Spontaneous bacterial and fungal peritonitis in patients with liver cirrhosis: A literature review.

Spontaneous bacterial (SBP) and spontaneous fungal peritonitis (SFP) can be a life-threatening infection in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and ascites. One of the possible mechanisms of developing SBP is bacterial translocation. Although the number of polymorphonuclear cells in the culture of ascitic fluid is diagnostic for SBP, secondary bacterial peritonitis is necessary to exclude.

Common and specific risk factors for ischemic stroke in elderly: Differences based on type of ischemic stroke and aging.

Background: The risk factors among the types of ischemic stroke (atherothrombotic cerebral infarction: ATI, cardio-embolic infarction: CEI, lacunar infarction: LI) in aged stroke patients have rarely been compared to each other.

Methods: We compared the clinical parameters of 300 elderly patients with ischemic stroke, age 65-98years, to 100 age-matched control patients.

Results: Comparison by parametric test and logistic regression analysis between all 300 and 100 control patients showed higher systolic and diastolic blood pressures (p<0.

Evaluation of Intracranial Microvessel Visualization in Mouse and Dog Models by Using a New Rotating Cerium Anode X-ray System.

Objective: Lacunar stroke may be caused by infarction of small perforating branches of the middle cerebral artery. We developed a microangiographic X-ray system using a cerium anode to evaluate the perforating branches.

Methods: Iodine has K-edges at 33.

A rotating cerium anode X-ray system allows visualization of intramural coronary vessels after cardiac stem cell therapy for myocardial infarction.

Conventional angiography is insufficient for evaluating the therapeutic effect of cardiac regeneration therapy. A microangiographic X-ray system using a cerium anode was developed. Cerium has a characteristic X-ray with a peak at 34.

Branching and Fragmentation of Dipole Strength in ^{181}Ta in the Region of the Scissors Mode.

In recent measurements of the scissors mode in radiative decay experiments, transition strengths were observed that were double that expected from theory and systematics well established from measurements on the radiative excitation channel, that is, using nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF). Additional strength as measured with NRF can only be present as heretofore unobserved branching or fragmentation of the scissors mode. Such possibilities were investigated in a transmission NRF measurement on the deformed, odd-mass ^{181}Ta, using a quasimonoenergetic γ-ray beam at two beam energies.

The vital prognosis of elderly adults living in a group home in their mid-eighties.

The purpose of the present study is to evaluate the vital prognoses of elderly people in their mid-eighties living in a group home (GH) compared to age- and sex-matched outpatient clinic (OPC) in an observational study conducted over 6 years. We investigated the association between mortality and general, cardiac, and nutritional parameters, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in 54 GH residents (83 ± 8 years old) and 57 OPC attendees (83 ± 5 years old). Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard ratio analyses were used to assess the association between EPA drug administration and mortality in the GH residents and OPC attendees, respectively.

Nutrition-dependent eicosapentaenoic acid deficiency in care house residents.

Objective: We have identified that vital prognosis of adults in a group home (GH) in their mid-80s is associated with lower eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) levels. We investigated the cause of EPA deficiency in residents in a GH and the effect of EPA treatment on cardiac function and nutritional function in 130 older adults.

Methods: We compared blood chemistry data among three age- and sex-matched groups-outpatient clinic (OPC) attendees (n = 54, 87 ± 5 y old), GH residents (n = 40, 85 ± 8 y old), and older adults in a geriatric welfare home for the elderly (GWHE) (n = 36, 87 ± 6 y old)-using non-parametric test.

Concomitant Thyroid Disorders and Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Literature Review.

The aim of this report was to review and summarize the literature on cases of concomitant inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and thyroid diseases. We included the following previous case reports of concomitant IBD and thyroid diseases: 16 cases of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Graves' disease (GD), 3 cases of Crohn's disease (CD) and GD, 10 cases of CD and Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), 4 cases of IBD and subacute thyroiditis (SAT) or SAT-like symptoms, and 13 cases of IBD (12/13 cases were CD) and amyloid goiter. There might be no obvious differences of prevalence of thyroid dysfunction (hyper- or hypothyroidism), GD, and thyroid cancer between IBD patients and general populations.

Severity of white matter hyperintensities in older adults aged in their mid 80s and its relationship with hemodynamic and cardiac parameters.

Aim: In the present study, we analyzed the severity of white matter hyperintensities detected on magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in older Japanese adults who were aged in their mid 80s, and examined its relationships with the clinical parameters.

Methods: To identify factors related to the severity of white matter hyperintensities in 33 older adult attendees of our outpatient clinic and 17 older adults living in a group home, we carried out logistic regression analyses and/or correlation analyses.

Results: Cognitive function and activities of daily living were significantly correlated with the severity of white matter hyperintensities.

Clinical Characteristics of Concomitant Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Primary Biliary Cirrhosis: A Literature Review.

Although autoimmune diseases often coexist, concomitant cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) are uncommon. In this review paper, 34 cases of SLE with concomitant PBC found in English and Japanese scientific literature and Japanese proceedings were reviewed and summarized, including cases with liver dysfunction complicated by SLE. Of the 34 reported concomitant cases of SLE and PBC, 97.

Protective effect of tryptophan against dextran sulfate sodium- induced experimental colitis.

Background/aims: Little is known about the anti-colitis effect of tryptophan or its metabolites. Here, the protective effect and its mechanism of tryptophan administration on dextran sulfate sodium -induced colitis in mice was studied.

Materials And Methods: Twenty C57black6 female mice were equally divided into the control group, and treatment group.

Proton acceleration to 40 MeV using a high intensity, high contrast optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification/Ti:sapphire hybrid laser system.

Using a high-contrast (10(10):1) and high-intensity (10(21) W/cm(2)) laser pulse with the duration of 40 fs from an optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification/Ti:sapphire laser, a 40 MeV proton bunch is obtained, which is a record for laser pulse with energy less than 10 J. The efficiency for generation of protons with kinetic energy above 15 MeV is 0.1%.

Investigation into bacteremia and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis in patients with liver cirrhosis in Japan.

Background/aims: Liver cirrhosis patients tend to develop bacteremia, but relatively little has been reported about the situation in Japan. Therefore, we investigated the microorganisms involved and the outcome among liver cirrhosis patients with bacteremia, including spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.

Methods: The subjects were 236 patients who underwent a total of 377 blood cultures and 30 patients diagnosed with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, among 6,096 inpatients with liver cirrhosis admitted to several hospitals during the period 1991-2009.

Nondestructive identification of isotopes using nuclear resonance fluorescence.

Nondestructive identification of heavy isotopes concealed in a thick iron box has been demonstrated by using nuclear resonance fluorescence. A quasi-monochromatic photon beam produced by the collision of laser quanta with high energy electrons was used for resonant excitation of nuclear levels in (206)Pb and (208)Pb. By measuring the resonant γ rays emitted from (206)Pb and (208)Pb, each of these isotopes were clearly identified.

Investigation of Bacteremia due to Aeromonas Species and Comparison with That due to Enterobacteria in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis.

Background. The role of Aeromonas species (sp.) in bacteremia in Japanese patients with liver cirrhosis is poorly understood.

Therapeutic effects of four molecular-weight fractions of Kurozu against dextran sulfate sodium-induced experimental colitis.

Background/aims: Kurozu has been reported to ameliorate colitis in mice and to have an anti-oxidative effect. However, the active components and mechanism of action remain unknown. Here, as a first step to identify the active components, we chromatographically fractionated Kurozu and investigated the anti-colitis activity of the fractions, focusing on anti-nitration activity.

Protective effects of fermented rice vinegar sediment (Kurozu moromimatsu) in a diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocellular carcinoma animal model.

Kurozu moromimatsu is the sediment of Kurozu, a jar-fermented Japanese black vinegar produced from unpolished rice. Here, we examined the protective effects of Kurozu moromimatsu in a diethylnitrosamine-induced model of hepatocellular carcinoma. Thirty-two F344 rats were divided into two groups; the control group received basal CE-2 diet, and the Kurozu moromimatsu group received CE-2 diet containing Kurozu moromimatsu.

A case of primary biliary cirrhosis which developed eight years after diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus.

A 29-year-old Japanese female was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) at the age of 21 and went into remission after administration of prednisolone. Although no liver dysfunction had been observed upon diagnosis of SLE or during follow-up, an increase of hepatobiliary enzyme levels was seen eight years after the diagnosis of SLE. Antimitochondrial antibodies were positive.

Protective effects of Kurozu and Kurozu Moromimatsu on dextran sulfate sodium-induced experimental colitis.

Background: Kurozu, a traditional Japanese black vinegar made from unpolished rice, and Kurozu Moromimatsu (Kurozu-M), its sediment, are both consumed in Japan as health foods or supplements. However, it is not known whether they have anti-colitis activity.

Aims: We examined the protective effects of Kurozu and Kurozu-M in an animal model of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis.

[A case of autoimmune hemolytic anemia caused by type A influenza infection in a patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis].

Adult autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) caused by influenza virus infection is very rare. I report a case of AIHA induced by type A influenza infection in a patient with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. A 67-year-old man with alcoholic liver cirrhosis was hospitalized with jaundice and ascites.

Nondestructive detection of hidden chemical compounds with laser Compton-scattering gamma rays.

A nondestructive assay method for measuring a shielded chemical compound has been proposed. The chemical compound is measured by using a nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) measurement technique with an energy tunable laser Compton-scattering (LCS) gamma-ray source. This method has an advantage that hidden materials can be detected through heavy shields such as iron plates of a thickness of several centimeters.

[Case of infectious mononucleosis with suspected primary coinfection with Chlamydophila (Chlamydia) pneumoniae and Epstein-Barr virus].

A 26-year-old male was hospitalized with fever and pharyngeal pain. Liver dysfunction and an increase in the percentage of atypical lymphocytes in the peripheral blood were detected. Computed tomography showed pneumonia involving the right lung and synpneumonic pleural effusion.

Sub-MeV tunably polarized X-ray production with laser Thomson backscattering.

Reported in this article is the generation of unique polarized x-rays in the sub-MeV region by means of the Thomson backscattering of the Nd:YAG laser photon with a wavelength of 1064 nm on the 150 MeV electron from the microtron accelerator. The maximum energy of the x-ray photons is estimated to be about 400 keV. The total energy of the backscattered x-ray pulse is measured with an imaging plate and a LYSO scintillator.

Reconstruction of an object from its noisy Fourier modulus: ideal estimate of the object to be reconstructed and a method that attempts to find that estimate.

In general, the problem of reconstructing an object from its Fourier modulus has no solution when the Fourier modulus is contaminated by noise. Therefore a quasi solution, which we call the ideal estimate of the object to be reconstructed, is defined here based on the concept of territories of the convergence objects of the error-reduction algorithm, and a method that attempts to find that solution is presented. Keeping in mind that the ideal estimate is one of the output-stagnation objects of the hybrid input-output algorithm, we modify the hybrid input-output algorithm so that the output-stagnation objects can be located even when the value of the feedback parameter is not infinitesimally small, and this modified algorithm is combined with the hybrid input-output algorithm itself.

[A case of infectious mononucleosis due to Epstein-Barr virus with suspected reactivation of human herpesvirus 6].

A 24-year-old woman hospitalized with fever, general fatigue, and upper abdominal pain was found to have liver dysfunction and an increase in atypical lymphocytes in peripheral blood. Serum immunological studies showed positive Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) VCA IgM antibody and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) IgM and IgG antibodies, and negative EBV VCA IgG and EBNA antibodies on admission. Liver function was back within normal limits 8 weeks after onset, EBV VCA IgM and IgG antibodies were positive, EBNA and HHV-6 IgM antibodies were negative, and the HHV-6 IgG antibody titer was 8 times higher than that on admission.