Experimentelle und klinische Studien über Kutireaktion und Anaphylaxie bei Syphilis

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Prevalence of restless legs syndrome in a Japanese elderly population

ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence of restless leg syndrome (RLS) in elderly Japanese people by means of a population-based survey of subjects aged ≥65 years.BackgroundStudies conducted worldwide have revealed large variations in the prevalence of RLS among different populations. However, few studies have been done in Japan.MethodsA population-based survey was carried out from 2003 to 2006 through a local healthcare project in the small town of Ajimu in a rural area of southern Japan. A Japanese translation of the questionnaire covering the four features of RLS as defined by the International RLS Study Group in 1995 was used to confirm the diagnosis of RLS. All participants aged ≥65 years were invited to fill out the questionnaire. Subjects with positive results underwent face-to-face interviews.ResultsA total of 1251 persons (men, 35%; mean age, 75.0 ± 6.1 years) answered the questionnaire. Of these 1251 participants, 70 (5.6%) (men, 20%; mean age, 75 ± 4.9 years) answered the questions on RLS positively. Face-to-face interviews and examination confirmed the diagnosis of RLS in 12 subjects. Therefore the overall prevalence of RLS in the elderly Japanese population was estimated at 0.96%, with a higher prevalence in women (1.23%) than in men (0.46%).ConclusionThe overall prevalence of RLS among inhabitants of Ajimu aged ≥65 years is 0.96%. Most of the subjects identified were women. The prevalence of RLS is lower in Japan than in studies conducted in European and North American populations.     

Metastatic nodules of hepatocellular carcinoma: detection with angiography, CT, and US

Accurate detection of intrahepatic metastases, or daughter nodules, of primary hepatocellular carcinoma is of crucial importance. Due to the introduction of infusion hepatic angiography, computed tomography (CT) after Lipiodol (iodized oil) infusion, and intraoperative ultrasound (US), tumors less than 10 mm in diameter are now frequently found. We compared the diagnostic accuracy of these three modalities in the detection of nodules in 45 patients who had hepatocellular carcinoma (confirmed by biopsy). CT with Lipiodol was superior to hepatic angiography in demonstrating nodules when they were overlapped by the primary tumor or very small in size. Intraoperative US demonstrated nodules in four avascular or hypovascular hepatocellular carcinomas, which both hepatic angiography and CT failed to demonstrate. In cases associated with severe liver cirrhosis, differentiation of small nodules from regenerating cirrhotic nodules was sometimes difficult with intraoperative US. The combined use of these three modalities is indispensable for the accurate detection of small nodules of metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma.     

Effects of swimming exercise at two different water temperature on hepatic lipid and lipoprotein levels in experimental fatty liver rats

The present study was aimed at demonstrating the effects of exercising in water at two different temperatures on lipid-lipoprotein metabolism in experimental fatty liver rats. The rats were fed a high fat, high cholesterol (CHL) diet for 6 weeks, then returned to standard chow. The fatty liver rats were then divided at random into three groups, two for swimming in 20 degrees C (20SWG) and 30 degrees C (30SWG) water, 5 days/week, 30 min/day for 6 weeks, and a sedentary control group (SG). The concentrations of serum triglyceride (TG) and CHL were significantly lower (p less than 0.01) in both the 20SWG and 30SWG than in the SG. The serum concentration of very low density lipoprotein (VLDL)-CHL was clearly less in the 20SWG than in the SG (p less than 0.05) or the 30SWG (p less than 0.01). Compared to the SG, the two swimming groups had significantly lower levels (p less than 0.01) of low density lipoprotein (LDL)-CHL. The LDL-CHL in the 30SWG was significantly lower (p less than 0.01) than that in the 20SWG. There were no significant differences among the three groups in high density lipoprotein (HDL)/CHL. However, the ratio of HDL to CHL was over 10% greater in the two swimming groups than in the SG. Hepatic CHL ester and TG were significantly lower (p less than 0.05) in the 20SWG than in the SG. These results indicate that swimming in water at the lower temperature was more stimulating to lipid-lipoprotein metabolism in fatty liver than swimming in the higher temperature water.     

Effect of lafutidine on CGRP release from cultured rat dorsal root ganglion cells

Lafutidine increased capsaicin-stimulated CGRP release from isolated rat stomach without changing basal CGRP levels. In order to clarify the mechanism of this effect, we used cultured rat DRG cells and measured CGRP release. (1) DRG cells were treated with each drug, and the CGRP content of the supernatant was determined by EIA. (2) RGM-1 cells were co-cultured with DRG cells through a cell culture insert, and capsaicin-evoked CGRP release from the DRG cells was determined when lafutidine or PGE₂ was added to the RGM-1 cells. (3) The supernatant of isolated rat stomach incubated with lafutidine was added to cultured DRG cells, and capsaicin-evoked CGRP release was determined. PGE2, but not lafutidine, augmented capsaicin-evoked CGRP release from DRG cells. Lafutidine did not modulate CGRP release from DRG cells, even though it sensitized CGRP-containing afferent nerves in the rat stomach. Lafutidne and PGE₂ may have different mechanisms of sensitization.