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Semiconducting nanowire devices were fabricated using photolithography and e-beam lithography, and their electrical properties were studied. Atmosphere pressure dependent electrical properties of the ZnO nanowire field effect transistor (FET) were studied and its analysis methods with PSPICE simulation were applied to explain the conductance changes in nanowire devices. A single ZnO nanowire FET was fabricated by electron beam lithography and its current-voltage characteristics were recorded with varying the atmosphere pressure to test the possible applications as a chemical gas sensor. Current-voltage characteristics showed typical non-ohmic behaviors, reflecting the influence of the contact barriers formed between the ZnO nanowire FET and metal electrodes. In this paper, an equivalent circuit model of the ZnO nanowire FET is suggested in order to model the contact barriers in nanowire devices, showing that most changes of the electrical conductance might originate from the contact region.

These Guidelines summarize the position of an Expert Panel on Menopause in Asian Women regarding the use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during the menopausal transition and thereafter. They are intended to aid gynecologists, family physicians and other health-care professionals in providing optimal care to menopausal Asian women who desire HRT.

Pohang Accelerator Laboratory (PAL) is developing a 14 cm period wiggler (MPW14) for high flux material science(HFMS) beamline. The MPW14 is a hybrid type device achieving higher peak flux density. PLS MPW14 features period of 14cm, minimum gap of 14mm, 24 full field poles, maximum flux density of 2.02 Tesla, and the total magnetic structure length of 2056mm. The peak flux density is higher compared to the other wigglers of similar pole gap and period. The high peak flux density has been achieved by using advanced new magnetic materials and optimized magnetic geometry. The magnetic performance of the MPW14 is measured using a conventional hall probe scanning system and flipping coil system. The newly developed angularly resolved flipping coil measurement system is very precise and fast. Due to its angular resolving feature, all higher order multipole contents of the MPW14 could be measured. In this article, all the developments efforts for the PLS MPW14 wiggler and the efforts for the angularly resolving flipping coil measurement system are described.

The spin-resolved 3p-3d resonant photoemission of Ni(110) has been achieved. The height of the dip profile appeared in the photon energy dependence of the spin polarization of the 6 eV satellite shows the same temperature dependence as the macroscopic magnetization. This indicates fluctuating local magnetic moments in Ni.

alpha-Synuclein is a presynaptic protein that accumulates abnormally in Lewy bodies of Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Its physiological function and role in neuronal death remain poorly understood. Recent immunohistochemical studies suggest that cell cycle-related phenomena may play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and perhaps other neurodegenerative disorders. In this investigation, we examined the effects of alpha-synuclein expression levels on cell cycle indices in PC12 cells engineered to conditionally induce alpha-synuclein expression upon withdrawal of doxycycline. Over-expression of alpha-synuclein resulted in enhanced proliferation rate and enrichment of cells in the S phase of the cell cycle. This was associated with increased accumulation of the mitotic factor cyclin B and down-regulation of the tumor suppressor retinoblastoma 2. Additionally, ERK1/2, key molecules in proliferation signaling, were highly phosphorylated. Immunohistochemical studies on postmortem brains revealed intense cyclin B immunoreactivity in Lewy bodies in cases with DLB and to a lesser extent in PD. We propose that elevated expression of alpha-synuclein causes changes in cell cycle regulators through ERK activation leading to apoptosis of postmitotic neurons. These changes in cell cycle proteins are also associated with ectopic expression of cyclin B in Lewy bodies.

Background HannaH demonstrated non-inferiority of the fixed-dose subcutaneous (SC) formulation of H compared with the intravenous (IV) formulation, based on co-primary endpoints of pharmacokinetics (Ctrough) and efficacy (pCR) (Jackisch et al, EBCC 2012). Methods Pts with HER2-positive, operable, locally advanced or inflammatory BC were randomised to receive 8 cycles of chemotherapy (4x docetaxel 75 mg/m2 followed by 4x FEC 600/75/600 mg/m2) concurrently with 3-wkly H, either SC (600 mg/5 mL) or IV (8 mg/kg to 6 mg/kg). After surgery, pts continued H-SC or IV to complete 1 year of treatment. Safety has been monitored until 24 mths after last dose of H, including cardiac monitoring. Results Safety data from 298 (IV) /297 (SC) HannaH pts were analysed. At a median F/U of 12.3 months, 116 pts had completed adjuvant treatment and received a median of 17.5 (IV) and 17.0 (SC) H cycles. Pt characteristics were balanced at baseline. Overall, safety was comparable between arms. Most common AEs (>25% in either arm) were alopecia, nausea, neutropenia, diarrhoea, asthenia, and fatigue, with similar incidence in the two arms. Incidence of severe AEs (≥ grade 3) was comparable between arms (both 52%); the most common of which were haematologic (36.9 [IV] v 35.4% [SC]), GI (6.4 v 5.7%) and infections (5.0 v 6.7%). Serious AEs (SAEs) were reported in 12.4% (IV) v 20.9% (SC) of pts. The imbalance was largely driven by increased reporting of SAEs in the “infections” disease category in the SC v the IV arm (38.7 v 35.1%). Multiple logistic regression analyses did not reveal interactions between route of H treatment, body weight, and exposure (AUC) for SAEs or grade 3–5 AEs. AEs led to the withdrawal of 2.3% (IV) and 5.7% (SC) pts, with a contribution from cardiac AEs (3.0% [SC] v 1.3% [(IV]). Grade 1/2 AEs were reasons for withdrawal in 43% (IV) v 61% (SC) of pts. Grade 1/2 cardiac AEs led to withdrawal in 1.0% (IV) v 2.0% (SC) of pts. Incidence of cardiac AEs was similar in both arms: 12.1% % (IV) v 11.4% (SC). Conclusions The safety profile of H-SC was comparable to that of H-IV. Detailed analyses of observed imbalances in SAEs and withdrawals will be provided. Disclosure C. Jackisch: I have participated in an advisory board for Roche. M. Johnston: I am currently an employee of Genentech Inc. D. Heinzmann: I am currently an employee of F. Hoffmann-La Roche. H. Weber: I am currently an employee of F. Hoffmann-La Roche. G. Ismael: I declare that my institute has received research funding from Roche and honoraria for attendance at conferences. All other authors have declared no conflicts of interest.

The authors present a real time hand gesture recognition system that controls the motion of a human avatar based on predefined dynamic hand gestures in a virtual environment. First, we note that recognition of a distinction between the start and end of a motion is needed and a lot of time is spent on learning in conventional recognition systems. To resolve this problem, we propose a recognition method using intelligent techniques. Then, we also present an obstacle-free path generation method to ensure that an avatar can navigate, avoiding obstacles in a virtual environment.

The tandem action of a homogeneous chiral Pd(II) catalyst and a heterogeneous Co/C catalyst leads to a two-step one-pot highly enantioselective Pauson-Khand-type reaction.

Microscopic structures of light emitting porous silicon layers have been studied. The samples prepared in an aqueous HF solution by anodizing p‐type silicon substrates show a strong positional dependence of photoluminescence and Raman spectra. The photoluminescence peaks are broad around 1.8 eV, where the photoluminescence intensities are comparable to that of GaAs at 5 K. We have found from Raman studies showing two characteristic peaks at 500 and 520 cm−1 that microscopic structures reveal gradual changes from porous silicon to a mixture of polycrystalline and hydrogenated amorphous phases as the probing spot is moved to the edge of the sample. This is explained by the redeposition of silicon atoms on top of the porous silicon layers near the edge of the sample as a result of liquid flow caused by bubbles of hydrogen gas which was produced near the surface of the sample during the anodization process.

The main inhibitory action of p27, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDKI), arises from its binding with the cyclin E/cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2) complex that results in G(1)-S arrest. Degradation of p27 is mediated by phosphorylation of Thr-187 of p27, which follows ubiquitination. In this study, we generated two adenoviruses expressing wild-type p27 (ad-p27wt) and mutant p27 (ad-p27mt), with mutation of Thr-187/Pro-188 (ACGCCC) to Met-187/Ile-188 (ATGATC), which was produced with the belief that mutant p27 would bind cyclin E/CDK2 more stably and show more potent antitumor effects. Ad-p27wt and ad-p27mt expressed p27 proteins that were indistinguishable by anti-p27 antibody. A pulse chase experiment showed that p27mt was more resistant to degradation than p27wt. In human lung cancer cell lines, ad-p27mt showed stronger growth inhibition than ad-p27wt. Both types of ad-p27 induced G(1)-S arrest and apoptosis; however, ad-p27mt induced stronger G(1)-S arrest and apoptosis. Intratumoral injection of ad-p27mt induced partial regression of established tumors and inhibited the growth of human lung cancer xenografts more strongly than ad-p27wt. From these results, we conclude that ad-p27mt has the potential to become a novel and powerful gene therapy tool.

To confirm that the ThinPrep Pap test (TP) is as effective as or more effective than the conventional Papanicolaou smear (CS) in detecting epithelial cell abnormalities in a population with cervical abnormalities.In a blinded, split-sample, matched-pair study, a CS was prepared using a cytobrush, and then TP slides were prepared from the remainder of the sample. All slides were evaluated as defined and classified by the Bethesda System. The results of the two cytologic tests were compared in 483 women relative to the histologic diagnoses of subsequent colposcopically directed cervical biopsies in 158 cases.The cytologic diagnoses from the two methods agreed exactly in 91.4% of cases. The comparison between the two cytologic diagnoses with reference to the histologic diagnosis of subsequent colposcopically directed cervical biopsies showed that TP was significantly more specific for diagnosing lesions than was CS. The sensitivity of the two methods was equivalent.In a population with cervical abnormalities, TP is more specific than and as effective as CS in detecting cervical epithelial cell abnormalities. TP improved the specificity of disease detection by reducing the atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance category and/or false positive cases.

A carboxylated derivative of sulfonylurea (SU), an insulinotropic agent, was synthesized and grafted onto a water-soluble polymer as a biospecific and stimulating polymer for insulin secretion. To evaluate the effect of the SU-conjugated polymer on insulin secretion, its solution in dimethyl sulfoxide was added to the culture of insulinoma cell line of MIN6 cells to make 10 nM of SU units in the medium and incubated for 3 h at 37 degrees C. The culture medium was conditioned with glucose concentration of 3.3 or 25 mM. To verify the specific interaction between the SU (K+ channel closer)-conjugated polymer and MIN6 cells, the cells were pretreated with diazoxide, an agonist of adenosine triphosphate-sensitive K+ channel (K+ channel opener), before adding the SU-conjugated polymer to the cell culture medium. This treatment suppressed the action of SUs on MIN6 cells. Fluorescence-labeled polymer with rodamine-B isothiocyanate was used to visualize the interactions, and we found that the labeled polymer strongly absorbed to MIN6 cells, probably owing to its specific interaction mediated by SU receptors on the cell membrane. The fluorescence intensity on the cells significantly increased with an increase in incubation time and polymer concentration. A confocal laser microscopic study further confirmed this interaction. The results from this study provided evidence that SU-conjugated copolymer stimulates insulin secretion by specific interactions of SU moieties in the polymer with MIN6 cells.

To investigate whether heat shock protein (Hsp) 72 is induced in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in experimental rat glaucoma and whether the induction of Hsp72 by heat stress or zinc (Zn(2+)) administration can increase survival of RGCs in the model.Intraocular pressure (IOP) was elevated unilaterally in Wistar rats with argon laser irradiation of the trabecular meshwork 5 days after intracameral injection of india ink. Immunohistochemical staining for Hsp72 was performed. The rats with elevated IOP were treated with heat stress once a week (six rats) or intraperitoneal injection of zinc (10 mg/kg) every two weeks (six rats). Untreated rats with elevated IOP served as a control group (six rats). Quercetin, an inhibitor of Hsp expression was injected in the rats with heat stress (six rats) and zinc injection (seven rats). Subsequent to 4 weeks of IOP elevation, RGCs were counted.The IOP increase compared with the contralateral eyes was 48% +/- 4% throughout the study period. Hsp72 was detected only in the eyes with elevated IOP at 1 and 2 days and was weakly detected at 1 week of IOP elevation. A single administration of zinc strongly induced Hsp72 in RGCs of rats with elevated IOP for 2 weeks. Treatment with heat stress or zinc in rats with elevated IOP increased RGC survival after 4 weeks of IOP elevation, compared with the untreated control group (P = 0.004, n = 6). Quercetin reversed the positive effect of heat stress or zinc injection on RGC survival.These results demonstrate the possibility of a novel therapeutic approach to glaucoma through an enhanced induction of the endogenous heat shock response.

The clinical manifestations and natural history of acute aortic intramural hemorrhage are not well characterized. Therefore, we have evaluated the differences in the clinical features and prognosis between acute intramural hemorrhage and acute classic aortic dissection. One hundred two consecutive patients with acute aortic syndrome were diagnosed between November 1994 and May 1999. The clinical features, treatment modalities and survival of these patients were analyzed. Thirty one of the 102 patients (30%) had intramural hemorrhage and 71 (70%) had aortic dissection. Patients with intramural hemorrhage were older than those with aortic dissection (mean ages 67 and 55 years, respectively) (p0.001), and intramural hemorrhage showed a lower proportion of type A than did aortic dissection (32% and 58%, respectively) (p = 0.018). The incidence of severe complications was significantly lower in patients with intramural hemorrhage than in those with aortic dissection (19% and 27%, respectively) (p0.001). Mean follow-up duration was 23.1+/-16.0 months. The overall death rate for patients with intramural hemorrhage (2 / 31; 6%) tended to be lower than those with aortic dissection (14 / 71; 20%) (p = 0.104). The Stanford classification and treatment modalities were not correlated with death. Late follow-up imaging studies in intramural hemorrhage showed partial to complete resolution of intramural hematoma (9 / 15; 60%). In this study, intramural hemorrhage was fairly common, more frequent among older patients, had a lower proportion of type A, and showed a lower incidence of severe complications and a more favorable prognosis in terms of mortality, than aortic dissection.

In the surgical repair of tetralogy of Fallot or pulmonary atresia, pulmonary regurgitation may be detrimental in the postoperative period. We have used homograft monocuspid valve patch to prevent pulmonary insufficiency.From September 1996 to December 1998, twenty-five patients, 4 months to 8 years of age (median 10.1 months) had homograft monocuspid valve in the procedure of right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction. The function of the monocuspid valve was assessed by echocardiogram and graded as trivial to mild, mild to moderate, moderate, and severe. We evaluated the degree of pulmonary insufficiency before discharge, at 3-6 months, and at 12 months after the operation.There was one hospital death due to fulminate adeno viral pneumonia. On echocardiogram, 21 patients (88%, 21/24) had no significant pulmonary insufficiency. Only one patient (4.5%) showed a moderate degree of pulmonary insufficiency. At 3-6 months, seventeen of twenty-one (81%) patients had no significant pulmonary insufficiency. There were fourteen patients who had follow-up over 1 year, and no patients showed newly developed significant pulmonary insufficiency.We concluded that the homograft monocuspid valve patch for right ventricular outflow tract reconstruction has provided excellent early results for the prevention of pulmonary insufficiency. However these effects are limited in duration and further close follow-up should be needed.

High frequency of p16 alteration and high local recurrence rate of bladder cancer make this cancer an ideal target for p16 gene therapy. However, a low transduction rate of p16 via adenoviral vector causes an inconsistent result. In this study, we have tested adenovirus-p16 in several bladder cancer cell lines and investigated a way of improving the low transduction rate. Adenovirus-p16 showed a strong antitumor effect on bladder cancer cell lines (253J and T24) with strong Coxackie-adenoviral receptor (CAR) expression but little antitumor effect on bladder cancer cell lines (J82 and HT1376) with little CAR expression. In this study, we suggest a simple way of overcoming the differential effects of the adenovirus. The addition of butyrate to media was found to increase the transduction rate of adenovirus remarkably and increase the antitumor effect of adenovirus-p16 in bladder cancer cell lines with little CAR expression. Butyrate effects were related with increased CAR expression on the cell surface as well as increased transgene expression from adenoviral vector. From these observations, application of adenovirus-p16 gene therapy with butyrate can overcome the obstacle of low gene transfer and enhance the antitumor effect of adenovirus-p16 in bladder cancer.

Although it has been suggested that some biological activities of platelet-activating factor (PAF) are mediated by, at least in part, reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI), the precise mechanisms underlying the interaction between the two remains to be elucidated. Antioxidants, such as alpha-tocopherol acid succinate, N-acetyl-L-Cysteine, pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate failed to inhibit PAF-induced immediate systemic reactions such as lethality, symptoms of disseminated intravascular coagulation, and histological changes such as pulmonary edema and hemorrhage in renal medullae 10 min following PAF injection. In contrast. antioxidants significantly inhibited both the in vivo and in vitro PAF-induced NF-kappaB activation and NF-kappaB-dependent TNF-alpha expression. The effects of the antioxidants were due to their inhibition of PAF-induced degradation of IkappaBalpha, a protein responsible for keeping NF-kappaB in an inactive form. A protein tyrosine kinase and N-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone sensitive serine protease were involved in both PAF- and H2O2-induced NF-kappaB activation. Collectively, these data indicate that the PAF-induced NF-kappaB activation is selectively mediated through the generation of ROI.

The expressed sequence tag (EST) databases are an attractive starting point for gene discovery for diseases like cancer. Validation of gene targets from these sequences (both known and novel) in cancers requires a comprehensive expression profiling. We identified from the Cancer Gene Anatomy Project database (CGAP), a hit called neurotensin receptor (NT-r) that was expressed in the pancreatic cancer cDNA libraries. Neurotensin (NT), a neuroendocrine peptide, exerts trophic effects in vivo and stimulates the growth of cancer-derived cell lines in vitro. High affinity neurotensin receptors (NT-r) are expressed in cancer-derived cell lines and in some primary tumors. To date, a comprehensive expression profile of the NT-r in diverse cancers and normal tissues has not been reported. A cancer-selective expression of NT-r, if demonstrable, may provide a basis for a diagnostic and potential therapeutic utility. We demonstrate that the NT-r is expressed in a variety of cancer-derived cell lines as well as primary tumors, but only in a select few normal tissues. The expression of NT, on the other hand, was detected in many normal tissues, but not in the cancer-derived cell lines. The NT expression however, was detected in the primary tumors. We further demonstrate that NT expression is stimulated by androgen deprivation in the prostate cancer models. These results demonstrate the usefulness of a panel of cDNA repository for rapid validation of potential cancer targets.

High throughput gene expression profiling is increasingly becoming a desirable method for identifying genes differentially expressed in disease versus normal tissues. Microarrays and gene chips containing hundreds to thousands of genes of interest, both known and novel, can be used to establish the expression profile of numerous genes in a single experiment. In order to validate the hits emerging out of such an experiment it is necessary to use an appropriate panel of the cDNA repository. We investigated the usefulness of such a method to identify prostate cancer-specific genes. A microarray containing 588 known genes was analyzed using cDNA probes derived from normal and three independent prostate tumors. At least 19/588 genes were found to be differentially expressed in the tumors in comparison to the normal tissue. Among the nine test genes chosen, one gene, Glutathione-S-transferase theta 1 (GSTT1), showed a correlation with the microarray results when analyzed by RT-PCR. Using a comprehensive panel of normal and tumor tissues and cancer-derived cell lines, we have rapidly validated the expression relevance of GSTT1 in solid tumors. The microarray was also useful in the preliminary identification of androgen-regulated genes in the prostate tumor models. These results indicate that microarray in combination with a relevant cDNA repository can facilitate rapid identification of potential targets for therapy and diagnosis of prostate and other cancers.

The restriction maps of the 20 kb Amy region of Drosophila melanogaster in Korean populations were surveyed from 27 isogenic second chromosome lines. A subset of these populations were also scored for isozyme type and adult enzyme activity of alpha-amylase. Among 34 kinds of restriction site variations that were observed in the 20 kb region surrounding the two transcriptional units of the duplicated Amy locus, nine were polymorphic (26.5%). The low frequencies at which each of the large insertions was found are consistent with earlier reports of variation in other loci. Restriction site variation in Korean populations provided an estimated heterozygosity per nucleotide pair of 0.007. Three pairwise comparisons showed relatively high levels of linkage disequilibria. The enzyme activity of the Chounan population showed no significant difference compared with that of the Pusan population, and the activity of heterozygotes was higher than that of Amy1. Lines bearing insertion/deletion exhibited relatively low enzyme activities. All lines examined showed the duplication of Amy transcriptional units that were highly conserved, and the manner of concerted evolution.

To examine the effects of androgens on erectile response and the expression of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoform mRNAs in the penile corpus cavernosum of castrated rats.The study comprised 50 adult male Sprague-Dawley rats in five groups: sham controls; castrated; castrated and receiving testosterone; castrated and receiving dihydrotestosterone (DHT); castrated and receiving testosterone and 5alpha-reductase inhibitor (finasteride). Androgen replacements were administered via implants of silicone tubing. After 7 days, some animals underwent electrical stimulation of the cavernosal nerves and the remainder were used for further analysis. NOS activity was measured in the soluble fraction of the corpus cavernosum, using the Griess reaction. Total RNA was isolated and nNOS and eNOS mRNA expression examined using semiquantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.Castration caused a marked decrease in erectile response and the ratio of maximal intracavernosal pressure (ICPmax) to systemic blood pressure (SBP), although both testosterone and DHT effectively restored the response to normal. NOS activity and the amount of nNOS mRNA were reduced in castrated rats but restored by androgen replacement. Although there was no significant difference in NOS activity between the androgens, nNOS mRNA expression was higher in rats treated with DHT. There were no effects of androgen in rats treated with finasteride, as the ICPmax/SBP ratio, NOS activity and amount of nNOS mRNA decreased. eNOS mRNA expression was independent of androgen.Androgens enhance nNOS gene expression in the penile corpus cavernosum of rats, suggesting that they play an important role in maintaining NOS activity. Of the two androgens, DHT was more potent.

Bowenoid papulosis (BP) of the genitalia, characterized by the histological findings of a squamous cell carcinoma, follows a largely benign clinical course. The detection of oncogenic human papilloma viruses (HPV) from BP points to an aetiological role of these viral infections. A 47-year-old man with multiple genital skin lesions was seen over a 10-year period with the diagnosis of BP. Recently, he attended again with a recurrent genital tumour that was diagnosed as squamous cell carcinoma. His genital lesions progressed and became polymorphic in appearance, from a wart-like tumour to a reddish invasive plaque. To screen for the presence of different HPV sequences from different skin lesions and to correlate each HPV type with distinct clinical manifestations, polymerase chain reaction and single-strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) were performed. PCR-SSCP revealed the presence of several types of HPV from different genital lesions. Sequencing results disclosed that he had a mixed infection of HPV6b, HPV16, HPV18 and HPV33, respectively. Interestingly, the clinical findings were fairly well correlated with the oncogenic potential of HPV found from each lesion.

The authors investigate change in optic disc topography after reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with glaucomatocyclitic crisis.During the attack of elevated IOP and after remission six eyes of six consecutive patients (46.3 +/- 12.7 years of age, 6 men) underwent optic disc imaging using confocal scanning laser tomography. For each imaging of one eye, a mean topograph was acquired after triple measurements with 15 degrees of field. Topical 0.5% timolol maleate and 1% prednisolone acetate with or without oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitor were administered after optic disc topography during the attack. The average time interval between the imaging during attack and after remission was 38.5 days (range, 21-87 days).Mean IOP during the attack and after remission, and percent decrease in IOP were: 43.3 +/- 10.4 mmHg, 13.5 +/- 6.5 mmHg, and 69.4 +/- 10.2%, respectively. Significant decreases in cup area, cup volume, cup/disc area ratio, and mean cup depth and significant increases in rim area and rim volume were observed after IOP reduction (Wilcoxon signed rank test). Significant associations were found between percent decrease in IOP and percent decrease in cup volume and percent increase in rim area and rim volume.In patients experiencing glaucomatocyclitic crisis, reversal of optic disc topography were associated with reduction of IOP.

This study was designed to allow systematic comparison of exposure on public (40-seater buses) and private (four passengers cars) transport modes for carbon monoxide (CO), methyl-tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), and benzene by carrying out simultaneous measurements along the same routes. There were statistically significant differences (p0.05) in the concentrations of all target compounds among the three microenvironments; inside autos; inside buses; and in ambient air. The target compounds were significantly correlated for all the three environments, with at least p0.05. The in-vehicle concentrations of MTBE and benzene were significantly higher (p0.0001), on the average 3.5 times higher, in the car with a carbureted engine than in the other three electronic fuel-injected cars. On the other hand, the CO concentrations were not significantly different among the four cars. The in-auto MTBE levels (48.5 micrograms/m3 as a median) measured during commutes in this study was 2-3 times higher than the New Jersey and Connecticut's results. The in-auto concentration of CO (4.8 ppm as a median) in this study was comparable with those in later studies in some American cities, but much lower than those in earlier studies in other American cities. The in-bus CO concentration was 3.6 ppm as a median. As a median, the in-auto concentration of benzene was 44.9 micrograms/m3, while the in-bus concentration 17.0 micrograms/m3. The in-auto/in-bus exposure ratios for all the target compounds was 31-40% higher than the corresponding concentration ratios, due to the higher travel speed on buses in the specified commute route as compared to the autos.

Integration of environmental aspects on manufacturing has been considered. Design for environment based on life cycle thinking is one of the approaches. To transfer adequate scientific environmental information into manufacturing process and to exchange socio-economic and ecological information, the information system for eco-effective manufacturing is very essential. Design, structure, and implementation of such information systems are described. Behavioural aspects of the systems such as attitude of users and training are also mentioned.

In this closure, the author states his agreements and disagreements with the discussers concerning his original article "Elastic Solution for Tunneling-Induced Ground Movements in Clays" (December 2004, Vol. 4 No. 4, pp. 310-318).

Transferrin binding protein (TfBP) is a glycoprotein originally purified from chicken oviduct that exhibits transferrin binding activity. Recent work has shown that TfBP is a post-translationally modified form of the heat shock protein (HSP108), the avian homologue of a glucose regulated protein, GRP94. The function of this protein, however, has not yet been clearly defined. Antiserum to TfBP was found to selectively stain oligodendrocytes of the avian brain. In this study, we further describe these oligodendrocytes and other cell types positive to anti-TfBP in the chick nervous system. In accordance with previous studies, the most prominent cell type that labels with antiserum to TfBP is the oligodendrocyte. At the electron microscopic level, the immunoreactive product is confined to the perinuclear cytoplasm and fine processes of the oligodendrocytes, whereas myelin and axoplasm are devoid of staining. The immunoreactive product is found both in the cytoplasmic matrix and bound to the endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane, suggesting that TfBP may have properties of both a soluble and an integral membrane protein. There is great variability in the number of TfBP-oligodendrocytes in different areas of the central nervous system (CNS); large numbers of cells are associated with the white matter regions and are found in the myelinated tracts, whereas few cells are present in the gray matter regions. In the retina, TfBP is localized specifically in the cells, that are morphologically oligodendrocytic and is present in the optic nerve fiber layer and the ganglion cell layer. Obvious staining is also seen in the Bergmann glial cells of the cerebellum and in the Schwann cells of the sciatic nerve. Furthermore, the choroid plexus cells similarly exhibit a strong reaction. The association of TfBP in these specific cell types responsible for myelination and sequestering iron and transferrin implies that TfBP may be involved in myelination and iron metabolism of the chick nervous system, perhaps through a role in transferrin concentration in these cells. A putative role of TfBP, as HSP108, is considered.

CFC-101, a Pseudomonas vaccine, was administered to beagle dogs by intramuscular injection for 4 weeks (5 days/week) at 0.05, 0.15 and 0.45 mg/kg/d. Clinical signs considered to be related to treatment were restricted to swelling at the injection sites, being apparent 1-2 h after treatment. There was no effect on body weight, food consumption, ophthalmoscopy, electrocardiography, hematology, biochemical and urinary parameters. The histopathological examination revealed treatment-related changes at the injection sites at all dosages, particularly in the hindlimbs where both perivascular and intramuscular aggregations of inflammatory cells were seen. Thus, the only treatment-related changes seen in this study were local reactions to the test substance at the injection sites; furthermore these changes seem to represent a pharmacological response to the test material. Because no evidence of any systemic toxicity was observed at any dosage level, it is concluded that dosages of CFC-101 up to and including 0.45 mg/kg/d were well tolerated over a period of 4 weeks in the beagle dog.

Block copolymers consisting of poly (gamma-benzyl L-glutamate) and poly (ethylene oxide) as the hydrophobic and hydrophilic components, respectively were prepared. Cell attachment onto the surfaces of block copolymers fabricated either as well-defined ordered Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films or solvent cast microphase-separated structures was studied. On ordered LB surfaces, adherent fibroblasts were larger than on the microphase-separated cast surfaces within 15 min. The difference in cell adhesion between LB films and cast surfaces increased with increasing PEO contents in block copolymer. Adherent cells increased with an increase in surface pressure of LB films in any polymer. Phase-contrast microphotographs of adherent cells showed rapid and extensive morphologic changes associated with the LB surface as compared to cast film surfaces. The number of cells grown on the LB surface is greater than that on the cast film.

CFC-101 is a novel Pseudomonas vaccine with high effectiveness against Pseudomonas infection and is currently under clinical evaluation. The general pharmacological properties of this vaccine were evaluated in mice, rats, guinea pig ileum, and dogs. In vivo doses of 0.2, 2.0 and 20 mg/kg given by intramuscular route, or in vitro concentrations up to 50 micrograms/ml were used. Intramuscular administration of CFC-101 vaccine had no effect on the central nervous system except that the body temperature of rats was slightly decreased at the highest dose, 20 mg/kg. CFC-101 vaccine did not affect the function of smooth muscles, gastrointestinal system, and cardiovascular and respiratory systems. In water and electrolytes excretion test, a decrease in urine output and an elevation of the excretion of Na+, Cl- and total protein at the highest dose (20 mg/kg) were observed. In summary, CFC-101 vaccine had no pharmacological effect in these studies even up to the 100-fold clinical dose, 2 mg/kg.

To assess the effect of topical cyclosporine on the function of filtering blebs and fibroblast proliferation after glaucoma drainage implant surgery in rabbits.Intraocular pressure, flow resistance through the implant capsule, and fibroblast density in the capsule were compared between 12 eyes that received implant surgery only (group A) and 11 eyes treated with topical 2% cyclosporine twice a day for 2 weeks after implant surgery (group B).There were significantly larger decreases in intraocular pressure at 1,2,4, and 8 weeks postoperatively in group B than in group A (n = 12, P.05). Flow resistance was significantly lower in group B than in group A (n = 5, P.05) at 8 weeks postoperatively. Fibroblast density was not significantly different between the two groups (n = 3, P.05).These results suggest that topical 2% cyclosporine may enhance the effectiveness of glaucoma drainage implant surgery.

The combination of percutaneous manual and endoscopic Ho:YAG laser discectomy (PELD) is a new minimal intervention technique in treating patients with herniated lumbar discs that do not penetrate the posterior longitudinal ligament. The results in 100 patients treated with PELD were compared randomly with those in 100 patients treated by chemonucleolysis with chymopapain (CN) and 100 patients treated by automated percutaneous lumbar discectomy (APLD) at the same hospital. We followed the 300 patients postoperatively for 1 year, with physical examination, postoperative plain lumbosacral radiography, CT, MRI and a self-assessment questionnaire. Some 68% of the patients in the PELD group considered the outcome as excellent or good and 23% as fair; the corresponding figures were 55% and 27% in the CN group, and 48% and 32% in the APLD group. Nine percent of the patients in the PELD group underwent open microdiscectomy or were suffering from back pain with sciatica, compared with 18% in the CN group and 20% in the APLD group. PELD showed better extraction of the hernia mass than APLD and a lower rate of low back pain and less decrease in disc height than CN.

To evaluate the amount of the pupillary block component in primary angle-closure glaucoma, the dark-room prone-position test was carried out in 30 eyes of 20 primary angle-closure glaucoma patients, before and one month after argon laser iridotomy. The pupillary block component in the prone position (5.8 +/- 5.6 mmHg), which is the amount of reduction in IOP rise in the post-laser dark-room prone-position test, composed 67.8% of the IOP rise in the pre-laser dark-room prone-position test (8.6 +/- 5.6 mmHg). The amount of the pupillary block component correlated significantly with the IOP rise in the pre-laser dark-room prone-position test (r = 0.880, P0.001). The amount of the non-pupillary block component was relatively constant and correlated poorly with the IOP rise in the pre-laser dark-room prone-position test (r = 0.163, P = 0.386). The pupillary block component was significantly larger than the non-pupillary block component in the eyes with an IOP rise ofor = 7 mmHg in the pre-laser dark-room prone-position test (P0.01). The dark-room prone-position test could be useful in evaluating the pupillary block component in angle-closure glaucoma eyes and helpful in making a decision for laser iridotomy.

Coxiella burnetii is a well-known causative agent of granulomatous inflammation and an inducer of morphological changes and transformation of human B lymphocytes in vitro. An association of the organism with polymorphic reticulosis (PMR), a malignant granulomatous inflammation characterized by polymorphic lymphocytes, was examined. The infection of C. burnetii was demonstrated in all cases tested, especially in polymorphic lymphocytes. Also the presence of morphologically transformed peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) infected with C. burnetii was demonstrated. In cultures of blood lymphocytes, C. burnetii-infected polymorphic cells identified as B cells became immortalized in vitro. These findings implicate the role of C. burnetii in the process of PMR.

SRPX2 (Sushi repeat-containing protein, X-linked 2) has recently emerged as a multifunctional protein that is involved in seizure disorders, angiogenesis and cellular adhesion. Here, we analyzed this protein biochemically. SRPX2 protein was secreted with a highly post-translational modification. Chondroitinase ABC treatment completely decreased the molecular mass of purified SRPX2 protein to its predicted size, whereas heparitinase, keratanase and hyaluroinidase did not. Secreted SRPX2 protein was also detected using an anti-chondroitin sulfate antibody. These results indicate that SRPX2 is a novel chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG). Furthermore, a binding assay revealed that hepatocyte growth factor dose-dependently binds to SRPX2 protein, and a ligand–glycosaminoglycans interaction was speculated to be likely in proteoglycans. Regarding its molecular architecture, SRPX2 has sushi repeat modules similar to four other CSPGs/lecticans; however, the molecular architecture of SRPX2 seems to be quite different from that of the lecticans. Taken together, we found that SRPX2 is a novel CSPG that is overexpressed in gastrointestinal cancer cells. Our findings provide key glycobiological insight into SRPX2 in cancer cells and demonstrate that SRPX2 is a new member of the cancer-related proteoglycan family.

Rationale: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and its potent agonists have been widely studied in pancreatic islet b-cells. However, GLP-1 receptors are present in many extrapancreatic tissues including macrophages, and thus GLP-1 may have diverse actions on these tissues and cells. Therefore, we examined the mechanism by which exendin-4 (EX-4), a potent GLP-1 receptor agonist, inhibits lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced iNOS expression in Raw264.7 macrophage cells. Methods: The expression of iNOS, p-IuBa and p65 were detected by Western blot analysis and content of nitrite was measured using Griess reagent. Additionally, iNOS mRNA expression and promoter activity were observed by Northern blot analysis and luciferase assay, respectively. To observe the stability of iNOS mRNA and protein, actinomycin D chase and cycloheximide chase studies were performed, respectively. Also, we examined using adenylate cyclase inhibitor, PKA inhibitor and PKA gene silencing. Results: EX-4 significantly inhibited LPS-induced iNOS protein expression and nitrite production. However, EX-4 did not inhibit LPS-induced iNOS mRNA expression and iNOS promoter activity. Consistent with the result of iNOS promoter, LPS-induced IuBa phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of p65 were not inhibited by EX-4. Also, actinomycin D chase study showed that EX-4 did not affect iNOS mRNA stability. Meanwhile, cycloheximide chase study demonstrated that EX-4 significantly accelerated iNOS protein degradation. The EX-4 inhibition of LPS-induced iNOS protein was significantly reversed by adenylate cyclase inhibitors (MDL-12330A and SQ 22536), a PKA inhibitor (H-89) and PKAa gene silencing. Conclusion: These findings suggest that EX-4 inhibited LPS-induced iNOS protein expression at protein level, but not at transcriptional mechanism of iNOS gene and this inhibitory effect of EX-4 was mainly dependent on cAMP/PKA system.

A numerical analysis was performed to evaluate the convective heat transfer coefficients at the particle-liquid interface as a time-dependent function of system properties for liquid foods containing particulates. The transient energy equations for the sphere and fluid were solved by an alternating-direction implicit method to find the temperature distribution near the particle surface for near zero relative velocity, Re = 0.1. The instantaneous convective heat transfer coefficients varied over the sphere surface and heat flow reversal was observed near the rear stagnation region, which caused the displacement of the coldest point from the center to the particle surface. Lethality computations showed that the critical point was shifted from the particle center toward the rear stagnation point.