From Soil to Surface: Exploring the Impact of Green Infrastructure on Microbial Communities in the Built Environment.

High microbial diversity offers extensive benefits to both the environment and human health, contributing to ecosystem stability, nutrient cycling, and pathogen suppression. In built environments, factors such as building design, human activity, and cleaning protocols influence microbial communities. This study investigates the impact of landscape design on microbial diversity and function within the "Visionary Lab" exhibition in Tokyo, Japan, using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and shallow shotgun sequencing.

Comparative analysis based on shared amplicon sequence variants reveals that cohabitation influences gut microbiota sharing between humans and dogs.

Introduction: The One Health concept is a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between humans, animals, and the environment. The cohabitation of humans and pets positively affects their physical, mental, and social well-being. It is recognized as an essential factor from the One Health perspective.

The Similarities in Microbial and Chemical Patterns of Fermentation in Two Open Environments were Promoted by Using 150-Year-Old Nukadoko as Starters.

Nukadoko, a fermented rice bran employed in traditional Japanese pickling, uses lactic acid bacteria to ferment vegetables. Here, we report the microbial and chemical data of a mixture of matured 150-year-old nukadoko and commercially available rice bran placed in two open environments over 29 days. Across the two environments, Loigolactobacillus was identified as the dominant microbial genera in the later stages of fermentation in nukadoko.

Understanding the quality and safety of food production through the lens of The Microbiome of The Built Environment.

The Microbiome of the Built Environment (MoBE) is profoundly implicated in various sectors, including food science. The balance between beneficial and pathogenic microbes in these facilities directly influences product quality and public health. Maintaining a careful check on MoBE and external microbes is vital to the food industry to ensure quality control.

Direct contact of fermented rice bran beds promotes food-to-hand transmission of lactic acid bacteria.

The skin microbiome, which varies widely between individuals, plays a crucial role in human health. It also interacts with the environment in various ways, including during the preparation of fermented food. Nukadoko is a pickle and traditional fermented food in Japan that utilizes lactic acid bacteria to ferment vegetables.

Functional integration of protein A binding ability to antibody fragments for convenient and tag-free purification.

Although the development of small therapeutic antibodies is important, the affinity tags used for their purification often result in heterogeneous production and immunogenicity. In this study, we integrated protein A (SpA) binding ability into antibody fragments for convenient and tag-free purification. SpA affinity chromatography is used as a global standard purification method for conventional antibodies owing to its high binding affinity to the Fc region.

Endocrinological evaluation of dawn phenomenon in patients with diabetes and comparison of insulin glargine U-100 biosimilar (Insulin Glargine BS Injection "Lilly") and glargine U-300 (Lantus XR): a randomized controlled study.

We investigated the pathophysiology of the dawn phenomenon by examining the effects of changes in blood glucose levels from late night to early morning on various hormones in a group taking glargine BS and a group taking Lantus XR, with the goal of achieving better glycemic control. Patients with types 1 and 2 diabetes scheduled for inpatient education were divided into BS and XR groups. Blood glucose levels were tracked from 0:00 to 7:00, while blood samples were extracted at 3:00 and 7:00 to measure glucose levels and hormones related to the dawn phenomenon.

A unique case in which Kimoto-style fermentation was completed with Leuconostoc as the dominant genus without transitioning to Lactobacillus.

The Kimoto-style fermentation starter is a traditional preparation method of sake brewing. In this process, specific microbial transition patterns have been observed within nitrate-reducing bacteria and lactic acid bacteria during the production process of the fermentation starter. We have characterized phylogenetic compositions and diversity of the bacterial community in a sake brewery performing the Kimoto-style fermentation.

A dark matter in brewing: Origin of microbes producing a -style fermentation starter.

Introduction: In -style fermentation, a fermentation starter is produced before the primary brewing process to stabilize fermentation. Nitrate-reducing bacteria, mainly derived from brewing water, produce nitrite, and lactic acid bacteria such as can proliferate because of their tolerance toward low temperature and their low nutritional requirements. Later, becomes the dominant genus, leading to weakly acidic conditions that contribute to control yeasts and undesired bacterial contaminants.

Impact of P-glycoprotein on intracellular drug concentration in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and K562 cells.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression in lymphocytes is variable and 2-fold higher in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with treatment resistance than in healthy subjects. To date the information on P-gp-mediated drug interaction in lymphocyte is limited. We analyzed the importance on P-gp in lymphocytes using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) together with K562, K562/Adr, and K562/Vin cells, which have various P-gp levels, as cell models, and dexamethasone, nintedanib and apafant as weak to good P-gp substrates.

Effect of dulaglutide and long-acting insulin combination therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective observational study.

Objective: The study aimed to evaluate the long-term effects of combination therapy comprising dulaglutide and long-acting insulin, on glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included 20 patients with type 2 diabetes who underwent blood glucose management with intensive insulin therapy for a limited period. All patients were switched from intensive insulin therapy to combination therapy comprising dulaglutide and long-acting insulin.

Mutations in and Genes Mediate Response to Fermentation Stress in Thermally Adapted Strains of Acetic Acid Bacterium NBRC 3288.

An acetic acid bacterium, NBRC 3288, was adapted to higher growth temperatures through an experimental evolution approach in acetic acid fermentation conditions, in which the cells grew under high concentrations of ethanol and acetic acid. The thermally adapted strains were shown to exhibit significantly increased growth and fermentation ability, compared to the wild strain, at higher temperatures. Although the wild cells were largely elongated and exhibited a rough cell surface, the adapted strains repressed the elongation and exhibited a smaller cell size and a smoother cell surface than the wild strain.

Comparison of the effects of empagliflozin and glimepiride on endothelial function in patients with type 2 diabetes: A randomized controlled study.

Patients with type 2 diabetes who have cardiovascular disease and are receiving empagliflozin have a lower rate of primary composite cardiovascular outcomes. In contrast, glimepiride increases cardiovascular hospitalization when combined with metformin. Here, we assessed the effects of empagliflozin and glimepiride on endothelial function using flow-mediated dilation (FMD).

Development of a POCT type insulin sensor employing anti-insulin single chain variable fragment based on faradaic electrochemical impedance spectroscopy under single frequency measurement.

To improve glycemic control managed through insulin administration, recent studies have focused on developing hand-held point-of-care testing (POCT) electrochemical biosensors for insulin measurement. Amongst them, anti-insulin IgG-based sensors show promise in detecting insulin with high specificity and sensitivity. However, fabrication of electrochemical sensors with IgG antibodies can prove challenging because of their larger molecular size.

Monolayer platform using human biopsy-derived duodenal organoids for pharmaceutical research.

The human small intestine is the key organ for absorption, metabolism, and excretion of orally administered drugs. To preclinically predict these reactions in drug discovery research, a cell model that can precisely recapitulate the human intestinal monolayer is desired. In this study, we developed a monolayer platform using human biopsy-derived duodenal organoids for application to pharmacokinetic studies.

Strategic design and improvement of the internal electron transfer of heme b domain-fused glucose dehydrogenase for use in direct electron transfer-type glucose sensors.

A fusion enzyme composed of an Aspergillus flavus-derived flavin adenine dinucleotide glucose dehydrogenase (AfGDH) and an electron transfer domain of Phanerochaete chrysosporium-derived cellobiose dehydrogenase (Pcyb) was previously reported to show the direct electron transfer (DET) ability to an electrode. However, its slow intramolecular electron transfer (IET) rate from the FAD to the heme, limited the sensor signals. In this study, fusion FADGDH (Pcyb-AfGDH) enzymes were strategically redesigned by performing docking simulation, following surface-electrostatic potential estimation in the predicted area.

In Vivo Gene Expression Profile of Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells: From the Viewpoint of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics.

Orally administered drugs are absorbed and metabolized in the intestine. To accurately predict pharmacokinetics in the intestine, it is essential to understand the intestinal expression profiles of the genes related to drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). However, in many previous studies, gene expression analysis in the intestine has been carried out using specimens from patients with cancer.

Evaluating recanalization of relevant lenticulostriate arteries in acute ischemic stroke using high-resolution MRA at 7T.

Background: Occluded major intracranial arteries can spontaneously recanalize in patients with acute ischemic stroke mainly due to embolic mechanisms. However, it remains unknown whether recanalization can occur in perforating arteries, such as lenticulostriate arteries. Therefore, in the present study, we assessed changes suggesting recanalization of the lenticulostriate arteries in patients with acute ischemic stroke of the lenticulostriate artery territory using high-resolution magnetic resonance angiography (HR-MRA) at 7T.

Preventive Effects of Grape Extract on Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Acute Kidney Injury in Mice.

Since grape extract (GE) contains oligomeric proanthocyanidins and numerous polyphenols, dietary GE supplements may exert protective effects against various diseases. The present study investigated the pharmacological effects of GE derived from Chardonnay in vitro and in vivo. GE (100 µg/mL) completely inhibited tumor necrosis factor-α-induced endothelin-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, interleukin-1β, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 gene expression in cultured endothelial cells.

Genomic Analysis of sp. Strain SCT, an Iodate-Reducing Bacterium Isolated from Marine Sediment, Reveals a Possible Use for Bioremediation.

Strain SCT is an iodate-reducing bacterium isolated from marine sediment in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. In this study, we determined the draft genome sequence of strain SCT and compared it to complete genome sequences of other closely related bacteria, including A phylogeny inferred from concatenation of core genes revealed that strain SCT was closely related to marine isolates of Genes present in the SCT genome but absent from the other analyzed genomes comprised clusters corresponding to putative prophage regions and possible operons. They included genes, which encode type IV pili for natural transformation; the operon, which encodes resistance systems for mercury; and the operon, which encodes a Pi-specific transport system for phosphate uptake.

Genomic Analysis of sp. Br-6, a Bromate Reducing Bacterium Isolated From Soil in Chiba, Japan.

Bromate is a byproduct of the ozone disinfection of drinking water. It is a genotoxic carcinogen and causes renal cell tumors in rats. Physicochemical removal of bromate is very difficult, making microbial reduction of bromate to bromide a promising approach to eliminate bromate from water.

Detecting lenticulostriate artery lesions in patients with acute ischemic stroke using high-resolution MRA at 7 T.

Background: Recent advances in high-resolution (HR) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) using ultrahigh-field systems enable direct visualization of the lenticulostriate arteries (LSAs), which had been hardly achieved by conventional MRA. Hence, by using HR-MRA at 7 T, we attempted to assess occlusive changes in the LSAs in patients with LSA territorial infarcts.

Methods: We prospectively examined 34 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke in the LSA territory using a 7 T scanner.

Designer fungus FAD glucose dehydrogenase capable of direct electron transfer.

Fungi-derived flavin adenine dinucleotide glucose dehydrogenases (FADGDHs) are currently the most popular and advanced enzymes for self-monitoring of blood glucose sensors; however, the achievement of direct electron transfer (DET) with FADGDHs is difficult. In this study, a designer FADGDH was constructed by fusing Aspergillus flavus derived FADGDH (AfGDH) and a Phanerochaete chrisosporium CDH (PcCDH)-derived heme b-binding cytochrome domain to develop a novel FADGDH that is capable of direct electron transfer with an electrode. A structural prediction suggested that the heme in the CDH may exist in proximity to the FAD of AfGDH if the heme b-binding cytochrome domain is fused to the AfGDH N-terminal region.

T1-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Carotid Plaque Imaging: a Comparison between Conventional and Fast Spin-Echo Techniques.

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging is widely used to evaluate the intraplaque components of the cervical carotid artery. The non-gated T1-weighted spin-echo (SE) technique has been reported to have an excellent ability for discriminating stable and unstable plaques. However, the diagnostic performance of various SE-based techniques remains unclear.

Draft Genome Sequence of Arenibacter sp. Strain C-21, an Iodine-Accumulating Bacterium Isolated from Surface Marine Sediment.

Arenibacter sp. strain C-21, isolated from surface marine sediment of Japan, accumulates iodine in the presence of glucose and iodide (I). We report here the draft genome sequence of this strain to provide insight into the molecular mechanism underlying its iodine-accumulating ability.