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: To date, there has not been an in-depth investigation to identify differences in the effects of bleeding prevention among different routes of administration of H2 receptor antagonists to treat gastric ulcers following endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR).: To prospectively compare the frequency of bleeding following EMR between patients treated with intravenous(IV) famotidine and those with oral famotidine.: Fifty-three patients with neoplastic gastric lesions (33 carcinoma and 20 adenoma) treated by EMR were included. Subjects underwent EMR with circumferential mucosal incision assisted by submucosal injection of sodium hyaluronate (EMRSH), followed by IV or oral (PO) administration of famotidine at a dosage of 40 mg/day for 2 days. Patients with odd ID numbers were assigned to IV therapy (30 cases) while even numbers were given PO therapy (23 cases). Frequencies and endoscopic findings of bleeding during the first 2 days after EMR were examined.: Frequency of bleeding within 2 days after EMR was 3 and 4% in IV and PO patients, respectively, showing no significant difference. No significant difference was seen in the endoscopic findings of bleeding and therapy, either, with respective IV and PO findings at 23 and 26%.: No significant difference was observed in frequency of bleeding within 2 days after gastric EMR between IV and oral administrations of famotidine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DS -- Nh mice raised under conventional conditions spontaneously develop dermatitis similar to human atopic dermatitis (AD), which is associated with staphylococcal infection. In the present study, we show that Staphylococcus aureus producing staphylococcus exotoxin C (SEC) was recovered from the culture of the skin lesions of DS -- Nh mice with AD-like dermatitis and that the serum levels of anti-SEC antibodies from these mice were elevated. We describe here how to promote experimental AD by epicutaneous injection with SEC-producing S. aureus to DS -- Nh mice. In order to assess the role of SEC in the pathogenesis of AD, the mitogenic activity, TCRBV repertoire analysis and the production of IL-4 and IFN-γ from spleen mononuclear cells (MNC) from DS -- Nh stimulated by SEC were compared with those due to SEA, SEB and TSST. The weakest was the mitogenic activity of SEC, and higher IL-4 responses and lower IFN-γ responses to SEC showed correlation with TCRBV8S2-positive T cells, which were selectively stimulated by SEC. We also demonstrate that SEC-producing S. aureus was able to survive in DS -- Nh after intradermal injection. These results suggest a possible role for SEC in the pathogenesis of AD through host -- S. aureus relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egg-shell calcium (Ca) is one of the effective Ca sources for bone metabolism. In the present study, we investigated whether egg-shell Ca had similar effects compared with calcium carbonate (CaCO3) when vitamin D3 (1alpha(OH)D3) treatment was given to an osteoporotic rat model. In both 1alpha(OH)D3-supplemented and -unsupplemented rats, the bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumber spine in the vitamin-supplemented group increased significantly compared with the unsupplemented group. In a Ca balance study, there were also significant differences in intestinal Ca absorption, urinary Ca and fecal Ca between the vitamin-supplemented and -unsupplemented groups. These results show that egg-shell Ca could have similar effects to CaCO3 on bone metabolism. In contrast with CaCO3, vitamin D3 supplementation did not significantly increase serum Ca levels in the egg-shell Ca group; however, the mechanism of Ca absorption is still unclear. Our results suggest that egg-shell Ca may be an effective nutrient in Ca metabolism for people treated with vitamin D3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A study of the expansion of restorative composite resins associated with water sorption was conducted. The results show that this expansion depends upon the mass of water absorbed by the composite restorative. Although polymerization shrinkage can be compensated by expansion due to water sorption, the length of time involved in achieving this compensation is approximately seven d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A virus which produced cytopathic effect with syncytium formation was isolated from the faeces of apparently healthy mice by mouse brain tumour cell culture, DBT cells. The isolate was virologically and serologically identified as mouse coronavirus. It grew well in DBT cells, and formed clear plaques much smaller in size than those of other low-virulent strains. In experimental infections, the isolate could produce only a mild hepatitis in cortisone-treated weanling mice. Fatal hepatitis was not observed even in mice treated with 10 mg cortisone; whereas many mice were killed by other low-virulent strains. Zusammenfassung Charakterisierung eines aus Kotproben isolierten, schwach virulenten Mäusehepatitisvirus (MHV) Aus dem Kot klinisch gesunder Mäuse konnte in einer murinen Hirntumorzellinie (DBT-Zellen) ein cytopathogenes Virus isoliert und aufgrund seiner virologischen und serologischen Eigenschaften als Mäusehepatitisvirus identifiziert werden. Deutlich kleinere Plaques in DBT-Zellkulturen sowie lediglich milde Verlaufsformen einer Hepatitis nach experimenteller Infektion immunsupprimierter Mäuse unterscheiden dieses Isolat von anderen schwach virulenten Stämmen. Auch nach Vorbehandlung der Mäuse mit 10 mg Cortison traten keine schweren Verlaufsformen einer Hepatitis auf, wohingegen die meisten der mit anderen schwach virulenten Stämmen infizierten Mäuse starben. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe canine parvovirus (CPV) infection occurred in a closed beagle dog colony. The infection was confirmed by virological, serological and histopathological examinations. Of 356 dogs, 188 (52.8%) showed clinical signs, 29 (8.1%) died, and 41 affected dogs (11.5%) were euthanized. Dogs of all ages became ill, but both the morbidity and mortality were highest in pups 3-4 months of age. Clinical signs were variable. Anorexia was most frequent, and other main signs were diarrhoea, depression and vomiting. Sudden death of pups due to myocarditis was not observed. When the disease ceased, nearly all the surviving dogs (98.0%) had HI antibody to CPV. In the dogs with high HI titres, the antibody persisted for at least 1.5 years. The virus was eliminated by intense disinfection, vaccination, cessation of mating and sacrifice of pups. Zusammenfassung Ausbruch und Bekämpfung einer Parvovirus-Infektion in einer geschlossenen Beagle-Kolonie In einer geschlossenen Beagle-Zucht traten schwer verlaufende Canine Parvovirus (CPV)-Infektionen auf. Die klinischen Befunde wurden durch virologische, serologische und histopathologische Untersuchungen bestätigt. Von 356 Hunden zeigten 188 (52,8%) klinische Symptome, 29 (8,1%) verendeten und 41 erkrankte Hunde (11,5%) wurden euthanasiert. Es erkrankten Hunde aller Altersstufen, jedoch waren sowohl Morbidität als auch Mortalität bei den drei bis vier Monate alten Welpen am höchsten. Das klinische Bild war variabel; die Tiere zeigten am häufigsten Anorexie, daneben hauptsächlich Depression, Durchfall und Erbrechen. Durch Myokarditis verursachte plötzliche Todesfälle wurden nicht beobachtet. Nach Erlöschen der Krankheit hatten nahezu alle überlebenden Tiere (98,0%) Hah-Antikörper gegen CPV. Bei Tieren mit hohen Hah-Antikörper-Titern waren nach mindestens 1,5 Jahren noch Antikörper zu finden. Viruselimination erfolgte durch intensive Desinfektion, Impfungen, Unterbrechung des Zuchtbetriebes und Keulung von Welpen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of children with mild neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, has been recently increasing in advanced countries. This increase is probably caused by environmental factors rather than genetic factors, because it is unlikely that genetic mutation rates suddenly increased within a short period. Epigenetics is a mechanism that regulates gene expression, depending not on the underlying DNA sequence but on the chemical modifications of DNA and histone proteins. Because mental stress can alter the epigenetic status in neuronal cells, environmental factors may alter brain function through epigenetic changes. However, one advantage of epigenetic changes is their reversibility. Therefore, diseases due to abnormal epigenetic regulation are theoretically treatable. In fact, several drugs for treating mental diseases are known to have restoring effects on aberrant epigenetic statuses, and a novel therapeutic strategy targeting gene has been developed. In this review, we discuss epigenetic mechanisms of congenital and acquired neurodevelopmental disorders, drugs with epigenetic effects, novel therapeutic strategies for epigenetic diseases, and future perspectives in epigenetic medicine.