Amphipathic helical peptide-based fluorogenic probes for a marker-free analysis of exosomes based on membrane-curvature sensing.

With increasing knowledge about the diverse roles of exosomes in the biological process, much attention has been paid to develop analytical methods for detection and quantification of exosomes. Immunoassays based on the recognition of exosomal protein markers by antibodies were widely used. However, considering that exosomal protein composition varies with the cell type, the protein markers should be carefully selected for a sensitive and selective analysis of target exosomes.

[The transition of home care system at Misawa City Hospital for the last 13 years].

Since 1988, the visiting care of home medicine at Misawa City Hospital has been performed as a part of out-patient clinic. And in 1995, this part of the visiting care system was established as the Home Care Center in our hospital. In this study, we analyzed a transition of the number of patients in home care system, their diseases, their prognosis, and the numbers of the patients supported by the medical instruments for the last 13 years, and we identified the problems of visiting care.

Preoperative evaluation of irreversible bowel ischemia in obturator hernia.

Background/aims: Obturator hernia presenting in elderly women accompanies a high rate of bowel resection because of strangulation. Open laparotomy is usually indicated in general anesthesia. However, minimal invasive approaches would be advantageous unless resection is necessary.

Sphingomyelinase causes endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation through endothelial nitric oxide production without cytosolic Ca(2+) elevation.

Neutral sphingomyelinase (N-SMase) elevated nitric oxide (NO) production without affecting intracellular Ca(2+) concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) in endothelial cells in situ on aortic valves, and induced prominent endothelium-dependent relaxation of coronary arteries, which was blocked by N(omega)-monomethyl-L-arginine, a NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor. N-SMase induced translocation of endothelial NOS (eNOS) from plasma membrane caveolae to intracellular region, eNOS phosphorylation on serine 1179, and an increase of ceramide level in endothelial cells. Membrane-permeable ceramide (C(8)-ceramide) mimicked the responses to N-SMase.