Homeostatic Mass Control in Gastric Non-Neoplastic Epithelia under Infection of Helicobacter pylori: An Immunohistochemical Analysis of Cell Growth, Stem Cells and Programmed Cell Death

We evaluated homeostatic mass control in non-neoplastic gastric epithelia under Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection in the macroscopically normal-appearing mucosa resected from the stomach with gastric cancer, immunohistochemically analyzing the proliferation, kinetics of stem cells and programmed cell death occurring in them. Ki67 antigen-positive proliferating cells were found dominantly in the elongated neck portion, sparsely in the fundic areas and sporadically in the stroma with chronic infiltrates. CD117 could monitor the kinetics of gastric stem cells and showed its expression in two stages of gastric epithelial differentiation, namely, in transient cells from the gastric epithelial stem cells to the foveolar and glandular cells in the neck portion and in what are apparently progenitor cells from the gastric stem cells in the stroma among the infiltrates. Most of the nuclei were positive for ssDNA in the almost normal mucosa, suggesting DNA damage. Cleaved caspase-3-positive foveolar cells were noted under the surface, suggesting the suppression of apoptosis in the surface foveolar cells. Besides such apoptosis of the foveolar cells, in the severely inflamed mucosa apoptotic cells were found in the neck portion where most of the cells were Ki67 antigen-positive proliferating cells. Beclin-1 was recognized in the cytoplasm and in a few nuclei of the fundic glandular cells, suggesting their autophagic cell death and mutated beclin-1 in the nuclei. Taken together, the direct and indirect effects of HP infection on the gastric epithelial proliferation, differentiation and programmed cell death suggested the in-situ occurrence of gastric cancer under HP infection

GEANT4 : a simulation toolkit

Abstract Geant4 is a toolkit for simulating the passage of particles through matter. It includes a complete range of functionality including tracking, geometry, physics models and hits. The physics processes offered cover a comprehensive range, including electromagnetic, hadronic and optical processes, a large set of long-lived particles, materials and elements, over a wide energy range starting, in some cases, from 250 eV and extending in others to the TeV energy range. It has been designed and constructed to expose the physics models utilised, to handle complex geometries, and to enable its easy adaptation for optimal use in different sets of applications. The toolkit is the result of a worldwide collaboration of physicists and software engineers. It has been created exploiting software engineering and object-oriented technology and implemented in the C++ programming language. It has been used in applications in particle physics, nuclear physics, accelerator design, space engineering and medical physics. PACS: 07.05.Tp; 13; 2

GEANT4--a simulation toolkikt

Geant4 is a toolkit for simulating the passage of particles through matter. It includes a complete range of functionality including tracking, geometry, physics models and hits. The physics processes offered cover a comprehensive range, including electromagnetic, hadronic and optical processes, a large set of long-lived particles, materials and elements, over a wide energy range starting, in some cases, from 250 eV and extending in others to the TeV energy range. It has been designed and constructed to expose the physics models utilised, to handle complex geometries, and to enable its easy adaptation for optimal use in different sets of applications. The toolkit is the result of a worldwide collaboration of physicists and software engineers. It has been created exploiting software engineering and object-oriented technology and implemented in the C++ programming language. It has been used in applications in particle physics, nuclear physics, accelerator design, space engineering and medical physics

Zebrafish Kidney Phagocytes Utilize Macropinocytosis and Ca2+-Dependent Endocytic Mechanisms

Background: The innate immune response constitutes the first line of defense against invading pathogens and consists of a variety of immune defense mechanisms including active endocytosis by macrophages and granulocytes. Endocytosis can be used as a reliable measure of selective and non-selective mechanisms of antigen uptake in the early phase of an immune response. Numerous assays have been developed to measure this response in a variety of mammalian and fish species. The small size of the zebrafish has prevented the large-scale collection of monocytes/macrophages and granulocytes for these endocytic assays. Methodology/Principal Findings: Pooled zebrafish kidney hematopoietic tissues were used as a source of phagocytic cells for flow-cytometry based endocytic assays. FITC-Dextran, Lucifer Yellow and FITC-Edwardsiella ictaluri were used to evaluate selective and non-selective mechanisms of uptake in zebrafish phagocytes. Conclusions/Significance: Zebrafish kidney phagocytes characterized as monocytes/macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes utilize macropinocytosis and Ca 2+-dependant endocytosis mechanisms of antigen uptake. These cells do not appear to utilize a mannose receptor. Heat-killed Edwardsiella ictaluri induces cytoskeletal interactions for internalization in zebrafish kidney monocytes/macrophages and granulocytes. The proposed method is easy to implement and should prove especially useful in immunological, toxicological and epidemiological research

Strontium isotopic geochemistry of Pan-African/Brasiliano rocks, Chapada copper deposit, Goiás, Brazil

Das Trägergestein der Chapada Kupferlagerstätte in Goiás ist in metamorpher Hoch-Amphibolitfazies ausgebildet. Gesamtgesteins- und individuelle Mineral Rb-Sr-Isochronen mit einem 87 Sr/ 86 Sr-Initialwert (I) von 0,70414±0.00005 ergeben für die Kristallisation der Vulkanite und Magmatite, die die Metamorphose vordatieren, ein Alter von 561±9 Mio Jahre. Die Datierung der Metamorphose während der panafrikanisch/brasilianischen Orogenese (700 bis 450 Mio Jahre) ergibt 532±1 Mio Jahre. Das Mineral-Isochronenalter eines Dioritkörpers porphyrischen Gefüges, der in die Schiefer intrudierte, beträgt 534±16 Mio Jahre (I=0,70415 ±0,00004). Das Ergebnis niedriger Initial-Werte dieser Isochronen ergibt für die Schiefer bei Chapada ein Ausgangs-Material im Bereich des oberen Mantels oder der tieferen Kruste; diese Ausgangswerte sind charakteristisch für magmatische Tätigkeit in Verbindung mit Inselbögen. Das unterkambrische Alter des Trägergesteins bei Chapada steht im Widerspruch zu dem bisher angenommenen mittelproterozoischen Alter und ist ein Hinweis auf eine mögliche Phase intensiverer pan-afrikanisch/brasilianischer magmatischer Aktivität in Zentral-Brasilien als ursprünglich angenommen wurde. Whole rock and mineral Rb-Sr isochrons from the upper amphibolite grade metamorphic host rocks of the Chapada copper deposit in Goiás, Brazil, yield an age of 561±9 Ma, with a 87 Sr/ 86 Sr initial (I) of 0.70414±0.00005, for the crystallization of pre-metamorphic volcanic and igneous rocks and 532 ±1 Ma for their metamorphism during the Pan-African/Brasiliano orogeny (700-450 Ma). A porphyritic diorite stock which intruded the host schists yields a mineral isochron age of 534±16 Ma (I=0.70415±0.00004). The low I values determined from these isochrons suggest that the host schists at Chapada were derived from upper mantle or lower crust material and are characteristic of magmatic products associated with island arcs. The Early Cambrian age of the host rocks at Chapada contradicts the previously assigned mid-Proterozoic age and suggests that Pan-African/Brasiliano magmatic activity may have been more extensive in central Brazil than previously thought. Les roches qui contiennent le gisement de cuivre de Chapada (Goias, Brésil) sont des schistes cristallins appartenent au facies dupérieur des amphibolites. Dans des volcanites et des roches orthomagmatiques appartenant à cet ensemble, des isochrones Rb-Sr sur roches totales et sur minéraux donnent un âge de 561±9 Ma avec un rapport initial de 0,70414±0,00005 pour la cristallisation pré-métamorphique et un âge de 532±1 Ma pour le métamorphisme, lié à l'orogenèse pan-africaine / brésilienne. Un pluton de diorite porphyrique, qui intrude les schistes cristallins donne, par isochrone sur minéraux, un âge de 534±16 Ma (rapport initial de 0,70415±0,00004). Les valeurs basses des rapports initiaux de ces diverses roches suggèrent que les schistes de Chapada sont dérivés de matériaux mantelliques ou crustaux profonds et présentent les caractères des produits magmatiques associés aux arcs insulaires. Leur âge éo-cambrien, en contradiction avec l'âge mésoprotérozoïque admis jusqu'ici, permet de penser que l'activité magmatique pan-africaine/brésilienne dans le centre du Brésil a été plus intense que ce qu'on croyait jusqu'ici. Вмещающие породы зал ежи меди Chapada в Goiбs представляют собой а мфиболитовую фацию в ысшей степени метаморфизм а. Цельная порода и отд ельные минералы дают для кри сталлизации вулкани тов и магматитов до метаморфизма нача льное значение соотн ошения стронция в 0,70414±0,00005, что раз решает принять их возраст в 561± 9 Мио лет, а возраст мет аморфизма в 532±1 Мио, т. е. отнести его к периоду панафриканского -бра зильского орогенеза / 700 до 450 Мио /. При определении в озраста минералов из диоритных тел порфиритовых тек стур, интрудированны х в сланец, получили дат ы в 534±16 Мио лет / 1 = 0,70415 = 0,00004 /. Такое низкое значе ние исходных величин соотношения изотопов разрешает п редполагать, что материал для Chapada при несен был из мантии, или глубинных регион ов коры. Эти исходные з начения характерны для магма тической деятельнос ти типа островных дуг. Во зраст вмещающих поро д считают средне-протерозойск им; это стоит в противо речии с новейшими данными, п о которым он может быт ь только нижнекембрий ским. Это также указыв ает на то, что фаза пан-африка нско-бразильской маг матической активности в централ ьной Бразилии протек ала, возможно, гораздо инт енсивнее, чем принима ли это до сих пор.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/47849/1/531_2005_Article_BF01830182.pd