Precessing jet nozzle connecting to a spinning black hole in M87.

The nearby radio galaxy M87 offers a unique opportunity to explore the connections between the central supermassive black hole and relativistic jets. Previous studies of the inner region of M87 revealed a wide opening angle for the jet originating near the black hole. The Event Horizon Telescope resolved the central radio source and found an asymmetric ring structure consistent with expectations from general relativity.

Evaluation of a biomarker for the diagnosis of pancreas cancer using an animal model.

Many approaches have been taken to identify new biomarkers of pancreatic ductal carcinoma (PDC). Since animal models can be sampled under controlled conditions, better standardization is possible compared with heterogeneous human studies. Transgenic rats with conditional activation of oncogenic RAS in pancreatic tissue develop PDC that closely resembles the biological and histopathological features of human PDC.

The diagnostic performance of a novel ELISA for human CTP (Cochlin-tomoprotein) to detect perilymph leakage.

Perilymphatic fistula is defined as an abnormal communication between the perilymph-filled space and the middle ear, or cranial spaces. The manifestations include a broad spectrum of neuro-otological symptoms such as hearing loss, vertigo/dizziness, disequilibrium, aural fullness, tinnitus, and cognitive dysfunction. By sealing the fistula, perilymphatic fistula is a surgically correctable disease.

Kallikrein 6 secreted by oligodendrocytes regulates the progression of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS), and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a well-established animal model of the disease. Here, we examined the pathophysiological role of Kallikrein 6 (Klk6), a serine protease produced by oligodendrocytes (OLs), in EAE using Klk6 knockout (Klk6-/-) mice. Compared with Klk6+/+ (wild-type) mice, Klk6-/- mice showed milder EAE symptoms, including delayed onset and milder paralysis.

Reactivity of anti-HNK-1 antibodies to branched O-mannose glycans associated with demyelination.

Human natural killer-1 (HNK-1) epitope, a highly-expressed glycan in the nervous system, is critical for normal synaptic plasticity and spatial learning. HNK-1 epitope modifies N-glycans on several neural glycoproteins, and also modifies O-mannosyl glycans. A branching enzyme for O-mannosyl glycans (GnT-IX, Core M2 synthase) exhibits brain-specific expression, and the product core M2 glycans are also limited to the brain.

A nationwide multicenter study of the Cochlin tomo-protein detection test: clinical characteristics of perilymphatic fistula cases.

Objective: To investigate the positive rate for the Cochlin tomo-protein (CTP: an inner ear-specific protein) detection test among patients with inner ear-related clinical manifestations and evaluate the clinical characteristics of definite perilymphatic fistula (PLF).

Methods: We have performed an ELISA-based CTP detection test using middle ear lavage (MEL) samples from 497 cases of suspected PLF enrolled from 70 clinical centers nationwide between 2014 and 2015. In addition to the CTP-positive rate, audio-vestibular symptoms were compared between CTP-positive and -negative cases.

In situ visualization of a glycoform of transferrin: localization of α2,6-sialylated transferrin in the liver.

We previously found that a lectin, Sambucus sieboldiana agglutinin (SSA), bound to α2,6-sialylated glycan epitopes on transferrin and inhibited anti-transferrin antibody binding to the antigen in ELISA (SSA inhibition). Here we report that SSA inhibition is applicable to immunohistochemistry, localizing α2,6-sialylated transferrin in the liver. Immunohistochemistry using anti-transferrin polyclonal antibody revealed that transferrin was detected in hepatocytes near interlobular veins.

[Formation of oxalate in oxaliplatin injection diluted with infusion solutions].

Oxaliplatin use can cause acute peripheral neuropathy characterized by sensory paresthesias, which are markedly exacerbated by exposure to cold temperatures, and is a dose-limiting factor in the treatment of colorectal cancer.Oxalate is eliminated in a series of nonenzymatic conversions of oxaliplatin in infusion solutions or biological fluids.Elimination of oxalate from oxaliplatin has been suggested as one of the reasons for the development of acute neuropathy.

Novel sandwich ELISAs for rat DMP1: age-related decrease of circulatory DMP1 levels in male rats.

Dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1), a noncollagenous bone matrix protein produced by osteocytes, regulates matrix mineralization and phosphate homeostasis. The lack of a precise assay for circulating DMP1 levels impairs further investigation of the protein's biological significance. Because full-length precursor DMP1 is cleaved into NH2- and COOH-terminal fragments during the secretory process, we developed two new sandwich ELISAs for the NH2- and COOH-terminal fragments of rat DMP1.

Soluble amyloid precursor protein 770 is released from inflamed endothelial cells and activated platelets: a novel biomarker for acute coronary syndrome.

Background: Separate monitoring of the cleavage products of different amyloid β precursor protein (APP) variants may provide useful information.

Results: We found that soluble APP770 (sAPP770) is released from inflamed endothelial cells and activated platelets as judged by ELISA.

Conclusion: sAPP770 is an indicator for endothelial and platelet dysfunctions.

Dendritic, nanosized building block for siloxane-based materials: a spherosilicate dendrimer.

A spherosilicate dendrimer (DMS-1) with closely spaced reaction sites (Si-H groups) on the dendrimer surface has been synthesized by stepwise silylation of double-four-ring silicate with chlorotriethoxysilane (ClSi(OEt)(3)) and subsequently with chlorodimethylsilane (ClSiHMe(2)). DMS-1 consists of a maximum of 40 Si atoms in the interior frameworks and 24 reactive Si-H groups on the surface. Because DMS-1 is spherical and about 1.

An origin of the radio jet in M87 at the location of the central black hole.

Powerful radio jets from active galactic nuclei are thought to be powered by the accretion of material onto the supermassive black hole (the 'central engine'). M87 is one of the closest examples of this phenomenon, and the structure of its jet has been probed on a scale of about 100 Schwarzschild radii (R(s), the radius of the event horizon). However, the location of the central black hole relative to the jet base (a bright compact radio 'core') remains elusive.

In vitro generation of insulin-secreting cells from human pancreatic exocrine cells.

Transplantation of surrogate β-cells is a promising option for the treatment of insulin-deficient diabetes mellitus in the future. Although pancreatic exocrine cells of rodents have been shown to transdifferentiate into insulin-secreting cells, no studies are reported on human exocrine cells. Here, we report the generation of insulin-secreting cells from exocrine cells of the human pancreas.

Impact of renal failure on the tumor markers of mesothelioma, N-ERC/mesothelin and osteopontin.

Background: Knowledge of the characteristics and effective use of tumour markers for mesothelioma is essential for early-stage diagnosis of mesothelioma. We examined whether renal dysfunction influences blood concentrations of promising new tumour markers, N-ERC/mesothelin (N-ERC) and osteopontin (OPN), to an important degree.

Patients And Methods: Levels of serum N-ERC and plasma OPN in 32 patients with chronic renal dysfunction, 22 of whom were on hemodialysis (CKD group), and 102 healthy volunteers were measured.

Leucine-rich α-2-glycoprotein is a marker for idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Objective: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting can improve symptoms of elderly patients' idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH). However, adjunctive means for confirming the diagnosis remain unavailable. We have previously reported the specific increase of leucine-rich alpha-2-glycoprotein (LRG) in iNPH CSF, and the present study investigates its potential clinical applications.

Deficiency of the Erc/mesothelin gene ameliorates renal carcinogenesis in Tsc2 knockout mice.

Genetic crossing experiments were performed between tuberous sclerosis-2 (Tsc2) KO and expressed in renal carcinoma (Erc) KO mice to analyze the function of the Erc/mesothelin gene in renal carcinogenesis. We found the number and size of renal tumors were significantly less in Tsc2+/-;Erc-/- mice than in Tsc2+/-;Erc+/+ and Tsc2+/-;Erc+/- mice. Tumors from Tsc2+/-;Erc-/- mice exhibited reduced cell proliferation and increased apoptosis, as determined by proliferating cell nuclear antigen (Ki67) and TUNEL analysis, respectively.

Suppression of cell death by the secretory form of N-terminal ERC/mesothelin.

ERC/mesothelin is highly expressed in malignant mesothelioma, pancreatic cancer, and ovarian cancer. It is cleaved to a 30 kDa N-terminal secretory form (N-ERC) and a 40 kDa C-terminal membranous form (C-ERC). Several functions have been reported for full-length ERC (full-ERC) and C-ERC/mesothelin, such as in cell adhesion and invasion, stimulation of cell proliferation, and the suppression of cell death.

Serum level of expressed in renal carcinoma (ERC)/ mesothelin in rats with mesothelial proliferative lesions induced by multi-wall carbon nanotube (MWCNT).

Expressed in renal carcinoma (ERC)/mesothelin is a good biomarker for human mesothelioma and has been investigated for its mechanistic rationale during the mesothelioma development. Studies are thus ongoing in our laboratories to assess expression of ERC/mesothelin in sera and normal/proliferative/neoplastic mesothelial tissues of animals untreated or given potentially mesothelioma-inducible xenobiotics, by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for N- and C-(terminal fragments of) ERC/mesothelin and immunohistochemistry for C-ERC/mesothelin. In the present paper, we intend to communicate our preliminary data, because this is the first report to show how and from what stage the ERC/mesothelin expression changes during the chemical induction of mesothelial proliferative/neoplatic lesions.

Antitumor activity of anti-C-ERC/mesothelin monoclonal antibody in vivo.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive cancer often caused by chronic asbestos exposure, and its prognosis is very poor despite the therapies currently used. Due to the long latency period between asbestos exposure and tumor development, the worldwide incidence will increase substantially in the next decades. Thus, novel effective therapies are warranted to improve the prognosis.

Serine 62 is a phosphorylation site in folliculin, the Birt-Hogg-Dubé gene product.

Recently, it was reported that the product of Birt-Hogg-Dubé syndrome gene (folliculin, FLCN) is directly phosphorylated by 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). In this study, we identified serine 62 (Ser62) as a phosphorylation site in FLCN and generated an anti-phospho-Ser62-FLCN antibody. Our analysis suggests that Ser62 phosphorylation is indirectly up-regulated by AMPK and that another residue is directly phosphorylated by AMPK.

An animal model of preclinical diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a highly lethal disease, which is usually diagnosed in an advanced stage. Animal PDA models which reflect the human condition are clearly necessary to develop early diagnostic tools and explore new therapeutic approaches. We have established transgenic rats carrying a mutated H- or K-ras gene (Hras250 and Kras327) controlled by Cre/loxP activation.

The immunohistochemical expression profile of osteopontin in normal human tissues using two site-specific antibodies reveals a wide distribution of positive cells and extensive expression in the central and peripheral nervous systems.

To elucidate the cellular distribution of osteopontin (OPN) in normal human tissues, we undertook immunohistochemistry using two site-specific OPN antibodies. The 10A16 monoclonal antibody was raised against the amino acid sequence just downstream of the thrombin cleavage site, while the O-17 polyclonal antibody was raised against the N-terminal peptide. Each antibody has been confirmed previously to react with both whole OPN and its relevant fragments.

Regulation of folliculin (the BHD gene product) phosphorylation by Tsc2-mTOR pathway.

The Birt-Hogg-Dubé gene (BHD) encodes the tumor suppressor protein folliculin (FLCN). The function of FLCN has recently been implicated in the regulation of rapamycin-sensitive mTOR complex (mTORC1). Reciprocally, the mTORC1-dependent phosphorylation of FLCN was reported.

Self-assembled double ladder structure formed inside carbon nanotubes by encapsulation of H8Si8O12.

Unique low-dimensional SiO(2)-based nanomaterials can be encapsulated and synthesized inside the nanometer-scale one-dimensional internal spaces of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). In this study, various single-walled CNTs (SWNTs) and double-walled CNTs (DWNTs) having different diameters are used as containers for cubic octameric H(8)Si(8)O(12) molecules. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy observations revealed that, depending on the diameter of the CNTs, two types of structures are formed inside the SWNTs and DWNTs: In the case of those CNTs having inner diameters ranging from 1.