Determination of each neutral oligosaccharide in the milk of Japanese women during the course of lactation

Using reverse-phase HPLC after pyridylamination, we quantified the concentrations of major neutral oligosaccharides in the milk of sixteen Japanese women collected at 4, 10, 30 and 100 d postpartum. In colostrum and mature milk (30 d lactation), lacto-N-fucopentaose (LNFP) I was the most abundant oligosaccharide, followed by 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL) + lacto-N-difucotetraose (LNDFT), LNFP II + lacto-N-difucohexaose II (LNDFH II), and 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL). Together these accounted for 73 % of the total weight of neutral oligosaccharides in colostrum and mature milk. Changes in concentration occurred during the course of lactation. LNFP I and 2'-FL + LNDFT increased from 4 to 10 d postpartum, and then declined by 100 d. LNFP II + LNDFH II steadily increased during the first 30 d and then declined. In contrast, 3-FL increased steadily throughout the entire 100 d of study. Large differences were observed between our data and previously published data in Italian women, in terms of both the concentration and temporal changes of each oligosaccharide. These differences may be caused by different assay methodology, although racial differences cannot be ruled out.     

Estimation of total daily energy expenditure and its components by monitoring the heart rate of Japanese endurance athletes

The estimation of total daily energy expenditure (TEE) or the energy needs of athletes is important for maintaining a proper energy balance during training. This study was conducted to measure the TEE of Japanese middle- and long-distance runners using a heart-rate monitoring method (the HR method), and to ascertain the impact of three key energy expenditure (EE) components occurring within the day: sleep, exercise (training) and inactivity (other daily habitual activities). Additionally, energy balance was evaluated by comparing TEE with energy intake (EI). The mean TEE of six male athletes aged 19-21 y was 4,514+/-739 kcal/d and their mean EI was 3,784+/-91 kcal/d during the training period of 11 d. This negative energy balance led to a significant decline in body weight (p<0.01), indicating that proper care should be taken to balance energy during training. The mean daily EEs during sleep, inactivity, and exercise were 536+/-46 (12.0% of TEE), 1,722+/-145 (38.7%), and 2,255+/-658 (49.3%) kcal/d, respectively. There was a significant correlation between TEE and exercise EE (p<0.01) in the athletes. The TEE of the endurance athletes was higher than expected and significantly affected by exercise EE, indicating that the TEE of athletes, in general, must be carefully evaluated before incorporating nutritional support for them.     

Screening System for Asymptomatic Renal Disease in Children in Japan

The introduction in Japan of routine urinalysis for pre-school and school age children has greatly facilitated the discovery of renal disease in asymptomatic children. Over the past 8 years at Kitasato University Hospital, we have studied 113 cases of chronic progressive renal disease based on renal biopsy.
Thirty-one of these 113 patients were found by routine urinalysis at area schools. It is noteworthy that many of the asymptomatic children were found to have renal diseases such as MPGN, FGS, and IgA nephropathy.Although it is difficult to decide whether or not medical management is required for asymptomatic children, the histological findings may give pertinent guidance for planning an appropriate therapeutic program in the early stages of various types of renal disease. This early detection may enable us to observe these potentially progressive renal diseases from the early phase and to provide clues for the investigation of the pathogenesis of these renal diseases.     

The essentials of data sources in eye epidemiology

The extensive literature on eye epidemiology was selectively reviewed to provide a concise and comprehensive summary on the current status of available data sources. The topics being covered were epidemiologic data evaluation, data handling, card registration, computer analysis, geographic factors, socio-economic conditions, personal attributes, genetic backgrounds, twin analysis and laboratory procedures for host defense factors including humoral and cellular immunity. Also, the scope of this article encompassed such major practical issues as glaucoma, cataract and other blinding diseases as well as traffic and occupational hazards.Epidemiologic information thus obtainable through data searching may prove to be instrumental in the identification of any potential preventive measures in ophthalmology and public health.This investigation was supported by research grant EY-00840 from the National Eye Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, and Research to Prevent Blindness, New York, N.Y.     

Correlation between focal macular electroretinograms and angiographic findings after photodynamic therapy

PURPOSE: It is known that the amplitudes of the multifocal electroretinograms are generally reduced soon after photodynamic therapy (PDT). The purpose of this study was to determine whether this amplitude reduction correlates with the changes in macular thickness or with changes in choroidal circulation. METHODS: Thirty-seven eyes that were successfully treated by PDT were studied. Focal macular electroretinograms (fmERGs) and optical coherence tomography were performed before and 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months after PDT. Indocyanine green angiography was performed before and 3 months after PDT. The indocyanine green angiographic findings were classified into two groups: group A, with indistinct hypofluorescence at the site of the PDT, and group B, with well-defined hypofluorescence borders coinciding with the site of the PDT. RESULTS: The mean amplitudes of the fmERGs were significantly reduced at 1 week after PDT (P < 0.05). The correlations between the changes in the amplitude of the fmERG and the changes in macular thickness were not significant. Sixteen (43%) of the study eyes were classified into group A and 21 (57%) into group B by indocyanine green angiography. The mean ratio of the fmERG b-wave 1 week after PDT to that before PDT was 1.14 +/- 0.62 in group A and 0.65 +/- 0.29 in group B. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: One of the possibilities that could explain the reduction in the amplitude of the fmERGs soon after PDT is the reduction in choroidal circulation caused by the PDT.     

A case of catamenial pneumothorax due to diaphragmatic endometriosis confirmed by video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery]

We describe a case of catamenial pneumothorax caused by diaphragmatic endometriosis and histologically confirmed thoracoscopically. The patient was a 33-year-old woman who had had recurrent right chest pain starting on the day preceding each menstruation since she was 26 years of age. In June 2001, at the age of 33, she felt right chest pain and developed dyspnea, and so came to our hospital. Chest radiography showed bilateral pneumothorax. Timely thoracoscopy revealed the characteristic appearances of catamenial pneumothorax such as a blueberry spot on the central tendon of the right diaphragm and a purplish-red locus in the right apex. Histopathological examination further confirmed the presence of endometrial tissue on the diaphragm as well as in the lesion of the right lung. Despite resection of the endometrial tissues from the right hemidiaphragm and the lung under thoracoscopy, right pneumothorax recurred after one month. Since then, the patient's condition has been well controlled by therapy with gonadotropin releasing hormone, with no recurrence of catamenial pneumothorax.     

Possible role of the stomach in enteroinsular axis in rats

To elucidate the possible role of the stomach in enteroinsular axis, rats had both an inflow gastric cannula and an outflow diversion cannula and a duodenal inflow cannula. The effects of intragastric infusion of glucose (1 mL in 10% solution) or mannitol (1 mL in 10% solution) on blood and plasma insulin responses to subsequent intraduodenal glucose (1.5 g/kg in 10% solution) or amino acids (1.0 g/kg in 10% solution) infusion were investigated. Blood glucose and plasma insulin responses to intraduodenal amino acids were not altered by intragastric infusion of glucose or mannitol. However, higher blood glucose and lower plasma insulin responses to intraduodenal glucose were observed in the rat with intragastric infusion of glucose or mannitol compared with controls (intragastric infusion of distilled water). This phenomenon was abolished in the rat with preadministration of phentolamine. These results suggest that intragastric tonicity may suppress glucose-induced insulin secretion, probably through the alpha-adrenergic mechanism in the rat.     

Solitary fibrous tumor of the adrenal gland with renal cell carcinoma and angiomyolipoma at the same time; a case report

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a neoplasm of pleura and its occurrence in the retroperitoneal space is rare. We report a case of SFT of the adrenal gland associated with ipsilateral renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and angiomyolipoma (AML). A 48-year-old woman was referred to our hospital for a left renal AML. Computed tomography (CT) in our hospital showed a left adrenal mass (25 x 20 mm). Because the adrenal tumor was nonfunctioning, she was followed at outpatient clinic. Four years later, CT showed an increase in the left adrenal tumor size (42 x 30 mm) and a left RCC. Left adrenectomy and partial nephrectomy for RCC and AML were simultaneously performed. Histological examination revealed adrenal SFT and clear cell carcinoma and AML of the kidney. We present a brief review on histological characteristics of retroperitoneal SFT and its occurrence in the adrenal grand region.