Characteristic Scales of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations from Perturbation Theory: Non-linearity and Redshift-Space Distortion Effects

An acoustic oscillation of the primeval photon-baryon fluid around the decoupling time imprints a characteristic scale in the galaxy distribution today, known as the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) scale. Several on-going and/or future galaxy surveys aim at detecting and precisely determining the BAO scale so as to trace the expansion history of the universe. We consider nonlinear and redshift-space distortion effects on the shifts of the BAO scale in $k$-space using perturbation theory. The resulting shifts are indeed sensitive to different choices of the definition of the BAO scale, which needs to be kept in mind in the data analysis. We present a toy model to explain the physical behavior of the shifts. We find that the BAO scale defined as in Percival et al. (2007) indeed shows very small shifts ($\lesssim$ 1%) relative to the prediction in {\it linear theory} in real space. The shifts can be predicted accurately for scales where the perturbation theory is reliable.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures, references and supplementary sections added, accepted for publication in PAS

Study on the conbined therapy of spa and gold salt in rheumatoid arthritis Part II. An experience of granulocytopenia possibly caused by gold salt preparation

A thirty seven years old woman with rheumatoid arthritis was instituted gold salt intramuscularly twice a week on the nineteenth hospital day. On the fifty fourth day, however, it was discontinued at the total dosis of 180 mg because of the skin rush. In about ten days after stopping gold injection appeared high fever with shivering and granulocytopenia was demonstrated. With immediate administration of ACTH, adrenocortical hormons etc. including blood transfusion the abnormal findings of the blood pictures returned to normal and the patient became well. Recently, gold salts are so widely used in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis as one of specific antirheumatic agents that the possible severe side effect such as granulocytopenia, if quite rare, should always be considered in the course of gold therapy

Novel hemagglutinating, hemolytic and cytotoxic activities of the intermediate subunit of Entamoeba histolytica lectin

Galactose and N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (Gal/GalNAc) inhibitable lectin of Entamoeba histolytica, a common protozoan parasite, has roles in pathogenicity and induction of protective immunity in mouse models of amoebiasis. The lectin consists of heavy (Hgl), light (Lgl), and intermediate (Igl) subunits. Hgl has lectin activity and Lgl does not, but little is known about the activity of Igl. In this study, we assessed various regions of Igl for hemagglutinating activity using recombinant proteins expressed in Escherichia coli. We identified a weak hemagglutinating activity of the protein. Furthermore, we found novel hemolytic and cytotoxic activities of the lectin, which resided in the carboxy-terminal region of the protein. Antibodies against Igl inhibited the hemolytic activity of Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites. This is the first report showing hemagglutinating, hemolytic and cytotoxic activities of an amoebic molecule, Igl

Predicting the outcome of chronic kidney disease by the estimated nephron number: The rationale and design of PRONEP, a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The nephron number is thought to be associated with the outcome of chronic kidney disease (CKD). If the nephron number can be estimated in the clinical setting, it could become a strong tool to predict renal outcome. This study was designed to estimate the nephron number in CKD patients and to establish a method to predict the outcome by using the estimated nephron number.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>The hypothesis of this study is that the estimated nephron number can predict the outcome of a CKD patient. This will be a multicenter, prospective (minimum 3 and maximum 5 years follow-up) study. The subjects will comprise CKD patients aged over 14 years who have undergone a kidney biopsy. From January 2011 to March 2013, we will recruit 600 CKD patients from 10 hospitals belonging to the National Hospital Organization of Japan. The primary parameter for assessment is the composite of total mortality, renal death, cerebro-cardiovascular events, and a 50% reduction in the eGFR. The secondary parameter is the rate of eGFR decline per year. The nephron number will be estimated by the glomerular density in biopsy specimens and the renal cortex volume. This study includes one sub-cohort study to establish the equation to calculate the renal cortex volume. Enrollment will be performed at the time of the kidney biopsy, and the data will consist of a medical interview, ultrasound for measurement of the kidney size, blood or urine test, and the pathological findings of the kidney biopsy. Patients will continue to have medical consultations and receive examinations and/or treatment as usual. The data from the patients will be collected once a year after the kidney biopsy until March 2016. All data using this study are easily obtained in routine clinical practice.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>This study includes the first trials to estimate the renal cortex volume and nephron number in the general clinical setting. Furthermore, this is the first prospective study to examine whether the nephron number predicts the outcome of CKD patients. The results from this study should provide powerful new tools for nephrologists in routine clinical practice.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>UMIN-Clinical Trial Registration, UMIN000004784.</p

Role of exosomes as a proinflammatory mediator in the development of EBV-associated lymphoma

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes various diseases in the elderly, including B-cell lymphoma such as Hodgkin's lymphoma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Here, we show that EBV acts in trans on noninfected macrophages in the tumor through exosome secretion and augments the development of lymphomas. In a humanized mouse model, the different formation of lymphoproliferative disease (LPD) between 2 EBV strains (Akata and B95-8) was evident. Furthermore, injection of Akata-derived exosomes affected LPD severity, possibly through the regulation of macrophage phenotype in vivo. Exosomes collected from Akata-lymphoblastoid cell lines reportedly contain EBV-derived noncoding RNAs such as BamHI fragment A rightward transcript (BART) micro-RNAs (miRNAs) and EBVencoded RNA.We focused on the exosome-mediated delivery of BART miRNAs. In vitro, BART miRNAs could induce the immune regulatory phenotype in macrophages characterized by the gene expressions of interleukin 10, tumor necrosis factor-a, and arginase 1, suggesting the immune regulatory role of BART miRNAs.The expression level of an EBV-encoded miRNA was strongly linked to the clinical outcomes in elderly patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.These results implicate BART miRNAs as 1 of the factors regulating the severity of lymphoproliferative disease and as a diagnostic marker for EBV1 B-cell lymphoma. (Blood. 2018;131(23):2552-2567)

Molecular Evolutionary Analysis of the Influenza A(H1N1)pdm, May–September, 2009: Temporal and Spatial Spreading Profile of the Viruses in Japan

BACKGROUND: In March 2009, pandemic influenza A(H1N1) (A(H1N1)pdm) emerged in Mexico and the United States. In Japan, since the first outbreak of A(H1N1)pdm in Osaka and Hyogo Prefectures occurred in the middle of May 2009, the virus had spread over 16 of 47 prefectures as of June 4, 2009. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We analyzed all-segment concatenated genome sequences of 75 isolates of A(H1N1)pdm viruses in Japan, and compared them with 163 full-genome sequences in the world. Two analyzing methods, distance-based and Bayesian coalescent MCMC inferences were adopted to elucidate an evolutionary relationship of the viruses in the world and Japan. Regardless of the method, the viruses in the world were classified into four distinct clusters with a few exceptions. Cluster 1 was originated earlier than cluster 2, while cluster 2 was more widely spread around the world. The other two clusters (clusters 1.2 and 1.3) were suggested to be distinct reassortants with different types of segment assortments. The viruses in Japan seemed to be a multiple origin, which were derived from approximately 28 transported cases. Twelve cases were associated with monophyletic groups consisting of Japanese viruses, which were referred to as micro-clade. While most of the micro-clades belonged to the cluster 2, the clade of the first cases of infection in Japan originated from cluster 1.2. Micro-clades of Osaka/Kobe and the Fukuoka cases, both of which were school-wide outbreaks, were eradicated. Time of most recent common ancestor (tMRCA) for each micro-clade demonstrated that some distinct viruses were transmitted in Japan between late May and early June, 2009, and appeared to spread nation-wide throughout summer. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that many viruses were transmitted from abroad in late May 2009 irrespective of preventive actions against the pandemic influenza, and that the influenza A(H1N1)pdm had become a pandemic stage in June 2009 in Japan

alloantibody のマウス skin graft survival に及ぼす影響

Alloantisera (anti-donor and anti-recipient alloantiserum) were prepared by skin grafting followed four inoculations of 1×10^7 splenocytes. These alloantisera were cytotoxic (×64) to target cells specifically. Anti-recipient alloantiserum was effective on enhancing skin graft survival in mice as same as anti-donor alloantiserum, when administered on the operative day, second postoperative day and fourth postoperative day between 50-200 μl at one time

ドナー特異的 unresponsiueness を呈した腎再移植症例

A living related kidney transplant recipient, who showed very characterstic findings in immunologic study, was reported. This patient was a retransplant recipient. First graft of this patient was his mother's kidney, and the second graft was his older sister's kidney. HLA compatibility between the patient and the second donor was one haplotype identical. Although the patient was responsive in mixed-leukocyte-culture (MLC) against the second donor before first transplantation, MLC and cell-mediated-lympholysis (CML) tests before retransplantation showed specific unresponsiveness to the second donor. During 36 months after retransplantation, no rejection episodes nor any complications have been observed