Physical fitness and oral function in community-dwelling older people: a pilot study.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to quantify the relation between physical fitness and oral function, including tongue and lip movements.

Background: Physical fitness and oral function influence quality of life and activities of daily living in older individuals. Occlusal contact and mastication performance are associated with physical fitness, but the association between tongue and lip movements and physical fitness is unclear.

Circulating TNF receptor 2 is closely associated with the kidney function in non-diabetic Japanese subjects.

Aim: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with cardiovascular events. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and/or its receptors have been postulated to be involved in renal pathophysiology. It is unclear whether an increased TNF system activity is present before the development of apparent CKD.

Smoking, white blood cell counts, and TNF system activity in Japanese male subjects with normal glucose tolerance.

Background: Cigarette smokers have increased white blood cell (WBC) counts and the activation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF). The effect of smoking on WBC counts and TNF system activity, however, has not been separately investigated yet.

Subjects And Methods: One hundred and forty-two Japanese male subjects with normal glucose tolerance were recruited.

Clinical and immunological assessment of periodontal disease in Japanese leprosy patients.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by the infection of periodontopathic bacteria in dental plaque. However, an individual's susceptibility to this disease appears to be associated with multiple genetic factors, as seen in the case of leprosy. In order to gain a better understanding of the pathophysiology of periodontal disease in subjects with leprosy, we investigated the clinical features of periodontitis and the immunological responses against periodontopathic bacteria in 382 subjects with a history of leprosy and 451 age-matched control subjects.

Human trial of liposomal lactoferrin supplementation for periodontal disease.

New approaches to periodontal health have been in strong demand in addition to conventional local plaque control. In this study, liposomal bovine lactoferrin (L-bLF) was orally administered to subjects with periodontal disease to investigate whether it could be a useful treatment. L-bLF composed of soy phosphatidylcholine was given as a supplement for four weeks in tablet form (180 mg bLF/d) to twelve subjects with multiple sites of more than 3 mm probing depth (PD).

Comparison of the effects of three angiotensin II receptor type 1 blockers on metabolic parameters in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objective: In a previous study involving 18 hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, we found that replacement of valsartan and candesartan by telmisartan significantly improved insulin sensitivity and significantly increased serum adiponectin levels in the patients. We investigated the effects of 3 angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers (ARBs)-telmisartan, candesartan, and valsartan-on metabolic parameters in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: A total of 308 hypertensive patients with diabetes were enrolled in our multicentre, randomized, open-label study.

Source of plasma adrenomedullin in a patient with pheochromocytoma receiving hemodialysis.

A 45-year-old man on long-term hemodialysis (HD) was incidentally discovered to have a pheochromocytoma and underwent successful resection. This patient was normotensive, and had no symptoms suggesting pheochromocytoma. The plasma concentrations of total adrenomedullin (AM-T) and mature AM (AM-m) were higher than those in normal controls.

Molecular basis for the involvement of thymidine phosphorylase in cancer invasion.

Thymidine phosphorylase (TP), also known as platelet-derived endothelial cell growth factor (PD-ECGF), has been implicated in bladder cancer angiogenesis and invasion. However, the molecular basis of its role in invasion remains unclear. We investigated the expression of TP and 10 invasion-related genes in bladder cancers from 72 randomly selected patients by real-time two-step RT-PCR assay.

Expression of the inhibitors of apoptosis proteins in cisplatin-resistant prostate cancer cells.

Acquired multi-drug resistance remains a major obstacle in the management of prostate cancer. The objective of this study was to examine whether chemoresistance could be due in part to the expression of the inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs). We established cisplatin-resistant LNCaP sublines.

Recto-peritoneal fistula following transperineal prostate biopsy.

A recto-peritoneal fistula is an extremely rare complication after prostate biopsy. We report herein on a peritonitis arising from a recto-peritoneal fistula 5 days after undergoing prostate biopsy. To our knowledge, this is the first case of recto-peritoneal fistula following transperineal needle biopsy of the prostate in the published literature.

Lower incidence of inguinal hernia: minilaparotomy radical retropubic prostatectomy compared with conventional technique. A preliminary report.

Introduction: The purpose of the present study was to compare the incidence of inguinal hernias after conventional and minilaparotomy (minilap) radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP).

Patients And Methods: In this retrospective study, we review our experience with 70 consecutive patients with prostate cancer who underwent prostatectomy from April 1995 through March 2001. Of these, 35 patients had conventional RRP, and 35 patients had minilap RRP.

Sp1 and Sp3 transcription factors upregulate the proximal promoter of the human prostate-specific antigen gene in prostate cancer cells.

The serum level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is useful as a clinical marker for diagnosis and assessment of the progression of prostate cancer, and in evaluating the effectiveness of treatment. We characterized four Sp1/Sp3 binding sites in the proximal promoter of the PSA gene. In a luciferase assay, these sites contributed to the basal promoter activity in prostate cancer cells.

Cisplatin inhibits the expression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein in human LNCaP cells.

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the role of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) in the regulation of apoptosis induced by cisplatin in human prostate cancer cell line (LNCaP). We examined the effects of cisplatin on cell growth and apoptosis in LNCaP by 2-(4-lodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2,4-disulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, monosodium salt (WST-1), flow cytometric analyses, and caspase-3 activity assay. In addition, to clarify the roles of the XIAP, we established clonal cell lines that overexpressed XIAP.

Urethral condyloma acuminata following urethral instrumentation in an elderly man.

A 70-year-old man had undergone urethral dilatation with bougie for 8 months following transurethral resection of the prostate and complained papillary masses at the urethral meatus. Physical and endoscopic examination revealed multiple tumors from the urethral meatus to the bulbous urethra. These tumors were resected transurethrally and 5-FU cream was instilled into urethra.

Intestinal perforation after cadaveric renal transplantation.

We performed cadaveric renal transplantation on a 46-year-old man on long-term hemodialysis. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) enterocolitis occurred on the fifth postoperative day and severe intestinal ulceration and perforation followed. Subtotal abdominal colectomy and the simultaneous removal of the transplant were performed.

Repair of ileal conduit parastomal hernia by translocation of the stoma.

We repaired a recurrent ileal conduit parastomal hernia, according to Kaufman's technique, by translocating the stoma to the opposite side of the abdominal wall without laparotomy. This procedure is a simple and less invasive treatment for large parastomal hernia.

[Usefulness of lower ihfundibular length-to-diameter ratio as a predictor of lower pole stone clearance after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy; clinical research with two lithotriptors].

Purpose: Lower pole renal stones are well known to exhibit a poor stone clearance rate following extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL). In the present study, we analyzed several anatomical factors as predictors of lower pole stone clearance that may be used to indicate the usefulness and the universality of ESWL in such patients with two different lithotriptors.

Patients And Methods: 93 patients with a unilateral single lower pole stone of 2 cm.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 is essential for suppressing dendritic cell activation and systemic autoimmunity.

Suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS1/JAB) negatively regulates not only the cytokine-signaling pathway but also lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophage activation. We found that SOCS1-deficient dendritic cells (DCs) were also hyperresponsive to interferon-gamma and interleukin-4. To define the role of SOCS1-deficient DCs in vivo, we generated mice in which the SOCS1 expression was restored in T and B cells on a SOCS1(-/-) background.

The X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein inhibits taxol-induced apoptosis in LNCaP cells.

To clarify the roles of the X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), we investigated the effects of XIAP overexpression on taxol-induced cell growth arrest and apoptosis in the prostate cancer cell line (LNCaP). After the transfection of XIAP cDNA into LNCaP cells, we established clonal cell lines that overexpressed XIAP and examined the taxol effects on growth and apoptosis by 2-(4-lodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2,4-disulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, monosodium salt and flow cytometric analysis. The effects of XIAP overexpression on caspase-3 were examined by immunoblot analysis and activity assay.

Predictors of lower pole renal stone clearance after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy.

Purpose: Lower pole renal stones are well known to show a poor stone clearance rate after extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) (Dornier Medical Systems, Marietta, Georgia). In the current study we analyzed several anatomical factors as predictors of lower pole stone clearance that may be used to indicate the usefulness of ESWL in such patients.

Materials And Methods: Between January 1993 and October 2000, 63 patients with a unilateral single lower pole stone of 2 cm.

Clinical significance of thymidylate synthase expression in bladder cancer.

Background: The purpose of the present paper was to investigate the clinical significance of thymidylate synthase (TS) expression in bladder cancer and its association with proliferation markers, such as p53, Ki-67, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA).

Methods: Thymidylate synthase gene expression in 54 patients with bladder cancer was measured by the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method using glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as an internal standard. The TS expression was also examined immunohistochemically.

Involvement of adrenomedullin induced by hypoxia in angiogenesis in human renal cell carcinoma.

Background: Adrenomedullin (AM) has pluripotent activities and is involved in the regulation of vasomotor tone, cell differentiation and embryogenesis. However, the expression and pathophysiological role of AM has not been determined in human renal cell carcinoma (RCC).

Methods: Twenty-six RCC specimens and three cultured human RCC cell lines (A498, SN12C and KPK-13) were analyzed.

Enhancement by cyclosporin A of taxol-induced apoptosis of human urinary bladder cancer cells.

Taxol is a microtubule-stabilizing agent which induces apoptosis in various cancer cells. In this study, we found that T24 cells derived from high grade human urinary bladder cancer were relatively resistant to taxol and that the IC50 value determined by a colorimetric WST-1 assay was 406.0 nM.