Effect of tongue-palate contact mode on food transport during mastication.

The physiological mechanisms underlying Stage II transport (STII), during which comminuted solid food is transported from the oral cavity into the meso-pharynx for aggregation into a pre-swallow bolus, have yet to be clarified. The purpose of the present study was to investigate relationships between tongue-palate contact during mastication and incidence of STII by synchronised analysis of tongue pressure production on a hard palate and video-endoscopic (VE) images during mastication. Tongue pressure at 5 measuring points with an ultra-thin sensor sheet attached to the hard palate and trans-nasal VE images while masticating corned beef was recorded for 12 healthy subjects. All recordings were divided into 2 groups: mastication with STII and without STII. Tongue pressure duration was longer at the anterior-median part in the group with STII than in the group without STII. Integrated values of tongue pressure were greater at the anterior-median parts and posterior circumferential part in the group with STII. Integrated values of tongue pressure per second were greater in late-stage mastication than in early-stage mastication in the group with STII. These results suggest that the tongue-palate contacting at the anterior-median and post-circumferential parts of the hard palate is related with the incidence of STII.

Effect of body posture on chewing behaviours in healthy volunteers.

Mastication is essential to the eating process and forms an important part of feeding behaviour. Many factors related to the food bolus, such as bolus texture and size, are known to influence mastication. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of body posture on (i) chewing duration prior to the first swallow and (ii) patterns of mastication-related EMG activity. We asked 10 healthy adults to chew 8 g of steamed rice with barium sulphate while we recorded masseter, suprahyoid and infrahyoid muscle activity and simultaneously collected videofluorographic images. Participants chewed in either an upright or reclining position. Chewing duration, which was defined as the time from the start of mastication to the first swallow, was not different between the positions. However, the variability of chewing duration was larger in the upright versus reclining position, and the chewing duration in the reclining position was distributed around 15 s. Masseter activity gradually decreased in a time-dependent manner and was significantly larger at the early versus late stage of mastication. Suprahyoid activity was significantly larger at the early versus middle stage of mastication in the upright position only. Finally, masseter activity per second was negatively correlated with changes in chewing duration, that is, the larger the increase in chewing duration in the reclining position, the more the decrease in masseter activity per second. These results suggest that position-dependent changes in chewing behaviours, as described by chewing duration and EMG activity, may vary among participants.

Gut microbiome of treatment-naïve MS patients of different ethnicities early in disease course.

Although the intestinal microbiome has been increasingly implicated in autoimmune diseases, much is unknown about its roles in Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Our aim was to compare the microbiome between treatment-naïve MS subjects early in their disease course and controls, and between Caucasian (CA), Hispanic (HA), and African American (AA) MS subjects. From fecal samples, we performed 16S rRNA V4 sequencing and analysis from 45 MS subjects (15 CA, 16 HA, 14 AA) and 44 matched healthy controls, and whole metagenomic shotgun sequencing from 24 MS subjects (all newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve, and steroid-free) and 24 controls. In all three ethnic groups, there was an increased relative abundance of the same single genus, Clostridium, compared to ethnicity-matched controls. Analysis of microbiota networks showed significant changes in the network characteristics between combined MS cohorts and controls, suggesting global differences not restricted to individual taxa. Metagenomic analysis revealed significant enrichment of individual species within Clostridia as well as particular functional pathways in the MS subjects. The increased relative abundance of Clostridia in all three early MS cohorts compared to controls provides candidate taxa for further study as biomarkers or as etiologic agents in MS.

Cloning and sequence analysis of an esterase gene from Pseudomonas sp. KWI-56.

The gene encoding an esterase from Pseudomonas sp. KWI-56 was cloned and sequenced. The nucleotide sequence contained an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide comprising 262 amino acids, whose molecular weight agreed well with the value obtained by SDS-PAGE. Comparison of the amino acid sequence with those of the other homologous enzymes suggested that Ser-92 and His-24l might be included in the catalytic triad.

Implications of corpus gastritis, atrophy and cyclooxygenase in the development of gastric erosions after curing Helicobacter pylori infection.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori eradication decreases recurrence of peptic ulcers with marked improvement in histological inflammation, but gastric mucosal injuries may be developed even after eradication. PURPOSE: To investigate the mechanisms responsible for the development of gastric erosions after eradication, we analysed the relationship between clinicopathological risk factors and the occurrence of gastric erosion after curing H. pylori infection. PATIENTS: Sixty patients underwent endoscopy before, and 3, 6 and 12 months after the completion of H. pylori eradication. METHODS: Risk factors associated with the development of gastric erosions after eradication were assessed by multivariate analysis, and cyclooxygenase-1 and -2 immunoreactivity was histologically examined in the gastric mucosa before and after eradication. RESULTS: The cumulative prevalence of gastric erosions after H. pylori eradication was 38.3% within 1 year. Using multivariate analysis, corpus gastritis scores (inflammation score+activity score), corpus atrophy scores and an age of more than 50 years were found to be independent factors associated with the development of gastric erosion after eradication with odds ratios of 7.39, 0.13 and 5.00, respectively. Cyclooxygenase-2 immunoreactivity of the corpus was decreased for the non-erosion group after eradication, but not for the erosion group. CONCLUSIONS: Severe gastritis or less severe atrophy in oxyntic glands but not in pyloric glands before eradication may be involved in the development of gastric erosions after curing H. pylori infection.

Short-term effects of denopamine on anaerobic threshold and related parameters in patients with chronic heart failure: a double-blind crossover study.

BACKGROUND: The short-term effects of denopamine, an orally available beta-stimulant, on exercise capacity were studied in patients with chronic heart failure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Nineteen patients entered the study. Three patients had ischemic heart disease, 13 had dilated cardiomyopathy, and three had valvular disease; 16 patients were in New York Heart Association class II, and three patients were in New York Heart Association class III. Symptom-limited exercise testing (ramp protocol) on a bicycle ergometer with gas exchange analysis was conducted 1 hour after oral administration of either 20 mg denopamine or placebo. Drug administration sequence was randomly assigned in a double-blind crossover method, with 1 week between drugs. Peak VO2 was 20.4 +/- 3.2 and 21.2 +/- 3.1 ml/min/kg, respectively, for those administered the placebo and the drug, and anaerobic threshold was 13.1 +/- 2.1 and 14.0 +/- 2.0 ml/min/kg. There was a significant increase in peak VO2 (p < 0.05) and anaerobic threshold (p < 0.01) with denopamine, whereas no significant change was observed in peak work rate or exercise time. Denopamine increased heart rate in patients with atrial fibrillation but had little effect on heart rate in patients with sinus rhythm. CONCLUSION: Data obtained from gas exchange analysis are more sensitive and potentially more useful in the detection of short-term changes in exercise capacity than data obtained from either exercise time or peak work rate, indexes that are commonly used to assess drug therapy. Patients with mild-to-moderate heart failure with sinus rhythm, but not those with atrial fibrillation because of its frequent induction of tachycardia, may be good candidates for denopamine therapy.

Effect of acid suppression therapy on development of gastric erosions after cure of Helicobacter pylori infection.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori eradication markedly improves histological inflammation and decreases peptic ulcer recurrence, but little is known about the subsequent development of gastric mucosal injury. AIM: To investigate whether acid suppression treatment after eradication influences the development of gastric erosions. METHODS: Eighty-one patients (gastritis or peptic ulcer) after successful H. pylori eradication were divided into two groups: 40 received an H2-blocker for 6 months (H2-blocker-positive) and 41 received no treatment (H2-blocker-negative). Endoscopy was performed before, and at 3 and 6 months after completion of eradication. RESULTS: Cumulative prevalence of gastric erosions in the H2-blocker-positive group was significantly lower than in the H2-blocker-negative group, 25% vs. 42%, respectively. In the H2-blocker-negative group but not the H2-blocker-positive group, the cumulative prevalence of gastric erosions after eradication was higher in patients with less severe corpus atrophy or more severe corpus gastritis. CONCLUSIONS: Development of gastric erosions after H. pylori eradication may be controlled by acid suppression treatment. Less severe atrophy or more severe gastritis in oxyntic glands before eradication may be involved in the development of gastric erosions. These results support the idea that recovery of acid secretion may be one of factors for development of gastric mucosal erosions after successful eradication.

cDNA cloning and characterization of Geotrichum candidum lipase II.

Geotrichum candidum produces two extracellular lipases, I and II. A lipase II cDNA clone was isolated from a cDNA library by colony hybridization using the 32P-labeled fragment of lipase I cDNA isolated previously. The nucleotide sequence of lipase II cDNA determined by the dideoxy chain terminating method includes the N- and C-terminal amino acid sequences of lipase II, and the overall amino acid composition deduced from the cDNA coincides with that deduced on amino acid analysis of this protein. The cloned lipase II cDNA codes a protein of 544 amino acids and a part of the signal sequence of 13 amino acids. The peptide chain lengths of lipases I and II are the same, their overall identity being 84%. Furthermore, four Cys residues are completely conserved, which may participate in the formation of disulfide bridges. A homology search indicated that the G. candidum lipases and Candida cyclindracea lipase are homologous enzymes and that they are members of the cholinesterase family.

cDNA molecular cloning of Geotrichum candidum lipase.

The cDNA clone of Geotrichum candidum (Geo.) lipase was isolated from the Geo. cDNA library by colony hybridization using 32P-labeled oligonucleotides corresponding to a partial amino acid sequence of this enzyme. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA determined by the dideoxy chain terminating method included some partial amino acid sequences determined by Edman degradation, and the overall amino acid composition deduced from the cDNA coincided with that from amino acid analysis of this protein. The cloned cDNA coded a protein of 554 amino acids and a hydrophobic signal sequence of 19 amino acids. Geo. lipase contained the -Gly-X-Ser-X-Gly- sequence which is believed to form part of the interfacial lipid recognition site.

Studies on platelet function in patients with prostatic cancer. Preliminary report.

Platelet function was evaluated as an index of the thromboembolic tendency in patients with untreated, advanced prostatic cancer. Patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and similar age distribution served as a comparison group. Platelet aggregations were elevated in both groups, but not significantly different from each other. Platelet serotonin level in patients with prostatic cancer was lower than in patients with BPH (p less than 0.01), whereas plasma serotonin level in patients with prostatic cancer (within normal ranges in our series) was lower than in patients with BPH (p less than 0.001). Levels of 2 intraplatelet proteins, beta-thromboglobulin (beta-TG) and platelet factor 4 (PF4) in the two groups of patients were similar. However, levels of beta-TG were elevated significantly in both groups of patients compared with those of healthy individuals. These studies revealed that the platelet serotonin levels in advanced prostatic cancer patients differed significantly from those in patients with BPH. The platelet serotonin level thus may provide an index of platelet activation in patients with prostatic cancer.

Clinical evaluation of urapidil, a new antihypertensive drug: preliminary findings in Japan.

The pharmacokinetics, hypotensive effects, and safety of urapidil were investigated in 22 patients with essential hypertension at four coordinated centers in Japan. The drug was administered in sustained-release capsules given twice daily. The peak plasma concentration of the drug (measured in six patients) was observed four to six hours after administration, and 60% to 70% of the peak concentration was detectable at eight hours. These findings suggest that blood pressure might be controlled by twice-daily administration of urapidil. In 14 outpatients, who received 40 to 80 mg/day of urapidil, systolic and mean blood pressure decreased significantly (P less than 0.05) by week 4, and systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure decreased significantly (P less than 0.001) by week 6. In four inpatients, treated with 60 to 120 mg/day of the drug for two weeks, there were significant decreases (P less than 0.05) in systolic, diastolic, and mean blood pressure at day 6 and significant decreases (P less than 0.01) in diastolic and mean blood pressure at day 13. Although side effects were noted in five (23%) of the 22 patients, they were transient and slight in three; in two patients, the side effects disappeared after use of the medication was discontinued. Because the study was carried out in a small number of patients who received different dosages of urapidil over a short period of time, the optimal dosage was not established.

Phorbol ester induces differentiation of a human prostatic cancer cell line TSU-Pr1 into cells with characteristics of microglia.

The effects of various reagents on the induction of differentiation of the human prostatic cancer cell line, TSU-Pr1, were examined. Among these agents, the phorbol ester, TPA, almost completely suppressed cell proliferation at the concentration of 10(-8) M, and induced remarkable morphologic changes yielding cells with the microglial feature of an ameboid and/or ramified shape. More than 90% of the cells underwent the induction of morphologic changes by day 7 after treatment with 10(-8) M TPA. The expression of reliable microglial markers, alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase activity and CD11b, was observed in the differentiated cells. The data presented here suggest that TPA induces differentiation of a human prostate cancer cell line into cells with the characteristics of microglia.

Regulatory analysis of the Nitrosomonas europaea grpE-dnaK-dnaJ operon.

The complete nucleotide sequences of the Nitrosomonas europaea grpE and dnaJ genes were determined. Transcriptional analysis showed that grpE was transcribed as polycistronic transcripts with the dnaK and dnaJ from a sigma(32)-dependent heat-inducible promoter located upstream of grpE. This promoter had significantly less activity than one located upstream of dnaK.

Constitutive trichloroethylene degradation led by tac promoter chromosomally integrated upstream of phenol hydroxylase genes of Ralstonia sp. KN1 and its nucleotide sequence analysis.

Ralstonia sp. KN1-10A is a strain capable of degrading trichloroethylene (TCE) constitutively due to the tac promoter (Ptac) integrated upstream of the phenol hydroxylase genes (phy) in its chromosome. The expression of Ptac was analyzed using luxAB of Vibrio harveyi as a reporter. After determining the nucleotide sequence of phyABCDE required for TCE degradation, a luxAB-encoding fragment was integrated downstream of phyE by homologous recombination in strain KN1-10A, obtaining strain KN1-10A-LX. In the same manner, the luxAB-encoding fragment was integrated into the chromosome of the wild-type strain, KN1. The resultant strain KN1-LX was used to analyze the gene expression caused by phenol induction. The expression induced by Ptac was compared to that by phenol induction. Although the level of luxAB expression led by Ptac was almost equal to that induced by phenol, the TCE degradation rate by the Ptac-carrying KN1-10A-LX was markedly slower than that by the phenol-induced KN1-LX. These results suggest that an important gene for TCE degradation was not transcribed by Ptac in KN1-10A-LX. The nucleotide sequence analysis showed the existence of a small gene, phyZ, upstream of phyA, and Ptac was found to be integrated into the middle of phyZ in KN1-10A-LX. The effect of phyZ on TCE degradation was examined by using recombinant strains expressing phyABCDE with or without phyZ in a plasmid. The coexistence of phyZ markedly accelerated TCE degradation. Through an exhaustive expression analysis, it was demonstrated that the chromosomal integration of Ptac was a very attractive method for high and stable production of phenol hydroxylase for TCE degradation.

Hb Gunma (beta Gunma) with pulmonary embolism.

A 67-year-old woman with pulmonary embolism was suspected to have beta-thalassemia based on microcytosis, hemolysis and a negative red cell stability test. The DNA sequencing analysis of beta-globin gene, however, revealed the deletion of three nucleotides within codon 127-128, leading to substitution of glutamine and alanine residues at 127 and 128 by proline, namely Hb Gunma. This mutant is characterized by the fact that no abnormal hemoglobin is detected in the circulating blood, and is classified as a thalassemic hemoglobinopathy. The present case showed a relatively hemolytic manifestation.

[Clinical evaluation of ceftizoxime intravenous administration in severe infections associated with hematologic disorders. Niigata Infection Study Group].

Seventy-one patients with severe infections associated with hematologic disorders including leukemia, lymphoma and aplastic anemia were treated with ceftizoxime (CZX) in daily doses of 4-6 g for an average of 20.1 days. Infections associated with hematologic disorders consisted of sepsis and pneumonia, and most of the causative organisms appeared to be Gram-negative bacteria. Of the 64 patients who completed the trial, excellent response was observed in 16 and moderate response in 26. The rate of clinical effectiveness was 65.6%. Side effects observed during the treatment included skin rash in only 1 patient, and hepatic disorders in 6 patients. However, the relationship between CZX and these abnormal findings was not established. These results indicate that CZX is a therapeutically effective and safe antibiotic for the treatment of severe infections associated with hematologic disorders.

[A case of primary bilateral epididymal leiomyoma].

Primary epididymal tumors are relatively rare entity. Leiomyoma is the second most common benign epididymal tumor. Recently, we experienced a case of primary bilateral epididymal leiomyoma. A 50-year-old man presented with painless masses in both epididymal tails several years in duration. Solid tumors of both epididymal tails with undetermined characteristics were diagnosed. At surgery both masses were solid and smooth and were found to be well-demarcated. They were removed without difficulty. Pathology was bilateral epididymal leiomyoma. We also reviewed 55 cases of epididymal leiomyoma in the Japanese literature.

[Role of lymphangiography in staging carcinoma of the prostate].

Pedal lymphangiography was done on 21 patients with carcinoma of the prostate. The lymphangiograms were positive in 11 cases and negative in 10. Out of 9 patients who underwent lymphadenectomy (5 with positive and 4 with negative findings), operative findings were in agreement with the lymphangiogram in 8 patients (89%). Lymphangiography should be used as the primary procedure in all cases where aggressive therapy is being considered.

[Emphysematous cystitis: a case report].

Emphysematous cystitis is a rare condition in which gas-forming organisms produce gas in the bladder wall and lumen. We present a case of emphysematous cystitis with neurogenic bladder. The patient was a 78-year-old man who complained of dysuria and lower abdominal soft mass. Urine culture yielded Klebsiella pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecalis. A plain X-ray film of upright position showed a large air-fluid level. The gas was demonstrated in the bladder wall and lumen on CT scan. These findings were compatible with that of emphysematous cystitis. The symptoms were improved and the intraluminal gas had disappeared on radiography after treatment with antibiotics. We reviewed 20 cases of emphysematous cystitis reported in the Japanese literature and reported clinical characteristics of 21 patients including ours here.

[A case report of condyloma acuminatum of urethral meatus in a boy].

A 4-year-old boy was referred for treatment of papillary tumor at the urethral meatus. He was well until December 1990, when his mother noticed a tumor at the urethral meatus. The tumor was resected elsewhere. However, a similar tumor was noted again at the urethral meatus in May, 1991. The patient was admitted on September 16, 1991. Retraction of the phimotic foreskin revealed a well-demarcated papillary mass, approximately 2 x 2 mm in diameter, at the urethral meatus. There were no tumors on foreskin or glans. Under general anesthesia endoscopy was performed to locate other tumors at the urethra and bladder. No tumors were found elsewhere. Then the meatal tumor was resected surgically. Pathology was condyloma acuminatum. There was no recurrence one year after surgery. We also reviewed 24 boys with condyloma acuminatum, including 13 boys with a solitary condyloma at the urethral meatus, reported in Japan.