22 research outputs found
An X-ray Spectroscopic Study of the Hot Interstellar Medium Toward the Galactic Bulge
We present a detailed spectroscopic study of the hot gas toward the Galactic
bulge along the 4U 1820-303 sight line by a combination analysis of emission
and absorption spectra. In addition to the absorption lines of OVII Kalpha,
OVII Kbeta, OVIII Kalpha and NeIX Kalpha by Chandra LTGS as shown by previous
works, Suzaku detected clearly the emission lines of OVII, OVIII, NeIX and NeX
from the vicinity. We used simplified plasma models with constant temperature
and density. Evaluation of the background and foreground emission was performed
carefully, including stellar X-ray contribution based on the recent X-ray
observational results and stellar distribution simulator. If we assume that one
plasma component exists in front of 4U1820-303 and the other one at the back,
the obtained temperatures are T= 1.7 +/- 0.2 MK for the front-side plasma and
T=3.9(+0.4-0.3) MK for the backside. This scheme is consistent with a hot and
thick ISM disk as suggested by the extragalactic source observations and an
X-ray bulge around the Galactic center.Comment: 14 pages, 15 figures, accepted to be published in PASJ (Replace
figure files to fix latex problem
Steady-state serum concentrations of carbamazepine and valproic acid in obese and lean patients with epilepsy.
Steady-state serum concentrations of carbamazepine (CBZ) and valproic acid (VPA) were investigated in normal weight (body mass index; BMI 20 to 25), lean (smaller than 20 BMI) and moderately obese subjects (greater than 25 BMI) who received either 400 mg/day of CBZ or 800 mg/day of VPA. The CBZ serum concentration in lean subjects was significantly higher than that in normal weight subjects. However, no significant differences in VPA serum concentration were found between the three groups. The CBZ serum concentration decreased with increases in total body weight, and the VPA serum concentration decreased with increases in ideal body weight. However, both serum concentrations were not correlated with BMI. These results suggest that VPA doses should be calculated using ideal body weight and that degree of obesity may affect CBZ serum concentration rather than VPA serum concentration.</p
Transcription and Translation Products of the Cytolysin Gene psm-mec on the Mobile Genetic Element SCCmec Regulate Staphylococcus aureus Virulence
The F region downstream of the mecI gene in the SCCmec element in hospital-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (HA-MRSA) contains two bidirectionally overlapping open reading frames (ORFs), the fudoh ORF and the psm-mec ORF. The psm-mec ORF encodes a cytolysin, phenol-soluble modulin (PSM)-mec. Transformation of the F region into the Newman strain, which is a methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) strain, or into the MW2 (USA400) and FRP3757 (USA300) strains, which are community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) strains that lack the F region, attenuated their virulence in a mouse systemic infection model. Introducing the F region to these strains suppressed colony-spreading activity and PSMα production, and promoted biofilm formation. By producing mutations into the psm-mec ORF, we revealed that (i) both the transcription and translation products of the psm-mec ORF suppressed colony-spreading activity and promoted biofilm formation; and (ii) the transcription product of the psm-mec ORF, but not its translation product, decreased PSMα production. These findings suggest that both the psm-mec transcript, acting as a regulatory RNA, and the PSM-mec protein encoded by the gene on the mobile genetic element SCCmec regulate the virulence of Staphylococcus aureus
Modified Faraday rotation in a three-dimensional magnetophotonic opal crystal consisting of maghemite/silica composite spheres
We have prepared a three-dimensional magnetophotonic crystal and observed modulated Faraday rotation around its photonic band gap. The magnetophotonic crystal was prepared by the self-assembly of highly monodispersed silica spheres, which were heavily impregnated with maghemite (γ−Fe2O3) nanoparticles. The slab sample with a thickness of 10 μm shows a clear photonic band gap centered at λ = 620 nm in optical transmittance. Faraday rotation is notably modified inside the photonic band gap
Influence of the combined treatment with phenytoin or valproate on serum concentration of carbamazepine
To clarify the pharmacokinetic interaction in poly-therapy for epilepsy, the serum concentration of carbamazepine (CZB) was measured in epileptic patients to whom CBZ had been prescribed chronically with or without phenytoin (PHT) and sodium valproate (VPA). The serum CBZ concentrations increased with increasing doses of CBZ, but increased less at higher doses. Chiliren (<12 yrs) showed lower serum CBZ concentrations than patients 12 years old and older. The L/D ratios (L : CBZ level, D : dose/body weight) were significantly decreased by the combined treatment with PHT and VPA in a dose-dependent manner, probably due to an induction of metabolizing enzyme. These findings suggest that especially in the case of change of the drug therapy from mono-therapy to mono therapy, careful monitoring of serum concentration is necessary