Optimal Chest Drainage Method After Anatomic Lung Resection: A Prospective Observational Study.

Background: Several methods for chest drainage after pulmonary resection of malignant lung tumors exist, but consensus on the ideal method has not been reached.

Methods: We conducted a multicenter prospective observational study. We enrolled 2200 patients who underwent lung resection for lung tumors.

Displacement Sensing of an Active String Actuator Using a Step-Index Multimode Optical Fiber Sensor.

A thin McKibben artificial muscle is a pneumatic actuator with an outer diameter of only 1.8 mm. We fabricated a string-shaped actuator called an "active string actuator," which achieves a high contractile displacement by accumulating thin McKibben artificial muscles.

Development of a one-step analysis method for several amino acids using a microfluidic paper-based analytical device.

A one-step analysis method was developed for four types of amino acids using a microfluidic paper-based analytical device fabricated from chromatography filtration paper and laminate films. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase was used to detect each amino acid. The obtained laminated paper-based analytical device (LPAD) contained four enzymatic reaction areas.

Fermi surface in La-based cuprate superconductors from Compton scattering imaging.

Compton scattering provides invaluable information on the underlying Fermi surface (FS) and is a powerful tool complementary to angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and quantum oscillation measurements. Here we perform high-resolution Compton scattering measurements for LaSrCuO with x = 0.08 (T = 20 K) at 300 K and 150 K, and image the momentum distribution function in the two-dimensional Brillouin zone.

Moesin is involved in microglial activation accompanying morphological changes and reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton.

Moesin is a member of the ezrin, radixin and moesin (ERM) proteins that are involved in the formation and/or maintenance of cortical actin organization through their cross-linking activity between actin filaments and proteins located on the plasma membranes as well as through regulation of small GTPase activities. Microglia, immune cells in the central nervous system, show dynamic reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton in their process elongation and retraction as well as phagocytosis and migration. In microglia, moesin is the predominant ERM protein.

Left upper lobectomy for cancer of the left lung with a rare mediastinal left basal pulmonary artery.

We report a rare case wherein a mediastinal left basal pulmonary artery was detected during surgery. Intraoperative findings revealed mediastinal left lingular and basal segments of the pulmonary artery (A + A) just dorsal to the superior pulmonary vein. The mediastinal left basal pulmonary artery is classified by its branching type, (1) complete type-wherein the entire that all basal pulmonary artery flow lies between the superior pulmonary vein and the left upper bronchus, as in like this case, (2) incomplete type-wherein that a part of the left basal pulmonary artery segment is on the flow mediastinal side.

Effects of mirogabalin, a novel ligand for the α₂δ subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels, on N-type calcium channel currents of rat dorsal root ganglion culture neurons.

Mirogabalin, which is a novel ligand for the α₂δ subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels, is being developed for treating neuropathic pain including diabetic peripheral neuropathy and postherpetic neuralgia. Mirogabalin possesses unique α₂δ subunit binding characteristics and has potent and long-lasting analgesic effects in neuropathic pain models. In the present study, we investigated the effects of mirogabalin on N-type calcium channel currents of the rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) culture neurons using the whole-cell patch clamp technique.

Discovery of DS-6930, a potent selective PPARγ modulator. Part I: Lead identification.

The lead identification of a novel potent selective PPARγ agonist, DS-6930 is reported. To avoid PPARγ-related adverse effects, a partial agonist was designed to prevent the direct interaction with helix 12 of PPARγ-LBD. Because the TZD group is known to interact with helix 12, the TZD in efatutazone (CS-7017) was replaced to discover novel PPARγ intermediate partial agonist 8i.

Quantitative Characterization of the Nanoscale Local Lattice Strain Induced by Sr Dopants in La_{1.92}Sr_{0.08}CuO_{4}.

The nanometer scale lattice deformation brought about by the dopants in the high temperature superconducting cuprate La_{2-x}Sr_{x}CuO_{4} (x=0.08) was investigated by measuring the associated x-ray diffuse scattering around multiple Bragg peaks. A characteristic diffuse scattering pattern was observed, which can be well described by continuum elastic theory.

Scaling of Memories and Crossover in Glassy Magnets.

Glassiness is ubiquitous and diverse in characteristics in nature. Understanding their differences and classification remains a major scientific challenge. Here, we show that scaling of magnetic memories with time can be used to classify magnetic glassy materials into two distinct classes.

Spontaneous post-partum rupture of an ovarian artery aneurysm: a case report of successful embolization and a review of the published work.

It is rare for an ovarian artery aneurysm to rupture during the peripartum period, but the outcome can be catastrophic. Between 1980 and 2013, only nine cases have been reported in the English-language medical published work. We describe a patient with a left ovarian artery aneurysm that ruptured 4 days after an uneventful vaginal delivery.

Magnetoelectric effect driven by magnetic domain modification in LuFe2O4.

The magnetocapacitance effect was investigated using impedance spectroscopy on single crystals of LuFe(2)O(4). The intrinsic impedance response could be separated from the interfacial response and showed a clear hysteresis loop below T(Ferri)∼240  K under the magnetic field. The neutron diffraction experiment under the magnetic field proves the origin of the dielectric property related to the motion of the nanosized ferromagnetic domain boundary.

A novel inhibitor of stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 attenuates hepatic lipid accumulation, liver injury and inflammation in model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD-1) catalyzes the biosynthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids, and their abnormality is possibly responsible for obesity, insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). A novel SCD-1 inhibitor, N-(2-hydroxy-2-phenylethyl)-6-[4-(2-methylbenzoyl)piperidin-1-yl]pyridazine-3-carboxamide, has been obtained. The compound inhibited liver SCD-1 activity and increased liver triglyceride accumulation in mice fed with non-fat, high-sucrose diets.

PhoB regulates the survival of Bacteroides fragilis in peritoneal abscesses.

In response to phosphate limitation, bacteria employ the Pho regulon, a specific regulatory network for phosphate acquisition. The two-component signal transduction system of PhoRB plays a crucial role in the induction of Pho regulon genes, leading to the adaptation to phosphate starvation. Herein, we identified the PhoRB system in Bacteroides fragilis, a commensal gut bacterium, and evaluated its role in gut colonization and survival in peritoneal abscesses.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel (-)-Cercosporamide derivatives as potent selective PPARγ modulators.

Selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) modulators are expected to be a novel class of drugs improving plasma glucose levels without PPARγ-related adverse effects. As a continuation of our studies for (-)-Cercosporamide derivatives as selective PPARγ modulators, we synthesized substituted naphthalene type compounds and identified the most potent compound 15 (EC(50) = 0.94 nM, E(max) = 38%).

Pharmacology and in vitro profiling of a novel peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ ligand, Cerco-A.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ; NR1C3) is known as a key regulator of adipocytogenesis and the molecular target of thiazolidinediones (TZDs), also known as antidiabetic agents. Despite the clinical benefits of TZDs, their use is often associated with adverse effects including peripheral edema, congestive heart failure, and weight gain. Here we report the identification and characterization of a non-thiazolidinedione PPARγ partial agonist, Cerco-A, which is a derivative of the natural product, (-)-cercosporamide.

Large topological Hall effect in a short-period helimagnet MnGe.

We have observed an unconventional, likely topological, Hall effect over a wide temperature region in the magnetization process of a chiral-lattice helimagnet MnGe. The magnitude of the topological Hall resistivity is nearly temperature-independent below 70 K, which reflects the real-space fictitious magnetic field proportional to a geometric quantity (scalar spin chirality) of the underlying spin texture. From the neutron diffraction study, it is anticipated that a relatively short-period (3-6 nm) noncoplanar spin structure is stabilized from the proper screw state in a magnetic field to produce the largest topological Hall response among the B20-type (FeSi-type) chiral magnets.

Imaging doped holes in a cuprate superconductor with high-resolution Compton scattering.

The high-temperature superconducting cuprate La(2-x)Sr(x)CuO(4) (LSCO) shows several phases ranging from antiferromagnetic insulator to metal with increasing hole doping. To understand how the nature of the hole state evolves with doping, we have carried out high-resolution Compton scattering measurements at room temperature together with first-principles electronic structure computations on a series of LSCO single crystals in which the hole doping level varies from the underdoped (UD) to the overdoped (OD) regime. Holes in the UD system are found to primarily populate the O 2p(x)/p(y) orbitals.

Discovery of novel SCD1 inhibitors: 5-alkyl-4,5-dihydro-3H-spiro[1,5-benzoxazepine-2,4'-piperidine] analogs.

Expansion of the 6-membered ring and subsequent fine-tuning of the newly obtained 7-membered spiropiperidine structure resulted in the discovery of a series of novel and potent SCD1 inhibitors. Preliminary SAR was explored by modifying an alkyl chain on the azepine nitrogen and resulted in the identification of a highly potent SCD1 inhibitor: 6-[5-(cyclopropylmethyl)-4,5-dihydro-1'H,3H-spiro[1,5-benzoxazepine-2,4'-piperidin]-1'-yl]-N-(2-hydroxy-2-pyridin-3-ylethyl)pyridazine-3-carboxamide (9). Compound 9 exhibited an IC(50) value of 0.

Multiferroic M-type hexaferrites with a room-temperature conical state and magnetically controllable spin helicity.

Magnetic and magnetoelectric (ME) properties have been studied for single crystals of Sc-doped M-type barium hexaferrites. Magnetization (M) and neutron diffraction measurements revealed that by tuning Sc concentration a longitudinal conical state is stabilized up to above room temperatures. ME measurements have shown that a transverse magnetic field (H) can induce electric polarization (P) at lower temperatures and that the spin helicity is nonvolatile and endurable up to near the conical magnetic transition temperature.

Water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol microspheres for temporary embolization: development and in vivo characteristics in a pig kidney model.

Purpose: To preliminarily examine whether solubility of water-soluble polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) microspheres in blood plasma changes in proportion to their degrees of saponification. The study also examined their feasibility as a temporary embolic agents in the pig renal artery.

Materials And Methods: Three types of PVA microspheres with the degrees of saponification of 97 mol% (S97), 98 mol% (S98), and 99 mol% (S99) were prepared.

Utilization of titanium oxide-like compound as an inorganic phosphate adsorbent for the control of serum phosphate level in chronic renal failure.

Hyperphosphatemia adversely affects the prognosis of patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). We synthesized a titanium oxide-like compound (TAP) as a phosphate adsorbent for treatment of hyperphosphatemia in CFR patients. We evaluated the ability of TAP to adsorb inorganic phosphate in vitro and in vivo.

Synthesis and evaluation of novel stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 inhibitors: 1'-{6-[5-(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl]pyridazin-3-yl}-3,4-dihydrospiro[chromene-2,4'-piperidine] analogs.

In continuation of our investigation on novel stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) 1 inhibitors, we have already reported on the structural modification of the benzoylpiperidines that led to a series of novel and highly potent spiropiperidine-based SCD1 inhibitors. In this report, we would like to extend the scope of our previous investigation and disclose details of the synthesis, SAR, ADME, PK, and pharmacological evaluation of the spiropiperidines with high potency for SCD1 inhibition. Our current efforts have culminated in the identification of 5-fluoro-1'-{6-[5-(pyridin-3-ylmethyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl]pyridazin-3-yl}-3,4-dihydrospiro[chromene-2,4'-piperidine] (10e), which demonstrated a very strong potency for liver SCD1 inhibition (ID(50)=0.