Extracellular Vesicles: A New Frontier for Research in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Recent research on extracellular vesicles (EVs) has provided new insights into pathogenesis and potential therapeutic options for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). EVs are membrane-bound anuclear structures that carry important intercellular communication mechanisms, allowing targeted transfer of diverse biologic cargo, including protein, mRNA, and microRNA, among several different cell types. In this review, we discuss the important role EVs play in both inducing and attenuating inflammatory lung injury in ARDS as well as in sepsis, the most important clinical cause of ARDS. We discuss the translational challenges that need to be overcome before EVs can also be used as prognostic biomarkers in patients with ARDS and sepsis. We also consider how EVs may provide a platform for novel therapeutics in ARDS

The Cerebellum Is a Common Key for Visuospatial Execution and Attention in Parkinson’s Disease

Cognitive decline affects the clinical course in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and contributes to a poor prognosis. However, little is known about the underlying network-level abnormalities associated with each cognitive domain. We aimed to identify the networks related to each cognitive domain in PD using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Forty patients with PD and 15 normal controls were enrolled. All subjects underwent MRI and the Mini-Mental State Examination. Furthermore, the cognitive function of patients with PD was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). We used independent component analysis of the resting-state functional MRI for functional segmentation, followed by reconstruction to identify each domain-related network, to predict scores in PD using multiple regression models. Six networks were identified, as follows: the visuospatial-executive-domain-related network (R2 = 0.54, p < 0.001), naming-domain-related network (R2 = 0.39, p < 0.001), attention-domain-related network (R2 = 0.86, p < 0.001), language-domain-related network (R2 = 0.64, p < 0.001), abstraction-related network (R2 = 0.10, p < 0.05), and orientation-domain-related network (R2 = 0.64, p < 0.001). Cerebellar lobule VII was involved in the visuospatial-executive-domain-related and attention-domain-related networks. These two domains are involved in the first three listed nonamnestic cognitive impairment in the diagnostic criteria for PD with dementia (PDD). Furthermore, Brodmann area 10 contributed most frequently to each domain-related network. Collectively, these findings suggest that cerebellar lobule VII may play a key role in cognitive impairment in nonamnestic types of PDD

How can ‘Social Justice-oriented Health and Physical Education’ Contribute to the Problem of "Disparities" among Children?

The purpose of this study was to focus on social justice in health and physical education and to review the previous studies on social justice-oriented health and physical education classes and teachers of health and physical education. In order to achieve this purpose, the literature review was used supporting the framework of justice, practice, and teacher training proposed by Cochran-Smith et al. (2010). As a result of examining previous studies on social justice-oriented health and physical education, the following four points were clarified; (1) The lack of research on teacher training within the health and physical education field, comparing with the amount of previous work done on practical research. (2) Differences in the research on the disparity in health and physical education at elementary, junior-high, and high-school levels. (3) Inequality of studies on physical education and health education regarding gender equality, sexual minorities, gender role image. (4) Difficulties and factors inhibiting the development of inclusive education classes during teacher training curriculum. The findings of this study promote the perspective of social justice, which no one should be excluded by their background or abilities, and the concept of social justice would be adopted by physical education teachers and their children

The Hearing Outcomes of Cochlear Implantation in Waardenburg Syndrome

Objectives. This study aimed to determine the feasibility of cochlear implantation for sensorineural hearing loss in patients with Waardenburg syndrome. Method. A retrospective chart review was performed on patients who underwent cochlear implantation at the University of Tokyo Hospital. Clinical classification, genetic mutation, clinical course, preoperative hearing threshold, highresolution computed tomography of the temporal bone, and postoperative hearing outcome were assessed. Result. Five children with Waardenburg syndrome underwent cochlear implantation. The average age at implantation was 2 years 11 months (ranging from 1 year 9 months to 6 years 3 months). Four patients had congenital profound hearing loss and one patient had progressive hearing loss. Two patients had an inner ear malformation of cochlear incomplete partition type 2. No surgical complication or difficulty was seen in any patient. All patients showed good hearing outcome postoperatively. Conclusion. Cochlear implantation could be a good treatment option for Waardenburg syndrome

Improved redox cycling durability in alternative Ni alloy-based SOFC anodes

Repeated reduction and oxidation of metallic nickel in the anodes of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) causes volume changes and agglomeration. This disrupts the electron conducting network, resulting in deterioration of the electrochemical performance. It is therefore desirable to develop more robust anodes with high redox stability. Here, new cermet anodes are developed, based on nickel alloyed with Co, Fe, and/or Cr. The stable phases of these different alloys are calculated for oxidizing and reducing conditions, and their electrochemical characteristics are evaluated. Whilst alloying causes a slight decrease in power generation efficiency, the Ni-alloy based anodes have significantly improved redox cycle durability. Microstructural observation reveals that alloying results in the formation of a dense oxide film on the surface of the catalyst particle (e.g. Co-oxide or a complex Fe-Ni-Cr oxide). These oxide layers help suppress oxidation of the underlying nickel catalyst particles, preventing oxidation-induced volume changes/agglomeration, and thereby preserving the electron conducting pathways. As such, the use of these alternative Ni-alloy based cermets significantly improves the redox stability of SOFC anodes

Aluminium reduces sugar uptake in tobacco cell cultures: a potential cause of inhibited elongation but not of toxicity

Aluminium is well known to inhibit plant elongation, but the role in this inhibition played by water relations remains unclear. To investigate this, tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) suspension-cultured cells (line SL) was used, treating them with aluminium (50 μM) in a medium containing calcium, sucrose, and MES (pH 5.0). Over an 18 h treatment period, aluminium inhibited the increase in fresh weight almost completely and decreased cellular osmolality and internal soluble sugar content substantially; however, aluminium did not affect the concentrations of major inorganic ions. In aluminium-treated cultures, fresh weight, soluble sugar content, and osmolality decreased over the first 6 h and remained constant thereafter, contrasting with their continued increases in the untreated cultures. The rate of sucrose uptake, measured by radio-tracer, was reduced by approximately 60% within 3 h of treatment. Aluminium also inhibited glucose uptake. In an aluminium-tolerant cell line (ALT301) isogenic to SL, all of the above-mentioned changes in water relations occurred and tolerance emerged only after 6 h and appeared to involve the suppression of reactive oxygen species. Further separating the effects of aluminium on elongation and cell survival, sucrose starvation for 18 h inhibited elongation and caused similar changes in cellular osmolality but stimulated the production of neither reactive oxygen species nor callose and did not cause cell death. We propose that the inhibition of sucrose uptake is a mechanism whereby aluminium inhibits elongation, but does not account for the induction of cell death