Photo-triggered release from liposomes without membrane solubilization, based on binding to poly(vinyl alcohol) carrying a malachite green moiety.

When working with liposomes analogous to cell membranes, it is important to develop substrates that can regulate interactions with the liposome surface in response to light. We achieved a photo-triggered release from liposomes by using a copolymer of poly(vinyl alcohol) carrying a malachite green moiety (PVAMG). Although PVAMG is a neutral polymer under dark conditions, it is photoionized upon exposure to UV light, resulting in the formation of a cationic site for binding to liposomes with a negatively charged surface.

Association of the c.385C>A (p.Pro129Thr) polymorphism of the fatty acid amide hydrolase gene with anorexia nervosa in the Japanese population.

The functional c.385C>A single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) gene, one of the major degrading enzymes of endocannabinoids, is reportedly associated with anorexia nervosa (AN). We genotyped the c.

No association of brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism with anorexia nervosa in Japanese.

The Met66 allele of the Val66Met polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene has been reported to be associated with anorexia nervosa (AN), and also lower minimum body mass index (BMI) and higher harm avoidance in AN. We genotyped the Val66Met polymorphism (rs6265) in 689 AN cases and 573 control subjects. There were no significant differences in the genotype or allele frequencies of the Val66Met between AN and control subjects (allele wise, odds ratio = 0.

Possible role of preproghrelin gene polymorphisms in susceptibility to bulimia nervosa.

Previous investigations have suggested that ghrelin, an endogenous orexigenic peptide, is involved in the pathology of eating disorders. We conducted a study to determine whether any preproghrelin gene polymorphisms are associated with eating disorders. Three hundred thirty-six eating disorder patients, including 131 anorexia nervosa (AN)-restricting types (AN-R), 97 AN-binge eating/purging types (AN-BP) and 108 bulimia nervosa (BN)-purging types (BN-P), and 300 healthy control subjects participated in the study.

Psychosocial characteristics and immunological functions in patients with postinfectious chronic fatigue syndrome and noninfectious chronic fatigue syndrome.

Differences between patients with postinfectious chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS, n = 16) and noninfectious CFS (n = 20) were clarified. The noninfectious CFS group had problems in family and developmental history, and had chronic stresses. Members of the postinfectious CFS group were social extroverts while those in the noninfectious CFS group was neurotic and introspective.