Casein kinase 2 regulates both apoptosis and the cell cycle following DNA damage induced by 6-thioguanine.

Purpose: The purine antimetabolite, 6-thioguanine (6-TG), is an effective drug in the management of acute leukemias. In this study, we analyze the mechanisms of apoptosis associated with 6-TG treatment and casein kinase 2 (CK2 or CKII) in human tumor cells.

Experimental Design: Small interfering RNA and chemical CK2 inhibitors were used to reduce CK2 activity.

Wavelet-transform analysis of spectral shearing interferometry for phase reconstruction of femtosecond optical pulses.

We introduce a novel method for retrieving the phase from a spectral shearing interferogram, based on wavelet-transform technique. We demonstrate with both theoretical and experimental data that this technique provides an alternative and reliable technique for phase retrieval, particularly for highly structured pulse spectra.

Alpha2(I) collagen gene regulation by protein kinase C signaling in human dermal fibroblasts.

We investigated the mechanisms by which protein kinase C (PKC) regulates the expression of the alpha2(I) collagen gene in normal dermal fibroblasts. Reduction of PKC-alpha activity by treatment with Gö697-6 or by overexpression of a dominant negative (DN) mutant form decreased alpha2(I) collagen gene expression. This decrease required a sequence element in the collagen promoter that contains Sp1/Sp3 binding sites.

Pulse wave velocity predicts cardiovascular mortality: findings from the Hawaii-Los Angeles-Hiroshima study.

Background: Arterial stiffness measurements, generally from pulse wave velocity (PWV), are widely used with little knowledge of their relationship to long-term cardiovascular mortality in general populations.

Methods And Results: We studied a cohort of 492 Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii (mean age: 63.7 +/-8.

A protective effect of adiponectin against oxidative stress in Japanese Americans: the association between adiponectin or leptin and urinary isoprostane.

Adiponectin, which is produced by adipose tissue, is thought to play an important role in inflammation. On the other hand, adiposity, or the hypertrophy of adipose tissue, has been reported to increase oxidative stress. Accordingly, the possibility exists that adiponectin, as well as leptin, influences oxidative stress, resulting in a proinflammatory state.

Effects of hepatocyte growth factor on the expression of type I collagen and matrix metalloproteinase-1 in normal and scleroderma dermal fibroblasts.

We investigated the direct effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on the expression of type I collagen in normal and scleroderma dermal fibroblasts, and analyzed the mechanisms underlying the effect in vitro. HGF did not change the protein expression of type I procollagen in the medium of normal human fibroblasts, whereas it reduced the expression in scleroderma fibroblasts. But mRNA levels and the promoter activity of alpha2(I) collagen gene were not significantly affected by HGF in either of the cells.

Erectile dysfunction is strongly linked with decreased libido in diabetic men.

Erectile dysfunction frequently occurs with diabetes mellitus. A survey of diabetic men was conducted by anonymous questionnaire to investigate the associations of erectile dysfunction with various predictive factors. A total of 112 diabetic males without an obvious history of erectile dysfunction were available for analyses.

Effectiveness and limitation of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis in bacterial membrane protein proteomics and perspectives.

Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) using isoelectric focusing and SDS-PAGE in the first and second dimensions, respectively, is an established means of simultaneously separating over 1000 proteins and two new types have recently been developed. These procedures have significant shortcomings such as low load ability and poor separation of hydrophobic, acidic and alkaline proteins. We therefore modified the protocols to analyze the Bacillus subtilis membrane proteome.

Influence of westernization of lifestyle on the progression of IMT in Japanese.

Evaluation of carotid intima media wall thickness (IMT) by using ultrasonography is a validated quantitative method for assessing atherosclerosis, and is closely correlated with pathological findings observed in the carotid artery. Furthermore, the appearance of atherosclerosis in the carotid artery has been highly associated with atherosclerosis in the aorta and a close relationship has been observed between IMT and the incidence of coronary heart disease. In the present study, we investigated the association of risk factors for atherosclerosis with pre-clinical atherosclerosis as evaluated by IMT in native Japanese and Japanese Americans living in the United States.

Lifestyle, serum lipids and coronary artery disease: comparison of Japan with the United States.

Westernization of the Japanese lifestyle has been steadily progressing, and the percent energy intake as fat has increased 3.8 fold over the past 50 years. Although the serum cholesterol (C) level has also increased, the death rate due to coronary artery disease (CAD) is not increasing.

Effectiveness of Semmes-Weinstein monofilament examination for diabetic peripheral neuropathy screening.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Semmes-Weinstein monofilament examination (SWME) for diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) screening at an outpatient clinic.

Methods: Eighty-two type 2 diabetic outpatients were questioned about 13 subjective symptoms and tested for deep reflexes. They were examined using two types of quantitative sensory testing: SWME (using 4.

Intraoperative hemodynamic measurements of the vertebral artery and common carotid artery.

The hemodynamics in the vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) system were investigated in patients with vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI). Vertebral artery (VA) stump pressure and blood flows in the VA and common carotid artery (CCA) were intraoperatively measured in 45 patients who underwent surgical correction of the first segment of the VA (V1) for angiographic tortuosity, kinking, and/or stenosis manifesting as symptomatic VBI. The effects of changes in the systemic arterial blood pressure (SABP) induced by trimethaphan, phenylephrine, and cervical epidural anesthesia were also investigated.

A novel exopolysaccharide from a clinical isolate of Prevotella nigrescens: purification, chemical characterization and possible role in modifying human leukocyte phagocytosis.

Prevotella nigrescens, a gram-negative black-pigmented anaerobic rod, has frequently been isolated from periodontitis and periapical periodontitis lesions. We have isolated an exopolysaccharide-producing P. nigrescens, strain 22, from a chronic periodontitis lesion.

A comparison between Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii and Los Angeles and native Japanese: the impact of lifestyle westernization on diabetes mellitus.

We have been conducting the Hawaii-Los Angeles-Hiroshima Study since 1970, mainly to determine the effects of environmental changes on various diseases by comparing Japanese-Americans with native Japanese subjects. Japanese-Americans living in Hawaii and Los Angeles are originated mainly from Hiroshima, Japan and are genetically identical with native Japanese. Through this study, we made several clear observations about Japanese-Americans.

Enhanced spin accumulation and novel magnetotransport in nanoparticles.

Spin injection and accumulation are key phenomena supporting a variety of concepts for spin-electronic devices. These phenomena are expected to be enhanced in nanoparticles over bulk structures due to their discrete energy levels and large charging energies. In this article, precise magnetotransport measurements in the single-electron tunnelling regime are performed by preparing appropriate microfabricated devices containing cobalt nanoparticles.

Biochemical and crystallographic analyses of maltohexaose-producing amylase from alkalophilic Bacillus sp. 707.

Maltohexaose-producing amylase, called G6-amylase (EC 3.2.1.

Protein traffic for secretion and related machinery of Bacillus subtilis.

Gram-positive sporulating Bacillus subtilis secretes high levels of protein. Its complete genome sequence, published in 1997, encodes 4,106 proteins. Bioinformatic searches have predicted that about half of all B.

Rheumatoid factor isotypes and anti-agalactosyl IgG antibodies in systemic sclerosis.

Background: Rheumatoid factor isotypes and anti-agalactosyl IgG antibodies (anti-AG IgG) have been reported to be detected and correlated with the disease activity in some collagen diseases.

Objectives: To study the frequency and the clinical significance of IgM, IgG and IgA rheumatoid factor (IgM-RF, IgG-RF and IgA-RF) and anti-AG IgG in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Seventy-nine serum samples from patients with SSc were examined by specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays.

Eyelid lengthening combined with penetrating keratoplasty for exposure keratopathy in Graves' ophthalmopathy--a case report.

Upper eyelid retraction is a well-known component of Graves' disease. With greater degrees of retraction, corneal exposure is usually increased. We report here on a patient with corneal perforation following exposure keratopathy due to upper eyelid retraction.

Cell type-specific regulation of the TGF-beta-responsive alpha2(I) collagen gene by CpG methylation.

The alpha2(I) collagen gene shows cell type-specific expression, however, the mechanism behind this specificity remains to be determined. We demonstrate here that transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)-mediated induction of alpha2(I) collagen gene is regulated by DNA methylation in a cell type-specific manner. Human alpha2(I) collagen mRNA and type I collagen protein were expressed in normal human fibroblasts (NHF), and also strongly enhanced by TGF-beta; they were not detected in HaCaT, HeLa, or HepG2 cells (termed "collagen-induction resistant (CIR) cells") even following stimulation with TGF-beta.

Regulation of fibrogenic/fibrolytic genes by platelet-derived growth factor C, a novel growth factor, in human dermal fibroblasts.

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is a potent mitogenic and chemotactic cytokine, and PDGF-C is a novel growth factor belonging to the PDGF family. In this study, to determine whether this growth factor can contribute to fibrosis and tissue remodeling, we examined the effect of PDGF-CC on the expression of fibrogenic/fibrolytic genes such as type I collagen, fibronectin (FN), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), and their inhibitors (TIMPs) in normal human dermal fibroblasts in vitro. PDGF elevated the levels of MMP-1 or TIMP-1 protein as well as mRNA, whereas this cytokine had no influence on the expression of type I collagen, FN, or TIMP-2.

Increasing of oxidative stress from mitochondria in type 2 diabetic patients.

Background: Recent evidence increasingly indicates that oxidative stress may play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular complications. Mitochondria has received much attention as an important organ in the generation of oxidative stress. However, the importance of oxidative stress among diabetic patients without vascular complications is unclear.

Serum levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and 2 in patients with eosinophilic fasciitis.

Background: Serum levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) have been reported to be elevated in patients with various connective tissue diseases. However, there has been no report that evaluates TIMPs in patients with eosinophilic fasciitis (EF).

Objectives: To determine serum TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 levels in patients with EF and to investigate their clinical significance.