We evaluated the changes in interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) and myenteric nerve system in relation to the activity and number of muscularis resident macrophage at a level of myenteric nerve plexus ...in the Crohn's disease model treated with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). In the TNBS-treated rat colon, ICCs network and also myenteric nerve system were damaged or disappeared in the inflamed region. The number of ED2-immunoreactive resident macrophage significantly increased where the ICCs or myenteric nerve systems changed. Although resident macrophage appeared morphologically ramified in control intestine, TNBS-treatment changed it to round shape, possibly an indication of functionally activated state. In fact, the round shape of macrophage expressed marked MHC class II comparing ramified macrophage in control intestine. Physiological study indicated that the motility index, the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous contractions were significantly decreased in the TNBS-induced colitis intestine. Moreover, the index of peristalsis observed in whole proximal colon tissue was inhibited by the treatment with TNBS. Electron microscopic analysis indicated that the contour of the myenteric ganglia became irregular in TNBS-treated rat colon, and numerous macrophages were observed around the ganglia. Similar results were obtained in the Hirschsprung's disease colitis model rats. In conclusion, the inhibition of spontaneous contractions and peristalsis in circular smooth muscle from TNBS-induced colitis rat colon may be attributable to the impairment of ICCs and myenteric nerve systems. Because of an indication of the macrophage activation and the close correlation between the degeneration and macrophage accumulation, it is suggested that the macrophages are involved in the degenerative pathology of intestinal motility.
MAS17 (MAS22) is an essential component of the import receptor complex in the yeast mitochondrial outer membrane. MAS17 consists of three distinct domains: the N-terminal cytosolic domain, the ...internal membrane-spanning domain, and the C-terminal intermembrane space domain. In the present study, we examined the roles of the C-terminal domain of MAS17, which is rich in acidic amino acids, in protein import into mitochondria both in vivo and in vitro. Cells expressing MAS17 delta 120-152, a mutant MAS17 lacking the C-terminal acidic domain, could grow as fast as those expressing wild-type MAS17, while cells expressing MAS17 delta 97-152, a mutant MAS17 lacking both the intermembrane space and the membrane-spanning domains, stopped growing as soon as wild-type MAS17 was depleted. MAS17 delta 120-152 was correctly integrated into the mitochondrial outer membrane like wild-type MAS17. Mitochondria containing MAS17 delta 120-152 instead of wild-type MAS17 could import both authentic and artificial mitochondrial precursor proteins nearly as efficiently as wild-type mitochondria in vitro. These results suggest that the C-terminal intermembrane space domain of MAS17 is not essential for targeting or functions of MAS17.
The objective of this study is to investigate the emission mechanism of radiophotoluminescence(RPL)from Ag+-activated phosphate glass(glass dosemeter), which is now used as the individual radiation ...dosemeter, because the emission mechanism of RPL from glass dosemeter has not clearly been understood. The optical properties such as optical absorption spectra, RPL emission and excitation spectra of the Ag+-activated phosphate glass were analyzed. It was found that the optical absorption spectra of X-ray irradiated glass consisted of three dominant absorption bands peaked at about 255nm, 315nm and 370nm. It was also found that typical RPL spectrum of X-ray irradiated glass excited with 315 nm UV light has two emission bands peaked at about 460nm and 570nm. We also found that RPL intensity gradually increased after X-ray irradiation with elapsed time. It was also confirmed that 570nm RPL peak intensity increased with time, while the band around 460nm unchanged. This result strongly suggests that the 570nm RPL emission band is ascribed to Ag2+ ions. On the other hand, Ag+ activated phosphate glass irradiated with the femtosecond LASER-light exhibits photoluminescence emission peaked between 430 and 460nm, which strongly suggest that the 460nm RPL peak is ascribed to Ag0 ions because of valence change from Ag+ to Ag0.
Idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with the gastrointestinal dysmotility. In the inflamed proximal colon isolated from 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced ...Crohn's disease model rat, motility index, amplitude and frequency of sponraneous contractions were decreased. Because rhythmic contraction is close by associated with the activity of pacemaking cell (interstitial cell of Cajal; ICC) and myenteric nerve system, we investigated whether these functional changes are related to the morphological changes in ICC, myenteric nerve system and muscularis resident macrophages using the TNBS-induced inflamed colon. In TNBS-treated colon, the network of ICC was disappeared or broken. Furthermore, myenteric nerve system also changed morphologically in the inflamed region. The number of muscularis resident macrophage in myenteric region significantly increased and the shape of macrophage rounded at a region where the ICC disappeared. These results suggest that inhibition of spontaneous contractions in curcular smooth muscle from TNBS-induced colitis rat colon is attributable to the morphological changes of ICC and myenteric nerve system, and muscularis resident macrophage may be involved in these changes.
Efforts to develop practical expert systems have mostly concentrated on how to implement experience-based machine learning successfully. Recently several active research projects on machine learning ...have been undertaken from the viewpoint of knowledge-based management. The aim of this study is to develop the Concrete Bridge Rating (Diagnosis) Prototype Expert System with machine learning, employing the combination of a neural network and bidirectional associative memories (BAM). The introduction of machine learning into this system facilitates knowledge-based refinement. By applying the system to an actual in-service bridge, it has been verified that the machine learning method employed that uses the results of questionnaire surveys involving bridge experts is effective for the system.
It is well known that cholesteatoma otitis is characterized by bone destruction, but the mechanisms of this destruction remain to be clarified. Interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), tumor necrosis ...factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) were immunohistologically demonstrated in the epithelia of cholesteatoma tissues obtained from patients with cholesteatoma, at ear surgery, in the present study. The staining for IL-1 alpha was marked in epithelial keratinocytes. The existence of PTHrP was demonstrated in the keratinocytes of cholesteatoma epithelium. PTHrP contents in keratinocytes on spinous layers had accumulated to a greater extent than those in basal layers. Compared with the staining of PTHrP in external ear canal epidermis, cholesteatomatous keratinocytes were more strongly stained. Further more, the effects of cholesteatomatous debris on generation of IL-1 alpha and TNF-alpha in cholesteatoma keratinocytes and normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK), derived from chest skin, were examined. Near-confluent medium after seven days incubation of cholesteatomatous keratinocytes and NHEK was discarded and fresh medium was added. Filtrated debris medium, obtained with a milli-pore filter, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) or keratin were added to the incubation culture medium. After 48 hours, the titers of IL-1 alpha and TNF-alpha in the culture medium were measured with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Debris filtrated medium showed a marked increase in IL-1 alpha, in both cholesteatomatous keratinocytes and NHEK culture, as compared with the effects of LPS, keratin and medium alone.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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