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We propose two types of novel morphological metrics for quantifying the geometry of tubular structures on computed tomography (CT) images. We apply our metrics to identify irregularities in the airway of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and demonstrate that they provide complementary information to the conventional metrics used to assess COPD, such as the tissue density distribution in lung parenchyma and the wall area ratio of the segmented airway. The three-dimensional shape of the airway and its abstraction as a rooted tree with the root at the trachea carina are automatically extracted from a lung CT volume, and the two metrics are computed based on a mathematical tool called persistent homology; treeH0 quantifies the distribution of branch lengths to assess the complexity of the tree-like structure and radialH0 quantifies the irregularities in the luminal radius along the airway. We show our metrics are associated with clinical outcomes.

As one of the facial expression recognition techniques for Head-Mounted Display (HMD) users, embedded photo-reflective sensors have been used. In this paper, we investigate how gaze and face directions affect facial expression recognition using the embedded photo-reflective sensors. First, we collected a dataset of five facial expressions (Neutral, Happy, Angry, Sad, Surprised) while looking in diverse directions by moving 1) the eyes and 2) the head. Using the dataset, we analyzed the effect of gaze and face directions by constructing facial expression classifiers in five ways and evaluating the classification accuracy of each classifier. The results revealed that the single classifier that learned the data for all gaze points achieved the highest classification performance. Then, we investigated which facial part was affected by the gaze and face direction. The results showed that the gaze directions affected the upper facial parts, while the face directions affected the lower facial parts. In addition, by removing the bias of facial expression reproducibility, we investigated the pure effect of gaze and face directions in three conditions. The results showed that, in terms of gaze direction, building classifiers for each direction significantly improved the classification accuracy. However, in terms of face directions, there were slight differences between the classifier conditions. Our experimental results implied that multiple classifiers corresponding to multiple gaze and face directions improved facial expression recognition accuracy, but collecting the data of the vertical movement of gaze and face is a practical solution to improving facial expression recognition accuracy.

The development of flexible thermoelectric devices requires materials possessing ductility and high thermoelectric performance at room temperature. However, only a few existing materials meet both criteria. In this study, the ductile properties, electronic structure, and transport properties of the low-temperature phase α-AgCuS were elucidated using first-principles calculations combined with Boltzmann transport theory. With a layered zigzag structure similar to the well-known ductile semiconductor Ag2S, AgCuS is determined to have good metal-like ductility. Through consideration of various intrinsic scattering mechanisms, we found that electron–polar optical phonon interactions have the most significant impact on the transport behavior of AgCuS. The predominance of this type of interaction is also disclosed by the covalent–ionic bonding nature of the Ag–S and Cu–S bonds. Therefore, weakening this interaction via doping or alloying could optimize the thermoelectric performance of the system. At room temperature, a maximum dimensionless figure of merit ZT of up to 0.592 could be achieved under a tuning of hole concentration to 2 × 1019cm–3, suggesting that α-AgCuS could be a promising p-type candidate for flexible thermoelectric applications.

To authenticate to the full-text of this article, please visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9310.2009.00555.x Byline: Junichi Sakata (1), Katsuhiro Suzuki (1), Jun Hosoya (1) Abstract: Using patent data, a new quantitative analytical method categorizes the degree of integration of leading edge technologies in order to examine the current research & development (R&D) status and strategies of companies focusing in the fuel battery field, an area showing great potential as an alternative to fossil fuels. Specifically, this paper presents three types of categorization reflecting the International Patent Classification (IPC) of patent data, and introduces the concept of 'innovation positions', which is based on this categorization. Application purposes can be different between various industrial sectors, even within the same technological field; therefore, the progress status of R&D varies and that fact is reflected in innovation positions. Additionally, this paper makes clear that innovation positions reflect differences in companies' core competences, even in the same industry. Furthermore, by conducting an analysis based on F-terms, it has been shown that dissimilarities exist in the focus of companies in the technological development of elements, even for those with identical innovation positions. This analytical method provides an original approach to comprehend technological linkages and innovation. Author Affiliation: (1)Global Information Telecommunication Institute, Waseda University, Room 606, 55 South Building 3-4-1, Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan.sakata@sangaku.titech.ac.jp

Hemoptysis is a frequent and sometimes fatal complication of non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease. The risk factors for hemoptysis are not well understood. In the current study, potential risk factors for hemoptysis were investigated in patients with Mycobacterium aviumcomplex (MAC) lung disease, which is the most common NTM in Japan.

We apply a method [Phys. Rev. B108, 035141 (2023)], which can treat the multiplet excitations in the first-principles method, to a typical pressure indicator α-Al2O3:Cr3+. After optimizing the crystal structure under hydrostatic pressure from 0.0 to 35.0 GPa in the usual first-prinicple calculations, we obtain the multiplet energies in the method. That is, we conduct the exact diagonalization of the crystal-field model Hamiltonian which is directly determined based on the result of the quasiparticle self-consistent GW method. Our method has no parameters by hand. The calculated pressure dependences of the excitation energies agree well with those of experiments.

Pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacterial disease (PNTM) is a known risk factor for chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA). However, few studies have focused on the prognosis of PNTM-associated CPA. In the present investigation, we aimed to elucidate the clinical course and prognostic factors of CPA in patients with PNTM.

Simultaneous suppression of rice (Oryza sativaL.) uptake of As and Cd is challenging because these toxic elements are immobilized under contrasting redox conditions. Given the notion that oxygen diffusion governs redox conditions in temporarily drained paddy soil, we assume that the key to simultaneous suppression of dissolved As and Cd concentrations is air‐filled porosity (AFP) of soil. The objectives of this study were to reveal relationships between AFP and dissolved As and Cd concentrations in paddy soils and to identify the optimum water management, in terms of AFP, for simultaneous reduction of As and Cd. Dissolved As and Cd concentrations were determined in soil cores collected at different depths and times during rice growing seasons. Dissolved As concentrations were appreciable (>3 µg L−1) only when AFP was below a threshold value of 0.04 to 0.10 m3m−3, suggesting that dissolved As was rapidly immobilized once AFP exceeded the threshold value on drainage. Dissolved Cd concentrations were roughly proportional to AFP, with higher concentrations associated with lower soil pH. Although dissolved As concentrations tended to be low in soil samples with high dissolved Cd concentrations and vice versa, both concentrations were low when AFP was slightly above the threshold value for As immobilization. The results suggest that dissolved As and Cd can be simultaneously kept at low levels by appropriate water management practices that produce AFP slightly above the threshold value for As immobilization. Dissolved As and Cd in paddy soil respond to changes in air‐filled porosity (AFP).Dissolved As was appreciable only when AFP was below a threshold value.The increase in dissolved Cd with AFP upon drainage was a slowly continuing process.Slightly above the threshold AFP, both dissolved As and Cd were at low levels.AFP is easier to predict than Eh, serving as a guide to optimal water management.

Never-smokers account for a large proportion of subjects in general population studies on nontuberculous mycobacteria lung disease (NTM-LD). However, the influence of NTM infection on the lung function of never-smokers has not yet been evaluated. The aim of this study was to determine how NTM-LD impairs the lung function in never-smokers, and whether there are an association between successful NTM-LD treatment in radiologic outcomes and improvement in lung function of never-smokers with NTM-LD or not.

In Japan, nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease is mostly attributable to Mycobacterium aviumcomplex (MAC), i.e., M. aviumor M. intracellulare. However, clinical features of the disease caused by these two pathogens have not been studied sufficiently yet.

Enzalutamide is an androgen receptor inhibitor that has been approved in several countries. Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) data in animals would facilitate understanding of the efficacy and safety profiles of enzalutamide, but little information has been reported in public. The purpose of this study was to clarify the missing ADME profile in animals. ADME of 14C-enzalutamide after oral administration as Labrasol solution were investigated in non-fasted male Sprague–Dawley rats and beagle dogs. Plasma concentrations of 14C-enzalutamide peaked in rats and dogs at 6–8 h after a single oral administration. In most tissues, radioactivity concentration peaked at 4 h after administration. Excluding the gastrointestinal tract, tissues with the highest concentration of radioactivity were liver, fat, and adrenal glands. The tissue concentrations of radioactivity declined below the limit of quantitation or <0.89 % of maximum concentration by 168 h post-dose. Two known metabolites (M1 and M2) and at least 15 novel possible metabolites were detected in this study. M1 was the most abundant metabolite in both rats and dogs. Unchanged drug was a minor component in excreta. In intact rats, the mean urinary and fecal excretion of radioactivity accounted for 44.20 and 49.80 % of administered radioactivity, respectively. In intact dogs, mean urinary and fecal excretion was 62.00 and 22.30 % of the administered radioactivity, respectively. Rapid oral absorption was observed in rats and dogs when 14C-enzalutamide was administered as Labrasol solution. Tissue distribution in rats was clarified. The elimination of enzalutamide is mediated primarily by metabolism. Species differences were observed in excretion route.

Although nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) lung diseases can occur in association with lung cancer, no study has evaluated the effect of lung cancer treatment on NTM lung diseases. Therefore, the present study aimed to retrospectively examine the effect of lung cancer treatment on NTM lung diseases.

In this work, we elucidated the electronic structure and thermoelectric properties of intermetallic XSi (X= Co, Rh) compounds. By combining first-principles calculations and the Boltzmann equation within electron–phonon average approximation, thermoelectric properties of XSi are well reproduced compared to experimental observations. We found that the considerable Seebeck coefficient and low electrical resistivity give XSi a large power factor, which has the potential for thermoelectric applications. We also discussed the electron mean free paths, a possible factor affecting electrical conductivity when using the nanostructuring approach to optimize the thermoelectric performance.

Pulmonary nocardiosis is a rare but severe infection caused by Nocardiaspecies. This study aimed at describing the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pulmonary nocardiosis.

The mass balance and metabolite profiles of 2-(2-amino-1,3-thiazol-4-yl)-N-[4-(2-{[(2R)-2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl]amino}ethyl)[U-14C]phenyl]acetamide ([14C]mirabegron, YM178), a β3-adrenoceptor agonist for the treatment of overactive bladder, were characterized in four young, healthy, fasted male subjects after a single oral dose of [14C]mirabegron (160 mg, 1.85 MBq) in a solution. [14C]Mirabegron was rapidly absorbed with a plasma tmaxfor mirabegron and total radioactivity of 1.0 and 2.3 h postdose, respectively. Unchanged mirabegron was the most abundant component of radioactivity, accounting for approximately 22% of circulating radioactivity in plasma. Mean recovery in urine and feces amounted to 55 and 34%, respectively. No radioactivity was detected in expired air. The main component of radioactivity in urine was unchanged mirabegron, which accounted for 45% of the excreted radioactivity. A total of 10 metabolites were found in urine. On the basis of the metabolites found in urine, major primary metabolic reactions of mirabegron were estimated to be amide hydrolysis (M5, M16, and M17), accounting for 48% of the identified metabolites in urine, followed by glucuronidation (M11, M12, M13, and M14) and N-dealkylation or oxidation of the secondary amine (M8, M9, and M15), accounting for 34 and 18% of the identified metabolites, respectively. In feces, the radioactivity was recovered almost entirely as the unchanged form. Eight of the metabolites characterized in urine were also observed in plasma. These findings indicate that mirabegron, administered as a solution, is rapidly absorbed after oral administration, circulates in plasma as the unchanged form and metabolites, and is recovered in urine and feces mainly as the unchanged form.

ABSTRACTWe evaluated a new line probe assay (LiPA) kit to identify Mycobacteriumspecies and to detect mutations related to drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A total of 554 clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis(n= 316), Mycobacterium avium(n= 71), Mycobacterium intracellulare(n= 51), Mycobacterium kansasii(n= 54), and other Mycobacteriumspecies (n= 62) were tested with the LiPA kit in six hospitals. The LiPA kit was also used to directly test 163 sputum specimens. The results of LiPA identification of Mycobacteriumspecies in clinical isolates were almost identical to those of conventional methods. Compared with standard drug susceptibility testing results for the clinical isolates, LiPA showed a sensitivity and specificity of 98.9% and 97.3%, respectively, for detecting rifampin (RIF)-resistant clinical isolates; 90.6% and 100%, respectively, for isoniazid (INH) resistance; 89.7% and 96.0%, respectively, for pyrazinamide (PZA) resistance; and 93.0% and 100%, respectively, for levofloxacin (LVX) resistance. The LiPA kit could detect target species directly in sputum specimens, with a sensitivity of 85.6%. Its sensitivity and specificity for detecting RIF-, PZA-, and LVX-resistant isolates in the sputum specimens were both 100%, and those for detecting INH-resistant isolates were 75.0% and 92.9%, respectively. The kit was able to identify mycobacterial bacilli at the species level, as well as drug-resistant phenotypes, with a high sensitivity and specificity.

Darexaban maleate is a novel oral direct factor Xa inhibitor, which is under development for the prevention of venous thromboembolism. Darexaban glucuronide was the major component in plasma after oral administration of darexaban to humans and is the pharmacologically active metabolite. In this study, we identified UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UGTs) responsible for darexaban glucuronidation in human liver microsomes (HLM) and human intestinal microsomes (HIM). In HLM, the Kmvalue for darexaban glucuronidation was >250 μM. In HIM, the reaction followed substrate inhibition kinetics, with a Kmvalue of 27.3 μM. Among recombinant human UGTs, UGT1A9 showed the highest intrinsic clearance for darexaban glucuronidation, followed by UGT1A8, -1A10, and -1A7. All other UGT isoforms were inactive toward darexaban. The Kmvalue of recombinant UGT1A10 for darexaban glucuronidation (34.2 μM) was comparable to that of HIM. Inhibition studies using typical UGT substrates suggested that darexaban glucuronidation in both HLM and HIM was mainly catalyzed by UGT1A8, -1A9, and -1A10. Fatty acid-free bovine serum albumin (2%) decreased the unbound Kmfor darexaban glucuronidation from 216 to 17.6 μM in HLM and from 35.5 to 18.3 μM in recombinant UGT1A9. Recent studies indicated that the mRNA expression level of UGT1A9 is extremely high among UGT1A7, -1A8, -1A9, and -1A10 in human liver, whereas that of UGT1A10 is highest in the intestine. Thus, the present results strongly suggest that darexaban glucuronidation is mainly catalyzed by UGT1A9 and UGT1A10 in human liver and intestine, respectively. In addition, UGT1A7, -1A8, and -1A9 play a minor role in human intestine.

We theoretically examine the superconducting state of BaFe2(As1-xPx)2, an isovalent doping 122-iron-pnictide superconductor. We construct a three-dimensional 10-orbital model by first-principles band calculation, and investigate the superconducting gap within the spin-fluctuation-mediated pairing mechanism. The gap is basically $s\pm$, where the gap changes its sign between electron and hole Fermi surfaces, but three-dimensional nodal structures appear in the largely warped hole Fermi surface having a strong $Z^{2}/\mathit{XZ}/\mathit{YZ}$ orbital character. The present result, together with our previous study of the 1111 systems, explains the strong material dependence of the superconducting gap in iron pnictides.

The ability to predict circulating human metabolites of a candidate drug before first-in-man studies are carried out would provide a clear advantage in drug development. A recent report demonstrated that while in vitrostudies using human liver preparations reliably predict primary human metabolites in plasma, the predictability of secondary metabolites, formed by multiple reactions, was low, with total success rates of <65%. Here, we assess the use of chimeric mice with humanized liver as an animal model for the prediction of human metabolism in vivo.Metabolism studies with debrisoquine and (S)-warfarin demonstrated significantly higher concentrations of their primary human abundant metabolites in serum or plasma in chimeric mice than in control mice. Humanized chimeric mice were also capable of producing human-specific metabolites of several in-house compounds which were generated through more than one metabolism reaction. This model is closer to in vivo human physiology and therefore appears to have an advantage over in vitrosystems in predicting complex metabolites in human plasma. However, prediction of human metabolites failed for other compounds which were highly metabolized in mice. Although requiring careful consideration of compound suitability, this model represents a potential tool for predicting human metabolites in combination with conventional in vitrosystems.

ABSTRACTOur population-based study of the Mycobacterium tuberculosisBeijing family examined the frequency of occurrence of each sublineage of this family, classified by using 10 synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms. The results revealed the overabundance of two evolutionary sublineages in a population of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis bacteria.

ABSTRACTWe reevaluated the BACTEC MGIT 960 antimicrobial susceptibility testing system (MGIT 960 AST) by using 1,112 isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. When the results of MGIT 960 AST were compared with that of the proportion method using Ogawa medium (Ogawa PM), discrepant results were obtained for 30 strains with isoniazid, all resistant by MGIT 960 AST but susceptible by Ogawa PM. For 93% of the strains that produced discrepant results, the MIC was 0.4 or 0.8 µg/ml, showing resistance by the proportion method using Middlebrook agar plates. Furthermore, it was also established by analyses of the katGand inhAgenes that strains resistant only by MGIT 960 AST have a low level of isoniazid (INH) resistance, indicating that MGIT 960 AST is a reliable method. Ninety-six strains were resistant to 0.1 µg/ml INH by MGIT 960 AST. When they were divided into three groups, Low-S (susceptible at 0.2 µg/ml), Low-R (resistant at 0.2 µg/ml), and High-R (resistant at 1.0 µg/ml), by Ogawa PM, 43.3% of the Low-S strains had mutations in the promoter region of inhAand no mutations were detected in katGcodon 315, while 61.7% of the High-R strains had katGcodon 315 mutations or a gross deletion of katG. These results suggest that mutations in inhAare associated with low-level resistance to INH and katGcodon 315 mutations are associated with high-level resistance to INH. In addition, the analyses demonstrated some relationship of mutations in the inhAgene with ethionamide resistance for the Low-S strains, but not for the High-R strains.

Axenfeld–Rieger syndrome is inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern and is characterized by anomalies of the anterior segment of the eye and systemic signs including craniofacial dysmorphic features and cardiac defects. The disorder is genetically heterogeneous and one causative gene, FOXC1, is located on chromosome 6p25. Persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous (PHPV) is a congenital ocular disorder in which there is a failure of the normal regression of the primary vitreous and a proliferation of fibrous tissue from the remnants of the primary vitreous. Deletions of chromosome 6p25 have been reported in a small number of patients with Axenfeld–Rieger syndrome; however, no case of chromosome 6p25 deletion has been reported with PHPV. We report a newborn girl who had both Axenfeld–Rieger syndrome and the combined type of PHPV, in whom the G‐banding and spectral karyotyping revealed a 6p monosomy of terminal deletion with a breakpoint at chromosome 6p25.1. The karyotype was 46,XX,del(6)(p25.1). We conclude that PHPV in the context of Axenfeld–Rieger syndrome can be caused by 6p25 terminal deletion. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of the transcription-reverse transcription concerted (TRC) method for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosiscomplex (MTC) 16S rRNA in clinical respiratory samples for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. TRC is a novel method that enables the rapid and the completely homogeneous real-time monitoring of isothermal sequence RNA amplification without any postamplification procedure. The detection limit of the TRC method for MTC was one organism per 100 µl of sputum. The specificity of the method was confirmed by the absence of positive signals for sputum containing 106M. aviumor M. kansasiiorganisms per 100 µl. A total of 201 respiratory samples from patients diagnosed with or suspected of having tuberculosis were tested. Of the 72 MTC culture-positive samples, the TRC method was positive for 52 (sensitivity, 72.2%), whereas the Roche COBAS AMPLICOR PCR was positive for 58 (sensitivity, 80.6%). Both the TRC method and the COBAS AMPLICOR PCR showed no positive identification for any of the 129 culture-negative samples. The percent agreement between the two methods was 95% (191 of 201 samples). The high sensitivity and specificity together with shorter detection time (within 1 h) of the TRC method allow it to be proposed as a useful method for the rapid detection of MTC in respiratory samples.

Mycobacterium abscessusaccounts for 80% of rapidly growing mycobacterial pulmonary infections and can be lethal. Treatment is difficult because of the paucity of effective drugs. We describe a patient with pulmonary M. abscessusinfection who was treated with a regimen that included faropenem, a novel oral penem, and clarithromycin. He showed favorable responses to the treatment for more than 12 months. In vitro, faropenem had considerable inhibitory activities against 56 strains of rapidly growing mycobacteria, including M. peregrinum, M. chelonae,M. fortuitum, and M. abscessus(stated in order of increasing minimal inhibitory concentrations). Thus, faropenem has the potential to be used as an adjunctive drug with clarithromycin for the treatment of infection with rapidly growing mycobacteria, including M. abscessus.

AbstractA new cell structure has been proposed, in which parallel micro grooves are etched on glass substrates and a pair of them are adhered to ribs in parallel alignment to the direction of grooves. Uniform smectic orientations have been achieved in this cell structure with both the grooves and ribs, and excelled the orientation in cells with rubbed polyimide. However, the best orientations have never been achieved within the cells using only grooves or only ribs. The important role of ribs is considered to control the shape and moving rate of liquid crystal-air boundaries when liquid crystals were introduced into the cell.

The effect of omeprazole, a clinically used proton pump inhibitor, alone or in combination with clarithromycin was evaluated against Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulareand Mycobacterium tuberculosis, using a human alveolar macrophage model of infection. Omeprazole exhibited no significant effect on the growth of the two M. aviumcomplex strains or on the mycobactericidal activity of clarithromycin against them. In contrast, omeprazole significantly promoted the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosisand the anti‐mycobacterial activity of clarithromycin against it in human alveolar macrophages. It was speculated that intracellular acidic milieu around M. tuberculosismight be one reason for the lower activity of clarithromycin in the treatment of human tuberculosis.

The high affinity IgE receptor (FcɛRI) expressed on the cell surface of mast cells and basophils is the key molecule in triggering the IgE-mediated allergic reaction. Recently, it was elucidated that the FcɛRI is expressed on a variety of other cells like Langerhans cells, monocytes, and eosinophils, and the functional importance of the FcɛRI expression in Langerhans cells was also shown. Some studies suggest that human platelets may play important roles in allergic inflammation through the cell-surface expression of the FcɛRII and FcγRII. Here, we report that human platelets and megakaryocytes constitutively express the messenger RNA and protein for the FcɛRI. Although the FcɛRI is expressed on the cell surface of human platelets, it is only detected in the cytoplasm of human megakaryocytes. We also confirmed that human platelets express the genes for the α, β, and γ chains of the FcɛRI without any defined mutations. Furthermore, stimulation of human platelets via the FcɛRI induced the release of serotonin and RANTES (Regulated on Activation, Normal T Expressed, and presumably Secreted). Taken together, these results suggest a novel and important role for human platelets in perpetuating allergic inflammation through the expression of and activation via the FcɛRI.

A competitive PCR method with standard DNA (MIMIC) was developed for the rapid detection and semiquantitation of Mycobacterium avium(M. avium) using primers specific for the alpha antigen sequence of the bacteria. DNA from both M. aviumand Mycobacterium marinumwas amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), but only M. aviumcould be detected by subsequent blotting confirmation with a probe specific for the bacteria. With the PCR and subsequent dot blot hybridization, as little as 10 fg of the M. aviumDNA could be detected, equivalent to about 2 cells of the mycobacteria. In addition, we could distinguish 105CFUs of M. aviumfrom 104CFUs or less by competitive PCR using a MIMIC. The present competitive PCR test enabled rapid identification and semiquantitation of M. avium, and could be used clinically to monitor disease severity and response to treatment of human M. aviumdisease.

The extent of basophil histamine release initiated by IgE cross-linking stimuli has been known to vary greatly among donors. Studies on anti-IgE nonreleasing basophils are useful in understanding the IgE-specific control mechanism of mediator release. We attempted to determine (1) whether a mutation of FcϵRI is present in nonreleasing basophils and (2) whether treatment with IL-3 converts anti-IgE nonreleasing basophils to releasing basophils. Basophils were purified from normal human blood and donors were divided into releasers (maximal histamine release 5%) and nonreleasers (<5%). The mutation of FcϵRIα, β, and γ was evaluated by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction, and the DNA sequence was determined from amplified polymerase chain reaction products. Although antibodies against FcϵRI failed to cause histamine release in anti-IgE nonreleasing basophils, no primary structural change of FcϵRI was observed in nonreleaser basophils. After culturing with IL-3 for 7 days, nonreleasing basophils released histamine in response to anti-IgE, and dose-response curves of anti-IgE were equal in both releasers and nonreleasers. The conversion of nonreleasing basophils to releasing basophils was evident after 3 days of culture with IL-3. These findings indicate that nonreleasing basophils have recoverable defect(s) in the signal transduction pathway after IgE cross-linking. (J ALLERGYCLINIMMUNOL1996;97:1279-87.)

The authors have constructed a large-size sturdy liquid crystal cell whose glass plates completely adhere to photoresist barriers aligned parallel to each other. Temperature gradient-cooling of ferro- or antiferroelectric liquid crystals confined to rectilinear space was found most effective for the complete elimination of zigzag defects with consequent superior initial orientation.

The Fc receptor (FcR) γ subunit was originally discovered as a homodimeric subunit of the high-affinity IgE receptor (FcεRI). But it was recently found to be a common signal-generating subunit of Fc receptors including IgG Fc receptors (FcγRs) and IgA Fc receptor (FcαR), and furthermore to generate a signal also with stimuli through non-immune receptors. In addition, it plays an essential role in cell-surface expression of the FcεRI and the FcγRIIIA isoform and also regulates cell-surface expression and ligand-binding affinity of the FcγRI. In this report, we addressed the possibility that the FcRγ could affect the correct folding of the IgE-binding region of the FcεRIα subunit by using the chimeric receptor molecules constructed from human FcεRIα and FcRγ. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the seven amino acid residues in the C-terminal region on the extracellular domain of the FcεRIα were essential for maintaining the IgE-binding activity of the FcεRIα exodomain on the cell membrane and\or may affect the correct folding of the α subunit itself within the cell.

A microcomputer-controlled instrument for measuring precise area–temperature (A–T) isobars of insoluble monolayers at the air/water interface was developed. To obtain precise A–Tisobars, leakage or dissolution of film material must be checked. Before starting A–Tisobar measurements, area or structural relaxations must be completed. A–Tisobars of monolayers of cadmium eicosanoate, l-a-dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC), trioctadecanoyl glyceride (TOG), and cis-9-octadecen-1-ol were measured. Precise A–Tisobars can afford two-dimensional isobaric thermal expansivities of insoluble monolayers by differentiation with respect to temperature. The thermal expansivities were evaluated as around 9.0×10-4K-1for condensed monolayers and around 30×10-4K-1for liquid-expanded monolayers.

We theoretically study the spin fluctuation and superconductivity in La1111 and Sm1111 iron-based superconductors for a wide range of electron doping. When we take into account the band structure variation by electron doping, the hole Fermi surface originating from the $d_{X^{2}-Y^{2}}$ orbital turns out to be robust against electron doping, and this gives rise to large spin fluctuations and consequently $s\pm$ pairing even in the heavily doped regime. The stable hole Fermi surface is larger for Sm1111 than for La1111, which can be considered as the origin of the apparent difference in the phase diagram.

Antibiotic therapy, including clarithromycin (CLR), has been widely used for the management of Mycobacterium aviumcomplex (MAC) lung disease in clinical settings. When patients develop adverse events (AEs) during CLR-based treatment, the treatment regimen is modified or chemotherapy itself is discontinued. The need for alternative macrolide treatment strategies is emphasized due to the high rate of AEs possibly caused by CLR. Thus, the current study aimed to examine the efficacy and safety of azithromycin (AZM) in patients with MAC lung disease whose treatment was switched from CLR to AZM.

The mechanism of cutaneous allergic vasculitis still remains unclear, and to the best of our knowledge, no case has been reported in the literature in which the number of mast cells was examined.

AbstractWe describe a case of Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) associated with allergic bronchopulmonary candidiasis (ABPC). A 61-year-old man who had been given a diagnosis of ABPC based on serologic and radiographic findings experienced pain and purpuric rash on the left leg accompanied with motor weakness. The diagnosis of CSS was made from skin, nerve and muscle biopsies. Although immunosuppressant and prednisolone were administered and resulted in transient improvement, candidal pneumonia was suspected to have developed 60 days after the administration and the patient finally died of respiratory failure. To our knowledge, this is the first case of CSS associated with ABPC.Copyright © 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel

ABSTRACTWe report on a patient whose sputum contained bothMycobacterium tuberculosisand Mycobacterium aviumcomplex (MAC). The MAC failed to be detected by the PCR-based AMPLICOR test. The unrecognized coexistence of MAC in the sample modified the results of drug susceptibility tests. Experiments revealed that the presence of both M. tuberculosisand MAC was not detected by the AMPLICOR test under certain conditions.