Comprehensive long-span paired-end-tag mapping reveals characteristic patterns of structural variations in epithelial cancer genomes.

Somatic genome rearrangements are thought to play important roles in cancer development. We optimized a long-span paired-end-tag (PET) sequencing approach using 10-Kb genomic DNA inserts to study human genome structural variations (SVs). The use of a 10-Kb insert size allows the identification of breakpoints within repetitive or homology-containing regions of a few kilobases in size and results in a higher physical coverage compared with small insert libraries with the same sequencing effort.

Sclerostin is a locally acting regulator of late-osteoblast/preosteocyte differentiation and regulates mineralization through a MEPE-ASARM-dependent mechanism.

The identity of the cell type responsive to sclerostin, a negative regulator of bone mass, is unknown. Since sclerostin is expressed in vivo by mineral-embedded osteocytes, we tested the hypothesis that sclerostin would regulate the behavior of cells actively involved in mineralization in adult bone, the preosteocyte. Differentiating cultures of human primary osteoblasts exposed to recombinant human sclerostin (rhSCL) for 35 days displayed dose- and time-dependent inhibition of in vitro mineralization, with late cultures being most responsive in terms of mineralization and gene expression.

An electrical biosensor for the detection of circulating tumor cells.

In this report, we demonstrate a semi-integrated electrical biosensor for the detection of rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in blood. The sample was first enriched through a combination of immunomagnetic isolation and size filtration. The integration of both methods provided a high enrichment performance with a recovery rate above 70%, even for very low numbers of cancer cells present in the original sample (10 spiked MCF7 cells in 0.

Resistance to 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine in genic regions compared to non-genic repetitive sequences.

The DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt) inhibitor and demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5azadC) has been used to induce cellular differentiation and gene activation. It has been approved for treating several kinds of malignancies due to its ability to reactivate silenced tumor suppressor genes. Considering the potential effect of 5azadC on non-targeted genomic regions in normal cells, we investigated its effect on repetitive sequences and selected gene loci, Oct-4, Sall3, Per1, Clu, Dpep1 and Igf2r, including tissue-dependent and differentially methylated regions, by treating mouse NIH/3T3 fibroblast cells with concentrations of 5azadC ranging from 0.

Membrane-based electrochemical nanobiosensor for the detection of virus.

A membrane-based electrochemical nanobiosensor sensitive toward whole viral particles is fabricated by forming a submicrometer thick nanoporous alumina membrane over a platinum disk electrode. Antibody probe molecules are physically adsorbed onto the walls of the membrane nanochannels. The sensing signal is based on the monitoring of the electrode's Faradaic current response toward ferrocenemethanol, which is extremely sensitive to the formation of immunocomplex within the nanoporous membrane.

Cytotoxic xanthones from Garcinia penangiana Pierre.

Two new xanthones, characterized as 4-(1,1-dimethylprop-2-enyl)-1,3,5,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone (1) and penangianaxanthone (2), with three known xanthones, cudratricusxanthone H (3), macluraxanthone C (4) and gerontoxanthone C (5), as well as friedelin and stigmasterol were isolated from the leaves of Garcinia penangiana. Their structures were elucidated by analysis of spectroscopic data and comparison of the NMR data with the literature ones. Significant cytotoxicity against DU-145, MCF-7 and NCI-H460 cancer cell lines was demonstrated by compounds 1-5, with IC50 values ranging from 3.

Low vision services provided by optometrists in Victoria, Australia.

Background: Utilisation of low vision services remains low in Australia. This study investigates low vision service provision by optometrists in Victoria and assesses the optometric human resource potential.

Methods: An eight-item questionnaire was sent to 1,050 optometrists in Victoria in December 2006.

Acetylation of beta-cyclodextrin surface-functionalized cellulose dialysis membranes with enhanced chiral separation.

The enhanced enantiomeric separation of racemic phenylalanine solution has been demonstrated by the membrane-based chiral resolution method using an acetylated beta-cyclodextrin-immobilized cellulose dialysis membrane. Beta-cyclodextrin (CD) was first immobilized onto the surface of commercial cellulose dialysis membranes, followed by the acetylation reaction through the treatment of the membranes with acetic anhydride to form the chiral selective acetylated beta-cyclodextrin-immobilized cellulose dialysis membrane. The acetylated CD-immobilized membrane exhibits enantioselectivity in the range of 1.

Brief report: human figure drawings by children with Asperger's syndrome.

Twenty-nine children with Asperger's syndrome and 28 typically developing children, matched on gender, chronological age and nonverbal IQ, were asked to produce a free drawing, then requested to draw a person, a house and a tree. The drawings were scored using standardized procedures for assessing accuracy, detail and complexity. There were no differences between the diagnostic groups on the tree or house drawing scores.

ZEB1 and c-Jun levels contribute to the establishment of highly lytic Epstein-Barr virus infection in gastric AGS cells.

The induction of lytic infection has been proposed as a therapeutic strategy for treating Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive malignancies. To succeed, efficient methods are needed for activating the EBV immediate-early (IE) promoters, Zp and Rp. Here we compared factors which regulate Zp and Rp in AGS gastric carcinoma cells that support a remarkably high level of persistently lytic EBV infection with HeLa cervical cells that permit only tightly latent infection.

Biological evaluation of curcumin and related diarylheptanoids.

Nine derivatives of three natural diarylheptanoids, curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin, were prepared. Their antioxidant, free radical scavenging, nitric oxide (NO) inhibitory and cytotoxic activities were evaluated and compared with those of the respective natural compounds. Curcumin (1), demethoxycurcumin (2), demethyldemethoxy-curcumin (C3), diacetyldemethoxycurcumin (AC2) and triacetyldemethylcurcumin (AC5) exhibited higher antioxidant activity than quercetin while products from demethylation of 1 and 2 exhibited higher free radical scavenging activity.

Analysis of sharps injury occurrences at a hospital in Singapore.

Relatively little attention has been directed to investigating the risks of sharps injuries in Singapore. This study examines the epidemiology and causes of sharps injuries at a university teaching hospital. The type of instruments, site of injuries and personnel involved in each sharps injury were determined retrospectively by reviewing the Incident Reports forms and Infection Control records between 1997 and 2000.