Activity-dependent organization of prefrontal hub-networks for associative learning and signal transformation.

Associative learning is crucial for adapting to environmental changes. Interactions among neuronal populations involving the dorso-medial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC) are proposed to regulate associative learning, but how these neuronal populations store and process information about the association remains unclear. Here we developed a pipeline for longitudinal two-photon imaging and computational dissection of neural population activities in male mouse dmPFC during fear-conditioning procedures, enabling us to detect learning-dependent changes in the dmPFC network topology. Using regularized regression methods and graphical modeling, we found that fear conditioning drove dmPFC reorganization to generate a neuronal ensemble encoding conditioned responses (CR) characterized by enhanced internal coactivity, functional connectivity, and association with conditioned stimuli (CS). Importantly, neurons strongly responding to unconditioned stimuli during conditioning subsequently became hubs of this novel associative network for the CS-to-CR transformation. Altogether, we demonstrate learning-dependent dynamic modulation of population coding structured on the activity-dependent formation of the hub network within the dmPFC.

Relationship between gait stability indices and gait parameters comprising joint angles based on walking data from 288 people.

Stability during walking is essential because falling accidents may lead to severe injuries. In this study, we calculated the margin of stability (MoS) and the maximum Lyapunov exponent (λs), which are two major stability indices for walking, using a gait database representing 300 healthy people. Previously, the relationships between these indices and other gait parameters, including joint angles, have not been investigated in such a large subject pool. Therefore, we determined the relationships between these stability indices and the gait parameters by calculating correlation coefficients and performing multiple regression analysis. The results indicated that MoS is dominated by walking speed in the forward direction and associated with various joint angles in the lateral direction. Conversely, no relationships were identified between λs and the gait parameters. Although both MoS and λs are considered as measures of gait stability, they are independent. The results of this study suggest that MoS and λs represent different aspects of gait motion.

3D quantitative assessment for nuclear morphology in osteocytic spheroid with optical clearing technique.

In recent years, three-dimensional (3D) cell culture has been attracting attention as a cell culture model that mimics an environment closer to that of a living organism. It is known that there is a close relationship between cell nuclear shape and cellular function, which highlights the importance of cell nucleus shape analysis in the 3D culture. On the other hand, it is difficult to observe the cell nuclei inside the 3D culture models because the penetration depth of the laser light under a microscope is limited. In this study, we adopted an aqueous iodixanol solution to the 3D osteocytic spheroids derived from mouse osteoblast precursor cells to make the spheroids transparent for 3D quantitative analysis. With a custom-made image analysis pipeline in Python, we found that the aspect ratio of the cell nuclei near the surface of the spheroid was significantly greater than that at the center, suggesting that the nuclei on the surface were deformed more than those at the center. The results also quantitatively showed that the orientation of nuclei in the center of the spheroid was randomly distributed, whereas those on the surface of the spheroid were oriented parallel to the surface of the spheroid. Our 3D quantitative method with an optical clearing technique will contribute to the 3D culture models including various organoid models to elucidate the nuclear deformation during the development of the organs. Insight box Although 3D cell culture has been a powerful tool in the fields of fundamental biology and tissue engineering, it raises the demand for quantification techniques for cell nuclear morphology in the 3D culture model. In this study, we attempted to optically clear a 3D osteocytic spheroid model using iodixanol solution for the nuclear observation inside the spheroid. Moreover, using a custom-made image analysis pipeline in Python, we successfully quantified the nuclear morphology regarding aspect ratio and orientation. Our quantitative method with the optical clearing technique will contribute to the 3D culture models such as various organoid models to elucidate the nuclear deformation during the development of the organs.

A multicentre retrospective study comparing site-specific treatment with empiric treatment for unfavourable subset of cancer of unknown primary site.

BACKGROUND: Patients with cancer of unknown primary site are divided into two distinct groups, favourable and unfavourable subsets. For the unfavourable subset, empiric treatment or site-specific treatment is recommended, but limited knowledge exists about the efficacy of site-specific treatment compared with empiric treatment in clinical practice. METHODS: In this multicentre retrospective study, we reviewed the medical records of patients with cancer of unknown primary site treated with chemotherapy (or chemoradiotherapy) as first-line treatment from eight institutions during 2006-18. We investigated the workup modality and categorized the patients into favourable and unfavourable subsets, which were further divided into site-specific and empiric treatment groups. Site-specific treatment is defined as a standard chemotherapy for an estimated primary site. We examined the efficacy in the favourable and unfavourable subsets and performed multivariable analysis for estimating the overall survival in the unfavourable subset. RESULTS: Of 177 patients with cancer of unknown primary site, 33 and 144 were categorized into favourable and unfavourable subsets, respectively. In the unfavourable subset, 84 patients (58.3%) received empiric therapy, and 60 patients (41.7%) received site-specific treatment. Median overall survival was 10.0 and 10.1 months in site-specific and empiric treatment groups, respectively, with no significant difference (hazard ratio 1.01, 95% confidence interval 0.70-1.45, P = 0.95). Multivariable analysis revealed performance status, number of metastatic sites and hypoalbuminaemia as independent prognostic factors for overall survival in the unfavourable subset. CONCLUSIONS: Overall survival in site-specific and empiric treatment groups was similar in the unfavourable cancer of unknown primary site subset in this study. Further research is needed to prolong overall survival in patients in the unfavourable cancer of unknown primary site subset.

Effect of chemically induced osteogenesis supplements on multicellular behavior of osteocytic spheroids.

Understanding in multicellular behaviors in three-dimensional (3D) culture models such as organoids is important to help us better comprehend the mechanisms of the morphogenesis and functions of diverse organs in vivo cellular environment. In this study, we elucidated the multicellular behaviors of the osteocytic spheroids in response to the chemically induced osteogenesis supplements (OS). Particularly, we conducted 1) size change measurement, 2) fusion experiment, and 3) collagen embedding experiment of spheroids, in response to the OS. We found out that the OS alters the multicellular behaviors of the spheroid by greater reduction in the size change measurement and slowing down the speed of fusion experiment and collagen embedding experiment of the spheroids. We also highlighted that the driving force of these changes was the tight actin filaments generated on the surface of the spheroids. Hence, the results altogether indicate that the spheroid model exerted the different multicellular behaviors against the differentiation capability. This study will contribute to understanding the multicellular behaviors of the 3D culture model reconstructed by the cells with greater cell-cell interaction force.

Creation of a quick and sensitive fluorescent immunosensor for detecting the mineralocorticoid steroid hormone aldosterone.

Aldosterone (ALD) is a steroid hormone secreted by the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex that mainly acts on the kidney to regulate sodium ion and water reabsorption. Detection of ALD plays an important role in the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism in patients with hypertension. For the first time, the gene encoding the anti-ALD antibody, A2E11, was successfully cloned and analyzed using phage display technology. The antibody had an affinity of 2.5 nM against ALD, and after binding to ALD, it reached saturation within 5 s. Using this antibody, a Quenchbody (Q-body) was constructed by labeling the N-termini of heavy and light chains of the antigen-binding fragment of A2E11 with the fluorescent dye ATTO520 to detect ALD based on the principle of photoinduced electron transfer. The sensor detected ALD in 2 min, and the limit of detection was 24.1 pg/mL with a wide detection range from 24.1 pg/mL to 10 µg/mL and a half-maximal effective concentration of 42.3 ng/mL. At the highest concentration of ALD in the assay, the fluorescence intensity increased by 5.0-fold compared to the original fluorescence intensity of the Q-body solution. The Q-body could be applied to analyze 50% of human serum without a significant influence of the matrix. The recoveries of ALD in spiked serum samples with the Q-body assay were confirmed to range from 90.3% to 98.2%, suggesting their potential applications in the diagnosis of diseases, such as essential hypertension.

Anion-Ordering Phase Transitions in Biferrocenium and Ferrocenium Salts with the Bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide Anion.

The bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide anion (Tf2N), which is a common component of ionic liquids, often exhibits disorder in the solid state. In this study, the phase transitions and crystal structures of the Tf2N salts of 1,1‴-dineopentyl-1',1″-biferrocene (=npBifc), 1',1″-biferrocene (=Bifc), ferrocene, and cobaltocene (1-4, respectively) were compared. All the salts exhibited phase transitions at low temperatures, which are accompanied by anion ordering, though the ordering was not complete in 2 and 3. X-ray crystallographic investigation revealed that the cations and anions in 1 and 2 adopted alternating arrangements and segregated columnar arrangements, respectively. The cation in 1 exhibited a symmetrical, average-valence structure in the room-temperature phase owing to rapid valence tautomerization, whereas the cation exhibited an unsymmetrical structure in the low-temperature phase. The cation in 2 exhibited an unsymmetrical, trapped-valence structure in both phases. The cation valence states in these salts were accounted for by the electrostatic interactions between the cations and anions. The crystal structures and phase behavior of the ferrocenium salt 3 were very different from those of 4.

Differential Localization and Invasion of Tumor Cells in Mouse Models of Human and Murine Leukemias.

Leukemias are refractory hematopoietic malignancies, for which the development of new therapeutic agents requires in vivo studies using tumor-bearing mouse models. Although several organs are commonly examined in such studies to evaluate the disease course, the effectiveness of interventions and the localization of tumor cells in the affected organs are still unclear. In this study, we histologically examined the distribution of leukemia cells in several organs using two leukemic mouse models produced by the administration of two cell lines (THP-1, a human myelomonocytic leukemia, and A20, a mouse B cell leukemia/lymphoma) to severe immunodeficient mice. Survival of the mice depended on the tumor burden. Although A20 and THP-1 tumor cells massively infiltrated the parenchyma of the liver and spleen at 21 days after transplantation, A20 cells were hardly found in connective tissues in Glisson's capsule in the liver as compared with THP-1 cells. In the bone marrow, there was more severe infiltration of A20 cells than THP-1 cells. THP-1 and A20 cells were widely spread in the lungs, but were rarely observed in the small intestine. These findings suggest that each leukemia model has a unique localization of tumor cells in several affected organs, which could critically affect the disease course and the efficacy of therapeutic agents, including cellular immunotherapies.

Cytometric cell-based assays for anti-striational antibodies in myasthenia gravis with myositis and/or myocarditis.

The purposes of the present study were to identify anti-striational antibodies in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients with myositis and/or myocarditis using a combination of cell-based assays and flow cytometry (cytometric cell-based assays) and to describe the main clinical implications. Among 2,609 stored samples collected from all over Japan between 2003 and 2016, we had serum samples from 30 MG patients with myositis and/or myocarditis. Cytometric cell-based assays with titin, ryanodine receptor, and voltage-gated Kv1.4 were performed. Autoantibodies were determined by differences in phycoerythin fluorescence between the 293F cells and titin-transfected cells. MG patients with myositis and/or myocarditis as well as late-onset and thymoma-associated MG had anti-titin, anti-ryanodine receptor, and anti-Kv1.4 antibodies. In contrast, patients with early-onset MG, those with other myopathies and healthy controls did not have anti-titin or anti-Kv1.4 antibodies with some exceptions, but they possessed anti-ryanodine receptor antibodies. Thirty MG patients with myositis and/or myocarditis showed a severe generalized form, and 21 of them had thymoma. Anti-titin and anti-Kv1.4 antibodies were found in 28 (93%) and 15 (50%) patients, respectively, and all patients had at least one of these antibodies. Cytometric cell-based assays thus demonstrated that anti-striational antibodies are biomarkers of MG with myositis and/or myocarditis.

Accurate analytical method for human plasma glucagon levels using liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry: comparison with commercially available immunoassays.

Accurate quantification of plasma glucagon levels in humans is necessary for understanding the physiological and pathological importance of glucagon. Although several immunoassays for glucagon are available, they provide inconsistent glucagon values owing to cross-reactivity of the antibodies with peptides other than glucagon. To overcome this limitation, we developed a novel method to measure glucagon levels by a liquid chromatography (LC)-high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) assay via parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) without immunoaffinity enrichment. Using stable isotope-labeled glucagon as an internal standard and 200 µL of plasma, the lower limit of quantification was 0.5 pM. This method was applied to measure plasma glucagon levels during the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and meal tolerance test (MTT) in healthy volunteers, and its results were compared with those of sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and radioimmunoassay (RIA). During the OGTT, this method showed significant suppression of plasma glucagon levels, and similar patterns were observed with sandwich ELISA and RIA. In contrast, during the MTT, plasma glucagon levels were slightly elevated according to the LC-MS/MS and sandwich ELISA results and were reduced according to RIA results. Our newly developed LC-MS/MS method overcomes a lack of specificity among currently available immunoassays for glucagon and may contribute to a better understanding of the importance of glucagon. Graphical abstract Flowchart for the extraction and quantification of glucagon in human plasma, and plasma glucagon responses in healthy volunteers quantified by the present LC-MS/MS, sandwich ELISA, and RIA during OGTT and MTT.

Postabsorptive hyperglucagonemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus analyzed with a novel enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: The aims of the present study were to investigate the performance of a novel sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for measuring glucagon (1-29) with monoclonal antibodies against both the C- and N-terminal regions of glucagon (1-29), and to analyze the differences in plasma levels and responses of glucagon (1-29) to oral glucose loading in normal glucose tolerance (NGT) subjects and patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cross-reactivity against proglucagon fragments using the ELISA kit and two types of conventional radioimmunoassay (RIA) kits was evaluated. A 75-g oral glucose tolerance test was carried out with NGT subjects and patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, and the glucagon (1-29) concentration was measured using three types of kit. RESULTS: The ELISA kit clearly had the lowest cross-reactivity against miniglucagon (19-29) and glicentin (1-61). The oral glucose tolerance test was carried out with 30 NGT and 17 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The glucagon (1-29) levels measured by the ELISA kit after glucose loading were significantly higher at all time-points in the type 2 diabetes mellitus group than in the NGT group. However, the glucagon (1-29) levels measured by one RIA kit were significantly higher in the NGT group, and those measured with the other RIA kit were approximately the same among the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The novel sandwich ELISA accurately determines plasma glucagon (1-29) concentrations with much less cross-reactivity against other proglucagon fragments than conventional RIA kits.

Organometallic ionic liquids from alkyloctamethylferrocenium cations: thermal properties, crystal structures, and magnetic properties.

Alkyloctamethylferrocenium salts with the Tf2N anion ([Fe(C5Me4C(n)H(2n+1))(C5Me4H)][Tf2N]; Tf2N = bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide) were prepared, and their ionic liquid properties, thermal properties, crystal structures, and magnetic properties were investigated. The melting points of the Tf2N salts were near room temperature, and decreased with increasing alkyl chain length up to n = 8 and then increased. The salts with PF6 and NO3 anions were also prepared. The melting points of the PF6 salts were higher than 100 °C. Most of these salts exhibited phase transitions in the solid state. The sum of the entropies of the melting and solid phase transitions was nearly independent of the alkyl chain length for salts with short alkyl chains, whereas those for salts with longer alkyl chains (n≥ 10 for Tf2N salts, n≥ 6 for PF6 salts) increased with increasing alkyl chain length. Crystal structure determinations revealed that the short chain salts form simple alternately packed structures of cations and anions in the solid state, and that the long chain salts form lamellar structures, in which the alkyl chains are aligned parallel between the layers. The effects of magnetic fields on the crystallization of the paramagnetic ionic liquids were investigated, and revealed that the Tf2N salts with n = 4 exhibited magnetic orientation when solidified under magnetic fields. The magnetic orientation was shown to be a bulk phenomenon, and the importance of the magnetic anisotropy of the crystal structure was suggested in comparison with the response of other Tf2N salts.

Crystal structures and phase-transition dynamics of cobaltocenium salts with bis(perfluoroalkylsulfonyl)amide anions: remarkable odd-even effect of the fluorocarbon chains in the anion.

Crystal structures and thermal properties of cobaltocenium salts with bis(perfluoroalkylsulfonyl)amide (C(n)F2(n+1)SO2)2N anions [n = 0 (1), 1 (1 a), 2 (1 b), 3 (1 c), and 4 (1 d)] and the 1,1,2,2,3,3-hexafluoropropane-1,3-disulfonylamide anion (2) were investigated. In these solids, the cations are surrounded by four anions around their C5 axis, and stacking of these local structures forms two kinds of assembled structures. In the salts with even n (1, 1 b, and 1 d), the cation and anion are arranged alternately to form mixed-stack columns in the crystal. In contrast, in the salts with odd n (1 a and 1 c), the cations and anions independently form segregated-stack columns. An odd-even effect was also observed in the sum of the phase-change entropies from crystal to melt. All of the salts exhibited phase transitions in the solid state. The phase transitions to the lowest-temperature phase in 1, 1 a, and 2 are accompanied by order-disorder of the anions and symmetry lowering of the space group, which results in the formation of an ion pair. Solid-state (13)C NMR measurements on 1 a and 1 b revealed enhanced molecular motions of the cation in the higher-temperature phases.

Analysis of cellular phenotype during in vitro immunization of murine splenocytes for generating antigen-specific immunoglobulin.

Although various in vitro immunization methods to generate antigen-specific antibodies have been described, a highly effective method that can generate high-affinity immunoglobulins has not yet been reported. Herein, we analyzed a cellular phenotype during in vitro immunization of murine splenocytes for generating antigen-specific immunoglobulins. We identified a combination of T cell-dependent stimuli (IL-4, IL-5, anti-CD38 and anti-CD40 antibodies) plus lipopolysaccharides (LPS) that stimulates antigen-exposed splenocytes in vitro, followed by induction of the cells phenotypically equivalent to germinal center B cells. We also observed that LPS induced high expression levels of mRNA for activation-induced cytidine deaminase. We stimulated antigen-exposed splenocytes, followed by the accumulation of mutations in immunoglobulin genes. From the immunized splenocytes, hybridoma clones secreting antigen-specific immunoglobulins were obtained.

Reactive half-metallocenium ionic liquids that undergo solventless ligand exchange.

The piano-stool half-metallocenium cations [Fe(C(5)R(5))(CO)(2)L](+) (C(5)R(5) = C(5)H(5), C(5)Me(5), C(5)Me(4)Et; L = 1-pentene, nBuCN, MeCN, Me(2)S, NH(3), NMe(3), pyridine) provide ionic liquids (ILs) with the bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (Tf(2)N) anion without introducing long alkyl chains. Their melting points are affected by molecular symmetry, and their thermal stabilities reflect the strength of the metal-ligand bonding. These are reactive liquids that show solventless ligand exchange reactions by gas absorption. The direction of the ligand-exchange reaction is correlated with the stabilities. Based on the variation of the melting points, these ILs undergo transformations between the liquid and solid phases associated with the reaction.

Ionic liquids of cationic sandwich complexes.

Simple cationic sandwich complexes that contained alkyl- or halogen substituents provided ionic liquids (ILs) with the bis(perfluoroalkanesulfonyl)imide anion. Ferrocenium- and cobaltocenium ILs [M(C(5)H(4)R(1))(C(5)H(4)R(2))][Tf(2)N] (M=Fe, Co) and arene-ferrocenium ILs [Fe(C(5)H(4)R(1))(C(6)H(5)R(2))][Tf(2)N] were prepared and their physical properties were investigated. A detailed comparison of their thermal properties revealed the effects of molecular symmetry and substituents on their melting points. Their viscosity increased on increasing the length of the substituent on the cation and the perfluoroalkyl chain length on the anion. Upon cooling, ILs with low viscosities exhibited crystallization, whereas those with higher viscosities tended to exhibit glass transitions. Most of these salts showed phase transitions in the solid state. A magnetic-switching phenomenon was observed for the paramagnetic ferrocenium IL, which was associated with a liquid/solid transformation, based on the magnetic anisotropy of the ferrocenium cation. (57)Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy was applied to [Fe(C(5)H(4)nBu)(2)][Tf(2)N] to investigate the vibrational behavior of the iron atom in the crystal and glassy states of the ferrocenium IL.

Magnetic memory based on magnetic alignment of a paramagnetic ionic liquid near room temperature.

A paramagnetic ferrocenium-based ionic liquid that exhibits a magnetic memory effect coupled with a liquid-solid phase transformation has been developed. Based on field alignment of the magnetically anisotropic ferrocenium cation, the magnetic susceptibility in the solid state can be tuned by the weak magnetic fields (<1 T) of permanent magnets.

Low-frequency spectra of metallocenium ionic liquids studied by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy.

Terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopic measurements have been done on five novel metallocenium ionic liquids based on the electro-optic sampling method. The study covered the spectral range from 10 to 85 cm(-1). The complex dielectric spectra were broad and dispersive in nature, and the imaginary part of the dielectric constant consisting of part of the dielectric constant was simulated with different combinations of model functions to unravel the intermolecular dynamics. We compared our results with the previous results on the other ionic liquid. It was revealed that the librational motion of the cations as well as the interion vibration between the cations and the anions are responsible for observed dynamics in THz region. No intramolecular vibrational mode has been found in the low-frequency region.