Two cases of bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia syndrome after postoperative irradiation for breast cancer

We report two cases of bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) syndrome that developed after postoperative radiation therapy for breast cancer. In both patients, chest radiographs and computed tomography (CT) showed multiple consolidations outside the irradiation fields after several months of tangential radiation therapy. These patients were diagnosed as having radiation-associated BOOP syndrome, based on their clinical course and the findings on examination. After treatment with a systemic corticosteroid, radiographic consolidations and symptoms improved rapidly. In cases where consolidations appear outside the irradiated field, it is important to consider BOOP syndrome as a pulmonary complication of radiation therapy for breast cancer

Iron requirements of Heterosigma akashiwo(Raphidophyceae), Heterocapsa circularisquama(Dinophyceae) and two common centric diatoms

Iron is increasingly recognized to play a key role in the growth of microalgae in various marine systems, but there is a paucity of knowledge about the physiological iron requirements of harmful algal species. This study aimed to elucidate the halfsaturation constant for growth(Ks) and the maximum growth rate(μmax) of four phytoplankton species with regard to iron concentrations. The four species were the fish-killing raphidophyte Heterosigma akashiwo, the bivalve-killing dinoflagellate Heterocapsa circularisquama, and the centric diatoms Ditylum brightwellii(large sized) and Chaetoceros didymus(small sized). We conducted incubation experiments with axenic cultures of the four species using a chemically defined synthetic medium. Compared with Heterocapsa circularisquama(0.59 day-1) and Heterosigma akashiwo(0.50 day-1), the two diatom species exhibited high μmax values(0.68 day-1). The smaller diatom had the lowest Ks value of 7.5×10-9M, while the larger diatom had the highest Ks value of 2.1×10-7M. The Ks values of Heterosigma akashiwo and Heterocapsa circularisquama were 5.1×10-8 and 3.1×10-8M, respectively. Smaller-sized phytoplankton showed better affinity to lower concentrations of iron in the sea

Estuarine circulation-driven entrainment of oceanic nutrients fuels coastal phytoplankton in an open coastal system in Japan

We investigated interactions among seasonal fluctuations in phytoplankton biomass, riverine nutrient flux, and the fluxes of nutrients entrained by estuarine circulation in Tango Bay, Japan, to determine the influence of freshwater inflows to an open bay on coastal phytoplankton productivity. The riverine nutrient flux was strongly regulated by river discharge. Estuarine circulation was driven by river discharge, with high fluxes of nutrients (mean nitrate + nitrite flux: 5.3 ± 3.5 Mg [mega grams]-N day−1) between winter and early spring, enhanced by nutrient supply to the surface water via vertical mixing. In contrast, low-nutrient seawater was delivered to the bay between late spring and summer (1.0 ± 0.8 Mg-N day−1). Seasonal fluctuations in phytoplankton biomass were affected by the entrained fluxes of oceanic nutrients and variation in the euphotic zone depth, and to a lesser degree by the riverine nutrient flux. Bioassays and stoichiometric analyses indicated that phytoplankton growth was limited by nitrogen and/or phosphorus. Both the entrainment of oceanic nutrients and the euphotic zone depth affected the duration and magnitude of blooms. Our findings show that, unlike semi-enclosed bays, seasonal variations in coastal phytoplankton in an open coastal system are primarily fueled by the entrainment of oceanic nutrients and are influenced by both freshwater inflow and coastal conditions (e.g. vertical mixing and wind events)

Development of a new device for artificial insemination in cynomolgus macaques

In cynomolgus macaques, an important animal species for biomedical research, efficient reproduction has been hampered partly due to the difficulties of artificial insemination (AI) using straw tubes developed for humans or farm animals, because cynomolgus macaques have a complex cervical canal structure. In this study, taking into consideration the unique structure of the macaque cervical canal, we developed a novel device for AI, comprised of a syringe and an outer cylinder. At 24 and 48 h after using this device to inject semen into one female, viable sperm were observed in the oviduct where the sperm meets the oocytes. We then attempted AI using this new device on 10 females that were at pre-ovulation, and pregnancy was successful in three animals (30% pregnancy rate). These results show that the newly developed device can be used for AI in cynomolgus macaques

Alexithymia characteristics are associated with salience network activity in healthy participants: an arterial spin labeling study

Abstract Background Alexithymia, a personality trait characterized by difficulties in identifying and expressing their emotions despite having a range of emotional experiences, can impact individuals’ stress coping mechanisms. While many studies have investigated brain functions associated with specific tasks in relation to emotion processing, research focusing on resting-state brain functions has been limited. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between alexithymia and brain function by analyzing arterial spin labeling (ASL) data obtained during the resting state. Methods A brain structural and functional imaging study was conducted on 42 healthy adult men and women using ASL and the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) questionnaire survey. Cerebral blood flow and functional connectivity values were calculated for regions of interest in the default mode network, saliency network, and central executive network from the ASL data. Correlation analysis was performed with TAS20 scores, and partial correlation analysis was conducted to control for anxiety and depression. Results The functional connectivity analysis revealed a negative correlation between the functional connectivity of the right insular cortex and left anterior cingulate cortex and the total score of TAS, as well as difficulty identifying feelings and difficulty describing feeling subscores, indicating that the higher the scores, the weaker the functional connectivity between these regions (T = -3.830, p = 0.0013, R = -0.5180). This correlation remained significant even after controlling for anxiety and depression using partial correlation analysis. Conclusion The present study revealed differences in the activity of the Saliency Network at rest as measured by ASL, which were independent of anxiety and depression, and varied depending on the severity of alexithymia. This functional change may underlie the neural basis of decreased emotional processing observed in alexithymia. These findings may contribute to the elucidation of the neural mechanisms of alexithymia, which can lead to social impairments, and suggest the usefulness of ASL measurement as a biomarker of alexithymia