Room temperature lasing was stably observed in air from an orthorhombic crystal of 5,5'-bis(4'-methoxybiphenyl-4-yl)-2,2'-bithiophene (BP2T-OMe). A pair of parallel {110} facets of the single crystal acted as effective Fabry-Pérot mirrors. This prominent lasing is based on high group refractive index (3.5) and Q factor (4500) of the orthorhombic crystal resonator indicating a promising potential of BP2T-OMe for organic laser media.

Edema occurs in some types of chronic inflammation such as nasal polyps, uterine cervical polyps and gastric hyperplastic polyps. However, the factors or cellular components involved in the development of edema in chronic inflammation remain to be clarified. Recently, the gene encoding vascular permeability factor (VPF) or vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the genes encoding its receptors (kinase insert domain-containing receptor (KDR) and fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 [fit-1]) have been cloned. VPF/VEGF induces vascular hyperpermeability and vascular endothelial proliferation through KDR or fit-1 receptors. As there is a possibility that VPF/VEGF may play a role in the development of edema in chronic inflammation, we examined the messenger (m) RNA expression of VPF/VEGF and its receptors in nasal polyp tissues, which is an example of chronic inflammation with remarkable edema. Using northern blotting, all nasal polyp tissues examined expressed mRNA of VPF/VEGF and KDR. In situ hybridization revealed that VPF/VEGF mRNA-expressing cells were scattered in the edematous stroma of nasal polyps. In the adjacent sections, these cells showed the morphological features of plasma cells and expressed mRNA of immunoglobulin light chains. Human B cell leukemia and plasmacytoma cell lines expressed VPF/VEGF mRNA but human mast-cell leukemia and T cell leukemia cell lines did not. The alternatively spliced pattern of VPF/VEGF transcripts observed in nasal polyp tissues was consistent with that in plasmacytoma cell lines. Taken together, the VPF/VEGF mRNA-expressing cells in nasal polyps appeared to be plasma cells, suggesting that plasma cells may play an important role in the development of edema in chronic inflammation through the production of VPF/VEGF.

The most important feature of primary colorectal signet-ring cell carcinoma is the advanced stage at the time of diagnosis. In addition, the postoperative survival is worse than for other types of colorectal cancer.

Room temperature optically pumped lasing is achieved for a new n-type molecular crystal of 2,5-bis(4′-cyanobiphenyl-4-yl)­thiophene (BP1T-CN). Efficient stimulated emission in the Fabry–Pérot crystal cavity is supported with a high group refractive index (4.18–4.98), Q factor (910–1860), material gain coefficient (120 cm-1), and a high stimulated emission rate demonstrated by pump–probe measurements

Optically pumped lasing of epitaxially oriented molecular crystals is presented. Needle-like crystals of a thiophene/phenylene co-oligomer is grown along the [110] direction of a KCl substrate. The fluorescence light is one-dimensionally confined and amplified by the self-waveguiding effect in the elongated needles. The Fabry-Pérot resonation by the terminated ends results in laser oscillations corresponding to the needle length.

We have improved the crystal growth methods of thiophene/phenylene co-oligomers (TPCOs). The crystal growth was carried out in a liquid phase. The resulting crystals were well defined in thin polygons with several pairs of parallel crystal faces that function as optical mirrors. This produces interference fringes in the emission and reflectance spectra, enabling us to determine the anisotropic refractive indices. From among TPCOs we chose 5,5 0 -bis(4-biphenylyl)-2,2 0 -bithiophene (BP2T) and its methoxy derivative 5,5 0 -bis(4 0 -methoxybiphenyl-4-yl)-2,2 0 -bithiophene (BP2T-OMe). #

Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is a member of the EGF family. Juxtacrine activity of proHB-EGF (the membrane-anchored form of HB-EGF) has been shown to be significantly potentiated when it is coexpressed with CD9 in vitro. The purpose of our study was to investigate the issue of whether proHB-EGF and CD9 are coexpressed in gastric cancer. HB-EGF gene expression and protein production in human gastric cancers was investigated, and EGF receptor and CD9 expressions were also evaluated. HB-EGF mRNA levels in gastric cancers were elevated, compared with normal gastric tissues, especially in the intestinal type. ProHB-EGF immunoreactivity was detected primarily in the cytoplasm and plasma membrane of gastric cancer cells. Of 66 patients, 40 (60.6%) exhibited proHB-EGF immunoreactivity and the level of its expression was significantly associated with tumor status (p < 0.01) and histological differentiation (p < 0.001). In addition, proHB-EGF mRNA was detected at high levels in the intestinal type by in situ hybridization. CD9 immunoreactivity was found to be preserved in 26 of 36 patients (72.2%) and CD9 protein expression was inversely associated with lymph node status (p < 0.05). A significant correlation between its expression and histological differentiation (p < 0.01) was found, and the association of CD9 with proHB-EGF was increased in the intestinal type, as evidenced by an immunoprecipitation method. These results indicate that the coexpression of proHB-EGF and CD9 may be involved in the tumorigenesis and/or proliferation of gastric cancers in a juxtacrine manner.

A fluorescence imaging system (Xillix LIFE – Lung Fluorescence Endoscopy system) using fluorescence for the accurate diagnosis and early detection of lesions through an endosocope has been developed. This system has applied an optical diagnostic technology to functionally diagnose lesions which have been difficult to morphologically recognize or are occult with conventional endoscope. The benefit of this system in the diagnosis of lung cancer has already been confirmed in the US and Japan, and feasibility of the system in the gastric intestinal field has also been evaluated.