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N Nakaya

Publications and source records attributed to N Nakaya.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Validity and utility of the Japanese version of the WHO-Five Well-Being Index in the context of detecting suicidal ideation in elderly community residents.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the validity and the utility of the Japanese version of the WHO-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5-J) in the context of detecting suicidal ideation in elderly community residents. METHODS: A sample of 696 subjects aged 70 years or over who completed a set of questionnaires was examined. RESULTS: Cronbach's alpha was 0.87 and Loevinger's coefficient was 0.64. The total score was significantly correlated with the number of cohabitants, the number of physical illnesses, physical functioning, instrumental activities of daily living, and depressive symptoms. Subjects with suicidal ideation had significantly lower scores on the WHO-5-J. The receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that the scale significantly discriminated the subjects with suicidal ideation. When combined with the assessment of a lack of perceived social support (PSS), a standard cut-off criterion of "a total score < or = 12 or answering 0 or 1 to any of the five items" more appropriately identified elderly subjects with suicidal ideation: sensitivity = 87%, specificity = 75%, negative predictive value = 99%, and positive predictive value = 10%. CONCLUSIONS: In combination with PSS, the scale has predictive utility to detect suicidal ideation in elderly community residents.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Personality traits and cancer survival: a Danish cohort study.

We conducted a population-based prospective cohort study in Denmark to investigate associations between the personality traits and cancer survival. Between 1976 and 1977, 1020 residents of the Copenhagen County completed a questionnaire eliciting information on personality traits and various health habits. The personality traits extraversion and neuroticism were measured using the short form of the Eysenck Personality Inventory. Follow-up in the Danish Cancer Registry for 1976-2002 revealed 189 incidents of primary cancer and follow-up for death from the date of the cancer diagnosis until 2005 revealed 82 deaths from all-cause in this group. A Cox proportional-hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) of death from all-cause according to extraversion and neuroticism adjusting for potential confounding factors. A significant association was found between neuroticism and risk of death (HR, 2.3 (95% CI=1.1-4.7); Linear trend P=0.04) but not between extraversion and risk of death (HR, 0.9 (0.4-1.7); Linear trend P=0.34). Similar results were found when using cancer-related death. Stratification by gender revealed a strong positive association between neuroticism and the risk of death among women (Linear trend P=0.03). This study showed that neuroticism is negatively [corrected] associated with cancer survival. Further research on neuroticism and cancer survival is needed.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2005

Personality and cancer survival: the Miyagi cohort study.

We tested the hypothesis that personality plays a role in cancer outcome in a population-based prospective cohort study in Japan. In July 1990, 41 442 residents of Japan completed a short form of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised and a questionnaire on various health habits, and between January 1993 and December 1997, 890 incident cases of cancer were identified among them. These 890 cases were followed up until March 2001, and a total of 356 deaths from all causes was identified among them. Cox proportional-hazards regression was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of death according to four score levels on each of four personality subscales (extraversion, neuroticism, psychoticism, and lie), with adjustment for potential confounding factors. Multivariable HRs of deaths from all causes for individuals in the highest score level on each personality subscale compared with those at the lowest level were 1.0 for extraversion (95% CI=0.8-1.4; Trend P=0.73), 1.1 for neuroticism (0.8-1.6; Trend P=0.24), 1.2 for psychoticism (0.9-1.6; Trend P=0.29), and 1.0 for lie (0.7-1.5; Trend P=0.90). The data obtained in this population-based prospective cohort study in Japan do not support the hypothesis that personality is associated with cancer survival.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Alcohol consumption and the risk of cancer in Japanese men: the Miyagi cohort study.

The objective of this study was to investigate the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of total cancer, and to estimate the proportion of total cancer attributable to drinking habit in Japanese men. From June through August 1990, a total of 21 201 Japanese men completed a self-administered questionnaire on various health habits, including alcohol consumption. During 153 389 person-years of follow-up through December 1997, we identified a total of 882 cases of cancer. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate the relative risk of total cancer according to categories of alcohol consumption. The risk for total cancer was significantly higher in ex-drinkers than never-drinkers. There was a dose-response relationship between the amount of alcohol consumed and the risk of total cancer among current drinkers: multivariate RRs in reference to never-drinkers (95% confidence intervals (CI)) were 1.1 (0.8-1.3), 1.3 (1.0-1.7), and 1.3 (1.1-1.7) in current drinkers who consumed less than 22.8 g, 22.8-45.5 g, 45.6 g or more alcohol per day, respectively (P for trend <0.001). Estimated 17.9% (95% CI 3.1-30.5) of total cancer risk was attributable to drinking habit. In our findings, approximately 20% of the total cancer cases in Japanese men may be prevented by alcohol control.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Constipation, laxative use and risk of colorectal cancer: The Miyagi Cohort Study.

The objective of this study was to investigate the association between constipation or laxative use and the risk of colorectal cancer in Japanese men and women. In 1990, we delivered a self-administered questionnaire to 41670 subjects who were 40-64 years old. During the seven years of follow-up, 251 incident cases of colorectal cancer were documented. Constipation was defined as a bowel movement frequency of less than daily. The multivariate relative risk (RR) of colorectal cancer for constipated subjects compared with those with daily bowel movements was 1.35 (95% Confidence Interval: 0.99-1.84). The RR for laxative users over non-users was 1.31 (0.88-1.95), and for frequent users (twice a week or more) it was 2.75 (1.48-5.09). When colorectal cancers were divided into colon cancers or rectal cancers, a significant association was found with colon cancer alone. Our results support the hypothesis that constipation or laxative use increases the risk of colon cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Similarity and variation in gene expression among human cerebral cortical subregions revealed by DNA macroarrays: technical consideration of RNA expression profiling from postmortem samples.

The functional regionality of the human cerebral cortex suggests that a set of genes might be activated in each subregion of the neocortex to support its specific functions. To test this hypothesis, we employed the DNA array technique to compare the mRNA expression profiles of three neocortical subregions of the human brain: prefrontal cortex (Area 46), motor cortex (Area 4) and visual cortex (Area 17). The macroarray analysis on high quality mRNA from postmortem brains revealed that the expression profiles of the different cortical areas are almost similar: only six out of 1088 known genes exhibited significant differences (>2-fold) in their expression. RT-PCR studies with an increased number of samples confirmed that expression of only two genes, annexin II and early growth response protein 1, varied by 2-fold among the regions, whereas expression of the others showed large inter-individual difference. These results suggest that the whole neocortex of humans is more homogeneous than we expected at the level of gross gene expression profiles. In parallel, sensitivity and accuracy of radioisotope-based DNA macroarrays and fluorescence-based DNA microarrays were tested.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Changes in serotonin dynamics in the gastrointestinal tract of colon-26 tumour-bearing mice: effects of cisplatin treatment.

Severe nausea and vomiting are common side effects of anti-cancer chemotherapy. 5-HT3 receptor antagonists have been used for the treatment of these gastrointestinal symptoms. The purpose of this study was to examine whether specific changes in serotonin dynamics occurred in the gastrointestinal tract in mice in which Colon-26 adenocarcinoma cells were injected s.c., especially after treatment with cisplatin. The serotonin content of the small intestine of mice inoculated s.c. with Colon-26 adenocarcinoma increased significantly 2 weeks after the inoculation of the tumor cells; this was associated with an increase in tryptophan hydroxylase activity and the number of enterochromaffin cells as compared with control mice. Intravenous injection of cisplatin significantly reduced the serotonin content in the small intestine of Colon-26 tumour-bearing mice but not in control mice. The spontaneous release of serotonin from isolated intestine was not different between Colon-26 tumour-bearing and control mice; however, pretreatment of mice with cisplatin induced two fold increases in serotonin release from duodenum, jejunum and ileum in Colon-26 tumour-bearing mice but not in control mice. These results indicate that a region-specific increase in the number of enterochromaffin cells is observed in the intestine of Colon-26 tumour-bearing mice, associated with an increase in the serotonin content and tryptophan hydroxylase activity. Cisplatin treatment induced the release of serotonin from affected enterochromaffin cells in the gastrointestinal tract, which may be related to the occurrence of nausea in clinical use.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Developmentally regulated expression of brain-specific chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, neurocan and phosphacan, in the postnatal rat hippocampus.

Developmental changes in the distribution of brain-specific chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans, neurocan and phosphacan/RPTPzeta/beta, in the hippocampus of the Sprague-Dawley rat were examined using monoclonal antibodies 1G2 and 6B4. The 1G2 immunoreactivity was predominant in the neonatal hippocampus while the 6B4 immunoreactivity was predominant in the mature hippocampus. Moderate 1G2 immunoreactivity was detected in the dentate gyrus and subiculum immediately after birth. Immunoreactivity reached a peak on postnatal days 7-10 (P7-P10) when intense 1G2 labeling was present throughout the neuropil layers of the hippocampus except the mossy fiber tract. 6B4 immunoreactivity was limited in the stratum lacunosum moleculare of CA1 in the neonatal hippocampus. It gradually increased by P21 when diffuse 6B4 immunoreactivity was detected in the stratum oriens and radiatum of Ammon's horn, and in the hilus and inner one-third molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, while 1G2 immunoreactivity decreased after P21. In the adult hippocampus, moderate 6B4 immunoreactivity was present in the stratum oriens and radiatum of Ammon's horn, and in the hilus and inner one-third molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, but not in the mossy fiber tract. In addition, strong 6B4 labeling appeared around a subset of neurons after P21. The results suggest that neurocan may have a role in the development of neuronal organization, while phosphacan/RPTPzeta/beta may contribute to the maintenance and plasticity of synaptic structure and function. Furthermore, the absence of 1G2 and 6B4 immunoreactivities in the stratum lucidum suggests that neurocan and phosphacan/RPTPzeta/beta may function as a barrier for the extension of mossy fibers and provide an environment permissive for fasciculation of the mossy fibers.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

The effects of stimulating protease-activated receptor-1 and -2 in A172 human glioblastoma.

Human glioblastoma cell line A172 expressed protease-activated receptor-1 and -2 (PAR-1 and PAR-2). We investigated the effects of the stimulation of these receptors by receptor-activating agonist peptides on the Ca2+ signaling, protein kinase C translocation, cell morphology and cell proliferation in A172. Both PAR-1 agonist SFLLRN and PAR-2 agonist SLIGKV induced an increase in [Ca2+]i. The prior treatment of A172 with PAR-2 agonist SLIGKV did not influence the [Ca2+]i response to PAR-1 agonist SFLLRN or thrombin, however, the prior treatment with PAR-1 agonist SFLLRN or thrombin completely abolished the second response to PAR-2 agonist SLIGKV. Treatment with each agonist peptide produced thinner and fewer processes in A172. The PAR-2 agonist inhibited the proliferation of A172 significantly while PAR-1 agonist did not. PKC-alpha and gamma were translocated from cytosol to membrane with either PAR-1 or PAR-2 stimulation, however, L was specifically translocated with SFLLRN, and lambda with SLIGKV, respectively. These results indicated that PAR-1 and PAR-2 stimulation produced a similar [Ca2+]i response and morphological changes in A172 glioblastoma while the effects on the cell proliferation and activation of PKC isozymes were distinct, suggesting that different signal transduction pathways were activated by these receptors. The uni-directional cross desensitization implies a functional linkage between PAR-1 and PAR-2 receptors.

Blotting, Western↗
PubMed2001

[Cerivastatin].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Specific pattern of p53 phosphorylation during nitric oxide-induced cell cycle arrest.

Nitric oxide (NO) is an efficient inhibitor of cell proliferation. Here we show that part of the antiproliferative activity of NO in fibroblasts is mediated through p53 signaling pathway. Cells from p53-/- knockout mice are compromised in their ability to stop dividing in the presence of NO. NO strongly induces expression of genes which are transcriptional targets of p53, and p53 is necessary for some, but not all, of the transcription activation effects of NO. Furthermore, NO strongly increases the cellular level of p53 protein. Since phosphorylation of particular residues of the p53 molecule has been correlated with its functional activity, we determined the phosphorylation pattern of p53 molecule after exposure to NO and compared it with the phosphorylation patterns that develop upon treatment with gamma-irradiation, UV light, and adriamycin. We found that NO induces a specific signature pattern of p53 phosphorylation, distinct from the patterns evoked by other inducers. This study suggests that NO activates specific signaling pathways that may partially overlap, but that do not coincide, with signaling pathways activated by other known inducers of p53 activity.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed2000

Histamine is a potent inducer of IL-18 and IFN-gamma in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Histamine (10-7 to 10-4 M) concentration-dependently stimulated the production of IL-18 and IFN-gamma and inhibited the production of IL-2 and IL-10 in human PBMCs. Histamine in the same concentration range did not induce the production of IL-12 at all. The stimulatory or inhibitory effects of histamine on cytokine production were all antagonized by H2 receptor antagonists ranitidine and famotidine in a concentration-dependent manner, but not by H1 and H3 receptor antagonists. Selective H2 receptor agonists, 4-methylhistamine and dimaprit, mimicked the effects of histamine on five kinds of cytokine production. The EC50 values of histamine, 4-methylhistamine, and dimaprit for the production of IL-18 were 1.5, 1.0, and 3.8 microM, respectively. These findings indicated that histamine caused cytokine responses through the stimulation of H2 receptors. All effects of histamine on cytokine responses were also abolished by the presence of either anti-IL-18 Ab or IL-1beta-converting enzyme/caspase-1 inhibitor, indicating that the histamine action is dependent on mature IL-18 secretion and that IL-18 production is located upstream of the cytokine cascade activated by histamine. The addition of recombinant human IL-18 to the culture concentration-dependently stimulated IL-12 and IFN-gamma production and inhibited the IL-2 and IL-10 production. IFN-gamma production induced by IL-18 was inhibited by anti-IL-12 Ab, showing the marked contrast of the effect of histamine. Thus histamine is a very important modulator of Th1 cytokine production in PBMCs and is quite unique in triggering IL-18-initiating cytokine cascade without inducing IL-12 production.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed2000

Neuronal and vascular localization of histamine N-methyltransferase in the bovine central nervous system.

Histamine N-methyltransferase (HMT) (EC 2.1.1.8) plays a crucial role in the inactivation of the neurotransmitter histamine in the CNS. However, the localization of HMT remains to be determined. In the present study, we investigated immunohistochemical localization of HMT in the bovine CNS using a polyclonal antibody against bovine HMT. The HMT-like immunoreactivity was observed mainly in neurons. Strongly immunoreactive neurons were present in the oculomotor nucleus and ruber nucleus in the midbrain, the facial nucleus in the pons, the dorsal vagal nucleus and hypoglossal nucleus in the medulla oblongata and in the anterior horn as well as intermediolateral zone of the spinal cord. Intermediately immunoreactive neurons were present in the piriform cortex and the inferior olivary nucleus. The grey matter of the forebrain regions was diffusely and faintly stained. In the cerebellum and the striatum, the nerve fibres in the white matter were positive. The tuberomammillary nucleus, where histaminergic neurons are present, were weakly positive. The other immunoreactive structures in the CNS were blood vessels. Almost all of the blood vessel walls, irrespective of whether they were arterial or venous, were variably stained. The glial fibrillary acidic protein- (GFAP-) immunoreactive astrocytes were not stained. These findings indicated that histamine released from histaminergic nerve terminals or varicose fibres is methylated mainly in postsynaptic or extrasynaptic neurons rather than in astrocytes. The localization of HMT in the blood vessel wall may mean that blood-borne histamine and histamine released from mast cells associated with the blood vessels are catabolized in this structure.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Purification and characterization of a trypsin-like serine proteinase from rat brain slices that degrades laminin and type IV collagen and stimulates protease-activated receptor-2.

A trypsin-like serine proteinase was purified from the incubation medium of rat brain slices by gelatin zymography. The purification consisted of ammonium sulfate precipitation, benzamidine-Sepharose 6B affinity chromatography, and carboxymethyl-cellulose and gel filtration chromatographies. The gelatinolytic activity, identified at 22 kDa (P22) by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under nonreducing conditions, was eluted as one active peak throughout the purification, and the final preparation gave a single protein peak on reverse-phase HPLC. Diisopropyl fluorophosphate, benzamidine, p-toluenesulfonyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone, and aprotinin completely inhibited the activity of P22, whereas phenanthroline, p-toluene-sulfonyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone, and elastinal did not. P22 efficiently digested the extracellular matrix proteins laminin and type IV collagen. P22 produced an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration in A172 glioblastoma, which was desensitized through prior stimulation with protease-activated receptor-2 agonist peptide SLIGKV, indicating that P22 can stimulate protease-activated receptor-2. Rat brain penetration injury induced gelatinolytic activity in the lesioned area whose molecular size was consistent with that of P22. These results indicated that on incubation of rat brain slices, a trypsin-like serine proteinase was secreted into the medium that was capable of digesting extracellular matrix and stimulating protease-activated receptor-2. It is suggested that the gelatinolytic activity induced by brain injury might be that of P22.

Animals↗