Galactic-Center Hyper-Shell Model for the North Polar Spurs

The bipolar-hyper shell (BHS) model for the North Polar Spurs (NPS-E, -W, and Loop I) and counter southern spurs (SPS-E and -W) is revisited based on numerical hydrodynamical simulations. Propagations of shock waves produced by energetic explosive events in the Galactic Center are examined. Distributions of soft X-ray brightness on the sky at 0.25, 0.7, and 1.5 keV in a +/-50 deg x +/-50 deg region around the Galactic Center are modeled by thermal emission from high-temperature plasma in the shock-compressed shell considering shadowing by the interstellar HI and H2 gases. The result is compared with the ROSAT wide field X-ray images in R2, 4 and 6 bands. The NPS and southern spurs are well reproduced by the simulation as shadowed dumbbell-shaped shock waves. We discuss the origin and energetics of the event in relation to the starburst and/or AGN activities in the Galactic Center. [ High resolution pdf is available at http://www.ioa.s.u-tokyo.ac.jp/~sofue/htdocs/2016bhs/ ]Comment: 13 pages, 20 figures; To appear in MNRA

Ion conductive properties in ionic liquid crystalline phases confined in a porous membrane

Liquid crystalline (LC) phases under nanoconfinement are known to exhibit exotic molecular orientational structures and phase transition behaviours. Here, we report the anisotropic ion conductivity and phase transition behaviours of ionic LC samples confined in aluminum oxide membranes with cylindrical pores. We found that these properties are different from those of the bulk ionic LC samples and depend on the molecular alignment on the pore walls.Uchida Y., Matsumoto T., Akita T., et al. Ion conductive properties in ionic liquid crystalline phases confined in a porous membrane. Journal of Materials Chemistry C 3, 6144 (2015); https://doi.org/10.1039/c5tc00314h

The role of fibers in the femoral attachment of the anterior cruciate ligament in resisting tibial displacement

Purpose The purpose was to clarify the load-bearing functions of the fibers of the femoral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) attachment in resisting tibial anterior drawer and rotation. Methods A sequential cutting study was performed on 8 fresh-frozen human knees. The femoral attachment of the ACL was divided into a central area that had dense fibers inserting directly into the femur and anterior and posterior fan-like extension areas. The ACL fibers were cut sequentially from the bone: the posterior fan-like area in 2 stages, the central dense area in 4 stages, and then the anterior fan-like area in 2 stages. Each knee was mounted in a robotic joint testing system that applied tibial anteroposterior 6-mm translations and 10° or 15° of internal rotation at 0° to 90° of flexion. The reduction of restraining force or moment was measured after each cut. Results The central area resisted 82% to 90% of the anterior drawer force; the anterior fan-like area, 2% to 3%; and the posterior fan-like area, 11% to 15%. Among the 4 central areas, most load was carried close to the roof of the intercondylar notch: the anteromedial bundle resisted 66% to 84% of the force and the posterolateral bundle resisted 16% to 9% from 0° to 90° of flexion. There was no clear pattern for tibial internal rotation, with the load shared among the posterodistal and central areas near extension and mostly the central areas in flexion. Conclusions Under the experimental conditions described, 66% to 84% of the resistance to tibial anterior drawer arose from the ACL fibers at the central-proximal area of the femoral attachment, corresponding to the anteromedial bundle; the fan-like extension fibers contributed very little. This work did not support moving a single-bundle ACL graft to the side wall of the notch or attempting to cover the whole attachment area if the intention was to mimic how the natural ACL resists tibial displacements. Clinical Relevance There is ongoing debate about how best to reconstruct the ACL to restore normal knee function, including where is the best place for ACL graft tunnels. This study found that the most important area on the femur, in terms of resisting displacement of the tibia, was in the central-anterior part of the femoral ACL attachment, near the roof of the intercondylar notch. The testing protocol did not lead to data that would support using a large ACL graft tunnel that attempts to cover the whole natural femoral attachment area

Lack of association with interleukin 1 receptor antagonist and interleukin-1 β gene polymorphisms in sarcoidosis patients

AbstractInterleukin-1 β (IL-1 β) and its endogenous antagonist, the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), play important roles in immune responses. In sarcoidosis, IL-1 β is reported to be increased whereas IL-1ra is decreased. It has recently been shown that polymorphisms in the IL-1ra and IL-1 β genes may account for variation in the two proteins. These polymorphisms are also reported to be associated with several autoimmune diseases. Since this might be expected to affect sarcoidosis, an investigation of 108 sarcoidosis patients and 113 healthy control subjects was performed.The IL-1ra genotype was determined using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the IL-1β genotype by PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism.We found no significant differences in IL-ra and IL-1 β genotypes between sarcoidosis patients and healthy controls. Furthermore, there was no association between the IL-1 β genotype and the roentgenographic stage, disappearance of chest X-ray shadows or organ involvement.In conclusion, there is no bias in the IL-1ra and IL-1 β genotype in Japanese sarcoidosis patients

Acute Ethanol Administration Rapidly Increases Phosphorylation of Conventional Protein Kinase C in Specific Mammalian Brain Regions in Vivo

Background Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of isoenzymes that regulate a variety of functions in the central nervous system including neurotransmitter release, ion channel activity, and cell differentiation. Growing evidence suggests that specific isoforms of PKC influence a variety of behavioral, biochemical, and physiological effects of ethanol in mammals. The purpose of this study was to determine whether acute ethanol exposure alters phosphorylation of conventional PKC isoforms at a threonine 674 (p-cPKC) site in the hydrophobic domain of the kinase, which is required for its catalytic activity. Methods Male rats were administered a dose range of ethanol (0, 0.5, 1, or 2 g/kg, intragastric) and brain tissue was removed 10 minutes later for evaluation of changes in p-cPKC expression using immunohistochemistry and Western blot methods. Results Immunohistochemical data show that the highest dose of ethanol (2 g/kg) rapidly increases p-cPKC immunoreactivity specifically in the nucleus accumbens (core and shell), lateral septum, and hippocampus (CA3 and dentate gyrus). Western blot analysis further showed that ethanol (2 g/kg) increased p-cPKC expression in the P2 membrane fraction of tissue from the nucleus accumbens and hippocampus. Although p-cPKC was expressed in numerous other brain regions, including the caudate nucleus, amygdala, and cortex, no changes were observed in response to acute ethanol. Total PKC? immunoreactivity was surveyed throughout the brain and showed no change following acute ethanol injection

AlN/AlGaN HEMTs on AlN substrate for stable high-temperature operation

We demonstrate an AlN/AlGaN high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) fabricated on a free-standing AlN substrate. A metal stack, composed of Zr/Al/Mo/Au, was found to show low contact resistivity for source and drain ohmic contacts. The fabricated AlN/AlGaN HEMT exhibited a maximum drain current of 38 mA/mm with a threshold voltage of -3.4 V. Negligible drain current degradation was observed at temperatures from 300 to 573 K, emonstrating that our AlN/AlGaN approach on an AlN substrate is promising for stable high-temperature operation

Localization of protein kinase C ε to macrophage vacuoles perforated by Listeria monocytogenes cytolysin

Three proteins secreted by Listeria monocytogenes facilitate escape from macrophage vacuoles: the cholesterol-dependent cytolysin listeriolysin O (LLO), a phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) and a broad-range phospholipase C (PC-PLC). LLO and PI-PLC can activate several members of the protein kinase C (PKC) family during infection. PKCε is a novel PKC that contributes to macrophage activation, defence against bacterial infection, and phagocytosis; however, a role for PKCε in Lm infections has not been described. To study PKCε dynamics, PKCε-YFP chimeras were visualized in macrophages during Lm infection. PKCε-YFP was recruited to forming vacuoles during macrophage phagocytosis of Lm and again later to fully formed Lm vacuoles. The PKCε-YFP localization to the fully formed Lm vacuole was LLO-dependent but independent of PI-PLC or PC-PLC. PKCε-YFP recruitment often followed LLO perforation of the membrane, as indicated by localization of PKCε-YFP to Lm vacuoles after they released small fluorescent dyes into the cytoplasm. PKCε-YFP recruitment to vesicles also followed phagocytosis of LLO-containing liposomes or osmotic lysis of endocytic vesicles, indicating that vacuole perforation by LLO was the chief cause of the PKCε response. These studies implicate PKCε in a cellular mechanism for recognizing damaged membranous organelles, including the disrupted vacuoles created when Lm escapes into cytoplasm.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/73267/1/j.1462-5822.2007.00903.x.pd