Effects of Hangeshashinto on the nasal physiological function: An in vitro study.

ObjectiveHangeshashinto is a Japanese Kampo medicine applied for the treatment of oral mucositis and gastroenteritis. Hangeshashinto exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and suppresses prostaglandin (PG)E2 production in the mucosa and has the ability to improve the inflammatory condition. In addition to these effects, because cAMP, a composition of Hangeshashinto, facilitates ciliary beat, Hangeshashinto could also improve the physiological function of the nasal mucosa, consist of ciliated epithelium, but details were unknown.MethodsThis study was aimed to investigate the effects of Hangeshashinto on the nasal mucosa. Healthy nasal mucosal sections were collected from the nasal septum of ten Japanese white rabbits, placed in a collagen dish for tissue culture, and rinsed with two different concentrations of Hangeshashinto solution (1.0%, n = 10 and 2.5%, n = 10) and cAMP solution (50µM, n=10 and 100 µM, n=10) or saline (control, n = 10). Ciliary beat frequency (CBF) as a physiological function of the nasal mucosa was recorded at 1, 3 and 7 days after rinsing, and histological evaluation of epithelial damage was performed at 7 days after rinsing.ResultsCBF in the 1.0% but not in the 2.5% Hangeshashinto group, increased at 3 and 7 days compared with that in the control group (p < 0.05). This trend was also observed in the CBF in the 100 µM cAMP group, significant difference was not observed between the CBF of the 1.0% Hangeshashinto group and the 100 µM cAMP group at 1, 3 and 7 days after rinsing (p > 0.05). Histological score only in the 2.5% Hangeshashinto group was lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05), while a significant decline was not observed in the other groups compared to that in the control group (p > 0.05).ConclusionOur results suggest that 1.0% Hangeshashinto solution facilitates the physiological function of the nasal mucosa by promoting ciliary functions without histological damage of cilia epithelium. When applied with the appropriate concentration, Hangeshashinto could have ability to improve the physiological functions of the nasal mucosal epithelium.     

Job Demands,Job Resources,and Job Performance in Japanese Workers: A Cross-sectional Study

This study investigated the cross-sectional association of job demands (i.e., psychological demands) and job resources (i.e., decision latitude, supervisor support, co-worker support, and extrinsic reward) with job performance. A total of 1,198 workers (458 males and 740 females) from a manufacturing company in Japan completed a self-administered questionnaire that included the Job Content Questionnaire, Effort-Reward Imbalance Questionnaire, World Health Organization Health and Work Performance Questionnaire, and demographic survey. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted. After adjusting for demographic characteristics, decision latitude (β=0.107, p=0.001) and extrinsic reward (β=0.158, p<0.001) were positively and significantly associated with job performance while supervisor support (β=−0.102, p=0.002) was negatively and significantly associated with job performance. On the other hand, psychological demands or co-worker support was not significantly associated with job performance. These findings suggest that higher decision latitude and extrinsic reward enhance job performance among Japanese employees.     

Free air on CT and the risk of peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients: a retrospective study

Background: Intra-abdominal free air is found frequently in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). Some studies have investigated an association between intra-abdominal free air and peritonitis in PD patients. However, most used chest X-rays, which are of limited sensitivity, and the association was not made clear. We conducted a retrospective study of the association between peritonitis and intra-abdominal free air using computed tomography. Methods: The presence and volume of free air, and its relationship with other variables, were assessed on review of routine examinations in 108 patients. Correlations between the presence of free air and age, duration of PD, continuous ambulatory versus automated PD, presence or absence of a person who assisted in bag changes, exit-site infection, tunnel infection and peritonitis were assessed. Results: Free air was detected in 29 patients (27.1%). The prevalence of peritonitis was higher in the free air (+) group than in the free air (?) group: 1/40.2 patient-months for free air (+) versus 1/96.9 patient-months for free air (?). The risk ratio of free air for peritonitis was 2.41 (95% confidence interval: 2.28–2.55) and was similar when corrected for age, gender, albumin, diabetes mellitus and body mass index. Conclusion: Free air is an independent risk factor for peritonitis in PD patients. This suggests that bag change procedures should be re-evaluated, and patients re-educated, when necessary.     

Accurate,safe, and rapid method of intraoperative tumor identification for totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy: injection of mixed fluid of sodium hyaluronate and patent blue

Background

In totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy, determining the resection line with safe proximal margins is often difficult, particularly for tumors located in a relatively upper area. This is because, in contrast to open surgery, identifying lesions by palpating or opening the stomach is essentially impossible. This study introduces a useful method of tumor identification that is accurate, safe, and rapid.

Methods

On the operation day, after inducing general anesthesia, a mixture of sodium hyaluronate and patent blue is injected into the submucosal layer of the proximal margin. When resecting stomach, all marker spots should be on the resected side. In all cases, the proximal margin is examined histologically by using frozen sections during the operation.

Results

From October 2009 to September 2011, a prospective study that evaluated this method was performed. A total of 34 patients who underwent totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy were enrolled in this study. Approximately 5 min was required to complete the procedure. Proximal margins were negative in all cases, and the mean ± standard deviation length of the proximal margin was 23.5 ± 12.8 mm. No side effects, such as allergy, were encountered.

Conclusions

As a method of tumor identification for totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy, this procedure appears accurate, safe, and rapid.     

Protective role of JAK/STAT signaling against renal fibrosis in mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction

Inflammation is involved in renal fibrosis, a final common pathway for kidney diseases. To clarify how JAK/STAT/SOCS system was involved in renal fibrosis, UUO was induced in BALB/c or SOCS3^+/− mice in the presence or absence of JAK inhibitor-incorporated nanoparticle (pyridine6–PGLA). UUO increased pSTAT3 and subsequently elevated SOCS3 levels in the obstructed kidneys. pSTAT3 levels were further increased in SOCS3^+/− mice. UUO-induced renal fibrosis was markedly suppressed in SOCS3^+/− mice, while it was aggravated by pre-treatment with pyridine6–PGLA. Although there were no differences in renal mRNA levels of TGF-β and collagens between wild and SOCS3^+/− mice, MMP-2 activity was enhanced in SOCS3^+/− UUO mice. Activated MMP-2 was completely suppressed by pyridine6–PGLA-pre-treatment. TNF-α one of JAK/STAT activators, increased pSTAT3 levels and subsequently induced MMP-2 activation in proximal tubular cells. These results suggest that JAK/STAT3 signaling may play a role in repair process of renal fibrosis in UUO partly via MMP-2 activation.     

Heterogeneous clinicopathological features of intraductal carcinoma of the prostate: a comparison between “precursor-like” and “regular type” lesions

Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate (IDC-P) has been described as a lesion associated with intraductal spread of invasive carcinoma and consequently aggressive disease. However, there are a few reported cases of pure IDC-P without an associated invasive component, strongly suggesting that this subset of IDC-P may represent a precursor lesion. We compared the clinicopathological features between the morphologically “regular type” IDC-P and “precursor-like” IDC-P. IDC-P was defined as follows; 1) solid/dense cribriform lesions or 2) loose cribriform/micropapillary lesions with prominent nuclear pleomorphism and/or non-focal comedonecrosis. We defined precursor-like IDC-P as follows; 1) IDC-P without adjoining invasive adenocarcinoma but carcinoma present distant from the IDC-P or 2) IDC-P having adjoining invasive microcarcinoma (less than 0.05 ml) and showing a morphologic transition from high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) to the IDC-P. IDC-P lacking the features of precursor-like IDC-P was categorized as regular type IDC-P. Of 901 radical prostatectomies performed at our hospital, 141 and 14 showed regular type IDC-P and precursor-like IDC-P in whole-mounted specimens, respectively. Regular type IDC-P cases had significantly higher Gleason score, more frequent extraprostatic extension and seminal vesicle invasion, more advanced pathological T stage, and lower 5-year biochemical recurrence-free rate than precursor-like IDC-P cases. Multivariate analysis revealed nodal metastasis and the presence of regular type IDC-P as independent predictors for biochemical recurrence. Our data suggest that IDC-P may be heterogeneous with variable clinicopathological features. We also suggest that not all IDC-P cases represent intraductal spread of pre-existing invasive cancer, and a subset of IDC-P may be a precursor lesion.     

Effect of fatty acids on the accelerated sulfur vulcanization of rubber by active zinc/carboxylate complexes

The effect of fatty acids with different aliphatic chain lengths on the accelerated vulcanization reaction of isoprene rubber was investigated through the generation of new intermediates composed of dinuclear bridging bidentate zinc/carboxylate complexes. Using the combination of in situ time-resolved Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and in situ time-resolved zinc K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy, the essential complex structure of the intermediates formed during the vulcanization reaction of isoprene rubber was determined to be independent of the aliphatic chain length of fatty acids. However, the reactivity of arachidic acid with ZnO was found to be low, which prolonged the induction period and curing time, and slowed down the curing rate in the vulcanization of isoprene rubber. These results help to understand the complicated vulcanization reaction of rubber, especially natural rubber, which inherently contains various fatty acids. The results obtained in this study are important for developing well-designed high-performance natural rubber products in the future.

The effect of fatty acids with different aliphatic chain lengths on the accelerated vulcanization reaction of isoprene rubber was investigated through the generation of new intermediates composed of dinuclear bridging bidentate zinc/carboxylate complexes.