215 research outputs found
Multi-locus sequence typing of Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis strains in Japan between 1973 and 2004
Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Enteritidis (S. Enteritidis) was responsible for a worldwide pandemic during the 1980s and 1990s; however, changes in the dominant lineage before and after this event remain unknown. This study determined S. Enteritidis lineages before and after this pandemic event in Japan using multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Thirty S. Enteritidis strains were collected in Japan between 1973 and 2004, consisting of 27 human strains from individual episodes, a bovine strain, a liquid egg strain and an eggshell strain. Strains showed nine phage types and 17 pulsed-field profiles with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. All strains had homologous type 11 sequences without any nucleotide differences in seven housekeeping genes. These MLST results suggest that S. Enteritidis with the diversities revealed by phage typing and pulsed-field profiling has a highly clonal population. Although type 11 S. Enteritidis may exhibit both pleiotropic surface structure and pulsed-field type variation, it is likely to be a stable lineage derived from an ancestor before the 1980s and/or 1990s pandemic in Japan
Calibration of the AKARI Far-Infrared Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer
The Far-Infrared Surveyor (FIS) onboard the AKARI satellite has a
spectroscopic capability provided by a Fourier transform spectrometer
(FIS-FTS). FIS-FTS is the first space-borne imaging FTS dedicated to
far-infrared astronomical observations. We describe the calibration process of
the FIS-FTS and discuss its accuracy and reliability. The calibration is based
on the observational data of bright astronomical sources as well as two
instrumental sources. We have compared the FIS-FTS spectra with the spectra
obtained from the Long Wavelength Spectrometer (LWS) of the Infrared Space
Observatory (ISO) having a similar spectral coverage. The present calibration
method accurately reproduces the spectra of several solar system objects having
a reliable spectral model. Under this condition the relative uncertainty of the
calibration of the continuum is estimated to be 15% for SW, 10% for
70-85 cm^(-1) of LW, and 20% for 60-70 cm^(-1) of LW; and the absolute
uncertainty is estimated to be +35/-55% for SW, +35/-55% for 70-85 cm^(-1) of
LW, and +40/-60% for 60-70 cm^(-1) of LW. These values are confirmed by
comparison with theoretical models and previous observations by the ISO/LWS.Comment: 22 pages, 10 figure
Intake frequency of vegetables or seafoods negatively correlates with disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis
Objective: To clarify the relationship between dietary habit and disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: This study enrolled RA patients who met the ACR/EULAR 2010 classification criteria from Kyoto University Rheumatoid Arthritis Management Alliance (KURAMA) cohort in 2015. 22-item food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) was taken for the measurement of dietary habit in a single-institution cohort of RA (Kyoto University Rheumatoid Arthritis Management Alliance: KURAMA) in 2015. The disease activities of RA using the Disease Activity Score calculated based on the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR), Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and serum matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) level, the use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), disease duration, rheumatoid factor, anti-cyclic citrullinated antibody, and body mass index were also examined. All of them were combined and statistically analyzed. Results: 441 RA patients (81% women; mean age 65 years; mean disease duration 15 years) were enrolled from the KURAMA cohort. Average Disease Activity Score-28 using the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR) was 2.7. Univariate analysis showed that intake frequency of vegetables had a statistically significant negative correlation with disease activity markers, such as DAS28-ESR (ρ = −0.11, p<0.01), Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) (ρ = −0.16, p<0.001), matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) (ρ = −0.21, p<0.0001), and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) (ρ = −0.13, p<0.01). Factor analysis with varimax rotation was done to simplify the relevance of disease activity to various food items. 22 foods were categorized into five dietary patterns: “seafoods”, “vegetables/fruits”, “meats/fried foods”, “snacks”, and “processed foods”. The multivariate analysis adjusted for clinically significant confounders showed that “seafoods” had statistically significant negative correlations with DAS28-ESR (β = −0.15, p<0.01), SDAI (β = −0.18, p<0.001), MMP-3 (β = −0.15, p<0.01), and HAQ (β = −0.24, p<0.0001). “Vegetables/fruits” had statistically significant negative correlations with SDAI (β = −0.11 p<0.05), MMP-3 (β = −0.12, p<0.01), and HAQ (β = −0.11, p<0.05) Conclusions: These results suggest that high intake frequency of vegetables/fruits and/or seafoods might correlate with low disease activity
Short Report: Herpes-Like DNA Sequences in African-Endemic and Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome-Associated Kaposi\u27s Sarcoma
Recently, the unique nucleic acid closely related to the herpes-like sequences has been found in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-associated Kaposi\u27s sarcoma (KS). We have confirmed the presence of herpes-like DNA sequences in six cases of AIDS-associated KS and three of the nine cases of African-endemic KS in adults, but not in eight cases of KS in children from the same area. These sequences were seen in a histologically early stage of KS. Our results suggest that herpes-like DNA sequences may play an important role in the pathogenesis of AIDS-associated KS
The Implementation of a 2/4/8 Antennas Configurable Diversity OFDM Receiver for Mobile HDTV Application
Two pre-FFT adaptive array (AA) antenna combiners and a post-FFT carrier diversity (CD) combiner are integrated with a Japan Terrestrial digital TV (ISDB-T) OFDM receiver using 90 nm 7M1P CMOS process. A 2/4/8-antenna diversity receiver can be configured and a low-cost 4 antenna diversity reception system can be realized in one LSI by making use of the AA-CD two-stage diversity combining method. Mobile reception performance is increased by 1.63 times using a denoise filter circuit and SPLINE interpolator under urban 6-path Rayleigh fading (TU6) model with 2-antenna post-FFT carrier diversity (2CD) combing mode. The die area is 49 mm2 and the power consumption is 310 mW
The clinical features of pulmonary artery involvement in Takayasu arteritis and its relationship with ischemic heart diseases and infection
BACKGROUND: Pulmonary artery involvement (PAI) in Takayasu arteritis (TAK) can lead to severe complications, but the relationship between the two has not been fully clarified. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated 166 consecutive patients with TAK who attended Kyoto University Hospital from 1997 to 2018. The demographic data, clinical symptoms and signs, comorbidities, treatments, and imaging findings were compared between patients with and without PAI. TAK was diagnosed based on the American College of Rheumatology Classification Criteria (1990) or the Japanese Clinical Diagnostic Criteria (2008). PAI was identified using enhanced computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or lung scintigraphy. RESULTS: PAI was detected in 14.6% (n = 24) of total TAK patients. Dyspnea (25.0% vs. 8.6%; p = 0.043), pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (16.7% vs. 0.0%; p < 0.001), ischemic heart disease (IHD) (29% vs. 9.3%; p = 0.018), respiratory infection (25.0% vs. 6.0%; p = 0.009), and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infection (20.8% vs. 0.8%; p < 0.001) were significantly more frequent, and renal artery stenosis (0% vs. 17%; p = 0.007) was significantly less frequent in TAK patients with PAI than in those without PAI. PAI and biologics were risk factors for NTM. CONCLUSIONS: TAK patients with PAI more frequently have dyspnea, PAH, IHD, and respiratory infection, including NTM, than TAK patients without PAI
Performance of the Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer with Photoconductive Detector Arrays: An Application for the AKARI Far-Infrared Instrument
We have developed an imaging Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS) for
space-based far-infrared astronomical observations. The FTS employs a newly
developed photoconductive detector arrays with a capacitive trans-impedance
amplifier, which makes the FTS a completely unique instrument. The FTS was
installed as a function of the far-infrared instrument (FIS: Far-Infrared
Surveyor) on the Japanese astronomical satellite, AKARI, which was launched on
February 21, 2006 (UT) from the Uchinoura Space Center. The FIS-FTS had been
operated for more than one year before liquid helium ran out on August 26,
2007. The FIS-FTS was operated nearly six hundreds times, which corresponds to
more than one hundred hours of astronomical observations and almost the same
amount of time for calibrations. As expected from laboratory measurements, the
FIS-FTS performed well and has produced a large set of astronomical data for
valuable objects. Meanwhile, it becomes clear that the detector transient
effect is a considerable factor for FTSs with photoconductive detectors. In
this paper, the instrumentation of the FIS-FTS and interesting phenomena
related to FTS using photoconductive detectors are described, and future
applications of this kind of FTS system are discussed.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables, accepted for publication in PASJ AKARI
special issu
A deep ATCA 20cm radio survey of the AKARI Deep Field South near the South Ecliptic Pole
The results of a deep 20 cm radio survey at 20 cm are reported of the AKARI
Deep Field South (ADF-S) near the South Ecliptic Pole (SEP), using the
Australia Telescope Compact Array telescope, ATCA. The survey has 1 sigma
detection limits ranging from 18.7--50 microJy per beam over an area of ~1.1 sq
degrees, and ~2.5 sq degrees to lower sensitivity. The observations, data
reduction and source count analysis are presented, along with a description of
the overall scientific objectives, and a catalogue containing 530 radio sources
detected with a resolution of 6.2" x 4.9". The derived differential source
counts show a pronounced excess of sources fainter than ~1 mJy, consistent with
an emerging population of star forming galaxies. Cross-correlating the radio
with AKARI sources and archival data we find 95 cross matches, with most
galaxies having optical R-magnitudes in the range 18-24 mag, and 52 components
lying within 1" of a radio position in at least one further catalogue (either
IR or optical). We have reported redshifts for a sub-sample of our catalogue
finding that they vary between galaxies in the local universe to those having
redshifts of up to 0.825. Associating the radio sources with the Spitzer
catalogue at 24 microns, we find 173 matches within one Spitzer pixel, of which
a small sample of the identifications are clearly radio loud compared to the
bulk of the galaxies. The radio luminosity plot and a colour-colour analysis
suggest that the majority of the radio sources are in fact luminous star
forming galaxies, rather than radio-loud AGN. There are additionally five cross
matches between ASTE or BLAST submillimetre galaxies and radio sources from
this survey, two of which are also detected at 90 microns, and 41 cross-matches
with submillimetre sources detected in the Herschel HerMES survey Public Data
release.Comment: MNRAS accepted and in press 9 July 2012: 28 pages, 15 Figures, 17
Table
- …