Cytoplasmic calcium influx mediated by plant MLKLs confers TNL-triggered immunity.

The plant homolog of vertebrate necroptosis inducer mixed-lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) contributes to downstream steps in Toll-interleukin-1 receptor domain NLR (TNL)-receptor-triggered immunity. Here, we show that Arabidopsis MLKL1 (AtMLKL1) clusters into puncta at the plasma membrane upon TNL activation and that this sub-cellular reorganization is dependent on the TNL signal transducer, EDS1. We find that AtMLKLs confer TNL-triggered immunity in parallel with RPW8-type HeLo-domain-containing NLRs (RNLs) and that the AtMLKL N-terminal HeLo domain is indispensable for both immunity and clustering. We show that the AtMLKL HeLo domain mediates cytoplasmic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]cyt) influx in plant and human cells, and AtMLKLs are responsible for sustained [Ca2+]cyt influx during TNL-triggered, but not CNL-triggered, immunity. Our study reveals parallel immune signaling functions of plant MLKLs and RNLs as mediators of [Ca2+]cyt influx and a potentially common role of the HeLo domain fold in the Ca2+-signal relay of diverse organisms.

Human Flow Dataset Reveals Changes in Citizens' Outing Behaviors including Greenspace Visits before and during the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kanazawa, Japan.

Greenspaces, including parks, provide various socio-ecological benefits such as for aesthetics, temperature remediation, biodiversity conservation, and outdoor recreation. The health benefits of urban greenspaces have received particular attention since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has triggered various movement restrictions and lifestyle changes, including regarding the frequency of people's visits to greenspaces. Using mobile-tracking GPS data of Kanazawa citizens, we explored how citizens' behaviors with respect to outings changed before and during Japan's declaration of a COVID-19 state of emergency (April-May 2020). We also examined citizens' greenspace visits in relation to their travel distance from home. We found that Kanazawa citizens avoided going out during the pandemic, with a decrease in the number, time, and distance of outings. As for the means of transportation, the percentage of outings by foot increased on both weekdays and holidays. While citizens refrained from going out, the percentage change of the percentage in large greenspace visits increased very slightly in 2020. As for greenspace visitation in 2020 compared to 2019, we found that citizens generally visited greenspaces closer to their homes, actually increasing visitation of nearby (within 1000 m) greenspaces. This study of how outing behaviors and greenspace use by Kanazawa citizens have changed underscores the value of nearby greenspaces for physical and mental health during movement restrictions under the pandemic.

Usefulness of the Daily Life Performance Transfer Sheet in Care Management of People With Stroke.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the usefulness of collaboration between occupational therapists and care managers using the Daily Life Performance Transfer Sheet. METHOD: We administered a questionnaire to obtain care managers' subjective assessments of the usefulness of the Daily Life Performance Transfer Sheet in the care management of clients with stroke 1 mo after discharge. RESULTS: Most care managers perceived the Daily Life Performance Transfer Sheet as useful. Its perceived usefulness was significantly correlated with all items related to subjective assessment of care management, such as the understanding of clients' abilities, short-term care planning, long-term care planning, interprofessional collaboration, and sense of accomplishment. CONCLUSION: The Daily Life Performance Transfer Sheet is a useful tool for care managers in the care management of clients with stroke.

Functional and cognitive variables predicting successful use of chopsticks or a spoon by the paretic upper extremity in patients following stroke: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The factors necessary for successful use of chopsticks or a spoon, by patients with a paretic upper extremity (UE) following stroke are unknown. OBJECTIVES: We identified the functional capacities and interactions related to chopsticks or spoon use in patients with right hemiplegia following stroke. METHODS: Participants were 139 stroke patients with right hemiplegia who required rehabilitation, divided into the following three categories: able to use chopsticks, able to use a spoon, or unable to use a spoon. We collected sociodemographic data, medical data, physical and cognitive function data, and functional grades associated with chopsticks or spoon use by the paretic dominant UE while eating. We identified a complex interaction of variables relating to functional use of chopsticks or a spoon using a classification and regression tree analytic process. RESULTS: Patients with UE Brunnstrom recovery stage (BRS) >IV, and a Hasegawa Dementia Scale - Revised (HDS-R) score >16 had a 91.3% probability of being able to use chopsticks. Moreover, patients with a UE BRS of >IV, and the HDS-R score ≤16 had a 66.7% probability of being able to use a spoon. By contrast, patients with a UE BRS of ≤IV had a 90.5% probability of not being able to use a spoon. CONCLUSIONS: The interaction of BRS as a measure of UE function and HDS-R score as a measure of cognitive function affect the ability of patients with stroke histories to functionally use the paretic UE to operate chopsticks or a spoon.

[Prediction of upper limb recovery in the acute phase of cerebrovascular disease: study design and socio-demographic profiles, medical profiles,and acute symptoms of participants at baseline].

OBJECTIVES: In this study, we aim to predict the recovery of upper limb function in patients in the acute phase of cerebrovascular disease. Here, we describe the study design and patients' characteristics at baseline. METHODS: Subjects were admitted to Takeda General Hospital with cerebrovascular disease, and were prescribed to undergo rehabilitation. The assessment was conducted between June 2010 and March 2011. The baseline survey assessed the following factors: socio-demographic profiles (age, sex, number of family members, key person, occupation, and activities in daily life), medical profiles (types of cerebrovascular disease, location of brain damage, and history of diseases), and acute symptoms (Japan Coma Scale score, the Barre arm sign, the Brunnstrom recovery stage, tendon reflex, sensation, pain, ataxia, range of motion, muscle tone, grip strength, agnosia, apraxia, aphasia, dysarthria, the Hasegawa Dementia Scale-Revised score, and the Barthel index). RESULTS: A total of 357 patients with cerebrovascular disease were analyzed on the basis of diagnosis [cerebral infarction (CI; 77.6%), cerebral hemorrhage (CH; 20.2%), subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH; 2.2%)]. There was a significant difference in the average age between the types of cerebrovascular disease. In acute symptoms, sensation, grip strength, cognitive function, and activities of daily living were statistically significantly different between the types of cerebrovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: In this report, we described the study design and characteristics of patients with cerebrovascular disease at baseline. In the future, this study could be used for predicting the recovery of upper limb function in these patients.

Prediction of upper limb recovery in the acute phase of cerebrovascular disease: evaluation of "functional hand" using the manual function test.

BACKGROUND: Prediction of upper limb function recovery in the acute phase of cerebrovascular disease can help clarify goal setting in rehabilitation and subsequently shorten hospital stay. The present study aimed to develop regression equations that can be used to predict the Manual Function Test (MFT) score 3 weeks after onset and to determine the optimal cutoff MFT score for the identification of "Functional Hand." METHODS: In all, 190 patients with cerebrovascular disease were included in this study. The baseline survey performed within 1 week after onset assessed sociodemographic profiles, medical profiles, and acute symptoms. MFT was performed to determine the cutoff score to indicate Functional Hand. We used stepwise multiple regression analysis to establish the prediction equations with the best fit for the MFT score 3 weeks after onset. In addition, the sensitivity and specificity of the MFT as an indicator of Functional Hand with cutoff values were determined. RESULTS: The multiple regression analysis showed that the following factors had a significant influence on the MFT: Brunnstrom recovery stage, cognitive function, range of motion, age, and sensation. The area under the curve was .93 for the MFT score as an indicator of Functional Hand. The cutoff MFT score to identify Functional Hand was 22/21 points, with a sensitivity and specificity of 91.1% and 82.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings helped develop regression equations that can be used to predict the MFT score 3 weeks after onset of cerebrovascular disease by evaluating factors reportedly associated with upper limb function recovery.

Human lactoferrin activates NF-kappaB through the Toll-like receptor 4 pathway while it interferes with the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated TLR4 signaling.

Lactoferrin (LF) has been implicated in innate immunity. Here we reveal the signal transduction pathway responsible for human LF (hLF)-triggered nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation. Endotoxin-depleted hLF induces NF-kappaB activation at physiologically relevant concentrations in the human monocytic leukemia cell line, THP-1, and in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). In MEFs, in which both tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) and TRAF5 are deficient, hLF causes NF-kappaB activation at a level comparable to that seen in wild-type MEFs, whereas TRAF6-deficient MEFs show significantly impaired NF-kappaB activation in response to hLF. TRAF6 is known to be indispensable in leading to NF-kappaB activation in myeloid differentiating factor 88 (MyD88)-dependent signaling pathways, while the role of TRAF6 in the MyD88-independent signaling pathway has not been clarified extensively. When we examined the hLF-dependent NF-kappaB activation in MyD88-deficient MEFs, delayed, but remarkable, NF-kappaB activation occurred as a result of the treatment of cells with hLF, indicating that both MyD88-dependent and MyD88-independent pathways are involved. Indeed, hLF fails to activate NF-kappaB in MEFs lacking Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a unique TLR group member that triggers both MyD88-depependent and MyD88-independent signalings. Importantly, the carbohydrate chains from hLF are shown to be responsible for TLR4 activation. Furthermore, we show that lipopolysaccharide-induced cytokine and chemokine production is attenuated by intact hLF but not by the carbohydrate chains from hLF. Thus, we present a novel model concerning the biological function of hLF: hLF induces moderate activation of TLR4-mediated innate immunity through its carbohydrate chains; however, hLF suppresses endotoxemia by interfering with lipopolysaccharide-dependent TLR4 activation, probably through its polypeptide moiety.