Spontaneous glomerular deposition of immunoglobulins for ACE (Angiotensin Converting Enzyme) induces spontaneous nephropathy in diabetogenic rats

We first discovered autoantibodies to ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus^1^. The antibodies were positive for 64.5% of the patients with diabetes and were positive in 83.3% in the early stage of clinical diabetic nephropathy. In addition, in genetically diabetogenic OLETF (Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty) rats^2^, one of the characteristics of which strain is spontaneous nephropathy resembling those of human type 2 diabetes, and in control LETO rats^2^, immunization with rabbit lung ACE developed glomerulopathy similar to that seen in diabetics^3^. Also, in normal New Zealand white rabbits, immunization with the rabbit lung ACE induced glomerular changes similar to those seen in diabetic nephropathy^3^. In this study, renal tissues identical to those examined in research of diabetic nephropathy by PAS staining and electron microscope in preceding study^3^, were examined by immunostaining methods, only to prove that the diabetic glomerular changes may occur by immunization with ACE, not by non-specific responses to ACE, in non-diabetogenic rats and rabbits

Black String Perturbations in RS1 Model

We present a general formalism for black string perturbations in Randall-Sundrum 1 model (RS1). First, we derive the master equation for the electric part of the Weyl tensor $E_{\mu\nu}$. Solving the master equation using the gradient expansion method, we give the effective Teukolsky equation on the brane at low energy. It is useful to estimate gravitational waves emitted by perturbed rotating black strings. We also argue the effect of the Gregory-Laflamme instability on the brane using our formalism.Comment: 14 pages, Based on a talk presented at ACRGR4, the 4th Australasian Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation, Monash University, Melbourne, January 2004. To appear in the proceedings, in General Relativity and Gravitatio

Impact of heavy rains of 2018 in western Japan: disaster-induced health outcomes among the population of Innoshima Island

Southwestern Japan suffered its worst rains in 2018 causing floods and mudslides, claiming 225 lives and forcing millions for evacuations. Referred as "Heisei san-ju-nenshichi-gatsugou", the disaster was the result of incessant precipitation caused by the interaction of typhoon "Prapiroon" with the seasonal rain front "Baiu". The present epidemiological study aims to investigate disaster-induced health issues in 728 residents of Innoshima island in the Hiroshima Prefecture by comparing their clinical data in pre-disaster (2017) and disaster-hit (2018) years which was obtained from annual health screening. Comparison of data showed a significant increase in the urine protein concentration in victims following the disaster. Probing further into the household conditions, showed that a total of 59,844 households were affected with water outage during the heavy rains, which was accompanied by severe damage of sewerage pipelines with complete recovery process taking two weeks. This two weeks of the crisis forced victims to refrain from using restrooms which in turn led to infrequent urination, thereby explaining the increased urine protein concentration in victims following the disaster. The present study addresses the acute health implications caused by the water crisis and serves as a precautionary measure for disaster management council to provide enhanced aftercare services in victims in further events of natural disasters