Pathophysiological analysis of primary biliary cirrhosis focusing on choline/phospholipid metabolism.

Background & Aims: Injury to biliary epithelial cells caused by disorders in bile composition may be the initial step in the pathogenesis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). We therefore examined choline/phospholipid metabolism in livers of patients with PBC.

Methods: Hepatic levels of mRNA encoded by choline metabolism-related genes in early stage PBC patients were quantified by real-time RT-PCR.

Increased serum oxysterol concentrations in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection.

Oxidative stress and dysregulated cholesterol metabolism are characteristic features of chronic hepatitis C virus infection (CHC). Therefore, we analyzed serum oxysterol profiles in CHC patients and examined the significance of oxysterols in CHC. The concentrations of 7α-hydroxycholesterol, 4β-hydroxycholesterol and 25-hydroxycholesterol as determined by LC-ESI-MS/MS were significantly elevated by +236%, +29% and +44%, respectively, in CHC patients compared with controls.

Therapeutic effectiveness of potassium iodine in drug-naïve patients with Graves' disease: a single-center experience.

Iodine is beneficial against Graves' thyrotoxicosis, though its effects are short-lived. However, its long-term effectiveness as an initial therapy has not been fully elucidated. Here, we compared the effects of potassium iodine (KI) and methimazole (MMI) in Graves' thyrotoxicosis and on thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) levels.

Prdm8 regulates the morphological transition at multipolar phase during neocortical development.

Here, we found that the PR domain protein Prdm8 serves as a key regulator of the length of the multipolar phase by controlling the timing of morphological transition. We used a mouse line with expression of Prdm8-mVenus reporter and found that Prdm8 is predominantly expressed in the middle and upper intermediate zone during both the late and terminal multipolar phases. Prdm8 expression was almost coincident with Unc5D expression, a marker for the late multipolar phase, although the expression of Unc5D was found to be gradually down-regulated to the point at which mVenus expression was gradually up-regulated.

Impact of myocardial reperfusion status on QT dispersion after successful recanalization of the infarct-related artery in acute myocardial infarction.

Objective: To determine whether adequate myocardial perfusion status after transluminal recanalization is associated with prompt improvement of QT dispersion (QTd).

Background: Transluminal recanalization of the infarct-related coronary artery in acute myocardial infarction aims to promptly restore myocardial perfusion, to maximize electrical and mechanical recovery. QTd represents the heterogeneity of ventricular repolarization, which may affect electrical stability.

Gene expression differences in the duodenum of 129/Sv and DBA/2 mice compared with that of C57BL/6J mice.

We compared the cadmium (Cd) concentration in the liver and kidney of different strains of mice after exposure to 50 ppm Cd for 30 days via drinking water. Cd concentration in the liver and kidney of C57BL/6J mice were higher than those of 129/Sv and DBA/2 mice. Since orally ingested heavy metals are absorbed in the small intestine and then widely distributed to target tissues, microarray analyses were performed to compare the expression levels of transport-related genes in the duodenum between C57BL/6J mice and 129/Sv or DBA/2 mice.

Arthroscopic evaluation of patellofemoral congruence with rotation of the knee joint and electrical stimulation of the quadriceps.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the pathoanatomic features of patellar instability by arthroscopically comparing patellofemoral congruence with rotation of the knee joint and/or electrical stimulation of the quadriceps (ESQ) between knees with and without patellar instability.

Methods: We retrospectively examined 83 knee joints in 83 patients. The joints were classified into 2 groups: group 1 comprised those without a history of patellar dislocation and included 59 patients (25 male and 34 female patients), and group 2 comprised those with a history of patellar dislocation and included 24 patients (9 male and 15 female patients).

Effects of hydrogen peroxide on mucociliary transport in human airway epithelial cells.

The effects of environmental pollutants on airway clearance have not been well elucidated. This study examined mucociliary transport using different sized-fluorescent particles on polarized human airway epithelial cells which were maintained in an air-liquid interface (ALI) culture system. The effects of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) exposure on mucociliary transport were also investigated.

Effects of head movement and proprioceptive feedback in training of sound localization.

We investigated the effects of listeners' head movements and proprioceptive feedback during sound localization practice on the subsequent accuracy of sound localization performance. The effects were examined under both restricted and unrestricted head movement conditions in the practice stage. In both cases, the participants were divided into two groups: a feedback group performed a sound localization drill with accurate proprioceptive feedback; a control group conducted it without the feedback.

7-Dehydrocholesterol metabolites produced by sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) modulate liver X receptor activity.

7-Dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) is a common precursor of vitamin D3 and cholesterol. Although various oxysterols, oxygenated cholesterol derivatives, have been implicated in cellular signaling pathways, 7-DHC metabolism and potential functions of its metabolites remain poorly understood. We examined 7-DHC metabolism by various P450 enzymes and detected three metabolites produced by sterol 27-hydroxylase (CYP27A1) using high-performance liquid chromatography.

Pioglitazone decreases coronary artery inflammation in impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus: evaluation by FDG-PET/CT imaging.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of pioglitazone with glimepiride on coronary arterial inflammation with serial (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) combined with computed tomography (CT) angiography.

Background: Recent studies have shown that FDG-PET combined with CT is a reliable tool to visualize and quantify vascular inflammation. Although pioglitazone significantly prevented the progression of coronary atherosclerosis and reduced the recurrence of myocardial infarction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), it remains unclear whether pioglitazone could attenuate coronary artery inflammation.

Promoting universal financial protection: evidence from seven low- and middle-income countries on factors facilitating or hindering progress.

Although universal health coverage (UHC) is a global health policy priority, there remains limited evidence on UHC reforms in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This paper provides an overview of key insights from case studies in this thematic series, undertaken in seven LMICs (Costa Rica, Georgia, India, Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Thailand) at very different stages in the transition to UHC.These studies highlight the importance of increasing pre-payment funding through tax funding and sometimes mandatory insurance contributions when trying to improve financial protection by reducing out-of-pocket payments.

Effects of pioglitazone on visceral fat metabolic activity in impaired glucose tolerance or type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Context: Excess visceral fat is associated with chronic systemic inflammation and cardiovascular complications. Pioglitazone has been reported to variably influence visceral fat volume; however, its effect on metabolic activity of the visceral fat remains uncharacterized.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of pioglitazone on glucose metabolism of fat tissue by using (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography imaging.

Use of in-vitro experimental results to model in-situ experiments: bio-denitrification under geological disposal conditions.

Some of the low level radioactive wastes from reprocessing of spent nuclear fuels contain nitrates. Nitrates can be present in the form of soluble salts and can be reduced by various reactions. Among them, reduction by metal compounds and microorganisms seems to be important in the underground repository.

Caregiver burden mediates between caregiver's mental health condition and elder's behavioral problems among Japanese family caregivers.

Objectives: In Japan, the prevalence of depression has been reported to occur among 1 in 4 family caregivers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the self-rated burden associated with mental health conditions among caregivers.

Methods: We studied 95 caregivers aged 38-87 years in a cross-sectional study.

Isolation and culture of rabbit embryonic stem cells.

Mammalian stem cells are invaluable research resources for the study of cell and embryonic development as well as practical tools for use in the production of genetically engineered animals and further therapeutics. It is important that we further our knowledge and understanding of a variety of stem cells from several different animal species before trials in humans commence. Here we describe methods for establishing rabbit embryonic stem (rES) cell lines with indefinite proliferation potential.

Fundus image diagnostic agreement in uveitis utilizing free and open source software.

Objective: To assess the adequacy of image agreement regarding uveitis based on color fundus and fluorescein angiography images alone, and to use free and open source applications to conduct an image agreement study.

Design: Cross-sectional agreement study.

Participants: Baseline fundus and fluorescein images of patients with panuveitis, posterior, or intermediate uveitis enrolled in the Multi-center Uveitis Steroid Treatment (MUST) trial.

Naive-like conversion overcomes the limited differentiation capacity of induced pluripotent stem cells.

Although induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells are indistinguishable from ES cells in their expression of pluripotent markers, their differentiation into targeted cells is often limited. Here, we examined whether the limited capacity of iPS cells to differentiate into neural lineage cells could be mitigated by improving their base-line level of pluripotency, i.e.

A novel single virus infection system reveals that influenza virus preferentially infects cells in g1 phase.

Background: Influenza virus attaches to sialic acid residues on the surface of host cells via the hemagglutinin (HA), a glycoprotein expressed on the viral envelope, and enters into the cytoplasm by receptor-mediated endocytosis. The viral genome is released and transported in to the nucleus, where transcription and replication take place. However, cellular factors affecting the influenza virus infection such as the cell cycle remain uncharacterized.

FGF15/19 protein levels in the portal blood do not reflect changes in the ileal FGF15/19 or hepatic CYP7A1 mRNA levels.

It has been proposed that bile acid suppression of CYP7A1 gene expression is mediated through a gut-liver signaling pathway fibroblast growth factor (FGF)15/19-fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 which is initiated by activation of farnesoid X receptor in the ileum but not in the liver. This study evaluated whether FGF15/19 protein levels in the portal blood reflected changes in FGF15/19 mRNA in the ileum. Studies were conducted in Sprague Dawley rats and New Zealand white rabbits fed regular chow (controls), supplemented with cholesterol (Ch) or cholic acid (CA).

Molecular imaging of vascular inflammation.

Atherosclerosis and its thrombotic complications represent the major cause of morbidity and mortality in the industrialized countries. Despite recent advances in the diagnosis and management of cardiovascular disease, a substantial number of patients still die from acute coronary syndromes. Recently, atherosclerotic plaque composition rather than the degree of arterial stenosis has been shown to reflect the plaque vulnerability, thus contributing to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease.

From placode to labyrinth: culture of the chicken inner ear.

The inner ear transduces the mechanical stimuli that are associated with sound and balance perception. Missteps during its formation often result in deafness, and thus understanding otic development has a profound clinical relevance. The intricate complexity of the inner ear is derived from a simple epithelial sheet during embryogenesis.

Underweight/overweight and the risk of long-term care: follow-up study using data of the Japanese long-term care insurance system.

Aim: Both being underweight and overweight can lead to reduced activity of daily living, which subsequently can require long-term care. The aim of the present study was to clarify the association between underweight/overweight and the subsequent risk of long-term care introduction.

Methods: We tracked the data of long-term care insurance for 1580 men and women aged ≥65 years who had participated in the official population-based health check-up program in 2001 in Tsunan town and Sekikawa village, Japan.

Post-therapeutic needle biopsy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma is a useful tool to evaluate response to proton irradiation.

Aim: Proton beam therapy is safe and more effective than conventional radiation therapy for the local control of nodular hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, evaluating therapeutic response by imaging is not accurate during the early post-irradiation period. Therefore, we examined whether the histopathological study of biopsy specimens obtained at 3 weeks after irradiation can be used to more accurately assess therapeutic response.