The Nature of Primordial Fluctuations from Anisotropic Inflation

We study the statistical nature of primordial fluctuations from an anisotropic inflation which is realized by a vector field coupled to an inflaton. We find a suitable gauge, which we call the canonical gauge, for anisotropic inflation by generalizing the flat slicing gauge in conventional isotropic inflation. Using the canonical gauge, we reveal the structure of the couplings between curvature perturbations, vector waves, and gravitational waves. We identify two sources of anisotropy, i.e. the anisotropy due to the anisotropic expansion of the universe and that due to the anisotropic couplings among variables. It turns out that the latter effect is dominant. Since the coupling between the curvature perturbations and vector waves is the strongest one, the statistical anisotropy in the curvature perturbations is larger than that in gravitational waves. We find the cross correlation between the curvature perturbations and gravitational waves which never occurs in conventional inflation. We also find the linear polarization of gravitational waves. Finally, we discuss cosmological implication of our results.Comment: 20 pages, 4 figures;(V2) a reference adde

Endoscopic Laryngeal Findings in Japanese Patients with Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Symptoms

Objective. To know the characteristics of endoscopic laryngeal and pharyngeal abnormalities in Japanese patients with laryngopharyngeal reflux symptoms (LPRS). Methods. A total of 146 endoscopic images of the larynx and pharynx (60 pairs for the rabeprazole group and 13 pairs for the control group) were presented to 15 otolaryngologists blinded to patient information and were scored according to several variables potentially associated with laryngopharyngeal reflux. The median value of the 15 scores for each item from each image was obtained. The mean pretreatment scores of each item and total score were assessed in both rabeprazole and control groups. In the rabeprazole group, the endoscopic findings before and after the 4-week treatment with rabeprazole were compared. Changes between corresponding duration in the control group were also evaluated. Results. The median and mean pretreatment total score was 3 and 3.02, respectively, from the 73 patients with LPRS. No significant differences were observed before and after treatment in either the rabeprazole or control groups for any item or total score. In 24 patients with a high pretreatment score (total score ≥ 4) from the rabeprazole group, significant decreases in scores for “thick endolaryngeal mucous” (0.54 to 0.17, P = 0.017) and total (4.77 to 3.58, P = 0.0003) were observed after the 4-week treatment

Anisotropic Power-law Inflation

We study an inflationary scenario in supergravity model with a gauge kinetic function. We find exact anisotropic power-law inflationary solutions when both the potential function for an inflaton and the gauge kinetic function are exponential type. The dynamical system analysis tells us that the anisotropic power-law inflation is an attractor for a large parameter region.Comment: 14 pages, 1 figure. References added, minor corrections include

IL-1β Suppresses the Formation of Osteoclasts by Increasing OPG Production via an Autocrine Mechanism Involving Celecoxib-Related Prostaglandins in Chondrocytes

Elevated interleukin (IL)-1 concentrations in synovial fluid have been implicated in joint bone and cartilage destruction. Previously, we showed that IL-1β stimulated the expression of prostaglandin (PG) receptor EP4 via increased PGE2 production. However, the effect of IL-1β on osteoclast formation via chondrocytes is unclear. Therefore, we examined the effect of IL-1β and/or celecoxib on the expression of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) in human chondrocytes, and the indirect effect of IL-1β on osteoclast-like cell formation using RAW264.7 cells. OPG and RANKL expression increased with IL-1β; whereas M-CSF expression decreased. Celecoxib blocked the stimulatory effect of IL-1β. Conditioned medium from IL-1β-treated chondrocytes decreased TRAP staining in RAW264.7 cells. These results suggest that IL-1β suppresses the formation of osteoclast-like cells via increased OPG production and decreased M-CSF production in chondrocytes, and OPG production may increase through an autocrine mechanism involving celecoxib-related PGs

TNF-α is essential in the induction of fatal autoimmune hepatitis in mice through upregulation of hepatic CCL20 expression.

It is unclear what roles TNF-α has in the development of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) and whether AIH is responsive to anti-TNF-α. We recently developed a mouse model of fatal AIH that develops in PD-1-deficient mice thymectomized three days after birth, finding that CCR6-CCL20 axis-dependent migration of dysregulated splenic T cells is crucial to induce AIH. In this study, we show the indispensable role of TNF-α in the development of AIH. Administering anti-TNF-α prevented the induction, but treatment by anti-TNF-α after the induction did not suppress progression. Administering anti-TNF-α did not prevent splenic T-cell activation, but did suppress hepatic CCL20 expression. In contrast, administering anti-CCL20 suppressed AIH but not elevated serum TNF-α levels. TNF-α stimulation enhanced CCL20 expression in hepatocytes. These findings suggest that TNF-α is essential in the induction of AIH through upregulation of hepatic CCL20 expression, which allows migration of dysregulated splenic T cells