Spiking Expression of μ-Crystallin mRNA during Treatment with Methimazole in Patients with Graves' Hyperthyroidism

μ-Crystallin is an NADPH-dependent cytosolic T3-binding protein. A knockout study in mice showed that μ-crystallin has a physiological function as a reservoir of T3 in the cytoplasm in vivo. Patients with nonsyndromic deafness were reported to have point mutations in the μ-crystallin gene. The expression of μ-crystallin is regulated by multiple factors. The present study was performed to determine whether thyroid function is related to the expression of μ-crystallin mRNA in peripheral mononuclear cells. We examined 23 normal healthy male and female subjects and 15 patients with Graves' disease. μ-Crystallin protein expression was determined immunohistochemically in peripheral mononuclear cells. The expression of μ-crystallin mRNA was assessed by reverse transcription of total RNA from peripheral mononuclear cells followed by quantitative PCR. μ-Crystallin protein was detected in peripheral mononuclear cells. The mRNA expression was negatively correlated with age in normal female subjects. The values in female subjects were significantly higher than those in males. The values were positively correlated with serum TSH concentration. The values of the thyrotoxic patients with Graves' disease were lower than those in healthy subjects. A transient increase in μ-crystallin expression was observed within 14-42 days after the initial treatment with antithyroid medication. Thyroid hormone inversely relates to the expression of μ-crystallin mRNA in euthyroid mononuclear cells. Abrupt suppression of thyroid function leads to overexpression of μ-crystallin mRNA in thyrotoxic mononuclear cells. Thyroid hormone-regulated μ-crystallin expression may control thyroid hormone action via the intracytoplasmic T? capacity.ArticleHORMONE AND METABOLIC RESEARCH. 41(7):548-553 (2009)journal articl

AN APPROACH FOR THE OPTIMUM HYDRODYNAMIC DESIGN OF HYDROKINETIC TURBINE BLADES

This work aims to develop a simple and efficient mathematical model applied to optimization of horizontal-axis hydrokinetic turbine blades considering the cavitation effect. The approach uses the pressure minimum coefficient as a criterion for the cavitation limit on the flow around the hydrokinetic blades. The methodology corrects the chord and twist angle at each blade section by a modification on the local thrust coefficient in order to takes into account the cavitation on the rotor shape. The optimization is based on the Blade Element Theory (BET), which is a well known method applied to design and performance analysis of wind and hydrokinetic turbines, which usually present good agreement with experimental data. The results are compared with data obtained from hydrokinetic turbines designed by the classical Glauert's optimization. The present method yields good behavior, and can be used as an alternative tool in efficient hydrokinetic turbine designs

Fluorescence multispectral imaging-based diagnostic system for atherosclerosis

Background: Composition of atherosclerotic arterial walls is rich in lipids such as cholesterol, unlike normal arterial walls. In this study, we aimed to utilize this difference to diagnose atherosclerosis via multispectral fluorescence imaging, which allows for identification of fluorescence originating from the substance in the arterial wall. Methods: The inner surface of extracted arteries (rabbit abdominal aorta, human coronary artery) was illuminated by 405 nm excitation light and multispectral fluorescence images were obtained. Pathological examination of human coronary artery samples were carried out and thickness of arteries were calculated by measuring combined media and intima thickness. Results: The fluorescence spectra in atherosclerotic sites were different from those in normal sites. Multiple regions of interest (ROI) were selected within each sample and a ratio between two fluorescence intensity differences (where each intensity difference is calculated between an identifier wavelength and a base wavelength) from each ROI was determined, allowing for discrimination of atherosclerotic sites. Fluorescence intensity and thickness of artery were found to be significantly correlated. Conclusions: These results indicate that multispectral fluorescence imaging provides qualitative and quantitative evaluations of atherosclerosis and is therefore a viable method of diagnosing the disease

Trends in incidence and mortality of tuberculosis in Japan : a population-based study, 1997–2016

Japan is still a medium-burden tuberculosis (TB) country. We aimed to examine trends in newly notified active TB incidence and TB-related mortality in the last two decades in Japan. This is a population-based study using Japanese Vital Statistics and Japan Tuberculosis Surveillance from 1997 to 2016. We determined active TB incidence and mortality rates (per 100 000 population) by sex, age and disease categories. Joinpoint regression was applied to calculate the annual percentage change (APC) in age-adjusted mortality rates and to identify the years showing significant trend changes. Crude and age-adjusted incidence rates reduced from 33.9 to 13.9 and 37.3 to 11.3 per 100 000 population, respectively. Also, crude and age-adjusted mortality rates reduced from 2.2 to 1.5 and 2.8 to 1.0 per 100 000 population, respectively. Average APC in the incidence and mortality rates showed significant decline both in men (−6.2% and −5.4%, respectively) and women (−5.7% and −4.6%, respectively). Age-specific analysis demonstrated decreases in incidence and mortality rates for every age category, except for the incidence trend in the younger population. Although trends in active TB incidence and mortality rates in Japan have favourably decreased, the rate of decline is far from achieving TB elimination by 2035

Study of the therapeutic effects of an advanced hippotherapy simulator in children with cerebral palsy: a randomised controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although hippotherapy treatment has been demonstrated to have therapeutic effects on children with cerebral palsy, the samples used in research studies have been very small. In the case of hippotherapy simulators, there are no studies that either recommend or advise against their use in the treatment of children with cerebral palsy. The aim of this randomised clinical study is to analyse the therapeutic effects or the contraindications of the use of a commercial hippotherapy simulator on several important factors relating to children with cerebral palsy such as their motor development, balance control in the sitting posture, hip abduction range of motion and electromyographic activity of adductor musculature.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>The study is a randomised controlled trial. It will be carried out with a sample of 37 children with cerebral palsy divided into two treatment groups. Eligible participants will be randomly allocated to receive either (a) Treatment Group with hippotherapy simulator, maintaining sitting posture, with legs in abduction and rhythmic movement of the simulator or (b) Treatment Group maintaining sitting posture, with legs in abduction and without rhythmic movement of the simulator. Data collection and analysis: all measurements will be carried out by a specially trained blind assessor. To ensure standardization quality of the assessors, an inter-examiner agreement will be worked out at the start of the study. The trial is funded by the Department of Research, Innovation and Development of the Regional Government of Aragon (Official Bulletin of Aragon 23 July 2007), project number PM059/2007.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>Interest in this project is due to the following factors: Clinical originality (there are no previous studies analysing the effect of simulators on the population group of children with CP, nor any studies using as many variables as this project); Clinical impact (infantile cerebral palsy is a chronic multisystemic condition that affects not only the patient but also the patient's family and their close circle of friends); Practical benefits (the development of an effective treatment is very important for introducing this element into the rehabilitation of these children).</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN03663478.</p

Search for B -> h(*) nu nubar Decays at Belle

We present a search for the rare decays B -> h(*) nu nubar, where h(*) stands for a light meson. A data sample of 535 million BBbar pairs collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB e+e- collider is used. Signal candidates are required to have an accompanying B meson fully reconstructed in a hadronic mode and signal-side particles consistent with a single h(*) meson. No significant signal is observed and we set upper limits on the branching fractions at 90% confidence level. The limits on B0 -> K*0 nu nubar and B+ -> K+ nu nubar decays are more stringent than the previous constraints, while the first searches for B0 -> K0 nu nubar, pi0 nu nubar, rho0 nu nubar, phi nu nubar and B+ -> K*+ nu nubar, rho+ nu nubar are reported.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, submit to PR

Improved measurement of time-dependent CP violation in B0 -> J/Psi pi0 decays

We report improved measurements of time-dependent CP violation parameters for $B^0(\bar{B}^0) \to J/\psi \pi^0$ decay. This analysis is based on 535 million $B\bar{B}$ pairs accumulated at the $\Upsilon(4S)$ resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e^+e^- collider. From the distribution of proper time intervals between the two B decays, we obtain the following CP violation parameters $\mathcal{S}_{J/\psi \pi^0} = -0.65\pm0.21 (\rm{stat})\pm0.05 (\rm{syst})$ and $\mathcal{A}_{J/\psi \pi^0} = +0.08\pm0.16 (\rm{stat})\pm0.05 (\rm{syst})$, which are consistent with Standard Model expectations.Comment: Resubmitted to PRD(RC), including 4 figures, 6pages Revision has been made according to communication with PRD referee

Development of diagnostic system for atherosclerosis based on intrinsic fluorescence using multispectral imaging

Composition of atherosclerotic arterial walls is rich in lipids such as cholesterol; unlike normal arterial walls. In this study, we aimed to utilize this difference to diagnose atherosclerosis via multispectral imaging, which allows for identification of fluorescence originating from the substance in the arterial wall. The inner surface of extracted arteries (rabbit abdominal aorta, human coronary aorta) was illuminated by an excitation light and multispectral fluorescence images were obtained. The fluorescence spectra in atherosclerotic sites were shown to be different from those in normal sites. A ratio of fluorescence intensity at a wavelength of two significant differences was then calculated for each pixel and ratio images were reconstructed. As a result, we succeeded in “disease mapping”, by which atherosclerotic sites can be discriminated from normal sites. The differences in fluorescence spectra may be attributed to the differences in fluorophores contained in the intima/media of the artery

Observation of B^0 \to D^{*-} \tau^+ \nu_{\tau} decay at Belle

We report an observation of the decay $B^0\to D^{*-} \tau^+ \nu_{\tau}$ in a data sample containing $535\times10^6$ $B\bar{B}$ pairs collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider. We find a signal with a significance of 5.2 standard deviations and measure the branching fraction $\mathcal{B}(B^0\to D^{*-} \tau ^+ \nu_{\tau})=(2.02 ^{+0.40}_{-0.37} (stat) \pm 0.37 (syst))$. This is the first observation of an exclusive $B$ decay with a $b \to c \tau \nu_{\tau}$ transition.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev. Let