Application of Original Prostate Cancer Progression Model Interacting with Fibroblasts in Preclinical Research.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a heterogeneous disease that exhibits androgen sensitivity and responsiveness to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). However, ADT induces only temporary remission, and the majority of PCa cases eventually progress to castration-resistant PCa (CRPC). During the development and progression of CRPC, androgen sensitivity and androgen receptor (AR) dependency in PCa cells are often deceased or lost due to ADT or spontaneously arising AR variants even before starting ADT.

The Focal Induction of Reactive Oxygen Species in Rats as a Trigger of Aortic Valve Degeneration.

Background: Degenerative aortic valve disease (DAVD) is a multifactorial process. We developed an animal model to analyze the isolated, local effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on its pathophysiology.

Methods: We utilized a photodynamic reaction (PDR) as a source of ROS in the aortic valve by aiming a laser at the aortic valve for 60 min after the administration of a photosensitizer 24 h prior.

A 4-year-old Boy Positive for Anti-rabphilin-3A Antibody and Diagnosed With Lymphocytic Infundibuloneurohypophysitis.

Lymphocytic infundibuloneurohypophysitis (LINH) is a disease with an etiology involving an autoimmune mechanism, characterized by lymphocytic inflammation of the posterior pituitary and infundibular stalk, resulting in arginine vasopressin deficiency. It is difficult to distinguish from pituitary neoplasm or infiltrative diseases, and biopsy is necessary for a definitive diagnosis, but this is highly invasive. In children, it is especially important to distinguish LINH from tumors such as germ cell tumors.

Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation with Concomitant Replacement of the Ascending Aorta.

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is one of the main causes for end-stage heart failure. Until the transplantation, left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) have become an established treatment. We report a case of a 66-year-old patient with ischemic and DCM and suspected aortic ulcer formation.

Effects of whey-derived lactopeptide β-lactolin on cognitive performance in mild cognitive impairment: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a long-term intervention with β-lactolin, a tetrapeptide (sequence: glycine-threonine-tryptophan-tyrosine) derived from milk, on cognitive performance in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Methods: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted. We recruited 48 participants aged 50 years or older with the Japanese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE-J) score of 24-28 and a Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score of 0.

Arginine: A potential prophylactic supplement for transthyretin amyloidosis.

Transthyretin (TTR) is an amyloidogenic protein associated with TTR amyloidosis (ATTR). Dissociation of TTR tetramers into TTR monomers causes TTR misfolding, resulting in amyloid fibril formation and triggering the onset of ATTR. Low-molecular-weight tetrameric TTR stabilizers are potential therapeutic agents to delay ATTR progression.

Central amygdala-to-pre-Bötzinger complex neurotransmission is direct and inhibitory.

Breathing behaviour is subject to emotional regulation, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate a direct relationship between the central amygdala, a major output hub of the limbic system associated with emotional brain function, and the brainstem pre-Bötzinger complex, which generates the fundamental rhythm and pattern for breathing. The connection between these two sites is monosynaptic and inhibitory, involving GABAergic central amygdala neurons whose axonal projections act predominantly via ionotropic GABA receptors to produce inhibitory postsynaptic currents in pre-Bötzinger neurons.

Phosphate overload via the type III Na-dependent Pi transporter represses aortic wall elastic fiber formation.

Objectives: Phosphate (Pi) induces differentiation of arterial smooth muscle cells to the osteoblastic phenotype by inducing the type III Na-dependent Pi transporter Pit-1/solute carrier family member 1. This induction can contribute to arterial calcification, but precisely how Pi stress acts on the vascular wall remains unclear. We investigated the role of extracellular Pi in inducing microstructural changes in the arterial wall.

A case of central diabetes insipidus after COVID-19 as a probable diagnosis of lymphocytic infundibulo-neurohypophysitis with positive anti-rabphilin-3A antibodies with review of literature.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, and various complications have been reported. Furthermore, there have been increasing reports of endocrinopathy related to COVID-19 following the pandemic. We report a 49-year-old healthy woman who developed rapid onset of polydipsia and polyuria three weeks after COVID-19.

Pioglitazone treatment mitigates cardiovascular bioprosthetic degeneration in a chronic kidney disease model.

Aims: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases, e.g., atherosclerosis and calcific aortic valve disease, leading inevitably to valve replacement surgery.

Impact of rice GENERAL REGULATORY FACTOR14h (GF14h) on low-temperature seed germination and its application to breeding.

Direct seeding is employed to circumvent the labor-intensive process of rice (Oryza sativa) transplantation, but this approach requires varieties with vigorous low-temperature germination (LTG) when sown in cold climates. To investigate the genetic basis of LTG, we identified the quantitative trait locus (QTL) qLTG11 from rice variety Arroz da Terra, which shows rapid seed germination at lower temperatures, using QTL-seq. We delineated the candidate region to a 52-kb interval containing GENERAL REGULATORY FACTOR14h (GF14h) gene, which is expressed during seed germination.

Arginine vasopressin deficiency onset after COVID-19 vaccination with positive anti-rabphilin-3A antibodies: a case report and literature review.

Background: Arginine vasopressin deficiency (AVP-D) can occur due to various conditions, so clarifying its cause is important for deciding treatment strategy. Although several cases of AVP-D following coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19) infection or COVID-19 vaccination have been reported, the diagnosis of the underlying disease has not been reported in most cases.

Case Presentation: A 75-year-old woman who presented with polydipsia and polyuria 9 weeks after contracting COVID-19 and 5 weeks after receiving the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, leading to the final diagnosis of AVP-D 8 months after the first appearance of symptoms.

A Longitudinal Study of CogEvo's Prediction of Cognitive Decline in Older Adults.

The predictive abilities of computer-based screening devices for early cognitive decline (CD) in older adults have rarely been longitudinally examined. Therefore, this study examined the ability of CogEvo, a short-duration, computer-based cognitive screening device requiring little professional involvement, to predict CD among community-dwelling older adults. We determined whether 119 individuals aged ≥ 65 years living in Japanese rural communities who scored ≥ 24 on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) at baseline developed CD by annually administering the MMSE to them.

Effects of hypernatremia on the microglia.

Signs and symptoms of hypernatremia largely indicate central nervous system dysfunction. Acute hypernatremia can cause demyelinating lesions similar to that observed in osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS). We have previously demonstrated that microglia accumulate in ODS lesions and minocycline protects against ODS by inhibiting microglial activation.

In vitro and in vivo evaluation of biohybrid tissue-engineered vascular grafts with transformative H/F MRI traceable scaffolds.

Biohybrid tissue-engineered vascular grafts (TEVGs) promise long-term durability due to their ability to adapt to hosts' needs. However, the latter calls for sensitive non-invasive imaging approaches to longitudinally monitor their functionality, integrity, and positioning. Here, we present an imaging approach comprising the labeling of non-degradable and degradable TEVGs' components for their in vitro and in vivo monitoring by hybrid H/F MRI.

A novel mechanism of idiopathic orthostatic hypotension and hypocatecholaminemia due to autoimmunity against aromatic l-Amino acid decarboxylase.

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a common condition. Many potential etiologies of OH have been identified, but in clinical practice the underlying cause of OH is often unknown. In the present study, we identified a novel and extraordinary etiology of OH.

Novel aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium Jannaschia pagri sp. nov., isolated from seawater around a fish farm.

The genus Jannaschia is one of the representatives of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic (AAP) bacteria, which is a strictly aerobic bacterium, producing a photosynthetic pigment bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) a. However, a part of the genus Jannaschia members have not been confirmed the photosynthetic ability. The partly presence of the ability in the genus Jannaschia could suggest the complexity of evolutionary history for anoxygenic photosynthesis in the genus, which is expected as gene loss and/or horizontal gene transfer.

Association between Gut Microbiota and Muscle Strength in Japanese General Population of the Iwaki Health Promotion Project.

The association between the gut microbiota and muscle strength has garnered attention in the context of mitigating muscle decline. However, many study subjects have been individuals with existing illnesses or the elderly only. This study aims to elucidate the association between the gut microbiota and muscle strength indicators using grip strength/BMI in a large-scale study of community residents.