Green Tea Consumption and Depressive Symptoms among Japanese Workers: The Furukawa Nutrition and Health Study

Although several cross-sectional studies have described an inverse association between green tea consumption and depressive symptoms, only one study has prospectively investigated this association. We investigated the cross-sectional and prospective associations between green tea consumption and depressive symptoms in a working population in Japan. Participants were 1987 workers who participated in the baseline survey for a cross-sectional association, and 916 participants who did not have depressive symptoms at baseline who responded to both the baseline and follow-up surveys for a prospective association. Green tea consumption was evaluated with a validated self-administered diet history questionnaire. Depression symptoms were evaluated with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Multiple logistic regression was conducted to estimate the odds ratio of depressive symptoms based on green tea consumption. In the cross-sectional analysis, green tea consumption was not associated with the prevalence of depression symptoms. Moreover, consumption at baseline was not associated with depression symptoms after 3 years; the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio of depressive symptoms for ≥2 cups/day of green tea was 1.12 (95% confidence interval 0.65–1.91) compared with <4 cups/week after adjustment for covariates including dietary factors (trend p = 0.67). Our results suggest that there is no association of consumption of green tea with symptoms of depression in Japanese.     

Detection of coronary plaque by computed tomography with a novel plaque analysis system, 'Plaque Map', and comparison with intravascular ultrasound and angioscopy.

BACKGROUND: Previous reports suggest that plaque may be characterized by the computed tomography (CT) number, but there is not a comprehensive method for evaluating the gray-scale CT image of the coronary artery obtained by multi-detector row CT (MDCT). METHODS AND RESULTS: Forty-five patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) underwent MDCT either 3-4 weeks after the onset of acute myocardial infarction (n=24) or within 1 week after percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with unstable angina (UA; n=21). The cross-sections obtained at intervals of 5 mm were converted to numerical data and a 'plaque map' was drawn using the color-based isometric line method and bird's eye view. 'Plaque map' was compared with the findings of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and angioscopy. Of 662 slices of 78 vessels, soft, intermediate or calcified plaque was detected in 144, 134, and 84 slices, respectively. Compared with IVUS, the sensitivities were 92%, 87%, and 89%, respectively, and compared with angioscopy, sensitivity was 80% and specificity was 87%. CONCLUSIONS: MDCT with the 'Plaque Map' system can noninvasively characterize plaque in patients with ACS.     

Axin2+ Peribiliary Glands in the Periampullary Region Generate Biliary Epithelial Stem Cells That Give Rise to Ampullary Carcinoma

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Muscle metabolism during exercise using phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in adolescents

Very little has been reported on muscle energetics during exercise in adolescents. This is attributable to the difficulty of subjecting children to muscle biopsy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of muscle metabolism during exercisein vivo in adolescents by comparing firstly, with adults and secondly, the differences resulting from physical activity using phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance (³¹PNMR) spectroscopy. The subjects were boys aged 12 to 15 years, comprising 21 trained boys and 23 control boys, and 6 adults controls. The ratio of phosphocreatine (PCr):(PCr + P_i), where P_i is inorganic phosphate intracellular pH at exhaustion and the time constant of PCr during recovery were measured in all the subjects using³¹PNMR. Both groups of children showed higher values of PCr:(PCr + P_i) and intracellular pH at exhaustion than did the adult control group (P < 0.01 orP < 0.05). However, no significant differences were found between the trained boys and the control boys with respect to PCr:(PCr + P_i) and intracellular pH at exhaustion. On the other hand, we found the same values for PCr time constant in all groups. This result suggested no differences of the muscle oxidative capacity between children and adults. We concluded that the adolescents, aged 12 to 15 years in both the trained and control groups, had less glycolytic ability during exercise than the adults.     

MR imaging of the thyroid: correlation between apparent diffusion coefficient and thyroid gland scintigraphy

PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of echo-planar MR imaging for assessing the thyroid function and confirm the clinical use of MR imaging for thyroid diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-four patients with a variety of thyroid disorders (24 Graves disease; five subacute thyroiditis; five Hashimoto thyroiditis) were examined using T1-, T2-, and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and thyroid scintigraphy with Tc-99m pertechnetate. RESULTS: The ADC values obtained from the diffusion-weighted images of the patients with Graves disease were significantly higher than those of patients with subacute hyroiditis and Hashimoto thyroiditis, though no difference among those disorders was observed on T1- and T2-weighted images. Based on the ADC value, anisotropy was not observed in the thyroid gland. An ADC value of 1.82 x 10(-3) mm(2)/second or higher indicated the presence of Graves disease (sensitivity 75%, specificity 80%). CONCLUSION: Diffusion-weighted MR images may be of value for the diagnosis of thyroid diseases and could be clinically important in the evaluation of thyroid function.     

Hepatocyte growth factor concentration in rat bile is affected by hepatic resection volume and external biliary drainage

BACKGROUND: Our previous studies have shown that acute gallbladder (GB) inflammation increases endogenous bradykinin (BK)-stimulated prostaglandin (PG) release and inhibits guinea pig (GP) GB contractility. This study examines the hypothesis that exaggerated PG release following BK stimulation in the inflamed guinea pig GB is due to new protein synthesis of cyclooxygenase 1 (COX-1) and prostacyclin synthase (PS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Male Hartley GPs (450-550 g) were anesthetized and underwent common bile duct ligation (BDL, a model of acute inflammation). GBs were harvested after 3 days from BDL and control groups. Tissue slices were prepared and placed in oxygenated tissue culture medium at 37 degrees C for 1 h (basal) and for a second hour in medium alone (carrier, Car), medium plus 10(-6) M BK, or medium plus 10(-6) M BK plus cycloheximide 100 microgram/ml (BK + CX). The medium was assayed for net release of 6-keto-PGF1alpha (PGI2 metabolite), thromboxane B2 (TxB2), PGE2, leukotriene B4 (LTB4), and C4 (LTC4) by enzyme immunoassay and data are reported as nanograms per milligram of protein. GB tissue from control and BDL groups was examined for COX-1, COX-2, PS, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) content by Western blot analysis, analyzed by densitometry, and reported as densitometry units. RESULTS: All data were analyzed by ANOVA and t test and reported as means +/- SEM, N >/= 5.BK increased the release of PGI2 and PGE2 from the control group and markedly exaggerated release of PGI2 and PGE2 from the BDL GP gallbladder. This exaggerated PGI2 and PGE2 release was greatly diminished by inhibition of new protein synthesis with cycloheximide. TxB2, LTB4, and LTC4 showed no significant differences between any groups. COX-1 and PS contents were significantly elevated in the BDL group compared with control. COX-2 and iNOS were not present in control or BDL GBs. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the enhanced BK-stimulated PG release seen in the acutely inflamed GP gallbladder is due to the synthesis of new COX-1 and PS enzymes.     

Endoscopic pancreatic duct drainage and stenting for acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cyst and abscess

Background/Purpose Endoscopic drainage of pancreatic pseudocysts using transpapillary and transmural approaches has been reported. In this study, endoscopic nasopancreatic drainage (ENPD) and pancreatic stenting were performed in patients with pseudocyst and abscess associated with acute pancreatitis, and the usefulness and problems of the procedures were investigated. Methods After endoscopic retrograde pancreatography was done, ENPD and/or pancreatic stenting were performed in 13 patients with pancreatitis and pseudocyst or abscess that communicated with the main pancreatic duct. Results ENPD was performed in seven patients, and was effective in all five patients with cysts: the cysts disappeared or shrank. However, the condition in the two patients with abscess was unchanged, and percutaneous drainage was performed. Stenting was carried out in six patients, and the cyst disappeared or pancreatitis was improved in all six. The stent was removed from two patients, but no recurrence has been noted so far. Conclusions ENPD and stenting are effective therapeutic choices for acute and chronic pancreatitis and pseudocysts, and they are superior to percutaneous drainage to avoid pancreatic fistula, but they may not be effective for pancreatic abscess. Selection of therapeutic methods corresponding to individual cases is important.