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Biomedical subjects

A Nagano

Publications and source records attributed to A Nagano.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Significance of the parathyroid hormone-related protein expression in breast carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) is produced by various neoplasms and is known to be a causative factor of hypercalcemia of malignancy. It has also been suggested to act as a cytokine for tumor progression. The purpose of this study was to clarify the significance of PTHrP expression in breast carcinoma. METHODS: PTHrP expression was examined in 177 surgically resected breast carcinoma specimens by immunohistochemistry using a monoclonal antibody against the for PTHrP, The relationship of PTHrP expression with clinicopathological factors was analyzed and the clinical courses of the patients are reported. RESULTS: Positive PTHrP staining was detected in 113 ( 64%) of the breast tumors. Among the positive cases, 36 (32%) of the tumors clearly showed strong expression. When the PTHrP expression was divided into three categories, a significant positive relationship was found between PTHrP expression and histological grade of tumor. PTHrP expression was also significantly related to bone metastasis but the staining degree of PTHrP was not. The patients with positive PTHrP tended to have poor outcome in proportion to the staining degree. Univariate analysis demonstrated a significantly shorter overall survival for patients expressing PTHrP, and in multivariate analysis showed that PTHrP status and nodal status were associated with a significantly shorter overall survival. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that PTHrP expression is not only correlated with bone metastasis but is also related to the progression of breast carcinoma, and that overexpression of PTHrP may be a potential prognostic factor for human breast carcinoma.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Estimation of the architectural properties of cortical bone using peripheral quantitative computed tomography.

We assessed the volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and cross-sectional architecture of cortical bone at the distal radius by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). The volumetric bone mineral density [integral bone mineral density (BMDi), trabecular bone mineral density (BMDt) and cortical with subcortical bone mineral density (BMDsc)] and the architectural parameters [cortical bone area (CBA), cortical thickness (C-th), moment of inertia (Im) and polar moment of inertia (Ip)] were measured in 115 healthy premenopausal women, 48 osteoporotic postmenopausal women and 78 age-matched healthy postmenopausal women. Age-matched healthy women had higher values of vBMD and architectural parameters at the distal radius than osteoporotic women. Premenopausal women had higher values of vBMD and architectural parameters at the distal radius than postmenopausal women. The differences in the architectural parameters between age-matched healthy women and osteoporotic women were more pronounced when only the high density area (threshold 0.70 cm(-1)) was included. However, the differences in architectural parameters between premenopausal women and postmenopausal women were significant using even the lowest threshold value of 0.50 cm(-1) in the calculation. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were constructed and the areas under the curves calculated to evaluate the discriminating power of vBMD and architectural parameters. Comparison of the different ROC curves showed no statistical significance. In conclusion, our results suggest that both the density and mass distribution of the radius were clearly different between the healthy women and osteoporotic women. The differences in architectural parameters were more useful for studying the pathophysiology of osteoporosis than for contributing to the diagnosis. Determination of the cross-sectional mass distribution of bone combined with BMD should offer more information than BMD alone in the study of the pathophysiology of osteoporosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Age and menopause-related changes in phalangeal bone density of Japanese women, measured by a digital image processing method.

The bone density (BD), phalangeal index (PLI), and metacarpal index (MCI) of the proximal phalangeal and metacarpal bones of the index finger of the nondominant hand were measured, using a digital image processing (DIP) method, in a total of 345 normal Japanese women. In this study, two different locations were measured and the BD, PLI, and MCI decreased significantly after the age of 50 years (P < 0.01 vs values for women in their third decade). The BD, PLI, and MCI of the proximal phalangeal and metacarpal bones showed a significant decrease in postmenopausal groups compared with the pre-menopause group (P < 0.01), which indicated that not only trabecular bone but also cortical bone had an accelerative bone loss in the postmenopausal women. The BD in proximal phalangeal and metacarpal bones decreased by 0.69% and 0.74% / per year, respectively, and there were no significant differences between these annual decreases. The BD of proximal phalangeal bone had a good correlation with that of the metacarpal bone (r = 0.77; P < 0.01), which suggested that the measurement of proximal phalangeal BD was as useful as the measurement of metacarpal BD in screening for osteoporosis (coefficient of variation; CV, 0.64%). The data suggest that DIP has a potential application in screening for osteoporosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Levels of rheumatoid factor isotypes, metalloproteinase-3 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 in synovial fluid from various arthritides.

When synovial effusion is the only symptom, it is often difficult to make an exact diagnosis of the arthritic disease. To distinguish various types of arthritis with synovial effusion, we measured the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3, Stromelysin), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and rheumatoid factor (RF) isotypes in synovial fluid (SF) from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), pyogenic arthritis (PA), pseudogouty arthritis (PG), gouty arthritis (GA) and traumatic arthritis (TA). SF was aspirated from the knee joint or the ankle joint. Levels of IgG-, IgM- and IgA-RF isotypes were measured by ELISA. Levels of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 in SF were simultaneously determined by a one-step EIA system. Levels of IgG-RF, IgM-RF and MMP-3 in SF from RA patients were significantly higher than those in OA, PA, PG, GA and TA. However, IgA-RF in SF from RA patients, when compared with PA and GA, did not show a significantly increased level. In addition, TIMP-1 in SF from RA, when compared with PA and TA, also has not shown a significantly increased level. Therefore, in addition to analysing clinical data, measurements of IgG-RF, IgM-RF and MMP-3 in SF may contribute in distinguishing RA from other arthritic diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Comparison of the analytical and clinical performance characteristics of an N-MID versus an intact osteocalcin immunoradiometric assay.

Osteocalcin is the most abundant non-collagenous protein in bone, reflecting its formation. It was reported that the instability of intact osteocalcin results from the cleavage of the C-terminal sequence of osteocalcin to produce a large N-terminal osteocalcin fragment. A two-site immunoassay for detecting both the N-terminal osteocalcin fragment and the intact osteocalcin was developed that were both independent of an unstable C-terminal sequence. The aim of this study is to investigate the performance of an N-MID osteocalcin immunoradiometric assay and to compare it with an intact osteocalcin assay. Ten serum samples were repeatedly frozen and thawed up to seven times. The variability of the values of N-MID osteocalcin was less than that of the intact osteocalcin. For stability of osteocalcin in serum after storage, the mean value of N-MID was 94. 3% of the initial value after 7 days at 4 degrees C, whereas the intact was 73.4%. The reduction of intact values were significantly larger than that of N-MID after 2, 5 and 7 days. At -30 degrees C, the values of N-MID did not change for up to 10 weeks. The concentrations of osteocalcin measured by an N-MID osteocalcin and an intact osteocalcin were investigated in 27 premenopausal subjects, 27 postmenopausal subjects, and 68 osteoporotic patients (23 with vertebral fractures and 45 with hip fractures). The percent mean increase of osteocalcin in postmenopausal subjects over premenopausal subjects was 98% in N-MID versus 42% in the intact assay. The z-scores of N-MID and intact showed similar results in all groups. N-MID osteocalcin significantly correlated with intact osteocalcin (r=0.755), and other biochemical markers for bone formation, such as bone specific alkaline phosphatase (r=0.606) and C-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP) (r=0.568). An N-MID IRMA had better stability during storage than intact and had the discriminative ability which is similar to the intact assay in postmenopause and osteoporosis. Therefore, an N-MID osteocalcin IRMA could improve the clinical utility and evaluation of osteocalcin.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

A sensitivity analysis of the calculation of mechanical output through inverse dynamics: a computer simulation study.

The purpose of this study was to systematically determine the effect of experimental errors on the work output calculated using two different methods of inverse dynamics during vertical jumping: (a) the conventional (rotational) method and (b) the translational method. A two-dimensional musculoskeletal model was used to generate precisely known kinematics. Next, the location of each joint center (JC) and the location of each segment's center of mass (CM) were manipulated by +/-10% of segment length to simulate errors in the location of joint centers (delta JC) and errors in the location of segment's center of mass (delta CM), respectively. Work output was subsequently calculated by applying the two methods of inverse dynamics to the manipulated kinematic data. The results showed that the translational method of inverse dynamics was less sensitive (up to 13% error in total work output) to delta JC and delta CM than the rotational method (up to 28% error in total work output). The rotational method of inverse dynamics was particularly sensitive to simulated errors in JC.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMed2000

The efficacy of biochemical markers in patients with ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine.

STUDY DESIGN: Serum levels of carboxyterminal propeptide of type I collagen (PICP), osteocalcin (OC), carboxyterminal telopeptide of type I collagen (ICTP) and urinary levels of pyridinoline (Pyr) and deoxypyridinoline (Dpyr) were measured in patients with ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine (OPLL) and age-matched control subjects. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of these biochemical markers of the patients with OPLL. SETTING: Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Japan. METHODS: Spot urine and blood samples were obtained from 20 healthy males aged 45 - 78 (mean+/-SD; 63. 0+/-11.5) and 22 male patients with OPLL aged 46 - 77 (mean+/-SD; 59. 9+/-8.8), and serum levels of PICP, OC, ICTP and urinary levels of Pyr and Dpyr were measured. RESULTS: There were no significant difference in age, serum PICP, OC, ICTP, urinary Pyr and Dpyr levels between OPLL and control group. CONCLUSION: Neither bone formation nor bone resorption was accelerated in the patients with OPLL.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Effect of age and menopause on serum concentrations of pentosidine, an advanced glycation end product.

BACKGROUND: Pentosidine is an advanced glycation end product. Our aim is to investigate (a) the age-related change of serum pentosidine and (b) the effect of menopause on serum pentosidine. METHODS: Using the high-performance liquid-chromatography method with column switching, we measured serum pentosidine in 140 healthy women aged 20-93 years. Serum creatinine was also measured. The samples of 13 young and 13 old subjects were used for the measurements of free pentosidine and fractions of pentosidine. Free pentosidine was measured without hydrolysis, and the fractions were measured with a 10,000 mol wt cutoff filter. To investigate the effect of menopause on pentosidine, two biochemical markers for bone turnover (CTx and osteocalcin) were measured in age-matched premenopausal and postmenopausal women (16 in each group). RESULTS: Serum pentosidine significantly increased with age (r = .702, p < .0001 ). The values of serum pentosidine for the groups beyond the age of 50 were significantly higher than those for the younger groups. The value for the group aged 80-93 years was three times higher than that for the group aged 20-29 years. Serum pentosidine moderately and significantly correlated to serum creatinine (r = .483, p = .0001). Free pentosidine was detected in only 3 of 13 young subjects and 2 of 13 old subjects. The ratio of free to total pentosidine was 2.9% and 1.2% in young and old subjects, respectively. Pentosidine <10,000 mol wt was not detected in all subjects. Pentosidine >10,000 mol wt was detected in all subjects. Serum CTx and osteocalcin significantly increased in postmenopausal women compared with those of pre-menopausal women. There was no significant change in serum pentosidine between the premenopause group and the postmenopause group. CONCLUSION: Serum pentosidine significantly increased with age in healthy subjects aged 20-93 years and correlated to serum creatinine. The changes of fractions of pentosidine with aging were not observed. There was no effect of menopause on pentosidine.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Nuclear envelope proteins and associated diseases.

There is a growing body of evidence in favour of the presence of human diseases caused by mutations in genes that encode the nuclear envelope proteins emerin and lamin A/C (lamin A and C are alternatively spliced variants of the same gene). Emerin deficiency results in X-linked Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD). Lamin A/C mutations cause the autosomal-dominant form of EDMD, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy with atrioventricular conduction disturbances (type 1B), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and Dunnigan-type familial partial lipodystrophy. In the targeted mouse model of lamin A gene deficiency, loss of lamin A/C is associated with mislocalization of emerin. Thus, one plausible pathomechanism for EDMD, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 1B, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and familial partial lipodystrophy is the presence of specific abnormalities of the nuclear envelope. Therefore, a group of markedly heterogeneous disorders can be classified as 'nuclear envelopathies'. The present review summarizes recent findings on nuclear envelope proteins and diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Ultrasound measurement using CUBA clinical system can discriminate between women with and without vertebral fractures. Contact Ultrasound Bone Analyzer.

The purpose of this study was to assess the ultrasound (US) parameters measured by Contact Ultrasound Bone Analyser (CUBA) clinical system for discriminating the subjects with vertebral fractures from those without vertebral fractures. The subjects consisted of 114 postmenopausal women over age 50 (mean +/- SD: 72.2 +/- 8.7). Seventy-three had vertebral fractures (fracture group) and 41 had no vertebral fractures (control group). Values of all US parameters and bone mineral density (BMD) in the fracture group were significantly lower than those in the control group, even after adjusting for age. Areas under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.768 +/- 0.056 (mean +/- SE) for broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) 0.828 +/- 0.045 for velocity of sound (VOS), 0.707 +/- 0.058 for lumbar spine, 0.872 +/- 0.050 for femur neck, 0.790 +/- 0.050 for trochanter, and 0.695 +/- 0.060 for Ward's triangle. There were no significant differences among the areas under the ROC curves in BUA, VOS, lumbar spine, femur neck, trochanter, and Ward's triangle. US parameters (BUA and VOS) had the same discriminatory power as spine and hip BMD for evaluating the vertebral fracture risk. As far as disadvantages of the use of BMD measurement against US measurement, US measurement is potentially useful for screening of vertebral fractures. However, the bias concerning the propotion of the number of patients with or without vertebral fractures could not be neglected in this study.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Interleukin-16 in synovial fluids from cases of various types of arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the characteristic relationship between interleukin-16 (IL-16) and clinical data in various types of arthritis. METHODS: We measured IL-16 levels of the synovial fluids (SF) of patients with various types of arthritis, which included rheumatoid arthritis, traumatic arthritis, pseudogouty arthritis, gouty arthritis, and osteoarthritis, by an enzyme immunosorbent assay, and examined their correlations with clinical parameters. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Higher levels of IL-16 in synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, traumatic arthritis, and pseudogouty arthritis, compared to those with osteoarthritis, and gouty arthritis were indicated. Also, synovial IL-16 levels in patients with rheumatoid arthritis correlated significantly, especially with synovial matrix metalloproteinase-3 levels. But the IL-16 levels of both synovial fluid and peripheral blood did not correlate with conventional inflammatory parameters such as C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, or rheumatoid factor. Although the function of IL-16 in inflammatory arthritis has not yet been defined, these data indicated some essential features of IL-16.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Can vascularization improve the surgical outcome of the intercostal nerve transfer for traumatic brachial plexus palsy? A clinical comparison of vascularized and non-vascularized methods.

It is very difficult to design a well-controlled comparative study for clarifying the value of vascularized nerve grafting in clinical cases. In order to understand whether or not the vascularizing procedure has any clinical value in nerve transfer and in nerve grafting, we compared non-vascularized with vascularized intercostal nerve transfer in patients with brachial plexus injury. Factors that were likely to affect the results were controlled. We found there was no significant difference in the functional outcome and no difference in the regenerating rate of the nerves between nonvascularized and vascularized intercostal nerve transfer. We concluded that the vascularizing procedure had little clinical value not only in intercostal nerve transfer, but also in nerve grafting irrespective of the length of the gap, when the recipient bed had normal vascularity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Diagnostic utility of magnetic resonance imaging skeletal survey in a patient with oncogenic osteomalacia.

Oncogenic osteomalacia is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome characterized by hypophosphatemic osteomalacia due to renal phosphate wasting. The same biochemical features are found in patients with X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets/osteomalacia and sporadic hypophosphatemic osteomalacia with unknown etiology. Oncogenic osteomalacia is cured by resection of the responsible tumor. In contrast, patients with other types of hypophosphatemic rickets/osteomalacia need long-term treatment with large doses of active vitamin D3. Therefore, detection of the responsible tumor for oncogenic osteomalacia has great clinical importance. However, there is no standard method for detecting the tumor for oncogenic osteomalacia, and the responsible tumor is often very difficult to be found. We describe a patient with adult-onset osteomalacia due to renal phosphate wasting. Although oncogenic osteomalacia was suspected, cranial, chest, and abdominal computed tomography scanning, urological and otolaryngological examinations, and detailed palpation for soft tissue mass failed to detect the responsible tumor. However, magnetic resonance imaging skeletal survey revealed a tumor in the right femoral bone. Resection of the tumor resulted in normalization of serum phosphate and renal phosphate handling. Because the most frequent causes for oncogenic osteomalacia are tumors in bone or soft tissue, magnetic resonance imaging skeletal survey is a very powerful method for detecting the responsible tumor. Vigorous search for tumors with this method in patients with hypophosphatemic osteomalacia would be helpful not only for proper management of patients, but also for clarifying the identity of sporadic hypophosphatemic osteomalacia.

Bone Neoplasms↗
PubMed1999

A positioning device to allow rotation for cine-MRI of the distal radioulnar joint.

'Cine-mode' magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is useful in the diagnosis and treatment of patients with disorders of joint motion. We have designed a device for imaging of the distal radioulnar joint by cine-MRI. Five normal wrists and eight patients with rheumatoid arthritis were investigated prior to surgery for subluxation of the distal radioulnar joint. Normally, the radius moves in a constant arc around the ulna, whereas in rheumatoid wrists the centre of rotation varies continuously with increase in rotation. The device should prove helpful in imaging disorders of the distal radioulnar joint.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1999

Biodegradation of hydrogel carrier incorporating fibroblast growth factor.

In vivo release of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) from a biodegradable gelatin hydrogel carrier was compared with the in vivo degradation of hydrogel. When gelatin hydrogels incorporating 125I-labeled bFGF were implanted into the back subcutis of mice, the bFGF radioactivity remaining decreased with time and the retention period was prolonged with a decrease in the water content of the hydrogels. The lower the water content of 125I-labeled gelatin hydrogels, the faster both the weight of the hydrogels and the gelatin radioactivity remaining decreased with time. The decrement profile of bFGF remaining in hydrogels was correlated with that of hydrogel weight and gelatin radioactivity, irrespective of the water content. Subcutaneous implantation of bFGF-incorporating gelatin hydrogels into the mice induced significant neovascularization. The retention period of neovascularization became longer as the water content of the hydrogels decreased. To study the decrease of activity of bFGF when implanted, bFGF-incorporating hydrogels were placed in diffusion chamber and implanted in the mouse subcutis for certain periods of time. When hydrogels explanted from the mice were again implanted, significant neovascularization was still observed, indicating that most of the biological activity of bFGF was retained in the hydrogels. It was concluded that, in our hydrogel system, biologically active bFGF was released as a result of in vivo degradation of the hydrogel. The release profile was controllable by changing the water content of hydrogels.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Measurement of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) in patients with knee osteoarthritis: comparison with generalized osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To compare plasma levels of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-3, MMP-9 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) between patients with knee osteoarthritis and normal subjects, to investigate whether the degree of knee joint involvement is related to those measurements, and to compare patients with and without generalized osteoarthritis. METHODS: Eighty-three women with knee osteoarthritis (OA patients) were studied. Plasma levels of MMP-3, MMP-9 and TIMP-1 were measured by enzyme immunoassays. Knee and hand radiographs were taken of all patients. The joints of the knee and hand were graded from 0 to 4 according to Kellgren and Lawrence criteria. All OA patients were divided into a generalized OA (GOA) group (n = 37) and a knee OA (KOA) group (n = 46) according to Doherty's criteria. MMPs and TIMP were also measured in 19 normal subjects. RESULTS: Plasma levels of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 were significantly higher in OA patients than in normal subjects. In contrast, MMP-9 was lower in OA patients than in normal subjects. Plasma levels of MMP-3 and MMP-9 were not influenced by the grade of knee OA. TIMP-1 was influenced by the grade of knee OA. Plasma levels of MMP-3 were significantly elevated in GOA compared to KOA. In contrast, there were no significant differences in plasma levels of MMP-9 and TIMP-1 between GOA and KOA. CONCLUSION: Since the plasma level of MMP-3 in GOA was higher than that in KOA patients, it may be a superior indicator for whole-joint degeneration.

Aged↗