Observation of Turbulent Diffusion within a Forest Canopy

金沢大学大学院自然科学研究科Promoting Environmental Pesearch in Pan-Japan Sea Area : Young Researchers\u27 Network, Schedule: March 8-10,2006,Kanazawa Excel Hotel Tokyu, Japan, Organized by: Kanazawa University 21st-Century COE Program, Environmental Monitoring and Prediction of Long- & Short- Term Dynamics of Pan-Japan Sea Area ; IICRC(Ishikawa International Cooperation Research Centre), Sponsors : Japan Sea Research ; UNU-IAS(United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies)+Ishikawa Prefecture Government ; City of Kanazaw

A human transporter protein that mediates the final excretion step for toxic organic cations

In mammals, toxic electrolytes of endogenous and exogenous origin are excreted through the urine and bile. Before excretion, these compounds cross numerous cellular membranes in a transporter-mediated manner. However, the protein transporters involved in the final excretion step are poorly understood. Here, we show that MATE1, a human and mouse orthologue of the multidrug and toxin extrusion (MATE) family conferring multidrug resistance on bacteria, is primarily expressed in the kidney and liver, where it is localized to the luminal membranes of the urinary tubules and bile canaliculi. When expressed in HEK293 cells, MATE1 mediates H+-coupled electroneutral exchange of tetraethylammonium (TEA) and 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP). Its substrate specificity is similar to those of renal and hepatic H+-coupled organic cations (OCs) export. Thus, MATE1 appears to be the long searched for polyspecific OC exporter that directly transports toxic OCs into urine and bile.</p

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a risk factor for sputum production in the general population: the Nagahama study

Background: Chronic sputum production in the general population is historically associated with clinical indices including male sex and smoking history. However, its relationship with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which may prove an underlying factor in sputum production, is unclear. We aimed to clarify factors associated with sputum production in the general population in cross-sectional and longitudinal manners. Methods: In the Nagahama study, a community-based cohort study, 9804 subjects were recruited between 2008 and 2010 (baseline assessment), 8293 of whom were followed from 2013 to 2015 (follow-up assessment). This study contained a self-completed questionnaire which included medical history, assessment of sputum production, and a frequency scale for symptoms of GERD. A Frequency Scale for Symptoms of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease score of ≥ 8 was defined as GERD. In addition to the frequency of sputum production at each assessment, frequency of persistent sputum production defined as sputum production at both assessments was examined. Results: Frequency of sputum production was 32.0% at baseline and 34.5% at follow-up. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that sputum production at baseline was significantly associated with GERD [odds ratio (OR), 1.92; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.73-2.13] and post-nasal drip (PND) (OR, 2.40; 95% CI 2.15-2.68), independent of other known factors such as older age, male sex and smoking history. These associations between sputum production and GERD or PND were also observed at follow-up. In longitudinal analysis, 19.4% had persistent sputum production and 12.3% had transient sputum production, i.e., at baseline only. Multivariable analysis for risk of persistence of sputum production revealed that persistent sputum production was associated with GERD and PND, in addition to the known risk factors listed above. The proportion of subjects with GERD at both assessments was highest among subjects with persistent sputum production. Conclusions: Cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis demonstrated an association in the general population between sputum production and GERD, as well as PND, independent of known risk factors. The presence of GERD should be assessed in patients complaining of sputum production

The Japanese space gravitational wave antenna; DECIGO

DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (DECIGO) is the future Japanese space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to open a new window of observation for gravitational wave astronomy especially between 0.1 Hz and 10 Hz, revealing various mysteries of the universe such as dark energy, formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and inflation of the universe. The pre-conceptual design of DECIGO consists of three drag-free spacecraft, whose relative displacements are measured by a differential Fabry– Perot Michelson interferometer. We plan to launch two missions, DECIGO pathfinder and pre- DECIGO first and finally DECIGO in 2024

DECIGO pathfinder

DECIGO pathfinder (DPF) is a milestone satellite mission for DECIGO (DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) which is a future space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to provide us fruitful insights into the universe, in particular about dark energy, a formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and the inflation of the universe. Since DECIGO will be an extremely large mission which will formed by three drag-free spacecraft with 1000m separation, it is significant to gain the technical feasibility of DECIGO before its planned launch in 2024. Thus, we are planning to launch two milestone missions: DPF and pre-DECIGO. The conceptual design and current status of the first milestone mission, DPF, are reviewed in this article

Cellular and Molecular Bases of the Initiation of Fever

All phases of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced fever are mediated by prostaglandin (PG) E(2). It is known that the second febrile phase (which starts at ~1.5 h post-LPS) and subsequent phases are mediated by PGE(2) that originated in endotheliocytes and perivascular cells of the brain. However, the location and phenotypes of the cells that produce PGE(2) triggering the first febrile phase (which starts at ~0.5 h) remain unknown. By studying PGE(2) synthesis at the enzymatic level, we found that it was activated in the lung and liver, but not in the brain, at the onset of the first phase of LPS fever in rats. This activation involved phosphorylation of cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)) and transcriptional up-regulation of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2. The number of cells displaying COX-2 immunoreactivity surged in the lung and liver (but not in the brain) at the onset of fever, and the majority of these cells were identified as macrophages. When PGE(2) synthesis in the periphery was activated, the concentration of PGE(2) increased both in the venous blood (which collects PGE(2) from tissues) and arterial blood (which delivers PGE(2) to the brain). Most importantly, neutralization of circulating PGE(2) with an anti-PGE(2) antibody both delayed and attenuated LPS fever. It is concluded that fever is initiated by circulating PGE(2) synthesized by macrophages of the LPS-processing organs (lung and liver) via phosphorylation of cPLA(2) and transcriptional up-regulation of COX-2. Whether PGE(2) produced at the level of the blood–brain barrier also contributes to the development of the first phase remains to be clarified

Current status of space gravitational wave antenna DECIGO and B-DECIGO

Deci-hertz Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (DECIGO) is the future Japanese space mission with a frequency band of 0.1 Hz to 10 Hz. DECIGO aims at the detection of primordial gravitational waves, which could be produced during the inflationary period right after the birth of the universe. There are many other scientific objectives of DECIGO, including the direct measurement of the acceleration of the expansion of the universe, and reliable and accurate predictions of the timing and locations of neutron star/black hole binary coalescences. DECIGO consists of four clusters of observatories placed in the heliocentric orbit. Each cluster consists of three spacecraft, which form three Fabry-Perot Michelson interferometers with an arm length of 1,000 km. Three clusters of DECIGO will be placed far from each other, and the fourth cluster will be placed in the same position as one of the three clusters to obtain the correlation signals for the detection of the primordial gravitational waves. We plan to launch B-DECIGO, which is a scientific pathfinder of DECIGO, before DECIGO in the 2030s to demonstrate the technologies required for DECIGO, as well as to obtain fruitful scientific results to further expand the multi-messenger astronomy.Comment: 10 pages, 3 figure