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High power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) is an ionized physical vapor deposition technique, providing a high flux of metal ions to the substrate. However, one of the disadvantages for industrial use of this technique is a reduced deposition rate compared to direct current magnetron sputtering (dcMS) at equal average power. This is mainly due to a high target back-attraction probability of the metal ions with typical values in the range 70%–90% during the pulse. In order to reduce this effect, we focused on the contribution of ion fluxes available immediately after each HiPIMS pulse; a time also known as afterglow. Without a negative potential on the target at this stage of the HiPIMS process, the back-attracting electric field disappears allowing remaining ions to escape the magnetic trap and travel toward the substrate. To quantify the proposed mechanism, we studied the effect of HiPIMS pulse duration on the outward flux of film-forming species in titanium discharges, which are known to exhibit more than 50% reduction in deposition rate compared to dcMS. By shortening the HiPIMS pulse length, it was found that the contribution to the outward flux of film-forming species from the afterglow increases significantly. For example, HiPIMS discharges at a constant peak current density of about 1.10 A cm−2 showed a 45% increase of the deposition rate, by shortening the pulse duration from 200 to 50 μs. Ionized flux fraction measurements, using a gridless quartz crystal micro-balance-based ion meter, showed that this increase of the deposition rate could be achieved without compromising the ionized flux fraction, which remained approximately constant. The key to the achieved optimization of HiPIMS discharges lies in maintaining a high peak discharge current also for short pulse lengths to ensure sufficient ionization of the sputtered species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A six-pole Q-band waveguide filter with a notch frequency above the Q-band has been developed for plasma diagnostics. The previous paper [Nishiura et al., J. Instrum. 10, C12014 (2015)] reported that the notch frequency exists within the standard band. In this study, the newly required notch filter extends the function, which prevents a thorny wave from being mixed into an instrument beyond the standard bandwidth of the waveguide. The mode control technique for cavities realizes a deep and sharp filter shape for Q-band notch filters with 56 and 77 GHz notches, respectively. The former filter has an attenuation more than 50 dB at 56.05 GHz and a bandwidth of 1.1 GHz at −3 dB. The latter filter has an attenuation more than 55 dB at 76.95 GHz and a bandwidth of 1.6 GHz at −3 dB. The electron cyclotron emission imaging and the electron cyclotron emission (ECE) diagnostics for the Q-band implemented a pair of the fabricated filters and demonstrated the ECE measurement successfully in the intense stray radiation from a 56 GHz gyrotron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) is an autoimmune disease that is sometimes complicated with rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RPILD). However, serum and lung biomarkers that can predict RPILD development remain unclear. Objectives: To determine potential serum and lung biomarkers that can predict RPILD development in patients with PM/DM‐ILD. Methods: In total, 49 patients with PM/DM‐ILD were enrolled. We measured the serum levels of 41 cytokines/chemokines, ferritin and anti‐MDA5 antibody, compared them between the RPILD (n = 23) and non‐RPILD (n = 26) groups, and ranked them by their importance through random forest analysis. To distinguish the two groups, we determined biomarker combinations by logistic regression analysis. We also measured the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) levels of 41 cytokines/chemokines. Using immunohistochemistry, we examined IL‐15 expression in lung tissues. The IL‐15 production was also investigated using A549 and BEAS‐2B cells. Results: The RPILD group had significantly higher IL‐15, IL‐1RA, IL‐6, CXCL10, VCAM‐1, anti‐MDA5 antibody and ferritin serum levels than the non‐RPILD group, but it had a significantly low CCL22 level. Meanwhile, anti‐MDA5 antibody, IL‐15, CXCL8, CCL22, IL‐1RA and ferritin were the best combination to distinguish the two groups. IL‐15 and CCL22 were also predictive marker for RPILD development in anti‐MDA5 antibody‐positive patients. Additionally, the RPILD group had significantly high IL‐15 levels in BALF. The lung tissues expressed IL‐15, which increased after cytokine stimulation in the A549 cells. Conclusion: This study identified a combination of biomarkers predicting PM/DM‐RPILD progression, and IL‐15 is an important cytokine for predicting RPILD development and reflecting ILD severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on our combined analysis of HST , VLT/MUSE, VLT/SINFONI, and ALMA observations of the local Seyfert 2 galaxy, NGC 5728 to investigate in detail the feeding and feedback of the active galactic nucleus (AGN). The data sets simultaneously probe the morphology, excitation, and kinematics of the stars, ionized gas, and molecular gas over a large range of spatial scales (10 pc to 10 kpc). NGC 5728 contains a large stellar bar that is driving gas along prominent dust lanes to the inner 1 kpc where the gas settles into a circumnuclear ring. The ring is strongly star forming and contains a substantial population of young stars as indicated by the lowered stellar velocity dispersion and gas excitation consistent with H  ii regions. We model the kinematics of the ring using the velocity field of the CO (2–1) emission and stars and find it is consistent with a rotating disc. The outer regions of the disc, where the dust lanes meet the ring, show signatures of inflow at a rate of 1 M |$\odot$|  yr−1. Inside the ring, we observe three molecular gas components corresponding to the circular rotation of the outer ring, a warped disc, and the nuclear stellar bar. The AGN is driving an ionized gas outflow that reaches a radius of 250 pc with a mass outflow rate of 0.08 M |$\odot$|  yr−1 consistent with its luminosity and scaling relations from previous studies. While we observe distinct holes in CO emission which could be signs of molecular gas removal, we find that largely the AGN is not disrupting the structure of the circumnuclear region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have prepared single-layered Fe–SiO[sub 2] and multilayered Fe–SiO[sub 2]/SiO[sub 2] granular films by rf magnetron sputtering and investigated their magnetic properties and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The magnetization depends strongly on the film thickness for the single-layered films, and on SiO[sub 2] layer thickness for multilayers. In single-layered films, a lot of Fe granules near the film surface are oxidized by air that has penetrated from the surface, resulting in reduction of the net magnetization. With going to the inner layers, the oxidization is suppressed, but upon approaching the substrate considerable oxidation of Fe occurs again by consuming SiO[sub 2]. In the multilayers, the energy shift of Si 2p and O 1s, seen in XPS occurs layer by layer, indicating that the Fe granules react with O and/or Si released from SiO[sub 2]. The rate of oxidation of Fe becomes larger with increasing SiO[sub 2] layer thickness, especially at the layer boundaries. Thus, the change in magnetization can be explained by the oxidization of Fe granules. © 2003 American Institute of Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which observed images of cleaved gallium arsenide (GaAs)(110) surfaces using a reflection optical second harmonic (SH) microscope. Useful features of optical second harmonic generation as a surface probe; Methodology used in the study; SH images of steps and holes on cleaved GaAs(110) surfaces.

Summary: The aim of this study was to determine the expressions of Toll‐like receptors (TLRs) 7–9 and type I interferon (IFN) signal in labial salivary glands (LSGs) and cultured salivary gland epithelial cells (SGECs) from primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) patients. We performed an immunohistochemistry analysis of LSGs from 11 patients with pSS as defined by American–European Consensus Group classification criteria and five healthy subjects. The pSS patients' SGECs were analyzed by immunofluorescence and western blotting. IFN‐α expression was examined by immunosorbent assay and flow cytometry. Mononuclear cells (MNCs) from pSS patients' LSGs showed TLR‐7‐dominant expression. B cells, plasma cells and plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) co‐expressed with TLR‐7. Myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MyD88), tumor necrosis factor receptor‐associated factor 6 (TRAF6) and interferon regulatory factor 7 (IRF7) co‐expressed with the pDC marker CD303 in LSGs. Ducts from pSS patients dominantly expressed TLR‐7, and TLR‐7 in the ducts co‐expressed with MyD88, TRAF6 and IRF7. Type I IFNs including IFN‐α and IFN‐β were detected in MNCs and ducts in pSS patients' LSGs. Increased TRAF6 expression and the nuclear translocation of IRF7 in SGECs were detected by immunofluorescence following loxoribine (a TLR‐7 ligand) stimulation despite IFN‐β pretreatment. Western blotting showed increased TRAF6 expression in SGECs following IFN‐β and loxoribine stimulation. Although no increase in IFN‐α was detected in supernatant from stimulated SGECs, the IFN‐α in supernatant from stimulated peripheral blood pDCs from pSS patients was significantly increased. Our findings suggest that TLR‐7 is dominantly expressed in both MNCs and ducts with downstream signals for type I IFNs, indicating that TLR7‐dominant innate immunity is related to the development of sialadenitis in pSS. Toll‐like receptor 7 and its downstream molecules are strongly expressed in ducts of labial salivary glands from the primary Sjögren's syndrome patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY The inductor losses in a three-phase ac filter inductor used in a three-phase pulse-width modulation (PWM) inverter are evaluated. First, a three-phase inductor is designed to obtain the same value of inductance for each phase. Then, based on the design, a three-phase inductor that uses two magnetic materials is proposed. The conversion efficiency of a 1 kVA three-phase PWM inverter that uses the conventional and proposed ac filter inductors is simulated. Simulation results show that conversion efficiency improves. Finally, the conversion efficiency of an actual three-phase 1 kVA PWM inverter that uses the conventional and proposed ac filter inductors is measured. In the experiment, the conversion efficiency obtained for the case of the proposed inductor improves by approximately 1% at low power load as compared to the conventional inductor. Furthermore, the calculated inductor losses are in good agreement with measured losses. Improvement in efficiency is verified trough simulations and experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use Herschel data to analyze the size of the far-infrared 70 μm emission for z < 0.06 local samples of 277 hosts of Swift-BAT selected active galactic nuclei (AGN), and 515 comparison galaxies that are not detected by BAT. For modest far-infrared luminosities 8.5 10.5 (star formation rates ≳6 M☉ yr-1), possibly because these are typically reached in more compact regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background We performed a clinical and pathological analysis of cases of acute vascular rejection (AVR), characterized by intimal arteritis and transmural arteritis (Banff v score) after kidney transplantation, in an attempt to clarify the mechanisms underlying the development and prognostic significance of AVR. Methods AVR (Banff score: v >0) was diagnosed in 31 renal allograft biopsy specimens (BS) obtained from 31 renal transplant patients receiving follow-up care at the Department of Urology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, between January 2010 and April 2016. Results AVR was diagnosed at a median of 124.6 days after transplantation. Among the 31 BS showing evidence of AVR, AVR was mild (v1 in Banff's classification) in 25 cases, moderate (v2) in 6, and severe (v3) in none. We classified the 31 BS with evidence of AVR by their overall histopathological features as follows: isolated v lesions were observed in 6 BS, acute antibody-mediated rejection (AAMR) in 7, acute T-cell–mediated rejection (ATCMR) in 12, and both ATCR and AAMR in 6. Loss of the renal allograft occurred during the observation period in 3 patients, and, of the remaining cases with functioning grafts, deterioration of renal allograft function after biopsy occurred in only 2 patients. Conclusions The results of our study suggest that ATCMR contributes to AVR in 40% to 60% of cases, AAMR in 20% to 40% of cases, and isolated v lesions in 20% of cases. The prognosis of the patient with the graft that had AVR was relatively good under the present immunosuppression protocol and current anti-rejection therapies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We characterize theKID1&D2 lines in order to determine whether they could complement the 850 nm window, containing the Ca II infrared triplet lines and several Zeeman sensitive photospheric lines, that was studied previously. We investigate the effect of partial redistribution on the intensity profiles, their sensitivity to changes in different atmospheric parameters, and the spatial distribution of Zeeman polarization signals employing a realistic magnetohydrodynamic simulation. The results show that these lines form in the upper photosphere at around 500 km, and that they are sensitive to the line-of-sight velocity and magnetic field strength at heights where neither the photospheric lines nor the Ca II infrared lines are. However, at the same time, we found that their sensitivity to the temperature essentially comes from the photosphere. Then, we conclude that the KI lines provide a complement to the lines in the 850 nm window for the determination of atmospheric parameters in the upper photosphere, especially for the line-of-sight velocity and the magnetic field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We combine the Herschel Space Observatory PACS (Photoconductor Array Camera and Spectrometer) and SPIRE (Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver) photometry with archival WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) photometry to construct the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for over 300 local (z < 0.05), ultrahard X-ray (14-195 keV) selected active galactic nuclei (AGN) from the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) 58-month catalogue. Using a simple analytical model that combines an exponentially cutoff power law with a single temperature modified blackbody, we decompose the SEDs into a host galaxy and AGN component. We calculate dust masses, dust temperatures, and star formation rates (SFRs) for our entire sample and compare them to a stellar mass-matched sample of local non-AGN galaxies. We find AGN host galaxies have systematically higher dust masses, dust temperatures, and SFRs due to the higher prevalence of late-type galaxies to host an AGN, in agreement with previous studies of the Swift/BAT AGN. We provide a scaling to convert X-ray luminosities into 8-1000 μmAGN luminosities, as well as determine the bestmid-to-far IR colours for identifying AGN-dominated galaxies in the IR regime. We find that for nearly 30 per cent of our sample, the 70 μm emission contains a significant contribution from theAGN (>0.5), especially at higher luminosities (L14-195 keV > 1042.5 erg s-1). Finally, we measure the local SFR-AGN luminosity relationship, finding a slope of 0.18, large scatter (0.37 dex), and no evidence for an upturn at high AGN luminosity. We conclude with a discussion on the implications of our results within the context of galaxy evolution with and without AGN feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We combine the Herschel Space Observatory PACS (Photoconductor Array Camera and Spectrometer) and SPIRE (Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver) photometry with archival WISE (Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer) photometry to construct the spectral energy distributions (SEDs) for over 300 local (z < 0.05), ultrahard X-ray (14-195 keV) selected active galactic nuclei (AGN) from the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) 58-month catalogue. Using a simple analytical model that combines an exponentially cutoff power law with a single temperature modified blackbody, we decompose the SEDs into a host galaxy and AGN component. We calculate dust masses, dust temperatures, and star formation rates (SFRs) for our entire sample and compare them to a stellar mass-matched sample of local non-AGN galaxies. We find AGN host galaxies have systematically higher dust masses, dust temperatures, and SFRs due to the higher prevalence of late-type galaxies to host an AGN, in agreement with previous studies of the Swift/BAT AGN. We provide a scaling to convert X-ray luminosities into 8-1000 μmAGN luminosities, as well as determine the bestmid-to-far IR colours for identifying AGN-dominated galaxies in the IR regime. We find that for nearly 30 per cent of our sample, the 70 μmemission contains a significant contribution from theAGN (>0.5), especially at higher luminosities (L14-195 keV > 1042.5 erg s-1). Finally, we measure the local SFR-AGN luminosity relationship, finding a slope of 0.18, large scatter (0.37 dex), and no evidence for an upturn at high AGN luminosity. We conclude with a discussion on the implications of our results within the context of galaxy evolution with and without AGN feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This study showed that autoimmune arthritis induces especially severe osteoporosis in the periarticular region adjacent to inflamed joints, suggesting that arthritis increases the fragility fracture risk near inflamed joints, which is frequently observed in patients with RA. Introduction: Periarticular osteoporosis near inflamed joints is a hallmark of early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here we show that rheumatic inflammation deteriorates the bone quality and bone quantity of periarticular bone, thereby decreasing bone strength and toughness in a mouse model of RA. Methods: Female BALB/c mice and SKG mice, a mutant mouse model of autoimmune arthritis on the BALB/c background, were used. At 12 weeks of age, BALB/c mice underwent either Sham surgery or bilateral ovariectomy (OVX), and SKG mice underwent intraperitoneal injection of mannan to induce arthritis. Eight weeks later, the mice were killed and the femurs and tibias were subjected to micro-computed tomography, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic imaging, X-ray diffraction, histology, and mechanical testing. Results: SKG mice developed significant trabecular bone loss in both the distal metaphysis of the femur and the lumbar vertebral body, but the extent of the bone loss was more severe in the distal metaphysis. Neither SKG nor OVX mice exhibited changes in the geometry and matrix properties of the diaphysis of the femur, whereas SKG mice, but not OVX mice, did exhibit changes in these properties in the distal metaphysis of the femur. Bone strength and fracture toughness of the distal metaphysis of the tibia adjacent to the inflamed ankle joint were significantly decreased in SKG mice. Conclusions: Autoimmune arthritis induces periarticular osteoporosis, characterized by deterioration of cortical bone geometry and quality as well as by trabecular bone loss, leading to severe bone fragility in periarticular bone adjacent to inflamed joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future solar missions and ground-based telescopes aim to understand the magnetism of the solar chromosphere. We performed a supporting study in Quintero Noda et al. focused on the infrared CaII 8542Å line and we concluded that it is one of the best candidates because it is sensitive to a large range of atmospheric heights, from the photosphere to the middle chromosphere. However, we believe that it is worth trying to improve the results produced by this line observing additional spectral lines. In that regard, we examined the neighbourhood solar spectrum looking for spectral lines which could increase the sensitivity to the atmospheric parameters. Interestingly, we discovered several photospheric lines which greatly improve the photospheric sensitivity to the magnetic field vector. Moreover, they are located close to a second chromospheric line which also belongs to the Ca II infrared triplet, i.e. the Ca II 8498Å line, and enhances the sensitivity to the atmospheric parameters at chromospheric layers. We conclude that the lines in the vicinity of the Ca II 8542Å line not only increase its sensitivity to the atmospheric parameters at all layers, but also they constitute an excellent spectral window for chromospheric polarimetry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar pores are active regions with large magnetic field strengths and apparent simple magnetic configurations. Their properties resemble the ones found for the sunspot umbra although pores do not showpenumbra. Therefore, solar pores present themselves as an intriguing phenomenon that is not completely understood. We examine in this work a solar pore observed with Hinode/SP using two state of the art techniques. The first one is the spatial deconvolution of the spectropolarimetric data that allows removing the stray light contamination induced by the spatial point spread function of the telescope. The second one is the inversion of the Stokes profiles assuming local thermodynamic equilibrium that let us to infer the atmospheric physical parameters. After applying these techniques, we found that the spatial deconvolution method does not introduce artefacts, even at the edges of the magnetic structure, where large horizontal gradients are detected on the atmospheric parameters. Moreover, we also describe the physical properties of the magnetic structure at different heights finding that, in the inner part of the solar pore, the temperature is lower than outside, the magnetic field strength is larger than 2 kG and unipolar, and the line-of-sight velocity is almost null. At neighbouring pixels, we found low magnetic field strengths of same polarity and strong downward motions that only occur at the low photosphere, below the continuum optical depth log τ =-1. Finally, we studied the spatial relation between different atmospheric parameters at different heights corroborating the physical properties described before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The next generation of space- and ground-based solar missions aim to study the magnetic properties of the solar chromosphere using the infrared Ca II lines and the He I 10830 Å line. The former seem to be the best candidates to study the stratification of magnetic fields in the solar chromosphere and their relation to the other thermodynamical properties underlying the chromospheric plasma. The purpose of this work is to provide a detailed analysis of the diagnostic capabilities of the Ca II 8542 Å line, anticipating forthcoming observational facilities. We study the sensitivity of the Ca II 8542 Å line to perturbations applied to the physical parameters of reference semi-empirical 1D model atmospheres using response functions and we make use of 3D magnetohydrodynamics simulations to examine the expected polarization signals for moderate magnetic field strengths. Our results indicate that the Ca II 8542 Å line is mostly sensitive to the layers enclosed in the range log τ = [0, -5.5], under the physical conditions that are present in our model atmospheres. In addition, the simulated magnetic flux tube generates strong longitudinal signals in its centre and moderate transversal signals, due to the vertical expansion of magnetic field lines, in its edge. Thus, observing the Ca II 8542 Å line we will be able to infer the 3D geometry of moderate magnetic field regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract We report a case of living related renal transplantation that used the recipient's saphenous vein as a graft to extend the length of the right donor renal vein. A 41-year-old woman underwent ABO-incompatible living related renal transplantation from her 74-year-old mother in November 2014. A retroperitoneal laparoscopic right donor nephrectomy was performed, because the right kidney showed a cyst on preoperative computed tomography. As the right kidney after donor nephrectomy had a short renal vein and the kidney was large at 280 g, anastomosis with the external iliac vein was difficult. Therefore, we obtained the recipient's 15-cm-long right saphenous vein and created a 1 cm saphenous vein graft. We anastomosed 1 side of the saphenous vein graft to the allograft renal vein in bench surgery and performed end-to-side anastomosis of the other end to the recipient's external iliac vein. The allograft renal artery was used to perform end-to-end anastomosis to the recipient's internal iliac artery. Allograft kidney function was good after transplantation. When the longer axis of the renal graft vein is short, as in the right kidney, a saphenous vein graft may be useful. Highlights • A 41-year-old woman underwent ABO-incompatible living related renal transplantation. • A retroperitoneal laparoscopic right donor nephrectomy was performed, because the right kidney showed a cyst on preoperative computed tomography. • As the right kidney after donor nephrectomy had a short renal vein and the kidney was large (280 g), anastomosis with the external iliac vein was difficult. • We obtained the recipient's 15-cm-long right saphenous vein and created a 1 cm saphenous vein graft. • We anastomosed 1 side of the saphenous vein graft to the allograft renal vein in bench surgery and performed end-to-side anastomosis of the other to the recipient's external iliac vein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a structuration approach to reach a high luminous transmittance (T l u m ) and solar modulation efficiency (Δ T s o l ) of thermochromic vanadium dioxide ( VO 2 ) thin films. Before starting optical simulations, we confirm that the optical properties of monoclinic VO 2 continuous films deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering show a good correspondence with numerical results. Then, calculations on ordered VO 2 nanostripes demonstrate an enhanced transmittance due to the presence of vertical openings, leading to a variety of photonic effects. A series of optimizations by varying the column width, period, and film thickness establishes that 20 nm wide and 10 nm separated nanostripes have a Δ T s o l of 14.2% and a T l u m of 47.6% for a film thickness of 250 nm. In comparison to a dense film without nanostructuring, the film transparency (related to T l u m ) is significantly enhanced, while Δ T s o l remains unchanged. Furthermore, this also translates into a favorable, less opaque color, so the geometry could be useful for various thermochromic applications, such as smart windows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar limb observations sometimes reveal the presence of a satellite lobe in the blue wing of the Stokes I profile from pixels belonging to granules. The presence of this satellite lobe has been associated in the past to strong line-of-sight gradients and, as the line-of-sight component is almost parallel to the solar surface, to horizontal granular flows. We aim to increase the knowledge about these horizontal flows studying a spectropolarimetric observation of the north solar pole. We will make use of two state of the art techniques, the spatial deconvolution procedure that increases the quality of the data removing the stray light contamination, and spectropolarimetric inversions that will provide the vertical stratification of the atmospheric physical parameters where the observed spectral lines form. We inverted the Stokes profiles using a two component configuration, obtaining that one component is strongly blueshifted and displays a temperature enhancement at upper photospheric layers while the second component has low redshifted velocities and it is cool at upper layers. In addition, we examined a large number of cases located at different heliocentric angles, finding smaller velocities as we move from the centre to the edge of the granule. Moreover, the height location of the enhancement on the temperature stratification of the blueshifted component also evolves with the spatial location on the granule being positioned on lower heights as we move to the periphery of the granular structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present far-infrared (FIR) and submillimetre photometry from the Herschel Space Observatory's Spectral and Photometric Imaging Receiver (SPIRE) for 313 nearby (z < 0.05) active galactic nuclei (AGN). We selected AGN from the 58 month Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) catalogue, the result of an all-sky survey in the 14-195 keV energy band, allowing for a reduction in AGN selection effects due to obscuration and host galaxy contamination. We find 46 per cent (143/313) of our sample is detected at all three wavebands and combined with our Photoconductor Array Camera and Spectrometer (PACS) observations represents the most complete FIR spectral energy distributions of local, moderate-luminosity AGN. We find no correlation among the 250, 350, and 500 μm luminosities with 14-195 keV luminosity, indicating the bulk of the FIR emission is not related to the AGN. However, Seyfert 1s do show a very weak correlation with X-ray luminosity compared to Seyfert 2s and we discuss possible explanations. We compare the SPIRE colours (F250/F350 and F350/F500) to a sample of normal star-forming galaxies, finding the two samples are statistically similar, especially after matching in stellar mass. But a colour-colour plot reveals a fraction of the Herschel-BAT AGN are displaced from the normal star-forming galaxies due to excess 500 μm emission (E500). Our analysis shows E500 is strongly correlated with the 14-195 keV luminosity and 3.4/4.6 μm flux ratio, evidence the excess is related to the AGN. We speculate these sources are experiencing millimetre excess emission originating in the corona of the accretion disc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Klinefelter syndrome (KS) (47, XXY) is the most common sex chromosome abnormality in humans. KS is characterized by gynecomastia, tall stature, small testes, low testosterone levels, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems. KS is also associated with infertility due to non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). The mechanism underlying NOA is still poorly understood, and although there is no current treatment, the use of microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) followed by in vitro fertilization can result in successful conception. The generation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells derived from KS patients may be useful for studying the disease mechanism and identifying novel therapies. Methods: Cells from a KS patient were transduced with Sendai viral vectors encoding four transcription factors, OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and C-MYC, and the transduced cells were analyzed for in vitro and in vivo pluripotency. Results: KS patient-derived iPS cells were successfully generated and shown to produce teratomas in the testes of SCID mice. In vitro differentiation of the iPS cells into cardiomyocyte-like cells was confirmed by the presence of clusters of beating cells. Conclusions: KS patient-derived iPS cells that could differentiate into cardiomyocyte-like cells were established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The outer solar atmosphere, i.e., the corona and the chromosphere, is replete with small energyrelease events, which are accompanied by transient brightening and jet-like ejections. These events are considered to be magnetic reconnection events in the solar plasma, and their dynamics have been studied using recent advanced observations from the Hinode spacecraft and other observatories in space and on the ground. These events occur at different locations in the solar atmosphere and vary in their morphology and amount of the released energy. The magnetic field configurations of these reconnection events are inferred based on observations of magnetic fields at the photospheric level. Observations suggest that these magnetic configurations can be classified into two groups. In the first group, two anti-parallel magnetic fields reconnect to each other, yielding a 2D emerging flux configuration. In the second group, helical or twisted magnetic flux tubes are parallel or at a relative angle to each other. Reconnection can occur only between anti-parallel components of the magnetic flux tubes and may be referred to as component reconnection. The latter configuration type may be more important for the larger class of small-scale reconnection events. The two types of magnetic configurations can be compared to counter-helicity and co-helicity configurations, respectively, in laboratory plasma collision experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a polarization modulation unit (PMU) to rotate a waveplate continuously in order to observe solar magnetic fields by spectropolarimetry. The non-uniformity of the PMU rotation may cause errors in the measurement of the degree of linear polarization (scale error) and its angle (crosstalk between Stokes- $Q$ and - $U$), although it does not cause an artificial linear polarization signal (spurious polarization). We rotated a waveplate with the PMU to obtain a polarization modulation curve and estimated the scale error and crosstalk caused by the rotation non-uniformity. The estimated scale error and crosstalk were ${<}\, 0.01~\%$ for both. This PMU will be used as a waveplate motor for the Chromospheric Lyman-Alpha SpectroPolarimeter (CLASP) rocket experiment. We confirm that the PMU performs and functions sufficiently well for CLASP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the location of an ultra-hard X-ray selected sample of active galactic nuclei (AGN) from the Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) catalogue with respect to the main sequence (MS) of star-forming galaxies using Herschel-based measurements of the star formation rate (SFR) and M*'s from Sloan Digital Sky Survey photometry where the AGN contribution has been carefully removed. We construct the MS with galaxies from the Herschel Reference Survey and Herschel Stripe 82 Survey using the exact same methods to measure the SFR and M* as the Swift/BAT AGN. We find that a large fraction of the Swift/BAT AGN lie below the MS indicating decreased specific SFR (sSFR) compared to non-AGN galaxies. The Swift/BAT AGN are then compared to a high-mass galaxy sample (CO Legacy Database for GALEX Arecibo SDSS Survey, COLD GASS), where we find a similarity between the AGN in COLD GASS and the Swift/BAT AGN. Both samples of AGN lie firmly between star-forming galaxies on the MS and quiescent galaxies far below the MS. However, we find no relationship between the X-ray luminosity and distance from the MS. While the morphological distribution of the BAT AGN is more similar to star-forming galaxies, the sSFR of each morphology is more similar to the COLD GASS AGN. The merger fraction in the BAT AGN is much higher than the COLD GASS AGN and star-forming galaxies and is related to distance from the MS. These results support a model in which bright AGN tend to be in high-mass star-forming galaxies in the process of quenching which eventually starves the supermassive black hole itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) is the third endogenous gasotransmitter besides carbon monoxide and nitric oxide, and has a wide range of physiological functions such as neuromodulation, vasorelaxation and cytoprotection. Although in human prostate cancer cells, NaHS (a H 2 S donor) treatment was reported to inhibit proliferation and to elevate secretory function, physiological functions of H 2 S in the prostate tissue had not been investigated yet. Endogenous H 2 S is biosynthesized from L-cysteine by cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE). In addition, 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (MPST) synthesizes H 2 S from 3-mercaptopyruvate (3MP), which is produced from L-cysteine by cysteine aminotransferase (CAT) (CAT/MPST pathway). Recently, a new pathway for endogenous H 2 S biosynthesis is reported; D-cysteine is metabolized by D-amino acid oxidase (DAO) to 3MP, which is a substrate for MPST to synthesize H 2 S. We investigated (1) tissue distribution of CBS, CSE, MPST, CAT and DAO, (2) endogenous H 2 S levels, and (3) effects of NaHS on contractility in the rat prostate. Dorsolateral and ventral prostate (PR-D and PR-V), liver and cerebellum (L and C) were prepared from male Wistar rats (300-400 g) sacrificed with an overdose of sodium pentobarbital (80 mg/kg, ip). (1) Tissue distributions of 5 enzymes were investigated by real-time PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry. L and C were used for positive controls. (2) H 2 S contents in the prostate tissues were measured by methylene blue method. (3) By using 1 x 5 mm strips of the prostate tissues, effects of NaHS (1 x 10-9 to 3 x 10-4 M) were evaluated on pre-contracted prostate strips by noradrenaline (10-5 M). Prostate strips were pretreated with propranolol (10-6 M) 30 min before the pre-contraction. (1) CBS, MPST and CAT were detected in the prostate. Expression levels of CBS in the PR-D were lower than those in the PR-V, and the levels of MPST in the PR-D were higher than those in the PR-V. In expression levels of CAT, there was no significant difference between two prostate tissues. On the other hand, CSE or DAO was not detected in these tissues. Immunoreactvities of these enzymes were mainly detected in the prostate glandular epithelium. (2) H 2 S was detected in the prostate tissues. (3) NaHS dose-dependently induced relaxation of pre-contracted PR-D and PR-V strips. There were no significant differences of the EC 50 values or relaxation rate against the pre-contractions between two prostate tissues. H 2 S synthesized by CBS- and CAT/MPST-mediated pathways has a role as an endogenous relaxation factor in the rat prostate. Therefore, endogenous H 2 S might open new avenues of therapeutic interventions for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Work supported by industry: no. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hinode Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) successfully observed the transit of Venus with an unprecedented high spatial resolution on 5 - 6 June 2012, providing images of the aureole refracted by the atmosphere of Venus and the dark Venus disk against the bright solar surface. The transit of Venus provided a unique opportunity for calibrating the plate scale of SOT images. With the examination of the radius of the dark Venus disk, we determined the plate scale of G-band 430.5 nm images with high accuracy: 0.05369±0.00005 arcsec pixel. The radius was defined at the intensity level of the 0.5 transmittance and compared with the angular radius of Venus including the thickness of the atmosphere determined with the measurements of SPICAV onboard Venus Express. Thanks to the high spatial resolution, SOT images show that the dark Venus can be well represented by an ellipse. We observed 7.6 km difference in altitude between the equator and the polar regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contents In this study, the expressions of VEGF in dog follicles were detected by immunohistochemistry and the effects of VEGF treatment on the primordial to primary follicle transition and on subsequent follicle progression were examined using a dog ovary organ culture system. The frozen-thawed canine ovarian follicles within slices of ovarian cortical tissue were cultured for 7 and 14 days in presence or absence of VEGF. After culture, the ovaries were fixed, sectioned, stained and counted for morphologic analysis. The results showed that VEGF was expressed in the theca cells of antral follicles and in the granulosa cells nearest the oocyte in preantral follicle but not in granulosa cells of primordial and primary follicles; however, the VEGF protein was expressed in CL. After in vitro culture, VEGF caused a decrease in the number of primordial follicles and concomitant increase in the number of primary follicles that showed growth initiation and reached the secondary and preantral stages of development after 7 and 14 days. Follicular viability was also improved in the presence of VEGF after 7 and 14 days in culture. In conclusion, treatment with VEGF was found to promote the activation of primordial follicle development that could provide an alternative approach to stimulate early follicle development in dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel statistical model for the cooperative binding of monomeric ligands to a linear lattice is developed to study the interaction of ionic surfactant molecules with flexible polyion chain in dilute solution. Electrostatic binding of a ligand to a site on the polyion and hydrophobic associations between the neighboring bound ligands are assumed to be stochastic processes. Ligand association separated by several lattice points within defined width is introduced for the flexible polyion. Model calculations by the Monte Carlo method are carried out to investigate the binding behavior. The hypothesis on the ligand association and its width on the chain are of importance in determining critical aggregation concentration and binding isotherm. The results are reasonable for the interpretations of several surfactant-flexible polyion binding experiments. The implications of the approach are presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both tacrolimus and glycopeptide antibiotics are known to be nephrotoxic, and are often concomitantly given after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation ( HSCT) or solid organ transplantation. The aim of this study is to evaluate the nephrotoxicity of concomitant use of tacrolimus and glycopeptide antibiotics in HSCT recipients. We retrospectively evaluated 67 patients who received intravenous tacrolimus and teicoplanin concomitantly for >4 days after allogeneic HSCT for hematologic diseases. Therapeutic drug monitoring ( TDM) was performed in all patients for both tacrolimus and teicoplanin. The median age of the patients was 48 years (range: 16-62), and the median duration of the co-administration of tacrolimus and teicoplanin was 11 days (range: 4-40). The mean serum creatinine (sCr) level tended to be elevated after the co-administration (from 0.69 ± 0.26 to 0.75 ± 0.30 mg/dL; P = 0.08); however, a 2-fold or greater increase in sCr was observed only in 2 (3.0%) patients. Increased sCr was reversible, and no patient required hemodialysis. These results suggest that the incidence of clinically significant nephrotoxicity can be minimized if the TDM of each drug is properly applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contents The regulation of granulosa cell proliferation is complex, and it is essential for normal follicular development in mammals. The aim of this study was to examine the expression of cyclins and their inhibitors in the granulosa cells of follicles at different developmental stages. Follicles were classified into three groups: oestrogen-inactive dominant follicles ( EIDs), oestrogen-active dominant follicles ( EADs) and pre-ovulatory follicles ( POs). The expression of CCND2 ( cyclin D2) m RNA was significantly higher in granulosa cells from EADs and POs than in those from EIDs. The expression of CCND3 (cyclin D3) m RNA was significantly higher in granulosa cells from EADs than in those from other follicles. CCND1 (cyclin D1), CCNE1 ( cyclin E1) and CCNE2 ( cyclin E2) m RNA expression did not differ among the different follicular stages. The expression of CDKN1A (p21 cip1 ) and CDKN1B (p27 kip1 ) m RNA was significantly higher in granulosa cells from EIDs and POs, respectively, than in those from other follicles. Expression of CDKN2D ( p19 INK4d) m RNA did not differ among the different follicular stages. Taken together, our study suggested that cyclins and their inhibitors are associated with granulosa cell proliferation at specific follicular developmental stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caries is a multifactorial disease and little is still known about the host genetic factors influencing susceptibility. Our previous genome-wide linkage scan has identified the interval 5q12.1-5q13.3 as linked to low caries susceptibility in Filipino families. Here we fine-mapped this region in order to identify genetic contributors to caries susceptibility. Four hundred and seventy-seven subjects from 72 pedigrees with similar cultural and behavioral habits and limited access to dental care living in the Philippines were studied. DMFT scores and genotype data of 75 single-nucleotide polymorphisms were evaluated in the Filipino families with the Family-Based Association Test. For replication purposes, a total 1,467 independent subjects from five different populations were analyzed in a case-control format. In the Filipino cohort, statistically significant and borderline associations were found between low caries experience and four genes spanning 13 million base pairs (PART1, ZSWIM6, CCNB1, and BTF3). We were able to replicate these results in some of the populations studied. We detected PART1 and BTF3 expression in whole saliva, and the expression of BTF3 was associated with caries experience. Our results suggest BTF3 may have a functional role in protecting against caries. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present results of our power spectral density (PSD) analysis of 30 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) using the 58 month light curves from Swift's Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) in the 14-150 keV band. PSDs were fit using a Monte Carlo based algorithm to take into account windowing effects and measurement error. All but one source were found to be fit very well using an unbroken power law with a slope of ~-1, consistent at low frequencies with previous studies in the 2-10 keV band, with no evidence of a break in the PSD. For five of the highest signal-to-noise ratio sources, we tested the energy dependence of the PSD and found no significant difference in the PSD at different energies. Unlike previous studies of X-ray variability in AGNs, we do not find any significant correlations between the hard X-ray variability and different properties of the AGN including luminosity and black hole mass. The lack of break frequencies and correlations seem to indicate that AGNs are similar to the high state of Galactic black holes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: High porosity metal foams were produced using a SWS (Space holders & Whipped Slurry) process that uses EPS (Expanded polystyrene) beads as space holders and a whipped slurry of a metal powder and a water solution of PVA (Polyvinyl alcohol). First, the slurry is whipped and mixed with EPS beads, then molded, and finally frozen and left for 24h to form a gel. After being thawed, the precursor thus obtained is desiccated, decomposed all binders and polystyrenes and sintered. The result is high porosity metal foam that maintains the molded shape. When stainless steel powder is used in this simple process, metal foams with a porosity ranging from 90% to 97%, plateau stress from 4 to 0.4MPa and thermal conductivity from 0.5 to 0.1W/mK are produced. Pore size can be controlled by using different sizes of EPS beads. This simple process can be used to produce metal foams of high porosity at high throughput. Also, this process can be used to reduce production costs using coarser and cheaper powder. Such coarse powder foam has lower thermal conductivity, and thus can be used as a thermal insulator. These low cost metal foams can expand these applications such as filters, thermal insulators, shock absorbers and acoustic insulators. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In cows, postpartum uterine infection due to bacteria that produce lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or peptidoglycan (PGN) leads to ovarian dysfunction. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of LPS and/or PGN on estradiol production from granulosa cells from small and large follicles in the bovine ovary. Granulosa cells from small and large ovarian follicles were exposed to LPS and/or PGN in vitro. LPS inhibited the expression of TLR4, CD14, MD2 and NOD1 genes in FSH-treated granulosa cells from small follicles. LPS suppressed estradiol (E2) production in granulosa cells from small and large follicles, while PGN inhibited E2 production in granulosa cells from large follicles. LPS or PGN did not affect granulosa cell survival. Although LPS alone suppressed E2 production in granulosa cells from small and large follicles, E2 production was not further suppressed when PGN was added to culture medium with LPS alone. Our data demonstrated that susceptibility to LPS or PGN in granulosa cells depends on the follicle developmental stage. The results of the present study suggest that ovarian dysfunction in cows with postpartum uterine infection may be caused by inhibitory effects of LPS and PGN on E2 production in granulosa cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A novel motor surge voltage suppression method is proposed herein. The features of the proposed method are that: 1) there is no requirement for an LC filter for suppression of the motor surge voltage on the motor terminal; 2) the energy stored in the main power cable, which causes the motor surge voltage, is regenerated to the inverter dc-bus line; and 3) the motor surge voltage suppression effect is not influenced by the power cable length. Therefore, the proposed method offers advantages in terms of volume and efficiency compared with conventional surge suppression methods. The circuit configuration of the proposed system is presented and the operation principle is explained. The method used to design the circuit parameters is also presented. The effectiveness of the surge voltage suppression of the proposed method is confirmed experimentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that the evolution of resistance of microorganisms to a range of different antibiotics presents a major problem in the control of infectious diseases. Accordingly, new bactericidal 'agents' are in great demand. Using a cold atmospheric pressure (CAP) plasma dispenser operated with ambient air, a more than five orders of magnitude inactivation or reduction of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA; resistant against a large number of the tested antibiotics) was obtained in less than 10 s. This makes CAP the most promising candidate for combating nosocomial (hospital-induced) infections. To test for the occurrence and development of bacterial resistance against such plasmas, experiments with Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive bacteria (Enterococcus mundtii) were performed. The aim was to determine quantitative limits for primary (naturally) or secondary (acquired) resistance against the plasma treatment. Our results show that E. coli and E. mundtii possess no primary resistance against the plasma treatment. By generating four generations of bacteria for every strain, where the survivors of the plasma treatment were used for the production of the next generation, a lower limit to secondary resistance was obtained. Our results indicate that CAP technology could contribute to the control of infections in hospitals, in outpatient care and in disaster situations, providing a new, fast and efficient broad-band disinfection technology that is not constrained by bacterial resistance mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular dynamics simulation using the reactive force field was performed to investigate the stability and formation mechanisms of organic porous thin films made of 1,3,5-tris(4-carboxyphenyl) benzene (BTB) molecules fabricated at the air/water interface. A single-layer honeycomb structure is found to be unstable, whereas thicker films are stable, which is consistent with experimental findings. The slight corrugation of the existing film produces local charge variation that attracts isolated molecules via the Coulomb interaction. When the isolated molecule approaches the film, a hydrogen bond is formed, and then the molecule adjusts the adsorption configuration by itself to maximize both horizontal and vertical intermolecular interactions. The key to the initial hydrogen bond formation is suggested to be the density of the molecules provided in the system as well as the spontaneous alignment of the BTB molecules to the solution/water interface. Our study showed that the BTB film is stable, and the molecules are self-assembled without external forces in the quasi-two-dimensional system. These results suggest that the dominant factor for the film formation at the air/water interface is interactions among BTB molecules and confinement to the two-dimensional space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Progesterone has long been known to have central effects, by reduced anaesthetic requirements as measured by minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) in various settings. However, other studies have contradicted these findings. Therefore, we compared the effect of progesterone on anaesthetic requirements in a mouse model.Methods: Male C57BL/6 mice were treated with either progesterone (37.5 or 75 mg kg(-1)) or the olive oil vehicle, 1 h before each experiment. Animals were placed in a revolving cylinder (4 rev min(-1)) and supplied with oxygen and stepwise increasing concentrations of sevoflurane. The number of complete rollovers during revolution of the chamber was counted as a measure of anaesthetic requirement.Results: S.C. administration of progesterone 75 mg kg(-1) significantly reduced sevoflurane requirement (P<0.0001). Progesterone 37.5 mg kg(-1) did not change sevoflurane requirement.Conclusions: We conclude that administration of exogenous progesterone injection at higher concentrations decreases anaesthetic requirement as defined by rolling response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cell of origin of tumors and the factors determining the cell of origin remain unclear. In this study, a mouse model of precursor B acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (pre-B ALL/LBL) was established by retroviral transduction of Myc genes (N-Myc or c-Myc) into mouse bone marrow cells. Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) exhibited the highest susceptibility to N-Myc-induced pre-B ALL/LBL versus lymphoid progenitors, myeloid progenitors and committed progenitor B cells. N-Myc was able to induce pre-B ALL/LBL directly from progenitor B cells in the absence of Ink4a and Arf. Arf was expressed higher in progenitor B cells than Ink4a. In addition, N-Myc induced pre-B ALL/LBL from Arf−/− progenitor B cells suggesting that Arf has a predominant role in determining the cell of origin of pre-B ALL/LBL. Tumor cells derived from Ink4a/Arf−/− progenitor B cells exhibited a higher rate of proliferation and were more chemoresistant than those derived from wild-type HSCs. Furthermore, the Mdm2 inhibitor Nutlin-3 restored p53 and induced massive apoptosis in mouse pre-B ALL/LBL cells derived from Ink4a/Arf−/− cells and human B-ALL cell lines lacking Ink4a and Arf expression, suggesting that Mdm2 inhibition may be a novel therapeutic approach to the treatment of Ink4a/Arf−/− B-ALL/LBL, such as is frequently found in Ph+ ALL and relapsed ALL. Collectively, these findings indicate that Ink4a and Arf are critical determining factors of the cell of origin and the therapeutic sensitivity of Myc-induced lymphoid tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The so-called zigzag edge of graphenes has localized and strongly spin-polarized electrons. However, magnetoresistance (MR) behavior associated with the edge electrons has not been reported in graphenes. Here, we measure MR of graphene antidot-lattices, honeycomb-like arrays of hexagonal antidots with a large ensemble of hydrogen-terminated and low-defect antidot edges, prepared by a nonlithographic method using nanoporous alumina templates. We find anomalous MR oscillations arising from localized electron spins existing at the antidot edges. These are promising for realization of spintronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction: Histopathologic change of acute vascular rejection (AVR) is characterized by intimal arteritis and transmural arteritis. In this report, we discuss the clinicopathologic analysis of AVR cases after renal transplantation. Patients: AVR was diagnosed in 28 renal transplant recipients followed up in our institute between January 2003 and November 2010. Results: Among 28 cases of AVR, 18 were mild (v1 in Banff 07 classification), 8 were moderate (v2), and 2 were severe (v3). Interstitial inflammation was present in 25 biopsy specimens. Moderate to severe tubulitis (t2–t3) was present in 10 biopsy specimens and transplant glomerulitis in 17; peritubular capillaritis was in 25 of the 28 biopsy specimens. C4d deposition in peritubular capillaries was observed in 11/28 cases. By using assays with plastic beads coated with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) in the 28 cases, we detected circulating anti-HLA alloantibody in 18 patients, among which 11/28 were donor-specific. Acute antibody-mediated rejection was diagnosed in 6 cases. Among AVR cases, 19/28 displayed steroid-resistant rejection (SRR) requiring greater anti-rejection therapy (ART), including muromonab CD3 injection, gusperimus injections, plasmapheresis, intravenous immune globulin, and/or rituximab injections. Twenty of 28 patients recovered renal allograft function after ART, and 26/28 grafts are functioning. Among the 2 cases of graft loss, only 1 patient lost his graft due to AVR. Conclusions: In some cases, AVR might be provoked by anti-donor antibodies. The prognosis of the graft exhibiting AVR was relatively good using available immunosuppression. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

ABSTRACT We analyse the multiwavelength photometric and spectroscopic data of 12 ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) at z∼ 1 and compare them with models of stars and dust in order to study the extinction law and star formation in young infrared (IR) galaxies. Five extinction curves, namely the Milky Way (MW), the pseudo-MW which is MW-like without the 2175 Å feature, the Calzetti and two supernova (SN) dust curves are applied to the data by combining with various dust distributions, namely the uniform dust screen, the clumpy dust screen, the internal dust geometry, and the composite geometry with a combination of dust screen and internal dust. Employing a minimum χ2 method, we find that the foreground dust screen geometry, especially combined with the 8-40 M⊙ SN extinction curve, provides a good approximation to the real dust geometry, whereas internal dust is only significant in two galaxies. The SN extinction curves, which are flatter than the others, reproduce the data of eight (67 per cent) galaxies better. Dust masses are estimated to be in excess of ∼108 M⊙. The inferred ages of the galaxies are small, eight of which range from 10 to 650 Myr. The SN-origin dust is the most plausible to account for the vast amount of dust masses and the flat slope of the observed extinction law. The inferred dust mass per SN ranges from 0.01 to 0.4 M⊙ per SN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate the levitation of diamond fine particles in a H2 rf plasma chamber equipped with a hot filament and heated electrodes. The levitation conditions should be carefully chosen to compensate the strong thermophoretic forces caused by the filament and the electrodes. This levitation technique with the existence of a hot filament can be applied, e.g., for the efficient growth of diamond layers on seed particles injected and levitated in an rf plasma with reactive gases, e.g., CH4/H2. Additionally, the method for direct capture of levitated particles on a planar substrate was established, which is useful if it is necessary to analyze the particles after the levitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contents Many metabolic hormones, growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin affect ovarian functions. However, whether ovarian steroid hormones affect metabolic hormones in cattle remains unknown. This study aimed to determine the effect of sex steroids on the plasma profiles of GH, IGF-I and insulin and their receptors in the liver and adipose tissues of dairy cows. Ovariectomized cows (n = 14) were randomly divided into four groups: control group (n = 3) was treated with saline on Day 0; oestradiol (E2) group (n = 3), with saline and 1 mg oestradiol benzoate (EB) on Day 0 and 5, respectively; progesterone (P4) group (n = 4) with two CIDRs (Pfizer Inc., Tokyo, Japan) from Day 0; and E2 + P4 group (n = 4) with two CIDRs on Day 0 that were removed on Day 6 and were immediately injected with 1 mg EB. The animals were euthanized after the experiment, and liver and adipose tissues samples were quantitatively analysed using real-time PCR for the expression of mRNA for the GH (GHR), IGF-I (IGFR-I) and insulin (IR) receptor mRNAs. Oestradiol benzoate significantly increased the number of peaks (p < 0.05), pulse amplitude (p < 0.05) and area under the curve (AUC; p < 0.01) for plasma GH; moreover, it increased plasma IGF-I concentration (p < 0.05), but it had no effect on the plasma insulin profile. P4 significantly decreased the AUC (p < 0.01), compared with the control group, whereas it did not affect the number of peaks and the amplitude of GH pulses. P4 + E2 did not affect the GH pulse profile. E2 increased the mRNA expression of GHR, IGFR-I and IR in the liver (p < 0.05), whereas both P4 and E2 + P4 did not change their expressions. Our results provide evidence that the metabolic and reproductive endocrine axes may regulate each other to ensure optimal reproductive and metabolic function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider the dynamics of chemotaxis in the model bacterium Escherichia coli. We analyze both its molecular mechanisms and the functional causes governing the evolution of the observed behaviors. We review molecular models of the transduction network controlling the bacterial chemotaxis in response to chemoattractant binding to the receptors. In particular, recent progress stimulated by FRET experiments is presented for statistical physics allosteric models. The response function to a pulse of chemoattractant is expressed in terms of microscopic parameters of the allosteric models. The functional causes for the shape of the response function, as measured in experimental tethering assay, are then investigated. A hydrodynamic equation, valid for space-time scales larger than the microscopic running length and time, is derived for the position of a swimming bacterium. It is then shown how optimization over the microscopic parameters of the response function yields the curve observed experimentally. In particular, the observed property of adaptation to the background level of aspartate emerges as being produced by fluctuations in the space-time chemoattractant profiles sensed by bacteria along their trajectories. This functional cause is distinct from arguments based on the extension of the dynamical range. Future directions and experiments to probe the adaptation of E. coli chemotaxis to the environmental conditions and its response to realistic space-time chemoattractant stimuli are finally discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The usefulness of graphene for electronics has been limited because it does not have an energy bandgap. Although graphene nanoribbons have non-zero bandgaps, lithographic fabrication methods introduce defects that decouple the bandgap from electronic properties, compromising performance. Here we report direct measurements of a large intrinsic energy bandgap of ∼50 meV in nanoribbons (width, ∼100 nm) fabricated by high-temperature hydrogen-annealing of unzipped carbon nanotubes. The thermal energy required to promote a charge to the conduction band (the activation energy) is measured to be seven times greater than in lithographically defined nanoribbons, and is close to the width of the voltage range over which differential conductance is zero (the transport gap). This similarity suggests that the activation energy is in fact the intrinsic energy bandgap. High-resolution transmission electron and Raman microscopy, in combination with an absence of hopping conductance and stochastic charging effects, suggest a low defect density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of cancer is due to the growth and proliferation of transformed normal cells. Recent evidence suggests that the nature of oncogenic stress and the state of the cell of origin critically affect both tumorigenic activity and tumor histological type. However, this mechanistic relationship in mesenchymal tumors is currently largely unexplored. To clarify these issues, we established a mouse osteosarcoma (OS) model through overexpression of c-MYC in bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) derived from Ink4a/Arf (−/−) mice. Single-cell cloning revealed that c-MYC-expressing BMSCs are composed of two distinctly different clones: highly tumorigenic cells, similar to bipotent-committed osteochondral progenitor cells, and low-tumorigenic tripotent cells, similar to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). It is noteworthy that both bipotent and tripotent cells were capable of generating histologically similar, lethal OS, suggesting that both committed progenitor cells and MSCs can become OS cells of origin. Shifting mesenchymal differentiation by depleting PPARγ in tripotent MSC-like cells and overexpressing PPARγ in bipotent cells affected cell proliferation and tumorigenic activity. Our findings indicate that differentiation potential has a key role in OS tumorigenic activity, and that the suppression of adipogenic ability is a critical factor for the development of OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]