Intravital microscopic thermometry of rat mammary epithelium by fluorescent nanodiamond.

Quantum sensing using the fluorescent nanodiamond (FND) nitrogen-vacancy center enables physical/chemical measurements of the microenvironment, although application of such measurements in living mammals poses significant challenges due to the unknown biodistribution and toxicity of FNDs, the limited penetration of visible light for quantum state manipulation/measurement, and interference from physiological motion. Here, we describe a microenvironmental thermometry technique using FNDs in rat mammary epithelium, an important model for mammary gland biology and breast cancer research. FNDs were injected directly into the mammary gland.

Constipation-associated factors in outpatients with schizophrenia: A multicenter questionnaire survey.

Constipation is a prevalent gastrointestinal disorder that affects people globally, decreasing their quality of life and life expectancy. Individuals with schizophrenia often suffer from constipation, which could be a result of the illness itself or the side effects of psychotropic medications. However, little research has been conducted on factors contributing to constipation in individuals with schizophrenia.

Efficacy of Episil® in patients with hematologic malignancies: a comparative study.

Background: Episil® is a nonabsorbable liquid medical material used to coat and protect the mucosa in patients with oral mucositis. A few studies have reported its efficacy in patients with head and neck cancer. However, reports on its use in patients with hematologic malignancies are scarce.

Quadrupole anomalous Hall effect in magnetically induced electron nematic state.

Berry phases in both momentum and real space cause transverse motion in itinerant electrons, manifesting various off-diagonal transport effect such anomalous and topological Hall effects. Although these Hall effects are isotropic within the plane perpendicular to the fictitious magnetic field, here, we report the manifestation of the anisotropic linear anomalous Hall effect (AHE) in the spinel oxide NiCoO epitaxial film. The unconventional Hall effect indicates a quadrupole dependence on the in-plane current direction being added to the uniform AHE.

Azithromycin induces read-through of the nonsense Apc allele and prevents intestinal tumorigenesis in C3B6F1 Apc mice.

Therapeutic strategies that promote read-through of a mutant gene have proved effective for certain non-neoplastic diseases. However, the efficacy of this approach is unproven regarding neoplastic diseases with germline nonsense mutations, including familial adenomatous polyposis. Here we examined the cancer-preventive efficacy of the macrolide antibiotic azithromycin, with a reported read-through effect, on intestinal tumorigenesis in C3B6F1 Apc mice harboring a nonsense Apc mutation resulting in a truncated Apc protein.

Interstitial deletion of the Apc locus in β-catenin-overexpressing cells is a signature of radiation-induced intestinal tumors in C3B6F1 ApcMin/+ mice†.

Recent studies have identified interstitial deletions in the cancer genome as a radiation-related mutational signature, although most of them do not fall on cancer driver genes. Pioneering studies in the field have indicated the presence of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) spanning Apc in a subset of sporadic and radiation-induced intestinal tumors of ApcMin/+ mice, albeit with a substantial subset in which LOH was not detected; whether copy number losses accompany such LOH has also been unclear. Herein, we analyzed intestinal tumors of C3B6F1 ApcMin/+ mice that were either left untreated or irradiated with 2 Gy of γ-rays.

Implication of E3 ligase RAD18 in UV-induced mutagenesis in human induced pluripotent stem cells and neuronal progenitor cells.

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) have the potential to differentiate to any of the other organs. The genome DNA integrity of PSCs is maintained by a high level of transcription for a number of genes involved in DNA repair, cell cycle and apoptosis. However, it remains unclear how high the frequency of genetic mutation is and how these DNA repair factors function in PSCs.

NBS1 I171V variant underlies individual differences in chromosomal radiosensitivity within human populations.

Genetic information is protected against a variety of genotoxins including ionizing radiation (IR) through the DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair machinery. Genome-wide association studies and clinical sequencing of cancer patients have suggested that a number of variants in the DNA DSB repair genes might underlie individual differences in chromosomal radiosensitivity within human populations. However, the number of established variants that directly affect radiosensitivity is still limited.

Non-contact measurement of internal body temperature using subcutaneously implanted diamond microparticles.

We constructed a highly sensitive fluorescence wide-field imaging system with a microwave source, implanted fluorescent diamond microparticles ("microdiamonds") subcutaneously into the dorsal skin of a mouse after sacrifice, and demonstrated the feasibility of using optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) to measure internal body temperature in a mammal.

Calorie Restriction Suppresses the Progression of Radiation-Induced Intestinal Tumours in C3B6F1 Mice.

Background/aim: Progress in cancer treatment and diagnosis has made second cancer after medical radiation exposure a particular concern among childhood cancer survivors. Calorie restriction (CR) is a broadly effective cancer prevention strategy, although its effects on radiation-induced intestinal tumours are unclear. Here we examined the cancer-preventative efficacy of a CR diet at different starting ages on radiation induction of intestinal tumours in mice.

Image quality improvement of holographic 3-D images based on a wavefront recording plane method with a limiting diffraction region.

This study aims to improve the image quality of holographic three-dimensional (3-D) images based on the wavefront recording plane (WRP) method. In this method, we place a WRP close to the 3-D objects to reduce the propagation distance of light from the objects to the WRP. The conventional WRP method has been implemented only under conditions that did not cause aliasing noise.

Comparison of wavefront recording plane-based hologram calculations: ray-tracing method versus look-up table method.

In this study, we compare the ray-tracing method with the look-up table (LUT) method in order to optimize computer-generated hologram (CGH) calculation based on the wavefront recording plane (WRP) method. The speed of the WRP-based CGH calculation largely depends on implementation factors, such as calculation methods, hardware, and parallelization method. Therefore, we evaluated the calculation time and image quality of the reconstructed three-dimensional (3D) image by using the ray-tracing and LUT methods in the central processing unit (CPU) and graphics processing unit (GPU) implementations.

Interstitial chromosomal deletion of the tuberous sclerosis complex 2 locus is a signature for radiation-associated renal tumors in Eker rats.

Ionizing radiation can damage DNA and, therefore, is a risk factor for cancer. Eker rats, which carry a heterozygous germline mutation in the tumor-suppressor gene tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (Tsc2), are susceptible to radiation-induced renal carcinogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in Tsc2 inactivation are unclear.

Real-time three-dimensional video reconstruction of real scenes with deep depth using electro-holographic display system.

Herein, we demonstrate a real-time, three-dimensional (3D) video-reconstruction system using electro-holography in real-world scenes with deep depth. We calculated computer-generated holograms using 3D information obtained through an RGB-D camera. We successfully reconstructed a 3D video (in real time) of a person moving in real-world space and confirmed that the proposed system operates at ~14 frames per second.

Synthesis of single-phase L1-FeNi magnet powder by nitrogen insertion and topotactic extraction.

Tetrataenite (L1-FeNi) is a promising candidate for use as a permanent magnet free of rare-earth elements because of its favorable properties. In this study, single-phase L1-FeNi powder with a high degree of order was synthesized through a new method, nitrogen insertion and topotactic extraction (NITE). In the method, FeNiN, which has the same ordered arrangement as L1-FeNi, is formed by nitriding A1-FeNi powder with ammonia gas.

Effects of telmisartan and olmesartan on insulin sensitivity and renal function in spontaneously hypertensive rats fed a high fat diet.

Although telmisartan, an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB), has an agonistic action for proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ in vitro, it remains to be determined whether telmisartan exerts such an action in vivo using a non-toxic dose (<5 mg/kg in rats). To address the issue, telmisartan (2 mg/kg) and olmesartan (2 mg/kg), another ARB without PPAR-γ agonistic action, were given to spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) fed a high fat diet (HFD). HFD decreased plasma adiponectin, and caused insulin resistance, hypertriglyceridemia and renal damage, which were improved by ARBs.

Analysis of individual differences in radiosensitivity using genome editing.

Current standards for radiological protection of the public have been uniformly established. However, individual differences in radiosensitivity are suggested to exist in human populations, which could be caused by nucleotide variants of DNA repair genes. In order to verify if such genetic variants are responsible for individual differences in radiosensitivity, they could be introduced into cultured human cells for evaluation.

[Medical Relief Response by Miyako Public Health Center after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, 2011].

Objectives: To improve disaster preparedness, we investigated the response of medical relief activities managed by Iwate Prefectural Miyako Public Health Center during the post-acute phase of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami on March 11, 2011.

Methods: The study divided the post-disaster period into three approximate time segments: Period I (time of disaster through late March), Period II (mid-April), and Period III (end of May in Miyako City, early July in Yamada Town). We reviewed records on medical relief activities conducted by medical assistance teams (MATs) in Miyako City and Yamada Town.

Cetuximab delivery and antitumor effects are enhanced by mild hyperthermia in a xenograft mouse model of pancreatic cancer.

Even with current promising antitumor antibodies, their antitumor effects on stroma-rich solid cancers have been insufficient. We used mild hyperthermia with the intent of improving drug delivery by breaking the stromal barrier. Here, we provide preclinical evidence of cetuximab + mild hyperthermia therapy.

Reconstruction of magnetic domain structure using the reverse Monte Carlo method with an extended Fourier image.

Visualization of the magnetic domain structure is indispensable to the investigation of magnetization processes and the coercivity mechanism. It is necessary to develop a reconstruction method from the reciprocal-space image to the real-space image. For this purpose, it is necessary to solve the problem of missing phase information in the reciprocal-space image.

[Risk of tuberculosis infection among care workers during an outbreak of tuberculosis at a care facility for the elderly].

Objectives: Owing to limited evidence, the risk of and factors related to tuberculosis (TB) infection among care workers is not understood. We experienced an outbreak of TB with 2 cases of active TB (positive cultures) and 34 cases of latent TB infection at a care facility for the elderly. Using an epidemiological investigation of the outbreak, this study aimed to investigate the risk of and factors related to TB infection among care workers and to establish a system for TB control in care facilities for the elderly.

Measurement of intravenously administered γ-Fe2O3 particle amount in mice tissues using vibrating sample magnetometer.

Dispersions of platelet γ-Fe2O3 particles 30-50nm in size were intravenously administered to mice and the amount of particles accumulated in each tissue was obtained by magnetization measurement using a vibrating sample magnetometer. Background noise was greatly reduced by measuring dried tissues under a magnetic field of 500 Oe so that the effect of diamagnetism was slight. Remarkable particle accumulation was observed in the liver and spleen.

Histone chaperone FACT regulates homologous recombination by chromatin remodeling through interaction with RNF20.

The E3 ubiquitin ligase RNF20 regulates chromatin structure through ubiquitylation of histone H2B, so that early homologous recombination repair (HRR) proteins can access the DNA in eukaryotes during repair. However, it remains unresolved how RNF20 itself approaches the DNA in the presence of chromatin structure. Here, we identified the histone chaperone FACT as a key protein in the early steps of HRR.