[Japanese cedar pollinosis in infants in the allergy clinic].

Recently, the number of patients with Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) pollinosis has increased, especially in children. However, little is known about the incidence in infants. We studied on the rate of sensitization and the onset of pollinosis in children under 6 years old. The percentage of positive CAP-RAST to Japanese cedar pollen was 27.6%, in 76 infants (51 male and 25 female, 2 months-5 years old) who visited National Mie Hospital pediatric allergy clinic due to bronchial asthma and/or atopic dermatitis. The youngest child who has been sensitized to pollen was 1 year 8 month old boy. The percentage of positive rate of CAP-RAST to house dust mite was 61.8%. Twenty-seven infants (20 male and 7 female, 2-5 years of age) were diagnosed as Japanese cedar pollinosis in National Mie Hospital Otorhinolaryngology clinic in 1999 and 2000. The youngest child with pollinosis was 2 year 5 month old boy. Most of the 27 infants complained of rhinorrhea and/or eye symptoms and some of them complained cough, snoring, or epistaxis. About 40% were sensitized to Japanese cedar and/or cupressaceae pollen alone, 60% were also sensitized to house dust mite. In conclusion, it is possible that the sensitization to Japanese cedar pollen occurs after 2 season of pollen exposure and pollinosis occurs in 2 years old. Japanese cedar pollen has been an important allergen not only in school children, but also in infants.

Active oxygen species generation and cellular damage by additives of parenteral preparations: selenium and sulfhydryl compounds.

We investigated the relationship between active oxygen species (AOS) generation and cultured vascular endothelial cellular damage caused by simultaneous exposure to selenium compounds and sulfhydryl compounds such as cysteine (Cys) or reduced glutathione (GSH). Selenium compounds, selenite, selenate or selenomethionine (SeMet), are added to total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and intravenously administered. We confirmed by luminol dependent chemiluminescence, an indicator of AOS generation, that selenite generates AOS in the presence of clinical concentrations of sulfhydryl compounds, 0.5 mM Cys or 0.5 mM GSH, and that the amount of AOS generated reaches the maximum when their mole ratio is 1:50. However, AOS generation was not observed after simultaneous administration of various concentrations of selenate or SeMet with sulfhydryl compounds. Moreover, simultaneous exposure to 10 microM selenite and sulfhydryl compounds was found to result in significant increases in the [3H]-adenine and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release rates from cells, a significant decrease in the amount of cellular protein, and enhancement of cellular damage as compared with after exposure to selenite alone. However, simultaneous exposure to 10 microM selenate or 10 microM SeMet together with sulfhydryl compounds did not induce cellular damage. These findings revealed that selenite generates AOS and causes cellular damage in the presence of sulfhydryl compounds. Accordingly, it seems better to choose selenate or SeMet instead of selenite when a selenium compound is to be added to TPN.

Quinone-dependent tertiary amine N-oxide reduction in rat blood.

Rat blood exhibited a significant quinone-dependent N-oxide reductase activity towards imipramine N-oxide. The reduction mediated by the blood proceeded in the presence of both NAD(P)H and menadione under anaerobic conditions. When menadione was replaced with 1,4-naphthoquinone or 9,10-phenanthrenequinone, similar results were obtained. The reduction was also mediated by the combination of rat erythrocytes and plasma. The reducing activity was inhibited by dicumarol and carbon monoxide. When boiled plasma was combined with untreated erythrocytes, the N-oxide reducing activity was abolished. In contrast, when boiled erythrocytes were combined with untreated plasma, the activity was unchanged. These results suggest that the activity is caused by the heme of hemoglobin in erythrocytes and quinone reductase in plasma. In fact, erythrocytes and hemoglobin have the ability to reduce the N-oxide when supplemented with DT-diaphorase purified from rat liver in the presence of both NAD(P)H and menadione. Hemoglobin also exhibits N-oxide reductase activity with reduced menadione (menadiol). Furthermore, hematin exhibits a significant reducing activity in the presence of menadiol. The reduction appears to proceed in two steps. The first step is enzymatic reduction of quinones to dihydroquinones by quinone reductase(s) with NADPH or NADH in plasma. The second step is nonenzymatic reduction of imipramine N-oxide to imipramine by the dihydroquinones, catalyzed by the heme group of hemoglobin in erythrocytes. Cyclobenzaprine N-oxide and brucine N-oxide are similarly transformed to the corresponding amines by the above reducing system in blood. These results suggest that blood plays an important role in the reduction of tertiary amine N-oxides to tertiary amines.

Selenium administration to a ten-year-old patient receiving long-term total parenteral nutrition (TPN)--changes in selenium concentration in the blood and hair.

Muscle pain in the lower limbs occurred in a child with short bowel syndrome who has been receiving longterm total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Biochemical parameters revealed that the plasma and erythrocyte selenium concentrations were below the normal range for children and intravenous injection of selenium prepared from selenious acid was started at a dose of 100 micrograms per day. Muscle pain in the lower limbs disappeared one month afterwards. At this point in time, the elevation of the plasma selenium concentration was noted but the erythrocyte selenium concentration remained low. When administration was suspended due to catheter-induced fever five months later, the whole blood selenium concentration decreased again and the symptoms recurred. Accordingly, the dose of selenium was increased to 200 micrograms/day. Subsequently, the blood selenium concentration recovered to the normal range for children. After the dose increase to 200 micrograms/day, concentrations in hair samples collected at every centimeter distance from the root end were determined. The selenium concentration at the root end was found to be higher than the normal range for children, indicating that this was an excessive dose case. Although the dose was decreased from 200 micrograms/day to 120 micrograms/day, the plasma and erythrocyte selenium levels did not go down. Furthermore, the selenium level in the hair reached a plateau, and no recurrence of symptoms was observed. The above results indicate the usefulness of monitoring the selenium concentration in hair in addition to determining the blood selenium level and GSH-Px activity in administering selenium to children undergoing TPN.

Effect of tea polyphenols on fecal flora and fecal metabolic products of pigs.

The effects of tea polyphenols on fecal flora and fecal metabolic activities were studied in eight 30-day-old pigs fed a basal diet (control) or the diet supplemented with 0.2% of tea polyphenols for 2 weeks. During tea polyphenol administration compared to before administration, the levels of lactobacilli were increased significantly (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 on days 7 and 14 of administration, respectively), whereas the levels of total bacteria (P < 0.01) and bacteroidaceae (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001 on days 7 and 14 of administration, respectively) were decreased significantly. The detection rate of lecithinase positive clostridia including Clostridium perfrigens showed a tendency to decrease during administration. No detectable change occurred in the levels of other organisms throughout the experimental period. Fecal concentrations of ammonia were decreased significantly (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 on days 7 and 14 of administration, respectively). Fecal phenol (P < 0.001), p-cresol (P < 0.05), and skatol (P < 0.01) were reduced significantly on day 14 of administration compared to before administration. The amounts of fecal short chain fatty acids, acetic acid (P < 0.05) and lactic acid (P < 0.05) were increased significantly on day 14 of administration. The pH values were decreased slightly during administration. The odour of the feces was reduced remarkably during tea polyphenol administration.

Serum fatty acid composition in normal Japanese and its relationship with dietary fish and vegetable oil contents and blood lipid levels.

A survey was conducted on 110 normal Japanese adults (55 men and 55 women) to determine their caloric intake, dietary fat content and its origin (animal, plant, or marine). In addition, their blood lipid levels and fatty acid compositions were examined. Men in their 30s-50s consumed 2,600-2,800 calories and 60 g of fats, while women in the same age range consumed 2,000-2,200 calories and 52-58 g of fats. In both sexes, caloric, fat, and cholesterol intakes were lower for those in their 60s but protein and crude fiber consumption remained generally unchanged. When the dietary fats were classified according to origin, men and women in their 30s were found to consume less oil of marine origin. This appeared to be the result of a western style diet for Japanese adults in their 30s. Compared with men, women exhibited lower blood lipid levels. As age increased, the total cholesterol level of the blood rose in women. Thus the blood lipid level was generally equal in the two groups in their 60s. There was a positive correlation between the blood eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels and dietary consumption of fish oil. The marine/plant lipid ratio was positively correlated with the blood EPA/arachidonic acid ratio. Therefore, it was believed that the origin of the dietary fats consumed is a factor in determining the blood fatty acid profile. The linoleic acid (18:2), arachidonic acid (20:4), and 18:2 + 20:4 contents were negatively correlated to the total cholesterol level in the blood but positively correlated to the HDL-cholesterol level. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (18:2 + 20:4 + 20:5 + 22:6) were negatively correlated with the blood triglyceride level. From the findings presented above, we concluded that dietary fats not derived from animal sources should be classified into fish and vegetable oils to evaluate their dietary significance. We also noted that Japanese in their 30s consume less fish oil, indicating the western trend in their dietary lipid consumption.

Effects of dietary supplementation with lactosucrose (4G-beta-D-galactosylsucrose) on cecal flora, cecal metabolites, and performance in broiler chickens.

The effects of dietary lactosucrose on cecal flora, cecal metabolites, and performance were studied in eight 20-d-old and eight 62-d-old broiler chickens fed a basal diet (control) or a diet with .15% lactosucrose added. On Day 20 of age, the frequency of occurrence of lecithinase-negative clostridia were decreased (P < .05) by lactosucrose consumption. On Day 62 of age, the numbers of bifidobacteria were increased (P < .05) by lactosucrose consumption, but the counts of lecithinase-positive clostridia, including Clostridium perfringens, bacteriodaceae, and staphylococci, total anaerobic bacteria, and the frequency of occurrence of pseudomonads were decreased (P < .05). No detectable change was observed in counts of other organisms throughout the experimental period. Cecal concentration of ammonia (P < .01), phenol (P < .05), and cresol (P < .05) were decreased on Day 62 of lactosucrose consumption. Acetic acid and butyric acid were increased (P < .01 and P < .05, respectively) on Day 62 of lactosucrose consumption. Environmental ammonia and odor of chicken ceca were greatly reduced by lactosucrose consumption.

A study on the values computed by dieticians and chemical analysis of fats, cholesterol, and P/S ratio in food.

Dieticians computed the fat and cholesterol contents of 11 foods that were commercially produced as ready-to-eat food from food component lists and obtained the P/S ratio (polysaturated/saturated fatty acids) from the fatty acid component list. Meanwhile the same foods were diluted and homogenized. The internal standard was combined with hepatadecanoic acid and tricaprin. The samples that had been extracted by the Folch method were analyzed for their lipid content (GC analysis using a HS-SS-10 columns for fatty acids and an OV-1 column for lipid and cholesterol). A significant positive correlation was noted between the results of dieticians' analysis and those obtained from a gas chromatographic analysis of lipid and cholesterol contents and the P/S ratio, proving that lipid analysis of food by dieticians is highly reliable. Therefore for diseases (such as hyperlipemia, arteriosclerosis, obesity, diabetes mellitus, fatty liver, and pancreatitis) in which dietary factors have a significant effect on their clinical course, dietary instructions on dietary fats based on an analysis by dieticians are considered to be effective.