Hindlimb suspension inhibits air-righting due to altered recruitment of neck and back muscles in rats

Effects of 9-week hindlimb suspension and 8-week recovery on air-righting reaction in response to drop from a supine position were studied in adult rats. The righting time in rats at the end of suspension (approximately 220 ms) was longer than the age-matched controls (approximately 120 ms, p <0.05). The unloading-related change in righting time was accompanied by lowered activities of electromyogram (EMG) and altered recruitment of both neck and back muscles at a specific stage of drop. After 8 weeks of reambulation, righting time recovered toward the control level (approximately 153 ms, p <0.05), but the EMG activity of back muscle was still less than controls. In contrast, the EMG of neck muscle during fall was even increased. The differences in the characteristics of the muscle fibers between two groups were minor. It is suggested that inhibition of recruitment, rather than the changes in the fiber characteristics, of neck and back muscles is one of the major causes of the slow air-righting.

Adenocarcinoma of mammary-like glands in the vulva successfully treated by weekly paclitaxel

An 87-year-old was referred for gynecologic evaluation of a lesion involving the left labia majus noted 3 years earlier. Fine-needle aspiration cytology revealed clusters with an acinous structure or glandular formation. The tumor appeared as cell clusters with linear arrangements. Histologic examination showed the same morphologic findings as scirrhus type of primary breast carcinoma. Examinations of the breasts and axillary lymph nodes were normal. This disease was diagnosed as an adenocarcinoma arising in mammary-like glands of the vulva. Bone scan showed multiple foci in the sternum, costa, and vertebrae, consistent with metastatic disease. We administered five courses of weekly paclitaxel chemotherapy, which achieved a partial response. There were no severe adverse effects. In our case, the fine-needle aspiration cytology was a rapid and minimally invasive method of diagnosis, and the findings were extremely similar to those of the scirrhus type of primary breast carcinoma. Rapid and accurate diagnosis made with this technique might contribute to a good prognosis in the early-staged cases. Weekly paclitaxel chemotherapy may be one of the safe and effective treatments for this disease with distant metastases, even in extremely aged patients (over 80 years).

Open charm yields in d+Au collisions at squareroot[sNN]=200 GeV

Midrapidity open charm spectra from direct reconstruction of D0(D0)-->K-/+pi+/- in d+Au collisions and indirect electron-positron measurements via charm semileptonic decays in p+p and d+Au collisions at squareroot[sNN]=200 GeV are reported. The D0(D0) spectrum covers a transverse momentum (pT) range of 0.1<pT<3 GeV/c, whereas the electron spectra cover a range of 1<pT<4 GeV/c. The electron spectra show approximate binary collision scaling between p+p and d+Au collisions. From these two independent analyses, the differential cross section per nucleon-nucleon binary interaction at midrapidity for open charm production from d+Au collisions at BNL RHIC is dsigma(NN)cc/dy=0.30+/-0.04(stat)+/-0.09(syst) mb. The results are compared to theoretical calculations. Implications for charmonium results in A+A collisions are discussed.

Azimuthal anisotropy and correlations at large transverse momenta in p + p and Au + Au collisions at square root sNN=200 GeV

Results on high transverse momentum charged particle emission with respect to the reaction plane are presented for Au + Au collisions at square root s(NN)=200 GeV. Two- and four-particle correlations results are presented as well as a comparison of azimuthal correlations in Au + Au collisions to those in p + p at the same energy. The elliptic anisotropy v(2) is found to reach its maximum at p(t) approximately 3 GeV/c, then decrease slowly and remain significant up to p(t) approximately 7-10 GeV/c. Stronger suppression is found in the back-to-back high-p(t) particle correlations for particles emitted out of plane compared to those emitted in plane. The centrality dependence of v(2) at intermediate p(t) is compared to simple models based on jet quenching.

Contrast-Enhanced High-Resolution MRI of Invasive Breast Cancer:Correlation with Histopathologic Subtypes

OBJECTIVE

We sought to determine whether contrast-enhanced MRI could aid in the identification of the histopathologic subtypes of invasive ductal carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We evaluated the contrast-enhanced MR images obtained in 62 women with invasive ductal carcinoma of no special type. The presence or absence of three distinct MRI findings-linear enhancement, a serrated border, and delayed rim enhancement-was evaluated. Classification and regression tree analyses were performed to construct the most efficient algorithm for predicting histopathologic subtype on the basis of dynamic MRI features.

RESULTS

Histopathologic subtypes of the invasive ductal carcinomas were scirrhous carcinoma in 22 patients, solid tubular carcinoma in 14, and papillotubular carcinoma in 26. A lesion with a serrated border was observed in 28 (45.2%) of the 62 patients. Delayed rim enhancement was seen in 23 (37.1%) and linear enhancement in 20 (32.3%). Scirrhous carcinomas were closely associated with a serrated border (20/22 or 90.9%, p < 0.0001). Delayed rim enhancement was frequently observed in solid tubular carcinomas (12/14 or 85.7%, p < 0.0001) but was not typically seen in scirrhous carcinomas (1/22 or 4.5%, p < 0.0001). Linear enhancement showed relatively high prevalence in papillotubular carcinomas (13/26 or 50%) and low prevalence in solid tubular carcinomas (1/22 or 7%, p < 0.02). Histopathologic subtypes of invasive breast carcinoma of no special type could be correctly identified in 47 (75.8%) of 62 lesions using the diagnostic algorithm generated by the classification and regression tree analyses.

CONCLUSION

MRI features showed a close relationship with histopathologic subtypes of invasive ductal carcinoma of no special type. Contrast-enhanced MRI can be a noninvasive diagnostic tool for histopathologic subtypes of invasive breast cancer.

[Report of cytological diagnosis: new reporting form for breast cytology]

New reporting form for breast cytology was reported. The reporting form was consisted of diagnostic category and cytological findings. Diagnostic category was classified roughly into 2 of inadequate and adequate. Adequate was divided into four items of "normal or benign", "indeterminate", "suspicious of malignancy" and "malignant". Inadeguate was less than 10% of all cytological cases. "Indeterminate" cases established less than 10% of the adequate cases. The cases diagnosed to be "suspicious of malignancy" provided that it was desirable that more than 90% were malignant by the later histological diagnosis. In the cytological findings, expected histological type of the breast should be included.

Tension- and afferent input-associated responses of neuromuscular system of rats to hindlimb unloading and/or tenotomy

Responses of electromyogram (EMG) in soleus muscle and both afferent and efferent neurograms at the fifth lumbar (L5) segmental level of spinal cord were investigated during acute and chronic unloading induced by hindlimb suspension and/or tenotomy in adult rats. The soleus EMG and afferent neurogram decreased 88 and 37%, respectively, relative to those at quadrupedal posture on the floor after acute hindlimb suspension that causes passive shortening of soleus due to ankle plantarflexion. However, the afferent neurogram ( P < 0.05) and soleus EMG ( P > 0.05) recorded on the floor increased after tenotomy of synergists. Furthermore, the afferent input was inhibited when the soleus EMG disappeared after tenotomy of soleus. The afferent neurogram and EMG of the soleus showed correlated responses to a variety of treatments, suggesting that the afferent neurogram recorded at the L5segmental level reflects the neural input associated with the activity level of the soleus predominantly. The level of efferent neurogram decreased after acute hindlimb suspension but was not influenced significantly by tenotomy of synergists and/or soleus itself. The EMG and afferent neurograms remained low up to the 4th day but recovered to the preexperimental levels within 14 days, due to reorganization of sarcomere number and length, as well as the shortening of muscle fiber length and recovery of tension development. It is suggested that the levels of EMG and afferent neurogram associated with antigravity muscle are closely related to the tension development of the muscle.

Multistrange baryon production in Au-Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=130 GeV

The transverse mass spectra and midrapidity yields for Xis and Omegas are presented. For the 10% most central collisions, the (-)Xi(+)/h(-) ratio increases from the Super Proton Synchrotron to the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider energies while the Xi(-)/h(-) stays approximately constant. A hydrodynamically inspired model fit to the Xi spectra, which assumes a thermalized source, seems to indicate that these multistrange particles experience a significant transverse flow effect, but are emitted when the system is hotter and the flow is smaller than values obtained from a combined fit to pi, K, p, and Lambdas.

Cross sections and transverse single-spin asymmetries in forward neutral-pion production from proton collisions at sqrt[s]=200 GeV

Measurements of the production of forward high-energy pi(0) mesons from transversely polarized proton collisions at sqrt[s]=200 GeV are reported. The cross section is generally consistent with next-to-leading order perturbative QCD calculations. The analyzing power is small at x(F) below about 0.3, and becomes positive and large at higher x(F), similar to the trend in data at sqrt[s]< or =20 GeV. The analyzing power is in qualitative agreement with perturbative QCD model expectations. This is the first significant spin result seen for particles produced with p(T)>1 GeV/c at a polarized proton collider.

Identified particle distributions in pp and Au+Au collisions at square root of (sNN)=200 GeV

Transverse mass and rapidity distributions for charged pions, charged kaons, protons, and antiprotons are reported for square root of [sNN]=200 GeV pp and Au+Au collisions at Relativistic Heary Ion Collider (RHIC). Chemical and kinetic equilibrium model fits to our data reveal strong radial flow and long duration from chemical to kinetic freeze-out in central Au+Au collisions. The chemical freeze-out temperature appears to be independent of initial conditions at RHIC energies.

Rho0 production and possible modification in Au+Au and p+p collisions at square root [sNN] = 200 GeV

We report results on rho(770)(0)-->pi(+)pi(-) production at midrapidity in p+p and peripheral Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV. This is the first direct measurement of rho(770)(0)-->pi(+)pi(-) in heavy-ion collisions. The measured rho(0) peak in the invariant mass distribution is shifted by approximately 40 MeV/c(2) in minimum bias p+p interactions and approximately 70 MeV/c(2) in peripheral Au+Au collisions. The rho(0) mass shift is dependent on transverse momentum and multiplicity. The modification of the rho(0) meson mass, width, and shape due to phase space and dynamical effects are discussed.

Azimuthal anisotropy at the relativistic heavy ion collider: the first and fourth harmonics

We report the first observations of the first harmonic (directed flow, v(1)) and the fourth harmonic (v(4)), in the azimuthal distribution of particles with respect to the reaction plane in Au+Au collisions at the BNL Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Both measurements were done taking advantage of the large elliptic flow (v(2)) generated at RHIC. From the correlation of v(2) with v(1) it is determined that v(2) is positive, or in-plane. The integrated v(4) is about a factor of 10 smaller than v(2). For the sixth (v(6)) and eighth (v(8)) harmonics upper limits on the magnitudes are reported.

Particle-type dependence of azimuthal anisotropy and nuclear modification of particle production in Au+Au collisions at square root of sNN=200 GeV

We present STAR measurements of the azimuthal anisotropy parameter v(2) and the binary-collision scaled centrality ratio R(CP) for kaons and lambdas (Lambda+Lambda) at midrapidity in Au+Au collisions at square root of s(NN)=200 GeV. In combination, the v(2) and R(CP) particle-type dependencies contradict expectations from partonic energy loss followed by standard fragmentation in vacuum. We establish p(T) approximately 5 GeV/c as the value where the centrality dependent baryon enhancement ends. The K(0)(S) and Lambda+Lambda v(2) values are consistent with expectations of constituent-quark-number scaling from models of hadron formation by parton coalescence or recombination.

How do cells move along surfaces?

The movement of cells along surfaces is a complex phenomenon that consists of several interrelated processes, including cell-substratum adhesion, and extension and retraction of the cell edge, in which the actin cytoskeleton plays a crucial role. The past decade has seen increasingly detailed molecular-based investigations into cell motility, but it is still not known how molecular events are integrated to give cell movement. Molecular studies are now beginning to be linked to a more global concept of how whole cells move, and this combined approach promises to yield new insights into cell locomotion.

Screening of tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin-degrading fungi capable of producing extracellular peroxidases under various conditions

Forty-six pulp-bleaching fungi were screened for production of key enzymes for conversion of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins--lignin peroxidase (LiP), manganese peroxidase (MnP), and manganese-independent peroxidase (MiP)--under various conditions that would allow their utilization in the environment. Of 38 MnP-producing strains with MiP activity, 22 produced LiP. Three of the new isolates, Bjerkandera sp. strains MS191, MS325, and MS1167, were the best producers of the three different peroxidases, and had reasonable growth rates. The most promising Bjerkandera sp. strain, MS325, exhibited significant levels of LiP and MnP activities under various conditions, e.g., nutrient nitrogen-sufficient or -limited conditions, conditions with or without Mn(II), and changes in temperature (15-37 degrees C). Furthermore, the ability of this strain to degrade 1,3,6,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin was confirmed. The results presented here indicate that utilization of Bjerkandera sp. strain MS325 on a practical scale in the environment has several advantages over many white rot fungi, which produce extracellular peroxidases only under specific conditions such as nutrient limitation.

Pion-Kaon correlations in central Au+Au collisions at square root [sNN] = 130 GeV

Pion-kaon correlation functions are constructed from central Au+Au STAR data taken at sqrt[s(NN)]=130 GeV by the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The results suggest that pions and kaons are not emitted at the same average space-time point. Space-momentum correlations, i.e., transverse flow, lead to a space-time emission asymmetry of pions and kaons that is consistent with the data. This result provides new independent evidence that the system created at RHIC undergoes a collective transverse expansion.

Three-pion Hanbury Brown-Twiss correlations in relativistic heavy-ion collisions from the STAR experiment

Data from the first physics run at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=130 GeV, have been analyzed by the STAR Collaboration using three-pion correlations with charged pions to study whether pions are emitted independently at freeze-out. We have made a high-statistics measurement of the three-pion correlation function and calculated the normalized three-particle correlator to obtain a quantitative measurement of the degree of chaoticity of the pion source. It is found that the degree of chaoticity seems to increase with increasing particle multiplicity.

Transverse-momentum and collision-energy dependence of high-pT hadron suppression in Au+Au collisions at ultrarelativistic energies

We report high statistics measurements of inclusive charged hadron production in Au+Au and p+p collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV. A large, approximately constant hadron suppression is observed in central Au+Au collisions for 5<p(T)<12 GeV/c. The collision energy dependence of the yields and the centrality and p(T) dependence of the suppression provide stringent constraints on theoretical models of suppression. Models incorporating initial-state gluon saturation or partonic energy loss in dense matter are largely consistent with observations. We observe no evidence of p(T)-dependent suppression, which may be expected from models incorporating jet attenuation in cold nuclear matter or scattering of fragmentation hadrons.

The effect of endocrine disrupting chemicals on thyroid hormone binding to Japanese quail transthyretin and thyroid hormone receptor

We investigated the effect of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), including medical, industrial, and agricultural chemicals, on 3,3',5-L-[125I]triiodothyronine ([125I]T3) binding to purified Japanese quail transthyretin (qTTR), a major thyroid hormone-binding protein in plasma, and to the ligand-binding domain of thyroid hormone receptor beta (qTR LBD). Scatchard plots of T3 binding to qTTR and qTR LBD revealed two classes of binding sites, with Kd values of 6.9 and 185 nM, and a single class of binding sites, with Kd value of 0.31 nM, respectively. Among the test chemicals, diethylstilbestrol was the most powerful inhibitor of [125I]T3 binding to qTTR (IC50 < 0.4 nM). Diethylstilbestrol, ioxynil (IC50 =1.1+/-0.5 nM) and pentachlorophenol (IC50 = 6.3+/-3.8 nM) displaced [125I]T3 from qTTR more effectively than unlabeled T3 (IC50 = 9.7+/-0.9 nM) did. Although malathion, 4-nonylphenol, bisphenol A and n-butylbenzyl phthalate were effective inhibitors of [125I]T3 binding to qTTR, their potency was two orders of magnitude less than that of T3. All test chemicals except for diethylstilbestrol had either a weak or no effect on [125I]T3 binding to qTR LBD. These results show that several EDCs tested in this study target qTTR rather than qTR LBD.

Salvage chemotherapy with a combination of irinotecan hydrochloride and mitomycin C in platinum- and paclitaxel-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer: case reports

INTRODUCTION

The efficacy and toxicity of salvage chemotherapy with a combination of irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11) and mitomycin C (MMC) for platinum-and paclitaxel-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer are reported.

CASE REPORT

Three consecutive patients with platinum- and paclitaxel- resistant epithelial ovarian cancer were treated with 120 mg/m2 of CPT-11 (days 1 and 15) and 7 mg/m2 of MMC (days 1 and 15) every four weeks. In all three cases partial responses were achieved and overall survivals were 17 months or longer. Most of the adverse side-effects were manageable.

CONCLUSIONS

This regimen could be administered even in heavily pretreated patients with platinum- and paclitaxel- resistance. Phase I and II studies are needed to confirm the feasibility of this treatment. The efficacy of most salvage treatments for platinum- and paclitaxel-resistant epithelial ovarian cancer is disappointing, and our cases might be of interest from the perspective of treating platinum- and paclitaxel-resistant ovarian cancer.

Evidence from d+Au measurements for final-state suppression of high-p(T) hadrons in Au+Au collisions at RHIC

We report measurements of single-particle inclusive spectra and two-particle azimuthal distributions of charged hadrons at high transverse momentum (high p(T)) in minimum bias and central d+Au collisions at sqrt[s(NN)]=200 GeV. The inclusive yield is enhanced in d+Au collisions relative to binary-scaled p+p collisions, while the two-particle azimuthal distributions are very similar to those observed in p+p collisions. These results demonstrate that the strong suppression of the inclusive yield and back-to-back correlations at high p(T) previously observed in central Au+Au collisions are due to final-state interactions with the dense medium generated in such collisions.

Two-peaked synchronization in day/night expression rhythms of the fibrinogen gene cluster in the mouse liver

Genes expressed with day/night rhythms in the mouse liver were searched for by microarray analysis using an in-house array harboring mouse liver cDNAs. The rhythmic expression with a single peak and trough level was confirmed by RNA blot analysis for 3beta-Hsd and Gabarapl1 genes exhibiting a peak in the light phase and Spot14, Hspa8, Hspa5, and Hsp84-1 genes showing a peak in the dark phase. On the other hand, mRNA levels for all of the three fibrinogen subunits, Aalpha, Bbeta and gamma, exhibited two peaks each in the light and dark phases in a synchronized manner. This two-peaked rhythmic pattern of fibrinogen genes as well as the single peak-trough pattern of other genes was diminished or almost completely lost in the liver of Clock mutant mice, suggesting that the two-peaked expression is also under the control of oscillation-generating genes. In constant darkness, the first peak of the expression rhythm of fibrinogen genes was almost intact, but the second peak disappeared. Therefore, although the first peak in the subjective day is a component of the innate circadian rhythm, the second peak seems to require light stimuli. Fasting in constant darkness caused shifts of time phases of the circadian rhythms. Protein levels of the fibrinogen subunits in whole blood also exhibited circadian rhythms. In the mouse and human loci of the fibrinogen gene cluster, a number of sequence elements resembling circadian transcription factor-binding sites were found. The fibrinogen gene locus provides a unique system for the study of two-peaked day/night rhythms of gene expression in a synchronized form.

Effects of aging and exercise on density and cross-sectional area of femur in senescence-accelerated mouse prone 6

The densities and cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of the femur in 40- and 60-week-old senescence-accelerated mice prone 6 (SAMP6) were determined using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) and compared with those in age-matched control mice (ICR). In addition, the effects of 20 weeks of voluntary running exercise with increasing loads on femur density and CSA were examined in SAMP6. There were no differences in the cortical and trabecular densities or CSAs between the 40- and 60-week-old ICR. The cortical and trabecular densities of the 60-week-old control SAMP6 were lower than those of the 40-week-old control SAMP6. There was no difference in the cortical CSA between the 40- and 60-week-old control SAMP6, while the trabecular CSA of the 60-week-old control SAMP6 was higher than that of the 40-week-old control SAMP6. It was concluded that an age-related decline in femur cortical and trabecular densities occurs at an earlier age in control SAMP6, indicating that SAMP6 show accelerated progression of age-associated osteoporosis. There were no differences in the cortical density between the 40-week-old control and 60-week-old exercised SAMP6. These data indicate that running exercise with increasing loads prevents age-associated osteoporosis in this senescence-accelerated mouse strain.

Narrowing of the balance function with centrality in Au+Au collisions at the square root of SNN = 130 GeV

The balance function is a new observable based on the principle that charge is locally conserved when particles are pair produced. Balance functions have been measured for charged particle pairs and identified charged pion pairs in Au+Au collisions at the square root of SNN = 130 GeV at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider using STAR. Balance functions for peripheral collisions have widths consistent with model predictions based on a superposition of nucleon-nucleon scattering. Widths in central collisions are smaller, consistent with trends predicted by models incorporating late hadronization.

Competitive interactions of chlorinated phenol compounds with 3,3',5-triiodothyronine binding to transthyretin: detection of possible thyroid-disrupting chemicals in environmental waste water

Chlorinated phenol compounds, such as the chlorinated derivatives of bisphenol A, have been detected in effluents from paper manufacturing plants. We investigated the effects of bisphenol A, nonylphenol, and their seven chlorinated derivatives on 3,3',5-[(125)I]triiodothyronine ([(125)I]T(3)) binding to purified chicken and bullfrog transthyretin (cTTR and bTTR) and to the ligand-binding domains of chicken and bullfrog thyroid hormone receptor beta (cTR LBD and bTR LBD). The concentrations at which the chlorinated derivatives displaced [(125)I]T(3) from TTR were 10-10(3) times less than those of their parent molecules. 2,6-Dichloro-4-nonylphenol and 3,3',5-trichlorobisphenol A were the most potent competitors of T(3) binding to cTTR and to bTTR, respectively. The interactions of the chlorinated derivatives with the cTR and the bTR LBDs were weaker than those of the chlorinated derivatives with cTTR and bTTR. Chlorinated derivatives with a greater degree of chlorination were more efficient competitors of T(3) binding to TTR and TR. A structure-activity relationship between the phenol compounds and TTR (TTR assay) and TR (TR assay) was established. Structures with chlorine in either ortho position or both ortho positions, with respect to the hydroxy group, were more efficient competitors. Chemicals that interacted with bTTR, cTTR, and Japanese quail TTR were detected in water downstream of effluents from paper manufacturing plants using the TTR assay. As some of the chlorinated bisphenols and nonylphenols were potent competitors of T(3) binding to TTRs, the TTR assay could be applied as primary screening for possible thyroid-disrupting chemicals in environmental waste water.