Changes in Choroidal Structures in Eyes with Chronic Central Serous Chorioretinopathy after Half-Dose Photodynamic Therapy.

Purpose: To determine the structural changes in the choroid after half-dose photodynamic therapy (hPDT) in eyes with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC).

Methods: This was a retrospective interventional study of 29 eyes of 29 patients who underwent hPDT for chronic CSC with serous retinal detachment (SRD) and were followed for ≥3 months. Enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomographic (EDI-OCT) images of the subfoveal choroid were converted to binary images.

A functional variation in the hypocretin neuropeptide precursor gene may be associated with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in Japan.

Objectives/hypothesis: To evaluate the association of hypocretin neuropeptide precursor gene (HCRT) variations with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in a cohort of Japanese patients and to further evaluate whether the significant HCRT variations have potential functional consequences on HCRT expression.

Study Design: Case-control genetic association study.

Methods: We studied the genetic variations within the HCRT gene.

Urinary neutrophil-gelatinase associated lipocalin is a potential noninvasive marker for renal scarring in patients with vesicoureteral reflux.

Purpose: Renal scarring is a serious complication that often occurs with chronic pyelonephritis in the presence of vesicoureteral reflux. In a previous study we established a rat model of renal scarring in which we found the up-regulation of neutrophil-gelatinase associated lipocalin at the mRNA and protein levels. In this study we evaluated urinary neutrophil-gelatinase associated lipocalin as a potential biomarker for progression of renal scarring in patients with vesicoureteral reflux.

Global expression profiles in 1-hour biopsy specimens of human kidney transplantation from donors after cardiac death.

Because of the worldwide shortage of renal grafts, kidney transplantation (KTx) from donors after cardiac death (DCD) is an alternative way to obtain KTx from brain-dead donors. Although the prognosis of DCD KTx is gradually improving, the graft often undergoes delayed graft function (DGF), rendering the control of DGF essential for post-KTx patient care. In an attempt to characterize etiology of DGF, genome-wide gene expression profiling was performed using renal biopsy samples performed at 1 h after KTx from DCD and the data were compared with those of KTx from living donors (LD).

Increased urinary neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin levels in a rat model of upper urinary tract infection.

Purpose: Recurrent upper urinary tract infection is a common complication of vesicoureteral reflux that often leads to irreversible renal scarring. In our previous study of a rat model of renal bacterial infection we performed global gene expression profiling of the kidney during the onset of renal scarring. We have further investigated the product of an up-regulated gene product, NGAL, in this animal model to evaluate its potential usefulness as a biomarker of renal scarring.

Mutations of the SYCP3 gene in women with recurrent pregnancy loss.

Aneuploidy, a chromosomal numerical abnormality in the conceptus or fetus, occurs in at least 5% of all pregnancies and is the leading cause of early pregnancy loss in humans. Accumulating evidence now suggests that the correct segregation of chromosomes is affected by events occurring in prophase during meiosis I. These events include homologous chromosome pairing, sister-chromatid cohesion, and meiotic recombination.

Serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin as a predictor of organ recovery from delayed graft function after kidney transplantation from donors after cardiac death.

Because of a worldwide shortage of renal grafts, kidneys procured from donors after cardiac death (DCD) have recently become an important source of renal transplants. However, DCD kidneys often have complications with delayed graft function (DGF) and recipients require hemodialysis (HD) in the early period after kidney transplantation (KTx). This study evaluated serum NGAL as a potential specific parameter to predict early functional recovery of transplanted DCD kidneys.

Global gene expression profiling of renal scarring in a rat model of pyelonephritis.

Renal scarring is a serious complication of chronic pyelonephritis that occurs due to vesicoureteral reflux. In our study, we performed global expression profiling of the kidney during renal scarring formation in a rat pyelonephritis model. An inoculum of Escherichia coli was injected directly into the renal cortex.

Structure and conservation of a polyethylene glycol-degradative operon in sphingomonads.

Sphingopyxis terrae, and Sphingopyxis macrogoltabida strains 103 and 203, can degrade polyethylene glycols (PEGs). They differ in the following respects: (i) different substrate specificities (chain length) of assimilable PEG, (ii) PEG-inducible or constitutive PEG-degradative proteins, and (iii) symbiotic or axenic degradation of PEG. S.

Genomewide expression profiles of rat model renal isografts from brain dead donors.

Background: It has been well documented that two factors, brain death (BD) and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, have distinct but overlapping adverse influences on the clinical outcome of renal transplantation.

Method: We previously established a rat model of renal isografting from brain dead donors. In the present study, we performed genomic expression profiling with a high-density oligonucleotide microarray to identify genes that were upregulated or downregulated by BD and/or I/R injury.

Spectrophotometric determination of aluminum with m-carboxyphenylfluorone, a novel chemical probe, and its application.

A highly spectrophotometric method for the determination of aluminum was developed. This method used the color reaction between m-carboxyphenylfluorone (MCPF) as a novel chemical probe and aluminum in the presence of a surfactant, poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP, K-90) (0.03 - 1.

Dual-site recognition of different extracellular matrix components by anti-angiogenic/neurotrophic serpin, PEDF.

Pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF), a member of the serine protease inhibitor (serpin) superfamily, possesses anti-angiogenic and neurotrophic activities. PEDF has been reported to bind to extracellular matrix (ECM) components such as collagens and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). In this study, to determine the binding sites for collagens and GAGs, we analyzed the interaction of recombinant mouse PEDF (rPEDF) with collagen I and heparin.