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Production of hard X-ray via inverse Compton scattering at photon energies below 100 keV range aimed at potential applications in medicine and material research is reported. Experiments have been performed at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, Accelerator Test Facility, employing the counter collision of a 70 MeV, 0.3 nC electron beam with a near infra-red Nd: YAG laser (1064 nm wavelength) pulse containing ~ 100 mJ in a single shot basis. The radiation distribution of the scattered photon beam is assessed to be sufficiently quasi monochromatic to produce clear contrast from the Au K- edge at 80.7 keV.

Introduction: Goblet cell adenocarcinoma (GCA) of the appendix is an uncommon type of cancer that includes both epithelial and neuroendocrine features, with goblet cells present. These tumors have traditionally been viewed as one of the more aggressive forms of appendiceal cancer, frequently being diagnosed at a metastatic stage. For patients with stage III–IV disease, the 5-year overall survival rate ranges from 14% to 22%. Due to limited data, the diagnosis and management of GCA are challenging. Case Presentation: We present the case of a 55-year-old female who presented with elevated serum carcinoembryonic antigen levels and a left ovarian tumor. Preoperative imaging indicated a normal appendix. During surgery for suspected ovarian carcinoma, frozen section analysis revealed mucinous adenocarcinoma of the ovary, but distinguishing between primary and metastatic lesions was challenging. Meticulous exploration revealed a firm and thickened appendix, prompting appendectomy and subsequent diagnosis of appendiceal GCA with ovarian metastasis. Conclusion: Pathologies of the appendix, like GCA, can mimic ovarian tumors despite a normal-looking appendix, complicating diagnosis. Through this case, we underscored the need for careful intraoperative examination of the appendix in patients with mucinous ovarian neoplasms to avoid misdiagnosis and ensure appropriate treatment.

Abstract Elucidating biodiversity patterns and their background processes is critical in biodiversity science. Dissimilarity, which is calculated based on multivariate biological quantities, is a major component of biodiversity. As spatial and temporal biodiversity information availability increases, the scope of dissimilarity studies has been expanded to cover various levels and types of spatiotemporal biodiversity facets (e.g. gene, community and ecosystem function), and diverse pairwise dissimilarity indices have been developed. However, further development of the dissimilarity concept is required in comparative studies on spatiotemporal structures of biodiversity compositional patterns, such as those exploring commonalities of biogeographical boundaries among taxa, compared to the conventional ones to consider higher dimensions of dissimilarity: dissimilarity of dissimilarity structures. This study proposes a novel and general concept, higher‐order dissimilarity (HOD), for quantitatively evaluating the dissimilarities of spatial or temporal dissimilarity structures among different datasets, proposes specific implementations of HOD as operational indices, and illustrates the potential resolution of scientific and practical questions through HOD. We further demonstrate the advantages of the HOD concept by applying it to actual patterns, such as long‐term and/or large‐spatial hypothetical monitoring datasets. Our conceptual framework on HOD extends the existing framework of biodiversity science and is versatile, with many potential applications in acquiring more valuable information from ever‐increasing biodiversity data.

Abstract We analyzed electrostatic electron cyclotron harmonic waves observed by the interferometry observation mode of the Arase satellite. It is found that the magnitude of the phase difference varies with the satellite spin. The spin dependence of this phase difference was investigated by examining the trend of the spin dependence for the 84 events of interferometry observation of ECH waves. We found that they are divided into two categories. One is that the phase difference tends to show sinusoidal variations as a function of the angle $$\gamma _B$$ γ B between the ambient magnetic field projected on the spin plane and the electric field sensor. The other is that the phase difference is close to zero and does not depend on $$\gamma _B$$ γ B . A numerical model of interferometry observation of single plane wave is constructed to explain the observed phase differences. We performed the numerical calculations when the background magnetic field was oriented in the direction often observed in the Arase satellite. The result of the calculations shows the wave vector direction relates to the spin angle with the maximum phase difference. Using this relation, we show that it may be possible to estimate the wave vector direction of ECH waves from one-dimensional interferometry data. This is expected to enable more accurate estimates of phase velocity. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Production of hard X-ray via inverse Compton scattering at photon energies below 100 keV range aimed at potential applications in medicine and material research is reported. Experiments have been performed at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, Accelerator Test Facility, employing the counter collision of a 70 MeV, 0.3 nC electron beam with a near infra-red Nd: YAG laser (1064 nm wavelength) pulse containing ~ 100 mJ in a single shot basis. The radiation distribution of the scattered photon beam is assessed to be sufficiently quasi monochromatic to produce clear contrast from the Au K- edge at 80.7 keV.

Abstract Background Opioid-induced rigidity is typically observed during rapid administration of fentanyl. Herein, we present a case in which rigidity occurred after reversal of rocuronium during emergence from anesthesia. Case presentation A 73-year-old man underwent video-assisted partial lung resection. General anesthesia was induced with propofol, remimazolam, remifentanil, and rocuronium. Fentanyl was administered early during anesthesia. The surgery was completed without complications, and sugammadex sodium was administered for rocuronium reversal. The patient became agitated, but spontaneous breathing was maintained; therefore, the intratracheal tube was removed after the administration of flumazenil. The patient developed stiffness in the neck and jaw muscles along with remarkable skeletal muscle contractions. Dramatic improvement was observed immediately after administration of naloxone. Conclusions Even as the simulated effect site concentration of fentanyl decreases during anesthesia emergence, opioid-induced rigidity may still occur. Rapid reversal of remimazolam by flumazenil might have contributed to the rigidity in this case.

Although quantitative analysis of biological images demands precise extraction of specific organelles or cells, it remains challenging in broad-field grayscale images, where traditional thresholding methods have been hampered due to complex image features. Nevertheless, rapidly growing artificial intelligence technology is overcoming obstacles. We previously reported the fine-tuned apodized phase-contrast microscopy system to capture high-resolution, label-free images of organelle dynamics in unstained living cells (Shimasaki, K. et al. (2024). Cell Struct. Funct., 49: 21–29). We here showed machine learning-based segmentation models for subcellular targeted objects in phase-contrast images using fluorescent markers as origins of ground truth masks. This method enables accurate segmentation of organelles in high-resolution phase-contrast images, providing a practical framework for studying cellular dynamics in unstained living cells. Key words: label-free imaging, organelle dynamics, apodized phase contrast, deep learning-based segmentation

Abstract The electrical potential of the mycelia of a cord-forming wood decay fungus, Pholiota brunnescens, was monitored for over 100 days on a plain agar plate during the colonization onto a wood bait. Causality analyses of the electrical potential at different locations of the mycelium revealed a clear and stable causal relationship with the directional flow of the electrical potential from the hyphae at the bait location to other parts of the mycelium. However, this causality disappeared after 60 days of incubation, coinciding with the onset of slow electrical oscillation at the bait location, which occurred over one week per oscillation cycle. We speculated that the hyphae that initially colonized the bait may act as a temporary activity center, which generates electrical signals to other parts of the mycelium, thereby facilitating the colonization of the entire mycelial body to the bait. The week-long electrical oscillation represents the longest oscillation period ever recorded in fungi and warrants further investigation to elucidate its function and stability in response to environmental stimuli.

In recent years, rapid advances in research methods have made single cell analysis possible. Systemic sclerosis (SSc), a disease characterized by the triad of immune abnormalities, fibrosis, and vasculopathy, has also been the subject of various analyses. To summarize the results of single cell analysis in SSc accumulated to date and to deepen our understanding of SSc. Four databases were used to perform a database search on 23rd June 2023. Assessed Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation certainty of evidence were performed according to PRISMA guidelines. The analysis was completed on July 2023. 17 studies with 358 SSc patients were included. Three studies used PBMCs, six used skin, nine used lung with SSc-interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), and one used lung with SSc-pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The cells studied included immune cells such as T cells, natural killer cells, monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells, as well as endothelial cells, fibroblasts, keratinocytes, alveolar type I cells, basal epithelial cells, smooth muscle cells, mesothelial cells, etc. This systematic review revealed the results of single cell analysis, suggesting that PBMCs, skin, SSc-ILD, and SSc-PAH show activation and dysfunction of cells associated with immune-abnormalities, fibrosis, and vasculopathy, respectively.

AbstractPurpose c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNKs) comprise a subfamily of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). The JNK group is known to be activated by a variety of stimuli. However, the molecular mechanism underlying heat-induced JNK activation is largely unknown. The aim of this study was to clarify how JNK activity is stimulated by heat.Methods and materials The expression levels of various MAPK members in HeLa cells, with or without hyperthermia treatment, were evaluated via western blotting. The kinase activity of MAPK members was assessed through in vitro kinase assays. Cell death was assessed in the absence or presence of siRNAs targeting MAPK-related members.Results Hyperthermia decreased the levels of MAP3Ks, such as ASK1 and MLK3 which are JNK kinase kinase members, but not those of the downstream MAP2K/SEK1 and MAPK/JNK. Despite the reduced or transient phosphorylation of ASK1, MLK3, or SEK1, downstream JNK was phosphorylated in a temperature-dependent manner. In vitro kinase assays demonstrated that heat did not directly stimulate SEK1 or JNK. However, the expression levels of DUSP16, a JNK phosphatase, were decreased upon hyperthermia treatment. DUSP16 knockdown enhanced the heat-induced activation of ASK1–SEK1–JNK pathway and apoptosis.Conclusion JNK was activated in a temperature-dependent manner despite reduced or transient phosphorylation of the upstream MAP3K and MAP2K. Hyperthermia-induced degradation of DUSP16 may induce activation of the ASK1–SEK1–JNK pathway and subsequent apoptosis.

Abstract Background In the global ARASENS study (NCT02799602), darolutamide plus androgen‐deprivation therapy (ADT) and docetaxel significantly reduced risk of death by 32.5% versus placebo plus ADT and docetaxel (hazard ratio [HR] 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57–0.80; p

Hyperthermia is a promising anticancer treatment that induces heat stress, thereby stimulating various signal transduction pathways to maintain cellular homeostasis. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) associate various extracellular stimuli with cytoplasmic and nuclear mediators through a three-tiered cascade of kinases, including MAPKs, MAP2Ks, and MAP3Ks. In mammals, three major groups of MAPKs have been characterized: extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases (ERK1/2), p38 MAPKs (α, β, γ, and δ), and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases (JNK1/2/3). Each group of MAPKs is activated by heat and exhibits distinct biological functions. Recent studies have indicated that in hyperthermia, MAPK signaling pathways regulate cell survival and death in unique ways. This review offers a concise overview of the MAPK signaling pathway, specifically ERK and JNK, focusing on their relevance in cancer, interplay with heat shock proteins or phosphatases, and current understanding of the MAPK signaling pathway in hyperthermia.

Abstract Background Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease that can affect multiple organs. While pulmonary sarcoidosis is most commonly observed, renal sarcoidosis occurs less frequently. We herein report a case of sarcoidosis with an exceptionally rare distribution including renal lesions. Case presentation A 51-year-old Japanese female was referred because of bilateral parotid swelling and renal dysfunction. Computed tomography scan showed the swelling of bilateral kidneys, parotid glands, and uterus. Ga scintigraphy also showed remarkable accumulation in these organs. Renal biopsy and cytological evaluations of parotid gland and uterus were performed and she was diagnosed as sarcoidosis of these organs. Treatment was initiated with prednisolone 40 mg/day and then renal dysfunction subsequently improved. In addition, the swelling of parotid glands and uterus improved and Ga accumulation in each organ had disappeared. Conclusion This is a first case of renal sarcoidosis complicated by parotid glands and uterus lesions. Pathological findings and the reactivity observed in Ga scintigraphy indicated the presence of lesions in these organs.

Cell biologists have long sought the ability to observe intracellular structures in living cells without labels. This study presents procedures to adjust a commercially available apodized phase-contrast (APC) microscopy system for better visualizing the dynamic behaviors of various subcellular organelles in living cells. By harnessing the versatility of this technique to capture sequential images, we could observe morphological changes in cellular geometry after virus infection in real time without probes or invasive staining. The tune-up APC microscopy system is a highly efficient platform for simultaneously observing the dynamic behaviors of diverse subcellular structures with exceptional resolution.

Introduction Nontraumatic biliary rupture and retroperitoneal biloma infrequently occur. Here, we report a case of retroperitoneal biloma due to spontaneous left hepatic duct perforation, which was difficult to differentiate from a perirenal abscess. Case presentation A 94‐year‐old female patient was hospitalized with symptoms of fatigue and right back pain that lasted for 5 days. Computed tomography revealed fluid accumulation in the retroperitoneum, and urinary extravasation and right perinephric abscess were suspected. Antimicrobial treatment and drainage with ureteral stents and urethral catheters demonstrated no symptom improvement. Ultrasound‐guided puncture of the abscess revealed the presence of bile. Pigtail catheter drainage improved symptoms and inflammatory response. After diagnosis, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography revealed bile leakage, and a bile duct stent was inserted. Conclusion Biloma can cause perirenal fluid accumulation, and they should be considered an origin of perirenal fluid accumulation when urinary tract lesions are excluded.

Abstract Conservation biologists have a daunting task of understanding the causes of species decline associated with anthropogenic factors and predicting the extinction risk of a growing number of endangered species. By reducing variances of estimates with information on closely related species, phylogenetic information among species can bridge gaps in information on species with small range sizes when modelling large numbers of endangered species. However, modelling many species with the Gaussian process (GP), which underlies the evolutionary process of phylogenetic random effects, remains a challenge owing to the computational burden in estimating the large variance–covariance matrix. Here, we applied a phylogenetic generalised mixed model with random slopes and random intercepts to 1010 endangered vascular plant taxa in Japan following phylogenetic GPs implemented by nearest neighbour GP (NNGP) approximation. NNGP enables flexibility in changing the proximity on the phylogenetic tree of species from which information is borrowed to reduce the variances of estimates with a realistic computational burden. We evaluated the effectiveness of phylogenetic models by comparing the predictive performance and descriptive power of phylogenetic and non‐phylogenetic models and identified the anthropogenic factors contributing to the decline of each of the studied endangered species. We found that the model with phylogenetic information had better prediction performance than the model without phylogenetic information. The results showed that across all explanatory variables, the phylogenetic model could detect interspecific differences in response to environmental factors in a number of species more clearly. Combined with the phylogenetic signal results, we could also detect a phylogenetic bias in the species that could benefit from the positive effects of protected areas but reduce the local extinctions of 95% of all studied taxa. In conclusion, our model, considering phylogenetic information with NNGP, allows the elucidation of factors causing the decline of many endangered species. In future analyses, the estimation of extinction probability linked to environmental change might be applied to future climate–land use scenarios, advancing the comprehensive assessment of biodiversity degradation and threats to species at multiple scales.

Citizen science plays an important role in monitoring for biodiversity conservation. More efficient online training is needed to help citizens improve their species-identification skills, but such training remains a challenging task. We previously developed an online birdsong-identification training tool called TORI-TORE. However, its adaptive algorithm, in which question items regarding the species with lower correct answer rates for each user were presented more frequently, was not as effective as the conventional baseline training, in which the frequency of question items was uniform among species. In the present study, we introduce new algorithms, namely, the frequency-adjustment algorithm, which prioritizes species that are expected to have a large training effect, and the interactive algorithm, which allows users to adjust the frequency of question items regarding species by themselves. We then evaluate the effectiveness of the algorithms in a randomized controlled trial, based on test scores and questionnaire responses. At the same time, we compare the new algorithms with the previous adaptive algorithm. The frequency-adjustment group showed the most improvement in scores, ahead of the interactive group, the frequency-adjustment + interactive group, and the baseline group. The frequency-adjustment algorithm also improved scores to a greater extent compared with the adaptive algorithm implemented in our previous experiment in 2021. However, participants in the frequency-adjustment group had difficulty perceiving changes in their own interest in learning birdsongs, and so a future version of TORI-TORE may need to allow for the selection of not only the frequency-adjustment algorithm but also the frequency-adjustment + interactive algorithm.

Abstract Despite increasing knowledge about small extracellular vesicle (sEV) composition and functions in cell–cell communication, the mechanism behind their biogenesis remains unclear. Here, we reveal for the first time that sEV biogenesis and release into the microenvironment are tightly connected with another important organelle, Lipid Droplets (LDs). The correlation was observed in several human cancer cell lines as well as patient‐derived colorectal cancer stem cells (CR‐CSCs). Our results demonstrated that external stimuli such as radiation, pH, hypoxia or lipid‐interfering drugs, known to affect the number of LDs/cell, similarly influenced sEV secretion. Importantly, through multiple omics data, at both mRNA and protein levels, we revealed RAB5C as a potential important molecular player behind this organelle connection. Altogether, the potential to fine‐tune sEV biogenesis by targeting LDs could significantly impact the amount, cargos and properties of these sEVs, opening new clinical perspectives.