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Notizen: The electrorheology (ER) effect of ferroelectric liquid crystals is observed under shear-horizontal (SH) wave propagation. The ER effect is strongly dependent on the orientation direction of the liquid-crystal molecule. The apparent viscosity is evaluated through the numerical analysis result on the propagation characteristics of a SH wave in a trilayer structure including a ferroelectric liquid-crystal (Chisso, CS1014) layer between two glass plates. The ER effect is examined by the relation between the orientation of smectic layers and the propagation direction of the SH wave. © 2001 American Institute of Physics.

Notizen: Background : Omeprazole 10 mg is used as maintenance therapy for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, but previous reports have not mentioned the potency of its acid suppression.Aim : To evaluate the potency of acid suppression with omeprazole 10 mg, in relation to CYP2C19 genotypes.Methods : Eighteen healthy subjects without Helicobacter pylori participated. After a 7-day regimen of omeprazole 10 mg, 20 mg, lafutidine 20 mg (a novel H2-receptor antagonist) or water only (baseline data), intragastric pH was measured for 24 h.Results : With omeprazole 10 mg, greater differences were observed than 20 mg in median pH values and pH 〉 4 holding time ratios between poor metabolizers (PMs, n = 6) and the others [homozygous extensive metabolizers (homo-EMs, n = 6) and heterozygous extensive metabolizers (hetero-EMs, n = 6)]. With lafutidine 20 mg, these parameters were not influenced by the genotype. The potency of acid suppression was: omeprazole 20 mg ≈ lafutidine 20 mg 〉 omeprazole 10 mg in homo-EMs, omeprazole 20 mg 〉 omeprazole 10 mg ≈ lafutidine 20 mg in hetero-EMs, and omeprazole 20 mg ≈ omeprazole 10 mg 〉 lafutidine 20 mg in PMs.Conclusions : Omeprazole 10 mg strongly suppresses acid secretion, but depending on the CYP2C19 genotypes shows greater interindividual variations in suppression than 20 mg.

Notizen: We have previously reported that voltage-dependent Ca2+ (VDC) channels of rat melanotrophs are inhibited by prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). In this study, mechanisms involved in the inhibitory actions of PGE2 receptors of rat melanotrophs were analysed using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Ca2+-imaging and whole-cell, patch-clamp techniques with recently developed EP agonists, each of which is selective for the known four subclasses of EP receptors (EP1–4). PGE2 reversibly suppressed the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). The maximum reduction in [Ca2+]i by PGE2 was comparable to that by dopamine or to that by extracellular Ca2+ removal. RT-PCR analysis of all four EP receptors revealed that EP3 and EP4 receptor mRNAs were expressed in the intermediate lobe. The effects of PGE2 to suppress [Ca2+]i were mimicked by the selective EP3 agonist, ONO-AE-248, whereas three other EP agonists, ONO-DI-004 (EP1), ONO-AE1-259 (EP2) and ONO-AE1-329 (EP4), had little or no effect on [Ca2+]i. All four G-protein activated inward rectifying K+ (GIRK) channel mRNAs were identified in intermediate lobe tissues by RT-PCR. Dopamine concentration-dependently activated GIRK currents, whereas PGE2 did not activate GIRK currents, even at the concentration causing maximal inhibition of VDC channels. These results suggest that PGE2 acts on EP3 receptors to suppress Ca2+ entry of rat melanotrophs by selectively inhibiting VDC channels of these cells. We have compared the possible cellular and molecular mechanisms of inhibition by dopamine and PGE2.

Notizen: Background, aims: The present study was undertaken to assess the periodontal status of a rural Japanese population and to study the correlation between the periodontal status and the serum antibody titers for Porphyromonas gingivalis (Pg) fimbriae.Method: A total of 236 individuals were examined for their periodontal conditions by the use of the community periodontal index for treatment needs (CPITN), and serum antibody titers for Pg fimbriae in their peripheral blood samples were evaluated using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results: There was a substantially larger proportion of edentulous subjects in the age group older than 60 years. The remaining teeth were 24.1, 23.2, 11.1 and 10.1 per person in the 40–49, 50–59, 60–69 and 〈inlineGraphic alt="geqslant R: gt-or-equal, slanted" extraInfo="nonStandardEntity" href="urn:x-wiley:03036979:JCPE280311:ges" location="ges.gif"/〉70 age groups, respectively. The % of sextants with a CPITN code of missing sextant (MS) increased towards elderly and reached 〉60% in the age group of 〈inlineGraphic alt="geqslant R: gt-or-equal, slanted" extraInfo="nonStandardEntity" href="urn:x-wiley:03036979:JCPE280311:ges" location="ges.gif"/〉70 years, as the % of the CPITN 2, 1 or 0 sextant decreased. The % of CPITN 4 and 3 sextants did not differ between different age groups and were about 6–8% and 15–20%, respectively. The % of CPITN 1 or 0 sextants was higher in female subjects than in male subjects in the 60–69 and 〈inlineGraphic alt="geqslant R: gt-or-equal, slanted" extraInfo="nonStandardEntity" href="urn:x-wiley:03036979:JCPE280311:ges" location="ges.gif"/〉70 age groups, while the % of CPITN 4 or 3 sextants was higher in male subjects than in female subjects in all age groups. There was no significant difference between various age groups in the mean serum antibody titers for Pg fimbriae. The mean anti-Pg fimbriae antibody titers was significantly higher for the subjects with a maximum CPITN code 4 (max.-CPITN 4 subject) than for the subjects with lower maximum CPITN codes. The antibody titers varied extensively among the max.-CPITN 4 or 3 subjects, but not among the max.-CPITN 2/1/0 or MS subjects.Conclusions: The present study demonstrated that tooth loss is a remarkable event in elderly subjects and that oral prophylaxis and mechanical debridement should be mandatory in the population examined. It was also demonstrated that the serum antibody titers against Pg fimbriae could be useful for screening individuals with moderate to severe periodontitis.