Translational Studies on Anti-Atrial Fibrillatory Action of Oseltamivir by its and Electropharmacological Analyses.

Oseltamivir has been shown to prolong the atrial conduction time and effective refractory period, and to suppress the onset of burst pacing-induced atrial fibrillation . To better predict its potential clinical benefit as an anti-atrial fibrillatory drug, we performed translational studies by assessing anti-atrial fibrillatory effect along with and electropharmacological analyses. Oseltamivir in intravenous doses of 3 (n = 6) and 30 mg/kg (n = 7) was administered in conscious state to the persistent atrial fibrillation model dogs to confirm its anti-atrial fibrillatory action.

RQ-00434739, a novel TRPM8 antagonist, inhibits prostaglandin E2-induced hyperactivity of the primary bladder afferent nerves in rats.

Aims: To examine the effects of RQ-00434739, a novel selective TRPM8 antagonist, on deep body temperature (DBT) and normal bladder sensory function and overactivity and its associated facilitation of mechanosensitive primary bladder single-unit afferent activities (SAAs) induced by intravesical l-menthol or prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) instillation in rats.

Main Methods: The effect of RQ-00434739 on DBT was evaluated using intravenous administration of RQ-00434739 (1 mg/kg) or its vehicle under urethane anaesthesia. Cystometry (CMG) was performed on conscious and freely moving rats.

Combination therapy of tumor-targeting Salmonella typhimurium A1-R and oral recombinant methioninase regresses a BRAF-V600E-negative melanoma.

Melanoma is a recalcitrant cancer. To improve and individualize treatment for this disease, we previously developed a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model for melanoma. We previously reported the individual efficacy of tumor-targeting Salmonella typhimurium A1-R (S.

DPP-4 inhibition with alogliptin on top of angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade ameliorates albuminuria via up-regulation of SDF-1α in type 2 diabetic patients with incipient nephropathy.

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor is a new class of anti-diabetic drug which exerts its glucose-lowering action by suppressing the degradation of a gut incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). To elucidate whether treatment with stronger DPP-4 inhibitor on top of angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) provides greater renal protective effects, we performed a crossover study with two DPP-4 inhibitors, sitagliptin and alogliptin, in twelve type 2 diabetic patients with incipient nephropathy taking ARBs. This study consisted of three treatment periods: sitagliptin 50 mg/day for 4 weeks (first period), alogliptin 25 mg/day for 4 weeks (second period), and sitagliptin 50 mg/day for 4 weeks (third period).

Detection of multiple human sapoviruses from imported frozen individual clams.

Sapovirus (SaV), a member of the family Caliciviridae, is an important acute gastroenteritis pathogen in humans. Consumption of raw or inadequately cooked clams is one transmission route of human SaV. Sixty individual clams (Ruditapes philippinarum) were from market and tested for human SaVs using two nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays, one of which was recently developed and effectively detected human SaV from environmental water samples.

Brown rice and its component, γ-oryzanol, attenuate the preference for high-fat diet by decreasing hypothalamic endoplasmic reticulum stress in mice.

Brown rice is known to improve glucose intolerance and prevent the onset of diabetes. However, the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. In the current study, we investigated the effect of brown rice and its major component, γ-oryzanol (Orz), on feeding behavior and fuel homeostasis in mice.

Bisbenzylisoquinoline Alkaloids from Nelumbo nucifera.

From the embryos of the seeds of Nelumbo nucifera, three bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloids, nelumboferine and nelumborines A and B, were isolated along with four known compounds, neferine, liensinine, isoliensinine and anisic acid. The structures of the new alkaloids were determined mainly by spectroscopic methods.

Dopaminergic modulation of oscillatory network inhibition in the rat basolateral amygdala depends on initial activity state.

The amygdala receives dopaminergic innervation, and dopamine (DA) enhances various activities in cognitive and emotional behaviors. Periodic bursts of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (IPSCs) with a low (<1 Hz) inter-event frequency have been observed in projection neurons of the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala (BL). Blockade of ionotropic glutamate receptors or GABA(A) receptors abolishes these oscillatory IPSC bursts in the BL, suggesting that the activity has a network origin.

Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Bladder.

The case was a 67-year-old male who visited our hospital with a major complaint of macroscopic hematuria. A bladder tumor was found. When a transurethral resection of the bladder tumor was performed, the histopathological diagnosis was neuroendocrine bladder cancer.

Gallbladder Metastasis from Renal Cell Carcinoma.

A 73-year-old female was operated with radical nephrectomy and cholecystectomy for renal cell carcinoma and suspected gallstones after 9 courses of sunitinib treatment. Gallbladder specimen showed gallbladder metastasis originating from the renal cell carcinoma. Gallbladder metastasis from renal cell carcinoma is rare.

Epithelioid angiomyolipoma of the kidney.

Epithelioid angiomyolipoma (eAMLoma) is an uncommon renal mesenchymal tumor with malignant potential and is frequently associated with tuberous sclerosis (TSC). It is composed of polygonal large-sized tumor cells arranged in an epithelioid manner. Differential diagnosis from renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is often challenging because of its epithelioid morphology.

Differentiating sclerosing cholangitis caused by autoimmune pancreatitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis according to endoscopic duodenal papillary features.

Background: Differentiating primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) and sclerosing cholangitis caused by autoimmune pancreatitis (SC-AIP) is often challenging. Recently, endoscopic findings of the duodenal papilla in cases with AIP or PSC were reported by Unno and Parlak, although the endoscopic differentiation of these 2 conditions has not yet been fully clarified.

Objective: Our purpose was to clarify the endoscopic findings of the duodenal papilla in patients with SC-AIP and those with PSC and to determine criteria for the differentiation of these conditions.

N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N,2-dimethyl-8-{[(4R)-5-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-4-yl]amino}imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-6-carboxamide (PF-03716556), a novel, potent, and selective acid pump antagonist for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease.

Inhibition of H(+),K(+)-ATPase is accepted as the most effective way of controlling gastric acid secretion. However, current acid suppressant therapy for gastroesophageal reflux disease, using histamine H(2) receptor antagonists and proton pump inhibitors, does not fully meet the needs of all patients because of their mechanism of action. This study sought to characterize the in vitro and in vivo pharmacology of a novel acid pump antagonist, N-(2-Hydroxyethyl)-N,2-dimethyl-8-{[(4R)-5-methyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-chromen-4-yl]amino}imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-6-carboxamide (PF-03716556), and to compare it with other acid suppressants.

Clinical factors predictive of spontaneous remission or relapse in cases of autoimmune pancreatitis.

Background: The rates of spontaneous remission and relapse of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) are not known.

Objective: To study the clinicopathologic factors predictive of remission and relapse in cases of AIP.

Design: Retrospective study.

GPR35 is a functional receptor in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons.

GPR35, previously an orphan G-protein coupled receptor, is a receptor for kynurenic acid. Here we examine the distribution of GPR35 in the rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and the effects of its selective activation. GPR35 was expressed predominantly by small- to medium-diameter neurons of the DRG.

Molecular identification and characterization of the dog motilin receptor.

Motilin, a 22-amino acid peptide hormone secreted by endocrine cells of the intestinal mucosa, plays an important role in the regulation of gastrointestinal motility. The actions of motilin agonists have been extensively investigated in dogs due to physiological similarities between the dog and human alimentary tracts. The amino acid sequence of the dog motilin receptor, however, was previously unknown.

Visualizing sensory transmission between dorsal root ganglion and dorsal horn neurons in co-culture with calcium imaging.

Sensory information is conveyed to the central nervous system by primary afferent neurons within dorsal root ganglia (DRG), which synapse onto neurons of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. This synaptic connection is central to the processing of both sensory and pain stimuli. Here, we describe a model system to monitor synaptic transmission between DRG neurons and dorsal horn neurons that is compatible with high-throughput screening.

CJ-023,423, a novel, potent and selective prostaglandin EP4 receptor antagonist with antihyperalgesic properties.

The prostaglandin (PG) EP(4) receptor subtype is expressed by peripheral sensory neurons. Although a potential role of EP(4) receptor in pain has been suggested, a limited number of selective ligands have made it difficult to explore the physiological functions of EP(4) or its potential as a new analgesic target. Here, we describe the in vitro and in vivo pharmacology of a novel EP(4) receptor antagonist, N-[({2-[4-(2-ethyl-4,6-dimethyl-1H-imidazo [4,5-c] pyridin-1-yl) phenyl]ethyl}amino) carbonyl]-4-methylbenzenesulfonamide (CJ-023,423).

Hepatic CCR7lowCD62LlowCD45RClow allograft dendritic cells migrate to the splenic red pulp in immunologically unresponsive rats.

Donor dendritic cells (DC) migrate into the recipient spleen after hepatic transplantation. Immunological unresponsiveness to rat hepatic allografts can be induced by prior donor-specific blood transfusion (DST). We investigated homing receptor phenotype and splenic distribution of donor DC after allografting and DST.

Rescue for rare complications of the hepatic artery in living donor liver transplantation using grafts of autologous inferior mesenteric artery.

This report describes two rescued cases with rare complications of the hepatic artery in living-donor liver transplantation (LDLT). In both cases a segment of the autologous inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) was successfully used as an arterial graft for re-vascularization under microsurgery. The first case was that of a pseudoaneurysm of the hepatic artery, which caused massive gastrointestinal bleeding.

Early graft failure due to a veno-occlusive disease after a pediatric living donor liver transplantation.

A 10-month-old boy with biliary atresia after Kasai procedure underwent a living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Five days after the LDLT, high fever and increased ascites followed by poor bile drainage was accompanied by elevation of serum liver enzymes. Liver biopsy showed occlusion of the central veins by fibro-edematous endothelium and submassive necrosis of the parenchyma.

Drainage of subcutaneous lymphatic fluid for the management of respiratory distress in a case of generalized lymphangiectasia in an infant.

A 10-month-old girl was referred to our hospital because of congenital and persistent bilateral chylothorax and generalized lymphedema as well as long-standing respiratory disturbance. Radiological studies showed a diffuse network of superficial lymphatic vessels without major trunks throughout her entire body as well as the lung. She was diagnosed with systemic lymphangiomatosis complicated with pulmonary lymphangiectasia.

Relationship between coffee and green tea consumption and all-cause mortality in a cohort of a rural Japanese population.

We conducted a cohort study to investigate the effects of coffee and green tea consumption on all-cause mortality in a rural Japanese population. Data were obtained from 2,855 men and women aged 40-79 years in 1989, and during the subsequent 9.9 years of follow-up.

[Study on the effects of walking on functional fitness in aged patients with the hand-arm vibration syndrome].

Purpose: This article reports the effectiveness of mild walking exercise for maintaining functional fitness in aged patients with the hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).

Subjects And Methods: Fifty-two patients suffering from vibration syndrome, for which they received annual compulsory examination from December 1998 to March 1999 at the San-in Rosai Hospital, were examined. They all were male, with a mean age (standard deviation) of 69.