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Biomedical subjects

K Goto

Publications and source records attributed to K Goto.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

Results of the surgical treatment of perimedullary arteriovenous fistulas with special reference to embolization.

OBJECT: This retrospective study was performed to evaluate the results of surgical treatment and the use of preoperative embolization in managing patients with perimedullary arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs). METHODS: The authors studied 20 consecutive patients with perimedullary AVFs who underwent surgical treatment. Arteriovenous shunts were at the level of the cervical spine in five patients, the thoracic spine in 12, and the conus medullaris in three patients. Of the 20 AVFs, three were fed by the anterior spinal artery only, three by the posterior spinal artery, and 14 by both the anterior and posterior spinal arteries. Nine patients had varices that compressed the spinal cord. Eleven patients underwent surgery, and nine patients underwent surgery combined with adjuvant preoperative embolization. Preoperative embolization remarkably reduced blood flow through the AVFs and facilitated subsequent surgical procedures. Postoperative angiography revealed complete disappearance of the AVFs in 16 patients. However, small fistulas persisted in the other four patients, whose large lesions were fed by the anterior spinal artery. Postoperatively, neurological status was improved in 11 patients, unchanged in eight, and worse in one patient. CONCLUSIONS: Effective interruption of a spinal arteriovenous shunt was achieved by surgery in all cases, even when the anterior spinal artery was involved. For large and high-flow AVFs, embolization proved to be a useful adjunct to surgery.

Adolescent↗

The effects of tea catechins on fecal conditions of elderly residents in a long-term care facility.

This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of tea catechins on fecal contents and metabolites of elderly people who were on a diet of solid food. The subjects were 35 residents in a long-term care facility who were all on the same diet, consisting of rice gruel and minced food. Tea catechins (300 mg), which were divided into 3 doses a day, were a meal supplement every day for 6 weeks. Fecal specimens were collected by the nursing staff, and their moisture content, pH, ammonia, sulfide, and oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) were determined before, during, and after the administration of tea catechins. In a comparison of values before the administration, all these fecal parameters decreased significantly during the tea catechin administration. After termination of the administration, these data tended to return toward the levels before administration. The reduction of such fecal parameters as moisture, pH, ammonia, sulfide, and ORP by tea catechin administration indicated very favorable improvements of the subjects' bowel conditions.

Aged↗

Constructing a local district telepathology network in Japan. Diagnosis of intraoperative frozen sections via telepathology over an integrated service digital network and the National Television Standard Committee System.

OBJECTIVE: To construct a local telepathology network between the Department of Pathology, Tohoku University Hospital, and Koritu Kesennuma Hospital, about 150 km away. STUDY DESIGN: Tohoku University Hospital is connected with Koritu Kesennuma Hospital by an integrated service digital network for telepathology using the National Television Standard Committee system. The cases submitted for telepathology were limited to those in which a rapid intraoperative diagnosis was made on frozen sections. RESULTS: At this writing, more than 200 cases were diagnosed during a period of 2.5 years. The cases submitted increased with time, amounting to 150 in 1996. In some cases the use of telepathology proved to be fairly advantageous. For example, in one case a radical operation was avoided because of a diagnosis on intraoperative frozen sections. DISCUSSION: There are problems to be solved before telepathology becomes available for practical use: (1) misdiagnosis due to poor quality of instruments, including the transmission cable and pictures; (2) cost-benefit ratio, (3) protection of patients' privacy, and (4) overwork for pathologists. The Japanese government will officially accept telepathology as a means of medical examination in the future. Despite some problems left, telepathology is a promising technology.

Adenoma, Bile Duct↗

[A case of neurocysticercosis with multiple intraparenchymal and intraventricular cysts].

Neurocysticercosis is a rare disease, and no association with intraventricular cysts has been reported in Japan. We report a case of neurocysticercosis that presented the unique symptom of a fourth ventricular cyst. A 55-year-old man with a 7 year history of neurocysticercosis and hydrocephalus developed a positional headache and vomiting 3 months after an L-P shunt, and was admitted to our hospital. MRI showed multiple intraparenchymal cysts, ventricular enlargement and an intraventricular cyst in the fourth ventricle. The cyst and the cysticercus in the fourth ventricle were totally removed via the suboccipital approach. Histological examination showed characteristics of cysticercus. Two weeks after this surgery, V-P shunt with neuroendoscopical observation of the ventricle was performed. A small cyst was detected in the right lateral ventricle. The symptoms disappeared after surgery. Following surgery, a therapeutic course of albendazole was administered at a daily dose of 600 mg for 30 days. MRI after administration of the anticysticercal drug revealed reduction in the size of the cysts.

Cerebral Ventricles↗

[Clinical and neuroradiological features of spontaneous intracranial hypotension: report of two cases].

We report two patients with spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) showing bilateral subdural hematoma. One of the two patients was a 32-year-old woman, and the other was a 27-year-old healthy woman. Both patients presented chronic, intractable, orthostatic headache with dizziness and nausea. In both patients, both general and neurological examinations were normal, and routine laboratory tests were all normal, except for dry taps of the lumbar puncture. Brain CT scans and MRI revealed thin, bilateral subdural hematomas. RI-cisternography and CT-myelography disclosed multiple extraspinal CSF leakages along the nerve root sheathes of the cervical segments and early bladder filling of the radionucleotides in both patients. These findings support an emerging hypothesis that the extraspinal CSF leakage may play a role for inducing SIH. Anatomical fragility around the nerve sheath, especially that of the lower cervical segments, may contribute to the pathophysiological mechanism underlying SIH. For making a prompt diagnosis of SIH and for the better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanism of SIH, RI-cisternography of the whole spinal segments is important.

Adult↗

[Magnetic resonance imaging of breast cancer: correlation between contrast enhancement and tumor angiogenesis].

PURPOSE: To evaluate the association between enhancement characteristics of breast cancers obtained by three-dimensional dynamic MRI and histopathologic findings, especially tumor angiogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-four women with invasive breast cancer under went preoperative MR imaging. Three-dimensional fast low angle shot (3D-FLASH) images of the whole breast (section thickness, 2 mm; gap, 0 mm; number of sections, 50; acquisition time, 87 sec) were obtained at 90-second intervals for three images (the first image before the injection of Gd-DTPA). Microvessel densities were evaluated in specimens immunohistochemically stained with anti-CD34 antibody. Pearson correlation tests were used to determine the strength of the relationships between enhancement parameters and microvessel densities. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to explore the associations with histopathologic factors, including histological grade. RESULTS: The enhancement parameters were correlated with microvessel densities (p < 0.0001). The peripheral microvessel densities were significantly higher than central microvessel densities (p < 0.0001). A significant association with histological grade was observed for the steepest slopes of the dynamic curve and microvessel densities (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: A correlation between three-dimensional dynamic MRI parameters and microvessel densities, and associations with histological grade were seen. This may allow MRI to be used in the prediction of tumor angiogenesis and tumor grade.

Adult↗

[Interhemispheric subdural empyema in a patient with allergic rhinitis, pansinusitis and acute excerbation of frontal sinusitis].

We reported a 10-year-old boy with an interhemispheric subdural empyema caused by acute excerbation of frontal sinusitis. He has suffered from allergic rhinitis and pansinusitis for years. He had fever and a generalized tonic-conic seizure, followed by prolonged consciousness disturbance and right hemiparesis. CT and MRI were useful to diagnose an interhemispheric subdural empyema, which showed a characteristic double-layer fluid collection pattern. Prompt diagnosis and treatment with craniotomy resulted in recovery without any neurological sequelae. His basic disorders, allergic rhinitis and pansinusitis, were successfully treated with macrolides and antiallergic drugs: pranlukast hydrate and sodium cromoglicate, administered per os and by inhalation, respectively.

Acute Disease↗

[Melatonin].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Humans↗

Adsorption effects of activated charcoal on metaldehyde toxicity in rats.

Metaldehyde has been widely used as a main ingredient of solid fuel for making fire and slug baits in Japan. It is also marketed as a color flame tablet for party goods (ENGELFIRE). Consequently, children have been poisoned by eating such tablets which they mistook for candy. As a result, poison information center calls are increasing. According to POISINDEX, the treatment for metaldehyde poisoning consists in prevention of adsorption by activated charcoal, seizure control and airway protection. However, the optimum dose of charcoal is not established. We studied the quantitative adsorption capacity of activated charcoal for acute oral toxicity of metaldehyde in rats. In vivo toxicity and absorption tests for metaldehyde in Wister rats were done. The detoxifying effect of activated charcoal on metaldehyde toxicity and inhibition of metaldehyde absorption were investigated. Ratios used of po activated charcoal given 30 min after dosing to 400 mg metaldehyde/kg po were 5:1, 2:1, 1:1, 0.5:1. Serum metaldehyde was determined by gas chromatography in the control group (no charcoal) and the various experimental groups. Metaldehyde mortality was completely prevented at the ratio of 5:1. Gastrointestinal absorption of metaldehyde was reduced significantly by 45.3% in comparison to the control rats. There was no acetaldehyde detected in the serum of the metaldehyde-dosed rats. Metaldehyde poisoning may be prevented by early po administration of activated charcoal in a ratio of > 5:1 compared to metaldehyde. The theory that acetaldehyde is the primary toxic agent in metaldehyde poisoning should be re-evaluated.

Acetaldehyde↗

Localization of alpha-tocopherol transfer protein in rat brain.

Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) is a fat-soluble antioxidant that is transported by plasma lipoproteins in the body. Alpha-tocopherol transfer protein (alpha-TTP), which was identified as a product of the causative gene for familial isolated vitamin E (FIVE) deficiency, is a cytosolic liver protein which plays an important role in the efficient circulation of plasma vitamin E in the body. In the present study, we detected the message for alpha-TTP at low levels in some rat tissues including brain, spleen, lung and kidney. In the brain, the alpha-TTP transcript was detected predominantly in the cerebellar cortex, as revealed by in situ hybridization histochemistry. In the cerebellar cortex, clusters of the hybridization signal were aligned with the Purkinje cell layer, although the signal was not detected in the Purkinje cells, but in the small cells around the Purkinje cells. This distribution pattern strongly suggests that the message for alpha-TTP is expressed in the Bergmann glial cells. Combined with the previous observation that there was severe Purkinje cell loss in patients with FIVE deficiency, the present data suggest that vitamin E is supplied to the Purkinje cells from the surrounding Bergmann glial cells with the help of alpha-TTP.

Animals↗

Enhanced endothelium-independent vasodilator response to calcitonin gene-related peptide in hypertensive rats.

In isolated superior mesenteric arteries, vasodilation induced by calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) was significantly larger in 12-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) than Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). In WKY and 6-week-old SHR, most of the vasodilator response to CGRP was abolished by Nw-nitro-L-arginine and indomethacin. In contrast, the inhibitors caused no significant change in the response in 12-week-old SHR. Vasodilations induced by acetylcholine and isoproterenol were smaller in 12-week-old SHR than WKY, and that induced by sodium nitroprusside was comparable in both tissues. These results suggest that endothelium-independent vasodilator activity of CGRP is enhanced in hypertensive SHR, which overwhelms the decreased endothelium-dependent effects.

Animals↗

A novel class II phosphoinositide 3-kinase predominantly expressed in the liver and its enhanced expression during liver regeneration.

We report herein the cloning and characterization of a novel class II phosphoinositide 3-kinase, termed PI3K-IIgamma, from the cDNA library of regenerating rat liver. This cDNA encodes a protein of 1505 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 170,972 Da. The amino acid sequence of PI3K-IIgamma is highly similar to those of class II PI 3-kinases, including murine Cpk-m/p170 and human HsC2-PI3K. It contains a C2 domain at the C terminus but no recognizable protein motifs at its N terminus. PI3K-IIgamma displays a restricted substrate specificity for PtdIns and PtdIns 4-P, but not for PtdIns 4,5-P2. By epitope tag immunocytochemistry, the immunoreactivity for PI3K-IIgamma is localized in the juxtanuclear Golgi region at high levels and also in the plasma and nuclear membranes at low levels. By Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization histochemistry, PI3K-IIgamma mRNA expression is confined to the liver throughout the development with much higher expression in adult liver than in fetal liver. In addition, its expression increases during liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy with maximal expression after the growth period, suggesting that PI3K-IIgamma may function mainly in highly differentiated hepatic cells.

Adult↗

Clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma with elevated serum progastrin-releasing peptide levels.

BACKGROUND: Progastrin-releasing peptide (proGRP) is a specific tumor marker in patients with small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). It has been reported that serum proGRP levels rarely are elevated in patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC); the reported frequency is <3%. The purpose of this study was to examine the clinicopathologic features of NSCLC patients with high serum proGRP levels. METHODS: The authors measured serum proGRP levels with a TND-4 kit, a newly developed enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assay, in 544 NSCLC and 206 SCLC patients. Pathologic features were examined using conventional hematoxylin and eosin staining and histochemical and immunohistochemical staining using polyclonal antibodies to proGRP, chromogranin A, calcitonin, and monoclonal antibody to the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCC-Lu-243). RESULTS: The serum proGRP levels were elevated in 140 SCLC patients (68.0%) and in 23 NSCLC patients (4.2%). Seven of these 23 NSCLC patients had serum proGRP levels > or = 100 pg/mL. They included two patients with renal dysfunction, one patient diagnosed cytologically with adenocarcinoma without undergoing precise pathologic examination, two patients diagnosed histologically with squamous cell carcinoma with foci of small cell elements, and two patients diagnosed with large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma, respectively, which showed neuroendocrine differentiation on immunohistologic analysis. The remaining 16 NSCLC patients had serum proGRP levels < 70 pg/mL. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly all NSCLC patients had serum proGRP levels < 100 pg/mL. However, if an NSCLC patient presents with a proGRP level > or = 100 pg/mL, the clinicopathologic features must be examined with regard to the small cell component, neuroendocrine differentiation, and renal dysfunction.

Adenocarcinoma↗

SB209670, a potent endothelin receptor antagonist, prevents or delays axonal degeneration after spinal cord injury.

We developed a rat spinal cord transection injury model and investigated whether endogenous endothelin takes part in axonal degeneration after injury, by using a potent nonselective endothelin receptor antagonist, SB209670. Light microscopic analysis showed that axonal degeneration of the spinal cord was clearly observed one week after injury, supported by immunohistochemical study with anti-neurofilament antibody. Electron microscopic observation showed enlargement and shrinking of spinal axons in the injured sites one week after injury. Application of SB209670 to the lesion sites markedly inhibited axonal damage after injury. These results suggest that endogenous endothelin plays a role in axonal degeneration after spinal cord injury and that SB209670 prevents or delays the axonal degeneration after CNS damage.

Animals↗

Nucleotide sequencing analysis of the 146-kilobase segment around the IkBL and MICA genes at the centromeric end of the HLA class I region.

To elucidate the complete gene structure and to identify new genes involved in the development of HLA class I antigen-associated diseases in the class I region of the human major histocompatibility complex on chromosome 6, a YAC clone (745D12) covering the 146-kb segment around the IkBL and MICA loci was isolated from a YAC library constructed from the B-cell line, BOLETH. A physical map of this region was constructed by isolation of overlapping cosmid clones derived from 745D12. Of these, five contiguous cosmids were chosen for DNA sequencing by the shotgun strategy to give a single contig of 146,601 bp from 2.8 kb telomeric of the IkBL gene to exon 6 of MICA. This region was confirmed to contain five known genes, IkBL, BAT1, MICB, P5-1, and HLA-X (class I fragment), from centromere to telomere, and their exon-intron organizations were determined. The 3.8-1 homologue gene (3.8-1-hom) showing 99.7% identity with the 3.8-1 cDNA clone, which was originally isolated using the 3.8-kb EcoRI fragment between the HLA-54/H and the HLA-G genes, was detected between MICA and MICB and was suggested to represent the cognate 3.8-1 genomic sequence from which the cDNA clone was derived. No evidence for the presence of expressed new genes could be obtained in this region by homology and EST searches or coding and exon prediction analyses. One TA microsatellite repeat spanning 2545 bases with as many as 913 repetitions was found on the centromeric side of the MICA gene and was indicated to be a potential hot spot for genetic recombination. The two segments of approximately 35 kb upstream of the MICA and MICB genes showed high sequence homology (about 85%) to each other, suggesting that segmental genome duplication including the MICA and MICB genes must have occurred during the evolution of the human MHC.

Carrier Proteins↗

Involvement of insulin-like growth factor I in development of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine.

In order to investigate the pathogenesis of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) of the spine, we examined the distribution of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in the posterior longitudinal ligaments of OPLL patients, and analyzed the effects of IGF-I on the cultured spinal ligament cells. For that purpose we established eight varieties of OPLL and non-OPLL cell lines obtained from spinal ligaments of corresponding patients, respectively. In contrast to non-OPLL cases, all the OPLL cases were histologically shown to contain round-shaped cartilage-like cells in the transitional region from preossifying to ossifying ligaments, and these cells were strongly stained with an antibody for IGF-I. In the vicinity of preossifying cartilaginous tissues, ligament cells also had a rod-like appearance and were positive for IGF-I immunohistochemically. The effects of IGF-I on cultured spinal ligament cells were assayed by alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity, DNA synthesis, and the amounts of collagen produced. The number of OPLL cell lines that increased AP activity, responding to IGF-I irrespective of 1,25(OH)2D3, was significantly larger than that of non-OPLL cell lines, although IGF-I stimulated DNA and procollagen type I carboxyl-terminal peptide synthesis in most of both OPLL and non-OPLL cell lines. These data demonstrate the dominant expression of IGF-I in the posterior longitudinal ligaments of OPLL patients, and suggest that IGF-I preferentially induces osteogenic differentiation in OPLL cells rather than in non-OPLL cells. IGF-I, therefore, may be involved in the local ossification process of spinal ligaments observed in OPLL patients.

Adult↗

Isolation and characterization of Helicobacter species from the stomach of the house musk shrew (Suncus murinus) with chronic gastritis.

A Gram-negative, motile bacterium with bipolar sheathed flagella (one at each end) was isolated from the stomach of house musk shrews (Suncus murinus) with chronic gastritis. The isolates grew at 37 degrees C under microaerophilic conditions, but not under aerobic conditions; rapidly hydrolyzed urea; were catalase, oxidase, alkaline phosphatase, and arginine aminopeptidase positive; reduced nitrate to nitrite; and were resistant to cephalothin and nalidixic acid, but sensitive to tetracycline, erythromycin, and chloramphenicol. This bacterium was found on gastric epithelial cells by electron microscopy. In addition, a coccoid form of the bacteria was found in vacuoles formed in the epithelial cells of some of the house musk shrews tested. These results, including 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strongly suggested that this bacterium should be classified as a novel Helicobacter species. It is proposed that this bacterium should be called "Helicobacter suncus."

Animals↗