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

The Quiescent Intracluster Medium in the Core of the Perseus Cluster

Clusters of galaxies are the most massive gravitationally-bound objects in the Universe and are still forming. They are thus important probes of cosmological parameters and a host of astrophysical processes. Knowledge of the dynamics of the pervasive hot gas, which dominates in mass over stars in a cluster, is a crucial missing ingredient. It can enable new insights into mechanical energy injection by the central supermassive black hole and the use of hydrostatic equilibrium for the determination of cluster masses. X-rays from the core of the Perseus cluster are emitted by the 50 million K diffuse hot plasma filling its gravitational potential well. The Active Galactic Nucleus of the central galaxy NGC1275 is pumping jetted energy into the surrounding intracluster medium, creating buoyant bubbles filled with relativistic plasma. These likely induce motions in the intracluster medium and heat the inner gas preventing runaway radiative cooling; a process known as Active Galactic Nucleus Feedback. Here we report on Hitomi X-ray observations of the Perseus cluster core, which reveal a remarkably quiescent atmosphere where the gas has a line-of-sight velocity dispersion of 164+/-10 km/s in a region 30-60 kpc from the central nucleus. A gradient in the line-of-sight velocity of 150+/-70 km/s is found across the 60 kpc image of the cluster core. Turbulent pressure support in the gas is 4% or less of the thermodynamic pressure, with large scale shear at most doubling that estimate. We infer that total cluster masses determined from hydrostatic equilibrium in the central regions need little correction for turbulent pressure.Comment: 31 pages, 11 Figs, published in Nature July

Hitomi (ASTRO-H) X-ray Astronomy Satellite

The Hitomi (ASTRO-H) mission is the sixth Japanese x-ray astronomy satellite developed by a large international collaboration, including Japan, USA, Canada, and Europe. The mission aimed to provide the highest energy resolution ever achieved at E  >  2  keV, using a microcalorimeter instrument, and to cover a wide energy range spanning four decades in energy from soft x-rays to gamma rays. After a successful launch on February 17, 2016, the spacecraft lost its function on March 26, 2016, but the commissioning phase for about a month provided valuable information on the onboard instruments and the spacecraft system, including astrophysical results obtained from first light observations. The paper describes the Hitomi (ASTRO-H) mission, its capabilities, the initial operation, and the instruments/spacecraft performances confirmed during the commissioning operations for about a month

Comparison of corneal thickness in patients with dry eye disease using the Pentacam rotating Scheimpflug camera and anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

The purpose of this study was to compare central corneal thickness, thinnest corneal thickness, and the thinnest point of the cornea between Pentacam and anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) in patients with dry eye disease (DED). This cross-sectional study included 195 participants between November 2015-June 2017. DED was diagnosed using the Asia Dry Eye Society criteria and further divided into mild and severe DED based on kerato-conjunctival vital staining. Central corneal thickness, thinnest corneal thickness, and the thinnest point of the cornea measured by Pentacam and ASOCT were compared, and Pearson's correlation coefficients were estimated. The differences in central corneal thickness and the thinnest corneal thickness between Pentacam and ASOCT were analysed using Bland-Altman and multivariate regression analyses adjusted for age and sex. This study included 70 non-DED subjects and 52 patients with mild and 73 with severe DED. The Pentacam and ASOCT measurements of central corneal thickness and thinnest corneal thickness were strongly correlated, but the respective values were higher when measured with Pentacam. The Bland-Altman analysis revealed differences in central corneal thickness (non DED, 11.8; mild DED, 13.2; severe DED, 19.6) and in thinnest corneal thickness (non DED, 13.1; mild DED, 13.4; severe DED, 20.7). After adjusting for age and sex, the differences in central corneal thickness (β = 7.029 μm, 95%CI 2.528-11.530) and thinnest corneal thickness (β = 6.958 μm, 95%CI 0.037-13.879) were significantly increased in the severe-DED group. The distribution of the thinnest point of the cornea in the cornea's inferior temporal quadrant between Pentacam and ASOCT deviated in severe DED (Pentacam: 90.4% vs. ASOCT: 83.6%). Clinicians should consider that there were significant differences in corneal-morphology assessment between the measurements with Pentacam and ASOCT in severe DED

Reliability and Validity of Electronic Patient-Reported Outcomes Using the Smartphone App AllerSearch for Hay Fever: Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: Hay fever is a highly prevalent, heterogenous, and multifactorial disease. Patients may benefit from longitudinal assessments using mobile health (mHealth) principles. We have previously attempted to establish an effective mHealth platform for patients with hay fever through AllerSearch, our in-house smartphone app that assesses electronic patient-reported outcomes through a questionnaire on hay fever and provides evidence-based advice. To be used by the public, an investigation on its reliability and validity is necessary. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to assess the reliability and validity of subjective symptom data on hay fever collected through our app, AllerSearch. METHODS: This study used a prospective observational design. The participants were patients aged ≥20 years recruited from a single university hospital between June 2, 2021, and January 26, 2022. We excluded patients who could not use smartphones as well as those with incomplete data records and outlier data. All participants answered the Japanese Allergic Conjunctival Disease Standard Quality of Life Questionnaire (JACQLQ), first in the paper-and-pencil format and subsequently on AllerSearch on the same day. The JACQLQ comprises the following three domains: Domain I, with 9 items on ocular or nasal symptoms; Domain II, with 17 items on daily activity and psychological well-being; and Domain III, with 3 items on overall condition by face score. The concordance rate of each domain between the 2 platforms was calculated. The internal consistency of Domains I and II of the 2 platforms was assessed using Cronbach alpha coefficients, the concurrent validity of Domains I and II was assessed by calculating Pearson correlation coefficients, and the mean differences between the 2 platforms were assessed using Bland-Altman analysis. RESULTS: In total, 22 participants were recruited; the data of 20 (91%) participants were analyzed. The average age was 65.4 (SD 12.8) years, and 80% (16/20) of the participants were women. The concordance rate of Domains I, II, and III between the paper-based and app-based JACQLQ was 0.78, 0.85, and 0.90, respectively. The internal consistency of Domains I and II between the 2 platforms was satisfactory (Cronbach alpha of .964 and .919, respectively). Pearson correlation analysis yielded a significant positive correlation between Domains I and II across the 2 platforms (r=0.920 and r=0.968, respectively). The mean difference in Domains I and II between the 2 platforms was 3.35 units (95% limits of agreement: -6.51 to 13.2). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that AllerSearch is a valid and reliable tool for the collection of electronic patient-reported outcomes to assess hay fever, contributing to the advantages of the mHealth platform

Comparing the Japanese Version of the Ocular Surface Disease Index and Dry Eye-Related Quality-of-Life Score for Dry Eye Symptom Assessment

The aim of this study was to compare patient-reported symptoms of dry eye disease (DED) between the Japanese version of the Ocular Surface Disease Index (J-OSDI) and the Dry Eye-Related Quality-of-Life Score (DEQS). A total of 169 participants were enrolled between September 2017 and May 2018. Patients were administered the J-OSDI and DEQS questionnaires at their first (baseline) and follow-up visits to evaluate DED-related symptoms. The correlations between the J-OSDI total score and DEQS (Frequency and Degree) scores were evaluated using Pearson&rsquo;s correlation coefficient, and their clinical differences were assessed using the Bland&ndash;Altman analysis. At the baseline visit, the J-OSDI score and DEQS (Frequency and Degree) were significantly correlated (r = 0.855, r = 0.897, respectively). Moreover, a significant correlation was found between the J-OSDI score and DEQS (Frequency and Degree) at the follow-up visit (r = 0.852, r = 0.888, respectively). The Bland&ndash;Altman analysis revealed a difference (bias) of 4.18 units at the baseline and 4.08 units at the follow-up between the scores of the two questionnaires. The J-OSDI and DEQS were significantly correlated with negligible score differences, suggesting that the J-OSDI can be reliably used for Japanese patients, allowing for cross-country comparisons

Optimal cutoff value of the dry eye-related quality-of-life score for diagnosing dry eye disease

Abstract This retrospective study aimed to determine the optimal cutoff values of the Dry Eye-Related Quality-of-Life Score (DEQS) questionnaire for diagnosing dry eye disease (DED) and classifying DED severities. Participants completed the DEQS questionnaire, the Japanese version of the Ocular Surface Disease Index (J-OSDI) questionnaire, and DED examinations. DED was diagnosed according to the 2016 Asia Dry Eye Society diagnostic criteria based on DED symptoms (J-OSDI ≥ 13 points) and tear film breakup time ≤ 5 s. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to calculate the optimal cutoff values of the DEQS summary score for detecting DED and grading its severity. Among 427 patients, 296 (69.3%) and 131 (30.7%) were diagnosed with DED and non-DED, respectively. ROC analysis determined an optimal cutoff value of 15.0 points for DED diagnosis, with 83.5% sensitivity, 87.0% specificity, and an area under the curve of 0.915. The positive and negative predictive values for DEQS ≥ 15.0 points were 93.6% and 69.9%, respectively. DEQS cutoff values of 15.0, 20.0, and 26.8 points could be accepted for severity classification of DED subjective symptoms in clinical use and represent mild, moderate, and severe DED, respectively. Conclusively, the optimal cutoff values of DEQS enable DED detection and subjective symptom severity classification

Prevalence and Characteristics of Dry Eye Disease After Cataract Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Dry eye disease (DED) after cataract surgery is associated with various risk factors, while causing a wide range of heterogeneous symptoms including decreased quality of vision. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine the prevalence and characteristics of DED after cataract surgery. We searched PubMed and EMBASE and included studies on patients with DED after cataract surgery, between January 2011 and June 2020. Study-specific estimates (DED prevalence rates after cataract surgery in patients without preexisting DED) were combined using one-group meta-analysis in a random-effects model. We included 36 studies published between 2013 and 2020. We included nine of these in the meta-analysis of DED prevalence after cataract surgery. Overall 37.4% (95% CI 22.6-52.3; 206/775) of patients without preexisting DED developed DED after cataract surgery. The risk factors for DED after cataract surgery included age, female sex, systemic diseases, systemic medications, psychiatric conditions, preexisting DED, meibomian gland dysfunction, preservatives in eye drops, surgery techniques, and lifestyle. DED severity peak occurred 1 day postoperatively and persisted for at least 1-12 months following cataract surgery; therefore, consistent follow-up for DED is warranted for at least 1 month after cataract surgery. Topical administration of preservative-free diquafosol tetrasodium solution and preoperative meibomian gland treatment were effective in preventing and treating DED following cataract surgery. As more than one-third of patients develop DED after cataract surgery, careful DED management and treatment is needed after cataract surgery to improve satisfaction and vision quality

Stratification of Individual Symptoms of Contact Lens-Associated Dry Eye Using the iPhone App DryEyeRhythm: Crowdsourced Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Discontinuation of contact lens use is mainly caused by contact lens-associated dry eye. It is crucial to delineate contact lens-associated dry eye\u27s multifaceted nature to tailor treatment to each patient\u27s individual needs for future personalized medicine. OBJECTIVE: This paper aims to quantify and stratify individual subjective symptoms of contact lens-associated dry eye and clarify its risk factors for future personalized medicine using the smartphone app DryEyeRhythm (Juntendo University). METHODS: This cross-sectional study included iPhone (Apple Inc) users in Japan who downloaded DryEyeRhythm. DryEyeRhythm was used to collect medical big data related to contact lens-associated dry eye between November 2016 and January 2018. The main outcome measure was the incidence of contact lens-associated dry eye. Univariate and multivariate adjusted odds ratios of risk factors for contact lens-associated dry eye were determined by logistic regression analyses. The t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding algorithm was used to depict the stratification of subjective symptoms of contact lens-associated dry eye. RESULTS: The records of 4454 individuals (median age 27.9 years, SD 12.6), including 2972 female participants (66.73%), who completed all surveys were included in this study. Among the included participants, 1844 (41.40%) were using contact lenses, and among those who used contact lenses, 1447 (78.47%) had contact lens-associated dry eye. Multivariate adjusted odds ratios of risk factors for contact lens-associated dry eye were as follows: younger age, 0.98 (95% CI 0.96-0.99); female sex, 1.53 (95% CI 1.05-2.24); hay fever, 1.38 (95% CI 1.10-1.74); mental illness other than depression or schizophrenia, 2.51 (95% CI 1.13-5.57); past diagnosis of dry eye, 2.21 (95% CI 1.63-2.99); extended screen exposure time \u3e8 hours, 1.61 (95% CI 1.13-2.28); and smoking, 2.07 (95% CI 1.49-2.88). The t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding analysis visualized and stratified 14 groups based on the subjective symptoms of contact lens-associated dry eye. CONCLUSIONS: This study identified and stratified individuals with contact lens-associated dry eye and its risk factors. Data on subjective symptoms of contact lens-associated dry eye could be used for prospective prevention of contact lens-associated dry eye progression

Topical administration of the kappa opioid receptor agonist nalfurafine suppresses corneal neovascularization and inflammation.

Corneal neovascularization (CNV) causes higher-order aberrations, corneal edema, ocular inflammation, and corneal transplant rejection, thereby decreasing visual acuity. In this study, we investigated the effects of topical administration of the kappa opioid receptor agonist nalfurafine (TRK-820) on CNV. To induce CNV, intrastromal corneal sutures were placed on the corneal stroma of BALB/c mice for 2 weeks. Nalfurafine (0.1 µg/2 μL/eye) was topically administered to the cornea once or twice daily after CNV induction. The CNV score, immune cell infiltration, and mRNA levels of angiogenic and pro-inflammatory factors in neovascularized corneas were evaluated using slit-lamp microscopy, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and polymerase chain reaction. The mRNA expression of the kappa opioid receptor gene Oprk1 was significantly upregulated following CNV induction. Topical administration of nalfurafine twice daily significantly suppressed CNV and lymphangiogenesis, as well as reduced the mRNA levels of angiogenic and pro-inflammatory factors in the neovascularized corneas. Moreover, nalfurafine administration twice daily reduced the numbers of infiltrating leukocytes, neutrophils, macrophages, and interferon-γ-producing CD