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Abstract Although novel techniques for avoiding incontinence during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy have been developed, long-term oncological outcomes are unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the long-term oncological outcomes and functional outcomes of novel nerve-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with endopelvic fascia preservation for a single surgeon. Data from 100 patients who underwent structure-preserving prostatectomies performed by a single surgeon were retrospectively analyzed. The median console time was 123 min. Bilateral nerve-sparing was performed in 43% of patients underwent, and 57% underwent unilateral nerve-sparing surgery. Most patients (96%) reached complete pad-zero urinary continence by one year after surgery. Satisfactory erectile function was achieved in 97% of patients who underwent bilateral nerve-sparing surgery, and 80% of patients who underwent unilateral nerve-sparing surgery. The surgical margin was positive for 25% of patients, and the biochemical recurrence-free rate at 5 years was 77%. The cancer-specific survival rate was 100% during the median follow-up period of 4.5 years. Clavien-Dindo grade III complications occurred in 1% of cases. The outcomes for novel nerve-sparing robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with endopelvic fascia preservation were similar to previously reported oncological outcomes, with satisfactory functional outcomes. This operative method may be useful for patients who are eligible for nerve-sparing surgery.

Introduction Few reports have presented sporadic multifocal renal cell carcinomas of different histologic types occurring simultaneously in a single kidney. Here, we present a case of three ipsilateral renal cell carcinomas with three histologic types. Case presentation A 44‐year‐old man with end‐stage renal disease due to nephrosclerosis was referred to our hospital for an incidental renal tumor. Following the introduction of hemodialysis, enhanced computed tomography revealed a renal tumor suggestive of clear‐cell renal cell carcinoma with a cystic component. With a preoperative diagnosis of one renal tumor, he underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy. However, pathological examination revealed three renal cell carcinomas with three histological diagnoses: clear‐cell, papillary, and clear‐cell papillary renal cell carcinomas. Conclusion Preoperative imaging may not detect all synchronous ipsilateral multifocal renal cell carcinomas. Patients with severe renal function impairment may have synchronous multifocal renal cell carcinomas.

Introduction Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is the standard treatment for adrenal tumors caused by Cushing's syndrome. However, few pregnant women have undergone adrenalectomy because of the risk of general anesthesia and surgery. Case presentation A 28‐year‐old woman presented with gradually worsening Cushing's signs at around 12 weeks of pregnancy. Magnetic resonance imaging displayed a 38‐mm left adrenal tumor, which was the cause of the adrenal Cushing's syndrome. Metyrapone was started, which increased androgen levels. Since the management of Cushing's syndrome by medication alone is challenging, unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy by a retroperitoneal approach was performed at 23 weeks of the pregnancy. No perioperative complications were noted. Conclusion Adrenalectomy is considered safe in pregnant women with Cushing's syndrome. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy by retroperitoneal approach should be chosen and performed between 14 and 30 weeks of pregnancy to prevent mother and fetal complications.

Introduction The incidence of bladder cancer following transplantation is high; however, no previous studies have reported the development of bladder cancer following bone marrow and bilateral lung transplantations. Case presentation A 42‐year‐old man who was followed for bilateral lung transplantation due to chronic graft‐versus‐host disease following bone marrow transplantation complained of gross hematuria. Transurethral resection of the bladder tumor was performed for cT1N0M0 bladder cancer. On the following night, he experienced severe respiratory failure and was intubated. He was discharged on postoperative day 32 with the introduction of home oxygen therapy. The pathological diagnosis was invasive urothelial carcinoma, high‐grade, pT1, with urothelial carcinoma in situ. Further treatment could not be performed because of his poor performance status and immunosuppressive state. Conclusion Vigorous screening for bladder cancer coexisting with other malignancies should be performed for transplant recipients for the early diagnosis and prompt treatment of a relatively aggressive bladder cancer.

Introduction Combination therapy using immuno‐oncology drugs with tyrosine kinase inhibitors is increasingly important in the therapeutic strategy for metastatic renal cell carcinomas. Here, we report a case of metastatic renal cell carcinoma that was successfully treated with deferred cytoreductive nephrectomy following lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab combination therapy. Case presentation A 49‐year‐old man was referred to our hospital with a diagnosis of advanced right kidney cancer with multiple lung metastases (cT3aN0M1). The size of the primary tumor was so huge that it exceeded 20 cm in diameter, pushing the liver and intestines to the left. After administration of lenvatinib and pembrolizumab combination as first‐line treatment, all the metastatic lung lesions disappeared, and the primary lesion shrank significantly. Robot‐assisted radical nephrectomy was successfully performed, resulting in complete surgical remission. Conclusion Deferred cytoreductive nephrectomy following a lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab combination is a useful therapeutic strategy for achieving complete remission of metastatic renal cell carcinomas.

The relationship between the environment and marine animal small-scale behavior is not fully understood. This is largely due to the difficulty in obtaining environmental datasets with a high spatiotemporal precision. The problem is particularly pertinent in assessing the influence of environmental factors in rapid, high energy-consuming behavior such as seabird take-off. To fill the gaps in the existing environmental datasets, we employed novel techniques using animal-borne sensors with motion records to estimate wind and ocean wave parameters and evaluated their influence on wandering albatross take-off patterns. Measurements revealed that wind speed and wave heights experienced by wandering albatrosses during take-off ranged from 0.7 to 15.4 m/s and 1.6 to 6.4 m, respectively. The four indices measured (flapping number, frequency, sea surface running speed, and duration) also varied with the environmental conditions (e.g., flapping number varied from 0 to over 20). Importantly, take-off was easier under higher wave conditions than under lower wave conditions at a constant wind speed, and take-off effort increased only when both wind and waves were gentle. Our data suggest that both ocean waves and winds play important roles for albatross take-off and advances our current understanding of albatross flight mechanisms.

Objectives: There are few reports about patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in Japan. We investigated 200 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 over a 6-month period with the aim of elucidating their clinical characteristics and clinical courses. Methods: The study cohort comprised 200 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 during a 6-month period. We examined baseline characteristics, source of transmission, preadmission course, initial symptoms, concomitant symptoms, comorbidities, treatments, and prognosis. Results: The number of inpatients from outside our region increased from 9 in the second wave to 53 in the third wave. The initial manifestations were cold-like and gastroenteritis-like symptoms, gustatory and olfactory dysfunction being frequently occurring concomitant symptoms. On admission 32 patients had mild disease, 108 moderate I, 54 moderate II, and 6 severe. We divided the 200 patients into second and third wave groups and compared their baseline characteristics. The third wave group was older and had more severe disease. The main treatments implemented were dexamethasone and remdesivir. Three patients (1.5%) required ventilation and 12 (6.0%) died in hospital. Conclusions: We investigated 200 patients hospitalized for COVID-19 over a period of 6 months. The patients in the second wave were relatively young and most had mild disease. In contrast, the patients in the third wave were older and had more severe disease and higher in-hospital mortality.

Objectives: Various measures have been taken to curb the COVID-19 epidemic, but their effect has been limited. Vaccines are expected to make a definite improvement. In Japan, vaccination began in February 2021. However, there are very few reports of adverse reactions to mRNA vaccines for the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) in Japanese people. Therefore, adverse reactions in 576 vaccinated medical staff at the author’s hospital were investigated. Methods: The subjects were 576 medical staff who wished to receive the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) vaccine. The first vaccination was performed with Pfizer’s new coronavirus mRNA vaccine (commercial name: Comirnaty intramuscular injection) from March 8 to March 15, 2021. The second vaccination was performed from March 29 to April 5, 2021, at an interval of more than 21 days from the first vaccination. Results: Adverse reactions were seen in six subjects in the first vaccination. There was dyspnea in one subject, arthralgia in one subject, fever/malaise in three subjects, and left axillary pain and lymphadenopathy in one subject. One subject had a reaction at the vaccination site that needed to be addressed. At the second vaccination, adverse reactions were observed in 64 subjects. There was fever in 58 subjects, malaise in 21 subjects, arthralgia in 12 subjects, aching pain in 11 subjects, headache in six subjects, chills in six subjects, nausea in three subjects, redness in two subjects, dizziness in two subjects, hives in two subjects, swelling in two subjects, cough in one subject, and itching in one subject (some had multiple adverse reactions). Fever was observed in the range of body temperature from 37.4 to 38.9 degrees. Conclusions: Most of the adverse reactions to the COVID-19 vaccine were mild, and no serious anaphylaxis was observed. Vaccination was considered perfectly feasible if attention is paid to adverse reactions.

Introduction Plasmacytoid variant bladder cancer is a rare variant of urothelial carcinoma that accounts for 1% of bladder cancers. Plasmacytoid variant urothelial carcinoma is characterized by an aggressive phenotype and poor clinical outcomes. Case presentation A 61‐year‐old woman presented with gross hematuria. Cystoscopy showed a 16‐mm solid tumor. Transurethral resection of the bladder tumor was performed, and the pathological diagnosis was invasive plasmacytoid variant urothelial carcinoma. Although the pathological T stage was pT1, computed tomography showed right obturator lymph node swelling. Since previous reports indicate poor response to chemotherapy for this disease, clinical sequencing was performed. Based on the high tumor mutation burden revealed, pembrolizumab was administered for 4 cycles, and computed tomography showed a partial response. Robot‐assisted radical cystectomy was performed, and a pathological complete response including the pelvic lymph node was observed. Conclusion Pembrolizumab may be a treatment option for plasmacytoid variant urothelial carcinoma following genomic analysis.

Analyses of our microRNA (miRNA) expression signature combined with The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data revealed that both strands of pre-miR-139 (miR-139-5p, the guide strand, and miR-139-3p, the passenger strand) are significantly downregulated in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) clinical specimens. Functional analyses of LUAD cells ectopically expressing miR-139-3p showed significant suppression of their aggressiveness (e.g., cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion). The involvement of the passenger strand, miR-139-3p, in LUAD pathogenesis, is an interesting finding contributing to the elucidation of unknown molecular networks in LUAD. Of 1108 genes identified as miR-139-3p targets in LUAD cells, 21 were significantly upregulated in LUAD tissues according to TCGA analysis, and their high expression negatively affected the prognosis of LUAD patients. We focused on thyroid hormone receptor interactor 13 (TRIP13) and investigated its cancer-promoting functions in LUAD cells. Luciferase assays showed that miR-139-3p directly regulated TRIP13. siRNA-mediated TRIP13 knockdown and TRIP13 inhibition by a specific inhibitor (DCZ0415) attenuated the malignant transformation of LUAD cells. Interestingly, when used in combination with anticancer drugs (cisplatin and carboplatin), DCZ0415 exerted synergistic effects on cell proliferation suppression. Identifying the molecular pathways regulated by tumor-suppressive miRNAs (including passenger strands) may aid in the discovery of diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for LUAD.

Ando et al show in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells that EGFR activation leads to the phosphorylation of the Hippo pathway component, MOB1 to inhibit LATS1/2 function resulting in YAP/TAZ activation. Further, EGFR-targeting therapies suppress YAP/TAZ, and loss of LATS1/2-mediated YAP/TAZ activation confers therapy resistance, thus offering insights into potential drug resistance mechanisms in cancers with activated EGFR.

There is an unmet need to improve the response to immune checkpoint blockade in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Here the authors show that aberrant HER3 activation sustains the proliferation of PIK3CA wild type HNSCC cells and that HER3 inhibition increases response to PD-1 blockade in HNSCC preclinical models.

Bovine respiratory diseases (BRD) are associated with various predisposing factors, such as physical and physiological stress factors, and bacterial and viral pathogens. These stressors and viruses suppress immune defenses, leading to bacterial growth in the upper respiratory tract and invasion of pathogens into the lower respiratory tract. Therefore, continuous monitoring of the causative pathogens would contribute to the early detection of BRD. Nasal swabs and sera from 63 clinically healthy calves were continuously collected from seven farms in Iwate prefecture from 2019 to 2021. We attempted to monitor dynamics of BRD-associated pathogens by multiplex real-time RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) using their nasal swab samples. In addition, we attempted to monitor fluctuation of antibody titers against each BRD-associated pathogen by virus neutralization test (VNT) using their sera. In contrast, nasal swabs from 89 calves infected with BRD were collected from 28 farms in Iwate prefecture from 2019 to 2021. We attempted to analyze their nasal swab samples by multiplex RT-qPCR aim to detect BRD-associated pathogens that are dominant in this region. As a result, our analyses using samples from clinically healthy calves showed that positive results by multiplex RT-qPCR were closely related to a significant increase of antibody titers by VNT in bovine coronavirus (BCoV), bovine torovirus (BToV), and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV). In addition, our data exhibited that BCoV, BToV, BRSV, bovine parainfluenza virus 3, and Mycoplasma bovis have been more frequently detected in calves infected with BRD compared to those detected in clinically healthy calves. Moreover, the data presented herein revealed co-infections by combination multiple viral pathogens with bacterial pathogens are closely involved in the onset of BRD. Taken together, our study demonstrates multiplex RT-qPCR which can simultaneously analyze multiple pathogens, including viruses and bacteria, and is useful for the early detection of BRD.

Some researchers have found that preoperative pyuria is a risk factor for recurrence after transurethral resection of high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer. However, to our knowledge, none have clarified the risks associated with pyuria according to bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) treatment status. We retrospectively selected patients with high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer according to Japanese Urological Association guidelines. Pyuria was defined as ≥10 white blood cells per high-powered field. We analyzed recurrence-free rates (RFS) in 424 patients who had and had not undergone BCG treatment. The median duration of follow-up was 45.2 months. According to multivariate analysis, postoperative intravesical BCG induction and preoperative pyuria were independent risk factors for intravesical recurrence in the whole study cohort. We found no significant risk factors for recurrence in the BCG-treated group (n = 179). In the non-BCG-treated group (n = 245), patients with pyuria were much more frequently female and more often had T1 disease than patients without pyuria. According to univariate and multivariate analysis, preoperative pyuria is an independent risk factor for intravesical recurrence. There was no significant difference in the severity of pyuria between the BCG and non-BCG-treated groups. Aggressive BCG treatment may need to be considered in patients with high-risk NMIBC and pyuria.

Tobacco use is one of the major risk factors for Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Here, the authors report an immune-competent syngeneic mouse model that mimics human tobacco-related HNSCC, and develops tumors in the tongue, and report a high response rate to anti-CTLA-4 therapy.

We recently determined the RNA sequencing-based microRNA (miRNA) expression signature of colorectal cancer (CRC). Analysis of the signature showed that the expression of both strands of pre-miR-139 (miR-139-5p, the guide strand, and miR-139-3p, the passenger strand) was significantly reduced in CRC tissues. Transient transfection assays revealed that expression of miR-139-3p blocked cancer cell malignant transformation (e.g., cell proliferation, migration, and invasion). Notably, expression of miR-139-3p markedly blocked RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT) phosphorylation in CRC cells. A combination of in silico database and gene expression analyses of miR-139-3p-transfected cells revealed 29 putative targets regulated by miR-139-3p in CRC cells. RNA immunoprecipitation analysis using an Argonaute2 (AGO2) antibody revealed that KRT80 was efficiently incorporated into the RNA-induced silencing complex. Aberrant expression of Keratin 80 (KRT80) was detected in CRC clinical specimens by immunostaining. A knockdown assay using small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting KRT80 showed that reducing KRT80 expression suppressed the malignant transformation (cancer cell migration and invasion) of CRC cells. Importantly, inhibiting KRT80 expression reduced AKT phosphorylation in CRC cells. Moreover, hexokinase-2 (HK2) expression was reduced in cells transfected with the KRT80 siRNAs or miR-139-3p. The involvement of miRNA passenger strands (e.g., miR-139-3p) in CRC cells is a new concept in miRNA studies. Our tumor-suppressive miRNA-based approach helps elucidate the molecular pathogenesis of CRC.

Abstract In this report, we present two cases in which benzodiazepines (BZDs) were able to be successfully reduced or discontinued by treatment with traditional Japanese herbal medicine (Kampo medicine), including Hangekobokuto (HKT). These two patients with long‐term use of BZDs due to mental disorders suffered epigastric symptoms. After starting Kampo therapy including HKT, their epigastric symptoms were improved and they were able to reduce or discontinue the use of BZDs. This suggests that HKT is a potentially promising substitutive pharmacotherapy for patients with long‐term use of BZDs. HKT should be considered as a treatment for patients with mental disorders who have taken BZDs for a long time and suffer from medically unexplained epigastric symptoms.

Abstract Background Non-occlusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI) is a rare and severe pathological condition that can cause intestinal necrosis without mechanical obstruction of the mesenteric artery. NOMI often develops during the treatment of severe disease in elderly patients and mostly occurs in the intestine supplied by the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). We experienced a 12-year-old patient with NOMI that was segmentally localized in the ascending colon and rectum during encephalitis treatment. Case presentation A 12-year-old boy was hospitalized with limbic encephalitis. On day 41 after admission, he abruptly developed hypotension following diarrhea and fever, and presented abdominal distension. A computed tomography scan revealed pneumatosis intestinalis localized in the ascending colon and rectum coexisting with portal venous gas. The presence of peritoneal signs required an emergency laparotomy. Intraoperatively, skip ischemic lesions were found in the ascending colon and the rectum without bowel perforation. SMA and superior rectal arterial pulsation were present, and the patient was diagnosed with NOMI. The remaining colon, from the transverse to the sigmoid colon, appeared intact. We performed a distal ileostomy without bowel resection. Postoperative colonoscopies were carried out and revealed rectal and ascending colon stenosis with ulceration but demonstrated the patency of the two lesions. We confirmed the improvement of the transient bowel strictures; therefore, the ileal stoma was closed 14 months after the previous laparotomy. Conclusion NOMI can be present in childhood during encephalitis treatment and can be segmentally localized in the ascending colon and the rectum. Although NOMI is most often seen in elderly patients, we should also consider the possibility of NOMI when pediatric patients with severe illness manifest abdominal symptoms.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection results in a wide variety of clinical manifestations and is a pathogen that is able to cause huge economic losses in the cattle industry worldwide. It is important to identify cattle that are persistently infected (PI) by BVDV within the herd as early as possible because PI animals are the main reservoir of the virus. In contrast, cattle who are acutely infected (AI) with BVDV show various clinical signs, but most cattle show either mild symptoms or are asymptomatic. In general, AI and PI animals can be distinguished by repeat testing within an interval of at least 21 days. However, we found a rare case of a BVDV2-infected AI animal with long-term viral presence, making it indistinguishable from PI through two tests within an interval of 21 days. As a result, we diagnosed one infected animal as AI after 35 days from the initial sample collection via multiple analyses. Our findings recommend performing an additional test using samples that have been collected after 14–21 days from the second sample collection in cases where it is difficult to accurately differentiate an AI diagnosis from a PI diagnosis after only two tests. Additionally, our analysis exhibits that monitoring the number of copies of viruses with similar genomes in the sera by means of quantitative real-time RT-PCR through several sample collections periods might be useful to distinguish AI from PI. Furthermore, our data suggest that the AI animals with a long-term viral presence who show test results similar to those of PI animals might be the result of a coincidental combination of various factors that are present in cattle fields. These findings provide useful information that can be used to improve the diagnosis of BVDV in the field.

We identified the microRNA (miRNA) expression signature of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) tissues by RNA sequencing, in which 168 miRNAs were significantly upregulated, including both strands of the miR-31 duplex (miR-31-5p and miR-31-3p). The aims of this study were to identify networks of tumor suppressor genes regulated by miR-31-5p and miR-31-3p in HNSCC cells. Our functional assays showed that inhibition of miR-31-5p and miR-31-3p attenuated cancer cell malignant phenotypes (cell proliferation, migration, and invasion), suggesting that they had oncogenic potential in HNSCC cells. Our in silico analysis revealed 146 genes regulated by miR-31 in HNSCC cells. Among these targets, the low expression of seven genes (miR-31-5p targets: CACNB2 and IL34; miR-31-3p targets: CGNL1, CNTN3, GAS7, HOPX, and PBX1) was closely associated with poor prognosis in HNSCC. According to multivariate Cox regression analyses, the expression levels of five of those genes (CACNB2: p = 0.0189; IL34: p = 0.0425; CGNL1: p = 0.0014; CNTN3: p = 0.0304; and GAS7: p = 0.0412) were independent prognostic factors in patients with HNSCC. Our miRNA signature and miRNA-based approach will provide new insights into the molecular pathogenesis of HNSCC.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a viral pathogen associated with serious problems in the cattle industry. Cattle persistently infected (PI) with BVDV are mild or asymptomatic; however, they become a source of BVDV transmission to other cattle. Hence, it is important to rapidly identify and remove the PI animals from cattle herds. Whereas cattle acutely infected (AI) with BVDV have various symptoms, yet they generally recover within 3 weeks. However, there is a paucity of information concerning clinical characteristics of AI cattle. Further accumulation of information would be required to accurately diagnose AI cattle with BVDV. Here, we attempted to obtain valuable information via various analyses using a case report of BVD outbreak that occurred for approximately four months in Iwate Prefecture in 2017. Using eight calves and multiple tests (real-time RT-PCR, virus isolation, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and virus neutralization assay) over 6 weeks, we diagnosed the continuous BVD outbreak as an acute infection and not a persistent one. Additionally, we revealed that the sporadic case was caused by low pathogenic BVDV2 via BVDV genotyping and phylogenetic analysis. The data suggest that BVDV2 AI animals might also be a source of transmission to susceptible calves; hence, it might persist for a long period owing to multiple AI animals. These findings provide useful information to diagnose AI and PI cattle with BVDV in the field.

Abstract To achieve DNA sequencing with solid-state nanopores, the speed of the DNA in the nanopore must be controlled to obtain sequence-specific signals. In this study, we fabricated a nanopore-sensing system equipped with a DNA motion controller. DNA strands were immobilized on a Si probe, and approach of this probe to the nanopore vicinity could be controlled using a piezo actuator and stepper motor. The area of the Si probe was larger than the area of the membrane, which meant that the immobilized DNA could enter the nanopore without the need for the probe to scan to determine the location of the nanopore in the membrane. We demonstrated that a single-stranded DNA could be inserted into and removed from a nanopore in our experimental system. The number of different ionic-current levels observed while DNA remained in the nanopore corresponded to the number of different types of homopolymers in the DNA.

Animal telemetry is a powerful tool for observing marine animals and the physical environments that they inhabit, from coastal and continental shelf ecosystems to polar seas and open oceans. Satellite-linked biologgers and networks of acoustic receivers allow animals to be reliably monitored over scales of tens of meters to thousands of kilometers, giving insight into their habitat use, home range size, the phenology of migratory patterns and the biotic and abiotic factors that drive their distributions. Furthermore, physical environmental variables can be collected using animals as autonomous sampling platforms, increasing spatial and temporal coverage of global oceanographic observation systems. The use of animal telemetry, therefore, has the capacity to provide measures from a suite of essential ocean variables (EOVs) for improved monitoring of Earth's oceans. Here we outline the design features of animal telemetry systems, describe current applications and their benefits and challenges, and discuss future directions. We describe new analytical techniques that improve our ability to not only quantify animal movements but to also provide a powerful framework for comparative studies across taxa. We discuss the application of animal telemetry and its capacity to collect biotic and abiotic data, how the data collected can be incorporated into ocean observing systems, and the role these data can play in improved ocean management.

Central place foraging theory (CPF) has been used to predict the optimal patch residence time for air-breathing marine predators in response to patch quality. Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) forage on densely aggregated prey, which may induce drastic change in prey density in a single feeding event. Thus, the decision whether to leave or stay after each feeding event in a single dive in response to this drastic change, should have a significant effect on prey exploitation efficiency. However, whether humpback whales show adaptive behavior in response to the diminishing prey density in a single dive has been technically difficult to test. Here, we studied the foraging behavior of humpback whales in response to change in prey density in a single dive and calculated the efficiency of each foraging dive using a model based on CPF approach. Using animal-borne accelerometers and video loggers attached to whales, foraging behavior and change in relative prey density in front of the whales were successfully quantified. Results showed diminishing rate of energy intake in consecutive feeding events, and humpback whales efficiently fed by bringing the rate of energy intake close to maximum in a single dive cycle. This video-based method also enabled us to detect the presence of other animals around the tagged whales, showing an interesting trend in behavioral changes where feeding duration was shorter when other animals were present. Our results have introduced a new potential to quantitatively investigate the effect of other animals on free-ranging top predators in the context of optimal foraging theory.

We previously found that both the guide and passenger strands of the miR-139 duplex (miR-139-5p and miR-139-3p, respectively) were downregulated in cancer tissues. Analysis of TCGA datasets revealed that low expression of miR-139-5p (p < 0.0001) and miR-139-3p (p < 0.0001) was closely associated with 5-year survival rates of patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Ectopic expression assays showed that miR-139-5p and miR-139-3p acted as tumor-suppressive miRNAs in RCC cells. Here, 19 and 22 genes were identified as putative targets of miR-139-5p and miR-139-3p in RCC cells, respectively. Among these genes, high expression of PLXDC1, TET3, PXN, ARHGEF19, ELK1, DCBLD1, IKBKB, and CSF1 significantly predicted shorter survival in RCC patients according to TCGA analyses (p < 0.05). Importantly, the expression levels of four of these genes, PXN, ARHGEF19, ELK1, and IKBKB, were independent prognostic factors for patient survival (p < 0.05). We focused on PXN (paxillin) and investigated its potential oncogenic role in RCC cells. PXN knockdown significantly inhibited cancer cell migration and invasion, possibly by regulating epithelial–mesenchymal transition. Involvement of the miR-139-3p passenger strand in RCC molecular pathogenesis is a new concept. Analyses of tumor-suppressive-miRNA-mediated molecular networks provide important insights into the molecular pathogenesis of RCC.

During the growth of sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.), primary suckers appear from the main stem (MS) of transplanted suckers. Then, secondary suckers appear from the primary suckers. After the MS (trunk) is first harvested 10 and several years after transplantation, trunks can be harvested persistently using the primary, secondary, and subsequent suckers, which are designated as derivative suckers, growing with the MS. However, little knowledge exists about the growth behavior of derivative suckers. This study clarified how derivative suckers, especially the primary and secondary suckers, spread in the horizontal direction, and how they form a plant with the MS during the creeping growth stage. Most derivative suckers crept in the direction of about 70° subtended by the mother stem. However, two primary suckers that appeared early after transplantation crept in an obtuse angle to the creeping direction of the MS. As the reason for this obtuse angle direction, we considered the following four factors: (1) the existence of petiole, (2) distance from the sucker to the ground surface, (3) enlargement of the MS, and (4) space for sucker growth. The growth behaviors of the two primary suckers and the other derivative suckers differed. Therefore, in sago palm cultivation, the two primary suckers which appeared first from the MS were very important for formation of the framework of the plant with the MS, in terms of efficient utilization of space for the growth of derivative suckers.

The seeding time is an important factor affecting the process of stem yield. Nevertheless, details related to the optimum seeding time to maximize the stem yield of sweet sorghum have not been studied. This study elucidated information necessary to ascertain the optimum seeding time to obtain the maximum stem yield. We conducted an examination with three seeding times at intervals of two weeks, ranging from late May to mid-June for four years during 2009–2012, and we analyzed the relation between seeding times and stem yield based on internode characteristics of stems using two sorghum cultivars with different maturity: ‘Kazetachi’ and ‘Wray’. Differences were observed in the respective relations between the seeding times and the stem yields. For Kazetachi, the dry matter yield increased with the earlier seeding time. Thus, to expand the growing period, an earlier seeding time with good establishment is better. For Wray, a cultivar that can grow to heading in the Tohoku region, the stem dry weight was greater by seeding in early June. For cultivars such as Wray with a sufficient growing period in a given region, the optimum seeding time to obtain stable higher stem yield existed and the cultivars should be seeded when they could grow under good weather conditions at the critical time strongly influences growth.

Bovine coronavirus (BCoV) is zoonotically transmissible among species, since BCoV-like viruses have been detected in wild ruminants and humans. BCoV causing enteric and respiratory disease is widespread in cattle farms worldwide; however, limited information is available regarding the molecular characterization of BCoV because of its large genome size, despite its significant economic impact. This study aimed to better understand the genomic characterization and evolutionary dynamics of BCoV via comparative sequence and phylogenetic analyses through whole genome sequence analysis using 67 BCoV isolates collected throughout Japan from 2006 to 2017. On comparing the genomic sequences of the 67 BCoVs, genetic variations were detected in 5 of 10 open reading frames (ORFs) in the BCoV genome. Phylogenetic analysis using whole genomes from the 67 Japanese BCoV isolates in addition to those from 16 reference BCoV strains, revealed the existence of two major genotypes (classical and US wild ruminant genotypes). All Japanese BCoV isolates originated from the US wild ruminant genotype, and they tended to form the same clusters based on the year and farm of collection, not the disease type. Phylogenetic trees on hemagglutinin-esterase protein (HE), spike glycoprotein (S), nucleocapsid protein (N) genes and ORF1 revealed clusters similar to that on whole genome, suggesting that the evolution of BCoVs may be closely associated with variations in these genes. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of BCoV S genes including those of European and Asian BCoVs and human enteric coronavirus along with the Japanese BCoVs revealed that BCoVs differentiated into two major types (European and American types). Moreover, the European and American types were divided into eleven and three genotypes, respectively. Our analysis also demonstrated that BCoVs with different genotypes periodically emerged and predominantly circulated within the country. These findings provide useful information to elucidate the detailed molecular characterization of BCoVs, which have spread worldwide. Further genomic analyses of BCoV are essential to deepen the understanding of the evolution of this virus.

During sago palm cultivation, many suckers appear from the mother stem as it grows. Some suckers are thinned out, but the rest are left to grow to be harvested several years later after harvesting of the mother stem (trunk). Proper management of the suckers from the mother stem is important to obtain successive sago trunks from a single transplantation. Nevertheless, little scientific knowledge exists about the sucker growth, even the development of its primordium. Our objective is to clarify the differentiation position and the development of the sago palm lateral bud, which is the sucker bud. Results show that in sago palm, the sucker bud differentiates inside of the connate part of the leaf petiole, which is opposite to the axil side. Swelling of tissue is first visible inside of the third leaf from the growth point (rbL 3). Sucker bud initiation is visible at almost all leaf positions lower than rbL 5. Furthermore, at each leaf position, one or two (rarely three) buds are observed. Differentiated buds usually elongate exponentially. Some develop more than two times on average. These sucker buds differentiate inside of the connate part of the thin leaf petiole, which split toward the base gradually as new leaves emerge. The differentiation position of the sucker buds and the thin leaf petiole are expected to be related closely to the further growth of the large sucker buds.

The relationship between flow structure and generation of aerodynamic sound from a multi-blade fan is experimentally investigated with enlarged two-dimensional blade models. Two blade models with different shapes are used. Sound pressure level and blade surface pressure are measured simultaneously where the sound transmittable board is used to find the position of sound source. In addition, flow velocity and blade surface pressure are also measured simultaneously. The results show that the sound pressure level takes highest values near the reattachment point of the flow on blade suction surface, where the RMS value of the surface pressure fluctuation takes highest value, and where coherence between the sound pressure and surface pressure takes high values. These values vary with the shape of blades. The size of separation bubble and the intensity of velocity fluctuation also differ by the shape of the blades. The large scale vortical flow structures are extracted by conditional averaging for blade surface pressure fluctuations. Sizes of the large scale vortices correspond to the peak frequencies of the blade surface pressure fluctuation and frequency characteristic of surface pressure fluctuation is explained by the convections of the vortices. In addition, the sizes of large scale vortices correspond to the size of separation bubble. This fact suggests that making separation bubble smaller is an efficient way for reduction of aerodynamic noise of a multi-blade fan.

Sorghum cultivar ‘Kazetachi’ has a unique internode length pattern, with a wavy shape that changes depending on the cultivation environment. It is regarded as a suitable material for analyzing the environmental factors affecting internode elongation. This study was conducted to clarify the relation between the final internode length at harvest and the increment of stem growth to establish a method to elucidate stem growth during the growing season. To confirm the internode elongation pattern, we sampled plants when each leaf had just expanded. The leaf number, plant length, and collar height of plants in the field were measured during the growing season. The internode elongation pattern of ‘Kazetachi’ resembled that reported in sweet sorghum, indicating that the elongation period of each internode can be estimated by recording the leaf number during the growing period. By measuring the plant length and the collar height as an index of stem growth, we can easily estimate the rapid elongation period of internode, which can be a peak or a trough in the internode length pattern during the growing period. The collar height during the growing period can be estimated by measuring the leaf number in the growth stage and recording the length of internodes and leaf sheaths at harvest. Even the plant length can be estimated by adding the leaf blade length to these traits. However, the collar height seemed to be a better index of stem growth than the plant length.

In sweet sorghum, which is a potential biomass crop, the diameter of internode is an important component of stem yield. However, the thickening of successive internodes is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to clarify the relationship between the thickening of successive internodes using the age indicated by the leaf number on the main stem (AL) as a time scale. Furthermore, the relationship between the elongating and thickening period of successive internodes along the stem was analyzed. Internodes were collected from AL3, when the 3rd leaf had just expanded above the 2nd leaf sheath, to AL17, and at 9 weeks after heading as final harvest. Although the internode thickening patterns based on AL could not be combined into one or a few patterns, a significant correlation (P

The biosynthetic gene cluster for bisucaberin B (1, bsb gene cluster), an N-hydroxy-N-succinyl diamine (HSD)-based siderophore, was cloned from the marine bacterium Tenacibaculum mesophilum, originated from a marine sponge. The bsb gene cluster consists of six open reading frames (ORFs), in contrast to the four ORFs typically seen in biosynthetic gene clusters of the related molecules. Heterologous expression of the key enzyme, BsbD2, which is responsible for the final biosynthetic step of 1 resulted in production of bisucaberin B (1), but not bisucaberin (2) a macrocyclic counterpart of 1. To date, numbers of related enzymes producing macrocyclic analogues have been reported, but this work represents the first example of the HSD-based siderophore biosynthetic enzyme which exclusively produces a linear molecule rather than macrocyclic counterparts.

It is important to measure the individual leaf area and leaf area index (LAI) of sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) to determine the appropriate planting density and maintain populations that are highly productive with regard to starch production. However, the accurate estimation of sago leaf area from the entire leaf profile or the projecting area of the plant is not possible. Thus, we developed a method for estimating leaf area of sago palm after trunk formationby integrating the leaflet areas. All leaflets were diagrammatically converted to rectangles, each having the same area asthat of the corresponding leaflet, and these rectangles were arranged on the rachis to initiate the shape of a leaf without overlapping leaflets and gaps between their bases and between their tips. The leaf shape thus produced by the arrangement of these rectangles was represented as ellipsoidal in the apical half and as trapezoidal in the basal half. The ratiosof the estimated to the actually measured area of the apical and the basal half of the leaf were 99−107% and 94−108%, respectively. The ratio of the estimated area of the whole leaf to the measured area was 98−104%. From these results, the method for estimating the whole leaf area by converting the leaflets diagrammatically to rectangles, andcalculating the area as the sum of the ellipsoidal apical half and trapezoidal basal half, is considered to be accurate and simple.

This study aimed to clarify the effects of water storage-type deep irrigation (WSDI) on the yields of various rice cultivars used in the Tohoku district of Japan. We compared a WSDI plot (DP) with a standard irrigation plot (SP) with regard to the growth, yield, and yield components of the rice cultivars grown in these plots during 4 years (2002–2005) in Sendai, Japan. In 2003, which had a cool summer, the yields in DP were considerably higher than those in SP, thus confirming that WSDI mitigated the cool summer-induced damage to rice. The yields in DP were not lower than those in SP during the other 3 years (normal climatic years), indicating that various cultivars could adapt to WSDI. Although high-yielding rice plants cultivated by well-experienced farmers under deep-water irrigation regimes have large panicles, the spikelet number per panicle and the yield in DP were not higher than those in SP. Based on the results of the comparison between the cultivation system of WSDI and that of high-yielding deep-water irrigation regimes practiced by such farmers, we speculated that to achieve a higher yield under WSDI, other cultivation techniques need to be incorporated into WSDI.

We studied the year-round cultivation of sweet sorghum, which is a raw material for the fermentation of monosodium glutamate, in East Java, Indonesia. In this savanna area, each year comprises 2 seasons–dry (April–September) and rainy (October–March). Seed crops were sown almost every month for 1 yr, and each seed cropping was followed by a ratoon cropping after the seed crop harvest. The stem-related traits of plants from different sowing or ratooning dates were studied at around 17 weeks after sowing or ratooning. For both plants derived from seed and ratoon, better crop establishment was observed when cultivation was commenced during the rainy season than during the dry season. Although sowing was undertaken each week in August and September during the most severe dry period, germination rate was very low (or zero) and even the germinated plants died within a short time. In contrast, ratoon cropping was started and plants were grown until harvest. In East Java, it is considered possible to produce sweet sorghum throughout the year, mainly by sowing, but also partially by ratooning during the most severe drought period of the dry season.

In rice, genetic variation in “phyllochron” (the time interval between the appearance of successive leaves) affects many aspects of shoot system development. The objective of our study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that control phyllochron in a Lemont (japonica) × IR36 (indica) F2 population. Composite interval mapping detected four phyllochron QTLs located on chromosomes 1, 2, 9 and 11. Individually, these QTLs accounted for 8-14% of the phenotypic variation, indicating that phyllochron is controlled by multiple QTLs rather than by a major gene system. At these QTLs, the presence of a Lemont allele increased phyllochron. The only exception was for the QTL on chromosome 9, where the Lemont allele decreased phyllochron. Based on the synteny between rice and maize genomes, the ortholog of the maize terminal ear 1 gene was considered a candidate gene for the QTL on chromosome 1.

We have studied establishment of cultivation technique of sweet sorghum for monosodium glutamate (MSG) production on dry land in Indonesia, where the supply of raw materials has become restrictive recently. Previously, we confirmed the feasibility of cultivation in this area during the rainy season. Meanwhile, cultivation during the dry season is also important because vast expanses of heretofore unirrigated fields have remained unused. The stem, which comprises internodes, is the main product of sweet sorghum used as a raw material by fermentation industries. This study analyzes differences in growth and yielding ability between dry and rainy seasons by comparing internode characteristics. A sweet sorghum cultivar – Wray – was cultivated in the rainy season from 1995 and in the dry season of 1996 in Madura Island of East Java, Indonesia. Stems of sweet sorghum cultivated during the dry season were shorter and lighter, with two fewer elongated internodes than those of plants raised during the rainy season. They accumulated sugar slower and to a lower peak, but they were inferred to be harvestable for a relatively long period during 30–60 days after anthesis. Through research of internode characteristics, the difference in stem length was inferred to result from differences in internode numbers (25%) and in individual internode length (75%). The difference in weight seemed to result mainly from the fewer elongated internodes. Further experiments must explore the cultivation period (sowing and ratoon crop), varieties, and planting density to establish a sweet-sorghum cultivation technique that is suitable for the dry season.

Leaf area of sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) can not be estimated accurately from the whole leaf shape, and individual leaflet area must be measured for accurate estimation of leaf area. In this study we examined leaflet characteristics in detail and developed a method of estimating individual leaflet area. Shapes of all leaflets were similar regardless of their sizes. The leaflet width was maximal at the distal position around 30 ∼40] from the leaflet base. Products of leaflet lengths and maximum widths (as the X-axis) showed almost a linear relationship with the leaflet areas measured with a leaf area meter (as the Y-axis). Moreover, the Y-intercept of the primary regression equation was very small compared to leaflet area values, and we can regard it as 0. We compared the measured leaflet area with the area of the ellipse with the leaflet length as the major axis and the maximum width as the minor axis. The difference between them was within±15] except for some leaflets at the base or tip of the leaf. These results suggested that the method of estimating leaflet area from the ellipse area calculated from the leaflet length and the maximum leaflet width as major and minor axes, respectively was simple and accurate. The estimation equation for the leaflet area is S(e)=0.785 Lleaflet×Wleaflet, where S(e) is the estimated leaflet area, Lleaflet is the leaflet length, and Wleaflet is the maximum leaflet width.

We cultivated sweet sorghum cultivars – Wray, Keller and Rio – to confirm the feasibility of cultivation in dry land of Indonesia for monosodium glutamate (MSG) production. Stem yield of Wray was 4,790 ~ 6,593 g m−2. Sweet sorghum reached anthesis at 73 days after sowing (DAS) and was harvested 3.5 months after sowing. Stem length increased to 36 DAS, then rapidly to 320 cm by 80 DAS. Stem diameter reached 18 mm by 36 DAS. Stems enlarged for 1 month, then elongated. Thinning and weeding for 1 month after sowing produced heavy-stem plants with high yield because stem length and diameter determine stem volume and yield. Stem sugar weight increased after anthesis and reached a peak at 26–33 days after anthesis (DAA). Grain grew until 26 DAA and dried. It was harvestable after 30 DAA. Stem sugar content closely correlated with Brix indicating its value as an index of sugar in stem juice. Consequently, the optimum harvest time is determined by measuring Brix after 30 DAA (103 DAS). Yields were highest in cv. Wray: stems (4,790 g m−2) and sugar (286 g m−2). The juice extraction rate was ca. 50% by single-step milling without imbibition water. Using imbibition water and multiple milling steps can provide more than 400 g m−2 of sugar with a greater than 75% juice extraction ratio. Grain yield of other cultivars was similar to cv. Wray’s 238 g m−2. Sweet sorghum could be cultivated on dry land in the rainy season.

We aimed to determine the orientation for developing the method to estimate leaf area of sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.) by extracting characteristics that might be related to estimating leaf area from characteristics of leaves. Plants of around two years after trunk formation at a sago palm farm in Sarawak, Malaysia were used for the investigation. In a plant with eleven living leaves, the length of the unfolded leaf blade ranged from 6.0 to 7.2 m; the length of a petiole ranged from 1.8 to 3.1 m. The number of leaflets on the left side of a leaf viewing adaxial leaf surface with the tip upward was larger than that on the right side by 1-5 leaflets in all leaves. The lowest leaflet of a leaf was on the left side in all leaves. The relative position of the lowest leaflet on the rachis was related to the way a leaf was folded in a plant. The length, width and area of the right and the left leaflets were compared on the basis of their position on a rachis. They had approximately the same dimensions. This fact implied that those characteristics were almost symmetric with respect to the rachis; therefore, the position of a leaflet on a rachis was considered to be an important characteristic for analyzing leaf area. We drew a leaf diagram based on the measured data and examined a method of estimating leaf area using the leaf outline, but the method was not suitable. We decided to examine a method to integrate the leaflet areas for accurate estimation of the leaf area.

Sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottb.), which produces starch in large quantities in its trunk, could become one of the most important nutritious food resources in the near future. Although its root functions are thought to be very important for the enormous shoot growth, the morphological and anatomical studies are limited. This study investigates external and internal structures of sago roots with reference to their functions to distinguish two types of roots in each plant; i.e., large (about 6-11 mm diameter) and small (about 4-6 mm diameter) roots. Large roots were adventitious roots whose primordia were formed just inside the epidermis in the stem, emerged from the trunk surface and grew downward into the soil. Small roots were lateral roots whose primordia were formed on large roots running horizontally or on other small roots, grew not only downward and obliquely in both deep peat and mineral soils, but also right above in deep peat soils. Anatomical observations revealed that both large and small roots had the same internal structures containing epidermis, exodermis, suberized sclerenchyma cells, cortex and stele, with only differences in their sizes or cell numbers. Both roots had characteristic development of schizogenous or lysigenous aerenchyma, but seem to have different functions. Root primordia were formed successively throughout the trunk. Root primordia in the lower trunk had a large diameter, while density of root primordia per unit trunk surface area was high in the upper trunk.

Many studies have confirmed that exogenous cytokinins increase tillering in grasses as wheat, oat and barley. In this study, the effects of benzylaminopurine (BA) on tillering of two rice cultivars, North Rose with low tillering ability and Sasanishiki with high tillering ability, were examined using hydroponics. Foliar spray of BA was applied to both cultivarsat the 6-leaf stage. Root application of BA was used to Sasanishiki at the 8-leaf stage. Both root-applied and foliar-sprayed BA retarded the increase of tillers and resulted in significant decrease in tiller numbers per plant. The result indicated that primary tillers were much more affected than secondary tillers. Leaf production on the main stem was also temporarily inhibited with the exception of foliar spray to plants of cv. Sasanishiki. The effective concentration of BA on tillering was over 0.01μM for root application and 100 μM for foliar spray. Magnitude of effect of root application was greater than that of foliar spray in cv. Sasanishiki. Foliar-sprayed BA mainly inhibited tillers that are at the stage of differentiation of tiller buds from appearance. Root-applied BA could further inhibit the growth of tiller buds into tillers. In conclusion, BA inhibited the tillering of rice plants rather than promoting it, whichis inconsistent with general description of cytokinin roles.

In spite of a large number of reports on the effects of cytokinin application on growth of wheat, barley and other crops, the impact of it on rice growth has rarely been investigated. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of benzylaminopurine (BA) on shoot and root development and growth of rice plants. Rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. North Rose) was grown in hydroponics under all NH4+, all NO3– and an equal mixture of both forms. From the 6th leaf stage on, 100μ M BA was sprayed to the shoot once every two days for a total of 5 times. BA spray inhibited the development and growth of plant age, plant length, leaf blade length and the root as a whole with the exception that the length of adventitious roots was increased by BA in NH4+-N-grown plants. BA spray also decreased the dry-matter production of both the shoot and root. Single NH4+-N inhibited the shoot and root development and growth compared with N03""-containing N sources. BA counteracted to some extent the inhibitory effect of NH4+-N on plant length, average adventitious root length and the longest adventitious root length. We concluded that 100μM BA spray basically inhibited the shoot and root growth and development of rice (cv. North Rose) grown in hydroponics, but the effects on shoot development are temporary and the treated plants attain or exceed the development of the control plants while the inhibited development of the root did not recover within the experiment period.

Objective. The aim of the present study was to evaluate initial learning curves of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) with regard to complications, urinary continence, and oncologic outcome. Materials and Methods. We retrospectively reviewed 100 consecutive patients with clinically localized prostate cancer. All 100 patients underwent LRP performed by the same urologist at one institution. Results: Mean operating time (208.4±48.6 min), estimated blood loss (495.8±436.5 mL), allogeneic blood transfusion rate (0%), and intraoperative complications diminished with surgical experience. Positive margin rate varied greatly among pathological stage (positive margin rates: pT2 = 20.5%; pT3 = 63.0%). A trend towards reduction of positive surgical margins in pT2 cases was apparent with increasing experience. Intraoperative and early complications occurred in 2.0% of patients. In all patients, 85.9% used none or no more than one pad per 24 h at 6 months postoperatively. Prostate-specific antigen recurrence was seen in only 2 patients. Conclusions. In the present series of 100 patients, our retrospective evaluation confirms that LRP provides satisfactory results.