CD38, CD157, and RAGE as Molecular Determinants for Social Behavior.

Recent studies provide evidence to support that cluster of differentiation 38 (CD38) and CD157 meaningfully act in the brain as neuroregulators. They primarily affect social behaviors. Social behaviors are impaired in and knockout mice.

Accumulation of gold nano-rods in the failing heart of transgenic mice with the cardiac-specific expression of TNF-α.

Gold nano-rods, rod-shaped gold nanoparticles, act as contrast agents for in vivo bioimaging, drug delivery vehicles and thermal converters for photothermal therapy. Pro-inflammatory cytokines play critical roles in the development of heart failure. We examined the delivery of GNRs into the failing heart of a transgenic (TG) mouse model of inflammatory cardiomyopathy with the cardiac-specific overexpression of TNF-α.

Cardiac Sarcoidosis Concomitant with Large-vessel Aortitis Detected by F-fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography.

We herein report a case of concurrent cardiac sarcoidosis and large-vessel aortitis detected by F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and followed up during immunosuppressive therapy. After high-dose prednisolone administration (1 mg/kg), serial FDG-PET showed that almost all of the abnormal FDG uptake in the heart and extracardiac region, including the abdominal to bilateral iliac arteries, had been disappeared. During the tapering of prednisolone, additive methotrexate therapy was needed to treat the recurrence of cardiac sarcoidosis.

[Impact of Different Independent Dose Verification Software Programs for Secondary Check].

Purpose: A multi-institutional study was performed to identify the impact of different independent dose verification programs on independent dose verification software program.

Methods: Data for 1,543 treatment fields were collected in three institutions. RADCALC and Simple MU Analysis (Simple MU) using the Clarkson-based algorithm were used.

Variation of the prescription dose using the analytical anisotropic algorithm in lung stereotactic body radiation therapy.

Purpose: The aim of the present investigation was to evaluate the dosimetric variation regarding the analytical anisotropic algorithm (AAA) relative to other algorithms in lung stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT). We conducted a multi-institutional study involving six institutions using a secondary check program and compared the AAA to the Acuros XB (AXB) in two institutions.

Methods: All lung SBRT plans (128 patients) were generated using the AAA, pencil beam convolution with the Batho (PBC-B) and adaptive convolve (AC).

Highly efficient uptake into cisplatin-resistant cells and the isomerization upon coordinative DNA binding of anticancer tetrazolato-bridged dinuclear platinum(II) complexes.

We examined the cytotoxicity and cellular uptake in L1210 murine leukemia cells, as well as the coordinative reaction with the guanine derivative 9-ethylguanine (9EtG), of a series of μ-hydroxo-μ-tetrazolato dinuclear platinum(II) complexes (tetrazolato-bridged complexes), [{cis-Pt(NH3)2}2(μ-OH)(μ-tetrazolato-N1,N2)](2+) (5-H-X) and [{cis-Pt(NH3)2}2(μ-OH)(μ-5-R-tetrazolato-N2,N3)](n+), where R = H (5-H-Y), CH3 (1), C6H5 (2), CH2COOCH2CH3 (3), or CH2COO(-) (4), and n = 2 (5-H-Y, 1-3) or 1 (4). Most tetrazolato-bridged complexes overcame cross-resistance to cisplatin and were more efficiently taken up into cisplatin-resistant cells (L1210R) than into parental cisplatin-sensitive cells (L1210), whereas cisplatin uptake into L1210R was decreased compared with that into L1210. The cellular uptake was most likely controlled by the total charge of the complexes.

Calorie restriction increases telomerase activity, enhances autophagy, and improves diastolic dysfunction in diabetic rat hearts.

The aims of this study were to investigate the impact of caloric restriction (CR) on cardiac telomere biology in an animal model of diabetes and to examine the signal transduction involved in cell senescence as well as cardiac function. Male 8-week-old Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty (OLETF) diabetic rats were divided into two groups: a group fed ad libitum (OLETF-AL) and a group fed with CR (OLETF-CR: 30% energy reduction). Long-Evans Tokushima Otsuka (LETO) non-diabetic rats were used as controls.

Antidepressant-like effect of Butea superba in mice exposed to chronic mild stress and its possible mechanism of action.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Butea superba (BS) is a Thai medicinal plant that has been used as a folk medicine to improve physical and mental conditions and to prevent impaired sexual performance in middle-aged or elderly males. We have previously reported that this plant extract could improve cognitive deficits and depression-like behavior in olfactory bulbectomized mice, an animal model of dementia and depression.

Aim Of The Study: In this study we examined the effect of BS on depression-like behavior in mice subjected to unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS) to clarify the antidepressant-like activity of BS and the molecular mechanism underlying this effect.

Butea superba-induced amelioration of cognitive and emotional deficits in olfactory bulbectomized mice and putative mechanisms underlying its actions.

This study investigated the effects of alcoholic extract of Butea superba (BS) on cognitive deficits and depression-related behavior using olfactory bulbectomized (OBX) mice and the underlying molecular mechanisms of its actions. OBX mice were treated daily with BS (100 and 300 mg/kg, p.o.

Induction of apoptosis associated with chromosomal DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activation in leukemia L1210 cells by TiO2 nanoparticles.

We investigated the effects of nanosized TiO2 particles on the death of mouse leukemia L1210 cells. TiO2 particles suppressed proliferation and induced cell death, as measured by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release into the culture medium. Chromatin condensation, which is typical of the initiation of cell death, was observed in approximately 14% cells cultured with titanium dioxide (TiO2) particles for 12 h.

Synthesis of selenium compounds by free radical addition based on visible-light-activated se-se bond cleavage.

Upon irradiation with near-UV or visible light, organic diselenides undergo homolytic cleavage of their selenium-selenium linkage to generate the corresponding seleno radicals, which can add to alkynes, allenes, and related unsaturated compounds. In the case of alkynes, vicinally diselenated alkenes are synthesized successfully. Photoinduced bisselenation of allenes takes place selectively at the terminal double bond of allenes.

Quantitative analysis of miroestrol and kwakhurin for standardisation of Thai miracle herb 'Kwao Keur' (Pueraria mirifica) and establishment of simple isolation procedure for highly estrogenic miroestrol and deoxymiroestrol.

Quantitative analysis of miroestrol (1) and kwakhurin (3) by HPLC, leading to standardisation of commercially available Thai miracle herb 'Kwao Keur' which has been identified with Pueraria mirifica, was established using independent solvent systems. The simple isolation procedure of highly estrogenic miroestrol (1) and deoxymiroestrol (2) from P. mirifica was also proposed.

Upregulation of anticoagulant proteins, protein S and tissue factor pathway inhibitor, in the mouse myocardium with cardio-specific TNF-α overexpression.

Heart failure (HF) has been recognized as a hypercoagulable state. However, the natural anticoagulation systems in the failing heart have not been studied. Recent experimental and clinical data have indicated that not only the thrombomodulin (TM)/protein C (PC) pathway but also the protein S (PS)/tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) system function as potent natural anticoagulants.

Repetitive hyperthermia attenuates progression of left ventricular hypertrophy and increases telomerase activity in hypertensive rats.

We investigated the hypothesis that repetitive hyperthermia (RHT) attenuates the progression of cardiac hypertrophy and delays the transition from hypertensive cardiomyopathy to heart failure in Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) hypertensive rats. Six-week-old DS rats were divided into the following five groups: a normal-salt diet (0.4% NaCl) (NS group), a normal-salt diet plus RHT by daily immersion for 10 min in 40°C water (NS+RHT group), a high-salt diet (8% NaCl) (HS group), a high-salt diet (8% NaCl) plus RHT (HS+RHT group), and high-salt diet (8% NaCl) plus RHT with 17-DMAG (HSP90 inhibitor) administration (HS+RHT+17-DMAG group).

Aging-associated alteration of telomere length and subtelomeric status in female patients with Parkinson's disease.

A telomere is a repetitive DNA structure at chromosomal ends that stabilizes the chromosome structure and prevents harmful end-to-end recombinations. The telomere length of somatic cells becomes shorter with aging because of the "end replication problem." This telomere shortening is accelerated by pathophysiological conditions including daily mental stress.

Antioxidant therapy attenuates myocardial telomerase activity reduction in superoxide dismutase-deficient mice.

Oxidative stress plays a pathological role in the development of heart failure. This study examined telomere biology in heart/muscle-specific manganese superoxide dismutase-deficient mice (H/M-SOD2(-/-)), which develop progressive congestive heart failure and exhibit pathology typical of dilated cardiomyopathy. EUK-8 (25mg/kg/day), a superoxide dismutase and catalase mimetic, was administered to H/M-SOD2(-/-) mice for four weeks beginning at 8 weeks of age.

Green tea catechins improve human forearm vascular function and have potent anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects in smokers.

Objective: Several epidemiological investigations have reported that green tea reduces cardiovascular and cerebral vascular risks. Green tea catechins may improve peripheral endothelial dysfunction in smokers. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the beneficial effect of green tea catechins on the repair of endothelial dysfunction in smokers.

The correlation between clinical laboratory data and telomeric status of male patients with metabolic disorders and no clinical history of vascular events.

The telomere length and subtelomeric methylated status of peripheral blood leukocytes has been reported to be correlated with many kinds of pathophysiological conditions. However, the correlation between the telomeric parameters and clinical laboratory data in metabolic disorders is not well known. This study investigated the correlation between the telomere length and subtelomeric methylated status in peripheral leukocytes and the laboratory data of male outpatients with combined metabolic disorders and no clinical history of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular event were assessed, to find good clinical laboratory markers reflecting the biological aging.

The physical ability of Japanese female elderly with cerebrovascular disease correlates with the telomere length and subtelomeric methylation status in their peripheral blood leukocytes.

Background: The telomere length and subtelomeric methylated status of peripheral blood leukocytes have been reported to be correlated with many kinds of pathophysiological conditions. However, the correlation between the telomeric parameters and patients' physical ability is not known.

Objective: This study aims to study how telomeric parameters, including telomere length and the subtelomeric methylation status of peripheral blood leukocytes, are associated with the physical inability of patients with cerebrovascular disease and its improvement by inpatient rehabilitation.

Green tea catechins improve human forearm endothelial dysfunction and have antiatherosclerotic effects in smokers.

Background: Because green tea reduces cardiovascular and cerebrovascular risk, the purpose of this study aimed to elucidate the effect of green tea catechins (GTC) on endothelial dysfunction in smokers.

Methods And Results: The 30 healthy male smokers were divided into 3 groups and given green tea beverages containing 0 mg (control group), 80 mg (medium-dose group) or 580 mg (high-dose group) of GTC daily for 2 weeks. Endothelial-dependent and- independent vasodilatation was investigated by measuring the forearm blood flow (FBF) responses to acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside using venous occlusion strain-gauge plethysmography.

[Role of the environmental factors on aging].

Aging is a process of irreversible decline in physiological function over the time. Several postulated mechanisms for aging include cumulative DNA damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, telomere loss, altered gene expression, and oxidative damages. Those factors affecting the aging process were implicated in hypertension, diabetes, lipid metabolic disorder, heart failure, smoking and psychological stress and so on.

Aging-associated alteration of subtelomeric methylation in Parkinson's disease.

A telomere is a repetitive DNA structure capping the chromosomal ends. Telomeres stabilize the chromosome structure and prevent harmful end-to-end recombinations. The telomere length of somatic cells can be determined as the terminal restriction fragment length provided by a genomic Southern blotting analysis, and the telomere length becomes shorter at each mitotic cycle due to an "end-replication problem.

Aging-related alterations of subtelomeric methylation in sarcoidosis patients.

Telomeres in somatic cells become shorter with aging, and the shortening is accelerated by pathophysiological conditions. Telomere shortening can be influenced by subtelomeric DNA methylation. The telomere length and subtelomeric methylation status in peripheral leukocytes were compared in healthy controls and sarcoidosis patients.