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Using a molecular beam epitaxy technique, we experimentally demonstrate a multiferroic heterostructure consisting of metastable ferromagnetic Co 3 Mn on piezoelectric Pb(Mg 1 / 3 Nb 2 / 3 )O 3 –PbTiO 3 (PMN-PT). Inserting a 2-nm-thick Fe layer between Co 3 Mn and PMN-PT(001) allows the formation of bcc Co 3 Mn layers even at an extremely low growth temperature of ∼ 80 ° C. Upon increasing this temperature to 200 ° C, a bcc Co 3 Mn/Fe/PMN-PT(001) multiferroic heterostructure with a relatively large saturation magnetization of ∼ 1680 kA/m and an atomically flat interface is obtained, resulting in an obvious converse magnetoelectric (CME) effect. The large CME effect originates mainly from the strain-induced modulation of the magnetic anisotropy energy, supported by the first-principles calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prokaryotes organize intracellular compartments with protein-based organelles called encapsulins. Encapsulins with icosahedral symmetry can encapsulate specific cargo proteins mediated by targeting peptides or encapsulation-mediating domains. Encapsulins have been used in eukaryotic cells for bioengineering, vaccine development, and nanoparticle alignment. Their versatility makes them attractive for research; however, detailed structural information on encapsulins is crucial for further applied research. However, cargo proteins are randomly oriented inside the icosahedral encapsulins. The random orientation of cargo proteins presents a challenge for structural analysis that relies on averaging processes such as x-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) single-particle imaging. Therefore, we aimed to accurately estimate the secondary structure content and elucidate the structure of cargo proteins inside the particle by measuring the circular dichroism (CD) spectra using vacuum ultraviolet circular dichroism (VUVCD) spectroscopy. Thus, the structure of the cargo protein inside encapsulin was evaluated. This approach could potentially set a standard for evaluating cargo proteins inside particles in future applied research on encapsulins., (© 2024 The Author(s). Chirality published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Introduction/purpose: For gastric subepithelial lesions (GSELs) showing a hypoechoic mass (HM) on endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) imaging, the utility of EUS-guided tissue acquisition using conventional fine-needle aspiration needles (EUS-TA-CFNAN) and the frequency of histological types remain unclear. This study aimed to examine this issue., Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled 291 consecutive patients who underwent EUS-TA-CFNAN for GSELs showing an HM (GSELHM) on EUS imaging. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed for all EUS-TA-CFNAN and surgically resected specimens. The main outcome measures were the technical results of EUS-TA-CFNAN and the frequency of histological types in GSELHM., Results: The endoscopic ultrasound-guided tissue acquisition using conventional fine-needle aspiration needle diagnosis rate for GSELHM was 80.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 75.0-84.5, 233/291). It was significantly lower for antrum (P = 0.004) and lesions smaller than 2 cm (P = 0.003). There were no adverse events. The immunohistochemical diagnoses of EUS-TA-CFNAN included 149 cases of gastrointestinal stromal tumour (GIST) (51.2%), 48 cases of leiomyoma (16.5%), 11 cases of schwannoma (3.8%), 8 cases of the ectopic pancreas (2.7%), 5 cases of subepithelial lesion like cancer (1.7%), 12 cases of other lesions (4.1%), and 58 cases of undiagnosable lesions (19.9%). The frequency of malignant or potentially malignant tumour in GSELHM was 55.0% (95% CI: 49.1-60.8, 160/291). Surgery was performed in 149 patients according to the conclusive EUS-TA-CFNAN results, in which the diagnostic accuracy of EUS-TA-CFNAN was 97.3% (95% CI: 94.7-99.9, 145/149)., Conclusion: The use of EUS-TA-CFNAN for GSELHMs is safe and accurate. Gastric subepithelial lesions showing a hypoechoic mass have a reasonably high possibility of containing malignant or potentially malignant tumours, including GISTs., (© 2024 Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine.)

Using artificially controlled ferromagnet (FM)–semiconductor (SC) interfaces, we study the decay of the nonlocal spin signals with increasing temperature in SC-based lateral spin-valve devices. When more than five atomic layers of Fe are inserted at the FM/SC interfaces, the temperature-dependent spin injection/detection efficiency (P inj / det ) can be interpreted in terms of the T 3 2 law, meaning a model of the thermally excited spin waves in the FM electrodes. For the FM/SC interfaces with the insufficient insertion of Fe atomic layers, on the other hand, the decay of P inj / det is more rapid than the T 3 2 curve. Using magneto-optical Kerr effect measurements, we find that more than five atomic layers of Fe inserted between FM and SC enable us to enhance the ferromagnetic nature of the FM/SC heterointerfaces. Thus, the ferromagnetism in the ultra-thin FM layer just on top of SC is strongly related to the temperature-dependent nonlocal spin transport in SC-based lateral spin-valve devices. We propose that the sufficient ferromagnetism near the FM/SC interface is essential for high-performance FM–SC hybrid devices above room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We systematically investigate the long- and short-range chemical order, lattice volume, and spontaneous magnetization in single-crystalline Fe 0.6 Al 0.4 compound thin films. The vapor-quenching method based on a molecular beam epitaxy technique is utilized to fabricate the single-crystalline Fe 0.6 Al 0.4 compound with the different B 2 long-range order parameter S. S was varied by the deposition temperature T d, and it increases with increasing T d . The lattice volume V decreased with increasing T d , while the tetragonal distortion, ∼4%, due to epitaxial strain were observed. The changes in S and V were accompanied with the change in the magnetic moment per Fe, μ Fe . μ Fe showed the monotonic decrease as a function of S whereas μ Fe monotonically increases with V . With considering tetragonal distortion, μ Fe - V relationship has a good agreement with the previous reports. The μ Fe - S relationship showed the steep decrease of μ Fe around S ∼ 0.6. In contrast to μ Fe - V relationship, μ Fe - S relationship does not match only from ours to previous studies but also among other reports. It implies the statistical number of the nearest-neighbor Fe-Fe bonds, i.e. S , cannot be an enough explanatory parameter. To clarify the structural origin of change in μ Fe , the short-range order (SRO) parameter inferred from the analysis of superlattice diffractions were introduced. They showed the clear difference for the films with high and low μ Fe . The results suggest that the transition from the long- to the SRO state plays the significant role on μ Fe ., (© 2023 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

Background/aims: For duodenal subepithelial lesions showing a hypoechoic mass on endoscopic ultrasound imaging, the utility of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration and the frequency of histological types have not been the focus of previous literature. This study aimed to clarify this., Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study enrolled 22 consecutive patients who underwent endoscopic ultrasoundguided fine-needle aspiration for duodenal subepithelial lesions with hypoechoic mass on endoscopic ultrasound. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed for all endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration and surgically resected specimens. The main outcome measures were the technical results of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration and the frequency of histological types of duodenal subepithelial lesions with hypoechoic mass., Results: Thirteen fine-needle aspiration specimens were obtained from the duodenal bulb and eight from the descending duodenal region. The puncture was not performed because of intervening vessels in one patient. The diagnostic rate was 81% (95% confidence interval: 58.1-94.6, 17/21 patients). In 12 patients receiving surgical resection (excluding one cancellation of endoscopic ultrasoundguided fine-needle aspiration), the diagnostic accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration was 75% (95% confidence interval: 42.8-94.5, 9/12 patients). No complications were observed. The histopathological diagnoses included 11 cases of gastrointestinal stromal tumor (50%), 2 cases of leiomyoma (9%), 2 cases of metastatic cancer (9%), 2 cases of benign inconclusive, and 1 case each of carcinoid, malignant lymphoma, leiomyosarcoma, gauzeoma, and aberrant pancreas (4.5% each). The frequency of malignant tumors in the duodenal subepithelial lesions with hypoechoic mass group was 73% (16/22 patients)., Conclusions: Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration for duodenal subepithelial lesions with hypoechoic mass was safe and accurate. As duodenal subepithelial lesion with hypoechoic mass has a reasonably high possibility of containing malignant tumors, it is desirable to perform endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration.

Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a globally accepted minimally invasive therapy for early-stage gastrointestinal tract tumors. Although numerous electrosurgical knives have been developed for ESD, technical difficulties and high complication rates (bleeding and perforation) have limited their use worldwide. The grasping-type scissors forceps [clutch cutter (CC)] is the first forceps-type resection device developed with reference to hemostatic forceps. The aim was to allow easy and safe ESD throughout the gastrointestinal tract, as a biopsy technique, using one device. The CC can grasp the target tissue accurately and pull it away from the underlying muscle layer prior to energizing the tissue, for safe and effective incision and hemostasis during ESD. Reported clinical studies showed that ESD using the CC (ESD-CC) is a safe (perforation rate: 0%-3.6%; delayed bleeding rate: 0%-4.2%), technically efficient ( en-bloc resection rate: 88.9%-100%), and single-device method for dissecting early-stage gastrointestinal tract tumors. The ESD-CC technique is simple and easy to learn because it can be completed simply by repeating the grasp, pull, and coagulate and/or incise actions using an electrosurgical current. The reported self-completion rate by non-experts was significantly better with the CC than with conventional knives (61.7% vs 24.5%, respectively; P < 0.001). Furthermore, the CC is used for other endoscopic therapies, such as endoscopic polypectomy for large pedunculated polyps, endoscopic myotomy for Zenker's diverticulum, endoscopic treatment of buried bumper syndrome, and endoscopic necrosectomy for wall-off pancreatic necrosis. The initial reports using CC for these therapies have shown favorable results. In this review, we describe the structural features of the CC, how to use the instrument, efficacies of ESD-CC, and other unique endoscopic therapies using the CC., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: Kazuya Akahoshi and Fujifilm have applied for a patent for the Clutch Cutter described in this article. Japan, China, and the European Union have already granted patents. Keishi Komori declares that he has no conflict of interest. Kazuaki Akahoshi declares that he has no conflict of interest. Shinichi Tamura declares that he has no conflict of interest. Shigeki Osada declares that he has no conflict of interest. Yuki Shiratsuchi declares that she has no conflict of interest. Masaru Kubokawa declares that he has no conflict of interest., (©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Magnetoelectric (ME) effect is a type of cross-coupling between unconjugated physical quantities, such as the interplay between magnetization and electric field. The ME effect requires simultaneous breaking of spatial and time inversion symmetries, and it sometimes appears in specific antiferromagnetic (AFM) insulators. In recent years, there has been a growing interest for applying the ME effect to spintronic devices, where the effect is utilized as an input method for the digital information. In this article, we review the recent progress of this scheme mainly based on our own achievements. We particularly focus on several fundamental issues, including the ME control of the AFM domain state, which is detectable through the perpendicular exchange bias polarity. The progress made in understanding the switching mechanism, interpretation of the switching energy, switching dynamics, and finally, the future prospects are included., (© 2021 IOP Publishing Ltd.)

Opinion Statement: With the widespread use of esophagogastroduodenoscopy in recent years, the detection rate of superficial non-ampullary duodenal epithelial tumors (SNADETs) is increasing. Most SNADETs are early-stage adenocarcinoma or benign conditions, including adenoma. Therefore, endoscopic resection is desirable from the perspective of quality of life. However, endoscopic resection for SNADETs has not yet been established. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is the most promising method for the treatment of SNADETs, because ESD provides a high rate of en bloc resection and a low rate of recurrence regardless of the tumor size. However, the difficulty of the procedure and a high rate of severe adverse events including perforation and bleeding have become major problems. Various preventive countermeasures for adverse events, such as use of specific devices, endoscope stabilization methods, and endoscopic closure of the post-ESD ulcer using clips, are reported to reduce the risk of the adverse events of ESD for SNADETs. This article reviews and highlights the current state of ESD for SNADETs and new challenges towards safe and effective ESD.

Acute liver injury is a life-threatening disease. Although immune responses are involved in the development and exacerbation of acute liver injury, the cellular and molecular mechanisms are not fully understood. Intravenous administration of the plant lectin concanavalin A (ConA) is widely used as a model of acute liver injury. ConA triggers T cell activation and cytokine production by crosslinking glycoproteins, including the T cell receptor, leading to the infiltration of myeloid cells into the liver and the subsequent amplification of inflammation in the liver. Thus, the pathogenesis of ConA-induced acute liver injury is considered a model of immune-mediated acute liver injury or autoimmune hepatitis in humans. However, the severity of the liver injury and the analyses of immune cells and non-hematopoietic cells in the liver following ConA injection are significantly influenced by the experimental conditions. This article outlines protocols for ConA-induced acute liver injury in mice and evaluation methods for liver injury, immune cells, and non-hematopoietic cells in the liver. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Induction of acute liver injury by ConA injection Basic Protocol 2: Evaluation of inflammatory cytokines in mouse plasma Basic Protocol 3: Preparation of liver sections and histological analysis of liver injury Basic Protocol 4: Preparation of liver immune cells Basic Protocol 5: Preparation of hepatocytes, endothelial cells, and hepatic stellate cells Basic Protocol 6: Flow cytometry of immune and non-hematopoietic liver cells Basic Protocol 7: Flow cytometric sorting of endothelial cells and hepatic stellate cells Basic Protocol 8: Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Background and Aims: The Clutch Cutter (CC) can grasp, pull, coagulate, and incise targeted tissue with the use of electrosurgical current. It was developed as a biopsy technique to reduce the technical difficulty of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) with knives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ESD using the CC (ESD-CC) for early colorectal epithelial neoplasms (ECENs)., Methods: In this prospective study, we enrolled 437 consecutive patients with a diagnosis of ECEN between January 2009 and January 2018. They all satisfied the Japanese colorectal cancer treatment guidelines for ESD; namely, confirmation by preliminary endoscopy, EUS, and endoscopic biopsy. The CC was used for all steps of ESD (mucosal incision, submucosal dissection, and hemostatic treatment); therapeutic efficacy and safety were assessed., Results: The en bloc resection rate was 99.3% (434/437), and the R0 resection rate was 87.0% (380/437). The mean operating time was 88.3 minutes. Perforation occurred in 10 cases (2.3%) and was managed with conservative medical treatment. Post-ESD-CC bleeding occurred in 10 cases (2.3%) and was successfully treated by endoscopic hemostatic treatment., Conclusions: ESD-CC is a technically efficient, safe, and easy method for resecting ECEN., (© 2019 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

At the end of its life cycle, the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum forms a fruiting body consisting of spores and a multicellular stalk. Originally, the chlorinated alkylphenone differentiation-inducing factors (DIFs) -1 and -3 were isolated as stalk cell inducers in D. discoideum . Later, DIFs and their derivatives were shown to possess several biologic activities including antitumor and anti- Trypanosoma properties. In this study, we examined the antibacterial activities of approximately 30 DIF derivatives by using several bacterial species. Several of the DIF derivatives strongly suppressed the growth of the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus , Bacillus subtilis , and Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium , at minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) in the sub-micromolar to low-micromolar range. In contrast, none of the DIF derivatives evaluated had any noteworthy effect on the growth of the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli (MIC, >100 µM). Most importantly, several of the DIF derivatives strongly inhibited the growth of methicillin-resistant S. aureus and vancomycin-resistant E. faecalis and E. faecium . Transmission electron microscopy revealed that treatment with DIF derivatives led to the formation of distinct multilayered structures consisting of cell wall or plasma membrane in S. aureus . The present results suggest that DIF derivatives are good lead compounds for developing novel antimicrobials.

Aligned growth of transition metal dichalcogenides and related two-dimensional (2D) materials is essential for the synthesis of high-quality 2D films due to effective stitching of merging grains. Here, we demonstrate the controlled growth of highly aligned molybdenum disulfide (MoS 2 ) on c-plane sapphire with two distinct orientations, which are highly controlled by tuning sulfur concentration. We found that the size of the aligned MoS 2 grains is smaller and their photoluminescence is weaker as compared with those of the randomly oriented grains, signifying enhanced MoS 2 -substrate interaction in the aligned grains. This interaction induces strain in the aligned MoS 2 , which can be recognized from their high susceptibility to air oxidation. The surface-mediated MoS 2 growth on sapphire was further developed to the rational synthesis of an in-plane MoS 2 -graphene heterostructure connected with the predefined orientation. The in-plane epitaxy was observed by low-energy electron microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy suggest the alignment of a zigzag edge of MoS 2 parallel to a zigzag edge of the neighboring graphene. Moreover, better electrical contact to MoS 2 was obtained by the monolayer graphene compared with a conventional metal electrode. Our findings deepen the understanding of the chemical vapor deposition growth of 2D materials and also contribute to the tailored synthesis as well as applications of advanced 2D heterostructures.

For the purpose of imaging element- and shell-specific magnetic distributions under high magnetic fields, a scanning soft X-ray microscope has been developed at beamline BL25SU, SPring-8, Japan. The scanning X-ray microscope utilizes total electron yield detection of absorbed circularly polarized soft X-rays in order to observe magnetic domains through the X-ray magnetic circular dichroism effect. Crucially, this system is equipped with an 8 T superconducting magnet. The performance and features of the present system are demonstrated by magnetic domain observations of the fractured surface of a Nd 14.0 Fe 79.7 Cu 0.1 B 6.2 sintered magnet., (open access.)

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common malignant subepithelial lesions (SELs) of the gastrointestinal tract. They originate from the interstitial cells of Cajal located within the muscle layer and are characterized by over-expression of the tyrosine kinase receptor KIT. Pathologically, diagnosis of a GIST relies on morphology and immunohistochemistry [KIT and/or discovered on gastrointestinal stromal tumor 1 (DOG1) is generally positive]. The prognosis of this disease is associated with the tumor size and mitotic index. The standard treatment of a GIST without metastasis is surgical resection. A GIST with metastasis is usually only treated by tyrosine kinase inhibitors without radical cure; thus, early diagnosis is the only way to improve its prognosis. However, a GIST is usually detected as a SEL during endoscopy, and many benign and malignant conditions may manifest as SELs. Conventional endoscopic biopsy is difficult for tumors without ulceration. Most SELs have therefore been managed without a histological diagnosis. However, a favorable prognosis of a GIST is associated with early histological diagnosis and R0 resection. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and EUS-guided fine needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) are critical for an accurate diagnosis of SELs. EUS-FNA is safe and effective in enabling an early histological diagnosis and adequate treatment. This review outlines the current evidence for the diagnosis and management of GISTs, with an emphasis on early management of small SELs., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: No potential conflicts of interest. No financial support.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical outcome of endoscopic submucosal dissection using the Clutch Cutter (ESDCC) in older patients., Methods: We reviewed 232 consecutive patients with early gastric cancer who underwent ESDCC between June 2010 and February 2014 at Aso Iizuka Hospital. We divided patients into two groups according to age: Older patients (> 80 years, n = 64) and non-older patients (≤ 80 years, n = 168). We retrospectively compared the prevalence rates of pre-existing comorbidities, anticoagulant therapy, en bloc resection, mean duration of hospitalization, incidence of ESDCC-related complications, change in performance status (PS) before and after ESDCC, and financial cost of admission., Results: The older group comprised 64 patients with a mean age of 84.1 years, and the non-older group comprised 168 patients with a mean age of 69.5 years. Older patients had significantly more pre-existing comorbidities than did non-older patients, specifically heart disease ( P < 0.05). The en bloc resection rate in non-older patients was significantly higher than that in older patients (100% vs 95.3%, P = 0.02). There were no significant differences between the older and non-older groups in the incidence of ESDCC-related complications ( i.e ., postoperative bleeding and perforation) and the post-ESDCC change in PS. There were also no significant differences between the older and non-older groups in the mean duration of hospitalization (11.4 and 10.7 d, respectively) and financial cost of admission (657040 JPY and 574890 JPY, respectively)., Conclusion: ESDCC has a good clinical outcome in older patients., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: Kazuya Akahoshi and Hidefumi Akahane (Fujifilm) have applied for a patent in Europe for the CC described in this article. Japan, China, and the United States have already granted patents.

Hematopoietic homeostasis depends on the maintenance of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), which are regulated within a specialized bone marrow (BM) niche. When HSC sense external stimuli, their adhesion status may be critical for determining HSC cell fate. The cell surface molecule, integrin αvβ3, is activated through HSC adhesion to extracellular matrix and niche cells. Integrin β3 signaling maintains HSCs within the niche. Here, we showed the synergistic negative regulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interferon-γ (IFNγ) and β3 integrin signaling in murine HSC function by a novel definitive phenotyping of HSCs. Integrin αvβ3 suppressed HSC function in the presence of IFNγ and impaired integrin β3 signaling mitigated IFNγ-dependent negative action on HSCs. During IFNγ stimulation, integrin β3 signaling enhanced STAT1-mediated gene expression via serine phosphorylation. These findings show that integrin β3 signaling intensifies the suppressive effect of IFNγ on HSCs, which indicates that cell adhesion via integrin αvβ3 within the BM niche acts as a context-dependent signal modulator to regulate the HSC function under both steady-state and inflammatory conditions., (© 2017 The Authors.)

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) using the clutch cutter (CC) (ESD-CC) for gastric adenoma (GA)., Methods: From June 2007 to August 2015, 122 consecutive patients with histological diagnoses of GA from specimens resected by ESD-CC were enrolled in this prospective study. The CC was used for all ESD steps (marking, mucosal incision, submucosal dissection, and hemostatic treatment), and its therapeutic efficacy and safety were assessed., Results: Both the en-bloc resection rate and the R0 resection rate were 100% (122/122). The mean surgical time was 77.4 min, but the time varied significantly according to tumor size and location. No patients suffered perforation. Post-ESD-CC bleeding occurred in six cases (4.9%) that were successfully resolved by endoscopic hemostatic treatment., Conclusion: ESD-CC is a technically efficient, safe, and easy method for resecting GA., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: Kazuya Akahoshi and Hidefumi Akahane (FUJIFILM) have applied for the patent in Europe for the Clutch Cutter described in this article. Japan, China, and the United states have already granted the patent. The authors claim no other conflicts of interest.

Background and study aims  Endoscopic snare polypectomy with prophylactic detachable snare of large pedunculated colonic polyps (PCPs) is technically demanding. To facilitate removal of such polyps, we developed endoscopic resection using the Clutch Cutter and a detachable snare (ERCCDS). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the procedure. Patients and methods  From April 2010 to July 2015, 14 consecutive patients who had PCPs with head > 10 mm, stalk width > 5 mm, and stalk length > 10 mm were enrolled in this single-center prospective uncontrolled study. They were treated using ERCCDS by a single endoscopist. The efficacy and safety were assessed using a database prospectively formatted from the medical records. Results  The Clutch Cutter was able to cut the distal side of the stalk an adequate distance from the detachable snare under good visual control. R0 resections were obtained in all lesions. There were no immediate or delayed complications. Conclusions  ERCCDS appears to be a safe, easy, and technically efficient method for large PCPs, although larger studies are needed to compare ERCCDS and standard resection., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

The direct electrochemical reduction of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) results in various products, complicating the regeneration of the crucial 1,4‐NADH cofactor for enzymatic reactions. Previous research primarily focused on steady–state polarization to examine potential impacts on product selectivity. However, this study explores the influence of dynamic conditions on the selectivity of NAD+ reduction products by comparing two dynamic profiles with steady‐state conditions. Our findings reveal that the main products, including 1,4‐NADH, several dimers, and ADP‐ribose, remained consistent across all conditions. A minor by–product, 1,6‐NADH, was also identified. The product distribution varied depending on the experimental conditions (steady state vs. dynamic) and the concentration of NAD+, with higher concentrations and overpotentials promoting dimerization. The optimal yield of 1,4‐NADH was achieved under steady–state conditions with low overpotential and NAD+ concentrations. While dynamic conditions enhanced the 1,4‐NADH yield at shorter reaction times, they also resulted in a significant amount of unidentified products. Furthermore, this study assessed the potential of using pulsed electrochemical regeneration of 1,4‐NADH with enoate reductase (XenB) for cyclohexenone reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) represent a subset of gastrointestinal tumors predominantly found in the stomach. Despite their rarity, these tumors carry significant implications for patient health and management. GISTs are potentially malignant tumors with unpredictable progression. They originate from the interstitial cells of Cajal, which are positioned between the intramural neurons and the smooth muscle cells of the digestive tract. These tumors are characterized primarily by mutations in the c-Kit gene, as well as other mutations such as those in the platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) gene. Methods: Our comprehensive search across five databases initially yielded 2976 articles. After eliminating 197 duplicates, we screened the titles and abstracts of 2779 articles, excluding 2692 for not meeting the inclusion criteria. During the full-text screening, 16 more articles were excluded. Ultimately, 71 papers met the inclusion criteria and were included in our analysis. Results: Due to differences in study designs, inclusion criteria for patients, and reported outcomes, a meta-analysis was not conducted. The accurate diagnosis of GIST is established through histopathological examination and immunohistochemistry. Histopathologically, GISTs are classified into three main types: spindle cell, epithelioid, and mixed. The therapeutic management of GIST involves surgery, endoscopic treatment, and chemotherapy. Conclusions: The prognosis for GIST patients depends on various factors, including risk category, disease stage, applied treatments, and recurrence post-treatment. A significant recent advancement comes from artificial intelligence, which can be increasingly involved in both the diagnosis and treatment of this tumor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is a widely used technique to remove early neoplastic lesions. It was primarily used in the initial days to treat gastric lesions, but recently, the horizon of this endoscopic procedure has expanded, which has allowed us to manage other technically more complex locations, such as the colorectum. Areas covered: There has been an exponential growth regarding the wide range of devices available in the market for performing colorectal ESD. As a result, the aim of this review is to highlight the indication of this endoscopic technique, which device is best suited for which indication, as well as future trajectories in this field. Expert opinion: Although some devices have proven to be more advantageous than others in this area, very often the choice is still subjective, which is commonly attributed to individual preferences and experience. However, an accurate knowledge of the available tools and their functioning, with their pros and cons, is fundamental for any endoscopist venturing into the field of third space endoscopy. In this way, one can choose which device best suits a particular situation, along with simultaneously having the wealth of knowledge related to therapeutic armamentarium at our disposal in the endoscopy suite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This systematic review of the medical literature concerning the overlap between adnexal and gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) was designed to provide the overall number of previous observed cases and to calculate outcome prognosis, specifically the disease-free survival and overall survival. The impact of immunostaining and new chemotherapeutic medication such as Imatinib are also discussed. Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are a rare neoplasm, sometimes mimicking primary ovarian tumors (OTs) and/or metastasizing to the ovaries (M-OT). We performed a systematic literature review (SLR) of OTs and M-OTs, investigating differences in recurrence-free and overall survival. Methods: Our SLR was performed according to PRISMA guidelines, searching in Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases from inception until 21 April 2024. Results: Overall, 59 OTs (Group 1) and 21 M-OTs (Group 2) were retrieved. The absence of residual disease after surgery was achieved significantly in a higher percentage of patients with Group 1 GISTs (91.5%) compared with Group 2 GISTs (57.1%). Chemotherapy was more frequently administered to Group 2 patients (33% vs. 0%). Recurrence and deaths for disease were significantly more frequent in Group 2 than Group 1 cases (54.5% vs. 6.8%, and 37.5% vs. 9.8%, respectively). Conclusions: GISTs can rarely mimic primary ovarian cancers or even more rarely metastasize to the ovaries. Group 1 GISTs occurred in younger women, were not associated with elevated tumor markers, and had a better prognosis. In contrast, Group 2 GISTs occurred in older women, may exhibit elevated tumor markers, and presented a worse prognosis. However, no significant statistical difference for survival between the two studied groups was detected. Computed tomography scans can define the size of GISTs, which correlate to stage and prognostic risk classes. The gold standard treatment is complete surgical resection, which was achieved in almost all cases of Group 1 GISTs and in half of Group 2. Histopathology and immunohistochemistry are essential for the final diagnosis and guide chemotherapy treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tissue biopsy remains the standard for diagnosing gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), although liquid biopsy is emerging as a promising alternative in oncology. In this pilot study, we advocate for droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) to diagnose GIST in tissue samples and explore its potential for early diagnosis via liquid biopsy, focusing on the PDGFRA D842V mutation and SEPT9 hypermethylated gene. We utilized ddPCR to analyze the predominant PDGFRA mutation (D842V) in surgical tissue samples from 15 GIST patients, correlating with pathologists' diagnoses. We expanded our analysis to plasma samples to compare DNA alterations between tumor tissue and plasma, also investigating SEPT9 gene hypermethylation. We successfully detected the PDGFRA D842V mutation in GIST tissues by ddPCR. Despite various protocols to enhance mutation detection in early-stage disease, it remained challenging, likely due to the low concentration of DNA in plasma samples. Additionally, the results of Area Under the Curve (AUC) for the hypermethylated SEPT9 gene, analyzing concentration, ratio, and abundance were 0.74 (95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.52 to 0.97), 0.77 (95% CI: 0.56 to 0.98), and 0.79 (95% CI: 0.59 to 0.99), respectively. As a rare disease, the early detection of GIST through such biomarkers is particularly crucial, offering significant potential to improve patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are a rare type of tumor that can develop liver metastasis (LIM), significantly impacting the patient's prognosis. This study aimed to predict LIM in GIST patients by constructing machine learning (ML) algorithms to assist clinicians in the decision-making process for treatment. Retrospective analysis was performed using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, and cases from 2010 to 2015 were assigned to the developing sets, while cases from 2016 to 2017 were assigned to the testing set. Missing values were addressed using the multiple imputation technique. Four algorithms were utilized to construct the models, comprising traditional logistic regression (LR) and automated machine learning (AutoML) analysis such as gradient boost machine (GBM), deep neural net (DL), and generalized linear model (GLM). We evaluated the models' performance using LR-based metrics, including the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA), as well as AutoML-based metrics, such as feature importance, SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) Plots, and Local Interpretable Model Agnostic Explanation (LIME). A total of 6207 patients were included in this study, with 2683, 1780, and 1744 patients allocated to the training, validation, and test sets, respectively. Among the different models evaluated, the GBM model demonstrated the highest performance in the training, validation, and test cohorts, with respective AUC values of 0.805, 0.780, and 0.795. Furthermore, the GBM model outperformed other AutoML models in terms of accuracy, achieving 0.747, 0.700, and 0.706 in the training, validation, and test cohorts, respectively. Additionally, the study revealed that tumor size and tumor location were the most significant predictors influencing the AutoML model's ability to accurately predict LIM. The AutoML model utilizing the GBM algorithm for GIST patients can effectively predict the risk of LIM and provide clinicians with a reference for developing individualized treatment plans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular slime molds are excellent model organisms in the field of cell and developmental biology because of their simple developmental patterns. During our studies on the identification of bioactive molecules from secondary metabolites of cellular slime molds toward the development of novel pharmaceuticals, we revealed the structural diversity of secondary metabolites. Cellular slime molds grow by feeding on bacteria, such as Klebsiella aerogenes and Escherichia coli, without using medium components. Although changing the feeding bacteria is expected to affect dramatically the secondary metabolite production, the effect of the feeding bacteria on the production of secondary metabolites is not known. Herein, we report the isolation and structure elucidation of clavapyrone (1) from Dictyostelium clavatum, intermedipyrone (2) from D. magnum, and magnumiol (3) from D. intermedium. These compounds are not obtained from usual cultural conditions with Klebsiella aerogenes but obtained from coincubated conditions with Pseudomonas spp. The results demonstrate the diversity of the secondary metabolites of cellular slime molds and suggest that widening the range of feeding bacteria for cellular slime molds would increase their application potential in drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common type of gastrointestinal mesenchymal tumors. The most common site for developing these neoplasms is the stomach and small intestine. In contrast, anorectal GISTs are very rare. Population-based studies have shown an increased risk of colorectal cancers (CRC) in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). As in sporadic CRC, adenocarcinomas are the most commonly observed tumor. Accordingly, it is expected that rectal mass in CD patients to be an adenocarcinoma. Some reports have presented CD cases with GISTs along the gastrointestinal tract; however, to the best of our knowledge, a rectal GIST has not been reported in CD. Herein, we report a 41-year-old woman with CD who presented with 8 weeks of constipation and was diagnosed with rectal GIST and briefly review existing reports regarding GIST in IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Healthy livers contain 80% of body resident macrophages known as Kupffer cells. In diseased livers, the number of Kupffer cells usually drops but is compensated by infiltration of monocyte-derived macrophages, some of which can differentiate into Kupffer-like cells. Early studies suggest that Kupffer cells play important roles in both promoting liver injury and liver regeneration. Yet, the distinction between the functionalities of resident and infiltrating macrophages is not always made. By using more specific macrophage markers and targeted cell depletion and single-cell RNA sequencing, recent studies revealed several subsets of monocyte-derived macrophages that play important functions in inducing liver damage and inflammation as well as in liver repair and regeneration. In this review, we discuss the different roles that hepatic macrophages play in promoting necrotic liver lesion resolution and dead cell clearance, as well as the targeting of these cells as potential tools for the development of novel therapies for acute liver failure and acute-on-chronic liver failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, using the Pt/Cr2O3/Pt epitaxial trilayer, we demonstrate the giant voltage modulation of the antiferromagnetic spin reversal and the voltage-induced 180° switching of the Néel vector in maintaining a permanent magnetic field. We obtained a significant modulation efficiency of the switching field, Δμ0HSW/ΔV (Δμ0HSW/ΔE), reaching a maximum of −500 mT/V (−4.80 T nm/V); this value was more than 50 times greater than that of the ferromagnetic-based counterparts. From the temperature dependence of the modulation efficiency, X-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements and first-principles calculations, we showed that the origin of the giant modulation efficiency relied on the electric field modulation of the net magnetization due to the magnetoelectric effect. From the first-principles calculation and the thickness effect on the offset electric field, we found that the interfacial magnetoelectric effect emerged. Our demonstration reveals the energy-efficient and widely applicable operation of an antiferromagnetic spin based on a mechanism distinct from magnetic anisotropy control. We demonstrate the magnetic-field induced reversal of antiferromagnetic spins and the electric field modulation of the switching field. The modulation efficiency is significantly high, greater than 4 T nm/V, and this giant modulation efficiency is attributed to the magnetoelectric effect of the antiferromagnetic Cr2O3. The magnetoelectric (ME) based mechanism provides a scheme for the energy-efficient, nonvolatile, deterministic 180° switching of the magnetic state in the pure antiferromagnetic (AFM) component. This study represents a great advancement in the AFM-based ME random access memory with ultralow writing power, an inherently fast switching speed and superior robustness to the magnetic state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors are the most common malignant subepithelial lesions involving the gastrointestinal tract. Surgical techniques have been the mainstay of treatment, however, in recent times hybrid surgeries are being introduced yielding better clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]