41 research outputs found
Whole body counter surveys of Miharu-town school children for four consecutive years after the Fukushima NPP accident
Comprehensive whole-body counter surveys of Miharu town school children have
been conducted for four consecutive years, in 2011-2014. This represents the
only long-term sampling-bias-free study of its type conducted after the
Fukushima Dai-ichi accident. For the first time in 2014, a new device called
the Babyscan, which has a low Cs MDA of Bq/body, was used to
screen the children shorter than 130 cm. No child in this group was found to
have detectable level of radiocesium. Using the MDAs, upper limits of daily
intake of radiocesium were estimated for each child. For those screened with
the Babyscan, the upper intake limits were found to be <1 Bq/day for
Cs. Analysis of a questionnaire filled out by the children's parents
regarding their food and water consumption shows that the majority of Miharu
children regularly consume local and/or home-grown rice and vegetables. This
however does not increase the body burden.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figure
Immunohistochemical analysis of brain lesions using S100B and glial fibrillary acidic protein antibodies in arundic acid- (ONO-2506) treated stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats
Stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) used as a model of essential hypertension cause a high incidence of brain stroke on the course of hypertension. Incidences and sizes of brain lesions are known to relate to the astrocyte activities. Therefore, relation between brain damage and the expression profile of the astrocytes was investigated with morphometric and immunohistochemical analyses using astrocyte marker antibodies of S100B and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) with or without arundic acid administration, a suppressor on the activation of astrocytes. Arundic acid extended the average life span of SHRSP. An increase in brain tissue weight was inhibited concomitant with a lower rate of gliosis/hemosiderin deposit/scarring in brain lesions. S100B- or GFAP-positive dot and filamentous structures were decreased in arundic acid-treated SHRSP, and this effect was most pronounced in the cerebral cortex, white matter, and pons, and less so in the hippocampus, diencephalon, midbrain, and cerebellum. Blood pressure decreased after administration of arundic acid in the high-dose group (100 mg/kg/day arundic acid), but not in the low-dose group (30 mg/kg/day). These data indicate that arundic acid can prevent hypertension-induced stroke, and may inhibit the enlargement of the stroke lesion by preventing the inflammatory changes caused by overproduction of the S100B protein in the astrocytes
HLA Class I Binding of HBZ Determines Outcome in HTLV-1 Infection
CD8(+) T cells can exert both protective and harmful effects on the virus-infected host. However, there is no systematic method to identify the attributes of a protective CD8(+) T cell response. Here, we combine theory and experiment to identify and quantify the contribution of all HLA class I alleles to host protection against infection with a given pathogen. In 432 HTLV-1-infected individuals we show that individuals with HLA class I alleles that strongly bind the HTLV-1 protein HBZ had a lower proviral load and were more likely to be asymptomatic. We also show that in general, across all HTLV-1 proteins, CD8(+) T cell effectiveness is strongly determined by protein specificity and produce a ranked list of the proteins targeted by the most effective CD8(+) T cell response through to the least effective CD8(+) T cell response. We conclude that CD8(+) T cells play an important role in the control of HTLV-1 and that CD8(+) cells specific to HBZ, not the immunodominant protein Tax, are the most effective. We suggest that HBZ plays a central role in HTLV-1 persistence. This approach is applicable to all pathogens, even where data are sparse, to identify simultaneously the HLA Class I alleles and the epitopes responsible for a protective CD8(+) T cell response
入学初期の学生に対する支援の一考察 : 平成14年度新入生交流会の評価から
本研究は平成14年度の新入生交流会の評価を行い、今後の新入生交流会のあり方について検討することを目的に、参加した学生へ質問紙調査を行い分析した。その結果、以下のことが明らかになった。1.交流会は「楽しかった」「学生間の親睦を深めることができた」等の点で、学生が肯定的に評価していた。2.プログラムでは、「フリータイム」「踊り体験」「観劇鑑賞」の満足度が高かった。3.交流会で「友達ができた」とする学生が多く、友人関係を形成する上で役立っている。4.課題として参加教職員との連携のあり方やプログラムの工夫等が示唆された。This study is based on the evaluation of the Freshmen Interchange Meeting in April. The result was later evaluated and examined for the better future interchange meeting. The following are the findings: 1. Most students evaluated the Interchange Meeting affirmatively in the point such as "It was pleasant.", "Friendship between students could be deepened. 2. The degree of satisfaction of "free time" "dance experience" and "the appreciation of going to the theater" was high. 3. Many students think this meeting can help them greatly in making new friends. 4. It was also suggested that some changes be made in terms of participation of the teaching staff and the future program making
Interleukin-1β Accelerates the Onset of Stroke in Stroke-Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats
High blood levels of inflammatory biomarkers and immune cells in stroke lesions have been recognized as results of stroke. However, recent studies have suggested that inflammation occurs prior to stroke onset. In this study, we aimed to clarify the role of inflammation in stroke onset among stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). At 4 weeks of age (before stroke onset), the plasma level of IL-1β was significantly higher in SHRSP (153.0±49.7 pg/ml) than in Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) (7.7±3.4 pg/ml, P<0.001 versus SHRSP) or spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) (28.0±9.1 pg/ml, P<0.001 versus SHRSP) (n=6 per strain). Stimulated IL-1β signal was also observed in cerebrovascular endothelial cells of SHRSP. Gene expressions of IL-1β, IL-1 receptors, caspase-1, and downstream genes (MCP-1 and ICAM-1), which associated with immune cell recruitment, were significantly greater in SHRSP than in WKY or SHR, coincident with greater NFκB protein levels in SHRSP compared to WKY or SHR. In addition, continuous administration of IL-1β (2 μg/day) using an osmotic pump slightly increased the incidence of stroke in SHR (P=0.046) and significantly accelerated the onset of stroke in SHRSP (P=0.006) compared to each control (n=10 per group). These results suggest that a stimulated IL-1β signal might be a cause of stroke onset when concomitant with severe hypertension
Temporal Expression Patterns of Clock Genes and Aquaporin 5/Anoctamin 1 in Rat Submandibular Gland Cells
Circadian rhythms are essential for health and regulate various physiological functions. These rhythms are regulated by a negative-feedback loop involving clock genes in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and peripheral tissues. The rate of secretion of salivary substances, ions, and water follows a circadian rhythm, however, the relationship between the molecular mechanism of salivary secretion and peripheral circadian rhythm is not yet clear. Anoctamin 1 (ANO1, also known as TMEM16A) and Aquaporin 5 (AQP5) play an important role in the transport of ions and water in the submandibular glands (SGs). We examined the interaction between the rhythmic expression pattern of the clock genes, Ano1 and Aqp5, in rat whole SGs as well as isolated acinar and ductal cells. Circadian rhythmic expression for Bmal1, Per1, Per2, Clock, Cry1, Cry2, Rorα, and Rev-erbα mRNAs, also called the clock genes, was observed in rat SGs by semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis. We also observed rhythmic patterns in Ano1 and Aqp5 mRNA expression. The expression of ANO1 protein also showed circadian rhythm, as confirmed by western blot analysis. We could not observe any time delay between the peak expression of ANO1 protein and its mRNA. Expression levels of the clock gene mRNAs in the ductal cells was higher than that in acinar cells, however, rhythmic oscillations were observed in both. Our results suggest that SGs have peripheral clocks, and rhythmic expressions of Ano1 and Aqp5 along with the clock genes, may play an important role in the circadian regulation of salivary secretion
Treatable Leukoencephalopathy in a Patient with Hypophosphatemia
We report the first patient with pathologically proven leukoencephalopathy associated with hypophosphatemia. A 61-year-old woman had repetitive episodes of decreased consciousness with pontine and pallidal lesions and extensive leukoencephalopathy on MRI, later found to be associated with hypophosphatemia. Although hypophosphatemia has been linked to central pontine and extrapontine myelinolysis (osmotic myelinolysis), lesions in the deep white matter have not been reported. Brain biopsy performed during the first diagnosis process revealed nonspecific demyelination with gliosis, a finding similar to that of chronic osmotic myelinolysis. After normalization of phosphate levels, her consciousness completely improved and MRI abnormalities partly resolved. We should consider that leukoencephalopathy can be associated with hypophosphatemia, which is often treatable