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Biomedical subjects

K Higashi

Publications and source records attributed to K Higashi.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources

Presence of antibody to human herpesvirus 6 in monkeys.

A serological survey of monkeys was conducted to determine the prevalence of antibody to human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6). Two-hundred and fifteen sera from 10 species of monkeys were examined by an immunofluorescent antibody (IF) assay. The antibody was found in monkeys from eight of the 10 species examined, but was not detected in silvered lutongs or cotton-top tamarins. The prevalence of antibody was highest in squirrel monkeys. Sera with high antibody titres were examined further by Western blot analysis and the neutralizing antibody test and the antibody levels were compared with that from a patient with exanthem subitum. On Western blotting, monkey and human sera that were antibody-positive to HHV-6 antigen gave similar reactions with antigen components of almost the same Mr. Furthermore, sera that were antibody-positive by the IF test were also positive by the neutralizing antibody test and their titres in the two tests were comparable. These results suggest the existence of HHV-6 or an HHV-6-related virus in monkeys.

Animals↗

Tumoral calcinosis in scleroderma.

A 36-year-old female patient with scleroderma/Sjögren's syndrome developed multiple cystic tumors on the dorsal aspect of her left hand, right elbow, and left shoulder joint two years after the onset of scleroderma. Histologically, amorphous eosinophilic substances located in subcutaneous tissue showed a strong positive reaction to PTAH and rosindole stain, and focal positive reaction to Von Kossa stain. Rheumatoid rice body like substances with chalky fluid were discharged from tumoral lesions. From these results, this case was diagnosed as tumoral calcinosis secondary to connective tissue degeneration due to the pathogenetic mechanism underlying scleroderma/Sjögren's syndrome.

Adult↗

A new, simple and accurate method for evaluating masticatory ability.

A new method has been devised to measure masticatory ability. Pigment-coated granules were prepared, and 730 mg (730-740 granules) were sealed in a rubber capsule. This capsule was used as a test material and was chewed by the subject under standardized conditions. The masticatory ability, defined as the joules of work performed, was calculated based on the concentration of pigment leaked from the crushed granules during the process of mastication. The procedure is rapid, simple and reliable, and can be used for a large number of clinical samples and studies. The measurement error, defined as the coefficient of variation, was 2.1%. The intra-individual variation of measurements of twenty volunteers ranged from 3.6 to 16.9%. A series of tests in each subject was necessary to obtain a reliable value of masticatory ability.

Adult↗

Establishment of titration system for human herpesvirus 6 and evaluation of neutralizing antibody response to the virus.

The susceptibilities of seven T-cell lines to human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) infection were examined. MT-4 cells were the most susceptible of these lines to infection with this virus. Therefore, chemically adhered MT-4 cell monolayers were used for infectious HHV-6 assay by indirect immunofluorescent-antibody (IFA) staining. When cell monolayers were fixed 30 to 45 h postinfection, the foci stained with IFA were easy to count and a linear relationship was observed between the number of foci and the virus concentration. MT-4 cell monolayers were also used for a focus reduction neutralizing-antibody test. In this test, sera from patients in the convalescent stage of exanthem subitum all showed significant neutralizing activity (1:80 to 1:320), whereas sera from patients in the acute stage of disease showed no detectable neutralizing activity. The titers of neutralizing antibody correlated well with the levels of anti-HHV-6 antibodies detected by IFA.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Predominant CD4 T-lymphocyte tropism of human herpesvirus 6-related virus.

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6)-related virus was isolated from CD4+ CD8- and CD3+ CD4+ mature T lymphocytes but could not be isolated from CD4- CD8+, CD4- CD8-, and CD3- T cells in the peripheral blood of exanthem subitum patients. HHV-6-related virus predominantly infected CD4+ CD8+, CD4+ CD8-, and CD3+ CD4+ cells with mature phenotypes and rarely infected CD4- CD8+ cells from cord blood mononuclear cells, which suggested predominant CD4 mature T-lymphocyte tropism of HHV-6-related virus.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte↗

Study of brain tissue impedance in the hydrocephalic cat.

Impedographic studies were made in cats made hydrocephalic by intracisternal kaolin. Enlargement of the anterior horns preceded that of the body of the lateral ventricles, and there was a selectivity to pressure atrophy among different tissues within the brain. Furthermore, sequential measurement of impedance using chronically implanted electrodes demonstrated a gradual decrease of impedance in the periventricular white matter during the development of hydrocephalus, suggesting an expansion of the extracellular space in the tissue around the ventricular wall.

Animals↗

Pseudohypoparathyroidism showing positive phosphaturic and negative cyclic AMP excretion response to parathyroid hormone.

We report a patient with pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) in whom parathyroid hormone (PTH) infusion failed to produce an increase in urinary adenosine 3', 5' monophosphate (cAMP) excretion in spite of the positive urinary phosphate excretion. The dbcAMP infusion test showed almost the same increase in phosphate as in the E-H test, although high urinary cAMP excretion was detected. Furthermore, a PTH infusion test in combination with calcium antagonist (diltiazem) administration markedly increased phosphate excretion, whereas the response of urinary cAMP excretion also remained negative. After treatment with 1 alpha(OH)D3, phosphaturic response increased by at least 14.3 mg/2 h compared with that in the pretreatment period. Therefore, intra and extra cellular calcium seem to affect the phosphaturic response induced by PTH.

Adult↗

Sub-chronic effects of styrene and styrene oxide on lipid peroxidation and the metabolism of glutathione in rat liver and brain.

Sub-chronic effects of styrene and styrene oxide on lipid peroxidation, glutathione contents and glutathione reductase activities in the liver and brain were examined after intraperitoneal administration to rats 3 times a week for 7 weeks. Styrene (300, 400 and 500 mg/kg) and styrene oxide (200 and 300 mg/kg) increased lipid peroxidation in the liver after 7 weeks of treatment. Hepatic lipid peroxidation in the rats treated with a higher dose of styrene oxide (400 mg/kg) was significantly enhanced even after 2 weeks of treatment. On the other hand, no change in lipid peroxidation was observed in the brain under the above conditions. Neither glutathione contents nor glutathione reductase activities in the liver and brain were altered at 40 h after the last of these sub-chronic treatments. To elucidate the cause of lipid peroxidation, the time courses of glutathione content after treatment with either styrene or styrene oxide (300 mg/kg) were studied in more detail. Significant decreases in both the GSH and GSSG contents were detected shortly after these treatments and the levels recovered to the control values at 40 h in these organs, although the changes were less significant in the brain of rats treated with styrene. These results suggest that enhancement of lipid peroxidation in the liver after treatment with styrene or styrene oxide was a consequence of repeated depletions of glutathione to certain critical levels and delayed recovery of lipid peroxides.

Animals↗

[Effectiveness of local delivery of ofloxacin using controlled-release strips (PT-01) in periodontal patients. Part 1. PT-01 application among treatment plans for periodontal disease].

Three different sites which have more than 5 mm pocket were randomly selected in each periodontal patient and were divided into three groups: PT-01 treated site, placebo treated site and control site. After application of either PT-01 or placebo twice for two weeks, subgingval scaling and root planing were performed. Then PT-01 and the placebo were applied weekly to the periodontal pocket for four weeks and clinical and microbiological evaluations were made. The results obtained were as follows: 1. On clinical evaluation, significant improvement was found in the PT-01 treated site in comparison with the placebo treated and/or control site. 2. On microbiological evaluation, slight improvement was found in the PT-01 treated site, whereas there was no significant difference among the three sites.

Delayed-Action Preparations↗

[A clinical study on the relationship between chewing movements and masticatory muscle activities].

Chewing movement is one of the most important functional and physiological jaw movements, and it is coordinated by the three elements of the functional occlusion system (teeth, TMJs and masticatory muscles). However, the relationship between chewing movement and these elements has not been clarified. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between chewing movement and the activity of the masticatory muscles which directly control jaw movements. 25 subjects with normal stomatognathic function, 5 patients with MPD syndrome (muscle dysfunction group) and 5 patients with unilateral TMJ internal derangement (TMJ dysfunction group) were selected. 6 gums with different hardness were used as the test bolus. Sirognathograph Electromyograph Analysing System was used to simultaneously record chewing movements and electromyograms of the right and left masseter, anterior temporal, posterior temporal and anterior belly of digastric muscles. Using the analysing software which was developed for this study, chewing movements and muscle activities were analysed. The results were as follow; A. In normal subjects 1. Gum hardness influenced durations of the closing and occluding phases, maximum opening and closing speed, opening degree and deviation of opening and closing path. 2. Gum hardness influenced muscle activities except of the time factors of digastric bursts. 3. Durations of the closing and occluding phases were found to be related with the elevator muscle activities. Maximum closing speed was related with the masseter and anterior temporal muscle activities. Deviation of closing path was related with the anterior and posterior temporal muscle activities. B. In abnormal subjects 1. The changes mainly observed in the muscle activities were found to be significantly different between the muscle dysfunction group and normal group. Similarly, the changes mainly observed in the chewing movements were different between the TMJ dysfunction group and normal group. 2. When compared with the relationships in normal subjects, changes were observed in the relationships for closing movement in the muscle dysfunction group. In contrast, changes were observed in the relationships for opening movement in the TMJ dysfunction group. From the results, close relationships were found between chewing movements and muscle activities, and were characteristically influenced by stomatognathic dysfunction.

Adolescent↗

[A case of acute airway obstruction with sharp sawdust particles, successfully treated by extracorporeal lung assist].

A 17 year-old male accidentally fell into a loading shute filled with sharp particles of sawdust. He aspirated a large amount of sawdust and suffered from acute airway obstruction accompanied by barotrauma, probably due to severe cough and tissue damage from the needle sharp sawdust particles. Ordinary mechanical ventilation was not enough to keep normal gas exchange. To sustain life, a venovenous extracorporeal lung assist, ECLA, with two Kolobow membrane lungs was performed. Under ECLA, the sawdust particles were removed from the airway one by one with a bronchofiber scope taking almost 10 hours. Then the left lung lavage was performed with normal saline to remove finer sawdust. The patient survived these procedures and was weaned from ECLA after 36 hrs. His recovery was uneventful.

Adult↗

Unique inheritance of streptomycin-induced deafness.

Analysis of reported families which include two or more members with streptomycin-induced hearing loss reveals that the trait of high susceptibility of cochlea to streptomycin is transmitted primarily through females. This is not explained by ordinary Mendelian inheritance; rather it is best understood by extranuclear inheritance.

Cochlea↗

[Anthralin therapy of psoriasis--a retrospective study of 39 cases].

Anthralin therapy was used in 39 cases with psoriasis, 31 cases with large plaque type and 8 cases with small plaque type. The therapy was performed in 2 ways with 0.05-2% anthralin ointment: short contact therapy and long contact therapy. Both therapies worked equally well on psoriasis. Improvement was observed in 26 cases (67%); 7 cases did not respond to the anthralin therapy. In 6 cases it was difficult to assess its effect. The large plaque type of psoriasis responded better than the small plaque type and showed a much longer remission period. Of the improved cases with large plaque type, 45% had remission periods longer than 6 months. Skin irritation (29 cases) and pigmentation (20 cases) were the side effects of anthralin therapy. However, those side effects were avoided by starting the therapy with a lower concentration of anthralin ointment and increasing the concentration gradually. Short contact therapy enabled us to apply the ointment in an outpatient clinic. It is suggested that anthralin therapy should be applied more frequently to psoriasis.

Adolescent↗

[Surgical treatment of lung cancer with chest wall invasion].

From 1955 through 1987, 64 cases underwent operation at Mie University Hospital for carcinoma of the lung invading the chest wall (p-T3). According to the classification by Mishina et al, the extent of tumor invasion of the chest wall was p3a-b in 63%, p3c in 18%, and p3d in 19%. Histologically, the tumors were epidermoid carcinoma in 565, adenocarcinoma in 31%, large cell carcinoma in 11%, and small cell carcinoma in 2%. The post surgical staging of N factor was N0 in 39%, N1 in 33%, and n2 in 28%. Extrapleural resection was performed in 27 cases and extended resection (en block resection of chest wall and lung) was performed in 30 cases with an operative mortality of 0%. The actuarial three-year survival rate (Kaplan-Meier method) for patients with p3d was 18.2% but three-year survival for patients with p3a-b and p3c was more than 30%. In spite of p3a-b, however, four-year survival for patients without extended resection was decreased to 11.6%. Four-year survival of patients with adenocarcinoma, epidermoid carcinoma, and large cell carcinoma was 5.9%, 28.4% and 75% respectively, lymphatic metastases reduced survival, with a three-year survival rate of 52.8% for patients with N0 disease and 8.35 for those with N2 disease. Among patients with extended resection, four-year survival for patients 60 years of age of less was 50.8%, greater than the 13.3% four-year survival for the patients more than 61 years of age. We conclude that long-term survival can be influenced by the extent of tumor invasion. In factor, histologic type, and the patient's age, and that extended resection and adjuvant therapy should be applied for treatment of lung cancer with chest wall invasion.

Adult↗

[The results of experimental study of six-hour heart-lung preservation by autoperfusion method--its evaluation of optimal conditions and lung function after preservation].

Up to date, it has been reported that the maintenance of ideal function of the preserved lungs were much more difficult than that of the hearts in heart-lung preservation. In this communication the authors have reported the results of experimental study for optimal conditions for preserving better function of the lungs by autoperfusion method by means of heart-lung preparation using 43 dogs. In this study the conditions of the preservation were fixed as following: perfusing blood temperature 29 degrees C, blood flow 30 ml/kg/min., FiO2 30%, FiCO2 5%, tidal volume 15 ml/kg, ventilation rate 10/min., and PEEP 5 cmH2O. Glucose-Insulin-Potassium (0.03 gm., 0.05 U., 0.02 mEq/kg/hr. respectively) were administered continuously by an infusion pump. The results showed that extravascular lung water contents after 6 hours of preservation was 0.79 (mean) +/- 0.01 (SD), which was increased only 1% over than the control group: 0.78 +/- 0.01. There was no significant difference of static lung compliance in two groups: the preserved group was 0.47 +/- 0.02 ml/gm.cmH2O compared to 0.51 +/- 0.06 in the control group. These results suggest that the autoperfusion method on our preserving conditions seems to be very promising and very effective to keep much better condition of the lungs in heart-lung preservation.

Animals↗

[In vitro effects of high titers of recombinant human erythropoietin on the bone marrow erythroid progenitors in patients with aplastic anemia].

To investigate the role of erythropoietin in aplastic anemia, the effects of high titers of recombinant human erythropoietin (rh-Ep) on CFU-E and BFU-E in patients with aplastic anemia were studied in vitro. Colony assays were performed by methylcellulose culture methods added with 1 to 500 units of rh-Ep. In normal bone marrow, the maximum CFU-E colony formation was observed at 2 to 5 units of rh-Ep, and BFU-E at 2 to 10 units. Colonies did not increase by addition of higher titer of rh-Ep to the cultures. In aplastic anemia, the numbers of CFU-E and BFU-E were low at 2 units of rh-Ep in culture system. In most patients with aplastic anemia studied, erythroid colonies were increased in accordance with the increase of rh-Ep added to cultures. These results suggest that the administration of high titers of rh-Ep in vivo may be useful for the improvement of anemia in aplastic anemia.

Adult↗