Direct evidence for the localized single-triplet excitations and the dispersive multitriplet excitations in SrCu2(BO3)2.

We performed inelastic neutron scattering on the 2D Shastry-Sutherland system SrCu2(11BO3)2 with an exact dimer ground state. Three energy levels at around 3, 5, and 9 meV were observed at 1.7 K. The lowest excitation at 3.0 meV is almost dispersionless with a bandwidth of 0.2 meV at most, showing a significant constraint on a single-triplet hopping owing to the orthogonality of the neighboring dimers. In contrast, the correlated two-triplet excitations at 5 meV exhibit a more dispersive behavior.

Quick selection of representative protein chain sets based on customizable requirements.

MOTIVATION: Protein structure classification has been recognized as one of the most important research issues in protein structure analysis. A substantial number of methods for the classification have been proposed, and several databases have been constructed using these methods. Since some proteins with very similar sequences may exhibit structural diversities, we have proposed PDB-REPRDB: a database of representative protein chains from the Protein Data Bank (PDB), which strategy of selection is based not only on sequence similarity but also on structural similarity. Forty-eight representative sets whose similarity criteria were predetermined were made available over the World Wide Web (WWW). However, the sets were insufficient in number to satisfy users researching protein structures by various methods. RESULT: We have improved the system for PDB-REPRDB so that the user may obtain a quick selection of representative chains from PDB. The selection of representative chains can be dynamically configured according to the user's requirement. The WWW interface provides a large degree of freedom in setting parameters, such as cut-off scores of sequence and structural similarity. This paper describes the method we use to classify chains and select the representatives in the system. We also describe the interface used to set the parameters.

Collective singlet excitations and evolution of raman spectral weights in the 2D spin dimer compound SrCu2(BO3)(2)

Raman light scattering of the two-dimensional quantum spin system SrCu2(BO3)(2) shows a rich structure in the magnetic excitation spectrum, including several well-defined bound state modes at low temperature, and a scattering continuum and quasielastic light scattering contributions at high temperature. The key to the understanding of the unique features of SrCu2(BO3)(2) is the presence of strong interactions between well-localized triplet excitations in the network of orthogonal spin dimers realized in this compound.

[A state of confusion following cerebral angiography with iopamidol: a case report].

A 59-year-old male in a state of confusion following cerebral angiography with iopamidol was reported. He was admitted to our hospital for right upper monoparesis. MRI demonstrated multiple cerebral infarction. The patient had undergone angiographies with iopamidol, of which a total of 100 ml had been used. After the examination, the patient showed perseveration, continuing to say the same sentence and 30 minutes later he entered a state of confusion. He recovered completely from this consciousness disturbance after 30 hours. No lesion except for the old infarction was demonstrated on CT and MRI. Confusion in this case was assumed to be a toxic reaction caused by the contrast agent.

[Serum protein fractions in patients with laryngeal cancer undergoing radiation therapy. Possibility as a prognostic factor].

The levels of 21 protein components of the sera of 45 patients with cancer of the larynx undergoing radiation therapy were determined by a single radial immunodiffusion method before and after radiation therapy. We examined the correlation between changes in serum protein fractions and the prognosis of the patients. The patients with cancer of the larynx were treated with external irradiation of 60Co gammer-rays. Total target doses were 60 Gy. The levels of the same protein components were also measured in 43 normal adult individuals as a control. All patients were observed for 5 years and 12 years following radiation therapy. In the pretreatment sera obtained from patients with cancer of the larynx, the concentrations of prealbumin (Prealb), antithrombin III (ATIII) and plasminogen (Pmg) were significantly lower than controls. However the concentrations of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (alpha 1AG), alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1AT), alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (alpha 1X), haptoglobin (Hp), fibrinogen (Fib) and hemopexin (Hx) were elevated. At the completion of radiation therapy, the alpha 1AG, alpha 1AT, alpha 1X, Hp, Fib and inter alpha trypsin inhibitor (I alpha I) were significantly elevated than those normal controls. In patients without recurrent cancer after radiation therapy, the alpha 1AT, ceruloplasmin (Cp), Fib, IgA and Hx levels measured before radiation therapy were significantly lower than those patients with recurrent cancer. In patients without recurrent cancer after radiation therapy, the alpha 1AT, Hp, Cp, IgG, and IgA levels measured after radiation therapy were reduced compared with those patients with recurrent cancer. In patients who had lived more than 5 years after radiation therapy, the alpha 1AT, Cp and Fib levels measured before radiation therapy reduced significantly compared with those who had died within 5 years. In those who had lived more than 5 years, the alpha 1AG, alpha 1AT, Hp, Fib, IgG, and IgA levels measured after radiation therapy were reduced significantly compared with those who died within 5 years. In cases of laryngeal cancer following a period of 5 to 12 years after radiation therapy, multiple regression analysis was used to determine whether increased concentrations of serum protein fractions were associated with good prognosis for the original disease. AT III, Prealb, alpha 1AG, albumin (Alb) and I alpha I before radiation therapy were positively correlated with survival, whereas Hx, Pmg, Cp, IgM, Cl inhibitor (ClInh), alpha 1AT and Fib showed negative correlations. After radiation therapy, transferrin (Tf), Cp, Prealb, AT III and I alpha I were found to be positively associated with survival, whereas IgA, IgM, Pmg, alpha 1X and alpha 1AG were negative factors. From the elevation levels of acute phase proteins (alpha 1AT, Cp) and Fib and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM) in the serum and lower levels of Prealb and AT III before and after radiation therapy, we may predict a relatively poor prognosis in these patients of laryngeal cancer.

Parallel Protein Information Analysis (PAPIA) System Running on a 64-Node PC Cluster.

Protein information analysis is widely regarded as a key technology in drug design, macromolecular engineering, and understanding genome sequences. Because vast amount of calculations are required, further speed-up for protein information analysis is very much in demand. We have implemented the PAPIA (PArallel Protein Information Analysis) system on the RWC PC cluster IIa (PAPIA cluster) which consists of 64 Pentium Pro 200MHz microprocessors. The PAPIA system performs fast parallel processing for typical calculations in protein analysis, such as structure similarity search, sequence homology search and multiple sequence alignment, nearly 60 times faster than a single processor. We have started a WWW service (http://www.rwcp.or.jp/papia/), allowing any biologist to easily submit jobs to the PAPIA system through a WWW browser. The user can experience the power of current parallel processing technology.

Embolization of Ruptured Cerebral Aneurysms with GDC in Acute Stage.

SUMMARY: 21 cases of 22 ruptured cerebral aneurysms were treated in acute stage with Guglielmi detachable coils and the outcome was assesed. GDCs were placed intra-aneurysm for intra-aneurysmal occlusion. CASES: age 42-80 (mean; 59) y.o., 7 male and 14 female; 4, 6, 8 and 3 patients were categorized (Hunt and Hess) as grades 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. GDC embolization was performed within 24 hours of primary hemorrhage in 11 patients, within 2 to 3 days in 4 patients and 5 to 19 days in 6 patients. The occlusion rate was 100% in 7 ANs, more than 75% in 9 ANs and less than 75% in 6 ANs. There were 7 cases of complications, two coil deposits, one embolism and 4 reruptures.

Rapid protein fragment search using hash functions based on the Fourier transform.

MOTIVATION: Since the protein structure database has been growing very rapidly in recent years, the development of efficient methods for searching for similar structures is very important. RESULTS: This paper presents a novel method for searching for similar fragments of proteins. In this method, a hash vector (a vector of real numbers) is associated with each fixed-length fragment of three-dimensional protein structure. Each vector consists of low-frequency components of the Fourier-like spectrum for the distances between C alpha atoms and the centroid. Then, we can analyze the similarity between fragments by evaluating the difference between hash vectors. The novel aspect of the method is that the following property is proved theoretically: if the root mean square distance between two fragments is small, then the distance between the hash vectors is small. Several variants of this method were compared with a naive method and a previous method using PDB data. The results show that the fastest one among the variants is 18-80 times faster than the naive method, and 3-10 times faster than the previous method.

Non-aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage associated with basilar artery dissection--autopsy case report.

A 60-year-old male presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) of unknown origin and died of peritonitis 2 months after the ictus. Computed tomography on admission revealed localized hemorrhage at the interpedunclar cistern and sedimentation in both posterior horns. Repeat angiography could not detect any aneurysm. Postmortem histological examination revealed disruption of the wall associated with intramural hemorrhage at the top of the basilar artery, and subintimal hemorrhages of the lower basilar artery and the left vertebral artery. Arterial dissection of the vertebrobasilar system may be a cause of SAH of unknown origin including perimesencephalic hemorrhage.

PDB-REPRDB: a database of representative protein chains in PDB (Protein Data Bank).

We propose a novel set of 'representative' protein chains in PDB, where not only sequential but also structural similarities are taken into account. Hobohm et al. have already proposed "PDB_SELECT", which eliminates redundant chains based solely on sequence similarity. "PDB_SELECT" is frequently updated and the latest version is available at EMBL WWW server. In our set of entries "PDB-REPRDB," however, structural similarities are also considered, in order not to overlook local conformation diversity within a group of sequentially similar chains. Our set guarantees that every representative is the best among that similar protein group, regarding experimental or structure-determination quality (i.e. resolution and R-value). The first version (based on PDB Release 70) of PDB-REPRDB was released in 1995 and the second version (PDB Release 78) will be available by April 1997.

[Studies on serum protein fractions of patients with maxillary sinus cancer undergoing a combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy: II. Relationship between changes in serum protein fractions and prognosis].

We examined the correlations between changes in serum protein fractions and the prognosis of the patients. The levels of 21 protein components of the sera of 36 patients with maxillary sinus cancer were determined by a single radial immunodiffusion method before and after radiation therapy. The patients with maxillary sinus cancer were treated with combined intra-arterial infusion of bleomycin and external irradiation of 60 Co gamma-rays, and were concurrently treated with 5-fluorouracil at 200 mg/day p.o. The levels of the same protein components were also measured in 34 normal adult as a control. All patients were observed 5 years and 12 years after radiation therapy. In patients who had survived at least 5 years after radiation therapy, the Alb, Tf, Hx, IgG and IgM levels measured before radiation therapy were elevated significantly compared with those who had died within 5 years. In those who had survived at least 5 years, the Alb, Tf, Hx, IgG, IgM, IgA and I alpha I levels measured after radiation therapy were elevated significantly compared with those who had died within 5 years, and AT III was reduced. In cases of maxillary sinus cancer following a period of 5 to 12 years after radiation therapy, multiple regression analysis was used to determine whether increased concentrations of serum protein fractions were associated with good prognosis for the original disease, alpha 2HS. IgM, HX, alpha 1AT and alpha 1X before radiation therapy were positively correlated with survival, whereas AT III, Pmg, Cp, IgA, and alpha 1AG showed negative correlations. After radiation therapy, Pmg, Hx, Cp, Cl inh and Fib were found to be positive factors of survival rate, whereas alpha 2M, alpha 2Pl, I alpha 1, IgA, alpha 1AG and C3 were negative factors.

Extradural optic nerve decompression for fibrous dysplasia with a favorable visual outcome.

A 10-year-old boy with progressive left visual disturbance associated with craniobasal fibrous dysplasia underwent left frontotemporal craniotomy. Dysplastic lesions of the sphenoid ridge, orbital roof, anterior clinoid, and ethmoid sinus were removed through an extradural pterional approach and the optic nerve was completely decompressed. His vision was markedly improved postoperatively. Consecutive follow-up studies for 3 years have shown no deterioration of his visual acuity. Early optic nerve decompression is highly recommended to preserve visual function in patients with craniofacial fibrous dysplasia causing visual disturbance.

Labeling and identification of living donor cells in brain slices of recipient hemiparkinsonian model rats for physiological recordings: methods for physiological assessments of neural transplantation.

Physiological properties of grafted neurons, such as membrane and intr acellular properties, have not been reported. To fill this lack in knowledge, physiological recordings from the identified grafted cells are required. Fluorescent latex microspheres (FLM) are non-toxic and stable, and thus seem suitable for long-term labeling of donor cells. Therefore, we tested the feasibility of labeling with FLM to identify living donor cells in the recipients' brain slices. We also tested if physiological recordings from the identified cells are possible or not. Cell suspensions were prepared from the substantia nigra (SN) of Embryonic Days 15 or 16 rats with enzymatic and mechanical trituration. Cell suspensions were then incubated with 0.5% FLM for 30 min to 2 h. The longer cells were incubated, the more FLM were taken up. The FLM-labeled SN cell suspensions were injected in the striatum of the hemiparkinsonian model rats. Eight to 13 weeks later, 150-mu m thick coronal brain slices including the graft track were prepared from the recipients. Slices were kept in vitro for several hours. Grafted cells could be clearly identified in the slice preparations by the uptake of FLM under a fluorescence microscope. Voltage-dependent currents and intracellular Ca2+ transcients were successfully recorded from the identified grafted neurons. It is suggested that labeling and identification of living donor cells with FLM is feasible and thus can provide a powerful tool to study the mechanisms underlying graft-induced amelioration of neurological deficits in parkinsonism by enabling physiological assessments of grafted cells.

Early cytopathic features in rat ischemia model and reconstruction by neural graft.

Using a silver impregnation (argyrophil III) and immunohistochemistry, acute cytopathic features after cerebral ischemia were investigated. Additionally, functional recovery and interconnection between the host and graft was also explored after neural graft. Animals were embolized in unilateral middle cerebral artery for 1 h. Argyrophil III method demonstrated "collapsed" dark neurons in the striatum, cortex, reticular thalamus, amygdala, and hypothalamus on ischemic side. These neurons exhibited characteristic shrunken somata with corkscrew-like dendrites, suggesting changes in cytoskeletal protein. In the above mentioned areas, the loss of immunoreactivity for mu-calpain proenzyme and microtubule-associated protein 2 was also detected. Neural graft into the ischemic striatum was made 2 weeks after the ischemia paradign. The grafted striatal cells were prepared from E15 fetuses to make cell suspension marked by rhodamine-labeled latex microspheres. Methamphetamine-evoked rotations were detected after ischemia. These motor alterations were reduced gradually but significantly at 8 weeks after the graft. Interconnecton between the host and grafted cells was then studied in a brain slice preparation after loading fura-2 AM. About 10% of grafted cells tested from rats that showed motor amelioration exhibited [Ca2+]i increase to the electrical stimulation applied to the neighboring host tissue. Data indicate that, in the very early stage after ischemia, cytoskeletal damages, especially on microtubules, started and this would lead to later infarct. The graft survived in the ischemic striatum having connections with the host, and this might be partly involved in the amelioration of motor function.

Distribution of mu-calpain proenzyme in the brain and other neural tissues in the rat.

We raised antibodies against the acetyl N-terminal peptide of the human mu-calpain 80 kDa (80 K) subunit (N-acetyl SEETPVYCT-GVSAQVQKQRARELG) in the rabbit. A specific antibody was purified using N-acetyl SEEITPVYCTGVSAQVQKQ peptide-conjugated Sepharose 4B as an affinity gel support. Epitope analysis revealed that the purified antibody reacted only with mu-calpain N-terminal peptides containing N-acetyl SEETT structure but no reactions occurred with other analogous peptides. Western blot analysis showed that the antibody reacted with both human and rat mu-calpain proenzymes but not with the activated calpains lacking N-terminal peptide. Using this antibody we investigated immunohistochemically the distribution of mu-calpain proenzyme in central and peripheral nervous systems as well as other non-neural tissues in the rat. The proenzyme was detected mainly in neurons both in the central and peripheral nervous tissues, but not in non-neural tissues except for red blood cells. Immunoreaction was stronger in the perikarya and/or in the nuclei than in-the cytoplasm. Specificity of the antibody was verified by an absorption test. In summary, the mu-calpain proenzyme is mainly distributed in the perikarya and/or nuclei or neurons. Our present antibody specific to the N-terminus of the mu-calpain 80 K subunit could serve as a useful tool to detect various functions of mu-calpain as well as the damage in neurons caused by the enzyme.

Efficacy of flashlamp-pumped pulsed dye laser therapy for port wine stains: clinical assessment and histopathological characteristics.

Clinicopathological evaluation of flashlamp-pumped dye laser therapy for port wine stains was conducted on 474 subjects (135 male and 339 female) ranging in age from less than a year to 85 years (median = 17; lower quartile = 7 and upper quartile = 28). There was a significant variation in the rate of favourable response among lesion sites but the variation in relation to sex, age and radiation dose was not significant. Histological investigations of skin biopsy specimens from 23 subjects indicated that the mean depth of vessels is the main prognostic factor. The critical value (standard error) of the mean depth for a favourable response was estimated as 930(50) microns. Applications of this estimate to clinical prognosis are discussed.

Emerging symptoms of growing skull fracture after secondary trauma in an adult--case report.

A 20-year-old female presented with dysphasia and slight hemiparesis following a head trauma, who had a non-treated growing skull fracture which had remained asymptomatic for about 18 years, despite an encephalocele in the left parietal region. Neuroimaging demonstrated secondary brain damage and herniated brain resulting in gliosis. Electroencephalography revealed epileptic discharge in the affected region. Dural repair and cranioplasty resolved her neurological deficits. Early corrective surgery should be performed for growing skull fracture to prevent secondary brain damage.

[Studies on serum protein fractions of patients with uterine cervical cancer undergoing radiotherapy: relationship between changes in serum protein fractions and prognosis].

The levels of 23 protein components of the sera of 84 patients with uterine cervical cancer undergoing radiotherapy were determined by a single radial immunodiffusion method, before radiation therapy, after whole pelvic irradiation, and after intracavitary irradiation using a remote after roading system (RALS). We examined the correlations between changes in serum protein fractions and the prognosis of the patients. The patients with uterine cervical cancer were treated with combined external irradiation of 60Co gamma-rays or 10 MV X-rays, and RALS therapy. The levels of the same protein components were also measured in 21 normal adult women as a control. All patients were observed between 4 years and 8 years after radiation therapy. In the pretreatment sera obtained from patients with uterine cervical cancer, the concentrations of prealbumin (Prealb), alpha 2HS glycoprotein (alpha 2 HS), alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor (alpha 2PI), transferrin (Tf), plasminogen (Pmg), albumin (Alb), IgM and hemopexin (Hx) were significantly lower than those normal controls. However the serum concentrations of: alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (alpha 1 X), haptoglobin (Hp), C9, fibrinogen (Fib), ceruloplasmin (Cp), alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (alpha 1AG), alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) and C4 were elevated. At the completion of whole pelvic irradiation and RALS therapy, the Hp, C4, and Fib levels were significantly lower than those before radiation therapy, whereas Prealb, alpha 2HS and alpha 2PI were elevated. In patients who had lived between 4 years and 8 years after radiation therapy, the Cp, alpha 1 AG, Hp and C9 levels measured before radiation therapy were reduced significantly, while Tf was elevated compared with patients who died within 4 years. In those who had lived more than 4 years, the alpha 1 AT, Hp, alpha 1X, Cp and C9 levels measured after whole pelvic irradiation were reduced significantly; while the C4 level was elevated. In cases of uterine cervical cancer followed for a period of 4 to 8 years after radiation therapy, multiple regression analysis was used to determine whether increased concentrations of serum protein fractions were associated with good prognosis for the original disease. Tf, Pmg, and alpha 1AT before radiation therapy were positively correlated with survival, whereas AT III, Cp, C1Inh, IgA, alpha 1 AG and C9 showed negative correlations. After whole pelvic irradiation,Pmg, C4 Prealb, Alb,alpha 2M and Hp were found to be positively associated with survival, whereas Tf, alpha 2PI, AT III, alpha 1 AT,C1Inh, C9 and IgA were negative factors.

The Multi-Scale 3D-1D compatibility scoring for inverse protein folding problem.

The applicability of the Multi-Scale Structure Description (MSSD) scheme to the inverse-folding problems was investigated. An MSSD represents a 3D protein structure with multiple symbolic sequences, where fine structures are represented with the sequence at low levels, the middle scale structural motifs at middle levels, and global topology at high levels. Each symbol in the symbolic sequence denotes a type of local structure of the level scale. The structure fragments are classified at each scale level respectively according to the shape and the environment around the fragments: how the structure is exposed to the solvent or buried in the molecule. I modeled the propensity of an amino-acid sequence to the structure fragment type (i.e., primary constraint) at each scale level. The local propensity is, therefore, modeled at small scale (low) levels, while the global propensity modeled at large scale (high) levels. Thus, superposing all the primary constraint, a 3D protein structure yields an amino-acid sequence profile. Evaluating the fit of an amino acid sequence to the profile derived from the known 3D protein structure, we can identify which 3D structure the given amino-acid sequence would fold into. I checked whether a sequence identifies its own structure over two hundred protein sequences. In many cases, an amino acid sequence identified its own 3D protein structure.

Neuronal damage following transient cerebral ischemia and its restoration by neural transplant.

The middle cerebral artery (mca) was intraluminally occluded for one hour prior to reperfusion in the rat. Neuronal damage as well as motor imbalance were assessed in both acute and chronic stages with or without neural transplant in the striatum. In acute stage, argyrophil III staining demonstrated "collapsed" dark neurons in the ipsilateral striatum, cortex, reticular thalamus, amygdala and sometimes in the hippocampus. They had shrunken somata and corkscrew-like dendrites. In accordance with the appearance of dark neurons, the immunoreactivity for calpain of endogenous inactive form decreased or disappeared in ischemic areas. In chronic stage, ischemic core area (striatum and cortex) got into porencephaly, and animals made rotations following methamphetamine injection. Neural transplant (fetal striatal cells) was made during 2 to 4 weeks after the ischemia. Once the transplant survived and grew in the striatum, the methamphetamine rotations were attenuated. Using mca ischemic model rats we report here pathophysiological processes that lead to neuronal damage and infarct. Neural transplants into these animals brought partial restoration in motor disturbance, offering a valuable information concerning therapeutic possibility.