354 research outputs found
Production of the Long-Lived Isotopes 163Ho for the Study of the Mass of Electron Neutrino
開始ページ、終了ページ: 冊子体のページ付
Reflection Characteristics of Low-energy Particles Injected into Highly-oriented Carbon Nano-materials
CCN3 and bone marrow cells
CCN3 expression was observed in a broad variety of tissues from the early stage of development. However, a kind of loss of function in mice (CCN3 del VWC domain -/-) demonstrated mild abnormality, which indicates that CCN3 may not be critical for the normal embryogenesis as a single gene. The importance of CCN3 in bone marrow environment becomes to be recognized by the studies of hematopoietic stem cells and Chronic Myeloid Leukemia cells. CCN3 expression in bone marrow has been denied by several investigations, but we found CCN3 positive stromal and hematopoietic cells at bone extremities with a new antibody although they are a very few populations. We investigated the expression pattern of CCN3 in the cultured bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells and found its preference for osteogenic differentiation. From the analyses of in vitro experiment using an osteogenic mesenchymal stem cell line, Kusa-A1, we found that CCN3 downregulates osteogenesis by two different pathways; suppression of BMP and stimulation of Notch. Secreted CCN3 from Kusa cells inhibited the differentiation of osteoblasts in separate culture, which indicates the paracrine manner of CCN3 activity. CCN3 may also affect the extracellular environment of the niche for hematopoietic stem cells
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Multiple - pion production by 200-GeV/c muons
The main objectives of this experiment are to study the multiple-pion production, especially fire ball-like behavior at the known muon energy, and to compare with the cosmic ray data by means of cloud chambers containing lead plates and with emulsion stack data in the lower energy region (5GeV/c). The cloud chamber data by cosmic ray muons has been investigated by means of the One Fire Ball Model (the mesons are emitted from excited centers) in the energy range of 10 to 100 GeV, while the emulsion data at 5 GeV/c have indicated dominant contributions from isobars (the excited baryon of 1238 MeV). In the cosmic ray data we can not discuss more details of 'the fire ball', such as its mass or temperature, because those incident muon energies can not be estimated directly
Fabrication and characterization of dual function nanoscale pH-scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) probes for high resolution pH mapping
The easy fabrication and use of nanoscale dual function pH-scanning ion conductance microscopy (SICM) probes is reported. These probes incorporate an iridium oxide coated carbon electrode for pH measurement and an SICM barrel for distance control, enabling simultaneous pH and topography mapping. These pH-SICM probes were fabricated rapidly from laser pulled theta quartz pipets, with the pH electrode prepared by in situ carbon filling of one of the barrels by the pyrolytic decomposition of butane, followed by electrodeposition of a thin layer of hydrous iridium oxide. The other barrel was filled with an electrolyte solution and Ag/AgCl electrode as part of a conductance cell for SICM. The fabricated probes, with pH and SICM sensing elements typically on the 100 nm scale, were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and various electrochemical measurements. They showed a linear super-Nernstian pH response over a range of pH (pH 2–10). The capability of the pH-SICM probe was demonstrated by detecting both pH and topographical changes during the dissolution of a calcite microcrystal in aqueous solution. This system illustrates the quantitative nature of pH-SICM imaging, because the dissolution process changes the crystal height and interfacial pH (compared to bulk), and each is sensitive to the rate. Both measurements reveal similar dissolution rates, which are in agreement with previously reported literature values measured by classical bulk methods
α′ Subunit of soybean β-conglycinin forms complex with rice glutelin via a disulphide bond in transgenic rice seeds*
The α′ and β subunits of soybean β-conglycinin were expressed in rice seeds in order to improve the nutritional and physiological properties of rice as a food. The α′ subunit accumulated in rice seeds at a higher level than the β subunit, but no detectable difference in mRNA transcription level between subunits was observed. Sequential extraction results indicate that the α′ subunit formed one or more disulphide bonds with glutelin. Electron microscopic analysis showed that the α′ subunit and the β subunit were transported to PB-II together with glutelin. In mature transgenic seeds, the β subunit accumulated in low electron density regions in the periphery of PB-II, whereas the α′ subunit accumulated together with glutelin in high-density regions of the periphery. The subcellular localization of mutated α′ subunits lacking one cysteine residue in the N-terminal mature region (α′ΔCys1) or five cysteine residues in the pro and N-terminal mature regions (α′ΔCys5) were also examined. Low-density regions were formed in PB-II in mature seeds of transgenic rice expressing α′ΔCys 5 and α′ΔCys1. α′ΔCys5 was localized only in the low-density regions, whereas α′ΔCys1 was found in both low- and high-density regions. These results suggest that the α′ subunit could make a complex via one or more disulphide bonds with glutelin and accumulate together in PB-II of transgenic rice seeds
Programmed Chemotherapy for Patients with Metastatic Unresectable Gastric Cancer
BACKGROUND: Recent advances in the treatment of metastatic unresectable gastric cancers (MGC) include the development of new antitumor drugs and new regimens for their use. However, the selection of individually designed regimens by gastric cancer (GC) subtype remains problematic. Here, we investigated the clinical usefulness of programmed chemotherapy. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: MGC patients were classified into three groups by clinical condition. We implemented a chemotherapy program consisting of S-1 combination regimens. Median survival time (MST) of level 1 patients was 416 days (95% CI: 313-506 days), with an overall response rate of 47%. MSTs of level 2 and 3 patients were 208 (95% CI: 153-287 days) and 95 days (95% CI: 28-136 days), respectively. Grade 3-4 toxicities were neutropenia in 12% and anorexia in 6%. All treatment- related toxicities were resolved, and no treatment-related deaths occurred. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This program provided reasonable selection of case-matching regimens and may improve the survival of patients with MGC. Further, it may represent the first clinical tool to provide efficient chemotherapy course selection for MGC. Ongoing analysis of newly developed drugs and regimens will allow the efficacy of this chemotherapy program to be improved
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