Effects of High Phosphorus Diet on Bone Metabolism-Related Gene Expression in Young and Aged Mice

In this study, the effects of high phosphorus (P) diet on bone metabolism-related gene expression were investigated in young and aged mice. Twelve- and 80-week-old ddY male mice were divided into two groups, respectively, and fed a control diet containing 0.3% P or a high P diet containing 1.2% P. After 4 weeks of treatment, serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentration was significantly higher in the high P groups than in the control groups in both young and aged mice and was significantly higher in aged mice than in young mice fed the high P diet. High P diet significantly increased receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) mRNA in the femur of both young and aged mice and significantly increased the RANKL/osteoprotegerin (OPG) mRNA ratio only in aged mice. High P diet significantly increased mRNA expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 6, calbindin-D9k, and plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase 1b in the duodenum of both young and aged mice. These results suggest that high P diet increased RANKL mRNA expression in the femur and calcium absorption-related gene expression in the duodenum regardless of age. Furthermore, the high P diet-induced increase in PTH secretion might increase the RANKL/OPG mRNA ratio in aged mice

Efficacy of Metrifonate in a Highly Endemic Area of Urinary Schistosomiasis in Kenya

In a community in Kwale district, Kenya, selective mass chemotherapy with metrifonate caused a marked reduction in the intensity of Schistosoma haematobium infection from 46.5 to 9.4 eggs/hr and a sharp fall in prevalence of gross hematuria from 18.3% to 5.1%, although overall prevalence was reduced only slightly from 67.4% to 54%. The effect of metrifonate on cure rate and reduction of infection intensity was limited by both age and pretreatment infection intensity. Rate of improvement from gross hematuria was similar in all ages and in all classes of intensity of infection. Two doses of metrifonate reduced the prevalence of gross hematuria as much as 3 doses did, while the effect of a single dose on morbidity remains to be clarified

Iron deficiency decreases renal 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1α-hydroxylase activity and bone formation in rats

BACKGROUND: Dietary iron intake is associated with bone metabolism in human and animals. Previous studies have suggested that iron deficiency diminishes bone formation and causes bone loss in rats, however, the detailed mechanisms remain unclear. To clarify the mechanism of the diminishing bone formation in iron deficiency, we examined the renal 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1α-hydroxylase (1α-hydroxylase) activity and femoral expression of bone formation-related genes in iron-deficient rats. METHODS: Male Wistar rats (n = 18) at 3 weeks of age were divided into three groups of six rats each. Two groups of rats were given free access to a control diet or an iron-deficient diet for 4 weeks. Rats in the third group were pair-fed the control diet, calculated as the mean food intake of the iron-deficient group. RESULTS: Following the treatment, compared with the control and pair-fed groups, hemoglobin and liver iron concentrations were significantly lower and heart weight was significantly higher in the iron-deficient group. Serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 concentration and renal 1α-hydroxylase activity were significantly lower in the iron-deficient group compared with the control and pair-fed groups. Serum osteocalcin concentration and bone mineral density of the femur were also significantly lower in the iron-deficient group compared with the control and pair-fed groups. Furthermore, iron-deficient diet decreased runt-related transcription factor 2, osteocalcin, and type I collagen mRNA expression in the femur. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that iron deficiency reduces renal 1α-hydroxylase activity, leading to a decreased bone formation in rats

Combined Effects of Soy Isoflavones and Docosahexaenoic Acid on Osteoclast Formation

Abstract Soy isoflavones and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are effective for maintaining bone health. This study investigated the combined effects of soy isoflavones and DHA on osteoclast formation. Mouse bone marrow cells were pre-cultured with macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) for 3 days and then cultured with M-CSF and receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) for 6 days. RAW 264.7 cells were cultured with RANKL for 5 days. In mouse bone marrow cells, daidzein, genistein, and DHA significantly decreased the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive multinucleated cells (TRAP(+)MNCs), and the combination of soy isoflavones and DHA further decreased the number of TRAP(+)MNCs. Nuclear factor of activated T-cells c1 (NFATc1) mRNA expression tended to be decreased by daidzein, and was significantly decreased by genistein and DHA. Furthermore, the combination of daidzein and DHA caused significant reduction in NFATc1 mRNA expression compared to the control. In RAW 264.7 cells, daidzein tended to decrease and genistein significantly decreased the number of TRAP(+)MNCs, however, the combination of daidzein and DHA significantly decreased the number of TRAP(+)MNCs compared to the control. These results demonstrated that the combination of soy isoflavones and DHA decreased in osteoclast formation significantly, possibly by modulating the expression of specific genes

Zmiany perspektywy postrzegania czasu jako skutek psychoterapii

Constructed for clinical use and based on the concept of the feedback and feedforward systems in “cybernetic-psychology,” the Time Perspective Scale (TPS) was administered to three clients in order to assess the effects of psychotherapy. Two clients were withdrawn, suffering from a condition known as hikikomori in Japan; the other client was diagnosed with PTSD after suffering a major personal loss as a result of the Eastern Japan earthquake and tsunami in 2011. The TPS was administered at pre-, mid-, and post-interventions. In addition, the Hildreth Feeling-Attitude Scale (F-A Scale) and the Kumamoto University Competence Scale (KUCS) were also administered to compare the results of the TPS. Results from the TPS indicated that at the end of the intervention, clients’ thoughts were positively focused on the present and the future. In comparison to their negative thoughts concerning the present and the future during the pre-intervention period, two clients displayed positive feedback regarding the past, and all clients displayed positive thoughts about the present as well as positive feedforward thoughts for the future. Similar to the TPS, the F-A Scale and the KUCS indicated that the clients had more positive and more constructive cognitions after the intervention. Therefore, the TPS is a useful questionnaire for assessing the therapeutic efficacy of the time perspective

Additional file 1: Table S1. of Iron deficiency decreases renal 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1Îą-hydroxylase activity and bone formation in rats

Composition of the experimental diets. Table S2. Body weight, food intake, hemoglobin, heart weight, and liver iron concentration. Table S3. Bone turnover markers and BMC, area, and BMD of the femur. (DOC 32 kb