3-D vascularized breast cancer model to study the role of osteoblast in formation of a pre-metastatic niche.

Breast cancer cells (BCCs) preferentially metastasize to bone. It is known that BCCs remotely primes the distant bone site prior to metastasis. However, the reciprocal influence of bone cells on the primary tumor is relatively overlooked.

Flow cytometry crossmatch reactivity with pronase-treated T cells induced by non-HLA autoantibodies in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.

Pronase treatment is used in the flow cytometry crossmatch (FCXM) to prevent nonspecific antibody binding on B cells. However, we have observed unexpected positive results with pronase-treated T cells in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. In this study, 25 HIV-infected patients without HLA antibodies were tested with pronase-treated and nontreated cells.

Retinal O-linked N-acetylglucosamine protein modifications: implications for postnatal retinal vascularization and the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: Hyperglycemia activates several metabolic pathways, including the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway. Uridine diphosphate N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) is the product of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway and the substrate for O-linked GlcNAc (O-GlcNAc) modification. This modification affects a wide range of proteins by altering their activity, cellular localization, and/or protein interactions.

Investigation of partitioning mechanism for volatile organic compounds in a multiphase system.

Laboratory experiments were performed to investigate the partitioning behavior of a set of diverse volatile organic compounds (VOCs). After equilibration at a temperature of 25°C, the VOC concentrations were measured by headspace method in combination with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The obtained data were used to determine the partition coefficients (K(P)) of VOCs in a gas-liguid-solid system.

Inverse temperature dependence of Henry's law coefficients for volatile organic compounds in supercooled water.

Upon supercooling, water expels volatile organic compounds (VOC), and Henry's law coefficients are increasing concomitant with decreasing temperature. This unexpected observation was found by measuring the VOC partitioning between supercooled water and gas phase in the temperature range from -5 degrees C to -15 degrees C for benzene, toluene, ethlybenzene, m-, p-, o-xylenes (BTEX), methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and ethyl tert-butyl ether (ETBE). Aqueous standard solutions were analyzed using a static headspace method in combination with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS).

Role of conserved F(alpha)-helix residues in the native fold and stability of the kinase-inhibited oxy state of the oxygen-sensing FixL protein from Sinorhizobium meliloti.

The oxygen-sensing FixL protein from Sinorhizobium meliloti is part of the heme-PAS family of gas sensors that regulate many important signal transduction pathways in a wide variety of organisms. We examined the role of the conserved F(alpha)-9 arginine 200 and several other conserved residues on the proximal F(alpha)-helix in the heme domain of SmFixL* using site-directed mutagenesis in conjunction with UV-visible, EPR, and resonance Raman spectroscopy. The F(alpha)-helix variants R200A, E, Q, H, Y197A, and D195A were expressed at reasonable levels and purified to homogeneity.

Analysis of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes and n-aldehydes in melted snow water via solid-phase dynamic extraction combined with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

The present study describes a method based on headspace-solid-phase dynamic extraction (HS-SPDE) followed by GC/MS for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, o-, m- and p-xylene (BTEX), and n-aldehydes (C(6)-C(10)) in water. To enhance the extraction capability of the HS-SPDE a new cooling device was tested that controls the temperature of the SPDE needle during extraction. Extraction and desorption parameters such as the number of extraction cycles, extraction temperature, desorption volume and desorption flow rate have been optimized.

Benzene, alkylated benzenes, chlorinated hydrocarbons and monoterpenes in snow/ice at Jungfraujoch (46.6 degrees N, 8.0 degrees E) during CLACE 4 and 5.

Benzene, alkylated benzenes, chlorinated hydrocarbons and monoterpenes were measured in snow/ice collected directly in-cloud at Jungfraujoch (3580 m asl) in February and March 2005 and 2006 during the CLoud and Aerosol Characterization Experiments CLACE 4 and CLACE 5. Melted snow/ice samples were analyzed by headspace-solid-phase-dynamic-extraction (HS-SPDE) followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Generally, there was a tendency in the results that higher concentrations were found after longer precipitation-free periods, suggesting that higher concentrations in snow/ice may be caused by the washout effect of precipitation.

AAPL Practice Guideline for the forensic psychiatric evaluation of competence to stand trial.

Competence to stand trial is a legal construct used to identify those criminal defendants who have the requisite mental capacity to understand the nature and objective of the proceedings against them and to participate rationally in preparing their defense. This Practice Guideline has described how psychiatrists should evaluate individuals concerning their competence to stand trial. The Guideline describes acceptable forensic psychiatric practice for such evaluations.

Hyperintense subcortical brain alterations in anorexia nervosa.

Objective: The results of past research have identified changes in brain structure in anorexia nervosa. We observed previously unreported MRI alterations in two cases of anorexia nervosa.

Method: For both cases, we reviewed the clinical history, MRI scans and conducted a pertinent literature review.

SPECT brain imaging abnormalities in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

SPECT using N-Isopropyl I-123 IMP was performed, as part of a neuropsychiatric evaluation, on 10 patients with the DSM III-R diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and 6 patients from a non-ADHD mixed psychiatric group used as controls for comparison. Mean regional I-123 IMP SPECT region of interest (ROI) count ratios (left to right) demonstrated that the ADHD patients had greater overall hemispheric I-123 IMP uptake asymmetry with less activity in the left frontal and left parietal regions in comparison to control patients. Both groups demonstrated similar I-123 IMP uptake asymmetry in the temporal regions.

Tc-99m HMPAO SPECT imaging of the central nervous system in tuberous sclerosis.

Tc-99m HMPAO was used to evaluate cerebral perfusion in a patient with tuberous sclerosis. The SPECT images demonstrated reduced HMPAO uptake in regions corresponding with MRI-confirmed locations of cortical tubers. These results indicate that the lesions are characterized by vascular perfusion deficits and support the hypothesis that cortical tubers result from developmental abnormalities of the embryonic central nervous system.

Brain imaging: evoked potential, quantitative EEG and SPECT abnormalities in schizophrenia.

The case of a nineteen-year-old female with a three-year history of psychiatric symptomatology clinically consistent with the DSM-III-R diagnosis of schizophrenia is presented. Neurophysiologic assessment using topographic brain mapping demonstrated auditory evoked potential P300 asymmetry with left temporal inactivation and increased latency, while EEG frequency analysis was remarkable for left hemispheric slow wave predominance as well as increased left temporal beta activity. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (HMPAO) in the same patient revealed radionucleide uptake reductions in the frontotemporal cortical regions.

Somatic complaints in childhood tic disorders.

Twenty-six children diagnosed with chronic tic disorders (18 with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome and 8 with chronic motor tic disorder) were studied for unexplained physical complaints. Compared to normal controls, an excess of somatic complaints was found in the tic disorders group; this was similar to an excess of somatic complaints in a mixed psychiatric clinic group. Medication produced no significant effect on somatic complaints for patients in the tic and psychiatric clinic groups.

A versatile phage lambda expression vector system for cloning in Escherichia coli.

By integrating fragments from the expression plasmids pJK2 and pJK4 into a derivative of the bacteriophage lambda, we constructed the phage expression vectors lambda JK2 and lambda JK4, which allow efficient cloning of genomic or cDNA either into the 5' end or the 3' end of the lacZ gene of Escherichia coli. Expression of barrier-free DNA in phase may lead to fusion proteins consisting of active beta-galactosidase (beta Gal) plus an additional polypeptide encoded by the inserted DNA. Analysis of distinct recombinant clones is quick and easy, due to the reversible integration of the plasmid into the genome.