Ultrasonographic findings in nevus lipomatosus cutaneous superficialis: What differentiates this tumor from other soft tissue tumors?

Nevus lipomatosus cutaneous superficialis is a rare, benign hamartoma characterized by mature adipocyte proliferation in the dermis. It is frequently difficult to distinguish clinically from soft tissue tumors, including lipoma, neurofibroma, venous malformation, and angiolipoma. Notably, the classical form, which shows multiple and sometimes enlarged nodules, is difficult to differentiate from liposarcoma based on clinical examination, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Longer time to extubation after general anesthesia with desflurane in patients with obstructive respiratory dysfunction: a retrospective study.

Background: The prospect of patients with obstructive respiratory dysfunction undergoing surgery has increased with the growth in the elderly population; however, there have been few investigations about the recovery profile from volatile anesthesia. This study aimed to investigate the impact of obstructive respiratory dysfunction on recovery from desflurane anesthesia.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study included patients who underwent orthopedic lower limb surgery between September 2018 and March 2020.

Real-World Effectiveness of Ramelteon and Suvorexant for Delirium Prevention in 948 Patients With Delirium Risk Factors.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of ramelteon and suvorexant for delirium prevention in real-world practice. It explored whether ramelteon and/or suvorexant would affect delirium prevention among both patients at risk for but without delirium (patients at risk) and those with delirium the night before a consultation.

Methods: This multicenter, prospective, observational study was conducted by trained psychiatrists at consultation-liaison psychiatric services from October 1, 2017, to October 7, 2018.

Facial pustules due to drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome/drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms may histopathologically mimic eosinophilic pustular folliculitis: A case report.

Pustules with facial and/or neck edema is one characteristic feature of drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome/drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DIHS/DRESS) at the early stage. Although several retrospective histopathologic studies on DIHS/DRESS have been reported, the detailed histopathologic findings of facial pustules for DIHS/DRESS are unavailable. We herein report a case of DIHS/DRESS with facial pustules that was histopathologically similar to eosinophilic pustular folliculitis (EPF).

Induction of Growth Differentiation Factor 15 in Skeletal Muscle of Old Taurine Transporter Knockout Mouse.

It has been identified that skeletal muscle is an endocrine tissue. Since skeletal muscle aging affects not only to muscle strength and function but to systemic aging and lifespan, myokines secreted from skeletal muscle may be crucial factors for intertissue communication during aging. In the present study, we investigated the expression of myokines associated with skeletal muscle aging in taurine transporter knockout (TauTKO) mice, which exhibit the accelerated skeletal muscle aging.

Acid hydrolysis reveals a low but constant level of pheomelanin in human black to brown hair.

We previously reported a constant ratio of the benzothiazole pheomelanin marker thiazole-2,4,5-tricarboxylic acid (TTCA) to the eumelanin marker pyrrole-2,3,5-tricarboxylic acid (PTCA) in eumelanic, black human hair. A constant level (20%-25%) of benzothiazole-type pheomelanin was recently demonstrated in human skin with varying concentrations of melanin. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the origin of pheomelanin markers in black to brown human hair by developing a method to remove protein components from hair by heating with 6 M HCl at 110°C for 16 hr.

Chemical analysis of constitutive pigmentation of human epidermis reveals constant eumelanin to pheomelanin ratio.

The skin constitutive pigmentation is given by the amount of melanin pigment, its relative composition (eu/pheomelanin) and distribution within the epidermis, and is largely responsible for the sensitivity to UV exposure. Nevertheless, a precise knowledge of melanins in human skin is lacking. We characterized the melanin content of human breast skin samples with variable pigmentations rigorously classified through the Individual Typology Angle (ITA) by image analysis, spectrophotometry after solubilization with Soluene-350 and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) after chemical degradation.

Tyrosinase-catalyzed metabolism of rhododendrol (RD) in B16 melanoma cells: production of RD-pheomelanin and covalent binding with thiol proteins.

RS-4-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-butanol (rhododendrol, RD) was reported to induce leukoderma of the skin. To explore the mechanism underlying that effect, we previously showed that oxidation of RD with mushroom tyrosinase produces RD-quinone, which is converted to secondary quinone products, and we suggested that those quinones are cytotoxic because they bind to cellular proteins and produce reactive oxygen species. We then confirmed that human tyrosinase can oxidize both enantiomers of RD.

Photoaging of human retinal pigment epithelium is accompanied by oxidative modifications of its eumelanin.

Although photodegradation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) melanin may contribute to the etiology of age-related macular degeneration, the molecular mechanisms of this phenomenon and the structural changes of the modified melanin remain unknown. Recently, we found that the ratio of pyrrole-2,3,4,5-tetracarboxylic acid (PTeCA) to pyrrole-2,3,5-tricarboxylic acid (PTCA) is a marker for the heat-induced cross-linking of eumelanin. In this study, we examined UVA-induced changes in synthetic eumelanins to confirm the usefulness of the PTeCA/PTCA ratio as an indicator of photo-oxidation and compared changes in various melanin markers and their ratios in human melanocytes exposed to UVA, in isolated bovine RPE melanosomes exposed to strong blue light and in human RPE cells from donors of various ages.

UVA-induced oxidative degradation of melanins: fission of indole moiety in eumelanin and conversion to benzothiazole moiety in pheomelanin.

Eumelanin is photoprotective while pheomelanin is phototoxic to pigmented tissues. Ultraviolet A (UVA)-induced tanning seems to result from the photooxidation of pre-existing melanin and contributes no photoprotection. However, data available for melanin biodegradation remain limited.

Usefulness of alkaline hydrogen peroxide oxidation to analyze eumelanin and pheomelanin in various tissue samples: application to chemical analysis of human hair melanins.

Eumelanin and pheomelanin in tissue samples can be specifically measured as the markers pyrrole-2,3,5-tricarboxylic acid (PTCA) and 4-amino-3-hydroxyphenylalanine after acidic permanganate oxidation and hydroiodic acid hydrolysis, respectively. Those degradation methods, although widely applied, are not easily performed in most laboratories. To overcome this difficulty, we developed alkaline H(2)O(2) oxidation in 1 M K(2)CO(3) that produces, in addition to the eumelanin marker PTCA, thiazole-2,4,5-tricarboxylic acid (TTCA) and thiazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid (TDCA) as markers for pheomelanin and pyrrole-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (PDCA) as a marker for 5,6-dihydroxyindole-derived eumelanin.

Serum levels of 5-s-cysteinyldopa are correlated with skin colors in hemodialysis patients but not in peritoneal dialysis patients.

Background: Diffuse hyperpigmentation is common in patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD). We previously reported that serum levels of 5-S-cysteinyldopa (5SCD, a pheomelanin precursor) and pheomelanin were significantly elevated in HD patients.

Methods: Skin color was assessed using a Mexameter that measures the melanin index (MI) and the erythema index (EI).

Analysis of PPARalpha-dependent and PPARalpha-independent transcript regulation following fenofibrate treatment of human endothelial cells.

Fenofibrate is a synthetic ligand for the nuclear receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) alpha and has been widely used in the treatment of metabolic disorders, especially hyperlipemia, due to its lipid-lowering effect. The molecular mechanism of lipid-lowering is relatively well defined: an activated PPARalpha forms a PPAR-RXR heterodimer and this regulates the transcription of genes involved in energy metabolism by binding to PPAR response elements in their promoter regions, so-called "trans-activation". In addition, fenofibrate also has anti-inflammatory and anti-athrogenic effects in vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells.

Unraveling dynamic activities of autocrine pathways that control drug-response transcriptome networks.

Some drugs affect secretion of secreted proteins (e.g. cytokines) released from target cells, but it remains unclear whether these proteins act in an autocrine manner and directly effect the cells on which the drugs act.

Pigmentation effects of solar-simulated radiation as compared with UVA and UVB radiation.

Different wavelengths of ultraviolet (UV) radiation elicit different responses in the skin. UVA induces immediate tanning and persistent pigment darkening through oxidation of pre-existing melanin or melanogenic precursors, while UVB induces delayed tanning which takes several days or longer to develop and requires activation of melanocytes. We compared the effects of a 2-week repetitive exposure of human skin to solar-simulated radiation (SSR), UVA or UVB at doses eliciting comparable levels of visible tanning and measured levels of melanins and melanin-related metabolites.

A comparative intervention trial on fish sauce fortified with NaFe-EDTA and FeSO4+citrate in iron deficiency anemic school children in Kampot, Cambodia.

Background: Inhabitants of agrarian villages of rural Cambodia suffer from high prevalences of iron deficiency and anemia in the context of a monotonous diet.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of placebo Khmer fish sauce to that of 10 mL of fish sauce containing 10 mg of iron, added to daily school meals either as NaFe-EDTA or as FeSO4+ citrate.

Methods: 140 students aged 6-21 years were enrolled in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled intervention trial.

Serum levels of pigmentation markers are elevated in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Background: Diffuse hyperpigmentation is common among patients with chronic renal failure undergoing hemodialysis (HD). We have examined serum levels of 5-S-cysteinyldopa (5SCD, a pheomelanin precursor), pheomelanin, eumelanin, and protein-bound (PB-) 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and PB-5SCD in HD patients.

Methods: Pheomelanin and eumelanin were assayed by chemical degradation methods.

Impact of lifestyle intervention on physical activity and diet of Japanese workers.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Life Style Modification Program for Physical Activity and Diet (LiSM-PAN) in comparison to a conventional healthcare program.

Method: Subjects with risk factor(s) for chronic disease were allocated as a cluster to the LiSM group (n=92) or the Control group (n=85). The LiSM-PAN program consisted of counseling plus social and environment support, and the Control program consisted of written feedback for changing physical activity and dietary practice.

The use of NaFeEDTA-fortified fish sauce is an effective tool for controlling iron deficiency in women of childbearing age in rural Vietnam.

One cost-effective strategy for controlling iron deficiency is the fortification of staple foods or condiments with iron. We evaluated the effectiveness of fortifying fish sauce with NaFeEDTA for improving iron status in women of childbearing age in Vietnam in a double-blind intervention with randomization by village. All families in the selected villages were supplied with fish sauce that was either unfortified (Group C, 10 villages) or fortified with NaFeEDTA [9 mmol (500 mg) Fe/L, Group F, 11 villages] for 18 mo.

APOC3/A5 haplotypes, lipid levels, and risk of myocardial infarction in the Central Valley of Costa Rica.

Genetic variation in the APOC3 and APOA5 genes has been associated with plasma triglyceride concentrations and may affect the risk of myocardial infarction (MI). To assess whether APOC3/A5 haplotypes are associated with risk of MI, we examined three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in APOC3 (3238C>G, -455T>C, and -482C>T) and six SNPs in the APOA5 gene (-1131T>C, c.-3A>G, c.

Role of the carbohydrate chain and two phosphate moieties in the heat-induced aggregation of hen ovalbumin.

We investigated the effect of the carbohydrate chain and two phosphate moieties on heat-induced aggregation of hen ovalbumin. The dephosphorylated form of ovalbumin was obtained by treating the original protein with acid phosphatase. The single carbohydrate chain was removed by digestion of heat-denatured ovalbumin with glycopeptidase F, and the resulting polypeptide without this carbohydrate chain was correctly refolded to acquire protease-resistance.

Analysis of molecular interactions in heat-induced aggregation of a non-inhibitory serpin ovalbumin using a molecular chaperone.

Aggregation occurs through hydrophobic interactions when a polypeptide chain refolds in non-native states or when genetic variants of biologically active proteins assume inappropriate conformations, as observed in the case of dysfunctional serpins. Here, using the molecular chaperone BiP from bovine liver microsomes, we characterized the hydrophobic nature of the peptide segment which is considered to be a site required for aggregation among a non-inhibitory serpin ovalbumin in a heat-denatured state. Screening of the peptide scan for binding of BiP showed that BiP-binding sites are mostly buried in the folded ovalbumin.

Uptake across the blood-brain barrier and tissue distribution of enterostatin after peripheral administration in rats.

Enterostatin, the N-terminal activation pentapeptide of procolipase that is produced by the pancreas, reduces food intake from high-fat diet when injected either peripherally or centrally to rats. We investigated uptake across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and tissue distribution of enterostatin by giving radioactive-labeled enterostatin (3H-VPDPR) intravenously. Low levels of 3H-VPDPR were detected in many areas of the brain, with greatest radioactivity in the frontal cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum.