MicroRNA in neuroexosome as a potential biomarker for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders.

HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND) is a complication of chronic inflammation caused by HIV infection that impairs cognitive and motor functions. HAND can occur at any age, regardless of the duration of infection, even in people living with HIV (PLWH) whose blood viral load is controlled by antiretroviral therapy. The diagnosis of HAND requires a battery of neuropsychological tests, which is time-consuming and burdensome, limiting its effectiveness for screening PLWH.

Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation after Switch to Cabotegravir/Rilpivirine in Patient with Low Hepatitis B Surface Antibody.

A patient in Japan with HIV began antiretroviral therapy because of acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) 15 years ago, with low hepatitis B surface antibody, and experienced breakthrough HBV reactivation 4 months after switching from bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide to cabotegravir/rilpivirine. An immune escape mutation, E164V, was identified in the isolated HBV DNA.

Characterization of mutations in hepatitis B virus DNA isolated from Japanese HBsAg-positive blood donors in 2021 and 2022.

Missense mutations in certain small envelope proteins diminish the efficacy of antibodies. Consequently, tracking the incidence and types of vaccine-escape mutations (VEMs) was crucial both before and after the introduction of universal hepatitis B vaccination in Japan in 2016. In this study, we isolated hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA from 58 of 169 hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)-positive blood samples from Japanese blood donors and determined the nucleotide sequence encoding the small envelope protein.

Adverse effects of contamination by fipronil and its derivatives on growth, molting, and gene expression in the mysid crustacean, Americamysis bahia, in Japanese estuaries.

Concentrations of fipronil (Fip) and several of its derivatives were detected in samples from four rivers and four estuaries in Japan. LC-MS/MS analysis detected Fip and its derivatives, except for fipronil detrifluoromethylsulfinyl, in almost all samples. The total concentrations of the five compounds were approximately two-fold greater in river water (mean: 21.

Evaluation of neurotoxicity of anticancer drugs using nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism.

It is well established that platinum-based drugs, including oxaliplatin (L-OHP) and cisplatin (CDDP), as well as microtubule inhibitors paclitaxel (PTX) and vincristine (VCR), are associated with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). In this study, we examined and compared the characteristics of neuropathies induced by L-OHP, CDDP, PTX, and VCR to evaluate whether Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) could serve as a model organism for human CIPN.

Developmental toxicity and transcriptome analysis of equine estrogens in developing medaka (Oryzias latipes) using nanosecond pulsed electric field incorporation.

Equine estrogens (EQs) are steroidal hormones isolated from the urine of pregnant mares and are used in the formulation of human medications. This study initially investigated the embryonic developmental toxicity of equilin (Eq) and equilenin (Eqn) in medaka (Oryzias latipes). Malformations were observed in embryos exposed to nominal concentrations of 1 and 10 mg/L of Eq and Eqn.

Mercury waste from artisanal and small-scale gold mining facilities: a risk to farm ecosystems-a case study of Obuasi, Ghana.

Frequent discharge of mercury waste from artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) facilities into nearby farms may contaminate foodstuffs and the entire farms. High contamination levels may result in ecological risks to the soil, plants, animals, humans, and the entire farm ecosystem. This original research is the first study within the catchment areas that describes the effects of mercury waste on the entire farm ecosystem.

Mercury Pollution from Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining in Myanmar and Other Southeast Asian Countries.

Mercury (Hg) is one of the most harmful metals and has been a public health concern according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) is the world's fastest-growing source of Hg and can release Hg into the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. Hg has been widely used in ASGM industries throughout Southeast Asia countries, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Thailand.

Ca imaging with two-photon microscopy to detect the disruption of brain function in mice administered neonicotinoid insecticides.

Neonicotinoid pesticides are a class of insecticides that reportedly have harmful effects on bees and dragonflies, causing a reduction in their numbers. Neonicotinoids act as neuroreceptor modulators, and some studies have reported their association with neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the precise effect of neonicotinoids on the central nervous system has not yet been identified.

Combination of Vortex Agitation and Ultrasonic Irradiation for Mercury Removal from Sediment by Acid Extraction.

The removal of Hg from solid waste plays a key role in environmental protection. In this study, a fast, simple, and effective method for the removal of Hg by acid extraction, using a combination of vortex agitation and ultrasonic irradiation along with hydrobromic acid (HBr), was established using Hg-containing solid wastes. The optimal durations of vortex agitation and ultrasonic irradiation with 48% v/v of HBr were 5 and 6 min, respectively, and total Hg (T-Hg) extraction was achieved within 21 min.

Lithium reduces orthodontically induced root resorption by suppressing cell death, hyalinization, and odontoclast formation in rats.

Objectives: To examine whether lithium suppresses orthodontically induced root resorption (OIRR) via two mechanisms (prevention of hyalinization in periodontal tissue and suppression of odontoclasts) and to investigate the changes in the periodontal tissue and alveolar bone, focusing on the appearance of cell death, hyalinization, and odontoclasts.

Materials And Methods: The maxillary first molars of 10-week-old male Wistar rats were moved mesially by a closed-coil spring for 14 days. Lithium chloride (LiCl; 0.

Mercury, cadmium, and lead in cigarettes from international markets: concentrations, distributions and absorption ability of filters.

Mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), and lead (Pb) concentrations in marketed cigarettes from South Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Kingdom (UK), Belgium, Italy, Finland, and France were investigated. The cigarettes from Vietnam and Thailand had the highest trend of Hg. Meanwhile, Cd was found higher in cigarettes from Thailand, the UK, and Belgium.

Urinary neonicotinoids level among pregnant women in Japan.

Neonicotinoids (NEOs) are the most important globally available class of chemical insecticides since the introduction of synthetic pyrethroids. The adverse effects of NEOs for early development have been reported via in vivo and epidemiological studies. Therefore, prenatal NEOs exposure is highly concerning.

Simultaneous quantification of imidacloprid and its metabolites in tissues of mice upon chronic low-dose administration of imidacloprid.

This study aimed to (i) develop a sensitive method for simultaneous detection and quantification of imidacloprid (IMI) and seven of its metabolites in tissue specimens, and to (ii) determine the biodistribution of the IMI compounds in tissues of C57BL/6J male mice; after exposure to 0.6 mg/kg bw/day of IMI (10% of no observable adverse effect level of IMI) through a powdered diet for 24 weeks. We successfully developed a method which was accurate (recoveries were ≥ 70% for most compounds), sensitive (LODs ≤ 0.

Aging-related changes in the sensitivity of behavioral effects of the neonicotinoid pesticide clothianidin in male mice.

Neonicotinoids, which act as agonists of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of insects, are widely used pesticides worldwide. Although epidemiological studies revealed that the detection amounts of neonicotinoids in urine are higher in the elderly population than other age-groups, there is no available information regarding the risks of neonicotinoids to older mammals. This study was aimed to investigate aging-related differences in the behavioral effects of the neonicotinoid pesticide clothianidin (CLO).

Urinary Thrombin as a Marker of Glomerular Inflammation Associated with Renal Injury in Type 2 Diabetes.

Glomerular inflammation is a putative aggravation factor for type 2 diabetic nephropathy and urinary thrombin is a novel marker of glomerular inflammation. To clarify the relationship between glomerular inflammation and progression of the nephropathy, we measured urinary thrombin in 118 patients with type 2 diabetic nephropathy at different stages. To investigate the implications of urinary thrombin in the nephropathy, we compared urinary thrombin with expression of tissue factor, the trigger of blood coagulation activation, in glomeruli and with markers of renal injury (estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and proteinuria).

In vivo and in silico analyses of estrogenic potential of equine estrogens in medaka (Oryzias latipes).

Equine estrogens (EEs) are widely used in hormone replacement therapy pharmaceuticals for postmenopausal women. Previous studies have shown that EEs occur in the aquatic environment; however, the potential estrogenicity and risk of EEs in aquatic organisms, including fish, have yet to be studied in detail. Therefore, we evaluated the estrogenic potential of major EEs, namely equilin (Eq), 17α-dihydroequilin (17α-Eq), 17β-dihydroequilin (17β-Eq), equilenin (Eqn), 17α-dihydroequilenin (17α-Eqn), and 17β-dihydroequilenin (17β-Eqn), on medaka (Oryzias latipes) using in vivo and in silico assays.

[Analysis and Health Risk Assessment of Cadmium and Arsenic in Japanese, Vietnamese, and Indonesian Rice].

Herein, we quantified the concentrations of cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) in 63 milled rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivated in Japan, Vietnam, and Indonesia. We estimated the daily intake of Cd and As by adults and children consuming this rice by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer (ICP-MS).

Interspecies differences in cytochrome P450-mediated metabolism of neonicotinoids among cats, dogs, rats, and humans.

Neonicotinoid insecticides are used for agricultural and non-agricultural purposes worldwide. Pets are directly exposed to neonicotinoids in veterinary products and through environmental contamination. Cytochrome P450 (CYP) is among the most significant xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes that oxidizes several chemicals, including neonicotinoids.

Choriogenin transcription in medaka embryos and larvae as an alternative model for screening estrogenic endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

This study assessed the transcription levels of estrogen-responsive genes, such as vitellogenins (Vtg1 and Vtg2), choriogenins (ChgL, ChgH, and ChgHm), cytochrome P450 aromatase (CYP19a1b), and ER subtypes (ERα, ERβ1, and ERβ2), in 7 days-post-fertilization (dpf) embryos and 9 and 12 dpf larvae of medaka (Oryzias latipes) exposed to estrogenic endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The <5 h-post-fertilization embryos were exposed to EDCs such as 17β-estradiol (E2), p-n-nonylphenol (NP), and bisphenol A (BPA). In E2 (0.

Associations between corrected serum calcium and phosphorus levels and outcome in dialysis patients in the Kumamoto Prefecture.

Introduction: Mortality in hemodialysis patients is relatively high; thus, its risk stratification is very important. There are insufficient data describing the current status of the management of serum phosphate and calcium levels.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter, prospective, registry study throughout the Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan.