Evidence of brain atrophy detected on magnetic resonance imaging is associated with failure of acquisition of the ability for insulin self-injection.

Type 2 diabetes is known to be associated with cognitive dysfunction and an increased risk of dementia in the elderly. Although it is one of the most efficacious therapies in diabetic patients, insulin therapy requires that patients learn to inject themselves with insulin. We studied the association between brain atrophy detected on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head and the ability of type 2 diabetic patients to learn self-injection. MRI of the head was performed in 41 type 2 diabetic patients aged 60-80 years old. The area of the cerebrum relative to the intracranial area (the brain parenchymal fraction: BPF) was calculated with the WinROOF software program. Learning ability was assessed by counting the number of training sessions needed to acquire the ability to self-inject. Patients were divided into a failure group and success group. The average age was significantly higher (P < 0.001) and the BPF was significantly lower (P < 0.001) in the failure group (patients requiring 14 or more training sessions) than the success group (the remaining patients). A binary logistic regression analysis revealed that both age and BPF were independent predictors of success/failure in acquiring self-injection ability (P = 0.005 and P = 0.031, respectively). We conclude that brain atrophy on MRI is an important determinant of the ability of patients to learn insulin self-injection.

Evidence of brain atrophy detected on magnetic resonance imaging is associated with failure of acquisition of the ability for insulin self-injection.

Type 2 diabetes is known to be associated with cognitive dysfunction and an increased risk of dementia in the elderly. Although it is one of the most efficacious therapies in diabetic patients, insulin therapy requires that patients learn to inject themselves with insulin. We studied the association between brain atrophy detected on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head and the ability of type 2 diabetic patients to learn self-injection. MRI of the head was performed in 41 type 2 diabetic patients aged 60-80 years old. The area of the cerebrum relative to the intracranial area (the brain parenchymal fraction: BPF) was calculated with the WinROOF software program. Learning ability was assessed by counting the number of training sessions needed to acquire the ability to self-inject. Patients were divided into a failure group and success group. The average age was significantly higher (P < 0.001) and the BPF was significantly lower (P < 0.001) in the failure group (patients requiring 14 or more training sessions) than the success group (the remaining patients). A binary logistic regression analysis revealed that both age and BPF were independent predictors of success/failure in acquiring self-injection ability (P = 0.005 and P = 0.031, respectively). We conclude that brain atrophy on MRI is an important determinant of the ability of patients to learn insulin self-injection.

The dawn of a sexual assault relief center: A 12-year fact-finding survey of victims of sexual assault conducted since 2010 by SACHICO, Japan's first rape crisis center.

OBJECTIVE: In Japan, amidst insufficient legal provisions and governmental support, in 2010, the first rape crisis center, the Sexual Assault Crisis Healing Intervention Center Osaka (SACHICO) was established. We compared SACHICO visitor data from 2010 to 2021 with National Police Agency statistics to clarify the current situation of sexual assault victims in Japan and considered future issues for Japan to address. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional study that analyzed the data described below. All visitations to SACHICO between April 2010 and December 2021 were considered targets for data totaling. Data on crime statistics were gathered from the official governmental statistics portal site. RESULTS: A total of 12 036 visitations occurred, of which 3189 were first-time consultations; 3100 initial medical examinations were conducted, and no medical examination was conducted in the remaining 89 cases (2.7%). The number of initial medical examinations increased 3.7 times from 2010 to 2021. Victims under the age of 19 comprised 60% of the total number of initial medical examinations (1863/3100). The reporting rate for all 3100 initial medical examinations was only 31.3% (969/3100) of the cases. The proportion of forcible sexual intercourse versus forcible indecency were the converse of those observed among acknowledged cases nationwide and in Osaka Prefecture. For several years, the number of initial medical consultations at SACHICO has exceeded that of acknowledged cases in Osaka Prefecture. CONCLUSION: Support for victims of sexual assault in Japan is still insufficient. It is necessary to strengthen the system of rape crisis centers system to realize an unbroken chain of support for victims.

Pruritus and protein-bound uremic toxins in patients undergoing hemodialysis: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Patients undergoing hemodialysis frequently experience pruritus; its severity is associated with poor quality of life and mortality. Recent progress in hemodialysis treatment has improved the removal of small- and middle-molecular-weight molecules; however, the removal of protein-bound uremic toxins (PBUTs) remains difficult. It is possible that pruritus is associated with serum PBUTs in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Methods: We conducted a multicenter cross-sectional study in patients undergoing hemodialysis (n = 135). The severity of pruritus was assessed using the 5D-itch scale and medication use. Serum PBUTs, including indoxyl sulfate, p-cresyl sulfate, indole acetic acid, phenyl sulfate, and hippuric acid, were measured using mass spectrometry; the PBUT score was calculated from these toxins using principal component analysis. Univariate and multiple regression analyses were performed to examine independent predictors of pruritus. Results: Pruritus was reported by 62.2%, 21.5%, and 13.3%, 1.5% and 0.7% as 5 (not at all), 6-10, 11-15, 16-20, and 21-25 points, respectively. The PBUT score was higher in patients undergoing dialysis having pruritus than those without pruritus (0.201 [-0.021 to 0.424] vs -0.120 [-0.326 to 0.087]; P = 0.046). The PBUT score was shown to have an association with the presence of pruritus (coefficient 0.498[Formula: see text]0.225, odds ratio: 1.65 [1.06-2.56]; P = 0.027). Conclusion: Uremic pruritus was frequently found and associated with the PBUT score in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Further studies are required to clarify the impact of PBUTs on uremic pruritus and to explore therapeutic strategies in patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Roles and regulation of cytokinins in tomato fruit development.

Cytokinins (CKs) are thought to play important roles in fruit development, especially cell division. However, the mechanisms and regulation of CK activity have not been well investigated. This study analysed CK concentrations and expression of genes involved in CK metabolism in developing tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) ovaries. The concentrations of CK ribosides and isopentenyladenine and the transcript levels of the CK biosynthetic genes SlIPT3, SlIPT4, SlLOG6, and SlLOG8 were high at anthesis and decreased immediately afterward. In contrast, trans-zeatin concentration and the transcript levels of the CK biosynthetic genes SlIPT1, SlIPT2, SlCYP735A1, SlCYP735A2, and SlLOG2 increased after anthesis. The expression of type-A response regulator genes was high in tomato ovaries from pre-anthesis to early post-anthesis stages. These results suggest that the CK signal transduction pathway is active in the cell division phase of fruit development. This study also investigated the effect of CK application on fruit set and development. Application of a synthetic CK, N-(2-chloro-pyridin-4-yl)-N'-phenylurea (CPPU), to unpollinated tomato ovaries induced parthenocarpic fruit development. The CPPU-induced parthenocarpic fruits were smaller than pollinated fruits, because of reduction of pericarp cell size rather than reduced cell number. Thus, CPPU-induced parthenocarpy was attributable to the promotion of cell division, not cell expansion. Overall, the results provide evidence that CKs are involved in cell division during development of tomato fruit.

Protein-bound uremic toxins in hemodialysis patients measured by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry and their effects on endothelial ROS production.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is prevalent in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In hemodialysis (HD) patients, some protein-bound uremic toxins are considered to be associated with CVD. However, it is not yet known which uremic toxins are important in terms of endothelial toxicity. Serum samples were obtained from 45 HD patients before and after HD. Total and free serum concentrations of indoxyl sulfate, indoxyl glucuronide, indoleacetic acid, p-cresyl sulfate, p-cresyl glucuronide, phenyl sulfate, phenyl glucuronide, phenylacetic acid, phenylacetyl glutamine, hippuric acid, 4-ethylphenyl sulfate, and 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropionic acid (CMPF) were simultaneously measured by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS). The effects of these solutes at their pre-HD mean and maximum serum concentrations on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were measured with a ROS probe. Serum levels of 11 of the solutes (all except 4-ethylphenyl sulfate) were significantly increased in HD patients compared to healthy subjects. All 12 solutes showed changes in their protein-binding ratios. In particular, indoxyl sulfate, p-cresyl sulfate, CMPF, and 4-ethylphenyl sulfate showed high protein-binding ratios (>95 %) and low reduction rates by HD (<35 %). Indoxyl sulfate at its mean and maximum pre-HD serum concentrations-even with 4 % albumin-stimulated ROS production in HUVEC most intensely, followed by CMPF. In conclusion, the serum levels of 11 protein-bound uremic toxins were increased in HD patients. Indoxyl sulfate, p-cresyl sulfate, and CMPF could not be removed efficiently by HD due to their high protein-binding ratios. Indoxyl sulfate most intensely induced endothelial ROS production, followed by CMPF.

Correlations of fasting and postprandial blood glucose increments to the overall diurnal hyperglycemic status in type 2 diabetic patients: variations with levels of HbA1c.

Studies from overseas have indicated that postprandial glucose excursions are predominant in subjects with moderate hyperglycemia, while fasting hyperglycemia become the predominant abnormality with worsening of hyperglycemia; however, few studies have yet investigated the correlation between HbA1c and fasting and/or postprandial hyperglycemia in Japanese subjects. We investigated the correlation between fasting and postprandial hyperglycemia and the overall diabetic status, as assessed by measurement of HbA1c, in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. Blood glucose (BG) concentrations were determined in the fasting state (8:00 A.M.), during the postprandial phases (at 10:30 A.M., 2:30 P.M. and 8:30 P.M.) and during the postabsorptive periods (at 11:30 A.M. and 17:30 P.M.) in 66 patients with type 2 diabetes who were not being treated with prandial/premixed insulins or alpha-glucosidase inhibitors. The areas under the curve above the fasting BG concentrations (AUC1) and over 110 mg/dl (AUC2) were calculated for further evaluation of the correlations of the postprandial (AUC1) and fasting (AUC2 - AUC1) BG increments to the overall diurnal hyperglycemic status. Subjects were separated into two groups using the HbA1c cutoff value of 8%. The fasting BG was not correlated with the HbA1c in the group with a HbA1c values of less than 8% (r = 0.125, p = 0.473). On the other hand, fasting hyperglycemia was strongly correlated with the HbA1c level in the group with HbA1c values of over 8.0% (r = 0.406, p = 0.023). Furthermore, postprandial hyperglycemia was strongly correlated with the HbA1c in the group with HbA1c levels less than 8.0% (r = 0.524, p = 0.001). Thus, there existed a progressive shift in the contribution of fasting and postprandial hyperglycemia to the overall hyperglycemic status with progression from moderate to severe diabetes mellitus in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients.

Analysis of enzyme production by submerged culture of Aspergillus oryzae using whole barley.

We have reported on high enzyme production by submerged culture of Aspergillus kawachii using barley with the husk (whole barley). To elucidate the mechanism underlying this high enzyme production, we performed a detailed analysis. Aspergillus oryzae RIB40 was submerged-cultured using whole barley and milled whole barley. Enzyme production was analyzed in terms of changes in medium components and gene expression levels. When whole barley was used, high production of glucoamylase and alpha-amylase and high gene expression levels of these enzymes were observed. Low ammonium concentrations were maintained with nitrate ion uptake continuing into the late stage using whole barley. These findings suggest that the sustainability of nitrogen metabolism is related to high enzyme production, and that a mechanism other than that associated with the conventional amylase expression system is involved in this relationship.

Usefulness of a salt check sheet for elementary school and junior high school children.

There are no known methods to easily evaluate the dietary salt intake of children. We hypothesized that the salt check sheet, for which validity has been confirmed in both hypertensive outpatients and in the general population, can be used to assess dietary salt intake in children. We enrolled 188 healthy schoolchildren (mean age 11.2 ± 1.1 years, 53.2% boys) and asked them to answer both the salt check sheet and a brief self-administered dietary history questionnaire for Japanese schoolchildren aged 6-18 years (BDHQ15y). The mean total salt check-sheet score was 12.7 ± 4.0 points (range: 4-24 points), and the estimated daily salt intake from the BDHQ15y was 12.1 ± 3.7 g (range: 4.7-27.2 g). The total check-sheet score was significantly positively correlated with the estimated daily salt intake from the BDHQ15y (r = 0.408, P < 0.001). Thirty-one study participants were assigned to the "low" salt group (total score on the salt check sheet was 0-8 points), 78 participants to the "medium" salt group (9-13 points), and 79 participants to the "high and very high" salt group (≥14 points), and a comparison estimating daily salt intake from the BDHQ15y among the three groups was performed. Daily salt-intake levels tended to increase as the group of total check-sheet scores increased: "low" vs "medium" vs "high and very high" salt group levels were 9.5 ± 3.1 vs 11.6 vs 13.5 ± 3.9, respectively (P < 0.001). This demonstrates that the salt check sheet is a useful tool to easily assess dietary salt intake in children.

Role of seed coat in imbibing soybean seeds observed by micro-magnetic resonance imaging.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Imbibition of Japanese soybean (Glycine max) cultivars was studied using micro-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in order to elucidate the mechanism of soaking injury and the protective role of the seed coat. METHODS: Time-lapse images during water uptake were acquired by the single-point imaging (SPI) method at 15-min intervals, for 20 h in the dry seed with seed coat, and for 2 h in seeds with the seed coat removed. The technique visualized water migration within the testa and demonstrated the distortion associated with cotyledon swelling during the very early stages of water uptake. KEY RESULTS: Water soon appeared in the testa and went around the dorsal surface of the seed from near the raphe, then migrated to the hilum region. An obvious protrusion was noted when water reached the hypocotyl and the radicle, followed by swelling of the cotyledons. A convex area was observed around the raphe with the enlargement of the seed. Water was always incorporated into the cotyledons from the abaxial surfaces, leading to swelling and generating a large air space between the adaxial surfaces. Water uptake greatly slowed, and the internal structures, veins and oil-accumulating tissues in the cotyledons developed after the seed stopped expanding. When the testa was removed from the dry seeds before imbibition, the cotyledons were severely damaged within 1.5 h of water uptake. CONCLUSIONS: The activation of the water channel seemed unnecessary for water entry into soybean seeds, and the testa rapidly swelled with steeping in water. However, the testa did not regulate the water incorporation in itself, but rather the rate at which water encountered the hypocotyl, the radicle, and the cotyledons through the inner layer of the seed coat, and thus prevented the destruction of the seed tissues at the beginning of imbibition.

Correlation between Serum Levels of Protein-Bound Uremic Toxins in Hemodialysis Patients Measured by LC/MS/MS.

Uremic toxins are involved in a variety of symptoms in advanced chronic kidney disease. Especially, the accumulation of protein-bound uremic toxins in the blood of dialysis patients might play an important role in the development of cardiovascular disease. Serum concentration of protein-bound uremic toxins such as indoxyl sulfate, indoxyl glucuronide, indoleacetic acid, p-cresyl sulfate, p-cresyl glucuronide, phenyl sulfate, phenyl glucuronide, phenylacetic acid, phenylacetylglutamine, hippuric acid, 4-ethylphenyl sulfate, and 3-carboxy-4-methyl-5-propyl-2-furanpropionic acid (CMPF) in hemodialysis patients were simultaneously measured by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry. Serum levels of these protein-bound uremic toxins were increased in hemodialysis patients. Indoxyl sulfate, p-cresyl sulfate, and CMPF could not be removed efficiently by hemodialysis due to their high protein-binding ratios. Serum level of total indoxyl sulfate did not show any significant correlation with total p-cresyl sulfate. However, free indoxyl sulfate correlated with free p-cresyl sulfate, and reduction rate by hemodialysis of indoxyl sulfate correlated with that of p-cresyl sulfate. Serum levels of total and free indoxyl sulfate showed significantly positive correlation with those of indoxyl glucuronide, phenyl sulfate, and phenyl glucuronide. Serum levels of total and free p-cresyl sulfate showed significantly positive correlation with those of p-cresyl glucuronide, phenylacetylglutamine, and phenylacetic acid. Indoxyl sulfate and indoxyl glucuronide are produced from indole which is produced in the intestine from tryptophan by intestinal bacteria. p-Cresyl sulfate and p-cresyl glucuronide are produced from p-cresol which is produced in the intestine from tyrosine by intestinal bacteria. Thus, intestinal bacteria play an important role in the metabolism of protein-bound uremic toxins.

Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 is associated with renal dysfunction independent of BMI and serum lipid levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.

We investigated a possible association between serum plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels and renal dysfunction in 124 type 2 diabetes patients. Multiple linear regression analyses indicated that the PAI-1 levels were significantly inversely correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) independent of albuminuria, BMI, LDL-C, and triglyceride.

Double-blind randomized clinical trial of the effects of ezetimibe on postprandial hyperlipidaemia and hyperglycaemia.

AIM: Ezetimibe selectively blocks intestinal cholesterol absorption by inhibiting Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) and reducing LDL cholesterol (LDL-C). In animals, ezetimibe reversed diet-induced obesity, liver steatosis, and insulin resistance. In humans, its potential effects on liver steatosis and insulin resistance have been suggested. We investigated the effects of ezetimibe on postprandial hyperlipidaemia and hyperglycaemia in obese subjects with dyslipidaemia in a double-blind randomized crossover trial. METHODS: Twenty obese men with hypertriglyceridaemia were assigned randomly to an ezetimibe- or a placebo-precedence-treated group. Subjects in the ezetimibe group were treated with ezetimibe (10 mg/day) for the first 4 weeks, followed by a 4-week interval and then treated with placebo for another 4 weeks. The placebo group received these treatments in reverse order. Subjects were requested to fast for at least 12 hours and then received a standard meal. Blood samples were collected at 0, 30, 60, 120, 240, 360 and 480 minutes after the meal on Days 0, 28, 56 and 84 and were used to measure the lipid and glucose metabolism markers. RESULTS: Ezetimibe significantly decreased the postprandial serum triglyceride excursion (p=0.01) and fasting serum LDL-C, remnant-like particles(RLP) and ApoB48 levels (p<0.05). Postprandial glucose excursion, serum insulin levels, serum glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and active glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) were not significantly affected by ezetimibe treatment. CONCLUSION: Ezetimibe restored the postprandial dysregulation of lipid but did not affect glucose metabolism in a double-blind randomized crossover trial.

Isolation and functional characterization of the FLOWERING LOCUS T homolog, the LsFT gene, in lettuce.

High temperature-induced bolting of lettuce is undesirable agriculturally, making it important to find the mechanism governing the transition from vegetative to reproductive growth. FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) genes play important roles in the induction of flowering in several plant species. To clarify floral induction in lettuce, we isolated the FT gene (LsFT) from lettuce. Sequence analysis and phylogenetic relationships of LsFT revealed considerable homology to FT genes of Arabidopsis, tomato, and other species. LsFT induced early flowering in transgenic Arabidopsis, but was not completely effective compared to AtFT. LsFT mRNA was abundant in the largest leaves under flowering-inducible conditions (higher temperatures). Gene expression was correlated with flower differentiation of the shoot apical meristem. Our results suggest that LsFT is a putative FT homolog in lettuce that regulates flower transition, similar to its homolog in Arabidopsis. This is the first information on the lettuce floral gene for elucidating regulation of the flowering transition in lettuce.

Impact of glucose tolerance on the severity of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.

UNLABELLED: Aims/Introduction: We investigated the relationship between non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and different stages of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) concentrations, and the association between factors related to glucose tolerance and severity of NASH. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 147 patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) who had undergone a liver biopsy were divided into three groups: a normal glucose tolerance (NGT) group, an impaired fasting glucose (IFG) group and a diabetes (DM) group. In addition, to investigate progression factors of NASH in the DM group, we divided the diabetic patients into two groups: a group with NASH (NASH group) and a group without NASH, the simple steatosis (SS) group. The relationship between the patients' clinical parameters and the severity of NAFLD/NASH were analyzed. RESULTS: In the patients with liver biopsies, the IFG group had the highest percentage of NASH. There was no correlation between FPG and either total NAFLD activity scores (NAS) or staging of NASH, but the fasting serum insulin was correlated significantly with both, even after adjusting for age, sex and body mass index. Among the diabetic patients, the fasting insulin values in the NASH group were significantly higher than in the SS group, but there were no differences in FPG or A1c values between the two groups. The fasting serum insulin correlated significantly with total NAS, but the FPG and A1c values did not. CONCLUSIONS: A high percentage of the IFG group developed NASH. Hyperinsulinemia, but not hyperglycemia, was associated with severity of NASH. (J Diabetes Invest, doi: 10.1111/j.2040-1124.2011.00134.x, 2011).

Metabolomic analysis of uremic toxins by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry.

We applied the metabolomic analysis of comprehensive small-molecular metabolites using liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) and principal component analysis to identify uremic toxins accumulated in the serum of chronic renal failure (CRF) rats. CRF rats were produced by 5/6-nephrectomy. Indoxyl sulfate was demonstrated to be the first principal serum metabolite which differentiates CRF from normal, followed by phenyl sulfate, hippuric acid and p-cresyl sulfate. Then, we measured the serum levels of indoxyl sulfate, phenyl sulfate, hippuric acid and p-cresyl sulfate by the selected reaction monitoring (SRM) of LC/ESI-MS/MS, and demonstrated that these serum levels were markedly increased in CRF rats as compared with normal rats. As creatinine clearance decreased, the serum levels of the metabolites increased.

Metabolomic search for uremic toxins as indicators of the effect of an oral sorbent AST-120 by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry.

An oral sorbent AST-120 composed of spherical porous carbon particles has superior adsorption ability for certain small-molecular-weight organic compounds known to accumulate in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). A metabolomic approach was applied to search for uremic toxins as possible indicators of the effect of AST-120. Serum metabolites in normal and CRF rats before and after administration of AST-120 for 3 days were analyzed by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) and principal component analysis. Further, serum and urine levels of the indicators were quantified by selected reaction monitoring of LC/ESI-MS/MS. Indoxyl sulfate was the first principal serum metabolite, which could differentiate CRF from both normal and AST-120-administered CRF rats, followed by hippuric acid, phenyl sulfate and 4-ethylphenyl sulfate. CRF rats showed increased serum levels of indoxyl sulfate, hippuric acid, phenyl sulfate, 4-ethylphenyl sulfate and p-cresyl sulfate. Administration of AST-120 for 3 days to the CRF rats reduced the serum and urine levels of these metabolites. In conclusion, indoxyl sulfate is the best indicator of the effect of AST-120 in CRF rats. Hippuric acid, phenyl sulfate and 4-ethylphenyl sulfate are suggested as the additional indicators. 4-Ethylphenyl sulfate is a newly identified uremic substance.

Self-injection of insulin using appropriate supportive devices in handicapped subjects with diabetes.

BACKGROUND: To self-inject insulin, individuals with diabetes must be able to attach the needle to the injector, recognize the appropriate insulin dosage, detach the needle from the injector, and perform a series of operations necessary for the actual injection. These tasks require a grip strength that is strong enough to hold the necessary devices, eyesight, the use of both hands, and at least a minimum intellectual capacity. Subjects who are unable to grasp or handle the devices required for insulin injection often have difficulties with the self-injection of insulin. METHODS: We treated four diabetes patients who had trouble grasping objects and using both hands. One patient had lost five fingers in an accident, two patients had suffered from ischemic cerebral infarction resulting in complete one-sided hemiplegia with no movement in one arm, and one patient had limited muscular power in an arm as a result of spinal cord disease. The plasma glucose control was poor, and the initiation of insulin therapy was necessary in each of these patients. In three cases, we used a commercially available self-injection device (HumaHelper; Eli Lilly Japan K.K., Kobe, Japan) to enable self-injection; in the fourth case, we used a newly manufactured device similar to HumaHelper. RESULTS: All the patients were able to inject insulin by themselves using the appropriate supplementary devices. The blood glucose control of all the patients subsequently improved. CONCLUSION: Existing or newly manufactured supportive devices can enable handicapped subjects to self-inject insulin.

Singlet oxygen quenching by trolox C in aqueous micelle solutions.

Singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)) quenching by trolox C (TC, 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid), which is a water-soluble vitamin E analogue, in ethanol-water solutions and in aqueous SDS and CTAC micelles was studied by measuring the time-profiles of (1)O(2) phosphorescence at 1274 nm. The second-order rate-constant for (1)O(2) quenching by TC was determined in the ethanol-water solution to be 1.03 x 10(8), 6.22 x 10(7) and 6.23 x 10(7) M(-1) s(-1) at pH 2.0, 7.0, and 8.4, respectively. These values mean that the non-dissociated form of TC under acidic conditions has superior activity to the mono-anion form. In aqueous micelle systems, the decay rate of (1)O(2) at first decreased and then increased with increase of the concentration of TC. This behavior is explained in terms of the (1)O(2) quenching by TC in the bulk phase and in terms of shifting the environment surrounding (1)O(2) to lipophilic by dissolving TC in the hydrophobic region inside the micelle. The present investigation on (1)O(2) emission dynamics in inhomogeneous solutions made it possible to detect a little change in the solutions, which affects the environment around (1)O(2), such as the micelle formation and dissolving solute in the micelle.

The endogenous level of GA(1) is upregulated by high temperature during stem elongation in lettuce through LsGA3ox1 expression.

Bolting of lettuce is promoted by high temperatures. Gibberellins (GAs) play an important role in the bolting of several plant species, and it has been reported that exogenous GAs induce bolting and early flowering in lettuce. To clarify the role of GAs in this process, we examined the expression of genes involved in GA metabolism (LsGA20ox-1 and -2, LsGA3ox-1 and -2, and LsGA2ox-1 and -2) and endogenous GAs in lettuce stems. Quantitative reverse-transcription PCR indicated that the expression of a GA 3-oxidase gene, LsGA3ox1, is significantly upregulated by high (35/25 degrees C) temperature compared to low (25/15 degrees C) temperature, whereas transcription of the GA 20-oxidase gene, which is upregulated in long-day conditions in arabidopsis and spinach during bolting, is not clearly affected. Quantification of GA by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) showed that high temperature also upregulates the content of GA(1), a bioactive GA in lettuce. Our results suggest that LsGA3ox1 is a candidate for the gene responsible for the increase in GA(1) during lettuce bolting at high temperatures.