Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

K Kuramoto

Publications and source records attributed to K Kuramoto.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

[Acquired pure red cell aplasia associated with relapsed non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a case report-improvement of PRCA after acute hepatitis].

A 47-year-old male patient was admitted because of anemia. He had been diagnosed as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (Follicular mixed, B cell type, stage ISA) by splenectomy two years before. Bone marrow examination on admission revealed lymphoma cell infiltration and marked decrease in erythroid cells. These findings confirmed relapsed lymphoma with acquired pure red cell aplasia. After several courses of combination chemotherapy, lymphoma cells disappeared from bone marrow, but PRCA was not improved. In this case there were two times remission of PRCA. At first time, acute B type hepatitis occurred during the chemotherapy, anemia improved transiently. At the second time, mild acute hepatitis associated with herpes zoster occurred. Twenty days after hepatic injury, PRCA was improved, and continued in remission state till present day. To disclose the mechanism of PRCA in this case, erythroid colony assay of marrow cells was performed. This showed the presence of inhibitory factor in patient's serum at PRCA state, that was considered to be related to the occurrence of PRCA. These findings suggest that the improvement of PRCA was associated with the changes on immunological condition after acute hepatitis in this case.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1997

Natural history of a spontaneous dissecting aneurysm of the proximal superior mesenteric artery: report of a case.

We report herein the case of a 44-year-old man in whom an asymptomatic dissecting aneurysm was found in the proximal part of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) during a preoperative evaluation for colon cancer. The patient was managed conservatively with blood pressure control during the perioperative period of the colon resection as the false lumen of the dissecting aneurysm was revealed to be completely occluded by thrombus. The thrombus in the false lumen continued to be absorbed until 1 month after surgery. The patient is currently well 4 years after his operation without any evidence of recurrence of the aneurysm.

Adenocarcinoma, Papillary↗
PubMed1996

Secretory granule formation and synthesis pathway of secretory proteins in parotid gland cells.

The cytochemical technique for endogenous peroxidase and an immunocytochemical method with protein A-gold were used to investigate the formation of the secretory granule substructure in acinar cells of the gerbil parotid glands in normal conditions and after treatment with the ionophore monensin. In untreated animals and 90 min after treatment with monensin, peroxidase activity was seen in rER, in transport vesicles close to the condensing vacuoles, and in the dense core of condensing vacuoles and secretory granules, whereas the Golgi cisternae remain unreactive. At 45 or 60 min after stimulation with monensin, the condensing vacuoles and the immature granules in the trans Golgi area did not exhibit dense cores and their content appeared similar to the peripheral portion of the mature secretory granules. These observations suggest that, in Mongolian gerbil parotid acinar cells, some substances such as peroxidase may be transported from the rER directly to the condensing vacuoles.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Reinitiation of spermatogonial mitotic differentiation in inactive old BDF1 mouse seminiferous tubules transplanted to W/Wv mouse testis.

The seminiferous epithelia of old mice (33 mo of age) are composed of spermatogonia and Sertoli cells. Histochemical examination using the anti-c-kit monoclonal antibody demonstrated that the number of differentiating type A spermatogonia decreases with age. To elucidate the differential activity of old mouse spermatogonia, we transplanted extremely thin seminiferous epithelia of old BDF, mice into W/Wv mouse testes and examined whether or not they could reinitiate differentiation. Artificially cryptorchid mice were used as the control. At 2 wk after transplantation, spermatocytes and round spermatids were detected in transplanted seminiferous tubules of the control, whereas the most advanced spermatogenic cells in those of old mice were spermatocytes. At 4 wk after transplantation, although elongated spermatids were detected in transplanted tubules of the control, haploid cells (spermatids) were still undetectable in those derived from old mice. Thus, meiosis was never restored, although spermatogonia of old mice can reinitiate differentiation into spermatocytes under suitable testicular conditions. Since it has been reported in several mammalian species that age-related changes in the testicular microenvironment lead to the gerontal cessation of spermatogenesis, the present results suggest that both a defective extratubular environment and a defective intratubular environment may cause the cessation of spermatogenesis in old BDF, mice.

Aging↗
PubMed1996

Genotyping hepatitis C virus isolates from Spain, Brazil, China, and Macau by a simplified PCR method.

An improved and simplified method of genotyping was developed for classifying hepatitis C virus (HCV) isolates into the five common genotypes, i.e., I/1a, II/1b, III/2a, IV/2b, and V/3a, by PCR with genotype-specific primers deduced from the core gene. Sense and antisense primers, specific for each of the five common genotypes, were designed by comparison of 319 core gene sequences from HCV isolates of various genotypes from genetic groups 1 to 9. In the first round of PCR, a sequence of 433 bp representing nucleotides 319 to 751 was amplified with universal primers. The second round of PCR was performed with respective sense and antisense primers in two separate reactions, one for the amplification of genotypes I/1a and II/1b and the other for the amplification of genotypes III/2a, IV/2b, and V/3a. The specificity of genotyping was confirmed with a panel of 191 serum samples containing HCV isolates whose core gene sequences were known: 110 serum samples infected with HCV of the five common genotypes and 81 serum samples infected with HCV of other genotypes. The use of sense and antisense primers for genotype II/1b (primers 389 and 492) abolished the cross-reaction of the antisense primer for genotype II/1b (primer 133) with some HCV isolates of genotype I/1a found by our original method. The new method was used for genotyping 130 HCV isolates from Spain, 53 from Brazil, 106 from China, and 30 from Macau. A total of 329 bp of the NS5b region (nucleotides 8279 to 8607) of five isolates from Spain and five isolates from Macau which could not be classified as any of the five common HCV genotypes or genotype 2c were sequenced, and the sequences were compared with those of HCV isolates of known genotypes; two isolates from Spain were deduced to be of genotype 4d and one was deduced to be of genotype 1d, while the remaining two isolates from Spain had novel genotypes in genetic group 2; however, all five isolates from Macau were of genotype 6a.

Brazil↗
PubMed1996

Hyaluronan and chondroitin sulfate in rabbit tears.

The concentrations of hyaluronan (HA) and chondroitin sulfate (CS) in rabbit tears were determined using high performance liquid chromatography. The tears were taken from both normal eyes and eyes with a corneal epithelial defect. The concentration of CS was 7.61 times higher than that of HA in the tears of normal eyes. When the concentration of CS isomers was compared, the highest concentration was observed in chondroitin 6-sulfate (C6S), followed by chondroitin 4-sulfate (C4S) and chondroitin (C0S), in that order. When the corneal epithelium was removed from the left eye using a trephine and microscissors, a significant increase was detected in the concentrations of HA and C6S in tears of the left eye one day after removal, whereas no change was observed in those of the right eye. In addition, a significant positive correlation was observed between the increased amount of HA concentration and the healing rate of the corneal epithelium. These results suggest that the increase of HA concentration in tears is associated with spontaneous corneal epithelial healing.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

[Infection in elderly leukemic patients].

Febrile episodes occurring in 29 elderly patients (mean age 75 years) with leukemia, from 1988 to 1993, were reviewed. A febrile episode was defined as a temperature of 38 degrees C or greater for at least 6 hours. The number of febrile episodes was 64. The average was 2.2 febrile episodes per patient. Seventy-two percent of febrile episodes occurred when the patients had neutropenia below 100/microliters, while 16% occurred with neutropenia of 101/microliters to 500/microliters. Causative microorganisms were identified in 48% of total febrile episodes. The most common infectious site was the urinary tract which accounted for 25% of total episodes. Pneumonia and septicemia accounted for 22% of total episodes, respectively. Gram-positive cocci were responsible for 66% of microbiologically documented febrile episodes, while 21% were caused by gram-negative bacilli. Gram-positive cocci, particularly staphylococcus aureus, coagulae-negative staphylococcus and enterococci increased compared with a decade ago in our department. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was used 12 times for infection. No significant difference in fever amelioration was seen between G-CSF and non-G-CFS cases.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

[Long-term prognosis of chronic heart failure in the elderly].

To elucidate the predictors of the mortality rate in the elderly with chronic heart failure (HF), 120 consecutive patients (mean age, 75.2 +/- 7.8 years) with heart failure (NYHA I-II) were analyzed prospectively for 5 years. [Methods] Left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), left ventricular diastolic and systolic dimension (LVDD and LVDS) and wall thickness (WT) were measured by echocardiogram. Venipuncture for measurement of ANP and norepinephrine (NE) was done in supine position after 30 minute rest. [Results] 1) HF was associated with hypertension (47.5%), ischemic heart disease (34%), valvular disease (15%) and atrial fibrillation (AF, 23%). 2) 15 and 11 patients died for cardiac and non-cardiac events, respectively. 3) There was no difference in mean ages, gender, blood pressure, plasma-NE, EF, LVDD, LVDS, WT and AF between cardiac death and control groups. However, plasma ANP was higher in cardiac death group (173 pg/ml) than in control group (76 pg/ml) (p < 0.01). 4) Cox proportional hazard regression model revealed that ANP was an independent predictor for cardiac death (p < 0.005). We conclude that only plasma ANP level predicts long-term prognosis of chronic heart failure in the elderly.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

[Primary myelofibrosis with severe bone pain].

An 80-year-old man was admitted with bone pain, affecting both lower limbs and the dorsa of the feet, in September, 1991. Primary myelofibrosis was diagnosed. Bilateral x-ray films of the tibia, fibula, femur and vertebra revealed osteoporosis, but this was considered an unlikely source of the bone pain. The bone pain subsequently disappeared, but then became severe in both lower limbs and the dorsa of the feet and was accompanied by leukemic transformations in February, 1992. He died of aspiration pneumonia in July, 1992. Autopsy revealed microfractures with osteoporosis and infiltration of leukemic cells in the periosteum of the left tibia, which may have caused the bone pain. This case provides useful information to analyze the cause of bone pain in patients with myelofibrosis.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Acute effects of exercise on muscle MRI in peripheral arterial occlusive disease.

The midcalf muscles of eight patients who had peripheral arterial occlusive disease were evaluated by exercise MRI before and after bypass surgery or percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. MRI showed a high intensity of these muscles, especially the posterior muscles, after exercise in all patients before intervention. The mean T2 relaxation time was maximal immediately after exercise (tibialis anterior, T2 = 30.8 ms; soleus, T2 = 36.2 ms; gastrocnemius, T2 = 32.8 ms) and then gradually decreased to the preexercise level. The difference in the T2 relaxation time of the soleus between immediately after exercise and at rest was smaller along with improvement of ankle pressure indices (API) after successful intervention (mean T2 difference: 4.91 and 0.72 ms (p < .001); mean API: 0.54 and 0.86 (p < .001) before and after intervention, respectively). The mean resting midcalf T2 relaxation time was significantly higher after intervention (tibialis anterior, T2 = 28.4 and 29.5 ms (p < .05); soleus, T2 = 31.4 and 32.9 ms (p < .05); gastrocnemius, T2 = 29.5 and 31.1 ms (p < .01) before and after intervention, respectively). T2 relaxation time may be a useful quantitative parameter in peripheral arterial occlusive disease as well as in other muscle studies.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Cardiac implications of the morning surge in blood pressure in elderly hypertensive patients: relation to arising time.

Although morning surge in blood pressure has been shown to be associated with the occurrence of myocardial ischemic events and stroke, few studies have been done regarding its pathogenesis, probably because of a lack of method for the quantitative assessment of awakening time. We conducted an echocardiographic study and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in 23 elderly hypertensive patients to evaluate the relationship between the hypertensive cardiac change and morning surge in blood pressure. Of note was that the time of arising from bed was assessed quantitatively by an activetracer equipped with an internal acceleration sensor to monitor the physical activity. The change in systolic blood pressure after arising from bed was correlated significantly with the left ventricular mass index (r = 0.51, P < .02) and the A/E ratio, which represents the diastolic function (r = 0.70, P < .01). In contrast, the change in systolic blood pressure before rising from bed was not correlated with any echocardiographic parameters. We conclude that the magnitude of morning surge in blood pressure after arising from bed was related with the severity of hypertensive target organ damage.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Detection of anti-hepatitis C virus using chemiluminescence.

To determine if chemiluminescence can be used in an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) format to test for hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody and to compare sensitivity and specificity of chemiluminescence to a licensed anti-HCV EIA method, random volunteer donor samples were evaluated. One thousand and seventy-four random volunteer donor samples were collected during a 2-week period. Two aliquots of each sample were tested for anti-HCV. One aliquot was tested using a licensed anti-HCV 2.0 EIA test. The second aliquot was tested using the research anti-HCV chemiluminescence assay. Confirmatory testing was done using Recombinant Immuno Blot Assay (RIBA) 2.0 HCV and HCV RNA. Of the 1074 samples, eight were found to be reactive for anti-HCV. Seven were positive by the anti-HCV 2.0 EIA and the chemiluminescence system. The eighth sample was chemiluminescence reactive, but EIA negative; when tested by an unlicensed EIA 3.0 HCV test, RIBA 3.0 HCV test and an HCV-RNA assay, the sample was still negative. The same sample was also tested by RIBA 2.0 HCV and showed a reactive band to SOD. The chemiluminescence assay has a 100% sensitivity and 99.9% specificity compared to EIA and can be used as an alternative to EIA for detecting antibodies to HCV.

Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay↗
PubMed1995

Gianturco stent placement in malignant caval obstruction: analysis of factors for predicting the outcome.

PURPOSE: To determine the factors that may be used to predict outcome of stent placement in patients with malignancies obstructing the superior or inferior vena cava. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Gianturco stents were placed in 39 patients with malignant obstruction of the superior (n = 16) or inferior (n = 23) vena cava. Thirteen patients with obstruction of the superior vena cava received radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy at some time in their course of treatment. Computed tomographic (CT) scans were obtained in all patients. The authors analyzed treatment outcome with the location, length, and CT appearance of obstruction. RESULTS: Venous congestive symptoms disappeared after stent placement in 35 patients and remained in four. Symptoms did not recur during 1-13-month follow-up in 32 of the 35 patients in whom the symptoms disappeared. Nonfatal complications were observed in nine patients. Results of multivariate analysis showed that the outcome of stent placement is best predicted by the appearance of obstructions on CT scans irrespective of the location and length of the lesions. CONCLUSION: Good results can be expected from placement of Gianturco stents except when CT shows the obstruction to be totally enveloped by tumor.

Constriction, Pathologic↗
PubMed1995

Congenital ossification of the stapedius tendon: diagnosis with CT.

PURPOSE: To describe the features of congenital ossification of the stapedius tendon at thin-section computed tomography (CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thin-section CT scans, clinical records, and surgical findings were retrospectively evaluated in nine ears of five patients with surgically proved congenital ossification of the stapedius tendon. Thin-section CT scans of 50 control ears were also reviewed. RESULTS: On thin-section CT scans, a linear area of soft-tissue attenuation was demonstrated between the monopod stapes and the pyramidal eminence (nine ears), as well as thickening of the stapes footplate (two ears). In the 50 control ears, the normal stapes tendon was not clearly seen on thin-section CT scans. CONCLUSION: At CT, a linear area of soft-tissue attenuation that extends from the pyramidal eminence to the monopod stapes is suggestive of congenital ossification of the stapedius tendon or a bony bar adjacent to it.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Effect of temporary occlusion of the hepatic vein on dual blood in the liver: evaluation with spiral CT.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the contribution of hepatic veins to the dual blood supply in the liver under temporary hepatic venous occlusion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Selected hepatic veins in 23 patients with liver tumors were temporarily occluded with a balloon catheter. Computed tomography (CT) arteriography, CT during arterial portography (CTAP), or both were performed with a spiral technique with and without temporary occlusion of a hepatic vein. RESULTS: After hepatic vein occlusion, a well-demarcated, wedge-shaped area of hypoattenuation was seen at CTAP and/or hyperattenuation was seen at CT arteriography in the following regions: left lobe (left hepatic vein), ventral part of the anterior segment and the medial segment except for the ventromedial part (middle hepatic vein), dorsal part of the anterior segment and the ventral part of the posterior segment (right hepatic vein), and dorsocaudal part of the right lobe (inferior right hepatic veins). CONCLUSION: After hepatic venous occlusion, the portal veins become draining veins and the occluded area is supplied with arterial blood alone.

Adult↗