Streptococcal infection in the pathogenesis of Beh?et's disease and clinical effects of minocycline on the disease symptoms

Although the precise pathoetiology of Beh?et's disease (BD) remains obscure, patients with BD have a high incidence of chronic infectious foci, indicating an enhanced susceptibility to chronic tonsillitis, and dental caries. Sometimes, clinical symptoms appear after treatment of these foci in BD patients. It is believed that BD might be related to an allergic reaction to a bacterial infection in view of the many clinical symptoms, especially the presence of aphthous and genital ulcerations. An attempt to obtain cutaneous responses to bacterial antigens has been carried out using various vaccines developed from bacteria isolated from the ulcerative lesions and oral cavities of BD patients. BD patients often show intense hypersensitivity to various strains of streptococci, not only by their cutaneous reactions but also by in vitro testing. In this report, we describe our previous studies on the correlation between streptococcal antigens and the pathogenesis of BD and also discuss the recent reports of other authors. The intense hypersensitivity to streptococcal antigens acquired after streptococcal infection is thought to play an important role in the appearance of symptoms in BD patients since the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was enhanced when stimulated with streptococcal antigen in a culture system. Minocycline, an antibiotic to which certain strains of streptococci are sensitive, reduced the frequency of clinical symptoms in BD patients as well as the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by BD-PBMC stimulated with streptococcal antigen.     

Radiation detector made of a high-quality polycrystalline diamond

Radiation detector was made of a high-quality CVD polycrystalline diamond composed of frost column like structure diamond grains, and induced charge distribution spectra and drift velocities were measured by using alpha particles. As a result, the CVD polycrystalline achieved maximum induced charge of 83% of HP/HT type IIa diamond. Moreover, the CVD crystal had lower charge loss on electrons compared with the HP/HT type IIa diamond. Drift velocities of electrons and holes were v_e = 7.7 × 10⁴ and v_h = 7.3 × 10⁴cm/s at an electric field of 20 kV/cm, respectively. In addition, response function measurement for 14 MeV neutrons was carried out.     

A non-specific lipid transfer protein from Arabidopsis is a cell wall protein

Lipid transfer proteins (LTPs), mediate the transfer of phospholipids between membranes in vitro. However, the in vivo function of LTPs is not known. To determine the precise location of a non-specific LTP from Arabidopsis, a cDNA clone was used to produce an Arabidopsis LTP:protein A fusion. Antibodies raised against the fusion were used to localize the Arabidopsis LTP by immunoelectron microscopy. LTP was found to be located in the cell wall, mainly in epidermal cells. This location appears to be inconsistent with the proposed role of the protein in intracellular lipid transfer.     

Metabolism of tetramethrin isomers in rat: II. Identification and quantitation of metabolites

1. To examine the metabolic fate of (1RS, trans)- or (1RS, cis)-tetramethrin [3, 4, 5, 6-tetrahydrophthalimidomethyl (1RS, trans)- or (1RS, cis)-chrysanthemate], rat was administered a single oral dose of trans- or cis-[alcohol-14C]tetramethrin at dose levels of 2 or 250 mg/kg. 2. The radiocarbon was almost completely eliminated from rat within 7 days after administration in all groups. 14C-recoveries (expressed as percentages relative to the dosed 14C) in faeces and urine were 38-58 and 42-58% respectively in rat administrated trans-[alcohol-14C]tetramethrin, and in faeces and urine were 66-91 and 9-31% respectively in rat administered cis-[alcohol-14C]tetramethrin. 3. Fourteen metabolites found in excreta were purified by using several chromatographic techniques and identified by spectroanalyses (nmr and MS). Five sulphonate derivatives and three dicarboxylic acid derivatives were found. 4. The main metabolites were sulphonate derivatives in the faeces, and in the urine, alcohols, dicarboxylic acid and reduced metabolites derived from the 3,4,5,6-tetrahydrophthalimide moiety.     

Simulation and experimental analyses of electromagnetic transients behaviors of lightning surge on vertical conductors

Simulation of very fast surge phenomena in a three-dimensional (3-D) structure requires a method based on Maxwell's equations, such as the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method or the method of moments, because circuit-equation-based methods cannot handle the phenomena. This paper uses a method of thin-wire representation of the vertical conductor system for the FDTD method which is suitable for the 3-D surge simulation. The thin-wire representation is indispensable to simulate electromagnetic surges on wires or steel frames in which the radius is smaller than a discretized space step used in the FDTD simulation. In this paper, a general surge analysis program named the virtual surge test lab based on the Maxwell's equations formulated by the FDTD method, is used to simulate the surge phenomena of a vertical conductor, including the effects of horizontal wave incidence and vertical wave incidence. Experimental results on the reduced scale model have been presented in order to compare among the simulation results by the FDTD method and the results using numerical electromagnetic code based on the MoM.     

Cloning of a novel signal-transducing adaptor molecule containing an SH3 domain and ITAM

We molecularly cloned a cDNA coding for a novel phosphotyrosine molecule with a 70 kDa molecular mass, named STAM (signal transducing adaptor molecule), which is tyrosine-phosphorylated rapidly after stimulation with various cytokines such as IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-7, GM-CSF, EGF and PDGF. STAM contains an SH3 (Src-homology 3) domain and the ITAM (immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif), suggesting that STAM acts as an adaptor molecule involved in signal transducing pathways from the cytokine receptors.     

Recent developments of high-performance NEOMAX magnets

For further improvement in achieving extremely high magnetic properties of Nd- Fe- B sintered magnets, extensive investigation has been done to densify the magnet up to the theoretical value, to increase the volume fraction of the Nd ₂Fe₁₄B matrix phase, and to achieve a high degree of alignment. By controlling chemical composition and the amount of constituent phases,improving particle size distribution, and adopting the isostatic pressing method to get better alignment of fine particles, we have succeeded in obtaining a high-performance magnet having residual flux density (B_r) of 1.495 T (14.95 kG), maximum energy product [(BH)_max] of 431 kj/m³ (54.2 MGOe), and intrinsic coercivity (iH_c) of 845 kA/m (10.62 kOe).     

Metabolism of tetramethrin isomers in rat: IV. Tissues responsible for formation of reduced and hydrated metabolites

1. To identify the sites of formation of the reduced metabolites, 3-hydroxy-cyclohexane-1,2-dicarboximide (3-OH-HPI-1 and -2), 1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid (TCDA) and 1-hydroxy-1,2-cyclohexanedicarboxylic acid (1-OH-HPA), in rat treated with 14C-labelled (1RS, trans)-tetramethrin, [3,4,5,6-tetrahydrophthalimidomethyl (1RS, trans)-chrysanthemate], bile-duct cannulated animals were orally or intravenously administered 14C-labelled 3,4,5,6-tetrahydrophthalimide (TPI) or 3,4,5,6-tetrahydrophthalic acid (THPA), precursors of these metabolites, and bile, urine and faeces were collected for analysis. 2. 3-OH-HPI-1 and 3-OH-HPI-2, which are cis-form reduced metabolites, and 1-OH-HPA were detected in bile and urine samples of the bile-cannulated rat treated intravenously and orally with 14C-labelled TPI, indicating their formation in tissues or blood. TCDA, a trans-form reduced metabolite, was not detected in bile, urine or faeces of the bile-cannulated rat treated intravenously with 14C-THPA, but was found in the faeces after oral application, indicating formation in the gastrointestinal tract. 3. To clarify whether 1-OH-HPA is produced from THPA via TCDA (hydroxylation via reduction) or by direct addition of H2O to its double bond (hydration), rats were orally administered 14C-labelled TCDA, and metabolites in urine and faeces were analysed. The observed lack of 1-OH-HPA indicated formation by direct addition of H2O to the double-bond of THPA. 4. To specify which tissues form reduced and hydrated metabolites, in vitro metabolism studies were carried out. Reduction to the cis-form was found to take place in blood cells, reduction to the trans-form took place in the gastrointestinal tract contents, and hydration took place in the liver and the intestinal tract contents.     

TRVs and fault clearing stresses in extra-high-voltage radial networks

To cope with the high rate of increase of power demand in the main industrialized districts in Japan, 550-kV transmission systems covering the districts have been reinforced, with most of the main power plants connected directly to these systems. Through 550-/300-kV substations, the majority of power to the districts is supplied by 300-kV systems. To limit the excess short-circuit capacity in the 300-kV systems, they tend to be reconstructed as so-called radial networks. In radial networks with high short-circuit capacity and relatively small number of transmission lines connected to the substation busbars, the rate of rise of TRV can be far higher than standard value. This paper analyzes the transient recovery voltages (TRV) in such extra-high-voltage radial networks in Japan, together with the relevant stresses to circuit-breakers during fault clearings. Future system conditions have also been introduced. As the typical rate of rise of the TRV values, more than twice that of today's standard ones are probable.