Biomarkers of oxidative/nitrosative stress: an approach to disease prevention.

Oxidative/nitrosative stress is responsible for a variety of degenerative processes in some human diseases. Measurement of oxidatively/nitrosatively modified DNA, proteins, lipids, and sugars in biological samples has been expected to detect appropriate biomarkers for diseases in which reactive oxygen/nitrogen species are involved. Recently, the application of these biomarkers to epidemiological studies has resulted in a new discipline, molecular epidemiology, which provides the opportunity for better understanding of their causal relation with disease outcomes in a population level. In this brief review, we cover some specific biomarkers of oxidative/nitrosative stress with regard to the commonly used analytical methods for these biomarkers, their integration with epidemiology, and their application in antioxidant intervention trials, with an emphasis on those applicable to human studies and their potentialities for disease prevention

Toxicogenomics of Bisphenol A and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

Bisphenol A (BPA) has been widely used in many industrial and consumer products and is known as an endocrine‐disrupting chemical. To find the underlying genetic basis and molecular mechanisms of BPA‐associated neurodevelopmental disorders (NDs), this chapter addressed the toxicogenomics of BPA with publicly accessed Comparative Toxicogenomics Database. The present results indicated that the key cellular components (CC) of the nervous system such as neuron, synapse, dendrite and axon are common in CC annotation; the commonly found molecular functions are neurotransmitter receptor or transducer binding or activity; and the main common biological processes include synaptic signalling, cognition, learning or memory, behaviour, the development of nervous system and brain. Neuroactive ligand‐receptor interaction, dopaminergic, glutamatergic and serotonergic synapses, monoamine transport and synaptic vesicle pathway were the common pathways. Simultaneously, the BPA-disease may share the common pathways with drug addictions such as cocaine addiction. Unique pathways might also contribute to the BPA action in different NDs such as one carbon metabolism and detoxification of oxidative stress in Down syndrome. Although GO and pathway results indicate some common annotations, the predicted PPI molecular function clusters are quite different for each ND. In addition, some of the NDs share the same transcription factors (TFs) and miRNAs, which indicate these disorders have the similar expression profiles. Finally, chemicals having comparable interacting genes to BPA should be considered

Some Thoughts on the Dynamics of Federal Trademark Legislation and the Trademark Dilution Act of 1995

Basic transcription factor 3 (BTF3) is a general RNA polymerase II transcription factor and is also involved in apoptosis regulation. Increasing evidence shows that BTF3 is aberrantly expressed in several kinds of malignancies, but there is no study to analyze BTF3 expression in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Applying immunohistochemistry, we detected BTF3 in CRCs (n = 156), the corresponding distant (n = 42), adjacent normal mucosa (n = 96), lymph node metastases (n  = 35), and analyzed its relationships with clinicopathological and biological variables. Our results showed that BTF3 staining significantly increased from distant or adjacent normal mucosa to primary CRCs (p < 0.0001) or metastases (p = 0.002 and p < 0.0001). BTF3 was higher in distal cancers than in proximal cancers (57 % vs. 39 %, p = 0.041). It also showed stronger staining in primary CRCs stage I and II than that in stage III and IV (64 % vs. 35 %, p = 0.0004), or metastases (64 % vs. 29 %, p = 0.004). Cancers with better differentiation had a higher expression than those with worse differentiation (56 % vs. 37 %, p  = 0.031). There were positive correlations of BTF3 expression with nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), RAD50, MRE11, NBS1, and AEG-1 (p  < 0.05). In conclusion, BTF3 overexpression may be an early event in CRC development and could be useful biomarker for the early stage of CRCs. BTF3 has positive correlations with NF-κB, RAD50, MRE11, NBS1 and AEG-1, and might influence complex signal pathways in CRC

The relation between visceral adipose tissue accumulation and biochemical tests in university students.

We evaluated the visceral adipose tissue accumulation in university students in Okayama prefecture, Japan. Fifty-eight Japanese university students (10 men and 48 women, age 18.4 +/- 0.6 years)were enrolled in this study. Fat distribution was evaluated by visceral fat (V) and subcutaneous fat (S) areas measured with computed tomography (CT) scanning at umbilical levels. Anthropometric parameters,i.e., height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and body fat percentage; blood examination; and blood pressure (BP) were also measured. In 58 subjects, the V area was 23.4 +/- 21.0 cm(2) and the S area was 122.5 +/- 57.9 cm(2). V areas were significantly correlated with hepatic enzymes, uric acid, triglyceride, and BP in men, while they were weakly correlated with hepatic enzymes, triglyceride, and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol in women. Correlation coefficients between V areas and clinical parameters were comparatively higher than those between other body composition parameters,i.e., S areas, weight, body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, and clinical parameters. The present study suggests that visceral adipose tissue accumulation is important for hepatic enzymes, uric acid, triglyceride, and BP in university students.</p

Opinion dynamics on directed small-world networks

In this paper, we investigate the self-affirmation effect on formation of public opinion in a directed small-world social network. The system presents a non-equilibrium phase transition from a consensus state to a disordered state with coexistence of opinions. The dynamical behaviors are very sensitive to the density of long-range interactions and the strength of self-affirmation. When the long-range interactions are sparse and individual generally does not insist on his/her opinion, the system will display a continuous phase transition, in the opposite case with high self-affirmation strength and dense long-range interactions, the system does not display a phase transition. Between those two extreme cases, the system undergoes a discontinuous phase transition.Comment: 6 pages, 5 figure

Mammalian Acatalasemia: The Perspectives of Bioinformatics and Genetic Toxicology

The molecular defects in the catalase gene, levels of m-RNA and properties of the residual catalase studied by scientists are reviewed in human (Japanese, Swiss and Hungarian) and non-human (mouse and beagle dog) acatalasemia with reference to the bioinformatics. Japanese acatalasemia-I, the G to A transition at the fifth position of intron 4 of the catalase gene, limited the correct splicing of the mRNA and synthesized trace catalase with normal properties. Hungarian acatalasemia type C showed a splicing mutation. In the Japanese acatalasemia II and the type A and B of Hungarian acatalasemia, the deletion or insertion of nucleotides was observed in the coding regions, and the frame shift altered downstream amino acid sequences and formed truncated proteins. In the Hungarian acatalasemia D, the substitution of a nucleotide in the exon was found. In mouse and beagle dog acatalasemia, the substitution of nucleotides in the coding regions was also observed. Studies of residual catalase in Swiss, mouse and beagle dog acatalasemia showed that aberrant catalase protein degrades more quickly than normal catalase in cells. The experimental research in genetic toxicology concerning the effect of oxidative stressors (nitrogen monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and so on) on Japanese acatalasemic blood and acatalasemic mice is described. The clinical features of Japanese and Hungarian acatalasemic subjects are also described.</p

Life Assessment of Railway Tunnel Lining Structure Based on Reliability Theory

The reliability of the tunnel lining during its service life has significance for tunnel safety management. To capture the performance of the lining under the effect of deterioration factors, the time-varying reliability theory was applied to predict the service life of the lining. The failure process of the lining structure under an erosion environment was analyzed. The limit state equations of the lining structure were established based on the durability criterion and the bearing capacity criterion, respectively. The time-varying reliability of the tunnel was calculated using the Monte-Carlo method with an engineering example, and the service life of the tunnel under different criteria was predicted based on the target reliability. The results show that the predicted service life of the tunnel is 77.5 years under the durability criterion and 95 years under the bearing capacity criterion, assuming that the tunnel structure is in an erosive environment at the beginning of construction and that no protective measures are taken under the most unfavourable conditions. The durability meets the structural applicability, and the bearing capacity meets the structural safety, which is in line with the actual needs of the project. The study results can provide a basis and reference for the future durability design, life prediction, and maintenance management of similar service tunnels

Assessment of total and segmental body composition in spinal cord-injured athletes in okayama prefecture of Japan.

This study assessed total and segmental distribution of fat mass (FM) in athletes with spinal cord injury (SCI) and examined the relationships between segmental distribution of fat mass and age, injury level, athletic history, and training load in order to provide useful information for improvements in their physical strength and training. Twenty-five male athletes with SCI participated in the study. The whole bone composition was measured by a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) method for the calculation of bone minerals, FM, and fat-free mass. The percent fat of the trunk, arms, and legs was also calculated. The percent fat in the legs was highest in comparison with that in the trunk and arms (p &#60; 0.001), and the percent fat in the trunk was higher than that in the arms (p &#60; 0.001). The body fat (p &#60; 0.01), waist circumference (p &#60; 0.01), and waist-to-hip ratio (p &#60; 0.0001) were higher in the group aged 40 or older in comparison with that aged 39 or younger. Path analysis revealed that training load was a factor decreasing the percent fat on the arms and trunk (p &#60; 0.01), and athletic history was a factor reducing the percent fat on the arms (p &#60; 0.05). Our study suggests that exercise is effective in reducing the waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and percent body fat of SCI individuals, and that such effects can help to enhance athletic performance and likely to protect against development of metabolic syndromes resulting from a sedentary lifestyle.</p

Relation of Prenatal and Postnatal Status to Calcaneus Quantitative Ultrasound in Adolescents

This study aimed to elucidate the relationship of prenatal and/or postnatal factors, including acquired factors, with the calcaneus stiffness index as measured by quantitative ultrasound (QUS-SI) in adolescents. We recruited 1,143 adolescents with a mean age of 14.8±1.8 years (501 boys and 642 girls). The subjectsʼ calcaneus QUS-SI was measured using an ultrasound bone densitometer. We also measured the subjectsʼ height, weight, and grip strength. Data on prenatal and postnatal factors were obtained from maternal and child health handbooks. A self-reporting questionnaire was used to obtain information on subjectsʼ secondary sexual characteristics and lifestyle factors. We found that maternal weight gain during pregnancy was independently associated with calcaneus QUS-SI in girls, and that grip strength was also significantly associated with calcaneus QUS-SI in both sexes. The present findings suggest that excessive restriction of maternal weight gain would have a negative effect on the calcaneus QUS-SI of girls, and that exercise and strength-building activities are likely to result in a higher calcaneus QUS-SI in both sexes of adolescents

Assessment of total and segmental body composition in spinal cord-injured athletes in okayama prefecture of Japan.

This study assessed total and segmental distribution of fat mass (FM) in athletes with spinal cord injury (SCI) and examined the relationships between segmental distribution of fat mass and age, injury level, athletic history, and training load in order to provide useful information for improvements in their physical strength and training. Twenty-five male athletes with SCI participated in the study. The whole bone composition was measured by a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) method for the calculation of bone minerals, FM, and fat-free mass. The percent fat of the trunk, arms, and legs was also calculated. The percent fat in the legs was highest in comparison with that in the trunk and arms (p &#60; 0.001), and the percent fat in the trunk was higher than that in the arms (p &#60; 0.001). The body fat (p &#60; 0.01), waist circumference (p &#60; 0.01), and waist-to-hip ratio (p &#60; 0.0001) were higher in the group aged 40 or older in comparison with that aged 39 or younger. Path analysis revealed that training load was a factor decreasing the percent fat on the arms and trunk (p &#60; 0.01), and athletic history was a factor reducing the percent fat on the arms (p &#60; 0.05). Our study suggests that exercise is effective in reducing the waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and percent body fat of SCI individuals, and that such effects can help to enhance athletic performance and likely to protect against development of metabolic syndromes resulting from a sedentary lifestyle.</p