This study aimed to assess the balance of serum n-3 to n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We enrolled 1,119 patients who were treated and in whom ...serum PUFA level was evaluated in 5 divisions of cardiology in a metropolitan area in Japan. Serum levels of PUFAs, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (AA), were compared between patients with and without ACS. We also evaluated the balance of serum n-3 to n-6 PUFAs, including EPA/AA and DHA/AA ratios. EPA/AA values were 0.46 ± 0.32 and 0.50 ± 0.32 in the ACS and non-ACS groups, respectively. DHA/AA values were 0.95 ± 0.37 and 0.96 ± 0.41 in the ACS and non-ACS groups, respectively. Next, we divided the patients into 3 groups based on the tertiles of EPA/AA or tertiles of DHA/AA to determine the independent risk factors for ACS. According to multivariate logistic regression analysis, the group with the lowest EPA/AA (≤0.33) had a greater probability of ACS (odds ratio 3.14, 95% confidence interval 1.16 to 8.49), but this was not true for DHA/AA. In conclusion, an imbalance in the ratio of serum EPA to AA, but not in the ratio of DHA to AA, was significantly associated with ACS.
A 12-month-old microminipig, weighing 12.6 kg, showed 3 repeated episodes of transient ST-segment elevation in 24 hr Holter electrocardiogram after placing an ameroid constrictor around the left ...anterior descending coronary artery. Ventricular fibrillation was noticed just after the cessation of the 24 hr Holter-electrocardiogram recording. Direct current defibrillations and cardiopulmonary resuscitation were performed; however, they were unsuccessful, leading to the animal’s death. Its heart was excised for macroscopic analysis, which indicated that lumen of the ameroid constrictor was not narrowed and that there was no dissection, embolus or thrombus in the coronary arteries, indirectly suggesting that coronary artery vasospasm may have caused the ischemic attacks. Thus, microminipig may possess some potential to have coronary vasospasm.
The dispersal and host selection processes of ambrosia and bark beetles determine which trees are attacked. Factors affecting each process must be understood to predict the attack probability. Here, ...we analyzed data on the attack status of Quercus crispula by Platypus quercivorus over a 10-year period (2004-2013) in a 16-ha plot located in a cool temperate forest of Japan. The distance from trees attacked in the previous year was calculated for each tree in the plot. In parallel, beetle dispersal probability was calculated by assuming that the beetle dispersal kernel follows a lognormal distribution. The calculated beetle dispersal probability was used as a candidate explanatory variable in the model to predict the probability of attack, together with tree dbh and local basal area of Q. crispula. The results confirmed a previous study showing that the attack probability increased with increasing dbh and basal area of Q. crispula within a 10-m radius. Of 100 patterns of prepared kernels, the kernel with low dispersal probability at a short distance (peaking around 300 m) was the best predictor. Our results may indicate that P. quercivorus individuals fly beyond suitable neighboring hosts when dispersing from the original host plant.
This manuscript discusses the case of huge presacral Tarlov cysts (TCs) and the substantial neurologic recovery noted in the patient following spontaneous rupture of the most prominent cyst. ...Perineural or TCs are nerve root cysts, which are usually incidental findings on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and are most frequently observed in the sacral spine. Symptomatic lesions are rarely encountered.
In this case, a 44-year-old woman presented with anal and vulva pain on the right side, and bladder and bowel dysfunction. MRI of the lumbosacral spine showed multiple huge bilateral TCs located within the presacral space from S1-3. There was a substantially large right-sided S3 cyst that was presumed to be responsible for her symptoms. Surgical intervention was considered; however, her symptoms improved significantly during the waiting period for surgery because of spontaneous rupture of the right-sided S3 cyst, as confirmed on follow-up MRI. On follow-up over a 1-year period, the patient had been very well with no recurrent symptoms.
To our knowledge, this is the first report of spontaneous cyst rupture and resultant neurologic improvement in a case of symptomatic presacral TCs.
The function of ubiquitous 2-Cys peroxiredoxins (Prxs) can be converted alternatively from peroxidases to molecular chaperones. This conversion has been reported to occur by the formation of ...high-molecular-weight (HMW) complexes upon overoxidation of or ATP/ADP binding to 2-Cys Prxs, but its mechanism is not well understood. Here, we show that upon binding to phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylglycerol dimeric human 2-Cys PrxII (hPrxII) is assembled to trefoil-shaped small oligomers (possibly hexamers) with full chaperone and null peroxidase activities. Spherical HMW complexes are formed, only when phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylglycerol is bound to overoxidized or ATP/ADP-bound hPrxII. The spherical HMW complexes are lipid vesicles covered with trefoil-shaped oligomers arranged in a hexagonal lattice pattern. Thus, these lipids with a net negative charge, which can be supplied by increased membrane trafficking under oxidative stress, are essential for the structural and functional switch of hPrxII and possibly most 2-Cys Prxs.
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•hPrxII HMW complex formation requires the binding of ADP/ATP and lipid vesicles.•Trefoil-shaped hPrxII oligomer is formed by negative charged lipids.•Trefoil-shaped hPrxII oligomer converts to HMW complex by ADP/ATP.•The functional switch occurs just by the binding of negative charged lipids to hPrxII.
Much attention has been paid to ecology and evolution of damage‐induced plant responses. Recently, it has been emphasized that phenotypic plasticity, such as induced plant responses, has the ...potential to lead to evolutionary changes of interacting partners. Here, we report that induced plant regrowth promotes a locally adaptive feeding preference of a leaf beetle, Plagiodera versicolora. We found that there was among‐population variation in the strength of the feeding preference of the leaf beetle for leaf‐age types of conspecific host plants. The strength of the preference was positively correlated to leaf production of host plants across populations, and the intensity of induced regrowth was likely to have been responsible for geographic variation in new leaf production. Within one population, we detected a significant additive genetic variance and heritability in the preference for consuming new vs. old leaves. Moreover, the strength of preference was significantly related to egg production depending on the leaf‐age types. Thus, allopatric populations can evolutionarily develop different adaptive preference, according to locally distinct patterns of induced host regrowth.
Atomic force microscope (AFM) is unique in its capability to capture high-resolution images of biological samples in liquids. This capability will become more versatile to biological sciences if AFM ...additionally acquires an ability of high-speed imaging, because "direct and real-time visualization" is a straightforward and powerful means to understand biomolecular processes. However, the imaging speed of conventional AFM is too slow to capture moving protein molecules at high resolution. In order to fill this large gap, various efforts have been carried out in the past decade. In this chapter, the past efforts for increasing the scan rate and reduction of tip-sample interaction force of AFM and demonstration of direct visualization of biomolecular processes are described.
Several studies have identified predictors of relapse in antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated small-vessel vasculitis. However, the role of smoking as a risk factor of relapse has not been ...elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate whether a history of smoking is a dose-dependent independent risk factor for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated small-vessel vasculitis relapse.
This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 122 patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) from 9 nephrology centers in Japan. Dose-response relationships between cigarette smoking and outcomes were assessed using multivariate Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for clinically relevant factors. The primary outcome was the time from remission to first relapse.
During the observation period (median, 41 months; interquartile range, 23-66 months), 118 (95.8%) and 34 (21.7%) patients experienced at least 1 remission and 1 relapse, respectively. A log-rank test showed that smoking was significantly associated with relapse (p = 0.003). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models found current smoking to be associated with relapse (adjusted hazard ratio, 7.48; 95% confidence interval, 2.73-21.0). An association between the risk of relapse and cumulative pack-years of smoking was also noted (p = 0.004). Smoking, however, was not associated with remission.
Smoking is a significant and dose-dependent risk factor for relapse of MPA. All patients with MPA who smoke should be encouraged to quit.
Abstract
Background
Encapsulating peritoneal sclerosis (EPS) is an uncommon but life-threatening complication of peritoneal dialysis (PD) therapy. The causative factors of EPS remain unclear. ...Pathological studies of the peritoneum affected by EPS and relationships with clinical factors including PD solutions remain lacking. The objective of this study was to examine peritoneal samples from EPS patients and to identify the associations of peritoneal pathology with different clinical factors.
Methods
Peritoneal specimens were obtained at the time of surgical enterolysis in Tsuchiya General Hospital from 1993 to 2016. A total of 223 PD patients were enrolled and analyzed. Tissues were fixed with formalin and processed with hematoxylin and eosin and Masson’s trichrome staining, as well as immunohistochemical staining for CD31 and CD68.
Results
Evaluations could be made in 174 patients who received surgical enterolysis. Conventional or pH-neutral low-glucose degradation product PD solutions were utilized during PD treatment. The conventional PD solution group showed less angiogenesis (P = 0.013) but more severe vasculopathy, in the form of a lower ratio of luminal diameter to vessel diameter (L/V ratio) (P < 0.001) in association with longer PD treatment. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard models revealed that L/V ratio (per 0.1 increase, hazard ratio = 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.77–0.99, P = 0.047) was significantly associated with a lower incidence of EPS relapse. In contrast, most of the cases in the pH-neutral solution group showed milder vasculopathy.
Conclusions
The pathology of EPS differed between conventional and pH-neutral solution groups. Vasculopathy was related to the development and relapse of EPS in the conventional solution group.
In pediatric patients with steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome, recent trials have revealed that a 2-month, short-term steroid regimen is not inferior to an extended steroid course. However, the ...optimal duration of initial steroid therapy for adult steroid-sensitive minimal change disease (MCD) remains unclear.
The aim of present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a 2-month, short-term steroid regimen in the treatment of adult steroid-sensitive MCD patients.
This was a prospective observational study. Adult patients with steroid-sensitive MCD (n = 35) who were initiated on a short-term steroid regimen between January 2015 and June 2016 were included. The details of the regimen are as follows: (1) prednisolone was administered at an initial dose of 0.8-1.0 mg/kg/day and continued for 4-6 weeks and (2) dosage was reduced to 0.5-0.6 mg/kg/alternate day and continued for 4 weeks. Control patients (n = 140), who were treated using conventional steroid administration, were selected from our previous adult MCD cohort. All patients fulfilled the following criteria: biopsy-proven MCD, age ≥20 years, first episode of nephrotic syndrome, and attainment of complete remission within 4 weeks. The following parameters of patients who received short-term treatment regimen and control patients were compared: any relapse and frequent relapse, adverse events caused by steroid treatment and cumulative steroid dose.
Throughout the observation period (median: 17.3 months), 24 (68.6%) patients in the short-term group developed at least one relapse. The short-term regimen showed earlier occurrence of any relapse than the conventional regimen (adjusted hazard ratio aHR 2.45; 95% CI 1.51-3.97; p < 0.001), but there was no difference in frequent relapse (aHR 1.31; 95% CI 0.43-3.99; p = 0.63). None of the patients showed any symptoms of adrenal insufficiency after discontinuation of corticosteroids. The cumulative steroid dose during the observational period was significantly lower in the short-term group than in the conventional group.
The short-term steroid regimen may represent an effective treatment option that ensures lower steroid exposure when treating adult steroid-sensitive MCD patients.
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