Beneficial Effects of Cocoa in Perivascular Mato Cells of Cerebral Arterioles in SHR-SP (Izm) Rats

As previously reported, the cerebral arterioles are surrounded by unique perivascular Mato cells. They contain many inclusion bodies rich in hydrolytic enzymes, and have strong uptake capacity. They are thus considered scavenger cells of vascular and neural tissues in steady-state. In this study, employing hypertensive SHR-SP (Izm) rats, the viability of Mato cells was investigated. In hypertensive rats, the capacity for uptake of horse radish peroxidase (HRP) and the activity of acid phosphatase (ACPase) of Mato cells were markedly reduced, and on electron-microscopic examination Mato cells were found to include heterogeneous contents and appeared electron-dense and degenerated. Vascular cells exhibited some signs of pathology. However, in hypertensive rats fed chow containing 0.25% cocoa, the uptake capacity and ACPase activity of Mato cells for HRP were enhanced, and on electron-microscopic examination Mato cells appeared healthy, with mitochondria with nearly normal profiles. Signs of pathology in vascular cells were also decreased. Superoxides may impair Mato cells and vascular cells

lenvatinib in nonviral hepatocarcinoma

Aim: To investigate the therapeutic effect of lenvatinib (LEN) in liver disease etiology, especially nonviral hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods and Results: Sixty-seven patients with unresectable advanced HCC (u-HCC) treated with LEN and consisting of 26 hepatitis C virus (HCV), 19 hepatitis B virus (HBV), 11 alcohol, and 11 nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) cases were retrospectively recruited. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were used to determine predictive factors for survival. The objective response rate in the nonviral (alcohol and NASH) group was higher than that in the viral group (59.1% [13/22] vs. 46.7% [21/45]). Progression-free survival was significantly longer in the nonviral group than in the viral group (13.7 vs. 6.6 months; hazard ratio [HR] 0.324; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.174–0.602; P < 0.01). Similarly, median overall survival (OS) was significantly longer in the nonviral group than in the viral group (not evaluable vs. 15.9 months; HR = 0.277; 95% CI = 0.116–0.662; P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis revealed that portal vein invasion (HR = 5.327, P = 0.0025), treatment line (HR = 0.455, P = 0.023), and etiology (HR = 0.180, P = 0.00055) were significant independent factors associated with OS in u-HCC patients treated with LEN. Conclusion: Our results suggest that LEN is more effective against nonviral u-HCC than against viral u-HCC

Risk of female athlete triad development in Japanese collegiate athletes is related to sport type and competitive level

Introduction: Menstrual dysfunction, musculoskeletal injury, and poor nutrition combine to form the female athlete triad (FAT), which results in serious health consequences for affected athletes. To this point, the risk factors of this phenomenon have not been fully explored in Japanese female college athletes. Additionally, the effect of competitive level on FAT risk factors has also not been reported. Therefore, we aimed to examine FAT risk factors in Japanese female athletes of various sports as well as examine the impact of competitive level on FAT.Methods: A Japanese-language survey was completed by 531 athletes and 20 nonathletes at two Japanese universities and answers with regard to menstrual status, musculoskeletal injury, nutrition, and other variables were analyzed based on classification of the sports into nine distinct groups based on activity type. Sport intensity, training volume, and competitive levels were used to further classify each sport. One-way ANOVA and the Bonferroni post hoc test using SPSS were carried out to analyze significance for relationships between sport intensity and FAT risk factors. Additionally, the relationship between competitive level and FAT risk factors was analyzed by ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests.Results: Sport intensity was positively correlated with a delay in menarche as well as dysmenorrhea and poor nutrition while musculoskeletal injury was correlated with repetitive, high-training volume sports. Lower competitive levels increased dysmenorrhea but did not impact injury status or nutrition.Conclusion: Sport intensity and training volume, but not competitive level, are the critical factors affecting FAT risk in Japanese female college athletes

近畿地方で飼育された展示鳥類の寄生蠕虫類

To undertake diagnoses, parasitic helminths from 22 captive avian species kept in 5 zoological gardens and/or exhibition facilities in Kinki District in Japan were examined, and 17 species, namely Chapmania tauricollis, Clinostomum complanatum, Corynosoma sp., Capillariidae gen. sp., Thelazia aquillina, Synhimantus (S.) sp., S. (Dispharynx) nasuta, Desportesius invaginatus, Diplotriaena ozouxi, Contracaecum sp., Heterakis isolonche, Heterakis sp., Pseudaspidodera sp., Ascaridia gallinarum, A. hermaphrodita, Ascaridia sp. and Syngamus sp., were identified. This is the first record of C. tauricollisthe and Pseudaspidodera sp. in Japan. An case of abnomal cordon of S. (Dispharynx) nasuta was recorded. As well, a brief epidemiological discussion of the genera Corynosoma and Heterakis was presented. 展示鳥類の寄生蠕虫類の侵淫状況を知る基礎情報の一つとして, 近畿地方で地理的に近接する動物園および関連施設で, 展示あるいは保護収容された22種の鳥類から検出, 保存されていた寄生蠕虫類を同定した。その結果, 17種の蠕虫類(Chapmania tauricollis, Clinostomum complanatum, Corynosoma sp., Capillariidae gen. sp., Thelazia aquillina, Synhimantus (S.) sp., S. (Dispharynx) nasuta, Desportesius invaginatus, Diplotriaena ozouxi, Contracaecum sp., Heterakis isolonche, Heterakis sp., Pseudaspidodera sp., Ascaridia gallinarum, A. hermaphrodita, Ascaridia sp.およびSyngamus sp.)の寄生が確認された。また, S.(Dispharynx)nasutaの一虫体にコルドンが吻合していない異常型を記録した。さらに, レアRheaamericanaに寄生していた条虫C. tauricollistheは日本における新記録であた。また, 鉤頭虫Corynosoma属と線虫Heterakis属について若干の疫学的論議を行った