Erratum: Intracellular amyloid β oligomers impair organelle transport and induce dendritic spine loss in primary neurons

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake in the presentation of Fig. 1 in both the PDF and HTML versions of this manuscript [1]. In the right panel of the corrected Fig. 1d, the images of Mock cells, which were visualized with GFP and stained with Abeta oligomer-specific antibody 11A1, were replaced with those of APPWT cells, and instead the images of APPWT cells were replaced with those of Mock cells. These images had been incorrectly placed in the original Fig. 1. The correct version of Fig. 1 is presented below.

Effects of facial color on the subliminal processing of fearful faces

Recent studies have suggested that both configural information, such as face shape, and surface information is important for face perception. In particular, facial color is sufficiently suggestive of emotional states, as in the phrases: "flushed with anger" and "pale with fear." However, few studies have examined the relationship between facial color and emotional expression. On the other hand, event-related potential (ERP) studies have shown that emotional expressions, such as fear, are processed unconsciously. In this study, we examined how facial color modulated the supraliminal and subliminal processing of fearful faces. We recorded electroencephalograms while participants performed a facial emotion identification task involving masked target faces exhibiting facial expressions (fearful or neutral) and colors (natural or bluish). The results indicated that there was a significant interaction between facial expression and color for the latency of the N170 component. Subsequent analyses revealed that the bluish-colored faces increased the latency effect of facial expressions compared to the natural-colored faces, indicating that the bluish color modulated the processing of fearful expressions. We conclude that the unconscious processing of fearful faces is affected by facial color.

The effects of facial color and inversion on the N170 event-related potential (ERP) component

Faces are important for social interaction because much can be perceived from facial details, including a person's race, age, and mood. Recent studies have shown that both configural (e.g. face shape and inversion) and surface information (e.g. surface color and reflectance properties) are important for face perception. Therefore, the present study examined the effects of facial color and inverted face properties on event-related potential (ERP) responses, particularly the N170 component. Stimuli consisted of natural and bluish-colored faces. Faces were presented in both upright and upside down orientations. An ANOVA was used to analyze N170 amplitudes and verify the effects of the main independent variables. Analysis of N170 amplitude revealed the significant interactions between stimulus orientation and color. Subsequent analysis indicated that N170 was larger for bluish-colored faces than natural-colored faces, and N170 to natural-colored faces was larger in response to inverted stimulus as compared to upright stimulus. Additionally, a multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) investigated face-processing dynamics without any prior assumptions. Results distinguished, above chance, both facial color and orientation from single-trial electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. Decoding performance for color classification of inverted faces was significantly diminished as compared to an upright orientation. This suggests that processing orientation is predominant over facial color. Taken together, the present findings elucidate the temporal and spatial distribution of orientation and color processing during face processing.

Animal models of recurrent or bipolar depression

Animal models of mental disorders should ideally have construct, face, and predictive validity, but current animal models do not always satisfy these validity criteria. Additionally, animal models of depression rely mainly on stress-induced behavioral changes. These stress-induced models have limited validity, because stress is not a risk factor specific to depression, and the models do not recapitulate the recurrent and spontaneous nature of depressive episodes. Although animal models exhibiting recurrent depressive episodes or bipolar depression have not yet been established, several researchers are trying to generate such animals by modeling clinical risk factors as well as by manipulating a specific neural circuit using emerging techniques.

Radiation-induced meningiomas after BNCT in patients with malignant glioma

Of the 180 patients with malignant brain tumors whom we treated with boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) since 1968, only one (0.56%) developed multiple radiation-induced meningiomas. The parasagittal meningioma that had received 42 Gy (w) for BNCT showed more rapid growth on Gd-enhanced MRI scans and more atypical features on histopathologic studies than the temporal convexity tumor that had received 20 Gy (w). Long-term follow up MRI studies are necessary in long-survivors of malignant brain tumors treated by BNCT.

Measuring information transfer in a soft robotic arm

Soft robots can exhibit diverse behaviors with simple types of actuation by partially outsourcing control to the morphological and material properties of their soft bodies, which is made possible by the tight coupling between control, body, and environment. In this paper, we present a method that will quantitatively characterize these diverse spatiotemporal dynamics of a soft body based on the information-theoretic approach. In particular, soft bodies have the ability to propagate the effect of actuation through the entire body, with a certain time delay, due to their elasticity. Our goal is to capture this delayed interaction in a quantitative manner based on a measure called momentary information transfer. We extend this measure to soft robotic applications and demonstrate its power using a physical soft robotic platform inspired by the octopus. Our approach is illustrated in two ways. First, we statistically characterize the delayed actuation propagation through the body as a strength of information transfer. Second, we capture this information propagation directly as local information dynamics. As a result, we show that our approach can successfully characterize the spatiotemporal dynamics of the soft robotic platform, explicitly visualizing how information transfers through the entire body with delays. Further extension scenarios of our approach are discussed for soft robotic applications in general.

NFκB2 Gene as a Novel Candidate that Epigenetically Responds to Interval Walking Training

Physical fitness has been reported to decrease the risk of lifestyle-related diseases. The present study evaluated genome-wide methylation under the hypothesis that interval walking training (IWT) imparted beneficial effects on health, particularly by epigenetically ameliorating susceptibility to inflammation. We screened DNA from peripheral blood samples via genome-wide microarray for genes whose methylation was affected by IWT, paying special attention to promoter regions, and identified over 40 hyper- or hypo-methylated genes following IWT that were not witnessed in controls. We next selected genes in which the degree of methylation change in the promoter region was correlated with energy consumption following IWT. In this way, we found the NFκB2 gene to have increased methylation in multiple regions of its promoter sequence following participation in an exercise regimen. Next, IWT-induced NFκB2 hyper-methylation was confirmed by a quantitative PyroSequencing assessment of methylation in samples obtained from independent subjects who also underwent IWT. The increase in NFκB2 gene promoter methylation by IWT indicates that this regimen may suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines. Thus, these results provide an additional line of evidence that IWT is advantageous in promoting health from an epigenetic perspective by ameliorating susceptibility to inflammation.

Histidine-rich protein as a possible origin of free amino acids of stratum corneum

The origin of free amino acids and/or their metabolites of the stratum corneum was investigated by pulse-chase experiments using hairless mice. Two, 24, 48, and 72 hrs after the animals were pulse-chased with 3H-histidine or 3H-arginine, radioactivity was determined in the following three fractions of the epidermis: the 0.1 N HClO4 soluble, ethanol soluble fraction (Fr. I); the 0.1N NClO4 soluble, ethanol insoluble fraction (Fr. II); and the 0.1 N HClO4 insoluble, 8M urea soluble fraction (Fr. III). Radioactivity of the epidermal proteins was also determined in SDS-PAGE gels by the gel slicing method. At first, 3H-histidine and/or 3H-arginine were predominantly incorporated into Fr. III, especially into a certain epidermal protein which showed little mobility on SDS-PAGE. Subsequently, 3H, once incorporated into Fr. III, appeared to shift from Fr. III to Fr. II and, simultaneously, from the top band(s) to a band of 32,000 daltons. As a result of amino acid analysis, a protein of Fr. II was considered a histidine-rich protein corresponding to HRP-II of the new born rats of Ball et al. After 48 hrs, as the radioactivities of Fr. III and Fr. II decreased remarkably, Fr. I gradually increased in radioactivity. The major radioactive substances in Fr. I at 72 hrs were identified as 3H-histidine and 3H-urocanic acid when 3H-histidine was used as a tracer, and as 3H-arginine, 3H-ornithine, and 3H-citrulline in the case of 3H-arginine. The amino acid composition of the histidine-rich protein was very similar to that of the free amino acids of the stratum corneum in the hairless mouse, in which some amino acid metabolites were considered as their precursor amino acids. These results strongly suggest that the free amino acids and/or their metabolites of the stratum corneum might be the final products of a degradation of the histidine-rich protein.

Short communication: opposing effects of lactoferrin on the proliferation of fibroblasts and epithelial cells from bovine mammary gland

Lactoferrin is present in several physiologic fluids, including milk and colostrum. Recently, evidence has accumulated that lactoferrin acts as a regulator of cell proliferation. Lactoferrin mRNA and protein levels in bovine mammary glands are known to markedly increase after cessation of milking. To clarify the role of bovine lactoferrin (bLF) in mammary involution and remodeling during dry periods, we investigated whether bLF affects the proliferation of cultured cells derived from bovine mammary gland and examined the mechanism underlying the proliferative response to bLF. Addition of bLF to the culture medium increased the proliferation of bovine mammary stromal fibroblasts (bMSF), but decreased that of bovine mammary epithelial cells (bMEC). Proliferation was significantly increased in the bMSF treated with bLF (100μg/mL or greater) as compared with unstimulated cells. The maximal proliferative effect of bLF on bMSF occurred at 1,000μg/mL, such that the proliferation of the bLF-stimulated bMSF was approximately 2.5 times that of unstimulated cells. The bLF increased the production of proliferating cell nuclear antigen and rapid phosphorylation of the p44/p42 mitogen-activated protein kinase in bMSF, but not in bMEC. The bLF-induced proliferation and production of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in bMSF was suppressed by U0126, a specific inhibitor of mitogen-activated protein kinase. Furthermore, treatment with bLF for 24h decreased the mRNA levels of the 3 isoforms of transforming growth factor β in bMSF (16-66%) but upregulated those in bMEC (122-157%). These opposite effects of bLF on the proliferation of epithelial and fibroblast cells and their expression of transforming growth factor β may play a crucial role in bovine mammary involution and remodeling.

Monitoring gastric cancer progression with circulating tumour DNA

Background:

Circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) is an emerging candidate biomarker for malignancies and may be useful for monitoring the disease status of gastric cancer.

Methods:

We performed targeted deep sequencing of plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) by massively parallel sequencing in patients with tumours harbouring TP53 mutations. The quantitative values of TP53-ctDNA during the clinical course were compared with the tumour status.

Results:

Three out of ten patients with TP53 mutations in primary tumours showed detectable TP53 mutation levels in preoperative cfDNA. Although the cfDNA concentrations were not always reflective of the disease course, the ctDNA fraction correlated with the disease status.

Conclusions:

ctDNA may serve as a useful biomarker to monitor gastric cancer progression and residual disease.

Spin-orbit fluctuations in frustrated heavy-fermion metal LiV(2)O(4)

Spin fluctuations were studied over a wide momentum (ℏQ) and energy (E) space in the frustrated d-electron heavy-fermion metal LiV_{2}O_{4} by time-of-flight inelastic neutron scattering. We observed the overall Q-E evolutions near the characteristic Q=0.6  Å^{-1}  peak and found another weak broad magnetic peak around 2.4  Å^{-1}. The data are described by a simple response function, a partially delocalized magnetic form factor, and antiferromagnetic short-range spatial correlations, indicating that heavy-fermion formation is attributable to spin-orbit fluctuations with orbital hybridization.

The relationship between serum uric acid levels and β-cell functions in nondiabetic subjects

High serum uric acid (UA) levels are believed to be an independent risk factor for the development of diabetes. We aimed to investigate the relationship between serum UA concentrations and early-phase insulin secretion following a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in nondiabetic subjects. We enrolled 570 Japanese subjects (354 males and 216 females, aged 50.5 ± 8.9 years and 52.6 ± 7.3 years, respectively), who underwent the 75 g OGTT during their annual health examination. The OGTT confirmed their nondiabetic status. Insulin secretion was estimated by the disposition index (DI) [(Δ insulin/Δ glucose (0-30 min) × (1/HOMA-IR)], which is an adjusted measure of β-cell function relative to variations in insulin sensitivity. Simple linear regression analysis showed negative correlations between serum UA levels and DI, when examined in the whole study population and female subjects only (r = -0.209, p < 0.001 and r = -0.232, p < 0.001, respectively). However, in male subjects, UA levels did not correlate with DI. In females, multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that serum UA levels were the major predictors of DI, explaining 16.4% of its variation (p < 0.001). Serum UA levels significantly correlate with early-phase insulin secretion in nondiabetic Japanese women. It may be an independent risk factor for predicting β-cell function in women.

Exploiting short-term memory in soft body dynamics as a computational resource

Soft materials are not only highly deformable, but they also possess rich and diverse body dynamics. Soft body dynamics exhibit a variety of properties, including nonlinearity, elasticity and potentially infinitely many degrees of freedom. Here, we demonstrate that such soft body dynamics can be employed to conduct certain types of computation. Using body dynamics generated from a soft silicone arm, we show that they can be exploited to emulate functions that require memory and to embed robust closed-loop control into the arm. Our results suggest that soft body dynamics have a short-term memory and can serve as a computational resource. This finding paves the way towards exploiting passive body dynamics for control of a large class of underactuated systems.

The relationship between serum calcium level and early-phase insulin secretion in normoglycemic and pre-diabetic individuals

INTRODUCTION

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is linked to altered calcium metabolism. However, little is known about the relationship between serum calcium levels and early-phase insulin secretion in subjects with normoglycemic tolerance (NGT) or prediabetes (preDM).

METHODS

In this gender-separated cross-sectional study, 352 subjects with NGT (215 men and 137 women; age: 48.8±9.1 years and 51.6±6.7 years, respectively) and 316 subjects with preDM (231 men and 85 women; age: 52.5±8.6 years and 54.2±8.0 years, respectively) were examined. Following a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, early-phase insulin secretion was estimated using the insulinogenic index (IGI) [ΔInsulin(30-0 min)/ΔGlucose(30-0 min)].

RESULTS

Simple linear regression analysis showed that IGI was positively correlated with serum calcium and albumin-adjusted calcium levels in men with NGT and preDM. However, IGI was not correlated with calcium levels in women with NGT and preDM. Multivariate linear regression analysis of men with NGT revealed that the albumin-adjusted calcium level was the major predictor of IGI, responsible for 5.1% of its variation (P=0.003). In addition, in men with preDM, the albumin-adjusted calcium level was one of the predictors of IGI, responsible for 3.8% of its variation (P=0.004). These associations were independent of age, BMI, and HbA1c.

CONCLUSIONS

In non-diabetic Japanese men, serum calcium levels significantly correlate with early-phase insulin secretion. Serum calcium levels may be an independent predictor of β-cell function in men.

Production of human monoclonal anti-Jk3, recognising an epitope including the Jk(a) /Jk(b) polymorphic site of the Kidd glycoprotein

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The Kidd blood group system consists of polymorphic antigens, Jk(a) (JK1) and Jk(b) (JK2), and a high-incidence antigen, Jk3. Anti-Jk3 is often observed in immunised Jk(a-b-) individuals. In this study, we aimed to establish a human hybridoma cell line secreting monoclonal anti-Jk3 (HIRO-294).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Peripheral blood lymphocytes of a Filipino woman with the Jk(a-b-) phenotype having anti-Jk3 were transformed with Epstein-Barr virus and then hybridised with the myeloma cell line JMS-3 using the polyethylene glycol (PEG) method. The reactivity and specificity of the anti-Jk3 were examined by serology and flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Four hybridoma clones secreting anti-Jk3 were established and the antibody from one of these clones, HIRO-294, was examined. The reactivity of HIRO-294 was positive with 227 Jk(a+b-) red blood cells (RBCs), 298 Jk(a-b+) RBCs, and 1043 Jk(a+b+) RBCs, but was negative with 21 Jk(a-b-) RBCs. Eluates from Jk(a+b-) RBCs and Jk(a-b+) RBCs sensitised with the anti-Jk3 were cross-reacted with Jk(a-b+) RBCs and Jk(a+b-) RBCs, respectively. The reactivity of HIRO-294 was enhanced by the treatment of RBCs with ficin, trypsin, pronase and α-chymotrypsin, but was not changed by their treatment with neuraminidase, dithiothreitol and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) glycine acid (GA). The RBCs sensitised by the anti-Jk3 were not agglutinated with the commercial reagents of anti-Jk(a) and anti-Jk(b) by saline test, whereas the nonsensitised RBCs or those sensitised by monoclonal anti-D [HIRO-3, immunoglobulin G (IgG) class] were agglutinated with those reagents.

CONCLUSIONS

We established a human hybridoma cell line secreting monoclonal anti-Jk3 (HIRO-294). This antibody had unique specificity, recognising the Kidd glycoprotein including the Jk(a) /Jk(b) polymorphic site.

Laparoscopic intraoperative navigation surgery for gastric cancer using real-time rendered 3D CT images

PURPOSE

Recent advances in laparoscopic surgical technology have made it possible to perform advanced high-level surgery, such as lymph node dissection for malignancy. Grasping the anatomy during such procedures is important for a safe operation. We have developed a new image information system that provides three-dimensional (3D) reconstructed CT images synchronized with the motion of the laparoscope. This study assesses this new navigation system.

METHODS

Enhanced CT using a custom-made software program can provide 3D angiography images reconstructed as a laparoscopic view. A motion sensor mounted on the laparoscope can detect the direction angle of the laparoscope. The real-time rendered 3D CT images are synchronized with the laparoscopic video images according to the motion of the scope. These 3D CT images are projected on another monitor close to the laparoscopic video monitor. Lymph node dissection can be performed with the help of the real-time navigation system that provides a detailed 3D view of the vasculature.

RESULTS

Ten laparoscopic gastrectomies were performed using this navigation system. Real-time intraoperative navigation of the vasculature was available, allowing for an excellent surgical outcome. No complications occurred in this series.

CONCLUSION

Our intraoperative navigation system allows for safe laparoscopic gastric lymph node dissection.

Local dynamics coupled to hydration water determines DNA-sequence-dependent deformability

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) experiments were conducted on two hydrated DNA dodecamers with distinct deformability: 5'CGCG[under AATT]̲CGCG3' and 5'CGCG[under TTAA]̲CGCG3'. The former is known to be rigid and the latter to be flexible. The mean-square displacements of DNA dodecamers exhibit so-called dynamical transition around 200-240 K for both sequences. To investigate the DNA-sequence-dependent dynamics, the dynamics of DNA and hydration water above the transition temperature were examined using both MD simulations and QENS experiments. The fluctuation amplitude of the AATT central tetramer is smaller, and its relaxation time is longer, than that observed in TTAA, suggesting that the AT step is kinetically more stable than TA. The sequence-dependent local base pair step dynamics correlates with the kinetics of breaking the hydrogen bond between DNA and hydration water. The sequence-dependent DNA base pair step fluctuations appear above the dynamical transition temperature. Together with these results, we conclude that DNA deformability is related to the local dynamics of the base pair steps, themselves coupled to hydration water in the minor groove.

Sequence Analysis of Replication Origin of Plasmid pLS11 of Bacillus subtilis IFO 3022

The structure of a 1.6-kb SphI-HindIII DNA sequence necessary and sufficient for the replication of a 8.6-kb plasmid pLS11 of Bacillus subtilis IFO 3022, which is responsible for gamma-polyglutamate production, has been characterized by using a trimethoprim (Tmp)-resistance gene derived form B. subtilis TTK24 chromosomal DNA as a selective marker. The 1.6-kb DNA sequence contains a rep gene encoding the protein (333 amino acids) essential for initiation of replication and a possible origin of replication. The predicted REP protein of pLS11 has an overall homology with the REP proteins of pUH1 (74.8% identity), pBAA1 (92.8%), and pFTB14 (78.7%) in Bacillus spp., pLP1 (42.1%) and pLAB1000 (36.3%) in Lactobacillus spp., and pUB110 (35.3%) and pC194 (37.4%) in Staphylococcus aureus, but has not any similarity with the REP protein of the staphylococcal plasmid pT181.