Sprayed Urine Emits a Pungent Odor due to its Increased Adhesion to Vertical Objects via Urinary Proteins Rather Than to Changes in its Volatile Chemical Profile in Domestic Cats.

Spraying urine on vertical objects by raising the tail is a commonly observed functional behavior for chemical communication in Felidae species, including domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus). The sprayed urine is recognized as a chemical signal for territorial ownership of their habitats. Previous studies reported that sprayed urine emits a more pungent odor than urine excreted from a squatting position. However, little is known about how sprayed urine acts as a strong scent mark in the environment. Here, we showed that sprayed urine originates only from bladder urine without any secretions, such as anal sac secretions, but it can effectively emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when smeared on vertical objects due to its strong adhesion. Chemical profiles of VOCs and odor qualities were similar between fresh sprayed urine and bladder urine sampled immediately after spraying from the same individuals. Meanwhile, feline-specific proteinuria arising from excretion of a carboxylesterase that produces a precursor of cat-specific odorants resulted in reduced surface tension of the urine and increased adhesion to vertical surfaces, which kept sprayed urine on the surfaces and led to the emission of large amounts of VOCs. In conclusion, proteinuria contributes to the emission of a strong odor through its enhanced adhesion to vertical objects without other secretions containing malodorous substances. These findings improve our understanding of the mechanism of scent marking via the spraying of urine for chemical communication in cats.

Excess heat production of the pair annihilation of ionic vacancies in a copper redox reaction using a double bipolar MHD electrode.

Through a copper double bipolar magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) electrode (MHDE) producing twice the amounts of ionic vacancies than a conventional single MHDE, the molar excess heat of the pair annihilation of ionic vacancies, 702 kJ mol-1 at 10 T on average was obtained in a copper redox reaction. It was about twice as large as that of a single MHDE, 387 kJ mol-1 at the same magnetic field. This result strongly suggests that a multi-channel bipolar MHDE will produce much greater excess heat. To conserve the linear momentum and electric charge during electron transfer in an electrode reaction, ionic vacancies are created, storing the solvation energy in the polarized core of the order of 0.1 nm, and the pair annihilation of the vacancies with opposite charges liberates the energy as excess heat. The promoted excess heat by the double bipolar MHDE with a diffuser at 10 T was 710 ± 144 kJ mol-1, whereas as mentioned above, 702 ± 426 kJ mol-1 was obtained by the same electrode without such a diffuser. From the theoretical excess heat of 1140 kJ mol-1, the collision efficiencies in pair annihilation were 0.623 ± 0.126 and 0.616 ± 0.374, respectively. From these results, the reproducibility of the thermal measurement was experimentally validated. At the same time, it was concluded that at magnetic fields beyond 10 T, the concentration of ionic vacancy and the collision efficiency take constant uppermost values.

Palatal mucoperiosteal flap for oro-nasal fistula following maxillectomy for maxillary sinus cancer.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to describe the technique and clinical outcomes of using a palatal mucoperiosteal flap for oro-nasal fistula closure following resection of maxillary sinus cancer. METHODS: The study was conducted with the permission of the internal review board of the Japanese Red Cross Wakayama Medical Center. Five consecutive cases from 2016 to 2020 of surgically treated maxillary sinus cancer in which the oro-nasal fistulas were closed using a palatal mucoperiosteal flap were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Following tumor resection, the oro-nasal fistula was closed using a palatal mucoperiosteal flap. Complete separation of the oral and nasal cavities was achieved in four patients. Oral intake was resumed within two weeks in four patients. All the patients were able to eat foods similar to those in the preoperative period. Their postoperative speech function was excellent, with no difficulty in communicating with others. CONCLUSION: In the selected cases of maxillary sinus cancer, preservation of the palatal mucosa and closure of an oro-nasal fistula using a palatal mucoperiosteal flap was possible with reasonable outcomes for swallowing and speech functions. The use of this local flap is recommended as a minimally invasive procedure that can be performed especially in patients with limited physiological reserves which preclude free flap reconstruction.

Growth performance responses to increased tryptophan supplementation in growing barrows fed three different very low crude protein corn and soybean meal-based diets fortified with essential amino acids.

Seventy-five individually fed barrows averaging 35 kg were used in a series of three experiments for 6-week growth assays (25 barrows each) to determine the effects of l-tryptophan (Trp) supplementation on growth performance and to establish the lower limits of dietary crude protein (CP) levels. Corn and soybean meal (SBM)-based diets containing 9% (Experiment 1), 10% (Experiment 2), and 11% CP (Experiment 3) fortified with deficient essential amino acids (AAs) except Trp were used as basal diets for each experiment. The experimental diets were supplemented with 0.00%, 0.02%, 0.04%, or 0.06% Trp. A 16% CP corn-SBM-based diet was set as a positive control in each experiment, and feed and water were provided ad libitum. Average daily gain and gain-to-feed ratio improved quadratically (P < 0.05) as supplemented Trp increased in the 9% and 10% CP group, although these positive effects were not observed in the 11% CP group. Because the maximum performance parameters in 9%, 10%, and 11% CP groups were not different from that of the 16% CP positive control group, the marginally reduced level of dietary CP without growth performance being affected appears to be around 9% at most. A potential reduction of nitrogen intake was clearly indicated.

Objective evaluation of nutritional status using the prognostic nutritional index during and after chemoradiotherapy in Japanese patients with head and neck cancer: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES: The incidence of severe mucosal damage due to low nutritional status is high in patients receiving concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) for head and neck cancer. Objective assessments do not exist for discharge criteria after completion of CCRT. Although the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) is an objective indicator of postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing cancer surgery, the prognostic impact of the PNI in patients with head and neck cancer receiving CCRT is unexplored. We investigated whether the PNI could be an objective criterion for nutritional status and a discharge criterion after completion of CCRT. METHODS: We assessed the medical records of 23 patients with head and neck cancer who received triweekly cisplatin +radiotherapy (2 Gy ×35 fractions). We evaluated whether the PNI could be a useful evaluation indicator in patients with head and neck cancer receiving CCRT and determined the cut-off PNI value by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis as a criterion for hospital discharge. RESULTS: The PNI pre-treatment and post-treatment values were 51.0 and 38.0, respectively (p<0.05). The median length of hospitalisation after therapy was 5 days in patients with grades 1 and 2 and 10 days in patients with grade 3 oral and pharyngeal mucositis (p<0.05). The optimal cut-off PNI value as a criterion for hospital discharge was found to be 40.4 (grades 1 and 2 mucositis) and 38.6 (grade 3 mucositis) by the ROC analysis. CONCLUSIONS: The PNI is a simple, objective and temporal indicator which is useful in assessing the nutritional status of patients with head and neck cancer. The PNI could be used as an objective indicator to determine the time of discharge after CCRT completion.

Long-Term Electrodeposition under a Uniform Parallel Magnetic Field. 2. Flow-Mode Transition from Laminar MHD Flow to Convection Cells with Two-Dimensional (2D) Nucleation.

Following the analysis of the self-organization of two-dimensional (2D) nuclei in Part 1, the flow-mode transition from laminar magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) flow to convection cells accompanied by 2D nucleation under a uniform parallel magnetic field was theoretically examined using the statistical mechanics of nonequilibrium fluctuation. As a result, it was clarified that secondary nodules of 2D nuclei develop with multiple nucleations during the transition, forming a one-upon-another structure. Then, the evolution of the convection cells as well as the secondary nodules requires unstable growth of the asymmetrical fluctuations by the specific adsorption of an ion. As predicted by the theory, the electrolytic current in copper deposition with specific adsorption of hydrogen ions under a parallel magnetic field developed with time, resulting in a nonlinear steplike curve in a 1200 s deposition time.

Long-Term Electrodeposition under a Uniform Parallel Magnetic Field. 1. Instability of Two-Dimensional Nucleation in an Electric Double Layer.

Under a parallel magnetic field, after long-term copper deposition from an acidic copper sulfate solution, numerous spherical secondary nodules of 10 to 100 µm diameters were formed one upon another in dendritic mode. This is a new type of micro-magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) effect arising from the unstable growth of three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) nuclei by specific adsorption of hydrogen ions (second micro-MHD effect). From the viewpoint of instability in electrodeposition, though 3D nucleation in the diffusion layer is always unstable, with ionic specific adsorption such as hydrogen ions, stable 2D nucleation turns unstable after long-term deposition. The resultant competitive growth of 3D and 2D nuclei produces spherical nodules as their composite, leading to their dendritic growth. Furthermore, though negligibly small, nonequilibrium fluctuations occurring in 2D nucleation migrate with the laminar solution flow caused by Lorentz force (MHD flow). Depending on whether the ionic adsorption is specific or nonspecific, the traveling asymmetrical fluctuation changes the direction to the upstream or downstream side, respectively.

Excess heat production in the redox couple reaction of ferricyanide and ferrocyanide.

In order to establish the universality of the excess heat production in electrochemical reaction, under a high magnetic field, as one of the most fundamental electrochemical reactions, the case of ferricyanide-ferrocyanide redox reaction was examined, where ionic vacancies with ± 1 unit charge were collided by means of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow. As a result, from the pair annihilation of the vacancies with opposite signs, beyond 7 T, excess heat production up to 25 kJ·mol-1 in average at 15 T was observed, which was attributed to the liberation of the solvation energy stored in a pair of the vacancy cores with a 0.32 nm radius, i.e., 112 kJ·mol-1. Difference between the observed and expected energies comes from the small collision efficiency of 0.22 due to small radius of the vacancy core. Ionic vacancy initially created as a by-product of electrode reaction is unstable in solution phase, stabilized by releasing solvation energy. Ionic vacancy utilizes the energy to enlarge the core and stores the energy in it. As a result, solvated ionic vacancy consists of a polarized free space of the enlarged core surrounded by oppositely charged ionic cloud. The accuracy and precision of the measured values were ascertained by in situ standard additive method.

Variation in lysine, threonine, and tryptophan availability in meat and bone meal as estimated by the slope-ratio growth assay technique in growing rats.

Meat and bone meal (MBM) is an important protein source used in animal feeds. However, as the composition and availability of amino acids (AAs) in MBM fluctuate markedly, it is important to verify the magnitude of these parameters in different MBMs. In this study, the AA compositions of 19 MBMs were analyzed to confirm variations in lysine (Lys), threonine (Thr), and tryptophan (Trp), then which were compared with those of soybean meal (SBM) and fish meal (FM). Instability in Lys, Thr, and Trp availabilities in six MBMs were also considered after estimation using the slope-ratio growth assay technique in rats. Variations in AA composition were evaluated using the coefficient of variance (CV: Standard deviation/Mean). CVs for Lys, Thr, and Trp content were 9.40, 11.83, and 18.12 in MBM, 2.71, 2.48, and 3.19 in SBM, and 10.09, 10.44, and 13.47 in FM. Furthermore, means and SDs for Lys, Thr, and Trp availabilities in MBM were 53.3 ± 10.4% (CV: 19.5), 65.9 ± 17.6% (CV: 26.6), and 83.2 ± 11.2% (CV: 13.5), respectively. These results provide the first evidence that variations in MBM AA compositions were 3.5 to 5.7 times higher than those in SBM, but similar to FM, and that the large variation in availability substantially existed.

Left Subclavian-Bilateral External Carotid Artery Bypass for Symptomatic Carotid Artery Dissection Secondary to Open Repair of Type A Aortic Dissection.

Symptomatic carotid dissection, secondary to surgical repair of Stanford type A acute aortic dissection (AAD), requires prompt intervention. A 56-year-old man who underwent total arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk for AAD presented with left hemiplegia and unilateral spatial neglect 16 h after the surgery. Cerebral computed tomography (CT) revealed no fresh lesions, and CT angiography showed severe bilateral carotid dissection. The patient's neurological symptoms improved soon after left subclavian-bilateral external carotid artery bypass to correct symptomatic severe right cerebral ischemia. Therefore, this technique can be a good option for symptomatic carotid dissection in selected patients.

Excess Heat Production by the Pair Annihilation of Ionic Vacancies in Copper Redox Reactions.

In the pair annihilation of ionic vacancies with opposite charges, a drastic excess heat production up to 410 kJ mol-1 in average at 10 T (i. e., 1.5 times larger than the heat production by the combustion of H2,  285.8 kJ mol-1) was observed, which was then attributed to the emission of the solvation energy stored in 0.61 nm radius vacancies with two unit charges. Under a high magnetic field, using Lorentz force, we made ionic vacancies created in copper cathodic and anodic reactions collide with each other, and measured the reaction heat by their annihilation. Ionic vacancy is initially created as a byproduct in electrode reaction in keeping the conservation of linear momentum and electric charge during electron transfer. The unstable polarized particle is stabilized by solvation, and the solvation energy is stored in the free space of the order of 0.1 nm surrounded by oppositely charged ionic cloud. The collision of the ionic vacancies was carried out by circulation-type magnetohydrodynamic electrode (c-type MHDE) composed of a rectangular channel with a pair of copper electrodes and a narrow electrolysis cell.

Application of the slope-ratio growth assay technique to estimate tryptophan availability in soybean meal fed to young rats.

The slope-ratio assay for rat was used to determine whether tryptophan (Trp) availability in soybean meal (SBM) is affected by the presence of other amino acids (AAs). In a preliminary study, rats were fed graded levels of Trp-supplemented diets to establish the Trp concentration range over which the weight gain response was linear. This range was found to be from 0.04% to 0.12% Trp. Subsequently, rats were fed basal (0.045% Trp) or Trp-supplemented diets from three different sources: l-Trp alone, SBM, or l-Trp mixed with other AAs to reflect AA levels in the test SBM (AA-mix). Weight gain in rats increased linearly with supplemental Trp intake (p < .05) for all Trp sources. Compared to the slope achieved with l-Trp alone, the estimated availability of Trp in SBM was 84.4%, while for the AA-mix it was 93.4%. It is evident that the 6.6% reduction in l-Trp availability in AA-mix is due to metabolic costs derived from excess levels of other AAs beside Trp, given that the absorption of crystalline l-Trp in the small intestine is 100%. In conclusion, the Trp availability of SBM was estimated to be around 90.4% (i.e., 84.4/93.4 × 100) after correcting for the effects of the other AAs in SBM.

Hepatic betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase and methionine synthase activity and intermediates of the methionine cycle are altered by choline supply during negative energy balance in Holstein cows.

Although choline requirements are unknown, enhanced postruminal supply may decrease liver triacylglycerol (TAG) storage and increase flux through the methionine cycle, helping cows during a negative energy balance (NEB). The objective was to investigate effects of postruminal choline supply during NEB on hepatic activity of betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT), methionine synthase (MTR), methionine adenosyltransferase, transcription of enzymes, and metabolite concentrations in the methionine cycle. Ten primiparous rumen-cannulated Holstein cows (158 ± 24 d postpartum) were used in a replicated 5 × 5 Latin square design with 4-d treatment periods and 10 d of recovery (14 d/period). Treatments were unrestricted intake with abomasal infusion of water (A0), restricted intake (R; 60% of net energy for lactation requirements to induce NEB) with abomasal infusion of water (R0) or R plus abomasal infusion of 6.25, 12.5, or 25 g/d of choline ion. Liver tissue was collected on d 5 after the infusions ended, blood on d 1 to 5, and milk on d 1 to 4. Statistical contrasts were A0 versus R0 (CONT1) and tests of linear (L), quadratic (Q), and cubic (C) effects of choline dose. Plasma choline increased with R (CONT1) and choline (L). Although R decreased milk yield (CONT1), choline increased milk yield and liver phosphatidylcholine (PC), but decreased TAG (L). No differences were observed in plasma PC or very-low-density lipoprotein concentrations with R or choline. Activity and mRNA abundance of BHMT were greater with R (CONT1) and increased with choline (L). Although activity of MTR was lower with R (CONT1), it tended to increase with choline (L). No effect of R was detected for activity of methionine adenosyltransferase, but it changed cubically across dose of choline. Those responses were associated with linear increases in the concentrations of liver tissue (+13%) and plasma methionine concentrations. The mRNA abundance of CPT1A, SLC22A5, APOA5, and APOB, genes associated with fatty acid oxidation and lipoprotein metabolism, was upregulated by choline (Q). Overall, enhanced supply of choline during NEB increases hepatic activity of BHMT and MTR to regenerate methionine and PC, partly to help clear TAG. The relevance of these effects during the periparturient period merits further research.

Left Ventricular Blood Flow Dynamics In Aortic Stenosis Before And After Aortic Valve Replacement.

Surgical intervention for aortic valve stenosis (AS) has been established; however its diagnosis based on echocardiographic assessment is still limited by aortic valvular velocity, aortic valvular pressure gradients, and color Doppler imaging. Echo-dynamography (EDG) is a method to determine intracardiac flow dynamics, such as two-dimensional blood flow velocity, vortex, and dynamic pressure. These flow dynamics may be influenced by left ventricular (LV) wall motion and the resistance in LV outflow caused by AS. The objective of the present study was to assess the changes and differences in LV vortices and vorticity before and after AS surgery. Five patients who underwent aortic valve replacement surgery for AS and five control patients were included. Besides routine echocardiographic measurement, EDG was applied to determine the two-dimensional blood flow vector and vorticity. The LV vortex flow in the isovolumetric contraction phase had multiple formations in preoperative cases. The clockwise vortex was found in all cases postoperatively; the vortex formation showed no significant difference between postoperative and normal control groups. EDG may serve important information on LV flow dynamics, non-invasively.

[Aortic Root Pseudoaneurysm due to Avulsion of Aortic Valve Commissure Following to Infective Endocarditis;Report of a case].

A 40-year-old man presented to our hospital with fever and slight palpitation. The echocardiogram revealed bicuspid aortic valve, massive aortic regurgitation, and aneurysm of Valsalva sinus. Operative findings showed an aortic root pseudoaneurysm originating just below the avulsion of the right to left commissure. The orifice was closed with a part of a woven vascular graft, and the aortic valve was replaced with a mechanical valve. There was no sign of marked inflammation, although pathophysiologic findings indicated infective endocarditis. His postoperative course was uneventful.

Postruminal supply of amino acids enhances ghrelin secretion and lipid metabolism in feed-deprived sheep.

Single amino acids (AA) feeding is gaining more attention for their functional roles beyond nutritional needs. This study aimed to describe the endocrine and metabolic responses to a single AA administration (at 10% of MP for maintenance) in 48 hr fasted sheep (n = 4) receiving, over continued 4 hr, a duodenal infusate of saline (control), glutamate (Glu), glutamine (Gln), lysine HCl (Lys), threonine (Thr), or valine (Val) in a 4 by 6 Youden square design with weekly intervals. Blood samples were collected at 0, 15, 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 min relative to the infusion onset, and plasma AA, glucose, ß-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA), nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), ghrelin, insulin, glucagon, and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) concentrations were measured. The results showed that the duodenal supply of Glu, Gln, Lys, Thr, and Val enhanced ghrelin release. Administration of Glu, Gln, and Val declined plasma BHBA concentrations, whereas plasma NEFA levels were decreased with Gln and Thr. Insulin concentration was greater with Thr, glucagon levels were increased with Lys, Thr, Val, and Glu, whereas IGF-1 levels were enhanced with Gln, Lys, and Thr supply. Thus, selective AA feeding can positively adjust the endocrine status and counteract the feed restriction-induced lipid mobilization.

Association of airborne particles, protein, and endotoxin with emergency department visits for asthma in Kyoto, Japan.

BACKGROUND: The health effects of biological aerosols on the respiratory system are unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify the association of airborne particle, protein, and endotoxin with emergency department visits for asthma in Kyoto City, Japan. METHODS: We collected data on emergency department visits at a hospital in Kyoto from September 2014 to May 2016. Fine (aerodynamic diameter ≤ 2.5 µm) and coarse (≥ 2.5 µm) particles were collected in Kyoto, and protein and endotoxin levels were analyzed. The association of the levels of particles, protein, endotoxin, and meteorological factors (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and air pressure) with emergency department visits for asthma was estimated. RESULTS: There were 1 to 15 emergency department visits for asthma per week, and the numbers of visits increased in the autumn and spring, namely many weeks in September, October, and April. Weekly concentration of protein in fine particles was markedly higher than that in coarse particles, and protein concentration in fine particles was high in spring months. Weekly endotoxin concentrations in fine and coarse particles were high in autumn months, including September 2014 and 2015. Even after adjusting for meteorological factors, the concentrations of coarse particles and endotoxin in both particles were significant factors on emergency department visits for asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that atmospheric coarse particles and endotoxin are significantly associated with an increased risk of asthma exacerbation.

Combined transoral-transhyoid endoscopic approach for hypopharyngeal cancer.

Endoscopic transoral surgery for hypopharyngeal cancer is an effective treatment option to avoid invasive open surgery or chemoradiation. Here we describe the case of a 66-year-old patient with cT2N0M0 pyriform sinus cancer whom we treated using a transoral-transhyoid endoscopic approach. Using this approach, a transhyoid route was created in addition to the transoral route and used to extirpate the tumor. En bloc resection of the tumor was completed without difficulty. A combined transoral-transhyoid approach is a useful surgical option for treatment of selected patients with hypopharyngeal cancer. This technique is straightforward to perform and can be used as a backup technique in endoscopic transoral surgery. Also, more complicated lesions can be resected by this approach than by a single-route transoral approach.

Magneto-Dendrite Effect: Copper Electrodeposition under High Magnetic Field.

Ionic vacancy is a by-product in electrochemical reaction, composed of polarized free space of the order of 0.1 nm with a 1 s lifetime, and playing key roles in nano-electrochemical processes. However, its chemical nature has not yet been clarified. In copper electrodeposition under a high magnetic field of 15 T, using a new electrode system called cyclotron magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) electrode (CMHDE) composed of a pair of concentric cylindrical electrodes, we have found an extraordinary dendritic growth with a drastic positive potential shift from hydrogen-gas evolution potential. Dendritic deposition is characterized by the co-deposition of hydrogen molecule, but such a positive potential shift makes hydrogen-gas evolution impossible. However, in the high magnetic field, instead of flat deposit, remarkable dendritic growth emerged. By examining the chemical nature of ionic vacancy, it was concluded that ionic vacancy works on the dendrite formation with the extraordinary potential shift.

Effect of decompression drying treatment on physical properties of solid foods.

This study used a decompression drying instrument to investigate the effects of a drying treatment on the physical properties of solid foods. Commercial tofu was used as a model food and was treated at different temperature and pressure conditions in a drying chamber. Overall, high temperatures resulted in better drying. Additionally, pressure in the chamber influenced the drying conditions of samples. Differences in physical properties, such as food texture, shrinkage, and color were observed among some samples, even with similar moisture content. This was caused by differences in moisture distribution in the food, which seems to have manifested as a thin, dried film on the surfaces of samples. It caused inefficient drying and changes in physical properties. Control of the drying conditions (i.e. pressure and heat supply) has relations with not only physical properties, but also the drying efficiency of solid foods.