Determination of neutrino mass hierarchy by 21 cm line and CMB B-mode polarization observations

We focus on the ongoing and future observations for both the 21 cm line and the CMB B-mode polarization produced by a CMB lensing, and study their sensitivities to the effective number of neutrino species, the total neutrino mass, and the neutrino mass hierarchy. We find that combining the CMB observations with future square kilometer arrays optimized for 21 cm line such as Omniscope can determine the neutrino mass hierarchy at 2 sigma. We also show that a more feasible combination of Planck + POLARBEAR and SKA can strongly improve errors of the bounds on the total neutrino mass and the effective number of neutrino species to be Delta Sigma m_nu ~ 0.12 eV and Delta N_nu ~ 0.38 at 2 sigma.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figures, to appear in Phys. Lett.

Association between the tissue accumulation of advanced glycation end products and exercise capacity in cardiac rehabilitation patients

Background Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are associated with aging, diabetes mellitus (DM), and other chronic diseases. Recently, the accumulation of AGEs can be evaluated by skin autofluorescence (SAF). However, the relationship between SAF levels and exercise capacity in patients with cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the association between the tissue accumulation of AGEs and clinical characteristics, including exercise capacity, in patients with CVD. Methods We enrolled 319 consecutive CVD patients aged >= 40 years who underwent early phase II cardiac rehabilitation (CR) at our university hospital between November 2015 and September 2017. Patient background, clinical data, and the accumulation of AGEs assessed by SAF were recorded at the beginning of CR. Characteristics were compared between two patient groups divided according to the median SAF level (High SAF and Low SAF). Results The High SAF group was significantly older and exhibited a higher prevalence of DM than the Low SAF group. The sex ratio did not differ between the two groups. AGE levels showed significant negative correlations with peak oxygen uptake and ventilator efficiency (both P <0.0001). Exercise capacity was significantly lower in the high SAF group than in the low SAF group, regardless of the presence or absence of DM (P <0.05). A multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that SAF level was an independent factor associated with reduced exercise capacity (odds ratio 2.10; 95% confidence interval 1.13-4.05; P = 0.02). Conclusion High levels of tissue accumulated AGEs, as assessed by SAF, were significantly and independently associated with reduced exercise capacity. These data suggest that measuring the tissue accumulation of AGEs may be useful in patients who have undergone CR, irrespective of whether they have DM

Gene duplication and genetic exchange drive the evolution of S-RNase-based self-incompatibility in Petunia

Self-incompatibility (SI) systems in flowering plants distinguish self- and non-self pollen to prevent inbreeding. While other SI systems rely on the self-recognition between specific male- and female-determinants, the Solanaceae family has a non- self recognition system resulting in the detoxification of female-determinants of S-ribonucleases (S-RNases), expressed in pistils, by multiple male-determinants of S-locus F-box proteins (SLFs), expressed in pollen. It is not known how many SLF components of this non-self recognition system there are in Solanaceae species, or how they evolved. We identified 16–20 SLFs in each S-haplotype in SI Petunia, from a total of 168 SLF sequences using large-scale next-generation sequencing and genomic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques. We predicted the target S-RNases of SLFs by assuming that a particular S-allele must not have a conserved SLF that recognizes its own S-RNase, and validated these predictions by transformation experiments. A simple mathematical model confirmed that 16–20 SLF sequences would be adequate to recognize the vast majority of target S-RNases. We found evidence of gene conversion events, which we suggest are essential to the constitution of a non-self recognition system and also contribute to self-compatible mutations

Comparison of the outcome of in vitro fertilization after laparoscopic laser ablation surgery versus laparoscopic cystectomy for endometrioma

Objective: To compare the influence of laparoscopic ablation surgery or cystectomy for endometrioma on the ovaries with respect to the results of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Materials and Methods: Fifteen patients who had not achieved spontaneous pregnancy following KTP laser ablation surgery for ovarian endometrioma and who wanted to undergo IVF formed the ablation group. Another 12 infertile women who failed to achieve spontaneous pregnancy following laparoscopic cystectomy for ovarian endometrioma and underwent IVF formed the cystectomy group. Both groups of patients were reviewed retrospectively. Results: The fertilization rate was significantly lower in the ablation group compared with the cystectomy group. The percentage of good-quality embryos and the implantation rate were also lower, although not significantly, in the ablation group than the cystectomy group. Even though the number of embryos transferred was higher, the pregnancy rate was lower in the ablation group. Conclusion: These results suggest that the quality of oocytes may be lower in the ablation group than the cystectomy group

Staphylococcus aureus δ-toxin present on skin promotes the development of food allergy in a murine model

BackgroundPatients with food allergy often suffer from atopic dermatitis, in which Staphylococcus aureus colonization is frequently observed. Staphylococcus aureus δ-toxin activates mast cells and promotes T helper 2 type skin inflammation in the tape-stripped murine skin. However, the physiological effects of δ-toxin present on the steady-state skin remain unknown. We aimed to investigate whether δ-toxin present on the steady-state skin impacts the development of food allergy.Material and methodsThe non-tape-stripped skins of wild-type, KitW-sh/W-sh, or ST2-deficient mice were treated with ovalbumin (OVA) with or without δ-toxin before intragastric administration of OVA. The frequency of diarrhea, numbers of jejunum or skin mast cells, and serum levels of OVA-specific IgE were measured. Conventional dendritic cell 2 (cDC2) in skin and lymph nodes (LN) were analyzed. The cytokine levels in the skin tissues or culture supernatants of δ-toxin-stimulated murine keratinocytes were measured. Anti-IL-1α antibody-pretreated mice were analyzed.ResultsStimulation with δ-toxin induced the release of IL-1α, but not IL-33, in murine keratinocytes. Epicutaneous treatment with OVA and δ-toxin induced the local production of IL-1α. This treatment induced the translocation of OVA-loaded cDC2 from skin to draining LN and OVA-specific IgE production, independently of mast cells and ST2. This resulted in OVA-administered food allergic responses. In these models, pretreatment with anti-IL-1α antibody inhibited the cDC2 activation and OVA-specific IgE production, thereby dampening food allergic responses.ConclusionEven without tape stripping, δ-toxin present on skin enhances epicutaneous sensitization to food allergen in an IL-1α-dependent manner, thereby promoting the development of food allergy