Factors Associated with Defecation Satisfaction among Japanese Adults with Chronic Constipation.

Constipation causes substantial morbidity worldwide. This survey assessed constipation-related factors in Japan using the Japanese version of the Irritable Bowel Syndrome Quality of Life (IBS-QOL-J) instrument. We also examined the relationship among laxative type, Bristol Stool Form Scale (BSFS) scores, and treatment cost.

Background factors involved in the epidemiology of functional constipation in the Japanese population: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Functional constipation (FC), a functional bowel disorder with symptoms of constipation, has considerable impact on quality of life. As data regarding its prevalence and epidemiology are lacking, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence, population composition, lifestyle, quality of life, and clinical characteristics of these individuals by comparing people with and without FC. These parameters were also compared among individuals with strong and weak awareness of constipation.

Oral Litholysis in Patients with Chronic Calcific Pancreatitis Unresponsive to or Ineligible for Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy and Endoscopic Therapy.

Background/aims: Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of oral litholysis in patients with chronic calcific pancreatitis (CCP) unresponsive to or ineligible for extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) and endoscopic therapy.

Methods: Trimethadione, an antiepileptic agent, was administered orally at a dose of 0.6-0.

Effectiveness of oral litholysis therapy for improving glucose intolerance and malnutrition in patients with poor results following endoscopic therapy and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for calcified pancreatic stones.

We report a case of pancreatolithiasis in which glucose intolerance and malnutrition were significantly improved after starting oral litholysis therapy (OLT) with use of trimethadione. A 43-year-old female with multiple calcified stones in the main and peripheral pancreatic ducts had experienced recurrent and severe attacks of pain for 7 years (from 21 to28 years of age). Impaired glucose tolerance was first noted at the age of 32 years.

Effects of relaxin and IGF-I on capacitation, acrosome reaction, cholesterol efflux and utilization of labeled and unlabeled glucose in porcine spermatozoa.

Relaxin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I have pronounced effects on the male and female reproductive tracts. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of relaxin and IGF-I on the motility, capacitation, acrosome reaction, cholesterol efflux and utilization of glucose in porcine spermatozoa. Swim-up separated spermatozoa that had been washed twice were incubated at 37°C for 1 or 4 h in modified Tyrode's albumin lactate pyruvate (mTALP) medium supplemented without (control) or with relaxin (20 ng/mL) or IGF-I (20 ng/mL) or both (10 + 10 ng/mL).

Effect of relaxin on in vitro fertilization of porcine oocytes.

Porcine relaxin is a peptide hormone belonging to the insulin super family that has a variety of biological functions. The present experiment was designed to investigate the effects of relaxin on sperm function and on in vitro fertilization (IVF) of porcine oocytes. Porcine spermatozoa were washed, swum-up, and incubated for 1-4 h in mTALP medium supplemented with 0, 20 or 50 ng/ml porcine relaxin.