Biomedical subjects

K Moriyama

Publications and source records attributed to K Moriyama.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

PubMed1995

Acute myeloblastic leukaemia without Philadelphia chromosome developing after interferon therapy for chronic myelocytic leukaemia with Philadelphia chromosome.

We report a patient who developed Philadelphia chromosome negative acute myeloblastic leukaemia with trisomy 8 and trisomy 11 after receiving treatment with alkylating agents and interferon for chronic myelocytic leukaemia positive for Philadelphia chromosome. Leukaemic cells were positive for myeloperoxidase and expressed CD13, CD33 and DR; some expressed CD2, CD4 and CD34. The fluorescence in situ hybridization method revealed that bcr-abl fusion genes were absent from > 90% of the bone marrow cells. The major bcr rearrangement was not detected by Southern blot analysis. We conclude that the leukaemic cells negative for Philadelphia chromosome may have developed as a result of treatment with alkylating agents and interferon in the present case.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

Induction of unresponsiveness of antigen-specific T lymphocytes by oral administration of cedar pollen extract in mice.

T lymphocyte unresponsiveness, induced in mice by a single gastric intubation of 0.2 ml cedar pollen extract (CPE, containing 4 micrograms protein/ml)/mouse daily for 3 to 28 consecutive days, was evaluated by the absence of a proliferative response of popliteal lymph node (PLN) T lymphocytes to CPE in vitro. T lymphocyte unresponsiveness increased with the period of gastric intubation of CPE and reached more than 80% of the control on day 28. The unresponsiveness to CPE was antigen-specific and T lymphocyte-mediated. In vitro CPE-specific T lymphocyte proliferation was significantly suppressed by intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) and hepatic mononuclear cells (MNCs), but not by spleen cells or PLN T lymphocytes from mice fed CPE for 28 days. The effector activity of IELs and MNCs was obviously antigen-specific. These results suggest that lymphocytes in the intestine and liver of mice fed CPE would be involved in the induction and maintenance of CPE-specific T lymphocyte unresponsiveness.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Familial hypobetalipoproteinemia associated with hypothyroidism.

A 55-year-old Japanese woman with familial hypobetalipoproteinemia associated with hypothyroidism was admitted to the hospital because of orthopnea and congestive heart failure. Thyroid function testing revealed hypothyroidism, but she exhibited low levels of serum cholesterol (111 mg/dl) and apolipoprotein (apo) B (48.5 mg/dl). No abnormal bands were detected with gradient sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of very low density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and high density lipoprotein followed by immunoblotting with anti apo B polyclonal antibody. In this case, apo B structural abnormality could not be identified.

Female↗

PubMed1995

Vestibulocochlear defects and effects of deuterium oxide in mutant bustling (BUS) mice.

Bustling mouse (BUS/Idr: bus) is a mutant mouse strain which exhibits bustling/hyperkinetic behavior and functional disorders related to the vestibulocochlear system such as rapid circling and loss of auditory startling response. In homozygous (bus/bus) mice this phenotype develops progressively after birth and has been shown from cross experiments to be inherited by a single autosomal recessive gene. Using light and electron microscopy, we examined the development of pathological changes in the inner ear of homozygous mice. Effects of deuterium oxide, which has been shown to influence vestibular function, on the abnormal behavior of homozygous mice of different ages were also examined. Pathological changes of the inner ear including impairment and/or loss of auditory hair cells, deformation and/or loss of the inner and outer tunnels of the organ of Corti, hypoplasia of the otoliths, and decrease in number of neurons of the spiral genglion were observed in the homozygous mice starting before the weaning stage and progressively thereafter, but not in the heterozygous mice. Although histological changes were also noted in the crista ampullaris and maculae, they were less evident than those in the cochlea at least until the mice were 6 weeks old. Administration of deuterated physiological saline (8-16 ml/kg, per os) tended to decrease the abnormal behavior of the homozygous mice, including rapid circling. These morphological and functional findings suggest that BUS mice may be a useful model for analysis of the pathogenesis of vestibulo-cochlear disorders.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

[The deconstructions of schizophrenia (I)].

Standing in the midst of this great historical change, as sometimes it is called the switch to the "post-modern", we are now confronted with the demand of paradigm change in every field of scientific knowledge. So it is the case with psychiatry. Just about 100 years ago, the trend of "social defense" (society's need to be protected from harm) was going on covering the whole civilized countries. It brought about a situation that could be generalized as "institutionalism" which made mental hospitals huge and custodial, resulting in the prevalence of nihilism with regard to treatment. It was just at this time that Dementia praecox, the preconcept of Schizophrenia, was formed by Kraepelin, E. (1896) as a mental disease resulting in peculiar dementia. After some period, Dementia praecox was transformed into Schizophrenia (Gruppe der Schizophrenien) by Bleuler, E. (1908) with a new methodology: to grasp the disease from the symptomatic viewpoint. Jaspers, K. (1912) as well as Schneider, K. (1938) followed him in the way that was psychopathologically more strict; the latter reached the formulation of the . Despite this eventful metamorphosis of the concept of Schizophrenia, its fundamental traits have remained unchanged until the late 1960's. They could be summarized as follows: 1) What patients mention is incomprehensible; 2) The prognosis leads to peculiar dementia; 3) The real cause of the disease is the brain disorder. These three are the reflection of the custodialism, curative nihilism and materialism through the institutionalized mental hospitals in those days. Now, since the 1970's, the situation has been completely changed, or at least, faced with inevitable changes. The tide of "deinstitutionalization" is covering all over the civilized countries, demanding the normalization of mentally disordered persons. Thus, deprived of its motherland (i.e. institutionalism), the concept of Schizophrenia has got into confusion or even crisis. And in order to relieve this confusion, severe attempts are internationally being made to identify the diagnostic criteria of Schizophrenia by means of what they call "operational diagnosis". I believe, however, that what is truely necessary is not such a compromising modification, but a more radical change that is: the DECONSTRUCTION OF SCHIZOPHRENIA.

Community Psychiatry↗

PubMed1995

Population frequency of apolipoprotein E5 (Glu3-->Lys) and E7 (Glu244-->Lys, Glu245-->Lys) variants in western Japan.

Apolipoprotein (apo) E modulates the catabolism of chylomicrons and of very low density lipoprotein remnants. It has three major isoforms (apo E2, E3, E4) and some rare variants. To detect the variants of apo E, blood specimens from 1269 Japanese subjects were analyzed using isoelectric focusing with immunoblotting. The E5 and E7 variants were identified by IEF in 2 and 18 subjects, respectively. Both E5 (Glu3-->Lys) carriers were confirmed by PCR-mediated site-directed mutagenesis, and all E7 (Glu244-->Lys, Glu245-->Lys) carriers were confirmed by the amplification refractory mutation system. The relative frequencies of the epsilon 5 and epsilon 7 alleles were 0.001 and 0.007, respectively. High concentrations of total cholesterol (> 220 mg/dl) were detected in five of the subjects expressing apo E7 and one subject expressing apo E5, and eight subjects heterozygous for apo E7 showed elevated plasma triglyceride concentrations (> 150 mg/dl). In 621 healthy subjects, the mean triglyceride concentration in subjects with apo E7/3 appeared to be higher than in those with apo E3/3, but the difference was not statistically significant.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

[Anesthetic management for thoracoscopic lung biopsy].

Nine patients with diffuse interstitial pneumonia underwent thoracoscopic lung biopsy. To evaluate the usefulness of thoracoscopic lung biopsy, compared with open one, we examined the changes of lung function and blood gas before and after surgery in these patients, and also studied their prognosis after treatment based on their pathological diagnosis. We found that the decreases in %VC and PaO2 in patients after thoracoscopic lung biopsy were smaller than those after open one. Furthermore, all the patients were diagnosed finally from their pathological findings, which contributed to their therapy and prognosis. We conclude that thoracoscopic lung biopsy is very beneficial for treatment of patients with diffuse interstitial pneumoniae, although its anesthetic management often requires one lung ventilation.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Two novel point mutations in the lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) gene resulting in LCAT deficiency: LCAT (G873 deletion) and LCAT (Gly344-->Ser).

We investigated the genetic defects in two patients with familial lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT) deficiency. Their clinical manifestations including corneal opacities, anemia, proteinuria, and hypoalphalipoproteinemia were identical for familial LCAT deficiency. Their LCAT activities and the cholesterol esterification rate (CER) were nearly zero, and their LCAT masses were below 10% of normal control values. Sequence analysis of the amplified DNA of case 1 revealed one base deletion of G at base 873 (first position of Val264) in exon 6, leading to a premature termination by frameshift. Sequence analysis of amplified DNA of case 2 revealed a single G to A converting Gly (GGT) to Ser (AGT) substitution at residue 344. When COS-1 cells were transfected with these mutants, LCAT activity in the medium was nearly zero, and the LCAT mass was undetectable (< 0.01 microgram/ml). In contrast, LCAT activity in the medium of COS-1 cells, transfected with wild-type LCAT, was 1.7 nmol/h per ml and the LCAT mass was 0.09 micrograms/ml. The LCAT mass in the cell lysates of the mutants was less than 12% of control for case 1 and 18% of control for case 2. Northern blot analysis of the mRNA of COS-1 cells transfected with the mutants showed the same amounts of LCAT mRNA as compared with wild-type LCAT. Biosynthesis of mutant LCATs was analyzed by pulse-chase and immunocytochemistry in transfected baby hamster kidney cells. SDS-PAGE/fluorography demonstrated that wild-type LCAT was synthesized as a high-mannose type of 56 kDa, which was very slowly converted to a mature form of 67 kDa and was secreted into the media. In contrast to the wild-type LCAT, the mutant precursors were not processed into the mature form but slowly degraded along with chase times. On steady and continuous labeling in the case of wild-type LCAT, the mature 67 kDa form was observed in both the cell lysate and media, whereas no mature form was detected in the cell lysates and media which were transfected mutant LCATs. These data suggest that the mutant LCATs are actually synthesized in an amount comparable to that of wild-type, but they are slowly degraded without being processed into the mature form. The immunocytochemistry revealed that mutant LCATs were mainly retained in the endoplasmic reticulum. These data suggest that these two mutations may disrupt the mutant LCATs' transport from the endoplasmic reticulum into Golgi apparatus, resulting in LCAT deficiency.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

RNA quadruplex containing G and A.

The CD study of r(GGAGGAA) has indicated that it forms a higher order structure upon either increase of the strand concentration or addition of K+. Gel electrophoresis showed that a high molecular weight species is formed in the presence of K+. The NMR study revealed a nearly 1:1 equilibrium of two kinds of higher order structures at the strand concentration of 2.1 mM and 100 mM Na+. This equilibrium shifted drastically upon addition of K+, and only one structure remained at 40 mM K+. It is suggested that the structure formed by r(GGAGGAA) in the presence of K+ is a new type of RNA quadruplex, where an A-quartet stabilized by mutual hydrogen bonding among the four adenine bases is sandwiched by conventional G-quartets.

Adenine↗

PubMed1994

Effects of supine and lateral recumbent positions on pulmonary venous flow in healthy subjects evaluated by transesophageal Doppler echocardiography.

OBJECTIVES: This study attempted to evaluate the effects of supine and lateral recumbent positions on pulmonary venous flow by transesophageal Doppler echocardiography in healthy subjects. BACKGROUND: Although transesophageal echocardiographic examination is usually performed with the patient lying in the left lateral decubitus or supine position, little attention has been paid to the effects of these positions on pulmonary venous flow. METHODS: We performed pulsed Doppler transesophageal echocardiography of the left and right pulmonary veins in 16 normal subjects as they lay in the left and right lateral decubitus and supine positions. RESULTS: Data are reported as mean value +/- SD. Adequate recordings were obtained in 12 subjects (75%). In the left pulmonary vein, peak systolic velocity and time-velocity integral of systolic flow increased significantly in the left compared with the right lateral decubitus position (56 +/- 12 vs. 44 +/- 13 cm/s, p < 0.05, and 15 +/- 4 vs. 9 +/- 4 cm, p < 0.05, respectively). In the right pulmonary vein, peak systolic velocity and time-velocity integral of systolic flow decreased significantly in the left compared with the right lateral decubitus position (38 +/- 10 vs. 48 +/- 9 cm/s, p < 0.05, and 9 +/- 2 vs. 12 +/- 2 cm, p < 0.05, respectively). There were no significant differences between positions in peak diastolic flow velocity, time-velocity integral of diastolic flow or peak velocity of flow reversal at atrial contraction. CONCLUSIONS: Pulmonary venous systolic peak velocities and time-velocity integrals of systolic flow increase when the pulmonary venous recording is from the recumbent subject's lower side. Therefore, the effects of position should be considered in evaluating left ventricular diastolic function by transesophageal Doppler echocardiography.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Characterization of two new human apolipoprotein A-I variants: apolipoprotein A-I Tsushima (Trp-108-->Arg) and A-I Hita (Ala-95-->Asp).

Two unrelated subjects with new variants of apolipoprotein (apo) A-I were found during screening with isoelectric focusing (IEF) gel analysis. In the first case, apo A-I Tsushima, sequencing following amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed a residue 108 missense mutation (TGG-->CGG, Trp-->Arg) in exon 4. The proband of apo A-I Tsushima was heterozygous for this mutation. The second case, apo A-I Hita, revealed a residue 95 missense mutation (GCC-->GAC, Ala-->Asp) in exon 4. The proband of apo A-I Hita was compound heterozygous with apo A-I (Ala-37-->Thr). These two subjects exhibited normal plasma concentrations of apo A-I and HDL cholesterol. In screening normal high school students (n = 198), we used a PCR-mediated site-directed mutagenesis to rapidly detect the substitution of G to A at codon 37 because the apo A-I (GC-->ACC, Ala-37-->Thr) mutation is unrelated to the charge difference on IEF. The frequency of the A allele was 0.04: the substitution G to A at codon 37 did not affect the plasma concentrations of lipids and lipoproteins.

Aged↗

PubMed1994

Hepatitis B virus with mutations in the core promoter for an e antigen-negative phenotype in carriers with antibody to e antigen.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA clones were propagated from 57 carriers with antibody to hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and sequenced within nucleotides (nt) 1685 to 1926 including the core promoter (nt 1742 to 1849) and the pre-C region (nt 1814 to 1900). Mutations in the core promoter or those in the pre-C region, or both, were detected in 328 (97.9%) of 335 clones from them. Five carriers were infected with HBV mutants with mutations in the core promoter alone, while 20 carriers were infected only with those in the pre-C region to abort the translation of HBeAg precursor; the remaining 32 carriers were infected with HBV mutants with mutations in both the core promoter and pre-C region. Some carriers infected with HBV with mutations in the core promoter exclusively had high HBV DNA titers, comparable with those in carriers infected with wild-type HBV, thereby indicating that such mutations would not affect the transcription of the HBV pregenome extensively. Two point mutations in the core promoter, from A to T at nt 1762 and from G to A at nt 1764, were most prevalent. The other mutations included a point mutation at either of the two nucleotides and their deletion. All of these mutations involved the TTAAA sequence (nt 1758 to 1762) at 28 bp upstream of the initiation site for shorter pre-C mRNAs (nt 1790 +/- 1). The ATAAATT sequence (nt 1789 to 1795) at 23 bp upstream of the initiation site for the pregenome RNA (nt 1818), however, remained intact in all 335 HBV DNA clones. HBV mutants with mutations in the core promoter, unaccompanied by pre-C mutations, prevailed and replaced wild-type HBV in two carriers as they seroconverted from HBeAg to the corresponding antibody. These results indicate that HBV mutants with an HBeAg- phenotype would be generated by mutations in the core promoter which might abort the transcription of pre-C mRNA but do not seriously affect that of pregenome RNA.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Studies on thermophile products. X. Further biological properties of isofatty acid-containing phosphatidylglycerol that enhances the induction of suppressor T cells.

Isofatty acid-containing phosphatidylglycerol (Fr. 7-C), isolated from Bacillus stearothermophilus UBT8038, enhances the induction of concanavalin A (Con A)-activated suppressor T (Ts) cells in a dose dependent manner (0.01-1 microgram/ml). Its further biological properties on mouse mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) has been demonstrated. Fr. 7-C (0.01-1 microgram/ml) suppressed the MLR at 4 d in a dose-dependent manner when added at the start of splenocyte cultivation. Moreover, Fr. 7-C was effective in preventing the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes after the MLR. On the other hand, this fraction significantly enhanced the induction of Ts cells in the MLR carried out in any of the antigen-specific, antigen-nonspecific and major histocompatibility complex antigen-nonrestricted fashions. Fr. 7-C increased prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release approximately 2-fold in the culture supernatant of Con A-activated splenocytes, and PGE2 release decreased dose-dependently when cultured with indomethacin. The inhibitory effect by Fr. 7-C on the MLR was abrogated by the addition of indomethacin. The enhancement by Fr. 7-C on Ts cell induction was blocked by indomethacin in a dose dependent manner. These results strongly suggest that Fr. 7-C suppresses the MLR via the enhancement of antigen-nonspecific Ts cell induction mediated at least partly by PGE2.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Studies on thermophile products. XI. Biological effect of antigen presenting inhibitor, isofatty acid-containing phosphatidylethanolamine, on mouse macrophages.

A new fraction, Fr. 8-A, which consists of a phosphatidylethanolamine with C14:0-C18:0 isofatty acids was obtained from Bacillus stearothermophilus UBT8038. The fraction inhibited major histocompatibility complex class II (Ia) antigen expression and antigen presentation on mouse macrophages. The effect of Fr.8-A on macrophage functions related to antigen presentation was investigated. Fr. 8-A increased arachidonate release, prostaglandin (PG) E2 release and nitrite production from peritoneal macrophages. It increased further the levels of PGE2, nitrite and tumor necrosis factor in the culture supernatant of the macrophages induced by the supernatant from concanavalin A-stimulated spleen cell cultures. Fr. 8-A augmented the activity of peritoneal macrophages to suppress Con A-stimulated T cell proliferation. Addition of either indomethacin or Ng-methyl-L-arginine had no effect on the augmentation of suppressor macrophage activity or the inhibition of antigen presentation by Fr. 8-A, while simultaneous addition of both inhibitors abrogated the effect of the fraction. These results indicate that Fr. 8-A inhibits Ia expression and antigen presentation, and augments suppressor macrophage activity at least partly via the activation of both cyclooxygenase and nitric oxide synthase pathways.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Phasic venous return abnormality in chronic pulmonary diseases: pulsed Doppler echocardiography study.

Features of venous return in chronic pulmonary diseases and factors determining such features were studied by analysis of respiration-related variation in the superior vena cava flow on pulsed Doppler echocardiography. Subjects of this study were 85 patients with chronic pulmonary diseases; 54 healthy subjects served as normal controls. In the healthy subjects, the velocity of the S and D waves increased during inspiration (type I pattern), and the velocity of the A wave increased during expiration. In the patients with pulmonary diseases, the pattern of the superior vena cava flow was either type I or type II (disappearance of the D wave or disappearance of both the D and S waves). The incidence of the type II pattern was significantly higher in the patients showing a reduction of both FEV1.0% and % VC. The respiration-related variation in the superior vena cava flow pattern was found to be determined by the pressure fall between right atrium and subclavian vein. A type II pattern was attributed to the elevation of right atrial pressure caused by positive pleural pressure. The velocity of the A wave increased during expiration, showing a good correlation with pulmonary vascular resistance. Venous return in the presence of chronic pulmonary disease was found to be affected by the type of ventilatory disturbance and intensity of pulmonary vascular resistance.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Distribution of alpha 2HS glycoprotein in pathological human dentins.

The concentration and distribution of alpha 2HS glycoprotein in teeth from patients with heritable dentin disorders were examined utilizing immunological techniques. ELISA for the quantitative determination showed lower concentrations of alpha 2HS glycoprotein in dentins of patients with heritable disorders than in the control; some cases contained very low and others intermediate concentrations. Immunohistochemical findings indicated that the concentration of this protein was correlated to the regularity of the dentinal tubules. This result suggests that alpha 2HS glycoprotein is incorporated into dentin in concomitance with the development of the dentinal tubule, especially with the deposition of peritubular dentin. Incorporation of this protein into dentin is thought to involve the function of odontoblasts.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Pravastatin-induced changes in receptor-mediated metabolism of low density lipoprotein in guinea pigs.

The effect of pravastatin, an inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase, on the metabolism of human low density lipoprotein (LDL) was examined in guinea pigs. Pravastatin treatment significantly reduced plasma levels of total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol by 15.6 mg/dl (38.8%) and 12.7 mg/dl (42.9%), respectively. We investigated the metabolism of LDL in pravastatin-treated and untreated guinea pigs using the simultaneous intravenous injection of 131I-labeled LDL and 125I-labeled, galactose-treated LDL to quantify the LDL receptor pathway. Pravastatin increased the fractional catabolic rate (FCR) of the LDL receptor-dependent pathway. The treatment with pravastatin did not alter the FCR of the LDL receptor-independent pathway. The FCR of the LDL receptor-dependent pathway was higher for LDL isolated from pravastatin-treated subjects than for LDL isolated from control subjects. These findings suggest that pravastatin mainly reduced plasma cholesterol levels by accelerated FCR of the LDL receptor-mediated pathway.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

[Pulmonary hemodynamics during oxygen non-inhalation in patients with home oxygen therapy].

We examined the effects of the stopping of oxygen inhalation on pulmonary hemodynamics in 19 patients with stable chronic cor pulmonary with 1 year of Home Oxygen Therapy (HOT). All patients were classified into two groups in which hemodynamic examination was performed under oxygen inhalation (Group A; 10) or under air breathing from 4 hours before examination (Group B; 9). The hemodynamic examination was repeated after 2 hours of stopping oxygen inhalation in Group A, and was repeated 2 hours after restarting oxygen in Group B. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) decreased significantly from 25.2 +/- 7.2 Torr before HOT to 20.4 +/- 3.2 Torr after 1 year of HOT, and then increased to 27.6 +/- 5.6 Torr after stopping oxygen. In contrast, mPAP in Group B did not change: 32.9 +/- 9.4 Torr before HOT, 29.4 +/- 8.2 Torr during stopping of oxygen and 27.6 +/- 5.6 Torr 2 hours after restarting oxygen after 1 year of HOT. These findings suggest that stopping oxygen inhalation in patients with long-term HOT can markedly affect pulmonary hemodynamics as well as the prognosis.

Aged↗