In Vitro Formation of Actin Ring in the Fission Yeast Cell Extracts.

Cytokinesis in animal and fungal cells requires the contraction of actomyosin-based contractile rings formed in the division cortex of the cell during late mitosis. However, the detailed mechanism remains incompletely understood. Here, we aim to develop a novel cell-free system by encapsulating cell extracts obtained from fission yeast cells within lipid vesicles, which subsequently leads to the formation of a contractile ring-like structure inside the vesicles.

Directed recurrence networks for the analysis of nonlinear and complex dynamical systems.

Complex network approaches have been emerging as an analysis tool for dynamical systems. Different reconstruction methods from time series have been shown to reveal complicated behaviors that can be quantified from the network's topology. Directed recurrence networks have recently been suggested as one such method, complementing the already successful recurrence networks and expanding the applications of recurrence analysis.

Needs Companion: A Novel Approach to Continuous User Needs Sensing Using Virtual Agents and Large Language Models.

In today's world, services are essential in daily life, and identifying each person's unique needs is key to creating a human-centered society. Traditional research has used machine learning to recommend services based on user behavior logs without directly detecting individual needs. This study introduces a system called Needs Companion, which automatically detects individual service needs, laying the groundwork for accurate needs sensing.

Color density spectral array findings on continuous EEG during therapeutic hypothermia in children with acute encephalopathy.

Background: Quantitative EEG is frequently used to monitor children affected by acute encephalopathy (AE), with the expectation of providing comprehensive insights into continuous EEG monitoring. However, the potential of quantitative EEG for estimating outcomes in this context remains unclear. We sought reliable prognostic markers within the color density spectral array (CDSA) of the continuous EEG for AE-affected children undergoing therapeutic hypothermia (TH).

Double-Outlet Right Ventricle With Intact Ventricular Septum and Left Atrioventricular Valve Regurgitation in a Patient With Right Atrial Isomerism.

We present a very rare case of right atrial isomerism, double-outlet right ventricle, and incomplete atrioventricular septal defect (intact ventricular septum). In the neonatal period, the right ventricle was compressed by a "blind-ended" left ventricle with mild-to-moderate left atrioventricular valve regurgitation. The regurgitation gradually decreased from mild-to-moderate to mild with body weight gain.

Optimal vaccine allocation strategy: Theory and application to the early stage of COVID-19 in Japan.

In this paper, we construct an age-structured epidemic model to analyze the optimal vaccine allocation strategy in an epidemic. We focus on two topics: the first one is the optimal vaccination interval between the first and second doses, and the second one is the optimal vaccine allocation ratio between young and elderly people. On the first topic, we show that the optimal interval tends to become longer as the relative efficacy of the first dose to the second dose (RE) increases.

Can the QRS morphology of outflow tract ventricular arrhythmia change when right bundle branch block emerges during sinus rhythm?

Background: QRS morphology can change during ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) with the appearance of bundle branch block (BBB).

Methods: We retrospectively investigated 195 consecutive patients who underwent an initial ablation of VA. The study inclusion criteria were VAs that were successfully ablated in the outflow tract (OT) and in whom right bundle branch block (RBBB) was induced by catheter manipulation close to the His bundle area during sinus rhythm, before any radiofrequency application.

Olfactory sampling volume for pheromone capture by wing fanning of silkworm moth: a simulation-based study.

Odours used by insects for foraging and mating are carried by the air. Insects induce airflows around them by flapping their wings, and the distribution of these airflows may strongly influence odour source localisation. The flightless silkworm moth, Bombyx mori, has been a prominent insect model for olfactory research.

COVID-19 risk perceptions in Japan: a cross-sectional study.

We conducted a large-scale online survey in February 2023 to investigate the public's perceptions of COVID-19 infection and fatality risks in Japan. We identified two key findings. First, univariate analysis comparing perceived and actual risk suggested overestimation and nonnegligible underestimation of COVID-19 risk.

Cardiac sympathetic activity and lethal arrhythmic events: insight into bell-shaped relationship between I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine activity and event rates.

Background: I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine (mIBG) has been applied to patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). However, the relationship between I-mIBG activity and lethal arrhythmic events (ArE) is not well defined. This study aimed to determine this relationship in Japanese and European cohorts.

Three years of COVID-19-related school restrictions and mental health of children and adolescents in Japan.

During the 3 years of the COVID-19 pandemic, Japanese children had to live with strict mitigation measures at school, such as eating school lunches silently and wearing masks during physical exercise classes, even after those mitigation measures have been relaxed worldwide. Excursions and other school events were frequently cancelled, especially in 2020 and 2021. This study conducts a retrospective survey on school experiences to understand how the strict mitigation measures were related to children's mental health and well-being.

Impairment of Cognitive Function Increases Mortality Risk in Relation to Cardiac Sympathetic Denervation and Renal Dysfunction in Patients With Systolic Heart Failure.

Background: In contrast to the well-known prognostic values of the cardiorenal linkage, it remains unclear whether impaired cognitive function affects cardiac prognosis in relation to cardiac sympathetic innervation and renal function in patients with heart failure (HF).

Methods And Results: A total of 433 consecutive HF patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <50% underwent the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and a neuropsychological test for screening of cognition impairment or subclinical dementia. Following metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy, patient outcomes with a primary endpoint of lethal cardiac events (CEs) were evaluated for a mean period of 14.

The centrosomal protein FGFR1OP controls myosin function in murine intestinal epithelial cells.

Recent advances in human genetics have shed light on the genetic factors contributing to inflammatory diseases, particularly Crohn's disease (CD), a prominent form of inflammatory bowel disease. Certain risk genes associated with CD directly influence cytokine biology and cell-specific communication networks. Current CD therapies primarily rely on anti-inflammatory drugs, which are inconsistently effective and lack strategies for promoting epithelial restoration and mucosal balance.

Difference in radiofrequency ablation profile between during sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation: Considerations in this era of high-power short-duration strategy.

Background: The concept of ablation index (AI) was introduced to evaluate radiofrequency (RF) ablation lesions. It is calculated from power, contact force (CF), and RF duration. However, other factors may also affect the quality of ablation lesions.