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In a continued effort to discover microorganisms with plant-protective properties, we characterized a collection of bacterial isolates from multiple geographic origins and belonging to the genus Collimonas, for their ability to inhibit in vitro the growth of a wide range of plant-pathogenic fungi and oomycetes. Isolate Collimonas arenae Cal35 showed the greatest all-round performance and was the single-best inhibitor of several of the tested pathogens, including Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, the causal agent of Fusarium wilt of tomato. In greenhouse trials, neither C. arenae Cal35 nor the control treatment, i.e., the commercially available Bacillus-based biofungicide Serenade Soil, was able to prevent symptom formation on tomato plants challenged with F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. However, a mixture of Cal35 and Serenade Soil (referred to as Collinade) significantly reduced vascular discoloration and F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici-induced loss of shoot dry weight. In replicated field experiments, a Collinade application reduced vascular symptoms as well as the relative abundance of F. oxysporum in the root endosphere of F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici-challenged plants. We discuss the emerging property of “biocombicontrol” by Collimonas and Bacillus in the context of synergy-based formulations for the protection of crops against pathogens.

High production costs and perceived declines in soil quality due to agricultural intensification have led to recent interest in conservation tillage production practices. We conducted field experiments in Five Points in 1997 and 1998 to evaluate the effectiveness of maintaining a cover crop mulch on the soil surface in a no-till system compared to a standard tillage system for conserving soil moisture and improving water infiltration and other soil physical properties in a furrow-irrigated tomato field. Soil water content did not differ among treatments in 1997, but was higher under no-till cover crop mulches than conventionally tilled plots during the 1998 growing season. Soil carbon was increased more than 8% and more earthworms were found under no-till mulches relative to the conventionally tilled plots in the second year of the study. Soil compaction was lower in no-till treatments, especially at the 1-to-2-foot depth. In this study, furrows were swept clean and therefore furrow irrigation did not constitute a limitation to this no-till system.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been found to be associated with certain peripheral organ injuries; however, a few studies have explored the chronological influences of TBI on multiple organs and the systemic effects of therapeutic interventions. Particularly, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a potential therapeutic target for TBI; however, its effects on peripheral organs remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether severe TBI can lead to multiple organ injury and how HMGB1 inhibition affects peripheral organs. This study used a weight drop-induced TBI mouse model and found that severe TBI can trigger short-lived systemic inflammation, in the lungs and liver, but not in the kidneys, regardless of the severity of the injury. TBI led to an increase in circulating HMGB1 and enhanced gene expressions of its receptors in every organ. Anti-HMGB1 antibody treatment reduced neuroinflammation but increased inflammation in peripheral organs. This study also found that HMGB1 inhibition appears to have a beneficial role in early neuroinflammation but could lead to detrimental effects on peripheral organs through decreased peripheral immune suppression. This study provides novel insights into the chronological changes in multiple organs due to TBI and the unique roles of HMGB1 between the brain and other organs., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is characterized by mixed features of systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, and polymyositis/dermatomyositis and is rare in children. Here, we report a case of MCTD in a 10-year-old girl who presented at our hospital with arthralgia, Raynaud's phenomenon, and fatigue. Blood tests were positive for anti-U1-ribonucleoprotein (RNP) antibodies and for rheumatoid factors (RFs) IgG-RF and anti-galactose-deficient IgG. Levels of myogenic enzymes and hypergammaglobulinemia were elevated. Macrophages were prominent in bone marrow, with scattered phagocytic macrophages. MCTD was diagnosed based on the patient's symptoms and laboratory findings. Methylprednisolone pulse therapy combined with oral tacrolimus was administered, which led to resolution of symptoms. Three months after pulse therapy, arthralgia worsened and methotrexate was administered. Arthralgia improved but did not resolve. Magnetic resonance imaging performed to investigate the hip pain revealed a mature ovarian teratoma, which was surgically removed. Because the pain persisted and interfered with her daily life, she was treated with tocilizumab for joint pain relief, which decreased the pain level. Tocilizumab is a candidate for additional treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis-like arthritis associated with childhood-onset MCTD.

Pediatric health checkups have been mandatory for all citizens since 1966 based on the Maternal and Child Health Law in Japan, and cryptorchidism or undescended testis in adult males are rare. We report a case of an adult right inguinal hernia and cryptorchidism treated simultaneously with laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal repair and laparoscopic orchiectomy. A 35-year-old man came to our department with a chief complaint of bulging in the right inguinal region for several months. He was diagnosed with a right inguinal hernia and was scheduled for transabdominal preperitoneal repair. During intraoperative intraperitoneal observation, a white 30-mm mass was found in the hernia orifice. A diagnosis of right cryptorchidism was made, and transabdominal preperitoneal repair and laparoscopic orchiectomy were performed. Laparoscopic simultaneous surgery could be safely performed in an adult patient with a hernia complicated by a cryptorchidism. It can be recommended as a surgical option in such cases., Competing Interests: None declared., (Published by Oxford University Press and JSCR Publishing Ltd. © The Author(s) 2024.)

Paraganglioma, a catecholamine-producing tumor originating in extra-adrenal paraganglion cells, is rare in children. Although diagnosis of paraganglioma is based on the presence of catecholamine symptoms, some patients lack such symptoms. Delayed diagnosis is associated with tumor growth and invasion of surrounding vessels. Herein, we report a case of pediatric retroperitoneal paraganglioma invading the inferior vena cava. The tumor was completely resected and the patient has been free of recurrence for 2 years. Our findings suggest that complete resection can help prevent recurrence in cases of invasion of the inferior vena cava.

Background: Neuroinflammation can occur during sepsis and is now regarded as the main mechanism underlying various related central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Another well-known factor causing neuroinflammation is psychological stress. In the current study, we examined the effects of prior exposure to stress on sepsis-induced neuroinflammation and CNS symptoms., Experimental Procedure: Balb/c mice were subjected to wet bedding stress for 2 days, then lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was intraperitoneally administered. For examining the neuroinflammation, the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and NF-κB activity in the brain was analyzed by RT-PCR and ELISA-based assay. Additionally, immunohistochemical study using Iba-1 was performed. Finally, behavior tests were examined one month after LPS treatment., Result and Conclusion: Stress exposure induced the upregulation of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNFα mRNA in the cerebral cortex 4 h after LPS administration. Suggesting an underlying mechanism, LPS-induced NF-κB activation was significantly upregulated with stress in the brain. Histologically, microglia in the cerebral cortex were reactive and became more abundant with stress, while these effects were further increased with LPS injection. Behavioral analysis conducted showed a significant increase of anxiety-like behaviors in the stressed mice. These results suggest that prior exposure to stress exacerbates neuroinflammation during sepsis and induces long-term behavior changes., Competing Interests: 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., (© 2023 The Authors.)

As hypocalcemia is uncommon, serum calcium levels are not routinely measured in many emergency medicine clinics. We report a case of an adolescent girl with a transient loss of consciousness due to hypocalcemia. A 13-year-old healthy girl had a syncopal episode complicated with numbness in the extremities. On admission, she was fully conscious, but hypocalcemia and QT prolongation were noted. After careful consideration of the possible etiologies, the patient was diagnosed with acquired QT prolongation due to primary hypoparathyroidism. The patient's serum calcium levels were controlled by activated vitamin D and calcium supplementation. Primary hypoparathyroidism-associated hypocalcemia can cause QT prolongation and neurological complications, even in previously healthy adolescents., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2023, Miyao et al.)

Elevated CO 2 (eCO 2 ; 1000 ppm) influences developing rice leaf formation, reducing leaf blade length and width as compared to rice grown under ambient CO 2 (aCO 2 ; 400 ppm). Since micro RNAs (miRNAs) are known to play multiple roles in plant development, we hypothesized that miRNAs might be involved in modulating leaf size under eCO 2 conditions. To identify miRNAs responding to eCO 2 , we profiled miRNA levels in developing rice leaves (P4; plastochron number of the fourth-youngest leaf) under eCO 2 using small RNA-seq. We detected 18 mature miRNA sequences for which expression levels varied more than two-fold between the eCO 2 and aCO 2 conditions. Among them, only miR396e and miR396f significantly differed between the two conditions. Additionally, the expression of growth-regulating factors ( GRFs ), potential target mRNA of miR396s, were repressed under the eCO 2 condition. We used an antisense oligonucleotide approach to confirm that single-strand DNA corresponding to the miR396e sequence effectively downregulated GRF expression in developing leaves, reducing the leaf blade length, such as for rice grown under eCO 2 . These results suggest that the miR396- GRF module is crucially relevant to controlling rice leaf blade length in eCO 2 environments.

In June 2020, the Japanese government approved boron neutron capture therapy for the treatment of head and neck cancer. The treatment is usually performed in a single fraction, with the neutron irradiation time being approximately 30-60 min. As neutrons scatter in air and loses its intensity, it is preferable to bring the patient as close to the beam port as possible to shorten the irradiation time. However, this can be a challenge, especially for patients with head and neck cancer, as the shoulders are an obstacle to a clean positioning. In this study, a novel neutron collimation system for an accelerator based neutron source was designed to allow for a more comfortable treatment, without compromising the irradiation time. Experimental measurements confirmed the simulation results and showed the new collimator can reduce the irradiation time by approximately 60% (under the same condition where the distance between the source and the patient surface was kept the same). The dose delivered to the surrounding healthy tissue was reduced with the new collimator, showing a 25% decrease in the D 50 of the mucosal membrane. Overall, the use of the newly designed collimator will allow for a more comfortable treatment of the head and neck region, reduce the treatment time, and reduce the dose delivered to the surrounding healthy tissue., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) remains a leading cause of infant death in high-income countries. Supporting models for categorization of sudden unexpected infant death into SIDS/non-SIDS could reduce mortality. Therefore, we aimed to develop such a tool utilizing forensic data, but the reduced number of SIDS cases renders this task inherently difficult. To overcome this, we constructed Bayesian network models according to diagnoses performed by expert pathologists and created conditional probability tables in a proof-of-concept study. In the diagnostic support model, the data of 64 sudden unexpected infant death cases was employed as the training dataset, and 16 known-risk factors, including age at death and co-sleeping, were added. In the validation study, which included 8 new cases, the models reproduced experts' diagnoses in 4 or 5 of the 6 SIDS cases. Next, to confirm the effectiveness of this approach for onset prediction, the data from 41 SIDS cases was employed. The model predicted that the risk of SIDS in 0- to 2-month-old infants exposed to passive smoking and co-sleeping is eightfold higher than that in the general infant population, which is comparable with previously published findings. The Bayesian approach could be a promising tool for constructing SIDS prevention models., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Septic patients commonly present with central nervous system (CNS) disorders including impaired consciousness and delirium. Today, the main mechanism regulating sepsis-induced cerebral disorders is believed to be neuroinflammation. However, it is unknown how another component of the CNS, the spinal cord, is influenced during sepsis. In the present study, we intraperitoneally injected mice with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to investigate molecular and immunohistochemical changes in the spinal cord of a sepsis model. After LPS administration in the spinal cord, pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha mRNA were rapidly and drastically induced. Twenty-four-hour after the LPS injection, severe neuronal ischemic damage spread into gray matter, especially around the anterior horns, and the anterior column had global edematous changes. Immunostaining analyses showed that spinal microglia were significantly activated and increased, but astrocytes did not show significant change. The current results indicate that sepsis induces acute neuroinflammation, including microglial activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine upregulation in the spinal cord, causing drastic neuronal ischemia and white matter edema in the spinal cord., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a lead block for alveolar bone protection in image-guided high-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy for tongue cancer., Material and Methods: We treated 6 patients and delivered 5,400 cGy in 9 fractions using a lead block. Effects of lead block (median thickness, 4 mm) on dose attenuation by distance were visually examined using TG-43 formalism-based dose distribution curves to determine whether or not the area with the highest dose is located in the alveolar bone, where there is a high-risk of infection. Dose re-calculations were performed using TG-186 formalism with advanced collapsed cone engine (ACE) for inhomogeneity correction set to cortical bone density for the whole mandible and alveolar bone, water density for clinical target volume (CTV), air density for outside body and lead density, and silastic density for lead block and its' silicon replica, respectively., Results: The highest dose was detected outside the alveolar bone in five of the six cases. For dose-volume histogram analysis, median minimum doses delivered per fraction to the 0.1 cm 3 of alveolar bone (D0.1cm 3 TG-43, ACE-silicon, and ACE-lead ) were 344.3 (range, 262.9-427.4) cGy, 336.6 (253.3-425.0) cGy, and 169.7 (114.9-233.3) cGy, respectively. D0.1cm 3 ACE-lead was significantly lower than other parameters. No significant difference was observed between CTV-related parameters., Conclusions: The results suggested that using a lead block for alveolar bone protection with a thickness of about 4 mm, can shift the highest dose area to non-alveolar regions. In addition, it reduced D0.1cm 3 of alveolar bone to about half, without affecting tumor dose., Competing Interests: Ken Yoshida has received an honorarium from Chiyoda Technol Corporation. The other authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Termedia.)

Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) for the treatment of unresectable, locally advanced, and recurrent carcinoma of the head and neck cancer has been approved by the Japanese government for reimbursement under the national health insurance as of June 2020. A new treatment planning system for clinical BNCT has been developed by Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd. (Sumitomo), NeuCure® Dose Engine . To safely implement this system for clinical use, the simulated neutron flux and gamma ray dose rate inside a water phantom was compared against experimental measurements. Furthermore, to validate and verify the new planning system, the dose distribution inside an anthropomorphic head phantom was compared against a BNCT treatment planning system SERA and an in-house developed Monte Carlo dose calculation program. The simulated results closely matched the experimental results, within 5% for the thermal neutron flux and 10% for the gamma ray dose rate. The dose distribution inside the head phantom closely matched with SERA and the in-house developed dose calculation program, within 3% for the tumour and a difference of 0.3 Gy w for the brain., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background and Aim: Reactive microglia has been associated with neuroinflammation caused by the production of proinflammatory molecules such as cytokines, nitric oxide, and prostaglandins. The overexpression of these molecules may provoke neuronal damage that can cause neurodegenerative diseases. A traditional herbal medicine, Orengedokuto (OGT), has been widely used for treating inflammation-related diseases. However, how it influences neuroinflammation remains poorly understood., Experimental Procedure: This study investigated the effects of OGT on inflammatory molecule induction in BV-2 microglial cells using real-time RT-PCR and ELISA. An in vivo confirmation of these effects was then performed in mice., Results and Conclusion: OGT showed dose-dependent inhibition of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in BV-2 cells stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). To elucidate the mechanism of PGE2 inhibition, we examined cyclooxygenases (COXs) and found that OGT did not suppress COX-1 expression or inhibit LPS-induced COX-2 upregulation at either the transcriptional or translational levels. In addition, OGT did not inhibit COX enzyme activities within the concentration that inhibited PGE2 production, suggesting that the effect of OGT is COX-independent. The inhibitory effects of OGT on PGE2 production in BV-2 cells were experimentally replicated in primary cultured astrocytes and mice brains. OGT can be useful in the treatment of neuroinflammatory diseases by modulating PGE2 expression., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2021 The Author(s).)

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the positional relationship between the crown contour and pulp chamber of protostylids using three-dimensional reconstructed images., Methods: Fourteen molars with protostylids from Japanese subjects were subjected to micro-computed tomography. The external surface configurations of the teeth and pulp chambers were reconstructed. Hard tissue thicknesses in appointed buccal areas were measured on the reconstructed images., Results: Well-developed protostylids exhibited pulp-prominences above or at the cervical line level. Those that were moderately developed exhibited bulges of the pulp chamber subjacent to the protostylids. Ten of the 14 teeth had prominences in the crown pulp above or at the cervical line level. In addition, 13 teeth exhibited pulp chamber bulges surrounding the lower tooth trunk. No significant differences were apparent in the buccal horizontal thickness of the hard tissue between the protostylids with pulp chamber prominences and the protostylids without pulp chamber prominences at the cervical line level., Conclusion: Pulp chamber configurations subjacent to protostylids vary based on the development of the traits of the protostylids. Minimum possible taper should be applied during standard vital tooth preparations, as reduced residual dentin thickness is predicted in well- and moderately developed protostylids.

Conferring drought resistant traits to crops is one of the major aims of current breeding programs in response to global climate changes. We previously showed that exogenous application of acetic acid to roots of various plants could induce increased survivability under subsequent drought stress conditions, but details of the metabolism of exogenously applied acetic acid, and the nature of signals induced by its application, have not been unveiled. In this study, we show that rice rapidly induces jasmonate signaling upon application of acetic acid, resulting in physiological changes similar to those seen under drought. The major metabolite of the exogenously applied acetic acid in xylem sap was determined as glutamine-a common and abundant component of xylem sap-indicating that acetic acid is not the direct agent inducing the observed physiological responses in shoots. Expression of drought-responsive genes in shoot under subsequent drought conditions was attenuated by acetic acid treatment. These data suggest that acetic acid activates root-to-shoot jasmonate signals that partially overlap with those induced by drought, thereby conferring an acclimated state on shoots prior to subsequent drought.

Increase in the nitrogen (N)-use efficiency and optimization of N response in crop species are urgently needed. Although transcription factor-based genetic engineering is a promising approach for achieving these goals, transcription factors that play key roles in the response to N deficiency have not been studied extensively. Here, we performed RNA-seq analysis of root samples of 20 Asian rice (Oryza sativa) accessions with differential nutrient uptake. Data obtained from plants exposed to N-replete and N-deficient conditions were subjected to coexpression analysis and machine learning-based pathway inference to dissect the gene regulatory network required for the response to N deficiency. Four transcription factors, including members of the G2-like and bZIP families, were predicted to function as key regulators of gene transcription within the network in response to N deficiency. Cotransfection assays validated inferred novel regulatory pathways, and further analyses using genome-edited knockout lines suggested that these transcription factors are important for N-deficiency responses in planta. Many of the N deficiency-responsive genes, including those encoding key regulators within the network, were coordinately regulated by transcription factors belonging to different families. Transcription factors identified in this study could be valuable for the modification of N response and metabolism., (© 2020 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2020 New Phytologist Trust.)

Endothelial inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction have been implicated in cardiovascular diseases, yet, a unifying mechanism tying them together remains limited. Mitochondrial dysfunction is frequently associated with mitochondrial fission/fragmentation mediated by the GTPase Drp1 (dynamin-related protein 1). Nuclear factor (NF)-κB, a master regulator of inflammation, is implicated in endothelial dysfunction and resultant complications. Here, we explore a causal relationship between mitochondrial fission and NF-κB activation in endothelial inflammatory responses. In cultured endothelial cells, TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-α) or lipopolysaccharide induces mitochondrial fragmentation. Inhibition of Drp1 activity or expression suppresses mitochondrial fission, NF-κB activation, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 induction, and leukocyte adhesion induced by these proinflammatory factors. Moreover, attenuations of inflammatory leukocyte adhesion were observed in Drp1 heterodeficient mice as well as endothelial Drp1 silenced mice. Intriguingly, inhibition of the canonical NF-κB signaling suppresses endothelial mitochondrial fission. Mechanistically, NF-κB p65/RelA seems to mediate inflammatory mitochondrial fission in endothelial cells. In addition, the classical anti-inflammatory drug, salicylate, seems to maintain mitochondrial fission/fusion balance against TNF-α via inhibition of NF-κB. In conclusion, our results suggest a previously unknown mechanism whereby the canonical NF-κB cascade and a mitochondrial fission pathway interdependently regulate endothelial inflammation.

Angiotensin II (AngII) has a crucial role in cardiovascular pathologies, including endothelial inflammation and premature vascular aging. However, the precise molecular mechanism underlying aging-related endothelial inflammation induced by AngII remains elusive. Here, we have tested a hypothesis in cultured rat aortic endothelial cells (ECs) that the removal of AngII-induced senescent cells, preservation of proteostasis, or inhibition of mitochondrial fission attenuates the pro-inflammatory EC phenotype. AngII stimulation in ECs resulted in cellular senescence assessed by senescence-associated β galactosidase activity. The number of β galactosidase-positive ECs induced by AngII was attenuated by treatment with a senolytic drug ABT737 or the chemical chaperone 4-phenylbutyrate. Monocyte adhesion assay revealed that the pro-inflammatory phenotype in ECs induced by AngII was alleviated by these treatments. AngII stimulation also increased mitochondrial fission in ECs, which was mitigated by mitochondrial division inhibitor-1. Pretreatment with mitochondrial division inhibitor-1 attenuated AngII-induced senescence and monocyte adhesion in ECs. These findings suggest that mitochondrial fission and endoplasmic reticulum stress have causative roles in endothelial senescence-associated inflammatory phenotype induced by AngII exposure, thus providing potential therapeutic targets in age-related cardiovascular diseases., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

BACKGROUND Myocarditis is a rare but potentially fatal complication of mumps virus infection. Left ventricular non-compaction (LVNC) is a rare congenital abnormality that can lead to development of low cardiac output, cardiac dysfunction, arrhythmias, or sudden cardiac death. To the best of our knowledge, no autopsy cases of mumps myocarditis with LVNC have been reported in the literature. Here, we report an autopsy case of a 21-month-old girl who died due to mumps myocarditis associated with an undiagnosed LVNC. CASE REPORT Postmortem computed tomography demonstrated bilaterally enlarged parotid glands. Serum analysis of anti-mumps IgM titer was positive. Macroscopic and histological examinations revealed glandular destruction with massive inflammatory cell infiltration of the enlarged parotid glands and mild inflammatory cell infiltration of the heart, which showed prominent trabeculations and deep intra-trabecular recesses, indicating LVNC. Immunohistochemical analyses showed positive immunostainings for mumps in the cardiac and salivary gland tissues. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that mumps myocarditis associated with LVNC contributed to this patient's death. Myocarditis patients with other comorbidities, including LVNC, may be at higher risk of sudden death. Further reports of mumps myocarditis and LVNC are needed to better understand the mechanisms of sudden unexpected deaths in children.

The preliminary efficacy of interview training using an android robot whose appearance and movements resemble those of an actual human for treating social and communication difficulties in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has been demonstrated. Patient preferences regarding the appearance of robots are crucial for incentivizing them to undergo robot-assisted therapy. However, very little is known about how the realistic nature of an android robot is related to incentivizing individuals with ASD in an interview setting. In this study, individuals with ASD underwent an interview with a human interviewer and an android robot. Twenty-three individuals with ASD (age, 17-25 years) participated in this study. After the interview, the participants were evaluated in terms of their motivation to practice an interview with an android robot and their impression of the nature of the android robot in terms of humanness. As expected, subjects exhibited higher motivation to undergo interview training with an android robot than with a human interviewer. Higher motivation to undergo an interview with the android robot was negatively correlated with the participants' impressions of the extent to which the android robot exhibited humanness. This study brings us one step closer to understanding how such an android robot should be designed and implemented to provide sufficiently realistic interview training that can be of therapeutic value.

Establishing a treatment method for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) not only to increase their frequency or duration of eye contact but also to maintain it after ceasing the intervention, and furthermore generalize it across communication partners, is a formidable challenge. Android robots, which are a type of humanoid robot with appearances quite similar to that of humans, are expected to adapt to the role of training partners of face-to-face communication for individuals with ASD and to create easier experiences transferrable to humans. To evaluate this possibility, four male adolescents with ASD and six without ASD were asked to participate a pilot experiment in which there were consecutive sessions of semistructured conversation where they alternately faced either a human female or a female-type android robot interlocutor five times in total. Although it is limited by the small sample size, the preliminary results of analysis of their fixation pattern during the conversations indicated positive signs; the subjects tended to look more at the face of the android robot than that of the human interlocutor regardless of whether they had ASD. However, the individuals with ASD looked more at the area around the eyes of the android robot than at the human, and also looked less at that of the human than the individuals without ASD did. An increasing tendency of looking at the area around the human eyes, which could be a positive sign of the transferability of the experiences with an android robot to a human interlocutor, was only weakly observed as the sessions progressed.

The preoperative diagnosis of cecal volvulus (CV) is rare and difficult and emergent laparotomy is frequently performed. Here, we report a case of CV that was diagnosed by preoperative computed tomography in a patient with an intellectual disability. In addition, we demonstrate that elective laparoscopic cecopexy can be performed following conservative treatment, such as the use of an ileus tube per anus.