New 60-cm Radio Survey Telescope with the Sideband-Separating SIS Receiver for the 200 GHz Band

We have upgraded the 60-cm radio survey telescope located in Nobeyama, Japan. We developed a new waveguide-type sideband-separating SIS mixer for the telescope, which enables the simultaneous detection of distinct molecular emission lines both in the upper and lower sidebands. Over the RF frequency range of 205-240 GHz, the single-sideband receiver noise temperatures of the new mixer are 40-100 K for the 4.0-8.0 GHz IF frequency band. The image rejection ratios are greater than 10 dB over the same range. For the dual IF signals obtained by the receiver, we have developed two sets of acousto-optical spectrometers and a telescope control system. Using the new telescope system, we successfully detected the 12CO (J=2-1) and 13CO (J=2-1) emission lines simultaneously toward Orion KL in 2005 March. Using the waveguide-type sideband-separating SIS mixer for the 200 GHz band, we have initiated the first simultaneous 12CO (J=2-1) and 13CO (J=2-1) survey of the galactic plane as well as large-scale mapping observations of nearby molecular clouds.Comment: 15 pages, 15 figures, Accepted for publication in PASJ, version with high resolution figures is available via http://www.nro.nao.ac.jp/~nakajima/vst1_2sb.pd

Beneficial effect of tetrahydrobiopterin on ischemia-reperfusion injury in isolated perfused rat hearts

AbstractObjective: It has recently been proposed that nitric oxide synthase, in the presence of suboptimal levels of tetrahydrobiopterin, an essential cofactor of this enzyme, might favor increased production of oxygen radicals. The aim of this study was to clarify whether supplement with tetrahydrobiopterin would exert a cardioprotective effect against ischemia-reperfusion injury. Methods: Isolated perfused rat hearts were subjected to 30 minutes of global ischemia and 30 minutes of reperfusion at 37°C. Hearts were treated with tetrahydrobiopterin or vehicle for 5 minutes just before ischemia and during the first 5 minutes of the reperfusion period. Effects of tetrahydrobiopterin on left ventricular function, myocardial contents of lipid peroxidation and high-energy phosphates, and levels of lactate dehydrogenase and nitrite plus nitrate in perfusate during ischemia and after reperfusion were estimated and further compared with those of superoxide dismutase plus catalase or l-ascorbic acid. Results: Tetrahydrobiopterin and superoxide dismutase plus catalase both improved contractile and metabolic abnormalities in reperfused hearts. On the other hand, l-ascorbic acid at a dose having an equipotent radical scavenging activity with tetrahydrobiopterin did not significantly affect the postischemic changes. Although tetrahydrobiopterin and superoxide dismutase plus catalase significantly alleviated ischemic contracture during ischemia, diminished perfusate levels of nitrite plus nitrate after reperfusion were restored only with tetrahydrobiopterin. Conclusion: Results demonstrated that tetrahydrobiopterin lessens ischemia-reperfusion injury in isolated perfused rat hearts, probably independent of its intrinsic radical scavenging action. The cardioprotective effect of tetrahydrobiopterin implies that tetrahydrobiopterin could be a novel and effective therapeutic option in the treatment of ischemia-reperfusion injury.J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2002;124:775-8

Reduced glycemic variability and flexible graft function after islet transplantation: A case report

To date, studies of patients with islet transplantation addressing intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring profile and the flexibility of the graft islet function under different doses of insulin administration, both of which reflect the real daily life of patients, are quite limited. Here, we report a case of a 46‐year‐old woman who received islet transplantation after kidney transplantation. The patient was followed up over a period of 2 years after initial islet transplantation. Our results show that intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring can be useful for monitoring the reduction of glycemic variability, and suggest the appropriate regulation of insulin secretion from graft islets during mixed‐meal test by using different doses of exogenous insulin administration. Additionally, during the 2‐year observational period, glucagon elevation was detected only at hypoglycemia, whereas the level was within the normal range at normoglycemia or hyperglycemia

Seafloor survey of Nishinoshima Island using an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

東京都小笠原諸島の無人の火山島である西之島は、2020年の大規模な噴火により陸上部分は溶岩や火山灰に覆われたことが明らかになっている一方、海中部分については調査が進んでおらず、溶岩や火山灰がどの程度まで広がっているか、また魚類や底生生物等がどのような状況になっているのか明らかでなかった。そこで、2021年7月、低コスト自律型海中ロボットシステムを用いて海中および海底の画像観測を実施した。強い潮流下での調査であったが、急峻な地形を含む海底の詳細な光学画像撮影に成功した。西之島北部の海底において火山灰が降り積もる平坦な地形が確認された。北東部の海底においては噴気が確認された。また、サメ等の大型魚から小型魚、タコ等の複数の遊泳生物が確認された。Nishinoshima Island is an uninhabited volcanic island in the Ogasawara Islands of Tokyo. While it is clear that the terrestrial part of the island was covered with lava and volcanic ash due to a large-scale eruption in 2020, the underwater part had not been surveyed yet, and it was unclear how far the lava and volcanic ash have spread and what the situation is for fish and benthic organisms. In July 2021, underwater and seafloor observations were carried out using a low-cost autonomous underwater vehicle system. Despite the strong currents, we succeeded in taking detailed optical images of the seafloor, including the steep topography. Volcanic ash was deposited on the seafloor in the northern part of Nishinoshima Island, and flat topography was observed. In the northeastern part of the seafloor, the fume emission was observed. In addition, several kinds of nektons, from large fish such as sharks to small fish and an octopus, were captured on HATTORI’s camera.departmental bulletin pape

Near-Infrared Reverberation by Dusty Clumpy Tori in Active Galactic Nuclei

According to recent models, the accretion disk and black hole in active galactic nuclei are surrounded by a clumpy torus. We investigate the NIR flux variation of the torus in response to a UV flash for various geometries. Anisotropic illumination by the disk and the torus self-occultation contrast our study with earlier works. Both the waning effect of each clump and the torus self-occultation selectively reduce the emission from the region with a short delay. Therefore, the NIR delay depends on the viewing angle (where a more inclined angle leads to a longer delay) and the time response shows an asymmetric profile with a negative skewness, opposing to the results for optically thin tori. The range of the computed delay coincides with the observed one, suggesting that the viewing angle is primarily responsible for the scatter of the observed delay. We also propose that the red NIR-to-optical color of type-1.8/1.9 objects is caused by not only the dust extinction but also the intrinsically red color. Compared with the modest torus thickness, both a thick and a thin tori display the weaker NIR emission. A selection bias is thus expected such that NIR-selected AGNs tend to possess moderately thick tori. A thicker torus shows a narrower and more heavily skewed time profile, while a thin torus produces a rapid response. A super-Eddington accretion rate leads to a much weaker NIR emission due to the disk self-occultation and the disk truncation by the self-gravity. A long delay is expected from an optically thin and/or a largely misaligned torus. A very weak NIR emission, such as in hot-dust-poor active nuclei, can arise from a geometrically thin torus, a super-Eddington accretion rate or a slightly misaligned torus.Comment: 15 pages, 15 figures, Accepted for publication in Ap

Protocol for a multicentre, prospective observational study of elective neck dissection for clinically node-negative oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (END-TC study)

Introduction: In early-stage oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC), elective neck dissection (END) is recommended when occult lymph node metastasis is suspected; however, there is no unanimous consensus on the risks and benefits of END in such cases. The management of clinically node-negative (cN0) OTSCC remains controversial. This study, therefore, aimed to evaluate the efficacy of END and its impact on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with cN0 OTSCC. Methods and analysis: This is a prospective, multicentre, nonrandomised observational study. The choice of whether to perform END at the same time as resection of the primary tumour is based on institutional policy and patient preference. The primary endpoint of this study is 3-year overall survival. The secondary endpoint are 3-year disease-specific survival, 3-year relapse-free survival and the impact on patient QoL. Propensity score-matching analysis will be performed to reduce selection bias. Ethics and dissemination: This study was approved by the Clinical Research Review Board of the Nagasaki University. The protocol of this study was registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry. The datasets generated during the current study will be available from the corresponding author on reasonable request. The results will be disseminated internationally, through scientific and professional conferences and in peer-reviewed medical journals

Protocol for a multicentre, prospective observational study of elective neck dissection for clinically node-negative oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (END-TC study)

Introduction In early-stage oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC), elective neck dissection (END) is recommended when occult lymph node metastasis issuspected; however, there is no unanimous consensus on the risks and benefits of END in such cases. The management of clinically node-negative (cN0) OTSCCremains controversial. This study, therefore, aimed to evaluate the efficacy of END and its impact on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with cN0 OTSCC.Methods and analysis This is a prospective, multicentre, nonrandomised observational study. The choice of whether to perform END at the same time as resection of the primary tumour is based on institutional policy and patient preference. The primary endpoint of this study is 3-year overall survival. The secondary endpoints are3-year disease-specific survival, 3-year relapse-free survival and the impact on patient QoL. Propensity score-matching analysis will be performed to reduce selection bias.Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the Clinical Research Review Board of the Nagasaki University. The protocol of this study was registered at the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trials Registry. The datasets generated during the current study will be available from the correspondingauthor on reasonable request. The results will be disseminated internationally, through scientific and professional conferences and in peer-reviewed medical journals

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