Intra-individual polymorphisms in the mitochondrial COI gene of tick-killing Ixodiphagus wasps parasitizing Haemaphysalis flava ticks.

Ixodid ticks are significant vectors of pathogens affecting both humans and animals. Biological control with natural enemies represents a sustainable tool for managing ticks. However, there is a substantial lack of knowledge about the natural enemies of ticks.

Persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection resolved after B-cell recovery in a patient with follicular lymphoma treated with B-cell depletion therapy.

A 68-year-old woman with follicular lymphoma was treated with chemotherapy, including the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody obinutuzumab, and achieved remission. A month after the administration of obinutuzumab, the patient contracted coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and various antiviral drugs were administered. However, the infection had not been eliminated.

Impact of acute coronary syndrome on early in-stent neoatherosclerosis as shown by optical coherence tomography.

Background: Patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have a higher risk of requiring target vessel revascularisation after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) than patients with stable angina. Neoatherosclerosis is a significant risk factor for very late stent thrombosis, and the presence of neoatherosclerosis is independently associated with major adverse cardiac events.

Aims: In this study, we used optical coherence tomography (OCT) to investigate the impact of ACS on neoatherosclerosis within 1 year after PCI.

Transmission Cycle of Shimokoshi-Type Orientia tsutsugamushi in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.

To demonstrate the transmission cycle of Shimokoshi-type Orientia tsutsugamushi in Shimane Prefecture, field rodents were captured from areas where four human infections caused by the pathogen have been reported. The rodents were investigated for the transmission cycle of the pathogen based on the pathogen's genome, antibodies against the pathogen, and the vector of the pathogen (Leptotrombidium palpale). In addition, the vector was captured from the soil in the study area.

Rapid detection and discrimination of potentially toxigenic Corynebacterium ulcerans and Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis by multiplex real-time PCR and amplicon melting curve analysis.

We developed a multiplex real-time PCR assay with amplicon melting curve analysis to rapidly discriminate Corynebacterium ulcerans from Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis and detect the bacterial diphtheria toxin gene. This assay should be a valuable tool for identification of potentially toxigenic C. ulcerans.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome complicated with subdural hematoma: A rare case and literature review.

A 79-year-old woman presented with fever and general malaise. Examination revealed hepatic injury, thrombocytopenia, skin lesions, and regional lymphadenopathy; severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) was diagnosed using polymerase chain reaction. The patient developed impaired consciousness that worsened after 4 days.

Pheochromocytoma Multisystem Crisis Behaving Like Interstitial Pneumonia: An Autopsy Case.

Pheochromocytoma multisystem crisis is a rare and life-threatening disease that is associated with numerous symptoms and which is also difficult to diagnose. We herein report an autopsy case of a 61-year-old man who died due to pheochromocytoma multisystem crisis. The patient complained of vomiting and breathlessness.

Stress-Induced Glucocorticoid Release Upregulates Uncoupling Protein-2 Expression and Enhances Resistance to Endotoxin-Induced Lethality.

Objective: Although psychological and/or physiological stress has been well documented to influence immune responses, the precise mechanism for immunomodulation remains to be elucidated. The present work describes the role of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in the mechanism of stress-mediated enhanced-resistance to lethality after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection.

Methods/results: Preconditioning with restraint stress (RS) resulted in enhanced activation of the HPA axis in response to LPS injection and suppressed LPS-induced release of proinflammatory cytokines and nitric oxide metabolites.

Nanomechanical properties and molecular structures of in vitro mineralized tissues on anodically-oxidized titanium surfaces.

Unlabelled: The biomechanical stability of mineralized tissues at the interface between implant surface and bone tissue is of critical importance. Anodically oxidized titanium prepared in a chloride solution results in enhanced mineralization of adherent osteoblasts and has antimicrobial activity against oral microorganisms. We evaluated the nanomechanical properties and molecular structures of the in vitro mineralized tissues developing around anodically oxidized titanium surfaces with and without preparation in chloride solution.

Lysyl oxidase like-2 reinforces unsatisfactory ossification induced by bone morphogenetic protein-2: relating nanomechanical properties and molecular changes.

Unlabelled: Bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) is among the most popular anabolic agents and substantially increase bone volume related to enhanced osteoblast differentiation. Here we demonstrate a remarkable deterioration in the nanomechanical properties of mineralized tissue induced from osteoblasts solely by the function of BMP2. Mineralized tissue of primary osteoblasts cultured with BMP2 shows molecular features of both bone and cartilage, but depletion of lysyl oxidase family members leads to poor nanomechanical properties of the mineralized tissue.

Antioxidant and osteogenic properties of anodically oxidized titanium.

Cells adhering onto implant surfaces are subjected to oxidative stress during wound healing processes. Although titanium and its alloys are among the most frequently used biomaterials in orthopedic and dental implants, titanium surfaces do not have antioxidant properties, and cells grown on these surfaces can show permanent oxidative stress. The present study assessed the antioxidant property and osteogenic properties of titanium samples with or without oxidation treatments.

Micromechanical evaluation of mineralized multilayers.

The biomechanical stability of osseointegrated implants is of particular importance, especially the stability which is achieved from structural manipulation at the interface between the implant surface and the bone tissues. Nanoscale beta-tricalcium phosphate-immobilized titanium was prepared by discharge into a physiological buffered saline solution. Compared with hydroxyapatite, it has been shown to be effective in generating a bone-like chemical structure on the surface by cooperative interaction between osteoblastic cells and the beta-tricalcium phosphate.

Elastic modulus and stress-strain response of human enamel by nano-indentation.

Nano-indentation with a sharp (Berkovich) and two spherical indenters with nominal tip radii of 5 and 20 microm was used to determine the elastic modulus and stress-strain response of human enamel. Indentation tests were made over a wide range of peak loads from 1 to 450 mN in two orthogonal directions, i.e.

Indium(III) chloride-promoted intramolecular addition of allylstannanes to alkynes.

In the presence of an equimolar amount of InCl(3), 8-tributylstannyl-6-octen-1-ynes (allylstannanes bearing an alkynyl group) were efficiently cyclized to 2-allyl-1-methylenecyclopentanes. In contrast, catalytic use of InCl(3) gave 2-allyl-1-(tributylstannylmethylene)cyclopentanes mainly by intramolecular allylstannylation. These cyclizations could proceed via intramolecular addition of an allylindium intermediate.

Regio- and stereoselective homolytic hydrostannylation of propargyl alcohols and ethers with dibutylchlorostannane.

The Et3B-initiated reaction of gamma-unsubstituted propargyl alcohols with dibutylchlorostannane (Bu2SnClH) at low temperature gave (Z)-vinylstannanes with high regio- and stereoselectivity. The corresponding alkyl propargyl ethers also underwent regio- and stereoselective homolytic hydrostannylation with Bu2SnClH; however, the regioselectivity was not so high as that with the propargyl alcohols.