Large single spin asymmetries in very forward neutron production seen using the PHENIX zero-degree calorimeters are a long established feature of transversely polarized proton-proton collisions at ...RHIC. Neutron production near zero degrees is well described by the one-pion exchange framework. The absorptive correction to the OPE generates the asymmetry as a consequence of a phase shift between the spin flip and non-spin flip amplitudes. However, the amplitude predicted by the OPE is too small to explain the large observed asymmetries. A model introducing interference of pion and a1-Reggeon exchanges has been successful in reproducing the experimental data. During the RHIC experiment in year 2015, RHIC delivered polarized proton collisions with Au and Al nuclei for the first time, enabling the exploration of the mechanism of transverse single-spin asymmetries with nuclear collisions. The observed asymmetries showed surprisingly strong A-dependence in the inclusive forward neutron production, while the existing framework which was successfull in p+p only predicts moderate A- dependence. Thus the observed data are absolutely unexpected and unpredicted. In this report, experimental and theoretical efforts are discussed to disentangle the observed A-dependence using somewhat semi-inclusive type measurements and Monte-Carlo study, respectively.
Epigenetic therapy using DNA methylation inhibitors and histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors has clinical promise for the treatment of human malignancies. To investigate roles of microRNAs (miRNAs) ...on epigenetic therapy of gastric cancer, the miRNA expression profile was analysed in human gastric cancer cells treated with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-Aza-CdR) and 4-phenylbutyric acid (PBA). miRNA microarray analysis shows that most of miRNAs activated by 5-Aza-CdR and PBA in gastric cancer cells are located at Alu repeats on chromosome 19. Analyses of chromatin modification show that DNA demethylation and HDAC inhibition at Alu repeats activates silenced miR-512-5p by RNA polymerase II. In addition, activation of miR-512-5p by epigenetic treatment induces suppression of Mcl-1, resulting in apoptosis of gastric cancer cells. These results suggest that chromatin remodeling at Alu repeats plays critical roles in the regulation of miRNA expression and that epigenetic activation of silenced Alu-associated miRNAs could be a novel therapeutic approach for gastric cancer.
The factors affecting the downward propagation of stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) events to the troposphere are studied through composite analysis of 45‐year reanalysis data from the European ...Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts. During the growth stage of SSW, events that propagate into the troposphere exhibit enhanced upward flux of the wavenumber 2 wave, while events that do not propagate downward display reduced wavenumber 2 flux. In both events, upward flux of the wavenumber‐1 wave is enhanced, but the enhancement is stronger in the non‐propagating event. The composite for propagating events reveals a negative Eurasian pattern of horizontal geopotential anomalies in the troposphere during the growth stage, and a negative Arctic Oscillation pattern following the event, while non‐propagating events are preceded by a positive Eurasian pattern. In both types of event, the tropospheric anomalies are generated mainly by tropospheric planetary wave forcing prior to the emergence of SSW.
To determine if the Niigata-Chuetsu earthquake of October 2004 increased long-term mortality from acute myocardial infarction (AMI).
A comparative study of mortality rates before and after the ...earthquake, as well as between the disaster and control areas, by analysing death certificate data from 1 October 1999 to 30 September 2007.
The disaster area and a control area in Niigata Prefecture (n = 2 448 025 in 1 October 2004) in Japan.
The total population of Niigata Prefecture observed for five years (12 333 429 person-years) before and three years (7 279 076 person-years) after the earthquake.
Mortality from AMI (ICD-10, I21 and I22).
Overall mortality rates from AMI five years before and three years after the earthquake in the disaster area were 47.3 and 53.9 per 100 000 person-years, respectively. Change (+6.6 or +14.0%) was significantly different (p = 0.0008), compared to the control area, where mortality rates were 42.5 and 42.6 per 100 000 person-years, respectively, and was not significantly different (p = 0.9028). In men, a change in AMI mortality before and after the earthquake in the disaster area was +7.1 per 100 000 person-years (+13.4%, p = 0.0172), and +2.0 (+4.2%, p = 0.2362) in the control area. In women, a change in AMI mortality in the disaster area was +6.2 per 100 000 person-years (+14.9%, p = 0.0184) and -1.6 (-4.2%, p = 0.2735) in the control area.
The Niigata-Chuetsu earthquake significantly increased long-term mortality from AMI in both men and women. Clinicians and policymakers in public health must recognise the need for long-term prevention of AMI in earthquake disaster areas.
Transverse single-spin asymmetries of very forward neutral pions generated in polarized p + p collisions allow us to understand the production mechanism in terms of perturbative and nonperturbative ...strong interactions. During 2017, the RHICf Collaboration installed an electromagnetic calorimeter in the zero-degree region of the STAR detector at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) and measured neutral pions produced at pseudorapidity larger than 6 in polarized p + p collisions at √ s = 510 GeV . The large nonzero asymmetries increasing both in longitudinal momentum fraction x F and transverse momentum p T have been observed at low transverse momentum pT < 1 GeV / c for the first time, at this collision energy. The asymmetries show an approximate xF scaling in the pT region where nonperturbative processes are expected to dominate. A non-negligible contribution from soft processes may be necessary to explain the nonzero neutral pion asymmetries.
The objective of this study is to identify the effects of statins and risk factors for thrombosis in patients with new onset of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with or without antiphospholipid ...antibodies (aPL). Consecutive patients with SLE without history of thrombotic events were retrospectively enrolled from April 1997 to February 2014. The development of first thrombosis and death caused by thrombosis were defined as the study endpoint. Risk and protective factors for developing thrombosis were analyzed. A total of 152 patients, 80 positive and 72 negative for aPL, were included. In aPL-positive patients, 15 developed arterial (n = 6) and venous (n = 9) thrombosis (median follow-up period 69 months). Cox’s proportional hazards model showed that older age at SLE onset and IgG-anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) were statistically significant risks for thrombosis. Statin therapy was identified as a statistically significant protective factor against thrombosis (hazard ratio 0.12, 95% confidence interval 0.01–0.98). In aPL-negative patients (median follow-up period 46 months), seven patients developed thrombosis (five arterial and two venous). No risk factors for thrombosis were found in this group. In aPL-positive patients with SLE, the late disease onset and the presence of IgG-aCL represented additional risk factors for thrombosis. Statin treatment appeared as a protective factor for thrombosis.
Group A Streptococcus (GAS) are globally distributed bacterial pathogens. We examined the emm genotypes, which are important indicators of virulence, of 349 clinical GAS isolates collected using two ...surveillance systems, i.e. Invasive Bacterial Infection Surveillance (IBIS) from 2010 to 2011 (234 isolates) and routine surveillance of clinically isolated bacteria from various hospitals during 1996–2011 (115 isolates) in Thailand. The major emm genotypes in IBIS samples were emm44 (12·0%), emm104 (6·8%), emm22 (5·6%), and emm81 (5·6%), whereas only one isolate (0·4%) had the emm1 genotype, which is significantly more common in invasive cases in the Western world. In samples collected during routine surveillance, emm238 (10·4%), emm44 (8·7%), and emm165 (7·0%) were dominant. The major superantigen gene profiles were similar between the groups, and 30·1% of isolates did not possess the phage-encoded superantigens (speA, speC, speH, speI, speK, speL, speM, ssa). Although most isolates exhibited limited gene profiles, emm44 isolates had highly variable gene profiles (15 patterns). We conclude that emm44 is the predominant GAS genotype in Thailand, and isolates varied in superantigen gene profiles.
Chronic osteomyelitis of the jaw (COMJ) is one of the most intractable diseases among head and neck infections. Antimicrobial agents are routinely administered for COMJ without sufficient bacterial ...information, resulting in frequent treatment failures. To improve our knowledge of the bacterial aetiology of COMJ and to assist in the development of effective treatments, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the microbiome. Sixteen patients with four clinical types of COMJ (four with suppurative osteomyelitis, three with osteoradionecrosis of the jaw, four with primary chronic osteomyelitis, and five with bisphosphonate-related osteonecrosis of the jaw) were enrolled in this study. Bone samples were subjected to bacterial community comparisons by 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing. As a result, we clarified that COMJ was caused by a far greater range of bacterial species (12 phyla and 163 genera) than previously reported. Moreover, the bacterial structures in COMJ changed dramatically with disease stage and the condition of the affected bone. Multiple correlation analyses revealed that sequestration and bone exposure could affect the community structure. On the basis of these factors, we reclassified COMJ into three clinical stages: I, inflamed or sclerotic bone without exposure; II, sequestrum without exposure; and III, exposed sequestrum. In stage II, the bacterial diversity was significantly lower, and the anaerobe genera Fusobacterium, Tannerella (formerly Bacteroides) and Porphyromonas were more abundant, than observed during other stages. Because these bacteria habitually reside in any clinical stage, they were considered to constitute the core microbiome of COMJ. Targeting these bacteria should lead to the development of effective preventive measures and cures.
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