Procyanidins in Theobroma cacao Reduce Plasma Cholesterol Levels in High Cholesterol-Fed Rats

We evaluated the effect of cacao procyanidins (CP) on plasma lipid levels in high cholesterol-fed rats. Animals were divided into 4 groups, and each group was fed on either a normal diet, high cholesterol diet (HCD) containing 1% cholesterol (HCD without CP), HCD with 0.5% (HCD with 0.5% CP) or 1.0% CP (HCD with 1.0% CP) for 4 weeks. Plasma cholesterol level was significantly higher in the HCD without CP group than the normal diet group (p<0.01). Supplementation of CP significantly decreased plasma cholesterol (p<0.01) to levels similar to those of the normal diet group. The liver cholesterol and triglyceride levels in all HCD groups were significantly higher (p<0.01), but 1.0% CP feeding significantly reduced this increase. Fecal excretion of neutral sterol and triglyceride was significantly increased in all HCD groups (p<0.01), and the excreted amounts tended to be higher in the HCD with CP groups. The procyanidins dose-dependently reduced micellar solubility of cholesterol and this activity increased with increasing molecular weight. These results suggest that one of the mechanisms of CP to lower plasma cholesterol is inhibition of intestinal absorption of cholesterol

Ad4BP/SF-1 regulates cholesterol synthesis to boost the production of steroids

Housekeeping metabolic pathways such as glycolysis are active in all cell types. In addition, many types of cells are equipped with cell-specific metabolic pathways. To properly perform their functions, housekeeping and cell-specific metabolic pathways must function cooperatively. However, the regulatory mechanisms that couple metabolic pathways remain largely unknown. Recently, we showed that the steroidogenic cell-specific nuclear receptor Ad4BP/ SF-1, which regulates steroidogenic genes, also regulates housekeeping glycolytic genes. Here, we identify cholesterogenic genes as the targets of Ad4BP/SF-1. Further, we reveal that Ad4BP/SF-1 regulates Hummr, a candidate mediator of cholesterol transport from endoplasmic reticula to mitochondria. Given that cholesterol is the starting material for steroidogenesis and is synthesized from acetyl-CoA, which partly originates from glucose, our results suggest that multiple biological processes involved in synthesizing steroid hormones are governed by Ad4BP/SF-1. To our knowledge, this study provides the first example where housekeeping and cell-specific metabolism are coordinated at the transcriptional level.This work was supported by Grants 16H05142 (K.M.), 17H06427 (K.M.), 16K08593 (T.B.), and 17J03270 (M.I.) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI; The Uehara Memorial Foundation (K.M.); Takeda Science Foundation (T.B.); The Shin-Nihon of Advanced Medical Research (T.B.).Supplementary information accompanies this paper at https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-018-0020-z

A Cluster of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections in a Hospital Ward for Adult Immunocompromised Patients

Four male patients admitted to the same ward in the first half of September 201Y were identified to have respiratory syncytial virus（RSV）infection. Their ages ranged from 49 to 85 years（median 72.5）. One patient was infected with human immunodeficiency virus and three patients had hematological malignancies. Following immuno-chromatological testing with a nasal cavity swab, RSV infection was diagnosed. Although blood and sputum cultures were performed in three patients, no significant bacteria were detected. Two cases responded to supportive therapy. However, one patient died secondary to multiple myeloma, and another patient developed pneumonia and died with an exacerbation of leukemia. RSV infections in immunocompromised hosts are associated with a poor prognosis. Early diagnosis will facilitate isolation of infected individuals to prevent hospital outbreaks

Synthesis and characterization of polyurethanes crosslinked by polyrotaxanes consisting of half-methylated cyclodextrins and PEGs with different chain lengths

Three polyurethanes (PRX1500Me-PU, PRX4000Me-PU, and PRX6000Me-PU) crosslinked by polyrotaxanes (PRXs), which consist of half-methylated α-cyclodextrins (CyDs) and poly(oxyethylene)glycols with different chain lengths (PEG1500, PEG4000, and PEG6000), were synthesized. The filling ratios of CyD in PRX1500, PRX4000 and PRX6000 are 75, 63 and 37%, respectively. A polyurethane crosslinked by half-methylated CyD (CDMe-PU) was also prepared for comparison of their structure and properties. ATR-FT-IR spectra of the PUs showed that the formation ratio of hydrogen bond between the PU chains around PRXs increased with increase in the filling ratio. DSC and dynamic viscoelastic measurements and tensile tests for the PUs revealed that (i) reorganized-crystallization of the soft segment chains of PRX1500Me-PU easily occurred because of formation of a pure phase for them; (ii) the thermal and physical behaviors of PRX6000Me-PU are similar to those of CDMe-PU because CyDs as the crosslink points disperse in a similar fashion in the PUs; (iii) the PRX4000 with the moderate filling ratio of CyD in PRX4000Me-PU makes slow reorganized-crystallization of the soft segment chains in the PU as well as improves the tensile performance among the PUs

Explosion earthquakes of Mount Erebus, Antarctica

The characteristics of explosions of Mount Erebus, Antarctica are analyzed using the data of the seismic network operated by the International Mount Erebus Seismic Study (IMESS). About 70 earthquakes have been located by the network between 16 February and 29 June 1982. An aseismic zone is recognizable in the southeastern part of Mount Erebus on the vertical projection of hypocenter distributions. The aseismic zone seems to suggest the existence of a magma reservoir which is estimated to be located beneath the summit. Three types of explosions are recognizable by the seismic and the infrasound signals. The types are named α-, β- and γ-types and characterized as follows : 1) the α-type explosion has high infrasound frequency and high frequency spectra of explosion earthquakes, 2) the β-type has low infrasound frequency and low frequency spectra of explosion earthquakes and 3) the γ-type has low infrasound frequency and small elastic vibrations at the summit station. About 110 explosion earthquakes of both α- and β-types are counted and 14 clear γ-type events were recognized during the period

Seismic activity of Mount Erebus, Antarctica in 1983-1984

Mount Erebus is one of the active volcanoes in antarctica, and seismic observations of it have been made since December 1980 using a radiotelemetered network and several temporary stations. In the 1983-1984 field season, the number of the network stations was increased to eight by adding two new radio-telemetered stations. Volcanic earthquakes in and around Mount Erebus occurred at a rate of 20-160 events per day, which was almost the same rate as in the previous season. No intense earthquake swarm occurred in the 1983-1984 season. The earthquakes in this season are located wide around Mount Erebus. The clustered earthquakes have a dike-like distribution beneath the northern area of the central cone. An aseismic zone is recognized beneath the southwest area of the Erebus summit. This aseismic zone may correspond to a magma reservoir. The earthquakes which were not associated with the eruptions of Mount Erebus can be divided into several types according to their seismograms and spectra of the seismic waves. The seismic waves which may pass through the aseismic zone seem to be strongly attenuated as compared with those which may not pass through the zone

Hakoniwa: A sonification art installation consists of sand and woodblocks

Presented at the 19th International Conference on Auditory Display (ICAD2013) on July 6-9, 2013 in Lodz, Poland.In this research we present an interactive tabletop installation ÒHakoniwaÓ. It consists of a wooden box, white sand and painted woodblocks. In this system, corresponding to the arrangement of woodblocks, a ceiling-mounted projector shows visual effects on the sand surface. At the same time, generative music is composed in a computer corresponding to the arrangement of woodblocks and modeling of the sand. This is an attempt of sonification of miniature garden. We studied Sandtray therapy, one of a famous form of art therapy, as a motif of the installation. We directed our attention to tactile sensation of sand and woodblocks, and tried to extend sandtray using computer vision processing and multi-media output. In this paper we describe details of the interactive system and discuss the possibility of supporting primitive play using such interactive systems

Seismic activity of Mount Erebus, Antarctica in 1982-1983

Mount Erebus is an active volcano with a persistent convecting lava lake at the summit crater, located on Ross Island, Antarctica. Since December 1980 the seismic activity of Mount Erebus has been continuously monitored using a radio-telemetered network of six seismic stations. A 50-day temporary seismic observation was also carried out in the 1982-1983 Antarctic field season. The following seismic activities were observed during this field season : 1) Explosion earthquakes accompanied with Strombolian eruptions from the lava lake occurred at a rate of 0-4 times per day which is slightly lower than the rate in the previous season; 2) an intense earthquake swarm, which is possibly related to the underground movement of magma, occurred in October 1982 near Abbott Peak, 10km northwest of the summit; 3) there were other source regions of seismicity in Ross Island, fairly distant from Mount Erebus to the east