Alterations in Lectin Binding to the Epidermis Following Treatment with 8-Methoxypsoralen Plus Long-Wave Ultraviolet Radiation

The alterations in lectin fluorescence stainings to the epidermis were examined in guinea pig skin treated with topical application of a 1% 8-methoxypsoralen (8MOP) solution plus long-wave ultraviolet (UVA) radiation (1.5–3.5 J/cm2) (PUVA). Serial biopsy specimens taken up to 21 days postirradiation were stained with 8 commercially available lectins labeled with either fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) or biotin (followed by avidin D-FITC): Bandeiraea simplicifolia agglutinin I (BSA), concanavalin A (Con-A), Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), peanut agglutinin (PNA), Ricinus communis agglutinin I (RCA), soybean agglutinin (SBA), Ulex europeus agglutinin I (UEA), and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). In normal guinea pig skin UEA staining was absent. Following PUVA treatment, UEA and DBA stainings became apparent or stronger in intensity after days 7–14 (UEA) and days 4–7 (DBA), respectively, and returned to negative or weak by days 14–21. Stainings with Con-A, SBA, and WGA gave remarkable decreases in intensity after days 2–4 and recovered to the baseline by days 7–14. Intensity of BSA, PNA, and RCA stainings was decreased to a lesser degree than the other lectins. Such changes were not produced by application of 8-MOP, UVA radiation (<10 J/cm2), UVB radiation (900–2700 mJ/cm2), or tape stripping. These results suggest that PUVA treatment perturbs the composition or organization of epidermal cell surface glycoconjugates to induce alterations in lectin stainings

Sleeping arrangement and house structure affect bed net use in villages along Lake Victoria

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Although insecticide-treated bed nets are effective tools, use often does not follow ownership. House structure and space arrangements may make the attempt to use bed nets difficult, especially for school age children. The objectives of this study were to explore whether an individual's sleeping arrangements and house structure affect bed net use in villages along Lake Victoria in western Kenya.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Sleeping arrangements of residents were directly observed for use of a bed net, use of a bed, and location. House size, number and types of rooms, bed availability, and residents' ages were estimated. The family heads and mothers were asked about the reason for not using bed nets. Individual bed net use was examined against age and sleeping arrangement. Net use at the household level was examined against four variables: bed availability, bed net availability, house size, and number of rooms.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Bed net use by children between five and 15 years of age was lower than that among the other age classes. However, age was dropped from the final model, and sleeping arrangement was significantly associated with net use. Net use was significantly associated with bed availability, number of rooms and their interaction.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Net use was affected by sleeping arrangement and availability of suitable locations for hanging nets, in addition to net availability. Most residents had likely not realized that sleeping arrangement was a factor in net use. The ease of hanging a net is particularly important for children.</p

Epidemiological Survey of Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus in Ticks in Nagasaki, Japan

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging disease endemic in East Asia. Transmitted to other organisms by infected ticks, the SFTS virus (SFTSV) and is endemic to Nagasaki in western Japan. However, epidemiological information regarding SFTSV in Nagasaki ticks has not been available to date. In this study, we began by examining the sensitivities of SFTSV gene detection by real-time RT-PCR and virus isolation in cultured cells and mice. These methods could detect SFTSV in the samples containing more than 4 × 10° ffu. Next, we attempted to isolate SFTSV and to detect viral gene in 2,222 nymph and adult ticks collected from May to August 2013 among seven regions of Nagasaki. However, neither virus isolation nor viral gene detection were confirmed in the tick pools. SFTSV positivity rates are considered to be very low in ticks, and viral loads are also very limited. Further investigations increasing the number of ticks and including larval samples as well as improved detection methods, may be required to find SFTSV-positive ticks in this region

Spin-orbit coupling induced Van Hove singularity in proximity to a Lifshitz transition in Sr4Ru3O10

Funding: CAM, MN and PW gratefully acknowledge funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council through EP/R031924/1 and EP/S005005/1, IB through the International Max Planck Research School for Chemistry and Physics of Quantum Materials and LCR from a fellowship from the Royal Commission of the Exhibition of 1851. RA, RF and AV thank the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No. 964398 (SUPERGATE).Van Hove singularities (VHss) in the vicinity of the Fermi energy often play a dramatic role in the physics of strongly correlated electron materials. The divergence of the density of states generated by VHss can trigger the emergence of new phases such as superconductivity, ferromagnetism, metamagnetism, and density wave orders. A detailed understanding of the electronic structure of these VHss is therefore essential for an accurate description of such instabilities. Here, we study the low-energy electronic structure of the trilayer strontium ruthenate Sr4Ru3O10, identifying a rich hierarchy of VHss using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and millikelvin scanning tunneling microscopy. Comparison of k-resolved electron spectroscopy and quasiparticle interference allows us to determine the structure of the VHss and demonstrate the crucial role of spin-orbit coupling in shaping them. We use this to develop a minimal model from which we identify a new mechanism for driving a field-induced Lifshitz transition in ferromagnetic metals.Peer reviewe

北九州市のと畜場における作業行動とトキソパラズマ症へのリスク

To clarify the risk of Toxoplasma gondii infection among slaughterhouse workers, we investigated Toxoplasma antibody in workers and swine in the meat center of Kitakyushu City and discussed the result from the standpoint of working conditions. Among 67 slaughterhouse workers, 22 were positive for Toxoplasma antibody(positive rate, 32.8%), while among 208 swine, 19 were positive(positive rate, 9.1%). When classified by ages of workers, positive rates in workers were 0% at the age of 30 or less and around 40% at the age of 31 and over. Especially, positive rate became as high as 66.7% in workers aged 61 and over. Positive rates for Toxoplasma antibody in workers classified by duration of employment were 25% for 5 years or less and 41.5% for 6 years and over. Moreover, there was no difference in positive rates of Toxoplasma antibody between swine slaughterers(positive rate, 32.4%)and cattle slaughterers(33.9%). Although overall positive rate of Toxoplasma antibody in slaughterers was higher, positive antibody in younger slaughterers or that of shorter duration of employment was considerably low In addition, since positive rate of Toxoplasma antibody in swine brought to the slaughterhouse has decreased remarkably in comparison to the previous study, risk of toxoplasmosis in slaughterhouse workers also seemed to have decreased.と畜場におけるトキソプラズマ感染の危険性を明らかにする目的で, 北九州市食肉センターにおけると畜従事者の作業行動を調査し, 同時にと畜従事者および搬入豚のトキソプラズマに対する抗体陽性率、抗体価の変動との関係を解析した.その結果, と畜従事者67人中トキソプラズマ抗体陽性22人(陽性率32.8%), 搬入豚は208頭中陽性19頭(陽性率9.1%)であった, と畜従事者の年齢および従業年数別の比較では, 30歳以下では0%, 31歳以上では40%前後の抗体陽性が認められ, 特に61歳以上では66.7%と高率であった.従業年数別では, 5年以下で25.0%, 6年以上で41.5%の抗体陽性が認められた.また, 豚と畜従事者(陽性率32.4%)と牛と畜従事者(33.9%)との間に抗体陽性率の差は認められなかった.と畜従事者は依然としてトキソプラズマに対する高い抗体陽性率を有しているが, 若年層および従業年数が少ない群では抗体陽性率がかなり低くなっている.また, 搬入豚の抗体陽性率が昔と比べ著しく低くなっていることから, と畜場におけるトキソプラズマ感染の危険性は低くなってきているものと推察された