MicroRNA-9 enhances invasion and migration of cervical carcinomas by directly targeting FOXO1.

OBJECTIVE: Cervical carcinoma is the third frequently diagnosed cancer among women worldwide. Increasing evidence suggests that dysfunctions of miRNAs are involved in human cancers and could act as either tumor suppressors or oncogenes. The purpose of this study is to elucidate pathobiological functions of miR-9 expression by targeting FOXO1 in cervical carcinoma. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Real-time-PCR was utilized to detect miR-9 and FOXO1 level in cervical carcinoma tissues and cells. Transwell assays were employed to check out the roles of miR-9 on cells invasive and migratory potency. Luciferase reporter and Western blot were applied to verify FOXO1 as a target gene of miR-9. RESULTS: The results showed that miR-9 was significantly high expressed in cervical carcinoma cell lines and clinical tissues. miR-9 enhanced the ability of migration and invasion of C33A and HeLa cells. FOXO1 was confirmed as the direct target of miR-9, and miR-9 over-expression down-regulated the expression level of FOXO1. CONCLUSIONS: Our data demonstrate that miR-9 enhances invasion and migration of cervical carcinomas by directly targeting FOXO1. This may lead to a modern therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cervical carcinomas.

Chronological changes of delayed-type hypersensitivity in mice immunised with testicular germ cells alone.

Experimental autoimmune orchitis (EAO), comprising a breakdown of the testicular immune privilege, is one of the models of immunological male infertility. EAO is characterised by CD4 + T-cell-dependent lymphocytic inflammation and augmented delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) against testicular antigens. We previously established an EAO model in mice by immunisation with viable syngeneic testicular germ cells (TGC) alone. However, the sequential change of DTH during development of this EAO has not been analysed yet. In this study, the DTH response during TGC-induced EAO was investigated by the injection of syngeneic TGC protein into the ears of mice. The results showed that a significant DTH response was observed on injection of 20 µg TGC protein, but not on that of 0.2 or 2 µg TGC protein. Also, the level of the DTH response to 20 µg TGC protein was highly relevant to the pathology of EAO development. These results indicate that the DTH response on injection of 20 µg TGC protein into the ears of mice is effective for predicting the pathology of EAO development.

Measuring the frequency of a Sr optical lattice clock using a 120 km coherent optical transfer.

We demonstrate a precision frequency measurement using a phase-stabilized 120 km optical fiber link over a physical distance of 50 km. The transition frequency of the (87)Sr optical lattice clock at the University of Tokyo is measured to be 429228004229874.1(2.4) Hz referenced to international atomic time. The results demonstrate the excellent functions of the intercity optical fiber link and the great potential of optical lattice clocks for use in the redefinition of the second.

Diode-pumped mode-locked Yb3+:Y2O3 ceramic laser.

A diode-pumped femtosecond ytterbium laser with a host material of Y2O3 ceramics is reported. Passive mode locking by a semiconductor saturable-absorber mirror generates 98-MHz, 615-fs pulses at a center wavelength of 1076.5 nm. The average power is 420 mW and the pulse energy is 4.3 nJ with a 2.6-W absorbed pump power. To our knowledge, this is the first continuous-wave mode-locked ceramic laser.

Stable operation of a 300-m laser interferometer with sufficient sensitivity to detect gravitational-wave events within our galaxy.

TAMA300, an interferometric gravitational-wave detector with 300-m baseline length, has been developed and operated with sufficient sensitivity to detect gravitational-wave events within our galaxy and sufficient stability for observations; the interferometer was operated for over 10 hours stably and continuously. With a strain-equivalent noise level of h approximately 5x10(-21)/sqrt[Hz], a signal-to-noise ratio of 30 is expected for gravitational waves generated by a coalescence of 1.4M-1.4M binary neutron stars at 10 kpc distance. We evaluated the stability of the detector sensitivity with a 2-week data-taking run, collecting 160 hours of data to be analyzed in the search for gravitational waves.

Absolute-length determination of a long-baseline Fabry-Perot cavity by means of resonating modulation sidebands.

A new method has been demonstrated for absolute-length measurements of a long-baseline Fabry-Perot cavity by use of phase-modulated light. This method is based on determination of a free spectral range (FSR) of the cavity from the frequency difference between a carrier and phase-modulation sidebands, both of which resonate in the cavity. Sensitive response of the Fabry-Perot cavity near resonant frequencies ensures accurate determination of the FSR and thus of the absolute length of the cavity. This method was applied to a 300-m Fabry-Perot cavity of the TAMA gravitational wave detector that is being developed at the National Astronomical Observatory, Tokyo. With a modulation frequency of approximately 12 MHz, we successfully determined the absolute cavity length with resolution of 1 microm (3 x 10(-9) in strain) and observed local ground strain variations of 6 x 10(-8).

Wideband and high frequency stabilization of an injection-locked Nd:YAG laser to a high-finesse Fabry Perot cavity.

High frequency stabilization of a 2.2-W injection-locked laser-diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser to a high-finesse optical cavity has been realized by frequency control of the master laser. With the help of an external electro-optical modulator, the feedback bandwidth was extended to 1 MHz and the frequency noise relative to the reference cavity was suppressed to 3 x 10(-4) Hz/Hz(1/2) below 1 kHz. This feedback laser system is an ideal laser source for gravitational wave detectors, which require both ultralow frequency noise and high output power.

Psychoses in three cases with myasthenia gravis and thymoma--proposal of a paraneoplastic autoimmune neuropsychiatric syndrome.

Three patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) associated with thymoma, high serum titers of antiacetylcholine receptor (AchR) antibody and generalized myasthenia gravis (MG) are reported. The NPSs were homogeneous; (1) Altered consciousness as manifested by dreamy state with paramnesia, (2) psychosensory symptoms (the sudden change of senses of smell and taste with behavior abnormalities, auditory and visual hallucinations, déjà experiences, microteleopsia and derealization), (3) cognitive disturbances (recent memory loss with compulsive behaviors), (4) emotional disturbances (agitation, fear and anger), and (5) psychotic symptoms (secondary delusions and hallucinations) were characteristic. The NPSs preceded by several months to years the onset of MG, and thereafter they were closely related to worsening and relapse of MG. A typical patient showed repeatedly abnormal electroencephalograms (EEG) indicative of cerebral dysfunction. Another showed improvement of the NPSs after thymectomy and immunosuppressive therapy. The organicity of the phenomenology of psychoses with the same NPSs was suggested and it appears to comprise a unique paraneoplastic syndrome by central autoimmune mechanism. We proposed an autoimmune psychiatric syndrome and the genesis of psychosis due to the central cholinergic dysfunction in MG.

Poisoning by hallucinogenic mushroom hikageshibiretake (Psilocybe argentipes K. Yokoyama) indigenous to Japan.

Five cases of poisoning by indigenous mushroom Hikageshibiretake (Psilocybe argentipes) are reported. As this mushroom contains psilocybin, in general, clinical features were similar to those seen by pure psilocybin. Acute toxic stuporous state with complete amnesia in the culminating period occurred in one case, psychedelic state with dreamy consciousness in one case and psychotic adverse reactions with vivid visual hallucinations with consciousness in three cases. There were accompanied with anxiety and panic reactions to subjective experiences. Though these toxic effects were usually short-lived, for management of such patients it is important to recognize that horrible emotional reactions and other harmful behavioral problems can also occur.

Studies on the experimental phenylketonuria in rats.

Wister albino pregnant rats were fed on pellets containing 3.5% L-phenylalanine (Phe) from 10 days before the expected date of birth. The diet was then switched to 7% Phe pellets at the third week after birth. Baby rats were reared with breast milk, and weaned at the end of the 4th week after birth; thereafter, they were reared with a normal diet for one week at the 5th week, and then were given 7% Phe diet from the 6th week. These rats, which were reared with a diet of high Phe, showed a similar metabolic pattern to that of human phenylketonuria (PKU) in the following aspects: definite suppression of the liver Phe hydroxylase activity, excretion of a large amount of phenylpyruvic acid (PPA) and phenyllactic acid (PLA) into urine, and an elvated level of blood Phe content. But, they had an excessive amount of blood tyrosine (Tyr), and concurrently excreted massive homogentisic acid (HGA) in urine just as in human tyrosinemia alkaptonuria. The absence of urinary o-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (o-HPAA) was also a distinct difference from human PKU. In some rats, mild inhibition of the liver Phe hydroxylase activity was observed. In other rats, there was no excretion of PPA into urine as in human hyperphenylalaninemia. Further, the regulatory mechanism of Phe catabolism of experimental PKU was discussed by analysing the enzyme activity of the liver Phe hydroxylase, phenylalanine-pyruvate (Phe-Pyr) transaminase and tyrosine alpha-ketoglutarate (Tyr-alpha-Kg) transaminase at different developmental stages of the rats.