The short-term outcome of POEM for achalasia was excellent; further studies on long-term efficacy and on comparison of POEM with other interventional therapies are awaited.

Dietary polyphenols are thought to be beneficial for human health as antioxidants. Coffee beans contain a common polyphenol, chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid is the ester of caffeic acid and quinic acid. Although these polyphenols have received much attention, there is little evidence indicating a relationship between the effect and the rate of absorption. In this study, we focused on the beneficial effects of chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid, a major metabolite of chlorogenic acid. We carried out in vitro and in vivo experiments. In the in vitro study, caffeic acid had stronger antioxidant activity than that of chlorogenic acid. The uptake of chlorogenic acid by Caco-2 cells was much less than that of caffeic acid. The physiological importance of an orally administered compound depends on its availability for intestinal absorption and subsequent interaction with target tissues. We then used an intestinal ischemia-reperfusion model to evaluate antioxidant activities in vivo. We found that both chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid had effects on intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Since caffeic acid has a stronger antioxidant activity than that of chlorogenic acid and chlorogenic acid is hydrolyzed into caffeic acid in the intestine, it is possible that caffeic acid plays a major role in the protective effect of chlorogenic acid against ischemia-reperfusion injury.

The Japanese dietary pattern was associated with a decreased risk of CVD mortality, despite its relation to sodium intake and hypertension.

. Effects of menstrual cycle and physical training on heat loss responses during dynamic exercise at moderate intensity in a temperate environment. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 288: R1347-R1353, 2005. First published January 27, 2005 doi:10.1152/ajpregu.00547.2004.-We evaluated the effects of the menstrual cycle and physical training on heat loss (sweating and cutaneous vasodilation) responses during moderate exercise in a temperate environment. Ten untrained (group U) and seven endurance-trained (group T) women (maximal O2 uptake of 36.7 Ϯ 1.1 vs. 49.4 Ϯ 1.7 ml ⅐ kg Ϫ1 ⅐ min Ϫ1 , respectively; P Ͻ 0.05) performed a cycling exercise at 50% maximal O 2 uptake for 30 min during both the midfollicular and midluteal menstrual phase in a temperate environment (ambient temperature of 25°C, relative humidity of 45%). In group U, plasma levels of estrone, estradiol, and progesterone at rest and esophageal temperature (Tes) during exercise were significantly higher during the midluteal than during the midfollicular phase (P Ͻ 0.05). Sweating rate and cutaneous blood flow (measured via laserDoppler flowmetry) on the chest, back, forearm, and thigh were lower during the midluteal than during the midfollicular phase during exercise. Tes threshold for heat loss responses was significantly higher and sensitivity of the heat loss responses was significantly lower in the midluteal than in the midfollicular phase, regardless of body site. These effects of the menstrual cycle in group U were not observed in group T. The sweating rate and cutaneous blood flow were significantly higher in group T than in group U, regardless of menstrual phase or body site. Tes threshold for heat loss responses was significantly lower and sensitivity of heat loss responses was significantly greater in group T than in group U in the midluteal phase; however, sensitivity of the sweating response was significantly greater in the midfollicular phase. These results suggest that heat loss responses in group U were inhibited in the midluteal phase compared with in the midfollicular phase. Menstrual cycle had no remarkable effects in group T. Physical training improved heat loss responses, which was more marked in the midluteal than in the midfollicular phase. thermoregulation; estradiol; progesterone; long-term endurance training; heat acclimatization HEAT LOSS RESPONSES, SUCH as sweating and cutaneous vasodilation, during exercise in women differ from those in men because female hormones modify the responses after puberty (3). All studies of the effects of the menstrual cycle on heat loss responses during exercise have demonstrated that the core body temperature thresholds for sweating and cutaneous vasodilation are higher during the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle than during the follicular phase (14,15,17,18,23,31,33,35). In addition, the rise in the core body temperature threshold for sweating and cutaneous vasodilation during the luteal phase is mainly due to elevated progesterone concentrations (8, 31).Conversely, there are conflictin...

Reactivation of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in patients undergoing chemotherapy is well-documented, but reactivation during imatinib mesylate treatment has not been reported. This study reports a 54-year-old man, without prior liver dysfunction but with chronic HBV infection, in whom fatal HBV reactivation occurred during treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) with imatinib mesylate. He developed fulminant hepatitis followed by marked elevation of HBV DNA polymerase, probably from the lymphocytopenic and immunosuppressive status induced by imatinib mesylate. Imatinib mesylate is widely used to treat CML patients. Although therapy with imatinib mesylate is generally well tolerated, the case presented here suggests that viral reactivation should be considered, even when using imatinib mesylate to treat CML.