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Organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization (ROP) is a versatile method for synthesizing well-defined polymers with controlled molecular weights, dispersities, and nonlinear macromolecular architectures. Despite spectacular advances in organocatalytic ROP, precision synthesis of polysiloxanes remains challenging due to the mismatch in polarity between highly polar initiators and nonpolar monomers and polymers and the difficulty in suppressing the formation of scrambling products via transetherification reactions during ROP of cyclic siloxanes. Here, we describe a binary organocatalytic ROP (BOROP) of hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (D3) employing organic bases as catalysts and (thio)ureas as cocatalysts. The BOROP of D3 using triazabicyclodecene (TBD) and (thio)ureas generates polydimethylsiloxanes (PDMSs) with narrow dispersity (Mw/Mn < 1.1). Despite the similar basicities of TBD and 1,8-bis(tetramethylguanidino)naphthalene (TMGN), which is known as a proton sponge, a unitary organocatalytic system using TMGN was inactive for the ROP of D3. When the TMGN was paired with acidic urea, the BOROP of D3 yielded PDMSs with narrow dispersity (Mw/Mn < 1.1). Data suggest that the synergetic effect of TMGN and urea is results in an unprecedented activation–deactivation equilibrium between dormant and propagating species. The benefits of the present BOROP system are demonstrated by the formation of PDMS elastomers with more uniform network structures that are highly stretchy and have excellent mechanical properties. Organocatalytic ring-opening polymerization (ROP) is a versatile method for synthesizing well-defined polymers, however, precision synthesis of polysiloxanes remains challenging due to a mismatch in polarity between initiators, monomers, and polymers and the formation of scrambling products. Here, the authors describe a binary organocatalytic ROP of hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane employing organic bases as catalysts and (thio)urea as cocatalysts, achieving solubilization of multifunctional silanol initiators and 90% monomer conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Connecting nodes that contingently co-appear, which is a common process of networking in social and biological systems, normally leads to modular structure characterized by the absence of definite boundaries. This study seeks to find and evaluate methods to detect such modules, which will be called 'pervasive' communities. We propose a mathematical formulation to decompose a random walk spreading over the entire network into localized random walks as a proxy for pervasive communities. We applied this formulation to biological and social as well as synthetic networks to demonstrate that it can properly detect communities as pervasively structured objects. We further addressed a question that is fundamental but has been little discussed so far: What is the hierarchical organization of pervasive communities and how can it be extracted? Here we show that hierarchical organization of pervasive communities is unveiled from finer to coarser layers through discrete phase transitions that intermittently occur as the value for a resolution-controlling parameter is quasi-statically increased. To our knowledge, this is the first elucidation of how the pervasiveness and hierarchy, both hallmarks of community structure of real-world networks, are unified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high isoprene emission capacity of palm species can decrease regional air quality and enhance the greenhouse effect when land is converted to palm plantations. Propagation of low-emitting individuals can be a strategy for reducing isoprene emission from palms. However, the identification of low-emitting individuals requires large-scale sampling. Thus, we aimed to develop a rapid method in which the isoprene emission rate of leaf segments is observed. We examined the temperature response and effect of incubation length on the isoprene emission rate of palm leaf and found that leaf temperatures at 25 to 30 °C and an incubation length of 40 min are suitable parameters. To further examine the validity of the method, we applied both the enclosure method and this method to the same sections of leaves. High coefficient of determinations (0.993 and 0.982) between the results of the two methods were detected regardless of seasonal temperature. This result proves that the method is capable of measuring the isoprene emission rate under any growth conditions if the incubation temperature is controlled. By using a water bath tank and a tested light source, we can simply implement a unified environmental control of multiple samples at once, which achieves a higher time efficiency than conventional enclosure measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although the outcome of patients with recurrent esophageal cancer following radical esophagectomy is extremely poor, long-term survival can be achieved with multimodal therapy, including surgical resection of the recurrent lesion. Developing a treatment strategy is a critical issue; therefore, we examined the indications and optimal timing for surgical treatment in patients with recurrence. Methods A total of 184 patients with recurrent esophageal cancer after radical esophagectomy were studied between 2001 and 2015, with a focus on surgical resection. Results The first recurrence site was the lymph nodes (124 cases; 67%) [neck (35; 19%), mediastinum (82; 45%), abdomen (35; 19%)], lung (36; 20%), liver (32; 17%), pleura (18; 10%), bone (13; 7%), etc. Second-line treatment following recurrence was surgery (8 cases), chemoradiotherapy (89 cases), chemotherapy (64 cases), and best supportive care (23 cases). Patients with single organ or solitary recurrence and recurrence more than 8 months after surgery had better prognoses. All the surgical cases had single-site recurrence (lung-3, cervical lymph nodes-3, colon-1, and brain-1). Good prognosis was expected for the patients with lung or cervical lymph node recurrence. Conclusion Surgical treatment for recurrent esophageal cancer following radical esophagectomy was considered beneficial for the recurrence of cervical lymph node or lung metastasis of solitary lesions at least 8 months after esophagectomy. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have recently been indicated for esophageal cancer and expected for improving prognosis, and the role of surgery in multidisciplinary treatment for metastatic recurrence needs repeated investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To compare the tracheal intubation performance between video laryngoscopy (VL) and direct laryngoscopy (DL) in patients with cardiac arrest in the ED.Methods: This is an analysis of the data from a prospective, multicentre study of 15 EDs in Japan. We included consecutive adult patients with cardiac arrest who underwent intubation with VL or DL from 2012 through 2016. The primary outcome was first-attempt success. The secondary outcomes were glottic visualisation assessed with Cormack grade (1 vs. 2-4) and occurrence of oesophageal intubation. To examine the between-device difference in outcome risks, we analysed the whole data and 1:1 propensity score matched data.Results: Among 9694 patients who underwent intubation in the EDs, 3360 cardiac arrests (35%) were included in the analysis (90% were non-traumatic cardiac arrests). The first-attempt success rate was higher in the VL group compared to those in the DL (78% vs 70%; unadjusted OR 1.61 [95%CI 1.26-2.06] P < 0.001). This association remained significant after adjusting for six potential confounders and within-ED clustering (adjusted OR 1.33 [95%CI 1.03-1.73] P = 0.03). VL use was also associated with a better glottic visualisation (adjusted OR 3.84 [95%CI 2.81-5.26] P < 0.001) and lower rate of oesophageal intubation (adjusted OR 0.45 [95%CI 0.24-0.85] P = 0.01) compared to DL. These results were consistent in the propensity score matched analysis.Conclusions: Based on large multicentre prospective data of ED patients with cardiac arrest, the use of VL was associated with a higher first-attempt success rate compared to DL, with a better glottic visualisation and lower oesophageal intubation rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Studies in the non-emergency department (ED) settings have reported the relationships of post-intubation hypertension with poor patient outcomes. While ED-based studies have examined post-intubation hypotension and its sequelae, little is known about, post-intubation hypertension and its risk factors in the ED settings. In this context, we aimed to identify the incidence of post-intubation hypertension in the ED, and to test the hypothesis that repeated intubation attempts are associated with an increased risk of post-intubation hypertension. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of the data from a multicenter prospective observational study of emergency intubations in 15 EDs from 2012 through 2016. The analytic cohort comprised all adult non-cardiac-arrest patients undergoing orotracheal intubation without pre-intubation hypotension. The primary exposure was the repeated intubation attempts, defined as ≥2 laryngoscopic attempts. The outcome was post-intubation hypertension defined as an increase in systolic blood pressure (sBP) of >20% along with a post-intubation sBP of >160 mmHg. To investigate the association of repeated intubation attempts with the risk of post-intubation hypertension, we fit multivariable logistic regression models adjusting for ten potential confounders and patient clustering within the EDs. Results: Of 3,097 patients, the median age was 69 years, 1,977 (64.0%) were men, and 991 (32.0%) underwent repeated intubation attempts. Post-intubation hypertension was observed in 276 (8.9%). In the unadjusted model, the incidence of post-intubation hypertension did not differ between the patients with single intubation attempt and those with repeated attempts (8.5% versus 9.8%, unadjusted P = 0.24). By contrast, after adjusting for potential confounders and patient clustering in the random-effects model, the patients who underwent repeated intubation attempts had a significantly higher risk of post-intubation hypertension (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 1.11–2.18; adjusted P = 0.01). Conclusions: We found that 8.9% of patients developed post-intubation hypertension, and that repeated intubation attempts were significantly associated with a significantly higher risk of post-intubation hypertension in the ED. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports on transmission electron microscope observation on cross sections of molecular beam epitaxy-grown Al[subx]Ga[sub1-x]As-Al[suby]Ga[sub1-y] superlattice samples. Determination of layer thicknesses; Differences in the shape of the lattice points between the samples; Computer simulation of the lattice image of superlattice for the electron beam incident.

Our numerical experiments aim to study the applicability of the renormalization group (RG) idea to multichain lattice systems. The systems are composed of multiple chains on a simple cubic lattice. The nearest-neighbor interaction is assumed between nonbonded chain elements. The RG parameter space is spanned by the inverse of the chain length 1/n, the solvent condition η, and the chain number concentration ρ. We first tentatively determine parameter flows by using two RG invariants (weak conditions). Then we examine whether the flows satisfy the RG requirements for the correlations (strong conditions). Simultaneous satisfaction will guarantee us the applicability of the RG idea. We found that the RG idea is applicable to the systems in the very good solvent region but becomes inapplicable to those in the poorer solvent regions and to the shorter spatial distances. In the range where the linearized RG defined by a fixed point in the good solvent region works successfully, we arrive at scaling forms in several fashions. One of them corresponds to Freed’s crossover form. The RG appears to work even in the nonlinear range, i.e., concentrated solutions outside the semidilute region. The RG failure in the poor solvent region is briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to the recent polymer theories, the thermodynamic properties of polymer solutions in a good solvent, at the scaling limit, are governed by a scaling variable composed of the polymerization degree n, the concentration [lowercase_phi_synonym], and the polymer dimension exponent ν. Our computer experiments on multichain lattice systems with the nearest-neighbor interaction afford us the configurational free energy or the osmotic pressure. The nearest-neighbor interaction or the solvent condition where the free energy best obeys the scaling is reinterpreted as the fixed point solvent condition in a lattice space RG context. We approach the scaling limit by extrapolating the data obtained at that solvent condition to the limit n → ∞. The osmotic pressure obtained by the procedure shows an excellent agreement with Ohta and Oono’s theory. The nonextrapolated chain dimensions at that solvent condition are also in a good agreement with the theory. It is found that a weak nearest-neighbor attractive interaction works between the chain elements at that solvent condition. We, therefore, should take care for saying about the scaling from experiments on athermal solutions. Many of our data appear to be successfully interpreted in terms of the RG context by the help of some optimistic expectation for the convergence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increases in the intracellular Ca 2+ concentration in pancreatic islets, resulting from the Ca 2+ mobilization from the intracellular source through the ryanodine receptor, are essential for insulin secretion by glucose. Cyclic ADP-ribose, a potent Ca 2+ mobilizing second messenger synthesized from NAD + by CD38, regulates the opening of ryanodine receptor. A novel ryanodine receptor mRNA (the islet-type ryanodine receptor) was found to be generated from the type 2 ryanodine receptor gene by the alternative splicing of exons 4 and 75. The islet-type ryanodine receptor mRNA is expressed in a variety of tissues such as pancreatic islets, cerebrum, cerebellum, and other neuro-endocrine cells, whereas the authentic type 2 ryanodine receptor mRNA (the heart-type ryanodine receptor) was found to be generated using GG/AG splicing of intron 75 and is expressed in the heart and the blood vessel. The islet-type ryanodine receptor caused a greater increase in the Ca 2+ release by caffeine when expressed in HEK293 cells pre-treated with cyclic ADP-ribose, suggesting that the novel ryanodine receptor is an intracellular target for the CD38-cyclic ADP-ribose signal system in mammalian cells and that the tissue-specific alternative splicing of type 2 ryanodine receptor mRNA plays an important role in the functioning of the cyclic ADP-ribose-sensitive Ca 2+ release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is a risk factor for diaphragm dysfunction and ICU-acquired weakness (ICU-AW); however, the impact of mechanical ventilation (MV) on these relationships has not been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to compare the incidence of diaphragm dysfunction and ICU-AW in patients with septic shock, with and without MV. We conducted a single-center prospective observational study that included consecutive patients diagnosed with septic shock admitted to the ICU between March 2021 and February 2022. Ultrasound measurements of diaphragm thickness and manual measurements of limb muscle strength were repeated after ICU admission. The incidences of diaphragm dysfunction and ICU-AW, as well as their associations with clinical outcomes, were compared between patients with MV and without MV (non-MV). Twenty-four patients (11 in the MV group and 13 in the non-MV group) were analyzed. At the final measurements in the MV group, eight patients (72.7%) had diaphragm dysfunction, and six patients (54.5%) had ICU-AW. In the non-MV group, 10 patients (76.9%) had diaphragm dysfunction, and three (23.1%) had ICU-AW. No association was found between diaphragm dysfunction and clinical outcomes. Patients with ICU-AW in the MV group had longer ICU and hospital stays. Among patients with septic shock, the incidence of diaphragm dysfunction was higher than that of ICU-AW, irrespective of the use of MV. Further studies are warranted to examine the association between diaphragm dysfunction and clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quadruple perovskite BiMn7O12 obtained via high-pressure synthesis was investigated by high-resolution synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction over a temperature range of 10 to 295 K. Careful Rietveld analysis reveals triclinic lattice distortion of BiMn7O12 at 295 K, which increases upon cooling to 10 K. Also hkl-dependent anisotropic Bragg reflection shape was introduced to give a precise description of the diffracted intensities. Importantly BiMn7O12 crystal structure was described in the non-centrosymmetric I1 triclinic space group. We also demonstrate the use of irreducible representations analysis ( ISODISTORT program) for crystal structure distortion from Im to I1 space group. The irreducible representation which describes crystal structure distortion points towards possible ferroelectricity. Finally anisotropic thermal lattice expansion was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Densely connected parts in networks are referred to as “communities”. Community structure is a hallmark of a variety of real-world networks. Individual communities in networks form functional modules of complex systems described by networks. Therefore, finding communities in networks is essential to approaching and understanding complex systems described by networks. In fact, network science has made a great deal of effort to develop effective and efficient methods for detecting communities in networks. Here we put forward a type of community detection, which has been little examined so far but will be practically useful. Suppose that we are given a set of source nodes that includes some (but not all) of “true” members of a particular community; suppose also that the set includes some nodes that are not the members of this community (i.e., “false” members of the community). We propose to detect the community from this “imperfect” and “inaccurate” set of source nodes using attractor dynamics of recurrent neural networks. Community detection by the proposed method can be viewed as restoration of the original pattern from a deteriorated pattern, which is analogous to cue-triggered recall of short-term memory in the brain. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method using synthetic networks and real social networks for which correct communities are known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We previously found that the protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor orthovanadate evoked a vasoconstrictor effect in rat aortas via Rho-kinase-dependent inactivation of myosin light chain phosphatase (MLCP) downstream of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor signaling. To determine whether the direct activation of EGF receptor by EGF also induces Rho-kinase-dependent vasoconstriction, isometric tension changes were measured in rat aortic rings without endothelium. Although EGF did not produce a contractile effect, the Ca 2+ -induced force in Ca 2+ -depleted rings significantly increased after treatment with 100 nM EGF, suggesting that EGF induces Ca 2+ sensitization by MLCP inactivation. In addition, EGF induced the activation of Rho-kinase and phosphorylation of myosin phosphatase target subunit 1 (MYPT1) in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). The effects of EGF on Ca 2+ sensitivity in aortas and MYPT1 phosphorylation in VSMCs were blocked by inhibitors of EGF receptor (AG1478), Rho-kinase (Y27632), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (Erk1/2; FR180204), and mitogen/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK; PD98059), but not by inhibitors of p38 kinase (SB203580) and c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (AS601245). EGF-induced Erk1/2 phosphorylation was not abrogated by the Rho-kinase inhibitor, suggesting that Rho-kinase-dependent phosphorylation of MYPT1 is downstream of EGF receptor/MEK/Erk1/2 signaling. These results suggest that EGF induces Ca 2+ sensitization in vascular smooth muscle by Rho-kinase-dependent inactivation of MLCP mediated by the EGF receptor/MEK/Erk1/2 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A practical synthetic method for 2,2'-disubstituted fluorinated binaphthyl derivatives was achieved using magnesium bis(2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperamide) [Mg(TMP)2], prepared from LiTMP (2 equiv) and MgBr2 (1 equiv), which allows for access to a variety of fluorinated binaphthyl compounds. The utility of the fluorinated binaphthyl backbone was evaluated in F10BINOL derived chiral mono-phosphoric acid ( R)- 19 as the chiral Brønsted acid catalyst. The catalyst ( R)- 19 performs exceptionally well in the catalytic imino-ene reaction, demonstrating the potential of a fluorinated binaphthyl framework. Chirality 27:464-475, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have found that the formic acid oxidation on Pt does not produce current in the potential range between 0.05 and 1.4V (vs. a hydrogen electrode) in the absence of water, while the methanol oxidation produces a large current in the absence of water. Investigations by surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy (SEIRAS) simultaneously with electrochemical measurement clarify that, for formic acid oxidation, adsorbed CO is not oxidized even at 1.4V due to the absence of water, and thus practically no current is produced. On the other hand, for methanol oxidation, the amount of adsorbed CO decreases at a high potential, which leads us to think that adsorbed CO reacts with methanol to form methyl formate to produce vacant sites, where methanol is oxidized to form formaldehyde or methyl formate. With increasing water concentration for formic acid oxidation, the current in the negative-going potential sweep grows larger due to the increasing number of vacant sites produced by the oxidation of adsorbed CO with water, hydroxide or oxide, the last two are formed from water. Potential oscillations during oxidation of formic acid and methanol with no or low water concentrations have also been investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between the splenorenal shunt (SRS)/portal vein (PV) diameter ratio (SRS/PV ratio) and systemic hemodynamics in patients with liver cirrhosis. Patients and Methods: Thirty-seven patients with SRS due to liver cirrhosis were included in this study. SRS was evaluated in the retropancreatic space on contrast-enhanced CT and the diameter was measured at the maximum point. Systemic hemodynamics was studied using a thermodilution catheter. Results: The SRS/PV ratio showed a significant correlation with the cardiac index (p < 0.01), and showed an inverse correlation with the systemic vascular resistance index and the arteriovenous oxygen content difference [C(a-v)O2] (p < 0.01). The Child-Pugh score showed a correlation with the SRS/PV ratio (p < 0.01). The SRS/PV ratio was 0.89 ± 0.52, 1.02 ± 0.51, and 1.74 ± 0.50 in the Child-Pugh A, B, and C classes, respectively. The SRS/PV ratio in the Child-Pugh C class was significantly higher than those in classes A and B (p < 0.01). The plasma ammonia level was 75.3 ± 23.2 in the group with an SRS/PV ratio <1.0 (n = 19) versus 102.6 ± 34.8 in the group with an SRS/PV ratio ≥1.0 (n = 18), and the ratio of encephalopathy was 5% (1/19) in the group with an SRS/PV ratio <1.0 (n = 19) versus 50% (9/18) in the group with an SRS/PV ratio ≥1.0 (n = 18), respectively. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (p < 0.01). Conclusions: We conclude that the increase in the SRS/PV ratio is accompanied by deteriorated liver function, hyperdynamic status, and narrowed C(a-v)O2. © 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a rare case of an intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) originating from a jejunal heterotopic pancreas, found incidentally during surgery. A 75-year-old woman was referred to our department for surgical treatment of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and a concurrent oropharyngeal tumor. During surgery to correct the AAA, we found a jejunal tumor incidentally and performed partial resection of the jejunum. Microscopically, the jejunal tumor showed dilated ducts containing intraluminal papillae lined with mucinous epithelium with low-grade cytological and architectural atypia within the pancreatic tissue. Immunohistochemical staining revealed MUC1 (−), MUC2 (−), MUC5AC (+), and MUC6 (−) proteins. To the best of our knowledge, only six cases of IPMN originating from a heterotopic pancreas have been reported in English, and this is the first report of an IPMN originating from a jejunal heterotopic pancreas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Adsorbed bridge-bonded formate, HCOOB, always shows its maximum intensity at 0.9V. [•] The current shows its maximum at ca. 0.6V at a slow CV sweep rate. [•] In the absence of adsorbed CO, the current shows its maximum at ca. 0.5V. [•] The above results show HCOOB is not the reactive intermediate in the direct path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Reduction of MEG spike sources occurred in patients with focal seizure under TIVA. [•] Diffuse/generalized spikes in non-focal seizures resist the inhibitory effect by TIVA. [•] Propofol may decrease focal spikes in the epileptic cortex in focal seizures. [•] Cortical hyperexcitability in non-focal seizure group would be strong or extensive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: In chronic heart failure (CHF), it remains unclear whether the minimal dose of beta-blockade is related to survival benefits and which parameter predicts morbidity and mortality. We sought to determine the minimal dose related to survival benefits by comparing the efficacy and safety of three doses of carvedilol and the best predictive parameter for effective outcomes in Japanese patients with CHF. Methods: In this prospective, randomized, stratified trial, 364 patients with mild to moderate CHF were assigned to a daily carvedilol dose of 2.5, 5, or 20mg, plus optimal standard therapy. Findings: During the mean 3-year follow-up, resting heart rate (HR) and BNP were significantly reduced with dose–response relations in the early period but without dose–response relations in the late period. The LVEF and the LVDd were increased and decreased, respectively, without a dose–response relation. No significant difference was seen in the composite primary endpoint of all-cause mortality and hospitalization for cardiovascular diseases and heart failure. Multivariate analysis indicated early decreases in HR and BNP predicted long-term outcomes. However, adverse events increased dose-dependently. Among 237 polymorphisms in 87 heart failure-related genes, the osteopontin G-156 del genotype was associated with an event-free survival rate (Wilcoxon test, P=0.030). Conclusions: A low carvedilol dose is effective if the HR and/or plasma BNP has been reduced. Carvedilol therapy should be guided by reductions in HR and/or BNP, especially by initial HR reduction, but not only by its dose. OPN might be a surrogate genetic marker for long-term event-free survival. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: CD133 was recently reported to be a cancer stem cell marker and a prognostic marker for several tumors. However, few studies have investigated CD133 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Therefore, we examined whether CD133 could serve as a prognostic marker of ESCC and investigated the correlation between CD133 expression and the clinicopathological findings of ESCC patients and several markers. Methods: We studied 86 ESCC patients who underwent curative surgery without neoadjuvant treatment at Tohoku University Hospital (Sendai, Japan) between January 2000 and December 2005. We analyzed tissue specimens by immunohistochemical staining for CD133, p53, p16, p27, murine double minute 2 (MDM2), Ki-67, and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Results: Pathological tumor depth and tumor stage were significantly more advanced among CD133-negative patients than among CD133-positive patients. A log-rank test showed that CD133 immunoreactivity was significantly correlated with the overall survival of the patients (P = 0.049). However, multivariate analysis showed that it was not significantly correlated (P = 0.078). Moreover, CD133 was significantly positively correlated with p27 immunoreactivity (P = 0.0013) and tended to be positively correlated with p16 immunoreactivity (P = 0.057). In addition, p16 immunoreactivity was correlated with smoking history (P = 0.018), pathological lymph node status (P = 0.033), and lymphatic invasion (P = 0.018). Conclusions: This study indicated that CD133 immunoreactivity is a good predictor of prognosis in ESCC patients. In addition, CD133 may play a role in the regulation of tumor cell cycle through p27 and p16 in ESCC. At present, it thus remains controversial whether CD133 expression is a valid prognostic marker for ESCC. To elucidate this relationship, further investigations are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the possibility that IgG anti-NR2 glutamate receptor antibodies (anti-NR2) derived from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) cause an immunologic interaction with endothelial cells (ECs) in the blood-brain barrier, resulting in inflammation of the blood-brain barrier, allowing the entrance of these autoantibodies into the cerebrospinal fluid. Methods Purified IgG anti-NR2 antibodies from 14 patients with SLE were tested for their ability to bind to double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and ECs, to modulate endothelial adhesion molecule expression and cytokine production by ECs, and to activate the NF-κB pathways in the ECs. Purified IgG from 5 normal subjects was used as a negative control. Results Purified IgG anti-NR2 antibodies bound to dsDNA in an IgG-dose-dependent manner. This interaction up-regulated the expression of endothelial leukocyte adhesion molecule 1, vascular cell adhesion molecule 1, and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 on the EC surface and increased the production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8, but not tumor necrosis factor α or IL-1β, by ECs. Purified IgG anti-NR2 also activated the degradation of cytoplasmic IκB, indicating the activation of NF-κB in the ECs. Conclusion EC activation through the NF-κB signaling pathway induced by IgG anti-NR2 antibodies in the central nervous system of SLE patients may lead to inflammation of the blood-brain barrier, initiating the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of hydration experiments of the Ruddlesden--Popper phase PrSr3Co1.5Fe1.5OI0_8 with varying levels of oxygen nonstoichiometry were performed with the goal to clarify phase formation and underlying mechanisms and driving forces. The hydration reaction is most intense for partly reduced samples with a vacancy concentration corresponding to δ ∼ 1 Fully oxidized samples show little or no tendency toward hydration. Presence of oxygen vacancies acts as a prerequisite for hydration. Probably, the basicity of the materials owing to A-site cations is another contributing factor to the hydration ability. Under CO2 free conditions pure hydrates and oxide hydroxides are formed. In CO2- containing atmosphere, additional carbonate anions are easily incorporated into thehydrate, probably at the expense of hydroxyl groups. The I-centered PrSr3CO1.5Fe1.5 O8(OH) • 1H2O achieves a highly expanded c-axis upon the topochemical insertion reactions. In situ powder synchrotron X-ray diffraction (SXRD) shows that the hydrate converts to an oxide hydroxide, PrSr3CO1.5Fe1.5O8(OH)2, at 70 °C with a primitive orthorhombic unit cell. Upon heating above 170 °C, an I-centered product is formed for which further dehydroxylation occurs at around 400--500 °C. Rietveld refinement of SXRD data shows that the absorbed water molecules fill the tetrahedral voids of the [AO]RS rock salt layer of the monoclinic hydrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matricellular proteins are highly expressed in reparative responses to pressure and volume overload, ischemia, oxidative stress after myocardial injury, and modulate the inflammatory and fibrotic process in ventricular remodeling, which leads to cardiac dysfunction and eventually overt heart failure. Generally, matricellular proteins loosen strong adhesion of cardiomyocytes to extracellular matrix, which would help cells to move for rearrangement and allow inflammatory cells and capillary vessels to spread during tissue remodeling. Among matricellular proteins, osteopontin (OPN) and tenascin-C (TN-C) are de-adhesion proteins and upregulate the expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases. These matricellular proteins could be key molecules to diagnose cardiac remodeling and also might be targets for the prevention of adverse ventricular remodeling. This review provides an overview of the role of matricellular proteins such as OPN and TN-C in cardiac function and remodeling, as determined by both in basic and in clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Japanese blue honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea L. var. emphyllocalyx Nakai) is a unique form of edible honeysuckle that has exceptionally tasty berries. Visual characteristics of the berry such as the color of the skin and the presence of defects are the most decisive factors in determining its quality. An image analysis based methodology for classifying the berries under uncontrolled outside lighting conditions was developed. A color sheet with hue value around 29° was determined as the background to support the berries whose hue values were found near 212°. With the thresholding level computed by Otsu's algorithm in the red channel, berries were segmented from the background successfully. Three parameters, average and standard deviation of hue component and average of saturation component, were chosen as the best descriptions for each berry according to the Fisher's least significant differences test. Three canonical functions and corresponding group centroids of each function obtained by discriminant analysis were able to classify the berries aimed for fresh market, processing, and waste at success rates of 95.1%, 85.1%, and 94.3%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of tacrolimus (TAC) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The first 101 consecutive RA patients in whom TAC treatment was initiated were prospectively registered and their data analyzed. Clinical variables were extracted from the Institute of Rheumatology, Rheumatoid Arthritis (IORRA) database. The 101 patients included 85 females and 16 males. Average doses of TAC were 1.62 mg/day at entry and 2.13 mg/day at month 12. The average doses of concomitantly prescribed prednisolone (6.92 mg/day) and methotrexate (MTX; 8.59 mg/week) were higher than those in all RA patients in the IORRA cohort. At month 12, 57 patients remained on TAC therapy; 18 patients had discontinued TAC due to side effects, and 16 patients had discontinued due to inefficacy. Adverse reactions responsible for discontinuation included gastrointestinal symptoms, renal dysfunction, and infection. According to the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) response criteria, 56.5% of the patients who continued TAC at 12 months experienced 'good' or 'moderate' responses. Through the use of last observation carried forward (LOCF) methodology, the average Disease Activity Score (DAS) 28 significantly improved. We confirmed the usefulness of TAC for the treatment of RA and found that TAC is suitable for RA patients who are unable to use biologic agents or to tolerate a high dose of MTX because of their complications or background factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which examined the use of inhibition of nuclear factor κB signaling using Fasudil in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The study also examined the role of fasudil on cytokine expression on fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) and human endothelial cells (EC). It found that interleukin (IL)-1Β-induced activation of nuclear factor κB is inhibited by Fasudil.

Neuropsychiatric syndromes of systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is a life-threatening disorder and early diagnosis and proper treatment are critical in the management of this neuropsychiatric manifestations in lupus. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electroencephalogram (EEG), neuropsychological tests, and lumbar puncture are clinical used for the diagnosis of NPSLE. In addition to these tests, cytokine and chemokine levels in CSF have been reported as useful diagnostic marker of NPSLE. Based on the number of recently published studies, this review overviewed the roles of cytokines and chemokines in NPSLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vibration-driven micropower generator with a high-Q mechanical resonator efficiently works under single-frequency vibration. However, the associated narrow operation frequency bandwidth tightly limits the power output under commonly observed wideband ambient vibrations. In this paper, we present a power-generation scheme in which the motion of an internal mass element is actively controlled. The control is such that the vibrating environment is forced to do the maximum possible work to the power generator. Electret-based energy conversion was analyzed as a means to realize the scheme, drawing on evidence from an experiment. We further analyzed the active control in general terms to reveal potential performance that is substantially above the conventional designs [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we clarify the use and potential of the electret, in the context of vibration-driven micro-energy harvesting that seeks to obtain energy from a vibrating environment to power small electronic devices. An electret is an insulator containing a permanent electric charge or dipole. We make broad comparisons against other methods such as electromagnetic methods and methods using piezoelectric materials, in order to identify the advantages and disadvantages of the electrets. In particular, we introduce a new general model that covers both the electrets and piezoelectric materials to enable comparisons on a common basis. This is followed by a review of a recent method, developed by our group to make full use of the implanted charge inside an electret. Furthermore, we investigate other ways to realize the full potential of the electret as a key material for electromechanical energy conversion in applications where only small forces are involved. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A major goal in the study of neural networks is to create novel information-processing algorithms inferred from the real brain. Recent neurophysiological evidence of graded persistent activity suggests that the brain possesses neural mechanisms for retrieval of graded information, which could be described by the neural-network dynamics with attractors that are continuously dependent on the initial state. Theoretical studies have also demonstrated that model neurons with a multihysteretic response property can generate robust continuous attractors. Inspired by these lines of evidence, we proposed an algorithm given by the multihysteretic neuron-network dynamics, devised to retrieve graded information specific to a given topic (i.e., context, represented by the initial state). To demonstrate the validity of the proposed algorithm, we examined keyword extraction from documents, which is best fitted for evaluating the appropriateness of retrieval of graded information. The performance of keyword extraction by using our algorithm was significantly high (measured by the average precision of document retrieval, for which the appropriateness of keyword extraction is crucial) compared with standard document-retrieval methods. Moreover, our algorithm exhibited much higher performance than the neural-network dynamics with bistable neurons, which can also produce robust continuous attractors but only represent dichotomous information at the single-cell level. These findings indicate that the capability to manage graded information at the single-cell level was essential for obtaining a high performing algorithm. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Temporal integration of input is essential to the accumulation of information in various cognitive and behavioral processes, and gradually increasing neuronal activity, typically occurring within a range of seconds, is considered to reflect such computation by the brain. Some psychological evidence suggests that temporal integration by the brain is nearly perfect, that is, the integration is non-leaky, and the output of a neural integrator is accurately proportional to the strength of input. Neural mechanisms of perfect temporal integration, however, remain largely unknown. Here, we propose a recurrent network model of cortical neurons that perfectly integrates partially correlated, irregular input spike trains. We demonstrate that the rate of this temporal integration changes proportionately to the probability of spike coincidences in synaptic inputs. We analytically prove that this highly accurate integration of synaptic inputs emerges from integration of the variance of the fluctuating synaptic inputs, when their mean component is kept constant. Highly irregular neuronal firing and spike coincidences are the major features of cortical activity, but they have been separately addressed so far. Our results suggest that the efficient protocol of information integration by cortical networks essentially requires both features and hence is heterotic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The goal of this study was to develop an image processing method to detect green citrus fruit in individual trees. This technology can be applied for crop yield estimation at a much earlier stage of growth, providing many benefits to citrus growers. A hyperspectral camera of 369–1042nm was employed to acquire hyperspectral images of green fruits of three different citrus varieties (Tangelo, Valencia, and Hamlin). First, a pixel discrimination function was generated based upon a linear discriminant analysis and applied to all pixels in a hyperspectral image for image segmentation of fruit and other objects. Then, spatial image processing steps (noise reduction filtering, labeling, and area thresholding) were applied to the segmented image, and green citrus fruits were detected. The results of pixel identification tests showed that detection success rates were 70–85%, depending on citrus varieties. The fruit detection tests revealed that 80–89% of the fruit in the foreground of the validation set were identified correctly, though many occluded or highly contrasted fruits were identified incorrectly. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We investigated the effects of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α on DNA synthesis and proliferation, and its signal transduction pathways in primary cultures of adult rat hepatocytes. TNF-α induced time- and dose-dependent increases in hepatocyte DNA synthesis and proliferation. The hepatocyte proliferation stimulated by 30 ng/ml TNF-α was significantly inhibited by anti-TNF receptor 2 antibody, but not by anti-TNF receptor 1 antibody. TNF-α-induced hepatocyte DNA synthesis and proliferation were blocked by AG1478 (10−7 M), PD98059 (10−6 M), LY 294002 (10−7 M), and rapamycin (100 ng/ml). TNF-α at 30 ng/ml significantly increased phosphorylation of receptor tyrosine kinase (175 kDa) and p42 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase. This data suggests that the proliferative signal for primary cultured hepatocytes induced by TNF-α is mediated by TNF receptor 2 and the receptor tyrosine kinase/MAP kinase pathway. In addition, TNF-α-induced hepatocyte mitogenesis was significantly blocked by somatostatin (10−6 M), adenylate cyclase inhibitor dideoxyadenosine (10−7 M), protein kinase A inhibitor H-89 (10−7 M), and neutralizing antibody to transforming growth factor (TGF)-α in culture. Indeed, 30 ng/ml TNF-α was found to rapidly stimulate secretion of TGF-α, and this secretion was also blocked by anti-TNF receptor 2 antibody. Moreover, TGF-α secretion induced by TNF-α was suppressed by dideoxyadenosine, H-89, and somatostatin. Together, these results indicate that stimulation of TNF receptor 2 by 30 ng/ml TNF-α induces autocrine secretion of TGF-α via the adenylate cyclase/protein kinase A pathway, after which TGF-α induces hepatocyte DNA synthesis and proliferation through the TGF-α receptor-linked tyrosine kinase (175 kDa)/MAP kinase signaling system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effect of chloride ions (10−7–100 M) on the potential oscillation generated by the oxidation of formic acid is investigated with polycrystalline platinum at 315K in a sulfuric acid solution containing 1M formic acid. It is found that at very low concentrations of chloride ions (less than or equal to 10−7 M), at a current near the maximum one for the appearance of oscillation, the potential shows small oscillations at and near the peak potential of a relaxational oscillation. In the chloride ion concentration range of 5×10−7–10−5 M, a chaotic oscillation appears in the portion of the small oscillations. When the chloride ion concentration is 5×10−5 M or above, the potential shows a very stable periodic oscillation with an amplitude larger than 0.5V and without small oscillations. In particular, at a concentration higher than or equal to 10−2 M, the increasing potential velocity in the oscillation becomes faster than the decreasing one, although the reverse is true at a lower concentration. A bifurcation diagram is sketched with the applied current as the abscissa and the chloride ion concentration as the ordinate. The reasons for the appearance of the small oscillations and the large-amplitude oscillations are discussed on the basis of the voltammograms measured systematically. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic symmetric polyarticular joint disease that primarily affects the small joints of the hands and feet. The inflammatory process is characterized by infiltration of inflammatory cells into the joints, leading to proliferation of synoviocytes and destruction of cartilage and bone. In RA synovial tissue, the infiltrating cells such as macrophages, T cells, B cells and dendritic cells play important role in the pathogenesis of RA. Migration of leukocytes into the synovium is a regulated multi-step process, involving interactions between leukocytes and endothelial cells, cellular adhesion molecules, as well as chemokines and chemokine receptors. Chemokines are small, chemoattractant cytokines which play key roles in the accumulation of inflammatory cells at the site of inflammation. It is known that synovial tissue and synovial fluid from RA patients contain increased concentrations of several chemokines, such as monocyte chemoattractant protein-4 (MCP-4)/CCL13, pulmonary and activation-regulated chemokine (PARC)/CCL18, monokine induced by interferon-γ (Mig)/CXCL9, stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1)/CXCL12, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1)/CCL2, macrophage inflammatory protein 1α (MIP-1α)/CCL3, and Fractalkine/CXC3CL1. Therefore, chemokines and chemokine-receptors are considered to be important molecules in RA pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rheumatoid arthritis is a multifactorial disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the joints. Both genetic and environmental factors are involved in the pathogenesis leading to joint destruction and ultimately disability. In the inflamed RA joint the synovium is highly infiltrated by CD4+ T cells, B cells and macrophages, and the intimal lining becomes hyperplastic owing to the increased number of macrophage-like and fibroblast-like synoviocytes. This hyperplastic intimal synovial lining forms an aggressive front, called pannus, which invades cartilage and bone structures, leading to the destruction and compromised function of affected joints. This process is mediated by a number of cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1, interleukin-6, interleukin-17 interferon-γ, etc.), chemokines (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-4 CCL18, etc.), cell adhesion molecules (intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, etc.) and matrix metalloproteinases. Expression of these molecules is controlled at the transcription level and activation of a limited number of transcription factors is involved in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin K2 [menaquinone-4 (MK-4)] has been reported to induce apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma, leukemia, and MDS cell lines. The effects of MK-4 on the development of arthritis have never been addressed so far. In this study, we investigated the effect of MK-4 upon the proliferation of rheumatoid synovial cells and the development of arthritis in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). We analyzed the effect of MK-4 on the proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) using the3-(4,5-demethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The proapoptotic effect of MK-4 upon FLS was investigated with annexin V staining and DNA fragmentation and caspase 3/7 assays. Moreover, we analyzed the effect of MK-4 on the development of CIA in female dark agouti rats. Our results indicated that MK-4 inhibited the proliferation of FLS and the development of CIA in a dose-dependent manner. We concluded that MK-4 may represent a new agent for the treatment of RA in the setting of combination therapy with other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. © 2008 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 60(6): 355–361, 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Angiotensin II (Ang II) plays important roles in the regulation of cardiovascular functions and diseases mainly via the type 1 (AT1) receptor. In contrast, recent studies have shown that the actions of Ang II via the type 2 (AT2) receptor are counter-regulatory to those mediated via the AT1 receptor. Using an animal model of hypertension, we have demonstrated that Ang II produces a vasodilator effect through the AT2 receptor via the bradykinin (BK)-dependent activation of endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase. In this review, we focus on the role of BK and NO in AT2-receptor-mediated vasodilation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We studied the role of monocyte chemoattractant (MCP)-4/CCL13 in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MCP-4 was highly expressed in cartilage from RA patients. Interferon-γ significantly stimulated MCP-4/CCL13 production in human chondrocytes, and this effect was enhanced in combination with interleukin-1β or tumor necrosis factor-α. MCP-4/CCL13 induces the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase in fibroblast-like synoviocytes and activates cell proliferation, and PD98059 completely inhibits these effects. These data suggest that interferon-γ in combination with interleukin-1β/tumor necrosis factor-α activates the production of MCP-4/CCL13 from chondrocytes in RA joints, and that secreted MCP-4/CCL13 enhances fibroblast-like synoviocyte proliferation by activating the extracellular signal-regulated kinase mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin K2 (menaquinone-4, MK-4) has been reported to induce apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma, leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome cell lines. The effects of MK-4 on the development of arthritis have never been addressed thus far. In the present study, we investigated the effect of MK-4 upon the proliferation of rheumatoid synovial cells and the development of arthritis in collagen-induced arthritis. We analyzed the effect of MK-4 on the proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes using the 3-(4,5-demethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. The pro-apoptotic effect of MK-4 upon fibroblast-like synoviocytes was investigated with annexin V staining and DNA fragmentation and caspase 3/7 assays. Moreover, we analyzed the effect of MK-4 on the development of collagen-induced arthritis in female dark agouti rats. Our results indicated that MK-4 inhibited the proliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes and the development of collagen-induced arthritis in a dose-dependent manner. We conclude that MK-4 may represent a new agent for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the setting of combination therapy with other disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Memory retrieval in neural networks has traditionally been described by dynamic systems with discrete attractors. However, recent neurophysiological findings of graded persistent activity suggest that memory retrieval in the brain is more likely to be described by dynamic systems with continuous attractors. To explore what sort of information processing is achieved by continuous-attractor dynamics, keyword extraction from documents by a network of bistable neurons, which gives robust continuous attractors, is examined. Given an associative network of terms, a continuous attractor led by propagation of neuronal activation in this network appears to represent keywords that express underlying meaning of a document encoded in the initial state of the network-activation pattern. A dominant hypothesis in cognitive psychology is that long-term memory is archived in the network structure, which resembles associative networks of terms. Our results suggest that keyword extraction by the neural-network dynamics with continuous attractors might symbolically represent context-dependent retrieval of short-term memory from long-term memory in the brain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The goal of this study is to develop a new weed detection method that can be applied for automatic mechanical weed control. For successful weed detection, plants must be classified into crops and weeds according to their species. In this study, we employed a portable hyperspectral imaging system. The hyperspectral camera can capture landscape images that include crops, weeds, and the soil surface, and can provide more extensive information than conventional red, green, and blue (RGB) images. Although RGB images consist of red, green, and blue wavebands, the obtained hyperspectral images consist of 240 wavebands of spectral information. Hyperspectral imaging is expected to provide powerful technology for agricultural sensing. In the initial step of this study, the image pixels of the plants (crop or weeds) were segmented from the background soil surface using Euclidean distance as the discriminant function. In the next step, the image pixels of the crop (sugarbeet) and weeds (four species) were classified using the difference in the spectral characteristics of the plant species. In this process, classification variables were generated using wavelet transformation for data compression, noise reduction, and feature extraction, and then stepwise linear discriminant analysis was applied. The validation results indicate that the developed classification method has potential for practical use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) is suggested to be involved in the cholesterol level in remnant like lipoprotein particles (RLP), but there is no direct evidence that CETP increases cholesterol-rich RLP in plasma. Methods: Human plasma was incubated with or without HDL containing [3H]-labeled cholesteryl ester ([3H]CE), recombinant CETP or CETP inhibitors at 37 °C in vitro. Results: The RLP–cholesterol (RLP–C) level increased time-dependently and the amount of RLP–C increase (ΔRLP–C) by the incubation was positively correlated with triglyceride (TG) level in plasma (r =0.597, P =0.0070). [3H]CE in HDL was transferred to RLP fraction under 37 °C incubation, and the amount of [3H]CE transferred to RLP correlated significantly with ΔRLP–C in plasma (r =0.611, P =0.0156). Human recombinant CETP enhanced the RLP–C increase, while CETP inhibitor JTT-705 and anti-human CETP monoclonal antibody inhibited both the RLP–C increase and [3H]CE transfer to RLP. On the other hand, an inhibition of lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) did not affect the RLP–C increase. In triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TRL) fraction, JTT-705 inhibited [3H]CE transfer to RLP more strongly than that to non-RLP. Conclusions: CETP promotes the formation of cholesterol-rich RLP through the transfer of CE from HDL to TRL and CETP inhibitors are useful to reduce RLP–C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Animals or humans often encounter such situations in which they must choose their behavioral responses to be made in the near or distant future. Such a decision is made through continuous and bidirectional interactions between the environment surrounding the brain and its internal state or dynamical processes. Therefore, decision making may provide a unique field of researches for studying information processing by the brain, a biological system open to information exchanges with the external world. To make a decision, the brain must analyze pieces of information given externally, past experiences in a similar situation, possible behavioral responses, and predicted outcomes of the individual responses. In this article, we review results of recent experimental and theoretical studies of neuronal substrates and computational algorithms for decision processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Here, we describe a case of severe pancreatitis in overlap syndrome of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and systemic sclerosis (SSc) in an adult female patient. Treatment with plasmapheresis and high-dose prednisone successfully saved her life and led to remission of the pancreatitis. This is the first case report of severe acute pancreatitis in the setting of overlap syndrome of SLE and SSc. The advantages and disadvantages of the use of corticosteroids are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]