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To explore the potential mechanism of trichloroethylene (TCE)-induced apoptosis in normal human epidermis keratinocyte (NHEK) by assaying the Caspase activities, mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsim) and apoptosis in vitro.NHEK was exposed to TCE and Caspases-3, 8 and 9 activities were determined using a commercial assay kit. Apoptosis and DeltaPsim were detected by flow cytometry (FCM) after double-stained with annexin-V and PI, Rh123 and PI respectively. NHEK was pretreated with inhibitor of Caspase-3 or 9 to verify the activation of Caspases by TCE treatment.Various dose of TCE exposure could increase the Caspases-3 and 9 activities in dose- and time-dependent way. There was marked difference between TCE-treated group and control at 12 or 24 h. But no significant influence of Caspase-8 activity was evoked. 0.125, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mmol/L TCE treated NHEK 4 h then cultured for 12 h. Annexin-V(+)/PI(-) proportion were (20.1 +/- 4.1)%, (30.0 +/- 7.5)%, (42.1 +/- 8.2)%, (56.0 +/- 6.1)% and (79.1 +/- 4.3)% respectively. There was marked difference between TCE-treated group except for 0.125 mmol/L and control (9.4 +/- 3.0)% (all P0.05). FITC(+)/PI(-) proportion were marked positive correlation with Caspase-3 and 9 activities, r = 0.786, 0.736 (both P0.05). Caspase-3 activities had also a marked positive correlation with Caspase-9 activities, r = 0.845 (P0.05). There was no correlation with Caspase-8 activities. Pretreatment for 1 h with 100 micromol/L Z-DEVD-FMK decreased the Caspase-3 activities from (0.963 +/- 0.043) to (0.349 +/- 0.045) nmol pNA * min(-1) * ml(-1), annexin-V(+)/PI(-) proportion decreased from (80.0 +/- 5.5)% to (16.3 +/- 3.2)% in 2.0 mmol/L TCE treated NHEK with a significant difference (P0.01), but there was no change of Caspase-9 activities. 100 micromol/L Z-LEHD-FMK pretreatment decreased the Caspase-3 activities to (0.338 +/- 0.011) nmol pNA * min(-1) * ml(-1), annexin-V(+)/PI(-) proportion decreased to (16.1 +/- 1.7)% in 2.0 mmol/L TCE treated NHEK. And the Caspase-9 activities decreased from (0.821 +/- 0.031) to (0.240 +/- 0.043) nmol pNA * min(-1) * ml(-1) with a significant difference (P0.01). NHEK was cultured for 4, 8, 12, 24 h after a 4-hour treatment with 2.0 mmol/L TCE. Rhod123 fluorescence intensity (FI) were respectively with a marked decrease as compared with 0 h (18.7 +/- 0.5, all P0.01). At 0.125, 0.5 and 2.0 mmol/L TCE treated NHEK for 4 h then cultured 8 h, Rh123 FI were 16.1 +/- 0.5, 12.1 +/- 0.6 and 8.1 +/- 0.6 with a marked decrease as compared with control (18.1 +/- 0.5, all P0.01).TCE-induced NHEK apoptosis is mediated intrinsically through the mitochondrial pathway of the decrease of DeltaPsim and the Caspase-9 dependent activation of Caspase-3.

Radiosensitivity of tumors is due to a complex interaction of various factors, it has been reported that survivin also acts as a constitutive and inducible radioresistance factor in a panel of tumor cells and approaches designed to inhibit survivin expression or function may lead to tumor sensitisation to chemical and physical agents. Previously, we found that the plasmid encoding the phosphorylation-defective mouse survivin threonine 34-->alanine mutant complexed to DOTAP-chol liposome (Lip-mS) can suppress murine primary breast carcinoma. However, little is known regarding the biological effect of Lip-mS combined with radiation. The present study was designed to determine whether Lip-mS could enhance the anti-tumor activity of radiation. The Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC) cells treated with a combination of Lip-mS and radiation displayed apparently increased apoptosis compared with those treated with Lip-mS or radiation alone. Mice bearing LLC tumors were treated with intravenous injections of Lip-mS and radiation, the combined treatment significantly reduced mean tumor volume compared with either treatment alone. Moreover, the anti-tumor effect of Lip-mS combined with radiation was greater than their additive effect when compared with the expected effect of the combined treatment. These data suggest that inhibition of survivin using a dominant-negative mutant, survivin T34A, could sensitize LLC cells to radiation efficiently and the synergistic anti-tumor activity may in part result from increasing the apoptosis of tumor cells, inhibiting tumor angiogenesis and inducing a tumor-protective immune response in the combined treatment.

We study the effect of government transition on firm performance and the board composition of government-linked companies (GLCs) and explore the motivation for board restructuring of GLCs. Specifically, we examine two questions: (1) what the motivation is for board restructuring, and (2) whether the change in board composition affects subsequent firm performance. The empirical results indicate that the policy factor is the key determinant in board re-election of GLCs. The motivation of board restructuring after a powershift is mainly for control purposes rather than performance enhancement, which may explain why the market reacts negatively in the beginning to board restructuring announcements in GLCs. Furthermore, board restructuring after a powershift does not enhance subsequent firm performance.

We have evaluated the role of circulating serum immunoglobulins (IgG) which inhibit the growth of thyroid in the etiology of thyroid atrophy in endemic cretinism. Twenty nongoitrous cretins (13 women and 7 men, age range: 9-33) were classified on the basis of clinical criteria for cretinism in China. They were born and living in an iodine deficient area, Xinjiang, northwest China. Antimicrosomal antibody titers were negative in all serum. Nine patients (seven women and two men; age range: 11-23) were biologically primary hypothyroid. Seven subjects were of a myxedematous form and two subjects were of a mixed form. We have studied thyroid-growth inhibiting immunoglobulin (TGII) activity that was measured as an inhibitory effect of 4 mg/ml IgG on TSH-induced [3H]-thymidine incorporation into the DNA of a rat thyroid follicular cell line, FRTL5 cells. Six (five women and one man) out of the nine patients with primary hypothyroidism (66.7 percent) had TGII. We also measured other growth-blocking IgG that inhibited [3H]-thymidine incorporation into DNA stimulated by insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), a growth factor working through a cAMP-independent pathway. Five (three women and two men) out of nine patients (55.6 percent) with nongoitrous primary hypothyroidism had IGF-I-blocking IgG. These results indicate that TGII plays an important role in atrophy of the thyroid in spite of increased serum TSH concentrations, and IgG which inhibits thyroid growth stimulated by IGF-I also might play a role in thyroid atrophy in some endemic cretins.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

New Frechet-type dendritic BINOL ligands bearing several BINOL units at the periphery have been successfully synthesized. The (dendritic BINOL) Ti(IV) complexes were proved to be efficient catalysts for the enantioselective addition of diethylzinc to aromatic aldehydes. Moreover, these ligands could be quantitatively recovered and reused at least five times without a loss of the yield and enantioselectivity.

Multilayer films of oligo(pyrenebutyric acid) (OPB) and N,N'-bis(N,N-dimethylaminopropylaminopropyl)-3,4,9,10-perylenediimide (BDMAPAP-PDI) were successfully fabricated by layer-by-layer deposition. Multilayer growth was monitored by ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, ellipsometry, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). It was found that extraction was scarcely observed although both components (OPB and BDMAPAP-PDI) have low molecular weights and both electrostatic interactions and pi-pi stacking contributed to the multilayer deposition. The multilayers exhibit a rapid photocurrent response, and excitations of both OPB and BDMAPAP-PDI can lead to the effective charge dissociation. The incident photon to current conversion efficiency (IPCE) of the composite film with 5 bilayers was measured to be 1.29% at the absorption peak of BDMAPAP-PDI. Fluorescence quenching and photovoltaic conversion studies indicated that strong photoinduced charge transfer interactions occurred at the area of OPB/BDMAPAP-PDI heterojunction in the films, which strongly enhanced the photoresponse of the multilayer films.

This paper investigates the effect of price limits on strategically informed trading and market performances. We show that a price limit will increase the costs of liquidity traders and volatility spillover by its ex ante effects on strategically informed trading. Our study differs from prior research by focusing on informed traders' strategies and information competitiveness. With long-lived information or less information competitiveness, the price limit rule encourages stealthily informed trading, distorts the price dynamics and increases the trading costs of small liquidity traders. Volatility subsequent to a limit-hit is also increased. By using the listed firms in the Taiwan Stock Exchange, we provide empirical evidences that informed traders switch to trade with small orders when they encounter a price limit and volatility spillover exists. Furthermore, this negative effect is more sever for those stocks with less information competitiveness. Our findings suggest that the ex ante effects of price limits on market performances may be contrary to what the stabilizing mechanism is intended to achieve, especially for those firms with less information competitiveness

To explore mechanism of dermal toxicity of trichloroethylene(TCE).Normal human keratinocytes (KC) were isolated from foreskins of healthy donors undergoing circumcision by two-step trypsin digestion and cultured in serum-free medium. Cells were treated with medium, 1% acetone (volume fraction) 0.125, 0.500 or 2.000 mmol/L TCE for different time (4, 8, 12 or 24) hours. After treatment, MTT assay and ATPase activity detected, inhibition ratio of mitochondrial enzyme was calculated according to optical density (A) value of MTT assay. Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) was detected by flow cytometry FCM after being stained with Rhodamine123 (Rh123). Morphological changes were also observed through transmission electron microscope (TEM).Cellular viability and ATPase activity declined with dose of TCE, while inhibition ratio of mitochondrial enzyme increased with dose of TCE. FCM results showed that after treatment with 2.000 mmol/L TCE, fluorescence density of Rh123 decreased quickly from 18.73 +/- 0.45(0 h) to 8.20 +/- 0.66(8 h) (P0.01). After 8 h, fluorescence density maintained at the level equal to that of 8 h (fluorescence density of Rh123 were 8.20 +/- 0.36 and 8.20 +/- 0.40 for 12 and 24 h respectively, compared with that for 8 h group, P0.05). The results also showed that MMP diminished with dose of TCE. Under TEM, mitochondria in TCE-treated group appeared extensive swelling and vacuolar degeneration with less matrix and obscure or vanished mitochondria cristae but in control group, mitochondrial structure was integrated, with uniform matrix and visible mitochondria cristae.TCE could inhibit mitochondrial metabolic enzyme, reduce ATP production, diminish MMP, and destroy ultrastructure of mitochondria in KC, all these contributing to the cytotoxicity of TCE.

We study the effect of the government transition on firm performance and board composition of government-linked companies (GLCs) and explore the motivations of board restructuring of GLCs. Specifically, we examine two questions: (1) what is the motivation of board restructuring, and (2) whether the change in the board composition affects the subsequent firm performance. The empirical results indicate that the policy factor is the key determinant in the board re-election of GLCs. The motivation of board restructuring after the powershift is mainly for control and spoils purposes rather than performance enhancement, which may explain why the market reacts negatively to the board restructuring announcement in GLCs. Finally, none of the board restructuring factors can explain the change in firm performance after the powershift, the only significant factor is the policy factor.

This paper examines the relationship between private benefits and the discount of private equity offerings. Measuring private benefits in terms of both control rights and cash flow rights for insiders and outsiders, we find that control right is the dominant factor in private placement discounts. Private benefits are the most important factor in pricing private equity offerings, explaining 17.7% of private placement discount, and 16% of which comes from control right, only 2% from ownership. Furthermore, insiders are willing to pay more for private offerings than outsiders especially in high ownership concentration (greater than 25%) case. Finally, we find that contrary to the literature in corporate governance, the level of control seems to mean more to insiders than the deviation between control right and ownership in private equity offerings.

To investigate the clinical character and surgical management in coexistence of cervical and lumbar spine disease.53 cases with coexistence of cervical and lumbar spine disease were analyzed for clinical character and follow-up outcomes. 19 single cervical operation cases, 16 single lumbar operation cases and 7 combined cervical lumbar operation cases, all patients were recorded with JOA score.The cases with cervical and lumbar intervertebral disc showed at least 2 segments. After 6 months follow-up, 35/44 cases symptom were relieved obviously, of which 24/35 cases were single operation, relief rate is 75.9%, satisfactory rate is 80.0%; of which 11/35 cases were continuous cervical lumbar operation, relief rate is 78.4%, satisfactory rate is 78.5%. 6/44 cases' symptom with only cervical or only lumbar operation were relieved incompletely, 3/44 cases' symptom with second operation relieved incompletely. 5 cases missed diagnosis on the first operation. 29 cases with responsible focus, of which 25 cases were followed up, relieved obviously, relief rate is 76.5%, satisfactory rate is 96.0%.The cases with cervical and lumbar intervertebral disc showed at least 2 segments, the same basis of the spinal canal stenosis and disc herniation is degeneration of spine. certain responsible focus and correct surgical management can get good treatment results.

Hotien county in Xinjiang province, China, is an area of severe iodine deficiency and has a high infantmortality rate. We investigated whether iodine replacement through iodination of the irrigation water would decrease infant mortality.We added potassium iodate to irrigation water over a 2 to 4 week period beginning in 1992 in certain areas of three townships (Tusala, Long Ru, and Bakechi). Logistic regression analysis was used to compare the odds ratios for infant and neonatal mortality in treated and intreated areas.The median urinary iodine concentration significantly increased in women of child-bearing age from10 micrograms/L to 55 micrograms/L. Infant-mortality rates decreased in the treated areas of Long Ru (mean [SD] 58.2 [4.4] per 1000 births to 28.7 [7.1] per 1000 births), Tusala (47.4 [12.4] per 1000 births to 19.1 [1.5] per 1000 births), and Bakechi (106.2 [9.5] per 1000 births to 57.3 [7.3] per 1000 births). Similar results were also seen for neonatal mortality. On regression analysis iodine treatment and time were significant independent predictors of infant mortality.Iodine supplementation of irrigation water in areas of severe iodine deficiency decreases neonatal and infant mortality. Iodine replacement has probably been an important factor in the national decrease in infant mortality in China.Hotien county in Xinjiang province is an area of severe iodine deficiency which also has a high infant mortality rate (IMR). The authors investigated whether iodine replacement through iodination of irrigation water would decrease the level of infant mortality. Potassium iodine was added to irrigation water over a 2-4 week period beginning in 1992 in certain areas of Long Ru, Tusala, and Bakechi. The median urinary iodine concentration significantly increased in women of child-bearing age from less than 10 mg/l to 55 mg/l, while IMR decreased in Long Ru from a mean of 58.2/1000 births to 28.7/1000, in Tusala from 47.4/1000 to 19.1/1000, and in Bakechi from 106.2/1000 to 57.3/1000. Similar results were also observed for neonatal mortality. Iodine treatment and time were significant independent predictors of infant mortality.

To explore the effects of large dose of Astragalus membranaceus (Astragalus) on the dentritic cell (DC) induction in vitro and augumentation by peripheral mononuclear cell (MNC) and on antigen presenting ability of DC in children with acute leukemia.Forty-four children with acute leukemia in complete remission stage were divided into two groups. Twenty patients in the Astragalus (90 g daily) group were treated with large dose of Astragalus (90 g daily) based on conventional chemotherapy for one month, while 24 patients in the control group received chemotherapy alone. MNC were extracted from peripheral blood by wall-sticking method and cultured with such cell factors as interleukin-4, gramulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor, tumor necrosis factor-alpha for 7-8 days. Phenotype of DC was assayed by flow cytometry and antigen presenting ability of them was assayed by mixed lymphocyte reaction.There was no morphological difference in MNC induced DC between the two groups. The average number of DC in Astragalus group and control group was 4.4 x 10(6) / 2.5 x 10(6) MNC and 2.6 x 10(6) / 2.5 x 10(6) MNC, respectively, showing significant difference (P0.001). DC in Astragalus group could stimulate the proliferation of allogeneic lymphocytes strongly, showing significant difference when compared with that in the control group (P0.001). Conclusion Large dose of Astragalus could increase the DC induction of MNC and enhance the antigen presenting ability of DC in acute leukemia patients.

To investigate the apoptosis-inducing effect of trichloroethylene (TCE) on cultured normal human epidermis keratinocytes (NHEK) in vitro.NR(50) values (the concentration of neutral red absorbed is reduced to 50%) of TCE on NHEK were assayed by neutral red uptake (NRU), and the administered dose of TCE was determined. Lipid peroxidation (LPO) and oxidative stress were assessed by measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA) contens and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to observe morphologic changes, flow cytometer (FCM) was used to measure DNA contents and calculate cell apoptosis rate and proliferation index (PI).NR(50) values of TCE on NHEK was found to be 4.53 mmol/L (95% CI: 3.92-5.13 mmol/L). The increase in MDA content and inhibition of SOD activity in a concentration-dependent manner were shown after NHEK was treated with a series of dose of TCE 4 h later, and typical morphologic changes of apoptosis were also observed by TEM examination. FCM analysis revealed a sub-G(1) peak in the apoptotic cells. The apoptotic rate in TCE 0.125, 0.500, 2.000 mmol/L exposed groups (31.83%, 38.63%, 44.35%, respectively) were significantly higher than that in blank control (18.42%), while PI in TCE 0.125, 0.500, 2.000 mmol/L group (3.26%, 2.48%, 2.07%, respectively) were significantly lower than that in blank control (4.99%).TCE may induce apoptosis of cultured NHEK in vitro, and inhibit cell proliferation through lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress.

In this study, we are able to estimate the probability of informed trading on a transactional basis, which makes the hitherto difficult task of examining the transactional dynamics between informed trading, market depth and spread feasible. In addition, we have integrated the determinants of informed trading by a comprehensive analysis. We find that, as informed traders arrive, current volume and spread increase. This supports the clustering of trading hypothesis and provides empirical evidence to Admati and Pfleiderer (1988) viewpoint that both volatility and volume increase with informed trading. The VAR result suggests that uninformed traders avoid trading with the informed, and the decision of the uninformed depends on previous condition. The decision of the informed is based more on current situation and is attracted by price volatility. Overall, it is clear that the ultimate determinants of informed trading lies with the firm's financial quality and ownership structure. The condition of the market influences the timing of the informed trading, rather than the level of informed trading between firms.

The major difference between this study and the literature is in the estimation of the true IPO discount. We point out that initial return consists of two parts: the true discount of the offer price as well as the market reaction on the listing. By comparing the true discounts in traditional underwritten IPOs and the emerging direct public offerings(DPOs), we find that DPOs have both lower initial returns and lower discounts than IPOs, furthermore, DPOs have positive market reaction(overreaction) while IPOs have negative market reaction(underreaction) in the first month. The reason for the smaller discount of DPOs is not due to underwriting mechanism or firm characteristics, but that DPOs investors have less information asymmetry problem than their counterpart in IPOs. However, the DPO investors may be overconfident on their private information, which leads to market overreaction in the first month. Key words: DPO, IPO discount, initial return, overconfidence, information asymmetry

In this paper we estimate the probability of informed trading (Pi) in an order-driven stock market as well as perform a comprehensive analysis on the interrelations among probability of informed trading and three common performance indicators, i.e., liquidity, volatility and efficiency. We find that uninformed traders exhibit price chasing behavior even over very short time interval and that volatility in stock price attracts uninformed traders. Using 3SLS which takes into consideration the endogeneity of the probability of informed trading and the liquidity, volatility and efficiency measures, our empirical results provide new evidence on market microstructure literature. We find that Pi and the volatility and liquidity of stocks are simultaneously determined. Higher Pi leads to lower liquidity and higher volatility, and vice versa. Liquidity can explain volatility and efficiency, while the opposite is not true. Firms with larger size, higher ownership concentration and lower turnover have higher probability of informed trading.

Background Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) is generally activated in solid tumors and results in tumor cell anti-apoptosis and drug resistance. Paeonol (Pae, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxyacetophenone), is a natural product extracted from the root of Paeonia Suffruticosa Andrew. Although Pae displays anti-neoplastic activity and increases the efficacy of chemotherapeutic drugs in various cell lines and in animal models, studies related to the effect of Pae on ER stress–induced resistance to chemotherapeutic agents in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are poorly understood. Methodology/Principal Findings In this study, we investigated the effect of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response during resistance of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells to doxorubicin. Treatment with the ER stress-inducer tunicamycin (TM) before the addition of doxorubicin reduced the rate of apoptosis induced by doxorubicin. Interestingly, co-pretreatment with tunicamycin and Pae significantly increased apoptosis induced by doxorubicin. Furthermore, induction of ER stress resulted in increasing expression of COX-2 concomitant with inactivation of Akt and up-regulation of the pro-apoptotic transcription factor CHOP (GADD153) in HepG2 cells. These cellular changes in gene expression and Akt activation may be an important resistance mechanism against doxorubicin in hepatocellular carcinoma cells undergoing ER stress. However, co-pretreatment with tunicamycin and Pae decreased the expression of COX-2 and levels of activation of Akt as well as increasing the levels of CHOP in HCC cells. Conclusions/Significance Our results demonstrate that Pae reverses ER stress–induced resistance to doxorubicin in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells by targeting COX-2 mediated inactivation of PI3K/AKT/CHOP.

A series of 4′-(R)-hydroxy-5′-(S)-hydroxymethyl-tetrahydrofuranyl purines and pyrimidines were synthesized by the reaction of 3,4-epoxy-5-(S,trans)-dimethoxymethyl-tetrahydrofuran and nucleobases under the catalysis of potassium tert-butoxide and 18-crown-6. Compounds 6a, 6c and 7b have shown significant inhibition on the growth of HL-60 cells. The phosphotriester and phosphodiester of isonucleoside 8a-d were synthesized and cytotoxic activities were reported. The conformation of isonucleosides in solution was studied by 1H NMR.

To explore the effect of diabetic duration and blood glucose level on insulin like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) gene expression and serum IGF-1 level.Diabetes was induced into Sprague Dawley rats by alloxan and then the rats were subdivided into different groups with varying blood glucose level and diabetic duration. The parameters were measured as follows: IGF-1 mRNA by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), IGF-1 peptide and serum IGF-1 concentration by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).During early diabetic stage (week 2), in comparison with normal control group (NC), IGF-1 mRNA (1.17 +/- 0.069 vs 0.79 +/- 0.048, P0.001; 1.17 +/- 0.069 vs 0.53 +/- 0.023, P0.0005, respectively), IGF-1 peptide contents [(196.66 +/- 14.9) ng/mg(-1) vs (128.2 +/- 11.25) ng/mg(-1), P0.0005; (196.66 +/- 14.9) ng/mg(-1) vs (74.43 +/- 5.33) ng/mg(-1), P0.0001, respectively] were reduced in liver tissues of diabetic rats. The IGF-1 gene downregulation varied with glucose control level of the diabetic state, and deteriorated gradually further with duration of diabetes. By month 6, hepatic tissue IGF-1mRNA was 0.71 +/- 0.024 vs 1.12 +/- 0.056, P0.001; 0.47 +/- 0.021 vs 1.12 +/- 0.056, P0.0005, respectively. IGF-1 peptide was (114.35 +/- 8.09) ng/mg(-1) vs (202.05 +/- 15.73) ng/mg(-1), P0.0005; (64.58 +/- 3.89) ng/mg(-1) vs (202.05 +/- 15.73) ng/mg(-1), P0.0001 respectively. Serum IGF-1 was also lowered in diabetic group with poor control of blood glucose. On week 2, serum IGF-1 concentrations were (371.0 +/- 12.5) ng/mg(-1) vs (511.2 +/- 24.7) ng/mg(-1), P0.0005, (223.2 +/- 9.39) ng/mg(-1) vs (511.2 +/- 24.7) ng/mg(-1), P0.0001 respectively. By month 6, (349.6 +/- 18.62) ng/mg(-1) vs (520.7 +/- 26.32) ng/mg(-1), P0.0005, (188.5 +/- 17.35 vs 520.7 +/- 26.32) ng/mg(-1), P0.0001, respectively. Serum IGF-1 peptide change was significantly correlated with that in liver tissue (r=0.99, P0.001). Furthermore, no difference was found in the above parameters between diabetic rats with euglycemia and non-diabetic control group.The influence of diabetic status on IGF-1 gene expression in liver tissues is started from early diabetic stage, causing down regulation of IGF-1 expression, and progresses with the severity and duration of diabetic state. Accordingly serum IGF-1 level decreases. This might indicate that liver tissue IGF-1 gene expression is greatly affected in diabetes, thus contributing to reduction of serum IGF-1 level.

This paper provides an explanation for the typical and often overlooked occurrence ofundersubscribed rights offerings. We argue that due to subscription costs it may be incorrect to presume that rights offerings will be fully subscribed simply because the subscription price is set below market. We present ordinary least squares estimates and Tobit estimates which support our subscription cost rationale.

Multiple myelomas (MMs) are etiologically heterogeneous and there are limited treatment options; indeed, current monoclonal antibody therapies have had limited success, so more effective antibodies are urgently needed. Polyclonal antibodies are a possible alternative because they target multiple antigens simultaneously. In this study, we produced polyclonal rabbit anti-murine plasmacytoma cell immunoglobulin (PAb) by immunizing rabbits with the murine plasmacytoma cell line MPC-11. The isolated PAb bound to plasma surface antigens in several MM cell lines, inhibited their proliferation as revealed by MTT assay, and induce apoptosis as indicated by flow cytometry, microscopic observation of apoptotic changes in morphology, and DNA fragmentation on agarose gels. The cytotoxicity of PAb on MPC-11 cell lines was both dose-dependent and time-dependent; PAb exerted a 50% inhibitory effect on MPC-11 cell viability at a concentration of 200 µg/ml in 48 h. Flow cytometry demonstrated that PAb treatment significantly increased the number of apoptotic cells (48.1%) compared with control IgG (8.3%). Apoptosis triggered by PAb was confirmed by activation of caspase-3, -8, and -9. Serial intravenous or intraperitoneal injections of PAb inhibited tumour growth and prolonged survival in mice bearing murine plasmacytoma, while TUNEL assay demonstrated that PAb induced statistically significant apoptosis (P < 0.05) compared to control treatments. We conclude that PAb is an effective agent for in vitro and in vivo induction of apoptosis in multiple myeloma and that exploratory clinical trials may be warranted.

This paper develops an algorithm for determining the distortion in a two-dimensional pattern from perturbations in its projections. The algorithm is based on the biproportional model which uses the x- and y- projections of the pattern's matrix for distortion analysis. This method is an iterative procedure, adjusting at each iteration its x- and y- projections until they converge. This paper derives the mathematical basis of the method and simulation programs which have been developed. The method is then applied to an example, the image processing of sample cells of human chromosomes with sister chromatid exchanges.

A new electron trapping material is described together with a preliminary characterization. The material is used for correlation in the space domain between many stored images and an incoming image. As the material may be written and read it is possible to store the images against which the input is to be matched on film and then to map these one at a time onto the material for correlation. It would be useful if the material could be used for matched filtering in the frequency domain because this provides shift invariance. The difficulty of having different frequencies for read and write is shown to be unimportant. However, present samples cannot be used in the frequency because of scattering.