Pineal parenchymal tumors (PPTs) are rare neoplasms which occupy less than 1% of primary CNS tumors. Because of their rare incidence, previous reports on PPTs are limited in number and the useful molecular markers for deciding histological grading and even selecting chemotherapy are undetermined. In this study, we conducted immunohistochemical analysis of 12 PPT specimens, especially for expression of O(6)-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) to assess whether temozolomide (TMZ) could serve as a possible alternative therapy for PPTs. We analyzed 12 PPTs, consisting of three pineocytomas, six PPTs of intermediate differentiation (PPTIDs), and three pineoblastomas. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed using antibodies against MGMT, synaptophysin, neurofilament protein (NF), p53, and neuronal nuclear antigen (NeuN). Immunohistochemically, 11 out of 12 cases were positive for MGMT. The mean MIB-1 labeling index was less than 1% in pineocytoma, 3.5% in PPTID, and 10.5% in pineoblastoma. All 12 cases were positive for synaptophysin and 11 cases, except one PPTID case, showed positive for NF. Nuclear staining of NeuN was negative in all cases although cytoplasmic staining of NeuN was observed in five cases. No case was positive for p53. Eleven out of 12 cases of PPTs demonstrated MGMT expression, suggesting chemoresistancy to TMZ treatment. This is the first report showing MGMT expression in PPTs. In addition, MIB-1 labeling index correlated with WHO grade, although the immunoreactivity of synaptophysin, NF, NeuN and p53 did not correlate with the histological grade.

As olfactory perceptions vary from person to person, it is difficult to describe smells objectively. In contrast, electronic noses also detect smells with their sensors, but in addition describe those using electronic signals. Here we showed a virtual connection method between a human nose perceptions and electronic nose responses with the smell of standard gases. In this method, Amorphophallus titanum flowers, which emit a strong carrion smell, could objectively be described using an electronic nose, in a way resembling the skill of sommeliers. We could describe the flower smell to be close to that of a mixture of methyl mercaptan and propionic acid, by calculation of the dilution index from electronic resistances. In other words, the smell resembled that of "decayed cabbage, garlic and pungent sour" with possible descriptors. Additionally, we compared the smells of flowers which bloomed on different dates and at different locations and showed the similarity of odor intensities visually, in standard gas categories. We anticipate our assay to be a starting point for a perceptive connection between our noses and electronic noses.

Purpose: Human hands are excellent in performing sensory and motor function. We have hypothesized that blood flow of the hand is dynamically regulated by sympathetic outflow during concentrated finger perception. To identify this hypothesis, we measured radial blood flow (RBF), radial vascular conductance (RVC), heart rate (HR), and arterial blood pressure (AP) during Braille reading performed under the blind condition in nine healthy subjects. The subjects were instructed to read a flat plate with raised letters (Braille reading) for 30 s by the forefinger, and to touch a blank plate as control for the Braille discrimination procedure. Results: HR and AP slightly increased during Braille reading but remained unchanged during the touching of the blank plate. RBF and RVC were reduced during the Braille character discrimination task (decreased by -46% and -49%, respectively). Furthermore, the changes in RBF and RVC were much greater during the Braille character discrimination task than during the touching of the blank plate (decreased by -20% and -20%, respectively). Conclusions: These results have suggested that the distribution of blood flow to the hand is modulated via sympathetic nerve activity during concentrated finger perception.

Sensory hair cells (HCs) and their associated nonsensory supporting cells (SCs) exhibit a typical mosaic pattern in each of the sensory patches in the inner ear. Notch signaling has been considered to conduct the formation of this mosaic pattern through one of its famous functions, known as 'lateral inhibition'. The two Notch ligands Delta-like1 and Jagged2 are believed to act synergistically at the stage of cell diversification in mammals. In addition, many current studies suggest that Notch signaling has another inductive, but not inhibiting, role in the determination of the prosensory region, which precedes the cell diversification of HCs and SCs and Jagged1 is thought to be an essential ligand in this process. Earlier in ear development, the first cell fate determination begins with the delamination of the neuroblasts from the otic epithelium. The delaminated neuroblasts migrate and coalesce to form cochleovestibular ganglion. Notch signaling pathway is thought to function during the delamination through its lateral inhibitory mechanism. Recently, many experiments examining Notch-related gene expression patterns and direct functional analyses of genes have revealed multiple important functions of Notch in inner ear development. Here, we survey a series of studies and discuss the issues that remain to be elucidated in the future.

The homeoprotein EGAM1C was identified in preimplantation mouse embryos and embryonic stem (ES) cells. To explore the impact of EGAM1C on the hallmarks of mouse ES cells, MG1.19 cells stably expressing EGAM1C at similar levels to that in blastocysts were established using an episomal expression system. In the presence of leukemia inhibitory factor (+LIF), control transfectants with an empty vector formed flattened cell colonies, while Egam1c transfectants formed compacted colonies with increased E-CADHERIN expression. In Egam1c transfectants, the cellular contents of OCT4, SOX2, TBX3, and NANOG increased. Cell growth was accelerated in an undifferentiated state sustained by LIF and in the course of differentiation. During clonal proliferation, EGAM1C stabilized the undifferentiated state. In adherent culture conditions, EGAM1C partly inhibited the progression of differentiation at least within a 4-day culture period in the presence of retinoic acid by preventing the downregulation of LIF signaling with a robust increase in TBX3 expression. Conversely, EGAM1C enhanced the expression of lineage marker genes for Fgf5 (epiblast), T (mesoderm), Gata6 (primitive endoderm), and Cdx2 (trophectoderm) in -LIF conditions. In embryoid bodies expressing EGAM1C, the expression of marker genes for extra-embryonic cell lineages, including Tpbpa (spongiotrophoblast) and Plat (parietal endoderm), increased. These results demonstrated that the ectopic expression of EGAM1C is capable of affecting the stabilization of an undifferentiated state and the progression of differentiation in MG1.19 ES cells, in addition to affecting cellular morphology and growth.

Flow coefficients v_{n} for n=2, 3, 4, characterizing the anisotropic collective flow in Au+Au collisions at sqrt[s_{NN}]=200  GeV, are measured relative to event planes Ψ_{n}, determined at large rapidity. We report v_{n} as a function of transverse momentum and collision centrality, and study the correlations among the event planes of different order n. The v_{n} are well described by hydrodynamic models which employ a Glauber Monte Carlo initial state geometry with fluctuations, providing additional constraining power on the interplay between initial conditions and the effects of viscosity as the system evolves. This new constraint can serve to improve the precision of the extracted shear viscosity to entropy density ratio η/s.

Linum album has been shown to accumulate anti-tumor podophyllotoxin (PTOX) and its related lignans. In the present study, we examined the effects of five fungal extracts on the production of lignans in L. album cell cultures. Fusarium graminearum extract induced the highest increase of PTOX [140μgg(-1) dry weight (DW) of the L. album cell culture] which is seven-fold greater than the untreated control, while Rhizopus stolonifer extract enhanced the accumulation of lariciresinol, instead of PTOX, up to 365μgg(-1) DW, which was 8.8-fold greater than the control. Quantitative PCR analyses showed that expression of the enzyme genes responsible for the PTOX biosynthesis cascade, such as pinoresinol-lariciresinol reductase (PLR), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamoyl-CoA reductase (CCR) and cinnamyl-alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) genes, were also up-regulated in a fungal extract-selective fashion. These results provide evidence that the fungal extracts used in this study differentially increase the production of PTOX or larisiresinol via the up-regulation of the genes in lignan biosynthesis in L. album cell cultures, and suggest that such selective actions of fungal elicitors on the lignan synthesis will lead to more efficient metabolic engineering-based production of PTOX and other beneficial lignans using L. album cell cultures.

Two glioblastoma multiforme patients underwent (18)F-FMISO (fluoromisonidazole) positron emission tomography study to access the tumor oxygenation status before and immediately after fractionated radiotherapy concomitant with temozolomide chemotherapy. In both cases, a prominent (18)F-FMISO tumor accumulation observed in the first study was notably decreased in the second study, which was supposed to be a reoxygenation of the tumor. As far as we investigated, this is the first report of the changes of oxygenation status in glioblastoma multiforme treated through radiation therapy with temozolomide.

Periodical organisms, such as bamboos and periodical cicadas, are very famous for their synchronous reproduction. In bamboos and other periodical plants, the synchronicity of mass-flowering and withering has been often reported indicating these species are monocarpic (semelparous) species. Therefore, synchronicity and periodicity are often suspected to be fairly tightly coupled traits in these periodical plants. We investigate the periodicity and synchronicity of Strobilanthes flexicaulis, and a closely related species S. tashiroi on Okinawa Island, Japan. The genus Strobilanthes is known for several periodical species. Based on 32-year observational data, we confirmed that S. flexicaulis is 6-year periodical mass-flowering monocarpic plant. All the flowering plants had died after flowering. In contrast, we found that S. tashiroi is a polycarpic perennial with no mass-flowering from three-year individual tracking. We also surveyed six local populations of S. flexicaulis and found variation in the synchronicity from four highly synchronized populations (>98% of plants flowering in the mass year) to two less synchronized one with 11-47% of plants flowering before and after the mass year. This result might imply that synchrony may be selected for when periodicity is established in monocarpic species. We found the selective advantages for mass-flowering in pollinator activities and predator satiation. The current results suggest that the periodical S. flexicaulis might have evolved periodicity from a non-periodical close relative. The current report should become a key finding for understanding the evolution of periodical plants.