NH3 in the Galactic Center is formed in Cool Conditions

It is an open question why the temperature of molecular gas in the Galactic center region is higher than that of dust. To address this problem, we made simultaneous observations in the NH_3 (J,K) = (1,1), (2,2), and (3,3) lines of the central molecular zone (CMZ) using the Kagoshima 6 m telescope. The ortho-to-para ratio of NH_3 molecules in the CMZ is 1.5--3.5 at most observed area. This ratio is higher than the statistical equilibrium value, and suggests that the formation temperature of NH_3 is 11--20 K. This temperature is similar to the dust temperature estimated from the submillimeter and infrared continuum. This result suggests that the NH_3 molecules in the CMZ were produced on dust grains with the currently observed temperature (11--20 K), and they were released into the gas phase by supernova shocks or collisions of dust particles. The discrepancy between warm molecular gas and cold dust can be explained by the transient heating of the interstellar media in the CMZ approximately 10^5 years ago when the NH_3 molecules were released from the dust.Comment: 19 pages, 12 figures, accepted for PAS

Clinical characteristics of neuro-Behcet’s disease in Japan: a multicenter retrospective analysis

To delineate the clinical characteristics of neuro-Behçet’s disease (NBD), a multicenter retrospective survey was performed in BD patients who had presented any neurological manifestations between 1988 and 2008. The diagnosis of acute NBD, chronic progressive (CP) NBD, and non-NBD was confirmed by retrospective review of clinical records. Data on a total of 144 patients were collected; 76 with acute NBD, 35 with CP NBD, and 33 with non-NBD. High-intensity lesions on T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were found in 60.5% of the patients with acute NBD, 54.2% with CP NBD, and 42.4% with non-NBD, whereas brainstem atrophy was observed in 7.5% with acute NBD, 71.4% with CP NBD, and 9.0% with non-NBD. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cell count was prominently elevated in patients with acute NBD, but was normal in about 15% of those with CP NBD. The sensitivity and specificity of the CSF cell count for the diagnosis of acute NBD versus non-NBD were 97.4 and 97.0%, respectively (cut-off 6.2/mm3). The sensitivity and specificity of CSF interleukin (IL)-6 for the diagnosis of CP NBD versus the recovery phase of acute NBD were 86.7 and 94.7%, respectively (cut-off 16.55 pg/ml). The results indicate that elevation of the CSF cell count and CSF IL-6 and the presence of brainstem atrophy on MRI are useful for the diagnosis of NBD

VLBI imaging of OH absorption: The puzzle of the nuclear region of NGC 3079

Broad hydroxyl (OH) absorption-lines in the 1667 MHz and 1665 MHz transition towards the central region of NGC 3079 have been observed at high resolution with the European VLBI Network (EVN). Velocity fields of two OH absorption components were resolved across the unresolved nuclear radio continuum of ~10 parsecs. The velocity field of the OH absorption close to the systemic velocity shows rotation in nearly the same sense as the edge-on galactic-scale molecular disk probed by CO(1-0) emission. The velocity field of the blue-shifted OH absorption displays a gradient in almost the opposite direction. The blue-shifted velocity field represents a non-rotational component, which may trace an outflow from the nucleus, or material driven and shocked by the kiloparsec-scale superbubble. This OH absorption component traces a structure that does not support a counter-rotating disk suggested on the basis of the neutral hydrogen absorption.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figures, submitted to MNRAS (03/12/2003

The epigenetic function of androgen receptor in prostate cancer progression

Androgen and androgen deprivation (castration) therapies, including androgen receptor antagonists, are clinically used to treat patients with prostate cancer. However, most hormone-dependent prostate cancer patients progress into a malignant state with loss of hormone-dependency, known as castration (drug)-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC), after prolong androgen-based treatments. Even in the CRPC state with irreversible malignancy, androgen receptor (AR) expression is detectable. An epigenetic transition to CRPC induced by the action of AR-mediated androgen could be speculated in the patients with prostate cancer. Androgen receptors belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily with 48 members in humans, and acts as a ligand-dependent transcriptional factor, leading to local chromatin reorganization for ligand-dependent gene regulation. In this review, we discussed the transcriptional/epigenetic regulatory functions of AR, with emphasis on the clinical applications of AR ligands, AR protein co-regulators, and AR RNA coregulator (enhancer RNA), especially in chromatin reorganization, in patients with prostate cancer

Anti-adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma effects of indole-3-carbinol

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a malignancy derived from T cells infected with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1), and it is known to be resistant to standard anticancer therapies. Indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a naturally occurring component of <it>Brassica </it>vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprout, is a promising chemopreventive agent as it is reported to possess antimutagenic, antitumorigenic and antiestrogenic properties in experimental studies. The aim of this study was to determine the potential anti-ATLL effects of I3C both <it>in vitro </it>and <it>in vivo</it>.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the <it>in vitro </it>study, I3C inhibited cell viability of HTLV-1-infected T-cell lines and ATLL cells in a dose-dependent manner. Importantly, I3C did not exert any inhibitory effect on uninfected T-cell lines and normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. I3C prevented the G₁/S transition by reducing the expression of cyclin D1, cyclin D2, Cdk4 and Cdk6, and induced apoptosis by reducing the expression of XIAP, survivin and Bcl-2, and by upregulating the expression of Bak. The induced apoptosis was associated with activation of caspase-3, -8 and -9, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. I3C also suppressed IκBα phosphorylation and JunD expression, resulting in inactivation of NF-κB and AP-1. Inoculation of HTLV-1-infected T cells in mice with severe combined immunodeficiency resulted in tumor growth. The latter was inhibited by treatment with I3C (50 mg/kg/day orally), but not the vehicle control.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our preclinical data suggest that I3C could be potentially a useful chemotherapeutic agent for patients with ATLL.</p

New Surgical Procedure for Pancreas Head

In this study, we demonstrate two new methods for pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). One method is the mini‐laparotomic PD by Shuriken‐shaped umbilicoplasty with the real‐time moving window‘s method. The other method is the new pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) by punctured stent slide guiding method (PSSGM). This procedure could be performed by complete mini‐laparotomy under direct vision, and the final major wound is only 2 cm of round navel. PSSGM prevents the difference of caliber between pancreatic anastomosis and the inside out of jejunal mucosa in theory. Ten cases of mini‐lap PD were successfully performed under new PJ anastomosis. The pancreatic leakage (PL) was only one case of ISGPF grade A, and its frequency was 9% (1/11). Our mini‐lap PD by Shuriken‐shaped umbilicoplasty might be a useful way for overcoming the obstacles about safety, complication risk, cosmetic demand, and medical cost compared to laparoscopic PD. Also, our new device of PJ reconstruction by PSSGM might be an easy and useful device for the prevention of PL

Relationship between medical examination methods and actual conditions of life for preserving visual acuity in primary and junior high school: Verification of the current vision test

The deterioration of children’s eyesight is on the rise. Children's lives have changed in a short period of time, such as an increase in blue light due to the use of electronic devices. It is necessary to consider non-traditional content of health guidance for prevention. The accurate visual acuity test is important to examine the effects of visual acuity and environmental or living factors. We examined the accuracy of the visual acuity test with the three stage Landolt ring for children from the relationship with the eye axial length. After performing a normal detailed visual acuity test of the children and the correlation analysis with the eye axial length, we examined the distribution of the eye axis according to the results of the three-stage visual acuity test by the Landolt ring. The number of children measured eye axial length was 13. The correlation coefficient between detailed visual acuity test and eye axial length was negative. According to the results of the three-stage visual acuity test, the distribution of the eye axis is good for the right eye: the average eye axis of “A” was 23.44 mm, moderate: the average of “B” was 22.58 mm. The average of the left eye axis for “A” children is 23.34 mm, for “B” is 23.08 mm, and for “C” is 23.7 mm. The correlation coefficient between the detailed visual acuity test and the eye axial length was negative on both sides, namely a negative correlation between the visual acuity and the eye axial length. There was a possibility of not correspondence between the three-stage visual test and the eye axial length. In the case of children, it was considered that their visual performance and answers were different because of their mood and physical condition on the day

Caries Increment and Salivary Microbiome during University Life: A Prospective Cohort Study

The purpose of this 3-year prospective cohort study was to explore the relationship between an increase in dental caries and oral microbiome among Japanese university students. We analyzed 487 students who volunteered to receive oral examinations and answer baseline (2013) and follow-up (2016) questionnaires. Of these students, salivary samples were randomly collected from 55 students at follow-up and analyzed using next-generation sequencing. Students were divided into two groups: increased group (Delta decayed, missing, and filled teeth (Delta DMFT) score increased during the 3-year period) and non-increased group (Delta DMFT did not increase). Thirteen phyla, 21 classes, 32 orders, 48 families, 72 genera, and 156 species were identified. Microbial diversity in the increased group (n = 14) was similar to that in the non-increased group (n = 41). Relative abundances of the family Prevotellaceae (p = 0.007) and genera Alloprevotella (p = 0.007) and Dialister (p = 0.039) were enriched in the increased group compared with the non-increased group. Some bacterial taxonomic clades were differentially present between the two groups. These results may contribute to the development of new dental caries prevention strategies, including the development of detection kits and enlightenment activities for these bacteria