Oxidative stress causes muscle structural alterations via p38 MAPK signaling in COPD mouse model.

Introduction: Sarcopenia is a complication of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) that negatively affects physical activity and quality of life. However, the underlying mechanism by which COPD affects skeletal muscles remains to be elucidated. Therefore, we investigated the association between oxidative stress and structural alterations in muscles in elastase-induced emphysema mouse models.

Depletion of WNT10A Prevents Tumor Growth by Suppressing Microvessels and Collagen Expression.

: We recently reported that WNT10A plays a pivotal role in wound healing by regulating collagen expression/synthesis, as the depletion of WNT10A dramatically delays skin ulcer formation. WNT signaling also has a close correlation with the cancer microenvironment and proliferation, since tumors are actually considered to be 'unhealing' or 'overhealing' wounds. To ascertain the regulatory functions of WNT10A in tumor growth, we examined the net effects of WNT10A depletion using -deficient mice ( ).

Critical in vivo roles of WNT10A in wound healing by regulating collagen expression/synthesis in WNT10A-deficient mice.

Background: We have reported that WNT10A plays a critical role in the growth of fibroblasts/myofibroblasts and microvascular endothelial cells, i.e.; wound healing/scarring.

Evaluation of left ventricular mechanical work and energetics of normal hearts in SERCA2a transgenic rats.

Cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA2a) is responsible for most of the Ca(2+) removal during diastole and a larger Ca(2+) handling energy consumer in excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling. To understand the cardiac performance under long-term SERCA2a overexpression conditions, we established SERCA2a transgenic (TG) Wistar rats to analyze cardiac mechanical work and energetics in normal hearts during pacing at 300 beats/min. SERCA2a protein expression was increased in TGI and TGII rats (F2 and F3 of the same father and different mothers).

8-Hydroxyguanine levels and repair capacity during mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation.

To evaluate the defence capacities of embryonic stem (ES) cells against gene impairment, this study measured the levels of 8-hydroxyguanine (8-OH-Gua), a well-known marker of oxidative stress in DNA, and its repair capacity during differentiation. Undifferentiated ES cells (EB3) were cultured without leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) for 0, 4 and 7 days and are referred to as ES-D0, ES-D4 and ES-D7, respectively. These three cell lines were treated with 300 μM hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) for 48 and 72 h.

[Reducing the levels of formaldehyde exposure during a gross anatomy dissection course with a local ventilation system].

Reducing the levels of formaldehyde (FA) exposure in gross anatomy laboratories has been urgently required. We improved the environment of our gross anatomy laboratory by changing the existing general ventilation to local ventilation. We developed a local ventilation apparatus (grid-type of hood with downward suction) that can be attached to an ordinary dissection table.

Effects of formaldehyde on cardiovascular system in in situ rat hearts.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of formaldehyde solution on rat left ventricular function and compare it with those in hypertrophic hearts treated with isoproterenol by pressure-volume measurements with the catheter method. After 20-30 min. of intravenous infusion of 3.

8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine generated in the earthworm Eisenia fetida grown in metal-containing soil.

Heavy metal pollution of soil causes biological problems, such as mutagenicity to living organisms, including human beings. However, few methods have been developed to assess metal mutagenicity in soil. To avoid metal mutagenicity, an adequate bio-monitoring method is required.

Lifestyle-determined gender and hierarchical differences in the lead contamination of bones from a feudal town of the Edo period.

We analyzed lead concentrations in bones from both genders of Japanese merchants (including rohnin; masterless samurai) and farmer classes, and compared the findings with those of the samurai class in the Edo period (1603-1867) to clarify gender and hierarchical (or occupational) differences in lead exposure during the Japanese feudal age. Merchant class females had significantly higher lead exposure (90.8 microg Pb/g dry bone; n=20) than males of the same class (39.

[Exposure to formaldehyde during an anatomy dissecting course].

Formaldehyde is a flammable, colorless and readily polymerized gas at ambient temperature, and is one of the major pollutants in indoor air. Medical students during their dissection course are exposed to formaldehyde, whose exposure is recently considered to be one of the causes of multiple chemical sensitivity. To understand the system that produces exposures and to plan for implementing control options, this study examined formaldehyde exposures that occurred in the gross anatomy laboratory.

O2 consumption of mechanically unloaded contractions of mouse left ventricular myocardial slices.

Left ventricular (LV) myocardial slices were isolated from murine hearts (300 microm thick) and were stimulated at 1 Hz without external load. Mean myocardial slice O(2) consumption (MVo(2)) per minute (mMVo(2)) without stimulation was 0.97 +/- 0.