Development of thermosensitive polymer-conjugated enzyme for repeated use.

温度感受性ポリマー誘導体を作製し、アルカリホスファターゼ（ALP）と結合させることによって、反復利用が可能なALPの開発を試みた。温度感受性ポリマー結合ALPは、反応混合液の温度を37℃以上に温度を上げることによって、簡単に他の成分から分離回収することができ、回収後も約80％の活性を保持していることが明かとなった。For the purpose of repeated use of enzyme, alkaline phoshatase congugated with the reactive derivative of thermosensitive polymer was developed. This novel enzyme was precipitated immediately and recovered from reaction mixture, when the solution temperature was raised to 37℃. Recovered enzyme retained 80% activity compared to that of untreated one

The Role of Migration in Maintaining the Transmission of Avian Influenza in Waterfowl: A Multisite Multispecies Transmission Model along East Asian-Australian Flyway.

BACKGROUND: Migratory waterfowl annually migrate over the continents along the routes known as flyways, serving as carriers of avian influenza virus across distant locations. Prevalence of influenza varies with species, and there are also geographical and temporal variations. However, the role of long-distance migration in multispecies transmission dynamics has yet to be understood. We constructed a mathematical model to capture the global dynamics of avian influenza, identifying species and locations that contribute to sustaining transmission. METHODS: We devised a multisite, multispecies SIS (susceptible-infectious-susceptible) model, and estimated transmission rates within and between species in each geographical location from prevalence data. Parameters were directly sampled from posterior distribution under Bayesian inference framework. We then analyzed contribution of each species in each location to the global patterns of influenza transmission. RESULTS: Transmission and migration parameters were estimated by Bayesian posterior sampling. The basic reproduction number was estimated at 1.1, slightly above the endemic threshold. Mallard was found to be the most important host with the highest transmission potential, and high- and middle-latitude regions appeared to act as hotspots of influenza transmission. The local reproduction number suggested that the prevalence of avian influenza in the Oceania region is dependent on the inflow of infected birds from other regions. CONCLUSION: Mallard exhibited the highest transmission rate among the species explored. Migration was suggested to be a key factor of the global prevalence of avian influenza, as transmission is locally sustainable only in the northern hemisphere, and the virus could be extinct in the Oceania region without migration

A visual feedback system for micromanipulation with stereoscopic microscope

A stereoscopic microscope is widely used in a micromanipulation such as to operate genes and to inspect integration circuits. As in these tasks the micromanipulation is handled and makes too heavy burden to operators, it is desirable to perform the micromanipulation automatically. In this paper, we propose a visual feedback system for micromanipulation with stereoscopic microscope. This system takes less time to control the manipulator by reducing searching area to detect an object </p

Radiographic Prediction of the Results of Long-term Treatment with the Pavlik Harness for Developmental Dislocation of the Hip

In 1957, Pavlik introduced the Pavlik harness as a useful treatment for developmental dislocation of the hip (DDH), and subsequent studies have documented favorable outcomes among patients treated with this device. However, there are only a few articles reporting how early radiographic measurements can be used to determine the prognosis after treatment with the Pavlik harness. In this study, 217 hips from 192 patients whose DDH treatment with the Pavlik harness was initiated before they were 6 months old and whose follow-up lasted at least 14 years (rate, 63.8%) were analyzed using measurements from radiographs taken immediately before and after harness treatment, and at 1, 2, and 3 years of age. Severin's classification at the final follow-up was I or II in 71.9% and III or IV in 28.1% of the hips, respectively. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head (AVN) was seen in 10% of the hips. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to retrospectively determine whether any radiographic factors were related to the final classification as Severin I/II or III/IV. Receiver opera-ting characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn for these factors, and a Wiberg OE angle (Point O was the middle point of the proximal metaphyseal border of the femur) of 2 degrees on the 3-year radiographs was found to be the most useful screening value for judging the acetabular development of DDH cases after treatment with a Pavlik harness, with a sensitivity of 71% a specificity of 93%, and a likelihood ratio of 10.1.</p

変形性膝関節炎患者膝関節液中の細胞外マトリックス成分と可溶性VCAM-1

It is generally accepted that the number of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee must increase in the future because of the increase of the aged. The pathogenic mechanisms of OA haven't been elucidated yet, but it is supposed that mediate pannus may cause the factors for irreversible cartilage damage in the inflammatory process. Therefore it is very important to find and predict OA at the early stage. Now there were many indices to determine joint damage with OA, for example, cytokines including IL, TNF, TGF, matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMPs), proteoglycan (PG), hyaluronate (HA), super oxide, adhesion molecules including, ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and PECAM. In this study, we measured that the soluble VCAM-1 (sVCAM-1), soluble collagen (sCOLL), heparansulfate proteoglycan (HSPG), uronic acis and CRP in synovial fluids (SF) with OA. A positive correlation between the level of sVCAM-1 and sCOLL (ρ = 0.652) was noted. However there was no factor showing a correlation with CRP. It was suggested that the levels of sVCAM-1 and sCOLL in the synovia fluid were active inflammation indices of knee damage, as the different aspects from CRP. The level of HSPG also showed a unique trend because HSPG on the cell surface was quickly digested endocytosis, so that it was not suitable for the inflammatory index in synovial fluid with OA.変形性膝関節炎(OA)患者は,高齢化社会の到来とともに今後ますます増加するものと考えられる｡OAの発症メカニズムについては,関節軟骨の破壊･修復やパンヌス形成に関わる多くの関連因子(サイトカイン,マトリックス分解酵素,分解酵素抑制因子,プロテオグリカン,活性酸素,細胞接着因子など)について,多面的に研究が進んでいる｡しかし,膝関節の炎症初期の病態のメカニズムについては,なお詳細に解明されておらず,関節炎初期の炎症指標の検索が今後さらに必要と考えられる｡本研究で私たちは, OA患者膝関節液中の細胞外マトリックス構成成分であるコラーゲン,へパラン硫酸プロテオグリカン,ウロン酸および炎症の最も初期に血管内皮細胞に出現するVCAM-1等の可溶化成分濃度を測定した｡患者膝関節液(SF)中の可溶性コラーゲン量と可溶性VCAM-1(sVCAM-1)量とは有意な正の相関関係が(ρ=0.652)観察された｡しかし,ヘパラン硫酸プロテオグリカン(HSPG)と可溶性コラーゲン(sCOLL)値間には有意な相関関係は確認されなかった｡また,一般に炎症の指標として用いられるCRP値とも比戟検討したが,CRP値と他の測定項目値とは一定の相関関係は存在しなかった。以上の結果より,OA患者のSF中の炎症マーカ-として,急性炎症時には従来の炎症指標蛋白質であるCRP値が有力であるというSipe JDの報告から推測するとsCOLLとsVCAM-1はCRP値と一定の相関を示さないことより,CRPの動態とは異なった炎症指標としての有用性が考えられる｡しかし,HSPGはエンドサイトシスにより速やかに代謝されるためSF中への解離が少なく,炎症指標としての可能性は低いと考えられる

A Novel Mutation of a Leucine Residue in Coil 1A of Keratin 9 in Epidermolytic Palmoplantar Keratoderma

Keratin 9 mutation was examined in a Japanese kindred of epidermolytic palmoplantar keratoderma (EPPK), which is a dominantly inherited autosomal disorder of keratinization characterized by diffuse thickening of the palms and soles and by epidermolytic hyperkeratosis histologically. We report herein a novel mutation, a C → G transversion at nucleotide position 541 that converts a leucine residue (CTC) to a valine (GTC) at codon 159. As in all other reported cases of keratin 9 mutation in EPPK, this mutation lies within the highly conserved coil 1A of the rod domain, which is considered to play a role in the correct alignment of the coiled-coil molecules

Biological characteristics of euphausiids preyed upon by Adelie penguin, Pygoscelis adeliae, breeding at Hukuro Cove, Lutzow-Holm bay in 1995/1996

Adelie penguins were used as a biological sampler from late December 1995 to late January 1996 to study biological characteristics of euphausiids in Lutzow-Holm Bay, which is generally covered with fast sea-ice even in summer. Stomach contents and diving behavior of the penguins were examined. Euphausiids accounted for 73% of total wet weight of stomach contents, and fish 27%. Among euphausiids, Euphausia superba occupied 83%, and E. crystallorophias 17%. Females occupied 96% of the total number of E. superba, males only 4%. E. crystallorophias consisted of 73% females, 10% males and 17% juveniles. Adelie penguins might eat nutritionally superior female euphausiids selectively, and/or they could not catch male euphausiids which can swim faster. It was suggested that those individuals which dived deeper ate more euphausiids than fish, and larger E. superba

Possible effects of tilt order on phase transitions of a fixed connectivity surface model

We study the phase structure of a phantom tethered surface model shedding light on the internal degrees of freedom (IDOF), which correspond to the three-dimensional rod like structure of the lipid molecules. The so-called tilt order is assumed as IDOF on the surface model. The model is defined by combining the conventional spherical surface model and the XY model, which describes not only the interaction between lipids but also the interaction between the lipids and the surface. The interaction strength between IDOF and the surface varies depending on the interaction strength between the variables of IDOF. We know that the model without IDOF undergoes a first-order transition of surface fluctuations and a first-order collapsing transition. We observe in this paper that the order of the surface fluctuation transition changes from first-order to second-order and to higher-order with increasing strength of the interaction between IDOF variables. On the contrary, the order of collapsing transition remains first-order and is not influenced by the presence of IDOF.Comment: 20 pages, 14 figure