[A case of hemangioma at the left renal papilla of the calix with anemia and gross hematuria].

An 18-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to gross hematuria and proteinuria after a marathon race. Contrast-enhanced CT showed no remarkable findings. His gross hematuria and proteinuria disappeared with- out treatment. One year later, he was admitted to our hospital due to reburrent gross hematuria and anemia (serum hemoglobin level of 8.0 g/dL). Both contrast-enhanced CT and renal arteriography revealed no remarkable find- ings; however, cystoscopy showed that his hematuria came from the left ureteral orifice. Ureteroscopy revealed hemorrhage from a large hemangioma at the left renal papilla of the calix. He presented with intermittent gross hematuria, proteinuria, and hypocomplimentemia, suggesting the possibility of glomerulonephritis. His gross hematuria and proteinuria improved after laser coagulation was performed.

Effects of seasonal changes in dietary energy on body weight of captive Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata).

Food availability varies seasonally for wild animals, and body weight fluctuates accordingly in the wild. In contrast, controlling availability of diet under captive condition is difficult from keepers' standpoint, and monotonous diet often causes health problems in captive animals. We evaluated the effects of a seasonally controlled diet on body weight of captive Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) in an outside enclosure at Ueno Zoo, Tokyo, Japan. We fed a high-energy diet in spring and fall, and a more restricted diet in summer and winter for 3 years (2011-2013). Seasonal changes in body weight were similar to those that occur in wild macaques: for both sexes, body weight was higher in spring and fall and lower in winter. A decrease in body weight between fall and winter occurred only in adults, which implied that reducing dietary intake in winter had a more severe effect on adults than on juveniles. Different from wild populations, the body weight of captive macaques did not decrease between spring and summer, which we attributed to a lack of movement within the enclosure and to excess energy intake in summer. In addition to controlling dietary composition, providing large enclosure with complex structure and making efforts of giving unpredictability in feeding are necessary to motivate the captive animals to be more active, which would cause the macaques to show seasonal change in body weight, which is found in wild.

Production of reactive oxygen species in the diabetic heart. Roles of mitochondria and NADPH oxidase.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are the main facilitators of cardiovascular complications in diabetes mellitus (DM), and the ROS level is increased in cultured cells exposed to high glucose concentrations or in diabetic animal models. Emerging evidence shows that mitochondria and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase are dominant mechanisms of ROS production in the diabetic heart. Hyperpolarization of the mitochondrial inner membrane potentials and impaired mitochondrial function promote ROS production in the mitochondria of the diabetic heart. Uncoupling proteins are upregulated and may reduce the ROS level by depolarizing the mitochondrial inner membrane potential. NADPH oxidase is another major site of ROS production and its contribution to DM-induced ROS increase has been elucidated not only in vascular smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells, but also in cardiomyocytes. Protein kinase C, angiotensin II, and advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs)/receptor for AGEs can activate NADPH oxidase. Increased intracellular calcium level mediated via the Na(+)-H(+) exchanger and subsequent activation of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II may also activate NADPH oxidase. This review presents the current understanding of the mechanisms of ROS production, focusing especially on the roles of mitochondria and NADPH oxidase.

High Mg2+ conduction in three-dimensional pores of a metal-organic framework under organic vapors.

We report on high Mg2+ conduction in a metal-organic framework (MOF), UiO-66, under organic vapors. We prepared a Mg2+-containing MOF, UiO-66⊃{Mg(TFSI)2}1.0 (TFSI- = bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide), including Mg2+ carriers in three-dimensional pores. The compound showed a superionic conductivity above 10-4 S cm-1 under MeCN and MeOH vapors.