Immunocytochemical Analysis of α-Tubulin Distribution Before and After Rapid Axopodial Contraction in the Centrohelid Raphidocystis contractilis

The centrohelid Raphidocystis contractilis is a heliozoan that has many radiating axopodia, each containing a bundle of microtubules. Although the rapid contraction of the axopodia at nearly a video rate (30 frames/s) is induced by mechanical stimuli, the mechanism underlying this phenomenon in R. contractilis has not yet been elucidated. In the present study, we described for the first time an adequate immunocytochemical fixation procedure for R. contractilis and the cellular distribution of α-tubulin before and after rapid axopodial contraction. We developed a flow-through chamber equipped with a micro-syringe pump that allowed the test solution to be injected at a flow rate below the threshold required to induce rapid axopodial contraction. Next, we used this injection method for evaluating the effects of different combinations of two fixatives (paraformaldehyde or glutaraldehyde) and two buffers (phosphate buffer or PHEM) on the morphological structure of the axopodia. A low concentration of glutaraldehyde in PHEM was identified as an adequate fixative for immunocytochemistry. The distribution of α-tubulin before and after rapid axopodial contraction was examined using immunocytochemistry and confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy. Positive signals were initially detected along the extended axopodia from the tips to the bases and were distributed in a non-uniform manner within the axopodia. Conversely, after the induction of a rapid axopodial contraction, these positive signals accumulated in the peripheral region of the cell. These results indicated that axopodial microtubules disassemble into fragments and/ or tubulin subunits during rapid axopodial contraction. Therefore, we hypothesize that the mechanism of extremely rapid axopodial contraction accompanied by cytoskeletal microtubule degradation in R. contractilis involves microtubule-severing at multiple sites

Effects of sex and joint action on voluntary activation

The current study tested the hypothesis that voluntary activation during maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) conditionally depends on sex and joint action. Twenty-eight healthy adults (14 of each sex) performed knee extensor MVC and plantar flexor MVC at extended and flexed knee positions. Voluntary activation during MVC was assessed using a twitch interpolation technique. The voluntary activation during plantar flexor MVC at the extended knee position was significantly lower (P = 0.020, 95% confidence interval 1.4 to 14.6, Cohen’s d for between-subject design = 0.94) in women (88.3% ± 10.0%) than in men (96.2% ± 6.6%). In contrast, no significant sex differences were shown in the voluntary activation during knee extensor MVC (93.7% ± 5.9% (women) vs. 95.0%  ± 3.9% (men)) and during plantar flexor MVC at the flexed knee position (90.4% ± 12.2% (women) vs. 96.8% ± 5.6% (men)). The voluntary activation during knee extensor MVC was significantly higher (P = 0.001, 95% confidence interval 2.1 to 8.8, Cohen’s d for within-subject design = 0.69) than that during plantar flexor MVC at the extended knee position in women, whereas the corresponding difference was not observed in men. The results revealed that the existence of sex difference in the voluntary activation during MVC depends on joint action and joint angle

Schwann-Spheres Derived from Injured Peripheral Nerves in Adult Mice - Their In Vitro Characterization and Therapeutic Potential

Multipotent somatic stem cells have been identified in various adult tissues. However, the stem/progenitor cells of the peripheral nerves have been isolated only from fetal tissues. Here, we isolated Schwann-cell precursors/immature Schwann cells from the injured peripheral nerves of adult mice using a floating culture technique that we call “Schwann-spheres." The Schwann-spheres were derived from de-differentiated mature Schwann cells harvested 24 hours to 6 weeks after peripheral nerve injury. They had extensive self-renewal and differentiation capabilities. They strongly expressed the immature-Schwann-cell marker p75, and differentiated only into the Schwann-cell lineage. The spheres showed enhanced myelin formation and neurite growth compared to mature Schwann cells in vitro. Mature Schwann cells have been considered a promising candidate for cell-transplantation therapies to repair the damaged nervous system, whereas these “Schwann-spheres" would provide a more potential autologous cell source for such transplantation

Gait pattern can alter aesthetic visual impression from a third-person perspective

Abstract Beauty is related to our lives in various ways and examining it from an interdisciplinary approach is essential. People are very concerned with their appearance. A widely accepted beauty ideal is that the thinner an individual is, the more beautiful they are. However, the effect of continuous motion on body form aesthetics is unclear. Additionally, an upright pelvic posture in the sagittal plane during walking seems to affect the aesthetic judgments of female appearance. We directly analyzed the influence of body form and walking pattern on aesthetic visual impressions from a third-person perspective with a two-way analysis of variance. Captured motion data for three conditions—upright pelvis, normal pelvis, and posteriorly tilted pelvic posture—were applied to each of three mannequins, representing thin, standard, and obese body forms. When participants watched stimulus videos of the mannequins walking with various postures, a significantly higher score for aesthetic visual impression was noted for an upright pelvic posture than for a posteriorly tilted pelvic posture, irrespective of body form (F (2, 119) = 79.89, p < 0.001, η 2 = 0.54). These findings show that the third-person perspective of beauty can be improved even without being thin by walking with an upright pelvic posture

Potential of Raspberry Flower Petals as a Rich Source of Bioactive Flavan-3-ol Derivatives Revealed by Polyphenolic Profiling

Inspired by the potential functional activity of polyphenol compounds contained in raspberry (Rubus idaeus), we previously explored the effects of the cultivation environment and maturity on the polyphenolic profiles of raspberry leaves and fruits. Herein, building on our previous studies, we used high-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry to profile the polyphenol compounds contained in five parts of raspberry flowers (receptacles, sepals, pistils, stamens, and petals), revealing the presence of (+)-catechin, (−)-epicatechin, procyanidin B4, procyanidin C3, sanguiin H-6, and lambertianin C in all flower parts. Petals also contained (−)-epicatechin-3,5-di-O-gallate, kaempferol-7-O-glucoside, and naringenin-7-O-glucoside as well as other flavan-3-ol derivatives efficiently scavenging free radicals and inhibiting the growth of cancer (HeLa S3) cells. Thus, raspberry flower petals were concluded to be a good source of characteristic and highly functional flavan-3-ol derivatives

Validation of deep learning-based CT image reconstruction for treatment planning

Abstract Deep learning-based CT image reconstruction (DLR) is a state-of-the-art method for obtaining CT images. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of DLR in radiotherapy. Data were acquired using a large-bore CT system and an electron density phantom for radiotherapy. We compared the CT values, image noise, and CT value-to-electron density conversion table of DLR and hybrid iterative reconstruction (H-IR) for various doses. Further, we evaluated three DLR reconstruction strength patterns (Mild, Standard, and Strong). The variations of CT values of DLR and H-IR were large at low doses, and the difference in average CT values was insignificant with less than 10 HU at doses of 100 mAs and above. DLR showed less change in CT values and smaller image noise relative to H-IR. The noise-reduction effect was particularly large in the low-dose region. The difference in image noise between DLR Mild and Standard/Strong was large, suggesting the usefulness of reconstruction intensities higher than Mild. DLR showed stable CT values and low image noise for various materials, even at low doses; particularly for Standard or Strong, the reduction in image noise was significant. These findings indicate the usefulness of DLR in treatment planning using large-bore CT systems

Development of an adaptive model for thermal comfort in the office buildings of Nagasaki City, Japan

Thermal comfort in office buildings is instrumental in improving the productivity of employees while maintaining their health. The primary objectives of this research were to analyze the comfort temperature in Japanese office buildings and investigate its relationship with outdoor air temperature. Additionally, we examined the differences in comfort temperatures with respect to closed and opened windows to factor in the increase in the opening of windows during the COVID-19 pandemic when air-conditioning systems were operated. We investigated the environmental conditions of office buildings and the thermal comfort of the occupants through monthly visits to each office building over a year. Field data were collected from four office buildings located in Nagasaki City, with 1047 votes obtained from 143 participants. The survey indicated that the occupants were highly satisfied with the thermal environment in their offices. The correlation between indoor comfort temperature and outdoor temperature was high in the FR mode. Based on the analysis, we developed an adaptive model for office buildings in Nagasaki City and compared it with existing adaptive models used for buildings in other regions of Japan. The proposed model is useful for energy-saving designs that bring out human adaptive capacity

Current use of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medications and clinical characteristics of child and adolescent psychiatric outpatients prescribed multiple ADHD medications in Japan.

Background/aimPatients with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) manifest symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity, and/or inattention. ADHD medications available in Japan are limited compared with those in Western countries. Prescribing status has not been sufficiently evaluated in clinical settings in Japan. This study investigated the current use of ADHD medications and characteristics of patients who received multiple ADHD medications in a clinical setting in Japan.MethodsStudy participants were those who visited the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Kohnodai Hospital between April 2015 and March 2020. We investigated patients who received osmotic-controlled release oral delivery system methylphenidate, atomoxetine, or guanfacine. A retrospective case-control design was used to evaluate the characteristics of patients who received multiple ADHD medications. Patients who were given three ADHD medications were defined as the case group. Randomly sampled sex- and age-matched patients diagnosed with ADHD were defined as the control group. We compared data for child-to-parent violence, antisocial behavior, suicide attempt or self-harm, abuse history, refusal to attend school, and two psychological rating scales (the ADHD-Rating Scale and Tokyo Autistic Behavior Scale).ResultsAmong the 878 patients who were prescribed any ADHD medications, 43 (4.9%) received three ADHD medications. Logistic regression revealed that children with severe ADHD symptoms, autistic characteristics, or tendency of child-to-parent violence were more likely to have been prescribed three medications during their treatment.ConclusionsOur findings suggest the approach to prevent the use of multiple ADHD medications. A prospective study to investigate the causality between prescribing status and clinical characteristics is warranted