Taxonomic insights and evolutionary history in East Asian terrestrial slugs of the genus Meghimatium.

East Asia, specifically the Japanese Archipelago, is a biodiversity hotspot of both vertebrates and invertebrates. Mollusks represent a burst of species diversity in this region due to the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on their morphological traits, such as shell shape and size. However, the evolutionary history of terrestrial slugs in East Asia remains unknown. In the present study, we investigated the molecular phylogeny of terrestrial slugs of the genus Meghimatium. This genus includes three described and eight undescribed species, and our study used all except for two. Based on phylogeny and the species delimitation tests, the genus Meghimatium was split into many putative species, suggesting higher species diversity than previously thought based on morphological and anatomical studies and that almost undescribed species may be inappropriate. Therefore, morphological traits, such as body size and colour, conventionally considered for classification may easily vary or be similar across geographic region. Moreover, the divergence time of this genus is almost concordant with the geographical time scale of the formation of the Japanese mainland. Our findings suggest that molecular phylogenetics helps classify Japanese Meghimatium slugs, but comprehensive taxonomic revisions using multi-locus analyses are needed.

Gender difference of geographic distribution of physicians in Japan: three-point analysis of 1994, 2004 and 2014.

BACKGROUND: Japan's medical education system produces 9,000 graduates annually. Despite the government's implementation of several strategies, including increasing the number of doctors trained, the country still struggles with a shortage of physicians in rural areas. This study examined this issue, focusing on gender and considering years of physician experience, demographic and geographic factors. METHODS: We analyzed the Physician Census from 1994, 2004, and 2014, examining data on physicians' gender and the number of years since licensure. To correct the impact of municipal mergers, the analysis was aligned with the number of municipalities in 2014 (1741). We examined data from each physician (gender and years of medical experience) and analyzed the demographic and geographic distribution trend using Spearman correlation coefficients. We then used the Gini coefficient to evaluate the distribution change of physicians based on gender and years of experience. RESULTS: The number of physicians increased 1.29-fold over the 20-year observation period (1.23-fold for male physicians and 2.17-fold for female physicians), and the percentage of female physicians increased from 13.4% to 20.4%. We found that 87.7% of physicians were concentrated in the top 1/3 municipalities in terms of population. The number of female physicians was higher at 91.8% compared to 86.8% for male physicians. The Gini coefficients were lower for veteran physicians of both sexes than for younger physicians. The Gini coefficient for all physicians was 0.315-0.298-0.298 (male physicians: 0.311-0.289-0.283, female physicians: 0.394-0.385-0.395) The Gini coefficients for female compared to male physicians were higher in all age groups, showing that The distribution of female physicians is skewed toward urban areas. CONCLUSION: Female physicians are less distributed in rural areas than male physicians. In addition, despite the fact that the number of female physicians has increased more than male physicians over the past 20 years, the geographic ubiquity of female physicians has not improved. Since the trend of increasing the number of female physicians is expected to continue in the future, it is necessary to take some measures, such as providing a work-life balance suitable for female physicians.

Resolving species-level diversity of Beringiana and Sinanodonta mussels (Bivalvia: Unionidae) in the Japanese archipelago using genome-wide data.

Accurate species identification is of primary importance in ecology and evolutionary biology. For a long time, the unionid mussels Beringiana and Sinanodonta have puzzled researchers trying to unravel their diversity because of their poorly discernible morphologies. A recent study conducted species delineation of unionid mussels based on mitochondrial DNA variation, opening up a new avenue to grasp species diversity of the mussels. However, mtDNA-based classification may not align with species boundaries because mtDNA is prone to introgression and incomplete lineage sorting that cause discordance between species affiliation and gene phylogeny. In this study, we evaluated the validity of the mtDNA-based classification of unionid mussels Beringiana and Sinanodonta in Japan using mitochondrial sequence data, double digest restriction site-associated DNA library (ddRAD) sequencing, and morphological data. We found significant inconsistencies in the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA phylogenies, casting doubt on the reliability of the mtDNA-based classification in this group. In addition, nuclear DNA phylogeny revealed that there are at least two unionid lineages hidden in the mtDNA phylogeny. Although molecular dating technique indicates that Beringiana and Sinanodonta diverged >35 million years ago, their shell morphologies are often indistinguishable. Specifically, morphological analyses exhibited the parallel appearance of nearly identical ball-like shell forms in the two genera in Lake Biwa, which further complicates species identification and the morphological evolution of unionid mussels. Our study adds to a growing body of literature that accurate species identification of unionid mussels is difficult when using morphological characters alone. Although mtDNA-based classification is a simple and convenient way to classify unionid mussels, considerable caution is warranted for its application in ecological and evolutionary studies.

Sexual inactivation induced by the mucus that covers land snail love darts: sexual selection and evolution of allohormones in hermaphrodites.

The transfer of male accessory gland secretions is a well-investigated reproductive strategy for winning in sexual selection. An example of such a strategy is the conspicuous mating behaviour of simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails, the so-called shooting of love darts, whereby a snail drives a love dart(s) into the body of its mating partner. In the land snail Euhadra quaesita, it has been shown that a specific mucus which coats the love dart is transferred into the partner's haemolymph and that it suppresses subsequent matings in the darted individual. However, how the mucus of the love dart suppresses rematings remains unclear. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that by injection of the dart mucus, love-dart shooters manipulate the physiology of a dart recipient and make the individual sexually inactive. In an experiment in which snails were provided with opportunities to encounter a potential mating partner, we found that the latency period to achieve sexual arousal was longer in snails injected with the dart mucus than in snails of the control treatments. This finding indicates that the dart mucus delays sexual arousal in injected snails. This delay in arousal is a novel example of the effects of the mucus in simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails. The remating suppression effect of the dart mucus is likely to occur through sexual inactivation.

Predictors of happiness during the COVID-19 pandemic in mothers of infants and/or preschoolers: a pre-COVID-19 comparative study in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Happiness may help to prevent negative physiological outcomes in response to life events; however, factors contributing to happiness during the COVID-19 pandemic have not been longitudinally investigated. This study explored the predictors of happiness in mothers of young children in Japan using comparable data that were obtained before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: We conducted the baseline survey in February 2020, and 4 months later, we also conducted the follow-up survey. Throughout all 47 prefectures in Japan, 4,700 (100 respondents/prefecture) mothers of infants and/or preschoolers (0-6 years) participated in the baseline online survey; 2,489 of these also participated in the follow-up survey. RESULTS: We performed hierarchical multiple regression analysis and our final model indicated that maternal happiness during COVID-19 pandemic was positively related to employment status (homemaker, ß = 0.052, p = 0.014), levels of available social support (average, ß = 0.052, p = 0.012, high, ß = 0.055, p = 0.010) and happiness score before the pandemic (ß = 0.467, p < 0.001), and satisfaction toward the measures against the COVID-19 at partners' workplace (average, ß = 0.129, p < 0.001; high, ß = 0.279, p < 0.001), preventive behavior against COVID-19 (average, ß = 0.055, p = 0.002; high, ß = 0.045, p = 0.015) and positive attitudes/thinking (ß = 0.087, p < 0.001) during the pandemic. In contrast, poor mental health (K6 ≥5, ß = -0.042, p = 0.011) before the pandemic and negative changes during the pandemic (≥3, ß = -0.085, p < 0.001) were negatively related to maternal happiness during the pandemic. Our final model explained 44.9% of the variance in mothers' happiness during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: Satisfaction toward the measures against the COVID-19 at partners' workplace, preventive behavior, and positive attitudes/thinking were especially important for maternal happiness during the COVID-19 pandemic. Future study is needed to consider measures against infectious diseases in the workplace that are desirable for the well-being of parents with young children, taking into account the gender perspective.

Room-Temperature Phosphorescence Emitters Exhibiting Red to Near-Infrared Emission Derived from Intermolecular Charge-Transfer Triplet States of Naphthalenediimide-Halobenzoate Triad Molecules.

Invited for the cover of this issue is Toshikazu Ono, Yoshio Hisaeda and co-workers at Kyushu University and their collaborators at Ochanomizu University, Chuo University, and Institute for Molecular Science. The image depicts a molecular assembly structure shining like a jewel, glowing in the red-to-near infrared region. Read the full text of the article at 10.1002/chem.202100906.

Room-Temperature Phosphorescence Emitters Exhibiting Red to Near-Infrared Emission Derived from Intermolecular Charge-Transfer Triplet States of Naphthalenediimide-Halobenzoate Triad Molecules.

Room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) emitters have attracted significant attention. However, purely organic RTP emitters in red to near-infrared region have not been properly investigated. In this study, a series of naphthalenediimide-halobenzoate-linked molecules are synthesized, one of which exhibits efficient RTP properties, showing red to near-infrared emission in solid and aqueous dispersion. Spectroscopic studies and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis have shown that the difference in the stacking modes of compounds affects the optical properties, and the formation of intermolecular charge-transfer complexes of naphthalenediimide-halobenzoate moiety results in a bathochromic shift of absorption and RTP properties. The time-dependent density functional theory calculations showed that the formation of charge-transfer triplet states and the external heavy atom effect of the halogen atom enhance the intersystem crossing between excited singlet and triplet states.

Evaluation of motor function using the two-step test in type C day care service.

[Purpose] Evaluation of motor function in preventive care services using a convenient method is necessary. The two-step test is clinically useful in evaluating motor function. Thus, we aimed to assess motor function using the two-step test in day care service type C. [Participants and Methods] The two-step test value and motor function used in day care service type C were evaluated in 23 elderly females (mean age: 77.4 ± 6.7 years). [Results] Timed Up and Go test and two-step test results were highly correlated. [Conclusion] The results suggest that the factors constituting the two-step test showed a dynamic balance. Intervention for step or dynamic balance is important to improve the gait ability of elderly females in type C day care service.

Age-related changes in the tactile pressure sensitivity threshold in the sole of the foot in diabetic patients.

[Purpose] Patients diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (DM) are known to experience sensory disturbances in their feet secondary to diabetic neuropathy (DN). The sole of the foot tactile pressure sensitivity threshold in patients with DM was evaluated in addition to examining age-related effects based on the sites studied. Whether the tactile pressure sensitivity threshold in the sole of the foot in elderly patients with DM was associated with the duration of DM or aging was evaluated. [Participants and Methods] Our study included 204 patients with DM (136males and 68 females). Patients were divided into the following age groups: 20-39 (20 patients), 40-49 (26 patients), 50-59 (34 patients), 60-69 (60 patients), 70-79 (45 patients), and 80-89 years (19 patients). Using Semmes-Weinstein monofilament testing, the tactile pressure sensitivity threshold at the sole of the foot was evaluated in the bilateral halluces, first metatarsal head, fifth toe metatarsal head, and the heels, and age-related effects were examined. [Results] At all the sites that were examined, we observed an age-related increase in the tactile pressure sensitivity threshold value, and this finding demonstrated a positive partial correlation with the duration of DM. [Conclusion] Aging influences DN-induced degeneration of peripheral nerves.

The direct cost of traumatic secretion transfer in hermaphroditic land snails: individuals stabbed with a love dart decrease lifetime fecundity.

Several taxa of simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails exhibit a conspicuous mating behaviour, the so-called shooting of love darts. During mating, such land snail species transfer a specific secretion by stabbing a mating partner's body with the love dart. It has been shown that sperm donors benefit from this traumatic secretion transfer, because the secretions manipulate the physiology of a sperm recipient and increase the donors' fertilization success. However, it is unclear whether reception of dart shooting is costly to the recipients. Therefore, the effect of sexual conflict and antagonistic arms races on the evolution of traumatic secretion transfer in land snails is still controversial. To examine this effect, we compared lifetime fecundity and longevity between the individuals that received and did not receive dart shooting from mating partners in Bradybaena pellucida. Our experiments showed that the dart-receiving snails suffered reduction in lifetime fecundity and longevity. These results suggest that the costly mating behaviour, dart shooting, generates conflict between sperm donors and recipients and that sexually antagonistic arms races have contributed to the diversification of the morphological and behavioural traits relevant to dart shooting. Our findings also support theories suggesting a violent escalation of sexual conflict in hermaphroditic animals.

Substantial incongruence among the morphology, taxonomy, and molecular phylogeny of the land snails Aegista, Landouria, Trishoplita, and Pseudobuliminus (Pulmonata: Bradybaenidae) occurring in East Asia.

Analyses of molecular phylogeny have revealed that phenotypically identified taxa do not reflect phylogenetic relationships. Such taxa often are not evolutionary significant and are misleading in describing and evaluating biological diversity. Herein, we investigated the molecular phylogeny of the East Asian bradybaenid land snail genera Aegista, Landouria, Trishoplita, and Pseudobuliminus to test whether morphology and current taxonomy reflect phylogenetic relationships. Our results document extensive parallel evolution and substantial incongruence between taxonomy and molecular phylogeny. Species with an elongated turret shell evolved independently five times, and hair-like ornamentation of the shell was independently gained or lost in a number of lineages. Although genital anatomy reveals phylogenetic conservatism to some extent, love dart and dart-related organs were lost independently at least three times in these genera. Accordingly, classification of these genera based on morphological traits did not reflect phylogenetic relationships, and, overall, these genera except for a few species should be tentatively assigned to a single genus as Aegista. The present findings suggest that radical revision is required for the taxonomy of bradybaenid land snails.

Common effect of the mucus transferred during mating in two dart-shooting snail species from different families.

Several taxa of pulmonate land snails exhibit a conspicuous mating behaviour, the shooting of so-called love darts. During mating, such land snail species stab a mating partner with a mucus-coated dart. It has previously been shown that the sperm donor physiologically influences the sperm recipient via the mucus covering the dart and thereby decreases the number of sperm digested by the recipient. However, the generality of this effect of the dart's mucus is unclear, because almost all the previous studies on the effect of the mucus used the brown garden snail Cornu aspersum from the family Helicidae. Therefore, the relationship between the acquisition of the mucus effect on the recipient and the evolution of the dart itself, and its mucus, is still open to debate. To test the commonality of the physiological effect of the dart mucus, we examined this in Euhadra peliomphala, a species from the Bradybaenidae family, and compared our findings with the results of previous work using C. aspersum. Our experiments showed that in E. peliomphala, the dart mucus had a physiological effect and lowered the accessibility of the gametolytic organ, as found in C. aspersum. This indicates that in various dart-bearing species the mucus from the dart glands targets the same organ and that the inhibition of sperm digestion has played a crucial role in the evolution of the dart and its mucus.

Embryonic Cadaverine Signaling: Implications for Plasma Free Amino Acid and Skeletal Muscle Energy Metabolism in Newly Hatched Chicks.

Cadaverine is a bioactive substance derived from lysine degradation by lysine decarboxylase and has gained attention for its physiological effects. Studies in rodents have revealed its role as a cell growth regulator, particularly intestinal bacterial-produced cadaverine. However, the nutritional and physiological roles of cadaverine during the embryonic period remain unclear, especially considering the immature state of the gut microbiota and digestive functions during this stage. This study explored the potential functions of cadaverine as a nutritional and metabolic signal during chicken embryonic development. Experiments were conducted using an in ovo administration method to evaluate the effects of nutritional bioactive substances on developing chicken embryos. Although there were no observable changes in body or organ weights of newly hatched chicks following in ovo cadaverine administration to day 18 chick embryos, plasma tryptophan, Nτ-methylhistidine, and Nπ-methylhistidine concentrations decreased and the gene expression of insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 signaling in skeletal muscle was upregulated. These findings imply that cadaverine influences tryptophan metabolism and skeletal muscle catabolism during the embryonic period, suggesting its role as a bioactive factor contributing to energy metabolism signaling in skeletal muscle.

Strategic ejaculation in simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails: more sperm into virgin mates.

BACKGROUND: It has been theorised that sperm competition promotes the strategic usage of costly sperm. Although sperm competition is thought to be an important driving force of reproductive traits in simultaneous hermaphrodites as well as in species with separate sexes, empirical studies on strategic ejaculation in simultaneous hermaphrodites are scarce. RESULTS: In the present study, we tested whether the simultaneously hermaphroditic land snail Euhadra quaesita adjusts the number of sperm donated according to the condition of the mate and whether the pattern of strategic ejaculation is in line with previously suggested theories. We found that individuals donated much more sperm when they copulated with a virgin mate than when they copulated with a non-virgin. CONCLUSION: The virgin-biased pattern of ejaculation matches the theoretical prediction and suggests that sperm competition significantly influence the reproductive traits of simultaneously hermaphroditic land snails.

Measurement of a photoinduced transition from a nonordered phase to a transient ordered phase in the organic quantum-paraelectric compound dimethyltetrathiafulvalene-dibromodichloro-p-benzoquinone using femtosecond laser irradiation.

We report a new photoinduced transition from a nonordered phase to a transient ordered phase with symmetry breaking in an organic charge-transfer compound, dimethyltetrathiafulvalene (DMTTF)-dibromodichloro-p-benzoquinone (2,6QBr(2)Cl(2)), which is a neutral compound located near the neutral-ionic phase boundary and shows quantum paraelectricity at low temperatures. By an irradiation of a femtosecond laser pulse, an ionic domain consisting of ~40 molecules is introduced into the neutral lattice per photon, giving rise to coherent molecular oscillations with fractional charge modulations over ~400 molecules. This response is due to the recovery of ferroelectric nature from the quantum paraelectricity by a photoinjection of an ionic domain with a large dipole moment.

Molecular investigation on diversity of the land snail genus Aegista (Gastropoda, Camaenidae) in South Korea.

Aegista Albers, 1850 is a large genus of the land snail family Camaenidae Pilsbry, 1895 and distributed in south, southeast and east Asian countries (from India and Nepal to Korea and Japan). Fourteen species and subspecies of Aegista are known from South Korea. They were described, based only on shell morphology during 1887-1943 and our knowledge on diversity of Korean Aegista has seldom been updated since then. In this study, we provide the report on the first molecular investigation of diversity of Aegista in South Korea, which unmasked some of overlooked diversity of this group.

Relationships between changes due to COVID-19 pandemic and the depressive and anxiety symptoms among mothers of infants and/or preschoolers: a prospective follow-up study from pre-COVID-19 Japan.

OBJECTIVES: Mothers with young children are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of the lifestyle changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the association between such changes and maternal mental health has not been examined, and comparable pre-COVID-19 baseline data were lacking. Thus, we aimed to examine the relationships between changes due to COVID-19 pandemic and the development of depressive and anxiety symptoms among mothers of infants and/or preschoolers in Japan. DESIGN: Prospective follow-up study. The baseline survey was conducted in February 2020, and the follow-up survey was conducted in June 2020. SETTING: All 47 prefectures in Japan. PARTICIPANTS: At the baseline, 4700 mothers of infants and/or preschoolers (0-6 years) participated in the online survey (100 respondents per prefecture); 2489 of them also participated in the follow-up survey. After excluding 203 participants with a higher risk of severe mental illness at the baseline, 2286 were included in the analysis. OUTCOME MEASURES: The Kessler Psychological Distress Scale was used to measure depressive and anxiety symptoms, with a cut-off point of 13 or more. We estimated the adjusted OR (AOR) using multiple logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: During the follow-up period, 151 (6.6%) of respondents newly developed depressive and anxiety symptoms. Participants who experienced a shortage of relaxation time (AOR 1.61, 95% CI 1.06 to 2.47), increased difficulty in child rearing (AOR 1.89, 95% CI 1.32 to 2.70), increased partner aggression (AOR 2.93, 95% CI 1.42 to 6.05) and an increased sense of unfairness (AOR 1.74, 95% CI 1.10 to 2.73) were more likely to develop these symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Changes in circumstances and perceptions during COVID-19 outbreak were significantly related to the development of depressive and anxiety symptoms among mothers of young children. Strategies to reduce solo parenting and increase social awareness related to domestic violence are needed.

A comprehensive phylogeography of the widespread pond snail genus Radix revealed restricted colonization due to niche conservatism.

To clarify the effect of niche conservatism on evolutionary history, we focused on freshwater snails, which have different ecological and phylogenetic properties from previously tested taxa. We conducted a phylogenetic analysis using 750 lymnaeid individuals from 357 sites of eleven Radix species. Then, we estimated the ancestral distribution using the geographic coordinates and colonization routes. In addition, a statistical test of the colonization distances in the latitudinal and longitudinal directions was performed. We also conducted ecological niche modeling for two widely distributed species using climatic data. Ancestral geographic reconstruction estimated the origin of the genus to be around the Indian subcontinental region and showed that latitudinal immigration distances were shorter than longitudinal immigration distances in the diversification process. Ecological niche models suggested that the current distribution was restricted by climate, with annual mean temperature and precipitation of the driest month as particularly strong factors. Niche conservatism to the climate can affect the diversification of freshwater snails.

Table tennis for patients with Parkinson's disease: A single-center, prospective pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Table tennis is a popular sport worldwide. However, no study has examined whether it is an effective exercise for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The efficacy and safety of table tennis exercise for PD patients was examined. METHODS: This 6-month prospective study investigated if our table tennis exercise program could improve parkinsonian motor symptoms, cognition and psychiatric symptoms. Twelve PD patients with Hoehn & Yahr stage ≤4 were recruited. Patients participated in a 6-hour exercise session once weekly. All patients were assessed with the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) parts I-IV, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Starkstein Apathy Scale (SAS) at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. RESULTS: Nine of 12 PD patients were analyzed, except for three patients for which data was missing. MDS-UPDRS parts II and III were improved at 3 months (median -4.0, p = 0.012 and median -10.0, p = 0.012) and 6 months (median -7.0, p = 0.015 and median -12.0, p = 0.008), whereas MDS-UPDRS total parts I scores and total IV scores, MoCA, FAB, SDS, and SAS were unchanged. Adverse events included fall and backache in one patient each. CONCLUSION: A table tennis exercise program is relatively safe and may improve activities of daily living and motor symptoms in patients with PD.

First record of the land gastropod genus Otesiopsis from South Korea (Helicarionoidea Bourguignat, 1877).

Otesiopsis Habe, 1946 is a land snail genus, which is known so far from Japan and Taiwan. Individuals of this genus were collected from Gageodo Island, South Korea. This is the first record of the genus Otesiopsis from this country. The individuals from Gageodo Island appear to be a new species because of their unique shell morphologies, while the details of their anatomy are still lacking. Further studies are encouraged to investigate the taxonomic and conservation status of the genus Otesiopsis in South Korea.