Publications by authors named "Shioi A"

A geometrically symmetric gear with asymmetric surface wettability exhibits one-way spin on a vibrating water bed. On the side face of the gear, a parafilm was coated to create asymmetry in the surface energy. The gear shows fluctuations in both directions within a shorter timescale; however, for a longer timescale, the gear exhibits a one-way spin.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We report the spontaneous formation of a characteristic periodic pattern through the phase separation of a tripolymer solution comprising polyethylene-glycol (PEG)/dextran (DEX)/gelatin. When this tripolymer solution is introduced into a glass capillary with a PEG-coated inner surface, we observe the time-dependent growth of microphase separation. Remarkably, a self-organized, periodic alignment of DEX- and gelatin-rich microdroplets ensues, surrounded by a PEG-rich phase.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Under non-equilibrium conditions, liquid droplets can dynamically interact with their environment, creating systems that exhibit self-organizing functions similar to living organisms.
  • The study highlights the importance of pairing and eruptive behaviors in cells for collective activity and function maintenance, but these have been difficult to replicate in artificial systems.
  • The researchers developed a droplet system using hydrophobic oils on water, which can autonomously form moving structures and display cyclic behaviors, mimicking complex cellular dynamics through the interaction of their interfacial properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this study, a one-step method is discussed for producing uniform cell-sized microgels using glass capillaries filled with a binary polymer blend of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and gelatin. Upon decreasing temperature, phase separation of the PEG/gelatin blends and gelation of gelatin occur, and then the polymer blend forms linearly aligned, uniformly sized gelatin microgels in the glass capillary. When DNA is added to the polymer solution, gelatin microgels entrapping DNA are spontaneously formed, and the DNA prevents the coalescence of the microdroplets even at temperatures above the melting point.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A ratchet gear on a vibrating water bed exhibits a one-way spin. However, the spinning direction is opposite to that of the gear placed on the granular bed. The one-way spin is caused by the surface waves of water.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on developing advanced smart hydrogels using novel 4-arm peptide-PEG hybrid polymers for various applications in industry, cosmetics, and biomedicine.
  • These polymers exhibit great cytocompatibility and undergo distinct structural changes in response to pH, transitioning between β-sheet and random coil configurations.
  • Their properties allow them to form transparent hydrogels that can self-heal and respond swiftly to pH changes, making them suitable for applications like controlled drug release.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The motion of the contact line at the oil/water interface caused by chemical reactions is well known as a typical example of artificial active matter in the field of nonlinear science. When water (containing trimethylstearylammonium chloride) and nitrobenzene (containing iodide anion) phases are in contact, the regulated traveling-wave patterns appear along the inner wall of the glass container. In this study, we demonstrate a new dynamical mode of the contact line, an up-and-down motion, which becomes dominant with the decrease in the size of a glass tube, and the probability of occurrence is extremely high when the diameter of the glass tube is below 1 mm.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The horizontal spin of a ratchet motor by vertical vibration is reported. A macroscopic ratchet gear is placed on a granular bed, where nearly half of the gear is penetrated in the bed. The gear and granular bed are mechanically vibrated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: We investigated the association of visceral adiposity with glycated albumin (GA) as well as GA/hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in type 2 diabetes.

Methods: One hundred twenty-three patients (68 males, 55 females) with type 2 diabetes were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Visceral fat area (VFA) was determined using an abdominal dual bioelectrical impedance analysis (dual BIA) instrument.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aims: Albuminuria and reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) are manifestations of diabetic kidney disease and are both shown to be associated with cardiovascular outcomes. However, the differential association of albuminuria and reduced GFR with endothelial dysfunction, an early feature of atherosclerotic vascular damage, remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the association between albuminuria or estimated GFR (eGFR) and flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), a marker of endothelial function, in patients with type 2 diabetes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: Both oxidative stress and inflammation are involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease (CVD). The serum level of derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) is a measure of the total amount of hydroperoxides serving as a marker of oxidative stress. We investigated whether d-ROMs could predict the clinical outcomes in hemodialysis patients and whether the associations of d-ROMs with the outcomes are independent of a marker of inflammation, C-reactive protein (CRP).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that is indispensable for the activation of vitamin K-dependent proteins (VKDPs) and may be implicated in cardiovascular disease (CVD). Vascular calcification is intimately associated with CV events and mortality and is a chronic inflammatory process in which activated macrophages promote osteoblastic differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) through the production of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and oncostatin M (OSM) in both intimal and medial layers of arterial walls. This process may be mainly mediated through NF-κB signaling pathway.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Vascular calcification is a typical feature of atherosclerosis and is associated with adverse cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction and stroke. Several studies have suggested that adenosine, an ATP metabolite may function as an endogenous regulator of arterial calcification. However, its effects on vascular smooth muscle cell calcification have not been clarified.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: Inter-arm blood pressure difference (IAD) is known to be associated with a composite of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and with CVD risk factors. However, only limited information is available regarding the contribution of diabetes mellitus to IAD and the association of IAD with individual CVDs, such as coronary artery disease (CAD), stroke, and peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Methods: We addressed these issues in this cross-sectional study of 2580 participants who had simultaneous blood pressure measurements in both arms using an automated device.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Omentin and adiponectin are among the anti-inflammatory and anti-atherogenic adipokines that have potentially beneficial effects on cardiovascular disorders. Recent studies indicate a paradoxical relationship between adiponectin and cardiovascular mortality across many clinical settings including type 2 diabetes. In this study, we characterized the clinical features of type 2 diabetes patients with increased adiponectin levels and examined the association between omentin and atherosclerosis in those patients.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Herein, the oscillation of an oil droplet on the surface of water is studied. The droplet contains an anionic surfactant that can react with the cations present in water. The oscillation starts after a random motion, and the oscillation pattern apparently depends on the cation species in the water phase.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • A sustainable droplet motion was achieved using a method based on pH oscillation in a batch reactor.
  • The pH oscillation involves a single pulse but results in continuous movement around the droplet due to its influence on diffusion.
  • Different spontaneous motion types can be produced through the combination of single-pulse oscillation and mass transport dynamics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Oncostatin M (OSM) is a cytokine of the interleukin-6 family and plays a role in various disorders such as cancer and inflammatory diseases, which are often accompanied by skeletal muscle atrophy, or sarcopenia. However, the role of OSM in the regulation of skeletal muscle mass remains to be identified. In this study, we investigated the effect of OSM on C2C12 myotube formation in vitro.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

A centimeter-sized flat-headed push pin with photothermal properties can be moved on a water surface by a simple near-infrared laser. Using light as an external stimulus allows for the remote control of the timing, direction and velocity of its locomotion. It has been clarified that the vertical orientation of the pin at the air-water interface affects the friction of locomotion, and therefore velocity and acceleration.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study explores the relationship between omentin, an adipokine linked to cardiovascular health, and vascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) compared to non-diabetics.
  • It involved 425 T2D patients and 223 non-diabetic controls, measuring omentin levels and endothelial function through specific tests.
  • Findings reveal higher omentin levels but lower endothelial function in T2D patients, with a notable positive correlation in older or higher-risk T2D subgroups, suggesting omentin may help protect against endothelial dysfunction in these individuals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The direct current (DC) motor is a rotary device that converts DC electrical energy into mechanical energy. However, it is known that, in downsizing the currently available macromotor, rotary motion of DC micromotors cannot work well due to the larger viscous effect. Here, we report simple DC micromotors working under a new principle.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Decreased plasma n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels or the n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratios are associated with a risk of cardiovascular events. In this cross-sectional study, we measured plasma levels of eicosapentaenoic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, and arachidonic acid and investigated the association between the plasma polyunsaturated fatty acid profile and vascular endothelial function in 396 patients with type 2 diabetes. Endothelium-dependent, flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery was measured using ultrasonography.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aim: To investigate the association between monocyte CD163 and insulin resistance in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: One hundred sixty-six patients with type 2 diabetes without inflammatory or chronic kidney disease were recruited. The monocyte CD163 levels were measured by flow cytometry and soluble CD163 (sCD163) by ELISA.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Plaque calcification develops by the inflammation-dependent mechanisms involved in progression and regression of atherosclerosis. Macrophages can undergo two distinct polarization states, that is, pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype in progression and anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype in regression. In plaque progression, predominant M1 macrophages promote the initial calcium deposition within the necrotic core of the lesions, called as microcalcification, through not only vesicle-mediated mineralization as the result of apoptosis of macrophages and vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), but also VSMC differentiation into early phase osteoblasts.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objective: Alterations in the balance between serum n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) is predictive of cardiovascular events among hemodialysis patients, although little is known about the serum ratio of n-6 arachidonic acid (AA) to n-6 dihomo-γ-linoleic acid (DGLA) in renal failure. We hypothesized that AA/DGLA ratio is altered in hemodialysis patients resulting in poor clinical outcomes.

Methods: This was a single center cohort study in an urban area in Japan with cross-sectional analyses.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF