Inferior mesenteric artery node (IMAN) metastasis is rare in left-sided colorectal cancer. Tumor depth is a risk factor for IMAN metastasis, but other risk factors are unclear. This study investigated the frequency of IMAN metastasis and examined clinicopathological risk factors associated with this metastasis in left-sided colorectal cancer. We also aimed to evaluate the clinical benefit of routine D3 lymphadenectomy in surgically treated advanced colorectal cancer. We retrospectively studied patients with colorectal cancer who underwent D3 lymphadenectomy and R0 resection at Kurume University Hospital from 1996 to 2017 to identify the frequency and risk factors for IMAN metastasis to investigate the long-term prognosis. Clinicopathological factors associated with IMAN metastasis were analyzed. Among 949 consecutive patients, IMAN metastasis was observed in 8 (0.84%) patients. The 5-year overall survival rate was significantly lower in the IMAN metastasis-positive group (68.6%) than in the IMAN metastasis-negative group (83.7%) (p = 0.025). IMAN metastasis is a poor prognostic factor for left-sided colorectal cancer, but this metastasis has a 5-year survival rate of 68.6%.

Abstract The 21 cm line of hydrogen is the most promising probe of the Dark Ages and Cosmic Dawn. We combine hydrodynamical simulations with a large-scale grid in order to calculate the effect of nonlinear structure formation on the large-scale 21 cm power spectrum, focusing on redshifts z = 20–40. As the clumping effect arises from small-scale density fluctuations, it offers a unique opportunity to probe the standard cold dark matter model in a new regime and thus potentially investigate the properties of dark matter. To this end, we also study a warm dark matter–like model with a Gaussian cutoff on a scale of 50 kpc. We find that clumping has a significant impact on the large-scale 21 cm power spectrum, requiring a substantial correction to standard theoretical predictions. For example, for the Dark Ages case at z = 30 and wavenumber k = 0.05 Mpc −1 , small-scale clustering enhances the 21 cm power spectrum by 13%. Once Ly α coupling kicks in due to the first stars, the 21 cm signal strengthens, and the effect of clumping grows; it suppresses the observable power spectrum at z = 20 by 45%, while the warm dark matter–like model has less than half the clumping impact. The clumping effect is significantly higher than the sensitivity of the planned Square Kilometre Array AA ⋆ configuration, by up to a factor of 20 for standard cold dark matter, though detection will require separation from foregrounds and from astrophysical contributions to the 21 cm power spectrum.

Abstract We consider a first-order transport equation ∂ t u ( x , t ) + ( H ( x ) ⋅ ∇ u ( x , t ) ) + p ( x ) u ( x , t ) = F ( x , t ) for x ∈ Ω ⊂ R d , where d ⩾ 2 , Ω is a bounded domain and 0 < t < T . We prove a Carleman estimate for more general condition on the principal coefficients H ( x ) than in the existing works. The key is the construction of a piecewise smooth weight function in x according to a suitable decomposition of Ω. Our assumptions on H generalize the conditions in the existing articles, and require that a directed graph created by the corresponding stream field has no closed loops. Then, we apply our Carleman estimate to two inverse problems of determination of an initial value and one of a spatial factor of a source term, so that we establish Lipschitz stability estimates for the inverse problems.

Entamoeba histolytica causes amoebiasis and damages intestinal epithelium, but how individual parasite factors coordinate parasite gene regulation with host remodeling is unclear. We investigate lysine- and glutamic acid-rich protein 2, a factor linked to the host brush border. Sequence analysis, imaging, and functional assays show that lysine- and glutamic acid-rich protein 2 accumulates in the parasite nucleus, binds AT-rich DNA, and modulates transcriptional programs related to Amoebiasis, including cysteine protease and sulfur metabolism. During parasite-epithelium contact, the protein enters host epithelial cells and is associated with increased deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis, altered cytoskeletal regulators, actin remodeling, and reduced barrier integrity. Here, we propose a working model in which lysine- and glutamic acid-rich protein 2 links parasite chromatin-associated regulation with host epithelial remodeling during contact. Notably, our data support host cytoskeletal and junctional phenotypes and do not yet establish a direct role for it in host chromatin regulation. Together, these observations suggest a potentially broader mechanism by which extracellular pathogens deploy effectors to optimize virulence and adapt to diverse host environments.

Abstract. Computational models play an increasingly vital role in scientific research by enabling the numerical simulation of complex processes. Such models are also fundamental in geosciences. For instance, they offer critical insights into the impacts of global change on the Earth system today and in the future. Beyond their value as research tools, models are also software products and should therefore adhere to certain established software engineering standards. However, scientists are rarely trained as software developers, which can lead to potential deficiencies in software quality like unreadable, inefficient, or erroneous code. The complexity of models, coupled with their integration into broader workflows, also often makes it challenging to reproduce results, evaluate processes, and build upon them. In this paper, we review the state and current practices of the development processes of the state-of-the-art land surface models used by the Global Carbon Budget. We combine the experience of modelers from the respective research groups with the expertise of software engineers from tech companies to outline key principles and tools for improving software quality in research. We explore four main areas: (1) model testing and validation, (2) scientific, technical, and user documentation, (3) version control, continuous integration, and code review, and (4) the portability and reproducibility of workflows. Our review reveals that while modeling communities are incorporating many best practices, significant room for improvement remains in areas such as automated testing, automated documentation, and reproducibility. Therefore, we here identify and promote essential software engineering practices, including numerous examples of practices from within the community that can serve as guidelines for other models and could help streamline processes across the entire community. We conclude with an open-source example implementation of these principles, demonstrating portable and reproducible data flows, a continuous integration setup, and web-based visualizations. This example may serve as a practical resource for model developers, users, and all scientists engaged in scientific programming.

Abstract Public opinion has become an increasingly consequential force in shaping international relations, with perceptions of China standing at the center of debates across East Asia. Notably, while youth in South Korea, Taiwan, and Malaysia tend to hold more negative views of China than their elders, Japan presents a reverse pattern: younger generations display higher affinity toward China compared to older generations. This paper investigates the sources of this divergence using 2023 survey data from the Sasakawa Peace Foundation. Building on generational cohort theory and collective memory, the paper redefines Japanese generational groupings and applies regression analysis to identify the key drivers of affinity toward China. The results show that younger Japanese cohorts, though highly curious and actively consuming China-related information, exhibit limited knowledge of China’s political and social structures and display weaker attentiveness to political dimensions. By contrast, older cohorts anchor their perceptions in political memory and bilateral disputes, leading to increasingly entrenched disillusionment. These findings suggest that Japan’s generational gap reflects internal variations in cognitive socialization rather than an overall warming of bilateral relations, underscoring the need to closely monitor evolving youth perceptions in the years ahead.

Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) decreases health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and physical function. Exercise therapy improves the physical function of patients with DPN; however, its effect on HRQOL remains unknown. Therefore, we subanalyzed the effect that teleguidance for exercise therapy by physiotherapists has on HRQOL in older patients with DPN by using our previously obtained data. The physiotherapist who participated in this study is a specialist in exercise therapy for diabetes. Participants with DPN were categorized into the teleguidance for exercise therapy by physiotherapists (TelePhysio) and control groups (n = 18 and 19, respectively). Both groups underwent the same moderate-intensity exercise therapy program. In the TelePhysio group, teleguidance for exercise therapy was provided for 30min once a week for six months. In the control group, no telephone intervention was provided, and patients were interviewed at the hospital only at 3 months after discharge. For the comparison between parameters at baseline and six months later, in the TelePhysio group, the EuroQol 5-dimensional (EQ-5D) score and knee extension force (KEF) did not decrease, whereas the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (DTSQ) score significantly improved (24.2 ± 5.7 to 26.7 ± 6.0; P < 0.05). In contrast, in the control group, the EQ-5D score and KEF were significantly decreased, whereas the DTSQ score remained unchanged. TelePhysio is effective in improving treatment satisfaction and may help prevent decline in HRQOL and physical function in older patients with DPN. Our findings suggest that TelePhysio may be a treatment option for older patients with DPN. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13340-026-00884-8.

Abstract The secondary i - and s -processes that follow the r -process in collapsar outflows, characterized by low electron fraction Y e and decelerated expansion, can serve as a major source of rare earth element production. We systematically evaluated the contributions of the r -, i -, and s -processes to the production of rare earth elements in collapsar outflows. A sensitivity analysis of nucleosynthesis yields with respect to ( n , γ ) reaction rates involving unstable nuclei near the line of stability highlights dozens of key reactions critical for the synthesis of thulium ( Z = 69) and lutetium ( Z = 71). These specific ( n , γ ) reactions, however, have a negligible impact on the yields predicted in magnetohydrodynamically driven jets or binary neutron star mergers. Our nucleosynthesis models indicate that collapsars can produce elevated Tm/Eu and Lu/Eu abundance ratios, potentially serving as observational signatures distinguishing collapsar nucleosynthesis from others. The robustness of these predictions, however, is highly sensitive to uncertainties in the relevant nuclear reaction rates. We therefore emphasize the need for precise future experimental measurements of the ( n , γ ) cross sections for key unstable nuclei. Reducing these nuclear-physics uncertainties will allow collapsar models to predict Tm/Eu and Lu/Eu ratios with greater confidence, thereby improving our interpretation of observed abundances in r -process-enhanced metal-poor stars.

Abstract This article proposes an 8 bit truncated carry approximate adder (TCAA), a configurable TCAA (CTCAA) and an explicit bit pruning (EBP) algorithm for SRAM-based digital computation-in-memory to reduce the considerable area and power overhead caused by the adder tree, while maintaining high inference accuracy. The proposed design is verified using 0.18 μm technology. The TCAA achieves reductions of 38% in area and 40% in power consumption compared with ripple-carry adders. Similarly, the CTCAA achieves 36% and 38% reductions in area and power, respectively. Moreover, with the proposed EBP algorithm, the design achieves 91.9% and 74.3% inference accuracy for the ResNet-18 model on the CIFAR-10 and CIFAR-100 datasets, respectively.

Loihichelin C (1a) is a peptidic siderophore isolated from cultures of the bacterium Halomonas LOB-5 collected from deep-sea vent environments. Compound 1a is believed to promote microbial growth by coordinating to an Fe-(III) ion via one hydroxycarboxylate and two hydroxamates and facilitating the uptake of Fe-(III). In addition, 1a is implicated in Mn-(II)-oxidation by the producing bacterium. To obtain insights into the Fe-(III)-chelating and Mn-(II)-oxidizing functions of 1a, we chemically synthesized and functionally assessed 1a, and two analogs 1b and 1c, in which the hydroxy group of hydroxycarboxylate was stereochemically inverted and deleted, respectively. We devised an efficient solid-phase synthetic strategy to assemble the unusual sequences of 1a-1c. The strong binding affinity of 1a toward Fe-(III) surpassed the affinities of 1b and 1c. Furthermore, 1a facilitated Mn-(II) oxidation under aerobic conditions and stabilized metastable Mn-(III), whereas 1b and 1c underwent oxidative degradation by Mn-(III). These data indicated that the properly oriented hydroxy group of 1a not only promotes single electron transfer from Mn-(II) to electron-deficient O2 by forming a negatively charged Mn-(II) complex but also protects further oxidation of the resultant Mn-(III) to Mn-(IV) by preventing the coordination of O2. Overall, this molecular editing approach revealed the structural requirements for stabilizing the Mn-(III) oxidation state and identified the mechanism of Mn-(II) oxidation in the presence of 1a for the first time.