Quality of life of Japanese seasonal allergic rhinitis patients is related to timing of pollen dispersal - multicenter analysis.

CONCLUSION: Both the symptoms score and quality of life (QOL) score increased in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis as pollen dispersed, and nasal congestion, which had a strong effect on sleep, had the largest effect on the decrease in 'total QOL' in all the groups of patients. OBJECTIVES: To assess QOL scores in patients with Japanese cedar (JC) pollinosis in relationship to timing of pollen dispersal. METHODS: A multicenter, inter-group, cross-sectional study was conducted in 905 adult symptomatic patients with JC pollinosis to investigate the Japanese Allergic Rhinitis Standard QOL Questionnaire (JRQLQ). The subjects were divided into five groups based on the timing of their responses to the questionnaire. JRQLQ scores were analyzed and compared among the patient groups. RESULTS: Both the symptoms score and JRQLQ score increased in patients as pollen dispersed. Among the symptoms of pollinosis, nasal congestion had the largest effect on the decrease in QOL, and had a strong effect on sleep, which may influence daytime activities and reduce QOL.

Development of cookie test for the simultaneous determination of glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance and postprandial dyslipidemia.

A new cookie test was developed for the simultaneous evaluation of multiple risk factors such as glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance and postprandial dyslipidemia. The cookie consisting of 75 g carbohydrate and 25 g fat is ingested and the blood samples are obtained at 0, 1 and 2 hours later. When the two carbohydrate sources, liquid glucose and test cookie, were compared as a glucose load within 3 months, the 2 hr plasma glucose levels were not statistically different, proposing the use of the same criteria at 2 hour glucose level for the diagnosis of diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in subjects without exocrine pancreatic dysfunction. In addition, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance (AUC insulin, and/or AUC insulin X AUC glucose), and postprandial hyperlipidemia (DeltaTG, Triglyceride; DeltaRLP, remnant like particles) have been simultaneously uncovered. Reactive hypoglycemia with adverse epigastric discomfort was observed in 26.3% of the control subjects with liquid glucose, while it was observed in only 1 case (5.3%) without any symptom with cookie tests. In fact, one reactive hypoglycemia out of 5 with liquid glucose turned out to be IGT with cookie test. In 64 subjects with lifestyle-related diseases, cookie test revealed hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in 56% respectively, postprandial hyperlipidemia in 39%, diabetes and IGT in 22-23% of each of the subjects and all showed at least one abnormal value. In contrast, in university students with exercise habit, all showed normal results with cookie test. In addition, improved insulin sensitivity over non-exercise group was obverved. In summary, the cookie test provided more informations compared with OGTT using liquid glucose and with fewer side effects. Simultaneous evaluation of glucose intolerance, hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, and postprandial hyperlipidemia was also possible.

[Evaluation of SMBG values using various instruments and clinical significance of forearm SMBG measurement].

Whole blood or plasma glucose values were compared between those measured using various instruments for SMBG and automated analyses in samples (antecubital vein) from 20 approximately 70 years old obtained at cookie tests. A good correlation between values in whole blood SMBG and plasma automated analyses values greater than r = 0.94 was observed for instruments A, C, F, and H, and the per cent difference from the automated values was less than 5% for A, B, E and H. Per cent difference of SMBG values by I was -16% in whole blood and -9% in plasma, suggesting the possibility of measuring real values in whole blood. With plasma, a good correlation greater than r = 0.95 was noted for A, C, F and K, and the per cent difference less than 10% was noted for C, E, F and I. A relatively good correlation (r: 0.63 approximately 0.90) between forearm SMBG value and plasma automated values was noted with the % difference of the mean less than 11%. During cookie test, there is no significant difference between forearm SMBG values and antecubital plasma automated values. Values at finger tips are significantly greater by 5 approximately 20% over automated plasma values. In conclusion, whole blood values by most of the SMBG instruments are well correlated with plasma automated values, although some disagreement was noted. Values at forearm are not different from plasma val ues of antecubital vein, while at finger tip SMBG values showed higher levels. The measurement at forearm is therefore recommended, and in addition the pain is less.

A subset of nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor-expressing neurons in the anterior hypothalamic area, as revealed in mice with lacZ reporter gene.

Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) is an endogenous peptide agonist for the opioid receptor homolog, N/OFQ receptor, and serves for the central control of autonomic functions. Morphological details including the cell types that may account for such N/OFQ functions, however, remain unclear. By using X-gal histochemistry for the detection of receptor-expressing cells at both light and electron microscopic levels, we examined the hypothalamus from the receptor-deficient mice bearing a lacZ insertional mutation in the N/OFQ receptor gene. The N/OFQ receptor reflected by lacZ expression was seen at high levels in the anterior hypothalamic area. With electron microscopy, lacZ expression was observed in a subset of neurons showing large cell size and indented nucleus.

The genome sequence and structure of rice chromosome 1.

The rice species Oryza sativa is considered to be a model plant because of its small genome size, extensive genetic map, relative ease of transformation and synteny with other cereal crops. Here we report the essentially complete sequence of chromosome 1, the longest chromosome in the rice genome. We summarize characteristics of the chromosome structure and the biological insight gained from the sequence. The analysis of 43.3 megabases (Mb) of non-overlapping sequence reveals 6,756 protein coding genes, of which 3,161 show homology to proteins of Arabidopsis thaliana, another model plant. About 30% (2,073) of the genes have been functionally categorized. Rice chromosome 1 is (G + C)-rich, especially in its coding regions, and is characterized by several gene families that are dispersed or arranged in tandem repeats. Comparison with a draft sequence indicates the importance of a high-quality finished sequence.