Absence of synergistic enhancement of non-thermal effects of ultrasound on cell killing induced by ionizing radiation

The present study was performed to elucidate the role of non-thermal effects (cavitation and direct effects) of ultrasound, in simultaneous combination with X-irradiation on the cytotoxicity of mouse L cells. Firstly, mouse L cells were exposed to X-rays and ultrasound (1 MHz continuous wave, spatial peak temporal average intensity; 3.7 W/cm2) simultaneously at 37 degrees C under O2 or Ar saturated conditions to examine the cavitational effect of ultrasound. Secondly, cells were exposed to X-rays and ultrasound at 37 degrees C under N2O saturated conditions, which suppresses the cavitation, to examine the direct effects of ultrasound. The cavitational effect under O2 and Ar saturated conditions induced an exponential decrease in cell survival, and resulted in an additive effect on cell killing with the combination of X-rays and ultrasound. The direct effect in the N2O conditions induced no cell killing and did not modify the cell killing induced by X-rays. These results suggested that the non-thermal effects of ultrasound did not interact synergistically with X-rays for cell killing.     

Development of the bovine ileal mucosa

The development of the bovine ileal mucosa was studied with particular reference to maturation during the fetal and neonatal period. In this region, by 4-5 months of fetal development, vacuolation of the epithelial cells had occurred on the villi, and the goblet and absorptive cells in the crypts were present. By 6-9 months, the villi were longer and more numerous than in the previous stages. At the same time, the vacuolated cells could be seen predominantly on the upper half of each villus. The absorptive cells and goblet cells were more distinct in the crypt and lower half of each villus. Moreover, the goblet cells showed differences in mucin, while in the submucosa the lymphoid follicles were seen to have enlarged to become a prominent feature of the Peyer's patches at this stage. At birth, in suckled animals, the ileal cells on the lower area of each villus and in the crypt appeared more like mature cells. In contrast, there were numerous inclusion bodies in epithelial cells on the upper half of each villus. They appeared in the apical portion of the cytoplasm as vacuoles with stainable or dense contents. By 1 week, however, epithelial cells no longer contained inclusion bodies, and absorptive and goblet cell populations had begun to emerge from the crypts. These histological results suggest that the bovine ileal mucosa has two distinct turning points during its development in the fetus and the neonate. Initially all the mucosal structures are present in fetuses at 6-7 months of gestation, and then the vacuolated cells covering the ileal villi are replaced by mature, nonpinocytosing epithelium which emerges from the crypts on or before the 7th day after birth (ileal closure).     

Nonsurgical collection of embryos in Shiba goats

A method of nonsurgical embryo collection in the Shiba goat, a native Japanese miniature goat breeding nonseasonally, was developed. The apparatus used for flushing the uterus was made on the model of the two-way catheter for cows. Embryo collection was performed on days 5 to 7 in 37 females superovulated with PMSG and hCG and resulted in successful recovery of 69 embryos in 19 females (51.4%). The average number of embryos collected from each successful female was 3.6. The recovery rate of embryos calculated on the basis of the number of embryos recovered and corpora lutea observed by culdoscopy in 15 successful females was 89.5%. This nonsurgical method seem to be efficient enough for collecting morulae and blastocysts in Shiba goats.     

The structure ofHLA-B35 suggests that it is derived fromHLA-Bw58 by two genetic mechanisms

The primary structure ofHLA-B51 andHLA-Bw52 suggested thatHLA-B51 was derived fromHLA-Bw52 by the combination of a genetic exchange withHLA-B8 and a point mutation. To investigate the evolution of theHLA-B5 cross reactive group, theHLA-B35 gene was cloned and the primary structure was determined.HLA-B35 is identical toHLA-Bw58 except in the α₁ domain. The α₁ domain ofHLA-B35 except Bw4/Bw6-associated amino acids is identical to that ofHLA-B51 ^*, which was suspected to be an intermediate gene betweenHLA-B51 andHLA-Bw52. These data suggest thatHLA-B35 has evolved fromHLA-Bw58 in two steps; an in vivo replacement of the α₁ domain withHLA-B51 and genetic exchange with one of theHLA-Bw6 genes. These three genes andHLA-Bw58 are postulated to share a common ancestor.     

The immunohistolocalization of carbonic anhydrase III in the submandibular gland of rats and hamsters

Summary Carbonic anhydrase III has been localized using the avidin-biotin-glucose oxidase complex (ABC) method in the submandibular gland of the rat and hamster. This isozyme, which is predominant in skeletal muscle, was observed in intercalated duct, striated duct and excretory duct cells in the rat submandibular glands. In contrast, only some striated duct cells in hamster submandibular glands were stained.     

HU-1 mutants of Escherichia coli deficient in DNA binding

We constructed four mutants of the Escherichia coli hupB gene, encoding HU-1 protein, by synthetic oligodeoxyribonucleotide-directed, site-specific mutagenesis on M13mp18 vectors. The HupBR45 protein contained alterations of Arg58----Gly and Arg61----Gly, and the HupBF3, HupBK2 and HupBA1 proteins contained Phe47----Thr, Lys37----Gln and Ala30----Asp alterations, respectively. HupBF3 and HupBR45 were unable to maintain normal cell growth in a hupA-hupB-himA triple mutant at 42 degrees C, mini-F or RSF1010 proliferation, or Mu phage development in a hupA-hupB double mutant, whereas HupBA1 and HupBK2 supported these cellular activities. DNA-affinity column chromatography showed that the HupBF3 and HupBR45 had reduced affinities to DNA. These observations indicate that two highly conserved Arg residues in the arm structure of the C-terminal half of the HU-1 molecule and a Phe residue in the short beta-sheet connecting the two halves of the molecule are important for the DNA-binding ability and biological functions of this protein.     

EnterohemorrhagicEscherichia coli O157:H7 possesses somatic (O) antigen identical with that ofSalmonella O301

The O antigen of enterohemorrhagicEscherichia coli O157:H7 is identical with that ofSalmonella O30₁ and is also related toSalmonella O30₁30₂ in an a-a, b type of relationship.     

Arthritis induced immunologically with cationic amidated bovine serum albumin in the Guinea pig

Arthritis was induced by injecting cationic amidated bovine serum albumin (aBSA) (pI approximately 9.2) into the knee joint of immunized guinea pigs and the mechanisms of articular cartilage destruction were studied morphologically and biochemically. Marked synovitis associated with polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PML) infiltration occurred within 1 day of the challenge. Articular cartilage infiltrated by PMLs was almost completely destroyed after 2 weeks. During the initial destructive process, proteoglycans were depleted from the cartilage and later collagen fibers disappeared. Granulation tissue growing in the inflamed synovium and bone marrow replaced the destroyed cartilage and joint cavity and formed fibrous scar tissue (fibrous ankylosis) by 8 weeks. Subsequently, the knee joints developed cartilagenous ankylosis by 12 weeks and finally bony ankylosis at 28 weeks. Autoradiography using 125I-aBSA and immunofluorescence studies for immunoglobulin (IgG) and complement (C3) demonstrated that the antigen is trapped in all zones of the articular cartilage and serves as a trigger for immune complex formation. Significantly increased neutral proteinase activities against substrates of proteoglycan subunits, [3H]carboxymethylated transferrin and L-pyroglutamyl-L-prolyl-L-valine-paranitroanilide were detected in homogenates of the synovium and cartilage from arthritic knee joints 1 and 2 weeks after induction. Inhibitor studies and pH curves suggested that the proteinase is leukocyte elastase. Measurable amounts of gelatinolytic activity, detected by activation with 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate and inhibited with EDTA, were also present in the same samples, but there was no detectable collagenase activity. The data on SDS-gelatin substrate gel showed that the proteinase is gelatinase derived from PMLs. These results suggest that in aBSA-induced arthritis, elastase and gelatinase from PMLs invading articular cartilage may play important roles in cartilage destruction.