SHRIMP U-Pb ages of the Karasaki mylonites in western Shikoku, Japan

唐崎マイロナイトの優白質角閃岩マイロナイトについて, ジルコンのSHRIMP U-Pb年代測定を行った結果, 1試料からの8粒子は114.2±3.9～102.3±4.5Ma(±1σ)の年代値を示した.マイロナイト化した優白質角閃岩は, SiO_2含有量が低い(49wt.%)ことと, 主として角閃石, 曹長石, 緑泥石および緑簾石のモード比の違いによる数百μm～数mm幅の顕著な層状構造を有することから, 玄武岩質火山岩または火山砕屑岩に由来する砂岩を原岩としている可能性が高い.優白質角閃岩マイロナイト中の丸みを帯びたジルコンは, ある程度遠方より運搬される過程で円磨された可能性が高いこと, マグマから晶出したジルコンに特徴的なオシレトリー累帯構造が認められることから, 砕屑性起源のジルコンであると判断される.また, その年代値が約110Maの狭い範囲を示す事実は, ジルコンが"古領家帯"に帰属すると考えられる真穴帯の大島変成岩や肥後帯の約110Ma深成岩類のみに由来する可能性を示唆する.したがって, 本論において初めて"古領家帯"中にアルビアン以降の堆積岩源変成岩が存在していることが明らかとなった.Zircon U-Pb isotope ages have been analyzed by the Sensitive High Resolution Ion MicroProbe (SHRIMP) in an leucocratic amphibolite mylonite from the Karasaki mylonites, western Shikoku, Japan which has been considered to belong to the "Paleo-Ryoke" belt. Eight zircon grains from the sample yielded U-Pb ages of Albian (Early Cretaceous) ranging from 114.2 ± 3.9 Ma to 102.3 ±4.5 Ma (± 1σ errors). The protolith of the mylonitized leucocratic amphibolite has been inferred to be basaltic volcanic sandstones, because the SiO_2 content is low (49 wt.%), and the leucocratic amphibolite (consisting of albite and epidote rich, and chlorite and epidote rich layers alternates with amphibole rich and chlorite rich layers on the order of a few mm, suggestive of original sedimentary layering. All the zircon grains can be inferred to be detrital based on both the facts that they were abraded possibly due to sedimentation processes, and that they show oscillatory zoning indicating igneous (primary) texture. The small range of U-Pb ages varying ca. 110 Ma suggests that the zircon grains in the volcanic sandstones were supplied only from the Oshima metamorphic rocks of the Maana belt and the Higo plutonic rocks of the Higo belt whose U-Pb zircon ages were dated as ca. 110 Ma. The fact clearly indicates that the metamorphic rocks (Karasaki mylonites) originated from post-Albian sediments also constitute as a new member of the "Paleo-Ryoke" belt

Draft Genome Sequence of a Clinical Isolate of Streptococcus mutans Strain HM

We report the draft genome sequence of Streptococcus mutans strain HM isolated from a 4-year-old girl with infective endocarditis. The genomics information will provide information on the genetic diversity and virulence potential of S. mutans strain HM

High-dose Dexamethasone Therapy as the Initial Treatment for Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura: Protocol for a Multicenter, Open-label, Single Arm Trial

Standard therapy for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) has not been established. We are conducting a multicenter, prospective trial to determine the efficacy and safety of short-term, high-dose dexamethasone therapy in ITP patients aged 18-80 years with platelet counts of <20, 000 /μL, or with <50, 000/ μL and bleeding symptoms. The primary endpoints of this trial are the proportion of responses (complete plus partial response) on day 180 (day 46+180) after the completion of the 46-day high-dose dexamethasone therapy. The results of this investigation of the effectiveness and safety of this regimen will be essential for the establishment of standard therapy for ITP

Transmission of Bordetella holmesii during Pertussis Outbreak, Japan

We describe the epidemiology of a pertussis outbreak in Japan in 2010–2011 and Bordetella holmesii transmission. Six patients were infected; 4 patients were students and a teacher at the same junior high school. Epidemiologic links were found between 5 patients. B. holmesii may have been transmitted from person to person

Characterization of a Conformation-Restricted Amyloid β Peptide and Immunoreactivity of Its Antibody in Human AD brain.

Characterization of amyloid β (Aβ) oligomers, the transition species present prior to the formation of Aβ fibrils and that have cytotoxicity, has become one of the major topics in the investigations of Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) pathogenesis. However, studying pathophysiological properties of Aβ oligomers is challenging due to the instability of these protein complexes in vitro. Here, we report that conformation-restricted Aβ42 with an intramolecular disulfide bond at positions 17 and 28 (SS-Aβ42) formed stable Aβ oligomers in vitro. Thioflavin T binding assays, nondenaturing gel electrophoresis, and morphological analyses revealed that SS-Aβ42 maintained oligomeric structure, whereas wild-type Aβ42 and the highly aggregative Aβ42 mutant with E22P substitution (E22P-Aβ42) formed Aβ fibrils. In agreement with these observations, SS-Aβ42 was more cytotoxic compared to the wild-type and E22P-Aβ42 in cell cultures. Furthermore, we developed a monoclonal antibody, designated TxCo-1, using the toxic conformation of SS-Aβ42 as immunogen. X-ray crystallography of the TxCo-1/SS-Aβ42 complex, enzyme immunoassay, and immunohistochemical studies confirmed the recognition site and specificity of TxCo-1 to SS-Aβ42. Immunohistochemistry with TxCo-1 antibody identified structures resembling senile plaques and vascular Aβ in brain samples of AD subjects. However, TxCo-1 immunoreactivity did not colocalize extensively with Aβ plaques identified with conventional Aβ antibodies. Together, these findings indicate that Aβ with a turn at positions 22 and 23, which is prone to form Aβ oligomers, could show strong cytotoxicity and accumulated in brains of AD subjects. The SS-Aβ42 and TxCo-1 antibody should facilitate understanding of the pathological role of Aβ with toxic conformation in AD

A preliminary report on some limnological investigations of lakes in the vicinity of Syowa Station by Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition in 1981 and 1985

The characteristics of vertical water temperature distributions of several lakes which have been studied as part of the "monitoring of the environmental change project" in the Lutzow-Holm Bay region are preliminarily reported, based mainly on the results obtained by the 26th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition (JARE-26) in 1985/1986 and in part by JARE-22 in 1981,together with some other data. Selected lakes consist of saline and freshwater ones. Each saline lake has its characteristic temperature distributions, and seems to have two-layer structure which consists of the upper layer undergoing large seasonal fluctuations and the lower layer having rather stable temperature distributions. This structure corresponds to remarkable chemical stratification. The pattern of temperature distribution of each lake seems to have differed little for considerable years, but the absolute temperature value changes slightly from year to year. Freshwater lakes show typical inverse stratification when lakes are covered with an ice layer in winter, and fluctuation from year to year is very small. In addition, general features of two newly investigated lakes are reported. They are situated in ice-free areas in the southern part of the eastern coast of Lutzow-Holm Bay, adjoining the ice sheet. Their waters show very low concentration of dissolved salts

Exploration of Active Site-Directed Plasmin Inhibitors: Beyond Tranexamic Acid

Plasmin (Plm), a trypsin-like serine protease, is responsible for fibrinolysis pathway and pathologic events, such as angiogenesis, tumor invasion, and metastasis, and alters the expression of cytokines. A growing body of data indicates that a Plm inhibitor is a potential candidate as an anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agent. A class of active site-directed plasmin inhibitors containing tranexamic acid residue has been designed. As evidenced by docking studies, the inhibitor binds to the active site not to the lysine binding site (LBS) in plasmin, thus preventing plasmin from digesting the substrate. Further optimization of the series, concerning both activity and selectivity, led to the second generation of inhibitors. This review focuses on the Plm inhibitory activity-structure relationship of Plm inhibitors with the goal of realizing their design and clinical application