Conservation and molecular dissection of ROUGH SHEATH2 and ASYMMETRIC LEAVES1 function in leaf development.

Maize ROUGH SHEATH2 (RS2) and Arabidopsis ASYMMETRIC LEAVES1 (AS1) are orthologous Myb-related genes required for leaf development and act as negative regulators of class 1 KNOTTED1-like homeobox (KNOX) genes in leaf primordia. Expression of RS2 in Arabidopsis fully complements as1 leaf phenotypes and represses the expression of the KNOX gene KNAT1 in leaves. Whereas loss of AS1 function in Arabidopsis results in rounded, lobed leaves with shorter and wider petioles, overexpression of either RS2 or AS1 results in longer and narrower leaves with longer petioles than wild type.

Efficacy of tear eosinophil cationic protein level measurement using filter paper for diagnosing allergic conjunctival disorders.

Purpose: We investigated the efficacy of the tear sampling method using a filter paper to evaluate eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels in patients with allergic disorders.

Methods: Subjects were an allergic group comprising patients with allergic conjunctivitis, vernal keratoconjunctivitis, or atopic keratoconjunctivitis, a Sjögren group comprising patients with secondary Sjögren syndrome, and a control group comprising healthy volunteers. Tears were sampled using the Schirmer Method I and the sample was eluted from the filter paper in 50 microL of elution solution containing phosphate buffer solution with 0.

Histological study of conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue in mouse.

Purpose: To investigate conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT) in the mouse conjunctiva by histological methods.

Methods: The presumed follicular tissue in the conjunctiva of normal mice, age ranging from 4 to 6 weeks, was histologically investigated by the hematoxylin-eosin staining method. Next, we treated the mice with topical instillation of a combined solution of ovalbumin and cholera toxin B to investigate the morphological changes of conjunctival follicles to antigen challenge.

Three-dimensional progression of programmed death in the rice coleoptile.

Plant death during development is a highly orchestrated process at the cellular, tissue, organ, and whole-plant levels. The process toward death is endogenously programmed in plants. With our original approach called "three-dimensional analysis" using the rice coleoptile, we revealed detailed morphological alterations in the progression of senescence and programmed cell death involved in the air space (aerenchyma) formation at both tissue and cellular levels.

An mt(+) gamete-specific nuclease that targets mt(-) chloroplasts during sexual reproduction in C. reinhardtii.

Although the active digestion of mating-type minus (mt-) chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) in young zygotes is considered to be the basis for the uniparental inheritance of cpDNA in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, little is known about the underlying molecular mechanism. One model of active digestion proposes that nucleases are either synthesized or activated to digest mt- cpDNA. We used a native-PAGE/in gelo assay to investigate nuclease activities in chloroplasts from young zygotes, and identified a novel Ca(2+)-dependent nuclease activity.

[Histological study of conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue in mice].

Purpose: To investigate conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT) in mouse conjunctiva.

Method: We examined normal mice, ranging in age from 4 to 6 weeks, to investigate the presence of follicular tissue histologically. Next, we treated mice by topical instillation of ovalbumin and cholera toxin B, and then examined conjunctival follicles by immunohistological methods.

Phosphorylation of a bifunctional enzyme, 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphate 2-phosphatase, is regulated physiologically and developmentally in rosette leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana.

The phosphorylation status of 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphate 2-phosphatase (EC 2.7.1.

[Histological study of the effect of conjunctival transplantation on rabbit cornea with alkali burned].

Purpose: A histopathological study to investigate the efficacy of conjunctival auto-transplantation on alkaline chemical burns of the ocular surface.

Material And Methods: An alkaline chemical burn model was developed in one eye of rabbits using 0.1 N NaOH solution.

[Immunohistochemical study of interstitial keratitis in an animal model].

Purpose: We performed an immunohistochemical study on the development of interstitial keratitis in a rabbit model sensitized by ovalbumin (OA).

Methods: A mixture of OA (5 micrograms/ml) and Freund's complete adjuvant was initially injected subcutaneously (0.4 ml) into the rabbits' back and footpad (0.

Immunosuppressive effect of cholera toxin B on allergic conjunctivitis model in guinea pig.

Purpose: To investigate the new method of immunotherapy using cholera toxin B (CTB) in experimental allergic conjunctivitis.

Methods: We used 21 white Hartley guinea pigs. The animals were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin (100 microg/mL) and albumin hydroxide (5 mg/mL) repeated after an interval of 2 weeks.

Dark-inducible genes from Arabidopsis thaliana are associated with leaf senescence and repressed by sugars.

We have isolated 5 cDNA clones (din2, din6, din9, din10 and din11) corresponding to genes, the transcripts of which accumulated in leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana kept in the dark. These cDNA clones encode proteins similar to beta-glucosidase (EC 3.2.

Immunosuppressive effect of cholera toxin B on allergic conjunctivitis model in the guinea Pig.

Purpose: To investigate the immunosuppressive effects of mucosal immune therapy in experimental allergic conjunctivitis.Method: We used 11 white Hartrey guinea pigs divided into two groups. Six animals (treated group) received pretreatment with topical instillation of cholera toxin B (4 &mgr;g/30 ml) and ovalbumin (10 &mgr;g/30 ml).

Comparative study of effects of impact tone and steady state tone exposure: EP and concentration of K+ ion and Na+ ion.

To test the adequacy of equal energy principle (EEP), guinea pigs were exposed to impact tone. The changes in electrophysiological data, namely endocochlear potential (EP) and the change in K+ ion and Na+ ion concentrations in the endolymph were investigated. The frequency of impact tone was 1 pulse/second or 1 pulse/3 seconds.

[Immunosuppressive effect of cholera toxin B on allergic conjunctivitis model in the guinea pig].

Purpose: To investigate the immunosuppressive effects of mucosal immune therapy in experimental allergic conjunctivitis.

Method: We used 11 white Hartrey guinea pigs divided into two groups. Six animals (treated group) received pretreatment with topical instillation of cholera toxin B (4 micrograms/30 ml) and ovalbumin (10 micrograms/30 ml).

The effects of tone exposure on the inner ear functions in the guinea pig: impact tone vs. steady state tone.

The damage-risk criterion (DRC) for hearing supposes that sound exposure with equal energy implies equal risk for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). We measured cochlear microphonics (CM), compound action potential (CAP), endocochlear potential (EP) and K+ ion concentration in the scala media, to see if the same level of Leq24h (impact tone and steady state tone) induced the same physiological changes in the inner ear function or not. Regarding the equal energy principle (EEP), we also examined if the EEP is appropriate or not at exposure of moderate level tone.

Induced mutations in M13mp2 phage DNA exposed to N-nitrosopyrrolidine with UVA irradiation.

It is known that N-nitrosopyrrolidine (NPYR), a carcinogen in rodents, is metabolically activated by microsomal cytochrome P450 to form an alpha-hydroxylated derivative, which induces mutations. The mutations have been demonstrated by use of Salmonella typhimurium and Escherichia coli. We discovered directly acting mutagenicity of NPYR plus ultraviolet light-A (UVA) in bacteria and phage.

Transcriptional activities of the chloroplast-nuclei and proplastid-nuclei isolated from tobacco exhibit different sensitivities to tagetitoxin: implication of the presence of distinct RNA polymerases.

We examined the effects of tagetitoxin, a potent inhibitor of RNA polymerases from chloroplasts and Escherichia coli, on the transcriptional activities of chloroplast- and proplastid-nuclei (nucleoids) isolated from mature tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) leaves and cultured tobacco cells (line BY-2), respectively. Transcription by the isolated chloroplast-nuclei was effectively inhibited by tagetitoxin (95-99% reduction at 10 microM tagetitoxin), but transcription by the isolated proplastid-nuclei was only partially inhibited (40-50% reduction) by this compound.

Iron-chlorophyllin-mediated conversion of 3-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2(NHOH)) into its nitroso derivative.

Early work from our laboratory has shown that the mutagenicity of heterocyclic amines in Salmonella can be inhibited by hemin and chlorophyllins. We have speculated that the inhibition is a result of complex formation between heterocyclic amines and the pigments, and the speculation has been given a line of experimental evidence. We have now found that ferric-chlorophyllin (Fe-chlorophyllin) can modify the mutagenicity of 3-hydroxyamino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4, 3-b]indole (Trp-P-2(NHOH)), a metabolically activated form of 3-amino-1-methyl-5H-pyrido[4,3-b]indole (Trp-P-2).

Three-dimensional analysis of the senescence program in rice (Oryza sativa L.) coleoptiles. Investigations of tissues and cells by fluorescence microscopy.

The coleoptile of rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Nippon-bare) emerges from an imbibed seed on day 2 after sowing.

Immunohistochemical study on follicular dendritic cell of conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue.

We performed an immunohistochemical study of follicular dendritic cells (FDC) in the follicular area of the conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT). Hartley guinea pigs were sensitized with a topical application of an emulsion of ovalbumin and Freund's complete adjuvant in the eye. They were divided into four groups.

[Histological examination of lymphoid follicles in conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue in guinea pigs--Report 1. Histological characteristics of follicular dendritic cells].

We histologically examined the existence of follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) in the follicular area of conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT). Animals used in the experiment were Hartley guinea pigs sensitized with a topical application to the eyes of an emulsion of a mixture of ovalbumin and Freund's complete adjuvant in equal amounts. The animals were divided into 4 groups: a group with no eye drops administered (Group A), a group examined 1 week after administration of eye-drops (Group B-1), a group examined 2 weeks after administration (Group B-2), and a group given booster administration of eye-drops (Group C).

[An immunohistological study on a failed case of keratoepithelioplasty form alkali burn on the ocular surface].

We performed immunohistochemical study on a failed case of keratoepithelioplasty (KEP). A 33-year-old man underwent KEP with lammellar keratoplasty (LKP) for an alkali burn suffered 5 years previously. After several rejections, the cornea developed opacity.

[A morphological study of lymphocyte homing in conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue].

High endothelial venule (HEV) is an important component of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue and plays a role in the homing phenomenon of lymphocytes. We investigated the presence of HEVs in conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT) using guinea pigs sensitized with ovalbumin. Electron microscopy showed characteristic findings for HEVs in the parafollicular area of the CALT.

[Distribution of S-100 protein positive cells in conjunctiva].

We compared the distribution of S-100 protein positive cells in normal conjunctiva and in an induced allergic conjunctivitis model using Hartley strain guinea pigs. The animals were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection of ovoalbumin solution with hydroxy aluminum, followed by topical application of the ovoalbumin solution. The primary antibody was antibovine brain S-100 positive antibody, detected by the avidin biotin complex method.

[Study of PyNPase activity in patients with gastric cancer--the association with preoperative IAP values].

5'-DFUR manifests its antitumor activity after being converted to 5-FU by pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase (PyNPase), an enzyme having high activity in tumor tissue. We surgically removed tissue samples weighing at least 1 g from 28 patients with gastric cancer and measured the PyNPase activity. The tissue samples were taken from gastric carcinomas, normal gastric tissue, metastasis-positive lymph nodes, metastasis-negative lymph nodes, small intestine, spleen, and other organs.