Protective effect of ISO-1 with inhibition of RIPK3 up-regulation and neutrophilic accumulation on acetaminophen-induced liver injury in mice.

Overdose use of acetaminophen (APAP) often occurs a severe liver injury, and its liver injury is lethal in some cases. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is expressed in a variety of cells and has multifunctional roles. However, the role of MIF in APAP-induced liver injury has not been fully investigated.

Analysis of the stability of 70 housekeeping genes during iPS reprogramming.

Studies on induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells highly rely on the investigation of their gene expression which requires normalization by housekeeping genes. Whether the housekeeping genes are stable during the iPS reprogramming, a transition of cell state known to be associated with profound changes, has been overlooked. In this study we analyzed the expression patterns of the most comprehensive list to date of housekeeping genes during iPS reprogramming of a mouse neural stem cell line N31.

Leukemogenic kinase FIP1L1-PDGFRA and a small ubiquitin-like modifier E3 ligase, PIAS1, form a positive cross-talk through their enzymatic activities.

Fusion tyrosine kinases play a crucial role in the development of hematological malignancies. FIP1L1-PDGFRA is a leukemogenic fusion kinase that causes chronic eosinophilic leukemia. As a constitutively active kinase, FIP1L1-PDGFRA stimulates downstream signaling molecules, leading to cellular proliferation and the generation of an anti-apoptotic state.

Zanthoxylum fruit extract from Japanese pepper promotes autophagic cell death in cancer cells.

Zanthoxylum fruit, obtained from the Japanese pepper plant (Zanthoxylum piperitum De Candolle), and its extract (Zanthoxylum fruit extract, ZFE) have multiple physiological activities (e.g., antiviral activity).

Effects of yogurt containing Lactobacillus plantarum HOKKAIDO on immune function and stress markers.

Lactobacillus plantarum HOKKAIDO (HOKKAIDO strain) was isolated from well-pickled vegetables in Hokkaido, Japan. We report a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating the effects of L. plantarum HOKKAIDO on immune function and stress markers in 171 adult subjects.

The effects of herring-roe lyophilized powder on lipid metabolism.

Herring-roe, which contains large amounts of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, has anti-dyslipidemia effects. Here, we evaluated the effects of herring-roe on lipid metabolism in 33 adult subjects in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. We divided the subjects into a test group that ingested herring-roe lyophilized powder (herring-roe powder) and a placebo group that ingested non-herring-roe powder, with each member of each group ingesting 15 g daily for 8 weeks.

Serotonin 2C receptor contributes to gender differences in stress-induced hypophagia in aged mice.

The combination of depression and anorexia may influence morbidity and progressive physical disability in the elderly. Gender differences exist in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation following stress exposure. The objective of this study was to investigate gender differences in feeding behavior under novelty stress in aged mice.

Pumpkin Seed Oil Extracted From Cucurbita maxima Improves Urinary Disorder in Human Overactive Bladder.

The pumpkin seed oil obtained from Cucurbita pepo has been shown to be useful for the treatment of nocturia in patients with urinal disorders in several western countries. In this study, we evaluated the effect of the pumpkin seed oil from Cucurbita maxima on urinary dysfunction in human overactive bladder (OAB). Forty-five subjects were enrolled in this study.

Improvement of Blood Pressure, Glucose Metabolism, and Lipid Profile by the Intake of Powdered Asparagus ( Lú Sŭn) Bottom-stems and Cladophylls.

Asparagus ( Lú Sǔn; Asparagus officinalis L.) is a common vegetable, long used as an herbal medicine. The cladophylls and bottom-stems of asparagus have various pharmacological effects, but they are generally discarded at harvesting.

Rikkunshito as a ghrelin enhancer.

Rikkunshito is a kampo herbal medicine which is widely used in Japan for the treatment of the upper gastrointestinal symptoms of patients with functional dyspepsia, gastroesophageal reflux disease, dyspeptic symptoms of postgastrointestinal surgery patients, and chemotherapy-induced dyspepsia in cancer patients. Recently, very unique characteristics of rikkunshito have been unveiled; oral administration of rikkunshito potentiates orexigenic action of ghrelin through several different mechanisms. In addition, several lines of evidence obtained from both animal and human studies indicate that rikkunshito can be an attractive and promising therapeutic option for the anorectic conditions including cisplatin-induced dyspepsia, anorexia of aging, stress-induced hypophagia, and cancer cachexia-anorexia syndrome.

Rikkunshito ameliorates the aging-associated decrease in ghrelin receptor reactivity via phosphodiesterase III inhibition.

Aging is associated with decreased food intake, a phenomenon termed the anorexia of aging. In this study, we sought to clarify changes in peripheral and central appetite-related factors in aged mice. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of rikkunshito, a traditional Japanese medicine, on age-related anorexia.