Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Takagi

Publications and source records attributed to A Takagi.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Development of Graves' ophthalmopathy and uveitis after radioiodine therapy for Graves' disease in a patient with HTLV-I associated myelopathy (HAM).

HTLV-I carriers or patients with HTLV-I associated myelopathy (HAM) are prone to immune-mediated inflammatory disorders. We present a 44-year-old female with HAM who developed Graves' disease. She developed severe Graves' ophthalmopathy shortly after 131I therapy, concurrently with a remarkable increase in TSH-receptor antibody titer. Ophthalmopathy was aggravated in spite of prednisolone therapy and euthyroidism being maintained by thyroxine replacement. Uveitis also developed after 131I therapy and iridocyclitis finally required trabeculotomy. This case suggests that HAM patients may have a higher risk of immune-mediated Graves' ophthalmopathy after 131I therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Cochlear implants in children].

A multichannel cochlear implant was performed in 8 children, and the following results were obtained. The surgical procedures were not as difficult as in adults, and there were few postoperative complications. The results of testing postoperative speech comprehension ability were examined in three children whose course was followed for more than one year postoperatively. Some patients had good speech comprehension ability postoperatively, and we expect to continue performing cochlear implant in children. Postoperative rehabilitation takes longer. The cooperation of physicians, audiologists, speech therapists, school teachers and family members is essential, and establishing a cochlear implant center for children would be desirable.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Cochlear implants for adult prelingually deaf patients].

We have performed cochlear implants on 6 adult prelingually deaf patients and obtained the following results. 1) The speech comprehension ability of the adult prelingually deaf patients was poorer than in postlingually deaf patients, but some patients showed better results than expected. 2) The adult prelingually deaf patients required a longer period of rehabilitation than the postlingually deaf patients. There were considerable variations in performance among the adult prelingually deaf patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Lipoprotein lipase].

We describe molecular and physiological properties of human lipoprotein lipase (LPL) based on recent advanced knowledges. Human LPL is a lipolytic glycoprotein enzyme synthesized by extrahepatic tissues, mainly adipocytes, and its gene is located on chromosome 8p22 with 10 exons that encode mRNAs of 3.4 kb and 3.8 kb. Clinical and biochemical studies indicate that LPL plays a key role in hydrolyzing the triglycerides of chylomicrons and very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) at the first step in their metabolism. LPL is believed to be taken on a functionally active form at the site of capillary endothelial cell surface following a series of three major processes: (1) the synthesis and secretion of LPL by adipocytes, (2) the transport of LPL from adipocytes to the capillary endothelium, and (3) the binding of LPL to heparan sulfate proteoglycan chains which are localized in the plasma membrane of the endothelium. LPL is released into the circulation after intravenous injection of heparin, and LPL is recovered in postheparin plasma (PHP). LPL purified from human PHP is catalytically active in a monomeric form, and its molecular size is 61 k dalton in good agreement with mature LPL size estimated by cDNA of LPL.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

A newly identified heterozygous lipoprotein lipase gene mutation (Cys239-->stop/TGC972-->TGA; LPLobama) in a patient with primary type IV hyperlipoproteinemia.

We investigated measures for identification of heterozygous lipoprotein lipase (LPL) deficiency in unrelated subjects with primary type IV hyperlipoproteinemia in order to acquire a helpful clue for understanding the correlation between hypertriglyceridemia and the status of being a heterozygous carrier of an LPL gene variant. Identification of heterozygous LPL deficiency was performed by monitoring the immunoreactive LPL mass in postheparin plasma (PHP) using our developed sandwich-enzyme immunoassay technique for first screening. Then, in subjects found to have half or less than half of the control LPL mass value in PHP, the polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism method was used to detect LPL gene aberrations as a second screening. This approach was evaluated as being useful as it succeeded in identifying a subject (proband KD) with heterozygous LPL deficiency. The mutation in the LPL gene of proband KD was newly characterized as a nucleotide C972 to A transversion in exon 6, resulting in substitution of a premature termination codon (TGA) for Cys239 (TGC). This nonsense mutation, designated as LPLobama, creates an MboI restriction site and eliminates an HgiAI restriction site, and this allows rapid screening of subjects with type IV as well as type I hyperlipoproteinemia for the mutation. The homozygous state for the LPLobama allele resulted in neither detectable LPL activity nor immunoreactive LPL mass in PHP, and this was seen in two of proband KD's siblings.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[Evaluation of polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection].

To evaluate diagnostic tests of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), we compared polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the specific detection of H. pylori, culture and positivity of serum antibody against the bacteria in 59 patients with gastroduodenal disease. PCR assay was designed to amplify 203bp of DNA fragments. PCR detected 10pg of H. pylori DNA, or 40 CFU of the bacteria. PCR was positive in 82.1% of histological gastritis with neutrophil infiltration. Culture and serum antibody to H. pylori were positive in 65.0%, and 94.1% of those patients. Detection rate by PCR was significantly higher than that by the culture methods in patients with chronic gastritis. These results demonstrate that PCR is a sensitive diagnostic test for H. pylori infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[An adult case of congenital myopathy--coexistence of nemaline rods and core-like structures].

A 42-year-old female complained of exertional dyspnea and sleep disturbance. Her face was elongated longitudinally and the hard palate was narrow and high-arched. She has slender musculature and kyphoscoliosis. She was dysphonic and could not walk on her heels. Muscles in the face, upper arm, pelvic girdle and thigh were atrophic. Muscle weakness was detected in the neck, tibialis anterior, ilipsoas and other hip muscles, and ranged between 3- and 4 by the manual muscle testing. Electromyography showed definite myogenic abnormalities in all the muscle examined. No abnormality was found on the routine examination of blood, as was the motor and sensory nerve conduction velocity. Her vital capacity was 0.91 L, i.e., 35% of the expected value, suggesting a severe restrictive respiration. The arterial blood gas analysis revealed hypoxia, hypercapnia and desaturation. The blood gas data worsened when she was asleep, because of increased hypoventilation. Muscle biopsy of the biceps brachii showed a marked variation in the muscle fiber size. The type 1 muscle fiber was predominant. Many fibers contained nemaline rods and/or core-like structures. Some fibers contained both nemaline and core-like structures. This core-like structures were not stained with NADH-TR and ATPase reactions, and about 40-100 microns in the longitudinal extension. In this context, typical central cores have not been observed in the present case. No association of nemaline rods and core-like structures in the same muscle fiber has been reported, although a close relationship of the two structures has been suggested.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1993

A possible role for cell proliferation in potassium bromate (KBrO3) carcinogenesis.

Accumulation of alpha 2u-globulin and induction of cell proliferation were examined in kidneys of rats exposed to KBrO3, KBr or NaBrO3 in their drinking water. Hyaline droplets observed after KBrO3 or NaBrO3 administration to male rats were specifically immunostained for alpha 2u-globulin. Increases in cell proliferation were found in the proximal tubules of male rats given KBrO3 or NaBrO3 but not KBr for 2, 4, and 8 weeks. No such change was evident in KBrO3-treated female rats or the distal tubules of any treated animal. The concordance between hyaline droplet accumulation and increased cell turnover suggests that KBrO3- and NaBrO3-induced cell replication in kidneys of male rats may result from alpha 2u-globulin nephropathy. Considering the fact that KBrO3 has genotoxic potential involving oxidative stress, we hypothesize that the induced cell proliferation might predominantly play an additive role in its carcinogenesis. Furthermore, the present data, showing similar effects of NaBrO3 on the rat kidney, are of direct significance to its risk assessment.

Alpha-Globulins↗
PubMed1993

Enhanced negative slope of cortical potentials before sequential as compared with simultaneous extensions of two fingers.

Cortical potentials preceding voluntary sequential extension of the right middle finger followed by the index finger were compared with those preceding voluntary simultaneous extension of the two fingers in 7 right-handed subjects who were trained to make the total duration of the EMG discharges approximately the same between the two movements. The negative slope with the sequential movement started earlier and was larger, especially at the vertex and also at the bilateral precentral areas, as compared with the simultaneous movement. There was no difference in the Bereitschaftspotential amplitude between the two movements. It was postulated that a greater and earlier activation of the supplementary motor areas as well as the primary hand sensorimotor areas is associated, both bilaterally, with the execution of the unilateral sequential movement.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Fodrin is a constituent of the cortical lattice in outer hair cells of the guinea pig cochlea: immunocytochemical evidence.

Localization of fodrin, a membrane skeletal protein, in the outer hair cell of the guinea pig cochlea was examined by immunocytochemical techniques. By immunofluorescence microscopy, fodrin was observed in the cuticular plate, in the infracuticular network and along the lateral wall. By immunoelectron microscopy of ultrathin cryosections, labeling for fodrin along the lateral wall was localized between the cell membrane and the outermost layer of the subsurface cisternae. Furthermore, pre-embedding immunoelectron microscopy of permeabilized specimens showed that most immunogolds for fodrin were on the thin cross-linking component of the cortical lattice. The results indicate that fodrin is a constituent of the cortical lattice which is thought to play an important role in outer hair cell motility.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Rapid detection of plasma glycocalicin by a latex agglutination test. A useful adjunct in the differential diagnosis of thrombocytopenia.

To aid in the rapid differential diagnosis of thrombocytopenia, the authors developed a latex agglutination test for glycocalicin, a proteolytic fragment of platelet membrane glycoprotein Ib. Plasma glycocalicin determinations were performed for 34 patients with thrombocytopenia. Plasma samples from four patients with aplastic anemia and ten patients with myelodysplastic syndromes, all with glycocalicin levels less than 0.6 mg/L by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, all had negative results by the latex test. In contrast, positive latex agglutination titers were obtained for all 12 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Eight patients with liver cirrhosis and splenomegaly had elevated levels of plasma glycocalicin, and all of their plasma samples produced agglutination. This latex agglutination test for glycocalicin allows a rapid discrimination of thrombocytopenia caused by impaired platelet production from that caused by increased platelet destruction; thus, it is suitable for use as a screening test in a routine clinical laboratory.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Toxicity studies of a synthetic antioxidant, 2,2'-methylenebis (4-ethyl-6-tert-butylphenol) in rats. 2. Uncoupling effect on oxidative phosphorylation of liver mitochondria.

Effects of 2,2'-methylenebis (4-ethyl-6-tert-butylphenol) (MBEBP) on hepatic mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation in vitro, and on hepatic peroxisomal enzymes activities and microsomal mixed-function oxidase activities were studied. 1. A low concentration of MBEBP, less than 50 microM, increased state 4 respiration and decreased state 3 respiration. However, a higher concentration of MBEBP, greater than 100 microM, acted as a respiratory inhibitor. Therefore, MBEBP was found to act as an uncoupler of oxidative phosphorylation in rat liver mitochondria. 2. MBEBP significantly decreased peroxisomal enzymes, cyanide-insensitive palmitoyl-CoA oxidizing activity and catalase activity in the livers of rats fed 0.2, 1.0 or 5.0% MBEBP for 4 weeks. 3. In microsomal enzyme assay, NADPH cytochrome c reductase activity was significantly increased, however, cytochrome P-450, cytochrome b5 levels, aminopyrine N-demethylase and benzo [a] pyrene hydroxylase activities were not significantly increased in the livers of rats fed 1.0 or 5.0% MBEBP for 4 weeks. The weight loss and the decrease of serum triglyceride level observed in the MBEBP-treated rats seemed to be caused by its uncoupling effects, which might also be the cause of the testicular damage induced by MBEBP.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

[A case of Down syndrome complicated with Becker muscular dystrophy].

A 22-year-old man with Down syndrome had a history of progressive muscular wasting which began at the age of 12 years. Serum CK level was elevated to 545 U/l (normal < 150) and muscle CT scan revealed patchy low density areas in the proximal muscles. A muscle biopsy specimen revealed marked dystrophic changes with patchy immunostaining for dystrophin. Multiplex PCR analysis of the genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood lymphocytes disclosed a deletion of exons 45-47 of the dystrophin gene, confirming a diagnosis of Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD). This is the first report of Down syndrome complicated with BMD. Careful observation is required in detecting a coexistence of myopathy in mentally retarded patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Comparison between ELISA and culture method for detection of Helicobacter pylori].

Detection of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) by ELISA was compared with that by the culture method in 115 patients with gastroduodenal diseases. Both the sensitivity and specificity were more than 85% for patients with histological gastritis with neutrophil infiltration. This indicated that the detection of H. pylori by ELISA is useful for the diagnosis of H. pylori-related gastritis. Although the sensitivity between the ELISA and culture method was 85%, the specificity was 58.8%. The false negative detection may have been caused by a sampling error during the endoscopic biopsy.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Aberrant expression of major histocompatibility complex class II antigen in inflammatory myopathies].

Although major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules have been consistently demonstrated on muscle fibers of patients with inflammatory myopathies (IM), results concerning the expression of MHC class II molecules have been conflicting and mechanism of the expression remains to be elucidated. Expression of MHC and neural cell adhesion molecules (N-CAM) was analyzed in 38 cases of IM and in 13 cases of normal and disease controls by the immunocytochemical method. The sarcolemmaL HLA-ABC molecules were seen in all IM cases, and were visualized on the every muscle fiber in 68% of the cases. In contrast, the HLA-DR, -DP, or -DQ expression was seen on scattered fibers in 37%, 11%, 5% of IM cases, respectively. The HLA-DR reactivity was often seen on muscle fibers in the vicinity of infiltrating cells or on the perifascicular fibers. The HLA-DR positive fibers did not express N-CAM, suggesting a degenerating/regenerating process of muscle fibers was not contributory to the aberrant expression of MHC class II molecules. The perifascicular HLA-DR expression was related to the perifascicular atrophy and was more frequent in polymyositis complicated with interstitial pneumonitis. Those results suggest that increased expression of MHC class I molecules precede the aberrant expression of MHC class II molecules, and the perifascicular atrophy might reflect immunopathological processes.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

False aneurysm as a late complication of division of a patent ductus arteriosus.

A 58-year-old male patient who had a huge false aneurysm as a late sequela of division of patent ductus arteriosus was surgically managed with success. It is noteworthy that 24 years had elapsed from the initial operation until recognition of the aneurysm. The pathogenesis and method of the surgical treatment are discussed.

Aortic Aneurysm↗
PubMed1992

Increased leakage of calcium ion from the sarcoplasmic reticulum of the mdx mouse.

Using a single skinned muscle fiber, the function of the contractile system and the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) were analyzed in the skeletal muscle of the mdx mouse. Activation of the contractile system by calcium ion and the maximum force generation was normal. Ca2+ uptake of the SR was normal as well as regulation of the Ca-induced Ca release (CICR) by Ca2+. However, contracture by caffeine was more prominent in mdx than in control mice. Ca2+ leaked more from the SR of mdx in the presence of EGTA and ATP or its analogue. These abnormalities are probably interrelated; increased leakage of Ca2+ might cause the enhanced response to caffeine, since Ca2+ itself facilitates Ca release by caffeine. The abnormal leakage of Ca2+ might also activate the Ca pump of SR in the resting state, which consume extra ATP and disturb energy metabolism.

Animals↗