Unique spatiotemporal activation pattern of Cdc42 by Gef1 and Scd1 promotes different events during cytokinesis.

The Rho-family GTPase Cdc42 regulates cell polarity and localizes to the cell division site. Cdc42 is activated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs). We report that Cdc42 promotes cytokinesis via a unique spatiotemporal activation pattern due to the distinct action of its GEFs, Gef1 and Scd1, in fission yeast.

Associations between dietary inflammatory index and inflammatory markers in the Asklepios Study.

Previous research has shown that nutrients and certain food items influence inflammation. However, little is known about the associations between diet, as a whole, and inflammatory markers. In the present study, we examined the ability of a FFQ-derived dietary inflammatory index (DII) to predict inflammation.

Relevance of the 1-year dog study in assessing human health risks for registration of pesticides. An update to include pesticides registered in Japan.

Over 400 active pesticides are registered in Japan (FAMIC 2013). The results of dog toxicity studies (usually, the 1-year study) were used by the Japanese regulatory authorities to establish the acceptable daily intake (ADI) for 45 pesticide active ingredients (about 9%). A retrospective review of ADIs established in Japan with dog studies as pivotal data for their derivation was performed: the ADIs were reassessed under the assumption that the 1-year dog study would not be available and an alternate ADI was derived based on the remaining toxicology database.

CE analysis of γ-globulin mobility and potential clinical utility.

Serum protein electrophoresis is widely used in clinical laboratories to measure the relative abundance of each obtained fraction. Moreover, we found that the migration time of the γ-globulin fraction can be reproducibly determined (CV = 1.1%).

Phenotype of Gc-globulin influences the macrophage activating factor (MAF) levels in serum.

Background: Gc-globulin is a polymorphic protein with three phenotypes: Gc 1-1, Gc 2-1 and Gc 2-2. Deglycosylation of Gc-globulin results in a Gc-macrophage activating factor (Gc-MAF). This study investigated the potential of MAF as a tumour marker and the influence of Gc-phenotypes on serum MAF-concentrations.

Diagnostic value of the hemopexin N-glycan profile in hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common and rapidly fatal cancer. Current diagnostic methods for HCC have poor sensitivity and specificity, are invasive, and carry risk for complications. Newer markers are needed to overcome these problems and allow diagnosis of HCC at an earlier stage.

Surgical findings and post-operative parathormone levels in patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism.

Objective: The peri-operative and immediate post-operative outcome of secondary hyperparathyroidism treated with subtotal parathyroidectomy is reported.

Methods: We studied 100 patients with chronic renal failure who underwent subtotal parathyroidectomy at our department. Surgical eligibility was based on hyperparathyroidism stage, defined by symptoms of osteodystrophy and/or the presence of hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia refractory to medical treatment.

Potency values from the local lymph node assay: application to classification, labelling and risk assessment.

Hundreds of chemicals are contact allergens but there remains a need to identify and characterise accurately skin sensitising hazards. The purpose of this review was fourfold. First, when using the local lymph node assay (LLNA), consider whether an exposure concentration (EC3 value) lower than 100% can be defined and used as a threshold criterion for classification and labelling.

Analysis of gamma-globulin mobility on routine clinical CE equipment: exploring its molecular basis and potential clinical utility.

A study was conducted on the variability of gamma-globulin mobility in serum protein electrophoresis and its molecular basis. We found that the migration time of gamma-globulins can be reproducibly determined (CV=1.1%) on clinical CE equipment.

Spuriously high thyrotropin values due to anti-thyrotropin antibodies in adult patients.

Background: Three adult patients presented with unexpectedly high thyrotropin (TSH) concentrations that were discordant with clinical and biochemical findings of euthyroid or hyperthyroid status.

Methods: Antibody interference in the TSH immunoassay (Roche) was investigated by polyethylene glycol (PEG)-pretreatment, heterophilic blocking tube (HBT)-pretreatment, rheumatoid factor (RF) testing, immunofixation, protein A adsorption, and gel filtration chromatography (GFC).

Results: PEG-precipitation yielded<20% recovery of serum TSH, whereas HBT-pretreatment did not decrease TSH test results.

Interlaboratory validation of 1% pluronic l92 surfactant as a suitable, aqueous vehicle for testing pesticide formulations using the murine local lymph node assay.

The mouse local lymph node assay (LLNA) has become the preferred test for evaluating the dermal sensitization potential of chemicals and requirements are now emerging for its use in the evaluation of their formulated products, especially in the European Union. However, despite its widespread use and extensive validation, the use of this assay for directly testing mixtures and formulated products has been questioned, which could lead to repeat testing using multiple animal models. As pesticide formulations are typically a specific complex blend of chemicals for use as aqueous-based dilutions, traditional vehicles prescribed for the LLNA may change the properties of these formulations leading to inaccurate test results and hazard identification.

Diagnosing and monitoring hepatocellular carcinoma with alpha-fetoprotein: new aspects and applications.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the 5th most common cancer in the world. Prognosis for this disease is poor since hepatocellular carcinoma is mostly diagnosed at an advanced stage. Serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is one of the most common diagnostic markers for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Safety evaluation of the phosphinothricin acetyltransferase proteins encoded by the pat and bar sequences that confer tolerance to glufosinate-ammonium herbicide in transgenic plants.

Transgenic plant varieties, which are tolerant to glufosinate-ammonium, were developed. The herbicide tolerance is based upon the presence of either the bar or the pat gene, which encode for two homologous phosphinothricin acetyltransferases (PAT), in the plant genome. Based on both a review of published literature and experimental studies, the safety assessment reviews the first step of a two-step-approach for the evaluation of the safety of the proteins expressed in plants.

Assessment of the safety of foods derived from genetically modified (GM) crops.

This paper provides guidance on how to assess the safety of foods derived from genetically modified crops (GM crops); it summarises conclusions and recommendations of Working Group 1 of the ENTRANSFOOD project. The paper provides an approach for adapting the test strategy to the characteristics of the modified crop and the introduced trait, and assessing potential unintended effects from the genetic modification. The proposed approach to safety assessment starts with the comparison of the new GM crop with a traditional counterpart that is generally accepted as safe based on a history of human food use (the concept of substantial equivalence).

Induction of IgE antibody responses by protein allergens: inter-laboratory comparisons.

There is a growing interest in the development of methods for the evaluation of the allergenic potential of novel proteins. One approach is the measurement of specific IgE antibody production stimulated by systemic (intraperitoneal; i.p.

Tumorigenic potential of carbaryl in the heterozygous p53 knockout mouse model.

The heterozygous p53 knockout mouse model was used to assess whether vascular tumors noted in a 2-year carcinogenicity study in CD-1 mice with carbaryl were induced through a genotoxic mechanism. This knockout mouse model was selected for carbaryl because of the high sensitivity of this model to genotoxic events and its low spontaneous incidence of tumors until 9-12 months of age. Carbaryl was administered continuously via the diet to groups of 20 male heterozygous p53 knockout mice at concentrations of 0, 10, 30, 100, 300, 1000 and 4000 ppm for 180 days.

The p53 heterozygous knockout mouse as a model for chemical carcinogenesis in vascular tissue.

Heterozygous p53 knockout mice were investigated as a potential model for vascular tumor carcinogenesis. Groups of 20 male mice were exposed by gavage for 6 months to the vascular carcinogen urethane at 1, 10, or 100 mg/kg body weight/day. Wild-type and heterozygous p53 knockout control groups were exposed by gavage to the vehicle alone.

Phenobarbital, beta-naphthoflavone, clofibrate, and pregnenolone-16alpha-carbonitrile do not affect hepatic thyroid hormone UDP-glucuronosyl transferase activity, and thyroid gland function in mice.

The effects of representative liver enzyme inducers such as clofibrate (CLO), phenobarbital (PB), pregnenolone-16alpha-carbonitrile (PCN), and beta-naphthoflavone (NF) on hepatic microsomal thyroxin (T4)- UDP-glucuronosyl transferase (UGT) and triiodothyronine (T3)- UGT activities and thyroid function were evaluated in OF-1 male mice after a 14-day po administration. CLO, PB, and PCN induced histological liver hypertrophy, increases in liver weights, in microsomal protein and cytochrome P450 contents as well as increases in specific UGT activities. Despite this, no significant changes in T4-UGT and T3-UGT activities occurred after treatment by any of these compounds.

The correlation between prostate volume, transition zone volume, transition zone index and clinical and urodynamic investigations in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms.

Objective: To determine if, in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), measurement of the transition zone (TZ) of the prostate by transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and the ratio between the TZ volume and total prostate volume (TZ index) correlates better with clinical and urodynamic investigations than total prostate volume alone.

Patients And Methods: In total, 150 consecutive patients with LUTS underwent a standardized screening programme including the International Prostate Symptom Sore (IPSS), a physical examination, TRUS of the prostate and urodynamic investigations with pressure-flow studies. The total prostate volume and TZ volume were assessed from TRUS using the ellipsoid formula.

Effect of suloctidil on rat liver.

The effect of suloctidil (120 mg/kg body weight PO for 3 weeks) on rat liver was investigated using biochemical and morphological methods: enzymatic activities characteristic of the main cellular compartments were used as biochemical markers of hepatocyte function and morphometry was applied to investigate morphological changes. No sign of hepatotoxicity was evidenced after suloctidil treatment (liver weight; cytochrome c oxidase; glucose 6-phosphatase; NADPH-cytochrome c reductase; D-amino acid oxidase; urate oxidase; fatty acid oxidation; peroxisomal number, volume and size distribution). Suloctidil increased catalase activity by 22% without morphologically detectable changes in the peroxisomes.