Bi-stability of mixed states in neural network storing hierarchical patterns

We discuss the properties of equilibrium states in an autoassociative memory model storing hierarchically correlated patterns (hereafter, hierarchical patterns). We will show that symmetric mixed states (hereafter, mixed states) are bi-stable on the associative memory model storing the hierarchical patterns in a region of the ferromagnetic phase. This means that the first-order transition occurs in this ferromagnetic phase. We treat these contents with a statistical mechanical method (SCSNA) and by computer simulation. Finally, we discuss a physiological implication of this model. Sugase et al. analyzed the time-course of the information carried by the firing of face-responsive neurons in the inferior temporal cortex. We also discuss the relation between the theoretical results and the physiological experiments of Sugase et al.Comment: 18 pages, 6 figure

Detection of HBs antigen in routine paraffin embedded liver tissue by enzyme-labelled antibody technique

HB surface antigen (HBs Ag) was detected using the enzyme-labelled antibody technique on routinely processed liver biopsy material fixed in Bouin's fixative and embedded in paraffin. Of 85 examined specimens, 45 cases were HBs Ag positive by both the immunofluorescent test and the enzyme labelled antibody technique. The remaining 40 cases were negative by both techniques. The specificity of HBs Ag detected by the enzyme-labelled antibody technique was confirmed by the blocking test using guinea pig specific HBs antibody. The results indicate that the enzyme-labelled antibody technique may be useful for detecting HBs Ag on routine paraffin sections.</p

CFTR gene mutations in Japanese individuals with congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens

AbstractCongenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) is a monosymptomatic disease confined to the male reproductive system with similarity to the phenotype of cystic fibrosis (CF), and mutations in the CFTR gene are highly prevalent in Caucasian CBAVD patients. While CF is very rare in Japan, CBAVD is not. Our previous study demonstrated high prevalence of the 5T allele in the CFTR gene in Japanese CBAVD patients. We analyzed whole exons of the CFTR gene in 19 CBAVD patients and 53 normal individuals using polymerase chain reaction amplification-single strand conformation polymorphism analysis and direct sequencing. Three missense mutations (W216X, G1349S, Q1352H) were found in seven CFTR alleles, and the 5T allele was positive in 11 of 38 CFTR patient alleles. Consequently, 47% of CFTR chromosomes in the patients were affected, and 11 individuals (58%) had at least one mutated CFTR allele. In contrast, three of 53 normal individuals (5.7%) had a missense mutation in one of the CFTR genes, but no 5T allele was detected (both P<0.0001). Mutations of the CFTR gene are closely associated with Japanese patients with CBAVD

Detection of liver HBc antigen and its antibody in sera from viral hepatitis by the immunofluorescent complement technique

Hepatitis B core antigen (HBc Ag) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) were detected in the liver tissue of a patient with chronic aggressive hepatitis by the immunofluorescent complement technique. The presence of anti-HBc was examined by the same method in 67 human sera previously tested for HBs Ag, anti-HBs and s-GPT levels. HBc Ag was localized mainly in the nucleus and sometimes in the cytoplasm of the hepatic cells. HBs Ag was found only in the cytoplasm. The focal area of HBc Ag positive hepatic cells seemed to correspond to the HBs Ag positive cells. Double staining demonstrated the simultaneous presence of HBs Ag and HBc Ag in individual cells. Anti-HBc positive serum was found in 46 (68.7%) cases. Forty-eight (71.6%) indicated a combination of HBs Ag and anti-HBc.</p

Multiple inflammatory cytokine-productive ThyL-6 cell line established from a patient with thymic carcinoma

Thymic epithelial cells can produce many kinds of cytokines, and interleukin (IL)-6-producing thymic carcinoma cases have been reported. However, a cytokine-producing human thymic tumor cell line has not previously been established. In this paper, we report a novel, multiple inflammatory cytokine-productive cell line that was established from a patient with thymic carcinoma. This cell line, designated ThyL-6, positively expressed epithelial membrane antigen, cytokeratins, vimentin intermediate filament and CD5, although hematological markers were not present in the cells. Cytokine antibody array analysis showed that the cells secreted several cytokines including IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8, RANTES, soluble TNFα-receptor 1, VEGF and CTLA into the culture medium. The addition of ThyL-6-cultured supernatant supported the growth of human myeloma ILKM-3 cells, which require the presence of IL-6 in the culture medium for the maintenance of cell growth, suggesting that the secreted IL-6 from ThyL-6 cells was biologically active. Chromosome analysis demonstrated that ThyL-6 cells had complex karyotype anomalies, including der(16)t(1;16); the latter has been recognized in thymic squamous cell carcinoma and thymic sarcomatoid carcinoma cases, as well as in several other kinds of malignancies. Heterotransplantation of the cells into nude mice showed tumorigenesis with neutrophil infiltration and liquefactive necrosis. These findings suggest that ThyL-6 cells will provide us with a new experimental tool for investigating not only the pathogenesis, biological behavior, chromo-somal analysis and therapeutic reagents of human thymic carcinoma, but also for studying cytokine-chemokine network systems

Clinical course of Capnocytophaga canimorsus bacteremia from acute onset to life crisis.

Capnocytophaga canimorsus bacteremia can present without signs of sepsis just after onset. For patients with fever, discerning the history of an animal bite is crucial. If it is positive for a dog bite, antibiotic treatment should be started

New biomarker evidence of oxidative DNA damage in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

AbstractUrinary 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) has been reported to serve as a sensitive biomarker of oxidative DNA damage and also of oxidative stress. We have investigated oxidative DNA damage in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) by urinary 8-OHdG assessments. We determined the total urinary excretion of 8-OHdG from 24 h urine samples of 81 NIDDM patients 9 years after the initial diagnosis and of 100 non-diabetic control subjects matched for age and gender. The total 24 h urinary excretion of 8-OHdG was markedly higher in NIDDM patients than in control subjects (68.2±39.4 μg vs. 49.6±37.7 μg, P=0.001). High glycosylated hemoglobin was associated with a high level of urinary 8-OHdG. The increased excretion of urinary 8-OHdG is seen as indicating an increased systemic level of oxidative DNA damage in NIDDM patients

Existence of serum HBe antigen and expression of liver HB surface and core antigens in hepatitis type B patients.

A study of 52 liver biopsies (47 hepatitis type B and 5 asymptomatic carriers) was performed to clarify the roles of HBe antigen (HBeAg), HB surface antigen (HBsAg) and HB core antigen (HBcAg). In this study, the Gudat classification was modified so as to classify the patterns of HB antigens into six reaction types including: type O (negative for both liver HBsAg and liver HBcAg), type III-A (characterized by a spotty HBsAg pattern) and type III-B (characterized from a sub-lobular to lobular HBsAg localization pattern). This classification enabled accurate prediction of the prognosis of hepatitis. Patients with positive serum HBeAg had either minimal hepatitis with mild clinical features or chronic aggressive hepatitis with severe clinical features. Ten patients negative for both HBeAg and HBeAb were all positive for liver HBcAg. In all 3 patients on corticosteroid administrations liver tissue was markedly positive for HBcAg and serum was usually positive for HBeAb.</p