Classification of involutions on Enriques surfaces

We present the classification of involutions on Enriques surfaces. We classify those into 18 types with the help of the lattice theory due to Nikulin. We also give all examples of the classification.Comment: 25 pages, 42 figure

C3 glomerulopathy and current dilemmas

C3 glomerulopathy (C3G) is a recently identified disease entity caused by dysregulation of the alternative complement pathway, and dense deposit disease (DDD) and C3 glomerulonephritis (C3GN) are its components. Because laboratory detection of complement dysregulation is still uncommon in practice, “dominant C3 deposition by two orders greater than that of immunoglobulins in the glomeruli by immunofluorescence”, as stated in the consensus report, defines C3G. However, this morphological definition possibly includes the cases with glomerular diseases of different mechanisms such as post-infectious glomerulonephritis. In addition, the differential diagnosis between DDD and C3GN is often difficult because the distinction between these two diseases is based solely on electron microscopic features. Recent molecular and genetic advances provide information to characterize C3G. Some C3G cases are found with genetic abnormalities in complement regulatory factors, but majority of cases seem to be associated with acquired factors that dysregulate the alternative complement pathway. Because clinical courses and prognoses among glomerular diseases with dominant C3 deposition differ, further understanding the background mechanism, particularly complement dysregulation in C3G, is needed. This may resolve current dilemmas in practice and shed light on novel targeted therapies to remedy the dysregulated alternative complement pathway in C3G

Synthesis and Evaluation of 1,3a,6a-triazapentalene (TAP)-bonded system

A method of synthesizing a directly connected 1,3a,6a-triazapentalene (TAP) ring system as a linearly bonded aromatic system with a planar form was established. Various TAP-dimers and a 2-alkyl-TAP-trimer were synthesized and their fluorescence properties were evaluated. Although the direct connection of the TAP ring with other TAP rings did not affect the fluorescence properties in diluted solvent, TAP-dimers showed unique fluorescence properties derived from the aggregation state under highly concentrated conditions. In particular, TAP-dimer 5f showed aggregation-induced emission in highly concentrated solution, and 5b showed typical mechanochromic fluorescence in the solid state despite their compact molecular size

Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers Reduce Urinary Angiotensinogen Excretion and the Levels of Urinary Markers of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Patients with Type 2 Diabetic Nephropathy

Objective To demonstrate that the administration of an angiotensin (Ang) II type 1 receptor (AT1R) blocker (ARB) inhibits the vicious cycle of high glucose (HG)-reactive oxygen species (ROS)-angiotensinogen (AGT)-Ang II-AT1R-ROS by suppressing ROSs and inflammation, thus ameliorating diabetic nephropathy (DN). Research Design and Methods Thirteen hypertensive DN patients were administered ARBs, and the following parameters were evaluated before and 16 weeks after the treatment: urinary AGT (UAGT), albumin (albumin-creatinine ratio: ACR), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), 8-epi-prostaglandin F2α (8-epi-PGF2α), monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10. Results ARB treatment reduced the blood pressure and urinary levels of AGT, ACR, 8-OHdG, 8-epi-PGF2α, MCP-1, and IL-6 but increased the urinary levels of IL-10. The reduction rate of UAGT correlated with the reduction rate of blood pressure; the reduction rates of the urinary ACR, 8-OHdG, 8-epi-PGF2α, MCP-1, and IL-6 levels; and the increase rate of the urinary IL-10 levels. Moreover, subjects who had high UAGT values at baseline exhibited higher reduction rates of urinary albumin excretion. Conclusions ARB-induced blockade of the abovementioned vicious cycle contributes to the renoprotective effects of ARBs in DN. The urinary levels of AGT could represent a predictive factor for reduced ACR in patients receiving ARB treatment

North, east, south, west: mapping vascular tissues onto the Arabidopsis root

The Arabidopsis root has provided an excellent model for understanding patterning processes and cell fate specification. Vascular patterning represents an especially interesting process, as new positional information must be generated to transform an approximately radially symmetric root pole into a bisymmetric structure with a single xylem axis. This process requires both growth of the embryonic tissue alongside the subsequent patterning. Recently researchers have identified a series of transcription factors that modulate cell divisions to control vascular tissues growth. Spatial regulation in the signalling of two hormones, auxin and cytokinin, combine with other transcription factors to pattern the xylem axis. We are now witnessing the discovery of increasingly complex interactions between these hormones that can be interpreted through the use of mathematical models

Menaquinone-4 enhances testosterone production in rats and testis-derived tumor cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Vitamin K is essential for the posttranslational modification of various Gla proteins. Although it is widespread in several organs, including the testis, the function of vitamin K in these organs is not well characterized. In this study, we investigated the function of vitamin K in the testis and analyzed its role in steroidogenesis.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eight-week-old male Wistar rats were fed a diet supplemented with menaquinone-4 (MK-4, 75 mg/kg diet), one of the predominant K₂vitamins present in the testis, for 5 weeks. <it>In vivo </it>testosterone levels of the rats' plasma and testes were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and <it>in vitro </it>testosterone levels of testis-derived tumor cells (I-10 cells) maintained in Ham's F-10 medium with 10% fetal bovine serum were measured following treatment with MK-4 (0 to 100 μM) at several time points. Testosterone and cellular protein levels were analyzed with respect to their effects on steroidogenesis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Testosterone levels in the plasma and testes of MK-4-fed rats were significantly increased compared to those of control rats, with no obvious differences in plasma luteinizing hormone levels. Secreted testosterone levels from I-10 cells were elevated by MK-4, but not by vitamin K₁, in a dose-dependent manner independent of cAMP treatment. Western blot analysis revealed that expression of CYP11A, the rate-limiting enzyme in steroidogenesis, and phosphorylation levels of protein kinase A (PKA) and the cAMP response element-binding protein were all stimulated by the presence of MK-4. Enhancement of testosterone production was inhibited by H89, a specific inhibitor of PKA, but not by warfarin, an inhibitor of γ-glutamylcarboxylation.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>MK-4 stimulates testosterone production in rats and testis-derived tumor cells via activation of PKA. MK-4 may be involved in steroidogenesis in the testis, and its supplementation could reverse the downregulation of testosterone production in elders.</p

Measurement of the mechanical loss of a cooled reflective coating for gravitational wave detection

We have measured the mechanical loss of a dielectric multilayer reflective coating (ion-beam sputtered SiO$_2$ and Ta$_2$O$_5$) in cooled mirrors. The loss was nearly independent of the temperature (4 K $\sim$ 300 K), frequency, optical loss, and stress caused by the coating, and the details of the manufacturing processes. The loss angle was $(4 \sim 6) \times 10^{-4}$. The temperature independence of this loss implies that the amplitude of the coating thermal noise, which is a severe limit in any precise measurement, is proportional to the square root of the temperature. Sapphire mirrors at 20 K satisfy the requirement concerning the thermal noise of even future interferometric gravitational wave detector projects on the ground, for example, LCGT.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables : accepted version (by Physical Review D

Effects of Fluoranthene, a Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon, on cAMP-Dependent Anion Secretion in Human Airway Epithelia

ABSTRACT The human respiratory tract is constantly exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) through inhalation of atmospheric pollutants. We examined the effects of three PAHs (benzo[a]pyrene, anthracene, and fluoranthene) on the airway ion transport, which is essential for lung defense and normal airway function, using human airway epithelia (Calu-3). These three PAHs had no significant effect on the basal short-circuit current (I sc ). However, fluoranthene (1-100 M) applied in the apical compartment potentiated I sc in response to cAMP-related agents (isoproterenol, forskolin, and 8-bromo-cAMP). The effects of fluoranthene were unaffected by ellipticine, a PAH receptor antagonist. Estimation of the anionic composition of I sc revealed that isoproterenol increased both HCO 3 Ϫ and Cl