A Generalization of APN Functions for Odd Characteristic

Almost perfect nonlinear (APN) functions on finite fields of characteristic two have been studied by many researchers. Such functions have useful properties and applications in cryptography, finite geometries and so on. However APN functions on finite fields of odd characteristic do not satisfy desired properties. In this paper, we modify the definition of APN function in the case of odd characteristic, and study its properties

Unmutated Immunoglobulin M Can Protect Mice from Death by Influenza Virus Infection

To elucidate the role of class switch recombination (CSR) and somatic hypermutation (SHM) in virus infection, we have investigated the influence of the primary and secondary infections of influenza virus on mice deficient of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), which is absolutely required for CSR and SHM. In the primary infection, AID deficiency caused no significant difference in mortality but did cause difference in morbidity. In the secondary infection with a lethal dose of influenza virus, both AID−/− and AID+/− mice survived completely. However, AID−/− mice could not completely block replication of the virus and their body weights decreased severely whereas AID+/− mice showed almost complete prevention from the reinfection. Depletion of CD8+ T cells by administration of an anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody caused slightly severer body weight loss but did not alter the survival rate of AID−/− mice in secondary infection. These results indicate that unmutated immunoglobulin (Ig)M alone is capable of protecting mice from death upon primary and secondary infections. Because the titers of virus-neutralizing antibodies were comparable between AID−/− and AID+/− mice at the time of the secondary infection, a defect of AID−/− mice in protection of morbidity might be due to the absence of either other Ig classes such as IgG, high affinity antibodies with SHM, or both

Impact of hemodialysis on local vessel healing and thrombus formation after drug-eluting stent implantation

AbstractBackgroundAlthough hemodialysis (HD) is a suggested risk factor for stent thrombosis, its contribution to local vessel healing after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation is unclear.MethodsA total of 121 patients (152 lesions treated with DES) who underwent 8-month follow-up coronary angiography with optical coherence tomography (OCT) were enrolled, and the findings were compared between patients with and without HD. To match baseline differences, mid-term OCT findings of 42 propensity score-matched lesions (21 non-HD vs. 21 HD) were compared. Effects of HD on the efficacy of antiplatelet therapy were also evaluated by VerifyNow assay (Accumetrics, San Diego, CA, USA).ResultsPatients with HD had a significantly higher rate of thrombus formation than those without (64% vs. 33%, p=0.007), although the baseline parameters and lesion characteristics differed between the groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that HD was associated with an increased risk of thrombus formation (odds ratio 5.991, 95% confidence interval: 1.972–18.199, p=0.002). Even after propensity-matching for patient background and balancing of angiographic and OCT variables, the risk of thrombus formation remained significantly higher in HD patients. The P2Y12-reaction unit was significantly increased after HD (Pre HD: 211±75 vs. Post HD: 262±59, p=0.01), but patients without HD showed no increase during the same elapsed time (221±88 vs. 212±96, p=0.19).ConclusionsHD is a potential risk factor for subclinical thrombus attachment after DES therapy. Systemic problems, such as residual platelet reactivity, associated with HD as well as local vessel features in HD patients might contribute to the increased incidence of thrombus attachment and subsequent onset of thrombotic event after DES implantation

アセトアニリド ケッショウ ニ オケル シンドウ スペクトル ノ コウアツ ラマン ケンキュウ

We have studied the effect of pressure on the low-frequency lattice modes and the amide-I (N-C?O stretching) vibrational modes in crystalline acetanilide (C6H5NHCOCH3) in the temperature range 80–300 K by means of Raman spectroscopy. The Raman intensity of the 1650-cm-1 band, which appears upon cooling, is enhanced by applying pressure. The energy difference between the amide-I phonon (Ag mode) and the 1650-cm-1 bands does not change appreciably under pressure up to at least 4 GPa. These results are analyzed in terms of the self-trapped model in which a single lattice mode couples with the amide-I excitation by taking into account the effect of pressure on the low-frequency lattice modes and on the dipole-dipole interactions associated with the amide-I vibration. A band is observed at 30 cm-1 below the amide-I phonon band at low temperatures with a pressure above ∼2 GPa.有機分子性結晶特有の分子振動と格子振動の結合形態をアセトアニリド結晶についてラマン散乱により実験的に調査した。実験は大気圧下と、ダイヤモンドアンビルセルを用いた加圧下で、室温から80 Kまでの範囲で精密に温度を変えて行った。その結果、アミド-I分子振動モードが格子振動と結合して自己束縛を起こした振舞いを明瞭に観測することができ、分子・格子結合のメカニズムを解明するとともに、結合定数を定量的に評価することができた