Cluster Mass Reconstruction by a Weak Shear Field

The tidal gravitational field of galaxy clusters causes a coherent distortion of the images of background sources. Since the distribution of image distortions, namely the shear field, traces the local gravitational potential of a deflector, it can be used to reconstruct the two-dimensional mass distribution of clusters of galaxies. Moreover, the shear field can provide unique information on the redshift distribution of high-redshift galaxies. In this review we summarize recently-developed parameter-free methods of cluster-mass reconstruction based on the shear field, and we apply a mass-reconstruction method to the cluster Abell 370 at redshift 0.375.Comment: 32 pages, 6 figure

日本における長期透析患者の腎移植と心血管リスクの関連性

藤田保健衛生大

気管支喘息の臨床分類とその細胞性および液性因子の特徴

Characteristics of each asthma type classified by clinical symptoms and　findings were studied in 72 patients with bronchial asthma. 1. Ventilatory function tests showed that the values of % MMF, % V(50) and % V(25) were significantly lower in patients with bronchiolar obstruction (type II) compared to the values of those with simple bronchoconstriction type (type Ia) and those with bronchoconstriction + hypersecretion (type Ib). 2. The proportion of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid was significantly higher in type II than in type Ia and type Ib. Several　patients with type Ib showed higher proportion of BAL eosinophils. 3. The release of LTC(4) from leucocytes was significantly lower in type II compared with type Ia and type Ib. There was no significant difference in the release of histamine and LTB(4) among the three asthma types.気管支喘息72例を対象に,その臨床病態の特徴を,気道炎症性の細胞および化学伝達物質の観察により検討した｡1.気道反応の特徴を換気機能の面から検討すると,II細気管支閉塞型において,MMF,V(50)やV(25)などの小ないし細気管支領域の換気障害を示すパラメーターの値は,Ia型,Ib型に比べ 有意の低下を示した｡2.気道細胞反応では,II型において,他の臨床病型に比べ,BAL液中好中球の出現頻度の有意の増加が観察された(Ia, p<0.001 ; Ib, p<0.01)｡好酸球の出現頻度は,Ib過分泌型において著しい増加傾向を示す症例が見られたが,その平均出現頻度には3病型間に有意の差は見られなかった｡3.好中球からのメジェー夕ー遊離では,ヒスタミン遊離は,Ia単純性気管支撃縮型において最も高い値が示されたが,推計学的には3病型間に有意の差は見られなかった｡ロイコトリエンC(4)では,Ia型においてII型に比べ有意に高い遊離が観察された(p<0.05)｡ロイコトリエンB(4)遊離には,3病型間に差は見られなかった

The role of fibronectin in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of asthmatic patients.

Allergic and chronic inflammation of the airway is regarded as the main pathogenesis of bronchial asthma, in which adhesion of inflammatory cells requires the expression of adhesion molecules. Thus, to clarify the role of fibronectin (FN) in the airway inflammation of bronchial asthma, FN levels in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from bronchial asthmatics were determined. FN concentrations in plasma and BALF were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorvent assay (ELISA) in 17 asthmatic patients and 10 healthy controls to elucidate the role of FN in allergic inflammation. The mean FN/albumin (Alb) level in the BALF of asthmatic patients was 2.973 micrograms/mg, which was significantly higher than that of healthy controls (0.727 microgram/mg). Non-atopic asthmatics showed a significantly higher level of FN in their BALF in comparison with atopic asthmatics, although the ratio of FN to albumin showed no significant difference. FN levels in BALF correlated significantly with total cell density (r = 0.71, P &#60; 0.05) and alveolar macrophage density (r = 0.64, P &#60; 0.05). FN levels in plasma did not correlate with those in BALF. In conclusion, increased FN in BALF, which was produced locally in the airways of asthmatic patients, is actively involved in the regulation of allergic inflammation.</p

Plasma fibronectin in asthmatic patients and its relation to asthma attack.

This study investigated the relation between asthma attacks and levels of plasma fibronectin (FN) and serum eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) in patients with bronchial asthma in order to clarify the role of FN in the airway inflammation of bronchial asthma. Plasma levels of FN were significantly higher (P &#60; 0.025) in patients with bronchial asthma than in healthy controls. They were also significantly higher (P &#60; 0.05) in non-atopic asthmatics than in atopic asthmatics. Furthermore, plasma FN was lower during the attack than the non-attack stage (P &#60; 0.025), and a significant increase of plasma FN was noted (P &#60; 0.05) in asthmatics who had more severe and more frequent attacks. Serum levels of ECP were significantly higher during the attack than the non-attack stage (P &#60; 0.005). An increase of plasma FN in the non-attack stage after attacks showed a significant correlation (P &#60; 0.05) with a decrease of serum ECP. These observations clearly indicate that the decrease in plasma FN associated with attacks is closely related to aggravation of airway inflammation, and that the increase in plasma FN in the non-attack stage reflects chronic airway inflammation. These results suggest that the fluctuation in plasma levels of FN may be one of the factors affecting allergic inflammation and attacks in bronchial asthma.</p

気管支喘息におけるActivated Tリンパ球について,喘息発作との関連

The number of CD4(+) T-Iymphocytes, CD4/CD8 ratio, and the number of IL2R(+) T-Iymphocytes (CD25) were examined in 14 patients with bronchial asthma, and the results were compared in three different asthma stages : symptom-free stage, wheeze stage, and attack stage. 1. The proportion of blood CD4(+) T-lymphocytes was more decreased in patients with asthma attacks than in those without symptoms. The CD4/CD8 ratio was also more　decreased in patients with attacks than in those without symptoms. However, these differences were not significant. 2. The proportion of blood activated T cells (IL2R(+) cells, CD25) was significantly increased in patients with attacks than in those without symptoms. The proportion of activated T cells in 5 asthma patients was 2.9±0.8% in　symptom-free stage and 6.6±1.1% in attack stage(p<0.001). These findings show that numbers of activated T-lymphocytes in peripheral blood were increased during asthma attacks, and this increase suggests the participation of　activated T cells in the pathogenesis of asthma.気管支喘息14例を対象に,末梢血CD4(+)リンパ球の頻度,CD4／CD8比およびIL2R(+)Tリンパ球の頻度について,喘息発作との関連のもとに検討を加えた｡1.CD4(+)リンパ球の頻度は,非発作時の症例で最も高く,喘鳴のみの症例,発作の見られる症例へと順次低くなる傾向が見られたが,推計学的には有意の差は見られなかった｡CD4/CD8比も同様に,非発作時に最も高く,発作を有する症例では非発作時に比べ低い値を示したが,推計学的には有意の差は見られなかった｡2.IL2R(+)Tリンパ球(activated Tリンパ球)の頻度は,非発作時の症例で最も低く(3.5±1.1%),喘鳴のみをともなう症例(3.8±1.1%),発作の見られる症例(5.8±1.9%)へと順次高くなる傾向を示し,発作のある症例では,非発作および喘鳴のみの症例に比べ有意に高い値 を示した｡また,非発作時と発作のある時期にIL2R(+)Tリンパ球を観察し得た5症例では,非発作時2.9±0.8%,発作のある時期6.6±1.1%であり,発作のある時期に有意の高値を示した(p<0.001)。これらの結果は,発作のある時期にはactivated Tリンパ球の頻度が増加すること,そして,この増加はactivated Tリンパ球が喘息発作の病態と密接な関連を有していることを示唆するものと考えられた

気管支肺胞洗浄液中に一過性の好中球増多をきたしたアトピー型喘息

Clinical course of one asthma patient (64 years old, female), who had an increased proportion of neutrophils in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid, was observed in relation to the proportion of BAL cells and ventilatory function. The patient had large asthma attacks two times during her clinical course for 15 months observed. 1. An increased proportion of BAL neutrophils and suppression of ventilatory function were found after her first large asthma attacks. The increased proportion of BAL neutrophils continued for more than 5 months. A reduction in the proportion of BAL neutrophils was found 3 months after her second large asthma attack, accompanied by improvement of clinical symptoms and ventilatory function. The numbers of total cells and neutrophils in BAL fluid were also reduced. Transient increase in number of BAL lymphocytes was found 13 months after the first large attack when the number of BAL neutrophils was markedly decreased. The number of BAL eosinophils did not change during her clinical course.経過中に気管支肺胞洗浄(BAL)液中に一過性の好中球増多が観察されたアトピー型喘息症例について,若干の臨床的観察を加えた｡症例は,64才の女性で,臨床症状,および血清IgE高値,ハウスダストに対するIgE抗体陽性などから,アトピー型喘息と診断された｡なお,経過観察し得た15ヵ月の間に2回の大発作が観察された｡1.第1回の大発作後,BAL液中好中球増多と換気機能の低下が観察された｡そして,このBAL液中好中球頻度は明らかな改善が見られた｡BAL液中の総細胞数および好中球の絶対数も徐々に減少傾向を示し,好中球頻度と同様,第2回目の大発作3ヵ月後には著明な減少が観察された｡同時にこの時期には,BAL液中リンパ球の増加も見られた｡しかし,BAL液中好酸球数は15ヵ月の経過観察中ほとんど変化は見られなかった