Molecular Basis of the Ligand Binding Specificity of αvβ8 Integrin.

αvβ8 is an integrin that recognizes an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) motif and interacts with fibronectin, vitronectin, and latent TGF-β1. We comprehensively determined the binding activity of the αvβ8 integrin toward 25 secreted proteins having an RGD motif. The αvβ8 integrin strongly bound to latent TGF-β1 but showed marginal activity for other RGD-containing proteins, including fibronectin and vitronectin.

Polydom/SVEP1 is a ligand for integrin α9β1.

A variety of proteins, including tenascin-C and osteopontin, have been identified as ligands for integrin α9β1. However, their affinities for integrin α9β1 are apparently much lower than those of other integrins (e.g.

Whole-genome amplification-based GenomiPhi for multiple genomic analysis of individual early porcine embryos.

The multiple displacement amplification (MDA) method, which relies on isothermal DNA amplification using the DNA polymerase of the bacteriophage phi29, was recently developed for high-performance, whole-genome amplification (WGA). The objective of the present study was to determine whether a target sequence could be successfully amplified by conventional PCR when the genomic DNA of a single Day-7 porcine blastocyst (derived from SCNT of a gene-engineered fibroblast) was amplified by the MDA method and used as a template. The yield of double-stranded DNA was 103.

Volume-doubling time of pulmonary nodules with ground glass opacity at multidetector CT: Assessment with computer-aided three-dimensional volumetry.

Rationale And Objectives: To investigate the volume-doubling time (VDT) of histologically proved pulmonary nodules showing ground glass opacity (GGO) at multidetector CT (MDCT) using computer-aided three-dimensional volumetry.

Materials And Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 47 GGO nodules (mixed n = 28, pure n = 19) that had been examined by thin-section helical CT more than once. They were histologically confirmed as atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH, n = 13), bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC, n = 22), and adenocarcinoma (AC, n = 12).

Usefulness of a non-invasive reporter system for monitoring reprogramming state in pig cells: results of a cell fusion experiment.

Dedifferentiation of differentiated cells such as fibroblasts into pluripotent stem cells, so-called iPS cells, was first reported by Yamanaka et al., who successfully employed retroviral gene delivery of four stem-cell-specific transcription factors (Oct-3/4, Klf4, Sox2 and c-myc). Despite the mouse system in which an Oct-3/4 or Nanog promoter-based reporter system has already been established, there is no useful system in pigs for reporting the reprogramming state of gene-engineered cells.

Valproic acid enhances in vitro development and Oct-3/4 expression of miniature pig somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos.

The present study was carried out to examine the effects of valproic acid (VPA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, on in vitro development of miniature pig somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos and on expression of a mouse Oct-3/4 promoter-driven enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene (EGFP expression only detected in Oct-3/4-expressing cells) introduced into donor cells for SCNT during their development. The addition of 4 mM VPA to embryo culture medium for 48 h after activation significantly (p < 0.01) increased the blastocyst formation rate of SCNT embryos compared with the control, whereas VPA did not affect their cleavage rate.

Computer-aided volumetry of pulmonary nodules exhibiting ground-glass opacity at MDCT.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy and reproducibility of results acquired with computer-aided volumetry software during MDCT of pulmonary nodules exhibiting ground-glass opacity.

Materials And Methods: To evaluate the accuracy of computer-aided volumetry software, we performed thin-section helical CT of a chest phantom that included simulated 3-, 5-, 8-, 10-, and 12-mm-diameter ground-glass opacity nodules with attenuation of -800, -630, and -450 HU. Three radiologists measured the volume of the nodules and calculated the relative volume measurement error, which was defined as follows: (measured nodule volume minus assumed nodule volume / assumed nodule volume) x 100.

Development of a noninvasive monitoring system for evaluation of Oct-3/4 promoter status in miniature pig somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos.

The present study was carried out to develop a noninvasive monitoring system for evaluation of Oct-3/4 promoter gene status in miniature pig somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos during in vitro development. Miniature pig fetal fibroblasts (MPFFs) were transfected with a gene construct consisting of two expression units, a mouse Oct-3/4 promoter-driven enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene (EGFP expression only detected in Oct-3/4-expressing cells) and a neomycin resistance gene. After neomycin selection, MPFFs that did not express EGFP were fused with enucleated pig oocytes, cultured in vitro and assessed for EGFP expression.

Pulmonary nodules: estimation of malignancy at thin-section helical CT--effect of computer-aided diagnosis on performance of radiologists.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of a computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) system on the diagnostic performance of radiologists for the estimation of the malignancy of pulmonary nodules on thin-section helical computed tomographic (CT) scans.

Materials And Methods: The institutional review board approved use of the CT database; informed specific study-related consent was waived. The institutional review board approved participation of radiologists; informed consent was obtained from all observers.

Pulmonary nodules at chest CT: effect of computer-aided diagnosis on radiologists' detection performance.

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) on radiologists' detection of pulmonary nodules.

Materials And Methods: Fifty chest computed tomographic (CT) examination cases were used. The mean nodule size was 0.