Abstract

The search for human hematopoietic stem cells has been hampered by the lack of appropriate assay systems. Demonstration of the ability of precursor cell candidates to give rise to T cells is of significant difficulty since dissociated in vitro cultured thymus stroma cells lose their ability to sustain thymocyte maturation. To define further the differentiative capacities of the rare human fetal liver and bone marrow cells that express the CD34 surface antigen and exhibit in vitro myeloid and pre-B cell activities, we have microinjected them into HLA-mismatched fetal thymus fragments, partially depleted of hematopoietic cells by low temperature culture. In vitro colonized thymuses have then been allowed to develop upon engraftment into immunodeficient SCID mice. Using this modification of the SCID-hu system, we show that low numbers of fetal CD34+ progenitor cells can repopulate the lymphoid compartment in the human thymus.

This study investigated heart rate synchronization (synchronized arousal) between performers and audience in a real-life dance battle. Although similar phenomena have been observed in some rituals, no studies have been conducted on art performances, such as dance and music. We organized a dance battle and measured the heart rate of both the dancers and the audience during the actual performance. The degree of heart rate synchronization was calculated using cross-recurrence plot/cross-recurrence quantification analysis. The results show that 1) heart rate synchronization between the dancers and audience does occur in dance battles, 2) the degree of heart rate synchronization varies depending on the social relationship between the dancers and audience, and 3) the degree of heart rate synchronization dynamically changes as the performance progresses. These findings suggest that embodied, physiological, and social aspects are involved in the process of performance sharing and appreciation.

Epstein-Barr virus-induced gene 3 (EBI3) associates with p28 and p35 to form the immunomodulatory cytokines IL-27 and IL-35, respectively. Infection of EBI3-/- mice with the neuroadapted JHM strain of mouse hepatitis virus (JHMV) resulted in increased mortality that was not associated with impaired ability to control viral replication but enhanced T cell and macrophage infiltration into the CNS. IFN-γ secretion from virus-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells isolated from infected EBI3-/- mice was augmented while IL-10 expression muted in comparison to infected WT mice. These data demonstrate a regulatory role for EBI3-associated cytokines in controlling host responses following CNS viral infection.

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is major cause of chronic liver injury which results in liver fibrosis and cirrhosis. According to the surveillance report published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, liver cirrhosis is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States with 48 % of these deaths being attributed to excessive alcohol consumption. ALD includes a spectrum of disorders from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Several mechanisms play a critical role in the pathogenesis of ALD. These include ethanol-induced oxidative stress and depletion of glutathione, pathological methionine metabolism, increased gut permeability and release of endotoxins into the portal blood, recruitment and activation of inflammatory cells including bone marrow-derived and liver resident macrophages (Kupffer cells). Chronic alcohol consumption results in liver damage and activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and myofibroblasts, leading to liver fibrosis. Here we discuss the current view on factors that are specific for different stages of ALD and those that regulate its progression, including cytokines and chemokines, alcohol-responsive intracellular signaling pathways, and transcriptional factors. We also review recent studies demonstrating that alcohol-mediated changes can be regulated on an epigenetic level, including microRNAs. Finally, we discuss the reversibility of liver fibrosis and inactivation of HSCs as a potential strategy for treating alcohol-induced liver damage.

This article examines the significance of outlying groups in the spatial organization of Classic Maya settlements. The relative scarcity of textual records concerning outlying groups has often made it difficult for researchers to analyze in detail the political interactions between individuals associated with these groups and the royal authority. The recent discovery of a hieroglyphic stairway at the Guzmán Group, an outlying group of El Palmar, Campeche, Mexico, provides an exceptional opportunity for understanding the constitutive process of spatial organization during the Late and Terminal Classic periods (ca. A.D. 600-900). Epigraphic studies of the Guzmán Group stairway have identified a main individual who emphasized his genealogical ties to lakam (banner-bearer) officials and his political relationship with foreign rulers of Copán and Calakmul. The results of archaeological and epigraphic studies suggest that the Guzmán Group was a locus for negotiating power and ideology among different social actors.