Abstract. Interleukin (IL)-12 is a key factor in cell-mediated immunity that drives the development of Th1 cells and stimulates T lymphocytes and natural killer cells to produce interferon (INF)-g. The IL-12B gene, which encodes the p40 subunit of IL-12, is located at chromosome 5q31-33 and a linkage finding for autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) on 5q31-33 in a Japanese population has been reported. It is also reported that the A/C polymorphism in the 3' untranslated region (UTR) of the IL-12B gene (1188A/C) is associated with IL12B mRNA expression levels. We attempted to determine whether genetic polymorphisms of the IL-12B gene are associated with AITD. One hundred three patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis, 90 patients with Graves' disease, and 123 healthy control subjects were recruited. We detected the 1188A/C polymorphism using a PCR-RFLP method and the A/T polymorphism in intron 4 of the IL-12B gene using a cycle sequencing method. These IL-12B gene polymorphisms showed strong linkage disequilibrium, and their genotype and allele frequencies in the patients did not differ from those in the control subjects. Our results suggest that IL-12B gene polymorphisms were unlikely to have an effect on the development of Hashimoto's thyroiditis or Graves' disease in Japanese patients.

Salted muscle paste containing 60–100 mg protein/g paste and 0.5 M NaCl at pH 7.0 was prepared from fresh scallop striated adductor muscle and its heat‐induced gelling characteristics were examined in order to produce invertebrate kamaboko‐like foods. The heating of the paste to 90°C formed a weak gel. The setting effect on the gelation of the paste was introduced by incubation at 25°C for up to 4 h and was greatly strengthened by the addition of 10 mM Ca2+ due to the activation of an endogenous transglutaminase that preferentially cross‐linked myosin heavy chains, but not actin and paramyosin. As a result, the texture of the gel produced by a two‐step heating method was almost the same as that of a commercial fish kamaboko. It was also observed that the thermal gelation profile of scallop muscle paste was similar to that of fish myosin, rather than that of actomyosin, by means of a dynamic rheological measurement. Paramyosin also contributed to a characteristic increase in the G′ (storage modulus) value over the thermal gelation process and raised the G′′ (loss modulus) value around 65°C. The G′′ increase resulted in a slightly rigid texture of heated scallop gel. Isolated paramyosin demonstrated a characteristic thermal gelation profile showing a two‐step increase in G′ and G′′ values, independent of Ca2+ concentration. The higher NaCl and protein concentrations were required to produce stronger and more elastic gels.

We present a rare case of a primary intracranial melanoma originating from leptomeningeal melanoblasts in the sylvian fissure. The mass appeared hyperintense on T1-weighted MR images and hypointense on T2-weighted MR images, reflecting the presence of abundant melanin granules in the tumor. Associated leptomeningeal enhancement suggested a dire prognosis.

The solvent casting effect on the infrared (IR) characteristic absorption bands of stereoregular isotactic poly(acrylonitrile) (PAN) film was studied in comparison with those of an atactic sample. The relative intensity of the IR characteristic bands (D1230/D1250) of PAN film was strongly dependent on the kind of dipolar aprotic solvent used in the film preparation. A higher intensity ratio was obtained when a good solvent such as dimethyl sulfoxide was used, whereas a lower value was obtained when a poor solvent such as malononitrile was used. A linear relationship between the intensity ratio of the IR bands and the dissolution power of nine different kinds of dipolar organic solvents was found. The IR characteristic bands of stereoregular PAN was dependent on not only configuration but also conformation through the difference of the molecular cohesion state in the solvent-cast film. The effect of configuration and conformation on the IR results was quantitatively studied as a function of the film preparation conditions.

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