The Company of BiologistsActa Medica Okayama0022-094922922026Insulin-like peptide has antagonistic pleiotropic effects on male combat traits and survival traits in an armed beetlejeb251318ENTakumiKatoGraduate School of Science, Nagoya UniversityChihoYoshimineGraduate School of Science, Tokyo Metropolitan UniversityHarunaFujiokaGraduate School of Environmental, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityMasakoKatsukiGraduate School of Science, Nagoya UniversityKensukeOkadaGraduate School of Environmental, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityYasukazuOkadaGraduate School of Science, Nagoya UniversityThe expression of sexually selected traits, such as exaggerated weapons and ornaments, often entails trade-offs against life-history traits. While phenotypic trade-offs are well documented, the underlying molecular physiological mechanisms remain largely unexplored. In this study, we investigated the potential role of an insulin-like peptide, ILP2, in mediating the trade-off between sexually selected combat traits and survival traits in the broad-horned flour beetle, Gnatocerus cornutus. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown (KD) of ILP2 during larval stages resulted in a reduction in the development of mandibular horns and overall body size. Interestingly, ILP2 KD males had increased lipid storage and enhanced starvation tolerance, indicating a shift in resource allocation from sexually selected traits to survival traits. Behaviorally, ILP2 KD males showed decreased locomotor activity and reduced aggression, leading to lower combat success. These findings suggest that ILP2 functions as a key mediator in the allocation of resources between combat and survival traits, highlighting its pleiotropic effects on morphology, metabolism and behavior. Our study provides novel insights into the molecular physiological mechanisms underlying life-history trade-offs associated with sexually selected traits.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.The Royal SocietyActa Medica Okayama2054-57031292025On weapons allometry and the form of sexual selection251152ENHironoriShinoharaCenter for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall CampusManmohan D.SharmaCenter for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall CampusTanya M.PennellCenter for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall CampusKensukeOkadaFaculty of Environmental, Life, Natural Science and Technology, Okayama UniversityDavid J.HoskenCenter for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall CampusThe study of trait scaling with body size (allometry) has a long history, and it has been argued that positive static allometry is an indicator of directional sexual selection. However, a range of allometries exists for sexually selected traits, and modelling shows this variation can be generated by altering the form of selection (fitness functions) on the trait and/or body size. Interestingly, in all models, positive allometry appears to emerge only when there is directional selection on trait size. Here, we report on a sexually selected trait that shows strong positive static allometry and yet appears to be under stabilizing selection. This surprising finding suggests the evolution of trait scaling is even more nuanced than currently appreciated.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.Acta Medica Okayama0025-7974100322021Total vascular resistance, augmentation index, and augmentation pressure increase in patients with peripheral artery diseasee26931ENRikaTakemotoDepartment of Nephrology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHaruhito A.UchidaDepartment of Nephrology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHironobuTodaDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKenOkadaDepartment of Medical Support, Okayama University Hospital, Okayama, Japan, f Department of General Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesFumioOtsukaUltrasound Diagnostics Center, Okayama University HospitalHiroshiItoDepartment of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesJunWadaDepartment of Nephrology, Rheumatology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesPeripheral arterial disease (PAD) is one of major vascular diseases which frequently coexists with coronary arterial disease and cerebrovascular disease. The patients with PAD have a poor prognosis when it progresses. A new blood pressure testing device enables to simultaneously measure brachial blood pressure (BP), central BP, and several vascular parameters, with easy and non-invasive, in a short time. Here, we aimed to evaluate these arterial stiffness parameters in patients with PAD. In this study, 243 consecutive patients who were suspected of having PAD and referred to our hospital from September 2016 to June 2019, were registered. Several parameters, such as brachial BP, central BP, aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV), total vascular resistance (TVR), augmentation index (AI) and augmentation pressure (AP), were determined by Mobil-O-Graph. Ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI) was used to define PAD (ABI <= 0.9 as PAD). The relationship between PAD and central BP, aPWV, TVR, AI, or AP were investigated. One hundred sixty-two patients (67%) were categorized as the PAD group and 81 patients (33%) as the non-PAD group. In the PAD group, the systolic brachial BP and central systolic BP were significantly higher than those in the non-PAD group (138 +/- 24 mmHg vs 131 +/- 19 mmHg, P < .05, 125 +/- 22 mmHg vs 119 +/- 18 mmHg, P < .05, respectively). TVR, AI, and AP were significantly higher in the PAD group (1785 +/- 379 dyn s/cm(5) vs 1661 +/- 317 dyn s/cm(5), P < .05, 26.2 +/- 13.0% vs 22.2 +/- 13.3%, P < .05, 13.5 +/- 9.4 mmHg vs 10.7 +/- 7.2 mmHg, P < .05, respectively). No significant differences in diastolic BP, central diastolic BP, and aPWV were found between the groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that PAD was significantly associated with TVR, AI, and AP (P < .05, respectively). TVR/AP/AI were significantly higher in the PAD group than in the non-PAD group.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Nature ResearchActa Medica Okayama2045-23221112021Leucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein as a marker of mucosal healing in inflammatory bowel disease11086ENErikoYasutomiDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesToshihiroInokuchiDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesSakikoHiraokaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKensukeTakeiDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesShokoIgawaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesShumpeiYamamotoDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMasayasuOhmoriDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesShoheiOkaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesYasushiYamasakiDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesHideakiKinugasaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMasahiroTakaharaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesKeitaHaradaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesMasakiFurukawaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Okayama University HospitalKouichiItoshimaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Okayama University HospitalKenOkadaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Okayama University HospitalFumioOtsukaDepartment of Laboratory Medicine, Okayama University HospitalTakehiroTanakaDepartment of Pathology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesToshiharuMitsuhashiCenter for Innovative Clinical Medicine, Okayama University HospitalJunKatoDepartment of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba UniversityHiroyukiOkadaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical SciencesLeucine-rich alpha-2 glycoprotein (LRG) may be a novel serum biomarker for patients with inflammatory bowel disease. The association of LRG with the endoscopic activity and predictability of mucosal healing (MH) was determined and compared with those of C-reactive protein (CRP) and fecal markers (fecal immunochemical test [FIT] and fecal calprotectin [Fcal]) in 166 ulcerative colitis (UC) and 56 Crohn's disease (CD) patients. In UC, LRG was correlated with the endoscopic activity and could predict MH, but the performance was not superior to that of fecal markers (areas under the curve [AUCs] for predicting MH: LRG: 0.61, CRP: 0.59, FIT: 0.75, and Fcal: 0.72). In CD, the performance of LRG was equivalent to that of CRP and Fcal (AUCs for predicting MH: LRG: 0.82, CRP: 0.82, FIT: 0.70, and Fcal: 0.88). LRG was able to discriminate patients with MH from those with endoscopic activity among UC and CD patients with normal CRP levels. LRG was associated with endoscopic activity and could predict MH in both UC and CD patients. It may be particularly useful in CD.No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2532007Ownership-dependent mating tactics of minor males of the beetle Librodor japonicus (Nitidulidae) with intra-sexual dimorphism of mandibles255261ENKensukeOkadaTakahisaMiyatake<p>Intra-sexual dimorphism is found in the weapons of many male beetles. Different behavioral tactics to access females between major and minor males, which adopt fighting and alternative tactics, respectively, are thought to maintain the male dimorphism. In these species major males have enlarged weapons that they use in fights with rival males. Minor males also have small weapons in some of these species, and it is unclear why these males possess weapons. We examined the hypothesis that minor males might adopt a fighting tactic when their status was relatively high in comparison with that of other males (e.g., ownership of a territory). We observed the behavioral tactics of major and minor males of the beetle Librodor japonicus, whose males have a dimorphism of their mandibles. Major males fought for resources, whereas minor males adopted two status-dependent tactics, fighting and sneaking, to access females, depending on their ownership of a sap site. We suggest that ownership status-dependent mating tactics in minor males may maintain the intra-sexual dimorphism in this beetle.</p>No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.Acta Medica Okayama2008Evolution of weapons and male combat in beetlesENKensukeOkadaNo potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.