Optimization temperature sensitivity using the optically detected magnetic resonance spectrum of a nitrogen-vacancy center ensemble

Temperature sensing with nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers using quantum techniques is very promising and further development is expected. Recently, the optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectrum of a high-density ensemble of the NV centers was reproduced with noise parameters [inhomogeneous magnetic field, inhomogeneous strain (electric field) distribution, and homogeneous broadening] of the NV center ensemble. In this study, we use ODMR to estimate the noise parameters of the NV centers in several diamonds. These parameters strongly depend on the spin concentration. This knowledge is then applied to theoretically predict the temperature sensitivity. Using the diffraction-limited volume of 0.1 micron^3, which is the typical limit in confocal microscopy, the optimal sensitivity is estimated to be around 0.76 mK/Hz^(1/2) with an NV center concentration of 5.0e10^17/cm^3. This sensitivity is much higher than previously reported sensitivities, demonstrating the excellent potential of temperature sensing with NV centers.Comment: 17 pages, 4 figures, 1 tabl

GH RESPONSES AND PATHOLOGY IN ACROMEGALY

Plasma growth hormone (GH) responses to various stimuli were examined in 21 patients with GH-producing pituitary adenomas, classified into three types by the immunohistochemistry of cytokeratin and the glycoprotein hormone α-subunit distribution. Seven type 1 adenomas were exclusively composed of cells in which the cytokeratin formed a dot-like pattern; they were chromophobic to hematoxylin and eosin (H & E), occasionally positive for GH, and almost completely negative for the α-subunit. Thirteen type 2 adenomas were composed of cells with cytokeratin that had a perinuclear distribution; they were eosinophilic to H & E, and diffusely positive for both GH and the α-subunit. One patient had a type 3 adenoma which had a mixed pattern of intracellular cytokeratin distribution and was chromophobic and eosinophilic to H & E. Clinically, type 1 is characterized by earlier onset, larger tumor size, and more frequent aggressive extension. Paradoxical GH responses to TRH and OGTT were seen in 1 of 6 patients (16.7%) of type 1 and 8 of 9 patients (88.9%) of type 2, and 0% of type 1 and 62.5% of type 2, respectively. Type 2 cases showed higher plasma GH response to GH-releasing hormone, and a tendency to greater suppression of plasma GH by bromocriptine compared with type 1. Octreotide acetate administration revealed that the nadir/basal ratio of plasma GH levels was 42.9±6.6% in type 1 and 13.5±5.8% in type 2. These results suggest that there is a pathophysiological difference between these two distinct types of GH-producing pituitary adenomas

Place of death trends among patients with dementia in Japan: a population-based observational study

Dementia is a major public health concern in ageing societies. Although the population of Japan is among the most aged worldwide, long-term trends in the place of death (PoD) among patients with dementia is unknown. In this Japanese nationwide observational study, we analysed trends in PoD using the data of patients with dementia who were aged >= 65 years and died during 1999-2016. Trends in the crude death rates and PoD frequencies were analysed using the Joinpoint regression model. Changes in these trends were assessed using the Joinpoint regression analysis in which significant change points, the annual percentage change (APC) and average APCs (AAPC) in hospitals, homes, or nursing homes were estimated. During 1999-2016, the number of deaths among patients with dementia increased from 3,235 to 23,757 (total: 182,000). A trend analysis revealed increased mortality rates, with an AAPC of 8.2% among men and 9.3% among women. Most patients with dementia died in the hospital, although the prevalence of hospital deaths decreased (AAPC: -1.0%). Moreover, the prevalence of nursing home deaths increased (AAPC: 5.6%), whereas the prevalence of home deaths decreased (AAPC: -5.8%). These findings support a reconsideration of the end-of-life care provided to patients with dementia

Central nervous system post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: The Nagasaki transplant group experience

A 17-year-old male received allogeneic transplantation for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and presented with generalized seizures due to a solitary brain lesion with massive necrosis on day +621. Epstein?Barr virus (EBV) DNA copies were below the cut-off value in plasma. Stereotactic biopsy of the cerebral lesion confirmed the diagnosis of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) with large atypical cells positive for CD20 and EBER.In order to diagnose primary central nervous system PTLD, the biopsy should be applied as early as possible when brain lesion with necrosis develops in post-transplant patients regardless of EBV-DNA in plasma

The Constrained Maximal Expression Level Owing to Haploidy Shapes Gene Content on the Mammalian X Chromosome.

X chromosomes are unusual in many regards, not least of which is their nonrandom gene content. The causes of this bias are commonly discussed in the context of sexual antagonism and the avoidance of activity in the male germline. Here, we examine the notion that, at least in some taxa, functionally biased gene content may more profoundly be shaped by limits imposed on gene expression owing to haploid expression of the X chromosome. Notably, if the X, as in primates, is transcribed at rates comparable to the ancestral rate (per promoter) prior to the X chromosome formation, then the X is not a tolerable environment for genes with very high maximal net levels of expression, owing to transcriptional traffic jams. We test this hypothesis using The Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) and data from the Functional Annotation of the Mammalian Genome (FANTOM5) project. As predicted, the maximal expression of human X-linked genes is much lower than that of genes on autosomes: on average, maximal expression is three times lower on the X chromosome than on autosomes. Similarly, autosome-to-X retroposition events are associated with lower maximal expression of retrogenes on the X than seen for X-to-autosome retrogenes on autosomes. Also as expected, X-linked genes have a lesser degree of increase in gene expression than autosomal ones (compared to the human/Chimpanzee common ancestor) if highly expressed, but not if lowly expressed. The traffic jam model also explains the known lower breadth of expression for genes on the X (and the Z of birds), as genes with broad expression are, on average, those with high maximal expression. As then further predicted, highly expressed tissue-specific genes are also rare on the X and broadly expressed genes on the X tend to be lowly expressed, both indicating that the trend is shaped by the maximal expression level not the breadth of expression per se. Importantly, a limit to the maximal expression level explains biased tissue of expression profiles of X-linked genes. Tissues whose tissue-specific genes are very highly expressed (e.g., secretory tissues, tissues abundant in structural proteins) are also tissues in which gene expression is relatively rare on the X chromosome. These trends cannot be fully accounted for in terms of alternative models of biased expression. In conclusion, the notion that it is hard for genes on the Therian X to be highly expressed, owing to transcriptional traffic jams, provides a simple yet robustly supported rationale of many peculiar features of X's gene content, gene expression, and evolution

Expression and Function of Transmembrane-4 Superfamily (Tetraspanin) Proteins in Osteoclasts: Reciprocal Roles of Tspan-5 and NET-6 during Osteoclastogenesis

Background: Osteoclasts are bone-resorbing multinuclear polykaryons essential for bone remodeling, formed through cell fusion of mononuclear macrophage/monocyte lineage precursor cells upon stimulation by the RANK/RANKL system. Recent studies have revealed that a family of tetraspanin proteins, such as CD9, is critically involved in the cell fusion/polykaryon formation of these cell types. Until now, however, there is limited knowledge about the types of tetraspanins expressed in osteoclasts and their precursors. Methods: The expression of different tetraspanin proteins in a monocyte/macrophage-lineage osteoclast precursor cell line, RAW264.7, was cyclopedically investigated using RT-PCR with specific primers and quantitative real-time RT-PCR. The function of two kinds of tetraspanins, Tspan-5 and NET-6, whose expression pattern was altered by RANKL stimulation, was examined by transfecting gene-specific short-interfering RNAs into these cell types. Results: Of the 17 tetraspanins in mammalian hematopoietic cells, RAW264.7 cells express mRNA for 12 different kinds of tetraspanins, namely, CD9, CD37, CD53, CD63, CD81, CD82, CD151, NAG-2, NET-6, SAS, Tspan-3, and Tspan-5. Interestingly, during their maturation into osteoclasts upon RANKL stimulation, the transcript for Tspan-5 is up-regulated, whereas that for NET-6 is down-regulated. Targeted inhibition of Tspan-5 by using gene-specific RNA interference suppressed RANKL-induced cell fusion during osteoclastogenesis, whereas inhibition of NET-6 augmented the osteoclastogenesis itself. These results suggest that Tspan-5 and NET-6 have a reciprocal function during osteoclastogenesis, i.e., positive and negative regulation by Tspan-5 and NET-6, respectively. RANKL regulates osteoclastogenesis by altering the balances of these tetraspanin proteins. Conclusions: These data indicate that a diversity of tetraspanins is expressed in osteoclast precursors, and that cell fusion during osteoclastogenesis is regulated by cooperation of distinct tetraspanin family proteins such as Tspan-5 and NET-6. This study indicates that functional alterations of tetraspanin family proteins may have therapeutic potential in diseases where osteoclasts play a major role, such as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis