Novel Pulse Waveform Index by Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring and Cardiac Function: A Pilot Study.

Background: A simple ambulatory measure of cardiac function could be helpful for monitoring heart failure patients.

Objectives: The purpose of this paper was to determine whether a novel pulse waveform analysis using data obtained by our developed multisensor-ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) device, the 'Sf/Am' ratio, is associated with echocardiographic left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF).

Methods: Multisensor-ABPM was conducted twice at baseline in 20 heart failure (HF) patients with HF-reduced LVEF or HF-preserved LVEF (median age 66 years, male 65%) and over a 6- to 12-month follow-up after patient-tailored treatment.

Investigating the Effect of Substituting a Single Cysteine Residue on the Thermal Stability of an Engineered Sweet Protein, Single-Chain Monellin.

Single-chain monellin (SCM) is an engineered protein that links the two chains of monellin, a naturally sweet-tasting protein. This protein is an attractive candidate for use as a sugar replacement in food and beverages and has numerous other applications. Therefore, generating SCM mutants with improved stability is an active area of research to broaden the range of its potential applications.

Direct binding of calmodulin to the cytosolic C-terminal regions of sweet/umami taste receptors.

Sweet and umami taste receptors recognize chemicals such as sugars and amino acids on their extracellular side and transmit signals into the cytosol of the taste cell. In contrast to ligands that act on the extracellular side of these receptors, little is known regarding the molecules that regulate receptor functions within the cytosol. In this study, we analysed the interaction between sweet and umami taste receptors and calmodulin, a representative Ca2+-dependent cytosolic regulatory protein.

Chloride ions evoke taste sensations by binding to the extracellular ligand-binding domain of sweet/umami taste receptors.

Salt taste sensation is multifaceted: NaCl at low or high concentrations is preferably or aversively perceived through distinct pathways. Cl is thought to participate in taste sensation through an unknown mechanism. Here, we describe Cl ion binding and the response of taste receptor type 1 (T1r), a receptor family composing sweet/umami receptors.

Chondromodulin is necessary for cartilage callus distraction in mice.

Chondromodulin (Cnmd) is a glycoprotein known to stimulate chondrocyte growth. We examined in this study the expression and functional role of Cnmd during distraction osteogenesis that is modulated by mechanical forces. The right tibiae of the mice were separated by osteotomy and subjected to slow progressive distraction using an external fixator.

Pivotal role for S-nitrosylation of DNA methyltransferase 3B in epigenetic regulation of tumorigenesis.

DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) catalyze methylation at the C5 position of cytosine with S-adenosyl-L-methionine. Methylation regulates gene expression, serving a variety of physiological and pathophysiological roles. The chemical mechanisms regulating DNMT enzymatic activity, however, are not fully elucidated.

Laparoscopic repair of diaphragmatic hernia associating with radiofrequency ablation for hepatocellular carcinoma: A case report.

Background: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is an effective treatment for early-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Although RFA is a relatively safe technique compared with surgery, several complications have been reported to be following/accompanying this treatment. Delayed diaphragmatic hernia caused by RFA is rare; however, the best surgical approach for its treatment is uncertain.

Impact of Palliative and End of Life Care Interprofessional Education for Pre-licensure Healthcare Students: An Integrated Review.

An accelerating aging society and rise in serious illnesses has led to an increase in deaths and made the demand for palliative care even greater. An integrated review was conducted to identify the impact of interprofessional education (IPE) on palliative/end of life (EOL) care for unlicensed health care students with a multidisciplinary approach. The databases searched included MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library's CENTRAL.

The 3' Pol II pausing at replication-dependent histone genes is regulated by Mediator through Cajal bodies' association with histone locus bodies.

Non-polyadenylated mRNAs of replication-dependent histones (RDHs) are synthesized by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) at histone locus bodies (HLBs). HLBs frequently associate with Cajal bodies (CBs), in which 3'-end processing factors for RDH genes are enriched; however, this association's role in transcription termination of RDH genes remains unclear. Here, we show that Pol II pauses immediately upstream of transcript end sites of RDH genes and Mediator plays a role in this Pol II pausing through CBs' association with HLBs.

Validation of an ambulatory blood pressure monitoring device employing a novel method to detect atrial fibrillation.

We evaluated the accuracy of a 24-hr ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) device with a new irregular heartbeat (IHB) algorithm for detecting atrial fibrillation (AF) during each BP measurement. Ninety patients with a history of elevated BP and some type of arrhythmia (mean age 63.2 ± 10.

International Consensus Statement on the diagnosis, multidisciplinary management and lifelong care of individuals with achondroplasia.

Achondroplasia, the most common skeletal dysplasia, is characterized by a variety of medical, functional and psychosocial challenges across the lifespan. The condition is caused by a common, recurring, gain-of-function mutation in FGFR3, the gene that encodes fibroblast growth factor receptor 3. This mutation leads to impaired endochondral ossification of the human skeleton.

A linear five-ring pyrrole-imidazole polyamide-triphenylphosphonium conjugate targeting a mitochondrial DNA mutation efficiently induces apoptosis of HeLa cybrid cells carrying the mutation.

Somatic mutations in mitochondrial DNA may provide a new avenue for cancer therapy due to their associations to a number of cancers and a tendency of homoplasmicity. In consideration of mitochondrial features and its relatively small genome size, a nucleotide-based targeting approach is a considerably more promising option. To explore the efficacy of short linear N-methylpyrrole-N-methylimidazole polyamide (PI polyamide), we synthesized a five-ring short PI polyamide that provided sequence-specific homing for the A3243G mitochondrial mutation upon conjugation with triphenylphosphonium cation (TPP).

Safe and persistent growth-promoting effects of vosoritide in children with achondroplasia: 2-year results from an open-label, phase 3 extension study.

Purpose: Achondroplasia is caused by pathogenic variants in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 gene that lead to impaired endochondral ossification. Vosoritide, an analog of C-type natriuretic peptide, stimulates endochondral bone growth and is in development for the treatment of achondroplasia. This phase 3 extension study was conducted to document the efficacy and safety of continuous, daily vosoritide treatment in children with achondroplasia, and the two-year results are reported.

A PI polyamide-TPP conjugate targeting a mtDNA mutation induces cell death of cancer cells with the mutation.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations occur frequently in cancer cells, and some of them are often homoplasmic. Targeting such mtDNA mutations could be a new method for killing cancer cells with minimal impact on normal cells. Pyrrole-imidazole polyamides (PIPs) are cell-permeable minor groove binders that show sequence-specific binding to double-stranded DNA and inhibit the transcription of target genes.

Morphometric Analysis of Subaxial Cervical Spine with Myelopathy: A Comparison with the Normal Population.

Introduction: The specific morphology and differences between patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and those with normal spines remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate and determine the features of cervical spine morphology on reconstructive CT.

Methods: We investigated that axial reconstructive CT scans of the cervical spine at C3 to C7 were obtained from 309 individuals (97 CSM patients and 212 controls).

Assessment of a new algorithm to detect atrial fibrillation in home blood pressure monitoring device among healthy adults and patients with atrial fibrillation.

The authors evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of a new algorithm for detecting atrial fibrillation (AF) using a home blood pressure (BP) monitor. Three serial BP values were measured in 205 subjects with sinus rhythm and 75 subjects with AF confirmed by electrocardiogram. Irregular pulse peak (IPP) 15 was defined as follows: |interval of pulse peak - the average of the interval of the pulse peak| ≥ the average of the interval of the pulse peak × 15%.

A sweet protein monellin as a non-antibody scaffold for synthetic binding proteins.

Synthetic binding proteins that have the ability to bind with molecules can be generated using various protein domains as non-antibody scaffolds. These designer proteins have been used widely in research studies, as their properties overcome the disadvantages of using antibodies. Here, we describe the first application of a phage display to generate synthetic binding proteins using a sweet protein, monellin, as a non-antibody scaffold.

Structural studies of reelin N-terminal region provides insights into a unique structural arrangement and functional multimerization.

The large, secreted glycoprotein reelin regulates embryonic brain development as well as adult brain functions. Although reelin binds to its receptors via its central part, the N-terminal region directs multimer formation and is critical for efficient signal transduction. In fact, the inhibitory antibody CR-50 interacts with the N-terminal region and prevents higher-order multimerization and signalling.

Once-daily, subcutaneous vosoritide therapy in children with achondroplasia: a randomised, double-blind, phase 3, placebo-controlled, multicentre trial.

Background: There are no effective therapies for achondroplasia. An open-label study suggested that vosoritide administration might increase growth velocity in children with achondroplasia. This phase 3 trial was designed to further assess these preliminary findings.

Arterial Spin Labeling Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Assessment of Non-Convulsive Status Epilepticus in Alzheimer's Disease: A Report of Two Cases.

BACKGROUND The diagnosis of early non-convulsant status epilepticus (NCSE) can be challenging and can overlap with other critical conditions. Two patients with Alzheimer's disease are reported with clinically suspected NCSE presenting in the emergency setting who were diagnosed using arterial spin-labeling magnetic resonance imaging (ASL-MRI) sequences. CASE REPORT In Case 1, a 69-year-old woman with mild Alzheimer's disease and diabetes presented with acute worsening of cognitive status and fluctuating level of consciousness.

Differential scanning fluorimetric analysis of the amino-acid binding to taste receptor using a model receptor protein, the ligand-binding domain of fish T1r2a/T1r3.

Taste receptor type 1 (T1r) is responsible for the perception of essential nutrients, such as sugars and amino acids, and evoking sweet and umami (savory) taste sensations. T1r receptors recognize many of the taste substances at their extracellular ligand-binding domains (LBDs). In order to detect a wide array of taste substances in the environment, T1r receptors often possess broad ligand specificities.

Diagnostic accuracy of an algorithm for detecting atrial fibrillation in a wrist-type pulse wave monitor.

We evaluated the diagnostic value of atrial fibrillation (AF) measured by a wrist-type pulse wave monitor in this case-control study. Six serial pulse wave values (three in the left and three in the right wrist) were measured using a wrist-type monitor in 29 AF patients and 30 subjects with sinus rhythm. We defined "monitor AF in irregular pulse peak (IPP) 15/20/25" as follows: (a) IPP: |interval of pulse peak - the average of the interval of the pulse peak| ≥ the average of the interval of the pulse peak × 15/20/25%; (b) irregular heartbeat (IHB): beats of IPP ≥ total pulse × 20%; and (c) monitor AF: ≥4 IHBs of the six pulse wave measurements.

Specific modification at the C-terminal lysine residue of the green fluorescent protein variant, GFPuv, expressed in Escherichia coli.

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is amenable to recombinant expression in various kinds of cells and is widely used in life science research. We found that the recombinant expression of GFPuv, a commonly-used mutant of GFP, in E. coli produced two distinct molecular species as judged by in-gel fluorescence SDS-PAGE.