Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Relationship of serum fatty acid composition and desaturase activity to C-reactive protein in Japanese men and women (Atherosclerosis)

Background: Although fatty acid composition in serum and desaturase activity, which alters serum fatty acid composition, has been associated with C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration in Western populations, no study has been carried out in non-Western populations. We examined the association of serum fatty acids and estimated desaturase activity with CRP concentrations in Japanese men and women. Methods: Subjects were 489 Japanese municipal employees aged 21–67 yearswhoparticipated in a survey at the time of a periodic health check-up. Serum high-sensitivity CRP concentrations were measured using the latex agglutination nephelometry method. Fatty acid composition was measured in serum cholesteryl esters and desaturase activities by fatty acid product-to-precursor ratios. Relationships were assessed using multiple regression.Results: Serum CRP concentration was positively associated with palmitic acid (P for trend = 0.002) and inversely with alpha-linolenic acid (P for trend = 0.01) in men, and positively with dihomogamma-linolenic acid (P for trend in men or women= 0.01) and inversely with delta-5-desaturase (20:4n-6/20:3n-6) (P for trend in men and women= 0.05 and 0.002, respectively) in men and women.Conclusions: Low-grade inflammation may be associated with a serum fatty acid pattern of high palmitic acid or low alpha-linolenic acid in men, and of high dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid or low delta-5-desaturase in both sexes

Relationship of serum fatty acid composition and desaturase activity to C-reactive protein in Japanese men and women

Background: Although fatty acid composition in serum and desaturase activity, which alters serum fatty acid composition, has been associated with C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration in Western populations, no study has been carried out in non-Western populations. We examined the association of serum fatty acids and estimated desaturase activity with CRP concentrations in Japanese men and women. Methods: Subjects were 489 Japanese municipal employees aged 21–67 yearswhoparticipated in a survey at the time of a periodic health check-up. Serum high-sensitivity CRP concentrations were measured using the latex agglutination nephelometry method. Fatty acid composition was measured in serum cholesteryl esters and desaturase activities by fatty acid product-to-precursor ratios. Relationships were assessed using multiple regression.Results: Serum CRP concentration was positively associated with palmitic acid (P for trend = 0.002) and inversely with alpha-linolenic acid (P for trend = 0.01) in men, and positively with dihomogamma-linolenic acid (P for trend in men or women= 0.01) and inversely with delta-5-desaturase (20:4n-6/20:3n-6) (P for trend in men and women= 0.05 and 0.002, respectively) in men and women.Conclusions: Low-grade inflammation may be associated with a serum fatty acid pattern of high palmitic acid or low alpha-linolenic acid in men, and of high dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid or low delta-5-desaturase in both sexes

Prognostic Value of FDG PET Imaging in Patients with Laryngeal Cancer

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To investigate the prognostic value of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in patients with laryngeal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 51 patients of whom 30 underwent definitive radiotherapy with or without chemotherapy and 21 underwent radical surgery with or without adjuvant chemoradiation therapy. FDG uptake by both the primary lesion and the neck node was measured using the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax). The effects of clinicopathological factors including primary tumor SUVmax and nodal SUVmax on progression-free survival, local control, nodal progression-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival were evaluated using the log-rank test and Cox method. RESULTS: The median duration of follow-up was 48.6 months (range 8 to 82.1 months). Univariate analysis showed that nodal SUVmax, N status, and tumor TNM stage were significantly associated with recurrence, whereas primary tumor SUVmax, age, treatment strategy and T status were not. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that only the nodal SUVmax was a significantly unfavorable factor for progression-free survival (p = 0.029, hazard ratio 0.54, 95% CI 0.38-0.87) and nodal progression-free survival (p = 0.023, hazard ratio 0.51, 95% CI 0.34-0.81). ROC curve analysis and log-rank test showed that patients with a high nodal SUVmax (≧ 4) had a significantly lower progression-free survival rate than those with a low SUVmax (<4; p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The pretreatment SUVmax of nodal disease in patients with laryngeal cancer is prognostic for recurrence

The positive lymph node status (N1-3) subgroup showed a significantly shorter median progression-free survival time than the N0 subgroup (31.3 vs. 50.9 months; p = 0.0099).

<p>The positive lymph node status (N1-3) subgroup showed a significantly shorter median progression-free survival time than the N0 subgroup (31.3 vs. 50.9 months; p = 0.0099).</p

The high SUVmax (≧4.0) subgroup showed a significantly shorter median progression-free survival time than the low SUVmax (<4.0) subgroup (30.4 vs. 52.2 months; p<0.0001).

<p>The high SUVmax (≧4.0) subgroup showed a significantly shorter median progression-free survival time than the low SUVmax (<4.0) subgroup (30.4 vs. 52.2 months; p<0.0001).</p

Univariate analysis of clinicopathological factors associated with clinical outcome in the patients overall (n = 51).

<p>n: number of patients.</p><p>PFS: progression-free survival.</p><p>LC: local control.</p><p>NPFS: nodal progression-free survival.</p><p>DMFS: distant metastasis-free survival.</p><p>SUVmaximum: maximum standardized uptake value.</p><p>RT: radiotherapy.</p><p>AJCC: American Joint Committee on Cancer.</p

The high stage (stage IV) subgroup showed a significantly shorter median progression-free survival time than the lower stage (stage I-III) subgroup (35.1 vs. 54.3 months; p = 0.015).

<p>The high stage (stage IV) subgroup showed a significantly shorter median progression-free survival time than the lower stage (stage I-III) subgroup (35.1 vs. 54.3 months; p = 0.015).</p

Univariate analysis of clinicopathological factors associated with clinical outcome in the RT group (n = 30).

<p>RT: radiotherapy.</p><p>n: number of patients.</p><p>PFS: progression-free survival.</p><p>LC: local control.</p><p>NPFS: nodal progression-free survival.</p><p>DMFS: distant metastasis-free survival.</p><p>SUVmaximum: maximum standardized uptake value.</p><p>AJCC: American Joint Committee on Cancer.</p