Maturation of Peyer's patch dendritic cells in vitro upon stimulation via cytokines or CD40 triggering

In mouse Peyer's patches (PP), dendritic cells (DC) are localized in T cell areas as NLDC145+ CD11c+ cells, and in the dome and corona region of the follicle as NLDC145- CD11c+ cells, respectively, suggesting the presence of two different DC populations with distinct roles in antigen uptake, processing, and presentation. However, it is not clear how this relates to DC maturation. In this report, we demonstrate that freshly-isolated CD11c+ DC have the properties of immature DC since they endocytose soluble antigens, phagocytose particulate material such as latex beads, synthetize major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II and invariant chain, but, at the same time, display low stimulatory activity for resting T cells, as shown in mixed-lymphocyte reaction and oxidative mitogenesis assays. When cultured for 24 h in the presence of the cytokines granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and tumor necrosis factor or anti-CD40, the cells undergo dramatic phenotypic and functional changes characteristic of DC maturation. After 24 h stimulation in vitro, CD11c+ cells lose the ability to take up proteins such as ovalbumin, and in parallel with this decline, the biosynthesis of MHC class II and invariant chain is dramatically down-regulated or eliminated. On the other hand cells treated in vitro exhibit on the cell surface higher levels of MHC class II, of co-stimulatory molecules (CD80, CD86), of adhesion molecules (CD44, intercellular adhesion molecule-1), and acquire expression of the interdigitating DC surface marker NLDC145. Concomitantly, the ability to stimulate naive T cells drastically increased after in vitro treatment with both stimuli. Taken together, our results indicate that the majority of DC in the PP are immature in terms of their antigen-uptake capacity. These sentinel antigen presenting cells are strategically positioned at the dome region of PP, where antigens are transcytosed via the M cells from the gut lumen. A second population of mature interdigitating NLDC145+ CD11c+ DC stimulates naive unprimed T cells in interfollicular areas by up-regulation of surface ligands and accessory signals.     

Image analysis of comet assay measurements

In the last decade the 'comet assay' or 'single cell gel electrophoresis assay' has been established as a sensitive method for the detection of DNA damage and the measurement of its recovery. The results published in the literature have often been obtained with different methods for comet structure measurement. In most cases these data are not comparable with each other. Even when using similar systems for the analysis, it is difficult to obtain matching data. This presentation will describe some technical aspects of our measurement equipment and evaluation software. It focuses on necessary experimental conditions to minimize errors in obtaining such data. The software developed here allows the rapid analysis of the microscopic samples (< 2 s per image). The image analysis was designed with respect to the morphological shapes of comet cells, which were investigated with a confocal laser microscope. The system is built with standard components which are commercially available. As a measure of the amount of DNA damage the ratio of fluorescence intensity was used inside the comet tail and the fluorescence intensity of the comet head. Other parameters such as DNA content, comet area, head radius, tail length and tail moment are also determined. The reproducibility of the system has been evaluated in several experiments over a period of 5 years.     

Long-term follow-up of immunosuppressive treatment for obstructive airways disease after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation

BACKGROUND: Locally advanced thyroid cancer invading the tracheal cartilage represents a difficult treatment dilemma during thyroidectomy. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed to determine the results of laryngotracheal resection or tracheal cartilage shave with adjuvant radiotherapy in patients with locally advanced thyroid cancer invading the upper airway. RESULTS: Of 597 patients undergoing thyroidectomy for thyroid cancer, 40 were found to have laryngotracheal invasion. Thirty-five patients with superficial invasion underwent cartilage shave procedures with adjuvant radiotherapy; five with full-thickness invasion underwent radical resection, including tracheal sleeve resection (n = 3) or total laryngectomy (n = 2). Histologic subtypes included papillary (n = 32), follicular (n = 2), Hurthle cell (n = 1), medullary (n = 3), and anaplastic (n = 2). Of the cartilage shave group, 25 are currently alive with no evidence of disease at a mean follow-up of 81 months (range 1-290). Six developed isolated local/regional recurrence and were managed with total laryngectomy (n = 1), tracheal resection (n = 1), cervical lymphadenectomy (n = 1), or repeat radiotherapy (n = 3). All six patients remain free of disease at a mean follow-up of 5 years. Of those who underwent initial laryngotracheal resection, four remain free of disease at a mean follow-up of 5 years. The rates of 10-year disease-free survival and overall survival for all patients were 47.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 24.8, 71.0) and 83.9% (95% CI 70.3, 97.5), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that adequate management of thyroid cancer with laryngotracheal invasion can be achieved with a more conservative surgical approach and adjuvant radiotherapy, reserving more radical resections for extensive primary lesions or locally recurrent disease.     

在高温,高压,氢环境中21／4Cr—1Mo钢及其焊接接头KIH的测试

采用恒位移试验方法，在高温、高压、氢环境中用ＷＯＬ试样测试了２１４Ｃｒ－１Ｍｏ钢及其焊接接头的应力腐蚀门限应力强度因子ＫＩＨ。试验结果表明：采用恒位移试验方法测试高温、高压、氢环境中２１４Ｃｒ－１Ｍｏ钢及其焊接接头的ＫＩＨ是可行的。     

2 cm long monolithic multisection laser for active modelocking at 2.2 GHz

A 2 cm long three-contact multisection laser has been fabricated for modelocking at very low repetition rates. Active modelocking yields 8.0-12.3 ps pulses at 2.2, 4.3 and 6.5 GHz corresponding to the fundamental, first, and second harmonics of the cavity resonance frequency. This device demonstrates the feasibility of fabricating monolithic pulse sources operating at rates as low as the OC-48 Sonet transmission rate (2.488 Gbit/s).<>     

Uterine angiomyolipoma associated with pregnancy

Uterine angiomyolipomas are rare lesions composed of mature adipose tissue, smooth muscle, fibrous connective tissue, and blood vessels in varying proportions. We reported the first case of angiomyolipoma associated with a normal pregnancy. Initially, the tumor developed intramurally and could have been confused with a partial molar gestation. After delivery, tumor development was extensive and subserosal, making differential diagnosis from a sarcoma difficult. The question of histological diagnosis, as well as that of immunocytochemical analysis which seems to be helpful in such cases, is discussed here.     

Westernized food habits and concentrations of serum lipids in the Japanese

It has recently been reported that there exists a new 'RING-finger' protein family among the zinc-finger (Zf) proteins. Previously, we had isolated the mouse Mel-18 cDNA (mMel-18) encoding the nuclear RING-finger protein that exhibits an ability to bind to a nonspecific DNA column. Here, we have isolated and characterized the human Mel-18 cDNA (hMel-18) using the mMel-18 cDNA as a probe. The deduced hMel-18 protein contains 344 amino acids (38 kDa) with a RING-finger motif, a helix-loop-helix (HLH)-like structure and a Pro/Ser-rich region. The hMel-18 gene is conserved among vertebrates. Its mRNA is highly expressed in placenta, lung and kidney, but the level is low in liver, pancreas and skeletal muscle. Using in situ hybridization, we mapped hMel-18 to band q22 of chromosome 12. It is possible that the Mel-18/bmi-1 gene family represents a mammalian homologue of the Drosophila polycomb gene group.     

Long-term immunity to poliovirus in children immunized with live attenuated and enhanced-potency inactivated trivalent poliovirus vaccines

Eighty-six children who completed immunization with the two trivalent poliovirus vaccines, live attenuated (OPV) and enhanced potency inactivated (EIPV), in one of four schedules (OPV-OPV-OPV, EIPV-EIPV-EIPV, EIPV-OPV-OPV, and EIPV-EIPV-OPV) at 1 year of age were monitored serologically over the subsequent 4 years and challenged with OPV at 5 years of age. Each of the immunization groups exhibited an initial 10- to 100-fold decline in neutralizing antibody to poliovirus types 1, 2, and 3 during the first 2 years of follow-up; thereafter antibody titers stabilized. The EIPV-EIPV-OPV group maintained the highest antibody levels throughout the observation period, including the response to OPV challenge at 5 years of age. These data suggest that immunization with OPV, EIPV, and combinations of the two vaccines confers long-term immunity. Optimal systemic immunity was associated with two or more doses of EIPV.