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Biomedical subjects

K Kaneko

Publications and source records attributed to K Kaneko.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Diffusion-weighted MR findings in a reversible case of acute Wernicke encephalopathy.

We report a case of acute Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) in which apparent diffusion coefficient maps showed areas of increased diffusion in the bilateral medial thalami that corresponded to the hyperintense lesions on T2-weighted imaging. The hyperintense lesions on T2-weighted imaging disappeared with full recovery from symptoms. These findings suggest that the hyperintense lesions of the acute changes of WE include reversible vasogenic edema and are not caused by acute ischemia.

Anemia, Aplastic↗
PubMed2001

Survival of Lactobacillus helveticus strain CP53 in the human gastrointestinal tract.

A strain of Lactobacillus helveticus carrying the cryptic plasmid pCP53 was used for a detailed analysis of the survival and persistence of this organism in the faeces of volunteers administered oral doses of the strain. The CP53 strain had high affinity for Caco-2 cells, but displayed low bile acid resistance in vitro. Rifampicin-resistant colonies could be reisolated from the faeces of four of seven subjects fed with the rifampicin-resistant CP53 derivative strain. Moreover, the recovery of cells, as estimated by plasmid analysis, was higher than that estimated by measuring the number of rifampicin-resistant cells. From these results, we conclude that the CP53 strain can survive passage through the gastrointestinal tract.

Bile Acids and Salts↗
PubMed2001

Successful use of thoracoscopic pericardiectomy in elderly patients with massive pericardial effusion caused by uremic pericarditis.

We report the use of thoracoscopic pericardiectomy to treat two elderly patients with massive pericardial effusion caused by uremic pericarditis. A 79-year-old man, admitted to our hospital complaining of dyspnea, was diagnosed with end-stage renal failure and began maintenance hemodialysis. Although intensive hemodialysis was performed, the patient could not remain on hemodialysis because of severe hypotension during the procedure. Echocardiography revealed massive pericardial effusion and severe hypokinesis of the left ventricular wall. Pericardiocentesis was performed first, without success, followed by thoracoscopic pericardiectomy under general anesthesia. One month after the pericardiectomy, episodes of hypotension during hemodialysis improved, and dyspnea diminished. Echocardiography showed no pericardial effusion and improvement of left ventricular wall motion. Pericarditis is a fatal complication in patients with end-stage renal failure and patients on maintenance hemodialysis. The second patient received the same procedure with a similar improvement of clinical symptoms. These cases suggest that thoracoscopic pericardiectomy is a safe and effective treatment of pericardial effusion caused by uremic pericarditis in elderly patients on hemodialysis.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Aggressive preoperative management and extended surgery for inflammatory pseudotumor involving the hepatic hilum in a child.

Inflammatory pseudotumors involving the hepatic hilum are rare. Only 14 cases have been reported (Table). Liver transplantation has been required when the pseudotumor has invaded extensively into the right and left lobes. (1,2) However, transplantation is associated with the lifelong use of immunosuppressants. This is particularly problematic in children. we report a case of a 6-year-old boy with an inflammatory pseudotumor extensively invading the hepatic hilum who was treated with aggressive surgical excision using the techniques devised for the treatment of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. (3)

Child↗
PubMed2001

Sex-dependent toxicity of a novel acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase inhibitor, YIC-C8-434, in relation to sex-specific forms of cytochrome P450 in rats.

YIC-C8-434 is a novel inhibitor of acyl coenzyme A:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT). To clarify the toxicity of YIC-C8-434, the compound was given orally to Sprague-Dawley rats for 28 days at 0, 4, 20, 100, or 500 mg/kg/day. The toxicity of the drug differed significantly between male and female rats. In female rats treated at 500 mg/kg, many symptoms including moribund condition, suppression of weight gain and food consumption, abnormal blood chemistry, and decreases in organ weights (thymus, ovaries, and uterus) were observed. In male rats by contrast, no significant toxicity was observed at any dose. After a single administration of YIC-C8-434 at 500 mg/kg, female rats had a higher blood concentration of the compound than male rats. Little elimination of YIC-C8-434 was observed in female rats on analysis of drug-elimination kinetics. Furthermore, the metabolism of YIC-C8-434 was analyzed using rat hepatic microsomal preparations from both sexes. Consistent with the observations in vivo, hepatic microsomes from male rats better metabolized YIC-C8-434 than those from females. In addition, the metabolism of YIC-C8-434 by hepatic microsomes from male rats was blocked by SKF525A, a P450 inhibitor. Inhibition experiments using anti-rat CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2B1, CYP2C11, CYP2E1, CYP3A2, and CYP4A1 antisera indicated that CYP3A2 played the predominant role in the metabolism of YIC-C8-434 in rats. Since there is less CYP3A2 in the liver of female than male rats, the involvement of CYP3A2 in YIC-C8-434 metabolism has implications for the sex-related metabolic activity and toxicity of YIC-C8-434.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2001

Reverse redistribution of 99m Tc-sestamibi after direct percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction: relationship with wall motion and functional response to dobutamine stimulation.

Reverse redistribution (RR) of 99mTc-sestamibi is observed after direct percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The purpose of this study was to clarify the functional characteristics of myocardial segments with RR after direct PTCA in AMI. Thirty patients with AMI who had undergone direct PTCA were examined. Myocardial perfusion tomography with 99mTc-sestamibi and low dose dobutamine echocardiography were performed within 2 weeks of the onset. The 99mTc-sestamibi images were obtained 1 and 3 h after tracer administration. The left ventricle was divided into nine segments, and regional 99mTc-sestamibi uptake and clearance were quantitatively evaluated in each segment. RR was defined as a decrease in 99mTc-sestamibi uptake of >10% on 3 h delayed images compared with the 1 h early images. The left ventricle in the echocardiographic images was also divided into nine segments corresponding to the scintigraphic images, and regional wall motion was assessed in the resting condition as the baseline and during dobutamine administration (5-10 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1)). Out of a total of 270 myocardial segments, 111 segments were perfused by the culprit coronary artery and were defined as ischaemic segments. There were 25 segments with RR and 86 segments without RR in the ischaemic myocardium. Enhanced clearance of 99mTc-sestamibi was observed in ischaemic segments with RR (P<0.001). Echocardiography demonstrated that 24 out of 25 segments with RR and 61 out of 86 segments without RR had wall motion abnormalities. Dobutamine infusion improved wall motion in 20 (83%) of the 24 dysfunctional segments with RR and 33 (54%) of the 61 dysfunctional segments without RR (P<0.02). These findings suggest that RR indicates reversible functional abnormalities associated with preserved contractile reserve in response to dobutamine. The early and delayed imaging of 99mTc-sestamibi provides useful information regarding the residual viability of the dysfunctional myocardium in AMI patients.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2001

Tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand and its receptor expression and the pathway of apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer.

METHODOLOGY: The authors performed the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 17 cases of pancreatic ductal cell carcinoma (PDC) and five cases of normal pancreatic tissues to determine the expression of tumor necrosis factor -related apoptosis-inducing factor (TRAIL) and its five receptors in PDC. RESULTS: The expression of TRAIL and its receptors other than osteoprotegerin was found frequently in both PDC and normal tissues. whereas the expression of osteoprotegerin was detected only in PDC. The authors detected cancer cell death by TRAIL, ranging from 37% to 77% in all the PDC cell lines by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Hochest staining revealed that cell death was caused by apoptosis. Caspase-8 and caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage was activated within 2 hours after stimulation with 200 ng/mL TRAIL. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest a relation between osteoprotegerin expression and the biologic aggressiveness of PDC and the involvement of caspase-8 and caspase-3 activation in the TRAIL-mediated apoptosis pathway in PDC.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed2001

Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis in differentiation of erysipelothrix species strains.

We report here the first analysis of Erysipelothrix spp. using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Seventy strains of Erysipelothrix spp. were analyzed. SmaI, AscI, and NotI were tested for the ability to cleave the DNA extracted from those strains, and among them, SmaI was the most reliable enzyme. Sixty-three distinct PFGE patterns were produced, and no DNA degradation was observed, allowing the identification of all of the strains. Based on these results and on those of a previous analysis using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA and ribotyping, PFGE with SmaI might be considered to be more sensitive than those methods and to be the best method for epidemiological studies of strains of this genus.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Nicotine infusion alters leptin and uncoupling protein 1 mRNA expression in adipose tissues of rats.

We attempted to clarify whether leptin and uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) are involved in the action of nicotine on the energy balance. Male Wistar rats were infused subcutaneously with nicotine (12 mg x kg(-1) x day(-1)) for 4 or 14 days. At the end of the 4-day period, the plasma concentrations of leptin of the nicotine-treated and pair-fed rats were lower than those of the freely fed rats, although the levels of leptin mRNA expression in various white adipose tissues did not differ among the three groups. At the end of the 14-day nicotine infusion period, plasma concentrations of leptin were higher, and leptin mRNA expression in the omentum and epididymal and retroperitoneal adipose tissues was stronger in the nicotine-treated rats than in the pair-fed and freely fed rats. UCP1 mRNA expression in the brown adipose tissue of nicotine-treated was stronger than that of the pair-fed rats. These results suggest that continuous nicotine infusion differentially affects the synthesis and secretion of leptin according to the duration of infusion and stimulates UCP1 mRNA expression, probably in a manner independent of leptin.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2001

Apoptosis of renal tubular cells in Shiga-toxin-mediated hemolytic uremic syndrome.

In order to clarify the mechanism of unusual renal tubular dysfunction seen in a child with Shiga toxin (Stx)-mediated hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), we studied the renal biopsy specimens for Stx binding and apoptosis of renal tubular cells. A 7-year-old boy with Stx-2-mediated HUS demonstrated extensive renal tubular damage characterized by nonoliguric acute renal failure, increased urinary tubular enzymes and defective urine-concentrating capacity. His renal biopsy specimens were analyzed for Stx binding and apoptotic cell death. Seven kidney tissue specimens obtained from patients without HUS served as controls. Detection of Stx binding to renal sections and apoptotic cells were performed using mouse monoclonal anti-Stx 2 antibody and the TUNEL method, respectively. Positive staining was observed predominantly in renal tubular cells, while the 7 kidney tissue specimens from control patients did not show positive staining. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case to show Stx binding and apoptotic cell death in renal tubules on biopsy specimens obtained from a child with Stx-mediated HUS. In conclusion, this case suggests that vascular endothelial cells are not the sole nor the consistent target for Stx-mediated cell injury and that significant renal tubular damage other than glomerular damage might occur in some children with Stx-mediated HUS.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed2001

Effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E on colonic mucosal leukotriene generation, lipid peroxidation, and microcirculation in rats with experimental colitis.

AIMS: We investigated the effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on mucosal levels of leukotrienes (LTs) and lipid peroxide (LPO), and on mucosal microcirculation, in rats with experimental colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). METHODS: We fed Wistar rats a perilla oil-enriched diet containing alpha-linolenic acid (63.2% of total fatty acids) with various doses of vitamin E for 4 weeks, with 4% DSS added to the drinking water during the last week. Control rats were fed a diet produced from soybean oil containing alpha-linolenic acid (5.1% of total fatty acids). Colonic mucosal blood flow was measured with a laser Doppler flowmeter. RESULTS: The mucosal level of arachidonic acid was significantly lower and that of eicosapentaenoic acid was significantly higher in the experimental group. The mucosal level of LPO in the experimental group fed a trace or ordinary dose of vitamin E was significantly higher than that of the controls. The production of LTB(4) and LTC(4) from the colonic mucosa in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in controls. However, only the experimental group fed a vitamin E dose 4-fold higher than that given to the controls showed a significant increase in mucosal blood flow. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that n-3 PUFAs increase mucosal blood flow by inhibiting LT production when there is sufficient vitamin E to inhibit lipid peroxidation in rats with experimental colitis.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2001

Cilnidipine is as effective as benazepril for control of blood pressure and proteinuria in hypertensive patients with benign nephrosclerosis.

To investigate the beneficial effects of cilnidipine, a calcium channel blocker that shows high selectivity for N-type receptors, on the progression of chronic renal insufficiency, we compared the efficacy of cilnidipine to that of benazepril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor with known renal protective effects, in a one-year trial evaluating hypertensive control, serum creatinine, and albuminuria in a cohort of patients. Given the seeming importance of the etiology of chronic renal insufficiency in determining drug efficacy, we limited our study to 20 patients with a single common condition, benign nephrosclerosis. The average age of the patients was 62+/-4 years old. The changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure over the course of the study year revealed a similar reduction with cilnidipine and benazepril. Both cilnidipine and benazepril induced similar reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure over the course of the study year. The baseline levels of serum creatinine were 1.40+/-0.2 mg/dl and urinary excretion of albumin was 168+/-10 mg daily. The levels of serum creatinine were not significantly changed throughout the study in either group, although the levels of urinary excretion of albumin were significantly decreased in both groups. There were no significant differences in either of these values between the two groups. In conclusion, both cilnidipine and benazepril equally and effectively reduced blood pressure and albuminuria in hypertensive patients with benign nephrosclerosis in a one-year trial.

Albuminuria↗
PubMed2001

Glycidol degrades scrapie mouse prion protein.

Agents of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (prion) are known to be extremely resistant to physicochemical inactivation procedures such as heat, radiation, chemical disinfectants such as detergents, alcohols, glutaraldehyde, formalin, and so on. Because of its remarkable resistance, it is difficult to inactivate prion. Chemical inactivation seems to be a practical method because it is applicable to large or fixed surfaces and complicated equipment. Here, three epoxides: beta-propiolactone, propylene oxide, and glycidol (GLD) were examined of their inactivation ability against scrapie-mouse prion protein (PrP(Sc)) under various conditions of chemical concentration, incubation time, and temperature. Among these chemicals, GLD worked most effectively and degraded PrP into small fragments. As a result of the bioassay, treatment with 3% GLD for 5 hr and 5% GLD for 2, 5 hr or 12 hr at room temperature prolonged the mean incubation time by 44, 30, 110 and 73 days, respectively. From dose-incubation time standard curve, the decrease in infectivity titers were estimated as 10(3) or more. Therefore, degradation of PrP(Sc) by GLD decreased the scrapie infectivity. It is also suggested that pH and salt concentrations influence the effect of GLD. Although further study is necessary to determine the optimal condition, GLD may be a potential prion disinfectant.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Adult T-cell leukemia with hypercalcemia-induced metastatic calcification in the lungs due to production of parathyroid hormone-related protein.

A 60-year-old man was diagnosed as adult T-cell leukemia with severe hypercalcemia because of production of parathyroid hormone-related protein. After admission, the patient had respiratory insufficiency with an infiltrative shadow in his lungs suggestive of pneumonia. However, neither improvement in respiratory function nor disappearance of the abnormal chest shadow was observed with administration of various antibiotics. An autopsy demonstrated the chest shadow had been caused by metastatic calcification associated with hypercalcemia due to production of parathyroid hormone-related protein. The possibility of metastatic calcification should be considered in patients with adult T-cell leukemia and hypercalcemia who have an abnormal chest shadow.

Calcinosis↗
PubMed2001

Two cases of severe bronchopneumonia due to influenza A (H3N2) virus: detection of influenza virus gene using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction.

We report two cases of severe bronchopneumonia due to influenza A (H3N2) virus. The severity of the disease necessitated initiation of empiric therapy based on the present illness and clinical data on admission. Both patients were improved by artificial ventilation with positive end-expiratory pressures and administration of broad spectrum antibiotics and corticosteroids before confirming the diagnosis of viral bronchopneumonia using viral culture and serological tests. Within 24 hours, influenza A (H3N2) virus was identified by amplification of the pathogen genes by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using the stored bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids of both cases. This suggests that a combination of detection methods of pathogens using RT-PCR and BAL fluid will facilitate determination of rational treatment aimed at influenza A virus.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

The temperature-dependent modulation of an inhibitory circuit in hippocampal slices as revealed by a population spike recording is mediated by extracellular adenosine.

We examined the effects of temperature on excitatory synaptic transmission and the recurrent inhibitory loop in CA1 neurons in guinea pig hippocampal slices. Increasing the temperature of the perfusing medium from 30 to 49 degrees C resulted in attenuation of both the amplitude of the synaptically evoked CA1 population spikes and the paired-pulse inhibition (PPI) of the spikes. A bath application of 2 microM picrotoxin, a gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor antagonist, did not affect the amplitude of the CA1 population spikes, but it significantly reduced PPI during the early heating phase (30-32 degrees C). In contrast, the application of 1 mM theophylline or 50 microM 8-phenyltheophylline, a selective adenosine A1 receptor antagonist, resulted in significant augmentation of the PPI during the early phase of hyperthermia (30-34 degrees C) and a significant increase in the amplitude of the CA1 population spikes at higher temperatures (34-43 degrees C). These results suggest that increased activation of adenosine A1 receptors in response to a temperature increase depresses not only excitatory synaptic responses, but also the strength of the inhibitory circuit in CA1 neurons. Furthermore, hyperexcitability of CA1 pyramidal neurons was seen in the middle of the heating range (34-38 degrees C), excitatory responses still being present, but the strength of the inhibitory circuit significantly reduced.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Neurosensory function and implant survival rate following implant placement with nerve transpositioning: a case study.

In patients with extensive bone resorption, implant placement posterior to the mental foramen is a problematic surgical procedure. This paper reports the results in 6 patients (aged 20-61) with edentulous areas in the posterior part of the mandible, in whom 26 Nobelpharma implants were placed, including 17 with transposition of the inferior alveolar nerve allowing the use of implant fixtures of at least 10 mm in length. Subsequent neurosensory function, based on British Medical Research Council definitions, and implant survival rate were examined. In all cases, postoperative numbness occurred in the lower lip and mental area. Three years after surgery, while one patient had completely recovered neurosensory function, five patients still experienced partial numbness, although this was not perceived as a problem by those patients. The implant survival rate was 100% approximately three years after surgery. The results suggest that a higher implant survival rate is likely when longer fixtures are used, but this is also more likely to lead to slight long-term neurosensory dysfunction.

Adult↗