Carnitine Administration and I-BMIPP Washout Rate in Hemodialysis Patients with Triglyceride Deposit Cardiomyovasculopathy.

Triglyceride deposit cardiomyovasculopathy (TGCV) is an emerging rare heart disease with high mortality, characterized by defective intracellular lipolysis of triglycerides (TG). We developed diagnostic criteria for TGCV, in which low washout rate of BMIPP (BMIPP-WR) is a key factor. The working group of the Japan Society of Nuclear Cardiology recently published practice recommendations for measuring BMIPP-WR.

Remarkable shifts in the megabenthic community structure over four decades in Tokyo Bay, Japan, in relation to environmental variations.

We investigated long-term changes in the megabenthic community in Tokyo Bay, Japan, using data from fisheries-independent trawl surveys conducted from 1977 to 2023. In addition, we examined the potential relationship between changes in biotic communities and environmental conditions. The total abundance and biomass exhibited an increasing trend until 1987, followed by a substantial decline from the late 1980s to the 1990s due to a decrease in small to medium-sized fish and crustacean species.

Magnetically Induced Brownian Motion of Iron Oxide Nanocages in Alternating Magnetic Fields and Their Application for Efficient siRNA Delivery.

Hyperthermia of superparamagnetic nanoparticles driven by Néel relaxation in an alternating magnetic field (AMF) has been studied in biomedical areas; however, Brownian motion, induced by another magnetic relaxation mechanism, has not been explored extensively despite its potential in intracellular mechanoresponsive applications. We investigated whether superparamagnetic cage-shaped iron oxide nanoparticles (IO-nanocages), previously demonstrated to carry payloads inside their cavities for drug delivery, can generate Brownian motion by tuning the nanoparticle size at 335 kHz AMF frequency. The motivation of this work is to examine the magnetically driven Brownian motion for the delivery of nanoparticles allowing escape from endosomes before digestion in lysosomes and efficient delivery of siRNA cargoes to the cytoplasm.

What Caused Declines in Intertidal Invertebrate Populations around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, Tsunami, and Nuclear Disaster?

We discuss possible causal factors for the decline in intertidal invertebrate populations around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami and nuclear disaster on the basis of existing knowledge about the effects of radionuclides and ionizing radiation on aquatic organisms. We found a gap between effects observed in the laboratory and those observed in natural aquatic environments, and discuss possible reasons why. Considering the complexity of the environment, we conclude that it is critical to evaluate the effects of ionizing radiation combined with other biotic and abiotic environmental factors, together with the life-history traits of the species examined, for realistic assessment of population-level effects.

Caffeine poisoning successfully treated by venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and emergency hemodialysis.

Background: Caffeine overdose can cause life-threatening circulatory failure, neurological abnormalities, and ventricular fibrillation. We report the case of a patient with caffeine poisoning who was successfully treated with early hemodialysis and venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.

Case Presentation: A 43-year-old man who had ingested pills containing 20 g caffeine was transported to the hospital 100 min after ingestion.

Changes in feeding habits of the starspotted smooth-hound, Mustelus manazo, in Tokyo Bay between periods with different stock size levels.

We investigated differences in the feeding habits of the starspotted smooth-hound, Mustelus manazo, in Tokyo Bay between the mid-1990s (low stock size) and the late 2000s (high stock size). The frequency of M. manazo with empty stomachs increased from 5.

A novel risk score on admission for predicting death or need for surgery in patients with acute type A intramural hematoma receiving medical therapy.

There has been continuing discussion regarding the treatment strategy for acute type A intramural hematoma (IMH). Most patients are treated conservatively in Japan; hence, predicting fatal events and stratifying risks based on results normally obtained on hospital arrival are important. We aimed to examine the incidences and risk factors of death or need for surgery for acute type A IMH in patients receiving medical treatment and to identify high-risk patients using clinical findings on hospital arrival.

Current status of the megabenthic community in coastal Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, in the wake of the Great East Japan Earthquake.

We conducted fisheries-independent bottom-trawl surveys along the coast of Fukushima, Japan, from 2013 to 2017 to study the megabenthic community structure after the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster. Although we observed no substantial changes in biodiversity, total abundance and biomass fluctuated among years, primarily because of temporary increases in the abundance or biomass of small shrimp and squid, or variations in abundance or biomass of mid-sized fishes (i.e.

Radiocesium in seawater, sediments, and marine megabenthic species in coastal waters off Fukushima in 2012-2016, after the 2011 nuclear disaster.

In bottom-sediment samples collected in 2012 from a coastal strip (∼30 km × 120 km) off the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP), radiocesium activity concentrations were generally higher south of the FDNPP, with high activity concentration patches in the north. In periodic surveys conducted at nearshore sites during 2012-2016, no clear temporal trends were observed in radiocesium activity concentrations in seawater or bottom sediment, and activity concentrations were higher in fish than in invertebrates. During 2012-2014, radiocesium activity concentrations tended to decrease in fish, but during 2012-2013 in the south, some increases were observed.

Ontogenetic and temperature-dependent changes in tolerance to hypoxia and hydrogen sulfide during the early life stages of the Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum.

Wind-induced upwelling of hypoxic waters containing hydrogen sulfide (HS) sometimes causes mass mortalities of aquatic organisms inhabiting coastal areas, including the hypoxia-tolerant Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum. We examined the tolerance of Manila clam to HS under controlled laboratory conditions. Larvae and juveniles obtained by artificial fertilization or from a wild population were exposed to normoxic or to hypoxic water with or without un-ionized HS (concentrations, 0.

Effect of water temperature on survival of early-life stages of marbled flounder Pseudopleuronectes yokohamae in Tokyo Bay, Japan.

We investigated factors that might have disturbed the stock recovery of marbled flounder in Tokyo Bay by focusing on the early life stages. Field surveys in Tokyo Bay from 2006 to 2011 revealed that mature adult biomass increased from 2006 to 2008 and decreased thereafter. Meanwhile, larval and juvenile densities were high in 2006 and 2008 but low in other years.

Temporal trends for inflow of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) to Tokyo Bay, Japan, estimated by a receptor-oriented approach.

We estimated inflow rates of perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) to Tokyo Bay, Japan, between February 2004 and February 2011 by a receptor-oriented approach based on quarterly samplings of the bay water. Temporal trends in these inflow rates are an important basis for evaluating changes in PFOS and PFOA emissions in the Tokyo Bay catchment basin. A mixing model estimated the average concentrations of these compounds in the freshwater inflow to the bay, which were then multiplied by estimated freshwater inflow rates to obtain the inflow rates of these compounds.

Disturbance of recruitment success of mantis shrimp in Tokyo Bay associated with effects of hypoxia on the early life history.

We investigated effects of severe hypoxia (dissolved oxygen <1 ml l(-1)) on recruitment of mantis shrimp Oratosquilla oratoria in Tokyo Bay. Ten-year field surveys were conducted to examine quantitative relationships in annual mean densities of larvae and juveniles, and spatial distribution of juveniles and severe hypoxia. There was no significant correlation between annual mean densities of larvae and juveniles, suggesting that mortality during larval or juvenile stages varies among years, which might have regulated abundance of young-of-the-year juveniles.

Changes in growth and reproductive traits of dragonet Callionymus valenciennei in Tokyo Bay, concurrent with decrease in stock size.

We examined changes in the growth and reproductive traits of dragonet Callionymus valenciennei concurrent with decrease in stock size in Tokyo Bay. Stock size in mid 2000s decreased to 14% of that recorded in early 1990s. The minimum standard length at which dragonet attain gonadal maturation was smaller in 2000s (4.

Upregulation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α and HIF-2α mRNA levels in dragonet Callionymus valenciennei exposed to environmental hypoxia in Tokyo Bay.

There is an urgent need to develop reliable biomarkers of environmental hypoxia exposure in marine organisms in order to assess the ecological impacts of the marked increase in coastal hypoxia worldwide. Full-length hypoxia-inducible factor HIF-1α and HIF-2α cDNAs were cloned and characterized from dragonet Callionymus valenciennei, a representative epibenthic teleost inhabiting hypoxic areas in Tokyo Bay, to evaluate the potential utility of their transcript levels as biomarkers of environmental hypoxia exposure. HIF-1α and HIF-2α transcript levels in the livers of dragonet collected from hypoxic sites in Tokyo Bay were increased several-fold over those collected from nonhypoxic areas.

Assessment of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α mRNA expression in mantis shrimp as a biomarker of environmental hypoxia exposure.

Efforts to assess the ecological impacts of the marked increase in coastal hypoxia worldwide have been hampered by a lack of biomarkers of hypoxia exposure in marine benthic organisms. Here, we show that hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) transcript levels in the heart and cerebral ganglion of mantis shrimp (Oratosquilla oratoria) collected from hypoxic sites in Tokyo Bay are elevated several-fold over those in shrimp collected from normoxic sites. Upregulation of HIF-1α mRNA levels in the heart after exposure to sub-lethal hypoxia was confirmed in controlled laboratory experiments.

Disturbance of benthic macrofauna in relation to hypoxia and organic enrichment in a eutrophic coastal bay.

This study demonstrated the spatiotemporal patterns of the environmental conditions and benthic macrofauna in Tokyo Bay, Japan, and investigated the factors causing disturbances in the assemblage structure. In the north-central areas, the density and species diversity of the macrobenthos was low. Although hypoxia appeared in July, defaunation occurred in August.

Effects of hypoxia on benthic organisms in Tokyo Bay, Japan: a review.

Bottom hypoxia (dissolved oxygen concentration ≤2 ml l(-1)) from anthropogenic eutrophication is a growing global concern. Here, we summarized characteristics of hypoxia and its effects on benthic organisms in Tokyo Bay. Despite recent decreases in nutrient inputs, hypoxia has been increasing in duration and spatial extent, suggesting that the substantial loss of tidal flats from reclamation is contributing to a decrease in the ability of Tokyo Bay to recycle nutrients.

Spatial, phase, and temporal distributions of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) in Tokyo Bay, Japan.

The spatial distribution, partitioning, and time trends of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA) were investigated in the water column and bottom sediment of Tokyo Bay, Japan, during 2004-2006. A total of 480 water and 60 sediment samples obtained by regular 20-station samplings ascertained the three-dimensional distributions of these compounds and changes in the seawater structure in the whole bay. The median of volume-based average water-borne concentrations of PFOS and PFOA was 3.

Impaired megabenthic community structure caused by summer hypoxia in a eutrophic coastal bay.

Eutrophication and hypoxia are major problems affecting the health of coastal ecosystems throughout the world. Tokyo Bay, Japan, is a eutrophic coastal area where the abundance of the megabenthic community has been decreasing. To assess factors associated with the impaired biota, seasonal surveys of the megabenthic community and water and sediment quality were conducted in the bay.