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Three-dimensional (3D)-engineered muscle is an useful approach to a more comprehensive understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying unloading-induced muscle atrophy. We investigated the effects of mechanical unloading on molecular muscle protein synthesis (MPS)- and muscle protein breakdown (MPB)-related signaling pathways involved in muscle atrophy in 3D-engineered muscle, and to better understand in vitro model of muscle disuse. The 3D-engineered muscle consisting of C2C12 myoblasts and type-1 collagen gel was allowed to differentiate for 2 wk and divided into three groups: 0 days of stretched-on control (CON), 2 and/or 7 days of stretched-on (ON), in which both ends of the muscle were fixed with artificial tendons, and the stretched-off group (OFF), in which one side of the artificial tendon was detached. Muscle weight (°38.1% to °48.4%), length (°67.0% to °73.5%), twitch contractile force (°70.5% to °75.0%), and myosin heavy chain expression (°32.5% to °50.5%) in the OFF group were significantly decreased on days 2 and 7 compared with the ON group (P < 0.05, respectively), despite that ON group was stable over time. Although determinative molecular signaling could not be identified, the MPS rate reflected by puromysin-labeled protein was significantly decreased following mechanical unloading (P < 0.05, °38.5% to °51.1%). Meanwhile, MPB, particularly the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, was not impacted. Hence, mechanical unloading of 3D-engineered muscle in vitro leads to muscle atrophy by suppressing MPS, cell differentiation, and cell growth rather than the promotion of MPB. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Three-dimensional (3D)-engineered muscles have recently been shown to closely replicate the in vivo architecture. We found that mechanical unloading of 3D-engineered muscle led to muscle disuse atrophy accompanied by reduced functional properties and contractile protein expression via suppression of muscle protein synthesis. This novel model may improve the in vitro testing of modalities with the potential to reduce mechanical unloading-induced atrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Challenging differential diagnosis Background: Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria (PCH) is an autoimmune hemolytic disease caused by the Donath-Landsteiner (DL) antibody. Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a non-autoimmune hemolytic disease that is caused by a dysfunction in the synthesis of the glycosyl phosphatidylinositol anchor protein, resulting in the deregulation of the complement cascade and hypersensitivity for a hemolytic attack against erythrocytes. The mechanisms of these 2 hemolytic diseases are distinct. If PCH and PNH coexist in a patient, it is difficult to perform a differential diagnosis. We introduce a case of PCH that had DL antibodies and large PNH-type clones. Case Report: An 82-year-old female patient was referred to our hospital because of anemia. Initial workup revealed a negative antiglobulin test and a positive DL test. For the differential diagnosis, we surveyed the population of cells that had PNH-type clones, which revealed erythrocyte PNH clones (19.6%) and granulocyte PNH clones (73.3%). During the patient's clinical course, mild hemolysis persisted without any attack. The percentage of the PNHtype erythrocytes was not obviously changed, and the DL antibody was detected 8 months after the initial admission. We determined that the persistent mild anemia was caused by concomitant diseases of PCH and PNH, although determining which of the 2 hemolytic systems was primarily responsible for the anemia was difficult. Conclusions: When considering the differential diagnosis for hemolytic diseases, an adequate combination of laboratory tests for hemolysis is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time in 333 years Togai Ito's codex, two maps and a manuscript, is put on a scholar's test bench from Tenri Central Library. This codex derives from the original prepared by the Tokugawa-Shogunate expediters to the Bonin Islands in 1675. Two maps are the nautical chart between Japan proper and the Bonin Islands as well as the coastal chart of the Bonin Islands. The manuscript consists of the log of the ongoing journey, descriptions of island geography and natural history, the list of natural resources brought back to Edo, and the diary of the return journey. Results of the 1675 expedition are revisited at two aspects. One is discoveries of four islands on route (the first historic records). Another is presentation of living birds and bats at Shogun Ietsuna. All discoveries of the endemic are the first historic records. Astonishing is discovery of Purple Swamphen (now extinct). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Brown adipose tissue (BAT) has been identified as an endocrine organ that maintains metabolic homeostasis; however, the effects on atherosclerosis remain undefined. Here, we investigated the effect of experimental BAT transplantation on atherosclerosis. Methods and results Interscapular BAT was dissected from 12-week-old wild-type mice and transplanted into the visceral cavity of 12-week-old apoE-/- mice. Oil-red O staining of whole aortas after 3 months of a high-cholesterol diet showed a significant decrease in atherosclerotic lesion area in BAT-transplanted mice by 20% compared with the sham control mice. A significant increase in oxygen consumption and energy expenditure, concomitant improvement of glucose tolerance, and lower triglyceride levels were observed in BAT-transplanted mice; however, serum cholesterol levels showed no difference between the two groups. Homologous transplantation of BAT from apoE-/- mice also showed a significant decrease in atherosclerotic lesion area by 28% compared with the sham control apoE-/- mice without affecting lipid levels, while epidydimal white adipose tissue transplantation did not affect atherosclerosis. In the combination of wild-type donor and apoE-/- recipient mice, both mRNA and protein levels of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21) were increased significantly in endogenous BAT in BAT-transplanted mice (180 and 38%, respectively, P < 0.05), accompanied by a higher concentration of circulating FGF-21 and noradrenaline (47 and 45%, respectively, P < 0.05). Concomitantly, serum adiponectin levels were elevated in BAT-transplanted mice (35%, P < 0.05), and showed an inverse correlation with atherosclerotic lesion area (r = 0.44, P < 0.05). Treatment with the nonselective β3-adrenergic receptor (AR) blocker completely abolished the anti-atherogenic effect of BAT transplantation and reduced concentrations of circulating FGF-21 and adiponectin to levels comparable with that of vehicle-treated BAT-transplanted mice. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate for the first time that anti-atherogenic action of BAT transplantation is BAT-specific and independent of lipid-lowering effect, accompanied by AR-mediated activation of the FGF-21-adiponectin axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almost 400 years ago a sheet of the world map was manufactured in Japan by someone related to Catholic Missions. In 1986 in Tokyo a Japanese private collector gave this map to Kenneth Nebenzahl, an American map-dealer, and the map is still in the United States. The primary study was done by Alfredo Pinheiro Marques, a Portuguese historian of cartography, but this map must be examined by Japanese scholars in cartography and Kakure Kirishitan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An 80-year-old female was admitted to our hospital due to malaise. The initial diagnosis on admission was pernicious anemia (PA), Hashimoto thyroiditis and autoimmune atrophic gastritis. Autoimmune hemolytic anemia was suspected because direct antiglobulin test (DAT) was positive. Treatment with vitamin B12 improved anemia, with the disappearance of hemolysis. In some cases, PA patients with positive DAT may have hemolysis without the involvement of the autoimmune mechanism. Therefore, it is important to carefully assess PA patients with hemolysis and positive DAT for the prevention of unnecessary administration of steroid therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Unusual setting of medical care Background: The GuideLiner catheter extension device is a monorail-type "Child" support catheter that facilitates coaxial alignment with the guide catheter and provides an appropriate back-up force. This device has been developed in the field of coronary intervention, and now is becoming widely applied in the field of endovascular treatment. However, there has been no report on the effectiveness of the guide catheter extension device in percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA). Case Report: We encountered a case of atherosclerotic subtotal occlusion at the ostium of the left renal artery. Due to the severely calcified orifice and weaker back-up force provided by a JR4 guide catheter, we could not pass any guidewires through the target lesion. Therefore, we introduced a guide catheter extension device, the GuideLiner catheter, through the guide catheter and achieved good guidewire maneuverability. We finally deployed 2 balloon-expandable stents and successfully performed all PTRA procedures. Conclusions: The guide catheter extension device can be effective in PTRA for severely calcified subtotal occlusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A lotus root appearance is a rare entity, and there is little opportunity to perform coronary intervention for this kind of lesion. Because of its peculiar anatomical characteristics, one of the problems regarding percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for these lesions is related to the involvement of branch vessels.Case Presentation: We encountered a case of PCI for a stenotic lesion with a lotus root appearance in the mid-portion of the right coronary artery (RCA). To avoid the risk of right ventricular (RV) branch occlusion due to stent deployment in the main RCA, we re-crossed the third guidewire into the main RCA via the nearest point to the RV branch ostium through the communicating vascular lumen. Thereafter, we deployed a drug-eluting stent in the main RCA crossing over the RV branch, and the ostium of the RV branch remained intact, as we expected.Conclusions: This case is the first report in the world describing the details of how to maintain the patency of the side branch bifurcating from a lesion with a lotus root appearance under optical coherence tomography guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Because of the unusual anatomy of an anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left sinus of Valsalva, selective cannulation of the guiding catheter in percutaneous coronary intervention for these cases is always challenging. Case presentation: A 58-year-old Japanese man was admitted to our hospital complaining of worsening exertional chest pain. He was suspected of having unstable angina pectoris and underwent cardiac catheterization. We found a subtotal occlusive lesion in the mid-portion of his right coronary artery that originated from the left sinus of Valsalva. On the previous percutaneous coronary intervention, we failed to cannulate the guiding catheter to the anomalous orifice of the right coronary artery. Therefore, we decided to use the GuideLiner catheter for stable back-up support from the beginning. A 6Fr GuideLiner catheter was introduced into the right coronary artery by anchoring it coaxially with a semi-compliant balloon catheter. And we successfully deployed two drug-eluting stents by crossing over the posterior-descending artery. Final angiography demonstrated favorable dilatation of the target lesion, and native blood flow in the right coronary artery was completely recovered. Conclusion: GuideLiner is a monorail-type "child" support catheter that facilitates coaxial guiding catheter engagement and an appropriate back-up force, achieving successful device delivery to target lesions in this kind of complex percutaneous coronary intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate broad-range 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a rapid screening tool to detect bacterial contamination of stem-cell products. Methods: We performed the evaluation using whole blood spiked with serially diluted bacterial-type strains. Detection sensitivity was defined as the bacterial concentration for which all replicates were positive at each concentration (100% detection). We tested the sterility of 29 bags of autologous peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) products harvested at our facility using the 16S rDNA PCR method. Results: The detection sensitivity of 16S rDNA PCR in spiked whole blood was 101 to 102 colony-forming units (CFU) per mL, depending on the bacterial strain. We detected no amplified 16S rDNA among the PBSCs we used in this study. The BacT/ALERT automated bacterial culture system that we used also showed no positive signals in any of the PBSCs tested. Conclusions: Our data indicate that bacterial 16S rDNA PCR is a useful alternative for rapid sterility testing, not only for blood products used in transfusion medicine but also for stem-cell products used in regenerative medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Dacitic magma, a mixture of high-temperature (T) aphyric magma and low-T crystal-rich magma, was erupted during the 1991–1995 Mount Unzen eruptive cycle. Here, the crystallization processes of the low-T magma were examined on the basis of melt inclusion analysis and phase relationships. Variation in water content of the melt inclusions (5.1–7.2 wt% H2O) reflected the degassing history of the low-T magma ascending from deeper levels (∼250 MPa) to a shallow magma chamber (∼140 MPa). The ascent rate of the low-T magma decreased markedly towards the emplacement level as crystal content increased. Cooling of magma as well as degassing-induced undercooling drove crystallization. With the decreasing ascent rate, degassing-induced undercooling decreased in importance, and cooling became more instrumental in crystallization, causing local and rapid crystallization along the margin of the magma body. Some crystals contain scores of melt inclusions, whereas there are some crystals without any inclusions. This heterogeneous distribution suggests the variation in the crystallization rate within the magma body; it also suggests that cooling was dominant cause for melt entrapment. Numerical calculations of the cooling magma body suggest that cooling caused rapid crystal growth and enhanced melt entrapment once the magma became a crystal-rich mush with evolved interstitial melt. The rhyolitic composition of melt inclusions is consistent with this model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kepler triangle, also known as the golden right triangle, is the right triangle with its sides of ratios '1 : f1/2 : f,' where f denotes the golden ratio. Also known are the silver right triangle and the square-rootthree f right triangle. This study introduces the generalised golden right triangle, which have sides of lengths closely related to f and the Fibonacci numbers, Fn: '(Fn-2)1/2 : fn/2 : (Fn)1/2f' for any natural number n. This formalism covers all the known f-related right triangle, i.e., the Kepler triangle and its kin. As n tends to infinity, the ratios of the sides go to 'f -1 : 51/4 : f.' Our model plays an important role in the classroom to study the golden ratio, the Fibonacci numbers and the Pythagorean theorem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]