Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A impairs predator odor-induced fear behavior in young rat offspring.

Objectives: This study evaluated the changes in behaviors and the endocrine system in rat offspring at postnatal day 20 following prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), a major environmental endocrine disruptor.

Design: Using A predator odor (2,4,5-trimethylthiazoline [TMT]) as a stressor, I evaluate behavioral and endocrine responses to check whether the normal stress response is affected by BPA.

Materials And Methods: A low-dose group (BPA-L; 0.

Prenatal bisphenol A exposure is associated with medial amygdala neuron hyperresponsiveness to predator odor in rats.

Perinatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) causes several alterations in brain function and behavior. In previous studies, we showed that prenatal treatment with low-level BPA impaired gender-specific behavior, enhanced depression-like behavior, and augmented behavioral responses to predator odor in rats. On this premise, we hypothesized that BPA-treated rats were more susceptible to predator odor stress.

Fluorescence and chemiluminescence behavior of distyrylbenzene bearing two arms of dipicolylaminomethyl groups: Interactions with zinc ion and ATP.

The absorption and fluorescence spectral study of the distyrylbenzene bearing two arms of the dipicolylaminomethyl groups, the effective ligands for Zn, was studied in the presence of Zn and ATP. Upon complexation of the distyrylbenzene with zinc ions in acetonitrile, enhancement of the fluorescence intensity was observed due to inhibition of intramolecular PET (photo-induced electron transfer) quenching, but no effect was found in aqueous media because the equilibrium laid to the free form of the ligands. In contrast, the addition of ATP disodium salt was effective to enhance the fluorescence intensity of the combination of the distyrylbenzne and Zn in aqueous media.

Prenatal low-dose bisphenol A enhances behavioral responses induced by a predator odor.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental endocrine disrupter (EED). Previous studies by our group showed that pre- and postnatal administration of low-level BPA induced depression-like behavior in rats. In this study, we evaluated the effects of prenatal BPA on behavioral responses to a predator odor by using a novel cross-form apparatus consisting of 4 plastic chambers.

Effects of therapeutic ultrasound on range of motion and stretch pain.

[Purpose] This study aimed to clarify the effects of therapeutic ultrasound on range of motion and stretch pain and the relationships between the effects. [Subjects] The subjects were 15 healthy males. [Methods] Subjects performed all three interventions: (1) ultrasound (US group), (2) without powered ultrasound (placebo group), and (3) rest (control group).

Brief neonatal handling alters sexually dimorphic behaviors in adult rats.

Several effects of neonatal handling on brain and behavior have been reported. We investigated the effects of neonatal handling on behaviors that have been shown to be sexually dimorphic in rats using an open-field test. "Gender differences" were observed in locomotor activity, exploratory behavior and grooming in the handled group.

[Introduction of team-based learning to the pharmacy experiential practice course for first-year pharmacy students].

In recent years, the number of high school graduates has decreased, whereas the number of new pharmacy schools has increased substantially. Therefore, pharmacy schools these days accommodate students from diverse backgrounds in terms of basic knowledge, study skills, and/or their motivation to be pharmacists. To address this issue, we developed a mandatory 10-day course named "Pharmacy experiential practice" for the first-year students.

Effects of therapeutic ultrasound on intramuscular blood circulation and oxygen dynamics.

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the effects of therapeutic ultrasound on intramuscular local blood circulation (and oxygen dynamics) using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS).

Participants: The participants were 11 healthy males.

Methods: All participants performed all three trials; (1) the ultrasound (US group), (2) without powered ultrasound (placebo group), and (3) rest (control group).

Postnatal exposure to low-dose bisphenol A influences various emotional conditions.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the 'environmental endocrine disrupters' (EEDs) released by plastics and resin known to interfere with hormonal responses. In this study, female Wistar rats were exposed to low-dose BPA (24 μg/kg/day) during 7 days after giving birth. The male and female offspring, exposed to the BPA through lactation, were evaluated using an open field test (OFT) at the age of six weeks, an elevated plus maze test (EPM) at seven weeks, and a forced swimming test (FST) at nine weeks.

Enantioselective acylation of 1,2- and 1,3-diols catalyzed by aminophosphinite derivatives of (1S,2R)-1-amino-2-indanol.

A phosphinite derivative that can be easily prepared in two steps from commercially available aminoindanol was found to be an effective catalyst for enantioselective acylation of diols. For the asymmetric desymmetrization of meso-1,2-diols, the corresponding monoester was obtained in up to 95% ee from the reaction in the presence of 5 mol % catalyst.

Carvedilol improves uptake-1 in patients with systolic congestive heart failure.

Background: The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) of the whole body, including cardiac sympathetic nerves, is activated in patients with severe congestive systolic heart failure (CHF). Carvedilol can improve clinical status in such patients. This study aimed to determine how carvedilol acts on the SNS to improve CHF.

Effects of C-reactive protein on CC chemokine receptor 2-mediated chemotaxis of monocytes.

Periodontal infections can increase patients' serum C-reactive protein (CRP) level, which is a predictive marker of future cardiovascular events. Serum CRP may be a key mediator associating periodontitis with cardiovascular disease. It is not yet clarified whether the chemotactic activity of monocytes changes with increased serum CRP.

Analysis of the scapulohumeral rhythm and electromyography of the shoulder muscles during elevation and lowering: comparison of dominant and nondominant shoulders.

Hypothesis: Assessment of whether elevation and lowering of the dominant and nondominant arms occur in a similar manner in healthy individuals is clinically important in terms of shoulder disorders.

Materials And Methods: We examined the scapulohumeral rhythm (SHR) and performed electromyography (EMG) for the middle deltoid, upper trapezius, lower trapezius, and lower part of the serratus anterior muscles of both shoulders in 18 healthy volunteers (14 men, 4 women) with a mean age of 24 years (range, 19-30 years). The participants randomly elevated and lowered either the right or left arm in the scapular plane, and the motion was measured using a 3-dimensional motion analyzer.

Morphological evaluation of the human pyramidal tract: tapering of axons.

It is generally accepted that nerve fiber conduction velocity is directly proportional to the fiber diameter under the condition, based on a supposition, that the transverse area of axons is normally maintained constant. Using an ideal preparation method for the purpose of axonal discrimination, we examined 43 human spinal cords after making transverse sections at the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral levels and found a tapering of the axons in the lateral pyramidal tract, as the cross-sectional area of the pyramidal axons showed a definite decrease from the cervical to the sacral levels. Our results contradict the supposition that the transverse area of axons is normally maintained constant, which has for a long time been believed to be true without any evidence for it.

Excretions of urinary albumin and various proteins increase in hypertension.

Aims: Hypertension causes proteinuria and is an important factor in the progress of renal dysfunction. Increases in various proteins in urine are caused by malfunction of the glomerulus and the renal tubules. In the present study, the effects of hypertension on urinary excretion levels of various proteins were investigated to show the tubular cell malfunction in hypertensive patients.

Crying and behavioral characteristics in premature infants.

The aims of this study were to analyze 1) whether there was the relationship between the neonatal behavioral characteristics and amount of crying in premature infants at term age, and 2) what kind of difference between infants with high levels of crying and cry less on neonatal behavioral characteristics using the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS). The study participants consisted of 69 healthy low birth-weight infants who were admitted to the NICU at the Nagasaki University Hospital, Nagasaki, Japan. This study analyzed the relationship between NBAS scores measured neonatal behavioral performance and crying at term age.

Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A impairs sexual differentiation of exploratory behavior and increases depression-like behavior in rats.

Perinatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA, 0.1 and 1 ppm in drinking water applied to mother rats for 6 weeks) has been shown to impair the sexual differentiation in exploratory behavior, but the exact critical period of this disrupting effect is still unknown. In this study, we examined the effects of prenatal exposure to BPA (0.

Simultaneous analysis of human plasma catecholamines by high-performance liquid chromatography with a reversed-phase triacontylsilyl silica column.

The clinical importance of simultaneous analysis of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylglycol with other human plasma catecholamines has been investigated to better understand the sympathetic nervous system. However, previous reports have had analytical difficulties with both resolution and extraction. The current study uses a reversed-phase triacontylsilyl silica (C30) column under the mobile phase condition without ion-pair reagents to separate catecholamines and their metabolites, with above 91% recoveries for intra-assay, above 85% for inter-assay, and less than 10% (n=5) coefficient of variation.

Catalytic asymmetric desymmetrization of cyclic meso-1,3- and 1,4-diols by a phosphinite derivative of quinidine.

Asymmetric monobenzoylation reactions of cyclic meso-1,3- and 1,4-diols were catalyzed by a phosphinite derivative of quinidine to afford the corresponding monobenzoylated diol with good yield and enantioselectivity. [reaction: see text]

High-sodium diets in Japanese evacuation centers increase blood pressures of evacuees.

Aims: High blood pressure after a natural disaster is tentatively considered to be due to elevation of sympathetic nerve activity. A volcano in Japan erupted on March 31, 2000, and people living in the vicinity of the volcano were evacuated to safe shelters. We found that many evacuees developed high blood pressure while staying at evacuation centers.

Different coronary blood flow increase in left ventricular hypertrophy due to hypertension compared to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy at elevated heart rate.

Coronary vasodilator reserve (CVR) is reduced in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). However, it is not clear whether there is any difference between the coronary blood flow increase in LVH caused by hypertension (HTH) and that caused by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) when the heart rate increases. In this study, 16 subjects with HTH, 10 subjects with HCM, and 10 subjects with normotension (NT) were investigated.

A novel method for faster formation of rat liver cell spheroids.

Hepatocyte spheroids are expected to be the main component of the artificial liver bioreactor for their higher function. The preparation of hepatocyte spheroids, however, can require as many as 24 to 96 h. To reduce this time, we investigated a method employing a new technique of rat hepatocyte preparation and a dynamic culture.

Y-931, a novel atypical antipsychotic drug, is less sensitive to oxidative phenomena.

The oxidation behavior of Y-931, a potent atypical antipsychotic drug, was compared with that of clozapine and olanzapine. In two enzymatic systems (horseradish peroxidase (HRP)/glutathione (GSH) and HRP/H(2)O(2)/GSH) which generate thiyl radicals, clozapine markedly strengthened the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signal for the radical. Olanzapine, Y-931 and the major metabolites (compounds 1-3) had no or minimal effect on the intensity of this signal.

Halogenovinyl Sulfones. 6.(1) Synthesis of Condensed Heterocycles by Diastereoselective Intramolecular Diels-Alder Reactions of Sulfonyl-Substituted Trienes.

Sulfonyl trienes having a chiral center on the allyl carbon of the diene moiety were prepared from L-amino acid as chiral building blocks. Intramolecular Diels-Alder reaction of the sulfonyl trienes having E-geometry on the diene moiety proceeded on the si-face and exo-selectively to give cis-isoindoles as a sole product in good yields. But using the sulfonyl trienes having Z-geometry on the diene part, the ratio of the diastereomers of the products decreased to about 80:20.