Presence of Modified Peptides with High Bioavailability and Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Activity in Japanese Fermented Soybean Paste ().

Not only free amino acids and normal short-chain peptides but also modified amino acids, such as -acetyl- and -formyl amino acids, monoamines, polyamines, and modified peptides, such as isomerized aspartyl peptides, pyroglutamyl peptides, and diketopiperazines, were identified in Japanese fermented soy paste () prepared using different fungal starters, rice, barley, and soybean- One hour after oral administration of water extract of soybean- to rats, the modified peptides increased significantly in the lumen upon the ingestion, while the normal peptides did not. In the blood from the portal vein and abdominal vena cava, 17 and 15 diketopiperazines, 16 and 12 isomerized aspartyl peptides, and 2 and 1 pyroglutamyl peptides significantly increased to approximately 10-400 nM, respectively. The modified peptides, which increased in rat blood, showed angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity in a dose-dependent manner, indicating multiple ACE inhibitory peptides with high bioavailability in Among them, l-β-Asp-Pro showed the highest ACE inhibitory activity (IC 4.

[Implementation of acute stroke rehabilitation services in our hospital -comparison between the years 2010 and 2000-].

We retrospectively compared the stroke rehabilitation services in our hospital in 2010 with those in 2000. The severity of strokes in 2010 was worse than that in 2000. The period between the onset of stroke and beginning of physical therapy was shortened from 11.

[Effect of an increase in numbers of physical therapists on dynamic situation of inpatients in an acute hospital].

To determine the effects of an increase of four physical therapists in an acute hospital, we compared the number and outcomes of inpatients for whom rehabilitation doctors newly prescribed physical therapy between two periods (from October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009 and from October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010). The number of new inpatients and the total number of inpatients who underwent physical therapy significantly increased by 317 and 4,536, respectively (Wilcoxon test, P < 0.05), and the total number of inpatients who performed training in their own room in a ward also significantly increased by 3,341 (Wilcoxon test, P < 0.

[Walking assist robot and its clinical application].

The walking assist robot was developed to improve gait disturbance in patients with severe disabilities. The robot had a trunk supporter, power generator and operating arms which held patient's lower extremities and simulated walking, a control unit, biofeedback system, and a treadmill. We applied the robot-aided gait training to three patients with severe gait disturbance induced by stroke, axonal Guillan-Barré syndrome or spinal cord injury, and the walking assist robot turned out to be effective in improving the gait disturbance.

A mutation in the flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 gene and its effects on catalytic activity for N-oxidation of trimethylamine in vitro.

To clarify the mutation of the flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) 3 gene causing fish-odor syndrome, we analyzed the FMO3 gene of a Thai subject who possibly suffered from fish-odor syndrome. A novel mutation, a single-base substitution from G to A at the position of 265 (G265A), was identified in exon 3. The mutation caused an amino acid substitution from valine to isoleucine at residue 58 (V58I).