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The electrical resistivities of Fe72(NixPt1-x)28 alloys at high pressure have been measured as a function of temperature T(K) in the range of 77.4. The main result is that Martensitic transition temperature TM and Curie temperature Tc in x=0.2 decreased with increasing pressure. The pressure derivatives are dTc/dP=-85.7 K/GPa and dTM/dP=-37.8 K/GPa. From this result, it is suggested that TM becomes to be the same as Tc under high pressure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Cassidine leaf beetles are associated with genome-reduced symbiotic bacteria Stammera involved in pectin digestion. Stammera cells appear to be harbored in paired symbiotic organs located at the foregut-midgut junction either intracellularly or extracellularly, whereas the symbiont is extracellular in the ovary-accessory glands of adult females and during caplet transmission in eggs. However, using fluorescence and electron microscopy, an intracellular symbiotic configuration of Stammera was observed in Notosacantha species. Detailed inspection of other cassidine species revealed fragmented cell membrane and cytoplasm of the symbiotic organs, wherein Stammera cells are in an intermediate status between intracellularity and extracellularity. We also identified a mitochondria-rich region adjacent to the symbiont-filled region and well-developed muscle fibers surrounding the whole symbiotic organ. Based on these observations, we discuss why the Stammera genome has been reduced so drastically and how symbiont-derived pectinases are produced and supplied to the host's alimentary tract for plant cell wall digestion., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests., (© 2024 The Authors.)

Background: Arthropods gradually change their forms through repeated molting events during postembryonic development. Anamorphosis, i.e., segment addition during postembryonic development, is seen in some arthropod lineages. In all millipede species (Myriapoda, Diplopoda), for example, postembryonic processes go through anamorphosis. Jean-Henri Fabre proposed 168 years ago the "law of anamorphosis", that is, "new rings appear between the penultimate ring and the telson" and "all apodous rings in a given stadium become podous rings in the next stadium", but the developmental process at the anamorphic molt remains largely unknown. In this study, therefore, by observing the morphological and histological changes at the time of molting, the detailed processes of leg- and ring-addition during anamorphosis were characterized in a millipede, Niponia nodulosa (Polydesmida, Cryptodesmidae)., Results: In the preparatory period, a few days before molting, scanning electron microscopy, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and histological observations revealed that two pairs of wrinkled leg primordia were present under the cuticle of each apodous ring. In the rigidation period, just prior to molt, observations of external morphology showed that a transparent protrusion was observed on the median line of the ventral surface on each apodous ring. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and histological observations revealed that the transparent protrusion covered by an arthrodial membrane contained a leg bundle consisting of two pairs of legs. On the other hand, ring primordia were observed anterior to the telson just before molts., Conclusions: Preceding the anamorphic molt in which two pairs of legs are added on an apodous ring, a transparent protrusion containing the leg pairs (a leg bundle) appears on each apodous ring. The morphogenetic process of the rapid protrusion of leg bundles, that is enabled by thin and elastic cuticle, suggested that millipedes have acquired a resting period and unique morphogenesis to efficiently add new legs and rings., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

We describe a simple and efficient plastid transformation method for the liverwort, Marchantia polymorpha L. Use of rapidly proliferating cells such as sporelings, which are immature thalli developing from spores, as targets made plastid transformation by particle bombardment efficient. Selection on a sucrose-free medium and linearization of the transformation vector significantly improved the recovery rate of plastid transformants. With the method described here, a few plastid transformants are obtained from a single bombardment of sporelings. Homoplasmic transformants of thalli are obtained immediately after primary selection.

The evolution of land flora transformed the terrestrial environment. Land plants evolved from an ancestral charophycean alga from which they inherited developmental, biochemical, and cell biological attributes. Additional biochemical and physiological adaptations to land, and a life cycle with an alternation between multicellular haploid and diploid generations that facilitated efficient dispersal of desiccation tolerant spores, evolved in the ancestral land plant. We analyzed the genome of the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, a member of a basal land plant lineage. Relative to charophycean algae, land plant genomes are characterized by genes encoding novel biochemical pathways, new phytohormone signaling pathways (notably auxin), expanded repertoires of signaling pathways, and increased diversity in some transcription factor families. Compared with other sequenced land plants, M. polymorpha exhibits low genetic redundancy in most regulatory pathways, with this portion of its genome resembling that predicted for the ancestral land plant. PAPERCLIP., (Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We describe simple and efficient plastid transformation methods for suspension-cultured cells and sporelings of the liverwort, Marchantia polymorpha L. Use of rapidly proliferating cells such as suspension-cultured cells and sporelings, which are immature thalli developing from spores, as targets made plastid transformation by particle bombardment efficient. Selection on a sucrose-free medium and linearization of the transformation vector significantly improved the recovery rate of plastid transformants. With the methods described here, a few plastid transformants are obtained from a single bombardment of sporelings, while more efficient plastid transformation is expected in suspension-cultured cells, ~60 transformants from a single bombardment. Homoplasmic transformants of thalli are obtained immediately after primary selection, whereas homoplasmic transformants from suspension-cultured cells are obtained after 12-16 weeks of repeated subculture.

Human T cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) is the established cause of adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma. Monitoring time trends in HTLV-1 seroprevalence in blood donors is important to assess the safety of the blood supply in the viral endemic area. We analyzed changes in HTLV-1 seroprevalence in 48415 first-time blood donors who donated blood from 2000 to 2006 in Nagasaki prefecture, an endemic area in Japan. The donors were divided into 10-year birth cohorts: before 1950, 1951-1960, 1961-1970, 1971-1980, and 1981-1990. Among the first-time blood donors, 622 were tested positive for HTLV-1 [overall seroprevalence: 1.28%, (95% CI 1.19-1.39)]. Seroprevalence was significantly high in the birth cohort of before 1950 (6.22%) and declined with birth-year. The time trend of the birth-cohort-specific seroprevalence showed almost no change within each birth cohort, except for the birth cohort of 1981-1990 that showed a significantly declining trend (P for trend = 0.006). Among the birth cohort of 1981-1990, the seroprevalence was stable among those born during 1981-1986 (0.66-0.83%), but was lower among those born during 1987-1990 (0-0.38%). Detail analyses showed that HTLV-1 seroprevalence among blood donors clearly declined in those born after 1987.

The liverwort, Marchantia polymorpha L., belongs to a group of basal land plants and is an emerging model for plant biology. We established a procedure to prepare sporangia of M. polymorpha under laboratory conditions by promoting its transition to reproductive development by far-red light irradiation. Here we report an improved direct transformation system of M. polymorpha using immature thalli developing from spores. Hygromycin-resistant transformants were obtained on selective media by transformation with a plasmid carrying the hygromycin-phosphotransferase gene (hpt) conferring hygromycin resistance in 4 weeks. The aminoglycoside-3''-adenyltransferase gene (aadA) conferring spectinomycin resistance was also successfully used as an additional selectable marker for nuclear transformation of M. polymorpha. The availability of the aadA gene in addition to the hpt gene should make M. polymorpha a versatile host for genetic manipulation. DNA gel-blot analyses indicated that transformed thalli carried a variable number of copies of the transgene integrated into the genome. Although the previous system using thalli grown from gemmae required a two-step selection in liquid and solid media for 8 weeks, the system reported here using thalli developing from spores allows generation of transformants in half the time by direct selection on solid media, facilitating genetic analyses in this model plant.

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation has not been practical in pteridophytes, bryophytes and algae to date, although it is commonly used in model plants including Arabidopsis and rice. Here we present a rapid Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system for the haploid liverwort Marchantia polymorpha L. using immature thalli developed from spores. Hundreds of hygromycin-resistant plants per sporangium were obtained by co-cultivation of immature thalli with Agrobacterium carrying the binary vector that contains a reporter, the beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene with an intron, and a selection marker, the hygromycin phosphotransferase (hpt) gene. In this system, individual gemmae, which arise asexually from single initial cells, were analyzed as isogenic transformants. GUS activity staining showed that all hygromycin-resistant plants examined expressed the GUS transgene in planta. DNA analyses verified random integration of 1-5 copies of the intact T-DNA between the right and the left borders into the M. polymorpha genome. The efficient and rapid Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of M. polymorpha should provide molecular techniques to facilitate comparative genomics, taking advantage of this unique model plant that retains many features of the common ancestor of land plants.

We have established a simple and efficient plastid transformation system for liverwort, Marchantia polymorpha L., suspension-culture cells, which are homogenous, chloroplast-rich and rapidly growing. Plasmid pCS31 was constructed to integrate an aadA expression cassette for spectinomycin-resistance into the trnI-trnA intergenic region of the liverwort plastid DNA by homologous recombination. Liverwort suspension-culture cells were bombarded with pCS31-coated gold projectiles and selected on a medium containing spectinomycin. Plastid transformants were reproducibly isolated from the obtained spectinomycin-resistant calli. Selection on a sucrose-free medium greatly improved the efficiency of selection of plastid transformants. Homoplasmic plastid transformant lines were established by successive subculturing for 14 weeks or longer on the spectinomycin-containing medium. The plastid transformation system of liverwort suspension-culture cells should facilitate the investigation of the fundamental genetic systems of plastid DNA, such as replication.

Addition of Shiga toxin 2 to human bone marrow or cord blood cell culture induced macrophage-granulocyte colonies. Although Shiga toxin 2 alone induced colonies mainly composed of macrophages, it induced colonies mainly consisting of granulocytes when combined with physiological doses of interleukin-1beta, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, or stem cell factor with interleukin-3.

Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the trend of the HTLV-1 seroprevalence rate among blood donors., Methods: Samples were screened by the particle agglutination test for HTLV-1 antibodies., Materials: Serum from blood donors was screened., Results: The positive rate of HTLV-1 antibodies among blood donors decreased from 13.14 to 0.81 % over the years from 1928 to 1983., Conclusion: A decline over the years in the positive rate of HTLV-1 antibodies among blood donors was revealed.

We accept blood donations from many people daily. It is important to clarify levels of serum iron (SI) in blood donors. We measured SI in 62,054 blood donors (37,989 male and 24,065 female) between 16 and 64 years of age. SI was 108.2 +/- 39.5 micrograms/dl in males and 88.5 +/- 35.7 micrograms/dl in female. SI did not differ significantly with age in females, although it is slightly lower in women aged < or = 19 than in women aged < or = 20 years. In men, SI decreased with age from 20 to 64 years old, although the course of the decrease is not clear. These data should be of use to blood programme.

Summary: An intensive combination chemotherapy regimen supported by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was evaluated in adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) patients in a multiinstitutional, cooperative study. Vincristine 1 mg/m2 i.v. day 1, Adriamycin 40 mg/m2 i.v. day 1, cyclophosphamide 400 mg/m2 i.v. day 1, prednisolone 40 mg/m2 i.v. days 1 to 3 and 8 to 10, etoposide 35 mg/m2 i.v. days 1 to 8, vindesine 2 mg/m2 i.v. day 8, ranimustine 50 mg/m2 i.v. day 8, mitoxantrone 7 mg/m2 i.v. day 8, and G-CSF 50 mg/m2 s.c. days 9 to 21 were given for 2 to 4 courses every 3 weeks to 83 patients with ATLL. Complete remission (CR) and partial remission (PR) were achieved in 35.8 and 38.3 percent, respectively, of 81 evaluable patients. The median survival of all patients was 8.5 months, with a predicted 3-year survival of 13.5 percent by the Kaplan-Meier method. The median duration of response was 7.6 months (range 0.2-42.7), and 13 patients were alive. Their median survival time was 29.1 months (range 19.2-44.7). In 67.6 percent of courses, white blood cell (WBC) nadirs were < 1.0 x 10(9)/L. Days required for the recovery of WBC from the nadir to > 1.0 x 10(9)/L were <5 days in 71.4 percent of the treatment courses. The G-CSF supported an intensified chemotherapy regimen for ATLL and yielded better response rate and longer survival compared to previous reports in Japan. Because duration of remission is still short, further studies of postremission therapy or other strategies are warranted.

The pleural effusion of a 79-year-old man who was a carrier of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) showed monoclonal growth of HTLV-1 infected T-cells. While the integration pattern of HTLV-1 was polyclonal in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells, it was monoclonal in the infiltrated cells of the pleural effusion. Morphologically atypical lymphoid cells were also found in the peripheral blood and in the pleural effusion. The pleural effusion disappeared after treatment with antituberculous drugs. The nature of the monoclonal proliferation of HTLV-1 infected T-lymphocytes is discussed.

A 49 year-old man was admitted to our hospital in May 1989, with a cervical tumor and leukocytosis. He had been pointed out leukocytosis for last two years. Peripheral blood examinations demonstrated an increase of leukocytes (39,500/microliters) with low neutrophil alkaline phosphatase, eosinophilia and immature cells. Examination of bone marrow revealed normoplasia with 5.6% eosinophils, 1.4% myeloblasts, 2.6% promyelocytes and 250/microliters megakaryocytes. Cytogenetic analysis disclosed 46, XY, t (12;13) (p13;q12). Southern blot analysis showed no BCR rearrangement. The tumor cells had infiltrated the lymph nodes. Pathological finding agreed with the specimen of the lymph node as in the clot section of bone marrow. He was diagnosed as having a chronic myeloproliferative disorder with tumor formation and was treated with anti-leukemia drugs, including BH-AC, THP, VDS, MTX, VP-16, BUS, 6MP and uvenimex. He showed hematological remission, temporary, but he did not reach cytogenetical remission and died in April 1990. Further study in a large series is necessary to define whether the abnormality of the chromosome with t(12;13) (p13;q12) is characteristic in cases with tumor formation.

Extramedullary haematopoiesis (EMH), which may occur in various types of haemodyscrasia and dyshaematopoiesis, is generally seen in the spleen, liver and lymph nodes, but rarely within the cranium. This is a case of intracranial EMH in a patient with secondary myelofibrosis which developed after the treatment of polycythaemia rubra vera.

A 47 year-old man with selective IgA deficiency (SIgAD) consulted us in November 1981, with complaints of leg edema and common cold-like symptoms and was diagnosed as SIgAD based on data of his serum protein (IgG 2,160 mg/dl, IgM 65 mg/dl, no detectable IgA). Later in July 1989, he was admitted with edema and ascites. Laboratory examinations showed; total protein 4.6 g/dl, albumin 1.26 g/dl, IgG 2,375 mg/dl, IgM 38 mg/dl, no detectable IgA. C3 22 mg/dl, C4 6 mg/dl, antinuclear antibody 80X, anti dsDNA antibody 4.5 U/ml, anti IgA antibody 258%, and lymphocytopenia. Co-culture of lymphocytes from the patient and normal subject revealed deficiency of IgA synthesis in his B cell populations. Systemic lupus erythematosus was suggested based on the findings of skin biopsy, renal damage, oral ulcer, decreased complements, autoantibody and lymphocytopenia. We could not give him conventional products of albumin and frozen plasma because he had anti IgA antibody. Instead, we administered concentrated autogenous ascitic fluid and prednisolone. His ascitic fluid disappeared and complements and albumin in his serum normalized. He has continued in good condition and is being treated as an outpatient.

Eleven patients with intractable ascites were treated by intravenous reinfusion of concentrated autogenous ascitic fluid. The ascitic fluid was drained and centrifuged for removal of cells by a cell separator. Cell-free ascitic fluid was frozen in a medical freezer at -15 degrees C and thawed at room temperature. The fraction at the initial stage of melting contains a high concentration of protein and was thus collected and reinfused to the patient. In this initial fraction, the recovery rate of albumin was 42.0 +/- 9.0% and the concentration of protein was 7.1 +/- 2.4 g/dl. This frozen method is inexpensive and time saving, because it does not use a filter. Ascites was ameliorated in all patients with 1 to 19 times of reinfusion. Therefore, when renal function is not disturbed, the frozen method may be indicated for management of intractable ascites.

A case of 56 year-old man with Ki-1 (CD30) lymphoma is reported. He noticed cervical lymph node swelling and was admitted with temporary diagnosis of gastric adenocarcinoma in February 1986. His physical examination showed several from 1 to 4 cm size enlarged cervical and axillary lymph nodes. His first lymph node biopsy demonstrated the histological picture of malignant lymphoma. After 20 days his second lymph node biopsy demonstrated the picture of necrosis. Second gastric biopsy showed the picture of neither gastric cancer nor malignant lymphoma, in spite of his first gastric biopsy finding with adenocarcinoma that turned out to be malignant lymphoma by later reinvestigation. After word those lymph nodes disappeared and have not been palpable for about ten months. In October 1987, elevated LDH value, lymph node swelling and gastric lesion were again observed and sixth gastric biopsy demonstrated the picture of malignant lymphoma. He was treated with anti-lymphoma drugs. After his partial remission, he died of gastrointestinal bleeding in April 1988. Specimens of both first lymph node biopsy and sixth gastric biopsy were examined with cell markers for infiltrated cells and were positive for Ki-1/Ber-2H. His final diagnosis was Ki-1 lymphoma.

For the purpose of preventing a relapse of acute leukemia which is currently the major problem in the successful treatment of the disease, repeated consolidation or intensification therapy during the first year following remission is important. To evaluate these therapies, we investigated the serial changes in CFU-C's of the marrow cells from 12 patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia in remission and tried to estimate the relationship between the intensity of consolidation or intensification therapy and the duration of remission, utilizing the degree of reduction in CFU-C's seven days after these treatments as an indicator. As a result, after 21 out of 22 courses of therapy where CFU-C's were reduced significantly after the therapy, the patients were still in remission at the time of the next intensificiation therapy (at most for about 100 days). On the other hand, after five out of ten courses where CFU-C's were not reduced significantly, the patients were in relapse at the time of the next intensification therapy. From these results, it may be inferred that cases whose CFU-C's are not reduced significantly should be treated intensively again within a short period.

A 22-year-old female with cyclic neutropenia was studied. Her bone marrow cells showed high colony-forming activity in soft agar through the cycle, though there were slight fluctuations in the number and the shape of colonies. On the other hand, the peak of urinary colong-stimulating activity (CSA) occurred at the neutropenic stage. The dialyzed serum showed two peaks of CSA, i.e., at the peak and the valley of the neutrophil count, although the undialyzed serum showed only one peak at the neutroenic stage. It is suggested on the basis of these data that humoral factors may play a role in maintaining the neutrophil cycle.

Chronic adult T-cell leukemia with surface phenotype CD 4+5+8-, Leu 7+ at acute crisis was presented. A 43-year-old female visited our hospital complaining of generalized lymphadenopathy and skin rash in December, 1973. Peripheral blood picture and histological findings of skin led to the diagnosis of malignant lymphoma (leukemic type). Intermittent chemotherapy kept white blood cell count less than 25,000/microliters for more than 9 years. In January, 1983, abnormal lymphocytes began to increase and reached 100,000/microliters or over in a few months. Surface marker study showed their phenotype as CD 4+5+8-, Leu 7+ and anti-ATLA antibody was positive in the patient, her son and her daughter. Intensive chemotherapy was ineffective and she died in August, 1983. Histological diagnosis of lymph-nodes on autopsy was malignant lymphoma (diffuse, small cell type). This case is considered unusual in both clinical course and surface phenotype of its leukemic cells.

An autopsy case of IgE myeloma, 85-year-old male is reported. He was admitted to our hospital on November 17, 1987 due to pain of left humerus. Osteolytic and osteoporotic foci were found in left humerus, ribs, spinal column and femurs. Complete blood countings were as follows: RBC 3.23 x 10(12)/L, Hb 11.3 g/dl, WBC 6.3 x 10(9)/L, platelet 173 x 10(9)/L. Blood smear showed red cell rouleaux formation without myeloma cells. Examination of bone marrow revealed hypoplasia with 52% myeloma cells which were stained with anti-IgE and antilambda antisera by peroxidase anti-peroxidase method. Total serum protein level was 7.7 g/dl. Monoclonal protein was observed at fast gamma-region by cellulose-acetate electrophoresis. On immunoelectrophoresis, this monoclonal protein made specific M-bow against anti-IgE and anti-lambda antisera. The IgE level in serum and urine were 7.8 x 10(6) IU/ml and 2.4 x 10(3) IU/ml by radio-immunoassay respectively. He was died owing to renal failure on September 7, 1988. Postmortem examination showed infiltration of myeloma cells in bone marrow, spleen, kidneys, lungs and generalized lymph nodes.