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Biomedical subjects

K Hara

Publications and source records attributed to K Hara.

At least 811 records · Page 45Linked to original sources

[Rapid diagnostic methods for fungal infections--using chromogenic limulus tests and enzymatic measurement of D-arabinitol].

Conventional chromogenic limulus test (toxicolor test) reacts with glucan of bakers yeast as well as endotoxin, because toxicolor test contains factor G which is sensitive to glucan and polysaccharide of fungus. A new endotoxin specific limulus test (endospecy test) was developed to improve reaction which responded only to endotoxin. The toxicolor test showed the positive reaction to the culture media of candida albicans 7N strain in RPMI 1640 medium, but the endospecy test did not. D-arabinitol, measured by fluometric enzymatic method, also was positive to culture media. These results suggested that a combination of the toxicolor and the endospecy test and enzymatic measurement of D-arabinitol could be applied to rapid diagnostic methods of fungal infection.

Humans↗

[Investigations on the etiology of sepsis by using an experimental mouse model with leukocytopenia. 2. The role of the reticuloendothelial system in the etiology of bacteremia].

It has been recognized by clinical data that most of sepsis occurring in the immunocompromised host are endogenous infection. In recent years, we have investigated the mechanism of these bacteremia and sepsis by experimental studies using neutropenic mice treated with cyclophosphamide. And we evidenced that most pathogens causing bacteremia originated in the intestinal flora of the host. It has been shown that bacteria causing bacteremia were divided into two main groups, causing systemic bacteremia and causing portal bacteremia. Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Morganella morganii belonged to the former, on the other hand, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter cloacae and some other bacteria belonged to the latter. In this study, we studied the role of the reticuloendothelial system (RES) in the etiology of bacteremia or sepsis, using various kinds of bacteria isolated from bacteremic mice. As a result, the following facts were revealed. 1. It was suggested that the low blood clearance rate of the bacteria was one of the great risk factor of systemic bacteremia, since the blood clearance rate of bacteria causing systemic bacteremia was significantly lower than those of bacteria causing portal bacteremia. 2. Bacteria in the blood were eliminated by the RES, mainly by the liver, and the level of bacterial clearance by the liver was relative to the type of bacteremia which was systemic or portal. 3. It was suggested that the bacterial clearance by the liver mainly reflected the phagocytosis by Kupffer cells, and especially the adherence of these cells to bacteria as the first step of phagocytosis.

Animals↗

Growth efficiency of naturally occurring BK virus variants in vivo and in vitro.

We molecularly cloned a number of BK virus (BKV) DNAs from urine samples collected from a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus undergoing immunosuppressive therapy. On the basis of the structure of the noncoding regulatory region, cloned viral DNAs were classified into a major group and several minor groups. The major group contained a single 68-base-pair (bp) promoter-enhancer element and a 63-bp sequence identified in the genomes of many BKV strains. Most of the minor groups retained a variety of duplications within the transcriptional control region and the origin of DNA replication. We assayed various cloned viral DNAs for the capacity to induce viral growth in transfected human embryonic kidney cells. While major viral DNAs induced slow viral replication, a minor viral DNA retaining partial duplication of the 68-bp element induced rapid viral growth. We concluded that reiteration of the promoter-enhancer element, which is required for efficient growth of BKV in cell culture, is not advantageous for replication of BKV in natural hosts.

BK Virus↗

Inhibition of development of tolerance to nitroglycerin by preventive administration of N-acetylcysteine in rats.

The efficacy of N-acetylcysteine in reversing nitrate tolerance has been controversial. This study examined whether continuous administration of N-acetylcysteine, a sulfhydryl compound, can prevent the development of tolerance to nitroglycerin; its acute effects on developed tolerance were also assessed. Rats were treated with subcutaneous injections of 1) 100 mg/kg nitroglycerin, 2) 100 mg/kg nitroglycerin and 700 mg/kg N-acetylcysteine, 3 times a day for 3 days. The sensitivity to nitroglycerin was studied in aortic preparations. The degree of developed tolerance to nitroglycerin was partially inhibited by simultaneous injection of N-acetylcysteine. Subsequent in vitro preincubation of aortic strips with nitroglycerin (10(-5) M) reduced the subsequent nitroglycerin sensitivity of vessels from rats treated with nitroglycerin and N-acetylcysteine; sensitivity returned to the initial control level after in vitro preincubation with N-acetylcysteine. The nitroglycerin sensitivity of vessels from rats treated only with nitroglycerin, though, was not affected by in vitro preincubation with N-acetylcysteine. In conclusion, N-acetylcysteine is not effective in reversing the high degree of tolerance developed to nitroglycerin. However, continuous administration of N-acetylcysteine is effective in preventing the development of nitroglycerin tolerance.

Acetylcysteine↗

Transthoracic needle aspiration of the lung in respiratory infections.

Transthoracic needle aspiration of the lung in guinea pigs with experimental pseudomonas pneumonia was evaluated. The number of bacteria in aspirates correlated well with that of bacteria in the lungs which showed diffuse pneumonia (10(7) inoculum group). The number of deaths of experimental animals increased together with an increase of the times of aspiration. This procedure was also investigated in 16 patients of pneumonia and 17 patients of pulmonary abscess. The isolation rate of pathogen from pneumonia was 31.3% and that from pulmonary abscess 58.8%. A higher isolation rate was obtained with purulent aspirates. Predominantly anaerobic bacteria were isolated, and in pulmonary abscess usually in association with other bacteria. This method could be applied with success, for determining responsible pathogens. Even the normal oropharyngeal flora such as alpha-Streptococcus could be identified as pathogens. The complication rate was relatively low (6 out of 33 patients, 18.2%) including hemoptysis as a major one and pneumothorax or bloody sputum as minor ones. Transthoracic needle aspiration was reevaluated in experimental and clinical materials and was found to be an excellent and safe method for determining the responsible pathogen of respiratory infection.

Animals↗

[Effects of anti-Bacteroides gingivalis (Bg), and anti-Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) antibodies on Bg and Aa].

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of anti-Bacteroides gingivalis (Bg) and anti-Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) antibodies on Bg and Aa respectively. Bg and Aa were resistant to complement-mediated bactericidal activity, and killing by PMN. However a significant reduction in CFU of Bg and Aa was found when these bacteria were incubated with the antibodies and not agitated. This would suggest that the antibody was capable of aggregating or phagocytizing, but not killing, these bacteria when complement and PMN were added. Moreover the antibodies had no effect on bacterial proliferation. Anti Aa antibody also had no effects on killing of Aa or PMN infiltration in experimentally established periodontal pockets in dogs.

Actinobacillus↗

[Effects of nicotinate ethyl ester treatment on gingival blood circulation of experimental gingivitis in monkeys].

The effects of nicotinate ethyl ester treatment on the gingival blood circulation of plaque induced inflammation in monkeys were determined. The blood flow, amount of hemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin rate (oxyhemoglobin/total hemoglobin) in gingival blood circulation in addition to bacterial colony forming units (CFU), gingival index (GI), probing depth (PD), loss of attachment (LA) and amount of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) were used as parameters. Besides 1% nicotinate ethyl ester paste (nicotinate paste), 0.5% chlorhexidine (CHX) paste as an antibacterial agent, a mixture of the two pastes and the base alone as a control were used. 1. The blood flow, amount of hemoglobin, CFU, GCF, PD and GI increased as inflammation developed, and these showed significant correlations. 2. The oxyhemoglobin rate showed no corresponding change with inflammation. 3. Nicotinate paste, CHX paste and the mixed paste seemed to reduce the inflammation of the gingiva as assessed by the blood flow, hemoglobin amount, CFU and GCF amount compared with the control paste.

Animals↗

[Study on the concentration of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in neurological diseases].

Experimental evidence has shown that the amount of 5-HIAA in the CSF reflects the metabolism of serotonin in the brain if this metabolite is eliminated from the brain and flows into the CSF at a constant rate. We studied the concentration of 5-HIAA in the lumbar CSF in several neurological diseases to elucidate the alteration in abnormalities of serotonin metabolism. The concentration of 5-HIAA in the CSF was measured in 94 patients with cerebral infarction, 30 with vascular dementia, 25 with dementia of the Alzheimer type, 28 with Parkinson's disease and 6 with hypoxic encephalopathy. Patients with cerebral infarction were classified into 24 with a solitary cerebral infarct and 70 with multiple cerebral infarcts. Patients with Parkinson's disease were subdivided into 12 with various psychiatric symptoms including depressive state, hallucination and/or intellectual impairment and 16 without psychiatric symptoms. Patients with hypoxic encephalopathy consisted of 5 with apallic syndrome and one patient with Lance-Adams syndrome. The concentration of 5-HIAA in solitary cerebral infarct, multiple cerebral infarcts and vascular dementia did not exhibit a significant difference from that in control cases (54.6 +/- 23.1 ng/ml). But patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type (34.5 +/- 10.9, p less than 0.001) showed a significantly lower concentration. This fact seems to reflect the pathological finding that the number of large neurons is decreased and neurofibrillary tangles are increased in the nucleus raphe dorsalis of patients with Alzheimer type dementia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Autogenous, allogenic, and beta-TCP grafts: comparative effectiveness in experimental bone furcation defects in dogs.

The healing responses of three implant materials--fresh autogenous bone, allogenic decalcified freeze-dried bone, and alloplastic implant, beta-tricalcium phosphate (beta-TCP)--were evaluated and compared. Through-and-through furcational defects were surgically created in the third and fourth mandibular premolars of three dogs. Implant material was then placed individually in the surgical defects. All defects without grafting served as controls. Following grafting (ten weeks into the healing period), individual dogs were killed and prepared for light microscopy. The following results were recorded: (1) All materials were well-tolerated. No post-surgical complications occurred. (2) Graft sites showed more pronounced regeneration and the possibility of higher periodontal attachment than did control sites. (3) The defects filled with autogenous bone showed slightly more pronounced regeneration than in allogenic freeze-dried bone and beta-TCP.

Alveolar Bone Loss↗

[A case of Behçet disease associated with hepatocellular carcinoma].

A 31-year-old man, suffering from Behçet disease, was admitted to our hospital because of a palpable mass in the right hypochondrium. On testing, laboratory data showed an abnormal liver function, positive HBs antigens, and a high AFP level. An abdominal CT and a SCAG revealed large tumors in the liver. The patient died of hepatic failure 6 months after the first admission and an autopsy was performed. At autopsy, hepatocellular carcinomas were found to occupy most of the entire liver. Histologically, the residual liver showed no remarkable changes, such as liver cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis. To date, few cases of Behçet disease complicating a malignant neoplasma have been reported. The possible relationship between Behçet disease and the occurrence of malignant tumors is described with a review of the literature.

Adult↗

Relationship between immunophenotype and the development of second primary neoplasms in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

We reviewed the records of 107 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) to evaluate the relation between second primary neoplasms and the NHL immunophenotype. The incidence of second primary neoplasms was 3.7%. There were one case of hepatocellular carcinoma and 3 cases of gastric adenocarcinoma including one patient who had a history of metachronous malignant lymphomas. Three patients had B cell lymphoma with monoclonal IgM kappa phenotype, and one patient had follicular mixed cell type lymphoma with serum monoclonal IgM kappa. The dominant immunophenotype of B cell lymphomas in Japanese patients is IgM lambda. We believe that the association of the uncommon phenotype of IgM kappa with second primary neoplasms, especially gastric cancer, reflects an underlying genetic predisposition. NHL patients with IgM kappa phenotype should be evaluated carefully for second primary neoplasms.

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Two autopsy cases associated with a latent superficial carcinoma of esophagus].

To clarify the histogenesis of squamous cell carcinoma of esophagus, 307 esophagus resected from autopsied cases have been thoroughly examined. These specimens were dyed with Lugol solution and entirely blocked to study subserial sections. Among these specimens, two subclinically superficial squamous cell carcinomas were found. First case uncovered was that of a woman who had died of a carcinoma of uterus. Microscopic examination revealed a small carcinoma in situ, located in the cervical portion of the esophagus, though this lesion showed no associated dysplasia. The other case was that of an old man who had died of a massive hemorrhage from a gastric ulcer, associated with carcinomas of the lip, liver, and prostate. The esophageal lesion was an intramucosal carcinoma located in the mid esophagus that was encountered with moderate dysplasia. These examples are not only quite rare as being multiple primary carcinomas but they also suggest two possible types of cancer development of the esophagus: one that progresses from normal mucosa, and the other from dysplastic mucosa.

Adult↗

[A carcinoma of the right breast arising after a mastectomy in primary malignant lymphoma of the left breast].

In 1987, a 51-year-old woman visited our hospital, having noticed a painless 1.5 x 1.5 cm tumor of the left breast. On biopsy, it was pathologically diagnosed as being a primary malignant lymphoma of the breast. Thus we performed a modified radical mastectomy (Patey's method), in combination with chemotherapy (Cyclophosphamide, Vincristine, Prednisolone). Two years after the operation, a tumor of the right breast, 1.0 x 1.0 cm in size, was noticed. At this time, since an excised specimen was pathologically determined as being a scirrhous carcinoma, we performed a modified radical mastectomy (Auchincloss' method), followed by chemotherapy (Tegafur).

Adenocarcinoma, Scirrhous↗

[Carbohydrate antigens in pleural effusion from patients with lung cancer].

Sialosylated Lewisa (S-Lea) is an active antigen determinant of CA19-9 which is well known as a tumor maker. Sialosylated Lewisx (S-Lex) is a positional isomer of S-Lea. The positive percent of S-Lex and CA19-9 in pleural effusion from the patients with primary lung cancer was 49.1% and 40.0%, respectively. However, most S-Lea positive effusions showed a positive level of S-Lex. Therefore, S-Lex is considered to be more useful as a tumor marker than CA19-9. The studies on gel chromatography of the effusion obtained from a patients showed high levels of both antigens using sephacryl S-1000 revealed that the molecular weights of S-Lex and CA19-9 were more than 2 X 10(6) and the elution profile of S-Lex coincided with that of CA19-9 fractionated effusions using the monoclonal antibodies to the antigens showed the same pattern of elution profiles of these carbohydrates. From these results, we concluded that the carriers of S-Lex and CA19-9 in pleural effusion from lung cancer might be the same molecules with a high molecular weight more than 2 X 10(6).

Adenocarcinoma↗

[Evaluation of sialylated LewisX as a tumor-associated carbohydrate antigen in the sera of patients with gastric cancer].

The clinical usefulness as a tumor-associated antigen of the new monoclonal antibody CSLEX1, which reacts with the sialylated LewisX antigen, has been evaluated serologically in 141 patients with a gastric cancer. The serum sialylated LewisX was measured by fluorescent EIA. The percent positive figure of these gastric cancer patients was 17.0% (24/141), which indicates a significant increase when compared with that of the controls. The percent-positive values, according to the clinical stage, were 9.2%, 9.1%, 15.6%, and 36.4% for stages I, II, III, and IV, respectively. The degree of liver metastasis and peritoneal dissemination of the cancer correlated with the percent-positive values of the antigen. This suggests that sialylated LewisX is useful as a tumor-associated antigen.

Adult↗

[Sialylated Lewis(x) and sialylated Lewis(a) as tumor-associated carbohydrate antigens in sera of patients with gastric cancer--usefulness of combination assay of these two antigens].

Sialylated Lewis(x) and sialylated Lewis(a) antigens, which are structural isomer each other, were serologically tested to determine the clinicopathological differences and correlation between two antigens, and were also compared with those of serum CEA in 141 patients with gastric cancer. Percent positives in sialylated Lewis(a), CEA and sialylated Lewis(x) showed 26.9%, 21.8% and 17.0% respectively. Percent positive of sialylated Lewis(x) correlated with degree of liver metastasis and peritoneal dissemination. Therefore, it is emphasized that the role of sialylated Lewis(x) is characteristics of detecting a presence of liver metastasis and/or peritoneal dissemination. On the other hand, sialylated Lewis(a) showed high percent positive in cases which had lymph nodes metastasis and mucinous or papillary adenocarcinomas. These two carbohydrate antigens indicated no correlation (r = 0.062) in the spectrum of sera. It is suggested that combination assay of sialylated Lewis(x) and sialylated Lewis(a) is useful in detecting many gastric cancer patients including CEA-negative one.

Adenocarcinoma↗