Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Hori

Publications and source records attributed to A Hori.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Clinical significance of extra-pulmonary involvement of invasive aspergillosis: a retrospective autopsy-based study of 107 patients.

Disseminated aspergillus infection has a poor prognosis, but few reports have been published on extra-pulmonary involvement in aspergillosis. We reviewed 107 autopsy records of patients with invasive aspergillosis. Fifty-five patients had extra-pulmonary aspergillosis. Organs involved included heart, kidney, central nervous system, gastrointestinal tract, spleen, liver, thyroid gland and pancreas. Extra-pulmonary aspergillosis produces different manifestations according to involved organs. Risk factors associated with dissemination included cytotoxic chemotherapy within a month of death (P=0.0087). Lack of response to empiric or preemptive treatment of amphotericin B predicted IA dissemination (P=0.0328). To improve prognosis of IA, it is important to recognize clinical features of extra-pulmonary aspergillosis and to institute the aggressive anti-fungal treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

DOSY study on dynamic catenation: self-assembly of a [3]catenane as a meta-stable compound from twelve simple components.

Synthesis of [2]catenane 6 has been successfully achieved by the combination of Pd complex 1 and pyridines 2 and 3 at a molar ratio of 2:1:1 in D20. A mixture of square molecule 4 (prepared from 1 and 2) and macrocycle 5 (obtained from 1 and 3), in which the final ratio of 1, 2, and 3 was kept 2:1:1 reorganizes in D2O/CD3OD (1:1) to form 6 within one day. However, the same mixture in D2O shows the formation of novel [3]catenane 7 along with the [2]catenane. In order to make 7, the theoretical ratio of components 1, 2, and 3 should be 3:1:2. Thus, deliberately maintaining such ratio of the above-mentioned molecules, a higher proportion of the [3]catenane is observed in D2O as found from 1H NMR spectra of the system. Reorganization of the twelve components to form [3]catenane is supported by studies with the DOSY method. This method is a first attempt to separate, from a mixture, either catenanes or any other supramolecular self-assembly structures. CSI-MS studies further support the assigned catenane super structures 6 and 7. All the results indicate that the [2]catenane is thermodynamically the most stable structure, while the [3]catenane is a meta-stable self-assembly.

DNA↗
PubMed2001

Metastin suppresses the motility and growth of CHO cells transfected with its receptor.

We recently reported having identified of the ligand for an orphan G-protein-coupled receptor, hOT7T175, as the gene product (68-121)-amide of the metastasis suppressor gene KiSS-1. We further showed that the ligand, which we named "metastin," inhibits chemotaxis and invasion of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with hOT7T175 cDNA (CHO/h175) in vitro, and pulmonary metastasis of hOT7T175-transfected B16-BL6 melanomas in vivo. In the present study, we investigated the activity of metastin in CHO/h175 cells in greater detail. Metastin significantly suppressed motility in a chemotaxis assay and wound healing assay at 10-100 nM order concentrations. Two N-terminally truncated peptides, metastin(40-54) and metastin(45-54) inhibited the migration of CHO/h175 cells as potently as metastin itself. Metastin also inhibited the spreading, monolayer growth and colony formation in agar (0.8%) of CHO/h175 cells at 10-100 nM concentrations. These results indicate that metastin is a potent inhibitor of cell motility, leading to suppression of cell growth and antimetastatic activity, and suggest that low molecular chemical compounds could replace its activity as a novel antimetastatic agent.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Metastasis suppressor gene KiSS-1 encodes peptide ligand of a G-protein-coupled receptor.

Metastasis is a major cause of death in cancer patients and involves a multistep process including detachment of cancer cells from a primary cancer, invasion of surrounding tissue, spread through circulation, re-invasion and proliferation in distant organs. KiSS-1 is a human metastasis suppressor gene, that suppresses metastases of human melanomas and breast carcinomas without affecting tumorigenicity. However, its gene product and functional mechanisms have not been elucidated. Here we show that KiSS-1 (refs 1, 4) encodes a carboxy-terminally amidated peptide with 54 amino-acid residues, which we have isolated from human placenta as the endogenous ligand of an orphan G-protein-coupled receptor (hOT7T175) and have named 'metastin'. Metastin inhibits chemotaxis and invasion of hOT7T175-transfected CHO cells in vitro and attenuates pulmonary metastasis of hOT7T175-transfected B16-BL6 melanomas in vivo. The results suggest possible mechanisms of action for KiSS-1 and a potential new therapeutic approach.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura without any evidence of thrombotic lesions at autopsy.

Diagnosis of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is usually based upon the clinical features, and does not always involve histopathological evidence. We recently had experience with a patient who developed the five signs characteristic for TTP. He had been treated for liver cirrhosis associated with chronic hepatitis B infection, and the hepatic function was severely impaired at admission. Blood levels of vWF (von Willebrand factor) and factor VIII were highly elevated to 506% and 632%, respectively. These findings suggested severe endothelial damage. Thus, the patient was diagnosed as having TTP secondary to severe hepatic damage, and plasma exchanges were initiated immediately. He responded poorly to the treatment, and finally died of pulmonary hemorrhage. At autopsy, hepatocellular carcinoma was identified in the cirrhotic liver, but it was surprising that thorough postmortem examination failed to show any evidence of thrombotic lesions. Our experience suggests that secondary TTP does not always involve pathological evidence of the thrombotic lesions, and that the formation of thrombi causing vessel occlusion might not be essential in the pathogenesis of some secondary TTP.

Cadaver↗
PubMed2001

[The causes of death in patients with non-MDR pulmonary tuberculosis in our hospital].

We studied the causes of death in 295 patients (mean (+/- SD) age 70.5 +/- 13.2 y.o.) with active non-MDR pulmonary tuberculosis who died in our hospital between 1991 and 1999. A hundred and twenty eight patients (43.4%, group A) died of tuberculosis, while 167 patients (56.6%) of other accompanying diseases. In 46 patients of the latter (15.6%, group B), pulmonary tuberculosis gave an unfavorable impact on their clinical course. In these patients the extent of pulmonary tuberculosis on chest roentgenograph was similar with the remaining 121 patients who also died of the accompanying diseases (41.0%, group C) and was less severe than those of the group A patients. Their nutritional conditions measured by serum albumin and choline-esterase level on admission, however, were as low as those of the group A patients and distinctly worse than those of the group C patients. Most patients of groups A and B died within 3 months after admission, while less than half patients of group C died during the same period. The age frequency distribution of the patients in groups B and C had a single peak in the age group 70 to 89, while that in group A showed two peaks, one similar peak as in groups B and C, and another peak in the age group 50 to 59. The numbers of homeless patients, of the patients with extensive cavitary lesions, and of the patients who died of ARDS (Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome) or severe pneumothorax in group A were the most also in the age group 50 to 59, indicating that the patients' delay in admitting to hospitals was the major cause of high motality in this age group. As to detailed causes of death in group A, patients died of respiratory failure (32 cases), emaciation (28 cases), progression of pulmonary tuberculosis (20 cases), ARDS (15 cases), tuberculosis-related diseases such as pneumothorax, hemoptysis, and DIC (24 cases). In groups B and C patients died of organ failure (36 cases), infectious diseases (33 cases) and malignancy (30 cases). The total number of died patients has increased, and the proportion of cases dying of ARDS and infectious diseases has increased statistically significantly recently.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[HIV seroprevalence in patients with tuberculosis].

The number of patients co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) in our hospital is increasing year after year. Although most patients were HIV tested because of miliary tuberculosis or extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, some patients were found HIV seropositive by chance. In order to determine the incidence of HIV seropositivity among TB patients, HIV testing was carried out in TB patients for two years from January 1998 with the consent of patients. TB patients who received anti-HIV antibody examination were 164 in 1998, and 149 in 1999 and among them HIV seropositive TB patients were 4 in 1998 and 6 in 1999. The incidence of HIV seropositivity was 3.2% in all TB patients, 28.6% in miliary TB patients, and 1.0% in typical TB patients. The number of patients co-infected with HIV and TB in Tokyo was estimated by using these HIV seropositivity, it was 23 cases/year among miliary TB patients and 16 cases/year among typical TB patients. As there were many HIV-infected persons and many TB patients in Tokyo, it was thought that HIV testing in TB patients was important for the early detection of HIV infection and the early initiation of HIV treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Activation of thrombosis and fibrinolysis following brain infarction.

To clarify the sequence of alterations in the thrombotic and fibrinolytic systems after acute brain infarction, we prospectively examined sequential changes in coagulatory markers in 38 patients suffering from cardioembolic infarcts (CEI), 41 patients with atherothrombotic infarcts (ATI), 58 patients with lacunar infarcts (LI), and 32 age-matched controls. The plasma level of thrombin-antithrombin III complex (TAT), fibrinopeptide A (FpA), D-dimer, fibrin degradation products-E (FDP-E), fibrinogen, alpha2-plasmin inhibitor-plasmin complex (PIC), and percent activity of antithrombin III (AT-III) were measured within 48 h, at 1 week, and at 3 weeks after the stroke onset. Significantly elevated levels of TAT and FpA, which are both markers of thrombin formation, were observed in CEI patients, and these elevated levels were associated with increasing D-dimer levels for 3 weeks (P<0.0001). D-Dimer in CEI patients was significantly elevated compared to control, LI and ATI levels within 48 h (P<0.001). Percent activity of AT-III was significantly decreased in CEI patients for 3 weeks compared to this activity in controls, LI and ATI (P<0.001). TAT and FpA also increased significantly within 48 h in ATI subjects and declined thereafter. A significant elevation of FDP-E (P<0.001) and D-dimer (P<0.05, P<0.01) was detected in parallel with increasing fibrinogen for 3 weeks. However, there was no significant depletion of percent activity of AT-III in ATI. In LI subjects, no significant elevation of TAT, D-dimer or FDP-E were observed within 1 week. PIC increased significantly in three subtypes of brain infarcts, but did not differ significantly among the three subtypes for 3 weeks. An accurate assessment of sequential alterations in thrombotic and fibrinolytic markers in the acute stage of brain infarct should contribute to the clinical diagnosis of brain infarct subtype. Alterations in these markers in response to activation of the coagulatory system are attributable to the different pathogenesis of ischemic stroke.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Neurons containing Alz-50-immunoreactive granules around the cerebral infarction: evidence for the lysosomal degradation of altered tau in human brain?

Little is known about the metabolic process of tau and tau-derived substances. Alz-50- and tau 2-immunoreactivities in intracellular granules of neurons were observed in regions surrounding infarcted foci in the human cerebral cortex. Ultrastructurally, these granules in the fresh infarcted region exhibited primary lysosome-like structures, while those in old infarctions were lipofuscin. These findings indicate that tau is metabolized within lysosomes in neurons damaged by ischemic injury in human cortical penumbra. Alz-50-positive granules were more prominent in fresh infarction than in old infarction. After undergoing degradation and modification, altered tau might remain, at least partially, in secondary lysosomes.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Hepatic vein reconstruction by external iliac vein graft using vascular clips.

The utility of hepatic vein reconstruction following resection of segments VII and VIII plus the right hepatic vein (RHV) is still controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the surgical benefits of hepatic vein reconstruction using stapled vascular clips and the draining area of hepatic vein using angiographic computed tomography (CT) to determine strict indications for hepatic vein reconstruction. Five patients underwent RHV reconstruction by external iliac vein graft using stapled vascular clips (VCS clips) following resection of segments VII and VIII, regardless of whether an inferior right hepatic vein (IRHV) was present. In eight other patients CT during arterial portography (CTAP) under temporary RHV occlusion using a balloon catheter was performed to determine the drainage area of the RHV. Operating times were 240 to 400 minutes (mean 336 +/- 59 minutes), and the mean hepatic vein reconstruction time was 26 +/- 5 minutes. There were no complications related to the surgery. Follow-up examinations showed patency of the graft in all cases; three patients are still alive with long-term graft patency of 10 to 24 months. CTAP under RHV occlusion demonstrated that segment VI and part of segment V were almost hypoattenuated in cases of absent or small IRHV, although those segments were hyperattenuated in thick IRHV and RHV-IRHV communicating patients. In conclusion, this anastomotic technique using vascular clips resulted in sound patency of the graft, which was accomplished by a simple technique. Preoperative CT AP with the RHV occlusion method can be useful for determining whether hepatic vein reconstruction is necessary.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Group collaboration in recognition memory.

Group collaboration was examined in item and associative recognition. The present study distinguishes between group effects versus collaborative processes and defines the latter as interactive information exchange among group members. By that definition, many group effects do not involve collaboration. For example, group performance can exceed individual performance by pooling the increased resources of the group. Specifically, a group advantage can be obtained by deferring to a majority vote or to the group's best member. For both item and associative recognition, a group advantage was obtained that could not be accounted for by resource pooling. Collaborative facilitation was shown reliably in recognizing targets but not for rejecting distractors.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Lateral asymmetry in activation of hypothalamic neurons with unilateral amygdaloid seizures.

PURPOSE: Reproductive disorders are unusually frequent among women with temporal lobe seizures. The particular type of disorder may be related to the laterality and focality of epileptiform discharges. Here we examined whether unilateral amygdaloid seizures activate hypothalamic neurons involved in reproductive function and reproductive endocrine secretion in female rats and whether such activation shows lateral asymmetry. METHODS: Numbers of Fos-immunoreactive (Fos-ir) neurons in various hypothalamic regions were compared for three groups of animals: (a) unilateral amygdala-kindled, (b) implanted but unstimulated, and (c) unimplanted. RESULTS: Fos-ir neurons showed strong ipsilateral occurrence in the medial preoptic, ventrolateral part of the ventromedial, and ventral premammillary nuclei, sexually dimorphic regions involved in reproductive endocrine regulation. No significant lateral asymmetry was observed for other investigated hypothalamic regions. CONCLUSIONS: Unilateral amygdaloid seizures activate hypothalamic neurons that regulate reproductive endocrine secretion in a laterally asymmetric fashion. This may explain the clinical association of different reproductive endocrine disorders with left and right temporal epileptiform discharges.

Amygdala↗
PubMed1999

Warming-activated channels of warm-sensitive neurons in rat hypothalamic slices.

In mammals, multiple thermostats in several brain areas, e.g. the preoptic area and anterior hypothalamus (POAH), may regulate core temperature. In these areas, warm-sensitive (WS) and cold-sensitive (CS) neurons have been recorded. In our previous study, we proposed that primary WS and CS neurons act as multiple thermostats having threshold temperatures as target temperatures of regulation. Here we investigated ionic basis of WS neurons in rat POAH slices with patch-clamp technique. In whole-cell current-clamp recordings, warming above threshold temperatures induced depolarization (receptor potential), leading to spike generation. Whole-cell voltage-clamp and cell-attached patch recordings indicated that warming-activated non-selective cation channels underlie the receptor potential and spike generation. We conclude that the warming-activated channel in primary WS neurons is a key factor of thermostats.

Animals↗