Epidemiological survey of foot diseases in Japan: Results of 30 000 foot checks by dermatologists

There has been no epidemiological survey of foot diseases in Japan. In this study we determined the prevalence of foot diseases, especially tinea pedis (TP) and tinea unguium (TU) in Japan. We conducted a randomized survey of outpatients who visited a dermatologist during the third week of May in 1999, 2000 and 2006. The most frequently reported condition was “fungal infection” in 8737 (40.0%) of 21 820 patients in 1999/2000, and 3848 (49.4%) of 7783 patients in 2006. The patients who visited a dermatologist for reasons other than superficial fungal infection but were diagnosed with TP or TU comprised 18.6% of the study population in 2000 and 24.1% in 2006. Of the patients with TP or TU, 63.2% used topical medication only. This survey showed that often patients are not aware of fungal infections and that their treatment is sometimes insufficient. Dermatologists should actively examine and treat patients with TP and TU.     

Unusually located lymphocutaneous nocardiosis caused by Nocardia brasiliensis

Summary We report a patient with primary lymphocutaneous Nocardia brasiliensis infection affecting the face and left arm. The mode of infection was via skin abrasions which occurred 2 weeks prior to the development of the skin lesions. Treatment with intravenous minocycline for 4 weeks resulted in a cure. We also review 12 previously reported Japanese cases of lymphocutaneous nocardiosis.     

Efficacy of hypothermic perfusion using University of Wisconsin solution in extended hepatectomy with hepatic inflow occlusion in a canine model

This study was designed to elucidate the efficacy of University of Wisconsin (UW) solution for preventing liver injury, when used as a hypothermic perfusate infused into the systemic circulation during extended hepatectomy with hepatic inflow occlusion. Adult mongrel dogs (9.5–17.5 kg, n= 14) were subjected to 75% hepatectomy under 60 min hepatic inflow occlusion. The animals were divided into two groups. The UW group (n= 7) underwent hypothermic perfusion using 4°C UW solution (core temperature of the liver: 12.3±0.2°C). The control group designated as the Ringer's lactate (LR) group (n= 7) underwent hypothermic perfusion using 4°C LR solution. The perfusate was introduced into the systemic circulation via the hepatic vein. Blood from the hepatic vein was sampled, and alanine amino-transferase, purine nucleoside phosphorylase activities and the ammonia concentration were measured. The 7 day survival rate was higher in the UW group than in the LR group. The parameters of liver function were less significantly altered in the UW group than in the LR group. The plasma ammonia concentration was significantly (P<0.05) lower 6h after reperfusion in the UW group than in the LR group. A small volume of hypothermic perfusion of the liver using UW solution was safe if it returned to systemic circulation. Hypothermic perfusion of the liver using UW solution may be effective for preventing hepatic tissue injury during extended hepatectomy with hepatic vascular occlusion.     

Changes in work performances in obstructive sleep apnea patients after dental appliance therapy

Abstract The effects of dental appliances on work performances of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is not well examined. This study evaluated the polysomnographic and psychological findings before and after therapy. Nine patients were diagnosed OSAS by nocturnal polysomnography. The psychological battery was performed from 13:00 to 14:00, which consisted of Uchida-Kraepelin psychodiagnostic test (U-K's test) and Bourdon's cancellation test (Bourdon's test). Approximately 3 months after the treatment, the examinations were performed. Apnea and desaturation index decreased significantly after the therapy. In addition, sleep architecture improved after the therapy compared with that before the therapy. Dysfunction of task performances, such as mean level of work amounts in U-K's test, mean error, mean performance time and mean deviation in Bourdon's test improved after therapy. We conclude that dental appliances therapy is effective not only to apnea but also to work performance in OSAS.     

PORTAL HAEMODYNAMICS AND HEPATIC BLOOD FLOW

Abstract Obstructive jaundice was produced in adult mongrel dogs by cholecystectomy and ligation of the common bile duct. Two weeks later 40% hepatectomy was performed during 10 min occlusion of hepatic inflow (group I). Liver tissue lipid peroxide levels increased significantly and superoxide dismutase activity decreased. The portal endotoxin (Et) concentration increased markedly after reperfusion and peripheral blood Et and serum β- N-acetyl hexosaminidase levels increased markedly, beginning 3 h after reperfusion. The phagocytic index increased transiently after reperfusion, but decreased markedly thereafter. Hepatocyte degeneration and necrosis became severe, intestinal villi were damaged and the 1 week survival rate was 23.1%; deaths were due to liver failure. These changes were prevented by construction of a portosystemic bypass and a 1 week survival rate of 70% (group II) was achieved. When the ischaemic time was prolonged to 20 min with the portosystemic bypass (group III), the pathological changes resembled those seen in group I, although no changes were observed in portal or peripheral blood Et levels. These findings suggest that major hepatectomy in the presence of severe jaundice should be carefully performed so that the ischaemic time is minimized during portosystemic bypass in an attempt not only to prevent production of Et in portal venous blood due to intestinal congestion, but also to reduce ischaemia-reperfusion injury.     

Interaction of Trichloroethane Isomers with Cytochrome P-450 in the Perfused Rat Liver

Interaction of Trichloroethane Isomers with Cytochrome P-450in the Perfused Rat Liver. TAKANO, T., MIYAZAKI, Y., and MOTOHASHI,Y. (1985). Fundam. Appl. Toxicol. 5, 353–360. The real-timeinteractions of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCE) and 1,1,2-TCE withcytochrome P-450 were observed using in vivo optical methodsto measure the spectral changes of cytochrome P-450 and thereduction-oxidation transition of pyridine nucleotides in theperfused liver of rats treated with phenobarbital. Changes inoxygen consumption and TCE uptake were also measured. The spectralchanges of cytochrome P-450 indicated that both TCE isomersbound to low spin (substrate free) ferric cytochrome P-450 andformed a high spin (substrate complexed) form. However, 1,1,1-TCEbound more tightly to cytochrome P450 and seemed to be onlyslowly metabolized compared to 1,1,2-TCE. The stoichiometryof the change in oxygen consumption rate to the change in 1,1,1-TCEuptake rate ranged between 5/1, and 9/1, whereas that of 1,1,2-TCEwas 1.4 to 2.0. Decreases in reduced pyridine nucleotides associatedwith TCE administration were significantly larger with 1,1,1-TCEthan with 1,1,2-TCE. The inhibitory effect of 1,1,1-TCE on hexobarbitalmetabolism in the perfused liver was greater than that of 1,1,2-TCE.Considering our previous data indicating that TCE did not stimulatemitochondrial respiration, it is postulated that the far higheramount of oxygen consumption associated with the binding of1,1,1-TCE to cytochrome P450 than the amount which was necessaryto mixed-function oxidation of this compound was due to an uncouplingeffect of 1,1,1 -TCE on the mixed-function oxidase system.     

TWO TYPES OF THYROID FUNCTION-BLOCKING ANTIBODIES IN AUTOIMMUNE ATROPHIC THYROIDITIS AND TRANSIENT NEONATAL HYPOTHYROIDISM DUE TO MATERNAL IgG

We examined the effects of IgG from four patients with autoimmune atrophic thyroiditis on cAMP responses and iodine metabolism (post-receptor processes), using cultured thyroid cells. We found two types of thyroid function-blocking antibodies: (1) one blocks TSH binding to its receptors and inhibits TSH-stimulated cAMP responses but does not block cAMP-stimulated iodine uptake and organification; (2) the other blocks TSH binding to its receptors, inhibits TSH-stimulated cAMP responses and does block cAMP-stimulated iodine uptake and organification (post-receptor processes). Among the four patients with autoimmune atrophic thyroiditis, three had TSH binding blocking antibodies only and one had antibodies which block post-receptor processes. These antibodies might be responsible for thyroid dysfunction in autoimmune atrophic thyroiditis. The daughter of one of the women with autoimmune atrophic thyroiditis had transient neonatal hypothyroidism and recovered spontaneously from the hypothyroid state with the disappearance of the maternal blocking antibodies.     

PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HUMAN NEPHRITOGENIC ANTIGEN THAT INDUCES ANTI-GBM NEPHRITIS IN RATS

Human nephritogenic antigen induces anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody glomerulonephritis in rats. This antigen was purified from collagenase-solubilized renal basement membrane by means of gel filtration and affinity chromatography using a rabbit antibody. Western blots of the purified nephritogenic antigen using epitope-defined monoclonal antibodies showed that it contains the NC1 domains of the α1 to α6 chains of type IV collagen. Nephritogenicity was thought to be a feature of the NC1 domains of the α3 to α5 chains, because the α6 chain is not located in the glomerular basement membrane, and because an NC1 fraction consisting of the NC1 domains of the α1 and α2 chains was poorly nephritogenic. Autoantibodies in the sera of patients with Goodpasture's syndrome were detected by ELISA using the purified nephritogenic antigen. These results indicate that the nephritogenic antigen contains the Goodpasture antigen, defined as the antigen reactive with sera from patients with Goodpasture's syndrome. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.