Ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer sequences do not support the species status of Ampelomyces quisqualis, a hyperparasite of powdery mildew fungi

Phylogenetic relationships among Ampelomyces isolates, pycnidial hyperparasites and biological control agents of powdery mildews, were inferred from internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Currently, these hyperparasites are considered to be a single species, A. quisqualis, despite observed morphological and cultural differences. Ten Ampelomyces isolates, representing seven previously defined ITS RFLP groups, were sequenced and analyzed. Sequence-divergence values among isolates belonging to different RFLP groups ranged from 4.3 to 22.4%, suggesting that these isolates may represent different taxa. When Ampelomyces ITS sequences were analyzed by cladistic methods with the sequences of other ascomycetous fungi, they formed two lineages in the Dothideales. Slow-growing Ampelomyces isolates formed a clade with Leptosphaeria microscopica and L. nodorum, whereas fast-growing Ampelomyces isolates formed a clade with Epicoccum nigrum. Sequence-divergence values between these two clades ranged from 17.3 to 22.4%, suggesting that the taxa in the two clades are not closely related and possibly not congeneric. The data presented here indicate that the identification of `A. quisqualis' isolates used in biological control experiments should be re-evaluated. Received: 10 March 1997 / Accepted: 13 February 1998     

Allergic conversion of protective mucosal immunity against nasal bacteria in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis

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Comparative study of the prognostic value of nuclear grade and silver-binding nucleolar organizer region in renal cell carcinomas.

Silver-binding nucleolar organizer region (AgNOR) and nuclear grade were histologically assessed in 112 renal cell carcinomas. Nuclear grade was better capable of stratification than AgNOR in terms of survival prediction. It also had prognostic significance when total metastatic rates were evaluated. Although higher mean AgNOR numbers were constantly associated with higher nuclear grades, two arbitrary classifications of AgNOR (less than 1.5, 1.5-3.5, greater than 3.5; less than 2, 2-3, greater than 3) failed to resolve the survival difference.     

Visual and vestibular signals in the lateral mesencephalic tegmental region of the cat

Summary Single unit recordings from two alert cats were used in an attempt to further elucidate the function of the lateral mesencephalic tegmental region (LTR), a part of the mesencephalon forming a link between the superior colliculus and the lower brain stem. A total of 155 units recorded from the LTR were tested with visual, vestibular and acoustic stimuli. Of these, 54 cells (36%) were characterized as either visually (n=33) or vestibularly (n=21) responsive and an additional 13 cells were driven by complex acoustic stimuli. Visually responsive cells typically were directionally selective with large, mainly contralateral receptive fields. Vestibularly responsive cells were modulated by stimulation of either the horizontal canals (yaw stimulation; n = 16) or of both pairs of vertical canals (pitch stimulation; n=5). About half of the cells with activity modulated by rotation about the yaw axis increased discharge during ipsiversive (Type I), the other half during contraversive rotation (Type II). Of the 5 cells with activity modulated by pitch stimulation, 4 preferred the nose-down and only 1 the nose-up direction. Although the discharge of units responsive to yaw stimulation was roughly in phase with head velocity (mean phase lag with respect to head velocity: 10.6 deg), none of the vestibular cells had activity correlated with eye position, eye velocity or movement of visual stimuli. Our observations suggest that the LTR might introduce visual and vestibular signals into the tecto-facial pathway which may be used to adjust the size of pinna movements with respect to the size of ongoing head- or body movements.     

互隔交链孢霉提取物对淋巴细胞核仁形成区及细胞增殖周期的影响

本实验应用人类核仁形成区(NORs)选择性银染方法和细胞光度术,观察了互隔交链孢霉两菌株提取物261-B_2-3和C_(12)b_3-2对人淋巴细胞NORs活性的影响以及后者对细胞增殖周期移行的影响。结果显示,应用不同浓度的261-B_2-3和C_(12)b_3-2提取物处理细胞后,细胞携带Ag-NORs的染色体数明显减少,与对照组比较差异极显著(P<0.01)。表明两株提取物能明显抑制淋巴细胞NORs的活性。细胞暴露于不同浓度的C_(12)b_3-2提取物后,G_1%明显增多,S%和G_2+M%显著减少,与对照相比差异极显著(P<0.01)。说明C_(12)b_3-2提取物可能作用于G_1后期或S早期,延缓和阻滞了细胞周期的移行。     

大鼠松果体衰老的形态学研究

目的 探讨松果体形态结构的衰老性变化,为进一步研究松果体与衰老的关系提供形态学基础。方法 随机选取3月龄和34月龄SD大鼠10只分别作为青年组和老年组,用光镜和电镜结合形态计量学分法分析松果体细胞和神经胶质细胞密度及其指数;松果体细胞线粒体的Vv、Sv、Nv,高尔基器的Vv、Sv、粗面内质网的Sv、溶酶体的Vv;松果体神经终末的Vv及其线粒体的Vv、Sv、Nv、小颗粒囊泡的NA。结果 与青年组相比,老年组松果体细胞核形状不规则,核膜皱褶增多和加深。细胞浆内粗面内质网减少,排列紊乱,分散,脱颗粒明显;线粒体结构不清、肿胀、嵴断裂、消失、空泡化等。老年组松果体细胞密度比青年组减少,而神经胶质细胞密度增加,差异有高度显著性(P<0.01)。老年组神经胶质细胞指数比青年组高(P<0.01)。老年线粒体Vv与青年组无差别,但老年组线粒体Sv、Nv均比青年组减少(P<0.01)。老年组高尔基器的Vv、Sv均比青年组减少(P<0.01);老年组粗面内质网Sv比青年组减少,而老年组溶酶体Vv比青年组增加(P<0.01);老年组神经终末Vv比青年组减少(P<0.01);老年组神经终末中小颗粒囊泡NA比青年组减少(P<0.01);老年组线粒体Sv、Nv比青年组减少(P<0.05),两组神经终末中线粒体Vv无差别(P>0.05)。结论 老年大鼠松果体已发生衰老性变化,这可能与机?     

Chromatin interactions in differentiating keratinocytes reveal novel atopic dermatitis– and psoriasis-associated genes

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High TT virus load as an independent factor associated with the occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma among patients with hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver disease

The TT virus (TTV) load was estimated in sera obtained from 237 patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related chronic liver disease including 42 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), by real-time detection PCR using primers and a probe derived from the well-conserved untranslated region of the TTV genome, which can detect all known TTV genotypes. Of the 237 patients studied, 18 (8%) were negative for TTV DNA, 87 (37%) had low TTV viremia (1.3 x 10(2)-9.9 x 10(3) copies/ml), and 132 (56%) had high TTV viremia (1.0 x 10(4)-2.1 x 10(6) copies/ml). Various features were compared between the patients with high TTV load (n = 132) and those with no TTV viremia or low viral load (n = 105). High TTV viremia (> or =10(4) copies/ml) was significantly associated with higher age (P < 0.05), past history of blood transfusion (P < 0.001), complication of cirrhosis (P < 0.05) or HCC (P < 0.0005), lower HCV RNA titer (P < 0.05), and lower platelet count (P < 0.01). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, high TTV viral load was a significant risk factor for HCC (P < 0.05), independent from known risk factors such as complication of liver cirrhosis (P < 0.0001) and high age (> or =65 years, P < 0.05), among all 237 patients. Furthermore, high TTV viral load was an independent risk factor for HCC among the 90 cirrhotic patients (P < 0.05). These results suggest that a high TTV viral load is associated independently with the complication of HCC and may have prognostic significance in patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease, although whether high TTV viremia mediates the progression of HCV-related chronic liver disease remains to be defined.     

Arterial supply of the temporo-medial region of the brain significance for preoperative vascular occlusion testing

The mesiobasal limbic system is of particular significance in the surgical treatment of temporo-medial tumors and epilepsy. It consists of the uncus, amygdaloid body, hippocampus, dentate gyrus, subiculum, fasciolar gyrus and the parahippocampal gyrus. Knowledge of the vascular microanatomy is a key to the surgical treatment of pathologies in the region. The anterior choroidal artery was selectively injected in fresh brain specimens 50 specimens with a gelatinous ink mixture to demonstrate vascular territories in stereotactic brain slices, and 50 with a Biodur resin to obtain casts for microanatomical evaluation. The cast technique was also applied to 35 specimens injected into the posterior cerebral artery. The rostral third of the temporomedial region is mainly supplied by branches of the anterior choroidal artery. The occipital two thirds are supplied by hippocampal branches, the posteromedial choroidal artery and the inferior temporal branches of the posterior cerebral artery. Important vessel variations with significant implications for the preoperative Wada-test are presented