This study was done to investigate which histologic type of lung cancer is prevalent among male Japanese copper smelter workers. A panel of eight pathologists was asked to diagnose uniformly prepared materials for 19 occupational series, 87 nonoccupational bronchogenic carcinomas, and 14 benign lesions. The consensus diagnosis was used as reference. The reference diagnoses and the originals without materials employed for verification were designated as finals. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent cell type in the occupational group, which comprised 21 (75.0%) of 28 histologically proven cases. There were three (10.7%) small cell carcinomas, one (3.6%) large cell carcinoma, and three (10.7%) adenocarcinomas. The proportion of Kreyberg group I in the occupational cases was significantly larger than that of lung cancers in the population-based cancer registries in Japan. These findings are compatible with Kreyberg's hypothesis. Above all, squamous and small cell carcinomas were prominent and appeared to be environmentally related bronchogenic carcinomas.
The strain rates in the non-uniform and the uniform portion, Sn and Su, are analyzed from a viewpoint of interaction between Si (i=u, n) and Q which is an element with a given strain rate. The prediction is compared with the experimental results: (1) The magnitude of strain rate deviation, ΔR∗i(=Δ\dotεi⁄\bar\dotε), normalized by a given strain rate, \bar\dotε, in the portion, Si, is expressed as:(This article is not displayable. Please see full text pdf.) \ oindentwhere C is a constant, m a strain rate sensitivity parameter, Ai a cross-sectional area in the portion Si, and λi(=li⁄L) a normalized length of Si divided by a specimen length, L. (2) The calculated results agree well with the experimental results, that is, |ΔR∗i| shows a maximum value at a certain length, λ∗i, which becomes smaller with decreasing m-value and |ΔR∗i| decreases with increasing m-value. (3) The length of necking region, which occurs during deformation, increases with increasing m-value, and the growth rate of necking becomes lower as the m-value increases. (4) The interaction force between Q and Si is an attractive force (or a repulsive force), when Δ\dotε and \bar\dotε have the same signs (or different signs), where \bar\dotε and Δ\dotε are a given strain rate and a strain rate deviation of Si from \bar\dotε, respectively.
Objectives: Although a certain fraction of endometriomas can develop de novo epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) such as ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCCC), currently no useful biomarker exists for early distinction of OCCC from endometriomas. The aim of this study was to describe the diagnostic utility of a novel biomarker for EOC, especially to distinguish OCCC from endometrioma. Methods: More than 100,000 glycan structures of serum glycoproteins obtained from 134 pretreatment all-stage EOC patients (including 45 OCCCs) and 159 noncancer control women (including 36 endometriomas) were explored for a mass spectrum approach. Diagnostic accuracy of the identified biomarker was compared with that of CA-125 by comparing area under the curve (AUC) and positive and negative predictive values (PPV and NPV). Results: A2160, a fully-sialylated alpha-chain of complement 4–binding protein, was identified as the candidate target marker. A2160 was significantly elevated in OCCCs at all stages with endometrioma. Diagnostic accuracy of A2160 (cutoff 1.6 U/mL) to distinguish early-stage OCCC from endometrioma is significantly higher than that of CA-125 (cutoff 35 IU/L); for A2160 versus CA-125, AUC: 0.92 versus 0.67; PPV: 95% versus 64%; and NPV: 85% versus 58%. In addition, fully sialylated glycans had a larger accuracy for diagnosing EOC compared with partially sialylated glycans of alpha-chain of complement 4–binding protein. Conclusions: Our study suggested that A2160 may be a useful biomarker to distinguish early-stage OCCC from endometrioma. This new biomarker can be potentially applied for monitoring endometrioma patients, which could make the early diagnosis of OCCC possible.Fig. 2A2160 glycopeptide and its proposed structure.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload (PPT)Fig. 3Comparison of fully vs. partially sialylated alpha-chains of C4BP.View Large Image Figure ViewerDownload (PPT)
We sometimes can recognize the color which should not be expressed by the ink set of only two colors. Remarkable example is seen in prints made with ink set of cyan (C) and magenta (M); they look like rather regular full-color prints and missing yellow (Y) color is often recognized in the prints. We have reconfirmed quantitatively that humans can perceive "impossible" colors in prints that were created with just two colors: most subjects perceived "yellow" in those prints. We suppose that our natural color constancy works when we recognize two-tone color prints. We attempted to explain the reason by considering the von Kreis model, which describes the chromatic adaptation to changes of lighting conditions. Using the von Kreis model for C+M-prints showed good estimation of the original color of the reference C+M+Y-print. We have confirmed that this effect is likely to be due to a compensation mechanism that is similar to the one that allows color recognition under a colored light. We conclude from this result that C+M-prints tend to look like full color prints because we can easily compensate for the missing color in C+M-prints by only using the linear gain-control mechanism at our natural vision system.
Following the determination of the whole-genome sequence of Corynebacterium glutamicum, we have developed a DNA array to extensively investigate gene expression and regulation relevant to carbon metabolism. For this purpose, a total of 120 C. glutamicum genes, including those in central metabolism and amino acid biosyntheses, were amplified by PCR and printed onto glass slides. The resulting array, designated a "metabolic array", was used for hybridization with fluorescently labeled cDNA probes generated by reverse transcription from total RNA samples. As the first demonstration of transcriptome analysis in this industrially important microorganism, we applied the metabolic array to study differential transcription profiles between cells grown on glucose and on acetate as the sole carbon source. The changes in gene expression observed for the known acetate-regulated genes (aceA, aceB, pta, and ack) were well consistent with the literature data of northern analyses and enzyme assays, indicating the utility of the metabolic array in transcriptome analysis of C. glutamicum. In addition to the known responses, many previously unrecognized co-regulated genes were identified. For example, several TCA cycle genes, such as gltA, sdhA, sdhB, fumH, and mdh, and the gluconeogenic gene pck were up-regulated in the acetate medium. On the other hand, a few genes involved in glycolysis and the pentose phosphate pathway, as well as many amino acid biosynthetic genes, were down-regulated in acetate. Furthermore, two gap genes, gapA and gapB, were found to be inversely regulated, suggesting the presence of a new regulatory step for carbon metabolism between glycolysis and gluconeogenesis.
Determination of nucleotide sequence of a 2.8kb DNA fragment involving the murG and murC genes has completed the sequencing of the total 12kb mra region at 2min on the Escherichia coli chromosome map, which functions in the growth and division of the cell. Product proteins of the genes in the mra region have also been identified, of which the MurC and MurG proteins are reported here. Considerable homologies were found in the deduced amino acid sequences of four ligases, products of the murC, murD, murE and murF genes in the mra region. These synthesize UDP-N-acetylmuramyl-pentapeptide from UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid in peptidoglycan synthesis. The MurG protein, also involved in the cell growth of E. coli, showed considerable homology of the deduced amino acid sequence with that of a peptide coded for by an open reading frame in the spoVE-ftsZ region of the B. subtilis chromosome.
Thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) bind as monomers, homodimers, and heterodimers with nuclear proteins such as retinoid-X receptors (RXRs) to thyroid hormone response elements (TREs). However, it is not known which nucleotides each TR complex contacts in a particular TRE. To identify the precise contact sites on a synthetic DR4 (TRE half-sites arranged as a direct repeat with a four-nucleotide spacer) and a chick lysoenzyme TRE, F2 (half-sites arranged as an inverted palindrome with a six-nucleotide spacer), for various TR complexes, mobility shift assays, and dimethylsulfate and KMnO4 DNA modification interference assays were employed. First, TR alpha monomer bound to the downstream half-site of these TREs, whereas TR alpha homodimer bound to both half-sites. TR alpha/RXR alpha heterodimer also bound to both half-sites, but "preferred" to contact the down-stream half-site. Second, the specific flanking and spacing sequences of DR4 influenced the contact sites and the binding of TR alpha monomer and homodimer, but not TR alpha/RXR alpha heterodimer. Finally, cotransfection studies, using reporter plasmids containing DR4 or F2 in both orientations with respect to the basal promoter, provide evidence that preferential contact with the down-stream half-site by TR/RXR heterodimer may be important for maximal transcriptional activation.
