Application of a panel of antiganglioside monoclonal antibodies to cytologic specimens.

The cytologic evaluation of poorly differentiated tumors frequently poses a diagnostic dilemma as to the tissue of origin. To assess the diagnostic utility of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) in these situations, we applied a panel of three highly purified MAbs specific for tumor-associated ganglioside epitopes to a diverse series of cytologic specimens. The panel was composed of DMAb-3, reactive with the epitope GalNAc beta 1-4 (NeuAc alpha 2-3)Gal- of GM2; DMAb-7, reactive with the epitope (NeuAc alpha 2-8NeuAc alpha 2-3)Gal beta 1-4(Glc or GlcNAc)- of GD3 and 3'8'-LD1; and DMAb-20, reactive with the epitope GalNAc beta 1-4(NeuAc alpha 2-8NeuAc alpha 2-3)Gal- of GD2. The cytologic material consisted of air-dried Cytospin preparations prepared predominantly from fine needle aspirates and stained with the ABC immunohistochemical method. Positive reactivity was recognized when greater than 5% of tumor cells stained with the antibody; lesser reactivity was called negative. DMAb-3 stained 9/14 (64%) glial tumors, 4/13 (31%) nonglial central nervous system tumors, 1/21 (5%) melanomas, 7/38 (18%) non-small cell carcinomas (NSCC), 1/15 (7%) small cell carcinomas (SCC), 0/9 (0%) lymphomas/leukemias, 2/10 (20%) sarcomas, 1/7 (14%) miscellaneous tumors and 2/2 (100%) reactive fluids. DMAb-7 recognized 14/14 (100%) glial tumors, 9/13 (69%) non-glial central nervous system tumors, 19/22 (86%) melanomas, 19/43 (44%) NSCC, 5/15 (33%) SCC, 2/9 (22%) lymphomas/leukemias, 6/10 (60%) sarcomas, 1/7 (14%) miscellaneous tumors and 4/4 (100%) reactive fluids. DMAb-20 stained 6/14 (43%) glial tumors, 2/13 (15%) nonglial central nervous system tumors, 1/21 (5%) melanomas, 4/38 (10%) NSCC, 0/15 (0%) SCC, 0/9 (0%) lymphomas/leukemias, 1/10 (10%) sarcomas, 1/7 (14%) miscellaneous tumors and 1/3 (33%) reactive fluids. The GD3-reactive DMAb-7 recognized a large portion of many tumor types and thus is not diagnostically useful alone. DMAb-3 and DMAb-20 were more selective and showed the strongest reactivity for glial tumors and minimal reactivity for melanomas, small cell carcinomas, and lymphomas or leukemias. DMAb-3 and DMAb-20 may be useful as components of a larger panel of MAbs in distinguishing between poorly differentiated tumors in samples derived from the central nervous system.     

Distribution of a Fatty Acid cyclase enzyme system in plants

Extracts from tissues of 24 plant species were tested for the enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of 13-l-hydroperoxy-cis-9,15-trans-11-octadecatrienoic acid to the cyclic fatty acid 12-oxo-cis-10,15-phytodienoic acid. The enzyme was detected in 15 of the 24 tissues examined, and was demonstrated in seedlings, leaves, and fruits.     

Phosphatidic Acid synthesis in castor bean endosperm

Enzyme assays on organelles isolated from the endosperm of castor bean (Ricinus communis var. Hale) by sucrose density gradient centrifugation showed that palmitoyl-CoA:sn-glycerol 3-phosphate acyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.15) was localized in the membranes of the endoplasmic reticulum. Mn(2+) was required for activity, but Ca(2+) and Mg(2+) could substitute for Mn(2+) at higher concentrations. The apparent Km was 170 mum for sn-glycerol 3-phosphate and approximately 8 mum for palmitoyl-CoA. The optimum pH range was 7 to 7.5 and the principal reaction product was diacyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate (phosphatidic acid). Monoacyl-sn-glycerol 3-phosphate (lysophosphatidic acid) was not released as a free intermediate in the reaction. The maximum activity of the enzyme occurred immediately after imbibition, preceding the development of mitochondria and glyoxysomes.     

Lipoxygenase and hydroperoxide lyase in germinating watermelon seedlings

Lipoxygenase (EC 1.13.1.13) was found in seedlings of Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. and Nakai (watermelon). The enzyme has pH optima of 4.4 and 5.5 and is inhibited by 0.2 mM nordihydroguaiaretic acid. It is present in two functional units with estimated molecular weights of 120,000 and 240,000, respectively.     

A correlation between BCL-2 modifying factor,p53 and livin gene expressions in cancer colon patients

Accumulating evidence has revealed that livin gene and BCL-2 modifying factor (BMF) gene are closely associated with the initiation and progression of colon carcinoma by activating or suppressing multiple malignant processes. Those genes that can detect colon - cancer are a promising approach for cancer screening and diagnosis. This study aimed to evaluate correlation between livin, BMF and p53 genes expression in colon cancer tissues of patients included in the study, and their relationship with clinicopathological features and survival outcome in those patients. In this study, 50 pathologically diagnosed early cancer colon patients included and their tissue biopsy with 50 matched adjacent normal tissue, and 50 adenoma tissue specimens were analyzed for livin gene and BMF gene expressions using real time PCR. The relationship of those genes expressions with clinicopathological features, tumor markers, Time to Progression and overall survival for those patients were correlated in cancer colon group. In this study, there was a significant a reciprocal relationship between over expression of livin gene and down regulation of BMF and p53 genes in colon cancer cells. Livin mRNA was significantly higher, while BMF and p53 mRNA were significantly lower in colorectal cancer tissue compared to benign and normal colon tissue specimens (P < 0.001), however, this finding was absent between colon adenomas and normal mucosa. There was a significant association between up regulation of livin and down regulation of BMF and p53 expressions with more aggressive tumor (advanced TNM stage), rapid progression with metastasis and decreased overall survival in cancer colon patients, hence these genes can serve as significant prognostic markers of poor outcome in colon cancer patients. This work highlights the role of livin, BMF and p53 genes in colorectal tumorigenesis and the applicability of using those genes as a diagnostic and prognostic markers in patients with colon carcinoma and as a good target for cancer colon treatment in the future.     

Biocides formulation of essential oils having antimicrobial activity

Essential oils of fennel, peppermint, caraway, eucalyptus, geranium and lemon were tested for their antimicrobial activities against some plant pathogenic micro-organisms (Fusarium oxysporum, Alternaria alternate, Penicilium italicum Penicilium digitatum and Botyritus cinerea). Essential oils of fennel, peppermint, caraway were selected as an active ingredient for the formulation of biocides due to their efficiency in controlling the tested micro-organisms. Successful emulsifiable concentrates (biocides) were prepared from these oils using different emulsifiers (Emulgator B.L.M. Tween20 and Tween80) and different fixed oils (sesame, olive, cotton and soybean oils). Physico-chemical properties of the formulated biocide (spontaneous emulsification, emulsion stability test, cold stability and heat stability tests as well as viscosity, surface tension and pH) were measured. The prepared biocides were ready to be tested for application in a future work as a safe pesticide against different pathogens.     

Metagenomic insights into strategies of carbon conservation and unusual sulfur biogeochemistry in a hypersaline Antarctic lake

Organic Lake is a shallow, marine-derived hypersaline lake in the Vestfold Hills, Antarctica that has the highest reported concentration of dimethylsulfide (DMS) in a natural body of water. To determine the composition and functional potential of the microbial community and learn about the unusual sulfur chemistry in Organic Lake, shotgun metagenomics was performed on size-fractionated samples collected along a depth profile. Eucaryal phytoflagellates were the main photosynthetic organisms. Bacteria were dominated by the globally distributed heterotrophic taxa Marinobacter, Roseovarius and Psychroflexus. The dominance of heterotrophic degradation, coupled with low fixation potential, indicates possible net carbon loss. However, abundant marker genes for aerobic anoxygenic phototrophy, sulfur oxidation, rhodopsins and CO oxidation were also linked to the dominant heterotrophic bacteria, and indicate the use of photo- and lithoheterotrophy as mechanisms for conserving organic carbon. Similarly, a high genetic potential for the recycling of nitrogen compounds likely functions to retain fixed nitrogen in the lake. Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) lyase genes were abundant, indicating that DMSP is a significant carbon and energy source. Unlike marine environments, DMSP demethylases were less abundant, indicating that DMSP cleavage is the likely source of high DMS concentration. DMSP cleavage, carbon mixotrophy (photoheterotrophy and lithoheterotrophy) and nitrogen remineralization by dominant Organic Lake bacteria are potentially important adaptations to nutrient constraints. In particular, carbon mixotrophy relieves the extent of carbon oxidation for energy production, allowing more carbon to be used for biosynthetic processes. The study sheds light on how the microbial community has adapted to this unique Antarctic lake environment.     

Dietary variation and food hardness in sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys): Implications for fallback foods and dental adaptation

We present information on food hardness and monthly dietary changes in female sooty mangabeys (Cercocebus atys) in Tai Forest, Ivory Coast to reassess the hypothesis that thick molar enamel is parsimoniously interpreted as a response to consumption of hard foods during fallback periods. We demonstrate that the diet of sooty mangabeys varies seasonally, but that one food—Sacoglottis gabonensis—is the most frequently consumed food every month and year round. This food is the hardest item in the sooty diet. Given that this species has among the thickest enamel within the primate order, a plausible conclusion is that thick enamel in this taxon evolved not in response to seasonally critical function or fallback foods, but rather to the habitual, year round processing of a mechanically protected foodstuff. These data serve as a caution against de rigueur interpretations that reliance on fallback foods during lean periods primarily explains the evolution of thick enamel in primates. Am J Phys Anthropol 154:413–423, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Symmetry breakage in the vertebrate embryo: When does it happen and how does it work?

Asymmetric development of the vertebrate embryo has fascinated embryologists for over a century. Much has been learned since the asymmetric Nodal signaling cascade in the left lateral plate mesoderm was detected, and began to be unraveled over the past decade or two. When and how symmetry is initially broken, however, has remained a matter of debate. Two essentially mutually exclusive models prevail. Cilia-driven leftward flow of extracellular fluids occurs in mammalian, fish and amphibian embryos. A great deal of experimental evidence indicates that this flow is indeed required for symmetry breaking. An alternative model has argued, however, that flow simply acts as an amplification step for early asymmetric cues generated by ion flux during the first cleavage divisions. In this review we critically evaluate the experimental basis of both models. Although a number of open questions persist, the available evidence is best compatible with flow-based symmetry breakage as the archetypical mode of symmetry breakage.