The short-term feeding of low- and high-histidine diets prior to market affects the muscle carnosine and anserine contents and meat quality of broilers.

Functional dipeptides carnosine and anserine are abundant in muscle. We determined the effect of short-term dietary histidine (His) content on muscle carnosine and anserine contents and meat quality of broilers. Three groups of 28-day-old female broilers were fed diets with His contents of 67%, 100%, or 150% of requirement for 10 days before market (His contents 0.

Regulation of Apoptosis by SYB in HepG2 Liver Cancer Cells is Mediated by the P53/Caspase 9 Axis.

Objective: To explore the function of miR-34a in promotion of apoptosis by SYB.

Methods: In this study, the most effective concentration of SYB was determined by measuring cell proliferation. Relative miR-34a mRNA levels were detected by quantitative RT-PCR.

Altered arterial stiffness in male-to-female transsexuals undergoing hormonal treatment.

Aim: Male-to-female (MTF) transsexuals are treated with estrogen with and without progestin through a variety of routes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the arterial stiffness in MTF transsexuals undergoing hormonal treatment.

Methods: We evaluated the arterial stiffness in 156 MTF transsexuals (22 untreated and 129 treated with estrogen only or plus progestin) using a volume-plethysmographic apparatus equipped with a multi-element applanation tonometry sensor.

Simultaneous gradual lengthening of proximal and distal nerve stumps for repair of chronic peripheral nerve defect in rats.

We investigated nerve regeneration of rat sciatic nerves after chronic injury of 15 mm-defect by the gradual lengthening of proximal and distal nerve stumps. Thirty days after the primal injury, both stumps were grasped and lengthened at a rate of 1 mm per day using external nerve-lengthening devices for 15 days. Then end-to-end neurorrhaphy was performed.

New treatment for peripheral nerve defects: reconstruction of a 2 cm, monkey median nerve gap by direct lengthening of both nerve stumps.

We have developed a new treatment for peripheral nerve defects: nerve-lengthening method, and confirmed the efficacy and safety of our method using cynomolgus monkeys. A 20-mm defect in the median nerve of monkey's forearms was repaired through the simultaneous lengthening of both nerve stumps with original nerve-lengthening device. To evaluate nerve regeneration after neurorrhaphy, electrophysiological, histological, and functional recovery were examined and compared to the standard autografting.

Increased arterial stiffness in mildly-hypertensive women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Aim: Although risk factors for cardiovascular disease, such as obesity, hyperinsulinemia, and dyslipidemia, are commonly observed in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), impairment of vascular function is still controversial. We evaluated the vascular function in young women with PCOS.

Methods: We evaluated arterial stiffness in 54 women with PCOS and 24 healthy control women using a volume-plethysmographic apparatus equipped with a multi-element applanation tonometry sensor for the left common carotid artery and studied the correlations of various factors.

Repair of the sciatic nerve defect with a direct gradual lengthening of proximal and distal nerve stumps in rabbits.

Background: The current clinical repair method used for the segmental peripheral nerve defect is autogenous nerve grafting. However, this method has several inherent disadvantages. Therefore, the authors have invented an alternative method for repairing the segmental peripheral nerve defect with a direct gradual lengthening of nerve stumps.