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UNLABELLED Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae is a causative agent of swine erysipelas. We developed a novel and highly specific loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for sensitive and rapid detection of E. rhusiopathiae. The LAMP assay correctly detected 39 E. rhusiopathiae strains. No LAMP products were detected from 14 non-rhusiopathiae Erysipelothrix and 16 non-Erysipelothrix strains, including E. tonsillarum serovar 10 strains, which are difficult to be discriminated from E. rhusiopathiae strains. These results were consistent with those obtained by a conventional E. rhusiopathiae-specific PCR assay. Starting with DNA extraction from a single colony, the gel-based PCR assay took 4 h to provide a result, but the LAMP assay was faster, requiring only 37-80 min. The conventional culture test required more than 3-4 days to isolate and identify E. rhusiopathiae in the enrichment cultures. In contrast, the LAMP assay required less than 22 h from the beginning of the enrichment culture to final determination. These results suggest that the LAMP assay is useful as an adjunct to facilitate early diagnosis of swine erysipelas. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY This is the first report of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for simple and cost-effective detection of E. rhusiopathiae from swine samples. The LAMP assay provided more rapid detection of the bacterium than conventional PCR and biochemical-based assays, and it may potentially facilitate surveillance and early diagnosis of swine erysipelas in the field.

We propose a method that constructs a hierarchy of words from a set of given documents automatically and dynamically. Given a query, the system retrieves the set of documents that satisfy the query, and the related words are extracted automatically, according their document frequencies. Then a hypernym relations of these related words are obtained using co-occurrence frequencies. Empirical evaluation are conducted for the word hierarchy derived from an English-Japanese dictionary, where the descriptions of a word is considered as one documents. It is shown that meaningful structures are obtained. It is also shown that the proposed method generates more fine hierarchy compared to that obtained by Niwapsilas and Srinivasanpsilas method.

The effects of the ethyl acetate extract of "Kurosu" (EK), Japanese traditional vinegar from unpolished rice, on the proliferation of a variety of human cancer cell lines were investigated by using the alamar blue assay. Cancer cell lines included colon adenocarcinoma (Caco-2), lung carcinoma (A549), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), bladder carcinoma (5637), and prostate carcinoma (LNCaP) cells. EK inhibited the proliferation of all tested cell lines in a dose-dependent manner, with inhibition mostly pronounced in Caco-2 cells (up to 62% inhibition at a dose level of 0.025%). Flow cytometry of EK-treated Caco-2 cells showed a decrease in cell number in the G2/M phase and an increase in the sub-G1 phase (apoptotic). In addition, DNA fragmentation was detected in Caco-2 cells cultured with EK by immunostaining. RT-PCR analysis revealed p21 mRNA expression was induced in EK-treated Caco-2 cells. Moreover, PARP cleavage was promoted in EK-treated Caco-2 cells. These results suggest that EK causes G0/G1 arrest through p21 induction and, thus, is a potential apoptosis inducer in Caco-2 cells.

The modifying effects of administrating an ethyl acetate extract of "Kurosu" (EK), a vinegar made from unpolished rice, on development of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced colonic aberrant crypt foci (ACF) were investigated in male F344 rats. We also assessed the effects of EK on proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) index in ACF, prostaglandin (PG) E2 expression in the colonic mucosa and activities of detoxifying enzymes of glutathione S-transferase (GST) and quinone reductase (QR) in the liver. To induce ACF, rats were given two weekly subcutaneous injections of AOM (20 mg/kg body wt). They also received drinking water containing 0, 0.05, 0.1 or 0.2% EK for 4 weeks, starting 1 week before the first dosing of AOM. AOM exposure produced 140 +/- 23 ACF/rat at the end of the study (week 4). EK administration dose-dependently inhibited ACF formation and inhibition by 0.2% EK was statistically significant (P0.002). Treatment with EK significantly lowered PCNA index in ACF and reduced PGE2 content in the colonic mucosa, while EK elevated liver GST and QR activities. These findings suggest that EK may be effective for inhibiting colonic ACF, through induction of liver GST and QR and possibly alteration of PGE2 production.

Transmission measurements have been made to evaluate the optical properties of single-crystal sapphire fibers and to assess the utility of these fibers for medical applications. Measurements of some of the first fibers drawn show transmission near the Fresnel limit in the visible with expectedly higher scattering losses in the ultraviolet. Data also suggests the presence of color centers, and increased transmission has been observed after annealing at temperatures to 1200 K. Preliminary measurements of optical breakdown strength suggest a limit of about 1 kJ/cm/sup 2/. >

Antiarrhythmic and cardiovascular profiles of a fused indole compound, (3aR,12R,12aR,12bS)-12-amino-2,3,3a,4,11,12,12a,12b -octahydro- 10-hydroxyisoquino [2,1,8-lma]carbazol-5(1H)-one hydrochloride 1.5 hydrate (RS-2135, CAS 133775-36-7), were investigated in anesthetized dogs. Class I antiarrhythmic agents such as disopyramide, lidocaine, mexiletine and flecainide were used as reference compounds. RS-2135 exerted more potent antiarrhythmic activity than reference compounds against ouabain-induced arrhythmias in dogs. The onset of action was slow, but the duration of action was longer than with the other compounds tested. The agent suppressed the conduction in the atrium, A-V node and ventricle more markedly than the reference compounds. RS-2135, however, did not change blood pressure and heart rate at a dose 5 times the dose for antiarrhythmic activity and decreased cardiac contractility to a lesser extent than the reference compounds.

The feasibility of using a multi-MeV He(+)-ion beam to convert the outer portion of a crystal fiber into cladding is demonstrated. When applied to a-axis LiNbO(3) fiber, the resulting structure has been found to show good waveguiding characteristics.

The synthesis and coronary vasodilating and antihypertensive activities of 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines fused to pyrrole, thiophene, pyran, pyridine, and pyridazine are described. Among these compounds, 8-tert-butyl-7,8-dihydro-5-methyl-6H-pyrrolo[3,2-e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine (23) was found to be the most promising potential cardiovascular agent, having been shown to be more potent in coronary vasodilating activity than trapidil [7-diethylamino)-5-methyl-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine] and approximately equipotent to guanethidine sulfate in antihypertensive activity.

Superfluorescent emission from a hollow waveguide filled with HCl has been obtained on the v=2→v=1 band when optically pumped on the v=0→v=2 band. Energy conversion efficiency in excess of 10% has been measured. The beam quality of the emission was three times better than that of the pump radiation under optimal conditions.

The synthesis and coronary vasodilating and antihypertensive activities of 1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidines fused to pyrrole, thiophene, pyran, pyridine, and pyridazine are described. Among these compounds, 8-tert-butyl-7,8-dihydro-5-methyl-6H-pyrrolo[3,2-e][1,2,4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine (23) was found to be the most promising potential cardiovascular agent, having been shown to be more potent in coronary vasodilating activity than trapidil [7-diethylamino)-5-methyl-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine] and approximately equipotent to guanethidine sulfate in antihypertensive activity.

In our previous study, we reported that pregnant blood was hypercoagulable and hypo-fibrinolytic. However, localized fibrinolytic activity, e.g. in the placenta, seemed to be present, because of increased FDP and fibrinopeptide B beta 15-42 during pregnancy. In this study, we tried to find out the changes in the coagulation-fibrinolysis system as well as cold insoluble globulin when stress such as operative procedure is being added. In 25 cases of cesarean section in full term pregnancy without onset of labor, blood samples were collected before operation, during operation and 3 hours, 6 hours, 12 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours post-operatively for estimation of the coagulation factors (FXII, IX, VIII, VII, X, V, II. XIII. Fbg), fibrinolytic factors (plg-Act, plg, SFMC, FDP), prekallikrein, plasma serin protease inhibitors (AT-III, alpha 2-PI, alpha 2-M, alpha 1-AT) and cold insoluble globulin. 30 normal term-pregnant women as well as 30 non-pregnant women were studied as the control. The result showed that the activities of both the intrinsic and extrinsic coagulation factors were markedly increased while the Fbg and AT-III were markedly decreased from during operation to 3 hours after operation. FXIII was markedly decreased and FII was slightly decreased from during operation. The marked decreases in prekallikrein, plg, alpha 2-PI, alpha 2-M, alpha 1-AT together and marked increases in plg-Act and FDP were noted from 3 to 12 hours after operation. A marked decrease in CIG was demonstrated immediately after the operation and continued until 48 hours after operation. These findings suggested that hypercoagulable state and secondary hyperfibrinolysis were associated during and after cesarean section. Decreases in Factor XIII and CIG seemed to be a general reaction in the mechanism of wound healing.

Interest in the hydrogen halides as laser media in the past has primarily been in connection with chemical pumping. In fact, these molecules also have great potential as near-IR to mid-IR frequency converters. They are suitable for this application because their overtone bands, while weak compared with the fundamental bands, have sufficient intensity for the purpose of optical pumping. As the fundamental band wavelengths for a number of them lie in the highly useful mid IR atmospheric window region and as the prospect for highly efficient near-IR solid-state lasers which can optically couple to their overtone bands appears quite good, their investigation as frequency converters is of some interest. We report here the first hydrogen halide laser excited by optical pumping on an overtone band transition.

Techniques for producing large single domain potassium niobate (KNb03? crystals suitable for optical devices are discussed. Single crystals measuring up to 25x25x25 mm have been grown from potassium-rich melts using a top seeded technique. An x ray diffractometer and goniometer capable of orienting bulk crystals and fabricated pieces with an accuracy of 15 arc seconds was designed and constructed. An improved method of poling permits the alignment of ferroelectric domains within minutes using infrared heat. Fabrication of crystals has been streamlined through the use of special fixtures. Efficient room temperature second harmonic generation (SHG) of the 532 nm laser line is obtained using the cut.

Stimulated rotational Raman scattering in H2 and D2 has been extensively investigated with pump sources at a variety of wavelengths. As a result of the relative magnitudes of cross sections for vibrational and rotational Raman scattering in these gases and their polarization dependence, for wavelengths shorter than the near IR, rotational scattering in H2 and D2 can dominate over vibrational scattering only for circularly polarized pump radiation. Since the emitted rotational Stokes radiation is then circularly polarized in the opposite sense, it cannot participate in four-wave mixing with two-pump photons.1 Consequently, high-order rotational Stokes and anti-Stokes components are not readily generated in H2 and D2.

Using a propagation cell that discriminated against the buildup of stimulated Raman emission, we succeeded in observing self-focusing in pressurized air without interference from any competing nonlinear process. Measurements were made for air pressures between 20 and 40 atm. The data yielded a nonlinear refractive index n2. = (2.9 ± 0.3) × 10−16 esu per atmosphere of air at 300 K for a 308-nm laser beam.