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This paper reviews PoLyInfo, which is a polymer database of National Institute for Materials Science of Japan, containing more than half a million data points, from the perspective of a data editor. In particular, we describe how human-readable information provided by a graphical user interface (GUI) is curated, compiled, and displayed on the GUI, and how it can be used for data retrieval. We also describe the data curation policy of PoLyInfo, which can be observed through search functions and data tables, and show the unique taxonomy of various polymers. The status of polymers and their potential and limitations, as seen through a large dataset, are discussed. With this information, we introduce the capabilities of PoLyInfo and provide guidelines for its use as a general database for polymer chemistry, as well as notes on newer data applications such as machine learning.

ABSTRACTRotavirus (RV) vaccines were first introduced in 2011 and adopted for universal vaccination in 2020 in Japan. However, the effectiveness of RV vaccines after being adopted for universal vaccination in 2020 has not been reported. Because of the easy accessibility of clinics in Japan, many children are not usually hospitalized for RV gastroenteritis (RVGE). Therefore, in order to evaluate the impact of the RV vaccine since 2008, we investigated the incidence of hospitalization for RVGE as well as the frequency of children aged

Morphology and function of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and corresponding working memory performance, are affected early in the aging process, but nearly half of aged individuals are spared of working memory deficits. Translationally relevant model systems are critical for determining the neurobiological drivers of this variability. The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is advantageous as a model for these investigations because, as a non-human primate, marmosets have a clearly defined dlPFC that enables measurement of prefrontal-dependent cognitive functions, and their short (∼10 year) lifespan facilitates longitudinal studies of aging. Previously, we characterized working memory capacity in a cohort of marmosets that collectively covered the lifespan, and found age-related working memory impairment. We also found a remarkable degree of heterogeneity in performance, similar to that found in humans. Here, we tested the hypothesis that changes to synaptic ultrastructure that affect synaptic efficacy stratify marmosets that age with cognitive impairment from those that age without cognitive impairment. We utilized electron microscopy to visualize synapses in the marmoset dlPFC and measured the sizes of boutons, presynaptic mitochondria, and synapses. We found that coordinated scaling of the sizes of synapses and mitochondria with their associated boutons is essential for intact working memory performance in aged marmosets. Further, lack of synaptic scaling, due to a remarkable failure of synaptic mitochondria to scale with presynaptic boutons, selectively underlies age-related working memory impairment. We posit that this decoupling results in mismatched energy supply and demand, leading to impaired synaptic transmission. We also found that aged marmosets have fewer synapses in dlPFC than young, though the severity of synapse loss did not predict whether aging occurred with or without cognitive impairment. This work identifies a novel mechanism of synapse dysfunction that stratifies marmosets that age with cognitive impairment from those that age without cognitive impairment. The process by which synaptic scaling is regulated is yet unknown and warrants future investigation.

Summary: Atoh7 is transiently expressed in retinal progenitor cells (RPCs) and is required for retinal ganglion cell (RGC) differentiation. In humans, a deletion in a distal non-coding regulatory region upstream of ATOH7 is associated with optic nerve atrophy and blindness. Here, we functionally interrogate the significance of the Atoh7 regulatory landscape to retinogenesis in mice. Deletion of the Atoh7 enhancer structure leads to RGC deficiency, optic nerve hypoplasia, and retinal blood vascular abnormalities, phenocopying inactivation of Atoh7. Further, loss of the Atoh7 remote enhancer impacts ipsilaterally projecting RGCs and disrupts proper axonal projections to the visual thalamus. Deletion of the Atoh7 remote enhancer is also associated with the dysregulation of axonogenesis genes, including the derepression of the axon repulsive cue Robo3. Our data provide insights into how Atoh7 enhancer elements function to promote RGC development and optic nerve formation and highlight a key role of Atoh7 in the transcriptional control of axon guidance molecules.

Background The interaction between right ventricular (RV) function and pulmonary hypertension is crucial for prognosis of patients with severe functional tricuspid regurgitation. RV free wall longitudinal strain (RVFWLS) has been reported to detect RV systolic dysfunction earlier than other conventional parameters. Although pulmonary artery systolic pressure measured by Doppler echocardiography is often underestimated in severe functional tricuspid regurgitation, right atrial pressure (RAP) estimated by echocardiography may be viewed as a prognostic factor. Impact of RAP and RVFWLS on outcome in patients with severe functional tricuspid regurgitation remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate prognostic implication of RAP, RVFWLS, and their combination in this population. Methods and Results We retrospectively examined 377 patients with severe functional tricuspid regurgitation. RAP, pulmonary artery systolic pressure, RV fractional area change, and RVFWLS were analyzed. RAP of 15 mm Hg was classified as elevated RAP. All‐cause death at 2‐year follow‐up was defined as the primary end point. RVFWLS provided better prognostic information than RV fractional area change by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. In the multivariable Cox regression analysis, elevated RAP and RVFWLS of ≤18% were independent predictors of clinical outcome. Patients with RVFWLS of ≤18% had higher risk of all‐cause death than those without by Kaplan–Meier curve analysis. Furthermore, when patients were stratified into 4 groups by RAP and RVFWLS, the group with elevated RAP and RVFWLS of ≤18% had the worst outcome. Conclusions Elevated RAP and RVFWLS of ≤18% were independent predictors of all‐cause death. The combination of elevated RAP and RVFWLS effectively stratified the all‐cause death.

Soft robotics is a breakthrough technology to support human–robot interactions. The soft structure of a soft robot can increase safety during human and robot interactions. One of the promising soft actuators for soft robotics is dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs). DEAs can operate silently and have an excellent energy density. The simple structure of DEAs leads to the easy fabrication of soft actuators. The simplicity combined with silent operation and high energy density make DEAs interesting for soft robotics researchers. DEAs actuation follows the Maxwell-pressure principle. The pressure produced in the DEAs actuation depends much on the voltage applied. Common DEAs requires high voltage to gain an actuation. Since the power consumption of DEAs is in the milli-Watt range, the current needed to operate the DEAs can be neglected. Several commercially available DC-DC converters can convert the volt range to the kV range. In order to get a voltage in the 2–3 kV range, the reliable DC-DC converter can be pricy for each device. This problem hinders the education of soft actuators, especially for a newcomer laboratory that works in soft electric actuators. This paper introduces an entirely do-it-yourself (DIY) Ultrahigh voltage amplifier (UHV-Amp) for education in soft robotics. UHV-Amp can amplify 12 V to at a maximum of 4 kV DC. As a demonstration, we used this UHV-Amp to test a single layer of powdered-based DEAs. The strategy to build this educational type UHV-Amp was utilizing a Cockcroft-Walton circuit structure to amplify the voltage range to the kV range. In its current state, the UHV-Amp has the potential to achieve approximately 4 kV. We created a simple platform to control the UHV-Amp from a personal computer. In near future, we expect this easy control of the UHV-Amp can contribute to the education of soft electric actuators.

O artigo aborda a metodologia para cálculo dos indicadores adotada pela Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU) para o sexto Objetivo de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS 6: Água potável e saneamento) e resultados para o Brasil. O foco é a meta 6.1 e o indicador 6.1.1, que tratam do abastecimento de água segura para todos. São utilizadas as principais bases de dados disponíveis no Brasil e uma abordagem descritiva e interdisciplinar do tema. Ao apresentar fragilidades nos parâmetros de cálculo e nos dados disponíveis, o texto ressalta a importância de que eles traduzam realidades locais e regionais em sintonia com as leis e os atos regulatórios nacionais. Foram observadas divergências entre os resultados apresentados por entidades responsáveis distintas para o indicador 6.1.1, restando dúvidas sobre sua contribuição para orientar políticas tendo em vista a universalização dos serviços. Sobre outros indicadores, como os de governança participativa e gestão integrada, são baseados fortemente em processos e não em resultados práticos, sendo insuficientes no caso de países em desenvolvimento como o Brasil. São sugeridos novos indicadores para o ODS 6, além dos 11 atualmente medidos, de modo a cobrir todas as diretivas presentes nas suas oito metas.

Acordos das Nações Unidas, incluídos os Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável (ODS), pressupõem decisões políticas, legislação convergente, instituições fortes, espaços participativos e ações objetivas. Pela abrangência e caráter geral de suas diretrizes, a Agenda ONU 2030 se caracteriza como utópica, por um lado, e um discurso ousado, por outro, pois expõe injustiças e desigualdades a serem enfrentadas. A partir desta compreensão, este ensaio propõe uma reflexão sobre como os ODS se aproximam, ao mesmo tempo, de concepções utópicas, no sentido de distância de realidades objetivas, ou de perspectivas, no sentido de abrir diálogos e posicionamentos proativos. Adota-se o ODS 6 – tema central gestão da água e saneamento – e recorte no contexto Brasil. Dada a importância de protagonismos de atores sociais e instituições para este tema, o texto destaca possibilidades de atuação de algumas instituições-chave em favor do alinhamento entre agendas de sustentabilidade com políticas e leis nacionais. Destaca-se a possibilidade da soma de esforços de instituições-chave do Estado em apoio aos atores sociais e à participação coletiva para que as agendas de sustentabilidade transitem entre utopias e perspectivas, para além do voluntarismo ativista e da dependência de grupos de poder privados e de governos.

Abstract As part of the central nervous system (CNS), retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and their axons are the only neurons in the retina that transmit visual signals from the eye to the brain via the optic nerve (ON). Unfortunately, they do not regenerate upon injury in mammals. In ON trauma, retinal microglia (RMG) become activated, inducing inflammatory responses and resulting in axon degeneration and RGC loss. Since aldose reductase (AR) is an inflammatory response mediator highly expressed in RMG, we investigated if pharmacological inhibition of AR can attenuate ocular inflammation and thereby promote RGC survival and axon regeneration after ON crush (ONC). In vitro, we discovered that Sorbinil, an AR inhibitor, attenuates BV2 microglia activation and migration in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) treatments. In vivo, Sorbinil suppressed ONC-induced Iba1 + microglia/macrophage infiltration in the retina and ON and promoted RGC survival. Moreover, Sorbinil restored RGC function and delayed axon degeneration one week after ONC. RNA sequencing data revealed that Sorbinil protects the retina from ONC-induced degeneration by suppressing inflammatory signaling. In summary, we report the first study demonstrating that AR inhibition transiently protects RGC and axon from degeneration, providing a potential therapeutic strategy for optic neuropathies.

BackgroundWith the aging population and advanced catheter-based therapy, isolated tricuspid regurgitation (TR) with atrial fibrillation (AF) has gained increased attention; however, data on the prognostic effect of isolated TR with AF are limited because of the small number of patients among those with severe TR. Recently, right ventricular (RV) longitudinal strain by two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography has been reported as an excellent indicator of RV dysfunction in severe TR. However, the prognostic implications of RV longitudinal strain in isolated severe TR associated with AF remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to reveal the prognostic value of this index in this population.MethodsWe retrospectively studied patients with severe isolated TR associated with AF in the absence of other etiologies in the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center between April 2015 and March 2018. Baseline clinical and echocardiographic data were studied including RV systolic function evaluated by RV free wall longitudinal strain (FWLS) and conventional parameters. All-cause death was defined as the primary endpoint.ResultsIn total, 53 patients (median age, 85 years; female, 60%) with a median follow-up of 433 (60–1567) days were included. Fourteen patients (26%) died, and 66% had right heart failure (RHF) symptoms. By multivariable analysis, reduced RVFWLS was independently associated with all-cause death. Patients with RVFWLS of ≤18% had higher risk of all-cause death adjusted for age (log-rank P = 0.030, adjusted hazard ratio 4.00, 95% confidence interval, 1.11–14.4; P = 0.034). When patients were stratified into four groups by RHF symptoms and RVFWLS, the group with symptomatic and reduced RVFWLS had the worst outcome.ConclusionReduced RVFWLS was independently associated with all-cause death in patients with isolated severe TR and AF. Our subset classification showed the worst outcome from the combination of RHF symptoms and reduced RVFWLS.

Morphology and function of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and corresponding working memory performance, are affected early in the aging process, but nearly half of aged individuals are spared of working memory deficits. Translationally relevant model systems are critical for determining the neurobiological drivers of this variability. The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) is advantageous as a model for these investigations because, as a non-human primate, marmosets have a clearly defined dlPFC that enables measurement of prefrontal-dependent cognitive functions, and their short (∼10 year) lifespan facilitates longitudinal studies of aging. Previously, we characterized working memory capacity in a cohort of marmosets that collectively covered the lifespan, and found age-related working memory impairment. We also found a remarkable degree of heterogeneity in performance, similar to that found in humans. Here, we tested the hypothesis that changes to synaptic ultrastructure that affect synaptic efficacy stratify marmosets that age with cognitive impairment from those that age without cognitive impairment. We utilized electron microscopy to visualize synapses in the marmoset dlPFC and measured the sizes of boutons, presynaptic mitochondria, and synapses. We found that coordinated scaling of the sizes of synapses and mitochondria with their associated boutons is essential for intact working memory performance in aged marmosets. Further, lack of synaptic scaling, due to a remarkable failure of synaptic mitochondria to scale with presynaptic boutons, selectively underlies age-related working memory impairment. We posit that this decoupling results in mismatched energy supply and demand, leading to impaired synaptic transmission. We also found that aged marmosets have fewer synapses in dlPFC than young, though the severity of synapse loss did not predict whether aging occurred with or without cognitive impairment. This work identifies a novel mechanism of synapse dysfunction that stratifies marmosets that age with cognitive impairment from those that age without cognitive impairment. The process by which synaptic scaling is regulated is yet unknown and warrants future investigation.