Dynamic distribution of muscle-specific calpain in mice has a key role in physical-stress adaptation and is impaired in muscular dystrophy.

Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2A (LGMD2A) is a genetic disease that is caused by mutations in the calpain 3 gene (CAPN3), which encodes the skeletal muscle-specific calpain, calpain 3 (also known as p94). However, the precise mechanism by which p94 functions in the pathogenesis of this disease remains unclear. Here, using p94 knockin mice (termed herein p94KI mice) in which endogenous p94 was replaced with a proteolytically inactive but structurally intact p94:C129S mutant protein, we have demonstrated that stretch-dependent p94 distribution in sarcomeres plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of LGMD2A.

Voice aftereffects of adaptation to speaker identity.

While adaptation to complex auditory stimuli has traditionally been reported for linguistic properties of speech, the present study demonstrates non-linguistic high-level aftereffects in the perception of voice identity, following adaptation to voices or faces of personally familiar speakers. In Exp. 1, prolonged exposure to speaker A's voice biased the perception of identity-ambiguous voice morphs between speakers A and B towards speaker B (and vice versa).

Pharmacological interaction with sunitinib is abolished by a germ-line mutation (1291T>C) of BCRP/ABCG2 gene.

Sunitinib malate (Sutent, SU11248) is a small-molecule multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) used for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma and imatinib-resistant gastrointestinal stromal tumors. Some TKIs can overcome multidrug resistance conferred by ATP-binding cassette transporter, P-glycoprotein (P-gp)/ABCB1, multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1)/ABCC1, and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP)/ABCG2. Here, we analyzed the effects of sunitinib on P-gp and on wild-type and germ-line mutant BCRPs.

Disturbed blood flow induces erosive injury to smooth muscle cell-rich neointima and promotes thrombus formation in rabbit femoral arteries.

Background: Plaque erosion is a cause of atherothrombosis that preferentially occurs on smooth muscle cell (SMC)- and proteoglycan-rich rather than lipid-rich plaques. However, its underlying mechanisms remain unknown.

Objective: To determine whether disturbed blood flow induces erosive injury and thrombus formation on SMC-rich neointima.

Where is the best surgical incision for laparoscopic anterior resection?

Background/aims: For laparoscopic anterior resection, a small incision is placed in the left lower abdomen or suprapubic area, for which ideal location remains to be clarified. This study evaluated the validity of anthropometric placement of such an incision for colorectal anastomosis in laparoscopic anterior resection.

Methodology: Thirty consecutive patients with advanced rectal cancer (Age 30- 82 {mean 60.

Vocal attractiveness increases by averaging.

Vocal attractiveness has a profound influence on listeners-a bias known as the "what sounds beautiful is good" vocal attractiveness stereotype [1]-with tangible impact on a voice owner's success at mating, job applications, and/or elections. The prevailing view holds that attractive voices are those that signal desirable attributes in a potential mate [2-4]-e.g.

Induction of cell size vesicles from human lymphoma cell lines and their application to drug carriers.

Sodium butyrate (NaB) induced the membrane enclosed cell size vesicles from several IgM producing cell lines. We considered the application of the cell-derived vesicles (CDVs) to drug delivery system (DDS) using the lung cancer specific IgM producing AE6 cell line. Microscopic observation showed that the DiI fluorescence labeled AE6 vesicles were incorporated into the lung cancer cell line A549.

Influence of thoracoscopic esophageal atresia repair on esophageal motor function and gastroesophageal reflux.

Background/purpose: Thoracoscopic repair has recently been attempted in newborns with esophageal atresia (EA), but it remains unclear whether thoracoscopic dissection reduces pathological gastroesophageal reflux. We investigated the influence of a thoracoscopic approach on esophageal motor function in patients with EA.

Methods: Clinical and gastrointestinal data of 10 patients with EA with open repair (group A) and 7 with thoracoscopic repair (group B) were analyzed retrospectively.

Major orthopaedic surgeries for haemophilia with inhibitors using rFVIIa.

Between 2000 and 2008, 11 major orthopaedic surgeries for 7 congenital haemophilia patients with inhibitors were performed by the first author as the primary doctor using recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa). Orthopaedic surgical treatments were performed for six surgeries for four high-responder haemophilia A patients, three surgeries for two high-responder haemophilia B patients and two surgeries for one low-responder haemophilia B patient. This low-responder patient is allergic to factor IX products, so he usually uses rFVIIa as a haemostatic agent.

Lorneic acids, trialkyl-substituted aromatic acids from a marine-derived actinomycete.

A marine-derived actinomyces strain (NPS554) isolated from a marine sediment sample collected from Miyazaki Harbor, Japan, at a depth of 38 m yielded two trialkyl-substituted aromatic acids, lorneic acid A (1) and lorneic acid B (2). The structures of the lorneic acids, which were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis, differed only in the side-chain, which contained either a conjugated double bond or a benzylic alcohol. Their structural differences affected inhibition activities against phosphodiesterase 5.

Effects of alendronate on bone metabolism in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis measured by 18F-fluoride PET: a prospective study.

Unlabelled: Osteoporosis represents a significant side effect of glucocorticoid therapy, and alendronate has been reported to prevent this glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. Functional imaging with (18)F-fluoride PET allows quantitative analysis of bone metabolism in specific skeletal regions. However, only a few studies have quantitatively determined bone turnover and metabolism in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis by radiologic imaging techniques including PET.

Cross sections for electron impact excitation of the C (1)Pi and D (1)Sigma(+) electronic states in N(2)O.

Differential and integral cross sections for electron-impact excitation of the dipole-allowed C (1)Pi and D (1)Sigma(+) electronic states of nitrous oxide have been measured. The differential cross sections were determined by analysis of normalized energy-loss spectra obtained using a crossed-beam apparatus at six electron energies in the range 15-200 eV. Integral cross sections were subsequently derived from these data.

Impact of rikkunshito, an herbal medicine, on delayed gastric emptying in profoundly handicapped patients.

Purpose: Rikkunshito is used to treat functional dyspepsia in adults. This study investigated the effects of rikkunshito on delayed gastric emptying in handicapped patients.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed in nine profoundly handicapped patients (aged 1-19 years).

In the ear of the beholder: neural correlates of adaptation to voice gender.

While high-level adaptation to faces has been extensively investigated, research on behavioural and neural correlates of auditory adaptation to paralinguistic social information in voices has been largely neglected. Here we replicate novel findings that adaptation to voice gender causes systematic contrastive aftereffects such that repeated exposure to female voice adaptors causes a subsequent test voice to be perceived as more male (and vice versa), even minutes after adaptation [S.R.

Commitment of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyrinidinium ion-induced neuronal cell death by proteasome-mediated degradation of p35 cyclin-dependent kinase 5 activator.

The dysfunction of proteasomes and mitochondria has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease. However, the mechanism by which this dysfunction causes neuronal cell death is unknown. We studied the role of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5)-p35 in the neuronal cell death induced by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyrinidinium ion (MPP+), which has been used as an in vitro model of Parkinson disease.

Cryoprotection and cryosterilization effects of type I antifreeze protein on E. coli cells.

To establish the effects of type I antifreeze protein (AFP) on E. coli cells, we have focused on the survival rate of the E. coli cells using type I AFP at various concentrations under rapid cooling conditions using liquid N2 at atmospheric or low pressure.

Colorectal stapling anastomosis without transanal procedure for anterior reseciton.

Background/aims: We reported a novel surgical technique, sliding functional end-to-end anastomosis (SFEEA), which abrogates the need for the transanal procedure for colorectal anastomosis. The aim of this study is to evaluate to the usefulness of SFEEA in high anterior resection as compared with double stapling technique (DST).

Methodology: From 2001 to 2005, high anterior resection was performed in 78 consecutive patients with advanced sigmoid colon cancer whose anatomoses with stapler were located under their promontories using SFEEA (n=35) or DST (n=43).

Indoxamycins A-F. Cytotoxic tricycklic polypropionates from a marine-derived actinomycete.

Six antitumor antibiotics of a new structure class, indoxamycins A-F (1-6), were isolated from a saline culture group of marine-derived actinomyces whose strains showed approximately 96% sequence homology of 16S rDNA with the family streptomycetaceae. The structures of these indoxamycins, which are unusual polyketides composed of six consecutive chiral centers, were assigned by combined spectral and chemical methods. In feeding experiments using a stable isotope label, indoxamycin A was assembled from propionate units initially forming the "aglycon" pentamethyl indeno furan.

Prenatal findings of concomitant duodenal and esophageal atresia without tracheoesophageal fistula (Gross type A).

Prenatal diagnosis of concomitant duodenal atresia (DA) and esophageal atresia (EA) without tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) (Gross type A) is very rare. We describe prenatal findings of one such case. Sonographic examination of a 26-week fetus showed a double cystic structure and an intrathoracic cyst.

Development of a noncontact and long-term respiration monitoring system using microwave radar for hibernating black bear.

The aim of this study is to develop a prototype system for noncontact, noninvasive and unconstrained vital sign monitoring using microwave radar and to use the system to measure the respiratory rate of a Japanese black bear (Ursus thibetanus japonicus) during hibernation for ensuring the bear's safety. Ueno Zoological Gardens in Tokyo planned to help the Japanese black bear (female, approximately 2 years of age) going into hibernation. The prototype system has a microwave Doppler radar antenna (10-GHz frequency, approximately 7 mW output power) for measuring motion of the body surface caused by respiratory activity without making contact with the body.

Noh voice quality.

In Noh, a traditional performing art of Japan, extremely expressive voice quality is used to convey an emotional message. A periodicity of voice appears responsible for these special effects. Acoustic signals were recorded for selected portions of dramatic singing in order to study the acoustic effects of delicate voice control by a master of the Konparu school.

Substrate-dependent bidirectional modulation of P-glycoprotein-mediated drug resistance by erlotinib.

Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) inhibit the function of certain adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-binding cassette transporters, including P-glycoprotein/ABCB1 and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP)/ABCG2. We previously reported an antagonistic activity of gefitinib towards BCRP. We have now analyzed the effects of erlotinib, another EGFR-TKI, on P-glycoprotein and BCRP.

Use of a magnetic attachment to retain an obturator prosthesis for an osseous defect.

Tooth loss accompanied by a massive defect of the alveolar bone can cause serious problems such as food deposit and esthetic impairment. This report describes procedures for the fabrication of an osseous defect obturator prosthesis connected to a fixed partial denture by a magnetic attachment along with the clinical outcome.

Antifreeze activity of cold acclimated Japanese radish and purification of antifreeze peptide.

Japanese radish tuber and leaf produced antifreeze proteins (AFPs) having thermal hysteresis activity (TH) and ice recrystallization inhibiting activity (RI). Upon cold acclimation, the apoplastic fluid of the Japanese radish exhibited hexagonal crystal growth, indicating the presence of an antifreeze protein. The induction patterns of protein and the TH activity of apoplastic fraction from both samples were different.

Peripherally administered ghrelin induces bimodal effects on the mesolimbic dopamine system depending on food-consumptive states.

Ghrelin induces orexigenic behavior by activation of growth hormone secretagogue 1 receptors (GHSRs) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) as well as hypothalamus, suggesting the involvement of mesolimbic dopamine system in the action of ghrelin. The present study aimed to identify neuronal mechanisms by which peripherally administered ghrelin regulates the mesolimbic dopamine system under different food-consumptive states. Ghrelin was administered to rats peripherally (3 nmol, i.