Long-term effects of primary aldosteronism treatment on patients with primary aldosteronism and chronic kidney disease.

OBJECTIVE: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a major cause of secondary hypertension and is associated with chronic renal injury. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in PA rapidly decreases after the removal of glomerular hyperfiltration due to aldosterone excess by adrenalectomy (ADX) or mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA) treatment and is stable in the long term. However, the effects of these treatments on the long-term renal function of PA patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is not well understood. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: In this single-center, retrospective study, acute and chronic changes in the estimated GFR (eGFR) were examined in 107 patients with PA, including 49 patients with post-treatment CKD　defined as eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 . RESULTS: The reduction in eGFR observed 1 month after ADX in the CKD group (N = 31) was -20.1 ± 8.2 ml/min/1.73 m2 . Multivariate analysis showed that pre-treatment eGFR and plasma aldosterone concentration were independent predictive factors of the acute reduction in eGFR after ADX. The reduction of eGFR observed 1 month after MRA administration in the post-treatment CKD group (N = 18) was -9.2 ± 5.9 ml/min/1.73 m2 . Multivariate analysis showed that the duration of hypertension and pre-treatment eGFR were independent predictive factors of the acute reduction in eGFR after ADX administration. In 20 patients with CKD (N = 12 ADX and N = 8 MRA) followed for more than 5 years post-treatment, there was no further significant decline in eGFR over a follow-up period of 7 (6, 8) years nor any difference between the two treatment modalities. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that treatment of PA in stage 3 CKD is safe and useful in preventing renal injury.

Reduced antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 in COVID-19 patients with newly diagnosed diabetes: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has dramatically impacted global health, and patients with type 2 diabetes have been identified as a high-risk group for COVID-19 infection and the development of severe disease. In response, this study aimed to evaluate whether patients with type 2 diabetes infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) could develop antibody responses in the same manner as patients without diabetes, and whether there is a difference in antibody response to SARS-CoV-2 between patients with diabetes diagnosed prior to hospitalization, and those with newly diagnosed diabetes. METHODS: SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels were quantified using two iFlash 3000 Chemiluminescence Immunoassay analyzer kits (Shenzhen YHLO Biotech Co., Ltd.) to detect IgG antibodies specific for nucleocapsid protein (IgG-N), and specific for the S1 subunit of the spike protein (IgG-S1). In 124 hospitalized patients with COVID-19, 40 patients with type 2 diabetes were matched to 40 patients without diabetes using propensity score matching (PSM). RESULTS: There was no difference in IgG-N and IgG-S1 levels between the patients with diabetes and those without. Of patients with diabetes, 31 patients had known diabetes and nine patients had newly diagnosed diabetes. The median levels of IgG-N at 7-13 days in patients with newly diagnosed diabetes were significantly lower than those in patients with known diabetes (IgG-N; 10.9 vs. 31.0 AU/mL, p = 0.031, IgG-S1; 7.5 vs. 24.4 AU/mL, p = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: Even after adjusting for covariates using PSM, COVID-19 patients with type 2 diabetes had comparable antibody responses to patients without diabetes. Patients with newly diagnosed diabetes had lower IgG-N and IgG-S1 production in the second week of the disease compared with those with previously known diabetes.

Behavioral and Electrophysiological Study on Eight Japanese Papilio Species with Five Hostplant Volatiles and Linalool.

An electroantennogram (EAG) technique compared the antennal olfactory responses by both sexes of eight Japanese Papilio species with known host plants in laboratory experiments. Papilio species were collected from Honshû and Kyûshû (Japanese islands). The behavioral responses to volatile leaf substances from Citrus deliciosa, Zanthoxylum ailanthoides, Phellodendron amurense, Orixa japonica, and Foeniculum vulgare were examined in laboratory experiments. Individual EAG reactions were recorded. The results were very similar to the empirical field observations. The electrophysiological results of both sexes showed that the volatile substances released from non-preferred plants mainly elicited more significant EAG responses than the volatile substances from preferred host plants. Moreover, we performed behavioral experiments using eight female butterflies and their responses to five host plant species. An association between host plant selection behavior and taxonomical classification exists within the Papilio genus. The EAG responses were small when exposed to the plants with high scores in the behavioral experiments. Host plant preference patterns seem to be related to the volatile substances within the host plants. The butterflies responded to Linalool in both the behavioral and electrophysiological experiments.

Serum chemokine CC-motif ligand 17 is a predictive marker of severe COVID-19 in haemodialysis patients: A retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Maintenance haemodialysis (HD) patients are at higher risk for severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Because of a limited number of facilities that can provide inpatient treatment for COVID-19 and HD, it is important to identify HD patients who are at high risk for severe COVID-19. For mild to moderate COVID-19 patients, chemokine CC-motif ligand 17 (CCL17) was reported to be a predictive marker for severe COVID-19; however, the validity of CCL17 among HD patients is unknown. METHODS: This retrospective observational study enrolled 107 HD patients with mild or moderate COVID-19 at hospitalization (mean age 70.1 ± 15.1 years; 71.0% male). Receiver operating characteristic and logistic regression analyses were used to examine the predictive validity of indices for severe COVID-19. RESULTS: During hospitalization, 32 patients developed severe COVID-19. Serum CCL17 collected at admission exhibited a higher area under the curve value (0.818) compared with that of other indicators including lactate dehydrogenase and C-reactive protein for the prediction of severe COVID-19. The optimal cut-off value for CCL17 was 150.5 pg/mL. A multi-variate logistic analysis revealed that CCL17 (above 150.5 pg/mL) was significantly associated with severe COVID-19 (Odds ratio, 0.063; 95% Confidence interval [CI], 0.017-0.227; p < .001) even after adjustment for covariates. The addition of the CCL17 to a model consisting of vaccination status, albumin, blood urea nitrogen, C-reacting protein and lactate dehydrogenase significantly improved classification performance for severe COVID-19 using the net reclassification (1.16, 95% CI: 0.82-1.50, p < .001) and integrated discrimination (0.18, 95% CI: 0.09-0.26, p < .001) improvement. CONCLUSION: CCL17 levels in HD patients with mild or moderate COVID-19 predict risk of developing severe COVID-19.

Hemodialysis patients with coronavirus disease 2019: reduced antibody response.

BACKGROUND: Because patients on maintenance hemodialysis (HD) have an impaired immune response to pathogens, they are at higher risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, data on antibody production among HD patients with COVID-19 is scarce. Thus, we performed a retrospective cohort study evaluating severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus two antibody (SARS-CoV-2) production within 1 month after COVID-19 onset in hospitalized patients on HD. METHODS: SARS-CoV-2-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) G levels were quantified using an iFlash 3000 Chemiluminescence Immunoassay analyzer (Shenzhen YHLO Biotech Co., Ltd.) to detect IgG antibodies specific for the S1 subunit of the spike protein (IgG-S1). Propensity score matching was used to balance covariate distribution in HD and non-HD patients. From April 2020 to February 2021, antibody testing was performed on 161 hospitalized patients with symptomatic COVID-19. Of them, 34 HD patients were matched to 68 non-HD patients. RESULTS: After propensity score matching, the median levels of IgG-S1 in the HD patients at 7-13 days after symptom onset were significantly lower than in non-HD patients, especially in those with severe disease. Among all patients, those with severe disease produced lower levels of IgG-S1 at 7-13 days compared with non-severe patients. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 patients with severe disease, especially those undergoing HD, had lower IgG-S1 production in the second week of the disease. Thus, the increased risk of severe COVID-19 in HD patients may be, in part, due to a slow and reduced antibody response.

USV-Observed Turbulent Heat Flux Induced by Late Spring Cold Dry Air Incursion over Sub-Mesoscale Warm Regions off Sanriku, Japan.

We performed oceanic and atmospheric observations in the region off the Sanriku coast, Japan, from May 11 to 5 July 2022, using a wave-propelled unmanned surface vehicle, a Wave Glider (WG). Despite the severe weather conditions of atmospheric low-pressure system crossings, we successfully measured wind, air temperature, humidity, and sea surface temperature over the course of 55 days to calculate the turbulent heat flux. The WG observed that the atmosphere became more humid due to the southerly wind along the northwestern rim of the North Pacific subtropical high. The warm Kuroshio water expanded to the southeast of Hokkaido as a result of the northward shedding of an anticyclonic mesoscale (~100 km) eddy, called a warm-core ring, from the Kuroshio Extension. The WG traversed smaller (sub-mesoscale) water regions that were warmer and saltier than the surrounding Kuroshio water. The observations indicate that cold, dry air masses advected by northerly winds following the passage of atmospheric low-pressure systems generate a substantial upward turbulent heat flux over sub-mesoscale warm water regions, contrasting to no heat flux in the surrounding Kuroshio water region.

Effects of intensive exercise combined with dapagliflozin on body composition in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized controlled trial.

This study was aimed to evaluate the effects of intensive exercise in addition to the administration of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor dapagliflozin (DAPA) on body composition, including fat-free mass, in type 2 diabetes. We randomly assigned 146 patients to 24 weeks of treatment with intensive exercise, including resistance training, plus 5 mg (up to 10 mg) of DAPA daily (IT group) or DAPA alone (CT group). The primary endpoint was the difference in the change in fat-free mass from baseline to 24 weeks between the groups. The skeletal muscle mass index (SMI); metabolic profile, including HbA1c; and regional fat mass were also determined. ANCOVA was used for the group comparison, with least squares mean (LSM) differences and 95% confidence interval (CI). There was no significant difference in the change in fat-free mass (LSM difference -0.1 kg (95% CI: -0.5 to 0.4) and SMI (LSM difference -0.1 kg (95% CI: -0.2 to 0.1) between the groups. In contrast, the reduction of trunk fat mass was significantly higher in the IT group than in the CT group ((LSM difference -0.5 kg [95% CI -0.9 to -0.1]). Higher adherence to the resistance training tended to be associated with changes in HbA1c and high-sensitivity CRP levels. Our study suggests that intensive exercise do not prevent the reduction of fat-free mass after administration of SGLT2 inhibitors but can increase the reduction in abdominal fat, presumably leading to further improvements of hyperglycemia and chronic inflammation than DAPA alone in type 2 diabetes patients.

Machine learning for image-based detection of patients with obstructive sleep apnea: an exploratory study.

PURPOSE: In 2-dimensional lateral cephalometric radiographs, patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) exhibit a more crowded oropharynx in comparison with non-OSA. We tested the hypothesis that machine learning, an application of artificial intelligence (AI), could be used to detect patients with severe OSA based on 2-dimensional images. METHODS: A deep convolutional neural network was developed (n = 1258; 90%) and tested (n = 131; 10%) using data from 1389 (100%) lateral cephalometric radiographs obtained from individuals diagnosed with severe OSA (n = 867; apnea hypopnea index > 30 events/h sleep) or non-OSA (n = 522; apnea hypopnea index < 5 events/h sleep) at a single center for sleep disorders. Three kinds of data sets were prepared by changing the area of interest using a single image: the original image without any modification (full image), an image containing a facial profile, upper airway, and craniofacial soft/hard tissues (main region), and an image containing part of the occipital region (head only). A radiologist also performed a conventional manual cephalometric analysis of the full image for comparison. RESULTS: The sensitivity/specificity was 0.87/0.82 for full image, 0.88/0.75 for main region, 0.71/0.63 for head only, and 0.54/0.80 for the manual analysis. The area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve was the highest for main region 0.92, for full image 0.89, for head only 0.70, and for manual cephalometric analysis 0.75. CONCLUSIONS: A deep convolutional neural network identified individuals with severe OSA with high accuracy. Future research on this concept using AI and images can be further encouraged when discussing triage of OSA.

Sarcopenic obesity assessed using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) can predict cardiovascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes: a retrospective observational study.

BACKGROUND: Sarcopenic obesity, defined as reduced skeletal muscle mass and power with increased adiposity, was reported to be associated with cardiovascular disease risks in previous cross-sectional studies. Whole body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) can simultaneously evaluate both fat and muscle mass, therefore, whole body DXA may be suitable for the diagnosis of sarcopenic obesity. However, little is known regarding whether sarcopenic obesity determined using whole body DXA could predict incident cardiovascular disease (CVD). The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of sarcopenic obesity on incident CVD in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A total of 716 Japanese patients (mean age 65 ± 13 years; 47.0% female) were enrolled. Android fat mass (kg), gynoid fat mass (kg), and skeletal muscle index (SMI) calculated as appendicular non-fat mass (kg) divided by height squared (m2), were measured using whole body DXA. Sarcopenic obesity was defined as the coexistence of low SMI and obesity determined by four patterns of obesity as follows: android to gynoid ratio (A/G ratio), android fat mass or percentage of body fat (%BF) was higher than the sex-specific median, or body mass index (BMI) was equal to or greater than 25 kg/m2. The study endpoint was the first occurrence or recurrence of CVD. RESULTS: Over a median follow up of 2.6 years (IQR 2.1-3.2 years), 53 patients reached the endpoint. Sarcopenic obesity was significantly associated with incident CVD even after adjustment for the confounding variables, when using A/G ratio [hazard ratio (HR) 2.63, 95% CI 1.10-6.28, p = 0.030] and android fat mass (HR 2.57, 95% CI 1.01-6.54, p = 0.048) to define obesity, but not %BF (HR 1.67, 95% CI 0.69-4.02, p = 0.252), and BMI (HR 1.55, 95% CI 0.44-5.49, p = 0.496). CONCLUSIONS: The present data suggest that the whole body DXA is valuable in the diagnosis of sarcopenic obesity (high A/G ratio or android fat mass with low SMI) to determine the risk of CVD events in patients with type 2 diabetes. Meanwhile, sarcopenic obesity classified with low SMI, and high %BF or BMI was not associated with incident CVD.

Dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors attenuates the decline of skeletal muscle mass in patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Activation of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 has been reported to be associated with impairment of insulin signalling in skeletal muscle, presumably leading to loss of muscle function. This study was aimed to investigate whether the use of dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors (DPP4i) could attenuate the progressive loss of muscle mass in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A total 105 patients with type 2 diabetes (mean age 62 ± 12 years; 39% female) were studied in this retrospective observational study. To reduce the bias due to confounding variables, propensity-score matching analysis was performed. Change in skeletal muscle index measured by the whole body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at 1-year follow-up was evaluated. One-year changes in visceral and subcutaneous fat area and liver attenuation index were also determined by abdominal computed tomography. RESULTS: Overall, 37 of 105 (35.2%) patients were treated with DPP4i. The estimated change in skeletal muscle index in patients with DPP4i was significantly higher than that in patients without (0.05 ± 0.06 vs -0.10 ± 0.04 kg, P = .046). In a propensity-matched population (N = 48), the same finding was observed (0.04 ± 0.03 in DPP4i versus -0.12 ± 0.03 kg in non-DPP4i, P = .033). There were no significant differences in changes of visceral and subcutaneous fat area and liver attenuation index between patients with DPP4i and those without. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest the potential of DPP4i to prevent the progressive loss of muscle mass with ageing in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Luseogliflozin reduces epicardial fat accumulation in patients with type 2 diabetes: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Accumulation of epicardial fat (EF) is associated with increased cardio-metabolic risks and coronary events, independently of traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Therefore, the reduction of EF volume (EFV) may be associated with reduced cardio-metabolic risks and future cardiovascular events. Sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors reduce body fat including visceral fat and cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. However, it has still been unknown whether SGLT2 inhibitors can reduce EFV. METHODS: Type 2 diabetic patients with HbA1c 6.5-9.0% and body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) ≥25.0 were enrolled in this single arm pilot study. Participants were administered luseogliflozin 2.5 mg daily and the dosage was tolerated to be increased up to 5.0 mg daily. EFV [median (interquartile range), cm3] was measured by magnetic resonance imaging. Primary endpoint was the decrease in EFV at 12 weeks. Visceral fat area (VFA, cm2) and liver attenuation index (LAI) measured by the abdominal computed tomography, and skeletal muscle index (SMI) and body fat (%) measured by the whole body dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were also determined at baseline and at 12 weeks. RESULTS: Nineteen patients (mean age: 55 ± 12 years; 26% female) completed this study. Luseogliflozin treatment significantly reduced EFV at 12 weeks [117 (96-136) to 111 (88-134), p = 0.048]. The body weight, BMI, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglycerides, SMI, and body fat were significantly reduced by luseogliflozin at 12 weeks. The reduction of EFV was significantly correlated with the reduction of C-reactive protein (r = 0.493, p = 0.019). Neither VFA nor LAI were significantly reduced by the luseogliflozin treatment. No severe adverse events were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that luseogliflozin could reduce the EFV in parallel with the improvement of systemic micro-inflammation and the reduction of body weight in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. The reduction of muscle mass after the administration of SGLT2 inhibitors may require a particular attention. Trial registration umin.ac.jp, UMIN000019072.

Insulin Treatment Attenuates Decline of Muscle Mass in Japanese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

Sarcopenia is defined as an age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, and is a major cause of disability and mobility limitations. Recent studies have demonstrated that type 2 diabetes and insulin signaling deficiencies contribute to the progression of sarcopenia, suggesting that a sufficient supply of insulin to the skeletal muscles may be important for the maintenance of muscle function; however, little has been reported regarding whether insulin treatment can protect against sarcopenia. We conducted a retrospective observational study to examine the impact of insulin treatment on the muscle mass of patients with type 2 diabetes. A total of 312 patients (mean age: 64 ± 11 years; 40.8% female; 27.6% treated with insulin) were studied in this retrospective observational study. Skeletal muscle index (SMI) and grip strength (kg) were used to assess sarcopenia. The prevalence of sarcopenia was 18.0%. Insulin treatment was shown to be protective against the annual decline of SMI (standardized ß 0.195; p = 0.025) even after adjusting for covariates, including age, gender, duration of diabetes, and body mass index. In a cohort matched by propensity scores, insulin treatment significantly increased the 1-year change in SMI (mean ± SE) compared with non-insulin-treated group (2.40 ± 0.98% vs. -0.43 ± 0.98%; p = 0.050). Our data suggest that insulin treatment could attenuate the progression of sarcopenia in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Reduction of visceral fat by liraglutide is associated with ameliorations of hepatic steatosis, albuminuria, and micro-inflammation in type 2 diabetic patients with insulin treatment: a randomized control trial.

Liraglutide, an analogue of human glucagon-like peptide 1, reduces cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes; however, it has still been unknown by which mechanisms liraglutide could reduce cardiovascular events. Type 2 diabetic patients with insulin treatment were enrolled in this randomized, open-label, comparative study. Participants were randomly assigned to liraglutide plus insulin (liraglutide group) and insulin treatment (control group) at 1:1 allocation. Primary endpoint was the change in viscera fat are (VFA, cm2) at 24 weeks. Liver attenuation index (LAI) measured by abdominal computed tomography, urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR, mg/g), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, skeletal muscle index (SMI), and quality of life (QOL) related to diabetes treatment were also determined. Seventeen patients (8; liraglutide group, 9; control group, mean age 59 ± 13 years; 53% female) completed this study. Liraglutide treatment significantly reduced VFA at 24 weeks; whereas, SFA was unchanged. ACR, LAI, and CRP levels were significantly reduced by liraglutide at 24 weeks and there was no difference in SMI between the two groups. Changes in VFA from baseline to 24 weeks were significantly associated with those in LAI, albuminuria, and HbA1c. Liraglutide treatment significantly improved QOL scores associated with anxiety and dissatisfaction with treatment and satisfaction with treatment. No severe adverse events were observed in both groups. Our data suggest that liraglutide could reduce visceral adiposity in parallel with attenuation of hepatic fat accumulation, albuminuria and micro-inflammation and improve QOL related to diabetes care in insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes.

High visceral fat with low subcutaneous fat accumulation as a determinant of atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal visceral obesity has been reported to be associated with cardiovascular risks than body mass index, waist circumference, and abdominal subcutaneous fat. On the other hand, there is evidence that subcutaneous fat has a beneficial role against cardio-metabolic risks such as diabetes or dyslipidemia. However, little is known regarding the association between high visceral fat with low subcutaneous fat accumulation and the risk for atherosclerosis. METHODS: This study was designed to elucidate whether high visceral fat with low subcutaneous fat accumulation enhances the risk for atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes. This is a cross-sectional study of 148 patients with type 2 diabetes (mean age 65 ± 12 years; 44.5% female). Visceral fat area (VFA, cm(2)) and subcutaneous fat area (SFA, cm(2)) were assessed by abdominal computed tomography. Carotid intima media thickness (CIMT, mm) measured by ultrasonography was used for the assessment of atherosclerosis. Patients were divided into four groups: SFA < 100 cm(2) and VFA < 100 cm(2) [S(-)V(-)], SFA ≥ 100 cm(2) and VFA < 100 cm(2) [S(+)V(-)], SFA < 100 cm(2) and VFA ≥ 100 cm(2) [S(-)V(+)], and SFA ≥ 100 cm(2) and VFA ≥ 100 cm(2) [S(+)V(+)]. Linear regression analysis with a stepwise procedure was used for the statistical analyses. RESULTS: Among the patients examined, 16.3% were S(-)V(+). Mean (95 % confidence interval) of CIMT adjusting for age and gender were 0.80 (0.69-0.91), 0.86 (0.72-1.01), 1.28 (1.11-1.44) and 0.83 (0.77-0.88) in patients with S(-)V(-), S(+)V(-), S(-)V(+) and S(+)V(+), respectively (p < 0.001). The S(-)V(+) patients exhibited significantly older than S(-)V(-) patients and those with S(+)V(+) and had a highest VFA-SFA ratio (V/S ratio) among the four groups. S(-)V(+) patients were male predominant (100% male), and S(+)V(-) patients showed female predominance (82% female). In multivariate linear regression analysis (Adjusted R(2) = 0.549), S(-)V(+) was significantly associated with CIMT (Standardized ß 0.423, p < 0.001). Notably, S(+)V(+) was inversely associated with CIMT in the multivariate model. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that high visceral fat with low subcutaneous fat accumulation is an important determinant of carotid atherosclerosis and high subcutaneous fat could be protective against atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Reproductive isolation between Stigmaeopsis celarius and its sibling species sympatrically inhabiting bamboo (Pleioblastus spp.) plants.

Stigmaeopsis celarius Banks (hereafter Sc) is a spider mite living and feeding on the leaves of various bamboo species such as Moso bamboo [Phyllostachys edulis (=P. pubescens)] and Pleioblastus spp. (Poaceae). A previous phylogenetic study revealed a cryptic, phylogenetic sister species to Sc (hereafter Ss). Although its life type appears to be similar to that of Sc, individuals of Ss make much smaller nests compared with Sc, and the nests have been found mostly on Nezasa bamboo (Pleioblastus argenteostriatus). To investigate whether Sc and Ss are reproductively isolated, we explored their populations in southwestern Japan, and crossed them to examine mating behaviors and fertilization success. Field surveys revealed that the nests of these two species occur on the same leaves and, thus, the individuals of these species may make frequent contact. Reciprocal crosses suggested that the two species are reproductively isolated. Though Sc males have tried to mate with Ss females, copulation seldom occurred because of their long opisthosoma (hind body), which prevented the insertion of the aedeagus into the genitalia of Ss females. In contrast, most Ss males ignored Sc females, and eggs were not fertilized even in the few cases where copulation appeared to occur. These results suggest that strong selection pressure is imposed on body length to prevent interspecific hybridization in the contact area of these species.

Lethal male combats in Schizotetranychus brevisetosus (Acari: Tetranychidae) on blue Japanese oak (Quercus glauca).

Male spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) guard preimaginal quiescent females to reserve paternity. In a few species of Stigmaeopsis that make densely woven silky nests on the surface of host plants, mature males attack and even kill rivals to gain their rights to inseminate young females in the nest. Here we report that the adult males of Schizotetranychus brevisetosus (Acari: Tetranychidae), whose web nest construction behavior evolved independently from Stigmaeopsis spp., also exhibit highly aggressive behavior towards one another. Combat mortality was measured in an experimental design where two males in the treatment group were forced to live in a nest made by adult females on a leaf arena, while one male in the control group was allowed to live in a nest on another arena. We found that the 5-day mortality of males in the treatment group (56 and 37 % in two replicates) was significantly higher than in the control group (9 and 12 %) and that lethal combats frequently arose in the treatment group. However, we found no consistent trend for the length of the first legs, which is known to affect the outcome of battle in Tetranychus urticae and Stigmaeopsis miscanthi. This might be due to a relatively small number of measurable specimens, and the effects of body size should be explored in future studies.

Is maxillary dental arch constriction common in Japanese male adult patients with obstructive sleep apnoea?

OBJECTIVES Little is known about the contributions of a narrow maxillary dental arch and maxillary skeletal constriction to the development of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to clarify the relationships between maxillary dental arch width and OSA and between maxillary skeletal constriction and OSA in Japanese male patients.METHODS Study models for 164 Japanese male OSA patients were fabricated for dental arch analyses. We compared the patients' dental arch widths with the standard value for Japanese males. Moreover, the associations between the upper dental arch width and the apnoea-hypopnoea index (AHI), body mass index, skeletal pattern (SNA, SNB, and ANB), cross-sectional area of tongue obtained from an upright lateral cephalogram, lower dental arch width, overjet, and overbite were also examined.RESULTS Although a narrower upper dental arch was associated with severer OSA, the upper dental arch in OSA patients was not significantly narrower than the Japanese standard value. However, the results of a multiple regression analysis revealed that the upper dental arch became narrower as the mandible was positioned more rearward relative to the maxilla.CONCLUSIONS We conclude that dental arch constriction in the maxilla could be associated with the development of OSA but is not a typical feature of our sample of Japanese OSA patients. Moreover, the factor that aggravates OSA is not maxillary skeletal constriction but rather maxillary dental arch constriction related to antero-posterior skeletal discrepancy.

Rheophytic Osmunda lancea (Osmundaceae) exhibits large flexibility in the petiole.

The riparian zone, found alongside rivers and streams, is a unique habitat characterized by its vulnerability to sudden floods following intense rainfall. To cope with these challenging conditions, a specific group of plants with linear and lanceolate lamina have adapted to thrive in these environments. Despite their unique ability to withstand the forceful water flow, the specific adaptive characteristics of the petioles, which support the lamina remain unknown. Our morphological, anatomical, and mechanical analyses on the petioles of Osmunda lancea (Osmundaceae) along the river and an inland sister species of O. japonica revealed that the petioles of O. lancea had a larger cell volume in subepidermal cortex and were more flexible than those of O. japonica.

Impact on the scape of Farfugium japonicum var. japonicum (Asteraceae) under strong wind conditions based on morphological and mechanical analyses.

Adaptation of Farfugium japonicum (L.) Kitam. var. japonicum (Asteraceae) to the strong wind environment of coastal areas has been shown to reduce lamina size and shorten petioles; however, their effects on other traits of this species remain unknown. Our morphological analyses showed that shortening of the scape of this species is correlated with shortening of the petiole in coastal areas. The results suggested that when the height of the scapes became higher than that of the petioles, the wind stress on the scapes became stronger and their growth was suppressed. Therefore, the populations in coastal areas with strong winds had significantly shorter scapes than inland populations, and the height of petioles and scapes in the coastal populations were correlated. Further mechanical analysis by three-point bending tests revealed that the scapes had higher strength than the petioles. This species is evergreen and can produce new leaves regardless of the season, even if it loses its leaves by strong winds; however, because scapes only develop above ground for a limited period of the year, the loss of the scapes by strong winds has a significant impact on reproduction in that year. Therefore, even though the scapes were stronger than the petiole, shortening the scapes plays an important role in reducing strong wind stress in coastal areas.

Outcomes of cataract surgeries performed in 8 eyes of centenarians.

Cataract surgery outcomes in centenarian patients have not previously been explored. This study aimed to examine characteristics and report clinical results of people aged ≥100 years undergoing cataract surgery. This was a retrospective observational study, including patients aged ≥100 years who underwent cataract surgery between 2003 and 2021 at Miyata Eye Hospital in Japan. Medical charts were reviewed for information on cataract severity, surgery type, anesthesia, as well as ocular and medical comorbidities. Using Mann-Whitney test, visual acuity, intraocular pressure, and corneal endothelial cell density were compared before and after surgery. Eight eyes of 5 patients were included in the study (mean age, 101.5 ±â€…1.2 years). Seven of these eyes (87.5%) belonged to women. All surgeries were performed under topical anesthesia using phacoemulsification and insertion of the intraocular lens fixed in the bag. All patients had multiple preoperative medical comorbidities; however, there were no intraoperative, postoperative ocular, or general complications. The postoperative best-corrected visual acuity was significantly improved compared to that before surgery (1.18 ±â€…0.74 and 0.29 ±â€…0.52, respectively, P = .004). Neither intraocular pressure nor corneal endothelial cell density demonstrated a significant difference postoperatively. Cataract surgery can be safely performed under topical anesthesia in centenarians without complications using proper perioperative medical control and preparation.