Assessment of Broad-Leaved Forest Stand Management: Stock Densities, Thinning Costs and Profits over a 60-Year Rotation Period

There are many broad-leaved forests in Japan that were formerly managed for charcoal production, which have been abandoned for decades. Appropriate thinning can revitalize these forests if the cost balance of the management is positive. Two critical elements are the construction of spur roads to facilitate mechanized harvesting operations and management planning that considers stand properties such as the growing stock, species, and tree size distribution. We surveyed three abandoned former broad-leaved coppice stands; one coastal, one cool temperate and one warm temperate. The stock in all three stands exceeded 300 m3 ha-1, two- to three-fold the official forest registry data estimates. The dominant species in terms of tree numbers are Castanopsis sieboldii, Pieris japonica, and Quercus glauca. Medium-sized trees involve those well suited for firewood, i.e., Quercus acuta, Quercus glauca, Quercus serrata, etc. Each plot contained a few large trees that potentially have a high market value, e.g., Cinnamomum camphora, Zelkova serrata, Abies firma, etc. The average income from harvested trees was estimated to be 10200 JPY (Japanese Yen) m-3, whereas the thinning costs would be 3200 to 5400 JPY m-3, with the additional spur road construction costs. The management cost balance of a broad-leaved stand in a 60 year rotation was evaluated with both Net Present Value (NPV) (for interest rates of 1, 2, 3, and 4%) and Internal Rate of Return (IRR). This balance was compared with that of a typical plantation stand of Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and of a fast-growing plantation stand of Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata). The estimated NPVs were largest for the fast-growing plantation stand, second largest for the typical plantation stand, and lowest for the broad-leaved stand with a NPV interest rate of 1 + %. However, the IRR of the broad-leaved stand was the highest, followed by that of the fast-growing plantation stand, while the IRR of the typical plantation stand was the lowest. This order was the same for NPVs assuming higher interest rates. 1 JPY=0.0086 € on April 29, 2019

寛解期双極性障害患者の心理社会的機能は言語流暢性課題遂行中の前帯状回および左外側頭野の賦活と関連する : 機能的MRIを用いた予備的研究

Aim: Cognitive impairment may account for functional and occupational disability in patients with bipolar disorder even during periods of euthymia. While imaging suggests structural, neurochemical, and functional abnormalities in bipolar disorder patients, the pathophysiology of these deficits has not been elucidated. It was hypothesized that euthymic bipolar patients would have different cortical activation during a verbal fluency task compared to healthy controls, and that psychosocial functioning would be associated with prefrontal cortical activation during the task in the bipolar group. Methods: Ten euthymic bipolar patients and 10 healthy control participants (matched for age, gender, and years of education) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a verbal fluency task, tapping task and visual task. Correlational analysis between the fMRI brain activation and clinical variables of the participants, including Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) score, was performed. Results: Compared to the controls, euthymic bipolar patients had significantly greater activation in the bilateral precuneus with similar behavioral performance during the verbal fluency task. There were no significant differences between the groups for the visual task or the simple motor task. Activation in both the left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) were significantly positively correlated with GAF score in the euthymic bipolar patients. Conclusion: Both the ACC and lateral PFC regions are components of a neural network that plays a critical role in psychosocial functioning, and are often found to be affected in bipolar patients.広島大学(Hiroshima University)博士(医学)Philosophy in Medical Sciencedoctora

Efficacy of Endovascular Treatment for Acute Cerebral Large-Vessel Occlusion: Analysis of Nationwide Prospective Registry

BackgroundThe aim of this nationwide, prospective registry of acute cerebral large-vessel occlusion was to assess the efficacy of endovascular treatment (EVT) on outcome in the “real-world” settings.MethodsMedical information of the patients was anonymized and registered prospectively through a Web site from 84 medical centers in Japan. Reperfusion of the affected arteries was evaluated by the Thrombolysis in Cerebral Infarction grade on cerebral angiography or by the modified Mori grade on magnetic resonance angiography. Clinical outcome was evaluated by modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 90 days after onset. Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage and procedure-related complications were also analyzed.ResultsAmong intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (IV t-PA)–failed patients, no significant difference in favorable outcome was seen with or without EVT overall (41.7% versus 36.8%, P = .55). However, EVT significantly increased favorable outcomes (mRS score 0-2) in patients with internal carotid artery (ICA)/middle cerebral artery M1/basilar artery (BA) occlusion (41.3% versus 20.5%, P = .019). In contrast, among t-PA–ineligible patients, EVT significantly increased favorable outcomes overall (29.1% versus 19.5%; odds ratio, 1.70; P = .007). Furthermore, favorable outcomes were more common in patients with ICA/M1/BA occlusion (29.0% versus 10.3%; odds ratio, 3.56; P < .0001). Multivariate analysis also confirmed the efficacy of IV t-PA, EVT, and their combination for favorable outcome.ConclusionsEVT significantly improved clinical outcomes in IV t-PA–failed and t-PA–ineligible patients with ICA/M1/BA occlusion. These findings support the introduction of EVT for acute proximal artery occlusion

Successful implantation after reducing matrix metalloproteinase activity in the uterine cavity

BACKGROUND: Recently, the concept of recurrent implantation failure (RIF) in assisted reproductive technology has been enlarged. Chronic uterine inflammation is a known cause of implantation failure and is associated with high matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity in uterine cavity flushing. MMP activity of women with RIF has been reported to be higher than that of fertile women. In the present retrospective study we evaluated the efficacy of treatment for high MMP activity in the uterine cavity of patients with RIF. METHODS: Of the 597 patients recruited to the study, 360 patients underwent MMP measurements and 237 patients did not (control group). All patients had failed to become pregnant, despite at least two transfers of good-quality embryos. Gelatinase MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity in uterine flushing fluid was detected by enzymology (MMP test). All samples were classified into two groups (positive or negative) based on the intensity of the bands on the enzyme zymogram, which represents the degree of MMP activity. Patients who tested positive on the initial test were treated for 2 weeks with a quinolone antibiotic and a corticosteroid, and subsequently underwent a second MMP test. Negative results on the second MMP tests after treatment and subsequent rates of pregnancy and miscarriage were used to evaluate the efficacy of treatment. Data were analyzed by the Mann–Whitney U-test and the chi-square test. RESULTS: Of the patients who underwent the MMP test, 15.6% had positive results (high MMP activity). After treatment, 89.3% of patients had negative results on the second MMP test. These patients had a significantly better pregnancy rate (42.0%) than the control group (26.6%), as well as a lower miscarriage rate (28.5% vs 36.5%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: A 2-week course of antibiotics and corticosteroids effectively improves the uterine environment underlying RIF by reducing MMP activity

Effect of activated protein C on plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor activity in patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with alteplase Comparison with unfractionated heparin

AbstractObjectivesWe examined whether activated protein C (APC) is an effective conjunctive therapy to thrombolysis in patients with ST-segment–elevated acute myocardial infarction (AMl).BackgroundActivated protein C possesses both systemic anticoagulant and anti-inflammatory properties. It has been also shown to enhance fibrinolysis by inhibiting plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) activity in vitro.MethodsAfter successful thrombolysis with alteplase, study patients were assigned to receive one of the two conjunctive therapies for 48 h intravenously: human plasma-derived APC at 0.06 mg/kg per day (APC group, n = 9) or unfractionated heparin at 100 to 400 U/kg per day, adjusted to maintain an activated partial thromboplastin time at 1.5 to 2 times of the control level (heparin group, n = 10).ResultsAdverse events, including reocclusion of the recanalized infarct-related coronary artery and major or minor hemorrhagic complications, occurred more frequently in the heparin group (4 of 10 cases) than in the APC group (none of 9 cases) (p = 0.033). In the heparin group, plasma PAI activity (IU/ml, median value [range]) was increased continuously from 8 to 24 h after thrombolysis and peaked at 24 h (30.9 [11.3 to 38.5]); on the other hand, it was not increased in the APC group at 24 h after thrombolysis (11.3 [0.0 to 31.0], p < 0.01 vs. heparin group).ConclusionsAdministration of APC suppressed increasing of plasma PAI activity observed after thrombolysis in patients with AMI. The effect of APC could be more eligible, compared with heparin, as a conjunctive regimen to thrombolysis in AMI patients

Radial Transport Characteristics of Fast Ions Due to Energetic-Particle Modes inside the Last Closed-Flux Surface in the Compact Helical System

The internal behavior of fast ions interacting with magnetohydrodynamic bursts excited by energetic ions has been experimentally investigated in the compact helical system. The resonant convective oscillation of fast ions was identified inside the last closed-flux surface during an energetic-particle mode (EPM) burst. The phase difference between the fast-ion oscillation and the EPM, indicating the coupling strength between them, remains a certain value during the EPM burst and drives an anomalous transport of fast ions

Structural and functional analyses of calcium ion response factors in the mantle of Pinctada fucata

The pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata, is cultured for pearl production in Japan. The shell of the pearl oyster consists of calcium carbonate and a small amount of organic matrix. Despite many studies of the shell matrix proteins, the mechanism by which calcium elements are transported from the mantle to the shell remains unclear. Investigating the molecular mechanism of calcium transportation, we prepared artificial seawater with a high concentration of calcium ions (10ASW) to induce calcification in the pearl oyster. When pearl oysters were cultured in 10ASW, unusual nanoparticles were precipitated on the surface of the nacreous layer. SDS-PAGE and 2D-PAGE analyses revealed that some calcium-sensing proteins (Sarcoplasmic Ca-binding Protein (Pf-SCP) and Pf-filamin A) might be related to the synthesis of these nanoparticles. The recombinant proteins of Pf-SCP can bind to calcium ions and accumulate nanoparticles of calcium carbonate crystals. However, transcriptomic analysis of the pearl oysters grown in 10ASW showed that the matrix protein genes in the shell did not differ before and after treatment with 10ASW. These results suggest that, despite increasing calcium transportation to the shell, treatment with a high concentration of calcium ions does not induce formation of the organic framework in the shell microstructure. These findings offer meaningful insights into the transportation of calcium elements from the mantle to the shell

Transcriptional repression induces a slowly progressive atypical neuronal death associated with changes of YAP isoforms and p73

Transcriptional disturbance is implicated in the pathology of polyglutamine diseases, including Huntington's disease (HD). However, it is unknown whether transcriptional repression leads to neuronal death or what forms that death might take. We found transcriptional repression-induced atypical death (TRIAD) of neurons to be distinct from apoptosis, necrosis, or autophagy. The progression of TRIAD was extremely slow in comparison with other types of cell death. Gene expression profiling revealed the reduction of full-length yes-associated protein (YAP), a p73 cofactor to promote apoptosis, as specific to TRIAD. Furthermore, novel neuron-specific YAP isoforms (YAPΔCs) were sustained during TRIAD to suppress neuronal death in a dominant-negative fashion. YAPΔCs and activated p73 were colocalized in the striatal neurons of HD patients and mutant huntingtin (htt) transgenic mice. YAPΔCs also markedly attenuated Htt-induced neuronal death in primary neuron and Drosophila melanogaster models. Collectively, transcriptional repression induces a novel prototype of neuronal death associated with the changes of YAP isoforms and p73, which might be relevant to the HD pathology

Low-Dose Intravenous Alteplase in Wake-Up Stroke

Background and Purpose—We assessed whether lower-dose alteplase at 0.6 mg/kg is efficacious and safe for acute fluid-attenuated inversion recovery-negative stroke with unknown time of onset. Methods—This was an investigator-initiated, multicenter, randomized, open-label, blinded-end point trial. Patients met the standard indication criteria for intravenous thrombolysis other than a time last-known-well >4.5 hours (eg, wake-up stroke). Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive alteplase at 0.6 mg/kg or standard medical treatment if magnetic resonance imaging showed acute ischemic lesion on diffusion-weighted imaging and no marked corresponding hyperintensity on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery. The primary outcome was a favorable outcome (90-day modified Rankin Scale score of 0–1). Results—Following the early stop and positive results of the WAKE-UP trial (Efficacy and Safety of MRI-Based Thrombolysis in Wake-Up Stroke), this trial was prematurely terminated with 131 of the anticipated 300 patients (55 women; mean age, 74.4±12.2 years). Favorable outcome was comparable between the alteplase group (32/68, 47.1%) and the control group (28/58, 48.3%; relative risk [RR], 0.97 [95% CI, 0.68–1.41]; P=0.892). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage within 22 to 36 hours occurred in 1/71 and 0/60 (RR, infinity [95% CI, 0.06 to infinity]; P>0.999), respectively. Death at 90 days occurred in 2/71 and 2/60 (RR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.06–12.58]; P>0.999), respectively. Conclusions—No difference in favorable outcome was seen between alteplase and control groups among patients with ischemic stroke with unknown time of onset. The safety of alteplase at 0.6 mg/kg was comparable to that of standard treatment. Early study termination precludes any definitive conclusions