Molecular Diagnosis for Breast Cancer

Abstract: Within the past few years a number of genes whose mutated forms are associated with a high risk of breast cancer have been identified, including BRCA1, BRCA2, c-myc, erbB2, and p 53. The identification of these genes, together with rapid advances in techniques for molecular genetic analysis, should improve the diagnosis and therapy of this group of diseases. Allelic losses at other specific loci in breast tumors also may serve as prognostic factors. This article reviews the genetic basis of hereditary and sporadic breast cancers and discusses the clinical application of new molecular knowledge with regard to diagnostic testing, surveillance, and prognostic diagnosis for women with hereditary predispositions or who are at high risk for recurrence of breast cancer. Key words: Breast neoplasms; Oncogenes; Tumor suppressor genes; Loss of heterozygosity product, HER-2 protein. Other highly specific cancer therapies based on results of molecular diagnoses will be available in the near future. In this article we review recent findings, including some from our own research, that have revealed some underlying genetic mechanisms of breast cancer. Familial Breast Cancer A family history of breast cancer has long been recognized as an important risk factor, contributing as it does to about 10% of all breast cancer cases. BRCA1 and BRCA2 have been identified already as tumor suppressor genes associated with familial breast cancer

Conserved fungal effector suppresses PAMP-triggered immunity by targeting plant immune kinases

Plant pathogens have optimized their own effector sets to adapt to their hosts. However, certain effectors, regarded as core effectors, are conserved among various pathogens, and may therefore play an important and common role in pathogen virulence. We report here that the widely distributed fungal effector NIS1 targets host immune components that transmit signaling from pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in plants. NIS1 from two Colletotrichum spp. suppressed the hypersensitive response and oxidative burst, both of which are induced by pathogen-derived molecules, in Nicotiana benthamiana. Magnaporthe oryzae NIS1 also suppressed the two defense responses, although this pathogen likely acquired the NIS1 gene via horizontal transfer from Basidiomycota. Interestingly, the root endophyte Colletotrichum tofieldiae also possesses a NIS1 homolog that can suppress the oxidative burst in N. benthamiana. We show that NIS1 of multiple pathogens commonly interacts with the PRR-associated kinases BAK1 and BIK1, thereby inhibiting their kinase activities and the BIK1-NADPH oxidase interaction. Furthermore, mutations in the NIS1-targeting proteins, i.e., BAK1 and BIK1, in Arabidopsis thaliana also resulted in reduced immunity to Colletotrichum fungi. Finally, M. oryzae lacking NIS1 displayed significantly reduced virulence on rice and barley, its hosts. Our study therefore reveals that a broad range of filamentous fungi maintain and utilize the core effector NIS1 to establish infection in their host plants and perhaps also beneficial interactions, by targeting conserved and central PRR-associated kinases that are also known to be targeted by bacterial effectors

Effects of Fluid Ingestion During Intermittent High Intensity Swimming Exercise on Thermoregulatory Responses and Performance

High intensity exercise in the heat causes major alterations in the circulatory and thermoregulatory functions resulting in reduced athletic performance. We investigated whether fluid ingestion during intermittent high intensity swimming exercise in warm water can mitigate adverse thermoregulatory and cardiovascular responses, and improve athletic performance. To do this, eight male college swimmers aged 22.8±1.0 yr, body weight 66.72±1.63kg and height 171.7±0.7cm were used. In a cross-over design, all eight subjects performed 20 sessions of intermittent 50m swims with a 1 min interval between each session when they were water replete (WR) or water deprived (WD). Oral temperature (To), heart rate (HR), plasma osmolarity (Posm), sweat water loss (SWL) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) as well as swimming velocities (SV) were measured. No difference were observed in To, HR, SWL, and Posm between WR and WD conditions. However, WR maintained higher SV and lower RPE. In a second experiment involving a second set of college swimmers, a strong positive correlation was observed between SV and SWL (r=0.881, p<0.05). These findings reveal that during short duration high intensity intermittent swimming exercise lasting～12 mins, fluid intake did not influence cardiovascular and thermoregulatory responses, but improved athletic performance

Multiple rectal carcinoids with diffuse ganglioneuromatosis

BACKGROUND: Rectal carcinoids comprise only about 1% of all anorectal neoplasms. In addition, ganglioneuroma of the gastrointestinal tract is a rare tumor composed ganglion cells, nerve fibers, and supporting cells. Multiple carcinoid tumors with diffuse ganglioneuromatosis limited to the rectum are quite unusual. CASE PRESENTATION: A 69-year-old man was referred to us because of about 100 small submucosal rectal tumors. He underwent abdominoperineal resection. Pathology revealed carcinoid tumors for about 30 submucosal nodules and diffuse ganglioneuromotosis. To date (6 months later) he remains well with no recurrence. CONCLUSION: Although the optimal treatment for the multiple rectal carcinoids remains to be clearly established, it is believed that not all patients with multiple rectal carcinoids (measuring less than 1 cm in diameter) need to have a radical operation. However, the treatment plan for each case should be individualized and a careful follow-up is mandatory

The ground state of Sr3Ru2O7 revisited; Fermi liquid close to a ferromagnetic instability

We show that single-crystalline Sr3Ru2O7 grown by a floating-zone technique is an isotropic paramagnet and a quasi-two dimensional metal as spin-triplet superconducting Sr2RuO4 is. The ground state is Fermi liquid with very low residual resistivity (3 micro ohm cm for in-plane currents) and a nearly ferromagnetic metal with the largest Wilson ratio Rw>10 among paramagnets so far. This contrasts with the ferromagnetic order at Tc=104 K reported on single crystals grown by a flux method [Cao et al., Phys. Rev. B 55, R672 (1997)]. We have also found a dramatic changeover from paramagnetism to ferromagnetism under applied pressure. This suggests the existence of a substantial ferromagnetic instability on the verge of a quantum phase transition in the Fermi liquid state.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures, to be published in Phys. Rev. B : Rapid co

A case of esophageal cancer with mesojejunal lymph node metastasis after total gastrectomy

A 56-year-old man was diagnosed with esophageal cancer by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy for examination of dysphagia. The patient had undergone total gastrectomy and jejunal interposition 4 years previously for a gastric cancer at the pT1N0M0 stage according to the UICC-TNM classification. Enhanced CT findings revealed a 3-cm-diameter mass located near the superior mesenteric artery. We conducted subtotal esophagectomy associated with partial jejunectomy including mesojejunectomy. The mass was histologically diagnosed to be mesojejunal lymph node metastasis from esophageal cancer. Mesojejunal lymph node metastasis from esophageal cancer developing after total gastrectomy has been reported in only three cases including ours. The present lymph node metastases may have occurred via the newly developed lymphatic drainage route through the esophagojejunostomy, and this metastatic lymph node can be considered the regional lymph node. Therefore, resection of the interposed jejunal limb with mesojejunectomy may be rational in surgery on esophageal cancer developing after total gastrectomy

Epidemiology of Infectious Hepatitis 1st. Chapter Epidemiologic Observations for Infectious Hepatitis in Akaiwa District (No. 1)

Since August 1951 to Feb. 1953, there was a great epidemic of serious infectious hepatitis over the area including Toyota, Onoda, Kama villages in Akaiwa County, as well as Kumayama village in wake County; observing its state, the following results were obtained. 1. Death toll has amounted to 13, out of 93 patients: its mortality rate, 13.98%; in number of the patients, Kama at the top, next, Toyoda, Onoda and Kumayama village, in literal order. 2. The epidemic took the direction, from the south extending to the north in a slow march, taking a hamlet as unit, showed a lack of specific seasonal occurence. 3. As to age, it has ranged roughly from 10 to 60, amid which 21-30 figured out as top years; below 10, only 4 cases; above 70, 5 cases. As to sex, almost similar in number. 4. As to profession, principally, farming people; as one can suppose from its locality. In making investigations into the cause of disease. certain consideration must be taken on the great responsibility imposed on farmers' wives. 5. The infection for this disease was classified as village infection or familiary infection; among 22 cases (23.4% of total patients) of familary infection, there were 4 families, each yielding even 3 sickened members; 5 families whose two members taken infection; in total, amnunted to 9 families. Among these tribal infection, report has been submitted about 1 family whose infection tract was clearly traced, as well as a family in which, if man did not expose certain inapparent infections, all cases have proved utterly whimsical. 6. The incubation period for this disease may probably be estimated to be about 24-27 days, if it may be supposed from these infectious state, and would be considered perorale infection

The ASTRO-H X-ray Observatory

The joint JAXA/NASA ASTRO-H mission is the sixth in a series of highly successful X-ray missions initiated by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS). ASTRO-H will investigate the physics of the high-energy universe via a suite of four instruments, covering a very wide energy range, from 0.3 keV to 600 keV. These instruments include a high-resolution, high-throughput spectrometer sensitive over 0.3-2 keV with high spectral resolution of Delta E < 7 eV, enabled by a micro-calorimeter array located in the focal plane of thin-foil X-ray optics; hard X-ray imaging spectrometers covering 5-80 keV, located in the focal plane of multilayer-coated, focusing hard X-ray mirrors; a wide-field imaging spectrometer sensitive over 0.4-12 keV, with an X-ray CCD camera in the focal plane of a soft X-ray telescope; and a non-focusing Compton-camera type soft gamma-ray detector, sensitive in the 40-600 keV band. The simultaneous broad bandpass, coupled with high spectral resolution, will enable the pursuit of a wide variety of important science themes.Comment: 22 pages, 17 figures, Proceedings of the SPIE Astronomical Instrumentation "Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray