Factors associated with carotid atherosclerosis in community-dwelling oldest elderly aged over 80 years.

Background: Hypertension, hyperlipidemia, impaired glucose tolerance and smoking have been known to be risk factors for atherosclerosis. Recently, it was shown that hyperhomocysteinemia is also a risk factor for cerebral vascular disease and atherosclerosis. However, it is unknown if these are also risk factors in the oldest elderly population aged 80 years or older.

High mobility group I-C protein in astrocytoma and glioblastoma.

High mobility group I-C (HMGI-C) protein is a non-histone DNA-binding factor that organizes active chromatin. This protein is expressed during the limited phase of embryonic development and may regulate the expression of genes critical for embryonic cell growth and differentiation. As embryonic mechanisms are also known to play a role in the development of some neoplasms, we investigated human brain tumors for the expression of HMGI-C to determine its role in the differentiation of glial cell tumors.

Hepatitis C virus core protein interacts with p53-binding protein, 53BP2/Bbp/ASPP2, and inhibits p53-mediated apoptosis.

The core protein of Hepatitis C virus affects several biological functions of the host cells such as cellular growth and apoptosis. The core was shown to interact with 53BP2/Bbp/ASPP2, a p53-binding protein, in a yeast two-hybrid assay. The core competed with p53 in binding to ASPP2 in vitro.

Rhythm-independent feature of heart rate dynamics common to atrial fibrillation and sinus rhythm in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: To examine if the long-range correlation in heart rate variability is a rhythm-independent characteristic common to both atrial fibrillation (AF) and sinus rhythm (SR) periods in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF).

Methods: Holter electrocardiography was analyzed during sleep in 18 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation during the atrial fibrillation (PAF-AF) and sinus rhythm (PAF-SR) periods, and also in 19 healthy controls with sinus rhythm (CTR-SR). The heart rate dynamics were assessed with the power-law spectral exponent (slope) of the log-log power spectrum between 0.

[Long-term effect of hypertension on neurobehavioral and cardiac function in the apparently healthy community-dwelling elderly: a 5-year follow-up study].

Recently, it has been reported that hypertension causes not only cerebro-cardiovascular diseases, but also a decline of cognitive function in the elderly. However, it is not clear whether or not aging and hypertension have a latent effect on the cognitive-neurobehavioral and cardiac functions in healthy elderly whose scores of basic activities of daily living (ADL) are fully maintained. We evaluated the effect of aging and hypertension on cognitive-neurobehavioral and cardiac functions in 25 healthy community-dwelling elderly subjects (mean age: 69 y.

Potential role for 53BP1 in DNA end-joining repair through direct interaction with DNA.

Upon DNA damage, p53-binding protein 1 (53BP1) relocalizes to sites of DNA double-strand breaks and forms discrete nuclear foci, suggesting its role in DNA damage responses. We show that 53BP1 changed its localization from the detergent soluble to insoluble fraction after treatment of cells with x-ray, but not with ultraviolet or hydroxyurea. Either DNase or phosphatase treatment of the insoluble fraction released 53BP1 into the soluble fraction, showing that 53BP1 binds to chromatin in a phosphorylation-dependent manner after X-irradiation of cells.