The expression of trefoil factor family member 2 in increased at an acidic pH.

Trefoil factor family member 2 () is significantly involved in intestinal tumor growth in mice, which can be used as a human colon cancer model. , which encodes TFF2 (spasmolytic protein 1) is highly expressed in human cancer tissues, including the pancreas, colon and bile ducts, as well as in normal gastric and duodenum tissues. By contrast, exhibits low expression levels in other normal tissues, including the small and large intestine.

An in silico testbed for fast and accurate MR labeling of orthopedic implants.

One limitation on the ability to monitor health in older adults using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is the presence of implants, where the prevalence of implantable devices (orthopedic, cardiac, neuromodulation) increases in the population, as does the pervasiveness of conditions requiring MRI studies for diagnosis (musculoskeletal diseases, infections, or cancer). The present study describes a novel multiphysics implant modeling testbed using the following approaches with two examples: (1) an in silico human model based on the widely available Visible Human Project (VHP) cryo-section dataset; (2) a finite element method (FEM) modeling software workbench from Ansys (Electronics Desktop/Mechanical) to model MR radio frequency (RF) coils and the temperature rise modeling in heterogeneous media. The in silico VHP-Female model (250 parts with an additional 40 components specifically characterizing embedded implants and resultant surrounding tissues) corresponds to a 60-year-old female with a body mass index of 36.

An In-Silico Testbed for Fast and Accurate MR Labeling of Orthopaedic Implants.

One limitation on the ability to monitor health in older adults using Magnetic Resonance (MR) imaging is the presence of implants, where the prevalence of implantable devices (orthopedic, cardiac, neuromodulation) increases in the population, as does the pervasiveness of conditions requiring MRI studies for diagnosis (musculoskeletal diseases, infections, or cancer). The present study describes a novel multiphysics implant modeling testbed using the following approaches with two examples: - an human model based on the widely available Visible Human Project (VHP) cryo-section dataset; - a finite element method (FEM) modeling software workbench from Ansys (Electronics Desktop/Mechanical) to model MR radio frequency (RF) coils and the temperature rise modeling in heterogeneous media. The VHP Female model (250 parts with an additional 40 components specifically characterizing embedded implants and resultant surrounding tissues) corresponds to a 60-year-old female with a body mass index (BMI) of 36.

Antimicrobial use and its association with the presence of methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) and extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL)-producing coliforms in mastitic milk on dairy farms in the Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

Food-producing animals, including dairy cattle, are potential reservoirs of antimicrobial resistance. However, there is limited data on antimicrobial use and the selection of resistant bacteria. Therefore, we investigated the association between antimicrobial use and resistance to mastitis pathogens using 2016 data from milk samples collected from cows with mastitis in 134 dairy farms in Chiba Prefecture, one of the principal dairy production prefectures in Japan.

Evaluating the antimicrobial use on dairy farms in Chiba Prefecture in Japan using the antimicrobial treatment incidence, an indicator based on Japanese defined daily doses from 2014-2016.

The use of antimicrobial agents in food-producing animals may lead to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria of animal origin. However, there is a paucity of data on the quantity of antimicrobials use on dairy farms in Japan. This study describes antimicrobial use on dairy farms from 1 January 2014 to 31 December 2016 in five administrative districts (central, eastern, western, southern and northern) of Chiba Prefecture.

Identifying the factors that affect the willingness of pig farmers to participate in the electronic prescription system.

Electronic data collection systems are being developed in countries around the world to monitor antimicrobial use at farm level. We conducted a questionnaire survey that is destined for pig farmers who are then able to communicate what factors influence their willingness to participate in an electronic prescription system. A principal component analysis was performed on the variables that were associated with the willingness to participate in the system.

Mast cells can produce transforming growth factor β1 and promote tissue fibrosis during the development of Sjögren's syndrome-related sialadenitis.

Objectives: This study investigated the associations of mast cells with immune-mediated inflammation and fibrosis in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS); it also explored the underlying pathophysiology of pSS-related sialadenitis.

Methods: Twenty-two patients with pSS and 10 patients with sicca (control individuals) underwent labial salivary gland biopsies. Sections were subjected to staining and immunofluorescence analyses.

Electric Field Comparison for TMS Using Different Neuroimaging Segmentation Methods.

Computational electromagnetic modeling is a powerful technique to evaluate the effects of electrical stimulation of the human brain. The results of these simulations can vary depending on the specific segmentation of the head and brain generated from the patient images. Using an existing boundary element fast multipole method (BEM-FMM) electromagnetic solver, this work evaluates the electric field differences modeled using two neuroimaging segmentation methods.

Visible Human Project® female surface based computational phantom (Nelly) for radio-frequency safety evaluation in MRI coils.

Quantitative modeling of specific absorption rate and temperature rise within the human body during 1.5 T and 3 T MRI scans is of clinical significance to ensure patient safety. This work presents justification, via validation and comparison, of the potential use of the Visible Human Project (VHP) derived Computer Aided Design (CAD) female full body computational human model for non-clinical assessment of female patients of age 50-65 years with a BMI of 30-36 during 1.

Comparison of SAR distribution of hip and knee implantable devices in 1.5T conventional cylindrical-bore and 1.2T open-bore vertical MRI systems.

Purpose: There is increasing use of open-bore vertical MR systems that consist of two planar RF coils. A recent study showed that the RF-induced heating of a neuromodulation device was much lower in the open-bore system at the brain and the chest imaging landmarks. This study focused on the hip and knee implants and compared the specific absorption rate (SAR) distribution in human models in a 1.

Evaluation of antimicrobial use in dairy cattle, beef cattle and broilers in Japan using dosage-based indicators.

The sales amount of antimicrobials intended for use in dairy cattle, beef cattle and broilers from 2008 to 2019 was evaluated for each antimicrobial class and administration route using dosage-based indicators. Our results revealed that the antimicrobial sales amount sold for use in dairy cattle in 2019 in terms of total weight of active ingredient, the number of defined daily doses (DDDs) (theoretical amount of biomass subjected to antimicrobial treatment in a year) and the number of treatment days (TDs) (theoretical number of days of treatment that an animal is subjected to in a year) calculated using Japanese DDD values (DDDjp values) was 36,751 kg, 8,261,848,000 kg·days and 15.5 days, respectively.

Antimicrobial use on 74 Japanese pig farms in 2019: A comparison of Japanese and European defined daily doses in the field.

Defined daily doses (DDD) have been established in human medicine to standardize the measurement of treatment in a population. In veterinary medicine, the European Medicine Agency published defined daily dose (DDDvet) values for antimicrobial agents used in food-producing animals in 2016. National defined doses (DDDjp) for antimicrobials used for pigs in Japan have recently been determined.

Boundary element fast multipole method for modeling electrical brain stimulation with voltage and current electrodes.

. To formulate, validate, and apply an alternative to the finite element method (FEM) high-resolution modeling technique for electrical brain stimulation-the boundary element fast multipole method (BEM-FMM). To include practical electrode models for both surface and embedded electrodes.

Establishing defined daily doses (DDDs) for antimicrobial agents used in pigs, cattle and poultry in Japan and comparing them with European DDD values.

Monitoring of antimicrobial use is essential in the management of the development and selection of antimicrobial resistance. A variety of indicators has become available to monitor antimicrobial use in human and animal medicine. One of them is an indicator based on defined daily dose (DDD).

E148Q variant is more associated with familial Mediterranean fever when combined with other non-exon 10 variants in Japanese patients with recurrent fever.

Objective: To investigate the genetic characteristics of one of the gene variants, p.Glu148Gln (E148Q), in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) and examine its significance in Japanese patients with recurrent fever.

Methods: The clinical phenotype and genomic variants of systemic autoinflammatory diseases (SAIDs), including , were analyzed in 211 Japanese patients with recurrent fever.

Development, validation, and pilot MRI safety study of a high-resolution, open source, whole body pediatric numerical simulation model.

Numerical body models of children are used for designing medical devices, including but not limited to optical imaging, ultrasound, CT, EEG/MEG, and MRI. These models are used in many clinical and neuroscience research applications, such as radiation safety dosimetric studies and source localization. Although several such adult models have been reported, there are few reports of full-body pediatric models, and those described have several limitations.

Evaluation of the antimicrobial use in pigs in Japan using dosage-based indicators.

The use of antimicrobial agents in food-producing animals may lead to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria of animal origin. The use of antimicrobial agents in pigs in 2018 in Japan was evaluated in terms of the weight of active ingredient and number of defined daily doses (DDD), using annual sales data of veterinary antimicrobials sold for use in pigs. In addition, the use of antimicrobial agents in the Japanese pig sector in 2008 to 2017 was evaluated to determine whether or not there were any differences in temporal change pattern by use of different metrics.

Clinical phenotypes and genetic analyses for diagnosis of systemic autoinflammatory diseases in adult patients with unexplained fever.

Objective: To make an accurate diagnosis of systemic autoinflammatory diseases (SAIDs), clinical and genetic analyses were performed in patients with unexplained fever.

Methods: The clinical phenotype and genomic variants of 11 genes responsible for SAIDs were analyzed in 179 Japanese patients with unexplained fever. Genetic analysis was performed by next generation sequencing (NGS) on exons including exon-intron boundaries.

Clinical and Genetic Analysis of 22 Japanese Patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever: An Examination of MEFV and 10 Other Genes Related to Autoinflammatory Syndromes.

Objective Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is the most frequent autoinflammatory syndrome, and its frequency is reported to be increasing in Japan. We studied the clinical features and genetic background of patients with FMF in our hospital. Methods We analyzed the clinical features and genomic variants of MEFV, as well as 10 genes related to other autoinflammatory syndromes, in 22 Japanese patients with FMF.

A software toolkit for TMS electric-field modeling with boundary element fast multipole method: an efficient MATLAB implementation.

Objective: To present and disseminate our transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) modeling software toolkit, including several new algorithmic developments, and to apply this software to realistic TMS modeling scenarios given a high-resolution model of the human head including cortical geometry and an accurate coil model.

Approach: The recently developed charge-based boundary element fast multipole method (BEM-FMM) is employed as an alternative to the 1st order finite element method (FEM) most commonly used today. The BEM-FMM approach provides high accuracy and unconstrained numerical field resolution close to and across cortical interfaces.

Radio-Frequency Safety Assessment of Stents in Blood Vessels During Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the need for high-resolution detailed anatomical modeling to correctly estimate radio-frequency (RF) safety during magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). RF-induced heating near metallic implanted devices depends on the electric field tangential to the device ( ). and specific absorption rate (SAR) were analyzed in blood vessels of an anatomical model to understand if a standard gel phantom accurately represents the potential heating in tissues due to passive vascular implants such as stents.

Successful Treatment of Rapidly Progressive Unclassifiable Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonia with Anti-melanoma Differentiation-associated Gene-5 Antibody by Intensive Immunosuppressive Therapy.

We describe a case of a woman who presented with a persistent cough, general fatigue, and a fever. Interstitial lung disease was rapidly progressive and resistant to high-dose steroid therapy. She tested positive for the presence of anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA-5) antibody, although she had no skin manifestations of dermatomyositis.

MRI Analysis of White Matter Myelin Water Content in Multiple Sclerosis: A Novel Approach Applied to Finding Correlates of Cortical Thinning.

A novel lesion-mask free method based on a gamma mixture model was applied to myelin water fraction (MWF) maps to estimate the association between cortical thickness and myelin content, and how it differs between relapsing-remitting (RRMS) and secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis (SPMS) groups (135 and 23 patients, respectively). It was compared to an approach based on lesion masks. The gamma mixture distribution of whole brain, white matter (WM) MWF was characterized with three variables: the mode (most frequent value) of the gamma component shown to relate to lesion, the mode of the component shown to be associated with normal appearing (NA) WM, and the mixing ratio (λ) between the two distributions.