SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATION OF THE SCOLEX OF DIPLOGONOPORUS GRANDIS

Observations using scanning electron microscopy were carried out on the scolex of Diplogonoporus grandis (Blanchard, 1894). A live specimen of D. grandis was obtained from a Japanese patient who was treated with Gastrografin. The scolex had prominent sucking grooves on both sides and in a dorsal view, the scolex had a half-open scallop-like shape. This is the first report on the observations of the scolex of a living D. grandis obtained from a human patient using scanning electron microscopy

A CASE OF DIABETES INSIPIDUS ACCOMPANYING THIRST DISORDER ASSOCIATED WITH HYPEROSMOLAR DIABETIC COMA

The case of a 14-year-old female who suffered from hyperosmolar diabetic coma (HODC) after resection of craniopharyngioma and during treatment for hypopituitarism and diabetes insipidus is presented. In Aug. 1989, craniopharyngioma was diagnosed and she underwent resection surgery and radiotherapy. Since then, she had been on supplemental therapy with hydrocortisone and thyroxin and desmopressin (DDAVP). On Jan. 17, 1992, she fell into HODC upon ingesting a large amount of soft drink to supplement water due to persistent polyuria. She improved quickly when supplementary fluids and insulin were administered. She had demonstrated no abnormality in glucose tolerance prior to this manifestation. Insulin therapy was deemed unnecessary after her recovery from HODC. Because of a disorder in the central nervous thirst mechaninm, she lacked the sense of thirst and concomitantly the thirst-mediated water intake in spite of elevated plasma osmolarity due to dehydration and hyperglycemia. This seemed to be the cause of her accelerating dehydration. The resulting insulin resistance then brought about her HODC. Thus, it is difficult to consider such a case of HODC as symptomatic of diabetes when no abnormality in glucose tolerance either before manifestation or after restoration can be found. It should rather be considered as a case of “dehydration hyperglycemia" and be treated as such

Factors influencing acute high-grade restenosis in emergency percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction.

We studied the factors which may induce acute high grade restenosis in emergency percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). PTCA was attempted in 50 patients with acute myocardial infarction, and the balloon catheter passed successfully across the occlusion site in 47 (94%) of the patients. These 47 patients were analyzed. &#34;Acute restenosis&#34; was defined as a lesion which was revascularized to less than 50% luminal reduction narrowed again to more than 75% luminal reduction 5 min after the balloon inflation. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used for determining factors which significantly influenced acute restenosis. The incidence of at least one restenosis episode was 45%. Multiple regression analysis selected 5 factors associated significantly with an increased rate of acute restenosis: 1) angiographic evidence of dissection, 2) lesion in the right coronary artery (RCA), 3) lack of or insufficient administration of thrombolytic agent preceding PTCA, 4) curved lesion and 5) relatively small balloon/artery diameter ratio. Acute restenosis correlated significantly with late reocclusion. This study indicates that it is important to administer a thrombolytic agent prior to emergency PTCA, and to use an adequately sized balloon to the artery when the acute restenosis occurs by using relatively smaller sized balloon. The present data also demonstrated that patients with RCA and a curved lesion have a relatively high risk of acute restenosis. This study indicates how patients with relatively high risk of acute restenosis may be identified.</p

Amendment of the Japanese Consensus Guidelines for Autoimmune Pancreatitis, 2013 II. Extrapancreatic lesions, differential diagnosis

Published online: 25 March 2014ArticleJOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY. 49(5):765-784 (2014)journal articl

Effect of dietary protamine on lipid metabolism in rats

Protamine has been widely used as a pharmaceutical product and natural food preservative. However, few studies have been conducted to assess the beneficial function of dietary protamine. This study examined the effects of dietary salmon protamine on serum and liver lipid levels and the expression levels of genes encoding proteins involved in lipid homeostasis in the liver of rats. Groups of male Wistar rats were fed AIN93G diet containing 2% or 5% protamine. After 4 weeks of feeding these diets, markedly decreased serum and liver cholesterol (CHOL) and triacylglycerol levels were noted. Increased activity of liver carnitine palmitoyltransferase-2 and acyl-CoA oxidase, which are key enzymes of fatty acid β-oxidation in the mitochondria and peroxisomes, was found in rats fed on protamine. Furthermore, rats fed protamine showed enhanced fecal excretion of CHOL and bile acid and increased liver mRNA expression levels of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) G5 and ABCG8, which form heterodimers and play a major role in the secretion of CHOL into bile. The decrease in triacylglycerol levels in protamine-fed rats was due to the enhancement of liver β-oxidation. Furthermore, rats fed protamine exhibited decreased CHOL levels through the suppression of CHOL and bile acid absorption and the enhancement of CHOL secretion into bile. These results suggest that dietary protamine has beneficial effects that may aid in the prevention of lifestyle-related diseases such as hyperlipidemia and atherosclerosis

Cesium Carbonate-Catalyzed α-Phenylchalcogenation of Carbonyl Compounds with Diphenyl Dichalcogenide

It was found that cesium carbonate has a unique catalytic ability on the reaction of carbonyl compounds with diphenyl diselenide to give the corresponding α-phenylseleno carbonyl compounds in moderate to good yields. Similarly, the α-phenylthiolation of carbonyl compounds with diphenyl disulfide was promoted by the cesium carbonate catalyst

The in vitro estrogenic activity of the crude drugs found in Japanese herbal medicines prescribed for menopausal syndrome was enhanced by combining them

Abstract Background Japanese herbal medicines can be used as alternatives to estrogen therapy and are sometimes prescribed for menopausal syndrome because they have fewer side effects and are associated with better compliance than estrogen therapy, but little is known about the pharmacological mechanisms of such treatments. This study aimed to explore the mechanisms responsible for the estrogen-like effects of five widely prescribed Japanese herbal medicines (unkeito, kamishoyosan, nyoshinsan, keishibukuryogan, and tokishakuyakusan). Methods We evaluated the estrogenic activity of these five Japanese herbal medicines and their metabolites using an estrogen receptor (ER)-dependent cell proliferation bioassay and an ER-dependent reporter assay. We also investigated the estrogenic activity of the crude drugs within the medicines and attempted to detect inter-crude drug synergistic effects using the ER-dependent reporter assay. Results We found that unkeito, kamishoyosan, and nyoshinsan exhibited estrogenic activity, and they displayed stronger estrogenic activity after being metabolized. Then, we focused on investigating the estrogenic activity of the crude drugs present within unkeito. We found that glycyrrhizae radix, cinnamomi cortex, evodiae fructus, and zingiberis rhizoma demonstrated ERβ-dependent estrogenic activity. The combined use of evodiae fructus and glycyrrhizae radix, or evodiae fructus and cinnamomi cortex produced synergistic ERβ-dependent estrogenic activity. Conclusion It was suggested that unkeito, kamishoyosan, and nyoshinsan exert estrogenic activity, and hence, might be useful for treating menopausal syndrome. Furthermore, synergistic estrogenic effects were detected between some of the crude drugs present within unkeito

The Forward Velocity of the Center of Pressure in the Midfoot is a Major Predictor of Gait Speed in Older Adults

Background: A better understanding of why gait speed declines with aging is necessary. Since the center of pressure (COP) controls the forward progression of the body during gait and the kinematic changes with aging are often observed during initial contact and toe-off phase, the forward COP velocities of these phases may have important roles for predicting gait speed. Methods: Sixty-eight community dwelling older females (mean age 72.3 years) participated. The COP was measured using an F-scan pressure-sensitive insole system, and the anterior-posterior displacements versus time were quantified. The foot was divided into three regions (rear, mid, and forefoot), and the forward COP velocity was calculated at each region (Velocity 1, Velocity 2, and Velocity 3). Gait speed, double support phase (DSP), and cadence were also measured. Correlations and multiple regression analysis were performed. Results: Gait speed was significantly associated with age (r = −0.46), DSP (r = −0.51), cadence (r = 0.41), Velocity 1 (r = 0.29), and Velocity 2 (r = 0.61). However, no correlation was found between Velocity 3 and gait speed. In multiple regression analysis using gait speed as a dependent variable, age, DSP, and Velocity 2 were significant predictors of gait speed, with Velocity 2 being the most significant predictor. Conclusion: The COP velocity of the midfoot is an important factor for predicting gait speed, suggesting that the mobility of the COP during the single stance phase has a significant effect on gait speed in older adults