Nanoshell Formation at the Electrically Charged Gas-Water Interface of Collapsing Microbubbles: Insights from Atomic Force Microscopy Imaging.

AFM imaging has revealed intriguing features when bulk nanobubbles were deposited on a positively charged substrate. Numerous spherical objects, each less than 20 nm in diameter, were observed on the substrate. These objects were adorned with noticeable, tiny protrusions, each measuring a few nanometers.

Mineralization of Poly(vinyl alcohol) by Ozone Microbubbles under a Wide Range of pH Conditions.

Poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) is a well-known recalcitrant pollutant that threatens ecological systems and human health. In this study, ozone-microbubble treatment was evaluated as a physicochemical method to mineralize PVA in solution for wastewater treatment. Microbubbles are very small bubbles (<50 μm in diameter) and shrink in water because of the rapid dissolution of the interior gas.

Association between COVID-19 emergency declarations and physical activity among community-dwelling older adults enrolled in a physical activity measurement program: Evidence from a retrospective observational study using the regression discontinuity design.

Background: The current study examines the negative impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emergency declarations on physical activity among the community-dwelling older adults, the participants of a physical activity measurement program, in Japan.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included 1,773 community-dwelling older adults (aged 74.6 ± 6.

Oxygen nanobubble water affects wound healing of fibroblast WI-38 cells.

This study investigated the usefulness of oxygen nanobubble water (O2NBW) for wound repair by analyzing its effect on the wound-healing process in human lung fibroblasts (WI-38 cells). The WI-38 cells were treated with 0%, 50%, and 100% O2NBW. The cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and wound healing following treatment were determined to elucidate the effects of O2NBW.

Accelerated germination of aged recalcitrant seeds by K-rich bulk oxygen nanobubbles.

Bulk nanobubbles, measuring less than 200 nm in water, have shown their salient properties in promoting growth in various species of plants and orthodox seeds, and as potential drug-delivery carriers in medicine. Studies of recalcitrant seeds have reported markedly increased germination rates with gibberellin treatment; however, neither the mechanism promoting germination nor the implication for food safety is well elucidated. In our study, recalcitrant wasabi (Eutrema japonicum) seeds treated with bulk oxygen nanobubbles (BONB) containing K, Na, and Cl (BONB-KNaCl) showed significantly accelerated germination.

Free-Radical Generation from Bulk Nanobubbles in Aqueous Electrolyte Solutions: ESR Spin-Trap Observation of Microbubble-Treated Water.

Microbubbles are very fine bubbles that shrink and collapse underwater within several minutes, leading to the generation of free radicals. Electron spin resonance spectroscopy (ESR) confirmed the generation of hydroxyl radicals under strongly acidic conditions. The drastic environmental change caused by the collapse of the microbubbles may trigger radical generation via the dispersion of the elevated chemical potential that had accumulated around the gas-water interface.

SARS-CoV-2 detection by fluorescence loop-mediated isothermal amplification with and without RNA extraction.

Rapid and simple point-of-care detection of SARS-CoV-2 is an urgent need to prevent pandemic. Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) can detect SARS-CoV-2 more rapidly than RT-PCR. Saliva is non-invasive specimen suitable for mass-screening, but data comparing utility of nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) and saliva in RT-LAMP test are lacking and it remains unclear whether SARS-CoV-2 could be detected by direct processing of samples without the need for prior RNA extraction saliva.

Long-term safety and efficacy of nalmefene in Japanese patients with alcohol dependence.

Aim: The safety and efficacy of nalmefene in Japanese patients with high or very high World Health Organization drinking risk level of alcohol dependence were assessed in a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 3 (lead-in) study. Here, the long-term safety and efficacy of nalmefene in an open-label extension of the lead-in study are presented.

Methods: Patients who completed the 24-week lead-in study were eligible for the extension study, where they were treated with nalmefene 20 mg as needed for 24 weeks.

Analyses of natural courses of Japanese patients with Alzheimer's disease using placebo data from placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trials: Japanese Study on the Estimation of Clinical course of Alzheimer's disease.

Introduction: Symptomatic anti-Alzheimer's disease (AD) drugs have been commonly used for the treatment of AD. Knowing the natural courses of patients with AD on placebo is highly relevant for clinicians to understand their efficacy and for investigators to design clinical studies.

Methods: The data on rating scales for dementia such as Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-cognitive subscale (ADAS-cog) and Severe Impairment Battery were extracted from eight previous Japanese Phase II and III studies.

Nalmefene in alcohol-dependent patients with a high drinking risk: Randomized controlled trial.

Aims: Reducing alcohol consumption is one treatment approach for alcohol-dependent patients. This study compared nalmefene 20 mg and 10 mg with placebo, combined with psychosocial support, in alcohol-dependent Japanese patients with a high or very high drinking risk level (DRL).

Methods: This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, phase 3 study conducted in alcohol-dependent patients with a high or very high DRL.

Application of DNA markers for discrimination between Japanese and Australian Wagyu beef.

The objective of this study was to discriminate between original Japanese and Australian Wagyu beef, which is sold in the Singapore markets, using six previously developed DNA markers. To effectively evaluate the six markers for breed identification, the probability of identification as Australian Wagyu beef was calculated based on the estimated allele frequencies using 130 Australian Wagyu individuals. The combined use of six markers would allow the discrimination of Australian Wagyu beef with an estimated probability of 0.

Efficacy and safety of paliperidone palmitate three-monthly formulation in East Asian patients with schizophrenia: subgroup analysis of a global, randomized, double-blind, Phase III, noninferiority study.

Objective: To demonstrate the efficacy and safety of paliperidone palmitate three-monthly (PP3M) formulation in an East Asian population with schizophrenia by subgroup analysis of a double-blind (DB), multicenter, noninferiority study.

Patients And Methods: Of 1,429 patients who entered the open-label (OL) phase, 510 were East Asian (China: 296 [58%], Japan: 175 [34%], South Korea: 19 [4%] and Taiwan: 20 [4%]). In the 17-week OL phase, patients received paliperidone palmitate once-monthly (PP1M) formulation on day 1 (150 mg eq.

Defining the relative performance of isothermal assays that can be used for rapid and sensitive detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus.

This study describes the first multiway comparison of portable isothermal assays for the detection of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), benchmarked against real-time reverse transcription RT-PCR (rRT-PCR). The selected isothermal chemistries included reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) and reverse transcription recombinase polymerase amplification (RT-RPA). The analytical sensitivity of RT-LAMP was comparable to rRT-PCR (10 RNA copies), while RT-RPA was one log less sensitive (10 RNA copies).

Restless legs syndrome augmentation among Japanese patients receiving pramipexole therapy: Rate and risk factors in a retrospective study.

To investigate the rate of and risk factors for restless legs syndrome (RLS) augmentation in Japanese patients receiving pramipexole (PPX) treatment. Records of 231 consecutive patients with idiopathic RLS who received PPX therapy for more than one month in a single sleep disorder center were analyzed retrospectively. Augmentation was diagnosed based on the Max Planck Institute criteria; associated factors were identified by logistic regression analysis.

Paliperidone palmitate: Japanese postmarketing mortality results in patients with schizophrenia.

Objective: Paliperidone palmitate once-monthly injectable (PP1M) is approved in Japan and other countries for the treatment of schizophrenia. During the 6 month Japanese early postmarketing phase vigilance (EPPV) period, 32 deaths were reported. This report reviews potential contributing factors to the fatal outcomes in the PP1M-treated population.

Daytime symptoms of restless legs syndrome--clinical characteristics and rotigotine effectiveness.

Objective: To elucidate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of daytime restless legs syndrome (RLS) among patients with idiopathic RLS and investigate the effectiveness of rotigotine for daytime RLS.

Methods: In 256 enrolled RLS patients, we investigated factors associated with the presence of RLS symptoms throughout the day. We also assessed the duration of daytime RLS symptoms at hourly intervals, time of initial symptom onset during the day, and associations between duration of daytime and nighttime RLS symptoms.

Photodynamic therapy for multiple central type lung cancer - a case report.

In case of central type lung cancer, it happens that tumors tend to grow at many foci of bronchial tree, sometimes simultaneously and sometimes not. And these patients with such abnormalities often suffer from pulmonary emphysema or chronic bronchitis because of heavy smoking habits. So it is important to choose the treatment which preserve the pulmonary function in these cases.

Rotigotine vs ropinirole in advanced stage Parkinson's disease: a double-blind study.

Objective: To confirm the superiority of transdermal rotigotine up to 16 mg/24 h over placebo, and non-inferiority to ropinirole, in Japanese Parkinson's disease (PD) patients on concomitant levodopa therapy.

Methods: This trial was a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, three-arm parallel group placebo- and ropinirole-controlled trial. Four-hundred and twenty PD patients whose motor symptoms were not well controlled by levodopa treatment were randomized 2:2:1 to receive rotigotine, ropinirole (up to 15 mg/day) or placebo during a 16-week treatment period followed by a 4-week taper period.

Effects of ozone nano-bubble water on periodontopathic bacteria and oral cells - studies.

The aims of the present study were to evaluate the bactericidal activity of a new antiseptic agent, ozone nano-bubble water (NBW3), against periodontopathogenic bacteria and to assess the cytotoxicity of NBW3 against human oral cells. The bactericidal activities of NBW3 against representative periodontopathogenic bacteria, () and () were evaluated using time-kill assays. The cytotoxicity of NBW3 was evaluated using three-dimensional human buccal and gingival tissue models.

Prevalence of helicobacter in laboratory mice in Thailand.

Prevalence of Helicobacter is mostly unknown in laboratory animals in Thailand. The 221 mice feces/cecum from 8 universities, 2 pharmaceutical companies and 3 research institutions in Thailand were surveyed for the prevalence and distribution of Helicobacter species by using the Electrochemical DNA chip. Helicobacter were detected 23/46 samples in Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) and 168/175 in conventional condition.

[Trial of fluoroscopy-guided transbronchial lung biopsy for the diagnosis of lung tumors].

As computed tomography( CT) technology has improved, chest CT has been adopted as a means to survey masses. We now see many cases of pulmonary small nodules or ground-glass opacities( GGO). Herein, we report our investigation of a new procedure, fluoroscopy-guided transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB), for the diagnosis of such lesions.

The prediction of response to galantamine treatment in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.

The prediction of efficacy in long-term treatment of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEIs) is a major clinical issue, although no consistently strong predictive factors have emerged thus far. The present analyses aimed to identify factors for predicting long-term outcome of galantamine treatment. Analyses were conducted with data from a 24 weeks randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and the safety of galantamine in the treatment of 303 patients with mild to moderate AD.

A case of poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma with intriguing ultrasonography findings.

A 60-year-old female was referred to the Toho University Omori Medical Center due to ultrasonography findings revealing a notable hepatic mass. The 44×32 mm isoechoic mass had a high-echo band along the margin in the liver. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) with Sonazoid detected an enhancement pattern extending from the outer periphery to the inside of the mass in the vascular phase and a pattern similar to that of surrounding hepatic tissue in the post-vascular phase.