Morphological Observations of Rabbit Gastric Fundus Cells in Primary Culture

The morphological properties of the cells isolated from rabbit gastric fundus and the cells grown on a collagen gel sheet were investigated, using both light and scanning electron microscopes. The cells used for this study were obtained in the form of lumps from the isthmus region. The lumps consisted of 4 different types of cells (mucous and immatured cells, and a small number of chief and parietal cells). These isolated cells were then grow on collagen gel in a defined medium. However, two of those cells (chief and parietal cells) gradually disappeared as the culture time progressed. The majority of the cells grown on the gel were found to be mucous and assorted unidentified cells. The mucous cells were covered with many short microvilli, and many PAS positive granules in their cytoplasm. Some of those cells were covered with a mucous like substance. Judging from the staining properties of each cell, the unidentified cells appeared to indicate that they were immature cells. It was found that the cell's morphology and population retained constant regardless of whether Bh-EGF was administered or not

Newly Synthesized Compound, PABA-Ursodeoxycholic Acid, for Evaluation of Intestinal Bacteria

From the standpoint of utilizing a distinctive feature of para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and intestinal bile acid metabolism, a conjugate of ursodeoxycholic acid with PABA (PABA-UDCA) was newly synthesized for studying whether it can be a good material or not to evaluate enteric bacteria. In incubation experiment, this compound was reasonably deconjugated by cholylglycine hydrolase resulting in the release of PABA. In animal experiment, urinary excretions of PABA were determined during six hours following oral administration of 10 mg PABA-UDCA. Control rats (n=7) excreted 140.1 ± 59.5 μ,g (mean ± SD) of PABA. By contrast, the rats (n=9) with intestinal antisepsis by antibiotic administration excreted less (18.3 ± 16. 7 μg; P < 0.001) whereas those with intestinal bacterial overgrowth by making enteric blind loop excreted more (451.1 ± 223.6 μg; P < 0.01). These observations indicate that this new compound is likely to offer a simple and rapid method for evaluation of the intestinal microorganisms

Lectin histochemistry of posterior lingual glands of developing rats

The posterior lingual glands are classified as Weber and von Ebner glands. Glycans play an important role in salivary glands. Although the distribution of glycans can explain functional diversity and variation, there are many unknowns in the developing rat posterior lingual glands. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the relationship between the development and function of the posterior lingual gland in rats by histochemical analysis using lectins that bind to sugar residues. In adult rats, Arachis hypogaea (PNA), Glycine maximus (SBA), and Triticum vulgaris (WGA) were associated with serous cells and Dolichos biflorus (DBA) with mucous cells. In both Weber's and von Ebner's glands, all 4 lectins were bound to serous cells in early development, but as development progressed, DBA disappeared in serous cells and only the DBA remained in mucous cells. These results suggest that Galβ (1,3) > Galβ(1,4) > Gal, αGalNAc > αGal > βGalNAc, NeuAc > (GalNAc)2–3>>>GlcNAc, and GalNAcα(1,3) are present in the early stage of development, but that GalNAcα(1,3) disappear in serous cells and only GalNAcα(1,3) are localized in mucous cells after maturation. These results indicate that Weber glands function as serous glands in the early postnatal stage when von Ebner glands have not matured.Harada K., Miki K., Tanaka S., et al. Lectin histochemistry of posterior lingual glands of developing rats. Scientific Reports 13, 10365 (2023); https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-36154-9

Effect of Consumption Values on Consumer Satisfaction and Brand Commitment: Investigating Functional, Emotional, Social, and Epistemic Values in the Running Shoes Market

Firms can acquire sustainable competitive advantages by managing brand relationships and consumption values. However, previous studies do not compare consumption value with consumer satisfaction and brand commitment. Consumption value theory postulates that functional, emotional, social, and epistemic values enhance brand relationships. However, the most effective element of consumption values on consumer satisfaction or brand commitment is different. Specifically regarding running shoes, this article empirically compares functional, emotional, social, and epistemic values with consumer satisfaction and brand commitment. Using a mediated–moderation regression model, this article collected 844 Japanese samples from a marathon in Kobe, Japan, and tested how multiple consumption values affected consumer satisfaction and brand commitment, moderated by age. The results show that consumption values except epistemic value have positive effects on consumer satisfaction and brand commitment. In particular, this article uncovers the moderating effect of age in social values and consumer satisfaction. Specifically, social values affect consumer satisfaction when consumers are under 39 years old. This paper also found that functional value and social value have the strongest effect on consumer satisfaction and brand commitment, respectively, compared with other values. Contravening consumption value theory, our data suggests that epistemic value impedes brand commitment. Keywords: Consumption Values Theory, Consumer Satisfaction, Brand Commitment, Running Shoes JEL Classifications: M10, M21, M31 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32479/irmm.871

Ability-Based Design: Concept, Principles and Examples

Current approaches to accessible computing share a common goal of making technology accessible to users with disabilities. Perhaps because of this goal, they may also share a tendency to centralize disability rather than ability. We present a refinement to these approaches called ability-based design that consists of focusing on ability throughout the design process in an effort to create systems that leverage the full range of human potential. Just as user-centered design shifted the focus of interactive system design from systems to users, ability-based design attempts to shift the focus of accessible design from disability to ability. Although prior approaches to accessible computing may consider users’ abilities to some extent, ability-based design makes ability its central focus. We offer seven ability-based design principles and describe the projects that inspired their formulation. We also present a research agenda for ability-based design.Engineering and Applied Science

Nateglinide with glibenclamide examination using the respiratory quotient (RQ)

Purpose: The respiratory quotient (RQ) is useful for evaluating glucose and lipid metabolism in vivo. We previously reported that the RQ value, even after fasting, was high in diabetics being treated with sulphonylurea (SU), which might explain the accumulation of fat, leading to weight gain in such individuals. In the present study, wemeasured the RQ in type II diabetic patients who were being treated with a rapid-onset/short-duration insulinotropic agent, nateglinide, and compared it with those being treated with SU. Methods: A glucose tolerance test was performed in 20 patients with type II diabetes mellitus treated with nateglinide and in 14 patients treated with SU, and the RQ was simultaneously measured. Results : The RQ values in the patients treated with nateglinide, were similar to those in healthy adults, but was lower than in those treated with SU. No weight gain was observed in patients treated with nateglinide. Conclusion : A significant weight gain was reported in subjects treated with SU, accompanied by an increase in RQ. However, weight gain was less frequent in diabetics treated with nateglinide

The Usefulness of Pre-Radiofrequency Ablation SUVmax in 18F-FDG PET/CT to Predict the Risk of a Local Recurrence of Malignant Lung Tumors after Lung Radiofrequency Ablation

The aim of the present study was to assess the diagnostic usefulness of Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in the prediction of local recurrence of malignant lung tumors by analyzing the pre-radiofrequency ablation (RFA) maximal standardized uptake value (SUVmax). We performed a historical cohort study of consecutive malignant lung tumors treated by RFA from January 2007 to May 2008 at Okayama University Hospital. We selected only lung tumors examined by PET/CT within 90 days before RFA and divided them (10 primary and 29 metastatic) into 3 groups according to their tertiles of SUVmax. We calculated recurrence odds ratios in the medium group and the high group compared to the low group using multivariate logistic analysis. After we examined the relationship between SUVmax and recurrence in a crude model, we adjusted for some factors. Tumors with higher SUVmax showed higher recurrence odds ratios (medium group;1.84, high group;4.14, respectively). The tumor size also increased the recurrence odds ratio (2.67);we thought this was mainly due to selection bias because we excluded tumors less than 10mm in diameter. This study demonstrated the pre-RFA SUVmax in PET/CT may be a prognostic factor for local recurrence of malignant lung tumors