The correlation of salivary telomere length and single nucleotide polymorphisms of the ADIPOQ, SIRT1 and FOXO3A genes with lifestyle-related diseases in a Japanese population.

BACKGROUND: It has been reported that genetic factors are associated with risk factors and onset of lifestyle-related diseases, but this finding is still the subject of much debate. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to investigate the correlation of genetic factors, including salivary telomere length and three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that may influence lifestyle-related diseases, with lifestyle-related diseases themselves. METHODS: In one year at a single facility, relative telomere length and SNPs were determined by using monochrome multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction and TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assays, respectively, and were compared with lifestyle-related diseases in 120 Japanese individuals near our university. RESULTS: In men and all participants, age was inversely correlated with relative telomere length with respective p values of 0.049 and 0.034. In men, the frequency of hypertension was significantly higher in the short relative telomere length group than in the long group with unadjusted p value of 0.039, and the difference in the frequency of hypertension between the two groups was of borderline statistical significance after adjustment for age (p = 0.057). Furthermore, in men and all participants, the sum of the number of affected lifestyle-related diseases, including hypertension, was significantly higher in the short relative telomere length group than in the long group, with p values of 0.004 and 0.029, respectively. For ADIPOQ rs1501299, men's ankle brachial index was higher in the T/T genotype than in the G/G and G/T genotypes, with p values of 0.001 and 0.000, respectively. For SIRT1 rs7895833, men's body mass index and waist circumference and all participants' brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity were higher in the A/G genotype than in the G/G genotype, with respective p values of 0.048, 0.032 and 0.035. For FOXO3A rs2802292, women's body temperature and all participants' saturation of peripheral oxygen were lower in the G/T genotype than in the T/T genotype, with respective p values of 0.039 and 0.032. However, relative telomere length was not associated with physiological or anthropometric measurements except for height in men (p = 0.016). ADIPOQ rs1501299 in men, but not the other two SNPs, was significantly associated with the sum of the number of affected lifestyle-related diseases (p = 0.013), by genotype. For each SNPs, there was no significant difference in the frequency of hypertension or relative telomere length by genotype. CONCLUSION: Relative telomere length and the three types of SNPs determined using saliva have been shown to be differentially associated with onset of and measured risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases consisting mainly of cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

[Multi-course web-learning system for supporting students of medical technology].

Web-Learning system was developed to support the self-learning for national qualification examination and medical engineering practice by students. The results from small tests in various situations suggest that the unit-learning systems are more effective, especially for the early stage of their self learning. In addition, the answers of some questionnaire suggest that the students' motivation has a certain relation with the number of the questions in the system. That is, the less number of the questions, the easier they are worked out with a higher learning motivation by students. Thus, the system was extended to enable students to study various subjects and/or units by themselves. The system enables them to have learning effects more easily by the exercise during lectures. The effectiveness of the system was investigated on medical associated subjects installed in the system. The concerning questions of Medical engineering and Pathological histology are adequately divided into several groups, of which sixteen Web-Learning subsystems were well composed for their practical application. Our concerning various unit-learning systems were confirmed much useful for most students comparing with the case of the overall Web-Learning system.

Urinary protein analysis in pre- and postoperative cancer patients.

Urinary proteins from six patients with esophageal cancer and two with stomach cancer were analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Analyses were performed on days-1 to 3, 5, 7, 10, 14, and 21 (or 22) after surgery. The protein patterns were scanned by densitometry and divided into nine fractions. The main proteins in the fractions (Fr.) were identified as follows: immunoglobulin G in Fr. A, Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein (THP) in Fr. B, transferrin in Fr. C, albumin in Fr. D, alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein in Fr. E, alpha(1)-microglobulin in Fr. F, retinol binding protein in Fr. G, and beta(2)-microglobulin in Fr. I. The protein in Fr. H was not identified. The percentage of each fraction was calculated from the densitometry pattern of each lane. The percentage values were averaged among all the patients, and pre- and postoperative data were compared. The percentage of Frs. E, F, and G increased on days 1-7, and the changes in these three proteins were similar to changes in serum C-reactive protein (CRP). In particular, the percentage of Fr. G peaked within 1 day of operation, which was faster than for CRP. Conversely, other fractions decreased. These results suggest that urinary protein analysis is useful for monitoring the response to surgical stress.

Reinvestigation of clinical value of Rivalta reaction of puncture fluid.

Rivalta reaction is still used as a puncture fluid test for differentiation of exudate and transudate. However, the test method of Rivalta reaction has not been standardized, or positive precipitates for the reaction have not been investigated. Thus, we clarified the measurement method, and investigated Rivalta reaction-positive proteins. Rivalta reaction-positive punctuates converted to negative when pH increased to 4.6 or higher, showing the necessity of pH adjustment of acetic acid solution to 3.6-4.2 in Rivalta reaction. Using pH 4.0 acetic acid solution, 8 types of proteins were identified in Rivalta reaction-positive turbid precipitates: C-reactive protein (CRP), alpha1-antitrypsin (alpha1-AT), alpha1-acid glycoprotein (alpha1-AG), haptoglobin (Hp), transferrin (Tf), ceruloplasmin (Cp), fibrinogen (Fg), and hemopexin (Hpx). Since these are acute reactive proteins, or proteins increased in malignant tumors and infections, positivity for Rivalta reaction at the specified pH may suggest pathological inflammation.

Development of a new method for measuring total urinary protein using acid violet 6B pigment.

We have developed a new method for measuring total urinary protein using acid violet 6B (AV6B) pigment. Nine purified components of human urinary proteins and urine samples collected randomly from 123 diabetic outpatients were used. There were 62, 36, and 25 cases of prenephropathy, early nephropathy, and overt nephropathy, respectively. All samples were measured by Coomassie brilliant blue G 250 (CBB), pyrogallol red-molybdate (PRM), and AV6B methods using an optical photometer. In healthy subjects, the major components of urinary proteins, such as gamma-globulins, IgG, IgA Tamm-Horsfall protein, and transferrin, the reactivity values of the AV6B and PRM methods were similar. The CBB method was the least sensitive of the three methods. In the urine samples from diabetic patients, the urinary protein values measured by the AV6B method were higher than those measured by the CBB method in the prenephropathy stage. The values obtained by the AV6B method (y) correlated well with those from the CBB method (x) (y=1.243x+3.61, r=0.904). When the values from the AV6B method (y) were compared to those from the PRM method (x), correlation was low (y=1.406x-29.15, r=0.786). In conclusion, the AV6B method was more useful than the CBB and PRM methods for low levels of urinary protein.