Brain Healthcare Quotient as a Tool for Standardized Approach in Brain Healthcare Interventions.

In addressing the challenge of assessing healthy brain aging across diverse interventions, this study introduces the use of MRI-derived Brain Healthcare Quotients (BHQ) for comprehensive evaluation. We analyzed BHQ changes in 319 participants aged 24-69, who were allocated into dietary (collagen peptide, euglena, matcha, isohumulone, xanthophyll) and physical activity (hand massage with lavender oil, handwriting, office stretching, pink lens, clinical art) groups, alongside a control group, over a month. These interventions were specifically chosen to test the efficacy of varying health strategies on brain health, measured through BHQ indices: GM-BHQ for gray matter volume, and FA-BHQ for white matter integrity.

A case of cytomegalovirus colitis initially misdiagnosed as colonic ischemia in an immunocompetent Japanese woman.

Cytomegalovirus colitis should be considered in a patient presenting with bloody stool even among immunocompetent patients.

Theoretical spectroscopy for unraveling the intensity mechanism of the optical and photoluminescent spectra of chiral Re(I) transition metal complexes.

In this work, we present a computational study that is able to predict the optical absorption and photoluminescent properties of the chiral Re(I) family of complexes [fac-ReX(CO)3L], where X is either Cl or I and L is N-heterocyclic carbene extended with π-conjugated [5]-helicenic unit. The computational strategy is based on carefully calibrated time dependent density functional theory calculations and operates in conjunction with an excited state dynamics approach to treat in addition to absorption (ABS) and photoluminescence (PL), electronic circular dichroism (ECD), and circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) spectroscopies, respectively. The employed computational approach provides, an addition, access to the computation of phosphorescence rates in terms of radiative and non-radiative relaxation processes.

Reduction in disialyl-T antigen levels in mice deficient for both St6galnac3 and St6galnac4 results in blood filling of lymph nodes.

Sialic acid (SA) is present at the terminal ends of carbohydrate chains in glycoproteins and glycolipids and is involved in various biological phenomena. The biological function of the disialyl-T (SAα2-3Galβ1-3(SAα2-6)GalNAcα1-O-Ser/Thr) structure is largely unknown. To elucidate the role of disialyl-T structure and determine the key enzyme from the N-acetylgalactosaminide α2,6-sialyltransferase (St6galnac) family involved in its in vivo synthesis, we generated St6galnac3- and St6galnac4-deficient mice.

Infection-Related Cryoglobulinemic Glomerulonephritis with Serum Anti-Factor B Antibodies Identified and Staining for NAPlr/Plasmin Activity Due to Infective Endocarditis.

In this rare case of infection-related cryoglobulinemic glomerulonephritis with infective endocarditis, a 78-year-old male presented with an acute onset of fever and rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis. His blood culture results were positive for , and transesophageal echocardiography showed vegetation. He was diagnosed with endocarditis.

Analysis of the reliability of rapid diagnostic tests for varicella, including breakthrough cases.

In the era of universal varicella vaccination, diagnosis of varicella is challenging, especially for breakthrough cases. We sought to clarify the reliability of direct varicella-zoster virus (VZV) loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) and DermaQuick® VZV using the immunochromatography technique as rapid diagnostic tests for varicella. In addition, the usefulness of saliva as a sample type for direct LAMP was investigated.

Association between cerebrovasoreactivity and stroke in cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy.

Background: Impaired cerebrovasoreactivity is thought to play an important role in the pathophysiology of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL). We aimed to clarify the association between cerebrovascular reactivity and stroke in patients with CADASIL.

Methods: We retrospectively recruited 14 patients with CADASIL, eight of whom had symptomatic stroke.

[EFFECTS OF COMBINATION THERAPY WITH VIBEGRON FOR ANTICHOLINERGIC-RESISTANT PEDIATRIC NEUROGENIC BLADDER].

(Objective) We report the effectiveness of combination therapy with vibegron in pediatric patients with neurogenic bladder inadequately responding to anticholinergic agents. (Subjects and methods) This retrospective study involved 13 pediatric patients with neurogenic bladder treated with anticholinergics at our department from November 2019 to January 2021 who had an inadequate response and received combination therapy with vibegron. Changes in the volume of urinary incontinence before and after the use of vibegron reported during interviews from the 13 patients were compared.

Recovery of bowel function after transperitoneal or retroperitoneal laparoscopic pyeloplasty. A multi-center study.

Aim: To document the recovery of bowel function (BF) in children after transperitoneal (TP) or retroperitoneal (RP) laparoscopic pyeloplasty.

Methods: Data were obtained retrospectively from four centers between 2008 and 2019 for TP (n = 51) and RP (n = 58). Each surgeon chose which technique to perform.

Functional kaurene-synthase-like diterpene synthases lacking a gamma domain are widely present in Oryza and related species.

Various diterpene synthases have been functionally identified in cultivated rice (Oryza sativa). These are the homologs of ent-copalyl diphosphate (ent-CDP) synthase and ent-kaurene synthase (KS) that are responsible for the biosynthesis of gibberellins, diterpenoid phytohormones. We isolated a cDNA encoding full-length OsKSL12, a previously uncharacterized KS like (KSL) enzyme that consists of a β-domain and an α-domain with an active center, but lacks an N-terminal γ-domain.

Impact of long-term antiretroviral therapy on gut and oral microbiotas in HIV-1-infected patients.

In HIV-1-infected patients, antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a key factor that may impact commensal microbiota and cause the emergence of side effects. However, it is not fully understood how long-term ART regimens have diverse impacts on the microbial compositions over time. Here, we performed 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing of the fecal and salivary microbiomes in patients under different long-term ART.

Substituent effects on the photophysical properties of 2,9-substituted phenanthroline copper(I) complexes: a theoretical investigation.

The electronic and nuclear structures of a series of [Cu(2,9-(X) -phen) ] copper(I) complexes (phen=1,10-phenanthroline; X=H, F, Cl, Br, I, Me, CN) in their ground and excited states are investigated by means of density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent (TD-DFT) methods. Subsequent Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics is used for exploring the T potential energy surface (PES). The T and S energy profiles, which connect the degenerate minima induced by ligand flattening and Cu-N bond symmetry breaking when exciting the molecule are calculated as well as transition state (TS) structures and related energy barriers.

Difficulty in differentiating between IgG4-related hepatic inflammatory pseudotumor and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

A 71-year-old man on prednisolone for immunoglobulin (Ig) G4-related renal disease showed increased carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 level; abdominal enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed a lesion in the left lateral segment and dilatation of the peripheral biliary duct. He was referred to our hospital for detailed examination for suspected intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. CT and magnetic resonance imaging findings were similar to those for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Effect of Lomerizine Hydrochloride on Preventing Strokes in Patients With Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy With Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy.

Background: Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is an orphan disease clinically characterized by migraine, recurrent strokes, and dementia. Currently, there are no disease-modifying therapies, and it is difficult to prevent cerebral ischemic events in CADASIL patients by conventional antithrombotic medication. We hypothesized that an antimigraine agent, lomerizine hydrochloride, may prevent strokes in CADASIL patients, based on its effect on increasing cerebral blood flow.

The usefulness of ultrasound examination in detecting testicular nubbin in Japanese boys with non-palpable testes.

Introduction And Objective: In the case of non-palpable testes, we often find a small nodule which is called "testicular nubbin (TN)" in scrotum or inguinal canal. There is no agreement about the treatment for TN. This time we investigated whether or not ultrasound examination (US) can be a useful modality for detecting TN.

Genotype-phenotype correlations and effect of mutation location in Japanese CADASIL patients.

Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is a hereditary cerebral small vessel disease caused by NOTCH3, and characterized by recurrent cerebral ischemic events without vascular risk factors, mood disturbance, and dementia. MRI testing shows cerebral white matter hyperintensities, especially in the external capsule and temporal pole. Typical mutations are cysteine-related missense ones located in one of 34 EGF-like repeats (EGFr) in the NOTCH3 receptor.

PATZ1 is required for efficient HIV-1 infection.

Successful HIV-1 infection and subsequent replication deeply depend on how the virus usurps the host cell machinery. Identification and functional characterization of these host factors may represent a critical strategy for developing novel anti-HIV-1 therapy. Here, expression cloning with a cDNA expression library identified as an inhibitor of HIV-1 infection, a carboxy-terminally truncated form of human POZ/BTB and AT-hook- containing Zinc finger protein 1 (PATZ1), a transcriptional regulatory factor implicated in development and cancer.

The CADASIL Scale-J, A Modified Scale to Prioritize Access to Genetic Testing for Japanese CADASIL-Suspected Patients.

Background: Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL) is definitely diagnosed by genetic testing. Such testing involves the analysis of exons 2-24 of NOTCH3, which encode the epidermal growth factor-like repeat domain, where CADASIL mutations are localized. We previously reported clinical diagnostic criteria for screening CADASIL-suspected Japanese patients prior to genetic testing.

Discovery of 4-oxoquinolines, a new chemical class of anti-HIV-1 compounds.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) against HIV-1 infection offers the promise of controlling disease progression and prolonging the survival of HIV-1-infected patients. However, even the most potent ART regimens available today cannot cure HIV-1. Because patients will be exposed to ART for many years, physicians and researchers must anticipate the emergence of drug-resistant HIV-1, potential adverse effects of the current drugs, and need for future drug development.

Semiconductor property imaging on as-grown wafer with monochromatic tunable THz-wave source.

In this paper, we propose the use of a tunable monochromatic terahertz (THz) wave source to measure the carrier properties of semiconductors. We also report on the recent improvement of our measurement system and demonstrate its ability to measure an as-grown sample; our system involves reference mirror-free reflective measurement. In our method, carrier properties, such as resistivity and mobility in semiconductors relating to the carrier density, can be determined by reflective measurement.

Structural basis of chimpanzee APOBEC3H dimerization stabilized by double-stranded RNA.

APOBEC3H (A3H) is a mammal-specific cytidine deaminase that potently restricts the replication of retroviruses. Primate A3Hs are known to exert key selective pressures against the cross-species transmission of primate immunodeficiency viruses from chimpanzees to humans. Despite recent advances, the molecular structures underlying the functional mechanisms of primate A3Hs have not been fully understood.

Impact of rituximab and half-dose CHOP as primary therapy for untreated symptomatic Waldenström Macroglobulinemia: review of a combined regimen of rituximab with an alkylating agent.

Background: Waldenström Macroglobulinemia (WM) is a rare subtype of indolent B-cell lymphoma, and prospective randomized studies on WM are scarce. The R-CHOP therapy [rituximab (R), cyclophosphamide, hydroxy-doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone] is a popular and recommended regimen for primary therapy, prescribed by several treatment guidelines for WM. However, treatment with R-CHOP is accompanied by severe myelosuppression and high rates of peripheral neuropathy.

2-carba cyclic phosphatidic acid suppresses inflammation via regulation of microglial polarisation in the stab-wounded mouse cerebral cortex.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is caused by physical damage to the brain and it induces blood-brain barrier (BBB) breakdown and inflammation. To diminish the sequelae of TBI, it is important to decrease haemorrhage and alleviate inflammation. In this study, we aimed to determine the effects of 2-carba-cyclic phosphatidic acid (2ccPA) on the repair mechanisms after a stab wound injury as a murine TBI model.

αvβ5 integrin mediates the effect of vitronectin on the initial stage of differentiation in mouse cerebellar granule cell precursors.

Vitronectin (VN), one of the extracellular matrix proteins, controls the maturation of cerebellar granule cells (CGCs) through the promotion of the initial differentiation stage progress. However, the receptors of VN in the initial differentiation stage of CGC precursors (CGCPs) have not been clarified. In this study, we characterized the receptor candidates for VN in CGCPs.