Long-term efficacy and adverse event of nifedipine sustained-release tablets for cyclosporin A-induced hypertension in patients with psoriasis.

Thirteen psoriatic patients with hypertension during the course of cyclosporin A therapy were treated for 25 months with a calcium channel blocker, sustained-release nifedipine, to study the clinical antihypertensive effects and adverse events during treatment with both drugs. Seven of the 13 patients had exhibited a subclinical hypertensive state before cyclosporin A therapy. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures of these 13 patients were decreased significantly after 4 weeks of nifedipine therapy, and blood pressure was maintained within the normal range thereafter for 25 months. The adverse events during combined therapy with cyclosporin A and nifedipine included an increase in blood urea nitrogen levels in 9 of the 13 patients and development of gingival hyperplasia in 2 of the 13 patients. Our findings indicate that sustained-release nifedipine is useful for hypertensive psoriatic patients under long-term treatment with cyclosporin A, but that these patients should be monitored for gingival hyperplasia.

Clinical trial of a combination of rice bran fiber and cholestyramine for promotion of fecal excretion of retained polychlorinated dibenzofuran and polychlorinated biphenyl in Yu-Cheng patients.

A clinical trial using the combination of rice bran fiber (RBF) and cholestyramine (CHO) was carried out on Yu-Cheng patients in 1993-1994. By the analysis of blood and stool samples collected from the patients before and after (or during in the case of stool), it was verified that the administration of RBF and CHO is effective for excretion of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) (p < 0.05) and polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF), especially 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-pentachlorodibenzofuran (p < 0.05). However, the degree of effectiveness varied upon individual patients from 60 to 160% for 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-pentachlorodibenzofuran, from 30 to 110% for 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-hexachlorodibenzofuran and from 50 to 190% for PCB, respectively.

[Therapeutic trials for promotion of faecal excretion of PCDFs by the administration of rice bran fiber and cholestyramine in Yusho patients].

It is well-known that Yusho disease was caused by polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and that 2, 3, 4, 7, 8-Pentachlorodibenzofuran (PnCDF), 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8- and 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8-Hexachlorodibenzofurans (HxCDFs) still retain in the patient bodies. As patients usually suffer from various chronic syndrome, an effective treatment is extremely needed. In order to assess the rice bran fiber (RBF) and cholestyramine on stimulating faecal excretion of PCDFs, two clinical trials were carried out in 1990 and 1991. In the first trial in 1990, 10 g of RBF (dietary fiber content was 50%) and 4 g of cholestyramine were administered to four Yusho patients three times a day for a week. The stool from patients were collected a week before and during the administration. These were pooled respectively, and then two samples for measurement. In the second trial in 1991, 10 g of dietary fiber rich RBF (refined-RBF, dietary fiber content was 85%) and 4 g of cholestyramine were administered to four Yusho patients three times a day for two weeks. In this trial, three stool samples were obtained from each patient, ie., a week before administration, and first and second week during administration. Level of PCDFs was determined by high resorption GC/MS and the following results were obtained. 1) In the first trial (1990) the faecal excretion of PnCDF and HxCDFs increased at the rates of 42-88% and 7-47%, respectively, in three out of four patients.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Identification and production of a bacteriocin from Enterococcus mundtii QU 2 isolated from soybean.

AIMS: Identification of the bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus mundtii QU 2 newly isolated from soybean and fermentative production of the bacteriocin. METHODS AND RESULTS: The bacteriocin produced by Ent. mundtii QU 2 inhibited the growth of various indicator strains, including Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus and Listeria. The bacteriocin activity was stable at wide pH range and against heat treatment, but completely abolished by proteolytic enzymes. The bacteriocin was purified from the culture supernatant by the three-step chromatographic procedure. Mass spectrometry, amino acid sequencing and DNA sequencing revealed that the bacteriocin was similar to class IIa bacteriocins produced by other Ent. mundtii strains. The bacteriocin production decreased in the absence of glucose, nitrogen sources, or Tween 80 in MRS medium. Additionally, it was strongly suppressed by addition of Ca(2+) (CaCO(3) or CaCl(2)). In pH-controlled fermentations, the highest bacteriocin production was achieved at pH 6.0, whereas the highest cell growth was obtained at pH 7.0. CONCLUSIONS: Ent. mundtii QU 2 produced a class IIa bacteriocin. Some growth factors (e.g. Ca(2+) and pH) influenced the bacteriocin production. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: A new soybean isolate, Ent. mundtii QU 2 was found to be a class IIa bacteriocin producer. Factors influencing the bacteriocin production described herein are valuable for applications of the bacteriocins from Ent. mundtii strains.

Adenocarcinoma of the cervical oesophagus arising from ectopic gastric mucosa. The histochemical determination of its origin.

A case of adenocarcinoma of the cervical oesophagus was examined by employing a battery of histochemical techniques and was demonstrated to arise from ectopic gastric mucosa. The patient was a 66-year-old Japanese male. Endoscopy revealed an ulcerated tumour on the right anterior wall of the cervical oesophagus, approximately 16 cm from the incisor teeth. Pathological examination of surgically removed specimens showed well-differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma. Ectopic gastric mucosa was found in the oesophageal mucosa adjoining the carcinoma. Histochemical stains for characterizing mucosubstances and immunostains for various antigens were used. In addition to this carcinoma, ectopic gastric mucosa in the oesophagus and normal oesophageal, cardiac, tracheal and bronchial mucosa were also examined. The results showed that the carcinoma contained mucins, which showed reactivities characteristic of the gastric surface mucous cell (galactose oxidase-cold thionin Schiff reactive) and gland mucous cell (paradoxical concanavalin A staining reactive). Ectopic gastric mucosa consistently contained these mucins, but other tissue sites lacked them.