Presence of rhodopsin and porphyropsin in the eyes of 164 fishes, representing marine, diadromous, coastal and freshwater species--a qualitative and comparative study.

There are two types of visual pigments in fish eyes; most marine fishes have rhodopsin, while most freshwater fishes have porphyropsin. The biochemical basis for this dichotomy is the nature of the chromophores, retinal (A1) and 3-dehydroretinal (A2), each of which is bound by an opsin. In order to study the regional distribution of these visual pigments, we performed a new survey of the visual pigment chromophores in the eyes of many species of fish. Fish eyes from 164 species were used to examine their chromophores by high-performance liquid chromatography--44 species of freshwater fish, 20 of peripheral freshwater fish (coastal species), 10 of diadromous fish and 90 of seawater fish (marine species) were studied. The eyes of freshwater fish, limb freshwater fish and diadromous fish had both A1 and A2 chromophores, whereas those of marine fish possessed only A1 chromophores. Our results are similar to those of previous studies; however, we made a new finding that fish which live in freshwater possessed A1 if living near the sea and A2 if living far from the sea if they possessed only one type of chromophore.

Treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia using transurethral microwave thermotherapy and dilatation with double-balloon catheter.

PURPOSE: To improve the outcome of transurethral microwave thermotherapy (TUMT) for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia, we combined TUMT and balloon dilatation (BD) with a double-balloon catheter and investigated its effects. PATIENTS AND METHODS: For a short-term trial, 40 patients were divided randomly into two groups: 20 patients received TUMT alone, and the other 20 received TUMT followed by BD. The degrees of symptoms were graded according to the International Prostate Symptom Score and Quality of Life score, and the peak urinary flow rate was measured before and 10 weeks after treatment. A historic control study of 527 patients was also performed to evaluate the long-term re-treatment rate: 98 of the patients received TUMT alone, and the other 429 patients received TUMT followed by BD. RESULTS: The symptom scores improved significantly in both groups. The peak uroflow rate was significantly increased in the group who received TUMT followed by BD (P < 0.01), whereas the change was not significant in the TUMT-alone group. Significant sustainability of long-term effects was more evident in patients receiving TUMT plus BD than in the TUMT-alone group, as judged by the higher proportion of BD-treated patients who required no further treatment during the 5-year study period in comparison with patients who received TUMT alone (66.3% v 28.6%, respectively; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Combined TUMT and BD achieves sufficient subjective and objective improvement and a sustainable long-term effect. We consider this combination technique to be useful for the treatment of prostatic hyperplasia.

Helicobacter pylori infection in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Studies on the relationship between high serum urea nitrogen, creatinine and Helicobacter pylori infection in hemodialysis patients still give conflicting results. In the present study we investigated the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori positivity in patients with hemodialysis [HD(+)] and without hemodialysis [HD(-)] and assessed the relationship between clinical factors, serum urea nitrogen, creatinine levels and Helicobacter pylori prevalence in these patients. METHODOLOGY: 117 patients with dyspeptic complaints were included in the study. They consisted of 36 HD(+) patients (31%) and 81 HD(-) patients (69%). Endoscopy was performed and gastric antral biopsies were obtained for immunohistochemical analysis for Helicobacter pylori in all patients. RESULTS: Helicobacter pylori was positive in 53(45%) of 117 patients [Hp(+)]. In univariate analysis Hp(+) patients received hemodialysis therapy significantly less often (P = 0.002) and had lower serum urea nitrogen (P = 0.0008) and creatinine (P = 0.003) levels than Hp(-) patients. There was no significant difference in age, gender, endoscopic findings or comorbid conditions (hypertension or diabetes mellitus) between these groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that only the serum urea nitrogen level was significantly associated with Helicobacter pylori prevalence (P = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that high serum urea nitrogen seems to correlate with a low prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and hemodialysis patients with high serum urea nitrogen may be protected against Helicobacter pylori infection.

Predictive value of uric acid in gastric mucosal damage in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Uric acid, which has an antioxidant effect, is present at very high serum levels in hemodialysis patients, but its effect has not yet been clarified. In this study we investigated whether or not serum uric acid levels could be associated with gastric mucosal damage in hemodialysis patients. METHODOLOGY: We performed endoscopy in 53 patients who were on dialysis for more than two months and determined the relationship between serum uric acid levels, clinical features and gastric mucosal damage. RESULTS: Of 53 patients, gastroduodenal ulcer was found in 13 patients (Ulcer group), gastritis lesions in 25 patients (Gastritis group) and no pathological findings in 15 patients (Normal group). Serum uric acid levels before the dialytic session were remarkably higher in the Ulcer group than in the Normal (P < 0.01) or Gastritis group (P < 0.05). There was also a significant difference between the Gastritis and Normal groups in the serum uric acid levels (P < 0.05). Alcohol intake and noncompliance resulted in a significant increase in both gastric mucosal damage (P = 0.009 and P = 0.010) and serum uric acid levels (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). Serum uric acid levels were markedly decreased after treatment with a proton pump inhibitor or H2 blocker. CONCLUSIONS: In hemodialysis patients alcohol intake and noncompliance contribute to the increase in serum uric acid levels and gastric mucosal damage, and serum uric acid levels have predictive values in gastric mucosal damage.