Effects of ultradian variation on smoking behavior

The purpose of this study is to examine the enhancement model of smoking maintenance, which has been proposed by Mangan & Golding (1978). We studied the relationships of the ultradian variations among the smoking behavior and sleepiness. The results were as follows. (1) The results of the time series analysis revealed that several spectral peaks were obtained in day time fluctuations of smoking behavior, sleepiness, mood and task performance. The average peak frequency for each parameter distributed in the range of 10 to 14 cycle/day (c/d : See Fig. 3-6). (2) The significant correlations were obtained between the parameters of the smoking behavior (frequency of puffing and VAS score of need for smoking) and the daytime sleepiness (VAS score). The significant average correlation coefficients between smoking need and sleepiness were observed (See Table 2). In general, present results agree with the enhancement model of smoking maintenance

Evaluation of plume characteristics of arc-heaters with various oxygen injection systems

Arc-heater plumes generated by various oxygen injection systems were investigated by laser absorption spectroscopy. Firstly, oxygen was directly injected into a high temperature cathode-jet region through a thoriated-tungsten hollow cathode. Although number density of atomic oxygen was increased, erosion of the cathode was too severe to maintain stable discharge. Then, zirconium was used as a cathode material to reduce cathode erosion by oxidation. As a result, stable discharge was maintained for three hours with pre-mixed argon-oxygen injection and number density of atomic oxygen was successfully increased

In vivo functional brain imaging and a therapeutic trial of L-argine in MELAS patients

Background: Mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) is the most common type of mitochondrial disease and is characterized by stroke-like episodes (SEs), myopathy, lactic acidosis, diabetes mellitus, hearing-loss and cardiomyopathy. The causal hypotheses for SEs in MELAS presented to date are angiopathy, cytopathy and neuronal hyperexcitability. L-arginine (Arg) has been applied for the therapy in MELAS patients.Scope of review: We will introduce novel in vivo functional brain imaging techniques such as MRI and PET, and discuss the pathogenesis of SEs in MELAS patients. We will further describe here our clinical experience with L-arg therapy and discuss the dual pharmaceutical effects of this drug on MELAS.Major conclusions: Administration of L-arg to MELAS patients has been successful in reducing neurological symptoms due to acute strokes and preventing recurrences of SEs in the chronic phase. L-Arg has dual pharmaceutical effects on both angiopathy and cytopathy in MELAS.General significance: In vivo functional brain imaging promotes a better understanding of the pathogenesis and potential therapies for MELAS patients. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Biochemistry of Mitochondria, Life and Intervention 2010

A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of high-dose rebamipide treatment for low-dose aspirin-induced moderate-to-severe small intestinal damage.

Low-dose aspirin (LDA) frequently causes small bowel injury. While some drugs have been reported to be effective in treating LDA-induced small intestinal damage, most studies did not exclude patients with mild damage thought to be clinically insignificant.We conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to assess the efficacy of a high dose of rebamipide, a gastroprotective drug, for LDA-induced moderate-to-severe enteropathy.We enrolled patients who received 100 mg of enteric-coated aspirin daily for more than 3 months and were found to have more than 3 mucosal breaks (i.e., erosions or ulcers) in the small intestine by capsule endoscopy. Eligible patients were assigned to receive either rebamipide 300 mg (triple dose) 3 times daily or placebo for 8 weeks in a 2:1 ratio. Capsule endoscopy was then repeated. The primary endpoint was the change in the number of mucosal breaks from baseline to 8 weeks. Secondary endpoints included the complete healing of mucosal breaks at 8 weeks and the change in Lewis score (an endoscopic score assessing damage severity) from baseline to 8 weeks.The study was completed by 38 patients (rebamipide group: n = 25, placebo group: n = 13). After 8 weeks of treatment, rebamipide, but not placebo, significantly decreased the number of mucosal breaks (p = 0.046). While the difference was not significant (p = 0.13), the rate of complete mucosal break healing in the rebamipide group (32%, 8 of 25) tended to be higher than that in the placebo group (7.7%, 1 of 13). Rebamipide treatment significantly improved intestinal damage severity as assessed by the Lewis score (p = 0.02), whereas placebo did not. The triple dose of rebamipide was well tolerated.High-dose rebamipide is effective for the treatment of LDA-induced moderate-to-severe enteropathy.UMIN Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000003463