Fine-scale geographic clustering pattern of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 infection among blood donors in Kyushu-Okinawa, Japan.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-1) infection is endemic in Japan, particularly clustered in the southwestern district, Kyushu-Okinawa, which consists of eight prefectures that further consist of 274 municipalities. However, no information is available about the fine-scale distribution of HTLV-1 infection within Kyushu-Okinawa. To assess the municipal-level distribution of people with HTLV-1 infection in Kyushu-Okinawa, we performed a cross-sectional study using a fine-scale geographic information system map based on HTLV-1 screening test results from the Japanese Red Cross database from September 2012 to February 2014.

Estrogen Regulates Mitochondrial Morphology through Phosphorylation of Dynamin-related Protein 1 in MCF7 Human Breast Cancer Cells.

Estrogen affects mitochondrial function in various tissues, but the precise mechanism remains unclear. We, therefore investigated the effect on estrogen-regulated mitochondrial morphology by dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) and its Ser616-phosphorylated derivative (pDrp1) are involved in mitochondrial fission. MCF7 human breast cancer cells were treated with 17β-estradiol (E), an estrogen receptor (ER) α and β antagonist (ICI 182, 780), an ERα antagonist (MPP), and an ERβ antagonist (PHTPP) for 24 hr.

New diagnostic criteria of adrenal subclinical Cushing's syndrome: opinion from the Japan Endocrine Society.

New diagnostic criteria and the treatment policy for adrenal subclinical Cushing's syndrome (SCS) are proposed on behalf of the Japan Endocrine Society. The Japanese version has been published, and the essential contents are presented in this English-language version. The current diagnostic criteria for SCS have elicited two main problems: (i) the relatively low reliability of a low range of serum cortisol essential for the diagnosis by an overnight 1-mg dexamethasone suppression test (DST); (ii) different cutoff values for serum cortisol after a 1-mg DST compared with those of other countries.

Self-monitoring of urinary salt excretion as a method of salt-reduction education: a parallel, randomized trial involving two groups.

Objective: The present study aimed to evaluate salt-reduction education using a self-monitoring urinary salt-excretion device.

Design: Parallel, randomized trial involving two groups. The following parameters were checked at baseline and endline of the intervention: salt check sheet, eating behaviour questionnaire, 24 h home urine collection, blood pressure before and after urine collection.

Relevance of the Mini Nutritional Assessment in cirrhotic liver disease patients.

Background And Objectives: Malnutrition is an important prognostic factor for patients with liver disease and a novel nutritional assessment tool is required for these patients. The aim of this study was to validate the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) as a nutritional screening tool for patients with liver disease, by comparing MNA scores with other nutrition-related parameters.

Methods And Study Design: Patients who were hospitalized at the gastroenterology division of Kyushu and Beppu Medical Center were enrolled.

Role of selected polymorphisms in determining muscle fiber composition in Japanese men and women.

Genetic polymorphisms and sex differences are suggested to affect muscle fiber composition; however, no study has investigated the effects of genetic polymorphisms on muscle fiber composition with respect to sex differences. Therefore, the present study examined the effects of genetic polymorphisms on muscle fiber composition with respect to sex differences in the Japanese population. The present study included 211 healthy Japanese individuals (102 men and 109 women).

Characterization and Application of Lytic Bacteriophages against Campylobacter jejuni Isolated from Poultry in Japan.

　The aim was to isolate Campylobacter jejuni-specific lytic phages from meats on the market in Japan. These phages were effectively isolated from 13 of 15 (86.7%) retail chicken meat samples (skin and liver) by the enrichment method using Preston Campylobacter Selective Enrichment Broth and 10 host Campylobacter strains.

Relationship between plasma protein S levels and apolipoprotein C-II in Japanese middle-aged obese women and young nonobese women.

: Protein S, a nonenzymatic cofactor to activated protein C, presents in two forms in plasma, free form and in a complex with C4b-binding protein. The aim of this study was to determine the association of plasma protein S levels with the variables related to cardiovascular disease risk. The relationships between plasma protein S levels with lipids, inflammation markers, and adiposity were first examined on middle-aged obese women (n = 62), then on young nonobese women (n = 160) to verify the findings in the obese women.

Possible mechanism for the polychlorinated bipheny-linduced liver-selective accumulation of thyroxine in rats.

We have previously reported that decrease in level of serum thyroxine T by Kanechor 500 (KC500) in rats would occur through the increase in hepatic T accumulation rather than the increase in hepatic T-glucuronyl transferase activity. In the present study, to understand the mechanism underlying the KC500-mediated increase in hepatic T accumulation, we examined the relationship between the KC500-mediated changes in hepatic T accumulation and the expression levels of mRNAs of hepatic transporters including T transporters. [I]T was intravenously injected into KC500-pretreated and control (KC500-untreated) Wistar rats, and [I]T uptake levels of liver parenchymal cells were comparatively examined.

Equol Enhances Apoptosis-inducing Activity of Genistein by Increasing Bax/Bcl-xL Expression Ratio in MCF-7 Human Breast Cancer Cells.

Anticancer activities of soy isoflavones, such as genistein and equol, a bioactive metabolite of daidzein, have been extensively studied because of possible involvement in the prevention of breast cancer. However, their interactions still remain unclear. We investigated here whether cytotoxic activity of genistein was enhanced by equol, using estrogen receptor positive MCF-7, HER2-positive SK-BR-3, and triple-negative MDA-MB-468 cell lines.

Differential Anticancer Activity of Pterostilbene Against Three Subtypes of Human Breast Cancer Cells.

Although pterostilbene, a natural analog of resveratrol, has potent antitumor activity against several human cancer types, the possible inhibitory mechanisms against subtypes of human breast cancer with different hormone receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status remain unknown. We investigated the anticancer activity of pterostilbene using three subtypes of breast cancer cell lines. Pterostilbene treatment exhibited a dose-dependent antiproliferative activity, with the greatest growth inhibition observed in triple-negative MDA-MB-468 cells.

Growth-related changes in non-essential and essential metals in the liver of star-spotted smooth-hounds (dogfish) Mustelus manazo from the northern region of Japan.

We analyzed Cd, Hg, Zn, Cu, Mn and Fe concentrations in liver samples from male and female star-spotted smooth-hounds at various life stages. Male sharks of this species are known to reach their maximum body length (BL) more quickly than females, while females are known to mature later and live longer than males. Hepatic Cd and Hg concentrations in males and females markedly increased after maturation, but these increases proceeded earlier in males than in females.

Uptake of perfluorooctanoic acid by Caco-2 cells: Involvement of organic anion transporting polypeptides.

The mechanism underlying the intestinal absorption of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was investigated using Caco-2 cells. The uptake of PFOA from the apical membrane of Caco-2 cells was fast, and pH, temperature, and concentration dependent, but Na independent. Coincubation with sulfobromophthalein (BSP), glibenclamide, estron-3-sulfate, cyclosporine A or rifamycin SV, which are typical substrates or inhibitors of organic anion transporting polypeptides (OATPs), significantly decreased the uptake of PFOA.

Dietary Protein Intake and Stroke Risk in a General Japanese Population: The Hisayama Study.

Background And Purpose: The influence of dietary protein intake on stroke risk is an area of interest. We investigated the association between dietary protein intake and stroke risk in Japanese, considering sources of protein.

Methods: A total of 2400 subjects aged 40 to 79 years were followed up for 19 years.

Sodium and potassium urinary excretion levels of preschool children: Individual, daily, and seasonal differences.

In this study, the authors measured sodium and potassium concentrations in spot urine samples of preschool children on multiple days, and evaluated individual, daily, and seasonal effects. A total of 104 healthy preschool children aged 4 to 5 years were studied. Urine samples were collected from the first urine of the day after waking for three consecutive days (Monday-Wednesday) four times a year (spring, summer, autumn, winter).

Elevation of Glucose 6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Activity Induced by Amplified Insulin Response in Low Glutathione Levels in Rat Liver.

Weanling male Wistar rats were fed on a 10% soybean protein isolate (SPI) diet for 3 weeks with or without supplementing 0.3% sulfur-containing amino acids (SAA; methionine or cystine) to examine relationship between glutathione (GSH) levels and activities of NADPH-producing enzymes, glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and malic enzyme (ME), in the liver. Of rats on the 10% SPI diet, GSH levels were lower and the enzyme activities were higher than of those fed on an SAA-supplemented diet.

Circulating ferritin concentrations are differentially associated with serum adipokine concentrations in Japanese men and premenopausal women.

Purpose: Increased iron storage, as measured by circulating ferritin, has been linked to an increased risk of various diseases including diabetes. We examined the association of circulating ferritin with serum adiponectin, leptin, resistin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and visfatin levels.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 429 Japanese employees (284 men and 145 premenopausal women, mean age: 42.

Comparison of a salt check sheet with 24-h urinary salt excretion measurement in local residents.

The salt check sheet developed by Tsuchihashi et al. is widely used in general practice to assess salt intake and the associated diets. However, its appropriateness for the general population has not been assessed alongside 24-h urinary salt excretion monitoring.

Effect of quercetin on the uptake and efflux of aristolochic acid I from Caco-2 cell monolayers.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether quercetin decreases the uptake of aristolochic acid I (AAI) from the apical membranes of Caco-2 cells via H(+) -linked MCTs at neutral pH as well as to confirm the secretion of AAI through the Caco-2 cell monolayers via ABC transporters.

Methods: Caco-2 cells cultured on the dishes or permeable membranes were incubated with AAI in the absence or presence of quercetin or transporter inhibitors.

Key Findings: Coincubation with quercetin decreased the uptake of AAI by Caco-2 cells cultured on the dishes at pH 7.

Metal Concentrations in the Liver and Stable Isotope Ratios of Carbon and Nitrogen in the Muscle of Silvertip Shark (Carcharhinus albimarginatus) Culled off Ishigaki Island, Japan: Changes with Growth.

We analyzed Hg, Cd, Zn, Cu and Fe concentrations in liver samples as well as the Hg concentration and stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen (δ13C and δ15N) in muscle samples from silvertip sharks (Carcharhinus albimarginatus) in Japan. Muscular and hepatic Hg concentrations increased with increased body length. However, these increases were more prominent in the liver than in the muscle samples, and appeared to occur after maturation.

Self-management of salt intake: clinical significance of urinary salt excretion estimated using a self-monitoring device.

Self-measured salt excretion from overnight urine samples shows significant correlation with 24-h-urinary salt excretion, but it is not known whether a self-measuring method can monitor daily fluctuations in individual salt consumption. In this study, we measured salt excretion from 24-h urine samples (24-h salt) in 50 volunteers over 3 test days (2 weekdays and 1 holiday), and examined to what extent the values correlated with estimates of 24-h salt excretion from overnight urine samples obtained using a self-monitoring device (ON salt). Urine collection was considered successful when the difference between the predicted and actual 24-h-urinary creatinine excretion was within 30%.

Effects of Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibition on Fiber-Type Composition, Mitochondrial Biogenesis, and SIRT1 Expression in Rat Skeletal Muscle.

It was hypothesized that nitric oxide synthases (NOS) regulated SIRT1 expression and lead to a corresponding changes of contractile and metabolic properties in skeletal muscle. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of long-term inhibition of nitric oxide synthases (NOS) on the fiber-type composition, metabolic regulators such as and silent information regulator of transcription 1 (SIRT1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), and components of mitochondrial biogenesis in the soleus and plantaris muscles of rats. Rats were assigned to two groups: control and NOS inhibitor (N (ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (L-NAME), ingested for 8 weeks in drinking water)-treated groups.