Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Shimizu

Publications and source records attributed to H Shimizu.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Brain metastases of malignant melanoma showing unbalanced whole arm chromosomal translocations der (8; 14) (q10; q10) and der (11; 15) (q10; q10) in a Japanese patient.

Since malignant melanoma is a rare malignancy in Japan, little is known about the cytogenetic abnormalities in Japanese patients. We report a case of malignant melanoma showing complex chromosomal abnormalities. A 70-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of anorexia, delirium, and right hemiplegia. Cranial CT disclosed several metastatic brain tumors. Multiple subcutaneous and intra-abdominal metastases were also found. A diagnosis of metastatic malignant melanoma was made by biopsy of a subcutaneous tumor. Chromosomal analysis of the tumor cells disclosed complex karyotypic abnormalities including novel unbalanced whole arm translocations der (8; 14) (q10; q10) and der (11; 15) (q10; q10).

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Spatial functional distribution in the corticospinal tract at the corona radiata: a three-dimensional anisotropy contrast study.

The spatial functional distribution of the nerve fibers was investigated in the corticospinal tract at the level of the corona radiata. Thirteen patients with corona radiata infarction underwent axial single-shot echo planar diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging using a 1.5 Tesla scanner. Image analysis used the three-dimensional anisotropy contrast (3DAC) method to demarcate the nerve fibers in the corticospinal tract. Axial 3DAC images demonstrated the corticospinal tract as a distinct area indicating nerve fiber integrity in all normal hemispheres and infarction as a dark or black area in affected hemispheres. Seven patients with upper extremity-dominant motor dysfunction had infarction located in the middle one third of the corticospinal tract. A patient with lower extremity-dominant motor dysfunction had infarction in the posterior one third. Five patients with equal motor dysfunction in the upper and lower extremities had infarction in both the middle and posterior one thirds of the corticospinal tract. The recovery of motor dysfunction at one month follow up correlated with the location of the corticospinal tract injury on the initial 3DAC images. The findings of the 3DAC images provide an indicator of the pattern and the recovery from acute and chronic motor dysfunction in patients with corona radiata infarction.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

[Association of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and type 1 diabetes mellitus in a patient with sarcoidosis].

Occurrence of autoimmune diseases with sarcoidosis is well known. However, a case in which more than one of these diseases coexist with sarcoidosis is rare. We present a young man with suspected sarcoidosis, complicated by idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and type 1 A diabetes mellitus (DM). A 21-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of thrombocytopenia, hyperglycemia, and bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy (BHL). Although a histological proof could not be obtained, the patient was considered to have sarcoidosis because 67-gallium scintigraphy disclosed "Lambda" and "Panda" signs which are highly specific for sarcoidosis. Type 1 A DM was also diagnosed as the patient had antiglutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies. The patient disclosed no hepatosplenomegaly or no lymphadenopathy and diagnosis of ITP was confirmed by bone marrow examination. High dose steroid was started as the thrombocytopenia progressed. The platelet number increased satisfactorily and shrinkage of BHL was also observed with the therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[On the use of keyboards as response panels for measurement of successive time intervals].

A PC's clock, which has a precision in error of +/- 1 microsecond, was developed. However, the level of precision in a psychological experiment depends on the keyboard characteristic, if we use it. The author measured reaction time (RT) and interresponse time (IRT) using the PC's clock and, in parallel, measured true time with an external universal counter. Next, the time difference between the PC's time count and the true time value was analyzed. When using a keyboard as a reaction panel, both a constant time delay and an error variance were found in measuring the RT. The frequency distribution of this difference in time value had a uniform distribution with the width of 6 ms. In the IRT time measurement, no time delay was found, and the frequency distribution of the difference in time value was triangular. The range of the triangle distribution was twice as large as that of the uniform distribution. We can estimate the standard deviations of both distributions through the relation of "sigma/R = k" if we get a range of uniform distribution.

Data Collection↗
PubMed2001

[A case of hyperperfusion syndrome treated successfully by propofol].

Carotid endoarterectomy was performed for a 67-year-old male with severe stenosis in the right carotid artery under propofol-fentanyl anesthesia. After the surgery, blood pressure was controlled by sodium nitroprusside to maintain at the preoperative level. On the first postoperative day, he was alert and without neurological deficit, but he became restless with the left hemiparesis appearing on the next day. ECD-SPECT revealed hyperperfusion of the right hemisphere. Propofol was administered at the dose of 3-5 mg.kg-1.h-1 to normalize the perfusion. It appears that the cerebral blood flow was normalized. Hyperperfusion after carotid endoarterectomy can be controlled by propofol.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

[Surgical treatment for pediatric intractable epilepsy--focusing on modified functional hemispherectomy in infants].

Our experience with modified functional hemispherectomy in 14 infants are presented. The etiology of intractable epilepsy was cortical dysgenesis in all of the cases. We applied our new surgical method, transopercular hemispherotomy, in which the frontal operculum was resected en bloc including the upper half of the insula. The corpus callosum was totally sectioned through the lateral ventricle. The resection cavity was communicated to the inferior ventricle, and the medial temporal structures were resected. Finally, the horizontal fibers emerging from the frontal lobe were sectioned along the posterior edge of the ala minor ossis sphenoidalis. There was no mortality or morbidity during and immediately after operation. In 12 cases with more than 1 year follow-up, remarkable seizure reduction was obtained in 75% of the cases and worthwhile improvement in the remaining 25%. No major complications were encountered, except for hydrocephalus in 3 cases and incomplete section of the callosum in 3. In cases showing catch-up of psychomotor development after surgery, swelling of the unaffected hemisphere was observed.

Brain↗
PubMed2001

[Role of leptin and its receptor in the regulation of appetite and body fat].

The role of leptin and its receptor on the regulation of appetite and body fat was summarized. Leptin directly exerts its anorexigenic effects on arcuate nucleus via proopiomelanocortin and neuropeptide Y neurons. The anorexia and sympathetic nerve activation result in the reduction of body fat. But physiological concentrations of leptin could not reduce body fat in obese people, while genetic loss of central leptin effects induces obesity in children. Melanin concentrating hormone, orexin, and corticotropin-releasing hormone may be directly regulated by leptin. Serotonergic neurons may be separate from leptin effects. Phosphorylation of 985- and 1138-tyrosine of long-form leptin receptor activates SHP-2 and STAT3, respectively. Soluble leptin receptor concentrations in serum are negatively correlated with BMI. Clinical usefulness of leptin is now in progress.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2001

Effect of soymilk consumption on serum estrogen and androgen concentrations in Japanese men.

Soy consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. The mechanism for this association may involve the effect of soy on the endocrine system. We conducted a randomized dietary intervention study to determine the effects of soy consumption on serum levels of steroid hormones in men. Thirty-five men were randomly assigned to either a soymilk-supplemented group or a control group. The men in the soy-supplemented group were asked to consume 400 ml of soymilk daily for 8 weeks. The men in the control group maintained their usual diet. Blood samples were obtained just before the initiation of the dietary period and thereafter every two weeks for 12 weeks. Changes in hormone concentrations were analyzed and compared between the two groups using the mixed linear regression model against weeks from the start of the dietary period. The mean (SD) soymilk intake estimated from dietary records during the dietary study period was 342.9 (SD, 74.2) ml in the soymilk-supplemented group. There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of changes in serum estrone concentrations, which tended to decrease in the soy-supplemented group and increase in the control group over time. None of the other hormones measured (estradiol, total and free-testosterone, or sex hormone-binding globulin) showed any statistical difference between the two groups in terms of patterns of change. The results of the study indicate that soymilk consumption may modify circulating estrone concentrations in men.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Drop in plasma brain natriuretic peptide levels after successful direct current cardioversion in chronic atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: According to previous reports, plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels increase in atrial fibrillation (AF) and decrease after successful direct current (DC) cardioversion, but there have been no reports on plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP). OBJECTIVE: To determine whether plasma BNP levels decrease after successful direct DC cardioversion in patients with chronic AF. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty patients who remained in sinus rhythm for at least seven days after cardioversion, and 20 normal control subjects, were studied. Group A consisted of 10 patients with underlying heart disease, including dilated cardiomyopathy (n=2), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (n=1), mitral valve disease (n=3), hypertensive heart disease (n=3) and status after atrial septal closure (n=1). Group B consisted of 10 patients with just AF. Group C (serving as controls) comprised 20 subjects with normal sinus rhythm and no risk factors. RESULTS: Before cardioversion, plasma BNP levels were higher in group A (176.7+/-128.1 ng/mL) and in group B (96.8+/-51.7 ng/ml) than in group C (6.3+/-3.8 ng/ml) (P<0.01 for all). After successful cardioversion, mean plasma BNP levels in groups A and B decreased from 136.8+/-105.5 ng/mL to 46.4+/-44.2 ng/mL (P<0.01). In group A, plasma BNP levels decreased from 176.7+/-128.1 ng/mL to 62.5+/-54.6 ng/mL (P<0.01), and in group B, plasma BNP levels decreased from 96.8+/-51.7 ng/mL to 30.3+/-23.8 ng/mL (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Lone AF raises plasma BNP levels, which is more marked if there is underlying structural heart disease present, and cardioversion reduces plasma BNP levels. Therefore, high plasma BNP levels in patients with chronic AF are likely to be caused by AF and reflect cardiac overloading associated with, although contributed to in part by, underlying heart diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Rapid detection and typing of oculopathogenic strain of subgenus D adenoviruses by fiber-based PCR and restriction enzyme analysis.

PURPOSE: To develop a new detection and typing method of oculopathogenic strains of subgenus D adenoviruses directly from conjunctival scrapings by a combination of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction enzyme analysis (REA). METHODS: A new PCR method using primer pairs of AF2/AR2, which are specific for the fiber genes, were developed to amplify 1150-bp products from nine oculopathogenic prototypes of subgenus D adenoviruses. Amplicons were cleaved with three restriction enzymes: DdeI, HinfI, and RsaI. Clinical specimens of 102 conjunctival scrapings were also evaluated by this PCR method. Restriction patterns of prototypes were used for the typing of clinical samples. Detection limit was determined by the PCR amplification of a known amount of purified adenovirus serotype 8 DNA. RESULTS: A novel PCR method based on the fiber genes allowed the amplification of nine oculopathogenic serotypes of subgenus D (Ad8, Ad9, Ad15, Ad17, Ad19, Ad22, Ad28, Ad37, and Ad39). As little as 38.4 fg of adenovirus type 8 could be detected by this method. Positive results were obtained from 48 of 102 samples (47%) by both hexon- and fiber-based PCR, whereas only 29 of 102 (28.4%) yielded positive results by culture isolation/neutralization test (NT). All positive specimens (29 samples) of culture isolation and PCR-RFLP methods showed positive results by our new fiber-based PCR method, and no positive products were detected from other subgenus of adenovirus or nonadenoviral DNA. CONCLUSIONS: A newly developed fiber-based PCR-REA method for the detection and typing of adenoviruses is faster than any former PCR methods. This all-in-1-day detection and typing method will be quite useful to the rapid diagnosis of subgenus D adenovirus infection.

Adenovirus Infections, Human↗
PubMed2001

Clinical study of testicular germ cell tumors.

A clinical statistical analysis on 65 patients with 68 testicular germ cell tumors was performed. Thirty-six testes (53.7%) had seminomas and the remainder non-seminomatous germ cell testicular tumors (NSGCTTs). Of the seminomas, 31 (88.6%) were in stage I and the others showed distant metastases at presentation. Of the 32 NSGCTTs, 22 (68.8%) were in stage I. The average ages of the patients with seminomas and NSGCTTs were 40.4 and 29.9 years, respectively. Thirty-nine patients (60.0%) had tumors on the right side, 23 (35.4%) on the left and 3 (4.6%) in both testes. Five patients had a past history of cryptorchidism. Chief complaints in 49 patients (73.1%) were a painless scrotal mass. The interval from clinical onset to presentation was longer in seminoma patients than in NSGCTT patients (10.9 months on average versus 3.4 months). Immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) was a useful diagnostic tumor marker as well as alpha-feto protein (AFP), beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (beta-hCG) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH). We adopted a surveillance policy in more than half of the stage I patients and obtained acceptable results. In the remaining cases, therapies including combination chemotherapy, radiation and salvage operation were performed after orchiectomy. The three-year survival rate was 98.0, 100.0 and 26.7%, for stage I, II and III patients respectively.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Distal anterior inferior cerebellar artery aneurysms: report of three cases and literature review].

Aneurysm at the distal portion of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) is uncommon and only 55 cases have been documented in the literature. Here we report an additional three cases with review of the literature. All three patients presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage. The ruptured aneurysms were located at the meatal loop of the AICA in all three patients and one patient had another unruptured aneurysm at the lateral branch distal to the meatal loop. Two patients underwent surgical trapping of the aneurysms, and the other patient was treated with endovascular coiling because of poor clinical condition. Increase of hearing disturbance was found in two patients who underwent surgery or endovascular coiling, respectively. Clinical features and treatment of these rare lesions are discussed with reference to the 7th and 8th nerve impairments as preoperative symptoms and postoperative complications.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Effects of the use of cross-education to the affected side through various resistive exercises of the sound side and settings of the length of the affected muscles.

The purpose of this study was to determine what kind of resistive exercise of the sound limb causes the most effective cross-education, which is defined as the muscle activity of the unexercised limb during contralateral exercise, by analyzing the force and electrical activity of the affected muscle. Six orthopedic patients with unilateral lower extremity impairment that resulted in unexercised quadriceps muscles through treatment by immobilization were the subjects of this investigation. The effect of cross-education was determined by observing the maximal torque of the unexercised quadriceps (MT) and the integrated electromyograms of the unexercised rectus femoris at the time of the maximal response of the torque (IE). A double-blind experiment was conducted with eighteen randomly applied combinations, consisting of six different exercises and three different knee angles. The various resistive exercises on the sound side consisted of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) movements, PNF positions, straight movements and straight positions in the sagittal plane. Both the mean percentage of the IE and MT were above 23% in the PNF movement, while a mean above 13% was not found in any of the other exercises. PNF movement combined with hip internal rotation was found to be significantly effective for inducing cross-education.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Basic techniques in vascular surgery].

The procedure for vascular resection and reconstruction includes exposure of the diseased vessel, temporary interruption of blood flow, resection of the diseased segment, vascular repair or anastomosis and restoration of blood flow. Adequate exposure, including the healthy portions on both the afferent and efferent sides of the diseased segment, facilitates subsequent steps in the procedure. Since the temporary interruption of blood flow could lead to ischemic and reperfusion injuries, it is necessary to take measures to protect organs that receive blood flow from diseased vessels. The basic principles in vascular suturing are single sutures through all layers and intima-to-intima approximation. Continuous simple sutures are often used for vascular repair and anastomoses. In the case of anastomoses between small arteries, however, interrupted simple sutures are preferred to prevent stenosis. Twisting, stenosis, and overstretch at the point of anastomosis are errors that result in failure of vascular reconstruction. The methods for overcoming size differences between anastomosed vessels should be understood. Topical heparinization is easy and a useful method to prevent the production of thrombus. Systemic administration of anticoagulants is not always needed.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗