Genetic diversity and virulence of group isolates from bloodstream infections.

catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) are an increasing concern in Japanese hospitals. Although their clinical characteristics have been explored, the genetic relationships and virulence profiles of isolates from CRBSIs remain understudied. Here, using advanced genomic techniques, we investigated the genetic diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and virulence profiles of isolates from patients with bloodstream infections.

Resistance haplotypes to green rice leafhopper ( Uhler) estimated in genome-wide association study in Myanmar rice landraces.

Green rice leafhopper (GRH, Uhler) is a serious insect pest of rice in the temperate regions of Asia. Myanmar has a high genetic diversity and is located at the center of the origin of rice. To understand the genetic architecture of GRH resistance in Myanmar rice landraces, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed using a diversity panel collected from diverse geographical regions.

Relationship between functional structures and horizontal connections in macaque inferior temporal cortex.

Horizontal connections in anterior inferior temporal cortex (ITC) are thought to play an important role in object recognition by integrating information across spatially separated functional columns, but their functional organization remains unclear. Using a combination of optical imaging, electrophysiological recording, and anatomical tracing, we investigated the relationship between stimulus-response maps and patterns of horizontal axon terminals in the macaque ITC. In contrast to the "like-to-like" connectivity observed in the early visual cortex, we found that horizontal axons in ITC do not preferentially connect sites with similar object selectivity.

Comparative Population Genetics of Two Alvinocaridid Shrimp Species in Chemosynthetic Ecosystems of the Western Pacific.

Deep-sea shrimps from the family Alvinocarididae are prominent inhabitants of chemosynthesis-based habitats worldwide. However, their genetic diversity and population connectivity remain poorly understood due to limited sampling. To fill these knowledge gaps, we compared the population genetics of two vent- and seep-dwelling alvinocaridid species with overlapped geographic ranges between the South China Sea and the Manus Basin.

Gut microbes associated with functional cure of chronic hepatitis B.

Background And Aims: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is prevalent worldwide and is difficult to eradicate. Current treatment strategies for chronic hepatitis B ultimately seek to achieve functional cure (FC); however, the factors contributing to FC remain unclear. We aimed to investigate the gut microbiota profiles of patients with chronic hepatitis B who achieved FC.

Unveiling significant regrowth and potential risk of nontuberculous mycobacteria in hospital water supply system.

The health burden of waterborne nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is a rising concern. While the water supply systems can serve as a potential reservoir for NTM, their abundance, diversity, and transmission pathways remain unknown. This study aimed to characterize the prevalence and regrowth of NTM in building water supply system in a hospital where many M.

Increased fecal glycocholic acid levels correlate with obesity in conjunction with the depletion of archaea: the DOSANCO Health Study.

Background: Recent studies have focused on the relationship between obesity and gut microbiota. This study aims to identify fecal components and gut bacterial species associated with different BMI categories.

Methods: In this study, 538 participants aged ≥18 years were categorized into underweight, normal, and obese groups based on BMI (cutoffs: 18.

Incorporating Multimodal Directional Interpersonal Synchrony into Empathetic Response Generation.

This study investigates how interpersonal (speaker-partner) synchrony contributes to empathetic response generation in communication scenarios. To perform this investigation, we propose a model that incorporates multimodal directional (positive and negative) interpersonal synchrony, operationalized using the cosine similarity measure, into empathetic response generation. We evaluate how incorporating specific synchrony affects the generated responses at the language and empathy levels.

Restoration of Genetic Code in Macular Mouse Fibroblasts via APOBEC1-Mediated RNA Editing.

RNA editing is a significant mechanism underlying genetic variation and protein molecule alteration; C-to-U RNA editing, specifically, is important in the regulation of mammalian genetic diversity. The ability to define and limit accesses of enzymatic machinery to avoid the modification of unintended targets is key to the success of RNA editing. Identification of the core component of the apoB RNA editing holoenzyme, APOBEC, and investigation into new candidate genes encoding other elements of the complex could reveal further details regarding APOBEC-mediated mRNA editing.

Nuclear Intron Sequence Variation of the Complex (Mollusca: Planorbidae): Implications for Molecular Systematic Analyses.

Urinary schistosomiasis is caused by the blood fluke , which is predominantly found in Africa. The freshwater snail is its main intermediate host. The species that make up the group are genetically complex, and their taxonomic status remains controversial.

Morphological and functional analysis of colorectal cancer cell lines in 2D and 3D culture models.

The epithelial and mesenchymal features of colorectal adenocarcinoma (CRAC) cell lines were compared in two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) cultures. In 2D cultures, the three CRAC cell lines exhibited epithelial characteristics with high E-cadherin and low vimentin levels, whereas two exhibited mesenchymal traits with opposite expression patterns. In 3D cultures using low-attachment plates, mesenchymal cells from 2D cultures showed reduced vimentin mRNA levels.

Clinical and microbiological characteristics of invasive diseases due to Haemophilus influenzae in the Minami Ibaraki Area, Japan.

Introduction: We investigated clinical and microbiological characteristics of invasive Haemophilus influenzae disease (IHD) during recent 20 years in the Minami Ibaraki Area.

Methods: H. influenzae strains isolated from the blood and the cerebrospinal fluid in 5 hospitals located in this area between 2001 and 2020 (the pre-vaccination period [PreVP]: 2001-2010, the post-vaccination period [PostVP]: 2011-2020) were consecutively collected.

Pre-operative subjective functional capacity and postoperative outcomes in adult non-cardiac surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Assessment of functional capacity is an essential part of peri-operative risk stratification. Subjective functional capacity is easier to examine than objective tests of patient fitness. However, the association between subjective functional capacity and postoperative outcomes has not been established.

Pig tongue soft robot mimicking intrinsic tongue muscle structure.

Animal muscles have complex, three-dimensional structures with fibers oriented in various directions. The tongue, in particular, features a highly intricate muscular system composed of four intrinsic muscles and several types of extrinsic muscles, enabling flexible and diverse movements essential for feeding, swallowing, and speech production. Replicating these structures could lead to the development of multifunctional manipulators and advanced platforms for studying muscle-motion relationships.

Real-world effectiveness of mepolizumab in Japanese asthma patients with diverse backgrounds: Improvements in rhinosinusitis imaging (J-Real-Mepo).

Background: Although randomized controlled trials (RCT) have demonstrated the efficacy of mepolizumab for asthma, they have excluded certain patient subgroups. To bridge the gap between RCT and real-world practice, the effectiveness of mepolizumab in a diverse population, including those potentially excluded from RCT, was assessed. Its effects on imaging findings and symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) with asthma were also assessed.

Patent research in academic literature. Landscape and trends with a focus on patent analytics.

Patent analytics is crucial for understanding innovation dynamics and technological trends. However, a comprehensive overview of this rapidly evolving field is lacking. This study presents a data-driven analysis of patent research, employing citation network analysis to categorize and examine research clusters.

Diverse Cre recombinase expression pattern in Albumin-Cre driver rats.

Rats (Rattus norvegicus) have been widely utilized as model animals due to their physiological characteristics, making them suitable for surgical and long-term studies. They have played a crucial role in biomedical research, complementing studies conducted in mice. The advent of genome editing technologies has facilitated the generation of genetically modified rat strains, advancing studies in experimental animals.

Expanding the genomic diversity of human anelloviruses.

Anelloviruses are a group of small, circular, single-stranded DNA viruses that are found ubiquitously across mammalian hosts. Here, we explored a large number of publicly available human microbiome datasets and retrieved a total of 829 anellovirus genomes, substantially expanding the known diversity of these viruses. The majority of new genomes fall within the three major human anellovirus genera: , and , while we also present new genomes of the under-sampled , and genera.

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of stromal p16 and p53 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

The tumor microenvironment is highly heterogeneous and consists of neoplastic cells and diverse stromal components, including fibroblasts, endothelial cells, pericytes, immune cells, local and bone marrow-derived stromal stem and progenitor cells, and the surrounding extracellular matrix. Although the significance of p16 and p53 has been reported in various tumor types, their involvement in the stromal cells of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unclear. We performed immunohistochemical analyses of p16 and p53 expression in OSCC samples, Of the 116 samples, 74 showed p16-positive stromal cells, and 33 showed p53-positive stromal cells.

Facile Synthesis of Nanostructured Lithium-Incorporated Titanium Oxides (Li-TiO ) by Means of Wet Corrosion Process (WCP) and Their Potential Application for Batteries.

Currently, there is a growing demand for nanomaterials in the fields of materials and energy. Nanostructured metal oxides have been widely studied, owing to their unique and diverse physicochemical properties and potential applications in various fields. In recent years, considerable attention has been directed toward metal oxides, particularly lithium-incorporated titanium oxides (Li-TiO ), owing to their exceptional safety profiles.

Bonding performance of universal adhesive systems with dual-polymerising resin cements to various dental substrates: in vitro study.

Background: Resin cements often require substrate-specific pretreatment. Recently, universal adhesive systems have been introduced, simplifying procedures by eliminating the need for multiple adhesives and offering options that do not require light curing. This study investigated the bonding performance of universal adhesive systems combined with dual-polymerising resin cements on enamel, dentin, zirconia, lithium disilicate ceramics (LDS), and resin blocks.

Incomplete human reference genomes can drive false sex biases and expose patient-identifying information in metagenomic data.

As next-generation sequencing technologies produce deeper genome coverages at lower costs, there is a critical need for reliable computational host DNA removal in metagenomic data. We find that insufficient host filtration using prior human genome references can introduce false sex biases and inadvertently permit flow-through of host-specific DNA during bioinformatic analyses, which could be exploited for individual identification. To address these issues, we introduce and benchmark three host filtration methods of varying throughput, with concomitant applications across low biomass samples such as skin and high microbial biomass datasets including fecal samples.

GATA4 binding to the Sox9 enhancer mXYSRa/Enh13 is critical for testis differentiation in mouse.

In mammals, SOX9/Sox9 expression in embryonic gonads is essential for male gonadal sex determination. Multiple enhancers of Sox9 have been identified, of which the mXYSRa/Enh13 enhancer plays a crucial role in mice. SOX9 and SRY binding sites within the enhancer have been identified as functional.

Video-based propagation of tacit knowledge during coil embolization of intracranial aneurysms.

Background: Neuroendovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms is considered a basic procedure for neurosurgeons and interventional neuroradiologists; however, its critical technical nuances, termed "tacit knowledge," are challenging to impart. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of our novel video recording and editing method in enhancing trainees' experience.

Methods: A wearable camera (wearable recording) and multiple media sources in a hybrid operating room (hybrid recording) were used to capture procedural details such as audio and conversation, thus enabling a re-experience.

Surveillance and genetic diversity of bovine viral diarrhea virus in dairy herds across Taiwan.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) significantly impacts cattle worldwide, causing respiratory, gastrointestinal, and reproductive disorders that lead to substantial economic losses. Despite its high global prevalence and various genotypes, the infection status of BVDV in Taiwan has not been reported. This study conducted large-scale surveillance in 2014, analyzing 460 bovine serum samples collected from 49 dairy herds across Taiwan.