The OVAL experiment: A new experiment to measure vacuum magnetic birefringence using high repetition pulsed magnets

A new experiment to measure vacuum magnetic birefringence (VMB), the OVAL experiment, is reported. We developed an original pulsed magnet that has a high repetition rate and applies the strongest magnetic field among VMB experiments. The vibration isolation design and feedback system enable the direct combination of the magnet with a Fabry-P\'erot cavity. To ensure the searching potential, a calibration measurement with dilute nitrogen gas and a prototype search for vacuum magnetic birefringence are performed. Based on the results, a strategy to observe vacuum magnetic birefringence is reported.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figure

Lack of CTGF*-945C/G Dimorphism in Thai Patients with Systemic Sclerosis

An association between connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) gene dimorphism at –945 (CTGF*-945C/G) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) has been reported with inconclusive results. We performed this study to determine whether such an association exists among Thai patients with SSc. DNA samples were taken from 50 Thai SSc patients (diffuse SSc in 39 and limited SSc in 11) and 99 healthy controls for determination of CTGF*-945C/G dimorphism by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific oligonucleotide primers. The associations between the genotype frequencies, clinical manifestations and auto-antibodies were determined as well. When compared with the controls, SSc patients had no significantly higher frequencies of the GG genotype (44.0% vs 39.4%, p = 0.60), G allele (63.0% vs 65.2%, p = 0.80) or G phenotype (82.0% vs 90.9%, p = 1.0). There was no association between the presence of the GG genotype and clinical manifestations (pulmonary fibrosis, sclerodactyly, digital pitting scars, telangiectasia and pulmonary arterial hypertension), or the presence of auto-antibodies (anti-Scl-70, anti-SSA/Ro, and anti-RNP). In conclusion, we found no association between CTGF*-945C/G dimorphism and Thai SSc patients

Dietary Lactoferrin Alleviates Age-Related Lacrimal Gland Dysfunction in Mice

BACKGROUND: Decrease in lacrimal gland secretory function is related to age-induced dry eye disease. Lactoferrin, the main glycoprotein component of tears, has multiple functions, including anti-inflammatory effects and the promotion of cell growth. We investigated how oral administration of lactoferrin affects age-related lacrimal dysfunction. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Twelve-month-old male C57BL/6Cr Slc mice were randomly divided into a control fed group and an oral lactoferrin treatment group. Tear function was measured at a 6-month time-point. After euthanasia, the lacrimal glands were subjected to histological examination with 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) antibodies, and serum concentrations of 8-OHdG and hexanoyl-lysine adduct (HEL) were evaluated. Additionally, monocyte chemotactic protein-1(MCP-1) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) gene expression levels were determined by real-time PCR. The volume of tear secretion was significantly larger in the treated group than in the control. Lactoferrin administration reduced inflammatory cell infiltration and the MCP-1 and TNF-α expression levels. Serum concentrations of 8-OHdG and HEL in the lactoferrin group were lower than those in the control group and were associated with attenuated 8-OHdG immunostaining of the lacrimal glands. CONCLUSION: Oral lactoferrin administration preserves lacrimal gland function in aged mice by attenuating oxidative damage and suppressing subsequent gland inflammation

Structure-based Molecular Simulations Reveal the Enhancement of Biased Brownian Motions in Single-headed Kinesin

<div><p>Kinesin is a family of molecular motors that move unidirectionally along microtubules (MT) using ATP hydrolysis free energy. In the family, the conventional two-headed kinesin was experimentally characterized to move unidirectionally through “walking” in a hand-over-hand fashion by coordinated motions of the two heads. Interestingly a single-headed kinesin, a truncated KIF1A, still can generate a biased Brownian movement along MT, as observed by in vitro single molecule experiments. Thus, KIF1A must use a different mechanism from the conventional kinesin to achieve the unidirectional motions. Based on the energy landscape view of proteins, for the first time, we conducted a set of molecular simulations of the truncated KIF1A movements over an ATP hydrolysis cycle and found a mechanism exhibiting and enhancing stochastic forward-biased movements in a similar way to those in experiments. First, simulating stand-alone KIF1A, we did not find any biased movements, while we found that KIF1A with a large friction cargo-analog attached to the C-terminus can generate clearly biased Brownian movements upon an ATP hydrolysis cycle. The linked cargo-analog enhanced the detachment of the KIF1A from MT. Once detached, diffusion of the KIF1A head was restricted around the large cargo which was located in front of the head at the time of detachment, thus generating a forward bias of the diffusion. The cargo plays the role of a diffusional anchor, or cane, in KIF1A “walking.”</p> </div

HLA and anti-GQ1b IgG antibody in Miller Fisher syndrome and Guillain-Barré syndrome

We investigated serological human leukocyte antigen (HLA) types in patients with histories of Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) with ophthalmoplegia, in whom serum anti-GQ1b IgG antibody was present during the acute phase. We examined class I antigens (A, B and C) in 32 patients and class II antigens (DR and DQ) in 30, but found no association. We conclude that particular serologically defined HLA types are not preferred for the immunoresponse of anti-GQ1b IgG antibody in MFS and GBS

Translational movement of KIF1A linked to a large cargo and some snapshots.

<p>(A) The upper (lower) panel shows movements for the case of a strong (weak) interactions between KIF1A and MT denoted as [cargo/strong], ε_go^KIF1A-MT = 0.225 ([cargo/weak] ε_go^KIF1A-MT = 0.153). The blue and orange lines are z-coordinates of the KIF1A-head (the center of mass) and C-terminal, respectively. Each trajectory contains 4 phases, T, D, Φ, and the next T states split by dashed lines. (B) Some snapshots in the first case (8-nm forward step) in [cargo/strong] case. The second frame draws 4 snapshots at 4.4×10⁶ τ, 1.4×10⁷τ, and 1.7×10⁷τ, and 2×10⁷ τ. The simulation treated the default-cargo as ∼1 µm-sized sphere, but the snapshots used much smaller ball to “visualize” the cargo position.</p

Translational movements of stand-alone KIF1A.

<p>The upper (lower) panel shows movements for the case of a strong (weak) interaction between KIF1A and MT denoted as [stand-alone/strong], ε_go^KIF1A-MT = 0.225 ([stand-alone/weak] ε_go^KIF1A-MT = 0.153). The blue and orange lines are z-coordinates of the KIF1A-head (the center of mass) and C-terminal, respectively. Each trajectory contains 4 phases, T, D, Φ, and the next T states split by dashed lines. Note that the scale in x-axis changes at 5×10⁵ τ.</p

ATP-hydrolysis chemical cycle and CG simulation scheme.

<p>(A) The representative model of the ATP hydrolysis cycle of KIF1A. The rhombus with string (magenta) indicates the KIF1A head with the neck-linker. The “T”, “D”, and “Φ” mean ATP-bound, ADP-bound, and nucleotide-free states, respectively. The bent (straight) string means the disordered (docked) neck-linker. The ellipsoids (light green and green) correspond to the αβ-tubulins that compose MT. The entire cycle is divided into 4-phases, T-phase (just before ATP hydrolysis), D-phase, Φ-phase, and T-phase (until neck-linker docking). (B) The CG simulation scheme. The <i>V</i>, <i>R</i>, and <i>X</i> indicate the potential, the temporal conformation, and the reference structure, respectively. The simulation consists of the combination of the two-basin <i>V</i>_MB(R) and single-basin <i>V</i>(R) potentials. Each stage is simulated for the indicated time, where the unit of time τ in CG-simulation corresponds to τ∼0.128 ps.</p