282 research outputs found
Infrared Spectral Energy Distribution of Galaxies in the AKARI All Sky Survey: Correlations with Galaxy Properties, and Their Physical Origin
We have studied the properties of more than 1600 low-redshift galaxies by
utilizing high-quality infrared flux measurements of the AKARI All-Sky Survey
and physical quantities based on optical and 21-cm observations. Our goal is to
understand the physics determining the infrared spectral energy distribution
(SED). The ratio of the total infrared luminosity L_TIR, to the star-formation
rate (SFR) is tightly correlated by a power-law to specific SFR (SSFR), and
L_TIR is a good SFR indicator only for galaxies with the largest SSFR. We
discovered a tight linear correlation for normal galaxies between the radiation
field strength of dust heating, estimated by infrared SED fits (U_h), and that
of galactic-scale infrared emission (U_TIR ~ L_TIR/R^2), where R is the optical
size of a galaxy. The dispersion of U_h along this relation is 0.3 dex,
corresponding to 13% dispersion in the dust temperature. This scaling and the
U_h/U_TIR ratio can be explained physically by a thin layer of heating sources
embedded in a thicker, optically-thick dust screen. The data also indicate that
the heated fraction of the total dust mass is anti-correlated to the dust
column density, supporting this interpretation. In the large U_TIR limit, the
data of circumnuclear starbursts indicate the existence of an upper limit on
U_h, corresponding to the maximum SFR per gas mass of ~ 10 Gyr^{-1}. We find
that the number of galaxies sharply drops when they become optically thin
against dust-heating radiation, suggesting that a feedback process to galaxy
formation (likely by the photoelectric heating) is working when dust-heating
radiation is not self-shielded on a galactic scale. Implications are discussed
for the M_HI-size relation, the Kennicutt-Schmidt relation, and galaxy
formation in the cosmological context.Comment: 29 pages including 28 figures. matches the published version (PASJ
2011 Dec. 25 issue). The E-open option was chosen for this article, i.e., the
official version available from PASJ site
(http://pasj.asj.or.jp/v63/n6/630613/630613-frame.html) without restrictio
Mutations in BRCA1, BRCA2, and PALB2, and a panel of 50 cancerassociated genes in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma
A Study on the Thin Plate with Carbon Fiber Reinforced Hybrid Composite
In this paper we describe an experimental study, this article is
to report fundamental data of constructions attained by carbon fiber
reinforced hybrid composite of O.9mm in thickness whose resin base
was reinforced. As a result of this series of test and experiments,
it was found that; it is possible to attain reinforced resin base of
hybrid composite of C.F.R.P. 16 times as much in rigidity against
bending load as compared with that of single construction was observed
with composite of O.9mm lamina. It was found that sandwich construction
of C.F.R.P. is superior, while, in the case of canape construction,
it was found necessary to have C.F.R.P. on the tension
side. G.F.R.P. has possibility to be reinforced composite material,
although it is considerably less superior to C.F.R.P
Assessment of hydrogen embrittlement behavior in Al-Zn-Mg alloys by multi- modal 3D image-based simulation
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Quantitative assessment of coronary stenosis by harmonic power Doppler with a simple pulsing sequence and vasodilator stress in patients
AbstractObjectivesWe examined whether myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) with harmonic power Doppler (HPD) employing a simple ultrasound pulsing sequence enables estimation of the severity of coronary artery stenosis in patients.BackgroundContrast intensity (CI) during MCE with intravenous microbubble infusion is dependent on the myocardial blood flow velocity (MBFV) and pulsing interval (PI).MethodsBased on an in vitro experiment, we devised the MBFV index calculated as the reciprocal of the magnitude of CI decay produced by abrupt PI shortening during intermittent imaging. In 68 coronary artery territories from 49 patients, myocardial HPD images were acquired during intravenous infusion of Levovist, while the long PI with 1:10 electrocardiographic gating was shortened to 1:1, both at baseline and during adenosine triphosphate infusion. The MBFV index in each coronary territory and MBFV reserve as the ratio between hyperemia and baseline were compared with the severity of corresponding coronary artery stenosis assessed by quantitative coronary angiography (QCA) or by pressure guide wire as the fractional flow reserve (FFR).ResultsBoth the MCE-derived MBFV index during hyperemia and MBFV reserve exhibited significant negative correlations with the QCA-derived stenosis severity (r = −0.56 and r = −0.64, respectively). The MBFV reserve positively correlated with FFR (r = 0.89). By combining the cutoff values of the MBFV index during hyperemia and MBFV reserve, ≥75% of stenoses defined by QCA were determined, with a sensitivity of 77.3%, specificity of 93.4%, and accuracy of 88.3%.ConclusionsShortening of PI during intravenous MCE with intermittent HPD imaging under vasodilator stress enables assessment of coronary artery stenoses in patients
Contacts between the commissural axons and the floor plate cells are mediated by nectins
AbstractDuring development of the central nervous system (CNS), commissural axons grow toward the ventral midline. After crossing the floor plate, they abruptly change their trajectory from the circumferential to the longitudinal axis. The contacts between the commissural axons and the floor plate cells are involved in this axonal guidance, but their mechanisms or structures have not fully been understood. In this study, we found that nectin-1 and -3, immunoglobulin-like cell–cell adhesion molecules, asymmetrically localized at the contact sites between the commissural axons and the floor plate cells, respectively. In vitro perturbation of the endogenous trans-interaction between nectin-1 and -3 caused abnormal fasciculation of the commissural axons and impairment of the contacts, and resulted in failure in longitudinal turns of the commissural axons at the contralateral sites of the rat hindbrain. These results indicate that the contacts between the commissural axons and the floor plate cells are mediated by the hetero-trans-interaction between nectin-1 and -3 and involved in regulation of the trajectory of the commissural axons
Pitfalls in the Management of Atlanto-Occipital Dislocation
Atlanto-occipital dislocation (AOD) is rarely seen in clinic because it is characteristically immediately fatal. With recent progress in the pre-hospital care, an increasing number of AOD survivors have been reported. However, because the pathophysiology of AOD is not clearly understood yet, the appropriate strategy for the initial management remains still unclear. We report a case of successful AOD treatment and describe important points in the management of this condition. It is important to note that abducens nerve palsy is a warning sign of AOD and that AOD can result in a life-threatening distortion of the arteries and the brain stem. We recommend the application of a halo vest to protect the patient's neural and vascular competence as the immediate initial step in the treatment of AOD. Horn's grading system is useful in assessing indications for surgery. Finally, when performing posterior fixation, C2 should be included because of the anatomy of the ligamentous architecture
An exploratory study for tuft cells in the breast and their relevance in triple-negative breast cancer: the possible relationship of SOX9
BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is highly heterogeneous, suggesting that small but relevant subsets have been under-recognized. Rare and mainly triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) were recently found to exhibit tuft cell-like expression profiles, including POU2F3, the tuft cell master regulator. In addition, immunohistochemistry (IHC) has identified POU2F3-positive cells in the normal human breast, suggesting the presence of tuft cells in this organ. METHODS: Here, we (i) reviewed previously identified POU2F3-positive invasive breast cancers (n = 4) for POU2F3 expression in intraductal cancer components, (ii) investigated a new cohort of invasive breast cancers (n = 1853) by POU2F3-IHC, (iii) explored POU2F3-expressing cells in non-neoplastic breast tissues obtained from women with or without BRCA1 mutations (n = 15), and (iv) reanalyzed publicly available single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from normal breast cells. RESULTS: Two TNBCs of the four previously reported invasive POU2F3-positive breast cancers contained POU2F3-positive ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). In the new cohort of invasive breast cancers, IHC revealed four POU2F3-positive cases, two of which were triple-negative, one luminal-type, and one triple-positive. In addition, another new POU2F3-positive tumor with a triple-negative phenotype was found in daily practice. All non-neoplastic breast tissues contained POU2F3-positive cells, irrespective of BRCA1 status. The scRNA-seq reanalysis confirmed POU2F3-expressing epithelial cells (3.3% of all epithelial cells) and the 17% that co-expressed the other two tuft cell-related markers (SOX9/AVIL or SOX9/GFI1B), which suggested they were bona fide tuft cells. Of note, SOX9 is also known as the "master regulator" of TNBCs. CONCLUSIONS: POU2F3 expression defines small subsets in various breast cancer subtypes, which can be accompanied by DCIS. The mechanistic relationship between POU2F3 and SOX9 in the breast warrants further analysis to enhance our understanding of normal breast physiology and to clarify the significance of the tuft cell-like phenotype for TNBCs
Cast: a novel protein of the cytomatrix at the active zone of synapses that forms a ternary complex with RIM1 and munc13-1
The cytomatrix at the active zone (CAZ) has been implicated in defining the site of Ca2+-dependent exocytosis of neurotransmitter. We have identified here a novel CAZ protein of ∼120 kD from rat brain and named it CAST (CAZ-associated structural protein). CAST had no transmembrane segment, but had four coiled-coil domains and a putative COOH-terminal consensus motif for binding to PDZ domains. CAST was localized at the CAZ of conventional synapses of mouse brain. CAST bound directly RIM1 and indirectly Munc13-1, presumably through RIM1, forming a ternary complex. RIM1 and Munc13-1 are CAZ proteins implicated in Ca2+-dependent exocytosis of neurotansmitters. Bassoon, another CAZ protein, was also associated with this ternary complex. These results suggest that a network of protein–protein interactions among the CAZ proteins exists at the CAZ. At the early stages of synapse formation, CAST was expressed and partly colocalized with bassoon in the axon shaft and the growth cone. The vesicles immunoisolated by antibassoon antibody–coupled beads contained not only bassoon but also CAST and RIM1. These results suggest that these CAZ proteins are at least partly transported on the same vesicles during synapse formation
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