Spin to Charge Conversion at Room Temperature by Spin Pumping into a New Type of Topological Insulator: α-Sn Films.

We present results on spin to charge current conversion in experiments of resonant spin pumping into the Dirac cone with helical spin polarization of the elemental topological insulator (TI) α-Sn. By angle-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy (ARPES), we first check that the Dirac cone (DC) at the α-Sn (0 0 1) surface subsists after covering Sn with Ag. Then we show that resonant spin pumping at room temperature from Fe through Ag into α-Sn layers induces a lateral charge current that can be ascribed to the inverse Edelstein effect by the DC states. Our observation of an inverse Edelstein effect length much longer than those generally found for Rashba interfaces demonstrates the potential of TIs for the conversion between spin and charge in spintronic devices. By comparing our results with data on the relaxation time of TI free surface states from time-resolved ARPES, we can anticipate the ultimate potential of the TI for spin to charge conversion and the conditions to reach it.

Circular dichroism and superdiffusive transport at the surface of BiTeI.

We investigate the electronic states of BiTeI after the optical pumping with circularly polarized photons. Our data show that photoexcited electrons reach an internal thermalization within 300 fs of the arrival of the pump pulse. Instead, the dichroic contrast generated by the circularly polarized light relaxes on a time scale shorter than 80 fs. This result implies that orbital and spin polarization created by the circular pump pulse rapidly decays via manybody interaction. The persistent dichroism at longer delay times is due to the helicity dependence of superdiffussive transport. We ascribe it to the lack of inversion symmetry in an electronic system far from equilibrium conditions.

Complete Genome Sequence of the γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane-Degrading Bacterium Sphingomonas sp. Strain MM-1.

γ-Hexachlorocyclohexane (γ-HCH) is a man-made chlorinated insecticide that has caused serious environmental problems. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of the γ-HCH-degrading bacterium Sphingomonas sp. strain MM-1, which consists of one chromosome and five plasmids. All the specific lin genes that are almost identical to those of Sphingobium japonicum UT26 for the conversion of γ-HCH to ß-ketoadipate are dispersed on four out of the five plasmids.

A metallic surface state with uniaxial spin polarization on Tl/Ge(111)-(1 × 1).

We show that a metallic surface state is formed on Tl/Ge(111)-(1 × 1). The surface state forms electron pockets around K of the surface Brillouin zone. A first-principles calculation reveals that the electron pockets are composed of a single branch of a spin-split surface-state band. The spin quantization axis is along the surface normal and inverts according to the time-reversal symmetry. Since this spin-split branch is the unique metallic band on this surface, the surface conductivity should be governed by this spin-split branch, suggesting a possible spin-polarized electric current.

Giant anisotropy of spin-orbit splitting at the bismuth surface.

We investigate the bismuth (111) surface by means of time and angle resolved photoelectron spectroscopy. The parallel detection of the surface states below and above the Fermi level reveals a giant anisotropy of the spin-orbit spitting. These strong deviations from the Rashba-like coupling cannot be treated in k·p perturbation theory. Instead, first principles calculations could accurately reproduce the experimental dispersion of the electronic states. Our analysis shows that the giant anisotropy of the spin-orbit splitting is due to a large out-of plane buckling of the spin and orbital texture.

BphS, a key transcriptional regulator of bph genes involved in polychlorinated biphenyl/biphenyl degradation in Pseudomonas sp. KKS102.

The bph genes in Pseudomonas sp. KKS102, which are involved in the degradation of polychlorinated biphenyl/biphenyl, are induced in the presence of biphenyl. In this study our goal was to understand the regulatory mechanisms involved in the inducible expression. The bph genes (bphEGF(orf4)A1A2A3BCD(orf1)A4R) constitute an operon, and its expression is strongly dependent on the pE promoter located upstream of the bphE gene. A bphS gene, whose deduced amino acid sequence showed homology with the GntR family transcriptional repressors, was identified at the upstream region of the bphE gene. Disruption of the bphS gene resulted in constitutive expression of bph genes, suggesting that the bphS gene product negatively regulated the pE promoter. The gel retardation and DNase footprinting analyses demonstrated specific binding of BphS to the pE promoter region and identified four BphS binding sites that were located within and immediately downstream of the -10 box of the pE promoter. The four binding sites were functional in repression because their respective elimination resulted in derepression of the pE promoter. The binding of BphS was abolished in the presence of 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6-phenylhexa-2,4-dienoic acid, an intermediate compound in the biphenyl degradation pathway. We concluded that the negative regulator BphS plays a central role in the regulation of bph gene expression through its action at the pE promoter.

Expression of the bph genes involved in biphenyl/PCB degradation in Pseudomonas sp. KKS102 induced by the biphenyl degradation intermediate, 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6-phenylhexa-2,4-dienoic acid.

The bph genes involved in PCB/biphenyl degradation in Pseudomonas sp. KKS102 are clustered as bphEGFA1A2A3BCDA4R. The bph genes are inducibly expressed in the presence of biphenyl. In order to understand the induction more fully, the inducer of bph gene expression was investigated. To identify the inducer molecule, we constructed four deletion mutants of the structural genes and analyzed the inducibility of the bphE gene in each mutant strain. In the wild-type cell and the bphD deletion mutant, the levels of the bphE transcript were enhanced in the presence of biphenyl. On the other hand, in the bphA, bphB, and bphC deletion mutants, levels of the bphE transcript were not enhanced in the presence of biphenyl. These results demonstrated that the series of reactions catalyzed by biphenyl dioxygenase (BphA), dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (BphB), and 2, 3-dihydroxybiphenyl dioxygenase (BphC) are necessary to convert biphenyl to the inducer. It is known that these reactions convert biphenyl to 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6-phenylhexa-2,4-dienoic acid (HOPDA), and it was found that the expression of the bph genes was induced by purified HOPDA. These results clearly indicate that HOPDA is the inducer of the bph genes in KKS102.

Anti-obesity and anti-diabetic activities of a new beta3 adrenergic receptor agonist, (S)-(Z)-[4-[[1-[2-[(2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropyl)]amino]ethyl]-1-propenyl] phenoxy] acetic acid ethanedioic acid (SWR-0342SA), in KK-Ay mice.

We investigated the beta-adrenergic receptor (AR) agonistic activities in rats and humans, and the anti-obesity and anti-diabetic activities in KK-Ay mice, of a new beta3-AR agonist, SWR-0342SA ((S)-(Z)-[4-[[1-[2-[(2-hydroxy-3-phenoxypropyl)]amino]ethyl]-1-pro penyl]phenoxy] acetic acid ethanedioic acid). With regards to its beta-AR agonistic activity in rats, SWR-0342SA stimulated the atrial beating rate (beta1-AR activity) and white adipocyte lipolysis (beta3-AR activity), but did not induce uterine muscle relaxation (beta2-AR activity). The beta3-AR agonistic activity of SWR-0342SA was about 20 times stronger than its beta1-AR agonistic activity. Similarly, SWR-0342SA enhanced the accumulation of cAMP in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing human beta1- and beta3-ARs, while having no effect in CHO cells expressing beta2-ARs. Adenylyl cyclase stimulation by SWR-0342SA in CHO cells expressing beta3-ARs was about 35 times higher than that in CHO cells expressing beta1-ARs. With regards to anti-obesity and anti-diabetic activities, SWR-0342SA had no effect on body weight or food intake, but slightly decreased the fat pads weight in KK-Ay mice, an animal model of obesity and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). On the other hand, SWR-0342SA significantly decreased both blood glucose (to about 46% of control) and serum insulin levels (to about 40% of control) in KK-Ay mice. These results indicated that SWR-0342SA is a selective beta3-AR agonist, and possesses potent anti-diabetic activity, and that the anti-obesity activity is inferior to the anti-diabetic activity.

Structural analyses of a precursory substance of bitterness: new polyisoprenepolyols isolated from an edible mushroom (Hypsizigusmarmoreus) by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry.

New polyisoprenepolyols (hypsiziprenol AA and BA) were isolated from an edible mushroom (Hypsizigus marmoreus). These polyols occur as a mixture of homologous polyisoprene derivatives with 40-70 carbon atoms. Analyses by FAB/MS in the positive and negative ion modes are complementary with each other in that the former provides information on the number of hydroxy groups present while the latter specifies the isoprenoid sequence, and thus become a powerful tool for analyzing the structures of polyisoprenepolyols. No polyisoprenepolyols obtained here were found to have antitumor activity on NCI-H292 and EL-4 cell lines.

PcpA, which is involved in the degradation of pentachlorophenol in Sphingomonas chlorophenolica ATCC39723, is a novel type of ring-cleavage dioxygenase.

The pentachlorophenol (PCP) mineralizing bacterium Sphingomonas chlorophenolica ATCC39723 degrades PCP via 2,6-dichlorohydroquinone (2,6-DCHQ). The pathway converting PCP to 2,6-DCHQ has been established previously; however, the pathway beyond 2,6-DCHQ is not clear, although it has been suggested that a PcpA plays a role in 2, 6-DCHQ conversion. In this study, PcpA expressed in Escherichia coli was purified to homogeneity and shown to have novel ring-cleavage dioxygenase activity in conjunction with hydroquinone derivatives, and converting 2,6-DCHQ to 2-chloromaleylacetate.

Estimation of the systolic pulmonary arterial pressure using contrast-enhanced continuous-wave Doppler in patients with trivial tricuspid regurgitation.

Noninvasive estimation of pulmonary arterial pressure is important for hemodynamic monitoring of patients with heart disease. In patients with tricuspid regurgitation (TR), the peak velocity of TR on continuous-wave (CW) Doppler can be used to estimate the systolic pulmonary arterial pressure (PAPs) using the simplified Bernoulli equation. We evaluated a new technique of contrast-enhanced CW Doppler for calculating PAPs in patients with trivial TR. Forty-one patients without visible TR detected by color Doppler, pulsed Doppler or CW Doppler were evaluated. Age ranged from 19 to 73 (55 +/- 12) years old. Tricuspid flow signals were recorded on CW Doppler after intravenous administration of indocyanin green (ICG) or Albunex. PAPs was calculated as; PAPs = 4 x VTR2 + 10 mmHg, where VTR is the peak velocity of TR. PAPs calculated using contrast-enhanced CW Doppler was compared with PAPs measured by the following cardiac catheterization. 1) TR signals were recorded using the contrast-enhanced CW Doppler technique in 39 of 41 patients (95%) after intravenous administration of contrast agents. 2) The error of estimate of PAPs using the contrast-enhanced CW Doppler technique was -2.4 +/- 7.5 mmHg, and the percent error was -10.7 +/- 32.4% in all patients. In 20 of 39 patients (51%), the error of estimate was within +/- 5 mmHg. 3) PAPs was overestimated by 12.2 +/- 6.1 mmHg in patients with good contrast enhancement of TR signals. The contrast-enhanced CW Doppler technique is useful for estimating PAPs noninvasively in patients with trivial TR. It is better to assume the right atrial pressure as 3-5 mmHg, not 10 mmHg, in patients with good enhancement of trivial TR. Physiological TR may be enhanced by contrast agents in these patients.

cAMP-independent chloride secretion activated by a vasoactive intestinal peptide in a monolayer culture of human bronchial epithelial cells.

To investigate the effects of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) on Cl- transport across normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells grown in a monolayer, changes in short-circuit current (Isc) were measured in Ussing chamber systems. In the presence of 10(-4) M amiloride, the addition of VIP to the serosal solution led to an increase in the Isc in a concentration-dependent manner, the 50% effective concentration (EC50) being 2.6 x 10(-11) M. However, the addition of 10(-5) M forskolin had little effect on the increase in Isc. On the other hand, in the intracellular cAMP measurement, 10(-5) M forskolin remarkably increased the cAMP levels, but 10(-7) M VIP did not. This result suggests that Cl- secretion by VIP is not related to the raised intracellular cAMP levels in NHBE cells.

Dandy-Walker syndrome associated with occipital meningocele and spinal lipoma--case report.

A neonate presented with Dandy-Walker syndrome associated with occipital meningocele and spinal lipoma, manifesting as soft masses on the skull and lumbosacral regions. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a large posterior fossa cyst between the fourth ventricle and occipital meningocele, but the aqueduct was patent and there was no sign of hydrocephalus. A cyst-peritoneal shunt was emplaced at the age of 8 days followed by partial removal of the spinal lipoma and untethering of the cord at the 3 months. Follow-up examination of age 3 years found almost normal development, although the cyst still persisted.

Isolation and characterization of new limonoid glycosides from Citrus unshiu peels.

Three limonoid glycosides were isolated from Citrus unshiu peels, and their structures were determined based on MS and NMR spectroscopic data as nomilinic acid 17-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (1), methyl nomilinate 17-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (2), and obacunone 17-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3). In particular, the location of the sugar moiety was clearly determined by the B/E constant linked scan FABMS method. No limonoid glycosides obtained here were found to have antitumor activity in NCI-H292 and EL-4 cell lines.

[Inoperable esophageal carcinoma managed by combined chemotherapy (CBDCA, 5-FU and VDS) and radiotherapy].

Eleven inoperable patients with advanced esophageal carcinoma were treated with chemotherapy (carboplatin, 5-FU, vindesine) and concomitant radiotherapy. Two patients (T2) received this treatment due to their poor general condition and refusal of operation, and 9 patients for infiltration of tumor into the adjacent organs (T4). Administration of carboplatin (30 mg/body) and 5-FU (250 mg/body) together with radiotherapy (1.8 Gy/d) for 5 days a week was performed. This chemoradiation therapy was carried out for 5 consecutive weeks. In addition, vindesine (1-3 mg/body) was administered in the 1st and 4th week. After evaluation, endoscopic balloon dilatation was performed in 6 patients with stenosis of the esophagus. The general response rate was 80%. CR was noted in 2 patients of T2 but 1 patient of T4 developed severe leucopenia and immunosuppression, and died of septic MOF. All but the MOF case could take enough food orally following the endoscopic dilatation. The 1-year survival rate in the T4 group (45%) was significantly better than the non-treatment group (0%). In conclusion, this treatment is beneficial for patients with inoperable esophageal carcinoma to obtain a satisfactory QOL and survival rate.

Efficacy of trimethoprim in murine experimental infection with a thymidine kinase-deficient mutant of Escherichia coli.

The antimicrobial activity of trimethoprim is antagonized by thymidine in in vitro susceptibility tests. The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether this antagonism also occurred during experimental infection in mice, which have high serum thymidine concentrations. We derived a mutant strain of Escherichia coli, TT-48, incapable of utilizing exogenous thymidine from parent strain E. coli KC-14 and then investigated the in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activities of trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, cefdinir, and ofloxacin against these strains. E. coli TT-48 lacked the activity of thymidine kinase, which catalyzes the conversion of thymidine to thymidylate, but its growth curve remained close to that of the parent strain. The MICs of all of the antimicrobial agents tested, except cefdinir, for the mutant strain were slightly inferior to those for the parent strain. The bactericidal effect of trimethoprim against the parent strain was antagonized by thymidine at concentrations of more than 1 microg/ml, while that against the mutant strain was not affected by thymidine even at the highest concentration (10 microg/ml). The therapeutic efficacy of trimethoprim in experimental murine infections was significantly higher when the mutant rather than the parent strain was used, whereas the therapeutic efficacy of cefdinir or ofloxacin, whose antimicrobial action is independent of folic acid synthesis, was the same with both strains. Unexpectedly, sulfamethoxazole also had similar efficacy against both strains. Thus, high thymidine concentrations antagonized the antimicrobial activity of trimethoprim in vitro and in vivo.

Pharmacological profiles of a new antiulcer agent, SWR-215.

We investigated the effects of a new antiulcer agent, SWR-215 ([[(1,2-dihydro-2-oxo-4-quinolinyl)methyl]thio]-N-[[[4-(1-piperidinyl methyl)-2-pyridinyl]oxy]-Z-2-butenyl]acetamide), on histamine H2-receptors, gastric acid secretion and various acute experimental gastric lesions. SWR-215 showed unsurmountable histamine H2-antagonism on isolated guinea-pig atrium. In gastric secretion studies, SWR-215 exhibited potent and durable inhibitory effects, and the antisecretory activities were much stronger than that of roxatidine acetate hydrochloride (roxatidine): 5 times stronger on basal acid secretion in pylorus ligated rats, 11 times stronger on histamine-stimulated acid secretion in acute fistula rats, and 2 times stronger on histamine stimulated acid secretion in Heidenhain-pouch dogs, respectively. In various experimental acute gastric lesion studies, SWR-215 potentially inhibited almost all acute gastric and duodenal lesions compared with roxatidine, especially indomethacin-induced and HCl-ethanol-induced gastric lesions, and the inhibitory effects were exhibited at the same or lower doses than those which caused the antisecretory effect. Furthermore, it was considered that the mucosal protective effect of SWR-215 was probably unrelated to the endogenous prostaglandin system in gastric mucosa. These results suggest that SWR-215 possesses both durable antisecretory and mucosal protective effects, and is expected to be a useful drug for the treatment of patients with peptic ulcers.

[When a sense of justice hinders social efficiency: Pareto axiom revisited].

This study addressed people's judgments about desirability of various reward allocation under different task-rules aggregating individual inputs to a group outcome. The rules used in the study were additive, conjunctive, and disjunctive (Steiner, 1972), and subjects evaluated twelve cases of reward allocation reflecting different distributive principles, such as equality and equity. It was found that no one principle was favored under all three aggregation rules. Generally, a distributive principle was favored that was most beneficial for the member whose input 'determined' group success. Specifically, equality was endorsed most often under the conjunctive rule, and equity under the disjunctive rule. It was also found that the Pareto axiom was frequently violated. In pairwise comparison, more than 60% of the subjects endorsed an allocation scheme, that was, subjectively fairer but objectively inferior in terms of Pareto optimality, revealing their commitment to a specific distributive principle. The results suggest that the universal economic assumption of Pareto optimality for social policy-making be seriously questioned.

[Effects of Cuban analog (SWR-104SA), a new histamine H2 receptor antagonist, on gastric acid secretion and experimental ulcer formation].

The antagonism of histamine H2-receptor by SWR-104SA (1'-bromo-N-[3-[3-(1-piperidinylmethyl) phenoxy] propyl]-spiro [1,3-dioxolane-2,9'-pentacyclo-[4.3.0.0.(2,5)0.(3,8) 0.(4,7)]nonane]-4'-carboxamide monooxalate) was estimated using the isolated guinea-pig atrium and gastric acid secretion in rats. The concentration-response curves for the positive chronotropic effect of histamine on the atrium were displaced to the right in parallel without change in the maximum response by SWR-104SA and roxatidine acetate hydrochloride (roxatidine). The pA2 values of SWA-104SA and roxatidine acetate hydrochloride were 7.27 and 7.38, respectively. The slopes of the regression line of log (DR-1) against log SWR-104SA and roxatidine concentration were 1.00 and 0.92, respectively. There was no significant difference between the two compounds with respect to the histamine H2-receptor antagonism and/or binding manner in vitro. In the rat gastric fistula model stimulated by histamine, however, antisecretory potency of SWR-104SA was 3 times less than that of roxatidine. SWR-104SA given p.o. prevented the formation of gastric lesion induced by HCl-ethanol and indomethacin dose-dependently, roxatidine also prevented its formation by HCl-ethanol, but failed to prevent that by indomethacine. These antiulcer activities of SWR-104SA were shown at the lesser doses of antisecretory activity. On the other hand, roxatidine did not prevent the ulcer formation at the same dose level of antisecretory activity. These results indicate that the antiulcer effect of SWR-104SA is not caused by the antisecretory action alone. In addition, the mucosal protective activity of SWR-104SA for HCl-ethanol induced gastric lesion was independent of endogenous prostaglandins. Moreover SWR-104SA had inhibitory effects on indomethacin-induced gastric hypermotility in rats. These actions may partly explain the gastric protection of this compound and additional mechanisms such as mucosal blood flow could be involved in the antiulcer efficacy. Consequently, it appears that SWR-104SA is a new antiulcer drug that exerts a potent cytoprotective effect in addition to its gastric antisecretory activity.

Contrast-enhanced radiographic computed tomographic findings in patients with straight back syndrome.

UNLABELLED: Straight back syndrome (SBS) is usually diagnosed by physical and chest radiographic findings. Radiographic computed tomographic (CT) findings are very useful for the diagnosis and the evaluation of its severity. The purpose is to evaluate the relationship between chest X-ray film and CT findings. SUBJECTS: We evaluated 26 patients (SBS group) and 11 normal subjects (control group). SBS group consisted of 15 patients without structural heart disease (group I) and 11 patients with other heart disease (group II). METHODS: (1) On the chest X-ray film, antero-posterior diameter (APD) of the thorax, transthoracic diameter (TTD), and APD/TTD ratio were measured. (2) On the CT image, three parameters were calculated; APD of the left atrium (LA diameter), APD/transverse diameter ratio of the heart (flattening ratio) and left side shift ratio of the heart (shifting ratio). (3) CT parameters were compared with APD/TTD ratio in patients and control group. RESULTS: (1) APD/TTD ratio was smaller in group I and II than control group (30.0 +/- 5.4, 30.5 +/- 4.0 v 44.6 +/- 2.7%, p < .001). (2) LA diameter was smaller in group I and II than control group (23.2 +/- 4.1, 26.0 +/- 8.6 v 30.0 +/- 6.5 mm, p < .01). Flattening ratio was also smaller in group I and II than control group (59.2 +/- 9.4, 61.8 +/- 8.6 v 75.4 +/- 13.2%, p < .01). Shifting ratio was greater in group I and II than control group (10.9 +/- 5.0, 11.9 +/- 4.5 v 8.4 +/- 4.0%, p < .01). (3) APD/TTD ratio correlated with LA diameter (r = .39, p < .05) and flattening ratio (r = .53, p < .001). APD/TTD ratio did not correlate with shifting ratio (r = -.27, NS). CONCLUSIONS: APD/TTD ratio correlated with LA diameter and flattening ratio rather than shifting ratio. LA diameter and flattening ratio on the CT image were more useful for evaluating the severity.