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Among the intestinal tumors of hematopoietic cell origin, lymphoma is the most common in the dog. Herein, we characterized the clinical and pathologic features of 11 dogs (average age, 10.6 ± 2.5 years) with T-cell lymphoma of the intestinal tract with eosinophil infiltrates. No sex predominance was apparent. All had localized tumor masses in the small intestine. Grossly, the intestinal wall was thickened, and the lumen of the affected intestine was usually narrowed. Microscopically, we observed transmural diffuse invasion of round to pleomorphic tumor cells. Tumor cells showed varying morphology, from scanty to abundant cytoplasm, and round to ovoid nuclei with scattered to dense chromatin. In seven of the dogs, tumor cells had infiltrated into the epithelium. All showed infiltration of eosinophils and all 11 tumors had a T-cell phenotype (CD3+,CD79-). Only one tumor stained positive for the mast cell marker c-kit and none was positive for mast cell tryptase. We did not observe ultrastructurally apparent granules in any of the tumor cells. These results suggest that, in dogs, T-cell lymphomas of intestinal origin resemble mast cell tumors of intestinal origin with respect to cell structure and eosinophil infiltration. Therefore, in the absence of epitheliotropism, it is difficult to confirm the differential diagnosis without immunostaining for mast cell and lymphocyte markers, including mast cell tryptase, c-kit, CD3, and CD79.

Summary. To evaluate the protective effects of taurine supplementation on exercise-induced oxidative stress and exercise performance, eleven men aged 18–20 years were selected to participate in two identical bicycle ergometer exercises until exhaustion. Single cell gel assay (SCG assay) was used to study DNA damage in white blood cells (WBC). Pre-supplementation of taurine, a significant negative correlation was found between plasma taurine concentration before exercise and plasma thiobaribituric-acid reactive substance (TBARS) 6?hr after exercise ( r=-0.642, p<0.05). WBC showed a significant increase in DNA strand breakage 6?hr and 24?hr after exercise. Seven-day taurine supplementation reduced serum TBARS before exercise ( p<0.05) and resulted in a significantly reduced DNA migration 24?hr after exercise ( p<0.01). Significant increases were also found in VO 2max, exercise time to exhaustion and maximal workload in test with taurine supplementation ( p<0.05). After supplementation, the change in taurine concentration showed positive correlations with the changes in exercise time to exhaustion and maximal workload. The results suggest that taurine may attenuate exercise-induced DNA damage and enhance the capacity of exercise due to its cellular protective properties.

We occasionally encounter feline cervical or mesenteric lesions diagnosed histopathologically as abscess or inflammatory granulation tissue with eosinophil infiltration. Gram-positive cocci accompany the lesions. In the present study, such lesions obtained from 27 cats were examined to evaluate the histopathologic features and the nature of the causative bacteria. The average age was 7.3 ± 3.5 years. No sex predilection was observed. Most frequent locations of the lesions included the abdominal cavity with/without mesenteric lymph nodes (11/ 27, 41%) and subcutaneous tissue or lymph nodes of the neck (9/27, 33%). Common clinical presentation was a localized mass. Grossly, the lesions contained abscesses in the center and were surrounded by fibrous tissue. Microscopically, the necrotic zone contained bacterial colonies. Large numbers of eosinophils and macrophages infiltrated the area surrounding the necrotic tissue. The surrounding connective fiber-rich granulation tissue demarcated the eosinophilic abscess. The bacteria were Gram-positive cocci in 23 of the 27 cats and were positive for anti-staphylococcus antiserum in 19 of the 23 cats. In 15 out of 17 lesions, the colonies expressed immunoreactivity to penicillin-binding protein 2′, which is a drug-resistance gene product of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (MRS) species. These findings suggest strongly that MRS causes this type of infectious lesion.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of brain infarction after percutaneous implantation of a port-catheter system via the left subclavian artery for hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy. In 90 patients with inoperable liver cancer, a port-catheter system was implanted via the left subclavian artery. In 5 patients (5.6%) brain infarction occurred after port-catheter implantation. In one patient (1.1%) thrombi formed around the catheter, as confirmed by autopsy. The risk of brain infarction should be taken into consideration when a trans-left subclavian arterial access route is used for the percutaneous implantation of a port-catheter system for hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy.

Mast cell tumors (MCTs) of gastrointestinal origin that had been surgically removed from 39 dogs were examined to evaluate their pathologic features. Miniature breeds, especially Maltese, were most frequently affected. The average age of affected dogs was 9.7 ± 2.6 years. No sex difference was apparent. The most frequently affected sites were in the upper digestive tract, and the prognosis was very poor. Grossly, the gastrointestinal wall was prominently thickened, and the lumen of the affected gut was usually narrowed. Microscopically, there was diffuse transmural invasion of round to pleomorphic tumor cells. Tumor cells had moderate to abundant cytoplasm, round to ovoid nuclei with scattered chromatin, and mitotic figures. Fibrous stroma was observed in about half of the tumors. There was variable infiltration of eosinophils. In all tumors, cytoplasmic granules showed weak metachromasia, but the number of granules was very small. Immunohistochemical staining for c-kit and mast cell tryptase was positive in 77% and 62% of tumors, respectively. All tumors were positive for at least two of these markers. Immunohistochemical staining for p53 was positive in 13% of the tumors. Reactivity for staining markers and p53 was unrelated to cell pleomorphism, vessel invasion, or survival time. Gastrointestinal MCTs have histologic and immunohistochemical features completely different from those of other primary or metastatic gastrointestinal tumors. The combination of immunostaining for mast cell tryptase and c-kit and histochemical staining for metachromasia appears to be a powerful tool for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal MCTs.

The energy spectrum of cosmic-ray antiprotons (p̄'s) has been measured by BESS successively in 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1998. In total, 848 p̄'s were clearly identified in energy range 0.18–4.20 GeV. From these successive measurements of the p̄spectrum at various solar activity, we discuss about the effect of the solar modulation and the origin of cosmic-ray p̄'s. The p̄/pratios showed no distinctive year-to-year variation during the positive Sun's polarity phase.

The haemodynamics in non-tumorous abnormalities on CT arterial portography (CTAP) owing to cholecystic venous direct inflow to the liver were compared with the haemodynamics in hepatocellular carcinoma. 53 patients who simultaneously underwent CTAP and CT during hepatic arteriography (CTHA) to detect hepatocellular carcinoma had the late phase added to CTHA. Changes in size, shape and pattern of 47 non-tumorous enhancement abnormalities on the liver around the gall bladder or in the dorsum of segment IV between the early and late phases on biphasic CTHA as well as of 60 tumorous lesions were determined. Enhancement on biphasic CTHA was seen in all 47 lesions with a non-tumorous portal defect (early phase alone, n=8; late phase alone, n = 3; both, n = 36). In these 47 lesions, the size and the shape of enhancement changed in 63.8% and 51.1%, respectively, between the early and late phases on CTHA; the pattern of enhancement did not change in 72.3%. On the other hand, the size of enhancement on biphasic CTHA changed in only 16.7% of 60 tumours, and the shape in only 5%, although the enhancement pattern changed in a large proportion (80%). In conclusion, owing to the difference in haemodynamics, non-tumorous abnormalities caused by cholecystic venous inflow and tumours are clearly delineated on biphasic CTHA. Thus, adding the late phase to previous single phase CTHA (i.e. performing biphasic CTHA) is useful in differentiating the two entities.

This study was conducted to investigate the haemodynamics of the liver parenchyma in the presence of intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt. 3 patients with intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunts and 24 patients with normal intrahepatic haemodynamics underwent both CT arterial portography and CT during hepatic arteriography. Angiographic findings with helical CT were compared, and CT attenuated values were measured in both groups. The liver parenchyma on CT arterial portography had lower attenuation than on CT during hepatic arteriography in all patients with intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunts. Overall average CT attenuation was 92.2 +/- 7.7 Hounsfield units (HU) on CT arterial portography and 149.9 +/- 8.5 HU after CT during hepatic arteriography, with the opposite findings in all patients without intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunt: CT attenuation 142.0 +/- 25.7 HU on CT arterial portography and 100.7 +/- 16.4 HU after CT during hepatic arteriography. In conclusion, the portal venous supply to the liver parenchyma decreased due to intrahepatic portosystemic venous shunts, with a compensatory increase in hepatic arterial blood supply.

The causes of non-tumorous abnormalities in the hepatic hilum seen on CT hepatic arteriography were investigated. 13 patients with non-tumorous defects of portal perfusion in the hepatic hilum on CT arterial portography underwent both CT hepatic arteriography from the common hepatic artery and CT obtained during proper hepatic arteriography. The findings of non-tumorous portal defects on these two angiographic studies using helical CT were compared. In the 13 patients, 14 non-tumorous defects of portal perfusion in the hepatic hilum on CT arterial portography were detected as enhanced areas in 10 regions (dorsum of segment IV, 7/10; dorsum of the lateral segment, 3/4) on CT hepatic arteriography via the common hepatic artery, but none were enhanced on CT obtained during proper hepatic arteriography. In conclusion, the main cause of non-tumorous enhancement in the hepatic hilum seen on CT hepatic arteriography is non-portal direct inflow via the parabiliary venous system.

Abstract: A 41-year-old man presented with an asymptomatic mass in the right medial thigh. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a well-demarcated, 10-cm mass in the right adductor muscles. The margins of the mass exhibited high signal intensity and the rest showed low or iso signal intensity on T1-weighted MR images. However, the high signal intensity was decreased on T2-weighted images with fat suppression. The central part of the tumor was of inhomogeneous high signal intensity on T2-weighted images; after Gd-DTPA injection it enhanced inhomogeneously on T1-weighted images with fat suppression. On dynamic computed tomography (CT) in the arterial phase, there were strongly enhancing spotty areas in the tumor. At surgery, a yellow-whitish tumor was resected and a pathological diagnosis of angiomyolipoma (AML) in the thigh was made.

Abstract:: The goal of this study was to determine the magnitude of measurement error of a quantitative ultrasound (QUS) measurement system of the heel bone in a practical setting and to examine the effects of ambient temperature in the test room on QUS parameters. We assessed the intratest, intertest and interdevice coefficients of variation (CVs) for speed of sound (SOS), broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and stiffness in vitro using phantoms and in vivo using volunteers. The intratest CV was the smallest and the interdevice CV was the greatest for every QUS parameter. The intertest CVs in vivo were 0.50% for SOS, 2.53% for BUA and 4.38% for stiffness. The standardized precision error (sPE) of stiffness, however, was smaller than those of the other two parameters. The intertest sPEs in vivo of the QUS parameters were 2–3 times greater than that of the spine bone mineral density (BMD) as measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Using an average of duplicate measurements for the representative value of a subject could improve sPE of the QUS parameters to around 2 times greater than that of spine BMD. We examined five phantoms each with the QUS system under the ambient temperature conditions of 10, 20 and 30 °C. The lower the room temperature, the greater the values of all the QUS parameters obtained. We then assessed the effect of the season on the QUS parameters in healthy five women. SOS and stiffness were significantly greater in February (room temperature, 12.6 °C) than in June (22.4 °C) by 0.74% and 3.2% of overall means, respectively, by 10.1% and 4.3% as a standardized difference, or by 0.422 and 0.214 in Z-scores. This difference was likely to be caused by the difference in heel temperature between the seasons. The precision of the QUS system was inferior to that of conventional DXA densitometry. We recommend that institutions using several QUS system devices throughout the year at various locations monitor the precision of each device, make duplicate measurements for a single subject, use the same device for each patient being followed, and control the heel temperature of subjects by keeping the test room temperature constant throughout the year.

The correlation between an aberrant pancreaticoduodenal vein and a portal perfusion defect in the dorsal part of segment IV as demonstrated on CT arterial portography (CTAP) was investigated. 14 patients with non-tumorous defects of portal perfusion in the dorsal part of segment IV of the liver parenchyma, shown on CTAP underwent CT during pancreaticoduodenal arteriography. The defect on CTAP was shown as an enhanced area resulting from non-portal venous inflow in eight (57%) of 14 patients on CT during pancreaticoduodenal arteriography. In conclusion, the non-portal venous supply via an aberrant pancreaticoduodenal vein occasionally causes a defect of portal perfusion in the dorsal part of segment IV on CT arterial portography.

Expression patterns of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-6 receptor (IL-6R), and gp130 genes in 39 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), in 23 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and in 7 patients with acute mixed lineage leukemia (AMLL) were studied by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Significant levels of IL-6 were expressed in 8 (21%) of 39 AML patients and in 2 (29%) of 7 AMLL patients, whereas in ALL, the expression of IL-6 was almost negligible. IL-6R was expressed in all patients with AML and AMLL, whereas only half of ALL patients expressed low levels of IL-6R as compared with those with AML and AMLL. However, gp130 was ubiquitously expressed in all the leukemia patients, and there was no significant difference in gp130 expression among AML, ALL, and AMLL. Significant correlation was observed between the expression of IL-6R and gp130 in AML. When tested for in vitro response to IL-6, the leukemic cells from 3 of 7 AML, none of 3 ALL, and both of 2 AMLL patients significantly responded to IL-6, showing the correlation between the expression levels of IL-6R and gp130 and the responsiveness of leukemic cells to IL-6. These results showed that quantitation of IL-6R and gp130 expression by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction is useful for the rapid prediction of the responsiveness of leukemic cells to IL- 6, especially in cases of administration of IL-6.

Abstract: The energy spectra of gamma-ray bursts differ from those of black-body radiation and are similar to the thermal bremsstrahlung spectra of optically thin plasma. This could be realized if the source is located in the outer atmosphere of a neutron star. In this case, almost one half of the emitted photons hit the surface of the star. The surface of the star is heated to a temperature of the order 107 K, and a dominant flux of X-rays with a black-body spectrum would be expected. The X-rays produced by this mechanism are detectable in the energy range from a few keV to 10 keV. This model is discussed in relation to the recent observations in the X-ray region at the time of gamma-ray bursts, and modifications of this model are also presented. The observation in this energy range will bring us valuable information on the nature of gamma-ray burst sources.

Expansive laminoplasty, a procedure used for cervical myelopathy, was carried out in 4 patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. The method was used in relatively young patients with severe low back and sciatic pain who had intraspinal ossification at multiple segments, with or without developmental spinal stenosis. The advantages of osteoplastic enlargement of the lumbar spinal canal with reinforcement of spinal stability are confirmed by our follow up of 2 to 5 1/2 years. The results were very satisfactory in each case. The indications and operative technique are described.

Thirty-one patients (27 with acute myeloid leukemia [AML], 2 with acute lymphocytic leukemia [ALL], and 2 with acute mixed lineage leukemia [AMLL]) treated with conventional chemotherapy (CHT) and 23 patients (13 AML, 5 ALL, and 5 with chronic myeloid leukemia [CML]) treated with allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) were monitored for WT1 expression levels in BM and peripheral blood (PB) by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction over a long-term period (mean, 29 months for CHT and 24 months for BMT). Sixteen of the patients in the CHT group and 3 in the BMT group who had achieved complete remission suffered clinical relapse. In 10 of these patients, WT1 expression that had returned to normal BM levels (< 10(-3); the WT1 expression level of K562 cells was defined as 1.0) after complete remission (CR) either gradually or rapidly increased again to abnormal levels 1 to 18 months (mean, 7 months) before clinical relapse became apparent. In another 9 patients, WT1 expression never returned to normal BM levels even after CR and the subsequent relapse was accompanied by a rapid increase in WT1 expression to levels higher than 10(-2) (10(-3) levels in PB). On the other hand, the remaining 35 patients (15 CHT and 20 BMT) maintained their CR. In 29 of these patients (11 CHT and 18 BMT), WT1 expression either gradually or rapidly decreased to normal BM levels, whereas in the other 6 (4 CHT and 2 BMT), low or very low levels of WT1 mRNAs (10(-3) to 10(-2) in BM and 10(-5) to 10(-3) in PB) remain detectable, but without any clinical signs of relapse. A clear correlation was found to exist between the minimal residual disease (MRD) detected in the paired BM and PB samples for all types of leukemias (AML, ALL, and CML), with MRD in PB being approximately one-tenth of that in BM. WT1 quantitation of 168 paired BM and PB samples showed that PB samples were superior to BM samples for the detection of MRD. We conclude that monitoring of WT1 expression levels in BM and PB makes it possible to rapidly assess the effectiveness of individual treatment and diagnose clinical relapse in the early stage for all leukemia patients regardless of the presence or absence of tumor-specific DNA markers.

The breakpoint of 14q32 translocations found in B-cell malignancies was delineated specifically in both metaphase spreads and interphase nuclei by double-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using bacteriophage clones containing the human immunoglobulin gamma chain gene locus (Ig gamma) and a cosmid clone, CY24–68, containing VH segments. CY24–68 is more telomeric than Ig gamma, separated by approximately 1 megabase (Mb). FISH studies were performed on four patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), one with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), one with plasma cell leukemia (PCL), and three cell lines. In each patient with t(8;14), t(14;18), and t(3;14), the signal of Ig gamma gene was observed on der(14) and that of CY24–68 at respective partner sites of these translocations, 8q24.1, 18q21.3, and 3q27. Interphase nuclei with a signal of Ig gamma clearly separated from that of CY24–68 were more frequently encountered in all of the patients (45% to 74%) than those in normal controls (4% to 5%). Even in cases where only interphase nuclei were available for FISH studies, 14q32 translocations are detected as shown in two patients each with NHL and t(11;14)-carrying PCL. In two cell lines, HS-1 derived from ALL carrying t(8;14) and FR4 derived from a plasmacytoma carrying a complex form of t(8;14), the signal of Ig gamma was observed at the breakpoint region 8q24.1 of the der(8) in addition to the der(14), indicating that translocation event occurred within the Ig gamma locus. Intense Ig gamma signal was found at the breakpoint region on the der(14)t(11;14) in HBL-2 derived from NHL, indicating amplification of the Ig gamma gene, and presumably the resultant chimeric DNA between Ig gamma and DNA sequences at 11q13. The present approach allowed us to unequivocally detect tumor-specific breakpoints of 14q32 translocations. Furthermore, interphase FISH provides a rapid diagnostic procedure to detect 14q32 translocations in B-cell malignancies.

A newly developed large area photodiode has been studied as the photon sensor for medium-size CsI(Tl) scintillation counters. The photodiode has a sensitive area of 18 × 18 mm2and a thickness of 500 μm. When combined with a CsI(Tl) crystal of 2.5 × 2.5 × 5.0 cm3, it gives an energy resolution of around 5.1% (FWHM) for 1.33 MeV gamma-rays. Characteristics of the low noise preamplifier designed for the CsI(Tl)-photodiode counter will also be given.

Summary Histologically verified intracranial tumours, mainly germ cell tumours of the pineal and suprasellar regions, were studied immunohistochemically using anti-serum of alpha fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), human placental lactogen (HPL), pregnancy specific ß-1 glycoprotein (SP-1), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), S-100 and neuron specific enolase (NSE). In germinomas, HCG positive cells were occasionally demonstrated in cells presenting as syncytiotrophoblastic giant cells (STGC), and GFAP and S-100 positive cells were found in the surrounding gliotic lesions. Teratomas were positive for CEA in their epithelial components. Endodermal sinus tumours were positive for AFP, choriocarcinomas for HCG and SP-1, and embryonal carcinomas for AFP, HCG and SP-1. HCG and SP-1 positive cells were demonstrated in STGC. As for the relationship between serum AFP level and tissue localization, many cases presenting a serum AFP level exceeding 220 ng/ml were positive for AFP in tumour tissue.

gp130 is a ubiquitously expressed signal-transducing receptor component shared by interleukin 6, interleukin 11, leukemia inhibitory factor, oncostatin M, ciliary neurotrophic factor, and cardiotrophin 1. To investigate physiological roles of gp130 and to examine pathological consequences of a lack of gp130, mice deficient for gp130 have been prepared. Embryos homozygous for the gp130 mutation progressively die between 12.5 days postcoitum and term. On 16.5 days postcoitum and later, they show hypoplastic ventricular myocardium without septal and trabecular defect. The subcellular ultrastructures in gp130-/- cardiomyocytes appear normal. The mutant embryos have greatly reduced numbers of pluripotential and committed hematopoietic progenitors in the liver and differentiated lineages such as T cells in the thymus. Some gp130-/- embryos show anemia due to impaired development of erythroid lineage cells. These results indicate that gp130 plays a crucial role in myocardial development and hematopoiesis during embryogenesis.

In some cases, focal fatty change of the liver parenchyma has been attributed to local systemic venous inflow replacing the portal venous supply. However, no reports of focal fatty change in the dorsal portion of segment IV of the liver caused by direct inflow of an aberrant pancreaticoduodenal vein (APDV) through the parabiliary venous system (PVS) are available. We report a 60-year-old woman with focal fatty change in segment IV of the liver which occurred after gastrectomy with APDV shown on CT performed during selective gastroduodenal arteriography.

A series of balloon-borne experiments to search for particles of cosmic origin is being planned. The experimental apparatus to be borne on the balloon includes a drift chamber as one of its main components. Flash analog-to-digital convertors digitize signals from the chamber at the rate of 30 megacycles/s. The apparatus on the balloon is linked by radio to a ground station. The apparatus is remotely controlled through a terminal placed at the ground station. A description is given of the apparatus on the balloon, data transmission from the balloon to the ground station, the software on the balloon, command transmission, and the computer complex at the ground station.<>

We have studied the low-energy antiprotons in the cosmic rays by utilizing data obtained by the Balloon-borne Experiment with a Superconducting magnetic rigidity Spectrometer (BESS) flown in 1993 July from Lynn Lake, Manitoba, Canada. A detailed description of the event selection criteria and background corrections is given. Seven antiprotons are found that give an antiproton flux of 6.4+ 5.5?3.5× 10-3(m2sr s GeV)-1and an antiproton/proton ratio of 5.2+ 4.4?2.8× 10-6in the 200-600 MeV energy range. These results are consistent with a secondary origin of low-energy cosmic-ray antiprotons within our uncertainties, but they still require the precise measurement of the spectrum shape below 500 MeV to clarify exactly the model of particle propagation and possible contributions from exotic sources.

We have previously reported expression of WT1 in acute leukemia. To elucidate its biological significance, we examined the effect of the suppression of the WT1 expression by WT1 antisense oligomers on the growth of the leukemic cells expressing WT1. When 20 different WT1 antisense (AS) oligomers covering from the 5′ cap sites of the WT1 gene to the 3′ end were examined for the inhibitory effect on the growth of K562 cells expressing WT1, four WT1 AS oligomers inhibited the cell growth, whereas WT1 sense and random sequence oligomers had no effect on the cell growth of K562. Moreover, WT1 AS oligomers significantly inhibited the growth of the clonogenic cells of fresh leukemic cells in six of 14 patients with acute myeloid leukemia, in one of two patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) chronic phase, and in one of one patient with CML blastic crisis. However, these oligomers did not inhibit normal colony-forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage. Western blot analysis clearly demonstrated the significant reduction in the WT1 protein levels in the K562 and fresh leukemic cells that were treated with the WT1 AS oligomers, confirming that the inhibitory effect of the WT1 AS oligomers on the cell growth operates via the reduction in the WT1 protein levels. These results show that WT1 plays an important role in leukemogenesis.

The WT1 gene encoding a zinc finger polypeptide is a tumor suppressor gene that plays a key role in the carcinogenesis of Wilms' tumor. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to examine relative levels of WT1 gene expression (defined in K562 cells as 1.00) in 45 patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), 22 with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), 6 with acute mixed lineage leukemia (AMLL), 23 with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), and 24 with non- Hodgkin's lymphoma. Significant levels of WT1 gene were expressed in all leukemia patients and for CML the levels increased as the clinical phase progressed. In striking contrast with acute leukemia, the levels of WT1 gene expression for NHL were significantly lower or even undetectable. Clear correlation was observed between the relative levels of WT1 gene expression (< 0.6 v > or = 0.6) and the prognosis for acute leukemia (AML, ALL, and AMLL). Patients with less than 0.6 levels had significantly higher rates of complete remission (CR), disease-free survival, and overall survival than those with > or = 0.6 levels, whereas CR could not be induced in any of the 7 patients with acute leukemia having greater than 1.0 levels of WT1 gene expression. The quantitation of the WT1 gene expression made it possible to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) in acute leukemia regardless of the presence or absence of tumor-specific DNA markers. Continuous monitoring of the WT1 mRNA was performed for 9 patients with acute leukemia. In 4 patients, MRD was detected 2 to 8 months before clinical relapse became apparent. In 2 other patients, the WT1 mRNA gradually increased after discontinuation of chemotherapy. No MRD was detected in the remaining 3 patients with AML who received intensive induction and consolidation therapy. Simultaneous monitoring of MRD by RT-PCR using primers for specific DNA markers in 3 patients (2 AML-M3 with PML/RAR alpha, and 1 AML-M2 with AML1/ETO) among these 9 patients detected MRD comparable with that obtained from quantitation of WT1 gene expression. In a patient with acute promyelocytic leukemia, the limits of leukemic cell detection by RT-PCR using either WT1 or promyelocytic leukemia/retinoic acid receptor-alpha gene primers were 10(-3) to 10(- 4) and 10(-4) for bone marrow, and 10(-5) and 10(-4) for peripheral blood, respectively. Therefore, we conclude that WT1 is a new prognostic factor and a new marker for the detection of MRD in acute leukemia.

The SOLAR-A spacecraft has spectroscopic capabilities in a wide energy band from soft X-rays to gamma-rays. The Wide Band Spectrometer (WBS), consisting of three kinds of spectrometers, soft X-ray spectrometer (SXS), hard X-ray spectrometer (HXS) and gamma-ray spectrometer (GRS), is installed on SOLAR-A to investigate plasma heating, high-energy particle acceleration, and interaction processes. SXS has two proportional counters and each counter provides 128-channel pulse height data in the 2–30 keV range every 2 s and 2-channel pulse count data every 0.25 s. HXS has a NaI scintillation detector and provides 32-channel pulse height data in the 20–400 keV range every 1 s and 2-channel pulse count data every 0.125 s. GRS has two identical BGO scintillation detectors and each detector provides 128-channel pulse height data in the 0.2–10 MeV range every 4 s and 4-channel pulse count data (0.2–0.7, 0.7–4, 4–7, and 7–10 MeV) every 0.25–0.5 s. In addition, each of the BGO scintillation detectors provides 16-channel pulse height data in the 8–100 MeV range every 4 s and 2-channel pulse count data (8–30 and 30–100 MeV) every 0.5 s. The SXS observations enable one to study the thermal evolution of flare plasma by obtaining time series of electron temperatures and emission measures of hot plasma; the HXS observations enable one to study the electron acceleration and heating mechanisms by obtaining time series of the electron spectrum; and the GRS observations enable one to study the high-energy electron and ion acceleration and interaction processes by obtaining time series of electron and ion spectra.

In a balloon-borne experiment signals from detectors are processed in a balloon-borne apparatus to fit the data bandwidth of storage devices installed in the apparatus. The process begins at front-end processors receiving signals from detectors and proceeds under successive stages by dedicated processors. Event data are finally fed to a computer bank where the events are further selected before being written into the storage devices. The computer bank is made of transputer modules. The transputers are widely employed and some processors are implemented with the transputers. The integration of the processors is described and the function and implementation of the individual processors are outlined. The authors are planning a series of balloon-borne experiments searching for antiparticles of cosmic origins. Firstly the authors will measure the antiproton flux. Antiprotons need to be identified under the overwhelming background of protons.<>

The authors have developed a simple pulse shape discriminator (PSD) for applications where a large number of channels are used within limited space and electric power. In the PSD, the output signal from a photomultiplier is differentiated and integrated to form a triple-polar pulse. The time interval between the first and second zero crossings depends on the decay time of the scintillation light. The circuit selects signals from the proper scintillator by using this interval. By this method the effect of time slewing can be significantly reduced in the low energy region. Sixty-four channels of the PSD have been successfully operated in a balloon borne hard X-ray experiment.<>

Phoswich counters that can detect low-flux hard-X-ray/ gamma -ray from localized sources are described. The counter consists of a small inorganic scintillator with a fast decay time (the detection part) glued to the interior bottom surface of a well-shaped block of another inorganic scintillator with a slow decay time (the shielding part). The first model counter was built by using a new scintillator, gadolinium silicate (GSO), in the decision part and CsI(Tl) in the shielding part. A detector system consisting of 64 such phoswich counters (total area approximately 740 cm/sup 2/) was flown onboard a balloon, setting a limit to the /sup 57/Co line flux from SN 1987A, at approximately 10/sup -4/ cm/sup -2/ s The sensitivity for continuum flux was around a few *10/sup -6/ cm/sup -2/ s/sup -1/ keV/sup -1/ between 100 and 200 keV. In the second model, CsI(Tl) was replaced by bismuth germanate (BGO), and radioactive contaminations in GSO were reduced. Improvements are planned to reach a sensitivity (3 sigma ) around 5*10/sup -7/ cm/sup -1/ s/sup -1/ keV/sup -1/ for the continuum.<>

Summary The effect of coenzyme Q (CoQ) homologues on the beating of myocardial cells was investigated in cultured cell sheets from mouse fetuses and quail embryos. Myocardial cell sheets grown in Eagle's minimum essential medium with fetal bovine serum showed very weak and irregular beating when this serum was removed from the medium. However, the depressed beating rate and amplitude recovered almost completely within a few minutes by adding CoQ10 to the medium, and the effect of Co10 continued over 1 h. CoQ9 showed a cardiostimulatory effect similar to that of CoQ10 but CoQ8 and COQ7 showed almost no effect. Short homologues (less than CoQ4) inhibited the beating of cell sheets. The cardiostimulatory effect of CoQ10 was not blocked by atenolol, a selective ß-blocker. In addition, CoQ10 stimulated the formation of ATP, not cAMP. CoQ0 and COQ3 inhibited beating rates by inhibiting ATP formation. In conclusion, only native CoQ homologues having a nona- or decaprenyl group showed a cardiostimulatory effect on cultured myocardial cells, probably by stimulating mitochondrial ATP formation.

The first catalytic asymmetric synthesis of 2-aryl-2,3-dihydro-4-quinolones has been developed by way of a rhodium-catalyzed 1,4-addition of arylzinc reagents to 4-quinolones. These 1,4-adducts can be obtained with high enantioselectivity by the use of (R)-binap as a ligand, and high yields are realized by conducting the reactions in the presence of chlorotrimethylsilane.

Direct inflow of the aberrant right gastric vein independent of the portal venous system to the liver parenchyma is a well known cause of non-tumorous abnormalities on CT angiography. However, there have been no previous reports of aberrant gastric venous drainage as the cause of non-tumorous abnormalities in the left lobe of the liver parenchyma adjacent to the falciform ligament on CT angiography. We present a case of direct inflow of an aberrant gastric vein to this region of the liver, which influenced the non-tumorous enhancement shown by CT hepatic arteriography.