Evaluation of milk quality in delivering sterilized milk with soft tank transportation system.

A new transportation system is proposed recently to improve the defects of liquid transportation by tank trucks. This method is called "soft tank transportation system"; a driver installs a sac-like container (soft tank), which is made from a tarpaulin with high-pressure resistant-waterproof zippers, in a general cargo vehicle. To evaluate the quality of sterilized milk by using the soft tank transportation system, ground and marine transportation for a long distance which took about 36 h from the shipper's loading to the receiver's unloading in a high-temperature summer season (average outside temperature was 33.4 degrees C) were carried out. Although the difference of milk temperature before and after the delivery varied from -0.7 to +1.4 degrees C, there was no difference in milk quality (fat, nonfat solids, total dissolved solids, and pH) and no coliform bacteria were detected. It can be evaluated that sterilized milk was carried in keeping good conditions by soft tank transportation system.

Serum total cholesterol of new students enrolled at Okayama University: trend during 1989-1998.

To clarify the trend of hypercholesterolemia in Japanese adolescents, we investigated the serial changes in body mass index (BMI) and serum total cholesterol (TC) concentrations among 5,700 new students enrolled at Okayama University in 1989, 1993, and 1998. After confirming the stability of the TC assay of serum samples stored at -80 degrees C, we measured serum TC levels in stored serum samples using an automated assay system. Although serum TC levels were higher in females than in males, these levels correlated weakly and positively with BMI (r = 0.21, P < 0. 001) in males but not in females. Serum TC concentrations progressively increased from 1989-1998 in both sexes, irrespective of changes in BMI. In subjects with normal BMI (> or = 19 and < 23 kg/m2), a significant increase in serum TC was noted from 1989-1998 in both males (157.2 +/- 1.0 to 163.6 +/- 0.9 mg/dl) and females (172.0 +/- 1.1 to 175.6 +/- 1.0 mg/dl). Our results indicate on increased incidence of hypercholesterolemia even in nonobese young Japanese adolescents. A concerted effort by health and education officials together with parents is necessary to prevent a further rise in the incidence of hypercholesterolemia among young Japanese.

Testosterone modulates serum leptin concentrations in a male patient with hypothalamic hypogonadism.

Serial measurements of body mass index (BMI), serum concentrations of testosterone (T), estradiol (E) and leptin (L) were performed before and after gonadotropin (Gn) therapy in an 18-year-old male subject (BMI 25.4 kg/m2) with idiopathic hypothalamic hypogonadism (IHH). We also measured the BMI and serum concentrations of L in 99 age-matched healthy subjects. Serum L correlated significantly with BMI in control subjects (r=0.84, p<0.0001). Baseline serum concentrations of L in our case were markedly high and both T and E were very low, but Gn therapy resulted in a gradual decrease in L and improvement in T and E, finally reaching the control levels of BMI-matched subjects. Our results demonstrate that T is a powerful negative modulator of serum L independent of BMI in conditions associated with low T levels, such as IHH.

Serum leptin correlates with serum uric acid but not serum testosterone in non-obese male adolescents.

To identify the serum factors that affect circulating leptin levels, we measured the serum concentrations of leptin, testosterone (T), estradiol (E), serum alanine aminotransferase, total cholesterol and uric acid (UA) in healthy male adolescents (age, 18.3 +/- 0.1 years, n=96). We also measured body mass index (BMI), percent body fat and thickness of skin fold to assess the effect of body constitution on serum leptin level. Since serum concentration of leptin significantly correlated with BMI (r=0.820, p<0.001), we analyzed the relation-ship between leptin/BMI ratio (L/BMI) and serum parameters. Analysis of data of subjects with normal serum T level showed a significant inverse correlation between L/BMI and serum T levels (n=96, r=-0.294, p<0.005), but no such correlation was present among non-obese subjects (n=70) with BMI of +/-20% of normal (22 kg/m2). There was no correlation between L/BMI and serum E level. Serum UA level significantly correlated with L/BMI in both the test group (n=96, r=0.520, p<0.001) and non-obese subjects (r=0.369, p<0.005). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that UA independently and significantly influenced serum leptin levels in both the test and control groups. Our results demonstrate that T weakly influences serum leptin concentration, and that UA concentrations strongly influences serum leptin in healthy male adolescents independent of their obesity level.

Relationship between serum leptin and fatty liver in Japanese male adolescent university students.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between serum leptin levels and fatty liver in male adolescents. METHODS: We investigated the relationship between the concentration of circulating leptin and fatty liver by measuring the serum concentration of leptin in 284 male students who received the matriculation health examination in Okayama University in 1996 (n = 197; age, 18-20 yr) or 1997 (n = 87; age, 18-20 yr). RESULTS: Serum leptin levels correlated positively with body mass index (BMI), percent body fat (%FAT), thickness of skin fold (TSF), and serum concentration of ALT in 197 subjects. Examination of serum leptin in 67 subjects with BMI > or = 24.2 but < 28.6 kg/m2 showed a progressively higher levels in subjects with high serum ALT. Serum leptin levels in subjects with abnormally high serum ALT (> or = 37 IU/L) were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in subjects with normal serum ALT, independent of BMI, %FAT, and TSF. Serum leptin levels were also significantly higher in subjects with fatty liver (detected by abdominal ultrasonography), independent of BMI and %FAT, compared with subjects without fatty liver. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that serum leptin level was an independent risk factor for fatty liver. In addition, serum leptin levels correlated with serum ALT (r = 0.518; p < 0.0005) and cholinesterase (r = 0.511; p < 0.0005) levels in 48 subjects with fatty liver. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that serum leptin concentrations are high in male adolescents with simple obesity and are associated with high serum ALT or fatty liver, independent of BMI and %FAT, suggesting that the concentration of circulating leptin correlates with fatty liver caused by accumulation of visceral fat.

Delusions and hallucinations in patients with borderline personality disorder.

To clarify the nature of delusional and hallucinatory symptoms in borderline personality disorder (BPD), the authors investigated five patients with BPD who developed those symptoms, and discussed their duration, recurrence, types of variants and relation to the situation. The duration of these symptoms tended to vary widely, although six of 11 episodes lasted more than 7 days. Episodes tended to recur in all patients two or three times. Each episode could be classified into three types of delusions and hallucinations, such as delusions without hallucinations, complicated delusion and hallucination, and hallucinations without delusion. Delusions without hallucination occurred a total of four times in two patients and had a tendency to occur when the patient confronted personal adversities. They projected their feelings directly toward the person concerned. A complicated delusion and hallucination was observed three times in two patients. This type of symptom also tended to occur at the time of interpersonal problems but the patient's attitude was more passive. Hallucination without delusion occurred a total of four times in three patients. This symptom tended to occur when the patient avoided an interpersonal relationship. In this case the patients isolated themselves from others and withdrew.

Genetic and chemical polymorphisms of saponins in soybean seed.

The variation in saponin composition in soybean seeds is explained by different combinations of five genes controlling the utilization of soyasapogenol glycosides as substrates. The function of these genes is variety-specific and organ-specific. Phenotypes of over 1000 soybeans were classified into eight saponin types, and the frequency of phenotypes was different between the cultivated [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and the wild soybean (G. soja Sieb. & Zucc.). The AaBc saponin type predominated in G. soja (58.4% of test collections), but was only found in 0.3% of G. max. Four unidentified arabinoside saponins were detected in the seeds of the AaBc type soybeans. The mode of inheritance of saponin types is explained by a combination of co-dominant, dominant and recessive acting genes. The combined chemical and genetic data show that the directed manipulation of soybean saponin composition is a possibility for the future.