Comprehensive analysis of molecular, physiological, and functional biomarkers of aging with neurological diseases using Mendelian randomization.

An increasing burden of neurological diseases (NDs) has been a public health challenge in an aging society. Age, especially biological age, is the most important risk factor for NDs. Identification of biomarkers of aging to capture NDs might lead to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of pathological brain aging and the implementation of effective intervention.

Postharvest Management of Fruits and Vegetables-Series II.

Fruits and vegetables are crucial nutritional sources of carbohydrates, protein, minerals, vitamins, and dietary fiber, offering significant benefits to human health [...

Ventricular Electrocardiographic Signatures Associated with Dementia and Plasma Alzheimer's Disease Biomarkers in Older Adults: A Population-Based Study.

Background: Evidence has emerged that altered ventricular electrocardiogram profiles are associated with dementia, but the neuropathological mechanisms underlying their associations are poorly understood.

Objective: To investigate the interrelationships of ventricular electrocardiogram profiles with dementia and plasma Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers among older adults.

Methods: This population-based cross-sectional study included 5,153 participants (age ≥65 years; 57.

Association of ischemic heart disease with long-term risk of cognitive decline and dementia: A cohort study.

Introduction: The independent and joint effect of ischemic heart disease (IHD) and coexisting atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) on dementia risk is largely unknown.

Methods: This population-based cohort study included 2568 dementia-free participants (age ≥60 years) in SNAC-K, who were regularly examined from 2001-2004 through 2013-2016. Dementia was diagnosed following the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV) criteria.

Associations of Cardiac Ventricular Repolarization with Serum Adhesion Molecules and Cognitive Function in Older Adults: The MIND-China Study.

Background: Emerging evidence has linked electrocardiographic parameters with serum adhesion molecules and cognition; however, their interrelationship has not been explored.

Objective: We sought to investigate the associations of ventricular depolarization and repolarization intervals with serum adhesion molecules and cognitive function among rural-dwelling older adults.

Methods: This population-based study engaged 4,886 dementia-free participants (age ≥60 years, 56.

Functional Characteristics of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase and Its Involvement in Aromatic Volatile Biosynthesis in Postharvest Banana Ripening.

Butanol vapor feeding to ripe banana pulp slices produced abundant butyl butanoate, indicating that a portion of butanol molecules was converted to butanoate/butanoyl-CoA via butanal, and further biosynthesized to ester. A similar phenomenon was observed when feeding propanol and pentanol, but was less pronounced when feeding hexanol, 2-methylpropanol and 3-methylbutanol. Enzymes which catalyze the cascade reactions, such as alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), acetyl-CoA synthetase, and alcohol acetyl transferase, have been well documented.

Antioxidative Responses to Pre-Storage Hot Water Treatment of Red Sweet Pepper ( L.) Fruit during Cold Storage.

The effects of hot water treatments on antioxidant responses in red sweet pepper ( L.) fruit during cold storage were investigated. Red sweet pepper fruits were treated with hot water at 55 °C for 1 (HWT-1 min), 3 (HWT-3 min), and 5 min (HWT-5 min) and stored at 10 °C for 4 weeks.

Association of resting heart rate with cognitive decline and dementia in older adults: A population-based cohort study.

Introduction: Resting heart rate (RHR) predicts future risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, longitudinal studies investigating the relationship of RHR with cognitive decline are scarce.

Methods: This population-based cohort study included 2147 participants (age≥60) in SNAC-K who were free of dementia and regularly followed from 2001-2004 to 2013-2016.

Electrocardiographic Predictors of Cognitive Decline and Dementia: A Systematic Review.

Background: Markers of altered cardiac function might predict cognitive decline and dementia.

Objective: This systematic review aims to review the literature that examines the associations of various electrocardiogram (ECG) markers with cognitive decline and dementia in middle-aged and elderly populations.

Methods: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science through 1 July 2020 for literature and conducted a systematic literature review.

Effect of adiposity on differences in carotid plaque burden in studies conducted in Norway and Russia: a cross-sectional analysis of two populations at very different risk of cardiovascular mortality.

Objectives: Large differences exist in the burden of cardiovascular disease (CVD) between Russia and Western European countries including Norway. Obesity prevalence may contribute to the differences. We investigated whether difference in the level of adiposity, assessed using body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio(WHR), could explain intercountry differences in the burden of carotid plaque, a measure of atherosclerosis, in the populations.

The association between anthropometric measures of adiposity and the progression of carotid atherosclerosis.

Background: Few reports are available on the contribution of general and abdominal obesity to the progression of carotid atherosclerosis in late adulthood. This study investigated the impact of four simple anthropometric measures of general and abdominal obesity on the progression of carotid atherosclerosis and the extent to which the association between adiposity and the progression of plaque burden is mediated by cardiometabolic markers.

Methods: Four thousand three hundred forty-five adults (median age 60) from the population-based Tromsø Study were followed over 7 years from the first carotid ultrasound screening to the next.

Comparison of FBPA uptake with FDG uptake in cancer patients.

For the patients who underwent fluorinated para-boronophenylalanine (FBPA) positron emission tomography (PET) and fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET within a period of 2 weeks, maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), tumor-to-normal tissue ratio (TNR), and tumor-to-blood ratio (TBR) for FBPA were compared with SUVmax for FDG. A total of 30 patients were selected for comparison. SUVmax for FBPA was correlated the best with SUVmax for FDG.

The contribution of obesity to carotid atherosclerotic plaque burden in a general population sample in Norway: The Tromsø Study.

Background And Aims: Few studies have investigated the association of different measures of adiposity with carotid plaque. We aimed to investigate and compare the associations of four measures of adiposity: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) with the presence of carotid plaque and total plaque area (TPA) in the right carotid artery.

Methods: We included 4906 individuals aged 31-88 years who participated in a population-based study with ultrasonography of the right carotid artery.

Proteomic analysis of cellular response induced by boron neutron capture reaction in human squamous cell carcinoma SAS cells.

To understand the mechanism of cell death induced by boron neutron capture reaction (BNCR), we performed proteome analyses of human squamous tumor SAS cells after BNCR. Cells were irradiated with thermal neutron beam at KUR after incubation under boronophenylalanine (BPA)(+) and BPA(-) conditions. BNCR mainly induced typical apoptosis in SAS cells 24h post-irradiation.

Histological and biochemical analysis of DNA damage after BNCT in rat model.

To understand the mechanism of tumor cell death induced by boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) and to optimize BNCT condition, we used rat tumor graft models and histological and biochemical analyses were carried out focusing on DNA damage response. Rat lymphosarcoma cells were grafted subcutaneously into male Wister rats. The rats with developed tumors were then treated with neutron beam irradiation 45min after injection of 330mg/kg bodyweight boronophenylalanine ((10)BPA) (+BPA) or saline control (-BPA).

Consumption of a high-fat diet during pregnancy changes the expression of cytochrome P450 in the livers of infant male mice.

It has been recently reported that the consumption of a high-fat diet during pregnancy exerts various effects on fetuses and newborn mice. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a high-fat diet during pregnancy on the expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP) in the livers of offspring. Mouse dams were fed a high-fat diet during pregnancy from the time of conception.

Consumption of a high-fat diet during pregnancy decreases the activity of cytochrome P450 3a in the livers of offspring.

Recent studies have reported that a high-fat diet during pregnancy exerts various effects on the foetus and newborn. The purpose of this study was to clarify the effects of a high-fat diet during pregnancy on the activity of hepatic cytochrome P450 (Cyp) 3a in offspring in mice. The protein expression level and activity of Cyp3a in the livers of 6-week-old mice born to mothers that were given a high-fat diet during pregnancy (HF group) decreased significantly compared with the Control group.

Effectiveness of boron neutron capture therapy for recurrent head and neck malignancies.

It is necessary to explore new treatments for recurrent head and neck malignancies (HNM) to avoid severe impairment of oro-facial structures and functions. Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is tumor-cell targeted radiotherapy that has significant superiority over conventional radiotherapies in principle. We have treated with BNCT 42 times for 26 patients (19 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), 4 salivary gland carcinomas and 3 sarcomas) with a recurrent and far advanced HNM since 2001.

Survival benefit from boron neutron capture therapy for the newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients.

Objective: Since 2002-2007, we applied boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) to >50 cases of malignant gliomas (MGs) with epithermal neutron irradiations. Recently, we showed the early radiographical improvement of malignant glioma patients by our modified BNCT, with simultaneous use of BPA (borono-phenylalanine) and BSH (sodium borocaptate). In this time, we focused on the survival benefit from BNCT for the newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients.

Boron neutron capture therapy for newly diagnosed glioblastoma.

We evaluate the clinical results of a form of tumor selective particle radiation known as boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) for newly-diagnosed glioblastoma (NDGB) patients, especially in combination with X-ray treatment (XRT). Between 2002 and 2006, we treated 21 patients of NDGB with BNCT utilizing sodium borocaptate and boronophenylalanine simultaneously. The first 10 were treated with only BNCT (protocol 1), and the last 11 were treated with BNCT followed by XRT of 20 to 30 Gy (protocol 2) to reduce the possibility of local tumor recurrence.

Evaluation of fluoride-labeled boronophenylalanine-PET imaging for the study of radiation effects in patients with glioblastomas.

Here we demonstrate that differentiation between glioblastoma (GB) tumor progression (TP) and radiation necrosis (RN) can be achieved with fluoride-labeled boronoalanine positron emission tomography (F-BPA-PET). F-BPA-PET images were obtained from histologically verified 38 GB, 8 complete RN, and 5 RN cases with partial residual tumors. The lesion/normal (L/N) ratios for these groups were 4.

Treatment results of boron neutron capture therapy using intra-arterial administration of boron compounds for recurrent head and neck cancer.

The effect of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is correlated with the density of boron in the tumour. BNCT using intra-arterial administration of boron compounds was performed for recurrent head and neck cancer. Of the five patients treated, one achieved a complete response and four achieved a partial response.

Hemodynamic and metabolic changes after carotid endarterectomy in patients with high-degree carotid artery stenosis.

In symptomatic stenosis of the internal carotid artery (ICA), the predominant mechanism of ischemic event is considered thromboembolic. Carotid endarterectomy (CEA) removes the embolic source and is accepted as the major benefit from the surgery. Even in high-degree stenosis, hemodynamic compromise as a causal factor for cerebral ischemia remains controversial, however.

Cerebral oxygen metabolism in idiopathic-normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Objective: To distinguish idiopathic-normal pressure hydrocephalus (i-NPH) from the elder with brain atrophy is difficult. This investigation was undertaken to determine the cerebral oxygen metabolism and the cerebral blood flow using positron emission tomography (PET) in patients with i-NPH. Comparison of the variables between i-NPH patients and the age-comparable control with asymptomatic ventricular dilatation were performed.