The role of osteocrin in memory formation during early learning, as revealed by visual imprinting in chicks.

Osteocrin (OSTN) is structurally associated with natriuretic peptides. Its expression in the brain, which has only been recognized in anthropoid primates, is induced by sensory stimuli and regulates the activity-dependent dendritic growth of neurons. However, details on the signaling mechanisms of OSTN and its function in plastic changes during learning and memory have yet to be elucidated.

Contribution to the taxonomy of Lobellini (Collembola: Neanurinae) and investigations on luminous Collembola from Japan.

Lobella sauteri was redescribed based on the lectotype and specimens obtained from the type locality Bugenji, Yokohama, Kanagawa, as the true identity of the luminous Collembola, Lobella sp. Lobella sauteri has morphological traits characteristic of the genus currently called Telobella. As L.

Global fine-resolution data on springtail abundance and community structure.

Springtails (Collembola) inhabit soils from the Arctic to the Antarctic and comprise an estimated ~32% of all terrestrial arthropods on Earth. Here, we present a global, spatially-explicit database on springtail communities that includes 249,912 occurrences from 44,999 samples and 2,990 sites. These data are mainly raw sample-level records at the species level collected predominantly from private archives of the authors that were quality-controlled and taxonomically-standardised.

Discovery of novel indole derivatives as potent and selective inhibitors of proMMP-9 activation.

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) is a secreted zinc-dependent endopeptidase that degrades the extracellular matrix and basement membrane of neurons, and then contributes to synaptic plasticity by remodeling the extracellular matrix. Inhibition of MMP-9 activity has therapeutic potential for neurodegenerative diseases such as fragile X syndrome. This paper reports the molecular design, synthesis, and in vitro studies of novel indole derivatives as inhibitors of proMMP-9 activation.

Search for Gamma-Ray Spectral Lines from Dark Matter Annihilation up to 100 TeV toward the Galactic Center with MAGIC.

Linelike features in TeV γ rays constitute a "smoking gun" for TeV-scale particle dark matter and new physics. Probing the Galactic Center region with ground-based Cherenkov telescopes enables the search for TeV spectral features in immediate association with a dense dark matter reservoir at a sensitivity out of reach for satellite γ-ray detectors, and direct detection and collider experiments. We report on 223 hours of observations of the Galactic Center region with the MAGIC stereoscopic telescope system reaching γ-ray energies up to 100 TeV.

Globally invariant metabolism but density-diversity mismatch in springtails.

Soil life supports the functioning and biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems. Springtails (Collembola) are among the most abundant soil arthropods regulating soil fertility and flow of energy through above- and belowground food webs. However, the global distribution of springtail diversity and density, and how these relate to energy fluxes remains unknown.

Presence of sibling during the learning phase of imprinting affects escape behavior from a new object in chicks.

Imprinting is a crucial learning behavior by the hatchlings of precocious birds. In nature, hatchlings in a group environment imprint on a hen, but the effect of siblings on the imprinting process remains largely unknown. To investigate this issue, we examined how the social context modulated visual imprinting in domestic chicks.

A new Anurida species of the hammerae-group from the Russian Far East (Collembola, Neanuridae).

A new species of the genus Anurida is described and illustrated based on material from the Khabarovsk Territory, Russia: A. hirsuta sp. nov.

Dry-Heat Tolerance of Egg Sacs of Invasive Latrodectus Spiders (Araneae: Theridiidae) in Japan: Implications for Efficient Control/Extermination.

Strategic responses to invasive Latrodectus widow spiders are a global challenge due to the risks they pose to health and ecosystems. Chemical strategies involving the use of pyrethroids are effective against adult spiders, but as their populations rebound, chemical control becomes costly and unsustainable for eradication. A major obstacle is the inefficacy of insecticides against eggs, which are covered by a protective silk egg sac.

A review of Pseudachorutes Tullberg, 1871 (Collembola, Neanuridae) from the East Asia, with description of six new species.

A review of the Pseudachorutes fauna of the East Asia was performed, mainly based on fresh material from forest ecosystems of the Russian Far East and some adjoining regions. Six new species of the genus, namely P. aleksandrae sp.

Persistence of positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test result for 24 days in a hospitalized asymptomatic carrier.

Background: Several countries have imposed a mandatory 14-day period of quarantine on individuals arriving from countries considered high-risk for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. However, it is not clear how long asymptomatic patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 can be an asymptomatic carrier.

Case Presentation: We experienced a case of an asymptomatic female patient infected with SARS-CoV-2 with abnormal chest computed tomography findings.

Medical Transport for 769 COVID-19 Patients on a Cruise Ship by Japan Disaster Medical Assistance Team.

The Diamond Princess cruise ship, carrying 3711 passengers and crew members, docked at Yokohama Port in Japan on February 3, 2020. A quarantine was immediately instituted because 1 passenger who had disembarked in Hong Kong was confirmed to have tested positive for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). After the quarantine began, all passengers and crew were tested using the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction assay on the ship, 696 of whom tested positive.

Model construction for estimating potential vulnerability of Japanese soils to cadmium pollution based on intact soil properties.

Prediction of heavy metal bioavailability in intact soil is important to manage soil pollution risks. We developed a regression model for representative Japanese soils to judge their potential vulnerability to cadmium (Cd) pollution. We added four rates of Cd to 17 sample soils to mimic artificial contamination.

Characteristic expressions of the natriuretic peptide family in the telencephalon of juvenile chick.

Elucidation of the genes regulating the critical (sensitive) period of imprinting behavior may shed light on the mechanism underlying neural plasticity in early childhood learning. We focused on the family of natriuretic peptides (NPs) as candidates involved in the regulation of the critical period. In avians, several structurally related molecules comprised the NP family, including renal NP (RNP), B-type NP (BNP) and C-type NP (CNP1, CNP3 and CNPP).

Two new littoral species of the genus Anurida Laboulbène, 1865 (Collembola, Neanuridae) from the Pacific coast of Asia.

Two new littoral species of the genus Anurida, viz. A. kyshyensis sp.

Hitomi X-ray studies of Giant Radio Pulses from the Crab pulsar.

To search for giant X-ray pulses correlated with the giant radio pulses (GRPs) from the Crab pulsar, we performed a simultaneous observation of the Crab pulsar with the X-ray satellite Hitomi in the 2 - 300 keV band and the Kashima NICT radio observatory in the 1.4 - 1.7 GHz band with a net exposure of about 2 ks on 25 March 2016, just before the loss of the Hitomi mission.

Primary cerebellar lymphoma with Hodgkin lymphoma-like morphology in a cat.

A 4-y-old cat exhibited neurologic signs such as wobbling, right head tilt, and intention tremor, and MRI revealed a mass in the cerebellum. The cat died 5 mo after initial presentation, and no neoplastic lesions, other than the cerebellar mass, were observed at autopsy. Histologically, large atypical cells resembling Hodgkin cells, with single large inclusion-like nucleoli, and those resembling Reed-Sternberg cells, with symmetrically arranged nuclei, had infiltrated the left side of the cerebellum and were admixed with small lymphocytes.

Regulation of visual Wulst cell responsiveness by imprinting causes stimulus-specific activation of rostral cells.

Imprinting behaviour in chicks can be induced exclusively during a short period after hatching. During this period, visual information on the imprinting stimulus is conveyed to the visual Wulst (VW) in the telencephalon, which corresponds to the visual cortex of mammals, and then to the memory-storing region known as the intermediate medial mesopallium. These two regions are indispensable for imprinting.

Lachrymal Gland Basal Cell Adenocarcinoma in a Ferret (Mustela putorius furo).

A 1 cm diameter mass was detected in the caudal superotemporal area of the left eye of a 6-year-old neutered male ferret (Mustela putorius furo). The mass and the left eye were removed surgically. Microscopical examination revealed a tumour of the adnexal gland of the eye that had invaded the surrounding ocular muscle.

A novel spontaneous mutation of BCAR3 results in extrusion cataracts in CF#1 mouse strain.

A substrain of mice originating from the CF#1 strain (an outbred colony) reared at Osaka Prefecture University (CF#1/lr mice) develops cataracts beginning at 4 weeks of age. Affected mice were fully viable and fertile and developed cataracts by 14 weeks of age. Histologically, CF#1/lr mice showed vacuolation of the lens cortex, swollen lens fibers, lens rupture and nuclear extrusion.

Radiocesium immobilization to leaf litter by fungi during first-year decomposition in a deciduous forest in Fukushima.

Vast forest areas in eastern Japan have been contaminated with radio-isotopes by the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident. Radiocesium (radioCs) is known to remain bioavailable in forest ecosystems for a long time, and it is necessary to terminate the cycling process to decontaminate the forest ecosystem. We observed radiocesium concentrations of leaf litter during decomposition on a forest floor where radiocesium ((137)Cs) contamination was ∼155 kBq/m(2).

Quantitative mass spectrometric analysis of dipeptides in protein hydrolysate by a TNBS derivatization-aided standard addition method.

The aim of this study was to establish, through a standard addition method, a convenient quantification assay for dipeptides (GY, YG, SY, YS, and IY) in soybean hydrolysate using 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonate (TNBS) derivatization-aided LC-TOF-MS. Soybean hydrolysate samples (25.0 mg mL(-1)) spiked with target standards were subjected to TNBS derivatization.

Positive feedback of NR2B-containing NMDA receptor activity is the initial step toward visual imprinting: a model for juvenile learning.

Imprinting in chicks is a good model for elucidating the processes underlying neural plasticity changes during juvenile learning. We recently reported that neural activation of a telencephalic region, the core region of the hyperpallium densocellulare (HDCo), was critical for success of visual imprinting, and that N-Methyl-D-aspartic (NMDA) receptors containing the NR2B subunit (NR2B/NR1) in this region were essential for imprinting. Using electrophysiological and multiple-site optical imaging techniques with acute brain slices, we found that long-term potentiation (LTP) and enhancement of NR2B/NR1 currents in HDCo neurons were induced in imprinted chicks.