Delayed dinnertime impairs glucose tolerance in healthy young adults.

To explore the relationship between mealtime delays of up to 3 h and subsequent glucose fluctuations, healthy young adults were allocated to three delayed dinnertimes in randomized order. Participants consumed test meals for lunch and dinner. After assessing the glucose responses using intermittently scanned continuous glucose monitoring devices (isCGM), the peak glucose elevation, and incremental area under the curve (iAUC) of postprandial glucose during certain intervals increased significantly when the time between lunch and dinner was delayed by 1 h or more.

RNA Delivery to Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells Targeted Lipid Nanoparticles.

Ex vivo autologous hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gene therapy has provided new therapies for the treatment of hematological disorders. However, these therapies have several limitations owing to the manufacturing complexities and toxicity resulting from required conditioning regimens. Here, we developed a c-kit (CD117) antibody-targeted lipid nanoparticle (LNP) that, following a single intravenous injection, can deliver RNA (both siRNA and mRNA) to HSCs in rodents.

Virtual Wireless Sensor Networks: Adaptive Brain-Inspired Configuration for Internet of Things Applications.

Many researchers are devoting attention to the so-called "Internet of Things" (IoT), and wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are regarded as a critical technology for realizing the communication infrastructure of the future, including the IoT. Against this background, virtualization is a crucial technique for the integration of multiple WSNs. Designing virtualized WSNs for actual environments will require further detailed studies.

[The Effectiveness of Epidural Droperidol for Prophylaxis of Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting: A Comparative Study of Droperidol and Adrenaline].

Background: Intravenous droperidol has strong evidence for antiemetic efficacy in high risk patients for prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). However it is not clear whether continuous epidural administration of doroperidol prevent PONV. It has been reported that epidural adrenaline decreases PONV; therefore we prospectively compared the effectiveness of epidural droperidol and adrenaline for prophylaxis of PONV.

Evaluation of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation after extubation from moderate positive end-expiratory pressure level in patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery: a prospective observational study.

Background: It remains to be clarified if the application of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) is effective after extubation in patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure who require the sufficient level of positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP). This study was aimed at examining the effect and the safety of NPPV application following extubation in patients requiring moderate PEEP level for sufficient oxygenation after cardiovascular surgery.

Methods: With institutional ethic committee approval, the patients ventilated invasively for over 48 h after cardiovascular surgery were enrolled in this study.

Functional equilibrium of the KcsA structure revealed by NMR.

KcsA is a tetrameric K(+) channel that is activated by acidic pH. Under open conditions of the helix bundle crossing, the selectivity filter undergoes an equilibrium between permeable and impermeable conformations. Here we report that the population of the permeable conformation (p(perm)) positively correlates with the tetrameric stability and that the population in reconstituted high density lipoprotein, where KcsA is surrounded by the lipid bilayer, is lower than that in detergent micelles, indicating that dynamic properties of KcsA are different in these two media.

Effect of cilnidipine on normal to marginally elevated urine albumin-creatinine ratio in asymptomatic non-diabetic hypertensive patients: an exponential decay curve analysis.

Background: High-normal urinary albumin excretion has been reported to have clinical significance with respect to progression of proteinuria and hypertension.

Objective: We analysed the effect of cilnidipine (10 mg/day) on morning systolic blood pressure (SBP) and urine albumin-creatinine ratio (UACR) in 16 non-diabetic hypertensive patients with a normal to marginally elevated UACR (mean +/- SD 29.4 +/- 21.

Enhanced expression of cancer testis antigen genes in glioma stem cells.

Cancer stem cells are an important target for effective therapy, since they show tumorigenicity, chemoresistance, and radioresistance. We isolated cancer stem cells from glioma cell lines and tissues and examined the expression of cancer testis antigen (CTA) genes as potential target molecules for cancer vaccine therapy. CTA genes were highly and frequently expressed in cancer stem cells compared with differentiated cells.

Abnormal transmural repolarization process in patients with Brugada syndrome.

Background: Repolarization abnormality, especially during bradycardia, might be critical for initiation of ventricular fibrillation (VF) in patients with Brugada syndrome (BrS), but the contribution of the rate-dependent repolarization dynamics to the occurrence of VF is still unknown.

Objective: The aim of our study was to determine the differences in rate-dependent repolarization dynamics between BrS with and without spontaneous VF and between BrS with and without SCN5A mutation.

Methods: The subjects were 37 BrS patients with VF (VF(+) group: 10 male subjects) and without VF (VF(-) group: 27 male subjects) and 20 control subjects.

Increased blood pressure levels relative to subjective feelings of intensity of exercise determined with the Borg scale in male patients with hypertension.

We examined the hemodynamic responses to exercise and symptoms in 37 male patients with untreated essential hypertension, and compared the findings with those in 32 age-matched healthy male volunteers by performing a graded symptom-limited exercise test using a bicycle ergometer. The subjective feeling of intensity of exercise was determined using the Borg scale. In the relationship between Borg scores and blood pressure (BP), patients with hypertension showed higher systolic BP and diastolic BP relative to the Borg scores than the controls.

Association of augmentation index of radial pressure wave form with diurnal variation pattern of blood pressure in untreated patients with essential hypertension.

Objectives: The augmentation index of the radial pulse wave has been reported to be a sensitive aortic stiffness marker in relatively young but not in older individuals. We studied the relationship between augmentation index and the diurnal blood pressure profiles.

Patients And Methods: Twenty-four-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring was performed in 90 untreated patients with uncomplicated essential hypertension.

Significant associations of metabolic syndrome and its components with silent lacunar infarction in middle aged subjects.

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with an increased risk of ischaemic stroke, including silent brain infarction. No study has examined its association with the lacunar subtype. The present cross sectional study examined the relationship between MetS, its components and silent lacunar infarction (SLI) in middle aged subjects.

Use of plasma B-type natriuretic peptide level to identify asymptomatic hypertensive patients with abnormal diurnal blood pressure variation profiles: nondippers, extreme dippers, and risers.

We examined the relationship between plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) level and diurnal variability pattern of blood pressure (BP). Twenty-four-hour ambulatory BP monitoring was performed in 98 patients with asymptomatic essential hypertension, and the patients were classified into four groups according to their circadian BP variation profiles: dippers (n=29), nondippers (n=36), extreme dippers (n=19), and risers (n=14). Plasma BNP was measured by enzyme immunoassay.

Significant association between leukoaraiosis and metabolic syndrome in healthy subjects.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between leukoaraiosis (LA), which has been considered as an intermediate substitute of ischemic brain damages, and metabolic syndrome (MetS), which attracts attention as a risk factor for cerebrovascular diseases, in healthy subjects derived from various age groups.

Methods: We studied 1,030 healthy persons at ages between 28 and 78 years (mean, 52.7 years) with no history of stroke who visited a health care facility for routine health checkups.

Development of an automatic Doppler flow signal detection system: variability of pulmonary and aortic peak flow velocity.

Purpose: Automatic Doppler flow signal detection systems can provide beat-to-beat information for large blood vessels. We have developed new equipment for automatic measurement of Doppler flow signals. The reliability of the system was examined, and the variability of aortic and pulmonary peak flow velocity was determined.

Primary malignant B-cell-type dural lymphoma: Case report.

Background: The primary malignant dural lymphoma of B-cell type is rare. Our review of the literature (24 cases) indicated that patients with this tumor had female predominance, immunocompetency, and longer survival compared with those with primary malignant intracerebral lymphomas. Based on its clinicopathological features, this dural lymphoma may be classified differently from other types of malignant lymphomas in the central nervous system.

Clinico-pathological significance of RCAS1 expression in gliomas: a potential mechanism of tumor immune escape.

RCAS1, one of the tumor cell surface antigens, is strongly expressed in aggressive tumors. RCAS1 suppresses the in vitro growth of immune effector cells. We investigated the expression of RCAS1 in 57 gliomas using immunohistochemistry.

A rapidly enlarging nocardial brain abscess mimicking malignant glioma.

Nocardial brain abscesses are uncommon and are not preceded by clear infectious symptoms in most cases. Delayed identification of the bacteria is responsible for a high mortality rate. A 58-year-old afebrile woman was admitted to our hospital because of progressive right hemiparesis and aphasia.

Characterization of microglia induced from mouse embryonic stem cells and their migration into the brain parenchyma.

We derived microglia from mouse embryonic stem cells (ES cells) at very high density. Using the markers Mac1(+)/CD45(low) and Mac1(+)/CD45(high) to define microglia and macrophages, respectively, we show that Mac1(+) cells are induced by GM-CSF stimulation following neuronal differentiation of mouse ES cells using a five-step method. CD45(low) expression was high and CD45(high) expression was low on induced cells.

Primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) treated with interferon-beta after surgical removal and irradiation: case report.

This case report describes an 11-year-old boy with primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET), which remains the pediatric brain tumor with the worst prognosis despite combination treatment with surgery, irradiation and anti-cancer drugs. The boy was successfully treated with intratumoral administration of interferon-beta (IFN-beta) following surgical resection and irradiation. Two million units of IFN-beta were locally administered into the post-operative cavity through the Ommaya's reservoir every two weeks after discharge.

Relationship between body mass index and anti-hypertensive efficacy of doxazosin according to a survey of Japanese patients.

In this cross-sectional study, we surveyed a population of 101 hypertensive patients in Japan to determine the efficacy of the blood pressure lowering effect of alpha 1-blockers in relation to their body mass index (BMI). We found that doxazosin was frequently administered to obese hypertensive patients; many patients treated with doxazosin were taking concomitant medication. We also demonstrated that the higher the dose of doxazosin, the lower the ambulatory blood pressure measured in the out-patient clinic.

Intense response of heart rate with pronounced suppression of high-frequency power of heart rate variability to early morning exercise with high-intensity load.

Autonomic nerve activity shows circadian variation. Therefore, we put forward the hypothesis that the responses of heart rate (HR) and high-frequency (HF) power of HR variability to exercise would be different between early morning and daytime exercise. We performed ergometer constant load exercise tests [50 watts (low), 100 watts (high load)] in the early morning and during the day in 6 healthy volunteers.

Effects of cilostazol on heart rate and its variation in patients with atrial fibrillation associated with bradycardia.

Background: Heart-rate (HR) variability is an important predictor of mortality in patients with heart disease. We examined the effects of cilostazol, a quinolinone derivative, on HR and HR variability in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation associated with bradycardia episodes.

Patients And Methods: Thirteen patients with chronic atrial fibrillation associated with bradycardia episodes (minimal HR <40/min and/or pauses, ie, episodes with an RR interval > 2.

Early decrease of P-glycoprotein in the endothelium of the rat brain capillaries after moderate dose of irradiation.

In this study, we examined the degree of disruption of blood-brain barrier (BBB) in irradiated rat brains using P-glycoprotein, one of the functional molecules of BBB, as a marker. In the animal experiments, disruption of BBB has been mainly studied at the acute stage of brain edema caused by a lethal dose of irradiation. However, they do not mimic the clinical situation of radiotherapy for malignant brain tumors.