Crustacean reproduction has been hypothesized to be under complex endocrinological regulation by peptide hormones. To further improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying this complex ...regulation, knowledge is needed regarding the hormones not only of the central nervous system (CNS) such as the X-organ/sinus gland (XOSG), brain, and thoracic ganglia, but also the peripheral gonadal tissues. For example, in vertebrates, some gonadal peptide hormones including activin, inhibin, follistatin, and relaxin are known to be involved in the reproductive physiology. Therefore, it is highly likely that some peptide factors from the ovary are serving as the signals among peripheral tissues and central nervous tissues in crustaceans. In this work, we sought to find gonadal peptide hormones and peptide hormone receptors by analyzing the transcriptome of the ovary of the kuruma prawn
. The generated ovarian transcriptome data led to the identification of five possible peptide hormones, including bursicon-α and -β, the crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH)-like peptide, insulin-like peptide (ILP), and neuroparsin-like peptide (NPLP). Dominant gene expressions for the bursicons were observed in the thoracic ganglia and the ovary, in the CNS for the CHH-like peptide, in the heart for NPLP, and in the ovary for ILP. Since the gene expressions of CHH-like peptide and NPLP were affected by a CHH (
sinus gland peptide-I) from XOSG, we produced recombinant peptides for CHH-like peptide and NPLP using
expression system to examine their possible peripheral regulation. As a result, we found that the recombinant NPLP increased vitellogenin gene expression in incubated ovarian tissue fragments. Moreover, contigs encoding putative receptors for insulin-like androgenic gland factor, insulin, neuroparsin, and neuropeptide Y/F, as well as several contigs encoding orphan G-protein coupled receptors and receptor-type guanylyl cyclases were also identified in the ovarian transcriptome. These results suggest that reproductive physiology in crustaceans is regulated by various gonadal peptide hormones, akin to vertebrates.
Recent research on decapod crustaceans revealed the presence of multiple vitellogenin genes within a single species. Characterizing their expression dynamics and regulatory mechanisms is helpful for ...the sustainability of commercially relevant decapods through a greater comprehension of vitellogenesis. However, it is unclear whether multiple vitellogenin genes exist in the kuruma prawn
Marsupenaeus japonicus
, an essential species in several Asian countries. This study determined the full-length cDNA sequence of the new vitellogenin (Maj-Vg2) using transcriptome analysis and cDNA cloning. The deduced Maj-Vg2 consisted of 2,554 amino acids and shared only 53.8% identity with Maj-Vg1, the known vitellogenin of this species. The Maj-Vg1 gene (
Maj-Vg1
) was expressed in both the hepatopancreas and ovary, whereas the Maj-Vg2 gene (
Maj-Vg2
) was expressed only in the hepatopancreas.
Maj-Vg2
expression in the hepatopancreas was low during the previtellogenic stage and increased during the early and late yolk globule stages
.
When eyestalks were ablated from immature prawns,
Maj-Vg2
expression in the hepatopancreas increased significantly, like
Maj-Vg1
expression in the ovary, suggesting possible regulation by hormones from the eyestalk ganglia. These results suggested that
Maj-Vg2
and
Maj-Vg1
are involved in vitellogenesis in this species
.
Background and aim
There are few clinical studies on the risk factors for rebleeding based on the endoscopic hemostatic procedure carried out, including ulcer characteristics such as exposed blood ...vessels. The present study aims to clarify the risk factors for rebleeding after endoscopic clipping hemostasis for hemorrhagic gastroduodenal ulcers.
Methods
A retrospective study was carried out with data collected during the 10‐year period from January 2000 to December 2009 for 312 consecutive patients with hemorrhagic gastroduodenal ulcer. Two hundred and ninety‐three patients (216 men and 77 women; mean age, 67.0 ± 15.0 years) who underwent endoscopic clipping as the initial hemostatic treatment were analyzed. The risk factors for rebleeding were determined by comparing 271 patients who did not rebleed after initial treatment with 22 patients who developed rebleeding.
Results
The success rate of initial clipping hemostasis was 100%; however, rebleeding occurred in 7.5% (22/293) and a multivariate analysis identified exposed blood vessels of more than 2 mm in diameter as independent risk factors for rebleeding (P = 0.0124, odds ratio 6.25 95% CI: 1.53–13.62).
Conclusions
Endoscopic clipping monotherapy is effective for hemorrhagic gastroduodenal ulcers; however, exposed blood vessels of more than 2 mm in diameter in the initial endoscopic procedure are a risk factor for rebleeding.
Background and Aims : Various societies have published guidelines on managing antithrombotic agents during the periendoscopic period. Management of anticoagulants in high-risk procedures is similar ...among these guidelines : however, management of antiplatelet agents in low-risk procedures such as biopsy differs between Western and Japanese guidelines. Therefore, we conducted a clinical study to assess the bleeding risk attributable to upper gastrointestinal biopsy in patients taking antiplatelet agents and the validity of performing endoscopic biopsy with small cup biopsy forceps. Methods : We changed the management of antithrombotic agents during the periendoscopic period in our hospital as follows : esophagogastroduodenoscopy was performed without cessation of antithrombotic agents and biopsy with small cup biopsy forceps was permitted in patients taking antiplatelet agents. Then, a prospective cohort study in a clinical setting was performed from March 2011 to February 2012 for 5,374 scheduled esophagogastroduodenoscopies. 1,128 patients, including 65 who were taking antiplatelet agents, underwent gastric biopsy, and 2,025 biopsy specimens were obtained from each part of the stomach. Clinical bleeding was investigated during and after endoscopy. Two pathologists assessed the presence of muscularis mucosae in biopsy specimens in addition to the suitability of specimens for histological diagnosis. Results : Ratio of appropriate specimens obtained with small cup biopsy forceps was 99.3% (2,010/2,025) and muscularis mucosae was detected in 27.8% (538/1,394) of specimens. After endoscopy, 1 of 1,049 patients who took no antithrombotic agents experienced major bleeding (0.095%). In addition, no bleeding was experienced by the 65 patients who received antiplatelet treatment. Conclusions : Endoscopic forceps with a small cup is useful and the absolute risk attributable to gastric biopsy in patients taking antiplatelet agents seems to be low.
A 59 years-old man was admitted to our hospital because of severe epigastralgia. The patient had ingested loomL of 36% hydrochloric acid for the suicide purpose at home. Endoscopic examination on ...admission revealed the black mucosa of the esophagus and stom-ach. The grayish white mucosa with deep ulceration of the esophagus and the black mucosa with large ulceration of the stomach were found on 7th days. These finding suggested the necrosis of all layer of the esophageal and gastric wall. Although the patient was successfully treated with the antibiotic agent, proton pump inhibitor and intravenous hyperalimentation, swallowing disturbance was appeared during the clinical course. We treated the three portions of the esophageal stenose with balloon dilator but his symptom was not improved and he could not swallow the saliva. On the 77th hospital day, esophggo-gastrectomy and substernal bypass with descending colon interposition was performed. The resected specimen showed esophagus and stomach were severely constricted and inelastic and the microscopic finding revealed the severe inflammation and fibrosis of all the layers. Intensive care including the mental support and the surgical treatment was necessary to treat corrosive injuries of gastrointestinal tract. We experienced a case of corrosive injuries of gastrointestinal tract with hydrochloric acid ingestion and showing the typical endoscopic findings during the clinical course.
A 76-year old man with a history of chronic viral hepatitis and obstinate constipation was admitted to our hospital with severe abdominal distension. The patient had no remarkable abdominal pain or ...signs of any inflammatory disorders. An abdominal X-ray film showed massive intra-abdominal free-air, but no signs of ulceration or perforation were found in an upper GI series. However, a 3cm multi-cystic lesion was found in the lower intestines, protruding into the abdominal cavity next to the site of the massive free-air, ascites observed on CT images. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis (PCI) was thought to be the most probable diagnosis, and an emergency laparoscopy was performed to rule out the possibility of intestinal perforation and relieve the patient's symptoms. A laparoscopy examination revealed multiple cystic lesions in the terminal ileum, ascites, and a liver with the appearance of chronic hepatitis; no evidence of intestinal perforation was seen even in the area of the multiple cystic lesions. Other PCI in the colon was observed by postoperative colonoscopy. The patient recovered without any complications. Although conservative therapy has been described as a common initial treatment for patients with PCI, our experience suggests that performing a laparoscopy examination may be useful not only for confirming the diagnosis, but for reducing the massive pneumoperitoneum resulting from severe constipation in patients with PCI.
Recently, proper use of antimicrobial agents for treatment of infections based on pharmacokinetics (PK) /pharmacodynamics (PD) theory has been recommended to many clinical doctors. To consider the ...optimized administration method based on PK/PD theory for the elderly patients of gatifloxacin (GFLX), which was one of the oral respiratory quinolone antibacterial, Monte Carlo Simulation was conducted with community-acquired pneumonia and susceptibility data for Streptococcus pneumoniae (345 strains) collected by the second gatifloxacin surveillance study. From this results, the probabilities of achieving AUC/MIC 30 against pneumococcus for the elderly patients was 96.3% at twice-daily dosing of GFLX 100 mg, 97.2% at twice-daily dosing of GFLX 200 mg, therefore, it was suggested that the clinical effectiveness of the regimen of GFLX 100 mg was as well as the regimen of GFLX 200 mg.
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