Enhancement of electronic anomalies in iron-substituted La_2-x_Sr_x_Cu_1-y_Fe_y_O_4_ around x=0.22

We have measured the temperature dependences of Rho and Chi for Fe-substituted La_2-x_Sr_x_Cu_1-y_Fe_y_O_4_ in the overdoped regime, in order to investigate Fe-substitution effects on electronic properties around x=0.22. From the Rho measurements, it has been found around x=0.22 that the values of Rho are large at room temperature and that Rho exhibits a pronounced upturn at low temperatures. Moreover, from the Rho and Chi measurements, it has been found that T_c_ is anomalously depressed around x=0.22. These results indicate that the electronic anomalies around x=0.22 are enhanced by Fe substitution, which might be related to the development of stripe correlations by Fe substitution.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figure

Emergence of Clostridium botulinum type B-like nontoxigenic organisms in a patient with type B infant botulism

金沢大学大学院医学系研究科病態検査学We encountered a patient with infant botulism caused by a single clone of Clostridium botulinum type B. In the early convalescent phase, a C. botulinum type B-like nontoxigenic organism emerged in the feces instead. Growth inhibition of toxigenic strains by nontoxigenic strains was examined

Fourth order gravity: equations, history, and applications to cosmology

The field equations following from a Lagrangian L(R) will be deduced and solved for special cases. If L is a non-linear function of the curvature scalar, then these equations are of fourth order in the metric. In the introduction we present the history of these equations beginning with the paper of H. Weyl from 1918, who first discussed them as alternative to Einstein's theory. In the third part, we give details about the cosmic no hair theorem, i.e., the details how within fourth order gravity with L= R + R^2 the inflationary phase of cosmic evolution turns out to be a transient attractor. Finally, the Bicknell theorem, i.e. the conformal relation from fourth order gravity to scalar-tensor theory, will be shortly presented.Comment: 51 pages, LaTeX, no figure, lecture for 42nd Karpacz Winter School 6.-11.2.06, references 99-109 and related comments are adde

Engineered Heart Tissue: A Novel Tool to Study the Ischemic Changes of the Heart In Vitro

Background: Understanding the basic mechanisms and prevention of any disease pattern lies mainly on development of a successful experimental model. Recently, engineered heart tissue (EHT) has been demonstrated to be a useful tool in experimental transplantation. Here, we demonstrate a novel function for the spontaneously contracting EHT as an experimental model in studying the acute ischemia-induced changes in vitro. Methodology/Principal Findings: EHT was constructed by mixing cardiomyocytes isolated from the neonatal rats and cultured in a ring-shaped scaffold for five days. This was followed by mechanical stretching of the EHT for another one week under incubation. Fully developed EHT was subjected to hypoxia with 1 % O2 for 6 hours after treating them with cell protective agents such as cyclosporine A (CsA) and acetylcholine (ACh). During culture, EHT started to show spontaneous contractions that became more synchronous following mechanical stretching. This was confirmed by the increased expression of gap junctional protein connexin 43 and improved action potential recordings using an optical mapping system after mechanical stretching. When subjected to hypoxia, EHT demonstrated conduction defects, dephosphorylation of connexin-43, and down-regulation of cell survival proteins identical to the adult heart. These effects were inhibited by treating the EHT with cell protective agents. Conclusions/Significance: Under hypoxic conditions, the EHT responds similarly to the adult myocardium, thus making EHT a promising material for the study of cardiac functions in vitro

CXCR2 deficient mice display macrophage-dependent exaggerated acute inflammatory responses

CXCR2 is an essential regulator of neutrophil recruitment to inflamed and damaged sites and plays prominent roles in inflammatory pathologies and cancer. It has therefore been highlighted as an important therapeutic target. However the success of the therapeutic targeting of CXCR2 is threatened by our relative lack of knowledge of its precise in vivo mode of action. Here we demonstrate that CXCR2-deficient mice display a counterintuitive transient exaggerated inflammatory response to cutaneous and peritoneal inflammatory stimuli. In both situations, this is associated with reduced expression of cytokines associated with the resolution of the inflammatory response and an increase in macrophage accumulation at inflamed sites. Analysis using neutrophil depletion strategies indicates that this is a consequence of impaired recruitment of a non-neutrophilic CXCR2 positive leukocyte population. We suggest that these cells may be myeloid derived suppressor cells. Our data therefore reveal novel and previously unanticipated roles for CXCR2 in the orchestration of the inflammatory response

Car drivers' road safety performance. A benchmark across 32 countries

The road safety performance of a country and the success of policy measures can be measured and monitored in different ways. In addition to the traditional road safety indicators based on the number of fatalities or injured people in road traffic crashes, complementary road safety performance indicators can be used in relation to vehicles, infrastructure, or road users' behaviour. The last-mentioned can be based on data from roadside surveys or from questionnaire surveys. However, results of such surveys are seldom comparable across countries due to differences in aims, scope, or methodology. This paper is based on the second edition of the E-Survey of Road Users' Attitudes (ESRA), an online survey carried out in 2018, and includes data from more than 35,000 road users across 32 countries. The objective is to present the main results of the ESRA survey regarding the four most important risky driving behaviours in traffic: driving under the influence (alcohol/drugs), speeding, mobile phone use while driving, and fatigued driving. The paper explores several aspects related to these behaviours as car driver, such as the self-declared behaviours, acceptability and risk perception, support for policy measures, and opinions on traffic rules and penalties. Results show that despite the high perception of risk and low acceptability of all the risky driving behaviours analysed, there is still a high percentage of car drivers who engage in risky behaviours in traffic in all the regions analysed. Speeding and the use of a mobile phone while driving were the most frequent self-declared behaviours. On the other hand, driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs was the least declared behaviour. Most respondents support policy measures to restrict risky behaviour in traffic and believe that traffic rules are not being checked regularly enough, and should be stricter. The ESRA survey proved to be a valuable source of information to understand the causes underlying road traffic crashes. It offers a unique database and provides policy makers and researchers with valuable insights into public perception of road safety

Neuroendocrine differentiation and neuroendocrine morphology as two different patterns in large-cell bronchial carcinomas: outcome after complete resection

BACKGROUND: In 1999, large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung was introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a new tumor entity in the group of non-small cell, epithelial tumors, a differentiated classification of neuroendocrine tumors of the lung not existing until this time. Scientific knowledge on prognosis and therapy of these tumors, especially between those with neuroendocrine morphology only and those showing additional expression of neuroendocrine markers, is fragmentary. In this analysis, we studied the clinical behavior and the prognosis of these two rare tumor entities. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The analysis comprises 12 patients of a total of 2053, who underwent thoracotomy for non small-cell lung carcinoma between 1997 and 2005 in the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the University Hospital of Freiburg. Clinical data, pathological examinations as well as complete follow-up were reviewed from large-cell carcinoma with neuroendocrine morphology only (n=4) and from large-cell carcinoma expressing neuroendocrine markers (n=8). RESULTS: The median survival of patients with neuroendocrine morphology was 30 months (11–96 months). In the patient group showing the expression of neuroendocrine markers, the median survival time was 20 months (2–26 months). Tumor recurrences occurred in the group with neuroendocrine morphology, without exception, in the form of distant metastases and in the group with neuroendocrine markers as intrapulmonary metastases. CONCLUSION: Large-cell neuroendocrine carcinomas of the lung show aggressive behavior with a poor prognosis. Expression of neuroendocrine markers markedly reduce tumor-free interval as well as survival and might influence the site of metastases

Clinical and radiological features related to the growth potential of meningioma

Clinical and radiological features that help predict the growth potential of meningioma would be beneficial. The purpose of this study is to clarify the characteristics related to proliferating potential using the MIB-1 staining index. We analyzed the relationship of MIB-1 staining indices to characteristics of 342 consecutive patients with meningioma surgically removed between 1995 and 2004 by logistic regression analysis. One hundred and forty-nine of the patients with meningioma were ≥60 in age; 89 male; 48 recurrent; 203 symptomatic; 157 at the skull base; 124 over 20 cm(3); 24 multiple; 136 with edema; 117 with calcification. The MIB-1 staining index in 56 of 296 grade I meningiomas in WHO classification was ≥ 3.0; in 27 of 28 grade II; and in 17 of 18 grade III, respectively. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that male (odds ratio [OR], 2.374, p=0.003), recurrence (OR, 7.574, p=0.0001), skull base (OR, 0.540, p=0.035), calcification (OR, 0.498, p=0.019) were independent risk factors for a high MIB-1 staining index (≥3.0); age, symptomatic, volume, multiple, edema were not. Male, recurrence, non-skull base, absence of calcification are independent risk factors for a high proliferative potential. These should be taken into consideration when managing meningiomas