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The need for basement membrane extract (BME) with undefined constituents, such as Matrigel, for intestinal stem cell (ISC) culture in traditional systems poses a significant barrier that must be overcome for the development of clinical-grade, scalable, ready-to-use ISCs. Here, we propose a functional polymer-based xenogeneic-free dish for the culture of intestinal stem cells (XF-DISC), ensuring substantially prolonged maintenance of ISCs derived from 3-dimensional human intestinal organoids (ISCs3D-hIO). XF-DISC enables remarkable expandability, exhibiting a 24-fold increase in cell numbers within 30 days, with long-term maintenance of ISCs3D-hIO for more than 30 consecutive passages (>210 days). In addition, XF-DISC is fully compatible with a cell banking system. Notably, human pluripotent stem cell-derived ISCs3D-hIO cultured on XF-DISC are successfully transplanted into intestinal injury and inflammation mouse models, leading to engraftment and regeneration of damaged mouse intestinal epithelium. As a reliable and scalable xenogeneic-free ISC3D-hIO culture method, XF-DISC is highly promising for the development of regenerative ISC therapy for human intestinal diseases. Methods to culture intestinal stem cells (ISCs) are often limited by undefined culture conditions arising from the use of basement membrane extracts or feeder cell layers. Here, the authors propose a polymer-based xenogeneic-free dish to culture stem cells, ensuring extended maintenance of ISCs derived from 3D human intestinal organoids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Recent genome‐wide association studies of European populations have identified rs16906115, a single‐nucleotide polymorphism in the interleukin‐7 gene, as a predictor of immune‐related adverse events (irAEs) and the therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. We evaluated this single‐nucleotide polymorphism in a Japanese population. Methods: From January 2021, we stored host DNA from individuals who received various types of immune checkpoint inhibitors. From this population, we categorized 510 participants into cases (grade ≥2 irAEs) and controls (received ≥3 immune checkpoint inhibitor doses, follow‐up ≥12 weeks, no irAEs), and divided 339 hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with atezolizumab/bevacizumab into responders and non‐responders, evaluated using the modified response evaluation criteria in solid tumors. We compared the minor allele frequencies of rs16906115 between cases and controls, and responders and non‐responders. Results: In the irAE prediction analysis of 234 cases and 276 controls, the minor allele frequency was 0.244 in the case group and 0.265 in the control group. This difference is not significant. In the analysis predicting the therapeutic efficacy for hepatocellular carcinoma patients, the responders had a significantly lower minor allele frequency of 0.220, compared with 0.300 for the non‐responders (p = 0.022). Univariate and multivariate analyses identified the minor allele homozygosity as a significant predictor of treatment response, with odds ratios of 0.292 (p = 0.015) in the univariate analysis and 0.315 (p = 0.023) in the multivariate analysis. Conclusions: In our Japanese cohort, no association was found between the rs16906115 minor allele and irAEs or treatment efficacy. The minor allele homozygosity may be associated with a negative therapeutic outcome. Clinical trial registration: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry with the number UMIN000043798. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The current study investigated whether sustained mild dehydration affects thermoregulatory function and cognitive performance during prolonged exercise. Methods: Twelve young adults performed a test consisting of three sets of 20-min exercise with 2-min intervals under euhydrated (control, CON) and mildly dehydrated conditions (MDEH) at an ambient temperature of 30 °C and 60% relative humidity. MDEH was established by restricting water intake for 24 h, resulting in urine specific gravity of ≥ 1.020. Heart rate (HR), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), skin blood flow (SkBF), sweat rate (SR) on the chest and forearm, and ear canal and mean skin surface temperatures (Tear and mean Tskin, respectively) were continuously recorded. For each exercise set, thermal and humid sensations and thermal discomfort were assessed using visual analog scales (VAS), and the rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was estimated. Cognitive performance on the Go/No-Go (easy) and incongruent Stroop (difficult) tasks was assessed before and after the test. Results: No differences were observed in HR, MAP, SkBF, SR, Tear, and mean Tskin between the CON and MDEH. Thermal and humidity sensations, thermal discomfort, and RPE were higher in MDEH than in CON. Moreover, response time to the Stroop task was prolonged in MDEH. Conclusion: These findings suggest that sustained mild dehydration does not affect autonomic thermoregulation during exercise. Augmented thermal perception and perceived exertion, which are necessary for behavioral thermoregulation, were noted; however, cognitive function may be attenuated under MDEH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To compare the image quality of 1.5T and 3T prostate MRIs of the same post-hip arthroplasty patients, with a specific focus on the degree of susceptibility artifacts. Methods: This single-center retrospective study included post-hip arthroplasty patients who underwent 1.5T prostate MRIs between 2021 and 2023, as well as comparative 3T prostate MRIs. Three blinded abdominal radiologists retrospectively reviewed their diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI, 50 s/mm2), T2-weighted imaging (T2WI), and dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging (DCE) to evaluate the image quality. The degree of susceptibility artifacts was categorized using a three-point scale, with 3 indicating the least artifact and 1 indicating the most. Image quality was also evaluated using Prostate Imaging Quality (PI-QUAL) version 2. The median of the three raters' scores was compared between 1.5T and 3T prostate MRIs using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. The inter-rater agreement was evaluated using the multi-rater generalized kappa. Results: Twenty pairs of 1.5T and 3T prostate MRI examinations from 20 unique patients were included. The DWI susceptibility artifact score at 1.5T was significantly higher than at 3T (mean score ± standard deviation, 2.80 ± 0.41 vs. 2.35 ± 0.93, p = 0.014). In contrast, no significant differences were observed in the susceptibility artifact scores in T2WI and DCE, or in the PI-QUAL score. The inter-reader agreement in the susceptibility artifact score was moderate (multi-rater generalized kappa: 0.60) in DWI, perfect in T2WI (not applicable), and substantial (0.65) in DCE. The inter-reader agreement was fair (0.27) in the PI-QUAL score. Conclusion: Using 1.5T scanners may be preferable to reduce susceptibility artifacts from hip prostheses in DWI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The administration of venetoclax (Ven) with azacitidine (Aza) was used as induction or salvage therapy for 34 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in our institute. An itraconazole oral solution (ITCZ-OS) was administered to 17 patients (50%) as antifungal prophylaxis. The trough concentration of Ven was significantly higher in patients treated with ITCZ than in those who were not (median values, 1.31 μg/mL vs. 0.64 μg/mL; p = 0.0072). Ven concentrations were > 3 μg/mL in some patients treated with ITCZ and the patient with the highest Ven concentration (5.58 μg/mL) expired after grade 4 neutropenia persisted for more than 50 days after the 1st cycle of Ven/Aza. It was also found that the group with concentrations equal to or above 1.29 μg/mL showed a significantly higher rate of achieving CR or CRi (p = 0.039). In conclusion, the measurement of Ven concentrations in AML cases is essential in daily clinical practice, particularly in those receiving antifungal prophylaxis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite widespread cervical cancer (CC) screening programs, low participation has led to high morbidity and mortality rates, especially in developing countries. Because early-stage CC often has no symptoms, a non-invasive and convenient diagnostic method is needed to improve disease detection. In this study, we developed a new approach for differentiating both CC and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)2/3, a precancerous lesion, from healthy individuals by exploring CC fatty acid metabolic reprogramming. Analysis of public datasets suggested that various fatty acid metabolizing enzymes were expressed at higher levels in CC tissues than in normal tissues. Correspondingly, 11 free fatty acids (FFAs) showed significantly different serum levels in CC patient samples compared with healthy donor samples. Nine of these 11 FFAs also displayed significant alterations in CIN2/3 patients. We then generated diagnostic models using combinations of these FFAs, with the optimal model including stearic and dihomo-γ-linolenic acids. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses suggested that this diagnostic model could detect CC and CIN2/3 more accurately than using serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen level. In addition, the diagnostic model using FFAs was able to detect patients regardless of clinical stage or histological type. Overall, the serum FFA diagnostic model developed in this study could be a powerful new tool for the non-invasive early detection of CC and CIN2/3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study investigated the prognostic factors of anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody-positive dermatomyositis (MDA5-DM). Methods: This study analysed 34 MDA5-DM cases (20 and 14 in the survival and death groups, respectively) encountered at Kurume University between 2008 and 2021. The clinical, physiological, and computed tomography findings, pulmonary function, and serological results were retrospectively evaluated for each MDA5-DM case during the first visit and throughout the next 12 weeks. Results: In the death group, the mean age of patients was higher (47.6 vs. 61.8 years), while the duration from symptom onset to consultation was shorter (110 vs. 34.9 days). During the first visit, the death group demonstrated a significantly higher serum C-reactive protein level (0.52 vs. 1.99) and a significantly lower albumin level (3.23 vs. 2.63) than the survival group; this persisted throughout the next 12 weeks. Poor prognosis was associated with C-reactive protein and albumin levels >0.19 mg/dl and <2.3 g/dl, respectively, 4 weeks after starting the treatment. Conclusion: Four weeks after starting the treatment, serum C-reactive protein and albumin levels of patients with MDA5-DM can be used to evaluate treatment response and predict prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Characterize the CT findings of abdominopelvic Castleman disease, including a new observation involving the perinodal fat. Methods: Multi-centre search at 5 institutions yielded 76 adults (mean age, 42.1 ± 14.3 years; 38 women/38 men) meeting inclusion criteria of histopathologically proven Castleman disease with nodal involvement at abdominopelvic CT. Retrospective review of the dominant nodal mass was assessed for size, attenuation, and presence of calcification, and for prominence and soft-tissue infiltration of the perinodal fat. Hypervascular nodal enhancement was based on both subjective and objective comparison with aortic blood pool attenuation. Results: Abdominal involvement was unicentric in 48.7% (37/76) and multicentric in 51.3% (39/76), including 31 cases with extra-abdominal involvement. Histopathologic subtypes included hyaline vascular variant (HVV), plasma cell variant (PCV), mixed HVV/PCV, and HHV-8 variant in 39, 25, 3 and 9 cases, respectively. The dominant nodal mass measured 4.4 ± 1.9 cm and 3.2 ± 1.7 cm in mean long- and short-axis, respectively, and appeared hypervascular in 58.6% (41/70 with IV contrast). Internal calcification was seen in 22.4% (17/76). Infiltration of the perinodal fat, with or without hypertrophy, was present in 56.6% (43/76), more frequent with hypervascular vs non-hypervascular nodal masses (80.5% vs 20.7%; P < .001). Among HVV cases, 76.9% were unicentric, 71.1% appeared hypervascular, and 69.2% demonstrated perinodal fat infiltration. Conclusion: Hypervascular nodal masses demonstrating prominence and infiltration of perinodal fat at CT can suggest the specific diagnosis of Castleman disease, especially the HVV. Advances in knowledge: Abdominopelvic nodal masses that demonstrate hypervascular enhancement and prominent infiltration of the perinodal fat at CT can suggest the diagnosis of Castleman disease, but nonetheless requires tissue sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic lung disease, are collectively responsible for the majority of deaths worldwide. To reduce the mortality rate caused by NCDs, the United Nations set goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. To support this goal, community services of IBI Kwik Kian Gie have participated in the Posbindu PTM program in RW 06, Kelurahan Katulampa, Kecamatan Bogor Timur. This activity was held in June, July, and August 2023. Based on the evaluation of the Posbindu PTM program, it can be concluded that Posbindu PTM in RW 06, Kelurahan Katulampa, Kecamatan Bogor Timur, should be continued with some evaluations and improvements for future programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore public interest in myopia progression and management and to correlate these trends to available treatments. Methods: Keywords were chosen for interest in myopia overall and those signifying interest in myopia treatments. Treatment options were separated into four main categories: atropine, glasses, contact lenses, and orthokeratology. Search terms were queried across ten years of Google Trends data and the relative search volume was analyzed to quantify the change in search volume over time. Results: A positive linear trend over time was present for all myopia interest keywords except "nearsighted" (p = 0.074) and "near work myopia" (p = 0.086). Interest in the four myopia treatment categories included in this study also displayed a significant positive trend over time. There is also a statistically significant positive correlation between all four treatment options and four of the seven categories of population interest, "myopia control", "myopia", "myopia progression", and "screen time myopia". Conclusion: This study demonstrates the utility of GT to correlate public interest in myopia treatments over time. All treatment terms had statistically significant linear search volume growth over a ten-year period. The positive correlation between interest in myopia as a health problem and available treatments supports existing evidence that GT can track rising public health concerns and corresponding treatment-seeking behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasma, an important intracellular parasite of humans and animals, causes life-threatening toxoplasmosis in immunocompromised individuals. Although Toxoplasma secretory proteins during acute infection (tachyzoite, which divides rapidly and causes inflammation) have been extensively characterized, those involved in chronic infection (bradyzoite, which divides slowly and is surrounded by a cyst wall) remain uncertain. Regulation of the cyst wall is essential to the parasite life cycle, and polysaccharides, such as chitin, in the cyst wall are necessary to sustain latent infection. Toxoplasma secretory proteins during the bradyzoite stage may have important roles in regulating the cyst wall via polysaccharides. Here, we focused on characterizing the hypothetical T. gondii chitinase, chitinase-like protein 1 (TgCLP1). We found that the chitinaselike domain containing TgCLP1 is partially present in the bradyzoite microneme and confirmed, albeit partially, its previous identification in the tachyzoite microneme. Furthermore, although parasites lacking TgCLP1 could convert from tachyzoites to bradyzoites and make an intact cyst wall, they failed to convert from bradyzoites to tachyzoites, indicating that TgCLP1 is necessary for bradyzoite reactivation. Taken together, our findings deepen our understanding of the molecular basis of recrudescence and could contribute to the development of novel strategies for the control of toxoplasmosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has changed our lifestyle by imposing restrictions, such as physical distancing. The effect of COVID-19 prevalence on seasonal variations in glycemic control in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) remains unknown. Methods: This single-center retrospective cohort study evaluated glycemic control in patients with type 2 DM who visited Sugi Cardiovascular Hospital in December 2021. We evaluated the clinical findings of all patients treated regularly between March 1, 2019, and December 31, 2021, including the periods both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. All the standard treatments were approved. Furthermore, seasonal changes in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels were evaluated using stratified analyses based on age. Results: This study analyzed 86 patients (mean age, 69.6 ± 9.2 years; men, 57). Median HbA1c (National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program [Union of Clinical Chemistry]) levels in spring (March) were 7.70% (interquartile range (IQR):7.23%–8.30%) [60.6 mmol/mol (IQR:55.4–67.2 mmol/mol)], 7.35% (IQR:6.90%–7.90%) [56.8 mmol/mol (IQR:51.9–62.8 mmol/mol)], and 7.50% (IQR:7.10%–8.00%) [58.5 mmol/mol (IQR:54.1–63.9 mmol/mol)] in 2019, 2020, and 2021, respectively. During these periods, HbA1c levels and body mass index (BMI) revealed significant seasonal variations "high in spring" and "low in autumn." Median HbA1c levels in spring (March) and autumn (September) were 7.86% [61.2 mmol/mol] and 7.48% [57.4 mmol/mol] in 2019 (P < 0.001), 7.50% [57.7 mmol/mol] and 7.17% [54.2 mmol/mol] in 2020 (P < 0.001), and 7.61% [58.3 mmol/mol] and 7.19% [53.8 mmol/mol] in 2021 (P < 0.001). Seasonal variations in HbA1c levels and BMI were maintained over the past 3 years, including the pandemic period. None of the patients in this study developed COVID-19 during the study period. Conclusions: Seasonal variations in glycemic control in patients with DM were not influenced by lifestyle modifications associated with COVID-19. Maintenance of physical activity is necessary to prevent the development of sarcopenia. Moreover, seasonal variations in glycemic metabolism should be considered an independent factor for DM management. Additional extensive multifacility investigations are necessary to corroborate our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have reported the effects of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) with an orthosis on the residual function of the impaired side of post-stroke patients. We encountered a case with left hemiparesis whose functioning of the impaired hand improved by CIMT with an orthosis not to assist as in the past but to restrict the residual function of the paralyzed fingers. The patient was a 46-year-old woman with left hemiparesis due to cerebral infarction 18 months ago. The patient had resumed work but would easily tire while typing the keyboard. We found that the extrinsic hand muscles were more engaged in compensatory movements than the intrinsic muscles. Therefore, we designed an orthosis that would extend and fixation the distal interphalangeal joint and proximal interphalangeal joint muscles to promote the engagement of the intrinsic muscles and restrict the compensatory movements of the extrinsic muscles. The orthosis was used for 8 h/day for 2 weeks; CIMT were performed. Left hemiplegia improved from CIMT and the patient was able to handle the same amount of work as that before onset. Restrictive orthosis on the paralyzed hand in combination with CIMT was found to be a beneficial rehabilitation approach. This case suggests that not assistive but suppressive orthosis with constraint-induced movement therapy can be effective in strengthening the intrinsic muscles of the hand and restricting compensatory movements by the extrinsic muscles in hemiplegic patients. Treating the paralyzed side with a suppressive orthosis may be an effective novel approach for improving the physical function of the paralyzed hand in post-stroke patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Computed tomography (CT) is the gold standard for diagnosing canine nasal diseases. However, it cannot easily detect minor abnormalities in inflammatory diseases because they are not accompanied by obvious morphological changes. Aim: The present study aimed to compare the differences in normal CT findings of turbinate structure and mucosa between breeds to establish criteria for CT diagnosis of inflammatory diseases of the nasal cavity. Methods: CT data from 77 dogs of 5 breeds without nasal diseases were retrospectively studied. The nasal air percentage, which reflects the volume of the nasal turbinate structure and mucosa, was measured. The nasal turbinate mucosa was measured for contrast enhancement reflecting blood flow. Measurements were performed in the ventral and ethmoid turbinate (ET) regions. Comparisons were made between breeds and sections. Results: The air percentage in the ventral and ET regions was significantly different between breeds. Contrast enhancement was significantly different between breeds only in the ET. Moreover, different breeds had different correlations between body weight, age, nose length, and air percentage. Conclusion: In this study, reference values for normal CT findings of the nasal structure and mucosa were obtained, taking into account the breed, measurement section, and patient factors. The results showed that the volume of the turbinate structure and contrast enhancement of nasal mucosa differed depending on the breed. The measured values also differed depending on the cross-sections and patient factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study involves the precise identification and safety evaluation of Enterococcus casseliflavus KB1733, previously identified using 16S rRNA analysis, through whole-genome sequencing, phenotypic analysis, and preclinical toxicity studies. Analyses based on the genome sequencing data confirm the identity of KB1733 as E. casseliflavus and show that the genes related to vancomycin resistance are only present on the chromosome, while no virulence factor genes are present on the chromosome or plasmid. Phenotypic analyses of antibiotic resistance and hemolytic activity also indicated no safety concerns. A bacterial reverse mutation test showed there was no increase in revertant colonies of heat-killed KB1733. An acute toxicity test employing heat-killed KB1733 at a dose of 2000 mg/kg body weight in rats resulted in no deaths and no weight gain or other abnormalities in the general condition of the animals, with renal depression foci and renal cysts only occurring at the same frequency as in the control. Taking the background data into consideration, the effects on the kidneys observed in the current study were not caused by KB1733. Our findings suggest that KB1733 is non-pathogenic to humans/animals, although further studies involving repeated oral toxicity tests and/or clinical tests are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, titled "Letter to the Editor: Blue Light Irradiation Induces Pollen Tube Rupture in Various Flowering Plants," discusses the phenomenon of pollen tube (PT) rupture in flowering plants when exposed to blue light (BL) irradiation. The study found that PTs in Arabidopsis, torenia, and tobacco experienced PT rupture and an influx of calcium ions after BL irradiation. The researchers also observed that PT rupture frequency increased with the intensity of the BL irradiation. The study suggests that BL-induced PT rupture and calcium influx could be a novel method to control PT bursts and offers insights into the interplay between PT integrity and calcium influx. [Extracted from the article]

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Network security is a crucial issue in today's digital era, with increasing cyber attacks targeting infrastructure and sensitive data. Analysis of cyber attacks on network security is an important aspect of efforts to protect information systems from everevolving digital threats. This research investigates various types of cyberattacks that can threaten network security, including phishing attacks, malware, denial of service (DoS), and brute force attacks. We also analyze defense methods that can be used to reduce the risk of cyberattacks, including firewalls, data encryption, real-time security monitoring, and security training for users. This research provides a deeper understanding of the current cyberattack landscape and effective strategies for reducing network vulnerabilities to such attacks. Thus, the results of this analysis can make an important contribution to improving network security in various sectors, from companies to government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radiographic examination of the middle ear in French bulldogs can be challenging due to their small ear cavity and thick walls. Quantifying opacity on radiographic images is required to determine normal or abnormal results. Aim: To quantify the radiographic opacity of the middle ear in French bulldogs and create a threshold for objective diagnosis. Methods: A study was conducted on 32 French Bulldogs using radiographic images. Significant difference tests were performed on the ears of patients with unilateral and bilateral middle ear filling on computed tomography. A threshold was established for detecting left-right asymmetry in the same individuals. In addition, comparisons were made between the filling and nonfilling middle ear groups to establish a threshold of pixel values that could determine single middle ear filling and nonfilling for different patient images. Results: Significant differences were observed in the left-right difference in max, left-right difference in max-ave, and left-right ratio of max-ave between unilateral and bilateral filling groups. The max-ave left-right ratio had the highest area under the curve value with a cutoff of 1.077% and 92.3% sensitivity. The item that showed a significant difference between middle ear groups with and without filling was corrected for nasopharyngeal pixel values with a cutoff of 1.028% and 85% sensitivity. Conclusion: Pixel value ratios in the middle ear region can detect asymmetries in ear densities. The max value in the region compared to the same image's nasopharyngeal region can determine the filling. Combining individual ear evaluations and symmetry improves accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cough is known as a protective reflex to keep the airway free from harmful substances. Although brain activity during cough was previously examined mainly by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) with model analysis, this method does not capture real brain activity during cough. To obtain accurate measurements of brain activity during cough, we conducted whole-brain scans during different coughing tasks while correcting for head motion using a restraint-free positron emission tomography (PET) system. Twenty-four healthy right-handed males underwent multiple PET scans with [15O]H2O. Four tasks were performed during scans: "resting"; "voluntary cough (VC)", which simply repeated spontaneous coughing; "induced cough (IC)", where participants coughed in response to an acid stimulus in the cough‐inducing method with tartaric acid (CiTA); and "suppressed cough (SC)", where coughing was suppressed against CiTA. The whole brain analyses of motion-corrected data revealed that VC chiefly activated the cerebellum extending to pons. In contrast, CiTA-related tasks (IC and SC) activated the higher sensory regions of the cerebral cortex and associated brain regions. The present results suggest that brain activity during simple cough is controlled chiefly by infratentorial areas, whereas manipulating cough predominantly requires the higher sensory brain regions to allow top-down control of information from the periphery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transcriptional variation has been studied but post-transcriptional modification due to RNA editing has not been investigated in Plasmodium. We investigated developmental stage-specific RNA editing in selected genes in Plasmodium falciparum 3D7. We detected extensive amination- and deamination-type RNA editing at 8, 16, 24, 32, 40, and 46 h in tightly synchronized Plasmodium. Most of the editing events were observed in 8 and 16 h ring-stage parasites. Extensive A-to-G deamination-type editing was detected more during the 16 h ring stage (25%) than the 8 h ring stage (20%). Extensive U-to-C amination-type editing was detected more during the 16 h ring stage (31%) than the 8 h ring stage (22%). In 28S, rRNA editing converted the loop structure to the stem structure. The hemoglobin binding activity of PF3D7_0216900 was also altered due to RNA editing. Among the expressed 28S rRNA genes, PF3D7_0532000 and PF3D7_0726000 expression was higher. Increased amounts of the transcripts of these two genes were found, particularly PF3D7_0726000 in the ring stage and PF3D7_0532000 in the trophozoite and schizont stages. Adenosine deaminase (ADA) expression did not correlate with the editing level. This first experimental report of RNA editing will help to identify the editing machinery that might be useful for antimalarial drug discovery and malaria control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We previously reported that the inhibition of stearoyl‐CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) enhances the antitumor function of CD8+ T cells indirectly via restoring production of DC recruiting chemokines by cancer cells and subsequent induction of antitumor CD8+ T cells. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism of direct enhancing effects of SCD1 inhibitors on CD8+ T cells. In vitro treatment of CD8+ T cells with SCD1 inhibitors enhanced IFN‐γ production and cytotoxic activity of T cells along with decreased oleic acid and esterified cholesterol, which is generated by cholesterol esterase, acetyl‐CoA acetyltransferase 1 (ACAT1), in CD8+ T cells. The addition of oleic acid or cholesteryl oleate reversed the enhanced functions of CD8+ T cells treated with SCD1 inhibitors. Systemic administration of SCD1 inhibitor to MCA205 tumor‐bearing mice enhanced IFN‐γ production of tumor‐infiltrating CD8+ T cells, in which oleic acid and esterified cholesterol, but not cholesterol, were decreased. These results indicated that SCD1 suppressed effector functions of CD8+ T cells through the increased esterified cholesterol in an ACAT1‐dependent manner, and SCD1 inhibition enhanced T cell activity directly through decreased esterified cholesterol. Finally, SCD1 inhibitors or ACAT1 inhibitors synergistically enhanced the antitumor effects of anti‐PD‐1 antibody therapy or CAR‐T cell therapy in mouse tumor models. Therefore, the SCD1–ACAT1 axis is regulating effector functions of CD8+ T cells, and SCD1 inhibitors, and ACAT1 inhibitors are attractive drugs for cancer immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate detection of P-wave FAP (First-Arrival Picking) in seismic signals is crucial across various industrial domains, including coal and oil exploration, tunnel construction, hydraulic fracturing, and earthquake early warning systems. At present, P-wave FAP detection relies on manual identification by experts and automated methods using Short-Term Average to Long-Term Average algorithms. However, these approaches encounter significant performance challenges, especially in the presence of real-time background noise. To overcome this limitation, this study proposes a novel P-wave FAP detection method that employs the U-Net model and incorporates spectrogram transformation techniques for seismic signals. Seismic signals, similar to those encountered in South Korea, were generated using the stochastic model simulation program. Synthesized WGN (White Gaussian Noise) was added to replicate background noise. The resulting signals were transformed into 2D spectrogram images and used as input data for the U-Net model, ensuring precise P-wave FAP detection. In the experimental result, it demonstrated strong performance metrics, achieving an MSE of 0.0031 and an MAE of 0.0177, and an RMSE of 0.0195. Additionally, it exhibited precise FAP detection capabilities in image prediction. The developed U-Net-based model exhibited exceptional performance in accurately detecting P-wave FAP in seismic signals with varying amplitudes. Through the developed model, we aim to contribute to the advancement of microseismic monitoring technology used in various industrial fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Burn injuries are an alarming indicator of the sensitivity of human tissue when confronted with high temperatures or chemicals. The current treatment for burn wounds needs to be improved and more extensive in scope. Significant research advances concerning the therapeutic potential of secretomes over the past two decades have expanded the range of therapies that utilize secretomes to encompass populations other than stem cells. Aim: This study details how the secretome extracted from the bovine umbilical vein endothelial cell (BUVEC) promotes the healing of burn injuries. Methods: The 48 rats were divided into four groups, namely the control group with povidone-iodine, the 5% BUVEC-conditioned medium (CM) cream group, the 10% BUVEC-CM cream group, the 15% BUVEC-CM cream group. Animals induced type II burns under anesthesia. Treatment is carried out topically, two times a day. Every day the wound was measured. The animals were put to sleep for samples on days 5, 13, 21, and 19. Samples in the form of skins were soaked in 4% paraformaldehyde and processed with paraffin-embedded for tissue preparations. The research results were processed using two way ANOVA. Results: The study showed that on day 5, wound closure occurred, whereas in the povidone-iodine group, macroscopically, the wound closed faster. Epithelial repair, increased fibroblasts and collagen, and blood vessel formation greatly increased in the 15% BUVEC-CM group on days 13, 21, and 29. Conclusion: Taken together, BUVEC secretome promoted fibroblast regeneration, collagen formation, re-epithelialization, and hair follicle regeneration on the burn injury wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nitrides, a distinguished class of metal-free catalytic materials, have presented a good potential for chemical transformations and are expected to become prominent materials for organocatalysis. This is largely possible due to their low cost, exceptional thermal and chemical stability, non-toxicity, ease of functionalization, porosity development, etc. Especially, the carbon nitrides with increased porosity and nitrogen contents are more versatile than their bulk counterparts for catalysis. These N-rich carbon nitrides are discussed in the earlier parts of the review. Later, the review highlights the role of such carbon nitride materials for the various organic catalytic reactions including Knoevenagel condensation, oxidation, hydrogenation, esterification, transesterification, cycloaddition, and hydrolysis. The recently emerging concepts in carbon nitride-based organocatalysis have been given special attention. In each of the sections, the structure–property relationship of the materials was discussed and related to their catalysis action. Relevant comparisons with other catalytic materials are also discussed to realize their real potential value. The perspective, challenges, and future directions are also discussed. The overall objective of this review is to provide up-to-date information on new developments in carbon nitride-based organic catalysis reactions that could see them rising as prominent catalytic materials in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salafi community in Ambon have developed since the arrival of Laskar Jihad during the 1999 Ambon Conflict. Social dan religious competition has divided them, which is not only triggered by their interpretation of Islam but also by their efforts to gain religious influence and socio-religious dominance within the Islamic society. The research method used in this research is qualitative phenomenology. The research results found that for the Salafis, love for their homeland was proven during the COVID-19 pandemic; Salafi groups in Ambon also implement all policies issued by the Indonesian government without exception. Religious moderation is a fair and balanced attitude that does not exaggerate or belittle religion. Another characteristic of the moderation attitude shown is constantly repairing and avoiding damage. Salafi community in Ambon continue try to protect their faith, soul, reason, honor, lineage, and property. They respect fellow religious people, regardless their religious background and beliefs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This lecturer's dedication aims to increase health awareness of adolescent girls at Konawe Islands State High School through education and breast self-examination simulations. Lecturers are involved in the development of educational programs involving interactive presentations, group discussions, and simulated demonstrations of breast self-examination. During the activity, lecturers provided in-depth knowledge about the importance of early detection of breast cancer and provided practical information on how to conduct self-examination correctly. The simulation was performed using simple breast models and visual aids. The results of this dedication show an increase in the knowledge and skills of young women in conducting breast self-examinations, as well as motivating them to maintain breast health regularly. With this approach, lecturer service contributes positively to breast cancer prevention efforts and improves the quality of life of adolescent girls in the educational environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Correction Notice from the European Journal of Applied Physiology addresses an error in the original article regarding the presentation of data for Fig. 3b (MAP). The corrected version of the article includes the missing data and provides group-averaged information on various physiological parameters during euhydrated and sustained mildly dehydrated conditions. The correction was authored by Hironori Watanabe, Yuma Kadokura, Taisuke Sugi, Kiyoshi Saito, and Kei Nagashima. [Extracted from the article]

For successful actions in a fast, dynamic environment such as sports, a quick successful anticipation of a forthcoming environmental state is essential. However, the perceptual mechanisms involved in successful anticipation are not fully understood. This study examined the relationships between the magnitude of representational momentum (RM) as a forward displacement of the memory representation of the final position of a moving object (which implies that observers perceptually "see" a near future forthcoming dynamic environmental state) and the temporal and spatial anticipatory judgments of the opponent's high or middle kicks in taekwondo. Twenty-seven participants (university taekwondo club members and non-members) observed video clips of taekwondo kicks that vanished at one of 10 frame positions prior to the kick impact and performed three tasks consecutively: anticipatory coincidence timing (CT) with the arrival of kick impact, judgment of the kick type (high and middle kicks) by forced choice, and judgment of the vanishing frame position (measuring RM). Our results showed significant group effects for the number of correct kick-type judgments and the judgment threshold for kick-type choice (kick-typeJT), which was estimated in terms of individual psychometric function curves. A significant correlation was found between the magnitude of RM (estimated at kick-typeJT) and kick-typeJT, but not between the CT errors (estimated at kick-typeJT) and kick-typeJT. This indicates that the magnitude of RM may play an influential role in quick kick-type judgments, but not in coincidence timing while observing an opponent's kick motion. These findings suggest that subjective anticipatory perception or judgment of the future spatial state is vital to anticipatory actions under severe time constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecular assays and capillary electrophoresis sequencing have been used to identify parasites in livestock. The low sample capacity, which increases labor and processing time, is one drawback. Targeted amplicon sequencing (Ampliseq) uses the fast and large sample capacity platform to identify parasites in the target host, overcoming this limitation. DNA was extracted from 162 whole blood samples collected from cattle in three provinces in the Philippines. Using Illumina's Miseq platform, the V4 hypervariable region of the piroplasma 18S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced. The AMPtk pipeline was used to obtain distinct amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and the NCBI BLAST non-redundant database was used to assign taxonomy. In total, 95 (58.64%) samples were positive for piroplasma. Using the AMPTk pipeline, 2179 ASVs were obtained. A total of 79 distinct ASVs were obtained after clustering and filtering, which belonged to genera Babesia (n = 58), Theileria (n = 17), Hepatozoon (n = 2), and Sarcocystis (n = 2). The ASV top hits were composed of 10 species: Babesia bovis, B. bigemina, Theileria orientalis, Babesia sp., Hepatozoon canis, Sarcocystis cruzi, T. annulata, T. equi, T. mutans, and Theileria sp. Thung Song. The results generated in this study demonstrated the applicability of Ampliseq in detecting piroplasmid parasites infecting cattle in the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Aim: To investigate the risk factors for postoperative delirium among elderly patients undergoing elective surgery for gastroenterological cancer. Methods: From May 2020 to March 2022, patients ≥75 years old with gastroenterological cancer who underwent radical surgery were enrolled. The geriatric assessment, including evaluations of frailty, physical function, nutrition status, and cognitive function, was conducted preoperatively. The confusion assessment method was used to diagnose postoperative delirium. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine risk factors for postoperative delirium. Results: A total of 158 patients were eligible for inclusion in this study. Of these 53 patients (34%) developed postoperative delirium. In the univariate analysis, the age, regular use of sleeping drugs and benzodiazepine, Charlson Comorbidity Index score, performance status, Fried's frailty score, Vulnerable Elders Survey‐13 score, grip weakness, Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) score, Mini Nutritional Assessment Short‐Form score, and Mini‐Mental State Examination score were statistically associated with the incidence of postoperative delirium. In the multivariate analysis, a SPPB score ≤9, Mini Nutritional Assessment score ≤11, a Mini‐Mental State Examination score ≤24, and regular use of benzodiazepine were found to be independent preoperative risk factors for postoperative delirium. Conclusion: Certain findings during the preoperative geriatric assessment, especially low SPPB, Mini Nutritional Assessment Short‐Form and Mini‐Mental State Examination scores, and regular use of benzodiazepine were risk factors for postoperative delirium in elderly patients undergoing gastroenterological surgery. This single‐center retrospective study analyzes 158 patients over 75 years old who underwent radical gastroenterological cancer and identifies preoperative risk factors for postoperative delirium. This study revealed that SPPB score ≤9, Mini Nutritional Assessment Short‐Form score ≤11, Mini‐Mental State Examination score ≤24, and regular use of benzodiazepine were independent preoperative risk factors for postoperative delirium, respectively. This study is the first to show that the preoperative SPPB score is associated with postoperative delirium in the field of gastroenterological surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen‐rich carbon nitrides are desired materials for base‐catalysed transformations; however, their synthesis is challenging due to the volatile nature of N at high temperatures. Herein, we report on the temperature‐controlled synthesis of ordered N‐rich mesoporous carbon nitrides (MCNs) via pyrolysis of aminoguanidine by using SBA‐15 as a hard template. The properties and the nitrogen content of the materials were tuned by varying the carbonization temperature in the range of 350–500 °C. At 350 and 400 °C, higher amounts of N could be retained in the MCN framework with the predominant formation of C3N6 having a six‐membered aromatic ring with diamino‐s‐tetrazine moiety, whereas C3N5 with 1‐amino/imino‐1,2,4‐triazole moieties was produced at 450 and 500 °C. The base catalytic activity of MCNs in Knoevenagel condensation of benzaldehyde with malononitrile revealed that the MCN‐400 exhibited the highest catalytic performance by displaying a 96.4 % product yield with toluene as a solvent. The superior catalytic activity of MCN‐400 is attributed to high N content (62.6 wt%), high surface area (235 m2 g−1), and large pore volume (0.74 cm3 g−1). The optimum temperature for obtaining the highest yield of the products is 80 °C, and the catalyst showed good cycling stability for 5 consecutive cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep staging is crucial for diagnosing sleep-related disorders. The heavy and time-consuming task of manual staging can be released by automatic techniques. However, the automatic staging model would have a relatively poor performance when working on unseen new data due to individual differences. In this research, a developed LSTM-Ladder-Network (LLN) model is proposed for automatic sleep stage classification. Several features are extracted for each epoch and combined with the following epochs to form a cross-epoch vector. The long short-term memory (LSTM) network is added into the basic ladder network (LN) to learn the sequential information of adjacent epochs. The developed model is implemented based on a transductive learning scheme to avoid the issue of accuracy loss caused by individual differences. In this process, the labeled data pre-trains the encoder, and the unlabeled data re- fine the model parameters by minimizing the reconstruction loss. The proposed model is evaluated on the data from public database and hospital. Comparison experiments were conducted where the developed LLN model achieved rather satisfied performance while dealing with the unseen new data. The obtained results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in addressing individual differences. This can improve the quality of automatic sleep staging when assessed on different individuals and has strong application potential as a computer aided approach for sleep staging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatic pseudoaneurysm (HPA) is a rare complication that can occur after liver trauma and carries a high risk of rupture. HPA is usually asymptomatic until rupture, so performing routine surveillance of liver trauma patients is important. Most posttraumatic HPA occurs within the first week after injury, so surveillance imaging ~ 7 days postinjury is suggested. Case presentation: We herein report a 47-year-old man who was diagnosed with asymptomatic HPA 25 days after a knife injury. The patient was transferred to the emergency room after attempting suicide by stabbing himself in his abdomen with a knife. The knife was surgically removed, and the postoperative course was uneventful. Computed tomography (CT) on postoperative day (POD) 12 showed no HPA. However, follow-up CT on POD 25 revealed HPA. The HPA was treated with coil embolization. The patient was discharged with no complications. One year after the injury, the patient had no recurrence or medical problems. Conclusion: When managing patients with penetrating liver trauma, it is important to note that HPA may not be identifiable on CT early after injury but may still develop later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

WESPs (Wet Electrostatic precipitators) are mainly installed in industries and factories where PM (particulate matter) is primarily generated. Such a wet type WESPs exhibits very excellent performance by showing a PM collection efficiency of 97 to 99%, but the PM collection efficiency may decrease rapidly due to a situation in which the dust collector and the discharge electrode is corroded by water. Thus, developing technology to predict efficient PM collection in the design and operation of WESPs is critical. Previous studies have mainly developed machine learning-based models to predict atmospheric PM concentrations using data measured by meteorological agencies. However, the analysis of models for predicting the dust collection efficiency of WESPs installed in factories and industrial facilities is insufficient. In this study, a WESPs was installed, and PM collection experiments were conducted. Nonlinear data such as operating conditions and PM measurements were collected, and ensemble PM collection efficiency prediction models were developed. According to the research results, the random forest model yielded excellent performance, with the best results achieved when the target was PM 7: R2, MAE, and MSE scores of 0.956, 0.747, and 1.748, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterosis contributes greatly to the worldwide agricultural yield. However, the molecular mechanism underlying heterosis remains unclear. This study took advantage of Arabidopsis intraspecific hybrids to identify heterosis-related metabolites. Forty-six intraspecific hybrids were used to examine parental effects on seed area and germination time. The degree of heterosis was evaluated based on biomass: combinations showing high heterosis of F1 hybrids exhibited a biomass increase from 6.1 to 44% over the better parent value (BPV), whereas that of the low- and no-heterosis hybrids ranged from − 19.8 to 9.8% over the BPV. Metabolomics analyses of F1 hybrids with high heterosis and those with low one suggested that changes in TCA cycle intermediates are key factors that control growth. Notably, higher fumarate/malate ratios were observed in the high heterosis F1 hybrids, suggesting they provide metabolic support associated with the increased biomass. These hybrids may produce more energy-intensive biomass by speeding up the efficiency of TCA fluxes. However, the expression levels of TCA-process-related genes in F1 hybrids were not associated with the intensity of heterosis, suggesting that the post-transcriptional or post-translational regulation of these genes may affect the productivity of the intermediates in the TCA cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel multiplex loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method combined with DNA chromatography was developed for the simultaneous detection of three important respiratory disease-causing viruses: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), influenza A virus, and influenza B virus. Amplification was performed at a constant temperature, and a positive result was confirmed by a visible colored band. An in-house drying protocol with trehalose was used to prepare the dried format multiplex LAMP test. Using this dried multiplex LAMP test, the analytical sensitivity was determined to be 100 copies for each viral target and 100–1000 copies for the simultaneous detection of mixed targets. The multiplex LAMP system was validated using clinical COVID-19 specimens and compared with the real-time qRT-PCR method as a reference test. The determined sensitivity of the multiplex LAMP system for SARS-CoV-2 was 71% (95% CI: 0.62–0.79) for cycle threshold (Ct) ≤ 35 samples and 61% (95% CI: 0.53–0.69) for Ct ≤40 samples. The specificity was 99% (95%CI: 0.92–1.00) for Ct ≤35 samples and 100% (95%CI: 0.92–1.00) for the Ct ≤40 samples. The developed simple, rapid, low-cost, and laboratory-free multiplex LAMP system for the two major important respiratory viral diseases, COVID-19 and influenza, is a promising field-deployable diagnosis tool for the possible future 'twindemic, ' especially in resource-limited settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]