A trace amount of Fe(ClO
4)
3 (0.25
mol%) have been effectively used as Lewis acid catalyst for acetylation of alcohols and phenols with acetic acid at room temperature.
Purpose
Galectin-3, a β-galactoside-binding animal lectin is a multifunctional protein, which regulates cell growth, cell adhesion, cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis, and in turn ...contributes to tumorigenesis and metastasis. The aim of this study was to clarify the role or related mechanisms of galectin-3 in lung carcinogenesis.
Methods
We administrated 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyle)-1-butanone (NNK), a powerful chemical carcinogen into galectin-3 wild-type (gal3+/+) and galectin-3 knock-out (gal3−/−) CD1 mice by intraperitoneal injection, examined the expression status of 22,690 mouse genes of the NNK-induced tumors using Affymetrix GeneChip mouse expression 430 A arrays, and then analyzed functional network and gene ontology by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Real-time PCR was also employed to partially confirm the genechip data.
Results
Compared with the gal3+/+ mice, the incidence of lung tumors was significantly low in gal3−/− mice after 32 weeks (28.6 vs 52.1%,
P
< 0.05). Pathway analysis indicated that galectin-3 up-regulated carcinogenesis-related genes (e.g. B-cell receptor, ERK/MAPK, and PPAR signalings) in normal condition, and lung cancer and NNK-induced gene expression associated with cellular growth (e.g. Wnt/β-catenin signaling) or immunological disease (e.g. EGF and PDGF signalings) in lung carcinogenesis with or without the galectin-3 control, respectively.
Conclusion
Disrupted galectin-3 may attenuate the lung carcinogenesis due to its regulatory role in the B-cell receptor, ERK/MAPK, and PPAR signal pathways.
JC virus (JCV), a ubiquitous polyoma virus that commonly infects humans, was first identified as the etiologic agent for the fetal demyelinating disease, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy. ...Recently, a number of reports have documented detection of JCV in samples derived from several types of neural as well as non-neural human tumors. It has been suggested that oncogenicity of JCV depends on a T antigen having a strict structural homology to the T antigen of simian virus 40. To clarify whether JCV might have a potential role with regard to colorectal cancers, we investigated the presence of its genome in a series of cases along with colorectal adenomas and normal colonic mucosa, targeting T antigen, VP and agnoprotein by nested polymerase chain reaction and Southern blotting and T antigen by immunohistochemistry. While VP and agnoprotein were not found in any of the samples examined, T antigen was detected in 6 of 23 colorectal cancers (26.1%) and 1 of 21 adenomas (4.8%), but none of 20 samples of normal colonic mucosa. No clear and diffuse staining with anti-T-antigen antibodies (1:100) could be detected, and there was no correlation with CD20-positive cells, which might have indicated JCV latent infection of B lymphocytes. Presence of T antigen did not influence clinicopathological variables, including survival. In one colonic cancer case positive for T antigen together with lymph node metastasis, DNA extracted from cancer cells in the lymph node revealed no detection of T antigen. Our results are in the intermediate position between the high T antigen rate (81%) in one report and the lack of it (0%) in another focused on colon cancers. It was concluded that T antigen might be integrated in cancer cells in approximately one fourth of Japanese colon cancer cases without clear and diffuse expression of the protein, suggesting a possible role in oncogenesis which might involve a hit-and-run mechanism.
Purpose Restitution of vision in blind Retinitis Pigmentosa patients by the new wireless implant Alpha‐IMS (Retina Implant AG, Tübingen, Germany).
Methods Each of the 1500 subfoveal photodiodes ...within an 11 by 11 deg field controls an amplifier that ejects light evoked currents onto bipolar cells via TiN electrodes (Zrenner et al. Proc. R. Soc. B 2011, 278: 1489ff). Power and control signals are transmitted transdermally via retroauricular inductive coils connected to a subdermal cable to the eye.
Results Ten patients received implants since 2010 (average age 46±84). In 8 patients the chip was at the desired subfoveal position; in 2 patients slightly parafoveal. All patients were able to perform the function tests except one due to loss of inner retina function after surgery. Results in all other patients were: light perception 9/9; light localization 8/9; motion recognition 5/9; grating resolution 8/9 (up to 3,3 cycle/degree); Landolt C rings 3/9 (up to 0,036); recognition of geometric objects 8/9; recognition of objects in table setup 8/9; letter reading 4/9; clock hands reading 3/9; grey scale differentiation 6/9; improved outdoor mobility 5/9. Patients` experiences: recognition of unknown objects, facial or clothes’ characteristics, moving objects in nature and traffic, small objects (glasses, telephone, doors, door handles, washing basin, dices).
Conclusion The wireless Alpha‐IMS implant can restore useful visual abilities in blind RP‐patients. Subretinal surgery for positioning chips subfoveally is safe and the multicenter part of the study has been started in Oxford, London and Hongkong.
Commercial interest
With emerging drug resistance inPlasmodium falciparum,novel antifolates effective against pyrimethamine-resistant and cycloguanil-resistant dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) are in demand. Based on ...structural similarity to cycloguanil, it has been proposed that WR99210, and its metabolic precursor PS-15, exerts selective antimalarial activity by binding tightly to both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant DHFR. In the present study, Linweaver–Burk plots and Ackermann–Potter plots reveal that both forms of malarial DHFR bind WR99210 at subnanomolar concentrations. It is not necessary to invoke an alternate target for WR99210 inP. falciparum.The present studies confirm that malarial DHFRs offer potential binding interactions in the folate-binding pocket distinct from those exploited by pyrimethamine and cycloguanil. These kinetic studies also provide a useful framework for the design and interpretation of future structural studies on drug-resistant DHFR fromP. falciparum.
Preface Hardly any other term in the field of biotechnology has been the subject of so much discussion among experts aswhite biotechnology at present. This termis an alias for "industrial ...biotechnology," an already established "heavyweight" that focuses on the production of the most diverse products (bulk and fine chemicals, enzymes, food and animal feed additives, pharmaceutically active substances and agrochemicals, auxiliary agents for process industries, etc.). Insomesegments,white biotechnologyhas already captured leading market positions: – In recent years the annual biotechnological production of amino acids exceeded one million tons. – In vitamin production there have been several recent cases of a changeover from a chemical to a biotechnological synthesis process, a trend that is expected to increase. – During the last 10 years the market volume for enzymes has increased by 50%. – The successful launch of polylactide marked white biotechnology’s breakthrough into the field of polymers and synthetics. Today crude oil is the most important energy source and the most widely used chemical raw material. Both primary industry and polymer chemistry currently depend to a great extent on oil. However, it is only a matter of time before theworld’s oil reserves are depleted.Almost all studies presented to date agree that peak oil, i.e. the point in time when oil extraction reaches its highest level, will take place in the first half of the present century. The increasingly difficult development of new sources of oil have triggered initiatives worldwide to reduce national dependence on oil imports. To summarize, there is no long-termalternative to developing a technology based firmly on renewable resources and industrial biotechnology may offer various solutions in this field. The tremendous pace of progress in the field of molecular biology has provided an unprecedented and promising launching pad for the development of further industrially relevant biocatalysts. Simultaneously, bioprocess engineering know-how is supporting ef.cient process development from titer plate format to shaker flasks to industrial scale. Thus, in principle, a basis exists for accelerating the development of new industrial bioprocesses in parallel with all disciplines concerned. In this book authors from different scienti.c and business areas of industrial biotechnology aim to give you an overview of the state of the art and ongoing developments. Frankfurt and Kaiserslautern, October 2006 Dieter Sell Roland Ulber
Background: Abdominal procedures in patients with coronary artery disease or severe valvular disease have high risk of mortality and morbidity. Aims: In order to prevent bile peritonitis after ...cardiac surgery, to reduce the hospitalization course, and to decrease the mortality and morbidity after the surgery, laparascopic cholecystectomy and open‐heart surgery were performed at the same time. Methods: Laparascopic cholecystectomy and open‐heart surgery were performed on two patients who had been referred to Cardiothoracic Ward of Modarres Hospital, Tehran, Iran. Results: Simultaneous classic laparascopic cholesystectomy was successfully performed on two different open‐heart patients, one with coronary artery disease for coronary artery bypass surgery and the other with severe mitral valve disorder for mitral valve replacement. Conclusions: Abdominal procedures are suggested to be done with cardiac surgery at the same time with laparascopic technique to reduce mortality and morbidity in these patients.
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