First Detection of A Sub-kpc Scale Molecular Outflow in the Starburst Galaxy NGC 3628

We successfully detected a molecular outflow with a scale of 370-450 pc in the central region of the starburst galaxy NGC 3628 through deep CO(1-0) observations by using the Nobeyama Millimeter Array (NMA). The mass of the outflowing molecular gas is ~2.8x10^7 M_sun, and the outflow velocity is ~90(+/-10) km s^{-1}. The expansion timescale of the outflow is 3.3-6.8 Myr, and the molecular gas mass flow rate is 4.1-8.5 M_sun yr^{-1}. It requires mechanical energy of (1.8-2.8)x10^{54} erg to create this sub-kpc scale molecular outflow. In order to understand the evolution of the molecular outflow, we compare the physical properties between the molecular outflow observed from our NMA CO(1-0) data and the plasma gas from the soft X-ray emission of the Chandra X-ray Observatory (CXO) archival data. We found that the distribution between the molecular outflow and the strong plasma outflow seems to be in a similar region. In this region, the ram pressure and the thermal pressure of the plasma outflow are 10^{-(8-10)} dyne cm^{-2}, and the thermal pressure of molecular outflow is 10^{-(11-13)} dyne cm^{-2}. This implies the molecular outflow is still expanding outward. The molecular gas consumption timescale is estimated as 17-27 Myr, and the total starburst timescale is 20-34 Myr. The evolutionary parameter is 0.11-0.25, suggesting that the starburst activity in NGC 3628 is still in a young stage.Comment: 15 pages, 14 figures, accepted by Ap

Audible secret keying for Time-spread-echo based Audio watermarking

This paper deals with the pseudo noise (PN) generating method for digital audio watermarking using time-spread echo hiding. In time-spread echo based audio watermarking, the secret payload is embedded in the form of multiple echoes spread by a pseudo noise sequence and the pseudo noise sequence is used as secret key. Generally, the pseudo noise sequence is required to be uncorrelated with other sequence and therefore typically generated by an M-sequence generator. In this paper, we propose a key sequence generating method which generates a key sequence from an audio signal. By using the new key sequence generated from an audio signal instead of an M-sequence, the key information users have to remember is their secret audio signal but not a complicated random PN key. Therefore, the availability of digital audio watermarking would be improved. After introducing the new key generation method, we evaluated the proposed key sequence. The result shows it can detect a secret payload similar to use of a conventional M-sequence and does not deteriorate inaudibility of the embedded watermark.11th International Conference on Intelligent Information Hiding and Multimedia Signal Processing, IIH-MSP 2015; Adelaide; Australia; 23-25 September 201

Detection of "Rickettsia sp strain Uilenbergi" and "Rickettsia sp strain Davousti" in Amblyomma tholloni ticks from elephants in Africa

Background: To date, 6 tick-borne rickettsiae pathogenic for humans are known to occur in Africa and 4 of them were first identified in ticks before being recognized as human pathogens. Results: We examined 33 and 5 Amblyomma tholloni ticks from African elephants in the Central African Republic and Gabon, respectively, by PCR amplification and sequencing of a part of gltA and ompA genes of the genus Rickettsia. The partial sequences of gltA and ompA genes detected in tick in Gabon had 99.1% similarity with those of R. heilongjiangensis and 97.1% with those of Rickettsia sp. HL-93 strain, respectively. The partial gltA and ompA gene sequences detected in tick in the Central African Republic were 98.9% and 95.1% similar to those of Rickettsia sp. DnS14 strain and R. massiliae, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed Rickettsia sp. detected in Gabon clusters with R. japonica and R. heilongjiangensis in a phylogenetic tree based on the partial gltA and ompA genes. The genotype of the Rickettsia sp. detected in the Central African Republic is close to those of R. massiliae group in the phylogenetic tree based on partial gltA gene sequences, and distantly related to other rickettsiae in the tree based on partial ompA gene. Conclusion: The degrees of similarity of partial gltA and ompA genes with recognized species indicate the rickettsiae detected in this study may be new species although we could only study the partial sequences of 2 genes regarding the amount of DNA that was available. We propose the Rickettsia sp. detected in Gabon be provisionally named "Rickettsia sp. stain Davousti" and Rickettsia sp. detected in the Central African Republic be named "Rickettsia sp. strain Uilenbergi"

Immunohistochemical detection of procalcitonin in fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma

A 25-year-old woman with fever and epigastric pain was referred to our hospital. Blood examination showed significant liver dysfunction, markedly high C-reactive protein (CRP 19.1 mg/dL) and procalcitonin (48.3 ng/mL) levels. Dynamic computed tomography showed a tumor approximately 120 mm in size in the right lobe of the liver, but with no abscess formation. The patient was hospitalized and started on antibiotics; her CRP level improved, but the procalcitonin level did not decrease. Histopathological examination of the liver tumor biopsy revealed fibrolamellar hepatocellular carcinoma (FLC). Positive staining of the FLC with an anti-procalcitonin antibody suggested the production of procalcitonin

Organosilica nanoparticles containing sodium borocaptate (BSH) provide new prospects for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT): efficient cellular uptake and enhanced BNCT efficacy

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT), a method based on the fission of boron-10 upon neutron irradiation, has emerged as an attractive option for radiation therapy. To date, the main drugs used in BNCT are 4-boronophenylalanine (BPA) and sodium borocaptate (BSH). While BPA has been extensively tested in clinical trials, the use of BSH has been limited, mainly due to its poor cellular uptake. Here, we describe a novel type of mesoporous silica-based nanoparticle containing BSH covalently attached to a nanocarrier. Synthesis and characterization of these nanoparticles (BSH-BPMO) are presented. The synthetic strategy involves a click thiol–ene reaction with the boron cluster, providing hydrolytically stable linkage with the BSH in four steps. The BSH-BPMO nanoparticles were efficiently taken up into cancer cells and accumulated in the perinuclear region. Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) measurements of boron uptake in cells highlight the important role of the nanocarrier in the enhancement of boron internalization. BSH-BPMO nanoparticles were also taken up and distributed throughout tumour spheroids. BNCT efficacy was examined by the neutron exposure of the tumour spheroids. BSH-BPMO loaded spheroids were completely destroyed upon neutron irradiation. In contrast, neutron irradiation of tumour spheroids loaded with BSH or BPA resulted in significantly less spheroid shrinkage. The significant difference in BNCT efficacy of the BSH-BPMO was correlated with the improved boron uptake via the nanocarrier. Overall, these results demonstrate the critical role of the nanocarrier in BSH internalization and the enhanced BNCT efficacy of the BSH-BPMO compared with BSH and BPA, two drugs used in BNCT clinical trials

Sn-1位に多価不飽和脂肪酸を結合する2-0-methoxyethoxymethylglycerolの立体配置決定

A correlation of optical rotation, optical purity and configuration of the asymmetric center was done for 2-0-methoxyethoxymethylglycerol bearing polyunsaturated fatty acyl group at sn-1 position. This compound was enzymatically prepared and is an important starting material for the syntheses of optical active glycerophospholipids naving polyunwaturated fatty acyl groups.自然界に広く存在し，重要な生理機能を担っている多価不飽和脂肪酸結合リン脂質の化学的合成に必要な出発原料としての2-0-methoxyethoxymethylglycerolの立体配置と光学純度を，立体配置・光学純度既知の物質に化学的に誘導し，それらの比旋光度をお互いに比較する事により決定した

Formation of a Massive Black Hole at the Center of the Superbubble in M82

We performed 12CO(1-0), 13CO(1-0), and HCN(1-0) interferometric observations of the central region (about 450 pc in radius) of M82 with the Nobeyama Millimeter Array, and have successfully imaged a molecular superbubble and spurs. The center of the superbubble is clearly shifted from the nucleus by 140 pc. This position is close to that of the massive black hole (BH) of >460 Mo and the 2.2 micron secondary peak (a luminous supergiant dominated cluster), which strongly suggests that these objects may be related to the formation of the superbubble. Consideration of star formation in the cluster based on the infrared data indicates that (1) energy release from supernovae can account for the kinetic energy of the superbubble, (2) the total mass of stellar-mass BHs available for building-up the massive BH may be much higher than 460 Mo, and (3) it is possible to form the middle-mass BH of 100-1000 Mo within the timescale of the superbubble. We suggest that the massive BH was produced and is growing in the intense starburst region.Comment: 9 pages, 3 figures, to appear in ApJ Lette