Two Hemocyte Lineages Exist in Silkworm Larval Hematopoietic Organ

BACKGROUND: Insects have multiple hemocyte morphotypes with different functions as do vertebrates, however, their hematopoietic lineages are largely unexplored with the exception of Drosophila melanogaster. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To study the hematopoietic lineage of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, we investigated in vivo and in vitro differentiation of hemocyte precursors in the hematopoietic organ (HPO) into the four mature hemocyte subsets, namely, plasmatocytes, granulocytes, oenocytoids, and spherulocytes. Five days after implantation of enzymatically-dispersed HPO cells from a GFP-expressing transgenic line into the hemocoel of normal larvae, differentiation into plasmatocytes, granulocytes and oenocytoids, but not spherulocytes, was observed. When the HPO cells were cultured in vitro, plasmatocytes appeared rapidly, and oenocytoids possessing prophenol oxidase activity appeared several days later. HPO cells were also able to differentiate into a small number of granulocytes, but not into spherulocytes. When functionally mature plasmatocytes were cultured in vitro, oenocytoids were observed 10 days later. These results suggest that the hemocyte precursors in HPO first differentiate into plasmatocytes, which further change into oenocytoids. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: From these results, we propose that B. mori hemocytes can be divided into two major lineages, a granulocyte lineage and a plasmatocyte-oenocytoid lineage. The origins of the spherulocytes could not be determined in this study. We construct a model for the hematopoietic lineages at the larval stage of B. mori

Low energy indium or gallium ion implantations to SiO2 thin films for development of novel catalysts

It has been demonstrated that indium (In) implanted silicon dioxide (SiO thin films catalyze a reaction of benzhydrol with acetylacetone. In this study, it is found that the threshold In ion incident energy for manifestation of the catalytic effect exists between 400 and 470 eV. Furthermore, a technique to implant gallium (Ga) to SiOfilms has been developed with highly controlled doses and injection energies for the formation of thin films that promote Ga catalysts. The efficiency of catalytic reactions by Ga implanted SiOthin films is yet to be improved. Unlike In implanted SiO2, the reason why no significant reaction was observed in the case of Ga implanted SiOfilms examined in this study seems that the Ga ion energy was so low that deposited surface Ga atoms should lack interactions with Si atoms for the manifestation of catalytic reaction. © 2014 The Surface Science Society of Japan.Satoru Yoshimura, Masato Kiuchi, Yoshihiro Nishimoto, Makoto Yasuda, Akio Baba, Satoshi Hamaguchi, Low Energy Indium or Gallium Ion Implantations to SiO2 Thin Films for Development of Novel Catalysts, e-Journal of Surface Science and Nanotechnology, 2014, Volume 12, Pages 197-202, Released April 26, 2014, Online ISSN 1348-0391, https://doi.org/10.1380/ejssnt.2014.197, https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/ejssnt/12/0/12_197/_article/-char/e

ダイガク ジョシ バスケットボール キョウギ ニオケル チーム トクチョウ ノ ブンセキ ニツイテ

バスケットボール競技における重要な要素として対戦チームの特徴を把握することがあげられる．そこで本研究は，女子学生バスケットボールリーグ戦を対象としてチームの特徴を明らかにすることを目的とした．調査方法として，Z 地区大学女子学生リーグ戦におけるスタッツを収集し，チームの特徴を明らかにするために主成分分析を用いた．分析の結果，チーム特徴として13分析項目から 4 主成分が抽出され，各主成分得点順にチームを分類し特徴の調査を行なった結果，第 1 主成分では，攻撃戦術の有効性といった競技成績に関連する特徴が抽出された．第 2 主成分においてはチームの戦術展開に関する特徴及び，所属している選手の特徴が抽出された．第 3 及び，第 4 主成分では，防御行為を狙う特徴及び，その防御行為の危険性に関する特徴が抽出された．今回の調査で抽出されたチームの特徴について優先的に分析を行うことが試合展開を有利にするために重要であると考える

Intraocular Pressure Readings Obtained through Soft Contact Lenses using Four Types of Tonometer

To compare the reliability and accuracy of intraocular pressure (IOP) measured while wearing soft contact lenses (SCLs) using a non-contact tonometer (NCT), Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT), iCare rebound tonometer (RBT) and the Tono-Pen XL. Twenty-six healthy subjects were examined. The IOP was measured using NCT, GAT, RBT, and the Tono-Pen XL, while the subjects wore SCLs −5.00 D, −0.50 D and +5.00 D. Bland–Altman plots and a regression analysis were used to compare the IOPs obtained with those instruments and the IOPs of the naked eyes measured using GAT (the standard IOPs in this study). The IOPs obtained by the Tono-Pen XL while the subjects were wearing −5.00 D, −0.50 D, and +5.00 D SCLs were significantly higher than those of the naked eyes obtained using GAT. RBT showed that the IOPs were similar to the GAT standard IOPs under all conditions. The IOPs measured with NCT and GAT while the subjects were wearing −5.00 D and −0.50 D SCLs were similar to the GAT standard IOPs. The IOPs obtained with RBT and NCT while the subjects were wearing −5.00 D and −0.50 D SCLs exhibited a good correlation with the standard IOPs. The NCT and RBT are best when measuring IOP through hydrogel SCLs

Mechanism of enhanced optical second-harmonic generation in the conducting pyrochlore-type Pb2_{2}Ir2_{2}O7−x_{7-x} oxide compound

The structural, electronic, and optical properties of pyrochlore-type Pb$_{2}$Ir$_{2}$O$_{6}$O'$_{0.55}$, which is a metal without spatial inversion symmetry at room temperature, were investigated. Structural analysis revealed that the structural distortion relevant to the breakdown of the inversion symmetry is dominated by the Pb-O' network but is very small in the Ir-O network. At the same time, gigantic second-harmonic generation signals were observed, which can only occur if the local environment of the Ir 5$d$ electrons features broken inversion symmetry. First-principles electronic structure calculations reveal that the underlying mechanism for this phenomenon is the induction of the noncentrosymmetricity in the Ir 5$d$ bands by the strong hybridization with O' 2$p$ orbitals. Our results stimulate theoretical study of inversion-broken iridates, where exotic quantum states such as a topological insulator and Dirac semimetal are anticipated

Lethal Bleeding from a Duodenal Cancerous Ulcer Communicating with the Superior Mesenteric Artery in a Patient with Pancreatic Head Cancer

Pancreatic cancer often invades the duodenum and causes obstruction, but rarely causes massive duodenal bleeding. A 68-year-old male was admitted to our hospital because of vomiting. Enhanced abdominal CT showed a hypovascular tumor with air bubbles in the uncinate process of the pancreas. The tumor invaded the duodenum and metastasized to the liver and peritoneum. The main trunk of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) was circumferentially involved. After admission, he had hematemesis and melena. Emergency gastroduodenoscopy revealed pulsating vessels in the third portion of the duodenum and he eventually experienced hemorrhagic shock. Severe bleeding occurred from his mouth and anus like a catastrophic flood. It was difficult to sustain blood pressure even with massive blood transfusion with pumping. After insertion of an intra-aortic balloon occlusion catheter, the massive bleeding was eventually stopped. Although we attempted interventional radiography, aortography revealed direct communication between the main SMA trunk and the duodenal lumen. The tumor was considered anatomically and oncologically unresectable. Thus, we did not perform further intervention. The patient died 2 h after angiography. Herein, we report the case of pancreatic head cancer causing lethal bleeding associated with tumor-involved SMA. Duodenal bleeding associated with pancreatic cancer invasion should be considered as an oncogenic emergency