Publications by authors named "Kon Y"

A 75-year-old female presented with fasting hypoglycemic episodes. A supervised fast ended at 72 hours fulfilling Whipple triad, with suppressed insulin and C-peptide levels, but discordantly suppressed serum β-hydroxybutyrate levels. After 21 months of recurring symptoms, a repeat fast ended at 48 hours with Whipple triad, suppressed serum β-hydroxybutyrate level, and borderline nonsuppressed C-peptide level, suggesting endogenous hyperinsulinism.

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Sex hormones regulate gut function and mucosal immunity; however, their specific effects on the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) in the rectum of mammals remain unclear. Here, we aimed to investigate the influence of sex on MALT in the rectum of mammals by focusing on the rectal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (RMALTs) of C57BL/6NCrSIc mice. Histological analysis revealed that RMALTs were predominantly located in the lamina propria and submucosa of the rectal mucosa, with a significant sex-related difference in the distance from the anorectal junction to the first appearance of the RMALT.

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A continuous-flow method for the direct oxidation of alcohols to carboxylic acids is reported, employing hydrogen peroxide (HO) and a platinum (Pt) catalyst within a flow reactor system. This approach allows for precise control over the contact time between the reactants and the catalyst, enabling optimization of reaction conditions. By analyzing the yields of both aldehydes and carboxylic acids as a function of weight hourly space velocity (WHSV), selective synthesis of carboxylic acids was achieved without the formation of corresponding aldehydes.

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Negative experiences during adolescence, such as social isolation (SI), bullying, and abuse, increase the risk of psychiatric diseases in adulthood. However, the pathogenesis of psychiatric diseases induced by these factors remain poorly understood. In adolescents, stress affects the intestinal homeostasis in the gut-brain axis.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to review literature on myofascial manipulation interventions and adverse events to identify knowledge gaps and optimal approaches.
  • Over 4,600 studies were analyzed, resulting in the inclusion of 26 studies that focused mainly on pain improvement and were primarily conducted in Italy and India for chronic musculoskeletal issues.
  • Despite the increase in research, findings are still limited, and there's a future need for more randomized controlled trials to assess effectiveness compared to other therapies.
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Salinity intrusion into the freshwater system due to climate change and anthropogenic activities is a growing global concern, which has made humans and domesticated animals more susceptible to diseases, resulting in less productivity. However, the effects of salinity on domesticated and wild birds, especially in terms of production and immunity, have not been fully elucidated yet. Therefore, this study was designed to examine the effects of salinity on the production and immunity of birds and the mechanisms by which immunity is compromised.

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Obstructed urine flow is known to cause structural and functional kidney damage leading to renal fibrosis. However, limited information is available on the change in kidney lipids during urinary tract obstruction. In this study, we investigated the change in lipidome in a mouse model with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO).

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Article Synopsis
  • The study compares the histomorphological features of normal kidneys in cats and dogs, highlighting differences despite cats' higher susceptibility to kidney damage.
  • Cats aged 23-27 months show more cytoplasmic lipid droplets in their proximal convoluted tubules compared to dogs of a similar age, who have fewer lipid droplets.
  • Young cats (6 months) exhibit abundant lipid droplets in specific tubules, indicating a difference in lipid metabolism development between species, with notable variations in cell size and tubule dimensions.
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Astatine (At) is a cyclotron-produced alpha emitter with a physical half-life of 7.2 h. In our previous study, the At-labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) compound ([At]PSMA-5) exhibited excellent tumor growth suppression in a xenograft model.

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Demyelinating diseases including multiple sclerosis (MS) are chronic inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system. Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 2 (Ido2) is a recently identified as catalytic enzyme involved in the rate-limiting step of the tryptophan-kynurenine pathway that influences susceptibility to inflammatory diseases. However, the pathological role of Ido2 in demyelination remains unclear.

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Collagen 17A1 (COL17A1), an epidermal hemidesmosome component, is ectopically induced in the urothelium of mouse and human renal pelvis (RP) in parallel with urinary tract-associated lymphoid structure development. Here, COL17A1 was induced in obstructive uropathy-prone ureter of humans and cats. To ascertain its function, murine urinary organs with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) were analyzed during 1 week after surgery.

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The surfaces of nanomaterials with applications in optoelectronics and catalysis control their physicochemical properties. NMR spectroscopy, enhanced by dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP), is a powerful approach to probe the local environment of spin-1/2 nuclei near surfaces. However, this technique often lacks robustness and resolution for half-integer quadrupolar nuclei, which represent more than 66% of the NMR-active isotopes.

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Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in human patients disrupts glucose metabolism post-pregnancy, affecting fetal development. Although obesity and genetic factors increase GDM risk, a lack of suitable models impedes a comprehensive understanding of its pathology. To address this, we administered streptozotocin (STZ, 75 mg/kg) to C57BL/6N mice for two days before pregnancy, establishing a convenient GDM model.

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A 73-year-old man was found to have a 2-cm lipid-poor right adrenal incidentaloma on computed tomography imaging for hematuria. Twenty-four-hour urine metanephrine was 1.1-fold elevated, then normal on repeat measurement.

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In this study, we present an improved packed-bed system designed for continuous-flow reactions using platinum (Pt)-black powder and silica gel (SiO). The Pt-leaching from the reaction column is suppressed compression-molding of the Pt and SiO. Scanning electron microscopy results and particle-size distribution analysis demonstrate that crushed and downsized SiO is effective in suppressing outflow.

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Autoimmune diseases (AIDs) alter the placental immune environment leading to fetal loss. This study investigated the effects of AIDs on pregnancy and the placenta in AID-prone MRL/MpJ- mice and wild-type MRL/MpJ, which were mated with male MRL/MpJ and MRL/MpJ- at five months and defined as moLpr and moMpJ, respectively. AID indices (spleen weight and serum autoantibody levels) and fertility status (number and size of fetuses, morphology, and comprehensive gene expression of placentas) were evaluated on gestational day 15.

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Systemic autoimmune diseases (ADs) might affect the morphology and function of gut-associated lymphoid tissue (LTs) indirectly; however, their exact relationship remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated mouse LTs in the anorectal canal and morphologically compared them between MRL/MpJ-Fas and MRL/MpJ-Fas mice. LT aggregations, also known as rectal mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (RMALTs), were exclusively seen in the lamina propria and submucosa of the rectum.

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Foreign body reactions (FBRs) are inadvertently observed in invading or artificially embedded materials, triggering inflammation and subsequent fibrotic processes to occur in situ. Here, we assessed the spatiotemporal formation of connective tissue around implanted materials to establish a technique using connective tissue formed by FBRs as xenografts. An acrylic resin implant, comprising a columnar inner rod and a tubular outer cylinder (OC) with several slits, was embedded in adult dairy cows.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study examines the differences in conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue (CALT) between Holstein calves and adult cows, focusing on their morphological features in eyelids and third eyelids.
  • In calves, the eyelid CALT is primarily diffused lymphoid tissue with fewer lymphatic follicles, showing lower B-cell numbers and higher macrophage counts compared to adult cows.
  • The findings suggest that the mucosal immune function of CALT is less developed in calves, indicating a potential area for enhancing immune responses through vaccinations.
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Regeneration of injured skeletal muscles is supported by the activation of satellite cells, and excessive traumatic injuries may trigger abnormal processes, such as fibrosis. Because the participation of immune cells is crucial during skeletal muscle repair, systemic autoimmune diseases impair their regeneration. This study focused on a traumatic injury by injection and investigated the effect of autoimmune diseases on skeletal muscle regeneration.

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Systemic autoimmune diseases frequently induce lupus nephritis, causing altered balance and expression of interleukin 36 receptor (IL-36R) ligands, including agonists (IL-36α, β, γ) and antagonists (IL-36Ra, IL-38), in kidneys. Here, we established and analyzed a mouse model of lupus nephritis, MRL/MpJ-Faslpr/lpr with IL-36R-knockout (KO), compared to wild-type (WT) mice. In both genotypes, indices for immune abnormalities and renal functions were comparable, although female WT mice showed higher serum autoantibody levels than males.

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Formaldehyde (FA) is a deleterious C1 pollutant commonly found in the interiors of modern buildings. C1 chemicals are generally more toxic than the corresponding C2 chemicals, but the selective discrimination of C1 and C2 chemicals using simple sensory systems is usually challenging. Here, we report the selective detection of FA vapor using a chemiresistive sensor array composed of modified hydroxylamine salts (MHAs, ArCHONH·HCl) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNT).

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Oocyte transportation by the oviduct involves the interaction between ciliated epithelial cells and cumulus cells. To determine whether the quality of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) changes the transportation property of COCs, we compared the transportation velocity of COCs (TVC) by the infundibulum with various combinations of infundibula and COCs collected from different mice. We used young and aged C57BL/6N and MRL/MpJ, and MRL/MpJ- mice as the strains with intact female reproductive function and the systemic autoimmune disease model exhibiting oocyte pick-up dysfunction owing to the morphofunctional abnormality of ciliated epithelium, respectively.

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Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is a specialized form of peripheral lymphoid tissue (LT), which is found on mucosal surfaces exposed to the environment. However, morphological data of these tissues in farm animals are scarce. This study investigated the gross anatomical and histological features of genital organ-associated lymphoid tissues (GOALTs) in the vaginal vestibule (VV) of healthy, non-pregnant, adult goats and pigs.

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Homeostasis of the oviductal infundibulum epithelium is continuously regulated by signaling pathways under physiological and pathological conditions. Herein, we investigated the expression of hedgehog (Hh) signaling-related components in the murine oviductal infundibulum, which is known to maintain homeostasis in the adult epithelium. Additionally, using autoimmune disease-prone MRL/MpJ-Fas (MRL/lpr) mice showing abnormal morphofunction of the ciliated epithelium of the infundibulum related to the oviductal inflammation, we examined the relationship between Hh signaling and pathology of the infundibulum.

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