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Notes: We have investigated formation of Ge-related defects in a GeO2–SiO2 glass fiber preformed by poling with ArF laser excitation. Electric field dependence of the induced-defect concentrations was measured by means of the optical absorption. Several color centers such as the germanium electron-trapped centers and the Ge E′ center were induced. Concentrations of the induced germanium electron-trapped centers and Ge E′ center increase with increasing the electric field. Conversion efficiency from the germanium electron-trapped centers to the Ge E′ center was found to be independent of the electric field. The present result strongly suggests that the poling with ArF laser excitation is effective in the present GeO2–SiO2 glass for the formation of germanium electron-trapped centers. © 1997 American Institute of Physics.

Notes: Abstract: Activation of phospholipase D (PLD) is involved in receptor-mediated signal transduction responses. Signaling from PLD to a downstream molecule(s) appears to be mediated by the PLD product phosphatidic acid (PA). A target molecule(s) of PA, however, has not yet been identified. The present study sought to define such a target molecule(s) of PA. In bovine brain cytosol, proteins with apparent molecular weights of 29,000 (p29) and 32,000 (p32) were prominently phosphorylated in the presence of PA, but not in its absence, indicating that there is a PA-regulated protein kinase (PARK) in bovine brain that phosphorylates p29 and p32. One of these substrates, p29, was purified to near homogeneity. Its partial amino acid sequence was determined and found to be identical to that of a known brain-specific 25-kDa protein (p25). The purified p29 was also readily recognized by and immunoprecipitated with an anti-p25 antibody. These results suggest that p29 is very similar to or identical with p25. Using the purified p29 as a substrate, PARK was purified to near homogeneity. The purified PARK had an apparent molecular weight of 80,000, was strongly recognized by an anti-protein kinase C (PKC)α antibody, and was activated by phosphatidylserine (PS) as well as PA. The PA- and PS-stimulated PARK activity was extremely augmented by the presence of 1 µM free Ca2+. In the presence of 1 mM EGTA, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate activated PARK synergistically with PA or PS. Similar results were obtained with the purified recombinant PKCα. From these results, it is suggested that the PARK activity purified might be attributed to PKCα. In p25-depleted bovine brain cytosol, which was prepared by treatment of bovine brain cytosol with the anti-p25 antibody, PA-dependent phosphorylation of p29, but not p32, was almost completely eliminated. When PKCα in bovine brain cytosol was depleted by its precipitation with the anti-PKCα antibody, neither p29 nor p32 in this PKCα-depleted cytosol was phosphorylated in the presence of PA. These results indicate that in bovine brain cytosol PA activates PKCα, which, in turn, phosphorylates p29, which may be identical with p25.

Notes: Summary We report the successful treatment of a patient with plaque-stage mycosis fungoides with long-term and intravenous administration of recombinant human interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and discuss the possible mechanisms of this therapy.A 55-year-old female patient had been resistant to existing treatments and had suffered repeated exacerbations over a 5-year period. Four weeks after initiation of 2 × 106U/day of IFN-γ. a 〉 10% decrease in the affected surface area was noted. Twenty-two weeks after the administration of 228 × 106U of IFN-γ, complete remission (CR) was obtained. The CR continued for 13 weeks, but this was followed by an exacerbation. The second CR was obtained after the IFN-γ dosage was increased to 16 × 106U/week. The dosage was then gradually reduced by 2–4 × 106U every 2 or 3 months. She was treated with a total dose of 2814 × 106 of IFN-γ. She has been followed up for more than 6 years, and there has been no recurrence of mycotic skin lesions nor any visceral involvement. During therapy, no serious side-effects were noted.Long-term administration of IFN-γ is useful for the treatment of patients with intractable mycosis fungoides. A gradual decrease in the dose of IFN-γ is important for maintaining remission.

Notes: Cell surface anionic charge is known to be related to various cellular functions. Therefore, we ultrastructurally localized anionic sites in normal and psoriatic human epidermis, using poly-l-lysine-gold complex (cationic gold), to assess their possible participation in the differentiation of keratinocytes and the pathogenesis of psoriasis. In normal and psoriatic epidermis, the cell membrane of keratinocytes showed positive staining at pH 2.0. At pH 7.4 the cytoplasm and nucleus were diffusely stained, in addition to the cell membrane. In normal epidermis, the intensity of labelling on the cell membrane at pH 2.0 was strong in the basal layer and lower stratum spinosum, and decreased in parallel with differentiation of keratinocytes. In psoriatic epidermis, the intensity of labelling on the cell membrane at pH 2.0 was stronger than in normal epidermis. In normal epidermis, heparitinase digested 63% and chondroitinase ABC digested 80% of cationic labelling. This suggests that heparan sulphate and chondroitin sulphate (and/or dermatan sulphate) constitute anionic sites in normal epidermis. In psoriatic epidermis, chondroitinase ABC-sensitive anionic sites were greatly increased, whereas heparitinase-sensitive anionic sites were the same, when compared with normal epidermis. This suggests that chondroitin sulphate and/or dermatan sulphate constitute anionic sites which are increased in psoriatic epidermis.

Notes: We studied basophilic degeneration of heart muscle cells in 100 consecutive autopsies (74 males, 26 females). Except for two infants, the age of individuals whose tissue was studied ranged from 10 to 90 years (mean age, 68.3). Using histochemical and immunohistochemical methods, we found the frequency and extent of basophilic degeneration and the materials in type IV glycogenosis (Andersen's-disease) were reactive to monoclonal antibodies raised against polyglucosan extracted from the myocardium of a patient with Lafora's disease. Basophilic degeneration was found in 98% of the entire study population and in 100% of those aged over 60. The reactivity for polyglucosan became more intense after diastase digestion. Immuno-electronmicroscopy using an immunogold method showed that the fibril-like structures of basophilic degeneration were specifically labelled by the monoclonal antibodies to polyglucosan.

Notes: Assimilation of nitrogen dioxide in response to fumigation with 15N-labelled nitrogen dioxide was studied in 217 plant taxa. The taxa included 50 wild herbaceous plants collected from roadsides (42 genera, 15 families), 60 cultivated herbaceous plants (55 genera, 30 families) and 107 cultivated woody plants (74 genera, 45 families). Two parameters, the ‘NO2-N content’, or NO2-derived reduced nitrogen content in fumigated plant leaves (mg N g–1 dry weight), and the ‘NO2-utilization index’, or percentage of the NO2-derived reduced nitrogen in the total reduced nitrogen, were determined. The NO2-N content differed 657-fold between the highest (Eucalyptus viminalis; 6·57) and lowest (Tillandsia ionantha and T. caput-medusae; 0·01) values in the 217 taxa; 62-fold in a family (Theaceae) and 26-fold in a species (Solidago altissima). Nine species had NO2-utilization indices greater than 10%, of which Magnolia kobus, Eucalyptus viminalis, Populus nigra, Nicotiana tabacum and Erechtites hieracifolia had NO2-N contents 〉 4·9. These plants can be considered ‘NO2-philic’ because in them NO2-nitrogen has an important function(s). The Compositae and Myrtaceae had high values for both parameters, whereas the monocots and gymnosperms had low ones. These findings suggest that the metabolic pathway of NO2-nitrogen differs among plant species. The information presented here will be useful for creating a novel vegetation technology to reduce the atmospheric concentration of nitrogen dioxide.

Notes: It has been reported that the intrahepatic lymphocyte (IHL) population is somewhat differently constituted from lymphocytes in other lymphoid tissues. Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) is a superantigen which can induce T-cell tolerance in mice. The authors investigated the in vitro and in vivo responses of mouse IHL to SEB. An intravenous injection of SEB did not result in the augmentation of the proliferative response of IHL, while mesenteric and splenic lymphocytes (mLNC and SPC, respectively) had augmented responses. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) mRNA was clearly detected in mLNC and SPC by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) shortly after the administration of SEB, but it was scarcely expressed in IHL. The expression of CD25 (IL-2 receptor) was also augmented in mLNC and SPC in the early period, while it was not changed in IHL. These findings suggested that the time required for tolerance induction is different locally and that the loss of augmentation of IL-2 and IL-2 receptor production by IHL may be relevant to the rapid induction of T-cell tolerance in the liver.

Notes: Summary Ocular complications of atopic dermatitis include cataract, blepharitis, keratoconjunctivitis, keratoconus, iritis and retinal detachment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of retinal detachment in atopic dermatitis patients. We examined four patients with atopic dermatitis and retinal detachment, and performed an extensive review of the literature. There have been about 130 reported cases of retinal detachment in patients with atopic dermatitis from Japan, in comparison with only a few reports from Europe and the U.S.A. An extensive review of the literature revealed that retinal detachment occurs at a young age in atopic dermatitis patients, and that often both eyes are involved. As retinal detachment is not a rare complication of atopic dermatitis, we propose that this type of retinal detachment is designated ‘atopic retinal detachment’. Dermatologists should be aware of this potential complication of atopic dermatitis.