinical and pathologic stage, versus cVCa-PSA clinical stage) to predict time to posttherapy PSA failure in 441 and 465 patients managed by surgery and radiation, respectively. Significant staging systems identified using Cox regression were tested further using established comparative measures to define the most clinically useful system. RESULTS: Both the 1992 AJCC pathologic stage and the cVCa-PSA clinical stage were significant predictors of time to postoperative PSA failure (P = 0.0001), whereas only the cVCa-PSA clinical stage was a significant predictor of time to postradiation PSA failure (P = 0.0001) using a Cox regression multivariable analysis. Further analyses using a pairwise comparison of the 1992 AJCC pathologic stage and cVCa-PSA clinical stage found the cVCa-PSA staging system provided a more clinically useful prediction of time to postoperative PSA failure. Specifically, the cVCa-PSA staging system was able to identify surgically managed patients with pathologic AJCC T2 disease who did poorly (3-year bNED = 22%) while also selecting patients with clinical AJCC T2b,c disease that was managed by radiation who did well (3-year bNED = 100%). CONCLUSIONS: A clinical staging system based on parameters obtained during the routine evaluation for AJCC clinical T1,2 prostate carcinoma provided a clinically useful stratification of both postoperative and postradiation PSA failure free survival.     

A rapid health impact assessment of the Turkwel Gorge hydroelectric dam and proposed irrigation project

A rapid health assessment of the Turkwel Gorge hydroelectric dam and proposed irrigation project in Kenya is described. The project will lead to increased risk of a number of communicable diseases including malaria and schistosomiasis, to the human population in the surrounding area. Mitigation measures are available and should be incorporated in the design and operation of the irrigation project to maximise cost-effectiveness.     

Independent control of bulk and interfacial morphologies of small molecular weight organic heterojunction solar cells

We demonstrate that solvent vapor annealing of small molecular weight organic heterojunctions can be used to independently control the interface and bulk thin-film morphologies, thereby modifying charge transport and exciton dissociation in these structures. As an example, we anneal diphenyl-functionalized squaraine (DPSQ)/C(60) heterojunctions before or after the deposition of C(60). Solvent vapor annealing of DPSQ before C(60) deposition results in molecular order at the heterointerface. Organic photovoltaics based on this process have reduced open circuit voltages and power conversion efficiencies relative to as-cast devices. In contrast, annealing following C(60) deposition locks in interface disorder found in unannealed junctions while improving order in the thin-film bulk. This results in an increase in short circuit current by >30% while maintaining the open circuit voltage of the as-cast heterojunction device. These results are analyzed in terms of recombination dynamics at excitonic heterojunctions and demonstrate that the optimal organic photovoltaic morphology is characterized by interfacial disorder to minimize polaron-pair recombination, while improved crystallinity in the bulk increases exciton and charge transport efficiency in the active region.     

The effect of blending resins on plastisol performance

Blending resins are well known by plastisol compounders as an economical substitute for PVC dispersion resin and as viscosity modifier. As dispersion resin supply tightens, interest grows in blending resins and how to choose the one that best fits the compounder's specifications. Eleven representative blending resins have been characterized, compounded into plastisols and screened for performance. A regression analysis and resulting contour plots have supplied a means of correlating resin molecular weight, particle size and surface area with plastisol, gel/fusion, and physical properties. The trends described in the contour plots allow the prediction of the best blending resin criteria for a specific application.