Highly complex mitochondrial DNA genealogy in an endemic Japanese subterranean breeding brown frog Rana tagoi (Amphibia, Anura, Ranidae).

The endemic Japanese frog Rana tagoi is unique among Holarctic brown frogs in that it breeds in small subterranean streams. Using mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 genes, we investigated genealogical relationships among geographic samples of this species together with its relative R. sakuraii, which is also a unique stream breeder. These two species together form a monophyletic group, within which both are reciprocally paraphyletic. Rana tagoi is divided into two major clades (Clade A and B) that are composed of 14 genetic groups. Rana sakuraii is included in Clade A and split into two genetic groups, one of which forms a clade (Subclade A-2) with sympatric R. tagoi. This species-level paraphyly appears to be caused by incomplete taxonomy, in addition to introgressive hybridization and/or incomplete lineage sorting. Rana tagoi strongly differs from other Japanese anurans in its geographic pattern of genetic differentiation, most probably in relation to its unique reproductive habits. Taxonomically, R. tagoi surely includes many cryptic species

Multiple Sulfur Isotope Records of the 3.22 Ga Moodies Group, Barberton Greenstone Belt

Co-auteur étrangerInternational audienceThe Moodies Group, the uppermost unit in the Barberton Greenstone Belt (BGB) in SouthAfrica, is a ~3.7-km-thick coarse clastic succession accumulated on terrestrial-to-shallow marinesettings at around 3.22 Ga. The multiple sulfur isotopic composition of pyrite of Moodies intervalswas newly obtained to examine the influence of these depositional settings on the sulfur isotope record.Conglomerate and sandstone rocks were collected from three synclines north of the Inyoka Fault of thecentral BGB, namely, the Eureka, Dycedale, and Saddleback synclines. The sulfur isotopic compositionof pyrite was analyzed by Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS) for 6 samples from the threesynclines and by Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IR-MS) for 17 samples from a stratigraphic sectionin the Saddleback Syncline. The present results show a signal of mass-independent fractionation ofsulfur isotopes (S-MIF), although t-tests statistically demonstrated that the Moodies S-MIF signals(mostly 0% < D33S < +0.5%) are significantly small compared to the signal of the older Paleoarchean(3.6–3.2 Ga) records. These peculiar signatures might be related to initial deposition of detrital pyriteof juvenile origin from the surrounding intrusive (tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite; TTG) andfelsic volcanic rocks, and/or to secondary addition of hydrothermal sulfur during late metasomatism.Moreover, fast accumulation (~0.1–1 mm/year) of the Moodies sediments might have led to a reducedaccumulation of sulfur derived from an atmospheric source during their deposition. As a result, thesulfur isotopic composition of the sediments may have become susceptible to the secondary additionof metasomatic sulfur on a mass balance point of view. The sulfur isotopic composition of Moodiespyrite is similar to the composition of sulfides from nearby gold mines. It suggests that, after theMoodies deposition, metasomatic pyrite formation commonly occurred north of the Inyoka Fault inthe central BGB at 3.1–3.0 Ga

Reactions of 2-methylchromones with cyanoacetamides and ethyl cyanoacetate. synthesis of 6-(2-hydroxyaryl)-4-methyl-2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyridine-3- carbonitriles and 7-hydroxy-6-imino-9-methyl-6h-benzo[c]chromene-8-carbonitriles

Although 2-methylchromones react with cyanoacetamide and N-methyl cyanoacetamide in the presence of sodium ethoxide in refluxing ethanol to produce 6-(2-hydroxyaryl)-4-methyl-2-oxo-1,2-dihydropyridine-3-carbonitriles, their reactions with ethyl cyanoacetate under the same conditions took an entirely different course and gave 7-hydroxy-6-imino-9-methyl-6H-benzo[c] chromene-8-carbonitriles. © 2013 HeteroCorporation

Simple noise reduction for DWI

Our purpose in this study was to reduce the noise in order to improve the SNR of Dw images with high b-value by using two correction schemes. This study was performed with use of phantoms made from water and sucrose at different concentrations, which were 10, 30, and 50 weight percent (wt%). In noise reduction for Dw imaging of the phantoms, we compared two correction schemes that are based on the Rician distribution and the Gaussian distribution. The highest error values for each concentration with use of the Rician distribution scheme were 7.3 % for 10 wt%, 2.4 % for 30 wt%, and 0.1 % for 50 wt%. The highest error values for each concentration with use of the Gaussian distribution scheme were 20.3 % for 10 wt%, 11.6 % for 30 wt%, and 3.4 % for 50 wt%. In Dw imaging, the noise reduction makes it possible to apply the correction scheme of Rician distribution

Usefulness of transcatheter arterial embolization prior to excision of hypervascular musculoskeletal tumors

The objective of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of transcatheter arterial embolization prior to surgical excision of musculoskeletal tumors. We reviewed the records of nine patients (3 females and 6 males) who received arterial embolization prior to excision of musculoskeletal tumors in our hospital from December 2009 to April 2010. We evaluated tumor region, size, histopathology, feeding artery, embolic material, and blood loss during surgery. We compared the actual amount of intraoperative bleeding with arterial embolization to estimated amounts of bleeding without embolization predicted by three orthopedic surgeons. Arterial embolization was performed on the same day or within 5 days before surgery. Operations were performed as planned in all patients without serious complications. The amount of intraoperative bleeding was 35-4200 mL and there was significantly less bleeding with arterial embolization compared with the estimated amounts (p<0.01). Our results show that arterial embolization prior to resection of hypervascular musculoskeletal tumors reduces the amount of bleeding during surgery and contributes to patient safety

EGFR Mutation is a Prognostic Factor in Lung Cancer Patients with Pleural Dissemination Detected During or After Surgery

Background. Primary lung tumors are sometimes resected when either pleural dissemination (PD) or malignant pleural effusion (MPE) exists. This study clarified the prognostic factors for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with either PD and MPE, or both, detected during or after surgery. Patients and Methods. We examined patients with NSCLC from a multicenter database who had either PD, MPE, or both, detected during or after surgery between 2005 and 2015. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated using the Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for potential confounding factors. Results. Among 9463 registered patients, PD, MPE, or both, were found in 114 patients with NSCLC during or after surgery. Primary tumor resection and exploratory thoracotomy were performed in 65 and 49 patients, respectively. In univariate analysis, adenocarcinoma, clinically undetected lymph node metastasis (c-N0 or unknown), EGFR mutation, and combination of chemotherapy or tyrosine kinase inhibitors after surgery were better prognostic factors for overall survival (OS), whereas in the multivariate analysis, adenocarcinoma, clinically undetected lymph node metastasis, and EGFR mutation were favorable independent prognostic factors in OS. Additionally, limited to patients with EGFR mutation, patients with primary lung tumor resection showed a significantly better 5-year OS than those with exploratory thoracotomy (86.4 vs. 44.8%; p Conclusion. Our findings show that surgical resection of primary tumors could improve the prognosis of patients with PD, MPE, or both, detected during or after surgery when the tumors harbor an EGFR mutation

Identification of 45 New Neutron-Rich Isotopes Produced by In-Flight Fission of a 238U Beam at 345 MeV/nucleon

A search for new isotopes using in-flight fission of a 345 MeV/nucleon 238U beam has been carried out at the RI Beam Factory at the RIKEN Nishina Center. Fission fragments were analyzed and identified by using the superconducting in-flight separator BigRIPS. We observed 45 new neutron-rich isotopes: 71Mn, 73,74Fe, 76Co, 79Ni, 81,82Cu, 84,85Zn, 87Ga, 90Ge, 95Se, 98Br, 101Kr, 103Rb, 106,107Sr, 108,109Y, 111,112Zr, 114,115Nb, 115,116,117Mo, 119,120Tc, 121,122,123,124Ru, 123,124,125,126Rh, 127,128Pd, 133Cd, 138Sn, 140Sb, 143Te, 145I, 148Xe, and 152Ba

Identification of the ultrahigh-risk subgroup in neuroblastoma cases through DNA methylation analysis and its treatment exploiting cancer metabolism

神経芽腫の新たな診断法と治療戦略を創出 --がん細胞の生存戦略「がん代謝」を逆用する--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-11-02.Neuroblastomas require novel therapies that are based on the exploitation of their biological mechanism. To address this need, we analyzed the DNA methylation and expression datasets of neuroblastomas, extracted a candidate gene characterizing the aggressive features, and conducted functional studies. Based on the DNA methylation data, we identified a subgroup of neuroblastoma cases with 11q loss of heterozygosity with extremely poor prognosis. PHGDH, a serine metabolism-related gene, was extracted as a candidate with strong expression and characteristic methylation in this subgroup as well as in cases with MYCN amplification. PHGDH inhibition suppressed neuroblastoma cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, indicating that the inhibition of serine metabolism by PHGDH inhibitors is a therapeutic alternative for neuroblastoma. Inhibiting the arginine metabolism, which is closely related to serine metabolism using arginine deiminase, had a combination effect both in vitro and in vivo, especially on extracellular arginine-dependent neuroblastoma cells with ASS1 deficiency. Expression and metabolome analyses of post-dose cells confirmed the synergistic effects of treatments targeting serine and arginine indicated that xCT inhibitors that inhibit cystine uptake could be candidates for further combinatorial treatment. Our results highlight the rational therapeutic strategy of targeting serine/arginine metabolism for intractable neuroblastoma

Failure of Effector Function of Human CD8+ T Cells in NOD/SCID/JAK3−/− Immunodeficient Mice Transplanted with Human CD34+ Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Humanized mice, which are generated by transplanting human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells into immunodeficient mice, are expected to be useful for the research on human immune responses. It is reported that antigen-specific T cell responses occur in immunodeficient mice transplanted with both human fetal thymus/liver tissues and CD34+ fetal cells, but it remains unclear whether antigen-specific T cell responses occur in those transplanted with only human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Here we investigated the differentiation and function of human CD8+ T cells reconstituted in NOD/SCID/Jak3−/− mice transplanted with human CD34+ HSCs (hNOK mice). Multicolor flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that human CD8+ T cells generated from the CD34+ HSCs comprised only 3 subtypes, i.e., CD27highCD28+CD45RA+CCR7+, CD27+CD28+CD45RA−CCR7+, and CD27+CD28+CD45RA−CCR7− and had 3 phenotypes for 3 lytic molecules, i.e., perforin(Per)−granzymeA(GraA)−granzymeB(GraB)−, Per−GraA+GraB−, and PerlowGraA+GraB+. These CD8+ T cells failed to produce IFN-γ and to proliferate after stimulation with alloantigens. These results indicate that the antigen-specific T cell response cannot be elicited in mice transplanted with only human CD34+ HSCs, because the T cells fail to develop normally in such mice