An edible gall is formed between the third and fourth nodes beneath the apical meristem near the base of
Zizania latifolia
shoots. This gall is harbored by and interacts with the smut fungus
Ustilago ...esculenta
. The gall is also a valuable vegetable called “white bamboo,”
jiaobai
or
gausun
in China and
makomotake
in Japan. Five samples of the galls harvested at different stages of swelling were used to isolate microorganisms by culturing. Isolated fungal and bacterial colonies were identified by DNA sequencing and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time-of-flight mass spectrometry, respectively. Several strains of
U. esculenta
as well as 6 other species of fungi and 10 species of bacteria were isolated. The microbiome was also evaluated by simple and outlined DNA profiling with automated rRNA intergenic spacer analysis (ARISA), and the amount of DNA of
U. esculenta
was determined by qPCR. At least 16 species of fungi and 40 species of bacteria were confirmed by ARISA of the overall sample. Interestingly, the greatest bacterial diversity, i.e., 18 species, was observed in the most mature sample, whereas the fungal diversity observed in this sample, i.e., 4 species, was rather poor. Based on qPCR,
U. esculenta
occurred in samples from all stages; however, the abundance of
U. esculenta
exhibited unique U-shaped relationships with growth. These results may explain why the interaction between
U. esculenta
and
Z. latifolia
also influences the unique microbial diversity observed throughout the growth stages of the swollen shoot, although the limited sample size does not allow conclusive findings.
White bamboo is the swollen stem of Zizania latifolia parasitized by the smut fungus Ustilago esculenta. Five samples of galls were harvested at different stages of swelling, along with young ...seedlings of Z. latifolia and isolated colonies of U. esculenta. The inhibition capacity of boiling water or 50% ethanol extracts on NO release by RAW264 cells, which was stimulated with lipopolysaccharide, was evaluated as anti-inflammatory activity, while the NO induction capacity was evaluated as immunostimulatory activity. Total polyphenol (TPP) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity were also measured. The anti-inflammatory effect, as well as TPP and DPPH, was comprehensively detected in the ethanol extracts. The immunostimulating activity was observed in the boiled extracts at different levels, depending on the swelling stage, and was especially high in the top (apical) part. These data may indicate that functional components could be dynamically induced by interactions between Z. latifolia and U. esculenta.
White bamboo is the swollen stem of Zizania latifolia parasitized by the smut fungus Ustilago esculenta. Five samples of galls were harvested at different stages of swelling, along with young ...seedlings of Z. latifolia and isolated colonies of U. esculenta. The inhibition capacity of boiling water or 50% ethanol extracts on NO release by RAW264 cells, which was stimulated with lipopolysaccharide, was evaluated as anti-inflammatory activity, while the NO induction capacity was evaluated as immunostimulatory activity. Total polyphenol (TPP) and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging activity were also measured. The anti-inflammatory effect, as well as TPP and DPPH, was comprehensively detected in the ethanol extracts. The immunostimulating activity was observed in the boiled extracts at different levels, depending on the swelling stage, and was especially high in the top (apical) part. These data may indicate that functional components could be dynamically induced by interactions between Z. latifolia and U. esculenta.
Anesthesia for thymectomy in myasthenia gravis (MG) is challenging. Video-assisted thoracoscopic thymectomy (VATT) presents a new approach to thymectomy. It provides less postoperative pain, ...shortened hospital stay and better cosmetic results by minimizing chest wall trauma. But that needs insertion of a double lumen tube (DLT) and deep anesthesia. Furthermore, patients with MG exhibit increased sensitivity to non-depolarizing muscle relaxants. We report two cases of myasthenic patients who underwent VATT and one lung ventilation with DLT. Anesthetic managements were successfully done with total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) with remifentanil and propofol and thoracic epidural anesthesia, without using neuromuscular blocking agents. The patients also showed good postoperative courses with little postoperative pain. Our experiences show that the combination of TIVA with remifentanil and propofol without using neuromuscular blocking agents and thoracic epidural anesthesia should be an effective technique for VATT providing satisfactory intra/post operative conditions.
There are few consistent anesthetic guidelines how to manage cesarean section in the presence of placenta previa. Main problem may be hemorrhage, as occasionary unexpected massive bleeding leads to ...life-threatening hemorrhage.
We investigated retrospectively, covering the period between April 1, 2001 and September 30, 2005, 30 women with placenta previa who had undergone cesarean section.
Comparing general anesthesia with regional anesthesia, there was not a significant difference between the two. Comparing totalis (T) with partial (P) in the classification of placenta previa, infusion and hemorrhage in T group were more pronounced than those in the P group. Regarding these operations performed during the weekend or at night, shortage of supportive anesthesiologist was pointed out.
These results indicate that regional and general anesthesia did not differ in the intraoperative incidence. In all cases at least two anesthesiologists and at least two venous lines are necessary to manage cesarean section in the presence of placenta previa.
We investigated the relationship between anti-acetylcholine receptor (AchR) antibodies titers and sensitivity to vecuronium in eleven patients with myasthenia gravis (MG). Blood samples were ...collected just before induction of anesthesia and serum anti-AchR binding antibodies and blocking antibodies were measured (Mitsubishi-Kagaku Bio-Chemical Laboratories Inc.). Anesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with sevoflurane, nitrous oxide and oxygen, together with epidural lidocaine. Vecuroniun was carefully administrated under neuromuscular transmission monitor (Datex). The initial dose (μg•kg-1) and maintenance dose (μg•kg-1•h-1) of vecuronium were calculated in each patient. AchR binding antibody was positive in six patients, and AchR blocking antibody was positive in ten patients. The maintenance dose was significantly inversely correlated to the serum AchR blocking antibody titer. Initial dose of vecuronium was significantly lower in patients positive for AchR binding antibody (group A) than in six non-MG control patients (group C). Maintenance dose of group A was significantly fewer than in patients negative for AchR binding antibody and positive for AchR blocking antibody (group B), and that in group B was significantly fewer than that in group C. We found marked sensitivity to veccuronium even in MG patients negative for AchR binding antibody (seronegative MG). We suspect anti-AchR blocking antibodies may play some part in the sensitivity to vecuronium in patients with MG.
Resistivity and blood flow of the limbs were studied by Admittance Plethysmograph in two groups of dialyzed patients: Group A of CTR <50% and Group B of CTR ≥50%. Resistivity of Group A before ...dialysis was lower, and that after dialysis was higher, than that of normal subjects. This suggested that dialyzed patients were hypervolemia before dialysis and became hypovolemia after dialysis. Blood flow of these patients before dialysis was lower than normal subjects, which became much lower after dialysis. Resistivity of Group B was low both before and after dialysis, suggesting that the patients of high CTR values were always in the state of hypervolemia. From these results it seems reasonable to conclude that resistivity and blood flow can be indexes for adequate dialysis.
A 71-year-old male patient with rheumatoid arthritis was scheduled for posterior fusion of the cervical spine. He showed limited cervical movement and atrophic mandible. Tracheal intubation was ...difficult in his last anesthetic management for the same surgery. This time, we planned a special procedure for predicted difficult tracheal intubation. After induction of general anesthesia, a size-4 laryngeal mask airway was inserted. Next, a flexible fiberscope sheathed with a 6.0-mm-ID cuffed endotracheal tube was inserted through a laryngeal mask airway into the trachea, and the fiberscope was withdrawn. Then, an endotracheal tube changer was inserted through the endotracheal tube. The laryngeal mask airway and the endotracheal tube were withdrawn simultaneously leaving the tube changer. Finally, a 7.5-mm-ID armored endotracheal tube was inserted through the tube changer. The procedure applied in this case is a safe and reliable intubating method in patients with difficult tracheal intubation.
PDF
