Recognition of handprinted Kanji characters by the stroke matching method

This paper describes an improved stroke matching method for the recognition of handprinted Kanji characters. Using the stroke feature and two additional global features, a recognition rate of over 90% has been obtained for about 1000 Kanji characters.     

Fine structure of tyrosine hydroxylase-like immunoreactive neurons and terminals of the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus and median eminence in young and aged rats

Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-like immunoreactive neurons, fibers, and terminals in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus and median eminence of young (8 weeks old) and aged (24 months old) rats were investigated at light and electron microscopic levels by means of the peroxidase anti-peroxidase (PAP) method. In the arcuate nucleus, TH-like immunoreactive neuronal perikarya of young animals contained well-developed cell organelles such as rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum (rER), mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, polysomes, as well as dense granules. Immunoreactive neuronal elements appeared as both presynaptic and postsynaptic elements. In aged rats, TH-like immunoreactive neuronal perikarya as well as non-immunoreactive ones were found to include many lysosomes or inclusions, and many neuronal elements with degradative changes were observed. In the external layer of the median eminence of young animals, many immunoreactive nerve endings were found around the pericapillary spaces of portal vessels and often terminated adjacent to the basement membranes of the pericapillary spaces. Immunoreactive fibers having close contact with non-immunoreactive fibers were also observed. In aged animals, degradative changes such as axons with swollen and watery appearance and myelin figures were observed in the neuronal elements, although many immunoreactive nerve endings were seen around the pericapillary spaces.     

A Color Graphic Processor for Television Broadcasting

Today, computer graphics technology has advanced remarkably so that it can handle quite complicated picture information. As a result, images for broadcasting, advertising and textiles that used to be made by hand and were very timeconsuming to put out can now be completed in a very short time.     

Enhancing effect of interleukin-2 on production of parathyroid hormone-related protein by adult T-cell leukemia cells

Leukemic cells from patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) can produce a calcium-regulating protein, parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP). Moreover, it has been reported that ATL cells produce some cytokines besides PTHrP and that these cells respond to the T-cell growth factors, interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-4 (IL-4). To elucidate whether PTHrP produced by ATL cells is regulated by IL-2 or IL-4, we investigated the in vitro effects of IL-2 and IL-4 on the release of PTHrP. IL-2 increased the release of PTHrP into the conditioned medium from leukemic cells in some, but not all, ATL patients; however, IL-4 did not affect the PTHrP release. PTHrP messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were increased in ATL cells cultured in the presence of IL-2. These data suggest that IL-2 plays a role in the regulation of hypercalcemia by enhancing the production of PTHrP in ATL patients.     

Effect of trimebutine maleate on emptying of stomach and gallbladder and release of gut peptide following a solid meal in man

We investigated the effect of orally administered trimebutine maleate on gastric and gallbladder emptying and on the release of gut peptide, pancreatic polypeptide (PP), and gastrin in humans for 120 min after ingestion of a solid meal. Gastric emptying was measured by a radionuclide technique. Gallbladder emptying was estimated by real-time ultrasonography. The oral administration of 200 mg of trimebutine maleate significantly shortened the lag time in starting gastric emptying (P < 0.05). Considering gallbladder emptying, trimebutine significantly inhibited the fasting emptying induced by neural reflex. Postprandially, there was a tendency toward an accelerated gallbladder emptying in the early phase. Neither the maximal percentage of gallbladder emptying nor the time of peak gallbladder emptying were affected. Trimebutine significantly blunted the post-prandial PP response in the cephalic and gastric phases, reflecting a vagal-cholinergic activity (P < 0.05). The PP response in the intestinal phase was also blunted. Gastrin release was significantly augmented only during the period of fasting after drug administration (P < 0.05). The major effect of trimebutine maleate appears to be a shortening of the lag time at the start of gastric emptying probably via its anticholinergic activity.     

Synergistic effects of mineral fibres and cigarette smoke on the production of tumour necrosis factor by alveolar macrophages of rats

The objective of this study was to evaluate the combined effects of mineral fibres and cigarette smoke on the production of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) by alveolar macrophages. Rats were exposed to cigarette smoke in vivo, and production of TNF by alveolar macrophages was measured in the presence of mineral fibres in vitro. For smoke exposure, rats were divided into two groups. Five were exposed to a daily concentration of 10 mg/m3 of cigarette smoke for an eight hour period, and five rats (controls) were not exposed to smoke. Bronchoalveolar lavage was performed after exposure to smoke and the recovered alveolar macrophages were incubated with either chrysotile or ceramic fibres on a microplate for 24 hours. Activity of TNF in the supernatant was determined by the L-929 fibroblast cell bioassay. When alveolar macrophages were not stimulated by mineral fibres, production of TNF by rats exposed to smoke and unexposed rats was essentially the same. When alveolar macrophages were stimulated in vitro by chrysotile or ceramic fibres, production of TNF by alveolar macrophages from rats exposed to smoke was higher than that by alveolar macrophages from unexposed rats. The findings suggest that cigarette smoke and mineral fibres have a synergistic effect on TNF production by alveolar macrophages.     

Polysaccharides in fungi. XXXV. Anti diabetic activity of an acidic polysaccharide from the fruiting bodies of Tremella aurantia

An acidic polysaccharide (TAP) was isolated from a hot-water extract of the fruiting bodies of Tremella aurantia. It showed remarkable hypoglycemic activity in normal mice and two diabetic mouse models, streptozotocin-induced diabetes and genetic diabetes, following intraperitoneal administration. Continuous oral administration of TAP solution (0.5g/l) for a long period was found to be also effective in hyperglycemia in glucose-loaded mice and no harmful physical effects were found. TAP had an [alpha]D -7 degrees in water, and its molecular weight was estimated to be about 1500000. TAP is composed of mannose, xylose, glucuronic acid and glucose (molar ratio, 4:2:1:0.3), and it contains 2.2% of O-acetyl groups.