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Biomedical subjects

H Watanabe

Publications and source records attributed to H Watanabe.

At least 379 records · Page 21Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Pulmonary infection caused by Rhodococcus equi in HIV-infected patients: report of four patients from northern Thailand.

We report four human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients (3 men and one woman, average age, 34.3 years) with pulmonary infection (two with pneumonia and two with lung abscess) caused by Rhodococcus equi. These patients, who presented with fever and productive cough, were admitted to Nakornping Hospital in northern Thailand. Chest roentgenograms showed pulmonary infiltration and/or cavitary lesions. Their conditions were poor because of severe anemia, and transfusion was necessary in three of the four patients. Before culture results were available, the etiologic microorganisms identified in sputum smears were gram-positive and acid-fast coccobacilli. One of the four patients had a mixed infection with R. equi and Salmonella enteritidis. The mean CD4 lymphocyte count in the three tested patients was 10/mm3 (CD4/CD8 ratio = 0.057). Four isolates of R. equi were sensitive to imipenem, minocycline, erythromycin, vancomycin, and ciprofloxacin (minimum inhibitory concentrations; MICs, 100 microg/ml) to rifampicin. Two patients were treated with erythromycin plus rifampicin, while the other two were treated with anti-tuberculous drugs. However, treatment was ineffective; three patients subsequently died because of respiratory failure, and one patient did not improve and was transferred to another hospital in her hometown.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed2000

Prediction of letter contrast sensitivity using videokeratographic indices.

PURPOSE: To analyze the relationship between corneal topography and letter contrast sensitivity. METHOD: Experiments were conducted on 59 eyes of 51 patients who had best spectacle-corrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better and no ocular pathology except for the corneal shape. Thirty-nine eyes had an abnormal topographic pattern resulting from keratoconus, and the other 20 eyes showed a normal topographic pattern. Videokeratography was performed with the TMS-2 videokeratoscope, and the surface regularity index, surface asymmetry index, and coefficient of variation of power were obtained for each subject. Letter contrast sensitivity was measured with the CSV-1000LV with spectacle correction. The correlation between the number of correct letters and topographic indices was calculated. RESULTS: The abnormal topography group had a significantly greater loss of letter contrast sensitivity (median = 20 letters) than the normal control (median = 23 letters; P =.0001). There were statistically significant correlations between number of correct letters and the coefficient of variation of power (r = -.77; P =. 001), number of correct letters and surface regularity index (r = -. 76, P =.001), and the number of correct letters and surface asymmetry index (r = -.64; P =.001). The linear regression equation between number of correct letters and the coefficient of variation of power was the number of correct letters = -0.05 x the coefficient of variation of power + 23.2. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that subtle visual deteriorations, which are barely detected by contrast sensitivity testing, can be predicted objectively by the corneal topographic indices.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Association of autosomal dominantly inherited corneal dystrophies with BIGH3 gene mutations in Japan.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the incidence of BIGH3 gene mutations in 164 unrelated Japanese patients with corneal stromal dystrophies with an autosomal dominant trait. METHODS: Data were collected at two major institutions in the eastern and western parts of Japan, where molecular genetic analysis was performed for diagnostic purpose. RESULTS: The incidence of mutations was ranked as follows: 118 patients (72%), the R124H mutation associated with Avellino corneal dystrophy; 23 patients (14%), the R124C mutation associated with lattice corneal dystrophy type 1; and 10 patients (6%), the P501T mutation associated with lattice corneal dystrophy type 3A. CONCLUSION: Avellino corneal dystrophy associated with the R124H mutation is the most common form of corneal stromal dystrophy in Japan. This dystrophy, which is diagnosed histopathologically, has also been called granular corneal dystrophy in Japan. The classification of these diseases according to genetic pathogenesis may be more appropriate than is the use of clinical or histological findings.

Corneal Dystrophies, Hereditary↗
PubMed2000

Frequent hypermethylation of the hMLH1 gene promoter in differentiated-type tumors of the stomach with the gastric foveolar phenotype.

Hypermethylation of the hMLH1 mismatch repair gene promoter has been revealed to lead to microsatellite instability (MSI). Previously, we demonstrated a high prevalence of MSI in differentiated-type gastric tumors showing distinct features of gastric foveolar epithelium (foveolar type). To clarify the significance of hMLH1 promoter hypermethylation in the development of this tumor type, we studied promoter methylation status and expression of hMLH1 in foveolar-type tumors and their surrounding non-neoplastic mucosae, as well as in tumors with other cellular phenotypes. The results were compared to MSI status. After phenotypical analyses using mucin histochemistry and immunohistochemistry, 41 differentiated-type tumors with distinct cellular phenotypes were classified into three categories: foveolar type, intestinal type (tumors with the distinct cellular phenotype of the intestine), and combined type (tumors with both foveolar and intestinal phenotypes). Methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) was performed to determine the methylation status of hMLH1 promoter. hMLH1 protein expression was immunohistochemically examined. MSI was detected in 57% of the foveolar type, 8% of the intestinal type, and 67% of the combined-type tumors. Hypermethylation of hMLH1 promoter was found in 74% of the foveolar type, 33% of the intestinal type, and 83% of the combined-type tumors. Of 18 MSI-positive tumors, all but one were hypermethylated. Methylation status of hMLH1 promoter correlated well with protein expression in foveolar-type tumors. Moreover, hypermethylation was also detected frequently (71%) in the non-neoplastic surrounding mucosa of the hypermethylated tumors. Hypermethylation of hMLH1 promoter is an initial, vital event in the development of foveolar-type tumors of the stomach.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2000

Genetic progression and divergence in pancreatic carcinoma.

Genetic alterations of pancreatic intraductal lesions adjacent to invasive ductal carcinoma were investigated. We submitted nine foci of ordinary epithelium, 12 foci of nonpapillary hyperplasia, 12 foci of papillary hyperplasia (pap HP), 66 foci of severe ductal dysplasia, and 27 invasive foci from a total of 10 pancreatic carcinomas for genetic analysis. All foci were individually microdissected and allelic losses of 3p, 4q, 5q, 6q, 8p, 9p, 10q, 11q, 13q, 16q, 17p, and 18q were studied. All invasive and severely dysplastic intraductal foci exhibited loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at more than one chromosomal locus. For each case, allelic loss was frequently observed on 9p (severe ductal dysplasia 90%, invasion 100%), 17p (severe ductal dysplasia 80%, invasion 80%), and 18q (severe ductal dysplasia 88%, invasion 88%). Ninety-four percent of severe ductal dysplasia and 96% of invasive foci had multiple LOH. Seventeen percent of nonpapillary hyperplasia and 33% of pap HP showed LOH. Only one focus of pap HP showed multiple LOH. The patterns of allelic loss identified in severe ductal dysplasia were generally conserved in synchronous infiltrating tumors, supporting the paradigm that infiltrating tumors are clonally derived from severe ductal dysplasia. In eight of 10 cases, however, we found frequent genetic heterogeneity in the intraductal lesion, suggestive of genetic progression or diversion. These findings indicate that invasive pancreatic carcinoma evolves through successive and divergent genetic changes with selection of aggressive subclones in the intraductal component.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Calcium signalling in endothelial cells.

Vascular endothelial cells are ubiquitous for their presence in each and every vessel and unique for their multifunctional nature. A large number of endothelial functions depend to various extents on changes in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration. Reviewed are endothelial Ca(2+) stores, Ca(2+) channels, and in-out-in Ca(2+) signalling events, from ligand-binding on the plasma membrane into depletion of intracellular Ca(2+) stores and therefrom out to transplasmalemmal Ca(2+) entry that is of prime importance for many endothelial functions. Special emphasis is placed on mechanisms regulating store-operated Ca(2+) entry including a Ca(2+) influx factor, the vesicle secretion-like model, the conformational coupling model, the membrane potential, cytochrome P450, protein tyrosine kinase, myosin light chain kinase and nitric oxide.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Enhancement of preheparin serum lipoprotein lipase mass by bezafibrate administration.

To clarify the clinical implication of preheparin serum lipoprotein lipase mass (preheparin LpL mass), we studied the relationships between preheparin LpL mass and serum lipids, including midband lipoproteins, which migrate between very low density lipoproteins and low density lipoproteins on polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis, in hyperlipidemias. And we also studied the changes of preheparin LpL mass in hypertriglyceridemic patients during bezafibrate administration, which is known to enhance LpL activity in postheparin plasma. Preheparin LpL mass correlated positively with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) (r=0.418, P<0.01) and negatively with triglyceride (TG) (r=-0.256, P<0.01), but did not correlate with total cholesterol (TC) in 64 hyperlipidemic (type IIa, IIb and IV) patients. The midband lipoproteins were observed in 80% of hypertriglyceridemic patients (32/40). Preheparin LpL mass in midband lipoprotein-positive subjects was lower significantly than that in midband-negative subjects. When bezafibrate (400 mg/day) was administrated to 40 hypertriglyceridemic patients for 4 months, TG level significantly decreased (-49+/-7%, P<0.01), TC levels decreased (-11+/-4%, not significant), and HDL-C levels increased (+27+/-4%, P<0.01). The midband lipoproteins disappeared in 95% of patients. Preheparin LpL mass significantly increased (+25+/-6%, P<0. 0005). In nine patients who stopped bezafibrate, TG levels significantly increased (+49+/-7%, P<0.01) and HDL-C levels decreased (-27+/-4%, P<0.01). Preheparin LPL mass significantly decreased (-25+/-6%, P<0.0005). These results suggested that bezafibrate administration enhanced preheparin LpL mass. And it might be implicated that enhanced LpL production by bezafibrate could reflect an increase of preheparin LpL mass.

Bezafibrate↗
PubMed2000

Preheparin serum lipoprotein lipase mass is negatively related to coronary atherosclerosis.

In preheparin serum, there exists lipoprotein lipase (LPL) mass with little activity. The clinical significance of this preheparin serum LPL mass (preheparin LPL mass) is unclear. We studied the levels of preheparin LPL mass in patients with coronary atherosclerosis, comparing the results with those in healthy men. We also evaluated the correlation between preheparin LPL mass and the severity of coronary atherosclerosis by comparing with other risk factors such as age, smoking, family history, hypertension, hyperuricemia, diabetes mellitus, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol and body mass index. The subjects, 70 men presenting with symptoms of coronary artery disease, underwent coronary angiographic examination. Significant narrowness was defined as > or = 75%. Control group comprised 77 men who had annual health checks and showed no abnormal findings. Preheparin LPL mass in the stenosis group was lower than normal coronary group and also than the control group. Multivariate analysis showed that preheparin LPL mass had the highest t-value (-2.53) for the number of lesions among the risk factors listed above. These results suggest that low preheparin LPL mass may be deeply involved in the progression of coronary atherosclerosis.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Absent circadian variation of blood pressure in patients with anorexia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether circadian rhythm of blood pressure (BP) is altered in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), and if so, to determine whether it is reversible after refeeding. STUDY DESIGN: Ambulatory BP monitoring was performed on 17 female inpatients with AN (mean age, 13.3 +/- 1.9 years) at the time of admission and serially during refeeding; 17 age-matched normal weight, normotensive female inpatients served as control subjects. RESULTS: Patients with AN had lost an average of 23.4% +/- 11.5% of body weight before the illness. Weight after refeeding was 105.6% +/- 9. 2% of that before illness. Mean 24-hour systolic BP (SBP) (96.5 +/- 8.6 mm Hg) and diastolic BP (DBP) (53.4 +/- 5.8 mm Hg) were significantly lower in patients with AN compared with those of control subjects (SBP, 106.1 +/- 6.5 mm Hg; DBP, 60.2 +/- 5.8 mm Hg). Although awake SBP and DBP were also lower in patients with AN, asleep SBP and DBP were not statistically different from those of control subjects. Night/day BP ratio in the control group was 0.93 +/- 0.06 in systolic and 0.92 +/- 0.09 in diastolic. Those values were significantly elevated in patients with AN (systolic 1.00 +/- 0. 09 and diastolic 1.00 +/- 0.09). After refeeding, the ratio decreased to 0.88 +/- 0.09 and 0.90 +/- 0.08,respectively (both P <. 05 vs baseline). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with AN, circadian variation of BP is absent. This reverts to normal after refeeding.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Acylated delphinidin 3-rutinoside-5-glucosides in the flowers of Petunia reitzii.

Two acylated anthocyanins were isolated from selected individuals of Petunia reitzii, and identified to be delphinidin 3-O-[6-O-(4-O-(4-O-(6-O-(trans-caffeoyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-tr ans-p-coumaroyl)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside]- 5-O-[beta-D-glucopyranoside] and delphinidin 3-O-[6-O-(4-O-(4-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-trans-p-coumaroyl)-alph a-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside]-5-O-[beta-D-glucopyranoside ]. Nine known anthocyanins were also identified.

Acylation↗
PubMed2000

Differences in the floral anthocyanin content of red petunias and Petunia exserta.

In order to resolve a conflict between previous papers regarding the floral anthocyanins of red flowers of Petunia exserta, a naturally occurring species, the HPLC profile of this species was compared with that of commercial red garden petunias. Both HPLC profiles extremely superficially resemble each other in terms of relative amounts and retention times of the major anthocyanins. However, co-elution on HPLC of the mixed sample resulted in clear separation of the components. Three major anthocyanins in red petunias were determined to be cyanidin 3-sophoroside, cyanidin 3-glucoside and peonidin 3-glucoside, which exhibited similar behaviors on HPLC to delphinidin 3-glucoside. delphinidin-3-rutinoside and petunidin 3-rutinoside, respectively, the major floral anthocyanins of P. exserta.

Anthocyanins↗
PubMed2000

Suppressive effects of vietnamese ginseng saponin and its major component majonoside-R2 on psychological stress-induced enhancement of lipid peroxidation in the mouse brain.

We investigated the in vivo effects of Vietnamese ginseng saponin (VG saponin) and its major component majonoside-R2 (MR2) on psychological stress-induced enhancement of lipid peroxidation in the mouse brain. Psychological stress exposure using a communication box system for 4 h significantly increased the content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS), an index of lipid peroxidation activity, in the brain. Pretreatment with VG saponin (15-25 mg/kg, PO) and MR2 (1-10 mg/kg, IP) significantly attenuated the psychological stress-induced increase in TBARS content in the brain. The aglycone of MR2 (MR2-aglycone: 1.2 mg/kg, IP), at the equivalent dose of MR2 (i.e., 3 mg/kg, IP), also produced the suppressive effect on the increase in the TBARS content. The in vivo suppressive effect of MR2 was dose dependently attenuated by flumazenil (3 and 10 mg/kg, IP), a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist, and pregnenolone sulfate (10 mg/kg, IP), a neurosteroidal negative allosteric modulator of GABA(A) receptors. These findings suggest that VG saponin and its major component MR2 have preventive effects on the psychological stress-induced brain cell membrane damage, and that the effect of MR2 is partly due to enhancement of GABA(A)-ergic systems in the brain.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Psychological consequences of child maltreatment in homeless adolescents: untangling the unique effects of maltreatment and family environment.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the differential effects of various forms of abuse, as well as their combined effects. The study also sought to separate the factors uniquely associated with abuse from those associated with the more general problems present in an abusive family environment. METHODOLOGY: Data were collected from 329 homeless adolescents. Preliminary analyses indicated some degree of matching for family background variables. Any differences in demographic or family characteristics were controlled for statistically. RESULTS: Chi-square analyses revealed significant differences across groups for rates of assault, rape, depression/dysthymia, and attempted suicide. Multivariate analyses (MANOVAs) indicated significant differences in severity of internalizing problems and cognitive problems. Without exception, the group with histories of both physical and sexual abuse exhibited the most severe symptomatology and was at greatest risk for revictimization. Multiple regression analyses suggested that abuse histories were predictive of internalizing problems while family characteristics were more predictive of externalizing problems. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that both abuse type and family characteristics contribute to the development of symptomatology. Future prospective and longitudinal studies are needed to clarify the sequelae of abuse, as well as the possible cause and effect relations between abuse, family characteristics, and psychological outcome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

A high incidence of Staphylococcus aureus colonization in the external eyes of patients with atopic dermatitis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency distribution of bacteria on the external surface of eyes of patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) and to investigate the relationship between the frequency of bacterial colonization and the grade of atopy or ocular diseases associated with AD. DESIGN: Comparative cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-six AD patients (mean age, 24.5 years) and 16 nonatopic, age-matched control participants (mean age, 25.5 years). INTERVENTION: The eyelid margins and conjunctival sacs were scraped with sterile swabs. These samples were inoculated into aerobic and anaerobic culture media. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The frequency distribution of bacteria isolated from the eyelid margins and conjunctival sacs. RESULTS: Bacteria isolated from AD patients were: Staphylococcus aureus in 21 of 36 patients (including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in two patients); Staphylococcus epidermidis in two patients (including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis in one patient); other coagulase-negative Staphylococcus in six patients;alpha-streptococcus in three patients; Corynebacterium species in three patients; Neisseria species in two patients; and Propionibacterium acnes in one patient. From the nonatopic control participants, we isolated S. aureus in one patient, S. epidermidis in two patients and alpha-streptococcus in one patient. S. aureus was isolated from 67% of the AD patients, and any type of bacteria was isolated from 86% of the patients. These rates were significantly higher than those of nonatopic control participants (6% S. aureus and 25% any bacteria). There was no significant relationship between the frequency distribution of bacteria and the grade of atopy or associated ocular diseases. CONCLUSIONS: High rates of bacterial colonization, especially S. aureus, were found in the conjunctival sacs and eyelid margins of AD patients. In case management of AD patients, this unique distribution of bacteria must be carefully considered.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Comparison of topographic indices that correlate with visual acuity in videokeratography.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between the best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) and two quantitative indices of the anterior corneal surface obtained by videokeratography. DESIGN: Prospective, single center, comparative, observational study. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty-nine normal eyes and 52 eyes with keratoconus with contact lens-corrected visual acuity of 20/20 or better. INTERVENTION: Videokeratography was performed with the TMS-2 and the CAS system 2000. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The relationship between the BSCVA recorded in log minimal angle of resolution (logMAR) units, the surface regularity index (SRI), and the predicted corneal acuity (PCA) were assessed by linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The BSCVAs for all eyes ranged from 0.82 to -0.30 logMAR units. BSCVA was highly correlated with the SRI (r = 0.70, P < 0.0001) and the PCA (r = -0.61, P < 0.0001). There was no statistical difference in the regression slopes and the intercepts for the estimated BSCVA using the SRI and measured BSCVA, and the estimated BSCVA using PCA and measured BSCVA. CONCLUSIONS: Two quantitative topographic indices, SRI and PCA, are useful for estimating the effect of irregular astigmatism on visual acuity even though both indices quantify different aspects of the anterior surface of the cornea.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Ameliorative effect of tacrine on spatial memory deficit in chronic two-vessel occluded rats is reversible and mediated by muscarinic M1 receptor stimulation.

Our previous study demonstrated that permanent two-vessel occlusion (2VO)-induced working memory deficit was improved by daily administration of tacrine, a cholinesterase inhibitor. In this study, we investigated the mechanism underlying the effects of tacrine in 2VO rats using the eight-arm radial maze task. Daily administration of tacrine (0.1 or 0.3 mg/kg i.p.) started 5 weeks after the 2VO operation significantly improved the maze performance. In the delay-interposition task, a significant impairment of maze performance was observed in the tacrine (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.)-treated rats at a delay of 90 min but not delays of 5 or 30 min. Sham-operated rats were not affected by delay. After leaving animals with no further treatment for 4 weeks, the tacrine-pretreated 2VO rats showed significantly impaired performance compared to the sham-operated control animals. However, the performance of the tacrine-pretreated 2VO rats was significantly improved by restarting the daily administration of tacrine (0.3 mg/kg, i.p.). The effect of tacrine was reversed by the muscarinic antagonist scopolamine and the selective M1 antagonist pirenzepine. Moreover, a microdialysis study revealed that tacrine (1 or 3 mg/kg, i.p.) increased the extracellular acetylcholine (ACh) level for a period of over 3 h in the cerebral cortex of 2VO rats. These findings suggest that the ameliorative effect of tacrine on the spatial memory deficit in 2VO rats is reversible and may be mediated by stimulating the muscarinic M1 receptor via elevation of the extracellular ACh level in the brain.

Acetylcholine↗