Nestin Regulates Müller Glia Proliferation After Retinal Injury.

Purpose: The proliferative and neurogenic potential of retinal Müller glia after injury varies widely across species. To identify the endogenous mechanisms regulating the proliferative response of mammalian Müller glia, we comparatively analyzed the expression and function of nestin, an intermediate filament protein established as a neural stem cell marker, in the mouse and rat retinas after injury.

Methods: Nestin expression in the retinas of C57BL/6 mice and Wistar rats after methyl methanesulfonate (MMS)-induced photoreceptor injury was examined by immunofluorescence and Western blotting.

Butyrylcholinesterase level as an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in patients on maintenance hemodialysis: a single-center retrospective study.

Background: We investigated whether butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) was independently related to the overall survival (OS) of patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).

Methods: Baseline information, serum BChE level, and other laboratory data were collected from 295 patients on MHD in a single HD hospital in 2018. We retrospectively investigated the mortality of these patients after 38 months.

Pre-dialysis serum creatinine as an independent predictor of responsiveness to zinc supplementation among patients on hemodialysis.

Background: To investigate whether pre-dialysis level of serum creatinine (SCre) could indicate the responsiveness to zinc supplementation of patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the results of our previous randomized study of 91 patients who had been on MHD and received zinc supplementation with either zinc acetate hydrate (ZAH; zinc, 50 mg/day) or polaprezinc (PPZ; zinc, 34 mg/day). A late response to zinc supplementation was defined as a serum zinc level of < 80 μg/dL three months after the study began.

Phosphatidylserine recognition and Rac1 activation are required for Müller glia proliferation, gliosis and phagocytosis after retinal injury.

Müller glia, the principal glial cell type in the retina, have the potential to reenter the cell cycle after retinal injury. In mammals, proliferation of Müller glia is followed by gliosis, but not regeneration of neurons. Retinal injury is also accompanied by phagocytic removal of degenerated cells.

Comparison of zinc acetate hydrate and polaprezinc for zinc deficiency in patients on maintenance hemodialysis: A single-center, open-label, prospective randomized study.

The efficacy and safety of zinc acetate hydrate (ZAH) for zinc supplementation in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) remains unknown. In this prospective, single-center, open-label, parallel-group trial for MHD patients with serum zinc level <70 μg/dL, we compared ZAH (zinc; 50 mg/day) and polaprezinc (PPZ; zinc; 34 mg/day) beyond 6-month administration in a 1:1 randomization manner. The ZAH and PPZ groups had 44 and 47 patients, respectively.

Role of kin recognition in oviposition preference and cannibalism by the predatory mite Gynaeseius liturivorus.

Animals often select oviposition sites to minimize the predation risk for eggs and juveniles, which are more vulnerable to predation than adults. When females produce eggs in clusters, the eggs and juveniles are likely to suffer from cannibalism. Although cannibalism among siblings is known to be lower than among non-siblings, there have been few investigations into the possibility that females select oviposition sites that reduce the risk of cannibalism for the offspring.

Carboxymethylation of CRMP2 is associated with decreased Schwann cell myelination efficiency.

Pyridoxal, an active form of vitamin B6, is known to inhibit formation of advanced glycation end-products and protect tissues from diabetic complications. Here we identified that pyridoxal is a required component for establishing Schwann cell myelination in our Schwann cell-dorsal root ganglion neuron co-culture system. When the co-culture was maintained without pyridoxal, carboxymethylation of collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2) became detectable.

Low serum butyrylcholinesterase is independently related to low fetuin-A in patients on hemodialysis: a cross-sectional study.

Purpose: Fetuin-A, which plays a protective role against the atherosclerosis and progression of vascular calcification, is decreased in patients on hemodialysis (HD). Fetuin-A and serum butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) levels decrease during malnutrition. We explored whether BChE was independently related to fetuin-A in patients on HD.

Proton pump inhibitor as an independent factor of progression of abdominal aortic calcification in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

Backgrounds: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) can be associated with vascular calcification in patients undergoing dialysis through hypomagnesemia. However, only few studies have demonstrated the influence of PPIs on vascular calcification in patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD). This study aimed to investigate whether the use of PPIs accelerates vascular calcification in patients on HD.

Butyrylcholinesterase level as an independent factor of erythropoiesis-stimulating agent resistance in patients on maintenance hemodialysis: a single-center cross-sectional study.

Background: Erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) responsiveness is related to the nutritional status of patients on hemodialysis (HD). Serum butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), an alpha-glycoprotein, may decrease in case of malnutrition. We investigated whether BChE was independently related to ESA resistance in patients on HD.

The relationship between poor nutritional status and progression of aortic calcification in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

Background: Although aortic calcification has a significant negative impact on prognosis in patients on hemodialysis (HD), risk factors for aortic calcification progression remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between malnutrition and aortic calcification progression in patients on HD.

Methods: Between April 2015 and October 2016, we treated 232 patients on HD.

Cell type-specific effects of p27 loss on retinal development.

Background: Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors play an important role in regulating cell cycle progression, cell cycle exit and cell differentiation. p27 (p27), one of the major CDK inhibitors in the retina, has been shown to control the timing of cell cycle exit of retinal progenitors. However, the precise role of this protein in retinal development remains largely unexplored.

A Simple Algorithm for Predicting Bacteremia Using Food Consumption and Shaking Chills: A Prospective Observational Study.

Background: Predicting the presence of true bacteremia based on clinical examination is unreliable.

Objective: We aimed to construct a simple algorithm for predicting true bacteremia by using food consumption and shaking chills.

Design: A prospective multicenter observational study.

Perioperative management of hepatectomy in patients with interstitial pneumonia: a report of three cases and a literature review.

Purpose: Interstitial pneumonia (IP) is a progressive and irreversible fibrosis and can be fatal if acute exacerbation (AE) occurs. While a useful risk-scoring system has been established for lung surgery, no risk evaluation exists for AE of IP related to non-pulmonary surgery. The objective of this review is to describe the management for patients with IP.

Glutamate signals through mGluR2 to control Schwann cell differentiation and proliferation.

Rapid saltatory nerve conduction is facilitated by myelin structure, which is produced by Schwann cells (SC) in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Proper development and degeneration/regeneration after injury requires regulated phenotypic changes of SC. We have previously shown that glutamate can induce SC proliferation in culture.

DNA Damage Response in Proliferating Müller Glia in the Mammalian Retina.

Purpose: Müller glia, the principal glial cell type in the retina, have the potential to proliferate and regenerate neurons after retinal damage. However, unlike the situation in fish and birds, this capacity of Müller glia is extremely limited in mammals. To gain new insights into the mechanisms that hamper retinal regeneration in mammals, we examined the cell cycle progression and DNA damage response in Müller glia after retinal damage.

Excretion of N(1), N(12)-diacetylspermine in the urine of healthy individuals.

Background: Urinary N(1),N(12)-diacetylspermine (DiAcSpm) is a novel tumour marker that can be used to detect early cancers. In this study, we examined whether spot urine samples could represent the daily excretion of DiAcSpm after creatinine normalization and which factors should be taken into account in determining reference values for this biomarker.

Methods: We collected the following urine samples: (1) samples from seven healthy volunteers collected on each day of two 2-day sessions to examine the circadian variation of DiAcSpm excretion; (2) samples from 3952 male and 1782 female volunteers to estimate the DiAcSpm concentrations in apparently healthy adults and (3) samples from 16 female volunteers collected every morning over a 3-month period to examine the menstruation-related variation in DiAcSpm excretion.

ZNRF1 promotes Wallerian degeneration by degrading AKT to induce GSK3B-dependent CRMP2 phosphorylation.

Wallerian degeneration is observed in many neurological disorders, and it is therefore important to elucidate the axonal degeneration mechanism to prevent, and further develop treatment for, such diseases. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has been implicated in Wallerian degeneration, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. Here we show that ZNRF1, an E3 ligase, promotes Wallerian degeneration by targeting AKT to degrade through the UPS.

Correlation of neutrophil and monocyte derived interleukin-1 receptor antagonist and interleukin-8 with colitis severity in the rabbit.

Activated neutrophils and monocytes produce interleukin (IL)-8, a pro-inflammatory chemokine, but also IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra), which is an anti-inflammatory cytokine. We were interested to see the profiles of IL-8 and IL-1ra in the colonic tissue and in the peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) during the development of immune complex induced colitis in rabbits. IL-1ra and IL-8 in PBL were measured in 26 rabbits at time 0 h, 24 h, and 48 h after induction of colitis.

A design method of a fiber-based mode multi/demultiplexer for mode-division multiplexing.

In the mode-division multiplexing (MDM) optical transmission system, a mode multi/demultiplexer is an important key device for excitation, multiplication, and separation of light signals which have distinct modes. In this report, we propose a fiber-type mode multi/demultiplexer based on selective phase matching between different cores/modes. Design method and device characteristics of 1x4 mode multi/demultiplexer are investigated through finite element analysis.

Proteasomal degradation of glutamine synthetase regulates schwann cell differentiation.

Rapid saltatory nerve conduction is facilitated by myelin structure, which is composed of Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system. Schwann cells drastically change their phenotype following peripheral nerve injury. These phenotypic changes are required for efficient degeneration/regeneration.

CpG oligonucleotides activate the immune response in burned mice.

Background: Immunosuppression after burn injury increases the risk of sepsis and multiple organ failure. We examined changes of immune function in mice after burn injury and investigated the immunostimulatory effect of oligodeoxynucleotides containing CpG motifs.

Materials And Methods: Male BALB/c mice (8-10 wk old) received a full-thickness burn to 20% of their body surface area, after which the immunological parameters of splenic macrophages were evaluated.

Thoracoscopic removal of a papillary fibroelastoma in the left ventricular apex.

Primary cardiac tumors located deep in the left ventricle present a surgical challenge. A mobile tumor located in the left ventricular apex was incidentally discovered on echocardiography in an 81-year-old female. The tumor was removed using a combined sternotomy and chest-port approach assisted by thoracoscopy.

Synthesis and evaluation of 1-arylsulfonyl-3-piperazinone derivatives as factor Xa inhibitors(1-6) VI. A series of new derivatives containing N,S- and N,SO2-spiro acetal scaffolds.

In the course of development of factor Xa (FXa) inhibitors, we have found unique compounds containing an N,O- and an N,N-spiro acetal structure. It appeared that the difference in overall conformation due to the N,X-spiro acetal structure might be important for FXa inhibitory activity. Therefore, other N,X-spiro acetal structures, an N,S- and an N,SO2-spiro acetal, were developed as analogues of the N,X-spiro acetal structure.

Synthesis and evaluation of 1-arylsulfonyl-3-piperazinone derivatives as factor Xa inhibitors V. A series of new derivatives containing a spiro[imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazine-2(3H),4'-piperidin]-5(1H)-one scaffold.

We have already reported unique compounds containing a N,O-spiro acetal structure as an orally active factor Xa (FXa) inhibitor. This time, we described a N,N-spiro acetal structure as an analogue of the N,O-spiro acetal structure for an orally active FXa inhibitor. The synthesis of these analogues could be achieved in a similar fashion to the N,O-spiro acetal synthesis.