Public Library of Science Acta Medica Okayama 1932-6203 15 10 2021 Local perspectives on Ebola during its tenth outbreak in DR Congo: A nationwide qualitative study e0241120 EN Basilua Andre Muzembo Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University Ngangu Patrick Ntontolo Department of Family Medicine and Primary health, Protestant University of Congo Nlandu Roger Ngatu Department of Public Health, Kagawa University Faculty of Medicine Januka Khatiwada Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare Kabamba Leon Ngombe Department of Public Health, University of Kamina Oscar Luboya Numbi School of Public Health, University of Lubumbashi Kabamba Michel Nzaji School of Public Health, University of Lubumbashi Kabinda Jeff Maotela Centre National de Transfusion Sanguine Mukonkole Jean Ngoyi Research Unit, ISTM-Lubumbashi Tomoko Suzuki Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare Koji Wada Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare Shunya Ikeda Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, International University of Health and Welfare Background</br> The Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) struggled to end the tenth outbreak of Ebola virus disease (Ebola), which appeared in North Kivu in 2018. It was reported that rumors were hampering the response effort. We sought to identify any rumors that could have influenced outbreak containment and affected prevention in unaffected areas of DR Congo.</br> Methods</br> We conducted a qualitative study in DR Congo over a period of 2 months (from August 1 to September 30, 2019) using in-depth interviews (IDIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs). The participants were recruited from five regional blocks using purposeful sampling. Both areas currently undergoing outbreaks and presently unaffected areas were included. We collected participants’ opinions, views, and beliefs about the Ebola virus. The IDIs (n = 60) were performed with key influencers (schoolteachers, religious and political leaders/analysts, and Ebola-frontline workers), following a semi-structured interview guide. FGDs (n = 10) were conducted with community members. Interviews were recorded with a digital voice recorder and simultaneous note-taking. Participant responses were categorized in terms of their themes and subthemes.</br> Results</br> We identified 3 high-level themes and 15 subthemes (given here in parentheses): (1) inadequate knowledge of the origin or cause of Ebola (belief in a metaphysical origin, insufficient awareness of Ebola transmission via an infected corpse, interpretation of disease as God’s punishment, belief in nosocomial Ebola, poor hygiene, and bathing in the Congo River). Ebola was interpreted as (2) a plot by multinational corporations (fears of genocide, Ebola understood as a biological weapon, concerns over organ trafficking, and Ebola was taken to be the result of business actions). Finally Ebola was rumored to be subject to (3) politicization (political authorities seen as ambivalent, exclusion of some community leaders from response efforts, distrust of political authorities, and distrust in the healthcare system).</br> Conclusions</br> Due to the skepticism against Ebola countermeasures, it is critical to understand widespread beliefs about the disease to implement actions that will be effective, including integrating response with the unmet needs of the population. No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Public Library of Science Acta Medica Okayama 1932-6203 15 10 2020 The inclusion of blastomeres into the inner cell mass in early-stage human embryos depends on the sequence of cell cleavages during the fourth division e0240936 EN Junko Otsuki Assisted Reproductive Technology Center, Okayama University Toshiroh Iwasaki Hanabusa Women’s Clinic Noritoshi Enatsu Hanabusa Women’s Clinic Yuya Katada Hanabusa Women’s Clinic Kohyu Furuhashi Hanabusa Women’s Clinic Masahide Shiotani Hanabusa Women’s Clinic The fate of the ICM in humans is still unknown, due to the ethical difficulties surrounding experimentation in this field. In this study we have explored the existing time-lapse recording data of embryos in the early stages of development, taking advantage of the large refractile bodies (RBs) within blastomeres as cellular markers. Our study found that the cellular composition of the ICM in humans is largely determined at the time of the fourth division and blastomeres which cleave first to fourth, during the fourth division from 8 cells to 16 cells, have the potential to be incorporated in the ICM. No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Public Library of Science Acta Medica Okayama 1932-6203 15 10 2020 Fgf10-CRISPR mosaic mutants demonstrate the gene dose-related loss of the accessory lobe and decrease in the number of alveolar type 2 epithelial cells in mouse lung e0240333 EN Munenori Habuta Department of Cytology and Histology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Akihiro Yasue Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School Ken-Ichi T. Suzuki Department of Mathematical and Life Sciences, Hiroshima University Hirofumi Fujita Department of Cytology and Histology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Keita Sato Department of Cytology and Histology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Hitomi Kono Department of Cytology and Histology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Ayuko Takayama Center for the Development of New Model Organisms, National Institute for Basic Biology Tetsuya Bando Department of Cytology and Histology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Satoru Miyaishi Department of Legal Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences Seiichi Oyadomari Division of Molecular Biology, Institute of Advanced Medical Sciences, Tokushima University Eiji Tanaka Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School Hideyo Ohuchi Department of Cytology and Histology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing often generates founder generation (F0) mice that exhibit somatic mosaicism in the targeted gene(s). It has been known thatFibroblast growth factor 10(Fgf10)-null mice exhibit limbless and lungless phenotypes, while intermediate limb phenotypes (variable defective limbs) are observed in theFgf10-CRISPR F0 mice. However, how the lung phenotype in theFgf10-mosaic mutants is related to the limb phenotype and genotype has not been investigated. In this study, we examined variable lung phenotypes in theFgf10-targeted F0 mice to determine if the lung phenotype was correlated with percentage of functionalFgf10genotypes. Firstly, according to a previous report,Fgf10-CRISPR F0 embryos on embryonic day 16.5 (E16.5) were classified into three types: type I, no limb; type II, limb defect; and type III, normal limbs. Cartilage and bone staining showed that limb truncations were observed in the girdle, (type I), stylopodial, or zeugopodial region (type II). Deep sequencing of theFgf10-mutant genomes revealed that the mean proportion of codons that encode putative functional FGF10 was 8.3 +/- 6.2% in type I, 25.3 +/- 2.7% in type II, and 54.3 +/- 9.5% in type III (mean +/- standard error of the mean) mutants at E16.5. Histological studies showed that almost all lung lobes were absent in type I embryos. The accessory lung lobe was often absent in type II embryos with other lobes dysplastic. All lung lobes formed in type III embryos. The number of terminal tubules was significantly lower in type I and II embryos, but unchanged in type III embryos. To identify alveolar type 2 epithelial (AECII) cells, known to be reduced in theFgf10-heterozygous mutant, immunostaining using anti-surfactant protein C (SPC) antibody was performed: In the E18.5 lungs, the number of AECII was correlated to the percentage of functionalFgf10genotypes. These data suggest theFgf10gene dose-related loss of the accessory lobe and decrease in the number of alveolar type 2 epithelial cells in mouse lung. Since dysfunction of AECII cells has been implicated in the pathogenesis of parenchymal lung diseases, theFgf10-CRISPR F0 mouse would present an ideal experimental system to explore it. No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.