Night-break treatment with blue and green lights regulates erect thallus formation in the brown alga (KU-1293).

In this study, we investigated the photoperiodic responses regulating erect thallus formation in (KU-1293). We found that, through critical day length analysis and night break treatment culture experiments, formed erect thalli under short-day conditions, indicating a genuine photoperiodic response. The critical day length for this morphological change was 10-11 h.

Long-term Recurrence Risk of Diabetic Foot Ulcers After Healing: A 5-Year Retrospective Cohort Study on the Influence of Hemodialysis and Amputation Levels.

This retrospective study aimed to evaluate diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) recurrence rates and associated risk factors, focusing on hemodialysis and specific amputation levels. Patients with diabetes treated for DFU between 2003 and 2019 at a wound-care center in Japan were studied. The primary outcome was DFU recurrence, and the factors evaluated included age, sex, hemodialysis treatment, revascularization type, and amputation level.

Self-Assembly of V-Shaped Polyaromatic Amphiphiles Studied by Molecular Dynamics Simulation.

V-shaped polyaromatic amphiphiles (s) form micelle-like nonbonded self-assemblies in aqueous solution and feature prominent properties of encapsulation and solubilization for various types of hydrophobic molecules. To understand microscopic molecular characteristics underlying the wide capability of solubilization, the atomic-level molecular structures of the self-assemblies of s were investigated by microsecond molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The MD simulations showed that s spontaneously formed quasi-stable self-assemblies, in close agreement with experimental observations.

Impact of the Angular Alignment on the Crystal Field and Intrinsic Doping of Bilayer Graphene/BN Heterostructures.

The ability to tune the energy gap in bilayer graphene makes it the perfect playground for the study of the effects of internal electric fields, such as the crystalline field, which are developed when other layered materials are deposited on top of it. Here, we introduce a novel device architecture allowing simultaneous control over the applied displacement field and the crystalline alignment between two materials. Our experimental and numerical results confirm that the crystal field and electrostatic doping due to the interface reflect the 120° symmetry of the bilayer graphene/BN heterostructure and are highly affected by the commensurate state.

Cognitive Outcomes After Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for the Treatment of Late-Life Depression: Résultats cognitifs après la stimulation magnétique transcrânienne pour le traitement de la dépression chez les personnes âgées.

Background: Late-life depression (LLD) is often accompanied by cognitive impairment, which may persist despite antidepressant treatment. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is an efficacious treatment for depression, with potential benefits on cognitive functioning. However, research on cognitive effects is inconclusive, relatively sparse in LLD, and predominantly focused on group-level cognitive changes.

Effect of Rheumatoid Arthritis on Postoperative Outcomes in Patients with Lumbar Spinal Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Study Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: This study aimed to determine whether rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with clinical outcomes following spinal surgery for lumbar spinal disorders.

Methods: MEDLINE, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were comprehensively searched for observational studies comparing clinical outcomes after lumbar spine surgery in patients with and without RA (>18 years).

Pulmonary and serum cytokine profiles of patients with anti-ARS and anti-MDA5 antibodies.

The present study aimed to determine the pulmonary cytokine profiles of patients with anti-RNA synthetase (ARS) and anti-melanoma differentiation-associated protein 5 (MDA5) antibodies. The study included patients with ARS and MDA5 whose serum or bronchoalveolar fluid (BALF) was available. Sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassay microarray multiplex assay was used to measure 18 cytokine levels in serum and BALF.

Correlation of semi-quantitative analyses and visual scores in pulmonary perfusion SPECT/CT imaging with pulmonary function test parameters in patients with interstitial lung diseases.

Aim: To evaluate the correlation between semi-quantitative analyses and visual scores of pulmonary perfusion Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)/ Computed Tomography (CT) imaging and pulmonary function test parameters (PFTs) in patients with interstitial lung diseases (ILDs).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included 35 patients with ILDs from China-Japan Friendship Hospital between January 2020 and December 2022. All patients underwent pulmonary perfusion SPECT/CT imaging and a pulmonary function test.

Use of the FHTHWA Index as a Novel Approach for Predicting the Incidence of Diabetes in a Japanese Population Without Diabetes: Data Analysis Study.

Background: Many tools have been developed to predict the risk of diabetes in a population without diabetes; however, these tools have shortcomings that include the omission of race, inclusion of variables that are not readily available to patients, and low sensitivity or specificity.

Objective: We aimed to develop and validate an easy, systematic index for predicting diabetes risk in the Asian population.

Methods: We collected the data from the NAGALA (NAfld [nonalcoholic fatty liver disease] in the Gifu Area, Longitudinal Analysis) database.

History of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) test guidelines for non-animal test methods in Japan.

The number of alternatives to animal tests (non-animal test methods) for human health developed globally account for more than 40% of the test methods in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals (TGs). Within the TGs, the National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS) has standardized 16 OECD TGs for human health, implemented four major revisions, and developed one test method for the International Council for Harmonization of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) S10 guidelines on photosafety. This review describes trends in the OECD and Japan that mainly focus on international standardizations of non-animal test methods for human health.

Physical activity during summer and recognition of heatstroke prevention among patients with cardiovascular disease in an urban area of Japan: a descriptive study.

Objective: Patients with cardiovascular disease are considered a high-risk population for heat-related illnesses. This study aimed to describe the difference in physical activity between summer and fall among patients with cardiovascular disease and their recognition of heatstroke prevention in an urban area with high temperature conditions.

Results: We enrolled 56 outpatients who participated in cardiac rehabilitation in the summer of 2022 (median age, 75 years [interquartile range, 68-80]).

Impact of hospital formulary intervention on carbapenem use: a segmented time-series analysis of consumption and a propensity score-matched non-inferiority study of treatment efficacy.

Background: Pharmaceutical formularies play a crucial role in guiding medication use by balancing clinical effectiveness and cost efficiency. Although formulary implementation has been increasing in Japan, comprehensive evaluations of its impact on both clinical and economic outcomes are limited. This study aimed to assess the effect of introducing an antimicrobial formulary at Yokohama City University Hospital on antibiotic usage and treatment outcomes in intra-abdominal infections.

Synergetic effect of fungal pretreatment and lignin modification on delignification and saccharification: a case study of a natural lignin mutant in mulberry.

Background: Fungal pretreatment for partial separation of lignocellulosic components may reduce lignocellulose recalcitrance during the production of biofuels and biochemicals. Quantitative and qualitative modification of plant lignin through genetic engineering or traditional breeding may also reduce the recalcitrance. This study was conducted to examine the effects of combining these two approaches using three white rot fungi and mulberry wood with an altered lignin structure.

Comparison of clinical and virological features in pediatric and adult dengue cases at Insein General Hospital during Myanmar's 2022 dengue season.

Background: Myanmar is one of the countries in Southeast Asia where serious dengue outbreaks occur and Yangon is among the regions with the highest number of cases in the country. Many infections including dengue are common in Yangon during the rainy season, and co-infections may also occur. Adults are more likely than children to experience co-infections of dengue and other diseases.

Understanding the local-level variations in seasonality of human respiratory syncytial virus infection: a systematic analysis.

Background: While previous reports characterised global and regional variations in RSV seasonality, less is known about local variations in RSV seasonal characteristics. This study aimed to understand the local-level variations in RSV seasonality and to explore the role of geographical, meteorological, and socio-demographic factors in explaining these variations.

Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review to identify published studies reporting data on local-level RSV season onset, offset, or duration for at least two local sites.

Predictive factors of fibrotic interstitial lung abnormality on high-resolution computed tomography scans: a prospective observational study.

Background: Fibrotic types of interstitial lung abnormalities seen on high-resolution computed tomography scans, characterised by traction bronchiolectasis/bronchiectasis with or without honeycombing, are predictors of progression and poor prognostic factors of interstitial lung abnormalities. There are no reports on the clinical characteristics of fibrotic interstitial lung abnormalities on high-resolution computed tomography scans. Therefore, we aimed to examine these clinical characteristics and clarify the predictive factors of fibrotic interstitial lung abnormalities on high-resolution computed tomography scans.

Enhancing furcation involvement classification on panoramic radiographs with vision transformers.

Background: The severity of furcation involvement (FI) directly affected tooth prognosis and influenced treatment approaches. However, assessing, diagnosing, and treating molars with FI was complicated by anatomical and morphological variations. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) enhanced diagnostic accuracy for detecting FI and measuring furcation defects.

Identification of unmet information needs among families of critically ill patients and their association with post-intensive care syndrome-family: protocol for a single-center cross-sectional study.

Background: Families of critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) need a variety of information about the patient. Meeting these information needs improves the quality of communication between the family and ICU staff, as well as reduces the risk of post-intensive care syndrome-family (PICS-F). However, information needs continue to be unmet, and information regarding which specific information needs are met or unmet is insufficient.

A case series on the basic concept and design of removable partial dentures: support and bracing considerations.

Background: When designing removable partial dentures, maximizing the effectiveness of support and bracing is necessary to minimize denture movement. Therefore, it is essential to emphasize the importance of providing patients with appropriate, safe, and secure removable partial dentures and have clinicians rerecognize the concept and importance of support and bracing. This study aimed to present extension-base removable partial dentures through six specific clinical case series and describe the effect of support and bracing action on denture design, which is essential for denture movement minimization.

An autopsy case with tubular obstruction by impacted swollen blebs due to ischemic acute kidney injury.

Background: Oliguric acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the critical conditions which needs emergent treatment due to the lack of the capacity of excreting toxins and fluids, and plasma membrane bleb formation is considered as one of the characteristic morphologic alterations in ischemic AKI in both animal models and human. We present here an autopsy case with clear electron microscopy images capturing a definitive instance of blebbing in ischemic AKI.

Case Presentation: A 66-year-old man was admitted for oliguric AKI with nephrotic syndrome (NS).

Niche-derived Semaphorin 4A safeguards functional identity of myeloid-biased hematopoietic stem cells.

Somatic stem cell pools comprise diverse, highly specialized subsets whose individual contribution is critical for the overall regenerative function. In the bone marrow, myeloid-biased hematopoietic stem cells (myHSCs) are indispensable for replenishment of myeloid cells and platelets during inflammatory response but, at the same time, become irreversibly damaged during inflammation and aging. Here we identify an extrinsic factor, semaphorin 4A (Sema4A), which non-cell-autonomously confers myHSC resilience to inflammatory stress.

Transition from the topological to the chaotic in the nonlinear Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model.

Recent studies on topological materials are expanding into the nonlinear regime, while the central principle, namely the bulk-edge correspondence, is yet to be elucidated in the strongly nonlinear regime. Here, we reveal that nonlinear topological edge modes can exhibit the transition to spatial chaos by increasing nonlinearity, which can be a universal mechanism of the breakdown of the bulk-edge correspondence. Specifically, we unveil the underlying dynamical system describing the spatial distribution of zero modes and show the emergence of chaos.

Precession modulates the poleward expansion of atmospheric circulation to the Arctic Ocean.

Under sustained global warming, Arctic climate is projected to become more responsive to changes in North Pacific meridional heat transport as a result of teleconnections between low and high latitudes, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we reconstruct subarctic humidity changes over the past 400 kyr to investigate the role of low-to-high latitude interactions in regulating Arctic hydroclimate. Our reconstruction is based on precipitation-driven sediment input variations in the Subarctic North Pacific (SANP), which reveal a strong precessional cycle in subarctic humidity under the relatively low eccentricity variations that dominated the past four glacial-interglacial cycles.

Steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome due to renal-limited thrombotic microangiopathy and membranous nephropathy after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation successfully treated with calcineurin inhibitors.

Transplantation-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is a severe complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) with high mortality. As calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) reportedly contribute to TMA via drug-induced endothelial injury, treatment of TMA often involves CNI discontinuation or dose reduction. However, renal-limited TMA, defined as biopsy-proven renal TMA without the classical triad (hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and organ damage), has rarely been reported after allo-HSCT, and its optimal management remains unknown.

Response to initial treatment with glucocorticoids in TAFRO syndrome and implications for secondary treatment.

The study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of various initial treatments incorporating glucocorticoid (GC) in TAFRO syndrome (thrombocytopenia, anasarca, fever, reticulin fibrosis, and organomegaly). Cases of TAFRO syndrome up to November 2023 were retrospectively collected. Overall survival (OS) and resistance to GC therapy were assessed, with resistance analyzed based on the time to the next treatment or death (TTNTD).