Formation of unipolar outflow and protostellar rocket effect\textit{protostellar rocket effect} in magnetized turbulent molecular cloud cores

Observed protostellar outflows exhibit a variety of asymmetrical features, including remarkable unipolar outflows and bending outflows. Revealing the formation and early evolution of such asymmetrical protostellar outflows, especially the unipolar outflows, is essential for a better understanding of the star and planet formation because they can dramatically change the mass accretion and angular momentum transport to the protostars and protoplanetary disks. Here, we perform the three-dimensional non-ideal magnetohydrodynamics simulations to investigate the formation and early evolution of the asymmetrical protostellar outflows in magnetized turbulent isolated molecular cloud cores. We find, for the first time to our knowledge, that the unipolar outflow forms even in the single low-mass protostellar system. The results show that the unipolar outflow is driven in the weakly magnetized cloud cores with the dimensionless mass-to-flux ratios of $\mu=8$ and $16$. Furthermore, we find the $\textit{protostellar rocket effect}$ of the unipolar outflow, which is similar to the launch and propulsion of a rocket. The unipolar outflow ejects the protostellar system from the central dense region to the outer region of the parent cloud core, and the ram pressure caused by its ejection suppresses the driving of additional new outflows. In contrast, the bending bipolar outflow is driven in the moderately magnetized cloud core with $\mu=4$. The ratio of the magnetic to turbulent energies of a parent cloud core may play a key role in the formation of asymmetrical protostellar outflows.Comment: 24 pages, 6 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Origins of superior dynamic visual acuity in baseball players: superior eye movements or superior image processing.

Dynamic visual acuity (DVA) is defined as the ability to discriminate the fine parts of a moving object. DVA is generally better in athletes than in non-athletes, and the better DVA of athletes has been attributed to a better ability to track moving objects. In the present study, we hypothesized that the better DVA of athletes is partly derived from better perception of moving images on the retina through some kind of perceptual learning. To test this hypothesis, we quantitatively measured DVA in baseball players and non-athletes using moving Landolt rings in two conditions. In the first experiment, the participants were allowed to move their eyes (free-eye-movement conditions), whereas in the second they were required to fixate on a fixation target (fixation conditions). The athletes displayed significantly better DVA than the non-athletes in the free-eye-movement conditions. However, there was no significant difference between the groups in the fixation conditions. These results suggest that the better DVA of athletes is primarily due to an improved ability to track moving targets with their eyes, rather than to improved perception of moving images on the retina

Sonographic findings of immunoglobulin G4-related sclerosing sialadenitis

Purpose: We evaluated the sonographic findings of immunoglobulin G4-related sclerosing sialadenitis (IgG4-SS). Methods: Nineteen patients with IgG4-SS and 12 healthy volunteers (controls) were enrolled. The following sonographic features were evaluated: (1) enlargement of the submandibular gland by measurement of the longitudinal diameter and thickness; (2) the contour texture of the submandibular gland (smooth or rough); (3) the internal echo texture, categorized into three sonographic patterns (homogeneous, multiple hypoechoic nodule, and diffuse hypoechoic); and (4) quantitative color Doppler signaling. Results: The longitudinal diameter and the thickness (mean ± SD) of the submandibular gland were significantly greater in patients than in controls (p = 0.005 and p < 0.001, respectively). Contour roughness was seen in 62.9 and 8.3 % of patients and controls (p < 0.001), respectively. Homogeneous echo textures alone were seen in controls, whereas multiple hypoechoic nodule patterns were seen in 60 % of the patients, and diffuse hypoechoic patterns were seen in 40 %. Color Doppler signaling (mean ± SD) was significantly higher in patients as compared with controls (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Patients could be distinguished from healthy volunteers using four distinctive sonographic findings, suggesting that ultrasonography would be a useful diagnostic tool for IgG4-SS

Formation of Unipolar Outflow and Protostellar Rocket Effect in Magnetized Turbulent Molecular Cloud Cores

Observed protostellar outflows exhibit a variety of asymmetrical features, including remarkable unipolar outflows and bending outflows. Revealing the formation and early evolution of such asymmetrical protostellar outflows, especially the unipolar outflows, is essential for a better understanding of the star and planet formation because they can dramatically change the mass accretion and angular momentum transport to the protostars and protoplanetary disks. Here we perform three-dimensional nonideal magnetohydrodynamics simulations to investigate the formation and early evolution of the asymmetrical protostellar outflows in magnetized turbulent isolated molecular cloud cores. We find, for the first time to our knowledge, that the unipolar outflow forms even in the single low-mass protostellar system. The results show that the unipolar outflow is driven in the weakly magnetized cloud cores with the dimensionless mass-to-flux ratios of μ = 8 and 16. Furthermore, we find the protostellar rocket effect of the unipolar outflow, which is similar to the launch and propulsion of a rocket. The unipolar outflow ejects the protostellar system from the central dense region to the outer region of the parent cloud core, and the ram pressure caused by its ejection suppresses the driving of additional new outflows. In contrast, the bending bipolar outflow is driven in the moderately magnetized cloud core with μ = 4. The ratio of the magnetic to turbulent energies of a parent cloud core may play a key role in the formation of asymmetrical protostellar outflows

Data obtained from a typical participant (baseball player) using small targets.

<p>(A) Eye and target movements in the fixation (upper panels) and free-eye-movement conditions (lower panels). In each trial, the targets (oblique lines) traveled across the entire screen twice at a constant velocity. The participant's eye movements in the first and the second round are plotted separately in the left and the right columns, respectively. The participant did not move his eyes in the fixation conditions, but made catch-up saccades in the free-eye-movement conditions. (B) Correct response rates plotted against the target speed. The curves show the results of fitting to a psychometric function that saturates at 25% (chance level) and 100%. The intercepts of the curves at the 75% correct response rate are indicated by arrows.</p

Group comparisons.

<p>(A) The mean correct response rate plotted against the target speed. The colors represent the fixation (blue) and free-eye-movement (red) conditions. The symbols the represent the non-athletes (open circles) and athletes (dots). Note the better performance of the athletes in the free-eye-movement conditions with both small (left) and large targets (right). (B) The mean target velocity that yielded a correct response rate of 75%. The threshold target velocity was used as a measure of DVA. Error bars show the standard deviation. **: p<0.01 (post hoc tests performed with the Ryan method).</p

Experimental design.

<p>(A,B) Apparatus. (C) Two eye-movement conditions. Each participant placed their chin on a support, kept their head stationary, and followed a visual target that moved on a semi-circular screen (free-eye-movement conditions) or fixated on a fixation point in front them (fixation conditions).</p

Correlations between DVA in the fixation and free-eye-movement conditions.

<p>DVA in the free-eye-movement conditions is plotted against DVA in the fixation conditions for each athlete (filled circles) and non-athlete (open circles). The lines show the results of the linear regression analysis. There was no significant correlation in either group for the small (top) or large targets (bottom) (p>0.1).</p

Usefulness of serum biopterin as a predictive biomarker for childhood asthma control: A prospective cohort study

Background: Pteridines are metabolites of tetrahydrobiopterin, which serves as co-enzyme of nitric oxide synthase. We sought to investigate the usefulness of pteridines as biomarkers for childhood asthma control. Methods: We conducted a single-center prospective cohort study involving 168 asthmatic children aged 4–17 years who visited the periodical asthma checkup program. Serum neopterin and biopterin levels were measured as pteridines at each visit along with measurement of FeNO, respiratory function tests, nasal eosinophil test, blood eosinophil count, and IgE level. We calculated coefficients for relation between pteridines and asthma control, which was assessed by questionnaires (JPAC: Japanese Pediatric Asthma Control Program). Results: A total of 168 participants aged 10.3 ± 3.39 years (mean ± SD) with asthma were recruited. The participants in this study contained 58 patients (34.5%) of complete-controlled based on JPAC, 132 patients (76.0%) of well-controlled group based on GINA. FeNO and serum neopterin level did not correlate with following period's JPAC scores. In contrast, serum biopterin level significantly correlated with following period's JPAC total score (Coefficients 0.398; 95% CI 0.164 to 0.632; p value 0.001) and frequency of wheezing during exercise (Coefficients 0.272; 95% CI 0.217 to 0.328; p value < 0.001). Conclusions: We found serum biopterin effected the following period's control status of asthmatic children, thus monitoring biopterin level will be a useful for management of asthma to adjust treatment. Keywords: Asthma, Biomarker, Biopterin, Child, Neopteri