Two-dimensional superintegrable metrics with one linear and one cubic integral

We describe all local Riemannian metrics on surfaces whose geodesic flows are superintegrable with one integral linear in momenta and one integral cubic in momenta. We also show that some of these metrics can be extended to the 2-sphere. This gives us new examples of Hamiltonian systems on the sphere with integrals of degree three in momenta, and the first examples of superintegrable metrics of nonconstant curvature on a closed surfaceComment: 35 page

Recurrent facial taste neurons of sea catfish Plotosus japonicus : morphology and organization in the ganglion

This study investigated the morphology of the recurrent facial taste neurons and their organization in the recurrent ganglion of the sea catfish Plotosus japonicus. The recurrent ganglion is independent of the anterior ganglion, which consists of trigeminal, facial and anterior lateral line neurons that send peripheral fibres to the head region. The recurrent taste neurons are round or oval and bipolar, with thick peripheral and thin central fibres, and completely wrapped by membranous layers of satellite cells. Two peripheral nerve branches coursing to the trunk or pectoral fin originate from the recurrent ganglion. The results presented here show that the trunk and pectoral-fin neurons are independently distributed to form various sizes of groups, and the groups are intermingled throughout the ganglion. No distinct topographical relationship of the two nerve branches occurs in the ganglion. Centrally, the trunk and pectoral-fin branches project somatotopically in the anterolateral and intermediate medial regions of the trunk tail lobule of the facial lobe, respectively

On a family of integrable systems on S2S^2 with a cubic integral of motion

We discuss a family of integrable systems on the sphere $S^2$ with an additional integral of third order in momenta. This family contains the Coryachev-Chaplygin top, the Goryachev system, the system recently discovered by Dullin and Matveev and two new integrable systems. On the non-physical sphere with zero radius all these systems are isomorphic to each other.Comment: LaTeX, 8 page

Met/HGF receptor modulates bcl-w expression and inhibits apoptosis in human colorectal cancers

The met proto-oncogene is the tyrosine kinase growth factor receptor for hepatocyte growth factor. In the present study, we investigated the role of met expression on the modulation of apoptosis in colorectal tumours. The gene expressions of c- met and the anti-apoptotic bcl -2 family, including bcl -2, bcl -x L and bcl-w, were analysed in human colorectal adenomas and adenocarcinomas by using a quantitative polymerase chain-reaction combined with reverse transcription. In seven of 12 adenomas and seven of 11 carcinomas, the c- met gene was overexpressed. The bcl -w, bcl -2 and bcl -x L genes were over-expressed in nine, five and six of 12 adenomas and in five, two and seven of 11 carcinomas, respectively. The c- met mRNA level in human colorectal adenomas and carcinomas was correlated with bcl -w but not with bcl -2 or with bcl -x L mRNA level. The administration of c- met -antisense oligonucleotides decreased Met protein levels in the LoVo human colon cancer cell line. In the case of c- met -antisense-treated cells, apoptotic cell death induced by serum deprivation was more prominent, compared to control or c- met -nonsense-treated cells. Treatment with c- met -antisense oligonucleotides inhibits the gene expression of bcl -w in LoVo cells. On the other hand, the gene expression of bcl -2 or bcl -x L was not affected by treatment with c- met -antisense oligonucleotides. These findings suggest that Met expression modulates apoptosis through bcl -w expression in colorectal tumours. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaig

Gallot-Tanno Theorem for closed incomplete pseudo-Riemannian manifolds and applications

We extend the Gallot-Tanno Theorem to closed pseudo-Riemannian manifolds. It is done by showing that if the cone over a manifold admits a parallel symmetric $(0,2)-$tensor then it is Riemannian. Applications of this result to the existence of metrics with distinct Levi-Civita connections but having the same unparametrized geodesics and to the projective Obata conjecture are given. We also apply our result to show that the holonomy group of a closed $(O(p+1,q),S^{p,q})$-manifold does not preserve any nondegenerate splitting of $\R^{p+1,q}$.Comment: minor correction

Stimulating Effect of Japanese Herbal (Kampo) Medicine, Hochuekkito on Upper Respiratory Mucosal Immune System

Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine, Hochuekkito (Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang in Chinese, TJ-41) and Juzentaihoto (Shi-Quan-Da-Bu-Tang in Chinese, TJ-48) are well-known Kampo formulas used as tonic. Although these medicines have separately been applied to the patients clinically depending on their symptoms, the differences of the pharmacological activities for these medicines have not been fully understood. TJ-48 and TJ-41 were compared for their effects on antibody response in upper respiratory mucosal immune system in vivo. Oral administration of TJ-41 (100 mg kg(−1) per day) to early aged BALB/c mice, which were nasally sensitized with influenza hemagglutinin vaccine, significantly enhanced influenza virus-specific IgA and IgG antibody titers in nasal cavity and sera, respectively. However, oral administration of TJ-48 (100 mg kg(−1) per day) failed to show the enhancing activity. TJ-41 increased not only influenza virus-specific IgA antibody titer but also total IgA antibody titer in nasal cavity. The stimulating activity of TJ-41 disappeared after treatment with methotrexate. The present study strongly suggests that TJ-41 can stimulate the mucosal immune system of upper respiratory tract, and results in enhancement of antigen-specific antibody response in upper respiratory mucosal and systemic immune systems

Effect of Arachidonic Acid-enriched Oil Diet Supplementation on the Taste of Broiler Meat

To elucidate the relationship between the arachidonic acid (AA) content and the taste of broiler meat, the effects of AA-enriched oil (AAO) supplements on the fatty acid content and sensory perceptions of thigh meat were evaluated. Four types of oil, including corn oil (CO), a 1:1 mixture of AAO and palm oil (PO) (1/2 AAO), a 1:3 mixture of AAO and PO (1/4 AAO), and a 1:7 mixture of AAO and PO (1/8 AAO) were prepared. Each type of oil was mixed with silicate at a ratio of 7:3, and added to the diet at a final proportion of 5% of fresh matter. Broiler chickens were fed these diets for 1 wk before slaughter. In thigh meat, the AA content of the 1/2 and 1/4 AAO groups was significantly higher than that of the CO group. The AA content in thigh meat (y, mg/g) increased linearly with increasing dietary AAO content (x, g/100 g of diet), according to the equation y = 0.5674+0.4596× (r2 = 0.8454). The content of other fatty acids was not significantly different among the 4 diet groups. Sensory evaluation showed that the flavor intensity, umami (L-glutamate taste), kokumi (continuity, mouthfulness, and thickness), and aftertaste of the 1/2 and 1/4 AAO groups were significantly higher than that of the CO group. There were significant positive correlations between AA content in thigh meat and the flavor intensity, total taste intensity, umami, and aftertaste. These data suggest that the taste of broiler meat can be improved by the amount of dietary AA supplementation

Association of the SULT1A1 R213H polymorphism with colorectal cancer

1. Sulphotransferases are a superfamily of enzymes involved in both detoxification and bioactivation of endogenous and exogenous compounds. The arylsulphotransferase SULT1A1 has been implicated in a decreased activity and thermostability when the wild-type arginine at position 213 of the coding sequence is substituted by a histidine. SULT1A1 is the isoform primarily associated with the conversion of dietary N -OH arylamines to DNA binding adducts and is therefore of interest to determine whether this polymorphism is linked to colorectal cancer. 2. Genotyping, using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis, was performed using DNA samples of healthy control subjects (n = 402) and patients with histologically proven colorectal cancer (n = 383). Both control and test populations possessed similar frequencies for the mutant allele (32.1 and 31%, respectively; P = 0.935). Results were not altered when age and gender were considered as potential confounders in a logistic regression analysis. 3. Examination of the sulphonating ability of the two allozymes with respect to the substrates p -nitrophenol and paracetamol showed that the affinity and rate of sulphonation was unaffected by substitution of arginine to histidine at position 213 of the amino acid sequence. 4. From this study, we conclude that the SULT1A1 R213H polymorphism is not linked with colorectal cancer in this elderly Australian population

Light smoking at base-line predicts a higher mortality risk to women than to men; evidence from a cohort with long follow-up

BACKGROUND: There is conflicting evidence as to whether smoking is more harmful to women than to men. The UK Cotton Workers’ Cohort was recruited in the 1960s and contained a high proportion of men and women smokers who were well matched in terms of age, job and length of time in job. The cohort has been followed up for 42 years. METHODS: Mortality in the cohort was analysed using an individual relative survival method and Cox regression. Whether smoking, ascertained at baseline in the 1960s, was more hazardous to women than to men was examined by estimating the relative risk ratio women to men, smokers to never smoked, for light (1–14), medium (15–24), heavy (25+ cigarettes per day) and former smoking. RESULTS: For all-cause mortality relative risk ratios were 1.35 for light smoking at baseline (95% CI 1.07-1.70), 1.15 for medium smoking (95% CI 0.89-1.49) and 1.00 for heavy smoking (95% CI 0.63-1.61). Relative risk ratios for light smoking at baseline for circulatory system disease was 1.42 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.98) and for respiratory disease was 1.89 (95% CI 0.99 to 3.63). Heights of participants provided no explanation for the gender difference. CONCLUSIONS: Light smoking at baseline was shown to be significantly more hazardous to women than to men but the effect decreased as consumption increased indicating a dose response relationship. Heavy smoking was equally hazardous to both genders. This result may help explain the conflicting evidence seen elsewhere. However gender differences in smoking cessation may provide an alternative explanation