A Monte Carlo simulation study for cosmic-ray chemical composition measurement with Cherenkov Telescope Array

Our Galaxy is filled with cosmic-ray particles and more than 98% of them are atomic nuclei. In order to clarify their origin and acceleration mechanism, chemical composition measurements of these cosmic rays with wide energy coverage play an important role. Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov Telescope (IACT) arrays are designed to detect cosmic gamma-rays in the very-high-energy regime ($\sim$TeV). Recently these systems proved to be capable of measuring cosmic-ray chemical composition in the sub-PeV region by capturing direct Cherenkov photons emitted by charged primary particles. Extensive air shower profiles measured by IACTs also contain information about the primary particle type since the cross section of inelastic scattering in the air depends on the primary mass number. The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is the next generation IACT system, which will consist of multiple types of telescopes and have a km$^2$-scale footprint and extended energy coverage (20 GeV to 300 TeV). In order to estimate CTA potential for cosmic ray composition measurement, a full Monte Carlo simulation including a description of extensive air shower and detector response is needed. We generated a number of cosmic-ray nuclei events (8 types selected from H to Fe) for a specific CTA layout candidate in the southern-hemisphere site. We applied Direct Cherenkov event selection and shower profile analysis to these data and preliminary results on charge number resolution and expected event count rate for these cosmic-ray nuclei are presented.Comment: All CTA contributions at arXiv:1709.03483 , Proceedings of the 35th International Cosmic Ray Conferenc

Does Clear Cornea Cataract Surgery Influence Conjunctivochalasis?

This is a Letter to the Editor and does not have an abstract

SMN promotes mitochondrial metabolic maturation during myogenesis by regulating the MYOD-miRNA axis

脊髄性筋萎縮症における骨格筋病変の発症メカニズムの一部を解明. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-01-17.Pathogenesis of skeletal muscle lesions in spinal muscular atrophy. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-02-17.Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a congenital neuromuscular disease caused by the mutation or deletion of the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene. Although the primary cause of progressive muscle atrophy in SMA has classically been considered the degeneration of motor neurons, recent studies have indicated a skeletal muscle–specific pathological phenotype such as impaired mitochondrial function and enhanced cell death. Here, we found that the down-regulation of SMN causes mitochondrial dysfunction and subsequent cell death in in vitro models of skeletal myogenesis with both a murine C2C12 cell line and human induced pluripotent stem cells. During myogenesis, SMN binds to the upstream genomic regions of MYOD1 and microRNA (miR)-1 and miR-206. Accordingly, the loss of SMN down-regulates these miRs, whereas supplementation of the miRs recovers the mitochondrial function, cell survival, and myotube formation of SMN-deficient C2C12, indicating the SMN-miR axis is essential for myogenic metabolic maturation. In addition, the introduction of the miRs into ex vivo muscle stem cells derived from Δ7-SMA mice caused myotube formation and muscle contraction. In conclusion, our data revealed novel transcriptional roles of SMN during myogenesis, providing an alternative muscle-oriented therapeutic strategy for SMA patients

Autoimmunity to citrullinated type II collagen in rheumatoid arthritis

The production of autoantibodies to citrullinated type II collagen and the citrullination of type II collagen were analyzed in rheumatoid arthritis. Autoantibodies to citrullinated type II collagen were detected in 78.5% of serum samples from 130 rheumatoid arthritis patients. Autoantibodies to native noncitrullinated type II collagen were detected in 14.6% of serum samples, all of which were positive for anti-citrullinated type II collagen antibodies. Serum samples were also positive for anti-citrullinated type II collagen antibodies in 1 of 31 systemic lupus erythematosus patients and 2 of 55 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. In contrast, sera samples from 24 systemic sclerosis patients, 21 dermatomyositis/polymyositis patients, 21 ankylosing spondylitis patients, and 18 psoriatic arthritis patients were all negative for anti-citrullinated type II collagen antibodies. Anti-citrullinated type II collagen antibodies and fragments of citrullinated type II collagen were found in the synovial fluid obtained from affected knee joints of 15 rheumatoid arthritis patients. Moreover, anti-citrullinated type II collagen antibodies were isolated from the synovium of affected knee joints in 8 rheumatoid arthritis patients using antigen/antibody immunocomplex dissociation buffer but not by using standard buffers. These findings indicate that autoantibodies that react with citrullinated type II collagen are specifically produced and that immunocomplexes composed of fragments of citrullinated type II collagen and autoantibodies are deposited in the inflamed articular synovium in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Assaying for the presence of anti-citrullinated type II collagen antibodies may therefore be useful for diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis, and the deposition of these immunocomplexes in the articular synovium may be involved in pathogenesis

アルコール依存症と感情障害への支援

アルコール依存症と感情障害の関係性は以前から指摘されている．アルコール依存症とうつ病は，自殺企図者の精神障害の内訳の半数を占め，それらが合併した場合には自殺の危険性を一層高める．また，アルコール依存症治療において，患者がうつ症状を呈している場合，再飲酒のリスクが高くなり治療の継続を妨げる原因となりうる．そのため，うつ病の治療にも注意を払うことが求められる．さらに，家族からの支援はアルコール依存症患者の断酒を継続するなどの治療において重要な役割を果たしている．しかし，患者の断酒の継続に注意を払いすぎるあまり，それがストレスとなり患者の問題飲酒を助長することになったり，家族自身がさまざまな悩みを抱え苦しんだりすることが考えられ，家族への支援もとても重要となる．加えて，親がアルコール依存症である場合，子どもも将来アルコール依存症となる危険性が高くなるなど，子どもに与える影響も大きい．そこで医師，看護師，ソーシャルワーカーが支援に関わることや自助グループを活用することが重要となる．本総説ではアルコール依存症と感情障害の関係と治療方法，アルコール依存症と感情障害を抱える患者とその家族への支援に焦点を当て，包括的な支援のありかたを検討した．The relationship between alcohol dependency and affective disorder has been noted. Alcohol dependence and depression account for approximately half of psychiatric disorders which suicidal persons have, and in case of the combination of them, the risk for suicide would be much higher. Also, in case of patient suffering from alcohol dependence and depression as a complicated disease, it becomes an obstructive factor to provide appropriate alcoholism treatment. Therefore, it is desired to pay attentions to care of depression. In addition, the support from self-help group and patient’s family plays a great role in the alcoholism and depression treatment. However, too much attention of patient’s family to continuation of abstinence becomes a cause of stress for patient. That stress fosters problem drinking. Furthermore, it is conceivable that family has many worries and is plagued with anxiety, so family support is also very important. In this review, we focus on comprehensive support for people with both alcohol dependency and affective disorder, and their families

Traditional Japanese Formula Kigikenchuto Accelerates Healing of Pressure-Loading Skin Ulcer in Rats

We evaluated the effect of kigikenchuto (KKT), a traditional Japanese formula, in a modified rat pressure-loading skin ulcer model. Rats were divided into three groups, KKT extract orally administered (250 or 500 mg/kg/day for 35 days) and control. KKT shortened the duration until healing. Immunohistochemically, KKT increased CD-31-positive vessels in early phase and increased α-smooth muscle actin-(α-SMA-) positive fibroblastic cells in early phase and decreased them in late phase of wound healing. By Western blotting, KKT showed the potential to decrease inflammatory cytokines (MCP-1, IL-1β, and TNF-α) in early phase, decrease vascular endothelial growth factor in early phase and increase it in late phase, and modulate the expression of extracellular protein matrix (α-SMA, TGF-β1, bFGF, collagen III, and collagen I). These results suggested the possibility that KKT accelerates pressure ulcer healing through decreases of inflammatory cytokines, increase of angiogenesis, and induction of extracellular matrix remodeling