Properties and evolution of emission in molecular aggregates of a perylene ammonium derivative in polymer matrices

Accepted 27 Jul 2015Size-dependent fluorescent properties of aggregates of a perylene ammonium derivative (PeryAm) were studied by steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic methods. Quantitative analyses of aggregated states in aqueous solution indicated that the aggregation proceeded through dimer units of PeryAm. The fluorescence of the aggregate in the PVA film prepared from the aqueous solution continuously redshifted with an increase in the concentration of PeryAm in the mother liquor while keeping the absorption spectra in almost the same band shapes. Fluorescence anisotropy values of aggregates in the PVA film were dependent on the monitoring wavelength, and time profiles of the fluorescence at longer wavelengths showed a rapid increase just after the pulsed excitation. These results indicated efficient energy transfer to the stable sites in aggregates. Fluorescence microscopy images showed that aggregates were segregated in the PVA film and the color of the emission was dependent on the size of the aggregate. Under the steady-state irradiation, the emission color of the aggregates changed from green to yellow, which was attributable to the association of a small cluster of PeryAm with the green emission resulting in the formation of yellow-colored aggregates. On the basis of these results, we have discussed the mechanisms and dynamics of the aggregation and size-dependent emission in aggregates.ArticlePHOTOCHEMICAL & PHOTOBIOLOGICAL SCIENCES. 14(10):1896-1902 (2015)journal articl

A Pilot Study: The Beneficial Effects of Combined Statin-exercise Therapy on Cognitive Function in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease and Mild Cognitive Decline.

Objective Hypercholesterolemia, a risk factor in cognitive impairment, can be treated with statins. However, cognitive decline associated with "statins" (HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors) is a clinical concern. This pilot study investigated the effects of combining statins and regular exercise on cognitive function in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with prior mild cognitive decline. Methods We recruited 43 consecutive CAD patients with mild cognitive decline. These patients were treated with a statin and weekly in-hospital aerobic exercise for 5 months. We measured serum lipids, exercise capacity, and cognitive function using the mini mental state examination (MMSE). Results Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly decreased, and maximum exercise capacity (workload) was significantly increased in patients with CAD and mild cognitive decline after treatment compared with before. Combined statin-exercise therapy significantly increased the median (range) MMSE score from 24 (22-25) to 25 (23-27) across the cohort (p<0.01). Changes in body mass index (BMI) were significantly and negatively correlated with changes in the MMSE. After treatment, MMSE scores in the subgroup of patients that showed a decrease in BMI were significantly improved, but not in the BMI-increased subgroup. Furthermore, the patients already on a statin at the beginning of the trial displayed a more significant improvement in MMSE score than statin-naïve patients, implying that exercise might be the beneficial aspect of this intervention as regards cognition. In a multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age >65 years, sex, and presence of diabetes mellitus, a decrease in BMI during statin-exercise therapy was significantly correlated with an increase in the MMSE score (odds ratio: 4.57, 95% confidence interval: 1.05-20.0; p<0.05). Conclusion Statin-exercise therapy may help improve cognitive dysfunction in patients with CAD and pre-existing mild cognitive decline

Parental gender influences their intention to HPV vaccinate their children, and the association between HPV and COVID-19 vaccination intentions

Oka E., Ueda Y., Yagi A., et al. Parental gender influences their intention to HPV vaccinate their children, and the association between HPV and COVID-19 vaccination intentions. Vaccine: X 17, 100441 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvacx.2024.100441.Purpose: The coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has increased public awareness of infectious diseases and interest in vaccines, including the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine. We investigated differences between parental gender and intentions to vaccinate their child for HPV and COVID-19. Methods: We analyzed data from Japan's COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey (JACSIS), a web-based cross-sectional survey of 2,444 respondents in 2021. Results: Females were more knowledgeable and more afraid of HPV and COVID-19 than males. The proportions of females in favor of, or against, HPV vaccination was higher than among males. The fathers’ intention for HPV vaccination was significantly associated with the child's gender, knowledge regarding HPV, and intention to inoculate with the COVID-19 vaccine. The mothers’ intention was also associated with her knowledge of HPV and her intention to seek the COVID-19 vaccine, but it included a greater fear of HPV infection. Both male and female parents favored the COVID-19 vaccine over the HPV vaccine. Parents approving of COVID-19 vaccination believed in the overall efficacy of vaccines and were more receptive to opinions from the administration and physicians, even if the parent was currently against HPV vaccination. Conclusions: Mothers were more knowledgeable about HPV and more favorable to vaccinate their child for HPV than fathers. The intention to have children COVID-19 vaccinated was also higher than for HPV vaccination. During this period of heightened public interest in vaccines due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this is a good time to educate and inform the public about HPV

Particle acceleration by magnetic reconnection in geospace

Particles are accelerated to very high, non-thermal energies during explosive energy-release phenomena in space, solar, and astrophysical plasma environments. While it has been established that magnetic reconnection plays an important role in the dynamics of Earth's magnetosphere, it remains unclear how magnetic reconnection can further explain particle acceleration to non-thermal energies. Here we review recent progress in our understanding of particle acceleration by magnetic reconnection in Earth's magnetosphere. With improved resolutions, recent spacecraft missions have enabled detailed studies of particle acceleration at various structures such as the diffusion region, separatrix, jets, magnetic islands (flux ropes), and dipolarization front. With the guiding-center approximation of particle motion, many studies have discussed the relative importance of the parallel electric field as well as the Fermi and betatron effects. However, in order to fully understand the particle acceleration mechanism and further compare with particle acceleration in solar and astrophysical plasma environments, there is a need for further investigation of, for example, energy partition and the precise role of turbulence.Comment: Submitted to Space Science Review

Effectiveness of catch-up and routine program of the 9-valent vaccine on cervical cancer risk reduction in Japan

Yagi A., Nakagawa S., Ueda Y., et al. Effectiveness of catch-up and routine program of the 9-valent vaccine on cervical cancer risk reduction in Japan. Cancer Science 115, 916 (2024); https://doi.org/10.1111/cas.16055.In 2013, the national human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization program began. However, in June 2013, Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) announced a “temporary” suspension of its recommendation for the human papillomavirus vaccine. Finally, in November 2021, the MHLW ended its suspension of the recommendation of the HPV vaccine. To address the 9-year gap in HPV vaccinations the suspension had caused, the MHLW conducted a program of catch-up vaccinations from April 2022 to March 2025. Finally, in April 2023, the 9-valent HPV vaccine was approved for both the routine and catch-up vaccination programs in Japan. In this study, we investigated the potential effects of the introduction of the 9-valent vaccine on the increased risk of cervical cancer in females born after fiscal year (FY) 2000. We estimated the lifetime relative risk of cervical cancer incidence and death using the improved routine and catch-up vaccination rates after the recent resumption of the governmental recommendation for women and girls to have the HPV vaccination. These relative risks were calculated using a lifetime risk of 1.000 for cervical cancer incidence and death for females born in FY 1993. We predicted that even if a 90% vaccination rate were to be achieved by FY 2024 with the 9-valent vaccine among women born between FY 2000 and FY 2005, the risk would remain higher than for the vaccination generation. Therefore, for women born between FY 2000 and FY 2005, it will be necessary to significantly improve the cervical cancer screening rate to compensate for this increased risk

Endogenous androgens diminish food intake and activation of orexin A neurons in response to reduced glucose availability in male rats

Sex steroids modify feeding behavior and body weight regulation, and androgen reportedly augments food intake and body weight gain. To elucidate the role of endogenous androgens in the feeding regulation induced by reduced glucose availability, we examined the effect of gonadectomy (orchiectomy) on food intake and orexin A neuron’s activity in the lateral hypothalamic/perifornical area (LH/PFA) in response to reduced glucose availability (glucoprivation) induced by 2-deoxy-d-glucose (2DG) administration in male rats. Rats (7W) were bilaterally orchiectomized (ORX group) or sham operated (Sham group). Seventeen days after the surgery, food intake response to 2DG (400 mg/kg, i.v.) was measured for 4 h after the infusion. The same experiment was performed for the immunohistochemical examination of c-Fos-expressing orexin A neurons in the LH/PFA and c-Fos expression in the arcuate nucleus (Arc). Food intake induced by glucoprivation was greater in the ORX group than the Sham group, and the glucoprivation-induced food intake was inversely correlated with plasma testosterone concentration. Glucoprivation stimulated c-Fos expression of the orexin A neurons at the LH/PFA and c-Fos expression in the dorsomedial Arc. The number and percentage of c-Fos-expressing orexin A neurons in the LH/PFA and c-Fos expression in the dorsomedial Arc were significantly higher in the ORX group than the Sham group. This indicates that endogenous androgen, possibly testosterone, diminishes the food intake induced by reduced glucose availability, possibly via the attenuated activity of orexin A neuron in the LH/PFA and neurons in the dorsomedial Arc

Visceral Fat Accumulation is Associated with Oxidative Stress and Increased Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Expression in Atherogenic Factor-overlapped Model Rats

Visceral fat accumulation in lifestyle-related diseases increases the risk of atherosclerosis. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an important role in the progression of atherosclerosis. We examined atherogenic factor-overlapped model rats to clarify the relationships among visceral fat, oxidative stress, and MMPs. We used four groups of male, 11-month-old, spontaneously hypertensive hyperlipidemic rats (SHHRs) or Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Animals were fed either a diet of high fat and 30% sucrose solution (HFDS) or a normal diet (ND) ad libitum for 6 months. The visceral fat weight increased by approximately three fold in SHHR-HFDS compared to SHHR-ND. The oxidative stress marker in plasma and MMP-9 mRNA expression in white blood cells increased in SHHR-HFDS compared to the other groups. A correlation was determined between oxidative stress and visceral fat or MMP-9 mRNA in all rats. Lipid deposition and immunostaining of CD68 and MMP-9 were observed mainly in the intima of aorta in SHHR-HFDS, while tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 mRNA expression decreased in both SHHR groups. The findings suggested that increased oxidative stress due to the visceral fat accumulation induced MMP-9 expression and macrophage accumulation in the intima of aorta in lifestyle-related disease model rats

Prevalence and associated factors of chronic constipation among Japanese university students

BackgroundChronic constipation (CC) is one of the most frequently reported gastrointestinal disorders in the general population and a prominent problem among university students. The study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and the associated factors of CC among Japanese university students.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among university students at Hiroshima University, Japan. Students answered the web questionnaire when making a web reservation for the health checkup (April 1 to May 31, 2023). The web questionnaire consisted of four sections, including baseline characteristics, lifestyle factors, family history of CC, and three scales to assess depression and eating disorders: the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Eating Attitudes Test (EAT)-26 and Bulimic Investigatory Test (BITE). CC was diagnosed using Rome IV criteria. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine CC-related factors.ResultsOut of 10,500 individuals who participated in the annual health checkup, 7,496 participants answered the web questionnaire, of whom 5,386 answered all the survey questions. The mean age of the students was 21.1 ± 4.1 years. The male-to-female ratio was 1:1.17. The prevalence of CC was 13.7%. Factors significantly associated with CC in the multivariate model were first-degree family members with CC [Odd ratio (OR): 2.77, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.31–3.31], severe depression according to BDI scale (OR: 2.59, 95% CI: 1.96–3.43), female sex (OR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.69–2.36), and short sleep duration of 6 hours or less per day (OR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.09–1.50). Lack of physical exercise tended to be associated with CC (OR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.00–1.40).ConclusionsCC is prevalent among Japanese university students. Significant risk factors for CC included the first-degree family history of CC, severe depression, female sex, and short sleep duration. Lack of physical exercise tended to be associated with CC. This may contribute to implementing suitable education health programs, health care professionals, and public health policies to identify individuals at risk for CC to prevent and treat CC effectively