Search

Industrial heritage conservation is an important aspect of regional sustainable development. This study considers the industrial heritage of China built between 1840 and 1978 to establish the Chinese Industrial Heritage GIS Database. Changes spatial distribution , status of spatial distribution and status of conservation and reuse of Chinese industrial heritage are analyzed. The results reveal that in the temporal dimension, China’s industrial heritage shows a pattern of development from accumulation along the coast to dispersal into the interior; in the spatial dimension, the existing industrial heritage forms three key regions, 14 key cities, and important railway and water systems located in eastern China. Regarding the status of conservation, fewer heritage sites are included in the conservation system and there is a greater potential for reuse. This study proposes the development of a Chinese Route of Industrial Heritage (CRIH), consisting of industrial heritage key sites (point elements); industrial heritage key regions and cities (surface elements); and industrial heritage key routes (line elements), as well as different thematic heritage series to extend the system dimensions. The CRIH is of great significance in promoting the overall conservation of China’s industrial heritage and regional tourism.

In IEEE 802.11g wireless LAN, the performance of TCP parallel connections has been evaluated, and the condition that the total throughput is saturated has also been investigated to some extent. On the other hand, QUIC (Quick UDP Internet Connections), which is being in the final review process of standardization, is a new transport layer protocol that re-implements congestion control and retransmission control similar to TCP in the user space on UDP instead of the kernel space. Since it is a relatively new protocol, there are many environments where its performance has not been evaluated. In this paper, we evaluate the conditions in terms of the number of concurrent connecting nodes to obtain the highest total throughput on an IEEE 802.11g network. In addition, congestion control version, CUBIC, Reno, delay and packet loss ratio are taken into account. As a result, it was confirmed that QUIC and TCP can achieve the same level of throughput, and the influence of delay and packet loss ratio on the performance in the wireless LAN was clarified, as well as the fairness among concurrent connecting nodes.

Our understanding of the value of industrial heritage directly affects the quality of its renovation and reuse. As a result, a large number of cultural and creative industries which rely upon industrial heritage for their implementation have an effect on the quality of urban culture. The topic of industrial heritage value assessment is an important part of national social science research in China. Based on previous investigations, this paper integrates various considerations on how to breakdown the value of industrial heritage and puts forward a macro-model of the multiple factors that constitute such a value. In this paper, the value of industrial heritage is divided into intrinsic value and creative value: intrinsic value is the value intrinsic to the heritage in itself, while the creative value is the newly-created value after transforming and reusing the heritage. Both contain four variables: physical capital, human capital, natural capital, and cultural capital. The intrinsic value of industrial heritage (as well as its creative value) is the source of cultural magnetism in the creative industry. Furthermore, it is argued that intrinsic and creative value should become the focus of cultural policies.

The relationship of cultural heritage with the local community can exert a crucial influence over the sustainable development of heritage, whose longevity depends on its recognition and mass appeal. When it comes to intangible heritage, people’s attitudes and activities become more vital, because the human being is its only carrier, inheritor and transmitter. In China however, due to the current social governance system, local residents are always excluded from the planning process regarding the management of heritage resources, leading to their gradual loss of attachment to their place and a low level of local cultural pride, which might eventually incur the dissolution or distortion of traditional culture. Yangliuqing is a historic town, rich in traditional folklore. Struck by a persuasive consumer culture and profit-making motives, various local handicraft businesses are facing the risk of shutdown because of market competition and value shifts among contemporary people, which has drawn extensive concerns from academics. The processes of heritage designation, cultural tourism boom and industrialization of traditional handicrafts largely facilitate economic, social, cultural and environmental changes among the local community. By examining these positive and negative changes from the standpoint of the community, this paper will explore the key factors behind them and gather some implications for future heritage management initiatives.

In this article, the study of Chinese architecture by foreign scholars was divided into four phases. Before 1840, there had been a long history of imagining about China, with exaggerated words and distorted images varying along with the political or artistic changes of the Western world. These misunderstandings continued until the 1870s. Not much documentation had been accumulated on Chinese architecture in those days, other than a few basic descriptions and photos, which also led to some negative judgments among foreign Chinese architecture scholars. After the 1870s, the interests of Westerners were aroused as the country opened up to foreign exchanges. And in order to develop colonial territories and explore the continent’s resources to alleviate economic pressures in the Western empires, specialists were sent to China in the late 19th century, followed by the explorations of orientalists, sinologists, art historians and architects in the early 20th century. In this way, Chinese architecture started to be examined and documented carefully. The study of published periodicals in the field of Sinology not only reveals a concordance with the aforementioned 4-phase division, but also provides a close look to the process whereby Chinese architecture studies gradually became a “notable doctrine” among Western researchers.

Tianjin was one of the largest and most complex trade ports in modern China, which had nine concessions. The close linkage of concessions in a city will affect their behavior and self-expression. Tianjin has become a window showing the prosperity of imperialism and a mixed cultural intersection between China and foreign countries. This situation brings to the Chinese people a view of a variety of different urban modernity models and colonial ideology perspectives. The existence of the Multiple Empire condition also affected the imperialists themselves. Each concession must define itself in regard to other powers. They achieved this by shaping the environment, introducing modern management policies, and provoking different sets of reactions among the Chinese public. This article analyzes the urban landscape of modern Tianjin under the influence of multiculturalism through five parks in different concessions, with a view towards forming a macro-to-micro understanding of the urban public space in modern Tianjin.

The colonial history of Asia enacted by European nations from the 16–20th century has resulted in territories with multiple layers of culture, which have become embodied in local customs, languages, architectural styles, urban design methods, identity, and ideology, among many other aspects. After World War II, as former colonies successively became independent, there was a gradual rethinking and seeking of cultural identity among the intellectuals of these areas. Starting from Frantz Fanon and reaching its zenith with Edward W. Said, postcolonial studies and its related theories have become hot topics in the spheres of academia and politics. Cultural identity, one of the most important points of focus in post-colonial theories, has deeply influenced the understanding and conservation strategy of colonial heritage.

Since the 1980s, China has undergone a series of important changes including industrial restructuring, land transfer, and urbanisation. These have given rise to the issue of how to address industrial heritage within many cities. The author’s research team has undertaken a National Social Science’s Major Project (the highest level of Chinese national social science research) titled ‘Systematic Research on the Protection of Urban Industrial Heritage in Modern China’. This is the first nationwide and systematic study of industrial heritage in China. This paper provides a brief introduction to the study’s framework and current research achievements, including: (1) the study of industrial modernisation processes, including international perspectives; (2) industrial heritage information acquisition and database setup; (3) estimation of industrial heritage value; (4) studies of the planning and design strategy of industrial heritage reutilisation; and (5) the transition from industrial heritage conservation to the development of a cultural industry.

An efficient, safe, and low-cost method for recovering oil from microalgae is needed for the production of algae biofuels. Here, we report a one-step method for the recovery of oil from algae. Wet Euglena gracilis cells were placed in a vessel, mixed with liquefied dimethyl ether, and shaken at room temperature (20 °C). After 5 min of shaking, approximately 96.7% of the total oil was recovered when the ratio of solvent to sample (wet basis) was 8:1. The molecular weight distribution of oil recovered using this method was comparable to that of oil recovered using the conventional n -hexane Soxhlet extraction method. These results showed that it is possible to produce oil from wet microalgae by using a simple, economical, and environmentally friendly method.

At present, in terms of the architectural heritage protection, the rapid development of Chinese economics and the accelerating urbanization process have caused a great deal of "constructive destructions" to the architectural heritage and have accelerated its demise. In order to change the situation and to deepen the people's understanding to the value of the architectural heritage, the paper will make further analysis and research on the culture value and economics value from the view of cultural economics and then give the architectural heritage the third-largest value -- social value. The ultimate goal is to establish the architectural heritage value system so as to promote the protection and the sustainable development of the architectural heritage.

To investigate treatment effects of thrombomodulin alfa (TM-α) in patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) having infection as the underlying disease, retrospective subanalysis of a double-blind, randomized controlled phase 3 trial was conducted. In the phase 3 trial, 227 DIC patients (full-analysis set) having infection and/or hematologic malignancy as the underlying disease received either TM-α (0.06 mg·kg for 30 min once daily) or heparin (8 U·kg·h for 24 h) for 6 days using the double-dummy method. Among these patients, 147 patients with noninfectious comorbidity leading to severe thrombocytopenia (e.g., hematologic malignancy, or aplastic anemia) were excluded from the present analysis, and 80 patients with infectious disease and DIC were extracted and subjected to the present retrospective subanalysis. Disseminated intravascular coagulation resolution rates were determined using the DIC diagnostic criteria for critically ill patients at 7 days, and mortality rates were evaluated at 28 days. In the TM-α and heparin groups, DIC resolution rates were 67.5% (27/40) and 55.6% (20/36), and 28-day mortality rates were 21.4% (9/42) and 31.6% (12/38), respectively. Mortality rates of patients who recovered from DIC were 3.7% (1/27) in the TM-α group and 15% (3/20) in the heparin group. These results suggest TM-α may be valuable in the treatment of DIC associated with infection.

グループホームの入居者の抱えている問題は,単に入所者個人のモノではなく,入所者と介護職員との相互作用によって構成される。本研究では認知症対応型Sグループホームの介護職員と入所者との間に起こる双方の働きかけについて,とくに食事場面の咀嚼行為に焦点を当て,じっさいの会話データに基づき相互行為分析により明らかにする。

We examined whether green tea-extract powder supplementation improves glucose abnormality.The study was conducted for volunteers who resided in eastern communities of Shizuoka Prefecture and who had fasting blood glucose levels ofor=6.1 mmol/l or nonfasting blood glucose levels ofor=7.8 mmol/l in a recent health check-up. Sixty subjects aged 32-73 years (49 males and 11 females) participated in the trial. The Early intervention group consumed a packet of green tea-extract powder containing 544 mg polyphenols (456 mg catechins) daily for the first 2 months and then entered the 2-month nonintervention period. The Later intervention group was observed for the first 2 months and then consumed green tea-extract powder as described above for the subsequent 2 months. Using the two-period crossover design, we analyzed the changes in fasting hemoglobin A1c level and other biomarkers in blood samples collected at baseline, 2 months and 4 months.A significant reduction in hemoglobin A1c level and a borderline significant reduction in diastolic blood pressure were associated with the intervention. The intervention caused no significant changes in weight, body mass index, body fat, systolic blood pressure, fasting serum glucose level, homeostasis model assessment index, serum lipid level or hypersensitive C-reactive protein.Daily supplementary intake of green tea-extract powder lowered the hemoglobin A1c level in individuals with borderline diabetes.

Reminiscences of my contributions to Thrombosis and Haemostasis: Urine tissue factor and plasma plasmin inhibitor

We administered AT III concentrates to 21 patients with DIC who failed to respond initially to heparin therapy. About 60% of these 21 patients were effectively treated with AT III concentrates by enhancing the effect of heparin and alleviating the burden of excessive plasma transfusions on the cardiovascular system.

The Pluronic F68 and F127, a triblock copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, was activated using carbonyldiimidazole (CDI), and CDI-activated Pluronic F68 and F127 was subsequently immobilized on the surface of a poly-L-lysine-coated polystyrene tissue culture flask. Cell culture was performed on the Pluronic-immobilized flask. The morphology of fibroblasts (L929 cells) on the Pluronic F127-immobilized flask was mainly spherical, and showed less spreading behavior than that on the Pluronic F68-immobilized flask and conventional tissue culture flask. This observation indicates that L929 cells on Pluronic F127-immobilized flasks were cultured in a bio-inert environment. L929 cells were successively detached from both Pluronic F127-immobilized flask and Pluronic F68-immobilized flask by cooling the flask to 4–15°C. This detachment is due to the hydration and dehydration properties of Pluronic, depending on the temperature. Umbilical cord blood was cultured in the Pluronic F127-immobilized and conventional polystyrene tissue culture flasks at 37°C. The expression ratio of surface markers on hematopoietic stem cells (CD34 and CD133) cultured in the Pluronic F127-immobilized flask was significantly higher than that of the cells in polystyrene tissue culture flask. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2006

The past history: discovery of the inhibitor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456 Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 456 Congenital deficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 458 PI-deficient mice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459 Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459 Gene . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460 Molecular basis of congenital deficiency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 460 Future prospect. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461 Acknowledgment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 461

Objectives To determine the effects of environmental factors on abnormalities in red blood cell deformability (RBCD), which may play an important role in the development of cardiovascular diseases, a cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted in healthy subjects. Method The subjects were 350 males (mean age 52.7 +/- 10.3 SD) and 364 females (52.6 +/- 10.4) who participated in a health check program in the town of Akabane, Japan, in 1995-1998. Blood and serum were obtained to determine the values of RBCD and TP, TG, TCHOL, and HDLC. The inverse of RBCD (RBCDI, ms-1) was used as an indicator of RBCD. The subjects were also investigated for drinking and smoking habits, BMI, and SBP. Males and females were stratified into tertiles for each variable except drinking and smoking. For those exceptions, male subjects were stratified into three groups according to alcohol consumption (non-drinkers, moderate drinkers (up to 27 ml pure ethanol per day), and habitual drinkers (28 ml or more per day)) and according to tobacco use (non-smokers, mild smokers (equal or fewer than 20 cigarettes per day), and heavy smokers, (more than 20)). Each stratum was further divided into two groups according to age (younger, or = 50 years). Results The mean value of RBCDI was significantly higher in males (1.041 +/- 0.135 SD) than in females (1.013 +/- 0.113). RBCDI declined with age in both genders. In analyses of variance, the averages of RBCDI decreased as TP increased in all ages and in both genders and as TCHOL increased in older males. With regard to alcohol consumption, the averages of RBCDI were the highest in moderate drinkers in younger males. Multiple linear regression analyses showed negative correlations between RBCDI values and age, TP or TCHOL values, and showed positive correlations between RBCDI values and BMI in males as well as negative correlations between RBCDI values and age and TP in females. When alcohol drinking was entered into the model, the statistical significance between TCHOL and RBCDI disappeared in males. No apparent relations between smoking habit and levels of SBP and TG to RBCDI were found. Conclusions RBCDI was higher in males than in females and higher in the younger group than in the older group. This study suggested that TCHOL may lower RBCDI and moderate drinking may improve it. Further epidemiological study is required to clarify these relationships.

A randomized prospective double-blind trial was performed to compare the safety and efficacy of human activated protein C (APC) and unfractionated heparin for the treatment of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). One hundred thirty-two patients with DIC were enrolled in this study: 63 patients received APC (12.5 U [2.5 microg]/kg body wt per hour) and 69 patients received heparin (8 U/kg body wt per hour) by intravenous infusion for 6 days. Forty-nine APC-treated patients and 55 heparin-treated patients were evaluated for efficacy, and 52 APC-treated patients and 55 heparin-treated patients were evaluated for safety. The 2 groups were similar with respect to sex, age, body weight, underlying diseases, and coagulation/fibrinolysis parameters before treatment. Aggravation of bleeding was seen after treatment in 8 patients receiving heparin, but in none of the patients receiving APC. The number of patients who showed alleviation of bleeding was significantly higher in the APC group than the heparin group (P = .009). The effects on DIC-related organ dysfunction were not significantly different between the 2 groups. Fibrinogen-fibrin degradation products, D-dimer, thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), and plasmin-plasmin inhibitor complex (PIC) were all significantly decreased by treatment in both groups. Fibrinogen, protein C, and antithrombin were significantly increased in the APC group, whereas only protein C was significantly increased in the heparin group. Platelet count in the nonleukemic group was significantly increased in those patients receiving APC but not increased in those patients receiving heparin. Improvement of coagulation/fibrinolysis was assessed by scoring 4 parameters (soluble fibrin monomers, D-dimer, TAT, and PIC), and the results indicated that the APC group showed significantly greater improvement than the heparin group (P = .046). There was, however, no significant difference in the rate of complete recovery from DIC between the 2 groups. The rate of death from any cause within 28 days after treatment was 20.4% in the APC group, significantly lower than the 40% death rate observed in the heparin group (P.05). There were no severe adverse events in either group. These results suggest that APC in a relatively small dosage can improve DIC more efficiently than can heparin, without increasing bleeding, and may be a better alternative.

Background: Shear stress generated in stenosed arteries promotes platelet thrombi formation at the stenosed sites by accelerating the binding of von Willebrand factor (vWF) to platelets. Shear-induced platelet aggregation (SIPA) has been studied in acute coronary syndromes, but not in chronic coronary disease. Hypothesis: We investigated the effect of both the site and severity of coronary stenosis on SIPAin patients with chronic coronary artery disease. Methods: Shear-induced platelet aggregation was measured using platelet-rich plasma in 49 patients (41 men and 8 women; mean age 61 ± 10 years) with coronary artery disease to evaluate the association between the extent of SIPA and coronary angiographic findings. Stenoses > 75% were considered severe. In all, 62 healthy individuals (54 men and 18 women; mean age 45 ± 7 years) served as controls. The correlation between SIPA and the site and severity of the coronary lesion, and parameters of coagulation and fibrinolysis were evaluated. Results: Shear-induced platelet aggregation was increased in the stenosis group (69.0 ± 10.6%) compared with the controls (57.7 ± 10.3%, p < 0.0001). Patients with severe stenosis in the proximal segments had significantly increased SIPA (p< 0.0001) and vWF larger multimer concentration (p < 0.0001) compared with the control group. A significant correlation existed between SIPA and the vWF larger multimer concentrationinall subjects studied (r= 0.422, p

SummaryPlasma plasmin inhibitor (PI) is a physiological inhibitor of plasminmediated fibrinolysis and constitutes a hemostatic component in blood plasma; hence its deficiency results in a severe hemorrhagic diathesis. We have carried out molecular analysis of American family members with congenital PI deficiency, and detected a single thymine deletion at nucleotide position 332 in exon 5. The deletion was found in both alleles of the homozygotes and in one allele of the heterozygotes, and the patterns of restriction fragment length polymorphism created by the mutation in the family members were compatible with their phenotypes. The deletion caused a frameshift leading to an alteration and shortening of the deduced amino acid sequence. The amino acid sequence consists of the first 83 amino acids of the N-terminal sequence of the normal PI and additional new amino acids, resulting in a mutant composed of 94 amino acids in contrast to 464 amino acids of the normal PI. In transient expression analysis, the mutant PI whose molecular size was compatible with the predicted amino acid sequence was detected in the lysates of the cells transfected with the mutated PI expression vector. The mutant PI was retained and underwent progressive degradation within the cells, and was minimally excreted into the media. These data indicate that this mutation is the cause of PI deficiency in this pedigree.

SummaryPlatelet glycoprotein (GP) Ib/IX/V complex mediates high-shear dependent platelet activation through an interaction with the von Willebrand factor (vWF). All four subunits of the complex have a structural motif, the leucine-rich repeat (LRR) sequence, with leucines in conserved positions. Here we report a new polymorphism, Leu/Phe at residue 70 of GPIbα, which disrupts the consensus sequence of the LRR in the vWF binding domain. Genotype frequencies among 142 healthy Japanese subjects were 92.3%, 7.7%, and 0.0%, for the 70Leu/Leu, 70Leu/Phe, and 70Phe/Phe genotypes, respectively.Ristocetin-induced or shear-induced platelet aggregation was not significantly different between the 70Leu/Leu and 70Leu/Phe genotypes. In in vitro studies, a recombinant GPIbα fragment with 70Phe (L70F) as compared to that with 70Leu (WT) had low reactivity to anti-GPIbα monoclonal antibodies, GUR20-5 and Hip1, both of which recognize conformation-specific epitopes within the 45-kDa domain. Ristocetininduced 125I-vWF binding to L70F, however, did not differ from that to WT.

Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) associated with solid tumors (DIC-ST) is often encountered in clinical practice. Patients with DIC-ST are usually in poor condition and have bleeding diathesis due to advanced or metastatic diseases. Although some affected patients are treated with heparin, this strategy has not been prospectively studied. Recombinant human soluble thrombomodulin (thrombomodulin alfa, TM-α) is a new anticoagulant developed in Japan. We conducted a prospective study that evaluated the efficacy and safety of TM-α in patients with DIC-ST. A prospective one-arm study with TM-α was conducted for DIC-ST. TM-α (380 U/kg) was given for 30 min intravenously once daily for 6–14 days. The primary efficacy endpoint was the DIC resolution rate. Change in DIC scores and improvement in bleeding symptoms and outcomes were also evaluated. Safety endpoints included the incidence of bleeding-related adverse events. A total of 101 patients were treated with TM-α. The three main underlying malignant diseases were lung, stomach, and breast cancer, which accounted for 60 % of all patients. The DIC resolution rate was 34.0 % at the end of TM-α treatment. Improvement in DIC scores was seen in 55.2 % of patients, while only 22.9 % of patients had worsening of DIC scores. The overall survival rate was 55.4 % on day 28. The incidence of hemorrhage related to TM-α was 12.9 % until day 28. Cases of severe hemorrhage related to TM-α did not occur. TM-α is effective and safe for DIC-ST. This agent is the treatment of choice for the management of DIC-ST.

Platelet-dependent thrombin generation was assessed during both unstable and stable periods in 59 patients with unstable angina and at rest in 31 healthy controls. Thrombin generation during the unstable period was significantly greater than that at rest in the healthy control group (p < 0.0001) and that during the stable period (p < 0.0001). Changes in thrombin gener ation were related to the time after onset of unstable angina, not to degree of improvement in the severity of coronary stenosis.

A population-based cohort study was conducted to assess the relationship between total mortality and self-reported sleep patterns as regards not only to sleep duration but also subjective sleep quality. A total of 5,322 inhabitants in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, completed a self-administered questionnaire on health status and lifestyles including habitual sleep patterns, and were followed-up for an average of 11.9 years. Relative risks were computed by using Cox proportional hazards models. Both longer and shorter sleep, compared to 7-8 hour-sleep, was related to significantly increased risk of total mortality in males (relative risk [RR] for > or = 10 hours = 1.94, and RR for < 7 hour = 1.90), but not in females. Females complaining of poor awakening state experienced a higher mortality risk compared to those who woke up normally (RR: 1.97). Males who usually fell asleep easily showed a marginally lower mortality risk compared to those who fell asleep normally (RR: 0.70). Female users of sleeping pills were at an elevated risk (RR: 1.89). These findings were almost unchanged after adjustment for sleep duration and other confounders. Poor self-reported quality of sleep seemed to be associated with an increased risk of mortality independently of sleep duration.

The effects of ischemia and reperfusion on the coronary endothelium and myocardium as well as tolerance to ischemia/reperfusion injury were assessed using isolated retrogradely perfused rat hearts. Repeated brief episodes of myocardial ischemia followed by reperfusion is known to have a protective effect against subsequent myocardial infarction. However, no studies have been performed with perfusion in the absence of blood cells to determine the effect of repeated ischemia and reperfusion on the coronary endothelium and myocardium. Using the Langendorff perfusion technique, rat hearts were subjected to a 30-, 10-, 5-, or 2-min period of low-flow perfusion by reducing the coronary flow to 3 ml/min followed by reperfusion at 20 ml/min for the same period of time. Control perfusion was then performed at a constant flow rate of 20 ml/ min for 60 min. Acetylcholine-induced coronary vasodilation was significantly (P0.05) lower in hearts subjected to 30 min of ischemia and 30 min of reperfusion when compared with the control hearts. Myocardial creatinine kinase (CK) activity was significantly reduced (P0.01) in hearts subjected to ischemia and reperfusion for either 30, 10, or 5 min. To assess the effect of repeated episodes of ischemia and reperfusion, the following protocols were used: a control study with constant perfusion for 60 min (group A), 30 min of ischemia and 30 min of reperfusion (group B), three 10-min episodes of ischemia and reperfusion (group C), six 5-min episodes of ischemia and reperfusion (group D), and 15 2-min episodes of ischemia and reperfusion (group E). Acetylcholine-induced coronary vasodilation was significantly inhibited in group B (80% +/- 12%, P0.05) and group C (70% +/- 13%, P0.01), but did not change significantly in either group D (123% +/-19%) or group E (142% +/- 15%), compared with the control group (group A; 127% +/- 15%, mean +/-SEM). Nitroglycerin-induced coronary vasodilation was not altered by ischemia/reperfusion in any group. In contrast, myocardial CK activity was significantly lower in group B (3.6 +/- 0.6IU/mg protein, P0.01), group C (3.2 +/- 0.1 IU/mg protein, P0.01), and group D (3.3 +/- 0.21U/mg protein, P0.01) than in group A (47 +/- 6.7 IU/mg protein). The myocardial CK activity of group E was not significantly different from that of group A, but was significantly higher than in groups B, C, and D (P0.01). In isolated perfused rat hearts, both the coronary endothelium and myocardium are damaged by repeated episodes of ischemia and reperfusion. However, the coronary endothelium is more resistant to such damage than is the myocardium.

The mechanisms that underlie reocclusion during thrombolytic therapy have not yet been clarified. The purpose of this study was to investigate the activating effects of tissue-type plasminogen activator and urokinase and the inhibitory effects of acetylsalicylic acid by measuring platelet surface P-selectin as a marker of platelet activation. After addition of urokinase (final concentration 192 U/ml, 1920 U/ml, or 19,200 U/ml) or tissue-type plasminogen activator (final concentration 120 U/ml, 1200 U/ml, or 12,000 U/ml) to platelet-rich plasma from 12 healthy persons, platelet surface P-selectin expression was measured by means of flow cytometry with an anti-CD62 monoclonal antibody. The presence of urokinase and tissue-type plasminogen activator increased platelet surface P-selectin expression in a concentration-dependent manner. In the next step, either 160 mg/day (n = 6) or 660 mg/day (n = 6) acetylsalicylic acid was administered to the 12 healthy persons, and venous blood samples were collected after 7 days of treatment. Platelet surface P-selectin expression was measured with the method used earlier and after addition of tissue-type plasminogen activator or urokinase. Although the effect of acetylsalicylic acid at 160 mg/day on P-selectin expression was minimal, a dose of 660 mg/day suppressed platelet P-selectin expression and inhibited the platelet activating effects of tissue-type plasminogen activator and urokinase in a statistically significant way. Platelets were activated by tissue-type plasminogen activator or urokinase, and this platelet activation was suppressed with administration of acetylsalicylic acid at 660 mg/day.

Abstract Recent reports have suggested that polymorphisms in the human paraoxonase (HUMPONA) gene may be a genetic risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) in white populations. However, this association has not yet been confirmed in other ethnic populations. We studied 75 Japanese patients with CAD, whose coronary lesions were confirmed by angiography, and 115 Japanese control subjects with no history of CAD and a normal resting electrocardiogram. The assays for genotyping the two polymorphisms in the HUMPONA gene ( 192 Arg/Gln and 55 Leu/Met) were based on changes in restriction enzyme digestion patterns. For codon 192, the frequencies of the Arg-coding allele ( B allele) in both patients and control subjects were much higher than those from published results of whites (.26 to .31), and the difference between patients (.74) and control subjects (.59) was statistically significant ( P =.002). The patient group had a higher proportion of Arg/Arg (B/B) homozygotes (52.0% vs 32.2%, P =.006). For codon 55, the frequencies of the Leu-coding allele in control subjects and patients were much higher (.91 and .93, respectively) than those published results for whites, but there was no difference between Japanese control subjects and Japanese patients. When subjects with the 55 Leu/Leu genotype only were analyzed, 192 Arg/Arg homozygotes were still significantly more frequent in the patients than in the control subjects (55.4% vs 37.2%, P =.024), and the frequency of the 192 Arg allele was also higher in patients than control subjects ( P =.013). Logistic regression analysis including conventional coronary risk factors revealed that 192 Arg is an independent risk factor for CAD. Thus, in the Japanese, the association of CAD with the 192 Arg variant of HUMPONA (B-type enzyme) is similar to that reported for whites, although the allele frequencies for 192 Arg and 55 Leu are much higher in the former than the latter population.

Background Platelets play pivotal roles in coronary thrombosis, and antiplatelet therapies are widely used for coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the effects of genetic variation in platelets on CAD are poorly understood. We have assessed the association between CAD and polymorphisms in a platelet receptor for von Willebrand factor, the glycoprotein (GP) Ib/IX complex, which mediates shear stress–dependent platelet activation. Methods and Results Genotypes of the α-chain of the receptor (GP Ibα, 145 Thr/Met) were determined in 91 patients with myocardial infarction (MI) or angina pectoris whose lesions were confirmed by coronary angiography as well as in 105 individuals from the general population with no history of angina or other heart diseases and normal resting ECGs. There was no homozygote for Met/Met in either the control or patient groups. The prevalence of the Thr/Met genotype (T/M) in all patients was not significantly different from that in the control group. However, the frequency of T/M was significantly higher in patients aged ≤60 years (31.8%) than in control subjects aged ≤60 years (16.0%; P 145 Thr/Met polymorphism. There was an association between the frequency of the T/M genotype and the angiographic severity of CAD: 11.1% for Gensini score P =.0015). There was no difference in the distribution of GP Ibα genotypes between patients with MI and those with angina pectoris. Conclusions This study suggests that the presence of the Met allele in GP Ibα is a risk factor for the prevalence and severity of CAD in individuals aged ≤60 years. The results need to be confirmed in a large-scale study of incident case subjects and matching control subjects.

Abstract The cardiovascular protective effects of estrogen are known to be mediated by its beneficial effects on lipid metabolism and its direct actions on the vessel wall. The latter can be mediated by a specific receptor for estrogen present on smooth muscle cells and endothelial cells. The gene for the receptor (the classic estrogen receptor [ER]) has three known polymorphisms, Pvu II, Xba I, and B-variant polymorphisms, which are reportedly associated with receptor expression and altered receptor function and with some disorders including breast cancer, hypertension, and spontaneous abortion. However, the significance of genetic variations of the ER in vascular diseases has not been reported. We have examined the association between coronary artery disease (CAD) and the three polymorphisms in ER. Genotypes (P1/P2, X1/X2, and B-wild type/B-variant type) were determined in 87 men and postmenopausal women with myocardial infarction or angina pectoris whose lesions were confirmed by coronary angiography, as well as from 94 control individuals from the general population with no coronary heart disease and normal resting ECG. For B-variant polymorphism, all individuals examined had B-wild type, which contrasts with the reported allele frequency for B-variant type (0.1) in the white population. Genotype distributions and allele frequencies of Pvu II or Xba I polymorphisms were not significantly different between control subjects and patients ( P >.05 for Pvu II or Xba I genotypes; P >.05 for Pvu II or Xba I allele frequencies). When the allele frequencies were analyzed separately by sex, there was still no statistically significant difference for both polymorphisms ( P >.05 for men; P >.05 for women). No association was found between the polymorphisms and the angiographic severity of CAD. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, or HDL-cholesterol levels were not significantly different among ER genotypes. These findings suggest that the three polymorphisms in ER are not associated with the prevalence and severity of CAD and that the polymorphisms are unrelated to the serum lipid levels in control subjects and patients.

Objectives. We evaluated coagulability as determined by platelet-dependent thrombin generation in hypercholesterolemic patients before and after treatment with pravastatin and in hypertriglyceridemic patients to investigate the usefulness of coagulability as an index of atherosclerosis and to determine the importance of treating hyperlipidemia.Background. An understanding of the interaction between platelets and the plasma coagulation system is important for clarifying the mechanism of the procoagulant process.Methods. We assessed coagulability in 58 patients with hypercholesterolemia (serum total cholesterol level ≥220 mg/dl, age 56.5 ± 1.5 years [mean ± SEM]), 37 patients with hypertriglyceridemia (serum triglyceride level ≥200 mg/dl, age 59.5 ± 1.7 years), 13 patients with hypercholesterolemia plus hypertriglyceridemia (age 51.4 ± 3.1 years) and 75 normal subjects (age 52.2 ± 1.7 years). We also studied platelet-dependent thrombin generation in patients with hypercholesterolemia before and after treatment with pravastatin. Calcium chloride was added to 0.5 ml of platelet-rich plasma (150 × 109/liter) to initiate coagulation. Ten microliters of the sample was transferred into 90 μl of 3.8% sodium citrate at 10-min intervals for 30 min. A chromogenic substrate, S-2238, was added to each sample, and absorbance was measured spectrophotometrically at a wavelength of 405 nm to determine thrombin generation.Results. Platelet-dependent thrombin generation was increased in patients with hypercholesterolemia and patients with hypercholesterolemia plus hypertriglyceridemia (p < 0.01) compared with patients with hypertriglyceridemia and control subjects. Treatment with pravastatin normalized thrombin generation.Conclusions. Hypercholesterolemia, but not hypertriglyceridemia, was associated with increased platelet-dependent thrombin generation. Pravastatin normalized the generation of thrombin.(J Am Coll Cardiol 1997;30:91–6)

This study investigated minimal muscle strength on knee extension as well as muscle endurance required for independent walking. Seventy-seven elderly (29 males and 48 females, mean age: 81.3 years) participated in this study. Subjects were divided into two groups (the independent group and the dependent group) based on the Barthel index score. We measured muscle strength and muscle endurance on knee extension. Muscle endurance was evaluated using the‘sit-to-stand’test which measured the number of times the subject could rise from a chair within 30 sec. Muscle strength on knee extension was evaluated as a percentage of body weight, calculated from the maximal isometric strength of the knee extensors. The results showed a significant difference in muscle strength on knee extension and the number of repetitions on the ‘sit-to-stand’test (p

本研究は, 平成7年11月に実施された静岡県県民健康基礎調査とともに実施した。研究対象は, 基礎調査における栄養調査参加者より無作為に抽出した20～59歳の男性99人, 女性162人である。本研究の目的は, 血清25-hydroxyvitamin Dと1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin Dの分布とれべる, 及び食事からの栄養素等摂取状況と血清中のびたみんDの状況との関連を検討することである。結果を以下に要約する。1) 男性の血清25 (OH) Dれべるは, 女性に比べ高値を示した。男性の25 (OH) Dの平均値は, 20歳代では女性より約50%高く, 30～50歳代では20-30%高かった。2) 血清25 (OH) Dを従属変数とし, 性, 年齢, body mass index, 栄養素等摂取量及び屋外運動状況を独立変数として重回帰分析を行った。25 (OH) Dは男性で高く, また加齢や食事からのびたみんD摂取量と正の関連を示した。3) 食事中のびたみんDの約2/3は魚介類から摂取されており, 日本においては, 魚介類が食事からの主要なびたみんD供給源であった。4) 血清25 (OH) Dが欠乏 (

A 30-year-old female and a 38-year-old male developed “definite” moyamoya disease after presenting with “probable” moyamoya disease manifesting as ischemic stroke. Angiography at first presentation demonstrated unilateral involvement with normal contralateral findings. The cases were classified as adult type “probable” moyamoya disease according to the diagnostic criteria. Follow-up angiography demonstrated the occlusive lesions had become bilateral, satisfying the criteria for “definite” cases. Serial angiography is required in adults presenting with “probable” moyamoya disease manifesting as ischemic stroke.