Magnetic susceptibility variations in southern Ocean sediments induced by iron fertilization

第3回極域科学シンポジウム　横断セッション「海・陸・氷床から探る後期新生代の南極寒冷圏環境変動」11月26日（月） 国立国語研究所 ２階講

Molecular cloning of a novel gene involved in serotonin receptor-mediated signal transduction in rat stomach

AbstractIn Xenopus oocytes injected with small size mRNAs (500–700 b), obtained from rat stomach by fractionation, application of 10 μM 5-HT induced a substantial Ca2+-activated Cl− current (ICl-Ca). ICl-Ca was not elicited by 5-HT in native oocytes. Consistent results from this assay in the oocyte expression system motivated cDNA cloning experiments. A novel cDNA (named r at s tomach s erotonin receptor-related cDNA: RSS cDNA) which encodes a small protein involved in specific 5-HT receptor-mediated ICl-Ca activation was identified. The molecular weight of RSS protein in the reticulocyte lysate translation system (∼10 kDa) is identical to that calculated from the amino acid sequence. Computer-aided analysis of the predicted protein does not show any obvious sequence homologies (<18%) to any other proteins including G protein-coupled receptors. Northern analysis revealed that RSS mRNA is ubiquitously expressed at varying levels in a number of different tissues. Furthermore, the binding of [3H]spiperone, a 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, was examined in CHO cells, which highly expressed RSS transcripts (named CHO-RSS). Specific binding of [3H]spiperone was not clearly observed in native CHO but was detected in CHO-RSS. The dissociation constant was 10.3 nM in CHO-RSS. These results suggest that RSS protein may be a factor which facilitates 5-HT receptor expression or, alternatively, an enhancer of the affinity of native 5-HT receptor to 5-HT

A Preliminary Examination of Effect of Massage and Aroma Oil Massage in Foot Care Nursing

AbstractFoot care nursing is attracting attention as a medically effective treatment for the foot lesions caused by such problems as diabetes or aging. In this study, we experimentally examined how aromatherapy affects human brain functions during foot care nursing using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). 11 subjects received both foot care nursing massages and aroma oil massages. We analyzed the changes in their oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentrations based on their brain activity by t-tests, and the t-test results showed significant differences between two kinds of massages in both the somatosensory and prefrontal association areas. The oxy-Hb concentration in both massages with and without aroma oil also showed a tendency to decrease with time. Our questionnaire results showed that our subjects felt more comfortable and relaxed while receiving foot care nursing with aroma oils. These results suggest that aroma oil massages are an effective foot care nursing tool and that foot care nursing is a medically effective treatment

Inhibitory effect of IL-8 on insulin action in human adipocytes via MAP kinase pathway

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Various cytokines and other compounds are produced in human adipose tissue and might have functions in the adipose tissue. They might be involved in complications associated with obesity and diabetes. Recently, interleukin-8 (IL-8) has been shown to be produced and released from human adipose tissue and/or adipocytes, suggesting IL-8 involvement in some obesity-related health complications. Therefore, we found it of interest to investigate whether IL-8 is involved in the insulin action in human adipocytes.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The IL-8 levels in the medium were measured using ELISA. The IL-8 mRNA expression was analyzed using Northern blot analysis. The phosphorylation of Akt was analyzed using Western blot analysis. Furthermore, we examined the effect of IL-8 on the phosphorylation of Akt induced by insulin.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The level of IL-8 in the medium and the IL-8 mRNA expression after stimulation with either TNF-α, IL-1β, or CRP was significantly enhanced in human adipocytes. It is particularly interesting that IL-8 per se also enhanced IL-8 mRNA expression. The IL-8 induced-IL-8 mRNA expression was inhibited by PD98059 (a MEK inhibitor) or SB203580 (a p38 MAPK inhibitor). The IL-8 inhibited insulin-induced Akt phosphorylation. The inhibitory effect of IL-8 was eliminated by either PD 98059 or SB203580.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These data suggest that IL-8 is a main adipocytokine producing insulin resistance via the inhibition of insulin-induced Akt phosphorylation in adipocytes. The attenuation of IL-8 action might be a target for prevention of diabetes and its complications.</p

Antiphospholipid antibodies in patients with autoimmune blistering disease

金沢大学医学部附属病院皮膚科Objective: Our purpose was to determine the serum levels and frequency of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) and confirm the clinical importance of these antibodies in patients with autoimmune blistering disease (ABD). Methods: IgG and IgM anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL), IgG anticardiolipin-β2 glycoprotein I complex antibody (aCL/β2GPI), and IgG antiphosphatidylserine-prothrombin complex antibody (aPS/PT) were examined with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 71 patients with ABD, including pemphigus vulgaris, pemphigus foliaceus, and bullous pemphigoid. Results: The prevalence of IgG aCL, IgM aCL, aCL/β2GPI, and IgG aPS/PT was positive for 22.4%, 9.1%, 9.9%, and 25.4% of the ABD patients, respectively, whereas these antibodies were not detected in any of the normal control subjects. Ten of 20 patients with ABD who were attending our hospital in 2004 tested positive for aPLs, and thromboembolism was detected in 7 of 10 patients with aPLs. Limitations: Follow-up studies, especially with a large patient group, will be needed to clarify the clinical relevance of aPLs in ABD. Conclusion: aPLs are frequently detected in patients with ABD. Careful examination and follow-up for thromboembolism may be necessary in ABD patients with aPLs. © 2007 American Academy of Dermatology, Inc

Age-Specific Prevalence of Glaucoma is Determined by the Presence of Refractive Errors Among Japanese Workers

To develop appropriate glaucoma mass screening programs for occupational health among Japanese workers, we estimated the prevalence of glaucoma and the increase rate by age. A total of 10,579 Japanese general workers (men/women = 9292/1287) underwent frequency doubling technology (FDT) perimetry testing. Visual field abnormalities (VFA) were identified by the FDT-based glaucoma screening protocol (FDT-VFA). Subjects with FDT-VFA were ophthalmologically diagnosed and classified as "normal," "glaucomatous VFA" (preperimetric, suspicious, and definitive glaucoma) or "other ocular diseases." Prevalence of FDT-VFA and positive predictive values for "glaucomatous VFA" and "definitive glaucoma" were calculated by five-year age intervals, and then the prevalence of "glaucomatous VFA" and "definitive glaucoma" in each age interval was estimated. Prevalence of "glaucomatous VFA" and "definitive glaucoma" in workers younger than 30 years old was approximately 1.5% and 0.5%, respectively. Interestingly, the increase in prevalence of glaucoma by age was significantly different between workers with and without refractive errors (RE). From ages 30 to 55 years, the estimated prevalence of "definitive glaucoma" linearly increased with a regression coefficient (%/age in years) that was 2.5-fold higher in subjects with RE than in those without RE {regression coefficient = 0.131 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.109, 0.152; R2 = 0.980]vs. 0.047 [95% CI = 0.026, 0.068; R2 = 0.869]for subjects with RE vs. those without RE, respectively}. Further, among workers older than 55 years, the prevalence of glaucoma continued increasing in workers with RE, whereas it plateaued in those without RE. From these estimates, we propose that FDT testing should be conducted as follows: 1) once in workers under the age of 30 years, 2) according to both age and the presence of RE in 30-55 years old, and 3) by age only in those over 55 years old

Development of Irradiation Techniques for Material Study in JMTR

The Oarai Branch has been carrying out the irradiation of materials using the JMTR, for these twenty years. We have made efforts to improve the irradiation conditions and to satisfy. the various demands evoked by our users. Here, we describe our efforts to improve the irradiation rigs and the irradiation techniques

Structural dynamics of cereal mitochondrial genomes as revealed by complete nucleotide sequencing of the wheat mitochondrial genome

The application of a new gene-based strategy for sequencing the wheat mitochondrial genome shows its structure to be a 452 528 bp circular molecule, and provides nucleotide-level evidence of intra-molecular recombination. Single, reciprocal and double recombinant products, and the nucleotide sequences of the repeats that mediate their formation have been identified. The genome has 55 genes with exons, including 35 protein-coding, 3 rRNA and 17 tRNA genes. Nucleotide sequences of seven wheat genes have been determined here for the first time. Nine genes have an exon–intron structure. Gene amplification responsible for the production of multicopy mitochondrial genes, in general, is species-specific, suggesting the recent origin of these genes. About 16, 17, 15, 3.0 and 0.2% of wheat mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) may be of genic (including introns), open reading frame, repetitive sequence, chloroplast and retro-element origin, respectively. The gene order of the wheat mitochondrial gene map shows little synteny to the rice and maize maps, indicative that thorough gene shuffling occurred during speciation. Almost all unique mtDNA sequences of wheat, as compared with rice and maize mtDNAs, are redundant DNA. Features of the gene-based strategy are discussed, and a mechanistic model of mitochondrial gene amplification is proposed

エンダービーランド リーセル・ラルセンサン チイキ ノ チガク チョウサ ホウコク 2000-2001 (JARE-42)

第42次南極地域観測隊(JARE-42)夏隊の5名は、2000年12月18日から2001年2月18日まで、南極、エンダービーランド、アムンゼン湾内にあるリーセル・ラルセン山周辺で古地磁気学と岩石年代学の岩石試料採集、磁場探査、及び電磁探査を行った。調査にあたり、第38次隊がリチャードソン湖東岸に建設した発電棟の側に新たに居住棟を建設しリーセル・ラルセン山キャンプとした。古地磁気学調査では86地点から741試料を採集した他、帯磁率の測定や磁鉄鉱-石英片麻岩の分布も調べた。岩石年代学では珪長質片麻岩と塩基性貫入岩試料を187試料採集した。MT法による電磁探査はモレーン上の5地点とリチャードソン湖上の1地点で行い、深さ8kmから28kmで電気比抵抗が小さくなる構造を明らかにした。磁場探査は7000nTに及ぶ磁気異常が片麻岩、あるいは貫入岩の走向と平行に発達している様子を明らかにした。 63日の滞在期間中、最大瞬間風速は50.7m/sを記録したこともあったが、比較的天候に恵まれ、また、設営面での大きな事故も無く順調にキャンプの運営ができた。調査終了後、環境保全の観点から、リーセル・ラルセン山キャンプ設備をすべて撤収した他、50km西方にあるトナー島キャンプ設備も全て撤収した。Five members of the summer party of the 42nd Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-42) stayed in the Mt. Riiser-Larsen area, Amundsen Bay, Enderby Land, Antarctica, from December 18, 2000 to February 18, 2001 for paleomagnetism, geochronology, electromagnetic and magnetic surveys. A resident hut was built beside the generator hut constructed by JARE-38 in the camp. For the paleomagnetic study, 741 samples from 86 sites were collected in addition to the data of susceptibility and distribution of magnetite-quartz gneiss. 187 samples of felsic gneisses and basic dike rocks were collected for the geochronology. The high conductivity layer between 8 and 28 km was elucidated by the magnetotelluric method applied to samples obtained from 5 sites on the moraine field and 1 site on Richardson Lake. Strong magnetic anomalies up to 7000 nT were observed along gneissosity and dike intrusions by the magnetic survey. The weather was relatively mild during 63 days, although the maximum wind speed reached 50.7m/s. The camp was maintained without major accidents or trouble. After the work was completed, the camp facilities at Mt. Riiser-Larsen and Tonagh Island were completely withdrawn for environmental protection

Applicability of radiocolloids, blue dyes and fluorescent indocyanine green to sentinel node biopsy in melanoma

Patients with primary cutaneous melanoma underwent sentinel node (SN) mapping and biopsy at 25 facilities in Japan by the combination of radiocolloid with gamma probe and dye. Technetium-99m (99mTc)-tin colloid, 99mTc-phytate, 2% patent blue violet (PBV) and 0.4% indigo carmine were used as tracers. In some hospitals, 0.5% fluorescent indocyanine green, which allows visualization of the SN with an infrared camera, was concomitantly used and examined. A total of 673 patients were enrolled, and 562 cases were eligible. The detection rates of SN were 95.5% (147/154) with the combination of tin colloid and PBV, 98.9% (368/372) with the combination of phytate and PBV, and 97.2% (35/36) with the combination of tin colloid or phytate and indigo carmine. SN was not detected in 12 cases by the combination method, and the primary tumor was in the head and neck in six of those 12 cases. In eight of 526 cases (1.5%), SN was detected by PBV but not by radiocolloid. There were 13 cases (2.5%) in which SN was detected by radiocolloid but not by PBV. In 18 of 36 cases (50%), SN was detected by radiocolloid but not by indigo carmine. Concomitantly used fluorescent indocyanine green detected SN in all of 67 cases. Interference with transcutaneous oximetry by PVB was observed in some cases, although it caused no clinical trouble. Allergic reactions were not reported with any of the tracers. 99mTc-tin colloid, 99mTc-phytate, PBV and indocyanine green are useful tracers for SN mapping.ArticleJOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY. 39(4):336-338 (2012)journal articl