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Volume 202 (2004)
- Issue 4 Pages 245-
- Issue 3 Pages 155-
- Issue 2 Pages 69-
- Issue 1 Pages 1-
Volume 202, Issue 1
January
Displaying 1-8 of 8 articles from this issue
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Invited Review
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Katsuhisa Ikeda2004 Volume 202 Issue 1 Pages 1-11
Published: 2004
Released on J-STAGE: May 18, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSThe cochlea is a sensory organ that converts physical (sound) stimulation into electrical signals. This process is fundamentally and substantially based upon the ion transport system. Here, I summarize the physiological and molecular biological aspects of transporters, channels and receptors expressed in the cochlea. With reference to these findings, recent advances in genetic research on hereditary deafness are discussed.View full abstractDownload PDF (583K)
Regular Contributions
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M. Salih Deveci, Güzin Deveci2004 Volume 202 Issue 1 Pages 13-22
Published: 2004
Released on J-STAGE: May 18, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSThe mechanism of progression from gastric endocrine cell hyperplasias (ECHs) to carcinoid tumor (GCT) is still unknown. In these lesions, the distribution of metaplastic Paneth, gastrin and pancreatic acinar cells developing due to consequences of corporal mucosal atrophy has not been investigated in detail. In this study, 33 gastric endoscopic biopsies with endocrine cell lesions were examined. In all cases except 6 with solitary GCT, complete-type (small intestine) intestinal metaplasia (IM) with Paneth cells was observed. The density of lysozyme-positive Paneth cells in IMs in cases with GCTs was less than those in ECH alone. The density of gastrin-positive cells in IMs and average number of micronodules of ECHs were similar. Pancreatic acinar metaplasia (PAM) was observed in 6 cases of GCTs with ECH. The size of GCTs with ECH was smaller than those without ECH. By image analysis, the percentage of Ki67 (MIB-1, proliferation marker) expressing cells of GCTs with ECH was 5.1±0.6%, and GCT without ECH 7.8±1%. Our results indicate that few Paneth cells and many PAMs in atrophic corporal mucosa are seen more frequently in cases of GCTs with ECH, compared to those in ECH alone. Gastrin-positive cells in the corporal IM may stimulate enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells, which may induce hyper- plasia, dysplasia or neoplasia by augmenting the effects of hypergastrinemia through a paracrine mechanism on local gastrin-sensitive cells.View full abstractDownload PDF (709K) -
Serkan Oncu, Metin Punar, Haluk Eraksoy2004 Volume 202 Issue 1 Pages 23-29
Published: 2004
Released on J-STAGE: May 18, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSEnterococci are among the common organisms associated with hospital-acquired infections. We examined in vitro activities of different antibiotics to 103 enterococcal isolates. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of penicillin G, ampicillin, gentamicin, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin, grepafloxacin, trovafloxacin and gemifloxacin were determined by broth microdilution testing method. Among the isolates 71 (69%) were identified as E. faecalis and 32 (31%) as E. faecium. While over 75% of E. faecium isolates were resistant to penicillin and ampicillin, approximately 25% of E. faecalis isolates were resistant to penicillin and ampicillin. None of the E. faecalis and E. faecium isolates were resistant to vancomycin. While 17 (52%) of E. faecium isolates exhibited high-level gentamicin resistance (HLGR), high level streptomycin resistance (HLSR) was detected in 24 (74%) of the isolates. In contrast, HLGR and HLSR rates for E. faecalis were 14 (20%) and 22 (31%), respectively. Both HLGR and HLSR were detected with higher frequency in ampicillin resistant isolates. Among fluoroquinolones, gemifloxacin and trovafloxacin were the most potent antibiotics tested. There was no increase in MIC90 values of the fluoroquinolones in ampicillin resistant isolates in comparison with ampicillin susceptible isolates. Our data suggest newer fluoroquinolones would be good alternative agents to use especially for combination drug therapy where enterococci with ampicillin resistance and HLAR are prevalent.View full abstractDownload PDF (347K) -
Miwako Dakeishi, Toyoto Iwata, Noriko Ishii, Katsuyuki Murata2004 Volume 202 Issue 1 Pages 31-39
Published: 2004
Released on J-STAGE: May 18, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSTo clarify the effects of alcohol consumption on hepatocellular injury, we examined aspartate and alanine aminotransferases (AST and ALT), and γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT), together with weekly alcohol consumption calculated from a self-rating questionnaire, in 1113 Japanese salesmen. The thresholds of associations between alcohol consumption and liver markers were estimated by the benchmark dose (BMD) method. The AST, ALT and GGT were positively correlated with alcohol intake (p<0.001), as well as age and body mass index (BMI); the relations to alcohol were statistically significant even when controlling for age, BMI and smoking habit. Although the AST and GGT were associated with four types of alcoholic beverage (p<0.01), it was only whisky that had close relation to the ALT (p<0.05). The thresholds of alcohol consumption (ethanol g/week), i.e., 95% lower confidence limits of the BMD, were 362 for AST, 660 for ALT, and 252 for GGT. The thresholds for GGT and AST in Japanese men seem to be somewhat higher than those reported in Western countries. It is suggested that hepatocellular injury (i.e., AST elevation) in Japanese men may emerge at the ethanol level of more than 50 g/day.View full abstractDownload PDF (449K) -
Isamu Sugawara, Hiroyuki Yamada, Satoru Mizuno2004 Volume 202 Issue 1 Pages 41-50
Published: 2004
Released on J-STAGE: May 18, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSThis study was designed to determine the roles of STAT1 protein in defense against mycobacterial infection. Airborne infection of STAT1 knockout (KO) mice with a Mycobacterium tuberculosis Kurono strain induced multiple necrotic lesions in lungs, spleen and liver, while that in wild-type (WT) mice did not. The STAT1 KO mice succumbed to mycobacterial infection by the 35 th day after infection. Compared with the levels in WT mice, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ and IL-12 mRNA levels were significantly lower in the lung of STAT1 KO mice. Interestingly, granulomatous lesion development in STAT1 KO mice was inhibited significantly by treatment with exogenous recombinant murine IL-12. Therefore, STAT1 regulates IL-12 expression and appears to be a critical transcription factor in controling mycobacterial infection.View full abstractDownload PDF (861K) -
M. Hakan Bukan, Neslihan Bukan, Nihat Kaymakcioglu, Turgut Tufan2004 Volume 202 Issue 1 Pages 51-56
Published: 2004
Released on J-STAGE: May 18, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSElective laparoscopic cholecystectomy is established as the treatment of choice for symptomatic cholecystolithiasis and is now proposed for the treatment of acute cholecystitis. The aim of this study is to evaluate biochemical aspects of open (OC) and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). We measured the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and the levels of nitrite+nitrate as stable end products of nitric oxide (NO). MDA and nitrite+nitrate levels were increased at both surgical procedures compared to preoperative period, but the rise was more significant in OC than LC. These results showed that both OC and LC caused an increase in oxidative stress. However LC caused significantly less oxidative stress and the changes during surgery returned to preoperative values after LC in a shorter period. The beneficial effects of laparoscopic surgery may be related, partially, to less oxidative stress in the immediate postoperative period.View full abstractDownload PDF (336K)
Case Report
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Chikashi Shibata, Xue-lin Jin, Yuji Funayama, Kouhei Fukushima, Ken-ic ...2004 Volume 202 Issue 1 Pages 57-61
Published: 2004
Released on J-STAGE: May 18, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSWe report a patient with synchronous multiple liver metastases from rectal cancer associated with ulcerative colitis. Because the liver tumors were unresectable, we performed total proctocolectomy and hepatic intra-arterial cisplatin infusion with systemic oral administration of fluorouracil. A complete response was obtained. The patient is alive without sign of recurrence 5 years postoperatively. Hepatic intra-arterial administration of cisplatin should be considered in the treatment of unresectable liver metastases from colorectal cancer.View full abstractDownload PDF (476K)
Short Report
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Mohammod Moinuddin Chisty, Mahfuza Nargis, Takashi Inaba, Kunio Ishita ...2004 Volume 202 Issue 1 Pages 63-67
Published: 2004
Released on J-STAGE: May 18, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSSince skin is the only route of entry of the parasite in schistosomiasis patients, intervention at the level of skin penetration should control the infection. Several compounds were screened for their ability to protect against cercarial penetration. Hinokitiol (β-thujaplicin) was found to have a significant cercaricidal effect in vitro, although there is no information on its cercaricidal mechanisms. To study the kinetics of morphological changes in Schistosoma mansoni associated with exposure to hinokitiol in vitro, cercariae were incubated in media containing hinokitiol at different concentrations and examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). TEM revealed that ultrastructural changes occurred by 15 minutes post exposure, at a concentration of 25 μg/ml. Degenerative changes involving both tegument and deeper parenchymal structures were progressive with duration of exposure at the concentration of 50 μg/ml. These structural changes may account for the inability of hinokitiol-treated cercariae to infect the host.View full abstractDownload PDF (544K)
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