Intranasal sensitization with Blomia Tropicalis antigens induces allergic responses in mice characterized by elevated antigen-specific and non-specific serum ige and peripheral blood eosinophil counts

In order to evaluate the potential allergenicity of Blomia tropicalis (Bt) antigen, IgE production of both specific and non-specific for Bt antigen was monitored in BALB/c mice after exposure to the antigen by nasal route. It was evidenced that B. tropicalis contains a functional allergen in its components. The allergenic components, however, when administered intranasally without any adjuvant, did not function to induce IgE response within a short period. On the other hand, intranasal inoculation of Bt antigens augmented serum IgE responses in mice pretreated by a subcutaneous priming injection of the same antigens. Inoculation of Bt antigen without subcutaneous priming injections induced IgE antibody production only when the antigen was continuously administered for a long period of over 24 weeks. Even when the priming injection was absent, the Bt antigen inoculated with cholera toxin (CT) as a mucosal adjuvant also significantly augmented the Bt antigen-specific IgE responses depending on the dose of CT co-administered. The present study also demonstrated that Bt antigen/CT-inoculated mice showed increased non-specific serum IgE level and peripheral blood eosinophil rates without noticeable elevations of the total leukocyte counts. The immunoblot analysis demonstrated 5 main antigenic components reactive to IgE antibodies induced. These components at about 44-64 kDa position were considered to be an important candidate antigen for diagnosis of the mite-related allergy.Para avaliar a capacidade alergizante do antígeno da Blomia tropicalis (Bt) a produção de IgE específica e não específica a antígeno Bt foi monitorada em camundongos BALB/c após exposição ao antígeno por via nasal. Foi evidenciado que Bt contem um alérgeno funcional em seus componentes. Os componentes alergênicos entretanto, quando administrados por via intra-nasal, sem qualquer adjuvante, não induzem resposta IgE durante um pequeno período. Por outro lado, a inoculação intra-nasal de antígenos Bt aumentou a resposta sérica de IgE em camundongos pré-tratados por uma injeção inicial sensibilizante sub-cutânea aos mesmos antígenos. A inoculação do antígeno Bt sem as injeções sensibilizantes iniciais induziu a produção de anticorpos IgE somente quando o antígeno foi administrado de maneira contínua, por um período longo de mais de 24 semanas. Mesmo quando as injeções sensibilizantes iniciais foram ausentes, o antígeno Bt inoculado com a toxina de cólera (CT) como adjuvante mucoso também aumentou de maneira significante a resposta IgE antígeno específica do Bt dependendo da dose de CT administrada conjuntamente. O presente estudo também demonstrou que camundongos inoculados com antígeno Bt/CT mostram aumento do nível IgE não específico no soro e médias de eosinófilos no sangue periférico sem qualquer elevação da contagem total de leucócitos. A análise por Immunoblot demonstrou cinco principais componentes antigênicos reativos aos anticorpos IgE induzidos. Estes componentes na posição 44-64 kilodaltons foram considerados importantes antígenos-candidatos para o diagnóstico da alergia relacionada ao ácaro

Carbon sequestration of man-made forest : Sequestration estimate and its bearings on CDM

早稲田大学Jalan CIFOR2005 International Symposium on Environmental Mornitoring in East Asia -Remote Sensing and Forests-,Hosted The EMEA Project, Kanazawa University 21st=Century COE Program -Environmental Monitoring and Predicition of Long- and Short- Term Dynamics of Pan-Japan Sea Area- ,予稿集, EMEA 2005 in Kanazawa, 国際学術研究公開シンポジウム『東アジアの環境モニタリング』－リモートセンシングと森林－,年月日：200511月28日～29日, 場所：KKRホテル金沢, 金沢大学自然科学研究科, 主催：金沢大学EMEAプロジェクト, 共催：金沢大学21世紀COEプログラム「環日本海域の環境変動と長期・短期変動予測

6.EMEA International Symposium in Kanazawa, Japan

早稲田大学Center for International Forestry Research, Jalan CIFORProject Number 14404021, Peport of Research Project ; Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research(B)(2), from April 2002 to March 2006, Edited by Muramoto,Ken-ichiroKamata, NaotoKawanishi, TakuyaKubo, MamoruLiu, JiyuanLee, Kyu-Sung , 人工衛星データ活用のための東アジアの植生調査、課題番号14404021, 平成14年度～平成17年度科学研究費補助金, 基盤研究（B)(2)研究成果報告書, 研究代表者：村本, 健一郎, 金沢大学自然科学研究科教

Photosynthetic rates of four tree species in the upper canopy of a tropical rain forest at the Pasoh Forest Reserve in Peninsular Malaysia

Measurements of photosynthesis (A) and stomatal conductance (gs) were conducted using the leaves of four tropical tree species (Dipterocarpus sublamellatus, Neobalanocarpus heimii, Ptychopyxis caput-medusae, and Xanthophyllum amoneum) in the canopy of the lowland forest at the Pasoh Forest Reserve in peninsular Malaysia. A canopy walkway was used to reach the canopy of 30- to 40-m-tall trees and diurnal changes in A and gs were determined. The diurnal patterns for A differed between days and between species, though A of the four species were similar but quite low. In general, A increased with increasing photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) before noon, then declined. As well, a linear relationship was detected between gs and A, but no statistically significant correlation could be confirmed between these two factors for D. sublamellatus and P. caput-medusae in November and July. The value of gs decreased with increasing vapor pressure deficit for D. sublamellatus, but the other species did not show this response

Effects of selective harvesting on traffic pattern and soil compaction in a subtropical forest in Guarani, Misiones, Argentine = Efeitos da exploração seletiva de florestas neotropicais em padrões de tráfego e na compactação do solo em Guarani, Misiones, Argentina

A colheita de madeira na floresta tropical produz impactos muito importantes, especialmente na compactação do solo. Neste trabalho foram comparados os efeitos de dois sistemas de colheita seletiva na compactação do solo, em uma floresta neotropical na reserva Guarani, em Misiones, Argentina. Os métodos de colheita foram: o comercial (CH), empregado pelos empreiteiros da região e a colheita de baixo impacto (RIL), com seleção das árvores a serem cortadas e com planejamento para a locação das vias de arraste e dos pátios, em função das condições do terreno. A área das vias de arraste e a intensidade de tráfego, em relação à compactação do solo, foram comparadas com o volume de árvores colhidas e as condições do terreno. Detectou-se que o tratamento RIL concentra o volume de toras e o peso das toras, e reduz a carga total sobre o solo, e a intensidade de tráfego, principalmente nos caminhos primários. O aumento da intensidade de tráfego resultou em maior compactação do solo e em maior profundidade. O método de colheita RIL evita o aumento da compactação do solo, pela redução na carga total aplicada sobre o solo.Harvesting tropical forests produce important impacts, especially in soil compaction. Effects of selective harvesting methods on soil compaction were compared in a natural subtropical forest in the Guarani preservation area, Misiones state, Argentine. An ordinary commercial harvesting method (CH) used by the logging contractors in the region and reduced impact logging method (RIL) with selection of harvestable trees and limitation of the skidding trials and landings were applied with reference to terrain condition. Area of skid trails; intensities of traffic related to extent of soil compaction were compared with volume of harvested trees and terrain condition. It was found that the RIL treatment concentrates the logs volume and logs weight, with a diminution of the total load over the soil, and the traffic intensity, especially on primary roads. The increase of the traffic intensities resulted in higher soil compaction at deepest depth. Planned logging operations through the RIL method, avoid significant soil compaction through the reduction of the total load over the soil.EEA MontecarloFil: Mac Donagh, Patricio. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales; ArgentinaFil: Rivero, Liliana. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales; ArgentinaFil: Garibaldi, Juan. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales; ArgentinaFil: Alvez, Mario. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales; ArgentinaFil: Cortez, Pablo. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales; ArgentinaFil: Marek, Marcelo. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales; ArgentinaFil: Erbetta, Diego. Universidad Nacional de Misiones. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales; ArgentinaFil: Fernandez, Roberto. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Montecarlo; ArgentinaFil: Pahr, Norberto Manuel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Montecarlo; ArgentinaFil: Toma, Takeshi. Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute; Japó

Human immune and gut microbial parameters associated with inter-individual variations in COVID-19 mRNA vaccine-induced immunity

COVID-19 mRNA vaccines induce protective adaptive immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in most individuals, but there is wide variation in levels of vaccine-induced antibody and T-cell responses. However, the mechanisms underlying this inter-individual variation remain unclear. Here, using a systems biology approach based on multi-omics analyses of human blood and stool samples, we identified several factors that are associated with COVID-19 vaccine-induced adaptive immune responses. BNT162b2-induced T cell response is positively associated with late monocyte responses and inversely associated with baseline mRNA expression of activation protein 1 (AP-1) transcription factors. Interestingly, the gut microbial fucose/rhamnose degradation pathway is positively correlated with mRNA expression of AP-1, as well as a gene encoding an enzyme producing prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which promotes AP-1 expression, and inversely correlated with BNT162b2-induced T-cell responses. These results suggest that baseline AP-1 expression, which is affected by commensal microbial activity, is a negative correlate of BNT162b2-induced T-cell responses.journal articl

Anatomical liver segmentectomy 2 for combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma with tumor thrombus in segment 2 portal branch

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Hepatic resection is the only effective treatment for combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 52-year-old man was preoperatively diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma in segment 2 with tumor thrombus in the segment 2 portal branch. Anatomical liver segmentectomy 2, including separation of the hepatic arteries, portal veins, and bile duct, enabled us to remove the tumor and portal thrombus completely. Modified selective hepatic vascular exclusion, which combines extrahepatic control of the left and middle hepatic veins with occlusion of left hemihepatic inflow, was used to reduce blood loss. A pathological examination revealed combined hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma with tumor thrombus in the segment 2 portal branch. No postoperative liver failure occurred, and remnant liver function was adequate.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The separation method of the hepatic arteries, portal veins, and bile duct is safe and feasible for a liver cancer patient with portal vein tumor thrombus. Modified selective hepatic vascular exclusion was useful to control bleeding during liver transection. Anatomical liver segmentectomy 2 using these procedures should be considered for a patient with a liver tumor located at segment 2 arising from a damaged liver.</p

Characterization of a Novel Proteinous Toxin from Sea Anemone Actineria villosa.

The sea anemone Actineria villosa expresses a lethal protein toxin. We isolated a novel 120-kDa protein, Avt120, from partially purified toxin and found it to possess extremely strong lethal activity. The 3,453-bp Avt120 gene translates to a 995-amino acid protein. The 50% lethal dose (LD(50)) of purified Avt120 in mice was 85.17 ng. Among several tested cell lines, Colo205 cells were most sensitive to Avt120: 50% of them were damaged by 38.4 ng/mL Avt120. Avt120 exerted ATP degradation activity (10 μmol ATP h(-1) mg(-1)), which was strongly inhibited by ganglioside GM1 to decrease the cytotoxicity of Avt120

Climate seasonality limits leaf carbon assimilation and wood productivity in tropical forests

The seasonal climate drivers of the carbon cycle in tropical forests remain poorly known, although these forests account for more carbon assimilation and storage than any other terrestrial ecosystem. Based on a unique combination of seasonal pan-tropical data sets from 89 experimental sites (68 include aboveground wood productivity measurements and 35 litter productivity measurements), their associated canopy photosynthetic capacity (enhanced vegetation index, EVI) and climate, we ask how carbon assimilation and aboveground allocation are related to climate seasonality in tropical forests and how they interact in the seasonal carbon cycle. We found that canopy photosynthetic capacity seasonality responds positively to precipitation when rainfall is  < 2000 mm yr⁻¹ (water-limited forests) and to radiation otherwise (light-limited forests). On the other hand, independent of climate limitations, wood productivity and litterfall are driven by seasonal variation in precipitation and evapotranspiration, respectively. Consequently, light-limited forests present an asynchronism between canopy photosynthetic capacity and wood productivity. First-order control by precipitation likely indicates a decrease in tropical forest productivity in a drier climate in water-limited forest, and in current light-limited forest with future rainfall  < 2000 mm yr⁻¹

巨大副腎悪性褐色細胞腫の1例 : 大型の褐色細胞腫の管理について

69歳男.直径約30cmの左側腹部腫瘤の診断及び治療の為, 当科へ紹介された.血中ノルエピネフリン値及びその尿中代謝産物の高値, CTスキャンにより巨大な嚢胞性後腹膜腫瘤, 大動静脈リンパ節の腫大が認められ, 悪性褐色細胞腫と診断.血行動態学的に循環血液量の低下と血管抵抗値の上昇が認められた為, 血管拡張剤の使用と共に循環血液量の補充が行われた.これらにより血行動態は正常化し, 腫瘍摘除術が施行された.病理学的に, リンパ節転移を伴う褐色細胞腫と診断され, 腫瘍重量は5, 930gであったA 69-year-old man was referred to our hospital for a left abdominal tumor measuring about 30 cm in diameter. Laboratory examination revealed an elevation of norepinephrine in plasma and of its metabolites in urine. CT scan disclosed a huge cystic tumor in the retroperitoneal space and an enlarged aortocaval lymph node, suggesting a diagnosis of malignant pheochromocytoma. The hemodynamic studies showed low blood volume and high vascular resistance, and therefore, he was treated with vasodilators and volume expansion. His hemodynamic status normalized and a complete excision was performed. Pathological examination revealed that the patient had a pheochromocytoma with metastasis to a lymph node. The total weight of the tumor was 5, 930 g. Since pheochromocytomas can become a large with a risk of malignancy, they should be surgically excised as completely as possible with further treatment after making a definite diagnosis