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Biomedical subjects

A Ito

Publications and source records attributed to A Ito.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

[An epidemiological study regarding the hearing acuity of residents in the area with high level of aircraft noise: results of hearing tests conducted in the vicinity of Kadena Air Base].

Hearing tests, primary and secondary, were conducted in two communities vicinal to Kadena US Air Base in Okinawa from May 1996 to July 1998. The noise exposure expressed in WECPNL as designated by the Defense Facilities Administration Agency ranged from 85 to 95 and above. A total of 2035 subjects aged between 25 and 69 years inclusive were considered eligible for inclusion in this study and among them 137 males and 206 females underwent the primary test. Before the test, subjects were asked about hearing difficulty, tinnitus, otological anamnesis and past experience of noise exposure at work and/or hobbies. The primary test was a pure tone audiometry using the ascending method of limits with 5 dB step at 7 test frequencies of 0.5 to 8 kHz. Forty individuals who were judged to have possible noise induced hearing loss were sent to Okinawa Chubu Hospital as subjects for the secondary test. The secondary test consisted of pure tone audiometry with 1 dB step at 9 test frequencies with the addition of 3 kHz and 6 kHz to the primary test frequencies, a Short Increment Sensitivity Index (SISI), test, tympanometry and audioscan audiometry. Based on test findings 12 subjects were considered to have noise induced hearing loss. The examiners interviewed the 12 subjects again to confirm that they had not experienced habitual or repeated intense noise exposure other than aircraft noise exposure around their homes. The geographical distribution of the subject's residences showed their proximity to the airfield, which strongly suggests that the cause of hearing loss may be exposure to aircraft noise from Kadena Air Base.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Directional distribution of radiation around an accident at a uranium fuel factory in Tokai-mura, 1999.

A beta-ray survey was carried out on concrete walls of the boundary and buildings after a criticality accident at a factory of JCO Co. Ltd. at Tokai-mura. A remarkable distribution of beta counts was observed on the walls depending on the complex internal and external structures of buildings surrounding a precipitation vessel containing uranium 23 days after the accident. The directional distribution function, based on the beta counts on the walls, was consistent with data concerning the neutron dose rate measured in several directions during the accident, suggesting an anisotropic neutron distribution to the residential area.

Humans↗
PubMed2001

A case of renovascular hypertension due to bilateral renal artery microaneurysm who succeeded in baby delivery.

We report the case of a young pregnant woman with bilateral renovascular hypertension due to renal microaneurysms from an unknown cause, who had a successful delivery. Pregnancy did not affect the disease activity even in the postpartum period. Her blood pressure was maintained within the normal range by administration of labetalol. Although the angiographic appearance of the symmetrical aneurysms in both renal artery beds from the interlobular to arcuate artery levels suggested polyarteritis nodosa of multiple microaneurysms in the bilateral interlobular arteries, the clinical features suggested other causes of renovascular hypertension, such as fibromuscular dysplasia and/or congenital microaneurysms. We were thus unable to reach a definitive diagnosis.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed2001

Risk factors for development of postoperative hypertension.

One hundred and eighty-nine patients who underwent digestive tract surgery were studied to investigate risk factors for the development of postoperative hypertension. We examined factors related to maximum postoperative systolic blood pressure and postoperative hypertensive urgency, a sign of postoperative hypertension. Data collected included blood pressure, age, sex, body mass index (BMI), medical history, total water balance and grade of surgical stress. Maximum postoperative systolic blood pressure and incidence of postoperative hypertensive urgency were the dependent variables. Mean preoperative systolic blood pressure, age and BMI were significantly related to maximum postoperative systolic blood pressure and postoperative hypertensive urgency. In addition, the grade of surgical stress was significantly related to maximum postoperative systolic blood pressure. In analyses of multiple variables, the adjusted odds ratio for postoperative hypertensive urgency was 1.16 for every 1 mmHg increase in mean preoperative systolic blood pressure, 1.05 for every 1 year increase in age and 0.82 for every 1 kg/m2 increase in BMI. These findings may have important clinical implications for the prevention of postoperative hypertension.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Introduction of ongoing research projects on echinococcosis at Asahikawa Medical College and some comments on the surveillance, prevention and control of alveolar echinococcosis in Japan].

All researchers working at Department of Parasitology, Asahikawa Medical College (AMC) have been involved in either basic or applied research on echinococcosis (alveolar echinococcosis; AE, cystic echinococcosis; CE) and neurocysticercosis (NCC). As these parasitic diseases are 1) most serious helminthic infections threatening human life, 2) caused by the larval stage of very closely related taeniid cestodes and 3) recognized as global emerging parasitic diseases, we have to establish research reference center for differentiation of these diseases, since the recommendations for the treatment of these three diseases differ critically. We at AMC have already established highly reliable differential serodiagnosis for these all using native antigens and recombinant antigens for AE and NCC. Based on such scientific contribution, we have been involved in many international collaboration projects on AE, CE and NCC in Asia, Europe, Africa and America. Basic research from mitochondrial DNA analysis of Echinococcus multilocularis (causative agent of AE) and Taenia solium (NCC) has revealed and/or implied the origin of the polymorphism of these parasites in the world and diversity of pathogenicity. Epidemiological surveillance of AE in China has strongly suggested that the risk factor is dog carer but not dog feces, dog owned, wild herbs or fox hunting. As the ongoing serology in Hokkaido carried out by the Hokkaido Institute of Public Health is for the primary screening of AE, it is impossible to identify AE patients. It is, therefore, recommended that serology for identification of AE without surgical confirmation is the key to be introduced for differentiation of AE patients, either asymptomatic or symptomatic, in order to recognize the incidence of AE in Hokkaido. Without the true incidence of AE, it is impossible to establish any reliable systems for the surveillance, prevention and control of AE in Hokkaido, Japan.

Echinococcosis↗
PubMed2001

Effect of myopia on frequency-doubling perimetry.

PURPOSE: To examine the effect of myopia, occasionally associated with glaucomatous eyes, on the results obtained by frequency-doubling perimetry (FDP). METHODS: Sixty emmetropic or myopic normal volunteers (mean age, 26.2 +/- 0.35 years, mean +/- SEM; range, 19-34) with good visual acuity and without glaucoma were divided into three groups. The groups were emmetropia to low-myopia (mean refractive error, -1.16 +/- 0.23 D), intermediate-myopia (-4.95 +/- 0.17 D), and high-myopia (-8.12 +/- 0.36 D; n = 20 each). All subjects were tested on the FDP full-threshold C-20 program and the Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA; Humphrey, Dublin, CA) full-threshold program on one randomly selected eye. FDP and the HFA test were conducted with the subjects wearing their full distance correction and with their distance correction with appropriate additional correction for near, respectively. The calculated mean sensitivity (MS), mean deviation (MD), pattern standard deviation (PSD), and test durations for FDP and the HFA test for the three groups were compared using one-way analysis of variance. The relationship between the refractive error and MS, MD, or PSD was also analyzed by simple regression analysis. RESULTS: The MS and MD for the fields determined by the HFA decreased significantly as the refractive errors increased, but there were no significant differences in the MS, MD, and PSD for FDP between the three groups. There were no significant differences in the test durations between the three groups for both FDP and HFA testing. The refractive error was correlated with both MS and MD only for the fields determined by the HFA. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that lens-corrected myopia does not alter the visual fields obtained by FDP, and FDP can therefore be used regardless of the presence of myopia.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Biological leaching of heavy metals from anaerobically digested sewage sludge using indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and sulfur waste in a closed system.

The utilization of indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and sulfur waste was investigated in order to remove heavy metals from anaerobically digested sewage sludge economically. Indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria existing in anaerobically digested sewage sludge were activated by adding elemental sulfur to the sludge and then the bacteria were isolated. It was found that indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria could utilize sulfur waste generated by desulfurization of digestion gas as a substrate. Then, biological leaching of heavy metals from anaerobically digested sewage sludge was carried out using indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and sulfur waste. By adding sulfur waste to sewage sludge, sulfuric acid was produced by the bacteria and the sludge pH decreased. Heavy metals in sewage sludge were effectively removed owing to the decrease of pH. The optimum amount of sulfur waste added to decrease the pH sufficiently was 5g/L when the sludge concentration was 2%. It was presented that the biological leaching of heavy metals from sewage sludge can be carried out in a closed system, where all required materials are obtained in a sewage treatment plant.

Environmental Pollution↗
PubMed2001

[Bacterial contamination of salvaged blood in open heart surgery: is that an airborne contamination or a normal skin flora contamination?].

We investigated sources of bacterial contamination of intraoperative salvaged blood producted by autologous transfusions device (CS; CELL SAVER 5, Heamonetics Corp., Braintree, MA). Eleven patients undergone open heart surgeries including 2 emergency operations with a median sternotomy enrolled in this study. Blood samples were drawn from salvaged blood bags. Airborne contaminants (AB) were collected by a blood agar plate put besides the operation bed for 30 minutes. The median wounds samples were collected by a swab. Bacterial growth was detected in 81.8% of salvaged blood samples. Twenty-nine bacterium were isolated from CS, 72.4% of those were Staphylococci. 9.1% of sample was positive in wound swabs. Forty bacterium were isolated from plate cultures. 65% of them were Staphylococci. Staphylococcus epidermidis and coagulase negative Staphylococcus isolated both CS and AB in the 2 cases had the same identify codes, and incubated from several AB cultures. Corynebacterium sp. is also isolated from both CS and AB cultures in other 2 same cases. In 7 out of 8 cases (87.5%), from which Staphylococci isolated in CS, the Staphylococci were cultured from AB in not the same but the other cases. In conclusion, highly incidence of the identification in identical code of Staphylococci indicated that the main source of CS contamination was highly suspected to AB.

Air Microbiology↗
PubMed2001

[Susceptibilities of bacteria isolated from patients with lower respiratory infectious diseases to antibiotics (1999)].

From October 1999 to September 2000, we collected the specimen from 430 patients with lower respiratory tract infections in 17 institutions in Japan, and investigated the susceptibilities of isolated bacteria to various antibacterial agents and antibiotics and patients' characteristics. Of 515 strains that were isolated from specimen (mainly from sputum) and assumed to be bacteria causing in inflammation, 506 strains were investigated. The breakdown of the isolated bacteria were: Staphylococcus aureus 78, Streptococcus pneumoniae 101, Haemophilus influenzae 104, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (non-mucoid) 58, P. aeruginosa (mucoid) 11, Moraxella subgenus Branhamella catarrhalis 41, Klebsiella pneumoniae 18, etc. Of 78 S. aureus strains, those with 4 micrograms/ml or above of MIC of oxacillin (methicillin-resistant S. aureus: MRSA) occupied 57.7%. Vancomycin and arbekacin showed the most potent activities against MRSA without detection of ABK-resistant strain (MIC: 64 micrograms/ml) and decrease of VCM-sensitive strains those were found in 1998. The frequency of S. pneumoniae exhibiting low sensitivity to penicillin (penicillin-intermediate S. pneumoniae: PISP + penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae: PRSP) decreased to 34.7% from 46.0% in 1998. The frequency of PRSP was 3.0%, being the least number after 1991. Carbapenems showed strong activities against S. pneumoniae. Especially, panipenem inhibited the growth of all 101 strains with MIC of 0.063 microgram/ml. Generally, all drugs showed strong activities against H. influenzae with MIC80s of 4 micrograms/ml or below. MICs of ofloxacin ranged between 0.063 microgram/ml and 4 micrograms/ml in 1998, however, those were 0.125 microgram/ml or below in all H. influenzae in 1999 showing the strongest activity. Tobramycin and ciprofloxacin showed strong activities against P. aeruginosa (both mucoid and non-mucoid) with MIC80s of 1 microgram/ml. Number of isolated P. aeruginosa (mucoid) was little as 11, however, the susceptibilities to all drugs were better than P. aeruginosa (non-mucoid). K. pneumoniae showed good susceptibilities to all drugs except for ampicillin with decreasing of low-sensitive strains compared to those detected in 1998. Also, all drugs generally showed strong activities against M. (B.) catarrhalis. MIC80s of all drugs were 2 micrograms/ml or below. The drug which showed the strongest activity was imipenem inhibiting all 41 strains with MIC of 0.063 microgram/ml. On the patients' characteristics, the number of patients aged 80 years or older who had been increased was decreased in 1999 in the distribution by age. The percentage of the elderly patients aged 70 years or older was 47.0%, which occupied almost a half number of the total patients as in the last year. As for the incidence by disease, bacterial pneumonia and chronic bronchitis were the highest. They were noted in 37.9% and 30.5% of the patients, respectively. In 1999, bronchial asthma was frequently observed as compared in recent years. It was noted in about 10% of the patients which is the same % as in bronchiectasis. We examined the number of strains from these patients with infections before and after administration of antibiotics. In patients with bacterial pneumonia, the number of isolated strains was almost the same between those before and after administration. However, in patients with chronic bronchitis, the number of strains remarkably decreased to less than the half of the total after administration of antibiotics in the last year, but it decreased to 2/3 of the total in 1999. On the administration of antibiotics and isolated bacteria by the day of administration, the bacteria which were isolated more before administration were H. influenzae in 28.4%, S. pneumoniae in 25.7%, M. (B.) catarrhalis in 12.0% and S. aureus in 10.6%. The frequency of S. aureus after administration over 15 days was almost the same as that before administration, but the frequency of P. aeruginosa (both mucoid and non-mucoid) was 36.8% which was higher than that before administration. The frequency of isolated S. pneumoniae was decreased after administration and none of them was isolated after completion of administration. However, that of H. influenzae was decreased to 7.1% after administration within 3 days, and many H. influenzae were isolated after completion of administration as 21.4%.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Enhanced GM3 expression, associated with decreased invasiveness, is induced by brefeldin A in bladder cancer cells.

We reported previously that non-invasive bladder cancer expresses high level of GM3 ganglioside, whereas invasive tumors have low levels. Since glycosphingolipid synthesis in Golgi is modified greatly by a macrocyclic lactone isolated from fungi, brefeldin A (BFA), we studied effects of BFA on expression of glycosphingolipids and on invasiveness of bladder cancer cell lines. Only GM3 synthesis in invasive tumors was greatly enhanced upon treatment with BFA; synthesis of other glycosphingolipids with lacto-series type 2 or globo-series structure in both invasive and non-invasive tumors was not changed. Invasiveness of bladder cancer cells was greatly decreased in association with the great increase of GM3 synthesis induced by BFA treatment. Level of sialyl-Lex expressed in invasive cell line YTS1, which provides the adhesive property of the cells to E-selectin, was unchanged upon BFA treatment. All the bladder cancer cell lines, regardless of invasiveness, highly express tetraspanin CD9. GM3 has been implicated as a co-factor of CD9 in control of tumor cell motility. Down-regulation of CD9 is associated with metastatic properties of tumor cells and survival of patients with colonic cancer. Therefore, enhanced synthesis of GM3 induced by BFA, causing decrease of invasiveness in bladder cancer, is ascribable to the capability of GM3 to interconnect integrin with CD9, in analogy to colonic cancer and perhaps many other types of cancer.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed2001

[Isolated cerebral and myocardial perfusion during aortic arch repair in neonates].

OBJECTIVES: To prevent possible neurologic injury after hypothermic circulatory arrest, aortic arch obstruction with cardiac defects is repaired in one stage using isolated cerebral and myocardial perfusion (ICMP). This study investigated serum S-100 protein(S-100) levels in neonates undergoing ICMP. METHODS: Between February 2000 and January 2001, 19 neonate patients underwent repair of critical congenital heart defects. Seven of these patients with aortic coarctation(n = 3) or interrupted aortic arch (n = 4) with ventricular septal defect(ICMP group) underwent primary total repair. An arterial cannula was inserted either into the ascending aorta or into a polytetrafluoroethylene graft which was anastomosed to the innominate artery. During arch repair, a cross-clamp was placed between the innominate and left carotid arteries, and an end-to-end arch anastomosis was performed with cerebral perfusion and heart beating. During ICMP the flow was reduced to maintain a radial artery pressure of 30-45 mmHg. The remaining 12 patients underwent complete transposition of great arteries(n = 9) or total anomalous pulmonary venous connection(n = 3) using a cardiopulmonary bypass(CPB) with flow of 150-180 ml/kg/min(control group). Sequential blood samples for S-100 determinations were taken after induction of anesthesia, 30 min after aortic declamping(post-ACC), 30 min after CPB, and 24 hr after CPB. RESULTS: There were no early and late deaths. Neurologic symptoms were not observed in any patients. Mean ICMP time in ICMP group was 17 +/- 4 min. In all patients, S-100 showed the highest value post-ACC and then declined with time. There were no differences in S-100 between the groups at any other time point. CONCLUSIONS: Selective cerebral perfusion through the innominate artery may be able to maintain brain circulation.

Aorta, Thoracic↗
PubMed2001

Induction of radio-adaptive response in colony formation by low dose X-ray irradiation.

In this study, we examined the induction of a radio-adaptive response to cell death using a colony formation test in m5S, G401.2/6TG.1 and HeLa cells. When m5S cells were subjected to priming irradiation of 0.05 to approximately 0.15 Gy 4 hr before being irradiated with 4.5 Gy, the survival ratios increased significantly to 39 to approximately 42%. The priming irradiation effect was also observed when G401.2/6TG.1 cells were subjected to priming irradiation of 0.025 to approximately 0.1 Gy 4 hr before being irradiated with 0.8 Gy. This effect showed a two-phasic characteristic, where the first peak was reached at 0.025 Gy, and the second peak was reached at 0.075 Gy. The first peak showed a survival ratio of 56%, while the second peak was at 55%. However, in HeLa cells, this priming irradiation effect was not observed. These results indicated that induction of the radio-adaptive response did not depend on whether cells are normal or cancerous. One of the differences in these cells is that m5S and G401.2/6TG.1 cells have gap-junctional intercellular communication, but HeLa cells do not. Induction of the radio-adaptive response may be related to gap-junctional intercellular communication.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2001

Chemical and biological removal of arsenic from sewage sludge.

Chemical and biological leachings of As and metals from sewage sludge were carried out using a batch reactor under an aerobic condition. Addition of phosphate to the sludge was ineffective for the elution of As from the sludge at neutral pH. Akalization of the sludge to pH 11 eluted sufficient As, whereas it was ineffective for Al, Cd, Mn and Zn. Furthermore, the effectiveness of ferric sulfate and iron oxidizing bacteria was investigated under acidic conditions. The application of ferric iron and/or iron oxidizing bacteria eluted As from the sludge more effectively than that of sulfuric acid only at pH 2. However, at pH 3, addition of ferric acid decreased significantly the amount of As eluted. It was found that the optimum pH was 2 for removing simultaneously As and metals from the sludge utilizing ferric iron or iron oxidizing bacteria.

Arsenic↗
PubMed2001

Comparison of the antigenicity of protoscoleces and microvesicles of Echinococcus multilocularis prepared from rats.

Rats are known to be relatively resistant to infection with Echinococcus multilocularis. However, when rats are inoculated with the parasite tissues, E. multilocularis proliferates slowly at first but after 6 months the cysts increase in size considerably and contain large numbers of protoscoleces. As rats survive for 18 months or longer, approximately 100 ml of packed protoscoleces can be produced from each rat. A comparison of the antigenicity of the protoscoleces and microvesicles by immunoblot methods showed that both Em18 and Em16 are shared components between both protoscoleces and microvesicles, although the latter have some additional antigenic components. In antigens prepared from protoscoleces, the banding patterns around Em18 were much simpler than those from microvesicles. Therefore, for serodiagnosis of E. multilocularis, antigens should be carefully prepared from protoscoleces rather than microvesicles from the rat.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Differential serodiagnosis of cystic and alveolar echinococcosis using native and recombinant antigens in Japan.

Our group at Asahikawa Medical College has established differential serodiagnosis for zoonotic larval cestodiases such as alveolar echinococcosis (AE), cystic echinococcosis (CE) and neurocysticercosis (NCC) using purified specific antigens. In this brief review, we introduce (a) four imported CE cases in Japan, easily identified serologically, (b) most recent advances in serology for differentiation of AE and monitoring of prognosis of AE in Japan. It includes application of affinity purified Em18 and prototype of a recombinant Em18 antigen. Serology using affinity purified Em18 antigens is showing much higher sensitivity for detection of AE cases which are usually undetectable by the ongoing serology for AE authorized in Hokkaido, Japan. As serology for AE, CE or NCC is still not popular in the majority of Asian countries, we expect that this review paper stimulates researchers who are interested in serology or serodiagnosis for these larval cestodiases including AE, CE and NCC.

Animals↗