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.

Surgical and developmental outcomes of corpus callosotomy for West syndrome in patients without MRI lesions

OBJECTIVE

This retrospective study was designed to assess the impact of corpus callosotomy (CC) in patients with intractable West syndrome (WS) without lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

METHODS

This study involved 56 patients with WS who underwent CC between January 2000 and December 2014. Seizure outcomes and changes in psychomotor development were analyzed.

RESULTS

Mean age at the onset of epilepsy and at the time of CC was 5.1 and 22.6 months, respectively. Mean duration of epilepsy before CC was 17.6 months. Video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring showed bilateral ictal and interictal abnormalities before CC. Mean follow-up duration was 36.6 months. At final follow-up, seizure outcomes after CC were seizure-free in 18 patients (32.1%), excellent (E: >80% reduction in seizure frequency) in 15 (26.8%), good (G: >50% reduction) in 10 (17.9%), and poor (P: <50% reduction) in 13 (23.2%). Epileptic spasms (ES) were eliminated in 24 patients (42.9%). However, tonic seizure (TS) outcomes were poor (P < 0.05). Of preoperative predictive factors related to seizure outcome, developmental delay before epilepsy onset correlated with poor outcome (P < 0.05). One year post-CC, 6 patients (10.7%) had no epileptic abnormality on EEG, 19 (33.9%) had lateralized epileptic abnormalities, and 31 (55.4%) had bilateral asynchronous epileptic abnormalities. All patients without epileptic discharge achieved seizure freedom. Fifteen of 19 (78.9%) patients in the lateralized group and 12 of 31 (38.7%) in the bilateral asynchronous group had worthwhile outcomes (F + E). The patterns of EEG changes after CC correlated with seizure outcome (P < 0.01). Progressive declines in developmental quotient were prevented in patients with worthwhile outcomes.

SIGNIFICANCE

CC represents an important therapeutic option for patients with WS without resectable MRI lesions. Transcallosal seizure bilateralization is critical for bilateral ES generation. Early identification of potential CC candidates and surgical intervention are important for better seizure control and cognitive capacity preservation before severe developmental delay development.

First Determination of the Level Structure of an sd-Shell Hypernucleus, _{Λ}^{19}F

We report on the first observation of γ rays emitted from an sd-shell hypernucleus, _{Λ}^{19}F. The energy spacing between the ground state doublet, 1/2^{+} and 3/2^{+} states, of _{Λ}^{19}F is determined to be 315.5±0.4(stat)_{-0.5}^{+0.6}(syst)  keV by measuring the γ-ray energy of the M1(3/2^{+}→1/2^{+}) transition. In addition, three γ-ray peaks are observed and assigned as E2(5/2^{+}→1/2^{+}), E1(1/2^{-}→1/2^{+}), and E1(1/2^{-}→3/2^{+}) transitions. The excitation energies of the 5/2^{+} and 1/2^{-} states are determined to be 895.2±0.3(stat)±0.5(syst) and 1265.6±1.2(stat)_{-0.5}^{+0.7}(syst)  keV, respectively. It is found that the ground state doublet spacing is well described by theoretical models based on existing s- and p-shell hypernuclear data.

Treatment of cervical pregnancy with ultrasound-guided local methotrexate injection

OBJECTIVES

Cervical pregnancy (CP) is a rare type of ectopic pregnancy. While methotrexate (MTX) is generally the first-line method of choice for clinically stable women, there is still no consensus on the most appropriate treatment for this abnormal pregnancy. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a single local MTX injection under transvaginal ultrasound guidance for the initial treatment of CP and to assess post-treatment fertility.

METHODS

We reviewed retrospectively 15 patients with CP treated with local MTX injection under transvaginal ultrasound guidance. In all patients, the serum human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) levels were monitored and the gestational sac was evaluated using ultrasonography after treatment. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed as necessary. We evaluated the patients' clinical characteristics and clinical course after treatment, the efficacy of the treatment and the post-treatment fertility in patients desiring subsequent pregnancy.

RESULTS

The median estimated gestational age at the time of MTX injection was 6 + 2 (range, 5 + 2 to 11 + 0) weeks. All 15 patients were treated successfully, without the need for blood transfusion or surgical procedures; however, three patients required an additional local MTX injection due to a poor decline in serum hCG level following the initial injection, while one patient required uterine artery embolization due to persistent vaginal bleeding and an enlarging gestational sac with blood vessels visible on contrast-enhanced MRI. The mean time following initial MTX injection for hCG normalization was 43.8 (95% CI, 33.3-54.3) days and for resumption of menses was 68.4 (95% CI, 51.9-84.9) days. Seven of the 10 women desiring subsequent pregnancy following treatment had uneventful pregnancy, one became pregnant but miscarried spontaneously at 8 weeks of gestation, one was treated by laparoscopic surgery after diagnosis of a tubal pregnancy and one did not conceive.

CONCLUSIONS

A single, ultrasound-guided, local MTX injection is apparently effective for the treatment of CP without the need for concomitant procedures or surgical intervention. Furthermore, this conservative technique both preserves fertility and allows for the possibility of subsequent uneventful pregnancy. Copyright © 2016 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Frequent vomiting attacks in a patient with Lhermitte-Duclos disease: a rare pathophysiology of cerebellar lesions?

Lhermitte-Duclos disease (LDD) is a neurological disease caused by a hamartomatous lesion in the cerebellum. Clinically, LDD is commonly associated with progressive space-occupying lesion effects in the posterior fossa, increasing intracranial pressure, occlusive hydrocephalus, and focal neurological deficits of adjacent structures. The authors report the case of a 10-year-old boy with LDD who had been suffering from vomiting attacks (VAs). These VAs had been brief in duration but extremely frequent, and they had been resistant to antiemetic drugs since the early postnatal period. Magnetic resonance imaging at 8 months of age revealed a right cerebellar lesion with very little space-occupying lesion effect, but the causal relationship with VAs was not evident at that point, because no clinical symptoms or signs other than vomiting were suggestive of increased intracranial pressure. The VAs were initially diagnosed as autonomic ataxia and had been treated with antiemetic drugs for approximately 10 years, but the patient's symptoms were not improved at all in frequency or duration. He developed convulsive seizures at 9 years of age and was referred to the authors' epilepsy center. The VAs were initially speculated to represent an aspect of seizures, but antiepileptic agents proved ineffective against this symptom despite remission of convulsive seizures. Video-electroencephalography monitoring did not show any evolving ictal patterns associated with the vomiting. Careful reevaluation of MRI studies revealed that the cerebellar lesion was fused with the cerebellum, middle and inferior cerebellar peduncles, and dorsolateral medulla oblongata with some distortion. FDG-PET identified hypermetabolism in the cerebellar lesion. After establishing the diagnosis of LDD, the authors performed subtotal resection of the lesion based on the likelihood of a causal relationship between the cerebellar lesion and the vomiting center of the medulla oblongata. Postoperatively and for 2 years, VAs have remained completely suppressed. The authors hypothesize that the pathophysiology of VAs in LDD includes a tumor-like space-occupying effect on the vomiting center of the medulla oblongata, and even partial resection of the lesion may prove effective.

Observation of Spin-Dependent Charge Symmetry Breaking in ΛN Interaction: Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy of _{Λ}^{4}He

The energy spacing between the spin-doublet bound state of _{Λ}^{4}He(1^{+},0^{+}) was determined to be 1406±2±2  keV, by measuring γ rays for the 1^{+}→0^{+} transition with a high efficiency germanium detector array in coincidence with the ^{4}He(K^{-},π^{-})_{Λ}^{4}He reaction at J-PARC. In comparison to the corresponding energy spacing in the mirror hypernucleus _{Λ}^{4}H, the present result clearly indicates the existence of charge symmetry breaking (CSB) in ΛN interaction. By combining the energy spacings with the known ground-state binding energies, it is also found that the CSB effect is large in the 0^{+} ground state but is vanishingly small in the 1^{+} excited state, demonstrating that the ΛN CSB interaction has spin dependence.

Two siblings with cortical dysplasia: Clinico-electroencephalographic features

The older of two siblings began to have spasms and partial seizures at 1 month of age. Head magnetic resonance imaging showed an abnormal area in the left temporo-parieto-occipital region. Interictal electroencephalogram (EEG) showed a suppression-burst pattern. Adrenocorticotropic hormone stopped the spasms, but the seizures continued. Clonazepam, carbamazepine, zonisamide, and clobazam were ineffective. She underwent focal resection at age 8 months. Postoperatively, the seizures disappeared. Histopathologically, the lesion appeared to be focal cortical dysplasia type IIa. The younger sibling had spasms from birth. Head magnetic resonance imaging showed left hemi-megalencephaly. Interictal EEG showed a suppression-burst pattern. Phenobarbital, valproic acid, and zonisamide were ineffective. He underwent hemispherotomy at age 2 months and became seizure free. The histopathological features were consistent with those of hemi-megalencephaly. The siblings' EEG and clinical courses had some similarities. These siblings' conditions may have the same genetic background.

Episodic tremors representing cortical myoclonus are characteristic in Angelman syndrome due to UBE3A mutations

OBJECTIVE

Neurological manifestations including psychomotor developmental delay and epilepsy in patients with Angelman syndrome caused by ubiquitin protein ligase E3A (UBE3A) mutations has been considered similar but is relatively milder than that in patients with deletion-type Angelman syndrome. This makes the diagnosis of the former subgroup often difficult. We here characterized epilepsy, specifically the types of tremulous movement, in 4 patients (age, 3-38years) with Angelman syndrome caused by UBE3A mutations.

METHODS

Ictal electroencephalography was used to record episodic tremors in all study patients. Jerk-locked averaging was performed using digital electroencephalography and surface electromyogram data from patients who were monitored for 24h.

RESULTS

All patients had tremors in the limbs, head, and trunk, which resulted in 2 patients falling backward. These tremors lasted several seconds, and could emerge in clusters for hours in older patients. In addition, the tremors coincided with 7-8Hz rhythmic activity with a frontocentral predominance, diffuse spike-wave bursts, or no apparent change on electroencephalography. In 2 patients, these tremors were confirmed as cortical myoclonus using jerk-locked averaging. The other seizure types were isolated generalized myoclonus and tonic seizures. None of the patients experienced atypical absence seizures. Levetiracetam therapy was effective in controlling the myoclonic events in 2 of the 3 patients.

CONCLUSION

Semirhythmic myoclonus is common in patients with Angelman syndrome caused by UBE3A mutations, and such myoclonic events are often life disabling. The preserved expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor subunit genes located proximal to UBE3A might explain the low prevalence of absence seizures in this population.

Effect of the addition of rice straw on microbial community in a sewage sludge digester

Rice straw was added to a sewage sludge digester and its effects on methane production, dewatering characteristics, and microbial communities in the digested sludge were examined by a continuous digestion experiment under mesophilic conditions (35 °C). Stable gas generation was monitored in all digestion experiments. Methane yield from raw sludge, chopped rice straw and softened rice straw were estimated to be 0.27, 0.18 and 0.26 NL/g total solids load, respectively. The capillary suction time of digested sludge was decreased by the addition of rice straw. Archaeal and bacterial communities in the sludge were elucidated by PCR-DGGE (polymerase chain reaction--denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) targeting 16S rRNA genes. The Shannon index of DGGE profiles indicated that bacterial diversity increased with the addition of softened rice straw. DNA sequences of significant bands of the digested sludge were most closely related to Methanosaeta concilii (97.4% identity) and Methanoculleus bourgensis (100% identity). Meanwhile, those in the co-digested sludge with rice straw were most closely related to Methanosarcina barkeri (98.4% identity) and Methanoculleus bourgensis (99.3% identity). Although both Methanosaeta spp. and Methanosarcina spp. metabolize acetate to methane, Methanosarcina spp. have a competitive advantage at acetate concentrations of >70 mg/L. Results suggested that the quantity of acetate produced during rice straw degradation may change the archaeal community.

Long-term developmental outcome after early hemispherotomy for hemimegalencephaly in infants with epileptic encephalopathy

This study aimed to identify the effect of early hemispherotomy on development in a consecutive series of 12 infants with hemimegalencephaly (HME) demonstrating epileptic encephalopathy. Mean age at onset was 20.4 days (range, 1-140), mean age at surgery was 4.3 months (range, 2-9), and mean follow-up time was 78.8 months (range, 36-121). Eleven patients had a history of early infantile epileptic encephalopathy. Vertical parasagittal hemispherotomy was performed without mortality or severe morbidities. At follow-up, seizure freedom was obtained in 8 patients (66.7%), who showed significantly higher postoperative developmental quotient (DQ) (mean, 31.3; range, 7-61) than those with seizures (mean, 5.5; range, 3-8) (p=0.02). Within the seizure-free group, postoperative DQ correlated with preoperative seizure duration (r=-0.811, p=0.01). Our results showed that shorter seizure duration during early infancy could provide better postoperative DQ in infants with HME and epileptic encephalopathy.

Organic carbon recovery and photosynthetic bacteria population in an anaerobic membrane photo-bioreactor treating food processing wastewater

Purple non-sulfur bacteria (PNSB) were cultivated by food industry wastewater in the anaerobic membrane photo-bioreactor. Organic removal and biomass production and characteristics were accomplished via an explicit examination of the long term performance of the photo-bioreactor fed with real wastewater. With the support of infra-red light transmitting filter, PNSB could survive and maintain in the system even under the continual fluctuations of influent wastewater characteristics. The average BOD and COD removal efficiencies were found at the moderate range of 51% and 58%, respectively. Observed photosynthetic biomass yield was 0.6g dried solid/g BOD with crude protein content of 0.41 g/g dried solid. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoretic analysis (DGGE) and 16S rDNA sequencing revealed the presence of Rhodopseudomonas palustris and significant changes in the photosynthetic bacterial community within the system.

Increased Ki-67 immunoreactivity in the white matter in hemimegalencephaly

Hemimegalencephaly (HMG) is a developmental brain disorder characterized by an enlarged unilateral hemisphere with cortical malformation comprising abnormal hypertrophic cells. To address the proliferative status of HMG, Ki-67 immunoreactivity was investigated in HMG specimens obtained during epilepsy surgery. Nine HMG tissues were stained with a Ki-67 antibody and Ki-67 labeling index in the malformed cortex, and the underlying white matter was measured separately and compared with tissues from focal cortical dysplasias and normal brains from autopsy. In HMG tissues, Ki-67-positive cells were scattered in both the gray and white matter, with a significantly higher Ki-67 labeling index in the white matter compared with gray matter. No dysmorphic neuron or balloon cell was stained for Ki-67. As Ki-67 immunoreactivity overlapped with that of ionized calcium-binding adaptor protein-1, Ki-67-positive cells were identified as microglia. In HMG, microglia were activated and entered into a proliferative status with higher distribution in the white matter, implying an ongoing neuroinflammatory process involving the white matter.

Focal cortical myoclonus in rolandic cortical dysplasia presenting as hemifacial twitching

A 2-year-old girl presented with brief episodes of left hemifacial twitching. On ictal electroencephalography, repetitive focal spike discharges appeared at the right fronto-centro-temporal regions; these discharges preceded the onset of each twitch by 12 ms. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a linear abnormal signal intensity in the subcortical white matter at the right postcentral gyrus, where a cluster of dipole sources was detected by magnetoencephalography. These findings suggested that the patient had focal cortical myoclonus due to rolandic focal cortical dysplasia.

[Clinical features of congenital myasthenic syndrome in Japan]

OBJECTIVE

We examined the clinical and neurophysiological features of Japanese patients with congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS).

METHOD

Subjects were five patients who were diagnosed with CMS on the basis of clinical course, repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS), and genetic analysis.

RESULTS

Four patients manifested motor retardation within one year of birth, while one manifested motor intolerance at three years of age. The most characteristic symptom observed in all the patients was fluctuating muscle weakness, which varied on a daily basis or continued for several days after the late infancy period. Only one patient manifested daily fluctuation of muscle weakness. RNS of the accessory nerve evoked a decrementing response in three patients who were examined;however, RNS of the median, ulnar, and tibial nerves (one patient each) did not evoke such responses. After the edrophonium chloride test, no improvement was seen even if the patients manifested ptosis. For judgment of this test, improvement in decrementing rate observed while performing RNS was useful. All five patients who were administered medication based on the results of genetic analysis demonstrated an improvement in their symptoms.

CONCLUSION

We suggest that CMS can be diagnosed based on careful examination and electrophysiological results. CMS is a treatable disorder, and therefore, correct diagnosis is important.

Search for the Θ+ pentaquark via the π(-)p→K(-)X reaction at 1.92 GeV/c

The Θ(+) pentaquark baryon was searched for via the π(-)p→K(-)X reaction with a missing mass resolution of 1.4 MeV/c(2) (FWHM) at the Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC). π(-) meson beams were incident on the liquid hydrogen target with a beam momentum of 1.92 GeV/c. No peak structure corresponding to the Θ(+) mass was observed. The upper limit of the production cross section averaged over the scattering angle of 2° to 15° in the laboratory frame is obtained to be 0.26 μb/sr in the mass region of 1.51-1.55 GeV/c(2). The upper limit of the Θ(+) decay width is obtained to be 0.72 and 3.1 MeV for J(Θ)(P)=1/2(+) and J(Θ)(P)=1/2(-), respectively, using the effective Lagrangian approach.

Serum γ-Glutamyl Transpeptidase Levels and Hypertension in Non-drinkers: A Possible Role of Fatty Liver in the Pathogenesis of Obesity Related Hypertension

The relationships between increases in body mass index (BMI) and increases in hypertension were compared between non-drinkers with elevated serum gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gamma-GTP) levels (> or = 50 U/l) and those with normal levels, who comprised 10,952 men and 22,107 women aged 40-59 years recruited from an occupational health clinic. Hypertension was found in 16.1% and 13.5% of the men and women, and elevated serum g-GTP was found in 10.8% and 2.8% of the men and women, respectively. The prevalences of hypertension and elevated serum gamma-GTP levels were both increased with increased BMI. Hypertension was, however, shown to be 1.5 times more prevalent in the persons with elevated serum gamma-GTP levels than in those with normal levels in both sexes, even after adjusting for BMI by a multiple logistic analysis. It can be concluded that elevations of serum gamma-GTP, which are probably a reflection of fatty liver in the non-drinkers, are closely related to the development of hypertension associated with increased obesity.

Novel pathological abnormalities of deep brain structures including dysplastic neurons in anterior striatum associated with focal cortical dysplasia in epilepsy

OBJECT

Some patients are not seizure free even after epileptogenic cortical resection. The authors recently described a case of frontal lobe epilepsy cured after the resection of periventricular white matter and striatum, in which dysplastic neurons were revealed. The authors attempted to confirm similar cases.

METHODS

They reviewed the records of 8 children with frontal lobe epilepsy who had daily (7) or monthly (1) seizures and underwent resections including deep brain structures.

RESULTS

Five patients underwent multiple resections. Neuroimaging of the deep structures showed the transmantle sign in 3 patients, ictal hyperperfusion in 6, reduced iomazenil uptake in 2, and spike dipole clustering in 6. All patients became seizure free postoperatively. Focal cortical dysplasia of various types was diagnosed in all patients. Dysmorphic neurons were found in the cortex and subcortical white matter of 5 patients. The striatum was verified in 3 patients in whom dysmorphic neurons were scattered. In the periventricular white matter, prominent astrocytosis was evident in all cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Pathological abnormalities such as dysmorphic neurons and astrocytosis in deep brain structures would play a key role in epileptogenesis.