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

Mapping of an abandoned irrigation channel in the southern part of Saijo Basin, Higashi-Hiroshima city, Southwest Japan, and its significance

東広島市西条盆地南部に位置する柏原（かしょうばら）地区は，段丘面上に広がる近世後期の新田開発地である。柏原地区の農業用水を確保するために中の峠（たお）池（現深道池）が造築されたが，池の集水域が狭く慢性的に水不足であった。そのため，池の集水域と異なる小田山川の集水域内の山麓に用水路を築き，中の峠池に水をもたらしてきた。現在は別の導水トンネル（中の峠隧道）ができたため，この用水路は30 年以上前に放棄されている。本研究では，現地調査によって用水路の構造のマッピングを行い，さらに古文書の解読によって造築の経緯の一端を明らかにした。本研究は，郷土の発展の痕跡である歴史的な文化財を後世に伝えるだけでなく，今後増加すると考えられる放棄用水路のマッピングの先駆的な事例として意義があると考えられる。A village of Kashobara was established by new reclamation work for rice field in early 19th-century in the southern part of Saijo Basin, Higashi-Hiroshima City, Southwest Japan. Local villagers built a pond named "Nakanotao pond" for irrigation close to the village. Because its water was always little due to its too small catchment area, it was very difficult to crop rice properly. Then local villagers made an irrigation channel to put additional water into the pond from out of its catchment. As a newly tunnel for irrigation was made in 90 years ago, the channel has been abandoned over 30 years. The objects of this study are 1) mapping of the abandoned channel by geophysical field survey, and 2) analysis of historical record related the abandoned channel. This study contributes a record of local heritage of civil engineering, and is regarded as a pioneer study for mapping of abandoned channel, numbers of which will increase in Japan.本稿の内容の一部は，2018年度地理科学学会春季学術大会（2018年6月2日，於広島大学大学院文学研究科）にて口頭発表を行った

Exponentially Modified Protein Abundance Index (emPAI) for Estimation of Absolute Protein Amount in Proteomics by the Number of Sequenced Peptides per Protein

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Pressure-induced structural phase transition and new superconducting phase in UTe2

We report on the crystal structure and electronic properties of the heavy fermion superconductor UTe2 at high pressure up to 11 GPa, as investigated by X-ray diffraction and electrical resistivity experiments. The X-ray diffraction measurements under high pressure using a synchrotron light source reveal anisotropic linear compressibility of the unit cell up to 3.5 GPa, while a pressure-induced structural phase transition is observed above 3.5-4GPa at room temperature, where the body-centered orthorhombic crystal structure with the space group Immm changes into a body-centered tetragonal structure with the space group I4/mmm. The molar volume drops abruptly at the critical pressure, while the distance between the first-nearest neighbor of U atoms increases, implying a switch from the heavy electronic states to the weakly correlated electronic states. Surprisingly, a new superconducting phase at pressures higher than 7 GPa was detected at Tsc above 2K with a relatively low upper-critical field, Hc2(0). The resistivity above 3.5GPa, thus, in the high-pressure tetragonal phase, shows a large drop below 230 K, which may also be related to a considerable change from the heavy electronic states to the weakly correlated electronic states.Comment: 11 pages, 9 figure