Biomedical subjects

K Hara

Publications and source records attributed to K Hara.

At least 451 records · Page 25Linked to original sources

PubMed1995

Detection of Cryptococcus neoformans in bronchial lavage cytology: report of four cases.

Four cases of pulmonary cryptococcosis were diagnosed by cytological detection of Cryptococcus neoformans in bronchial lavage. Three patients had underlying diseases, but not HIV infection. The chest X-rays showed 2 patients with nodular lesions and 2 with cavitary lesions. The cryptococcal antigen in the serum was positive in all four patients. In the cytology of bronchial lavage, Cryptococcus neoformans was detected after period-acid-Schiff (PAS) staining and was cultured in Sabouraud-dextrose agar. The cytology of bronchial lavage is useful for the rapid diagnosis of pulmonary cryptococcosis.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Arteriovenous malformation of the bronchial artery showing endobronchial protrusion.

The bronchoscopic findings of arteriovenous malformation of the bronchial artery are compared with findings on angiography and pathology. A non-pulsatile protrusion with engorged vessels on its glossy and uneven surface was seen at the distal portion of the right anterior segmental bronchus. A bronchial angiogram demonstrated that the protrusion corresponded to the hypervascular area of convoluted vessels. Histologically, a glossy, uneven surface and engorged vessels represented normal mucosa overlaying an extramuscular tortuous artery and proliferation of submucosal tiny vessels, respectively. These bronchoscopic findings were important clues for diagnosis.

Arteriovenous Malformations↗

PubMed1995

Relaxation effect of an audiovisual system on dental patients. Part 2. Palus-amplitude.

Dental care services include relaxation of patients to reduce their displeasure at and tension during treatment. For this purpose, it is common to use audio or audiovisual programs, that is, to let them listen to music or watch TV. However, the former utilizes only the auditory sense, and the latter is disadvantageous in that a TV set is a rather large-scale unit. In the present study, we determined the relaxation effect of an audiovisual instrument on dental patients. The instrument, which gives virtual vision, was composed of a lightweight eyeset of the snow goggle type that has a built-in TV screen, with earphone and accessories. The relaxation effect was determined using a polygraph.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Effects of single and combined application of anti-cancer drugs on cervical adenocarcinoma. I. Antitumor activity in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Establishment of effective combination chemotherapy regimen for patients with an adenocarcinoma of the uterine cervix has been long-awaited because there has been no documentation concerning chemosensitivity of this tumor against conventional antitumor agents. METHODS: To search for an effective combination regimen, 15 conventional antitumor drugs were tested for growth inhibitory effects on five different cervical adenocarcinoma cell lines. RESULTS: Etoposide, mitomycin C, adriamycin, epirubicin, and vinblastine, were singularly effective. Effects of combination chemotherapy were also tested using the above five antitumor agents plus interferon-gamma. Etoposide, mitomycin C, and interferon-gamma were the most effective when given in combination. CONCLUSIONS: Combined treatment with the above three drugs seems worthy of consideration for clinical application.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1995

Signet ring cell carcinoma in hyperplastic polyp.

BACKGROUND: A polypectomy was performed on a 68-year-old woman who had three gastric hyperplastic polyps. A focal signet ring cell carcinoma was discovered in one of the polyps, which was 2.2 cm in diameter and was located in the antrum. METHODS: To study the carcinoma's phenotype expression, special mucin histochemical stainings were performed. RESULTS: The carcinoma infiltrated only into the mucosa. Intestinal metaplasia was scant. In the neoplasm neutral and foveolar mucin was predominant over acid mucin. The surrounding hyperplastic foveolar epithelium showed positivity for neutral mucin, and the intestinal metaplasia foci for acid mucin. CONCLUSIONS: This neoplasm has a mixed composition of mucins and shares histochemical characteristics with the surrounding hyperplastic foveolar epithelium.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

[Percutaneous ethanol injection therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatic dome directly under right diaphragma--the trial of artificial ascites method].

We tried to infuse 40 approximately 100 ml saline solution into abdominal cavity (artificial ascites method) in case of percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in hepatic dome directly under right diaphragma (hepatic dome) which is considered as dead space on ultrasonography. Consequently broad visual field was acquired on ultrasonogram and puncture to HCC in hepatic dome was able to be performed very easily. There were no side effects such as difficult hemostasis and peritoneal dissemination. It was concluded that artificial ascites method is very useful to widen visual field of hepatic dome on ultrasonogram and therefore dead space on PEIT disappeared by this method.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

A clinical study of mortality due to asthma.

BACKGROUND: Despite identification of the pathophysiologic mechanisms of asthma and improvement in therapy, asthma mortality has not decreased in recent years. OBJECTIVE: The pathophysiology and asthma-related death preventive measures were investigated with a physician-based questionnaire survey. METHODS: Questionnaires were sent to physicians primarily involved in treating asthma in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. The clinical characteristics of 32 patients who died of asthma (fatal cases) from 1984 to 1992 were compared with those of 17 patients with severe asthma who survived as a result of treatment by mechanical ventilation (nearly fatal cases). RESULTS: The number of deaths due to asthma increased in the last 2 years. Fatal cases and nearly fatal cases included patients with severe asthma as well as patients with mild asthma. Analysis of the clinical histories of patients judged to have died suddenly revealed the presence of persistent wheezing in these patients for a few days prior to the fatal episode. Airway obstruction was more marked and bronchial hyperresponsiveness was greater in fatal cases compared with those of a group of 70 patients without a history of nearly fatal acute asthma. CONCLUSIONS: The following measures may help prevent asthma deaths. Both patients and physicians should realize that even mild episodes can lead to severe, even fatal acute asthma. The severity of asthma should be evaluated not only by symptoms and peak expiratory flow rates but also bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Treatment should include reduction of bronchial hyperresponsiveness using oral or inhaled corticosteroids.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Influence of naloxone on muscle sympathetic nerve activity, systemic and calf haemodynamics and ambulatory blood pressure after exercise in mild essential hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of prior exercise and naloxone on haemodynamics, muscle sympathetic nerve activity, pituitary hormones and ambulatory blood pressure. METHODS: We studied 14 mild hypertensive and 14 normotensive subjects on two days. After baseline measurements, subjects were randomly allocated to vehicle or naloxone (0.4 mg/kg) 30 min before 45 min treadmill exercise. RESULTS: In both groups blood pressure, stroke volume, and calf and total peripheral resistances were lower 1 h after exercise, whereas sympathetic activity was unchanged. In normotensive subjects naloxone abolished this calf vasodilation without altering muscle sympathetic nerve activity, and attenuated these haemodynamic aftereffects of exercise, implying a peripheral opioidergic mechanism. Naloxone had no haemodynamic effect in hypertensive subjects. In normotensives there was an inverse relationship between changes in blood pressure and sympathetic activity after vehicle and exercise. This was transformed by naloxone into a positive relationship (r = 0.69, P < 0.02) similar to that observed in hypertensives after vehicle and exercise. Naloxone did not alter the latter positive relationship. Naloxone altered exercise-induced changes in prolactin and luteinizing hormone, but only in normotensive males. In both groups ambulatory blood pressures and heart rates over 2 h after subjects left the laboratory were higher than the values recorded at baseline or 1 h after exercise, and were unaffected by naloxone. CONCLUSIONS: The depressor effect of exercise is due to peripheral vasodilation, occurs in the absence of sympathetic withdrawal and is short-lived. Endogenous opioids, activated by running, participate in the haemodynamic, sympathoneural and pituitary hormone aftereffects of exercise in normotensive subjects, whereas in hypertensives these aftereffects of exercise are achieved through non-opioidergic mechanisms. These observations are consistent with the concept that activation of endogenous opioid systems by exercise is impaired in mild hypertension.

Adrenergic Fibers↗

PubMed1995

[A rapid susceptibility test of Mycobacterium tuberculosis using hybridization protection assay].

The conventional drug susceptibility tests of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are time-consuming and usually require 2 to 4 weeks to obtain final results. In this study, we attempted to develop a novel method for rapid detection of drug-resistant M. tuberculosis using hybridization protection assay (HPA). Clinically isolated strains of M. tuberculosis including seven isoniazid (INH) susceptible strains and six resistant strains were used. The organisms grown on Ogawa egg medium were inoculated into Middlebrook 7H9 broth and cultured at 37 degrees C for one week. Then, the inoculum of each strain was prepared as a tenfold dilution of bacterial suspension at McFarland No. 0.5. The inocula were mixed with INH solutions to yield final concentrations of 0.1 and 1.0 micrograms/ml, and the resulting bacterial suspensions with or without test drug were cultured on the swaying plate at 37 degrees C for up to 5 days. At intervals, 50 microliters of each sample was withdrawn and subjected to the protocol of the HPA using acridinium-ester (AE) labeled DNA probe, and then the relative light unit (RLU) was read in a luminometer. In the case of the susceptible strains, a significant difference in the mode of increase in RLU ratio (% of RLU on day x/RLU on day 0) was observed between the INH-treated and drug-free control sets within three days of cultivation, while no such differences were seen in the case of the resistant strains.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acridines↗

PubMed1995

A case of nephrotic syndrome associated with ischemic colitis exhibiting thickening of the colon wall.

The patient was a 54-year-old male with proteinuria, which was first noted in 1984. Recently, the patient experienced aggravation of the proteinuria, which resulted in nephrotic syndrome. Renal biopsy revealed findings compatible with membranous nephropathy. While being treated with prednisolone (30 mg/day), the patient experienced intense abdominal pain of sudden onset, diarrhea, and melena. A tumor was demonstrated by abdominal ultrasonography and CT scan. A diagnosis of ischemic colitis was made by colonoscopy. FDP and fibrinogen levels were elevated, and abnormalities of the coagulation and fibrinolytic factors were found at the onset of the symptoms.

Colitis, Ischemic↗

PubMed1995

A case of acute renal failure due to ethylene glycol intoxication.

We describe an 18-year-old man with acute renal failure due to inadvertent ingestion of antifreeze that contained ethylene glycol (EG). A relatively small amount of EG was ingested, but nausea and vomiting were observed soon after ingestion. During admission to a local hospital, consciousness became impaired and generalized convulsion was noted. He was transferred to our hospital because of rapid deterioration of renal function. Emergency hemodialysis was begun. The patient underwent one treatment session of hemodialysis each day, for a total of 8 hemodialytic sessions before his renal function recovered. Examination of the renal biopsy specimen revealed degeneration of the renal tubular epithelium and presence of intratubular calcium oxalate crystals. The clinical features of the patient were mild except for acute renal failure. These findings suggest that even a small amount of EG will have toxic effects on the kidney.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

PubMed1995

[The 69th annual meeting president lecture. Application of molecular biology for rapid detection of mycobacteria].

The application of molecular biology techniques for the rapid detection of mycobacteria in clinical specimens was evaluated. The DNA probe method was found to be accurate and rapid for identification of mycobacteria, but its low sensitivity needs improving. The nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting Pab gene was specific and sensitive enough for rapid detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in clinical specimens. The overall sensitivity and specificity of this method were excellent, 97% and 92%, respectively. Additionally, a novel method for the rapid detection of mycobacteria other than M. tuberculosis was developed using a combined method of PCR and DNA probe. The gene encoding 16S ribosomal RNA in mycobacteria was first amplified by PCR, and then PCR products were identified using an acridinium-ester labeled DNA probe. This method was as useful as that of the PCR for M. tuberculosis described above. The DNA probe method was also applied for drug sensitivity testing, which needs three to four weeks by conventional methods. The quantity of ribosomal RNA in mycobacteria cultured with or without the addition of drugs was compared. Three days after the start of culture, the strains sensitive for isoniazid or rifampicin showed remarkable decreases of ribosomal RNA, compared with the drug-free samples, while the resistant strains showed no difference. Another method for determining the drug resistance of mycobacteria consists of detection of the gene which is related to the resistance. The deletion of catalase-peroxidase gene suggested a gene related to isoniazid resistance was observed in 15% of isoniazid-resistant strains.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

DNA, Bacterial↗

PubMed1995

[Evaluation of the pulmonary vascular bed by digital subtraction angiography].

We studied the usefulness of digital subtraction angiography for evaluating the pulmonary capillary bed. Four individuals underwent the procedure. One was a healthy volunteer and the others were patients with chronic pulmonary emphysema. During catheterization, an 8 F balloon catheter was manipulated into the right pulmonary artery. A total of 20 ml of contrast material was injected at a rate of 10 ml/sec at full inspiration. In the normal subject, the capillary bed filled homogeneously and no defect was seen. In the patients, the pulmonary artery was nearly normal, but severe defects were observed in the pulmonary capillaries. Contrast resolvability was greater with digital subtraction pulmonary angiography than with pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy or pulmonary arteriography. This technique makes possible the visual evaluation of the pulmonary capillary bed.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

Evaluation of acute haemodynamic response to high-dose naloxone in young hypertensive and normotensive humans.

Cardiac output is increased in many young subjects with mild essential hypertension. The purpose of these experiments was to determine if activation of endogenous endorphin systems contributes to this increase. We investigated the acute effects of the opioid antagonist, naloxone, on Doppler-derived stroke volume, cardiac output and systemic blood pressure in young hypertensive (n = 9) and normotensive (n = 9) subjects. On two separate sessions, naloxone (0.4 mg/kg) was administered intravenously over 10 min to resting subjects according to a random, double-blind study design. Stroke volume and cardiac output were determined before and 10 min after the injection; heart rate and blood pressure were measured at 1 min intervals before and up to 20 min after the injection. Baseline blood pressure, stroke volume, and cardiac output were higher in hypertensive than in normotensive subjects. Naloxone had no immediate effect on blood pressure, heart rate, stroke volume, or total peripheral resistance in either group. These results indicate that: (1) naloxone has no immediate haemodynamic effect in young hypertensive or normotensive subjects, and (2) the higher stroke volume and cardiac output of young subjects with mild essential hypertension cannot be attributed to activation of endogenous opioid systems that are antagonized by naloxone.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

[Serum cardiac troponin-T in coronary artery bypass graft and mitral valve replacement].

Serum cardiac troponin-T was measured to evaluate perioperative myocardial injury in heart surgery. Twelve patients of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) and nine of mitral valve replacement (MVR) were selected and the measurements were performed at 3 points-before, as well as after the surgery and on the first postoperative day. Elevated serum levels of troponin-T were observed in postoperative measurement in both groups (CABG 2.98 +/- 1.44, MVR 2.57 +/- 0.52 ng.ml-1), where all the preoperative values were less than 0.1 ng.ml-1. On the first postoperative day, CABG group showed a higher serum level of troponin-T than MVR group (6.05 +/- 4.16 vs. 2.57 +/- 2.12 ng.ml-1, P < 0.05 respectively). Taking another myocardial marker, such as CK-MB or myosin light chain I, into consideration, these data indicate that myocardial injury occurs during heart surgery and the grade of injury is severer in CABG than in MVR.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

Expression and function of fibronectin receptors on peripheral mononuclear cells in IgA nephropathy.

The beta 1 integrin family, major adhesive receptors for the extracellular matrix (ECM), have been reported to be present in normal and diseased kidneys. Attachment of glomerular cells to ECM is mediated by beta 1 integrins. Several members of the beta 1 integrins are referred to as VLA (very late activation) antigens. Peripheral mononuclear cells also express VLA antigens in both resting and activated states. We examined the expression and function of VLA antigens on peripheral lymphocytes and monocytes in patients with IgA nephropathy using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific for VLA alpha-chains. Peripheral lymphocytes from patients with IgA nephropathy expressed VLA-4 alpha and 5 alpha, but not VLA-1 alpha, 2 alpha or 3 alpha. Peripheral monocytes from patients with IgA nephropathy expressed VLA-2 alpha, 4 alpha and 5 alpha, but not VLA-1 alpha or 3 alpha. The expression of VLA adhesive receptors was observed in healthy individuals. Adhesion assay to fibronectin revealed augmented adhesion of mononuclear cells in IgA nephropathy (P < 0.05), and this increased adhesion was inhibited by mAbs to VLA-4 alpha and 5 alpha. The expression of beta 1 integrins in IgA nephropathy was similar to that of healthy individuals, but the function of these molecules in terms of adhesion to fibronectin though VLA-4 and VLA-5 is increased in these patients. These findings suggest that the activation of fibronectin receptors on peripheral mononuclear cells plays an important role in the pathogenic process of IgA nephropathy.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

[Automatic determination for bone morphometry using a computed image analyzer].

An image analyzer which combines a digitizer and a computer is widely employed in bone histomorphometrical evaluation. With this method, however, all regions of determination are traced manually so that considerable time is consumed when many preparations are measured. To resolve this problem, we have developed an automatic program for rapid and quantitative measurement of many bone histomorphometrical parameters using a computed color image analyzer. The bone volume (BV), tissue volume (TV), osteoid surface (OS), and the bone surface (BS) of rat tibia metaphysis were measured by this automatic method, and by the manual method using an image analyzer. The correlation coefficient between both methods in measuring BV/TV was 0.98 and in measuring OS/BS was 0.96. The reproducibility and accuracy of both methods for these parameters were similar. The time required for the automatic method was much shorter than that for the manual method. Various parameters of the tibial metaphysis, lumbar vertebral body, and femoral mid-diaphysis in ovariectomized rat (Fischer) measured by this method were in good agreement with values reported previously.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Replication of a Mamestra brassicae nuclear polyhedrosis virus in a newly established Mamestra brassicae cell line.

A continuous cell line, designated MbL-3, was newly established from minced neonate larvae of the cabbage armyworm, Mamestra brassicae. This new cell line is heteroploid, containing triploid cells predominantly at the frequency of about 50%. Doubling time of the cell population is 33 hrs. The Akutsu isolate of a Mamestra brassicae nuclear polyhedrosis virus (MbNPV) was examined for replication in 16 continuous cell lines, including the cell line MbL-3, from seven lepidoptera species: Mamestra brassicae, Pseudaletia separata, Spodoptera exigua, Spodoptera frugiperda, Spodoptera littoralis, Spodoptera litura and Plutella xylostella. Of these cell lines, only the MbL-3 cells supported a high replication of the virus. Four other Mamestra cell lines and a P. separata cell line showed a low virus-susceptibility, while the other cell lines were not permissive for the virus infection. Maximum infection rate of MbL-3 cells to the Akutsu isolate was 23.4%. The growth kinetics of this virus isolate in MbL-3 cells showed that the virus was released from infected cells 24 hrs p.i. and reached a maximal titer 96 hrs p.i. The number of polyhedral inclusion bodies (PIBs) reached a maximum of 10(7.5) PIBs/ml 120 hrs p.i.

Animals↗