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Background and aims: The genetic contribution to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is under investigation. Recent evidence indicates a significant linkage between a locus on chromosome 19p13 and IBD. We investigated [...]

Presents a letter to the editor published in the August 2003 issue of 'Gut' journal responding to the author's article about the association between K469E allele of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 gene and inflammatory bowel disease in different populations.

Cumene dioxygenase (CumDO) is an initial enzyme in the cumene degradation pathway of Pseudomonas fluorescens IP01 and is a Rieske non-heme iron oxygenase (RO) that comprises two electron transfer components (reductase [CumDO-R] and Rieske-type ferredoxin [CumDO-F]) and one catalytic component (α 3 β 3 -type oxygenase [CumDO-O]). Catalysis is triggered by electrons that are transferred from NAD(P)H to CumDO-O by CumDO-R and CumDO-F. To investigate the binding mode between CumDO-F and CumDO-O and to identify the key CumDO-O amino acid residues for binding, we simulated docking between the CumDO-O crystal structure and predicted model of CumDO-F and identified two potential binding sites: one is at the side-wise site and the other is at the top-wise site in mushroom-like CumDO-O. Then, we performed alanine mutagenesis of 16 surface amino acid residues at two potential binding sites. The results of reduction efficiency analyses using the purified components indicated that CumDO-F bound at the side-wise site of CumDO-O, and K117 of the α-subunit and R65 of the β-subunit were critical for the interaction. Moreover, these two positively charged residues are well conserved in α 3 β 3 -type oxygenase components of ROs whose electron donors are Rieske-type ferredoxins. Given that these residues were not conserved if the electron donors were different types of ferredoxins or reductases, the side-wise site of the mushroom-like structure is thought to be the common binding site between Rieske-type ferredoxin and α 3 β 3 -type oxygenase components in ROs. IMPORTANCE We clarified the critical amino acid residues of the oxygenase component (Oxy) of Rieske non-heme iron oxygenase (RO) for binding with Rieske-type ferredoxin (Fd). Our results showed that Rieske-type Fd-binding site is commonly located at the stem (side-wise site) of the mushroom-like α 3 β 3 quaternary structure in many ROs. The resultant binding site was totally different from those reported at the top-wise site of the doughnut-like α 3 -type Oxy, although α 3 -type Oxys correspond to the cap (α 3 subunit part) of the mushroom-like α 3 β 3 -type Oxys. Critical amino acid residues detected in this study were not conserved if the electron donors of Oxys were different types of Fds or reductases. Altogether, we can suggest that unique binding modes between Oxys and electron donors have evolved, depending on the nature of the electron donors, despite Oxy molecules having shared α 3 β 3 quaternary structures.

Sarcopenia causes functional disorders and decreases the quality of life. Thus, it has attracted substantial attention in the aging modern world. Dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota is associated with sarcopenia; however, it remains unclear whether prebiotics change the microbiota composition and result in the subsequent recovery of muscle atrophy in elderly patients with sarcopenia. This study aimed to assess the effects of prebiotics in super-elderly patients with sarcopenia. We analyzed the effects of 1-kestose on the changes in the intestinal microbiota and body composition using a next-generation sequencer and a multi-frequency bioimpedance analysis device. The Bifidobacterium longum population was significantly increased in the intestine after 1-kestose administration. In addition, in all six patients after 12 weeks of 1-kestose administration, the skeletal muscle mass index was greater, and the body fat percentage was lower. This is the first study to show that administration of a prebiotic increased the population of B. longum in the intestinal microbiota and caused recovery of muscle atrophy in super-elderly patients with sarcopenia., (©2021 BMFH Press.)

Ever since the discovery of quasicrystals, periodic approximants of these aperiodic structures constitute a very useful experimental and theoretical device. Characterized by packing motifs typical for quasicrystals arranged in large unit cells, these approximants bridge the gap between periodic and aperiodic positional order. Here we propose a class of sequences of 2-D quasicrystals that consist of increasingly larger periodic domains and are marked by an ever more pronounced periodicity, thereby representing aperiodic approximants of a periodic crystal. Consisting of small and large triangles and rectangles, these tilings are based on the metallic means of multiples of 3, have a 6-fold rotational symmetry, and can be viewed as a projection of a non-cubic 4-D superspace lattice. Together with the non-metallic-mean three-tile hexagonal tilings, they provide a comprehensive theoretical framework for the complex structures seen, e.g., in some binary nanoparticles, oxide films, and intermetallic alloys.

Type II extradiol dioxygenase, 2'-carboxy-2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase (FlnD1D2) involved in the fluorene degradation pathway of Rhodococcus sp. DFA3 was purified to homogeneity from a heterologously expressing Escherichia coli. Gel filtration chromatography and SDS-PAGE suggested that FlnD1D2 is an α4β4 heterooctamer and that the molecular masses of these subunits are 30 and 9.9 kDa, respectively. The optimum pH and temperature for enzyme activity were 8.0 and 30 °C, respectively. Assessment of metal ion effects suggested that exogenously supplied Fe(2+) increases enzyme activity 3.2-fold. FlnD1D2 catalyzed meta-cleavage of 2'-carboxy-2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl homologous compounds, but not single-ring catecholic compounds. The Km and kcat/Km values of FlnD1D2 for 2,3-dihidroxybiphenyl were 97.2 μM and 1.5 × 10(-2) μM(-1)sec(-1), and for 2,2',3-trihydroxybiphenyl, they were 168.0 μM and 0.5 × 10(-2) μM(-1)sec(-1), respectively. A phylogenetic tree of the large and small subunits of type II extradiol dioxygenases suggested that FlnD1D2 constitutes a novel subgroup among heterooligomeric type II extradiol dioxygenases.

The initial reaction in bacterial carbazole degradation is catalyzed by carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase, which consists of terminal oxygenase (Oxy), ferredoxin (Fd) and ferredoxin reductase components. The electron-transfer complex between reduced Oxy and oxidized Fd was crystallized at 293 K using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method with PEG 3350 as the precipitant under anaerobic conditions. The crystal diffracted to a maximum resolution of 2.25 Å and belonged to space group P21, with unit-cell parameters a = 97.3, b = 81.6, c = 116.2 Å, α = γ = 90, β = 100.1°. The VM value is 2.85 Å(3) Da(-1), indicating a solvent content of 56.8%.

The initial reaction of bacterial carbazole degradation is catalysed by carbazole 1,9a-dioxygenase, which consists of terminal oxygenase, ferredoxin and ferredoxin reductase components. The reduced form of the terminal oxygenase component was crystallized at 293 K by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG MME 550 as the precipitant under anaerobic conditions. The crystals diffracted to a resolution of 1.74 Å and belonged to space group P6(5), with unit-cell parameters a = b = 92.0, c = 243.6 Å. The asymmetric unit contained a trimer of terminal oxygenase molecules.

We find that 48/64 hard spheres per unit cell on the gyroid minimal surface are entropically self-organized. Striking evidence is obtained in terms of the acceptance ratio of Monte Carlo moves and order parameters. The regular tessellations of the spheres can be viewed as hyperbolic tilings on the Poincaré disc with a negative Gaussian curvature, one of which is, equivalently, the arrangement of angels and devils in Escher's Circle Limit IV.

Objectives: We performed a regional volumetric study of the brain using 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging in infants with congenital heart disease to search for variables in anatomic development of the brain that may be associated with functional impairment., Methods: Forty infants with congenital heart disease-17 infants with single ventricle physiology, 5 with transposition of great arteries, and 18 with ventricular septal defect-were studied prospectively by 3-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging of the brain several months after heart surgery., Results: The global volume of gray matter was significantly reduced in the patients with congenital heart disease compared with normal controls (P < .001), whereas no significant difference in the volume of white matter was observed. Further, the decrease in gray matter volume was more apparent in the frontal lobe than in the temporal lobe, especially in infants with single ventricle physiology or transposition of the great arteries. Multivariate analysis revealed that preoperative hypoxia is strongly associated with decreased frontal gray matter volume (P < .01), as well as a diagnosis of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (P < .05). Of note, frontal gray matter volume, which includes the motor area, correlated weakly with psychomotor developmental index scores (P < .01)., Conclusions: Brain developmental impairment occurs in many infants with congenital heart disease, especially in those who have preoperative hypoxia and critical congenital heart disease. This quantitative volumetric study encourages larger scale and longitudinal follow-up to elucidate the significance of impaired neuroanatomic development on functional outcome.

This study aimed to reveal the influence of gender, athletic events and athletic experience on the subjective dominant hand and the dominant hand based on the laterality quotient (LQ). It also aimed to examine the validity of the Edinburgh Inventory (Oldfield, 1971). Males and females (n=3,726) living in 7 prefectures in Japan (age: 16-45 yrs) participated in this survey. Analysis was performed on 3,557 separate datasets with high reliability. The reliability of the survey was examined using a test-retest method consisting of 100 people selected randomly from all participants. All participants provided the same answers for each question. The influence of gender, event and experience was examined for the subjective and LQ-based dominant hands. In addition, concordance rates of the subjective dominant hand and the LQ-based dominant hand and both dominant hands were examined. Differences of concordance rates between hands used in the 10 movement questions of the Inventory and the subjective dominant hand were tested using the chi(2) test. The frequency differences among items were tested using Ryan's method (multiple comparisons). Significant gender differences were found between rates of the LQ-based dominant hand (males: 94.4%; females: 96.6%) and the subjective dominant hand (males: 91.6%; females: 94.0%), but the degree was only 2.0-4.0%. Insignificant differences were found among athletic events, two groups of different athletic experience, and gender according to each athletic event. The subjective dominant hand almost always agreed with the LQ-based dominant hand (complete concordance rate=0.96, kappa=0.67). Of the 10 question items, inexperienced answers were found only in the item "Knife (without fork)". The "Toothbrush", "Broom (upper hand)", and "Opening box (lid)" items had significantly lower correspondence with the subjective dominant hand (79.7-87.0%) than the other items (92.1-95.7%). In conclusion, athletic experience appears to have little influence on handedness, although there is a slight gender difference. The subjective dominant hand almost always agrees with the dominant hand based on the Inventory. A more efficient handedness inventory may be constructed by excluding the above 4 items.

Objective: This study aimed at comparing the effect of linear polarized near-infrared light irradiation (PL irradiation) and bicycle exercise with 50%HRreserve on the flexibility of the shoulder joint., Design: Placebo-controlled trial., Setting: Twenty-four healthy young adults (10 males: mean+/-SD, age 20.9+/-3.1 y, height 171.0+/-3.9 cm, body mass 63.4+/-3.5 kg and 14 females: age 21.2+/-1.7 y, height 162.0+/-7.8 cm, body mass 56.2+/-7.2 kg)., Interventions: PL-irradiation (100%, 1800 mW), placebo-irradiation (10%,180 mW), and light exercise (50%HRreserve) for 10 minutes. OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: The shoulder joint angles were measured twice-before and after each intervention. We measured the angles when the right shoulder joint extended forward and flexed backward maximally without support, and analyzed these shoulder joints and range of motion. Trial-to-trial reliability (intraclass correlations) of each joint angle was very high, over 0.98. All joint angles showed significant changes, and values in post-PL-irradiation and postlight exercise were significantly greater than that in postplacebo-irradiation. Shoulder forward flexion and backward extension angles had significantly greater change rates in PL-irradiation and light exercise than placebo-irradiation, and their range of motion angle was in the order of PL-irradiation, light exercise, and placebo-irradiation., Conclusions: It is suggested that PL-irradiation produces almost the same effect on shoulder joint range of motion as light exercise.

Objective: In this study, we examined the characteristics of depression determination using four representative self-rating depression scales (Geriatric Depression Scale, GDS; Self-rating Depression Scale, SDS; Center for Epidermiologic Studies Depression Scale, CES-D; and Carroll Rating Scale, CRS) applied to Japanese community-dwelling elderly., Methods: Subjects were 563 community-dwelling independent elderly living in twelve prefectures (330 males, 68,9±6.3 yr; 233 females, 68.1±5.8 yr)., Results: Depression rates determined using SDS (45.8%) and CES-D (68.6%) were higher than those determined using GDS (5.7%) and CRS (14.7%). Although correlations of depression scale scores among the four scales were significant and comparable (r: 0.61 (GDS vs. SDS, p<0.01) to 0.78 (SDS vs. CES-D, p<0.01)), the agreement in depression determination varied among scales (kappa coefficients: 0.05 (GDS vs. CES-D, p>0.05) to 0.46 (SDS vs. CES-D, p<0.01))., Conclusions: Similarities in depression determination were found between GDS and CRS, and between CES-D and SDS. Depression rates determined on the basis of cut-off point for each scale were higher for CES-D and SDS than for GDS and CRS. Depression determination using a four-point rating scale may overestimate a slightly depressive symptom, compared with that using a two-point scale.

Goals and Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease characterized by dense infiltration of lymphocytes, plasma cells, neutrophils, and monocyte-macrophages into the colonic mucosa. Leukocytapheresis is a procedure for selectively removing white blood cells from withdrawn blood. It is used for the treatment of several autoimmune diseases. This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of leukocytapheresis for inducing and maintaining remission in corticosteroid-resistant UC, as compared with corticosteroid-responsive UC., Study: Forty-five patients with active UC who were treated with a dose of 1 mg/kg per day or more of prednisolone given systemically for at least 2 weeks were evaluated. Twenty patients (6 males, 14 females) in whom improvement was induced only by high doses of prednisolone were allocated as the corticosteroid-responsive group. The other 25 patients (11 males, 14 females) who did not respond to the above-mentioned dose of prednisolone therapy were allocated as the corticosteroid-resistant group and received leukocytapheresis therapy once a week for 5 weeks. Of patients who had a remission, the corticosteroid-responsive group continued to have the conventional therapy and the corticosteroid-resistant group were given leukocytapheresis once every 4 weeks for at least 2 years as maintenance therapy., Results: Remission was induced by 5 weeks of leukocytapheresis in 23 of the 25 (92%) patients with corticosteroid-resistant active UC. The number of days required to achieve remission of UC was fewer in patients who received leukocytapheresis than in those who did not. Follow-up study of the patients who had remission showed similar relapse rates at 2 years in the patients who received leukocytapheresis and those given high doses of prednisolone alone., Conclusions: Leukocytapheresis is an effective treatment of acute corticosteroid-resistant UC but does not prevent the recurrence of UC.

This study aimed to compare body sway characteristics of the healthy elderly and the disordered elderly. The subjects were 38 healthy elderly and 24 disordered elderly with disequilibrium. The latter consisted of two groups: 12 elderly with vestibular organ or central nervous systems disorder (central nervous disorders), and 12 elderly with disorder in other systems (other disorders). The measurement device can calculate the center of foot pressure (CFP) of vertical loads from the values of three vertical load sensors, which are located at the corners of an isosceles triangle on a level surface. The data sampling frequency was 20 Hz. Four body sway factors with high reliability (unit time sway, front-back sway, left-right sway, and high frequency band power) were used to evaluate body sway. As compared with healthy people, central nervous disorders had larger unit time sway, high frequency band power, and left-right sway factors. Other disorders were larger in unit time sway and high frequency band power factors. Central nervous disorders, as compared with other disorders, had larger unit time sway and left-right sway factors. Disorders produced large and fast sway, and central nervous disorders in particular showed a marked sway in the left-right direction. The existence of disease influenced body sway more than decline in various functions related to posture control with aging, because even with the same elderly, disorders showed a larger body sway.

The Wavelet Interpolation Method (WIM) was applied to the longitudinal records of individuals' heights and weights from 6 to 17 years of age (1983 to 1994) in an athlete group (male: 45, female: 50) and a control group (male: 85, female: 85). The criterion of maturity was derived from age at Maximum Peak Velocity (MPV) of height in the control group. Ages at MPV of height and weight were compared between the athletes and control subjects. The WIM was also applied to mean heights from 6.5 to 17.5 years of all the subjects classified by maturation rate in order to derive a model of growth velocity types. Among the athletes, the males were early-maturing and the females tended to be late-maturing. The difference between the ages at MPV of height and weight in males and females was less in the athletes group than in the control group. For the growth velocity model, in the athlete group, three types could be confirmed among the males, and five among the females. By making use of the type models, it was possible to clarify the spans of adolescence as classified by maturation rates, and it was concluded that the period following the age at MPV seems appropriate for the introduction of regular athletic training for each level of maturity.

This study examined the effects of an amino acid mixture supplement on physiological response and ratings of perceived exertion during submaximal cycle-ergometer exercise in 15 healthy, untrained male students. Subjects performed submaximal sustained exercise (oxygen uptake at anaerobic threshold: 54.6 +/- 12.5% of maximum oxygen uptake capacity) with a cycle-ergometer ride for 60 min. after resting for 1 min. and unloaded cycling for 2 min. They drank either a 380-ml supplement containing vespa amino acids or a lemon-flavored placebo at 30 min. before starting exercise in a double-blind design. The subjects participated in both experiments over a 1-wk. interval. Oxygen uptake, respiratory exchange ratio, heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion, and plasma lactate concentration were measured during the exercise. The change-rate of respiratory exchange ratio for the Supplement group was significantly lower than that for the Placebo group at 10 min. after starting exercise. The change-rate of the ratings of perceived exertion for the Supplement group was significantly lower than that for the Placebo group at 50 min. after starting exercise. There were no significant changes in the rates in oxygen uptake, heart rate, and plasma lactate concentration between groups. We inferred that ingesting the supplement before starting exercise has a significant effect on the respiratory exchange ratio and ratings of perceived exertion during submaximal sustained exercise for 60 min. but not on oxygen uptake, heart rate, and plasma lactate concentration.

We report two siblings with eyelid myoclonia with absences. Patient 1, a 7-year-old boy, visited us because of eyelid blinking resembling a tic. He had experienced the movements since 2 years old. The diagnosis of a simple motor tic was initially made, however, the episodes worsened gradually. Patient 2, a younger brother of patient 1, was a 5-year-old boy. His eyelid blinking also began at age of 2 years. Additionally, the mother's aunt and her cousin had a history of grand mal on awakening, and the patient's cousin has febrile seizures. Their clinical features were as follows; (i) eyelid myoclonia, described as rapid, rhythmic eyelid fluttering with upward jerking of the eyes and head, lasting for 1-2 seconds; (ii) it occurred frequently each day; (iii) when it lasted for more than 2-3 seconds, it was associated with absences; (iv) both hyperventilation and photic stimulation on 18 f/c induced clinical seizures; and (v) ictal EEG revealed 3-4 c/s generalized irregular spike-waves with a duration of 1-3 seconds. Based on these characteristics, a diagnosis of eyelid myoclonia with absences was made. The present cases are the first sibling cases reported in Japan and, according to their family history, a genetic predisposition should be considered.

The purpose of this study was to examine relations between satisfaction levels and life-style in daily life for older people. A questionnaire, based on 7 factors of life satisfaction level and 13 factors of life-style chosen after considering theoretical validity, was administered to 1,320 healthy people aged 60 or more in the community (665 males and 655 females). Remarkable gender and grade differences were confirmed in the "physical health" satisfaction level. Satisfaction level for "personal relations" related to the number of friends for both sexes and to volunteer activities for males. The influence of the life-style factor on satisfaction level was highest in physical health. The influence of the number of friends was high for each satisfaction level. It was inferred that there are many aspects of life-style backgrounds contributing to the satisfaction level of older people in the community, and individual satisfaction with daily life is affected by different life-style factors.

Nontypical chemotherapy regimens exist for advanced pancreatic cancer. We herein report a 62-year-old man whose nonresectable pancreatic cancer was treated effectively with a new method of intra-arterial regional chemotherapy with angiotensin-II (AT-II). The patient was admitted to our hospital with obstructive jaundice and anorexia. He was diagnosed as having inoperable advanced pancreatic cancer with liver metastasis. Enteric-coated tegafur/uracil (400 mg) was administered for 3 weeks. Simultaneously, intraarterial infusion with 5-fluorouracil (500 mg) and infusion of methotrexate (100 mg) with 50 micrograms of AT-II was given every week. A catheter connected to a subcutaneously implanted port system was placed into the common hepatic artery. As a result of this treatment, the maximum diameter of the pancreatic tumor decreased from 3 cm to 2 cm on the CT-scan. Serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) decreased from 24,000 U/ml to 186 U/ml. Moreover, the performance status of patient also improved, and he was discharged from our hospital despite his terminal cancer. This regimen could well be effective in cases of advanced pancreatic cancer.

A decrease in the ratio of IL-1ra/IL-1 beta produced regionally by the colonic mucosa of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) is believed to play a role in the pathogenesis of UC. To investigate factors influencing intramucosal IL-1ra/IL-1 beta ratios, we evaluated polymorphism of the IL-1ra gene and the production of mucosal cytokines in Japanese patients with UC. Colonic biopsy specimens of mucosal tissue were placed in organ cultures for 24 h. Then, the supernatant concentrations of IL-1 beta, IL-1ra, IL-8, IL-4, IL-10, and TGF-beta were assayed by ELISA. Genomic DNA was extracted from patient peripheral blood samples, then IL-1ra gene polymorphism was determined using PCR amplification. The mucosa from patients with active stage UC showed a tendency toward a decreased IL-1ra/IL-1 beta ratio. In the resolving stage, IL-1ra/IL-1 beta ratios increased with increasing IL-10 and TGF-beta concentrations. The addition of human recombinant IL-10 to the culture supernatants produced concentration-dependent inhibition of IL-1 beta. In Japanese patients with UC, the IL-1ra allele gene 2 phenotype had no effect on the IL-1ra/IL-1 beta ratio. Our findings suggest that a relative deficiency of IL-10 in patients with UC may contribute to persistent inflammatory changes., (Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel)

The purposes of this study were to examine the characteristics of ability to coordinate exertion of force in 60 healthy older people (30 men, 30 women) from the viewpoint of sex differences and to compare their performance with those of 60 healthy university students (30 men, 30 women). The test of ability to coordinate exertion of force was conducted by having the subject fit the exertion value of grip strength to a changing demand value appearing on the display of a personal computer (using a bar chart-description form). The changes in the demand value were tracked. The variable estimating ability to coordinate exertion of force was the total sum of the differences between demand and the produced grip strength induced by time lapses. The ability to coordinate exertion of force in the older subjects was inferior to that of the younger subjects, and large individual differences were observed. Unlike the younger subjects, the means of the ability to coordinate exertion of force of the older subjects significantly decreased between trials. The ability to coordinate exertion of force of the older women was significantly inferior to that of the older men, but the means of the measurements among three trials shows a similar tendency to decrease in both sexes.

Chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction is one of the disorders that is most refractory to medical and surgical treatment. Even when patients are given nutritional support, including total parenteral nutrition, obstructive symptoms seldom disappear. We report a case of chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, due to myopathy, in which hyperbaric oxygenation therapy was strikingly effective. The presence of myopathy was histologically confirmed on the surgically resected jejunal specimen. Hyperbaric oxygenation resulted not only in relief of the patient's obstructive symptoms but also in a rapid decrease of abnormally accumulated intestinal gas. At last, he could resume oral intake without any critical adverse effects. These observations strongly suggest that hyperbaric oxygenation can be an effective therapy in the management of chronic idiopathic intestinal pseudo-obstruction.

In 556 epileptic children, clinical and encephalographic factors concerning the discontinuation of antiepileptic drugs (AED) were studied, with emphasis on age-related factors. Seizures relapsed in 80 patients (14.4%), the incidence being high in idiopathic generalized epilepsy with onsets in adolescence or adulthood (juvenile absence epilepsy, juvenile myoclonic epilepsy, grand mal on awakening), symptomatic partial epilepsy and symptomatic generalized epilepsy. The age distribution at the relapse showed two peaks; 9 to 11 and 17 to 19 years. The first peak represented patients with school-age onset epilepsies, and the second those with the adolescent or adult onset epilepsies. The age at discontinuation of AED depended on each epileptic syndrome, and the relapse rate was significantly higher when the AED was discontinued after adolescence. In 56 patients, seizure relapsed during the withdrawal phase or less than 1 year after the discontinuation. The type of the relapsing seizure was the same as the previous ones. On the other hand, in 16 out of 24 patients whose relapse occurred 1 year or more after the discontinuation, the seizure type was different from the previous ones. These results suggest the relevance of age-dependent factors to the discontinuation of therapy.

We studied the incidence and clinicoelectrographic features of partial seizures in 46 patients with absence epilepsy. Ten patients (21.7%) showed obvious partial seizure symptoms during the course. Five patients had absence attacks with partial seizure symptoms, the ictal EEGs being a generalized 3 Hz spike-wave burst complex preceded by focal discharges. These absence attacks may be partial seizures with secondary bilateral synchronization, which originated from the frontal lobe. Three patients initially had partial seizures related to the frontal lobe, followed by absence attacks 8 months to 2.6 years after the start of CBZ therapy. The appearance of absence attacks may have been triggered by CBZ administration. Two patients had partial seizures at the relapse of epilepsy after the discontinuation of AED therapy for childhood absence epilepsy. This change of seizure types may be associated with the CNS maturation, or with localized cortical hyperexcitability subsequent to the foregoing generalized seizures. The prognosis of absence attacks in the all patients were excellent, and comparable to that of typical absence attacks. Our results suggest that localized cortical areas, especially the frontal lobe, are commonly involved in absence epilepsy. More detailed clinical observation is necessary to understand the pathogenesis of absence epilepsy.

Background & Aims: The molecular status of the p16(INK4) tumor-suppressor gene has not been fully elucidated in hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanism that gives rise to inactivation of p16(INK4) in hepatocellular carcinoma., Methods: The status of p16(INK4) was evaluated in 60 hepatocellular carcinomas by immunohistochemical staining, differential polymerase chain reaction, single-strand conformational polymorphism, methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction, and methylation-sensitive single nucleotide primer extension., Results: Immunohistochemical staining showed that 29 of the 60 tumors exhibited complete loss of p16(INK4) expression. High levels of DNA methylation were detected in 24 of 29 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma with negative p16(INK4) expression, with methylation of 60%-85% of the CpG islands. In contrast, the level of methylation was <25% in tumors with faint p16(INK4) staining, and no methylation was detected in tumors with positive immunostaining. Intragenic alteration of p16(INK4) was detected in 4 cases., Conclusions: A strong correlation was found between the extent of methylation and the degree of expression of p16(INK4) in tumor tissues, indicating that epigenetic change due to extensive CpG methylation is the main cause of inactivation of p16(INK4) in hepatocellular carcinoma.

The purposes of this study were to examine questionnaire items on subjective symptoms of fatigue (SSF) using students for cognitive appraisal, and to select effective items. Questionnaire items were selected from each domain of a hypothetical structure of fatigue considering the theoretical validity. A total of 154 items was reselected based on preliminary survey results, and the questionnaire was then administered to 731 people aged 15-26. The subjects answered whether the content was valid as an item of SSF or not, and to what degree the content of question for each item was important. First, chi-square analysis was used to examine the statistical validity of each item. As a result, 54 items were selected as effective items to measure SSF. In addition, principal factor solution and normal varimax rotation were applied to correlation matrices consisting of 54 SSF items based on the cognitive appraisal, and 6 factors were interpreted as follows: difficulty with concentrated thinking, languor, loss of vigor, drowsiness, and a feeling of impatience and physical disintegration. Significant correlations between the 54 items and each factor were found and each item showed high reliability. Therefore, 25 items were selected as effective items to measure SSF. It was inferred that the validity and reliability of each SSF item were high.

In order to clarify the relation between the synthetic condition and the biocompatibility in vitro, a dynamics of the osteogenic MC3T3-E1 cells cultured on hydroxyapatite ceramics (HAC) was examined. HAC used in this study was sintered at temperatures of 1000 degrees C or 1350 degrees C to produce the dense ceramics material, and then smoothly surfaced (0.3 micron). Disk (diameter: 10mm, thickness: 1mm) of HAC were placed in plastic disk. The cells were inoculated at 3000 cells/disk on HAC, and cultured for up to 18 Days. In scanning electron microscopic observation, cell proliferation cultured on the polished HAC was more active than that on the unpolished HAC. Furthermore, cell proliferation cultured on the 1000 degrees C-HAC was more active than that on the 1350 degrees C-HAC. Width, length and concentration of microvilli (MV) on the cell surface cultured on the 1000 degrees C-HAC were more dense, and increased with cultivation. Length and concentration of MV of the cells cultured on the 1000 degrees C-HAC were more dense than that on the 1350 degrees C-HAC. Most of the cells cultured on each material were intensely positive with alkaline phosphatase or von Kossa staining. However, the cells cultured on the 1000 degrees C-HAC were more positive than those on 1350 degrees C-HAC. In conclusion, these results suggest that the synthetic condition of HAC have close connection with the biocompatibility.

Suppression of dissolution is important to increase the biocompatibility of titanium implants. Therefore, the possibility of application of platinum-coated titanium as a biomaterial was explored in in vitro experiments using the MC3T3-E1 osteogenic cell line. The data obtained from long-term cultures indicated that pure platinum or titanium thickly coated with platinum inhibited calcification significantly, suggesting that the platinum ion fails to improve the osteocompatibility of titanium implants.