189 research outputs found
Cryogenic measurement of the optical absorption coefficient in sapphire crystals at 1.064(micro)m for the Large-scale Cryogenic Gravitational wave Telescope
We have applied laser calorimetry to the measurement of optical absorption in
mono-crystalline sapphire at cryogenic temperatures. Sapphire is a promising
candidate for the mirror substrates of the Large-scale Cryogenic Gravitational
wave Telescope. The optical absorption coefficients of different sapphire
samples at a wavelength of 1.064(micro)m at 5K were found to average 90ppm/cm.Comment: 8 pages, accepted to Phys. Lett.
Altered Homeostasis of CD4+ Memory T Cells in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients: Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease Enhances T Cell Differentiation and Exhausts Central Memory T Cell Pool
AbstractAn increased risk of late infection is a serious complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT), especially for recipients with defective CD4+ T cell recovery. Although chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) negatively influences CD4+ T cell reconstitution, the mechanisms leading to this defect are not well understood. We found that the proportion of CD27− CD4+ T cells was remarkably increased in ASHCT recipients with cGVHD or with repetitive infectious episodes. Isolated CD27− CD4+ T cells from ASHCT recipients had significantly shortened telomere length, displayed enhanced vulnerability to activation-induced cell death, and showed extremely reduced clonal diversity, when compared with CD27− CD4+ T cells from healthy donors. Also, CD27+ CD4+ T cells from AHSCT recipients easily lost their expression of CD27 in response to antigen stimulation regardless of cGVHD status. Taken together, these data indicate that homeostasis of memory CD4+ T cells from AHSCT recipients is altered, and that they easily transit into CD27− effector memory T cells. Increased in vivo T cell stimulation observed in recipients with cGVHD further promotes the transition to effector memory cells, a change that decreases the central memory CD4+ T cell pool and consequently weakens the recipient’s defense against persistently infecting pathogens
Conduction Effect of Thermal Radiation in a Metal Shield Pipe in a Cryostat for a Cryogenic Interferometric Gravitational Wave Detector
A large heat load caused by thermal radiation through a metal shield pipe was
observed in a cooling test of a cryostat for a prototype of a cryogenic
interferometric gravitational wave detector. The heat load was approximately
1000 times larger than the value calculated by the Stefan-Boltzmann law. We
studied this phenomenon by simulation and experiment and found that it was
caused by the conduction of thermal radiation in a metal shield pipe.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, 2 tables, Submitted to Jpn. J. Appl. Phy
Measurement of the mechanical loss of a cooled reflective coating for gravitational wave detection
We have measured the mechanical loss of a dielectric multilayer reflective
coating (ion-beam sputtered SiO and TaO) in cooled mirrors. The
loss was nearly independent of the temperature (4 K 300 K), frequency,
optical loss, and stress caused by the coating, and the details of the
manufacturing processes. The loss angle was . The
temperature independence of this loss implies that the amplitude of the coating
thermal noise, which is a severe limit in any precise measurement, is
proportional to the square root of the temperature. Sapphire mirrors at 20 K
satisfy the requirement concerning the thermal noise of even future
interferometric gravitational wave detector projects on the ground, for
example, LCGT.Comment: 8 pages, 6 figures, 3 tables : accepted version (by Physical Review
D
Current status of Japanese detectors
Current status of TAMA and CLIO detectors in Japan is reported in this
article. These two interferometric gravitational-wave detectors are being
developed for the large cryogenic gravitational wave telescope (LCGT) which is
a future plan for detecting gravitational wave signals at least once per year.
TAMA300 is being upgraded to improve the sensitivity in low frequency region
after the last observation experiment in 2004. To reduce the seismic noises, we
are installing new seismic isolation system, which is called TAMA Seismic
Attenuation System, for the four test masses. We confirmed stable mass locks of
a cavity and improvements of length and angular fluctuations by using two SASs.
We are currently optimizing the performance of the third and fourth SASs. We
continue TAMA300 operation and R&D studies for LCGT. Next data taking in the
summer of 2007 is planned.
CLIO is a 100-m baseline length prototype detector for LCGT to investigate
interferometer performance in cryogenic condition. The key features of CLIO are
that it locates Kamioka underground site for low seismic noise level, and
adopts cryogenic Sapphire mirrors for low thermal noise level. The first
operation of the cryogenic interferometer was successfully demonstrated in
February of 2006. Current sensitivity at room temperature is close to the
target sensitivity within a factor of 4. Several observation experiments at
room temperature have been done. Once the displacement noise reaches at thermal
noise level of room temperature, its improvement by cooling test mass mirrors
should be demonstrated.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figures, Proceedings of GWDAW-1
Broad-band spectral analysis of the Galactic Ridge X-ray Emission
Detailed spectral analysis of the Galactic X-ray background emission, or the
Galactic Ridge X-ray Emission (GRXE), is presented. To study the origin of the
emission, broad-band and high-quality GRXE spectra were produced from 18
pointing observations with Suzaku in the Galactic bulge region, with the total
exposure of 1 Ms. The spectra were successfully fitted by a sum of two major
spectral components; a spectral model of magnetic accreting white dwarfs with a
mass of 0.66 (0.59-0.75) solar, and a softer optically-thin thermal emission
with a plasma temperature of 1.2-1.5 keV which is attributable to coronal X-ray
sources.
When combined with previous studies which employed high spatial resolution of
the Chandra satellite (e.g. Revnivtsev et al. 2009, Nature), the present
spectroscopic result gives another strong support to a scenario that the GRXE
is essentially an assembly of numerous discrete faint X-ray stars.
The detected GRXE flux in the hard X-ray band was used to estimate the number
density of the unresolved hard X-ray sources. When integrated over a luminosity
range of ~10^30-10^34 erg/s, the result is consistent with a value which was
reported previously by directly resolving faint point sources.Comment: accepted for publication in Ap
Masked CKD in hyperthyroidism and reversible CKD status in hypothyroidism
IntroductionWhile it is well known that thyroid function may affect kidney function, the transition of the chronic kidney disease (CKD) status before and after treatment for thyroid disorders, as well as the factors affecting this change, remains to be explored. In the present study, we focused on the change in kidney function and their affecting factors during the treatment for both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism.
Methods
Eighty-eight patients with hyperthyroidism and fifty-two patients with hypothyroidism were enrolled in a retrospective and longitudinal case series to analyze the changes in kidney function and their affecting factors after treatment for thyroid disorders.
Results
Along with the improvement of thyroid function after treatment, there was a significant decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in hyperthyroidism (an average Delta eGFR of -41.1 mL/min/1.73 m(2)) and an increase in eGFR in hypothyroidism (an average Delta eGFR of 7.1 mL/min/1.73 m(2)). The multiple linear regression analysis revealed that sex, eGFR, free thyroxine (FT4) and free triiodothyronine (FT3) could be considered independent explanatory variables for Delta eGFR in hyperthyroidism, while age, eGFR, and FT3 were detected as independent explanatory variables in hypothyroidism. In addition, the stratification by kidney function at two points, pre- and post-treatment for thyroid disorders, revealed that 4.5% of the participants with hyperthyroidism were pre-defined as non-CKD and post-defined as CKD, indicating the presence of "masked" CKD in hyperthyroidism. On the other hand, 13.5% of the participants with hypothyroidism presented pre-defined CKD and post-defined non-CKD, indicating the presence of "reversible" CKD status in hypothyroidism.
Conclusions
We uncovered the population of masked CKD in hyperthyroidism and reversible CKD status in hypothyroidism, thereby re-emphasizing the importance of a follow-up to examine kidney function after treatment for hyperthyroidism and the routine evaluation of thyroid function in CKD patients as well as the appropriate hormone therapy if the patient has hypothyroidism
The Fab portion of immunoglobulin G contributes to its binding to Fcγ receptor III
Most cells active in the immune system express receptors for antibodies which mediate a variety of defensive mechanisms. These receptors interact with the Fc portion of the antibody and are therefore collectively called Fc receptors. Here, using high-speed atomic force microscopy, we observe interactions of human, humanized, and mouse/human-chimeric immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) antibodies and their cognate Fc receptor, FcγRIIIa. Our results demonstrate that not only Fc but also Fab positively contributes to the interaction with the receptor. Furthermore, hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometric analysis reveals that the Fab portion of IgG1 is directly involved in its interaction with FcγRIIIa, in addition to the canonical Fc-mediated interaction. By targeting the previously unidentified receptor-interaction sites in IgG-Fab, our findings could inspire therapeutic antibody engineering
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