Westernized food habits and concentrations of serum lipids in the Japanese

To investigate the association of westernized food habits and concentrations of serum lipids in the Japanese, we studied 1200 healthy Japanese living in Hiroshima prefecture and 1483 ethnic Japanese from Hiroshima prefecture living in the Hawaii Islands and Los Angeles. The nutritional assessments were made by the same dietitians. No major difference was observed in the total energy intake between the Japanese and the Japanese-Americans in both males and females. However, the intake of animal fat and simple carbohydrates (especially fructose) were markedly greater, and that of complex carbohydrates lower, in the Japanese-Americans compared with the Japanese. The mean serum cholesterol (CH), LDL-CH and serum triglyceride (TG) levels were significantly higher in the Japanese-Americans in both sexes. The mean HDL-CH concentration was similar between the two groups in males, but it was approximately 7 mg/dl higher in Japanese-American females. Using the 75 percentile values of CH and TG in the Japanese in Hiroshima, the frequency of WHO types IIa and IIb hyperlipidemia was about twice as high in the Japanese-Americans. These results suggest that westernized food habits in the Japanese include qualitative changes in animal fat, simple carbohydrate and complex carbohydrate diet rather than an increase in the total energy intake. These changes are associated with marked increases in the concentrations of serum CH and TG and increased prevalence of types IIa and IIb hyperlipidemia.     

QT dispersion correlates with systolic rather than diastolic parameters in patients receiving anthracycline treatment

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relation of QT dispersion to left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function in patients undergoing anthracycline therapy. METHODS: We used echocardiography to evaluate LV systolic and diastolic function and electrocardiography to evaluate QT dispersion and corrected QT dispersion (QTcD) in patients with hematological diseases, who received anthracycline therapy. PATIENTS: Seventy-two patients with hematological diseases who were receiving anthracycline treatment were enrolled in the present study. RESULTS: LV end-diastolic diameter or LV end-systolic diameter had a significant positive correlation to QTcD (r = 0.35, p < 0.01, r = 0.43, p < 0.01). Also left ventricular ejection fraction of (LVEF) or fractional shortening had a significant negative correlation to QTcD (r = -0.46, p < 0.001, r = -0.27, p = 0.02). The highest QTcD group had a significantly larger LV end-diastolic diameter or LV end-systolic diameter than the lowest QTcD [48.5 +/- 5.7 vs. 44.4 +/- 4.5 (mm), p < 0.001, 34.1 +/- 6.4 vs. 28.8 +/- 4.3 (mm), p < 0.001] and the highest QTcD group had a significantly lower LVEF than the lowest QTcD [57.5 +/- 8.0 vs. 65.5 +/- 6.4 (%), p < 0.001]. On the other hand, none of the diastolic function markers were significantly correlated with QTcD. CONCLUSION: We concluded that increased QTcD is correlated with LV dilation and systolic dysfunction induced by anthracycline therapy, and does not reflect a dispersion of ventricular repolarization or asynchronous motion.     

Serum levels and pharmacodynamics of methotrexate and its metabolite 7-hydroxy methotrexate in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with 2-mg capsule of methotrexate three times per week

Methotrexate (MTX) is the first-choice drug for rheumatoid arthritis (RA); however, the pharmacodynamics of MTX in Japanese patients with RA treated legitimately according to the government recommended dosage, 6 mg per week, are unknown. Methotrexate and its metabolite, 7-hydroxy MTX (7-OH MTX), were measured in sera of 16 outpatients with active RA in the first week of MTX treatment and 4–12 weeks after the introduction at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 h after administration of the first and the third 2-mg capsule, followed by sampling at 48, 96, and 168 h. The mean maximal serum drug concentration (mean C_max) of MTX attained at 1–2 h after ingestion of the first capsule was 0.215 and 0.252 μM, respectively, in the first and the follow-up week. The mean C_max after ingestion of the third capsule was 0.223 μM and 0.357 μM. The mean C_max of 7-OH MTX was 0.0334 and 0.0289 μM for the first capsule, and 0.0495 and 0.0672 μM for the third capsule. The results indicate that MTX does not accumulate or deposit in the body of Japanese patients with RA when treated with 6 mg per week, and pharmacodynamics of MTX are comparable to those in overseas patients treated with 7.5 mg per week.     

Arteriovenous malformation of the pancreas associated with hepatocellular carcinoma

Summary A case of pancreatic arteriovenous malformation (AVM) with hepatocellular carcinoma is reported. The patient, a 56-year-old Japanese man, was asymptomatic. The pancreatic lesion was found incidentally during an evaluation for hepatocellular carcinoma. Celiac arteriogram demonstrated tortuous feeding arteries, a racemose intrapancreatic stain, which disappeared before the venous phase, and early portal filling.     

An XXX female with essential thrombocythemia

We describe an XXX female patient accompanied with essential thrombocythemia. To our knowledge this is the first case ever to have been reported. The patient was asymptomatic, but her platelet count had increased to 111.2 x 10(4)/microliter, and she was diagnosed as having essential thrombocythemia based on the diagnostic criteria of the Polycythemia Vera Study Group. At the same time, chromosome analysis of bone marrow cells revealed that she was an XXX female. The patient remained asymptomatic throughout the course of treatment.     

Supraventricular bigeminy originating from the mitral annulus: What is the mechanism?

We present a case of a 67‐year‐old female with a previous history of pulmonary vein isolation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation who presented with supraventricular bigeminy with a constant coupling interval. The supraventricular bigeminy originated from the anterior mitral annulus with initial mapping suggestive of a focal mechanism. However detailed mapping using an ultrahigh resolution mapping system (with the manual shifting of the annotation window) revealed very low amplitude potentials connecting the previous sinus beat with continuous activation along the mitral annulus. Our observations were indicative of a re‐entry mechanism underlying the supraventricular bigeminy.     

First report of Kudoa species in the somatic muscle of the Japanese parrotfish Calotomus japonicus (Scaridae) and a description of Kudoa igami,n. sp. (Myxozoa: Multivalvulida)

Three species of the Kudoid parasite (Myxozoa: Multivalvulida) were observed in the somatic muscle of Japanese parrotfish Calotomus japonicus caught off the coast of western Japan. All three species formed pseudocysts in myofibers and caused subclinical infections. The three Kudoa species were distinguished by spore morphology, as well as their 18S and 28S rDNA sequences. We identified a previously undescribed taxa Kudoa igami n. sp. with spores that were stellate with rounded peripheral edges and five to six polar capsules (prevalence 29.3 %). Kudoa igami n. sp. were morphologically most similar to Kudoa neothunni but were distinguishable by a more rounded shape in the apical view. Molecular analyses demonstrated that the K. igami n. sp. is closely related to Kudoa thalassomi; however, the similarity in the 28S rDNA sequence was <96 % and the spore morphology was different. We found Kudoa thalassomi in one sample (prevalence 2.4 %), which is a new host and geographical record for this species. Kudoa lateolabracis, which causes postmortem myoliquefaction in Chinese sea bass Lateolabrax sp. and olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus was found in Japanese parrotfish (prevalence 41.5 %) for the first time, but did not cause myoliquefaction. We also expanded the host record for the brain-infecting Kudoa yasunagai (prevalence 94.1 %). In addition, an unidentified microsporidia was observed in the somatic muscle (prevalence 23.3 %).     

Re-epithelialization of the Buccal Mucosa after Alkaline Chemical Injury

Alkaline conditions in the oral cavity may be caused by a variety of stimuli, including tobacco products, antacids, alkaline drinking water and bicarbonate toothpaste. However, the effects of an alkaline pH on the oral mucosa had not been elucidated. The purpose of this study was to investigate how basal keratinocytes are actively involved in re-epithelialization after alkaline chemical injury. We generated epithelial defects in the oral mucosa of mice by applying an alkaline chemical, and the localization of cytokeratin 13, cytokeratin 14, PCNA and p63 was investigated during the re-epithelialization process. PCNA- and p63-positive staining was seen in basal cells covering the wound surface at 1 day after the chemical injury. Cytokeratin 14-positive and PCNA-negative basal keratinocytes were localized in a few layers of the wound epithelium during epithelial outgrowth. Cytokeratin 14-positive and PCNA-positive basal keratinocytes, indicating proliferation, were localized over the entire layer of the epithelium at the wound margin. These results imply that basal keratinocytes at the wound margin migrate to the wound surface, provoke differentiation and keratinization during epithelial outgrowth and that epithelial cells are supplied from the wound margin to the epithelial outgrowth after alkaline chemical injury.     

Heterogeneous Immunoreactivity of Emerin,a Nuclear Envelope LEM-domain Protein,in Normal Thyroid Follicles

Emerin is a LEM domain-containing integral membrane protein of the vertebrate nuclear envelope. Recently it has been reported that emerin regulates tissue-specific gene/protein expression. We studied the relationship between emerin expression and follicle function in normal and hyperplastic human thyroid tissues using immunohistochemistry and statistical methods. Emerin immunoreactivity was heterogeneous among follicular cells and follicles in normal thyroid tissue. It tended to be strong in the nuclei of tall follicular cells of small follicles and weak or negative in the nuclei of flat follicular cells of large follicles. Follicles with strong expression of emerin were also strongly positive for thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroxine (T4) in follicular cells and colloid substance, suggesting active functioning follicles. In contrast, large follicles with weak expression of emerin were also weak or negative for Tg and T4. Emerin immunoreactivity was strong in almost all nuclei of hyperplastic follicular cells in Graves’ disease tissues. These findings suggest that emerin expression may be related with follicular function and may contribute to the understanding of hormonogenesis in normal thyroid follicles.