Endothelin-1 alters BMP signaling to promote proliferation of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized by abnormal outgrowth of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) of the media. Abundant expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38MAPK) has been observed in PAH patients. p38MAPK has been implicated in cell proliferation.

Dentatorubropallidoluysian Atrophy with Prominent Autonomic Dysfunction.

We herein report a 45-year-old man with dentatorubropallidoluysian atrophy (DRPLA) who presented with mild dementia, ataxia, and involuntary movement and developed constipation, dysuria, and orthostatic hypotension. Thermography revealed an abnormal thermal response of the skin to cold stimulation. Skin temperature reflects the skin blood flow and is regulated by the sympathetic nervous system.

Comparison Between Concentrated Autologous Bone Marrow Aspirate Transplantation as a Hip Preserving Surgery and Natural Course in Idiopathic Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head.

Purpose The purpose is to compare the therapeutic efficacy of concentrated autologous bone marrow aspirate transplantation (CABMAT) with that of observation alone for osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Methods This single-center study included patients with idiopathic ONFH that were either treated with CABMAT (CABMAT group) or managed through observation alone (observation group) over a >2-year follow-up period. The Japanese Investigation Committee classification was used to diagnose and classify ONFH.

Live-Imaging Analysis of Target Vessels and Nitric Oxide Production Associated with Gosha-Jinki-Gan and Keishi-Bukuryo-Gan: Two Herbal Preparations with Clinically Proven Blood Flow-Improving Effects but with Different Traditional Clinical Indicative Patterns.

Gosha-jinki-gan (GJG) and Keishi-bukuryo-gan (KBG) are Kampo traditional herbal prescriptions used for different clinical patterns () that improve blood flow. The pharmacological basis of the therapeutic choice remains unclear, although the clinical reliance of this pattern-based therapy is widely proven. We aimed to investigate their effects on microcirculation and nitric oxide (NO) kinetics using a live-imaging system to provide evidence for this.

Effects of Electrical Stimulation on the Signal Transduction-Related Proteins, c-Src and Focal Adhesion Kinase, in Fibroblasts.

Electrical stimulation of the skin and muscles, e.g., in the fields of rehabilitation medicine and acupuncture, is known to locally increase blood flow and metabolism, and thus have beneficial health effects.

The Modifying of Functional Connectivity Induced by Peripheral Nerve Field Stimulation using Electroacupuncture for Migraine: A Prospective Clinical Study.

Objective: We examined the functional connectivity (FC) in patients with migraine compared with healthy subjects before and after C2 peripheral nerve field stimulation with electroacupuncture (EA-C2-PNfS) to evaluate the effect of EA-C2-PNfS and elucidate the mechanism of migraine.

Methods: Twenty-six patients with migraine and 24 healthy controls were recruited. All patients underwent resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging before and after 3 months of EA-C2-PNfS.

An exploratory clinical trial for concentrated autologous bone marrow aspirate transplantation in the treatment of osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Purpose: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of a novel treatment for osteonecrosis, in which concentrated autologous bone marrow aspirate transplantation (CABMAT) is followed by low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) stimulation for 3 months. The study was designed as a prospective, uncontrolled, open-label phase II clinical study.

Methods: This study included 16 cases of osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH), including 26 hips.

A Retrospective Analysis of Clinical Outcome and Predictive Factors for Responders with Knee Osteoarthritis to a Single Injection of Leukocyte-Poor Platelet-Rich Plasma.

Although various platelet-rich plasma (PRP) kits are commercially available, the efficacy of these kits for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) has not been fully investigated. This study aimed to investigate the short-term results of leukocyte-poor PRP (LP-PRP) and the factors that contribute to its efficacy. We retrospectively reviewed 124 patients with KOA who were treated with LP-PRP.

Hemodialysis raises oxidative stress through carbon-centered radicals despite improved biocompatibility.

Leukocyte activation and the resulting oxidative stress induced by bioincompatible materials during hemodialysis impact the prognosis of patients. Despite multiple advances in hemodialysis dialyzers, the prognosis of hemodialysis patients with complications deeply related to oxidative stress, such as diabetes mellitus, remains poor. Thus, we re-evaluated the effects of hemodialysis on multiple reactive oxygen species using electron spin resonance-based methods for further improvement of biocompatibility in hemodialysis.

Pilot Study of Acupuncture's Antispasmodic Effect on Upper Gastrointestinal Tract during Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection for Early Gastric Cancer: Controlled Clinical Trial.

A prospective study was conducted in patients with early-stage gastric cancer to determine the efficacy and safety of acupuncture stimulation as an antispasmodic compared with conventional medication during the procedure of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of the upper gastrointestinal tract. This study was a prospective single blinded quasi-randomized controlled trial. Seventy-three patients who were scheduled to undergo ESD for gastric cancer at Aizu Medical Center between 19 February 2016 and 30 June 2016 were assessed for eligibility for the study.

Epicardial adipose tissue is associated with cardiorespiratory fitness and hemodynamics among Japanese individuals of various ages and of both sexes.

Epicardial adipose tissue may affect hemodynamics and cardiorespiratory fitness as it is a metabolically active visceral adipose tissue and a source of inflammatory bioactive substances that can substantially modulate cardiovascular morphology and function. However, the associations between epicardial adipose tissue and hemodynamics and cardiorespiratory fitness remain unclear. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine the association between epicardial adipose tissue volume and hemodynamics, and cardiorespiratory fitness among Japanese individuals of various ages and of both sexes.

Reliability and Validity of Facial Check Sheet (FCS): Checklist for Self-Satisfaction with Cosmetic Acupuncture.

In recent years, cosmetic acupuncture has gained popularity among individuals interested in improving their facial appearance. We have created an original facial check sheet (FCS) to obtain cosmetic acupuncture patients' perspectives on treatment outcomes. This study examined the reliability and validity of FCS.

A proposed method of evaluating the yield stress of a thickened liquid using a simplified inclined plane test.

Managing the thickening index of food is important for dysphagia and helps in recognizing the static and dynamic rheological properties of the thickening agent. One dynamic property is the viscosity under a shear rate of 50 s , and one static property is the yield stress at a shear rate of 0 s . The purpose of this study is to design a simplified inclined plane test to identify the yield stress of a thickened liquid by observing flow behavior on an inclined plate.

Regulation of Fibroblast Cell Polarity by Src Tyrosine Kinase.

Src protein tyrosine kinases (SFKs) are a family of nonreceptor tyrosine kinases that are localized beneath the plasma membrane and are activated during cell adhesion, migration, and elongation. Due to their involvement in the activation of signal transduction cascades, SFKs have been suggested to play important roles in the determination of cell polarity during cell extension and elongation. However, the mechanism underlying Src-mediated polarity formation remains unclear.

Prevalence and risk factors of sleep disorders in visually impaired athletes.

Objective: The present study clarified the prevalence and risk factors of sleep disorders in visually impaired athletes.

Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was conducted with 99 visually impaired athletes engaged in the following Paralympic sport events: track and field (marathon), goalball, swimming, blind soccer, and judo. Eighty-one respondents (male: 72.

Simultaneous evaluation of antioxidative serum profiles facilitates the diagnostic screening of autism spectrum disorder in under-6-year-old children.

This case-control study aimed to assess oxidative stress alterations in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). We used the MULTIS method, an electron spin resonance-based technique measuring multiple free radical scavenging activities simultaneously, in combination with conventional oxidative stress markers to investigate the ability of this MULTIS approach as a non-behavioural diagnostic tool for children with ASD. Serum samples of 39 children with ASD and 58 age-matched children with typical development were analysed.

Three-dimensional kinematics analysis of blind football kicking.

The purpose of this study was to identify critical technical points that lead to increased ball speed in a maximal toe kick with no run-up (a 'static kick') in blind football. Six visually impaired male players and eight sighted male players participated in the experiment. All participants wore a blindfold to fully remove visual information and performed the static kick.

Clinical features of hemichoreahemiballism: A stroke-related movement disorder.

We examined pathogenesis and clinical features of three hemichorea-hemiballism (HCHB) cases. We studied their age, magnetic resonance imaging results, vascular risk factors, management, and outcomes. One man and two women (aged 74-86 years) demonstrated acute onset of HCHB, lasting for at least several months.

Endothelin-1 induces lysyl oxidase expression in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells.

The increase in thickening of the arterial wall of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) includes cellular proliferation as well as matrix deposition and interrupted internal elastic lamina (IEL) consisting of a thick homogeneous sheet of elastin. Little is, although, known about the detail of IEL formation in PAH. Endothelin-1 is overexpressed in pulmonary arterioles of PAH.

Numerical simulation of pharyngeal bolus flow influenced by bolus viscosity and apparent slip.

Pharyngeal bolus flow was simulated numerically using a finite element method. The bolus liquids were X-ray medium, glucose, and thickener solutions. For a low-viscosity bolus, the simulation showed a reasonable agreement of bolus velocity with X-ray measurements.

Disfluencies and Strategies Used by People Who Stutter During a Working Memory Task.

Purpose Working memory (WM) deficits are implicated in various communication disorders, including stuttering. The reading span test (RST) measures WM capacity with the dual task of reading sentences aloud and remembering target words. This study demonstrates a difference in strategy between people who stutter (PWS) and people who do not stutter (PWNS) in performing the RST.

Epicardial adipose tissue is tightly associated with exercise intolerance in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with asymptomatic left ventricular structural and functional abnormalities.

Aims: This study aimed to elucidate whether the volume of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) is associated with left ventricular (LV) structural and functional abnormalities and exercise capacity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: EAT thickness and LV structural and functional abnormality components (e.g.

Novel neuroprotection using antioxidant nanoparticles in a mouse model of head trauma.

Introduction: Free radicals and reactive oxygen species are related to deteriorating pathological conditions after head trauma because of their secondary effects. 2,2,6,6-Tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) scavenges free radicals; however, this molecule is also toxic. Here, we have evaluated the neuroprotective effect of antioxidant nanoparticles, which consisted of a novel core-shell type nanoparticle containing 4-amino-TEMPO, that is, redox-active nitroxide radical-containing nanoparticles (RNPs).

FAK-Dependent Cell Motility and Cell Elongation.

Fibroblastic cells show specific substrate selectivity for typical cell-substrate adhesion. However, focal adhesion kinase (FAK) contributes to controlling the regulation of orientation and polarity. When fibroblasts attach to micropatterns, tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins and FAK are both detected along the inner border between the adhesive micropatterns and the nonadhesive glass surface.