Gaps and fragmentation of the superficial cortex in the abdominal and pelvic lymph nodes of elderly Japanese

Gaps and fragmentation of the superficial lymph node cortex are considered to provide intranodal shunt flow between the afferent and efferent vessels. Using serial sections of 205 nodes obtained from 27 donated cadavers more than 70 years of age, we examined the histological architecture of the abdominal and pelvic nodes in elderly Japanese. Secondary follicles were rare in the specimens. Cortex gaps were, to a greater or lesser degree, found in all nodes. We classified these nodes into three types according to how often the gap occurred. Type 1 nodes, with a relatively complete shield for the afferent lymph, were most frequently found in gastric nodes, whereas type 3 nodes, with numerous gaps, were often observed in the colic, para-aortic and pelvic nodes. The type 3 nodes showed a specific architecture characterized by a fragmented superficial cortex, three-dimensionally assembled cords and a common sinus between them. Primary follicles were located in the assembled cord structures as well as at the superficial cortex. Irrespective of the type, B and T lymphocyte areas were intermingled in the cortex-like areas. The present results reveal region-specific histological heterogeneity in aged human visceral nodes. Due to increased surface areas, the type 3 architecture seemed to accelerate systemic immunity rather than act as a local barrier in the para-aortic and pelvic nodes, which are located centrally along the lymphatic drainage routes. However, thick trabeculae often seemed to develop in the type 3 sinus to decrease nodal function with aging.     

FD-1冷冻干燥机的研制及生物材料的冷冻干燥

观察自制冷冻干燥机冷冻干燥生物材料的效果。采用 R5 0 2压缩机和制冷剂制成 FD- 1冷冻干燥机。本实验冷冻干燥了胶原海绵、菌种及去纤酶。在冻干箱负载或空载情况下蒸发冷凝器温度均可达到 - 4 5℃ ,小冰箱可达到 - 30℃ ,冻干的胶原海绵具有许多孔洞的结构 ,冻干的菌种和去纤酶性能保持良好。 FD- 1冷冻干燥机适用于生物样品中小批量的冷冻干燥     

Low uptake of [H]2-deoxy-d-glucose by cultured rat Schwann cells

[³H]2-Deoxy-d-glucose (2-DG) was used to investigate the glucose uptake in cultured rat Schwann cells from postnatal Sprague-Dawley rat sciatic nerves. The glucose uptake of Schwann cells slightly increased in a time- and dose-dependent manner. However, the maximal uptake level was much lower than that of ethylnitrosourea (ENU)-induced transformed rat schwannoma-like cells and fibroblasts. By autoradiography of the cultured system, we were able to visualize the accumulation of [³H]2-DG grains in the schwannoma-like cells and fibroblasts, but not in Schwann cells.     

RMRP mutations in Japanese patients with cartilage-hair hypoplasia

We examined 12 Japanese patients with metaphyseal chondrodysplasia (MCD) for mutations in the ribonuclease mitochondrial RNA processing gene (RMRP), and identified four novel mutations in two patients with typical and atypical cartilage-hair hypoplasia (CHH), a form of MCD characterized by extra-skeletal manifestations including hypoplastic hair and defective immunity. A patient with typical CHH had a 17-bp duplication at +3 and a de novo 182G > A. The other patient with atypical CHH had a 17-bp insertion at -20 and a 218A > G. Expression analysis revealed that the allele with this insertion mutation in the promoter region silenced the gene. Spectrum analysis of the mutations and polymorphisms in RMRP showed marked difference between the Japanese and other ethnic groups. Such ethnic and phenotypic difference should be taken into account in mutation analysis of the gene.     

Novel mutations, including the second most common in Japan, in the β-hexosaminidase α subunit gene, and a simple screening of Japanese patients with Tay-Sachs disease

Two novel mutations of the β-hexosaminidase α subunit gene were identified in Japanese patients with the infantile form of Tay-Sachs disease. One mutation was a one-base deletion at nt613C, which generated a stop codon at two codons downstream, in three unrelated patients. The other mutation was a one-base substitution of G-to-A at IVS 5, +1, which caused a splicing abnormality, in one patient. A missense mutation of R170W, which has already been reported in other ethnic groups, was also newly identified in one patient. In 1993, the most common mutation (IVS 5, −1G → T) in Japanese patients with Tay-Sachs disease was reported as the major mutation in Japan accounting for 80% of 56 mutant alleles from 28 unrelated patients. The deletion of nt613C was the second most common mutation, accounting for 5% of the mutant alleles. The previously reported mutation IVS 5, −1G → T and the nt613C deletion found in this study together accounted for 85% of the mutations causing Tay-Sachs disease among Japanese. Since these two mutations were located in or close to exon 6 and since they abolish Fok I (IVS 5, −1G → T) and Sfa NI (nt613C deletion) restriction sites, respectively, they were screened rapidly by single polymerase chain reaction followed by digestion with these enzymes. Received: November 10, 1998 / Accepted November 14, 1998     

基于几何活动轮廓的神经元干细胞序列图像的自动分割

一个快速稳定的分割系统是研究神经元干细胞变化的基础，为完善此系统，针对多连接边缘模糊的细胞分割提取问题，根据曲线进化原理，我们提出了一种基于水平集方法的改进的几何活动轮廓算法。此算法能自动解决图像的拓扑变化，并能获得更加真实的细胞轮廓边缘。将此方法应用于神经元干细胞的序列图像分割，实验结果证明了此算法的有效性与准确性。     

Molecular typing of clinical and environmental isolates of Scedosporium prolificans by inter-simple-sequence-repeat polymerase chain reaction.

Invasive infections by Scedosporium prolificans have increased alarmingly in recent years, mainly in immunosuppressed patients. The epidemiology, pathogenesis and the natural habitat of this pathogen are practically unknown. Isolates of S. prolificans were distinguished from one another by inter-simple-sequence-repeat (ISSR) fingerprinting, a technique based on the high degree of polymorphism of the multisatellite genetic markers used. This technique was found useful for typing 84 isolates of S. prolificans from different countries and sources. The assemblage of S. prolificans isolates tested was extremely diverse, with 35 genotypes present. Several patients were found to have been infected or colonized by more than one strain. Overall, this technique facilitates the epidemiological study of S. prolificans infection.     

非水介质中明胶水凝胶电场驱动行为的研究

研究了明胶水凝胶在绝缘硅油中的电场响应行为。结果表明,在硅油中,明胶水凝胶在外加高压直流电场作用下可发生运动,其运动由转动和平动两部分组成。存在一个运动所需的最小阈值电场,只有外加电场在此阈值以上时,才可观察到水凝胶明显的运动。水凝胶的运动速度随外加电场的增大而增大,其运动可通过外加电场的大小来调控。由硅油很稳定且在电场中会电解,因此避免了传统电场驱动水凝胶在水介质中响应时不可避免的电解缺点,为建立一种新的电响应凝毅然驱动方式提供了可能。