The CD70-CD27 interaction during the stimulation with dendritic cells promotes naive CD4+ T cells to develop into T cells producing a broad array of immunostimulatory cytokines in humans

CD70 expressed on dendritic cells (DCs) has been shown to play a critical role in inducing effective CD8+ T cell responses and a Th1 response in mice. However, it has not been extensively examined whether human primary DCs express CD70 and whether the CD70–CD27 interaction promotes naive CD4+ T cells to acquire the ability to produce effector cytokines during the DC–T cell interaction in humans. Here, we show that human myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) and plasmacytoid dendritic cells stimulated with CD40 ligand together with pro-inflammatory cytokines or Toll-like receptor ligands express CD70. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin plus prostaglandin E2 also induced CD70 on mDCs. Naive CD4+ T cells stimulated with DCs but not with anti-CD3/CD28 microbeads expressed CD70. Stimulation with CD70 together with anti-CD3/CD28 microbeads imparted the ability to produce Th1 (IFN-), Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, IL-13) cytokines, IL-2 and tumor necrosis factor- to naive CD4+ T cells. The production of IFN- was associated with the induction of T-bet. Naive CD4+ T cells stimulated with mDCs acquired an enhanced ability to produce a broad array of immunostimulatory cytokines in a CD70-dependent manner. These data suggest that human CD70 expressed on mDCs and activated T cells transmits a ‘basal level’ signal, rather than a ‘polarizing’ signal, to naive CD4+ T cells, in that CD70 promotes the development of CD4+ T cells that produce a variety of effector cytokines including both Th1 and Th2 types, thus contributing to the enhancement of a broad spectrum of immune responses

Effect of Dietary Protein Restriction and Nutritional Assessment on Early-Stage Diabetic Nephropathy.

We evaluated the effects of a protein-limited diet on renal function, urinary albumin excretion and nutritional status of 16 patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (11 males and 5 females, mean age 60.5 years) had a urinary albumin excretion rate of between 15 and 200μg/min and were c1assified into two groups : group Ⅰ patients were placed on a protein-limited diet (0.77g/kg/day), and group Ⅱ followed a conventional diabetic diet (1.33g/kg/day). After six months, the value of creatinine c1earance was significantly reduced in group Ⅰ, but urinary albumin excretion did not change in either group. Anthropometric measurements revealed no significant change in body weight, body mass index, arm circumference or triceps skinfold thickness in either group during the study period, but the arm musc1ec ircumference significantly increased in group Ⅰ. No significant differences were observed in either group with regard to serum level of protein, in c1uding total protein, albumin, prealbumin or transferrin, In conc1usion, a protein-limited diet was useful for prevention of diabetic nephropathy in patients with early-stage diabetic nephropathy

Antarctic micrometeorites collected at the Dome Fuji Station

Antarctic micrometeorites (AMMs) were found among the precipitated fine particles recovered from a water tank in the Dome Fuji Station. These AMMs had been contained in the recent fallen snow around the station. Initial processing of the precipitated particles revealed that they were dominated by natural and artificial terrestrial materials, thus a series of processes were developed to separate AMMs from terrestrial particles. The recovery rate of AMMs by the processes was approximately 45% in weight, which was determined from a weight ratio of recovered/accreted AMMs. The micro-morphology and major-element concentration of the recovered AMMs were characterized. They appear to have been heated upon atmospheric entry to varying temperatures and can be classified into two major types based on the degree of heating : (1) fine-grained, irregular-shaped, partial-melted micrometeorites with chondritic composition, and (2) total-melted spherical micrometeorites with chondritic composition except for volatile elements. A digital catalog for the AMMs identified in this study was established on the web site [URL : http : //dust. cc. gakushuin. ac. jp/], in which optical characteristics, high-resolution images, and chemical compositions of individual AMMs are presented. The AMMs listed in the catalog are the first Japanese collection of extraterrestrial dust. The criterion and techniques developed for the selection and initial analysis of AMMs are applicable for the dust samples that are being collected by the 39th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition team

ビジュツカン ノ カンショウ シエン プログラム トノ レンケイ : ビジュツ サクヒン オ トオシタ ガクシュウ ノ カノウセイ

2008年徳島県立近代美術館と徳島大学国際センターは美術館を拠点とし、互いの案を出し合い連携した教育活動を企画そして実施した。地域において、芸術作品の保護と芸術に関わる教育活動を通して、生涯教育の実践を担う美術館の存在がある一方、大学は、地域に根ざし水準の高い研究と教育を推進する存在である。その中で、国際センターは留学生の日本語教育と留学生及び地域の人々の異文化理解教育の実践という二つの役割を果たさなければならない。この徳島という同じ地域に位置する両機関が、協力連携しそれぞれの教育目標を達成することを試みた。活動を進める上で、気づいた点を内省することを中心に、大学が地域の機関と今後協力して地域の国際化を含めた異文化理解教育の場となりうるかを考えるものである

A CASE OF RUPTURED MITRAL VALVE ANEURYSM DUE TO INFECTIVE ENDOCARDITIS

58-year-old woman with aortic regurgitation was admitted to our hospi- tal because of high grade fever. She had infective endocarditis and an aneurysm of the anterior mitral leaflet. Doppler echocardiography indicated a ruptured mitral valve aneurysm. Aortic regurgitant flow along the anterior mitral leaflet was suspected to have contributed to mitral valve endocarditis, aneurysm formation and rupture. She was initially treated with high-dose intravenous penicillin, but congestive heart failure worsened. Mitral valve replacement was then successfully performed

De Novo Synthesis of Possible Candidates for the Inagami–Tamura Endogenous Digitalis-like Factor

De novo synthesis of possible candidates for the Inagami–Tamura endogenous digitalis-like factor (EDLF) was achieved to validate a previously proposed structure. Our synthetic approach involves a highly regio- and diastereoselective Mizoroki–Heck reaction and a Friedel–Crafts-type cyclodehydration to construct steroidal tetracycle 14 as a versatile common intermediate leading to seven 2,14β-dihydroxyestradiol analogues 1a–c, 2a–c, and 3 as possible candidates. By comparing the potency of inhibitory activity against Na+/K+-ATPase between the synthesized candidates and the EDLF, it was found that the proposed structure is not likely to be a true structure of the Inagami–Tamura EDLF.journal articl

Comparison of bacterial contamination in fowl semen with various collecting methods

各種採精法によって得られた，ニワトリ精液の細菌汚染について比較検討した結果，広島法による精液の細薗汚染が最も少なかった.また精液からの出現薗叢の成績は，他の報告者のそれと同様の傾向を示していた.それらの成績は以下のごとく要約される. 1. 一般生菌数の成績は，BURROWS & QUINN の新，旧両法によるものが多く，広島法によるものはこれら両法によるものの約1/10 の菌量で最少を示した. 2. 汚染指標菌としての大腸菌群の成績は，コンドーム法によるものが最も多く，広島法のそれが最少であった. 3. 腸球菌群の成績は， 旧法によるものが多く，広島法によるものが最も少なかった. 4. ニワトリ精液からの出現薗種を調べた結果， Micrococcus ， Diththeroid，グラム陰性作成，Strettococcus， Enterococcus group， Coliforms ， Bacillus ， Stathylococcus の順で検出された.Bacterial contamination in fowl semen collected by four methods, Hiroshima method of the authors, Old method (Abdominal massage) and New method (Milking) of BURROWS & QUINN, and Condom method were investigated comparatively. The total bacterial count was the largest in the semen by New and Old method, and was the smallest in the one by Hiroshima method. The bacterial number in the latter semen was about one-tenth of the former. Most probable numbers of coliform bacteria and enterococcus group bacteria as an indicators of faecal contamination were the smallest in the semen by Hiroshima method, of the four collecting methods. From these results, Hiroshima method is the most useful method for collecting of semen from the cock, in the viewpoint of bacterial contamination. Examination of 16 semen samples revealed the presence of the following bacteria: Micrococcus, Diththeroid, Gram negative rods, Strettococcus, Enterococcus group, Coliforms, Bacillus and Stathylococcus.終りに本研究は文部省科学試験研究費補助金によったものであることを付記して，ここに謝意を表する