Urodele amphibian newt bridges the missing link in evo-devo of the pancreas.

Background: The pancreas exhibits diverse structures and roles across vertebrates. The pancreas has evolved to include both endocrine and exocrine cells, a change that occurred during the transition from fish to amphibian. This event emphasizes the evolutionary significance of amphibians.

Effect of dupilumab on otitis media associated with eosinophilic chronic rhinosinusitis.

Objective: Eosinophilic Otitis Media (EOM) is an intractable disease caused by type 2 inflammation, such as Eosinophilic Chronic Rhinosinusitis (ECRS) and bronchial asthma. Biologics have recently been used to treat ECRS and bronchial asthma. Biologics are not indicated for EOM; however, because approximately 10% of ECRS cases has concomitant EOM, concomitant EOM improvement has been observed when dupilumab is administered for ECRS.

Changes in repair pathways of radiation-induced DNA double-strand breaks at the midblastula transition in Xenopus embryo.

Ionizing radiation (IR) causes DNA damage, particularly DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), which have significant implications for genome stability. The major pathways of repairing DSBs are homologous recombination (HR) and nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). However, the repair mechanism of IR-induced DSBs in embryos is not well understood, despite extensive research in somatic cells.

Repair of topoisomerase 1-induced DNA damage by tyrosyl-DNA phosphodiesterase 2 (TDP2) is dependent on its magnesium binding.

Topoisomerases are enzymes that relax DNA supercoiling during replication and transcription. Camptothecin, a topoisomerase 1 (TOP1) inhibitor, and its analogs trap TOP1 at the 3'-end of DNA as a DNA-bound intermediate, resulting in DNA damage that can kill cells. Drugs with this mechanism of action are widely used to treat cancers.

Repair pathways for radiation DNA damage under normoxic and hypoxic conditions: Assessment with a panel of repair-deficient human TK6 cells.

Various types of DNA lesions are produced when cells are exposed to ionizing radiation (IR). The type and yield of IR-induced DNA damage is influenced by the oxygen concentration. Thus, different DNA repair mechanisms may be involved in the response of normoxic and hypoxic cells to irradiation with IR.

Effect Estimate of Time-varying Social Support and Trust on the Physical and Mental Health of Mothers at 2.5 Years Postpartum: The Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS).

Background: Many epidemiological studies have reported the association between various social factors and health status in mothers during and after pregnancy. However, little is known about their joint and longitudinal impact. We examined the association of lack of social support and trust during pregnancy and at 2.

Impact of individual and neighborhood social capital on the physical and mental health of pregnant women: the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS).

Background: Previous studies revealed positive, negative, and no influence of social capital on the health outcomes of pregnant women. It was considered that such differences were caused by the disparities of outcome measures and sample sizes between studies. Our chief aim was to verify the positive influence of social capital on the health condition of pregnant women using established health outcome measures and large-scale nationwide survey data.

Fish consumption and depressive symptoms in undergraduate students: A cross-sectional analysis.

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that fish consumption may have beneficial effects on mood disorders. However, no study has been reported on this issue in young adults to date. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between fish consumption and depressive symptoms in Japanese undergraduate students.

Increased financial burden among patients with chronic myelogenous leukaemia receiving imatinib in Japan: a retrospective survey.

Background: The financial burden of medical expenses has been increasing for cancer patients. We investigated the relationship between household income and financial burden among patients with chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML) who have been treated with imatinib.

Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to 1200 patients between May and August 2009.

[Serial assessment of MIBG scintigraphy in a case of DCM with heart failure improved by beta-blocker therapy].

We experienced a case of DCM (62-year-old man) improved by beta-blocker (Metoprolol) therapy and studied time course of MIBG scintigraphy. We measured cardiac functions by UCG and 99mTc cardiac pool imaging, and MIBG scintigraphy during 12 months of beta-blocker therapy. In planar images we measured washout rate (WR) in total myocardium and regional washout rate (rWR) in 6 segments of myocardium.

[Radial long-axis tomography: a new reconstructing algorithm for thallium-201 myocardial SPECT].

The long-axis (L-A) tomograms of the heart in thallium-201 SPECT have been conventionally reconstructed as those parallel to the midventricular vertical or horizontal L-A plane. We developed a new algorithm for reconstructing the rotated L-A tomograms around the L-A to longitudinally observe thallium-201 myocardial distribution and to provide an optimal view of the cardiac apex. After determining the orientation of the L-A and reconstructing the short-axis (S-A) tomograms using standard techniques, the coordinates of the S-A planes were transformed to the polar coordinates whose origin is located at the position of the L-A in each plane.

[Estimation of myocardial viability in left ventricular regions with akinetic wall motion by postextrasystolic potentiation using list-mode radionuclide ventriculography in an interesting case with silent ischemia and with premature ventricular complexes (quadrigeminy)].

For determining an indication of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTCA), a 73-year-old-man with silent ischemia and with ventricular premature complexes (quadrigeminy) were performed cardiac nuclear studies. This case had 99% stenosis in LCX (#11) and 90% stenosis in RCA (#1), and demonstrated akinetic wall motion in left ventricular (LV) inferior and posterior regions. Exercise-redistribution Tl-201 studies indicated myocardial viability in a portion of the inferior wall but not in the posterior wall.