Isolation and characterization of a soluble and thermostable phosphite dehydrogenase from Ralstonia sp. strain 4506.

Phosphite dehydrogenase (PtxD), which catalyzes the nearly irreversible oxidation of phosphite to phosphate with the concomitant reduction of NAD(+) to NADH, has great potential for NADH regeneration in industrial biocatalysts. Here, we isolated a soil bacterium, Ralstonia sp. strain 4506, that grew at 45°C on a minimal medium containing phosphite as the sole source of phosphorus.

Stimuli-responsive photoluminescent liquid crystals.

We describe mechanochromic and thermochromic photoluminescent liquid crystals. In particular, mechanochromic photoluminescent liquid crystals found recently, which are new stimuli-responsive materials are reported. For example, photoluminescent liquid crystals having bulky dendritic moieties with long alkyl chains change their photoluminescent colors by mechanical stimuli associated with isothermal phase transitions.

The application of an alanine-substituted mutant of the C-terminal fragment of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin as a mucosal vaccine in mice.

Efficient delivery of antigen to mucosal immune tissues is an essential part of mucosal vaccination. Claudin-4 is expressed on the epithelial cells that cover the mucosal immune tissues. We previously found that claudin-4-targeting is a promising strategy for mucosal vaccination by using a claudin-4 binder, the C-terminal fragment of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (C-CPE).

Dysfunction of neurogenic VIP-mediated relaxation in mouse distal colon with dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) regulates various functions including motility and immune homeostasis in colon. The VIP system including its receptors has been established to control the development of ulcerative colitis, but the functional changes of the system-regulated motility in colon with ulcerative colitis are not well understood. In this study, we investigated VIP-related contractile responses in distal colon from mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced acute colitis.

A toxicological evaluation of a claudin modulator, the C-terminal fragment of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin, in mice.

Tight junctions (TJs) maintain cellular polarity between the apical and basolateral region of epithelial cells. Claudin, a tetra-transmembrane protein, plays a pivotal role in the barrier function of TJs. We previously found that a claudin modulator, the C-terminal fragment of Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (C-CPE), may be a promising candidate for improving the mucosal absorption of drugs.

Evaluation of microincision vitrectomy wounds made with microvitreoretinal blade or beveled trocar by swept source optical coherence tomography.

Purpose: To compare the wound closure and postoperative hypotony after sclerotomy with a microvitreoretinal (MVR) blade trocar with those with a beveled trocar for microincision vitrectomy.

Methods: The study design is a prospective randomized control study. Forty eyes of 40 patients with an epiretinal membrane that underwent 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy were studied.

An experimental study of retinal endovascular surgery with a microfabricated needle.

Purpose: To study the feasibility of performing retinal endovascular surgery with a microfabricated needle-based cannulation system at the level of the retinal microvasculature.

Methods: A total of 40 retinal vein vessels, and 40 porcine eyes were used, and the eyecups were prepared under an operating microscope. Twenty retinal veins each were pierced with a microfabricated needle having an outer diameter of 50 μm and with a micropipette having an outer diameter of 50 μm, respectively, and each vessel that was successfully pierced was injected with a solution.

Plasma gastric inhibitory polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1 levels after glucose loading are associated with different factors in Japanese subjects.

Unlabelled: Aims/Introduction:  Gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) are major incretins that potentiate insulin secretion from pancreatic β-cells. The factors responsible for incretin secretion have been reported in Caucasian subjects, but have not been thoroughly evaluated in Japanese subjects. We evaluated the factors associated with incretin secretion during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in Japanese subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT).

D,L-Threo-1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol (DL-PDMP) increases endoplasmic reticulum stress, autophagy and apoptosis accompanying ceramide accumulation via ceramide synthase 5 protein expression in A549 cells.

In A549 cells, the addition of D,L-threo-1-phenyl-2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol (DL-PDMP) led to marked autophagy with massive microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B (LC3B)-II protein expression as an indication of autophagy and a steep decrease of p62 protein as a co-indication of autophagy. The addition of DL-PDMP caused massive autophagy with an increase of CAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) expression as the marker of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release without caspase 3 activation and many autophagic vacuoles/devoid of a cell membrane on morphology. On the other hand, the addition of DL-PDMP caused an increase in cellular or subcellular ceramides (Cers), especially palmitoyl-Cer, based on de novo synthesis of Cer, and led to caspase-independent apoptosis.

GLP-1 receptor agonist attenuates endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated β-cell damage in Akita mice.

Unlabelled: Aims/Introduction:  Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is one of the contributing factors in the development of type 2 diabetes. To investigate the cytoprotective effect of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP-1R) signaling in vivo, we examined the action of exendin-4 (Ex-4), a potent GLP-1R agonist, on β-cell apoptosis in Akita mice, an animal model of ER stress-mediated diabetes.

Materials And Methods:   Ex-4, phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) or phlorizin were injected intraperitoneally twice a day from 3 to 5 weeks-of-age.

Effect of intravitreal gas tamponade for sutureless vitrectomy wounds: three-dimensional corneal and anterior segment optical coherence tomography study.

Purpose: To investigate the effect of gas tamponade on wound closure and postoperative hypotony by comparing fluid-filled and gas-filled eyes after 25-gauge sutureless vitrectomy using three-dimensional corneal and anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

Methods: Twenty-four eyes of 24 patients who underwent a 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy were included in this prospective study. A total of 72 scleral wounds were observed using three-dimensional corneal and anterior segment optical coherence tomography at 3 hours and at 1, 3, 7, and 14 days postoperatively.

Preoperative inner segment/outer segment junction in spectral-domain optical coherence tomography as a prognostic factor in epiretinal membrane surgery.

Purpose: To evaluate the macular structure on spectral-domain optical coherence tomographic (SD-OCT) images to predict the outcome of surgery for idiopathic epiretinal membrane.

Methods: Forty-five eyes of 45 consecutive patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane who had a preoperative visual acuity of ≤ 20/32 and were scheduled to undergo a transconjunctival 25-gauge vitrectomy were involved in this prospective cohort study. The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and SD-OCT images of the fovea were examined before the surgery and at 3, 6, and 12 months after the surgery.

Nest thermoregulation in Polybia scutellaris (White) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae).

Polybia scutellaris (White) builds large nests characterized by numerous spiny projections on the surface. In order to determine whether or not the nest temperature is maintained because of homeothermic conditions of the nest individuals or otherwise, we investigated the thermal conditions within the nests built by P. scutellaris.

FGF-21 enhances islet engraftment in mouse syngeneic islet transplantation model.

To clarify the effect of fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21) on islet transplantation, a suboptimal number of islets were transplanted into streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice with or without FGF-21 treatment. Three-day treatment with FGF-21 contributed to restoration of normoglycemia by suppressing islet graft loss. The FGF-21-treated mice showed lower glycemic levels despite similar insulin content in the graft than that in untreated mice on day 3, indicating that FGF-21 not only has a cytoprotective effect but also decreases β-cell load by increasing insulin sensitivity.

The effect of gastric inhibitory polypeptide on intestinal glucose absorption and intestinal motility in mice.

Gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) is released from the small intestine upon meal ingestion and increases insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells. Although the GIP receptor is known to be expressed in small intestine, the effects of GIP in small intestine are not fully understood. This study was designed to clarify the effect of GIP on intestinal glucose absorption and intestinal motility.

Relationship between radiographic changes and symptoms or physical examination findings in subjects with symptomatic medial knee osteoarthritis: a three-year prospective study.

Background: Although osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee joints is the most common and debilitating joint disease in developed countries, the factors that determine the severity of symptoms are not yet understood well. Subjects with symptomatic medial knee OA were followed up prospectively to explore the relationship between radiographic changes and symptoms or physical examination findings.

Methods: One-hundred six OA knees in 68 subjects (mean age 71.

Up-regulation of EGF receptor and its ligands, AREG, EREG, and HB-EGF in oral lichen planus.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the roles of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family members and their ligands in oral lichen planus (OLP).

Study Design: The expressions of 4 EGFR-like receptors and 6 EGF-like ligands were measured in OLP tissues from 10 patients and compared with the levels in normal oral mucosa (NOM) from 10 healthy donors.

Results: Of the receptors, only EGFR mRNA and protein were more highly expressed in OLP compared with NOM tissues.

Association between cystatin C and inflammation in patients with essential hypertension.

Background: Serum cystatin C is not only a marker of renal function but also acts as an independent risk factor for cardiovascular damage, heart failure, and death. It is known that the initiation and progression of these cardiovascular events contributes to renal dysfunction and chronic inflammation. In this study, we investigated the relationship between cystatin C and proinflammatory cytokines.

Comparison of 20- and 25-gauge vitrectomy for primary repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

Background And Objective: To evaluate the outcome of 25-gauge transconjunctival pars plana vitrectomy and compare it with that of 20-gauge pars plana vitrectomy for primary repair of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective study of a consecutive series of 166 eyes of 164 patients who underwent pars plana vitrectomy for primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment was performed. One hundred nineteen eyes underwent 25-gauge vitrectomy and 47 eyes underwent 20-gauge vitrectomy.

Inner segment/outer segment junction assessed by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane.

Purpose: To evaluate the anatomic features of the photoreceptor inner/outer segment (IS/OS) junction before and after surgery by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in patients undergoing idiopathic epiretinal membrane (ERM) surgery and to correlate these features with the functional outcomes.

Design: Prospective, cohort study.

Methods: We prospectively studied 45 eyes of 45 patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane who had a preoperative visual acuity of 20/32 or less and were scheduled to undergo transconjunctival 25-gauge vitrectomy.

Results of one-year follow-up examinations after intravitreal bevacizumab administration for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy.

Background: our purpose was to report the results of 1-year follow-up examinations after intravitreal bevacizumab injection for the treatment of chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

Methods: five eyes in 5 patients with chronic CSC were intravitreally injected with 1.25 mg/0.

Inverse correlation between seasonal changes in home blood pressure and atmospheric temperature in treated-hypertensive patients.

We examined the relationships between home blood pressure (BP) and atmospheric temperature in 20 treated-hypertensive patients. A significant correlation between morning and evening BP and atmospheric temperature was found. For morning systolic blood pressure (SBP), the maximal seasonal difference was 13.

Sight-threatening optic neuropathy is associated with paranasal lymphoma.

Malignant lymphoma around the orbit is very rare. We present a rare case of optic neuropathy caused by lymphoma. A 61-year-old Japanese woman was referred to our hospital for evaluation of idiopathic optic neuropathy affecting her right eye.

Choroidal metastasis with adenocarcinoma of the lung treated with gefitinib.

Purpose: To report a case of bilateral regression of choroidal metastasis with adenocarcinoma of the lung treated with gefitinib.

Methods: Retrospective case review of a 68-year-old woman with pulmonary adenocarcinoma with choroidal metastasis who presented with visual loss in the left eye as the initial manifestation. Her visual acuity was 6/6 in the right eye and 6/60 in the left eye before the start of gefitinib administration.