Antioxidant cysteine and methionine derivatives show trachea disruption in insects.

To prevent the deterioration of the global environment, the reduction of chemical pesticide use and the development of eco-friendly pest control technologies are urgent issues. Our recent study revealed that the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by dual oxidase (Duox) plays a pivotal role in stabilizing the tracheal network by intermediating the tyrosine cross-linking of proteins that constitute trachea. Notably, the formation of dityrosine bonds by ROS can be inhibited by the intake of an antioxidant cysteine derivative N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), which can suppress insect respiration.

Geographical, Seasonal, and Growth-Related Dynamics of Gut Microbiota in a Grapevine Pest, Apolygus spinolae (Heteroptera: Miridae).

A number of insects are associated with gut symbiotic microorganisms, wherein symbiotic partners play pivotal metabolic roles for each other such as nutrient supplementation, diet degradation, and pesticide detoxification. Despite the ecological and evolutionary importance of gut microbial communities in insects, their diversity and dynamics remain unclear in many species. The green plant bug Apolygus spinolae, a notorious grapevine pest in Japan, damages grape shoots and severely reduces grape berry yield and quality.

A tissue-silicone integrated simulator for right ventricular pulsatile circulation with severe functional tricuspid regurgitation.

There is a great demand for development of a functional tricuspid regurgitation (FTR) model for accelerating development and preclinical study of tricuspid interventional repair devices. This study aimed to develop a severe FTR model by creating a tissue-silicone integrated right ventricular pulsatile circulatory simulator. The simulator incorporates the porcine tricuspid annulus, valve leaflets, chordae tendineae, papillary muscles, and right ventricular wall as one continuous piece of tissue, thereby preserving essential anatomical relationships of the tricuspid valve (TV) complex.

Repairable ex vivo model of functional and degenerative mitral regurgitation.

Objectives: Transcatheter mitral valve repair is an emerging alternative to the surgical repair. This technology requires preclinical studies to assess efficacy in mitigating mitral regurgitation (MR). However, ex vivo MR models are not established.

Primary Retroperitoneal Mucinous Cystadenocarcinoma during Long-term Administration of Infliximab for the Treatment of Crohn's Disease.

We herein report a rare case of primary retroperitoneal mucinous cystadenocarcinoma (PRMC) in a 60-year-old man. The patient, who had been treated with infliximab for Crohn's disease of the colon for 13 years, was referred to our hospital for lower back pain. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging revealed multiple cystic lesions in the right retroperitoneum, the calcification of the cyst, and bone lesions.

Dexmedetomidine is safe and effective for reducing intraprocedural pain in colorectal endoscopic submucosal dissection.

Objectives: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is effective for the resection of colorectal intramucosal lesions. This study was performed to examine the safety and effectiveness of using dexmedetomidine (DEX) in the anesthesia regimen of patients with colorectal lesions undergoing ESD.

Methods: We retrospectively examined 287 consecutive patients who underwent ESD for colorectal lesions in our institution from January 2015 to December 2021.

Longly-attached cap can contribute to en bloc underwater endoscopic mucosal resection of 20-30 mm colorectal intramucosal lesions.

Underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (UEMR) is effective for colorectal intramucosal lesions. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a longly-attached cap in UEMR improves the en bloc resection rate for 20-30 mm lesions. We performed a retrospective study at a tertiary institute.

Primary Hepatic Neuroendocrine Carcinoma with Thrombocytopenia Due to Diffuse Bone Marrow and Splenic Infiltration: An Autopsy Case.

An 82-year-old man with fever and back pain was referred to our hospital and was thus found to be thrombocytopenic. A bone marrow biopsy revealed the diffuse infiltration of poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC). Computed tomography revealed a large hepatic mass.

Double-leaflet Technique for Mitral Regurgitation With Small or Tethered Posterior Leaflet.

Small leaflets make mitral valve repair procedures challenging. Our double-leaflet technique creates a new autologous pericardial leaflet attached to the papillary muscle, annuloplasty ring, and neighboring scallops above the small or tethered posterior leaflet. This simple additional technique provides deep coaptation after mitral valve repair for both degenerative and functional mitral regurgitation with the small or tethered posterior leaflet.

Delayed surgery after mechanical circulatory support for ventricular septal rupture with cardiogenic shock.

Objectives: The effectiveness of delayed surgery for ventricular septal rupture (VSR) following myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with cardiogenic shock remains unknown. We aimed to investigate the outcomes of delayed surgery following mechanical circulatory support for patients in cardiogenic shock after VSR.

Methods: We reviewed 8 patients with post-MI VSR and cardiogenic shock who underwent delayed surgery at our institution between July 2015 and November 2017.

In Vitro Assessment of Biocontrol Effects on Fusarium Head Blight and Deoxynivalenol (DON) Accumulation by DON-Degrading Bacteria.

Fusarium head blight (FHB) of cereals is a severe disease caused by the species complex. It leads to the accumulation of the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) in grains and other plant tissues and causes substantial economic losses throughout the world. DON is one of the most troublesome mycotoxins because it is a virulence factor to host plants, including wheat, and exhibits toxicity to plants and animals.

Draft Genome Sequence of Deoxynivalenol-Degrading Actinomycete Nocardioides sp. Strain LS1, Isolated from Wheat Leaves in Japan.

Actinomycete Nocardioides sp. strain LS1, isolated from wheat leaf, is a bacterium that degrades and assimilates the mycotoxin deoxynivalenol (DON) as the carbon source. This is the first study of the genome sequence of the DON-degrading genus Nocardioides, and it facilitates the study of genes encoding the DON-degrading pathway.

Outcomes of Extended Endovascular Aortic Repair for Aorto-Iliac Aneurysm with Internal Iliac Artery Occlusion.

: Patients of aorto-iliac aneurysms who undergo endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) require internal iliac artery (IIA) occlusion with coil embolization and its coverage with the stent graft to prevent type II endoleak after extending the endograft into the external iliac artery. However, it has become well recognized that IIA occlusion cause buttock claudication and other various sequelae due to pelvic ischemia. We retrospectively analyzed IIA occlusion outcomes.

Evaluation of a surface plasmon resonance imaging-based multiplex O-antigen serogrouping for Escherichia coli using eleven major serotypes of Shiga -toxin-producing E. coli.

The early detection of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) is important for early diagnosis and preventing the spread of STEC. Although the confirmatory test for STEC should be based on the detection of Shiga toxin using molecular analysis, isolation permits additional characterization of STEC using a variety of methods, including O:H serotyping. The conventional slide agglutination O-antigen serogrouping used in many clinical laboratories is laborious and time-consuming.

Development of a Surface Plasmon Resonance-Based Immunosensor for Detection of 10 Major O-Antigens on Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli, with a Gel Displacement Technique To Remove Bound Bacteria.

A surface plasmon resonance-based immunosensor (SPR-immunosensor) was developed for the detection of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) belonging to the O-antigen groups O26, O91, O103, O111, O115, O121, O128, O145, O157, and O159. The polyclonal antibodies (PoAbs) generated against each of the STEC O-antigen types in rabbits were purified and were immobilized on the sensor chip at 0.5 mg/mL.

Reactivation from occult HBV carrier status is characterized by low genetic heterogeneity with the wild-type or G1896A variant prevalence.

Background & Aims: Individuals negative for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) but positive for antibodies to hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc) are at risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation under immunosuppressive conditions. We investigated clinical features and viral genetics in patients with reactivation from occult HBV infection triggered by chemotherapy or immunosuppressive therapy.

Methods: Clinical courses of 14 individuals originally HBsAg-negative but anti-HBc-positive that experienced HBV reactivation were examined.

Nano-analysis of DNA conformation changes induced by transcription factor complex binding using plasmonic nanodimers.

The plasmon resonant wavelength for a pair of gold nanoparticles, or gold nanodimer, increases inversely with the gap distance between the two nanoparticles. Taking advantage of this property, we performed nanoscale measurements of DNA conformation changes induced by transcription factor binding. Gold nanoparticles were bridged by double-stranded DC5 DNA that included binding sequences for the transcription factors SOX2 and PAX6, which interact on the DC5 enhancer sequence and activate transcription.

Improved analysis for determining diffusion coefficients from short, single-molecule trajectories with photoblinking.

Two maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) methods were developed for optimizing the analysis of single-molecule trajectories that include phenomena such as experimental noise, photoblinking, photobleaching, and translation or rotation out of the collection plane. In particular, short, single-molecule trajectories with photoblinking were studied, and our method was compared to existing analytical techniques applied to simulated data. The optimal method for various experimental cases was established, and the optimized MLE method was applied to a real experimental system: single-molecule diffusion of fluorescent molecular machines known as nanocars.

Chemical constituents from Sambucus adnata and their protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory activities.

The MeOH extract from the whole plants of Sambucus adnata has shown significant protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitory activity. Chemical study on the extract resulted in the isolation of thirteen compounds, including a novel triterpene (1). The structure of 1 was determined to be 1α,3β-dihydroxy-urs-12-en-11-one-3-yl palmitate on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses.

Entrainment in a chemical oscillator chain with a pacemaker.

Entrainment by a pacemaker was investigated experimentally and numerically in a chain of chemical oscillators using coupled discrete Belousov-Zhabotinsky reaction oscillators. The spontaneous frequency of each oscillator depended on the concentration of catalyst ions. The coupling strengths among the nearest neighbor oscillators were controlled by changing the spacing distance (d) between beads.