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Despite a general view that asparagine synthetase generates asparagine as an amino acid for long-distance transport of nitrogen to sink organs, its role in nitrogen metabolic pathways in floral organs during seed nitrogen filling has remained undefined. We demonstrate that the onset of pollination in Arabidopsis induces selected genes for asparagine metabolism, namely ASN1 ( At3g47340), GLN2 ( At5g35630), GLU1 ( At5g04140), Aap AT2 ( At5g19950), ASPGA1 ( At5g08100) and ASPGB1 ( At3g16150), particularly at the ovule stage (stage 0), accompanied by enhanced asparagine synthetase protein, asparagine and total amino acids. Immunolocalization confined asparagine synthetase to the vascular cells of the silique cell wall and septum, but also to the outer and inner seed integuments, demonstrating the post-phloem transport of asparagine in these cells to developing embryos. In the asn1 mutant, aberrant embryo cell divisions in upper suspensor cell layers from globular to heart stages assign a role for nitrogen in differentiating embryos within the ovary. Induction of asparagine metabolic genes by light/dark and nitrate supports fine shifts of nitrogen metabolic pathways. In transgenic Arabidopsis expressing promoter Ca MV 35S:: ASN1 fusion, marked metabolomics changes at stage 0, including a several-fold increase in free asparagine, are correlated to enhanced seed nitrogen. However, specific promoter Napin2S:: ASN1 expression during seed formation and a six-fold increase in asparagine toward the desiccation stage result in wild-type seed nitrogen, underlining that delayed accumulation of asparagine impairs the timing of its use by releasing amide and amino nitrogen. Transcript and metabolite profiles in floral organs match the carbon and nitrogen partitioning to generate energy via the tricarboxylic acid cycle, GABA shunt and phosphorylated serine synthetic pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: MOB1, a core component of the Hippo signaling pathway, suppresses cell proliferation, and MOB1 liver conditional knockout mice develop intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). However, its clinical significance in human ICC has not been established. The aim of this study was to characterize protein levels and the role of Hippo and TGF pathways in ICCs. Methods: The protein levels of yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), MOB1, Smad2, and TGFβ2 in 88 ICC cases were analyzed. Protein level was graded by a scoring system; then, the clinicopathological factors, including prognosis, were analyzed based on protein level. Results: Nuclear overexpression of YAP1 was seen in 28 cases (31.8%), and it was significantly associated with a poor overall survival rate (p = 0.01). MOB1 expression decreased in 42 cases (47.7%) and was associated with a poor overall survival rate (p = 0.02). SMAD2 nuclear localization was significantly correlated with a high YAP1 level independent of TGFβ2. Multivariate analysis revealed that a high YAP1 level, a low MOB1 level, and lymphatic permeation were independent risk factors for overall survival. Conclusions: These results showed that key components of the Hippo signaling pathway are aberrantly expressed and associated with the malignant potential of human ICC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first results on the parameterized complexity of reconfiguration problems, where a reconfiguration variant of an optimization problem $$\mathcal {Q}$$ takes as input two feasible solutions S and T and determines if there is a sequence of reconfiguration steps, i.e. a reconfiguration sequence, that can be applied to transform S into T such that each step results in a feasible solution to $$\mathcal {Q}$$ . For most of the results in this paper, S and T are sets of vertices of a given graph and a reconfiguration step adds or removes a vertex. Our study is motivated by results establishing that for many NP-hard problems, the classical complexity of reconfiguration is PSPACE-complete. We address the question for several important graph properties under two natural parameterizations: k, a bound on the size of solutions, and $$\ell $$ , a bound on the length of reconfiguration sequences. Our first general result is an algorithmic paradigm, the reconfiguration kernel, used to obtain fixed-parameter tractable algorithms for reconfiguration variants of Vertex Cover and, more generally, Bounded Hitting Set and Feedback Vertex Set, all parameterized by k. In contrast, we show that reconfiguring Unbounded Hitting Set is W[2]-hard when parameterized by $$k+\ell $$ . We also demonstrate the W[1]-hardness of reconfiguration variants of a large class of maximization problems parameterized by $$k+\ell $$ , and of their corresponding deletion problems parameterized by $$\ell $$ ; in doing so, we show that there exist problems in FPT when parameterized by k, but whose reconfiguration variants are W[1]-hard when parameterized by $$k+\ell $$ . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hippo signaling pathway is a vital suppressor of tumorigenesis that is often inactivated in human cancers. In normal cells, the Hippo pathway is triggered by external forces such as cell crowding, or changes to the extracellular matrix or cell polarity. Once activated, Hippo signaling down-regulates transcription supported by the paralogous cofactors YAP1 and TAZ. The Hippo pathway's functions in normal and cancer biology have been dissected by studies of mutant mice with null or conditional tissue-specific mutations of Hippo signaling elements. In this review, we attempt to systematically summarize results that have been gleaned from detailed in vivo characterizations of these mutants. Our goal is to describe the physiological roles of Hippo signaling in several normal organ systems, as well as to emphasize how disruption of the Hippo pathway, and particularly hyperactivation of YAP1/ TAZ, can be oncogenic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferredoxin:NADP(H) oxidoreductase (FNR) plays a key role in redox metabolism in plastids. Whereas leaf FNR (LFNR) is required for photosynthesis, root FNR (RFNR) is believed to provide electrons to ferredoxin (Fd)- dependent enzymes, including nitrite reductase (NiR) and Fd-glutamine-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (Fd-GOGAT) in non-photosynthetic conditions. In some herbal species, however, most nitrate reductase activity is located in photosynthetic organs, and ammonium in roots is assimilated mainly by Fd-independent NADH-GOGAT. Therefore, RFNR might have a limited impact on N assimilation in roots grown with nitrate or ammonium nitrogen sources. AtRFNR genes are rapidly induced by application of toxic nitrite. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that RFNR could contribute to nitrite reduction in roots by comparing Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings of the wild type with lossof- function mutants of RFNR2. When these seedlings were grown under nitrate, nitrite or ammonium, only nitrite nutrition caused impaired growth and nitrite accumulation in roots of rfnr2. Supplementation of nitrite with nitrate or ammonium as N sources did not restore the root growth in rfnr2. Also, a scavenger for nitric oxide (NO) could not effectively rescue the growth impairment. Thus, nitrite toxicity, rather than N depletion or nitrite-dependent NO production, probably causes the rfnr2 root growth defect. Our results strongly suggest that RFNR2 has a major role in reduction of toxic nitrite in roots. A specific set of genes related to nitrite reduction and the supply of reducing power responded to nitrite concomitantly, suggesting that the products of these genes act co-operatively with RFNR2 to reduce nitrite in roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suppose that we are given two dominating sets D s and D t of a graph G whose cardinalities are at most a given threshold k . Then, we are asked whether there exists a sequence of dominating sets of G between D s and D t such that each dominating set in the sequence is of cardinality at most k and can be obtained from the previous one by either adding or deleting exactly one vertex. This decision problem is known to be PSPACE-complete in general. In this paper, we study the complexity of this problem from the viewpoint of graph classes. We first prove that the problem remains PSPACE-complete even for planar graphs, bounded bandwidth graphs, split graphs, and bipartite graphs. We then give a general scheme to construct linear-time algorithms and show that the problem can be solved in linear time for cographs, forests, and interval graphs. Furthermore, for these tractable cases, we can obtain a desired sequence if it exists such that the number of additions and deletions is bounded by O ( n ) , where n is the number of vertices in the input graph. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selecting the best quantitative PCR assay is essential to detect human norovirus genome effectively from clinical and environmental samples because no cell lines have been developed to propagate this virus. The real-time PCR methods for noroviruses GI (4 assays) and GII (3 assays) were evaluated using wastewater (n = 70) and norovirus-positive stool (n = 77) samples collected in Japan between 2012 and 2013. Standard quantitative PCR assays recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, International Organization for Standardization, and Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, together with recently reported assays were included. Significant differences in positive rates and quantification cycles were observed by non-parametric analysis. The present study identifies the best assay for norovirus GI and GII to amplify norovirus genomes efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The local and global transmission dynamics of influenza B virus is not completely understood mainly because of limited epidemiological and sequence data for influenza B virus. Here we report epidemiological and molecular characteristics of influenza B viruses from 2010 to 2013 in Leyte Island, Philippines. Phylogenetic analyses showed global dissemination of the virus among both neighboring and distant areas. The analyses also suggest that southeast Asia is not a distributor of influenza B virus and can introduce the virus from other areas. Furthermore, we found evidence on the local persistence of the virus over years in the Philippines. Taken together, both local persistence and global dissemination play a significant role in the circulation of influenza B virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: As the number of younger women with endometrial carcinoma has increased, fertility-sparing treatments have received more attention. Although there have been several reports on conservative treatments with progestins for endometrial carcinoma, only medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) is available in Japan. Dienogest has been developed as a fourth-generation progestin for treating endometriosis. Because of its high progesterone activity, its antitumor activity has attracted attention. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effect of dienogest on endometrial neoplasms using mouse model of endometrial carcinoma. Methods/materials: PtenloxP/loxP mice were injected with MPA or dienogest subcutaneously to evaluate the anticancer effect against endometrial neoplasms that developed in the mice. One week after injections, histopathological analyzes were performed. Results: Endometrial neoplasms were found in one of the eight (12.5%) mice from each group treated with either dienogest or MPA. In contrast, they were found in seven of eight (87.5%) mice not treated with progestins. Each progestin treatment showed anticancer activity against endometrial neoplasms that developed in the mice compared to those without treatment. Conclusions: Dienogest and MPA showed potent anticancer activity against endometrial neoplasms in our mouse model. The present study demonstrated that dienogest might be a useful therapeutic agent for human endometrial neoplasms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Norovirus is a leading etiological agent of viral gastroenteritis. Because of relatively mild disease symptoms and frequent asymptomatic infections, information on the ecology of this virus is limited. Our objective was to examine the genetic diversity of norovirus circulating in the human population by means of genotyping the virus in municipal wastewater. We investigated norovirus genogroups I and II (GI and GII) in municipal wastewater in Japan by pyrosequencing and quantitative PCR (qPCR) from November 2012 to March 2013. Virological surveillance for gastroenteritis cases was concurrently conducted in the same area. A total of fourteen distinct genotypes in total (GI.1, 3, 4, 6, 7, GII.2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, and 17), with up to eight genotypes detected per sample, were observed in wastewater using pyrosequencing; only four genotypes (GI.6, GII.4, 5, and 14) were obtained from clinical samples. Seventy-eight percent of norovirus-positive stool samples contained GII.4, but this genotype was not dominant in wastewater. The norovirus GII.4 Sydney 2012 variant, which appeared and spread during our study period, was detected in both the wastewater and clinical samples. These results suggest that an environmental approach using pyrosequencing yields a more detailed distribution of norovirus genotypes/variants. Thus, wastewater monitoring by pyrosequencing is expected to provide an effective analysis of the distribution of norovirus genotypes causing symptomatic and asymptomatic infections in human populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Obstetricians sometimes administer intramyometrial oxytocin to stimulate uterine contraction during cesarean section, but its effects have not been well investigated. We performed a randomized, double-blind study to test the hypothesis that a small dose of intramyometrial oxytocin would induce acceptable uterine contractility more quickly and with fewer hemodynamic side-effects than the same dose administered intravenously. Methods Forty women with a single fetus at ≥36 weeks of gestational age scheduled for elective cesarean section under spinal anesthesia were randomized to the intravenous and intramyometrial groups to receive oxytocin at 0.07 IU/kg. The drug was administered immediately after umbilical cord clamping. Systolic blood pressure, heart rate, intraoperative blood loss, uterine tone, total amount of intraoperative oxytocin, and additional uterotonic drugs administered in the first 24 h were compared. Results Maximum uterine contractility was achieved after 2 and 10 min for the intravenous and intramyometrial groups, respectively. The mean hemodynamic parameters of the intramyometrial group were stable. In contrast, the intravenous group showed a reduction in systolic blood pressure after 2-4 min and increased heart rate after 1-2 min. Intraoperative blood loss, total oxytocin dose, and frequency of additional uterotonic drugs were comparable between the two groups. Conclusion Although intraoperative blood loss was comparable, a small dose of intramyometrial oxytocin was inappropriate to obtain a prompt and acceptable uterine contraction during cesarean section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) is a major cause of acute lower respiratory tract infections in infants and children worldwide. We performed molecular analysis of HRSV among infants and children with clinical diagnosis of severe pneumonia in four study sites in the Philippines, including Biliran, Leyte, Palawan, and Metro Manila from June 2012 to July 2013. Nasopharyngeal swabs were collected and screened for HRSV using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Positive samples were tested by conventional PCR and sequenced for the second hypervariable region (2nd HVR) of the G gene. Among a total of 1,505 samples, 423 samples were positive for HRSV (28.1%), of which 305 (72.1%) and 118 (27.9%) were identified as HRSV-A and HRSV-B, respectively. Two genotypes of HRSV-A, NA1 and ON1, were identified during the study period. The novel ON1 genotype with a 72-nucleotide duplication in 2nd HVR of the G gene increased rapidly and finally became the predominant genotype in 2013 with an evolutionary rate higher than the NA1 genotype. Moreover, in the ON1 genotype, we found positive selection at amino acid position 274 (p<0.05) and massive O- and N-glycosylation in the 2nd HVR of the G gene. Among HRSV-B, BA9 was the predominant genotype circulating in the Philippines. However, two sporadic cases of GB2 genotype were found, which might share a common ancestor with other Asian strains. These findings suggest that HRSV is an important cause of severe acute respiratory infection among children in the Philippines and revealed the emergence and subsequent predominance of the ON1 genotype and the sporadic detection of the GB2 genotype. Both genotypes were detected for the first time in the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Capric acid (FA10:0, decanoic acid) is a medium-chain fatty acid abundant in tropical oils such as coconut oil, whereas small amounts are present in milk of goat, cow, and human. Orally ingested FA10:0 is transported to the liver and quickly burnt within it. Only few reports are available for FA10:0 concentrations in human plasma. METHODS: Fasting (n = 5, male/female = 3/2, age 31 ± 9.3 years old) and non-fasting (n = 106, male/female = 44/62, age 21.9 ± 3.2 years old) blood samples were collected from apparently healthy Japanese volunteers. The total FA10:0 in the plasma were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography after derivatization with 2-nitrophenylhydrazine followed by UV detection. RESULTS: Inter and intra-assay coefficient of variation of FA10:0 assay at three different concentrations ranged in 1.7-3.9 and 1.3-5.4%, respectively, with an analytical recovery of 95.2-104.0%. FA10:0 concentration was below detection limit (0.1 umol/L) in each fasting human plasma. FA10:0 was not detected in 50 (47.2%) of 106 non-fasting blood samples, while 29 (27.4%) plasma samples contained FA10:0 less than or equal to 0.5 umol/L (0.4 ± 0.1), and 27 (25.5%) contained it at more than 0.5 umol/L (0.9 ± 0.3). CONCLUSION: A half of the non-fasting plasma samples contained detectable FA10:0. This simple, precise, and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography method might be useful for monitoring plasma FA10:0 during medium-chain triglycerides therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Capric acid (FA10:0, decanoic acid) is a medium-chain fatty acid abundant in tropical oils such as coconut oil, whereas small amounts are present in milk of goat, cow, and human. Orally ingested FA10:0 is transported to the liver and quickly burnt within it. Only few reports are available for FA10:0 concentrations in human plasma. Methods: Fasting (n = 5, male/female = 3/2, age 31 ± 9.3 years old) and non-fasting (n = 106, male/female = 44/62, age 21.9 ± 3.2 years old) blood samples were collected from apparently healthy Japanese volunteers. The total FA10:0 in the plasma were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography after derivatization with 2-nitrophenylhydrazine followed by UV detection. Results: Inter and intra-assay coefficient of variation of FA10:0 assay at three different concentrations ranged in 1.7–3.9 and 1.3–5.4%, respectively, with an analytical recovery of 95.2–104.0%. FA10:0 concentration was below detection limit (0.1 µmol/L) in each fasting human plasma. FA10:0 was not detected in 50 (47.2%) of 106 non-fasting blood samples, while 29 (27.4%) plasma samples contained FA10:0 less than or equal to 0.5 µmol/L (0.4 ± 0.1), and 27 (25.5%) contained it at more than 0.5 µmol/L (0.9 ± 0.3).ConclusionA half of the non-fasting plasma samples contained detectable FA10:0. This simple, precise, and accurate high-performance liquid chromatography method might be useful for monitoring plasma FA10:0 during medium-chain triglycerides therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The majority of patients with Down syndrome ( DS), trisomy 21, have morphologically abnormal thymuses and present with intrinsic immunological abnormalities affecting mainly the cellular immune response. The aim of this study was to examine whether the expression of functionally important molecules is altered in thymic stromal cells in patients with DS. Methods and results We analysed thymic tissues from patients with trisomy 13 ( n = 4), trisomy 18 ( n = 14) and trisomy 21 ( n = 13) for histological alterations, and for the expression of functionally important molecules such as β5t, a thymoproteasome subunit, and cathepsins L and S. In patients with trisomy 13 and trisomy 18, the thymus was morphologically normal or showed only mild depletion of cortical thymocytes. In contrast, the thymus showed variable histological changes in patients with trisomy 21; six of 13 cases showed severe depletion of thymocytes accompanied by the disappearance of thymic lobular architecture. In such thymuses, spindle-shaped keratin-positive cells were densely distributed, and expression of β5t, but not of cathepsin L, was markedly decreased. Conclusions The present study suggests that abnormal thymic architecture and decreased expression of functionally important molecules in thymic stromal cells may be involved in immunological abnormalities in DS patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consider a puzzle consisting of n tokens on an n -vertex graph, where each token has a distinct starting vertex and a distinct target vertex it wants to reach, and the only allowed transformation is to swap the tokens on adjacent vertices. We prove that every such puzzle is solvable in O ( n 2 ) token swaps, and thus focus on the problem of minimizing the number of token swaps to reach the target token placement. We give a polynomial-time 2-approximation algorithm for trees, and using this, obtain a polynomial-time 2 α -approximation algorithm for graphs whose tree α -spanners can be computed in polynomial time. Finally, we show that the problem can be solved exactly in polynomial time on complete bipartite graphs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pneumonia is a leading cause of deaths in infants and young children in developing countries, including the Philippines. However, data at the community level remains limited. Our study aimed to estimate incidence and mortality rates and to evaluate risk factors and health-seeking behavior for childhood pneumonia. A household level interview survey was conducted in Biliran Island, the Philippines. Caregivers were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire to check if children had symptoms suggesting pneumonia-like episodes from June 2011 to May 2012. Of 3,327 households visited in total, 3,302 (99.2%) agreed to participate, and 5,249 children less than 5 years of age were included in the study. Incidence rates of pneumonia-like episodes, severe pneumonia-like episodes, and pneumonia-associated mortality were 105, 61, and 0.9 per 1,000 person-years, respectively. History of asthma [hazard ratio (HR): 5.85, 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.83–7.08], low socioeconomic status (SES) (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02–1.20), and long travel time to the healthcare facility estimated by cost distance analysis (HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.09–1.61) were significantly associated with the occurrence of pneumonia-like episodes by the Cox proportional hazards model. For severe pneumonia-like episodes, a history of asthma (HR: 8.39, 95% CI: 6.54–10.77) and low SES (HR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.17–1.45) were significant risk factors. Children who had a long travel time to the hospital were less likely to seek hospital care (Odds ratio: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.19–0.54) when they experienced severe pneumonia-like episodes. Incidence of pediatric pneumonia-like episodes was associated with a history of asthma, SES, and the travel time to healthcare facilities. Travel time was also identified as a strong indicator for health-seeking behavior. Improved access to healthcare facilities is important for early and effective management. Further studies are warranted to understand the causal relationship between asthma and pneumonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we used a microchamber to observe and analyze the gliding phenomenon of Navicula pavillardii diatom cells at different temperatures. The temperature of the culture medium was varied from 17.0 to 30.0 °C to examine the effect of temperature on diatom movement. Movement of each cell at different temperatures was monitored by use of an inverted optical microscope and continuously recorded as video data, from which the velocities of each cell were calculated, by using dedicated software to perform two-dimensional trajectory analysis. The velocities of the same cell at different temperatures were thereby successfully compared. The results showed that the change in cell velocity was insignificant when the temperature was increased from 17.0 to 25.0 °C. When the temperature was increased from 17.0 to 27.5 °C, non-uniformly disrupted cell movement was observed. When the temperature was further increased to 30.0 °C, cell movement was clearly inhibited. By use of single-cell analysis, the effects of the temperature increases on diatom movement were successfully evaluated. Finally, we characterized the experimental data by performing t tests to evaluate the effects of variations of the movement of individual cells on the data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to determine the role of influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance conducted on Leyte Island, the Philippines, including involvement of other respiratory viruses, from 2010 to 2013. ILI surveillance was conducted from January 2010 to March 2013 with 3 sentinel sites located in Tacloban city, Palo and Tanauan of Leyte Island. ILI was defined as fever ≥38°C or feverish feeling and either cough or running nose in a patient of any age. Influenza virus and other 5 respiratory viruses were searched. A total of 5,550 ILI cases visited the 3 sites and specimens were collected from 2,031 (36.6%) cases. Among the cases sampled, 1,637 (75.6%) were children aged <5 years. 874 (43.0%) cases were positive for at least one of the respiratory viruses tested. Influenza virus and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were predominantly detected (both were 25.7%) followed by human rhinovirus (HRV) (17.5%). The age distributions were significantly different between those who were positive for influenza, HRV, and RSV. ILI cases were reported throughout the year and influenza virus was co-detected with those viruses on approximately half of the weeks of study period (RSV in 60.5% and HRV 47.4%). In terms of clinical manifestations, only the rates of headache and sore throat were significantly higher in influenza positive cases than cases positive to other viruses. In conclusion, syndromic ILI surveillance in this area is difficult to detect the start of influenza epidemic without laboratory confirmation which requires huge resources. Age was an important factor that affected positive rates of influenza and other respiratory viruses. Involvement of older age children may be useful to detect influenza more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature dependence of scintillation properties was investigated for (Ce 0.01 , Gd 0.90 , La 0.09 ) 2 Si 2 O 7 grown by floating zone method. The light output over 35,000 photons/MeV was found constant in the temperature range from 0 °C to 150 °C. In addition, FWHM energy resolution of Ce:La-GPS (roughly 7–8%) at 662 keV remained constant up to 100 °C. Thus, this crystal can be applied to oil well logging or other radiation detection application at high temperature conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular mechanisms of endothelial dysfunction and vascular calcification have been considered independently and potential links are currently unknown in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) receptor signaling mediates calcification of atherosclerotic plaques. Here we tested whether BMP receptor signaling contributes to endothelial dysfunction, as well as to osteogenic differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), in a model of short-term CKD. In C57BL/6 mice, subtotal nephrectomy activated BMP receptor and increased phosphatase-and-tensin homolog (PTEN) protein in the endothelial cells and medial VSMCs without vascular remodeling in the aorta. In the endothelial cells, PTEN induction led to inhibition of the Akt-endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) pathway and endothelial dysfunction. In VSMCs, the PTEN increase induced early osteogenic differentiation. CKD-induced inhibition of eNOS phosphorylation and the resultant endothelial dysfunction were inhibited in mice with endothelial cell-specific PTEN ablation. Knockout of the BMP type I receptor abolished endothelial dysfunction, the inhibition of eNOS phosphorylation, and VSMC osteogenic differentiation in mice with CKD. A small molecule inhibitor of BMP type I receptor, LDN-193189, prevented endothelial dysfunction and osteogenic differentiation in CKD mice. Thus, BMP receptor activation is a mechanism for endothelial dysfunction in addition to vascular osteogenic differentiation in a short-term CKD model. PTEN may be key in linking BMP receptor activation and endothelial dysfunction in CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is a significant public health concern in Asia, and swine is an important source of sporadic HEV infection in human. However, no epidemiological data are available regarding HEV infection among the swine or human population in the Philippines. To assess the HEV infection status among pigs in rural areas, we investigated the molecular characteristics and seroprevalence of HEV among household-raised pigs in San Jose, Tarlac Province, the Philippines. Result Serum and rectal swab samples were collected from 299 pigs aged 2-24 months from 155 households in four barangays (villages) between July 2010 and June 2011. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) revealed that 50.3% [95% confidence interval (CI) 44.5-56.2%] and 22.9% (95% CI 18.2-28.1%) of pigs tested positive for anti-HEV IgG and IgM, respectively. HEV RNA was detected in the feces of 22 pigs (7.4%, 95% CI 4.7-10.9%). A total of 103 households (66.5%, 95% CI 58.4-73.8%) had at least one pig that tested positive for anti-HEV IgG or IgM or HEV RNA. The prevalence of anti-HEV IgG and IgM in breeding pig (8-24 months) were higher than that in growing pigs (2-4 months) (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.008, respectively). HEV RNA was more frequently detected in 2-4-month-old pigs (9.2%, 95% CI 5.4-14.6%) than in ⩾5-month-old pigs (4.8%, 95% CI 1.1-8.5%) without statistical significance (p = 0.142). HEV RNA showed 0-27.6% nucleotide difference at the partial ORF2 gene among the detected viruses, and a majority of them belonged to subtype 3a (20/22, 90.9%). Conclusion We found a high prevalence of HEV antibodies in the household-raised pig population in rural areas of the Philippines, which indicates the potential risk of HEV infection among local residents. Only genotype 3 of HEV was observed, and genetically diverse strains of HEV were found to be circulating in pigs in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A diagram is presented which shows cleavage of the aryl ether carbon (C)-oxygen (O) bond in carbon dioxide-water.

Abstract: It remains unclear whether or not human intestinal spirochetosis (HIS) has any associated symptoms or lesions. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of HIS in sessile serrated adenomas/polyps (SSA/Ps) and their possible association. Following identification of early cecal cancer with SSA/P accompanied by a colonization of HIS, we went on to conduct a retrospective case-control study using endoscopically resected SSA/P specimens to examine the frequency of HIS infection in SSA/Ps. Nineteen SSA/P cases and 172 controls were obtained. The rate of HIS infection was significantly higher at 52.6% (10/19) in the SSA/P cases compared to the controls at 8.1% (14/172). Our SSA/P series were associated with a remarkably higher rate of HIS than controls or than previously reported. This is the first report to provide evidence for potential association between HIS and SSA/Ps. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It is of importance to clarify pathophysiology of diabetic heart diseases such as heart failure and coronary artery disease. We reported a novel clinical phenotype called triglyceride deposit cardiomyovasculopathy ( TGCV), showing aberrant TG accumulation in both coronary arteries and myocardium, in a cardiac transplant recipient. Here, we examined autopsied diabetics for TG deposition in cardiovasculature. Consecutive series of hearts from advanced diabetes mellitus ( DM) subjects ( DM group: DMG, n = 20) and those from age- and sex-matched non-diabetic controls (non DM group: NDMG, n = 20) were examined. The diagnostic criteria of 'advanced DM' was made based on 2014 Clinical Practice Recommendations proposed by the American Diabetes Association. The mean duration of DM was 15.8 years. All DMG suffered from heart diseases including coronary artery diseases and 14 subjects had multi-vessel disease. Tissue TG contents were measured biochemically. Coronary arterial TG contents was significantly higher in DMG compared with NDMG. Spatial distribution of TG in transverse sections of coronary arteries showed TG deposition mainly in smooth muscle cells by Imaging Mass Spectrometry. Abundant TG deposition in coronary artery might be associated with advanced DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammation has a critical role in the development of insulin resistance. Recent evidence points to a contribution by the central nervous system in the modulation of peripheral inflammation through the anti-inflammatory reflex. However, the importance of this phenomenon remains elusive in type 2 diabetes pathogenesis. Here we show that rat insulin-2 promoter (Rip)-mediated deletion of Pten, a gene encoding a negative regulator of PI3K signaling, led to activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway that is mediated by M2 activated macrophages in peripheral tissues. As such, Rip-cre+ Ptenflox/flox mice showed lower systemic inflammation and greater insulin sensitivity under basal conditions compared to littermate controls, which were abolished when the mice were treated with an acetylcholine receptor antagonist or when macrophages were depleted. After feeding with a high-fat diet, the Pten-deleted mice remained markedly insulin sensitive, which correlated with massive subcutaneous fat expansion. They also exhibited more adipogenesis with M2 macrophage infiltration, both of which were abolished after disruption of the anti-inflammatory efferent pathway by left vagotomy. In summary, we show that Pten expression in Rip+ neurons has a critical role in diabetes pathogenesis through mediating the anti-inflammatory reflex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The transmission dynamics of rabies viruses in the Philippines were analyzed. [•] The Philippine strains were shown to have been introduced from China around 1900. [•] Strong spatial structure was observed in the viral transmissions. [•] Most of the viral migrations were observed between neighboring regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a genome-wide small interfering RNA(siRNA) screen, we recently identified the interferon (IFN)-inducible protein 35 (IFI35; also known as IFP35) as a factor required for vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection. Studies reported here were conducted to further understand the role and requirement of IFI35 in VSV infection. Consistent with the siRNA screening data, we found that depletion of IFI35 led to reduced VSV replication at the level of viral gene expression. Although no direct interaction of IFI35 with the viral replication machinery was observed, we found that IFI35 negatively regulated the host innate immune response and rescued poly(I·C)-induced inhibition of VSV replication. Promoter-driven reporter gene assays demonstrated that IFI35 overexpression suppressed the activation of IFN-βand ISG56 promoters, whereas its depletion had the opposite effect. Further investigation revealed that IFI35 specifically interacted with retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) and negatively regulated its activation through mechanisms that included (i) suppression of dephosphorylation (activation) of RIG-I and (ii) proteasome-mediated degradation of RIG-I via K48-linked ubiquitination. Overall, the results presented here suggest a novel role for IFI35 in negative regulation of RIG-I-mediated antiviral signaling, which will have implications for diseases associated with excessive immune signaling. IMPORTANCE Mammalian cells employ a variety of mechanisms, including production of interferons (IFNs), to counteract invading pathogens. In this study, we identified a novel role for a cellular protein, IFN-inducible protein 35 (IFP35/IFI35), in negatively regulating the host IFN response during vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection. Specifically, we found that IFI35 inhibited activation of the RNA sensor, the retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I), leading to inhibition of IFN production and thus resulting in better replication of VSV. The identification of a cellular factor that attenuates the IFN response will have implications toward understanding inflammatory diseases in humans that have been found to be associated with defects in the regulation of host IFN production, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nd^3+-doped Lu2{O_3} (Nd: Lu2{O_3}) is a candidate for an infrared scintillator because (i) Lu2{O_3} has a high density of 9.5~\g/\cm^3 and a high atomic number of 67 and (ii) Nd^3+-doped materials emit in the infrared range and the emission lines from Nd^3+ can be used in medical applications since human body has a transparency window between 600 and 1,100 nm. However, it is extremely difficult to fabricate Lu2{O_3} single crystals using conventional crystal growth methods because of the high melting point (2,510 ^\circ C). Using solid-state reactions, it is much easier to fabricate Lu2{O_3} into a ceramic structure. Therefore, Nd: Lu2{O_3} transparent ceramics were fabricated using a spark plasma sintering method. This technique is comparatively simple and consumes less time than other methods such as vacuum hot pressing. The scintillation properties and transmittance spectra of the as-produced ceramics were studied in both the visible and infrared regions. Radioluminescence spectra were measured in the range 800–1,200 nm. Nd^3+ emission lines were observed in the transparency window of human body. Thus, these ceramic materials could be a candidate for medical imaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: We have focused on a protic ionic liquid, ethylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide ([eimH][Tf2N]), and the analogous aprotic ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide ([emim][Tf2N]). Densities, viscosities, and electrical conductivities of the two ionic liquids have been measured over the temperature range T =(273.15–363.15)K at atmospheric pressure. The densities of [eimH][Tf2N] and [emim][Tf2N] decrease with increasing temperature. The protic ionic liquid has the higher density (the smaller molar volume) than the aprotic one. The transport properties of the two ionic liquids show ordinary temperature dependencies. [eimH][Tf2N] has the higher viscosities (smaller electrical conductivities) than [emim][Tf2N]. Empirical Walden products indicate that [eimH][Tf2N] shows smaller conductivities than [emim][Tf2N] at certain viscosities. To investigate CO2 absorption properties of the ionic liquids, binary phase equilibria in CO2 +ionic liquid systems have been investigated under high pressures up to 6MPa at T =(298.15, 313.15, 333.15)K. The solubilities of CO2 in [eimH][Tf2N] and [emim][Tf2N] show typical pressure dependencies in both mole fraction and molarity scales as physical absorbents. The mole fraction of CO2 in [eimH][Tf2N] is slightly smaller than that in [emim][Tf2N] under the conditions investigated, while the molarity of CO2 in [eimH][Tf2N] is comparable to that in [emim][Tf2N]. The molar volumes in ionic liquid phase almost linearly decrease with the mole fraction of CO2 in the present systems. The partial molar volume of CO2 in [eimH][Tf2N] at infinite dilution is almost same as that in [emim][Tf2N]. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Triglyceride deposit cardiomyovasculopathy (TGCV) is a rare severe heart disease. [•] PPARγ is up-regulated in myocardium in patients with TGCV. [•] Possible vicious cycle for fatty acid may be involved in pathophysiology of TGCV. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The pressure–volume–temperature–composition relations for CO2 +pyrrolidinium-based ionic liquid systems were measured over the pressure range up to 6MPa at T =(298.15, 313.15, 333.15)K. Three ionic liquids were studied in the present work: N-methyl-N-propylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide ([Pyr13][TFSA]), N-methoxymethyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide ([Pyr1,1O1][TFSA]), and N-methoxymethyl-N-methylpyrrolidinium bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide ([Pyr1,1O1][FSA]). The pressure dependence of CO2 solubility indicates that CO2 molecules are dissolved physically in the three ionic liquids. The mole fraction scaled solubility of CO2 in [Pyr1,1O1][TFSA] is almost the same as that in [Pyr13][TFSA], and [Pyr1,1O1][FSA] showed the smallest solubility at certain pressures and temperatures. On the other hand, the molarity scaled solubility of CO2 in [Pyr1,1O1][TFSA] was nearly equal to that in [Pyr1,1O1][FSA]. The CO2 solubility of [Pyr13][TFSA] was smaller than the other two ionic liquids. The molar volume and density of ionic liquid phase decrease monotonically with an increase of mole fraction of CO2. The volume expansion of liquid phase was not almost dependent of temperature but composition of CO2 under the conditions investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The densities, viscosities, and electrical conductivities of N-(2-hydroxyethyl) pyridinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide ([Py2OH][Tf2N]) have been measured over the temperature range T =273.15–363.15K at atmospheric pressure. The pressure–volume–temperature–composition relations in the CO2 +[Py2OH][Tf2N] system have been obtained under the pressure condition up to 5MPa at T =298.15, 313.15, and 333.15K. The densities and transport properties were well reproduced with a second order polynomial and Vogel–Fulcher–Tamman equations, respectively. The Walden plot (double logarithm graph of molar conductivity vs reciprocal viscosity) gives the straight line. [Py2OH][Tf2N] has higher densities and poor transport properties compared to an analog without the hydroxyl group, N-butylpyridinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide. The CO2 solubilities in [Py2OH][Tf2N] show typical pressure dependencies in both mole fraction and molarity scales as a physical absorbent. The molar volume in the liquid [Py2OH][Tf2N] phase decreases by the dissolution of CO2. The volume of ionic liquid phase expands with an increase of CO2. As a result, the saturated liquid density slightly decreases over the present conditions investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We have determined the electrical conductivity in CO2-saturated 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([C4mim][PF6]) at 298.1, 313.1 and 333.1K as a function of CO2 pressure. Moreover, self-diffusion coefficients of cation and anion in CO2-saturated [C4mim][PF6] have been measured at high pressures up to ∼15MPa and at a fixed temperature of 333.2K by 1H and 19F NMR using the pulsed field gradient spin-echo method. As CO2 dissolves in [C4mim][PF6], marked increases in all the three transport quantities were observed at lower pressure, and then they showed very slight changes at higher pressure. The correlation between the conductivity and the ionic diffusion coefficients has been discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

For a graph G=( V, E) and a color set C, let f: E→ C be an edge-coloring of G in which two adjacent edges may have the same color. Then, the graph G edge-colored by f is rainbow connected if every two vertices of G have a path in which all edges are assigned distinct colors. Chakraborty et al. defined the problem of determining whether the graph colored by a given edge-coloring is rainbow connected. Chen et al. introduced the vertex-coloring version of the problem as a variant, and we introduce the total-coloring version in this paper. We settle the precise computational complexities of all the three problems with regards to graph diameters, and also characterize these with regards to certain graph classes: cacti, outer planer and series-parallel graphs. We then give FPT algorithms for the three problems on general graphs when parameterized by the number of colors in C; our FPT algorithms imply that all the three problems can be solved in polynomial time for any graph with n vertices if | C|= O(log n). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Er-doped Y3Al5O12 single crystals with different Er concentrations of 0.1, 1.0, 10, 30, and 50% were grown by the micro-pulling down method. There were several absorption lines due to the Er3+ 4f-4f transitions in the transmittance spectra and these lines correspond to the transitions from the ground state of 4I15/2 to the excited states. The photo- and radio-luminescence spectra showed Er3+ 4f-4f emissions. Relative light yield under 5.5 MeV alpha-ray irradiation of Er 0.1%:Y3Al5O12 was estimated to be 63% of that of Bi4Ge3O12. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A contactless power transfer system for electric vehicles must have high efficiency, a large air gap, good tolerance to misalignment in the lateral direction, compactness, and light weight. In this paper, a new 1.5-kW transformer has been developed using a novel H-shaped core which is more efficient, more robust to misalignment, and lighter than previous rectangular cores, to satisfy these criteria, and its characteristics are described. An efficiency of 95% was achieved across a 70-mm mechanical gap. Iron-loss modeling of the equivalent circuit is also presented. The calculated efficiency using this model shows good agreement with experimental results. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 184(2): 61-70, 2013; Published online in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.22377 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can be generated from patients with specific diseases by the transduction of reprogramming factors and can be useful as a cell source for cell transplantation therapy for various diseases with impaired organs. However, the low efficiency of iPSC derived from somatic cells (0.01-0.1%) is one of the major problems in the field. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) pathway is thought to be important for self-renewal, proliferation, and maintenance of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), but the contribution of this pathway or its well-known negative regulator, phosphatase, and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (Pten), to somatic cell reprogramming remains largely unknown. Here, we show that activation of the PI3K pathway by the Pten inhibitor, dipotassium bisperoxo(5-hydroxypyridine-2-carboxyl)oxovanadate, improves the efficiency of germline-competent iPSC derivation from mouse somatic cells. This simple method provides a new approach for efficient generation of iPSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We performed a trajectory analysis of movements of Navicula pavillardii diatom cells that were confined to semi-circular microgrooves with several different curvature radii. Using the semi-circular micropattern, we succeeded in observing change of velocity of the same cell before and after the stimulation by N,N-dimethyl-p-toluidine (DMT). Because the looped grooves had longer contour length than straight grooves, it was effective to achieve the long term observation of the stimulated active cells. Although average velocity of 150 cells was significantly increased with DMT, the maximum velocity (19μm/s) of the cells was not increased after the DMT injection. This may suggest that existence of the mechanical limit of the velocity of the diatom cells. Secondly, trajectories of individual cell movements along the walls of the semi-circular microgrooves were analyzed in detail. As a result, the velocity of the cells was not affected by the curvature radii of the grooves although the trajectories indicated an obvious restriction of area of the cell motion. This suggests that the surface of the diatom is effective in minimizing the frictional force between the cell body and the wall of a groove. Finally, a simple model of cell motion in the semi-circular groove was proposed to clarify the relationships among the forces that determine cell movement. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The temperature dependences of the density, viscosity,and electricalconductivity were investigated in four ammonium ionic liquids withthe bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide anion ([Tf2N]−). The cations for the ionic liquids were N-acetoxyethyl-N,N-dimethyl-N-ethylammonium ([N112,2OCO1]+), N,N-dimethyl-N-ethyl-N-methoxyethoxyethylammonium ([N112,2O2O1]+), N,N-dimethyl-N-ethyl-N-pentylammonium ([N1125]+), and N,N-dimethyl-N-ethyl-N-heptylammonium ([N1127]+). Measurements were performed over the temperaturerange T= (273.15 to 363.15) K at atmospheric pressure.The densities were fitted to quadratic functions of temperature. Theionic liquids with the functionalized cations ([N112,2OCO1]+and [N112,2O2O1]+) have the higherdensities than the corresponding counterparts with the nonfunctionalizedcations ([N1125]+and [N1127]+). The viscosities and electrical conductivities were analyzedusing the Litovitz and Vogel–Fulcher–Tamman equations.The ester functionalized ionic liquid, [N112,2OCO1][Tf2N], has poorer transport properties (that is, higher viscosityand lower electrical conductivity) than the nonfunctionalized [N1125][Tf2N], whereas the ether functionalized ionicliquid, [N112,2O2O1][Tf2N], has superior transportproperties to its analogue, [N1127][Tf2N]. EmpiricalWalden plots (double logarithmic graph of molar conductivity vs reciprocalviscosity) give straight lines with slopes less than unity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We investigated the function of ASN2, one of the three genes encoding asparagine synthetase (EC 6.3.5.4), which is the most highly expressed in vegetative leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana. Expression of ASN2 and parallel higher asparagine content in darkness suggest that leaf metabolism involves ASN2 for asparagine synthesis. In asn2-1 knockout and asn2-2 knockdown lines, ASN2 disruption caused a defective growth phenotype and ammonium accumulation. The asn2 mutant leaves displayed a depleted asparagine and an accumulation of alanine, GABA, pyruvate and fumarate, indicating an alanine formation from pyruvate through the GABA shunt to consume excess ammonium in the absence of asparagine synthesis. By contrast, asparagine did not contribute to photorespiratory nitrogen recycle as photosynthetic net CO2 assimilation was not significantly different between lines under both 21 and 2% O2. ASN2 was found in phloem companion cells by in situ hybridization and immunolocalization. Moreover, lack of asparagine in asn2 phloem sap and lowered 15N flux to sinks, accompanied by the delayed yellowing (senescence) of asn2 leaves, in the absence of asparagine support a specific role of asparagine in phloem loading and nitrogen reallocation. We conclude that ASN2 is essential for nitrogen assimilation, distribution and remobilization ( via the phloem) within the plant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metabolism of membrane phosphoinositides is critical for a variety of cellular processes. Phosphatidylinositol-3,5-bisphosphate [Ptdlns(3,5)P2] controls multiple steps of the intracellular membrane trafficking system in both yeast and mammalian cells. However, other than in neuronal tissues, little is known about the physiological functions of Ptdlns(3,5)P2 in mammals. Here, we provide genetic evidence that type III phosphatidylinositol phosphate kinase (PIPKIII), which produces PtdIns(3,5)P2, is essential for the functions of polarized epithelial cells. PIPKIII-null mouse embryos die by embryonic day 8.5 because of a failure of the visceral endoderm to supply the epiblast with maternal nutrients. Similarly, although intestine-specific PIPKIII-deficient mice are born, they fail to thrive and eventually die of malnutrition. At the mechanistic level, we show that PIPKIII regulates the trafficking of proteins to a cell's apical membrane domain. Importantly, mice with intestine-specific deletion of PIPKIII exhibit diarrhea and bloody stool, and their gut epithelial layers show inflammation and fibrosis, making our mutants an improved model for inflammatory bowel diseases. In summary, our data demonstrate that PIPKIII is required for the structural and functional integrity of two different types of polarized epithelial cells and suggest that Ptdlns(3,5)P2 metabolism is an unexpected and critical link between membrane trafficking in intestinal epithelial cells and the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Key steps in nitrate nutrition and assimilation were assessed over two weeks in control and 100mM NaCl-exposed Arabidopsis thaliana (Columbia) plants. The data showed that NaCl stress lowered nitrate contents in both leaves and roots. While NaCl stress decreased ammonium contents in leaves, it increased the contents in roots at the end of treatment. A survey of transcript levels of NIA1 (At1g77760) and NIA2 (At1g37130) and nitrate reductase (NR, EC 1.6.1.6) activity in the leaves and roots suggested a major role of NIA2 rather than NIA1 in the regulation of NR by salt stress. A drop in mRNA levels for GLN2 (At5g35630) and GLN1;2 (At1g66200) by salt was associated with a similar inhibition of glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2) activity in the leaves. In the roots, NaCl stress was found to enhance mRNA levels of GLN2 and cytosolic-encoding genes (GLN1;1 (At5g37600) and GLN1;2). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background Hepcidin is associated with iron-restricted erythropoiesis. A previous cross-sectional study showed that serum hepcidin-25 levels are negatively associated with the hemoglobin concentration in non-dialysis chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with sufficient iron stores. This longitudinal study aimed at ascertaining the association between hepcidin-25 levels and the progression of renal anemia. Methods We selected 335 non-dialysis CKD patients who showed hemoglobin concentrations >10 g/dL and who were not receiving erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA) therapy, from among the subjects of our previous study, who had been recruited between February and June 2007 in a previous study. The primary outcome was the start of the ESA therapy or hemoglobin concentrations remaining below 10 g/dL for >3 months, by 31 December 2010. The patients were classified into high- and low-ferritin groups depending on their median ferritin levels. The Cox proportional hazard model with restricted cubic spline curve analysis was used to determine the association between hepcidin-25 levels and the outcome for each group. Results The hepcidin-25 level was a significant predictor both for the high-ferritin group (P = 0.04, linearity = 0.02) and for the low-ferritin group (P = 0.04, linearity P = 0.02). The spline curve for the high-ferritin group showed that higher hepcidin-25 levels had a high log-relative hazard. Conclusions Higher hepcidin-25 levels predict the progression of anemia in non-dialysis CKD patients with sufficient iron stores, indicating the involvement of hepcidin in the progression of anemia in non-dialysis CKD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Optical and scintillation properties of a 1.0-mol% Dy-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG) grown under N2 atmosphere and undoped YAG crystals were investigated. Both crystals were grown by the Czochralski process. The one of the undoped YAG crystal was grown in an Ar + H2 (97:3) reducing atmosphere. Absorption peaks at 352 nm and 366 nm observed in 1.0-mol% Dy-doped YAG originated from 4f-4f transition of Dy3+. In addition, the crystal showed sharp emission lines at near 482 nm and 584 nm under 352 nm UV and alpha-ray excitation. The light output of Dy-doped YAG was estimated to be approximately 20,000 photons/(5.5-MeV alpha ray, 241Am). The scintillation decay time constants for Dy-doped YAG crystal was around 400 ns and 40 ns. Undoped YAG crystals grown under Ar + H2(97:3) atmosphere showed absorption and excitation peak at 370 nm. A 400-nm emission peak was observed under 370-nm excitation. The light output of the crystal was also estimated to be 50,000 photons/(5.5-MeV alpha ray). The scintillation decay time constants of the crystal were around 370 ns and 50 ns. (© 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In situ synthesis of Pd nanoparticles supported on boron (B)-substituted MCM-41 (B-MCM-41) with Si/B ratio varying from 100 to 5 was carried out by hydrothermal method using H3BO3 as B source. The textural properties as well as thermal stability of the resultant material were investigated by XRD, TEM, FTIR and TG-DTA. Highly ordered materials were obtained depending on the Si/B ratio, which also influenced the particle size of Pd as well as dispersion. Pd/B-MCM-41 was a promising catalyst for the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene in supercritical carbon dioxide with exceptionally faster reaction rate [turnover frequency (TOF) = 5.2 × 105 h−1 (144 s−1)] and high yield of aniline (100%). The observed reaction rate was strongly influenced by the Pd particle size related to Si/B ratio and physical properties of CO2 such as pressure- and temperature-dependent solvent power. A comparison of catalytic activity with the Pd supported only on silica material of similar particle size inferred that the presence of even a small amount of B significantly changes the reaction rate from 70 (only Si) to 105 s−1 (Si/B = 100). In addition, TOF of Pd/B-MCM-41 was high when compared with other Pd catalysts supported on Al-MCM-41 and Ga-MCM-41 obtained by a similar method, and follows the order: B (144 s−1) ＞ Ga (31.2 s−1) ＞ Al (10.2 s−1). The remarkable advantage of the present catalytic system involves low metal content (∼1%), easy separation and it is successfully employed for the hydrogenation of substituted nitroaromatics, nitrile and phenol under mild reaction conditions. Furthermore, the catalyst was recyclable up to the 7th recycle without any loss of catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the textural properties of edible fungi, raw and boiled cubic samples cut from stipe of the king oyster mushroom Pleurotus eryngii were compressed from various directions by different type utensils, and their deformed tissue structures were examined. Differences in the loads between compress directions were observed by the homogenous compression. A significant difference between the loads of the boiled upper (~10 N) and lower (~12 N) portions of stipe by intrusive compression from parallel to the growth direction was found. In the scanning electron microscopy ( SEM) images, the arrangement of fibrous spawn in the lower-portion tissue was characterised by curl-like formations. The fibre also appeared tangled in irregular arrangements. The results of this study indicate that the firmness of mushroom tissue was produced by the complex attributes, which were the mechanical strength and physicochemical bindings of the fibre, and that the fibre arrangement and/or formation of the tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effects of pressure on formic acid decomposition in sub- and super-critical water from near the critical pressure to extremely high pressures (20–100MPa) at temperatures of 380 and 400°C were investigated. Near the critical pressure, the dehydration and decarboxylation rates decreased with increasing pressure. The apparent activation volumes near the critical pressure were high where the isothermal compressibility of water was large, implying that formic acid attracts water molecules better than the transition state does, and that the partial molar volume of the transition state is larger than those of the reactants. At higher pressures, dehydration rate increased with increasing pressure. Comparisons with experimental results for HCl addition at constant pressure suggest that dehydration proceeds via an ionic reaction at high pressures. The pressure may affect formic acid decomposition in supercritical water negatively through solvation effects near the critical pressure, and positively through ionic reactions above 30MPa. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Please cite this paper as: Burmaa et al. (2012) Cumulative incidence of pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 by a community-based serological cohort study in Selenghe Province, Mongolia. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses 6(601), e97-e104. Background Large community outbreaks of pandemic A (H1N1) 2009 occurred between October and December 2009 in Mongolia. A serological study was conducted among the general population by testing paired sera collected before and after the first wave of pandemic in Selenghe province, Mongolia. None of the study participants had been vaccinated for pandemic A (H1N1) 2009 before the second samples were collected. Objective The objective of this study was to estimate cumulative incidence of pandemic A (H1N1) 2009 in different age-groups of Selenghe province residents. Methods After informed consent was obtained from apparently healthy volunteers, the paired sera and background information were collected. Antibody titers were measured using hemagglutinin inhibition (HI) and microneutralization (MN) assays for A/California/07/2009pdm. A fourfold rise in antibody titers was regarded as the evidence of infection. Results The overall cumulative incidences in the study group for all ages were 28·8% (76/264) by HI, 35·2% (93/264) by MN, and 25·0% (66/264) by both HI and MN. Cumulative incidences of infection varied among age-groups, with children aged 2-4 and 5-9 years having high cumulative incidence of infection. Overall cumulative incidences of infection in the whole population were estimated to be 23·0% (4946/21 460) by HI, 30·2% (6473/21 460) by MN, and 18·8% (4036/21 460) by both HI and MN. Conclusions This study indicates that about one-fourth of the total population in Selenghe province was infected with pandemic A (H1N1) 2009 virus during the first wave of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The conductivity σ of vanadium dioxide (VO2) drops at a metal–insulator transition by four orders of magnitude due to the structural change between tetragonal and monoclinic crystals. In order to elucidate this conductivity drop, we introduce the semiclassical equation of motion to describe the dynamics of the conduction electron (wave packet), where the existence of a k-vector k is prerequisite for the conduction. We showed that the periodicity using the non-orthogonal bases does not legitimize the electron dynamics in solids. The theory suggests that the decrease in the dimensionality of the k-vectors due to the structural change is the cause of the conductivity drop. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]