Abstract
We describe the first ever implementation of a clock-based, multi-stage emulsion shifter in an accelerator neutrino experiment. The system was installed in the neutrino monitoring building ...at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex as part of a test experiment, T60, and stable operation was maintained for a total of 126.6 days. By applying time information to emulsion films, various results were obtained. Time resolutions of 5.3–14.7 s were evaluated in an operation spanning 46.9 days (yielding division numbers of 1.4–3.8
$\times10^{5}$
). By using timing and spatial information, reconstruction of coincident events consisting of high-multiplicity and vertex-contained events, including neutrino events, was performed. Emulsion events were matched to events observed by INGRID, one of the on-axis near detectors of the T2K experiment, with high reliability (98.5%), and hybrid analysis of the emulsion and INGRID events was established by means of the multi-stage shifter. The results demonstrate that the multi-stage shifter can feasibly be used in neutrino experiments.
The availability of microsites suitable for the establishment of Shorea curtisii seedlings mainly depends on the topography and distance from the mother tree. Approximately 90% of seedlings are ...located within 30 m of the mother tree in a selectively logged forest. However, whether these results are also applicable to a primary forest remains unclear. Since some S. curtisii seedlings have a considerably long survival time on the forest floor, some seedlings in a selectively logged forest may be derived from the trees that have already been cut down, which may affect statistical analysis. Here, we investigated and statistically analysed the relationships between seedling density and topographic index, distance from the mother tree and angle of the slope in a primary forest. In the fitted model, distance from the mother tree and topographic index were significantly correlated with seedling density. We conclude that microsites suitable for the establishment of S. curtisii seedlings are limited by topography and distance from the mother tree not only in a selectively logged forest but also in a primary forest.
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BFBNIB, DOBA, FFLJ, IZUM, KILJ, NMLJ, NUK, ODKLJ, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The host components and commensal microorganisms of the intestinal microenvironment play roles in the development and maintenance of the host defence. Recent observations have suggested that ...toll-like receptors (TLRs) are involved in the recognition of innate immunity against intestinal microbes. However, little is known regarding the role of TLR in the maintenance of systemic host defence by intestinal microorganisms. We studied the expression and function of TLR4 and TLR2 on alveolar and peritoneal macrophages in mice after 3 weeks of oral administration of streptomycin and cefotaxime. After active treatment, the intestinal microorganisms were nearly completely eradicated, and the surface expression of TLR4 and TLR2 on the peritoneal macrophages was prominently downregulated. When the actively treated mice were challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a TLR4 ligand, the host response was markedly impaired. Our results suggest that the oral administration of antimicrobials downregulates the expression of surface TLR on the peritoneal macrophages and modulates the host immune responses against LPS by modifying the intestinal environment.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
The INGRID(Interactive Neutrino GRID) detector is designed to measure the neutrino beam direction with a precision better than 1mrad for T2K experiment. INGRID consists of 16 modules and placed ...around the beam center at 280m downstream of the proton beam target. The module is a sandwich of iron targets and scintillator tracking planes which consist of X–Y layers. We have constructed all scintillator tracking planes and measured light yield of all scintillators. Currently we install 1st module into the detector hall and cosmic events are observed. INGRID is ready for 1st neutrino event from April 2009.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
The T2K (Tokai-to-Kamioka) is a long baseline neutrino experiment designed to study various parameters that rule neutrino oscillations, with an intense beam of muon neutrinos. A near detector complex ...(ND280) is used to constrain non-oscillated flux and hence to predict the expected number of events in the far detector (Super-Kamiokande). The difference in the target material between the far (water) and near (scintillator, hydrocarbon) detectors leads to the main non-canceling systematic uncertainty for the oscillation analysis. In order to reduce this uncertainty a new water grid and scintillator detector, WAGASCI, has been proposed. The detector will be operated at the J-PARC neutrino beam line with the main physics goal to measure the charged current neutrino cross section ratio between water and hydrocarbon with a few percent accuracy. Further physics program may include high-precision measurements of different charged current neutrino interaction channels. The concept of the new detector will be covered together with the actual construction plan.
Current vaccines to prevent avian influenza rely upon labor-intensive parenteral injection. A more advantageous vaccine would be capable of administration by mass immunization methods such as spray ...or water vaccination. A recombinant vaccine (rNDV-AIV-H7) was constructed by using a lentogenic paramyxovirus type 1 vector (Newcastle disease virus NDV B1 strain) with insertion of the hemagglutinin (HA) gene from avian influenza virus (AIV) A/chicken/NY/13142-5/94 (H7N2). The recombinant virus had stable insertion and expression of the H7 AIV HA gene as evident by detection of HA expression via immunofluorescence in infected Vero cells. The rNDV-AIV-H7 replicated in 9–10 day embryonating chicken eggs and exhibited hemagglutinating activity from both NDV and AI proteins that was inhibited by antisera against both NDV and AIV H7. Groups of 2-week-old white Leghorn chickens were vaccinated with transfectant NDV vector (tNDV), rNDV-AIV-H7, or sterile allantoic fluid and were challenged 2 weeks later with viscerotropic velogenic NDV (vvNDV) or highly pathogenic (HP) AIV. The sham-vaccinated birds were not protected from vvNDV or HP AIV challenge. The transfectant NDV vaccine provided 70% protection for NDV challenge but did not protect against AIV challenge. The rNDV-AIV-H7 vaccine provided partial protection (40%) from vvNDV and HP AIV challenge. The serologic response was examined in chickens that received one or two immunizations of the rNDV-AIV-H7 vaccine. Based on hemagglutination inhibition and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests, chickens that received a vaccine boost seroconverted to AIV H7, but the serologic response was weak in birds that received only one vaccination. This demonstrates the potential for NDV for use as a vaccine vector in expressing AIV proteins.
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BFBNIB, NMLJ, NUK, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
In the T2K near neutrino detectors, about 60
000 Hamamatsu Multi-Pixel Photon Counters (MPPCs) will be used. The mass production of MPPC has started in February 2008. In order to perform quality ...assurance and to characterize each device, we have developed an MPPC test system. For each MPPC, gain, breakdown voltage, noise rate, photo detection efficiency, and cross-talk and after-pulse rate are measured as functions of the bias voltage and temperature. The design of the test system and the measurement procedure are described.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
Dominant mutations and mislocalization or aggregation of Fused in Sarcoma (FUS), an RNA-binding protein (RBP), cause neuronal degeneration in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Frontotemporal ...Lobar Degeneration (FTLD), two incurable neurological diseases. However, the function of FUS in neurons is not well understood. To uncover the impact of FUS in the neuronal transcriptome, we used high-throughput sequencing of immunoprecipitated and cross-linked RNA (HITS-CLIP) of FUS in human brains and mouse neurons differentiated from embryonic stem cells, coupled with RNA-seq and FUS knockdowns. We report conserved neuronal RNA targets and networks that are regulated by FUS. We find that FUS regulates splicing of genes coding for RBPs by binding to their highly conserved introns. Our findings have important implications for understanding the impact of FUS in neurodegenerative diseases and suggest that perturbations of FUS can impact the neuronal transcriptome via perturbations of RBP transcripts.
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