Dynamic Correlation Analysis between Stress-Strain Curve and Polymer Film Structure Using Persistent Homology.

Coarse-grained molecular dynamics (CG-MD) simulations and subsequent persistent homology (PH) analysis were performed to correlate the structure and stress-strain behavior of polymer films. During uniaxial tensile MD simulations, the first principal component of the persistence diagram obtained by principal component analysis (PCA) was in good agreement with the stress-strain curve. This indicates that PH + PCA can identify critical ring structures relevant to the dynamic changes in MD simulations without requiring any prior knowledge.

KS-cSCC-1 and KS-cSCC-2: two novel cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma cell lines established from Japanese patients.

Introduction: Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is a common form of skin cancer. Less accessibility to the cSCC cell lines has limited analyses of this disease. Thus, we here aimed to establish novel cSCC cell lines from patient's cSCC lesions.

Quality and Safety Considerations for Therapeutic Products Based on Extracellular Vesicles.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) serve as an intrinsic system for delivering functional molecules within our body, playing significant roles in diverse physiological phenomena and diseases. Both native and engineered EVs are currently the subject of extensive research as promising therapeutics and drug delivery systems, primarily due to their remarkable attributes, such as targeting capabilities, biocompatibility, and low immunogenicity and mutagenicity. Nevertheless, their clinical application is still a long way off owing to multiple limitations.

Gut microbiota and metabolites in patients with COVID-19 are altered by the type of SARS-CoV-2 variant.

Introduction: Patients with COVID-19 have dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota with altered metabolites in the stool. However, it remains unclear whether the differences among SARS-CoV-2 variants lead to differences in intestinal microbiota and metabolites. Thus, we compared the microbiome and metabolome changes for each SARS-CoV-2 variant in patients with COVID-19.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Adhesion of Additive Molecules in Paint Materials toward Enhancement of Anticorrosion Performance.

Adsorption energies of additive molecules in paint materials on the iron oxide substrate are investigated by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to find the key feature of adhesion, which is one of the indispensable elements for the corrosion resistance of coated materials. Both edge-on and face-on adsorptions are observed for most additive molecules such as phenylsuccinic acid and benzoic acid. On the other hand, only the edge-on adsorption is observed for the specific molecule having a benzothiazole ring due to the effect of steric conformation.

Pigmented epithelioid melanocytoma arising from a teratoma of a Carney complex patient.

A 25-year-old female Carney complex patient with a PRKAR1A mutation who had undergone surgery to remove teratomas visited our dermatology department. She was suspected of having a malignant melanoma in a teratoma. On clinical examination, a black nodule was found within the cyst.

KS-EMPD-1: a novel cell line of primary extramammary Paget's disease.

Extramammary Paget's disease (EMPD) is a rare skin cancer that mainly occurs in apocrine sweat gland-rich areas in elderly people. The prognosis of metastatic EMPD is unfavorable because of the lack of fully effective systemic therapies. However, the difficulty in establishing a model of EMPD has hampered basic research for exploring its pathogenesis and optimal treatments.

Sex-based differences in metabolic protection by the ANP genetic variant rs5068 in the general population.

Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) are produced in the heart and secreted into the circulation. As hormones, both peptides activate the guanylyl cyclase receptor A (GC-A), playing a role in blood pressure (BP) regulation. A significant role for ANP and BNP includes favorable actions in metabolic homeostasis.

Histological and immunohistochemical prognostic factors of primary angiosarcoma.

Angiosarcoma is a malignant vascular endothelial neoplasm with various histological patterns. Despite its highly malignant potential, histological prognostic prediction has not been adopted for angiosarcoma. This study aimed to establish a method of predicting the prognosis of primary angiosarcoma.

Urinary extracellular vesicles signature for diagnosis of kidney disease.

Congenital disorders characterized by the quantitative and qualitative reduction in the number of functional nephrons are the primary cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in children. We aimed to describe the alteration of urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs) associated with decreased renal function during childhood. By nanoparticle tracking analysis and quantitative proteomics, we identified differentially expressed proteins in uEVs in bilateral renal hypoplasia, which is characterized by a congenitally reduced number of nephrons.

Impaired tryptophan metabolism in the gastrointestinal tract of patients with critical coronavirus disease 2019.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still causing a global pandemic. But the mechanism of COVID-19 severity is not well elucidated.

Materials And Methods: We conducted two single-center observational studies of patients with COVID-19.

Natriuretic Peptide-Based Novel Therapeutics: Long Journeys of Drug Developments Optimized for Disease States.

The field of natriuretic peptides (NPs) as an endocrine hormone has been developing since 1979. There are three peptides in humans: atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), which bind to the guanylyl cyclase-A (GC-A) receptor (also called natriuretic peptide receptor-A (NPR-A)), and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), which binds to the GC-B receptor (also called the NPR-B) and then synthesizes intracellular cGMP. GC-A receptor stimulation has natriuretic, vasodilatory, cardiorenal protective and anti-renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system actions, and GC-B receptor stimulation can suppress myocardial fibrosis and can activate bone growth before epiphyseal plate closure.

Engineered AAVs for non-invasive gene delivery to rodent and non-human primate nervous systems.

Gene therapy offers great promise in addressing neuropathologies associated with the central and peripheral nervous systems (CNS and PNS). However, genetic access remains difficult, reflecting the critical need for the development of effective and non-invasive gene delivery vectors across species. To that end, we evolved adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9) capsid in mice and validated two capsids, AAV-MaCPNS1 and AAV-MaCPNS2, across rodent species (mice and rats) and non-human primate (NHP) species (marmosets and rhesus macaques).

Distinguishing functional exosomes and other extracellular vesicles as a nucleic acid cargo by the anion-exchange method.

The development of a new large-scale purification protocol is required for research on the reliable bioactivity and drug discovery of extracellular vesicles (EVs). To address this issue, herein, we propose an effective method for preparing high-performance exosomes (EXOs) by using an anion-exchange method. Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) EVs from 4 L of culture supernatant through a 220 nm cut-off filter are divided into two populations at a deproteinization rate of over 99.

TROP2 Expression in Sebaceous and Sweat Gland Carcinoma.

Sebaceous carcinoma and sweat gland carcinoma (malignant tumors with apocrine and eccrine differentiation) are rare malignant skin adnexal tumors that differentiate toward sebaceous gland and eccrine and apocrine glands, respectively. Owing to the rarity of these carcinomas, standard treatments for advanced disease have not been established. Because the prognosis of patients with systemic metastasis is poor, a new treatment for these diseases is eagerly desired.

Sensory representation and detection mechanisms of gut osmolality change.

Ingested food and water stimulate sensory systems in the oropharyngeal and gastrointestinal areas before absorption. These sensory signals modulate brain appetite circuits in a feed-forward manner. Emerging evidence suggests that osmolality sensing in the gut rapidly inhibits thirst neurons upon water intake.

Successful Leadless Pacemaker Implantation in an Elderly Patient With Dextrocardia and Situs Inversus.

Leadless pacemaker is indicated in patients with symptomatic bradycardia as an alternative therapy when transvenous pacemaker implantation is considered difficult or at high risk. The experience of implanting leadless pacemaker in patients with dextrocardia and situs inversus is limited. A 94-year-old male was transferred to our hospital due to advanced atrio-ventricular block with episode of syncope.