Tottori University

In this nationwide retrospective study, we sought to evaluate the oncologic and functional outcomes and safety of transoral surgery (TOS) for hypopharyngeal and laryngeal squamous cell carcinomas in Japan and to clarify the appropriate indications for various TOS modalities. Data were obtained from the Head and Neck Cancer Registry of Japan. Patients who underwent transoral or endoscopic resection between 2011 and 2016 were selected. Detailed clinical information was collected from 55 institutions using web-based case report forms. Surgical modalities analyzed included endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR), endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), endoscopic laryngopharyngeal surgery (ELPS), transoral laser microsurgery (TLM), and transoral videolaryngoscopic surgery (TOVS). In total, 1825 patients were included (hypopharyngeal cancer, 62.5 %; laryngeal cancer, 37.5 %). Most cases (77.5 %) were T1 or lower, and 90.8 % were Stage II or earlier. TLM is predominantly used for glottic cancers, ELPS/ESD for superficial hypopharyngeal lesions, and TOVS for more advanced tumors, reflecting distinct indications for each modality. The 5-year disease-specific survival (DSS), recurrence-free survival (RFS), and overall survival (OS) were 97.1 %, 84.3 %, and 85.4 %, respectively. The laryngeal preservation rate was 98.2 %. Tracheostomy was performed in 5.0 % of cases, mainly for airway protection; major complications, including pneumonia (2.4 %), hemorrhage (1.1 %), fistula formation (0.4 %), and vocal cord fixation (2.6 %), occurred in <3 % of patients. Postoperative functional outcomes were favorable, with persistent dysphagia (Functional Outcome Swallowing Scale stage ≥ 3) in 1.6 % and tube feeding dependence in 1.8 %. Non-robot-assisted TOS demonstrated excellent oncologic control and functional preservation of the larynx with low complication rates in early-stage hypopharyngeal and laryngeal cancers. Each surgical modality has distinct indications depending on the tumor site, depth of invasion, and institutional expertise. These findings support the use of TOS as a safe and effective treatment option for selected patients. Further procedural standardization and data accumulation are required to refine the indications and facilitate their broader adoption in clinical practice.

Biochar is increasingly being explored for soilless cultivation; however, high pH, elevated electrical conductivity (EC), and heterogeneous particle size often limit its use as a standalone growing medium. This study evaluated peanut shell biochar (PS-BC) as the sole substrate for Komatsuna ( Brassica rapa var. perviridis ) and assessed its short-term reuse across two consecutive crop cycles. Pot experiments examined the effects of particle size and PS-BC conditioning (unwashed vs. prewashed), rinsing frequency and reuse, and acid treatments using pyroligneous acids (PAs) and citric acid (CA). Prewashing markedly improved plant growth, and leaf area and dry weight increased by up to approximately four-fold across particle sizes; however, pH and EC decreased by approximately 7% and 89%, respectively. Changes in substrate chemical properties were also observed. Particle size had a lesser effect on plant performance, with the greatest response observed for particle sizes of 5 mm and &gt;7 mm. Interestingly, the rinsing frequency did not significantly affect plant height or dry weight within individual crop cycles; however, reuse of the preconditioned PS-BC was associated with improved plant height and leaf area as well as further shifts in substrate chemical and nutrient statuses relative to the original unwashed substrate. Both PA and CA treatments reduced pH dose-dependently, but only PA treatments increased EC. The best plant performance was observed with 5% CA and 14% rice-derived PA, whereas bamboo PA inhibited growth despite acceptable pH levels. Overall, preconditioned PS-BC effectively supported Komatsuna growth and maintained performance upon reuse across two consecutive crop cycles, demonstrating its potential as a practical standalone substrate for short-term leafy vegetable production.

Abstract Background Sex determination is a common developmental process in most organisms that exhibit sexual reproduction. Nevertheless, the modes of sex determination are highly diverse, and master sex-determining genes sometimes differ substantially even among closely related species. We explored the molecular basis underlying this striking diversity in the spongy moth, Lymantria dispar , whose master sex-determining factors exhibit continuous variation among populations. Results We previously identified the female-determining gene Fet-W and the male-determining gene LdMasc in the Japanese spongy moth ( Lymantria dispar japonica ). The number of raw RNA sequencing reads mapped to the LdMasc coding sequence region corresponding to exons 9–11 was higher in females than in males. Consistent with this finding, we identified four unigenes composed of the nucleotide sequences from LdMasc exons 9–11. Reverse-transcript polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and genomic PCR using primers specific to these unigenes strongly indicated that these four unigenes originated from the W-linked gene. A nucleotide BLAST search across the entire L . d . japonica genome found at least 52 copies of nucleotide sequences nearly identical to the approximately 5.6-kb genomic sequence spanning intron 8 to exon 11 of LdMasc . Similar sequences were identified in the W chromosome contigs of Lymantria dispar dispar and Lymantria dispar asiatica , with 4 and 6 copies, respectively. We considered these sequences to be W chromosome paralogs of LdMasc and named them LdMasc-W . RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that LdMasc-W exhibits specific expression during the sex determination stage. Knockdown of LdMasc-W using embryonic RNA induced male-specific splicing of doublesex ( dsx ), a master regulatory gene for sexual development, in females. F1 hybrid females obtained by mating females of L. umbrosa , which that lacks LdMasc-W , with L. d. japonica males exhibited lethality or intersexual phenotypes. Conclusions These results strongly suggest that LdMasc-W functions to promote female determination by suppressing the expression of the male-determining gene LdMasc , similar to the female-determining gene Fem identified in other Lepidoptera species. This means that the spongy moth is a rare species possessing two W-linked female-determining genes: Fet-W and LdMasc-W .

Purpose The purpose of this article is to identify neurophysiological learning needs in tourism education by examining the subjective perspectives of educators and scholars. The study aims to contribute to discussions on how neuroscience-informed approaches can support curriculum development in a practice-oriented discipline without undermining its experiential and contextual foundations. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts Q methodology to systematically explore academic subjectivities. Based on an interdisciplinary concourse, 40 Q statements addressing pedagogical, cognitive, affective and technological dimensions were developed. A forced quasi-normal Q sort was conducted with academics from tourism-related disciplines, and the data were analyzed using principal component analysis with varimax rotation. Findings The findings reveal strong agreement that conventional lecture-based and sedentary teaching methods are inadequate for tourism education, while experiential, field-based and simulation-supported learning approaches are widely endorsed. At the same time, participants express caution toward the direct pedagogical application of certain neuroscientific claims. Four distinct and internally consistent epistemic perspectives were identified through factor analysis. Research limitations/implications The study is limited by its relatively small and discipline-specific sample, which restricts the generalizability of the findings. Nevertheless, it provides important theoretical implications by framing neuroscience-related debates in tourism education as epistemological and by demonstrating the usefulness of Q methodology in interdisciplinary educational research. Practical implications The findings suggest that tourism curricula should prioritize experiential and practice-oriented learning environments while adopting neuroscience-informed insights cautiously and contextually. Rather than promoting prescriptive brain-based techniques, educators and curriculum designers are encouraged to use neuroscientific knowledge as a reflective support tool that complements experiential learning, emotional engagement and disciplinary practice. Social implications By fostering more effective, reflective and learner-centered educational practices, the study contributes to the development of tourism education that is responsive to contemporary cognitive and experiential learning needs. A context-sensitive integration of neuroscience has the potential to enhance student engagement, professional competence and long-term learning outcomes, thereby supporting the social relevance and sustainability of tourism education. Originality/value This article offers original value by systematically mapping plural academic perspectives on neurophysiological learning needs in tourism education. It advances the literature by showing how neuroscience-informed insights can be integrated into curriculum design in a reflective, context-sensitive and evidence-based manner.

Multiple drivers of global change are causing rapid biodiversity loss worldwide. However, predicting species' trajectories remains challenging due to the dynamic and state-dependent nature of ecological responses in real-world ecosystems. Here, we leverage nonlinear time series analysis of a multi-decadal, high-resolution dataset encompassing climate, freshwater, and sediment variables, alongside estuarine macroinvertebrate abundance. Our analysis shows that key biological traits, including body size, mobility, and lifespan predict the mean and variability of the time-varying sensitivity of species to specific environmental drivers. Species with smaller body sizes or lower mobility exhibit consistently negative responses to warming. The temporal variability of species sensitivity, an aspect often overlooked in previous studies of species' environmental responses, is strongly associated with lifespan, with shorter-lived species showing greater fluctuations over time. These findings did not always align with results from controlled laboratory or short-term field experiments, highlighting the complex, state-dependent responses of species shaped by multiple drivers of global change. We introduce a framework that links biological traits to long-term environmental responses, providing a predictive basis for trait-sensitivity relationships.

Glucocorticoids (GC) comprise a cornerstone in the treatment of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV); however, prolonged GC exposure leads to substantial toxicity and immune system-related complications. Hence, identifying treatment strategies that enable early GC withdrawal while maintaining disease control is of clinical importance. To investigate the proportion and characteristics of patients achieving GC-free clinical remission (GFCR) 48 weeks after treatment initiation in patients with newly diagnosed microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) or granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and examine their long-term clinical outcomes (up to week 96). We conducted a retrospective cohort study using clinical data from a multicenter, nationwide registry in Japan comprising patients with newly diagnosed MPA or GPA and at least 48 weeks of follow-up. GFCR was defined as a Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) of 0 with complete GC withdrawal. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors of GFCR at week 48, and a sensitivity analysis using a matched cohort was performed to validate robustness. A total of 728 patients were enrolled in the registry, of whom 544 were followed for ≥ 48 weeks; among them, 29 (5.3%) achieved GFCR at week 48. Use of rituximab (RTX) for induction therapy and avacopan within 48 weeks were independently associated with achieving GFCR (multivariable analysis, model 1: RTX: odds ratio [OR]: 3.9, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5–10.0; avacopan: OR: 24.3, 95% CI: 5.8–101.9; both p < 0.01). Conversely, methylprednisolone pulse therapy was associated with a lower likelihood of achieving GFCR (multivariable analysis, model 1: OR: 0.08, 95% CI: 0.02–0.44; p < 0.01). Patient’s demographic and baseline disease characteristics were not predictive of GFCR. In the long-term (weeks 48 through 96), the rates of death, relapse, and serious infection were similar regardless of GFCR status at week 48. The use of RTX for induction therapy and avacopan within 48 weeks is independently associated with achieving GFCR at week 48 in patients with MPA and GPA, supporting their potential as key components of GC-sparing strategies in AAV. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these results and optimize treatment algorithms to ensure disease control and minimize GC-related toxicity.

Bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate (BMP) possesses an atypical headgroup structure, and its naturally occurring 2,2′-isomer rapidly rearranges to the more stable 3,3′-form in aqueous buffers. Because the BMP is a major component of endosomal and lysosomal membranes, understanding its intrinsic physicochemical behavior is broadly relevant to the organization of acidic intracellular interfaces. To quantify how acidity modulates the physicochemical organization of 3,3′-BMP membranes, we characterized model bilayers across a controlled pH range by using electrophoretic mobility, fluorescence spectroscopy, optical microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and atomistic molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Below pH 5, BMP vesicles show a marked decrease in surface charge, a reduction in area per lipid, and diminished hydration at the polar–apolar interface. Simulations reveal that protonation enables transient flipping of the phosphate group toward the hydrophobic core, generating a pH-dependent coexistence of headgroup orientations absent in the deprotonated state. Experimentally, these changes manifest as reduced vesicle sizes and the emergence of multilamellar protrusions and locally folded membrane regions. The combined results demonstrate how small variations in the BMP charge state generate amplified structural responses at the bilayer level, establishing a molecular mechanism by which protonation governs packing, hydration, and curvature in BMP-rich membranes.

Shifts in precipitation patterns with less frequent rain events accompanied by global warming will trigger soil drying and rewetting, even in humid regions. Because rewetting of dried soil provokes pulse carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from soils, the chronic soil dry-wet cycle (DWC) in humid regions may provide positive feedback, contributing to global warming. In this study, we aimed to reveal the effects of repeated DWCs on soil CO2 emissions, and the factors affecting emissions after rewetting in humid temperate forests. Experimentation included incubation of soils under five sequential DWCs. CO2 emissions from the soils were measured throughout the incubation period, except during periods of drying. Soil extractable organic carbon (EOC) and microbial biomass carbon (MBC) were also measured at three hours and at five days after the first, third, and fifth rewetting. Rewetting of dried soil significantly increased CO2 emissions during the first DWC, whereas the size of the pulse CO2 emissions after rewetting decreased with an increasing number of subsequent cycles. Soil rewetting decreased soil MBC and increased EOC, and the EOC concentration decreased during each subsequent wet period. Based on path analysis, MBC three hours after rewetting was strongly and positively correlated with CO2 emissions in the following five days in the dry-wet treatment (regression coefficient β = 0.710, p < 0.001). The results suggest that microbial survivability to soil DWCs, rather than sudden labile carbon supply, determines the response of pulse CO2 emissions from soils after rewetting during repeated soil DWCs in humid regions.