Although the relationship between dyslipidaemia (DL) and coronary artery disease (CAD) or between trace minerals intake and CAD is well known separately, the exact nature of this relationship remains unknown. We hypothesize that the relationship between trace mineral intake and CAD may differ depending on whether or not the individual has DL. The present study analysed the relationships among trace mineral intake, DL, and CAD in middle-aged and older adults living in Shika town, Ishikawa prefecture, Japan. This study included 895 residents following the exclusion of those with genetic risk carriers for familial hypercholesterolemia. Trace mineral intake was evaluated using the brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire. Interactions were observed between DL and CAD with zinc (p = 0.004), copper (p = 0.010), and manganese intake (p < 0.001) in a two-way analysis of covariance adjusted for covariates such as sex, age, body mass index, and current smokers and drinkers. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that zinc (odds ratio (OR): 0.752; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.606, 0.934; p = 0.010), copper (OR: 0.175; 95% CI: 0.042, 0.726; p = 0.016), and manganese (OR: 0.494; 95% CI: 0.291, 0.839; p = 0.009) were significant independent variables for CAD in the dyslipidaemic group. The present results suggest that DL with a low trace mineral intake is associated with CAD. Further longitudinal studies are required to confirm this relationship.

Although chronic pain (CP) is classified as inflammatory or non-inflammatory, the involvement of fatty acid intake in this process has not yet been examined in detail. Therefore, the present study investigated whether the relationship between CP and fatty acid intake differs between high and low C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in middle-aged and elderly individuals in the Shika study. One-thousand and seven males and 1216 females with mean ages of 68⋅78 and 69⋅65 years, respectively, participated in the present study. CRP was quantified by blood sampling from participants who responded to a CP questionnaire. The brief-type self-administered diet history questionnaire (BDHQ) was used to assess fatty acid intake. Interactions were observed between CP and CRP on monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and eicosadienoic acid in a two-way analysis of covariance adjusted for sex, age, lack of exercise, lack of sleep, current smoking and drinking status, and BMI. MUFA (OR 1⋅359) and eicosadienoic acid (OR 1⋅072) were identified as significant independent variables for CP in a multiple logistic regression analysis, but only in the low CRP group. Only a high intake of MUFA and eicosadienoic acid was associated with chronic neck/shoulder/upper limb pain without elevated CRP. In psychogenic and neuropathic pain without elevated CRP, an increased intake of MUFA and eicosadienoic acid, a family member of n-6 fatty acids, appears to affect CP. Further longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate this relationship.

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular protozoan parasite that causes various diseases, including lymphadenitis, congenital infection of fetuses and life-threatening toxoplasmic encephalitis in immunocompromised individuals. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-mediated immune responses are essential for controlling tachyzoite proliferation during both acute acquired infection and reactivation of infection in the brain. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells produce this cytokine in response to infection, although the latter has more potent protective activity. IFN-γ can activate microglia, astrocytes and macrophages, and these activated cells control the proliferation of tachyzoites using different molecules, depending on cell type and host species. IFN-γ also has a crucial role in the recruitment of T cells into the brain after infection by inducing expression of the adhesion molecule VCAM-1 on cerebrovascular endothelial cells, and chemokines such as CXCL9, CXCL10 and CCL5. A recent study showed that CD8+ T cells are able to remove T. gondii cysts, which represent the stage of the parasite in chronic infection, from the brain through their perforin-mediated activity. Thus, the resistance to cerebral infection with T. gondii requires a coordinated network using both IFN-γ- and perforin-mediated immune responses. Elucidating how these two protective mechanisms function and collaborate in the brain against T. gondii will be crucial in developing a new method to prevent and eradicate this parasitic infection.

Visualization of neurotransmission components in living small animals using positron emission tomography (PET) has the potential of contributing to the preclinical development of neuroactive drugs, although it is yet to be examined whether quantitative animal PET data on candidate compounds can be extrapolated to humans. Here, we investigated the comparability of the occupancies of serotonin transporter (5-HTT) by therapeutic agents in rat PET studies with our predetermined data from ex- vivo animal experiments and clinical PET scans. Rats were treated with varying doses of fluvoxamine and a newly developed compound, (2S)-1-[4-(3,4-dichlorophenyl) piperidin-1-yl]-3-[2-(5-methyl-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)benzo[b]furan-4-yloxy]propan-2-ol monohydrochloride (Wf-516), and underwent PET scans with [11C]3-amino-4-(2-dimethylaminomethyl-phenylsulfanyl)-benzonitrile ([11C]DASB), a selective radioligand for in-vivo quantification of 5-HTT. PET images indicated a reduction of [11C]DASB binding to 5-HTT as a function of the doses and/or plasma concentrations of fluvoxamine and Wf-516. The doses of these drugs at half-maximal effect (15.2 mg/kg and 3.1 mg/kg, respectively), determined that using binding potentials for [11C]DASB, were comparable to those estimated by our previous ex-vivo measurements in rats (4.5 mg/kg and 1.1 mg/kg, respectively), as there was only a 3-fold difference between these results. Moreover, the plasma concentration of fluvoxamine needed for 50% occupancy of central 5-HTT (6.1 ng/ml) was almost equivalent to the value determined in human PET studies (4.6 ng/ml). These findings support the view that the conjunctive use of small-animal PET and [11C]DASB facilitates a quantitative comparison of in-development drugs targeting 5-HTT with established inhibitors and a predictive estimation of their plasma concentrations exerting therapeutic effects in humans.

The magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium of a helical-axis heliotron with large-vacuum magnetic islands is investigated. Since the helical-axis heliotron is an $L\,{=}\,1/M\,{=}\,4$ low-magnetic-shear configuration, there is the sensitivity to the perturbed field. By assuming the external trim coil, low-order magnetic islands with $n/m\,{=}\,$1/2 can be generated. The effect and change of low-order ($n/m\,{=}\,1/2$) vacuum islands to the finite $\beta$ equilibrium are investigated. For a finite β equilibrium, $n/m\,{=}\,$1/2 islands disappear but $n/m\,{=}\, 4/8$ islands appear by the pressure-induced field. For another case, $n/m\,{=}\,$1/2 islands disappear and other resonances are suppressed. This property depends on the phase of islands.

The effect of the free-stream turbulence on the flow past a circular cylinder was studied experimentally in the subcritical and critical regimes. Several grids were used to produce approximately homogeneous turbulent fields with longitudinal integral scales ranging from 0·30 to 3·65 cylinder diameters and with the longitudinal intensities ranging from 1·4 to 18·5%.

The critical Reynolds number Rc at which the time-mean drag coefficient obtains the value of 0·8 was found to satisfy the relation Rc1·34 T = 1·98 × 105, where T is the Taylor number defined in terms of the longitudinal integral scale. The time-mean drag coefficient, the base-pressure coefficient and the spanwise correlation length of the surface-pressure fluctuations in the vicinity of the separation point were fairly well correlated with the parameter R1·34T, R being the Reynolds number. It was argued that the parameter R1·34T will control some aspects of the flow past a circular cylinder immersed in turbulent streams.

A study was made of the effects of whisker content and dimensions on the R-curve behavior of an alumina matrix composite reinforced with silicon carbide whiskers. Experiments showed that the rising R-curve behavior is strongly enhanced by the increase in the volume fraction and the size of whiskers. Simulation based on a model of crack face whisker bridgings was made to elucidate the effects on the R-curve of the composite. The validity of the simulation was confirmed by good agreement between the experimental and the calculated R-curves. In addition to the R-curve, the distribution of crack closure stresses as well as crack tip opening displacements was also calculated, which directly reflects crack face whisker bridging processes in the composite. Then the dependence of whisker content and dimensions on the R-curve was analytically discussed taking the bridging processes into account.

Cyclic and static fatigue properties of pressure-less sintered silicon nitride were evaluated at 1000° C in air and in nitrogen using four-point bending mode. The data of cyclic fatigue tests or static fatigue tests and the morphology of the fractured surfaces in nitrogen were compared with those in air. The cyclic fatigue behavior was remarkably influenced by the atmosphere, while the static fatigue was less influenced. Crack healing effect due to the oxidation around the crack are thought to be the most probable mechanism to affect the cyclic fatigue rate in air.