Central injection of hypertonic saline activates angiotensin II-sensitive neurons in the anterior hypothalamic area of rats.

We have previously reported that microinjection of angiotensin II into the anterior hypothalamic area (AHA) produces pressor responses and that angiotensin II-sensitive neurons in the AHA are tonically activated by endogenous angiotensins in rats. Central injection of hypertonic saline causes pressor responses via release of angiotensins in brain. In this study, we examined whether angiotensin II-sensitive neurons in the AHA are responsive to intracerebroventricular injection of hypertonic saline and whether endogenous angiotensins in the AHA are involved in the central hypertonic saline-induced pressor response.

Link between SCN5A mutation and the Brugada syndrome ECG phenotype: simulation study.

Background: The specific changes in the gating kinetics of the sodium current (I(Na)) responsible for its phenotype have remained to be elucidated. In the present study the effect of changes in the gating kinetics of I(Na) on early repolarization (ER) and initiation of phase 2 reentry (P2R) were evaluated in a theoretical epicardial ventricular fiber model.

Methods And Results: Miyoshi-I(CaL) was incorporated into the modified Luo-Rudy dynamic (LRd) model.

ERp57 binds competitively to protein disulfide isomerase and calreticulin.

In this study, we screened for protein disulfide isomerase (PDI)-binding proteins in bovine liver microsomes under strict salt concentrations, using affinity column chromatography. One main band observed using SDS-PAGE was identified as ERp57 (one of the PDI family proteins) by LC-MS/MS analysis. The K(D) value of PDI binding to ERp57 was calculated as 5.

Crystal structure of dimeric heme oxygenase-2 from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 in complex with heme.

Phycobiliproteins, light-harvesting proteins in cyanobacteria, red algae, and cryptophytes, contain phycobilin pigments. Phycobilins are synthesized from biliverdin, which is produced by the oxidative cleavage of the heme porphyrin ring catalyzed by heme oxygenase (HO). Two paralogs of ho (ho1 and ho2) have been identified in the genome of the cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp.

Protein kinase C activation-induced increases of neural activity are enhanced in the hypothalamus of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

We have previously reported that some neurons in the anterior hypothalamic area (AHA) are tonically activated by endogenous angiotensins in rats and that activities of these angiotensin II-sensitive neurons in the AHA are enhanced in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). In addition, neural activations induced by both angiotensin II and glutamate were enhanced in the AHA of SHR. In this study, we examined whether intracellular neural activation mechanisms via protein kinase C (PKC) and a potassium channel are altered in angiotensin II-sensitive neurons in the AHA of SHR.

The medial amygdaloid area is involved in activation of angiotensin II-sensitive neurons in the anterior hypothalamic area.

We have previously reported that some neurons in the anterior hypothalamic area (AHA) are tonically activated by endogenous angiotensins in rats and that the activities of these AHA angiotensin II-sensitive neurons are enhanced in spontaneously hypertensive rats. It is suggested that there exist neural projections from the medial amygdala to the AHA in rats. In this study, we examined whether neurons in the medial amygdaloid area (MeA) are involved in the activation of AHA angiotensin II-sensitive neurons.

Expression and functional characterization of human ABC transporter ABCG2 variants in insect cells.

Hitherto three variant forms of ABCG2 have been documented on the basis of their amino acid moieties (i.e., Arg, Gly, and Thr) at the position 482.

A novel adjuvant for mucosal immunity to HIV-1 gp120 in nonhuman primates.

The development of a safe and effective mucosal adjuvant is a crucial step toward a mucosal HIV/AIDS vaccine. This study seeks to determine the promise of a nontoxic mutant of cholera toxin (mCT; E112K) as a mucosal adjuvant in nonhuman primates. HIV-1 gp120 was nasally administered together with mCT E112K or native CT (nCT) as adjuvant on five to six occasions over a 6- to 8-wk period to groups of four rhesus macaques and alone to two monkeys that acted as controls.

Insulin resistance in skeletal muscles of caveolin-3-null mice.

Type 2 diabetes is preceded by the development of insulin resistance, in which the action of insulin is impaired, largely in skeletal muscles. Caveolin-3 (Cav3) is a muscle-specific subtype of caveolin, an example of a scaffolding protein found within membranes. Cav is also known as growth signal inhibitor, although it was recently demonstrated that the genetic disruption of Cav3 did not augment growth in mice.

Enhanced activity of angiotensin II-sensitive neurons in the anterior hypothalamic area of spontaneously hypertensive rats.

We have previously reported that an angiotensin system in the anterior hypothalamic area (AHA) is enhanced in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and that this enhancement is involved in hypertension in this strain. In addition, we have reported that some neurons in the AHA are tonically activated by endogenous angiotensins in rats. In this study, we examined whether activities of neurons receiving tonic angiotensinergic inputs in the AHA are enhanced in SHR as compared with those of Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY).

Multiple primary cancers in patients with osteosarcoma: influence of anticancer drugs and genetic factors.

One hundred thirty-five patients younger than 30 years with osteosarcoma were treated at the Chiba Cancer Center between 1976 and 1999. They included six patients with second cancer after cure of osteosarcoma (group A) and three patients with osteosarcoma as second cancer after cure of childhood cancers (group B). Third cancer occurred in one patient of group A.

Single tooth replacement using a modified metal-ceramic resin-bonded fixed partial denture: a clinical report.

This article describes the use of a modified metal-ceramic resin-bonded fixed partial denture (MMC RBFPD) as a conservative solution for the replacement of an incisor. It is a minimally invasive technique which does not discolor the abutment teeth.

Periosteal chondroma of the fifth toe--a case report.

A case of a periosteal chondroma arising in the fifth toe is reported. A 19-year-old man presented a palpable mass of his left fifth toe with pain for 2 years. Plain radiographs showed mild irregularity of the cortical bone of the fifth proximal phalanx.

Tonic angiotensinergic inputs to neurons in the anterior hypothalamic area of rats.

We have previously reported that microinjection of angiotensin II into the anterior hypothalamic area (AHA) produces a pressor response in rats and that the angiotensin AT1 receptor antagonist, losartan, similarly injected causes a depressor response in hypertensive rats. In this study, we examined whether endogenous angiotensins are involved in activation of neurons in the AHA. Male Wistar rats were anesthetized and artificially ventilated.

Autoimmunity against the second extracellular loop of beta(1)-adrenergic receptors induces early afterdepolarization and decreases in K-channel density in rabbits.

Objectives: We sought to define the electrophysiologic property of the rabbit heart associated with autoimmunity against the second extracellular loop of the beta(1)-adrenergic receptor.

Background: Sudden death of patients with cardiomyopathy, probably due to lethal ventricular arrhythmias, can be predicted by the presence of autoantibodies against the second extracellular loop of the beta(1)-adrenergic receptor.

Methods: Rabbits were immunized by repetitive subcutaneous administration of a synthetic peptide corresponding to the second extracellular loop of beta(1)-adrenergic receptors (beta group; n = 30) for a mean of 4.

Gait characteristics of sciatic nerve palsy--a report of four cases.

There are few reports concerning the gait characteristics of sciatic nerve palsy. Four cases, one with complete palsy and three with incomplete palsy, are presented. Complete palsy (case 1) was due to sacrifice of the sciatic nerve in a wide excision for chondrosarcoma in the left ischium.

Involvement of the medial amygdaloid nucleus in restraint stress-induced pressor responses in rats.

Restraint stress increased the number of neurons with Fos immunoreactivity in the medial amygdaloid nucleus in rats and caused an increase in blood pressure. The stress-induced pressor response was inhibited by muscimol (80 pmol), a neuroinhibitory compound, injected bilaterally into the medial amygdaloid area, whereas muscimol (8 pmol) similarly injected had only a tendency of inhibition of the pressor response. These data suggest that the medial amygdaloid nucleus is involved in mediation of the restraint stress-induced pressor response.

Marriage and fertility in long-term survivors of high grade osteosarcoma.

One hundred fifteen patients with high grade osteosarcoma were treated at our hospital between 1976 and 1995. Of these, 45 patients still surviving and disease free for more than 5 years since the conclusion of treatment were enrolled as the subjects. The marriage proportion (number of married persons/number of all persons) and fertility proportion (number of persons having an offspring/number of married persons) of these 45 patients were investigated.

Projections from the caudal part to the rostral part of the lateral septal area mediate blood pressure increase.

We previously demonstrated that restraint stress-induced pressor responses were inhibited by bilateral microinjection of muscimol into the rostral part of the ventral zone of the lateral septal area (LSV). The caudal part of the lateral septal area is also reported to be involved in blood pressure regulation. In this study, we examined whether the LSV receives projections from the caudal part of the dorsal zone of the lateral septal area (LSD) in rats.

Age-related changes in nerve fibers of the human fasciculus gracilis.

Nerve fibers of the human fasciculus gracilis were studied on 10 male cadavers aged 41-97 years using a discriminative staining method and a microscopic image-analyzing system. Our data show that the transverse areas of axons in the human fasciculus gracilis significantly decrease with age, while no significant correlation was observed between the number of fibers and age.

Differences in the axonal compositions of the human mandibular nerve between dentulous and edentulous jaws.

We examined the human mandibular nerve to find differences in the composition of nerve fiber axons between dentulous and edentulous jaws Using Goto's modification of Masson-Goldner's method. We discovered that the edentulous jaw did not contain any large size axons, compared with the dentulous jaw. This can be considered as evidence that the larger fibers innervating the periodontal ligament decreased degenerated after tooth loss.

A case of inguinal endometriosis with difficulty in preoperative diagnosis.

An unusual case of endometriosis involving the right round ligament in a 40-year-old woman is presented. After giving birth to two children, she first noticed a tender mass in the right groin at the age of 36. It didn't change in size but pain appeared at the age of 38, disturbing her daily life.

Lack of oral tolerance in aging is due to sequential loss of Peyer's patch cell interactions.

Our past studies showed that Peyer's patches were required for the induction of oral tolerance to the protein antigen ovalbumin (OVA), but not to the hapten 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). In the present study, the effects of immunosenescence on oral tolerance induction were assessed with these two toleragens. Significant reductions in OVA-specific serum IgG antibody and CD4(+) T cell responses to subsequent challenge were observed in OVA-fed, young adult mice.

Protective mucosal immunity in aging is associated with functional CD4+ T cells in nasopharyngeal-associated lymphoreticular tissue.

Our previous studies showed that mucosal immunity was impaired in 1-year-old mice that had been orally immunized with OVA and native cholera toxin (nCT) as mucosal adjuvant. In this study, we queried whether similar immune dysregulation was also present in mucosal compartments of mice immunized by the nasal route. Both 1-year-old and young adult mice were immunized weekly with three nasal doses of OVA and nCT or with a nontoxic chimeric enterotoxin (mutant cholera toxin-A E112K/B subunit of native labile toxin) from Brevibacillus choshinensis.

A mathematical model of phase 2 reentry: role of L-type Ca current.

Phase 2 reentry (P2R) is known to be one of the mechanisms of malignant ventricular arrhythmias, especially those associated with Brugada syndrome. However, little is known about the underlying mechanism for P2R. Our aim in this study was to simulate P2R in a mathematical model to enable us to understand its mechanism and identify a potential therapeutic target.