An Intermediate-band imaging survey for high-redshift Lyman Alpha Emitters: The Mahoroba-11

We present results of our intermediate-band optical imaging survey for high-$z$ Ly$\alpha$ emitters (LAEs) using the prime focus camera, Suprime-Cam, on the 8.2m Subaru Telescope. In our survey, we use eleven filters; four broad-band filters ($B$, $R_{\rm c}$, $i^\prime$, and $z^\prime$) and seven intermediate-band filters covering from 500 nm to 720 nm; we call this imaging program as the Mahoroba-11. The seven intermediate-band filters are selected from the IA filter series that is the Suprime-Cam intermediate-band filter system whose spectral resolution is $R = 23$. Our survey has been made in a $34^\prime \times 27^\prime$ sky area in the Subaru XMM Newton Deep Survey field. We have found 409 IA-excess objects that provide us a large photometric sample of strong emission-line objects. Applying the photometric redshift method to this sample, we obtained a new sample of 198 LAE candidates at $3 < z < 5$. We found that there is no evidence for evolution of the number density and the star formation rate density for LAEs with $\log L({\rm Ly}\alpha) ({\rm erg s^{-1}}) > 42.67$ between $z \sim 3$ and 5.Comment: 46 pages, 15 figures, PASJ, Vol.57, No.6, in pres

Validity and reproducibility of folate and vitamin B12 intakes estimated from a self-administered diet history questionnaire in Japanese pregnant women

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>No validated dietary questionnaire for assessing folate and vitamin B₁₂intakes during pregnancy is available in Japan. We evaluated the validity and reproducibility of intakes of folate and vitamin B₁₂estimated from a self-administered diet history questionnaire (DHQ) in Japanese pregnant women.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A sample of 167 healthy subjects with singleton pregnancies in the second trimester was recruited at a private obstetric hospital in metropolitan Tokyo from June to October 2008 (n = 76), and at a university hospital in Tokyo from June 2010 to June 2011 (n = 91). The dietary intakes of folate and vitamin B₁₂were assessed using the DHQ. The serum concentrations of folate and vitamin B₁₂were measured as reference values in the validation study. To assess the reproducibility of the results, 58 pregnant women completed the DHQ twice within 4-5 week interval.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Significantly positive correlations were found between energy-adjusted intakes and serum concentrations of folate and vitamin B₁₂(r = 0.286, <it>p </it>< 0.001 and r = 0.222, <it>p </it>= 0.004, respectively). After excluding the participants with nausea (n = 121), the correlation coefficient for vitamin B₁₂increased to 0.313 (<it>p </it>= 0.001). When participants were classified into quintiles based on intakes and serum concentrations of folate and vitamin B₁₂, approximately 60% were classified in the same or adjacent quintile. The intraclass correlation coefficients of the two-time DHQ were 0.725 for folate and 0.512 for vitamin B₁₂.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The present study indicated that the DHQ had acceptable validity and reproducibility for assessing folate and vitamin B₁₂intakes in Japanese pregnant women.</p

Strong Emission-Line Galaxies at Low Redshift in the Field around the Quasar SDSSp J104433.04-012502.2

We discuss observational properties of strong emission-line galaxies at low redshift found by our deep imaging survey for high-redshift Ly alpha emitters. In our surveys, we used the narrowband filter, NB816 (lambda_center=8150A with FWHM = 120A), and the intermediate-band filter, IA827 (lambda_center = 8270A with FWHM = 340A). In this survey, 62 NB816-excess (> 0.9 mag) and 21 IA827-excess (> 0.8 mag) objects were found. Among them, we found 20 NB816-excess and 4 IA827-excess Ly alpha emitter candidates. Therefore, it turns out that 42 NB816-excess and 17 IA827-excess objects are strong emission-line objects at lower redshift. Since 4 objects in the two low-z samples are common, the total number of strong low-z emitters is 55. Applying our photometric redshift technique, we identify 7 H alpha emitters at z~0.24, 20 H beta-[OIII] ones at z~0.65, and 11 [OII] ones at z~1.19. However, we cannot determine reliable photometric redshifts of the remaining 17 emitters. The distributions of their rest frame equivalent widths are consistently understood with recent studies of galaxy evolution from z~1 to z~0.Comment: 28 pages, 8 figures, PASJ, Vol. 58, No. 1, in pres

Detection of Polarized Broad Emission in the Seyfert 2 Galaxy Mrk 573

We report the discovery of the scattered emission from a hidden broad-line region (BLR) in a Seyfert 2 galaxy, Mrk 573, based on our recent spectropolarimetric observation performed at the Subaru Telescope. This object has been regarded as a type 2 AGN without a hidden BLR by the previous observations. However, our high quality spectrum of the polarized flux of Mrk 573 shows prominent broad (~3000 km/s) H_alpha emission, broad weak H_beta emission, and subtle Fe II multiplet emission. Our new detection of these indications for the presence of the hidden BLR in the nucleus of Mrk 573 is thought to be owing to the high signal-to-noise ratio of our data, but the possibility of a time variation of the scattered BLR emission is also mentioned. Some diagnostic quantities such as the IRAS color, the radio power, and the line ratio of the emission from the narrow-line region of Mrk 573 are consistent with the distributions of such quantities of type 2 AGNs with a hidden BLR. Mrk 573 is thought to be an object whose level of the AGN activity is the weakest among the type 2 AGNs with a hidden BLR. In terms of the systematic differences between the type 2 AGNs with and without a hidden BLR, we briefly comment on an interesting Seyfert 2 galaxy, Mrk 266SW, which may possess a hidden BLR but has been treated as a type 2 AGNs without a hidden BLR.Comment: 9 pages including 6 figures, to appear in The Astronomical Journa

The Intermediate-band Dropout Method: A New Method to Search for High-Redshift Galaxies

We propose a new method to search for high-redshift galaxies that is based on an intermediate-band dropout technique rather than the usual broad-band dropout one. In this method, we use an intermediate-band filter whose central wavelength is longer than 7000 \AA. This new method makes it possible to distinguish both very late-type stars such as L and T dwarfs and dusty galaxies at intermediate redshift from real high-$z$ Lyman break galaxies. The reason for this is that such interlopers do not show strong intermediate-band depression although they have very red broad-band colors that are indicative of Lyman break galaxies. Applying our new method to imaging data sets obtained with the Suprime-Cam on the Subaru Telescope, we find a new sample of Lyman break galaxies at $z \simeq 5$.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figures, PASJ, Vol.57, No.2, in pres

A Subaru Search for Lyman-Alpha Emitters at z=5.8 with an Intermediate-Band Filter

We present the results of a survey for Ly-alpha emitters at z ~ 5.8 using a new intermediate-band filter centered at lambda_c = 8275 AA with Delta-lambda_FWHM = 340 AA (i.e., the spectroscopic resolution is R ~ 23) with a combination with a traditional narrow-band centered at lambda_c = 8150 AA with Delta-lambda_FWHM = 120 AA (R ~ 68). Our observations were made with use of the Subaru Prime Focus Camera, Suprime-Cam, on the 8.2 m Subaru telescope in a sky area surrounding the high redshift quasar, SDSSp J104433.04-012522.2 at z=5.74, covering an effective sky area with ~ 720 arcmin^2. In this survey, we have found four Ly-alpha-emitter candidates from the intermediate-band image (z \~ 5.8 with Delta z ~ 0.3). Combined with our previous results based on the NB816 imaging, we discuss the star formation activity in galaxies between z ~ 5.7 and z ~ 5.9.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figures. Accepted for publication in PAS

Factors responsible for elevated plasma B-type natriuretic peptide levels in severe aortic stenosis: Comparison between elderly and younger patients

AbstractBackgroundElevated plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a predictor of outcome and helpful for risk stratification in aortic stenosis (AS). However, left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction progresses with aging and may also influence plasma BNP levels in elderly patients. We hypothesized that plasma BNP levels may be influenced by age in severe AS, and that factors that affect the elevation of plasma BNP levels may be different between elderly and younger patients with AS.MethodsWe performed echocardiography in 341 patients with severe AS [aortic valve area (AVA)<1.0cm2] and classified them into two groups by age (elderly ≥75 years old, n=201; younger patients <75 years old, n=140). We used multivariate linear regression analysis to assess the factors that determine plasma BNP levels in both groups.ResultsAge was found to be one of the independent determinants of plasma BNP levels in all patients (β=0.135, p=0.005). Although AVA was similar in the two groups, plasma BNP levels and E/e′ were significantly higher in elderly than younger patients [133.0 (IQR, 73.3–329.7)pg/dl vs 92.8 (IQR, 40.6–171.8)pg/dl, p<0.01; 20±8 vs 16±6, p<0.01, respectively). In multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis, AVA index, LV ejection fraction, mass index, E/e′, estimated systolic pulmonary artery pressure (eSPAS), and the presence of atrial fibrillation were independent determinants of plasma BNP levels in younger patients. In contrast, the independent determinants of plasma BNP levels in elderly patients were LV ejection fraction, mass index, E/e′, eSPAS, the presence of atrial fibrillation, age, and hemoglobin levels, but not AVA index.ConclusionsThere may be differences in the factors that influence plasma BNP levels between elderly and younger patients with severe AS. In elderly patients, plasma BNP levels may be influenced more by these factors than AS severity compared with younger patients

A survey of NB921 dropouts in the Subaru Deep Field

In order to search for high-redshift galaxies beyond $z = 6.6$ in the Subaru Deep Field, we have investigated NB921-dropout galaxies where NB921 is the narrowband filter centered at 919.6 nm with FWHM of 13.2 nm for the Suprime-Cam on the Subaru Telescope. There are no secure NB921-dropout candidates brighter than $z^\prime = 25.5$. Based on this result, we discuss the UV luminosity function of star-forming galaxies at $z > 6.6$.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figures, PASJ, Vol.57, No.5, in pres