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Studies of person-organization fit (P-O fit) have shown that a fit between the values of the individual and the values of the organization leads to higher job satisfaction. Here, we extended past research by investigating P-O fit on employees' well-being. We tested what characteristics of the person and the organization contributed to an effective P-O fit in Japan. Specifically, we examined the role of employees' levels of interdependence and perceptions of their organizational contexts as clan culture or market culture. This allowed us to test what type of organizational culture formed an effective P-O fit for employees with highly interdependent cultural values in Japan. A longitudinal survey of 456 workers in Japan conducted in 2021 and 2022 revealed that clan culture—organizational culture emphasizing interpersonal harmony—was positively related to employees' well-being, and the effects were stronger for employees with high levels of interdependence. Conversely, market culture—organizational culture emphasizing competition and achievement—was unrelated to employees' well-being. In fact, it was negatively related to those employees' well-being who scored high on interdependence. Taken together, these results showed that the effects of organizational culture on employees' well-being depended on the levels of their interdependence. It seems that interdependence (P) and clan culture (O) provide an ideal P-O fit for Japanese companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In self-correlation lock-in thermography for thermoelastic stress analysis (TSA), the acquisition position of the reference signal affects the accuracy of the obtained stress amplitude distribution. When the reference signal is not large enough compared to the noise, the stress amplitude distribution may be incorrect. Objective: This study proposes a method that does not require a reference signal and frequency analysis to obtain the stress amplitude distribution with comparable or higher accuracy than that obtained using self-correlation lock-in thermography. Methods: An observation matrix is generated from the temporal variation across all thermographic pixels to describe the thermal fluctuations due to stress. Thereafter, stress amplitude distribution and the original load signal are extracted from the observation matrix using singular value decomposition (SVD). The proposed method is called SVD thermo-component analysis. To investigate the effectiveness of the proposed method, the reconstructed load signal and stress distribution are obtained from the captured thermal images for the specimen under a sinusoidal load. Results: The stress amplitude distribution obtained using the proposed method is equivalent to that obtained using conventional lock-in thermography with the original load signal as the reference signal. In addition, the reconstructed load signal obtained using the proposed method successfully represents the original load signal. Conclusions: SVD thermo-component analysis does not require prior knowlege of the evaluated mechanical structure to select a suitable reference-signal acquisition position as in self-correlation lock-in thermography. Therefore, the proposed TSA method reduce analysis failures compared to the conventional method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The false apparent temperature change caused by moving objects generates noise components in thermoelastic stress analysis (TSA) and rapid fatigue limit estimation based on energy dissipation. Objective: This paper proposes a motion compensation system using visible-infrared synchronous measurements to remove apparent temperature changes. A new dissipative energy evaluation method that combines visible and infrared measurements is proposed. Methods: The displacement information is obtained using digital image correlation (DIC) in visible images. Visible and infrared measurements are performed on the same surface simultaneously. The displacement information obtained from the visible image is reflected in the infrared image by applying image processing for spatial synchronization. A white speckle pattern required for DIC is applied to black paint, and this white paint does not affect the infrared measurement. Results: In the new method, the time series of strain obtained from the visible image is used to calculate the thermoelastic temperature change, which is then compared with the actual temperature change obtained via infrared thermography to evaluate the temperature change due to energy dissipation. Motion compensation systems have been applied to TSA and dissipative energy measurements. It is confirmed that the edge effect and false apparent dissipated energy can be removed using the developed system. It is discovered that the energy dissipation behavior within one cycle of the load, which cannot be evaluated via conventional frequency analysis, can be observed comprehensively. Conclusions: This synchronous measurement system is useful for enhancing the accuracy of TSA and dissipated energy measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the fabrication of magnetic metallic contaminant detectors using multiple high-Tc superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) for food. Finding small metallic contaminants is important for food safety. People may ingest contaminants that are accidentally mixed in with the food. Hence, a detection method of small contaminants in food is required. Given the lower detection limit for practical X-ray usage is in the order of 1 mm, a detection system using a SQUID is a more powerful tool for sensitive inspections. We design and set up a three-channel high-Tc rf-SQUID inspection system for food. We report the successful detection of a small φ0.3-mm steel particle for the food detection system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with HER2-positive breast cancer often exhibit intrinsic or acquired resistance to trastuzumab treatment. The transmembrane mucin 1 (MUC1) oncoprotein is aberrantly overexpressed in breast cancer cells and associates with HER2. The present studies demonstrate that silencing MUC1 C-terminal subunit (MUC1-C) in HER2-overexpressing SKBR3 and BT474 breast cancer cells results in the downregulation of constitutive HER2 activation. Moreover, treatment with the MUC1-C inhibitor, GO-203, was associated with disruption of MUC1-C/HER2 complexes and decreases in tyrosine-phosphorylated HER2 (p-HER2) levels. In studies of trastuzumab-resistant SKBR3R and BT474R cells, we found that the association between MUC1-C and HER2 is markedly increased (∼20-fold) as compared with that in sensitive cells. In addition, silencing MUC1-C in the trastuzumab-resistant cells or treatment with GO-203 decreased p-HER2 and AKT activation. Moreover, targeting MUC1-C was associated with the downregulation of phospho-p27 and cyclin E, which confer trastuzumab resistance. Consistent with these results, targeting MUC1-C inhibited the growth and clonogenic survival of both trastuzumab-resistant cells. Our results further demonstrate that silencing MUC1-C reverses resistance to trastuzumab and that the combination of GO-203 and trastuzumab is highly synergistic. These findings indicate that MUC1-C contributes to constitutive activation of the HER2 pathway and that targeting MUC1-C represents a potential approach to abrogate trastuzumab resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have developed magnetic metallic contaminant detectors using multiple high- T SQUIDs (superconducting quantum interference devices) for food and industrial products. For manufacturers producing items such as processed food and industrial products, problems with metallic contaminants are critical issues. When contamination occurs, the manufacturer of the product suffers a great loss from recalling the tainted product. The lower detection limit for practical X-ray usage is on the order of 1 mm. A detection system using a SQUID is a powerful tool for sensitive inspections. For practical use, the detection width of the system should be increased by employing multiple sensors. We designed and set up a multi-channel high- T SQUID inspection system with a width of at least 130 mm for food and 70 mm for industrial products. As a result, a small ϕ0.3-mm stainless steel particle for food and a ϕ27-μm iron particle for industrial products were successfully detected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Much remains unknown about the clinical outcomes of drug-eluting stent (DES) implantations following ablation by the Rotablator™ in dialytic patients. The purpose of this study was to examine these outcomes. Of the 43 patients who underwent elective DES implantation following ablation with the Rotablator™-17 lesions on 12 dialytic patients were designated to Group H and 54 lesions on 31 non-dialytic patients were designated to Group N. QCA data, the rate of restenosis and the avoidance rate of cardiac events at the chronic phase (920 ± 446 days) were studied. The age of patients in Group N was significantly older (60 ± 8 years old in Group H vs. 73 ± 7 in Group N, p < 0.05). The rate of DM complication was significantly higher in Group H (75.0% in Group H vs. 32.0% in Group N, p < 0.05). The late loss was 1.18 ± 0.97 mm in Group H and 0.38 ± 0.53 mm in Group N, or significantly greater in Group H ( p < 0.05). The restenosis rate was also higher in group H. (42.9% in Group H and 6.0% in Group N). The avoidance rate of cardiac events at the chronic phase was significantly lower in Group H. The study suggested that in patients who received DES with the use of the Rotablator™, clinical outcomes were poorer in dialytic patients than in non-dialytic patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study design:Case study.Objectives:Subacute myelo-optico-neuropathy (SMON) is a severe neuro-degenerative disorder caused by poisoning due to over-dose and prolonged oral administration of clioquinol; this disorder was more frequent during 1957-1970. It is characterized by axonal degeneration and gliosis in the cervical gracile fasciculus. Recently, copper-deficient myelo-neuropathies presenting similar symptoms (that is, painful dysesthesia/paresthesia in the lower limbs, ataxia, spastic paraplegia, autonomic disorders and visual impairment) were reported. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of these patients detected T2-weighted hyperintensities in the cervical spinal cord. An unbalanced zinc-copper metabolism was suggested as one of the candidate pathogenesis of clioquinol toxicity because of its metal-chelating ability. The aim of this study was to present MRI findings of old SMON patients and to compare them with those of current copper-deficient myelo-neuropathies.Setting:Japan.Methods:We conducted and analyzed cervical and brain MRIs of seven old SMON patients who contracted the disorder during the 1960s. Serum iron, magnesium, copper, zinc and ceruloplasmin levels were also measured.Results:Cervical T2-weighted MRIs showed mild volume loss and faint hyperintensities in the dorsal columns, which might reflect residual gliosis. Brain fast fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery images and tractography were normal. Current levels of serum copper and zinc were within almost normal ranges.Conclusion:Although fainter, the abnormal T2 MRI signals we observed were similar to and occurred in the same locations as those reported in copper-deficient myelo-neuropathy patients. We suggest that these findings are useful to study the mechanism of clioquinol toxicity before using it to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study is to find a novel molecular target based on chromosomal alteration and array-based gene expression analyses in bladder cancer (BC). We investigated a cancer testis antigen, LY6K, which is located on chromosome 8q24.3.Methods: Five BC cell lines were subjected to high-resolution array-comparative genomic hybridisation with 244 000 probes. The expression levels of LY6K mRNA were evaluated in BC cell lines and clinical BC specimens by real-time reverse transcription-PCR. The cell lines were subjected to fluorescence in situ hybridisation of LY6K. Cell viability was evaluated by cell growth, wound healing, and matrigel invasion assays.Results: Typical gained loci (P<0.0001) at 6p21.33-p21.32, 8q24.3, 9q34.13, 11q13.1-q14.1, 12q13.12-q13.13, 16p13.3, and 20q11.21-q13.33 were observed in all of the cell lines. We focused on 8q24.3 locus where LY6K gene harbours, and it was the top upregulated one in the gene profile from the BC cell line. LY6K mRNA expression was significantly higher in 91 BCs than in 37 normal bladder epitheliums (P<0.0001). Fluorescence in situ hybridisation validated that the high LY6K mRNA expression was due to gene amplification in the region where the gene harbours. Cell viability assays demonstrated that significant inhibitions of cell growth, migration, and invasion occured in LY6K knock down BC cell lines; converse phenomena were observed in a stable LY6K transfectant; and LY6K knockdown of the transfectant retrieved the original phenotype from the LY6K transfectant.Conclusion: Upregulation of the oncogenic LY6K gene located on the gained locus at 8q24.3 may contribute BC development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We have recently identified down-regulated microRNAs including miR-145 and miR-133a in bladder cancer (BC). The aim of this study is to determine the genes targeted by miR-145, which is the most down-regulated microRNA in BC.Methods: We focused on fascin homologue 1 (FSCN1) from the gene expression profile in miR-145 transfectant. The luciferase assay was used to confirm the actual binding sites of FSCN1 mRNA. Cell viability was evaluated by cell growth, wound-healing, and matrigel invasion assays. BC specimens were subjected to immunohistochemistry of FSCN1 and in situ hybridisation of miR-145.Results: The miR-133a as well as miR-145 had the target sequence of FSCN1 mRNA by the database search, and both microRNAs repressed the mRNA and protein expression of FSCN1. The luciferase assay revealed that miR-145 and miR-133a were directly bound to FSCN1 mRNA. Cell viability was significantly inhibited in miR-145, miR-133a, and si-FSCN1 transfectants. In situ hybridisation revealed that miR-145 expression was markedly repressed in the tumour lesion in which FSCN1 was strongly stained. The immunohistochemical score of FSCN1 in invasive BC (n=46) was significantly higher than in non-invasive BC (n=20) (P=0.0055).Conclusion: Tumour suppressive miR-145 and miR-133a directly control oncogenic FSCN1 in BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The histopathological variations of segmental enhancement on breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were investigated, with the aim of identifying imaging characteristic clues to their differential diagnosis. We reviewed 70 breast MRI examinations demonstrating segmental enhancement, classified them based on their histopathology, and assessed their MRI findings as follows: (1) confluent or not confluent, (2) late enhancement pattern, and the absence or presence of (3) clustered ring enhancements and (4) surrounding high signal intensity (SI) on T2-weighted imaging. Thirteen lesions (18.5%) were benign, eight (11.5%) were high risk, 25 (36%) were ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and 24 (34%) were infiltrating mammary carcinomas (IMC). Clustered ring enhancements were demonstrated in 74% of malignancies (high risk, DCIS and IMC) but no benign lesions (P=0.0001). The surrounding high SI on T2-weighted imaging was seen in four of five IMC with marked lymphatic involvement. Clustered ring enhancement was not demonstrated in six of seven IMC of tubular and/or lobular types. Segmental enhancement was seen in not only DCIS but also IMC, high-risk and benign lesions. Clustered ring enhancement and surrounding high SI on T2-weighted imaging were clues to their differential diagnosis and helpful to decide their diagnostic strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy we investigated the molecular orientation in a surface-stabilized liquid crystal (LC) cell, which includes a racemic (±) or an enantiomerically enriched ( S, S) paramagnetic LC, (2 S,5 S)-2,5-dimethyl-2-tridecyloxyphenyl-5-[4-(4-tridecyloxy-benzenecarbonyloxy)phenyl]pyrrolidine-1-oxy ( 2), whose spin source is fixed inside the rigid core. For both the smectic C (SmC) phase of (±)- 2 and the chiral smectic C (SmC*) phase of ( S, S)- 2 in a surface-stabilized LC cell (antiparallel configuration, thickness of 4 µm), the profile of the observed g-value as a function of the angle between the applied magnetic field and the cell plane could be explained by the orientation model, where, with some disordering, the molecules align uniformly with the direction which tilts from the normal line of the smectic layer being orthogonal to the rubbing direction on the cell surface. We divided the effect from the disordering into two parts, one of which is concerning the direction of the molecular long axis and the other is concerning the rotation around the molecular long axis. As a result of the analysis, the SmC* phase gave quite lower ordering concerning the direction of the molecular long axis and a little lower ordering concerning the rotation around the molecular long axis than the SmC phase at the same temperature (80 °C). The obtained lower ordering in the SmC* phase is probably due to the chirality that would result in the formation of a helical superstructure in a bulky state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electron paramagnetic resonance study of the single crystals of two PROXYLs, trans-2,5-bis(4-methylphenyl)-2,5-dimethylpyrrolidine-1-oxy [(±)- 1] and trans-2-(4-methylphenyl)-2,5-dimethyl-5-phenylpyrrolidine-1-oxy [(±)- 2] was conducted. The obtained spectra were always fitted well by a single Lorentzian. The principal g-values ( g x , g y , g z ) of (±)- 1 and (±)- 2 were determined as (2.00990, 2.00639, 2.00266) and (2.01106, 2.00742, 2.00389), respectively. The profiles of half width at half maximum (HWHM) depending on two polar angles, θ and ϕ, were measured in all directions. The angular profiles of the exchange interaction (| J 0|) were attempted to be estimated by dividing the experimental HWHM by the calculated total second moment ( M 2 tot) with the crystallographic data. For (±)- 1, | J 0| along the c-axis was estimated to be much larger than that along the a- or b-axis. This suggests that (±)- 1 is a one-dimensional magnet along the c-axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent reports showing successful inhibition of cancer and leukemia cell growth using histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) compounds have highlighted the potential use of HDACi as anti-cancer agents. However, high incidence of toxicity and low stability in vivo were observed with hydroxamic acid-based HDACi such as suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), thus limiting its clinical applicability. In this study, we found that a novel non-hydroxamate HDACi NCH-51 could inhibit the cell growth of a variety of lymphoid malignant cells through apoptosis induction, more effectively than SAHA. Activation of caspase-3, -8 and -9, but not -7 was detected after the treatment with NCH-51. Gene expression profiles showed that NCH-51 and SAHA similarly upregulated p21 and downregulated anti-apoptotic molecules including survivin, bcl-w and c-FLIP. Proteome analysis using two-dimensional electrophoresis revealed that NCH-51 upregulated anti-oxidant molecules including peroxiredoxin 1 and 2 and glutathione S-transferase at the protein level. Interestingly, NCH-51 induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) after 8 h whereas SAHA continuously declined ROS. Pretreatment with an antioxidant, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, abolished the cytotoxicity of NCH-51. These findings suggest that NCH-51 exhibits cytotoxicity by sustaining ROS at the higher level greater than SAHA. This study indicates the therapeutic efficacy of NCH-51 and novel insights for anti-HDAC therapy.Leukemia (2007) 21, 2344–2353; doi:10.1038/sj.leu.2404902; published online 9 August 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was prospectively designed to evaluate a phase II study of gefitinib for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. Clinical samples were tested for EGFR mutations by peptide nucleic acid-locked nucleic acid PCR clamp, and patients having EGFR mutations were given gefitinib 250 mg daily as the second treatment after chemotherapy. Poor PS patients omitted chemotherapy. Of 107 consecutive patients enrolled, samples from 100 patients were informative, and EGFR mutations were observed in 38 patients. Gefitinib was given to 27 patients with EGFR mutations, and the response rate was 78% (one complete response and 20 partial responses; 95% confidence interval: 58–93%). Median time to progression and median survival time (MST) from gefitinib treatment were 9.4 and 15.4 months, respectively. Grade 3 hepatic toxicity and skin toxicity were observed in one patient each. There were significant differences between EGFR mutations and wild-type patients in response rates (78 vs 14%, P=0.0017), and MST (15.4 vs 11.1 months, P=0.0135). A Cox proportional hazards model indicated that negative EGFR mutation was a secondary prognostic factor (hazards ratio: 2.259, P=0.036). This research showed the need for screening for EGFR mutations in NSCLC patients.British Journal of Cancer (2006) 95, 1483–1489. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6603466 www.bjcancer.com Published online 14 November 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been reported that the mitochondrial DNA 5178 adenine/cytosine (mt5178 A/C) polymorphism, also called NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2-237 methionine/leucine (ND2-237 Met/Leu) polymorphism, may be associated with longevity in Japanese individuals, and that the mt5178A genotype may have an antiatherogenic influence. To determine whether mt5178 A/C polymorphism influences blood pressure, we genotyped 412 healthy Japanese individuals and performed a cross-sectional study investigating the relationship between genotype and blood pressure. In women with mt5178A, the mean diastolic blood pressure was higher than in those with mt5178C by 3.2?mmHg (P=0.040). In men, no statistically significant difference in systolic or diastolic blood pressure was observed between mt5178 A/C genotypes. However, a significant correlation between mt5178 A/C genotypes and the effects of habitual drinking on blood pressure was found. After adjustment for several factors, in men carrying mt5178C, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure were significantly higher in daily drinkers than in occasional (P=0.002 and 0.002, respectively) as well as nondrinkers (P<0.001 and 0.001, respectively), whereas in men carrying mt5178A, no significant differences in blood pressure were detected, irrespective of alcohol consumption. These results suggest that mt5178 A/C (=ND2-237 Met/Leu) polymorphism may influence both diastolic blood pressure in Japanese women and the blood-pressure-increasing effect of drinking in Japanese men.Journal of Human Hypertension (2004) 18, 41-45. doi:10.1038/sj.jhh.1001632 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the immunohistochemical staining pattern of BAG-I protein in patients with colorectal cancer. Association of BAG-I expression with various clinicopathological factors and patient survival; Variation in the immunohistochemical staining patterns for BAG-I; Percent of exhibition of nuclear staining pattern and cytoplasmic staining.

BAG-1 is a recently identified Bcl-2-interacting anti-apoptotic protein. The aim of our study was to investigate the immunohistochemical staining pattern of BAG-1 protein in patients with colorectal cancer and examine associations of BAG-1 expression with various clinicopathological factors and patient survival. Tumour samples were collected from 86 patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer. There was significant variation in the immunohistochemical staining patterns for BAG-1, including absent staining and staining of either the cytoplasm, nucleus or both. Twenty-one colorectal carcinomas (24.4%) exhibited a nuclear staining pattern whilst 56 (65.1%) exhibited cytoplasmic staining. The percentage of cases exhibiting nuclear BAG-1 positivity was significantly higher in distant metastasis-positive cases (55.6%) than in distant metastasis-negative cases (20.8%; P=0.036). Overall survival was significantly shorter for patients with tumours exhibiting BAG-1 positive nuclei than those with absent nuclear BAG-1-staining (P=0.011). In addition, the multivariate cox proportional hazard models indicated that nuclear BAG-1 expression was the only independent prognostic variable for mortality (P=0.013). These studies demonstrate that nuclear BAG-1 expression is a useful predictive factor for distant metastasis and a poor prognosis in patients with colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

26,27-hexafluoro-1a,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (F6-D3) has been reported to be 5–10 times more potent than 1a,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3[1,25(OH)2D3] in biological systems in vivo and in vitro. However, the effect of F6-D3 on bone formation has yet to be clarified. In the present study, we investigated the effect of F6-D3 on SV40-transfected human fetal osteoblastic cells (SV-HFO) and found it to be about 100 times greater than that of 1,25(OH)2D3 in stimulating calcification. F6-D3 was also about 100 times more effective than 1,25(OH)2D3 in enhancing the expression of mRNA for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OCN), and osteopontin (OPN). In the presence of 10?8 M F6-D3 and 10?6 M 1,25(OH)2D3, the calcification began on day 9 and increased up to day 19. Expression of mRNA for ALP and OCN reached a maximum on day 4 and thereafter declined. On the other hand, when osteoblastic cells were incubated with a low level of [1b-3H]-F6-D3- or [1b-3H]-1,25(OH)2D3, each radioactive peak could not be detected. However, on the incubation of osteoblastic cells and radioactive substrate in the presence of ketoconazole, a selective inhibitor of CYP24, a clear peak for each substrate was detected. This suggested that F6-D3 as well as 1,25(OH)2D3 is metabolized by CYP24. Osteoblastic cells were incubated with 10?8 M[1b-3H]-F6-D3 or 10?8 M[1b-3H]-1,25(OH)2D3 for 4, 9, and 14 days. A small peak of 1,25(OH)2D3 was observed and thereafter its level decreased. In addition, two unknown peaks increased when the culture period was extended. In the case of F6-D3, peaks of F6-D3 and 26,27-hexafluoro-23-oxo-1a,25(OH)2D3(23-oxo-F6) were clearly detected, the latter being about 4 times higher than the former. Both peaks was retained up to day 14. The amount of unlabeled F6-D3 and 23-oxo-F6 calculated from the specific radioactivity in the cells may be similar to the amount of 1,25(OH)2D3 and its metabolites. The strong activity of F6-D3 in stimulating calcification may be due to the fact that F6-D3 is much more potent than 1,25(OH)2D3 in enhancing the expression of mRNA for ALP, OCN, and OPN and that the amount of F6-D3 and 23-oxo-F6 accumulated in the cells is much greater than that of 1,25(OH)2D3 and its metabolite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A loop flare that occurred on 22 April 1993 near the disk center is examined using the Yohkoh Hard X-ray Telescope (HXT). We specifically looked into the faint early phase of the flare prior to the start of the strong impulsive phase. The pre-impulsive phase, though weak in intensity, is expected to contain essential clues to the mechanism of loop flares according to the causality principle, but it has not received attention previously, probably due to the insufficient dynamic range and cadence of observations by the instruments on earlier satellites. Observations with Yohkoh/HXT can clarify what occurs in this phase. This flare, like many other flares of this type, shows a relatively weak emission with a smooth and gradual increase during this pre-impulsive phase, followed by impulsive bursts, and then turns into a smooth decay phase without impulsive bursts. First, we found that the spectrum for the initial smooth rise part is consistent with a thin-thermal source at a temperature around 80 MK. Imaging of this phase in the HXT/L and M bands shows a single source between the footpoint sources that will come up in the impulsive phase following this phase, suggesting that this hyperhot source is located at a high part of the loop between the footpoints, since this flare takes a form of a loop. Furthermore, as we go up to the earliest times of the flare before this `hyperhot' source phase, two fainter sources are found near the footpoint sources that will appear later in the impulsive phase. The spectra of these sources at this earliest time of the flare, in contrast to the `hyperhot' source, cannot be determined from the HXT because the instrument was not in flare mode, and HXT/M1, M2, and H-band data are, unfortunately, not available at this very initial time. We can guess, however, that they are also of thermal character because the time profile is smooth without any spikes just as in the following `hyperhot' thermal phase, and in the post-impulsive `superhot' thermal phase coming up much later. These findings suggest that there is an important, and probably dynamic, early phase in loop flares that has been unnoticed in the still dark pre-impulsive phase, because the very early footpoint sources change into the loop top source in a matter of 20–30 s, comparable to the dynamic Alfvén time scale. Some implications of our new findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report 2 patients with follicular lymphoma (FL) which was accompanied by Waldenström's macroglobulinemia (WM). One patient was a 65-year-old woman and the other a 60-year-old man. Both patients showed a high level of circulating macroglobulin (4.6 g/dL and 3.6 g/dL, respectively) and bone marrow involvement of small lymphoid cells. Moreover, in each case, the macroglobulin-producing component and the follicular component were determined to be of the same clone based on their identical light-chain restriction pattern and other factors. However, there was a difference in the histopathological characteristics of the macroglobulin-producing components of the 2 patients, especially the cytoplasmic immunoglobulin (Ig)M+ cell distribution in the biopsied lymph nodes. Test results for the female patient showed intrafollicular proliferation of those cells. The male patient's test results showed that IgM+ cells were located in the narrow extrafollicular areas of the lymph nodes. Our observations suggest that at least 2 different subtypes of FL may also be causative of a WM presentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mode of operation of selective oxidation reactions is described by a series of chemical rules defining the catalyst and some reaction intermediates. In contrast to catalytic processes over metallic elements, little is known, however, about the atomistic details of selective oxidation. In particular, the participation of the subsurface region of the catalyst in the kinetically relevant elementary steps (Mars–van Krevelen mechanism) is not positively verified. Using in situ X-ray absorption techniques to study binary and ternary molybdenum oxides the present contribution shows that it is possible to tackle some of the problems in selective oxidation by direct experimental observation. The modification of the Mo–O local bonding interaction upon thermal reduction of MoO3to MoO3- xis illustrated. This was also found for mixed Mo–V oxides in which the chemical state of the vanadium seemed unaffected by the reaction but the surface Mo : V ratio varied substantially with the gas phase composition. It is further shown that the solid-state phase transformation between reduced and oxidised forms of molybdenum oxides occur so rapidly, that possibly relevant suboxide cannot be identified by ex situ phase analysis. Observation of the time-law of redox transformations showed that lattice oxygen is only available for selective oxidation if the associated solid-state transformation occurs in the kinetic regime of reaction control and not in that of diffusion control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resistance mechanisms to fluoroquinolones in Staphylococcus aureus were clarified by analyzing mutations in the genes encoding target enzymes, and examining the expression of the efflux pump, and determining the inhibitory activities of fluoroquinolones against the altered enzymes. Mutations in the grlA and gyrA genes of 344 clinical strains of S. aureus isolated in 1994 in Japan were identified by combinations of methods – single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis, restriction fragment length analysis, and direct sequencing – to identify possible relationships with fluoroquinolone resistance. Five types of single-point mutations and four types of double mutations were observed in the grlA gene in 204 strains (59.3%). Four types of single-point mutations and four types of double mutations were found in the gyrA gene in 188 strains (54.7%). Among these mutations, the grlA mutation of TCC → TTC or TAC (Ser-80 → Phe or Tyr) and the gyrA mutation of TCA → TTA (Ser-84 → Leu) were the principal ones, being detected in 137 (39.8%) and 121 (35.2%) isolates, respectively. A total of 15 types of mutation combinations within both genes were related to ciprofloxacin resistance (MIC ≧3.13 μg/ml) and were present in 193 mutants (56.1%). Strains containing mutations in both genes were highly resistant to ciprofloxacin (MIC50 =50 μg/ml). Those strains with the Ser-80 → Phe or Tyr alteration in grlA, but wild type in gyrA showed a lower level of ciprofloxacin resistance (MIC50≦12.5 μg/ml). Levofloxacin was active against 68 of 193 isolates (35.2%) with mutations at codon 80 of grlA in the presence or absence of concomitant mutations at codons 73, 84, or 88 in gyrA (MIC ≦6.25 μg/ml). Sitafloxacin (DU-6859a) showed good activity in 186 of 193 isolates (96.4%), with an MIC of ≦6.25 μg/ml. The contribution of membrane-associated multidrug efflux protein (NorA) expression to fluoroquinolone resistance was clarified by the checker-board titration method for determining the MIC of norfloxacin alone and in combination with carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone. Among 344 clinical isolates, 139 strains (40.4%), in which the MIC of norfloxacin varied from 1.56 to >800 μg/ml, overexpressed the NorA protein. GrlA and GrlB proteins of topoisomerase IV, and GyrA and GyrB proteins of DNA gyrase encoded by genes with or without mutations were purified separately. The inhibitory activities of fluoroquinolones against the topoisomerase IV which contained a single amino acid change (Ser → Phe at codon 80, Glu → Lys at codon 84 of grlA, and Asp → Asn at codon 432 of grlB) were from 5 to 95 times weaker than the inhibitory activities against the non-altered enzyme. These results suggest that the mutations in the corresponding genes may confer quinolone resistance; the active efflux pump, NorA, was considered to be the third quinolone-resistance mechanism. The numerous and complicated mutations seen may explain the rapid and widespread development of quinolone resistance described in S. aureus. Sitafloxacin showed good antibacterial activity against ciprofloxacin- or levofloxacin-resistant mutants because of its high inhibitory activity against both topoisomerase IV and DNA gyrase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated whether the expression of membrane-type-1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP), matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) was consistent with the proposed roles of these proteins in promoting metastasis in colorectal cancer. The expression of MT1-MMP was significantly more frequent in deeply invasive carcinomas (P = 0.007) and in cases of vascular invasion (P = 0.02). The frequency of detection of MMP-2 in the stroma was much greater in vascular invasion-positive cases (42%) than in negative cases (20%;P = 0.02). The rate of detection of TIMP-2 in tumour cell cytoplasm increased with the depth of invasion (P = 0.03). TIMP-2 in the stroma was found more frequently in tumours with lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis (P &le 0.05). Significant correlations were found between detection of MT1-MMP and MMP-2 in tumour cell cytoplasm (P &le 0.05), of MT1-MMP and TIMP-2 in tumour cell cytoplasm (P &le 0.01), and of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 in tumour cell cytoplasm (P &le 0.01). Immunohistochemical detection of MT1-MMP and TIMP-2 might be useful for monitoring infiltration in colorectal carcinoma but is not correlated with distant metastases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the effects of ebselen on rat lung inflammatory responses against ozone exposure. Rats were treated with ebselen every 12 h from 1 h before a single 4-h exposure to 2 ppm ozone. Treatment with ebselen (10 mg/kg) signifi-cantly decreased pulmonary inflammation as indicated by the albumin concentration and the number of neutrophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid 18 h after the ozone exposure. Although treatment with ebselen did not alter the macrophage expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase after the ozone exposure, it did mark-edly inhibit the nitration reaction of tyrosine residues, suggesting that ebselen scav-enges peroxynitrite during ozone-induced pulmonary inflammation. Treatment with ebselen also enhanced the pulmonary expression of both copper, zinc, and manga-nous superoxide dismutases at the same time point. These enzymes may also con-tribute to a decrease in the formation of peroxynitrite by lowering the concentration of superoxide. Thus, ebselen represents a useful compound for protecting against certain acute lung injuries by modulating the oxidant-related inflammatory process. Key words: Ozone--Pulmonary inflammation--Ebselen--Peroxynitrite. Introduction Acute inhalation of ozone has been shown to cause pulmonary inflammation and tissue injury in many species [1, 6, 15, 23]. Although the initial adverse effects of ozone may be attributed to the direct damage of cellular lipids and proteins, subsequent patho-genesis of ozone-induced lung injury may involve the production of several cytotoxic mediators [12, 20]. Alveolar macrophages have been identified as a central modulator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to obtain stress ratio as well as stress intensity factor range which was applied on the material before failure from the fracture surface observation, the effect of stress ratio on fatigue striation height has been investigated on two different alloys (an Fe-3% Si single crystalline alloy and a 7075 polycrystalline aluminium alloy). Striation height has been measured both microscopically using a scanning tunnelling microscope and macroscopically using a scanning electron microscope. Striation height increased with decreasing stress ratio on both the materials at a given crack growth rate. This tendency was found by all the measuring methods used. This suggests that not only stress amplitude but also stress ratio which were applied on the material before the failure could be obtained by post-failure analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of the potential of osteoblasts to support bone resorption by osteoclasts in response to roughness on bone slices was examined in the co-incubation cell system of immature osteoclasts and osteoblastic cells. The immature osteoclasts, which need alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-positive osteoblastic cells for bone resorption, were generated in mouse spleen cultures with 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) and prostaglandin E(2). ALP-negative osteoblastic cells from mouse calvaria were incubated on rough surfaced bone slices for 3 days. The number of ALP-positive cells increased greatly on the rough surface, but little on the smooth surface. When immature osteoclasts were added and incubated for 1 more day, the resorption pit number and the total pit areas on the smooth surface were not much different from those before incubation but were approximately four times higher on the rough surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A magnetodynamic model to deal with the acceleration and collimation of jets as a part of the global process of gravitational contraction of the magnetized gas to the central gravitator is discussed. We first review its application to the star forming jet case with several observational supporting evidence. Then, a justification will be given for the extension of this to the AGN jet case, despite of the difference in orders of magnitudes in the scales as well as in the physical parameters. The results of actual application of this magnetodynamic mechanism to the AGN case will be presented together with the discussions for the origin of the radio lobes and hotspots, and we show that this mechanism can explain the enhancement of accretion and the formation of the jet + lobe system consistently with the genetic consideration of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We discuss here some of the new aspects about solar flares and active regions found by the Solar X-ray Satellite Yohkoh, by taking advantage of the wider dynamic range and higher cadence observations with higher spatial resolution compared with the previous satellites. Those new aspects have lead us to new ways of understandings, with contradictions to the previous views about flares and active regions that are widely conceived for a long time. We give some models that explain those newly revealed observational results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1988, Uchida and Shibata proposed a model for compact loop flares as due to the collision of two large amplitude torsional Alfvén wave packets coming up along a coronal magnetic loop, leaking out from the subphotospheric convective layers of the solar atmosphere. We investigate the possibility that active region transient brightenings occur when a single torsional Alfvén wave packet transits a coronal loop. Assuming this related origin for flares and transient brightenings, the statistics of the two phenomena must also be closely related. It is shown that the observed power-law frequency-energy distributions of flares and transient brightenings may be accounted for in a natural way if the energy distribution of the underlying torsional Alfvén wave packets is itself a power law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously we showed that tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibits lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity and its gene expression, an early marker of adipocyte differentiation, in cultured brown adipocytes. To know whether TNF-α also affects late events in brown adipocyte maturation, we examined the effect of TNF-α on obese gene expression and leptin secretion in mouse brown adipocytes differentiated in culture. TNF-α caused a concentration-dependent decrease in leptin accumulation in culture medium and leptin mRNA amount in brown adipocytes which constitutively express the ob gene. Time-course study showed that TNF-α significantly suppressed leptin secretion during incubation for 16, 24 and 48 h. Since some effect of TNF-α is mediated by activation of protein kinase C (PKC), the role of PKC in TNF-α-induced downregulation of ob gene expression and leptin secretion was studied. The suppressive effect of TNF-α on both ob gene expression and leptin secretion was blocked by PKC inhibitors such as bisindolylmaleimide I (BIM) and l-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine dihydrochloride (H-7). Incubation of brown adipocytes with TNF-α (20 ng/ml, 15 min) caused a rapid shift of PKC activity from the cytosolic to the membrane fraction, suggesting an activation of PKC by TNF-α in brown adipocytes. This effect of TNF-α was blocked by a selective PKC inhibitor, BIM. These results suggest that TNF-α promotes dedifferentiation of the brown adipocytes as evidenced by a downregulation in ob gene expression and leptin secretion via PKC-dependent mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The membrane sterol compositions of ten strains of Malassezia pachydermatis were analysed by gas-liquid chromatography. Six of these were wild-type strains from clinical sources that were sensitive to polyene antibiotics, whereas the other four strains were resistant mutants that had arisen after treatment with N-methyl- N′-nitrosoguanidine or UV radiation. The wild-type strains contained 838.8 to 1291.7 µg of sterol per gram of freeze-dried mycelium. The sterols were composed of 79% ergosterol, 19% fecosterol and 2% lichesterol. The mutant strains contained 277.1 to 348.8 µg/g of sterols composed of 76% ergosterol and 24% fecosterol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxide Mo4VO14, in its active state, is a partly reduced material with an ``amorphous'' structure. Temperature-programmed methods reveal that the active lattice oxygen gives rise to a desorption signal at 500 K, which is at the lower end of the temperature window for activity in the selective oxidation of n-propanol. The phase is metastable with respect to oxidative crystallisation into isotropic crystals of the title structure occurring at 781 K. Photoemission revealed in the zero bandgap semiconductor oxide of the amorphous state the MO6 octahedra to be distorted and the oxygen pumping activity to be related to oxidation-reduction cycles of metal d-states situated close to the Fermi energy. Structural studies by XRD and HRTEM showed that the oxygen-pumping state is a nanocrystalline modification of the title structure. The relation of the structural motif to the catalytic function is discussed for this compound and for the whole family of systems in the framework of the theory of glass formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of fullerenes and related support materials on the structural and catalytic properties of ruthenium was investigated. Catalysts based on C60, raw fullerene black, extracted fullerene black, cathode deposit and graphite were prepared by an impregnation/activation procedure with Ru3CO12. The local co-ordination sphere of the resulting highly dispersed X-ray amorphous ruthenium was investigated by means of EXAFS. The dominating role of the presence of non-six-membered carbon rings on the structure and the stability of the Ru particles will be illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have previously reported that vitamin K2 (VK2) but not VK1 has a potent apoptosis-inducing effect on freshly isolated leukemia cells from patients with various types of leukemia. By multi-color flow cytometric analysis using monoclonal antibody (mAb), APO2.7, which detects mitochondrial 7A6 antigen specifically expressed by cells undergoing apoptosis, we further investigated the apoptosis-inducing effect of VK2 on minor populations of leukemic blast cells in bone marrow from patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and overt myeloid leukemia (post-MDS AML). Limiting dilution of CD95 (anti-Fas) mAb-treated apoptotic Jurkat cells with nonapoptotic CTB-1 cells revealed that APO2.7-positive Jurkat cells were consistently detectable by flow cytometry when present at levels of at least 5% in the CTB-1 suspension. In patient samples the gating area for leukemic clone was determined using cell surface antigen-specific mAbs conjugated with either fluorescein isothionate (FITC) or phycoerythrin (PE) and subsequently the cells stained with phycoerythrin cyanine (PE-Cy5)-conjugated APO2.7 mAb were assessed within the gating area of the leukemic clone for monitoring apoptosis. Treatment of the bone marrow mononuclear cells with 3-10 microM of VK2 (menaquinone-3, -4 and -5) in vitro potently induced apoptosis of the leukemic blast cells as compared with the untreated control cells in all 15 MDS patients tested. This effect was more prominent on blastic cells than that on mature myeloid cells such as CD34-/CD33+ gated cells. In addition, VK2 performed much less effectively on CD3-positive lymphoid cells. In contrast to VK2, VK1 did not show apoptosis-inducing activity. These data suggest that VK2 may be used for treatment of patients with MDS in blastic transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generalized ridge estimator, which considers generalizations of mean square error, is presented, and a mathematical rule of determining the optimal k-value is discussed. The generalized ridge estimator is examined in comparison with the least squares, the pseudoinverse, the James-Stein-type shrinkage, and the principal component estimators, especially focusing their attention on improved adjustments for regression coefficients. An alternative estimation approach that better integrates a priori information is noted. Finally, combining the generalized ridge and robust regression methods is suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Very high purity In0GaAs layers were grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). Origins of n-type impurities in undoped InGaAs grown on an InP:Fe substrate were systematically examined. The most possible origins were impurities diffusing from the InP:Fe substrate and those contained in As molecular beam. These impurities were dramatically reduced by using an InAlAs buffer layer and a growth condition of high substrate temperature and low As pressure. The lowest electron concentration of the In0GaAs layer was n = 1.8 × 10 cm with mobilities μ = 15200 cm/Vs at 300 K and μ = 104000 cm/Vs at 77 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 7 May 1992 filament disappearance in the low corona is analyzed. The cool and hot components of this event are studied, using Hα, soft X-ray and radio data. We first show the general effect of the disparition brusque (DB) on the life of the filament, which was a quiescent filament in the vicinity of an active region, and then give the history of the development of the 7 May event. The main stages of the event are: (i) the formation of hot arches spanning the cool filament; (ii) rise of the filament, with plasma ejection into the corona, in which we note some spreading of loops from the main body, with two distinct rising velocity phases of the Hα filament; (iii) formation of X-ray arches below the filament, the foot points of the arcades being two-ribbon Hα flare patches. The dynamics of Hα and X-rays features are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bragg Crystal Spectrometer (BCS) is one of the instruments which makes up the scientific payload of the SOLAR-A mission. The spectrometer employs four bent germanium crystals, views the whole Sun and observes the resonance line complexes of H-like Fe xxvi and He-like Fe xxv, Ca xix, and S xv in four narrow wavelength ranges with a resolving power ( λ/Δλ) of between 3000 and 6000. The spectrometer has approaching ten times better sensitivity than that of previous instruments thus permitting a time resolution of better than 1 s to be achieved. The principal aim is the measurement of the properties of the 10 to 50 million K plasma created in solar flares with special emphasis on the heating and dynamics of the plasma during the impulsive phase. This paper summarizes the scientific objectives of the BCS and describes the design, characteristics, and performance of the spectrometers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SOLAR-A spacecraft is to be launched by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, Japan (ISAS) in August, 1991. As a successor of HINOTORI, this mission is dedicated principally to the study of solar flares, especially of high-energy phenomena observed in the X- and gamma-ray ranges. The SOLAR-A will be the unique space solar observatory during the current activity maximum period (1989-1992). With a coordinated set of instruments including hard X-ray and soft X-ray imaging telescopes as well as spectrometers with advanced capabilities, it will reveal many new aspects of flares and help better understand their physics, supporting international collaborations with ground-based observatories as well as theoretical investigations. An overview of this mission, including the satellite, its scientific instruments, and its operation, is given in this paper. Also the scientific objectives are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluates the apoptosis of neutrophils during the resolution of acute pulmonary inflammation induced by exposure to ozone. Analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid which shows increases in albumin concentrations and in the number of lavageable neutrophils indicating the presence of acute pulmonary inflammation; Use of light and electron microscopy to demonstrate engulfment of the neutrophils by macrophages.

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Copyright of Zeitschrift Für Krebsforschung Und Klinische Onkologie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article presents a study which investigates the exposures of tank truck drivers to benzene and other aromatic solvents during loading of petroleum products. The study examines 48 tank truck drivers who are exposed to petroleum products such as automobile unleaded gasoline. The study have found that the driver's maximum exposure to benzene for top loading was 19 parts per million (ppm) and five ppm for bottom loading, likewise, exposures to other solvents were more severe than benzene.