Induction of Ets-1 in endothelial cells during reendothelialization after denuding injury

The requirement of Y-chromosome activity for the differentiation of somatic cells and germ cells was studied in the fetal gonads of X/XSxra mouse embryos where the activity of the Sxra fragment of the Y chromosome is influenced by the inactivation and reactivation of the X chromosome. In the interstitial somatic cells, random inactivation of the X and the XSxra chromosomes took place which was revealed by the mosaic expression of an X-linked lacZ transgene. The Sertoli cells, however, displayed a preferentially active XSxra chromosome and the presence of Sxra-active Sertoli cells was associated with the morphogenesis of testicular tubules in the sex-reversed gonads. The activity of the Y-chromosome fragment is therefore necessary for the differentiation of the Sertoli cells which may direct the development of the testis. The expression pattern of the X-linked transgene in X/XSxra germ cells suggests that both the X and the XSxra chromosomes are active. This finding suggests that the presence of Sxra has no impact on the reactivation of the X chromosome in the germ cells and that the X chromosome can be reactivated even though the germ cells are found in the testicular environment. Our results are consistent with the concept that the activity of genes on the XSxra fragment is essential for the differentiation of Sertoli cells and the morphogenesis of the testis, but not for premeiotic differentiation of germ cells in sex-reversed mice.     

Exocytotic stimulation promotes association of the ADP-ribosylation factor with PC12 cell membranes

Recombinant Der f2 (rDer f2) has recently been developed as a promising allergen for the diagnosis and immunotherapy of house-dust mite allergy, and studies in immunology. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether oral administration of rDer f2 could suppress an immediate allergic reaction in mice sensitized with mite allergen. We developed a murine allergic model that showed bronchoconstriction after inhalation of rDer f2, and studied the effect of oral administration of rDer f2 on the reaction. Seven week old male A/J mice were intranasally immunized with rDer f2 12 times. Sensitized mice showed anti-rDer f2 immunoglobulin (Ig)E production and immediate airway constriction after inhalation of 10 mg.mL(-1) of rDer f2, as determined by the Konzett-R?ssler method. Immunized animals were divided into three groups, and fed phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), 0.1 mg.day(-1), or 1 mg.day(-1) of rDer f2 for 4 weeks, respectively. Seven days after the last feeding, the mice were examined for their immediate response. Animals fed with 1 mg.day(-1) rDer f2 showed significantly reduced bronchoconstriction after inhalation of both 2 mg.mL(-1) and 10 mg.mL(-1) of rDer f2 compared with PBS-fed mice. Similar results were obtained when we examined mice 10 weeks after the last feeding. Reactions in the 0.1 mg.day(-1) rDer f2-fed group also tended to decrease in comparison with PBS-fed animals. Plasma anti-rDer f2 IgE, IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b levels were not changed by feeding with rDer f2. We conclude that recombinant Der f2 exhibits both sensitizing and hyposensitizing activities in mice. rDer f2 may be useful in immunotherapy and diagnosis of house-dust mite allergy.     

Application of a Two-Dimensional Computer Simulation to Cake Growth in Slip Casting with Complicated-Shape Gypsum Molds

A two-dimensional computer simulation method, developed by the authors using the method of finite differences, was applied to estimate the cake growth in slip casting of alumina with a triangular gypsum mold and a box-type gypsum mold with a convex bottom. The cake growth patterns, water penetration patterns, water flow rate distributions, and pressure distributions were simulated in the molds and/or cakes. The simulated cake growth patterns were in good agreement with those observed experimentally in both molds. Moreover, the cake growths could be well understood from the results of the water flow rate distributions in each case. The present method is applicable to cake growth simulation in slip casting with complicated-shape gypsum molds.     

Vitamin E and coenzyme Q concentrations in the thyroid tissues of patients with various thyroid disorders

Chylous fistula complicates 1.1% of all radical neck dissections, and 2.4% of left-sided dissections. The standard treatment of established chylous leak in the reported cases is a pressure dressing applied to the lower neck. Here we present a case of chylous fistula, where conservative methods failed to cope with this complication. The additional application of a fibrin adhesive set was a successful modality of treatment.     

MR imaging of hepatocellular carcinoma following microwave coagulation therapy

MRI was performed in 13 patients who had microwave coagulation therapy (MCT) for hepatocellular carcinoma. Six of them underwent surgery after MRI. The area (including tumor) treated by MCT showed low to high intensity on T1WI, and low to isointensity on T2WI. No enhancement was obtained on dynamic MRI. Histologically, this area was supposed to be coagulation necrosis. On T1WI, only tumor showed high intensity within the MCT area in 8 patients, and nearly uniform intensity was observed in 5 patients. Histologically, residual cell nuclei were observed in the former, and nearly uniform coagulation necrosis in the latter. The marginal part of the MCT area exhibited low intensity on T1WI, and high intensity on T2WI. Strong enhancement was obtained on dynamic MRI, and histologically, granulation tissue was noted. In the hepatic parenchyma around the MCT area, a ring-or wedge-shaped high intensity part was observed in 7 patients on T2WI, and that part was enhanced on dynamic MRI. This finding was considered to reflect changes such as hepatic hyperperfusion. In terms of the capability of visualizing residual tumor after MCT, MRI was superior to CT. Furthermore, a clear distinction was seen between the MCT area and non-MCT area on T2WI and dynamic MRI. Thus, MRI was useful in the determination of additional therapy.     

Transmission characteristics of arrayed waveguide N×Nwavelength multiplexer

To realize practical wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems, a high-performance N×N wavelength multiplexer is introduced that is based on an arrayed-waveguide grating. Its transmission characteristics are theoretically derived and experimentally confirmed. A prototype is constructed using the previously proposed techniques that attain low insertion loss and polarization independent operation. It has 16 channels (N=16) with a spacing of 0.8 mn, or 100 GHz, in the 1.55-μm band. Frequency relation between input and output ports, free spectral range, and passband width are determined. A demonstration of IM-DD pulse transmission shows that there is no degradation of bit error rate resulting from the finite passband width and crosstalk of the multiplexer. It is confirmed that the multiplexer can realize highly reliable N-channel WDM and WDM-based N×N interconnect optical networks     

Mutations in the hepatocyte nuclear factor-1alpha/MODY3 gene in Japanese subjects with early- and late-onset NIDDM

Recent studies have shown that mutations in the hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)-1alpha gene are the cause of maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 3 (MODY3). We have screened 193 unrelated Japanese subjects with NIDDM for mutations in this gene: 83 with early-onset NIDDM (diagnosis at <30 years of age) and 110 with late-onset NIDDM (diagnosis > or = 30 years of age). All of the members of the latter group also had at least one sibling with NIDDM. The 10 exons, flanking introns, and promoter region were amplified using polymerase chain reaction and were sequenced directly. Mutations were found in 7 of the 83 (8%) unrelated subjects with early-onset NIDDM. The mutations were each different and included four missense mutations (L12H, R131Q, K205Q, and R263C) and three frameshift mutations (P379fsdelCT, T392fsdelA, and L584S585fsinsTC). One of the 110 subjects with late-onset NIDDM was heterozygous for the missense mutation G191D. This subject, who was diagnosed with NIDDM at 64 years of age, also had a brother with NIDDM (age at diagnosis, 54 years) who carried the same mutation, suggesting that this mutation contributed to the development of NIDDM in these two siblings. None of these mutations were present in 50 unrelated subjects with normal glucose tolerance (100 normal chromosomes). Mutations in the HNF-1alpha gene occur in Japanese subjects with NIDDM and appear to be an important cause of early-onset NIDDM in this population. In addition, they are present in about 1% of subjects with late-onset NIDDM.     

Moment analysis for traffic associated with Markovian queueingsystems

A study is made of various traffic processes associated with Markovian queuing systems, and the moments of the traffic processes are analyzed. The purpose of the study is to develop a means of computing the moments efficiently so as to extend the conventional method of representing the traffic processes to a larger class of queuing systems. As an outcome of the analysis, the recurrence formulae for computing the moments including cross-covariances between multiple traffic processes are derived and expressed in terms of the infinitesimal generator, steady-state probability vector of the Markovian queuing system and a matrix describing traffic rate. The main feature of the analysis is in the utilization of the special block-partitioned structure of the matrices involved. The results are of wide application for the study of various telecommunication networks. Two examples of applications for the Markovian queuing model with batch arrivals and a multislot integrated services system are presented     

Expression of the mutant (1735T-DEL) tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase gene from hypophosphatasia patients

Hypophosphatasia (HOPS) is an inherited disorder characterized by defects in skeletal mineralization due to the deficiency of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP). To date, various mutations in the TNSALP gene have been identified. Especially, a deletion of T at position 1735 (1735T-del) located in exon 12 has been detected in three genetically unrelated Japanese patients, which seems to be one of the hot spots among the causative mutations in Japanese HOPS patients. 1735T-del causes a frame shift downstream from codon 503 (Leu), and consequently the normal termination codon at 508 is eliminated. Since a new inframe termination codon appears at codon 588 in the mutant DNA, the resultant protein is expected to have 80 additional amino acids. Expression of the mutant TNSALP gene using COS-1 cells demonstrated that the protein translated from the mutant 1735T-del had undetectable ALP activity, and its molecule size was larger than normal, as expected. Interestingly, an immunoprecipitation study of patients' sera using antibody against TNSALP revealed an abnormal protein which corresponded in size to the mutated TNSALP expressed by COS-1 cells, suggesting that the abnormal TNSALP is made by HOPS patients. The detection of TNSALP in cells transfected with 1735T-del using an immunofluorescent method exhibited only a faint signal on the cell surface, but an intense intracellular fluorescence after permeabilization.     

Hydroxylation of fatty acids and alcohols by hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 system from the Mongolian gerbil

The liver microsomes of the Mongolian gerbilMeriones unguiculatus catalyzed the hydroxylation of various saturated fatty acids (C₈−C₁₈), alcohols (C₁₂ and C₁₆) and hydrocarbon (C₁₂) to the corresponding ω- and (ω-1)-hydroxy derivatives. Lauric acid was hydroxylated most effectively among saturated fatty acids and the order of activity as hydroxylation substrates was C₁₂>C₁₄>C₁₃>C₁₆>C₁₀>C₁₈>C₈. The specific activity of laurate hydroxylation (5.99 nmol/mg microsomal protein/min) in gerbil liver microsomes was higher than that observed in other species. 1-Dodecanol was also hydroxylated very effectively (4.58 nmol/mg microsomal protein/min) by gerbil liver microsomes, but in general the hydroxylation rates for fatty alcohols were much lower than those for the corresponding acids. It was found from both inhibitor and cofactor studies that the enzyme catalyzing the hydroxylation of fatty acids and alcohols in the liver microsomes of the Mongolian gerbil was a typical cytochrome P-450-linked monooxygenase, and at least two different cytochrome P-450 species were involved in the hydroxylation. Presented in part at the AOCS annual meeting (a joint meeting with the Japan Oil Chemists' Society), Honolulu, Hawaii, May 1986.