Diffusion with a broad class of stochastic diffusion coefficients

In many physical or biological systems, diffusion can be described by Brownian motions with stochastic diffusion coefficients (DCs). Recently, specific models of the motions have been proposed for anomalous diffusion. In the present study, we investigate properties of the diffusion with a broad class of stochastic DCs using the Fokker-Planck formalism. We show that for a finite time, the propagator is non-Gaussian and heavy-tailed. This means that when the mean square displacements are the same, for a finite time, some of the diffusing particles with stochastic DCs diffuse farther than the particles with deterministic DCs or exhibiting a fractional Brownian motion.Comment: 4 page

Effects of Yoga and Mindfulness Programs on Self-Compassion in Medical Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Intervention Study

Stress among healthcare workers (HCWs) increased during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. We aimed to determine whether a yoga and mindfulness program could alleviate burnout and other psychological and physical distress in HCWs, and how this might affect their empathy for patients. A weekly one-hour yoga and mindfulness program was conducted for three months in 2021. Participants were 18 consenting HCWs and, the final analysis included 13 participants. They responded to online questionnaires before and after the program. We measured salivary cortisol levels before and after the program on the first and last days. Self-measured pulse rates (PRs) were taken before and after each session, which decreased significantly in both cases (before, after the first program: 72, 65 bpm, p < 0.05; before, after the last program: 75, 66, p < 0.05), but salivary cortisol levels did not change. No significant changes were observed in Patient Health Questionnaire-9, Maslach Burnout Inventory, Sense of Coherence, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Self-compassion Scale, or Jefferson Scale of Empathy. However, common humanity, a subscale of self-compassion, increased significantly (before the first program: 5.6, after the last program: 6.5, p < 0.05), and over-identification decreased significantly (7.9, 6.7, p < 0.01). Yoga and mindfulness programs may help improve the sense of common humanity and reduce over-identification in HCWs

Hybrid ubiquinone: novel inhibitor of mitochondrial complex I

AbstractWe synthesized novel ubiquinone analogs by hybridizing the natural ubiquinone ring (2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone) and hydrophobic phenoxybenzamide unit, and named them hybrid ubiquinones (HUs). The HUs worked as electron transfer substrates with bovine heart mitochondrial succinate–ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex II) and ubiquinol–cytochrome c oxidoreductase (complex III), but not with NADH–ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I). With complex I, they acted as inhibitors in a noncompetitive manner against exogenous short-chain ubiquinones irrespective of the presence of the natural ubiquinone ring. Elongation of the distance between the ubiquinone ring and the phenoxybenzamide unit did not recover the electron accepting activity. The structure/activity study showed that high structural specificity of the phenoxybenzamide moiety is required to act as a potent inhibitor of complex I. These findings indicate that binding of the HUs to complex I is mainly decided by some specific interaction of the phenoxybenzamide moiety with the enzyme. It is of interest that an analogous bulky and hydrophobic substructure can be commonly found in recently registered synthetic pesticides the action site of which is mitochondrial complex I

Current Treatment Strategies and Nanoparticle-Mediated Drug Delivery Systems for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

There are three critical pathways for the pathogenesis and progression of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH): the prostacyclin (prostaglandin I-2) (PGI(2)), nitric oxide (NO), and endothelin pathways. The current approved drugs targeting these three pathways, including prostacyclin (PGI(2)), phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE5) inhibitors, and endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs), have been shown to be effective, however, PAH remains a severe clinical condition and the long-term survival of patients with PAH is still suboptimal. The full therapeutic abilities of available drugs are reduced by medication, patient non-compliance, and side effects. Nanoparticles are expected to address these problems by providing a novel drug delivery approach for the treatment of PAH. Drug-loaded nanoparticles for local delivery can optimize the efficacy and minimize the adverse effects of drugs. Prostacyclin (PGI(2)) analogue, PDE5 inhibitors, ERA, pitavastatin, imatinib, rapamycin, fasudil, and oligonucleotides-loaded nanoparticles have been reported to be effective in animal PAH models and in vitro studies. However, the efficacy and safety of nanoparticle mediated-drug delivery systems for PAH treatment in humans are unknown and further clinical studies are required to clarify these points

A Path Model Analysis of the Causal Relationship between Self-care Agency and Healthy Behavior in Community-dwelling Older People from the GAINA Study

[Background] Self-care agency is an important determinant of self-care behavior. The purpose of this study was to identify the causal relationship between self-care agency and healthy behavior, and to construct a conceptual model of healthy behavior among older people living in a rural community. [Methods] This study was conducted as a cross-sectional survey at the Hino, a town in western Tottori Prefecture, Japan. Participants who were enrolled in the Good Ageing and Intervention against Nursing Care and Activity Decline (GAINA) study from 2014 to 2018 (467 new participants) were initially investigated. Of 398 participants aged ? 65 years, 5 were excluded due to missing data, and thus 393 were analyzed. Nurse researchers conducted face-to-face interviews with participants to check the accuracy of data obtained from a self-administered questionnaire, which included demographic information, physical condition (comorbidities, knee pain, low back pain, and locomotive syndrome), healthy behavior, and self-care agency. Correlations among variables were investigated by Pearson’s correlation coefficient analysis, and path analysis was performed to assess causal relationships. [Results] A total of 393 persons (160 men and 233 women) were investigated, ranging in age from 65 to 92 years, with a mean age of 75.1 years (SD: 6.9 years). Path analysis revealed poor fit of a model in which pain and locomotive syndrome were factors inhibiting healthy behavior. When the model included only self-care agency, the indices of model fit were almost satisfactory (Goodness-of-fit index = 0.967, Adjusted goodness-of-fit index = 0.900, Comparative fit index = 0.951, and Root mean square error of approximation = 0.088), and the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.38. The self-care agency items with the greatest influence on healthy behavior were the ability to “grasp the techniques/tips needed to maintain health,” and the ability to “persist with healthy behavior.” [Conclusion] Self-care agency can promote healthy behavior among community-dwelling older people. Regardless of physical problems such as pain and locomotive syndrome, older people have the potential to adopt positive healthy behavior if they acquire self-care agency

Two cases of lymphoepithelial cyst of the pancreas

A 35-year-old man was found to have a cystic mass in the pancreatic body on a routine health examination ; high serum CA19-9 was also detected. The enucleated cyst was diagnosed as a lymphoepithelial cyst (LEC). A 74-year-old man found to have a cystic mass in the pancreatic head by computer tomography as well as high serum CA19-9 was suspected of a cystic neoplasm of the pancreas (IPMN), and pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD) was performed. Pathologically, the cyst was found to be LEC. It is often difficult to diagnose pancreatic cyst as LEC preoperatively. Care should be taken not to do over-surgery for benign disease LEC

Inhibitory effects of RAGE-aptamer on development of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension in rats

Background: The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), a transmembrane receptor belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily, is overexpressed in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and is implicated in the etiology of PAH. Recently, we reported that RAGE-aptamer, a short and single-stranded DNA directed against RAGE, inhibited an inappropriate increase in cultured PASMCs in PAH. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of RAGEaptamer in monocrotaline-induced PAH in rats. Methods and Results: Rats were assigned to either an untreated control group, a group that received continuous subcutaneous administration of RAGE-aptamer immediately after monocrotaline injection, or a group that received control-aptamer immediately after monocrotaline injection. All rats survived 21 days after injection of monocrotaline and control-aptamer or RAGE-aptamer. Injection of monocrotaline with continuous subcutaneous delivery of control-aptamer resulted in higher right ventricular systolic pressure compared with controls. This increase was attenuated by continuous subcutaneous delivery of RAGE-aptamer. The proportion of small pulmonary arteries with full muscularization was greater in the monocrotaline and control-aptamer group than in the control group. Continuous subcutaneous delivery of RAGE-aptamer significantly reduced the percentage of small pulmonary arteries with full muscularization Conclusions: Continuous subcutaneous delivery of RAGE-aptamer suppresses development of monocrotaline-induced PAH in rats. Inhibition of RAGE ameliorates muscularization of 3 small pulmonary arteries. Treatment with RAGE-aptamer might be a new therapeutic option for PAH

A surgical case of small intestinal anisakiasis with symptoms of ileus

We report a surgical case of intestinal anisakiasis in which we identified a complete larva. A 48-year-old man complaining of epigastralgia after eating roasted mackerel was admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of ileus with peritonitis. Abdominal CT showed dilatation and partial thickening of the small intestine. An emergency operation was carried out. On laparotomy, severe stricture of the jejunum was revealed. The affected intestine was resected. A larva whose head was invading the mucosa was found in the resected portion of the jejunum, and we diagnosed the case as intestinal anisakiasis

A case of superior mesenteric artery syndrome after left hemicolectomy for descending colon cancer

A 58-year-old man was diagnosed as having descending colon cancer and underwent a left colectomy with D3 node dissection and end-to-end anastomosis reconstruction. The accessory middle colic artery was secured as a feeding artery, and the middle colic artery was preserved. Diet was started on postoperative day 5 (POD5), and nausea and vomiting appeared on POD10. An upper gastrointestinal series revealed to-and-fro peristalsis in the third portion of the duodenum and dilatation of the proximal duodenum. Abdominal CT showed that the second portion of the duodenum was markedly dilated and the third portion was compressed by the superior mesenteric artery (SMA). As a result, he was diagnosed with post-operative superior mesenteric artery syndrome (SMAS) and treated with conservative therapy. The symptoms improved with a nasogastric tube, and he started to eat after POD26, followed by a successful outcome