Zur Wandstruktur der großen Arterien der Vögel

Zusammenfassung Die Wandstruktur der großen Arterien des Schwans, der Drossel und des Stars wurde licht- und elektronenoptisch untersucht und eine Einteilung in elastische, muskuläre und Übergangsgefäße getroffen.Die Media der elastischen Gefäße besteht aus muskulo-elastischen Zylindersegmenten, die mit breiten Bindegewebslagen alternieren. Die Zylindersegmente bestehen aus plattenförmigen Lagen glatter Muskelzellen, die von elastischen Fasernetzen flankiert werden. Diese Zylindersegmente beginnen und enden in den Bindegewebslagen stark gegeneinander versetzt, so daß ein kulissenartig einander überlappendes Plattensystem entsteht. Die Bindegewebslagen bestehen neben kollagenen Fasern und Fibrozyten aus mehreren konzentrischen Lagen elastischer Fasernetze. Die elastischen Netze sind durch Verbindungsfasern zu einem dreidimensionalem, die ganze Gefäßwand durchsetzenden elastischen System verknüpft. In den Übergangsgefäßen sind die Bindegewebslagen zwischen den muskulo-elastischen Systemen weitgehend reduziert.Bindegewebige und muskuläre Wandbestandteile sind im muskulären Vogelgefäß weitgehend voneinander getrennt. Die Media besteht aus glatten Muskelzellen, die von elastischen Netzen zu Schichten zusammengefaßt werden, die Adventitia aus kollagenen Fasern, Fibrozyten und konzentrischen Lagen elastischer Fasernetze. Die glatten Gefäßmuskelzellen sind durch elastische Fasernetze zu muskulo-elastischen Einheiten zusammengefaßt. Die mechanischen Verknüpfungspunkte zwischen Muskelzellen und elastischen Fasern sind über die ganze Zelloberfläche verteilt.Die Gefäßbautypen sind durch eine Wandstärken-Lumenrelation gekennzeichnet. Sie beträgt im elastischen Gefäß 1:5 bis 1:6, im muskulären Gefäß 1:14 bis 1:16.

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The wall structure of large arteries in birds

Summary A classification of large arteries (elastic, muscular and intermediate type) in mute swan, trush and starling was undertaken with light and electron microscopy.The tunica media of elastic arteries consists of musculo-elastic cylindrical segments alternating with wide connective tissue layers. The former consists of smooth muscle cell layers, which are adjoined by a network of elastic fibers. These musculo-elastic cylinder segments overlap incompletely. The connective tissue layers consist of networks of elastic fibers concentrically arranged in addition to collagen fibers and fibrocytes. The elastic networks are joined by connecting elastic fibers, thus forming a three-dimensionalsystem. In the intermediate type of arteries the connective tissue layers between the musculo-elastic systems are greatly reduced.Connective tissue and muscular components of the wall of muscular arteries are almost completely separated. The tunica media is composed of smooth muscle cells sandwiched by networks of elastic fibers. The tunica adventitia is formed by concentric networks of elastic fibers, collagen fibers and fibrocytes.The arterial smooth muscle cells, together with networks of elastic fibers, form a musculoelastic unit. The points of mechanical attachment between smooth muscle cells and elastic fibers are scattered all over the cellular surface. The arterial types described above are characterized by a well-defined wall thickness/lumen ratio. This ratio is of the order of 1:5 to 1:6 for elastic arteries and 1:14 to 1:16 for muscular arteries.

Medizinische Dissertation unter Anleitung von Prof. Dr. Dr. H.-R. Duncker.     

Leishmania mexicana: Immunology and histopathology in C3H mice

C3H mice were infected subcutaneously with 10⁵ promastigotes of Leishmania mexicana and subsequent lesions were examined at 3, 5, and 8 months. All animals developed persistent nonulcerating nodules of variable size which did not metastasize. The nodules contained amastigotes with a mononuclear infiltrate of histiocytes, lymphocytes, and plasma cells, but without formation of tuberculoid-type granulomas. Neutrophils and eosinophils were also encountered in some cases. Specific antileishmanial antibodies and delayed-type hypersensitivity to leishmanial antigen were present at 3, 5, and 8 months postinfection. L. mexicana infection in C3H mice differs from classic self-healing cutaneous leishmaniasis by the pesistence of nonhealing, nonulcerating, nonmetastasizing lesions, despite evidence of cellular and humoral immunity.     

Molar enamel thickness in European Miocene and extant hominoidea

Based on a roentgenographic analysis, the molar enamel of certain European Miocene dryopithecines is absolutely thick (r=1.03–1.30 mm in thickness); the molar enamel of certain European pliopithecines is thin (r=0.32–0.82 mm thick). The rank order for enamel thickness in extant hominoids (from thickest to thinnest) is confirmed to beHomo, Pongo, Gorilla, Pan, andHylobates. There is a great deal of enamel thickness variability within the great ape sample. Extant analogues suggest that dryopithecines were probably adapted to a frugivorous/gramnivorous dietary regimen, while pliopithecines were probably better suited to folivory.     

Quantitative analysis of biofilm thickness variability

The thickness variability of biofilms of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and the binary population combination of these two species was quantified. The experimental method involved cryoembedding biofilms with a commercial tissue embedding agent, sectioning, and applying image analysis to construct thickness profiles along linear transects (up to 1 cm in length) across the substratum. Biofilms embedded and sectioned by this method were locally as thin as a single cell attached to the surface (<5 mum) and as thick as 1000 mum. Week-old biofilms of three different species compositions displayed distinct structural features as indicated by their mean thicknesses and by a roughness coefficient. Monopopulation biofilms of P. aeruginosa (29 mum mean thickness) or K. pneumoniae (100 mum mean thickness) were thinner than the binary population biofilm (400 mum mean thickness). A roughness coefficient developed in this investigation corroborated the qualitative visual characterization of P. aeruginosa biofilms as relatively uniformly thick (mean roughness coefficient 0.15), K. pneumoniae biofilms as patchy (mean roughness coefficient 1.14), and the binary population biofilm as intermediate (mean roughness coefficient 0.26). Whereas P. aeruginosa and binary population biofilms covered the substratum completely, significant areas of essentially bare substratum were apparent in K. pneumoniae biofilms. The patchiness of K. pneumoniae biofilms may be due to the fact that this organism is nonmotile. A spatial correlation analysis of the thickness data indicated that thickness measurements were still correlated even when separated by distances that exceeded the mean biofilm thickness. Cell aggregates, some of them hundreds of microns in size, were observed in the effluent of K. pneumoniae and binary population biofilm reactors. Measurements of thickness variability and other observations reported in this article provide a quantitative basis for analysis of microscale structural heterogeneity of biofilms. (c) 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The influence of basic plan parameters on calculated small field output factors – A multicenter study

PurposeThe influence of basic plan parameters such as slice thickness, grid resolution, algorithm type and field size on calculated small field output factors (OFs) was evaluated in a multicentric study.Methods and materialsThree computational homogeneous water phantoms with slice thicknesses (ST) 1, 2 and 3 mm were shared among twenty-one centers to calculate OFs for 1x1, 2x2 and 3x3 cm² field sizes (FSs) (normalized to 10x10 cm² FS), with their own treatment planning system (TPS) and the energy clinically used for stereotactic body radiation therapy delivery. OFs were calculated for each combination of grid resolution (GR) (1, 2 and 3 mm) and ST and finally compared with the OFs measured for the TPS commissioning. A multivariate analysis was performed to test the effect of basic plan parameters on calculated OFs.ResultsA total of 509 data points were collected. Calculated OFs are slightly higher than measured ones. The multivariate analysis showed that Center, GR, algorithm type, and FS are predictive variables of the difference between calculated and measured OFs (p < 0.001). As FS decreases, the spread in the difference between calculated and measured OFs became larger when increasing the GR. Monte Carlo and Analytical Anisotropic Algorithms, presented a dependence on GR (p < 0.01), while Collapsed Cone Convolution and Acuros did not. The effect of the ST was found to be negligible.ConclusionsModern TPSs slightly overestimate the calculated small field OFs compared with measured ones. Grid resolution, algorithm, center number and field size influence the calculation of small field OFs.     

呼中自然保护区多年冻土活动层厚度的影响因子分析

以大兴安岭呼中国家级自然保护区为对象,调查了该区多年冻土的活动层厚度,并利用多重对比分析和相关分析方法,对多年冻土活动层的影响因子进行了分析。结果表明,多年冻土活动层厚度与多个环境因子之间存在着复杂的关系。土壤含水量、地形条件和不同群落对于活动层厚度具有重要影响,而活动层厚度也会反作用于这些影响因子。其中,土壤表层含水量与活动层厚度呈极显著负相关(P<0.001)。地形坡度和活动层厚度呈显著正相关(P=0.006)。几乎每个样带的海拔与活动层厚度都有显著的相关性,但在整个研究区域内海拔与活动层厚度不存在相关性。这说明活动层厚度的变异仅在本研究的样带尺度上具有规律性,而这种规律性在稍大尺度上会消失。对于不同的群落活动层厚度的多重对比分析表明,群落的差异对活动层厚度也有明显的影响,其中狭叶杜香-泥炭藓群落更有利于多年冻土的保存。     

Cardiorespiratory fitness, different measures of adiposity, and cancer mortality in men

Objective: The purpose was to examine the prospective relationship among cardiorespiratory fitness level (CRF), different measures of adiposity, and cancer mortality in men. Research Methods and Procedures: Participants were 38,410 apparently healthy men who completed a comprehensive baseline health examination between 1970 and 2001. Clinical measures included BMI, waist circumference (WC), percent body fat, and CRF quantified as duration of a maximal treadmill exercise test. Participants were divided into fifths of CRF, BMI, WC, and percent body fat. Hazard ratios were computed with Cox regression analysis. Results: During a mean follow‐up period of 17.2 ± 7.9 years, 1037 cancer deaths occurred. Adjusted hazard ratios across incremental BMI quintiles were 1.0, 1.23, 1.15, 1.39, and 1.72; those of WC were 1.0, 1.05, 1.03, 1.31, and 1.64; those of percent body fat were 1.0, 1.24, 1.17, 1.23, and 1.50; and those of CRF were 1.0, 0.70, 0.67, 0.70, and 0.49 (trend p < 0.01 for each). Further adjustment for CRF eliminated the significant trend in mortality risk across percent body fat groups and attenuated the trend in risk across BMI and WC groups. Adjustment of CRF for adiposity measures had little effect on mortality risk. When grouped into categories of fit and unfit (upper 80% and lower 20% of CRF distribution, respectively), mortality rates (per 10,000 man‐years) were significantly lower in fit compared with unfit men within each stratum of BMI, WC, and percent body fat. Discussion: Higher levels of CRF are associated with lower cancer mortality risk in men, independently of several adiposity measures.     

Determination of PRKAG1 coding sequence and mapping of PRKAG1 and PRKAG2 relatively to porcine back fat thickness QTL

PRKAG1, PRKAG2 and PRKAG3 encode three isoforms of AMP-activated protein kinase gamma chain. A major effect on meat quality and a medium effect on back fat thickness of the RN- mutation in the PRKAG3 gene has previously been reported. We have now mapped PRKAG1 and PRKAG2 at expected locations on SSC5 and SSC18 by analysis of radiation hybrids (IMpRH panel). PRKAG2 has been mapped in a region where no quantitative trait loci (QTL) has been reported. PRKAG1 has been mapped close to (but probably outside) a region containing a QTL influencing fatness traits. We have determined the full coding sequence of PRKAG1. No missense mutation was identified when comparing the coding sequence of one Meishan and one Large White boars. Further work is, however, required to determine if a polymorphism in PRKAG1 could be responsible for a part of the variability observed on fatness traits.     

Circulating oxidized low-density lipoprotein and common carotid artery intima-media thickness in a random sample of middle-aged men

Circulating oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) has been suggested to play an important role in atherosclerosis development. According to previous observations, oxLDL correlates with clinically manifest coronary and carotid artery disease. We investigated the association between the oxLDL concentration measured directly in plasma and common carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) in a population-based, case-control study in middle-aged men from Southern Finland. oxLDL was determined in 214 men by a commercially available sandwich ELISA test (Mercodia). Carotid artery IMT was measured at 12 standardized segments by B-mode ultrasonography (at the near and far wall of the left and right common carotid arteries, bifurcations and internal carotid arteries), and the overall mean maximum IMT (MMaxIMT) was calculated. The MMaxIMT of the carotid arteries was significantly associated with circulating oxLDL (r_s=0.16, p=0.018). In a stepwise multiple regression model with MMaxIMT as dependent variable and systolic blood pressure, smoking, oxLDL, HDL cholesterol and apolipoprotein B as covariates, systolic blood pressure (=0.22, p<0.001), oxLDL (=0.15, p=0.022) and smoking (=0.17, p=0.014) showed an independent association with IMT (R²=0.10, p<0.001). Our results show that oxLDL measured directly from plasma is independently associated with subclinical carotid artery atherosclerosis in middle-aged men.