The Simons Observatory: Cryogenic half wave plate rotation mechanism for the small aperture telescopes

We present the requirements, design, and evaluation of the cryogenic continuously rotating half-wave plate (CHWP) for the Simons Observatory (SO). SO is a cosmic microwave background polarization experiment at Parque Astronómico de Atacama in northern Chile that covers a wide range of angular scales using both small (⌀0.42 m) and large (⌀6 m) aperture telescopes. In particular, the small aperture telescopes (SATs) focus on large angular scales for primordial B-mode polarization. To this end, the SATs employ a CHWP to modulate the polarization of the incident light at 8 Hz, suppressing atmospheric 1/f noise and mitigating systematic uncertainties that would otherwise arise due to the differential response of detectors sensitive to orthogonal polarizations. The CHWP consists of a 505 mm diameter achromatic sapphire HWP and a cryogenic rotation mechanism, both of which are cooled down to ∼50 K to reduce detector thermal loading. Under normal operation, the HWP is suspended by a superconducting magnetic bearing and rotates with a constant 2 Hz frequency, controlled by an electromagnetic synchronous motor. We find that the number of superconductors and the number of magnets that make up the superconducting magnetic bearing are important design parameters, especially for the rotation mechanism's vibration performance. The rotation angle is detected through an angular encoder with a noise level of 0.07 μrad s. During a cooldown process, the rotor is held in place by a grip-and-release mechanism that serves as both an alignment device and a thermal path. In this paper, we provide an overview of the SO SAT CHWP: its requirements, hardware design, and laboratory performance.

POS1429 ORAL DYSBIOSIS REFLECTS THE IMMUNOLOGICAL ALTERATION OF RA REGARDING TO HLA DRB1*SE, ACPA AND CIGARETTE SMOKING: NAGASAKI ISLAND STUDY

Background:

Anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) production is observed in several organs even prior to the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and oral mucosa is considered to be one of the important tissues. Saliva is considered to reflect the oral microbiota(oralMB) including periodontal disease. A gene-environment interaction between cigarette smoking and shared epitope genes in HLA-DRB1*shared epitope (SE) provides a high risk of ACPA-positive RA. However, the interaction of HLA-DRB1*SE, ACPA, cigarette smoking and oralMB of RA patients remains to be elucidated.

Objectives:

We investigated that the difference of oralMB among RA patients and healthy subjects(HS) regarding to ACPA, HLA-DRB1*SE and cigarette smoking.

Methods:

The Nagasaki Island Study, which had started in 2014 collaborating with Goto City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan, is intended for research of the preclinical stage of RA, including ACPA, HLA genotype screening, oralMB and lifestyle habit. Both of blood and salivary samples were obtained from 1422 subjects out of 4276 participants in this study from 2016 to 2018. ACPA positivity was 1.7 % in total 4276 subjects. At this point, we selected 291 subjects, who were ACPA positive non-RA HS(n=22) and patients with RA (n=33, 11 subjects were ACPA positive and 22 ACPA negative, respectively) as the case, age and gender matched ACPA negative non-RA HS (n=236) as the control. In RA subjects, current smoker was n=1(3.0%) and ever smoker was n=8(24.2%). In HS, current smoker was n=29(11.2%) and ever smoker was n=55(21.3%). ACPA was measured by ELISA, and HLA genotyping was quantified by next-generation sequencing (Ref.1). The operational taxonomic unit (OTU) analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing were performed. The richness of microbial diversity within subject (α-diversity) was scaled via Shannon entropy. The dissimilarity between microbial community composition was calculated using Bray-Curtis distance as a scale, and differences between groups (β-diversity) were tested by permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA). In addition, UniFrac distance calculated in consideration of the distance on the phylogenetic tree were performed.

Results:

Median age 71 y.o., % Female 58.4 %. Among RA and non-RA subjects, not α-diversity but β-diversity was statistically smaller significantly in RA (p=0.022). In the HS, there was no decrease in α-diversity between the ACPA-positive and HLA-DRB1*SE-positive groups, but in the ACPA-positive group, there was a decrease in α-diversity in the HLA-DRB1*SE-positive group. When we compared α-diversity stratified by the presence or absence of three factors (RA, ACPA, and HLA-DRB1*SE), the RA group with ACPA and HLA-DRB1*SE positive tended to have the lowest diversity (Figure 1 lower right). RA subjects, presence of HLA-DRB1*SE did not show the difference but the tendency of lower α-diversity (p=0.29).

Conclusion:

HS with ACPA-positive HLA-DRB1*SE tended to show lower α-diversity than ACPA-positive HS and HLA-DRB1*SE positive HS. Furthermore, RA subjects with ACPA-positive HLA-DRB1*SE showed lower α-diversity than HS with ACPA-positive HLA-DRB1*SE.

Our study suggested that the oral dysbiosis may reflect the immunological status of patients with RA. Because of the small number of ACPA-positive patients, stratification by smoking history was difficult. Further examination is needed to clarify the gene-environment interaction and microbiome.

References:

[1]Kawaguchi S, et al. Methods Mol Biol 2018;1802: 22.

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

Advanced pathologic study for definite diagnosis of mitochondrial cardiomyopathy

 

Mitochondrial cardiomyopathy (MCM) is usually recognized as one of the phenotypes of systemic mitochondrial disease. However if there are no cardiac symptoms, it is difficult to make a definite diagnosis because of various cardiovascular phenotypes and no diagnostic criteria in pathological examination. To add myocardial pathology to the diagnostic criteria for mitochondrial respiratory chain disorders, which is the gold standard in the diagnosis of mitochondrial diseases, we performed quantitative analysis of mitochondria using electron microscopy and immunohistopathologic analysis with respiratory chain enzyme antibodies. Ten patients with hypertrophic or restrictive cardiomyopathy who had undergone endomyocardial biopsy were studied. Respiratory chain enzymatic assay and genetic study were performed and four patients were diagnosed with MCM. Using electron microscopy with quantitative analysis, volume density of mitochondria within cardiac muscle cells was significantly increased in the MCM group compared to the non-MCM group (p=0.013). Immunohistopathologic results were compatible with the result of the respiratory chain enzymatic assay. These advanced pathological tests can distinguish MCM from other cardiomyopathies.

Results of immunopathologic study

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): The Practical Research Project for Rare/Intractable Diseases from the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development, AMED.

AB1232 ORAL DYSBIOSIS REFLECTS THE IMMUNOLOGICAL ALTERATION OF RA REGARDING TO ACPA AND HLA DRB1*SE: NAGASAKI ISLAND STUDY

Background:

Anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) production is observed in several organs even prior to the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and oral mucosa is considered to be one of the important tissues. The presence of HLA-DRB1*SE closely associates with ACPA production. Saliva is considered to reflect the oral microbiota including periodontal disease. Alteration of oral microbiota of RA becomes to be normalized by DMARDs treatment, however, the interaction of HLA-DRB1*SE, ACPA and oral microbiota of RA patients remains to be elucidated.

Objectives:

The Nagasaki Island Study, which had started in 2014 collaborating with Goto City, is intended for research of the preclinical stage of RA, including ACPA/HLA genotype screening and ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging examinations in high-risk subjects. Using the samples accumulated in this cohort, we have tried to investigate the difference of oral microbiota among RA patients and healthy subjects regarding to ACPA and HLA-DRB1*SE.

Methods:

Blood and salivary samples were obtained from 1422 subjects out of 4276 who have participated in the Nagasaki Island Study from 2016 to 2018. ACPA positivity was 1.7 % in total. Some of RA patients resided in Goto City participated in the Nagasaki Island Study. At this point, we selected 291 subjects, who were ACPA positive non-RA healthy subjects (n=22) and patients with RA (n=33, 11 subjects were ACPA positive and 22 ACPA negative respectively) as the case, age and gender matched ACPA negative non-RA healthy subjects (n=236) as the control. ACPA was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and HLA genotyping was quantified by next-generation sequencing (Ref.1). The operational taxonomic unit (OUT) analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing were performed. The richness of microbial diversity within-subject (alpha diversity) was scaled via Shannon entropy. The dissimilarity between microbial community composition was calculated using Bray-Curtis distance as a scale, and differences between groups (beta diversity) were tested by permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA). In addition, UniFrac distance calculated in consideration of the distance on the phylogenetic tree were performed.

Results:

Median age 70 y.o., % Female 58.8 %. Among RA and non-RA subjects, not alpha diversity but beta diversity was statistically significance (p=0.022, small in RA). In RA subjects, both alpha and beta diversity is small (p<0.0001), especially significant in ACPA positive RA (Figure 1). Amongt RA subjects, presence of HLA-DRB1*SE did not show the difference but the tendency of being small of alpha diversity (p=0.29).

Conclusion:

Our study has suggested for the first time the association of oral microbiota alteration with the presence of ACPA and HLA-DRB1*SE. Oral dysbiosis may reflect the immunological status of patients with RA.

References:

[1]Kawaguchi S, et al. Methods Mol Biol 2018;1802: 22

Disclosure of Interests:

None declared

Ossification of the Achilles Tendon - A Case Report

Ossification of the Achilles tendon is a very unusual condition. We report a case with bilateral Achilles tendon ossification followed up for twelve years, treated twice surgically on the left side and conservatively on the right side. At the age of 51, the patient's plain radiogram showed bilateral ossifications of the Achilles tendon (right 55 mm, left 15 mm in length). The left side small mass was removed. The right side mass was decided to be followed up because of its large size. At the age of 61, ossification recurred on the left side. Conservative treatment with etidronate disodium for two years failed to prevent ossification from progressing. At the age of 63, the mass on the right and left sides increased to 70 mm and 45 mm in length, respectively. The mass of the left side was excised again, and dull pain disappeared postoperatively on the left side.

Expression of myeloperoxidase in acute myeloid leukemia blasts mirrors the distinct DNA methylation pattern involving the downregulation of DNA methyltransferase DNMT3B

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) has been associated with both a myeloid lineage commitment and favorable prognosis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (decitabine and zeburaline) induced MPO gene promoter demethylation and MPO gene transcription in AML cells with low MPO activity. Therefore, MPO gene transcription was directly and indirectly regulated by DNA methylation. A DNA methylation microarray subsequently revealed a distinct methylation pattern in 33 genes, including DNA methyltransferase 3 beta (DNMT3B), in CD34-positive cells obtained from AML patients with a high percentage of MPO-positive blasts. Based on the inverse relationship between the methylation status of DNMT3B and MPO, we found an inverse relationship between DNMT3B and MPO transcription levels in CD34-positive AML cells (P=0.0283). In addition, a distinct methylation pattern was observed in five genes related to myeloid differentiation or therapeutic sensitivity in CD34-positive cells from AML patients with a high percentage of MPO-positive blasts. Taken together, the results of the present study indicate that MPO may serve as an informative marker for identifying a distinct and crucial DNA methylation profile in CD34-positive AML cells.

Hollow target magnetron-sputter-type solid material ion source

A thin-walled aluminum (Al) hollow electrode has been inserted into an ion source to serve as an electrode for a radio frequency magnetron discharge. The produced plasma stabilized by argon (Ar) gas sputters the Al electrode to form a beam of Al(+) and Ar(+) ions. The total beam current extracted through a 3 mm diameter extraction hole has been 50 μA, with the Al(+) ion beam occupying 30% of the total beam current.

Lymphatic architecture of the human gingival interdental papilla

Many studies have investigated the lymphatic architecture of head and neck using experimental animals, confirming the existence of lymphatic networks beneath the epithelium in gingival tissue. In this study, we investigated the use of these lymphatics as a drug delivery route by studying the architecture of lymphatic vessels in human interdental papilla. Serial cryosections were cut using the film-transfer method. To identify lymphatics, the sections were stained using enzyme histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques and three-dimensional images of lymphatics were reconstructed using 3D visualization software. Capillary lymphatic networks were observed in the lamina propria beneath the epithelium in human interdental papilla, and they joined with lymphatic networks beneath the epithelium in free gingiva. The networks consisted of a single layer of large irregular, hexagonal meshes and precollecting lymphatic vessels heading toward collecting lymphatic vessels that exited on the periosteum of the alveolar crest. These findings suggest that lymphatic flow from the interdental papilla drains into collecting lymphatic vessels running buccolingually on the alveolar crest of the interdental papilla. This may be an important anatomical feature during inflammation throughout the oral cavity in that the drainage function is maintained by part of lymphatic flow that is not impaired during the healing process.

A phase II trial of the novel serotonin type 3 receptor antagonist ramosetron in Japanese male and female patients with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome

BACKGROUND

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder. Serotonin type 3 (5-HT3) receptor antagonist alosetron hydrochloride is indicated for women with chronic, severe diarrhea-predominant IBS who have not responded adequately to conventional therapy. However, whether or not the therapeutic efficacy of 5-HT3 receptor antagonists has gender difference is uncertain.

METHODS

A double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, comparative study was conducted to evaluate the effect of novel 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, ramosetron hydrochloride, in male and female patients with diarrhea-predominant IBS. 418 subjects were randomized (109 subjects: placebo, 105 subjects: 1 microg, 103 subjects: 5 microg, and 101 subjects: 10 microg) and administered the study drug once daily.

RESULTS

The monthly responder rates of 'Patient-reported global assessment of relief of irritable bowel syndrome symptoms' in the 5- and 10-microg ramosetron hydrochloride-administered groups were higher than the placebo group (26.92, 42.57, and 43.01% for placebo, 5 and 10 microg). Moreover, the difference of the responder rate in comparison with the placebo group was similar in males and females. As for safety, there was tolerability at doses up to 10 microg.

CONCLUSION

Ramosetron is an effective and well-tolerated treatment not only for female IBS patients but also for male patients.

Changes in bacterial community during fermentative hydrogen and acid production from organic waste by thermophilic anaerobic microflora

AIMS

Changes in fermentation pattern during the treatment of organic wastes containing solid materials by thermophilic anaerobic microflora were investigated with respect to product formation and bacterial community structure during hydrogen production.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Anaerobic microflora enriched from sludge compost was cultivated using artificial garbage slurry in a continuous flow-stirred tank reactor. Product formation varied depending on pH and hydraulic retention time (HRT) applied. Community analysis by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism and clone library analysis of polymerase chain reaction-amplified bacterial 16S rDNA indicated that difference in the fermentative product distribution could be caused by different populations of micro-organisms in the microflora.

CONCLUSION

Hydrogen fermentation with acetate/butyrate formation was optimized at <1.0 d HRT at pH 5.0 and 6.0. Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum was the dominant hydrogen-producing micro-organism. Conversely, unidentified organisms became dominant after 4.0 d HRT at pH 7.0 and 8.0, where relatively high-solubilization efficiency of solid materials was observed with no production of hydrogen.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This is the first report describing product formation in the fermentation of solid organic wastes by a mixed population of micro-organisms. Various fermentation patterns including hydrogen fermentation were characterized and evaluated from engineering and microbial aspects.

The transcriptional landscape of the mammalian genome

This study describes comprehensive polling of transcription start and termination sites and analysis of previously unidentified full-length complementary DNAs derived from the mouse genome. We identify the 5' and 3' boundaries of 181,047 transcripts with extensive variation in transcripts arising from alternative promoter usage, splicing, and polyadenylation. There are 16,247 new mouse protein-coding transcripts, including 5154 encoding previously unidentified proteins. Genomic mapping of the transcriptome reveals transcriptional forests, with overlapping transcription on both strands, separated by deserts in which few transcripts are observed. The data provide a comprehensive platform for the comparative analysis of mammalian transcriptional regulation in differentiation and development.

Analysis of the mouse transcriptome based on functional annotation of 60,770 full-length cDNAs

Only a small proportion of the mouse genome is transcribed into mature messenger RNA transcripts. There is an international collaborative effort to identify all full-length mRNA transcripts from the mouse, and to ensure that each is represented in a physical collection of clones. Here we report the manual annotation of 60,770 full-length mouse complementary DNA sequences. These are clustered into 33,409 'transcriptional units', contributing 90.1% of a newly established mouse transcriptome database. Of these transcriptional units, 4,258 are new protein-coding and 11,665 are new non-coding messages, indicating that non-coding RNA is a major component of the transcriptome. 41% of all transcriptional units showed evidence of alternative splicing. In protein-coding transcripts, 79% of splice variations altered the protein product. Whole-transcriptome analyses resulted in the identification of 2,431 sense-antisense pairs. The present work, completely supported by physical clones, provides the most comprehensive survey of a mammalian transcriptome so far, and is a valuable resource for functional genomics.

Length dependence of tension generation in rat skinned cardiac muscle: role of titin in the Frank-Starling mechanism of the heart

BACKGROUND

At the basis of the Frank-Starling mechanism is the intrinsic ability of cardiac muscle to produce active tension in response to stretch. Titin, a giant filamentous molecule involved in passive tension development, is intimately associated with the thick filament in the sarcomere. Titin may therefore contribute to active tension development by modulating the thick filament structure when the muscle is elongated.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Rat skinned right ventricular trabeculae were used. Passive tension at a sarcomere length (SL) of 2.0 to 2.4 micrometer was decreased after treatment of the preparation with trypsin (0.25 microgram/mL) for 13 minutes in the relaxed state at 20 degrees C. This mild trypsin treatment degraded titin without affecting other major contractile proteins. The sarcomere structure was little affected by brief contractions in the trypsin-treated preparations. When SL was adjusted to the slack SL (1.9 micrometer), active tension was unaffected by trypsin under partial (pCa 5.55) and maximal (pCa 4.8) activation. At longer SLs, however, active tension was significantly (P<0.01) decreased after trypsin treatment at either pCa. The increase in active tension on reduction of interfilament lattice spacing, produced by dextran T-500 (molecular weight approximately 500 000), was not influenced by trypsin (SL 1.9 micrometer). In trypsin-treated preparations, the increase in active tension as a function of muscle diameter was nearly the same for lengthening and osmotic compression at the slack SL.

CONCLUSIONS

The length-dependent activation in cardiac muscle, an underlying mechanism of the Frank-Starling law of the heart, is at the myofilament level, predominantly modulated by titin and interfilament lattice spacing changes.

Acidosis or inorganic phosphate enhances the length dependence of tension in rat skinned cardiac muscle

1. We investigated the effect of acidosis on the sarcomere length (SL) dependence of tension generation, in comparison with the effect of inorganic phosphate (P(i)), in rat skinned ventricular trabeculae. The shift of the mid-point of the pCa-tension relationship associated with an increase in SL from 1.9 to 2.3 microm (DeltapCa(50)) was studied. 2. Decreasing pH from 7.0 to 6.2 lowered maximal and submaximal Ca(2+)-activated tension and increased DeltapCa(50) in a pH-dependent manner (from 0.21 +/- 0.01 to 0.30 +/- 0.01 pCa units). The addition of P(i) (20 mM) decreased maximal tension and enhanced the SL dependence, both to a similar degree as observed when decreasing pH to 6.2 (DeltapCa(50) increased from 0.20 +/- 0.01 to 0.29 +/- 0.01 pCa units). 3. Further experiments were performed using 6 % (w/v) Dextran T-500 (molecular weight approximately 500 000) to osmotically reduce interfilament lattice spacing (SL, 1.9 microm). Compared with that at pH 7.0, in the absence of P(i) the increase in the Ca(2+) sensitivity of tension induced by osmotic compression was enhanced at pH 6.2 (0.18 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.25 +/- 0.01 pCa units) or in the presence of 20 mM P(i) (0.17 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.24 +/- 0.01 pCa units). 4. H(+), as well as P(i), has been reported to decrease the number of strongly binding cross-bridges, which reduces the co-operative activation of the thin filament and increases the pool of detached cross-bridges available for interaction with actin. It is therefore considered that during acidosis, the degree of increase in the number of force-generating cross-bridges upon reduction of interfilament lattice spacing is enhanced, resulting in greater SL dependence of tension generation. 5. Our results suggest that the Frank-Starling mechanism may be enhanced when tension development is suppressed due to increased H(+) and/or P(i) under conditions of myocardial ischaemia or hypoxia.

Changes in intraluminal pressure in rat large intestines with aging and effects of dietary fiber

Changes in intraluminal pressure in rat colon with aging and with the effects of dietary fiber were measured. A pressure sensor was inserted into the rat large intestine under endoscopic guidance. The intraluminal pressure curve in the colon was recorded, and the motility index was calculated by this curve. The rats were divided into three groups with a fiber-free diet, a cellulose diet (10% w/w), or a pectin diet (10% w/w). Intraluminal pressure was measured in the proximal, middle, and distal colon at 2, 4, 8, 12, and 16 months after birth. Intraluminal pressure in three sites increased with age and decreased in the latter half of the study. The motility index was lower during the course in the fiber groups, especially the pectin group more than the nonfiber group. This result suggests that long-term ingestion of dietary fiber might have a prophylactic effect on the development of diverticula.

Reactions of PhSCH(2)Li and NCCH(2)Li with benzaldehyde and benzophenone: when does the mechanism change from ET to polar?

The carbonyl-carbon kinetic isotope effect (KIE) and the substituent effect were measured for the reaction of phenylthiomethyllithium (PhSCH(2)Li, 1) with benzaldehyde and benzophenone, and cyanomethyllithium (NCCH(2)Li, 2) with benzaldehyde, and the results were compared with those for other lithium reagents such as MeLi, PhLi, CH(2)=CHCH(2)Li, and CH(2)=C(OLi)C(CH(3))(3). It was previously shown that the reactions of MeLi, PhLi, and CH(2)=CHCH(2)Li proceed via a rate-determining electron transfer (ET) process whereas the reaction of lithium pinacolone enolate goes through the polar (PL) mechanism. The reaction of 1 with benzaldehyde gave no carbonyl-carbon KIE ((12)k/(13)k = 0.999 +/- 0.004), similar to that measured previously for the MeLi reaction with benzophenone ((12)k/(14)k = 1.000). The effect of substituents of the aromatic ring of benzaldehyde and benzophenone on the reactivity gave very small Hammett rho values of 0.17 +/- 0.03 and 0.26 +/- 0.05, respectively. These small rho values are again similar to that observed for the reaction of MeLi. Likewise the reactions of 2 with benzaldehydes gave small KIE and the rho value ((12)k/(13)k = 0.996 +/- 0.004, rho = 0.14 +/- 0.02). Dehalogenation and enone-isomerization probe experiments for 2 showed no evidence for the presence of radical-ion pair of sufficient lifetime during the course of the reaction. It is concluded that the reactions of 1 and 2 with the aromatic carbonyl compounds proceed via the electron transfer-radical coupling mechanism with rate-determining ET as in the reactions of MeLi, PhLi, and CH(2)=CHCH(2)Li.

Lateral-flow assay for rapid serodiagnosis of human leptospirosis

An assay device for the rapid detection of Leptospira-specific immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies in human sera is presented. The sensitivity (85.8%) and specificity (93.6%) of the assay compared well (91.9% agreement) with those of an IgM enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay routinely used in the serodiagnosis of leptospirosis. The sensitivity of the assay varied with the stage of the disease. The assay uses stabilized components and is simply performed by the addition of serum and sample fluid to the sample well of the assay device. The assay is read after 10 min, and a positive result is obtained when staining of the test line is observed.

DNA cleaving activities of 9-membered masked enediyne analogues possessing DNA intercalator and sugar moieties

The DNA cleaving properties of various enediyne analogues possessing sugar moieties and DNA-intercalators were investigated. The DNA cleaving experiments show that these hybrids analogues induced sequence-selective DNA cleavage and the simple sugars in the enediyne serve as a DNA recognition element for DNA cleavage.

The unexpected G0/G1 cell cycle status of mobilized hematopoietic stem cells from peripheral blood

Treatment with a combination of cytokines and chemotherapy can effectively stimulate the release of hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) into the peripheral blood (PB), which can then be harvested for transplantation. The cell cycle status of the harvested HSC from mobilized PB (MPB) is of interest because of the impact that cell cycling may have on optimizing the conditions for ex vivo expansion, retrovirus-mediated gene transfer, and the engraftment of transplanted tissues. Therefore, we characterized the cell cycling status of mobilized HSC from mice and humans. The murine HSC, which express the phenotype c-kit+ Thy-1.1lo Lin-/lo Sca-1+, were purified from PB, bone marrow (BM), and spleen after the mice were treated with the mobilizing regimen of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) or a combination of cyclophosphamide (CTX) and G-CSF. Human HSC (CD34+ Thy-1+ Lin-) and progenitor cells (CD34+ Thy-1-Lin-) were isolated from the BM of untreated healthy volunteers and from MPB of healthy volunteers and patients treated with G-CSF or a combination of CTX and GM-CSF. Cell cycle status was determined by quantitating the amount of DNA in the purified cells after staining with the dye Hoechst 33342. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis of the progenitor cells from the murine and human samples showed an unexpected finding, ie, virtually none of the cells from the MPB was cycling. The G0/G1 status of HSC from MPB was surprising, because a significant proportion of HSC from BM are actively proliferating and, after mobilization, the HSC in the spleen and BM were also actively cycling.

Fluorescence signaling of ligand binding and assembly in metal-chelating lipid membranes

BACKGROUND

Chemical information is sometimes transmitted across cell membranes by ligand-induced assembly of receptors. We have previously designed a series of lipids with metal-chelating headgroups that can serve as general receptors for proteins containing accessible histidines. Such lipids can also be derivatized with pyrene, a fluorescent probe that has a different emission maximum when it is aggregated (excimer fluorescence) from that seen for the monomer. We set out to examine whether lipids of this kind would produce a signal in response to ligand binding.

RESULTS

A model ligand, poly-L-histidine (poly(His)), bound specifically to pyrene-labeled Cu(II)-iminodiacetate lipid (Cu-PSIDA) within a membrane matrix. Binding of poly(His) induces the redistribution of Cu-PSIDA, so that it forms pyrene-rich domains that are detectable by the increased ratio of excimer to monomer fluorescence. Using rhodamine-labeled poly(His), we have shown that the receptor lipid domains correspond to poly(His)-rich domains below the lipid interface.

CONCLUSIONS

The Cu-PSIDA receptor signals binding of the macromolecular ligand through its excimer fluorescence and allows the resulting domains formed by ligand assembly to be imaged. Fluorescent Cu-PSIDA can thus serve as an optical reporter of ligand-induced lipid reorganization.

Cytokine-mobilized peripheral blood CD34+Thy-1+Lin- human hematopoietic stem cells as target cells for transplantation-based gene therapy

Gene-therapy of blood-borne disorders may be best achieved using hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) which have extensive self renewal potential as well as multilineage repopulating potential as a cellular target. The human HSC, which is CD34+Thy-1+Lin- has been isolated from fetal, adult bone marrow and cytokine-mobilized peripheral blood (MPB) (1-3). Results presented in this study show that the degree of mobilization of HSC into peripheral blood of cancer patients is highly variable and that the combined use of high dose chemotherapy and GM-CSF as a mobilization strategy is superior to the use of G-CSF with regard to the mobilization of true HSC. A multistep cell isolation procedure has been developed which utilizes high speed flow-cytometric cell sorting and allows the isolation of sufficient numbers of HSC from MPB to permit their use as an hematopoietic graft for clinical transplantation. Hematopoietic stem cells isolated from MPB are capable of self-renewal and differentiation into multiple hematopoietic lineages as shown by their behavior in both in vitro and in vivo assays. Mobilized PB mononuclear cells isolated from cancer patients are frequently contaminated with tumor cells. Using this cell isolation procedure, HSC preparations from patients with multiple myeloma have been created with greatly reduced tumor cell burdens. These CD34+Thy-1+Lin- cells are capable of being stably transduced at high efficiency (32-75%) by co-culture on a cell line producing recombinant retroviruses containing the neomycin-resistant gene. These HSC cell populations are likely ideal targets for hematopoietic cell-based gene therapy.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Altered levels of prothymosin immunoreactive peptide, a growth-related gene product, during liver regeneration after chronic ethanol feeding

Liver regeneration is regulated by the orderly activation of growth-related genes. Although ethanol impairs induction of liver regeneration by partial hepatectomy, we have not identified ethanol-associated differences in the hepatic mRNA levels of several proto-oncogenes, including c-myc, which peaks 3-6 hr post-partial hepatectomy. Prothymosin alpha, a gene encoding a ubiquitous nuclear protein, is activated by c-myc in resting fibroblasts and has been implicated as a regulator of cell proliferation. Prothymosin alpha mRNA levels reportedly increase 12-32 hr post-partial hepatectomy, several hours after c-myc induction. We sought to determine if chronic ethanol intake alters the expected induction post-partial hepatectomy of prothymosin alpha steady-state mRNA expression and protein levels. Comparing rats chronically fed ethanol with pair-fed controls, we found no significant differences in steady-state levels of prothymosin alpha mRNA; however, we did see a delay in the increase of prothymosin immunoreactive peptide in rats chronically fed alcohol. This suggests that the inhibition in protein levels in ethanol fed rats is not due to lower steady-state mRNA levels, but may occur post-transcriptionally. Further data are needed to determine if this finding is important in the inhibition in cell growth following partial hepatectomy in rats chronically fed ethanol.

Growth-inhibition by hemin in K562 human leukemic cells is related to hemoglobin-producing activity

To determine the mechanism of the growth inhibition associated with the induction of erythroid differentiation in K562 cells by hemin, we used two K562 subclones with different hemoglobin (Hb)-producing activity. Hemin strongly inhibited the growth of K562-L, which had a low Hb-producing activity, but not that of K562-H, which had a high Hb-producing activity. When the cell growth of K562-L was inhibited by hemin, the S phase of the cell cycle decreased and the G2/M phase increased. In contrast, hemin had no effect on the cell cycle of K562-H. Without hemin treatment, the alpha-globin mRNA level was related to the degree of Hb production in K562-L and -H but the gamma-globin mRNA level was not. With hemin treatment, there was no increase in the alpha-globin mRNA level in K562-L but there was an increase in K562-H. The difference in alpha-globin mRNA levels correlated with the Hb production in K562-L and -H induced by hemin. The levels of c-myc and c-myb mRNAs in K562-L decreased when cell growth was strongly inhibited by hemin. These findings indicate that the growth inhibition of K562 cells by hemin is due to a suppression of the progression from the G0/G1 phase to the S phase and a delay in the G2/M phase, caused by the inhibition of c-myc and c-myb transcription. It is also affected by the Hb production, reflected in alpha-globin transcription.

Clinical study of biological response modifiers as maintenance therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma

We conducted a randomized, controlled trial comparing 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with or without biological response modifiers (BRMs) as a maintenance therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) after treatment with percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI), transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) or arterial infusion of antitumor agents (AI). A total of 58 cases of HCC were classified into 4 groups as follows: group I, PSK with 5-FU (n = 15); group II, lentinan with 5-FU (n = 15); group III, OK-432 with 5-FU (n = 12); and group IV, 5-FU alone as the control (n = 16). The mean survival time, mortality rate, time to progression, and T4/T8 ratio of lymphocytes in the peripheral blood were compared among the four groups. There was no significant difference in the background factors among the groups. In group I, the T4/T8 ratio of lymphocytes was reduced after the therapy. No significant difference was found among the groups in terms of the mean survival time, mortality rate, or time to progression. PEI for initial therapy was superior to the other therapies in terms of the mean survival time and mortality rate. These results suggest that the addition of BRM to maintenance therapy with 5-FU exerts no prognostic benefit on HCC patients treated with PEI, TAE, or AI.

Effect of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate on expression of cell surface antigens in two subclones of human leukemia K562 cells

Two subclones (K562-L and -H) were previously isolated from K562 human leukemic cells according to hemoglobin production: K562-L was expressed in less than 5% and K562-H in more than 90% of dianisidine positive cells. 12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13- acetate (TPA) suppressed the expression of the erythrocytic (glycophorin A) and myelocytic (CD11b) antigens in K562-L, but increased the expression of these antigens in K562-H. TPA increased the megakaryocytic (CD61) antigens in both cells. These findings suggest that there are distinct TPA responsible factors in K562-L and -H on the expression of the erythrocytic and myelocytic antigens.

Cloning and characterization of K562 cells on hemoglobin synthetic activity

Two clones of the K562 human leukemic cell line were isolated according to hemoglobin (Hb) expression. One clone was expressed less than 5% (K562-L) and the other more than 90% (K562-H). The two clones did not exhibit any difference in cell growth or cell cycle. However, the Hb expression of K562-H cells was reduced by succinylacetone (S.A.). The above results suggested that the difference in the Hb production of K562-L and K562-H cells depended on the heme synthetic activity. On the other hand, glycophorin A was expressed to a greater extent on K562-L cells than on K562-H cells. These findings suggested that heme synthesis and the expression of glycophorin A on K562 cells were not always related. The CD11b and the CD61 were also expressed to a greater extent on K562-L cells than on K562-H cells, but the CD34 was not expressed on these cells.

[Psychosomatic treatment of irritable bowel syndrome]

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may be defined as a psychosomatic disease. Most primary care physicians do not want to undertake psychosomatic treatment, but may find it necessary in refractory patients. Brief psychosomatic treatments, providing patients with betterways to cope with stress, reduce the symptoms. The literature on the psychosomatic treatment for IBS is summarized. Supportive therapy and autogenic training that produce relaxation response appear to be effective. Other special psychological therapies that require specialized training, such as hypnosis, biofeedback, cognitive therapy, transactional analysis may be used for IBS but adequately controlled trials are lacking. It is certain that psychosomatic treatment take part in the management of IBS. Additional studies are needed to verify the effectiveness of these treatment for IBS.

[Factors of gastric lesions following after transcatheter arterial embolization for primary hepatoma]

To clarify the influence of Transcatheter Arterial Embolization (TAE) on the stomach, endoscopic examination was carried out before and after TAE. Forty-six TAE were performed in 27 patients with primary hepatoma. New gastric lesions, erosions and ulcers, were developed in 25 of 46 TAE. There was no significant relationship between the incidence of the lesions in the cases with esophageal varices (15/24) and the cases without (10/22) and there was no significant relationship between the incidence of the lesions after the first TAE (12/22) and after the second TAE (5/14). Period between the first and the second TAE had no statistical influence on the lesions after the second TAE. Hepatic functions (Child's classification; Rmax, K, R15 of ICG; serum total protein; serum albumin; total bilirubin; prothrombin time; hepaplastin test) before TAE were not statistically related to the appearance of the gastric lesions following TAE (Table 1). On the other hand, the cases which showed apparent effects of TAE including 0.2 time decrease of AFP had the more gastric lesions (P less than 0.05) (Table 2). The cases with upper abdominal pain after TAE had more gastric lesions (24/38) than the cases without (2/8) (P less than 0.05). But the cases undergone TAE with high possibility of the influx of gelatin sponge pieces, lipiodol or anticancer agents into the supplying vessels for the stomach did not exhibit significant incidence of the lesions (Table 3). Thus, when TAE is followed by a 0.2 time decrease in AFP, it is necessary to pay more attention to the gastric lesions. The prophylactic administration of H2 antagonist before or just after TAE did not seem useful to prevent the gastric lesions. These findings suggest that the influx of gelatin sponge pieces, lipiodol or anticancer agents to the stomach does not always cause gastric ulcer or erosion.

[Clinical evaluation of imipenem/cilastatin sodium against severe infections complicated with hematological disorders and solid tumors]

Imipenem/cilastatin sodium (IMP/CS) was administered to patients with severe infections complicated by hematological disorders and solid tumors to assess its efficacy and safety. Primary diseases in this series of 76 cases included 37 cases of hematological disorders (acute leukemia in 25 cases, malignant lymphoma in 7 cases, aplastic anemia in 3 cases and 2 other diseases) and 38 cases of solid tumors (lung cancer in 7 cases, gastric cancer in 11 cases, esophageal cancer in 6 cases, pancreatic cancer in 3 cases, bile duct cancer in 4 cases, hepatocellular cancer in 3 cases, and 4 other diseases). Following results were obtained. 1. Types of infection in hematological diseases were sepsis in 5 cases, suspected sepsis in 24 cases, pneumonia in 5 cases and 3 others. The efficacy rates were 100% in sepsis, 62.5% in suspected sepsis, 80% in pneumonia and 73% in all cases. 2. Types of infection in solid tumors were sepsis in 2 cases, suspected sepsis in 13 cases, pneumonia in 10 cases, cholecystitis in 2 cases, cholangitis in 5 cases, liver abscess in 2 cases, and 4 others. The efficacy rates were 50% in sepsis, 69.2% in suspected sepsis, 80% in pneumonia, and 71.1% in all cases. 3. IPM/CS was administered in single use in 66 cases and in combination with other antibiotics in 9 cases. The efficacy rate in the single use was 72.7% and that in the combination use was 66.7%. 4. The efficacy rate in 35 cases of first use was 71.4% and that in 40 cases of second use was 72.5%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Randomized controlled study of mitomycin C/carboquone/5-fluorouracil/OK-432 (MQ-F-OK) therapy and mitomycin C/5-fluorouracil/doxorubicin (FAM) therapy against advanced liver cancer

We have previously reported that the combination of mitomycin C, carboquone, 5-fluorouracil and OK-432, including the intra-arterial administration of mitomycin C and carboquone (MQ-F-OK therapy), was effective in the treatment of advanced liver cancer. The Cooperative Study Group conducted a controlled study on MQ-F-OK therapy and the combination of mitomycin C, 5-fluorouracil and doxorubicin, including the intra-arterial administration of mitomycin C and doxorubicin (FAM therapy), against advanced liver cancer. Forty patients with advanced primary or secondary liver cancer were enrolled in this study and randomized into the MQ-F-OK group and the FAM group. Seventeen of the 21 cases in the MQ-F-OK group and 16 of the 19 cases in the FAM group were eligible for response evaluation in accordance with the criteria of the Japan Society for Cancer Therapy. There was no significant difference in the patient characteristics between the two groups. Three cases in the MQ-F-OK group and two in the FAM group showed partial response. There was, however, no significant difference in the response rates and the prolongation of life between the two groups. As for the side-effects, only anemia was observed more frequently in the FAM group than in the MQ-F-OK group. In conclusion, we could not preferentially recommend either MQ-F-OK therapy or FAM therapy for advanced liver cancer. The performance status of the patient was one of the most important factors in the treatment of advanced liver cancer because patients with poor performance status showed poorer results.

[Chemoembolization therapy with cisplatin.lipiodol (CDDP.lipiodol) in primary liver cancer--with special reference to hepatocellular carcinoma]

From Jan., 1985 to Mar., 1986 thirty-six patients with primary liver cancer received transcatheter arterial chemoembolization therapy with Cisplatin (100 mg) blended into Lipiodol (5 ml) and simple embolization therapy with Gelfoam particles. Thirty-three cases out of 36 had hepatocellular carcinoma, one had hepatoblastoma and one had adenocarcinoma. Ten (31%) out of 32 had hepatocellular carcinoma, and showed objective tumor reduction greater than 50% (partial response) regarding the main tumor. Of the 33 there was one sudden death due to intracerebral hemorrhage. Only two out of 25 cases with daughter nodules showed slight reduction. Almost all cases with daughter nodules showed no response to chemoembolization therapy. Five patients died after chemoembolization therapy during the fifteen-month study period. Two patients died of liver abscess or cholecystitis and surrounding abscess, one died of intracerebral hemorrhage, one died of hepatic failure and the remaining case was one of tumor death.

An endoscopic method to study the relationship between bowel habit and motility of the ascending and sigmoid colon

Endoscopic retrograde bowel insertion (ERBI), a new method, offers rapid access to the entire colon for pressure sensors. The authors measured the pressure of both the ascending colon and the sigmoid colon and related them to the bowel habits of the subjects. The following groups were studied: control subjects, patients with diarrhea-dominant irritable bowel syndrome, patients with constipation-dominant irritable bowel syndrome, and patients with right-sided diverticular disease of the colon. In patients with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea or constipation, colonic motility indices (CMIs) showed a so-called "paradoxical motility" pattern. In patients with right-sided diverticular disease, the CMI was higher in the ascending colon than in the sigmoid colon. The pattern of CMIs for diverticular disease and irritable bowel syndrome varied inversely in the ascending colon and in the sigmoid colon with diarrhea and constipation. These results suggest that the mechanisms of altered bowel habits in patients with these diseases are quite different.