IHN could be a clinical marker for the early phase of an exacerbation. Careful observation may be needed when INH is seen in patients with NMO, and the early initiation of the treatment could prevent subsequent neurological damage.

Summary:Correlations between Tl and T2 relaxation times and water and electrolyte content in the normal and ischemic rat and gerbil brains were studied by means of both nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic and imaging methods. In the spectroscopic experiment on excised rat brains, Tl was linearly dependent on tissue water content and T2 was prolonged in edematous tissue to a greater extent than expected by an increase in water content, showing that T2 possesses a greater sensi tivity for edema identification and localization. Changes in Na + and K + content of the tissue mattered little in the prolongation of relaxation times. Serial NMR imaging of gerbil brains insulted with permanent hemispheric isch- Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)imaging enables sensitive detection of cerebral ischemia within several hours after the onset of dis ease (Buonanno et aI. , 1983; Mano et aI. , 1983; Spetzler et aI. , 1983). T1 (spin-lattice) and T2 (spin-spin) relaxation times are prolonged in isch emic tissue, and the degree of damage and extent of injury can be pictorialized by NMR imaging. Pro longation of relaxation times is considered to be a result of the development of brain edema (Go and Edzes, 1975; Naruse et aI. , 1982). However, the contrast of the NMR image is arbitrarily controlled by the pulse sequence used. As a consequence, the Abbreviations used: IR, inversion recovery; NMR, nuclear magnetic resonance; PO, proton density; SE, spin echo; SR, sat uration recovery; TE, time to echo; n, time of inversion; TR , time of repetition. 212emia offered early lesion detection in TJ-and especially T2-weighted images (detection as soon as 30 min after insult). The progressive nature of lesions was also imaged. Calculated TJ and T2 relaxation times in regions of interest correlated excellently with tissue water con tent (r = 0.892 and 0.744 for T 1 and T2, respectively). As a result, detection of cerebral ischemia utilizing NMR imaging was strongly dependent on a change in tissue water content. The different nature of Tl and T2 relax ation times was also observed.

Objective Dementia is a major cause of disruption for a healthy life expectancy in Japan. It has been suggested that the number of teeth is a modifiable risk factor for cognitive impairment and dementia. We therefore examined the possible association between the cognitive function and the number of natural and artificial teeth in community-dwelling Japanese elderly individuals. Methods Among the participants in our prospective, community-based study, 210 elderly individuals (103 men and 107 women; 78.1±4.9 years; mean age±standard deviation) underwent both dental examinations and a Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), as well as various medical checkups, in 2016 and 2017. Results The number of natural teeth was significantly associated with an individual's MMSE score. The percentage of cognitively normal subjects (MMSE scores: 27-30) decreased significantly with a decrease in the number of natural teeth. Among the MMSE items, the calculation ability was significantly and independently associated with the number of natural teeth. Regression was calculated as the predicted score of MMSE =21+0.3×(years of schooling)+0.1×(number of natural teeth). Among individuals with 19 or fewer natural teeth, those who had a total of 20 teeth or more, including both natural and artificial teeth, had significantly higher MMSE scores than those who had 19 or fewer natural and artificial teeth combined. Conclusion The number of natural teeth was significantly associated with the cognitive function, especially the calculation ability, and the use of artificial teeth was associated with the preservation of the cognitive function in community-dwelling elderly individuals.

Poststroke patients with functional constipation, assessed by the Rome III criteria, from 6 hospitals were recruited in a study on the effects of the traditional Japanese medicine Daikenchuto (DKT) on constipation. Thirty-four patients (17 men and 17 women; mean age: 78.1 ± 11.6 years) were randomly assigned to 2 groups; all patients received conventional therapy for constipation, and patients in the DKT group received 15 g/day of DKT for 4 weeks. Constipation scoring system (CSS) points and the gas volume score (GVS) (the measure of the intestinal gas volume calculated from plain abdominal radiographs) were recorded before and after a 4-week observation period. The total score on the CSS improved significantly in the DKT group compared to the control (P < 0.01). In addition, scores for some CSS subcategories (frequency of bowel movements, feeling of incomplete evacuation, and need for enema/disimpaction) significantly improved in the DKT group (P < 0.01, P = 0.049, and P = 0.03, resp.). The GVS was also significantly reduced in the DKT group compared to the control (P = 0.03). DKT in addition to conventional therapy is effective in treating functional constipation in poststroke patients. This study was a randomized controlled trial and was registered in the UMIN Clinical Trial Registry (no. UMIN000007393).

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