Essential oil components of turmeric inhibit hepatic lipidification and liver fibrosis in a diet-induced NASH model rats.

In this study, the fraction extracted from turmeric powder with 50% ethanol and fractionated with n-hexane were administered to diet-induced NASH model rats. NASH model was prepared with SD rats by feeding an originally designed choline-deficient, high-fat, high-fructose (HFF-CD) diet for 10 weeks. To the HFF-CD diet, hexane fraction and 50% ethanol fraction after hexane fractionation were added at 100 mg/kg body weight.

Dissipative Kerr soliton microcombs for FEC-free optical communications over 100 channels.

The demand for high-speed and highly efficient optical communication techniques has been rapidly growing due to the ever-increasing volume of data traffic. As well as the digital coherent communication used for core and metro networks, intensity modulation and direct detection (IM-DD) are still promising schemes in intra/inter data centers thanks to their low latency, high reliability, and good cost performance. In this work, we study a microresonator-based frequency comb as a potential light source for future IM-DD optical systems where applications may include replacing individual stabilized lasers with a continuous laser driven microresonator.

Administration of mucuna beans (Mucuna pruriences (L.) DC. var. utilis) improves cognition and neuropathology of 3 × Tg-AD mice.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the accumulation of extracellular amyloid-beta peptides (Aβ) resulting in senile plaques and intracellular hyperphosphorylated tau protein resulting in neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Mucuna beans (Mucuna pruriences (L.) DC.

Bleeding risks associated with anticoagulant therapies after percutaneous coronary intervention in Japanese patients with ischemic heart disease complicated by atrial fibrillation: A comparative study.

Background: Current guidelines recommend early termination of triple therapy and the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) for non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients who undergo percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), due to safety concerns. However, to date, real-world medication usage and safety outcomes (specifically bleeding) in NVAF patients with stent implantation have not been well assessed.

Methods: This was a retrospective, observational, medical database cohort study in Japanese ischemic heart disease (IHD) patients with NVAF who underwent PCI between 2012 and 2017.

Thoracoscopic stapler-closure of left atrial appendage and epicardial clamp-isolation of pulmonary veins in a patient with non-valvular atrial fibrillation and short bowel: a case report.

Background: Thromboembolic occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) is a serious event in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Extensive bowel resection is frequently required, and the resulting short bowel syndrome hampers the intake of anticoagulant or anti-arrhythmic medication.

Case Summary: We report the case of thoracoscopic surgery consisting of stapler-closure of the left atrial appendage and bilateral epicardial clamp-isolation of the pulmonary veins performed in a 66-year-old male patient with symptomatic persistent non-valvular AF who became unable to take in anticoagulants or anti-arrhythmic drugs because of thromboembolic SMA occlusion and subsequent total resection of the small intestine.

Postmarketing surveillance on clinical use of edoxaban in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (ETNA-AF-Japan): Three-month interim analysis results.

Background: Direct oral anticoagulants are the first-line drugs for anticoagulation therapy in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). However, a real-world, large-scale, clinical study on edoxaban has not been performed. Our ongoing postmarketing surveillance, ETNA-AF-Japan (doxaban reatment in routie clinical prctice in patients with non-valvular trial ibrillation; UMIN000017011), was designed to collect such data.

Prasugrel for Japanese Patients With Ischemic Heart Disease in Long-Term Clinical Practice (PRASFIT-Practice II) - A 3-Month Interim Analysis of a Postmarketing Observational Study.

Background: A unique dose of prasugrel has been approved exclusively for Japanese patients, but real-world data for prasugrel at that dose in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) are limited. Therefore, large-scale, real-world data are needed.

Methods and results: A 2-year observational study of Japanese patients with IHD undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention and being treated with prasugrel to evaluate safety and effectiveness.

Identification of an aldehyde oxidase involved in indole-3-acetic acid synthesis in Bombyx mori silk gland.

Auxin is thought to be an important factor in the induction of galls by galling insects. We have previously shown that both galling and nongalling insects synthesize indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) from tryptophan (Trp) via two intermediates, indole-3-acetaldoxime (IAOx) and indole-3-acetaldehyde (IAAld). In this study, we isolated an enzyme that catalyzes the last step "IAAld → IAA" from a silk-gland extract of Bombyx mori.

Efficacy and Safety of Switching Prostaglandin Analog Monotherapy to Tafluprost/Timolol Fixed-Combination Therapy.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy and safety of switching from prostaglandin analog (PGA) monotherapy to tafluprost/timolol fixed-combination (Taf/Tim) therapy.

Subjects And Methods: Patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, normal-tension glaucoma, or ocular hypertension who had received PGA monotherapy for at least 3 months were enrolled. Patients were examined at 1, 2, and 3 months after changing therapies.

The in Vitro Release of Indomethacin from Suppositories: Effects of Bases and Comparison of Different Dissolution Methods.

The suitability of apparatuses for the quality control of indomethacin (IND, 50 mg) compounded suppositories was evaluated and the effects of the type of suppository base on release profiles was investigated. The release characteristics of hydrophilic and lipophilic suppositories containing IND were compared using four types of dissolution methods: basket (RB), paddle (PD), dialysis tubing (DT) and flow-through cell (FTC). The release process was evaluated using the following model independent parameters: the mean dissolution time (MDT), cumulative percent of drug released (Q) at the end of the sampling time, and dissolution efficiency (DE).

Utilization of the Bridging Strategy for the Development of New Drugs in Oncology to Avoid Drug Lag.

Global trial (GT) strategy and bridging (BG) strategy are currently the main clinical development strategies of oncology drugs in Japan, but the relationship between development style and drug lag and how the bridging strategy has contributed to the solution of drug lag have not been clear. We investigated the potential factors that influenced submission lag (SL), and also compared the differences in SL among early-initiation BG strategy, late-initiation BG strategy, and GT strategy. A stepwise linear regression analysis identified the potential factors that shorten SL: development start lag and development style.

Rosehip inhibits xanthine oxidase activity and reduces serum urate levels in a mouse model of hyperuricemia.

Rosehip, the fruit of L., has traditionally been used to treat urate metabolism disorders; however, its effects on such disorders have not been characterized in detail. Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of hot water, ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts of rosehip on xanthine oxidase (XO) activity .

Classroom practice for understanding pointers using learning support system for visualizing memory image and target domain world.

Pointers are difficult learning targets for novice learners of C programming. For such difficult targets, introducing a system visualizing program behaviors is generally expected to support learners to understand the targets. However, visualization in existing systems often conceals the concrete value of variables such as pointers; the way in which each visualized object is located on the memory is not made explicit.

Change in visual acuity and associated risk factors after trabeculectomy with adjunctive mitomycin C.

Purpose: To report the 5-year incidence of visual impairment after mitomycin C-augmented trabeculectomy (MMC trabeculectomy) and the risk factors for visual impairment.

Methods: This is a multicentre prospective observational cohort study. Among glaucoma patients registered in the Collaborative Bleb-related Infection Incidence and Treatment Study performed in Japan, the patients with eyes meeting the following qualifications were included: eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma; eyes with primary angle-closure glaucoma; eyes with exfoliative glaucoma; eyes with ≥3/60 in blindness analysis; and eyes with ≥20/60 in low-vision analysis and visual acuity loss analysis.

Comparative release studies on suppositories using the basket, paddle, dialysis tubing and flow-through cell methods I. Acetaminophen in a lipophilic base suppository.

The release characteristics of lipophilic suppositories containing acetaminophen (AAP) were examined using four types of dissolution methods: the basket, paddle, dialysis tubing (DT) and flow-through cell (FTC) methods. The suitability of each apparatus for quality control in AAP compounded suppositories was evaluated using statistical procedures. More than 80% of the drug was released over 60 min in all the release methods studied, with the exception of the basket method.

Practices of algorithm education based on discovery learning using a program visualization system.

In this paper, we describe three practical exercises relating to algorithm education. The exercises are based on a learning support system that offers visualization of program behavior. Systems with the ability to visualize program behavior are effective to promote the understanding of algorithm behavior.

Code-reading support environment visualizing three fields and educational practice to understand nested loops.

In this paper, we describe a code-reading support environment and practical classroom applications using this environment to understand nested loops. Previously, we developed a code-reading support system based on visualization of the relationships among the program code, target domain world, and operations. We implemented the proposed system in exercises with nested loops.

532 nm Low-Power Laser Irradiation Facilitates the Migration of GABAergic Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells in Mouse Neocortex.

Background And Objective: Accumulating evidence has shown that low-power laser irradiation (LLI) affects cell proliferation and survival, but little is known about LLI effects on neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs). Here we investigate whether transcranial 532 nm LLI affects NSPCs in adult murine neocortex and in neurospheres from embryonic mice.

Study Design/materials And Methods: We applied 532 nm LLI (Nd:YVO4, CW, 60 mW) on neocortical surface via cranium in adult mice and on cultured cells from embryonic mouse brains in vitro to investigate the proliferation and migration of NSPCs and Akt expression using immunohistochemical assays and Western blotting techniques.

Mitral valve repair for traumatic mitral regurgitation.

Mitral valve injury after blunt chest trauma is a rare clinical condition. We describe a case of mitral valve repair for severe mitral regurgitation due to blunt chest trauma 5 years previously. A 22-year-old man was referred to our hospital for surgical correction of severe mitral regurgitation.

Monitoring system for the effective instruction based on the semi-automatic evaluation of programs during programming classroom lectures.

In this study, we developed a programming practice monitoring system to facilitate teachers to give appropriate instructions to students at the appropriate time during classroom lectures. To help teachers to provide appropriate instruction to learners, we identified parameters that would be useful for teachers during programming exercise in classroom lecture. We constructed a monitoring system with five functions.

Practice supporting system with related problem set generator based on targeted educational effects.

Exercises with well-designed similar problem sets are effective in classrooms. In this case, teachers design similar problem sets related to the educational effects they have targeted. However, to design these "related problem sets (RPSs)" is not so easy for teachers, especially for students who are studying the problems.

Layer-specific modulation of neuronal excitability by 660-nm laser irradiation in mouse neocortex.

It has been reported that laser light irradiation (LLI) could regulate neuronal activities in the forebrain, but little is known if and how LLI in the red wavelength range affects neuronal excitability. Here, we investigated the effects of a continuous diode laser at 660 nm on intrinsic membrane properties and excitability of presumed pyramidal neurons in the thalamocortical input layer (layer 3/4) and in layer 5 of mouse primary auditory cortex using the whole-cell patch-clamp recording technique. In layer 3/4 neurons, 660-nm laser irradiation (LLI-660) at 20 mW for 5 min gradually increased resting membrane potentials, which reached a plateau after irradiation.

The effect of low-level laser irradiation on muscle tension and hardness compared among three wavelengths.

Background And Aims: It has been reported that low-level laser irradiation (LLLI) can influence muscle tissue by retarding attenuation of muscle tension. Since the efficacy of LLLI on the effects of muscle contraction remains unclear, we examined in an in vivo animal model whether LLLI affects both muscle tension and muscle hardness in a wavelength-dependent manner, using the rat gastrocnemius muscle.

Material And Methods: Forty Sprague-Dawley adult rats were used.

532 nm low-power laser irradiation recovers γ-secretase inhibitor-mediated cell growth suppression and promotes cell proliferation via Akt signaling.

Background And Objective: The γ-secretase inhibitor (GSI) has been shown to inhibit expression of amyloid beta (Aβ), but GSI also has a side effect of reducing cell survival. Since low-power laser irradiation (LLI) has been known to promote cell survival, we examined whether 532 nm LLI can rescue the GSI side effect or not.

Study Design/materials And Methods: The human-derived glioblastoma cells (A-172) were cultured in 35 mm culture dishes or 96-well plate.

[Delayed laryngeal nerve paralysis after lung cancer surgery; report of a case].

A 75-year-old woman with mesopharyngeal adenocarcinoma underwent left upper lobectomy for lung adenocarcinoma. Before the operation, computed tomography showed no stricture of the trachea, and laryngoscope showed no abnormality of vocal cord. Spiral tube( 7.