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Biomedical subjects

K Shimazu

Publications and source records attributed to K Shimazu.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

[Pseudohyperkalemia in myotonic dystrophy].

Serum electrolytes were measured in 14 patients with myotonic dystrophy and 25 healthy controls. The serum level of sodium was 144.8 +/- 3.2 (mean +/- SD) mEq/l in myotonic dystrophy and 142.0 +/- 1.9 mEq/l in the controls, and the level of potassium was 4.6 +/- 0.4 mEq/l and 4.0 +/- 0.3 mEq/l, respectively. Both electrolyte levels were significantly higher in the disease (p < 0.01, p < 0.001). Blood samples obtained from 5 patients and 5 controls were allowed to stand at room temperature, and serum electrolyte levels were repeatedly measured at 5, 30, 60, 120 minutes after blood collection. The measurement of serum potassium in myotonic dystrophy was elevated in the parallel with standing-time. The serum potassium was significantly higher in the patients than in the controls at 60 and 120 minutes standing. These results suggest that myotonic dystrophy has red blood cell membrane abnormality which allows potassium to leak.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[A case of paraneoplastic autonomic and sensorimotor neuropathy with dysfunction in the afferent limb of baroreflex arc].

A 65-year-old man visited our hospital with complaints of tingling sensation in the distal parts of his extremities and dysuria, which first appeared 2 months before admission. He had no abnormal findings on physical examination. Neurological examination revealed sensory impairment of glove and stocking type, mild motor weakness and muscular atrophy in the proximal parts of arms and legs, and absent tendon reflexes in knees and ankles. Fasciculation was observed on his shoulders and upper extremities, and myokymia on the abdominal wall and bilateral calves. He had hyponatremia, which was proved to be caused by SIADH. Anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody, anti-GM1 ganglioside antibody and anti-galactocerebroside antibody were detected in the serum. Chest X-ray showed mass shadows in the mediastinum, which were confirmed as malignant thymoma by needle biopsy. Orthostatic hypotension, neurogenic bladder and anhidrosis were observed by the autonomic function tests. Lesions responsible for orthostatic hypotension and SIADH were suspected in the afferent fibers from baroreceptors, since an reactive increase of plasma arginine vasopressin to orthostatic hypotension was blunted and reflex hypertension in the cold pressor test was well-preserved, while overshoot in Valsalva's maneuver was absent. It is important that afferent baroreceptor dysfunction may be associated with paraneoplastic neurological syndrome, since lesions in acute autonomic neuropathy are usually in the efferent fibers.

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed1992

Ultrastructure, antigenicity, and histochemistry of stichocyte granules of adult Trichinella spiralis.

The stichosome of adult Trichinella spiralis was studied to determine its ultrastructural, antigenic, and histochemical characteristics. Stichocytes of adult worms had 2 types of granules, type I and type II, the ultrastructure of which was different from those of muscle larvae. Both types of granules consisted of a membrane surrounding a homogeneous matrix, and type I granules were rounder than type II granules. Sera from C3H mice immunized against excretory-secretory products of muscle larvae produced positive immunostaining of type I but not type II granules. Differences in antigenicity were observed between larval and adult stichocyte granules; monoclonal antibodies against alpha-granules of muscle larvae failed to label the adult granules. Azan staining revealed a histochemical difference between larval and adult stichocytes; adult stichocytes stained yellow, whereas larval stichocytes are known to stain red or blue. Thus, the present contribution revealed the existence of 2 distinct types of stichocyte granules in adult T. spiralis and showed them to differ profoundly from those characterized previously in muscle larvae.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Locus coeruleus stimulation exerts different influences on the dynamic changes of cerebral pial and intraparenchymal vessels.

The present experimental study was undertaken to investigate the effects of locus coeruleus stimulation on the dynamic changes of intraparenchymal vessels and pial vessels. Twelve cats were anaesthetized with alpha-chloralose and urethane. For stimulation of the locus coeruleus, a concentric stainless-steel needle electrode was inserted stereotaxically. During the stimulation, volumetric changes of the intraparenchymal vessels were monitored by a photoelectric method for estimating the cerebral blood volume (CBV) (6 cats), and the diameters of pial arteries were measured continuously using a video camera system (6 cats). The CBV followed a decreasing course during the stimulation of the locus coeruleus. The decrease in CBV from the control value (6.3 vol%) was 0.14 +/- 0.04 vol% at 80 s (p less than 0.05), 0.15 +/- 0.05 vol% at 100 s (p less than 0.05), and 0.15 +/- 0.03 vol% at 120 s (p less than 0.01). After cessation of the stimulation, CBV showed a gradual recovery. On the other hand, the diameters of the pial arteries did not change during or after the stimulation of the locus coeruleus. The above results suggest that the locus coeruleus has a vasoconstrictive effect on the intraparenchymal vessels, although it exerts no apparent influence on the pial arteries.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

An immunocytochemical analysis of a class-specific antibody response against Trichinella spiralis in humans.

The response of different classes of antibodies against antigens of the muscle larvae of Trichinella spiralis was tested using an immunocytochemical approach. Ultrathin sections of resin-embedded larvae were treated with sera from patients with trichinosis, then exposed to a biotinated second antibody and stained with avidin-gold complex. Antibody of the M-class was a major component in the response against a slow-responding group of antigens that included stichocyte granules, the cuticle surface, and the esophagus-occupying substance; a minor component in the response against antigens of the rapid-responding group that included cuticle inner layers, hypodermis, hemolymph, and intestinal gland granules. The response of G-class antibody against the rapid-responding group of antigens was detected in all patients tested, while against the slow-responding group of antigens it was detected in only half of the patients, suggesting that an antibody shift from the M to the G class occurred in some patients. The results, obtained in humans, were similar to those we obtained previously in rats (J. Parasitology, 76,230-239, 1990), suggesting that the rat immune system can serve as an experimental model of human trichinosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[Central acetylcholine receptor function in patients with myasthenia gravis].

There are some reports on central nervous system involvements in patients with myasthenia gravis, such as abnormal EEG, and memory disturbance. Myasthenia gravis is considered to be an autoimmune disease with antibodies against the skeletal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (n-AChR). ACh is a neurotransmitter in osmoregulation. Neuronal n-AChR plays an important role in this regulation. In order to investigate the function of neuronal n-AChR in patients with myasthenia gravis, we performed a 5% hypertonic saline infusion test on 9 patients and 9 healthy volunteers. We also carried out an orthostatic stress test (50 degree passive head-up tilt) on 6 patients with myasthenia gravis and 5 healthy controls to evaluate arginine-vasopressin (AVP) release via baroreceptors. Three of the 9 MG patients showed exaggerated plasma AVP secretion, and one revealed a blunt response to hypertonic stimulation. Both patients and controls did not differ significantly in terms of plasma AVP response to orthostatic stress. To conclude, we suggest the possibility that function of neuronal n-AChR in the central nervous system is impaired in patients with myasthenia gravis.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Analysis of pleural plaque found at lung cancer screening examination].

In the screening test of lung cancer, we found that there was a high prevalence of cases with pleural plaque recognized by chest X-ray film in inhabitants living in A town in Kumamoto Prefecture. We detected abnormal pleural plaque in 148 (41.5%) of 357 cases received lung cancer screening. These pleural plaques resulted in pleural thickening and calcification. Two or three mines of serpentine and an asbestos factory existed in this region from 1883 until 1970. Although twelve cases had a history of factory work, none had fibrous changes in the lung fields on chest X-ray films. It was considered that the pleural plaque probably resulted from exposure to low doses of asbestos in the atmosphere or contact with asbestos workers in their homes. The incidence of lung cancer in this region was not higher than that in other regions in Kumamoto Prefecture. There were no cases of malignant mesothelioma in our hospital during the past eleven years.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Nosological correlation between autonomic failure with Lewy bodies and Parkinson's disease--comparative assessment of clinical features in both diseases].

Autonomic failure with Lewy bodies (AF-LB) was first described by Fichefet et al. in 1965, and more than ten cases have been reported to date. AF-LB and Parkinson's disease (PD) share the neuropathological findings characterized by widely distributed Lewy bodies in the central nervous system including the substantia nigra and locus coeruleus. However, clinical manifestations of AF-LB are far different from PD in which autonomic dysfunction, if present, is not a predominant feature. In the present study, clinical features were comparatively analysed in AF-LB and PD to investigate the nosological relation between PD and AF-LB. The subjects were 94 patients with PD and 11 reported cases of AF-LB in the literature. A test of 70 degrees passive head-up tilt was performed upon the patients with PD in our laboratory. Based on the results in tilting test, the patients with PD were divided into two groups; PD-I (69 cases) with an orthostatic fall of systolic blood pressure less than 30 mmHg, and PD-II (25 cases) with a fall of 30 mmHg or more. Autonomic dysfunctions were more extent in PD-II than in PD-I, because the incidences of anhidrosis, impotence, neurogenic bladder and constipation were higher in PD-II. All of the cases of AF-LB were contained in the previous literatures with reasonably full clinical descriptions. Mean age at onset of the disease was 62.1 +/- 8.7 (mean +/- SD) years old in PD-I, 64.5 +/- 7.5 years old in PD-II and 63.9 +/- 9.0 years old in AF-LB, and no significant differences were found among the three groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1990

[Cardiovascular alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor sensitivities in orthostatic dysregulation].

Orthostatic dysregulation (OD), originally a German-Scandinavian term partially corresponding to an Anglo-American concept of sympathotonic orthostatic hypotension, is characterised by altered cardiovascular control on standing, and its clinical features include dizziness, palpitation and, occasionally, orthostatic hypotension. The symptomatology suggests presence of cardiovascular adrenoceptor dysfunction, although the aetiology of OD has not been elucidated. The above situation prompted us to investigate autonomic nervous function in OD. The subjects were 8 patients with OD (20 +/- 2 years old; mean +/- SD), all of them fulfilled the diagnostic criteria accepted in Japan, and 6 healthy controls (17 +/- 3 years old). Noradrenaline and isoproterenol infusion tests and conventional haemodynamic functional tests (70 degrees passive head-up tilt, cold pressor test, Valsalva manoeuvre and Aschner's eye-ball pressure test) were carried out upon the subjects under the continuous measurement of blood pressure, pulse rate and respiration. Plasma vasoactive substances (noradrenaline, adrenaline, arginine-vasopressin and renin activity) were also determined in supine position and at 15 minutes after the 70 degrees passive head-up tilt. In noradrenaline infusion test, different doses (0.01 microgram/kg, 0.02 microgram/kg, 0.05 microgram/kg and 0.1 microgram/kg) of noradrenaline were administered by means of intravenous bolus injection, and a degree of subsequent rise in blood pressure was used as an index for the cardiovascular alpha-adrenoceptor sensitivity. In isoproterenol infusion tests cardiovascular beta 1- and beta 2-adrenoceptor sensitivities were assessed, respectively, by a degree of an increase in pulse rate and a degree of a fall in blood pressure following bolus injection of the drug (0.001 microgram/kg, 0.002 microgram/kg, 0.005 microgram/kg and 0.01 microgram/kg).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Autonomic nervous functions in Alzheimer type and multi-infarct dementia--a hemodynamic study].

As it has been recently postulated that patients with dementia have some altered neural transmission, these patients are speculated to accompany autonomic dysfunctions. The present study was aimed at investigating autonomic nervous functions in dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT) and multi-infarct dementia (MID). Hemodynamic autonomic functional tests were carried out on 14 patients with DAT (66.9 +/- 11.4 YO; mean +/- SD) and 9 patients with MID (73.1 +/- 7.5) and 16 age-matched healthy volunteers as controls. Blood pressure, pulse rate and respiration were continuously measured. The degree of reflex bradycardia in Aschner's test, a parameter for parasympathetic functions, was significantly lower in MID than in DAT and in the healthy volunteers (p less than 0.01, p less than 0.05, respectively), but there was no significant difference between DAT and the healthy volunteers in this reaction. The degree of reflex hypertension in cold pressor test, a parameter for sympathetic functions, was not significantly different among 3 groups. The degree of orthostatic hypotension also failed to show any significant difference among the groups. From the above data, it is suggested that the patients with DAT have preserved autonomic nervous functions, but that the patients with MID have impaired parasympathetic and normal sympathetic nervous functions.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

[A new quantitative test for parasympathetic nervous function by means of tear volume measurement--application of electronic resistance measuring device (Periotron)].

Because reflex secretion of tears is under the sole control of parasympathetic nervous system, tear volume measurement may be useful as a quantitative test for the parasympathetic nervous function. Recently, an electronic resistance measuring device (Peritron: Harco Electronics) has been applied to determine tear volumes. The present study was designed to known whether, or not, the tear volume measured by this device could be an index for the parasympathetic nervous function. By means of Periotron, tear volumes were determined before and after intravenous administration of atropine (500 micrograms) in six control subjects without autonomic and ophthalmologic disorders. Tear volumes were also measured in five patients with acute or subacute hemispheric cerebrovascular disease, in which the parasympathetic nervous function was known to be decreased. In the control subjects, reflex tear volume was 58.6 +/- 13.8 (mean +/- SD) units before the administration of atropine, and it was significantly reduced to 34.1 +/- 9.9 units by atropine (p less than 0.001). In the stroke patients, it was 48.8 +/- 16.5 units in the healthy side and 33.0 +/- 6.7 units in the hemiplegic side, and the value was significantly lower in the hemiplegic side than in the healthy side and in the controls (p less than 0.05, p less than 0.002, respectively). It was concluded that tear volume measurement by means of Periotron was applicable to quantitative assessment of the parasympathetic nervous function.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

[Primary orthostatic hypotension syndromes without somatic neurologic signs--idiopathic orthostatic hypotension and primary sympathicotonic orthostatic hypotension].

Idiopathic orthostatic hypotension (IOH) and primary sympathicotonic orthostatic hypotension (PSOH) are conspicuous orthostatic hypotension syndromes without overt somatic neurologic signs. IOH, also referred as pure autonomic failure, is a syndrome of chronic pandysautonomia, and its clinical features include supine hypertension, anhidrosis, impotence, neurogenic urinary and bowel disturbances. PSOH is different from IOH in which it is not accompanied with autonomic features outside of cardiovascular symptoms, and has been most commonly described in German-Scandinavian literatures. The controversy in the nosology of IOH and PSOH has prevented the both concepts from world-wide acceptance, and little has been known about IOH in Japanese population. In the present study, statistical analyses were made to elicit the cases of orthostatic hypotension syndrome without somatic neurologic signs from the pooled results of hemodynamic autonomic functional tests in our laboratory. The subjects were 287 Japanese cases comprising 253 normotensive volunteers and 34 hypertensive patients. Apart from hypertension, none of the subjects exhibited abnormal findings on physical, neurological and routine laboratory examinations. The test of 70 degrees passive head-up tilt and other hemodynamic tests were performed upon the subjects, and the results were pooled by ages. By means of the method of maximum normed residual, statistically screened out were 7 cases with extremely great orthostatic fall in systolic blood pressure (OH-I). Another OH group (OH-II) consisted of 24 cases who showed orthostatic decrease in systolic blood pressure of 30 mmHg or more, but did no fall into the extreme observation. Assuming that the orthostatic regulation mechanism of blood pressure was well maintained in the remaining 256 cases, they were used as the control.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Experimental hypersensitivity pneumonitis in rabbits induced by Trichosporon cutaneum: role of local cellular and humoral immune responses.

We evaluated the immunopathologic properties of Trichosporon cutaneum, an important etiologic agent of summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis in Japan. Rabbits were sensitized and challenged by either a culture-filtrate antigen or a particulate antigen prepared from a TIMM 1318 strain of the fungus. Group 1 animals received repetitive intratracheal injections of a particulate T. cutaneum antigen without use of any adjuvant. Group 2 animals were sensitized by foot-pad injections of particulate antigen followed by an intratracheal challenge with the same antigen. Group 3 animals were sensitized by a culture-filtrate antigen emulsified in Freund's incomplete adjuvant followed by a challenge with the intratracheal injection of the same antigen. In group 1, we observed interstitial pneumonitis with prominent granulomatous reactions which resembled those in human hypersensitivity pneumonitis. Group 2 animals also showed granulomatous inflammation in a some minor extent, but they were accompanied with excessive infiltration of neutrophils. In contrast, group 3 showed mild alveolitis in a cell population consisting predominantly of macrophages. Lymphocytes from mediastinal nodes responded to the antigen in groups 1 and 2 but not in group 3. Interestingly, the specific IgA antibody activity in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF) of group 1 was significantly higher than those of group 2, despite the IgG antibody activity was the same. The ratio of IgA/IgG antibody activity in individual BALF sample in these two groups correlated inversely with the grade of neutrophil infiltration. Thus, the presence of IgA antibody in the respiratory tract affects the pathological outcome.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic↗