Euglena gracilis (Euglena) powder supplementation enhanced immune function through natural killer cell activity in apparently healthy participants: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Euglena gracilis (Euglena) is a microalgae found in most freshwater environments that produces paramylon, an insoluble ß-1,3-glucan linked to human immunity. We hypothesized that Euglena powder has effects on immune function in apparently healthy adults. The study included male or female volunteers between the ages of 20 and 70 years who had white blood cell counts ranging from 4 × 103/µL to 10 × 103/µL, a "severe" rating on the stress questionnaire from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, and at least 2 upper respiratory infections with cold-like symptoms in the previous year. Participants received either a placebo or 700 mg of Euglena powder daily for 8 weeks. The study measured natural killer cell activity, cytokine concentrations, and blood lipid profiles to confirm the immune effect of Euglena consumption. In conclusion, Euglena improved immunological function through natural killer cell activity. Safety assessment showed no significant changes in vital signs or clinical chemistry indicators, and there were no adverse events associated with Euglena consumption. Euglena supplementation may help boost the immune systems of healthy individuals.

Treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with cerebellar infarction using the traditional herbal medicines banhabaekchulcheonma-tang and oryeong-san: Two case reports (CARE-complaint).

RATIONALE: Metoclopramide is commonly used to treat nausea and vomiting. However, long-term administration of metoclopramide is associated with various adverse effects, and its therapeutic effects are short-lasting. Hence, traditional East Asian medicine has received increasing attention as a short-term strategy for treating these symptoms. PATIENT CONCERNS: The present report discusses the cases of a 71-year-old man and an 80-year-old woman diagnosed with cerebellar infarction. Both patients reported nausea and vomiting, which appeared during hospitalization following cerebellar infarction. DIAGNOSES: One patient was diagnosed with a left cerebellar infarction and hemorrhagic transformation, while the other was diagnosed with a bilateral cerebellar infarction. INTERVENTIONS: Both patients took Banhabaekchulcheonma-tang (BT) and Oryeong-san (OS) extracts. OUTCOMES: The patient in Case 1 experienced a rapid decrease in nausea from day 5 of BT and OS administration, and metoclopramide was discontinued on day 7. The patient in Case 2 experienced a clear decrease in the number of vomiting episodes from day 6 of BT and OS administration and did not take metoclopramide thereafter. LESSONS: Other than drugs used to mitigate symptoms, there are no suitable treatments available for nausea and vomiting caused by cerebellar infarction. In the present cases, nausea and vomiting remained unresolved even after 3 weeks of treatment with conventional therapies; however, these symptoms significantly improved after administration of the traditional East Asian herbal medicines BT and OS, and there were no recurrences. These cases demonstrate that traditional herbal medicine can reduce the side effects associated with long-term administration of metoclopramide and help patients resume their daily lifestyle. In addition, BT and OS treatment can facilitate administration of other drugs, highlighting its potential to aid in the treatment of stroke. Further research including relevant clinical trials is required to obtain more conclusive evidence.

Diagnostic Roots Radiofrequency Sensory Stimulation Looking for Symptomatic Injured Roots in Multiple Lumbar Stenosis.

Objective: We present how to perform radiofrequency sensory stimulation (RFSS) and whether RFSS could be helpful in identifying symptomatic injured roots in multilevel lumbar stenosis. Methods: Consecutive patients who underwent RFSS from 2010 to 2012 were enrolled. To identify pathologic lesions, RFSS was performed for suspicious roots, as determined using lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The RFSS procedure resembled transforaminal root block. During RFSS of the suspicious root, patients could indicate whether stimulation induced their usual pain and/or sensory changes and could indicate whether the same leg area was affected. The number of possible symptomatic roots on MRI was evaluated before and after RFSS. Based on the RFSS results, we confirmed the presence of symptomatic nerve root(s) and performed surgical decompression. Surgical results, such as numeric rating scale (NRS) scores for low back pain (LBP) and leg pain (LP), and Oswestry disability index (ODI), were evaluated. Results: Ten patients were enrolled in the study. Their mean age was 70.1±9.7 years. Clinically, NRS-LBP, NRS-LP, and ODI before surgery were 5.1%, 7.5%, and 53.2%, respectively. The mean number of suspicious roots was 2.6±0.8. After RFSS, the mean number of symptomatic roots was 1.6±1.0. On average, 1.4 lumbar segments were decompressed. The follow-up period was 35.3±12.8 months. At the last follow-up, NRS-LBP, NRS-LP, and ODI were 3.1%, 1.5%, and 35.3%, respectively. There was no recurrence or need for further surgical treatment for lumbar stenosis. Conclusion: RFSS is a potentially helpful diagnostic tool for verifying and localizing symptomatic injured root lesions, particularly in patients with multilevel spinal stenosis.

Effects of Dietary Thraustochytrid Schizochytrium sp. and Other Omega-3 Sources on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Meat Quality of Broilers.

BACKGROUND: Looking for alternative omega-3 sources in broiler nutrition, microalgae began to get attention. We suspected that schizochytrium might play a similar role as other omega-3 sources that have been used before. METHODS: 20 g/kg schizochytrium powder (SP), salmon oil (SO), and flaxseed oil (FO) in each of the three treatment groups were supplemented in the basal diet (CON), and productive performance, carcass traits, and thigh meat quality of broilers were evaluated. RESULTS: There was a significantly higher weight gain in the SP treatment compared to the other groups, but no difference was found in feed intake and feed conversion ratio. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance values increased during storage in all the treatments but were significantly lower for SP than for SO and FO after 7 days of storage. Among the ω-3 fatty acids (FAs), α-linolenic acid increased the most in the FO treatment, eicosapentaenoic acid increased the most in the SO treatment, and docosahexaenoic acid increased the most in the SP treatment in thigh meat, reflecting the FA composition of the lipid source diets. CONCLUSIONS: We suggested that all the dietary ω-3 FA sources could improve the FA composition of chicken meat and our results indicated the possibility to supplement broiler diets with 2% level of SP, SO, and FO as ω-3 FA sources to produce meat with a good nutritional quality for consumer's health benefits.

Successful treatment of restless leg syndrome with the traditional herbal medicines Dangguijakyak-san and Shihogyeji-tang: A case report (CARE-compliant).

RATIONALE: Dopamine replacement is currently the standard treatment for restless leg syndrome (RLS); however, various adverse effects are associated with long-term therapy, and the benefits disappear upon discontinuation. To overcome these limitations, interest in traditional East Asian medicine has increased. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 72-year-old Asian woman originally admitted for an intracerebral hemorrhage presented with complaints of an unpleasant sensation throughout the body that appeared at night. DIAGNOSES: The patient was diagnosed with chronic persistent RLS based on the 2012 Revised International Restless Leg Syndrome Study Group Diagnostic Criteria. INTERVENTIONS: The patient was treated with extracts of the traditional herbal medicines Dangguijakyak-san (DS) and Shihogyeji-tang (ST). After 47 days of therapy, all herbal medicines were discontinued, and symptoms had not returned by the last follow-up 244 days after the initial treatment. OUTCOMES: One week after initiating herbal treatment with DS and ST, the RLS symptoms began to improve, and the total hours of sleep had increased from 2 to 9 hours by day 21, with a Korean version of the international restless legs scale score of 11 points. On day 36, ST was discontinued, given the continued improvement of symptoms. On day 47, symptoms had disappeared (Korean version of the international restless legs scale score: 0), and sleep disturbances caused by RLS had completely resolved. After day 47, DS was also discontinued. There were no adverse effects associated with the administration of DS and ST, and the symptoms had not recurred by the last follow-up on day 244. LESSONS: In this case, RLS related symptoms, which had been present for approximately 60 years, were improved using only the traditional herbal medicines DS and ST (without dopamine replacement), and no symptoms recurred for 244 days. This case suggests that if replacement therapy is difficult or not desired, herbal medicinal therapies may be an effective alternative. This also suggests that the effect of herbal medicine on RLS might be semi-permanent. Further investigations, including clinical trials, are needed to confirm these effects.

Traditional East Asian herbal medicines for the treatment of poststroke constipation: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

BACKGROUND: Post-stroke constipation is a major complication of stroke and increases the incidence of poor neurological outcomes and infectious complications and, therefore, warrants active and prompt treatment. In East Asian countries, several types of herbal medicines have been used for the treatment of post-stroke constipation because they are considered safer than existing pharmacotherapies. However, no systematic review has investigated the efficacy and safety of traditional East Asian herbal medicine in the treatment of post-stroke constipation. With this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of traditional East Asian herbal medicines for the treatment of post-stroke constipation. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Eight electronic databases will be searched for relevant studies published from inception to April 2021. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that assess the efficacy and safety of traditional East Asian herbal medicines for the treatment of post-stroke constipation will be included in this study. The methodological qualities, including the risk of bias, will be evaluated using the Cochrane risk of bias assessment tool. After screening the studies, a meta-analysis of the RCTs will be performed, if possible. RESULTS: This study is expected to generate high-quality evidence of the efficacy and safety of herbal medicines to treat post-stroke constipation. CONCLUSION: Our systematic review will provide evidence to determine whether herbal medicines can be effective interventions for patients with post-stroke constipation. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not required, as this study was based on a review of published research. This review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and disseminated electronically and in print. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Research registry reviewregistry1117.

Elevated Ozone Levels Affect Metabolites and Related Biosynthetic Genes in Tartary Buckwheat.

Global climate change and the industrial revolution have increased the concentration of tropospheric ozone, a photochemical air pollutant that can negatively affect plant growth and crop production. In the present study, we investigated the effects of O3 on the metabolites and transcripts of tartary buckwheat. A total of 36 metabolites were identified by gas chromatography coupled with time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and principal component analysis was performed to verify the metabolic differences between nontreated and O3-treated tartary buckwheat. The content of threonic acid increased after 2 days of the O3 treatment, whereas it decreased after 4 days of exposure, after which it gradually increased until the eighth day of exposure. In addition, the levels of most metabolites decreased significantly after the O3 treatment. On the contrary, the levels of two anthocyanins, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside, increased more than 11.36- and 11.43-fold, respectively, after the O3 treatment. To assess the effect of O3 on the genomic level, we analyzed the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway genes in O3-treated and nontreated buckwheat using quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We found that the expression of all anthocyanin pathway genes increased significantly in the O3-treated buckwheat compared to that in the nontreated buckwheat. Altogether, our results suggested that O3 affected the transcripts and metabolites of tartary buckwheat, which would eventually cause phenotypic changes in plants.

Accumulation of Anthocyanins through Overexpression of AtPAP1 in Solanum nigrum Lin. (Black Nightshade).

Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) belongs to the Solanaceae family and is used as a medicinal herb with health benefits. It has been reported that the black nightshade plant contains various phytochemicals that are associated with antitumor activities. Here we employed a genetic approach to study the effects of overexpression of Arabidopsis thaliana production of anthocyanin pigment 1 (AtPAP1) in black nightshade. Ectopic expression of AtPAP1 resulted in enhanced accumulation of anthocyanin pigments in vegetative and reproductive tissues of the transgenic plants. Analysis of anthocyanin revealed that delphinidin 3-O-rutinoside-5-O-glucoside, delphinidin 3,5-O-diglucoside, delphinidin 3-O-rutinoside, petunidin 3-O-rutinoside (cis-p-coumaroyl)-5-O-glucoside, petunidin 3-(feruloyl)-rutinoside-5-glucoside, and malvidin 3-(feruloyl)-rutinoside-5-glucoside are highly induced in the leaves of AtPAP1 overexpression lines. Furthermore, ectopic expression of AtPAP1 evoked expression of early and late biosynthetic genes of the general phenylpropanoid and flavonoid pathways that include phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), cinnamate-4-hydroxylase (C4H), 4-coumarate CoA ligase (4CL), chalcone isomerase (CHI), and quinate hydroxycinnamoyl transferase (HCT), which suggests these genes might be transcriptional targets of AtPAP1 in black nightshade. Concomitantly, the total content of anthocyanin in the transgenic black nightshade plants was higher compared to the control plants, which supports phenotypic changes in color. Our data demonstrate that a major anthocyanin biosynthetic regulator, AtPAP1, can induce accumulation of anthocyanins in the heterologous system of black nightshade through the conserved flavonoid biosynthesis pathway in plants.

Supplementation with Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorella protothecoides, and Schizochytrium sp. increases propionate-producing bacteria in in vitro human gut fermentation.

BACKGROUND: Gut microbiota are major contributors to host metabolism and are considered as potential targets of novel therapeutics. Microalgae have a strong potential for use as prebiotics because they are a rich source of proteins, fatty acids, fiber, and minerals for nutritional supplementation in humans. Nevertheless, there has been insufficient research into the effect of microalgae on gut microbiota. To investigate the effects of three edible microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorella protothecoides, and Schizochytrium sp.) on gut microbiota, simulated digestion and colonic fermentation were examined. RESULTS: Following in vitro digestion, the microalgae displayed different levels of bioaccessibility and the nutrient analysis revealed that unabsorbed nutrients during the digestion process could be used for colonic fermentation. Following colonic fermentation, the control, inulin, and microalgae groups displayed different metabolite tendencies when investigated with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic analysis. In particular, microalgae supplementation increased the proportion of propionate in the colonic culture (control: 19.14%, Inulin: 18.38%, C. vulgaris: 25.80%, C. protothecoides: 25.46%, and Schizochytrium sp.: 25.56%). Microbial profiling analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing also disclosed that the relative abundance of Bacteroides (control: 1.91%, inulin: 2.61%, C. vulgaris: 14.77%, C. protothecoides: 11.17%, and Schizochytrium sp.: 5.51%) and Dialister (control: 0.08%, inulin: 2.06%, C. vulgaris: 6.79%, C. protothecoides: 4.45%, and Schizochytrium sp.: 4.48%), involved in propionate metabolism increased more than in the inulin group. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest the potential use of microalgae as a functional food to increase propionate generation because propionate has been reported to be effective in weight loss and the inhibition of pathogen infection. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Characterization and Evaluation of Aroma Quality in Doubanjiang, a Chinese Traditional Fermented Red Pepper Paste, Using Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis and a Sensory Profile.

Doubanjiang, a Chinese traditional fermented red pepper paste, is eaten worldwide for its unique flavor. The objective of this study was to evaluate the aroma quality of doubanjiang using solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) and headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) coupled with gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O) and aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA). A total of 165 volatile compounds, belonging to 13 chemical classes, were identified. Esters and hydrocarbons were the predominant groups. Thirteen aroma-active compounds were detected by AEDA of SAFE and HS-SPME, and their odor activity values (OAVs) were calculated by dividing their concentration by their odor threshold in water. Among them, ethyl isovalerate, ß-damascenone, 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine (IBMP), and sotolone had the highest OAVs (>1000). In addition, sotolone, methional, ß-damascenone, 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine, ethyl isovalerate, phenylethyl alcohol and linalool had high flavor dilution (FD) factors. Sotolone, ß-damascenone and 3-isobutyl-2-methoxypyrazine were identified for the first time in doubanjiang and played significant roles in its aroma quality.

Repellency of zerumbone identified in Cyperus rotundus rhizome and other constituents to Blattella germanica.

The compounds 1,8-cineole and zerumbone (ZER) from the Cyperus rotundus rhizome along with another 11 previously identified rhizome essential oil constituents and α-humulene, which lacks the only carbonyl group present in ZER, as well as binary mixtures of ZER and seven active compounds were tested for repellency to male B. germanica. The results were compared to N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (deet). In filter-paper choice tests, ZER was the most repellent compound, and α-humulene was ineffective, which indicates that the α,ß-unsaturated carbonyl group of ZER is a prerequisite component for repellency. At 81.5 µg cm-2, enhanced repellency was produced by binary mixtures of ZER and 1,8-cineole, (+)-dihydrocarvone or (R)-(+)-limonene (70:30, 50:50 and 30:70 ratios by weight). These mixtures were very effective against male B. germanica within 24 h and were more repellent than a single compound or deet alone. The optimum ZER content was determined to be more than 50%. In Ebeling choice box tests at 652.4 µg cm-2, these compounds and deet resulted in complete repellency to intact male B. germanica, while they exhibited 35-47% repellency to antennectomized male one. Mixtures formulated from the active constituents of the C. rotundus rhizome could be useful as potential repellents for controlling B. germanica.

Accumulation of Charantin and Expression of Triterpenoid Biosynthesis Genes in Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia).

Charantin, a natural cucurbitane type triterpenoid, has been reported to have beneficial pharmacological functions such as anticancer, antidiabetic, and antibacterial activities. However, accumulation of charantin in bitter melon has been little studied. Here, we performed a transcriptome analysis to identify genes involved in the triterpenoid biosynthesis pathway in bitter melon seedlings. A total of 88,703 transcripts with an average length of 898 bp were identified in bitter melon seedlings. On the basis of a functional annotation, we identified 15 candidate genes encoding enzymes related to triterpenoid biosynthesis and analyzed their expression in different organs of mature plants. Most genes were highly expressed in flowers and/or fruit from the ripening stages. An HPLC analysis confirmed that the accumulation of charantin was highest in fruits from the ripening stage, followed by male flowers. The accumulation patterns of charantin coincide with the expression pattern of McSE and McCAS1, indicating that these genes play important roles in charantin biosynthesis in bitter melon. We also investigated optimum light conditions for enhancing charantin biosynthesis in bitter melon and found that red light was the most effective wavelength.

Model for end-stage liver disease score as a predictor of short-term outcome in patients with drug-induced liver injury.

OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this study were to investigate the clinical presentation, cause and outcome of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) and to evaluate the predictive value of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score in DILI. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with DILI between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012 in the Emergency Department at Asan Medical Center in Seoul, Korea were analyzed retrospectively. The primary end point was poor outcome, defined as liver transplantation or death within 30 days of the initial hospital visit. RESULTS: Of 213 patients, 13.1% had a 30-day poor outcome. Folk remedies were the most common cause of DILI in 147 patients (69%). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that multiple drugs (odds ratio [OR] 2.30, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03-5.15), concurrent alcohol consumption (OR 3.69, 95% CI: 1.03-13.18), white blood cell (WBC) count (OR 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07-1.28), hemoglobin (Hb) (OR 0.60, 95% CI: 0.49-0.74), platelet count (OR 0.993, 95% CI: 0.987-0.998), total bilirubin (OR 1.09, 95% CI: 1.06-1.13) and MELD (OR 1.23, 95% CI: 1.15-1.32) were significantly associated with 30-day poor outcomes. Multivariate analysis showed that the MELD (OR 1.21, 95% CI: 1.12-1.30) and Hb (OR 0.77, 95% CI: 0.61-0.98) were independent predictors of poor outcome. For 30-day mortality, the c-statistics for MELD alone and for combination of MELD and Hb were 0.93 (95% CI: 0.89-0.97) and 0.94 (95% CI: 0.90-0.97), respectively. CONCLUSION: The outcome of patients with DILI was poor. MELD score and Hb were reliable predictors of short-term outcome in patients with DILI.

In vitro inflammation inhibition model based on semi-continuous toll-like receptor biosensing.

A chemical inhibition model of inflammation is proposed by semi-continuous monitoring the density of toll-like receptor 1 (TLR1) expressed on mammalian cells following bacterial infection to investigate an in vivo-mimicked drug screening system. The inflammation was induced by adding bacterial lysate (e.g., Pseudomonas aeruginosa) to a mammalian cell culture (e.g., A549 cell line). The TLR1 density on the same cells was immunochemically monitored up to three cycles under optimized cyclic bacterial stimulation-and-restoration conditions. The assay was carried out by adopting a cell-compatible immunoanalytical procedure and signal generation method. Signal intensity relative to the background control obtained without stimulation was employed to plot the standard curve for inflammation. To suppress the inflammatory response, sodium salicylate, which inhibits nuclear factor-κB activity, was used to prepare the standard curve for anti-inflammation. Such measurement of differential TLR densities was used as a biosensing approach discriminating the anti-inflammatory substance from the non-effector, which was simulated by using caffeic acid phenethyl ester and acetaminophen as the two components, respectively. As the same cells exposed to repetitive bacterial stimulation were semi-continuously monitored, the efficacy and toxicity of the inhibitors may further be determined regarding persistency against time. Therefore, this semi-continuous biosensing model could be appropriate as a substitute for animal-based experimentation during drug screening prior to pre-clinical tests.

Acute interstitial nephritis following kudzu root juice ingestion.

Recently, the use of herbal remedies and complementary and alternative medicine has increased globally. Kudzu root (Pueraria lobata) is a plant commonly used in traditional medicine to promote health. A middle-aged woman consumed kudzu root juice to promote health and well-being for 10 days. Subsequently, she developed anorexia, epigastric discomfort and azotemia. These symptoms improved rapidly within several days after discontinuation of the suspected offending agent and conservative treatment. Acute interstitial nephritis was diagnosed by renal biopsy. To our knowledge, this is the first case report describing acute interstitial nephritis following the ingestion of kudzu root juice.

Prediction of early allograft dysfunction using serum phosphorus level in living donor liver transplantation.

Serum phosphorus is greatly affected by liver surgeries, but its change after liver transplantation has not yet been clarified. We investigated the predictive role of serum phosphorus for early allograft dysfunction (EAD) after living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Perioperative factors, including serum phosphorus level, of 304 patients who underwent LDLT were retrospectively studied and compared between patients with and without EAD after LDLT. Potentially significant factors (P < 0.15) in univariate comparisons were subjected to multivariate logistic regression analysis to develop a prediction model for EAD. A total of 48 patients (15.8%) met the EAD criteria. Patients with EAD experienced more severe preoperative disease conditions, higher one-month mortality and more elevated serum phosphorus concentrations during the first week after surgery compared with patients without EAD (P = 0.016). Multivariate analysis showed that a serum phosphorus level ≥4.5 mg/dl on postoperative day 2 was an independent predictor of EAD occurrence after LDLT (relative risk: 2.36, 95% confidence interval [1.18-4.31], P = 0.017), together with a history of past abdominal surgery, emergency transplantation and preoperative continuous veno-venous haemodiafiltration. These data indicate that hyperphosphataemia during the immediate postoperative days could be utilized as a predictor of EAD after LDLT.

Intravenous magnesium infusion for the prevention of symptomatic cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

OBJECTIVE: The study examined the difference in the incidence of symptomatic cerebral vasospasm with magnesium supplementation in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) in a Korean population. METHODS: This retrospective analysis was performed in 157 patients diagnosed with aneurysmal SAH from January 2007 to December 2011 at a single center. Seventy patients (44.6%) received a combination treatment of nimodipine with magnesium and 87 patients (55.4%) received only nimodipine. A matched case-control study using propensity scores was conducted and 41 subjects were selected from each group. A dosage of 64 mmol/day of magnesium was administrated. RESULTS: The infusion of magnesium did not reduce the incidence of symptomatic cerebral vasospasm (n=7, 17.1%, p=0.29) compared with simple nimodipine injection (n=11, 26.8%). The ratios of good clinical outcome (modified Rankin scale 0-2) at 6 months were similar, being 78% in the combination treatment group and 80.5% in the nimodipine only group (p=0.79). The proportions of delayed cerebral infarction was not significantly lower in patients with combination treatment (n=2, 4.9% vs. n=3, 7.3%; p=0.64). There was no difference in the serum magnesium concentrations between the patients with symptomatic vasospasm and without vasospasm who had magnesium supplementation. No major complications associated with intravenous magnesium infusion were observed. CONCLUSION: Magnesium supplementation (64 mmol/day) may not be beneficial for the reduction of the incidence of symptomatic cerebral vasospasm in patients with aneurysmal SAH.

Acoustical characteristics of water sounds for soundscape enhancement in urban open spaces.

The goal of the present study is to characterize water sounds that can be used in urban open spaces to mask road traffic noise. Sounds and visual images of a number of water features located in urban open places were obtained and subsequently analyzed in terms of psychoacoustical metrics and acoustical measures. Laboratory experiments were then conducted to investigate which water sound is appropriate for masking urban noise. The experiments consisted of two sessions: (1) Audio-only condition and (2) combined audio-visual condition. Subjective responses to stimuli were rated through the use of preference scores and 15 adjectives. The results of the experiments revealed that preference scores for the urban soundscape were affected by the acoustical characteristics of water sounds and visual images of water features; Sharpness that was used to explain the spectral envelopes of water sounds was proved to be a dominant factor for urban soundscape perception; and preferences regarding the urban soundscape were significantly related to adjectives describing "freshness" and "calmness."

Evaluation of speech transmission in open public spaces affected by combined noises.

In the present study, the effects of interference from combined noises on speech transmission were investigated in a simulated open public space. Sound fields for dominant noises were predicted using a typical urban square model surrounded by buildings. Then road traffic noise and two types of construction noises, corresponding to stationary and impulsive noises, were selected as background noises. Listening tests were performed on a group of adults, and the quality of speech transmission was evaluated using listening difficulty as well as intelligibility scores. During the listening tests, two factors that affect speech transmission performance were considered: (1) temporal characteristics of construction noise (stationary or impulsive) and (2) the levels of the construction and road traffic noises. The results indicated that word intelligibility scores and listening difficulty ratings were affected by the temporal characteristics of construction noise due to fluctuations in the background noise level. It was also observed that listening difficulty is unable to describe the speech transmission in noisy open public spaces showing larger variation than did word intelligibility scores.

[Coffee enema induced acute colitis].

Rectal enema used for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes infrequently causes colitis. In medical practice, enemas are known to incidentally bring about colitis by mechanical, thermal, or direct chemical injuries. Coffee enema is told to ameliorate the constipation in alternative medicine. We hereby report a case of acute colitis resulting from coffee enema, which was presented with severe abdominal pain and hematochezia.