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POU5F1(OCT3/4) is a sequence-specific transcription factor that is essential for keeping germ cells and embryonic stem cells in an immature and pluripotent status. In this article, we report that POU5F1 was fused to EWSR1 in a case of undifferentiated sarcoma derived from pelvic bone with chromosomal translocation t(6;22)(p21;q12). The EWSR1-POU5F1 chimera consists of exons 1-6 of EWSR1 and exons 2-5 and a part of exon 1 of POU5F1. The predicted amino acid sequence indicates that the chimera is composed of the N-terminal QSY domain of EWS that functions as a transcriptional activation domain and the C-terminal POU DNA-binding domains derived from POU5F1. The t(6;22) tumor does not belong to any known categories of bone and soft-tissue tumors (BSTs). It is suggested that EWS-POU5F1 may act as an oncogenic transcription factor and that its expression may contribute to undifferentiated and immature phenotypes of BST.

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Quartz crystal oscillators have been used as microbalances, the so-called quartz crystal microbalance, because their resonant frequencies change by mass loading onto the surface

An electron transfer process of [Mo(CN)8]4−⁄3− redox couple at the graphite electrode/protonated poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PVP) interfaces was examined by the normal pulse voltammetry. It became apparent that electrode reaction of the electroactive species confined in the polymer film on electrode surface obeys the conventional Butler-Volmer equation which characterizes the ordinary electrode reaction at electrode/solution interface. From the analysis of the dependences of the current-potential curves upon the sampling time the relevant kinetic parameters (i.e., the standard rate constant, k° and the transfer coefficient, α) of the electrode reaction were evaluated. The value of k° decreased from 9.7×10−4 to 1.7×10−4 cm s−1 and the value of α was almost constant (0.50), when the molar ratio of the incorporated [Mo(CN)8]4− to pyridine group of the PVP film, ΓM⁄ΓPVP, was increased from 0.0025 to 0.22. The apparent diffusion coefficient, Dapp, for the process of charge transport within the film was also determined from the dependence of the limiting current upon the sampling time. The value of Dapp decreased from 4.4×10−8 to 2.5×10−9 cm2 s−1, when the ratio ΓM/ΓPVP was increased from 0.0025 to 0.22.

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The inkjet ejection technology used in printers has been adopted and research has been conducted on manufacturing artificial tissue by patterning cells through micronozzle ejection of small droplets containing multiple cells. However, stable injection of cells has proven difficult, owing to the frequent occurrence of nozzle clogging. In this paper, a piezoelectric inkjet head constructed with a glass capillary that enabled viewing of the nozzle section was developed, the movement of cells ejected from the nozzle tip was analyzed, and a method for stably ejecting cells was verified. A pull-push ejection method was compared with a push-pull ejection method regarding the voltage waveform applied to the piezoelectric element of the head. The push-pull method was found to be more suitable for stable ejection. Further, ejection of one cell per droplet was realized by detecting the position of the cell in the nozzle section and utilizing these position data. Thus, a method for more precise patterning of viable cells at desired position and number was established. This method is very useful and promising not only for biofabrication, 3D tissue construction, cell printing, but also for a number of biomedical application, such as bioMEMS, lab on a chip research field.