Differential regulation of brain angiotensin II in genetically hypertensive and normotensive rats after nephrectomy

HLA-DR haplotypes in patients with scleroderma and vasculitis were compared with those in healthy controls from the Scottish population to investigate whether any associations exist between MHC antigens and development of specific autoantibodies. In patients with systemic vasculitis the presence of any antibodies against neutrophil cytoplasmic antigens (ANCA) was associated with an increased frequency of DR8 [p < 0.004], and no patients expressed the DR5 antigen. However, no significant differences were observed when these patients were subdivided into those with anti-myeloperoxidase (MPO) antibodies or anti-proteinase-3 (PR3) antibodies. Scleroderma patients as a whole showed a lower frequency of DR7 than controls [5.1% cf 28% in control population, p < 0.002]. Following subdivision by autoantibody profile, patients with circulating anti-centromere antibody (ACA) showed an increased frequency of DR1 compared to the control population [p < 0.001]. No scleroderma patient without ACA expressed this haplotype. Associations between MHC and some autoantibodies suggest that antigen presentation could lead to their production.     

Brasilinolide A, a new macrolide antibiotic produced by Nocardia brasiliensis: producing strain, isolation and biological activity

A new 32-membered macrolide antibiotic, brasilinolide A was isolated from the fermentation broth of Nocardia sp. IFM 0406. The producer was identified as Nocardia brasiliensis. The antibiotic was only active against Aspergillus niger, but not active against other fungi including yeasts as well as other filamentous like fungi and bacteria. Brasilinolide A exerted an immunosuppressive activity in the assay system of a mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR).     

Polarization-insensitive optical amplifier withtensile-strained-barrier MQW structure

A new approach to achieving a polarization-insensitive semiconductor optical amplifier is presented. The active layer consists of a tensile-strained-barrier MQW structure that enhances TM mode gain. Polarization sensitivity below 0.5 dB is realized at a wavelength of 1.56 μm. A signal gain of 27.5 dB is obtained along with a saturation output power of 14 dBm. Deriving the refractive indices of well and barrier layers from both experiment and theory, we succeed in separation of the effect of the confinement factor and the gain coefficient. It is determined that TM mode gain enhancement in this structure is primarily due to the increase in the confinement factor     

Analysis of common antigen of flagella in Bacillus cereus and Bacillus thuringiensis

Flagellar antigen of Bacillus cereus H.1 was purified and tested for serodiagnostic antigen by ELISA. The antibody against the flagellar antigen of B. cereus H.1 reacted not only with the homologous specific antigen but also reacted with the flagellar antigens of 23 strains of B. cereus. This common flagellar antigen of B. cereus was found to be due to 61-kDa protein by SDS-PAGE and immunoblot assay. Monoclonal antibody H15A5 against common antigenic epitope of B. cereus also reacted with flagellar antigens of 21 strains of Bacillus thuringiensis by ELISA. This monoclonal antibody reacted with the 61-kDa protein of the flagella of B. cereus H.1 and H.2 and B. thuringiensis Kurstaki HD1, Alesti and Aizawai juroi by immunoblot analysis. These results indicated that the common antigenic epitope of the 61-kDa protein existed in the flagella both of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis.     

Expression of vascular endothelial growth factor at the human gastric ulcer margin and in cultured gastric fibroblasts: a new angiogenic factor for gastric ulcer healing

Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in gastric ulcer repair. Several growth factors are involved in angiogenesis, and of these, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has received considerable attention, since it is the only factor that specifically acts on endothelial cells. However, the role of VEGF in gastric ulcer repair is not known. In the present study, we demonstrate the specific expression of VEGF at the gastric ulcer margin, using immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. The specific receptors of VEGF, flt-1 and KDR were also detected in gastric mucosa. We further demonstrate the expression of VEGF by cultured human gastric fibroblasts which is enhanced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha. These data suggest that VEGF may play a role in angiogenesis in the process of gastric ulcer healing.     

Phase Behavior of BaLn2Mn2O7（Ln = Rare Earth） with a Layered Perovskite Structure

Many phases appear in BaLn2Mn2O7 family (Ln = rare earth) belonging to one of the Ruddlesden-Popper type compounds, depending upon the experimental conditions such as heating conditions when prepared and composition. Some of these phases were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction method using Rietveld analysis. These phases have only a little difference in crystal structure which has fundamentally K2NiF4 type stru,ture, although the X-ray diffraction patterns are clearly different : a little deformation or tilting of the oxygen oetahedron surrounding a central manganese ion composing the main frame of this structure induce these different diffraction patterns. Phase behavior of these compounds, mainly the detailed relation between various phases in BaTb2Mn2O7, was refined including the data of high temperature X-ray diffractometry.     

Acoustic measurement of the respiratory system-an acoustic pneumograph

Gangrenous bowel most often results from hernia, adhesions and mesenteric insufficiency. The overall mortality rate for 151 cases was 37%. This figure was 20% for hernia, 23% for adhesions and 74% for mesenteric insufficiency. In the latter category where bowel resection was feasable the mortality rate was 40%. Other causes of bowel gangrene had a mortality rate of 28%. In many instances the pathophysiologic processes were of such a nature that current medical expertise has not reached a level of development to effectively cope with the situation. There were, however, a significant number of cases where survival may have been achieved had it not been for deficiences on the part of the patient, the primary health care personnel or those in attendence at the referral center. The basic keystone for a successful outcome in the management of patients with the gangrenous bowel problem is early surgical intervention. All will be lost if patient exposure to this source of lethal toxins is allowed to proceed to an irreversible stage. Liberal antibiotic administration probably postpones the arrival of intractable hypotension. Other factors which can be expected to improve the survival rate include minimization of technical errors, repair of incidental hernias, elemination of dependence upon nasogastric tubes for the definitive management of patients with complete bowel obstruction (with one or two exceptions), and a firm commitment to the diligent pursuit and early definitive management of postoperative complications.     

The fine structure of the hypothalamic secretory neurons of the white-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii (Passeriformes: Fringillidae). II. Magnocellular and parvocellular nuclei of the rostral hypothalamus

The fine structures of the neurons and neuropils of the magnocellular supraoptic nucleus and the parvocellular nuclei of the rostral hypothalamus, including the suprachiasmatic and medial, lateral and periventricular preoptic nuclei, and the neuronal apparatus of the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis, have been examined in the male White-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii, by correlated light and electron microscopy. The magnocellular supraoptic nucleus is characterized by large neurosecretory perikarya which contain a well developed Golgi complex and dense-cored granules 1,500-2,200 A in diameter. The neuropil displays axons, dendrites and glial fibers. Some axonal profiles contain dense-cored vesicles 800-1,000 A in diameter and clear vesicles 500 A in diameter. Axo-somatic and axo-dendritic synapses are conspicuous in this nuclear region. The suprachiasmatic nucleus is characterized by an accumulation of small neurons with moderately developed cellular organelles and some dense-cored granules, approximately 1,000 A in diameter. The profiles of axons within the neuropil contain dense-cored granules 800-1,000 A in diameter and clear vesicles 500 A in diameter. The neurons of the medial preoptic nucleus are relatively large and exhibit well developed cellular organelles and dense-cored granules 1,300 to 1,500 A in diameter. Granular materials are formed within the Golgi complex. The medial preoptic nucleus is rich in secretory perikarya. Occasionally, neurons with granules 1,500-2,200 A in diameter are encountered in the lateral preoptic and periventricular preoptic nuclei. They may be considered as scattered elements of the magnocellular (supraoptic and paraventricular) system. The organum vasculosum laminae terminalis consists of three layers, i.e., ependymal, internal and external zones, and exhibits a vascular arrangement similar to that of the median eminence. The perikarya of the parvocellular neurons and their axons in the internal zone contain numerous secretory granules ranging from 1,300 to 1,500 A in diameter.     

Microgravity experiments on flame spread along fuel-droplet arrays using a new droplet-generation technique

A new droplet-array generation technique achieved high quality and high reliability in microgravity experiments on multiple-droplet combustion. Each fuel droplet formed at the intersection of fine, X-shaped SiC fibers when liquid fuel was supplied through a fine glass tube. We aligned several sets of these X-shaped fibers and their corresponding fine glass tubes to form a droplet array. All the droplets in the array were simultaneously generated in a short time. In flame-spread experiments, a hot-wire igniter ignited an end droplet to initiate the flame spread along the array. We demonstrated microgravity experiments of droplet array combustion using the new droplet-array generation technique at a drop-experiment facility, MGLAB, in Japan. We successfully generated large droplets, which often fell off the fiber intersection in normal gravity, by using this method in microgravity. This technique is also effective in droplet-array combustion experiments using high-volatility fuel, where prevaporization is substantial. We compared the flame-spread rate and the flame-spread limit of these linear droplet arrays with results of an existing experiment, and discussed the effects of the suspending fiber on the flame spread.     

Crystal structure of a major seed storage protein, 11S proglobulin, from Amaranthus hypochondriacus: insight into its physico-chemical properties

Amaranth is a crop known for its high quality proteins. 11S Globulin is one of the most abundant and important storage proteins of the amaranth grain. Here, we report the crystal structure of amaranth 11S proglobulin at a final resolution of 2.28 Å. It belonged to the space group P6₃ with cell dimensions a = b = 96.6, c = 75.0 Å. It contains one asymmetric unit consisting of 372 residues and 100 water molecules. Disordered regions in the model approximately correspond to the variable regions of the 11S globulins. The structure has an extended α-helix and β-barrel domains at both N-terminal and C-terminal regions, which are characteristic of the 11S and 7S globulins. The three dimensional structure suggests that its high thermal stability is due to the cumulative effects of many factors and its good emulsifying property depended on the balance between its surface hydrophobicity and hydrophilicity.