X-Ray and Near-Infrared Spectroscopy of Dim X-Ray Point Sources Constituting the Galactic Ridge X-Ray Emission

We present the results of X-ray and Near-Infrared observations of the Galactic Ridge X-ray Emission (GRXE). We extracted 2,002 X-ray point sources in the Chandra Bulge Field (l =0°.113, b = 1°.424) down to ~10-14.8 ergscm-2s-1 in 2-8 keV band with the longest observation (900 ks) of the GRXE. Based on X-ray brightness and hardness, we classied the X-ray point sources into three groups: A (hard), B (soft and broad spectrum), and C (soft and peaked spectrum). In order to know populations of the X-ray point sources, we carried out NIR imaging and spectroscopy observation. We identied 11% of X-ray point sources with NIR and extracted NIR spectra for some of them. Based on X-ray and NIR properties, we concluded that non-thermal sources in the group A are mostly active galactic nuclei and the thermal sources are mostly white dwarf binaries such as cataclysmic variables (CVs) and Pre-CVs. We concluded that the group B and C sources are X-ray active stars in flare and quiescence, respectively

Backwater Effect of Clogging of Aquatic Plants at Fine-Particle Screens on Inland Flooding in Okayama

In low-lying Okayama city, Japan, the heavy rainfall frequency and intensity have recently increased, subjecting the city to inland flooding. Another factor increasing the inland flooding risk is fine-particle screen clogging by aquatic plants at drainage pump stations, which obstructs drainage and causes backwater. In this study, water level simulations were conducted in drainage pump station channels to clarify the inland flooding risks with and without aquatic plant clogging-induced backwater at fine-particle screens. In the Urayasu West Drainage Pump Station channels, without backwater, no inland flooding occurred under an initial water level of 70% of the channel depth and a 40 m(3)/s discharge. However, when backwater deeper than 0.2 m occurred under the same conditions, inland flooding occurred, indicating an increased inland flooding risk associated with backwater. Additionally, we conducted an aquatic plant distribution survey in the main Okayama city channels and proposed six priority control sections based on sections with thriving aquatic plants. Although no previous inland flooding studies have considered aquatic plant clogging-induced backwater at fine-particle screens, aquatic plants cause clogging problems and drainage obstructions at water control facilities worldwide. Therefore, this study reveals the importance of conducting water level simulations and distribution surveys in areas other than Okayama city

Heterogeneous circulating miRNA profiles of PBMAH

ObjectivePrimary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia (PBMAH), a rare cause of Cushing syndrome, is often diagnosed as a bilateral adrenal incidentaloma with subclinical cortisol production. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are a characteristic of adrenocortical adenomas, but miRNA expression in PBMAH has not been investigated. We aimed to evaluate the circulating miRNA expression in patients with PBMAH and compare them with those in patients with non-functioning adrenocortical adenoma (NFA) and cortisol-producing adrenocortical adenoma (CPA).MethodsmiRNA profiling of plasma samples from four, five, and five patients with NFA, CPA, and PBMAH, respectively, was performed. Selected miRNA expressions were validated using quantitative RT-PCR.ResultsPBMAH samples showed distinct miRNA expression signatures on hierarchical clustering while NFA and CPA samples were separately clustered. PBMAH was distinguished from the adenoma group of NFA and CPA by 135 differentially expressed miRNAs. Hsa-miR-1180-3p, hsa-miR-4732-5p, and hsa-let-7b-5p were differentially expressed between PBMAH and adenoma (P = 0.019, 0.006, and 0.003, respectively). Furthermore, PBMAH could be classified into two subtypes based on miRNA profiling: subtype 1 with a similar profile to those of adenoma and subtype 2 with a distinct profile. Hsa-miR-631, hsa-miR-513b-5p, hsa-miR-6805-5p, and hsa-miR-548av-5p/548k were differentially expressed between PBMAH subtype 2 and adenoma (P = 0.027, 0.027, 0.027, and 1.53E-04, respectively), but not between PBMAH, as a whole, and adenoma.ConclusionCirculating miRNA signature was identified specific for PBMAH. The existence of subtype-based miRNA profiles may be associated with the pathophysiological heterogeneity of PBMAH

The landscape of somatic copy-number alteration across human cancers

available in PMC 2010 August 18.A powerful way to discover key genes with causal roles in oncogenesis is to identify genomic regions that undergo frequent alteration in human cancers. Here we present high-resolution analyses of somatic copy-number alterations (SCNAs) from 3,131 cancer specimens, belonging largely to 26 histological types. We identify 158 regions of focal SCNA that are altered at significant frequency across several cancer types, of which 122 cannot be explained by the presence of a known cancer target gene located within these regions. Several gene families are enriched among these regions of focal SCNA, including the BCL2 family of apoptosis regulators and the NF-κΒ pathway. We show that cancer cells containing amplifications surrounding the MCL1 and BCL2L1 anti-apoptotic genes depend on the expression of these genes for survival. Finally, we demonstrate that a large majority of SCNAs identified in individual cancer types are present in several cancer types.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and Pacific Northwest Prostate Cancer SPOREs, P50CA90578)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and Pacific Northwest Prostate Cancer SPOREs, R01CA109038))National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and Pacific Northwest Prostate Cancer SPOREs, R01CA109467)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and Pacific Northwest Prostate Cancer SPOREs, P01CA085859)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and Pacific Northwest Prostate Cancer SPOREs, P01CA 098101)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Dana-Farber/Harvard Cancer Center and Pacific Northwest Prostate Cancer SPOREs, K08CA122833

Hitomi (ASTRO-H) X-ray Astronomy Satellite

The Hitomi (ASTRO-H) mission is the sixth Japanese x-ray astronomy satellite developed by a large international collaboration, including Japan, USA, Canada, and Europe. The mission aimed to provide the highest energy resolution ever achieved at E  >  2  keV, using a microcalorimeter instrument, and to cover a wide energy range spanning four decades in energy from soft x-rays to gamma rays. After a successful launch on February 17, 2016, the spacecraft lost its function on March 26, 2016, but the commissioning phase for about a month provided valuable information on the onboard instruments and the spacecraft system, including astrophysical results obtained from first light observations. The paper describes the Hitomi (ASTRO-H) mission, its capabilities, the initial operation, and the instruments/spacecraft performances confirmed during the commissioning operations for about a month

Hitomi X-Ray Studies of Giant Radio Pulses from the Crab Pulsar

To search for giant X-ray pulses correlated with the giant radio pulses (GRPs) from the Crab pulsar, we performed a simultaneous observation of the Crab pulsar with the X-ray satellite Hitomi in the 2300 keV band and the Kashima NICT radio telescope in the 1.41.7 GHz band with a net exposure of about 2 ks on 2016 March 25, just before the loss of the Hitomi mission. The timing performance of the Hitomi instruments was confirmed to meet the timing requirement and about 1000 and 100 GRPs were simultaneously observed at the main pulse and inter-pulse phases, respectively, and we found no apparent correlation between the giant radio pulses and the X-ray emission in either the main pulse or inter-pulse phase. All variations are within the 2 fluctuations of the X-ray fluxes at the pulse peaks, and the 3 upper limits of variations of main pulse or inter-pulse GRPs are 22% or 80% of the peak flux in a 0.20 phase width, respectively, in the 2300 keV band. The values for main pulse or inter-pulse GRPs become 25% or 110%, respectively, when the phase width is restricted to the 0.03 phase. Among the upper limits from the Hitomi satellite, those in the 4.510 keV and 70300 keV bands are obtained for the first time, and those in other bands are consistent with previous reports. Numerically, the upper limits of the main pulse and inter-pulse GRPs in the 0.20 phase width are about (2.4 and 9.3) 10(exp 11) erg cm(exp 2), respectively. No significant variability in pulse profiles implies that the GRPs originated from a local place within the magnetosphere. Although the number of photon-emitting particles should temporarily increase to account for the brightening of the radio emission, the results do not statistically rule out variations correlated with the GRPs, because the possible X-ray enhancement may appear due to a >0.02% brightening of the pulse-peak flux under such conditions