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Biomedical subjects

I Murata

Publications and source records attributed to I Murata.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Combined effects of diltiazem and oxygen in pulmonary hypertension of mixed connective tissue disease.

A 45-year-old woman with pulmonary hypertension and mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) underwent right heart catheterization to evaluate the effects of vasodilators. Nasal oxygen at 2 l/min in addition to 300 mg diltiazem improved pulmonary hemodynamics without adverse effects. After 1 year of diltiazem and home oxygen, sustained favorable hemodynamic effects were obtained, which were more marked than the acute effects. We conclude that this combination may be a potent treatment for pulmonary hypertension in patients with MCTD.

Adult↗

In vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study on premature aging in adult Down's syndrome.

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) was performed in a group of 18 adult patients with Down's syndrome (DS) aged 20-46 years, and the peak area ratios (NAA/Cr, Cho/Cr, NAA/Cho) of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), total creatine (Cr), and choline-containing compounds (Cho) calculated separately in the patients in their 20's, 30's, and 40's. In age-matched healthy control groups, there were no significant age-related changes in any of the peak area ratios. In contrast, in the DS group, although the relative amount of NAA (NAA/Cr) showed no significant change with increasing age, the relative amount of Cho (Cho/Cr and NAA/Cho) was significantly increased in the 40's group. At least as judged by MRI, few age-related general morphological changes such as brain atrophy were apparent in the third, fourth, and fifth decade groups. However, the MRI findings considered together with the age-related changes in the peak area ratios suggest that in DS patients in the fifth decade metabolic abnormalities such as degradation and/or rapid synthesis of brain cell membrane may occur prior to neuronal loss and degeneration.

Adult↗

A case of inflammatory malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the colon.

Primary malignant fibrous histiocytoma seldom occurs in the alimentary tract. This report documents a case in which a 50-year-old man presented with abdominal fullness and anorexia, together with inflammatory reactions such as fever, leukocytosis, an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and positive CRP. Radiologic and endoscopic studies revealed a large mass in the ascending colon. The histology of the resected tumor revealed inflammatory malignant fibrous histiocytoma, a histologic subtype which is rare among not only soft tissue fibrous but also as gastrointestinal histiocytomas. The inflammatory reactions disappeared following resection of the tumor. Although we suspected that the tumor produced granulocyte colony-stimulating factor because of the slightly elevated serum level and the characteristics of the tumor histology, an immunohistochemical study failed to show the G-CSF production by the tumor cells.

Colon↗

Frontal intermittent delta activity in schizophrenic patients receiving antipsychotic drugs.

FIRDA was found in 14 EEGs recorded from 338 schizophrenic patients receiving antipsychotic drugs, although they showed no FIRDA in the baseline EEG. The daily dose of antipsychotic drugs when FIRDA was found was larger than when FIRDA disappeared. FIRDA was assumed to be induced by relatively high doses of antipsychotic drugs. Thus, the effect of antipsychotic drugs should be added to the list of differential diagnoses associated with FIRDA. FIRDA did not correlate with the baseline psychopathology of schizophrenic patients. Patients without FIRDA tended to respond poorly to antipsychotic drugs in terms of negative symptoms. Improvement of positive symptoms in FIRDA patients was not as remarkable as in patients without FIRDA.

Adolescent↗

The influence of light drowsiness on the latency and amplitude of P300.

Light drowsiness affected the P300 obtained with a standard auditory oddball paradigm. A simple two-tone discrimination paradigm was used. The frequent nontarget stimuli were 1000 Hz pure tones and the infrequent target stimuli were 2000 Hz pure tones. The subjects were required to press a button whenever infrequent target tones were presented. With light drowsiness, P300 increased in latency and decreased in amplitude, but the counts of infrequent tones remained correct nevertheless. It was concluded that electrophysiological brain function differs in the light drowsy and awake states. In studies on P300, it is essential to rule out light drowsiness to obtain valid P300 amplitudes and latencies.

Adult↗

[Echocardiographic study in adult patients with Down's syndrome].

In Down's syndrome (DS) mental retardation accompanying chromosomal abnormalities is seen, and the incidence of associated congenital heart abnormalities is also known to recent years, the accelerated aging and premature senility associated with DS have attracted attention. In the present study, we examined cardiac lesions using echocardiography in a group of asymptomatic adult DS subjects discussed the relation between these lesions and premature aging. The subjects comprised 28 adult DS patients ranging in age from 20 to 46 years (mean +/- SD, 30.8 +/- 8.9 years) residing in 8 institutions in Fukui prefecture. The presence of DS was confirmed in all cases by chromosomal examination, which revealed 21-trisomy in 25 and mosaic type in three. Of indices of left heart function, the end diastolic volume index (EDVI) and end systolic volume index (ESVI) showed significantly reduced values, whereas indices of systolic function such as the ejection fraction (EF) and mean velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (mean Vcf) showed significantly elevated values. The results of early diastolic left ventricular function, which has been noted to be related to aging, did not show any significant difference as determined by observation of mitral valve dynamics. On the other hand, morphologically, mitral valve prolapse (MVP) was found significantly more frequently in the DS group (17.9%) as compared to a normal control group. Also, valvular calcification (14.3%) and aortic valve regurgitation (AR, 11%) were both frequently noted. Whether signs such as valvular calcification are findings related to accelerated aging will require further study.

Adult↗

Quantitative EEG of elderly schizophrenic patients.

To investigate the brain function of elderly schizophrenic patients, quantitative EEGs of such patients were compared with those of healthy elderly controls. In schizophrenics, increases in delta and slow theta (4.0-6.0 Hz) waves were thought to be due to the influence of antipsychotics. Characteristic EEG features of these patients included the following: 1) more fast theta (6.0-8.0 Hz) wave was observed, with less alpha wave faster than 9.0 Hz, 2) the reduction in alpha 3 (10.0-11.0 Hz) wave was limited to the frontal regions. The present EEG findings are thought to characterize the traits of the subtype of chronic severe schizophrenia. The reduction in alpha 3 wave in the frontal regions may be one expression of the hypofrontality of schizophrenia.

Age Factors↗

Echocardiographic evaluation of pulmonary arterial hypertension in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis and related syndromes.

In order to evaluate the usefulness of echocardiography in detection and characterization of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in scleroderma patients, we performed M-mode, two-dimensional, and Doppler echocardiography in 71 patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) and related syndromes: mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) and overlap syndromes. We estimated systolic pressure gradients across the tricuspid valve from the peak velocity of tricuspid regurgitation (TR) by color-flow guided continuous wave Doppler. TR velocities of analyzable quality for gradient estimation were obtained in 28 patients (39%), of whom 12 showed PAH (peak TR velocity > or = 2.5 m/sec). In comparison, analyzable TR was recorded in 19 (35%) of 55 patients with left-sided cardiac disease. None of the 12 with Doppler-estimated PAH showed left ventricular dilatation or decreased fractional shortening by M-mode and two-dimensional measurements. Nonsimultaneous cardiac catheterization confirmed PAH in 8 of 9 with Doppler-estimated PAH and in 3 of 12 without analyzable TR who had hemodynamic study. Doppler-estimated right ventricular systolic pressures (RVSP) correlated well with catheterization-measured pulmonary arterial systolic pressures (PASP) (< 0.01). Our results indicate that Doppler echocardiography is useful in detecting subclinical PAH and estimating PASP in patients with collagen vascular disease. The results of pulmonary function studies suggest that PAH in MCTD is mainly caused by pulmonary vasculopathy.

Adult↗

[A case of tuberculous mesenteric lymphadenitis detected by abdominal symptom after 4 months' antituberculous chemotherapy against pulmonary tuberculosis].

We reported a case of tuberculous mesenteric lymphadenitis. A twenty three year old man was admitted to our hospital with pulmonary tuberculosis on May, 1988. Chest X ray findings improved after 4 months' antituberculous chemotherapy, but he complained of right lower abdominal pain and a mass with tenderness. Barium series of gastro-intestinal tract showed evidence of extrinsic compression on the intestine. Abdominal CT showed rim enhancement and a multiloculated appearance, and the ultrasonography showed a hypoechoic mass. But we did not make a definite preoperative diagnosis, therefore exploratory operation was done. An abscess with caseous granuloma was found in the mesenteric lymphnodes removed at laparotomy.

Abdominal Pain↗

[Prognostic implications of the ploidy pattern of the nuclear DNA in hepatocellular carcinomas].

The nuclear DNA contents of paraffin-embedded specimens of 41 cases of a hepatocellular carcinoma have been measured by means of flow cytometry. Results have indicated that 25 cases (61%) were diploid and 16 cases (39%) were aneuploid. In the aneuploid cases, the serum AFP level was found to be higher and stage more advanced. We also found that patients with aneuploid tumors had a poorer prognosis than those with diploid tumors, this fact uncovered by means of a Cox's proportional hazard model. In conclusion, the ploidy pattern of the nuclear DNA may serve as a useful prognostic marker for a hepatocellular carcinoma.

Adolescent↗

[Sigmoid diverticular pathology. Apropos of a homogeneous series of 82 cases].

The authors report a retrospective series of 82 cases of sigmoid diverticulosis which revealed the following points: surgery is rarely performed on "cold" disease but for acute or chronic complications, diverticular disease is very often present for a very long time and the doctor or the patient has refused operation for various reasons, whenever possible, infection must be eradicated as first line treatment and continuity must be restored under protection of a right transverse colostomy which is closed 4 to 6 weeks later. The authors prefer this approach to Hartmann's operation, in which the restoration of colonic continuity appears to be more delicate and which tends to prevent the surgeon from performing a sufficiently low inferior section, the source of poor long-term results. There was no postoperative mortality in this series, which may be due to the special environment in which surgery was performed. It is preferable to operate patients with "cold" diverticulosis before the development of complications, which allows simpler one-stage surgery requiring a shorter and therefore less expansive hospital stay.

Adult↗

Clinical course and magnifying endoscopic findings of fine lesions of the large intestinal mucosa in Crohn's disease.

"Worm-eaten" appearance (WEA) is a fine lesion of Crohn's disease observed in apparently normal rectal mucosa by magnifying endoscopy. Magnifying endoscopy has now been performed following application of methylene blue on 37 occasions in 27 patients with Crohn's disease, and the occurrence of WEA was reviewed in relation to the duration and extent of disease. The frequency of WEA was 75% in patients with a history of less than five years and 77% in those who had had the disease for more than five years. In the active stage, the frequency was 85% and 100% respectively, and the degree of WEA also increased. The detection rate of granulomata in regions of WEA was 53% when the clinical history was less than five years and 33% when five years or more. In active disease, granulomata were found in 70% and 67% respectively. The large intestine other than the rectum was reviewed in eight patients with ileitis. WEA and granulomata were observed throughout the large intestine including the cecum, especially when the ileal disease was active.

Adult↗