Progression of alcoholic and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis: common metabolic aspects of innate immune system and oxidative stress.

Growing evidence indicates that the innate immune system and oxidative stress caused by gut-derived endotoxins play a key role in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Intracellular mechanisms associated with endotoxin-induced signaling play a crucial role in the initiation and progression of ALD. It is now widely accepted that activation of the innate immune system and increased release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other mediators play an important role in the development of ALD. Accumulating evidence suggests that alcohol-mediated upregulation of CYP2E1 expression may initiate lipid peroxidation via reactive oxygen species. Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a liver disease characterized by histopathological features similar to those observed in ALD, but in the absence of significant alcohol consumption. Initial efforts to clarify the mechanisms that promote the progression from steatosis to steatohepatitis somewhat artificially divided disease mechanisms into "first and second hits." This model considered the development of steatosis to be the "first hit," increasing the sensitivity of the liver to the putative "second hit," leading to hepatocyte injury, inflammation, and oxidative stress. We have emphasized the important role of gut-derived bacterial toxins, the innate immune system, and oxidative stress in the common pathogenic mechanism in ALD and NASH progression.

A pilot study exploring the effects of reflexology on cold intolerance.

Cold intolerance is an inability to tolerate cold temperatures and is accompanied by symptoms including headache, shoulder discomfort, dizziness and palpitations. The current study was performed to examine whether reflexology therapy affected cold intolerance in human subjects and whether the treatment was systemically effective. Ten female volunteer examinees with subjective feelings of cold were examined. After a 5-minute foot bath, 10 minutes of reflexology therapy was performed on their left foot. Skin temperature and blood flow were estimated before and after treatment, together with an interview concerning their feelings of cold and daily habits. In addition, how the recovery rate was affected by the application of a chilled-water load was also estimated. Along with significant increases in skin temperature and blood flow compared with pre-treatment at the bilateral points of KI-1, LR-3, and BL-60, a faster recovery after the application of the chilled-water load was also seen in the lower limbs on both sides. From these results, we conclude that reflexology has systemic effects and is an alternative method for treating cold intolerance.

Propylene Polymerization Performance of Isolated and Aggregated Ti Species Studied Using a Well-Designed TiCl(3) /MgCl(2) Ziegler-Natta Model Catalyst.

In propylene polymerization with MgCl(2) -supported Ziegler-Natta catalysts, it is known that the reduction of TiCl(4) with alkylaluminum generates Ti(3+) active species, and at the same time, leads to the growth of TiCl(x) aggregates. In this study, the aggregation states of the Ti species were controlled by altering the Ti content in a TiCl(3) /MgCl(2) model catalyst prepared from a TiCl(3) · 3C(5) H(5) N complex. It is discovered that all the Ti species become isolated mononuclear with a highly aspecific feature below 0.1 wt.-% of the Ti content, and that the isolated aspecific Ti species are more efficiently converted into highly isospecific ones by the addition of donors than active sites in aggregated Ti species.