What enables hibernation? : insights from a mammalian hibernator, Syrian hamster

Hibernation is an adaptive strategy for surviving during periods with little or no food availability, by profoundly reducing the metabolic rate and the core body temperature (Tb). Mammalian hibernators store fat extensively in white adipose tissues (WATs) during pre-hibernation period to prepare for hibernation. Thus, they undergo adaptive body remodelling in autumn, the pre-hibernation period, prior to hibernation, whereas little is known about the physiological and molecular mechanisms of the pre-hibernation remodelling. Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) are facultative hibernators that can hibernate irrespective of seasons when exposed to prolonged short photoperiod and cold ambient temperature (SD-Cold) conditions. We found that before the initiation of hibernation, the body mass of Syrian hamsters decreased below a threshold, indicating that hibernation in this species depends on body condition. Global profiling of gene expression in various tissues of animals during the pre-hibernation period and hibernation period identified adaptive changes for hibernation at molecular level. Thus, Syrian hamsters as a model animal to study hibernation provide us a unique and convenient opportunity to analyse molecular and physiological mechanisms of adaptive pre-hibernation remodelling under a laboratory condition

Human motion database with a binary tree and node transition graphs

Abstract — Database of human motion has been widely used for recognizing human motion and synthesizing humanoid motions. In this paper, we propose a data structure for storing and extracting human motion data and demonstrate that the database can be applied to the recognition and motion synthesis problems in robotics. We develop an efficient method for building a binary tree data structure from a set of continuous, multi-dimensional motion clips. Each node of the tree represents a statistical distribution of a set of human figure states extracted from the motion clips. We also identify the valid transitions among the nodes and construct node transition graphs. Similar states in different clips may be grouped into a single node, thereby allowing transitions between different behaviors. Using databases constructed from real human motion data, we demonstrate that the proposed data structure can be used for human motion recognition, state estimation and prediction, and robot motion planning. I

Malignant fibrous histiocytoma originating from the mesorectum: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malignant fibrous histiocytoma (MFH) is a common sarcoma affecting soft tissues of the body, especially of the extremities or trunk. Prognosis of the abdominal MFH is usually poor.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 52-year-old female presented to our surgical outpatient clinic with a lower abdominal tumor that had been gradually increasing in size. Clinical examination revealed a firm, irregularly surfaced, fixed, painless, child-head-sized tumor located in her lower abdomen. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen revealed a polycystic tumor at the lower abdomen which was 15 × 13 × 11 cm in diameter and encased the colorectum to the left back side. A barium enema and a colonoscopy showed direct invasion to the rectum. In 2001, the tumor had been excised along with a low anterior resection of the rectum because of direct invasion. The origin of this tumor was the mesorectum. The weight of the excised tumor was 1,500 g, including 800 ml of a brown fluid. A histopathological diagnosis revealed a common type of MFH, in which mitotic figures are frequently seen.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This patient has survived without recurrence, for approximately 8 years since the completed tumor resection. It is important to obtain a complete resection during the MFH treatment.</p

Craniotomy for cerebellar hemangioblastoma excision in a patient with von Hippel–Lindau disease complicated by uncontrolled hypertension due to pheochromocytoma

INTRODUCTION: This report describes a patient with Von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) syndrome and uncontrolled hypertension due to pheochromocytoma who underwent craniotomy for the excision of a cerebellar hemangioblastoma combined with a laparoscopic adrenalectomy. CASE REPORT: A 31-year-old man presented with severe headache. MRI showed areas of abnormal enhancement in the left cerebellum that were determined to be hemangioblastoma with mass effect and obstructive hydrocephalus. His blood pressure rose abruptly and could not be controlled. CT of the abdomen revealed bilateral suprarenal tumors, and the patient was diagnosed as having VHL syndrome.On the third day, he presented with increasing headache, a decreased level of consciousness, and hemiparesis. We were not able to perform an craniotomy because abdominal compression in the prone or sitting position resulted in severe hypertension. We performed ventricular drainage to control his ICP. On the fifth day, we first performed a bilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy to control ICP and then moved the patient to the prone position before performing a craniotomy to remove the left cerebellar hemangioblastoma. DISCUSSION & CONCLUSION: In patients with pheochromocytoma, the effects of catecholamine oversecretion can cause significant perioperative morbidity and mortality, but these can be prevented by appropriate preoperative medical management. When carrying out an excision of cerebellar hemangioblastomas in patients with intracranial hypertension complicated by abnormal hypertension due to pheochromocytoma whose blood pressure is not sufficiently controlled, tumor resection of the pheochromocytoma prior to cerebellar hemangioblastoma excision in the same surgery may prevent increased ICP and reduce perioperative risk

Rectal Carcinoma with Heterotopic Bone: Report of a Case

Heterotopic bone is rarely present in malignant tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. We herein report a case of rectal adenocarcinoma with heterotopic bone. A 46-year-old Japanese male presented to our hospital with abdominal distension and constipation. Colonoscopic examination showed an ulcerated polypoid tumor of the rectum which nearly obstructed the rectal lumen. Abdominal computed tomography showed a tumor of the rectum with calcified deposits. Low anterior resection with lateral lymph node dissection was performed under the tentative diagnosis of rectal cancer. Histological examination of the resected specimen showed mucinous carcinoma of the rectum with heterotopic bone. One of the metastatic lymph nodes dissected also showed heterotopic bone. In the present report, we describe this rare tumor and briefly review the pertinent literature regarding rectal cancer with heterotopic bone

Fabrication of single-crystalline plasmonic nanostructures on transparent and flexible amorphous substrates

A new experimental technique is developed for producing a high-performance single-crystalline Ag nanostructure on transparent and flexible amorphous substrates for use in plasmonic sensors and circuit components. This technique is based on the epitaxial growth of Ag on a (001)-oriented single-crystalline NaCl substrate, which is subsequently dissolved in ultrapure water to allow the Ag film to be transferred onto a wide range of different substrates. Focused ion beam milling is then used to create an Ag nanoarray structure consisting of 200 cuboid nanoparticles with a side length of 160 nm and sharp, precise edges. This array exhibits a strong signal and a sharp peak in plasmonic properties and Raman intensity when compared with a polycrystalline Ag nanoarray

Multidimensional background examination of young underweight Japanese women: focusing on their dieting experiences

IntroductionThis study examines the background of underweight young women in Japan from multiple perspectives, focusing on whether they have ever dieted.MethodsA screening survey was administered to 5,905 underweight (BMI &lt; 18.5 kg/m2) women aged 18–29 years, who could report their birth weight recorded in their mother-child handbook. Valid responses were obtained from 400 underweight and 189 normal-weight women. The survey collected data regarding height, weight (BMI), body image and perception of weight, dieting experience, exercise habits from elementary school age onwards, and current eating habits. Additionally, five standardized questionnaires were used (EAT-26, eHEALTH, SATAQ-3 JS, TIPI-J, and RSES). The primary analysis was a comparative analysis (t-test/χ2)—with the presence or absence of underweight and diet experience as independent variables, and each questionnaire as a dependent variable.ResultsThe screening survey revealed that approximately 24% of the total population was underweight, with a low mean BMI. Of the respondents, more than half reported their body image as skinny and a small percentage as obese. Compared with the non-diet-experienced group (NDG), the diet-experienced group (DG) had a significantly higher proportion of past to current exercise habits. There was a significantly higher percentage of disagreement responses from the DG for weight and food gain than for the NDG. The NDG weighed significantly less than the DG in terms of birth weight, and lost weight easier than the DG. Additionally, the NDG was significantly more likely to agree with increasing weight and food intake. The NDG’s exercise habits were below 40% from elementary school age to the present, predominantly owing to a dislike for exercise and a lack of opportunity to implement it. In the standardized questionnaire, the DG was significantly higher for EAT-26, eHEALTH, SATAQ-3 JS, and Conscientiousness (TIPI-J), whereas the NDG was only significantly higher for Openness (TIPI-J).DiscussionThe results suggest the need for different health education programs for underweight women who desire to lose weight and experience dieting and for those who do not. This study’s results are reflected in the development of sports opportunities optimized for each individual, and in the development of measures to ensure adequate nutritional intake

Associations between Comorbidities and Acute Exacerbation of Interstitial Lung Disease after Primary Lung Cancer Surgery

Acute exacerbation (AE) of interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a severe complication of lung resection in lung cancer patients with ILD (LC-ILD). This study aimed to assess the predictive value of comorbidities other than ILD for postoperative AE in patients with LC-ILD. We retrospectively evaluated 68 patients with LC-ILD who had undergone lung resection. We classified them into two groups: those who had developed postoperative AE within 30 days after resection and those who had not. We analyzed patient characteristics, high-resolution computed tomography findings, clinical data, pulmonary function, and intraoperative data. The incidence of postoperative AEs was 11.8%. In univariate analysis, performance status (PS), honeycombing, forced vital capacity (FVC), and high hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels without comorbidities were significantly associated with postoperative AE. Patients were divided into two groups according to cutoff levels of those four variables as determined by receiver operating characteristic curves, revealing that the rates of patients without postoperative AE differed significantly between groups. The present results suggested that preoperative comorbidities other than ILD were not risk factors for postoperative AE in patients with LC-ILD. However, a high preoperative HbA1c level, poor PS, low FVC, and honeycombing may be associated with postoperative AE of LC-ILD

FKBP5 regulation on anti-PD-1 therapy

Background. Antitumor therapies targeting programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) or its ligand-1 (PD-L1) are used in various cancers. However, in glioblastoma (GBM), the expression of PD-L1 varies between patients, and the relationship between this variation and the efficacy of anti-PD-1 antibody therapy remains unclear. High expression levels of PD-L1 affect the proliferation and invasiveness of GBM cells. As COX-2 modulates PD-L1 expression in cancer cells, we tested the hypothesis that the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib potentiates anti-PD-1 antibody treatment via the downregulation of PD-L1. Methods. Six-week-old male C57BL/6 mice injected with murine glioma stem cells (GSCs) were randomly divided into four groups treated with vehicle, celecoxib, anti-PD-1 antibody, or celecoxib plus anti-PD-1 antibody and the antitumor effects of these treatments were assessed. To verify the mechanisms underlying these effects, murine GSCs and human GBM cells were studied in vitro. Results. Compared with that with each single treatment, the combination of celecoxib and anti-PD-1 antibody treatment significantly decreased tumor volume and prolonged survival. The high expression of PD-L1 was decreased by celecoxib in the glioma model injected with murine GSCs, cultured murine GSCs, and cultured human GBM cells. This reduction was associated with post-transcriptional regulation of the co-chaperone FK506-binding protein 5 (FKBP5). Conclusions. Combination therapy with anti-PD-1 antibody plus celecoxib might be a promising therapeutic strategy to target PD-L1 in glioblastoma. The downregulation of highly-expressed PD-L1 via FKBP5, induced by celecoxib, could play a role in its antitumor effects