T-wave propagation from the Pacific to the Atlantic: The 2020 M7.4 Kermadec Trench earthquake case.

An M7.4 submarine earthquake occurred in the Kermadec Trench, northeast of New Zealand, on 18 June, 2020. This powerful earthquake triggered energetic tertiary waves (T-waves) that propagated through the South Pacific Ocean into the South Atlantic Ocean, where the T-waves were recorded by a hydrophone station near Ascension Island, 15 127 km away from the epicenter.

Protective Effect of a Rho-kinase Inhibitor on Bladder Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Chronic Bladder Ischemia.

Objective: To investigate the effect of fasudil, a Rho-kinase inhibitor, on chronic ischemia-related bladder dysfunction.

Materials And Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (16 weeks old) were divided into control, chronic bladder ischemia (CBI), and CBI with fasudil treatment (CBI-Fa) groups. The CBI and CBI-Fa groups underwent balloon endothelial injury of bilateral iliac arteries and received a 2% cholesterol diet for 8 weeks after the procedure to induce CBI.

Novel p-terphenyl glycoside with a rare 2,6-dideoxyhexopyranose moiety from Actinomycete strain SF2911 that inhibits cancer cell migration.

In the course of our search for inhibitors of LPS-induced NO production from microbial strains, an ethyl acetate extract of Actinomycete SF2911, isolated from a soil sample collected in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, showed the inhibitory activity. The active principle was purified and structure determination led to the isolation of one new compound. Since the structure belongs to the terfestatin family, we named it terfestatin D (1).

Novel lnc RNA regulated by HIF-1 inhibits apoptotic cell death in the renal tubular epithelial cells under hypoxia.

Chronic tubulointerstitial hypoxia plays an important role as the final common pathway to end-stage renal disease. HIF-1 (hypoxia-inducible factor-1) is a master transcriptional factor under hypoxia, regulating downstream target genes. Genome-wide analysis of HIF-1 binding sites using high-throughput sequencers has clarified various kinds of downstream targets and made it possible to demonstrate the novel roles of HIF-1.

Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α Activates the Transforming Growth Factor-β/SMAD3 Pathway in Kidney Tubular Epithelial Cells.

Background: Kidney injury, including chronic kidney disease and acute kidney injury, is a worldwide health problem. Hypoxia and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) are well-known factors that promote kidney injury. Hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) and SMAD3 are their main downstream transcriptional factors.

Newton-Raphson preconditioner for Krylov type solvers on GPU devices.

A new Newton-Raphson method based preconditioner for Krylov type linear equation solvers for GPGPU is developed, and the performance is investigated. Conventional preconditioners improve the convergence of Krylov type solvers, and perform well on CPUs. However, they do not perform well on GPGPUs, because of the complexity of implementing powerful preconditioners.

Uni-axial stretch induces actin stress fiber reorganization and activates c-Jun NH2 terminal kinase via RhoA and Rho kinase in human bladder smooth muscle cells.

Background: Excessive mechanical overload may be involved in bladder wall remodelling. Since the activity of Rho kinase is known to be upregulated in the obstructed bladder, we investigate the roles of the RhoA/Rho kinase pathway in mechanical overloaded bladder smooth muscle cells.

Methods: Human bladder smooth muscle cells were stimulated on silicon culture plates by 15 % elongated uni-axial cyclic stretch at 1 Hz.

On the origin of spontaneous activity in the bladder.

Objectives: To characterise separately the pharmacological profiles of spontaneous contractions from the mucosa and detrusor layers of the bladder wall and to describe the relationship in mucosa between adenosine triphosphate (ATP) release and spontaneous contractions.

Materials And Methods: Spontaneous contractions were measured (36 °C) from isolated mucosa or detrusor preparations, and intact (mucosa + detrusor) preparations from guinea-pig bladders. Potential modulators were added to the superfusate.

Correction: Condition Number Estimation of Preconditioned Matrices.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Possible effect of lysophosphatidic acid on cell proliferation and involvement of lysophosphatidic acid and lysophosphatidic acid receptors in mechanical stretch-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase.

Objectives: To determine whether lysophosphatidic acid activates the mitogen-activated protein kinase and increases DNA synthesis in human bladder smooth muscle cells, and to examine the involvement of lysophosphatidic acid and lysophosphatidic acid receptor in mechanical stretch-induced mitogen-activated protein kinase activation in cultured human bladder smooth muscle cells.

Methods: TaqMan reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the mRNA expression levels of six lysophosphatidic acid receptor subtypes. Mitogen-activated protein kinase activity enhanced by either lysophosphatidic acid or mechanical stretch was measured by western blotting.

Condition number estimation of preconditioned matrices.

The present paper introduces a condition number estimation method for preconditioned matrices. The newly developed method provides reasonable results, while the conventional method which is based on the Lanczos connection gives meaningless results. The Lanczos connection based method provides the condition numbers of coefficient matrices of systems of linear equations with information obtained through the preconditioned conjugate gradient method.

External beam radiotherapy for focal lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma in the urinary bladder: a case report and literature review.

Lymphoepithelioma is a malignant epithelial tumor in the nasopharynx characterized by prominent lymphoid infiltration. Carcinomas that resemble lymphoepitheliomas have been called lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas and have been reported in other organs. A tumor in the bladder is categorized by the percentage of the total area occupied by the lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma pattern, with the prognosis dependent on the percentage.

Pelvic arterial occlusive disease affects the RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway in bladder smooth muscle.

Purpose: We investigated the effect of pelvic arterial occlusive disease on the RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway in a rat model of chronic bladder ischemia.

Materials And Methods: Male adult Sprague Dawley® rats at age 16 weeks were divided into arterial endothelial injury and control groups. The injury group underwent balloon endothelial injury of the bilateral iliac arteries and received a 2% cholesterol diet to induce pelvic arterial occlusive disease.

Current techniques to improve outcomes for early return of urinary continence following robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.

Although open retropubic radical prostatectomy has been the most commonly used surgical technique for patients with localized prostate cancer for decades, robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) has recently become an alternative option and widely used in Japan as well as around the world. RARP has been shown to have higher postoperative continent rates than retropubic and laparoscopic radical prostatectomy; however, urinary incontinence has remained one of the most significant causes for concern among patients who seek surgical treatment for prostate cancer, even after the introduction of RARP. The literature has shown that certain technical modifications to improve urinary continence are advocated as potential aids to reduce the risk of urinary incontinence after RARP.

Isolation of a novel paxilline analog pyrapaxilline from fungus that inhibits LPS-induced NO production.

We have screened microbial culture filtrates for nitrogen monoxide (NO) production inhibitors using mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7. As a result, paxilline, 21-isopentenylpaxilline and a novel analog of paxilline have been isolated from the culture filtrate of fungus Eupenicillium shearii.

Successful treatment of acute kidney injury in patients with idiopathic nephrotic syndrome using human atrial natriuretic Peptide.

The acute onset of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (NS) is often accompanied by acute kidney injury, which can lead to congestive heart failure and lung edema. In this report, we present two cases of NS-induced acute kidney injury successfully treated with a low dose of carperitide, a human atrial natriuretic peptide. In combination with standard diuretic therapy and immunotherapy, carperitide retained the renal function and spared the need for renal replacement therapy, including hemodialysis.

Involvement of stretch-induced Rho-kinase activation in the generation of bladder tone.

Aims: The present study investigated the role of the Rho-kinase (ROK) pathway in the maintenance of bladder tone during the storage phase, and its effects on bladder compliance.

Methods: Muscle strips from isolated rat bladder (detrusor strips) were used to evaluate the effects of the ROK inhibitors Y-27632 and HA-1077 on resting tension, which is independent of G-protein coupled pathways. Stretch-induced ROK activation was assessed by measuring phosphorylation of MYPT1 (myosin phosphatase targeting subunit) using Western blotting.

Laparoscopic nephrectomy, ex vivo angioplasty, and renal autotransplant for a renal artery aneurysm: a case report.

We describe in this report the case of a renal aneurysm in a 42-year-old woman. The aneurysm measured 27 mm in diameter, and was sited at the first bifurcation of the renal artery. We performed laparoscopic nephrectomy, ex vivo angioplasty and renal autotransplant to avoid ischemic damage to the kidney during reconstruction.

Increased bladder activity is associated with elevated oxidative stress markers and proinflammatory cytokines in a rat model of atherosclerosis-induced chronic bladder ischemia.

Aims: To further characterize, in a rat model, the effects of atherosclerosis-induced chronic bladder ischemia on bladder function and associated changes in oxidative stress markers and proinflammatory cytokines.

Methods: Adult Sprague-Dawley male rats were divided into three groups (arterial endothelial injury: AI, sham, naïve). The AI group (n = 14) underwent endothelial injury of the iliac arteries and received a 2% cholesterol diet.

The effect of atherosclerosis-induced chronic bladder ischemia on bladder function in the rat.

Aims: To develop a rat model of atherosclerosis-induced chronic bladder ischemia and investigate the effect of chronic bladder ischemia on voiding behavior and bladder function.

Methods: Adult male rats were divided into three groups. The arterial injury (AI) group underwent endothelial injury of the iliac arteries and received a 2% cholesterol diet.

Effect of long-term prazosin and yohimbine administration on c-Fos expression in spinal neurons: inhibitory effect of alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenoceptors on afferents from the lower urinary tract.

Introduction: To investigate the effects of long-term administration of the α(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin and the α(2)-adrenoceptor antagonist yohimbine on afferent inputs from the lower urinary tract by evaluating c-Fos expression in the spinal cord.

Materials And Methods: Prazosin or yohimbine was administered for 4 weeks in rats using an osmotic pump. Effects of these agents on urodynamic parameters were determined by continuous cystometry in conscious rats.

Suppression of SOCS3 increases susceptibility of renal cell carcinoma to interferon-α.

Interferon (IFN)-α is one of the most commonly used agents in immunotherapy for patients with advanced stage renal cell carcinoma. However, because of the drug resistance to IFN-α, its benefits are limited. In this study, we examined whether repression of suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins, which are involved in the IFN-induced signaling pathway, can overcome the IFN resistance of renal cell carcinoma.

Lack of antibodies against the antigen domain 2 epitope of cytomegalovirus (CMV) glycoprotein B is associated with CMV disease after renal transplantation in recipients having the same glycoprotein H serotypes as their donors.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reinfection of seropositive individuals has been associated with adverse outcomes in organ transplantation and is a frequent cause of congenital infection. Previously we demonstrated that mismatching of CMV glycoprotein H (gH) serotypes was associated with CMV disease after renal transplantation. Because the antigen domain 2 (AD2) epitope of glycoprotein B (gB) is conserved among CMV isolates and is one of the known targets of neutralizing antibodies, in this study we investigated whether antibodies against the epitope contribute to protection from CMV reinfection in renal transplantation, irrespective of gH serological matching.