Probable Noonan syndrome in a boy without PTPN11 mutation, manifesting unusual complications.

The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.co

Lidar measurements of stratospheric aerosols enhanced after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo: Alaska, winter 1991/1992

Lidar measurements made at Poker Flat, Alaska in winter 1991/1992 suggest that stratospheric aerosols were extremely enhanced after the volcanic eruption of Pinatubo. The vertical profile of aerosol concentration had maxima 16-17km, and 22-23km. An additional aerosol layer was identified only in the measurements of December 15,1991

Gender Differences in Susceptibility of Asthma to Active Smoking—Questionnaire Based Analysis in the Niigata Prefecture, Japan—

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe importance of smoking in bronchial asthma has been thoroughly investigated. Although a high smoking rate has been recognized in Japan, there have been few studies of the relationship between active smoking and bronchial asthma, and little analysis of the gender difference in this relationship. The aims of this study were to examine the contribution of active smoking to asthma and to clarify any gender difference.MethodsFor 8 weeks from September through October 2000, a smoking questionnaire survey was performed on adult patients with bronchial asthma, and their attending physicians, in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The questionnaire surveyed asthma control, asthma-related emergencies and satisfaction in daily life. The attending physicians were questioned about patient profiles and medications. Patients were classified into three groups: non-smokers (NS), ex-smokers (ES) and current smokers (CS). For examination of gender differences, the CS group was compared with the NS group, due to variable duration of smoking and of cessation of smoking in the ES group.ResultsComplete data were received from 2947 cases. Of the male patients, 340 (23.0%) were in the CS group, 325 (22.0%) were in the NS group and 812 were in the ES group. Of the female patients, 109 (7.4%) were in the CS group, 1132 (77.4%) were in the NS group, and 229 (7.4%) were in the ES group. The male CS group had more severe asthma-related symptoms in the morning and at night, more sputum and cough in the morning, and more severe sleep disturbance than the male NS group. In the female patients, these differences were not detected. A logistic and multiple regression analysis confirmed these significant differences between male and female asthma patients.ConclusionsThe gender differences in the susceptibility of asthma to smoking suggests the need for gender-specific strategies for smoking cessation, although further investigation is required

Table1_Wnt signal-dependent antero-posterior specification of early-stage CNS primordia modeled in EpiSC-derived neural stem cells.pdf

The specification of the embryonic central nervous system (CNS) into future brain (forebrain, midbrain, or hindbrain) and spinal cord (SC) regions is a critical step of CNS development. A previous chicken embryo study indicated that anterior epiblast cells marked by Sox2 N2 enhancer activity are specified to the respective brain regions during the transition phase of the epiblast to the neural plate-forming neural primordium. The present study showed that the SC precursors positioned posterior to the hindbrain precursors in the anterior epiblast migrated posteriorly in contrast to the anterior migration of brain precursors. The anteroposterior specification of the CNS precursors occurs at an analogous time (∼E7.5) in mouse embryos, in which an anterior-to-posterior incremental gradient of Wnt signal strength was observed. To examine the possible Wnt signal contribution to the anteroposterior CNS primordium specification, we utilized mouse epiblast stem cell (EpiSC)-derived neurogenesis in culture. EpiSCs maintained in an activin- and FGF2-containing medium start neural development after the removal of activin, following a day in a transitory state. We placed activin-free EpiSCs in EGF- and FGF2-containing medium to arrest neural development and expand the cells into neural stem cells (NSCs). Simultaneously, a Wnt antagonist or agonist was added to the culture, with the anticipation that different levels of Wnt signals would act on the transitory cells to specify CNS regionality; then, the Wnt-treated cells were expanded as NSCs. Gene expression profiles of six NSC lines were analyzed using microarrays and single-cell RNA-seq. The NSC lines demonstrated anteroposterior regional specification in response to increasing Wnt signal input levels: forebrain-midbrain-, hindbrain-, cervical SC-, and thoracic SC-like lines. The regional coverage of these NSC lines had a range; for instance, the XN1 line expressed Otx2 and En2, indicating midbrain characteristics, but additionally expressed the SC-characteristic Hoxa5. The ranges in the anteroposterior specification of neural primordia may be narrowed as neural development proceeds. The thoracic SC is presumably the posterior limit of the contribution by anterior epiblast-derived neural progenitors, as the characteristics of more posterior SC regions were not displayed.</p

Image1_Wnt signal-dependent antero-posterior specification of early-stage CNS primordia modeled in EpiSC-derived neural stem cells.pdf

The specification of the embryonic central nervous system (CNS) into future brain (forebrain, midbrain, or hindbrain) and spinal cord (SC) regions is a critical step of CNS development. A previous chicken embryo study indicated that anterior epiblast cells marked by Sox2 N2 enhancer activity are specified to the respective brain regions during the transition phase of the epiblast to the neural plate-forming neural primordium. The present study showed that the SC precursors positioned posterior to the hindbrain precursors in the anterior epiblast migrated posteriorly in contrast to the anterior migration of brain precursors. The anteroposterior specification of the CNS precursors occurs at an analogous time (∼E7.5) in mouse embryos, in which an anterior-to-posterior incremental gradient of Wnt signal strength was observed. To examine the possible Wnt signal contribution to the anteroposterior CNS primordium specification, we utilized mouse epiblast stem cell (EpiSC)-derived neurogenesis in culture. EpiSCs maintained in an activin- and FGF2-containing medium start neural development after the removal of activin, following a day in a transitory state. We placed activin-free EpiSCs in EGF- and FGF2-containing medium to arrest neural development and expand the cells into neural stem cells (NSCs). Simultaneously, a Wnt antagonist or agonist was added to the culture, with the anticipation that different levels of Wnt signals would act on the transitory cells to specify CNS regionality; then, the Wnt-treated cells were expanded as NSCs. Gene expression profiles of six NSC lines were analyzed using microarrays and single-cell RNA-seq. The NSC lines demonstrated anteroposterior regional specification in response to increasing Wnt signal input levels: forebrain-midbrain-, hindbrain-, cervical SC-, and thoracic SC-like lines. The regional coverage of these NSC lines had a range; for instance, the XN1 line expressed Otx2 and En2, indicating midbrain characteristics, but additionally expressed the SC-characteristic Hoxa5. The ranges in the anteroposterior specification of neural primordia may be narrowed as neural development proceeds. The thoracic SC is presumably the posterior limit of the contribution by anterior epiblast-derived neural progenitors, as the characteristics of more posterior SC regions were not displayed.</p