Cytokeratin immunoreactivity in lobular intraepithelial neoplasia.

Eighteen commercially available antibodies reactive against different cytokeratin proteins were tested on classic examples of lobular intraepithelial neoplasia (LIN) and of ductal intraepithelial neoplasia (DIN) of the breast. About 90% of higher-grade DIN (AIDH and DCIS) show no or substantially diminished reaction with clone 34betaE12 (specified as reactive against keratins 1, 5, 10, and 14 as determined by the manufacturer), while the cells of LIN were found to express the antigen reactive with this antibody. To determine which of these four keratins are present in the cells of LIN, antibodies reactive against these individual four keratins were tested. None of the four antibodies to keratins 1, 5, 10, or 14 reacted with the cells of LIN. To investigate this further, 13 additional monoclonal antibodies to various other keratin proteins were tested on the cells of LIN. Those that successfully reacted with the cells of LIN were further tested on the cells of DIN. All of the individual antibodies reactive with the cells of LIN were also reactive with the cells of DIN to a degree, with clone RCK108 (reactive against keratin 19) coming the closest to demonstrating the reactivity seen with 34betaE12. We conclude that the reactivity seen in the cells of LIN with 34betaE12 is due to either (a) a crossreaction with keratin 19 that is slightly less prominent than the reaction of the individual clone RCK108, (b) a crossreaction with a keratin protein that was not tested (3, 11, 12), (c) a crossreaction with a protein closely resembling keratin in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue, or (d) the detection of a mutated or truncated form of keratin 1, 5, 10, or 14 that cannot be detected by the individual monoclonal antibody.     

Aint/Tacc3 is highly expressed in proliferating mouse tissues during development, spermatogenesis, and oogenesis.

Aint was originally identified on the basis of its interaction in vitro with the aryl hydrocarbon nuclear receptor translocator (Arnt). Arnt is a common heterodimerization partner in the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH)-PER-ARNT-SIM (PAS) protein family and is involved in diverse biological functions. These include xenobiotic metabolism, hypoxic response, and circadian rhythm. In addition, Arnt has a crucial role during development. Aint is a member of a growing family of transforming acidic coiled-coil (TACC) proteins and is the murine homologue of human TACC3. Here we report the spatiotemporal expression of Tacc3 mRNA and protein in embryonic, postnatally developing, and adult mouse tissues using in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry. Tacc3 mRNA was highly expressed in proliferating cells of several organs during murine development. However, the only adult tissues expressing high levels were testis and ovary. Immunocytochemistry revealed that Tacc3 is a nuclear protein. Our results suggest that Tacc3 has an important role in murine development, spermatogenesis, and oogenesis.     

Disconjugated binocular eye movements at onset of multiple sleep latency test in childhood narcolepsy

In four of six subjects with narcolepsy, multiple sleep latency tests-examined disconjugated binocular eye movements were observed in the very beginning of multiple sleep latency test recordings. The eye movements appeared before disappearance of alpha and decrease of chin electromyography. All subjects with disconjugated eye movements had also rapid eye movement sleep without atonia and symptoms of rapid eye movement behavior disorder in their past history. Three of them (all children) had post-vaccination narcolepsy. It is not known whether such eye movements are seen in most narcoleptic subjects or whether they are more common in autoimmune/inflammatory narcolepsy with involvement of the structures that coordinate eye movements.

     

Use of Wishart Prior and Simple Extensions for Sparse Precision Matrix Estimation

A conjugate Wishart prior is used to present a simple and rapid procedure for computing the analytic posterior (mode and uncertainty) of the precision matrix elements of a Gaussian distribution. An interpretation of covariance estimates in terms of eigenvalues is presented, along with a simple decision-rule step to improve the performance of the estimation of sparse precision matrices and associated graphs. In this, elements of the estimated precision matrix that are zero or near zero can be detected and shrunk to zero. Simulated data sets are used to compare posterior estimation with decision-rule with two other Wishart-based approaches and with graphical lasso. Furthermore, an empirical Bayes procedure is used to select prior hyperparameters in high dimensional cases with extension to sparsity.     

TGF-β induces the expression of SAP30L, a novel nuclear protein

Background  

We have previously set up an in vitro mesenchymal-epithelial cell co-culture model which mimics the intestinal crypt villus axis biology in terms of epithelial cell differentiation. In this model the fibroblast-induced epithelial cell differentiation from secretory crypt cells to absorptive enterocytes is mediated via transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), the major inhibitory regulator of epithelial cell proliferation known to induce differentiation in intestinal epithelial cells. The aim of this study was to identify novel genes whose products would play a role in this TGF-β-induced differentiation.     

Cholesterol metabolism during ketoconazole treatment in man

Ketoconazole, an antifungal antibiotic, inhibits cholesterol synthesis by blocking demethylation of lanosterol. Effects of this inhibition were studied on serum cholesterol, lipoproteins and cholesterol precursors, biliary lipid composition, and fecal steroid elimination in five patients with prostate cancer treated with large doses of ketoconazole. The serum level of total cholesterol fell by 27%, that of LDL cholesterol by 41% and that of LDL apoB by 32% with ketoconazole alone; the fall in the total cholesterol level of a patient treated with ketoconazole-cholestyramine was 65%. Serum contents of free lanosterol and dihydrolanosterol increased up to 250 times, yet the total concentrations remained less than 2 mg/dl. Of the other cholesterol precursor sterols only those with delta 8-double bond increased several times, indicating that in addition to 14 alpha-demethylation, ketoconazole also interfered with metabolism of later intermediary sterols to some extent. Compared with serum sterols, lanosterols were enriched in biliary and fecal sterols up to 10-20 times. Fecal lanosterol output increased from 12 to 247 mg/day, and comprised over 20% fecal steroids of endogenous origin. Bile acid synthesis was significantly decreased, the proportion of chenodeoxycholic acid being markedly reduced in both biliary and fecal bile acids. Cholesterol absorption appeared to decrease yet fecal neutral sterol output and cholesterol synthesis were unchanged and the overall sterol synthesis was increased. It thus appears that ketoconazole inhibits cholesterol elimination as bile acids. However, by blocking 14 alpha-demethylation, it results in effective drainage of sterol nucleus as lanosterols into bile and feces, which, in turn, is associated with a marked reduction in low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level probably through activation of hepatic LDL apoB receptors.     

The breeding biology of the starling Sturnus vulgaris in northern Finland

The breeding biology of the starling Sturnus vulgaris was studied in three populations in northern Finland, with additional reference localities in nearby areas. Results from a total of 329 nests are presented from years 1962-1976.
The onset of laying in the Oulu area took place on 5 May, the median date being 10 May, about one week later than in southern Finland and 2–3 weeks later than in central Europe. The clutch-size was 5.29 ± 0.05 in the first nests and 5.06 ± 0.26 in later ones. Incubation time was 12.1 ± 0.6 d. An average of 3.31 ± 0.10 fledglings was produced per pair, 3.69 ± 0.08 in succesful clutches, which is significantly less than usually reported from central Europe. Most of the losses were due to starvation of the young.
No second broods were observed in the Oulu area, and repeated nesting was not common, probably because of the general late start of laying.
The reasons for the recent decline in several Finnish starling populations do not lie in the production capacity but must be sought for elsewhere.     

Correlation between two components of parental investment: nest defence intensity and nestling provisioning effort of willow tits

Nest defence intensity and nestling provisioning effort of female willow tits (Parus montanus) were significantly correlated at the end of nestling period: well-fed young were defended most intensely. Increased effort was rewarded, since broods with the highest female per-offspring provisioning rates were the most likely to produce local recruits. This suggests that the feeding ability is an important cue for parental investment decisions, at least in a species like the willow tit which has adopted the clutch adjustment strategy. Thus, the most valuable broods would not necessarily be the largest ones, but the ones in which the original number of young could be fed most adequately. However, no associations were found between the level of parental effort and offspring weight, size or condition, nor did the broods producing recruits differ from other broods in timing of breeding or number and size of offspring. The female behaviour may suggest that they invest the most time, energy and risk in the young whose chances of joining the winter flock are the best. The first well-fed young also gain an advantage of prior residency in joining the flock. The first to join normally obtain higher social status, and hence better winter survival, than latecomers. The corresponding patterns in male parental investment behaviour were weak or absent, which suggested that the male effort was affected by the female behaviour. Males seemed to invest in nestling provisioning in such a way as to supplement the female effort. During nest defence action males also seemed to invest in protection of females against predation.     

Synthesis, characterization and ethylene polymerization activity of titanium aminopyridinato complexes

Three titanium complexes derived from 2-(2,6-difluoroanilino)pyridine and 2-(2-chloroanilino)pyridine were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction or spectroscopic methods. All titanium complexes have been used to catalyze the polymerization of ethylene in the presence of MAO as cocatalyst. The mono(2,6-difluorophenylaminopyridinato) titanium catalyst was found to be more active in ethylene polymerization than the bis(2,6-difluorophenylaminopyridinato) and bis(2-chlorophenylaminopyridinato) titanium catalysts. ortho-Halogens disturbed the β-elimination transition state of ethylene polymerization and formed higher molar mass polyethylene than their unhalogenated congener. Due to fluxionality, the bis(2-chlorophenylaminopyridinato) titanium catalyst formed broader molar mass distribution than the bis(2,6-difluorophenylaminopyridinato) titanium catalysts.