A calcium-protease activator associated with brain microsomal-insoluble elements

AbstractA factor which markedly activates Ca2+-dependent thiol protease (calpain) is associated with Triton X-100-insoluble materials, presumably structural elements such as cytoskeletons, of bovine brain microsomal fraction. This factor is extracted with 0.6 M KCl, and purified partially by sucrose density gradient centrifugation and hydroxyapatite column chromatography. The factor appears to be a heat-stable protein with an approximate Mr, of 15000. With casein as substrate this factor activates both calpain I and calpain II severalfold up to more than 10- fold without alteration of their affinity to Ca2+. Calmodulin is unable to substitute for this factor. A similar factor is associated with human platelet insoluble materials

Reduced prefrontal hemodynamic response in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder as measured by near-infrared spectroscopy.

Recent developments in near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) have enabled non-invasive clarification of brain functions in psychiatric disorders. Functional neuroimaging studies of patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) have suggested that the frontal cortex and subcortical structures may play a role in the pathophysiology of the disorder. Twelve treatment-naïve children with OCD and 12 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects participated in the present study after giving consent. The relative concentrations of oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) were measured with prefrontal probes every 0.1 s during the Stroop color-word task, using 24-channel NIRS machines. During the Stroop color-word task, the oxy-Hb changes in the OCD group were significantly smaller than those in the control group in the prefrontal cortex, especially in the frontopolar cortex. The present study suggests that children with OCD have reduced prefrontal hemodynamic response as measured by NIRS.博士（医学）・乙第1315号・平成25年7月22

体の痛み、社会的支援、抑うつ状態、脳血管疾患は独立して高齢者の睡眠障害と関連する : 藤原京スタディ横断解析

OBJECTIVE: To investigate independent effects of various factors associated with sleep disturbance among community-dwelling elderly individuals. METHODS: We analyzed data obtained from 3732 individuals aged ≥65 years who responded to a self-administered questionnaire and participated in a structured interview which assessed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), subjective bodily pain, the Jichi Medical School Social Support Scale, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), health status, and demographic characteristics. Sleep disturbance was defined as a global PSQI score >5.5, which was used as a dependent variable in multiple logistic regression analysis to determine adjusted odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) of related factors. RESULTS: We identified a significant increase in the adjusted ORs for female (OR 1.56, 95 % CI 1.34-1.83), age ≥80 years (1.31, 1.01-1.69), history of stroke (1.44, 1.08-1.92), and a GDS-15 score ≥6 as compared to 0-2 (2.29, 1.86-2.81), with regard to sleep disturbance. Participants with severe or very severe bodily pain had the highest adjusted OR (3.00, 2.15-4.19), and those with very mild bodily pain also had a relatively high OR (1.30, 1.06-1.60), relative to those without subjective bodily pain. In addition, compared with participants with strong social support from spouse or family, those with weak social support had significantly increased adjusted ORs (1.21, 1.01-1.44, 1.44, 1.23-1.70, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The present study indicates that sleeping disturbances among the elderly are closely associated with social support from a spouse and family. They are also associated with pain, even at stages in which subjective bodily pain is very mild.博士（医学）・乙第1381号・平成28年9月28日© The Japanese Society for Hygiene 2016The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12199-016-0529-

The Frizzled 3 gene is associated with methamphetamine psychosis in the Japanese population

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

LRRN4 and UPK3B Are Markers of Primary Mesothelial Cells

Mesothelioma is a highly malignant tumor that is primarily caused by occupational or environmental exposure to asbestos fibers. Despite worldwide restrictions on asbestos usage, further cases are expected as diagnosis is typically 20–40 years after exposure. Once diagnosed there is a very poor prognosis with a median survival rate of 9 months. Considering this the development of early pre clinical diagnostic markers may help improve clinical outcomes.Microarray expression arrays on mesothelium and other tissues dissected from mice were used to identify candidate mesothelial lineage markers. Candidates were further tested by qRTPCR and in-situ hybridization across a mouse tissue panel. Two candidate biomarkers with the potential for secretion, uroplakin 3B (UPK3B), and leucine rich repeat neuronal 4 (LRRN4) and one commercialized mesothelioma marker, mesothelin (MSLN) were then chosen for validation across a panel of normal human primary cells, 16 established mesothelioma cell lines, 10 lung cancer lines, and a further set of 8 unrelated cancer cell lines.Within the primary cell panel, LRRN4 was only detected in primary mesothelial cells, but MSLN and UPK3B were also detected in other cell types. MSLN was detected in bronchial epithelial cells and alveolar epithelial cells and UPK3B was detected in retinal pigment epithelial cells and urothelial cells. Testing the cell line panel, MSLN was detected in 15 of the 16 mesothelioma cells lines, whereas LRRN4 was only detected in 8 and UPK3B in 6. Interestingly MSLN levels appear to be upregulated in the mesothelioma lines compared to the primary mesothelial cells, while LRRN4 and UPK3B, are either lost or down-regulated. Despite the higher fraction of mesothelioma lines positive for MSLN, it was also detected at high levels in 2 lung cancer lines and 3 other unrelated cancer lines derived from papillotubular adenocarcinoma, signet ring carcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma

Non-drug and surgical treatment algorithm and recommendations for the 2020 update of the Japan College of Rheumatology clinical practice guidelines for the management of rheumatoid arthritis—secondary publication

[Objectives] The aim of this study was to update the Japan College of Rheumatology (JCR) clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and prepare an algorithm for non-drug and surgical treatments. This article is a digest version of the guidelines. [Methods] The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare’s research group, in collaboration with the JCR, used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation method to update the 2014 JCR CPG for RA. The consensus was formed by CPG panel members. [Results] We raised 19 clinical questions regarding non-drug and surgical treatments for RA and developed recommendations. The treatments included exercise therapy; occupational therapy; joint injection of corticosteroids; and orthopaedic surgeries including cervical spine surgery, wrist and foot arthroplasty, ankle arthrodesis, and replacement arthroplasty of the shoulder, elbow, finger, hip, knee, and ankle. Recommendations regarding the risks of surgery and perioperative discontinuation of medications have also been developed. Based on these recommendations, we created an original algorithm for the non-drug and surgical treatment of RA. [Conclusions] These recommendations are expected to serve rheumatologists, health care professionals, and patients with RA as tools for shared decision-making to treat residual limb joint symptoms and functional impairment