Education and Training in Developmental Disabilities

Perceptions of intellectual disability largely determine attitudes Method Participants Participants were parents (or guardians) of the pupils in 11 elementary schools in Kasugai, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. The 11 schools were selected randomly from all schools (n ϭ 37) in Kasugai. A questionnaire was distributed by teachers to all families (n ϭ 2758) whose children were in attendance. Responses were collected in December, 2000. There were 2381 respondents (females ϭ 2151), males ϭ 230). Mean (SD) respondent age was 38.2 (5.0) with a range of 23-65 years. Questionnaire The questionnaire had five main sections. In the first, 16 Likert-type questions on attitudes We express our appreciation to the Municipa

Increase of S-100 protein-positive stellate cells in the anterior pituitary of chronic alcoholic patients with fatty liver or fatty cirrhosis.

Healthy subjects 40 years old were used as controls in a study of stellate cells (S-100 protein-containing cells, or S-100 cells) in subjects with chronic alcoholism and fatty liver or fatty cirrhosis. S-100 cells were sparsely found in the adenohypophysis of control subjects, and these cells sometimes formed small clusters. However, in chronic alcoholics with fatty liver or fatty cirrhosis, the number of stellate cells in the anterior pituitary tended to be 17 times higher than it was in the control group. No increase in the number of S-100 positive cells that constitute the large and small follicles in the intermediate pituitary. The physiological function of the S-100 protein has not yet been identified. The fact that an increase in prolactin-secreting and growth hormone-secreting cells, as well as a decrease in gonadotrophs were observed in the hypophysis of alcoholics suggests that the function of stellate cells may be closely related to these phenomena. Our results also imply that the stellate cells found in the anterior and intermediate pituitary differ in function although they both produce S-100 proteins.</p

Role of adenohypophyseal mixed cell-follicles in age estimation.

In this study we used paraffin-embedded human pituitary obtained from 248 autopsy cases and identified mixed cell follicles by the immunohistochemical method. We examined the number and size of the mixed cell follicles, and the ratio of each component cell of these follicles, in the anterior pituitary at various age groups. The number of follicles increased with age, and the size of the follicles also tended to enlarge with age. Statistical analysis showed that a high correlation existed between age and the number or the size of the mixed cell-follicles formed by various adenohypophyseal cells. In addition, when the proportions of the different cell types that formed the follicles were examined, sex differences were observed with aging for the GH cells, the PRL cells, and the gonadotroph (GTH) cells, while no changes were observed with aging in both men and women for the ACTH cells and TSH cells. These results indicate that the number, size, and ratio of each component cell of follicles in the anterior pituitary are adequately applicable for the purpose of age estimation in routine forensic medicine.</p

Temporal and Spatial Cellular Distribution of Neural Crest Derivatives and Alpha Cells during Islet Development

Recent studies have revealed that signals from neural crest (NC) derivatives regulate the mass, proliferation, and maturation of beta cells in developing fetal pancreas. However, little is known about the cellular distribution of NC derivatives during pancreatic development or the process whereby the developing islets are enclosed. We studied the temporal and spatial distribution of NC derivatives and endocrine cells at each developmental stage. At embryonic day 10.5 (E10.5) of mouse embryo, NC derivatives that migrated to the prospective pancreatic region were distributed in close proximity to pancreatic epithelial cells. As development advanced, most NC derivatives progressively surrounded endocrine rather than exocrine cells, and were distributed in closer proximity to alpha cells rather than to beta cells. At E20, approximately 70% of the NC derivatives enclosing endocrine cells were distributed in close proximity to alpha cells. Moreover, the expression of SynCAM, a Ca2+-independent homophilic trans-cell adhesion molecule, was confirmed from E16.5 on and was more remarkable at the cell boundaries of alpha cells and NC derivatives. These findings suggest that NC derivatives might be distributed in close proximity to alpha cells as a result of homophilic binding of SynCAM expressed by alpha cells and NC derivatives during islet development

Age Estimation Using S-100 Protein-Positive Stellate Cells in Anterior Pituitary

We examined the embryonic development as well as postnatal development of S-100 protein-positive stellate cells in the anterior lobe of human hypophysis using immunohistochemical method, and investigated the possibility of using the frequency of the stellate cells for age estimation. A definite positive correlation was observed between the proportion of the stellate cell and age, in both males (r = 0.987) and females (r = 0.986). The linear regression equation was y = 0.206x - 1.82 for males and y = 0.239x - 2.22 for females (x: age, y: percentage of 5-100 protein-positive stellate cells). Although the reason for an increase in stellate cells with age remains unknown, the present results indicate that the proportion of stellate cells in the anterior pituitary can be applied reliably to estimate age

Clinicopathologic Analysis of Sinonasal Inverted Papilloma, with Focus on Human Papillomavirus Infection Status

Sinonasal inverted papilloma (SNIP) can recur; however, the factors related to tumor recurrence remain unclear. This study aimed to analyze risk factors, including human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, as well as other factors associated with SNIP recurrence. Thirty-two patients who were diagnosed with SNIP and underwent surgery between 2010 and 2019 were enrolled: 24 men and 8 women, with a mean age of 59.2 years. The mean follow-up was 57.3 months. Demographics and information about history of smoking, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, allergic rhinitis, alcohol consumption, tumor stage, surgical approach, and recurrence were reviewed retrospectively. Specimens were investigated using polymerase chain reaction to detect HPV DNA (high-risk subtypes: 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 52b, and 58; low-risk subtypes: 6 and 11). Seven patients (21.9%) experienced recurrence. HPV DNA was detected in five (15.6%) patients (high-risk subtypes, n = 2; low-risk subtypes, n = 3). Patients with recurrence of SNIP had a higher proportion of young adults and displayed higher rates of HPV infection, DM, and advanced tumor stage than those without recurrence. HPV infection, young adulthood, DM, and advanced tumor stage could be associated with a high recurrence rate, which suggests that patients with these risk factors could require close follow-up after surgery

Ex Vivo Gene Therapy Treats Bone Complications of Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II Mouse Models through Bone Remodeling Reactivation

Mucopolysaccharidosis type II is a disease caused by organ accumulation of glycosaminoglycans due to iduronate 2-sulfatase deficiency. This study investigated the pathophysiology of the bone complications associated with mucopolysaccharidosis II and the effect of lentivirus-mediated gene therapy of hematopoietic stem cells on bone lesions of mucopolysaccharidosis type II mouse models in comparison with enzyme replacement therapy. Bone volume, density, strength, and trabecular number were significantly higher in the untreated mucopolysaccharidosis type II mice than in wild-type mice. Accumulation of glycosaminoglycans caused reduced bone metabolism. Specifically, persistent high serum iduronate 2-sulfatase levels and release of glycosaminoglycans from osteoblasts and osteoclasts in mucopolysaccharidosis type II mice that had undergone gene therapy reactivated bone lineage remodeling, subsequently reducing bone mineral density, strength, and trabecular number to a similar degree as that observed in wild-type mice. Bone formation, resorption parameters, and mineral density in the diaphysis edge did not appear to have been affected by the irradiation administered as a pre-treatment for gene therapy. Hence, the therapeutic effect of gene therapy on the bone complications of mucopolysaccharidosis type II mice possibly outweighed that of enzyme replacement therapy in many aspects.Wada M., Shimada Y., Iizuka S., et al. Ex Vivo Gene Therapy Treats Bone Complications of Mucopolysaccharidosis Type II Mouse Models through Bone Remodeling Reactivation. Molecular Therapy - Methods and Clinical Development, 19, 261. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.omtm.2020.09.012