Designing the stripe-ordered cuprate phase diagram through uniaxial-stress.

The ability to efficiently control charge and spin in the cuprate high-temperature superconductors is crucial for fundamental research and underpins technological development. Here, we explore the tunability of magnetism, superconductivity, and crystal structure in the stripe phase of the cuprate La[Formula: see text]Ba[Formula: see text]CuO[Formula: see text], with [Formula: see text] = 0.115 and 0.135, by employing temperature-dependent (down to 400 mK) muon-spin rotation and AC susceptibility, as well as X-ray scattering experiments under compressive uniaxial stress in the CuO[Formula: see text] plane. A sixfold increase of the three-dimensional (3D) superconducting critical temperature [Formula: see text] and a full recovery of the 3D phase coherence is observed in both samples with the application of extremely low uniaxial stress of [Formula: see text]0.1 GPa. This finding demonstrates the removal of the well-known 1/8-anomaly of cuprates by uniaxial stress. On the other hand, the spin-stripe order temperature as well as the magnetic fraction at 400 mK show only a modest decrease under stress. Moreover, the onset temperatures of 3D superconductivity and spin-stripe order are very similar in the large stress regime. However, strain produces an inhomogeneous suppression of the spin-stripe order at elevated temperatures. Namely, a substantial decrease of the magnetic volume fraction and a full suppression of the low-temperature tetragonal structure is found under stress, which is a necessary condition for the development of the 3D superconducting phase with optimal [Formula: see text]. Our results evidence a remarkable cooperation between the long-range static spin-stripe order and the underlying crystalline order with the three-dimensional fully coherent superconductivity. Overall, these results suggest that the stripe- and the SC order may have a common physical mechanism.

NAD+ overconsumption by poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) under oxidative stress induces cytoskeletal disruption in vascular endothelial cell.

Vascular endothelial cytoskeletal disruption leads to increased vascular permeability and is involved in the pathogenesis and progression of various diseases. Oxidative stress can increase vascular permeability by weakening endothelial cell-to-cell junctions and decrease intracellular nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels. However, it remains unclear how intracellular NAD+ variations caused by oxidative stress alter the vascular endothelial cytoskeletal organization. In this study, we demonstrated that oxidative stress activates poly (ADP-ribose [ADPr]) polymerase (PARP), which consume large amounts of intracellular NAD+, leading to cytoskeletal disruption in vascular endothelial cells. We found that hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) could transiently disrupt the cytoskeleton and reduce intracellular total NAD levels in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). H2O2 stimulation led to rapid increase in ADPr protein levels in HUVECs. Pharmaceutical PARP inhibition counteracted H2O2-induced total NAD depletion and cytoskeletal disruption, suggesting that NAD+ consumption by PARP induced cytoskeletal disruption. Additionally, supplementation with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), the NAD+ precursor, prevented both intracellular total NAD depletion and cytoskeletal disruption induced by H2O2 in HUVECs. Inhibition of the NAD+ salvage pathway by FK866, a nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase inhibitor, maintained H2O2-induced cytoskeletal disruption, suggesting that intracellular NAD+ plays a crucial role in recovery from cytoskeletal disruption. Our findings provide further insights into the potential application of PARP inhibition and NMN supplementation for the treatment and prevention of diseases involving vascular hyperpermeability.

Using Uniaxial Stress to Probe the Relationship between Competing Superconducting States in a Cuprate with Spin-stripe Order.

We report muon spin rotation and magnetic susceptibility experiments on in-plane stress effects on the static spin-stripe order and superconductivity in the cuprate system La_{2-x}Ba_{x}CuO_{4} with x=0.115. An extremely low uniaxial stress of ∼0.1 GPa induces a substantial decrease in the magnetic volume fraction and a dramatic rise in the onset of 3D superconductivity, from ∼10 to 32 K; however, the onset of at-least-2D superconductivity is much less sensitive to stress. These results show not only that large-volume-fraction spin-stripe order is anticorrelated with 3D superconducting coherence but also that these states are energetically very finely balanced. Moreover, the onset temperatures of 3D superconductivity and spin-stripe order are very similar in the large stress regime. These results strongly suggest a similar pairing mechanism for spin-stripe order and the spatially modulated 2D and uniform 3D superconducting orders, imposing an important constraint on theoretical models.

Nicotinamide mononucleotide inhibits oxidative stress-induced damage in a SIRT1/NQO-1-dependent manner.

Oxidative stress causes endothelial dysfunction, which is associated with vascular cellular aging and is causally related to cardiovascular disease pathogenesis. Preclinical studies indicate that a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) precursor, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), alleviates oxidative stress in aged vessels, granting vasoprotective effects. However, the associated cellular mechanism remains largely unclear. In this study, we used human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to demonstrate that NMN inhibits oxidative stress-induced damage by activating the sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)/NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1) axis. We found that NMN inhibited H2O2-induced cytotoxicity and senescence-associated protein expression, such as p16 and p21. Furthermore, NMN prevented H2O2-induced actin cytoskeletal disorganization via inhibiting reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. NMN increased NQO-1 mRNA and protein expression that in turn was abrogated by SIRT1 inhibition, suggesting that NMN-inducible NQO-1 was associated with SIRT1 activity. SIRT1 and NQO-1 inhibition attenuated the inhibitory effect of NMN on H2O2-inducible cytotoxicity, senescence-related protein upregulation, and actin cytoskeletal disorganization. Our findings provide new insights into the mechanism by which NMN exerts protective effects against vascular oxidative stress.

Effects of famotidine, mosapride and tandospirone for treatment of functional dyspepsia.

BACKGROUND: An effective therapeutic strategy for functional dyspepsia (FD) has not been well-established. AIM: We investigated and compared the therapeutic effects of famotidine, mosapride and tandospirone for the control of dyspeptic symptoms. METHODS: Fully examined FD patients of outpatient clinics at seven different medical centres were enrolled in the study. They were randomly assigned to three groups based on the type of drug administered: famotidine, mosapride and tandospirone. The effects of treatment over 4 weeks were assessed by visual analogue scales. RESULTS: All of the drugs showed beneficial effects, although famotidine was the most effective for symptom relief, which was significantly greater than tandospirone, while the effect of mosapride was similar to that of famotidine. No subtype of FD showed a better response to a particular type of drug. CONCLUSIONS: For the treatment of FD, famotidine demonstrated the best therapeutic effect, followed by mosapride, while that of tandospirone was significantly lower.

Development of a method to analyze single cell activity by using dielectrophoretic levitation.

In cell fusion and genetic recombination, although the activity of single cells is extremely important, there is no method to analyze single cell activity. Development of a quick analyzing method for single cell activity is desired in various fields. Dielectrophoresis (DEP) refers to the force exerted on the induced dipole moment of an uncharged dielectric and/or conductive particle by a nonuniform electric field. By applying DEP, we obtained experimentally a relationship between the cell activity and the dielectric property, Re[K(omega)], and examined how to evaluate the single cell activity by measuring Re[K(omega)] of a single cell. A cone and plate electrode geometry was adapted in order to achieve the feedback-controlled DEP levitation. The single cell is exposed to a nonuniform field induced by the cone and plate electrode, and a more polarizable cell is moved to the direction of the cone electrode by the DEP force. The cell settles in the position where the DEP force and gravity are balanced by controlling applied voltage. This settled position, measured on the center axis of the cone electrode, depended on the dielectric constant of the cell. From these results, the relationship between the specific growth rates in cell growth phase and the dielectric properties Re[K(omega)] was obtained. Furthermore, the effect on the cell activity of various stresses, such as concentration of carbon dioxide, temperature, etc., was examined.

Effects of dopamine on immunoreactive growth hormone-releasing factor and somatostatin secretion from rat hypothalamic slices perifused in vitro.

The effects of dopamine (DA) on the release of GRF and somatostatin (SRIF) from the hypothalami of adult male rats were examined in an in vitro perifusion system using horizontal hypothalamic slices, 400 micron thick, including the median eminence and arcuate nuclei. When hypothalamic slices from five animals were perfused in a chamber with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) at a flow rate of 100 microliters/min under a gaseous phase of 95% O2 and 5% CO2 at 37 C, rat (r) GRF- and SRIF-like immunoreactivities (-LI) were constantly detected in 30-min perifusates at least until 240 min of perifusion, and during the perifusion with 60 mM K+, the concentrations of rGRF-LI and SRIF-LI were increased 2.1 and 3.2 times, respectively, over basal values. Under the perifusion with ACSF containing normal goat gamma-globulin, the addition of 10(-8) M DA resulted in a significant increase in SRIF-LI from 8.2 +/- 0.3 to 14.3 +/- 1.5 pg/hypothalamus.30 min, but conversely, it caused a slight but significant decrease in rGRF-LI from 4.5 +/- 0.9 to 2.0 +/- 0.3 pg/hypothalamus.30 min. On the other hand, 10(-8) and 10(-6) M DA significantly stimulated rGRF-LI release from hypothalamic slices perifused with ACSF containing anti-SRIF goat gamma-globulin. These findings suggest that DA is a secretagogue for both SRIF and rGRF in the hypothalamus, but the rGRF-stimulating effect of DA is masked unless the action of endogenous SRIF is attenuated.

Discordance between growth hormone (GH) responses after GH-releasing hormone and insulin hypoglycemia in myotonic dystrophy.

Plasma GH responses to human GHRH, arginine, L-dopa, and insulin-induced hypoglycemia were determined in seven myotonic dystrophy (MD) patients. An iv bolus injection of GHRH-(1-44)-NH2 (1 microgram/kg BW) only slightly increased plasma GH concentrations in MD patients. The mean peak plasma GH level after GHRH injection [4.2 +/- 0.8 (+/- SE) micrograms/L] was significantly lower than that in 10 age-matched normal subjects (26.7 +/- 4.3 micrograms/L) or that in 6 patients with progressive muscular dystrophy (22.8 +/- 6.6 micrograms/L) whose nutritional status was similar to that of the MD patients. Even with a larger dose of GHRH (3 micrograms/kg BW), the plasma GH rises were minimal in the MD patients (mean peak, 5.9 +/- 1.8 micrograms/L). The plasma GH responses to a 30-min iv infusion of arginine (0.5 g/kg BW) and oral ingestion of L-dopa (0.5 g) were attenuated to a similar extent, whereas insulin-induced hypoglycemia caused a significant increase in plasma GH in all seven MD patients [mean peak, 17.4 +/- 4.1 (+/- SE) microgram/L]. The plasma TSH responses to TRH and plasma insulin-like growth factor I levels were similar in the MD patients and normal subjects. These findings suggest that 1) the impaired GH release after GHRH, arginine, and L-dopa administration in MD patients is not due to somatotroph deficiency, since the GH response to hypoglycemia is well preserved; and 2) insulin-induced hypoglycemia may stimulate GH release at least in part via inhibition of somatostatin release.

Galanin stimulates immunoreactive growth hormone-releasing factor secretion from rat hypothalamic slices perifused in vitro.

The effect of galanin (GAL) on the release of GH-releasing factor (GRF) and somatostatin (SRIF) was examined in an in vitro perifusion system of rat hypothalamic slices. GAL at doses of 10(-7) and 10(-6)M stimulated the release of immunoreactive GRF while it failed to affect SRIF release. Therefore, in vivo stimulation of GH release by GAL may be explained in part by the GRF-releasing effect of this peptide.

Primary chylopericardium with pulmonary shadow and large granular lymphocytosis: a case report.

A 79-year-old man with primary chylopericardium associated with large granular lymphocytosis was followed for more than 26 years. Except for development of dyspnea on exertion during the past four years and more recently cough with sputum production, he has remained largely asymptomatic over this interval. Based on detailed examinations of cellular and humoral immunity, we speculate that increased natural killer cell activity and an increased number of large granular lymphocytes circulating in his peripheral blood represent a reactive response to production of various cytokines secondary to persistent loss (? chyloptysis) and sequestration of central lymph.

Dynamic capture of sound motion by light stimuli moving in three-dimensional space.

A moving light stimulus produced a sensation of motion for a stationary sound stimulus presented simultaneously, which was called the dynamic visual capture by Mateeff, Hohnsbein, and Noack in 1985. The present study examined whether the moving light stimulus might induce a perceptual shift in the velocity, that is, the speed and the direction, of a moving sound stimulus. This type of the visual capture was explored in the directions where the sound stimulus moved along the motion tracks of the light stimulus: first in a horizontal and a vertical orientation and secondly in a depth orientation. Moreover, perceptual distortion of the direction of movement of the sound stimulus was investigated when the direction from which a sound stimulus moved deviated from the motion tracks of a light stimulus. It was found that the dynamic visual capture was inducible in all of three orientations, appearing more strongly in the vertical and the depth orientations than in the horizontal orientation. The perceived direction of the moving sound stimulus was greatly influenced by the direction where the light stimulus moved simultaneously and was often the same as the physical direction of the light stimulus, even when the physical motion directions of those two stimuli were perpendicular or opposite each other.

[Sensitivity of bacteria inducing urinary infections to 3 drugs (amoxicillin, ampicillin and cephalexin) and clinical efficacy of amoxicillin (author's transl)].

MIC of amoxicillin (AMPC), ampicillin (ABPC) and cephalexin (CEX) against bacteria detected from the patients suffering from urinary infections was determined and the clinical efficacy of AMPC was examined. As the result of determining MIC of AMPC against the detected Escherichia coli, 85.4% showed the value of less than 6.25 mcg/ml. AMPC and ABPC seem to be well correlated with each other regarding MIC, and AMPC showed 1 approximately to 2 stage lower concentration than CEX. In connection to clinical efficacy of AMPC, the oral administration at a daily dose of 750 mg gave the effectiveness rate of 92.5%. Few side effects were caused by administering AMPC and this is an excellent drug for healing acute simple urinary infections.

[A case of ureteritis with a course of rapidly progressing stricture].

Rapidly progressing stricture of the ureter with non-specific ureteritis is very rare and neither pathogenesis nor reliable treatment is known. We report a case of ureteritis in a 51-year-old woman with a stricture rapidly progressing over a course of 2 months. She was sent to us for left hydronephrosis. Retrograde pyelography (RP) revealed a 5 cm stricture in the left ureter. CT showed no abnormal mass in the retroperitoneum. Gastro-intestinal and gynecological inspection revealed no abnormalities. As a second RP showed 9 cm stricture 2 months later, we performed a biopsy of the ureter and examined it pathologically. There was no evidence of malignancy, but we performed a left nephroureterectomy, because of the stricture in the entire left ureter. Pathological study of the kidney and the ureter showed a non-specific inflammation of the entire urothelium without malignancy. There has been no recurrence in the right ureter.

[A case of advanced cancer of the renal pelvis effectively treated by continuous infusion of 5-fluorouracil].

We obtained a partial response to a transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the renal pelvis with multiple metastasis following a 24-hour continuous injection of 5-FU (5 fluorouracil) over a period of 8 weeks. After treatment we could successfully remove the primary lesion. After removal of the primary lesion, the patient lived for three months. Because the effects of this treatment, compared to those of combination chemotherapy, are mild, it is useful for elderly patients with progressive TCC.

[A clinical observation on urogenital tuberculosis].

A clinical observation was made on 30 cases of urogenital tuberculosis diagnosed and treated at the urological department of our Hospital between January, 1976 and December, 1984. Furthermore, 20 of them were examined for drug resistance and investigated for this tendency. They accounted for 0.23% of the outpatients. Male to female ratio was 2 to 1, but on urological tuberculosis this ratio was even. The average age was 43.7 and 50% of the patients who had a history of tuberculosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis could be detected in 24 of the 30 cases (80%) and 18 of the 21 cases (85.4%) of urological tuberculosis. Drug resistance was examined in 20 patients. The resistant ratio of M. tuberculosis against primary drugs such as SM, PAS, INAH was low and a high resistant ratio was observed on secondary drugs such as EB, RFP, TH. These clinical observations are reported and herein discussed.

[Clinical study on the treatment of infected renal cyst].

A case of infected simple renal cyst and three cases of infected polycystic kidney have been treated during the 6 years from July, 1976 to June, 1982. One of the 3 cases of polycystic kidney, was operated. The other 2 cases were treated with antibiotics. The largest cyst in the present studies appeared to be more than 5 cm in diameter on the X-ray films. To define the limits to chemotherapy of the infected cyst, the relationship between the effect of chemotherapy and the size of the cyst was evaluated from clinical prognosis. From these results, it is strongly suggested that surgical treatment rather than chemotherapy is the best treatment for cysts which are more than 6 cm in diameter or in cases of marked protrusion of the kidney and significant deformation of renal calyces.

[Soft agar culture of human prostatic carcinoma--effect of testosterone on the clonal growth of the cells].

Soft agar cultures of human prostatic carcinoma cells obtained from prostates with needle biopsy and metastatic lymph nodes were examined. Colony formation were observed in 2 of the 4 needle biopsy specimens and in 7 of the 10 lymphatic nodes specimens. The plating efficiency was 0.04 to 0.43%. The effect of testosterone on the clonal growth of these cells in soft agar culture was studied. In half of the cases, colony formation was increased by the addition of testosterone. Whereas in the other cases, colony formation was not influenced by the testosterone. Clinically, most of the former cases responded well to the anti-androgen therapy. Neither EGF nor hydrocortisone showed any effect on the colony formation of the prostatic cancer cells in soft agar. These results suggest that primary culture of human prostatic cancer is possible in soft agar medium, and that androgen dependency of these cells can be examined in vitro.

A clinical trial of removal of bilirubin in blood by Evaflux-2A.

We performed both free and albumin-bound bilirubin removal therapy using the Evaflux-2A and evaluated its clinical effects. The removal rates of total bilirubin in the first and second sessions were 31.4%, and 31.0%, respectively. Our clinical data suggested that plasma exchange using Evaflux-2A and an albumin-added electrolyte solution as the substitute fluid was useful in the treatment of hyperbilirubinemia.

Clinical reports on plasma exchange in the Kidney Center, Tokai University School of Medicine.

There were 72 patients (19 with hepatic failure, 10 with fulminant hepatitis, eight with paraquat poisoning, eight with rheumatoid arthritis, five with myasthenia gravis, four with hyperlipidemia, four with systemic arteriosclerosis including brain infarction, three with pemphigus vulgaris, two with multiple myeloma, two with systemic lupus erythematosus, two cases non-specific Ig-G antibody, two cases medication with an anticancer drug, one with multiple sclerosis, one with Crohn's disease with amyloid kidney and one with chronic myeloblastic leukemia) treated by plasma exchange in the Kidney Center, Tokai University School of Medicine from Jan. 1983 to Dec. 1986. We performed plasma exchange using fresh frozen plasma in 40 cases and Lactate-Ringer's solution containing albumin (4.0-5.0%) in 20 cases as the replacement fluid. In 17 cases, we performed double filtration plasma exchange with the recycle system and no replacement fluid. Although PE therapy did not constitute a basic therapy for hyperlipidemia, pemphigus vulgaris, rheumatoid arthritis, myasthenia gravis, and systemic lupus erythematosus, it was effective in relieving severe clinical symptoms. At the present time, conventional plasma exchange does not improve the survival rate of patients with hepatic failure and fulminant hepatitis. Developments of a new artificial liver support apparatus and identity of many toxic substances in hepatic failure are necessary. No hypotension, hypovolemic shock or other significant complications were experienced.

[A study of cefoperazone prostatic tissue levels: difference between the gland and capsule].

Prostatic tissue levels of Cefoperazone (CPZ) were determined in 34 patients with prostatic hypertrophy after the intravenous administration of 1 g of CPZ. Prostatic tissue levels of CPZ decreased slowly with time and the elimination half-life was 125 to 171 minutes. The CPZ concentration in the surgical capsule was higher than that in the gland. As compared with the minimal inhibitory concentrations of CPZ, the prostatic tissue levels were considered high enough for the treatment of post-prostatectomy and bacterial prostatitis. Neither the pathological type of prostatic hypertrophy, that of infiltrations, nor the weight of the removed tissue was correlated to the tissue levels of CPZ.