The effect of synthetic galanin on plasma glucose, insulin and pancreatic glucagon levels in dogs was studied. Infusion of galanin caused a rapid, reversible and dose-dependent reduction in basal ...insulin level. A maximal increase in blood glucose level accompanying the insulin decrease was observed when galanin was administered at a dose of 4 μg/kg per h. Pancreatic glucagon levels showed little change compared with basal secretion. These results indicate that galanin is involved in the regulation of glucose through control of insulin secretion.
An exacerbated genomic instability characterizes hereditary and sporadic gastrointestinal cancer of the microsatellite mutator phenotype (MMP), generating somatic frameshift mutations in genes ...containing mononucleotide repeats. We have recently shown that approximately 50, 40, and 30% of MMP+ colon tumors harbor frameshift mutations in (G)8, (A)8, and (C)8 tracks within the proapoptotic gene BAX and the hMSH3 and hMSH6 DNA mismatch repair genes, respectively. Here we report a higher incidence of frameshift mutations in these 3 genes in a panel of 25 MMP+ gastric adenocarcinomas: 64% in BAX and hMSH3, and 52% in hMSH6. These results support a multiple mutator gene model for the stepwise unfolding of the MMP and further illustrate the importance of the escape from apoptosis in gastrointestinal cancer. The tumor suppressor role played by BAX is also supported by the finding of other somatic BAX mutations, including recurrent missense mutations, not only in gastrointestinal cancer of the MMP but also in gastrointestinal cancer without the MMP.
We have formed heterogeneous oxide semiconductor FETs (OSFETs) in one planar FET layer and two vertical FET (VFET) layers over Si by monolithically stacking OSFETs on top of Si CMOS. Formation of ...IOSIC DRAM memory cells in the VFET layers and a primary sense amplifier (1st SA) in the planar FET layer has realized a memory with different functions such as memory switching and signal amplification in different layers for the first time. As a result, special features, which are three-dimensional monolithic stacking of memory and long date retention, are implemented.
A series of numerical simulations of magnetorotational core-collapse supernovae are carried out. Dipole-like configurations which are offset northward are assumed for the initially strong magnetic ...fields, along with rapid differential rotations. The aim of our study is to investigate the effects of the offset magnetic field on magnetar kicks and on supernova dynamics. Note that we study a regime where the proto-neutron star formed after collapse has a large magnetic field strength approaching that of a "magnetar," a highly magnetized slowly rotating neutron star. As a result, equatorially asymmetric explosions occur with the formation of the bipolar jets. We find that the jets are fast and light in the north and slow and heavy in the south for rapid cases, while they are fast and heavy in the north and slow and light in the south for slow-rotation cases. The resulting magnetar kick velocities are similar to 300-1000 km s super(-1). We find that the acceleration is mainly due to the magnetic pressure, while the somewhat weaker magnetic tension works in the opposite direction, due to the stronger magnetic field in the northern hemisphere. Note that observations of magnetar proper motions are very scarce; our results supply a prediction for future observations. Namely, magnetars possibly have large kick velocities, several hundred km s super(-1) as ordinary neutron stars do, and in extreme cases they could have kick velocities up to 1000 km s super(-1). In each model, the formed protomagnetar is a slow rotator with a rotational period of more than 10 ms. It is also found that, in rapid-rotation models, the final configuration of the magnetic field in the protomagnetar is a collimated dipole-like field pinched by the torus of toroidal field lines, whereas in the protomagnetar produced in the slow-rotation model the poloidal field is totally dominant.
The optic nerve of adult cats was transected and an autologous peripheral nerve was transplanted to the stump. Two months later retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) that had regenerated their axons were ...retrogradely labeled with fluorescent dye injected into the graft. The more than 4000 labeled cells, which were 3.0-4.3% of total ganglion cell number in the intact retina, were distributed in a high-density area elongating horizontally, in a pattern similar to that observed in the intact retina. The dendritic morphology of RGCs with regenerated axons was examined after intracellular injections of HRP or Lucifer yellow in vitro. The morphology of alpha- and gamma-cells appeared comparable to normal, whereas the dendrites of some beta-cells seemed to degenerate. Some "unclassified" cells could not be identified as alpha-, beta-, or gamma-cells. The main dendrites of most unclassified cells were thin and less ramified than alpha- and beta-cells. Some unclassified cells had a vacant area in their dendritic fields, suggesting degenerative change in dendrites. The distal dendrites of some unclassified and gamma-cells had many fine processes that probably regrew during axonal regeneration. The proportion of alpha-, beta-, and other cells including gamma- and unclassified cells in the regenerating cell population was evaluated by examining all of the Lucifer yellow-injected cells in local patches. The average proportion of alpha-cells was 23.9%, about six times higher than in intact retinas. The average proportion of beta-cells was 50.3%, slightly higher than in intact retinas. The remaining cells (25.7%) could not be categorized as alpha or beta; this proportion is about half that found in intact retinas. These findings suggest that alpha-cells have the highest capacity to regenerate their axons into nerve grafts, rather than all types equally regenerating their axons.
This paper deals with the design and control of a power assist system for lifting objects. It was hypothesized that an operator's perception of weight due to inertial force might be different from ...the perceived weight due to gravitational force. The system was simulated for different sizes of objects. Results show that an increase in mechanical time constant reduces perceived heaviness and load forces. The results also show the technique for simultaneous optimization of motion and perceived heaviness. Psychophysical studies show that the power assist system reduces the weights of the lifted objects to 40%, 30%, and 25% of the actual weights for unimanual, bimanual, and cooperative lifting tasks, respectively. The studies also show that operators apply 6.30, 6.22, and 6.14 times larger than the actually required load forces for the unimanual, bimanual, and cooperative lifting tasks, respectively. Therefore, a novel control strategy was proposed that reduced the excessive load forces and thus enhanced maneuverability, safety, naturalness, etc., of the system. The feasibility of zero gravity and zero inertia was studied. The operator's load force characteristics in some worst cases were studied. The effects of friction between an object and the operator's hand on weight perception and load forces were also studied. Power-assisted manipulation of objects in harmonic motion was also considered. Finally, it was proposed to use the findings to design power assist systems for lifting heavy objects in industries such as manufacturing, logistics, transport, construction, military and rescue operations, mining, etc., that would enhance interactions with human users.
We prototyped a 228 KB oxide semiconductor memory utilizing field-effect transistors with a c-axis-aligned crystalline oxide semiconductor (CAAC-OSFETs) and evaluated its tolerance to hard errors ...caused by X-rays and soft errors caused by heavy-ion beams. Evaluation results demonstrate that the OS memory has radiation tolerance high enough to operate properly even in space radiation environments.
The glial cell line–derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a member of neurotrophic polypeptide family, which promotes survival and rescue of various neural cells in the central and peripheral nerve ...systems. We previously reported that GDNF promotes tumor cell invasion in pancreatic cancer cell lines. The purpose of this study was to investigate GDNF family expression and the status of related receptors in actual cancer tissues, and assess correlations with clinicopathologic behavior.
Immunohistochemical assessment of GDNF, neurturin, persephin, artemin, GDNF family receptor α-1 and α-2, and RET was performed for 51 cases of surgically resected pancreatic cancer.
In all intrapancreatic nerves, GDNF and artermin were expressed strongly. In pancreatic cancer tissues. The expression of RET was stronger than that seen in normal ductal cells and was significantly related to the survival rate after resection (
P = .026) and lymphatic invasion (
P = .014). Intrapancreatic neural invasion was significantly related to the expression of GDNF (
P = .047).
We conclude that the expression of RET in pancreatic cancer tissues may be a useful prognostic marker and GDNF may play an important role in neural invasion.
The effects of a novel, potent and orally active nonpeptide bradykinin B
2
receptor antagonist, FR167344 (N ‐N ‐3 ‐(3 ‐ bromo‐ 2 ...‐methylimidazo1,2‐apyridin‐8‐yl)oxymethyl‐2,4‐dichlorophenyl‐N‐methylaminocarbonylmethyl‐4‐(dimethylaminocarbonyl) cinnamylamide hydrochloride) were tested in three different
in vivo
models of inflammation.
Oral administration of FR167344 inhibited carrageenin‐induced paw oedema in rats (carrageenin: 1%, 0.1 ml per animal, intraplantar), with an ID
50
of 2.7 mg kg
−1
at 2 h after carrageenin injection (
n
=10 or 11).
Oral administration of the compound also inhibited kaolin‐induced writhing (kaolin: 250 mg kg
−1
, i.p.) in mice, with ID
50
of 2.8 mg kg
−1
in 10 min writhing and 4.2 mg kg
−1
in 15 min writhing (
n
=19 or 20).
Additionally, oral administration of FR167344 inhibited caerulein‐induced pancreatic oedema with an ID
50
of 13.8 mg kg
−1
as well as increases in amylase and lipase of blood samples with ID
50
of 10.3 and 7.4 mg kg
−1
, respectively, in rats (
n
=10).
These results show that FR167344 is an orally active, anti‐inflammatory and anti‐nociceptive agent in carrageenin‐induced paw oedema, kaolin‐induced writhing and caerulein‐induced pancreatitis. FR167344 may have therapeutic potential against inflammatory diseases by oral administration and it may be a useful tool for studying the involvement of B
2
receptors in various
in vivo
models of inflammation.
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