Real-Time Observation of Photoinduced Nanoscale Azo-Polymer Motions Using High-Speed Atomic Force Microscopy Combined with an Inverted Optical Microscope.

High-speed atomic force microscopy (HS-AFM) is an indispensable technique in the field of biology owing to its imaging capability with high spatiotemporal resolution. Furthermore, recent developments established tip-scan stand-alone HS-AFM combined with an optical microscope, drastically improving its versatility. It has considerable potential to contribute to not only biology but also various research fields.

Senescence-accelerated mice prone 8 (SAMP8) in male as a spontaneous osteoarthritis model.

Background: Animal models of spontaneous osteoarthritis (OA) are sparse and not well characterized. The purpose of the present study is to examine OA-related changes and mechanisms in senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) that displays a phenotype of accelerated aging.  METHODS: Knees of male SAMP8 and SAM-resistant 1 (SAMR1) mice as control from 6 to 33 weeks of age were evaluated by histological grading systems for joint tissues (cartilage, meniscus, synovium, and subchondral bone), and µCT analysis.

Detection of Glutamate Encapsulated in Liposomes by Optical Trapping Raman Spectroscopy.

The transmission of neuronal information is propagated through synapses by neurotransmitters released from presynapses to postsynapses. Neurotransmitters released from the presynaptic vesicles activate receptors on the postsynaptic membrane. Glutamate acts as a major excitatory neurotransmitter for synaptic vesicles in the central nervous system.

Effectiveness of Solution with 5% Detergent for Cleaning Transnasal Esophagogastroduodenoscopy Lens.

Background/aims: Unsedated transnasal esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is affected by a poor scope lens-cleaning function. We have previously reported good, albeit limited, effects of an oolong tea washing solution; here, we evaluated the effectiveness of a 5% lens cleaning solution for cleaning an EGD lens.

Methods: Five percent lens cleaning solution (C), 5% dimethicone solution (D), and distilled water (W) were prepared.

Real-world Evidence of Diffusion-weighted Imaging Combined With Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography for Pancreatic Tumor Screening: A Cross-Sectional Diagnostic Accuracy Study.

Objectives: The aim was to clarify the sensitivity and specificity of diffusion-weighted imaging, as well as of that in combination with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography for pancreatic tumor diagnosis in real-world clinical setting.

Methods: Subjects were 217 consecutive patients who underwent both magnetic resonance imaging and contrast-enhanced ultrasound sonography. Cases positive for a pancreatic tumor were confirmed based on pathological diagnosis, whereas negative cases were defined when no solid pancreatic tumor was detected by contrast-enhanced ultrasound sonography or a solid mass was detected but the diagnosis was ultimately denied based on pathological results.

Deuterated Glutamate-Mediated Neuronal Activity on Micro-Electrode Arrays.

The excitatory synaptic transmission is mediated by glutamate in neuronal networks of the mammalian brain. In addition to the synaptic glutamate, extra-synaptic glutamate is known to modulate the neuronal activity. In neuronal networks, glutamate uptake is an important role of neurons and glial cells for lowering the concentration of extracellular glutamate and to avoid the excitotoxicity by glutamate.

Duplication of extrahepatic bile duct with lower common bile duct cancer.

Highlight Fukuba and colleagues report a case of lower common bile duct cancer with the extremely rare anomaly of left and right bile ducts parallel with the duodenal papilla, and joined distally to form a single short common bile duct. Fully covered metallic stents were placed in a side-by-side manner.

The Relationship Between Polypharmacy and Hospital-stay Duration: A Retrospective Study.

Background There have been very few studies on the association of polypharmacy with clinical course. In this paper, we seek to evaluate the relationship between polypharmacy and hospitalization period. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 322 patients hospitalized from February to September 2017, after excluding short-term and orthopedic cases.

Surface Enhanced Visible Absorption of Dye Molecules in the Near-Field of Gold Nanoparticles.

Surface enhanced absorption is a plasmonic effect parenting to surface enhanced fluorescence and Raman scattering, and it was clearly reported to occur in the infrared region of the spectrum of light. In this paper, we unambiguously show that it also occurs in the visible region of the spectrum by using a dye; i.e.

A Novel Mucidosphaerium sp. Downregulates Inflammatory Gene Expression in Skin and Articular Cells.

Context: Hot-spring therapy is occasionally used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases. Microorganisms might contribute to the anti-inflammatory functions seen in thermal mud therapies. Natural microorganisms, derived from traditional spa resorts, could be useful as a preventive strategy for alternative medical applications.

Effect of Age on Effectiveness of Vonoprazan in Triple Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Eradication.

Objective We evaluated the efficacy of vonoprazan-based eradication therapy for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), including the effects of age, gender, and grade of atrophy in comparison to proton pump inhibitor-based therapy. Method We retrospectively reviewed the records of 1,172 patients who received first-line triple therapy with amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and vonoprazan or a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) for H.

Carnosic acid attenuates cartilage degeneration through induction of heme oxygenase-1 in human articular chondrocytes.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is common age-associated disease, and associated with joint pain, mobility limitations and compromised overall quality of life. OA treatment is currently limited to pain management and joint arthroplasty at end stage disease. Oxidative damage to cartilage extracellular matrix and cells is an important mechanism in joint aging and OA pathogenesis.

Use of anticoagulant or antiplatelet agents is not related to epistaxis in patients undergoing transnasal endoscopy.

Background And Study Aims: Unsedated transnasal endoscopy (uTNE) has become accepted as a safe and tolerable method for upper gastrointestinal tact examinations. Epistaxis is 1 of the major complications of TNE, though its risk factors have not been elucidated. Generally, patients administered an anticoagulant or antiplatelet drug are considered to have an increased risk of epistaxis during TNE.

Intrahepatic Cholangiolocellular and Cholangiocellular Carcinoma - Differences in the F-FDG PET/CT Findings.

Cholangiolocellular carcinoma is a minor primary cancerous tumor of the liver and its coexistence with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in the liver is rare. We herein report a case of concurrent cholangiolocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in the liver, in addition to a rectal G1 neuroendocrine tumor, a so-called carcinoid. The intrahepatic tumors showed a different uptake in the F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) findings.

The role of tetraspanin CD9 in osteoarthritis using three different mouse models.

Although osteoarthritis (OA) is the most prevalent aging-related joint disease, the understanding of mechanisms of OA pathogenesis remains limited. Key features include the progressive degradation of articular cartilage, synovial hyperplasia, and angiogenesis in joint tissues. CD9, a member of the tetraspanin family, is localized in the cell membranes and partly in the endosomes of all mammalian cell types.

Light-tunable Fano resonance in metal-dielectric multilayer structures.

High-Q optical Fano resonances realized in a variety of plasmonic nanostructures and metamaterials are very much promising for the development of new potent photonic devices, such as optical sensors and switches. One of the key issues in the development is to establish ways to effectively modulate the Fano resonance by external perturbations. Dynamic tuning of the Fano resonance applying the mechanical stress and electric fields has already been demonstrated.

Plasmonic coupled modes in metal-dielectric multilayer structures: Fano resonance and giant field enhancement.

We provide an overview of Fano resonance and plasmon induced transparency (PIT) as well as on plasmons coupling in planar structures, and we discuss their application in sensing and enhanced spectroscopy. Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structures, which are known to support symmetric and anti-symmetric surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) arising from the coupling between two SPPs at the metal-insulator interfaces, exhibit anticrossing behavior of the dispersion relations arising from the coupling of the symmetric SPP and the metal/air SPP. Multilayer structures, formed by a metal film and a high-index dielectric waveguide (WG), separated by a low-index dielectric spacer layer, give narrow resonances of PIT and Fano line shapes.

Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Exosomes Promote Fracture Healing in a Mouse Model.

Unlabelled: : Paracrine signaling by bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) plays a major role in tissue repair. Although the production of regulatory cytokines by MSC transplantation is a critical modulator of tissue regeneration, we focused on exosomes, which are extracellular vesicles that contain proteins and nucleic acids, as a novel additional modulator of cell-to-cell communication and tissue regeneration. To address this, we used radiologic imaging, histological examination, and immunohistochemical analysis to evaluate the role of exosomes isolated from MSC-conditioned medium (CM) in the healing process in a femur fracture model of CD9 mice, a strain that is known to produce reduced levels of exosomes.

Carnosic acid protects starvation-induced SH-SY5Y cell death through Erk1/2 and Akt pathways, autophagy, and FoxO3a.

Carnosic acid (CA) is recognized as a unique neuroprotective compound in the herb rosemary, since it induces expression of antioxidant enzymes including heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), γ-glutamylcysteine synthase (γ-GCS), and glutathione S-transferase (GST) via activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), which is a nuclear transcription factor. In this study, we examined the cytoprotective effects of CA against starvation. We found that CA protected starvation-induced SH-SY5Y cell death by activating Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2).

Tough Physical Double-Network Hydrogels Based on Amphiphilic Triblock Copolymers.

A series of physical double-network hydrogels is synthesized based on an amphiphilic triblock copolymer. The gel, which contains strong hydrophobic domains and sacrificial dynamic bonds of hydrogen bonds, is stiff and tough, and even stiffens in concentrated saline solution. Furthermore, due to its supramolecular structure, the gel features improved self-healing and self-recovery abilities.

Bach1 deficiency reduces severity of osteoarthritis through upregulation of heme oxygenase-1.

Introduction: BTB and CNC homology 1 (Bach1) is a transcriptional repressor of Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), which is cytoprotective through its antioxidant effects. The objective of this study was to define the role of Bach1 in cartilage homeostasis and osteoarthritis (OA) development using in vitro models and Bach1 (-/-) mice.

Methods: HO-1 expression in Bach1 (-/-) mice was analyzed by real-time PCR, immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting.

Mesenchymal-stem-cell-derived exosomes accelerate skeletal muscle regeneration.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation is used for treatment of many diseases. The paracrine role of MSCs in tissue regeneration is attracting particular attention. We investigate the role of MSC exosomes in skeletal muscle regeneration.

Asymmetric synthesis of α-chiral hydroxyalkylphosphines by a catalytic enantioselective reduction of acylphosphines.

Enantioselective reduction of acylphosphines, after precomplexation with borane, proceeded smoothly in the presence of a chiral oxazaborolidine catalyst and catecholborane. α-Hydroxyalkylphosphine products were obtained as phosphine-borane complexes in good yield and enantioselectivity. One of the products of the enantioselective reduction was successfully applied as an optically active phosphine ligand for asymmetric catalysis after suitable derivatization.

Exosomes from IL-1β stimulated synovial fibroblasts induce osteoarthritic changes in articular chondrocytes.

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a whole joint disease, and characterized by progressive degradation of articular cartilage, synovial hyperplasia, bone remodeling and angiogenesis in various joint tissues. Exosomes are a type of microvesicles (MVs) that may play a role in tissue-tissue and cell-cell communication in homeostasis and diseases. We hypothesized that exosomes function in a novel regulatory network that contributes to OA pathogenesis and examined the function of exosomes in communication among joint tissue cells.

Exosome-formed synthetic microRNA-143 is transferred to osteosarcoma cells and inhibits their migration.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as potential anticancer agents, but their clinical application is limited by the lack of an effective delivery system to tumors. Exosomes are small vesicles that play important roles in intercellular communication. Here, we show that synthetic miR-143 introduced into cells is released enveloped in exosomes and that the secreted exosome-formed miR-143 is transferred to osteosarcoma cells.