Publications by authors named "Fusako Maehira"

Silicon is rich in the normal human aorta but decreases with age and the development of atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that soluble silica (Si) and coral sand (CS), as a natural Si-containing material, would suppress high blood pressure (BP) in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), and clarify the observed antihypertensive mechanism by cell cultures by quantifying messenger RNA expressions in the aorta. In SHR fed diets containing 1% Ca supplemented with CaCO(3) as the control (CT) and CS in a Ca-deficient diet and containing 50 mg/kg Si in the CT diet for 8 weeks, systolic BP was significantly (P < .

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Objective: In our previous study to evaluate the effects of soluble silicon (Si) on bone metabolism, Si and coral sand (CS) as a natural Si-containing material suppressed peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), which regulates both glucose and bone metabolism and increases adipogenesis at the expense of osteogenesis, leading to bone loss. In this study, we investigated the anti-diabetic effects of bone-seeking elements, Si and stable strontium (Sr), and CS as a natural material containing these elements using obese diabetic KKAy mice.

Methods: Weanling male mice were fed diets containing 1% Ca supplemented with CaCO(3) as the control and CS, and diets supplemented with 50 ppm Si or 750 ppm Sr to control diet for 56 d.

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Objective: The effects of five calcium (Ca) sources were compared for bone biochemical and mechanical properties and the related gene expression using mice, from the viewpoint of their soluble silicon (Si) content.

Methods: Weanling male mice were fed diets containing 1% Ca supplemented with CaCO(3) as the control (CT), coral sand (CS), fossil stony coral (FSC), fish bone (FC) and eggshell (EC) powders, and 50 ppm of Si in the CT diet for 6 mo. The mRNA expressions related to bone remodeling were quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

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Silicon has been known as an essential element for bone formation. The silicon contents of sea water increase with increasing of depth: 1.8 ppm Si in deep-sea water (DW) at 612 m in depth versus 0.

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In order to evaluate the each question in the National Examination for Medical Technologist by comparison with the educated level in the course of laboratory medicine and the practical level of medical technologists, the investigation has been carried out by our committee established in the National University Association for Education of Laboratory Medicine during 9 years since 1997. The committee has asked each school of the 20 members of the Association to pick up good and/or inappropriate questions with the reasons why they are classified as good or improper ones. Some questions were considered as good ones by a large number of schools, while the others were considered improper.

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Background: We reported a reciprocal relationship between reduced serum selenium (Se) and elevated serum C-reactive protein (CRP) in various pathological conditions in comparison with the levels in 141 healthy subjects. To clarify the implications of these observations, the effect of Se on nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB, which upregulates the CRP synthesis in the liver, was examined.

Methods: Human hepatoma cell line HuH-7 was cultured in medium with 2% fetal calf serum (FCS) for 3 days for the Se deprivation, followed by another 3 days in the same medium containing sodium selenite prior to stimulation of the cells with either monocyte-conditioned medium (MoCM) or tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha).

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Background: Selenium (Se), an essential trace element, is known to be a cofactor of antioxidative selenoenzymes such as glutathione peroxidase and thioredoxin reductase.

Methods: We assessed the pathophysiological significance of selenium (Se) by comparing the concentrations of serum Se and C-reactive protein (CRP) in healthy subjects (141; M=71, F=70) vs. patients with various pathological conditions.

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