110 research outputs found
Place of pitavastatin in the statin armamentarium: promising evidence for a role in diabetes mellitus
Inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, known as statins, have revolutionized the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and coronary artery disease prevention. However, there are considerable issues regarding statin safety and further development of residual risk control, particularly for diabetic and metabolic syndrome patients. Pitavastatin is a potent statin with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol-lowering effects comparable to those of atorvastatin or rosuvastatin. Pitavastatin has a high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol raising effect, may improve insulin resistance, and has little influence on glucose metabolism. Considering these factors along with its unique pharmacokinetic properties, which suggest minimal drug–drug interaction, pitavastatin could provide an alternative treatment choice, especially in patients with glucose intolerance or diabetes mellitus. Many clinical trials are now underway to test the clinical efficacy of pitavastatin in various settings and are expected to provide further information
Implications for the Cosmic Reionization from the Optical Afterglow Spectrum of the Gamma-Ray Burst 050904 at z = 6.3
The gamma-ray burst (GRB) 050904 at z = 6.3 provides the first opportunity of
probing the intergalactic medium (IGM) by GRBs at the epoch of the
reionization. Here we present a spectral modeling analysis of the optical
afterglow spectrum taken by the Subaru Telescope, aiming to constrain the
reionization history. The spectrum shows a clear damping wing at wavelengths
redward of the Lyman break, and the wing shape can be fit either by a damped Ly
alpha system with a column density of log (N_HI/cm^{-2}) ~ 21.6 at a redshift
close to the detected metal absorption lines (z_metal = 6.295), or by almost
neutral IGM extending to a slightly higher redshift of z_{IGM,u} ~ 6.36. In the
latter case, the difference from z_metal may be explained by acceleration of
metal absorbing shells by the activities of the GRB or its progenitor. However,
we exclude this possibility by using the light transmission feature around the
Ly beta resonance, leading to a firm upper limit of z_{IGM,u} < 6.314. We then
show an evidence that the IGM was largely ionized already at z=6.3, with the
best-fit neutral fraction of IGM, x_HI = N_HI/N_H = 0.00, and upper limits of
x_HI < 0.17 and 0.60 at 68 and 95% C.L., respectively. This is the first direct
and quantitative upper limit on x_HI at z > 6. Various systematic uncertainties
are examined, but none of them appears large enough to change this conclusion.
To get further information on the reionization, it is important to increase the
sample size of z >~ 6 GRBs, in order to find GRBs with low column densities
(log N_HI <~ 20) within their host galaxies, and for statistical studies of Ly
alpha line emission from host galaxies.Comment: Matches the published version in PASJ. The version with full
resolution figures is available upon request to Totani or at
http://www.kusastro.kyoto-u.ac.jp/~totani/up/grb050904-paper2-astroph-v3.pd
A Hepatocellular Adenoma in a Diet-induced Obese Mouse
A hepatic nodule was noted in a C57BL/6J mouse with diet-induced obesity at 53
weeks of age. Macroscopically, a protruding yellowish white nodule was observed
on the visceral surface of the left lateral lobe. Light microscopy demonstrated
clear demarcation from the compressed adjacent parenchyma, with loss of the
distinct lobular pattern. The proliferating cells of the lesion varied in shape
and showed cellular atypia and prominent nucleoli along with vacuoles of various
sizes. Some of the cells contained various-sized eosinophilic inclusion bodies
in their cytoplasm, and electron microscopy revealed the presence of lipid
droplets in the rough endoplasmic reticulum. Eosinophilic inclusions were
observed as electron dense granular material in the rough endoplasmic reticulum,
with one or a few low density central cores. A diagnosis of hepatocellular
adenoma was made based on these findings
Monitoring Observations of the Jupiter-Family Comet 17P/Holmes during 2014 Perihelion Passage
We performed a monitoring observation of a Jupiter-Family comet, 17P/Holmes,
during its 2014 perihelion passage to investigate its secular change in
activity. The comet has drawn the attention of astronomers since its historic
outburst in 2007, and this occasion was its first perihelion passage since
then. We analyzed the obtained data using aperture photometry package and
derived the Afrho parameter, a proxy for the dust production rate. We found
that Afrho showed asymmetric properties with respect to the perihelion passage:
it increased moderately from 100 cm at the heliocentric distance r_h=2.6-3.1 AU
to a maximal value of 185 cm at r_h = 2.2 AU (near the perihelion) during the
inbound orbit, while dropping rapidly to 35 cm at r_h = 3.2 AU during the
outbound orbit. We applied a model for characterizing dust production rates as
a function of r_h and found that the fractional active area of the cometary
nucleus had dropped from 20%-40% in 2008-2011 (around the aphelion) to
0.1%-0.3% in 2014-2015 (around the perihelion). This result suggests that a
dust mantle would have developed rapidly in only one orbital revolution around
the sun. Although a minor eruption was observed on UT 2015 January 26 at r_h =
3.0 AU, the areas excavated by the 2007 outburst would be covered with a layer
of dust (<~ 10 cm depth) which would be enough to insulate the subsurface ice
and to keep the nucleus in a state of low activity.Comment: 25 pages, 6 figures, 2 tables, ApJ accepted on December 29, 201
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