[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[in Japanese]

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[Aim] The aim of this study was to explore influences of gastrointestinal surgery on taste threshold.
[Materials and Methods] Taste threshold was measured before and after surgery in 20 patients (11 underwent gastrectomy and 9 underwent large bowel resection). Postoperatively, taste threshold was measured on the 1st day of resumption of oral feeding and at the time of total discontinuation of parenteral feeding. Four types of taste quality, sweet, salty, sour and bitter, were tested for detection-threshold and recognition-threshold. Twenty healthy volunteers were subjected to the control.
[Results] The preoperative detection-threshold in patient-group was higher as compared to that in the control. High detection-threshold in the patient-group lasted after surgery. The preoperative recognition-threshold for 3 types of taste quality except sweet was significantly higher than that in the control. Recognition-threshold on the 1st day of resumption of oral feeding in patients who underwent large bowel resection was not different from that of the control, whereas, in patients who underwent gastrectomy, it was higher than that of the control for sour and bitter taste.
[Conclusion] Taste was restrained in patients with gastrointestinal malignant disease. Taste was largely restrained in patients who underwent gastrectomy as compared to in patients who underwent large bowel resection. Further studies to explore correlation between alterations in taste and nutritional condition are required.

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—Objectives— In the present study, we examined the relevance between serum albumin and age, to clarify the validity of serum albumin evaluation by age in acute period hospitals.
—Materials and Methods— For 1240 cases (745 cases at the time of discharge) that measured serum albumin at the time of hospitalization, we classified serum albumin 3.5g/dL in a standard, and we weighed a case about average age, average hospitalization period and the death rate. And we compared a change of the serum albumin at the time of discharge with serum albumin at the time of hospitalization.
—Results— Average age, average hospitalization period and the death rate of a nutritional risk group (serum albumin<3.5g/dL) were higher in comparison with cases not significantly affected by a no nutritional risk group (3.5g/dL≤serum albumin). The serum albumin at the time of discharge fell over 40'S significantly from serum albumin at the time of hospitalization.
—Conclusion— It is necessary, serum albumin is under 3.5g/dL and elderly patients during hospitalization from early stages of hospitalization. But, over 40'S, it is necessary for a rise of the serum albumin to consider that there is a difficult case in a short term even if we perform appropriate nutritional treatment.

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A substantial number of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) suffer from body weight loss because of increased energy expenditure during the natural course of their illness. The aim of the present study is to determine the contribution of thermic effect of food (TEF) in the increased energy expenditure of the patients with stable COPD. We measured resting energy expenditure (REE) and postprandial energy expenditure of 9 COPD patients (%FEV₁; 52.0 ± 16.7%) and 5 healthy controls (%FEV₁; 85.4 ± 12.9%) for 4 hours after a mixed test meal. All COPD patients were normally nourished (BMI; 23.1 ± 2.3kg/m²), and showed no difference from healthy control (BMI; 24.9 ± 5.2kg/m²). There were no significant differences in REE between COPD patients and healthy control. However, TEF in COPD patients significantly increased than that in healthy controls (p<0.05). These results suggest that subclinical energy loss derived from increased TEF starts even in normally nourished COPD patients.

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Objectives: We have previously reported the removal of insoluble microparticles occurring after dissolution of lyophilized products using in-line filters of pore size 0.2μm. The purpose of this study is to investigate the properties of the insoluble microparticles formed during the preparation of mixture injection solutions and evaluate the performance of in-line filters used for their removal.
Methods: We compared the insoluble microparticles in the effluent following infusion of mixture injection solutions set in 0.2μm in-line filters with the particles not set in these filters, in mixture injection solutions prepared as per prescription. Thereafter, fluorescent microparticles of 1.2μm diameter, as a surrogate for insoluble microparticles, were passed through the in-line filters, and changes in intra-filter pressure were determined.
Results: The number of insoluble microparticles formed during the preparation of mixture injection solutions was found to be greater than the upper limit stipulated in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia. Nonetheless, the 0.2μm in-line filters successfully removed most particles. Although the in-line filters of pore size 0.2μm trapped 10⁸ fluorescence microparticles of 1.2μm diameter, the intra-filter pressure did not increase.
Discussion: We found that the number of insoluble microparticles formed during preparation of mixture injection solutions was greater than the upper limit stipulated in the Japanese Pharmacopoeia. Based on this finding, we concluded that in-line filters are effective for the removal of insoluble microparticles from lyophilized products. In addition, we recommend the use of in-line filters for risk management, in order to prevent internal inflow of the insoluble microparticles.

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We evaluated the effect of a diet containing L-Isoleucine for the inhibition of hyperglycemia and the increase of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). The normal rats what were given a liquid diet containing 0.5 and 1.0g of L-Isoleucine per 100kcal developed dose-dependent suppressed hyperglycemia compared with the control group. Moreover, compared with the control diet, the type 2 diabetic rats (ZDF) given a diet containing 0.5g of L-Isoleucine experienced a slower increase of HbA1c levels during the six week feeding period. These results indicate that the addition of L-Isoleucine to diet may have the same effects for diabetes patients.

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