Cold-induced suspension and resetting of Ca and transcriptional rhythms in the suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons.

Does the circadian clock keep running under such hypothermic states as daily torpor and hibernation? This fundamental question has been a research subject for decades but has remained unsettled. We addressed this subject by monitoring the circadian rhythm of clock gene transcription and intracellular Ca in the neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), master circadian clock, under a cold environment. We discovered that the transcriptional and Ca rhythms are maintained at 22°C-28°C, but suspended at 15°C, accompanied by a large Ca increase.

[Accuracy of Injection Dose of Amyloid PET Agent Using Radiopharmaceutical Activity Suppliers].

Purpose: This study aimed to identify disposable items with low amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) agent radioactivity adsorption for accurate injections using a radiopharmaceutical activity supplier.

Methods: First, we investigated disposable items currently used for amyloid PET agent injection. Next, we measured the residual radioactivity rates of amyloid PET agents on three-way stopcocks, extension tubes, butterfly needles, and indwelling needles to identify disposable items with low radioactivity adsorption.

The NERP-4-SNAT2 axis regulates pancreatic β-cell maintenance and function.

Insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells is regulated by multiple stimuli, including nutrients, hormones, neuronal inputs, and local signalling. Amino acids modulate insulin secretion via amino acid transporters expressed on β cells. The granin protein VGF has dual roles in β cells: regulating secretory granule formation and functioning as a multiple peptide precursor.

The Process of Plaque Rupture: The Role of Vasa Vasorum and Medial Smooth Muscle Contraction Monitored by the Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index.

A warning sign for impending cardiovascular events is not fully established. In the process of plaque rupture, the formation of vulnerable plaque is important, and oxidized cholesterols play an important role in its progression. Furthermore, the significance of vasa vasorum penetrating the medial smooth muscle layer and being rich in atheromatous lesions should be noted.

Cytotoxicity evaluation of phytochemicals from stingless bee (Tetragonula biroi) propolis.

Three prenylated flavonoids (1-3) were isolated from Tetragonula biroi propolis. The structures of the isolated compounds were characterized by NMR, IR, and UV spectroscopic and mass spectrometric analyses. The cytotoxicity activity of the crude extracts, fractions and the isolated compounds were established against four cell lines such as Caco-2, HeLa, MCF-7, and OVK-18.

Nine-Year Trend in the Prevalence of Allergic Diseases and Their Associated Factors in Young Adults.

Introduction: Notably, few studies have evaluated the recent changes in the prevalence of allergic diseases in young adults. Studies examining the risk of allergy in two populations with similar social backgrounds, other than the region in which they live, are rare.

Methods: First-year students from Hokkaido University were enrolled in this study between 2011 and 2019.

Empirical Model of Solvophobic Interactions in Organic Solvents.

An empirical model was developed to predict organic solvophobic effects using N-phenylimide molecular balances functionalized with non-polar alkyl groups. Solution studies and X-ray crystallography confirmed intramolecular alkyl-alkyl interactions in their folded conformers. The structural modularity of the balances allowed systematic variation of alkyl group lengths.

Dominance in self-compatibility between subgenomes of allopolyploid Arabidopsis kamchatica shown by transgenic restoration of self-incompatibility.

The evolutionary transition to self-compatibility facilitates polyploid speciation. In Arabidopsis relatives, the self-incompatibility system is characterized by epigenetic dominance modifiers, among which small RNAs suppress the expression of a recessive SCR/SP11 haplogroup. Although the contribution of dominance to polyploid self-compatibility is speculated, little functional evidence has been reported.

Analysis of the Association Between the Number of Intensivists and the Use of Cardiovascular Agonists: An Ecological Study Using Data From National Databases of Japan.

Background Previous studies have demonstrated a correlation between management by intensivists and a decrease in hospital stay and mortality, yet the underlying reason remains unknown. Using open data from the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan (NDB) and other databses, the present study aimed to explore the relationship between inotrope and vasoconstrictor use and the number of intensivists. Materials and methods Cardiovascular agonists listed in the 2020 NDB for which the total dose was known were included for analysis.

Manipulating the growth environment through co-culture to enhance stress tolerance and viability of probiotic strains in the gastrointestinal tract.

The viability of probiotics in the human gastrointestinal tract is important, as some reports indicate that the health benefits of live bacteria are greater than those of dead ones. Therefore, the higher the viability of the probiotic strain, the better it may be. However, probiotic strains lose their viability due to gastrointestinal stress such as gastric acid and bile.

The oncogenic role of LGR6 overexpression induced by aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signaling in lung cancer.

Background: Molecular abnormalities in the Wnt/β-catenin pathway confer malignant phenotypes in lung cancer. Previously, we identified the association of leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 6 (LGR6) with oncogenic Wnt signaling, and its downregulation upon β-catenin knockdown in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells carrying CTNNB1 mutations. The aim of this study was to explore the mechanisms underlying this association and the accompanying phenotypes.

Contributions of London Dispersion Forces to Solution-Phase Association Processes.

ConspectusDespite their ubiquity and early discovery, London dispersion forces are often overlooked. This is due, in part, to the difficulty in assessing their contributions to molecular and polymeric structure, stability, properties, and reactivities. However, recent advances in modeling have revealed that dispersion interactions play an important role in many important chemical and biological processes.

Applicable predictive factors extracted from peak flow trajectory for the prediction of asthma exacerbation.

Background: Real-time asthma exacerbation prediction and acute asthma attack detection are essential for patients with severe asthma. Peak expiratory flow (PEF) exhibits a potential for use in long-term asthma self-monitoring. However, the method for processing PEF calculations remains to be clarified.

Harnessing 3D-CT Simulation and Planning for Enhanced Precision Surgery: A Review of Applications and Advancements in Lung Cancer Treatment.

The clinical application of three-dimensional computed tomography (3D-CT) technology has rapidly expanded in the last decade and has been applied to lung cancer surgery. Two consecutive reports of large-scale prospective clinical trials from Japan and the United States have brought a paradigm shift in lung cancer surgery and may have led to a rapid increase in sublobar lung resections. Sublobar resection, especially segmentectomy, requires a more precise understanding of the anatomy than lobectomy, and preoperative 3D simulation and intraoperative navigation support it.

Near-Infrared Transillumination for Macroscopic Functional Imaging of Animal Bodies.

The classical transillumination technique has been revitalized through recent advancements in optical technology, enhancing its applicability in the realm of biomedical research. With a new perspective on near-axis scattered light, we have harnessed near-infrared (NIR) light to visualize intricate internal light-absorbing structures within animal bodies. By leveraging the principle of differentiation, we have extended the applicability of the Beer-Lambert law even in cases of scattering-dominant media, such as animal body tissues.

Continuous Unsteady-State De-NO System via Tandem Water-Gas Shift, NH Synthesis, and NH-SCR under Periodic Lean/Rich Conditions.

The development of urea-free and platinum group metal (PGM)-free catalytic systems for automotive emission control is a challenging task. Herein, we report a new de-NO system using cyclic feeds of rich and lean gas mixtures with PGM-free catalysts. Initial catalyst screening tests showed that Cu/CeO with 5 wt % Cu loading was the most suitable for the water-gas shift reaction (WGS, CO + HO → CO + H), followed by the selective NH synthesis by the NO + H reaction.

Vascular tissue reconstruction by monocyte subpopulations on small-diameter acellular grafts via integrin activation.

Although the clinical application of cell-free tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) has been proposed, vascular tissue regeneration mechanisms have not been fully clarified. Here, we report that monocyte subpopulations reconstruct vascular-like tissues through integrin signaling. An Arg-Glu-Asp-Val peptide-modified acellular long-bypass graft was used as the TEVG, and tissue regeneration in the graft was evaluated using a cardiopulmonary pump system and porcine transplantation model.

Assessing knee joint biomechanics and trunk posture according to medial osteoarthritis severity.

During progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA), gait biomechanics changes three-dimensionally; however, its characteristics and trunk posture according to OA severity remain unknown. The present study investigated three-dimensional knee joint biomechanics and trunk posture according to knee OA severity. Overall, 75 patients (93 knees) with medial knee OA [Kellgren-Lawrence grade ≥ 2, grade 2: 20 patients with 24 knees (mean 60.

Anatomical external auricular muscle transposition with mini flap transfer for mild cryptotia: A case report.

Cryptotia is a congenital ear deformity characterized by the upper helix buried under the skin of the temporal region. Recurrence and inadequate correction of ear position are major complications following auricle reconstruction. Abnormalities of the auricular muscles are closely associated with cryptotia and considered to be the main cause.