Morphological properties of Al-doped ZnO nano/microstructures

We discussed the morphological properties of Al-doped zinc oxide (Al–ZnO) microrods grown on a ZnO seed layer and precipitation particles and compared them with undoped ZnO samples. The ZnO nanorods grown on a ZnO seed layer were dense and perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, i.e., fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO). In contrast the Al–ZnO grew as larger microrods, and the rods were sparsely and obliquely arranged. Precipitation particles synthesized in the ZnO solution through homogeneous nucleation had flower-like structures assembled from the rods and individual rods with lengths of several micrometers. Al–ZnO precipitation particles consisted of rods with length of several micrometers and hexagonal nanoplates. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis results showed that the rods and precipitation particles had the good chemical properties of ZnO. Both size and morphology of the rods could be effectively controlled by adding aluminum nitrate (Al(NO3)3) as dopant in the ZnO rod solution.journal articl

7 平成13年度県立小出病院精神神経科におけるコンサルテーション・リエゾン統計(第5回新潟GHP研究会)

departmental bulletin pape

附属4校園及び教育委員会との協働によるユニバーサルデザイン授業の普及啓発事業 : その到達点と今後の方向性

departmental bulletin pape

Integrative analysis of methylome and transcriptome in human blood identifies extensive sex- and immune cell-specific differentially methylated regions

<div><p>The relationship between DNA methylation and gene expression is complex and elusive. To further elucidate these relations, we performed an integrative analysis of the methylome and transcriptome of 4 circulating immune cell subsets (B cells, monocytes, CD4⁺, and CD8⁺ T cells) from healthy females. Additionally, in light of the known sex bias in the prevalence of several immune-mediated diseases, the female datasets were compared with similar public available male data sets. Immune cell-specific differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were found to be highly similar between sexes, with an average correlation coefficient of 0.82; however, numerous sex-specific DMRs, shared by the cell subsets, were identified, mainly on autosomal chromosomes. This provides a list of highly interesting candidate genes to be studied in disorders with sexual dimorphism, such as autoimmune diseases. Immune cell-specific DMRs were mainly located in the gene body and intergenic region, distant from CpG islands but overlapping with enhancer elements, indicating that distal regulatory elements are important in immune cell specificity. In contrast, sex-specific DMRs were overrepresented in CpG islands, suggesting that the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms of sex and immune cell specificity may differ. Both positive and, more frequently, negative correlations between subset-specific expression and methylation were observed, and cell-specific DMRs of both interactions were associated with similar biological pathways, while sex-specific DMRs were linked to networks of early development or estrogen receptor and immune-related molecules. Our findings of immune cell- and sex-specific methylome and transcriptome profiles provide novel insight on their complex regulatory interactions and may particularly contribute to research of immune-mediated diseases.</p></div

data_sheet_1_Cultured Human Thymic-Derived Cells Display Medullary Thymic Epithelial Cell Phenotype and Functionality.PDF

Thymic epithelial cells are one of the main components of the thymic microenvironment required for T-cell development. In this work, we describe an efficient method free of enzymatic and Facs-sorted methods to culture human medullary thymic epithelial cells without affecting the cell phenotypic, physiologic and functional features. Human medulla thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) are obtained by culturing thymic biopsies explants. After 7 days of primo-culture, mTECs keep their ability to express key molecules involved in immune tolerance processes such as autoimmune regulator, tissue-specific antigens, chemokines, and cytokines. In addition, the cells sensor their cultured environment and consequently adjust their gene expression network. Therefore, we describe and provide a human mTEC model that may be used to test the effect of various molecules on thymic epithelial cell homeostasis and physiology. This method should allow the investigations of the specificities and the knowledge of human mTECs in normal or pathological conditions and therefore discontinue the extrapolations done on the murine models.</p

Additional file 1 of Blocking interleukin-23 ameliorates neuromuscular and thymic defects in myasthenia gravis

Additional file 1: Figure S1. Anti-IL-23p19 treatment decreases the activation of SCs and inflammation in EAMG muscle after 2 weeks of treatment. mRNA expression of Pax7 (A), MyoD (B), MyoG (C), Il-6 (D), Il-6r (E), Tgf-β (F) and Il-17a (G) in the Tibialis anterior muscle of CFA and EAMG mice treated with or without anti-IL-23p19 antibody. mRNA analyses were performed in duplicate after 2 weeks treatment. Data were obtained from 2 independent experiments. There were n > 4 mice per group. Each point represents an individual mouse. mRNA expression were determined in duplicate by quantitative RT-PCR. mRNA levels are expressed as arbitrary unit (AU) and normalized to Cypa. P values were obtained with a t-test. P value are δ = 0.06 to 0.05; *  3 mice per treatment condition. P values were obtained using the Wilcoxon matched paired test (A–F) and an ANOVA test (G). Figure S4. Anti-IL-23p19 tends to reduce markers of eGCs in the spleens of EAMG mice. mRNA expression of Il-6 (A), Podoplanin (B) and Aid (C) in the spleens of CFA and EAMG mice treated with or without anti-IL-23p19 antibody. mRNA analyses were performed in duplicate after 2 weeks or 4 weeks of treatment by quantitative RT-PCR. For each treatment time, data were obtained from 2 independent experiments. n > 4 mice per group. Each point represents an individual mouse. The mRNA results are expressed as arbitrary unit (AU) and normalized to Gapdh. P values were obtained with an ANOVA test. P value are as follows *  4 mice per group. Each point represents an individual mouse. The mRNA results are expressed as arbitrary unit (AU) and normalized to Gapdh. P values were obtained with an ANOVA test (δ = 0.05; * < 0.05;**0.007; ***0.001; ****0.0001)

DataSheet_1_Single-cell mass cytometry on peripheral cells in Myasthenia Gravis identifies dysregulation of innate immune cells.pdf

Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a neurological autoimmune disease characterized by disabling muscle weaknesses due to anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) autoantibodies. To gain insight into immune dysregulation underlying early-onset AChR+ MG, we performed an in-depth analysis of peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMCs) using mass cytometry. PBMCs from 24 AChR+ MG patients without thymoma and 16 controls were stained with a panel of 37 antibodies. Using both unsupervised and supervised approaches, we observed a decrease in monocytes, for all subpopulations: classical, intermediate, and non-classical monocytes. In contrast, an increase in innate lymphoid cells 2 (ILC2s) and CD27- γδ T cells was observed. We further investigated the dysregulations affecting monocytes and γδ T cells in MG. We analyzed CD27- γδ T cells in PBMCs and thymic cells from AChR+ MG patients. We detected the increase in CD27- γδ T cells in thymic cells of MG patients suggesting that the inflammatory thymic environment might affect γδ T cell differentiation. To better understand changes that might affect monocytes, we analyzed RNA sequencing data from CD14+ PBMCs and showed a global decrease activity of monocytes in MG patients. Next, by flow cytometry, we especially confirmed the decrease affecting non-classical monocytes. In MG, as for other B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases, dysregulations are well known for adaptive immune cells, such as B and T cells. Here, using single-cell mass cytometry, we unraveled unexpected dysregulations for innate immune cells. If these cells are known to be crucial for host defense, our results demonstrated that they could also be involved in autoimmunity.</p

DataSheet_2_Single-cell mass cytometry on peripheral cells in Myasthenia Gravis identifies dysregulation of innate immune cells.pdf

Myasthenia Gravis (MG) is a neurological autoimmune disease characterized by disabling muscle weaknesses due to anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) autoantibodies. To gain insight into immune dysregulation underlying early-onset AChR+ MG, we performed an in-depth analysis of peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMCs) using mass cytometry. PBMCs from 24 AChR+ MG patients without thymoma and 16 controls were stained with a panel of 37 antibodies. Using both unsupervised and supervised approaches, we observed a decrease in monocytes, for all subpopulations: classical, intermediate, and non-classical monocytes. In contrast, an increase in innate lymphoid cells 2 (ILC2s) and CD27- γδ T cells was observed. We further investigated the dysregulations affecting monocytes and γδ T cells in MG. We analyzed CD27- γδ T cells in PBMCs and thymic cells from AChR+ MG patients. We detected the increase in CD27- γδ T cells in thymic cells of MG patients suggesting that the inflammatory thymic environment might affect γδ T cell differentiation. To better understand changes that might affect monocytes, we analyzed RNA sequencing data from CD14+ PBMCs and showed a global decrease activity of monocytes in MG patients. Next, by flow cytometry, we especially confirmed the decrease affecting non-classical monocytes. In MG, as for other B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases, dysregulations are well known for adaptive immune cells, such as B and T cells. Here, using single-cell mass cytometry, we unraveled unexpected dysregulations for innate immune cells. If these cells are known to be crucial for host defense, our results demonstrated that they could also be involved in autoimmunity.</p