Search

Patients with vertebral artery injury from penetrating neck trauma may not present with signs of vascular injury because of anatomical characteristics and concomitant conditions, such as hypothermia and shock. If patients are hemodynamically stable, imaging tests should be performed to examine the posterior components, including the vertebral artery., Although the “zone” approach may be useful for the surgical treatment of injuries to the anterior components of the neck, the “no zone” approach using imaging techniques should be applied when searching for posterior components, including the vertebral artery.

The karyotypes of three shrew species (Mammalia, Soricomorpha, Soricidae) from Nepal were examined for the first time. Based on the karyotypes and overall differences in skull size, the current Episoriculus caudatus appeared to include two distinct species: the larger E. caudatus and the smaller Episoriculus sacratus. Episoriculus sacratus has three subspecies, E. s. soluensis in Nepal and Sikkim, E. s. umbrinus in Assam, Myanmar and the Yunnan Province of China, and E. s. sacratus in the Sichuan Province of China. Soriculus nigrescens had a diploid chromosome number (2n) and fundamental number (FN), including two X chromosomes, of 64 and 92, respectively, consisting of 11 metacentric or submetacentric, two subtelocentric and 18 acrocentric pairs of autosomes, a metacentric X and an acrocentric Y chromosome. Episoriculus sacratus soluensis had 2n = 74 and FN = 126, consisting of 12 metacentric or submetacentric, 13 subtelocentric and 11 acrocentric pairs of autosomes, a submetacentric X and an acrocentric Y chromosome. Episoriculus caudatus had 2n = 60 and FN = 118, consisting of 19 metacentric or submetacentric, nine subtelocentric and one acrocentric pair of autosomes, a subtelocentric X and an acrocentric Y chromosome. The karyotypes of these three species are characterized by their large 2n and FN values compared with other Soricidae.

Three poly(4-trimethylsilylstyrene)-block-polyisoprenes (TIs), the molecular weights of which were 82,000, 152,000 and 291,000 (TI-82K, TI-152K, and TI-291K), were synthesized by sequential anionic polymerizations. The component polymers were a miscible pair that presented a lower critical solution temperature phase diagram if blended. The TI phase behavior was investigated with transmission electron microscopy. The order-disorder transition could be observed at a temperature between 200 °C (the ordered state) and 150 °C (the disordered state) for the block copolymer TI-152K. The block copolymer TI-82K presented the disordered state at 200 °C, whereas TI-291K was in the ordered state at 150 °C. With the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter between poly(4-trimethylsilylstyrene) and polyisoprene, which was evaluated by small-angle neutron scattering for the block copolymers, the TI phase behavior could be reasonably explained by mean-field theory.

Compositional profiles of bilayer films in the direction normal to the interfaces have been investigated by neutron reflectivity measurements and analyzed with mean field theory. The bilayer films were prepared with poly(4-trimethylsilylstyrene) (PTMSS) and polyisoprene (PI), which constitute a miscible polymer pair and whose blends show phase separation at the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) by heating. Because we can accurately control the degree of polymerization of component polymers and can adjust the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter, X, with the temperature, T, according to the relationship X = 0.027-9.5/T, the phase behavior and the interfacial structure of PTMSS and PI are predictable by mean field theory. When the bilayer films of PTMSS and PI were set at 90 C, which is a temperature below the LCST, diffusion at the interface was observed, and the original interface disappeared in several hours; this supports the idea that the polymer pair is miscible. No clear interfaces were identified below the LCST, whereas broad interfaces, compared with that of the strong segregation pairs, were observed above the LCST. The compositions of each layer are consistent with that of the coexisting phase in the polymer blends, and the interfacial widths agree well with the theoretical prediction considering the effect of capillary waves. In addition, all annealed films have a thin surface layer of PTMSS corresponding to surface segregation induced by the lower surface energy of PTMSS (with respect to that of PI). Thus, the interfacial profiles of PTMSS/PI bilayer films have been totally prospected in the framework of mean field theory.

Pairing of the X and Y chromosomes during meiotic prophase and the G- and C-banding patterns were analysed in Microtus sikimensis. The karyotype of M. sikimensis from central Nepal, has 2n = 48 and FNa = 56. It has been derived from the all single-armed karyotype of M. carruthersi through a unique course of evolution. There is a synapsis between the X and Y chromosomes at pachytene and end-to-end association from diakinesis to metaphase I. Microtus sikimensis has no close karyological or morphological relationship to the other synaptic species studied so far. These data confirm that several species or lineages with synaptic condition exist in the genus Microtus, and that the ancestor of Microtus had synaptic sex chromosomes.

Proteins involved in the formation of desmosomes and simpler adherens junctions were studied in three types of non-immune acantholytic diseases ; specifically, four cases of Grover's disease (GD), one case of Hailey-Hailey's disease (HHD) and one case of Darier's disease (DD), and these were compared to two cases of immune-mediated acantholytic disease pemphigus vulgaris (PV). The proteins studied included : 1. The intracellular desmosomal proteins, desmoplakin I and II and plakoglobin ; 2. The intercellular desmosomal proteins, desmoglein and CD44 ; and 3. vinculin, which is a major intracellular protein of the simpler aherens junctions. In GD, HHD and DD, immunostaining showed a loss of desmoplakin I and II and plakoglobin from the desmosomes, and a diffuse staining in the cytoplasm. In contrast, in pemphigus vulgaris, these proteins seemed intact and were localized to dot-like spots on the cell surface. Also, desmoglein, and CD44 were slightly affected in GD, and moderately affected in HHD and DD. Absence of desmosomal attachment plaques, the lack of labeling with desmoglein in the affected desmosomes and a diffusion of the labels into cytoplasm were demonstrated with electron microscopy using an immunogold technique. In PV, desmoglein III is one of the target antigens for the autoanti-bodies in this disease and was only partially preserved in a small number of lesional cells, while CD44 was mostly preserved. Vin-culin was intact in GD, HHD and DD, but was lost in PV. This study, our previous work, and that of others, suggest that : 1. In GD, HHD and DD, the proteins of the desmosomal attachment plaque are primarily affected ; 2. In PV, the intercellular glycoproteins are primarily involved ; and 3. Simple adherens junctions are intact in GD, HHD and DD, but are damaged in PV.

Direct polycondensation of various nylon salts (salts of dicarboxylic acid and diamine) took place under mild conditions in the formation of polyamide in the presence of polyphosphates and organic bases. Among organic bases imidazole was the best in terms of polymer yields. The reactivity of the polyphosphates was arranged in following order: pyrophosphate ≅ tripolyphosphate > tetrapolyphosphate. Otimum reaction conditions were investigated in terms of solvents, temperatures, and concentration of monomers. A reaction mechanism was proposed for the phosphorylation reaction, due to polyphosphates, which led to the direct polycondensation of nylon salts.