Introduction of acetyl-phosphate bypass and increased culture temperatures enhanced growth-coupled poly-hydroxybutyrate production in the marine cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC7002.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is an attractive bio-degradable plastic alternative to petrochemical plastics. Photosynthetic cyanobacteria accumulate biomass by fixing atmospheric CO, making them promising hosts for sustainable PHA production. Conventional PHA production in cyanobacteria requires prolonged cultivation under nutrient limitation to accumulate cellular PHA.

Potent HIV‑1 protease inhibitors containing oxabicyclo octanol-derived P2-ligands: Design, synthesis, and X‑ray structural studies of inhibitor-HIV-1 protease complexes.

We describe here the design, synthesis, and X-ray structural studies of a new class of HIV-1 protease inhibitors containing 8-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octanol-derived P2 ligands.

Premovement neuronal activity in the primary motor cortex is associated with the initiation of ipsilateral hand movements in monkeys.

The primary motor cortex (M1) is believed to be a cortical center for the execution of limb movements. Although M1 neurons mainly project to the spinal cord on the contralateral side, some M1 neurons project to the ipsilateral side via the uncrossed corticospinal pathway. Moreover, some M1 neurons are activated during ipsilateral forelimb movements.

Loss of neuronal activity facilitates surface accumulation of p75NTR and cell death in avian cochlear nucleus.

Sensorineural hearing loss causes cell death in central auditory neurons, but molecular mechanisms of triggering this process are not fully understood. We report here that loss of afferent activity promotes cell death by facilitating proBDNF-p75NTR signals in cochlear nucleus of chicks around hatch. RNA-seq analyses revealed up-regulation of genes related to proBDNF-p75NTR-JNK signals as well as apoptosis at the nucleus within 24hours after unilateral cochlea deprivation.

AP2A1 modulates cell states between senescence and rejuvenation.

Aging proceeds with the accumulation of senescent cells in multiple organs. These cells exhibit increased size compared to young cells, which promotes further senescence and age-related diseases. Currently, the molecular mechanism behind the maintenance of such huge cell architecture undergoing senescence remains poorly understood.

Association Between Quadriceps Muscle Strength and the Forgotten Joint Score After Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Background: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) effectively enhances hip function and alleviates pain in patients who have osteoarthritis, improving their quality of life. The Forgotten Joint Score-12 (FJS-12), a patient-reported outcome measure, has recently gained attention as a method for assessing joint awareness during daily activities following THA; however, the association between muscle strength, specifically quadriceps muscle strength, and the FJS-12 has not been fully investigated.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 624 patients who underwent THA at a single center in Japan.

Development and evaluation of chitosan-coated virgin coconut oil-asiatic acid-loaded nanoemulgel for enhanced wound management.

Wound management remains a significant challenge due to complications such as delayed healing and microbial infections, particularly in the conditions like diabetes mellitus, vascular disorders, and immunosuppression. This study aimed to develop a chitosan-coated virgin coconut oil-asiatic acid-loaded nanoemulsion gel (CS-ASA-NEG) to enhance wound healing outcomes. A central composite design (CCD) was employed using Design Expert 11 software to optimize the nanoemulsion formulation, with ternary phase diagrams (TPD) evaluating stable regions for Tween 20: Span 80 (T20:S80) ratios.

NEIL1: the second DNA glycosylase involved in action-at-a-distance mutations induced by 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine.

8-Oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (G, 8-hydroxyguanine), an oxidatively damaged base, induces mutations and is involved in cancer initiation. In addition to G:C→T:A transversions at the damaged site, it causes untargeted base substitution (action-at-a-distance) mutations at the G bases of 5'-GpA-3' sites in human cells. Paradoxically, OGG1, a DNA glycosylase involved in the base excision repair (BER) pathway, enhances the action-at-a-distance mutations by G.

A novel Sai-based antioxidant agent attenuates antibody-mediated rejection in allogeneic rat kidney transplantation.

Antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR) remains a leading cause of graft loss during kidney transplantation. Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) has been reported to promote T-cell proliferation, leading to B-cell activation and subsequent production of donor-specific antibodies (DSA), which target antigens on the vascular endothelium. We hypothesize that a novel therapeutic strategy targeting highly toxic reactive oxygen species could mitigate oxidative stress and immune responses associated with IRI.

Real-world use of biologics during the first year of treatment for newly diagnosed Crohn's disease in Japan: a claims analysis from 2010 to 2021.

Background/aims: Crohn's disease (CD) leads to bowel damage and disability if suboptimally treated. We investigated firstyear treatment decisions and real-world use of biologics in patients with CD in Japan.

Methods: In this retrospective observational study (2010-2021) from the JMDC claims database, patients with a new diagnosis of CD (no CD claims record within 12 months before index) who received ≥ 1 pre-defined treatment were grouped by use of biologics and systemic corticosteroids (SCS) within the first year of diagnosis.

Therapeutic novelties in acute heart failure and practical perspectives.

Acute Heart Failure (AHF) is a leading cause of death and represents the most frequent cause of unplanned hospital admission in patients older than 65 years. Since the past decade, several randomized clinical trials have highlighted the importance and pivotal role of certain therapeutics, including decongestion by the combination of loop diuretics, the need for rapid goal-directed medical therapies implementation before discharge, risk stratification, and early follow-up after discharge therapies. Cardiogenic shock, defined as sustained hypotension with tissue hypoperfusion due to low cardiac output and congestion, is the most severe form of AHF and mainly occurs after acute myocardial infarction, which can progress to multiple organ failure.

Effect of a Training System Utilizing 3D-Printed Patient-Specific Vascular Models on Endovascular Catheterization Performance.

This study aimed to examine the effect of simulation training using a three-dimensional (3D)-printed patient-specific vascular model on the advanced vascular catheterization skills of experienced interventional radiologists (IRs). Two specific anatomic types of 3D-printed patient-specific models from two patients with challenging celiac axis arterial anatomy were constructed. The Global Rating Scale of Endovascular Performance (GRS-EP) was used to evaluate vascular insertion skills.

Robot-Assisted CT-guided Biopsy with an Artificial Intelligence-Based Needle-Path Generator: An Experimental Evaluation Using a Phantom Model.

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of a robotic system with artificial intelligence-based lesion detection and path planning for CT-guided biopsy, compared to the conventional freehand technique.

Materials And Methods: Eight nodules within an abdominal phantom, incorporating the simulated vertebrae and ribs, were designated as targets. A robotic system was used for lesion detection, trajectory generation, and needle-holder positioning.

Beyond Facilitating Unisensory Processing: Crossmodal Associative Memory Training Further Modulates Sensory Integration.

Audiovisual associative memory and audiovisual integration involve common behavioral processing components and significantly overlap in their neural mechanisms. This suggests that training on audiovisual associative memory may have the potential to improve audiovisual integration. The current study tested this hypothesis by applying a 2 (group: audiovisual training group, unimodal control group) * 2 (time: pretest, posttest) design.

Food properties modulate activities in posterior parietal and visual cortex during chewing.

Cross-modal interactions between sensory modalities may be necessary for recognition of chewing food by the invisible oral cavity to avoid damaging the tongue and/or oral mucosa. The present study used functional near-infrared spectroscopy to investigate whether the food properties hardness and size influence activities in the posterior parietal cortex and visual cortex during chewing performance in healthy individuals. It was found that an increase in food hardness enhanced both posterior parietal cortex and visual cortex activities, while an increase in food size enhanced activities in the same regions.

Intratumoral Heterogeneity of Primary Breast Cancer on 18F-FES PET/CT and dbPET Anticipated a Heterogeneous Response to Chemotherapy.

A 59-year-old woman with cT3N3M1 invasive breast cancer (ER low positive, PgR positive, HER2 negative) underwent PET/CT and dedicated breast PET scans using 18F-FDG and 18F-fluoroestradiol (18F-FES). While most primary tumor regions displayed low FES uptake, regions of high FES uptake were also identified. Following chemotherapy with the paclitaxel and bevacizumab, 18F-FDG PET/CT demonstrated a favorable response, but residual disease was noted in areas with high FES uptake on the pretreatment images.

Comprehensive analysis of gene expressions in ileal mucosa of chickens fed paddy rice and their IgA response to oral vaccination.

Paddy rice ingestion increases intestinal mucin secretion and production by enhancing MUC2 gene expression and epithelial turnover. In this study, we performed a comprehensive analysis of intestinal gene expression in chickens fed paddy rice and investigated whether the intestinal IgA response was modified by paddy rice ingestion. Furthermore, we investigated the possible involvement of gut fermentation.

Enhancing the efficacy of near-infrared photoimmunotherapy through intratumoural delivery of CD44-targeting antibody-photoabsorber conjugates.

Background: Photoimmunotherapy (PIT) is a potent modality for cancer treatment. The conventional PIT regimen involves the systemic delivery of an antibody-photoabsorber conjugate, followed by a 24-h waiting period to ensure adequate localisation on the target cells. Subsequent exposure to near-infrared (NIR) light selectively damages the target cells.

Challenges to promoting maternal respiratory syncytial virus vaccination in Japan.

Pfizer's Abrysvo vaccine is highly effective in preventing severe lower respiratory tract illness in those at high risk from the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV). Japan, like other countries, is promoting RSV vaccination among pregnant women, but it needs to do better. However, Japan is enduring a state of broad vaccine hesitancy.

Degeneration of the cartilage quality is correlated with a higher intramuscular fat infiltration of the vastus medialis in older adults with pre-to-mild knee osteoarthritis.

Purpose: To quantitatively verify whether degeneration in the quality of the medial femoral cartilage is correlated with muscle volume loss and intramuscular adipose tissue (IntraMAT) infiltration in quadriceps using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: Of the 66 older adult participants ≥60 years old (74.5 ± 6.

Successful treatment of chronic migraine unresponsive to triptans with herbal medicines containing Cinnamomi Cortex: A case report.

Background: Migraine is a neurological disorder characterized by severe, unilateral, pulsating headaches with visual, olfactory, and auditory hypersensitivity, as well as autonomic symptoms. Currently, triptans are the standard treatment, but they often fail to relieve symptoms. Herbal medicines are alternative treatments to overcome these limitations.

Structural insights into nucleocapsid protein variability: Implications for PJ34 efficacy against SARS-CoV-2.

Human coronaviruses (HCoVs) include common cold viruses such as HCoV-229E, OC43, NL63 and HKU1 as well as MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV, which cause severe respiratory disease. Recently, SARS-CoV-2 caused a COVID-19 pandemic. The nucleocapsid (N) protein of coronaviruses, which is essential for RNA binding and homodimerization, has a highly conserved structure across viruses.

Simplified Outcome Prediction in Patients Undergoing Transcatheter Tricuspid Valve Intervention by Survival Tree-Based Modelling.

Background: Patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) typically present with heterogeneity in the extent of cardiac dysfunction and extra-cardiac comorbidities, which play a decisive role for survival after transcatheter tricuspid valve intervention (TTVI).

Objectives: This aim of this study was to create a survival tree-based model to determine the cardiac and extra-cardiac features associated with 2-year survival after TTVI.

Methods: The study included 918 patients (derivation set, n = 631; validation set, n = 287) undergoing TTVI for severe TR.

From collective to individual radon risk exposure: An insight into the current European regulation.

Radon (Rn) is a radioactive gas with well-documented harmful effects; the World Health Organization has confirmed it as a cancerogenic for humans. These detrimental effects have prompted Europe to establish national reference levels to protect the exposed population. This is reflected in European directive 59/2013/EURATOM, which has been transposed into the national regulations of EU Member States.