Identification and characterization of two novel human polymorphic STRs on the Y chromosome

From sequence database information, we have identified two male-specific and polymorphic tetranucleotide STRs, DYS 441 (GDB:10013873) and DYS 442 (GDB: 10030304), on the Y chromosome. Analysis of 184 males allowed 7 and 5 alleles to be distinguished in the DYS 441 and DYS 442 systems, respectively, yielding 21 haplotypes. The gene diversities were 0.72 and 0.51, respectively and the haplotype diversity was 0.85. Received: 16 October 2000 / Accepted: 7 January 2001     

Is segmentectomy with lymph node assessment an alternative to lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer of 2 cm or smaller?

BACKGROUND: Lesser resection than the standard lobectomy for small-sized cT1N0M0 non-small cell lung cancers continues to be debated. METHODS: We reviewed specimens of 139 patients after lobectomy for cT1N0M0 cancer of 2 cm or less. In addition, we prospectively enrolled 70 patients able to tolerate a lobectomy, in a trial of lesser resection for these lesions. The limited procedure consisted of segmentectomy in which the resection line was delivered beyond the burdened segment, plus exploration of lymph nodes by frozen sectioning. This procedure was modified if the result was positive; this modified procedure was called extended segmentectomy. RESULTS: The nodal status after lobectomy was pN0, 107 patients; pN1, 12 patients; and pN2, 20 patients. Of the pN1 patients, 2 had only intralobar nodal involvement within the same segment of the main tumor. In the remaining 30 patients with nodal involvement, we ascertained the nodal involvement during the operation. Regarding intrapulmonary metastasis, 1 of 8 patients having this metastasis had the lesion at the segment where the main tumor was not located and had N2 disease, which was detected intraoperatively. If extended segmentectomy had been performed instead of lobectomy, the lesion could have been removed completely. The 5-year survival of patients with cT1N0M0 cancer of 2 cm or less was 87.3% after extended segmentectomy. There were no local recurrences and three noncancer-related deaths. Among patients with pT1N0M0 cancer of 2 cm or less, the 5-year survival was 87.1% in the extended segmentectomy group and 87.7% in the lobectomy group (p = 0.8008). CONCLUSIONS: Extended segmentectomy should be considered as an alternative for patients with cT1N0M0 non-small cell lung cancer of 2 cm or smaller.     

Thymidine phosphorylase expression in tumor stroma of uterine cervical carcinomas: histological features and microvessel density

Immunohistochemical staining was performed on 91 cases of uterine neoplasm in order to determine if expression of platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor/thymidine phosphorylase (TP) correlates with tumor microvessel density (MVD) and histological parameters of uterine carcinomas in tumor cells and in tumor stroma. The sample group consisted of 72 primary invasive squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix (ISC) and 19 cervical intraepithelial neoplasms (CIN) of the uterus. In ISC of the cervix, TP expression in tumor stroma showed a significant correlation with a non-keratinizing histological subtype (P < 0.001) and with an infiltrating invasive pattern (P < 0.001). However, in tumor cells the TP expression showed a higher correlation with a keratinizing histological subtypes (P = 0.009). MVD was significantly higher (P = 0.002) in tumors showing high TP expression in stroma than in tumors with low expression. These findings suggest that the TP expression in stromal cells, rather than in tumor cells, may play a role in promoting microvessel growth in cervical squamous cell carcinoma, and angiogenesis may also have an association with tumor cell invasion.     

A non-T, non-B human leukemia cell line (NALM-1): establishment of the cell line and presence of leukemia-associated antigens.

A permanent hematopoietic cell line, designated NALM-1, was established from the peripheral blood of a patient who was in blastic crisis of Ph1-positive chronic myleocytic leukemia. By means of a panel of specific xenoantisera, the NALM-1 cells were found to express a specific antigen of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and blast leukemia-associated antigen. The cells exhibited no cell-surface receptors for sheep erythrocytes, IgG, or complement; neither cell-surface immunoglobulins nor cytoplasmic immunoglobulin were observed. Furthermore, normal T-cell or B-cell antigens, detectable by the antisera used in this study, were not found in the NALM-1 line.     

Cytogenetic and immunoglobulin markers of human leukemic B-cell lines.

This study describes the establishment of two permanent leukemic B-cell lines (BALM-1 and -2) originating from the blood cells of a patient with a B-cell type of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The cells of BALM-1 and -2 exhibited cell surface markers compatible with B-cell origin. The identity between the leukemic cells in vivo and those of the BALM lines was established on the basis of the karyotypic picture, including marker chromosomes 14q+ and t(12;17;?) and cell surface immunoglobulins (K, delta, and mu chain determinants).     

Epidemiologic characteristics of definite Ménière's disease in Japan. A long-term survey of Toyama and Niigata prefectures

To identify epidemiologic characteristics of definite cases of Ménière's disease (DMD), we conducted retrospective surveys of the period 1990-2004 of the Nishikubiki district and of the period 1980-2004 of Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University. Three hundred and seventy-five patients (50 from Nishikubiki, 325 from Toyama) were diagnosed with DMD according to the diagnostic criteria proposed by the Japanese Society for Equilibrium Research. There was a slight increase in the prevalence of DMD during the period 1990-2004. However, incidence did not change significantly over time. The average annual prevalence and incidence were 34.5 and 5.0, respectively, per 100,000 population. Incidence and prevalence predominated in females. With respect to age at disease, the incidence in elderly patients was increased when we corrected for age distribution in the overall population.     

Hypotensive effect of des-acyl ghrelin at nucleus tractus solitarii of rat

Ghrelin is a gut-brain peptide and its endocrine activities are mediated by GH secretagogue receptor (GHSR)-1a. Des-acyl ghrelin does not activate GHSR-1a and is devoid of endocrine activities. While the microinjection of ghrelin into rat nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) elicited hypotensive effects, this was not the case upon injection into GHSR-expressing rostral ventrolateral medulla or caudal ventrolateral medulla. To make clear the reason of the discrepancy between receptor distribution and neuronal responses, we examined the cardiovascular response of rats microinjected with des-acyl ghrelin into NTS. Intra-NTS injection of des-acyl ghrelin significantly reduced mean arterial pressure and heart rate. The hypotensive and bradycardic activity evoked by des-acyl ghrelin was not significantly different from that of native ghrelin. These results suggest that des-acyl ghrelin contribute to the regulation of cardiovascular control and that a receptor other than GHSR-1a exists in NTS.