113 research outputs found

    Vestigial-like 2 contributes to normal muscle fiber type distribution in mice

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    Honda, M., Hidaka, K., Fukada, Si. et al. Vestigial-like 2 contributes to normal muscle fiber type distribution in mice. Sci Rep 7, 7168 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-07149-

    Primordial Black Hole as a Source of the Boost Factor

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    Primordial black holes (PBHs) accumulate weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) around them and form ultracompact minihalos (UCMHs), if the WIMP is a dominant component of the dark matter (DM). In this paper, we discuss that the UCMHs seeded by the PBHs with sub-earth mass enhance the WIMP annihilation in the present Universe and can successfully explain the positron and/or electron excess in cosmic ray observed by PAMELA/Fermi experiments. The signal is very similar to that from a decaying dark matter, which can explain the PAMELA and/or Fermi anomaly without conflict with any constraints as long as the decay mode is proper. In this scenario, the boost factor can be as large as 10^5. In addition, we discuss testability of our scenario by gamma-ray point source and gravitational-wave experiments.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figur

    Predictive Value of the Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index for Cardiovascular Events in Patients at Cardiovascular Risk

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    BACKGROUND: Arterial stiffness is an important predictor of cardiovascular events; however, indexes for measuring arterial stiffness have not been widely incorporated into routine clinical practice. This study aimed to determine whether the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), based on the blood pressure-independent stiffness parameter beta and reflecting arterial stiffness from the origin of the ascending aorta, is a good predictor of cardiovascular events in patients with cardiovascular disease risk factors in a large prospective cohort. METHODS AND RESULTS: This multicenter prospective cohort study, commencing in May 2013, with a 5-year follow-up period, included patients (aged 40-74 years) with cardiovascular disease risks. The primary outcome was the composite of cardiovascular death, nonfatal stroke, or nonfatal myocardial infarction. Among 2932 included patients, 2001 (68.3%) were men; the mean (SD) age at diagnosis was 63 (8) years. During the median follow-up of 4.9 years, 82 participants experienced primary outcomes. The CAVI predicted the primary outcome (hazard ratio, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.16-1.65; P CONCLUSIONS: This large cohort study demonstrated that the CAVI predicted cardiovascular events

    Gravitational Wave Probe of High Supersymmetry Breaking Scale

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    A supersymmetric standard model with heavier scalar particles is very interesting from various viewpoints, especially Higgs properties. If the scalar mass scale is O(10-10^4) TeV, the standard model-like Higgs with mass around 125 GeV, which is implied by the recent LHC experiments, is predicted. However this scenario is difficult to be directly tested with collider experiments. In this paper, we propose a test of this scenario by using observations of primordial gravitational waves (GWs). The future GW experiments such as DECIGO and BBO can probe the scalar mass around O(10^3-10^4) TeV, which is preferred from the Higgs mass about 125 GeV, if the primordial GWs have large amplitude.Comment: 18 pages, 10 figure

    eIF2α dephosphorylation and cell proliferation in CHO-K1 cells

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    GADD34 is a member of a growth arrest and DNA damage (GADD)-inducible gene family. Here, we established a novel Chinese hamster ovary (CHO-K1)-K1-derived cell line, CHO-K1-G34M, which carries a nonsense mutation (termed the Q525X mutation) in the GADD34 gene. The Q525X mutant protein lacks the C-terminal 66 amino acids required for GADD34 to bind to and activate protein phosphatase 1 (PP1). We investigated the effects of GADD34 with or without the Q525X mutation on the phosphorylation status of PP1 target proteins, including the α subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α) and glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β). CHOK1-G34M cells had higher levels of eIF2α phosphorylation compared to the control CHO-K1-normal cells both in the presence and absence of endoplasmic reticulum stress. Overexpression of wild type GADD34 protein in CHOK1-normal cells largely reduced eIF2α phosphorylation, while overexpression of the Q525X mutant did not produce similar reductions. Meanwhile, neither wild type nor Q525X mutation of GADD34 affected the GSK3β phosphorylation status. GADD34 also did not affect the canonical Wnt signaling pathway downstream of GSK3β. Cell proliferation rates were higher, while expression levels of the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor p21 were lower in CHO-K1-G34M cells compared to the CHO-K1-normal cells. The GADD34 Q525X mutant had a reduced ability to inhibit cell proliferation and enhance p21 expression of the CHO-K1-normal cells compared to the wild type GADD34 protein. These results suggest that the GADD34 protein C-terminal plays important roles in regulating not only eIF2α dephosphorylation but also cell proliferation in CHO-K1 cells

    柴朴湯が著効を示した呼吸困難の1例

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     西洋医学的検査に異常を認めない呼吸困難に,柴朴湯が著効した症例を経験したので報告する.症例は,2年間続く呼吸困難を訴える68歳の男性である.胸部X線,心電図,肺機能検査に異常なく,吸入ステロイド薬,吸入β2刺激薬の効果はなかった.そこで,柴朴湯を投与したところ,1週後には,呼吸困難が軽減し,2週後には,呼吸困難は完全に消失した.柴朴湯は,気管支喘息に用いる漢方薬として有名であるが,不安神経症にも効果があるとされる.本例のように,西洋医学的に異常がなく,心身症的な要素の強い呼吸困難患者に柴朴湯が有効であると考えられた. A case in which Saibokuto has been effective for dyspnea without abnormalities in Western medical examination is reported. The case was 68-year-old male who complained of dyspnea lasting 2 years. His chest X-ray, electrocardiogram and pulmonary function test showed no abnormality, and inhaled corticosteroids and inhaled β2 stimulants had no effects on his dyspnea. Therefore, Saibokuto was administered, as a result, dyspnea was alleviated after one week and disappeared completely after two weeks. Saibokuto is famous as herbal medicine to be used for bronchial asthma, and it is said to have an effect on anxiety neurosis. As shown in this case, it is considered that Saibokuto is effective for dyspnea with strong psychosomatic factor showing no abnormality in Western medical examination

    An adult female suspected case of herpangina presenting with fever, headache, and oral phlyctenula

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     ヘルパンギーナは,発熱と口腔粘膜の水疱性の発疹が特徴の急性のウイルス性咽頭炎で,おもに小児にみられ,夏に流行する.我々は,発熱,頭痛,軟口蓋の小水疱を呈し,ヘルパンギーナが疑われた成人女性の1例を経験したので報告する.患者は25歳,女性.7月に発熱,頭痛,嘔気を主訴に受診し,入院となった.血液検査では,CRP とプロカルシトニンの上昇を認めた.頭部 CT では,出血や占拠性病変は見られなかった.胸腹部 CT では,熱源となる異常所見は見られなかった.抗菌薬投与と対症療法を行い,発熱,頭痛は改善を認めた.口腔内違和感の訴えがあり,口腔内所見で軟口蓋に紅暈を伴う小水疱を数個認め,エンテロウイルス属感染症(ヘルパンギーナ)が疑われた.エンテロウイルス属のウイルス抗体検査では,原因ウイルスは特定できなかった.夏期に発熱,口内炎を呈する場合には,成人でもへルパンギーナを鑑別に挙げる必要があると考える. Herpangina is an acute viral pharyngitis which presents with fever and oral phlyctenula. It is commonly seen in children, usually during summer. We report an adult female suspected of having developed herpangina because on admission she presented with fever, headache, and oral phlyctenula. The 25-year-old female underwent a medical check at our hospital because of fever, headache, and nausea in July. She was admitted to our hospital. The blood test showed elevation of C-reactive protein and procalcitonin. Brain CT scan showed no bleeding nor any space occupying lesion. Chest and abdominal CT scan showed no lesion of fever origin. Her fever and headache improved after antibiotics and symptomatic treatment. But the patient felt that something was wrong within her oral cavity. Herpangina was suspected because of the presence of phlyctenula with a red halo in the soft palate. Viral antibody test of enteroviruses did not identify viruses that commonly cause herpangina. This case indicates that herpangina should be considered for the differential diagnosis during medical examination of an adult patient who presents with fever and stomatitis during summer

    Subtype-specific gout susceptibility loci and enrichment of selection pressure on ABCG2 and ALDH2 identified by subtype genome-wide meta-analyses of clinically defined gout patients

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    Objectives Genome-wide meta-analyses of clinically defined gout were performed to identify subtype-specific susceptibility loci. Evaluation using selection pressure analysis with these loci was also conducted to investigate genetic risks characteristic of the Japanese population over the last 2000–3000 years. Methods Two genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of 3053 clinically defined gout cases and 4554 controls from Japanese males were performed using the Japonica Array and Illumina Array platforms. About 7.2 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms were meta-analysed after imputation. Patients were then divided into four clinical subtypes (the renal underexcretion type, renal overload type, combined type and normal type), and meta-analyses were conducted in the same manner. Selection pressure analyses using singleton density score were also performed on each subtype. Results In addition to the eight loci we reported previously, two novel loci, PIBF1 and ACSM2B, were identified at a genome-wide significance level (p<5.0×10–8) from a GWAS meta-analysis of all gout patients, and other two novel intergenic loci, CD2-PTGFRN and SLC28A3-NTRK2, from normal type gout patients. Subtype-dependent patterns of Manhattan plots were observed with subtype GWASs of gout patients, indicating that these subtype-specific loci suggest differences in pathophysiology along patients’ gout subtypes. Selection pressure analysis revealed significant enrichment of selection pressure on ABCG2 in addition to ALDH2 loci for all subtypes except for normal type gout. Conclusions Our findings on subtype GWAS meta-analyses and selection pressure analysis of gout will assist elucidation of the subtype-dependent molecular targets and evolutionary involvement among genotype, phenotype and subtype-specific tailor-made medicine/prevention of gout and hyperuricaemia
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