Immunological response in early brain injury after SAH.

This study summarized the role of inflammation in the early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Elevation of cytokines, activation of MMPs and phosphorylation of MAPK contributes to neuronal apoptosis and brain edema. Anti-inflammation may be potential strategy for the prevention and suppression of early brain injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Genital abnormalities in Pallister-Hall syndrome: Report of two patients and review of the literature.

We describe two patients with Pallister-Hall syndrome (PHS) with genital abnormalities: a female with hydrometrocolpos secondary to vaginal atresia and a male with micropenis, hypoplastic scrotum, and bilateral cryptorchidism. Nonsense mutations in GLI3 were identified in both patients. Clinical and molecular findings of 12 previously reported patients who had GLI3 mutations and genital abnormalities were reviewed.

Clinical features of Wilson disease: Analysis of 10 cases.

Aim:   The diagnosis of Wilson disease is based on the results of several clinical and biochemical tests. This study aimed to clarify the clinical features and spectrum of Wilson disease, including severe Wilson disease.

Methods:   Between 1985 and 2009, 10 patients with clinical, biochemical or histological evidence of Wilson disease were either diagnosed or had a previously established diagnosis confirmed at Fukuoka University Hospital.

Effects of original crystalloid cardioplegia followed by additional blood cardioplegia: treatments for prolonged cardiac arrest.

Purpose: The efficacy of combination treatment of original cold crystalloid cardioplegia (SHA solution; St. Thomas + Histidine + ATP + oxygen) and additional blood cardioplegia was studied in patients who required cardiac arrest time of 120 minutes or longer.

Methods: One hundred and thirty-six patients were included in this study.

Analysis of various malignant neoplasms detected by FDG-PET cancer screening program: based on a Japanese Nationwide Survey.

Objective: The most distinctive feature of FDG-PET cancer screening program is the ability to find various kinds of malignant neoplasms in a single test. The aim of this survey is to clarify the range and frequency of various malignant neoplasms detected by FDG-PET cancer screening performed in Japan.

Methods: "FDG-PET cancer screening" was defined as FDG-PET or positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) scan with or without other tests performed for cancer screening of healthy subjects.

Sustained upregulation of sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide and bile salt export pump and downregulation of cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase in the liver of patients with end-stage primary biliary cirrhosis.

To examine the mRNA expression of hepatobiliary transporters in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) patients and to compare bile acid absorption, synthesis, and efflux in patients with non-end-stage and end-stage PBC, we obtained liver samples from PBC patients by percutaneous needle biopsy. End-stage PBC was defined as follows: histological stage IV; cirrhosis; serum total bilirubin, ≥4.0 mg/dl; and Child-Pugh Class C.

Utility of NucleoCounter for the chondrocyte count in the collagenase digest of human native cartilage.

In cartilage tissue engineering, viable cell numbers should be correctly counted in the collagenase digest of the biopsied cartilage. However, this is a difficult task due to the presence of matrix debris, cell ghosts and their aggregates. To search for the correct cell counting method in this situation, we evaluated the utility of an automatic cell counting device, the NucleoCounter, and compared it with conventional staining using the LIVE/DEAD® kit.

Effect of substituents of alloxazine derivatives on the selectivity and affinity for adenine in AP-site-containing DNA duplexes.

Using the DNA duplex containing an AP site (5'-TCC AGX GCA AC-3'/3'-AGG TCN CGT TG-5', X = AP site, N = A, T, C, or G), we have found that 2-amino-4-hydroxypteridine (pterin) selectively binds to guanine (G), and that the enhanced binding affinity for G is obtained by its methylated derivative 2-amino-6,7-dimethyl-4-hydroxypteridine (diMe pteridine). Similarly, among the cytosine (C)-selective ligands, i.e.

Langerhans cell histiocytosis of the petrous bone with sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Case report.

A 56-year-old woman with Langerhans cell histiocytosis of the petrous bone presented with sudden onset of sensorineural hearing loss and vertigo without other neurological impairment, mimicking idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Differential diagnosis was difficult until neuroimaging demonstrated a lesion of the petrous bone. The patient eventually underwent removal of the lesion via the transpetrosal approach, and received postoperative chemotherapy consisting of vinblastine, methotrexate, 6-mercaptopurine, and prednisolone.

Circadian, weekly, and seasonal mortality variations in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Japan: analysis from AMI-Kyoto Multicenter Risk Study database.

Background: Several studies have reported circadian, weekly, and seasonal variations in the rates of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). However, variations in the mortality of OHCA are not well known.

Methods And Results: We investigated the 1396 consecutive cases of OHCA with cardiac etiology between October 2004 and September 2008.

Enhancement in fluorescence response by a quencher for amiloride upon binding to thymine opposite an abasic site in a DNA duplex.

By using iodide (I(-)) as a quencher, we successfully improve the fluorescence response of amiloride when binding to thymine opposite an AP site in a 21-meric DNA duplex. From fluorescence measurements, as compared to the NaCl solutions, the addition of NaI as a quencher as well as salt to adjust the ionic strength effectively suppresses the background fluorescence from unbound amiloride in a solution. The Stern-Volmer analysis shows that the bound amiloride to the nucleobase at the AP site is unexposed to NaI quencher.

Dural attachment of intracranial meningiomas: evaluation with contrast-enhanced three-dimensional fast imaging with steady-state acquisition (FIESTA) at 3 T.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of contrast-enhanced fast imaging with steady-state acquisition (CE-FIESTA) for assessing whether dural attachment in intracranial meningiomas is adhesive or not by correlation with intraoperative findings.

Methods: Fourteen consecutive patients who were candidates for surgical treatment of meningiomas were prospectively analyzed with preoperative magnetic resonance imaging, including CE-FIESTA at 3 T. First, two neuroradiologists assessed several characteristics of the attachment of the meningioma to the dura mater or skull base on CE-FIESTA images.

Immune response against tumor antigens expressed on human cancer stem-like cells/tumor-initiating cells.

Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs)/tumor-initiating cells (TICs) are a small population of cancer cells that have the properties of tumor-initiating ability, self-renewal and differentiation. These properties suggest that CSCs/TICs are essential for tumor maintenance, recurrence and distant metastasis. Thus, elimination of CSCs/TICs is essential to cure malignant diseases.

Possible relevance between prohormone convertase 2 expression and tumor growth in human adrenocorticotropin-producing pituitary adenoma.

Context: Methods for preoperative diagnosis of prohormone convertase 2 (PC2)-positive ACTH-producing pituitary adenomas (APPAs) have not been established. Also, their characteristics are not evident.

Objective: This study was designed to understand the meaning of plasma alphaMSH levels and the role of cell proliferation-signaling molecules in PC2-positive APPAs.

Superficial siderosis associated with a chronic subdural hematoma: T2-weighted MR imaging at 3T.

Rationale And Objectives: The purposes of this study were to assess the association between superficial siderosis (SS) and subdural hematoma (SDH) and to evaluate the magnetic resonance imaging (MR) characteristics of SS in patients with the presence or histories of SDH compared to those with histories of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).

Materials And Methods: A radiology database for a 4-year period contained data on patients with diagnoses of SDH. From these patients, 47 patients were further selected who underwent brain MR examinations using a 3-T MR system (the SDH group).

The optimal conditions of chondrocyte isolation and its seeding in the preparation for cartilage tissue engineering.

To optimize the chondrocyte numbers obtained after collagenase digestion for cartilage tissue engineering, we examined the enzyme concentration and incubation time for collagenase digestion. The appropriate cell density in the chondrocyte primary culture was also verified. The collagenase digestion conditions that maximized the viable cell numbers were 24 h in 0.

Y-box binding protein-1 is a novel molecular target for tumor vessels.

Y-box binding protein-1 (YB-1) is a member of the cold shock protein family and functions in transcription and translation. Many reports indicate that YB-1 is highly expressed in tumor cells and is a marker for tumor aggressiveness and clinical prognosis. Here, we show clear evidence that YB-1 is expressed in the angiogenic endothelial cells of various tumors, such as glioblastoma, esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, colon cancer, and lung cancer, as well as in tumor cells.

Effect of the bases flanking an abasic site on the recognition of nucleobase by amiloride.

Background: We explain here the various non-covalent interactions which are responsible for the different binding modes of a small ligand with DNA.

Methods: The combination of experimental and theoretical methods was used.

Results: The interaction of amiloride with thymine was found to depend on the bases flanking the AP site and different binding modes were observed for different flanking bases.

The effects of rapid- or intermediate-acting insulin on the proliferation and differentiation of cultured chondrocytes.

In cartilage regenerative medicine, which is highly expected in the face of our aging society, insulin is the potent factor for culture media. To secure the safety of culture media, we attempted to use medical insulin formulations, and compared their effects on human articular or auricular chondrocytes between regular human insulin (R) and neutral protamine hagedorn insulin (N). In monolayer culture with the media containing either R or N, the cell growth reached approximately 15-fold-increase in 6 days, which showed no significant difference between them.

The optimization of porous polymeric scaffolds for chondrocyte/atelocollagen based tissue-engineered cartilage.

To broaden the clinical application of cartilage regenerative medicine, we should develop an implant-type tissue-engineered cartilage with firmness and 3-D structure. For that, we attempted to use a porous biodegradable polymer scaffold in the combination with atelocollagen hydrogel, and optimized the structure and composition of porous scaffold. We administered chondrocytes/atelocollagen mixture into the scaffolds with various kinds of porosities (80-95%) and pore sizes (0.

Diffusion weighted imaging in the detection of upper urinary tract urothelial tumors.

Purpose: Diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides information about the biophysical properties of tissues such as cell organization and density. DW imaging (DWI) is becoming important in the assessment of malignant tumors. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the capability and reliability of DWI in the evaluation of upper urinary tract urothelial tumors.

High incidence of thyroid cancer in focal thyroid incidentaloma detected by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose [corrected] positron emission tomography in relatively young healthy subjects: results of 3-year follow-up.

As 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) is becoming a common imaging modality, the number of thyroid incidentalomas identified by FDG-PET (PET incidentaloma) is increasing. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the risk of cancer in focal thyroid PET incidentaloma in healthy subjects of relatively younger age as well as the usefulness of repeated FDG-PET. The study was conducted with an observation period of three years.

Factors associated with postpartum depression and abusive behavior in mothers with infants.

Aims: This study was conducted to examine factors associated with postpartum depression and abusive behavior in mothers with infants.

Methods: Data were collected from baby check-ups in Japan and 413 participants were included in an analysis using: (i) an Original Questionnaire; (ii) the Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (ZSDS); (iii) the Parental Bonding Instrument; and (iv) the Childcare Anxiety Scale (CAS). Covariance structural analyses were performed to examine interconnections among the Parental Bonding Instrument subscales, CAS subscales ('worry about parenting', 'burden of nursing time', 'difficulty of bonding'), ZSDS, 'fear of being abusive', and 'abusive behavior'.

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin cell-wall skeleton enhances the killing activity of cytotoxic lymphocyte-activated human dendritic cells transduced with the prostate-specific antigen gene.

Unlabelled: To determine whether dendritic cells (DC) transduced with the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) gene can induce PSA-specific cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTL) against prostate cancer cells, and whether bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) cell-wall skeleton (CWS) can enhance the maturation of DC-PSA and the killing activity of subsequently induced PSA-specific CTL. MATERIALS AND METHODS; We generated an adenovirus encoding the PSA gene (AxCA-PSA) using the cosmid-terminal protein complex method. DC were infected with AxCA-PSA using the centrifugal method.