Magnesium intake is inversely associated with the prevalence of tooth loss in Japanese pregnant women: the Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study.

There have only been a few studies on the role of mineral intake in tooth loss. We investigated the association between mineral intake and the prevalence of tooth loss in Japan. We used the baseline data on 1002 pregnant women who were enrolled in the Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study between November 2001 and March 2003. Tooth loss was defined as the previous extraction of one or more teeth. Nutrient intake was assessed by a validated diet history questionnaire. Prevalence odds ratios and confidence intervals were estimated by applying a multiple logistic regression model. The adjusted odds ratio upon comparison of the highest quartile with the lowest quartile of magnesium intake was 0.64 (95% confidence interval, 0.42-0.99), showing a tendency for an inverse dose-response relationship (p for linear trend = 0.05). There were no associations between the level of consumption of calcium, phosphate, iron, zinc, or copper and tooth loss. The present findings suggest that intake of magnesium is related to reduced prevalence of tooth loss among young Japanese women.     

Effects of hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus on the risk of total cardiovascular events in Japanese patients with hypercholesterolemia: implications from the Japan Lipid Intervention Trial (J-LIT).

Hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus (DM) are well-established risk factors for cardiovascular disease. We analyzed the cardiovascular events in hyperlipidemic patients with or without DM who were administered open-labeled simvastatin in groups stratified by blood pressure level using data from the Japan Lipid Intervention Trial (J-LIT). Hyperlipidemic patients with DM (n=6,288) had significantly more cardiovascular events than those without DM (n=33,933). The incidence rates of total cardiovascular events in the Non-DM and DM groups were 15.40 and 25.76 per 1,000 patients for the 6-year period, respectively. The relative risk of total cardiovascular events in the DM vs. the Non-DM group was 1.68, and the relative risk was significantly higher in the DM than in the Non-DM group. The relative risks of total cardiovascular events were significantly higher in DM and Non-DM patients whose systolic blood pressure (SBP) was greater than or equal to 130 mmHg compared to that of Non-DM patients whose SBP was less than 130 mmHg, and in DM and Non-DM patients whose diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was greater than or equal to 80 mmHg compared to that of Non-DM patients whose DBP was less than 80 mmHg. In all groups stratified by SBP and DBP, relative risks of total cardiovascular events were higher in DM patients than in Non-DM patients. For patients with hypercholesterolemia and DM, blood pressure should be strictly controlled in order to prevent both coronary events and stroke. These results are in good agreement with the JNC 7 and the ESH/ESC guidelines for DM patients, which recommended that the SBP and DBP be less than 130 and 80 mmHg, respectively.     

Intraocular penetration kinetics of prednisolone after subconjunctival injection in rabbits

Prednisolone concentrations in cornea, aqueous humor, and vitreous humor and the residual amount in conjunctival tissue were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography during a 14-hour period after subconjunctival injection of prednisolone sodium succinate in rabbits. Prednisolone was concentrated in the corneal epithelium and reached a peak within 5 min, whereas the peak level of prednisolone in stroma-endothelium was achieved 1 h after the injection. There was an apparent linear binding of prednisolone with the ocular tissue homogenates and fluids except for the vitreous humor. However, the protein binding of prednisolone with vitreous humor showed marked concentration dependency. A pharmacokinetic model involving a rapid conversion to prednisolone from its ester prodrug, first-order transfer to various tissues, and first-order elimination of unbound prednisolone from vitreous humor succeeded in predicting the observed concentration-time profiles of prednisolone in various ocular tissues and fluids after subconjunctival injection at three different doses: 0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 mg/kg. The present model predicted that absorption into precorneal area and epithelium and direct penetration into aqueous humor and vitreous humor are 1.7, 0.1, and 0.2% of the applied dose, respectively, and that almost the entire dose (98%) is absorbed into the systemic circulation, with a half-life of 38 min.     

A case of humidifier lung associated with BHL]

We encountered a rare case of hypersensitivity pneumonitis associated with bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy (BHL). The patient was a 53-year-old male, who developed dry cough and shortness of breath when using a humidifier since 1982. He was admitted to our hospital for further evaluation in 1987. Chest X-ray films showed BHL and ground glass appearance in the bilateral lung fields. Pulmonary function test indicated disturbance of diffusing capacity. Transbronchial lung biopsy revealed interstitial pneumonitis, and lymph node biopsy by mediastinoscopy showed lymphoid sinus histiocytosis without noncaseating granuloma. Provocation test using the humidifier was positive, and the diagnosis of humidifier lung with BHL was made.     

Management of respiratory diseases in the elderly]

Aspiration pneumonia is the fourth cause of death in Japanese, of which 92% occurs in elderly people aged more than 65 years. Pneumonia in the elderly is mostly due to aspiration. Aspiration is caused by disturbance of the pharyngeal reflex and cough mechanisms are due to disturbances of brain activity. Respiratory diseases including bronchial asthma must be treated with consideration of brain activity.     

The results and problems of reoperation for coronary artery disease]

In six hundred and six consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) within the past 17 years (May 1974 to March 1991), repeated CABG were performed on 10 patients (1.65%). The main reasons for repeated CABG were graft failure (GF) in 8, progression of native disease (NP) in 5 and incomplete revascularization (IR) in 3 patients. The incidence of GF was high either within a half year or around 5 years after CABG. Although all patients survived from reoperation, four patients continued to have mild angina pectoris. When the recurrence of angina is noted after CABG, coronary arteriography and if necessary PTCA should be done as soon as possible. If a second surgery is inevitable, maximum utilization of arterial graft and accomplishment of complete revascularization are emphasized.     

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor cerivastatin prolonged rat cardiac allograft survival by blocking intercellular signals.

BACKGROUND: The development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular complications caused by hyperlipidemia is a common and serious problem for long-term survivors of organ transplantation. However, adhesion molecules such as intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 and lymphocyte function-associated antigen (LFA)-1 are involved in allograft rejection, possibly by providing costimulatory signals. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitor cerivastatin has been shown to suppress ICAM-1 expression in acute inflammatory responses. METHODS: In this study, we evaluated the immunosuppressive effects of cerivastatin in rat cardiac allografts. The hearts of Fischer rats were transplanted heterotopically into Lewis rats. Cerivastatin (2 mg/kg) was administrated intraperitoneally to recipients for 7 consecutive days from the day before transplantation. RESULTS: Graft survival in the cerivastatin-treated group (n = 8) was significantly longer than in controls (n = 10) (24.6 +/- 2.2 days vs 10.2 +/- 1.3 days, p < 0.05). Mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) showed that on Day 8 after grafting, the proliferative response of alloreactive T cells against F344 alloantigen in cerivastatin-treated rats was significantly more suppressed than in Lewis rats. The Interleukin-2 concentration of supernatant in MLR cultures in the cerivastatin-treated group was lower than in the control group. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the percentage of CD4-positive cells to infiltrating mononuclear cells was less prominent in the cerivastatin-treated group (9.8% +/- 2.2%) than in the control group (20.9% +/- 3.2%). CONCLUSIONS: The HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor cerivastatin effectively suppressed acute graft rejection, possibly by blocking intercellular signals via ICAM/LFA-1, and cerivastatin may be a candidate for treating patients with hyperlipidemia who undergo organ transplantation.     

Effects of vancomycin and ofloxacin on rabbit ERG in vivo

The retinal toxicity of vancomycin and ofloxacin was studied by electroretinogram (ERG) before and after intravitreal injection in rabbits. Vancomycin is known to be effective on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. A dose of 1mg vancomycin caused no ERG change for at least eight weeks after injection. The feature that ERG became non-recordable during one to four weeks after an intravitreal injection of 10mg vancomycin, with recovery of only the c-wave was conspicuous. A dose of 200 micrograms ofloxacin did not cause deterioration of the b-wave, the c-wave or the oscillatory potentials throughout the follow-up period up to eight weeks. Judging from the susceptibility of each ERG component to antimicrobials and taking into account the difference of vitreous volume between rabbits and humans, clinical doses of intravitreal single-shot injection should be less than 1mg for vancomycin and 200 micrograms for ofloxacin.