Large Angle CMB Anisotropy in an Open Universe in the One-Bubble Inflationary Scenario

We consider an alternative scenario of inflation which can account for a spatially open universe. It is similar to the old inflation in which the bubble nucleation occurs in the sea of false vacuum, but differs from it in that the second slow rollover inflation occurs inside a nucleated bubble. Hence our observable universe is entirely contained in one nucleated bubble. The significance of the scenario is that apart from a variance due to model parameters it gives us a definite prediction on the spectrum of the primordial density perturbations, hence is observationally testable. Here we investigate the spectrum of CMB anisotropies on large angular scales. We find that the contribution from peculiar modes which never appear in the usual harmonic analysis is significant in the case $\Omega_0\lesssim0.1$.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, uuencoded compressed PS fil

Role of linear ubiquitination in inflammatory responses and tissue homeostasis

Polyubiquitination is a post-translational modification involved in a wide range of immunological events, including inflammatory responses, immune cell differentiation, and development of inflammatory diseases. The versatile functions of polyubiquitination are based on different types of ubiquitin linkage, which enable various UBD (ubiquitin binding domain)-containing adaptor proteins to associate and induce distinct biological outputs. A unique and atypical type of polyubiquitin chain comprising a conjugation between the N-terminal methionine of the proximal ubiquitin moiety and the C-terminal glycine of the distal ubiquitin moiety, referred to as a linear or M1-linked ubiquitin chain, has been studied exclusively within the field of immunology because it is distinct from other polyubiquitin forms: linear ubiquitin chains are generated predominantly by various inflammatory stimulants, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and act as a critical modulator of transient and optimal signal transduction. Moreover, accumulating evidence suggests that linear ubiquitin chains are of physiological significance. Dysregulation of linear ubiquitination triggers chronic inflammation and immunodeficiency via downregulation of linear ubiquitin-dependent nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling and by triggering TNF-α-induced cell death, suggesting that linear ubiquitination is a homeostatic regulator of tissue-specific functions. In this review, we focus on our current understating of the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which linear ubiquitin chains control inflammatory environments. Furthermore, we review the role of linear ubiquitination on T cell development, differentiation, and function, thereby providing insight into its direct association with maintaining the immune system

Determination of Hematinic Acid Produced by Oxidative Cleavage of Hemoglobin Heme in Red Blood Cells

Our previous studies on the mechanism of phenylhydrazine-induced hemolytic anemia have shown that hematinic acid, one of oxidative cleavage products of heme, is formed by the reaction of hemoglobin with phenylhydrazine. Develoment of the determination of hematinic acid formed by this reaction in red blood cells (RBC) was required to study the mechanism of the hemolysis. Hemolysates prepared by lysis of fresh human RBC with water was mixed with standard hematinic acid. A solution consisting of hydrochloric acid, methanol, and acetone was added, and most of hemoglobin precipitated was removed by centrifugation. Hematinic acid was derived to the methyl ester by incubation with methanol containing sulfuric acid. The ester was passed to two type of silica gel column to remove interferences, and was analysed on a reversedphase high-performance liquid chromatographic column. Hematinic acid could be determined in the range 1.0-20.0μmol/ml RBC. Recovery from hemolysate was 65.0% ±3.5%. Standard compounds of hematinic acid and its methyl ester were prepared by the oxidation of hemin with hydrogen peroxide, and were comfirmed by elemental analyses and mass spectra.フェニルヒドラジン惹起性溶血貧血機構の著者らの研究において、ヘモグロビンとフェニルヒドラジンとの反応でヘムの酸化的開裂物質の１つであるヘマチン酸が生成することが示された。この反応によって赤血球（RBC）中で生じたヘマチン酸を定量する方法の確立が、溶血機構研究のため必要となった。人のRBCを水で溶血し、ヘマチン酸の標品を加えた。塩酸、メタノール、アセトンの溶液え加え、ほとんどのヘモグロビンを沈殿除去した。メタノールー硫酸溶液で加熱し、ヘマチン酸をメチルエステルに誘導した。夾雑物を２種のシリカゲルカラムを通すことによって除去し、逆相カラムを用いた高速液体クロマトグラフィーで分析した。ヘマチン酸は、1.0-20.0μmol/ml　RBCの範囲で定量でき、回収率は65.0 ±3.5％であった。ヘマチン酸とこのメチルエステルの標品は、ヘミンを過酸化水素酸化することによって合成し、元素分析と質量分析によって確認した