THE ASTRO-H MISSION

A review of the Astro-H mission is presented here on behalf of the Astro-H collaboration. The joint JAXA/NASA ASTRO-H mission is the sixth in a series of highly successful X-ray missions initiated by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS). One of the main uniquenesses of the ASTRO-H satellite is the high sensitivity and imaging capability of the wide energy band from 0.3 keV to 600 keV. The coverage is achieved by combining the four instruments of the SXS, SXI, HXI, and SGD. The other main uniqueness is a spectroscopic capability not only for a point-like source but also for an extended source with high spectral resolution of ΔE~4÷7eV of SXS. Using the unique powers of these instruments, ASTRO-H will address unresolved issues in high-energy astrophysics

In Situ Transmission Electron Microscopy for Electronics

Electronic devices are strongly influenced by their microstructures. In situ transmission electron microscopy (in situ TEM) with capability to measure electrical properties is an effective method to dynamically correlate electric properties with microstructures. We have developed tools and in situ TEM experimental procedures for measuring electronic devices, including TEM sample holders and sample preparation methods. The method was used to study metallic nanowire by electromigration, magnetoresistance of a ferromagnetic device, conductance quantization of a metallic nanowire, single electron tunnelling, and operation details of resistive random access memories (ReRAM)

Newly established cell lines from mouse oral epithelium regenerate teeth when combined with dental mesenchyme

The present study attempted to examine whether clonal cell lines of the oral epithelium can differentiate into ameloblasts and regenerate tooth when combined with dental germ mesenchyme. Clonal cell lines with a distinct morphology were established from the oral epithelium of p53-deficient fetal mice at embryonic day 18 (E18). The strain of mouse is shown to be a useful source for establishing clonal and immortalized cell lines from various tissues and at various stages of development. Tooth morphogenesis is almost completed and the oral epithelium is segregated from the dental epithelium at E18. In RT-PCR analysis of cell lines, mucosal epithelial markers (cytokeratin 14) were detected, but ameloblast markers such as amelogenin and ameloblastin were not detected when cells were cultured on plastic dish. They formed stratified epithelia and expressed a specific differentiation marker (CK13) in the upper layer when cultured on feeder layer or on collagen gel for 1–3 wk, demonstrating that they are of oral mucosa origin. Next, bioengineered tooth germs were prepared with cell lines and fetal molar mesenchymal tissues and implanted under kidney capsule for 2–3 wk. Five among six cell lines regenerated calcified structures as seen in natural tooth. Our results indicate that some oral epithelial cells at E18 possess the capability to differentiate into ameloblasts. Furthermore, cell lines established in the present study are useful models to study processes in tooth organogenesis and tooth regeneration

人工培地上でのアスパラガスの頂芽及び側芽由来の雌雄小植物体の発根

Treatments to promote in vitro rooting of shoots derived from apices and lateral buds of male and female asparagus plants were studied. Effects of phytohormones, NAA and BA, IBA and Rootone (0.4% α-naphthylacetoamide) were evaluated. Apices and lateral buds placed on MS basal medium +0.3mg･l-1NAA and 0.1mg･ I-1lBA as a root-initiation medium for 0, 2 , 3 and 4 weeks followed by transfer to MS basal medium indicated that two or three weeks treatment was the most effective on rooting of mlale lateral buds and female apices. Apices and lateral buds were also placed on MS medium containing 0. 0.01, 0.1, 1,0 and 10.0mg･l-1 of IBA. Seventy % of male lateral shoots rooted on MS medium +1 mgl-1IBA, but it was ineffective for female shoots. Rootone was the most effective on rootin of lateral shoots, irrespective of sexes, but ineffective on apical shoots

Comparison of serum ferritin and oxidative stress biomarkers between Japanese workers with and without metabolic syndrome

Objective Metabolic syndrome (MS) is closely associated to life-style and is characterized by central obesity causing severe diseases such as diabetes mellitus (DM) or atherosclerosis. This study investigates the role of oxidative stress and inflammation in MS. Subjects Total of 685 workers stratified by gender (293 men and 392 women) with a mean age of 41.2 ± 10.4 in different offices in a city in Japan. Methods Fasting blood and urine tests for MS, oxidative and/or inflammatory biomarker analysis and blood pressure (BP) measurement were performed. MS was defined on the basis of the Japanese criterion. Results Serum ferritin and urinary hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) levels were significantly higher in subjects with MS than those without. Ferritin was positively correlated with 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in all subjects and it was negatively correlated with 8-isoprostane and H2O2 in men. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between ferritin and homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-R) in men. By using multiple regression analysis, ferritin was closely correlated with HOMA-R, γ-GT, 8-OHdG, smoking value and amount of alcohol ingestion in men, and it was correlated with 8-OHdG, γ-GT, HOMA-R in women under 50 years old. Conclusions Ferritin is a useful marker of MS including insulin resistance, reflecting the importance of oxidative stress as a cause of MS, especially in men

Feasibility of Molecularly Targeted Therapy for Tooth Regeneration

[Extract] The tooth is a complex organ that consists of enamel, dentin, cementum, and pulp. Missing teeth is frequently occurring problem in aging populations. To treat these defects, the current approach involves prostheses, autotransplantation, and dental implants. The exploration of new strategies for tooth replacement has become a hot topic. Using the foundations of experimental embryology, developmental and molecular biology, tooth regeneration is becoming realistic possibility. Several different methods have been proposed to achieve biological tooth replacement. These include scaffold-based tooth regeneration, cell pellet engineering, stimulation of the formation of a third dentition, and gene-manipulated tooth regeneration. The idea that a third dentition might be locally induced to replace missing teeth is an attractive concept (Young et al., 2005; Edward & Mason, 2006; Takahashi et al., 2008, 2013). This approach is generally presented in terms of adding molecules to induce de novo tooth initiation in the mouth. Tooth development is the result of reciprocal and reiterative signaling between oral ectoderm-derived dental epithelium and cranial neural crest cell-derived dental mesenchyme under genetic control (Thesleff, 2006). More than 200 genes are known to be expressed during tooth development (http://bite-it.helsinki.fi/). A number of mouse mutants are now starting to provide some insights into the mechanisms of supernumerary tooth formation. Multiple supernumerary teeth may have genetic components in their etiology and partially represent the third dentition in humans. Such candidate molecules might be those that are involved in embryonic tooth induction, in successional tooth formation, or in the control of the number of teeth. This means that it may be possible to induce de novo tooth formation by the in situ repression or activation of a single candidate molecule. In this review, we provide an overview of the collective knowledge of tooth regeneration, especially regarding the control of the number of teeth for molecularly targeted therapy by the stimulation of a third dentition

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 complex as a serum biomarker for COVID-19

Patients with coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) have an increased risk of thrombosis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Thrombosis is often attributed to increases in plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and a shut-down of fibrinolysis (blood clot dissolution). Decreased urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), a protease necessary for cell-associated plasmin generation, and increased tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and PAI-1 levels have been reported in COVID-19 patients. Because these factors can occur in free and complexed forms with differences in their biological functions, we examined the predictive impact of uPA, tPA, and PAI-1 in their free forms and complexes as a biomarker for COVID-19 severity and the development of ARDS. In this retrospective study of 69 Japanese adults hospitalized with COVID-19 and 20 healthy donors, we found elevated free, non-complexed PAI-1 antigen, low circulating uPA, and uPA/PAI-1 but not tPA/PAI-1 complex levels to be associated with COVID-19 severity and ARDS development. This biomarker profile was typical for patients in the complicated phase. Lack of PAI-1 activity in circulation despite free, non-complexed PAI-1 protein and plasmin/α2anti-plasmin complex correlated with suPAR and sVCAM levels, markers indicating endothelial dysfunction. Furthermore, uPA/PAI-1 complex levels positively correlated with TNFα, a cytokine reported to trigger inflammatory cell death and tissue damage. Those levels also positively correlated with lymphopenia and the pro-inflammatory factors interleukin1β (IL1β), IL6, and C-reactive protein, markers associated with the anti-viral inflammatory response. These findings argue for using uPA and uPA/PAI-1 as novel biomarkers to detect patients at risk of developing severe COVID-19, including ARDS

エシゾウ ガ メダッタ ニュウセン ヒシンジュンセイ アポクリンガン ノ 1レイ

An 88-year old woman had an approximately 20mm tumor in her left breast is described. We performed partial resection of her breast under local anesthesia because of her old age and found out to be an intraductal apocrine carcinoma with necrosis and histiocyte infiltration into the stroma leasion by histological findings. We made a wrong diagnosis as it was invasive ductal carcinoma by the preoperative mammography and ultrasonography findings. It might be due to those histological view. According to the immunostaining procedure, ER was positive and PgR was negative. There are 26 cases reports of intraductal apocrine carcinoma including this case in the Japanese literature. We found only 4 cases were described about intraductal necrosis in their sentences. And 3 cases of them have succeeded in treating by breast partial resection. We examined about this case and report with analyzing those previous literature review