Brainstem Infarction and Panuveitis due to Sarcoidosis Successfully Treated with Steroid Pulse Therapy

A 36-year-old man visited our hospital because of blurred vision and redness of the conjunctiva. Slit-lamp examination showed panuveitis. Two days later, he suddenly experienced dizziness, speech disturbance, paralysis of his right extremities, and gait disturbances. Neurological examinations suggested that his symptoms were caused by a left lateral medullary lesion. He also had erythema mainly on his trunk. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of his brain demonstrated a small infarct on the left side of the medulla oblongata. Clinical presentation and MRI findings were consistent with the diagnosis of a Wallenberg's syndrome. He also had bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy. A skin biopsy showed granulomatous nodular dermatitis compatible with sarcoidosis. He was treated with steroid pulse therapy and his neurological and ocular symptoms immediately improved. Only seven similar cases of intracranical sarcoidosis have been reported, but none had been treated with steroid pulse therapy. We recommend that steroid pulse therapy be considered to treat patients with sarcoidosis with signs of lesions in the central nervous system

Sulfate and taurine excretion in rats after L-cysteine administration.

Excretion of sulfate and taurine, two major metabolites of sulfur, was examined in rats to study the nutritional status of sulfur metabolism in the mammals. Rats maintained on a conventional laboratory diet excreted 1.83 +/- 0.14 mmol of free sulfate and 229.0 +/- 75.3 mumol of taurine/kg of body weight per day. When the diet was changed to a synthetic 25% casein diet, the taurine excretion decreased to 15% of the previous daily excretion, but sulfate excretion decreased only slightly. These decreased levels returned to the original levels when 5 mmol of L-cysteine/kg of body weight was administered into the stomach through a catheter. One week after the first L-cysteine administration, when sulfate and taurine excretion had returned to the original levels, 5 mmol of L-cysteine/kg of body weight was administered likewise. The rats excreted sulfur corresponding to about 95% of L-cysteine administered in the form of free sulfate and taurine within a few days following L-cysteine administration, and sulfate excretion was 3.5 times more than taurine excretion. These results seem to suggest that, in rats, sulfur metabolism is in a state of equilibrium and that sulfate is formed preferentially to taurine.</p

Gas Chromatographic Determination of Sulfuric Acid and Application to Urinary Sulfate

A new gas chromatographic method for the determination of sulfate was developed. In this method, sulfate was quantitatively converted to a volatile derivative, dimethyl sulfate, by a two-step procedure. First, sulfate was converted to silver sulfate by reaction with silver oxide, and then to dimethyl sulfate by reaction with methyl iodide. The derivative was analyzed by gas chromatography. Methyl methanesulfonate was used as an internal standard. The method was applied to the determination of total urinary sulfate. Phosphate and chloride ions, which interfered with the present method, were eliminated with the use of basic magnesium carbonate and an excess of silver oxide, respectively. Recovery was over 96% when 5 to 40 mumol/ml of sulfate was added to human urine samples.</p

The polymorphism in the caudal-related homeodomain protein Cdx-2 binding element in the human vitamin D receptor gene

The major physiological activity of 1,25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) is the regulation of calcium absorption in the small intestine, and the level of vitamin D receptor (VDR) is an important factor in this regulation. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the caudal-related homeodomain Cdx-2 played an important role in the intestine-specific transcription of the human VDR gene. In the present study, the polymorphism was identified in the core sequence 5'-ATAAAAACTTAT-3' in the Cdx-2 binding site in the VDR gene promoter. In 261 Japanese women with genotyped VDR polymorphisms, 48 were genotype Cdx-A (adenine at-3731 nt relative to the transcription start site of human VDR gene, 5'-A_TAAAAACTTAT'-3'), 82 were genotype Cdx-G (guanine at-3731 nt, 5'-G_TAAAAACTTAT-3'), 131 were genotype Cdx-A/G (heterozygote). The bone mineral density (BMD) in the lumbar spine (L2-4) with the Cdx-A homozygote was 12% lower than that with the Cdx-G homozygote (P<0.05). In electropholertic gel mobility shift assay, the oligonucleotide with Cdx-G allele markedly decreased the binding to Cdx-2 compared with that in the Cdx-A allele. The transcriptional activity of the VDR promoter with Cdx-G allele was decreased to 70% of the Cdx-A allele. In addition, in the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase promoter, the Cdx-2 binding element with the G allele showed significantly lower transcriptional activity than that of the A allele. Thus, the polymorphism in the Cdx-2 binding site of the VDR gene (Cdx-polymorphism) would affect the expression of VDR in the small intestine. In addition, this polymorphism may modulate BMD in postmenopausal Japanese women

Detection of anaerobic carbon monoxide-oxidizing thermophiles in hydrothermal environments.

Carboxydotrophic anaerobic thermophiles have been isolated from various hydrothermal environments and are considered to be important carbon monoxide (CO) scavengers or primary producers. However, the ecological factors that influence the distribution, abundance and CO-oxidizing activities of these bacteria are poorly understood. A previous study detected the carboxydotrophic bacteria Carboxydothermus spp. in a hot spring sample and found that they constituted up to 10% of the total bacterial cells. In this study, we investigated environmental features, potential microbial CO-oxidation activities and the abundance of Carboxydothermus spp. in various hot springs to determine environmental factors that affect CO oxidizers and to see whether Carboxydothermus spp. are common in these environments. We detected potential microbial CO-oxidation activities in samples that showed relatively high values of total organic carbon, total nitrogen, oxidation-reduction potential and soil-water content. The abundance of Carboxydothermus spp. did not correlate with the presence of potential microbial CO-oxidation activities; however, Carboxydothermus spp. were detected in a wide range of environments, suggesting that these bacteria are widely distributed in spite of the relatively low population size. This study implies that thermophilic CO oxidizers occur in a wide range of environments and oxidize CO in somewhat oxidative environments rich in organic matter

カルシウム キョウカジ ト セイゲンジ ニオケル ケッセイ オヨビ ニョウチュウ ノ カルシウム リン コツタイシャ マーカー ノ ヘンカ エイブン

カルシウム強化と制限時における血清中・尿中カルシウムとリン酸塩、骨型アルカリホスファターゼ、副甲状腺ホルモン(中間部)、1,25(OH)_2D_3、オステオカルシン、デオキシピリジノリンの変化を合わせて観察した。被験者は健康な男子で、4日間の調整期間中は日本人の栄養所要量を充たす食事を、7日間の実験期間中は3群とも同一の食事で、カルシウム以外の栄養素は栄養所要量を充たすように調整した。実験期間中はカルシウム300mg/日ベースとし、カルシウム350mg/日補充群をコントロール群(C群)、カルシウム1800mg/日補充群を強化群(S群)、カルシウム補充なしを制限群(R群)とした。血液試料は1,5,8日目の昼食前に採取し、尿試料は第2尿から翌日第1尿までの24時間尿を採取した。その結果、血清イオン化カルシウムと尿中カルシウム量は、3群間で有意な差はみられなかった。一方血清リンおよび尿中リンレベルはS群が最も低く、尿中リンは1日目、8日目はC群と、5日目はR群とに差がみられた。骨型アルカリホスファターゼ活性は1日目はR群がS群より低く、8日目はS群が低かった。5日目はS群が最も高くR群が最も低かった。R群8日目の骨型アルカリホスファターゼ活性は1日目より40%高く、S群では逆に8日目は1日目に対し50%低かった。デオキシピリジノリンには3群間に有意な差はみられなかったものの、C群が常に高かった。PTHレベルはC群が常に高かく8日目にはS群がR群より低かったが有意な差はみられなかった。また実験期間中のS群の1,25(OH)_2D_3レベルは常にR群より低かったが、オステオカルシンはS群が常に最も高かったが、群間の有意な差はみられなかった。これらの結果により、食事中への所要量を越えたカルシウム負荷は、血清および尿中カルシウム、リン酸、血清骨型アルカリホスファターゼ活性、オステオカルシン、PTH、1,25(OH)_2D_3レベルを骨吸収より骨形成優勢に整え、短期間での高カルシウム負荷は、骨粗鬆症予防に役立つことが示唆された。The present study was designed to investigate changes in the levels of calcium and inorganic phosphorus (IP) in serum and urine when calcium was supplemented or restricted. And also serum bone specific alkaline phosphatase (b-ALP), mid-portion parathyroid hormone (PTH), 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)_2D_3), osteocalsin (BGP) and urinary deoxypyridinoline (D-Pyr) were investigated. During the adjustment period (4d), healthy male subjects were given the same diet that satisfied recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for Japanese (650mg calcium). Then, during the 7-day experimental period, some groups received supplemental calcium to a 300mg base as follows : S group (n=4) 1800 mg/d; C group (n=3) 350 mg/d; R group (n=4) none. Blood samples were collected from each subject before lunch on days, 1, 5 and 8(see Fig.1). Also, samples from the second urination , day, 1, until the first urination, day 2 repeated for days 5 and 8, were collected for 24-h. The results showed that there was no significant difference in serum Ca^ and urine calcium levels among the groups. There was no significant difference in serum IP levels too, but the S group\u27s IP level was always the lowest of all groups. However, in the urination samples for days 1 and 8, the C group was higher than the S group, and on day 5, the R group was higher than the S group in IP levels. As for b-ALP activity, day 1 showed that the R group was lower than the S group (RS). In fact, on day 8 there was a 40% rise for the R group while the S group had a drop of 50%. Even so, on day 5 there was no statistical difference among the groups, though the S group was the highest and the R groups was the lowest. As for D-Pyr: there was no significant difference among the groups, but the C group was the highest. The PTH levels of R and S groups were lower than the C group, but not significant. On day 8, the S group\u27s PTH level was lower than the R group\u27s. Throughtout the experiment, the S group\u27s 1,25 (OH)_2D_3 was always lower than the R group\u27s, but the S group\u27s, but the S group\u27s BGP was always highest. These results suggest that the calcium overdose in their diets prearrange bone formation superior to bone resorption the level of serum or urine calcium, phosphate, and serum b-ALP, BGP, PTH and 1,25(OH)_2D_3, and high calcium supplementation in a short period is effective treatment for osteoporosis

クルマイス ランナー ノ アンセイ ジ タイシャ リョウ オヨビ エイヨウ セッシュ ジョウキョウ

The purpose of this study was to measure the resting energy expenditure (REE) ofwheelchair athletes and grasp their nutrient intake for the promotion of their health.Seventeen male wheelchair athletes, aged 24-63 years, participated in this research assubjects. The surveys of physical status and food intake frequency by their self-report wereconducted. The measurement of % body fat, mid-arm circumference, and REE was alsotaken. Their BMI and % body fat were almost in the appropriate range, and their mid-armcircumference was bigger than that of Japanese anthropometric reference data. The meanREE was 1,921±438 kcal/day about the subjects aged < 31 yaers (n=6), 1,619±228 kcal/day aged 41-50 years (n=3), 1,699±307 kcal/day aged 51-60 years (n=6), and 1,142 kcal/day aged 61 years (n=2), respectively. The REE and REE/Body weight (BW) weresimilar to each of those about ordinary persons. A positive correlation was observed betweenREE and height as well as BW. The energy and nutrient intakes were rather low,corresponding to each of those at physical activity level I (low) of healthy persons.Considering their appropriate body composition, however, the subjects were not judged in asort of light malnutrition, and their energy intake was considered to meet their requirement.There results suggested that individual nutritional guidance by a well-coordinated system,depending upon the degree of disability, energy expenditure and food intake, is necessary inorder to improve the competence for running and the QOL of wheelchair athletes

コウレイシャ ノ タメ ノ ハン テイリョウテキ ショクモツ セッシュ ヒンド チョウサホウ ノ シサク

Background and Objectives : According to Willett, the semi quantitative food frequency questionnaires (SQFFQ) have become the primary method for measuring dietary intake in epidemiological studies. Today, the same portion size used in adults and the elderly at SQFFQ. However, the portion size for the elderly is not the same for adults. We think the dietary intake for the elderly shows smaller portion size than adults for most foods. So we measured habitual use of portion size among the healthy elderly at 84 food items. We investigated nutrient intake for the elderly by nutrition survey wchich surveyed three season\u27s (early summer, fall, winter) duplicated method. Then we developed a SQFFQ for the elderly from their common foods consumption. The SQFFQ format became eight grades for the frequency and five grades the food consumption. To estimate the validity, newly developed of SQFFQ was compared with the three season\u27s duplicated method. Results and Conclusions : As for the validity, the relative difference between SQFFQ value and the duplicated method value was small. The relative difference of principal nutrients (energy, protein, and fat) were less than 5%, and vitamins A, B_1 and B_2 were 20-10%. Especially, there were significant correlations (p<0.01) between SQFFQ and duplicated method for intakes of vitamin B_1, dietary fiber, calcium and potassium. And there were significant correlations (p<0.05) between SQFFQ and duplicated method for the intakes of energy and vitamin B_2. These results suggest that our developed SQFFQ for a dietary survey that consists of 84 foods items, particularly are reliable for dietary assessment in healthy elderly people

Rapid microcystis cyanophage gene diversification revealed by long- and short-term genetic analyses of the tail sheath gene in a natural pond.

Viruses influence the abundance of host populations through virus-mediated host cell lysis. Viruses contribute to the generation and maintenance of host diversity, which also results in viral diversity throughout their coevolution. Here, to determine the phage gene diversification throughout the coevolution of host and phage in a natural environment, we investigated the genetic diversity and temporal changes in Microcystis cyanophage populations using a total of 810 sequences of the Ma-LMM01-type cyanophage tail sheath gene (g91) from 2006 to 2011 in a natural pond. The sequences obtained were highly diverse and assigned to 419 different genotypes (GT1 to GT419) clustered at 100% nucleotide sequence similarity. A maximum-parsimony network showed that the genotypes were largely divided into three sequence groups, which were dominated by major genotypes (more than 24 sequences: GT2, GT53, and GT163 in group I; GT25 in group II; and GT1 in group III). These major genotypes coexisted and oscillated throughout the sampling periods, suggesting that the Microcystis-cyanophage coevolution was partly driven by a negative frequency-dependent selection. Meanwhile, the high viral genetic diversity observed was derived from a large number of the variants of each major and moderately frequent genotype (including 7 to 18 sequences: GT7, GT26, GT56, GT149, and GT182 in group I; GT152 in group II) (1 or 2 nucleotide substitutions). The variants almost always co-occurred with their origin genotypes. This manner of variant emergence suggests that increased contact frequency within a host-phage population promotes rapid coevolution in a form of "arms race