Suzaku observation of the giant radio galaxy 3C 326

A Suzaku observation of a giant radio galaxy, 3C 326, which has a physical size of about 2 Mpc, was conducted on 2008 January 19 -- 21. In addition to several X-ray sources, diffuse emission was significantly detected associated with its west lobe, but the east lobe was contaminated by an unidentified X-ray source WARP J1552.4+2007. After careful evaluation of the X-ray and Non X-ray background, the 0.4 -- 7 keV X-ray spectrum of the west lobe is described by a power-law model. The photon index and 1 keV flux density was derived as $1.82_{-0.24}^{+0.26}\pm0.04$ and $19.4_{-3.2}^{+3.3}\pm 3.0$ nJy, respectively, where the first and second errors represent the statistical and systematic ones. The diffuse X-rays were attributed to be inverse Compton radiation by the synchrotron radio electrons scattering off the cosmic microwave background photons. This radio galaxy is the largest among those with lobes detected through inverse Compton X-ray emission. A comparison of the radio to X-ray fluxes yields the energy densities of electron and magnetic field as $u_e = (2.3 \pm 0.3 \pm 0.3) \times 10^{-13}$ ergs/cm3 and $u_m = (1.2_{-0.1}^{+0.2}\pm 0.2) \times 10^{-14}$ ergs/cm3, respectively. The galaxy is suggested to host a low luminosity nucleus with an absorption-corrected 2 -- 10 keV luminosity of $<2 \times 10^{42}$ ergs/s, together with a relatively weak radio core. The energetics in the west lobe of 3C 326 were compared with those of moderate radio galaxies with a size of $\sim 100$ kpc. The west lobe of 3C 326 is confirmed to agree with the correlations for the moderate radio galaxies, $u_e \propto D^{-2.2\pm0.4}$ and $u_m \propto D^{-2.4\pm0.4}$, where $D$ is their total physical size. This implies that the lobes of 3C 326 are still being energized by the jet, despite the current weakness of the nucleus.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures, 6 tables, Accepted for ApJ (v706 issue

Left-right axis formation in the dorsalized or ventralized Xenopus laevis embryos : Does dorsal-midline development affect the left-right orientation of visceral organs?

Yostら(1995)は、ツメガエル受精卵の表層回転を阻害することで頭部組織を欠損させた胚や、卵割期の背側割球にXwnt-8 mRNAを微量注射することで頭部組織を欠損させた胚において、心臓逆位が高率に生じることを発見した。彼らはその理由について「頭部中軸組織は内臓の左右軸の決定に関与する因子を放出するので、頭部が欠けると内臓が左右軸の手がかりを失い内臓逆位が生じる」とした。筆者らは、彼らとは異なる以下の3つの処理方法を用いて頭部欠損症状を持った胚を人工的に作出し、それらの心臓や腸管の左右非対称性の正位/逆位を調べた。頭部欠損の程度と内臓逆位の出現率とが相関するか否かを解析することで、Yostらの仮説の検証を試みた。胚の頭部形成を阻害することが知られるレチノイン酸で短時間暴露処理(パルス処理)したツメガエル胞胚&acd;神経胚の内臓逆位の出現率について調べた。1-10μMレチノイン酸処理胚は著しい頭部欠損症状を示したにもかかわらず、それらの内臓逆位出現率は1%(3/263)と、無処理胚における逆位の自然発生率と同レベルであった。カルシウムイオノフォアA23187のパルス処理によって、発生段階依存的に頭部欠損胚または尾部欠損胚が得られる(後藤ら, 1994)が、その場合の内臓逆位出現率について調べた。後藤らの報告では、初期卵割期の処理では胴尾部欠損胚が得られ、卵割後期&acd;胞胚期の処理では頭部欠損胚が得られるとあるが、我々の実験結果はそれと正反対のものであった。初期卵割期の処理では頭部欠損が見られ、後期胞胚&acd;原腸胚期の処理では胴尾部欠損(特に尾部欠損)が観察された。原腸胚期にA23187処理を行った胚の63%(15/24)が内臓逆位を示した。処理によって尾部を欠損した胚の多くは内臓逆位胚であった。塩化リチウム処理で内臓逆位が生じることが、高谷(1949)によって明らかにされており、一方、品川ら(1989)により胞胚期&acd;原腸胚期のリチウム処理で頭部欠損胚が得られることが報告されている。そこで、リチウム処理による頭部欠損の程度と内臓逆位の出現との相関について調べた。原腸胚期のリチウム処理で、11%(8/72)の個体に内臓逆位が生じた。同じ処理群の中に頭部が欠損した胚も多数得られ、頭尾軸欠損指標Dorso-Anterior Index (Kao & Elinson, 1988)の平均は4.35であった(n=72)。しかしながら、個々の胚について頭部欠損の程度と逆位発生との相関を調べると、逆位胚の75%はDAI 5の頭尾軸は正常な胚であり、頭部欠損の度合いと内臓逆位出現率とは相関がなかった。以上の結果から、「胞胚期以降の胚においては、内臓の左右性に関連する位置情報はすでに心臓や腸管の予定細胞群自身が獲得していて、それらの左右軸は、頭部組織の有無に影響を受けない程度には決定されている。」と考えられる

地方都市中学生における食育課題の男子・女子間の比較検討

OBJECTIVE: We investigated dietary consciousness, dietary behavior, dietary environment and students feeling about their own health in Japanese male and female junior high school students, and examined the differences and similarities between the two gender groups to understand what we need to do in dietary education. METHODS: The survey was conducted during the month of October, 2006. Participants: The subjects were 477 junior high school boys (257) and girls (220) (age 12-14 years). Measure:1.We gave subjects a questionnaire of 68 questions asking about their perceptions of their own weight, dietary consciousnesses, dietary behavior, dietary environment, how healthy they believed themselves to be, and their lifestyles.2.Age, height and body weight were measured or supplied by the subjects teachers. Subjects whose weight was greater than or equal to 120% of the baseline degree of obesity as determined by the Ministry of Education were considered to have a tendency toward obesity, and subjects whose weight was less than or equal to 80% of the Ministry of Educations baseline degree of obesity were considered underweight. The TANITA scale was used and BMI was calculated based on the degree of obesity as established by the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity. RESULTS:1.Significant differences were observed between the two gender groups in the disparities between their classification of their own body types and their actual BMI scores (p<0.001). Many girls perceived themselves as overweight even though their weight was at an appropriate level.2.Significant differences were observed between the two groups in the subjective symptoms (p<0.001). Many girls claimed that their health condition was poor.3.Significant differences were observed between the two groups in their cooking skills (p<0.01). Fewer boys are able to cook than girls.4.Some other noteworthy results were obtained between the two groups about the degree of satisfaction with their lives and homes

地方都市と大都市における女子生徒の食育課題検出のための研究

OBJECTIVE: In this study we investigated dietary consciousness, dietary behavior, dietary environments, life-style and subjects evaluation of their own health in Japanese urban and suburban adolescents to get ideas for improving dietary education for these groups.METHODS: The survey was conducted in October and November, 2006. Participant: The subjects were 262 urban junior high school girls (Age 13-14 yrs) and 220 suburban junior high school girls (Age 12-14 yrs). Measure: 1.The questionnaire consisted of 76 questions related to subjects dietary behavior, dietary environments, lifestyles, and their evaluation of their own health.2.Age, height and body weight were measured by their teacher. Subjects body weight was checked using the TANITA scale. And subjects BMI was calculated based on the degree of obesity as established by the Japan Society for the Study of Obesity. RESULTS 1.In urban areas a lot of students thought that they are overweight. They perceived themselves to be overweight even when they were not.2.More students in urban areas than in suburban areas did not understand how much one should eat and what would constitute overeating. 3.More than 50% of both suburban and urban subjects reported feeling irritated. Subjects also reported experiencing headaches, stiff shoulders, and backaches.4.All subjects reported being basically satisfied with their lives and families.5.Significantly fewer urban subjects than suburban subjects reported having breakfast and supper with their families. 6.50% of both groups reported having conversations with their families during meals and that they are happy at home

都市部女子中高生の食育課題の検討 : 食意識・食行動・食環境,食事調査分析結果

OBJECTIVE: In this study we investigated dietary consciousness, dietary behavior, dietary environment and dietary intake in Japanese urban schoolgirls and their mothers, and examined some useful indicators for their dietary education. METHODS: The survey was conducted during Sept 2005. Participants: The subjects were 262 junior high school girls (age 12-13yrs) and 240 mothers, 145 senior high school girls (age 15-16yrs) and 90 mothers, total subjects were 737. OUTCOME: 1. The questionnaire asked about their weight perception, eating behavior, environment, habits, and health condition in 76 questions. 2. Energy intake was assessed by 2 day dietary record method. 3. Age, height and body weight were measured by a teacher. Those with a tendency towards obesity were ≧120, and those underweight were ≦80%, based on the baseline degree of obesity by the Ministry of Education. A TANITA scale was used and BMI was calculated based on the degree of obesity in the Japanese Obesity Association. RESULTS: 1. Significant correlation coefficients were obtained between the body type classification and the degree of obesity, (junior high school girls: p<0.001, senior high school girls: p<0.001). Many schoolgirls perceived themselves overweight notwithstanding that weights were at an appropriate level. 2. Significant correlation coefficients were obtained between the self-rated energy intakes and the degree of obesity, (junior high school girls: p<0.001, senior high school girls: p<0.01). 3. Energy intakes by 2day dietary record method were not enough compared to their EER (estimated energy requirement), junior high school girls: 1685±410kcal, senior high school girls: 1670±433kcal. Micronutrient intake of Ca, Fe, VC and dietary fiber were less than DG (tentative dietary goal), but the ratio of fat energy was over the UL (tolerable upper intake level), junior high school girls: 32.5%, senior high school girls: 34.6%. 4. Energy intake of the mothers significantly correlated with that of their children in evening meals (breakfast: r=0.23, lunch: r=0.21, evening: r=0.35, total intake: r=0.25). 5. Correlation of between-item by Theory of quantification III showed 2 patterns. One correlated to the healthy dietary behavior, perception and environment, the other one had contradictory pattern that correlated to "overeat", "overweight" and "dieting practice" (η^2=0.13). DISCUSSION: In this study we describe probable associations which may provide an understanding of some aspects of nutrition education for Japanese urban schoolgirls