Analysis of 2D THz-Raman spectroscopy using a non-Markovian Brownian oscillator model with nonlinear system-bath interactions

We explore and describe the roles of inter-molecular vibrations employing a Brownian oscillator (BO) model with linear-linear (LL) and square-linear (SL) system-bath interactions, which we use to analyze two-dimensional (2D) THz-Raman spectra obtained by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. In addition to linear absorption (1D IR), we calculated 2D Raman-THz-THz, THz-Raman-THz, and THz-THz-Raman signals for liquid formamide, water, and methanol using an equilibrium non-equilibrium hybrid MD simulation. The calculated 1D IR and 2D THz-Raman signals are compared with results obtained from the LL+SL BO model applied through use of hierarchal Fokker-Planck equations with non-perturbative and non-Markovian noise. We find that all of the qualitative features of the 2D profiles of the signals obtained from the MD simulations are reproduced with the LL+SL BO model, indicating that this model captures the essential features of the inter-molecular motion. We analyze the fitted 2D profiles in terms of anharmonicity, nonlinear polarizability, and dephasing time. The origins of the echo peaks of the librational motion and the elongated peaks parallel to the probe direction are elucidated using optical Liouville paths.Comment: 37 pages with 14 figures and 3 table

Regulation of UDP-glucose:ceramide glucosyltransferase-1 by ceramide

AbstractWe report that the expression of mRNA and the activity of UDP-glucose:ceramide (Cer) glucosyltransferase-1 (GlcT-1) of human hepatoma Huh7 and mouse melanoma B16 cells increases after treatment with bacterial sphingomyelinase or upon addition of short-chain Cer. Interestingly, however, GlcT-1 gene transcription was not increased by Cer when GlcT-1 cDNA was introduced with the CMV promoter in GlcT-1-deficient GM95 cells, suggesting that the normal promoter region of GlcT-1 gene is essential for the response. The conversion of C6-Cer to C6-GlcCer occurred much more rapidly in GlcT-1-overexpressing Huh7 cells than in mock transfectants. As a result, GlcT-1-overexpressing cells acquired a greater resistance to C6-Cer-mediated cell death

Diversity of brain size in fishes: preliminary analysis of a database including 1174 species in 45 orders

Absolule and relative values of brain weight are now available for 1174 species of fishes, representing 45 taxonomic orders. The original FishBase "Brains" data was assembled by the research team of Bauchot and colleagues, to which the present report adds data for species representing several additional major taxonomic groups. This database is part of the FíshBase 97 package which provides researchers with a tool to explore lhe functional meaning of absolute and relative brain size díversily, in comparison with phylogenetic position, life history mode, locomotion, habitat, and other behavioral parameters. Several results are provided as an example of the use of these data. Galeomorph sharks and batoid rays possess the largest brains among fishes. and elongate forms with anguilliform locomotion (e.g.. hagfishes. lampreys, lrue eels, carapids, zoarcids) possess the smallest relative brain sizes. Among teleost fishes, Osteoglossomorphs possess the largest relative brain sizes. Brain size correlations with oxygen consumption suggest that larger brains consume proportionately more oxygen, or that active fish with higher metabolic rates have larger brain

Total vascular resistance, augmentation index, and augmentation pressure increase in patients with peripheral artery disease

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is one of major vascular diseases which frequently coexists with coronary arterial disease and cerebrovascular disease. The patients with PAD have a poor prognosis when it progresses. A new blood pressure testing device enables to simultaneously measure brachial blood pressure (BP), central BP, and several vascular parameters, with easy and non-invasive, in a short time. Here, we aimed to evaluate these arterial stiffness parameters in patients with PAD. In this study, 243 consecutive patients who were suspected of having PAD and referred to our hospital from September 2016 to June 2019, were registered. Several parameters, such as brachial BP, central BP, aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV), total vascular resistance (TVR), augmentation index (AI) and augmentation pressure (AP), were determined by Mobil-O-Graph. Ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI) was used to define PAD (ABI <= 0.9 as PAD). The relationship between PAD and central BP, aPWV, TVR, AI, or AP were investigated. One hundred sixty-two patients (67%) were categorized as the PAD group and 81 patients (33%) as the non-PAD group. In the PAD group, the systolic brachial BP and central systolic BP were significantly higher than those in the non-PAD group (138 +/- 24 mmHg vs 131 +/- 19 mmHg, P < .05, 125 +/- 22 mmHg vs 119 +/- 18 mmHg, P < .05, respectively). TVR, AI, and AP were significantly higher in the PAD group (1785 +/- 379 dyn s/cm(5) vs 1661 +/- 317 dyn s/cm(5), P < .05, 26.2 +/- 13.0% vs 22.2 +/- 13.3%, P < .05, 13.5 +/- 9.4 mmHg vs 10.7 +/- 7.2 mmHg, P < .05, respectively). No significant differences in diastolic BP, central diastolic BP, and aPWV were found between the groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that PAD was significantly associated with TVR, AI, and AP (P < .05, respectively). TVR/AP/AI were significantly higher in the PAD group than in the non-PAD group

High pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation on computed tomography angiography predicts cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: post-hoc analysis from a prospective cohort study

Background Pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) attenuation on coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) is a non-invasive biomarker for pericoronary inflammation. We aimed to investigate the prognostic value of PCAT attenuation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods We included 333 T2DM patients (mean age, 66 years; male patients, 211; mean body mass index, 25 kg/m(2)) who underwent clinically indicated coronary CTA and examined their CT findings, coronary artery calcium score, pericardial fat volume, stenosis (> 50% luminal narrowing), high-risk plaque features of low-attenuation plaque and/or positive remodelling and/or spotty calcification, and PCAT attenuation. We assessed PCAT attenuation in Hounsfield units (HU) of proximal 40-mm segments of the left anterior descending artery (LAD) and right coronary artery (RCA). Cardiovascular events were defined as cardiac death, hospitalisation for acute coronary syndrome, late coronary revascularisation, and hospitalisation for heart failure. Results During a median follow-up of 4.0 years, we observed 31 cardiovascular events. LAD-PCAT attenuation was significantly higher in patients with cardiovascular events than in those without (- 68.5 +/- 6.5 HU vs - 70.8 +/- 6.1 HU, p = 0.045), whereas RCA-PCAT attenuation was not (p = 0.089). High LAD-PCAT attenuation (> - 70.7 HU; median value) was significantly associated with cardiovascular events in a model that included adverse CTA findings, such as significant stenosis and/or high-risk plaque (hazard ratio; 2.69, 95% confidence interval; 1.17-0.20, p = 0.020). After adding LAD-PCAT attenuation to the adverse CTA findings, the C-statistic and global chi-square values increased significantly from 0.65 to 0.70 (p = 0.037) and 10.9-15.0 (p = 0.043), respectively. Conclusions In T2DM patients undergoing clinically indicated coronary CTA, high LAD-PCAT attenuation could significantly predict cardiovascular events. This suggests that assessing LAD-PCAT attenuation can help physicians identify high-risk T2DM patients

Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Can Be Discontinued at Three Months after Implantation of Zotarolimus-Eluting Stent in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease

Dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after percutaneous coronary intervention increases the risk of bleeding. We studied the safety and clinical outcomes of switching from DAPT to aspirin monotherapy at 3 months after ZES implantation. We retrospectively evaluated 168 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease who had been implanted with a ZES from June 2009 through March 2010. After excluding 40 patients according to exclusion criteria such as myocardial infarction, 128 patients were divided into a 3-month DAPT group (67 patients, 88 lesions) and a 12-month conventional DAPT group (61 patients, 81 lesions). Coronary angiographic followup and clinical followup were conducted at more than 8 months and at 12 months after ZES implantation, respectively. Minor and major bleeding events, stent thrombosis (ST), and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) (death, myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident, target lesion revascularization, and target vessel revascularization) were evaluated. There were no statistically significant differences in the incidences of ST and MACE between the two groups. The incidence of bleeding events was significantly lower in the 3-month group than in the 12-month group (1.5% versus 11.5%, ). DAPT can be safely discontinued at 3 months after ZES implantation, which reduces bleeding risk

Mammary Paget’s Disease with Intraductal Spread: A Patient Report

A 49-year-old woman was diagnosed with mammary Paget’s disease and underwent a modified mastectomy. Paget’s cells were observed not only in the nipple epidermis and adjacent lactiferous ducts, but also at several branches of the lactiferous ducts in the deeper breast. In treating mammary Paget’s disease, the possibility of intraductal spreads should be kept in mind

Incremental prognostic value of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease over coronary computed tomography angiography findings in patients with suspected coronary artery disease

Aims　This study aimed to investigate additional risk stratification benefits of hepatic steatosis (HS) concurrently assessed during coronary computed tomography angiography (CTA) in a large patient cohort with suspected stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods and results　In this prospective study, 1148 Japanese outpatients without a history of CAD who underwent coronary CTA for suspected stable CAD (mean age 64 ± 14 years) were included. HS, defined on CT as a hepatic-to-spleen attenuation ratio of Conclusion　In patients with suspected stable CAD, concurrent evaluation of HS during coronary CTA enables more accurate detection of patients at higher risk of MACE