Bibliothek

Notizen: Epitaxial growth of C60 is observed for vacuum-deposited crystals on the KI(001) cleavage surface. When the KI surface is kept at 240 °C and the deposition rate is controlled to be less than a monolayer min−1 (∼0.5 nm min−1), rectangular platelike crystals of C60 grow epitaxially. Transmission electron micrographs and electron diffraction patterns of the crystals exhibit that the (002) planes of the face-centered cubic C60 crystal orient in parallel to the KI(001) surface. This epitaxial orientation is explained in terms of thec(2×2) commensurate lattice matching.

Notizen: A green light source of 11 mW (maximum) has been obtained by frequency doubling in 3 at. % Nd:YVO4 lasers pumped by a single longitudinal mode laser diode (LD), for a 50 mW incident pumping power, with grating feedback optics. When the temperature of the LD was changed within the range of 23±10 °C, the oscillated wavelength of the LD remained unchanged, and the relative intensity noise of the green light was maintained to less than −140 dB/Hz (at 2.5 MHz).

Notizen: InGaN single-crystal films were grown on (0001) plane sapphire substrates at 800 °C by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy. By using such a high temperature for growth, the crystalline quality has been greatly improved. But a high nitrogen over pressure and high indium source flow rate were necessary to achieve significant indium incorporation during growth. For the first time, photoluminescence has been observed in InGaN, and near-band edge emission is seen in the photoluminescence at 77 K. From this photoluminescence, the dependence of a near-band edge emission on the indium mole fraction of InGaN has been investigated.

Notizen: To study performance and reproducibility of photodiodes (PDs) on Si in the long-wavelength region, InAlAs/InGaAs metal-semiconductor-metal PDs were fabricated on high-quality heteroepitaxial InP layers on Si substrates. A dark current of 0.5–2×10−8 A and a responsivity of 0.05–0.15 A/W were reproducibly obtained, at least at one of the ±5 V bias voltages. These dark currents and responsivity are similar to those of PDs with the same structure fabricated on InP substrates. The PDs on Si have pulse responses with full widths at half-maximum of 150–600 ps.

Notizen: Two cases of localized multiple neurofibromas are reported. The patients had fairly large, closely grouped neurofibromas limited to a circumscribed part of the body, a very different clinical feature from segmental neurofibromatosis, but with otherwise had typical histopathological features. Possible aetiology is discussed.

Notizen: Human monoclonal anti-single/double-stranded (ss/ds) DNA anlibodies (NE-1 and NE-13) expressed cross-reactive idiotypes (Id), NE-1 Id, which have been delected on the lupus glomeruli-deposited anti-DNA antibodies. The nucleotide sequences of the variable regions of NE-1 and NE-13 clones were analogous except for one nucleotide difference in the Vk region. The VH and Vk gene segments of NE-13 clone were identical with germline genes VH4.21 and Vb(or Vb′). respectively. CDR3sof NE-l and NE-13 heavy chains were arginine rich and CDR1s contained an amino acid stretch. SGYY, the inverted sequence of YYGS. which was shared among CDR3s of several anti-DNA antibodies. Clonal frequency analysis using a limiting dilution method revealed that NE-1 Id-positive clones at precursor cell level increased in lupus patients. These findings suggest that some IgM anti-DNA clones which express NE-1 Id associated with lupus nephritis use germline genes without mutation and they may be preferentially expanded at the precursor cell levels as well as at the mature cell level.

Notizen: As most soil phosphates exist as insoluble inorganic phosphate and organic phosphates, higher plants have developed several strategies for adaptation to low phosphorus (P). These include the secretion of acid phosphatase and organic acids, induction of the inorganic phosphate (Pi) transporter and the substitution of some enzyme activities as alternative pathways to increase P utilization efficiency. It has been proposed that plants also have a ‘pho regulon’ system, as observed in yeast and Escherichia coli; however, the detail of the regulation system for gene expression on P status is still unclear in plants. To investigate the alteration of gene expression of rice roots grown under P-deficient conditions, a transcriptomic analysis was conducted using a cDNA microarray on rice. Based on the changes of gene expression under a –P treatment, the up-regulation of some genes due to P deficiency was confirmed . Some new important metabolic changes are suggested, namely: (1) acceleration of carbon supply for organic acid synthesis through glycolysis; (2) alteration of lipid metabolism; (3) rearrangement of compounds for cell wall; and (4) changes of gene expression related to the response for metallic elements such as Al, Fe and Zn.

Notizen: DNA damage generated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been implicated in ageing and in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease. Reactive oxygen species have also been demonstrated to play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of various renal diseases. They are extremely vulnerable to oxidative stress because mitochondria are the major intracellular source of ROS and have limited protection from oxidative stress. We have found increased accumulation of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), which is a product and bio-marker of oxidative DNA damage, in the mitochondria of glomeruli and tubules in patients with IgA GN. The hOGG1 gene encodes a DNA glycosylase that excises 8-OH-dG from damaged DNA. Recently, genetic polymorphism of Ser(S)326Cys(C) has been reported. In addition, the enzymatic activity of hOGG1 in the repair of 8-OH-dG has been reported to be greater with S than with C.In this study, we investigated the correlation between hOGG1 polymorphism and the clinical phenotypes in Japanese patients with IgA GN. A total of 100 patients with IgAGN with a clinical course of over 7 years duration whose diagnosis was made by renal biopsy were divided into the ‘CRF group’ and the ‘fair group’. The CRF group consisted of 30 patients whose creatinine clearance (Ccr) had fallen to less than 50% of that during the initial period or they had developed end stage renal failure (ESRF). The fair group consisted of 62 patients whose Ccr had been kept at over 80% of that during the initial period, even 7 years after the diagnosis. The patients were genotyped and their clinical findings were compared. One hundred healthy Japanese subjects with normal urinalysis and renal function were analysed. The patients and controls were informed of the ethical approval of this study before entry into the study. The genotype of the hOGG1 gene was determined using the PCR-SSCP method followed by direct sequencing analysis. The details of PCR-SSCP methods have been previously described.1 Clinical and biochemical data were extracted from case records. Blood pressure was evaluated as the average during 1 week of the patient’s hospitalization for a first renal biopsy. Proteinuria was also evaluated as the average data obtained from 24 h collected urine samples for a week. Significant differences in allele frequency and genotype between groups were tested by χ2 test. Biochemical and clinical data were tested by ANOVA and the t-test.We found a high frequency of the C allele in the CRF group compared to the fair group and controls (P 〈 0.05, 〈link href="#t1"〉Table 1). The frequency of ESRF patients was significantly higher among the patients with the CC genotype than in those woth the CS and SS genotype (CC, CS, SS = 50%, 27%, 16%; CC vs CS, P 〈 0.05; CC vs SS, P 〈 0.01; 〈link href="#f1"〉Fig. 1).〈tabular xml:id="t1"〉1〈title type="main"〉 Genotype and allele frequencies in each group 〈mediaResource alt="image" href="urn:x-wiley:13205358:NEP7:NEP_7_t1"/〉〈figure xml:id="f1"〉1〈mediaResource alt="image" href="urn:x-wiley:13205358:NEP7:NEP_7_f1"/〉Frequency of ESRF patients in each group.The creatinine increase rate CC, CS, SS = 0.6090 ± 0.924, 0.1998 ± 0.561, 0.0766 ± 0.2558 mg/dL per year, P 〈 0.05, 〈link href="#t2"〉Table 2) and proteinuria (CC, CS, SS = 1.89 ± 2.24, 1.02 ± 1.07, 1.17 ± 1.57 (g/24 h), P 〈 0.05) were significantly higher in the patients with the C allele than in those with the S allele.〈tabular xml:id="t2"〉2〈title type="main"〉 Creatinine increase rate and proteinuria in each group 〈table frame="topbot"〉〈tgroup cols="5" align="left"〉〈colspec colnum="1" colname="col1" align="left"/〉〈colspec colnum="2" colname="col2" align="center"/〉〈colspec colnum="3" colname="col3" align="center"/〉〈colspec colnum="4" colname="col4" align="center"/〉〈colspec colnum="5" colname="col5" align="left"/〉〈thead valign="bottom"〉〈row rowsep="1"〉CCCSSS〈tbody valign="top"〉Crn increase rate0.6090 ± 0.9240.1998 ± 0.5610.0766 ± 0.2558(mg/dL per year)Proteinuria1.89 ± 2.241.02 ± 1.071.17 ± 1.57(g/24 h)〈note xml:id="t2_note4" numbered="no"〉 P 〈 0.05These findings indicate that the polymorphism of the hOGG1 gene is associated with progression of IgA GN. hOGG1 polymorphism correlates with the amount of proteinuria and a decreasing speed of renal function. In this study, the patients with the CC genotype tended to fall into ESRF. A previous study disclosed that the ability to excise 8-OH-dG is greater with the S allele than with the C allele.2 These facts suggest that accumulation of oxidative DNA damage might be an important factor in the progression of IgA GN. Excision oxidative DNA damage, which is genetically decided, may play an important role in IgA GN.

Notizen: Hatchery-reared juvenile black sea bream Acanthopagrus schlegeli (Bleeker) are characterized by high lipid storage and low levels of highly unsaturated fatty acids in their bodies. In the present study, we assessed the effects of dietary fortification of the diet with eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the improvement of physiological activity. Black sea bream 50 days old with an average weight of 0.02 g were reared for 50 days on either a control diet (commercial diet) or a commercial diet fortified with 3% EPA and DHA. The fortification with EPA and DHA reduced lipid storage in adipocytes in the intraperitoneal cavity, but decreased muscle lipid level. Consequently, the total lipid level decreased in the bodies of the fish. The proportions of EPA and DHA in muscle, liver and adipocytes were markedly increased by diet fortification, and the EPA and DHA proportions did not differ from those of wild fish. The cell diameter of adipocytes was reduced by EPA and DHA fortification. Liver function and resistance to air-dipping were improved by fortification. The results of a starvation test revealed the efficient mobilization of lipid reserves in response to energy demands prior to protein exhaustion in the EPA/DHA-enriched group. The results implied that increasing the incorporation of dietary EPA and/or DHA should be considered in the larval stage of black sea bream culture.