407 research outputs found

    Irradiation-energy Dependence on the Spectral Changes of Hydrous C-Type Asteroids Based on 4kev and 20kev He Exposure Experiments of Murchison Cm Chondrite

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    C-type asteroid 162173 Ryugu was observed by remote sensing apparatus onboard Hayabusa2 spacecraft and found to be very dark object whose reflectance is (1.60 0.15) % at 0.55m and showed a small 2.7m absorption band indicative of phyllosilicates. The optical navigation camera detected color variations of Ryugus surface in the wavelength range from 0.4 to 0.95m: Bluer spectra are ob-served at both poles and on the equatorial ridge, both of which are topographic highs and thus may be fresh material exposed by gradual erosion. On the other hand, many locations at middle-latitude areas exhibit redder and darker colors. Similar color variations are also detected in the near-infrared wavelength range. These observations suggest that a surface-correlated process is responsible for the color variation, most prob-ably from blue to red, but the mechanism for the change is not yet identified. Space weathering is one possible mechanism responsible for the color variation, but the spectral changes of C-type asteroids from space weathering are far from being fully understood. Past experimental studies using hydrous carbonaceous chondrites such as Murchison and Tagish Lake show that He exposure (simulating solar wind irradiation) changes spectra to bluer and brighter. Recently our He exposure experiments indicate that spectral changes depend on physical properties such as porosity of exposed material. In this study, we per-formed further He exposure experiments using Murchison CM chondrite in order to understand energy dependence on the spectral changes. We found that He energy is a critical parameter, as well as physical properties of the samples, that affects spectral changes of space weathering of hydrated C-type asteroids

    High Ferritin Level and Malnutrition Predict High Risk of Infection-Related Hospitalization in Incident Dialysis Patients: A Japanese Prospective Cohort Study

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    Aims: The aim of the study was to clarify the relationship between serum ferritin and infectious risks. Methods: We evaluated all hospital admissions due to infections, clinical biomarkers and nutrition status in 129 incident Japanese dialysis patients during a median follow-up of 38 months. Results: Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that the period without infections requiring hospitalization was significantly shorter in ferritin > median (82.0 ng/ml) group than in the ferritin < median group (log-rank test 4.44, p = 0.035). High ferritin was associated with significantly increased relative risk of hospitalization for infection (Cox hazard model 1.52, 95% CI 1.06-2.17). The number of hospitalization days was gradually longer in patients with high ferritin levels and malnutrition. Conclusion: Although serum ferritin levels were low, and doses of iron administered to dialysis patients in Japan are generally lower than in Western countries, an elevated ferritin level was associated with increased risk of infection, particularly in patients with poor nutritional status.journal articl

    Universality and superiority in preference for chromatic composition of art paintings

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    Color composition in paintings is a critical factor affecting observers' aesthetic judgments. We examined observers' preferences for the color composition of Japanese and Occidental paintings when their color gamut was rotated. In the experiment, observers were asked to select their preferred image from original and three hue-rotated images in a four-alternative forced choice paradigm. Despite observers' being unfamiliar with the presented artwork, the original paintings (0 degrees) were preferred more frequently than the hue-rotated ones. Furthermore, the original paintings' superiority was observed when the images were divided into small square pieces and their positions randomized (Scrambled condition), and when the images were composed of square pieces collected from different art paintings and composed as patchwork images (Patchwork condition). Therefore, the original paintings' superiority regarding preference was quite robust, and the specific objects in the paintings associated with a particular color played only a limited role. Rather, the original paintings' general trend in color statistics influenced hue-angle preference. Art paintings likely share common statistical regulations in color distributions, which may be the basis for the universality and superiority of the preference for original paintings.- We thank Dr. Yukinori Misaki at Kagawa National Institute of Technology, Japan and Ms. Nobuyo Okada and Ms. Kanako Maruchi at Toyohashi City Museum of Art and History, Japan for assisting in the measurement of art paintings. This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP19H01119 and 20H05956, and by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Funding UIDB/04650/2020

    RESULTS OF IDENTIFICATION OF INFECTIOUS AGENTS OF INFLUENZA AND OTHER ACUTE RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS WITH THE METHOD OF RT-LAMP

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    Currently, the detection and identification of viruses that cause respiratory and influenza-like illness (ILI) is one of the main tasks of  public healthcare. In 2016-2017, nasopharyngeal swabs were  collected from 200 sick children with ILI aged 0 to 5 years. Detection  of pathogens in ILI patients was carried out by RT-LAMP  amplification method. In 43 % of patients ILI viruses were detected.  Among all confirmed cases of viral infection, a respiratory-syncytial  virus was detected in 49 %, rhinoviruses in 16 %, coronaviruses in 9 %,  parainfluenza viruses in 6 %, and human metapneumoviruses in 2 % of  samples. Influenza A viruses were found in 6 % of infected specimens.  The results obtained demonstrate the effectiveness of using RT-LAMP amplification in differential laboratory diagnostics of the ILI of viral etiology

    Interstitial cystitis: a rare manifestation of primary Sjögren’s syndrome, successfully treated with low dose cyclosporine

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    Chronic interstitial cystitis (IC), mostly affecting middle-aged women, is a very rare manifestation of primary Sjögren’s syndrome (pSS). Hereby, we report a 42-year-old woman with pSS, presenting with dysuria, urinary frequency, and suprapubic pain. She was diagnosed to have chronic IC, based upon the cystoscopic biopsy finding of chronic inflammation in the bladder wall. Systemic corticosteroid and azathioprine treatments together with local intravesical therapies were not effective. Therefore, cyclosporine (CSA) therapy was initiated. Initial low dose of CSA (1.5 mg/kg/d) improved the symptoms of the patient, with no requirement for dose increment. After 4 months of therapy, control cystoscopic biopsy showed that bladder inflammation regressed and IC improved. This case suggests that even low doses of CSA may be beneficial for treating chronic IC associated with pSS syndrome

    Imaging-Based Screen Identifies Laminin 411 as a Physiologically Relevant Niche Factor with Importance for i-Hep Applications.

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    Use of hepatocytes derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (i-Heps) is limited by their functional differences in comparison with primary cells. Extracellular niche factors likely play a critical role in bridging this gap. Using image-based characterization (high content analysis; HCA) of freshly isolated hepatocytes from 17 human donors, we devised and validated an algorithm (Hepatocyte Likeness Index; HLI) for comparing the hepatic properties of cells against a physiological gold standard. The HLI was then applied in a targeted screen of extracellular niche factors to identify substrates driving i-Heps closer to the standard. Laminin 411, the top hit, was validated in two additional induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines, primary tissue, and an in vitro model of α1-antitrypsin deficiency. Cumulatively, these data provide a reference method to control and screen for i-Hep differentiation, identify Laminin 411 as a key niche protein, and underscore the importance of combining substrates, soluble factors, and HCA when developing iPSC applications

    Diamond Blackfan anemia is mediated by hyperactive Nemo-like kinase

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    Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA) is a congenital bone marrow failure syndrome associated with ribosomal gene mutations that lead to ribosomal insufficiency. DBA is characterized by anemia, congenital anomalies, and cancer predisposition. Treatment for DBA is associated with significant morbidity. Here, we report the identification of Nemo-like kinase (NLK) as a potential target for DBA therapy. To identify new DBA targets, we screen for small molecules that increase erythroid expansion in mouse models of DBA. This screen identified a compound that inhibits NLK. Chemical and genetic inhibition of NLK increases erythroid expansion in mouse and human progenitors, including bone marrow cells from DBA patients. In DBA models and patient samples, aberrant NLK activation is initiated at the Megakaryocyte/Erythroid Progenitor (MEP) stage of differentiation and is not observed in non-erythroid hematopoietic lineages or healthy erythroblasts. We propose that NLK mediates aberrant erythropoiesis in DBA and is a potential target for therapy
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