JCOA The Japanese Clinical Orthopaedic Association the questionnaire survey on the physical changes after the self-restraint of outdoor activities with the COVID-19 crisis (2nd report)

BACKGROUND

In March 2021, the 3rd wave of COVID-19 pandemic had ended and the second emergency declaration in January in Tokyo and 3 other prefectures had been lifted. The restrictions on the social activities imposed on the Japanese people and it had become established as "the new lifestyle norm" for each age group. Following our first survey, we conducted a questionnaire survey again to determine the physical changes in all age groups and compared the findings.

METHODS

The 1st survey was conducted after the initial emergency declaration lifted in July 2020, and the 2nd survey was 10 months after the first survey March 2021. And the analysis was conducted by simple and cross tabulation.

RESULTS

The number of valid responses were obtained over 12,000 samples for the both surveys. One year later, "Corona locomo" decreased from the previous year in all age groups, especially school students, while it increased in "80s∼". "Corona stress" decreased sharply among children, especially elementary school students, while it increased slightly in 20s, 30s, and "80s∼". The physical condition was closely related to the proportion of exercising population and duration in each age group.

CONCLUSIONS

"The new lifestyle norm" as a countermeasure against COVID-19 crisis had a significant influence on physical condition in each age group as "the secondary health damage". Forcusing on "With Corona era", it is considered necessary for preventing "locomo-frail", to improve the exercise lifestyles by selecting tailor-made training methods.

JCOA The Japanese Clinical Orthopaedic Association the questionnaire survey on the physical changes after the self-restraint of outdoor activities with the COVID-19 crisis- corona locomo and corona stress

BACKGROUND

Problems with COVD-19 are not limited to the infection itself, but also include the secondary health damage arising from the prolonged self-restraint, which has affected all age groups in the Japanese population. Numerous studies have reported clear evidence of the secondary health damage. Published reports cover a wide range of damages, from locomotive dysfunction caused by decreased physical activity to decreased cognitive function and changes in eating and oral functions, and further to decreased opportunities for social participation. Such damage can also lead to worsening of so-called frailty. Under this circumstance, orthopedic surgeons conducted a questionnaire survey to determine the physical changes observed after the start of the COVD-19 self-restraint period. In this article, we report findings of the survey, along with some literature considerations.

METHODS

The survey was started two months after the state of emergency in Japan was lifted, July 20 to August 12, 2020 (16 days total). And the analysis was conducted by simple and cross tabulation.

RESULTS

Valid responses to the questionnaire were obtained from 12,254 participants. Approximately 40% of the subjects felt a lack of physical strength (Corona stress), with the percentage peaking in high school, in the elderly it remained rather below average. On the other hand, locomotive dysfunction (Corona locomo) increased with age, independent of physical activity, and was not correlated with Corona stress.

CONCLUSIONS

Japanese citizens need to change their behaviors for the purpose of improving their exercise and lifestyle habits towards shifting to a new lifestyle norm. Looking ahead to the ``With Corona'' era, it is considered necessary by selecting a tailor-made training method suitable for each age group.

Immediate effect of mechanical lumbar traction in patients with chronic low back pain: A crossover, repeated measures, randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Lumbar traction is a treatment method traditionally used for chronic low back pain (CLBP) in many countries. However, its clinical effectiveness has not been proven in medical practice. The purpose is to conduct a multi-center, crossover, randomized controlled trial (RCT) to prove the efficacy and safety of traction on CLBP patients, using equipment capable of precise traction force control and of reproducibility of the condition based on the previous biomechanical and pre-clinical studies.

METHODS

Ninety-five patients with non-specific CLBP from 28 clinics and hospitals were randomly assigned to either the intermittent traction with vibration (ITV) first group (A: sequence ITV to ITO) or the intermittent traction only (ITO) first group (B: sequence ITO to ITV); the former was treated with repeated traction and vibration force added to preload. All patients were followed up weekly for 2 periods after study-initiation. The primary outcome measures were disability level including pain and quality of life (based on Japan Low back pain Evaluation Questionnaire; JLEQ), and JLEQ was measured repeatedly. Statistical analysis was performed using linear mixed model.

RESULTS

Comparing to pre-traction data, both traction modes significant improvement except the first intervention of ITO treatment. The differences in JLEQ scores over time showed significant improvements in the treatment to which vibrational force was added in contrast to the conventional traction treatment; Mean difference was significant to compare ITV treatment and ITO treatment (-1.75 (p = 0.001), 95% CI; -2.69 to -0.80). However, neither difference between the two sequences (p = 0.884) nor carryover effect (p = 0.527) was observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Altogether, the results indicate that lumbar traction was able to improve the pain and functional status immediately in patients with CLBP. This study contributes to add some evidence of the efficacy of lumbar traction.

Effect and usability of anti-inflammatory drug plasters for knee osteoarthritis: A crossover, double-blind, repeated measures, randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The use of plasters is a well-accepted treatment with high adherence. However, the characteristics such as its cool feeling or extensibility favored by elderly have a possibility to contribute to clinical utility. The purpose is to examine the effect of anti-inflammatory drug plasters for knee osteoarthritis and the clinical preference of the patients for using plasters. We conducted a crossover, double-blind, randomized controlled trial (RCT) recruited 168 patients with knee osteoarthritis.

METHODS

We included a "run-in-period" to evaluate the patients' preference among A (first-generation; methyl salicylate), B (second-generation; indomethacin), and N (base substrate for B) before the crossover sequence of two treatment periods with A and B plasters; four arms (N-A-B, A-A-B, N-B-A, and B-B-A) were made to compare the assessment of A, B, and N plasters. We used two measures: The Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM), for clinical functions, and the usability questionnaire to evaluate the clinical value of plasters.

RESULTS

At baseline, there were no significant differences in characteristics. The subjects in groups A and B showed improved overall JKOM scores at the end of each intervention. Comparison of the change of the mean difference showed that A and B were statistically significant improvement over N (-2.40, (95%CI = -3.58 to -1.21), -2.52, (-3.65 to -1.40)) but no significant difference between A and B - 0.13, (-1.14 to 0.89)). In network analysis for usability, twelve items were independent of JKOM's network structure and consisted of two domains. The analysis of usability showed that N and B were preferred over A significantly.

CONCLUSION

Both the first- and second-generation plasters were statistically superior to the base only, but no significant difference between two generations. The patient is surely aware of the effect of the drug itself, but the two feelings are important in the preference.

A multi-body model for comparative study of cervical traction simulation - comparison between inclined and sitting traction

A computer simulation model was developed to compare the result of cervical traction therapy in inclined and sitting traction positions. The behavior of the model was shown to match with the intervertebral changes in the upper and lower spine from the data of a radiographic experiment. Both the results of the experiment and the simulation also showed that in the inclined position, the amount of posterior separations in the upper cervical spine remains constant regardless of traction angle, while the posterior separations at lower cervical spine increases along with traction angles. Using the simulation model, parametric studies were conducted to investigate the intervertebral space changes in response to different traction angles in the inclined and sitting positions. When using the sitting position, the subject's hip joint stiffness was shown to cause larger variations in the intervertebral space than in the inclined position. In addition, variations in the tension/compression stiffness was shown to cause the largest changes in the resulting separations in both positions but the variations in anterior space changes were larger in the sitting position. Our study suggests that the inclined position is less sensitive to variations in the subject's body parameters and is able to provide a more reliable and predictable traction result than the sitting position.

A multi-body model for comparative study of cervical traction simulation - development, improvement and validation

A computer simulation model was developed to study the dynamic behavior of the cervical spine during cervical traction therapy in inclined and sitting traction positions. The model improved upon an old model with additional components to represent the behavior of the intervertebral discs and the posterior ligaments. The simulation result of the new model was compared against the cervical traction data from a radiographic experiment in both positions. The simulation results of the old model and new model were compared to illustrate the improvement. Using the new model, we compared the timing response of cervical traction in the inclined and sitting positions.

Effect of elcatonin versus nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications for acute back pain in patients with osteoporotic vertebral fracture: a multiclinic randomized controlled trial

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of elcatonin injections and oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for patients with osteoporosis who have acute lumbar pain after experiencing new vertebral compression fractures. Two hundred twenty-eight Japanese female patients (mean age 77.3 years) with acute lumbar pain from osteoporotic vertebral fractures were randomly divided into two groups. Patients in one group were given an NSAID (NSAIDs group) and patients in the other group were given weekly intramuscular injections of 20 units of elcatonin (elcatonin group). All patients underwent follow-up examinations up to 6 weeks from the start of the trial. Outcome measures were the level of functional impairment according to the Japan Questionnaire for Osteoporotic Pain (JQ22), the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire (RDQ), and a visual analog scale (VAS) of pain intensity. Statistical analyses focused on (1) the time course of pain and functional level using linear mixed effects models to analyze the longitudinal data and (2) the effectiveness of elcatonin injection with mean difference values and 95 % confidence intervals. Significant differences were seen over time between the initial values and the postintervention values (4 and 6 weeks) in JQ22, RDQ, and VAS scores (effect size d > 0.4) in each group. The mean differences between the elcatonin group and the NSAIDs group in each measure at 4 and 6 weeks were -4.8 and -8.3 for the JQ22, -1.3 and -2.6 for the RDQ, and -11.3 and -11.5 for the VAS, shifted to elcatonin. Once weekly elcatonin injection was more effective than NSAIDs for treating acute lumbar pain and improving mobility in Japanese women with osteoporotic vertebral fractures.

FOXA1 repression is associated with loss of BRCA1 and increased promoter methylation and chromatin silencing in breast cancer

FOXA1 expression correlates with the breast cancer luminal subtype and patient survival. RNA and protein analysis of a panel of breast cancer cell lines revealed that BRCA1 deficiency is associated with the downregulation of FOXA1 expression. Knockdown of BRCA1 resulted in the downregulation of FOXA1 expression and enhancement of FOXA1 promoter methylation in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, whereas the reconstitution of BRCA1 in Brca1-deficent mouse mammary epithelial cells (MMECs) promoted Foxa1 expression and methylation. These data suggest that BRCA1 suppresses FOXA1 hypermethylation and silencing. Consistently, the treatment of MMECs with the DNA methylation inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycitydine induced Foxa1 mRNA expression. Furthermore, treatment with GSK126, an inhibitor of EZH2 methyltransferase activity, induced FOXA1 expression in BRCA1-deficient but not in BRCA1-reconstituted MMECs. Likewise, the depletion of EZH2 by small interfering RNA enhanced FOXA1 mRNA expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) analysis demonstrated that BRCA1, EZH2, DNA methyltransferases (DNMT)1/3a/3b and H3K27me3 are recruited to the endogenous FOXA1 promoter, further supporting the hypothesis that these proteins interact to modulate FOXA1 methylation and repression. Further co-immunoprecipitation and ChIP analysis showed that both BRCA1 and DNMT3b form complexes with EZH2 but not with each other, consistent with the notion that BRCA1 binds to EZH2 and negatively regulates its methyltransferase activity. We also found that EZH2 promotes and BRCA1 impairs the deposit of the gene silencing histone mark H3K27me3 on the FOXA1 promoter. These associations were validated in a familial breast cancer patient cohort. Integrated analysis of the global gene methylation and expression profiles of a set of 33 familial breast tumours revealed that FOXA1 promoter methylation is inversely correlated with the transcriptional expression of FOXA1 and that BRCA1 mutation breast cancer is significantly associated with FOXA1 methylation and downregulation of FOXA1 expression, providing physiological evidence to our findings that FOXA1 expression is regulated by methylation and chromatin silencing and that BRCA1 maintains FOXA1 expression through suppressing FOXA1 gene methylation in breast cancer.

[Feasibility study of locomotion training in a home-visit preventive care program]

AIM

To evaluate the feasibility of locomotion training (single-leg standing and squats) in a home-visit preventive care program for the elderly.

METHODS

We invited 246 people who were not attending any preventive care programs within the long-term care insurance system. Among these, 60 participated in the current program. We administered a hearing survey, measured the single-leg stance time with eyes open, and subjects underwent locomotion training. Each participant was asked to repeat 1 set of training exercises 3 times per day at home. One set consists of standing on each leg for 1 minute and squatting 5 to 6 times. We telephoned the participants regularly during the 3 month program (locomo call). At the end of the program, we visited the participants and measured the single-leg stance time with eyes open.

RESULTS

A total of 60 elderly adults participated in the program (15 men, 45 women). Among subjects secondary prevention of musculoskeletal (n=313), 67 were participating in site-visit preventive care programs conducted by the local authorities (21.4%). Among these 313, 127 were participating in site-visit preventive care programs or locomotion training (40.6%). It shows the increasing of the participation rate 21.4% to 40.6%. The continuance rate was 91.7%. The single-leg stance time improved for both men (16.2±17.7 sec, p<0.05) and women (57.2±79.7 sec, p<0.01) compared to the baseline. Similarly, improvement was observed in the single-leg stance time for both the young-old (62.2±67.9 sec, p<0.01) and the old-old (39.2±73.8 sec, p<0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

We consider that the locomotion training program which we introduced in the current home-visit preventive care program was effective and highly feasible for the elderly who have not previously responded conventional site-visit preventive care programs.

Dynamic change and influence of osteoporotic back pain with vertebral fracture on related activities and social participation: evaluating reliability and validity of a newly developed outcome measure

The objective of this study was to record the clinical course of osteoporosis over time in Japanese women. We hypothesized that successful control of acute pain associated with osteoporosis will allow better treatment for health-related problems. To confirm this working hypothesis, we developed the Japan Questionnaire for Osteoporotic Pain (JQ22) to measure health status associated with osteoporosis. We examined the validity and reliability of the JQ22 compared with the current gold standard scale for back pain, the Roland Morris questionnaire (RDQ). A total of 125 women who were more than 65 years old, had an acute back pain episode, and had a fragile vertebral fracture confirmed by X-ray and clinical signs, participated in this study. The psychometric analyses for validity and reliability were tested for the JQ22 and the RDQ. The time course up to 6 weeks was observed by investigating both changes in pain characteristics and its influence on related activities and social participation. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.979 and 0.919 for the JQ22 and RDQ, respectively. The Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) indicated that the JQ22 items were separated into four domains, which were sequentially arranged at the baseline and subsequently changed. This structure reflected osteoporotic back characteristics covering a range from pain to social activities. The JQ22 was shown to be a valid and reliable scale for patient-based measurement of osteoporotic back pain. It also revealed both changes in pain characteristics and the influence of pain on related activities and participation.

Effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug plasters for knee osteoarthritis in Japanese: a randomized controlled trial

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) plaster for knee osteoarthritis among Japanese patients. An open-labeled, randomized, controlled, multiclinic trial was performed involving outpatient clinic groups. Two comparative groups-plaster NSAIDs and oral NSAIDs-were randomly allocated. The drugs used were limited to the current top three in both groups in Japan. Treatments were assessed after four weeks and compared with the baseline scores. Outcomes were evaluated by two psychometric measures: Japanese knee osteoarthritis measure, and pain with the visual analogue scale. The total number of patients included in the final evaluation was 165 (87 for the plaster group and 78 for the oral group). Between these two groups there were no significant differences in gender, age, body height and weight, body mass index, and X-ray grading. The subjects in both groups showed improvements in both scores at the end of intervention. The differences in the improvements in scores between the two groups were not significant, though the mean rank score and the 95% CI of the plaster group were slightly better than those of the oral group. In conclusion, the local application of a plaster with NSAIDs leads to the same level of improvement in knee osteoarthritis as oral NSAIDs.

Effect of home exercise of quadriceps on knee osteoarthritis compared with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs: a randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

To examine the effect of home-based exercise on knee osteoarthritis among Japanese in comparison with that of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

DESIGN

An open-labeled, randomized, controlled, multiclinic trial compared home-based quadriceps exercise with NSAIDs. Treatments were basically evaluated after 8 wks and compared with the baseline scores. Outcomes were evaluated with a set of psychometric measurements including the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC), 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM), and pain with the visual analog scale.

RESULTS

A total of 142 patients entered this trial to provide the baseline data. After 21 cases withdrew, the final number analyzed was 121 cases: 63 for the exercise group and 58 for the NSAIDs group. Between these two groups, there was no significant difference in gender, age, body height and weight, body mass index, or each score at baseline. The subjects in both groups showed improvements in all scores at the end of intervention. The difference in improvement rate of each score between the two groups was not statistically significant, though the mean rank score measured with JKOM in the exercise was slightly better than that of the NSAIDs.

CONCLUSIONS

Home-based exercise using quadriceps strengthening improves knee osteoarthritis no less than NSAIDs.

Detection of quantitative trait loci controlling extremely early heading in rice

To clarify the genetic basis of extremely early heading in rice, we conducted quantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses using F2 populations from two genetically wide cross combinations, Hayamasari/Kasalath (HaF2) and Hoshinoyume/Kasalath (HoF2). Hayamasari and Hoshinoyume are extremely early-heading japonica cultivars. Photoperiod sensitivity is completely lost in Hayamasari and weak in Hoshinoyume. Three QTLs, QTL(chr6), QTL(chr7), and QTL(chr8), for days-to-heading (DTH) in HaF2 were detected on chromosomes 6, 7, and 8, respectively, and QTL(chr6) and QTL(chr7) were detected in HoF2. On the basis of the chromosomal locations, QTL(chr6), QTL(chr7), and QTL(chr8) may be likely to be Hd1, Hd4, and Hd5, respectively, which had been detected previously as QTLs for DTH in an F2 population of NipponbarexKasalath. Alleles of QTL(chr7) decreased DTH dramatically in both Hayamasari and Hoshinoyume, suggesting that QTL(chr7) has a major role in determining extremely early heading. In addition, allele-specific interactions were detected between QTL(chr6), QTL(chr7) and QTL(chr8). This result suggests that not only allelic differences but also epistatic interactions contribute to extremely early heading. QTL(chr8) was detected in HaF2, but not in HoF2, suggesting that it determines the difference in DTH between Hayamasari and Hoshinoyume. A major QTL was also detected in the region of QTL(chr8) in QTL analysis using an F2 population of HayamasarixHoshinoyume. This result supports the idea that QTL(chr8) is a major factor that determines the difference in DTH between Hayamasari and Hoshinoyume, and is involved in photoperiod sensitivity.

Transcriptional expression of survivin and its splice variants in cervical carcinomas

The objective of this study was to evaluate transcriptional expression of survivin and the two splice variants (survivin-2B and survivin-ΔEx3) in cervical carcinomas. The gene expression levels of survivin and its splice variants in 11 human cervical carcinoma cell lines and 20 malignant and 12 normal cervical tissue samples were analyzed using quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction analysis. Gene expression levels of survivin and survivin-ΔEx3 in cell lines were higher than those in normal cervical tissues (P= 0.0193 and 0.0489). Transcript levels of survivin and survivin-ΔEx3 in carcinoma tissues were also higher than those in normal controls (P= 0.0016 and 0.0011). Gene expression levels of survivin and survivin-ΔEx3 in adenocarcinomas were statistically higher than those in squamous cell carcinomas (P= 0.0260 and 0.0487). There was no significant difference in survivin-2B gene expression between malignant and normal cervical samples or different histologic types. The ratios of survivin-2B/survivin and survivin-ΔEx3/survivin in carcinoma tissues were higher than those in normal controls (P= 0.0288 and 0.0081). Interestingly, the ratio of survivin-2B/survivin was increased in the patients with higher stages and with pelvic lymph node metastasis (P= 0.0205 and 0.0437), respectively. We conclude that survivin and its splice variants might be involved in the pathogenesis and development of cervical carcinomas.

Attenuation of acid induced oesophagitis in VR-1 deficient mice

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Activation of the vanilloid receptor subtype 1 (VR-1) results in release of proinflammatory peptides which initiate an inflammatory cascade known as neurogenic inflammation. We investigated its role in an acute model of surgically induced oesophagitis.

METHODS

Oesophagitis was induced by pyloric ligation in wild-type and VR-1 deficient mice. A subset of animals were administered the VR-1 antagonist capsazepine, famotidine, or omeprazole one hour before surgery. Five hours after surgery, myeloperoxidase activity (MPO), histological damage scores, intragastric pH, and immunocytochemical analysis of substance P (SP) receptor endocytosis were determined.

RESULTS

Oesophagitis induced knockout mice exhibited significantly lower levels of MPO activity, histological damage scores, and SP receptor endocytosis than wild-type mice. Inflammatory parameters were significantly reduced by acid inhibition and capsazepine in wild-type mice.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that acute acid induced oesophagitis is reduced in animals lacking VR-1. This suggests that acid induced oesophagitis may act through VR-1 and that inhibition of the receptor may reduce inflammation.

An outcome measure for Japanese people with knee osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE

We describe a new outcome measure for Japanese patients with knee osteoarthritis, the Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM).

METHODS

The outcome measure was designed to incorporate the concepts of the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health 2001, and to reflect the specific Japanese cultural lifestyle, which differs from Western countries. To examine the validity and reliability of this measure and to determine the underlying set of measures, psychometric measurements including factor analysis were conducted in comparison with 2 other health related scales, the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). The following psychometric properties were tested with this new measure: test and retest reliability, internal consistency, content validity, construct validity, and criterion related validity.

RESULTS

The measure was proved to have sufficient reliability and validity by means of statistical evaluation and comparison with other health related scales. Three domains are clearly separated on the loading pattern by factor analysis: pain, limitation in mobility related to daily activity, and restriction of participation in social life and health perception.

CONCLUSION

The JKOM, a new knee OA measure, has sufficient reliability and validity for studies of the clinical outcomes of Japanese people with knee OA.

Molecular characterization of a 10-kDa buckwheat molecule reactive to allergic patients' IgE

BACKGROUND

Using the sera from buckwheat (BW)-allergic patients, several putative causative molecules were reported. However, few molecules were determined on the molecular structure. We demonstrated in 2000 that the major allergen with 24 kDa (BW24KD) is a legumin-like storage protein.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize further a major allergen with 10 kDa by molecular cloning.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Buckwheat allergens were identified by immunoblotting analysis using sera from 14 allergic and two nonallergic individuals. We identified a protein with 10 kDa (BW10KD) that reacted with immunoglobulin E (IgE) more strongly than with IgG and IgA in 57% of the allergic patients but not with IgE in nonallergic individuals. Analyses were performed by N-terminal amino acid sequencing and molecular cloning. Physiological significance was assessed by an immunoblotting experiment showing that the reactivity of an allergic patient's serum IgE to BW10KD was competitively inhibited by natural BW extracts.

CONCLUSION

Molecular cloning experiments indicated that BW10KD as a BW allergen was a member of the 2S-albumin multigene family.

Mapping of quantitative trait loci controlling low-temperature germinability in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Low-temperature germination is one of the major determinants for stable stand establishment in the direct seeding method in temperate regions, and at high altitudes of tropical regions. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling low-temperature germinability in rice were identified using 122 backcross inbred lines (BILs) derived from a cross between temperate japonica varieties, Italica Livorno and Hayamasari. The germination rate at 15 degrees C was measured to represent low-temperature germination and used for QTL analysis. The germination rate at 15 degrees C for 7 days of Italica Livorno and Hayamasari was 98.7 and 26.8%, respectively, and that of BILs ranged from 0 to 83.3%. Using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, we constructed a linkage map which corresponded to about 90% of the rice genome. Three putative QTLs associated with low-temperature germination were detected. The most effective QTL, qLTG-3-1 on chromosome 3, accounted for 35.0% of the total phenotypic variation for low-temperature germinability. Two additional QTLs, qLTG-3-2 on chromosome 3 and qLTG-4 on chromosome 4, were detected and accounted for 17.4 and 5.5% of the total phenotypic variation, respectively. The Italica Livorno alleles in all detected QTLs increased the low-temperature germination rate.

Vanilloid receptor-1 containing primary sensory neurones mediate dextran sulphate sodium induced colitis in rats

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The role of sensory neurones in colitis was studied by chemical denervation of primary sensory neurones as well as antagonism of the vanilloid receptor-1 (VR-1) in rats prior to administration of dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) to induce colitis.

METHODS

Neonatal rats were chemically denervated by subcutaneous administration of capsaicin; controls received capsaicin vehicle only. When animals reached maturity, colitis was induced by administration of 5% DSS in drinking water for seven days. Additionally, normal adult rats were treated with a VR-1 antagonist capsazepine (CPZ) or vehicle twice daily via an enema from day 0 to day 6 of the DSS regimen. Control rats were treated with an enema infusion of vehicle and 5% DSS, or without either an enema infusion or DSS in drinking water. For both groups of rats, severity of inflammation was quantitated by disease activity index (DAI), myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and histological examination.

RESULTS

DSS induced active colitis in all control rats with resultant epithelial ulceration, crypt shortening, and neutrophil infiltration. Both neonatal capsaicinised rats and normal adult rats treated with CPZ enemas exhibited significantly lower levels of DAI, MPO, and histological damage compared with vehicle treated rats (p< 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Neonatal capsaicinisation and local administration of CPZ prevents intestinal inflammation in a well established model of colitis indicating that primary sensory neurones possessing VR-1 receptors are required in the propagation of colonic inflammation.

Effects of iterative reconstruction on image contrast and lesion detection in gamma camera coincidence imaging in lung and breast cancers

To investigate the effects of iterative reconstruction in 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) gamma camera coincidence imaging (GCI), image contrast and visual detection obtained by using the iterative ordered-subsets expectation maximization (OSEM) reconstruction, in a phantom and in patients with lung cancer and breast cancer, were compared with those obtained by using the conventional filtered backprojection (FBP) reconstruction. Images of a cylindrical phantom containing hot spheres of various sizes (10-38 mm) were acquired by positron emission tomography (PET) and GCI at various sphere-to-background activity ratios. Forty-one consecutive patients with biopsy-proven cancer of lung (n = 20) and breast (n = 21) underwent PET and GCI on the same day after intravenous injection of 370 MBq of FDG. GCI images reconstructed by the OSEM and the FBP were compared. FDG PET was considered as the standard of reference. In GCI phantom images, OSEM yielded better contrast and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) than FBP over the range of sphere sizes. Attenuation correction improved both the image measures and sphere detection obtained by the OSEM in GCI. In the study involving patients, FDG PET depicted 41 primary tumours and 25 metastatic lymph nodes. All of the tumours >2 cm in diameter (n = 25), six of the nine tumours 1.5-2.0 cm in diameter (67%), two of seven tumours <1.5 cm in diameter (29%), and 20 metastatic lymph nodes (80%) were detected in attenuation uncorrected GCI reconstructed by the OSEM as well as the FBP. The undetected lesions in GCI were identical between the OSEM and the FBP reconstructions. OSEM yielded significantly greater tumour-to-background (T/B) ratios and lower noise than FBP in GCI (T/B ratios, 4.1+/-3.2 vs 3.7+/-2.7, P = 0.02; noise, 0.09+/-0.04 vs 0.14+/-0.05, P<0.0001). In conclusion, OSEM yielded better image contrast and less noise than the FBP in GCI, but the lesion detection obtained by the OSEM and the FBP in attenuation uncorrected GCI in patients with lung cancer and breast cancer were similar. Phantom data suggest the potential of OSEM for improving lesion detection in GCI after attenuation correction.

Synthetic study on novel immunosuppressant KF20444

The two new synthetic routes to 6,7-dihydro-10-fluoro-3-(2-fluorophenyl)-5H- benzo[6,7]cyclohepta[1,2-b]-quinoline-8-carboxylic acid (1), a novel immunosuppressant KF20444, are described. The seven-membered ring construction from 2-[4-(2-fluorophenyl)phenyl]-3-(2-carboxyethyl)-4-chloromethyl-6-fluoroquinoline (17c) was achieved by intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction under acidic conditions as the key step. Subsequently, the oxidation of 4-chloromethyl group followed by reduction of carbonyl group on the seven-membered ring afforded 1. This route provides a new method for the synthesis of 1.

Feasibility of a short acquisition protocol for whole-body positron emission tomography with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose

The conventional protocol for whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) with fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) requires a total acquisition time of 40-60 min, which is inconvenient for many oncological patients owing to fatigue and discomfort. This study examined the feasibility of a short protocol for whole-body PET. A phantom containing six "hot" spheres of gradually increasing diameter (10-38 mm) was imaged using a dedicated PET scanner for 20, 40, 60, 80, 120 and 600 s at various count rates. Thirty-four patients with various neoplasms underwent whole-body emission scans for 1 min per bed position 1 h after intravenous injection of 370 MBq of FDG (short protocol). A standard simultaneous transmission-emission acquisition for 10 min per bed position was performed thereafter. The images were reconstructed using an iterative algorithm. At a count rate of 40 kcps, which is close to the average count rate obtained in a whole-body FDG PET study, the 60-s image visualised five spheres, of which the smallest was 13 mm in size. Despite the better image quality, lesion detection was not improved in images acquired for more than 60 s (80-600 s). Only three of the six spheres could be detected in images acquired for less than 60 s. In the patient study, the standard protocol visualised 120 tumour lesions, of which 93 (78%) could be detected using the short protocol. Among the non-visualised lesions, 22 (82%) were < or =1.5 cm in size and 17 (63%) were lymph nodes. It is concluded that the proposed short protocol for whole-body FDG PET has a reasonably high detection rate and may be suitable for patients who are unable to undergo scanning for a prolonged period. It may also be useful as a pre-scan guide before a standard whole-body acquisition.

Cholinergic modulation of stellate cells in the mammalian ventral cochlear nucleus

The main source of excitation to the ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN) is from glutamatergic auditory nerve afferents, but the VCN is also innervated by two groups of cholinergic efferents from the ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body. One arises from collaterals of medial olivocochlear efferents, and the other arises from neurons that project solely to the VCN. This study examines the action of cholinergic inputs on stellate cells in the VCN. T stellate cells, which form one of the ascending auditory pathways to the inferior colliculus, and D stellate cells, which inhibit T stellate cells, are distinguished electrophysiologically. Whole-cell recordings from stellate cells in slices of the VCN of mice demonstrate that most T stellate cells are excited by cholinergic agonists through three types of receptors, whereas all D stellate cells tested were insensitive to cholinergic agonists. Nicotinic excitation in T stellate cells has two components. The faster component was blocked by alpha-bungarotoxin and methyllycaconitine, suggesting that receptors contained alpha7 subunits; the slower component was insensitive to both. Muscarinic receptors excite T stellate cells by blocking a voltage-insensitive, "leak" potassium conductance. Our results suggest that cholinergic efferent innervation enhances excitation by sounds of T stellate cells, opposing the inhibitory action of cholinergic innervation in the cochlea that is conveyed indirectly through the glutamatergic afferents. The inhibitory action of D stellate cells on their targets is probably not affected by cholinergic inputs. Excitation of T stellate cells by cholinergic efferents would be expected to enhance the encoding of spectral peaks in noise.

Relationship between morbidity and body mass index of mariners in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Fleet Escort Force

To establish a practical weight management program for mariners in the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) Fleet Escort Force, the relationship between morbidity and body mass index (BMI) was studied. To estimate morbidity, 10 medical problems were used as indices (hyperlipidemia, hyperuricemia, diabetes mellitus, lung disease, heart disease, upper gastrointestinal tract disease, hypertension, renal disease, liver disease, and anemia). A curvilinear relationship was found between morbidity and BMI, in which a BMI of 17.5 was associated with the lowest morbidity. This curvilinear pattern was more complex than a curve reported previously for Japanese civilians. Using the present curve and aiming for a BMI of 17.5 will help in the design and implementation of a practical management program for health promotion in the JMSDF.

Role of biophysical specialization in cholinergic modulation in neurons of the ventral cochlear nuclei

In contacting arrays of different types of neurons whose axons have differing targets in the brain stem, the auditory pathway is subdivided into parallel ascending pathways, each of which carries a different type of information. Several distinct arrays of neurons in the ventral cochlear nuclei have anatomical and biophysical specializations which enable them to extract differing facets of acoustic information and to convey it up the auditory pathway. T stellate cells have higher input resistances and have lower firing thresholds than bushy or octopus cells, enabling their firing to be modulated by small currents. Cholinergic currents, driven by neurons in the ventral nucleus of the trapezoid body that are likely to include medial olivocochlear efferents, excite T stellate cells, but have subtle effects on the firing of bushy cells, and have no detectable influence on octopus cells and D stellate cells. We suggest that cholinergic excitation of T stellate cells contributes toward shifting their acoustic dynamic ranges and increasing the encoding of spectral peaks in noisy conditions and in awake animals.

[Roles of clinical laboratory monitoring in bone marrow and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation]

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(HSCT) increase the chances of cure of many hematological malignancy. The clinical laboratory plays a major role in support of HSCT. Both transplantation-specific laboratory test(tissue typing, assessment of graft viability/rejection, evaluation of minimal residual disease, and measurement of immunosuppressive drugs) and routine clinical laboratory tests(biochemical, hematological, serological, urinary, bacteriological, and physiological examinations) are significant. Hematopoietic stem cells(HSC) are usually assessed as CD34+ cells, while immature cells determined by automated hematology analyzers can simply evaluate HCS. These automated immature cell counts are earlier markers of engraftment following transplantation than the traditional indicators(neutrophils and platelets). After transplantation, infections, regimen-related toxicities, graft-versus host disease, veno-occlusive disease, and thrombotic microangiopathy are the serious complications, which are causes of expected mortality and morbidity in HSCT. Clinical laboratory monitoring may contribute early diagnosis and treatment of the complications, resulting in prevention of the adverse events.

[Assessment of hydroxylated metabolites of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated dibenzofurans as potential estrogens by yeast two-hybrid system]

The estrogenic activities of several hydroxylated metabolites of PCBs and PCDFs were investigated by yeast two-hybrid assay based on the ligand-dependent interaction of estrogen receptor with coactivator. For the hydroxylated PCBs, the order of estrogenic potency was 4-OH-2',4',6'-triCB > 4-OH-4'-monoCB, 4-OH-biphenyl. These compounds were evaluated as 10(3) to 10(4) less potent than 17 beta-estradiol based on the concentrations of test compounds showing 10% activity of 10(-7) M 17 beta-estradiol. 2-OH-3',4,4'-triCB, 4-OH-2',3,4'-triCB and 3-OH-/4-OH-2,2',5,5'-tetraCB, the metabolites of 2,2',5,5'-tetraCB were inactive as estrogens at the highest concentrations used in this study (10(-5) M). Also 4-OH-3,3',4',5-tetraCB, the metabolite of 3,3',4,4'-tetraCB was inactive as estrogen, indicating that this hydroxylated metabolite did not take part in the estrogenic activity of 3,3',4,4'-tetraCB. OH group at 4-position of biphenyl was necessary for the expression of estrogenicity, but one or two chloro-substitution adjacent to OH group inhibited the activity. For the hydroxylated PCDFs, 8-OH-2-monoCDF, 7-OH-3,4-diCDF, 8-OH-3,4-diCDF, 8-OH-3,4,6-triCDF and 3,8-(OH)2-2-monoCDF exhibited estrogenic activity. The estrogenic activity of 3,8-(OH)2-2-monoCDF was comparable to those of 4-OH-2',4',6'-triCB and 4-nonylphenol (mixture of compounds with branched sidechain). The order of activity was 3,8-(OH)2-monoCDF > 8-OH-3,4-diCDF, 7-OH-3,4-diCDF > 8-OH-2-monoCDF, 8-OH-3,4,6-triCDF. These compounds were evaluated as 2.5 x 10(3) to 3 x 10(4) less potent than 17 beta-estradiol. On the other hand, no estrogenic activity was observed for 2-OH-dibenzofuran, 3-OH-2,8-diCDF, 6-OH-3,4-diCDF and 9-OH-3,4-diCDF at concentrations as high as 10(-4) M. Substitution of OH group at 2(8)- or 3(7)-position of dibenzofuran and no chloro-substitution adjacent to OH group was required for the estrogenic activity.

Long-term repeated biodesulfurization by immobilized Rhodococcus erythropolis KA2-5-1 cells

In this study, biodesulfurization (BDS) was carried out using immobilized Rhodococcus erythropolis KA2-5-1 in n-tetradecane containing dibenzothiophene (DBT) as a model oil (n-tetradecane/immobilized cell biphasic system). The cells were immobilized by entrapping them with calcium alginate, agar, photo-crosslinkable resin prepolymers (ENT-4000 and ENTP-4000), and urethane prepolymers (PU-3 and PU-6); and it was found that ENT-4000-immobilized cells had the highest DBT desulfurization activity in the model oil system without leakage of cells from the support. Furthermore, ENT4000-immobilized cells could catalyze BDS repeatedly in this system for more than 900 h with reactivation; and recovery of both the biocatalyst and the desulfurized model oil was easy. This study would give a solution to the problems in BDS, such as the troublesome process of recovering desulfurized oil and the short life of BDS biocatalysts.

Expression, cloning, and immunological analysis of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) seed storage proteins

cDNA of buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) was isolated from immature seeds harvested 14 days after pollination. Two genes, designated FA02 and FA18, were found to encode legumin-like proteins and were expressed during seed development. The deduced amino acid sequence of FA02 was identical to the N-terminal amino acid domain of BW24KD, which was believed to be a major buckwheat allergen (Urisu, A.; Kondo, Y.; Morita, Y.; Yagi, E.; Tsuruta, M.; Yasaki, T.; Yamada, K.; Kuzuya, H.; Suzuki, M.; Titani, K.; Kurosawa, K. Isolation and characterization of a major allergen in buckwheat seeds. In Current Advances in Buckwheat Research; Shinshu University Press: Matsumoto, Japan, 1995; pp 965--974). It was predicted that FA02 would be cleaved to generate two separate components, a 41.3 kDa alpha-subunit and a 21 kDa beta-subunit. Antiserum was raised against the deduced FA02 beta-subunit, and immunoblotting of total protein from buckwheat seeds (F. esculentum M. and Fagopyrum tartaricum Gaertn.) revealed that several groups of proteins reacted with the antiserum. Polypeptides in the 23--25 kDa range displayed the greatest reactivity.

Kinetic analysis of microbial desulfurization of model and light gas oils containing multiple alkyl dibenzothiophenes

The reaction mechanism of biodesulfurization was investigated using whole cells of Rhodococcus erythropolis KA2-5-1, which have the ability to convert dibenzothiophene (DBT) into 2-hydroxybiphenyl. The desulfurization patterns of alkyl DBTs were represented by the Michaeis-Menten equation. The values of rate constants, the limiting maximal velocity (Vmax) and Michaelis constant (Km), for desulfurization of alkyl DBTs were calculated. The relative desulfurization activities of various alkyl DBTs were reduced in proportion to the total carbon numbers of alkyl substituent groups. Alkyl DBTs that had a total of six carbons of alkyl substituent groups were not desulfurized. The type or position of alkyl substituent groups had little effect on desulfurization activity. The desulfurization activity of each alkyl DBT, when mixed together, was reduced. This phenomenon was caused by apparent competitive inhibition of substrates. Using the apparent competitive inhibition model, the desulfurization pattern of a multiple components system containing alkyl DBTs was elucidated. This model was also applicable for biodesulfurization of light gas oil.

Somatic embryogenesis induced by the simple application of abscisic acid to carrot (Daucus carota L.) seedlings in culture

Seedlings of carrot (Daucus carota L. cv. Red Cored Chantenay) formed somatic embryos when cultured on medium containing abscisic acid (ABA) as the sole source of growth regulator. The number of embryos per number of seedlings changed depending on the concentration of ABA added to the medium, with a maximum embryo number at 1 x 10(-4) M ABA. Seedling age was critical for response to exogenous ABA; no seedling with a hypocotyl longer than 3.0 cm was able to form an embryo. Removal of shoot apices from seedlings completely inhibited the embryogenesis induced by application of exogenous ABA, suggesting that the action of ABA requires some substance(s) that is translocated basipetally from shoot apices through hypocotyls. Histologically, somatic embryos shared common epidermal cells and differentiated not through the formation of embryogenic cell clumps, but directly from epidermal cells. These morphological traits are distinct from those of embryogenesis via formation of embryogenic cell clumps, which has been found in embryogenic carrot cultures established using 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid or other auxins. These results suggest that ABA acts as a signal substance in stress-induced carrot seedling somatic embryogenesis.

Efficacy of a continuous syringe extraction method for monitoring hemodialysis ultrafiltrate

The evaluation of hemodialysis ultrafiltrate is essential for the assessment of uremic toxins, dialyzer net performance, protein catabolic rate, and safety and environmental protection. Total dialysate collection (TDC), however, is technically far from the daily procedure used. In the present study, use of a continuous syringe extraction method (CSEM) as a substitute for TDC was tested to determine its comparative effectiveness. Measurements of urea nitrogen, creatinine, phosphate, beta2-microglobulin, and albumin were simultaneously obtained by both TDC and CSEM in 20 dialysis sessions. CSEM showed an extremely significant correlation with TDC for these values. The correlation coefficients were >0.97 for these indicators and the value of Fisher's r to z were all <0.001. Taken together, these data indicate that CSEM is an effective substitute for TDC. With use of CSEM, the evaluation of spent dialysate could become as a daily procedure.

Validity of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose imaging with a dual-head coincidence gamma camera for detection of myocardial viability

This study investigated the validity of myocardial 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) imaging with a dual-head gamma camera operated in coincidence detection mode (DCD-I) by comparing this technique with conventional PET and SPECT with ultra-high-energy general-purpose collimators (UHGPs).

METHODS

The subjects included 5 healthy volunteers and 20 patients with a history of myocardial infarction. FDG (370 MBq) was injected intravenously after 75-g oral glucose loading, and PET, UHGP SPECT and DCD-I were performed 45, 60 and 210 min, respectively, after the injection. The target-to-background ratio of each imaging method was evaluated for the healthy volunteers by comparing myocardial uptake with uptake in the upper lungs or left ventricular cavity. Agreement between the results of the various imaging methods was investigated for the myocardial infarction patients, as was the validity of DCD-I for assessing myocardial viability as judged by comparison with myocardial perfusion SPECT. The left ventricular wall was divided into 18 regions, and uptake was evaluated using a five-grade defect score (0 = normal; 1-3 = low uptake; 4 = defect).

RESULTS

The mean ratio of myocardial counts to lung counts was lower on the DCD images (2.77 +/- 1.12) than on the UHGP SPECT images (3.69 +/- 0.98) (P < 0.05). In contrast, the mean ratio of myocardial counts to left ventricular cavity counts was higher on the DCD images (2.76 +/- 1.36) than on the UHGP SPECT images (1.98 +/- 0.70) (P < 0.05). For the patients, only 30.6% of the defect scores obtained by DCD-I agreed with the scores obtained by PET, and the defect scores in the inferior and septal walls were higher for the DCD images than for the PET images. When DCD-I was compared with PET without attenuation correction (AC), agreement improved to 58.3%. When corrected by a modified AC method, DCD-I improved to 48.1%. Agreement between UHGP SPECT and PET was 55.0%. Of the segments (64) for which the defect score of the myocardial perfusion image was greater than that for the FDG PET image, DCD-I without AC, DCD-I with AC and UHGP SPECT allowed an accurate diagnosis in 12 (18.8%), 31 (48.4%) and 43 (67.2%), respectively.

CONCLUSION

The image quality of DCD-I is superior to that of UHGP SPECT. However, because the effect of attenuation is marked, accurate AC, by the transmission method, for example, is required to equal the validity of PET.