Ultrasonic measurement of blubber thickness in right whales

The right whale population in the northwestern Atlantic appears to face the risk of extinction: ship and fishing gear trauma are significantmortality factors, but calving rates are also depressed compared to southern right whales. A major factor in calving success in many speciesis body condition. Knowledge of the dynamics of body condition is also important in studies of juvenile and sub-adult growth and seasonalchanges in adults. This paper describes a method to assess body condition in live right whales. To characterise the acoustic properties ofthe blubber/muscle interface we first studied samples of Atlantic white-sided dolphin and right whale in the laboratory. Tissue heterogeneitywas examined grossly and in histological sections. Acoustic echoes were strong from the sub-dermal connective tissue sheath(s). Echostrengths did not appear to vary with lipid content. We then used a 0.5MHz ultrasound transducer on a cantilevered 12m pole to touch theback of surfacing right whales briefly. Multiple laboratory and field measurements on individual animals suggest repeated measures ofblubber thickness at a single location are reasonably consistent. Data will be normalised to both sampling position on the body and to lengthof the animal, estimated by mensuration from stereo video images of the animal during sampling. In this way, using a long-term consistentdatabase of blubber thickness measurements, and catalogued reproductive histories from on-going photographic identification studies, weplan to assess the significance of changing body condition in right whale population dynamics.

Participation of Somatic Stem Cells, Labeled by a Unique Antibody (A3) Recognizing Both N-glycan and Peptide, to Hair Follicle Cycle and Cutaneous Wound Healing in Rats

A monoclonal antibody (A3) was generated by using rat malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) cells as the antigen. Generally, MFH is considered to be a sarcoma derived from undifferentiated mesenchymal cells. Molecular biological analyses using the lysate of rat MFH cells revealed that A3 is a conformation specific antibody recognizing both N-glycan and peptide. A3-labeled cells in bone marrow were regarded as somatic stem cells, because the cells partly coexpressed CD90 and CD105 (both immature mesenchymal markers). In the hair follicle cycle, particularly the anagen, the immature epithelial cells (suprabasal cells) near the bulge and some immature mesenchymal cells in the disassembling dermal papilla and regenerating connective tissue sheath/hair papilla reacted to A3. In the cutaneous wound-healing process, A3-labeled epithelial cells participated in re-epithelialization in the wound bed, and apparently, the labeled cells were derived from the hair bulge; in addition, A3-labeled immature mesenchymal cells in the connective tissue sheath of hair follicles at the wound edge showed the expansion of the A3 immunolabeling. A3-labeled immature epithelial and mesenchymal cells contributed to morphogenesis in the hair cycle and tissue repair after a cutaneous wound. A3 could become a unique antibody to identify somatic stem cells capable of differentiating both epithelial and mesenchymal cells in rat tissues.

A case of Giant Perifollicular Fibroma - a Diagnostic Challenge

Perifollicular fibroma (PFF) is a rare proliferative lesion originating from the perifollicular connective tissue sheath. It may be congenital or acquired manifesting as skin colored to pink, asymptomatic papules of 1-5 mm in size. They are commonly distributed in the head and neck region. Multiple PFFs may be associated with internal malignancy or as a part of Birt-Hogg-Dube syndrome. Histopathology serves as an essential tool in clinching the diagnosis. Herein we report a case of giant congenital PFF.

Mucin Reactivity after Acute Exposure to Mercury and Zinc Chloride in Neurocytes of Freshwater Snail Bellamya bengalensis: A Histochemical Study

Central nervous system (CNS) of gastropods is extensively studied for its pathology and immunocytology; there is scanty information on histochemical alterations in neuronal cells due to heavy metal. This study was designed to investigate histochemical alterations in cerebral neurons of freshwater snail Bellamya bengalensis after intoxication with mercuric chloride (HgCl2) and zinc chloride (ZnCl2). As per chemical components cerebral ganglia of Bellamya bengalensis showed three different zones, namely, periganglionic connective tissue sheath, interperikaryonal space, and neuropil. After intoxication, increased acidic content in extracellular matrix (ECM) of neuronal cells was found. These alterations were directly proportional to time of exposure period. From results, HgCl2 proved its highly toxic nature over chemical composition of cerebral neuronal cells of freshwater snail Bellamya bengalensis compared to ZnCl2 intoxication.

Histological Study of Human Thyroid Gland Relative Proportion of Parenchyma and Stroma in Thyroid Glands of Bangladeshi People

Deep cervical fascia forms a connective tissue sheath around the thyroid gland. Delicate trabeculae and septa penetrate the gland indistinctly dividing the gland into lobes and lobules which in turn composed of follicles.1,2,3 These follicles are structural units of thyroid gland which varies greatly in size and shape.4 The number of follicles varies in different age groups. The study was carried out to see the percentage of area occupied by follicles in the stained section of thyroid glands in different age groups. The collected samples were grouped as A (3.5 – 20yrs), B (21- 40yrs) & C (41 – 78yrs). Percentage of area occupied by follicles was (58.55±10.72) in group A, (63.79±12.35) in group B + (63.39±8.29) in group C.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/updcj.v1i2.13981 Update Dent. Coll. j. 2011: 1(2): 17-20

TGF-β1 and TNF-α are involved in the transcription of type I collagen α2 gene in soleus muscle atrophied by mechanical unloading

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of hindlimb suspension (HS) on the expressions of COL1A2 (type I collagen α2 chain) mRNA and its regulatory factors, transforming growth factors (TGF)-β1, -β2, and -β3, phosphorylated Smad3, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in rat hindlimb muscles. Forty-eight male Wistar rats (age, 5 wk) were randomly assigned to HS for 1, 3, 7, and 14 days and control ( n = 6 for each). During the exposure to HS, COL1A2 mRNA expression decreased in the soleus muscle at day 3 and recovered to control level at day 7. The content of TNF-α, one of the negative regulatory factors for COL1A2, increased from day 3 until day 14. On the other hand, the contents of TGF-β1, TGF-β3, and Smad3, positive regulatory factors for COL1A2, increased at day 7. The in situ hybridization for COL1A2 and the immunohistochemistry of TGF-β1 and TNF-α revealed their expressions around nerve-related tissues, including muscle spindles and connective tissue sheath. The results indicate that the transcriptional activity of COL1A2 in the soleus muscle initially decreases in response to unloading through an increase in TNF-α production; thereafter, it returns toward normal level through the activated TGF-β/Smad pathway.