Izumo Science Center

Learning and memory impairment may result from age-related decline in synaptic plasticity-related proteins in the hippocampus. Therefore, exploration of functional foods capable of ameliorating memory and cognition decline is an interesting endeavor in neuroscience research. We report the effects of Anredera cordifolia (AC) extract on learning and memory deficits in a senescence-accelerated mouse-prone 8 (SAMP8) mouse model, which demonstrate age-related memory deficits and related pathological changes in the brain. After 8 weeks of oral administration of AC extract, the mice were trained in the Novel Object Recognition (NOR) task, and after 7 more weeks, in the Morris Water Maze (MWM) task. Following the completion of behavioral testing, the blood biochemistry parameters, the hippocampal levels of brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF), PSD95, and NR2A, and the p-cAMP-response element binding (p-CREB)/CREB ratio were measured. The AC-treated group spent more time exploring the novel objects in the NOR task, and showed faster acquisition and better retention in the MWM task than the negative control (CN) group. In addition, AC enhanced the levels of the aforementioned neuronal plasticity-related proteins, and did not affect the blood biochemistry parameters. Therefore, our data suggest that the AC extract may improve learning and memory without causing any noticeable side effects in the body.

Although rare, pleuroparenchymal fibroelastosis (PPFE) is a serious late‐onset complication of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). It remains unclear whether graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) is involved in the development of PPFE. We report the case of a patient with PPFE after HSCT. The patient experienced pneumothorax repeatedly despite surgical treatment. A surgical specimen demonstrated PPFE findings, without evidence of GVHD. In this case, development of PPFE was not associated with GVHD, and immunosuppressive therapy did not improve pulmonary function. Surgical biopsy is recommended for precise treatment and elucidation of pathogenesis in each suspected PPFE patient.

To examine expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and thymidine phosphorylase (TP) together with microvessel count in endometrial cancer, and to investigate the relationship with clinicopathological and biological factors. VEGF expression, TP expression, the microvessel count (factor VIII-related antigen positive cells), bcl-2 expression, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) index, and p53 expression were determined in 50 resected endometrial cancer specimens, using immunohistochemistry. The relationship between VEGF and TP expression and correlation between expression and microvessel count were also given attention. These 3 factors were analyzed with regard to clinicopathological factors, bcl-2 expression, PCNA index, and p53 expression. Staining status of VEGF and TP was identical in 37 (74%) of 50 tumors, the correlation being statistically significant (p < 0.01). Combined analysis of VEGF and TP status showed that tumors which were VEGF-positive and/or TP-positive had a significantly higher microvessel count than did tumors which were both VEGF-negative and TP-negative (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05, respectively). TP expression correlated with bcl-2 expression, and VEGF expression inversely correlated with the PCNA index. Although clinical stage (p < 0.01), PCNA index (p < 0.01), and p53 expression (p < 0.01) significantly correlated with disease-free survival, neither VEGF/TP expression nor microvessel count contributed to prognostic estimates. VEGF and TP may cooperatively promote angiogenesis in endometrial cancer, but these expressions may have limited additional prognostic value.