Expression of activating transcription factor 2 in inflammatory macrophages in obese adipose tissue.

Objective: White adipose tissue (WAT) of obesity is in the state of inflammation with progressive infiltration by macrophages and overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can induce WAT dysfunction, including insulin resistance and adipocytokine dysregulation. Activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) is a member of the ATF/cAMP response element binding family of transcription factors and known to be activated by cellular stressors, such as inflammatory cytokines, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and ROS. DESIGN AND METHODS, RESULTS: Here, we show that ATF2 protein was significantly more induced in WAT of ob/ob mice compared with C57BL/6J mice.

A Case of Hypocalcemia with Severe Vitamin D Deficiency following Treatment for Graves' Disease with Methimazole.

We herein report the case of a 41-year-old Japanese female office worker who developed symptomatic hypocalcemia with severe vitamin D deficiency following treatment for Graves' disease with methimazole. The patient's hypocalcemia was mainly caused by vitamin D deficiency due to unbalanced diets and inadequate exposure to sunlight in addition to the resolution of hyperthyroidism. Vitamin D deficiency is increasing worldwide, and it has been more recently shown to relate to the pathogenesis of Graves' disease.

Study on the mechanism causing elevation of serum CA19-9 levels in diabetic patients.

Serum CA19-9 levels are often elevated in diabetic patients. To elucidate this mechanism, we investigated the metabolism of CA19-9 in diabetic patients without obvious cancer. Study 1 included 119 patients in whom HbA1c, glycated albumin (GA) and CA19-9 were measured at the time of hospital admission.

Hyperthyroidism due to thyroid-stimulating hormone secretion after surgery for Cushing's syndrome: a novel cause of the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of thyroid-stimulating hormone.

Context: Hyperthyroidism with the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of TSH (SITSH) occurred by a decrease in hydrocortisone dose after surgery for Cushing's syndrome. This is a novel cause of SITSH.

Objective: The aim of this study was to describe and discuss 2 cases of SITSH patients that were found after surgery for Cushing's syndrome.

Systematic breakdown of Amontons' law of friction for an elastic object locally obeying Amontons' law.

In many sliding systems consisting of solid object on a solid substrate under dry condition, the friction force does not depend on the apparent contact area and is proportional to the loading force. This behaviour is called Amontons' law and indicates that the friction coefficient, or the ratio of the friction force to the loading force, is constant. Here, however, using numerical and analytical methods, we show that Amontons' law breaks down systematically under certain conditions for an elastic object experiencing a friction force that locally obeys Amontons' law.

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors are effective in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients with sustained endogenous insulin-secreting capacity, a higher body mass index and insulin resistance.

Aims/introduction: Recently, dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors have become available in Japan. It has not yet been clarified what clinical parameters could discriminate DPP-4 inhibitor-effective patients from DPP-4 inhibitor-ineffective patients.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed 33 consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes admitted to Osaka University Hospital for glycemic control.

[Conflict of intentions associated with leukodystrophy: a case report].

A 50-year-old woman developed a slowly progressive inability to control her motor functions over the past 3 years. For example, she would close the refrigerator door immediately after opening it against her intension, or at intersections she would go in a direction that she did not intend. These symptoms were regarded as "conflict of intentions (COI).

Noninvasive cross-sectional imaging of proximal caries using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) in vivo.

The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of swept-source optical coherent tomography (SS-OCT) in detecting and estimating the depth of proximal caries in posterior teeth in vivo. SS-OCT images and bitewing radiographs were obtained from 86 proximal surfaces of 53 patients. Six examiners scored the locations according to a caries lesion depth scale (0-4) using SS-OCT and the radiographs.

Adiponectin regulates vascular endothelial growth factor-C expression in macrophages via Syk-ERK pathway.

Adiponectin is exclusively expressed in adipose tissues and exhibits protective effects against cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. It enhances AMP-activated kinase (AMPK) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) signaling in the liver and skeletal muscles, however, its signaling pathways in macrophages remain to be elucidated. Here, we show that adiponectin upregulated the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-C, and induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in macrophages.

Cognitive impairment and cortical degeneration in neuromyelitis optica.

Objective: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOsd) is an inflammatory and demyelinating syndrome characterized by optic neuritis and myelitis. Several magnetization transfer magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have revealed abnormalities in normal-appearing gray matter in NMOsd. The aim of this study is to elucidate the characteristics and pathogenesis of cognitive impairment and neurodegeneration in NMOsd brains.

The durability of phosphoric acid promoted bioglass-dentin interaction layer.

Objectives: Phosphoric acid-Bioglass 45S5 paste can create an interaction layer formed of calcium-phosphate crystals on the dentin surface. In this study, the efficiency of decreasing the dentin permeability exerted by the interaction layer formed between bioglass and dentin was compared to a resin-containing oxalate desensitizing agent (MS Coat One) and a resin-free oxalate desensitizing agent (Super Seal).

Methods: Dentin permeability was measured before/after a brushing abrasion challenge, followed by examining the top and the fractured dentin surfaces with a field emission scanning electron microscope.

Monomer-collagen interactions studied by saturation transfer difference NMR.

Functional monomers in dentin adhesives are involved in wetting dental substrates, demineralization, and the formation of calcium salts. However, the interaction of these monomers with collagen is not understood at a molecular/atomic level. We performed saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR spectroscopy to investigate the binding interaction of 2 functional monomers, 4-methacryloyloxyethyl trimellitate anhydride (4-META) and 10-methacryloyloxydecyl dihydrogenphosphate (MDP), with atelocollagen as a triple-helical peptide model.

A case of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism caused by opioid treatment for nonmalignant chronic pain.

We report a case of 42-year-old male patient with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. He suffered from general fatigue and erectile dysfunction after the treatment with transdermal fentanyl for chronic pain by traffic injury. Endocrine examinations and hormone stimulating tests showed that he had hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

Affinity maturation of Cry1Aa toxin to the Bombyx mori cadherin-like receptor by directed evolution.

Improvement of the activity and insecticidal spectrum of cloned Cry toxins of Bacillus thuringiensis should allow for their wider application as biopesticides and a gene source for gene-modified crops. The insecticidal activity of Cry toxins depends on their binding to the receptor. Therefore, as a model, we aimed to generate improved binding affinity mutant toxins against Bombyx mori cadherin-like receptor (BtR175) using methods of directed evolution with the expectation of insecticidal activity improved mutants.

[Aphasia and related impairments pertaining to FTLD].

FTLD consists of three clinical types: behavioural variant FTD, progressive non-fluent aphasia (PNFA) and semantic dementia (SD). The latter two types manifest aphasia. Thus, it is quite important to pertinently assess the symptoms of aphasia and related impairments for diagnosis of FTLD.

Cry1Aa binding to the cadherin receptor does not require conserved amino acid sequences in the domain II loops.

Characterizing the binding mechanism of Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) Cry toxin to the cadherin receptor is indispensable to understanding the specific insecticidal activity of this toxin. To this end, we constructed 30 loop mutants by randomly inserting four serial amino acids covering all four receptor binding loops (loops α8, 1, 2 and 3) and analysed their binding affinities for Bombyx mori cadherin receptors via Biacore. High binding affinities were confirmed for all 30 mutants containing loop sequences that differed from those of wild-type.

Critical scaling of a jammed system after a quench of temperature.

Critical behavior of soft repulsive particles after quench of temperature near the jamming transition is numerically investigated. It is found that the plateau of the mean-square displacement of tracer particles and the pressure satisfy critical scaling laws. The critical density for the jamming transition depends on the protocol to prepare the system, while the values of the critical exponents which are consistent with the prediction of a phenomenology are independent of the protocol.

Effects of 405 nm diode laser on titanium oxide bleaching activation.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of a 405 nm diode laser on bleaching reaction of H(2)O(2) and VL-TiO(2) on methylene blue (MB) dye.

Background Data: Visible light activating titanium dioxide photocatalyst (VL-TiO(2)) may improve efficacy of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) bleaching agents used in dentistry while contributing to their safety by lowering the required concentration of peroxide.

Methods: The experimental solution was prepared with H(2)O(2), VL-TiO(2), MB, and pure water.

Successful treatment of reactive hypoglycemia secondary to late dumping syndrome using miglitol.

We herein describe a 59-year-old woman who had undergone a total gastrectomy for gastric carcinoma and suffered from postprandial hypoglycemia characterized by a loss of consciousness and spasms. She was diagnosed with reactive hypoglycemia and treated with nutrition therapy, but the frequency and severity of the hypoglycemic episodes did not decrease. She was subsequently treated successfully with miglitol, an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor (α-GI) taken twice a day; other α-GIs (acarbose and voglibose) were not effective.

Effect of natural cross-linkers incorporation in a self-etching primer on dentine bond strength.

Objectives: The aim of this in vitro study was to investigate the effect of incorporation of natural cross-linkers into the primer of a self-etching adhesive on resin-dentine bond strength.

Methods: Flat dentine surfaces were prepared from extracted human molar teeth and were applied with the following self-etching primers. The 0.

Large adrenal ganglioneuroma.

We herein report the case of a 41-year-old male patient with an incidentally identified large adrenal ganglioneuroma (GN). His endocrine examinations were normal except for one episode of elevated urinary dopamine and noradrenaline levels. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a large solid tumor with calcifications and a slightly lobular edge in the right adrenal gland.