Effect of intranasal administration of concentrated growth factors on regeneration of the olfactory epithelium in an olfactory dysfunction-induced rat model.

Objective: The development of treatments that promote the regenerative capacity of the olfactory epithelium (OE) is desirable. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of intranasal administration of concentrated growth factors (CGFs) in a rat model of olfactory dysfunction.

Study Design: Animal study.

An Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Integrated Resources Portal (IBDIRP).

IBD, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, is a chronic and debilitating gastrointestinal disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. Research on IBD has generated massive amounts of data, including literature, metagenomics, metabolomics, bioresources and databases. We aim to create an IBD Integrated Resources Portal (IBDIRP) that provides the most comprehensive resources for IBD.

Study on Improvement of Radio Propagation Characteristics of Cast Iron Boxes for Water Smart Meters.

Water utilities in Japan face a number of challenges, including declining water demand due to a shrinking population, shrinking workforce, and aging water supply facilities. Widespread use of smart water meters is crucial for solving these problems. The widespread use of smart water meters is expected to bring many benefits such as reduced labor by automating meter reading, early identification of leaks, and visualization of pipeline data to strengthen the infrastructure of water services, business continuity, and customer service, as detailed data can be obtained using wireless communication.

Dosimetric Evaluation of CyberKnife Synchrony System for Liver Tumors With Respiratory Phase Shifts.

Background/aim: This study evaluated the effects of the respiratory phase shifts between liver tumor and chest wall motions on the dose distribution for the CyberKnife Synchrony respiratory tracking system (SRTS).

Patients And Methods: Eight patients who received stereotactic body radiotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma or liver metastases were analyzed. Three-dimensional (3D) motion of the implanted fiducial markers and vertical motion of the sternal bone were derived from the four-dimensional computed tomography (4D-CT) images acquired with a 320-row area detector CT.

The usefulness of C-reactive protein to predict improving left ventricular function after aortic valve replacement in patients with aortic regurgitation.

Background: We aimed to clarify the predictive factors for left ventricular (LV) function after aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients with aortic regurgitation (AR).

Methods And Results: Among 555 patients who underwent AVR at our institution from January 2015 to December 2020, we enrolled 44 patients for whom only AVR (or AVR + aortic replacement) was performed. We defined LV dysfunction under any of the following criteria: LV ejection fraction (LVEF) <50 %, LV diastolic dimension >65 mm, LV systolic dimension (LVDs) >50 mm, or LVDs/body surface area > 25 mm/m2.

Variation in communication and family visiting policies in intensive care within and between countries during the Covid-19 pandemic: The COVISIT international survey.

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, intensive care units (ICU) introduced restrictions to in-person family visiting to safeguard patients, healthcare personnel, and visitors.

Methods: We conducted a web-based survey (March-July 2021) investigating ICU visiting practices before the pandemic, at peak COVID-19 ICU admissions, and at the time of survey response. We sought data on visiting policies and communication modes including use of virtual visiting (videoconferencing).

Defining integrity: An approach and military application.

Personnel selection research has seen an increasing interest in integrity tests. Although these tests have been found to predict a variety of workplace criteria, a long-standing criticism of integrity tests is their criterion-focussed nature. A construct-oriented approach to integrity test development involves identifying important elements of integrity and developing content to reflect those elements.

Factors That Influence the Judgment of Oral Management Necessity in Preoperative Oral Screening.

Oral management during the perioperative period is important to prevent the development of postoperative complications. However, there are no unified systems to examine the oral status of patients and very few studies have focused on preoperative oral screening. In this study, we examined the oral status of patients who underwent oral screening at a University Hospital.

Azulene-Substituted Donor-Acceptor Polymethines and 1,6'-Bi-, 1,6';3,6''-Ter-, and Quinqueazulenes via Zincke Salts: Synthesis, and Structural, Optical, and Electrochemical Properties.

Azulene-substituted donor-acceptor polymethines, bi-, ter-, and quinqueazulenes composed of the 1,6'-biazulene unit have been successfully prepared from corresponding Zincke salts. The synthesis of polymethines through the reaction of Zincke salts with several amines, followed by a Knoevenagel reaction with malononitrile, was accomplished in moderate to high yields (40-92 %). Meanwhile, the reaction of Zincke salts with secondary amines and the subsequent sequential condensation-cyclization with cyclopentadienide ions, so-called Ziegler-Hafner method, produced the corresponding 1,6'-biazulenes, 1,6';3,6''-terazulenes, and quinqueazulene, respectively.

Induction of aberrant agonistic behavior by a combination of serotonergic and dopaminergic manipulation in rats.

Serotonin (5-HT) and dopamine (DA) are involved in the regulation of social behaviors. However, the effects of their interactions on social behavior are not well understood. In this study, rats received a serotonergic neurotoxin injection into the raphe nuclei and/or systemic administration of L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA), and their agonistic behaviors were investigated using the resident-intruder (RI) paradigm.

Characterization of Collagen from Sakhalin Taimen Skin as Useful Biomass.

Research Background: Animal collagen has been widely utilized in foods, cosmetics and biomedical fields. The non-edible portion, such as fish skin and bones, are obtained during cooking. Most of them are currently discarded as wastes, although the nutritional value of the skin and bones is high.

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy Using CyberKnife® for Localized Low- and Intermediate-risk Prostate Cancer: Initial Report on a Phase I/II Trial.

Background: The present study aimed to evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for localized prostate cancer.

Patients And Methods: We investigated 25 patients treated with SBRT of 35 Gy per five fractions from May 2014 to March 2015.

Results: The median age of patients was 70 years, four (16%) patients were low risk and 21 (84%) were intermediate risk.

Growth hormone and Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) modulate the expression of L-type amino acid transporters in the muscles of spontaneous dwarf rats and L6 and C2C12 myocytes.

Objective: Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) have been reported to inhibit several types of muscle atrophy via the activation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). However, we previously found that BCAA did not activate mTORC1 in growth hormone (GH)-deficient spontaneous dwarf rats (SDRs), and that GH restored the stimulatory effect of BCAAs toward the mTORC1. The objective of this study was to determine whether GH or Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) stimulated the expression of L-type amino acid transporters (LATs) that delivered BCAAs, and whether LATs were involved in the mTORC1 activation.

Effectiveness of using low rate fluoroscopy to reduce an examiner's radiation dose during lumbar nerve root block.

Background: Long-term exposure to radiation can lead to gene mutations and increase the risk of cancer. Low rate fluoroscopy has the potential to reduce the radiation exposure for both the examiner and the patient during various fluoroscopic procedures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of low rate fluoroscopy on reducing an examiner's radiation dose during nerve root block.

Anterior cervical arthrodesis for chronic hangman's fracture in a patient with osteopetrosis: a case report.

Introduction: Osteopetrosis is a clinical syndrome characterized by the failure of osteoclasts to resorb bone. Affected patients usually suffer from repetitive fractures due to this pathological state. Surgical treatment of these fractures is often complicated by the difficulty of working with the extremely hard and brittle bones.

Chemical properties of commercially available honey species and the functional properties of caramelization and Maillard reaction products derived from these honey species.

The chemical parameters and the functionalities of six monofloral honeys of different botanical and geographical origins were investigated. Vitamins B, B, and C and the protein content of majority of honeys were distinguishable from general honey. Honeys not only were rich in a variety of functional components like flavonoids but also had strong anti-oxidant activities, scavenging activities against ROS, and anti-hypertensive and anti-allergic activities.

Contrast enhancement in abdominal computed tomography: influence of photon energy of different scanners.

Objective: Different CT scanners have different X-ray spectra and photon energies indicating that contrast enhancement vary among scanners. However, this issue has not been fully validated; therefore, we performed phantom and clinical studies to assess this difference.

Methods: Two scanners were used: scanner-A and scanner-B.

Dual-region-of-interest bolus-tracking technique for coronary computed tomographic angiography on a 320-row scanner: reduction in the interpatient variability of arterial contrast enhancement.

Objective: We compared the effect of a dual-region-of-interest (ROI) bolus-tracking technique on interpatient variability of arterial contrast enhancement with that of the conventional bolus-tracking technique in coronary computed tomographic angiography (CTA) on a 320-row scanner.

Methods: This study included 100 patients who underwent coronary CTA using one of two protocols: (1) 50 patients underwent scanning using a conventional single-ROI bolus-tracking technique (P-single) with an ROI placed in the ascending aorta, and (2) 50 patients underwent scanning using a dual-ROI technique (P-dual) with two ROIs placed in the pulmonary trunk and the ascending aorta. CT attenuation in the ascending aorta and coronary arteries, and the interpatient variability were compared between the two scanning protocols.

Exposure of the examiner to radiation during myelography versus radiculography and root block: A comparative study.

Background: Exposure to radiation over many years prompts concerns regarding potential health-related effects, particularly the incidence of cataracts and the development of cancer. The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the exposure of the examiner to radiation during myelography versus radiculography and root block.

Methods: A total of 114 examinations were performed in our institute in the 6 months.

Differential roles of dopamine D1 and D2 receptor-containing neurons of the nucleus accumbens shell in behavioral sensitization.

The nucleus accumbens (Nac) mediates the reinforcing and motor stimulating properties of psychostimulants. It receives dopaminergic afferents from the ventral midbrain and is divided into two distinct subregions: shell and core. Each of these contains two subtypes of medium spiny neurons, which express either dopamine D1 (D1R) or D2 (D2R) receptors.

Validity of the size-specific dose estimate in adults undergoing coronary CT angiography: comparison with the volume CT dose index.

Size-specific dose estimate (SSDE) takes into account the patient size but remains to be fully validated for adult coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA). We investigated the appropriateness of SSDE for accurate estimation of patient dose by comparing the SSDE and the volume CT dose index (CTDIvol) in adult CCTA. This prospective study received institutional review board approval, and informed consent was obtained from each patient.