Flow cytometric single-cell analysis of cytokine production by CD4+ T cells in synovial tissue and peripheral blood from patients with rheumatoid arthritis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To detect areas of cerebral perfusion from bypass arteries after vascular reconstruction, we administered selective intraarterial microsphere tracer into the external carotid arteries and determined (via single-photon emission computed tomography [IA-SPECT]) whether the distribution of radiotracer matched the arteriographic distribution of contrast material as shown on external carotid angiograms. METHODS: We compared the extent of regional distribution of tracer after external carotid artery injection of 20 to 40 MBq of 99mTc-HMPAO or 99mTc-ECD with that of contrast medium on the external carotid angiograms in 582 cortical regions in 12 patients with atherosclerotic occlusive disease and in 18 patients with moyamoya disease. RESULTS: Marked accumulation of tracer was found only in the expected, specific, newly developed areas of cerebral perfusion from bypass arteries. The regional distribution of tracer corresponded to that of contrast medium in 523 regions (90%) and did not correspond in 59 regions (10%). Significant overestimation of the distribution of contrast material relative to that of tracer was observed in the patients with moyamoya disease. CONCLUSION: SPECT showed slightly different distribution of tracer from that predicted by conventional angiography. IA-SPECT should enhance the analysis of newly developed areas of cerebral perfusion from the bypass arteries.     

Electrophysiological effects of ketamine on Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel in single rabbit portal vein cell

The effects of ketamine on Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel currents were studied in dispersed single smooth muscle cells from rabbit portal vein using inside-out patch clamp technique. In a near physiological K+ and Ca2+ gradient, three populations of outward rectangular single currents were recorded in isolated cell membrane of rabbit portal vein at +60 mV membrane potential. These currents were judged as Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel currents since application of EGTA or Apamin in the internal solution inhibited these currents. Application of 10(-5)M or 10(-4)M ketamine inhibited the number of occurrences of channel opening and decreased open times, but did not reduce the amplitudes. When the 10(-3)M ketamine was applied, the Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel currents were abolished. We suggest that the depression of Ca(2+)-activated K+ channel currents may explain the continuous contraction observed in rabbit portal vein at a clinical concentration of ketamine from a point of electrophysiological K+ current study.     

Therapeutic effects of beclomethasone dipropionate enemas on colon damage of inflammatory bowel disease model rats]

The effects of beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) enemas on ulcerative colitis were investigated by administrating BDP enemas to Fischer male rats with an inflammatory bowel disease induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzensulfonic acid (TNB). After administration of a TNB ethanol solution to rats, diarrhea and melena were found in all rats, and the wet tissue weights of the colons in the rats increased by erosion and thickness of epithelial mucous membranes with edema. BDP enemas were administered to the rats one time a day at a dose of 20 or 50 micrograms of BDP for 4 or 11 days from the day 3 after TNB treatment, respectively. After dosing of BDP, the rate of rats developing diarrhea and melena decreased more with time in comparison with that of BDP-free rats, and the symptoms of all rats developing the diseases were improved on the day 4 after administration of a dose of 50 micrograms of BDP. A dose dependent recovery in the wet tissue weights and scores of damages, and the myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in the tissue were found at the early days (until the day 4). However, their measurements on the day 11 at each dose of BDP were not different from those of control rats significantly, as the damages in the colons of the control rats were recovered naturally with time. In conclusion, the clinical usefulness of BDP enemas was supported by elucidating the dose dependent effect of BDP at the early days in the model rats with an inflammatory bowel disease induced by TNB.     

BCR-ABL induces neurite-like structures and BCR lacking the SH2-binding domain induces cell rounding in PC12 cells

The activated tyrosine kinase oncoprotein BCR-ABL is responsible for pathogenesis of Philadelphia chromosome-positive human leukemias. Because BCR carries a GAP (GTPase-activating protein) activity toward cytoskeleton-related small GTP-binding proteins, we utilized a neuronal PC12 cell system to test morphogenic potentials of BCR-ABL or BCR. We report here unique morphological phenotypes of PC12 cells expressing either BCR-ABL or a BCR mutant which lacks the SH2-binding domain (BCR Delta162-413). Although MAP kinase was not activated in PC12 cells expressing BCR-ABL, they showed incomplete neurite extensions even in the absence of the nerve growth factor (NGF). Overproduction of BCR Delta162-413 in PC12 cells, on the other hand, induced cell rounding in the absence of NGF. Interestingly, those cells could hardly make terminal differentiation in the presence of NGF and continued to grow without changing their round shape, although NGF receptor as well as MAP kinase appeared to be activated. Interestingly, the botulinum C3 toxin induced neurite-like structures in PC12 cells overexpressing BCR Delta162-413 without NGF.     

Modularization and abstraction in logic programming

In knowledge information processing, the structuring of knowledge and algorithms is one of the key issues. The goal of this work is to introduce the concepts and mechanisms of abstraction, modularization and parameterization into logic programming, which is one of the preliminary steps toward creating a kernel language for fifth generation computer systems.     

Efficient bioethanol production from xylose by recombinant saccharomyces cerevisiae requires high activity of xylose reductase and moderate xylulokinase activity

We varied the promoter strength of xylose reductase (XR) gene and the copy number of xylulokinase (XK) gene to determine how XR and XK activities affect the xylose-fermenting abilities of recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH). The most enhanced ethanol yield and lowered xylitol yield occurred in strain I-PGK/AUR, which has high activity of both XR and XDH and moderate XK activity.