Although automated pollen monitoring networks using laser optics are well-established in Japan, it is thought that these methods cannot distinguish between pollen counts when evaluating various ...pollen taxa. However, a method for distinguishing the pollen counts of two pollen taxa was recently developed. In this study, we applied such a method to field evaluate the data of the two main allergens in Japan, Chamaecyparis obtusa and Cryptomeria japonica. We showed that the method can distinguish between the pollen counts of these two species even when they are simultaneously present in the atmosphere. This result indicates that a method for automated and simple two pollen taxa monitoring with high spatial density can be developed using the existing pollen network.
Abstract
Epicardial formation is necessary for normal myocardial morphogenesis. Here, we show that differentiating hiPSC-derived lateral plate mesoderm with BMP4, RA and VEGF (BVR) can generate a ...premature form of epicardial cells (termed pre-epicardial cells, PECs) expressing
WT1
,
TBX18
,
SEMA3D
, and
SCX
within 7 days. BVR stimulation after Wnt inhibition of LPM demonstrates co-differentiation and spatial organization of PECs and cardiomyocytes (CMs) in a single 2D culture. Co-culture consolidates CMs into dense aggregates, which then form a connected beating syncytium with enhanced contractility and calcium handling; while PECs become more mature with significant upregulation of
UPK1B
,
ITGA4
, and
ALDH1A2
expressions. Our study also demonstrates that PECs secrete IGF2 and stimulate CM proliferation in co-culture. Three-dimensional PEC-CM spheroid co-cultures form outer smooth muscle cell layers on cardiac micro-tissues with organized internal luminal structures. These characteristics suggest PECs could play a key role in enhancing tissue organization within engineered cardiac constructs in vitro.
Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPS-CMs) are a promising source of cells for regenerating myocardium. However, several issues, especially the large-scale preparation of ...hiPS-CMs and elimination of undifferentiated iPS cells, must be resolved before hiPS cells can be used clinically. The cell-sheet technique is one of the useful methods for transplanting large numbers of cells. We hypothesized that hiPS-CM-sheet transplantation would be feasible, safe, and therapeutically effective for the treatment of ischemic cardiomyopathy.
Human iPS cells were established by infecting human dermal fibroblasts with a retrovirus carrying Oct3/4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc. Cardiomyogenic differentiation was induced by WNT signaling molecules, yielding hiPS-CMs that were almost 90% positive for α-actinin, Nkx2.5, and cardiac troponin T. hiPS-CM sheets were created using thermoresponsive dishes and transplanted over the myocardial infarcts in a porcine model of ischemic cardiomyopathy induced by ameroid constriction of the left anterior descending coronary artery (n=6 for the iPS group receiving sheet transplantation and the sham-operated group; both groups received tacrolimus daily). Transplantation significantly improved cardiac performance and attenuated left ventricular remodeling. hiPS-CMs were detectable 8 weeks after transplantation, but very few survived long term. No teratoma formation was observed in animals that received hiPS-CM sheets.
The culture system used yields a large number of highly pure hiPS-CMs, and hiPS-CM sheets could improve cardiac function after ischemic cardiomyopathy. This newly developed culture system and the hiPS-CM sheets may provide a basis for the clinical use of hiPS cells in cardiac regeneration therapy.
Pollen sampling has been performed using various sampling methods around the world. However, the sampling efficiencies of these methods remain unclear. In this study, we compared the sampling ...efficiency of a Sigma-2 two-layered aerosol sampling inlet and a Hirst-style wind vane inlet to reveal the relationship between sampling efficiency and samplers’ physical characteristics. The initial results show a higher sampling efficiency for the former. To further explore this finding, we developed a theory based on 1) continuity equations for pollen grain concentrations and 2) impaction theory. Applying our developed theory to the experimental results revealed that impaction is a significant contributor to the relatively higher sampling efficiency of the two-layered sampling inlet, due to the larger cross-sectional area of the two-layered inlet and slower sampled pollen grain speed within the sampler. Additionally, applying a correction based on the theoretical impaction effects improved the experimental results. Our experiment demonstrated the possibility of a pollen sampler showing discrepancies in airborne pollen concentrations and explained the mechanism of this inaccuracy. The application of these results to pollen sampling will aid understanding of actual airborne pollen concentration.
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•The sampling efficiencies of two types of inlets were studied.•Changes in wind speed causes changes in the observed airborne pollen concentration.•Larger pollen grains tend to be less efficiently sampled in the calm air.•The impaction might cause the inaccuracy in the evaluation of the sampling results.
Abstract
One of the earliest maturation steps in cardiomyocytes (CMs) is the sarcomere protein isoform switch between TNNI1 and TNNI3 (fetal and neonatal/adult troponin I). Here, we generate human ...induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) carrying a TNNI1
EmGFP
and TNNI3
mCherry
double reporter to monitor and isolate mature sub-populations during cardiac differentiation. Extensive drug screening identifies two compounds, an estrogen-related receptor gamma (ERRγ) agonist and an S-phase kinase-associated protein 2 inhibitor, that enhances cardiac maturation and a significant change to TNNI3 expression. Expression, morphological, functional, and molecular analyses indicate that hiPSC-CMs treated with the ERRγ agonist show a larger cell size, longer sarcomere length, the presence of transverse tubules, and enhanced metabolic function and contractile and electrical properties. Here, we show that ERRγ-treated hiPSC-CMs have a mature cellular property consistent with neonatal CMs and are useful for disease modeling and regenerative medicine.
Isolation of specific cell types, including pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived populations, is frequently accomplished using cell surface antigens expressed by the cells of interest. However, ...specific antigens for many cell types have not been identified, making their isolation difficult. Here, we describe an efficient method for purifying cells based on endogenous miRNA activity. We designed synthetic mRNAs encoding a fluorescent protein tagged with sequences targeted by miRNAs expressed by the cells of interest. These miRNA switches control their translation levels by sensing miRNA activities. Several miRNA switches (miR-1-, miR-208a-, and miR-499a-5p-switches) efficiently purified cardiomyocytes differentiated from human PSCs, and switches encoding the apoptosis inducer Bim enriched for cardiomyocytes without cell sorting. This approach is generally applicable, as miR-126-, miR-122-5p-, and miR-375-switches purified endothelial cells, hepatocytes, and insulin-producing cells differentiated from hPSCs, respectively. Thus, miRNA switches can purify cell populations for which other isolation strategies are unavailable.
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•Synthetic miRNA switches can purify target cell populations based on miRNA activity•miR-1-, -208a-, and -499a-5p-switches highly purify hPSC-derived cardiomyocytes•miR-Bim switches enrich for cardiomyocytes without the need for cell sorting•miRNA switches can isolate desired cell types without significant side effects
Miki et al. develop synthetic miRNA switches for isolating cell populations that are otherwise difficult to purify. Several miRNA-responsive switches precisely and efficiently isolate human pluripotent stem cell (hPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes, and miRNA switches can be programmed for purification of various cell types including hPSC-derived endothelial cells, hepatocytes, and insulin-producing cells.
Laser optics have long been used in pollen counting systems. To clarify the limitations and potential new applications of laser optics for automatic pollen counting and discrimination, we determined ...the light scattering patterns of various pollen types, tracked temporal changes in these distributions, and introduced a new theory for automatic pollen discrimination. Our experimental results indicate that different pollen types often have different light scattering characteristics, as previous research has suggested. Our results also show that light scattering distributions did not undergo significant temporal changes. Further, we show that the concentration of two different types of pollen could be estimated separately from the total number of pollen grains by fitting the light scattering data to a probability density curve. These findings should help realize a fast and simple automatic pollen monitoring system.
Studies have indicated that chronic low back pain (LBP) should be approached according to its morphological basis and in consideration of biopsychosocial interventions. This study presents an updated ...review on available psychological assessments and interventions for patients with chronic LBP. Psychosocial factors, including fear-avoidance behavior, low mood/withdrawal, expectation of passive treatment, and negative pain beliefs, are known as risk factors for the development of chronic LBP. The Örebro Musculoskeletal Pain Questionnaire, STarT Back Screening Tool, and Brief Scale for Psychiatric Problems in Orthopaedic Patients have been used as screening tools to assess the development of chronicity or identify possible psychiatric problems. The Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Pain Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, and Injustice Experience Questionnaire are also widely used to assess psychosocial factors in patients with chronic pain. With regard to interventions, the placebo effect can be enhanced by preferable patient-clinician relationship. Reassurance to patients with non-specific pain is advised by many guidelines. Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on restructuring the negative cognition of the patient into realistic appraisal. Mindfulness may help improve pain acceptance. Self-management strategies with appropriate goal setting and pacing theory have proved to improve long-term pain-related outcomes in patients with chronic pain.
An area with the potential of producing high concentrations of airborne pollen is defined as the ‘potential pollinosis area’. However, the detailed dynamics of pollen dispersion are not fully ...understood. Further, studies on the detailed dynamics of the pollen-generating environment are limited. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the dynamics of potential pollinosis areas and annual meteorological factors with high spatiotemporal resolution. We visualised and analysed the dynamics of the potential polliosis area based on 11–year high-spatial-density observation data for the atmospheric concentrations of Cryptomeria japonica pollen. The results showed that the potential pollinosis area headed northeast with repeated expansion and contraction, while the centre of the potential pollinosis area leaped to the north in mid-March. The variance in the fluctuation of the coordinates for the potential pollinosis area before the northward leap was strongly related to the variance in the relative humidity of the previous year. These results indicated that the pollen grains of C. japonica across Japan are distributed based on the meteorological conditions of the previous year until mid-March, after which, the pollen grains are distributed through flowering synchrony. Our results suggest that daily nationwide flowering synchrony has a significant annual impact, and changes in relative humidity caused by, for example, global warming would affect the occurrence and predictability of seasonal changes in the pollen dispersion dynamics of C. japonica and other pollen-producing species. Our study showed that pollen production by C. japonica through flowering synchrony is a major cause of nationwide pollinosis and other allergy-related health problems.
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•The spatial dynamics of the study area with potential pollinosis were analysed.•The spatial dynamics of the area was related to the humidity of the previous year.•Cryptomeria japonica pollen were distributed in flowering synchrony after mid-March.
This study aimed to investigate the differences in the Injustice Experience Questionnaire (IEQ) scores during the early period after the diagnosis of Whiplash-associated disorder (WAD) between ...Japanese and Canadian samples, and the associations between the IEQ scores and treatment terms in Japanese patients with acute WAD.
We used secondary data for the IEQ scores of Canadian patients with acute WAD. In Japan, we collected data from 85 consecutively enrolled patients with acute WAD, and their treatment terms were collected; these referred to the number of days between the date of injury and the closure date of the insurance claim and the number of treatment visits. Before treatment, the Numeric Rating Scale, Neck Disability Index, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, IEQ, and Euro Quality of Life five-dimensional questionnaire were administered. The variables were subjected to multivariate analysis with each treatment term.
The IEQ scores were higher in Japan than in Canada. Through multiple regression analysis, IEQ scores were independently correlated with treatment terms. The optimal cutoff point of the IEQ scores for a prolonged treatment term was 21 and 22 points, respectively.
The IEQ scores were associated with treatment terms in patients with acute WAD in Japan.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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