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Biomedical subjects

K Fukuda

Publications and source records attributed to K Fukuda.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the brain in three cases of Rett syndrome: comparison with autism and normal controls.

Rett syndrome (RS) is a clinically defined disorder characterized by autistic behavior, and cognitive and motor skill loss early in life. We performed 1H-MRS of the brain in 3 cases of RS in comparison with in autism and controls. The older patient with RS demonstrated decreased N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/choline (Cho) and NAA/creatine (Cr) ratios when compared with the autism and control groups, whereas the younger patients did not demonstrate these decreased metabolite ratios. The Cho/Cr ratio did not differ among Rett syndrome, autism and controls. Since the clinical stage did not differ among the 3 cases of RS, it was suggested that NAA was decreased with increasing age and was not related with the clinical stage of RS. The NAA/Cho, NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratios did not differ between autism and controls. The present data suggest that there may be a secondary degenerative process of late onset in RS, which pathophysiologically differs from autism.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Balance of activities of alcohol acetyltransferase and esterase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is important for production of isoamyl acetate.

Isoamyl acetate is synthesized from isoamyl alcohol and acetyl coenzyme A by alcohol acetyltransferase (AATFase) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and is hydrolyzed by esterases at the same time. We hypothesized that the balance of both enzyme activities was important for optimum production of isoamyl acetate in sake brewing. To test this hypothesis, we constructed yeast strains with different numbers of copies of the AATFase gene (ATF1) and the isoamyl acetate-hydrolyzing esterase gene (IAH1) and used these strains in small-scale sake brewing. Fermentation profiles as well as components of the resulting sake were largely alike; however, the amount of isoamyl acetate in the sake increased with an increasing ratio of AATFase/Iah1p esterase activity. Therefore, we conclude that the balance of these two enzyme activities is important for isoamyl acetate accumulation in sake mash.

Acetyltransferases↗
PubMed1998

Detection and sequence analysis of borna disease virus p24 RNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with mood disorders or schizophrenia and of blood donors.

Borna disease virus (BDV) p24 RNA was detected in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of psychiatric patients and blood donors by nested reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). The prevalences of BDV p24 RNA in patients with mood disorders (4%) and schizophrenia (4%) were not significantly different from that in blood donors (2%). This finding was inconsistent with previous reports that showed either a high prevalence or absence of BDV p24 RNA in patients with psychiatric disorders. The differences in BDV p24 RNA prevalence in these studies may be due to differences in the criteria for positivity, the number of PBMCs used for RNA extraction, or the amount of RNA tested for nested RT-PCR or to laboratory contamination. Sequence analysis of BDV p24 RNA from the PBMCs of patients and blood donors showed a high nucleotide sequence conservation but definite nucleotide mutations compared with horse BDV p24 RNA sequences. In comparison with human BDV p24 RNA sequences previously reported from Japan and Germany, there were several positions with silent nucleotide mutations among these clones.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Cloning, functional characterization, and localization of a rat renal Na+-dicarboxylate transporter.

We report here the isolation, functional characterization, tissue distribution, and membrane localization of rat renal Na+-dicarboxylate transporter (rNaDC-1). rNaDC-1 consists of 2,245 nucleotides, and the deduced amino acid sequence showed 73% and 75% identity to rabbit and human NaDC-1, respectively. When expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, rNaDC-1 mediated sodium-dependent uptake of di- and tricarboxylates. Substrates of rNaDC-1 evoked inward currents in oocytes expressed with rNaDC-1; succinate, alpha-ketoglutarate, and glutarate were relatively high-affinity substrates, and citrate was a low-affinity substrate of rNaDC-1. The coupling ratio of citrate to charge was determined to be 1:1 at pH 7.4; influx of one positive charge per citrate molecule suggests a symport of three Na+ with a divalent citrate. Expression of rNaDC-1 mRNA was detected in the kidney and the small and large intestines. Immunohistochemistry using polyclonal antibodies raised against the 14 amino acids at the COOH terminus of rNaDC-1 revealed that rNaDC-1 is localized exclusively in the luminal membrane of S2 and S3.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Differences in transmitral flow velocity pattern during increase in preload in patients with abnormal left ventricular relaxation.

Changes in transmitral flow (TMF) and pulmonary venous flow (PVF) velocities during increases in preload were compared in patients with a higher peak atrial systolic velocity than peak early diastolic velocity (A/E > 1) for the TMF velocity to determine differences in hemodynamic response. Fifteen patients with dilated hearts, 22 with hypertrophied hearts and 15 control patients were studied. TMF and PVF velocities were recorded by transesophageal pulsed Doppler echocardiography before and during application of lower body positive pressure. The value for peak early diastolic velocity increased, while the isovolumic relaxation time decreased with increases in preload in all groups. The value for peak atrial systolic velocity decreased in the dilated-heart group, but increased in the hypertrophied-heart and control groups. The peak second systolic and early diastolic PVF velocities increased in the dilated- and hypertrophied-heart groups, but did not change in the control group. The peak atrial systolic PVF velocity and the difference in duration of the atrial systolic PVF and TMF velocities increased in the dilated- and hypertrophied-heart groups, and its changing rate was highest in the group with dilated hearts. These results suggest that both peak early diastolic and atrial systolic TMF velocities increase during increases in preload through the Frank-Starling mechanism in hypertrophied hearts. Furthermore, the left ventricular functional reserve was lower in the dilated-heart group. Thus, TMF and PVF velocities respond differently during increases in preload, depending on the underlying heart disease.

Blood Flow Velocity↗
PubMed1998

cFKBP/SMAP; a novel molecule involved in the regulation of smooth muscle differentiation.

During embryogenesis, smooth muscle cells of the gut differentiate from mesenchymal cells derived from splanchnic mesoderm. We have isolated a gene involved in the differentiation of smooth muscle cells in the gut using differential display between the chicken proventriculus in which the smooth muscle layer develops poorly and the gizzard in which smooth muscles develop abundantly. The protein encoded by this gene showed highest similarity to mouse FK506 binding protein, FKBP65, and from the function of this protein it was designated chicken FKBP/smooth muscle activating protein (cFKBP/SMAP). cFKBP/SMAP was first expressed in smooth muscle precursor cells of the gut and, after smooth muscles differentiate, expression was restricted to smooth muscle cells. In organ culture of the gizzard, the differentiation of smooth muscle cells was inhibited by the addition of FK506, the inhibitor of FKBPs. Moreover, overexpression of cFKBP/SMAP in lung and gizzard mesenchymal cells induced smooth muscle differentiation. In addition, cFKBP/SMAP-induced smooth muscle differentiation was inhibited by FK506. We postulate therefore that cFKBP/SMAP plays a crucial role in smooth muscle differentiation in the gut and provides a powerful tool to study smooth muscle differentiation mechanisms, which have been poorly analyzed so far.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Inhibitory effect of Coptidis Rhizoma and Scutellariae Radix on azoxymethane-induced aberrant crypt foci formation in rat colon.

This study was conducted to obtain effective cancer chemopreventive agents with low toxicity from medicinal herbs. The effect of aqueous extracts from 9 medicinal herbs with antiinflammatory effect were examined on the formation of azoxymethane (AOM)-induced aberrant crypt foci (ACF), putative preneoplastic lesions of the colon. Male F344 rats were treated with 15 mg/kg body weight of AOM once a week for two weeks. Herbal extract consisting of 2% of the diet was administered from 1 d prior to the first carcinogen treatment. The number of AOM-induced ACF per colon was counted at 4 week. Extracts of Coptidis Rhizoma and Scutellariae Radix significantly inhibited AOM-induced ACF formation. The number of ACF was decreased to 54% and 78% of that of the control by 2% Coptidis Rhizoma and Scutellariae Radix extract in the diet, respectively. Berberine and Baicalin, major ingredients of Coptidis Rhizoma and Scutellariae Radix, inhibited ACF formation at a dose equivalent to the amount in each herbal extract. Therefore, to investigate the mechanisms of action of berberine and baicalein which is the active substances of orally administered baicalin, their effects on cyclooxygenase 1 and 2 activities were studied. Berberine was found to inhibit cyclooxygenase 2 activity without inhibition of cyclooxygenase 1 activity, and baicalein inhibited cyclooxygenase 1 activity. Thus, Coptidis Rhizoma and Scutellariae Radix suppressed experimental colon carcinogenesis, and their chemopreventive effects were explained from the inhibition of berberine on cyclooxygenase 2 activity and baicalein on cyclooxygenase 1 activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Changes of ischemic heart disease in Utsunomiya, Japan, over 10 years: a survey of primary care physicians.

A total of 502 patients presenting in Utsunomiya city and its suburbs during a 10-year period were studied to determine the clinical features of ischemic heart disease and to identify coronary risk factors. The male/female ratio was 1.21, but the ratio decreased with increasing age. The duration of chest pain showed a continuous spectrum between angina and infarction, with a short duration of chest pain not being useful for excluding the diagnosis of myocardial infarction. Hypertension was more common than hypercholesterolemia in this study, although the prevalence of the latter increased slightly with time, along with the shift towards a modernized occupational pattern. Smoking was a more important risk factor for ischemic heart disease in younger individuals than in the elderly, and diabetes mellitus was highly associated with the development of myocardial infarction. The incidence of radiologically diagnosed cardiac hypertrophy and aortic calcification decreased over time. These changes may have resulted in part from improved blood pressure control and the development of new anti-hypertensive and cholesterol-lowering agents.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

Hemagglutinating activity of extracellular alkaline metalloendopeptidases from Vibrio sp. NUF-BPP1.

Alkaline metalloendopeptidase (metalloprotease) AP1 (48 kDa) from Vibrio sp. isolated from the intestine of a five-barred goatfish (Parupeneus trifasciatus) was reported in our previous paper to produce AP2 (36 kDa) by releasing a peptide fragment (molecular mass of about 12 kDa) from the C-terminal end of AP1 by autodigestion. AP1 strongly agglutinated fish (flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus) and rabbit erythrocytes, and weakly chicken erythrocytes. In contrast, AP2 had no significant hemagglutinating activity toward any erythrocytes tested, except for weak activity on flounder erythrocytes, suggesting that the C-terminal region of AP1 may be required for the strong hemagglutinating activity. The optimum temperature for the hemagglutinating activity of AP1 was found to be lower than that for the proteolytic activity. At acidic pHs (below pH 7.5), the hemagglutinating activity of AP1 decreased, and its pH profile resembled that of the proteolytic activity. The hemagglutinating activity of AP1 was not observed in the presence of o-phenanthroline or synthetic and proteinous substrates, but different kinds of saccharides and lipids had no effect. While the proteolytic activity of AP1 was not affected by CaCl2, the hemagglutinating activity of AP1 decreased with increases in CaCl2 concentrations. These results suggested that the hemagglutinating activity of these proteases (AP1 and AP2) was most likely caused by their proteolytic action on erythrocyte cell surfaces.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Difference in systolic motion velocity of the left ventricular posterior wall in patients with asymmetric septal hypertrophy and prior anteroseptal myocardial infarction. Evaluation by pulsed tissue Doppler imaging.

The left ventricular (LV) posterior wall in patients with asymmetric septal hypertrophy or prior anteroseptal myocardial infarction (A-MI) frequently demonstrates normal or supernormal motion to compensate for hypokinesis of the interventricular septum. This study evaluated the systolic motion velocity of the posterior wall in these conditions using a pulsed tissue Doppler imaging system. The study population consisted of 30 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HC) and asymmetric septal hypertrophy, 25 with prior A-MI and 30 normal controls. The systolic excursion of the posterior wall was obtained by M-mode echocardiography. The endocardial motion velocities of the posterior wall were obtained by pulsed tissue Doppler imaging. The systolic excursion of the posterior wall was significantly greater in the A-MI and HC groups than in the control group, and was significantly greater in the A-MI group than in the HC group. The peak systolic velocity of the posterior wall was significantly lower in the HC group than in the control and A-MI groups, and the time from the electrocardiographic Q wave to the peak of the systolic wave of the posterior wall was significantly longer in the HC group than in the other groups. There were rough negative and positive correlations between the LV end-diastolic pressure and the peak systolic velocity and time from the Q wave to the peak of the systolic wave, respectively. In conclusion, LV myocardial contractility in HC patients was impaired when compared to A-MI patients despite similar posterior wall motion on the M-mode echocardiogram. Pulsed tissue Doppler imaging method may provide new insights and allow further evaluation of myocardial dysfunction.

Cardiac Catheterization↗
PubMed1998

A case-control study on male hepatocellular carcinoma based on hospital and community controls.

A case control study on male primary hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and hepatitis B or C virus and some potential risk factors, e.g. blood transfusion, aldehyde dehydrogenase 2(ALDH2) genotype and drinking habits, was performed using two controls, i.e. a hospital control(HC) and a community control(CC) in Fukuoka and Saga Prefectures. Cases were obtained from the Second Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University Hospital. The HCs were obtained from inpatients of two general hospitals in Kurume and the CCs were randomly sampled from the Kurume citizens being matched with age and sex to each case. Based on the HCs, odds ratios(ORs) of developing male HCC were statistically significant due to HBsAg or anti-HCV antibody positive status. Some discrepancies were observed between the two controls, i.e. higher proportions of past histories of diabetes or hypertension, of ALDH2 typical homozygote(ALDH2(1)/ALDH2(1)), and of heavy drinkers among the HCs, suggesting slight deviation of the HCs from the CCs in alcohol related aspects. Although ORs regarding accumulated amount of alcohol intake by age 40 based on the HCs were insignificant, two of the three corresponding ORs based on the CCs were statistically significant. Judging from alcohol related aspects between the two controls, the ORs for alcohol based on the HCs seems to be underestimated.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Descriptive epidemiology of IDDM in Hokkaido, Japan: the Childhood IDDM Hokkaido Registry.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the incidence of IDDM with regard to sex, age, family history of diabetes, season, and 5-year period of childhood IDDM among children ages 0-14 years from a population-based epidemiological study in Hokkaido, Japan, from 1973 to 1992. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Registration of all new IDDM cases in Hokkaido was conducted by the Childhood IDDM Hokkaido Registry Study Group from 1973 to 1992. The cases were selected from among 1) patients who were admitted to the member hospitals of the study group, 2) patients who answered a questionnaire distributed to hospitals and diabetic clinics throughout Hokkaido, and 3) patients whose cases were recorded in free-treatment medical records of urban and rural districts. The case ascertainment rate was estimated to be 100%. Differences in incidence with regard to sex, age, family history of diabetes, season, and year period were analyzed by the Poisson regression analysis by GENMOD. RESULTS: During the 20-year period studied, 396 cases (181 boys, 215 girls) of abrupt-onset IDDM were registered. Statistically significant differences in annual incidence were found according to sex (female), age (8-14 years), history (having no diabetes in family), season (spring), and 5-year period. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first population-based, long-term epidemiological study of childhood IDDM from Japan. We observed a significantly higher annual incidence (per 100,000/year) of IDDM in female subjects (1.81), older age-groups (2.25 for 8-14 years), subjects with no family history of diabetes (1.26), diabetes onset in the spring (2.20), and an increased trend over the 20 years. In addition, the heterogeneity of IDDM among Japanese children needs to be elucidated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Validation of the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test--Thai version in northeast Thailand.

This study was aimed to validate the Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test-Thai version (MAST-T) which was compared to the psychiatric diagnosis based on DSM-III-R criteria, as a gold standard, among the northeast population of Thailand. Sixty-one pairs of male cases with alcohol use disorders (AUD) and controls were collected through routine examination of psychiatric outpatients, 18-65 years old, who visited the Khon Kaen Psychiatric Hospital or the Northeast Drug Dependence Treatment Center which is located in Khon Kaen province, northeast Thailand between November, 1996 and February, 1997. Controls were matched for each case by sex-age (+/- 5 years)--province--urbanization. They were interviewed using the MAST-T and a structured questionnaire. Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that the optimum cutoff point > or = 11 on the MAST-T yields the best sensitivity and specificity (98.4% for each), along with an area under the curve of 0.998, indicating that it was sensitive and specific in discriminating AUD from non-AUD patients. This validation study of the MAST-Thai version underlines its applicability as a screening test for AUD among the northeast male Thai population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Neurinoma arising from the first branch of the trigeminal nerve: a case report].

A case of a neurinoma arising from the first branch of the trigeminal nerve in a 40-year-old female is reported. The patient was admitted with the chief complaint of loss of Lt. visual acuity and mild hypoesthesia in the area of the first branch of the trigeminal nerve. A CT scan and MRI revealed a tumor extending through the superior orbital fissure into the orbita. Subtotal resection of the tumor was performed by a fronto-orbito-zigomatic approach and a histological diagnosis of neurinoma was made. Although the hypoesthesia remained, the visual acuity was markedly improved postoperatively. A neurinoma arising from the first branch of the trigeminal nerve is very rare. To our knowledge, including our case, only five cases which were described for clinical and diagnostic features and surgical management have been reported. There were three males and two females, and the age ranged from 1 to 57 years. Neurologically, all cases presented hypoesthesia in the area of the first branch of the trigeminal nerve and exophthalmus on admission. Visual disturbance was found in three cases. Radiologically, the enlargement of the superior orbital fissure was revealed in two cases. Angiography performed in three cases demonstrated the avascular mass. Three patients received CT scan and only the present case used MR imaging. Surgical resection was performed in all cases through various approaches. The fronto-orbito-zygomatic approach which was chosen in our case was useful for obtaining a sufficient operative view. As in our case, excellent outcome was achieved in three other cases due to successful tumor resection.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[A case of osteolytic metastases from breast cancer effectively treated with pamidronate].

A 55-year-old woman complained of neck pain ten years after the mastectomy. She was diagnosed as multiple bone metastases and received chemoendocrine therapy with 5'-DFUR and tamoxifen. Bone scintigram showed progressive disease, so we attempted biweekly administration of fadrozole and pamidronate (30 mg). After four months, pamidronate administration relieved her neck pain. CT revealed that all lytic lesions of cervical and thoracic vertebra showed sclerosis 11 months after pamidronate infusion. New lytic lesions are not defined, and the sclerosis has continued thus far. Pamidronate therapy is promising as an effective treatment in patients with osteolytic metastasis from breast cancer.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1998

[A case of Japanese B encephalitis with lesions of thalamus and substantia nigra revealed by MRI].

We report a 6-year-old girl with Japanese B encephalitis. The initial symptoms were high fever, headache and vomiting. On the second day of illness, she developed hemiconvulsion and was admitted to our hospital. Physical examination demonstrated a stiff neck. C-reactive protein elevated to 22.7 mg/dl. CSF examination showed a marked increase in the cell count (10,896/3 mm3). During the course of the treatment, she showed transient hemiparesis and dysphagia, followed by akinetic mutism lasting for about a month. The patient was left with severe cognitive and memory impairment and complex partial seizures but no motor dysfunction. Japanese B encephalitis was diagnosed by means of serological examination. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed cystic lesions in the medial and posterior thalamus and substantia nigra and severe atrophy of the hippocampus. Despite the involvement of substantia nigra, the patient had no parkinsonism. The cognitive impairment may in part be explained by the lesions in the medical and posterior thalamus.

Child↗