Novel expression and regulation of gastrin gene in human ovarian cancer cell line, SW626

Gastrin-secreting tumors have been identified in ectopic locations including the ovary; the mechanisms regulating gastrin gene expression, its distribution, and signaling pathways in these ectopic tissues are not known. The purpose of our present study was to determine: (1) whether the gastrin gene and peptide could be detected in ovarian cancer cell lines, (2) if functional gastrin releasing peptide receptors (GRP-R) are present, and (3) whether gastrin gene expression is altered by GRP. Five ovarian cancer cell lines (SW626, OVCA 420, OVCA 429, OVCA 432, and OVCA 433) were analyzed. We identified gastrin gene and peptide expression in the SW626 cell line but not in the OVCA lines. SW626 cells express a functional GRP-R that is correctly coupled to the Ca2+ signaling pathway. Treatment of SW626 cells with bombesin, the amphibian equivalent of GRP, inhibited expression of the gastrin gene in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. The SW626 ovarian cancer cell line will provide a useful model to further define regulation and expression of both the gastrin gene and peptide in ectopic (nongastrointestinal) tissues.     

County funding of mental health services in a rural state

A case of lobar torsion after lung surgery is reported here. She developed a right middle lobar torsion diagnosed by postoperative bronchial fiberscopy, suggesting incomplete obstruction of the intermedial bronchus. Re-operation was performed successfully either by fixing the right lower lobe to both the middle lobe and the thoracic wall. Careful postoperative observation with chest radiography, bronchial fiberscopy, are important for precise diagnosis of and therapy for lobar torsion following pulmonary lobectomy.     

Dynamics and organization of MAP kinase signal pathways

In the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, four separate but structurally related mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation pathways are known. The best understood of these regulates mating. Pheromone binding to receptor informs cells of the proximity of a mating partner and induces differentiation to a mating competent state. The MAPK activation cascade mediating this signal is made up of Ste11 (a MEK kinase [MEKK]), Ste7 (a MAPK/ERK kinase [MEK]), and the redundant MAPK-related Fus3 and Kss1 enzymes. Another MAPK activation pathway is important for cell integrity and regulates cell wall construction. This cascade consists of Bck1 (a MEKK), the redundant Mkk1 and Mkk2 enzymes (MEKs), and Mpk1 (a MAPK). We exploited these two pathways to learn about the coordination and signal transmission fidelity of MAPK activation cascades. Two lines of evidence suggest that the activities of the mating and cell integrity pathways are coordinated during mating differentiation. First, cells deficient in Mpk1 are susceptible to lysis when they make a mating projection in response to pheromone. Second, Mpk1 activation during pheromone induction coincides with projection formation. The mechanism underlying this coordination is still unknown to us. Our working model is that projection formation generates a mobile second messenger for activation of the cell integrity pathway. Analysis of a STE7 mutation gave us some unanticipated but important insights into parameters important for fidelity of signal transmission. The Ste7 variant has a serine to proline substitution at position 368. Ste7-P368 has higher basal activity than the wild-type enzyme but still requires Ste11 for its function. Additionally, the proline substitution enables the variant to transmit the signal from mammalian Raf expressed in yeast. This novel activity suggests that Ste7-P368 is inherently more permissive than Ste7 in its interactions with MEKKs. Yet, Ste7-P368 cross function in the cell integrity pathway occurs only when it is highly overproduced or when Ste5 is missing. This behavior suggests that Ste5, which has been proposed to be a tether for the kinases in the mating pathway, contributes to Ste7 specificity and fidelity of signal transmission.     

Reaction products of ammonium nitrate phosphate fertilizers of varying water-soluble phosphorus content in different Indian soils

Studies were undertaken on the isolation and identification of reaction products of ammonium nitrate phosphate (ANP) fertilizers containing 30, 50 and 70 per cent water-soluble phosphorus (WSP) of total phosphorus in representative soils of the vertisol, oxisol, alfisol, entisol, mollisol and aridisol groups of India. ANP fertilizers were applied in solid form to soil, and reaction products formed at and around the site of ANP fertilizer placement were identified after six weeks incubation in moist soils by X-ray diffraction technique. DCPD (dicalcium phosphate dihydrate- CaHPO₄ · 2H₂O) was the major reaction product of ANP fertilizers containing 30 and 50 per cent WSP in vertisol, entisol, aridisol, mollisol, oxisol and alfisol, and of ANP containing 70 per cent WSP in vertisol, entisol, alfisol, aridisol and mollisol. DCP (dicalcium phosphate-CaHPO₄) was detected with ANP of 30 and 50 per cent WSP in the vertisol, alfisol, entisol, mollisol and aridisol groups of soils. In addition to DCPD, FePO₄ · 2H₂O (metastrengite) and AlPO₄ · 2H₂ O-monoclinic (metavariscite) were formed in alfisol and oxisol soils with ANP of 30 and 50 per cent WSP. FePO₄ · 2H₂O and AlPO₄ · 2H₂O (metavariscite) were identified in alfisol and oxisol soils while AlPO₄ · 2H₂O-orthorhombic (variscite) was formed in alfisol soils with ANP of 70 per cent WSP.     

Interpretation time of serial chest CT examinations with stacked-metaphor workstation versus film alternator

PURPOSE: Interpretation time of serial staging chest CT cases, which each contained current and previous examinations, with a simple prototype workstation called filmstack was experimentally compared with interpretation time with a film alternator. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The filmstack displayed a "stack" of sections for each examination; user controls allowed rapid selection of preset attenuation windows and both synchronized and unsynchronized scrolling. Eight radiologists were timed as they used the filmstack and the film alternator to interpret four ergonomically complex serial CT cases. RESULTS: All reports dictated on the basis of findings with filmstack and film were of acceptable clinical accuracy. The time to examine a case with filmstack was significantly faster than the time with film, including the time to load and unload the alternator (99% confidence [P = .01]). There was no statistically significant difference in interpretation time between filmstack and prehung film. CONCLUSION: Use of a low-cost stacked CT workstation with a single 1,024 x 1,024 monitor is an effective means of interpreting cases that require comparison of multiple CT examinations.     

Exploration of channel width scaling and edge states in transition metal dichalcogenides

We explore the impact of edge states in three types of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), namely metallic Td-phase WTe₂ and semiconducting 2H-phase MoTe₂ and MoS₂, by patterning thin flakes into ribbons with varying channel widths. No obvious charge depletion at the edges is observed for any of these three materials, in contrast to observations made for graphene nanoribbon devices. The semiconducting ribbons are characterized in a three-terminal field-effect transistor (FET) geometry. In addition, two ribbon array designs have been carefully investigated and found to exhibit current levels higher than those observed for conventional one-channel devices. Our results suggest that device structures incorporating a high number of edges can improve the performance of TMD FETs. This improvement is attributed to a higher local electric field, resulting from the edges, increasing the effective number of charge carriers, and the absence of any detrimental edge-related scattering.

Open image in new window

     

Augmentation of facial soft-tissue defects with Alloderm dermal graft

The aim of the study was TPS diagnostic value determination in the serum of women with breast cancer as compared with MCA and CA 15-3. The relationship between the serum concentration of these antigens and patient age, clinical stage, histological grade, presence of metastases to lymph nodes and histological type of neoplasm was evaluated. Studies were conducted on the sera of 139 women before surgical procedure aged 28-81, treated in the Clinic of Oncology, at Karol Marcinkowski University of Medical Sciences in Poznań. The TPS concentration was determined using the "BEKI Diagnostics" immunoenzymatic method, MCA - by the "Roche" test and CA 15-3 concentration was determined by the "Abbott" immunofluorescent test. The study showed significantly higher levels of TPS, CA 15-3 and MCA in women with cancer, compared with values in healthy women and women with mastopathy. The highest median of concentration and frequency of occurrence was obtained for TPS. A correlation between enhancement of TPS and CA 15-3 concentration with clinical stage was observed. A similar connection was noted in women with metastases to the lymph nodes. Serum MCA concentration results did not demonstrate the above effects. The study suggests, that in estimating the clinical condition of women with breast cancer, the simultaneous determination of TPS with CA 15-3 seems to be a more useful prognostic factor than TPS or CA 15-3 with MCA.     

Legal framework of postgraduate nursing education in spain

Being part of the first report of the SEEIUC Forum on the training of nurses in critical care units, this article shows the different postgraduation training paths which Spanish legislation establishes. The "Titulos Oficiales de Especialización Profesional" ("Official Degrees on Professional Specialization") settle the seven nursing specialties regulated by the Decreto 992/1987. Following a second path, "Titulos de Postgraduado no Oficiales" ("Non-official postgraduation degrees"), every University acknowledged by the LRU and creating them as their Own Degrees, may organize Master courses, University experts, University specialists and Postgraduation university degrees, according to their autonomy. So that this autonomous offer is as homogeneous as possible, there is an interuniversity agreement which encompasses 24 national universities and gathers the general criteria for the academic organization of such courses. The report is completed by an analysis of the training offer for critical care nursing, developed during the 1995/1996 course in Spain.     

Magnito-, electro- and echocardiography in detecting symptoms of the "hypertensive heart"

The study compared diagnostic potential of magnetocardiography (MCG), electrocardiography (ECG) and echocardiography (echo-CG) in 18 patients with arterial hypertension (AH). 32 healthy males served as control. Elements of MCG from normal subjects have been analyzed morphologically in 36 points of precordial leads. Left ventricular hypertrophy was registered at echo-CG, MCG, ECG in 11 (61%), 16 (84%) and 7 (34%) of the AH patients, respectively. Left atrial hypertrophy was discovered primarily by echo-CG and MCG. Defects in ventricular repolarization were recorded by MCg in 7 (39%) patients basing on MCG, echo-CG and rarely ECG signs of left ventricular hypertrophy. MCG is recommended as an effective tool in diagnosis of "hypertensive heart".