Fukui Prefectural University

Autoimmune cerebellar ataxia (ACA) is a potentially treatable cause of cerebellar dysfunction, but remains underrecognized because of diagnostic challenges, including limited access to autoantibody testing and heterogeneous clinical presentations. We aimed to describe the clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with clinically diagnosed ACA (cdACA) in Japan, based on expert diagnoses, and evaluate associations between clinical factors and response to immunotherapy. This study was a retrospective, multi-center, descriptive study based on a two-step nationwide survey. We inquired at facilities accredited by the Japanese Society of Neurology about the number of patients with cdACA. Furthermore, we asked the facilities with cdACA experience for clinical information. Of 92 cdACA patients, 96.7% had isolated/predominant cerebellar symptoms. Autoantibodies associated with ACA were detected in 47 (51.1%) patients, with glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies being most frequent. 25 (27.2%) patients had concomitant cancer. Among 80 patients who received immunotherapy, 53 (66.2%) responded positively. Responders were more often female (p = 0.006), and had shorter median time to treatment (71 vs 344days, p = 0.010) and lower CSF protein (40.65 vs 71.05mg/dL, p = 0.003). Patients without malignancy responded more frequently (p = 0.006). This nationwide study provides the first real-world insights into the clinical characteristics and management of cdACA in Japan. Although these findings should be interpreted with caution due to diagnostic heterogeneity and the retrospective study design, some patients with concomitant cancer may also show functional improvement following immunotherapy. In the future, there should be further accumulation of ACA cases and the establishment of diagnostic criteria for ACA.

The cultivated chrysanthemum is the most important ornamental species in the genus Chrysanthemum. However, because it is predominantly hexaploid and additionally exhibits self-incompatibility, it harbors numerous functionally redundant genes and displays extremely high heterozygosity. As a result, its genomic architecture is highly complex, making it challenging to interpret data obtained from omics analyses such as RNA-seq. To provide a genetically tractable model, we previously developed Gojo-0, a self-compatible, pure line of the diploid wild species C. seticuspe. In this study, we established Gojo-1, an improved self-compatible pure line derived from Gojo-0 and its sibling lines, exhibiting enhanced viability and culture performance. Leveraging these traits, we performed CRISPR–Cas9 editing of the AGAMOUS orthologs and successfully isolated mutants with altered floral organ morphology, demonstrating the line’s suitability for functional genomics. Comparative genome analysis showed that, aside from chromosome 1, the Gojo-1 genome is highly similar to that of Gojo-0, whose complete sequence has been determined. Taken together, these features indicate that Gojo-1 will serve as a valuable resource for future omics-based studies and a broad range of additional research applications.

Abstract International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1417, located in the Surveyor Fan (Gulf of Alaska), preserves hemipelagic sediments influenced by glacial and fluvial depositional processes from the Cordilleran Ice Sheet in the Chugach–St. Elias Mountains and Coastal Mountains. The biogenic opal content was measured for a total of 441 samples from the late Miocene to early Pleistocene intervals and its flux for hemipelagic sediments was calculated to trace the history of biogenic opal deposition. On the whole, the biogenic opal content confirms the division of the lithostratigraphic units and subunits: diatom‐bearing clay‐rich intervals versus clast‐rich terrigenous intervals. The high biogenic opal content results from the better preservation of diatom ooze, whereas the low biogenic opal content is due to diatom‐poor terrigenous sediments including diamict deposited from sedimentary gravity flows during the late Miocene. On the other hand, the biogenic opal deposition from the late Miocene to early Pleistocene might have been attributed to the degree of diatom production controlled by global climate change. The variation of biogenic opal flux at Site U1417, compared with other regions in the North Pacific, represents the global climate events such as Late Miocene Biogenic Bloom, mid‐Pliocene Warmth, and Northern Hemisphere Glaciation. Despite regional differences in oceanographic conditions, surface water productivity in the Gulf of Alaska has been attributed to the basin‐to‐basin redistribution of nutrients by global thermohaline circulation and the related Pacific Ocean ventilation. This study underlines that biogenic opal deposition at IODP Site U1417 has recorded global climate evolution since the late Miocene.

Background/Objectives: Accurate prediction of severe adverse events (SAEs) is crucial for optimizing supportive care while maintaining treatment intensity in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We evaluated the predictive value of the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) for SAEs in de novo DLBCL and examined potential interactions with treatment regimen and age. Methods: This multicenter retrospective study included 555 adults treated with standard immunochemotherapies. SAEs, defined as grade ≥ 3 non-hematological adverse events or febrile neutropenia, were independently assessed by board-certified hematologists. Results: Multivariable logistic regression identified GNRI as an independent predictor of SAEs (odds ratio 0.982, 95% confidence interval 0.967-0.997). Restricted cubic spline modeling revealed a significant non-linear association between GNRI and SAE risk (p = 0.045). No significant interaction was observed between GNRI and regimen or age (p = 0.894 and 0.217, respectively), a finding consistent across subgroups in forest plot analyses. Conclusions: This study showed that lower diagnostic GNRI was independently associated with higher SAE risk regardless of treatment regimen or age. These findings highlight the potential utility of GNRI as a simple clinical indicator for identifying patients at higher risk of treatment-related toxicity, although they are derived from a retrospective, tertiary-care cohort and require confirmation in external prospective studies.

This article examines 150 years of trade between Japan and Russia, identifying common structural features, factors contributing to uneven dynamics, and lessons for addressing the current trade and economic crisis. Drawing on the theoretical frameworks of international conflict theory, path dependence, comparative advantage, and gravity models of trade, this study analyzes Japanese foreign trade statistics to show that the structure of bilateral trade has remained remarkably stable—yet consistently vulnerable to recurring disruptions. Key historical characteristics of Japan-Russia trade include a persistent dependence on political conditions, a low share of bilateral trade in each country's overall trade volume, a consistent exchange of Japanese industrial goods for Russian raw materials, and a geographic concentration in Russia's Siberian and Far Eastern regions. The analysis identifies five major crisis periods (1904–1905, 1918–1921, 1938–1956, 1991–1992, and 2022–present), demonstrating that post-crisis recoveries have typically been driven by pragmatic economic cooperation, expanded cultural and humanitarian exchanges, and the temporary de-escalation of political and territorial disputes. The trade crisis that began in 2022 appears to be entering a phase of tentative stabilization, beyond which a prolonged recession remains the most probable scenario. The study recommends that, when the time comes for the gradual easing of sanctions and the rebuilding of international trust, recovery efforts focus on mutually beneficial sectors, the reintegration of energy infrastructure, renewed cooperation in resource protection, and the combatting of illicit trade.

Since 2017, Japan has been establishing a community-based integrated mental health care system, which includes first-line consultations provided by local authorities (i.e., municipalities). This study aimed to (1) investigate factors related to the challenge municipalities encounter when providing mental health consultations, and (2) identify collaboration patterns between municipalities and public health agencies. Data were obtained from a nationwide municipal survey and publicly available government statistics. Municipal staff difficulty in providing mental health consultations was measured using a four-point scale, and its association with local psychiatric and social care resources and collaboration activities across local institutions was examined by ordinal logistic regression analysis. Latent class analysis was also conducted based on how the municipality collaborated with public health agencies. Lower difficulty providing mental health consultations was associated with the existence of municipally established public health centres (OR 0.22, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.53, p=0.001), which minimises the organisational barrier between the two entities, and frequent meetings with local service providers (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.44 to 0.96, p=0.032). Variables indicating local psychiatric and social care resources showed no significant associations. Municipalities were classified into four latent classes based on collaboration patterns: Overall frequent (18.1%), Overall infrequent (22.0%), Frequent for individual support (49.1%), and Infrequent for individual support (10.8%). The difficulty faced by local authorities in providing mental health consultations may be reduced by fostering collaboration with other institutions, specifically public health agencies, and by hosting frequent meetings with local service providers.