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Increased neurotrophic support, including insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), is an important aspect of the adaptive response to ischemic insult. However, recent findings indicate that the IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) in neurons plays a detrimental role in the response to stroke. Thus, we investigated the role of astrocytic IGF-IR on ischemic insults by deleting it using tamoxifen-regulated Cre deletion in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrocytes, a major cellular component in the response to injury. Ablation of IGF-IR in astrocytes (GFAP-IGF-IR KO mice) resulted in larger ischemic lesions, greater blood-brain-barrier disruption and more deteriorated sensorimotor coordination. RNAseq detetected increases in inflammatory, cell adhesion and angiogenic pathways, while the expression of various classical biomarkers of response to ischemic lesion, including aquaporin 4, complement 1q subunit a, early growth response protein 1, and C-C motif chemokine ligand 2, were significantly increased at the lesion site compared to control littermates. While serum IGF-I levels after injury were decreased in both control and GFAP-IR KO mice, brain IGF-I mRNA expression show larger increases in the latter. Further, greater damage was also accompanied by altered glial reactivity as reflected by changes in the morphology of GFAP astrocytes, and relative abundance of ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 microglia. These results suggest a protective role for astrocytic IGF-IR in the response to ischemic injury.

The MuSEUM collaboration is planning measurements of the ground-state hyperfine structure (HFS) of muonium at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC), Materials and Life Science Experimental Facility. The high-intensity beam that will soon be available, the H-line, allows for more precise measurements by one order of magnitude. We plan to conduct two staged measurements. First, we will measure the Mu-HFS in a near-zero magnetic field, and thereafter we will measure it in a strong magnetic field. We have developed two microwave cavities for this purpose. Furthermore, we evaluated the systematic uncertainties from such a fluctuation of microwave fields and confirmed the requirements for the microwave system; we use a microwave field distribution calculated with the finite element method.

Anesthesiologists are involved in high-risk procedures for transmission of SARS-CoV-2 like aerosol-generating procedures (AGPs). The present study was conducted to assess the compliance toward the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and proposed modifications in anesthesia techniques to prevent dissemination of the virus among healthcare workers.This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and included all elective surgeries involving AGPs inside operation theatres and remote areas. Participants were anesthesia consultants and trainees. Trained anesthesia technicians observed and documented all the AGPs and data entry with analysis was done using EPI Data 3.1, SPSS 21.0. Descriptive statistics were reported using mean ± SD for continuous variables.Preoperative COVID-19 test was done in 96.3% of patients. Most (74.8%) of the AGPs were performed by consultants. In our study, compliance for N95 masks usage and hand hygiene was found to be 99.2% and 55.9%, respectively. Avoidance of crowding was followed in only 38.9% during intubation. To contain the aerosol-based spread of virus, modification of anesthesia practices like acrylic boxes (6.4%), plastic sheets (5.5%), video laryngoscopy (39%), rapid sequence intubation (RSI) (42.7%), and 59.3% of deep extubation were incorporated.In our study, we found satisfactory compliance toward usage of N95 masks alone, whereas compliance toward other available PPE and modification in anesthesia practice was found to be unsatisfactory.

We demonstrate a photoelectrical readout of negatively charged nitrogen-vacancy (NV−) centers by utilizing a lateral diamond p–i–n diode structure. We found that the photocarriers generated at NV centers are efficiently extracted in the depletion layer even at zero voltage. The transport mechanism for photoexcited minority carriers was investigated by varying the nitrogen ion implantation dose. The minority carrier diffusion length decreased when the photocarriers passed through the implantation region, particularly at a high nitrogen ion dose. From photoelectrically detected magnetic resonance (PDMR) measurements, the photocurrent was found to exhibit a minimum at approximately 2.87 GHz upon microwave irradiation with a contrast of 12%, while this dip was observed to split upon the application of a static magnetic field. The PDMR signal was found to depend on the measurement position. This study paves the way for efficient electrical detection for quantum sensors based on device technologies.

(Purpose) Considering the dramatic increase in average life expectancy throughout the world, the management of super-elderly patients over 80 years old (SEP) with breast cancer has become a global issue. However, there have been few clinical trials for SEP until now. The reasons for this were a small population, unpredictable prognosis, a large number of non-cancer-related deaths and a lower function of multiple organs in SEP. Surgical treatment or post-operative treatment based on evidence of clinical trials for SEP has also not been unclear. We hypothesized that the outcome of SEP with breast cancer compared with other ages were similarly depended on the breast cancer subtypes. The aim of this study was to clarify the breast cancer related survival (BRS) rate and overall survival (OS) rate at 5years for SEP according to breast cancer subtype. (Methods) We retrospectively analyzed 407 patients over 80 years old at initial operation between April, 1994 and April 2015 from 4 institutions of Chiba Youth Breast Oncology Research Group. Overall, 366 patients with stage I to Stage IIIc were included. 41 patients with Stage 0 or IV were excluded in this study. We compared the clinical characteristics, OS and BRS rates among the breast cancer subtype: such as ER positive HER2 negative (ER group), ER negative HER2 negative (TN group), ER negative HER2 positive (HER2 group) and ER positive HER2 positive (ER/HER2 group). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the factors of Tumor size, Lymph node, Ly, ER, HER2 and characteristics, associated with the OS and BRS. (Results) The median age of the 366 patients was 83 years (range 80-96 years).The median follow-up duration was 32 months (range, 2-120). During the follow-up period, 25 (9.4%) patients in the ER group, 19 (27.5%) in TN group, 4 (22.2%) in HER2 group and 2 (20.0%) patients in ER-HER2 group died. The 5 year OS and BRS rates were 89.2%, 97.1% in ER group, 64.6%, 81.2% in TN group, 61.5%,33.3% in HER2 group and 83.3%, 100% in ER-HER2 group, respectively. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that ER was one prognostic factor to OS and BRS. ER positive patients treatment with Aromatase inhibitor had significantly longer survival rates than treatment with Tamoxifen or no treatment (p=0.05). There were no significant differences in OS or BRS of TN patients according to the use of chemotherapy (n=7) versus non treatment (n=61). (Conclusions) The prognosis and clinical course of super elderly patients with breast cancer depended on subtype. Adjuvant therapy for ER group was one prognostic factor to OS and BRS. Citation Format: Nakamura R, Matsuzaki H, Sakamoto M, Suda K, Hayama S, Sangai T. The outcomes for super elderly patients over 80 years old after breast cancer surgery. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-07-15.

The article analyzed the methods of suprapancretic lymph node dissection in laparoscopic gastrectomy which were developed and applied in Japan. The authors described the details of operation technique. There were noted the advantages of medial approach for suprapancreatic lymph node dissection.

We systematically measured the differential cross sections of inelastic $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ scattering off self-conjugate $A=4n$ nuclei at two incident energies ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}=130\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MeV}$ and $386\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MeV}$ at Research Center for Nuclear Physics, Osaka University. The measured cross sections were analyzed by the distorted-wave Born-approximation (DWBA) calculation using the single-folding potentials, which are obtained by folding macroscopic transition densities with the phenomenological $\ensuremath{\alpha}N$ interaction. The DWBA calculation with the density-dependent $\ensuremath{\alpha}N$ interaction systematically overestimates the cross sections for the $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}L=0$ transitions. However, the DWBA calculation using the density-independent $\ensuremath{\alpha}N$ interaction reasonably well describes all the transitions with $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Delta}}L=0$--4. We examined uncertainties in the present DWBA calculation stemming from the macroscopic transition densities, distorting potentials, phenomenological $\ensuremath{\alpha}N$ interaction, and coupled channel effects in $^{12}\mathrm{C}$. It was found that the DWBA calculation is not sensitive to details of the transition densities nor the distorting potentials, and the phenomenological density-independent $\ensuremath{\alpha}N$ interaction gives reasonable results. The coupled-channel effects are negligibly small for the ${2}_{1}^{+}$ and ${3}_{1}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ states in $^{12}\mathrm{C}$, but not for the ${0}_{2}^{+}$ state. However, the DWBA calculation using the density-independent interaction at ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}=386\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MeV}$ is still reasonable even for the ${0}_{2}^{+}$ state. We concluded that the macroscopic DWBA calculations using the density-independent interaction are reliably applicable to the analysis of inelastic $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ scattering at ${E}_{\ensuremath{\alpha}}\ensuremath{\sim}100\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{u}$.

Oesophagectomy has a high risk of postoperative morbidity. The impact of postoperative complications on overall survival of oesophageal cancer remains unclear. This meta-analysis addressed the impact of complications on long-term survival following oesophagectomy.A search of PubMed and Cochrane Library databases was undertaken for systematic review of papers published between January 1995 and August 2016 that analysed the relation between postoperative complications and long-term survival. In the meta-analysis, data were pooled. The main outcome was overall survival (OS). Secondary endpoints included disease-free (DFS) and cancer-specific (CSS) survival.A total of 357 citations was reviewed; 21 studies comprising 11 368 patients were included in the analyses. Overall, postoperative complications were associated with significantly decreased 5-year OS (hazard ratio (HR) 1·16, 95 per cent c.i. 1·06 to 1·26; P = 0·001) and 5-year CSS (HR 1·27, 1·09 to 1·47; P = 0·002). Pulmonary complications were associated with decreased 5-year OS (HR 1·37, 1·16 to 1·62; P0·001), CSS (HR 1·60, 1·35 to 1·89; P0·001) and 5-year DFS (HR 1·16, 1·00 to 1·33; P = 0·05). Patients with anastomotic leakage had significantly decreased 5-year OS (HR 1·20, 1·10 to 1·30; P0·001), 5-year CSS (HR 1·81, 1·11 to 2·95; P = 0·02) and 5-year DFS (HR 1·13, 1·02 to 1·25; P = 0·01).Postoperative complications after oesophagectomy, including pulmonary complications and anastomotic leakage, decreased long-term survival.

A high-resolution ($^{3}\mathrm{He},t$) charge-exchange experiment at an incident energy of 420 MeV has been performed on the double beta ($\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\beta}$) decay nucleus $^{82}\mathrm{Se}$. A detailed Gamow-Teller (${\mathrm{GT}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$) strength distribution in $^{82}\mathrm{Br}$ has been extracted, which provides information to the $\ensuremath{\beta}\ensuremath{\beta}$-decay nuclear matrix elements. Three strong and isolated transitions, which are to the 75, 1484 and the 2087 keV states in $^{82}\mathrm{Br}$, are found to dominate the low-excitation region below $\ensuremath{\approx}2.1$ MeV. Above 2.1 MeV a sudden onset of a strong GT fragmentation is observed. The degree of fragmentation resembles a situation found in the neighboring $A=76$ system $^{76}\mathrm{Ge}$, whereas the observed concentration of strength in the three low-lying states is reminiscent of the heavier neighbors $^{96}\mathrm{Zr}$ and $^{100}\mathrm{Mo}$. The strong GT transition to the 75 keV $({1}^{+})$ state makes $^{82}\mathrm{Se}$ interesting for solar neutrino detection. The $^{82}\mathrm{Se}({\ensuremath{\nu}}_{e},{e}^{\ensuremath{-}})^{82}\mathrm{Br}$ solar neutrino capture rate in a nonoscillation scenario is therefore evaluated to $668\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}12\text{(stat)}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}60\text{(sys)}$ SNU, and some of the advantages of using selenium for solar neutrino studies are discussed.

A gas target system has been developed for nuclear scattering experiments with a highly dispersive spectrometer at small scattering angles including 0°. The system is equipped with a gas cell that has a wide beam window of 44 mm in width and 14 mm in height. The size is sufficient to pass a dispersed beam, which is essential for high energy-resolution measurement. A gas handling system allows target gas that is often limited in quantity, to be collected for reuse. Typical areal density is 1 mg/cm 2 for 20 Ne or 36 Ar gas. The target can be operated either at room temperature or at the liquid nitrogen temperature. The gas target has been employed in a proton inelastic-scattering experiment at 295 MeV with the Grand Raiden spectrometer at the Research Center for Nuclear Physics. A good energy resolution of 20 keV (FWHM) has been achieved at scattering angles of 0–4.5°.

Background: High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a monocyte-derived late-acting inflammatory mediator, which is released in conditions such as shock, tissue injury and endotoxin-induced lethality. In this study, we determined the plasma and hepatic tissue levels of HMGB1 in patients with acute liver failure (ALF). Patients and Methods: We determined the plasma levels of HMGB1 and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in 7 healthy volunteers (HVs), 40 patients with liver cirrhosis (LC), 37 patients with chronic hepatitis (CH), 18 patients with severe acute hepatitis (AH), and 14 patients with fulminant hepatitis (FH). The 14 patients with FH were divided into two subgroups depending upon the history of plasma exchange (PE) before their plasma sample collection. The hepatic levels of HMGB1 were measured in tissue samples from 3 patients with FH who underwent living-donor liver transplantation and from 3 healthy living donors. Hepatic tissue samples were also subjected to immunohistochemical examination for HMGB1. Results: The plasma levels of HMGB1 (ng/ml) were higher in patients with liver diseases, especially in FH patients with no history of PE, than in HVs (0.3 ± 0.3 in HVs, 4.0 ± 2.0 in LC, 5.2 ± 2.6 in CH, 8.6 ± 4.8 in severe AH, 7.8 ± 2.7 in FH with a history of PE, and 12.5 ± 2.6 in FH with no history of PE, p < 0.05 in each comparison). There was a strong and statistically significant relationship between the mean plasma HMGB1 level and the logarithm of the mean AST level (R = 0.900, p < 0.05). The hepatic tissue levels of HMGB1 (ng/mg tissue protein) were lower in patients with FH than in healthy donors (539 ± 116 in FH vs. 874 ± 81 in healthy donors, p < 0.05). Immunohistochemical staining for HMGB1 was strong and clear in the nuclei of hepatocytes in liver sections from healthy donors, but little staining in either nuclei or cytoplasm was evident in specimens from patients with FH. Conclusion: We confirmed that plasma HMGB1 levels were increased in patients with ALF. Based on a comparison between HMGB1 contents in normal and ALF livers, it is very likely that HMGB1 is released from injured liver tissue.

The Antarctic marine environment has unique characteristics such as isolation, low and even temperatures, as well as high levels of fluoride in the trophic web. The objective of the present study is to verify the effect of temperature, salinity and dietary fluoride in the diet on the levels of plasma constituents of the fish Notothenia rossii. The sample collection and the bioassay were conducted at Antarctic scientific station Comandante Ferraz. The fish were acclimated in an aquarium at temperatures of 0 and 4 °C; salinity of 35 and 20 psu, using feed with and without fluoride. The combination of these variables resulted in 8 experimental groups. The calcium serum levels were reduced in hyposaline stress and temperature elevation reduced the plasmatic levels of magnesium and chloride. The trophic fluoride isolatedly was not capable of changing the non-protein electrolytes levels.

Gamow–Teller states, possibly with narrow widths, have been searched for by the 4 He (3 He , t) reaction with an energy resolution of 100 keV. The search is motivated by theoretical discussions on the role of pions in nuclear structure and simulation of supernovae explosion. In the preliminary analysis of the spectrum at around 0°, no significant narrow structure is observed.

A facility for studying (n,p) reactions at neutron kinetic energies of 140 ≲ T n ≲ 300 MeV has been constructed by using the existing Large Acceptance Spectrometer at the Research Center for Nuclear Physics, Osaka University. A neutron beam produced by the 7Li(p,n) reaction hits the (n,p) targets located in a segmented target system, which allows one to use a relatively thick target in total ( ∼ 0.5 g / cm 2 ) with a moderate energy resolution of ∼ 1 MeV . The facility enables one to obtain spectra at 300 MeV up to an excitation energy of 70 MeV with a single setting of the spectrometer. This (n,p) facility has a large effective solid angle of 11 msr for an effective target size of 30 W × 20 H mm 2 .

The data on the tensor Ayy, Axx, Axz and vector Ay analyzing powers in the dd->3Hen obtained at Td= 270 MeV in the angular range 0 - 110 degrees in the c.m. are presented. The observed negative sign of the tensor analyzing powers Ayy, Axx and Axz at small angles clearly demonstrate the sensitivity to the ratio of the D and S wave component of the 3He wave function. However, the one-nucleon exchange calculations by using the standard 3He wave functions have failed to reproduce the strong variation of the tensor analyzing powers as a function of the angle in the c.m., Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, 4 tables. Submitted to EPJA

The cross sections and spin observables of the pd elastic scattering have been measured at 392 MeV. The results are compared with the prediction of Faddeev calculations with and without including a three nucleon force.

Differential cross sections of isoscalar and isovector spin-M1 (0(+)→1(+)) transitions are measured using high-energy-resolution proton inelastic scattering at E(p)=295 MeV on (24)Mg, (28)Si, (32)S, and (36)Ar at 0°-14°. The squared spin-M1 nuclear transition matrix elements are deduced from the measured differential cross sections by applying empirically determined unit cross sections based on the assumption of isospin symmetry. The ratios of the squared nuclear matrix elements accumulated up to E(x)=16 MeV compared to a shell-model prediction are 1.01(9) for isoscalar and 0.61(6) for isovector spin-M1 transitions, respectively. Thus, no quenching is observed for isoscalar spin-M1 transitions, while the matrix elements for isovector spin-M1 transitions are quenched by an amount comparable with the analogous Gamow-Teller transitions on those target nuclei.

The article analyzed the methods of suprapancretic lymph node dissection in laparoscopic gastrectomy which were devel- oped and applied in Japan. The authors described the details of operation technique. There were noted the advantages of medial approach for suprapancreatic lymph node dissection.

The review of the recent results on spin effects in few nucleon systems obtained at LHEP-JINR are presented. The data on the deuteron analyzing powers in different reactions in the wide energy range demonstrate the sensitivity to the spin structure of the light nuclei. The future plans on the studies with polarized deuterons from new polarized ion source at Nuclotron will be reported.

Clinically, the lesions in fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP) follow spontaneous or injury-induced exacerbations and are characterized by painful swellings in soft connective tissue that progress to form mature heterotopic bone. Heterotopic ossification (HO) progresses in characteristic anatomic and temporal patterns, and the location of HO dictates the severity of functional consequences. The histological stages of lesion formation are well described and include, in order of progression: perivascular lymphocytic infiltration (stage 1A), lymphocytic migration into affected muscle and myonecrosis (stage 1B), early reactive fibroproliferation (stage 1C), intense fibroproliferation, neovascularity, and angiogenesis (stage 2A), cartilage formation (stage 2B), and endochondral bone formation (stage 2C). Possible mechanisms for FOP lesion formation, including the origin of bone-forming cells, are discussed.

The orbital prefrontal cortex (PFo) operates as part of a network involved in reward-based learning and goal-directed behavior. To test whether the PFo is necessary for guiding behavior based on the value of expected reward outcomes, we compared four rhesus monkeys with two-stage bilateral PFo removals and six unoperated controls for their responses to reinforcer devaluation, a task that assesses the monkeys' abilities to alter choices of objects when the value of the underlying food has changed. For comparison, the same monkeys were tested on a standard test of flexible stimulus-reward learning, namely object reversal learning. Relative to controls, monkeys with bilateral PFo removals showed a significant attenuation of reinforcer devaluation effects on each of two separate assessments, one performed shortly after surgery and the other ∼19 months after surgery; the operated monkeys were also impaired on object reversal learning. The same monkeys, however, were unimpaired in acquisition of object discrimination learning problems and responded like controls when allowed to choose foods alone, either on a food preference test among six different foods or after selective satiation. Thus, satiety mechanisms and the ability to assign value to familiar foods appear to be intact in monkeys with PFo lesions. The pattern of results suggests that the PFo is critical for response selection based on predicted reward outcomes, regardless of whether the value of the outcome is predicted by affective signals (reinforcer devaluation) or by visual signals conveying reward contingency (object reversal learning).

LPS is a potent stimulator of bone resorption in inflammatory diseases. The mechanism by which LPS induces osteoclastogenesis was studied in cocultures of mouse osteoblasts and bone marrow cells. LPS stimulated osteoclast formation and PGE2 production in cocultures of mouse osteoblasts and bone marrow cells, and the stimulation was completely inhibited by NS398, a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor. Osteoblasts, but not bone marrow cells, produced PGE2 in response to LPS. LPS-induced osteoclast formation was also inhibited by osteoprotegerin (OPG), a decoy receptor of receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL), but not by anti-mouse TNFR1 Ab or IL-1 receptor antagonist. LPS induced both stimulation of RANKL mRNA expression and inhibition of OPG mRNA expression in osteoblasts. NS398 blocked LPS-induced down-regulation of OPG mRNA expression, but not LPS-induced up-regulation of RANKL mRNA expression, suggesting that down-regulation of OPG expression by PGE2 is involved in LPS-induced osteoclast formation in the cocultures. NS398 failed to inhibit LPS-induced osteoclastogenesis in cocultures containing OPG knockout mouse-derived osteoblasts. IL-1 also stimulated PGE2 production in osteoblasts and osteoclast formation in the cocultures, and the stimulation was inhibited by NS398. As seen with LPS, NS398 failed to inhibit IL-1-induced osteoclast formation in cocultures with OPG-deficient osteoblasts. These results suggest that IL-1 as well as LPS stimulates osteoclastogenesis through two parallel events: direct enhancement of RANKL expression and suppression of OPG expression, which is mediated by PGE2 production.

To study the three-nucleon force (3NF) effects without ambiguities from the Coulomb effect, the differential cross sections and the vector analyzing powers for the [Formula: see text] elastic scattering at En = 245 MeV have been measured at θcm = 85° - 180°. The data are compared to the results of Faddeev calculations using modern nucleon-nucleon (NN) forces with and without 3NF. Additionally we have a plan to extend our measurement to the forward angular region where the Coulomb effect is expected to be large. We carried out the test experiment and measured the differential cross sections at θcm = 21°.

Measurements of the tensor and vector analyzing powers Ayy, Axx, Axz, and Ay for the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] reactions were performed at Ed = 270 and 200 MeV over wide angular range. T20 at θ cm = 0° and 180° were also measured at Ed = 270, 200, and 140 MeV. Obtained data were compared with predictions based on one nucleon exchange approximation.

The cross sections and spin observables of the p+d elastic scattering have been measured at 392 MeV. The results are compared with the results of Faddeev calculations with and without including the three nucleon force.

肛門尖圭コンジローマはヒトパピローマウイルス(HPV)を病原体とするウイルス性疣贅であるが,特異的治療法がなく,侵襲少なくして確実に治療することが容易ではない.これに対し,単純疱疹などに使用される抗ウイルス外用剤'が優れた効果を示す場合がある.視診,生検により肛門尖圭コンジローマと診断された13例に対し,抗ウイルス外用剤ビダラビンを患者に渡して最低2週間以上塗布させた.その結果,完全消失6例,部分的消失2例,消失なし5例で,6割に有効であった.完全消失例について,効果発現時期は9日から32日と幅があった.また再発,副作用は認めなかった.肛門尖圭コンジローマに抗ウイルス外用剤ビダラビンが効果を示す例があることは明らかであり,治療の第一選択として試す価値が充分あると考えられる.

Bone-resorbing osteoclasts exhibit polarized morphological structures such as actin rings, clear zones, and ruffled borders. To gain insight into the mechanism of bone-resorbing activity of osteoclast and to discover new types of anti-resorptive agents, we have screened for natural compounds that inhibit the bone-resorbing activity of osteoclast-like multinucleated cells (OCLs). Destruxin B (DestB) and E (DestE), cyclodepsipeptides, were found to inhibit pit formation without affecting osteoclast differentiation and survival. Destruxins reversibly induced morphological changes in OCLs in a dose-dependent manner (DestB, 0.2-1 microM; DestE, 0.01-0.05 microM) and inhibited pit formation. Destruxin-induced morphological changes were accompanied by disruption of the actin rings in OCLs. The formation of actin rings in OCLs after adhesion was also inhibited by destruxins. Electron microscopical analysis revealed that destruxin-treated OCLs on dentine slices have no prominent clear zones and ruffled borders. The effective concentrations of destruxins on the morphological changes were almost the same as those that inhibited bone resorption in organ culture system. These results suggest that the anti-resorptive effects of destruxins result from induction of a disorder of the morphological structures in polarized OCLs.

Cross section, tensor analyzing power T 20 , and vector polarization correlation coefficient C y , y for the 3 He( d , p ) 4 He reaction have been measured at 0° and E d =140, 200, and 270 MeV. The data are compared with a calculation based on an impulse approximation taking the D-state admixtures in deuteron, 3 He, and 4 He explicitly into account. The reasonable agreement with the data is understood as a consequence of a close connection between the 3 He( d , p ) 4 He reaction and the d + N backward scattering.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a cell component of Gram-negative bacteria, is a pathogen of inflammatory bone loss. To examine the effects of LPS on the survival and fusion of osteoclasts, mononuclear osteoclasts (preosteoclasts, pOCs) were collected from a mouse co-culture system and cultured in the presence or absence of LPS. Most pOCs died within 24 h in the absence of any stimulus. LPS as well as receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) supported the survival of pOCs, and induced their fusion to form multinucleated cells (MNCs). Like authentic osteoclasts, MNCs induced by LPS expressed calcitonin receptors, and formed actin rings on culture plates. LPS-induced MNC formation in pOC cultures was observed even in the presence of osteoprotegerin and interleukin (IL)-1-receptor antagonists. MNC formation was also stimulated by LPS in pOC cultures prepared from tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-receptor-I or TNF-receptor-II deficient mice. LPS induced the degradation of IκB in pOCs within 20 min. Lactacystin, an inhibitor of NF-κB activation, and wortmannin, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase, strongly inhibited LPS-induced MNC formation in pOC cultures. LPS induced pit-forming activity of pOCs in the presence of macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF). These findings suggest that LPS stimulates the survival and fusion of pOCs, independent of RANKL, IL-1 or TNF-α action. Activation of NF-κB and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase appeared to be involved in LPS-induced effects on pOCs. These observations suggest that LPS is involved directly in inflammatory bone loss, and also indirectly through the production of LPS-induced host factors such as IL-1 and TNF-α. J. Cell. Physiol. 190: 101–108, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

New polarimeter based on the asymmetry measurement in dp-elastic scattering has been constructed at internal target at Nuclotron (JINR). The result on the deuteron analyzing powers Ay, Ayy and Axx in the deuteron-proton (dp) elastic scattering at the energies of 880 and 2000 MeV are presented. They are compared with different theoretical approaches.

The experimental program on the study of deuteron-proton interaction at Internal Target at Nuclotron is discussed. Recent results on the deuteron vector and tensor analyzing powers in dp -elastic scattering obtained at intermediate energies are presented. The status of the DSS setup upgrade is reported.

Differential cross sections of isoscalar and isovector spin-M1 (0(+)→1(+)) transitions are measured using high-energy-resolution proton inelastic scattering at E(p)=295 MeV on (24)Mg, (28)Si, (32)S, and (36)Ar at 0°-14°. The squared spin-M1 nuclear transition matrix elements are deduced from the measured differential cross sections by applying empirically determined unit cross sections based on the assumption of isospin symmetry. The ratios of the squared nuclear matrix elements accumulated up to E(x)=16 MeV compared to a shell-model prediction are 1.01(9) for isoscalar and 0.61(6) for isovector spin-M1 transitions, respectively. Thus, no quenching is observed for isoscalar spin-M1 transitions, while the matrix elements for isovector spin-M1 transitions are quenched by an amount comparable with the analogous Gamow-Teller transitions on those target nuclei.