Neuromagnetic Activation of Primaryand Secondary Somatosensory Cortex Following Tactile-on and Tactile-off Stimulation

Objective Magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings were performed to investigate the cortical activation following tactile-on and tactile-off stimulation. Methods We used a 306-ch whole-head MEG system and a tactile stimulator driven by a piezoelectric actuator. Tactile stimuli were applied to the tip of right index finger. The interstimulus interval was set at 2000 ms, which included a constant stimulus of 1000 ms duration. Results Prominent somatosensory evoked magnetic fields were recorded from the contralateral hemisphere at 57.5 ms and 133.0 ms after the onset of tactile-on stimulation and at 58.2 ms and 138.5 ms after the onset of tactile-off stimulation. All corresponding equivalent current dipoles (ECDs) were located in the primary somatosensory cortex (SI). Moreover, long-latency responses (168.7 ms after tactile-on stimulation, 169.8 ms after tactile-off stimulation) were detected from the ipsilateral hemisphere. The ECDs of these signals were identified in the secondary somatosensory cortex (SII). Conclusions The somatosensory evoked magnetic fields waveforms elicited by the two tactile stimuli (tactile-on and tactile-off stimuli) with a mechanical stimulator were strikingly similar. These mechanical stimuli elicited both contralateral SI and ipsilateral SII activities. Significance Tactile stimulation with a mechanical stimulator provides new possibilities for experimental designs in studies of the human mechanoreceptor system

Progressing subglottic and tracheobronchial stenosis in a patient with CHARGE syndrome diagnosed in adulthood

AbstractA 33-year-old woman was admitted for a pseudocroup-like cough and wheezing after general anesthesia. Several months ago, she had undergone cardiac re-operation and turbinectomy, both of which had involved difficult intubations. Bronchoscopy indicated a pin-hall-like subglottic stenosis; therefore, emergency tracheotomy was performed. Six years later, a computed tomography scan demonstrated progressive stenosis of the entire circumference of the trachea and main bronchi. She died at 40 years. Her autopsy revealed marked tracheobronchial stenosis. She had many medical histories that had gone undiagnosed and had been clinically ill with only heart defects. She did not have coloboma but had microphthalmos, atresia choanae, retarded growth development, and deafness; thus, we diagnosed CHARGE syndrome that refers to multiple congenital anomalies, including airway abnormalities, which can lead to secondary complications such as traumatic stenosis after intubation. Physicians should have knowledge of this rare disease and should pay special attention to potential airway problems

Cardiac side population cells have a potential to migrate and differentiate into cardiomyocytes in vitro and in vivo

Side population (SP) cells, which can be identified by their ability to exclude Hoechst 33342 dye, are one of the candidates for somatic stem cells. Although bone marrow SP cells are known to be long-term repopulating hematopoietic stem cells, there is little information about the characteristics of cardiac SP cells (CSPs). When cultured CSPs from neonatal rat hearts were treated with oxytocin or trichostatin A, some CSPs expressed cardiac-specific genes and proteins and showed spontaneous beating. When green fluorescent protein–positive CSPs were intravenously infused into adult rats, many more (∼12-fold) CSPs were migrated and homed in injured heart than in normal heart. CSPs in injured heart differentiated into cardiomyocytes, endothelial cells, or smooth muscle cells (4.4%, 6.7%, and 29% of total CSP-derived cells, respectively). These results suggest that CSPs are intrinsic cardiac stem cells and involved in the regeneration of diseased hearts

Detection of a bright burst from the repeating FRB 20201124A at 2 GHz

We present a detection of a bright burst from FRB 20201124A, which is one of the most active repeating FRBs, based on S-band observations with the 64-m radio telescope at the Usuda Deep Space Center/JAXA. This is the first FRB observed by using a Japanese facility. Our detection at 2 GHz in February 2022 is the highest frequency for this FRB and the fluence of $>$ 189 Jy ms is one of the brightest bursts from this FRB source. We place an upper limit on the spectral index $\alpha$ = -2.14 from the detection of the S band and non-detection of the X band at the same time. We compare an event rate of the detected burst with ones of the previous research, and suggest that the power-law of the luminosity function might be broken at lower fluence, and the fluences of bright FRBs distribute up to over 2 GHz with the power-law against frequency. In addition, we show the energy density of the burst detected in this work was comparable to the bright population of one-off FRBs. We propose that repeating FRBs can be as bright as one-off FRBs, and only their brightest bursts could be detected so some of repeating FRBs intrinsically might have been classified as one-off FRBs.Comment: 8 pages, 5 figures, accepted for publication in Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan (PASJ

Review Article : Feudalism or Absolute Monarchism?

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/68809/2/10.1177_009770049001600304.pd

Implementation of endoscopic submucosal dissection in Europe: survey after ten ESD expert training workshops 2009 – 2018

Background and aims Transfer of ESD technique for early gastrointestinal cancer from Japan requires expert-supervised experimental training before unsupervised implementation of clinical ESD. Aims To evaluate unsupervised implementation of ESD-intention-to-treat (-ITT). Methods ESD Workshops (in-vivo porcine model) lasted 3.3 days including one day theory for 177 participants from 135 Western referral centers. A questionnaire was sent to the senior participant of all 135 centers. Design Cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Main outcome measurements Performance, organ distribution, severe adverse events of ESD-ITT. Results Feedback was received from 113 centers (84%), i.e. 73 (54%) ESD centers and 40 centers (30%) with zero ESD; 10 (7%) had published ESD; no feedback from 12 (9%) centers with unknown status. Altogether, 83 centers (61.5%) perform ESD: 21 (16%) had >150 ESD (professional category), 33 (24%) had 31-150 ESD (competent category), and 29 (21.5%) had ≤ 30 ESD (initial learning category). Most implemented ESD centers (91%, 72 of 79) were analyzed: Centers on initial learning (420 ESD) compared to centers with >30 ESD (5676 ESD) performed en-bloc ESD in 64% vs. 84%, hybrid-ESD in 26% vs.11% and piecemeal-EMR in 10% vs. 5.2%. Majority of ESD (66-68%) were in colorectum, overall with low risk (30-day mortality 0.03%, surgical repair 3.5% vs. 1.7%) and satisfactory outcome (oncosurgery 7.4% vs. 5.2%, local recurrence 1.5% vs. 0.3%). Conclusions Beyond guideline recommendations, unsupervised implementation of ESD was successful in colorectum with step-up approach. Now, Western ESD centers have to aim for professional (i.e. >80%) curative ESD

Investigation of the individual genetic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in a small cluster during the rapid spread of the BF.5 lineage in Tokyo, Japan

There has been a decreasing trend in new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cases and fatalities worldwide. The virus has been evolving, indicating the potential emergence of new variants and uncertainties. These challenges necessitate continued efforts in disease control and mitigation strategies. We investigated a small cluster of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infections containing a common set of genomic mutations, which provided a valuable model for investigating the transmission mechanism of genetic alterations. We conducted a study at a medical center in Japan during the Omicron surge (sub-lineage BA.5), sequencing the entire SARS-CoV-2 genomes from infected individuals and evaluating the phylogenetic tree and haplotype network among the variants. We compared the mutations present in each strain within the BA.5 strain, TKYnat2317, which was first identified in Tokyo, Japan. From June 29th to July 4th 2022, nine healthcare workers (HCWs) tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by real-time PCR. During the same period, five patients also tested positive by real-time PCR. Whole genome sequencing revealed that the infected patients belonged to either the isolated BA.2 or BA.5 sub-lineage, while the healthcare worker infections were classified as BF.5. The phylogenetic tree and haplotype network clearly showed the specificity and similarity of the HCW cluster. We identified 12 common mutations in the cluster, including I110V in nonstructural protein 4 (nsp4), A1020S in the Spike protein, and H47Y in ORF7a, compared to the BA.5 reference. Additionally, one case had the extra nucleotide-deletion mutation I27* in ORF10, and low frequencies of genetic alterations were also found in certain instances. The results of genome sequencing showed that the nine HCWs shared a set of genetic mutations, indicating transmission within the cluster. Minor mutations observed in five HCW individuals suggested the emergence of new virus variants. Five amino acid substitutions occurred in nsp3, which could potentially affect virus replication or immune escape. Intra-host evolution also generated additional mutations. The cluster exhibited a mild disease course, with individuals in this case, recovering without requiring any medical treatments. Further investigation is needed to understand the relationship between the genetic evolution of the virus and the symptoms

A Global Vision and Strategy for Organic Farming Research. First Draft.

Organic agriculture world-wide offers the promise of a future to produce and distribute food and other farm products in a healthy, ecologically sound, truly sustainable and fair way. The full benefits of organic agriculture are just now being realized—from ecosystem services to the provision of healthier food - yet, to reach its full potential organic farming needs to address many challenges. While organic agriculture has grown in strength and is in the most favorable position it has ever been in with respect to market conditions, government policies and international institutional support, it still does not have adequate resources to continue its expansion. The Technology Innovation Platform of IFOAM (TIPI) has developed a vision and an agenda to advance organic agriculture through research, development, innovation and technology transfer. TIPI’s vision recognizes that current technologies based on heavy use of external inputs that are toxic and pollute the environment come with a price. Investments in ecosystem services and the development of technologies that are productive, stable, adaptable, resilient, and fairly shared are much more likely to sustain the world’s population in a rapidly changing environment. Sustainable pathways to innovation will require engagement of all stakeholders in a science driven multi-disciplinary approach. Such an approach seeks to (1) Empower rural areas, (2) Provide eco-functional intensification that produces food and ecosystem services, and (3) Provide food for the health and well-being available to all. Organic agriculture must build the capacity to fulfill the world’s food needs for the entire population if it is to fulfill its mission. The new paradigm proposed by TIPI is founded upon a whole systems approach, the engagement of farmers, researchers and other practitioners in a co-innovative approach; and open access technologies that are readily adapted to local conditions. While there are barriers and bottlenecks that will need to be overcome for this vision to be realized, TIPI calls upon the organic community to support its 14 point action plan to advance organic agriculture in a forward-thinking and innovative way