Mammary tissue microenvironment determines T cell-dependent breast cancer-associated inflammation

Although the importance of the host tissue microenvironment in cancer progression and metastasis has been established, the spatiotemporal process establishing a cancer metastasis-prone tissue microenvironment remains unknown. In this study, we aim to understand the immunological character of a metastasis-prone microenvironment in a murine 4T1 breast tumor model, by using the activation of nuclear factor-jb (NF-jB) in cancer cells as a sensor of inflammatory status and by monitoring its activity by bioluminescence imaging. By using a 4T1 breast cancer cell line stably expressing an NF-jB ⁄ Luc2 reporter gene (4T1 NF-jB cells), we observed significantly increased bioluminescence approximately 7 days after metastasis-prone orthotopic mammary fat-pad inoculation but not ectopic s.c. inoculation of 4T1 NF-jB cells. Such in vivo NF-jB activation within the fat-pad 4T1 tumor was diminished in immune-deficient SCID or nude mice, or T celldepleted mice, suggesting the requirement of host T cell-mediated immune responses. Given the fat-pad 4T1 tumor expressed higher inflammatory mediators in a T cell-dependent mechanism compared to the s.c. tumor, our results imply the importance of the surrounding tissue microenvironment for inflaming tumors by collaborating with T cells to instigate metastatic spread of 4T1 breast cancer cells

Literature review of research trends on unnatural deaths in older adult in Japan from 2000 to 2020: A text mining analysis

The purpose of this study was to determine the current state of research on unnatural deaths　in older adults in Japan. We searched original articles published in Japan from 2000 to 2020 by using the key terms“ older adult” and“ unnatural death” and identified 32 articles. We analyzed the articles by quantitative text mining with KH Coder （ver.3.0） software. The most frequently extracted words were“ death,”“ many,”“ discovery,”“ suicide,”“ cause of death,” and“ autopsy.” In the co-occurrence network analysis of words,“ death,”“ many,”“ suicide,” and“ man” had high mediation centrality. We used subgraph detection to classify the top 50 words into 5 groups: “Time delay before discovery of single older adult men after death,”“ Trend for unnatural deaths of missing older adults,”“ Relationship between mental illness and solitary death,”“ Investigation of cause of death by forensic autopsy,” and “Measures for preventing solitary death of older adults isolated from society.” Currently, studies are limited regarding possible measures to prevent solitary deaths among older adults isolated from society. In Japan, there is an urgent need to support older adults at risk of social isolation, such as single men and people with mental illnesses, to help maintain or improve their social integration

Evidence of causality of low body mass index on risk of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: a Mendelian randomization study

IntroductionAdolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a disorder with a three-dimensional spinal deformity and is a common disease affecting 1-5% of adolescents. AIS is also known as a complex disease involved in environmental and genetic factors. A relation between AIS and body mass index (BMI) has been epidemiologically and genetically suggested. However, the causal relationship between AIS and BMI remains to be elucidated.Material and methodsMendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed using summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of AIS (Japanese cohort, 5,327 cases, 73,884 controls; US cohort: 1,468 cases, 20,158 controls) and BMI (Biobank Japan: 173430 individual; meta-analysis of genetic investigation of anthropometric traits and UK Biobank: 806334 individuals; European Children cohort: 39620 individuals; Population Architecture using Genomics and Epidemiology: 49335 individuals). In MR analyses evaluating the effect of BMI on AIS, the association between BMI and AIS summary statistics was evaluated using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method, weighted median method, and Egger regression (MR-Egger) methods in Japanese.ResultsSignificant causality of genetically decreased BMI on risk of AIS was estimated: IVW method (Estimate (beta) [SE] = -0.56 [0.16], p = 1.8 × 10-3), weighted median method (beta = -0.56 [0.18], p = 8.5 × 10-3) and MR-Egger method (beta = -1.50 [0.43], p = 4.7 × 10-3), respectively. Consistent results were also observed when using the US AIS summary statistic in three MR methods; however, no significant causality was observed when evaluating the effect of AIS on BMI.ConclusionsOur Mendelian randomization analysis using large studies of AIS and GWAS for BMI summary statistics revealed that genetic variants contributing to low BMI have a causal effect on the onset of AIS. This result was consistent with those of epidemiological studies and would contribute to the early detection of AIS

A Collective Case Screening of the Zeolites made in Japan for High Performance NH3-SCR of NOx

Zeolites demonstrating better SCR of NOx performance due to wide temperature activity, hydrothermal stability and N2 selectivity have been identified under a joint research initiative by the Research Association of Automotive Internal Combustion Engines (AICE), Japan. Based on the AICE’s standards, over 25 zeolites with different structures and pore dimensions were investigated and their SCR efficiency and durability have been compared. While the performances of the top contenders cannot be related to a single parameter, the results suggest that the SAR, Cu quality/quantity, pore dimensions, diffusivity and acidity play a combined role in deciding the SCR activity and selectivity

Group A streptococcus endocarditis in children: 2 cases and a review of the literature

Abstract Background Infective endocarditis (IE) is defined as endocarditis caused by microorganisms (bacteria or fungi) involving either the heart or great vessels. The clinical course of IE can be complicated by cardiac dysfunction and bacterial embolization to virtually any organ. Staphylococcus aureus and viridans group streptococci are the most common causative organisms, whereas group A Streptococcus (GAS) is less common. Although some GAS serotypes have been associated with severe disease, there are few reports of IE associated with GAS serotypes. Here, we report two cases of GAS endocarditis and review the associated literature. Case presentations Patient 1 was a previously healthy 14-year-old girl who developed bacteremia and disseminated intravascular coagulation secondary to left foot cellulitis. She was administered intravenous antibiotics. Two of three blood cultures grew Streptococcus pyogenes (T6 M6, emm6.104). Three days later, a new systolic ejection murmur was heard and echocardiography showed mitral regurgitation with mitral valve vegetation. Because of the resultant severity of the mitral regurgitation, she underwent mitral valve repair after 10 weeks of antibiotic treatment. Patient 2 was a 17-month old boy who presented with a fever. He had a history of spontaneous closure of a ventricular septal defect (VSD). He was started on intravenous antibiotics for possible bacteremia. Two consecutive blood cultures with an interval of more than 12 h grew S. pyogenes (T4 M4, emm4.0). Five days later, echocardiography showed vegetation on a membranous ventricular septal aneurysm. The patient responded well to antibiotics, and recovered fully with no complications. Conclusions Although both patients developed GAS endocarditis, patient 1 did not have any predisposing conditions for IE, and patient 2 had a only a low-risk predisposing condition, a VSD that had closed spontaneously at five months of age. We found twelve reports in the literature of GAS endocarditis with information on serotypes. All patients in these reports had GAS endocarditis caused by serotypes generally associated with milder infections, but no specific risk trends were identified. A greater accumulation of cases is necessary to more clearly elucidate the association between GAS IE and specific serotypes

AFX Zeolite for Use as a Support of NH3-SCR Catalyst Mining through AICE Joint Research Project of Industries–Academia–Academia

This paper introduces a joint industries–academia–academia research project started by researchers in several automobile companies and universities working on a single theme. Our first target was to find a zeolite for NH3-SCR, that is, zeolite mining. Zeolite AFX, having the same topology of SSZ-16, was found to be the one of the zeolites. SSZ-16 can be synthesized by using an organic structure-directing agent such as 1,1′-tetramethylenebis(1-azonia-4-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octane; Dab-4, resulting in the formation of Al-rich SSZ-16 with Si/Al below five. We found that AFX crystallized by use of N,N,N′,N′-tetraethylbicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-ene-2,3:5,6-dipyrrolidinium ion, called TEBOP in this study, had the same analog as SSZ-16 having Si/Al around six and a smaller particle size than SSZ-16. The AFX demonstrated a high performance for NH3-SCR as the zeolitic support to load a large number of divalent Cu ionic species with high hydrothermal stability

AFX Zeolite for Use as a Support of NH₃-SCR Catalyst Mining through AICE Joint Research Project of Industries–Academia–Academia

This paper introduces a joint industries–academia–academia research project started by researchers in several automobile companies and universities working on a single theme. Our first target was to find a zeolite for NH3-SCR, that is, zeolite mining. Zeolite AFX, having the same topology of SSZ-16, was found to be the one of the zeolites. SSZ-16 can be synthesized by using an organic structure-directing agent such as 1,1′-tetramethylenebis(1-azonia-4-azabicyclo[2.2.2]octane; Dab-4, resulting in the formation of Al-rich SSZ-16 with Si/Al below five. We found that AFX crystallized by use of N,N,N′,N′-tetraethylbicyclo[2.2.2]oct-7-ene-2,3:5,6-dipyrrolidinium ion, called TEBOP in this study, had the same analog as SSZ-16 having Si/Al around six and a smaller particle size than SSZ-16. The AFX demonstrated a high performance for NH3-SCR as the zeolitic support to load a large number of divalent Cu ionic species with high hydrothermal stability

Pre-hospital airway management and neurological status of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A retrospective cohort study

Purpose: Little is known about whether pre-hospital advanced airway management (AAM) under the presence of a physician could improve outcome of patients with cardiac arrest, compared with pre-hospital AAM under the absence of a physician. Methods: This retrospective multicentre-cohort study enrolled consecutive patients who were transported to participating hospitals after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Japan between 1 June 2014 and 31 December 2019. We included patients who underwent pre-hospital AAM and resuscitation after arrival at hospital, and who were ≥18 years of age, with medical aetiologies. The primary outcome was favourable neurological survival (Cerebral Performance Category score of 1 or 2) one month after cardiac arrest. The primary outcome was called one-month favourable neurological survival. The first confirmed cardiac rhythm was defined using 3-lead electrocardiogram monitor or an automated external defibrillator and by determining whether the carotid artery was pulsating. Previous research found that the presence of a pre-hospital physician was associated with improved patients’ outcomes, after the type of first confirmed cardiac rhythm was considered. Therefore, the first confirmed cardiac rhythm in current study was subdivided into non-shockable or shockable groups. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed on propensity score-matched patients. Results: We analysed 16,703 patients. Among the 2,346 patients in the non-shockable group, 1.2% (N = 29) achieved the primary outcome. The adjusted odds ratio of pre-hospital AAM with or without a physician for the primary outcome in the results of the non-shockable group was 4.64 (95% confidence interval: 1.81–14.4). Among the 826 patients in the shockable group, 16.9% (N = 140) achieved the primary outcome and the adjusted odds ratio of pre-hospital AAM with or without a physician for the primary outcome in the results of the shockable group was 1.05 (95% confidence interval: 0.67–1.63). Conclusions: This retrospective multicentre-cohort study found that pre-hospital AAM under the presence of a physician was significantly associated with increased neurological outcome in specific patients with cardiac arrest, compared with pre-hospital AAM under the absence of a physician