125 research outputs found
VLBI Monitoring of 3C 84 (NGC 1275) in Early Phase of the 2005 Outburst
Multi-epoch Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) study of the sub-pc
scale jet of 3C 84 is presented. We carried out 14-epoch VLBI observations
during 2006-2009 with the Japanese VLBI Network (JVN) and the VLBI Exploration
of Radio Astrometry (VERA), immediately following the radio outburst that began
in 2005. We confirmed that the outburst was associated with the central ~1 pc
core, accompanying the emergence of a new component. This is striking evidence
of the recurrence of jet activity. The new component became brighter during
2008, in contrast to the constant gamma-ray emission that was observed with the
Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope during the same time. We found that the
projected speed of the new component is 0.23c from 2007/297 (2007 October 24)
to 2009/114 (2009 April 24). The direction of movement of this component
differs from that of the pre-existing component by ~40 degree. This is the
first measurement of kinematics of a sub-pc jet in a gamma-ray active phase.
Possible detection of jet deceleration and the jet kinematics in connection
with the gamma-ray emission is discussed.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures. Accepted for publication in PAS
Mohawk promotes the maintenance and regeneration of the outer annulus fibrosus of intervertebral discs.
The main pathogenesis of intervertebral disc (IVD) herniation involves disruption of the annulus fibrosus (AF) caused by ageing or excessive mechanical stress and the resulting prolapse of the nucleus pulposus. Owing to the avascular nature of the IVD and lack of understanding the mechanisms that maintain the IVD, current therapies do not lead to tissue regeneration. Here we show that homeobox protein Mohawk (Mkx) is a key transcription factor that regulates AF development, maintenance and regeneration. Mkx is mainly expressed in the outer AF (OAF) of humans and mice. In Mkx(-/-) mice, the OAF displays a deficiency of multiple tendon/ligament-related genes, a smaller OAF collagen fibril diameter and a more rapid progression of IVD degeneration compared with the wild type. Mesenchymal stem cells overexpressing Mkx promote functional AF regeneration in a mouse AF defect model, with abundant collagen fibril formation. Our results indicate a therapeutic strategy for AF regeneration
Juvenile hormone acid O-methyltransferase in Drosophila melanogaster
Juvenile hormone (JH) acid O-methyltransferase (JHAMT) is the enzyme that transfers a methyl groupfrom S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) to the carboxyl group of JH acids to produce active JHs in thecorpora allata. While the JHAMT gene was originally identified and characterized in the silkwormBombyx mori, no orthologs from other insects have been studied until now. Here we report on thefunctional characterization of the CG17330/DmJHAMT gene in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster.Recombinant DmJHAMT protein expressed in Escherichia coli catalyzes the conversion of farnesoic acidand JH III acid to their cognate methyl esters in the presence of SAM. DmJHAMT is predominantlyexpressed in corpora allata, and its developmental expression profile correlates with changes in the JHtiter. While a transgenic RNA interference against DmJHAMT has no visible effect, overexpression ofDmJHAMT results in a pharate adult lethal phenotype, similar to that obtained with application of JHanalogs, suggesting that the temporal regulation of DmJHAMT is critical for Drosophila development
Replacement of cisplatin with nedaplatin in a definitive 5-fluorouracil/cisplatin-based chemoradiotherapy in Japanese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Objective: The effects of replacing cisplatin (CDDP) with cis-diammineglycolatoplatinum (nedaplatin, NDP), a second-generation platinum complex, on the pharmacokinetics of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were investigated in Japanese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, who were treated with a definitive 5-FU/CDDP-based chemoradiotherapy
Allele-Specific Expression Analysis of PEG1/MEST in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas
Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic feature that plays a significant role in carcinogenesis. In this study, we examined the expression status of an imprinted gene, paternally expressed gene 1/mesoderm-specific transcript PEG1/MEST, in 38 cases of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) and in 17 oral squamous cancer cell lines. Loss of imprinting (LOI) of PEG1/MEST was found in 8 of 10 (80%) in tumor specimens, and 6 of 10 (60%) informative cases even in the extracted normal tissue specimens. As for the oral squamous cancer cell lines, LOI was detected in 5 of 8 (62.5%) informative cases in PEG1/MEST. Thus, these data showed that abnormal expression of PEG1/MEST was found at a high frequency in the tumor, the extracted normal tissue specimens and the oral squamous cancer cell lines. PEG1/MEST LOI in extracted normal tissue specimens may have a potential individual cancer risk for HNSCC
ヨリ オオキナ ビョウヘン ノ イッカツ セツジョ オ メザシタ アタラシイ EMR シュギ : セッカイ ハクリホウ : ソウキ イガン ノ EMR テキオウ カクダイ ニ ムケテ
The standard indication of EMR for early gastric cancer in Japan is intra-mucosal cancer without ulcerative finding, histologically differentiated type, and less than 20 mm in diameter. Recently, in order to perform en block resection of early gastric cancer more than 20 mm in diameter and achieve histological evaluation precisely, several endoscopists have reported new EMR methods (cut and exfoliate method) using not only needle knife but also new devices such as IT knife, hooking knife and/or flex knife to cut around the lesion and exfoliate submucosa. From January 2001 to December 2002, we attempted to en bloc EMRs using needle knife, IT knife and/or hooking knife for 60 gastric cancers after informed concent, 40 lesions were according to the standard indication (group A) and 20 were not (group B). En bloc resection rates of group A and B were 82.5% (33/40) and 65.0% (13/20), respectively, these rates are higher than that of conventional methods (strip biopsy, aspiration method et al ). In the near feature, these advanced EMR techniques enable us to expand the indication criteria for early gastric cancer widely based on the results of analysis of lymph-node metastasis and prognostic data after EMR
Left atrial extension of metastatic lung tumor via pulmonary vein: report on the first case of Ewing sarcoma
Extension of metastatic lung tumors into the left atrium via pulmonary veins is rare. Here, we report the first case of Ewing sarcoma exhibiting such extension. A 31-year-old man with pulmonary metastasis from Ewing sarcoma presented with a mass in the left lung, extending to the left atrium through the left inferior pulmonary vein. As the patient was considered to be at risk of tumor embolism, the mass was excised surgically
The ASTRO-H X-ray Observatory
The joint JAXA/NASA ASTRO-H mission is the sixth in a series of highly
successful X-ray missions initiated by the Institute of Space and Astronautical
Science (ISAS). ASTRO-H will investigate the physics of the high-energy
universe via a suite of four instruments, covering a very wide energy range,
from 0.3 keV to 600 keV. These instruments include a high-resolution,
high-throughput spectrometer sensitive over 0.3-2 keV with high spectral
resolution of Delta E < 7 eV, enabled by a micro-calorimeter array located in
the focal plane of thin-foil X-ray optics; hard X-ray imaging spectrometers
covering 5-80 keV, located in the focal plane of multilayer-coated, focusing
hard X-ray mirrors; a wide-field imaging spectrometer sensitive over 0.4-12
keV, with an X-ray CCD camera in the focal plane of a soft X-ray telescope; and
a non-focusing Compton-camera type soft gamma-ray detector, sensitive in the
40-600 keV band. The simultaneous broad bandpass, coupled with high spectral
resolution, will enable the pursuit of a wide variety of important science
themes.Comment: 22 pages, 17 figures, Proceedings of the SPIE Astronomical
Instrumentation "Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2012: Ultraviolet to
Gamma Ray
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