Automated measurement and statistical modelling of elastic laminae in arteries

Structural features of elastic laminae within arteries can provide vital information for both the mechanobiology and the biomechanics of the wall. In this paper, we propose, test and illustrate a new computer-based scheme for automated analysis of regional distributions of elastic laminae thickness, inter-lamellar distances and fragmentation furcation points (FPs) from standard histological images. Our scheme eliminates potential artefacts produced by tissue cutting, automatically aligns tissue according to physiologic orientations and performs cross-sectional measurements along radial directions. A statistical randomised complete block design and F test were used to assess the potential (non)-uniformity of lamellar thicknesses and separations along both radial and circumferential directions. Illustrative results for both normotensive and hypertensive thoracic porcine aorta revealed marked heterogeneity along the radial direction in nearly stress-free samples. Clearly, regional measurements can provide more detailed information about morphologic changes that cannot be gained by globally averaged evaluations alone. We also found that quantifying FP densities offers new information about potential elastin fragmentation, particularly in response to increased loading due to hypertension.     

C. elegans Eats Its Own Intestine to Make Yolk Leading to Multiple Senescent Pathologies

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Influences of Immunosuppressive Agents,FK506 and Cyclosporin on Systemic Candida albicans Infection in Mice

The effects of the immunosuppressive agents FK506 (tacrolimus) and cyclosporin (CyA) on Candida albicans infection in mice were compared with those of cyclophosphamide. FK506 and CyA did not exacerbate C. albicans infection in mice when the effects were determined on the basis of survival ratio and colony forming units (CFU) in the kidney, although cyclophosphamide (CY) impaired the host defence mechanisms of mice against C. albicans infection. The effects of FK506 and CyA on the body weight of mice, histopathological changes of lymphoid tissues and formation of granulomas in kidney were also studied in comparison with those of CY. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The pathology and seawater performance of farmed Atlantic salmon infected with glochidia of Margaritifera margaritifera

The pathology of glochidial infection of the freshwater mussel Margaritifera margaritifera was examined in farmed Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in fresh water and for 150 days after transfer of salmon to sea water. Prevalence of infection in fresh water was 95%, mean abundance 134 per fish and mean infection intensity 140. Prevalence in sea water was 80–94% in the first 7 weeks after transfer but glochidia were absent, apart from remains, after 50 days in sea water. Glochidia on salmon in fresh water were associated with localized hyperplasia and fusion of secondary gill lamellae. Focally extensive epithelial hyperplasia and fusion of secondary lamellae were present 4–10 days after transfer to sea water. Twenty-three days after transfer, small nodules with a more discrete appearance were present suggesting partial resolution of tissue response; hyperplastic responses associated with glochidia were much reduced after 50 days. Plasma chloride in infected fish 10 days after transfer was 153 mmol. 1⁻¹, significantly higher than fish without infection, suggesting poorer adaptation to sea water. No mortalities due to glochidial infection in sea water were recorded and there was no significant difference in mean weight between infected and control fish.     

Development of a Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction for the Detection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. basilici from Basil Seed and Roots

A real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay using a TaqMan^® probe was developed to detect the causal agent of wilt and crown rot of basil from infected plants and seed in Italy. The aim of the study was to diminish testing time, previously performed using nested‐PCR, and to create the conditions for future automation. The sensitivity of the assay was shown to be similar to the detection limit of the available nested‐PCR procedure. The advantages of real‐time PCR system include halving of the testing time, as well as the ability to identify both internally and externally infected seed to the sensitivity of 1 pg of genomic DNA. The assay was able to detect the presence of the pathogen in infected seed up to a sensitivity of 24 (SD: ±10) CFU per 100 seeds.     

FT-IR Spectroscopy and Artificial Neural Network Identification of Fusarium Species

A rapid spectroscopic approach for whole‐organism fingerprinting of Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy was used to analyse 16 isolates from five closely related species of Fusarium: F. graminearum, F. moniliforme, F. nivale, F. semitectum and F. oxysporum. Principal components analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to study the clusters in the data. On visual inspection of the clusters from both methods, the spectra were not differentiated into five separate clusters corresponding to species and these unsupervised methods failed to identify these fungal strains. When the data were trained by back propagation algorithm of artificial neural networks (ANNs) with principal components scores of spectra used as input modes, the strains were accurately predicted and recognized. The results in this study show that FT‐IR spectroscopy in combination with principal component artificial neural networks (PC‐ANNs) is well suited for identifying Fusarium spp. It would be advantageous to establish a comprehensive database of taxonomically well‐defined Fusarium species to aid the identification of unknown strains.     

Die Ultrastruktur des Epithels des Wolffschen Ganges und des Ductus deferens beim Schafembryo

Zusammenfassung Die Epithelzellen der Wolffschen Gänge bzw. der Samenleiter von 28 Schafembryonen der Größe von 1,1–45 cm Scheitel-Steiß-Länge (SSL) wurden elektronenmikroskopisch untersucht. Der Golgiapparat von Embryonen in der Phase der aktiven Urnierensekretion zeichnet sich durch Zisternen mit kondensiertem Inhalt aus, von denen sich kleine coated vesicles abschnüren. Bei Feten mit inaktiver Urniere wurden keine Zisternen mit kondensiertem Inhalt beobachtet. Die Abschnürung kiemer coated vesicles vom Golgiapparat tritt jedoch in allen untersuchten Altersstadien auf. Eine zweite Population großer coated vesicles schnürt sich vom apikalen, basalen und interzellulären Plasmalemm ab, besonders häufig beim fast geburtsreifen Fetus. Die Vereinigung von Golgivesikeln mit einem Inhalt von mittlerer Elektronendichte mit multivesikulären Körpern kann in allen untersuchten Stadien festgestellt werden. Glykogen findet sich bereits bei 1,1 cm SSL in Lagern; ab ca. 20 cm SSL ist eine erhebliche Glykogenvermehrung zu beobachten. Stereozilien und glattes endoplasmatisches Retikulum treten erst ab 45 cm SSL auf.

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Fine structure of the epithelia of the Wolffian duct and of the vas deferens in fetal sheep

Summary The ultrastructure of the epithelium of the Wolffian duct and of the vas deferens of fetal sheep ranging from 1,1 to 45 cm CRL has been studied. The Golgi apparatus of specimens possessing an actively secreting mesonephros shows condensation of the contents of the cisternae with budding of small coated vesicles. In the fetuses possessing inactive mesonephros no condensation of the contents of Golgi cisternae is to be observed, but the budding of small coated vesicles continues. A second population of large coated vesicles originating by invagination of the plasma membrane occurs on the periphery of the epithelium cells, namely in the apical cell poles of the near term fetuses. The convergence and subsequent fusion of Golgi vesicles of medium electron density is already found in patches in the 1,1 cm CRL fetus; it increases in abundance in specimens of more than 20 cm CRL. Stereocilia and agranular endoplasmatic reticulum appear in full-term sheep fetuses.