Inhibition of intratracheal lung cancer development by systemic delivery of E1A

Amplification or overexpression of HER-2/neu in human lung cancer has been correlated with poor prognosis and chemoresistance. We have previously reported that the adenovirus type 5 early region 1A (E1A) gene product can suppress HER-2/neu-mediated transformation phenotypes through inhibition of HER-2/neu expression. To find an efficient way to treat HER-2/neu-overexpressing lung cancer with E1A, a replication-deficient adenovirus containing the E1A gene, Ad.E1A(+), was used to transduce E1A into HER-2/neu-overexpressing and low expressing human lung cancer cell lines. Tumour cell growth in vitro and colony formation in soft agarose were greatly inhibited by Ad.E1A(+) transduction in HER-2/neu-overexpressing lung cancer cell lines. In HER-2/neu low expressing cell lines, E1A could not inhibit cell growth in vitro but could reduce the colony formation ability in soft agarose, indicating different effects of E1A in these two types of cancer cells. To test the therapeutic efficacy of E1A to lung cancer by systemic delivery in vivo, tumor-bearing mice were established by intratracheal injection of lung cancer cells and treated by i.v. tail injections of Ad.E1A(+). As a result, Ad.E1A(+) suppressed HER-2/neu overexpression and inhibited intratracheal lung cancer growth. However, no significant tumor suppression effect of Ad.E1A(+) was observed in mice bearing HER-2/neu low expressing cell line when the same therapeutic procedure was followed. Thus, we conclude that systemic delivery of Ad.E1A(+) can efficiently achieve therapeutic effect in HER-2/neu-overexpressing lung cancer in vivo.     

The relationship between photo-catalytic performance and optical property over Si-incorporated TiO2

This study focuses on the relationship between photo-catalytic performance and optical property over Si-incorporated TiO₂. The Si-incorporated TiO₂ particles exhibited a pure structure of anatase having a particle size of less than 20 nm and surface area of more than 190 m²/g. The absorbance did not shift to a higher wavelength in spite of the incorporation of the Si ions, but the intensity of the photoluminescence (PL) curve was the smallest in the case of the 2.0 mol% Si-TiO₂, which was related to the recombination between the excited electrons and holes. Based on these results, the photodecomposition of methyl orange in the liquid reaction was enhanced over the 2.0 mol% Si-incorporated TiO₂ compared with that over pure TiO₂: Methyl orange at 10.0 ppm was completely decomposed after 100 min when 1.0 g of the 2.0 mol% Si-incorporated TiO₂ was used.     

Neurological complications of radiotherapy and chemotherapy

Neurological complications of radiotherapy and chemotherapy can affect the central or peripheral nervous system. Most are dose-dependent and constitute a limiting factor in the administration of treatments. Radiation-induced neurological complications are classified as acute, early-delayed or delayed. The most important are radionecrosis and cognitive dysfunction/leukoencephalopathy. Neurotoxicity of chemotherapy is frequent and depends upon dose, type of drugs (especially cisplatin and methotrexate) and their combination with radiotherapy.     

SCID-Hu mouse as a model for human lung HIV-1 infection

HIV induces a multi-organ infection with a dual tropism for both lymphocytes and monocytes/macrophages. The lung is a target both for HIV infection and HIV-related opportunistic infections. The SCID mouse has provided the opportunity to develop a small animal model for HIV infection. However, HIV-1 infection of the human fetal thymus and liver (SCID Liv/Thy) implanted in these mice occurred only after direct intraimplant injection of HIV-1 and the resultant HIV-1 infection was restricted to the human thymus. Here we report that human foetal lung can develop in SCID Liv/Thy mice resulting in the development of normal human alveolar and bronchiolar lung compartments which can be productively infected with cell-free HIV-1 virus, leading to a systemic and bifocal infection. This SCID-Hu model should be useful for studying AIDS physiopathology, human viruses with lung tropism and for helping to define gene therapy protocols in lung human cells in vivo.     

A study on UV-curable coatings for HD-DVD: Primer and top coats

This study relates to the development of coatings for optical discs in high-density digital versatile disc systems (HD-DVD or blue lay disk) that use a high numerical aperture of 0.85 at 405 nm wavelength and have a protective top layer over a primer layer for protection against damage and dust. Ultraviolet-curable raw materials of two acrylic monofunctional monomers ( isobornylacrylate, IBA and tetrahydrofurfurylacrylate, THFA) and two kinds of urethaneacrylate oligomers (OUMD and OUME) have been easily mixed with photoinitiators. Curing rate of these materials was characterized by FT-IR. In case of top coats, VTES (vinyltriethoxysilane) and acrylic acid were added to enhance the abrasion resistance. These two kinds of UV-curable resinous materials having no solvent were synthesized and investigated as means for making a blue ray disk having good optical and mechanical properties. In addition, dynamic characteristics including reflectivity, fluctuation of RF signal and noise level were also investigated.     

Lysis of human monocytic leukemia cells by extracellular adenosine triphosphate: mechanism and characterization of the adenosine triphosphate receptor

The present study shows that extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) has the capacity to mediate dose-dependent lysis of the monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1. The lysis, assessed by 51Cr release, was found to be selective for ATP, because adenosine diphosphate (ADP) or other nucleotides were less effective in their ability to lyse the cells. The amount of 51Cr released was particularly enhanced by the stimulation of the cells with 1,000 U/mL of interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) for 3 days, and the sensitivity was time and dose dependent. Analysis of the mechanism of lysis indicated that the fully ionized form, ATP4-, mediated the lysis, because the addition of cation chelators or the absence of the divalent cations, Ca2+ and Mg2+, in the culture medium of a 6-hour 51Cr release assay increased the percent specific lysis. Therefore, the ATP receptors on THP-1 cells were classified as P2Z purinoceptors. Moreover, it is shown here that the Ca2+/calmodulin complex plays a role in the regulation of the lysis by extracellular ATP of THP-1 cells, because antagonists of this complex, such as trifluoperazine or KN-62, were found to inhibit the ATP-mediated cell lysis.     

Acidity near eroding polylactide-polyglycolide in vitro and in vivo in rabbit tibial bone chambers

Eroding poly(DL-lactide-co-glycolide)(PDLLG) washers were observed chronically in vitro and in vivo following loading in a bone chamber tibial implant (BCI). Images were recorded using intravital microscopy of the implanted rabbit and direct pH measurements were obtained of the tissue in the bone chamber using a combination probe-reference microelectrode. While statistically significant pH differences were found between the control (unloaded) and experimental (PDLLG-bearing) BCIs, they were only of the order of 0.2 pH units. This value proved to be physiologically insignificant as no statistically significant difference in bone defect healing, as indicated by angiogenesis, was detected. It was shown that the measured small pH changes during PDLLG washers erosion would result whether the buffer was phosphate-buffered saline replaced weekly or interstitial fluid subject to vascular exchanges.     

Reaching the global minimum in docking simulations: a Monte Carlo energy minimization approach using Bezier splines

The docking problem faces two major challenges: the global optimization of a multivariable function, such as the energy, and the ability to discriminate between true and false positive results, i.e., native from nonnative structures based on the input energy function. Among all energy evaluation tools, only a local energy-minimization method using an accurate enough potential function is able to discriminate between native and nonnative structures. To meet these requirements, a Monte Carlo with energy-minimization method has been incorporated into a new ECEPP/3 docking program. The efficiency of the simulation results from the use of an energy-grid technique based on Bezier splines and from a simplification of the receptor by switching on the energy of only important residues of the active site. Simulations of a thrombin-inhibitor complex show that the global minimum of the energy function was reached in every independent run within less than 3 min of time on an IBM RX 6000 computer. For comparison, 10 standard independent Monte Carlo simulations with 10(6) steps in each were carried out. Only three of them led to a conformation close to the x-ray structure. The latter simulations required an average of 24 min and about 10 hr with and without the grid, respectively. Another important result is that the Bezier spline technique not only speeds up the calculation by reducing the number of operations during the energy evaluation but also helps in reaching the global minimum by smoothing out the potential energy surface.     

Physiologic correlates to running performance in pre-pubertal distance runners

In adults, four major variables have been shown to be associated with success in distance running performance: submaximal oxygen consumption (running economy), peak oxygen consumption (Peak VO2), ventilatory threshold (VT) and fractional utilisation (FU). The primary aim of this study was to describe the relationship between the 3000 m race times of run-trained prepubertal boys to these four variables. Thirteen male run-trained pre-pubertal boys (age 11.7 +/- 1.1 yrs, mean +/- SD), volunteered to take part in a 3000 m time trial and laboratory assessment, consisting of treadmill running at four submaximal speeds (8, 9.6, 11.2 and 12.8 km.h-1) as well as a peak VO2 test. The group demonstrated a heterogeneous array of peak VO2 data. A high level of association (p < 0.05) was found between mass-relative peak VO2 and 3000 m time trial results (r = -0.83). In addition ventilatory threshold expressed as %peak VO2, VO2 at VT and estimated velocity at VT was also highly related to 3000 m time trial (r = -0.78, -0.77 and -0.77) respectively. Fractional utilisation (%peak VO2) was significantly (p < 0.05) associated with race time at the final two submaximal running speeds only (11.2 and 12.8 km.h-1) (r = 0.61 and 0.67, respectively). Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER) was also found to be significantly (p < 0.05) associated with 3000 m race time at 11.2 and 12.8 km.h-1. Overall peak VO2 appeared to be the single most important factor associated with success at 3000 m.