Increased leukocyte distribution in the pre-clinical stage of pre-eclampsia.
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Biomarkers↗
Biomedical subjects
T Kimura
Publications and source records attributed to T Kimura.
Method for comparing the efficiency of ultrasound irradiation independent of the shape and the volume of the reaction vessel in sonochemical experiments.
The method described herein this review compares the efficiency of ultrasound irradiation in sonochemical experiments in organic solvents. This method was shown to be independent of the shape and volume of the reaction vessel. The principle of this method is based on the fact that the concentration of dissolved oxygen in the entire reaction volume during acoustic cavitation depends on the ultrasound power or intensity of ultrasound field respectively. The concentration of dissolved oxygen is determined by the measurement of the fluorescence intensity with fluorescence probes.
Algorithms↗
Interbreath-hold reproducibility of lung tumour position and reduction of the internal target volume using a voluntary breath-hold method with spirometer during stereotactic radiotherapy for lung tumours.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the interbreath-hold reproducibility of the tumour (gross tumour volume, GTV) position and relative reduction of the internal target volume (ITV) using a voluntary breath-hold method with a spirometer in a clinical setting of stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) for lung tumours 11 patients with 14 lung tumours were enrolled in this study. CT scans were performed once at the free breathing phase and five times at the breath holding phase before the first treatment day. Patients held their breath at the end-expiration phase under spirometer-based monitoring. All GTVs were delineated by a physician and the GTV centroid was calculated automatically. To evaluate the interbreath-hold reproducibility of the tumour position, we measured the distance of three dimensions (craniocaudal, CC; left-right, LR; anteroposterior, AP) and vectors between the GTV centroid and bony landmark. The reproducibility was defined as the average of the differences between the GTV centroid and bony landmark from the second to fifth CT scans with regard to that from the first CT scans. We also evaluated the relative reduction of ITV between the free breathing and breath-holding phase. The interbreath-hold reproducibility of the tumour position was 1.3+/-1.3 mm, 1.4+/-1.8 mm, 2.1+/-1.6 mm and 3.3+/-2.2 mm in CC, LR and AP directions and vectors, respectively. ITV at the breath-holding phase was significantly smaller than that at the free breathing phase (P<0.01). In conclusion, the voluntary breath-hold method with a spirometer is feasible, with relatively good reproducibility of the tumour position for SRT in the clinical setting.
Aged↗
Effects of rate of decrease in power output in decrement-load exercise on oxygen uptake.
The purpose of this study was to examine how oxygen uptake (Vo2) in decrement-load exercise (DLE) is affected by changing rate of decrease in power output. DLE was performed at three different rates of decrease in power output (10, 20 and 30 watts.min(-1): DLE10, DLE20 and DLE30, respectively) from power output corresponding to 90 % of peak Vo2. Vo2 exponentially increased and then decreased, and the rate of its decrease was reduced at low power output. The values of Vo2 in the three DLE tests were not different for the first 2 min despite the difference in power output. The relationship between Vo2 and power output below 50 watts was obtained as a slope to estimate excessive Vo2 (ex-Vo2) above 50 watts. The slopes were 10.0+/-0.9 for DLE10, 9.9+/-0.7 for DLE20 and 10.2+/-1.0 ml.min(-1).watt(-1) for DLE30. The difference between Vo2 estimated from the slope and measured Vo2 was defined as ex-Vo2. The peak value of ex-Vo2 for DLE10 (189+/-116 ml.min(-1)) was significantly greater than those for DLE20 and for DLE30 (93+/-97 and 88+/-34 ml.min(-1)). The difference between Vo2 in DLE and that in incremental-load exercise (ILE) below 50 watts (DeltaVo2) was greater in DLE30 and smallest in DLE10. There were significant differences in DeltaVo2 among the three DLE tests. The values of DeltaVo2 at 30 watts were 283+/-152 for DLE10, 413+/-136 for DLE20 and 483+/-187 ml.min(-1) for DLE30. Thus, a faster rate of decrease in power output resulted in no change of Vo2 at the onset of DLE, smaller ex-Vo2 and greater DeltaVo2. These results suggest that Vo2 is disposed in parallel in each motor unit released from power output or recruited in DLE.
Adult↗
Novel regulators of RyR Ca2+ release channels: insight into molecular changes in genetically-linked myopathies.
There are many mutations in the ryanodine receptor (RyR) Ca2+ release channel that are implicated in skeletal muscle disorders and cardiac arrhythmias. More than 80 mutations in the skeletal RyR1 have been identified and linked to malignant hyperthermia, central core disease or multi-minicore disease, while more than 40 mutations in the cardiac RyR2 lead to ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in patients with structurally normal hearts. These RyR mutations cause diverse changes in RyR activity which either excessively activate or block the channel in a manner that disrupts Ca2+ signalling in the muscle fibres. In a different myopathy, myotonic dystrophy (DM), a juvenile isoform of the skeletal RyR is preferentially expressed in adults. There are two regions of RyR1 that are variably spiced and developmentally regulated (ASI and ASII). The juvenile isoform (ASI(-)) is less active than the adult isoform (ASI(+)) and its over-expression in adults with DM may contribute to functional changes. Finally, mutations in an important regulator of the RyR, the Ca2+ binding protein calsequestrin (CSQ), have been linked to a disruption of Ca2+ homeostasis in cardiac myocytes that results in arrhythmias. We discuss evidence supporting the hypothesis that mutations in each of these situations alter protein/protein interactions within the RyR complex or between the RyR and its associated proteins. The disruption of these protein-protein interactions can lead either to excess Ca2+ release or reduced Ca2+ release and thus to abnormal Ca2+ homeostasis. Much of the evidence for disruption of protein-protein interactions has been provided by the actions of a group of novel RyR regulators, domain peptides with sequences that correspond to sequences within the RyR and which compete with the endogenous residues for their interaction sites.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Quasiparticlelike peaks, kinks, and electron-phonon coupling at the (pi,0) regions in the CMR oxide La2-2x Sr1+2x Mn2 O7.
Using angle-resolved photoemission, we have observed sharp quasiparticlelike peaks in the prototypical layered manganite La(2-2x)Sr(1+2x)Mn(2)O(7) (x=0.36,0.38). We focus on the (pi,0) regions of k space and study their electronic scattering rates and dispersion kinks, uncovering bilayer-split bands, the critical energy scales, momentum scales, and strengths of the interactions that renormalize the electrons. To identify these bosons, we measured phonon dispersions in the energy range of the kink by inelastic neutron scattering, finding a good match in both energy and momentum to the oxygen bond-stretching phonons.
Journal Article↗
Determination of the mechanism for resonant scattering in LaMnO3.
The resonant multiple Bragg x-ray diffraction is used to study the forbidden (104) reflection in LaMnO3. Using the interference between the three-beam scattering and resonant scattering we can determine the phase of the resonant scattering. This phase is shown to be consistent with a model in which the resonant scattering is caused by the influence of the Mn-O bond length distortion rather than directly by the orbital ordering on the Mn 4p band structure.
Journal Article↗
Global gene expression analysis in liver of obese diabetic db/db mice treated with metformin.
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Metformin is widely used as a hypoglycaemic reagent for type 2 diabetes. While the reduction of hepatic gluconeogenesis is thought to be a key effect, the detailed molecular mechanism of action of metformin remains to be elucidated. To gain insight into this, we performed a global gene expression profiling study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed DNA microarray analysis to study global gene expression in the livers of obese diabetic db/db mice 2 h after a single administration of metformin (400 mg/kg). RESULTS: This analysis identified 14 genes that showed at least a 1.5-fold difference in expression following metformin treatment, including a reduction of glucose-6-phosphatase gene expression. The mRNA levels of glucose-6-phosphatase showed one of the best correlations with blood glucose levels among 12,000 genes. Enzymatic activity of glucose-6-phosphatase was also reduced in metformin-treated liver. Moreover, intensive analysis of the expression profile revealed that metformin effected significant alterations in gene expression across at least ten metabolic pathways, including those involved in glycolysis-gluconeogenesis, fatty acid metabolism and amino acid metabolism. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: These results suggest that reduction of glucose-6-phosphatase activity, as well as suppression of mRNA expression levels of this gene, in liver is of prime importance for controlling blood glucose levels in vivo, at least at early time points after metformin treatment. Our results also suggest that metformin not only affects expression of specific genes, but also alters the expression level of multiple genes linked to the metabolic pathways involved in glucose and lipid metabolism in the liver.
Animals↗
Three catheter-based strategies for cardiac delivery of therapeutic gelatin microspheres.
Gelatin hydrogel microspheres (GHMs) have been reported as novel non-viral vectors for gene or protein delivery (GHM therapy). However, the components of an effective catheter-based delivery strategy for GHM therapy are unknown. We evaluated the effectiveness of three catheter-based strategies for cardiac GHM therapy: (1) antegrade injection (AI) via coronary arteries; (2) retrograde injection (RI) via coronary veins; and (3) direct myocardial injection (DI) via the coronary sinus. AI distributed microspheres homogeneously throughout the target area with 73+/-11% retention. RI scattered microspheres non-homogenously with 22+/-8% retention. DI distributed microspheres in the needle-advanced area with 47+/-14% retention. However, despite high efficiency, AI did not show biological effects of inducing angiogenesis from basic fibroblast growth factor bound to GHMs. Furthermore, focal micro-infarctions, owing to micro-embolism of aggregated GHMs into small coronary arterioles, were detected in the AI group. Conversely, only RI and DI groups displayed increased coronary flow reserve. DI groups also demonstrated increased capillary density. These results suggest that RI and DI are effective for cardiac GHM therapy, while AI appears inappropriate owing to the risk of focal infarctions.
Animals↗
Activation of Akt signaling is sufficient to maintain pluripotency in mouse and primate embryonic stem cells.
Embryonic stem (ES) cells can self-renew indefinitely without losing their differentiation ability to any cell types. Phosphoinositide-3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling plays a pivotal role in various stem cell systems, including the formation of embryonic germ (EG) cells from primordial germ cells and self-renewal of neural stem cells. Here, we show that myristoylated, active form of Akt (myr-Akt) maintained the undifferentiated phenotypes in mouse ES cells without the addition of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). The effects of myr-Akt were reversible, because LIF dependence and pluripotent differentiation activity were restored by the deletion of myr-Akt. In addition, myr-Akt-Mer fusion protein, whose enzymatic activity is controlled by 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen, also maintained the pluripotency of not only mouse but also cynomolgus monkey ES cells. These results clearly demonstrate that Akt signaling sufficiently maintains pluripotency in mouse and primate ES cells, and support the notion that PI3K/Akt signaling axis regulates 'stemness' in a broad spectrum of stem cell systems.
Animals↗
Polarons and confinement of electronic motion to two dimensions in a layered manganite.
A remarkable feature of layered transition--metal oxides-most famously, the high-temperature superconductors--is that they can display hugely anisotropic electrical and optical properties (for example, seeming to be insulating perpendicular to the layers and metallic within them), even when prepared as bulk three-dimensional single crystals. This is the phenomenon of 'confinement', a concept at odds with the conventional theory of solids, and recognized as due to magnetic and electron-lattice interactions within the layers that must be overcome at a substantial energy cost if electrons are to be transferred between layers. The associated energy gap, or 'pseudogap', is particularly obvious in experiments where charge is moved perpendicular to the planes, most notably scanning tunnelling microscopy and polarized infrared spectroscopy. Here, using the same experimental tools, we show that there is a second family of transition-metal oxides--the layered manganites La(2-2x)Sr(1+2x)Mn2O7--with even more extreme confinement and pseudogap effects. The data demonstrate quantitatively that because the charge carriers are attached to polarons (lattice- and spin-textures within the planes), it is as difficult to remove them from the planes through vacuum-tunnelling into a conventional metallic tip, as it is for them to move between Mn-rich layers within the material itself.
Journal Article↗
The expression of fractalkine in the endometrium during the menstrual cycle.
OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the presence of fractalkine in the endometrium of the uterus and the change of fractalkine protein levels during menstrual cycle. METHODS: Twelve samples of endometrium of the uterus were obtained from gynecological patients who underwent total hysterectomy. Western blotting, RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were performed. RESULTS: Fractalkine protein was detected in the endometrium of the uterus. Positive staining was confirmed in the epithelial cells and grandular cells in the endometrium. Expression levels of fractalkine protein and mRNA in the endometrium during secretory phase were significantly higher than those during proliferative phase. Immunohistochemical analysis using an anti-CX3CR1 antibody demonstrated positive staining in the glandular cells of the endometrium of the uterus. CONCLUSION: Fractalkine was expressed in the endometrium and its production was up-regulated during secretory phase.
Adult↗
Switching magnetization of a nanoscale ferromagnetic particle using nonlocal spin injection.
We have performed nonlocal spin injection into a nanoscale ferromagnetic particle configured in a lateral spin-valve structure to switch its magnetization only by spin current. The nonlocal spin injection aligns the magnetization of the particle parallel to the magnetization of the spin injector. The spin current responsible for switching is estimated from the experiment to be about 200 microA, which is reasonable compared with the values obtained for conventional pillar structures. Interestingly, the switching always occurs from antiparallel to parallel in the particle-injector magnetic configurations, where no opposite switching is observed. Possible reasons for this discrepancy are discussed.
Journal Article↗
Usefulness of a virtual reality simulator or training box for endoscopic surgery training.
This study investigated whether the use of a simulator for endoscopic surgery training improves the performance of actual operations. For the study, 16 medical students were divided into three groups: a virtual reality (VR) simulator group (n = 6), a training box (TB) group (n = 6), and a control group (n = 4). The VR and TB groups received 2 h of training per day for 5 days, after which they were requested to perform intestinal dissection, to close a gastric perforation, and to perform cholecystectomy in pigs. Performance was assessed on the basis of the operating time and the error score. Although there were no differences between the three groups in terms of the total operating time or error score, the VR and TB groups required less time for closure of the gastric perforation than the control group. In addition, the operating time decreased as actual operating experience increased in the VR group. In the TB group, the time for closure of a gastric perforation was shorter when the supervisor had seen the operation before training. These findings demonstrated that a simulator is useful for acquiring psychomotor skills, but does not immediately enable clinical performance of an operation. More actual experience and good supervision are essential for increasing the effectiveness of training with the VR and TB simulators, respectively.
Adult↗
C3123A polymorphism of the angiotensin II type 2 receptor gene and salt sensitivity in healthy Japanese men.
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Adult↗
Transient local overexpression of human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in mouse feto-maternal interface during mid-term pregnancy lowers systemic maternal blood pressure.
The effect on maternal circulation of transient human vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) (165) cDNA transfection into the mouse feto-maternal interface at day 14.5 post coitus (p.c.) using a hemagglutinating virus of Japan-envelope (HVJ-E) vector system is reported. On day 15.5 p.c., Western blotting clearly showed overexpression of 18 kD VEGF protein in the uterus. After VEGF transfection, the blood pressure was significantly lowered for 48 hours. On day 17.5 p.c., the blood pressure returned to the control level. Proteinuria was not observed after VEGF transfection. No preterm birth was observed during the course of pregnancy after the transfection procedure. After 24 hours of transfection, human VEGF was not detectable and the mouse VEGF level was similar to that in peripheral blood. However, the soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase (Flt)-1 concentration was significantly lower in VEGF-transfected mice. These results suggest that extraamniotic VEGF overexpression lowered the systemic blood pressure without altering the VEGF concentration in the peripheral blood. Local overexpression of VEGF may become a novel treatment for pregnancy-related disorders such as hypertension complicated-pregnancy and preeclampsia.
Animals↗
Usefulness of measurement of the temporal stem on magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia.
PURPOSE: To investigate whether measurements of brain structures on routine magnetic resonance (MR) images can be used to distinguish between normal subjects and patients with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) or Alzheimer's disease (AD). MATERIAL AND METHODS: MRI studies were performed on 30 patients with dementia (FTD, n = 15; AD, n = 15) and 15 age-matched controls. Width measurements, obtained at the corpus callosum, the cingulate gyri, the hippocampi, and the temporal stem of the anterior temporal lobes, were compared among FTD and AD patients and control subjects on oblique-coronal T2-weighted images. RESULTS: The width of the temporal stem was significantly narrower in FTD than in AD patients and control subjects (6.3 +/- 1.3 mm, 7.8 +/- 1.1 mm, and 8.2 +/- 0.9 mm, respectively) (P < 0.05), although there was some overlapping between AD and FTD patients. All patients whose temporal stem width was < 6 mm had FTD. While the width of the corpus callosum, cingulate gyri, and hippocampi was significantly narrower in patients with AD and FTD than in the controls, there was no significant difference between the AD and FTD patients. CONCLUSION: The width of the temporal stem was significantly narrower in patients with FTD than in those with AD and controls. The described measurements can easily be obtained and may be useful for the diagnosis of FTD.
Aged↗
Two cases of folliculosebaceous cystic hamartoma.
Folliculosebaceous cystic hamartoma (FSCH) is a rare cutaneous hamartoma composed of dilated folliculosebaceous units associated with mesenchymal elements. Two cases of FSCH with typical histopathological features are reported. Patient 1 was a 60-year-old man presented with a normal skin-coloured asymptomatic nodule on his scalp. Patient 2 was a 70-year-old man with an asymptomatic nodule on his right auricle that had persisted for the previous 15 years. In all, 34 cases of FSCH have been reported in the English literature. Clinically, the lesions are asymptomatic, usually rubbery to firm in consistency, and usually occur on or above the neck (> 90%). Most lesions do not exceed 25 mm in diameter (> 90%). Histopathologically, FSCH shares several similar features to sebaceous trichofolliculoma, but it is usually possible to differentiate these two tumours.
Aged↗