Protons with energies up to ∼1015 eV are the main component of cosmic rays, but evidence for the specific locations where they could have been accelerated to these energies has been lacking. ...Electrons are known to be accelerated to cosmic-ray energies in supernova remnants, and the shock waves associated with such remnants, when they hit the surrounding interstellar medium, could also provide the energy to accelerate protons. The signature of such a process would be the decay of pions (π0), which are generated when the protons collide with atoms and molecules in an interstellar cloud: pion decay results in γ-rays with a particular spectral-energy distribution. Here we report the observation of cascade showers of optical photons resulting from γ-rays at energies of ∼1012 eV hitting Earth's upper atmosphere, in the direction of the supernova remnant RX J1713.7-3946. The spectrum is a good match to that predicted by pion decay, and cannot be explained by other mechanisms.
Summary
Background
Pollens from species of Cupressaceae family are one of the most important causes of respiratory allergies worldwide. In Japan, many patients with pollinosis have specific IgE to ...both pollens of Japanese cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) and Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica). The sequences between Cha o 1 and Cry j 1, the major allergens of Japanese cypress and Japanese cedar pollens, respectively, are 80% identical.
Objective
This study was undertaken to identify T cell epitopes in Cha o 1, and to elucidate the mechanism of cross‐allergenicity between Cha o 1 and Cry j 1, at the T cell level.
Methods
T cell epitopes in Cha o 1 were identified by the reactivity of T cell lines, generated from 19 patients, to stimulation with overlapping peptides. The subsets of T cell clones specific to rCha o 1 were determined according to their ability to produce IL‐4 and IFN‐γ. Peptide specificities of two T cell clones were determined by stimulation with the peptides from Cha o 1 and Cry j 1.
Results
Four dominant and six subdominant T cell epitopes were identified in Cha o 1. While four T cell epitopes, p11‐30, p211‐230, p251‐270 and p331‐350, were common to Cha o 1 and Cry j 1, 4 T cell epitopes, p61‐80, p71‐90, p311‐330 and p321‐340, were considered to be unique to Cha o 1. The subsets of T cell clones were predominantly of T helper2‐type. One T cell clone recognized p16‐30, which is common to Cha o 1 and Cry j 1, but another recognized p321‐330, which is unique to Cha o 1.
Conclusion
Presence of both T cells reactive to T cell epitopes common to Cha o 1 and Cry j 1 and T cells specific to T cell epitopes unique to Cha o 1 in patients with pollinosis contributes to prolonged symptoms after the cedar pollen season in March and the following cypress pollen season in April.
Aims. The CANGAROO-II telescope observed sub-TeV gamma-ray emission from the nearby starburst galaxy NGC 253. The emission region was extended with a radial size of 0.3-0.6 degree. On the contrary, ...HESS could not confirm this emission and gave upper limits at the level of the CANGAROO-II flux. In order to resolve this discrepancy, we analyzed new observational results for NGC 253 by CANGAROO-III and also assessed the results by CANGAROO-II. Methods. Observation was made with three telescopes of the CANGAROO-III in October 2004. We analyzed three-fold coincidence data by the robust Fisher Discriminant method to discriminate gamma ray events from hadron events. Results. The result by the CANGAROO-III was negative. The upper limit of gamma ray flux was 5.8% Crab at 0.58 TeV for point-source assumption. In addition, the significance of the excess flux of gamma-rays by the CANGAROO- II was lowered to less than 4 sigma after assessing treatment of malfunction of photomultiplier tubes.
A novel protein with mitogenic activity in vitro and immunomodulating activity in vivo has been isolated from the mycelial extract of an Oriental medicinal fungus, Ling Zhi (Ganoderma lucidium). This ...protein was named Ling Zhi-8 (LZ-8) and its biochemical and immunological properties are described.
LZ-8 was purified by two chromatographic systems, gel filtration and followed by ion-exchange, using an in vitro bioassay measuring blast-formation stimulatory activity toward mouse spleen lymphocytes to monitor purification. Analysis by several types of electrophoresis revealed a single band, with the molecular weight differing slightly depending on the system employed. Under reduced conditions, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using the method of Laemmli, U. K. ((1970) Nature 227, 680–685) indicated an apparent Mr = 17,100, while under nonreduced conditions an apparent Mr = 17,500 was found; and, using Tricine-sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, a value of apparent Mr = 13,100 was obtained. LZ-8 has an isoelectric point of 4.4, and sugar analysis indicated a low carbohydrate content (1.3%). Half-cysteine, histidine, and methionine were not detected from the analysis of amino acid composition after further purification of LZ-8 by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography. LZ-8 was capable of hemagglutinating sheep red blood cells, but no such activity was observed toward human red blood cells (A, B, AB, and O types). In vivo, LZ-8 prevents the production of systemic anaphylaxis reaction in mice if it has been administered repeatedly, and reduction of antibody production is the suggested mechanism. The mechanisms of hemagglutination of sheep red blood cells and of blast-formation stimulation of mouse spleen cells are also discussed.
The complete amino acid sequence of a novel immunomodulatory protein, ling zhi-8 (LZ-8), isolated from a fungus, Ganoderma
lucidium (Kino, K., Yamashita, A., Yamaoka, K., Watanabe, J., Tanaka, S., ...Ko, K., Shimizu, K., and Tsunoo, H. (1989) J. Biol.
Chem. 264, 472-478), was determined by protein sequencing. The polypeptide consists of 110 amino acid residues with an acetylated
amino end and has a molecular mass of 12,420 Da including an amino-end blocking group. There is no attachment site for an
Asn-linked oligosaccharide chain, consistent with the very low carbohydrate content of LZ-8. These results indicate that the
native form of LZ-8 with a molecular mass of 24 kDa is a homodimer of the LZ-8 polypeptide whose sequence is described here.
Furthermore, the LZ-8 chain shows considerable similarity to the variable region of immunoglobulin heavy chain both in its
sequence and in its predicted secondary structure. The interesting possibility that LZ-8 is related to an ancestral protein
of the immunoglobulin superfamily is also discussed.
SUMMARY
We studied allergenic determinants that induce hypersensitivity to OVA, the major allergen in egg allergy, using immunoblot and histamine release assays. Immunoblot analysis demonstrated a ...part of the OVA epitope was in the C‐terminal region comprising residues 347‐385 (OVA347‐385). Histamine was released from basophils of a patient with egg allergy upon stimulation with the OVA fragment corresponding to OVA347–385. Furthermore, detailed epitope mapping using overlapping peptides (residues 347‐366, OVA‐A; residues 357‐376, OVA‐B; and residues 367‐385, OVA‐C) in the OVA 347‐385 region was carried out using the histamine release assay. In order for histamine release from basophils to occur, the allergen must possess two or more allergenic determinants located on the protein molecule at distances that would be equivalent to the distances between IgE molecules on the membrane surface. These results suggest that there are at least two epitopes that bind IgE antibodies on each OVA peptide. In addition, one epitope that binds IgE antibodies in two patients appears to reside in the haptenic peptide OVA357‐366 (OVA‐B1). The histamine release from basophils stimulated by OVA‐B was completely inhibited by OVA‐B1 in one of these patients. Similarly, OVA‐B1 inhibited the histamine release produced by OVA‐A in the other by more than 40%. These results suggest that haptenic synthetic peptides could regulate the allergic reaction in the effector phase if common epitope(s) recognized by IgE antibodies in the patients with egg allergy can be found. These are the first studies that provide an antigen‐specific approach to inhibiting histamine release from basophils by a haptenic peptide recognized by IgE antibodies in an allergic disorder.
A case of contralateral pneumothorax after pneumonectomy was reported. Intrathoracic drainage was performed and pneumothorax was healed. Recurrent pneumothorax was occurred in this patient and ...intrathoracic drainage was performed again and pneumothorax was healed. We suspected that bulla was the cause of pneumothorax and thought that contralateral pneumothorax after pneumonectomy must be carefully follow-up.
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