Japanese VLBI Network observations of radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies

We performed phase-reference very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations on five radio-loud narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies (NLS1s) at 8.4 GHz with the Japanese VLBI Network (JVN). Each of the five targets (RXS J08066+7248, RXS J16290+4007, RXS J16333+4718, RXS J16446+2619, and B3 1702+457) in milli-Jansky levels were detected and unresolved in milli-arcsecond resolutions, i.e., with brightness temperatures higher than 10^7 K. The nonthermal processes of active galactic nuclei (AGN) activity, rather than starbursts, are predominantly responsible for the radio emissions from these NLS1s. Out of the nine known radio-loud NLS1s, including the ones chosen for this study, we found that the four most radio-loud objects exclusively have inverted spectra. This suggests a possibility that these NLS1s are radio-loud due to Doppler beaming, which can apparently enhance both the radio power and the spectral frequency.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, accepted for publication in PAS

CHH with Early-Onset CAD

The patient with congenital hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (HH) shows low serum levels of androgen, which is a group of sex hormones including testosterone, caused by the decreased gonadotropin release in the hypothalamus. Recent reports showed androgens exert protective effects against insulin resistance or atherosclerotic diseases, such as diabetes mellitus or coronary artery disease. However, whether the juvenile hypogonadism affects the diabetes or cardiovascular disease is unclear. We report a case of a middle-aged man with congenital HH who had severe coronary artery disease complicated with metabolic disorders

Slc3a2 Mediates Branched-Chain Amino-Acid-Dependent Maintenance of Regulatory T Cells

Foxp3+ regulatory T (Treg) cells, which suppress immune responses, are highly proliferative in vivo. However, it remains unclear how the active replication of Treg cells is maintained in vivo. Here, we show that branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), including isoleucine, are required for maintenance of the proliferative state of Treg cells via the amino acid transporter Slc3a2-dependent metabolic reprogramming. Mice fed BCAA-reduced diets showed decreased numbers of Foxp3+ Treg cells with defective in vivo proliferative capacity. Mice lacking Slc3a2 specifically in Foxp3+ Treg cells showed impaired in vivo replication and decreased numbers of Treg cells. Slc3a2-deficient Treg cells showed impaired isoleucine-induced activation of the mTORC1 pathway and an altered metabolic state. Slc3a2 mutant mice did not show an isoleucine-induced increase of Treg cells in vivo and exhibited multi-organ inflammation. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that BCAA controls Treg cell maintenance via Slc3a2-dependent metabolic regulation

The Japanese space gravitational wave antenna; DECIGO

DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (DECIGO) is the future Japanese space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to open a new window of observation for gravitational wave astronomy especially between 0.1 Hz and 10 Hz, revealing various mysteries of the universe such as dark energy, formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and inflation of the universe. The pre-conceptual design of DECIGO consists of three drag-free spacecraft, whose relative displacements are measured by a differential Fabry– Perot Michelson interferometer. We plan to launch two missions, DECIGO pathfinder and pre- DECIGO first and finally DECIGO in 2024

ジュウショウ シンフゼン カンジャ ニオケル サンソ リョウホウ ト Adaptive-servo ventilator ノ コウカ ノ ケントウ ハイドウミャクセイ ハイコウケツアツ ニ トモナウ ウシンフゼン ニ タイシテ ノ Adaptive-servo ventilator ノ コウカ

Pulmonary arterial hypertension（PAH）, including idiopathic or connective tissue diseaserelated PAH is very poor prognosis. Recently it has been reported that Adaptive-servo ventilator（ASV）is useful device for improving congestive heart failure compared with oxygen therapy however, it has not been clear whether ASV is useful not only in congestive heart failure but also in PAH patients. We experienced a drug therapy-resistant PAH patient, whose subjective symptom and pulmonary arterial pressure were ameliorated by ASV. We also found that ASV was also effective on improving subjective symptoms and on decreasing pulmonary arterial pressure in ６patients with PAH. These findings suggest that ASV is a useful and new device in patients with drug therapy-resistant PAH

DECIGO pathfinder

DECIGO pathfinder (DPF) is a milestone satellite mission for DECIGO (DECi-hertz Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) which is a future space gravitational wave antenna. DECIGO is expected to provide us fruitful insights into the universe, in particular about dark energy, a formation mechanism of supermassive black holes, and the inflation of the universe. Since DECIGO will be an extremely large mission which will formed by three drag-free spacecraft with 1000m separation, it is significant to gain the technical feasibility of DECIGO before its planned launch in 2024. Thus, we are planning to launch two milestone missions: DPF and pre-DECIGO. The conceptual design and current status of the first milestone mission, DPF, are reviewed in this article