Publications by authors named "N Kagami"

Mice housed in an enriched environment (EE) have inhibited tumor development because of eustress (positive stress) stimulation. However, the mechanisms underlying increased cancer resistance in EEs remain unclear; this may be due to poor reproducibility of the results because of the complicated EE assembly requirements. In this study, we examined the effects of a simplified EE (sEE) model, consisting only of a nesting shelter and a running wheel, on cancer development in mice.

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Aims: Cancer is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide; therefore, effective measures for cancer prevention and treatment are in constant demand. The extracts of Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushroom) demonstrate potent anti-tumor activities and have been used to treat cancer in several countries; however, the actual effect and underlying mechanisms are still unclear. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effects of continuous intake of aqueous extract from I.

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Dry eye syndrome is caused by a reduction in the volume or quality of tears. Here, we show that pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP)-null mice develop dry eye-like symptoms such as corneal keratinization and tear reduction. PACAP immunoreactivity is co-localized with a neuronal marker, and PACAP receptor (PAC1-R) immunoreactivity is observed in mouse infraorbital lacrimal gland acinar cells.

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The primary aim of the present study was to compare efficiency in detecting suspected caries requiring observation (CO) and decayed teeth (DT) between dental explorers and Community Periodontal Index (CPI)-probes in school dental examinations and evaluate the effect of their respective use on Decayed, Missing, Filled Teeth (DMFT) Index scores. A total of 126 elementary and high school students were examined. All the clinical findings were obtained by a pair of trained dentists examining each student at routine annual school dental examinations.

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Article Synopsis
  • PACAP is a neuropeptide that regulates astrocytes and affects astrocytoma cells, but its proliferative effects have been inconsistent across studies.
  • The study aimed to investigate the relationship between PACAP expression, receptor levels, and malignant potential in four different astrocytoma cell lines, with YH-13 being identified as the most malignant due to its undifferentiated characteristics and expression of a cancer stem cell marker.
  • When treated with PACAP, only the YH-13 cell line showed a significant increase in cell proliferation, indicating that PACAP receptor expression is linked to the malignancy and growth potential of astrocytoma cells.
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