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The aims of this study were to examine the change of occlusal contact area following the increment of clenching intensity using silicone materials and electromyography ( EMG) in normal subjects and to compare direct intra-oral examination with indirect examination using dental casts mounted by means of two impression methods. Participants were 7 men and 5 women with no more than one missing tooth per quadrant and no pain in the head and neck region. During the task, intercuspal position was maintained with minimal force, 20% maximum voluntary contraction ( MVC) and 40% MVC using electromyography visual feedback. Three types of occlusal contact examinations were performed with the aid of blue silicone material in randomised order: (i) intra-oral direct occlusal contact examination ( DE), (ii) indirect occlusal contact examination with dental casts using conventional impression method ( IEC) and (iii) using occlusal impression method ( IEO). Total occlusal contact area during DE and IEO significantly increased from baseline to 20% MVC and from baseline to 40% MVC, but not during IEC. Total occlusal contact area during DE in all tooth clenching conditions was significantly larger compared to IEO and IEC ( P < 0·05). At 40% MVC, total occlusal contact area during IEO was significantly larger than during IEC ( P < 0·05). These findings suggest that indirect occlusal contact examinations may not accurately reflect the intra-oral occlusal condition. If the intra-oral condition is reproduced using dental casts, these findings also suggest the occlusal impression method was more accurate compared to the conventional method (240 words). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the influence of narrative instructions on the occlusal contact area, occlusal contact point and masticatory muscle activities in normal subjects. Twelve healthy men and 12 healthy women with no more than one missing tooth per quadrant participated. Surface EMG was recorded from the masseter and temporal muscle. As a control measurement, intercuspal position was maintained to produce a habitual clenching record ( NCR) while the occlusal contact area and occlusal contact point was recorded by means of silicone material. Subsequently, the occlusal contact area was recorded with the narrative instruction for minimum clenching record ( MCR), light clenching record ( LCR) and strong clenching record ( HCR). While the EMG activity (% MVC) increased modestly from MCR to LCR (from 9·3 ± 2·0% to 11·5 ± 1·5%), the occlusal contact area increased rapidly (from 17·2 ± 11·3 mm2 to 26·8 ± 15·6 mm2) ( P < 0·05). Both EMG activity and occlusal contact area increased gradually from LCR to NCR (to 17·7 ± 2·0% and to 31·4 ± 14·2 mm2, respectively). Finally, EMG activity still increased from NCR to HCR (to 44·5 ± 3·7%) ( P < 0·05), but the occlusal contact area remained stable (to 36·8 ± 16·6 mm2). Occlusal contact points at left posterior, right posterior, anterior and total area were not significantly different between each task. This study showed that narrative instructions while recording the bite can result in largely stable occlusal contact area. An adequate narrative instruction may therefore contribute to taking a stable occlusal recording in natural dentition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suzuki S, Fujisawa D, Hashimoto K, Asano T, Maimaiti M, Matsuo K, Tanahashi Y, Mukai T, Fujieda K. Partial paternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 6 in monozygotic twins with transient neonatal diabetes mellitus and macroglossia. Transient neonatal diabetes mellitus (TNDM) usually develops within the first few weeks of life and resolves at a median age of 3 months. In most of the cases, TNDM is caused by the over-expression of a paternally expressed imprinted PLAGL1 locus on chromosome 6q24. The most frequent manifestation other than TNDM is intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), and in some cases macroglossia. We investigated monozygotic twins who had macroglossia without IUGR. Both of the twins developed insulin-dependent hyperglycemia within the first week of life, which subsequently resolved. DNA profiling with polymerase chain reaction amplification was performed for polymorphic microsatellite markers of chromosome 6. The six informative markers, located between 6p24 and 6q15, showed normal biparental inheritance. However, the six distal informative markers, located between 6q23.2 and the 6q telomeric region, showed the absence of a maternal allele and the presence of a single paternal allele. The monosomy of the 6q telomeric region was not confirmed by chromosome banding showing 46, XX. These findings provide further evidence that partial paternal uniparental disomy of chromosome 6 (pUPD6) causes TNDM. The phenotypes other than diabetes observed in patients with partial pUPD6 may differ from those observed in patients with complete pUPD6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iida T, Kato M, Komiyama O, Suzuki H, Asano T, Kuroki T, Kaneda T, Svensson P, Kawara M. Comparison of cerebral activity during teeth clenching and fist clenching: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study. Eur J Oral Sci 2010; 118: 635-641. © 2010 Eur J Oral Sci Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we compared the cerebral activity during bilateral light fist-clenching and light-teeth clenching to provide more information on the central processing mechanisms underlying awake bruxism. Fourteen subjects participated in our study. Statistical comparisons were used to identify brain regions with significant activation in the subtraction of light fist clenching and light teeth clenching activity minus baseline. Participants also evaluated the perceived effort of clenching for each task, using a visual analogue scale of 0-100, after fMRI was performed. Bilateral light fist-clenching significantly activated the bilateral sensorimotor cortex, while light teeth-clenching was significantly associated with activation of the bilateral sensorimotor cortex, supplementary motor area, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and posterior parietal cortex. The VAS scores for fist clenching and teeth clenching were not significantly different. As light teeth-clenching activates a more extensive cortical network compared with light fist-clenching, we suggest that the teeth clenching may induce a more complex cerebral activity compared with the performance of a hand motor task. The clinical significance of these findings remains unknown but could perhaps be related to the propensity to trigger awake bruxism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We identify possible differences in the cytokine/chemokine profiles in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from children with encephalopathy and febrile seizure. Interleukin (IL)-1β, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 17, interferon-γ, tumour necrosis factor-α, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, granulocyte monocyte colony-stimulating factor, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and macrophage inflammatory protein-1β were measured simultaneously in CSF supernatants from children with encephalopathy ( n = 8), febrile seizure ( n = 16) and fever without neurological complications ( n = 8). IL-8 in CSF from children with encephalopathy was significantly elevated compared to that in CSF from children with febrile seizure and fever without neurological complications. IL-8 in CSF was also higher than serum IL-8, suggesting that increased IL-8 was generated from glia cells or astrocytes, not by leakage from serum. Increased IL-8 in CSF in encephalopathy may protect against severe brain damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Postprandial hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia are frequently associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of the present study is to investigate the clinical determinants of postprandial glycemia and lipemia, especially serum high-molecular weight adiponectin. Methods Twenty-seven diabetic patients treated with diet alone and 13 healthy volunteers took liquid test meal containing 53 g carbohydrate and 47 g lipid, dosed with nonradioactive isotope 13C-acetate. Venous blood and breath samples were obtained for 180 min after the meal. Gastric emptying was evaluated by peak excretion time of 13CO2 in the breath samples. Delayed gastric emptying was defined as peak excretion time > 2.5 h (mean + 2 SD in the healthy volunteers). Results Diabetic patients showed delayed insulin secretion, postprandial hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia compared with control. Postprandial glycemic increases significantly correlated with enhanced gastric emptying. Serum high-molecular weight adiponectin correlated with postprandial glycemic increases at 30 and 60 min after meal ( r = 0.42, p < 0.05; r = 0.37, p < 0.05, respectively). Serum high-molecular weight adiponectin also correlated with gastric emptying ( versus peak excretion time r = − 0.58, p < 0.05). In addition, diabetic patients with delayed gastric emptying showed the suppressed postprandial glycemia with lower serum high-molecular weight adiponectin than those with normal gastric emptying. On the other hand, postprandial increases in serum triglyceride were not related to serum high-molecular weight adiponectin or gastric emptying, but significantly related to liver function test (serum transaminases) and body mass index. Conclusions Early postprandial glycemic increases were related to elevated serum high-molecular weight adiponectin, which might be associated with enhanced gastric emptying. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fruitfly, Drosophila melanogaster, has three proPO genes ( DoxA1, CG8193 and CG2952). DoxA1 has been shown to encode proPO A1, one of the two proPO isoforms (A1 and A3). However, which of CG8193 or CG2952 encodes proPO A3 has so far remained elusive. In Northern analysis, CG8193 expression was strong during the larval stage, yet expression of CG2952 was not detected at any stage. Immunoblot analyses with specific antibodies detected CG8193 in the larval hemolymph at the mobility of the endogenous proPO A3, though no signal for CG2952. These results indicate that the expression of CG2952 is very low and that CG8193 is the gene that encodes proPO A3. Processing of A1 and A3 isoforms in adult homogenate and activity of recombinant proPOs were also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of cytokines on different subsets of NK cells, while especially focusing on CD16− CD56dim cells and CD16− CD56bright cells. When human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were cultured with a combination of IL-2, IL-12 and IL-15 for several days, a minor population of CD56bright NK cells expanded up to 15%, and also showed potent cytotoxicities against various cancer cells. Sorting experiments revealed that unconventional CD16− CD56+ NK cells (CD16− CD56dim NK cells and CD16− CD56bright NK cells, both of which are less than 1% in PBMC) much more vigorously proliferated after cytokine stimulation, whereas predominant CD16+ CD56dim NK cells proliferated poorly. In addition, many of the resting CD16− CD56bright NK cells developed into CD16+ CD56bright NK cells, and CD16− CD56dim NK cells developed into CD16− CD56bright NK cells and also further into CD16+ CD56bright NK cells by the cytokines. CSFE label experiments further substantiated the proliferation capacity of each subset and the developmental process of CD16+ CD56bright NK cells. Both CD16− CD56dim NK cells and CD16− CD56bright NK cells produced large amounts of IFN- γ and Fas-ligands. The CD16+ CD56bright NK cells showed strong cytotoxicities against not only MHC class I (−) but also MHC class I (+) tumours regardless of their expression of CD94/NKG2A presumably because they expressed NKG2D as well as natural cytotoxicity receptors. The proliferation of CD16+ CD56bright NK cells was also induced when PBMC were stimulated with penicillin-treated Streptococcus pyogenes, thus suggesting their role in tumour immunity and bacterial infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infection of crucifers by the obligate plant pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae Woron. results in the formation of clubroot disease in these plants. Plasmodiophora brassicae gene expression during disease development was studied by differential display analysis of total RNA extracted from the roots of Chinese cabbage inoculated with the pathogen. In a series of experiments, 30 differentially expressed bands of cDNA were detected, and the expression of clone no. 17 was confirmed in clubbed roots. Southern blot analysis showed that this clone was a single-copy gene in the P. brassicae genome. Putative amino acid sequence analysis of the full-length cDNA of clone no. 17 (4.6 kb, designated PbSTKL1) revealed a serine/threonine kinase-like domain at the C-terminal region and a coiled-coil structure in the middle region of the putative protein. PbSTKL1 expression increased strongly beginning 30 days after inoculation and was coincident with resting spore formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth of secondary plasmodia of the clubroot pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae was studied in dual culture of P. brassicae and turnip suspension cells. Suspension culture of P. brassicae-infected turnip cells was achieved by using P. brassicae-infected callus in Murashige and Skoog medium supplemented with 0·1 mg 2,4-D L−1 and 0·02 mg kinetin L−1. The shape of secondary plasmodia in suspension cells was spherical-to-subspherical. A few young plasmodia divided and became numerous spherical, small plasmodia which eventually formed a plasmodial cluster. The plasmodia fused and became vegetative plasmodia. Infected cells were significantly larger than noninfected cells. Secondary plasmodia moved within transformed turnip suspension host cells by cytoplasmic streaming of the host cells. Secondary plasmodia divided in synchrony with the transformed turnip cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a primary antibody deficiency syndrome characterized by defective B-cell maturation and antibody formation resulting in low serum antibody levels of all immunoglobulin (Ig) isotypes. To investigate the pathogenesis of CVID, we developed a set of competitive polymerase chain reaction for membrane-bound Ig heavy chain (mHC) mRNAs for IgM, IgG and IgA. Data on three children with CVID in group A of Bryant's classification were analysed. All the three mHC mRNA levels in Patient 1 were almost same as those in healthy controls. In Patient 2, mHC mRNA for IgM was detected at a level similar to that in controls, but mHC mRNAs for IgG and IgA heavy chains were not detected. In Patient 3, all the three mHC mRNAs were undetectable. Our data suggest that a different molecular basis exists in these patients with CVID even though all belong to group A of Bryant's classification. Use of our method facilitates a better understanding of molecular events in CVID patients and may be useful for precise classifications of CVID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

summary This study evaluated the mandibular condyle displacement on the working side while masticating certain foods with different textures. For referencing the mandibular condyle movement, the range of voluntary border movement of the mandibular condyle was determined based on the analysis of the sagittal, left lateral and right lateral border motion using Posselt's figure. The test foods consisted of cheese, peanuts, and beef jerky. During mastication of cheese and peanuts, the amount of displacement of the mandibular condyle in all directions was within the range of border movement. Significant posterior and superior shifts of the mandibular condyle were observed during mastication of beef jerky, compared with the findings obtained during border movement. Accordingly, it is suggested that prolonged mastication of hard fibrous foods, may stimulate the temporomandibular joint structure and mandibular dysfunction patients should limit their intake of such foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Aim : To investigate the inhibitory effects on gastric acid secretion of three proton pump inhibitors, omeprazole, lansoprazole and rabeprazole, using a three-way crossover design in healthy Helicobacter pylori -negative,S-mephenytoin 4′-hydroxylase (CYP2C19) homo- and hetero-extensive metabolizers. Methods : Eight healthy Japanese male volunteers were enrolled. After the administration of rabeprazole (10 mg/day), lansoprazole (30 mg/day) or omeprazole (20 mg/day), intragastric pH monitoring was commenced from 24 h before the first proton pump inhibitor dose, and continued for days 1–3 after proton pump inhibitor administration. The pH electrode was used for 48 h and changed just before pH monitoring on day 2. Results : For the administration of 10 mg/day rabeprazole, the mean ratios of the 24-h pH ≥ 3 holding timewere 5.7 ± 1.1%,13.6 ± 2.2%, 35.3 ± 2.7% and 62.8 ± 3.1% for the pre-treatment day and days 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The same ratios for lansoprazole (30 mg/day) were 5.7 ± 0.7%, 7.4 ± 1.5%, 13.6 ± 3.4% and 26.6 ± 4.9%; the same ratios for 20 mg/day omeprazole were 5.9 ± 0.9%, 6.1 ± 1.2%, 11.4 ± 2.8% and 16.4 ± 4.6%. The mean ratio of the 24-h pH ≥ 3 holding time of days 1–3 increased significantly compared to the pre-treatment day (P < 0.01) with the administration of rabeprazole and lansoprazole. The magnitude of inhibition of gastric acid secretion after rabeprazole administration was stronger than that after lansoprazole. A significant elevation of the mean ratio of the 24-h pH ≥ 3 holding time was demonstrated on days 2 and 3 with omeprazole ( P < 0.01). Conclusions : In H. pylori -negative CYP2C19 extensive metabolizers, rabeprazole (10 mg/day) shows a faster onset of rising intragastric pH and a stronger inhibition of gastric acid secretion than do lansoprazole (30 mg/day) or omeprazole (20 mg/day). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

G proteins play important roles in transmembrane signal transduction, and various isoforms of each subunit, α, β and γ, are highly expressed in the brain. The Gγ[sub 5] subunit is a minor isoform in the adult brain, but we have previously shown it to be highly expressed in the proliferative region of the ventricular zone in the rat embryonic brain. We show here that Gγ[sub 5] is also selectively localized in a proliferative region in the adult rat brain, including the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle and rostral migratory stream. The Gα[sub i2] subunit colocalized with Gγ[sub 5] in these regions, the two subunits being present in neuronal precursors and ependymal cells but not in proliferating astrocytes. In addition, intense staining of Gγ[sub 5] was seen in axons of the olfactory neurons, which are known to regenerate. These results suggest specific roles for Gγ[sub 5] in precursor cells during neurogenesis so that this isoform might be a useful biological marker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in X-linked childhood adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) are described in four Japanese patients. Two older patients, 10-year-old boys with IQ 60 and difficulty in school, had favourable results. IQ levels and MRI findings were generally maintained after BMT. One patient showed improvement of gait disturbance. They have both attended ordinary schools after BMT, although a learning disorder persists. On the other hand, two other younger patients with a rapid course and indeterminate IQ at BMT showed deterioration of neurological functions. Indication for BMT seems to be a maintained IQ level, preferably higher than 80, since it seems to be difficult to normalize IQ level after BMT. Younger patients have higher risk of developing a rapidly progressive form of the disease. Identification of presymptomatic boys, and serial and careful follow-up by neuropsychological and neuroradiological studies, are essential prerequisites to successful BMT in X-ALD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a large body of evidence that reactive oxygen species play a major role in the pathogenesis of ischaemic brain damage. On the other hand, it has recently been suggested that superoxide anions participate in the development of neuronal tolerance against lethal ischaemia following ischaemic preconditioning (PC). The present study aimed to examine whether or not the intravenous administration of human recombinant Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (hr SOD) prior to PC would affect the subsequent development of neuronal tolerance. Animals were randomly assigned to the following three groups: group 1, sham PC treated with vehicle; group 2, PC treated with hr SOD and group 3, PC treated with vehicle. For PC, 10 min occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) by a modified intraluminal suture method was followed by 60 min recirculation and this procedure was successively repeated three times. The procedures were similar for sham PC except that the MCA was kept unoccluded. Just prior to PC or sham PC, a bolus of hr SOD (6 × 103 IU/2 ml/kg) was administered intravenously. Seventy‐two hours thereafter, rats were subjected to lethal ischaemia, i.e. MCA occlusion for 100 min followed by recirculation for 48 h. The infarct area and volume were assessed with the 2,3,5‐triphenyltetrazolium stain. A significant difference in the infarct volume was revealed between the sham PC/vehicle and the PC/vehicle groups (total and cortex P < 0.01; striatum P < 0.05), showing that PC induced a marked neuronal tolerance against lethal ischaemia. The infarct volume in the PC/SOD group was close to that in the sham PC/vehicle group, being significantly greater than that in the PC/vehicle group (total and cortex P < 0.01) and showing that the administration of hr SOD suppressed the development of neuronal tolerance induced by PC. In a parallel experiment, expression of 72‐kDa heat‐shock protein (hsp 72) at 72 h after PC was considerably reduced in rats treated with hr SOD compared with those treated with vehicle. These results suggest that superoxide anions intraluminally generated within cerebral microvessels participate in the development of neuronal tolerance as well as the induction of hsp 72 following PC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we applied cognitive behavioural intervention to subjects who had painful limited mouth opening, with or without posture correction in daily life. The efficacy of non-intervention control was then compared with it in order to study the effectiveness of posture correction as part of a biobehavioural therapy. The visual analogue scale (VAS) value of pain intensity at maximum mouth opening and disturbance in daily life sharply declined in the group which received only cognitive behavioural intervention and those who received it together with posture correction in daily life compared to the non-intervention control group although there was little difference between the intervention groups. Moreover, pain-free unassisted mouth opening was restored earlier in the group which had added posture correction. This suggests that posture correction in daily life has a positive effect in alleviating myofascial pain with limited mouth opening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to clarify the regulatory mechanisms of periodontal regeneration by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), effects of bFGF on proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, calcified nodule formation and extracellular matrix synthesis of human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells were examined in this study, bFGF enhanced the proliferative responses of PDL cells in a dose-dependent manner. The maximum mitogenic effect of bFGF on PDL cells was observed at the concentration of 10 ng/ml. Incontrast, bFGF inhibited the induction of alkaline phosphatase activity and the mineralized nodule formation by PDL cells. Moreover, employing the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) technique, we observed that the levels of laminin mRNA of human PDL cells was specifically upregulated by bFGF stimulation, but that of type I collagen mRNA was downregulated. On the other hand, the expression of type III collagen and fibronect n mRNA were not altered even when the cells were activated by bFGF. These result suggest that suppressing cytodiffereniation of PDL cells into mineralized tissue forming cells, bFGF may paly a role in would healing by inducing growth of immature PDL cells that in turn accelerates periodontal regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, we reported that a strain of severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice, namely SCID-bg, spontaneously develop CD4+CD8+ double positive (DP) thymocytes despite their scid mutation. In the present study, we intend to further characterize the DP thymocyte population in SCID-bg mice with Southern hybridization and flow cytometry. Southern hybridization analyses of sorted DP thymocytes in SCID-bg mice showed rearrangement of T cell receptor (TCR) β and TCRγ gene segments, although the expression of TCRβ and γδTCR molecules was absent. The phenotype of the DP thymocytes in SCID-bg mice was CD44- heat-stable antigen (HSA)+ CD25- , and they did not express CD69. Interestingly, the expression of thymus Leukaemia (TL) antigen was observed in the DP thymocytes of SCID-bg mice but not in their CD4- CD8- double negative (DN) fraction. Fas expression was higher and bcl-2 expression was down-regulated in the DP thymocytes as compared to the DN thymocytes in SCID-bg mice, suggesting that they are not immortalized cells having escaped from apoptosis. Taken together, these results show that the phenotype of the DP thymocytes in SCID-bg mice is similar to that of the earliest phase of the DP thymocytes in normal mice, although the expression of the molecules in the pre-TCR complex is absent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mice homozygous for severe combined immunodeficiency (scid) mutation usually halt their thymocyte development at the CD4-CD8- double negative (DN) stage due to their inability of TCR gene rearrangement. In this study, we report that SCID-bg mice, which were originally generated by mating CB-17-scid mice with KSN-bg mice, spontaneously develop dominant CD4+CD8+ double positive (DP) thymocytes. Their thymi were mainly composed of DN- CD4-CD8+ and DP cells, and the majority of them did not present CD3-. Similarly, they lacked TCRβ expression both on cell surface and in cytoplasm, which suggests that the thymocyte development to the DP stage observed in SCID-bg mice was independent of CD3 and TCRβ expression. In spite of significant DP thymocytes in SCID-bg mice, the histology of their thymi was not so different from those of CB-17-scid mice. Analysis of bone marrow cells in SCID-bg mice showed that the development of B lineage cells was not altered when compared with CB-17-scid mice. These findings point out the fact that thymocytes in SCID-bg mice have a peculiar characteristic compared to CB-17-scid mice, and provide evidence of TCRβ-independent development of thymocytes to the DP stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell division of thymus lymphoid cells from 30- to 60-day-old embryonic guinea-pigs, as well as young adults was investigated on cell smears stained with Giemsa. Asymmetrically dividing cells were found in the developmental stage of thymocytes. At the telophase of such cells, the cytoplasma of one of two immature daughter cells was apparently larger in amount than that of the counterpart cell. When 40-day embryonic lymphoid cells were examined, most of the asymmetrically dividing cells at telophase belonged to the larger cell population (mean diameter 15.7 μm). The mean diameters of the larger and smaller immature daughter cells of these dividing cells were estimated as 12.0 and 9.2 μm, respectively. Ultrastructural study also revealed a lymphoid cell which was undergoing in situ apparent symmetric division at telophase. One of two immature daughter cells alone possessed a large cytoplasmic protrusion with few organella. The frequence of asymmetric division calculated by a rough estimation was around 10% of the total cell division between days 30 and 40 of embryonic development, and decreased thereafter. During this developmental period, thymic lymphoid cells were shown to progressively transform into smaller cells. A scheme regarding the mode of thymocyte proliferation during the embryonic period is proposed, and the biological meaning of the present phenomenon is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Murine thymocytes are divided into four major populations on the basis of expression of CD4 and CD8 antigens. The bulk of evidence favours the view that CD4-CD8- cells can develop into CD4-CD8+ and CD4+CD8- cells via the CD4+CD8+ stage in the thymus. However, CD4-CD8+ and CD4+CD8- thymocyte subsets contain not only CD3+ mature cells but also CD3- immature cells, which seem to be intermediate cells between CD4-CD8- and CD4+CD8+ cells. Here we demonstrate mouse strain differences in the proportion of immature single-positive thymocyte subsets in thymus at the steady or developing state. In C3H mice, immature CD4+ CD8- is dominant in proportion over CD4-CD8+ in foetal thymus and in donor-derived thymocytes at an early stage of bone marrow transplantation. On the other hand, immature CD4 CD8+ is dominant over CD4+CD8- during T-cell development in the case of B10.BR mice. An intermediate pattern was shown in the case of Fi mice. Both of these immature single-positive subsets gave rise to doublepositive cells after 24 hr culture. These results suggest that there exist two distinct differential pathways; one is from CD4- CD8- cells to CD4+ CD8+ cells via CD4-CD8+ cells, and another is via CD4+CD8- cells, and that an application of the 'CD8 pathway' or 'CD4 pathway' seems to be genetically destined by BM-derived cells but not by thymic stromal cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a case report on a patient with spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia congenita (SEDC). Medical history and clinical manifestations of the patient; Improvement in the daily activities of the patient using a portable ventilator; Information on SEDC.

The history of cumulative recorders manufactured in Japan between the early 1970s and the present is described. The first such instrument was the TosokuĐKogyo Company's Model T-45A, followed thereafter by its Model T-45B, built on the same chassis as the T-45A, but with different electrical and mechanical components. When TosokuĐKogyo closed its recorder operations, the recorder continued to be manufactured and sold by OkuboĐSokkouki as its Model OS 180. The appearance of such commercially manufactured cumulative recorders in countries other than the United States further attests to the internationalization of behavior analysis during the mid- to late-20th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]