Early childhood neurodevelopmental milestones in children with allergic diseases: the Japan Environment and Children's Study (JECS)

This study investigated the potential link between early childhood allergic diseases and neurodevelopmental milestone attainment during the first 3 years of life. Utilizing data from a large-scale prospective birth cohort study in Japan, encompassing 87,986 children, we examined physician-diagnosed and caregiver-reported allergic conditions, including atopic dermatitis (AD), asthma, and food allergy (FA). Neurodevelopmental milestones were assessed using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires at 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 years of age. Stabilized inverse probability-weighted generalized estimating equation models were employed to estimate odds ratios (ORs). Our analysis revealed no significant association of AD and asthma with delay in communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, and personal-social skills during the initial 3 years of life. However, children with FA showed an increased likelihood of experiencing gross motor delay compared with that shown by those without FA (weighted adjusted OR: 1.14). Despite this, no significant association of FA with other developmental domains was observed. Early childhood allergies may not influence neurodevelopmental delays. However, there is a potential association between FA and delays, specifically in gross motor skills, that warrants routine developmental monitoring and additional investigations.

The cytotoxicity of gefitinib on patient‑derived induced pluripotent stem cells reflects gefitinib‑induced liver injury in the clinical setting

Gefitinib is a key drug used in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with EGFR mutations. Gefitinib therapy is superior to conventional chemotherapy for the progression-free survival rate of patients with EGFR mutations. However, 10-26% of patients develop grade 3 or higher hepatotoxicity during gefitinib treatment; therefore, the development of preclinical tests for hepatotoxicity prior to clinical use is desirable. The present study evaluated the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and iPSC-derived hepatocytes (iPSC-heps), as a platform for preclinical test development. Patient-derived iPSCs were generated by reprogramming peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from two groups of gefitinib-treated patients with severe hepatotoxicity [toxicity group (T group)] or mild hepatotoxicity [no clinical toxicity group (N group)]. To examine the hepatotoxicity, the iPSCs from both T and N groups were differentiated into hepatocytes to obtain iPSC-heps. Differentiation was confirmed by measuring the expression levels of hepatocyte markers, such as albumin or α-fetoprotein, via western blotting and quantitative PCR analyses. Cytotoxicity in iPSCs and iPSC-heps after gefitinib treatment was evaluated using a lactate dehydrogenase release assay. The gefitinib-induced cytotoxicity in iPSCs from the T group was significantly higher than that from the N group, whereas there were no significant differences between the groups of iPSC-heps. These results suggested that using iPSCs in preclinical assessment may be a good indicator for the prediction of gefitinib-induced cytotoxicity in clinical use.

Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Among Offspring Exposed to Corticosteroid and B2-Adrenergic Agonists In Utero

Importance

Corticosteroids and β2-adrenergic agonists are commonly used during pregnancy to treat asthma. However, offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes following in utero exposure to these medications remain unclear.

Objective

To investigate the association between timing of in utero exposure to corticosteroids and β2-adrenergic agonists and offspring neurodevelopmental milestones during the first 3 years of life.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study obtained data from the Japan Environment and Children's Study, an ongoing birth cohort study conducted in collaboration with 15 Regional Centers across Japan. Participants were mother-offspring pairs who were recruited between January 1, 2011, and March 31, 2014. Data were analyzed between January and February 2023.

Exposure

Corticosteroids and β2-adrenergic agonists were the exposure of interest. Timing of corticosteroid and β2-adrenergic agonist exposure included early pregnancy (weeks 0-12), mid- to late pregnancy (weeks >12), and both stages of pregnancy.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Offspring neurodevelopmental milestones (communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem-solving, and personal-social skills) were assessed using the Japanese version of the Ages and Stages Questionnaires, 3rd edition, at 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months.

Results

In total, 91 460 mother-offspring pairs were analyzed. Among mothers, the mean (SD) age at delivery was 31.20 (5.05) years. Among offspring, 46 596 (50.9%) were males and 44 864 (49.1%) were females, of whom 66.4% had a gestational age of 39 to 41 weeks. During early, mid- to late, and both stages of pregnancy, 401 (0.4%), 935 (1.0%), and 568 (0.6%) offspring, respectively, were exposed to corticosteroids, whereas 170 (0.2%), 394 (0.4%), and 184 (0.2%), respectively, were exposed to β2-adrenergic agonists. No association of corticosteroid exposure during early, mid- to late, and both stages of pregnancy with all 5 neurodevelopmental milestones was found. Similarly, no association between β2-adrenergic agonist use during early pregnancy and all 5 neurodevelopmental milestones was observed. An association was found between β2-adrenergic agonist exposure during mid- to late pregnancy and delayed personal-social skills (adjusted odds ratio, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.01-2.32; P = .045).

Conclusions and Relevance

Results of this study found no association between in utero corticosteroid and β2-adrenergic agonist exposure and offspring neurodevelopmental outcomes, regardless of the timing of exposure. Despite the limitations and low power of the study, the findings suggest that corticosteroids and β2-adrenergic agonists are safe for pregnant individuals with asthma and the neurodevelopment of their offspring.

Development of continuous measurement system for hydrogen and impurity gases using detector tube

A relatively accurate, inexpensive, simple, and continuous quantification system for hydrogen and impurity gas(es) using a detector tube was developed in this study. Additionally, different detector tubes can be applied to measure different types of gases in a wide range from ppm order to % level. We optimized this system and evaluated its accuracy as well as the behavior of released H2 and impurity (NH3) gases from a hydrolysis of ammonia borane using a Pt/Al2O3 catalyst. The accuracy of hydrogen quantitation achieved by this system was comparable to that of commercial mass flow meters, and the accuracy of ammonia quantitation was 10% or 5% relative standard deviation, which depends on the detector tube. The concentration of released NH3 was evaluated by image analysis with a time-lapse video of the detector tube and succeeded in analyzing from ppm to % order. The H2 and NH3 release behaviors agreed with pH, and the percentage of reaction was estimated by NMR measurement of the reacted solution. These results confirmed the accuracy of this system.

Pathophysiological Analysis of Uninephrectomized db/db Mice as a Model of Severe Diabetic Kidney Disease

Diabetic nephropathy, included in diabetic kidney disease (DKD), is the primary disease leading to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) or dialysis treatment, accounting for more than 40% of all patients with ESRD or receiving dialysis. Developing new therapeutics to prevent the transition to ESRD or dialysis treatment requires an understanding of the pathophysiology of DKD and an appropriate animal model for drug efficacy studies. In this study, we investigated the pathophysiology of diabetic kidney disease with type 2 diabetes in uninephrectomized db/db mice. In addition, the nephrectomized db/db mice from 10 weeks to 42 weeks were used to assess the efficacy of long-term administration of the angiotensin-II–receptor antagonist losartan. The blood and urinary biochemical parameters and the blood pressure which is a main pharmacological endpoint of the losartan therapy, were periodically measured. And at the end, histopathological analysis was performed. Uninephrectomized db/db mice clearly developed obesity and hyperglycemia from young age. Furthermore, they showed renal pathophysiological changes, such as increased urinary albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) (the peak value 3104±986 in 40-week-old mice), glomerular hypertrophy and increased fibrotic areas in the tubulointerstitial tubules. The blood pressure in the losartan group was significantly low compared to the normotensive Vehicle group. However, as expected, Losartan suppressed the increase in UACR (829±500) indicating the medication was sufficient, but the histopathological abnormalities including tubular interstitial fibrosis did not improve. These results suggest that the uninephrectomized db/db mice are useful as an animal model of the severe DKD indicated by the comparison of the efficacy of losartan in this model with the efficacy of losartan in clinical practice.

Viscoplastic Material Modeling for the Stretch Blow Molding Simulation

In this paper, the viscoplastic material model of PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which is intended to be used in the FEM (finite element method) simulation of stretch blow molding process, has been studied. Material tests of PET were performed with the constant strain rates varying from 0.01 to 1 (1/s), at temperatures ranging from 90 to 150 °C, based on the obtained data a two-stage model was proposed. The proposed model could precisely take into account the effects of strain hardening, strain rate sensitivity, variation of the hardening index, and temperature dependency. This model has been implemented into the nonlinear finite element code PBLOW3D, which is developed in the Riken, and its performance in the stretch blow molding simulation has been studied. It has been demonstrated that the proposed material model provides significant improvements, compared with two existing material models, in the simulation of the blow molding process of PET bottles.

Dermal Papilla Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Increase Hair Inductive Gene Expression in Adipose Stem Cells via β-Catenin Activation

Recently, extracellular vesicle (EV)-mediated cell differentiation has gained attention in developmental biology due to genetic exchange between donor cells and recipient cells via transfer of mRNA and miRNA. EVs, also known as exosomes, play a role in maintaining paracrine cell communication and can induce cell proliferation and differentiation. However, it remains unclear whether adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) can adopt dermal papilla (DP)-like properties with dermal papilla cell-derived extracellular vesicles (DPC-EVs). To understand the effect of DPC-EVs on cell differentiation, DPC-EVs were characterized and incubated with ASCs, of monolayer and spheroid cell cultures, in combination with the CAO1/2FP medium specialized for dermal papilla cells (DPCs). DPC-like properties in ASCs were initially evaluated by comparing several genes and proteins with those of DPCs via real-time PCR analysis and immunostaining, respectively. We also evaluated the presence of hair growth-related microRNAs (miRNAs), specifically mir-214-5P, mir-218-5p, and mir-195-5P. Here, we found that miRNA expression patterns varied in DPC-EVs from passage 4 (P4) or P5. In addition, DPC-EVs in combination with CAP1/2FP accelerated ASC proliferation at low concentrations and propagated hair inductive gene expression for versican (vcan), alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-sma), osteopontin (opn), and N-Cam (ncam). Comparison between the expression of hair inductive genes (vcan, α-sma, ctnb, and others), the protein VCAN, α-SMA and β-Catenin (CTNB), and hair inductive miRNAs (mir-214-5P, mir-218-5p, and mir-195-5p) of DPC-EVs revealed similarities between P4 DPC-EVs-treated ASCs and DPCs. We concluded that early passage DPC-EVs, in combination with CAP1/2FP, enabled ASCs to transdifferentiate into DPC-like cells.

The use of SPECT/CT to assess resorptive activity in mandibular condyles

The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical significance of bone metabolism in the mandibular condyles in determining condylar resorptive changes. Twelve condyles of patients with idiopathic condylar resorption and degenerative joint disease were analysed using ^99mTc HMDP SPECT/CT at baseline and subsequent computed tomography during the follow-up period. Twenty-two healthy condyles were enrolled as controls. After generating three-dimensional SPECT/CT images, two independent observers scored the degree of condylar uptake and measured the morphological changes in the condylar height and condylar volume. In the group with positive condylar uptake, the follow-up computed tomography showed significant decreases in condylar height (-1.69 ± 0.93 mm) and condylar volume (-12.51 ± 10.30%) when compared to healthy controls (condylar height, 0.09 ± 0.54 mm; condylar volume, -0.29 ± 4.22%) (P < 0.001). Moreover, the degree of uptake correlated with the changes in condylar height (observer 1, P = 0.012; observer 2, P = 0.039) and condylar volume (observer 1, P = 0.005; observer 2, P = 0.037). These results suggest that condylar bone metabolism is closely related to the resorptive activity. Thus, SPECT/CT would be useful in the prognostic evaluation or determination of treatment strategies for idiopathic condylar resorption and degenerative joint disease.

Early tumor response assessment may avoid serious immune-related adverse events in nivolumab and ipilimumab combination therapy for stage IV melanoma

Nivolumab and ipilimumab combination therapy is one of the most promising treatments for patients with melanoma. However, this combination therapy is highly toxic and causes serious adverse events (SAEs) in more than half of the patients.

The Influence of Atopic Dermatitis on Health-Related Quality of Life in Bangladesh

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the foremost non-fatal skin-related disease that affects all age groups. Despite the growing prevalence of AD in low- and middle-income countries, its physiological consequences remain overlooked in countries like Bangladesh. Therefore, we aim to assess and characterize the influence of AD on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Bangladeshi patients. A cross-sectional study comprising 184 eligible adults (83 men and 101 women; mean age, 33.46 ± 15.44 years) was conducted at the dermatology outpatient department of Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College Hospital (a tertiary hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh). AD was determined using the UK Working Party criteria. A structured questionnaire, Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI), and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) were administered to obtain information on patient characteristics, AD severity, and HRQoL. The mean DLQI score for the entire sample was 11.29 ± 5.27 (range, 1–26), and 51.60% reported the disease greatly affected their lives. Bivariate analysis revealed significant differences in self-rated health measures of DLQI scores in terms of self-reported AD severity, overall health, and the EASI. In multivariable regression models adjusted for patient characteristics, the self-perceived severe AD group reported significantly higher DLQI scores (coefficient = 2.72; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.38–5.05; p = 0.022) than the mild group. Concurrently, we observed a substantial increase in the DLQI scores among patients with moderate and severe EASI scores (coefficient = 1.96, 95% CI = 0.08–3.92, p < 0.05 and coefficient = 4.35, 95% CI = 1.98–6.72, p < 0.001, respectively) than in those with mild EASI scores, suggesting that HRQoL was markedly influenced by greater AD severity. These findings highlight the need for a more patient-centric approach to the management of AD in order to alleviate patient suffering and, thereby, improve HRQoL.

Pre-operative endovascular coil embolisation for chronic pulmonary aspergillosis

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively evaluate the clinical outcomes of pre-operative endovascular coil embolisation (ECE) for chronic pulmonary aspergillosis (CPA).METHODS: We evaluated surgical patients with CPA between November 2016 and April 2020. Pre-operative ECE for CPA with severe adhesions was selectively performed to reduce intra-operative blood loss. ECE procedures, operative procedures, intra-operative blood loss and complications were evaluated.RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients (21 males and 7 females; median age: 55 years) were included in the study. Of the 28 patients, 8 (28.6%) underwent pre-operative ECE. Technical success rate in pre-operative ECE was 100%. The median time required for ECE procedures was 123 min. The median number of vessels embolised per procedure was 2.5. The median period between embolisation and surgery was 5 days. Major complications were observed in three patients (10.7%). There were no significant differences between patients with and without pre-operative ECE in operative time (284 vs. 365 min, respectively, P = 0.7602) and intra-operative blood loss (294 vs. 228 mL, respectively, P = 0.8987).CONCLUSIONS: Pre-operative ECE for CPA appears to be feasible and safe; however, its role in reducing intra-operative blood loss needs further investigation.

Effects of H3 and H4 histones acetylation and bindings of CREB binding protein and p300 at the promoter on hepatic expression of gamma-glutamyltransferase gene in a streptozotocin-induced moderate hypoinsulinemic rat model

Gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT), a marker of liver disease, has been shown to be associated with increased risk of diabetes and relative insulin secretion deficiency. However, the mechanism of hepatic Ggt regulation has not been explored fully. In this study, we made a concerted effort to understand the mechanism by investigating the effects of acetylation of histones H3 and H4, and bindings of histone acetyltransferases, CREB binding protein (CBP) and p300, at the Ggt promoter on the regulation of the expression of Ggt gene in the livers of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced moderate hypoinsulinemia rat model. The rats treated with STZ showed remarkably higher serum GGT level and hepatic Ggt/GGT expression than the untreated control rats. Furthermore, the acetylation of histones H3 and H4, and the binding of CBP not p300 at the Ggt promoter regions were significantly higher in the livers of STZ rats than those of the control rats. These results suggest that an enhanced hepatic expression of Ggt is associated with increased acetylation of histones H3 and H4 and CBP binding at the Ggt promoter in STZ-induced moderate hypoinsulinemic rats.

Left atrial strain and outcome in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Background

Left atrial (LA) function is impaired in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). However, the association between LA longitudinal strain and heart failure (HF) events in patients with HFpEF is still unknown. We evaluated whether LA strain measurements would be useful to predict hospitalizations for worsening HF in this study.

Methods

This study included 121 patients (Male 73, Female 48) with HFpEF who had echocardiogram at our institute (Age = 76 ± 14y, Left ventricular ejection fraction; LVEF = 63 ± 8%). Patients with atrial fibrillation were excluded. LA longitudinal strain was measured by speckle-tracking echocardiography, using TOMTEC imaging system. The endpoints were hospitalizations for worsening HF.

Results

During follow-up period of 319 ± 269 days, 33 patients (27%) experienced hospitalizations for worsening HF. LA strain was markedly lower in patients with HF events at 11.3 ± 5.6, whereas LA strain was higher at 20.3 ± 10.1 in patients without HF events. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated a significant separation of survival curves stratified by median value of LA strain (Figure).

Conclusions

LA dysfunction in HFpEF is associated with a higher risk of HF hospitalization, and LA strain measurements would be useful to predict HF events.

Abstract Figure

Fluctuation in O-GlcNAcylation inactivates STIM1 to reduce store-operated calcium ion entry via down-regulation of Ser621 phosphorylation

Stromal interaction molecule 1 (STIM1) plays a pivotal role in store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE), an essential mechanism in cellular calcium signaling and in maintaining cellular calcium balance. Because O-GlcNAcylation plays pivotal roles in various cellular function, we examined the effect of fluctuation in STIM1 O-GlcNAcylation on SOCE activity. We found that both increase and decrease in STIM1 O-GlcNAcylation impaired SOCE activity. To determine the molecular basis, we established STIM1-knockout HEK293 (STIM1-KO-HEK) cells using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and transfected STIM1 WT (STIM1-KO-WT-HEK), S621A (STIM1-KO-S621A-HEK), or T626A (STIM1-KO-T626A-HEK) cells. Using these cells, we examined the possible O-GlcNAcylation sites of STIM1 to determine whether the sites were O-GlcNAcylated. Co-immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that Ser621 and Thr626 were O-GlcNAcylated and that Thr626 was O-GlcNAcylated in the steady state but Ser621 was not. The SOCE activity in STIM1-KO-S621A-HEK and STIM1-KO-T626A-HEK cells was lower than that in STIM1-KO-WT-HEK cells because of reduced phosphorylation at Ser621 Treatment with the O-GlcNAcase inhibitor Thiamet G or O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) transfection, which increases O-GlcNAcylation, reduced SOCE activity, whereas treatment with the OGT inhibitor ST045849 or siOGT transfection, which decreases O-GlcNAcylation, also reduced SOCE activity. Decrease in SOCE activity due to increase and decrease in O-GlcNAcylation was attributable to reduced phosphorylation at Ser621 These data suggest that both decrease in O-GlcNAcylation at Thr626 and increase in O-GlcNAcylation at Ser621 in STIM1 lead to impairment of SOCE activity through decrease in Ser621 phosphorylation. Targeting STIM1 O-GlcNAcylation could provide a promising treatment option for the related diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases.

Evaluation of epithelial and mesenchymal cell markers in canine urinary bladder transitional cell carcinoma

Canine transitional cell carcinoma (cTCC) is the most common malignant tumour in the urinary bladder: it is highly invasive and exhibits metastatic characteristics. Inflammation is also strongly related to cTCC. Epithelial tumours often exhibit a mesenchymal cell phenotype during tumour invasion and metastasis owing to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which is often induced in chronic inflammation. The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the expression of epithelial and mesenchymal cell markers in tumour cells and to evaluate its relationship with prognosis of cTCC. In this study, 29 dogs with cTCC who underwent surgical treatment were enrolled. Clinical parameters were reviewed using medical records. Tissue expression of epithelial and mesenchymal markers was evaluated by immunohistochemical analysis. The association between the expression of mesenchymal cell markers and clinical parameters, including prognosis, was statistically examined. In five normal bladder tissues used as controls, no expression of mesenchymal markers was observed, except for one tissue that expressed fibronectin. Conversely, epithelial tumour cells expressed vimentin and fibronectin in 23/29 and 19/28 cTCC tissues, respectively. Regarding clinical parameters, vimentin score in Miniature Dachshunds was significantly higher than those in other dog breeds (P < 0.001). Multivariate survival analyses revealed that age>12 years was related to shorter progression-free survival (P = 0.02). Higher vimentin score, lower fibronectin score, and advanced clinical T stage were significantly correlated with shorter median survival time (P < 0.05). The results of this study indicate that vimentin expression was associated with cTCC progression. Further studies are needed to examine the incidence and relevance of EMT in cTCC.

Exploratory open-label clinical study to determine the S-588410 cancer peptide vaccine-induced tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and changes in the tumor microenvironment in esophageal cancer patients

Cancer vaccines induce cancer-specific T-cells capable of eradicating cancer cells. The impact of cancer peptide vaccines (CPV) on the tumor microenvironment (TME) remains unclear. S-588410 is a CPV comprising five human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*24:02-restricted peptides derived from five cancer testis antigens, DEPDC1, MPHOSPH1, URLC10, CDCA1 and KOC1, which are overexpressed in esophageal cancer. This exploratory study investigated the immunologic mechanism of action of subcutaneous S-588410 emulsified with MONTANIDE ISA51VG adjuvant (median: 5 doses) by analyzing the expression of immune-related molecules, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response and T-lymphocytes bearing peptide-specific T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing in tumor tissue or blood samples from 15 participants with HLA-A*24:02-positive esophageal cancer. Densities of CD8+, CD8+ Granzyme B+, CD8+ programmed death-1-positive (PD-1+) and programmed death-ligand 1-positive (PD-L1+) cells were higher in post- versus pre-vaccination tumor tissue. CTL response was induced in all patients for at least one of five peptides. The same sequences of peptide-specific TCRs were identified in post-vaccination T-lymphocytes derived from both tumor tissue and blood, suggesting that functional peptide-specific CTLs infiltrate tumor tissue after vaccination. Twelve (80%) participants had treatment-related adverse events (AEs). Injection site reaction was the most frequently reported AE (grade 1, n = 1; grade 2, n = 11). In conclusion, S-588410 induces a tumor immune response in esophageal cancer. Induction of CD8+ PD-1+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and PD-L1 expression in the TME by vaccination suggests S-588410 in combination with anti-PD-(L)1 antibodies may offer a clinically useful therapy.Trial registration UMIN-CTR registration identifier: UMIN000023324.

Enhancement of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine modification promotes metastasis in patients with colorectal cancer and concurrent type 2 diabetes mellitus

Reversible post-translational modification of serine and threonine residues by O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc), termed O-GlcNAcylation has been indicated to regulate the activities of a number of different proteins. Augmented O-GlcNAcylation contributes to the etiologies of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T₂DM) and cancer. Moreover, diabetic conditions increase the risk of colorectal cancer. However, the effect of O-GlcNAcylation in patients with colorectal cancer and concurrent T₂DM has not been elucidated. The current study evaluated the level of O-GlcNAcylation in patients with colorectal cancer with or without T₂DM. Notably, O-GlcNAcylation levels were significantly higher in tissues from patients with T₂DM compared with those in patients without T₂DM, and higher in cancer tissues compared with corresponding adjacent tissues. O-GlcNAcylation and cancer stage were more strongly correlated in cancer tissues from patients with T₂DM compared with those from patients without T₂DM. Additionally, distant metastasis was significantly correlated with O-GlcNAcylation in cancer tissues from patients with T₂DM. β-catenin levels in colorectal cancer tissues were the highest in patients with advanced-stage cancer and concurrent T₂DM. In SW480 human colon cancer cells, thiamet G (TMG) treatment and OGA silencing, which increased O-GlcNAcylation, significantly increased β-catenin and SNAIL in high-glucose, but not during normal-glucose conditions. These data suggest that O-GlcNAcylation is closely associated with distant metastasis, most likely through upregulation of the β-catenin/SNAIL signaling pathway in colorectal cancer patients with T₂DM.

Association between dexamethasone treatment and alterations in serum concentrations of trace metals

Previously, a significant elevation in the serum levels of iron (Fe) was observed within a few days after the initiation of cisplatin (CDDP)-based chemotherapy. To clarify the underlying mechanisms, the serum concentration of hepcidin, a negative regulator of Fe release, was determined in the clinical samples obtained from six patients with cancer. The result showed that the serum concentration of hepcidin in patients receiving CDDP-based chemotherapy was significantly increased after 4-6 days of treatment, in comparison to the baseline level, suggesting that aforementioned excessive systemic Fe was not explained by the change of serum hepcidin level. All these patients received antiemetic premedication. We next evaluated of the effects of Pt-containing drugs and prophylactic antiemetic dexamethasone medication on the serum concentration of trace metals in mice, and on the hepatic and renal concentration of trace metals. The serum concentrations of Fe, Cu, and Zn in the CDDP-treated and oxaliplatin-treated mice were not significantly altered in comparison to those of the vehicle-treated control group. The serum concentrations of Fe, Cu, and Zn were increased after 24 h of dexamethasone treatment, compared to those of the control group (P < 0.05). The hepatic concentration of Mn was significantly reduced, whereas those of Fe and Cu inclined to diminish. The present findings suggest that dexamethasone can partly contribute to the changes in the serum concentrations of trace metals during anticancer chemotherapy.

Caregiving centenarians: Cross-national comparison in Caregiver-Burden between the United States and Japan

Background and Objectives: The personal distress associated with caring for a family member has been well documented; however, questions about the burden of caregiving for centenarians and cross-national differences in the caregiving context, remain unanswered.Research Design and Methods: This study includes reports by caregivers of 538 near-centenarians and centenarians in the U.S. and Japan: 234 from the Georgia Centenarian Study and 304 from the Tokyo Centenarian Study. Basic descriptive and multivariate regression analyses were conducted. Mean levels of caregiver burden and near-centenarian and centenarians' characteristics (as predictors) for caregiver burden were compared between the U.S. and Japan. The near-centenarian and centenarians' functional capacity and personality were assessed as predictors.Results: Differential predictive patterns in caregiver burden were found in the two groups. In the U.S., near-centenarian and centenarians' agreeableness and conscientiousness were negatively associated with caregiver burden; whereas the near-centenarian and centenarians' neuroticism and number of diseases were positively associated with caregiver burden. In Japan, the near-centenarian and centenarians' activities of daily living, openness, and agreeableness were negatively associated with caregiving burden. Interaction effects between functional capacity and personality, on caregiver burden were observed only in the U.S. In the U.S., higher levels of agreeableness and openness significantly changed the level of caregiver burden associated with vision problems and a greater number of diseases.Discussion and Implications: Cross-national comparative predictors of caregiving burden between the two countries emphasized that caring for centenarians should be understood in the caregiving context, as well as the social context.

Fructose metabolism as a common evolutionary pathway of survival associated with climate change, food shortage and droughts

Mass extinctions occur frequently in natural history. While studies of animals that became extinct can be informative, it is the survivors that provide clues for mechanisms of adaptation when conditions are adverse. Here, we describe a survival pathway used by many species as a means for providing adequate fuel and water, while also providing protection from a decrease in oxygen availability. Fructose, whether supplied in the diet (primarily fruits and honey), or endogenously (via activation of the polyol pathway), preferentially shifts the organism towards the storing of fuel (fat, glycogen) that can be used to provide energy and water at a later date. Fructose causes sodium retention and raises blood pressure and likely helped survival in the setting of dehydration or salt deprivation. By shifting energy production from the mitochondria to glycolysis, fructose reduced oxygen demands to aid survival in situations where oxygen availability is low. The actions of fructose are driven in part by vasopressin and the generation of uric acid. Twice in history, mutations occurred during periods of mass extinction that enhanced the activity of fructose to generate fat, with the first being a mutation in vitamin C metabolism during the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction (65 million years ago) and the second being a mutation in uricase that occurred during the Middle Miocene disruption (12-14 million years ago). Today, the excessive intake of fructose due to the availability of refined sugar and high-fructose corn syrup is driving 'burden of life style' diseases, including obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Control system for the new RIKEN 28-GHz superconducting electron cyclotron resonance ion source for SRILAC

A new RIKEN 28-GHz superconducting electron cyclotron resonance ion source (SC-ECRIS) has been installed for the superconducting RIKEN linear accelerator (SRILAC). The new SC-ECRIS control system mainly consists of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) embedded with the Experimental Physics and Industrial Control System. To improve the reliability as compared with previous control systems, two types of PLC central processing units, sequential and Linux, have been installed in the same unit. Past experience has shown that new types of designs that can rapidly respond to system scalability are key. By connecting PLC stations using star-topology field buses, their rapid and cost-effective response to system changes is realized for the new devices. Furthermore, a unique data acquisition system employing a 920-MHz-band radio was developed to measure analog data such as the temperature at the high-voltage stage.

High intensity vanadium beam for synthesis of new superheavy elements with well-controlled emittance by using "slit triplet"

To provide a very powerful vanadium (V) beam with an intensity of at least 6 particle μA for synthesizing a new superheavy element (SHE) with atomic number Z = 119, we have developed a high-temperature oven (HTO) system to evaporate the metallic V powder inside the new superconducting (SC) electron cyclotron ion source. We successfully extracted a V¹³⁺ beam with a maximum beam intensity of 600 eμA with 2.8-kW microwave power and 900-W heating power of the HTO. Furthermore, from a systematic study of the dependence of the beam intensity on the microwave power and the HTO power, we successfully produced a V¹³⁺ beam of 300 eμA at a consumption rate of 3 mg/h, allowing a one-month duration continuous beam to carry out the SHE synthesis. In addition, to avoid serious damage to newly introduced SC acceleration cavities by beam losses, the beam should be transported with a well-controlled emittance. To efficiently limit the beam emittance, we employed a slit triplet consisting of three pairs of slits installed around the focus point of the low-energy beam transport. The first result of the emittance reduction was observed by a pepper-pot type emittance meter as a function of the acceptance of the slit triplet.

High-Fructose Diet-Induced Hypertriglyceridemia Is Associated With Enhanced Hepatic Expression of ACAT2 in Rats

High levels of fructose induce hypertriglyceridemia, characterized by excessive levels of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins such as very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL); however, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The aim of this short communication was to examine hepatic changes in the expression of genes related to cholesterol metabolism in rats with hypertriglyceridemia induced by high-fructose or high-glucose diets. Rats were fed a 65 % (w/w) glucose diet or a 65 % (w/w) fructose diet for 12 days. Serum levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, and VLDL+LDL-cholesterol, hepatic levels of triglycerides and cholesterol, and ACAT2 expression at the gene and protein levels were significantly higher in the fructose diet group compared to the glucose diet group. The hepatic levels of Abcg5/8 were lower in the fructose group than in the glucose group. Serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and hepatic expression levels of Hmgcr, Ldlr, Acat1, Mttp, Apob, and Cyp7a1 did not differ significantly between groups. These findings suggest that high-fructose diet-induced hypertriglyceridemia is associated with increased hepatic ACAT2 expression.

Overexpression of Na+/H+ exchanger 1 specifically induces cell death in human iPS cells via sustained activation of the Rho kinase ROCK

Understanding the specific properties of human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) is important for quality control of iPSCs. Having incidentally discovered that overexpression of plasma membrane Na⁺/H⁺ exchanger 1 (NHE1) induces cell death in iPSCs, we investigated the mechanism of NHE1-induced cell death. Doxycycline-induced NHE1 overexpression arrested cell growth, and nearly all cells were killed by a necrotic process within 72 h. NHE1 overexpression led to sustained activation of Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase (ROCK), accompanied by dramatic changes in cell shape, cell elongation, and swelling of peripheral cells in iPSC colonies, as well as marked stress fiber formation. The ROCK inhibitor Y27632 reduced NHE1-induced cell death. ROCK-dependent phenotypes were suppressed by a loss-of-function mutation of NHE1 and inhibited by an inhibitor of NHE1 activity, indicating that NHE1-mediated transport activity is required. Moreover, ROCK was activated by trimethylamine treatment-mediated cytosolic alkalinization and accumulated in the plasma membrane near NHE1 in peripheral iPSCs of cell colonies. By contrast, cell death did not occur in mesendoderm-like cells that had differentiated from iPSCs, indicating that the NHE1-mediated effects were specific for iPSCs. These results suggest that NHE1 overexpression specifically induces death of iPSCs via sustained ROCK activation, probably caused by an increase in local pH near NHE1. Finally, monensin, a Na⁺/H⁺ exchange ionophore, selectively killed iPSCs, suggesting that monensin could help eliminate iPSCs that remain after differentiation, a strategy that might be useful for improving regenerative medicine.

Autophagy deficiency exacerbates colitis through excessive oxidative stress and MAPK signaling pathway activation

Background and aim

Autophagy is an essential process involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Although there are many data showing the roles of autophagy in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs), the mechanisms involved remain to be fully elucidated. We investigated the influence of autophagy in IECs on gastrointestinal tract inflammation.

Methods

Mice with conditional knockout of Atg5 in IECs (Atg5^flox/flox/villin-Cre mice) were subjected to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis and analyzed for colitis susceptibility. Additionally, we used Atg5-silenced rat IECs (IEC6shAtg5 cells) for in vitro assays.

Results

Sensitivity to DSS markedly increased in Atg5^flox/flox/villin-Cre mice compared to that in wild-type mice. In IEC6shAtg5 cells, apoptosis was enhanced, and cell viability significantly decreased compared to IEC-6 cells. The expression of proinflammatory cytokines increased upon suppression of autophagy. Furthermore, silencing of Atg5 was associated with inflammation of IECs, activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway by the intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation, and NF-κB p65 phosphorylation.

Conclusions

Autophagy in IECs plays an essential role in the maintenance of intestinal homeostasis, and autophagy deficiency triggers inflammation. Development of methods targeting autophagy might be beneficial in the treatment of IBD.

P4500Cellular senescence of endothelial cells impairs angiogenesis by altering energy metabolism through p53-tigar axis

Background

Ischemic disease is prevalent in elderly population due to impaired angiogenesis. Endothelial cell (EC) generates energy largely via glycolysis, which is further activated when angiogenesis actively occurs. PFK-1 is one of the most important regulatory enzymes for glycolysis, which is activated by PFKFB3. On the other hand, TIGAR inhibits PFK-1 under the control of p53. Crucial roles of PFKFB3 in EC functions under physiological and pathological conditions have been reported; however, a role of TIGAR in EC angiogenic functions remains to be elucidated. Furthermore, it remains unknown whether and how cellular senescence affect the energy metabolism in EC.

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying EC dysfunction associated with ageing, especially by focusing on endothelial energy metabolism.

Method and result

Senescent EC showed reduced glucose consumption assessed by [U-13C]-glucose tracer assay in association with increased expression of p53 and TIGAR. Angiogenic capacity assessed by tube-formation assay was reduced in senescent EC. Of note, either silencing of TIGAR by siRNA or lentivirus-mediated overexpression of PFKFB3 improved angiogenic capacity in senescent EC. These results collectively suggest that senescence impairs glycolysis in EC by activating p53-TIGAR axis, which leads to senescence-associated endothelial dysfunction. To analyze an impact of EC senescence in angiogenesis in vivo, we generated EC-specific progeroid mice in which dominant negative form of telomere repeat-binding factor 2 (TRF2) was overexpressed in EC under the control of the TIE2 promoter. After confirming EC-specific senescence in these endothelial progeroid mice, we generated hind-limb ischemia model. Recovery of blood flow assessed by laser doppler velocimeter was significantly impaired in endothelial progeroid mice, indicating that EC senescence is directly and causally implicated in age-related angiogenic dysfunction. Of note, genetic inactivation of TIGAR completely rescued the impaired ischemia-induced neovessel formation in EC-specific progeroid mice.

Conclusion

Using unique endothelial progeroid mice, we revealed that EC senescence is a bona fide risk for ischemic disease, largely by reducing glycolysis in EC through p53-TIGAR axis. Our data suggest that endothelial energy metabolism is an attracting therapeutic target for the prevention and/or treatment of ischemic diseases, especially in elderly population.

P1535Clinical impact of carotid plaque score rather than carotid intima-media thickness on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease

Background

Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) assessed by ultrasound has been widely accepted as a surrogate marker of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, carotid plaque score (cPS) reflecting throughout the carotid artery plaque burden may be better marker.

Methods

We retrospectively examined 2,035 patients who underwent carotid ultrasonography between January 2006 and December 2015 at our University Hospital. Median follow-up period was 4 years. We used Cox models that adjusted for established risk factors of ASCVD, including age, gender, hypertension, diabetes, smoking, and serum lipids to assess the association of cIMT as well as cPS with major adverse cardiac events (MACE). MACE was defined as all-cause mortality or rehospitalization for a cardiovascular-related illness

Results

During follow-up, 243 participants experienced MACE. After adjustment for established risk factors, cPS was associated with MACE (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.38 for top quintile vs. bottom quintile of cPS; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.82 to 6.27; P-trend = 1.4×10–8), while cIMT was not (HR = 0.88, P=0.57). Addition of the cPS to established risk factors significantly improved risk discrimination (C-index 0.726 vs. 0.746; P=0.017)

Conclusion

As a marker, cPS, rather than cIMT can identify 20% of individuals who are at more than three-fold increased risk for MACE. Targeting diagnostic or therapeutic interventions to this subset may prove clinically useful.

Development of canine X-chromosome inactivation pattern analysis for the detection of cell clonality by incorporating the examination of the SLIT and NTRK-like family member 4 (SLITRK4) gene

X-chromosome inactivation pattern (XCIP) analysis can be used to assess the clonality of cell populations of various origin by distinguishing the methylated X chromosome from the unmethylated X chromosome. In this study, the utility of XCIP analysis was improved by incorporating the examination of AC dinucleotide repeats in SLIT and NTRK-like family member 4 (SLITRK4) gene into the previously reported CAG repeat examination of androgen receptor (AR) gene in dogs. The rate of heterozygosity when both genes were analysed (125/150, 83.3%) was higher than AR gene examination alone (86/150, 57.3%). Blood samples from heterozygous dogs in either AC-1 or AC-2 of SLITRK4 gene were examined for the corrected inactivation allele ratio (CIAR), resulting in the determination of a reference range of CIAR <3.8 in non-neoplastic cell/tissue samples. Using this analytical method, 49% (21/43) of neoplastic tissue samples from dogs showed a CIAR >3.8, indicating the presence of a clonal population. Through the present study, the availability of canine XCIP analysis was improved by incorporating the examination of the SLITRK4 gene, providing a highly useful laboratory examination system for the detection of the clonality of various cell/tissue samples in dogs.

Partially Filled Flow Simulation Using Meshfree Method for High Viscosity Fluid in Plastic Mixer

A novel simulation technique for the flow in plastic mixers based on Element-free Galerkin Method (EFGM) has been developed in this study. To improve the simulation accuracy, a “rearrangement” scheme has been employed which eliminates errors caused by the irregular distribution of data points. Through several numerical tests, the new simulation technique has been validated to be applicable to high viscosity fluid flow with enough accuracy. Furthermore, simulation examples for realistic mixers were carried out using the developed technique. From the results, it was found that the developed technique is capable to investigate the relationship between flow behavior inside realistic mixers and operating conditions.

Sufficient therapeutic effect of cryopreserved frozen adipose-derived regenerative cells on burn wounds

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether cryopreserved (frozen) adipose-derived regenerative cells (ADRCs) have a therapeutic effect on burn wound healing as well as freshly isolated (fresh) ADRCs.

Methods

Full thickness burns were created on dorsum of nude mice and burn wound was excised. The wound was covered by artificial dermis with; (i) fresh ADRCs, (ii) frozen ADRCs, and (iii) PBS (control). The assessment for wound healing was performed by morphological, histopathological and immunohistochemical analyses.

Results

In vivo analyses exhibited the significant therapeutic effect of frozen ADRCs on burn wound healing up to the similar or higher level of fresh ADRCs. There were significant differences of wound closure, epithelized tissue thickness, and neovascularization between the treatment groups and control group. Although there was no significant difference of therapeutic efficacy between fresh ADRC group and frozen ADRC group, frozen ADRCs improved burn wound healing process in dermal regeneration with increased great type I collagen synthesis compared with fresh ADRCs.

Conclusions

These findings indicate that frozen ADRCs allow us to apply not only quickly but also for multiple times, and the cryopreserved ADRCs could therefore be useful for the treatment of burn wounds in clinical settings.

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Frozen ADRCs had a therapeutic effect on burn wounds as well as fresh ADRCs.

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Frozen ADRCs promoted tissue regeneration by paracrine factors.

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Frozen ADRCs could be useful for the treatment of burn wounds in clinical setting.

Augmented O-GlcNAcylation alleviates inflammation-mediated colon carcinogenesis via suppression of acute inflammation

Colon cancer prevalence is high worldwide. O-GlcNAcylation has been associated with tumor growth in various tissues, including the colon; however, its link to carcinogenesis is not fully understood. We investigated the association of O-GlcNAcylation with colon carcinogenesis using a 1,2-dimethylhydrazine/dextran sodium sulfate-induced colon carcinogenesis model in wild type and O-GlcNAc transferase-transgenic (Ogt-Tg) mice. The incidence of colon cancer was significantly lower in Ogt-Tg than in wild type mice. The colonic length was not shortened in Ogt-Tg mice, and NF-κB p65 phosphorylation was strongly suppressed, indicating that reduction of inflammation might be related to the alleviation of colon carcinogenesis. Dextran sodium sulfate-induced acute colitis mice were used to evaluate the effect of O-GlcNAcylation on inflammation at the maximal inflammation period. In Ogt-Tg mice, NF-κB p65 phosphorylation and interleukin-1β mRNA expression were suppressed. Histochemical staining demonstrated shedding of colon epithelial cells in wild type mice a few days after dextran sodium sulfate treatment, whereas they remained essentially intact in Ogt-Tg mice. There were no significant differences on histochemical staining in the remaining epithelia between groups. These data suggest that O-GlcNAcylation could prevent colon carcinogenesis through reducing acute maximum inflammation, suggesting modulation of O-GlcNAcylation as a novel therapeutic option.

Recurrent Spindle Cell Carcinoma Shows Features of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

This study investigated a case of spindle cell carcinoma (SpCC) in tongue pathological lesions. The patient experienced a local recurrence and distant metastasis after surgical intervention. Although standard chemotherapy was administered, a granulomatous mass continued to develop. This aggressive growth led to survival of the tumor. Secondary debulking surgery was performed to improve the patient's quality of life at the request of the patient. Using a tissue sample derived from the secondary debulking surgery, we performed an analysis of the tumor's cell surface antigens, differentiation potential, metastatic ability, and inhibition potential by anticancer reagents. In vitro analysis revealed that the cell population grown under adherent culture conditions expressed the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) markers CD73, CD90, and CD105. The cell line established from this SpCC contained colony-forming unit fibroblasts (CFU-Fs) and exhibited multipotent differentiation into several mesenchymal lineages, including bone, cartilage, and fat. The SpCC cells also displayed vigorous mobilization. These characteristics suggested that they had the differentiation potential of mesenchymal cells, especially MSCs, rather than that of epithelial cells. The surgical specimen analyzed in this study resisted the molecular target reagent cetuximab, which is an epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor. This clinical insight revealed that chemotherapy-resistant SpCC cells have different characteristics compared to most other cancer cells, which are sensitive to cetuximab. Our cell death assay revealed that SpCC cell death was induced by the anticancer drug imatinib, which is known to inhibit protein tyrosine kinase activity of ABL, platelet-derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα), and KIT. Here, we report recurrent SpCC with characteristics of MSCs and potential for treatment with imatinib.

Significance of measurement of serum trough level and anti-drug antibody of adalimumab as personalised pharmacokinetics in patients with Crohn's disease: a subanalysis of the DIAMOND trial

BACKGROUND

Significance of monitoring adalimumab trough levels and anti-adalimumab antibodies (AAA) for disease outcome in Crohn's disease (CD) patients remained unclear.

AIM

To evaluate the association of adalimumab trough levels and AAA at week 26 with clinical remission at week 52, the effect of azathiopurine on AAA and factors influencing trough levels in CD patients in the DIAMOND trial.

METHODS

We performed this study using adalimumab trough levels, AAA at week 26 and 6-thioguanine nucleotide (TGN) in red blood cells at week 12. A multiple regression model and receiver operating analysis was performed to identify factors influencing adalimumab trough levels and AAA, and adalimumab thresholds for predicting disease activity.

RESULTS

There was a significant difference of adalimumab trough level at week 26 between patients with disease remission and without at week 52 (7.7 ± 3.3 μg/mL vs 5.4 ± 4.3 μg/mL: P <.001). Adalimumab trough level of 5.0 μg/mL yielded optimal sensitivity and specificity for remission prediction (80.2% and 55.6%, respectively). AAA development at week 26 significantly affected remission at week 52 (P = .021), which was strongly associated with adalimumab trough levels. Female gender and increasing body weight were independently associated with low adalimumab trough levels, and female gender was associated with AAA development. A cut-off 6TGN level of >222.5 p mol/8 ×10⁸ RBCs yielded sensitivity (100%) and specificity (60.6%) for AAA negativity.

CONCLUSION

Adalimumab trough levels and AAA occurrence were significantly associated with clinical remission. Higher 6TGN affected AAA negativity. The combination therapy is beneficial in some relevant aspects for CD patients. (UMIN Registration No. 000005146).