Evolution of Callosal and Cortical Lesions on MRI in Marchiafava-Bignami Disease

We report on serial MRI findings of cerebral lesions in a 55-year-old man with severe Marchiafava-Bignami disease (MBD). The first MRI change on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images was hyperintensity in the genu of the corpus callosum and in the frontoparietal cortex. Following this change, a splenial lesion appeared. The first MRI change in the genu of the corpus callosum was not associated with a change in diffusion on diffusion-weighted MRI imaging, suggesting a pathological change involving vasogenic edema. Development of cortical lesions in the initial stage confirms that cortical lesions result from the primary pathogenetic process induced by alcoholic intoxication and malnutrition in MBD

Systematic evolution of the magnetotransport properties of Bi_{2}Sr_{2-x}La_{x}CuO_{6} in a wide doping range

Recently we have succeeded in growing a series of high-quality Bi_{2}Sr_{2-x}La_{x}CuO_{6} crystals in a wide range of carrier concentrations. The data of \rho_{ab}(T) and R_H(T) of those crystals show behaviors that are considered to be "canonical" to the cuprates. The optimum zero-resistance T_c has been raised to as high as 38 K, which is almost equal to the optimum T_c of La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4}.Comment: 2 pages, 2 figures, to be published in Physics C (Proceedings of the International Conference on Materials and Mechanisms of Superconductivity, High Temperature Superconductors VI (M2S-HTSC-VI), Houston, Feb 20-25, 2000

Age-Dependent Defects of Regulatory B Cells in Wiskott-Aldrich Syndrome Gene Knockout Mice.

The Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome (WAS) is a rare X-linked primary immunodeficiency characterized by recurrent infections, thrombocytopenia, eczema, and high incidence of malignancy and autoimmunity. The cellular mechanisms underlying autoimmune complications in WAS have been extensively studied; however, they remain incompletely defined. We investigated the characteristics of IL-10-producing CD19+CD1dhighCD5+ B cells (CD1dhighCD5+ Breg) obtained from Was gene knockout (WKO) mice and found that their numbers were significantly lower in these mice compared to wild type (WT) controls. Moreover, we found a significant age-dependent reduction of the percentage of IL-10-expressing cells in WKO CD1dhighCD5+ Breg cells as compared to age-matched WT control mice. CD1dhighCD5+ Breg cells from older WKO mice did not suppress the in vitro production of inflammatory cytokines from activated CD4+ T cells. Interestingly, CD1dhighCD5+ Breg cells from older WKO mice displayed a basal activated phenotype which may prevent normal cellular responses, among which is the expression of IL-10. These defects may contribute to the susceptibility to autoimmunity with age in patients with WAS

Logistic network profitability analysis: a new computing method

Este artigo apresenta um método de cálculo de rentabilidade econômica de unidades operacionais (UOs) de empresas de transporte de carga fracionada que operam através de uma rede logística com múltiplas UOs. O cálculo da rentabilidade econômica de cada uma destas UOs é um problema complexo. Devido ao intercâmbio de cargas entre UOs, as receitas de uma UO estão interligadas com as receitas de outras UOs. Os métodos tradicionais de contabilização enfrentam dificuldades quando empregados para determinar a rentabilidade econômica de UOs de uma rede logística de UOs interdependentes. O método descrito neste artigo elimina estas dificuldades por meio do conceito de margem de contribuição.This paper offers a method for evaluating the profitability of operation sites (OS) of less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers conveying shipments through a network with multiple OS. The evaluation of the profitability of each one of these OS is a complex problem. Due to exchanges of shipments between OS, the revenues of one OS are intertwined with the revenues of other OS. Traditional accounting methods show themselves cumbersome when employed to evaluate the profitability of OS of a logistical network of interdependent OS. The method described in this paper overcomes these difficulties by means of the concept of contribution margin

Effectiveness of hCMV, mEF1a and mAct promoters on driving of foreign gene expression in transgenic zebrafish

Highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA), especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) have long been recognized for its beneficial effect for human health and development.   The D6 fatty acid desaturase is generally considered to be the rate-limiting factor in HUFA biosynthesis.  Here, as the first step of study, we conducted experiment to select an appropriate construct that allows higher expression levels of masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) D6-desaturase gene in zebrafish (Danio rerio) in order to increase its activity for synthesizing EPA/DHA.  Salmon D6-desaturase cDNA (sD6) was separately ligated with human cytomegalovirus (hCMV), medaka elongation factor 1a (mEF1a) and medaka b-actin (mAct) promoters.  The resulted construct was designated as hCMV-sD6, mEF1a-sD6 and mAct-sD6, respectively.  Each of the constructs in circular DNA form was microinjected into 1-cell stage embryos at a concentration of 30mg/ml. Transgenic individuals were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and their expression levels were analyzed by reverse transcription PCR.  The first (F1) and second (F2) generation was produced by crossing the transgenic founder F0 and F1, respectively, with wild-type fish.  The results showed that the highest transient gene expression level was obtained from the mAct-D6 construct, followed respectively by EF1a-D6 and hCMV-D6 construct. The transmission rate of transgene into F1 generation was 4.2%-44.1%, and into F2 was followed the Mendellian segregation pattern.   Expression of transgene in F2 generation was varied between strains regarding as the mosaics of F0 fish.  Now, a transgenic system to study the modification of fatty acid biosynthesis pathways in fish was established.  Further investigations are to produce fish containing higher levels of EPA and DHA. Keywords: desaturase, nutraceutical fatty acid, transgenic, zebrafish, masu salmon   Abstrak Promoter merupakan regulator yang menentukan tempat, waktu dan tingkat ekspresi gen.  Pada penelitian ini, kami melakukan seleksi kontruksi plasmid yang tepat yang menghasilkan tingkat ekspresi yang tinggi dari gen D6-desaturase-like ikan masu salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) yang ditransfer ke ikan zebra (Danio rerio) untuk meningkatkan kemampuannya dalam mensintesa EPA/DHA.  cDNA D6-desaturase-like (OmD6FAD) dari ikan salmon masu diligasi secara terpisah dengan promoter dari cytomegalovirus manusia (hCMV), elongation factor 1a (mEF1a) dan b-actin (mbAct) dari ikan medaka, untuk membuat konstruksi plasmid yang berturut-turut disebut sebagai hCMV-OmD6FAD, mEF1a- OmD6FAD dan mbAct-OmD6FAD. Konstruksi tersebut dengan konsentrasi 30mg/ml disuntikkan ke embrio pada saat fase satu sel. Individu transgenik diidentifikasi menggunakan PCR dan tingkat ekspresi transgen dianalisa dengan RT-PCR.   Hasil menunjukkan bahwa tingkat ekspresi sementara yang tertinggi dari gen asing adalah diperoleh dari konstruksi mbAct-OmD6FAD, diikuti selanjutnya oleh EF1a-OmD6FAD dan hCMV- OmD6FAD. Transgen telah ditransmisikan ke ikan generasi F2 dengan mengikuti pola segregasi Mendel. Tingkat ekspresi transgen yang tinggi pada jaringan ikan F2 yang diperiksa telah diperoleh.  Dengan demikian, sebuah sistem transgenik untuk memodifikasi biosistesa asam lemak pada ikan telah dikembangkan.  Kata kunci: promoter, desaturase asam lemak, transgenik, ikan zebra, ikan salmon mas

Non-Universal Power Law of the "Hall Scattering Rate" in a Single-Layer Cuprate Bi_{2}Sr_{2-x}La_{x}CuO_{6}

In-plane resistivity \rho_{ab}, Hall coefficient, and magnetoresistance (MR) are measured in a series of high-quality Bi_{2}Sr_{2-x}La_{x}CuO_{6} crystals with various carrier concentrations, from underdope to overdope. Our crystals show the highest T_c (33 K) and the smallest residual resistivity ever reported for Bi-2201 at optimum doping. It is found that the temperature dependence of the Hall angle obeys a power law T^n with n systematically decreasing with increasing doping, which questions the universality of the Fermi-liquid-like T^2 dependence of the "Hall scattering rate". In particular, the Hall angle of the optimally-doped sample changes as T^{1.7}, not as T^2, while \rho_{ab} shows a good T-linear behavior. The systematics of the MR indicates an increasing role of spin scattering in underdoped samples.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Muscarinic receptor localization and function in rabbit carotid body

Producción CientíficaAcetylcholine and muscarinic agonists inhibit chemosensory activity in the rabbit carotid sinus nerve (CSN). Because the mechanism of this inhibition is poorly understood, we have investigated the kinetics and distribution of muscarinic receptors in the rabbit carotid body with the specific muscarinic antagonist [SH]quinuclidinylbenzitate ([3H]QNB). Equilibrium binding experiments identified displaceable binding sites (1/~M atropine) with a K d = 71.46 pM and a Bm~ x = 9.23 pmol/g tissue. These binding parameters and the pharmacology of the displaceable [SH]QNB binding sites are similar to specific muscannic receptors identified in numerous other nervous, muscular and glandular tissues. Comparisons of specific binding in normal and chronic CSN-denervated carotid bodies suggest that musearinic receptors are absent on afferent terminals in the carotid body; however, nearly 50% of the specific [3H]QNB binding is lost following chronic sympathectomy, suggesting the presence of presynaptic muscarinic receptors on the sympathetic innervation supplying the carotid body vasculature. Autoradiographic studies have localized the remainder of [3H]QNB binding sites to Iobules of type I and type II parenchymal cells. In separate experiments, the muscarinic agonists, oxotremorine (100/~M) and bethanechol (100 ~tM) were shown to inhibit both the release of catecholamines and the increased CSN activity evoked by nicotine (50/~M) stimulation of the in vitro carotid body, Our data suggest that muscarinic inhibition in the rabbit carotid body is mediated by receptors located on type I cells which are able to modulate the excitatory actions of acetylcholine at nicotinic sites