Preventive Effects of Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in First-Year University Students at Risk for Depression: A Non-Randomized Controlled Trial.

High scores on Harm Avoidance (HA) on Cloniger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) have been identified as a risk factor for depression. Group cognitive-behavioral therapy (GCBT) has been found effective in preventing depression and improving depressive symptoms among university students. However, no randomized controlled trials of GCBT have been conducted with university students with high HA.

Modular head-mounted cortical imaging device for chronic monitoring of intrinsic signals in mice.

Significance: Intrinsic optical signals (IOS) generated in the cortical tissue as a result of various interacting metabolic processes are used extensively to elucidate the underlying mechanisms that govern neurovascular coupling. However, current IOS measurements still often rely on bulky, tabletop imaging systems, and there remains a dearth of studies in freely moving subjects. Lightweight, miniature head-mounted imaging devices provide unique opportunities for investigating cortical dynamics in small animals under a variety of naturalistic behavioral settings.

Diversity of Chemical Structures and Biosynthesis of Polyphenols in Nut-Bearing Species.

Nuts, such as peanut, almond, and chestnut, are valuable food crops for humans being important sources of fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols. Polyphenols, such as flavonoids, stilbenoids, and hydroxycinnamates, represent a group of plant-specialized (secondary) metabolites which are characterized as health-beneficial antioxidants within the human diet as well as physiological stress protectants within the plant. In food chemistry research, a multitude of polyphenols contained in culinary nuts have been studied leading to the identification of their chemical properties and bioactivities.

Augmentation of and Suppression of Expression in the Pituitary Gland of Female Annexin A5 Null Mouse.

GnRH enhances the expression of annexin A5 (ANXA5) in pituitary gonadotropes, and ANXA5 enhances gonadotropin secretion. However, the impact of ANXA5 regulation on the expression of pituitary hormone genes remains unclear. Here, using quantitative PCR, we demonstrated that ANXA5 deficiency in female mice reduced the expression of and in their pituitary glands.

Cytotoxic property of Streptococcus mitis strain producing two different types of cholesterol-dependent cytolysins.

Streptococcus mitis strain Nm-65 secretes an atypical 5-domain-type cholesterol-dependent cytolysin (CDC) called S. mitis-derived human platelet aggregation factor (Sm-hPAF) originally described as a platelet aggregation factor. Sm-hPAF belongs to Group III CDC that recognize both membrane cholesterol and human CD59 as the receptors, and shows preferential activity towards human cells.

Cross-Species Comparison of Fruit-Metabolomics to Elucidate Metabolic Regulation of Fruit Polyphenolics Among Solanaceous Crops.

Many solanaceous crops are an important part of the human daily diet. Fruit polyphenolics are plant specialized metabolites that are recognized for their human health benefits and their defensive role against plant abiotic and biotic stressors. Flavonoids and chlorogenates are the major polyphenolic compounds found in solanaceous fruits that vary in quantity, physiological function, and structural diversity among and within plant species.

Diversity of anthocyanin and proanthocyanin biosynthesis in land plants.

Anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins are among the most numerous and widely distributed pigments in land plants. Given that these pigments are the valuable compounds, as stress protectants and health-promoting components because of their potent antioxidant activity, several metabolic engineering approaches focusing on these compounds have been attempted. Currently, the difference in biological functions between flavonoid decorations is focused, because some aglycone decorations were found to be key factors rendering physiological functions against environmental stresses.

Characteristic features of the insertions of the distal tibiofibular ligaments on three-dimensional computed tomography- cadaveric study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to clarify the insertion sites of the anterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (AITFL) and posterior inferior tibiofibular ligament (PITFL) and related osseous landmarks on three-dimensional computed tomography images.

Methods: Twenty-nine non-paired, formalin-fixed human cadaveric ankles were evaluated. The tibial and fibular insertion sites of the AITFL and PITFL were identified.

Morphology of the patellar tendon and its insertion sites using three-dimensional computed tomography: A cadaveric study.

Background: To clarify, with three-dimensional (3D) images, the morphological properties of the patellar tendon and both of its insertion sites.

Methods: Thirty-two human cadaveric left knees were evaluated, and 3D computed tomography images were created. These images were used to analyse the morphology of both insertion sites of the patellar tendon, and the width, length and thickness of each region of the patellar tendon.

Effect of attention bias modification on event-related potentials in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: A preliminary brain function and psycho-behavioral study.

Background: Attention bias modification normalizes electroencephalographic abnormalities in alpha and beta power percentages related to attention in patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Yet, it is unknown whether ABM contributes to the normalization of event-related potentials (ERP) in these patients. We hypothesized that ERP related to attention deficit would be normalized after ABM implementation in individuals with IBS.

Psychological effects of Helicobacter pylori-associated atrophic gastritis in patients under 50 years: A cross-sectional study.

Background: While gastrointestinal function is known to be closely related to psychological status, the influence of Helicobacter pylori-associated atrophic gastritis is currently unknown. We aimed to determine whether atrophic gastritis status or H. pylori infection is associated with psychological distress or depressed mood.

Effect of attention bias modification on brain function and anxiety in patients with irritable bowel syndrome: A preliminary electroencephalogram and psycho-behavioral study.

Background: Gastrointestinal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) show a reciprocal relationship with anxiety. In this intervention-based study, we investigated the utility of attention bias modification (ABM) therapy in patients with IBS. We hypothesized that IBS-related electroencephalographic abnormalities would be normalized after ABM therapy.

Impact of Helicobacter pylori Immunoglobulin G Levels and Atrophic Gastritis Status on Risk of Metabolic Syndrome.

Background: Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is implicated in gastric and extra-gastric diseases. While gastritis-related chronic inflammation represents a known trigger of metabolic disturbances, whether metabolic syndrome (MetS) is affected by gastritis status remains unclear. We aimed to clarify the effect of HP-related gastritis on the risk of MetS.

Intra-abdominal fat accumulation is a hypertension risk factor in young adulthood: A cross-sectional study.

Accumulation of intra-abdominal fat is related to hypertension. Despite this, a relationship between hypertension and intra-abdominal fat in young adulthood is not clear. In this study, we verify whether intra-abdominal fat accumulation increases a hypertension risk in young adult subjects.

Morphology of the Insertions of the Superficial Medial Collateral Ligament and Posterior Oblique Ligament Using 3-Dimensional Computed Tomography: A Cadaveric Study.

Purpose: To describe the insertions of the superficial medial collateral ligament (sMCL) and posterior oblique ligament (POL) and their related osseous landmarks.

Methods: Insertions of the sMCL and POL were identified and marked in 22 unpaired human cadaveric knees. The surface area, location, positional relations, and morphology of the sMCL and POL insertions and related osseous structures were analyzed on 3-dimensional images.

Morphology of the fibular insertion of the posterolateral corner and biceps femoris tendon.

Purpose: To clarify the fibular head insertion of the fibular collateral ligament (FCL), popliteofibular ligament (PFL), and biceps femoris tendon and related osseous landmarks on three-dimensional (3-D) images.

Methods: Twenty-one non-paired, formalin-fixed human cadaveric knees were evaluated in this study. The fibular head insertions of the FCL, PFL and biceps femoris tendon were identified and marked.

Validation of the Japanese Version of the Body Vigilance Scale.

The Body Vigilance Scale is a self-report measure of attention to bodily sensations. The measure was translated into Japanese and its reliability, validity, and factor structure were verified. Participants comprised 286 university students (age: 19 ± 1 years).

Maladjustment to Academic Life and Employment Anxiety in University Students with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

The present study tested our hypothesis that university students with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may experience less satisfactory academic lives than those of students without IBS. We also verified the hypothesis that university students with IBS might have higher employment anxiety than students without IBS might. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,686 university students.

Gastrointestinal specific anxiety in irritable bowel syndrome: validation of the Japanese version of the visceral sensitivity index for university students.

Objective: The visceral sensitivity index (VSI) is a useful self-report measure of the gastrointestinal symptom-specific anxiety (GSA) of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Previous research has shown that worsening GSA in IBS patients is related to the severity of GI symptoms, suggesting that GSA is an important endpoint for intervention. However, there is currently no Japanese version of the VSI.

Effects of personality traits on the manifestations of irritable bowel syndrome.

Objective: Previous studies have reported that patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) show high neuroticism. However, the precise association between the IBS subtypes and the degree of neuroticism in younger populations is largely unknown. We tested our hypothesis that subjects with diarrhea-predominant IBS may have a higher degree of neuroticism than subjects without IBS or those with other subtypes of IBS.

Leucine-rich repeat kinase LRRK1 regulates endosomal trafficking of the EGF receptor.

Activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) not only initiates multiple signal-transduction pathways, including the MAP kinase (MAPK) pathway, but also triggers trafficking events that relocalize receptors from the cell surface to intracellular endocytic compartments. In this paper, we demonstrate that leucine-rich repeat kinase LRRK1, which contains a MAPKKK-like kinase domain, forms a complex with activated EGFR through an interaction with Grb2. Subsequently, LRRK1 and epidermal growth factor (EGF) are internalized and co-localized in early endosomes.

Queen and worker policing in monogynous and monandrous colonies of a primitively eusocial wasp.

Kin-selection theory predicts that a worker prefers to produce her own sons in a colony with monandry and monogyny because relatedness to her sons (0.5) and nephews (0.375) exceeds that to brothers (0.

Queen-worker conflicts over male production and sex allocation in a primitively eusocial wasp.

In a colony headed by a single monandrous foundress, theories predict that conflicts between a queen and her workers over both sex ratio and male production should be intense. If production of males by workers is a function of colony size, this should affect sex ratios, but few studies have examined how queens and workers resolve both conflicts simultaneously. We conducted field and laboratory studies to test whether sex-ratio variation can be explained by conflict over male production between queen and workers in the primitively eusocial wasp Polistes chinensis antennalis.