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An experimental method for quantitatively evaluating the elemental processes governing the indoor behaviour of naturally occurring radioactive aerosols was proposed. This method utilises transient response of aerosol concentrations to an artificial change in aerosol removal rate by turning on and off an air purifier. It was shown that the indoor-outdoor exchange rate and the indoor deposition rate could be estimated by a continuous measurement of outdoor and indoor aerosol number concentration measurements and by the method proposed in this study. Although the scatter of the estimated parameters is relatively large, both the methods gave consistent results. It was also found that the size distribution of radioactive aerosol particles and hence activity median aerodynamic diameter remained not largely affected by the operation of the air purifier, implying the predominance of the exchange and deposition processes over other processes causing change in the size distribution such as the size growth by coagulation and the size dependence of deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiments were carried out in a small enclosed booth for the purpose of understanding and modelling 218Po behaviour. The experiment was conducted under two kinds of conditions without and with injection of incense smoke. A working model of 218Po behaviour was applied to analyse the measured data. Under the condition without incense smoke, temporal changes in aerosol-attached and unattached 218Po concentrations were successfully reproduced by the model. The deposition rate of unattached fraction and the rate of attachment were determined by the working model. Under the condition with incense smoke, temporal changes in 218Po concentration were poorly simulated by the model. This can be attributed to the significantly increased aerosol concentration in small size ranges which is not properly considered in the attachment rate calculation in the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method of estimating surface radioactivity concentrations of key anthropogenic radionuclides from NaI(Tl) pulse-height distribution observed at a monitoring station (MS) was discussed. In the estimation, a realistic assumption on geometric distribution of source and obstacles around the detector of the MS including the infiltration of radionuclides into the ground was used and the results were compared with ones with a commonly used assumption of a uniformly distributed plane source. The surface radioactivity concentration was determined by comparing the count rates at the full-energy peak ranges between observation and calculation with an electron-photon transport code EGS5. It was shown that the estimated absolute values of concentration differed by a factor of ∼ 1.5 depending on the assumption of infiltration depth. The estimated surface concentrations of 131I, 134Cs and 137Cs were in good agreement with ones determined by the in situ measurements with an HPGe detector and the cumulative values of daily surface depositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emissions of CO, CH4 and CO2 in East Asia were estimated using the atmospheric concentration of 222Rn measured at Minamitorishima (MNM) and Yonagunijima (YON) with a high-precision 222Rn measuring system. The 222Rn measurements showed a distinct seasonal variation, as well as enhanced 222Rn (ERN) events associated with high-frequency synoptic variations. The enhancements of CO, CH4 and CO2 coincided with the ERN events at MNM and YON. The enhancement ratios ΔCH4/ΔRn, ΔCO2/ΔRn and ΔCO/ΔRn calculated for the ERN events and corrected for the radioactive decay of 222Rn during the transport were used to estimate the emissions of CO, CH4 and CO2 by multiplying a constant 222Rn exhalation rate of 1.0 atom cm-2 s-1 and the associated catchment area estimated by a 3D transport model. By modifying the categorisation of the sources, the 222Rn-derived emissions of CO2 and CH4 were found to be in agreement with the published emission databases. As for the CO emission, results of our study were consistent with the REAS CO emission database but showed that the EDGAR database underestimates the CO emission over East Asia by about 44%. It is demonstrated that the 222Rn tracer method used in this study could provide a useful and independent tool to verify the trace gas emissions in East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the radionuclide migration from the atmosphere to the ground surface, atmospheric deposition samples were collected from 1993 to 2001 with a basin set up at Tokai-mura, Japan. Monthly samples were evaporated to dryness to obtain residual samples and measured with a Ge detector for 7Be, 40K, 137Cs and 210Pb. According to the analysis, clear seasonal variations with spring peaks of deposition weight and deposition amounts of all the radionuclides were found. The analysis also showed that these radinuclides can be divided into two groups, each having different carrier particle sizes and, hence, different deposition processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The 222Rn concentration profiles in soil have been measured at an anomaly spot in Tateishi, Japan. In winter, the concentrations were low and showed a negative gradient with depth, but in other seasons, the concentration had both positive and negative gradients with depth, and dramatically changed by time. On the assumption that there was ventilation in deep layers and with driving forces of wind and temperatures, these phenomena were successfully explained. This finding would contribute to a numerical model for 222Rn transport in soil. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study analyzed the transport and deposition of 210 Pb across Asia, particularly focused on Japan, from 2012 to 2015, used an atmospheric transport model that combines WRF and HIRAT. Results indicated that modeled deposition fluxes aligned well with observation data. The average deposition flux in Asia is 17.2 Bq m⁻ 2 month⁻ 1 , showed significant seasonal variation. Along the Sea of Japan, the four-year average was 27.0 Bq m⁻ 2 month⁻ 1 , with winter peaks in Hokkaido and Tohoku-Hokuriku and summer peaks in Kyushu. The calculation results showed distinct seasonal transport routes. During summer in Kyushu, southerly and westerly winds from southern China (e.g., Guangdong and Fujian) transported 210 Pb-enriched air masses. Stationary fronts carried these air masses from the southwestern Chinese basin, leading to intensified deposition. In winter, along the northern Japan Sea coast, high 210 Pb deposition events were closely associated with the East Asian winter monsoon, characterized by East Asian troughs and Siberian highs. Strong northwesterly winds from Siberia transported 210 Pb-enriched air masses to the Hokkaido and Tohoku-Hokuriku coastal regions, resulting in significant deposition. Approximately 47% of the high winter 210 Pb deposition events originated from the Kazakhstan-Xinjiang border, while the remaining 53% came from eastern Siberia., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing Interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests:Yu Cai reports financial support was provided by ERAN-Y-24-08. If there are other authors, they 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 © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Members of the T-cell immunoglobulin and mucin (TIM) family, which is crucial for T-cell function, are implicated in autoimmunity. TIM-1 and -3 play distinct roles in autoimmunity, with TIM-1 acting as a costimulatory molecule and TIM-3 regulating Th1 responses. We investigated the therapeutic potential of anti-TIM-1 (RMT1-10) and anti-TIM-3 (RMT3-23) antibodies in an autoimmune arthritis model. Zymosan A was used to induce arthritis in female SKG mice. The arthritis scores, histology, mRNA expression, cytokine levels, micro-computed tomography, and flow cytometry results were obtained. The application of RMT1-10 reduced the arthritis scores, histological damage, and CD4+ T-cell infiltrations, and it suppressed interleukin (IL)-6 and -17A and reduced TIM-3 mRNA expressions. RMT3-23 also lowered arthritis severity, improved histology, and reduced serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-17A. RMT3-23 inhibited intracellular TNF-α and IL-6 and early apoptosis. An amelioration of autoimmune arthritis was achieved by blocking the TIM-1 and -3 signaling pathways via RMT1-10 and RMT3-23 administration, leading to a widespread decrease in inflammatory cytokines. Both antibodies exhibited therapeutic effects, suggesting TIM-1 and -3 as potential targets for rheumatoid arthritis., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Immunology. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Asymptomatic premature ventricular complex (PVC) in childhood often disappears over time. However, predictive factors for persistent PVC are unknown. We examined predictive factors for persistent PVCs on initial Holter electrocardiogram (ECG) in pediatric patients with asymptomatic PVC.Methods and Results: The initial Holter ECG findings of untreated PVC patients (n=216) between 2010 and 2021 were examined. Multivariable analysis was performed to clarify predictive factors for subsequent persistent PVC burden for each index (age, sex, PVC burden, PVC origin, minimum and maximum mean RR intervals [RRmin and RRmax, respectively]) of the 3 heartbeats of baseline sinus rhythm immediately before the PVC. The median age at initial Holter ECG was 11.6 years (range 5.8-18.8 years), the PVC burden was 5.22% (range 0.01-44.21%), RRmin was 660 ms, RRmax was 936 ms, RRrange (=RRmax-RRmin) was 273 ms, and 15 (7%) PVC runs were identified. The median follow-up period was 5.1 years (range 0.8-9.4 years), and the final Holter PVC burden was 3.99% (range 0-36.38%). In multivariate analysis, RRrange was the only independent risk factor for predicting a final Holter PVC burden >10%, with an area under the curve of 0.920 using an RRrange of 600 ms as the cut-off value., Conclusions: A wide RRrange at the initial Holter ECG may be a predictive indicator for persistent PVC in childhood.

This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) outcomes in Japan, aiming to address a critical research gap. Analyzing data from the All-Japan Utstein registry covering pediatric OHCA cases from 2018 to 2021, the study observed no significant changes in one-month survival, neurological outcomes, or overall performance when comparing the pre-pandemic (2018-2019) and pandemic (2020-2021) periods among 6765 cases. However, a notable reduction in pre-hospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) during the pandemic (15.1-13.1%, p = .020) was identified. Bystander-initiated chest compressions and rescue breaths declined (71.1-65.8%, 22.3-13.0%, respectively; both p < .001), while bystander-initiated automated external defibrillator (AED) use increased (3.7-4.9%, p = .029). Multivariate logistic regression analyses identified factors associated with reduced pre-hospital ROSC during the pandemic. Post-pandemic, there was no noticeable change in the one-month survival rate. The lack of significant change in survival may be attributed to the negative effects of reduced chest compressions and ventilation being offset by the positive impact of widespread AED availability in Japan. These findings underscore the importance of innovative tools and systems for safe bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation during a pandemic, providing insights to optimize pediatric OHCA care., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Peripheral pulmonary stenosis (PPS) is a condition characterized by the narrowing of the pulmonary arteries, which impairs blood flow to the lung. The mechanisms underlying PPS pathogenesis remain unclear. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the genetic background of patients with severe PPS to elucidate the pathogenesis of this condition., Methods and Results: We performed genetic testing and functional analyses on a pediatric patient with PPS and Williams syndrome (WS), followed by genetic testing on 12 patients with WS and mild-to-severe PPS, 50 patients with WS but not PPS, and 21 patients with severe PPS but not WS. Whole-exome sequencing identified a rare PTGIS nonsense variant (p.E314X) in a patient with WS and severe PPS. Prostaglandin I 2 synthase (PTGIS) expression was significantly downregulated and cell proliferation and migration rates were significantly increased in cells transfected with the PTGIS p.E314X variant-encoding construct when compared with that in cells transfected with the wild-type PTGIS -encoding construct. p.E314X reduced the tube formation ability in human pulmonary artery endothelial cells and caspase 3/7 activity in both human pulmonary artery endothelial cells and human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. Compared with healthy controls, patients with PPS exhibited downregulated pulmonary artery endothelial prostaglandin I 2 synthase levels and urinary prostaglandin I metabolite levels. We identified another PTGIS rare splice-site variant (c.1358+2T>C) in another pediatric patient with WS and severe PPS., Conclusions: In total, 2 rare nonsense/splice-site PTGIS variants were identified in 2 pediatric patients with WS and severe PPS. PTGIS variants may be involved in PPS pathogenesis, and PTGIS represents an effective therapeutic target.

Psoriasis is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease of the skin, which is characterized by epidermal hyperkeratosis and neutrophil infiltration. The interleukin (IL)-17/IL-23 pathway and associated cytokines play major roles in the pathogenesis and exacerbation of psoriasis. The IL-18/IL-18 receptor (R) α signaling pathway is important for Th1 cytokine production and differentiation of Th1 cells; however, its role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis remains unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of the IL-18Rα-mediated signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of psoriasis in Il18ra- deficient mice ( Il18ra - / - ) and wild-type imiquimod (IMQ)-induced psoriatic dermatitis model mice. Blocking this pathway exacerbated IMQ-induced psoriatic skin inflammation. Il18ra deficiency led to significant increases in the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-17A, IL-23, and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2 in skin lesions. Gr1-positive cells highly infiltrated psoriatic skin lesions in Il18ra - / - mice compared to those in wild-type mice. Citrullinated histone H3-positive area was relatively broad in Il18ra - / - mice. These results suggest that IL-18Rα-mediated signaling pathways may inhibit psoriatic skin inflammation by regulating infiltration and activation of neutrophil and other innate immune cells., 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 © 2023 Akazawa, Nozaki, Yamazawa, Ishimura, Ashida, Okada, Kinoshita and Matsumura.)

Barth syndrome (BTHS) is an X-linked disorder characterized by cardiomyopathy, skeletal myopathy, and 3-methylglutaconic aciduria. The causative pathogenic variants for BTHS are in TAZ, which encodes a putative acyltransferase named tafazzin and is involved in the remodeling of cardiolipin in the inner mitochondrial membranes. Pathogenic variants in TAZ result in mitochondrial structural and functional abnormalities. We report a case of infantile BTHS with severe heart failure, left ventricular noncompaction, and lactic acidosis, having a missense c.640C>T (p.His214Tyr) variant in TAZ, which is considered a pathogenic variant based on the previously reported amino acid substitution at the same site (c.641A>G, p.His214Arg). However, in this previously reported case, heart function was compensated and not entirely similar to the present case. Silico prediction analysis suggested that c.640C>T could alter the TAZ messenger RNA (mRNA) splicing process. TAZ mRNAs in isolated peripheral mononuclear cells from the patient and in vitro splicing analysis using minigenes of TAZ found an 8 bp deletion at the 3' end of exon 8, which resulted in the formation of a termination codon in the coding region of exon 9 (H214Nfs*3). These findings suggest that splicing abnormalities should always be considered in BTHS., (© 2023 The Authors. Molecular Genetics & Genomic Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)