The East-Asian VLBI Network

The East-Asian VLBI Network (EAVN) is the international VLBI facility in East Asia and is conducted in collaboration with China, Japan, and Korea. The EAVN consists of VLBI arrays operated in each East Asian country, containing 21 radio telescopes and three correlators. The EAVN will be mainly operated at 6.7 (C-band), 8 (X-band), 22 (K-band), and 43 GHz (Q-band), although the EAVN has an ability to conduct observations at 1.6 - 129 GHz. We have conducted fringe test observations eight times to date at 8 and 22 GHz and fringes have been successfully detected at both frequencies. We have also conducted science commissioning observations of 6.7 GHz methanol masers in massive star-forming regions. The EAVN will be operational from the second half of 2017, providing complementary results with the FAST on AGNs, massive star-forming regions, and evolved stars with high angular resolution at cm- to mm-wavelengths.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables. To appear in the proceedings of "Frontiers in Radio Astronomy and FAST Early Sciences Symposium 2015" ed. Lei Qian (ASP Conf. Ser.

PRDM14 Drives OCT3/4 Recruitment via Active Demethylation in the Transition from Primed to Naive Pluripotency

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are specified from epiblast cells in mice. Genes associated with naive pluripotency are repressed in the transition from inner cell mass to epiblast cells, followed by upregulation after PGC specification. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the reactivation of pluripotency genes are poorly characterized. Here, we exploited the in vitro differentiation of epiblast-like cells (EpiLCs) from embryonic stem cells (ESCs) to elucidate the molecular and epigenetic functions of PR domain-containing 14 (PRDM14). We found that Prdm14 overexpression in EpiLCs induced their conversion to ESC-like cells even in the absence of leukemia inhibitory factor in adherent culture. This was impaired by the loss of Kruppel-like factor 2 and ten-eleven translocation (TET) proteins. Furthermore, PRDM14 recruited OCT3/4 to the enhancer regions of naive pluripotency genes via TET-base excision repair-mediated demethylation. Our results provide evidence that PRDM14 establishes a transcriptional network for naive pluripotency via active DNA demethylation

Insulin receptor substrate-2 maintains predominance of anabolic function over catabolic function of osteoblasts

Insulin receptor substrates (IRS-1 and IRS-2) are essential for intracellular signaling by insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), anabolic regulators of bone metabolism. Although mice lacking the IRS-2 gene (IRS-2−/− mice) developed normally, they exhibited osteopenia with decreased bone formation and increased bone resorption. Cultured IRS-2−/− osteoblasts showed reduced differentiation and matrix synthesis compared with wild-type osteoblasts. However, they showed increased receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) expression and osteoclastogenesis in the coculture with bone marrow cells, which were restored by reintroduction of IRS-2 using an adenovirus vector. Although IRS-2 was expressed and phosphorylated by insulin and IGF-I in both osteoblasts and osteoclastic cells, cultures in the absence of osteoblasts revealed that intrinsic IRS-2 signaling in osteoclastic cells was not important for their differentiation, function, or survival. It is concluded that IRS-2 deficiency in osteoblasts causes osteopenia through impaired anabolic function and enhanced supporting ability of osteoclastogenesis. We propose that IRS-2 is needed to maintain the predominance of bone formation over bone resorption, whereas IRS-1 maintains bone turnover, as we previously reported; the integration of these two signalings causes a potent bone anabolic action by insulin and IGF-I

WRF-LES Simulation of Wind Flow over Rough Urban Surface during Typhoon Lan (2017)

In this study, we investigated the influence of ground surface boundary conditions of the meteorological model on the accuracy in predicting the mean wind speed and wind speed fluctuation in the urban area. Two types of ground surface boundary conditions (Cases 1 and 2) were created. In Case 1, the roughness length for the urban area was set to 0.5 m uniformly, whereas in Case 2, the spatial distribution of roughness length for the urban area was set based on the urban geometry. We performed the wind flow simulation in the central part of Tokyo during Typhoon Lan (2017) by using WRF-LES with the created ground surface boundary conditions. By setting the roughness length based on the urban geometry, the accuracy in predicting the mean wind speed was improved significantly. However, in both cases, WRF-LES underestimated the turbulence intensity, especially near the ground surface

Novel transcript profiling of diffuse alveolar damage induced by hyperoxia exposure in mice: Normalization by glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase

Under mechanical ventilation with high-inspired oxygen concentration, diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) was found to take place in some patients. To clarify the molecular pathophysiology of this condition we investigated the time course of gene expression changes induced by hyperoxia exposure in mouse lung using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (real-time qPCR). Our results normalized by glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase showed that mRNA levels of cysteine rich protein 61 (CYR61) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) were significantly up-regulated, while those of surfactant-associated protein C (SFTPC), cytochrome P450, 2F2 (CYP2F2), Claudin 1, (CLDN1), membrane-associated zonula occludens protein-1 (ZO-1), lysozyme (LYZS), and P lysozyme structural (LZP-S) were significantly down-regulated. Increasing level of mRNAs, each encoding CYR61 and CTGF, suggests a serious risk of fibrosing alveolitis. Decrease in levels of mRNAs for SFTPC, CYP2F2, CLDN1, ZO-1, LYZS, and LZP-S suggests alveolar dysfunction and disruption of the immune system. Moreover we confirmed apoptotic conditions, such as significant up-regulations of mRNA levels in Myc and Galectin-3. Hyperoxic condition probably yielded reactive oxygen species (ROS), which resulted in a malignant cycle of ROS production by Myc overexpression

Risk Factors for Migration, Fracture, and Dislocation of Pancreatic Stents

Aim. To analyze the risk factors for pancreatic stent migration, dislocation, and fracture in chronic pancreatitis patients with pancreatic strictures. Materials and Methods. Endoscopic stent placements (total 386 times) were performed in 99 chronic pancreatitis patients with pancreatic duct stenosis at our institution between April 2006 and June 2014. We retrospectively examined the frequency of stent migration, dislocation, and fracture and analyzed the patient factors and stent factors. We also investigated the retrieval methods for migrated and fractured stents and their success rates. Results. The frequencies of stent migration, dislocation, and fracture were 1.5% (5/396), 0.8% (3/396), and 1.2% (4/396), respectively. No significant differences in the rates of migration, dislocation, or fracture were noted on the patient factors (etiology, cases undergoing endoscopic pancreatic sphincterotomy, location of pancreatic duct stenosis, existence of pancreatic stone, and approach from the main or minor papilla) and stent factors (duration of stent placement, numbers of stent placements, stent shape, diameter, and length). Stent retrieval was successful in all cases of migration. In cases of fractured stents, retrieval was successful in 2 of 4 cases. Conclusion. Stent migration, fracture, and dislocation are relatively rare, but possible complications. A good understanding of retrieval techniques is necessary