First Determination of the Level Structure of an sd-Shell Hypernucleus, _{Λ}

We report on the first observation of γ rays emitted from an sd-shell hypernucleus, _{Λ}^{19}F. The energy spacing between the ground state doublet, 1/2^{+} and 3/2^{+} states, of _{Λ}^{19}F is determined to be 315.5±0.4(stat)_{-0.5}^{+0.6}(syst) keV by measuring the γ-ray energy of the M1(3/2^{+}→1/2^{+}) transition. In addition, three γ-ray peaks are observed and assigned as E2(5/2^{+}→1/2^{+}), E1(1/2^{-}→1/2^{+}), and E1(1/2^{-}→3/2^{+}) transitions. The excitation energies of the 5/2^{+} and 1/2^{-} states are determined to be 895.2±0.3(stat)±0.5(syst) and 1265.6±1.2(stat)_{-0.5}^{+0.7}(syst) keV, respectively. It is found that the ground state doublet spacing is well described by theoretical models based on existing s- and p-shell hypernuclear data.

Observation of Spin-Dependent Charge Symmetry Breaking in ΛN Interaction: Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy of _{Λ}

The energy spacing between the spin-doublet bound state of _{Λ}^{4}He(1^{+},0^{+}) was determined to be 1406±2±2 keV, by measuring γ rays for the 1^{+}→0^{+} transition with a high efficiency germanium detector array in coincidence with the ^{4}He(K^{-},π^{-})_{Λ}^{4}He reaction at J-PARC. In comparison to the corresponding energy spacing in the mirror hypernucleus _{Λ}^{4}H, the present result clearly indicates the existence of charge symmetry breaking (CSB) in ΛN interaction. By combining the energy spacings with the known ground-state binding energies, it is also found that the CSB effect is large in the 0^{+} ground state but is vanishingly small in the 1^{+} excited state, demonstrating that the ΛN CSB interaction has spin dependence.

Evaluation of viability Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis LKM512 in dogs.

In dogs, gastric acid is not neutralised even when a meal is present in the stomach. Moreover, dogs take longer to digest their meals than humans do. Accordingly, the most important characteristic of any probiotics considered for use in dogs is high acid tolerance. The probiotic strain Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis LKM512 (hereafter referred to as LKM512) not only exhibits potent acid tolerance, but also has the ability to adhere to intestinal mucin. The aim of the present study was to explore the potential of LKM512 as a probiotic in dogs. Specifically, we investigated whether LKM512 can survive in the large intestine in dogs. LKM512 preparations containing 10(10) cfu were administered daily for 14 days in five dogs. Faeces were collected on the day before administration (day 0) as well as on days 7 and 14, and 7 days after administration was halted (day 21). The numbers of viable LKM512 present in faeces were determined by both culture-based techniques and molecular analysis. Changes in intestinal bacterial populations were analysed by 16S rRNA gene semiconductor sequencing using the Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine (PGM). On days 7 and 14, the numbers of viable LKM512 that were detected in faeces by culture-based techniques and molecular analysis were greater than the original daily dosage. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis using the PGM indicated that relative proportions of Bifidobacterium spp. and Bifidobacteriaceae were significantly higher after administration than before. The present study demonstrated that LKM512 can survive strong gastric acid, and proliferate in the large intestine of dogs. Therefore, LKM512 may be a useful canine probiotic.

Search for the Θ+ pentaquark via the π(-)p→K(-)X reaction at 1.92 GeV/c.

The Θ(+) pentaquark baryon was searched for via the π(-)p→K(-)X reaction with a missing mass resolution of 1.4 MeV/c(2) (FWHM) at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC). π(-) meson beams were incident on the liquid hydrogen target with a beam momentum of 1.92 GeV/c. No peak structure corresponding to the Θ(+) mass was observed. The upper limit of the production cross section averaged over the scattering angle of 2° to 15° in the laboratory frame is obtained to be 0.26 µb/sr in the mass region of 1.51-1.55 GeV/c(2). The upper limit of the Θ(+) decay width is obtained to be 0.72 and 3.1 MeV for J(Θ)(P)=1/2(+) and J(Θ)(P)=1/2(-), respectively, using the effective Lagrangian approach.

Laceration of gastric mucosa associated with dialysis-related amyloidosis.

We report a 72-year-old female on long-term hemodialysis, who was admitted to the hospital because of hematemesis. On emergency laparotomy, pylorogastrectomy was performed. The resected specimen showed a giant hematoma and traversing fissure along the lesser curvature of the body of the stomach. Histologically, the specimen showed wide hematoma formation and amyloid deposits in the submucosal layer, especially in the wall of blood vessels. These deposits reacted positively to antihuman beta2-microglobulin antibody. The post-operative course was favorable, and the patient was discharged on the 35th hospital day. In this case, the laceration site on the gastric mucosa was almost intact and did not demonstrate ischemic change, suggesting that the giant hematoma was caused by submucosal vessel rupture, which led to the gastric mucosa laceration. To our knowledge, this is the first case of gastric mucosa laceration associated with dialysis-related amyloidosis.

Development of a simple and efficient method for transformation of buckwheat plants (Fagopyrum esculentum) using Agrobacterium tumefaciens.

Apical meristems of seedlings of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum var. Shinano No. 1) were pricked with a needle and inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens (LBA4404, pBI121). The inoculated seedlings were grown to maturation and allowed to pollinate randomly to set the seeds (T1 plants). The transformation efficiency of the T1 plants was estimated by germination in the presence of geneticin (20 microg/ml) and by detection of beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene with PCR, indicating that 36% and 70% of the T1 plants were transformed, respectively. Four plants taking on a mutated morphology were selected from T1 plants which were transformed with the method using A. tumefaciens harboring a modified pBI121 for plasmid rescue. Southern blot analysis of plasmids rescued from the 4 T1 plants demonstrated that each plasmid contained a different flanking DNA of the buckwheat genome, an evidence that T-DNA was integrated in different sites of the genomic DNA among the 4 T1 plants.

Changes in nasal responsiveness to histamine and to specific antigen after laser surgery.

An initial treatment with several kinds of anti-allergic medicines is useful for reducing nasal allergy symptoms in patients suffering from Japanese cedar pollinosis during the pollen season. Since laser surgery before the pollen season seems to have a preventive effect as well, it would be of interest to know the time course of changes in the nasal reactivity to specific and non-specific stimuli after laser surgery. In this study, we investigated the changes in the nasal reactivities to specific antigen and histamine after CO2 laser surgery. The nasal reactivities to both specific antigen and histamine were enhanced 2 weeks after the laser surgery. On the other hand, they were significantly reduced after 4 weeks. Our data strongly suggest. therefore. that laser surgery must be done more than 4 weeks before the start of the pollen season to avoid temporary enhancement of nasal allergy symptoms.

Late phase response in nasal mucosa closely correlated with immediate phase reaction and hyperreactivity to histamine.

It has been suggested that the onset of the late phase response (LPR) and hyperreactivity to non-specific stimuli occurs in the lower airway. However, its relationship in the nose has not yet been studied. This study was designed to examine the mechanism of LPR and the relationship between LPR and hyperreactivity. A total of 25 Japanese cedar pollinosis patients participated in this study. On the first visit, the frequency of sneezes, weight of nasal discharge, and the nasal airway resistance (NAR) were time-dependently measured without antigen challenge. The histamine reactivity was observed after 12 h. The same protocol was used during the second to fourth visits. The frequency of sneezes, weight of nasal discharge, and NAR were measured continuously for 12 h after antigen challenge, and nasal reactivity to histamine was observed. The percent change of NAR during immediate phase response (IR) and during LPR showed a significant correlation. The frequency of sneezes and weight of nasal discharge induced by histamine were both significantly higher in the positive than in the negative LPR group. These results suggest that the chemical mediators and inflammatory cells inducing nasal swelling during IR cause, directly or indirectly, nasal swelling during LPR, and induce hyperreactivity to histamine.

Levels of fructosyllysine in collagen are low compared with the loss of lysine in diabetic rats: involvement of oxidation in increased cross-linking.

1. It is thought that early glycation products on lysine residues of collagen are re-arranged to form collagen cross-links (advanced glycation end-products), which are increased in hyperglycaemia. We have previously reported that 4 week vitamin E supplementation in diabetic rats protected against the development of increased collagen cross-linking. In the present study we analysed early glycation products as fructosyllysine and amino acid content of tail tendon collagen in rats. 2. The amount of lysine residues in early collagen glycation products in diabetic rats was estimated to be less than 0.2 mol/mol type I collagen, whereas in the diabetic rats the loss of lysine residues was estimated to be 2.5 mol/mol. However, vitamin E supplementation protected against the loss of lysine residues without affecting early glycation products. 3. Thus, it is demonstrated that the amount of early collagen glycation products is quite small compared with the loss of lysine residues in diabetic rats and we suggest that the oxidative modification of lysine residues may be involved in the increased cross-linking observed in hyperglycaemia.

Immunoglobulin as an eosinophil degranulation factor: change in immunoglobulin level in nasal lavage fluid after antigen challenge.

To examine the involvement of immunologlobulins in eosinophil degranulation, we investigated the change in the amount of immunogobulins in consecutive nasal lavage fluid samples obtained after antigen challenge, as compared with the corresponding eosinophil counts and eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) levels. Eosinophil counts and ECP levels increased both during the early and late phases but more markedly during the late phase. The levels of secretory IgA (sIgA) and IgA were prominently increased at 10 min after challenge, but returned to the respective prechallenge levels by 1 h after challenge. In the late phase they increased again. ECP levels were correlated both with cosinophil counts x sIgA levels and with eosinopil counts x IgA levels. Both sIgA/albumin and IgA/albumin ratios decreased in the early phase, due to the increased permeability of postcapillary vessels, but then increased again in the late phase becoming higher than the respective prechallenge levels. In the late phase, both secretory IgA and IgA seemed to be actively produced and released in nasal mucosa, thus causing eosinophil degranulation.

Interleukin-5 upregulates intercellular adhesion molecule-1 gene expression in the nasal mucosa in nasal allergy but not in nonallergic rhinitis.

The effect of interleukin-5 (IL-5) on intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) gene expression in human nasal mucosa was studied using the method of gene expression quantification. Recombinant human IL-5 was shown to induce ICAM-1 gene expression in the nasal mucosa of patients with nasal allergy, but not in the mucosa of non-allergic patients. The peak level of ICAM-1 gene expression was seen 6 h after IL-5 stimulation. In the nasal mucosa of patients with nasal allergy, IL-5 might act not only as an eosinophil chemotactic factor, but also as an enhancement factor for the expression of adhesion molecules, thereby accelerating eosinophil appearance. The results also suggest that the nasal mucosa of patients with nasal allergy somehow favors adhesion molecule induction by IL-5.

Interleukin-5 gene expression in nasal mucosa and changes in amount of interleukin-5 in nasal lavage fluid after antigen challenge.

Eosinophils and their products are known to cause hyperreactivity and swelling of the nasal mucosa in subjects with nasal allergy. Interleukin-5 (IL-5) not only induces differentiation and proliferation of immature eosinophils but also causes mature cells to accumulate and activate. This study shows that IL-5 is actually produced in the human nasal mucosa by antigen challenge, and it further investigates the changes in the amount of IL-5 in nasal lavage fluids after antigen challenge. Expression of mRNA for IL-5 in nasal mucosa was investigated using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Southern blot analysis. Among the 4 subjects with nasal allergy examined in this study, expression of mRNA for IL-5 was observed in 2 prior to antigen challenge; within 6 h after antigen challenge it was seen in 3 subjects. We also found that the amount of IL-5 in the nasal lavage fluids obtained consecutively after antigen challenge increased predominantly in the late phase, and that the number of eosinophils in the IL-5 positive group was significantly higher than that in the IL-5 negative group. These results strongly suggest that IL-5 contributes to the recruitment of eosinophils in the nasal mucosa of the subjects with nasal allergy.

Mechanism of eosinophil infiltration in the patient with subcutaneous angioblastic lymphoid hyperplasia with eosinophilia (Kimura's disease). Mechanism of eosinophil chemotaxis mediated by candida antigen and IL-5.

Kimura's disease is a chronic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology. Although eosinophilia is one of the characteristic features in this disease, little is known about the mechanism of eosinophilia. In the present study it was demonstrated that interleukin-5 (IL-5) was produced and released from the site of a granuloma and lymph nodes after stimulation with candida antigen. It was also shown that peripheral blood eosinophils from patients with Kimura's disease contained a large proportion of hypodense eosinophils and that their viability was prolonged. These results strongly suggest that locally produced IL-5 induced by candida antigen contributes to the eosinophilia in this disease.

Cytokine expression after the topical administration of substance P to human nasal mucosa. The role of substance P in nasal allergy.

Human nasal mucosal samples exposed in vitro to substance P or allergenic Ag were tested for the mRNA of IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma using specific reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assays. After the administration of substance P, at dosages ranging from 10(-6) to 10(-9) M, an enhanced expression of the mRNA for IL-1 beta, -3, -5, -6, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma was observed in all mucosal samples of allergic subjects and in half of the nonallergic subjects. The expression of IL-2 and IL-4 was low. Mucosal samples of allergic subjects showed an increased expression of mRNA for cytokines after administration of specific Ag, whereas no enhancement was observed in samples from nonallergic subjects. Our data suggest that substance P may regulate allergic reactions via enhanced production of certain regulatory cytokines.

Stiffening of connective tissue in elderly diabetic patients: relevance to diabetic nephropathy and oxidative stress.

Limited joint mobility seen in diabetes mellitus is thought to be the result of stiffening of periarticular connective tissue, which is presumably derived from increased cross-linking of collagen related to advanced glycation end products. In this study the extent of the stiffening of connective tissue was measured by the passive extension angle of the metacarpophalangeal joints in 205 elderly diabetic patients. Association with diabetic nephropathy, with which advanced glycation end products have recently been demonstrated to increase, and metabolic abnormalities were also considered. The angle of the metacarpophalangeal joints was significantly correlated with age (r = -0.24, p < 0.01), and was significantly smaller in men than in women (p < 0.01). The angle demonstrated a decrease in association with diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy, and only the association with nephropathy was significant (p < 0.05). The angle was weakly, but significantly, correlated with serum thiobarbituric acid reactants as a measure of lipid peroxides (r = -0.15, p < 0.05), triglyceride (r = -0.20, p < 0.01) and HDL cholesterol (r = 0.19, p < 0.01), but not with blood glucose (r = 0.02), HbA1c (r = 0.06) or duration of diabetes (r = -0.05). In addition, the angle in 14 non-diabetic patients on haemodialysis was significantly (p < 0.05) smaller than that in age- and sex-matched normal subjects. Thus, it was indicated that the stiffening of connective tissue was associated with diabetic nephropathy, serum lipid peroxide and dyslipidaemia. Stiffening of connective tissue seems to be more affected by oxidative stress than non-enzymatic glycation per se.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus showing microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and chronic disseminated intravascular coagulation.

It has been reported that microangiopathic hemolytic anemia occasionally occurs in patients with severe diabetic microangiopathy. We report a case of insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in whom microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and chronic disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) were thought to be complicated. The patient showed fragmentation hemolytic anemia and progressive diabetic microangiopathy, together with a mild elevation of serum fibrin(ogen) degradation products. Considering the state of chronic DIC, heparin therapy was started, but mild hemolysis persisted. It is possible that microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and chronic DIC cause a vicious cycle in patients with severe diabetic microangiopathy, leading to rapid progression of diabetic microangiopathy.

Detection of genomic sequences of respiratory syncytial virus in otitis media with effusion in children.

The reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and the nested polymerase chain reaction were used for detection of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) sequences in middle ear effusions collected from children with otitis media. Sequences of RSV were detected in 21 of 34 samples tested. These samples were collected during and/or after natural outbreaks of RSV infection in the community. In those patients from whose nasopharynges RSV was isolated, the viral sequences were highly detectable (75%) in the effusions. These observations suggest RSV as an important factor in the pathogenesis of otitis media with effusion.

The effect of recombinant human interleukin-5 on eosinophil accumulation and degranulation in human nasal mucosa.

Recombinant human interleukin-5 (rhIL-5) was administered repeatedly onto the nasal mucosa of individuals with Japanese cedar pollinosis outside the pollen season. The numbers of eosinophils and epithelial cells and the amount of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), secretory IgA (S-IgA), and IgA in the nasal lavage fluid increased significantly after the application of rhIL-5. Responsiveness to histamine was also enhanced after the application. When S-IgA was administered onto the nasal mucosa after application of rhIL-5, the amount of ECP in the nasal lavage fluid was significantly more increased. The above findings together with the facts that IL-5 promotes production of IgA, that IgA receptors are present on eosinophils, and that rhIL-5 does not increase release of ECP from eosinophils isolated from the peripheral blood suggest that a series of possible reactions consisting of (1) IL-5--induced production of IgA from the immune-mediating cells, (2) binding of secretory components released from either serous glandular cells or epithelial cells of the nasal mucosa with IgA, (3) release of ECP from eosinophils induced by S-IgA and/or IgA, (4) epithelial damage to the nasal mucosa, and (5) development of nasal hyperreactivity to histamine.