Distal-less induces elemental color patterns in Junonia butterfly wings.

Background: The border ocellus, or eyespot, is a conspicuous color pattern element in butterfly wings. For two decades, it has been hypothesized that transcription factors such as Distal-less (Dll) are responsible for eyespot pattern development in butterfly wings, based on their expression in the prospective eyespots. In particular, it has been suggested that Dll is a determinant for eyespot size.

Baculovirus-mediated gene transfer in butterfly wings in vivo: an efficient expression system with an anti-gp64 antibody.

Background: Candidate genes for color pattern formation in butterfly wings have been known based on gene expression patterns since the 1990s, but their functions remain elusive due to a lack of a functional assay. Several methods of transferring and expressing a foreign gene in butterfly wings have been reported, but they have suffered from low success rates or low expression levels. Here, we developed a simple, practical method to efficiently deliver and express a foreign gene using baculovirus-mediated gene transfer in butterfly wings in vivo.

Immunohistochemical detection of olfactory-specific sensory transduction proteins in olfactory neuroblastoma.

Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) is a malignant tumor found in the superior nasal cavity. Although there is not adequate molecular evidence, ONB is considered to develop from olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). Here, we immunohistochemically detected intense signals for the olfactory-specific sensory transduction proteins, G(αolf), adenylyl cyclase III, and cyclic-nucleotide-gated channel A2 in ONB, together with the conventional ONB marker, neuron-specific enolase, while the established OSN markers, olfactory marker protein and growth-associated protein 43, were not detected.

The proto-oncogene BCL6 promotes survival of olfactory sensory neurons.

For the mammalian olfactory epithelium to continually detect odorant, neuronal survival, apoptosis, and regeneration must be coordinated. Here, we showed that the proto-oncogene BCL6, which encodes a transcriptional repressor required for lymphocyte terminal differentiation, contributes to the survival of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). In the olfactory epithelia of the BCL6 null mutant mice, many OSNs were positive for both OMP and GAP43.

[A case of 5-fluorouracil-induced hyperammmonia after chemotherapy for metastatic colon cancer].

A 79-year-old woman with colon cancer and multiple liver metastases was admitted to our hospital for systemic chemotherapy. She underwent first cycle of modified FOLFOX6 chemotherapy. She was confused on treatment day 5.

An autopsy case of a primary aortoenteric fistula: a pitfall of the endoscopic diagnosis.

A primary aortoenteric fistula (PAEF), defined as a communication between the native aorta and the gastrointestinal tract, is a rare cause of gastrointestinal bleeding. The preoperative diagnosis of PAEF is extremely difficult. Consequently, PAEF may cause sudden and unexpected death.

Successful long-term treatment with cyclosporin A in protein losing gastroenteropathy.

Protein-losing gastroenteropathy (PLG) can occur as a manifestation of various diseases including autoimmune disorders, and optimal therapy of these underlying diseases may be the only effective remedy for PLG. In the present report, we describe a case of a 54-year-old woman with PLG associated with an autoimmune disease, presumably CREST syndrome. She failed to respond to steroid treatment.

Pulseless hematochezia: Takayasu's arteritis associated with ulcerative colitis.

A 36-year-old woman with ulcerative colitis presented with fever, chest and back pain, and fatigue sensation of the arm. Her upper limb pulses were absent. Angiography showed multiple aneurysms of the aorta and its branches, consistent with Takayasu's arteritis.

Alcoholic liver cirrhosis complicated with torsade de pointes during plasma exchange and hemodiafiltration.

A 36-year-old man with severe alcoholic hepatitis was treated with plasma exchange combined with hemodiafiltration to remove endotoxins and inflammatory cytokines. During the treatment, he had critical arrhythmia (torsade de pointes [TdP]). His laboratory data showed hypomagnesemia, which was suspected to be responsible for the development of TdP.

Prolonged NOS inhibition in the brain elevates blood pressure in normotensive rats.

Systemic inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) evokes hypertension, which is enhanced by salt loading, partly via augmented sympathetic activity. We investigated whether inhibition of brain NOS elevates blood pressure (BP) in normotensive rats and, if so, whether the BP elevation is enhanced by salt loading. After a 2-wk low-salt (0.

Brain angiotensin II contributes to the development of hypertension in Dahl-Iwai salt-sensitive rats.

Objective: To examine the role of brain angiotensin II in the development of salt-induced hypertension in Dahl-Iwai salt-sensitive (DIS) rats.

Methods: Male DIS and Dahl-Iwai salt-resistant (DIR) rats aged 5 or 6 weeks were implanted with an intracerebroventricular cannula, and either chronic intracerebroventricular infusion of 5 micrograms/day CV-11974, a non-peptide type-1 angiotensin II receptor antagonist or artificial cerebrospinal fluid (aCSF) was started. The rats were fed a diet containing 8% sodium chloride.