A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Teprenone in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Teprenone (geranylgeranylacetone), an anti-ulcer agent, has been reported to inhibit amyloid-β increase, senile plaque formation, and neuronal degeneration, and improve memory in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Objective: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to ascertain teprenone's therapeutic ability for AD.

Methods: Patients with mild to moderate AD, with a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score of 13 to 26, were randomly allocated into two groups depending on the administered drug: donepezil +  placebo (placebo group) and donepezil + teprenone (teprenone group).

Use of mRNA levels in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues as a biomarker to diagnose gastric cancer and to evaluate the extent of vascular invasion.

With the recent advances in medical technologies, gastric cancer can often be removed with minimally invasive surgical techniques when identified early. Surgery must remove all gastric cancer, since residual cancerous tissue may lead to recurrence. Resected cancerous tissues are pathologically evaluated to determine whether all cancerous areas have been removed, but such assessments are rarely straightforward, and cancer markers could inform such pathological evaluations of cancer.

Angiopoietin-like Protein 2 is a Useful Biomarker for Pancreatic Cancer that is Associated with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Inflammation.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the tumors with the worst prognosis, with the 5-year survival rate reported to be 6%. The number of patients suffering from pancreatic cancer in recent years has continued to increase dramatically. Carbohydrate antigen 19-9 is an established biomarker of pancreatic cancer, but it does not have sufficient ability to detect pancreatic cancer at an early stage.

A novel isolation method for cancer prognostic factors via the p53 pathway by a combination of and analyses.

Identifying new therapeutic target genes affecting the survival of patients with cancer is crucial for the development of new cancer therapies. Here, we developed a novel technology combining short hairpin RNA (shRNA) library screening and analysis of the tumor transcriptome to identify prognostic factors via the p53 tumor-suppressor pathway. For initial screening, we screened 5,000 genes through selection of shRNAs in p53 wild-type tumor cells that altered sensitivity to the p53 activator actinomycin D (ActD) to identify p53 regulatory genes; shRNAs targeting 322 genes were obtained.

Autoclavable physically-crosslinked chitosan cryogel as a wound dressing.

Moist wounds were known to heal more rapidly than dry wounds. Hydrogel wound dressings were suitable for the moist wound healing because of their hyperhydrous structure. Chitosan was a strong candidate as a base material for hydrogel wound dressings because the polymer had excellent biological properties that promoted wound healing.

Combined assessment of serum folate and hemoglobin as biomarkers of brain amyloid β accumulation.

A relationship between Alzheimer's disease (AD) and folate has been reported. Amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) is currently one of the most reliable biomarkers for AD. We investigated the correlation between serum folate levels and amyloid imaging to clarify whether serum folate could be a biomarker for AD.

Angiopoietin-like protein 2 as a potential biomarker for colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignancy worldwide. Disease progression leads to its spread to other organs, such as the liver, and is associated with higher mortality rates. Early CRC detection is therefore crucial for maximizing the chances of complete cure.

Vascular-like network prepared using hollow hydrogel microfibers.

One major challenge in the field of tissue engineering was the creation of volumetric tissues and organs in vitro. To achieve this goal, the development of a three-dimensional vascular-like network that extended throughout the tissue-engineered construct was essential to supply sufficient oxygen and nutrients to all of the cells in the constructs. For sufficient oxygenation and nutrition of the tissue-engineered constructs, the distance between each microvessel-like channel in the network should ideally be within 100-200 μm.

Angiopoietin-like protein 2 is a potential biomarker for gastric cancer.

Globally, gastric cancer is one of the most common types of cancer and is the second leading cause of cancer‑induced mortality. Early detection of gastric cancer is able to contribute to a reduction of its mortality. For early detection, more specific and sensitive biomarkers than the classic biomarkers, including carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19‑9 and C‑reactive protein, are required.

Imaging discrepancies between magnetic resonance imaging and brain perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, and verification with amyloid positron emission tomography.

Background: In the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD), discrepancies are often observed between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and brain perfusion single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) findings. MRI, brain perfusion SPECT, and amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) findings were compared in patients with mild cognitive impairment or early AD to clarify the discrepancies between imaging modalities.

Methods: Several imaging markers were investigated, including the cortical average standardized uptake value ratio on amyloid PET, the Z-score of a voxel-based specific regional analysis system for AD on MRI, periventricular hyperintensity grade, deep white matter hyperintense signal grade, number of microbleeds, and three indicators of the easy Z-score imaging system for a specific SPECT volume-of-interest analysis.