Identification of α-type subunits of the Xenopus 20S proteasome and analysis of their changes during the meiotic cell cycle

BACKGROUND: The 26S proteasome is the proteolytic machinery of the ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic system responsible for most of the regulated intracellular protein degradation in eukaryotic cells. Previously, we demonstrated meiotic cell cycle dependent phosphorylation of α4 subunit of the 26S proteasome. In this study, we analyzed the changes in the spotting pattern separated by 2-D gel electrophoresis of α subunits during Xenopus oocyte maturation. RESULTS: We identified cDNA for three α-type subunits (α1, α5 and α6) of Xenopus, then prepared antibodies specific for five subunits (α1, α3, α5, α6, and α7). With these antibodies and previously described monoclonal antibodies for subunits α2 and α4, modifications to all α-type subunits of the 26S proteasome during Xenopus meiotic maturation were examined by 2D-PAGE. More than one spot for all subunits except α7 was identified. Immunoblot analysis of 26S proteasomes purified from immature and mature oocytes showed a difference in the blots of α2 and α4, with an additional spot detected in the 26S proteasome from immature oocytes (in G2-phase). CONCLUSIONS: Six of α-type subunits of the Xenopus 26S proteasome are modified in Xenopus immature oocytes and two subunits (α2 and α4) are modified meiotic cell cycle-dependently

Flare hypercalcemia after letrozole in a patient with liver metastasis from breast cancer: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Tamoxifen may occasionally precipitate serious and potentially life-threatening hypercalcemia. However, to date, this has not been documented with aromatase inhibitors.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 65-year-old Japanese woman with liver metastasis from breast cancer was admitted to our hospital with vomiting, anorexia, fatigue, arthralgia, muscle pain and dehydration. She had started a course of letrozole five weeks earlier. Our patient's calcium level was 11.6 mg/dL. She was rehydrated and elcatonin was administered. Our patient's parathyroid hormone and parathyroid hormone-related protein levels were not increased and a bone scintigram revealed no evidence of skeletal metastasis. After our patient's serum calcium level returned to within the normal range, letrozole was restarted at one-half of the previous dose (1.25 mg). There were no episodes of hypercalcemia. However, 84 days after restarting letrozole, our patient again complained of arthralgia and treatment was changed to toremifene. During these periods, repeated ultrasonograms revealed no progression of liver metastasis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of flare hypercalcemia after treatment with letrozole in a patient with metastatic breast cancer.</p

Non-Destructive, High-Resolution, Chemically Specific, 3D Nanostructure Characterization using Phase-Sensitive EUV Imaging Reflectometry

Next-generation nano and quantum devices have increasingly complex 3D structure. As the dimensions of these devices shrink to the nanoscale, their performance is often governed by interface quality or precise chemical or dopant composition. Here we present the first phase-sensitive extreme ultraviolet imaging reflectometer. It combines the excellent phase stability of coherent high-harmonic sources, the unique chemical- and phase-sensitivity of extreme ultraviolet reflectometry, and state-of-the-art ptychography imaging algorithms. This tabletop microscope can non-destructively probe surface topography, layer thicknesses, and interface quality, as well as dopant concentrations and profiles. High-fidelity imaging was achieved by implementing variable-angle ptychographic imaging, by using total variation regularization to mitigate noise and artifacts in the reconstructed image, and by using a high-brightness, high-harmonic source with excellent intensity and wavefront stability. We validate our measurements through multiscale, multimodal imaging to show that this technique has unique advantages compared with other techniques based on electron and scanning-probe microscopies.Comment: 47 pages, 16 figures (4 in main text, 12 supplement) 2 table

Kansai University Library 100th anniversary

目次 【序文】記念誌の刊行にあたって（図書館長　内田慶市）図書館創設100周年によせて（学長　楠見晴重）記念誌の編集について【第1部　この20年を振り返って】高槻図書室開館（広瀬雅子）…3阪神・淡路大震災（高橋真澄）…8図書館システムの変遷（徳岡久実・濱生快彦）…12図書館ビジョン7項目の制定（濱生快彦）…20図書館におけるアウトソーシング（高橋真澄）…26電子展示（濱生快彦）…36市民利用開始（広瀬雅子）…41図書館ウェブサイト（濱生快彦）…442010プロジェクトによる新図書館（高橋真澄・田中恵美）…48図書館リニューアル工事（新谷大二郎）…60図書館の現在と未来（堀口和弘）…68【第2部　図書館に想う】関西大学図書館創設100周年に寄せて（市川訓敏）…79図書館の思い出、図書館への思い（北川勝彦）…85図書館在職時の思い出（柴田真一）…91数々の貴重書（田中登）…95関西大学図書館100周年にあたって : 私の夢想する図書館（内田慶市）…100【第3部　図書館の文庫・コレクション】文庫・コレクションの紹介（鵜飼香織）…111【第4部　資料編】図書館年譜（明治19.3 ～平成26.7）…119サービスに係る統計（総合図書館）…146サービスに係る統計（高槻図書室・ミューズ大学図書館・堺キャンパス図書館）…148蔵書数の推移…149図書費執行額の推移…150展示一覧…152他大学図書館との協定一覧…160【「図書館コラム」】新人時代の思い出（高松和美）…11エレベーターにまつわる話（吉田有輝）…19泣き別れたり、親子になったり（嶋田有理香）…35貴重なのは本だけ？貴重書担当のつぶやき（大上良樹）…40会長校のころ（金東瀅）…46『コアラ博士』にまつわるあれこれ（松本和剛）…57広報誌『KULione 』誕生秘話（白髪友賀）…59本と夢を運んだテレリフト（芝谷秀司）…66LOUIS VUITTON（加藤博之）…7

Effects of coumestrol administration to pregnant and lactating mice on intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity.

The present study was conducted to clarify the effects of coumestrol administration on Ca metabolism during pregnancy and in lactating mice. From 6.5 to 16.5 days post coitus (dpc), pregnant mice were administered coumestrol at 200 µg/kg body weight/day. The duodenum, jejunum and blood samples were obtained at 17.5 dpc or 10 days after parturition (dap). Coumestrol administration decreased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and mRNA expression of IAP and estrogen responsive genes, c-fos and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), in the duodenum and jejunum of pre-delivery mice. In lactating mice, the ALP activity and mRNA expression of IAP were not changed, although coumestrol administration decreased mRNA expression of c-fos in the duodeum and VEGF in the jejunum. Coumestrol did not affect serum Ca and the expression of vitamin D receptor protein in the duodenum and jejunum. Thus, coumestrol administration during pregnancy may decrease the mRNA expression of IAP and the ALP activity in the intestine of the pre-delivery mice through ERα, but coumestrol had little effect on intestinal ALP activity at 10 days after parturition