Effect of a small molecule inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB nuclear translocation in a murine model of arthritis and cultured human synovial cells

A small cell-permeable compound, dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomicin (DHMEQ), does not inhibit phosphorylation and degradation of IκB (inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB [NF-κB]) but selectively inhibits nuclear translocation of activated NF-κB. This study aimed to demonstrate the antiarthritic effect of this novel inhibitor of the NF-κB pathway in vivo in a murine arthritis model and in vitro in human synovial cells. Collagen-induced arthritis was induced in mice, and after onset of arthritis the mice were treated with DHMEQ (5 mg/kg body weight per day). Using fibroblast-like synoviocyte (FLS) cell lines established from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), NF-κB activity was examined by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. The expression of molecules involved in RA pathogenesis was determined by RT-PCR, ELISA, and flow cytometry. The proliferative activity of the cells was estimated with tritiated thymidine incorporation. After 14 days of treatment with DHMEQ, mice with collagen-induced arthritis exhibited decreased severity of arthritis, based on the degree of paw swelling, the number of swollen joints, and radiographic and histopathologic scores, compared with the control mice treated with vehicle alone. In RA FLS stimulated with tumor necrosis factor-α, activities of NF-κB components p65 and p50 were inhibited by DHMEQ, leading to suppressed expression of the key inflammatory cytokine IL-6, CC chemokine ligand-2 and -5, matrix metalloproteinase-3, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1. The proliferative activity of the cells was also suppressed. This is the first demonstration of an inhibitor of NF-κB nuclear translocation exhibiting a therapeutic effect on established murine arthritis, and suppression of inflammatory mediators in FLS was thought to be among the mechanisms underlying such an effect

A Study on a High Frequency Application of Thyristor

Static switches utilizing thyristor capable of switching at high frequency are described. A brief summary of the experimental operation of the device is included, followed by an analysis of the static switches. Design procedures and graphs are developed that make possible the design of such static switches based upon design criteria.Article信州大学工学部紀要 21: 11-20 (1966)departmental bulletin pape

ASCA Observations of Two Ultra-Luminous Compact X-Ray Sources in the Edge-on Spiral Galaxy NGC 4565

The edge-on spiral galaxy NGC 4565 was observed for $\sim$ 35 ks with ASCA in the 0.5-10 keV energy band. The X-ray emission was dominated by two bright sources, which can be identified with two point-like X-ray sources seen in the ROSAT HRI image. The observed 0.5-10 keV fluxes of these sources, $1.7 \times 10^{-12} erg/s cm^{-2}$ and $0.7 \times 10^{-12}erg/s cm^{-2}$, %$1.66 \times 10^{-12} erg/s cm^{-2}$ %$0.66 \times 10^{-12} erg/s cm^{-2}$ imply bolometric luminosities of $1.0\times 10^{40} erg/s$ and $4 \times 10^{39} erg/s$, respectively. They exhibit similar spectra, which can be explained by emission from optically thick accretion disks with the inner disk temperature of 1.4-1.6 keV. One of them, coincident in position with the nucleus, shows too low absorption to be the active nucleus seen through the galaxy disk. Their spectra and high luminosities suggest that they are both mass accreting black hole binaries. However the black-hole mass required by the Eddington limit is rather high ($\geq 50 M_{\odot}$), and the observed disk temperature is too high to be compatible with the high black-hole mass. Several attempts are made to solve these problesms.Comment: 20page

X-Ray Spectra of the Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxy Ton S180 in Comparison with Galactic Black Holes

An analysis was made of 0.3-15 keV X-ray spectra of a Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxy, Ton S180, using archival data from ASCA, RXTE, and XMM-Newton. At energies above 2.5 keV, a power-law with a photon index of ~ 2.3 successfully and consistently reproduced the spectra from all of these observatories. Assuming this power-law component to extend toward lower energies, a soft excess, which is one of the most remarkable features of Narrow-Line Seyfert 1 Galaxies, is explained by another power-law multiplied by a thermal cutoff at ~ 0.4 keV. Some similarities have been observed between this object and Galactic black hole binaries in very high state, the latter being realized under high accretion rates. Attempts have been made to interpret the soft excess in terms of Comptonization of the disk photons by an electron cloud surrounding the accretion disk, like BHBs in a very high state.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figure

Suzaku Observations of M82 X-1 : Detection of a Curved Hard X-ray Spectrum

A report is presented on Suzaku observations of the ultra-luminous X-ray source X-1 in the starburst galaxy M82, made three time in 2005 October for an exposure of ~ 30 ks each. The XIS signals from a region of radius 3 around the nucleus defined a 2-10 keV flux of 2.1 x 10^-11 erg s-1 cm-2 attributable to point sources. The 3.2-10 keV spectrum was slightly more convex than a power-law with a photon index of 1.7. In all observations, the HXD also detected signals from M82 up to ~ 20 keV, at a 12-20 keV flux of 4.4 x 10^-12 erg s-1 cm-2 . The HXD spectrum was steeper than that of the XIS. The XIS and HXD spectra can be jointly reproduced by a cutoff power-law model, or similar curved models. Of the detected wide-band signals, 1/3 to 2/3 are attributable to X-1, while the remainder to other discrete sources in M82. Regardless of the modeling of these contaminants, the spectrum attributable to X-1 is more curved than a power-law, with a bolometric luminosity of (1.5 -3) x 10 ^40 erg s-1. These results are interpreted as Comptonized emission from a black hole of 100-200 solar masses, radiating roughly at the Eddington luminosity.Comment: 19 pages, 9 figures, accepted in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japa

Discovery of a bright transient ultraluminous X-ray source Suzaku J1305-4931 in NGC 4945

This paper reports the discovery of a bright X-ray transient source, Suzaku J1305-4913, in the south-west arm of the nearby Seyfert II galaxy NGC 4945. It was detected at a 0.5 -- 10 keV flux of $2.2 \times 10^{-12}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ during the Suzaku observation conducted on 2006 January 15 -- 17, but was undetectable in a shorter observation on 2005 August 22 --23, with an upper limit of $1.7 \times 10^{-14}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ (90% confidence level). At a distance of 3.7 Mpc, the bolometric luminosity of the source becomes $L_{\rm bol} = 4.4 \times 10^{39} \alpha$ erg s$^{-1}$, where $\alpha = (\cos 60^\circ / \cos i)$ and $i$ is the disk inclination. Therefore, the source is classified into so-called ultraluminous X-ray sources (ULXs). The time-averaged X-ray spectrum of the source is described by a multi-color disk model, with the innermost accretion disk temperature of $T_{\rm in} = 1.69_{-0.05}^{+0.06}$ keV. During the 2006 January observation, it varied by a factor of 2 in intensity, following a clear correlation of $L_{\rm bol} \propto T_{\rm in}^4$. It is inferred that the innermost disk radius $R_{\rm in}$ stayed constant at $R_{\rm in} = 79_{-3.9}^{+4.0} \alpha^{1/2}$ km, suggesting the presence of a standard accretion disk. Relating $R_{\rm in}$ with the last stable orbit around a non-rotating black hole yields a rather low black hole mass, $\sim 9 \alpha^{1/2}$ solar masses, which would imply that the source is shining at a luminosity of $\sim3 \alpha^{1/2}$ times the Eddington limit. These results can be better interpreted by invoking sub-Eddington emission from a rapidly spinning black hole with a mass of 20 -- 130 solar masses.Comment: 21 pages, 10 figures, Accepted for PASJ 2nd Suzaku special issu

Effect of Air and Root Temperatures on the Development of Flower Cluster Borne on the Forced Lateral Shoot of Muscat of Alexandria Grapes

ブドウ,Muscat of Alexandriaの2期作栽培において,2期作目の花穂は1期作目にくらべて発育が著しく劣るが,これは2期作目の発芽から開花までが夏期にあたるため,この時期の気温が高すぎることも大きく影饗している. そこで本実験では,気温条件が高すぎる場合に地温を人為的に操作することによって花穂の発育不良を回復することができるかどうかを確めるために,ポット植えのMuscat of Alexandriaの2番枝の発芽直前から気温(30℃,25℃,自然)と地温(30℃,25℃,20℃)をかえて,2番枝上の花穂の発育を比較した. (1)2番枝の生長はいずれの気温の場合にも地温20℃区で劣ったが,とくに気温が高いほどこの傾向が著しかった. 花穂の伸長もこれとほぼ同様な傾向がみられ,とくに30℃-20℃(気温-地温)区では,すべての花穂が発育を停止し,発芽後約20日目には枯死した. (2)気温が30℃でも地温25℃および30℃の両区では気温25℃あるいは自然気温(平均23.4℃）の場合と同じように花穂は発育して開花に至ったが,この両区では開花初期から落花が著しく,満開後約10日目における結実率は最も低かった. いっぽう,25℃-25℃区では第2次花穂数,花らい数ともに最も多く花穂の発育はすぐれ,また,この区の結実率は高かった. (3)以上の結果から,Muscat of Alexandriaの2番枝に着生した花穂の高温による発育不良は地温を下げることによって回復することは不可能で,気温が高いほど地面も高温を必要としたが,気温が30℃恒温では地温をどのように調整しても結実が悪く,気温条件としては高すぎると思われた

Effects of Root Temperature on Berry Growth and Berry Composition of Muscat of Alexandria Grapes

ブドウ“マスカット･オブ･アレキサンドリア"の接ぎ木2年生苗(H.F.台)について,結実から成熟開始まで(果粒肥大の第I～II期)と成熟開始から収穫まで(同第III期)に地温処理(18,20,25,30及び33℃)を行い,果粒の肥大及び成熟に及ぼす地温の影響を調査した. 1)第I～II期の処理では,25℃以上の区で果粒の肥大がすぐれ,収穫時の果粒も30℃と33℃の両区で重かった. 第III期の処理では果粒肥大への影響はほとんど認められなかった. いずれの時期の処理でも,30℃以上の区では果軸病その他の果粒の生理障害が発生したために収穫時の果房当りの果粒数が少なかった. 2)可溶性固形物含量は,第I～II期の処理では差がみられなかったが,第III期の処理では25℃以下の各区よりも30,33℃の両区で少なかった. 滴定酸含量は,肥大期処理では20℃以下の区で少なかったが,第III期の処理では差は認められなかった. 3)果粒の主要な糖はブドウ糖と果糖であり,成熟開始期にはブドウ糖含量は果糖含量の約3倍あったが,収穫時にはいずれの地温においても果糖含量の方が多かった. 主要な有機酸はリンゴ酸と酒石酸で,成熟開始期にはリンゴ酸含量が酒石酸含量の約3倍あったが,収穫時には両者はほぼ等しくなった. 糖及び有機酸ともに,地温による組成比の相違は認められなかった