Images from the surface of asteroid Ryugu show rocks similar to carbonaceous chondrite meteorites

The near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu is a 900-m-diameter dark object expected to contain primordial material from the solar nebula. The Mobile Asteroid Surface Scout (MASCOT) landed on Ryugu's surface on 3 October 2018. We present images from the MASCOT camera (MASCam) taken during the descent and while on the surface. The surface is covered by decimeter- to meter-sized rocks, with no deposits of fine-grained material. Rocks appear either bright, with smooth faces and sharp edges, or dark, with a cauliflower-like, crumbly surface. Close-up images of a rock of the latter type reveal a dark matrix with small, bright, spectrally different inclusions, implying that it did not experience extensive aqueous alteration. The inclusions appear similar to those in carbonaceous chondrite meteorites.

Oral function and vertical jump height among healthy older people in Japan

OBJECTIVE

Vertical jump height and oral function affect the general muscle condition. This study aimed to evaluate the association between vertical jump height and oral function among healthy older individuals.

BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN

Cross-sectional analytic study.

PARTICIPANTS

231 independent older people (mean age, 74.4 ± 5.6 years) who participated in the Kyoto Elders Physical Fitness Measurement Research Project. Individuals with partial or complete edentulousness who did not use a prosthetic device or complained of oral/maxillofacial pain were excluded from the study.

INTERVENTIONS

Grip strength was measured using a Smedley Hand Dynamometer. To measure masticatory performance, the participants were instructed to chew a gummy jelly on their habitual chewing side (left or right) for 20 s. Occlusal force, contact area, and pressure were also assessed.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The outcome variable was vertical jump height. The predictor variables were physical status (age, body mass index, and grip strength), oral status (number of present teeth and denture use), and oral function (masticatory performance, occlusal force, occlusal contact area, occlusal pressure, and tongue pressure). These relationships were evaluated with univariate analysis, and then multiple regression analysis was performed with age as the covariate for each male and female participant.

RESULTS

Vertical jump height was significantly associated with grip strength in both men and women. Moreover, in women, it was associated with masticatory performance, occlusal force, and occlusal contact area.

CONCLUSIONS

Vertical jump height was closely associated with oral function among healthy older women.

Hayabusa2 arrives at the carbonaceous asteroid 162173 Ryugu-A spinning top-shaped rubble pile

The Hayabusa2 spacecraft arrived at the near-Earth carbonaceous asteroid 162173 Ryugu in 2018. We present Hayabusa2 observations of Ryugu's shape, mass, and geomorphology. Ryugu has an oblate "spinning top" shape, with a prominent circular equatorial ridge. Its bulk density, 1.19 ± 0.02 grams per cubic centimeter, indicates a high-porosity (>50%) interior. Large surface boulders suggest a rubble-pile structure. Surface slope analysis shows Ryugu's shape may have been produced from having once spun at twice the current rate. Coupled with the observed global material homogeneity, this suggests that Ryugu was reshaped by centrifugally induced deformation during a period of rapid rotation. From these remote-sensing investigations, we identified a suitable sample collection site on the equatorial ridge.

The surface composition of asteroid 162173 Ryugu from Hayabusa2 near-infrared spectroscopy

The near-Earth asteroid 162173 Ryugu, the target of the Hayabusa2 sample-return mission, is thought to be a primitive carbonaceous object. We report reflectance spectra of Ryugu's surface acquired with the Near-Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS3) on Hayabusa2, to provide direct measurements of the surface composition and geological context for the returned samples. A weak, narrow absorption feature centered at 2.72 micrometers was detected across the entire observed surface, indicating that hydroxyl (OH)-bearing minerals are ubiquitous there. The intensity of the OH feature and low albedo are similar to thermally and/or shock-metamorphosed carbonaceous chondrite meteorites. There are few variations in the OH-band position, which is consistent with Ryugu being a compositionally homogeneous rubble-pile object generated from impact fragments of an undifferentiated aqueously altered parent body.

The geomorphology, color, and thermal properties of Ryugu: Implications for parent-body processes

The near-Earth carbonaceous asteroid 162173 Ryugu is thought to have been produced from a parent body that contained water ice and organic molecules. The Hayabusa2 spacecraft has obtained global multicolor images of Ryugu. Geomorphological features present include a circum-equatorial ridge, east-west dichotomy, high boulder abundances across the entire surface, and impact craters. Age estimates from the craters indicate a resurfacing age of [Formula: see text] years for the top 1-meter layer. Ryugu is among the darkest known bodies in the Solar System. The high abundance and spectral properties of boulders are consistent with moderately dehydrated materials, analogous to thermally metamorphosed meteorites found on Earth. The general uniformity in color across Ryugu's surface supports partial dehydration due to internal heating of the asteroid's parent body.

The effects of heated humidification to nasopharynx on nasal resistance and breathing pattern

Background

Mouth breathing could induce not only dry throat and eventually upper respiratory tract infection, but also snoring and obstructive sleep apnea, while nasal breathing is protective against those problems. Thus, one may want to explore an approach to modify habitual mouth breathing as preferable to nasal breathing. The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological effects of our newly developed mask on facilitation of nasal breathing.

Methods

Thirty seven healthy male volunteers were enrolled in a double blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial. Participants wore a newly developed heated humidification mask or non-heated-humidification mask (placebo) for 10-min each. Subjective feelings including dry nose, dry throat, nasal obstruction, ease to breathe, relaxation, calmness, and good feeling were asked before and after wearing each mask. In addition, the effects of masks on nasal resistance, breathing pattern, and heart rate variability were assessed.

Results

Compared with the placebo mask, the heated humidification mask improved all components of subjective feelings except for ease to breathe; moreover, decreased nasal resistance and respiratory frequency accompanied a simultaneous increase in a surrogate maker for tidal volume. However, use of the heated humidification mask did not affect heart rate variability

Conclusion

Adding heated humidification to the nasopharynx could modulate breathing patterns with improvement of subjective experience and objective nasal resistance.

Development of a laser amplification system for the multi-pass Thomson scattering system for GAMMA 10/PDX

The multi-pass Thomson scattering (MPTS) system is a useful technique for increasing the Thomson scattering (TS) signal intensities and improving the TS diagnostic time resolution. The MPTS system developed in GAMMA 10/PDX has a polarization-based configuration with an image relaying system. The MPTS system has been constructed for enhancing the Thomson scattered signals for the improvement of measurement accuracy and the megahertz sampling time resolution. However, in the normal MPTS system, the MPTS signal intensities decrease with the pass number because of the damping due to the optical components. Subsequently, we have developed a new MPTS system with the laser amplification system. The laser amplification system can improve the degraded laser power after six passes in the multi-pass system to the initial laser power. For the first time worldwide, we successfully obtained the continued multi-pass signals after the laser amplification system in the gas scattering experiments.

Redefining Cut-Points for High Symptom Burden of the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease Classification in 18,577 Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

BACKGROUND

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be classified into groups A/C or B/D based on symptom intensity. Different threshold values for symptom questionnaires can result in misclassification and, in turn, different treatment recommendations. The primary aim was to find the best fitting cut-points for Global initiative for chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) symptom measures, with an modified Medical Research Council dyspnea grade of 2 or higher as point of reference.

METHODS

After a computerized search, data from 41 cohorts and whose authors agreed to provide data were pooled. COPD studies were eligible for analyses if they included, at least age, sex, postbronchodilator spirometry, modified Medical Research Council, and COPD Assessment Test (CAT) total scores.

MAIN OUTCOMES

Receiver operating characteristic curves and the Youden index were used to determine the best calibration threshold for CAT, COPD Clinical Questionnaire, and St. Georges Respiratory Questionnaire total scores. Following, GOLD A/B/C/D frequencies were calculated based on current cut-points and the newly derived cut-points.

FINDINGS

A total of 18,577 patients with COPD [72.0% male; mean age: 66.3 years (standard deviation 9.6)] were analyzed. Most patients had a moderate or severe degree of airflow limitation (GOLD spirometric grade 1, 10.9%; grade 2, 46.6%; grade 3, 32.4%; and grade 4, 10.3%). The best calibration threshold for CAT total score was 18 points, for COPD Clinical Questionnaire total score 1.9 points, and for St. Georges Respiratory Questionnaire total score 46.0 points.

CONCLUSIONS

The application of these new cut-points would reclassify about one-third of the patients with COPD and, thus, would impact on individual disease management. Further validation in prospective studies of these new values are needed.

Outcome of autologous bone grafting with preservation of articular cartilage to treat osteochondral lesions of the talus with large associated subchondral cysts

Aims

The aim of this study was to evaluate antegrade autologous bone grafting with the preservation of articular cartilage in the treatment of symptomatic osteochondral lesions of the talus with subchondral cysts.

Patients and Methods

The study involved seven men and five women; their mean age was 35.9 years (14 to 70). All lesions included full-thickness articular cartilage extending through subchondral bone and were associated with subchondral cysts. Medial lesions were exposed through an oblique medial malleolar osteotomy, and one lateral lesion was exposed by expanding an anterolateral arthroscopic portal. After refreshing the subchondral cyst, it was grafted with autologous cancellous bone from the distal tibial metaphysis. The fragments of cartilage were fixed with 5-0 nylon sutures to the surrounding cartilage. Function was assessed at a mean follow-up of 25.3 months (15 to 50), using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot outcome score. The radiological outcome was assessed using MRI and CT scans.

Results

The mean AOFAS score improved from 65.7 (47 to 81) preoperatively to 92 (90 to 100) at final follow-up, with 100% patient satisfaction. The radiolucent area of the cysts almost disappeared on plain radiographs in all patients immediately after surgery, and there were no recurrences at the most recent follow-up. The medial malleolar screws were removed in seven patients, although none had symptoms. At this time, further arthroscopy was undertaken, when it was found that the mean International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) arthroscopic score represented near-normal cartilage.

Conclusion

Autologous bone grafting with fixation of chondral fragments preserves the original cartilage in the short term, and could be considered in the treatment for adult patients with symptomatic osteochondral defect and subchondral cysts. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2018;100-B:590-5.

Efficacy and safety of anti-CD20 antibody rituximab for patients with refractory systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective

We examined the efficacy and safety of rituximab in patients with refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

The study enrolled 63 SLE patients who were treated with rituximab between 2002 and 2015. The participants underwent a battery of tests before treatment and at one year. Treatment ranged from two to four times at 500 or 1000 mg.

Results

Baseline characteristics were males:females = 6:57, age 33.9 years, and disease duration 87.2 months. The primary endpoint: The rate of major clinical response (MCR) was 60% while the partial clinical response (PCR) was 25%. Thirty of 36 (83%) patients with lupus nephritis (WHO II: 2, III: 5, IV: 22, V: 4, IV+V: 2, not assessed: 1) and 22 of 24 patients (92%) with neuropsychiatric SLE, who could be followed at one year, showed changes from BILAG A or B score to C or D score at one year. Multivariate analysis identified high anti-dsDNA antibody and shorter disease duration as significant determinants of MCR at one year. Repeat examination was conducted at five years. Primary failure was recorded in 8.8% and secondary failure in 32.4% (time to relapse: 24.4 months). Rituximab was well tolerated although 65 adverse events, mostly infections, were recorded within one year.

Conclusion

Rituximab is potentially efficacious for the treatment of patients with refractory SLE.

A case of refractory lupus nephritis complicated by psoriasis vulgaris that was controlled with secukinumab

It has been reported that T helper 17 cells are involved in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus, but there is no report on interleukin-17-targeted therapy. We report a case of a 62-year-old female who presented with psoriasis vulgaris and refractory lupus nephritis. Because her conditions were resistant to conventional treatment, and flow cytometry confirmed the proliferation of activated T helper 17 cells in peripheral blood, and examination of a renal biopsy tissue sample confirmed infiltration of numerous interleukin-17-positive lymphocytes to the renal interstitium, administration of the anti-interleukin-17A antibody secukinumab was initiated. After starting secukinumab the clinical and biological features were improved.

Recurrent Spindle Cell Carcinoma Shows Features of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

This study investigated a case of spindle cell carcinoma (SpCC) in tongue pathological lesions. The patient experienced a local recurrence and distant metastasis after surgical intervention. Although standard chemotherapy was administered, a granulomatous mass continued to develop. This aggressive growth led to survival of the tumor. Secondary debulking surgery was performed to improve the patient's quality of life at the request of the patient. Using a tissue sample derived from the secondary debulking surgery, we performed an analysis of the tumor's cell surface antigens, differentiation potential, metastatic ability, and inhibition potential by anticancer reagents. In vitro analysis revealed that the cell population grown under adherent culture conditions expressed the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) markers CD73, CD90, and CD105. The cell line established from this SpCC contained colony-forming unit fibroblasts (CFU-Fs) and exhibited multipotent differentiation into several mesenchymal lineages, including bone, cartilage, and fat. The SpCC cells also displayed vigorous mobilization. These characteristics suggested that they had the differentiation potential of mesenchymal cells, especially MSCs, rather than that of epithelial cells. The surgical specimen analyzed in this study resisted the molecular target reagent cetuximab, which is an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor. This clinical insight revealed that chemotherapy-resistant SpCC cells have different characteristics compared to most other cancer cells, which are sensitive to cetuximab. Our cell death assay revealed that SpCC cell death was induced by the anticancer drug imatinib, which is known to inhibit protein tyrosine kinase activity of ABL, platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα), and KIT. Here, we report recurrent SpCC with characteristics of MSCs and potential for treatment with imatinib.