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Leading-edge (LE) noise is a common source of broadband noise for fans that can be suppressed using appended LE serrations. We conduct an integrated study of the morphological effects of interval, length, and inclination angle of owl-inspired LE serrations on the aeroacoustic characteristics of a mixed flow fan using experiments, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and the Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings (FWH) analogy. A novel method for surface noise strength (SNS) visualization was developed based on the FWH analogy with large-eddy simulations to accurately quantify the spatial distributions of acoustic sources. A CFD-informed index is proposed to evaluate the severity of flow separation with the pressure gradient and verified to be effective in examining the chord-wise separation. Acoustic measurements show the robust trade-off solving capability of the serrations under various morphologies, and the SNS visualizations indicate that the separation-induced LE noise is suppressed considerably. One-third octave analyses suggest that extending serration length can lower separation noise more effectively than shrinking the interval over 100–3000 Hz. A smaller interval is more desirable while an optimal length exists in association with tonal noise. Moreover, small inclination angles ([Formula: see text]) enable the deceleration of oncoming flows with stagnation relieved, and consequently, further suppress the LE noise, by a flow-buffering effect. Heavy inclination angles ([Formula: see text]) induce an additional tip vortex, causing high-coherence turbulence impingement noise and resulting in a drastic increase in broadband noise at frequencies exceeding 4000 Hz. Our study, thus, clarifies the morphological effects of LE serrations on aeroacoustic signatures of rotary devices while providing useful methods for acoustic analyses.

Inspired by bird wings that enable robust aerodynamic force production and stable flight, we propose a biomimetic blade design for small wind turbines that is capable of achieving a high integral power coefficient, Cp, over a broad range of tip-speed ratios, λ, and hence enhances robustness in aerodynamic performance. We first developed a basic blade design with bird-inspired flexed wing morphology and investigated its aerodynamic characteristics with computational fluid dynamics. Our results demonstrated that the swept-forward shaped portion proximal to wing root augmented Cp at smaller λ, whereas the distal swept-backward shaped portion improved Cp at larger λ. We further conducted a morphology optimization and developed an optimized flexion blade that is capable of achieving a remarkably improved Cp over a broad range of λ. To evaluate the aerodynamic robustness under variable tip-speed ratios in an integral way, we here propose a new Robustness Index (Ri) and find that the optimized-flexion blade outperforms a conventional blade based on Blade Element Momentum Theory by 8.1%, indicating marked robustness in power output. Our results indicate that of great potential for wind turbines robustness-oriented biomimetic blade design can be a practical and effective methodology in wind-based sustainable energy harvesting.

While the leading-edge serration in owls’ wing is known to be responsible for low noise gliding and flapping flights, the findings on its aero-acoustic role have been diverse or even controversial. Here we present an experimental study of the morphological effects of leading-edge serrations on aerodynamic force production by utilizing owl-inspired, single-feather, clean and serrated wing models with different serration lengths and spacing, and by combining Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and force measurements. Force measurements show that an increase in the length and density of the leading-edge serrations leads to a reduction in the lift coefficient and lift-to-drag ratio at Angles of Attack (AoAs) 15°, which owl wings often reach in flight. Furthermore PIV visualization of the flow fluctuations demonstrates that the leading-edge serration-based mechanism is consistent in all serrated wing models in terms of passive control of the laminar-turbulent transition while at AoAs > 15° similar suction flow is present at leading edge resulting in a comparable aerodynamic performance to that of the clean wing. Our results indicate the robustness and usefulness of leading-edge serration-inspired devices for aero-acoustic control in biomimetic rotor designs.

We examined the diet of young Northern Goshawks Accipiter gentilis before and after fledging through the direct observation of prey items delivered by a single pair breeding in central Tokyo. Observations were conducted from 13 May to 14 August 2015. Three hundred prey items primarily belonging to five bird species and two genera of mammals were recorded both before and after fledging. The species contributing most to the total diet were White-cheeked Starling Spodiopsar cineraceus and Feral Pigeon Columba livia, with pigeons contributing most to total biomass followed by White-cheeked Starling. Prey item composition differed between the periods before and after fledging. After fledging, the contribution of White-cheeked Starling to the diet decreased, whereas that of pigeon increased.

There is an increasing need in industry for noise reduction in fans. Inspired by owls' silent flight, we propose four owl-inspired blade designs for a mixed-flow fan to examine whether leading-edge (LE) and/or trailing-edge (TE) serrations can resolve the tradeoff between sound suppression and aerodynamic performance. We investigate the blades' aeroacoustic characteristics through various experimental methods and large-eddy simulation (LES)-based numerical analyses. Experimental results suggest that 'slotted', simply-fabricated LE serrations can achieve a lowering of the noise level while sustaining the aerodynamic performance of the fan, whereas TE serrations fail. In addition, the inclination angle can improve LE serration performance in aeroacoustic and aerodynamic performance with a reduction in the specific noise level by around 1.4 dB. LES results and noise spectral analysis indicate that the LE serrations can suppress flow separation, reducing the broadband noise at low-to-middle frequencies (40-4k Hz). This passive-flow-control mechanism, likely due to local higher incidence angles associated with LE serrations, is capable of alleviating the intensive pressure gradient while suppressing wall-pressure fluctuations over the LE region, hence weakening the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. The tonal noise also shows a marked reduction at the highest peak frequency associated with fan-vane interaction. Moreover, we find that the high-frequency noise by-product radiates mainly from the LE serrations andsurroundings, due to the small eddies broken up when the vortical flows pass through the LE serrations. Our results demonstrate that the biomimetic design of the LE serrations can facilitate the break-up of LE vortices passively and effectively without negatively impacting aerodynamic performance, which can be utilized as an effective device to improve the aeroacoustic performance of fan blades.

Flight is a complicated task at the centimetre scale particularly due to unsteady air fluctuations which are ubiquitous in outdoor flight environments. Flying organisms deal with these difficulties using active and passive control mechanisms to steer their body motion. Body attitudes of flapping organisms are linked with their resultant flight trajectories and performance, yet little is understood about how isolated unsteady aerodynamic phenomena affect the interlaced dynamics of such systems. In this study, we examined freely flying bumblebees subject to a single isolated gust to emulate aerodynamic disturbances encountered in nature. Bumblebees are expert commanders of the aerial domain as they persistently forage within complex terrain elements. By tracking the three-dimensional dynamics of bees flying through gusts, we determined the sequences of motion that permit flight in three disturbance conditions: sideward, upward and downward gusts. Bees executed a series of passive impulsive maneuvers followed by active recovery maneuvers. Impulsive motion was unique in each gust direction, maintaining control by passive manipulation of the body. Bees pitched up and slowed down at the beginning of recovery in every disturbance, followed by corrective maneuvers which brought body attitudes back to their original state. Bees were displaced the most by the sideward gust, displaying large lateral translations and roll deviations. Upward gusts were easier for bees to fly through, causing only minor flight changes and minimal recovery times. Downward gusts severely impaired the control response of bees, inflicting strong adverse forces which sharply upset trajectories. Bees used a variety of control strategies when flying in each disturbance, offering new insights into insect-scale flapping flight and bio-inspired robotic systems. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper., Summary: The effect of atmospheric gusts on the flight trajectories of bumblebees, reporting motion of flight influenced by gusts along with flapping-enabled control strategies that could be necessary elements of flight at this scale.

Owls are widely known for silent flight, achieving remarkably low noise gliding and flapping flights owing to their unique wing morphologies, which are normally characterized by leading-edge serrations, trailing-edge fringes and velvet-like surfaces. How these morphological features affect aerodynamic force production and sound suppression or noise reduction, however, is still not well known. Here we address an integrated study of owl-inspired single feather wing models with and without leading-edge serrations by combining large-eddy simulations (LES) with particle-image velocimetry (PIV) and force measurements in a low-speed wind tunnel. With velocity and pressure spectra analysis, we demonstrate that leading-edge serrations can passively control the laminar-turbulent transition over the upper wing surface, i.e. the suction surface at all angles of attack (0° AoA 20°), and hence play a crucial role in aerodynamic force and sound production. We find that there exists a tradeoff between force production and sound suppression: serrated leading-edges reduce aerodynamic performance at lower AoAs 15° compared to clean leading-edges but are capable of achieving both noise reduction and aerodynamic performance at higher AoAs 15° where owl wings often reach in flight. Our results indicate that the owl-inspired leading-edge serrations may be a useful device for aero-acoustic control in biomimetic rotor designs for wind turbines, aircrafts, multi-rotor drones as well as other fluid machinery.

The inhibitory effects of L-type Ca2+ channel antagonists on Na cholate-induced in vitro excystment (CIIE) of Paragonimus ohirai metacercariae were studied. At concentrations of 10 microM, nicardipine and nimodipine inhibited CIIE completely and by approximately 92%, respectively. Nitrendipine and (+/-)-verapamil inhibited CIIE by about one half and one third, respectively. Nifedipine and diltiazem did not inhibit CIIE significantly. At higher concentrations, nitrendipine at 20 microM completely inhibited CIIE, and (+/-)-verapamil at 40 microM inhibited CIIE by 93%. Nifedipine and diltiazem inhibited CIIE only slightly and little, respectively, even at 40 microM. Complete inhibition by nicardipine at 10 microM required preincubation of metacercariae with the antagonist for 15 min. The inhibitory effects of nicardipine and nimodipine were reversible, and most of the nimodipine-treated metacercariae could excyst within 1 h after being washed, but the nicardipine-treated ones started to excyst 1 h after washing. Nicardipine suppressed the active movement of encysted juveniles evoked by Na cholate, whereas nimodipine did not suppress this significantly. These results suggested that L-type Ca2+ channels appeared to be involved in CIIE of P. ohirai metacercariae and that the inhibitory effect of the channels was due primarily to factors other than the inhibition of muscular activity, probably involving the secretion and release of enzymes lytic against the metacercarial cyst wall.

To examine cellular changes after diploid-tetraploid transformation in mammalian cells, tetraploid Meth-A cells, which were established from diploid cell line, were compared to the parent diploid cells for serum dependence of growth. Tetraploid Meth-A cells showed a high tolerance for low serum concentrations and could proliferate in a serum-free medium, differing from the parent diploid cells. It was suggested that diploid-tetraploid transition of Meth-A cells resulted in induction of a new cellular function, being that hyperploid cells can proliferate in sever circumstance for nutriments.

Allergens present in the excretory/secretory (ES) products of adult Paragonimus ohirai were biochemically identified. Immunoblot analysis using sera from P. ohirai-infected rats revealed only two allergens to be major proteins in the ES products, with apparent molecular masses (Mr) of 27 and 29 kD. As the ES products contained a high proportion of acidic and neutral cysteine proteinases, we examined whether or not the allergens and the cysteine proteinases were identical. The acidic and neutral cysteine proteinases were biochemically purified from the ES products and showed Mr of 27 and 29 kD, respectively. The two cysteine proteinases had almost identical N-terminal amino acid sequences and were reactive with specific IgE in sera from the infected rats. The allergenicity of the cysteine proteinases was confirmed by 48-hour homologous passive cutaneous anaphylaxis. Immunoblot and immunocapture assays using anti-human IgE monoclonal antibody showed that the proteinase allergens were reactive with specific IgE of patients with paragonimiasis westermani. Also, the cysteine proteinases were reactive with specific IgG of both the infected rats and the patients. Therefore the acidic and neutral cysteine proteinases prepared from the ES products of P. ohirai will be useful allergens and antigens for the immunodiagnosis of paragonimiasis.

Polyploid cells are made by DNA reduplication without cell division, however, it is not easy to establish polyploid mammalian cell lines. It is worth studying the difference in cell character between hyperploid and parent cell lines. Meth-A cells were polyploidized by demecolcine, K-252a, staurosporine and paclitaxel. The cell-cycle responses of highly polyploid Meth-A cells after the removal of the drugs were examined by flow cytometry (FCM). Meth-A cells were highly polyploidized by these drugs. The polyploid Meth-A cells gradually decreased in ploidy after the drug release. A tetraploid Meth-A cell line was established only from the demecolcine-induced polyploid Meth-A cells. The duration of G1, S and G2/M phases of the tetraploid cell line were mostly the same as those of the parent diploid cells, except that the G2/M phase was 1.5 h longer. The chromosome number of tetraploid Meth-A cell line was about twice of the diploidy. A tetraploid Meth-A cell line was established.

An enzyme-linked immunsorbent assay (ELISA) using worm extract antigens from lung flukes of Paragonimus westermani provided good sensitivity to sera from patients with paragonimiasis westermani but high cross-reactivity with sera from most fascioliasis patients and some patients with onchocerciasis or clonorchiasis. To improve the specificity, we tested an ELISA using fluke cysteine proteinases as antigens. Cysteine proteinases were partially purified from the excretory/secretory products of P. westermani by 40-75% ammonium sulfate fractionation, hydrophobic chromatography, and arginine affinity chromatography. An ELISA using the enzyme preparation not only had increased sensitivity to paragonimiasis westermani sera but also reduced cross-reactivity with the fascioliasis, onchocerciasis, and clonorchiasis sera to negligible levels. The reactivity of the ELISA to paragonimiasis miyazakii sera was similar to that of paragonimiasis westermani sera. A proteinase preparation from P. ohirai, which can be obtained easily from infected rats, provided similar results. Therefore, the ELISA using cysteine proteinases of Paragonimus could not distinguish the parasite species with which patients were infected, but it is a valuable assay with which to immunodiagnose paragonimiasis even when the proteinases are prepared from nonhuman species.

An IgM monoclonal antibody (mAb) that reacted with the gut epithelium and luminal contents of adult Paragonimas obirai was prepared from a mouse immunized with the excretory/secretory (ES) products of the parasite. The mAb reacted with the same sites not only of immature worms and newly excysted juveniles of P. ohirai , but also of adult worms of other Paragonimus species, such as P. westermani and P. miyazakii . The mAb did not react with adult antigens prepared from any other helminth parasites. Thus, the mAb is a genus-specific antibody against the gut-associated antigen. Immunoblotting revealed that two antigens with molecular masses (M r s) of 27 and 29 kDa were present in the ES products of adult P. ohirai , whereas four antigens with M r 27, 29, 36, and 38 kDa were detected in adult worm extract. Partially purified fractions containing acidic and neutral cysteine proteinases have 27 and 29 kDa protein molecules reactive with the mAb. The possibilities that the 36 and 38 kDa antigens may be precursors of these proteinases are discussed.

To study the cognitive function in 13 patients with sequelae of subacute myelo-optico-neuropathy (SMON), event-related potentials (ERPs) were elicited with tones, clicks, and colored visual stimuli in different tasks. P300 latency was delayed, and P300 amplitude reduced or absent in 5 patients (38%), although neuropsychological assessment for dementia did not differ between patients and 21 age-matched normal controls. P300 and N200 latencies with the tone/tone auditory stimuli and N200 latency with the visual stimuli were significantly delayed, but the latencies of early components (N100 and P200) were not delayed. These findings suggest that SMON patients may have cognitive dysfunction to a slight degree.

Cognitive potential using two-tone auditory discrimination task has been widely used as a standard and useful test to quantify the severity of cognitive dysfunction. According to our experience, however, this method (the T method), sometimes cannot be performed even in normal elderly subjects because of difficult discrimination between these two different tone bursts. In order to overcome this disadvantage, we developed two other methods which had easier discrimination tasks: one using a tone burst and click sound (the C method), and the other using red and green color (the V method). We adopted these three methods to 64 normal adults and aged subjects whose age ranged from 20 to 88 years old. As a result, most of the P3 latency and amplitude in all subjects tested correlated significantly among these three methods. Any peak latency of P3 correlated significantly (p < 0.05) and positively with age, but the rate of increment of latency per year differed. For example, the value recorded from the Cz scalp site was 0.77 ms/year in the T method, 1.05 ms/year in the C method, and 1.67 ms/year in the V method, respectively. The rate of undetected P3 potential in aged subjects more than 60 years old was higher in the T method (3/18 subjects = 17%) than by both the C and V methods (1/19 subjects = 5%). In conclusion, the effect of age on P3 latency varied according to method and our new technique was sufficiently applicable to elderly subjects.

Pain-related somatosensory evoked potentials (pain SEPs) following CO2 laser stimulation as well as conventional electrically stimulated SEPs (electric SEPs) were examined in 10 patients with peripheral neuropathies in whom the histopathological examination of the sural nerve was done. Results of pain SEPs showed a positive relationship with clinical impairment of pain sensation and densities of small myelinated fibers of the sural nerve. In contrast, results of electric SEPs showed a positive relationship with clinical impairment of deep and tactile sensations and with densities of large myelinated fibers of the sural nerve. Therefore, pain SEPs are considered to be generated by ascending signals mediated through nociceptive receptors and A delta fibers. The pain SEP is only one noninvasive and objective method currently available to investigate a physiological condition of the sensory pathway responsible for pain sense, and is especially useful when combined with the conventional electric SEPs.

The tegumental glycocalyx of excysted juvenile (EJ) of Paragonimus ohirai was immunobiochemically characterized using a monoclonal antibody (MS-Mab). HPLC gel filtration showed that the antigens detected by two-site ELISA had a molecular weight of greater than or equal to 2 x 10(6) Da (dextran marker). On reduced SDS-PAGE, the glycocalyx antigen retained in the stacking gel was cleaved into several much smaller antigens after pronase treatment. The antigenic activity of the glycocalyx was stable in two-site ELISA to heat and acid treatments, but sensitive to alkali, periodate, base/borohydride, and pronase treatments. Precipitin formation in immunodouble diffusion between MS-Mab and EJ crude antigen was inhibited only by two monosaccharides: galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine. The purified glycocalyx bound strongly to PNA lectin, fairly well to RCA120 lectin, and slightly to SBA lectin, but not to Con A, WGA, UEA-1, DBA, or LFA lectins. Exo-beta-galactosidase treatment increased SBA binding, whereas it decreased PNA binding. PNA was observed to strongly bind to the body surface of living EJ. The antigenic activity of the glycocalyx was remarkably lost by incubation with exo-beta-galactosidase and O-glycanase. The glycocalyx was reactive with sera of P. ohirai-infected rats, and its reactivity was remarkably reduced by O-glycanase treatment. The ELISA level was higher in sera at an early stage of infection than in a late one. These studies show that the EJ tegumental glycocalyx is antigenic in infection, a marked, high molecular weight glycoprotein containing antigenic O-linked sugars, and that the sugar epitope is at the nonreducing terminal of the O-linked sugars and is composed of galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine.

We measured six apolipoproteins (apo AI, AII, B, CII, CIII, and E) by turbidimetric method using an automatic discrete biochemical analyzer and commercially available antisera. The turbidimetric method was compared with the single radial immunodiffusion method. Linearity for serum apolipoprotein assay by the automated turbidimetric method was better than by the single immuno-diffusion method. The linearity by the turbidimetric method was 2.5 G/L for AI, 1.0 G/L for AII, 4.5 G/L for B, 0.12 G/L for CII, 0.3 G/L for CIII, and 0.12 G/L for E. The presence of high concentrations of bilirubin (up to 0.15 G/L) and hemoglobin (up to 50 G/L) interfered with apolipoprotein measurement. Comparison of the immunoturbidimetric and the single radial immunodiffusion (SRID) methods showed excellent coefficients of correlation, r = 0.963, 0.896, 0.846, 0.936, 0.972, and 0.937 for apo AI, AII, B, CII, CIII, and E, respectively. Reference ranges for the six apolipoproteins were determined by using sera from 450 healthy subjects and were 1.4 +/- 0.3 G/L for AI and 0.3 +/- 0.01 for E. The observed levels of AII (P less than 0.001), B (P less than 0.01), and CIII (P less than 0.01) were significantly higher in males. The serum levels of apo B, CII, and E showed a gradual increase with age which was more prominent in females than in males. The levels of apo AI, AII decreased significantly over an 11 day period in 22 patients with myocardial infarction.

Non-specific suppression of the immune response was investigated in Brugia pahangi-infected Lewis rats. The proliferative response of peripheral blood lymphocytes or splenic non-adherent cells to mitogens was significantly reduced by B. pahangi infection. The degree of hyporesponsiveness of splenic non-adherent cells to mitogens was comparable between microfilaremic and non-microfilaremic animals. The suppressed proliferative response of splenic non-adherent cells was restored by blocking with anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody. After separation of T cells into CD4+ and CD8+ subpopulations, only CD8+ T cells from B. pahangi-infected rats suppressed the proliferative response of normal spleen cells to concanavalin A. CD8+ T cells from normal rats had no suppressive effect. On the other hand, the proliferative response of CD4+ T cells to concanavalin A was comparable between normal and infected rats. These results suggest that CD8+ T cells participate in the non-specific suppression of immune response in experimental filariasis.

The role of mast-cell-derived eosinophil chemotactic factor A (ECF-A) on eosinophil-rich periovular granuloma formation was examined by using mast-cell-deficient WBB6F1W/Wv mice infected with Schistosoma japonicum. The average size of granulomas formed around newly deposited eggs in the liver of W/Wv mice was significantly smaller than that observed in control +/+ mice. The number of adult worms recovered or specific IgE titers were comparable between W/Wv and +/+ mice. In contrast, immediate-type hypersensitivity response to specific antigen and dialyzable low-molecular weight ECF in the serum was detectable only in infected +/+ mice. When naive bone marrow eosinophils were incubated with the dialyzable fraction of infected +/+ mice sera, chemotactic reactivity of eosinophils to ECF derived from S. japonicum eggs was significantly enhanced, although that to synthetic ECF-A was depressed. Similar effects were observed when naive eosinophils were treated with synthetic ECF-A. The dialyzable fraction of infected W/Wv mice sera had no such modulating effect on the chemotactic reactivity of eosinophils. These results suggest that an immediate-type hypersensitivity reaction is important in the formation of eosinophilic granulomas around S. japonicum eggs, mainly through the modulating effect of mast-cell-derived ECF-A on the chemotactic reactivity of eosinophils.

The inhibitory effects of various ion channel blockers were examined on in vitro excystment of Paragonimus ohirai metacercariae induced by a bile salt, sodium cholate. At a concentration of 10 microM, bepridil, a non-selective Ca(2+) channel blocker, completely inhibited in vitro excystment, whereas TEA, lidocaine, and R(+)-IAA-94, channel blockers against K(+), Na(+) and Cl(-) ions, respectively, benzamil, an Na(+)/H(+) and Na(+)/Ca(2+) ion exchanger blocker, and R(+)-DIOA, a [K(+), Cl(-)] cotransporter inhibitor, did not. Considering the previous result that Ca(2+) ionophores are also efficient inducing factors for in vitro excystment of P. ohirai metacercariae and the present result, bile salts appear to induce the excystment of P. ohirai metacercariae through evoking the Ca(2+) channels of target cells within the metacercarial juveniles.

Ca2+ ionophores (A23187 and ionomycin) induced in vitro excystment of Paragonimus ohirai metacercariae, whereas Na+ ionophore (monensin) and K+ ionophores (nigericin and valinomycin) did not. The effect of A23187 on in vitro excystment was dependent on the concentration of the ionophore. A high concentration of 1 microM or more induced rapid excystment, but resulted in the death of metacercarial juveniles. The appropriate concentration of 0.2 microM induced in vitro excystment by 5 h after incubation with little or no damage to the juveniles.

We investigated the skeletal muscle voltage-gated chloride channel gene (CLCN1) in two unrelated Japanese patients with Becker's myotonia congenita. The non-myotonic parents of each patient were consanguineous. The proband of each family shares generalized myotonia, transient weakness after rest, and leg muscle hypertrophy. However, the disease severity related to the degree of myotonia differed, even in view of the response to long train nerve stimulation tests. CLCN1 gene analysis revealed a novel Ala659Val missense mutation identified to be homozygous in the more severe patient, while a novel Gln445Stop nonsense mutation was present in the other patient. Both mutations were absent in 90 Japanese normal controls. This is the first report of Japanese cases of Becker's myotonia congenita with CLCN1 gene mutations.

Cultured Meth-A cells always include a small fraction of large cells, which had a DNA content above 4c (polyploid cells). The process from the formation to the disintegration of polyploid Meth-A cells was measured by means of time-lapse videography. Polyploid Meth-A cells arose spontaneously from normal cells (polyploidization), then died by apoptosis. The fraction of polyploid cells gradually increased in seven day-exponential cultures with a low concentration of demecolcine, which is a specific inhibitor of cell division. The results revealed that the polyploid Meth-A cells are generated from normal cells by failing cell division and that they die by apoptosis.

We measured six apolipoproteins (AI, AII, B, CII, CIII, and E) in the serum of patients with several kinds of neural diseases [diabetic neuropathy and neural degenerative disorders (motor neuron degenerative disorders, spinocerebellar degeneration, Parkinson's disease)], comparing them to the age-matched healthy controls using the immunoturbidimetric method. Statistically significant decreases of serum apo-AI, apo-A-II and increases of apo-CIII, apo-E were observed in neural degenerative diseases; and, particularly, higher apo-B and apo-CII concentrations were observed in diabetic neuropathy. Most neural degenerative disease showed lower apo-AII. However, in motor neuron degenerative disorders, higher apo C-II and apo-E were seen. Lower apo-AI was seen in spinocerebellar degeneration, and lower apo-AII was seen in Parkinson's disease. Higher apo-B, CII, and E levels were observed in females with spinocerebellar degeneration and Parkinson's disease, and lower apo-AII was seen in males with spinocerebellar disease.

Monoclonal antibodies against infective third-stage larvae (L3) of Brugia pahangi were generated from mice immunized with L3 antigens. The monoclonal antibodies were L3 stage-specific or stage-nonspecific. A BpG1 monoclonal antibody (IgG1 subclass) showing L3 stage-specificity was examined in detail. BpG1 recognized the surface of B. pahangi L3 and also reacted with the surface of Brugia malayi L3 but not with the surface of filarial worms of other genera, such as Acanthocheilonema viteae and Litomosoides carinii. BpG1 promoted cellular adhesion to the surface of B. pahangi L3. BpG1 bound on living L3 was shed but the shedding rate was relatively slow. The surface antigen recognized by BpG1 had a molecular weight of 58 kDa. It was stable to heat and periodate treatments but sensitive to trypsin digestion and was released from living L3 by SDS but not by Triton X-100 or CTAB. Preincubation of L3 with BpG1 significantly reduced the recovery rate of worms compared with the preincubation with a monoclonal antibody (IgG1 subclass) against the inner tissues of B. pahangi L3 or control supernatant of P3U1 myeloma cells. This result suggests that the antigen containing the BpG1 epitope may be one of the targets of a protective immune response against Brugia infection.

This is the first full report on the genetic linkage between Japanese Huntington's disease and the DNA markers D4S10 and D4S43/S127. With use of the HindIII, BglI, and EcoRI polymorphisms detected at D4S10, and the combination of all these polymorphisms to give composite haplotypes, nine Japanese Huntington's disease families were found to be informative. Three recombinants for D4S10 were detected in these families, giving a maximum lod score of 1.662 at a theta of 0.10. Similarly, when we used the MspI and PvuII polymorphisms detected by D4S43/S127, five families gave informative results. No recombinant was detected in these families, giving a maximum lod score of 3.348 at a theta of 0.00. These results clearly support the view that the Japanese Huntington's disease gene may be identical with the Western gene, in spite of the lower prevalence rate in Japan.