Abnormal α-synuclein binds to synaptotagmin 13, impairing extracellular vesicle release in synucleinopathies.

Background: Despite increasing in vitro research, direct evidence of how abnormal α-synuclein (α-Syn) dysregulates vesicular transport and synaptic function in the human brain is lacking.

Methods: We performed a transcriptome analysis using brain tissues from a multiple system atrophy (MSA) mouse model, which develops human α-Syn-positive glial cytoplasmic inclusion-like structures and neuronal cytoplasmic inclusion-like structures after tamoxifen injection. We then performed histologic and biochemical analyses using brain samples from 71 human cases (Parkinson's disease, n = 10; dementia with Lewy bodies [DLB], n = 19; MSA, n = 15; control: n = 27), a human blood sample (control: n = 1), and cultured cells.

The educational effect of incorporating an online context into medication instruction training in clinical preparation education.

Introduction: The spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has accelerated the provision of medical services using video conferencing systems. Hence, educational institutions are required to develop human resources that can utilize Internet communication technology in clinical settings.

Objectives: This study aimed to create a learning program incorporating an online video conferencing environment into medication counseling clinical preparatory education for pharmacy students and measure its educational effectiveness.

Behavioural and neurochemical alterations following acute inflammation induced by intraperitoneal and intratracheal injection with lipopolysaccharide in mice.

The persistent symptoms of anxiety, depression, and fatigue that follow severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and accompany pulmonary inflammation pose significant clinical challenges. However, the correlation between pulmonary inflammation and mental health remains unclear. This study sought to examine the effects of intratracheal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a bacterial endotoxin, on anxiety-like behaviour in a mouse model suffering with pulmonary inflammation.

Ameliorating effect of chotosan and its active component, hook, on lipopolysaccharide-induced anxiety-like behavior in mice.

Introduction: In this study, we aimed to examine the effects of chotosan, a traditional Japanese botanical drug, and its active component, hook, on anxiety-like behaviors induced by systemic inflammation in mice.

Methods: To induce systemic inflammation, the mice were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a bacterial endotoxin. Prior to LPS treatment, the mice were administered chotosan or hook orally each day for 14 days.

Risk Factors for Anemia Exacerbation Requiring Red Blood Cell Transfusion During Edoxaban Thromboprophylaxis After Orthopedic Surgery.

Background An increased risk of anemia during edoxaban thromboprophylaxis in orthopedic surgery has been reported. However, the risk factors for the exacerbation of anemia requiring transfusion with irradiated red blood cell concentrates during postoperative edoxaban thromboprophylaxis remain unknown. Therefore, this study investigated the factors that increase the possibility of transfusion during edoxaban thromboprophylaxis after orthopedic surgery by reanalyzing clinical data from a previous collection.

Effect of Lipopolysaccharide on the Duration of Zolpidem-Induced Loss of Righting Reflex in Mice.

Zolpidem, a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic, is primarily used to treat insomnia. In a previous study, pior treatment with non-benzodiazepine receptor agonists was associated with inflammation. The present study aimed to clarify the association between the effects of zolpidem and inflammation in mice treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a known model of inflammation.

[A Trial of Practical Training on Online Medication Instructions in Clinical Preparatory Education: Development of Human Resources to Provide New Forms of Medical Care after the COVID-19 Pandemic].

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has considerably affected several social services. The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare has partially revised the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Law and established legislations on permanent online medication instructions. Based on these social needs, the development of human resources to provide online medication instructions is vital.

Association Between Skin Autofluorescence and White Blood Cell Counts in Older Adults.

Background/aim: Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulate in the body with increasing age. However, their excessive accumulation may lead to various inflammatory and chronic diseases. While it is common for older adults to experience various comorbidities, there is a scarcity of published literature documenting the specific impact of ageing and comorbidities on AGEs in this population.

The neuroprotective effects of FG-4592, a hypoxia-inducible factor-prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, against oxidative stress induced by alpha-synuclein in N2a cells.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The pathological hallmark of PD is the appearance of intraneuronal cytoplasmic α-synuclein (α-Syn) aggregation, called Lewy bodies. α-Syn aggregation is deeply involved in the pathogenesis of PD.

The importance of renal function in anemic patients treated with edoxaban after orthopedic surgery in a real-world clinical setting: A retrospective study.

Edoxaban (Edx) has been approved to prevent venous thromboembolism after total knee and/or hip arthroplasty in Japan. However, the risk of anemia with Edx treatment remains elusive. No risk factors for Edx-associated anemia after orthopedic surgery have been reported.

Central and Enteric Neuroprotective Effects by Eucommia ulmoides Extracts on Neurodegeneration in Rotenone-induced Parkinsonian Mouse.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease of both the central and peripheral / enteric nervous systems. Oxidative stress and neuroinflammation are associated with the pathogenesis of PD, suggesting that anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory compounds could be neuroprotective agents for PD. Eucommia ulmoides (EU) is a traditional herbal medicine which exerts neuroprotective effects by anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties.

Anxiolytic-like effects of hochuekkito in lipopolysaccharide-treated mice involve interleukin-6 inhibition.

Hochuekkito (HET) is a Kampo medicine used to treat postoperative and post-illness general malaise and decreased motivation. HET is known to regulate immunity and modulate inflammation. However, the precise mechanism and effects of HET on inflammation-induced central nervous system disorders remain unclear.

Factors Associated with Work Efficiency in Home Health Care by Pharmacists.

In recent years, medical staff including physicians and nurses have been participating in home health care, reflecting the needs of an aging society in Japan. Pharmacists are also asked to work on home health care teams to ensure the medical safety of patients. It currently remains unclear whether direct communication, i.

Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors and Microglia as Therapeutic and Imaging Targets in Alzheimer's Disease.

Amyloid-β (Aβ) accumulation and tauopathy are considered the pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but attenuation in choline signaling, including decreased nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), is evident in the early phase of AD. Currently, there are no drugs that can suppress the progression of AD due to a limited understanding of AD pathophysiology. For this, diagnostic methods that can assess disease progression non-invasively before the onset of AD symptoms are essential, and it would be valuable to incorporate the concept of neurotheranostics, which simultaneously enables diagnosis and treatment.

Retrospective Cohort Study of Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Cefozopran for Treating Febrile Neutropenia during Chemotherapy in Patients with Lung Cancer.

Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a serious side effect in patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy and frequently proves fatal. Since infection control is crucial in the management of FN, the antimicrobial agent cefozopran (CZOP) has been recommended but not approved for routine use in clinical care of FN in Japan. However, few studies of CZOP in the management of FN have used a thrice daily dose schedule.

Lipoxin A Receptor Stimulation Attenuates Neuroinflammation in a Mouse Model of Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is caused by the rupture of blood vessels in the brain. The excessive activation of glial cells and the infiltration of numerous inflammatory cells are observed during bleeding. Thrombin is a key molecule that triggers neuroinflammation in the ICH brain.

Regulatory effects of nicotine on neurite outgrowth in rat superior cervical ganglia cells.

We have reported that nicotine has a neurotrophic action on peripheral adrenergic nerves in vivo, which is mediated by α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). To clarify the possible mechanisms, the present study further investigated the effect of nicotine on neurite outgrowth in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive superior cervical ganglia (SCG) cells isolated from neonatal rats in vitro. Nicotine at low concentrations (0.

Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Inhibitors Prevent the Onset of Oxaliplatin-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy: A Retrospective Multicenter Study and in Vitro Evaluation.

Oxaliplatin (OXA) is used in chemotherapy for various cancer types and is associated with acute and chronic neurotoxicity. However, a preventive strategy for OXA-induced peripheral neuropathy (OIPN) and its underlying mechanism remain unclear. We examined the effects of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (RAASIs) on OIPN by performing a retrospective multicenter study and an in vitro assay.

Kaempferol Has Potent Protective and Antifibrillogenic Effects for α-Synuclein Neurotoxicity In Vitro.

Aggregation of α-synuclein (α-Syn) is implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Therefore, the removal of α-Syn aggregation could lead to the development of many new therapeutic agents for neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study, we succeeded in generating a new α-Syn stably expressing cell line using a piggyBac transposon system to investigate the neuroprotective effect of the flavonoid kaempferol on α-Syn toxicity.

Usefulness of rapid MR angiography using two-point Dixon for evaluating carotid and aortic plaques.

Purpose: Recently, various magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) modalities have been developed to easily detect carotid and aortic plaques, but these techniques are time-consuming and vulnerable to motion artifacts. We investigated the utility of a gradient echo MRI technique known as liver acquisition with volume acceleration flexible (LAVA-Flex) to detect carotid and aortic atherosclerotic plaques.

Methods: Ten patients who underwent carotid endarterectomy (CEA) were assessed regarding the correspondence between LAVA-Flex findings and the histopathology of excised carotid plaques.

Influence of 5-HT receptor function on anxiety-like behavior induced by a combination treatment with doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide in rats.

Anxiety-like behavior induced by a combination of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide may be mediated by serotonin (5-HT) receptor hyperactivity. The anxiolytic effects of fluoxetine may be inhibited by this combination. The present study examined the mechanisms underlying anxiety-like behavior induced by the combination doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide in rats.

Bumetanide prevents diazepam-modified anxiety-like behavior in lipopolysaccharide-treated mice.

Benzodiazepine receptor agonists are widely prescribed therapeutic agents that alter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor activity and have anxiolytic effects. Post-operative use of benzodiazepines is a risk factor of delirium. Inflammatory conditions alter the anxiolytic effects of benzodiazepine.

Trends in hepatitis C virus-associated mortality rates in Japan, 1998-2017.

Background And Aim: The current prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection and hepatitis C virus-associated mortality in Japan falls short of the World Health Organization goal of viral hepatitis elimination by 2030. We aimed to evaluate the trends in hepatitis C virus-associated mortality in Japan.

Methods: This nationwide observational study used the Japanese Vital Statistics from 1998 to 2017 and included all Japanese hepatitis C virus-associated deaths (84 936) of adults aged ≥ 40 years.

Regimen of 5-Fluorouracil and Cisplatin Increases the Incidence of Extravasation in Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy.

Background/aim: Extravasation associated with chemotherapy can induce localised injury, necrosis, and nerve damage, resulting in discontinued chemotherapy and impaired quality of life; however, risk factors for extravasation remain unclear. The present study aimed to identify chemotherapy regimen-associated factors related to extravasation.

Patients And Methods: Data on patient and chemotherapy protocol characteristics were extracted from our hospital's electronic database; the frequency of extravasation was compared among patients receiving different chemotherapy regimens.