The phosphorylation of the human estrogen receptor (ER) serine residue at position 118 is required for full activity of the ER activation function 1 (AF-1). This Ser118 is phosphorylated by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in vitro and in cells treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) in vivo. Overexpression of MAPK kinase (MAPKK) or of the guanine nucleotide binding protein Ras, both of which activate MAPK, enhanced estrogen-induced and antiestrogen (tamoxifen)-induced transcriptional activity of wild-type ER, but not that of a mutant ER with an alanine in place of Ser118. Thus, the activity of the amino-terminal AF-1 of the ER is modulated by the phosphorylation of Ser118 through the Ras-MAPK cascade of the growth factor signaling pathways.

Long-term results are reported in 23 patients and short-term results in 30 patients presenting with bone tumors treated by curettage or resection followed by implantation of hydroxyapatite (HA) or highly purified beta-tricalcium phosphate (␤-TCP), respectively. Mean follow-up was 97 and 26 months in cases involving HA implantation and ␤-TCP implantation, respectively. Radiographs revealed HA incorporation into host bone in all but two cases; moreover, no obvious evidence of HA biodegradation was observed. A single patient exhibited late deformity following implantation of HA. All grafted ␤-TCP was, at least partially, absorbed and replaced by newly formed bone. The mean period required for the disappearance of radiolucent zones between the ceramics and host bone was 17 weeks in HA and 9.7 weeks in ␤-TCP. Highly purified ␤-TCP appears to be advantageous relative to HA for surgical intervention in bone tumors consequent to the nature of remodeling and superior osteoconductivity.

The Rice Annotation Project Database (RAP-DB) was created to provide the genome sequence assembly of the International Rice Genome Sequencing Project (IRGSP), manually curated annotation of the sequence, and other genomics information that could be useful for comprehensive understanding of the rice biology. Since the last publication of the RAP-DB, the IRGSP genome has been revised and reassembled. In addition, a large number of rice-expressed sequence tags have been released, and functional genomics resources have been produced worldwide. Thus, we have thoroughly updated our genome annotation by manual curation of all the functional descriptions of rice genes. The latest version of the RAP-DB contains a variety of annotation data as follows: clone positions, structures and functions of 31 439 genes validated by cDNAs, RNA genes detected by massively parallel signature sequencing (MPSS) technology and sequence similarity, flanking sequences of mutant lines, transposable elements, etc. Other annotation data such as Gnomon can be displayed along with those of RAP for comparison. We have also developed a new keyword search system to allow the user to access useful information. The RAP-DB is available at: http://rapdb.dna.affrc.go.jp/ and http://rapdb.lab.nig.ac.jp/.

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