On the calculation of the potential of mean force between atomistic nanoparticles.

We study the potential of mean force (PMF) between atomistic silica and gold nanoparticles in the vacuum by using molecular dynamics simulations. Such an investigation is devised in order to fully characterize the effective interactions between atomistic nanoparticles, a crucial step to describe the PMF in high-density coarse-grained polymer nanocomposites. In our study, we first investigate the behavior of silica nanoparticles, considering cases corresponding to different particle sizes and assessing results against an analytic theory developed by Hamaker for a system of Lennard-Jones interacting particles (H.

Hybrid Particle-Field Model for Conformational Dynamics of Peptide Chains.

We propose the first model of a polypeptide chain based on a hybrid-particle field approach. The intramolecular potential is built on a two-bead coarse grain mapping for each amino acid. We employ a combined potential for the bending and the torsional degrees of freedom that ensures the stabilization of secondary structure elements in the conformational space of the polypeptide.

Aerobic fitness associates with mnemonic discrimination as a mediator of physical activity effects: evidence for memory flexibility in young adults.

A physically active lifestyle has beneficial effects on hippocampal memory function. A potential mechanism for this effect is exercise-enhanced hippocampal plasticity, particularly in the dentate gyrus (DG). Within hippocampal memory formation, the DG plays a crucial role in pattern separation, which is the ability to discriminate among similar experiences.

The association between aerobic fitness and cognitive function in older men mediated by frontal lateralization.

Previous studies have shown that higher aerobic fitness is related to higher cognitive function and higher task-related prefrontal activation in older adults. However, a holistic picture of these factors has yet to be presented. As a typical age-related change of brain activation, less lateralized activity in the prefrontal cortex during cognitive tasks has been observed in various neuroimaging studies.

Possible influences of exercise-intensity-dependent increases in non-cortical hemodynamic variables on NIRS-based neuroimaging analysis during cognitive tasks: Technical note.

Purpose: Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) provides functional imaging of cortical activations by measuring regional oxy- and deoxy-hemoglobin (Hb) changes in the forehead during a cognitive task. There are, however, potential problems regarding NIRS signal contamination by non-cortical hemodynamic (NCH) variables such as skin blood flow, middle cerebral artery blood flow, and heart rate (HR), which are further complicated during acute exercise. It is thus necessary to determine the appropriate post-exercise timing that allows for valid NIRS assessment during a task without any increase in NCH variables.

Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the stomach with peripancreatic lymph node metastases successfully treated with pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Neuroendocrine carcinoma of the stomach is an uncommon tumor, usually associated with highly malignant biological behavior and extremely poor prognosis. In this report, we described a case of advanced neuroendocrine carcinoma of the stomach with the peripancreatic lymph node metastases which was treated with pancreaticoduodenectomy with extended lymphadenectomy. The patient was admitted to our hospital for anemia.

The significance of intraoperative Doppler ultrasonography in evaluating hepatic arterial flow when assessing the indications for the Appleby procedure for pancreatic body cancer.

Background/purpose: The Appleby procedure has been used in the surgical treatment of advanced gastric cancer. This procedure consists of a combined resection of the whole of the stomach, the body and tail of the pancreas, and the spleen, as well as resection of the celiac artery. This procedure can also be used for operative resection of cancer of the body of the pancreas.

Surgical anatomy of arteries running transversely in the pancreas, with special reference to the superior transverse pancreatic artery.

Background/aims: In pancreatic surgery, the pancreas is usually divided over the portal vein. Knowledge of transversely oriented arterial systems within the pancreas that would need to be ligated in most forms of pancreatic surgery is clinically important. We studied the anatomy of arteries running transversely in the pancreas.

[A case of hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy using intraoperative trans-esophageal echocardiography].

A 45-year-old man underwent trans-aortic myectomy for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM). Although two mounds of hypertrophic septal muscle were resected, Brockenbrough phenomena proved unsatisfactory myectomy. Intraoperative trans-esophageal echocardiogram (TEE) revealed a residual mound at the apical septum.

Intracavernous injection of prostaglandin E1 for the treatment of erectile impotence.

We administered intracavernous injections of 20 micrograms. prostaglandin E1 to 135 patients with impotence, and evaluated the effects and side effects. Among 135 patients who underwent intracavernous injection of prostaglandin E1 complete erection was observed in 83 (62 per cent), while incomplete erection was noted in 33 (24 per cent).

Cigarette smoke modifies bleomycin-induced lung injury to produce lung emphysema.

The effect of cigarette smoke exposure on the development of bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis was studied. Hamsters 3 weeks of age were divided into four groups, control (C), BLM treated (B), cigarette smoke exposure (T), and cigarette smoke plus BLM (TB). Cigarette smoke exposure was started 5 days after the beginning of feeding in a desiccator which received a flow of smoke.