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Simultaneous Common Program Two experiments by the EISCAT UHF radar at Tromsø and the EISCAT Svalbard radar at Longyearbyen from 00:00 to 15:00 UT on 22 September 1998 and 9 March 1999 have been utilized to investigate distributions of the ion and neutral temperatures in the E-region between 105 and 115 km. During the experiments, soft particle precipitations in the dayside cusp were observed over the Svalbard radar site by the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) F11 satellite. It is found that the dayside electric field in the regions of the low-latitude boundary of the polar cap and the cusp was greater and more variable than that in the auroral region. The ion temperature, parallel to the geomagnetic field at Longyearbyen, was higher than that at Tromsø during the daytime from 06:00 to 12:00 UT. The steady-state ion energy equation has been applied to derive neutral temperature under the assumption of no significant heat transport and viscous heating. The estimated neutral temperature at Longyearbyen was also higher than that at Tromsø. The ion and neutral energy budget was discussed in terms of the ion frictional heating and the Joule heating. The results indicate two possibilities: either the neutral temperature was high in the low latitude boundary of the polar cap and the cusp, or the heat transport by the polar cap neutral winds toward the dayside sector was significant.Key words. Ionosphere (auroral ionosphere; ionosphere–atmosphere interactions; polar ionosphere)

Attempting to derive the field-aligned current (FAC) density using the EISCAT radar and to understand the role of the ionosphere on closing FACs, we conducted special radar experiments with the EISCAT radar on 9 October 1999. In order to derive the gradient of the ionospheric conductivity (grad S) and the divergence of the electric field (div E) nearly simultaneously, a special experiment employed an EISCAT radar mode which let the transmitting antenna sequentially point to four directions within 10 min; two pairs of the four directions formed two orthogonal diagonals of a square. Our analysis of the EISCAT radar data disclosed that SP div E and E · grad SP produced FACs with the same direction inside a stable broad arc around 05:00 MLT, when the EISCAT radar presumably crossed the boundary between the large-scale upward and downward current regions. In the most successfully observed case, in which the conductances and the electric field were spatially varying with little temporal variations, the contribution of SP div E was nearly twice as large as that of E · grad SP . On the other hand, the contribution of (b × E) · grad SH was small and not effective in closing FACs. The present EISCAT radar mode along with auroral images also enables us to focus on the temporal or spatial variation of high electric fields associated with auroral arcs. In the present experiment, the electric field associated with a stable arc was confined in a spatially restricted region, within ~ 100 km from the arc, with no distinct depletion of electron density. We also detected a region of the high arc-associated electric field, accompanied by the depletion of electron density above 110 km. Using auroral images, this region was identified as a dark spot with a spatial scale of over 150 × 150 km. The dark spot and the electron depletion were likely in existence for a limited time of a few minutes.Key words. Ionosphere (auroral ionosphere; electric fields and currents; particle precipitation)

Background: There is growing attention toward the gluten-free diet in Japan, in spite of a low prevalence of celiac disease and high consumption of rice., Objectives: The present study examined whether gluten intake is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality in Japanese adults., Methods: In 1992, 13,355 men and 15,724 women, 35 years of age and older, in the Takayama study completed a self-administered questionnaire. Gluten intake was estimated using a food-frequency questionnaire as the baseline. Mortality was ascertained during 16 years of follow-up. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for CVD mortality according to gluten intake quartiles were calculated., Results: During 16.1 years of follow-up, 775 CVD deaths in men and 903 CVD deaths in women occurred. As compared with the lowest quartile of intake, the highest quartile of gluten intake was significantly associated with a decreased risk of CVD mortality after controlling for age, sex and other covariates (HR = 0.73; 95% CI: 0.62-0.86, P-trend = 0.0003)., Conclusions: Our data showed a significant inverse association between gluten intake and CVD mortality. The present study does not support the notion that gluten avoidance should have a beneficial effect on CVD mortality., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest ☒ The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2025 American Society for Nutrition. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: There have been no reports on blood glucose meters for measurements in a wide variety of infant patients, from very preterm infants to mature infants and from the early neonatal period onwards. In this study, we evaluated the accuracy of the Glutest Mint II, a point-of-care blood glucose meter, by comparing blood glucose levels measured by this device with those measured by a blood gas analyzer in infants of all gestational ages and birth weights at a number of time points after birth., Methods: Infants aged 22 weeks and 0 days of gestation or older who were born at any of six tertiary neonatal intensive care units between March 2022 and January 2023 and needed blood glucose monitoring were enrolled. Samples were collected into capillary tubes when the physician determined that a blood glucose test was necessary and could be taken at any time after birth and any number of times from the same individual. Blood glucose was measured using a Glutest Mint II and then using a blood gas analyzer., Results: In total, 2,943 blood glucose points were measured in 285 infants. Blood glucose levels measured using the Glutest Mint II were significantly correlated with those measured using a blood gas analyzer. Neonatal-specific parameters such as hematocrit and total serum bilirubin levels may not have an effect., Conclusions: The Glutest Mint II device can measure blood glucose levels with very high accuracy in the range used in the neonatal setting, comparable to the blood gas analyzer.

Background: Invasive group A Streptococcus (iGAS) infections are rare but potentially fatal. Although the number of invasive group A Streptococcus (iGAS) infections decreased during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, it sharply increased worldwide following the pandemic due to the emergence of M1 UK strains. In Japan, non-fluminant iGAS infections have not been included in the national survey notification system. Therefore, the clinical and microbiological characteristics of iGAS infection are unknown. In this study, we aimed to clarify the clinical and microbiological characteristics of pediatric iGAS infections., Methods: We conducted a case-series analysis of children aged 0-15 years with positive Streptococcus pyogenes cultures from otherwise sterile sites, diagnosed between July 2018 and June 2024. Clinical data were extracted from the electronic medical records. Samples of clinical isolates were sent to the Public Health Research Institute for further analysis., Results: We identified 11 patients (median age, 5 years [interquartile range 1-8.5 years]; 6 girls). The incidence rate of the iGAS infections was highest in 2024, with 3 cases in 6 months. Primary bacteremia without focal infection was the predominant diagnosis, followed by skin and soft tissue infections with bacteremia. Among the 11 iGAS infections, 9 isolates were available for additional microbiological tests. M12 and M1 strains were predominant (four cases each). Three of the four M1 isolates were M1 UK strains., Conclusions: In the present study, the increasing incidence of iGAS infection and clinical diagnoses are similar to those reported in other countries; however, M12 strains as well as M1 strains are predominant., (Copyright © 2024 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and Japanese Society for Infection Prevention and Control. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

An anomalous systemic arterial supply to the basal segment of the lung (ABLL) is a rare congenital vascular anomaly. We herein report a case of ABLL in a 26-year-old pregnant woman with hemoptysis. Contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) revealed an abnormal vessel branching directly from the descending aorta and circulating to the left lower lobe while showing a normal bronchial anatomy. The patient was therefore diagnosed with ABLL. Maternal safety was a priority, and the patient underwent thoracoscopic left lower lobectomy at 19 weeks' gestation. We concluded that the hemoptysis had been caused by an increased circulating plasma volume during pregnancy.

Background: Nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) varies widely in clinical presentation, and some patients experience hemoptysis. Bronchial artery embolization (BAE) is a treatment option for hemoptysis caused by NTM-PD. However, the association between post-BAE rebleeding risk and the presence of cavitary lesions has not been fully elucidated., Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on patients with NTM-PD who had undergone BAE at our institution. Patients were classified into Cavitary and Non-cavitary groups, and baseline characteristics and clinical outcomes were compared., Results: Among the 155 BAE cases between 2013 and 2023, 18 were included in the analysis, and four experienced rebleeding. The Cavitary group tended to have a higher rebleeding rate 24 months after BAE (37.5% vs. 10.0%, p = 0.27). Furthermore, the Cavitary group showed a significantly higher number of non-bronchial arteries involved (median number: 1.5 vs. 0.0, p = 0.02), a higher proportion of patients with a prior antibiotic treatment history (100% vs. 20%, p = 0.001), and longer duration from diagnosis to BAE (median year: 9.0 vs. 0.6, p = 0.02). The Kaplan-Meier curves showed a tendency for shorter rebleeding-free survival in the Cavitary group (p = 0.10)., Conclusions: Cavitary lesions in patients with NTM-PD may predict higher rebleeding rates after BAE. Further research with larger cohorts is needed to better understand rebleeding risk factors in BAE for NTM-PD., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest statement The authors have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Japanese Respiratory Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Top-down visual attention is a fundamental cognitive process that allows individuals to selectively attend to salient visual stimuli in the environment. Recent empirical findings have revealed that gamma oscillations participate in the modulation of visual attention. However, computational studies face challenges when analyzing the attentional process in the context of gamma oscillation due to the unstable nature of gamma oscillations and the complexity induced by the layered fashion in the visual cortex. In this study, we propose a layer-dependent network-of-networks approach to analyze such attention with gamma oscillations. The model is validated by reproducing empirical findings on orientation preference and the enhancement of neuronal response due to top-down attention. We perform parameter plane analysis to classify neuronal responses into several patterns and find that the neuronal response to sensory and attention signals was modulated by the heterogeneity of the neuronal population. Furthermore, we revealed a counter-intuitive scenario that the excitatory populations in layer 2/3 and layer 5 exhibit opposite responses to the attentional input. By modification of the original model, we confirmed layer 6 plays an indispensable role in such cases. Our findings uncover the layer-dependent dynamics in the cortical processing of visual attention and open up new possibilities for further research on layer-dependent properties in the cerebral cortex., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Zheng, Sugino, Jimbo, Ermentrout and Kotani.)

Acrylamide may affect sex hormone levels and the timing of sexual maturation. The present study cross-sectionally examined interrelationship between the urinary metabolite of acrylamide exposure, serum sex hormone levels, and pubertal status in 408 Japanese adolescents aged 13-14 years. Their caregivers completed a questionnaire concerning the health status of their children, including pubertal maturation, and the lifestyles of children and parents. Pubertal status was queried by the Pubertal Development Scale. A major metabolite of acrylamide, N-acetyl-S-(2-carbamoylethyl)-cysteine (AAMA) in first-void urine samples. In male students, urinary AAMA was significantly inversely associated with testosterone, puberty stage, and facial hair growth after controlling for covariates. Serum testosterone and DHEAS were significantly positively associated with puberty stage. In female students, urinary AAMA was not associated with puberty stage, the indices, or any measured hormones. The data suggest that exposure to acrylamide may impact the pubertal development of boys through the effects on testosterone level.

Background: It is important that blood glucose concentrations be accurately and conveniently measured in infants. However, especially in the early neonatal period, point-of-care testing devices used for adults may not accurately measure blood glucose concentrations in neonates., Methods: In Study 1, the accuracy of neonatal whole-blood glucose measurements was evaluated for the existing glucose analyser Glutest Mint® (hereinafter MINT1; Sanwa Kagaku Kenkyusho, Nagoya, Japan) by comparing the data with reference blood glucose concentrations. In Study 2, we used MINT2, which was modified based on the findings from Study 1, to measure whole-blood glucose concentrations in newborns, and the accuracy of the measurements was compared with that of MINT1., Results: Blood glucose concentrations were measured in 100 infants each in Study 1 and 2. In Study 1, the whole-blood glucose concentrations measured using MINT1 were found to be significantly lower than the reference blood glucose concentrations in early neonates. The results of Study 1 suggested that characteristics of erythrocyte membranes in early neonates affected the measurements. Therefore, we conducted Study 2 using MINT2, which was modified to be less susceptible. MINT2 was found to accurately measure whole-blood glucose concentrations in the early neonatal period., Conclusion: The study showed that the point-of-care testing device could be improved to allow for accurate whole-blood glucose measurements in the early neonatal period., Competing Interests: Declaration of conflicting interestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

There is some biological plausibility that exogenous melatonin plays a role in preventing liver carcinogenesis. There has been little research on the association between melatonin intake in a normal diet and health outcomes. We evaluated the association between dietary melatonin intake and the incidence of liver cancer in a population-based prospective study in Japan. This study included 30,824 residents of Takayama city who were 35 years of age or older in 1992 and had participated in the Takayama study, Japan. Dietary intake was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire at the baseline. Melatonin content in foods was measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Cancer incidence was confirmed through regional population-based cancer registries in Gifu. Liver cancer was defined as code C22 according to the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision. Hazard ratios for liver cancer were estimated for the tertile groups of melatonin intake using a Cox proportional hazards model. During the mean follow-up period of 13.6 years, 189 individuals developed liver cancer. Compared with subjects in the lowest tertile of melatonin intake, those in the middle and highest tertiles had decreased risks of liver cancer, with a significant linear trend after multivariate adjustments (hazard ratios: 0.64 and 0.65, respectively, trend p = 0.023). There was no significant interaction by sex (interaction p = 0.54). This initial finding, which needs to be confirmed by further studies, suggests that consuming melatonin-containing foods might play a role in the prevention of liver cancer., (© 2024 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.)

Background: Attention is one of the factors involved in selecting input information for the brain. We applied a method for estimating domains with clear boundaries using magnetoencephalography (the domain estimation method) for auditory-evoked responses (N100m) to evaluate the effects of attention in milliseconds. However, because the surface around the auditory cortex is folded in a complicated manner, it is unknown whether the activity in the auditory cortex can be estimated., New Method: The parameter range to express current sources was set to include the auditory cortex. Their search region was expressed as a direct product of the parameter ranges used in the adaptive diagonal curves., Results: Without a limitation of the range, activity was estimated in regions other than the auditory cortex in all cases. However, with the limitation of the range, the activity was estimated in the primary or higher auditory cortex. Further analysis of the limitation of the range showed that the domains activated during attention included the regions activated during no attention for the participants whose amplitudes of N100m were higher during attention., Comparison With Existing Method: We proposed a method for effectively limiting the search region to evaluate the extent of the activated domain in regions with complex folded structures., Conclusion: To evaluate the extent of activated domains in regions with complex folded structures, it is necessary to limit the parameter search range. The area of the activated domains in the auditory cortex may increase by attention on the millisecond timescale., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest none., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Epidemiological studies on the potential health effects of dietary polyamines are scarce. The present study aimed to estimate habitual intake of polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) and examine whether spermidine intake is inversely associated with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in a population-based cohort study in Japan. The study included 13 355 men and 15 724 women aged 35 years and older. Diet was assessed via a validated FFQ at the baseline in 1992. The intake of polyamines was estimated mainly using databases of polyamine content in foods consumed among Japanese population. Sex-specific hazard ratios (HR) and 95 % CI for all-cause and cause-specific mortality were estimated according to polyamine quartiles. During 16 years of follow-up, 2901 deaths in men and 2438 in women occurred. The intake of any polyamine was not significantly associated with all-cause or cause-specific mortality after controlling for covariates in men and women. There was a suggestive positive association between spermidine intake and cancer mortality in women: HR for the highest v . lowest quartile were 1·38 (95 % CI (0·99, 1·93); P trend = 0·02). Our results did not provide support for the notion that dietary spermidine has beneficial effects on mortality. Further studies on dietary polyamines and longevity, as well as the morbidity of specific diseases, including cancer, are needed across populations with different dietary habits.

In the Japanese official detection method for unauthorized genetically modified (GM) papayas, one of two types of real-time PCR reagents with DNA polymerase (TaqMan Gene Master Mix [TaqMan Gene] or FastGene QPCR Probe Mastermix w/ROX [FastGene]) is primarily used for measurement. In 2022, we conducted a laboratory performance study on the unauthorized GM papaya line PRSV-YK, and the results revealed that high threshold cycle (Cq) values for the PRSV-YK detection test were obtained using TaqMan Gene with the 7500 Fast & 7500 Real-Time PCR System (ABI7500) and QuantStudio 12K Flex (QS12K), indicating the possibility of false negatives. The possibility of similar problems with all unauthorized GM papaya lines detection tests needs to be evaluated. In this study, we performed detection tests on unauthorized GM papaya lines (PRSV-YK, PRSV-SC, and PRSV-HN), the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promotor (CaM), and a papaya positive control (Chy), and examined how the limits of detection (LOD) for each test are affected by two types of DNA polymerases (TaqMan Gene and FastGene) and three types of real-time PCR instruments (ABI7500, QS12K, and LightCycler 480 Instrument II [LC480]). In the PRSV-YK and PRSV-SC detection tests using ABI7500 and QS12K, measurement with TaqMan Gene showed a higher LOD than FastGene. In this case, an exponential amplification curve was confirmed on the amplification plot; however, the amplification curve did not cross the ΔRn threshold line and the correct Cq value was not obtained with a threshold line=0.2. The other tests (PRSV-HN, CaM, and Chy with ABI7500 and QS12K, and all detection tests with LC480) showed no important differences in the LOD for each test using either DNA polymerase. Therefore, when performing PRSV-YK and PRSV-SC detection tests with the ABI7500 or QS12K, FastGene should be used to avoid false negatives for foods containing GM papaya lines PRSV-YK and PRSV-SC at low mixing levels.

Since the establishment of procedures for the safety assessment of food products that use recombinant DNA technology, the manufacture, import, and sale of genetically modified (GM) foods that have not undergone safety assessment are prohibited under the Food Sanitation Act. Therefore, a performance study to confirm the GM food testing operations of each laboratory is very important to ensure the reliability of the GM food monitoring system. In 2022, GM papaya line PRSV-YK-which has not yet been authorized in Japan-was selected for testing, and a papaya paste and a DNA solution were used as the test samples. With these samples, a laboratory performance study of the DNA extraction and real-time PCR operations was conducted. This confirmed that the 18 participating laboratories were generally performing the DNA extraction and real-time PCR operations correctly. However, some laboratories using certain DNA amplification reagent with some real-time PCR instruments were not able to determine the PRSV-YK detection test. This suggests that the PRSV-YK detection test may not be able to correctly detect samples containing GM papaya when performed with these combinations of instruments and reagent. In order to ensure the reliability of the PRSV-YK detection test, it is necessary to examine in detail how the combination of DNA polymerase reagents and real-time PCR instruments affects the detection limit, and to implement an appropriate solution.

The Japanese Health Ministry recently granted permission for the market distribution of genome-edited (GE) foods, yet there remains a lack of full understanding among consumers regarding this technology. In this study, we conducted a survey to assess the acceptability of GE foods among Japanese consumers and examined the impact of providing information about GE foods on their acceptability. We conducted a web-based survey among 3,408 consumers aged 20-69 years, focusing on three aspects: (1) the commercial availability of GE foods, (2) the consumption of GE foods by others, and (3) your own consumption of GE foods. The survey findings revealed that participants were most accepting of the consumption of GE foods by others, followed by their acceptance of GE foods being commercially available. Notably, participants' acceptance of GE foods increased in all three aspects after they viewed an informative video. The video had a particularly strong impact on participants who fully or partially understood its content, compared to those who did not. Furthermore, regression analyses showed that participants' understanding of two key areas, namely "Why are GE foods important" and "What procedures are in place to ensure the safety of GE foods," played a crucial role in increasing acceptability. Overall, these results indicate that providing information about GE foods to Japanese consumers can effectively enhance their acceptance of such foods. The findings highlight the importance of understanding the benefits and safety measures associated with GE foods in influencing consumer attitudes.

Background: It has been suspected that circadian rhythms may play a part in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal diseases including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The present study aimed to examine the cross-sectional association of the timing of sleep and meals with the presence of GERD in community-dwelling women in Japan., Methods: In total, 605 women responded to a self-administered questionnaire asking for information on GERD symptoms, sleep habits, sleep disturbances and the timing of meals. GERD symptoms were evaluated using the Frequency Scale for the Symptoms of GERD, and participants with a score of more than seven points were classified as having GERD., Results: In total, 104 (17.2%) women were found to have GERD. Later bedtime on both weekdays and weekends and later midpoint of sleep were significantly associated with the odds ratios (OR) of GERD after controlling for covariates: ORs for each 1 h delay were 1.31 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-1.68), 1.38 (95% CI = 1.08-1.75) and 1.43 (95% CI = 1.06-1.95). Having lunch at irregular times was significantly associated with the increased OR of GERD (1.99; 95% CI = 1.02-3.91). Longer overnight fasting duration and longer time intervals from the midpoint of sleep to breakfast and lunch were significantly associated with decreased OR of GERD (ORs for each 1 h increase were 0.73 [95% CI = 0.56-0.95], 0.64 [95% CI = 0.46-0.88] and 0.70 [95% CI = 0.51-0.96])., Conclusions: These data suggest that the timing of sleep and timing of meals relative to the sleep/wake cycle are associated with the presence of GERD., (© 2023 British Dietetic Association.)

Encapsulated papillary carcinoma (EPC) is a relatively rare histologic type of breast cancer. It is sometimes difficult to obtain a definitive diagnosis by needle biopsy, reflecting its characteristics as an intracystic lesion. Herein, we report a case of EPC in an elderly male that was difficult to diagnose before surgery. A 70-year-old man visited our hospital after a mass just under his right nipple that gradually increased in size. Ultrasonography revealed a well-defined intracystic 50 mm-sized tumor and a papillary-shaped solid component arising from the cyst wall. Cytology revealed small clusters of atypical cells suggestive of malignancy, but we did not reach a definitive diagnosis with subsequent vacuum-assisted needle biopsy due to the small amount of specimen. Given the imaging findings strongly suggested a malignant tumor, a mastectomy was performed. Histologically, there was a thick fibrous capsule and mildly atypical cells showed papillary growth, and we diagnosed the case as EPC (pTisNXM0). Sometimes, EPC is difficult to discriminate from intracystic papilloma before surgery, but clinicians should always keep in mind that this histological type exists with a certain frequency in male patients., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Triple-FLAG (3 × FLAG)-tagged proteins can be affinity purified through binding to an anti-FLAG antibody and competitive elution with excess free 3 × FLAG peptide. To expand the availability of the 3 × FLAG purification system, we produced a recombinant His-tagged 3 × FLAG peptide in Brevibacillus choshinensis. The screening of connecting linkers between His-tag and the 3 × FLAG peptide, culture containers, and culture media showed that the His-tagged 3 × FLAG peptide with an LA linker was most expressed in 2SY medium using a baffled shake flask. The peptide was affinity-purified to give a yield of about 25 mg/L of culture. The peptide was effective for eluting 3 × FLAG-tagged α-amylase from anti-FLAG magnetic beads. Finally, the peptide remaining in the amylase fraction was removed by His-tag affinity purification. These results show that the recombinant His-tagged 3 × FLAG peptide can function as an easy-to-remove affinity peptide in the 3 × FLAG purification system., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry.)

Therapeutic drug monitoring is generally unnecessary in caffeine treatment for apnea of prematurity, as serum caffeine concentrations in preterm infants are normally markedly lower than those at which caffeine intoxication occurs. However, several studies have reported preterm infants having developed toxicity. This retrospective observational study, conducted at a tertiary center in Kagawa, Japan, aimed to evaluate the correlation between the maintenance dose and serum caffeine concentrations and determine the maintenance dose leading to suggested toxic caffeine levels. We included 24 preterm infants (gestational age, 27 ± 2.9 weeks; body weight, 991 ± 297 g) who were treated with caffeine citrate for apnea of prematurity between 2018 and 2021, and 272 samples were analyzed. Our primary outcome measure was the maintenance dose leading to suggested toxic caffeine levels. We found a positive correlation between caffeine dose and serum caffeine concentrations (p < 0.05, r = 0.72). At doses of ≥ 8 mg/kg/day, 15% (16/109) of patients had serum caffeine concentrations above the suggested toxic levels. Patients who receive doses ≥ 8 mg/kg/day risk reaching the suggested toxic serum caffeine levels. It remains unclear whether suggested toxic caffeine concentrations are detrimental to neurological prognosis. Further investigation is required to understand the clinical effects/outcomes of high serum levels of caffeine and to obtain long-term neurodevelopmental follow-up data., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Aim: To evaluate closed-loop automated oxygen control (CLAC) in ventilated infants >33 weeks of gestation with different respiratory disease severities., Methods: Infants were studied on two consecutive days for 6 h each day. They were randomised to receive standard care or standard care with CLAC (Oxygenie) first. Analyses were performed of the results of infants with or without an FiO 2  ≥ 0.3 and infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH)., Results: Thirty-one infants with a median (IQR) gestational age of 37.9 (37.1-38.9) weeks were studied at a median postmenstrual age (IQR) of 38.9 (37.4-39.8) weeks. In infants with an FiO 2  ≥ 0.3 (n = 8), CLAC increased the time spent in target oxygen range (92-96%) by 61.6% (p = 0.018), whereas in infants with an FiO 2  < 0.3, the time in target was increased by 3.8% (p = 0.019). During CLAC, only infants with an FiO 2  ≥ 0.3 spent less time in hyperoxemia (SpO 2  > 96%) (p = 0.012) and hyperoxemic episodes were shorter (p = 0.012). In both groups, CLAC reduced the duration of desaturations (SpO 2  < 92%, p < 0.001). In CDH infants, CLAC increased the time spent in target oxygen range by 34% (p = 0.036) and the median duration of desaturations was reduced (p = 0.028)., Conclusion: CLAC may be more useful in infants with more severe respiratory distress., (© 2023 The Authors. Acta Paediatrica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Foundation Acta Paediatrica.)

Objective: Sleep characteristics may potentially affect the hormonal environment related to follicular degeneration. The present study aimed to examine the association between sleep duration and the onset of menopause in Japanese women., Methods: We conducted a prospective study among 3,090 premenopausal Japanese women aged 35 to 56 years derived from participants in the Takayama Study. Habitual sleep duration was determined by a self-administered questionnaire at the baseline. Menopausal status was defined as the absence of menstruation for 12 months or more. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to estimate the hazard ratio of the occurrence of menopause for each category of sleep duration (≤6, 8, and ≥9 h) as compared with 7 hours of sleep after controlling for age, parity, body mass index, smoking status, years of education, and lifelong irregular menstrual cycle., Results: During the 10 follow-up years, 1,776 women experienced natural menopause. Sleep duration of ≤6 hours was significantly associated with decreased hazard ratio of menopause (0.88; 95% confidence interval, 0.78-0.99)., Conclusions: The data suggest that short sleep duration is associated with later onset of menopause., Competing Interests: Financial disclosure/conflicts of interest: None reported., (Copyright © 2023 by The North American Menopause Society.)

Given that the number of genetically modified (GM) maize events that have been announced as having undergone safety assessment procedures in Japan is increasing yearly, more information is needed about their actual recent domestic distribution in Japan. In this study, we investigated whether current Japanese official qualitative and quantitative methods (the current official methods) for GM maize can comprehensively target events in domestically distributed maize. For samples with the identity-preserved (IP) handling system and non-IP samples from the United States (US) and non-IP samples from Brazil, we performed event-specific real-time PCR targeting 25 authorized single GM maize events in addition to the current official methods. According to our results, 15 events targeted by the current official methods were detected, but insect-resistance (IR) Event5307 and herbicide-tolerant (HT) DAS40278, not targeted by the current official methods, were detected in the US (one out of 5 lots) and Brazilian (four out of 5 lots) non-IP samples, respectively. Nevertheless, a survey of recent GM maize acreage in recent years has revealed that more than 95% of the acreage in US maize is occupied by HT or IR/HT stacked events, and that more than 95% of the acreage in Brazilian maize is occupied by IR or IR/HT stacked events. Because the current official methods can target all stacked events related to Event5307 and DAS40278, the only undetectable events are the single Event5307 and DAS40278, whose production is estimated to be less than 5% of the total production in the producing country. Therefore, we conclude that the current official methods for the labelling of GM maize should be maintained in view of practicability.

Cerebral haemodynamics during the immediate transition period in neonates may differ depending on whether delivery is vaginal or by caesarean section. However, these differences have never been confirmed by near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy (TRS). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare cerebral blood volume (CBV) and cerebral haemoglobin oxygen saturation (ScO 2 ) between healthy term neonates by mode of delivery. Subjects were 31 healthy term neonates who did not require resuscitation. Thirteen neonates were delivered vaginally (VD group) and 18 were delivered by elective caesarean section (CS group). Absolute oxyhaemoglobin, deoxyhaemoglobin, and total haemoglobin concentrations were measured continuously by TRS; oxyHb × 100/totalHb (ScO 2 ) (%) and CBV (mL/100 g brain tissue) were also calculated. Measurements were started as soon as possible after birth, obtained from 1 to 2 min after birth, and continued until 15 min after birth. CBV was significantly higher in the VD group than in the CS group in the 4 min after birth but not thereafter. There were no significant between-group differences in ScO 2 and SpO 2 . These findings indicate that there is a difference in cerebral haemodynamic patterns in the first 4 min after delivery between term neonates by mode of delivery when CBV is monitored by TRS., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease characterized by impaired neurotransmission at the neuromuscular junction. MG is generally non-inherited but is rarely inherited. Here, we report two patients with MG in the same pedigree: a 62-year-old Japanese man and his 46-year-old daughter who were positive for anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies and had thymoma. We performed whole-exome sequencing (WES) and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) analyses to investigate the genetic contribution to familial onset. WES analysis of both patients showed no known variations in candidate genes for familial MG, and HLA analysis failed to detect HLA haplotypes seen in early-onset and late-onset MG. These findings suggest the presence of an unknown genetic background. Previous genetic studies on familial MG have identified ENOX1 and IFNGR1 as candidate genes in patients without thymoma, whereas no studies have identified candidate genes in patients with thymoma. To explore causative genes, it may be necessary to consider whether the genetic background differs between patients with and without thymoma in familial autoimmune MG., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the features of pulmonary histopathological changes in cases of trisomy 18 complicated with congenital heart disease and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Twenty-eight patients with trisomy 18 underwent open lung biopsy at the time of primary operation in our hospital between 2008 and 2019. We compared these histopathological findings with those from previously described groups without trisomy 18. Mean age at primary cardiac surgery was 37 days (range, 9-69 days). According to the Heath-Edwards (HE) classification, 1, 8, 12, and 5 patients were graded as 0, 1, 2, and 3, respectively, whereas 2 patients were not classifiable due to medial defects in the small pulmonary arteries (MD). Four (14.3%) and 13 (46.4%) patients presented with MD and hypoplasia of the small pulmonary arteries (HS). Fifteen (53.6%) and 21 (75.0%) patients presented with alveolar hypoplasia (AH) and alveolar wall thickening (AT). MD, HS, and AH in trisomy 18 were present frequently, differing significantly from previous reports. These findings might be associated with congenital inadequate development of vessels and alveoli in the lung, contributing to a high risk of PAH in trisomy 18., (© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background: Therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is a standard therapy for neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy. One potential additional therapy is the free radical scavenger edaravone (EV; 3-methyl-1-phenyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one)., Objectives and Methods: This study aimed to compare the neuroprotective effects of edaravone plus therapeutic hypothermia (TH + EV) with those of TH alone after a hypoxic-ischaemic insult in the newborn piglet. Anaesthetized piglets were subjected to 40 min of hypoxia (3-5% inspired oxygen), and cerebral ischaemia was assessed using cerebral blood volume. Body temperature was maintained at 39.0 ± 0.5°C in the normothermia group (NT, n = 8) and at 33.5 ± 0.5°C (24 h after the insult) in the TH (n = 7) and TH + EV (3 mg/kg intravenous every 12 h for 3 days after the insult; n = 6) groups under mechanical ventilation., Results: Five days after the insult, the mean (standard deviation) neurological scores were 10.9 (5.7) in the NT group, 17.0 (0.4) in the TH group (p = 0.025 vs. NT), and 15.0 (3.9) in the TH + EV group. The histopathological score of the TH + EV group showed no significant improvement compared with that of the other groups., Conclusion: TH + EV had no additive neuroprotective effects after hypoxia-ischaemia in neurological and histopathological assessments., (© 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: The management of cardiac trauma requires rapid intervention in the emergency room, facilitated by a surgeon with prior experience to have good outcomes. Many surgeons have little experience in the requisite procedures. We report here 4 patients who suffered cardiac trauma, and all 4 patients survived with good neurologic outcomes., Case Presentations: Patient 1 suffered blunt cardiac trauma from a motor vehicle accident and presented in shock. Cardiac tamponade was diagnosed and a cardiac rupture repaired with staples through a median sternotomy after rapid transport to the operating room. Patient 2 suffered blunt cardiac trauma and presented in shock with cardiac tamponade. Operating room median sternotomy allowed extraction of pericardial clot with recovery of physiologic stability. Patient 3 presented with self-inflicted stab wounds to the chest and was unstable. She was brought to the operating room and thoracotomy allowed identification of a left ventricle wound which was repaired with a suture. Patient 4 presented in cardiac arrest with multiple self-inflicted stab wounds to the chest. Emergency room thoracotomy allowed repair of a right ventricle laceration with recovery of vital signs., Conclusions: The management of all 4 patients was according to the principles taught in the ATOM course. Three of the 4 surgeons had no prior experience with management of cardiac trauma and credited the good outcomes to taking the ATOM course. These are uncommon injuries and formal training in their management is beneficial to patients.

A car-borne survey of air dose rate measurements was performed yearly from 2011 to 2013 to determine the levels of environmental radiation in Gunma prefecture after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in 2011. The results revealed that the average ambient doses in each year were 85.3 ± 34.1 nGy/h in 2011, 60.3 ± 19.9 nGy/h in 2012, and 43.5 ± 15.1 nGy/h in 2013. The ambient dose rate in 2011, which was about three times higher than the average of 27.0 ± 7.1 nGy/h in 1998, was still in safety level considering the public health, and the ambient dose rate subsequently decreased in 2013 to approximately half the 2011 level. A contour map of the ambient dose rate showed relatively higher levels in the northern and western parts of the prefecture, with relatively lower levels toward the eastern and southern parts., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Despite its poor outcomes, therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is the current standard treatment for neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE). In this study, due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiapoptotic properties, the effectiveness of molecular hydrogen (H 2 ) combined with TH was evaluated by means of neurological and histological assessments. Piglets were divided into three groups: hypoxic-ischaemic insult with normothermia (NT), insult with hypothermia (TH, 33.5 ± 0.5 °C), and insult with hypothermia with H 2 ventilation (TH-H 2 , 2.1-2.7%). H 2 ventilation and TH were administered for 24 h. After ventilator weaning, neurological assessment was performed every 6 h for 5 days. On day 5, the brains of the piglets were harvested for histopathological analysis. Regarding the neurological score, the piglets in the TH-H 2 group consistently had the highest score from day 2 to 5 and showed a significantly higher neurological score from day 3 compared with the NT group. Most piglets in the TH-H 2 group could walk at day 3 of recovery, whereas walking ability was delayed in the two other groups. The histological results revealed that TH-H 2 tended to improve the status of cortical gray matter and subcortical white matter, with a considerable reduction in cell death. In this study, the combination of TH and H 2 improved short-term neurological outcomes in neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic piglets.

Background: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is described as a clinical-radiological disease entity with good prognosis. In brain MRI, PRES generally presents with vasogenic edema. Although PRES is induced by various causes, a small number of PRES cases have occurred after red cell blood transfusion. It is unclear whether there are characteristic features in PRES after blood transfusion., Case Presentation: Here, we report a case of 75-year-old Japanese woman who had acute exacerbation of subacute anemia by bleeding from gastric ulcer. After receiving a red cell blood transfusion, she showed disturbance of consciousness with extensive cytotoxic and small vasogenic edema in the occipitoparietal area on brain MRI. She was diagnosed as PRES and suffered irreversible impairments of visual acuity and fields in both eyes. We summarized and discussed clinical features of cases with PRES after blood transfusion., Conclusions: A total of 21 cases including the present one have been reported as PRES after blood transfusion. Of the cases, 20 of 21 were female, and 15 of 17 developed PRES in the course of chronic anemia lasting over 1 month. Anemia was severe in 15 of 20 cases, with hemoglobin levels < 3.5 g/dl. In 14 of 17 cases, hemoglobin levels increased to 5 g/dl by red cell blood transfusion until the onset of PRES. On brain MRI, 2 of 21 cases showed cytotoxic edema and 3 of 21 cases showed irreversible neurological disturbance. In this patient, the occurrence of PRES in subacute anemia and the presence of extensive cytotoxic brain edema with irreversible neurological deficits were characteristic points. When treating severe anemia, even with a subacute progression, we should consider a possibility that PRES occurs after blood transfusion with extensive cytotoxic brain edema and irreversible neurological changes.

Loss of cardiomyocyte proliferative capacity after birth is a major obstacle for therapeutic heart regeneration in adult mammals. We and others have recently shown the importance of hypoxic in utero environments for active foetal cardiomyocyte proliferation. Here, we report the unexpected expression of novex-3, the short splice variant of the giant sarcomeric protein connectin (titin), in the cardiomyocyte nucleus specifically during the hypoxic foetal stage in mice. This nuclear localisation appeared to be regulated by the N-terminal region of novex-3, which contains the nuclear localisation signal. Importantly, the nuclear expression of novex-3 in hypoxic foetal cardiomyocytes was repressed at the postnatal stage following the onset of breathing and the resulting elevation of oxygen tension, whereas the sarcomeric expression remained unchanged. Novex-3 knockdown in foetal cardiomyocytes repressed cell cycle-promoting genes and proliferation, whereas novex-3 overexpression enhanced proliferation. Mechanical analysis by atomic force microscopy and microneedle-based tensile tests demonstrated that novex-3 expression in hypoxic foetal cardiomyocytes contributes to the elasticity/compliance of the nucleus at interphase and facilitates proliferation, by promoting phosphorylation-induced disassembly of multimer structures of nuclear lamins. We propose that novex-3 has a previously unrecognised role in promoting cardiomyocyte proliferation specifically at the hypoxic foetal stage.

As rhesus monkeys exhibit physiological jaundice during the neonatal period, we used rhesus monkey serum to examine changes in bilirubin photoisomers. Bilirubin-rhesus monkey serum solution was irradiated with blue light-emitting diode, and changes in the absorbance and bilirubin fraction were compared with those in bilirubin- human serum albumin (HSA) and bilirubin-rat albumin solutions. The λ max decreased with light irradiation. The mean production rate of cyclobilirubin IXα was 1.98, 199 and 0.76 × 10 -2 /min in rhesus monkey serum, HSA and rat albumin, respectively. There was no significant difference between rhesus monkey serum and HSA. The (ZE)-bilirubin IXα/(ZZ)-bilirubin IXα ratio was 0.33, 0.45, and 0.10, respectively, differing significantly among the groups. The (EZ)-bilirubin IXα/(ZZ)-bilirubin IXα ratio was 0.020, 0.010, and 0.062, respectively, with no significant difference between rhesus monkey serum and HSA. The production rate of (EZ)-cyclobilirubin XIIIα(= (ZE)-cyclobilirubin XIIIα) was 0.73, 1.60, and 0.51 × 10 -2 /min, respectively, with differing significantly among the groups. The (EZ)-bilirubin IIIα/(ZZ)-bilirubin IIIα ratio was significantly different among the groups at 0.20, 0.38, and 0.15, respectively. This is the first report demonstrating the photoisomerization of bilirubin in rhesus monkey serum and the animal with the same cyclobilirubin production rate as HSA.Rhesus monkeys may be used as an animal model for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in humans to evaluate the efficacy of phototherapy., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Phthalates, known as reproductive toxicants and endocrine disruptors, are widely used as plasticizers in polyvinyl chloride products. The present study was conducted for risk identification of dermal exposure to phthalates. When dibutyl phthalate was applied to the skin of hairless rats and humans, only monobutyl phthalate appeared through the skin, and the permeability of the skin was higher than that after the application of the monoester directly. The inhibition of skin esterases made the skin impermeable to the metabolite following dermal exposure to dibutyl ester, whereas removal of the stratum corneum from the skin did not change the skin permeation behavior. Similar phenomena were observed for benzyl butyl phthalate. The skin permeability of monobenzyl phthalate was higher than that of monobutyl phthalate in humans, although the reverse was observed in rats. Species difference in skin permeation profile corresponded to the esterase activity of the skin homogenate. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, which was not metabolized by esterases in the skin, was not transported across the skin. These results suggest that highly lipophilic phthalates may be transported easily across the stratum corneum lipids. The water-rich viable layer may become permeable to these phthalates by their metabolism into monoesters, which are relatively hydrophilic. Skin metabolism is essential to the percutaneous absorption of phthalates. Because esterase activity has large inter-individual differences, further study will be needed for individual risk identification of dermal exposure to phthalates., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This Phase 2 study assessed the performance of positron emission tomography (PET) brain images made with Flutemetamol F 18 Injection in detecting β-amyloid neuritic plaques in Japanese subjects., Methods: Seventy subjects (25 with probable Alzheimer's disease (pAD), 20 with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), and 25 cognitively normal healthy volunteers[HVs]) underwent PET brain imaging after intravenous Flutemetamol F 18 Injection (185 MBq). Images were interpreted as normal or abnormal for neuritic plaque density by each of five non-Japanese and five Japanese readers who were blinded to clinical data. The primary efficacy analysis (based on HV and pAD data) was the agreement of the non-Japanese readers' image interpretations with the clinical diagnosis, resulting in estimates of positive percent agreement (PPA; based on AD subjects; similar to sensitivity) and negative percent agreement (NPA; based on HVs; similar to specificity). Secondary analyses included PPA and NPA for the Japanese readers; inter-reader agreement (IRA); intra-reader reproducibility (IRR); quantitative image interpretations (standardized uptake value ratios [SUVRs]) by diagnostic subgroup; test-retest variability in five pAD subjects; and safety., Results: PPA was 92% for all non-Japanese readers and ranged from 88 to 92% for the Japanese readers. NPA ranged from 96 to 100% for both the non-Japanese readers and the Japanese readers. The majority image interpretations (the interpretations made independently by ≥3 of 5 readers) resulted in PPA values of 92 and 92% and NPA values of 100 and 96% for the non-Japanese and Japanese readers, respectively. IRA and IRR were strong. Composite SUVR values (mean of multiple regional values) allowed clear differentiation between pAD subjects and HVs. Test-retest variability ranged from 1.14 to 2.27%, and test-retest agreement of the blinded visual interpretations was 100% for all readers. Flutemetamol F 18 Injection was generally well tolerated., Conclusions: The detection of brain neuritic plaques in Japanese subjects using [ 18 F]Flutemetamol PET images gave results highly consistent with clinical diagnosis, with non-Japanese and Japanese readers giving similar results. Inter-reader agreement and intra-reader reproducibility were high for both sets of readers. Visual delineation of abnormal and normal scans was corroborated by quantitative assessment, with low test-retest variability., Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov registration number NCT02813070.

We investigated the effects of auraptene on mouse oligodendroglial cell lineage in an animal model of demyelination induced by cuprizone. Auraptene, a citrus coumarin, was intraperitoneally administered to mice fed the demyelinating agent cuprizone. Immunohistochemical analysis of the corpus callosum and/or Western blotting analysis of brain extracts revealed that cuprizone reduced immunoreactivity for myelin-basic protein, a marker of myelin, whereas it increased immunoreactivity to platelet derived-growth factor receptor-α, a marker of oligodendrocyte precursor cells. Administration of auraptene enhanced the immunoreactivity to oligodendrocyte transcription factor 2, a marker of oligodendrocyte precursor cells and oligodendrocyte lineage precursor cells, but had no effect on immunoreactivity to myelin-basic protein or platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α. These findings suggest that auraptene promotes the production of oligodendrocyte lineage precursor cells in an animal model of demyelination and may be useful for individuals with demyelinating diseases., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Many types of weak pathogenic microorganisms often cause opportunistic infections in extremely preterm infants. Paecilomyces formosus is one such opportunistic fungus that can lead to a serious infection. Here, we report the clinical course of P. formosus infection in an extremely preterm infant., Case Presentation: An extremely preterm male infant was born at 23 weeks of gestation. Six days after birth, he developed yellowish-brown nodules on the skin of the back extending to the buttocks. P. formosus was identified by culture of samples from the cutaneous lesions. We treated the infection with intravenous micafungin and lanoconazole ointment application. The skin lesions improved dramatically and healed without scar tissue formation., Conclusion: Neonatologists should consider opportunistic P. formosus infections. This is the first report to describe that micafungin is effective for P. formosus cutaneous infection in extremely premature infants., (Copyright © 2015 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The ambient dose rate in air and radioactivity concentration in soil samples collected on Izu-Oshima Island were observed in 2012, 2013 and 2014, i.e. 1, 2 and 3 years after the severe accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. A car-borne survey for the ambient dose rate in air was carried out for the entire island. Soil samples were collected for the radioactivity concentration measurements from 22 points. The ambient dose rates in air were 36 nGy h(-1) in 2012, 34 nGy h(-1) in 2013 and 29 nGy h(-1) in 2014. The corresponding radioactivity concentrations in those years for (134)Cs were 53, 39 and 29 Bq kg(-1) and for (137)Cs, 87, 73 and 75 Bq kg(-1). All the values have decreased every year., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

By using NaY zeolites as desiccant materials, commercial NaY zeolite was alkali treated with 1 M NaOH aqueous solution and then Mg(2+) ion-exchanged by 0.5 M Mg(NO3)2 aqueous solution. Alkali treatment (AT) of NaY zeolite removed silicon atoms selectivity from the framework of Y-type zeolite and enhanced water diffusivity of Y-type zeolite. On the other hand, Mg(2+) ion-exchange of NaY zeolite increased the amount of water adsorbed. Prepared Y-AT-Mg zeolite had both water adsorption velocity and a large difference of water adsorbed amount between adsorption at 30 °C and desorption at 100 °C., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Regular physical exercise is recommended for the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease. However, it is unclear whether the effects of exercise training on arterial stiffness are the same in older hypertensive individuals as those observed in older healthy subjects. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of exercise training on arterial stiffness between older hypertensive and healthy females., Methods: Ninety-two females with untreated hypertension and 108 healthy females were randomly assigned to either the control group or to participate in a 12-week training program. In the training groups, the subjects engaged in 90 min of training twice a week for 12 weeks. Each training program included recreational activities, six to eight resistance exercises for circuit training and chair-based exercise for the lower extremities. The systolic/diastolic blood pressure (SBP/DBP) and brachial to ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) were obtained in the supine position using an automatic pulse wave form analyzer., Results: Compared with that observed in the control group, greater reductions in the baPWV and SBP/DBP were achieved in both training groups (P < 0.05). Furthermore, a significant difference in the delta baPWV values obtained before and after training was noted between the hypertensive (-72.5 ± 8.1 cm s(-1)) and healthy females (-131.5 ± 107.3 cm s(-1)) who participated in the training program (P < 0.05)., Conclusions: These data indicate that exercise training produces fewer improvements in arterial stiffness in older hypertensive females than in older healthy females.

Background: The use of acetaminophen as a drug for pain control is expected to increase in the neonatal field. The displacement factor of acetaminophen in the reaction in the glucose oxidase peroxidase method is very high, but is also considered to be inaccurate based on physicochemical properties., Method: Unbound bilirubin was measured using the erythrocyte-bound bilirubin measurement method and glucose oxidase peroxidase method by the addition of acetaminophen or sulfisoxazole. The displacement factor was measured using glucose oxidase peroxidase method with the addition of tert-butyl-p-hydroxyanisole., Results: Acetaminophen did not increase erythrocyte-bound bilirubin, and the addition of tert-butyl-p-hydroxyanisole lowered its displacement factor. On the other hand, sulfisoxazole increased erythrocyte-bound bilirubin, while tert-butyl-p-hydroxyanisole did not change its displacement factor., Conclusion: Acetaminophen is an accelerator of the reaction in the glucose oxidase peroxidase method and does not displace bilirubin from human serum albumin., (© The Author(s) 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.)

A unique CO2-Responsive CONSTANS, CONSTANS-like, and Time of Chlorophyll a/b Binding Protein1 (CCT) Protein (CRCT) containing a CCT domain but not a zinc finger motif is described, which is up-regulated under elevated CO2 in rice (Oryza sativa). The expression of CRCT showed diurnal oscillation peaked at the end of the light period and was also increased by sugars such as glucose and sucrose. Promoter β-glucuronidase analysis showed that CRCT was highly expressed in the phloem of various tissues such as leaf blade and leaf sheath. Overexpression or RNA interference knockdown of CRCT had no appreciable effect on plant growth and photosynthesis except that tiller angle was significantly increased by the overexpression. More importantly, starch content in leaf sheath, which serves as a temporary storage organ for photoassimilates, was markedly increased in overexpression lines and decreased in knockdown lines. The expressions of several genes related to starch synthesis, such as ADP-glucose pyrophospholylase and α-glucan phospholylase, were significantly changed in transgenic lines and positively correlated with the expression levels of CRCT. Given these observations, we suggest that CRCT is a positive regulator of starch accumulation in vegetative tissues, regulating coordinated expression of starch synthesis genes in response to the levels of photoassimilates., (© 2015 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the factors related to the choice of a tracheostomy and invasive ventilation in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and to determine survival time after a tracheostomy at a single institute in Japan between 1990 and 2010., Methods: Data for survival time until death or tracheostomy were obtained from 160 patients. Fifty-two patients (33%) underwent tracheostomy/mechanical ventilation., Results: Tracheostomy and invasive ventilation prolonged median survival time (74 months), as did non-invasive ventilation (48 months) when compared to a non-ventilation-supported control group (32 months; p<0.001 each). The ratio of tracheostomy/mechanical ventilation in patients >65 years old significantly increased after 1999 (27%) compared to earlier years (10%, p=0.002). Cox proportional modeling confirmed an age of ≤65 years as advantageous for long-term survival after a tracheostomy. In univariate logistic regression analysis, factors related to the decision to perform a tracheostomy included an age of ≤65 years, greater use of non-invasive ventilation, the presence of a spouse, interval and speed from disease onset to diagnosis/tracheostomy and preservation of motor function. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, age, shorter duration from disease onset until tracheostomy and the presence of a spouse were independently associated with the decision to perform a tracheostomy. Kaplan-Meier plots revealed longer survival times in patients who resided at home after a tracheostomy compared to patients who stayed at a hospital (p=0.007)., Conclusions: Tracheostomy and invasive ventilation are frequently used in Japan. Various factors impact patients' decisions to have these procedures. This study identified factors related to the decision-making process and post-tracheostomy survival., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Advances in the synthesis and utilization of new chemical compounds have led to improvements in our daily lives. However, new chemicals may be both beneficial and toxic. Thus, exposure to these new compounds should be restricted in an attempt to limit their potential toxicities. We predicted the safety of three biocides (p-cresol, diazinon and resmethrin) by comparing their skin permeability coefficients and desquamation rate (the counter flux of permeability coefficient for chemical compounds induced by skin turnover) following skin exposure. In vitro skin permeation experiments revealed that the permeability coefficients of diazinon and resmethrin were smaller than the desquamation rate; therefore, these biocides could not permeate the skin, which resulted in very low skin concentrations of these compounds. On the other hand, the skin concentration of p-cresol was high because of its higher permeability coefficient than the desquamation rate. Furthermore, low in vitro cell viability was reported for skin exposed to p-cresol. These results in the present study indicate that the method described herein is useful for predicting the toxicities of chemicals following their topical exposure.

A host framework for inclusion of various guest molecules was investigated by preparation of inclusion crystals of 1,8-bis(4-aminophenyl)anthracene (1,8-BAPA) with organic solvents. X-ray crystallographic analysis revealed construction of the same inclusion space incorporating 1,8-BAPA and eight guest molecules including both non-polar (benzene) and polar guests (N,N-dimethylformamide, DMF). Fluorescence efficiencies varied depending on guest molecule polarity; DMF inclusion crystals exhibited the highest fluorescence intensity (ΦF=0.40), four times as high as that of a benzene inclusion crystal (ΦF=0.10). According to systematic investigations of inclusion phenomena, strong host–guest interactions and filling of the inclusion space led to a high fluorescence intensity. Temperature-dependent fluorescence spectral measurements revealed these factors effectively immobilised the host framework. Although hydrogen bonding commonly decreases fluorescence intensity, the present study demonstrated that such strong interactions provide excellent conditions for fluorescence enhancement. Thus, this remarkable behaviour has potential application toward sensing of highly polar molecules, such as biogenic compounds.

We prepared polypseudorotaxanes (PPRXs) composed of cyclodextrin (CyD) and polyethylene glycol (PEG) inside microspheres (MSs) by an emulsifying process using polypropylene glycol (PPG) that shows temperature-dependent hydrophilicity changes; PPG is hydrophobic at high temperatures but hydrophilic at low temperatures. An aqueous solution of CyD and PEG was dispersed as droplets in PPG at 60°C then cooled to 0°C to allow water of droplets to transfer into PPG. On removal of water in the droplets, CyD and PEG were left behind as a CyD/PEG PPRX inside the solid-state MSs. Examination of α-, β-, and γ-CyD revealed that α-CyD was suitable for the formation of PPRX containing PEG in this MS preparation procedure. Interestingly, a new PPRX composed of α-CyD and PPG was formed in the α-CyD MSs when they were prepared in the absence of PEG from the aqueous solution of α-CyD. This MS fabrication procedure can control the size and shape of PPRX particles, and will contribute to the production of new types of CyD inclusion complexes.