Low X-ray Efficiency of a Young High-B Pulsar PSR J1208-6238 Observed with Chandra

High magnetic field (high-B) pulsars are key sources to bridge magnetars and conventional rotation powered pulsars, and thus to understand the origin of magnetar activities. We have estimated a tight upper-limit on the X-ray flux of one of the youngest high-B pulsars PSR J1208-6238 for the first time; a Chandra 10 ks observation shows no significant source. Depending on the emission models, the 3sigma upper-limit on the intrinsic 0.5-7 keV flux to (2.2-10.0)e-14 erg/s/cm2.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figures, Ap&SS, accepte

Essential pre-treatment imaging examinations in patients with endoscopically-diagnosed early gastric cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There have been no reports discussing which imaging procedures are truly necessary before treatment of endoscopically-diagnosed early gastric cancer (eEGC). The aim of this pilot study was to show which imaging examinations are essential to select indicated treatment or appropriate strategy in patients with eEGC.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In 140 consecutive patients (95 men, 45 women; age, 66.4 +/- 11.3 years [mean +/- standard deviation], range, 33-90) with eEGC which were diagnosed during two years, the pre-treatment results of ultrasonography (US) and contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen, barium enema (BE) and chest radiography (CR) were retrospectively reviewed. Useful findings that might affect indication or strategy were evaluated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>US demonstrated useful findings in 13 of 140 patients (9.3%): biliary tract stones (n = 11) and other malignant tumors (n = 2). Only one useful finding was demonstrated on CT (pancreatic intraductal papillary mucinous tumor) but not on US (0.7%; 95% confidential interval [CI], 2.1%). BE demonstrated colorectal carcinomas in six patients and polyps in 10 patients, altering treatment strategy (11.4%; 95%CI, 6.1-16.7%). Of these, only two colorectal carcinomas were detected on CT. CR showed three relevant findings (2.1%): pulmonary carcinoma (n = 1) and cardiomegaly (n = 2). Seventy-nine patients (56%) were treated surgically and 56 patients were treated by endoscopic intervention. The remaining five patients received no treatment due to various reasons.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>US, BE and CR may be essential as pre-treatment imaging examinations because they occasionally detect findings which affect treatment indication and strategy, although abdominal contrast-enhanced CT rarely provide additional information.</p

Heliocentric Distance Dependence of Zodiacal Light Observed by Hayabusa2#

Zodiacal light (ZL) is sunlight scattered by interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) at optical wavelengths. The spatial distribution of IDPs in the Solar System may hold an important key to understanding the evolution of the Solar System and material transportation within it. The number density of IDPs can be expressed as $n(r) \sim r^{-\alpha}$, and the exponent $\alpha \sim 1.3$ was obtained by previous observations from interplanetary space by Helios 1/2 and Pioneer 10/11 in the 1970s and 1980s. However, no direct measurements of $\alpha$ based on ZL observations from interplanetary space outside Earth's orbit have been performed since then. Here, we introduce initial results for the radial profile of the ZL at optical wavelengths observed over the range 0.76-1.06 au by ONC-T aboard the Hayabusa2# mission in 2021-2022. The ZL brightness we obtained is well reproduced by a model brightness, although there is a small excess of the observed ZL brightness over the model brightness at around 0.9 au. The radial power-law index we obtained is $\alpha = 1.30 \pm 0.08$, which is consistent with previous results based on ZL observations. The dominant source of uncertainty arises from the uncertainty in estimating the diffuse Galactic light (DGL).Comment: 22 pages, 19 figures, 4 tables, accepted for publication by Earth, Planets and Spac

2006ネン ニ トクシマシ シロヤマ ニ ショクジュ サレタ ホルトノキ ノ ナエギ ノ ゲンジョウ : セイイク ジョウキョウ ト ホルトノキ イオウビョウ カンセン ジョウキョウ ニツイテ

Elaeocarpus zollingeri (synonym: E. sylvestris) was one of dominant trees in Mt. Shiroyama in the Tokushima City until 1970s, however, most of adult trees have died by Elaeocarpus yellows. To prevent extinction 300 nursery trees were planted at the foot of the mountain by local volunteers in 2006. In this study we investigated their survival, growth, and infection status of the disease. We found 40 nursery trees have survived (survival rate was 13%). Survived trees were abundant in areas facing the south, and most trees disappeared in areas facing the north and the west. Growth of the trees was well also in areas facing the south. Among the survived 40 nursery trees, we found three trees infected with phytoplasma, the pathogen of Elaeocarpus yellows, based on PCR analysis. It is not clear when they were infected with phytoplasma, whether they have infected after the plantation or they already had phytoplasma in the seed. Anyway, the fact that only a few tree is infected must be gratifying in considering the conservation E. zollinger in Mt. Shiroyama