Idiopathic Pneumonia Syndrome Refractory to Ruxolitinib after Post-Transplant Cyclophosphamide-based Haploidentical Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Lung Pathological Findings from an Autopsy Case

A 69-year-old Japanese man with acute leukemia received post-transplant cyclophosphamide-based haploidentical stem cell transplantation (PTCY-haplo-SCT) but was readmitted with dyspnea and ground-glass-opacities of the lungs. Bronchoscopy showed inflammatory changes with no signs of infection. He received steroids but required intubation as his condition deteriorated. In addition to antithymocyte globulin and cyclophosphamide, we administered ruxolitinib but failed to save him. Autopsy findings revealed fibrotic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) without evidence of organizing pneumonia or infection. Thus, we diagnosed idiopathic pneumonia syndrome (IPS). As far as our knowledge, this is the first case of IPS with NSIP histology after PTCY-haplo-SCT

A Disseminated Fusarium fujikuroi Species Complex Infection Prior to Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

A 53-year-old man was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, which was refractory to chemotherapies. Systemic papules appeared afterward. The skin biopsies revealed filamentous fungal infection including fusariosis. Despite antifungal therapy, the infection did not resolve, because neutropenia persisted with the leukemia. He underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) to overcome the leukemia and restore normal hematopoiesis but died from fusariosis just before engraftment. Fusarium fujikuroi species complex was detected in blood cultures with poor antifungal susceptibility. Because restoring normal hematopoiesis is important in the treatment of fusariosis, HSCT might be considered for patients with persistent pancytopenia

Catalytic Direct Oxidation of Methane to Methanol by Redox of Copper Mordenite

Expectations for industrial implementation of direct conversion of CH4 to CH3OH are growing with the increasing demand for energy-efficient chemical processes. In this study, catalytic production of CH3OH by direct oxidation of CH4 with O2 was performed using Cu zeolite catalysts in a CH4/O2/H2O flow reaction. Among the various Cu zeolites investigated, the Cu-MOR catalyst exhibited relatively high CH3OH production with a turnover number of 7.4 molCH3OH/molCu over 24 h (CH4 conversion: 0.011%). The catalytically active Cu species and catalytic cycle were investigated by in-situ simultaneous X-ray absorption and infrared spectroscopy. The results suggest that the key to the catalytic cycle over Cu-MOR is the redox of Cu(I)/Cu(II) species. Furthermore, H2O-adsorption-included dynamic Cu species are revealed to be catalytically active

男子大学生アスリートの栄養摂取状況と食品群別摂取頻度による評価点との関連性

　運動部に所属する男子大学生アスリートの食事調査結果を用いて、栄養摂取状況の特徴を評価した。さらに、食品群別摂取頻度による評価点を算出して、エネルギー、栄養素摂取量や各栄養素摂取量による評価点との関連性を検討し、アスリートの食生活バランスの評価に用いることができる簡易な方法について考察することを目的とした。食事調査の結果、対象集団にはエネルギー、栄養素摂取量が身体活動量に見合わないものが複数いた。一方で、サプリメントやプロテインを利用している者が多数おり、食事に関して無関心ではないことが窺われた。食品群別摂取頻度による評価点を用いた簡易な食生活評価法については、たんぱく質、鉄、カルシウム、ビタミンB1など、アスリートにとって重要な栄養素摂取量との有意な関連性を認めた。さらに、食品群別摂取頻度の得点と8項目のエネルギーと栄養素摂取量を、食事摂取基準の推奨量ならびにアスリートの推奨量と比較して得点化した栄養素摂取量評価得点を算出し関連について分析を行ったところ、有意な関連性が認められた。10種の食品群別摂取頻度を把握することは、アスリートの食生活とそれに付随する栄養摂取状況の概要について評価することができると考えられ、栄養アセスメントの一次的なスクリーニング評価に活用できる可能性が示唆された

Missing western half of the Pacific Plate: Geochemical nature of the Izanagi-Pacific Ridge interaction with a stationary boundary between the Indian and Pacific mantles

The source mantle of the basaltic ocean crust on the western half of the Pacific Plate was examined using Pb–Nd–Hf isotopes. The results showed that the subducted Izanagi–Pacific Ridge (IPR) formed from both Pacific (180–∼80 Ma) and Indian (∼80–70 Ma) mantles. The western Pacific Plate becomes younger westward and is thought to have formed from the IPR. The ridge was subducted along the Kurile–Japan–Nankai–Ryukyu (KJNR) Trench at 60–55 Ma and leading edge of the Pacific Plate is currently stagnated in the mantle transition zone. Conversely, the entire eastern half of the Pacific Plate, formed from isotopically distinct Pacific mantle along the East Pacific Rise and the Juan de Fuca Ridge, largely remains on the seafloor. The subducted IPR is inaccessible; therefore, questions regarding which mantle might be responsible for the formation of the western half of the Pacific Plate remain controversial. Knowing the source of the IPR basalts provides insight into the Indian–Pacific mantle boundary before the Cenozoic. Isotopic compositions of the basalts from borehole cores (165–130 Ma) in the western Pacific show that the surface oceanic crust is of Pacific mantle origin. However, the accreted ocean floor basalts (∼80–70 Ma) in the accretionary prism along the KJNR Trench have Indian mantle signatures. This indicates the younger western Pacific Plate of IPR origin formed partly from Indian mantle and that the Indian–Pacific mantle boundary has been stationary in the western Pacific at least since the Cretaceous

Vitamin C Is Essential for the Maintenance of Skeletal Muscle Functions

Vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid, VC) is a water-soluble antioxidant essential for collagen polymerization. Previously, we reported that long-term VC deficiency causes muscle atrophy and deterioration in physical ability using female senescence marker protein-30 (SMP30)-deficient mice with a lack of VC synthesis, which is similar to that observed in humans. To determine whether these findings also hold true for male SMP30-deficient mice, two-month-old male SMP30-deficient mice were divided into two groups: the VC-treated group (VC(+)) was administered 1.5 g/L VC, and the VC-untreated group (VC(−)) was supplied water without VC. The VC level at four weeks in the gastrocnemius muscles from the VC(+) and VC(−) groups was 205.7 ± 8.5 nmol/g tissue and 13.1 ± 0.6 nmol/g tissue, respectively. Thus, four weeks was enough to reduce the VC level in the skeletal muscle in the VC-untreated group. On the other hand, muscle weights of the gastrocnemius, soleus, plantaris, tibialis anterior, and extensor digitorum longus in the VC(−) group were significantly reduced by VC deficiency after twelve weeks. The physical endurance of the VC(−) group at eight weeks was markedly lower than that of the VC(+) group. The grasping strength and activity in the cage in the nocturnal phases of the VC(−) group were markedly lower at twelve and sixteen weeks than those of the VC(+) group. Interestingly, muscle atrophy and declined physical ability were completely restored with VC supplementation for twelve weeks after VC deficiency. Thus, VC is essential for maintaining skeletal muscle function in both male and female SMP30-deficient mice with a lack of VC synthesis

Protective Effects of Voluntary Exercise on Hepatic Fat Accumulation Induced by Dietary Restriction in Zucker Fatty Rats

Weight control based on dietary restriction (DR) alone can cause lipid metabolic failure and progression to fatty liver. This study aimed to investigate the effect of exercise on preventing DR-induced hepatic fat accumulation in Zucker fatty (ZF) rats by focusing on the relationship between adipose tissue lipolysis and hepatic fat uptake. Six-week-old male ZF rats were randomly assigned to obese, DR, or DR with exercise (DR + Ex) groups. The DR and DR + Ex groups were fed a restricted diet, with the latter also undergoing voluntary exercise. After 6 weeks, hepatic fat accumulation was observed in the DR group, whereas intrahepatic fat was markedly reduced in the DR + Ex group. Compared with the obese (Ob) group, the DR group exhibited 2.09-fold expression of hepatic fatty acid translocase (FAT)/CD36 proteins (p p r = 0.81, p r = −0.65, p < 0.001). Our results suggest that hepatic fat accumulation induced by DR in ZF rats might be prevented through exercise-induced modifications in FAT/CD36 and FABP1 expression

Influence of oestrogen on satellite cells and myonuclear domain size in skeletal muscles following resistance exercise

Abstract Background Oestrogen deficiency reduces skeletal muscle mass and force generation in postmenopausal women. Muscle mass is maintained by satellite cells, which are regulated by oestrogen. Although oestrogen therapy enhances muscle hypertrophy induced by resistance training in postmenopausal women, the molecular mechanism is unclear. Methods Adult female rats (10 weeks old) were divided into six groups: sham sedentary (Sham‐Sed), sham climbing training (Sham‐CT), ovariectomy sedentary (OVX‐Sed), ovariectomy climbing training (OVX‐CT), ovariectomy plus oestrogen treatment sedentary (OVX+E‐Sed), and ovariectomy plus oestrogen treatment climbing training (OVX+E‐CT). At 8 weeks after ovariectomy, rats in the training group were trained (one session every 3 days for 8 weeks) to climb a ladder while bearing a load. Oestrogen treatment involved subcutaneous insertion of a 17β‐oestradiol pellet. After 8 weeks, the flexor hallucis longus muscle was collected and analysed. Results Following climbing training, the flexor hallucis longus muscle mass and muscle‐to‐body weight ratios were dramatically increased by training (main effect of training, P < 0.01); the OVX+E‐CT group showed the highest values (main effect of group, P < 0.01). The cross‐sectional area of all muscle fibre types was increased by training (main effect of training, P < 0.01). Particularly, the cross‐sectional area of MHC IIa in the OVX+E‐CT group was significantly larger than that in the Sham‐CT and OVX‐CT groups. Satellite cell numbers were increased in all training groups (main effect of training, P < 0.05), and the myonuclear number was increased by training (main effect of training, P < 0.01), but there was no main group effect. The myonuclear domain size of all muscle fibre types and MHC IIa was increased in all training groups (main effect of training, P < 0.01) and showed a main group effect (P < 0.01). The myonuclear domain sizes of all muscle fibre types and MHC IIa in the OVX+E‐CT group were significantly larger than those in the Sham‐CT and OVX‐CT groups. The total RNA contents revealed main effects of training and the group (P < 0.01); the OVX+E‐CT group showed the highest contents (main effect of group, P < 0.01). The mRNA and protein levels of rpS6 were increased in the OVX+E‐Sed and CT groups (main effects of group, P < 0.05). Particularly, the 28S ribosomal RNA content in OVX+E‐Sed group was significantly higher than that in the OVX‐Sed group. Conclusions Oestrogen enhanced the resistance training‐induced increase in myonuclear domain size but did not affect satellite cells and ribosome biogenesis

Extending Treatment Intervals of R-CHOP Therapy Might Be Acceptable for Some Patients with Non-indolent Non-Hodgkin’s B-cell Lymphoma

R-CHOP therapy is generally performed every 3 weeks. We investigated the effects of extending the interval of R-CHOP therapy for > 1 week on the prognoses of patients with non-indolent non-Hodgkin’s B-cell lymphoma. Among the 338 patients with non-indolent non-Hodgkin’s B-cell lymphoma who received initial chemotherapy at our institution, we focused on 178 patients who received R-CHOP therapy and analyzed the outcomes of the patients stratified by the treatment intervals. The estimated 3-year overall survival (OS) for the entire population was 82.1%. Patients treated at intervals of ≥ 4 weeks were significantly older, and they had significantly longer follow-up periods and lower relative dose intensity. But the estimated 3-year OS was comparable to those treated at <4 weeks (83.3% vs. 80.5% p=0.947). In a multivariate analysis, age and the dose of anti-cancer agents had significant impacts on OS, but there was no significant relationship regarding the treatment intervals. Propensity score matching confirmed the same result. R-CHOP therapy every around 4 weeks could achieve relatively good survival in some selected patients with non-indolent non-Hodgkin’s B-cell lymphoma