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Relationship between nonlinear refractivity and two-photon absorption has been studied for PbO–SiO2 glasses using a nonlinear Kramers–Kronig relation. Nonlinear refractive indices, which are determined with z-scan measurements, are consistent with those which are calculated using the relation from two-photon absorption spectra. This consistency suggests that large intensity-dependent refractivity in this glass system arises from resonant two-photon electronic transitions from oxygen 2p to lead 6p states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we examined the immunomodulating effects of Heyndrickxia coagulans SANK70258 (SANK70258). Mouse splenocytes treated with γ-ray-irradiated SANK70258 produced higher levels of IFN-γ than those with 7 types of lactic acid bacteria. IFN-γ was mainly produced by NK cells, involving IL-12/IL-23, dendritic cells (DCs), and NFκB signaling. SANK70258 induced the release of IL-6, IL-10, and IL-12p40 from mouse DCs and the expression of cytokine genes in the human monocyte. Cytokine release from SANK70258-treated DCs was partially reduced by the knockdown of Tlr2 or Nod2, and was abolished by Myd88 knockout. DC-stimulating components of SANK70258 were enriched in ether- and butanol-insoluble peptidoglycan-related fractions. SANK70258 component induced high levels of IgA production in Peyer's patch cells, and its oral intake significantly increased intestinal IgA and IgA-expressing B cells in Peyer's patches in mice. We conclude that SANK70258 component exhibits high activity as an immunostimulant that induces the production of IFN-γ and IgA., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry.)

Various gut bacteria, including Lactobacillus plantarum , possess several enzymes that produce hydroxy fatty acids (FAs), oxo FAs, conjugated FAs, and partially saturated FAs from polyunsaturated FAs as secondary metabolites. Among these derivatives, we identified 10-oxo- cis -6, trans -11-octadecadienoic acid (γKetoC), a γ-linolenic acid (GLA)-derived enon FA, as the most effective immunomodulator, which inhibited the antigen-induced immunoactivation and LPS-induced production of inflammatory cytokines. The treatment with γKetoC significantly suppressed proliferation of CD4 + T cells, LPS-induced activation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs), and LPS-induced IL-6 release from peritoneal cells, splenocytes, and CD11c + cells isolated from the spleen. γKetoC also inhibited the release of inflammatory cytokines from BMDCs stimulated with poly-I:C, R-848, or CpG. Further in vitro experiments using an agonist of GPR40/120 suggested the involvement of these GPCRs in the effects of γKetoC on DCs. We also found that γKetoC stimulated the NRF2 pathway in DCs, and the suppressive effects of γKetoC and agonist of GPR40/120 on the release of IL-6 and IL-12 were reduced in Nrf2 -/- BMDCs. We evaluated the role of NRF2 in the anti-inflammatory effects of γKetoC in a dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis model. The oral administration of γKetoC significantly reduced body weight loss, improved stool scores, and attenuated atrophy of the colon, in wild-type C57BL/6 and Nrf2 +/- mice with colitis. In contrast, the pathology of colitis was deteriorated in Nrf2 -/- mice even with the administration of γKetoC. Collectively, the present results demonstrated the involvement of the NRF2 pathway and GPCRs in γKetoC-mediated anti-inflammatory responses., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Ando, Nagata, Takeshita, Ito, Noguchi, Minamikawa, Kodama, Yamamoto, Yashiro, Hachisu, Ichihara, Kishino, Yamamoto, Ogawa and Nishiyama.)

Early onset of psychiatric disorders has been reported to be associated with increased familial risk or more severe clinical symptoms. In this study, we specifically examine the association between clinical severity and early versus late onset in panic disorder. We hypothesize the existence of differences in rates of axis II disorders in these two groups that will relate to clinical severity. Subjects were a consecutive clinical case series of 105 panic disorder patients (age, 18.3 to 70.9 years). Thirty-one panic disorder patients were classified as early onset (age of onset < or = 25 years) and 74 as late onset (age of onset >25). We compared symptomatology and rates of comorbid axis II disorders (diagnosed by structured clinical interview) between the early- and the late-onset groups. We found a statistically significant increase in the number of suicide attempts and likelihood of comorbid axis II disorders in the early-onset group compared to the late-onset group. In logistic regression analyses, cluster B personality disorders (PDs), especially borderline and histrionic, were statistically significantly associated with the presence of suicide attempts. The following limitations are present: first, we have not taken into consideration comorbidity of other axis I disorders, especially major depression. Second, there is imprecision associated with efforts to date the onset of panic disorder retrospectively. We conclude that comorbid axis II disorders are more likely to occur in early-onset panic disorder patients. Cluster B PDs, especially borderline or histrionic, may be associated with a high frequency of suicide attempts in this group. In clinical practice, efforts to aggressively detect and treat axis II disorders in early-onset panic disorder patients are warranted.

Osteoporosis is a common complication of anorexia nervosa (AN). Although weight recovery and resumption of menses are important goals in AN treatment, they are often achieved only after a prolonged period of recovery. Therefore, it becomes important to find therapies with the potential to prevent further decreases in bone mineral density (BMD). We conducted a non-randomized study of the effects of menatetrenone (vitamin K2) on bone loss in patients with AN. Lumbar BMD was longitudinally measured by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) in 10 patients with AN who chose to receive menatetrenone treatment (MED+ group) and 11 patients who did not (MED- group). During the mean 0.9-year follow-up period, the BMD of the lumbar vertebrae of the MED+ group decreased significantly less than that of the MED- group (-2.8% and -6.9%, respectively). Among bone metabolism markers, gamma-carboxyglutamic acid osteocalcin significantly increased (128.6% and 28.3%, respectively) and urine deoxypyridinoline significantly decreased (-44.5% and -13.7%, respectively) more in the MED+ group than in the MED- group. These differences in BMD and bone metabolism markers may be attributable to menatetrenone treatment. The results suggest that menatetrenone may be beneficial in the prevention of bone loss in patients with AN. Randomized placebo-controlled studies are needed to confirm these findings.

To investigate the relationship between current or past major depressive disorder (MDD) on comorbid personality disorders in patients with panic disorder, we compared the comorbidity of personality disorders using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R personality disorders (SCID-II) in 34 panic disorder patients with current MDD (current-MD group), 21 with a history of MDD but not current MDD (past-MD group), and 32 without lifetime MDD comorbidity (non-MD group). With regard to personality disorders, patients in the current-MD group met criteria for at least one personality disorder significantly more often than patients in the past-MD group or the non-MD group (82.4% vs. 52.4% and 56.3%, respectively). The current-MD group showed statistically significantly more borderline, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive personality disorders than the past-MD group or non-MD group. With stepwise regression analyses, number of MDD episodes emerged as an indicator of the comorbidity of cluster C personality disorder and any personality disorders. Future studies should determine whether aggressive treatment of comorbid personality disorders improves the outcome (e.g., lowers the likelihood of comorbid MDD) of patients with panic disorder., (Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

We have isolated an NADPH-dependent reductase from neonatal pig testes that metabolizes androgens and a variety of xenobiotics. This enzyme is distinct from 3alpha/beta,20beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase or its homologue, carbonyl reductase, as judged by its immunological and molecular properties and its much narrower specificity for steroids. This reductase and 3alpha/beta,20beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase may be part of a mechanism for regulating androgen levels the neonatal pig testes. Interestingly, we could not find multiple isoforms of 3alpha/beta,20beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/carbonyl reductase in pig testes unlike human and rat testes and other organs in which multiple isoforms are expressed.