Search

Tissue expression and stock variation of isozymes of stone flounder ( Kareius bicoloratus) were analyzed with horizontal starch gel electrophoresis. For the fourteen enzymes assayed, 31 loci were recorded. The results indicated that all the isozymes examined were obviously tissue-specific. The expressions of SOD *, GDH *, G3PDH-2 * and ADH-2 * were detected only in liver, SDH-1 *, MDH-1 * and ADH-1 * only in muscle, and LDH-B * and LDH-C * only in eyes. In comparison, MDH-2 *, GPI-3 * and SDH-2 * were detected in all tissues examined. Other loci examined were detected in a variety of tissues. Muscle and liver were selected to detect the isozyme variation of the two geographic stocks of Qingdao and Weihai, Shandong Province, China. The percentages of polymorphic loci ( P 0.99) were 29.17% and 25.00%, the observed heterozygosities ( H 0) were 0.028 ± 0.014 and 0.040 ± 0.019, and the expected heterozygosities ( He) were 0.039 ± 0.017 and 0.052 ± 0.022 in Qingdao and Weihai stock, respectively. The coefficient of gene differentiation ( F st) and genetic distance ( D) between the two stocks was 0.012 and 0.0011, respectively, indicating that the genetic differentiation is low between them. Compared with other species of Pleuronectiformes, both the percentage of polymorphic loci and the mean heterozygosity of K. bicoloratus were at a middle level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the 30th annual meeting of the Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dermatologische Forschung. Schedule of the meeting; Venue; Lists of special editors.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of cilostazol on the metabolic profiles of serum lipids, uric acid and glycaemic control. Patients: This was a comparative study in a total of 112 patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) associated with hypertriglyceridaemia (fasting serum triglycerides ≥150 mg/dl) untreated with insulin, 81 of whom were evaluated for drug efficacy. Design: Patients enrolled were randomised to receive either cilostazol (group C) 200 mg/day or placebo (group P) [two tablets twice a day after breakfast and dinner] for 12 weeks according to a double-blind method. The study consisted of a 4-week run-in period (week -4 to week 0) followed by a 12-week administration period. Lipid parameters, uric acid and glycaemic control were measured at baseline (weeks -4, 0) and 4, 8 and 12 weeks after treatment. For each primary study variable, final assessment was based on the change observed after 12 weeks of administration relative to the baseline value obtained at week 0. Results: In group C, triglycerides (TG) decreased significantly (p < 0.05) from 238 ± 85 to 193 ± 105 mg/dl, but increased in group P. There was a significant (p < 0.05) difference between the two groups. High density lipoprotein- cholesterol (HDL-C) increased significantly (p < 0.05) from 39 ± 10 to 41 ± 11 mg/dl in group P. HDL-C in group C also increased but not significantly. When the results of one patient, whose HDL-C was over 100 mg/dl, were excluded, HDL-C in group C changed similarly to that in the subgroup (HDL-C level at baseline <50 mg/dl), which increased significantly (p < 0.001) from 38 ± 7 to 44 ± 10 mg/dl and the difference between groups P and C was also significant (p < 0.01). In group C, apolipoprotein B (apo B) decreased significantly (p < 0.01) from 155 ± 24 to 140 ± 28 mg/dl and apolipoprotein E (apo E) decreased significantly (p < 0.01) from 7.8 ± 1.9 to 6.7 ± 2.0 mg/dl. Uric acid also decreased significantly (p < 0.01) from 5.8 ± 1.5 to 5.3 ± 1.4 mg/dl in group C, but did not decrease significantly in group P, indicating a significant (p < 0.05) difference between the two groups. Glycaemic control (fasting plasma glucose level and HbA level) was not affected by either treatment. Abnormal laboratory findings were seen in 25.5% (14/55) of the patients in group P and in 14.3% (8/56) of those in group C, showing no significant difference between the two groups. Drug-related adverse events were observed in 7.3% (4/55) of the patients in group P and in 35.7% (20/56) of those in group C, indicating a significant (p < 0.001) difference between the two groups. Headache was the most frequent complaint (15 patients in group C). No increased bleeding tendencies or frank haemorrhage were noted in any patient. Conclusions: In IGT or type 2 DM patients with hypertriglyceridaemia, cilostazol 200mg effectively lowers TG and uric acid levels, and shows a potentially important effect in increasing HDL-C levels without significantly affecting glycaemic control. These results indicate that the clinical effect of cilostazol on lipid and uric acid metabolism is a beneficial effect that protects against atherosclerotic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microgravity has been implicated to play a role in the observed immune dysfunction of astronauts and cosmonauts after either short-term or long-term space travel. These reports, together with studies describing increased levels of microorganisms in the space cabin environment suggest potential risk for in-flight incidences of infectious diseases. In order to understand the mechanism underlying these immune defects, it is important to have a ground-based model that would reliably mimic the effects of microgravity on antigen-specific immune function. We tested the utility of the rotating wall vessel (RWV) technology developed at NASA as a model system because in the RWV the culture medium and the cells rotate synchronously with the vessel, thereby creating simulated microgravity conditions. We compared the RWV to the conventional tissue culture flask (T-flask), for culturing immune precursor cells with cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity against synthetic viral peptides. We observed a significant loss of antigen-specific CTL activity in RWV cultures, but not in those from the T-flask, irrespective of the peptide immunogen used for inducing the primary immune response in different mouse strains. Loss of CTL activity in RWV cultures coincided with a significant reduction in CD8+ cells as well as CD4+ cells and DEC205+ dendritic cells, suggesting adverse effects of RWV culturing on both the effector and accessory cells for the loss of antigen-specific CTL function. These results provide a strong parallel to the reported defects in cell-mediated immunity during space travel and strongly support the utility of the RWV technology as an effective ground-based model for identifying key steps in immune cell dysfunction related to microgravity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses the activities in High Field Laboratory for Superconducting Materials (HFLSM) at the Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan. High field magnets operated in HFLSM; Principal achievements and research planning; Research on magnetism, optical properties and high field physical properties.

The induction of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) responses to viral proteins is thought to be an essential component of protective immunity against viral infections. Methods for generating responses in a reproducible manner would be of great value in vaccine developmental. To demonstrate here that the recombinant antigen-presentation system based on the yeast transposon (Ty) particle-forming pl protein is a potent means of inducing CTL responses to a variety of viral CTL epitopes, including influenza virus nucleoprotein (two epitopes), Sendai virus and vesicular stomatitis virus nucleoproteins, and the V3 loop of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) gpl20. CTL were primed by hybrid Ty-virus-like particles (VLP) carrying the minimal epitope or as much as 19 000 MW of protein. Ty-VLP carrying two different epitopes (dual-epitope Ty-VLP) were capable of priming CTL responses in two different strains of mice or against two epitopes in the same individual. Furthermore, co-administration of a mixture of two different Ty-VLP carrying single epitopes could induce responses to both epitopes in the same individual. Ty-VLP appear to represent a reproducible and flexible system for inducing CTL responses in mice, and warrant further evaluation in primates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT- A national survey of the morphologic features of hepatolithiasis in Japan disclosed that 13 (4.8%) of the 273 cases examined were associated with obvious biliary malformations: Caroli's disease with congenital hepatic fibrosis (one case), adult polycystic disease of the liver and kidneys (one case), choledochal cyst (nine cases), and anomalous pancreaticobiliary ductal union (four cases). The latter two malformations overlapped in two cases. Intrahepatic calculi in all of these cases were of brown pigment stones, suggesting that focal bile stasis as well as bacterial infection might have played an important role in their formation and growth. It seems likely that such phenomena occur in the congenitally dilated segments of the intrahepatic biliary tree. These data imply that biliary malformation is one of the lithogenic factors in hepatolithiasis in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tests of physiological changes with age are illustrated by collagen denaturation times of tail tendon fibers, and urine concentrating abilities; the tests are evaluated using the following four criteria: change with age, repeatability, relationship to other assays, and relationship to longevity. These tests usually showed highly significant changes with age when mice of different ages were compared for nine mouse genotypes, however neither appeared to be related to subsequent longevities of individual mice. When average values for eleven mouse genotypes were compared, the mean longevities of the genotypes were not significantly correlated with their mean collagen denaturation times or mean renal concentrating abilities, tested at two different ages. The relationships between all three factors—collagen denaturation times, urine concentrating abilities, and longevities—were tested in the same individuals for mice of six different genotypes at 600–700 days of age. Only one marginally significant correlation appeared out of 21 tested; this probably occurred by chance. We conclude that tail tendon collagen denaturation times and urine concentrating abilities change with age independently of each other; furthermore, these changes are unrelated to subsequent longevities, at least when linear relationships are tested. These data suggest that aging is timed by more than one mechanism and demonstrate that strong correlations with chronological age do not necessarily indicate that independent tests will be correlated with longevity or with each other. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Mice of the C57BL/6J and CBA/HT6J inbred strains and their F hybrid were investigated at 67, 202, 463, and 711 days of age to determine how genetic differences affected aging patterns of renal function and morphology. The three genotypes differed significantly in their body and kidney weights and their kidney to body weight ratios. These differences reflected functional capacities, and renal hypertrophy appeared to be an attempt to compensate for functional losses with age. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decreased in both inbred strains with age but remained constant in the F hybrid mice. There was a significant strain difference in GFR, but this difference disappeared when the GFR was considered in relation to the kidney weight. Thus the strain difference appeared to reflect differences in ability to compensate for loss of function by increasing kidney size. Osmolarities and sodium clearances decreased with age and increased with renal hypertrophy, but plasma levels were constant. Histopathological changes with age appeared to be correlated with functional changes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A case of Rickettsia heilongjiangensis infection in Japan was identified in a 35-year-old man who had rash, fever, and eschars. Serum contained R. heilongjiangensis antibodies, and eschars contained R. heilongjiangensis DNA. R. heilongjiangensis was also isolated from ticks in the suspected geographic area of infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behaviors of polyaniline artificial muscle under high tensile loads have been studied. The artificial muscle based on the electrochemomechanical deformation exhibits a large creep under high tensile loads. However, the creep is recovered by the removal of tensile loads and several electrochemical cycles. The facts indicate that the creep is due to the one dimensional anisotropic deformation. The anisotropic deformation is retained by the ionic crosslink at the oxidized state, and released by the cycling under load free. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemomechanical strain (ECMS) under tensile stress up to 5 MPa in polypyrrole films doped with dodecylbenzene sulfonate (PPy/DBS) has been studied in aqueous LiCl electrolytes. The ECMS of about 2% showed cation-driven behavior and decreased with increasing tensile stress. At higher tensile stresses than 2 MPa, a nonlinear deformation against the injected charges was observed, as well as creeping associated with conformation change, slipping and/or breaking of polymer chains. Upon removal of high tensile stresses, the creeping recovered in some extent. The results are discussed in terms of the relaxation of anisotropic strain and memory effect introduced during the creeping. The conversion efficiency from electrical to mechanical energies was 0.04%, being the maximum at approximately 3 MPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]