Yearly variations in Be-7 concentrations in surface air at Iceland and Japan for 15 years from 2003: Solar modulation of cosmogenic nuclide

The Tenth Symposium on Polar Science/Ordinary sessions: [OS] Space and upper atmospheric sciences, Wed. 4 Dec. / Institute of Statistics and Mathematics (ISM) Seminar room 2 (D304) (3rd floor

Detection of Pulsed X-ray Emission from The Fastest Millisecond Pulsar PSR B1937+21 with ASCA

We have detected pulsed X-ray emission from the fastest millisecond pulsar known, PSR B1937+21 (P=1.558 msec), with ASCA. The pulsar is detected as a point source above $\sim 1.7$ keV, with no indication of nebulosity. The source flux in the 2--10 keV band is found to be $f = (3.7\pm 0.6) \times 10^{-13}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$, which implies an isotropic luminosity of $L_{\rm x} = 4 \pi D^2 f \sim (5.7\pm 1.0) \times 10^{32} ~(D/3.6 {\rm kpc})^2$ erg s$^{-1}$, where D is the distance, and an X-ray efficiency of $\sim 5 \times 10^{-4}$ relative to the spin-down power of the pulsar. The pulsation is found at the period predicted by the radio ephemeris with a very narrow primary peak, the width of which is about 1/16 phase ($\sim 100 \mu$s), near the time resolution limit ($61 \mu$s) of the observation. The instantaneous flux in the primary peak (1/16 phase interval) is found to be ($4.0\pm 0.8) \times 10^{-12}$ erg s$^{-1}$ cm$^{-2}$. Although there is an indication for the secondary peak, we consider its statistical significance too low to claim a definite detection. The narrow pulse profile and the detection in the 2--10 keV band imply that the X-ray emission is caused by the magnetospheric particle acceleration. Comparison of X-ray and radio arrival times of pulses indicates, within the timing errors, that the X-ray pulse is coincident with the radio interpulse.Comment: 14 pages with 5 figures. Ap. J. in pres

Achievements of Hinode in the first eleven years

Hinode is Japan’s third solar mission following Hinotori (1981–1982) and Yohkoh (1991–2001): it was launched on 2006 September 22 and is in operation currently. Hinode carries three instruments: the Solar Optical Telescope, the X-Ray Telescope, and the EUV Imaging Spectrometer. These instruments were built under international collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council, and its operation has been contributed to by the European Space Agency and the Norwegian Space Center. After describing the satellite operations and giving a performance evaluation of the three instruments, reviews are presented on major scientific discoveries by Hinode in the first eleven years (one solar cycle long) of its operation. This review article concludes with future prospects for solar physics research based on the achievements of Hinode

Achievements of Hinode in the first eleven years

Hinode is Japan’s third solar mission following Hinotori (1981–1982) and Yohkoh (1991–2001): it was launched on 2006 September 22 and is in operation currently. Hinode carries three instruments: the Solar Optical Telescope, the X-Ray Telescope, and the EUV Imaging Spectrometer. These instruments were built under international collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council, and its operation has been contributed to by the European Space Agency and the Norwegian Space Center. After describing the satellite operations and giving a performance evaluation of the three instruments, reviews are presented on major scientific discoveries by Hinode in the first eleven years (one solar cycle long) of its operation. This review article concludes with future prospects for solar physics research based on the achievements of Hinode

The whole blood transcriptional regulation landscape in 465 COVID-19 infected samples from Japan COVID-19 Task Force

「コロナ制圧タスクフォース」COVID-19患者由来の血液細胞における遺伝子発現の網羅的解析 --重症度に応じた遺伝子発現の変化には、ヒトゲノム配列の個人差が影響する--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-23.Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a recently-emerged infectious disease that has caused millions of deaths, where comprehensive understanding of disease mechanisms is still unestablished. In particular, studies of gene expression dynamics and regulation landscape in COVID-19 infected individuals are limited. Here, we report on a thorough analysis of whole blood RNA-seq data from 465 genotyped samples from the Japan COVID-19 Task Force, including 359 severe and 106 non-severe COVID-19 cases. We discover 1169 putative causal expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) including 34 possible colocalizations with biobank fine-mapping results of hematopoietic traits in a Japanese population, 1549 putative causal splice QTLs (sQTLs; e.g. two independent sQTLs at TOR1AIP1), as well as biologically interpretable trans-eQTL examples (e.g., REST and STING1), all fine-mapped at single variant resolution. We perform differential gene expression analysis to elucidate 198 genes with increased expression in severe COVID-19 cases and enriched for innate immune-related functions. Finally, we evaluate the limited but non-zero effect of COVID-19 phenotype on eQTL discovery, and highlight the presence of COVID-19 severity-interaction eQTLs (ieQTLs; e.g., CLEC4C and MYBL2). Our study provides a comprehensive catalog of whole blood regulatory variants in Japanese, as well as a reference for transcriptional landscapes in response to COVID-19 infection

DOCK2 is involved in the host genetics and biology of severe COVID-19

「コロナ制圧タスクフォース」COVID-19疾患感受性遺伝子DOCK2の重症化機序を解明 --アジア最大のバイオレポジトリーでCOVID-19の治療標的を発見--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-10.Identifying the host genetic factors underlying severe COVID-19 is an emerging challenge. Here we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 2, 393 cases of COVID-19 in a cohort of Japanese individuals collected during the initial waves of the pandemic, with 3, 289 unaffected controls. We identified a variant on chromosome 5 at 5q35 (rs60200309-A), close to the dedicator of cytokinesis 2 gene (DOCK2), which was associated with severe COVID-19 in patients less than 65 years of age. This risk allele was prevalent in East Asian individuals but rare in Europeans, highlighting the value of genome-wide association studies in non-European populations. RNA-sequencing analysis of 473 bulk peripheral blood samples identified decreased expression of DOCK2 associated with the risk allele in these younger patients. DOCK2 expression was suppressed in patients with severe cases of COVID-19. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis (n = 61 individuals) identified cell-type-specific downregulation of DOCK2 and a COVID-19-specific decreasing effect of the risk allele on DOCK2 expression in non-classical monocytes. Immunohistochemistry of lung specimens from patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia showed suppressed DOCK2 expression. Moreover, inhibition of DOCK2 function with CPYPP increased the severity of pneumonia in a Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, characterized by weight loss, lung oedema, enhanced viral loads, impaired macrophage recruitment and dysregulated type I interferon responses. We conclude that DOCK2 has an important role in the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of severe COVID-19, and could be further explored as a potential biomarker and/or therapeutic target

14C Age Measurements of Single-Year Tree Rings of Old Wood Samples 22,000 14C Years BP

From the 20th International Radiocarbon Conference held in Kona, Hawaii, USA, May 31-June 3, 2009.Radiocarbon ages of single-year tree rings were measured for Kaminoyama wood samples using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) in 2 Japanese facilities, MALT and JAEA, in order to investigate the periodic variation of 14C concentrations relating to the 11-yr solar cycle near 26,000 yr BP. Eight sequential measurements of 14C ages were carried out for a set of 13 alternate single-year tree rings covering 26 yr. Averages of the 5 data sets in MALT and 3 data sets in JAEA were 22,146 +/- 50 and 22,407 +/- 58 14C yr BP, respectively, indicating an offset of 260 +/- 77 14C yr. Multiple sequential measurements are advantageous for evaluating offsets. The standard deviation of the residuals of 14C ages from the averages in each data set was 118 14C yr, in contrast to that of 234 14C yr for the combined data sets due to an elimination effect in the offsets. The profiles of weighted mean values for the residuals of 14C ages showed similar enhancements with a width of ~12 yr for measurements in the 2 facilities. This indicates the reproducibility of the multiple sequential measurements. In the profile for the combined 8 data sets, the 14C enhancement was 73 +/- 36 14C yr from the average.The Radiocarbon archives are made available by Radiocarbon and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact [email protected] for further information.Migrated from OJS platform February 202

Acute appendicitis in a 14-year-old boy with familial Mediterranean fever

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is one manifestation of a heritable periodic fever syndrome that is characterized by recurrent attacks of febrile polyserositis, most frequently peritonitis. An FMF abdominal attack is often misdiagnosed as acute appendicitis, a more common cause of an acute abdomen. We report a 14-year-old boy with FMF who developed acute appendicitis during his follow-up. The patient had a several-year history of abdominal pain episodes, and was initially admitted for an acute abdominal attack. The attack resolved over three days, following administration of intravenous fluids, alone. Upon admission, serology revealed elevated serum levels of amyloid A. An analysis of the MEFV gene revealed compound heterozygous Glu148Gln/Ser503Cys, resulting in an FMF diagnosis. Seven months after discharge, the patient was re-admitted with an acute abdomen. Following ultrasonographically diagnosed appendicitis, an appendectomy was performed, and acute phlegmonous appendicitis was confirmed, based on the pathologic examination of the resected specimen. The present case suggests that upon examining an FMF patient with abdominal pain, appendicitis should not be arbitrarily discounted from the differential diagnosis