Subpial transplantation of adipose-derived stem cells alleviates paraplegia in a rat model of aortic occlusion/reperfusion-induced spinal cord infarction.

Background: Thoracoabdominal periprocedural occlusion/reperfusion injury of the spinal cord (SCII/R) can lead to devastating paraplegia, underscoring the critical need for effective interventions. However, our knowledge of optimal medical strategies and their efficacy remains limited. Preclinical investigations have shown promise in harnessing adult stem cells, including pluripotent and multipotent stem cells such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), to address SCII/R by enhancing neuro-inflammation, axonal growth, and myelination.

Diffusion lacunae: a novel MR imaging finding on diffusion-weighted imaging for diagnosing placenta accreta spectrum.

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of novel diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) findings for diagnosing placenta accreta spectrum (PAS).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included 49 pregnant women with suspected PAS who underwent 1.5 T placental MRI.

Effects of early parenteral nutrition on the development of premature infants born at 22-23 weeks of gestation: a retrospective cohort study evaluated by brain magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: The effect of early parenteral nutrition (EPN) therapy on brain development in extremely premature infants at a gestational age (GA) of 22-25 weeks remains unknown.

Objectives: This study investigated the effect of EPN therapy on GA 22 to 25 weeks of gestation using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) global brain abnormality score (GBAS).

Subjects: Forty-six preterm infants born before 26 weeks of gestation were divided into the GA 22-23 weeks (GA 22-23; n = 18) and GA 24-25 weeks (GA 24-25; n = 28) group.

Geographical, Seasonal, and Growth-Related Dynamics of Gut Microbiota in a Grapevine Pest, Apolygus spinolae (Heteroptera: Miridae).

A number of insects are associated with gut symbiotic microorganisms, wherein symbiotic partners play pivotal metabolic roles for each other such as nutrient supplementation, diet degradation, and pesticide detoxification. Despite the ecological and evolutionary importance of gut microbial communities in insects, their diversity and dynamics remain unclear in many species. The green plant bug Apolygus spinolae, a notorious grapevine pest in Japan, damages grape shoots and severely reduces grape berry yield and quality.

Optical Properties of Body Mucus Secreted from Coral Reef Sea Slugs: Measurement of Refractive Indices and Relative Absorption Spectra.

Sea slugs are always covered in a mucus layer that has various functions including chemical defense that often involves aposematism and mimicry. Therefore, it is necessary for sea slugs to exhibit their body colors and patterns exactly, and the optical properties of mucus should support this requirement. We examined body mucus from heterobranch sea slugs collected in the Okinawan coral reefs.

A New Strategy for Adult T-Cell Leukemia Treatment Targeting Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β.

Objectives: The role of glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β in adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) caused by human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is paradoxical and enigmatic. Here, we investigated the role of GSK-3β and its potential as a therapeutic target for ATL.

Methods: Cell proliferation/survival, cell cycle, apoptosis, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation were examined using the WST-8 assay, flow cytometry, and Hoechst 33342 staining, respectively.

Direct visualization of postoperative aortobronchial fistula on computed tomography.

Background: Postoperative aortobronchial fistula (ABF) is a rare complication that can occur in 0.3%-5.0% of patients over an extended period of time after thoracic aortic surgery.

Enlarged Perivascular Spaces Are Independently Associated with High Pulse Wave Velocity: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: Recent studies have demonstrated an association between pulse wave velocity (PWV), cerebral small vessel disease (SVD), and cognitive impairment such as Alzheimer's disease. However, the association between brachial-ankle PWV and enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS), one component of cerebral SVD remains controversial.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between brachial-ankle PWV and EPVS severity in participants without dementia.

The posterior intralaminar thalamic nucleus promotes nose-to-nose contacts leading to prosocial reception in the sequence of mouse social interaction.

Efficient social interaction is essential for an adaptive life and consists of sequential processes of multisensory events with social counterparts. Social touch/contact is a unique component that promotes a sequence of social behaviours initiated by detection and approach to assess a social stimulus and subsequent touch/contact interaction to form prosocial relationships. We hypothesized that the thalamic sensory relay circuit from the posterior intralaminar nucleus of the thalamus (pIL) to the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) and the medial amygdala (MeA) plays a key role in the social contact-mediated sequence of events.

Feasibility of Near-infrared Photoimmunotherapy Combined With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy in Unresectable Head and Neck Cancer.

Background/aim: Near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) is a recently developed cancer treatment modality that selectively kills cancer cells and may induce a therapeutic host immune response. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of combining NIR-PIT with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy for unresectable recurrent head and neck cancer.

Patients And Methods: Five patients underwent NIR-PIT at Ryukyu University Hospital between January 2022 and April 2024.

Pre-clinical and clinical evaluation of a surface plasmon field-enhanced fluorescence spectroscopy (SPFS) antigen test for detecting SARS-CoV-2.

Introduction: The diagnostic tools of nucleic acid amplification tests and antigen tests have been extensively employed for the detection of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Although the reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT)-PCR test has high sensitivity and specificity, it is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. On the other hand, antigen tests are simple and prompt, however, their low sensitivity and potential for false positives have been identified as limitations.

Phytotoxicity and Identification of Active Compounds from Blume Plant for Controlling Weeds.

Phytotoxic compounds isolated and identified from different plants have the ability to use as plant-based herbicides. Phytotoxic chemicals may be essential to weed management and environmental protection in order to reduce the indiscriminate use of synthetic pesticides. It has been reported that plant possesses phytotoxic compounds.

Examination of sequence variations in partial mitochondrial 12S gene amongst damselfish species as references for DNA barcoding.

Accurate species identification, based on DNA barcoding, can be achieved when sufficient sequence variations are present amongst species in the sampled marker. In general, the ability to discriminate species decreases with shorter sequences; however, shorter regions have a merit in amplification success by the polymerase chain reaction. In either case, it is important to investigate sequence variations amongst species before barcoding to understand its reliability and limitations.

A heterocyclic compound inhibits viral release by inducing cell surface BST2/Tetherin/CD317/HM1.24.

The introduction of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has greatly improved the quality of life of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals. Nonetheless, the ever-present desire to seek out a full remedy for HIV-1 infections makes the discovery of novel antiviral medication compelling. Owing to this, a new late-stage inhibitor, Lenacapavir/Sunlenca, an HIV multi-phase suppressor, was clinically authorized in 2022.

Effect of Genetic Polymorphisms of ABCB1, ABCG2, and SLC22A1 on the Steady-State Plasma Concentrations of Lamotrigine in Treatment-Resistant Depressed Patients Treated With Lamotrigine Augmentation Therapy.

Objectives: The authors have demonstrated that a plasma lamotrigine concentration of 12.7 μmol/L may be a threshold for a good therapeutic response to lamotrigine augmentation therapy in treatment-resistant depressed patients. Lamotrigine is a substrate of P-glycoprotein, breast cancer resistant protein and organic cation transporter 1, which are encoded by ABCB1 , ABCG2 , and SLC22A1 , respectively.

Outcome of endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery for acromegaly: Comparison of using and not using the floor standing pneumatic powered endoscope-holder system.

Introduction: Endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery can be performed by two surgeons, including an endoscopist (PE/2S), and by a single surgeon with an endoscope-holder system (PE/1S + H). We analyzed the surgical outcome, and outcome predictors in acromegaly patients in endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery using floor standing pneumatic endoscope-holder system.

Methods: Endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery was performed with PE/1S+H (n = 51) and PE/2S (n = 20).