Genistein, an isoflavone abundantly present in soybeans, has structural similarity to estrogen, suggesting that genistein may act as a phytoestrogen. To examine the possible role of genistein in hemopoiesis and bone metabolism, female mice were either sham-operated or ovariectomized (OVX), and selected OVX mice were administered genistein for 2-4 weeks (0.1-0.7 mg/day) or 17beta-estradiol (E2; 0.01-0.1 microg/day) s.c., using a miniosmotic pump (Alza Corp., Palo Alto, CA). In OVX mice, uterine weight declined but was completely restored by E2 administration. In contrast, genistein did not demonstrate a reversal of the OVX-induced uterine atrophy. The number of bone marrow cells markedly increased, 2-4 weeks after OVX, and most of these were B220-weakly positive pre-B cells. The increased B-lymphopoiesis was completely restored, not only by E2 but also by genistein administration. In OVX mice, the trabecular bone volume of the femoral distal metaphysis, measured by microcomputed tomography scanning and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, was markedly reduced; and genistein restored this, as did E2. These results indicate that genistein exhibits estrogenic action in bone and bone marrow, to regulate B-lymphopoiesis and prevent bone loss, without exhibiting estrogenic action in the uterus. Phytoestrogens may be useful for preventing bone loss caused by estrogen deficiency in females.

Neuronal migration and process formation require cytoskeletal organization and remodeling. Recent studies suggest that centrosome translocation is involved in initial axon outgrowth, while the role of centrosomal positioning is not clear. Here, we examine relations between centrosomal positioning, axonogenesis, and microtubule (MT) polarization in multipolar and bipolar neocortical neurons. We monitored dynamic movements of centrosomes and MT plus ends in migratory neurons in embryonic mouse cerebral slices. In locomoting bipolar neurons, the centrosome oriented toward the pia-directed leading process. Bipolar neurons displayed dense MT plus end dynamics in leading processes, while trailing processes showed clear bidirectional MTs. In migrating multipolar neurons, new processes emerged irrespective of centrosome localization, followed by centrosome reorientations toward the dominant process. Anterograde movements of MT plus ends occurred in growing processes and retrograde movements were observed after retraction of the distal tip. In multipolar neurons, axon formed by tangential extension of a dominant process and the centrosome oriented toward the growing axon, while in locomoting neurons, an axon formed opposite to the direction of migration and the centrosome localized to the base of the leading process. Our data suggest that MT organization may alter centrosomal localization and that centrosomal positioning does not necessarily direct process formation.

HbA1c and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels are commonly recognized as diagnostic indices for diabetes and glucose intolerance. However, they are not sufficient for clear detection of glucose intolerance in the early stage unless an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is performed. Moreover, even in case of an OGTT, 2-h postprandial plasma glucose (PG) levels, a criterion for glucose intolerance in OGTTs, may not provide complete information regarding glucose tolerance. Whole glucose excursion after OGTT is considered to represent glucose tolerance well, and the glucose area under the curve (AUC) can be an index of glucose excursion. However, few studies have investigated measurement of the glucose AUC in glucose intolerance screening. In the present study, data from 520 OGTTs were analyzed to define the cutoff value for the glucose AUC for glucose intolerance screening. Our results showed that a cutoff value of 290 mg h/dl for the glucose AUC was highly sensitive and specific (90 and 93 %, respectively) for detecting diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and group at increased risk of diabetes (normal glucose tolerance with 1-h PG levels of C180 mg/dl after glucose load) and showed a better concordance rate than the use of HbA1c, FPG, or 2-h PG levels. Moreover, the cutoff value for the glucose AUC calculated using the diagnostic criteria in the OGTT (305 mg h/dl) was consistent with the value determined from OGTT analysis. These data suggest a possibility that glucose intolerance screening using a glucose AUC cutoff value of 290 mg h/dl could be useful.

Alternating multilayer films composed of titania nanosheets and Zn porphyrins were prepared by use of a previously reported Langmuir-Blodgett film-transfer method in order to fabricate photoelectrochemical devices. Closely packed titania nanosheet monolayers on indium tin oxide (ITO), mica, and quartz surfaces strongly adsorbed cationic [5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methylpyridinium-4-yl)porphyrinatozinc]4+ (ZnTMPyP4+) by electrostatic interactions. The alternating deposition process afforded nanometer-scale multilayer films with the following structure: solid surface/(titania nanosheet/ZnTMPyP4+)n (n is the number of layers). The multilayer films were characterized by various physical measurements, including AFM, XRD, and UV-visible spectra. The visible-light irradiation of this multilayer film on an ITO electrode in the presence of triethanolamine as an electron donor yielded an anodic photocurrent. The action spectrum was consistent with the absorption spectrum of ZnTMPyP4+, which indicates that the photoexcitation of ZnTMPyP4+ is responsible for the photocurrent generation. However, the photocurrent density decreased with an increasing number of layers, which indicates that the harvesting of photoexcited electrons vertically through the titania nanosheets in the ITO/(titania nanosheet/ZnTMPyP4+)n structure was not efficient. To overcome this problem, the use of a lateral interlayer connection to all of the titania nanosheets with Ag paste was examined. As a result, a dramatic improvement in the photocurrent density was obtained. Thus, for efficient photocurrent generation with the titania nanosheet-ZnTMPyP4+ composite material, the lateral connection to all of the titania nanosheet layers is effective.