Evaluation of freshness of lettuce using multi-spectroscopic sensing and machine learning

We aimed to develop a method to evaluate lettuce freshness changes during storage using only the surface color. In the first experiment, the surface color of one lettuce were measured continuously for 6 days. At the same time, moisture contents, elemental composition and organic matter of lettuce leaves were measured by oven drying method, X-ray fluorescent analysis and Mid-infrared spectroscopy, respectively. Considering a combination of the surface color and moisture and elemental contents, it was found that there were several color change points before and after the time when the moisture contents and elemental balances in the lettuce changed. These results represented that the surface color could relate to the internal quality. Additionally, it is suggested that freshness of lettuce could be quantified and predicted using surface color information.Furthermore, the data set and the method for freshness evaluation leading to machine learning were studied in the second experiment for the freshness judgement. In this experiment, 15 multispectral sensing data including lettuce color information were acquired, and the quality change point was determined using machine learning such as K-means and decision tree

Screening for cold tolerance genes in C. elegans, whose expressions are affected by anticancer drugs camptothecin and leptomycin B

Okahata M., Sawada N., Nakao K., et al. Screening for cold tolerance genes in C. elegans, whose expressions are affected by anticancer drugs camptothecin and leptomycin B. Scientific Reports 14, 5401 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-55794-z.Temperature is a vital environmental factor affecting organisms’ survival as they determine the mechanisms to tolerate rapid temperature changes. We demonstrate an experimental system for screening chemicals that affect cold tolerance in Caenorhabditis elegans. The anticancer drugs leptomycin B and camptothecin were among the 4000 chemicals that were screened as those affecting cold tolerance. Genes whose expression was affected by leptomycin B or camptothecin under cold stimuli were investigated by transcriptome analysis. Abnormal cold tolerance was detected in several mutants possessing genes that were rendered defective and whose expression altered after exposure to either leptomycin B or camptothecin. The genetic epistasis analysis revealed that leptomycin B or camptothecin may increase cold tolerance by affecting a pathway upstream of the insulin receptor DAF-2 that regulates cold tolerance in the intestine. Our experimental system combining drug and cold tolerance could be used for a comprehensive screening of genes that control cold tolerance at a low cost and in a short time period

Endoscopic ultrasound-guided immunotherapy

AbstractAnti-tumoral endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle injection (EUS-FNI), with its minimally invasive access for anti-tumoral agent delivery, is the most exciting field of intervention EUS. Pancreatic cancer is regarded as a systemic disease even if imaging modalities reveal no visible metastasis. From that perspective, immunological therapy is performed. To date, several reports have described immunotherapy under EUS-guidance. The first report of EUS-FNI intended for immunotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer was published in 2000. In that study, an allogeneic mixed-lymphocyte culture was injected into tumors of eight patients with unresectable local pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The study of dendritic cells (DCs) for cancer has continued to develop in recent years. Actually, DCs are potent antigen-presenting cells for the induction of primary T-cell dependent immune response. When injected intratumorally, DCs acquire and process tumor antigens in situ, migrate to regional lymphoid organs, and initiate a strong tumor-specific immune response. To date, three reports have described EUS-FNI of DCs into pancreatic cancer: two for unresectable and one for pre-surgical operations. Every study has indicated the feasibility and safety. Furthermore, these reports showed that EUS-guided DCs injection might be an important option for treating advanced pancreatic cancer. EUS-guided immunotherapy is a very exciting field in interventional EUS for obstinate cancers

Synthesis and Evaluation of 1,3a,6a-triazapentalene (TAP)-bonded system

A method of synthesizing a directly connected 1,3a,6a-triazapentalene (TAP) ring system as a linearly bonded aromatic system with a planar form was established. Various TAP-dimers and a 2-alkyl-TAP-trimer were synthesized and their fluorescence properties were evaluated. Although the direct connection of the TAP ring with other TAP rings did not affect the fluorescence properties in diluted solvent, TAP-dimers showed unique fluorescence properties derived from the aggregation state under highly concentrated conditions. In particular, TAP-dimer 5f showed aggregation-induced emission in highly concentrated solution, and 5b showed typical mechanochromic fluorescence in the solid state despite their compact molecular size

Root PRR7 improves the accuracy of the shoot circadian clock through nutrient transport

The circadian clock allows plants to anticipate and adapt to periodic environmental changes. Organ- and tissue-specific properties of the circadian clock and shoot-to-root circadian signaling have been reported. While this long-distance signaling is thought to coordinate physiological functions across tissues, little is known about the feedback regulation of the root clock on the shoot clock in the hierarchical circadian network. Here, we show that the plant circadian clock conveys circadian information between shoots and roots through sucrose and K⁺. We also demonstrate that K+ transport from roots suppresses the variance of period length in shoots and then improves the accuracy of the shoot circadian clock. Sucrose measurements and qPCR showed that root sucrose accumulation was regulated by the circadian clock. Furthermore, root circadian clock genes, including PSEUDO-RESPONSE REGULATOR7 (PRR7), were regulated by sucrose, suggesting the involvement of sucrose from the shoot in the regulation of root clock gene expression. Therefore, we performed time-series measurements of xylem sap and micrografting experiments using prr7 mutants and showed that root PRR7 regulates K⁺ transport and suppresses variance of period length in the shoot. Our modeling analysis supports the idea that root-to-shoot signaling contributes to the precision of the shoot circadian clock. We performed micrografting experiments that illustrated how root PRR7 plays key roles in maintaining the accuracy of shoot circadian rhythms. We thus present a novel directional signaling pathway for circadian information from roots to shoots and propose that plants modulate physiological events in a timely manner through various timekeeping mechanisms

Bmi1 regulates memory CD4 T cell survival via repression of the Noxa gene

The maintenance of memory T cells is central to the establishment of immunological memory, although molecular details of the process are poorly understood. In the absence of the polycomb group (PcG) gene Bmi1, the number of memory CD4+ T helper (Th)1/Th2 cells was reduced significantly. Enhanced cell death of Bmi1−/− memory Th2 cells was observed both in vivo and in vitro. Among various proapoptotic genes that are regulated by Bmi1, the expression of proapoptotic BH3-only protein Noxa was increased in Bmi1−/− effector Th1/Th2 cells. The generation of memory Th2 cells was restored by the deletion of Noxa, but not by Ink4a and Arf. Direct binding of Bmi1 to the Noxa gene locus was accompanied by histone H3-K27 methylation. The recruitment of other PcG gene products and Dnmt1 to the Noxa gene was highly dependent on the expression of Bmi1. In addition, Bmi1 was required for DNA CpG methylation of the Noxa gene. Moreover, memory Th2-dependent airway inflammation was attenuated substantially in the absence of Bmi1. Thus, Bmi1 controls memory CD4+ Th1/Th2 cell survival and function through the direct repression of the Noxa gene

A suitable stereoisomer of vibrioferrin probes for iron uptake of Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Suitable Stereostructures of vibrioferrin probes for iron uptake of Vibrio parahaemolyticus was revealed. Stereoisomers of dansyl labeled vibrioferrin at the 2′′-position were synthesized and their uptake activities were evaluated. Vibrio parahaemolyticus take in both isomers at the 2′′-position. In addition to Vibrio parahaemolyticus, several bacteria have also taken up the (R)-isomer

A case of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma with preexisting interstitial pneumonia successfully treated with pembrolizumab

Pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma is often refractory to chemotherapy and follows an aggressive clinical course. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have revolutionized the treatment of advanced lung cancer, and a few cases with pleomorphic carcinoma have been reported to show tumor shrinkage after therapy with ICIs. When treating patients with ICIs, patient selection is essential, and monitoring and management of immune-related adverse events, including pneumonitis, are needed. We herein report a case of pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma with preexisting interstitial pneumonia treated with pembrolizumab, antiprogrammed cell death 1 antibody. Our report highlights important considerations necessary when treating advanced pleomorphic carcinoma patients complicated with interstitial pneumonia. We also review the literature regarding the use of ICIs in such patients

MEFV gene mutations in neuro-Behçet's disease and neuro-Sweet disease

ArticleAnnals of clinical and translational neurology. 6(12): 2595-2600 (2019)journal articl