Development and validation of the Pachinko/Pachi-Slot Playing Ambivalence Scale.

Background: A scale aimed at measuring ambivalence among people with pachinko/pachi-slot playing disorder, the Pachinko/Pachi-Slot Playing Ambivalence Scale (PPAS), was developed and its reliability and validity ascertained.

Methods: A total of 522 participants (average year: 48.0) who were residing in Tokyo Metropolitan Area, and had played pachinko within the previous year completed questions relating to demographics, four gambling-related scales (including South Oaks Gambling Screen) and two general ambivalence scales (including Ambivalence over Emotional Expressiveness Questionnaire).

The dynamics of cysteine, glutathione and their disulphides in astrocyte culture medium.

Glutathione (GSH) plays an important neuroprotective role, and its synthesis depends on the amount of available cysteine (CSH) in the cells. Various kinds of evidence suggest that astrocytes can provide CSH or GSH to neurons, but the delivery mechanism of the thiol-compounds has not been elucidated. In this study, the dynamics of CSH, GSH and their disulphides in astrocyte culture medium were investigated by following the time-course of concentration changes and by computer simulation and curve fitting to experimental data using a mathematical model.

Conflicting effects of N-acetylcysteine on purified neurons derived from rat cortical culture.

We examined the protective effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the death of glia-free neurons in culture. Under normoxic conditions, the protection by NAC was observed only in cystine-free but not complete medium. When the cells were cultured under hypoxic conditions, NAC much elongated their survival even in the presence of cystine.

Serum protein binding displacement: theoretical analysis using a hypothetical radiopharmaceutical and experimental analysis with 123I-N-isopropyl-p-iodoamphetamine.

Introduction: The binding of radiopharmaceutical to serum proteins is thought to be an important factor that restricts its excretion and accumulation in tissue. We calculated the effect of inhibitors of serum protein binding using a hypothetical radiopharmaceutical. In vitro experiments and protein binding inhibitor-loaded monkey scintigraphy were then conducted using (123)I-N-isopropyl-p-iodoamphetamine (IMP) as the radiopharmaceutical.

Kinetics of hydrogen peroxide elimination by astrocytes and C6 glioma cells analysis based on a mathematical model.

Oxidative stress is implicated in a variety of disorders including neurodegenerative diseases, and H(2)O(2) is important in the generation of reactive oxygen and oxidative stress. In this study, we have examined the rate of extracellular H(2)O(2) elimination and relevant enzyme activities in cultured astrocytes and C6 glioma cells and have analyzed the results based on a mathematical model. As compared with other types of cultured cells, astrocytes showed higher activity of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) but lower activities for GSH recycling.

Glutathione induces neuronal differentiation in rat bone marrow stromal cells.

It has been reported that rat bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) are differentiated into neuronal cells by administration of 2-mercaptoethanol [Woodbury et al (2000) J Neurosci Res 61:364-370]. In this study, we examined the effects of various sulfhydryl (SH) compounds on the differentiation of BMSCs obtained from rat femurs. Neuronal differentiation was detected morphologically and immunocytochemically.

Expression and function of cystine/glutamate transporter in neutrophils.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by neutrophils are essential in the host defense against infections but may be harmful to neutrophils themselves. Glutathione (GSH) plays a pivotal role in protecting cells against ROS-mediated oxidant injury. Cystine/glutamate transporter, designated as system xc- and consisting of two proteins, xCT and 4F2hc, is important to maintain GSH levels in mammalian-cultured cells.

Beneficial effect of antioxidants in purified neurons derived from rat cortical culture.

Brain cell suspensions obtained from cerebrum of fetal rats were cultured and after 5 days neurons were separated from the residual cells. These purified neurons, which were replated on the dish, started to die within 24 h in culture. Glutathione content of these neurons decreased rapidly to less than one-tenth of the initial level after 24 h.

Redox imbalance in cystine/glutamate transporter-deficient mice.

Cystine/glutamate transporter, designated as system x(-)(c), mediates cystine entry in exchange for intracellular glutamate in mammalian cells. This transporter consists of two protein components, xCT and 4F2 heavy chain, and the former is predicted to mediate the transport activity. This transporter plays a pivotal role for maintaining the intracellular GSH levels and extracellular cystine/cysteine redox balance in cultured cells.

A metabolic model describing the H2O2 elimination by mammalian cells including H2O2 permeation through cytoplasmic and peroxisomal membranes: comparison with experimental data.

We have constructed a metabolic model describing the H2O2 elimination by mammalian cells. It comprises three compartments (medium, cytosol, and peroxisome) separated by cytoplasmic and peroxisomal membranes, and H2O2 moves across the membranes with different permeation rate constants. Catalase localizes to peroxisomes, while glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and GSH recycling system (glutathione reductase (GR) and the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP)) localize to cytosol.

Kinetic studies on the hydrogen peroxide elimination by cultured PC12 cells: rate limitation by glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

Oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders and brain ischemia, and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) plays a central role in the stress. In this study, we have examined the kinetics of H(2)O(2) elimination by PC12 cells as a neuronal model in connection with the enzyme activities supporting the reaction. Similarly to other cell lines previously studied, H(2)O(2) removal kinetics could be divided into two reactions: one apparently following the Michaelis-Menten kinetics (GSH-dependent reaction) and the other following the first-order kinetics (mainly catalyzed by catalase).