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The use of organic manures as an alternative to chemical fertilizers is an option for the development of sustainable farming systems in Japan. The present study examined the effect of rapeseed oilcake (RO) not only on yield and yield components of rice (Oryza sativa L.) but also on soil fertility parameters and surface water quality in a paddy field by comparing them with the effects of conventional inorganic fertilizer (IF) and a control (CR), that is, natural (unfertilized) system. The long-term field experiment from 1990 to 2006 demonstrated the indigenous sustainability of paddy systems, because husked grain yield and shoot biomass in the CR plot remained at moderate levels (ave. 323 ± 56 g m-2 and 843 ± 166 g m-2, respectively) over 17 successive years. Meanwhile, the application of RO comparatively improved grain yield (ave. 538 ± 83 g m-2) and shoot biomass (ave. 1478 ± 187 g m-2) to almost the same level as with IF (ave. 538 ± 68 g m-2 and 1511 ± 173 g m-2, respectively) during the study period. Soil fertility assessment in the last experimental year (2006) indicated that RO could improve the soil quality to the same extent as IF because major fertility parameters showed similar values between the RO and IF plots. On the other hand, the application of IF induced a substantial increase in estimated load outflows of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from the paddy surface water (2.46 g N m-2; 0.38 g P m-2) as compared to the CR plot (0.92 g N m-2; 0.06 g P m-2). Outflows from the RO plot showed relatively lesser effluent loads (2.00 g N m-2; 0.14 g P m-2) than the IF plot. From the findings of this study, we concluded that RO is agronomically similar to but an environmentally better resource material than conventional IF in the lowland rice farming system in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background BM cells have been shown to give rise to progeny of various cell lineages, including cells in lung and liver. This investigation evaluated whether purified BM mononuclear cells and side population (SP) cells that have hematopoietic stem-cell activity also had this property; whether a TBI preparative regimen was necessary for engraftment; and where BM-derived cells were engrafted. Methods Either 1-3 million BM mononuclear cells or 2000 BM SP cells from transgenic enhanced green fluorescent protein-expressing (EGFP) mice were transplanted i.v. to unirradiated or 7-9.5 Gy irradiated recipients. Results Flow cytometric analysis showed that lung cells (mean 45%, range 4-70%) and liver cells (mean 4%, range 0.4-8.3%) from irradiated, but not unirradiated recipients, were EGFP donor-derived. Similar results were obtained transplanting BM mononuclear cells or SP cells. Morphologically, donor-derived cells in the lung were primarily monocytes and macrophages. Additionally, lung fibroblasts and Type I, but not Type II, alveolar cells and rare cells in the bronchial epithelium were donor BM derived. In the liver, Kupffer cells, inflammatory cells and small clusters of hepatocytes, but not bile duct cells, were donor-derived. Discussion BM mononuclear and SP cells generated progeny in some compartments of the lung and liver, but only in TBI recipients. Stem cells in BM can contribute to repair of tissue injury in some compartments, but not to the same extent in the lung and liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated in detail the structural ordering developed in films of tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) under 100 kV to 200 kV electron beams of transmission electron microscopes (TEM). From systematic measurements of electron diffraction and electron energy loss spectra (EELS), in selected areas the ordered structures were concluded to be multi-walled carbon nanotubes or warped graphitic platelets containing a high density of defects. The electron-irradiation-induced ordering can neither be accounted for by a sample heating nor be explained only by displacement damage caused by 200 kV electron irradiation. The essential process, that is enhanced, appears the atomic diffusion induced by electronic excitations due to the electron irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

We investigated in detail the structural ordering developed in films of tetrahedral amorphous carbon (ta-C) under 100 kV to 200 kV electron beams of transmission electron microscopes (TEM). From systematic measurements of electron diffraction and electron energy loss spectra (EELS), in selected areas the ordered structures were concluded to be multi-walled carbon nanotubes or warped graphitic platelets containing a high density of defects. The electron-irradiation-induced ordering can neither be accounted for by a sample heating nor be explained only by displacement damage caused by 200 kV electron irradiation. The essential process, that is enhanced, appears the atomic diffusion induced by electronic excitations due to the electron irradiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interaction between Fas antigen on hepatocytes and Fas ligand on cytotoxic T cells induces apoptosis, a major mechanism of hepatitis C virus (HCV)-induced hepatocyte injury. We investigated the usefulness of Fas expression on hepatocytes as a predictor of short- and long-term response to interferon (IFN) therapy in 72 patients with chronic hepatitis C. Methods: Ten million units of recombinant IFN-α2b were administered daily for the first 2 weeks, and three times a week for another 22 weeks. The short-term efficacy of IFN therapy was evaluated after 12-month follow-up from cessation of treatment. We also examined the long-term response to IFN at 56.6 ± 10.8 (mean ± s) months after termination of IFN therapy in 55 of 72 patients. Results: Univariate analysis showed that serum HCV-RNA levels, HCV genotype and Fas expression significantly correlated with the short-term efficacy of IFN therapy (P = 0.005, 0.006, and 0.04, respectively). Fas antigen expression did not correlate with serum HCV-RNA levels (P = 0.286), but significantly correlated with HCV genotype (P = 0.003). Multivariate analysis indicated that Fas expression and serum HCV-RNA levels were independent determinants of the shortterm response to IFN therapy. Combined together, Fas expression and serum HCV-RNA levels accurately predicted the short-term response to IFN therapy. On the other hand, in 55 patients who were examined the long-term response to IFN, about 60% of Fas-positive patients were HCV-RNA negative, whereas 30% of Fas-negative patients were HCV-RNA negative (P = 0.04). Among Fas-positive patients, the percentage of those with serum ALT levels persistently lower than twice the normal upper limit in long-term study (81.8%; 9/11) was significantly higher than those in short-term study even among patients who failed to show elimination of HCV-RNA (36.4%; 4/11, P = 0.03). Conclusion: Our results indicate that Fas expression on hepatocytes is a good predictor of the short-and long-term response to IFN therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented regarding the article on the use of magnetic resonance imaging to determine the fascial vasculitis in a patient with microscopic polyangiitis.

Bambara groundnut is a leguminous crop that originated in West Africa. It is a drought-tolerant crop and has the potential to provide improved food and nutritional security in the dry areas of Africa. However, the plant contains anti-nutritional factors that affect its food value chain. The objective of this study was to assess the content of four major anti-nutritional factors in 30 bambara groundnut accessions in South Africa. The seeds of the bambara groundnut landraces were ground to make a fine powder and assessed for condensed tannins (CTs), phytic acid phosphate (PAP), polyphenol, and trypsin inhibitor content. Each assay was done in triplicate. The content of the four anti-nutritional compounds varied widely among the bambara groundnut accessions. The mean values for CTs ranged between 0.2 and 6.2 mg/g of prodephinidin equivalent, whereas that of the PAP was between 1.4 and 4.9 mg/g. A low mean polyphenol content of 0.4 mg/g of GA (gallic acid) equivalent was observed among the accessions. The level of trypsin inhibitor ranged from 5.3 to 73.4 TI/mg. With the exception of CTs and trypsin inhibitor, no significant correlation was observed among the four anti-nutritional factors assessed in this study. Generally, higher levels of anti-nutrients were observed in this study compared with certain studies reported earlier. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In order to conduct fast screening of passengers with infections such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) or pandemic influenza at a quarantine depot, we developed a non-contact screening system with self-produced program to conduct a human screening within five seconds, via a linear discriminant function from non-contact derived variables, i.e. palmer pulse derived from a laser Doppler blood-flow meter, respiration rate determined by a 10-GHz microwave radar, and facial temperature measured by thermography. The system evaluation was conducted on seven healthy male subjects (23 ± 1 years). In order to achieve a pseudo-infection condition, the subjects maintained an ergo-meter exercise load (100 W, 10 minutes). Before (normal condition) and after (pseudo-infection condition) exercise, a significant linear discriminant function (p < 0.001) was determined to distinguish pseudo-infection condition from normal condition (Mahalanobis D-square = 20.3, classification error rate <5%). The proposed system appears promising for future application in fast screening of infection at a quarantine depot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to conduct fast screening of passengers with infections such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) or pandemic influenza at a quarantine depot, we developed a non-contact screening system with a self-produced program to conduct a human screening within five seconds, via a linear discriminant function from non-contact derived variables, i.e. palmer pulse derived from a laser Doppler blood-flow meter, respiration rate determined by a 10-GHz microwave radar, and facial temperature measured by a thermography. The system evaluation was conducted on seven healthy male subjects (23 ± 1 years). In order to achieve a pseudo-infection condition, the subjects maintained an ergo-meter exercise load (100 W, 10 minutes). Before (normal condition) and after (pseudo-infection condition) exercise, a significant linear discriminant function (p < 0.001) was determined to distinguish the pseudo-infection condition from the normal condition (Mahalanobis D-square = 20.3, classification error rate <5%). The proposed system appears promising for future application in fast screening of infection at a quarantine depot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conclusions. The present study confirmed the clinical characteristics of patients with SLC26A4 mutations: congenital, fluctuating, and progressive hearing loss usually associated with vertigo and/or goiter during long-term follow-up. This clarification should help to facilitate appropriate genetic counseling and proper medical management for patients with these mutations, but there was no particular genotype-phenotype correlation among them, suggesting that other factors may contribute to such variability. Objectives. Due to the wide range of phenotypes caused by SLC26A4 mutations, there is controversy with regard to genotype-phenotype correlation. The present study was performed: (1) to determine phenotypic range in patients with biallelic SLC26A4 mutations, and (2) to evaluate whether possible genotype-phenotype correlation exists. Subjects and methods. Phenotypes in 39 hearing loss patients with SLC26A4 mutations were summarized and genotype-phenotype correlation was analyzed. Results. Hearing level varied in the individuals from mild to profound severity. Most of the patients had fluctuating and progressive hearing loss that may have been of prelingual onset. Twenty-four (70.6%) patients had episodes of vertigo, and 10 (27.8%) patients had goiter, which had appeared at age 12 or older. In contrast to such phenotypic variabilities, no apparent correlation was found between these phenotypes and their genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents several abstracts in hypertension in pregnancy. "The Maternal Innate Immune and Pre-eclampsia," by CWG Redman, GP Sacks and IL Sargent; "Preeclampsia is a Th1-type immune condition," Shigeru Saito, Hideshi Umekage, Yoshiharu Sakamoto and Hajime Morikawa; "Immunology, Oxidative Stress and Preeclampsia," by James M. Roberts; "Evidence of Increased Insulin Resistance and Hyperhomocysteinemia in Pre-eclampsia," H. Laivuori, R. Kaaja and O. Ylikorkala.