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False windows can display a variety of outdoor scenery in rooms without real windows. We aimed to assess the effects of three different hospital beds on the change in the frontal assessment battery scores in patients aged ≥ 20-year-old admitted in our neurological ward. We included 24 patients on the window side, 12 patients on the aisle side with a false window, and 12 patients on the aisle side without a false window. There were no statistical differences in the change of cognitive function among the three hospital beds. Only the length of hospital stay was a significant associated factor.

The Am and Bm phenotypes are characterized by weak expression of the A or B antigens, respectively, by red blood cells with a normal expression by the saliva of secretors. Deletion of the regulatory element in the first intron of the ABO gene and disruption of the GATA motif in the element were found to be responsible. In this study, we identified a novel mutation within the GATA motif (G>C substitution at position c.28 + 5830) in the regulatory element of the A allele that might diminish transcription activity causing the generation of the Am B phenotype.

We describe a patient with right common iliac artery occlusion who presented with intermittent claudication and underwent percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. The angiogram showed 100% occluded right common iliac artery with bridged collateral flow. After initial ballooning to the artery, the occluding plaque detached from the artery and resulted in multiple embolizations, not only to the distal external iliac artery, but also to the internal iliac artery and its branches, which supplied collateral flow to the right femoral artery. Circulation in the collateral networks from internal iliac artery and its branching to the right femoral artery diminished from the multiple embolizations. Repeat aspiration and stenting to the portion of dislodged plaque was attempted, but repeat ballooning to open the external iliac artery was unsuccessful because of decreased collateral flows and distal displacement of the embolus to the right femoral artery. Finally, all blood flow to the right femoral artery was occluded. Surgical embolectomy was successfully performed, but the patient succumbed to myonephropathic metabolic syndrome. Multiple embolizations occluding numerous collateral arteries caused acute fatal ischemia to the right limb. This case report highlights potentially fatal complication in the percutaneous intervention for chronic iliac artery occlusion.

Differentiation of ABO mosaics from chimeras is performed using flow cytometry (FCM) analysis. Although mosaics and chimeras have been distinguished by presence or absence of clear resolution using FCM analysis, the lack of quantitative metrics and definitive criteria for this differentiation has made some cases difficult to differentiate. In this study, therefore, we attempted to establish a definitive and quantitative criterion for this differentiation. When FCM histogram gates for group “A” or “B” antigen-negative and -positive red blood cells (RBCs) were set such that group O RBCs were classified as 99 percent negative and group A or B RBCs as 99 percent positive, the percentages of RBCs in the middle region of six chimeras and 23 mosaics (12 A mosaics and 11 B mosaics) were 0.1–0.6 percent and 7.0–19.0 percent, respectively. This result suggested that ABO mosaics and chimeras can be unambiguously differentiated when the cutoff point of the intermediate region is set to 1 percent. Immunohematology 2015;31:24–28.

It is the most important issue for the sustainable society to reduce output as disposal and input of natural resource. This paper shows directions of how to reduce the output from public works and the input for public works.The directions are how to select good ways from various type of recycling. The first is to check from view point of the output of society. The second is to check from view point of the input of society. According to the directions, we found some recycling ways cause increase of the input and/or the output.

The involvement of several cytokines in the antitumor effect induced by intrapleural (i.pl.) injection of heat-killed cells of Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LC 9018) in mice was investigated. Injection of LC 9018 i.pl. into Meth A fibrosarcoma (Meth A)-bearing mice not only significantly prolonged the survival of the mice, but also effectively inhibited the accumulation of malignant pleural fluid in the thoracic cavity. In the thoracic cavity of tumor-bearing mice treated with LC 9018, we observed large amounts of several cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1beta, interferon (IFN)-gamma, IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha. Both anti-IFN-gamma and anti-IL-12 monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments partially diminished the antitumor activity of LC 9018 in vivo, while the treatment of anti-IL-1beta mAb did not influence the survival of the mice. However, anti-TNF-alpha mAb treatment completely abolished the antitumor effect of LC 9018 in vivo, suggesting that in this model LC 9018 has a survival-prolonging effect involving certain cytokines. Moreover, i.pl. injection of mouse recombinant TNF-alpha into Meth A-bearing mice pretreated with anti-TNF-alpha mAb partially restored the survival-enhancing effect of LC 9018. These results led us to conclude that TNF-alpha induced by i.pl. injection of LC 9018 plays an important role in the antitumor effect of LC 9018 in vivo.

Total food duplicates for 24 hours were collected from farmers in Japan, once in 1977–1981 (109 subjects) and then in 1991–1992 (72 subjects). Nutrients (including energy, protein, fat, some minerals, and several vitamins) in each food item in the food duplicate were estimated taking advantage of the values given in the Standard Tables of Food Compositions in Japan. The number of the food items in each food duplicate was counted excluding duplication. Analyses demonstrated that the daily nutrient intake (especially that of energy, protein and vitamin B1) has a significant association with the number of items of food taken a day, that the daily intake of most nutrients is sufficient when 30 food items were taken a day, but that the sufficient supply of calcium and iron needs an intake of more than 30 food items.

The development of posture in the prone and supine positions was studied longitudinally in 10 low risk preterm infants between 31 and 39 weeks' postmenstrual age whose subsequent neurological development at 18 months old was normal. The infants were observed from one week after birth until the expected date of delivery. All postures were analysed according to the procedures described by Prechtl et al. There were large intraindividual and interindividual differences in posture in terms of the duration and incidence of the two positions. There was no age specific preferred posture found in either position. The posture duration in the prone position was longer than that in the supine position, but overall flexed and abducted posture were observed more often in the former. Turning of the head to the right side was also observed more often in the prone than in the supine position.

Major source of NaCl among Japanese diet were quantified. Adult inhabitants (1334 subjects, or 499 men and 835 women at the ages of 20 to 70 years) in 49 regions (mostly agricultural) all over Japan offered 24-hour total food duplicates in winter seasons. Sodium chloride (NaCl) contents in each food items in the duplicates were estimated by the weight taking advantage of the Standard Tables of Food Compositions with assumption that sodium is totally attributable to NaCl. The NaCl contents in the duplicates distributed essentially normally with a mean of 14.4 g and a standard deviation of 6.1 g. High NaCl intake was associated with the consumption of pulses, fish/shellfish and vegetables in addtion to seasoning/spices. Further analysis showed that miso paste, soy bean sauce and pickles accounted for 23.6, 18.8 and 16.7% of total NaCl intake, respectively, or almost 60% when the three items are combined. Multiple regression analysis also indicated that miso paste has the strongest influence on total NaCl intake. Of particular interest was the fact that consumption of pickles increased markerdly as a function of higher salt intake, from 0.1 g (in terms of NaCl content) among low NaCl consumers (taking

We report a case of metachronous bilateral adrenal metastases from mucinous adenocarcinoma of the stomach. A 68-year-old man who had undergone surgery for advanced gastric cancer 5 months earlier had a follow-up computed tomography (CT) scan, which showed a right adrenal tumor. We performed a right adrenalectomy, and histopathological examination revealed a mucinous adenocarcinoma with features consistent with those of gastric cancer. A routine follow-up CT scan done 41 months after the right adrenalectomy showed a left adrenal mass. Chemotherapy had no apparent effect, and left adrenalectomy was performed 65 months after the right adrenalectomy. Histopathological examination also revealed a metastasis from gastric cancer. The patient was alive without recurrence 40 months after the left adrenalectomy. This case suggests that resection of adrenal metastasis from gastric cancer is an effective treatment option that may prolong survival in selected patients.

Objectives To quantify the coexistence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and multiple sclerosis (MS) and to characterize the diseases when they coexist. Patients and Methods In this retrospective study of medical records spanning 1950 through 1995, the diagnoses of Crohn disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC), and MS were based on review of inpatient and outpatient records by a gastroenterologist and a neurologist. Results We identified 4 residents of Olmsted County, Minnesota, with IBD (3 UC, 1 CD) who had concurrent, clinically definite MS; all had mild neurologic disease with little disability. These comprised 1% of the IBD and 1.8% of the MS cohort. The CD patient had undergone terminal ileal resection; of the UC patients, 2 had pancolitis, and 1 had proctosigmoiditis. The observed prevalence of MS at onset of IBD was 3.7 times the expected (95% confidence interval, 0.8-10.8). We also reviewed the records of 32 referral patients with both diagnoses. Disability from MS was moderate at median follow-up of 8.5 years. By 15 years, ambulation was impaired in most patients. Neurologic disability was similar between patients with CD and UC. Conclusions Concurrence of the 2 diseases was greater than expected. Although MS and IBD may share common predisposing factors, not enough information is available to speculate about possible mechanisms.

Cysts and benign tumors are uncommon causes of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and surgical removal is usually favored. In patients in whom an operation poses a high risk, however, nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) may prove beneficial. We describe three patients with hemangiomas of the oral cavity in whom polysomnography revealed moderate to severe OSA. In all three patients, nasal CPAP effectively decreased sleep-related disordered breathing events and dramatically improved their sleep. To our knowledge, this is the first report of OSA associated with hemangiomas involving the upper airway. Our experience suggests that nasal CPAP therapy is effective and well tolerated in such patients.

This is a rare image of a porcelain heart resulting from rheumatic pancarditis. We present a case of postmortem porcelain heart scanned by multislice computed tomography, and we show three-dimensional data reconstruction analyzed with a commercial workstation (Vitrea2; Vital Images, Inc., Minnetonka, MN). Three-dimensional volume-rendering technique imaging reveals massive calcification of the entire heart, creating a pottery appearance.

Two ubiquitous elements of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) have been well recognized as environmental pollutants as well as occupational intoxicants. It was observed in a nation-wide study in the years around 1980 that dietary cadmium intake of general Japanese population through daily food in the time period studied was about 30 to 40 [mu]g/day which was among the highest in world population and considerably higher than the neighboring populations such as Koreans, whereas dietary exposure of the same population to lead (about 33 to 38 [mu]g/day) was apparently among the lowest. A follow-up study has been initiated in this study group since 1990 to examine if there are any significant changes in the past 10 year period in the dietary burden of general Japanese population to these 2 insidious toxic metals, and preliminary results of the study will be described in this article to report a marked reduction in the intake of both pollutant elements. 11 refs., 4 tabs.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the daily life and care condition of elderly people living in Korea, and to observe the symptom of senile dementia among them. In the first survey, 713 subjects were screened and 42 subjects were diagnosed as suffering from senile dementia. In the second survey, 26 elderly and their caregivers who agreed to participate in this program, were interviewed. The results were as follows. 1. About 25% of the 713 subjects needed some kind of help in their daily life. 2. 85% of the subjects could go out and about their houses without help. Only 5% of them had a complete or a partial loss of activity. 3. Of all the subjects, 42 were diagnosed as suffering from senile dementia. The prevalence of this disease was calculated at 5.6% in the survey. 4. Each demented elderly person had 5.3 mental symptoms on the average. Depression was observed more among women and violence was observed more among men. 5. The elderly who had a lower CPR score (Caretaker-Patient Relationship Score), indicating a poor relationship between the patient and caretaker, had a higher prevalence of mental symptoms than those who had a higher CPR score.

Histidine and its derivatives increased rabbit muscle fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase activity at neutral pH with positive cooperativity. In the presence of histidine and carnosine the optimum pH shifted from pH 8.0 to 7.4. The cooperative response of the enzyme to AMP and fructose 1,6-bisphosphate was observed in the presence of the histidine derivatives. Of a number of divalent cations tested, only Zn2+ was found to be an effective inhibitor of enzyme activity at low concentrations. The kinetic data suggested that Zn2+ acted as inhibitor as well as activator for the enzyme activity; a high affinity binding site was associated with Ki of approximately 0.5 microM Zn2+ and a catalytic site was associated with Km of approximately 10 microM Zn2+. Rabbit muscle fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase bound 4 equivalents of Zn2+/mol, presumably 1 per subunit, in the absence of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate. Two equivalents of Zn2+/mol bound to the enzyme were readily removed by dialysis or gel filtration in the absence of a chelating agent. The other two equivalents of Zn2+/mol were removed by histidine and histidine derivatives of naturally occurring chelators with concomitant increase in activity.

The molecular w:ight of yeast aldehyde dehydrogenase determined by sucrose density gradient centrifugation was 207,000 +/- 13,000. The enzyme activity was proportional to the enzyme concentration in the range of 2 X 10(-11) M to 1 X 10(-7) M. Cross-linking patterns obtained with yeast aldehyde dehydrogenase after treatment with a series of diimidoesters of increasing chain lengths with different reaction times resulted in the appearance of tetramers as the largest cross-linked product of the enzyme subunits. The molecular weights of its monomer, dimer, trimer, and tetramer were, 57,000, 114,000, 171,000, and 228,000, respectively, as estimated from their mobilities on SDS-electrophoresis. In tetramers monomers are probably assembled in a heterologous square arrangement.

有機ホウ素化合物を4種の異なる酸化方法,すなわち,(I)Na2O2を用いる方法,(II)アルカリ性H2O2(III)CF3OOOH(IV)アルカリ性K2S2O8,で酸化してホウ酸を生成させ,マンニットの存在のもとでρHメーターを用いて分析を行なう場合の簡易な方法を見いだした。その結果Iの方法で酸化し,滴定溶液に水酸化ナトリウムを用いた場合は精度が0.2～1%,IまたはIIの方法で酸化し,滴定溶液に水酸化バリウムを用いた場合は精度が0.1%内外で行なえることがわかった。

A procedure for the purification of aldehyde dehydrogenase from bakers' yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) is reported. Treatment with acid, heat and organic solvents was avoided and chromatographic and filtration techniques in the presence of phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride were mainly used. An affinity chromatography step using the reactive dye Cibacron blue F3G-A, which was covalently bound to Sepharose 4B, was found to be essential. The enzyme was bound to and then released from the dye. The purified enzyme was shown to be homogeneous by gel filtration, disc electrophoresis and SDS electrophoresis. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme determined by gel filtration was 170,000, which agreed with that of the enzyme in the crude extract. The enzyme was composed of subunits of a molecular weight of 57,000. The specific activity of the enzyme was 20 units per mg of protein under the standard assay conditions. The substrate specificity, the relative maximal velocity, the michaelis constants, the pH optimum, the stability and the activation energy of the enzyme are reported.