Corrigendum to "Long-Term Effects of Goshajinkigan in Prevention of Diabetic Complications: A Randomized Open-Labeled Clinical Trial".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2014/128726.].

Long-term effects of goshajinkigan in prevention of diabetic complications: a randomized open-labeled clinical trial.

Objective. This clinical trial was designed to investigate whether goshajinkigan reduces the onset of diabetic complications or not. Materials and Methods. A total of 332 type 2 diabetic mellitus patients were registered from 9 clinical centers from March 2000 to August 2007. Patients were randomly assigned to take goshajinkigan extract powder, 2.5 grams for 3 times a day or no kampo therapy, additionally to the regular treatment. The primary endpoints were the onset of macrovascular diseases or progression of nephropathy or retinopathy. Statistical analysis was performed by the intention-to-treat method. Results. After 5 years of observation, 116 patients were submitted to analysis. Among them, no macrovascular events were observed in both groups. Although 43 participants had upstaging of retinopathy or nephropathy in total, there was no significant difference between goshajinkigan group and control group. Deterioration of ankle reflex was suppressed in goshajinkigan group. Also glycated hemoglobin, and fasting plasma glucose were decreased in the goshajinkigan group. Conclusion. Although the power of analysis was too low to demonstrate any effects of goshajinkigan on the progression of macrovascular diseases, retinopathy or nephropathy, goshajinkigan may be beneficial for diabetic neuropathy and glycemic control.

Dream-recall frequency and waking imagery.

The purpose was to investigate the relationship between dream-recall frequency and waking imagery, so 323 undergraduates completed four imagery tests: (1) Sheehan's modified version of Betts' Questionnaire on Mental Imagery, (2) Marks' Vividness of Visual Imagery Questionnaire, (3) the Gordon Test of Visual Imagery Control, (4) Richardson's Verbalizer Visualizer Questionnaire, and a dream-recall questionnaire which contained a question about dream-recall frequency. When scores on the four imagery tests and the seven sensory subscales of the Questionnaire on Mental Imagery were compared for the n = 82 frequent and n = 80 infrequent dream recallers, higher recall was associated with more vivid voluntary images and more frequent use of visual imagery; however, control visual imagery as measured by the Test of Visual Imagery Control was not associated with dream-recall frequency. Scores for frequent use of visual imagery on dream-recall frequency might have been due to the two items of the Verbalizer-Visualizer Questionnaire which asked about dream experiences. The results for the seven sensory subscales of the Betts' questionnaire indicated that the frequency of dream recall was significantly related to scores on visual, cutaneous, and organic but not on auditory, gustatory, kinaesthetic, and olfactory subscales. No significant differences were found between males and females. Present findings indicated that forming vivid mental images in the waking state is related to frequency of dream recall and support Cohen's salience theory of dream recall, i.e., that evoking vivid waking mental images voluntarily may play an important role in retrieving dream images or saving them during wakefulness. All sensory modalities should be considered in study of dream recall.

The N-terminal propeptide and the C terminus of the precursor to 20-kilo-dalton potato tuber protein can function as different types of vacuolar sorting signals.

Two types of vacuolar sorting signals (VSSs), an asparagine-proline-isoleucine-arginine-leucine (NPIRL)-related VSS in the N-terminal propeptides (NTPPs) and a C-terminal VSS in the C-terminal propeptides (CTPPs), function differently in plant cells. A precursor to a 20-kDa protein of potato tuber (PT20) contains two NPIRL-related sequences, NPINL in a short NTPP and NPLDV close to the C terminus of the precursor. We made mutant forms of sweet potato sporamin (SPO), nPT20-SPO, in which the N-terminal pre-pro part was exchanged with that of the precursor to PT20, and SPO-PT20c, in which the C-terminal 13 amino acids of the precursor to PT20 was attached to the C terminus of delta pro-SPO which lacked NTPP. Both nPT20-SPO and SPO-PT20c were efficiently transported to the vacuoles in tobacco cells. Unlike nPT20-SPO, the vacuolar transport of SPO-PT20c was inhibited by wortmannin and by the C-terminal addition of Gly or Gly-Gly suggesting its similarity to the vacuolar transport of sporamin mediated by CTPP of barley lectin. Further analysis of the C-terminal sequence of PT20 indicated that the most C-terminal SFKQVQ sequence functions as the C-terminal VSS. These results suggest that the precursor to PT20 contains both NPIRL-like VSS in its NTPP and C-terminal VSS at the C terminus.

[In vitro analysis for cellular toxicity of polychlorinated biphenys (PCBs) on HeLa cellular proliferation (IV)--the effect of Kanpo preparations on cellular toxicity].

In this study, we investigated the cell toxicity of polychlorinated biphenys (PCBs) as an indicator of the quantity of cellular protein in HeLa cells. Assay for protein concentration was performed by Lowry's method using a commercially available bovine serum albumin as standard preparation. The reductive action of inchinkou-tou, inchinkou, sansisi and daiou on the PCBs toxicity was investigated. The relationship of cell number (0-40.000) to protein concentrations (0-80 micrograms) was shown R2 = 0.993 (Y = 5.0 x 10(-6) X +0.027). The final concentration of these drugs and PCBs was used for 100 micrograms/ml, respectively. The cellar protein concentration increased to 20% with the addition of inchinkou-tou. Inchinkou and sansisi were revealed slightly elevation, but daiou was not. These results suggested that inchinkou-tou, kanpou preparation, was better effective than constructive crude drugs, but statistical evidence could not find.

A family of potato genes that encode Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitors: structural comparisons and differential expression.

Potato tubers contain a complex group of proteins of 20 to 24 kDa that exhibit homology to Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitors. We isolated three cDNAs and two genomic clones that encode members of the potato Kunitz-type proteinase inhibitor (PKPI) family. Comparison of the structures of these and other cloned genes indicated that genes of the PKPI family can be classified into three major homology groups, namely, A, B and C. The PKPI-A and -B genes exhibit higher homology to one another than to the PKPI-C genes. Determination of the N-terminal amino acid sequences of 18 polypeptides from the complex group of 20- to 24-kDa proteins that had been separated by column chromatography and subsequently gel electrophoresis revealed three different sequences that corresponded to PKPI-A, -B, and -C. PKPI-A genes include those coding for a cathepsin D inhibitor, while PKPI-B and -C genes include those coding for trypsin and/or chymotrypsin inhibitors and a subtilisin inhibitor. Precursors to PKPIs are synthesized with an N-terminal extra peptide that appears to contain, in addition to the signal peptide, a short propeptide with a highly conserved Asn-Pro-Ile-Xxx-Leu-Pro motif that is identical to the potential vacuolar-sorting determinant in the N-terminal propeptide of a precursor to sporamin of sweet potato. Expression of the PKPI-A and -B genes is differentially regulated: PKPI-A mRNA but not PKPI-B mRNA were induced in leaves after wounding or upon treatment with methyl jasmonate. Nuclear genes for PKPI-A and -B do not contain introns, and the homology between the two types of gene extends only 72 bp upstream from the site of initiation of transcription.

[TV-assisted thoracoscopic surgery with a lung forceps combined with thoracoscope under local anesthesia for spontaneous pneumothorax with a persistent air leak--a single access port approach].

TV-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed under local anesthesia by through a single access port to control a continuing air leak in spontaneous pneumotorax. A 75-year-old man was admitted with severe dyspnea and right-sided chest pain. The chest X-ray film showed right lung collapse. A right spontaneous pneumothorax was diagnosed and was treated by chest tube drainage. However, the lung did not re-expand because of a continuing air leak and subcutaneous emphysema developed. TV-assisted thoracoscopic surgery was performed under local anesthesia to treat the persistent air leak on day 12. By endoscopy, the ruptured bulla was double-ligated with an Endoloop through a single access port using lung forceps combined with endoscope. The air leak subsequently ceased and the lung re-expanded. This method is minimally invasive and is very suitable for controlling a continuing air-leak causing spontaneous pneumothorax in a patient.

Colocalization of barley lectin and sporamin in vacuoles of transgenic tobacco plants.

Various targeting motifs have been identified for plant proteins delivered to the vacuole. For barley (Hordeum vulgare) lectin, a typical Gramineae lectin and defense-related protein, the vacuolar information is contained in a carboxyl-terminal propeptide. In contrast, the vacuolar targeting information of sporamin, a storage protein from the tuberous roots of the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), is encoded in an amino-terminal propeptide. Both proteins were expressed simultaneously in transgenic tobacco plants to enable analysis of their posttranslational processing and subcellular localization by pulse-chase labeling and electron-microscopic immunocytochemical methods. The pulse-chase experiments demonstrated that processing and delivery to the vacuole are not impaired by the simultaneous expression of barley lectin and sporamin. Both proteins were targeted quantitatively to the vacuole, indicating that the carboxyl-terminal and amino-terminal propeptides are equally recognized by the vacuolar protein-sorting machinery. Double-labeling experiments showed that barley lectin and sporamin accumulate in the same vacuole of transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) leaf and root cells.

Effects of auditory imagery on the detection of a pure tone in white noise: experimental evidence of the auditory Perky effect.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether the auditory image of a pure tone facilitates or interferes with the auditory perception of the pure tone. The masked threshold of a pure tone in white noise with and without the image of a pure tone was compared. It was shown that, in contrast to Farah and Smith's (1983) finding of facilitation, imagery interfered with the detection of the pure tone only when the frequency of the imagined tone and the detected tone was the same. This interference was interpreted as showing the assimilation of the signal tone into imagery, i.e., the effect described by Perky in 1910, occurred in the auditory modality. An explanation of the differences between findings of interference and facilitation is offered.

[Cervical spinal cord injury caused by a broken acupuncture needle: a case report].

Spinal cord injury is a rare but considerable complication of acupuncture. A case with cervical spinal cord injury caused by a broken acupuncture needle was reported and sixteen previously reported cases including our case were reviewed. A 49-year-old woman was treated by herself with acupuncture on the nuchal region for occipitalgia, and the needle was accidentally broken during the treatment. Six hours later she noticed pain and numbness in the right upper and lower extremities. Neurological examination revealed slight impairment of temperature, pain and touch sensation on the right extremities. Plain X-ray film and CT scan showed a broken needle in the interspinous ligament between C1/C2 vertebrae, the tip of the needle appearing to be in the spinal canal. The needle was removed surgically nineteen days after the accident. Intraoperative fluoroscopic monitoring with injection of dye enabled the needle to be found without difficulty. Postoperative course was uneventful, and her pain and sensory impairment gradually disappeared. Once the diagnosis for cervical spinal cord injury by an acupuncture needle is made, the needle should be removed surgically as soon as possible, especially prior to the development of motor symptoms. This is because movement of the needle in the spinal cord is considered to be a main possible cause of the development and progression of symptoms.

In vitro analysis of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran (PCDF) cellular toxicity in PLC/PRF/5 cell proliferation--the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid, inchin-gorei-san and shou-saiko-to on cell toxicity.

We investigated the cell toxicity of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran (PCDF) as an indicator of the quantity of m-RNA, which synthesizes the HBV core antigen region, and secreting protein, which is an HBV surface antigen in PLC/PRF/5 cells. The determination of m-RNA was conducted according to the methods of reverse transcriptase and polymerase chain reaction. Furthermore, the reductive action of ursodeoxycholic acid, shou-saiko-to and inchin-gorei-san on the PCBs and PCDF toxicity was investigated. The cell number of 1 x 10(5)/ml and concentrations of 200 micrograms/ml for PCBs and 500 microM for PCDF were used in these experiments. The titer of HBsAg was gradually increased from 1 in 1 x 10(3)/ml of cell numbers to 100 in 1 x 10(6)/ml of cell numbers. The curve became a plateau in 1 x 10(6)/ml of cell numbers. The cell number of 1 x 10(5)/ml was used in the experiments. The titer of HBsAg decreased following in the increase of concentration of PCBs. The HBsAg, even in the PCBs concentration of 1000 micrograms/ml showed a titer of 22.5%. However, the highest concentration of PCDF in this study, that is, 500 microM of PCDF, did not show any decrease of HBsAg activity. The concentrations of 200 micrograms/ml for PCBs and 500 microM for PCDF were used in the investigation of drug effects. A high titer HBsAg was observed in high concentrations of shou-saiko-to in comparison with a control group. Ursodeoxycholic acid and inchin-gorei-san exhibited a similar tendency.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Two apparent molecular forms of bovine lactoferrin.

Bovine lactoferrin was prepared by CM-Sephadex column chromatography from defatted colostrum. When partially purified lactoferrin was analyzed by SDS-PAGE apparently two polypeptides of different size appeared. The polypeptides were transferred to a nitrocellulose sheet and visualized using antirabbit serum raised against the small polypeptide. Two polypeptides appeared clearly when stained by an immunological method. The color intensity of the two polypeptides was similar when the polypeptides were stained with Coomassie Brilliant Blue R-250. A high similarity of cyanogen bromide cleavage patterns between the two polypeptides was also observed in those stained with dye and immunologically visualized. Therefore, it is suggested that these polypeptides are lactoferrins. Comparison of the peptide patterns of the two lactoferrin molecules being deglycosylated suggested that sugar moieties may be one, but not all, of the causes of the size heterogeneity in lactoferrin. These results suggest that bovine colostrum contains two lactoferrin molecules of different size, although the physiological significance of the heterogeneity is not yet known.

[Laparoscopic diagnosis and evaluation of danazol or gestrinone therapy for endometriosis in sterility].

In forty-six sterile women, endometriosis externa was diagnosed and classified laparoscopically. 21 patients were treated with Gestrinone 5mg-10mg/week and 25 patients were treated with Danazol 300mg-400mg/day for 6 months. The effects of these hormonal treatments were evaluated by second-look laparoscopy according to adhesion severity, number of blueberry spots and chocolate cyst size, as well as dysmenorrhea and other complaints. The results were as follows; 1) Dysmenorrhea was relieved in 60.0% of the Gestrinone-treated group and 45.5% of the Danazol group. 2) Adhesion was weakened or partially separated spontaneously in 66.7% of the Gestrinone group and 63.6% of the Danazol group. 3) Blueberry spots decreased in number or paled in 61.9% of the Gestrinone group and 75.0% of the Danazol group. 4) Chocolate cyst size became smaller in 60.0% of the Gestrinone group and 77.8% of the Danazol group. 5) Peritoneal fluid volume was not decreased after the hormonal treatments but the prostaglandin E2 concentration in peritoneal fluid was decreased (p less than 0.05) after Gestrinone therapy. 6) The patients complained of some side effects, liver function especially was disturbed in 48.0% of the Danazol group and 9.5% of the Gestrinone group. Hoarseness was complained of in 33.3% of the Gestrinone group and 12.0% of the Danazol group. 7) Finally, 23.8% of the Gestrinone group and 28.0% of the Danazol group conceived after the hormonal treatments.

[Laparoscopic diagnosis and evaluation of danazol therapy of endometriosis in sterility].

In twenty two sterile women, endometriosis externa were diagnosed and classified laparoscopically. Classifying the severity of endometriosis by Beecham's and/or Sugimoto's classification, 17 cases were declared mild and only 5 cases severe (one was stage IV and the others were stage III by Beecham's classification, and 4 were grade III by Sugimoto's classification). All these patients were treated with Danazol (Bonzol) 400 mg/day or 300 mg/day for about 24 weeks. Four weeks after the termination of Danazol administration, the effects of Danazol therapy were examined according to the number of blueberry spots, adhesion severity and chocolate cyst size under re-laparoscopy, as well as dysmenorrhea and other complaints. The results were as follows: Dysmenorrhea was relieved in 60.0% of 15 cases, Blueberry spots were decreased or paled in 88.9% of 18 cases, Adhesion was weakened or partially separated spontaneously in 71.4% of 7 cases, Chocolate cyst size became smaller in 85.7% of 7 cases, The patient complained of mild side-effects, namely acne in 45.5% of cases, a weight gain of more than 2 kg in 54.5%, and hoarseness developed in one. The results of laboratory tests performed before and during the treatment remained slightly abnormal or within normal limits.

Biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine from serum phospholipids in Chinese hamster ovary cells deprived of choline.

We report that Chinese hamster ovary cells assemble membrane phospholipids from choline-linked lipid present in fetal calf serum. This was examined by testing the ability of various serum preparations to satisfy the choline requirement of the cells. Chinese hamster ovary cells divided in growth medium containing lipoprotein-deficient serum and approximately 8 microM lysolecithin. Identical results were obtained in growth medium supplemented with solvent-extracted (delipidated) serum reconstituted with purified egg lysolecithin and the uptake of lipid was inhibited by the addition of bovine serum albumin. Analysis of the phospholipid composition of cells incubated with 32Pi and egg lysolecithin in place of choline revealed that approximately 30% of the phosphorus moieties of the cellular phospholipids were derived from the added lipid, while in the presence of choline less than 10% arose in this fashion. Choline starvation enhanced the formation of lecithin from [32P]lysolecithin without affecting phospholipid turnover and labeled lecithin was converted to other phospholipids, especially sphingomyelin and phosphatidylserine. Unlike endogenous serum lysolecithin, lipoproteins obtained from human and fetal calf sera failed to satisfy the choline requirement of Chinese hamster ovary cells, even though 95% of the lipoprotein phospholipid was phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin. Together, these results demonstrate that animal cells can derive all of the choline required for membrane phospholipid synthesis from serum lysolecithin and that its conversion to lecithin within the cell is regulated by the availability of choline. In contrast, serum lipoproteins do not normally serve as a major source of choline moieties.