Use of Procalcitonin in Patients on Chronic Hemodialysis: Procalcitonin Is Not Related with Increased Serum Calcitonin

Objectives. To investigate whether procalcitonin (PCT) could be useful for detecting bacterial infections in patients on hemodialysis (HD) and with increased calcitonin (CT). Methods. This prospective study included 42 males and 34 females on HD. The infection group consisted of 15 patients with proven bacterial infections; the other 61 patients were designated as the noninfection group. Serum C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin (IL)-6, white blood cell (WBC) count, immature and total neutrophil (I/T) ratio, and CT were measured at the beginning of HD, and serum PCT levels at the beginning of HD and after HD. Results. The mean CT level in the both groups was apparently higher than that of nonchronic kidney disease. Significantly higher values between the infection and noninfection groups were seen for CRP, IL-6, WBC, I/T ratio, PCT, and CT. The PCT value of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.921, which was significantly higher than the values for CRP (0.853; P < 0.01), IL-6 (0.739; P < 0.01), WBC (0.692; P < 0.01), and I/T ratio (0.584; P < 0.01). Conclusions. PCT was useful marker of bacterial infection in patients on HD and with increased CT. PCT levels should be determined before HD

Development of a new mAb specific to mouse Vγ6 chain

There are seven Vγ gene segments in the TCR γ chain loci of mice. We developed monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific to the Vγ6 chain (Heilig & Tonegawa nomenclature). By immunizing Vγ4/6 KO mice with complementarity-determining region peptides in Vγ6 chains, we generated three hybridomas. These hybridomas produced mAbs capable of cell surface staining of Vγ6/Vδ1 gene–transfected T-cell line lacking TCR as well as of Vγ1− Vγ4− Vγ5− Vγ7− γδ T cells and the CD3high TCRδint γδ T cells in various organs. The location of Vγ6+ γδ T cells, which peaked in the newborn thymus, was associated with mTEC. In vivo administration of clone 1C10-1F7 mAb impaired protection against Klebsiella pneumoniae infection but ameliorated psoriasis-like dermatitis induced by imiquimod treatment. These new mAbs are useful to elucidate the development, location, and functions of Vγ6 γδ T cells in mice

Elevated Expression of Pyrimidine Nucleoside Phosphorylase (PyNPase) in Renal Cell Carcinoma Tissue

Background: Pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase (PyNPase) is an enzyme that converts 5\u27-deoxy-5-fluorouridine to 5- fluorouracil. PyNPase is identical to platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF), and has angiogenic activity. In the present study of PyNPase activity in renal cell carcinoma, we tested for correlation between PyNPase activity and tumor extension, tumor proliferation and clinical characteristics. Methods: Samples of tumor tissue and non-tumor tissue were obtained from 10 renal cell carcinoma patients who underwent radical nephrectomy. These samples were examined, and PyNPase activity of the tissues was assayed. Results: PyNPase activity was significantly higher in renal cancer tissue than in normal tissue (p<0.01), and in immunohistochemical assays PyNPase was strongly stained in the cytoplasm of renal cancer cells. However, there were no significant correlation between PyNPase activity and tumor extension, according to the results of histopathological examination and evaluation of vascularity of renal cancer tumor tissue. Conclusion: In this study, we did not observe correlation between PyNPase activity and renal cancer extension and proliferation. However, the present data suggest that pyrimidine-class drugs may be useful against renal cell carcinoma, because PyNPase activity is significantly higher in renal cancer tissue than in normal tissue

Modulation bandwidth improvement of III-V/Si hybrid MOS optical modulator by reducing parasitic capacitance

In this work, we numerically and experimentally examined the impact of parasitic capacitance on the modulation bandwidth of a III-V/Si hybrid metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) optical modulator. The numerical analysis revealed that the parasitic capacitance between the III-V membrane and the Si slab should be considered to achieve high-speed modulation, particularly in the case of a thick gate oxide. We also fabricated a high-speed InGaAsP/Si hybrid MOS optical modulator with a low capacitance using a SiO2-embedded Si waveguide. The fabricated device exhibited a modulation efficiency of 0.245 Vcm and a 3 dB bandwidth of up to 10 GHz. Clear eye patterns with 25 Gbps non-return-to-zero (NRZ) modulation and 40 Gbps 4-level pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-4) were obtained without pre-emphasis

Topkapı Sarayı Müzesinde Türk saatleri

Taha Toros Arşivi, Dosya No: 114-Müzelerİstanbul Kalkınma Ajansı (TR10/14/YEN/0033) İstanbul Development Agency (TR10/14/YEN/0033

Changes in Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Expression in the Rat Bladder by Bladder Outlet Obstruction

Purpose: To demonstrate the change in the expression of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) in the rat bladder with partial bladder outlet obstruction (P-BOO). Materials and Methods: Bladder specimens were obtained from 12-week-old Wistar female rats that were divided into two groups, a P-BOO group and a control group. The rats of the P-BOO group were divided into six groups: a sham-operated control group, 1 day postoperatively, 2 days postoperatively, 4 days postoperatively, 7 days postoperatively and 14 days postoperatively. The cystometric findings and immunohistochemical staining of the detrusor muscle with the AT1 antibody were compared in each group. Results: AT1 localized on the cell membrane of the detrusor smooth muscle and in cytoplasm of suburothelial myofibroblasts in the control rats. The expression of AT1 disappeared in the detrusor muscle and suburothelial myofibroblasts in P-BOO, but AT1 was highly expressed in urothelial cells 1 day after surgery. The expression of AT1 in urothelial cells gradually decreased with time after surgery. AT1 completely disappeared in urothelial cells 14 days after surgery. Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that the site of AT1 expression changes in response to the mechanical stress caused by P-BOO, and finally there was no expression of AT1 in rat bladder tissue following P-BOO. These data suggest the change in AT1 expression may play a role in bladder function

Formation of an Ultracarbonaceous Antarctic Micrometeorite through Minimum Aqueous Alteration in a Small Porous Icy Body

A comprehensive study of the organic chemistry and mineralogy of an ultracarbonaceous micrometeorite (UCAMM D05IB80) collected from near the Dome Fuji Station, Antarctica, was carried out to understand the genetic relationship among organic materials, silicates, and water. The micrometeorite is composed of a dense aggregate of ∼5 µm-sized hollow ellipsoidal organic material containing submicrometer-sized phases such as glass with embedded metal and sulfides (GEMS) and mineral grains. There is a wide area of organic material (∼15 × 15 μm) in its interior. Low-Ca pyroxene is much more abundant than olivine and shows various Mg/(Mg + Fe) ratios ranging from ∼1.0 to 0.78, which is common to previous works on UCAMMs. By contrast, GEMS grains in this UCAMM have unusual chemical compositions. They are depleted in both Mg and S, which suggests that these elements were leached out from the GEMS grains during very weak aqueous alteration, without the formation of phyllosilicates. The organic materials have two textures—smooth and globular with an irregular outline—and these are composed of imine, nitrile and/or aromatic nitrogen heterocycles, and amide. The ratio of nitrogen to carbon (N/C) in the smooth region of the organics is ∼0.15, which is five times higher than that of insoluble organic macromolecules in types 1 and 2 carbonaceous chondritic meteorites. In addition, the UCAMM organic materials are soluble in epoxy and are thus hydrophilic; this polar nature indicates that they are very primitive. The surface of the material is coated with an inorganic layer, a few nanometers thick, that consists of C, O, Si, S, and Fe. Sulfur is also contained in the interior, implying the presence of organosulfur moieties. There are no isotopic anomalies of D, 13C, or 15N in the organic material. Interstellar photochemistry alone would not be sufficient to explain the N/C ratio of the UCAMM organics; therefore, we suggest that a very small amount of fluid on a comet must have been necessary for the formation of the UCAMM. The GEMS grains depleted in Mg and S in the UCAMM prove a very weak degree of aqueous alteration; weaker than that of carbonaceous chondrites. Short-duration weak alteration probably caused by planetesimal shock locally melted cometary ice grains and released water that dissolved the organics; the fluid would likely have not mobilized because of the very low thermal conductivity of the porous icy body. This event allowed the formation of the large organic puddle of the UCAMM, as well as organic matter sulfurization, formation of thin membrane-like layers of minerals, and deformation of organic nanoglobules.アクセプト後にタイトル・アブストラクト等変更あり、著者最終稿は変更前のタイトル"Formation of an Ultracarbonaceous Antarctic Micrometeorite through Minimum Aqueous Alteration in a Small Porous Icy Body"This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (No. 22224010, PI: H. Nagahara). The STXM facility at the beamline 5.3.2.2, ALS, is supported by the Department of Energy, Basic Energy Sciences Program

Organic chemical variation between hydrous and anhydrous Antarctic micrometeorites

第6回極域科学シンポジウム[OA] 南極隕石11月17日（火）　国立国語研究所 2階 講

Syntheses and Characterization of New Nickel Coordination Polymers with 4,4′-Dipyridylsulfide. Dynamic Rearrangements of One-Dimensional Chains Responding to External Stimuli: Temperature Variation and Guest Releases/Re-Inclusions

Crystal structures and dynamic rearrangements of one-dimensional coordination polymers with 4,4′-dipyridylsulfide (dps) have been studied. Reaction of Ni(NO3)2·6H2O with dps in EtOH yielded [Ni(dps)2(NO3)2] ·EtOH (1), which had channels filled with guest EtOH molecules among the four Ni(dps)2 chains. This coordination polymer reversibly transformed the channel structure responding to temperature variations. Immersion of 1 in m-xylene released guest EtOH molecules to yield a guest-free coordination polymer [Ni(dps)2(NO3)2] (2a), which was also obtained by treatment of Ni(NO3)2·6H2O with dps in MeOH. On the other hand, removal of the guest molecules from 1 upon heating at 130 °C under reduced pressure produced a guest-free coordination polymer [Ni(dps)2(NO3)2] (2b). Although the 2a and 2b guest-free coordination polymers have the same formula, they showed differences in the assembled structures of the one-dimensional chains. Exposure of 2b to EtOH vapor reproduced 1, while 2a did not convert to 1 in a similar reaction. Reaction of Ni(NO3)2·6H2O with dps in acetone provided [Ni(dps)(NO3)2(H2O)] ·Me2CO (4) with no channel structure. When MeOH or acetone was used as a reaction solvent, the [Ni(dps)2(NO3)2] · (guest molecule) type coordination polymer, which was observed in 1, was not formed. Nevertheless, the reaction of Ni(NO3)2·6H2O with dps in MeOH/acetone mixed solution produced [Ni(dps)2(NO3)2]·0.5(MeOH·acetone) (5), which has an isostructural Ni-dps framework to 1

Expression of angiotensin II type 1 receptor in rat bladder smooth muscle cells in response to a streptzotocin induced diabetes mellitus model

Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptors in rat bladder smooth muscle cells and alterations of AT1 receptors by diabetes mellitus and diuretic states. Materials and Methods: Diabetes and diuresis were induced in adult female rats by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin and feeding 5% sucrose in water. Cystometry was performed on control, diuretic, and diabetic rats at 2 and 8 weeks after treatment. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect expression of AT1 receptors in the bladder smooth muscle cell membrane. Results and Conclusions: In diabetic rats, expression of AT1 receptors in the bladder smooth muscle cell membrane increased at 2 weeks and further increased at 8 weeks. The local renin-angiotensin system in the rat bladder might be activated by the continuous hyperglycemia caused by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin administration