Exposure to Radiofrequency Induces Synaptic Dysfunction in Cortical Neurons Causing Learning and Memory Alteration in Early Postnatal Mice.

The widespread use of wireless communication devices has necessitated unavoidable exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF). In particular, increasing RF-EMF exposure among children is primarily driven by mobile phone use. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of 1850 MHz RF-EMF exposure at a specific absorption rate of 4.

The role of spinally located dopamine D receptors in the regulation of the blood glucose level in mice.

Background: The possible role of dopamine D receptors located in the spinal cord in the regulation of the blood glucose level have not been investigated before.

Methods: In the present study, the effect of D receptor agonist and antagonist administered intrathecal (it) injection on the blood glucose level were examined in the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice.

Results: We found that it injection with carmoxirole (D receptor agonist) caused an elevation of the blood glucose level in a dose-dependent manner.

Identification and characterization of saikosaponins as antagonists of transient receptor potential A1 channel.

Neuropathic pain is associated with an increased sensitivity to painful stimuli or abnormal sensitivity to otherwise innocuous stimuli. However, in addition to adverse effects, currently available drugs have shown limited response in patients with neuropathic pain, which provides a rationale to explore new drug classes acting on novel targets and with better efficacy and safety profiles. Here, we found that saikosaponins potently inhibit agonist-induced activation of the transient receptor potential A1 (TRPA1) channel, which has been reported to mediate neuropathic pain by sensing a variety of chemical irritants.

Possible Effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure on Central Nerve System.

Technological advances of mankind, through the development of electrical and communication technologies, have resulted in the exposure to artificial electromagnetic fields (EMF). Technological growth is expected to continue; as such, the amount of EMF exposure will continue to increase steadily. In particular, the use-time of smart phones, that have become a necessity for modern people, is steadily increasing.

[Changes in the tumor necrosis factor-α level after an ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block in elderly patients with a hip fracture].

Background And Objectives: An ultrasound guided femoral nerve block is an established analgesic method in patients with a hip fracture. Elevated cytokine levels correlate with poor patient outcomes after surgery. Hence, the aim of the study was to describe the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α after an ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block in elderly patients having a femoral neck fracture.

Exposure to 835 MHz radiofrequency electromagnetic field induces autophagy in hippocampus but not in brain stem of mice.

The exploding popularity of mobile phones and their close proximity to the brain when in use has raised public concern regarding possible adverse effects from exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) on the central nervous system. Numerous studies have suggested that RF-EMF emitted by mobile phones can influence neuronal functions in the brain. Currently, there is still very limited information on what biological mechanisms influence neuronal cells of the brain.

Immunohistochemical Localization of Calbindin D28k, Parvalbumin, and Calretinin in the Superior Olivary Complex of Circling Mice.

The circling mouse serves as a hearing loss model. It has spontaneous tmie gene mutations that cause hair cell and cochlear degeneration. However, little is known about the role of the tmie gene in superior olivary complex (SOC) regions, in which sound information from the two ears is integrated and primarily relayed to the nuclei of the lateral lemniscus and inferior colliculus.

The distribution of calbindin-D28k, parvalbumin, and calretinin immunoreactivity in the inferior colliculus of circling mouse.

The circling mice with gene mutation are known as an animal deafness model, which showed hyperactive circling movement. Recently, the reinvestigation of circling mouse was performed to check the inner ear pathology as a main lesion of early hearing loss. In this trial, the inner ear organs were not so damaged to cause the hearing deficit of circling (cir/cir) mouse at 18 postnatal day (P18) though auditory brainstem response data indicated hearing loss of cir/cir mice at P18.

Salvia plebeia Extract Inhibits Xanthine Oxidase Activity In Vitro and Reduces Serum Uric Acid in an Animal Model of Hyperuricemia.

Hyperuricemia is a clinical condition characterized by an elevated level of serum uric acid and is a key risk factor for the development of gout and metabolic disorders. The existing urate-lowering therapies are often impractical for certain patient populations, providing a rationale to explore new agents with improved safety and efficacy. Here, we discovered that extract inhibited the enzyme activity of xanthine oxidase, which is a key enzyme generating uric acid in the liver.

Characterization of temporal expressions of FOXO and pFOXO proteins in the hippocampus by kainic acid in mice: involvement of NMDA and non-NMDA receptors.

In the present study, we characterized the expression and role of forkhead box O (FoxO3a) in kainic acid (KA)-induced hippocampal neuronal cell death. FoxO3a and pFoxO3a expression in the CA1, CA2, and dentate gyrus regions in the hippocampus increased 0.5 and 1 h after intracerebroventricular administration of KA.

Methyl gallate from Acer barbinerve decreases melanin synthesis in Mel-Ab cells.

Methyl gallate (MG) was isolated from the bark of Acer barbinerve, which has traditionally been used in Oriental medicine. In the present study, we examined the effects of MG on melanin synthesis in Mel-Ab melanocyte cells. MG decreased melanin pigmentation in a concentration-dependent manner, but did not directly inhibit tyrosinase activity.

Pertussis toxin administered spinally induces a hypoglycemic effect on normal and diabetic mice.

Background/aims: To show whether intrathecal (i.t.) treatment with pertussis toxin (PTX) produces a hypoglycemic effect in ICR, db/db and streptozotocin-treated mice.

Alteration of striatal tetrahydrobiopterin in iron-induced unilateral model of Parkinson's disease.

It has been suggested that transition metal ions such as iron can produce an oxidative injuries to nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons, like Parkinson's disease (PD) and subsequent compensative increase of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) during the disease progression induces the aggravation of dopaminergic neurodegeneration in striatum. It had been established that the direct administration of BH4 into neuron would induce the neuronal toxicity in vitro. To elucidate a role of BH4 in pathogenesis in the PD in vivo, we assessed the changes of dopamine (DA) and BH4 at striatum in unilateral intranigral iron infused PD rat model.

Anti-Depressant Like Effect of Methyl Gallate Isolated from Acer barbinerve in Mice.

In the present study, the anti-depressant like effect of methyl gallate (MG) isolated from the stem bark of Acer barbinerve was examined in ICR mice. Body weight (BDW) and blood glucose (BDG) levels significantly decreased in the repeated restraint stress (RRS) group (2 h/day for 14 days) compared to the no stress (NS) group. To examine the effect of MG on RS-induced BDW loss and hypoglycemia, MG (10 mg/kg) and the anti-depressant fluoxetine (10 mg/kg) were administered daily for 14 days.

Neuroprotective effect of ginseng against alteration of calcium binding proteins immunoreactivity in the mice hippocampus after radiofrequency exposure.

Calcium binding proteins (CaBPs) such as calbindin D28-k, parvalbumin, and calretinin are able to bind Ca(2+) with high affinity. Changes in Ca(2+) concentrations via CaBPs can disturb Ca(2+) homeostasis. Brain damage can be induced by the prolonged electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure with loss of interacellular Ca(2+) balance.

Deficiency of alpha-calcitonin gene-related peptide induces inflammatory responses and lethality in sepsis.

In the present study, we examined the role of alpha-calcitonin gene-related peptide (αCGRP) on expression of neuropeptides in the brain, inflammatory responses, and survival rate in septic shock condition. We examined expression of neuropeptides such as αCGRP, proopiomelanocortin (POMC), corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH), and proenkephalin (ProENK) in the hippocampus and hypothalamus in C57BL/6 (WT) or αCGRP-/- (KO) mice subjected to sepsis. Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) or lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine (LPS/D-GalN) treatment showed significant increases of hippocampal and hypothalamic αCGRP, POMC, CRH, and ProENK mRNA levels in WT mice, but not ProENK mRNA in the hypothalamus at 6h after on-set of sepsis.

Adequate intensity of warfarin therapy for Korean patients with mechanical cardiac valves.

Background And Aim Of The Study: The study aim was to identify adequate therapeutic ranges of the International Normalized Ratio (INR) in Korean patients receiving warfarin after prosthetic mechanical heart valve replacement.

Methods: Retrospective chart reviews were conducted of 818 patients for a total follow up period of 8,100 patient-years; all details of major complication events of thromboembolism and bleeding were recorded. The INR-incidence of complication curve was plotted, and an adequate INR determined from the intersections of 95% confidence interval (CI) curves of complication rates to ensure the lowest incidences of both thromboembolic and bleeding complications.

Role of α-CGRP in the regulation of neurotoxic responses induced by kainic acid in mice.

Kainic acid (KA) is an excitatory and neurotoxic substance. The role of α-calcitonin gene-related peptide (α-CGRP) in the regulation of KA-induced hippocampal neuronal cell death was investigated in the present study. The intracerebroventricular (i.

Differential Effects of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine on Motor Behavior and Dopamine Levels at Brain Regions in Three Different Mouse Strains.

Developing an animal model for a specific disease is very important in the understanding of the underlying mechanism of the disease and allows testing of newly developed new drugs before human application. However, which of the plethora of experimental animal species to use in model development can be perplexing. Administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) is a very well known method to induce the symptoms of Parkinson's disease in mice.

CK20 expression enhances the invasiveness of tamoxifen-resistant MCF-7 cells.

Cytokeratin 20 (CK20) is an intermediate filament that is known to be a prognostic marker in several types of cancer. However, little is known about CK20 expression and tumor metastasis in tamoxifen-resistant MCF-7 (TRM-7) breast cancer cells. TRM-7 cells overexpress CK20, resulting in enhanced invasiveness in vitro.

Lactosylceramide Mediates the Expression of Adhesion Molecules in TNF-α and IFNγ-stimulated Primary Cultured Astrocytes.

Here we have investigated how lactosylceramide (LacCer) modulates gene expression of adhesion molecules in TNF-α and IFNγ (CM)-stimulated astrocytes. We have observed that stimulation of astrocytes with CM increased the gene expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. D-Threo-1-phenyl- 2-decanoylamino-3-morpholino-1-propanol (PDMP) and N-butyldeoxynojirimycin (NBDNJ), inhibitors of glucosylceramide synthase (GLS) and LacCer synthase (galactosyltransferase, GalT-2), inhibited the gene expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 and activation of their gene promoter induced by CM, which were reversed by exogenously supplied LacCer.

The analgesic effects and mechanisms of orally administered eugenol.

In the present study, the antinociceptive profiles of eugenol were examined in ICR mice. Eugenol administered orally (from 1 to 10 mg/kg) showed an antinociceptive effect in a dose-dependent manner as measured in the acetic acid-induced writhing test. Duration of antinociceptive action of eugenol maintained at least for 30 min.

Differential cross-tolerance development between single and repeated immobilization stress on the antinociceptive effect induced by β-endorphin, 5-hydroxytryptamine, morphine, and WIN55,212-2 in the inflammatory mouse pain mode.

We have evaluated the possible underlying mechanisms of immobilization stress-induced analgesia (SIA) by behavioral cross-tolerance studies and molecular studies. In the behavioral studies, the cross-tolerance between single or repeated immobilization SIA and the antinociceptive effects of β-endorphin, morphine, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), or WIN55,212-2 were assessed. Both single and repeated (×7) immobilization stress significantly attenuated the β-endorphin and 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced antinociception in the 2nd phase of formalin response, respectively.

Nox2-based NADPH oxidase mediates HIV-1 Tat-induced up-regulation of VCAM-1/ICAM-1 and subsequent monocyte adhesion in human astrocytes.

Up-regulation of adhesion molecules such as vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) by the HIV-1 transactivator of transcription (Tat) in activated microglia and astrocytes may play a pivotal role during the development of AIDS-related encephalitis and dementia. Previous studies demonstrated that HIV-1 Tat-induced up-regulation of adhesion molecules was mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS), although the mechanisms underlying HIV-1 Tat-induced ROS generation are unknown. In this study, we examined the possible role of NADPH oxidase in HIV-1 Tat-induced up-regulation of adhesion molecules in astroglioma cell lines.