うずらの卵管の組織学的観察， とくに子宮部の色素(Porphyrin) について

　鳥類の卵の卵表の色素形成については，いまだ不明確な点が多いが，うずらを用いて色素形成に関する形態学的観察をおこなった. 　うずら卵管では肉眼的に，子宮に限って著明な濃褐色の着色と赤色螢光がみとめられ，これは凍結切片上その粘膜上皮lこ存する.これは産卵時期により変化し，白色卵殻の卵を子宮lこ含むときもっとも著明であるが，着色した卵を含むときもっとも弱い.一方，卵表の色彩はクチクラ色素により発現され，この色素は赤色後光を発する.子宮およびクチクラの色素は共に鉱酸lこよく溶解し，強い2次後光を発する.両者の主としてメチルエステルの吸収スベクトルを求めた結果，それぞれSORET 帯を有し，porphyrin であることを示し，かつFISHER & KÖGLのooporphyrin と類似のスベクトルを示した. 　組織学的には，色素は子宮粘膜上皮の繊毛細胞(apical cell) に認められる.この色素穎粒は産卵時期に伴って著変し，肉眼的ならびに凍結切片上の所見と一致する.従って本細胞からクチクラ色素が分泌されると考えられる. 　また本細胞にはPAS 反応陽性の粗大穎粒が認められ，色素頼粒の増減とほぼ平行した関係を示す.これは，クチクラ形成と関係があると考えられる.The present study was undertaken in an effort to clarify the portion where the pigment of the egg-covering are formed in the Japanese quail oviduct. Results obtained and conclusion reached may be summarized as follows: 1. The mucous membrane of the uterus in laying state colors in dark brown and fluoresces strongly red color. In addition, also the uterine liquid fluoresces red color. Microscopically, the coloration and the fluorescence of the uterus are represented by the yellow or brown pigment granules in the apical cells of the mucous epithelium. 2. The colored figures in the surface of the egg are represented by the pigment embedded in the cuticule, cuticular pigment. This pigment is granular, brown and fluorescent in red. In the present study, this pigment was dealt. The shell surface of the egg are white or faint greenish or bluish, and non-fluorescent. 3. The pigment of the cuticule and the uterine epithelium show such similarities as yellow or brown color, granular nature, solubility in metalic acid solutions, primary and secondary fluorescence in red color, and these characters are peculiar to porphyrin. 4. Absorption maxima of the pigments in the uterus and in the cuticule were measured in methylester-form and SORET band is presented in each spectrum, so that these two pigments are porphyrins. Moreover, these spectra contain some of the absorption maxima corresponded with those of ooporphyrin described by FISCHER & KÖGL. 5. The utrine pigment is fixed well in REGAuo's solution and ZENKER-formol and disappeared in CARNOY's or BOUIN's solution. 6. The uterine pigment changes in the volume of the granules in the apical cells related to the egg-formation cycle; that is, in the uterus containing a calcified white egg the granules are accumulated in the cells and in the uterus containing a colored egg, the granules are little in each of these cells, and in post-layed state, the volume of the granules are variable. Accordingly, this pigment granule may be considered as secreted in the cells and released to cuticular pigment in the uterine lumen. 7. In the apical cells, also, the PAS positive granules are observable. These granules present feautres in their volumes showing parallel to the pigment granules. Therefore, the granules, too, may be taked as secred and released with the pigment granule, and thought to be related with the cuticular formation

Oral Administration of D-aspartate, but not of L-aspartate, Reduces Food Intake in Chicks

In the present study, we determined the effects of oral administration of L- and D-aspartate (L-Asp and D-Asp) on food intake over a period of2haftertheadministration, as well as its effects on the concentration of L- and D-Asp in the brain and plasma. Chicks were orally administered different levels (0, 3.75, 7.5 and 15 mmol/kg body weight) of L-Asp (Experiment 1) and D-Asp (Experiment 2). Administration of several doses of L-Asp linearly increased the concentration of L-Asp, but not of D-Asp, in plasma. Oral L-Asp somewhat modified the levels of L- and D-Asp levels in the telencephalon, but not in the diencephalon. However, food intake was not significantly changed with doses of L-Asp. On the other hand, D-Asp strongly and dose-dependently inhibited food intake over a period of 2 h after the administration. Oral D-Asp clearly increased D-Asp levels in the plasma and diencephalon, but no significant changes in L-Asp were detected. Brain monoamine contents were only minimally influenced by L- or DAsp administration. We conclude that D-Asp may act as an anorexigenic factor in the diencephalon. Key words: brain, D-Aspartate, food intake, L-Aspartate, neonatal chick, plasm

Ultra-stable performance of an underground-based laser interferometer observatory for gravitational waves

In order to detect the rare astrophysical events that generate gravitational wave (GW) radiation, sufficient stability is required for GW antennas to allow long-term observation. In practice, seismic excitation is one of the most common disturbances effecting stable operation of suspended-mirror laser interferometers. A straightforward means to allow more stable operation is therefore to locate the antenna, the ``observatory'', at a ``quiet'' site. A laser interferometer gravitational wave antenna with a baseline length of 20m (LISM) was developed at a site 1000m underground, near Kamioka, Japan. This project was a unique demonstration of a prototype laser interferometer for gravitational wave observation located underground. The extremely stable environment is the prime motivation for going underground. In this paper, the demonstrated ultra-stable operation of the interferometer and a well-maintained antenna sensitivity are reported.Comment: 8 pages, to appear on PR

Suzaku Observations of Abell 1795: Cluster Emission to R_200

We report Suzaku observations of the galaxy cluster Abell 1795 that extend to r_200 ~ 2 Mpc, the radius within which the mean cluster mass density is 200 times the cosmic critical density. These observations are the first to probe the state of the intracluster medium in this object at r > 1.3 Mpc. We sample two disjoint sectors in the cluster outskirts (1.3 < r < 1.9 Mpc) and detect X-ray emission in only one of them to a limiting (3-sigma) soft X-ray surface brightness of B(0.5-2 keV) = 1.8 x 10^-12 erg s^-1 cm^-2 deg^-2, a level less than 20% of the cosmic X-ray background brightness. We trace the run of temperature with radius at r > 0.4 Mpc and find that it falls relatively rapidly (T ~ r^-0.9), reaching a value about one third of its peak at the largest radius we can measure it. Assuming the intracluster medium is in hydrostatic equilibrium and is polytropic, we find a polytropic index of 1.3 +0.3-0.2 and we estimate a mass of 4.1 +0.5-0.3 x 10^14 M_solar within 1.3 Mpc, somewhat (2.7-sigma) lower than that reported by previous observers. However, our observations provide evidence for departure from hydrostatic equilibrium at radii as small as r ~ 1.3 Mpc ~ r_500 in this apparently regular and symmetrical cluster.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in PAS

Support vector machines as multivariate calibration model for prediction of blood glucose concentration using a new non-invasive optical method named pulse glucometry

金沢大学理工研究域機械工学系A novel optical non-invasive in vivo blood glucose concentration (BGL) measurement technique, named "Pulse Glucometry", was combined with a kernel method; support vector machines. The total transmitted radiation intensity (Iλ) and the cardiac-related pulsatile changes superimposed on Iλ in human adult fingertips were measured over the wavelength range from 900 to 1700 nm using a very fast spectrophotometer, obtaining a differential optical density (ΔOD λ) related to the blood component in the finger tissues. Subsequently, a calibration model using paired data of a family of ΔODλs and the corresponding known BGLs was constructed with support vector machines regression instead of using calibration by a conventional partial least squares regression (PLS). Our results show that the calibration model based on the support vector machines can provide a good regression for the 183 paired data, in which the BGLs ranged from 89.0-219 mg/dl (4.94-12.2 mmol/l). The resultant regression was evaluated by the Clarke error grid analysis and all data points fell within the clinically acceptable regions (region A: 93%, region B: 7%). © 2007 IEEE.

Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies multiple novel loci associated with serum uric acid levels in Japanese individuals

Gout is a common arthritis caused by elevated serum uric acid (SUA) levels. Here we investigated loci influencing SUA in a genome-wide meta-analysis with 121,745 Japanese subjects. We identified 8948 variants at 36 genomic loci (P<5 × 10–8) including eight novel loci. Of these, missense variants of SESN2 and PNPLA3 were predicted to be damaging to the function of these proteins; another five loci—TMEM18, TM4SF4, MXD3-LMAN2, PSORS1C1-PSORS1C2, and HNF4A—are related to cell metabolism, proliferation, or oxidative stress; and the remaining locus, LINC01578, is unknown. We also identified 132 correlated genes whose expression levels are associated with SUA-increasing alleles. These genes are enriched for the UniProt transport term, suggesting the importance of transport-related genes in SUA regulation. Furthermore, trans-ethnic meta-analysis across our own meta-analysis and the Global Urate Genetics Consortium has revealed 15 more novel loci associated with SUA. Our findings provide insight into the pathogenesis, treatment, and prevention of hyperuricemia/gout