Transverse Single-Spin Asymmetry for Very Forward Neutral Pion Production in Polarized p+p Collisions at sqrt[s]=510 GeV.

Transverse single-spin asymmetries of very forward neutral pions generated in polarized p+p collisions allow us to understand the production mechanism in terms of perturbative and nonperturbative strong interactions. During 2017, the RHICf Collaboration installed an electromagnetic calorimeter in the zero-degree region of the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and measured neutral pions produced at pseudorapidity larger than 6 in polarized p+p collisions at sqrt[s]=510 GeV. The large nonzero asymmetries increasing both in longitudinal momentum fraction x_{F} and transverse momentum p_{T} have been observed at low transverse momentum p_{T}<1 GeV/c for the first time, at this collision energy. The asymmetries show an approximate x_{F} scaling in the p_{T} region where nonperturbative processes are expected to dominate. A non-negligible contribution from soft processes may be necessary to explain the nonzero neutral pion asymmetries.

A rare variant in CYP27A1 and its association with atopic dermatitis with high serum total IgE.

This study investigated rare variants associated with atopic dermatitis. We performed exome analyses on 37 patients who were diagnosed with atopic dermatitis by board-certified dermatologists and had total serum IgE levels greater than 1000 IU/ml. The exome analysis identified seven variants with <1% allele frequency in Asian (ASN) population of 1000 Genomes Project phase 1 data and >5% allele frequency in the atopic dermatitis exome samples. We then conducted a replication study using 469 atopic dermatitis patients with total serum IgE ≥1000 IU/ml and 935 Japanese controls to assess the presence of these 7 candidate variants. The replication study confirmed that CYP27A1 rs199691576 (A/G) was associated with atopic dermatitis with high serum IgE levels (P = 0.012, odds ratio = 2.1). CYP27A1 is involved in the metabolism of vitamin D3, which plays important roles in modulating immune function. Previous studies have reported polymorphisms in vitamin D pathway genes that are associated with allergy-related phenotypes. Our data confirm the importance of genes regulating the vitamin D pathway in the development of atopic dermatitis.

Assessing age-related change in Japanese mental foramen opening direction using multidetector computed tomography.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate how the opening direction of the mental foramen (MF) changes with age in a Japanese population using multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT). METHODS: Post-mortem MDCT scans of 121 Japanese subjects (66 males and 55 females) were carried out where all subjects possessed at least twenty teeth, including molar teeth, in the upper and lower jaws. Two angles of the mental foramen opening were measured, namely the superior-inferior angle in the coronal plane and anterior-posterior angle in the transverse plane, on the CT reconstructed images. The associations between age and these two angles were evaluated using a multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: For male subjects, the relationship between the superior-inferior angle and age was a quadratic curve (p < 0.001). This angle increased until the subject reached their early 50s and then the angle decreased with age. In the transverse plane, there was a linear relation between the anterior-posterior angle and age (p=0.002).It was noted also that the angle decreased with age. By contrast, however, no significant associations between the two angles and age for either measurement were noted for female subjects. This study demonstrated that the opening direction of the mental foramen changes with age in Japanese male subjects. By contrast this change in the opening direction of the mental foramen was not demonstrated in Japanese female subjects. In male subjects, the opening direction moves superiorly until the individual reaches their early 50s, and then moves inferiorly with advancing age. It also shifts from a posterior to an anterior position with age. CONCLUSION: These observed change differ from the results of previous studies. The findings could be useful for forensic science as they demonstrate a change in the position of mental foramen in a sample of contemporaneous male Japanese subjects.

Monitoring fungal growth on brown rice grains using rapid and non-destructive hyperspectral imaging.

This research aimed to develop a rapid, non-destructive, and accurate method based on hyperspectral imaging (HSI) for monitoring spoilage fungal growth on stored brown rice. Brown rice was inoculated with a non-pathogenic strain of Aspergillus oryzae and stored at 30 °C and 85% RH. Growth of A. oryzae on rice was monitored using viable colony counts, expressed as colony forming units per gram (CFU/g). The fungal development was observed using scanning electron microscopy. The HSI system was used to acquire reflectance images of the samples covering the visible and near-infrared (NIR) wavelength range of 400-1000 nm. Unsupervised self-organizing map (SOM) was used to visualize data classification of different levels of fungal infection. Partial least squares (PLS) regression was used to predict fungal growth on rice grains from the HSI reflectance spectra. The HSI spectral signals decreased with increasing colony counts, while conserving similar spectral pattern during the fungal growth. When integrated with SOM, the proposed HSI method could be used to classify rice samples with different levels of fungal infection without sample manipulation. Moreover, HSI was able to rapidly identify infected rice although the samples showed no symptoms of fungal infection. Based on PLS regression, the coefficient of determination was 0.97 and root mean square error of prediction was 0.39 log (CFU/g), demonstrating that the HSI technique was effective for prediction of fungal infection in rice grains. The ability of HSI to detect fungal infection at early stage would help to prevent contaminated rice grains from entering the food chain. This research provides scientific information on the rapid, non-destructive, and effective fungal detection system for rice grains.

Evaluation of a personal identification method using the fusion function of CT images and dental radiographs.

OBJECTIVES: We applied the fusion function of dental analysis software to examine whether the anatomical relationships of tooth roots when compared between reconstructed post-mortem CT (PMCT) and dental radiographs can aid dental identification. METHODS: One PMCT image taken from a cadaver (43-year-old male; Cadaver 1) was compared with 64 digital dental radiographs of the left and right upper and lower molars from Cadaver 1 and 30 other cadavers. Five corresponding anatomical reference points were marked on each image. After adjusting the angle and magnification using the fusion function, the automatically calculated error in pixels was determined five times for each of four sites on the images. RESULTS: Comparison of the PMCT image with the dental radiographs from the other cadavers revealed obvious discrepancies in the anatomical positioning of the teeth. When t-tests were applied to the data from any of the four sites, the error in pixels was found to be significantly smaller (p < 0.001) between Cadaver 1 and the other cadaver images. The average error in pixels between the PMCT and dental radiographs was smaller in the lower jaw than in the upper jaw. CONCLUSIONS: This method uses corresponding reference points on two images to calculate the error between the regions that contain all points. This feature also makes it possible to compare images taken with different modalities. The demand for a dental identification method involving PMCT is likely to increase, and we expect that the accuracy of dental identification will improve by using radiological images.

Immune therapeutic potential of stem cells from human supernumerary teeth.

Discoveries of immunomodulatory functions in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have suggested that they might have therapeutic utility in treating immune diseases. Recently, a novel MSC population was identified from dental pulp of human supernumerary teeth, and its multipotency characterized. Herein, we first examined the in vitro and in vivo immunomodulatory functions of human supernumerary tooth-derived stem cells (SNTSCs). SNTSCs suppressed not only the viability of T-cells, but also the differentiation of interleukin 17 (IL-17)-secreting helper T (Th17)-cells in in vitro co-culture experiments. In addition, systemic SNTSC transplantation ameliorated the shortened lifespan and elevated serum autoantibodies and nephritis-like renal dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) model MRL/lpr mice. SNTSC transplantation also suppressed in vivo increased levels of peripheral Th17 cells and IL-17, as well as ex vivo differentiation of Th17 cells in MRL/lpr mice. Adoptive transfer experiments demonstrated that SNTSC-transplanted MRL/lpr mouse-derived T-cell-adopted immunocompromised mice showed a longer lifespan in comparison with non-transplanted MRL/lpr mouse-derived T-cell-adopted immunocompromised mice, indicating that SNTSC transplantation suppresses the hyper-immune condition of MRL/lpr mice through suppressing T-cells. Analysis of these data suggests that SNTSCs are a promising MSC source for cell-based therapy for immune diseases such as SLE.

Non-destructive evaluation of ATP content and plate count on pork meat surface by fluorescence spectroscopy.

The potential of fluorescence spectroscopy was investigated for the non-destructive evaluation of ATP content and plate count on pork meat surface stored aerobically at 15 °C during three days. Excitation (Ex) Emission (Em) Matrix of fluorescence intensity was obtained and fluorescence from tryptophan (Ex=295 nm and Em=335 nm) and NADPH (Ex=335 nm and Em=450 nm) was detected. Because tryptophan and NADPH fluorescence changed along with the growth of microorganisms, microbial spoilage on meat could be detected from fluorescence. By applying PLSR (Partial Least Squares Regression) analysis, ATP content and plate count were predicted with good determination coefficient (0.94-0.97 in calibration and 0.84-0.88 in validation).

Three-dimensional visualization of composite fillings for dental identification using CT images.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to discriminate between enamel and composite resins by differences in Hounsfield units shown on 16 section multidetector CT (MDCT) images taken of unidentified bodies. METHODS: First, we determined the Hounsfield units of composite resins in 15 extracted human teeth. We then filled a single cavity prepared in each of the teeth with one of five different types of composite resins, and scanned the teeth using our routine post-mortem CT protocol for the head and neck. Obtained data were transferred to a radiological workstation and reconstructed. Furthermore, post-mortem CT images of the head of three unidentified bodies were reconstructed in the same manner. RESULTS: Four types of composite resins containing radio-opaque fillers showed a constant value of 4000 HU, and one radiolucent composite resin showed values in the range of 660-800 HU in the extracted teeth. Pixels at 4000 HU indicated that the composite resins were selected and visualized as three-dimensional colour images. Composite resins could be visualized on reconstructed images of the three unidentified bodies, and the sites visualized matched those noted on the forensic dental charts. CONCLUSIONS: Discriminating enamel and composite resins containing radio-opaque materials was difficult because of their similar Hounsfield unit values. However, we did succeed in visualizing the composite resins despite limitations of the CT scale. CT reconstructed images can contribute to dental identification, particularly in cases where it is difficult to detect composite resins on external investigation, and these images can be prepared during routine dental identification work.

anti-tumor effect of AlkB homolog 3 knockdown in hormone- independent prostate cancer cells.

Castrate resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a disease that is resistant to both hormone therapy and chemotherapy. At present, no curative therapy for CRPC has been established. Therefore, it is necessary to determine a novel molecular target for the development of therapeutic agents. We previously reported that AlkB homolog 3 (ALKBH3) is highly expressed in prostate cancer but not in benign prostatic hyperplasia or in normal prostate epithelium and that the expression levels of ALKBH3 protein are significantly correlated with the hormone-independent state of prostate cancer. Moreover, ALKBH3 regulates the invasion of prostate cancer cells via the regulation of matrix metalloproteinase 9. Here, we show that ALKBH3 gene silencing markedly induces apoptosis in hormone-independent prostate cancer cell line DU145 but not in the normal prostate epithelial cell line PNT2. Moreover, the in vivo tumorigenicity of DU145 cells was significantly inhibited by the administration of ALKBH3 siRNA. Furthermore, the anchorage-independent growth of DU145 cells was inhibited by ALKBH3 knockdown and promoted by ALKBH3 overexpression, significantly. ALKBH3 shRNA-expressing prostate cancer cells formed significantly smaller tumors than those of control shRNA transfectants in an in vivo xenograft model. These findings suggest that ALKBH3 is a promising target molecule for the development of CRPC therapeutic agents.

Reduction of both beta cell death and alpha cell proliferation by dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibition in a streptozotocin-induced model of diabetes in mice.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Incretins stimulate insulin secretion in a glucose-dependent manner but also promote pancreatic beta cell protection. Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are a new glucose-lowering treatment that blocks incretin degradation by DPP-4. We assessed whether DPP-4 inhibition suppresses the progression to hyperglycaemia in a low-dose streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mouse model, and then investigated how DPP-4 inhibition affects islet function and morphology. METHODS: The DPP-4 inhibitor, des-fluoro-sitagliptin (SITA), was administered to mice during and after STZ injections, and in some mice also before STZ. RESULTS: In control mice, STZ resulted in hyperglycaemia associated with impaired insulin secretion and excess glucagon secretion. In SITA-treated STZ mice, these metabolic abnormalities were improved, particularly when SITA administration was initiated before STZ injections. We observed beta cell loss and dramatic alpha cell expansion associated with decreased insulin content and increased glucagon content after STZ administration. In SITA-treated mice, islet architecture and insulin content were preserved, and no significant increase in glucagon content was observed. After STZ exposure, beta cell apoptosis increased before hyperglycaemia, and SITA treatment reduced the number of apoptotic beta cells. Interestingly, alpha cell proliferation was observed in non-treated mice after STZ injection, but the proliferation was not observed in SITA-treated mice. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Our results suggest that the ability of DPP-4 inhibition to suppress the progression to STZ-induced hyperglycaemia involves both alleviation of beta cell death and alpha cell proliferation.

Rapid detection of Escherichia coli contamination in packaged fresh spinach using hyperspectral imaging.

A rapid method based on hyperspectral imaging for detection of Escherichia coli contamination in fresh vegetable was developed. E. coli K12 was inoculated into spinach with different initial concentrations. Samples were analyzed using a colony count and a hyperspectroscopic technique. A hyperspectral camera of 400-1000 nm, with a spectral resolution of 5 nm was employed to acquire hyperspectral images of packaged spinach. Reflectance spectra were obtained from various positions on the sample surface and pretreated using Sawitzky-Golay. Chemometrics including principal component analysis (PCA) and artificial neural network (ANN) were then used to analyze the pre-processed data. The PCA was implemented to remove redundant information of the hyperspectral data. The ANN was trained using Bayesian regularization and was capable of correlating hyperspectral data with number of E. coli. Once trained, the ANN was also used to construct a prediction map of all pixel spectra of an image to display the number of E. coli in the sample. The prediction map allowed a rapid and easy interpretation of the hyperspectral data. The results suggested that incorporation of hyperspectral imaging with chemometrics provided a rapid and innovative approach for the detection of E. coli contamination in packaged fresh spinach.

Time-action profiles of insulin detemir in normal and diabetic dogs.

Insulin detemir is the first member of a new class of long-acting soluble insulin analogues capable of maintaining the basal level of insulin in humans. In this preliminary study, we investigated the time-action profiles of insulin detemir in normal and diabetic dogs since the use of insulin detemir in canines has yet to be determined. Eight animals were used in our study (three normal and five insulin dependent diabetic dogs). Time-action profiles of insulin detemir were monitored in normal dogs using an artificial pancreas apparatus under euglycemic condition. Blood sampling was performed at 2h intervals post feeding, with insulin administration, in insulin dependent diabetic dogs. Time-action profiles of insulin detemir, in normal dogs, demonstrated that insulin detemir is a long-lasting preparation similar to what has been observed in humans. A pronounced peak was detected at 8-10h while the glucose-lowering effect lasted for over 24h after insulin injection, thus illustrating its longer prolonged peak activity time. Furthermore, intensive glycemic control was achieved with insulin detemir in insulin dependent diabetic dogs, using a lower dosage than NPH insulin and insulin glargine therapeutic doses. Our results indicate that insulin detemir has a greater effect than either NPH insulin or insulin glargine in canines, requiring a lower dose than either insulin preparation. However, using insulin detemir also carries a higher risk of inducing hypoglycemia as compared to either NPH insulin or insulin glargine.

Clinical trial: oral zinc in hepatic encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic encephalopathy has a negative effect on patient health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Zinc supplementation has been effective with regard to altered nitrogen metabolism. AIM: To investigate the effectiveness of oral zinc supplementation on hepatic encephalopathy and HRQOL. METHODS: Seventy-nine cirrhotic patients with hepatic encephalopathy were randomized to receive 225 mg of polaprezinc in addition to standard therapies of a protein-restricted diet including branched-chain amino acid and lactulose, or to continue only standard therapies for 6 months. The change of HRQOL by Short Form-36, hepatic encephalopathy grade, laboratory parameters, and neuropsychological (NP) tests were compared at baseline and at 6 months. We also evaluated via multivariate analysis whether zinc supplementation and clinical variables correlated with the changes in physical component scale (PCS) and mental component scale (MCS) between the two visits. RESULTS: Zinc supplementation significantly improved the PCS (P = 0.04), but not the MCS (P = 0.95). Zinc supplementation significantly decreased hepatic encephalopathy grade and blood ammonia levels (P = 0.03 and P = 0.01), and improved Child-Pugh score and NP tests compared with standard therapy (P = 0.04 and P = 0.02). In multivariate analysis, zinc supplementation was significantly associated with improvement in PCS (P = 0.03), whereas it was not significantly associated with change in MCS (P = 0.98). CONCLUSION: Zinc supplementation is effective in hepatic encephalopathy and consequently improves patients HRQOL.

Riluzole use during pregnancy in a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a case report.

Pregnancy with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is rare and generally considered dangerous. Riluzole is the only drug approved for use in ALS, but the effect on maternal and fetal health is unknown. We describe the case of an ALS patient taking riluzole throughout pregnancy. A 34-year old Japanese woman, who had been diagnosed with probable ALS 4 years earlier, visited our hospital for abdominal distension, without knowing that she was pregnant. The patient had been taking riluzole for 2 years, inclusive of her gestational months, and we decided to continue administration of the medication. The patient delivered a normal female infant transvaginally at 38 weeks gestation. The patient's neurological status was stable 1 year after delivery and the baby had developed normally. We found that, in this case, riluzole did not cause any side-effects to the pregnant woman or her fetus.

Analysis of lawsuits on malpractice related to spinal anesthesia in Japan--change in the causes of anesthetic malpractice related to judicial precedents.

We investigated the adjustments related to spinal anesthesia in Japan. There were 23 cases. Seventeen cases resulted in death, 3 cases did in central nerve injury and 3 cases did in peripheral nerve injuries. In 17 cases whose origin was inadequate patient control, 15 patients were younger than 15 years old. In 14 cases in which the patient was younger than 15 years old, acute appendicitis was connected. Continuous monitoring is necessary to prevent malpractice during and after operation.

Role of Ca2+ mobilization and Ca2+ sensitization in 8-iso-PGF 2 alpha-induced contraction in airway smooth muscle.

BACKGROUND: Isoprostanes are prostaglandin (PG)-like compounds synthesized by oxidative stress, not by cyclooxygenase, and increase in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with asthma. The airway inflammation implicated in this disease may be amplified by oxidants. Although isoprostanes are useful biomarkers for oxidative stress, the action of these agents on airways has not been fully elucidated. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to determine the intracellular mechanisms underlying the effects of oxidative stress on airway smooth muscle, focused on Ca(2+) signalling pathways involved in the effect of 8-iso-PGF(2 alpha). METHODS: Using simultaneous recording of isometric tension and F(340)/F(380) (an indicator of intracellular concentrations of Ca(2+), [Ca(2+)]i, we examined the correlation between tension and [Ca(2+)]i in response to 8-iso-PGF(2 alpha) in the fura-2 loaded tracheal smooth muscle. RESULTS: Augmented tension and F(340)/F(380) by 8-iso-PGF(2 alpha) were attenuated by ICI-192605, an antagonist of thromboxane A(2) receptors (TP receptors). Moreover, D609, an antagonist of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C, markedly reduced both the tension and F(340)/F(380) induced by 8-iso-PGF(2 alpha), whereas U73122, an antagonist of phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C, modestly inhibited them by 8-iso-PGF(2 alpha). SKF96365, a non-selective antagonist of Ca(2+) channels, markedly reduced both tension and F(340)/F(380) by 8-iso-PGF(2 alpha). However, diltiazem and verapamil, voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channel inhibitors, modestly attenuated tension although their reduction of F(340)/F(380) was not different from that by SKF96365. Y-27632, an inhibitor of Rho-kinase, significantly attenuated contraction induced by 8-iso-PGF(2 alpha) without reducing F(340)/F(380), whereas GF109203X and Go6983, protein kinase C inhibitors, did not markedly antagonize them although reducing F(340)/F(380) with a potency similar to Y-27632. CONCLUSION: 8-iso-PGF(2 alpha) causes airway smooth muscle contraction via activation of TP receptors. Ca(2+) mobilization by SKF96365- and D609-sensitive Ca(2+) influx and Ca(2+) sensitization by Rho-kinase contribute to the intracellular mechanisms underlying the action of 8-iso-PGF(2 alpha). Rho-kinase may be a therapeutic target for the physiologic abnormalities induced by oxidative stress in airways.

Spin transition in a four-coordinate iron oxide.

Spin transition has attracted the interest of researchers in various fields since the early 1930s, with thousands of examples now recognized, including those in minerals and biomolecules. However, so far the metal centres in which it has been found to occur are almost always octahedral six-coordinate 3d(4) to 3d(7) metals, such as Fe(II). A five-coordinate centre is only rarely seen. Here we report that under pressure SrFe(II)O(2), which features a four-fold square-planar coordination, exhibits a transition from high spin (S = 2) to intermediate spin (S = 1). This is accompanied by a transition from an antiferromagnetic insulating state to a ferromagnetic so-called half-metallic state: only half of the spin-down (d(xz),d(yz)) states are filled. These results highlight the square-planar coordinated iron oxides as a new class of magnetic and electric materials.

Mast cell tryptase causes homologous desensitization of beta-adrenoceptors by Ca2+ sensitization in tracheal smooth muscle.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have revealed that in asthma, mast cells infiltrate to the smooth muscle layer and release tryptase, an enzymatic activator of protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2). This phenomenon, mast cell myositis, is proposed as a new feature of asthma. However, little is known about the involvement of mast cell myositis in the pathophysiology of asthma. OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to determine whether mast cell degranulation has any functional impact on beta-adrenoceptors via PAR2 in airway smooth muscle. Moreover, we focused on Ca(2+) signalling as a mechanism underlying alteration of smooth muscle tone and responsiveness. METHODS: Isometric tension and F(340)/F(380), an indicator of the concentration of intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)), were simultaneously measured using fura-2-loaded tissues isolated from guinea-pig tracheal smooth muscle. RESULTS: Tryptase (1-100 nm) caused tension with elevated F(340)/F(380), and after exposure to tryptase for 15 min the inhibitory effect of isoprenaline (ISO) against methacholine was attenuated without elevating F(340)/F(380) in a concentration-dependent manner. Tryptase (<1 nm) had a modest effect on tension, but prolonged treatment (

[Nifekalant hydrochloride effective against perioperative ventricular tachycardia in patients with impaired left ventricular function].

Perioperative ventricular tachycardia (VT) was treated with nifekalant hydrochloride, a pure potassium channel blocker in 2 patients with low left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The first patient is a 34-year-old woman, a chronic hemodialysis patient in whom severe aortic stenosis due to structural valvular deterioration of the previously implanted tissue valve was diagnosed with her LVEF of 26.9%. She underwent urgent redo aortic valve replacement with a mechanical valve. Postoperatively a sustained VT developed. After she received direct-current (DC) shock, nifekalant hydrochloride was administered. The 2nd patient is a 44-year-old man who presented with severe congestive heart failure. A coronary angiogram revealed triple vessel disease as well as decreased LVEF of 16% and ischemic mitral regurgitation. He underwent triple coronary artery bypass grafting and mitral ring annuloplasty. A VT developed requiring DC shock during hemostasis. Nifekalant hydrochloride was given immediately. In both patients, nifekalant hydrochloride was given intravenously in a dose of 0.3 mg/kg followed by a continuous intravenous infusion at a dose of 0.4 mg/kg/hr. Our experience shows nifekalant hydrochloride is effective against perioperative VT, especially in patients with impaired left ventricular function since it has mild positive inotropic effect.