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Background Evaluation of myocardial function is clinically challenging in dogs with degenerative mitral valve disease ( DMVD). Although myocardial dysfunction is caused by pathologic degeneration, histopathologic progression is poorly understood. Objectives To characterize myocardial and pulmonary pathologic changes according to severity in dogs with naturally occurring DMVD, and to investigate whether or not pathologic degeneration is reflected by traditional clinical indices. Animals One hundred and seventeen dogs with naturally occurring DMVD. Methods Prospective observational study. Biopsied left atrium ( LA), left ventricle ( LV), and lung were evaluated histologically, and an attempt was made to correlate pathologic findings with clinical indices. Results Severe myocardial changes were observed in all International Small Animal Cardiac Health Council classes. In the lung, heart failure cell levels were significantly increased in class III patients ( P < .0001). In a paired comparison, the LA showed significantly more severe degeneration than the LV, including myocardial fatty replacement, immune cell infiltration, and interstitial fibrosis ( P < .0001). In contrast, myocardial cells were more hypertrophied in the LV than in the LA ( P < .0001). Left ventricular end-diastolic dimension ( LVEDd) was associated with fatty replacement ( P = .033, R2 = 0.584) and myocardial vacuolization ( P = .003, R2 = 0.588) in the LA. Conclusions and Clinical Importance In DMVD, although severe pathologic changes may be evident even in early stages, there may be pathologic discrepancy between the LA and the LV. Myocardial degeneration may be reflected by clinical indices such as LVEDd and EF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To examine whether dynamic characteristics of the peripheral vagal control of heart rate ( HR) are altered in chronic heart failure ( CHF). Methods The right vagal nerve was electrically stimulated according to a binary white noise signal, and the transfer function from vagal nerve stimulation ( VNS) to HR was estimated in the frequency range from 0.01 to 1 Hz in five control rats and five CHF rats under anaesthetized conditions. The rate of VNS was changed among 10, 20 and 40 Hz. Results A multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the increase in the VNS rate augmented the ratio of the high-frequency ( HF) gain to the steady-state gain in the control group but not in the CHF group. As a result, the dynamic gain of the transfer function in the frequencies near 1 Hz decreased more in the CHF group than in the control group. Conclusion Changes in the dynamic characteristics of the peripheral vagal control of HR may contribute to the manifestation of decreased HF components of HR variability observed in CHF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the efficacy and safety of transglucosidase (TGD) were compared with placebo in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). At 12 weeks, TGD 300 mg/day and TGD 900 mg/day significantly reduced HbA1c (0.18 and 0.21%) and insulin concentration (19.4 and 25.0 pmol/l), respectively, vs. placebo. TGD 300 mg/day and TGD 900 mg/day also significantly reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (0.22 and 0.17 mmol/l, respectively). TGD 900 mg/day significantly reduced triglyceride by 0.24 mmol/l and diastolic blood pressure by 8 mmHg. Placebo was associated with a significant increase from baseline in body mass index, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase (0.17 kg/m2, 3 and 2 U/l, respectively), whereas TGD was not. TGD 300 mg/day significantly increased high-molecular-weight adiponectin by 0.6 µg/ml. Adverse events did not differ significantly between the groups. TGD resulted in lowering of HbA1c and blood insulin level and improvements in metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors in T2DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

O bjectives: The aim of this study was to report the long-term outcome of the surgical palliation of pulmonic stenosis in dogs. M ethods: The subjects comprised three female and six male dogs, mean (±sd) age: 23 (±25) months, mean (±sd) weight: 3·4 (±2·1) kg, diagnosed with severe pulmonic stenosis and right ventricular hypertrophy, with an average preoperative pressure gradient of 153 (±43) mmHg on echocardiography. R esults: The pressure overload with severe pulmonic stenosis was reduced by valvotomy, i.e., open pulmonary valve commissurotomy, with/without biomembrane patch grafting, under cardiopulmonary bypass. The postoperative pressure gradient at 1 to 7 days was significantly decreased to 65 (±39) mmHg (P<0·05). The reduced pressure gradient was maintained at 58 (±38) mmHg at final follow-up. C linical S ignificance: Open valvotomy, pulmonary valve commissurotomy and biomembrane patch grafting were effective in reducing obstruction in severe pulmonic stenosis in dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim The effect of calcium ions on dental pulp cells was examined and the mechanism of dentine bridge formation by calcium hydroxide was investigated. Methodology Human dental pulp cells were treated with high concentration of calcium or magnesium ions for 24 h and fibronectin gene expression was measured by the quantitative PCR method. Human dental pulp cells were then cultured on fibronecin-coated dishes for 24 h, and osteocalcin and osteopontin gene expression, which are typical phenotypes of mineralized tissue forming cells, were measured by the quantitative PCR method. Results Fibronectin gene expression was stimulated by calcium ions dose-dependently. On the other hand, magnesium ions did not influence fibronectin gene expression. Furthermore, pulp cells cultured on fibronectin-coated dishes enhanced the expression of phenotypes of mineralized tissue forming cells. Conclusions Calcium ions released from calcium hydroxide stimulates fibronectin synthesis in dental pulp cells. Fibronectin might induce the differentiation of dental pulp cells to mineralized tissue forming cells that are the main cells to form dentine bridges, via contact with cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury experience atrophy and weakening of the extensor as well as the hamstrings muscles at the injured leg. Especially, the weakness of the quadriceps muscle has been ascribed to hamper daily physical tasks. The purpose of the present study was therefore to investigate if nutrient supplementation during 12 weeks of conservative rehabilitation strength training could enhance hypertrophy and strength of the quadriceps muscle in ACL-injured patients. Twenty-six ACL-injured men and women were included and randomly distributed into three supplementation groups: Protein + Carbohydrate (PC), Isocaloric-Carbohydrate (IC), or Placebo (PL), ingesting the supplementation immediately after each of 36 training sessions. Determined from images of thigh cross-sections (magnetic resonance imaging) the hypertrophy of the quadriceps muscle differed significantly between groups at the distal part, with the PC group demonstrating the largest hypertrophy. Peak torque of the quadriceps muscle at constant velocity 60° · s−1 was significantly elevated in the PC group only, and the time to reach peak torque tended to decrease as well only in the PC group. The results from this study demonstrate that restoration of the distal vasti muscle mass and knee extension muscle strength with resistance training is promoted further by protein-containing nutrient supplementation immediately after single exercise sessions. Thus, exercise-related protein supplementation may seem important for surgery-related rehabilitation of skeletal muscle. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 24:2114-2123, 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neural substrates mediating the negative feedback effects of oestrogen on luteinising hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) release were studied using thein vivopush–pull perfusion method in female rhesus monkeys. Twelve long-term ovariectomized female monkeys were implanted with Silastic capsules containing 17β-oestradiol 2 weeks before the experiments and, on the day of the experiment, oestradiol benzoate (EB, 50 µg/kg) or oil was subcutaneously injected. Push–pull perfusate samples from the stalk-median eminence were collected in 10-min fractions from 4 h before to 18–20 h after EB or oil injection. LHRH and neuropeptide Y (NPY) levels in the same perfusates were measured by radioimmunoassay, and glutamate and GABA in the same perfusates were assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The results indicate that EB significantly suppressed LHRH release (P < 0.005) starting within 2 h after EB, and continued for 18 h or until the experiment was terminated. Pulse analysis suggested that oestrogen suppressed the pulse amplitude, but not pulse frequency, of LHRH release. By contrast, EB did not alter any parameters (mean release, pulse amplitude or frequency) of pulsatile NPY release throughout the experiment. HPLC analysis further suggested that neither glutamate nor GABA levels in the stalk-median eminence were changed with oestrogen-induced LHRH suppression. Oil treatment did not alter LHRH, NPY, GABA and glutamate levels. It is concluded that oestrogen induces suppression of pulsatile LHRH release within 2 h, but the inhibitory effect of oestrogen on LHRH release does not appear to be mediated by NPY, GABAergic, or glutamatergic neurones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect ofHelicobacter pylorieradication on the platelet count in patients with thrombocytopenic purpura is controversial. In this multicentre study, we prospectively assessed the effect ofH. pylorieradication therapy in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura patients.Thirty-five consecutive patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (11 males and 24 females, a median age of 57) were assessed forH. pyloriinfection by use of a urea breath test. All patients received 1-week triple therapy (amoxicillin, clarithromycin, and lansoprazole) to eradicateH. pylori. At 6 months, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura patients with a platelet count recovery of greater than 100 × 109 L−1 were defined as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura responders.Helicobacter pyloriinfection was observed in 25 (71%) of the 35 patients. All infected patients were cured. Eleven patients were identified as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura responders; 24 were considered nonresponders. Platelet counts improved by more than 100 × 109 L−1 in 11 (44%) of the 25 patients cured ofH. pyloriinfection, while none of the 10 patientsH. pylori-negative patients experienced the same improvement (P = 0·015). Univariate analysis showed thatH. pyloriinfection and its eradication were significant factors associated with platelet recovery (P = 0·015).Helicobacter pyloriinfection played a role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in approximately 30% of all patients assessed and 45% of the patients withH. pyloriinfection. Eradication ofH. pyloriin idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura patients led to improved disease activity.Eur J Clin Invest 2005; 35 (3): 214 –219 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Falloon IRH, Mizuno M, Murakami M, Roncone R, Unoka Z, Harangozo J, Pullman J, Gedye R, Held T, Hager B, Erickson D, Burnett K. Structured assessment of current mental state in clinical practice: an international study of the reliability and validity of the Current Psychiatric State interview, CPS-50.Acta Psychiatr Scand 2004: 110: 1–7.© Blackwell Munksgaard 2004.To develop a reliable standardized assessment of psychiatric symptoms for use in clinical practice.A 50-item interview, the Current Psychiatric State 50 (CPS-50), was used to assess 237 patients with a range of psychiatric diagnoses. Ratings were made by interviewers after a 2-day training. Comparisons of inter-rater reliability on each item and on eight clinical subscales were made across four international centres and between psychiatrists and non-psychiatrists. A principal components analysis was used to validate these clinical scales.Acceptable inter-rater reliability (intra-class coefficient > 0.80) was found for 46 of the 50 items, and for all eight subscales. There was no difference between centres or between psychiatrists and non-psychiatrists. The principal components analysis factors were similar to the clinical scales.The CPS-50 is a reliable standardized assessment of current mental status that can be used in clinical practice by all mental health professionals after brief training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Titanium-29niobium-13tantalurri-4.6zirconium (TiNb) has recently been developed as a new implant material. TiNb is composed of non-toxic elements and has a lower modulus of elasticity than the other titanium alloys. However, its biocompatibility has not been adequately characterized. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biocompatibility of TiNb using an osteoblast-titanium co-culture system. Methods: MG63 cells were cultured on three kinds of titanium disks: TiNb, pure titanium (pTi), and titanium-6aluminum 4vanadium (TiAl), prepared with two different surfaces, a polished and acid-etched surface and a machined-grooved surface. The surface topography and roughness were evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). After 48 hours culture, the number of proliferating cells and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production in the culture supernatant were determined. Results: There was no significant difference in surface roughness among the three titanium disks with a polished and acid-etched surface. After 48 hours of culture, the number of cells was significantly reduced on pTi and TiAl compared to TiNb and the control. PGE2 production was significantly higher on pTi than on TiAl, TiNb, and the control. We further examined the effect of surface roughness on PGE2 production using machine-grooved titanium disks. While pTi and TiAl stimulated the production of PGE2 depending on surface roughness, roughened TiNb did not affect PGE2 production. Conclusions: These results suggest that TiNb may exhibit favorable biocompatibility because it has an efficient surface topography for cell proliferation, and the level of PGE2 production does not depend on surface roughness. We conclude that TiNb may be useful as an implant material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB is a polypeptide growth factor which has been shown to stimulate periodontal regeneration. In this study, we investigated the time- and dose-dependent effect of PDGF-BB on the proliferation and collagen synthesis of human periodontal ligament (PDL) cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: For the proliferation assay, PDL cells were cultured in 0.01–10 ng ml-1 of PDGF-BB for 12 or 24 h, and cell numbers were counted. For the collagen synthesis assay, PDL cells were cultured in 0.1–10 ng ml-1 of PDGF-BB for 1 to 24 h. The ratio of collagen content in total protein was evaluated, and the gene expression of type I collagen was assessed quantitatively by Northern blotting analysis. RESULT AND CONCLUSIONS: PDGF-BB stimulated the proliferation of PDL cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner with the maximum effect at 10 ng ml-1 . PDGF-BB induced the collagen synthesis of PDL cells with the maximum effect for 24-h treatment, and 1 ng ml-1 of PDGF-BB. PDGF-BB exhibits an inverse dose-dependent effect on proliferation and collagen synthesis by PDL cells. These findings suggest that PDGF-BB is one of the important regulators of the maintenance of the extracellular matrix in PDL, and may play an important role in the regeneration of PDL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

summary New-generation composite materials have excellent strength and wear resistance, and thus can be used to make metal-free crowns. However, composite materials are translucent, and so when using them to make metal-free crowns, it is necessary to take the effect of the abutments into consideration. In this study, five types of materials including three types of new-generation composite materials, a conventional composite material, and a ceramic material were used to examine the translucency (contrast ratio) of the materials and the effects of the colour of the abutments on the final appearance of metal-free crowns. It was found that the materials varied slightly from one-another in translucency and that it was possible to reproduce the desired colour when gold alloy was used for the background. However, it was difficult to produce an adequate colour match when silver–palladium alloy was used for the background. When a tooth colour material that was darker than the target colour was used for the abutment teeth, some materials could not reproduce the target colour satisfactorily. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhanced expression of decay-accelerating factor and CD59/homologous restriction factor 20 in intestinal metaplasia, gastric adenomas and intestinal-type gastric carcinomas but not in diffuse-type carcinomas Aims: Variable expression of the complement regulatory proteins, decay-accelerating factor, CD59/homologous restriction factor 20 (HRF20) and membrane cofactor protein has been shown in human gastrointestinal malignancies, but their expression in gastric cancer has not been fully described. Thus, we immunohistochemically defined the distribution of these proteins in human normal gastric mucosa, intestinal metaplasia, adenomas and gastric cancers. Methods and results: Gastric tissues were obtained by endoscopic biopsy or surgical resection and stained with mouse monoclonal antibodies to decay-accelerating factor, CD59/HRF20, and membrane cofactor protein. In the normal gastric mucosa, membrane cofactor protein was diffusely stained on the basolateral surface of epithelial cells, whereas the expression of decay-accelerating factor and CD59/HRF20 was inconspicuous. In intestinal metaplasia, adenoma and intestinal-type gastric carcinoma cells, decay-accelerating factor and HRF20 were intensely stained on the apical surface; membrane cofactor protein retained its location on the basolateral surface. In diffuse-type gastric carcinomas, the expression of decay-accelerating factor, CD59/HRF20 was lost, but membrane cofactor protein was present on the tumour cell surface. Conclusions: These findings suggest that membrane cofactor protein plays a primary role in the regulation of complement activation in normal and neoplastic gastric cells and that the expression pattern of the complement regulatory proteins is closely related to gastric carcinoma development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background: We have previously shown that expression of decay-accelerating factor (DAF), a complement regulatory protein, is enhanced immunohistochemically on the luminal surface of cancer glands in human colorectal cancer and is detected in stool specimens of patients with colorectal cancer. The amount of DAF present in the stools might be influenced by the stability of DAF on the cell surface which is regulated by biochemical properties such as glycosylation of the protein. In the present study, to help elucidate the mechanism for the release of DAF from human colorectal cancers, we biochemically analyzed DAF expression by western and northern blotting by using surgically resected specimens of colorectal cancers. Methods: Surgically resected colorectal cancer tissues were obtained from 10 patients. Expression of DAF was determined by western and northern blotting, and glycosylation of DAF protein was analyzed with glycosidase digestion. Results: Northern blot analysis demonstrated that the expression of DAF mRNA in colorectal cancer was enhanced two- to threefold compared with normal tissues. In western blotting, expression of DAF protein in the cancer tissue was increased, and heterogeneity in the apparent molecular weight of DAF was observed among patients. When o-linked sugars were removed, this heterogeneity of DAF size diminished. Conclusions: The polymorphic expression of DAF in colorectal cancer is likely to reflect variability in the o-glycosylation of the protein. We speculate that this variability could affect the stability of DAF on the surfaces of cancer cells and, in turn, the amount of DAF shed into the stools of colorectal cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBackground: Diffuse submucosal cysts of the stomach have been suggested as a predisposing condition for the development of gastric cancer, especially multiple cancers. We report here two cases of diffuse submucosal cysts of the stomach associated with multiple gastric cancers which were detected during endoscopic follow-up. Methods and Results: The first patient was a 75-year-old man and the second patient was a 72-year-old man. In the first case, we performed an endoscopic examination every year and detected an advanced cancer and two early cancers on the fifth year of the follow up. Because one of these cancers was advanced, we examined the second patient endoscopically every six months. In this patient, we detected two early cancers after 1.5 years follow up. Conclusions: We suggest that patients with this disorder should be examined regularly by endoscopy for the detection of gastric cancer, preferably every six months. © 1999 Blackwell Science Asia Pty Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DUP of first-episode schizophrenia patients has recently been drawing a lot of attention, but there is no investigation in relation to early prognosis in Japan. The duration of first admission and neuroleptic dosage in 1 year after prescribing first neuroleptics have been studied. Subjects and method 83 consecutive patients of neuroleptic naïve first-episode schizophrenia from two hospitals were investigated on its mean DUP. Furthermore, the mean duration (days) of first admission and chlorpromazine equivalent dosage(mg) in 1 year after first treatment were compared intwopatients groups. Group a DUP > 5 months, Group B < 5 months. Results The mean DUP was 13.7 months and the median was 5.0 months. The length of stay of first admission: group A: 121.1 days, and group B: 40.7 days ( P=0.018). Chlorpromazine equivalent dosage in 1 year were 770.5 mg in group A, and 226.1 mg in group B ( P=0.080). Discussion Correlation of DUP and GAF, length of first admission, and chlorpromazine dosage will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

J Physiol 2001 August 15: 535(1): 301–11 (1) Age-associated loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength can partly be counteracted by resistance training, causing a net synthesis of muscular proteins. Protein synthesis is influenced synergistically by post-exercise amino acid supplementation, but the importance of the timing of protein intake remains unresolved. (2) The study investigated the importance of immediate (P0) or delayed (P2) intake of an oral protein supplement upon muscle hypertrophy and strength over a period of resistance training in elderly males. (3) Thirteen men (age 74 ± 1 years; body mass index (BMI), 25 ± 1 kg m− 2 (means ± SEM)) completed a 12-week resistance training program (three times per week) receiving oral protein in liquid form (10 g protein, 7 g carbohydrate, 3 g fat) immediately after (P0) or 2 h after (P2) each training session. Muscle hypertrophy was evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and from muscle biopsies and muscle strength was determined using dynamic and isokinetic strength measurements. Body composition was determined from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and food records were obtained over 4 days. The plasma insulin response to protein supplementation was also determined. (4) In response to training, the cross-sectional area of m. quadriceps femoris (54.6 ± 0.5–58.3 ± 0.5 cm2) and mean fiber area (4047 ± 320–5019 ± 615 μ m2) increased in the P0 group, whereas no significant increase was observed in P2. For P0 both dynamic and isokinetic strength increased, by 46 and 15%, respectively ( P < 0.05), whereas P2 only improved in dynamic strength, by 36% ( P < 0.05). No differences in glucose or insulin response were observed between protein intake at 0 and 2 h post-exercise. (5) We conclude that early intake of an oral protein supplement after resistance training is important for the development of hypertrophy in skeletal muscle of elderly men in response to resistance training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]