Predicting residual pressure gradients after balloon angioplasty in patients with femoropopliteal artery lesions.

In endovascular therapy (EVT) for femoropopliteal artery (FPA) lesions, studies examining the relationship between lesion morphology and hemodynamic status are limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate FPA lesion characteristics, including imaging findings and their cutoff values that can predict hemodynamic significance after balloon angioplasty. This single-center retrospective study enrolled 50 de novo FPA lesions from 43 patients treated under intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) usage between June 2022 and March 2023. As a physiological parameter, the pressure gradient was measured, and the cutoff value of the residual pressure gradient (RPG) was defined as a systolic pressure > 10 mmHg through the lesions after balloon angioplasty. The pressure gradients were measured using a 0.014-inch wire-guided, rapid exchange-type microcatheter, Navvus II (Acist, Eden Prairie, Minnesota, USA). Predictive risk factors for RPG were analyzed using the random forest (RF) method. The relationship between the variables, RPG, and the cutoff points of each predictor was assessed using the partial dependence plot (PDP) method. RPG was observed in 20% of the lesions after balloon angioplasty. The RF model revealed that the percent diameter stenosis (%DS) and minimum lumen area (MLA) on IVUS assessment were strong predictive factors for RPG after balloon angioplasty. The PDP model revealed that a higher %DS (cutoff 30%) and smaller MLA (cutoff 10 mm2) could predict RPG after balloon angioplasty. Conventional lesion parameters such as %DS and MLA can predict hemodynamic significance during EVT for FPA lesions.

Interleukin-6 is an activator of pituitary stem cells upon local damage, a competence quenched in the aging gland.

Stem cells in the adult pituitary are quiescent yet show acute activation upon tissue injury. The molecular mechanisms underlying this reaction are completely unknown. We applied single-cell transcriptomics to start unraveling the acute pituitary stem cell activation process as occurring upon targeted endocrine cell-ablation damage. This stem cell reaction was contrasted with the aging (middle-aged) pituitary, known to have lost damage-repair capacity. Stem cells in the aging pituitary show regressed proliferative activation upon injury and diminished in vitro organoid formation. Single-cell RNA sequencing uncovered interleukin-6 (IL-6) as being up-regulated upon damage, however only in young but not aging pituitary. Administering IL-6 to young mice promptly triggered pituitary stem cell proliferation, while blocking IL-6 or associated signaling pathways inhibited such reaction to damage. By contrast, IL-6 did not generate a pituitary stem cell activation response in aging mice, coinciding with elevated basal IL-6 levels and raised inflammatory state in the aging gland (inflammaging). Intriguingly, in vitro stem cell activation by IL-6 was discerned in organoid culture not only from young but also from aging pituitary, indicating that the aging gland's stem cells retain intrinsic activatability in vivo, likely impeded by the prevailing inflammatory tissue milieu. Importantly, IL-6 supplementation strongly enhanced the growth capability of pituitary stem cell organoids, thereby expanding their potential as an experimental model. Our study identifies IL-6 as a pituitary stem cell activator upon local damage, a competence quenched at aging, concomitant with raised IL-6/inflammatory levels in the older gland. These insights may open the way to interfering with pituitary aging.

Transforming Growth Factor α Evokes Aromatase Expression in Gastric Parietal Cells during Rat Postnatal Development.

Estrogen, well known as a female hormone, is synthesized primarily by ovarian aromatase. However, extra-glandular tissues also express aromatase and produce estrogen. It is noteworthy that aromatase in gastric parietal cells begins expression around 20 days after birth and continues secreting considerable amounts of estrogen into the portal vein throughout life, supplying it to the liver. Estrogen, which is secreted from the stomach, is speculated to play a monitoring role in blood triglyceride, and its importance is expected to increase. Nevertheless, the regulatory mechanisms of the aromatase expression remain unclear. This study investigated the influence of transforming growth factor α (TGFα) on gastric aromatase expression during postnatal development. The administration of TGFα (50 µg/kg BW) to male Wistar rats in the weaning period resulted in enhanced aromatase expression and increased phosphorylated ERK1+2 in the gastric mucosa. By contrast, administration of AG1478 (5 mg/kg BW), a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor with high selectivity for the epidermal growth factor receptor and acting as an antagonist of TGFα, led to the suppression of aromatase expression. In fact, TGFα expression in the gastric fundic gland isthmus began around 20 days after birth in normal rats as did that of aromatase, which indicates that TGFα might induce the expression of aromatase in the parietal cells concomitantly.

Organoids from human tooth showing epithelial stemness phenotype and differentiation potential.

Insight into human tooth epithelial stem cells and their biology is sparse. Tissue-derived organoid models typically replicate the tissue's epithelial stem cell compartment. Here, we developed a first-in-time epithelial organoid model starting from human tooth. Dental follicle (DF) tissue, isolated from unerupted wisdom teeth, efficiently generated epithelial organoids that were long-term expandable. The organoids displayed a tooth epithelial stemness phenotype similar to the DF's epithelial cell rests of Malassez (ERM), a compartment containing dental epithelial stem cells. Single-cell transcriptomics reinforced this organoid-ERM congruence, and uncovered novel, mouse-mirroring stem cell features. Exposure of the organoids to epidermal growth factor induced transient proliferation and eventual epithelial-mesenchymal transition, highly mimicking events taking place in the ERM in vivo. Moreover, the ERM stemness organoids were able to unfold an ameloblast differentiation process, further enhanced by transforming growth factor-ß (TGFß) and abrogated by TGFß receptor inhibition, thereby reproducing TGFß's known key position in amelogenesis. Interestingly, by creating a mesenchymal-epithelial composite organoid (assembloid) model, we demonstrated that the presence of dental mesenchymal cells (i.e. pulp stem cells) triggered ameloblast differentiation in the epithelial stem cells, thus replicating the known importance of mesenchyme-epithelium interaction in tooth development and amelogenesis. Also here, differentiation was abrogated by TGFß receptor inhibition. Together, we developed novel organoid models empowering the exploration of human tooth epithelial stem cell biology and function as well as their interplay with dental mesenchyme, all at present only poorly defined in humans. Moreover, the new models may pave the way to future tooth-regenerative perspectives.

Age-related alterations of gastric mucosa and estrogen synthesis in rat parietal cells.

The stomach has diverse functions other than gastric acid secretion. Multifaceted studies have investigated age-related changes of the gastrointestinal tract. Nevertheless, little is known about estrogen production changes in gastric parietal cells in rats aged over 3 months. We investigated age-related changes in gastric estrogen synthesis and the accompanying changes in liver estrogen receptor from 3 to 24 months. Weights of the body, stomach, and liver increased linearly from 3 to 18 months, then maintained a constant proportion up to 24 months. The gastric mucosa area (in mm2/1 mm muscularis mucosa) showed a constant proportion throughout the rats' life. The population of parietal cells immunostained area with H+/K+-ATPase decreased gradually with advancing age. Cells that were immunopositive to aromatase antibody were observed at 3-24 months. The expressions of aromatase mRNA and its protein were somewhat lower at 18 and 24 months than at 3 months. The portal venous estradiol concentration at 12 months was 1.5 times higher than that at 3 months, and that at 18 months was a half of that at 3 months. The expression of estrogen receptor mRNA in the liver at 18 and 24 months was about 80% of that at 3 months. Results suggest that the gastric estrogen production declines with aging, and the liver estrogen receptor is also affected accordingly. Simultaneously, the gastric mucosa continues to express aromatase to maintain liver function(s) throughout the animal's life.

Pennelliiside D, a New Acyl Glucose from Solanum pennellii and Chemical Synthesis of Pennelliisides.

Acyl glucoses are a group of specialized metabolites produced by Solanaceae. Solanum pennellii, a wild-type tomato plant, produces acyl glucoses in its hair-like epidermal structures known as trichomes. These compounds have been found to be herbicides, microbial growth inhibitors, or allelopathic compounds. However, there are a few reports regarding isolation and investigation of biological activities of acyl glucoses in its pure form due to the difficulty of isolation. Here, we report a new acyl glucose, pennelliiside D, isolated and identified from S. pennellii. Its structure was determined by 1D NMR and 2D NMR, together with FD-MS analysis. To clarify the absolute configuration of the acyl moiety of 2-methylbutyryl in the natural compound, two possible isomers were synthesized starting from ß-D-glucose pentaacetate. By comparing the spectroscopic data of natural and synthesized compounds of isomers, the structure of pennelliiside D was confirmed to be 3,4-O-diisobutyryl-2-O-((S)-2-methylbutyryl)-D-glucose. Pennelliiside D and its constituent fatty acid moiety, (S)-2-methylbutanoic acid, did not show root growth-inhibitory activity. Additionally, in this study, chemical synthesis pathways toward pennelliisides A and B were adapted to give 1,6-O-dibenzylpennelliisides A and B.

Organoids can be established reliably from cryopreserved biopsy catheter-derived endometrial tissue of infertile women.

RESEARCH QUESTION: Can organoids be established from endometrial tissue of infertile women and does tissue cryopreservation allow for establishment of organoids comparable to organoids derived from freshly biopsied endometrial tissue? DESIGN: Endometrial tissue was obtained from six infertile women through minimally invasive biopsy using a Pipelle catheter and subjected to organoid development, immediately after biopsy as well as after tissue cryopreservation. Organoid formation efficiency, morphology, expandability potential, endometrial marker expression (immunostaining and reverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction) and hormonal responsiveness (after oestradiol and progesterone treatment) were assessed. RESULTS: Organoids established from both fresh and frozen tissue at comparable efficiency could be passaged long-term and showed similar morphology, i.e. cystic with a central lumen lined by a single epithelial cell layer. They also exhibited comparable expression of endometrial markers and proliferative activity (Ki67 expression). Finally, organoids from freshly biopsied and cryopreserved endometrial tissue showed similar responses to oestradiol and progesterone treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Organoids can be established from cryopreserved endometrial tissue of infertile women and cryopreservation of the biopsy does not affect organoid formation and overall organoid characteristics. Cryopreservation of biopsies for later organoid development facilitates sample collection from any fertility clinic, not just the ones near an organoid laboratory.

Expression and localization of aromatase in human gastric mucosa : Immunohistochemical study using biopsy materials.

Parietal cells in the gastric mucosa are known not only as cells playing major roles in food digestion but also as cells bearing endocrine function. In addition to their production of gastrin and ghrelin, it has been recently revealed that these cells are also involved in the synthesis and secretion of estrogens with their expression of aromatase in experimental animals. Although aromatase activity has been detected in human gastric cancer cells and related cell lines, much less study has been done to ascertain the expression of the enzymatic activity in normal gastric mucosa. It has not been established which cell type is responsible for estrogen production in human gastric glands consisting of epithelial cells of several types. The aim of this study is to define the expression of aromatase by parietal cells in human gastric glands using immunohistochemical techniques. We retrieved formalin-fixed paraffin embedded materials of gastric biopsies from 16 patients (nine men, seven women). Colocalization of aromatase and H+/K+-ATPase ß-subunit indicated that positive cells are parietal cells, but not chief cells and mucous cells. Furthermore, immunoreactivity of aromatase was detected within gastric glands irrespective of age or sex. These results suggest that human parietal cells synthesize estrogens within gastric mucosa and subsequently secrete them to the portal vein via gastric vein, as they do in rats. These estrogens might influence liver functions in humans. The estrogenic effects related to liver dysfunction might also be attributed to them.

Capsular attachment of the subregions of rotator cuff muscles.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to morphologically and histologically investigate the relationship between deep subregions of the rotator cuff muscle and shoulder joint capsule as well as the relationship between the rotator cuff tendon or capsule and bony insertion. METHODS: We examined 13 shoulders of embalmed cadavers and measured the capsular attachments and footprints macroscopically. We also histologically examined the fibres in three shoulders. RESULTS: Loose attachment, which was less tight with spaced connective tissue, and firm attachment, which was tight with dense connective tissue, were found under the surface of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus. The anterior-deep and posterior-deep subregions of the supraspinatus and the middle partition and inferior partition of the infraspinatus formed firm attachments to the capsule. The mean areas of firm attachment for the anterior-deep subregion, posterior-deep subregion and middle partition were 118.8 mm2, 267.8 mm2 and 399.3 mm2, respectively, while the area of the inferior partition was small. The transverse fibres were located just lateral to the medial edge of the firm attachment area. The thick capsule had a substantial footprint. Both tendon fibres and the capsule inserted into the superior and middle facets through the attachment fibrocartilage. CONCLUSIONS: The posterior-deep subregion of the supraspinatus and middle partition of the infraspinatus evenly occupied the capsular attachment area. The transverse fibres were located just lateral to the medial edge of the firm attachment area, and the thick capsule had a substantial footprint. Both tendon fibres and the capsule inserted into the superior and middle facets through the attachment fibrocartilage.

Bridge Suture for Successful McDonald Emergency Cerclage.

OBJECTIVES: To create awareness about a surgical technique termed bridge suture, which is performed as a pretreatment before a McDonald cerclage is performed on an emergency to treat severe cervical insufficiency. METHODS: Procedures for bridge suture were reviewed in detail and outcomes of 16 patients treated with bridge suture followed by McDonald cerclage were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: Using the bridge suture, the edges of uterine cervix were temporarily sutured and the external uterine os was closed, while the hourglass-shaped fetal membranes were concomitantly confined within the cervix; subsequently, a McDonald cerclage was performed. Over a 22-year period, 16 patients with a dilated cervix and bulging fetal membranes were treated using the technique of bridge suture followed by an emergency cerclage. The mean gestational age at cerclage was 22.5 weeks; the mean gestational age at delivery was 30.7 weeks; and the mean interval between cerclage and delivery was 8.2 weeks. In 15 out of 16 cases, cerclage was performed without encountering any complications. No maternal complications, including cervical laceration, were observed. The mean body weight of 17 neonates, including that of a twin, was 1,516 g and of them, 15 neonates survived. CONCLUSION: The important outcome of bridge suture is the replacement of fetal membranes back into the uterine cavity before McDonald's cerclage is performed. Pretreatment with bridge suture may facilitate the performance of a successful emergency cerclage and contribute to good maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Osteosarcoma of the distal radius treated with segmental forearm resection, hand replantation, and subsequent limb lengthening: case report.

A 9-year-old girl with osteosarcoma of the radius was treated with segmental forearm resection and replantation followed by forearm lengthening of 11 cm. At 9-year follow-up, she had recovered sensory function, and her pinch and grasp were sufficient for performing daily activities. Functional outcomes evaluated by the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaire and International Society of Limb Salvage functional score system were 4/100 and 23/30, respectively.

Yellow Pea Pasta Enhances the Saltiness and Suppression of Postprandial Blood Glucose Elevation.

Salt and carbohydrates, two causes of elevated blood glucose, are essential components for survival; however, excessive intake of either is a known health risk. In a previous study, we reported the usefulness of pasta prepared from yellow pea (YPP) as a functional staple food that is beneficial for blood sugar control. In this study, we investigated the usefulness of YPP in reducing health risks by examining its effects on saltiness, postprandial satisfaction, and second meal. The results showed that YPP tasted saltier than conventional pasta made from semolina wheat when prepared with a 0.75% salt concentration. In addition, we examined blood glucose levels, insulin secretion, and postprandial hunger over a longer period than in previous studies. We observed that when the same amount of YPP and wheat pasta were eaten, the elevation in blood glucose and insulin secretion was lower after YPP consumption while maintaining a similar level of satiety. Furthermore, YPP was also observed to be able to suppress elevated insulin levels at the second meal.

Organoids from mouse molar and incisor as new tools to study tooth-specific biology and development.

Organoid models provide powerful tools to study tissue biology and development in a dish. Presently, organoids have not yet been developed from mouse tooth. Here, we established tooth organoids (TOs) from early-postnatal mouse molar and incisor, which are long-term expandable, express dental epithelium stem cell (DESC) markers, and recapitulate key properties of the dental epithelium in a tooth-type-specific manner. TOs display in vitro differentiation capacity toward ameloblast-resembling cells, even more pronounced in assembloids in which dental mesenchymal (pulp) stem cells are combined with the organoid DESCs. Single-cell transcriptomics supports this developmental potential and reveals co-differentiation into junctional epithelium- and odontoblast-/cementoblast-like cells in the assembloids. Finally, TOs survive and show ameloblast-resembling differentiation also in vivo. The developed organoid models provide new tools to study mouse tooth-type-specific biology and development and gain deeper molecular and functional insights that may eventually help to achieve future human biological tooth repair and replacement.

A Study on Legume-Based Noodles as Staple Food for Office Workers.

This study aims to verify the effects of "legume-based noodles" as a staple food for lunch, specifically: blood glucose, cognitive function tests, Kansei value, work questionnaires, typing, and body weight. The experiment is divided into two groups: the intervention group (legumes-based noodle) and the control group (regular lunch). Both groups have similar menu except the staple food. The intervention group resulted in a statistically significant lower blood glucose area under the curve (AUC) and lower maximum blood glucose levels during the afternoon work hours on weekdays. In addition, the Kansei value "concentration" decreased at the end of the workday in the control group compared to before and after lunch but did not decrease in the intervention group. Furthermore, the number of typing accuracy was higher in the intervention group than in the control group, and the questionnaire responses for "work efficiency" and "motivation" were more positive. These results suggest that eating legume-based noodles may lead to improved performance of office workers.

Exploring stem cell biology in pituitary tumors and derived organoids.

Pituitary tumorigenesis is highly prevalent and causes major endocrine disorders. Hardly anything is known on the behavior of the local stem cells in this pathology. Here, we explored the stem cells' biology in mouse and human pituitary tumors using transcriptomic, immunophenotyping and organoid approaches. In the prolactinoma-growing pituitary of dopamine receptor D2 knock-out mice, the stem cell population displays an activated state in terms of proliferative activity and distinct cytokine/chemokine phenotype. Organoids derived from the tumorous glands' stem cells recapitulated these aspects of the stem cells' activation nature. Upregulated cytokines, in particular interleukin-6, stimulated the stem cell-derived organoid development and growth process. In human pituitary tumors, cells typified by expression of stemness markers, in particular SOX2 and SOX9, were found present in a wide variety of clinical tumor types, also showing a pronounced proliferative status. Organoids efficiently developed from human tumor samples, displaying a stemness phenotype as well as tumor-specific expression fingerprints. Transcriptomic analysis revealed fading of cytokine pathways at organoid development and passaging, but their reactivation did not prove capable of rescuing early organoid expansion and passageability arrest. Taken together, our study revealed and underscored an activated phenotype of the pituitary-resident stem cells in tumorigenic glands and tumors. Our findings pave the way to defining the functional position of the local stem cells in pituitary tumor pathogenesis, at present barely known. Deeper insight can lead to more efficient and targeted clinical management, currently still not satisfactorily.

Oxazolone-induced gastrointestinal disorders enhance the oral transmission of AA amyloidosis in mice.

Amyloid A (AA) amyloidosis is a lethal disease characterized by systemic AA amyloid deposition, and is reported in many animal species. Despite experiments have shown that AA amyloidosis can be transmitted orally, horizontal transmission and cross-species transmission are concerns, the transmission mechanism has been unknown. In this study, we examined the oral transmission efficiency of AA amyloidosis using oxazolone-induced gastrointestinal disorder mice. As a result, the upper or lower gastrointestinal disorder groups developed more severe amyloid deposition in systemic tissues than the group without gastrointestinal disorders. The results of this study suggest that gastrointestinal damage promotes the oral transmission of AA amyloidosis.

Estrogen synthesis in the stomach of Sprague-Dawley rats: comparison to Wistar rats.

Aromatase, an estrogen synthase, exists in the gastric parietal cells of Wistar rats. The stomach synthesizes large amounts of estrogens and secretes them into the portal vein. We have been particularly studying gastric estrogen synthesis using Wistar rats. However, estrogen synthesis in the stomach of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, which are used as frequently as those of the Wistar strain, has not been clarified. We examined steroid synthesis in the stomach of SD rats using immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, Western blotting, real-time PCR, and LC-MS/MS. Aromatase also exists in the stomach of SD rats. Its distribution was not found to be different from that of Wistar rats. Results show that H+/K+-ATPase ß-subunit and aromatase colocalized in double immunofluorescence staining. Each steroid synthase downstream from progesterone was present in the gastric mucosa. These results suggest that steroid hormones are synthesized in the parietal cells in the same pathway as Wistar rats. Although mRNA expression of steroid synthases were higher in SD, no significant difference was found in the amount of protein and each steroid hormone level in the portal vein. Although differences between strains might exist in steroid hormone synthesis, results show that SD rats are as useful as Wistar rats for gastric estrogen synthesis experimentation.

Clasped position for measurement of sagittal spinal alignment.

Lateral whole-spine radiography is a useful tool in the management of spinal deformity, but the most appropriate arm position during radiography has yet to be determined. In this prospective study, we evaluated 26 adult volunteers and 22 patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis. Lateral whole-spine radiographs were acquired in the most stable and relaxed position while the subjects were standing with their arms extended and their hand gently clasped in front of the trunk (clasped position). The following parameters were measured: sagittal vertical axis (SVA), lumbar lordotic angle (LLA), pelvic angle (PA), pelvic lordosis angle (PRS1), pelvic tilt (PT), and pelvic incidence (PI). The reliability of measurements was assessed by interclass correlation coefficients. The SVA was slightly positive in volunteers. LLA, PA, PRS1, PT, and PI were compatible with standard normal values. The results showed "almost perfect agreement" with regard to intra- and interobserver reliability. The clasped position can be used effectively and reliably for measurement of sagittal spinal alignment for the lumbar region in adults.

Estrogen synthesis in gastric parietal cells and secretion into portal vein.

Aromatase is the enzyme responsible for conversion of C19 androgenic steroids to the corresponding estrogens: a reaction known as aromatization. In systemic circulation, the main source of 17ß-estradiol, an estrogen, is the ovary. However, some reports describe that the gastric parietal cells synthesize large amounts of estrogens into the portal vein in both male and female rats. Although the author found many estrogen-producing cells in the stomach of younger and older groups of men and women, details of gastric estrogens have remained unclear. The author therefore investigated the fundamental kinetics of gastric 17ß-estradiol using rats, obtaining important findings. In postnatal development, the gastric aromatase increases gradually from 20 days after birth. Gastric 17ß-estradiol might contribute to liver growth. The regulation of gastric 17ß-estradiol differs from that of other gastric endocrine systems and gastric acid secretion. Although ovarian estrogen fluctuates, gastric 17ß-estradiol synthesis remains stable during the estrus cycle. The synthesis of gastric 17ß-estradiol is independent of the regulatory system of the ovary. The circadian rhythm of the arterial 17ß-estradiol level depends on the hepatic estrogen receptor α expression, and also on the concentration of gastric 17ß-estradiol in the portal vein because portal venous 17ß-estradiol level is synchronized with arterial concentration throughout the day. Liver dysfunction associated with experimental and pathological causes such as portal vein ligation, partial hepatectomy, and bile duct ligation evoke an influx of gastric estrogen into systemic circulation. These findings provide new insights into the gastro-hepatic axis and elucidate stomach and liver functions.

Identification of genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms among geographically diverse radish accessions.

Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) is cultivated around the world as a vegetable crop and exhibits diverse morphological and physiological features. DNA polymorphisms are responsible for differences in traits among cultivars. In this study, we determined genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among geographically diverse radish accessions using the double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-Seq) method. A total of 52,559 SNPs was identified in a collection of over 500 radish accessions (cultivated and wild) from East Asia, South and Southeast Asia, and the Occident and Near East. In addition, 2,624 SNP sites without missing data (referred to as common SNP sites) were identified among 510 accessions. Genetic diversity analyses, based on the common SNP sites, divided the cultivated radish accessions into four main groups, each derived from four geographical areas (Japan, East Asia, South and Southeast Asia, and the Occident and Near East). Furthermore, we discuss the origin of cultivated radish and its migration from the West to East Asia. SNP data generated in this work will facilitate further genetic studies on the radish breeding and production of DNA markers.