Chest Wall to Heart Distance Reproducibility in Postoperative Deep Inspiration Breath-Hold Radiotherapy for Left-Sided Breast Cancer Using an Anzai Laser Sensor With Visual Feedback.

Background Left-sided breast cancer radiotherapy may increase the risk of cardiovascular death due to possible heart irradiation. The reproducibility of the chest wall to heart distance in deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) was studied using a laser sensor with visual feedback. Methodology A total of 10 consecutive postoperative left-sided breast cancer cases receiving DIBH radiotherapy between December 2022 and September 2023 were retrospectively investigated.

Biochemical evaluation of processed ascites in patients undergoing cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy.

The biochemical composition of processed ascites is not well researched and may differ among institutions. This prospective study was conducted to evaluate the biochemical characteristics of processed ascites of 11 patients with liver cirrhosis and carcinoma who underwent cell-free and concentrated ascites reinfusion therapy. The ascites due to carcinoma were more acidic and had higher lactate dehydrogenase activity than those due to liver cirrhosis.

A cross-species socio-emotional behaviour development revealed by a multivariate analysis.

Recent progress in affective neuroscience and social neurobiology has been propelled by neuro-imaging technology and epigenetic approach in neurobiology of animal behaviour. However, quantitative measurements of socio-emotional development remains lacking, though sensory-motor development has been extensively studied in terms of digitised imaging analysis. Here, we developed a method for socio-emotional behaviour measurement that is based on the video recordings under well-defined social context using animal models with variously social sensory interaction during development.

Peer attachment formation by systemic redox regulation with social training after a sensitive period.

Attachment formation is the most pivotal factor for humans and animals in the growth and development of social relationships. However, the developmental processes of attachment formation mediated by sensory-motor, emotional, and cognitive integration remain obscure. Here we developed an animal model to understand the types of social interactions that lead to peer-social attachment formation.

[Development and neural basis of social behavior].

We have developed a multi variate analysis of social communication behavior which allows for discriminating the emotional state of an agent interacting with other agents (Bouquet method). Domestic chick or common marmoset was reared under socially isolated conditions, later tested for its development of communication behavior with peers by Bouquet, and compared with that of animals reared under grouping conditions. We found the existence of high sensitive period for social interaction, given less experience, developing less affiliated behavior.

LRRN4 and UPK3B are markers of primary mesothelial cells.

Background: Mesothelioma is a highly malignant tumor that is primarily caused by occupational or environmental exposure to asbestos fibers. Despite worldwide restrictions on asbestos usage, further cases are expected as diagnosis is typically 20-40 years after exposure. Once diagnosed there is a very poor prognosis with a median survival rate of 9 months.

Changes in serum sex hormone profiles after short-term low-dose administration of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) to young and elderly persons.

In man, serum concentrations of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and DHEA sulfate (DHEAS) decrease with age after the twenties. For this reason, the decline in DHEA and DHEAS concentrations may be related to the development of some chronic diseases that are prevalent in the older age population. In this study, we evaluate the benefit and safety level of DHEA administration to men as a hormone replacement therapy.

Development and progression of retinopathy after inpatient management of diabetes.

Objective: To examine factors that affect the development of retinopathy after short-term inpatient management of diabetes.

Patients And Methods: The subjects were 143 patients with type 2 diabetes who were admitted for inpatient management of diabetes, and did not have retinopathy of the right eye at admission, and had an HbA1c level of > or =8.0%.

Effects of dehydroepiandrosterone on gluconeogenic enzymes and glucose uptake in human hepatoma cell line, HepG2.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), the most abundant human adrenal steroid, improves insulin sensitivity and obesity in human and model animals. In a previous study, we reported that orally administered DHEA suppresses the elevated activities of hepatic gluconeogenic enzymes like glucose-6-phosphatase (G6Pase) in C57BL/KsJ-db/db mice. However, the molecular mechanisms by which DHEA ameliorates insulin resistance are not clearly understood.

Efficacy of a triple therapy with rabeprazole, amoxicillin, and faropenem as second-line treatment after failure of initial Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy.

Background/aims: Triple therapy consisting of lansoprazole, amoxicillin, and clarithromycin (LAC regimen) is widely used to eradicate Helicobacter pylori in Japan. However, the need for appropriate treatment after failure of initial therapy to eradicate H. pylori has been increasing.

Marked attenuation of production of collagen type I from cardiac fibroblasts by dehydroepiandrosterone.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) is a type of adrenal steroid. The concentrations of DHEA and its sulfate (DHEA-S) in serum reach a peak between the ages of 25 and 30 yr and thereafter decline steadily. It was reported that DHEA-S concentration in humans is inversely related to death from cardiovascular diseases.

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide promotes differentiation of mouse neural stem cells into astrocytes.

We have found that pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) employed at the physiological concentrations induces the differentiation of mouse neural stem cells into astrocytes. The differentiation process was not affected by cAMP analogues such as dibutylic cAMP (db-cAMP) or 8Br-cAMP or by the specific competitive inhibitor of protein kinase A, Rp-adenosine-3',5'-cyclic monophosphothioate triethylamine salt (Rp-cAMP). Expression of the PACAP receptor (PAC1) in neural stem cells was detected by both RT-PCR and immunoblot using an affinity-purified antibody.

A novel therapy for acute hepatitis utilizing dehydroepiandrosterone in the murine model of hepatitis.

Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), one of the major androgens secreted by the adrenal cortex, has been shown to have potential immunoreguratory properties. In this study, we examined the effect of DHEA in a mouse model of hepatitis. Mice were treated with DHEA and injected with concanavalin A (Con A) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS)/D-galactosamine (GalN).

sPAR-3, a splicing variant of PAR-3, shows cellular localization and an expression pattern different from that of PAR-3 during enterocyte polarization.

PAR-3 (partitioning-defective) is a scaffold-like PDZ (postsynaptic density-95/discs large/zonula occludens-1) domain-containing protein that forms a complex with PAR-6 and atypical PKC, localizes to tight junctions, and contributes to the formation of functional tight junctions. There are several alternatively spliced isoforms of PAR-3, although their physiological significance remains unknown. In this study, we show that one of the major isoforms of PAR-3, sPAR-3, is predominantly expressed in the Caco-2 cells derived from colon carcinoma and is used as a model to investigate the events involved in the epithelial cell differentiation and cell polarity development.

Insulin-induced cell cycle progression is impaired in chinese hamster ovary cells overexpressing insulin receptor substrate-3.

To analyze the roles of insulin receptor substrate (IRS) proteins in insulin-stimulated cell cycle progression, we examined the functions of rat IRS-1 and IRS-3 in Chinese hamster ovary cells overexpressing the human insulin receptor. In this type of cell overexpressing IRS-1 or IRS-3, we showed that: 1) overexpression of IRS-3, but not IRS-1, suppressed the G1/S transition induced by insulin; 2) IRS-3 was more preferentially localized to the nucleus than IRS-1; 3) phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase 3 and MAPK/ERK was unaffected by IRS-3 overexpression, whereas that of protein kinase B was enhanced by either IRS; 4) overexpressed IRS-3 suppressed cyclin D1 expression in response to insulin; 5) among the signaling molecules regulating cyclin D1 expression, activation of the small G protein Ral was unchanged, whereas insulin-induced gene expression of c-myc, a critical component for growth control and cell cycle progression, was suppressed by overexpressed IRS-3; and 6) insulin-induced expression of p21, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, was decreased by overexpressed IRS-3. These findings imply that: 1) IRS-3 may play a unique role in mitogenesis by inhibiting insulin-stimulated cell cycle progression via a decrease in cyclin D1 and p21 expressions as well as suppression of c-myc mRNA induction in a manner independent of the activation of MAPK, protein kinase B, glycogen synthase kinase 3 and Ral; and 2) the interaction of IRS-3 with nuclear proteins may be involved in this process.