Chitin-signaling-dependent responses to insect oral secretions in rice cells propose the involvement of chitooligosaccharides in plant defense against herbivores.

Plants recognize molecules related to a variety of biotic stresses through pattern recognition receptors to activate plant immunity. In the interactions between plants and chewing herbivores, such as lepidopteran larvae, oral secretions (OS) are deposited on wounded sites, which results in the elicitation of plant immune responses. The widely conserved receptor-like kinase CHITIN ELICITOR RECEPTOR KINASE 1 (CERK1) has been broadly associated with the recognition of microbial components, such as fungal chitin, but its relevance to herbivory remained unclear.

Comprehensive analysis of silicon impact on defense and metabolic responses in rice exposed to herbivory stress.

Silicon (Si) uptake is generally beneficial for plants that need protection from insect herbivores. In pursue of mechanisms involved in Si-mediated defense, we comprehensively explored the impact of Si on several defensive and metabolic traits in rice exposed to simulated and real herbivory of Duponchel larvae. Hydroponic experiments showed that Si-deprived rice supplemented with Si 72 h prior to insect infestation were similarly resistant to larvae as plants continuously grown in Si-containing media.

Effects of systemic inflammation on the network oscillation in the anterior cingulate cortex and cognitive behavior.

Network oscillation in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) plays a key role in attention, novelty detection and anxiety; however, its involvement in cognitive impairment caused by acute systemic inflammation is unclear. To investigate the acute effects of systemic inflammation on ACC network oscillation and cognitive function, we analyzed cytokine level and cognitive performance as well as network oscillation in the mouse ACC Cg1 region, within 4 hours after lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 30 μg/kg) administration. While the interleukin-6 concentration in the serum was evidently higher in LPS-treated mice, the increases in the cerebral cortex interleukin-6 did not reach statistical significance.

Precise highlighting of the pancreas by semantic segmentation during robot-assisted gastrectomy: visual assistance with artificial intelligence for surgeons.

Background: A postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is a critical complication of radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer, mainly because surgeons occasionally misrecognize the pancreas and fat during lymphadenectomy. Therefore, this study aimed to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) system capable of identifying and highlighting the pancreas during robot-assisted gastrectomy.

Methods: A pancreas recognition algorithm was developed using HRNet, with 926 training images and 232 validation images extracted from 62 scenes of robot-assisted gastrectomy videos.

Pterostilbene Induces Apoptosis from Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Synergistically with Anticancer Drugs That Deposit Iron in Mitochondria.

Anticancer agents are playing an increasing role in the treatment of gastric cancer (GC); however, novel anticancer agents have not been fully developed. Therefore, it is important to investigate compounds that improve sensitivity to the existing anticancer drugs. We have reported that pterostilbene (PTE), a plant stilbene, enhances the antitumor effect of low doses of sunitinib in gastric cancer cells accumulating mitochondrial iron (II) (mtFe) at low doses.

Treatment strategy for successful conversion surgery in clinical stage IVB gastric cancer.

Introduction: Recent advances in chemotherapy have resulted in successful conversion surgery (CS) for clinical stage (cStage) IVB gastric cancer (GC). This study aimed to evaluate the success rate of CS in clinical practice and determine optimal treatment strategies.

Methods: Totally, 166 patients with cStage IVB gastric and gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, who underwent chemotherapy at Hyogo Medical University Hospital between January 2017 and June 2022, were included.

Involvement of interferon gamma signaling in spinal trigeminal caudal subnucleus astrocyte in orofacial neuropathic pain in rats with infraorbital nerve injury.

: Trigeminal nerve injury causes orofacial pain that can interfere with activities of daily life. However, the underlying mechanism remains unknown, and the appropriate treatment has not been established yet. This study aimed to examine the involvement of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) signaling in the spinal trigeminal caudal subnucleus (Vc) in orofacial neuropathic pain.

Correlation Between Cued Fear Memory Retrieval and Oscillatory Network Inhibition in the Amygdala Is Disrupted by Acute REM Sleep Deprivation.

The basolateral amygdaloid complex (BLA) is critically involved in emotional behaviors, such as aversive memory formation. In particular, fear memory after cued fear conditioning is strongly associated with the BLA, whereas both the BLA and hippocampus are essential for contextual fear memory formation. In the present study, we examined the effects of acute (3 h) sleep deprivation (SD) on BLA-associated fear memory in juvenile (P24-32) rats and performed in vitro electrophysiology using whole-cell patch clamping from the basolateral nucleus (BA) of the BLA.

PAR2-dependent phosphorylation of TRPV4 at the trigeminal nerve terminals contributes to tongue cancer pain.

Objective: This study aimed to clarify the interactions between the tongue and primary afferent fibers in tongue cancer pain.

Methods: A pharmacological analysis was conducted to evaluate mechanical hypersensitivity of the tongues of rats with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Changes in trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons projecting to the tongue were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and western blotting.

Comparative analysis of sorghum (C4) and rice (C3) plant headspace volatiles induced by artificial herbivory.

Acute stress responses include release of defensive volatiles from herbivore-attacked plants. Here we used two closely related monocot species, rice as a representative C3 plant, and sorghum as a representative C4 plant, and compared their basal and stress-induced headspace volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Although both plants emitted similar types of constitutive and induced VOCs, in agreement with the close phylogenetic relationship of the species, several mono- and sesquiterpenes have been significantly less abundant in headspace of sorghum relative to rice.

Proposal for T3 classification of esophagogastric junction carcinoma based on the interconnection of extramural anatomical structures.

Classification of extramural invasion of esophagogastric junction carcinoma (EGJC) is not yet established. The anatomy surrounding the EGJ alters between the mediastinum and the abdominal cavity. This review proposed a T3 classification of EGJC based on anatomical continuity.

BSR1, a Rice Receptor-like Cytoplasmic Kinase, Positively Regulates Defense Responses to Herbivory.

Crops experience herbivory by arthropods and microbial infections. In the interaction between plants and chewing herbivores, lepidopteran larval oral secretions (OS) and plant-derived damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) trigger plant defense responses. However, the mechanisms underlying anti-herbivore defense, especially in monocots, have not been elucidated.

Neonatal Injury Modulates Incisional Pain Sensitivity in Adulthood: An Animal Study.

Neonatal pain experiences including traumatic injury influence negatively on development of nociceptive circuits, resulting in persistent pain hypersensitivity in adults. However, the detailed mechanism is not yet well understood. In the present study, to clarify the pathogenesis of orofacial pain hypersensitivity associated with neonatal injury, the involvement of the voltage-gated sodium channel (Na) 1.

Development of the Rabbit NASH Model Resembling Human NASH and Atherosclerosis.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a chronic liver disease which may progress into liver fibrosis and cancer. Since NASH patients have a high prevalence of atherosclerosis and ensuing cardiovascular diseases, simultaneous management of NASH and atherosclerosis is required. Currently, rodents are the most common animal models for NASH and accompanying liver fibrosis, but there are great differences in lipoprotein profiles between rodents and humans, which makes it difficult to reproduce the pathology of NASH patients with atherosclerosis.

Marked improvement of severe reflux esophagitis following proximal gastrectomy with esophagogastrostomy by the right gastroepiploic vessels-preserving antrectomy and Roux-en-Y biliary diversion.

Duodenogastroesophageal reflux (DGER) following esophagectomy or gastrectomy can cause severe esophagitis, which impairs patients' quality of life and increases the risk of esophageal carcinogenesis. It is sometimes resistant to medical treatment, and surgical treatment is considered effective in such cases. However, an optimal operative procedure for medical treatment-resistant reflux esophagitis (RE) after proximal gastrectomy (PG) with esophagogastrostomy (EG) has not yet been established.

Sunitinib and Pterostilbene Combination Treatment Exerts Antitumor Effects in Gastric Cancer via Suppression of PDZD8.

The use of molecular-targeted drugs in the treatment of gastric cancer is increasing. However, the variety of molecular-targeted drugs in gastric cancer is still limited, and the development of new molecular-targeted therapies is required. The effect of combining sunitinib (SUN) with pterostilbene (PTE) on the human gastric cancer cell lines TMK1 and MKN74 was examined in in vitro and in vivo.

Cytokinin increases vegetative growth period by suppressing florigen expression in rice and maize.

Increasing the vegetative growth period of crops can increase biomass and grain yield. In rice (Oryza sativa), the concentration of trans -zeatin, an active cytokinin, was high in the leaves during vegetative growth and decreased rapidly upon induction of florigen expression, suggesting that this hormone is involved in the regulation of the vegetative phase. To elucidate whether exogenous cytokinin application influences the length of the vegetative phase, we applied 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) to rice plants at various developmental stages.

A cross-sectional survey of patient's perception and knowledge of dental implants in Japan.

Background: This study aimed to collect data regarding patient perception and knowledge of dental implants. It was conducted with the hope that the data would provide dental professionals and policymakers with a better understanding of ways to promote implant therapy.

Methods: An anonymous online survey with 10 questions was distributed through 12 dental offices in Tokyo and provincial cities in Japan to assess patient perception and knowledge of dental implants.

5-Aminolevulinic acid overcomes hypoxia-induced radiation resistance by enhancing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production in prostate cancer cells.

Background: The naturally occurring amino acid 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is a precursor of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) biosynthesised in the mitochondria. When accumulated PpIX is excited by light (wavelength of 625-635 nm), reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated. Here, we investigated whether 5-ALA may increase the sensitisation of prostate cancer (PCA) cells to radiotherapy through the generation of ROS via its metabolite, PpIX.

Methotrexate-associated proliferative disorder in the lower esophagus extending to the gastroesophageal junction: A case report.

A 64-year-old woman was receiving oral methotrexate (MTX) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for 15 years. She underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy because of discomfort in the chest. Endoscopic findings revealed an ulcer in the lower esophagus extending to the gastroesophageal junction (EGJ).

A minute primary gastric synovial sarcoma with ulcer: a case report.

Background: Synovial sarcomas are a rare type of high-grade sarcomas with unknown cell origin. They arise predominantly in the soft tissues but rarely in the stomach. We recently encountered a rare case of minute gastric synovial sarcoma.

BRAF Mutation Is Associated with Hyperplastic Polyp-Associated Gastric Cancer.

Gastric hyperplastic polyps (GHP) are frequently found to be benign polyps and have been considered to have a low carcinogenic potential. The characteristics of the hyperplastic polyp-associated gastric cancer (HPAGC) remain unclear. Therefore, we analyzed samples from 102 GHP patients and identified 20 low-grade atypical GHPs (19.

Chitooligosaccharide elicitor and oxylipins synergistically elevate phytoalexin production in rice.

We show that in rice, the amino acid-conjugates of JA precursor, OPDA, may function as a non-canonical signal for the production of phytoalexins in coordination with the innate chitin signaling. The core oxylipins, jasmonic acid (JA) and JA-Ile, are well-known as potent regulators of plant defense against necrotrophic pathogens and/or herbivores. However, recent studies also suggest that other oxylipins, including 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA), may contribute to plant defense.

Abscisic acid is required for exodermal suberization to form a barrier to radial oxygen loss in the adventitious roots of rice (Oryza sativa).

To acclimate to waterlogged conditions, wetland plants form a barrier to radial oxygen loss (ROL) that can enhance oxygen transport to the root apex. We hypothesized that one or more hormones are involved in the induction of the barrier and searched for such hormones in rice. We previously identified 98 genes that were tissue-specifically upregulated during ROL barrier formation in rice.