Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Japan Society for Menopause and Women's Health 2017 guidelines for hormone replacement therapy.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) plays a large part in maintaining and improving the quality of life (QOL) of postmenopausal women. Despite this obvious role, the use of HRT has stagnated in Japan as well as the United States, since the interim report of the HRT trial of Women's Health Initiative study was published in 2002. The Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Japan Society for Menopause and Women's Health formulated the Guidelines for Hormone Replacement Therapy in 2009, which was subsequently revised in 2012, with the aim of organizing perceptions about HRT and allowing people to provide or receive HRT with a sense of security.

Mental and physical stress of the Fukushima disaster evacuees as estimated by the measurement of urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine.

Following the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in 2011, a number of evacuees were forced to live in temporary housing and suffered mental and physical stress. However, few reports have used objective or quantitative indicators to determine the evacuee's level of stress. The aim of the present study was to serially estimate the mental and physical stress of the evacuees from 2013 to 2015 by using the oxidative stress marker, urinary 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG).

Radiation-induced bystander effect in large Japanese field mouse (Apodemus speciosus) embryonic cells.

Although evidence suggests that ionizing radiation can induce the bystander effect (radiation-induced bystander effect: RIBE) in cultured cells or mouse models, it is unclear whether the effect occurs in cells of wild animals. We investigated medium-mediated bystander micronucleus (MN) formation and DNA damage in un-irradiated cells from a large Japanese field mouse (Apodemus speciosus). We isolated four clones of A.

[Screening for Biological Marker of Dose-optimization in Cancer Radiotherapy].

Purpose And Methods: External radiotherapy of target regions using high-energy beams leads to excessive exposure along with individual variation in therapeutic and adverse effects. However, high-precision radiotherapy utilizes 3D-multi detector computed tomography to confirm both target position and administer radiation dose. To install the individual bioinformation in the radiotherapy plan (particularly, radiosensitivity into the target region and/or the around normal tissue), the investigation of biomarkers, which are able to estimate their radiosensitivity was performed.

Effects of Nrf2 knockdown on the properties of irradiated cell conditioned medium from A549 human lung cancer cells.

The nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) plays an important role in cellular defense against oxidative stress. Recent studies have demonstrated that Nrf2 is a useful target for cancer treatment, including radiation therapy. Ionizing radiation affects, not only the irradiated cells, but also the non-irradiated neighboring cells, and this effect is known as radiation-induced bystander effect.

Protective Effect of the c-mpl Agonist Romiplostim on Megakaryocytopoiesis of Human CD34 Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells Exposed to Ionizing Radiation.

A thrombopoiesis-stimulating protein, the myeloproliferative leukemia virus protooncogene (Mpl) ligand romiplostim (RP), is currently approved as a therapeutic agent for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in many countries. Although the action of the initial MPL ligand thrombopoietin (TPO) on human megakaryocytic regeneration from irradiated human hematopoietic stem cells has been examined, there are few reports on the action of RP. In the present study, freshly prepared nonirradiated and 2-Gy X-irradiated human CD34 positive (CD34) cells from placental umbilical cord blood were cultured with a combination of RP and various cytokines.

Consideration of the usefulness of a size-specific dose estimate in pediatric CT examination.

Computed tomography (CT) has recently been utilized in various medical settings, and technological advances have resulted in its widespread use. However, medical radiation exposure associated with CT scans accounts for the largest share of examinations using radiation; thus, it is important to understand the organ dose and effective dose in detail. The CT dose index and dose-length product are used to evaluate the organ dose.

Blackcurrant Anthocyanins Increase the Levels of Collagen, Elastin, and Hyaluronic Acid in Human Skin Fibroblasts and Ovariectomized Rats.

Blackcurrants ( L.) contain high levels of anthocyanin polyphenols, which have beneficial effects on health, owing to their antioxidant and anticarcinogenic properties. Phytoestrogens are plant-derived substances with estrogenic activity, which could have beneficial effects on the skin.

Numerical modeling of the sources and behaviors of Rn, Rn and their progenies in the indoor environment-A review.

Rn, Rn and their short-lived progenies are well known radioactive indoor pollutants, identified as the leading environmental cause of lung cancer next to smoking. Apart from the conventional measurement methods, numerical modeling methods are developed to simulate their physical and decay processes in Rn and Rn's life cycle, estimate their levels, concentration distributions, as well as effects of control strategies in the indoor environment. In this article, we summarized the numerical models used to illustrate the physical processes of each source of Rn and Rn entry into the indoor environment, and the application of Jacobi room models and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamic) models used to present the behaviors of indoor Rn, Rn and their progenies.

Effects of retinoic acid-inducible gene-I-like receptors activations and ionizing radiation cotreatment on cytotoxicity against human non-small cell lung cancer .

Retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I)-like receptors (RLRs) are pattern-recognition receptors that recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns and induce antiviral immune responses. Recent studies have demonstrated that RLR activation induces antitumor immunity and cytotoxicity against different types of cancer, including lung cancer. However a previous report has demonstrated that ionizing radiation exerts a limited effect on RLR in human monocytic cell-derived macrophages, suggesting that RLR agonists may be used as effective immunostimulants during radiation therapy.

The Reliabilities of Several Measurement Methods of Cervical Sagittal Alignment in Cases with Cervical Spine Rotation Using X-ray Findings in Cervical Spine Disorders.

Introduction: Several measurement methods designed to provide an understanding of cervical sagittal alignment have been reported, but few studies have compared the reliabilities of these measurement methods. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the intraexaminer and interexaminer reliabilities of several cervical sagittal alignment measurement methods and of the rotated cervical spine using plain lateral cervical spine X-rays of patients with cervical spine disorders.

Methods: Five different measurement methods (Borden's method; Ishihara index method (Ishihara method); C2-7 Cobb method (C2-7 Cobb); posterior tangent method: absolute rotation angle C2-7 (ARA); and classification of cervical spine alignment (CCSA)) were applied by seven examiners to plain lateral cervical spine X-rays of 20 patients (10 randomly extracted cases from a rotated cervical spine group and 10 from a nonrotated group) with cervical spine disorders.

Peroxiredoxin 1 expression in active ulcerative colitis mucosa identified by proteome analysis and involvement of thioredoxin based on immunohistochemistry.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, relapsing, inflammatory bowel disease, and patients with long-standing UC are at high risk of developing colorectal cancer as a typical case of the organ-specific chronic inflammation-carcinoma sequence. Interactions between epithelial and stromal cells and alterations in a variety of stromal microenvironments have been demonstrated to have important roles in the carcinogenesis of UC-associated carcinoma. Therefore, the identification of proteins in the inflammatory microenvironment is important not only in the epithelium, however also in the stroma of UC inflammatory foci.

Phytoestrogenic Activity of Blackcurrant Anthocyanins Is Partially Mediated through Estrogen Receptor Beta.

Phytoestrogens are plant compounds with estrogenic effects found in many foods. We have previously reported phytoestrogen activity of blackcurrant anthocyanins (cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-rutinoside, delphinidin-3-glucoside, and delphinidin-3-rutinoside) via the estrogen receptor (ER)α. In this study, we investigated the participation of ERβ in the phytoestrogen activity of these anthocyanins.

Short tau inversion recovery in breast diffusion-weighted imaging: signal-to-noise ratio and apparent diffusion coefficients using a breast phantom in comparison with spectral attenuated inversion recovery.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) obtained using two fat suppression techniques in breast diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) of a phantom.

Materials And Methods: The breast phantom comprised agar gels with four different concentrations of granulated sugar (samples 1, 2, 3, and 4). DWI with short tau inversion recovery (STIR-DWI) and that with spectral attenuated inversion recovery (SPAIR-DWI) were performed using 3.

Alteration of autophagy-related proteins in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with Parkinson's disease.

Previous postmortem studies demonstrated dysregulation of autophagy in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). To clarify whether this alteration reflects a fundamental aspect of PD or represents the final stage of autophagy dysregulation resulting from a long neurodegenerative process, we focused on basal autophagy in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of PD patients (n = 35) and controls (n = 23). The whole-transcriptome assay revealed downregulation of mRNAs for 6 core regulators of autophagy (UNC-51-like kinase [ULK] 3, autophagy-related [Atg] 2A, Atg4B, Atg5, Atg16L1, and histone deacetylase 6).

Does transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) simultaneously combined with local heat and cold applications enhance pain relief compared with TENS alone in patients with knee osteoarthritis?

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate whether transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation simultaneously combined with local heat and cold applications enhances pain relief compared with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation alone in patients with knee osteoarthritis. [Subjects and Methods] Fourty-five patients with knee osteoarthritis participated in this study. They were randomly assigned to the following three interventions: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation simultaneously combined with local heat using a hot pack; combined with local cold using a cold pack; and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation alone.

Estimation of effective doses in pediatric X-ray computed tomography examination.

X-ray computed tomography (CT) images are used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in various medical disciplines. In Japan, the number of facilities that own diagnostic CT equipment, the number of CT examinations and the number of CT scanners increased by ~1.4-fold between 2005 and 2011.

Dose-response curves for analyzing of dicentric chromosomes and chromosome translocations following doses of 1000 mGy or less, based on irradiated peripheral blood samples from five healthy individuals.

In terms of biological dosimetry at the time of radiation exposure, the dicentric chromosome (Dic) assay (DCA) is the gold standard for assessing for the acute phase and chromosome translocation (Tr) analysis is the gold standard for assessing the chronic phase. It is desirable to have individual dose-response curves (DRCs) for each laboratory because the analysis criteria differ between laboratories. We constructed the DRCs for radiation dose estimation (with three methods) using peripheral blood (PB) samples from five healthy individuals.

Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans from salmon nasal cartilage inhibit angiogenesis.

Because cartilage lacks nerves, blood vessels, and lymphatic vessels, it is thought to contain factors that inhibit the growth and development of those tissues. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) are a major extracellular component in cartilage. CSPGs contribute to joint flexibility and regulate extracellular signaling their attached glycosaminoglycan, chondroitin sulfate (CS).

Effects and Risks of Heparin Bridging and Different Modes of Interruption/Resumption of Rivaroxaban on Perioperative Complications of Catheter Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation - Another Analysis of the JACRE-R Registry.

Background: The JACRE-R Registry, in which 42 Japanese institutions participated, monitored the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban in catheter ablation (CA) of atrial fibrillation (AF). In the present analysis, we sought to elucidate the effects and risks of heparin bridging and different patterns of interruption/resumption of rivaroxaban on complications of CA.

Methods and results: We administered rivaroxaban during the perioperative period and recorded the incidence of complications up to 30 days after CA.

Antisense RNA transcripts in the blood may be novel diagnostic markers for colorectal cancer.

Numerous genetic studies have been conducted regarding the occurrence of colorectal cancer (CRC) and the prognosis using microarrays. However, adequate investigations into the diagnostic application of microarrays have yet to be performed. The simplicity and accuracy of diagnosis and prognosis tracking are important requirements for its processes, and the use of blood cells for diagnosis is considered to be suitable to meet these requirements.

Anthocyanin‑rich blackcurrant extract inhibits proliferation of the MCF10A healthy human breast epithelial cell line through induction of G0/G1 arrest and apoptosis.

Blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum L., Grossulariaceae) possess a high content of anthocyanin polyphenols, which have been demonstrated to exhibit beneficial effects on health due to their antioxidant and anticarcinogenic prope-rties. The present study investigated novel functions of anthocyanin‑rich blackcurrant extracts (BCEs) in a healthy mammary epithelial cell line, MCF10A.

Investigation of Natural Radioactivity in a Monazite Processing Plant in Japan.

Monazite is a naturally occurring radioactive material that is processed for use in a variety of domestic applications. At present, there is little information available on potential radiation doses experienced by people working with monazite. The ambient dose rate and activity concentration of natural radionuclides in raw materials, products, and dust in work sites as well as the Rn and Rn concentrations in work sites were measured in a monazite processing plant in Japan.

Impact of time interval and dose rate on cell survival following low-dose fractionated exposures.

Enhanced cell lethality, also known as hyper-radiosensitivity, has been reported at low doses of radiation (≤0.5 Gy) in various cell lines, and is expected to be an effective cancer therapy. We conducted this study to examine the impact of time interval and dose rate of low-dose fractionated exposures with a short time interval.