The effects of an exercise program for the female elderly in the community

In Mizumaki-cho, Fukuoka, a "School of muscle-building for the elderly" was held by the self-help group "MIZUMAKI Iki-iki senior club" once a week from Sep. 2002 to Mar. 2004. This school program included stretching, aerobics and resistance exercises. In this study, we clarified the effect of exercise for the 38 elderly females in this school. Their average age was 65.8 years old. Blood pressure, BMI, body %Fat, VO2 max, grasping power, time of standing on one leg with eyes open, anteflexion while sitting, time of walking for 10 m and time of standing up from sitting on a chair were measured before starting school, after 6 months, 12 months and 18 months. Every measured value except BMI and VO2 max was improved, and these improvements continued for 18 months. Especially, it was shown that time of standing on one leg with eyes open, time of standing up from sitting on a chair and time of walking for 10 m improved by 121.6%, 112.7%, 30.4%, respectively, compared with each measured value at the start. These improvements might produce the effect of fall prevention for the elderly. From the results of this study, it was clarified that regular exercise builds up the muscles of the female elderly, and continuation of exercise also extends the effect of exercise for the female elderly.     

Brain prostanoid TP receptor-mediated adrenal noradrenaline secretion and EP3 receptor-mediated sympathetic noradrenaline release in rats

Sympathetic nerves release noradrenaline, whereas adrenal medullary chromaffin cells secrete noradrenaline and adrenaline. Therefore, plasma noradrenaline reflects the secretion from adrenal medulla in addition to the release from sympathetic nerves, however the exact mechanisms of adrenal noradrenaline secretion remain to be elucidated. The present study was designated to characterize the source of plasma noradrenaline induced by intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) administered bombesin and prostaglandin E2 in urethane-anesthetized rats. Bombesin (1.0 nmol/animal, i.c.v.) elevated plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline, while prostaglandin E2 (0.3 nmol/animal, i.c.v.) elevated only plasma noradrenaline. The bombesin-induced elevations of both catecholamines were attenuated by pretreatments with furegrelate (an inhibitor of thromboxane A2 synthase) [250 and 500 microg (0.9 and 1.8 micromol)/animal, i.c.v.)] and [(+)-S-145] [(+)-(1R,2R,3S,4S)-(5Z)-7-(3-[4-3H]-phenylsulphonyl-aminobicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-yl)hept-5-enoic acid sodium salt] (an antagonist of prostanoid TP receptors) [100 and 250 microg (250 and 625 nmol)/animal)], and abolished by acute bilateral adrenalectomy. On the other hand, the prostaglandin E2-induced elevation of plasma noradrenaline was not influenced by acute bilateral adrenalectomy. These results suggest that adrenal noradrenaline secretion and sympathetic noradrenaline release are mediated by differential central mechanisms; brain prostanoid TP receptors activated by bombesin are involved in the adrenal noradrenaline secretion, while brain prostanoid EP (probably EP3) receptors activated by prostaglandin E2 are involved in the sympathetic noradrenaline release in rats. Brain prostanoid TP receptors activated by bombesin are also involved in the adrenal adrenaline secretion.     

Effects of etodolac on P450 isoform-specific activities in human hepatic microsomes

The effects of etodolac (CAS 41340-25-4) on P450 isoform-specific activities in human hepatic microsomes were examined. Etodolac had little effect on 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation (CYP1A2), coumarin hydroxylation (CYP2A6), 7-benzyloxyresorufin O-debenzylation (CYP2B6), S-mephenytoin hydroxylation (CYP2C19), bufuralol hydroxylation (CYP2D6), chlorzoxazone hydroxylation (CYP2E1) and nifedipine oxidation (CYP3A4) at concentrations ranging from 10 to 50 micromol/L. Etodolac inhibited tolbutamide hydroxylation (CYP2C9) with the Ki value of 64 micromol/L, suggesting that it is a weak inhibitor of CYP2C9. The in vivo drug interaction was predicted from the in vitro data using the [I]/([I] + Ki) value. Because the value was calculated to be almost 1, it is not likely that etodolac causes the drug interactions with the CYP2C9 substrates.     

Antibacterial activity of ceftriaxone against various clinical strains isolated in 2004

The susceptibility of clinical strains isolated from patients with infection to ceftriaxone (CTRX) and injectable beta-lactam antibiotics was determined in Japanese medical institutions in 2004. The in vitro antibacterial activity of the above antibiotics against clinical strains isolated in 2004 was compared with that against part of the clinical strains isolated about ten years ago (1994 - 1996). The antibacterial activity of CTRX against Streptococcus including penicillin-intermediate and penicillin-resistant Streptocuccus pneumoniae was potent and there were no large differences between clinical strains isolated in 1994 - 1996 and those in 2004 in the antibacterial activity of CTRX. CTRX inhibited the growth of all the strains of Haemophilus influenzae including beta-lactamase-negative, ampicillin-resistant (BLNAR) strains at 0.5 microg/mL or less and showed the potent antibacterial activity against these strains. In addition, since there are no large differences between strains isolated in the past and those isolated in 2004 in the antibacterial activity, CTRX is considered to be a useful antibiotic in the treatment of BLNAR infections which are increased by the causative organism of infections especially in the field of pediatrics in recent years. CTRX showed the excellent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae but one of the 50 strains of E. coli tested was highly resistant. The antibacterial activity of CTRX against Neisseria gonorrhoeae was the most potent in all the antibiotics tested. These results indicate that CTRX shows excellent antimicrobial activity against fresh strains isolated from patients with infections. CTRX is thus useful as a therapeutic antimicrobial for the treating a variety of infections.     

Novel alternative splicing of human faciogenital dysplasia 1 gene

The human faciogenital dysplasia 1 (FGD1) gene product plays an important role in morphogenesis. Its dysfunction causes Aarskog-Scott syndrome (MIM musical sharp 305400). To characterize the FGD1, we investigated its expression by RT-PCR and Southern blot analysis in normal tissues. We found novel alternative forms of the FGD1. One has a novel exon located in intron 8, named exon 8B (8B FDG1) and the other has an exon in intron 7, exon 7B (7B FGD1). The 8B FDG1 is expressed strongly in the brain, testis, spinal cord, trachea and stomach, and weakly in the thymus and lymphocytes. However, expression of the 7B FGD1 is weak and restricted in the testis and salivary gland. Insertion of each novel exon results in production of a premature termination codon, respectively, and the predicted proteins generated from them have only a proline-rich domain and an incomplete DH domain which potentially compete with the wild type of FGD1.     

Morphological studies for retrusive movement of the human adult tongue

This study identified the anatomical and close functional relationship between the transverse lingual and superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle. Two en bloc samples (including the tongue and mid-pharyngeal wall) and four whole tongues were obtained from adult human cadavers. We found that fibers of the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle connected with fibers of the transverse lingual muscle, forming a ring of muscle at the base of the tongue. The average diameters of the transverse muscle fibers increased in size gradually as they approached the base of the tongue. Distribution of the muscle spindles in the transverse lingual muscle and the genioglossus muscle also increased as they reached posteriorly near the base of the tongue. These findings suggest that a ring of muscle formed by the postero-inferior portion of the transverse lingual muscle and the superior pharyngeal constrictor may be largely responsible for the retrusive movement of the tongue and the constrictive movement of the pharyngeal cavity as an antagonist of the genioglossus muscle.     

Malignant solitary fibrous tumor of the meninges

Increasing numbers of solitary fibrous tumors (SFTs) in the meninges have been reported since this entity was first recognized. While most cases previously reported were considered to be benign, the malignant potential of extrathoracic SFTs has not been excluded. The authors report a rare case of a meningeal SFT with malignant behavior occurring in a Japanese female patient, initially resected when she was 44 years old and recurring in the same place four times during a 26-year follow-up period. A metastatic tumor to the right lung arose 25 years after the resection of the first meningeal tumor and focal invasion into the cerebellum was also observed with her last (5th) meningeal tumor. Immunohistochemical analysis showed all tumors to be diffusely positive for CD34 and negative for EMA, with a so-called patternless histological pattern, featuring thin collagen fibers between tumor cells. A focal staghorn vascular pattern was also observed. Ki67 (MIB-1) labeling indices and mitosis rates were 3.1±1.2% and less than 1/10 high power fields (HPF) in the first meningeal tumor and 16.1±6.4% and 6/10HPF in the last (5th) one, respectively. Thus, the present case suggests that meningeal SFTs possess malignant potential so that careful long-term follow up is required.     

Determinant for the inhibition of ecotropic murine leukemia virus infection by N-linked glycosylation of the rat receptor

Ecotropic murine leukemia viruses (MLVs) recognize the third extracellular loop of the receptor, cationic amino acid transporter type 1 (CAT1). The CAT1 protein contains two conserved N-linked glycosylation sites in the third extracellular loops of the mouse, rat, and hamster receptors (mCAT1, rCAT1, and hCAT1, respectively). Glycosylation of the rCAT1 and hCAT1 receptors inhibits ecotropic MLV infection of CAT1-expressing cells, but that of the mCAT1 does not afford the cells this protection. As compared to the mCAT1 protein, the rCAT1 and hCAT1 proteins possess three and six amino acid insertions, respectively, in the third extracellular loop. To determine whether these inserted amino acids are associated with ecotropic MLV infection inhibition by glycosylation, several mutants of mCAT1 and rCAT1 receptors were constructed. Of all the mutants generated in the present study, only rCAT1 mutant 1 exhibited detectable protein expression levels. The rCAT1 mutant 1-expressing human NP2 cells were more susceptible to transduction by ecotropic MLV vectors than the wild-type rCAT1-expressing cells. Tunicamycin, an N-glycosylation inhibitor, increased transduction titer in the wild-type rCAT1-expressing cells, but did not do so in the cells expressing either the mCAT1 or rCAT1 mutation 1. An amino acid substitution in the glycosylation site of the wild-type rCAT1 conferred higher infection susceptibility, but that of the rCAT1 mutant 1 did not. As with the wild-type mCAT1 and rCAT1 proteins, the rCAT1 mutants were detected on the cell surface by immunofluorescence microscopy. Tunicamycin treatment did not affect cellular distribution of the rCAT1 mutant 1, wild-type mCAT1 or rCAT1 proteins. These results indicate that the extra amino acids in the rCAT1 (as compared to the mCAT1) are associated with inhibition of ecotropic MLV infection by the rCAT1 glycosylation.     

The involvement of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the pattern generator of mastication

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a family of neurotrophins that plays crucial roles in neural development, survival, maintenance and regeneration both in central and peripheral nervous systems. To examine the effects of BDNF on mastication, jaw movement trajectories and masticatory muscle activities were electrophysiologically investigated in BDNF-deficient mice, compared with those of littermate wild-type mice. BDNF-deficient mice showed less number of chewing strokes and more irregular chewing pattern during mastication than wild-type mice. Masseter muscle activities of BDNF-deficient mice exhibited smaller values than those of wild-type mice. No significant difference in the cycle duration existed between these two types of the mice. These results indicate that the burst pattern is more susceptible to peripheral sensory inputs than the timing and suggest the involvement of BDNF in the control of jaw movement.