Rab13 mediates the continuous endocytic recycling of occludin to the cell surface.

During epithelial morphogenesis, adherens junctions (AJs) and tight junctions (TJs) undergo dynamic reorganization, whereas epithelial polarity is transiently lost and reestablished. Although ARF6-mediated endocytic recycling of E-cadherin has been characterized and implicated in the rapid remodeling of AJs, the molecular basis for the dynamic rearrangement of TJs remains elusive. Occludin and claudins are integral membrane proteins comprising TJ strands and are thought to be responsible for establishing and maintaining epithelial polarity.

Frequent hypermethylation of RASSF1A in early flat-type colorectal tumors.

Flat colorectal tumors, characterized by high-grade dysplasia from early small flat mucosal lesions, exhibit a relatively aggressive clinical behavior and are known for their infrequent K-ras mutations. In this study, we investigated the methylation status of the RASSF1A promoter in association with 3p LOH and K-ras mutations in 48 flat colorectal tumors (39 early carcinomas and nine intramucosal high-grade dysplasias). RASSF1A hypermethylation was detected in 39 of 48 (81.

Improvement in serum pepsinogens and gastrin in long-term monitoring after eradication of Helicobacter pylori: comparison with H. pylori-negative patients.

Background: A decrease in pepsinogen and gastrin levels 1-3 months after Helicobacter pylori eradication is well known. However, few data are available on the long-term progression of these decreases beyond 1 year after eradication, and there has been no investigation into whether pepsinogen and gastrin levels return to normal levels as defined by data from H. pylori-negative patients with dyspepsia.

[Susceptibilities of bacteria isolated from patients with lower respiratory infectious diseases to antibiotics (2001)].

From October 2001 to September 2002, we collected the specimen from 370 patients with lower respiratory tract infections in 16 institutions in Japan, and investigated the susceptibilities of the isolated bacteria to various antibacterial agents and antibiotics and patients' characteristics. Of 458 strains that were isolated from specimen (mainly from sputum) and assumed to be bacteria causing in inflammation, 456 strains were investigated. The breakdown of the isolated bacteria were: Staphylococcus aureus 69, Streptococcus pneumoniae 72, Haemophilus influenzae 85, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (non-mucoid) 44, P.

Endoscopic, histological and serologic findings of gastric hyperplastic polyps after eradication of Helicobacter pylori: comparison between responder and non-responder cases.

Background: Evidence indicates that eradication of Helicobacter pylori leads to the disappearance of hyperplastic polyps in the stomach. However, there are some exceptions. We have compared endoscopic and serologic findings of responder and non-responder cases with hyperplastic polyps to try to identify the cause(s), other than H.

Marked diffuse dilations of the biliary tree associated with intrahepatic calculi, biliary sludges and a mucinous cyst of the pancreatic head in a 99-year-old woman.

A 99-year-old woman was admitted to Shizuoka Shimizu Municipal Hospital because of fever and anasarca. Imaging and laboratory tests showed pneumonia, urinary tract infection, and cardiac failure. The patient died 20 days after admission.

'Tako-Tsubo cardiomyopathy' associated with syndrome malin: reversible left ventricular dysfunction.

A 66-year-old man developed a fever and had a syncopal attack during treatment with imipramine and amantadine for depression and Parkinson's disease. His muscular enzyme levels were very high, so he was diagnosed with incomplete syndrome malin and given hydration therapy. The electrocardiogram recorded an ST segment elevation like acute myocardial infarction in most leads, and the echocardiogram revealed left ventricular dysfunction with severe hypokinesis to dyskinesis of the anterior and apical wall regions, and hyperkinesis of the basal wall.

Evidence for the involvement of GABA(A) receptor blockade in convulsions induced by cephalosporins.

There is accumulating evidence that most beta-lactam antibiotics (i.e., cephalosporins and penicillins) have some degree of convulsive activity, both in laboratory animals as well as in clinical settings.

Effects of active recovery under a decreasing work load following intense muscular exercise on intramuscular energy metabolism.

The effect of active recovery at a decreasing % of MVC following intense muscular exercise on intramuscular pH was investigated in vivo using 31P-MRS. Seven healthy men participated, and their right wrist flexor muscle group was examined. The subjects were asked to flex their right wrist at 60 % of the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) every 2 s until the intracellular pH in the wrist flexor muscle decreased to 6.

Preparation of 9-hydroxy grayanotoxin derivatives and their acute toxicity in mice.

Novel 9alpha and 9beta-hydroxy grayanotoxin II derivatives were prepared by photo-sensitized oxygenation of iso-grayanotoxin II and oxidation of grayanotoxin II tetraacetate with selenium dioxide respectively. The lethal dosage of 9alpha and 9beta-hydroxy grayanotoxin II were lower than that of grayanotoxin II. In addition, the lethal dosage of 9beta-hydroxy-dihydro grayanotoxin II was higher than that of dihydro grayanotoxin II.

[Susceptibilities of bacteria isolated from patients with lower respiratory infectious diseases to antibiotics (2000)].

From October 2000 to September 2001, we collected the specimen from 410 patients with lower respiratory tract infections in 16 institutions in Japan, and investigated the susceptibilities of isolated bacteria to various anti-bacterial agents and antibiotics and patients' characteristics. Of 499 strains that were isolated from specimen (mainly from sputum) and assumed to be bacteria causing in inflammation, 493 strains were investigated. The breakdown of the isolated bacteria were: Staphylococcus aureus 78, Streptococcus pneumoniae 73, Haemophilus infiuenzae 99, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (non-mucoid) 64, P.

Purification and characterization of a novel cholesterol esterase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with its application to cleaning lipid-stained contact lenses.

With the aim of developing a new cholesterol esterase for eliminating lipids on used contact lenses, microorganisms were screened for the enzyme activity. A Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from soil was found to produce a desirable enzyme. The enzyme had an isoelectric point of 3.

Clinical evaluation of aged patients who underwent surgery for femoral neck fractures -- comparative study of clinical results according to age.

The objective was to assess mortality and ambulatory ability for elderly patients over 90 years of age with femoral neck fractures treated surgically. From January 1998 to March 1999, 60 patients aged over 80 years were chosen for the study. The patients had a mean age of 87.

Fractures of the distal end of radius in elderly patients: a comparative study of anatomical and functional results.

The functional and anatomical results of distal end of radius fractures with severe displacement in 22 elderly patients are reviewed in this retrospective study. The mean age of the patients was 69.4 years (range, 60-88 years) and the mean follow-up period was 24 months (range, 12-53 months).

Intracerebroventricular injection of the antibiotic cefoselis produces convulsion in mice via inhibition of GABA receptors.

A majority of beta-lactam antibiotics (e.g., cephalosporins and penicillins) have convulsive activity to a greater or lesser extent.

Mutagenicity of steviol and its oxidative derivatives in Salmonella typhimurium TM677.

Stevioside is natural non-caloric sweetner isolated from Stevia rebaudiana BERTONI, which has been used as a non-caloric sugar substitute in Japan. Pezzuto et al. demonstrated that steviol shows a dose-dependent positive response in forward mutation assay using Salmonella typhimurium TM677 in the presence of metabolic activation system (Aroclor induced rat liver S9 fraction).

[Susceptibilities of bacteria isolated from patients with lower respiratory infectious diseases to antibiotics (1999)].

From October 1999 to September 2000, we collected the specimen from 430 patients with lower respiratory tract infections in 17 institutions in Japan, and investigated the susceptibilities of isolated bacteria to various antibacterial agents and antibiotics and patients' characteristics. Of 515 strains that were isolated from specimen (mainly from sputum) and assumed to be bacteria causing in inflammation, 506 strains were investigated. The breakdown of the isolated bacteria were: Staphylococcus aureus 78, Streptococcus pneumoniae 101, Haemophilus influenzae 104, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (non-mucoid) 58, P.

[Superimposed high-frequency jet ventilation induced deterioration of oxygenation during whole lung lavage in a patient with pulmonary alveolar proteinosis].

A 39-year-old man suffering from pulmonary alveolar proteinosis underwent whole lung lavage of the right lung under one-lung ventilation with total intravenous anesthesia in the right lateral position. Superimposed high-frequency jet ventilation (SHFJV) was applied for approximately 10 minutes during lung lavage. The settings of HFJV were as follows: FIO2 = 1.

Laterally spreading tumor: clinicopathological study in comparison with the depressed type of colorectal tumor.

Aim: To evaluate the difference between laterally spreading colorectal tumors (LSTs) with depression and depressed-type colorectal tumors.

Methods: Sixteen LSTs showing the appearance of non-distinct, gently sloping central depressions were compared clinicopathologically with 14 depressed-type tumors that were larger than 10 mm in size.

Results: The mean size of LSTs with depression was 13.

[A case of agnosia for streets and houses unaccompanied by prosopagnosia of familiar faces due to the right occipital lobe infarction].

We reported a patient who showed agnosia for streets and homes unaccompanied by prosopagnosia of familiar faces following infarction in the right occipital lobe. A 70-years-old right-handed man admitted to our department because of sudden development of visual impairment. He had left hemianopsia, left unilateral spatial neglect and slight visual memory disturbance but no other neurological abnormalities.

[The Baxter AS 50 syringe pump: a comparison with propofol-specific syringe pumps].

We used a Baxter AS 50 syringe pump for intravenous anesthesia with propofol, and compared it with a Grasby 3500 and a Terumo STC-525 X pumps, which are specifically designed for propofol infusion. The AS 50 pump is a programmable syringe infusion pump, which allows us to register up to 70 drug names in 10 categories and various infusion modes for drugs. There are 14 types of continuous infusion mode, a custom dilution mode, and three types of time infusion modes.

Hydrolysis of beta-galactosyl ester linkage by beta-galactosidases.

p-Hydroxybenzoyl beta-galactose (pHB-Gal) was synthesized chemically to examine the hydrolytic activity of beta-galactosyl ester linkage by beta-galactosidases. The enzyme from Penicillium multicolor hydrolyzed the substrate as fast as p-nitrophenyl beta-galactoside (pNP-Gal), a usual substrate with a beta-galactosidic linkage. The enzymes from Escherichia coli and Aspergillus oryzae hydrolyzed pHB-Gal with almost the same rates as pNP-Gal.

[Susceptibilities of bacteria isolated from patients with lower respiratory infectious diseases to antibiotics (1998)].

The bacteria isolated from the patients with lower respiratory tract infections were collected by institutions located throughout Japan, since 1981. Ikemoto et al. have been investigating susceptibilities of these isolates to various antibacterial agents and antibiotics, and analyzed some characteristics of the patients and isolates from them each year.

Preoperative epidural morphine using double-catheter technique for esophagectomy.

This study was undertaken to determine whether preoperative epidural morphine using double-catheter technique would improve postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing esophagectomy with or without continuous intraoperative epidural lidocaine in a randomized double-blind and controlled manner. Thirty patients undergoing esophagectomy for esophageal cancer received preoperative epidural morphine 2 mg at T 6-7 and 2 mg at L 3-4 through the catheters, respectively. Thereafter, continuous thoracic epidural infusion of either 1% lidocaine (lidocaine group, n = 15) or normal saline solution (control group, n = 15) at 6 ml/h was initiated.