Compressible bag model and the phase structure

The phase structure of hadrons and quark-gluon plasma is investigated by two types of equation of hadron state, namely ideal hadron gas model and the compressible bag model. It is pointed out that, while the ideal gas model produces unrealistic extra hadron phase, the compressible bag model gives an expected and reasonable phase diagram even if rich hadron spectrum is taken into account.Comment: 14 pages, 11 figures, LaTeX2

A New Method for the Evaluation of Vaccine Safety Based on Comprehensive Gene Expression Analysis

For the past 50 years, quality control and safety tests have been used to evaluate vaccine safety. However, conventional animal safety tests need to be improved in several aspects. For example, the number of test animals used needs to be reduced and the test period shortened. It is, therefore, necessary to develop a new vaccine evaluation system. In this review, we show that gene expression patterns are well correlated to biological responses in vaccinated rats. Our findings and methods using experimental biology and genome science provide an important means of assessment for vaccine toxicity

Suppression of cell cycle progression by Jun dimerization protein (JDP2) involves down-regulation of cyclin A2

We report here a novel role for Jun dimerization protein-2 (JDP2) as a regulator of the progression of normal cells through the cell cycle. To determine the role of JDP2 in vivo, we generated Jdp2 knock-out (Jdp2KO) mice by targeting exon 1 to disrupt the site of initiation of transcription. The healing of wounded skin of Jdp2KO mice proceeded more rapidly than that of control mice and more proliferating cells were found at wound margins. Fibroblasts derived from embryos of Jdp2KO mice proliferated more rapidly and formed more colonies than wild-type fibroblasts. JDP2 was recruited to the promoter of the gene for cyclin A2 (ccna2) at a previously unidentified AP-1 site. Cells lacking Jdp2 had elevated levels of cyclin A2 mRNA. Moreover, reintroduction of JDP2 resulted in repression of transcription of ccna2 and of cell cycle progression. Thus, transcription of the gene for cyclin A2 appears to be a direct target of JDP2 in the suppression of cell proliferation

Prevalence of Anti-Borna Disease Virus Antibody in Horses and Their Caretakers in Bangladesh

To elucidate the spread of Borna disease virus (BDV) in Asian countries, we surveyed 48 normal horses in Bangladesh and their 26 caretakers for the BDV antibody by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Eleven horses (23%) were found positive. None of the 5 horses at the age of < 1 year was positive. Seven of 23 horses (30%) at the age of 1 year were positive, as well as 4 of 16 horses (25%) at the age of 3 years. The geometric average of the ECLIA titer of the antibody positive horses at the age of 1 year, 3041, was significantly lower than that found at the age of 3 years, 6887, by the Mann-Whitney test (P = 0.012). Sexual preference in the prevalence of anti-BDV was not evident. None of the 26 male horse caretakers between the ages of 12 to 54 years was positive, including those who were taking care of the antibody positive horses. Total RNA extracted from the peripheral blood nucleated cells was tested by polymerase chain reaction coupled with reverse transcription capable of detecting 200 molecules of BDV p40 RNA per reaction. None of the 11 seropositive horses and the 5 randomly selected seronegative horses was positive. The results showed that BDV is penetrating the Bangladeshi labor horse population with similar levels reported in Germany, Iran and Japan, although the viral genome in the blood was not detected

Polycomb-Mediated Loss of miR-31 Activates NIK-Dependent NF-κB Pathway in Adult T Cell Leukemia and Other Cancers

SummaryConstitutive NF-κB activation has causative roles in adult T cell leukemia (ATL) caused by HTLV-1 and other cancers. Here, we report a pathway involving Polycomb-mediated miRNA silencing and NF-κB activation. We determine the miRNA signatures and reveal miR-31 loss in primary ATL cells. MiR-31 negatively regulates the noncanonical NF-κB pathway by targeting NF-κB inducing kinase (NIK). Loss of miR-31 therefore triggers oncogenic signaling. In ATL cells, miR-31 level is epigenetically regulated, and aberrant upregulation of Polycomb proteins contribute to miR-31 downregulation in an epigenetic fashion, leading to activation of NF-κB and apoptosis resistance. Furthermore, this emerging circuit operates in other cancers and receptor-initiated NF-κB cascade. Our findings provide a perspective involving the epigenetic program, inflammatory responses, and oncogenic signaling

A rare case of xanthogranuloma of the stomach masquerading as an advanced stage tumor

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Xanthogranuloma of the stomach is an extremely rare disease, and this lesion has only been found to coexist with early gastric cancer in 2 cases in the literature.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We report a case of xanthogranuloma of the stomach combined with early gastric cancer that mimicked an advanced stage tumor. A 65-year-old female was referred to our hospital because of epigastralgia. During a physical examination, a defined abdominal mass was palpable in the region of the left hypochondrium. Imaging studies revealed an advanced gastric cancer, which was suspected of having infiltrated the abdominal wall. Total gastrectomy and resection of the regional lymph node and abdominal wall were performed. Histopathologic examination of the resected specimen demonstrated xanthogranuloma combined with early gastric cancer.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Xanthogranuloma presenting as a form of SMT (submucosal tumor) of the stomach is an extremely rare disease, and diagnosing it preoperatively is difficult. Further accumulation and investigation of this entity is necessary.</p

Jun Dimerization Protein 2 Controls Senescence and Differentiation via Regulating Histone Modification

Transcription factor, Jun dimerization protein 2 (JDP2), binds directly to histones and DNAs and then inhibits the p300-mediated acetylation both of core histones and of reconstituted nucleosomes that contain JDP2 recognition DNA sequences. JDP2 plays a key role as a repressor of adipocyte differentiation by regulation of the expression of the gene C/EBPδ via inhibition of histone acetylation. Moreover, JDP2-deficient mouse embryonic fibroblasts (JDP2−/− MEFs) are resistant to replicative senescence. JDP2 inhibits the recruitment of polycomb repressive complexes (PRC1 and PRC2) to the promoter of the gene encoding p16Ink4a, resulting from the inhibition of methylation of lysine 27 of histone H3 (H3K27). Therefore, it seems that chromatin-remodeling factors, including the PRC complex controlled by JDP2, may be important players in the senescence program. The novel mechanisms that underline the action of JDP2 in inducing cellular senescence and suppressing adipocyte differentiation are reviewed