Ultrasonic vocalizations and aggressive behavior in male rats

The aim of the present study was to know whether 22-28-kHz vocalizations have any communicatory role in the regulation of aggressive behavior in male rats of the Wistar strain. In pairs of intact rats 22-28-kHz vocalizations showed a positive correlation with the extent of aggressive behavior. The pattern of aggressive behavior during ultrasonic vocalizations was different from that just before and just after the vocalizations. However, surgically deafened rats were less active in aggressive behavior and more active in ambulatory activity in the open field than the controls. Muted rats were not different from the controls in both aggressive behavior and ambulatory activity. The present result that the deprivation of ultrasonic signals failed to increase aggressive behavior does not support the classical hypothesis that ultrasonic vocalizations inhibit the initiation of aggressive behavior. It is concluded that ultrasounds emitted during aggressive encounters may have little communicative value in male rats.     

Human anticentriole autoantibody in patients with scleroderma and Raynaud's phenomenon

Unique autoantibody was found in sera from two different patients that reacted with centrioles of both cultured mammalian cells and human peripheral leukocytes as detected by the indirect immunofluorescent method. Sera from the same individuals, one with scleroderma and the other suffering from Raynaud's phenomenon, also stained the basal bodies of rat tracheal ciliated cells by the identical technique. Data from subsequent investigations have suggested that the antigen(s) involved in the reaction are water-insoluble protein(s) or polypeptide(s) associated with centrioles and are distinct from microtubular proteins or purine nucleoside phosphorylase.     

A simple organ culture method for differentiation of melanocytes in mouse embryonic skin using “origami” membrane filter

Summary A simple organ culture method for culturing embryonic skin was developed. A piece of skin with a part of the neural tube from mouse embryo (11 to 12 d) was placed on a 25 mm d membrane filter. The filter was folded to wrap the explant and inserted into glass tubing. The explant and filter in the glass tubing were placed in a rotating tissue culture tube containing 5 ml culture medium (Ham's F12 supplemented with 15 to 20% fetal bovine serum) and filled with a mixture of 95% air:5% CO₂. In explants cultured for 6 d fully differentiated melanocytes were observed in the epidermis.     

Cell type-specific involvement of RIG-I in antiviral response

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in antiviral response by recognizing viral components. Recently, a RNA helicase, RIG-I, was also suggested to recognize viral double-stranded RNA. However, how these molecules contribute to viral recognition in vivo is poorly understood. We show by gene targeting that RIG-I is essential for induction of type I interferons (IFNs) after infection with RNA viruses in fibroblasts and conventional dendritic cells (DCs). RIG-I induces type I IFNs by activating IRF3 via IkappaB kinase-related kinases. In contrast, plasmacytoid DCs, which produce large amounts of IFN-alpha, use the TLR system rather than RIG-I for viral detection. Taken together, RIG-I and the TLR system exert antiviral responses in a cell type-specific manner.     

Repair of infarcted myocardium mediated by transplanted bone marrow-derived CD34+ stem cells in a nonhuman primate model

Rodent and human clinical studies have shown that transplantation of bone marrow stem cells to the ischemic myocardium results in improved cardiac function. In this study, cynomolgus monkey acute myocardial infarction was generated by ligating the left anterior descending artery, and autologous CD34(+) cells were transplanted to the peri-ischemic zone. To track the in vivo fate of transplanted cells, CD34(+) cells were genetically marked with green fluorescent protein (GFP) using a lentivirus vector before transplantation (marking efficiency, 41% on average). The group receiving cells (n = 4) demonstrated improved regional blood flow and cardiac function compared with the saline-treated group (n =4) at 2 weeks after transplant. However, very few transplanted cell-derived, GFP-positive cells were found incorporated into the vascular structure, and GFP-positive cardiomyocytes were not detected in the repaired tissue. On the other hand, cultured CD34(+) cells were found to secrete vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and the in vivo regional VEGF levels showed a significant increase after the transplantation. These results suggest that the improvement is not the result of generation of transplanted cell-derived endothelial cells or cardiomyocytes; and raise the possibility that angiogenic cytokines secreted from transplanted cells potentiate angiogenic activity of endogenous cells.     

Restriction fragment length polymorphisms of the CYP11B1 gene in the Japanese population

Summary Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) of the CYP11B1 gene were studied in Japanese using cDNA clone P450c11 as a probe. Genomic DNAs from 60 unrelated Japanese individuals were digested with 8 different restriction enzymes and analyzed by Southern blot hybridization. Two RFLPs were detected inMspI digests of the DNA. One(A) was characterized by polymorphic bands at 3.4 and 2.5 kilobasepairs (kb) and the other (B) by polymorphic bands at 1.7 and 1.2 kb. The third RFLP was observed inPvuII-digested samples and was polymorphic at 5.8 and 4.0 kb bands. Two of the three RFLPs found, RFLP (A) and (C), have not been described in the only previous report which was based on Caucasian samples. We also examined the RFLPs of a 3 generation family of 11-hydroxylase deficiency caused by an abnormality of the CYP11B1 gene. All the family members were homozygous in all three RFLPs and was thus not informative.     

Chain Growth Polycondensation as a Polymer Generating Reaction in the Synthesis of Oligo(p‐phenyleneethynylene)s with Low Polydispersity

Summary: The polycondensation of 1‐ethynyl‐2,5‐dihexyl‐4‐iodobenzene in the presence of 1‐ethynyl‐2,5‐dihexyl‐4‐(2‐phenylethynyl)benzene proceeds according to the mechanism of initiated chain growth polycondensation. It has allowed the synthesis of oligomers with a desired molecular weight and a narrow molecular weight distribution. The reasons for the side reaction leading to the formation of diyne compounds are revealed and the presumed mechanism is given. This opens prospects for the preparation of defectless poly(p‐phenyleneethynylene)s with required molecular weights and narrow molecular weight distributions.

     

Renal primitive neuroectodermal tumor: An immunohistochemical and cytogenetic analysis

The cytogenetic and morphologic characteristics of a case with a primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) arising from the left kidney in a 22 year old man are presented. The patient was detected as having a left renal mass with a tumor embolus In the inferior vena cava and multiple pulmonary metastases. A radical nephrectomy with tumor embolectomy of the Inferior vena cava, along with a resection of the pulmonary nodules were performed. Histologic examination revealed a dense proliferation of small round cells with many Homer-Wright type rosettes and perlvascular pseudo-rosettes. Immunohlstochemically, the tumor cells stained strongly positive for HBA71(p30/32^{M IC2}), a surface glycopro-teln specific to PNET and Ewlng's sarcoma. In addition, the tumor cells expressed several neural markers (neuron specific enolase, neurofilament, synaptophysin, and Leu-7) and vimentin, while the epithelial, muscular, and lymphocytlc markers were negative in the tumor cells. Cytogenetic analysis of cultured tumor cells showed a reciprocal translocation t(11; 22)(q24; q12) that is considered to be specific to PNET and Ewing's sarcoma. In conclusion, this case suggested that a karyotyping analysis is a useful diagnostic tool for renal PNET, and it may therefore be utilized to help distinguish between difficult cases of small round cell tumors and Wilms' tumor of the kidney.