Effects of the ether oxygen atom in alkyl side chains on the physical properties of piperidinium ionic liquids.

Various types of piperidinium ionic liquids (ILs) equipped with an oxygen atom-containing alkyl side chain on the positively charged nitrogen atom were systematically synthesized and their physical properties investigated. The thermal stability, viscosity, electrochemical window, and ion conductivity were influenced significantly by changing the position of the oxygen atom in the alkyl chain. Although the lowest viscosity was recorded for 1-((2-methoxyethoxy)methyl)-1-methylpiperidin-1-ium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide ([PP1MEM][Tf2N]), 1-methyl-1-(2-propoxyethyl)piperidin-1-ium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)amide ([PP1PE][Tf2N]) can be recommended as the best IL as an electrolyte due to its low viscosity and high thermal and electrochemical stability among the seven ILs tested.

Tooth eruption in a patient with craniometaphyseal dysplasia: case report.

Craniometaphyseal dysplasia (CMD) is a very rare genetic disorder of bone remodeling caused by osteoclast dysfunction. The clinical and radiographical features of oral findings are presented in a sporadic case of CMD in a child (age 10 years, 7 months). An intraoral examination showed severe malocclusions, including anterior crossbite and deep bite. Furthermore, a radiographic examination showed increased radiopacity of the maxilla and mandibular bones due to hyperostosis and sclerosis of the jaw. There was no root resorption of the canines or molars in the primary dentition, although root formation of the permanent teeth was proceeding. Dental age was calculated to be approximately 1 year, 4 months younger than his chronological age. The eruption speed of the permanent lateral incisors after the gingival emergence was shown to be within normal values, and we discuss whether the canines and premolars in the permanent dentition could erupt or not.

Effects of etidronate disodium on crystallizations in synthetic urine and calcium oxalate crystal adhesion to Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells.

BACKGROUND: Several reports in the 1970s suggested that etidronate disodium might be clinically useful to prevent calcium stones, but the use of etidronate in the urolithiasis field was discontinued due to adverse effects of this drug on skeletal turnover and mineralization. Because the drug might affect not only crystallization, but also crystal-tubular interactions, we investigated the minimum dose of etidronate necessary to effectively prevent stone recurrence without adverse side effects. METHODS: We examined the effect of etidronate on the crystallization of calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate and magnesium ammonium phosphate using synthetic urine and measured by an aggregometer. We also studied its effect on the adhesion of calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals to Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells in vitro. RESULTS: Etidronate affected the crystallization+ of not only calcium phosphate and calcium oxalate, but also magnesium ammonium phosphate in synthetic urine. The inhibitory activities on these crystallizations were detected at extremely low drug concentrations. Etidronate also had a strong inhibitory activity against the adhesion of calcium oxalate crystals to MDCK cells. CONCLUSION: Although further studies are necessary regarding the effects of etidronate on crystallization and crystal adhesion both in vivo and in vitro, and the appropriate schedule of dosing to prevent side effects, it is possible that etidronate may be useful in the treatment of urinary stones.

Relationship between physical characteristics and physiological responses during maximal arm cranking in paraplegics.

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the main physical factor(s) affecting cardiorespiratory responses during maximal arm cranking exercise in patients with paraplegia. Peak oxygen uptake (peak Vo2), peak pulmonary ventilation (peak VE) and peak heart rate (peak HR) were measured during maximal arm cranking exercise in 28 Japanese male patients. A cluster analysis was applied to the data for peak Vo2, peak HR and peak VE, and then the subjects were classified into four groups (A, B, C and D). Group A showed high peak VE and peak HR and low peak Vo2, Group B low peak Vo2 and high values for other parameters, Group C the greatest physiological values for all measurements among the groups and, in contrast, Group D showed low peak Vo2 and the lowest peak VE and peak HR among the groups. The subjects in Group C had low level of spinal cord injury and were sports participants. On the other hand, duration since injury was not related to the cardiorespiratory responses during maximal arm cranking. These findings indicate that the effects on these responses of years since injury are subordinate to those of the level of spinal cord injury and training.

[Advanced prostate cancer with normal serum prostate-specific antigen values].

Although prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a valuable marker of prostate cancer, some untreated patients with advanced prostate cancer have normal PSA values. Over a period of 5 years, we reviewed pretreatment serum PSA levels in 131 patients with advanced prostate cancer (stages C and D). Ten patients (7.6%) had normal PSA values. The histological type of prostate cancer associated with normal PSA values was variable and the prognosis was not so poor. Immunostaining for PSA was performed on the resected prostate tissue of the 10 patients. PSA staining was positive in 5 cases, negative in 3 cases, and equivocal in the remaining 2 cases. In conclusion, PSA is not always useful, especially for following patients with normal PSA values.

[Retropharyngeal node metastasis in cancer of the oropharynx and hypopharynx: analysis of retropharyngeal node dissection regarding preoperative radiographic diagnosis].

In our department, all patients with advanced carcinoma of the oropharynx and hypopharynx are treated by retropharyngeal (RP) node dissection in addition to primary resection and standard neck dissection. Records of 42 patients (11 oropharynx, 29 hypopharynx and 2 retromandibula) who received RP node dissection from 1992 to 1996 in our department were examined for metastasis to RP nodes and for preoperative radiographic diagnosis (MRI or CT). The criteria for radiographic involvement of RP nodes are as follows: a diameter greater than 10mm on axial images or central necrosis within the nodal substance. Of the 42 patients, 6 (14.3%) had pathologically positive RP nodes and of those 6 patients, 5 were able to be diagnosed preoperatively by either CT scan or MRI. Results of radiographic diagnosis (MRI or CT) were as follows: by CT scan the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were all 100% and by MRI the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 83.3%, 100% and 97.0% respectively. It is our conclusion that preoperative radiographic diagnosis (MRI or CT) is very useful and effective for diagnosis of metastasis to RP nodes.

[Studies on infection urolithiasis--urease induced crystallization in synthetic urine].

BACKGROUND: In the present study, urease induced crystallization in synthetic urine was studied by an aggregometer technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The synthetic urine was made by the method by Griffith et al (1976). The synthetic urine of 200 microliters portions were stirred constantly at 37 degrees C, and then 10 microliters of urease solution (1000 U/ml) was added. An aggregometer were recorded as turbidity curves on a chart during the incubation for the crystallization simultaneously. RESULTS: A two-phase turbidity curve was obtained from the reaction of synthetic urine and urease. Firstly the mild turbidity appeared gradually up until to approximately 13 min, and then the turbidity increased rapidly. The mild turbidity was called "early crystallization" and the rapid turbidity was called "late crystallization". The early crystallization appeared gradually at pH 7.3 and 0.05 M of anmmonia concentration, and this amount was completely depended on the concentration of calcium in the synthetic urine. The late crystallization occurred rapidly at pH 8.5 and 0.06-0.08 M of anmmonia concentration and this amount was completely depended on the concentration of magnesium in the synthetic urine. We confirmed the early crystallization as calcium phosphate and the late crystallization as magnesium ammonium phosphate by the observations of polarized light microscopy as well as the estimations using an infrared spectrometer. CONCLUSION: Urease induced crystallizations in the synthetic urine had a two-phase turbidity. Firstly the mild turbidity of calcium phosphate appeared gradually, and then rapid turbidity of magnesium ammonium phosphate occurred. Therefore, it is suggested that various crystallizations may be developed in the infected human urine according to the constituents of calcium and magnesium.

Effect of LDL-apheresis on the pharmacokinetics of the lipophilic antilipidemic agent probucol.

The effect of LDL-apheresis on the pharmacokinetics of antilipidemic agents has not been evaluated thoroughly. In this study, we investigated the effect of LDL-apheresis on the pharmacokinetics of probucol, a lipophilic antilipidemic agent, by studying its distribution and changes in the blood concentration of probucol after LDL-apheresis. The concentrations of lipoproteins were measured before and after LDL-apheresis in eight patients with familial hypercholesterolemia taking probucol. Concentrations of probucol in the various lipoprotein fractions and plasma were measured by HPLC. The serum concentrations of probucol before and after LDL-apheresis were 39.8 +/- 3.3 and 16.5 +/- 1.6 micrograms/ml, and the correlation coefficient between the changes in the serum probucol concentration and those in the serum cholesterol concentration before and after LDL-apheresis was significant (r = 0.73, P < 0.01). Changes in the probucol and cholesterol concentrations after LDL-apheresis were mainly found in the LDL fraction. The calculated reductions in the serum contents of probucol and cholesterol were similar to the contents of probucol and cholesterol in the irrigation fluid of the dextran sulfate column. These data suggest that changes of probucol concentration in plasma by LDL-apheresis are mainly due to reductions in the LDL fraction.

Characteristics of physical health conditions in middle-aged and elderly joggers.

To clarify the characteristics of physical health conditions in middle-aged and elderly joggers who run regularly, they were compared with middle-aged and elderly people who did not exercise routinely. The physical health conditions were investigated by a questionnaire survey sent by mail. The subjects were 316 joggers (230 men and 86 women) and 272 non-joggers (173 men and 99 women). The number of joggers having any illness was lower than that of non-joggers in both men and women. In contrast, there was no significant difference in type of illness between joggers and non-joggers. Concerning symptoms, the number of joggers who complained of lumbar pain and shoulder stiffness was low, but the number of joggers with symptoms including knee joint pain and muscle pain as well as injury was high compared to non-joggers. While the results of this study reconfirm that continuous jogging in middle-aged and elderly people may effectively improve their physical condition, based on the finding that the morbidity was low, it appears that many joggers have knee joint pain, a typical disorder due to running.

Potential efficacy of low metal diets and dental metal elimination in the management of atopic dermatitis: an open clinical study.

We performed an open clinical study on the effects of low metal diets and/or dental metal elimination on 27 patients with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis (AD), who showed positive patch tests for metal allergens and/or clinical exacerbation by oral provocation tests with metal salts. All the patients were recommended to ingest low metal diets for 3 months and/or undergo dental metal elimination. Marked or moderate improvement was noted in 18 patients (67%); 7 patients (26%) showed marked improvement and 11 patients (41%), moderate improvement. Nine patients (33%) showed minimal improvement or no change. In the patients who showed marked or moderate improvement, we observed statistically significant decreases (p < 0.05) in both peripheral blood eosinophil counts and serum LDH levels after 3 months of treatment. The present study suggests that restriction of ingested metal allergens to which patients have positive patch tests and/or oral challenge tests may be useful in the management of some patients with AD who have metal sensitivity.

Urease-induced crystallizations of calcium phosphate and magnesium ammonium phosphate in synthetic urine and human urine.

An aggregometer technique was used to study urease-induced crystallizations in synthetic urine and human urine from healthy subjects and patients with chronic spinal cord injuries. The two different phases of crystallization, calcium phosphate and magnesium ammonium phosphate, were easily evaluated with a single assay using this technique. The crystallization of calcium phosphate and magnesium ammonium phosphate varied markedly among the different urine specimens after incubation with urease. The turbidity curves from human urine were divided into four patterns. We assumed that the variations in the patterns of the turbidity curves appeared to be mainly due to differences in the composition of the urine and in the original pH, and that the calcium and magnesium concentrations were very important in the urinary constituents.

Peak oxygen uptake and respiratory function in persons with spinal cord injury.

This study investigated the association between peak oxygen uptake (peak VO2) during arm cranking exercise and respiratory function in paraplegics. Fourteen male paraplegics were recruited for the present study. The subjects were grouped according to the level of injury into the HL (Th3-Th8) and LL (Th11-L3) group. Prior to the maximal test, pulmonary function, including vital capacity (VC) and residual volume (RV), was measured in the sitting position. Mean peak VO2 in the LL group (1662 ml.min-1) was significantly greater than that in the HL group (1357 ml.min-1), corresponding to 82% of that in the LL group (P < or = 0.05). In respiratory function, the HL group showed marked restrictive impairment of ventilatory function. That is, VC and RV were significantly lower in the HL group than in the LL group (P < or = 0.05). The reduction in VC and RV is related to the degree of loss of control in respiratory functioning muscle mass. However, there was no clear-cut correlation between respiratory function and peak VO2 expressed as a function of body mass (ml.kg-1.min-1). In addition, a multiple linear regression analysis revealed that RV and VC were not associated with peak VO2 (ml.min-1) in contrast to the importance of body mass. It seems reasonable to conclude from these results that respiratory function is not an important factor in determining peak VO2 in the paraplegic.

Physical activity and immune senescence in men.

A cross-sectional survey examined whether habitual endurance exercisers retained a higher level of T cell function than sedentary individuals in old age. Subjects, all male, comprised 17 elderly runners, 16 young, and 19 elderly controls (mean ages +/- SD: 63.8 +/- 3.3, 23.6 +/- 1.6, and 65.8 +/- 3.5 yr, respectively), whose resting blood samples served for the immunological tests. Compared with the young subjects, both elderly groups had lower circulating CD3+ and CD8+ cell-counts (P = 0.029, P = 0.001, respectively), with a trend to a higher CD4/CD8 ratio, but higher percentages of activated CD3+, and "memory" CD4+ and CD8+ cells (all, P < 0.0001). Proliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin, pokeweed mitogen, and alloantigens were markedly reduced in the elderly (P < 0.001, and P = 0.024, respectively). IL-2 production tended to be decreased in the elderly sedentary subjects. However, natural killer cell activity and other cytokine production remained unchanged in the elderly sedentary subjects. Comparison between the active and sedentary elderly groups showed no differences in circulating counts of immunocompetent cells. However, the active elderly subjects demonstrated significantly greater proliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin ( P = 0.016) and to pokeweed mitogen (P = 0.011), and higher rates of IL-2 (P = 0.021), IFN-gamma (P = 0.015) and IL-4 production (P = 0.012). These results suggest that endurance training in later life is associated with a lesser age-related decline in certain aspects of circulating T cell function and related cytokine production.

Effects of upper limb exercise on thermoregulatory responses in patients with spinal cord injury.

We evaluated changes in body temperature, heart rate, and oxygen uptake during arm cranking exercise (20 watts, 30 min) in an artificial climate room at a temperature of about 25 degrees C or 35 degrees C (relative humidity, about 50%) in 5 patients with paraplegics due to spinal cord injury (SCI). The tympanic temperature (Tty) was significantly higher from rest to recovery at 35 degrees C than at 25 degrees C. The mean Tty after 10 minutes of rest was 36.68 degrees C +/- 0.396 (mean +/- SD) at a room temperature of 25 degrees C and 37.25 degrees C +/- 0.253 at 35 degrees C, showing a difference of about 0.5 degrees C. This difference was maintained during exercise and recovery. The Tty at the end of exercise was higher than that at the start of exercise by 0.66 degrees C +/- 0.218 (mean +/- SD) at 25 degrees C and by 0.59 degrees C +/- 0.210 at 35 degrees C. The skin temperature (Tsk) in each measurement area (the head, arm, chest, thigh, shin, and calf) was significantly higher at 35 degrees C. Oxygen uptake did not differ between 25 degrees C and 35 degrees C. The heart rate was significantly higher at 35 degrees C than at 25 degrees C during rest and at the start of exercise but did not differ during exercise and recovery. Thus, mild-moderate exercise in this study did not cause marked changes such as increases in body temperature and heart rate that affect biological function in SCI.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Relationship among blood lactate and plasma catecholamine levels during exercise in acute hypoxia.

Five male subjects performed steady exercise on a cycle ergometer at an intensity of 60% maximal O2 uptake (VO2max) for 6 min on three separate occasions while breathing gas mixtures of 12,16 or 21% O2 in N2. Expired gas fractions, ventilation, heart rate, arterial O2 saturation (SaO2), blood lactate (La) and plasma catecholamines (epinephrine: E and norepinephrine: NE) were measured. O2 uptake (VO2) was calculated for the last minute of exercise. Blood samples were drawn at rest and immediately after exercise. By inspiring hypoxic gas mixtures, the SaO2 value decreased during exercise to 85.0 +/- 5.4 (16%) and 66.4 +/- 4.1 (12%) from 95.0 +/- 0.1 in normoxia. VO2 during exercise was not different among the three conditions. Exercise-induced La accumulation was increased by hypoxia. E and NE during exercise were not affected by hypoxia statistically. There was a significant correlation between La and E (P < 0.01) and between La and NE (P < 0.01) during exercise in the three conditions. The present findings suggest a relationship between glycogen metabolism and sympathoadrenal activity which results in an increase of plasma catecholamines during exercise in humans acutely exposed to hypoxia.

Combined treatment of probucol with diltiazem regresses atherosclerosis induced by 196 cholesterol diet in rabbit aorta.

To clarify whether probucol, an antioxidant, or diltiazem, a Ca2+ antagonist, favorably affect the regression of established atherosclerosis, rabbits were fed a 1% cholesterol diet for 10 weeks, then a standard diet for an additional 25 weeks (regression period). During the regression period, rabbits were grouped into a saline (S) group (n=8, 1 ml saline/d), a probucol (P) group (n=8, 1000 mg/d probucol), or a probucol and diltiazem (P+D) group (n=8, probucol 1000 mg/d in diet and diltiazem 30 mg/d). We measured cholesterol in serum, lipoprotein fractions, and serum triglyceride or phospholipid concentration and found no significant differences among the three groups at 10, 15, or 35 weeks. After 10 weeks of the atherogenic diet, the ratio of macroscopic atherosclerotic lesions in aortic intima rose to 36.6 + or - 5.6%. After the regression period, the S group developed more atherosclerotic lesions (48.6 + or - 6.4%). The P+D and P groups, however, had decreased scores of 24.3 + or - 5.5% (p<0.05 vs. S) and 32.3 + or - 5.6%, respectively. Moreover, these decreased scores were well correlated with the decrease in aortic tissue lipid compositions, but not the parameters for extracellular matrices. We concluded that P+D or P therapy might be effective in regressing established atherosclerosis by removing lipid contents but not extracellular matrices.

Characteristics of the health conditions of old patients with spinal cord injury.

The state of health of old patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) was investigated to clarify the disorders that they are presently suffering from. A questionnaire was sent by mail to 668 patients with SCI living in western Japan. Valid answers were returned from 448 (67%), and they were divided into a young group (160 patients aged 18-39 years), middle-aged group (193 patients aged 40-59 years), and elderly group (95 patients aged 60-73). About 30% in the young group answered that they were ill or worrying about their health. This percentage was about 60% in the middle-aged and elderly groups. According to disease types, none of the young group had urological diseases except urological impairment or cardiovascular diseases, but many of the elderly group had urological tract infection, kidney diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and digestive diseases. Decubitus ulcer was reported in all groups. Urological diseases and decubitus ulcer were considered to be characteristic ailments of individuals with SCI. The elderly group was also characterized by a high incidence of adult diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Therefore, the types of diseases and their frequency are considered to be different in older patients with SCI compared with the aged population in general because of the characteristic conditions of SCI in addition to adult diseases.

Relationship between heart rate and oxygen uptake during submaximal arm cranking in paraplegics and quadriplegics.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of the level of spinal cord injury (SCI) and of daily exercise on the relationship between heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake (VO2) in persons with SCI (PSCI) during an arm cranking exercise. Eighteen PSCI were divided into three groups according to the level of SCI; 4 quadriplegics (C6-C8), 7 high- level paraplegics (T3-T8), and 7 low-level paraplegics (T10-L2). In the relationship between HR and VO2, the higher the level of SCI, the smaller the slope of regression line, that means the HR at a given VO2 become larger as level of SCI was higher. Significant differences were found among these regression lines (P < 0.01). In addition, the regression lines between HR and VO2 in active persons tended to shift toward upper in comparison with those in inactive persons. The present investigation clearly shows that the HR-VO2 relationship in PSCI is remarkably influenced by the level SCI and physical training.

Usefulness of a simple device to measure aural canal temperature.

In patients with spinal cord injury, rectal temperature is difficult to use as body temperature due to impairment such as defecation disturbance. We developed an earphone type device to measure aural canal temperature that can be also used during exercise in patients with spinal cord injury and evaluated its usefulness. The subjects consisted of 11 healthy male students. They exercised for 30 minutes using an ergometer until the heart rate increased to 150-160 bpm. Aural canal temperature, rectal temperature, and non-contact tympanic membrane temperature were measured before, during, and after exercise. This device for the measurement of aural canal temperature was produced by cutting the tip of a commercially available earphone and connecting a thermocouple wire to it. This device is very small and causes no discomfort even during long wearing or inconvenience during exercise. The aural canal temperature obtained in this study was very stable compared with the rectal temperature or non-contact tympanic membrane temperature and thus may be useful for monitoring body temperature.