Longitudinal changes in 18 F-THK5351 positron emission tomography in corticobasal syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Corticobasal syndrome (CBS) is pathologically characterized by tau deposits in neuronal and glial cells and by reactive astrogliosis. In several neurodegenerative disorders, 18 F-THK5351 has been observed to bind to reactive astrocytes expressing monoamine oxidase B. In this study, the aim was to investigate the progression of disease-related pathology in the brains of patients with CBS using positron emission tomography with 18 F-THK5351. METHODS: Baseline and 1-year follow-up imaging were acquired using magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography with 18 F-THK5351 in 10 subjects: five patients with CBS and five age-matched normal controls (NCs). RESULTS: The 1-year follow-up scan images revealed that 18 F-THK5351 retention had significantly increased in the superior parietal gyrus of the patients with CBS compared with the NCs. The median increases in 18 F-THK5351 accumulation in the patients with CBS were 6.53% in the superior parietal gyrus, 4.34% in the precentral gyrus and 4.33% in the postcentral gyrus. In contrast, there was no significant increase in the regional 18 F-THK5351 retention in the NCs. CONCLUSIONS: Longitudinal increases in 18 F-THK5351 binding can be detected over a short interval in the cortical sites of patients with CBS. A monoamine oxidase B binding radiotracer could be useful in monitoring the progression of astrogliosis in CBS.

One-dimensional α condensation of α-linear-chain states in ¹²C and ¹6O.

We present a new picture that the α-linear-chain structure for 12C and 16O has one-dimensional α condensate character. The wave functions of linear-chain states that are described by superposing a large number of Brink wave functions have extremely large overlaps of nearly 100% with single Tohsaki-Horiuchi-Schuck-Röpke wave functions, which were proposed to describe the α condensed "gaslike" states. Although this new picture is different from the conventional idea of the spatial localization of α clusters, the density distributions are shown to have localized α clusters due to the inter-α Pauli repulsion.

Nonlocalized clustering: a new concept in nuclear cluster structure physics.

We investigate the α+^{16}O cluster structure in the inversion-doublet band (Kπ=0(1)±}) states of 20Ne with an angular-momentum-projected version of the Tohsaki-Horiuchi-Schuck-Röpke (THSR) wave function, which was successful "in its original form" for the description of, e.g., the famous Hoyle state. In contrast with the traditional view on clusters as localized objects, especially in inversion doublets, we find that these single THSR wave functions, which are based on the concept of nonlocalized clustering, can well describe the Kπ=0(1)- band and the Kπ=0(1)+ band. For instance, they have 99.98% and 99.87% squared overlaps for 1- and 3- states (99.29%, 98.79%, and 97.75% for 0+, 2+, and 4+ states), respectively, with the corresponding exact solution of the α+16O resonating group method. These astounding results shed a completely new light on the physics of low energy nuclear cluster states in nuclei: The clusters are nonlocalized and move around in the whole nuclear volume, only avoiding mutual overlap due to the Pauli blocking effect.

Effects of transglucosidase on diabetes, cardiovascular risk factors and hepatic biomarkers in patients with type 2 diabetes: a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

In this 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the efficacy and safety of transglucosidase (TGD) were compared with placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). At 12 weeks, TGD 300 mg/day and TGD 900 mg/day significantly reduced HbA1c (0.18 and 0.21%) and insulin concentration (19.4 and 25.0 pmol/l), respectively, vs. placebo. TGD 300 mg/day and TGD 900 mg/day also significantly reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (0.22 and 0.17 mmol/l, respectively). TGD 900 mg/day significantly reduced triglyceride by 0.24 mmol/l and diastolic blood pressure by 8 mmHg. Placebo was associated with a significant increase from baseline in body mass index, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase (0.17 kg/m(2) , 3 and 2 U/l, respectively), whereas TGD was not. TGD 300 mg/day significantly increased high-molecular-weight adiponectin by 0.6 µg/ml. Adverse events did not differ significantly between the groups. TGD resulted in lowering of HbA1c and blood insulin level and improvements in metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors in T2DM.

A simple high performance liquid chromatography method for quantitatively determining the reduced form of peroxiredoxin 2 and the mass spectrometric analysis of its oxidative status.

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are a family of thiol peroxidases, which have been suggested to serve as biomarkers for diseases caused by oxidative stress. In this study, we established a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method for quantifying the amount of Prx2 in red blood cells (RBCs). RBC proteins were separated using HPLC, and a single peak was detected that matched that produced by recombinant Prx2. Under improved conditions, the calibration curve for Prx2 (reduced form) was linear over the range of 0.5-20.0µg with a correlation coefficient of 0.999. The minimum detectable level of the recombinant Prx2 was 0.2µg, with a signal-to-noise ratio of 3 per 20µl of injection volume. SDS-PAGE and mass spectrometric analysis showed that the proteins comprising the peak were almost exclusively Prx2. Further high-resolution analysis using nanoLC-MS/MS demonstrated that the oxidation sensitive, Cys-51 was carbamidomethylated by iodoacetamide-alkylation during in-gel digestion but was not modified with sulfinic acid (-SO2H) or sulfonic acid (-SO3H). These results indicated that the separated Prx2 was the reduced form and not the hyperoxidized form. These basic experiments allowed us to determine the relative amounts of native Prx2 in RBCs taken from healthy subjects. The average levels of Prx2 in male and female subjects were 7.28ng/mg and 8.29ng/mg, respectively, and no significant difference was observed between the sexes. Therefore, the HPLC method with UV detection described herein offers a convenient method to quantitatively determine the levels of reduced form of Prx2 and its oxidative decrease in human RBCs.

eNOS plays an important role in the regulation of colonic inflammation: a novel therapeutic target and a predictive marker for the prognosis of ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND: We reported that deficiency of the eNOS protein exacerbates colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS-induced colitis). However, the role of eNOS in colitis remains controversial. Therefore, we studied how over-expression of eNOS affected this inflammatory condition, using vascular endothelial cells and mice as in vitro and in vivo models, respectively. Furthermore, we investigated the influence of a polymorphism in the eNOS gene on the clinical features of ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: We examined the effect of eNOS overexpression on the expression of adhesion molecules in the endothelium and assessed the degree of DSS-induced colitis in eNOS transgenic (eNOS-Tg) mice. We also investigated the relationship between a polymorphism in the eNOS gene and clinical features of patients with UC. RESULTS: The expression of adhesion molecules, under inflammatory conditions, was attenuated in eNOS gene-transfected vascular endothelial cells, as measured by western blot analysis. Symptoms of DSS-induced colitis were likewise attenuated in eNOS-Tg mice, which exhibited lower weight loss, mortality, histological damage (by inflammation score and crypt damage score), and colonic myeloperoxidase activity, tumor necrosis factor-α expression, and MAdCAM-1 expression than in wild-type mice. Furthermore, there was a significant relationship between intractable cases of UC and a polymorphism in the eNOS gene promoter (c.-786 T > C) that decreases eNOS expression. CONCLUSION: The eNOS gene plays an important role in the regulation of colonic inflammation. The level of eNOS expression may be a predictive marker for prognosis of UC, and eNOS expression may be a novel therapeutic target.

Positron emission tomography study of the alterations in brain distribution of [11C]methamphetamine in methamphetamine-sensitized dog.

We newly prepared a MAP-sensitized dog by repeated MAP treatment and studied the brain distribution of [11C]MAP in the normal and the MAP-sensitized dog using PET. The maximal level of accumulation of [11C]MAP in the sensitized dog brain was 1.4 times higher than that in the control. No difference was found in the metabolism of MAP between the two conditions. The significant increase of [11C]MAP in the MAP-sensitized brain indicates that subchronic MAP administration causes some functional change in the uptake site of MAP. The pharmacokinetic change may, in part, account for behavioral sensitization.

Influence of anesthesia on brain distribution of [(11)C]methamphetamine in monkeys in positron emission tomography (PET) study.

We investigated the influence of anesthesia on the brain distribution of [11C]methamphetamine (MAP) obtained by the positron emission tomography (PET) using the normal rhesus monkeys. We clarified that the brain uptake of [11C]MAP under halothane anesthesia was faster and higher than that under pentobarbital. The difference of the effect of anesthesia is an important problem in pharmacokinetic study in PET with experimental animals.

Positron emission tomography (PET) study of the alterations in brain distribution of [11C]methamphetamine in methamphetamine sensitized dog.

[11C]Methamphetamine ([11C]MAP) was synthesized by an automated on-line [11C]methylation system for positron emission tomography (PET) study. We newly produced a MAP sensitized dog by repeated MAP treatment and studied the brain distribution of [11C]MAP in the normal and the MAP sensitized dog. The maximal level of accumulation of [11C]MAP in the sensitized dog brain was 1.4 times higher than that in the control. No difference was found in the metabolism of MAP between the two conditions. The significant increase of [11C]MAP in the MAP sensitized brain indicates that subchronic MAP administration causes some functional change in uptake site of MAP.

Effects of haloperidol and cocaine pretreatments on brain distribution and kinetics of [11C]methamphetamine in methamphetamine sensitized dog: application of PET to drug pharmacokinetic study.

Repeated administration of methamphetamine (MAP) causes behavioral sensitization in animals. We previously reported that the maximum accumulation level of [11C]MAP in the MAP-sensitized dog brain was 1.4 times higher than that in the control. In behavioral studies, haloperidol (a dopamine D2 receptor antagonist) prevents MAP-induced behavioral sensitization, and cocaine (a dopamine reuptake blocker) has the cross-behavioral sensitization with MAP. In the present study, to elucidate the relation between the MAP-induced behavioral sensitization and the pharmacokinetics of MAP, we investigated the effects of haloperidol and cocaine pretreatments on brain regional distribution and kinetics of [11C]MAP using positron emission tomography (PET). A significant increase of [11C]MAP uptake into the sensitized dog brain was prevented by haloperidol and cocaine pretreatments. These pharmacokinetic changes were not due to the changes in the rate of MAP metabolism. These results suggest haloperidol and cocaine can change the cerebral pharmacokinetic profile of MAP in the behavioral-sensitized dog. The variations of MAP-accumulation may affect the development or expression of MAP-induced behavioral sensitization.

Improved surgical treatment of tricuspid insufficiency in combined valvular diseases.

Tricuspid insufficiency is not infrequent in combined valvular diseases. We used Carpentier's De Vega's or Bex's annuloplasty with our own modification in combined tricuspid insufficiency and found the results much more satisfactory compared with previous methods. Of 152 patients with acquired valvular disease, 24 with combined valvular disease underwent one of these procedures. During the same period, three tricuspid valve replacements, using a glutaraldehyde-treated xenograft, were performed in patients with severly damaged tricuspid valves. Simultaneous procedures for other valves were open mitral commissurotomy in 14, mitral valve replacement in 9 and aortic and mitral valve replacement in 4 patients. Despite the seriousness of their preoperative condition, 25 of 27 patients survived, resulting in a mortality rate of 7.4%. We believe that these annuloplasty methods represent a remarkable progress in the treatment of tricuspid valve insufficiency in combined valvular diseases.

[Randomized control study of methylprednisolone in the prevention of CDDP-induced emesis].

Effect of methylprednisolone on the emesis of patients treated with CDDP was examined by randomized control trial. Methylprednisolone showed no effect on the frequency of vomiting on the day of CDDP administration as well as on the duration of nausea and anorexia after CDDP treatment.

[Randomized control study of high-dose metoclopramide in the prevention of CDDP-induced emesis].

The effect of high-dose metoclopramide (2 mg/kg, 4 times every 2 hours) on the emesis of patients treated with CDDP (80 mg/m2) was examined by randomized control trial. The above metoclopramide regimen significantly suppressed the frequency of vomiting on the day of CDDP administration. The duration of nausea and anorexia after CDDP treatment was also shortened by high-dose metoclopramide administration.