Publications by authors named "Mami Takemoto"

The therapeutic potential of suppressing polypyrimidine tract-binding protein 1 (Ptbp1) messenger RNA by viral transduction in a post-stroke dementia mouse model has not yet been examined. In this study, 3 days after cerebral ischemia, we injected a viral vector cocktail containing adeno-associated virus (AAV)-pGFAP-mCherry and AAV-pGFAP-CasRx (control vector) or a cocktail of AAV-pGFAP-mCherry and AAV-pGFAP-CasRx-SgRNA-(Ptbp1) (1:5, 1.0 × 10 viral genomes) into post-stroke mice via the tail vein.

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A strong relationship between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and vascular dysfunction has been the focus of increasing attention in aging societies. In the present study, we examined the long-term effect of scallop-derived plasmalogen (sPlas) on vascular remodeling-related proteins in the brain of an AD with cerebral hypoperfusion (HP) mouse model. We demonstrated, for the first time, that cerebral HP activated the axis of the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE)/phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3)/provirus integration site for Moloney murine leukemia virus 1 (PIM1)/nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFATc1), accounting for such cerebral vascular remodeling.

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  • * The research evaluated the effects of hCB-EPCs on endothelial health after stent-induced arterial damage, observing different repair outcomes based on the presence or absence of these cells and varying recovery times (3 and 28 days).
  • * Results indicated that while stroke volume didn't differ significantly, hCB-EPC treatment reduced intimal hyperplasia and improved beneficial factors like VEGF and eNOS, ultimately promoting better healing and less inflammation in artery walls.
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  • The case discusses a 66-year-old woman with lung cancer who developed myelopathy symptoms including double vision, nausea, spasticity, and impaired sensation, raising diagnostic challenges.
  • MRI and cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed abnormalities, leading to a diagnosis of sarcoid-associated myelopathy rather than meningeal metastasis from her cancer.
  • Treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone, oral prednisolone, and methotrexate stabilized her condition, highlighting the diagnostic importance of clinical assessment and thorough testing in cancer patients.
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Carnosine (β-alanyl-L-histidine) is a natural dipeptide with multiple neuroprotective properties. Previous studies have advertised that carnosine scavenges free radicals and displays anti-inflammatory activity. However, the underlying mechanism and the efficacies of its pleiotropic effect on prevention remained obscure.

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  • Anti-HMGCR immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM) is a rare neuromuscular disorder characterized by muscle weakness and elevated creatine kinase levels, but it can occur without symptoms in young patients.
  • A unique case involved a 17-year-old woman who was asymptomatic but discovered to have elevated CK levels, leading to her diagnosis after further testing including a muscle biopsy.
  • Initial treatment with methotrexate and intravenous immunoglobulin was effective, highlighting the importance of early antibody testing as a diagnostic tool for similar conditions like rhabdomyolysis.
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Background: NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) is an important source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Activated NOX2 may contribute to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Our previous studies showed that a novel vitamin E mixture, Tocovid, had potential neuroprotective effects in a stroke mice model and an AD cell model.

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  • A study was conducted to understand the needs for telemedicine among Japanese patients with neurological disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on their experiences with hospital visits and their interest in online medical consultations.
  • Out of the participants, 29.6% expressed interest in using telemedicine, with higher interest levels noted among patients with headaches (60.0%) and epilepsy (38.1%) compared to those with Parkinson's disease and stroke.
  • The results showed that while nearly 90% of patients had access to digital devices, younger patients were more motivated to use telemedicine, highlighting its potential to enhance healthcare access during challenging times like a pandemic.
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  • Scallop-derived plasmalogen (sPlas) has been shown to enhance cognitive function in Alzheimer's patients, but its effects in cases of mixed dementia due to chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) were previously unclear.
  • A study using a new mouse model for Alzheimer's with CCH revealed that sPlas improved blood flow, reduced cognitive deficits, and lessened harmful brain changes associated with the disease.
  • The results suggest that sPlas could be a promising treatment option for Alzheimer's patients suffering from CCH, offering potential benefits both clinically and pathologically.
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The feasibility of transcranial sonothrombolysis has been demonstrated, although little is known about the relationships between thermal or mechanical mechanisms and thrombolytic outcomes. Therefore, the present study aims to reveal the effect and safety of temperature and ultrasound through in vitro and in vivo thrombolysis models. Artificial clots in microtubes were heated in a water bath or sonicated by ultrasound irradiation, and then clots weight decrease with rising temperature and sonication time was confirmed.

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Background: Recent studies have revealed that atrial fibrillation (AF) patients have a high risk of developing cognitive impairment, vascular dementia, and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Some reports suggest that the application of oral anticoagulant with an appropriate dose may have a preventive effect on AD. However, which oral anticoagulant drug is more appropriate for preventing AD and the underlying mechanism(s) is still unknown.

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Background: Makeup greatly impacts normal social lives but can also be a non-pharmacological form of therapy for dementia.

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic effect of makeup therapy.

Methods: We carried out a prospective interventional study on female nursing home residents with dementia, focusing on the chronic therapeutic effect of makeup therapy.

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  • Current research highlights a need for cost-effective, noninvasive methods to detect amyloid deposits in the eye as possible indicators for Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  • A study involving 30 Japanese subjects found that retinal amyloid deposition was significantly higher in AD patients compared to normal controls, while those with mild cognitive impairment showed a slight, yet not statistically significant, increase.
  • The study concluded that noninvasive imaging of retinal amyloid could be an effective screening tool for identifying patients with Alzheimer's disease.
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Background: Possible benefits of makeup therapy, in terms of immediate and late effects on cognitive and affective functions, have not been fully proved for dementia patients.

Objective: To evaluate the immediate effect of makeup therapy on dementia patients.

Methods: Female nursing home residents with dementia received either only skin care treatment (control group, n = 17) or skin care plus makeup therapy treatment (makeup therapy group, n = 19).

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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by the abnormal accumulation of intracellular and extracellular amyloid-β (Aβ) as well as disruption of the blood brain barrier (BBB). Fibrinogen plays an essential role in regulating thrombosis, wound healing, and other biological functions. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between three polypeptide chains α, β, and γ (FGA, FGB, and FGG) and Aβ deposition in the APP23 plus chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH) mice model as well as the human AD brain.

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  • A recent study explored a quick 3-minute eye tracking test as a method to assess cognitive function in normal control subjects (NC), those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  • Results showed significant declines in eye tracking scores for MCI and AD patients compared to NC, with the test correlating well with traditional cognitive assessments like the mini-mental state examination (MMSE).
  • The eye tracking test was effective in distinguishing between NC, MCI, and AD, highlighting its potential for early detection of cognitive impairments.
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The degradation of damaged proteins takes place via two major proteolytic pathways: the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy. However, since it is unclear how these two proteolytic pathways contribute to the pathogenesis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), we investigated the switching mechanism from UPS to autophagy by pharmacologically modifying these pathways by treating the spinal cords of female ALS mouse model bearing G93A human SOD1 (G93A mice) with MG132 or 3-methyladenine (3MA). G93A mice exhibited a progressive increase in the amount of ubiquitin and p62 aggregates, BAG3 expression, and LC3-II/LC3-I ratio in both astroglia and motor neurons.

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Background: Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) or dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) have not been adequately studied.

Objective: This study aims to find a difference in the total number, prevalence, and common locations of CMBs between PD and DLB and evaluate 99 mTc-ECD SPECT subtraction images of these two diseases.

Methods: We examined 112 patients with PD (53 males and 59 females; age: 77.

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Objectives: The relationship between stroke etiology and clot pathology remains controversial.

Materials And Methods: We performed histological analysis of clots retrieved from 52 acute ischemic stroke patients using hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry (CD42b and oxidative/hypoxic stress markers). The correlations between clot composition and the stroke etiological group (i.

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We herein report a 75-year-old man who developed disturbed consciousness with polynuclear cell dominant pleocytosis and low glucose and extremely high interleukin (IL)-6 levels in his cerebrospinal fluid. The biopsy specimen from his right supraclavicular lymph node showed the infiltration of inflammatory cells positive for IgG, IgG4 and IL-6. Prednisolone and azathioprine administered under suspicion of IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) or multicentric Castleman's disease (MCD) successfully remitted the symptoms.

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: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive and fatal motor neuron disease. Hypoxic stress is suspected as the pathogenesis of ALS, however, no positron emission tomography (PET) study for hypoxic stress has been conducted in the spinal cord of ALS patients.: In the present study, we examined cervical spinal hypoxic stress of nineALS patients with upper extremity (U/E) atrophy byF-fluoromisonidazole (FMISO) PET.

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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive motor neuron loss. Muse cells are endogenous reparative pluripotent-like stem cells distributed in various tissues. They can selectively home to damaged sites after intravenous injection by sensing sphingosine-1-phosphate produced by damaged cells, then exert pleiotropic effects, including tissue protection and spontaneous differentiation into tissue-constituent cells.

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  • Tocilizumab (TCZ) is an antibody used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune conditions, but it may cause cognitive issues after long-term use.
  • A 63-year-old woman developed progressive cognitive impairment after using TCZ for 34 months, with MRI and PET scans revealing brain abnormalities.
  • Stopping TCZ led to improvements in her cognitive function and MRI results within three months, highlighting the potential risks of prolonged TCZ treatment.
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