Indispensable roles of OX40L-derived signal and epistatic genetic effect in immune-mediated pathogenesis of spontaneous pulmonary hypertension

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Pulmonary hypertension (PH) refers to a spectrum of diseases with elevated pulmonary artery pressure. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a disease category that clinically presents with severe PH and that is histopathologically characterized by the occlusion of pulmonary arterioles, medial muscular hypertrophy, and/or intimal fibrosis. PAH occurs with a secondary as well as a primary onset. Secondary PAH is known to be complicated with immunological disorders. The aim of the present study is to histopathologically and genetically characterize a new animal model of PAH and clarify the role of OX40 ligand in the pathogenesis of PAH.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Spontaneous onset of PAH was stably identified in mice with immune abnormality because of overexpression of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family molecule OX40 ligand (OX40L). Histopathological and physical examinations revealed the onset of PAH-like disorders in the C57BL/6 (B6) strain of OX40L transgenic mice (B6.TgL). Comparative analysis performed using different strains of transgenic mice showed that this onset depends on the presence of OX40L in the B6 genetic background. Genetic analyses demonstrated a susceptibility locus of a B6 allele to this onset on chromosome 5. Immunological analyses revealed that the excessive OX40 signals in TgL mice attenuates expansion of regulatory T cells the B6 genetic background, suggesting an impact of the B6 genetic background on the differentiation of regulatory T cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Present findings suggest a role for the OX40L-derived immune response and epistatic genetic effect in immune-mediated pathogenesis of PAH.</p

The level of achievement of Nursing skills and sense of difficulties among the graduates : six months after the graduation

本研究の目的は、A大学卒業生の卒業時と卒業後6か月の時点における看護技術到達度と、卒業生が看護技術習得に関して直面した課題や困難を明らかにし、A大学における今後の看護技術教育の課題と方向性を明らかにすることである。卒業生86名(卒業後6か月)に質問紙にて調査を行い、32名の回答を得た。その結果、実習では実践することが難しく、卒業時に技術ができるとした学生が50%未満である診療補助技術が、早期より臨床現場において必要とされる技術であることが分かった。また、直面する困難としては、「未学習の看護技術が未熟」に困難であると回答した割合が最も高く、未経験技術への困難が高いことが明らかとなった。その一方で、方法や物品などが異なる事での不安も述べられており、看護技術の根拠を理解させる教育の必要性が再認識された

Learning Personalized Video Highlights From Detailed Mpeg-7 Metadata

We present a new framework for generating personalized video digests from detailed event metadata. In the new approach high level semantic features (e.g., No. of offensive events) are extracted from an existing metadata signal using time windows (e.g., features within 16 sec. intervals). Personalized video digests are generated using a supervised learning algorithm which takes as input examples of important/unimportant events. Window-based features are extracted from the metadata and used to train the system and build a classifier that, given metadata for a new video, classifies segments into important and unimportant, according to a specific user, to generate personalized video digests. Our experimental results using soccer video suggest that extracting high level semantic information from existing metadata can be used effectively (80% precision and 85% recall using cross validation) in generating personalized video digests

Allelic Imbalance of mRNA Associated with α2-HS Glycoprotein (Fetuin-A) Polymorphism

Alpha 2-HS glycoprotein (AHSG), also designated as fetuin-A, exhibits polymorphism in population genetics consisting of two major alleles of AHSG∗1 and AHSG∗2. The serum level in the AHSG∗1 homozygote is significantly higher than that of the AHSG∗2 homozygote. This study examined the molecular mechanism for the cis-regulatory expression. To quantitate allele-specific mRNA in intra-assays of the heterozygote, RT-PCR method employing primers that were incorporated to the two closely located SNPs was developed. The respective magnitudes of AHSG∗1 to AHSG∗2 in the liver tissues and hepatic culture cells of PLC/PRF/5 were determined quantitatively as 2.5-fold and 6.2-fold. The mRNA expressional difference of two major alleles was observed, which is consistent with that in the serum level. The culture cells carried heterozygous genotypes in rs4917 and rs4918, but homozygous one in rs2248690. It was unlikely that the imbalance was derived from the SNP located in the promotor site. Furthermore, to investigate the effect of mRNA degradation, RNA synthesis in the cell culture was inhibited potently by the addition of actinomycin-D. No marked change was apparent between the two alleles. The results indicated that the cis-regulatory expressional difference is expected to occur at the level of transcription or splicing of mRNA

Amplification efficiency of target genes.

<p>*Dynamic range represents the range of Cq values between the highest and the lowest concentration of generated standard curves.</p><p>Amplification efficiency of target genes.</p

Fluorescent in situ hybridization to ascidian chromosomes

The draft genome of the ascidian Ciona intestinalis has been sequenced. Mapping of the genome sequence to the Ciona 14 haploid chromosomes is essential for future studies of the genome-wide control of gene expression in this basal chordate. Here we describe an efficient protocol for fluorescent in situ hybridization for mapping genes to the Ciona chromosomes. We demonstrate how the locations of two BAC clones can be mapped relative to each other. We also show that this method is efficient for coupling two so-far independent scaffolds into one longer scaffold when two BAC clones represent sequences located at either end of the two scaffolds

Amplification efficiency of target genes.

<p>*Dynamic range represents the range of Cq values between the highest and the lowest concentration of generated standard curves.</p><p>Amplification efficiency of target genes.</p