Biomedical subjects

K Fukushima

Publications and source records attributed to K Fukushima.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

Quantitative analysis of interleukin 6 (IL-6) in patients with IgA nephropathy after tonsillectomy.

The biological response to tonsillectomy was studied in 21 patients suffering from chronic tonsillitis with or without IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Serum and urinary interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were measured before and after tonsillectomy. Serum IL-6 levels in case of IgAN peaked 3 h after tonsillectomy and more rapidly than control cases. No significant differences were observed between two cases through the time. Urinary IL-6 levels were significantly higher before and at 6 and 48 h after tonsillectomy in IgAN cases. Stimulation of tonsils caused serum IL-6 elevation and changes in urinary IL-6 levels in IgAN cases. Elevation of urinary IL-6 levels after tonsillectomy in patients with IgAN may reflect an increase in the production of IL-6 in the kidneys. Measurement of urinary IL-6 levels after tonsillectomy is useful to elucidate the efficacy of tonsillectomy in IgAN patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Stereo algorithm that extracts a depth cue from interocularly unpaired points.

In binocular vision, interocularly unpaired points are often generated as a result of occlusions. These points can only produce false matches, and have no information about binocular disparities. However, recent psychophysical experiments have suggested that interocularly unpaired points play an important role in human stereo perception. This article introduces a stereo algorithm that can extract depth cues from not only interocularly paired but also unpaired points. Computer simulation demonstrates that our algorithm can correctly process the da Vinci stereogram as well as natural stereo pairs.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1999

Three kinds of antibacterial substances from Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Sing. (Shiitake, an edible mushroom).

Three kinds of antibacterial substances were extracted by chloroform, ethylacetate or water from dried Shiitake mushrooms (Lentinus edodes). These substances possess efficient antibacterial activities against Streptococcus spp., Actinomyces spp., Lactobacillus spp., Prevotella spp., and Porphyromonas spp. of oral origin. In contrast, other general bacteria, such as Enterococcus spp., Staphylococcus spp., Escherichia spp., Bacillus spp., and Candida spp. were relatively resistant to these substances. Chloroform extracts had bactericidal activity against both growing and resting bacterial cells of S. mutans and P. intermedia, whereas the other two extracts showed bacteriostatic activity against both growing and resting bacterial cells of S. mutans and resting bacterial cell of P. intermedia. The antibacterial activity of chloroform extracts and ethylacetate extracts were relatively heat-stable. The water extract was heat-labile.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed1999

Identification and genetic homogeneity of Trichophyton tonsurans isolated from several regions by random amplified polymorphic DNA.

Trichophyton tonsurans is an anthropophilic dermatophyte mostly causing tinea capitis and tinea corporis. This study was carried out to identify T. tonsurans and to clarify whether it has any genetic differences depending on the phenotype or region of isolation by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis with three random primers. The assay was performed in 11 Korean, 2 Japanese, 2 Taiwanese, 5 Brazilian and 1 American isolates of T. tonsurans together with the other 10 anamorphic species of dermatophytes and 3 Arthroderma spp. All tested species of dermatophytes showed distinct bands and T. tonsurans was differentiated from other dermatophytes. It was most clearly differentiated from T. mentagrophytes by using primer 5'-GAAGGCTCCC-3' (OPAO-15). No difference was found in RAPD band patterns in all strains of T. tonsurans with these random primers. It was considered that T. tonsurans is a genetically homogeneous species regardless of its isolation regions, morphologic or physiologic characteristics.

DNA, Fungal↗

PubMed1999

Isolation of a new potent cytotoxic pigment along with indigotin from the pathogenic basidiomycetous fungus Schizophyllum commune.

An indole derivative, schizocommunin, was isolated along with indigotin (indigo), indirubin, isatin, and tryptanthrin, from the liquid culture medium in which a culture of Schizophyllum commune, isolated from the bronchus of a human patient with allergic bronchopulmonary mycosis, had been grown. The structure of schizocommunin was established by spectroscopic investigation. Schizocommunin showed the strong cytotoxicity against murine lymphoma cells. The assignments of the 1H- and 13C-NMR signals of indigotin were also listed.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Induction of mineralocorticoid receptor by sodium butyrate in small intestinal (IEC6) and colonic (T84) epithelial cell lines.

Mineralocorticoid action is essential for colonic sodium and water absorption and is mediated via mineralocorticoid receptors in the upper half of colonic crypts. On the other hand, it has been established that sodium butyrate induces differentiation-like phenomenon in vitro. The aim of this study is to investigate whether this bacterial product participates in the regulation of gene and protein expression of mineralocorticoid receptor in vitro. IEC6 and T84 cells were stimulated by sodium butyrate and RNAs extracted. Gene expression of mineralocorticoid receptor was evaluated by northern blotting or semiquantitative RT-PCR. Protein expression was determined in T84 cells using immunohistochemistry. To investigate whether MR induction was associated with cellular differentiation, we also measured alkaline phosphatase in situ. The mineralocorticoid receptor gene was induced by sodium butyrate in both IEC6 and T84 cells. Immunoreactivity increased in butyrate-treated T84 cells, but receptor-containing cells were not uniformly distributed and often formed clusters. Induction of alkaline phosphate activity was also demonstrated in both IEC6 and T84 cells. Double staining by immunoreactivity and alkaline phosphatase activity clearly demonstrated the colocalization of both after butyrate treatment. In conclusion, sodium butyrate up-regulates gene and protein expression of the functionally important mineralocorticoid receptor in epithelial cells, after induction by differentiation-like condition in vitro.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

PubMed1999

Remodeling of vascular wall in Crohn's disease.

To clarify the changes in vascular resistance in Crohn's disease, we studied changes in the thickness of arterial media histometrically. The resected specimens of mesenterium and intestine from 18 patients with Crohn's disease were used. Each intestinal lesion was classified into three grades: no inflammation, exudative change, and fibrosing change. In the ileum, significant atrophy in the media of the submucosal peripheral arteries was noted during exudative and fibrosing changes, while in the submucosal larger vessels or in the mesenterium, the thickness of the arterial media did not change. In the colon, atrophy in the media of the submucosal arteries was noted in all stages except in the larger vessel during exudative change, while no significant changes were noted in the mesenterium. In conclusion, it is suggested that circulatory disturbance occurs even in the early stage in Crohn's disease, and there seems to be increased vascular resistance in the area between the deep submucosal and the distal mesenteric arteries.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Type II 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase expression in human colonic epithelial cells of inflammatory bowel disease.

Type IIbeta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase endows specificity on the mineralocorticoid receptor by metabolizing cortisol and regulates sodium absorption in renal and colonic epithelium. Altered expression of this enzyme may be associated with impaired sodium absorption often seen in colonic mucosa of inflammatory bowel disease. The aim of this study was to investigate possible abnormality of 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase protein and mRNA expression in inflammatory bowel disease. In Crohn's disease, the colonic epithelium showed comparable levels of immunoreactivity and mRNA expression to those of control, except for the decreased immunoreactivity in severe inflamed lesions with deep ulcer. In contrary, a lack or decrease of immunoreactivity was relevant in ulcerative colitis regardless of the histological degree of inflammation. The mRNA expression was also significantly decreased in ulcerative colitis. This study demonstrates that abnormality of epithelial cells in ulcerative colitis includes the enzyme that regulates water and sodium absorption, which are physiologically essential.

11-beta-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2↗

PubMed1999

Overexpression of CD44 on alveolar eosinophils with high concentrations of soluble CD44 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in patients with eosinophilic pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: High levels of interleukin-5 (IL-5) are found in the alveolar space of patients with eosinophilic pneumonia (EP). IL-5 promotes the growth and differentiation of eosinophils, as well as activating these cells. IL-5 also induces the expression of CD44 on eosinophils in vitro. To evaluate the contribution of CD44 to the pathogenesis of EP, we examined the expression of CD44 on eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and measured the concentration of soluble CD44 (sCD44) in BALF from patients with EP. METHODS: The concentrations of IL-5, sCD44, and hyaluronic acid (HA) were measured in BALF. The expression levels of CD44 on eosinophils in BALF and peripheral blood in patients with EP were compared. RESULTS: The expression of CD44 on alveolar eosinophils and the concentration of sCD44 were increased in BALF of patients with EP. There was a significant correlation between IL-5 and sCD44 in BALF. A high concentration of HA was observed in BALF of EP patients. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the high expression of CD44 on eosinophils probably results from upregulation by IL-5 and could be important in the pathogenesis of EP.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Hearing immaturity found by ABR and its clinical impact on otoneurological evaluation.

Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) is the most reliable and most frequently used procedure to evaluate audiological conditions in early infancy. However, several reports have demonstrated that developmental change in the central nervous system may affect the results of ABR in audiological evaluations. We examined statistically the reliability of ABR for the diagnosis of profound deafness in early childhood according to our experience over the past 12 years of follow-up in our facility. Subjects included 371 children among 1,041 children who were admitted to Kanariya-Gakuen (institute for pre-school deaf children) from April 1985 to March 1997. These children were examined with ABR to determine their hearing levels. In five cases with an abnormal hearing threshold determined by ABR and other audiological tests, repeated examinations carried out during a 5- to 6-month follow-up period revealed that they had normal hearing. Three of these children had been diagnosed previously with mental retardation and the remaining two were infants < 5 months old. The specificity and sensitivity of ABR were calculated as 97.3% and 100%, respectively. The predictive value of a positive result was 94.7%. There remains the possibility of a false negative for such cases, although the rate seems to be very low (< 0.2%).

Audiometry↗

PubMed1999

Lipopolysaccharide- and proinflammatory cytokine-induced energy production in intestinal and colonic epithelial cell lines.

BACKGROUND: Although epithelial cells in ulcerative colitis may be metabolically deficient, it remains unknown whether epithelial cells modulate energy metabolism in inflamed mucosa. The purpose of the present study is to investigate whether inflammatory mediators such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) alter energy metabolism in epithelial cells. METHODS: Adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) levels in HT29 cells cultured with LPS, IL-1beta, IL-6, or TNF-alpha were measured with high-performance liquid chromatography, using a reversed-phase chromatography column. Cellular and mitochondrial (antimycin A-sensitive) respiration rates were determined polarographically, using a Clark-type oxygen electrode. RESULTS: When the cells were cultured with LPS, IL-6, and TNF-alpha but not IL-1beta, ATP levels increased significantly at 6 h, followed by a decrease at 24 h. Enhancement of oxygen consumption, which was completely blocked by antimycin A, was also shown at 3 h by the exposure to these substrates. CONCLUSION: LPS and proinflammatory cytokines induced cellular ATP generated by mitochondrial phosphorylation. An active energy production in epithelial cells on the exposure to inflammatory mediators may be critical for escape from chronic mucosal inflammation.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1999

A gene for fluctuating, progressive autosomal dominant nonsyndromic hearing loss, DFNA16, maps to chromosome 2q23-24.3.

The sixteenth gene to cause autosomal dominant nonsyndromic hearing loss (ADNSHL), DFNA16, maps to chromosome 2q23-24.3 and is tightly linked to markers in the D2S2380-D2S335 interval. DFNA16 is unique in that it results in the only form of ADNSHL in which the phenotype includes rapidly progressing and fluctuating hearing loss that appears to respond to steroid therapy. This observation suggests that it may be possible to stabilize hearing through medical intervention, once the biophysiology of deafness due to DFNA16 is clarified. Especially intriguing is the localization of several voltage-gated sodium-channel genes to the DFNA16 interval. These cationic channels are excellent positional and functional DFNA16 candidate genes.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Lung cancer in patients who had received thoracoplasty for pulmonary tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND: In Japan in the 1950s, thoracoplasty was a powerful therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis. Now there are many aged people who have tuberculosis sequelae caused by thoracoplasty. We have encountered some cases of lung cancer among these people. METHODS: To elucidate the features of lung cancer occurring after thoracoplasty for pulmonary tuberculosis, we reviewed for analysis 20 such cases. RESULTS: There were 17 men and three women, aged 55 to 78 years (mean 65 years). All had respiratory dysfunction and most were cigarette smokers. Lung cancers were located in the upper lobes in nine cases, in the middle lobe in one and in the lower lobes in 10. Ten lung cancers were in the thoracoplastied lung and the remaining 10 in the opposite lung. Histologically, squamous cell carcinoma was predominant (11 cases). Eight lung cancers were detected in stages I and II and 12 in stages III and IV. Most cancer lesions were separate from tuberculosis lesions. Surgical resection was selected in only three of 11 stages I-IIIA cases in consideration of respiratory dysfunction and/or ventilatory impairment due to thoracoplasty. Chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy were performed in nine and supportive care alone was performed in eight. Fourteen patients died of lung cancer and four died of cor pulmonale due to tuberculosis sequelae. Five-year survival was achieved in only one surgical case. Eight of the nine patients who received chemotherapy or radiotherapy died within 1 year, and, further, seven of eight patients who received supportive care died within 6 months. CONCLUSION: Lung cancer in the patients who had received thoracoplasty occurred in each lung and every lobe, independent of thoracoplasty. In addition, delay of detection was such that stage III-IV cases were in the majority, there were some limitations in therapeutic benefits related to thoracoplasty and the prognosis was very poor. Physicians should avoid delay in the detection of lung cancer through careful follow-up of such patients.

Aged↗

PubMed1999

Low prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in individuals with HTLV-I infection.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in HIV-positive individuals is significantly lower than in HIV-negative controls. However, its prevalence in individuals infected with human T-cell leukaemia virus type I (HTLV-I), another important member of the human retrovirus family, has not been previously investigated. OBJECTIVE: To establish the prevalence of H. pylori in HTLV-I-positive individuals in the Nagasaki Prefecture, which is an area endemic for HTLV-I. METHODS: We examined sera from 146 HTLV-I-positive individuals with a mean age of 56.7 years, consisting of 45 adult T-cell leukaemia (ATL) patients, 13 HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM) patients and 88 healthy carriers. Serum samples of 292 age- and sex-matched HTLV-I-negative controls were also examined. Serum anti-H. pylori immunoglobulin (Ig) G antibody was examined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit. Twenty-eight HTLV-I-positive patients were examined endoscopically, assessed for H. pylori by culture, histology and CLO test using gastric biopsy specimens, and gastritis in these patients was also graded histologically. RESULTS: The seroprevalence of H. pylori was 48% in HTLV-I-positive individuals versus 64% in HTLV-I-negative controls (P < 0.01). In the three HTLV-I-positive groups, ATL patients and carriers had significantly lower seroprevalence of H. pylori than the HTLV-I-negative controls (P < 0.05). Assessment of H. pylori using gastric biopsy specimens also showed a significantly lower prevalence of H. pylori infection in HTLV-I-positive patients than controls (46% versus 70%, P < 0.05). Histological examination showed a significantly higher degree of activity, inflammation and glandular atrophy in the antrum and corpus in H. pylori-positive patients compared to H. pylori-negative patients. H. pylori-positive patients with HTLV-I infection had a more severe degree of glandular atrophy in the corpus than H. pylori-positive controls without HTLV-I infection. CONCLUSION: We have found a reduced prevalence of H. pylori in HTLV-I-positive individuals. Whatever the explanation, infection with HTLV-I does not predispose to the risk of H. pylori infection.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Asymptomatic form of Brugada syndrome.

We describe a patient with the asymptomatic form of Brugada syndrome. His electrographical, electropharmacological, and electrophysiological characteristics were similar to those reported in patients with the symptomatic form of Brugada syndrome. We believe that he has the same arrhythmogenic substrate as that of patients with Brugada syndrome. The fact that he had no episode of spontaneous ventricular fibrillation might be explained by his absence of the triggering factors.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Lipopolysaccharide stimulates butyric acid-induced apoptosis in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

We previously reported that butyric acid, an extracellular metabolite from periodontopathic bacteria, induced apoptosis in murine thymocytes, splenic T cells, and human Jurkat T cells. In this study, we examined the ability of butyric acid to induce apoptosis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and the effect of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on this apoptosis. Butyric acid significantly inhibited the anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody- and concanavalin A-induced proliferative responses in a dose-dependent fashion. This inhibition of PBMC growth by butyric acid depended on apoptosis in vitro. It was characterized by internucleosomal DNA digestion and revealed by gel electrophoresis followed by a colorimetric DNA fragmentation assay to occur in a concentration-dependent fashion. Butyric acid-induced PBMC apoptosis was accompanied by caspase-3 protease activity but not by caspase-1 protease activity. LPS potentiated butyric acid-induced PBMC apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Flow-cytometric analysis revealed that LPS increased the proportion of sub-G1 cells and the number of late-stage apoptotic cells induced by butyric acid. Annexin V binding experiments with fractionated subpopulations of PBMC in flow cytometory revealed that LPS accelerated the butyric acid-induced CD3(+)-T-cell apoptosis followed by similar levels of both CD4(+)- and CD8(+)-T-cell apoptosis. The addition of LPS to PBMC cultures did not cause DNA fragmentation, suggesting that LPS was unable to induce PBMC apoptosis directly. These data suggest that LPS, in combination with butyric acid, potentiates CD3(+) PBMC T-cell apoptosis and plays a role in the apoptotic depletion of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Induction of epithelial Na+ channel in rat ileum after proctocolectomy.

In patients with colectomy, epithelial transport function in the remnant small intestine can be regulated in response to the increased fecal electrolyte and fluid loss. Using a rat colectomy model, we investigated the Na+ and K+ transport mechanisms underlying the intestinal response. Proctocolectomy with ileoanal anastomosis was performed on rats. The small intestinal mucosa was mounted in Ussing chambers; then short-circuit currents and 22Na+ fluxes were measured. mRNA expression of the epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) was determined by Northern blotting. Amiloride-sensitive, electrogenic Na+ absorption appeared in the ileum after proctocolectomy. This functional change was accompanied by the chronological induction of mRNAs for alpha-, beta-, and gamma-subunits of the ENaC in the ileum. Tetraethylammonium-sensitive short-circuit current was also activated. We conclude that electrogenic Na+ absorption and probably K+ secretion are induced in the ileum after proctocolectomy. This induction of electrogenic Na+ absorption is probably mediated by the increase in the mRNA levels for all three types of subunits of the ENaC and may contribute to the recovery from the increased fecal Na+ loss.

Aldosterone↗

PubMed1999

Vertical Purkinje cells of the monkey floccular lobe: simple-spike activity during pursuit and passive whole body rotation.

To understand how the simian floccular lobe is involved in vertical smooth pursuit eye movements and the vertical vestibuloocular reflex (VOR), we examined simple-spike activity of 70 Purkinje (P) cells during pursuit eye movements and passive whole body rotation. Fifty-eight cells responded during vertical and 12 during horizontal pursuit. We classified P cells as vertical gaze velocity (VG) if their modulation occurred for movements of both the eye (during vertical pursuit) and head (during pitch VOR suppression) with the modulation during one less than twice that of the other and was less during the target-fixed-in-space condition (pitch VOR X1) than during pitch VOR suppression. VG P cells constituted only a minority of vertical P cells (19%). Other vertical P cells that responded during pitch VOR suppression were classified as vertical eye and head velocity (V/) P cells (48%), regardless of the synergy of their response direction during smooth pursuit and VOR suppression. Vertical P cells that did not respond during pitch VOR suppression but did respond during rotation in vertical planes other than pitch were classified as off-pitch V/ P cells (33%). The mean eye-velocity and eye-position sensitivities of the three types of vertical P cells were similar. One-third (2/7 VG, 2/11 V/, 6/13 off-pitch V/), in addition, showed eye position sensitivity during saccade-free fixations. Maximal vestibular activation directions (MADs) were examined during VOR suppression by applying vertical whole body rotation with the monkeys oriented in different vertical planes. The MADs for VG P cells and V/ P cells with eye and vestibular sensitivity in the same direction were distributed near the pitch plane, suggesting convergence of bilateral anterior canal inputs. In contrast, MADs of off-pitch V/ P cells and V/ P cells with oppositely directed eye and vestibular sensitivity were shifted toward the roll plane, suggesting convergence of anterior and posterior canal inputs of the same side. Unlike horizontal G P cells, the modulation of many VG and V/ P cells when the target was fixed in space (pitch VOR X1) was not well predicted by the linear addition of their modulations during vertical pursuit and pitch VOR suppression. These results indicate that the populations of vertical and horizontal eye-movement P cells in the floccular lobe have markedly different discharge properties and therefore may be involved in different kinds of processing of vestibular-oculomotor interactions.

Action Potentials↗