The Phytoplankton Nannochloropsis oculata Enhances the Ability of Roseobacter Clade Bacteria to Inhibit the Growth of Fish Pathogen Vibrio anguillarum

.., and perhaps other phytoplankton species, with certain roseobacters might provide a powerful tool for eliminating fish pathogens from fish-rearing tanks

The effect of artificial CO(2) bathing on peripheral circulation insufficiency.

末梢動脈の慢性閉塞性疾患に対する血行再建術の予後は不良で，虚血肢の治療には一定の見解が乏しく非常に難澁するものである。組織循環の概念にもとづいた評価法によると，医用質量分析装置を用いた虚血肢運動負荷後のPtCO(2)の脱飽和曲線の型により組織循環の良否が定まる。組織循環の良好な型では，自然予後は良好で，いかなる保存的治療にもよく反応する。一方，組織循環の不良な型の自然予後は不良であるので，人工炭酸泉浴によるPtO(2)の増加，および組織循環量の改善により予後は良好となる。人工炭酸泉浴は，組織循環の良好な症例には治癒促進的に作用し，組織循環の不良な症例にも有効に作用する。Arteriography provides clear and useful information of ischemic leg anatomy. The method is limited, in that measurement of less than 100μ can not be made. The hemodynamics or functional consequences of the ischemic state should be evaluated by tissue circulation or perfusion methods that depend principally on systemic blood flow. Tissue perfusion is classified in two groups, insufficient and sufficient, depending on the type of clearance curve of PCO(2) in leg muscle following ankle exercise by means of medical mass spectrometry, Medspect Ⅱ, Chemetron, U.S.A. Either artificial CO(2) bathing or CO(2) vapour bath are efficacious for peripheral ischemic wound. Artificial CO(2) bathing is prepared with BUB-KAO 2tab., a 50g sodium hydrogen-carbonate and succinic acid tablet, Kao Co. Ltd. Japan, in 280-litre-tub at 40℃ for 20 minutes. CO(2) vapour bath is prepared with UKS CO(2) Trockengas Badkabine, Hansen Co., Ltd. West Germany, 20-litre-CO(2) per minutes at 40～42℃ for 20 minutes. In the case of insufficient tissue perfusion, ischemic wound is met promising outcome with CO(2) bathing even though no hope is expected with any medicine for peripheral circulation. Whereas, in the case of sufficient tissue perfusion, ischemic wound is expected much help of CO(2) bathing, as well as of all kinds of medicine, in healing process

An automated distinction of DICOM image for lung cancer CAD system

Automated distinction of medical images is an important preprocessing in Computer-Aided Diagnosis (CAD) systems. The CAD systems have been developed using medical image sets with specific scan conditions and body parts. However, varied examinations are performed in medical sites. The specification of the examination is contained into DICOM textual meta information. Most DICOM textual meta information can be considered reliable, however the body part information cannot always be considered reliable. In this paper, we describe an automated distinction of DICOM images as a preprocessing for lung cancer CAD system. Our approach uses DICOM textual meta information and low cost image processing. Firstly, the textual meta information such as scan conditions of DICOM image is distinguished. Secondly, the DICOM image is set to distinguish the body parts which are identified by image processing. The identification of body parts is based on anatomical structure which is represented by features of three regions, body tissue, bone, and air. The method is effective to the practical use of lung cancer CAD system in medical sites

Research for carbon dioxide bathing IV, Thermal effect of artificial CO(2)-bathing

1) 炭酸塩と,コ-ク酸からなる錠剤型の｢炭酸ガス浴剤｣の保温作用を健康な男子8名について,サ-モグラフィーを用いて測定した. 入浴10分後の比較で明らかに,炭酸ガス浴はよく温まった結果,表面温度が高くなっている. 2) 腰痛,四肢冷感,その他の患者24名での臨床評価の結果,患者の90%以上が手足が温まり,湯ざめしにくいことを認めた.また,患者の85%は痛みがやわらぐことを認めた. 3) 主婦664名を対象とした使用評価の結果,常時手足の冷感を訴える者の63.6%,身体の疲労感･だるさ56.5%に効果を認めていることがわかった. 4) 副作用は全く認められなかった.The artificial CO(2)-bath was prepared with a tablet (50g), made from sodium bicarbonate and succinic acid, putting simply in plain water bathtub of 150-200 litre at 40℃. Thermal effect was evaluated by means of thermography in healthy 8 men; temperature areas of 34.5℃ or greater were recorded in average compared to a plain bathing and to an artificial Na(2)SO(4)-NaHCO(3) one 10 minutes later. Clinical evaluation by questionnairings of 24 patients suffering mainly from lumbago and 4-extremity coldness revealed a long lasting peripheral warmth in 90% and the ease from pain in 85%. The artificial CO(2)-bathing was effective for women whose health were adversely affected by the cold in 63.6% and for general fatigue or dullness in 56.5% of 664 female volunteers whom the questionnairings were conducted to. No side effect was encountered in the survey

Rationale and design of a multicenter randomized study for evaluating vascular function under uric acid control using the xanthine oxidase inhibitor, febuxostat : the PRIZE study

Background: Xanthine oxidase inhibitors are anti-hyperuricemic drugs that decrease serum uric acid levels by inhibiting its synthesis. Xanthine oxidase is also recognized as a pivotal enzyme in the production of oxidative stress. Excess oxidative stress induces endothelial dysfunction and inflammatory reactions in vascular systems, leading to atherosclerosis. Many experimental studies have suggested that xanthine oxidase inhibitors have anti-atherosclerotic effects by decreasing in vitro and in vivo oxidative stress. However, there is only limited evidence on the clinical implications of xanthine oxidase inhibitors on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease in patients with hyperuricemia. We designed the PRIZE study to evaluate the effects of febuxostat on a surrogate marker of cardiovascular disease risk, ultrasonography-based intima-media thickness of the carotid artery in patients with hyperuricemia. Methods: The study is a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label and blinded-endpoint evaluation (PROBE) design. A total of 500 patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia (uric acid >7.0 mg/dL) and carotid intima-media thickness ≥1.1 mm will be randomized centrally to receive either febuxostat (10–60 mg/day) or non-pharmacological treatment. Randomization is carried out using the dynamic allocation method stratified according to age (<65, ≥65 year), gender, presence or absence of diabetes mellitus, serum uric acid (<8.0, ≥8.0 mg/dL), and carotid intima-media thickness (<1.3, ≥1.3 mm). In addition to administering the study drug, we will also direct lifestyle modification in all participants, including advice on control of body weight, sleep, exercise and healthy diet. Carotid intima-media thickness will be evaluated using ultrasonography performed by skilled technicians at a central laboratory. Follow-up will be continued for 24 months. The primary endpoint is percentage change in mean intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery 24 months after baseline, measured by carotid ultrasound imaging. Conclusions: PRIZE will be the first study to provide important data on the effects of febuxostat on atherosclerosis in patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia

Febuxostat and carotid atherosclerosis in asymptomatic hyperuricemia

Background An elevated level of serum uric acid (SUA) is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Pharmacological intervention with urate-lowering agents, such as the conventional purine analogue xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitor, allopurinol, has been used widely for a long period of time in clinical practice to reduce SUA levels. Febuxostat, a novel non-purine selective inhibitor of XO, has higher potency for inhibition of XO activity and greater urate-lowering efficacy than conventional allopurinol. However, clinical evidence regarding the effects of febuxostat on atherosclerosis is lacking. The purpose of the study was to test whether treatment with febuxostat delays carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) progression in patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia. Methods and findings The study was a multicenter, prospective, randomized, open-label, blinded-endpoint clinical trial undertaken at 48 sites throughout Japan between May 2014 and August 2018. Adults with both asymptomatic hyperuricemia (SUA >7.0 mg/dL) and maximum IMT of the common carotid artery (CCA) ≥1.1 mm at screening were allocated equally using a central web system to receive either dose-titrated febuxostat (10–60 mg daily) or as a control-arm, non-pharmacological lifestyle modification for hyperuricemia, such as a healthy diet and exercise therapy. Of the 514 enrolled participants, 31 were excluded from the analysis, with the remaining 483 people (mean age 69.1 years [standard deviation 10.4 years], female 19.7%) included in the primary analysis (febuxostat group, 239; control group, 244), based on a modified intention-to-treat principal. The carotid IMT images were recorded by a single sonographer at each site and read in a treatment-blinded manner by a single analyzer at a central core laboratory. The primary endpoint was the percentage change from baseline to 24 months in mean IMT of the CCA, determined by analysis of covariance using the allocation adjustment factors (age, gender, history of type 2 diabetes, baseline SUA, and baseline maximum IMT of the CCA) as the covariates. Key secondary endpoints included changes in other carotid ultrasonographic parameters and SUA and the incidence of clinical events. The mean values (± standard deviation) of CCA-IMT were 0.825 mm ± 0.173 mm in the febuxostat group and 0.832 mm ± 0.175 mm in the control group (mean between-group difference [febuxostat − control], −0.007 mm [95% confidence interval (CI) −0.039 mm to 0.024 mm; P = 0.65]) at baseline; 0.832 mm ± 0.182 mm in the febuxostat group and 0.848 mm ± 0.176 mm in the control group (mean between-group difference, −0.016 mm [95% CI −0.051 mm to 0.019 mm; P = 0.37]) at 24 months. Compared with the control group, febuxostat had no significant effect on the primary endpoint (mean percentage change 1.2% [95% CI −0.6% to 3.0%] in the febuxostat group (n = 207) versus 1.4% [95% CI −0.5% to 3.3%] in the control group (n = 193); mean between-group difference, −0.2% [95% CI −2.3% to 1.9%; P = 0.83]). Febuxostat also had no effect on the other carotid ultrasonographic parameters. The mean baseline values of SUA were comparable between the two groups (febuxostat, 7.76 mg/dL ± 0.98 mg/dL versus control, 7.73 mg/dL ± 1.04 mg/dL; mean between-group difference, 0.03 mg/dL [95% CI −0.15 mg/dL to 0.21 mg/dL; P = 0.75]). The mean value of SUA at 24 months was significantly lower in the febuxostat group than in the control group (febuxostat, 4.66 mg/dL ± 1.27 mg/dL versus control, 7.28 mg/dL ± 1.27 mg/dL; mean between-group difference, −2.62 mg/dL [95% CI −2.86 mg/dL to −2.38 mg/dL; P < 0.001]). Episodes of gout arthritis occurred only in the control group (4 patients [1.6%]). There were three deaths in the febuxostat group and seven in the control group during follow-up. A limitation of the study was the study design, as it was not a placebo-controlled trial, had a relatively small sample size and a short intervention period, and only enrolled Japanese patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia. Conclusions In Japanese patients with asymptomatic hyperuricemia, 24 months of febuxostat treatment did not delay carotid atherosclerosis progression, compared with non-pharmacological care. These findings do not support the use of febuxostat for delaying carotid atherosclerosis in this population

Rationale and design of a multicenter randomized controlled study to evaluate the preventive effect of ipragliflozin on carotid atherosclerosis : the PROTECT study

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated strongly with an increased risk of micro- and macro-vascular complications, leading to impaired quality of life and shortened life expectancy. In addition to appropriate glycemic control, multi-factorial intervention for a wide range of risk factors, such as hypertension and dyslipidemia, is crucial for management of diabetes. A recent cardiovascular outcome trial in diabetes patients with higher cardiovascular risk demonstrated that a SGLT2 inhibitor markedly reduced mortality, but not macro-vascular events. However, to date there is no clinical evidence regarding the therapeutic effects of SGLT2 inhibitors on arteriosclerosis. The ongoing PROTECT trial was designed to assess whether the SGLT2 inhibitors, ipragliflozin, prevented progression of carotid intima-media thickness in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: A total of 480 participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus with a HbA1c between 6 and 10 % despite receiving diet/exercise therapy and/or standard anti-diabetic agents for at least 3 months, will be randomized systematically (1:1) into either ipragliflozin or control (continuation of conventional therapy) groups. After randomization, ipragliflozin (50–100 mg once daily) will be added on to the background therapy in participants assigned to the ipragliflozin group. The primary endpoint of the study is the change in mean intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery from baseline to 24 months. Images of carotid intima-media thickness will be analyzed at a central core laboratory in a blinded manner. The key secondary endpoints include the change from baseline in other parameters of carotid intima-media thickness, various metabolic parameters, and renal function. Other cardiovascular functional tests are also planned for several sub-studies. Discussion: The PROTECT study is the first to assess the preventive effect of ipragliflozin on progression of carotid atherosclerosis using carotid intima-media thickness as a surrogate marker. The study has potential to clarify the protective effects of ipragliflozin on atherosclerosis