Orally Administrated Ascorbic Acid Suppresses Neuronal Damage and Modifies Expression of SVCT2 and GLUT1 in the Brain of Diabetic Rats with Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion

Diabetes mellitus is known to exacerbate cerebral ischemic injury. In the present study, we investigated antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects of oral supplementation of ascorbic acid (AA) on cerebral injury caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MCAO/Re) in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. We also evaluated the effects of AA on expression of sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter 2 (SVCT2) and glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) after MCAO/Re in the brain. The diabetic state markedly aggravated MCAO/Re-induced cerebral damage, as assessed by infarct volume and edema. Pretreatment with AA (100 mg/kg, p.o.) for two weeks significantly suppressed the exacerbation of damage in the brain of diabetic rats. AA also suppressed the production of superoxide radical, activation of caspase-3, and expression of proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β) in the ischemic penumbra. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that expression of SVCT2 was upregulated primarily in neurons and capillary endothelial cells after MCAO/Re in the nondiabetic cortex, accompanied by an increase in total AA (AA + dehydroascorbic acid) in the tissue, and that these responses were suppressed in the diabetic rats. AA supplementation to the diabetic rats restored these responses to the levels of the nondiabetic rats. Furthermore, AA markedly upregulated the basal expression of GLUT1 in endothelial cells of nondiabetic and diabetic cortex, which did not affect total AA levels in the cortex. These results suggest that daily intake of AA attenuates the exacerbation of cerebral ischemic injury in a diabetic state, which may be attributed to anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects via the improvement of augmented oxidative stress in the brain. AA supplementation may protect endothelial function against the exacerbated ischemic oxidative injury in the diabetic state and improve AA transport through SVCT2 in the cortex.     

Free electron laser induces specific immobilization of heparin on polysulfone films

Covalent immobilization of heparin has been developed to reduce the amount of heparin administered systematically during long-term dialysis. Recently, it was doubted partially because of the complexion during immobilization process. In this study, we investigated a novel method for specific immobilization of heparin on polysulfone (PSF) via free electron laser (FEL) irradiation. Laser wavelengths of 6.18 or 6.31 microm, the typical absorption bands of carboxyl groups of heparin and aromatic rings in PSF, respectively, were chosen to irradiate the thin heparin membrane formed on PSF surfaces. The amount of heparin immobilized on PSF was measured by the toluidine blue method. The binding of heparin on PSF was analyzed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The immobilization of heparin resulted in a hydrophilic surface on which decreased platelet adhesion was observed. The efficiency differences, depending on laser wavelengths, were discussed from the point of view of structural and environmental differences of light-absorbing groups.     

Different degradation rates of nanofiber vascular grafts in small and large animal models

Nanofiber vascular grafts have been shown to create neovessels made of autologous tissue, by in vivo scaffold biodegradation over time. However, many studies on graft materials and biodegradation have been conducted in vitro or in small animal models, instead of large animal models, which demonstrate different degradation profiles. In this study, we compared the degradation profiles of nanofiber vascular grafts in a rat model and a sheep model, while controlling for the type of graft material, the duration of implantation, fabrication method, type of circulation (arterial/venous), and type of surgery (interposition graft). We found that there was significantly less remaining scaffold (i.e., faster degradation) in nanofiber vascular grafts implanted in the sheep model compared with the rat model, in both the arterial and the venous circulations, at 6 months postimplantation. In addition, there was more extracellular matrix deposition, more elastin formation, more mature collagen, and no calcification in the sheep model compared with the rat model. In conclusion, studies comparing degradation of vascular grafts in large and small animal models remain limited. For clinical translation of nanofiber vascular grafts, it is important to understand these differences.     

Auricular Acupunctures are Effective for the Prevention of Postoperative Agitation in Old Patients

Postoperative cognitive problems and delirium are not uncommon in the elderly. We reported four cases in which auricular acupunctures on the ‘Shenmen’ and ‘Point Zero’ points successfully managed postoperative problematic behaviors of the three patients with dementia and the one patient postoperatively demonstrating an agitated behavior.     

Association between the incidence of premature rupture of membranes in pregnant women and seismic intensity of the Noto Peninsula earthquake

Objectives  

The Noto Peninsula earthquake struck the coast of the Noto Peninsula, Japan on March 25, 2007, resulting in the death of one woman and injury to 356 people. A total of 684 houses were totally destroyed by this earthquake, and more than 2,500 people were forced to live at shelters. In this study, we have evaluated the association between the incidence of peripartum abnormalities and seismic intensity of the Noto Peninsula earthquake.     

Decreased activity of daily living produced by the combination of Alzheimer’s disease and lower limb fracture in elderly requiring nursing care

Objectives

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) impairs cognitive functions, subsequently decreasing activity of daily living (ADL), and is frequently accompanied by lower limb fracture including hip fracture in the elderly. However, there have been few studies on what kinds of physical functions are affected or what degrees of dysfunction are produced by this combination. This study aims to clarify the relationship between decreased ADL and the combination of AD and lower limb fracture.

Methods

We examined present illness and ADL in 4340 elderly aged 82.8 ± 9.36 years [average ± standard deviation (SD)] requiring nursing care and compared ADL between elderly with and without AD or lower limb fracture treated with surgery or conservatively using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), with age and sex as covariants.

Results

We recognized that activities of cognitive function (p < 0.001), eating (dysphagia) (p < 0.001), eating (feeding) (p < 0.001), and toilet use (p < 0.001) in the elderly with AD were significantly lower than in those without the disease, even after adjusting for sex and age. Activities of bed mobility (p < 0.05), transfer and locomotion (p < 0.001), and bathing (p < 0.05) in the elderly with a fracture treated with surgery were significantly lower, which differed from the results of AD. Significant interactions of AD and fracture treated with surgery on the ADL scores for bed mobility (p < 0.001), dysphagia (p < 0.01), feeding (p < 0.001), and toilet use (p < 0.05) show that the combination had a much more profound influence on the ADL scores than AD or fracture alone. We obtained almost the same results for fractures treated conservatively as for fractures treated with surgery.

Conclusions

These results demonstrated that the combined effects of AD and lower limb fracture were significantly greater than expected additive effects of AD and fracture, suggesting that the combination of AD and lower limb fracture has synergistic effects on almost all types of ADL except cognitive functions.     

Relationship between the strength of glass ionomers and their adhesive strength to metals.

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to examine the possible correlation between the strength of glass ionomers and their adhesive strength to metals. METHODS: Three different brands of glass ionomers mixed at four different P/L ratios were evaluated. The compressive and diametral tensile strengths of the cements were determined. The shear bond strengths were determined between four different types of dental casting alloys and the cement made with the different P/L ratios. RESULTS: Significant (p < 0.05) increases in the bond strength to any of the metal surfaces were found in the cement specimens mixed at the highest P/L ratio compared to those mixed at the lowest P/L ratio. For two glass ionomers (FI and DNT), the specimens prepared at the highest P/L ratio showed significantly greater diametral tensile strength than those prepared at the lowest P/L ratio (p < 0.05). SIGNIFICANCE: The present study showed a significant correlation between diametral tensile strengths and bond strengths. It is suggested that the use of glass ionomers with high mechanical strength is an important factor of enhancing the adhesion to metal surfaces.     

A potential suppressor of TGF-beta delays catagen progression in hair follicles

TGF-beta plays important roles in the induction of catagen during the hair cycle. We examined whether TGF-beta2 could activate a caspase in human hair follicles. Using active caspase-9 and -3 specific antibodies, we found that TGF-beta2 activated these caspases in two regions, the lower part of the hair bulb and the outer layer of the outer root sheath. In addition, we searched for a plant extract that can effectively suppress TGF-beta action. We found that an extract of Hydrangea macrophylla reduced synthesis of a TGDbeta-inducible protein. We confirmed that the extract has a potential to promote hair elongation in the organ culture system. Furthermore, it delayed in vivo progression of catagen in a mouse model. Our results suggest that the induction of catagen by TGF-beta is mediated via activation of caspases and that a suppressor of TGF-beta could be effective in preventing male pattern baldness.