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Biomedical subjects

K Shinoda

Publications and source records attributed to K Shinoda.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Herpes simplex virus myelitis: clinical manifestations and diagnosis by the polymerase chain reaction method.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) myelitis has previously been reported to be a form of acute ascending necrotizing myelitis caused by HSV type 2 (HSV-2). We studied neurological symptoms, clinical course, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, and diagnosis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods in 9 patients with HSV myelitis. In 6 cases, disease onset was marked by sensorimotor disturbances of lower extremities and urinary disturbances, with the transverse myelopathy gradually ascending to the cervicothoracic spinal cord level. The other 3 cases showed transverse myelopathy without an ascending pattern. Six cases showed acute progression, while 3 cases showed a subacute course. There were 2 cases with recurrent episodes. Three patients recovered, however, in the remaining 6 patients severe sequelae such as paraplegia persisted despite antiviral therapy. MRI showed a hyperintense lesion on T2-weighted images. Gadolinium enhancement was observed in 2 cases, and 1 case showed a hyperintense lesion both on T1- and on T2-weighted images, suggesting hemorrhagic necrosis. HSV-2 was detected by PCR techniques in all 6 cases with an ascending pattern. HSV-1 DNA was detected in 2 and HSV-2 DNA in 1 of the 3 cases with a nonascending pattern. Our findings demonstrate diverse clinical manifestations of HSV myelitis.

Adult↗

A pilot study of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in myotonic dystrophy.

We studied the effect of i.v. administration of a dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) preparation (200 mg/day for 8 weeks) in 11 patients with myotonic dystrophy (MyD). After DHEAS, activities of daily living improved, muscle strength increased, and myotonia decreased. Conduction block and premature beats also improved in the four patients with cardiac involvement. This pilot study may provide a rationale for a controlled study of DHEAS in MyD.

Activities of Daily Living↗

[Characteristics of retinal detachment in eyes with choroidal colobomas].

We reviewed 6 eyes of 6 patients (1 male and 5 females) with retinal detachment associated with choroidal coloboma. Three of these 6 eyes had visible retinal breaks within or at the margin of the coloboma. In one eye, no retinal breaks were noted before or during vitreous surgery, and shallow retinal detachment was localized in the posterior fundus. One eye with bullous retinal detachment with retinal breaks within the coloboma had been having serous retinal detachment localized in the nasal area close to the optic nerve head. In all of these five eyes; vitrectomy, relaxing retinotomy inside the coloboma close to its edges, and cyanoacrylate retinopexy resulted in successful reattachment of the retina. Schisis-like separation similar to that in pit-macular syndrome was noted in the posterior retinal in one eye which had no visible retinal break. Non-rhegmatogenous retinal detachment may exist in association with choroidal colobomas.

Adolescent↗

Development of perioral muscle activity during suckling in infants: a cross-sectional and follow-up study.

The activity of the perioral muscles during breastfeeding in infants was investigated using EMGs. Fifty-six infants aged from 1 to 5 months were classified into five groups according to month of age in the cross-sectional study. Follow-up was carried out on 18 infants whose mean age was 2.5 months at the initial examination, and 4.8 months at the second. During suckling, EMGs were recorded unilaterally from the temporalis (TM), the masseter (MM), the orbicularis oris (OM), and the suprahyoid (SM) muscle groups. The activity of the SM increased significantly with age, while there was no appreciable increase in the activity of the TM, MM, and OM in either the cross-sectional study or the follow-up. However, total muscle activity was shown to increase significantly in both parts of the study. These findings suggest that the active tongue- and jaw-lowering movement may play a primary role in increasing sucking strength during the suckle-feeding period in infants.

Cross-Sectional Studies↗

Longitudinal analysis of adolescent growth of foot length and stature of children living in Ogi area of Japan: a 12 years data.

Adolescent growth of foot length (FL) and stature were investigated in a sample of 586 children living in the Ogi area of Saga Prefecture Japan, who were traced longitudinally from 6.5 to 17.5 years of age. FL growth and its relationship to height were analyzed using the JPA2 model and the Optimal Kernel Method to fit the serial data of stature and FL. The results demonstrated that there was clear peak growth velocity (PGV) during the adolescent growth period of FL for most of the children; before 11.5 years of age there was no essential difference in mean foot length between girls and boys; the completion of FL growth was on average two years earlier than that of stature and two and a half years after the appearance of the peak height velocity (PHV); girls completed the FL growth two years earlier than boys; the longer the growth period for FL or the larger the value of FL at an early age the bigger the adult foot length; the foot grew in synchrony with the body as a whole.

Adolescent↗

Enzymatic characterization of human alpha1,3-fucosyltransferase Fuc-TVII synthesized in a B cell lymphoma cell line.

The human alpha1,3-fucosyltransferase, Fuc-TVII, a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of selectin ligands, was expressed as a soluble protein-A chimeric form in a human B cell lymphoma cell line, Namalwa KJM-1, and purified using IgG-Sepharose. The enzymatic properties of recombinant soluble Fuc-TVII were then examined. Its enzyme activity was highest at pH 7.5, and the presence of 25 mM Mn2+ was required for full activity. Fuc-TVII exhibits an acceptor specificity restricted to alpha2,3-sialylated type 2 oligosaccharides, and the apparent Km values for alpha2,3-sialyl lacto-N-neotetraose and GDP-fucose were 3.08 mM and 16.4 microM, respectively. The inhibitory effects of various nucleotides on the activity of Fuc-TVII reflected its donor specificity for the nucleotide portion of GDP. Fuc-TVII was demonstrated to be useful for the synthesis of a sialyl Lewis x hexasaccharide from lacto-N-neotetraose in combination with an alpha2, 3-sialyltransferase, ST3Gal IV. Polyethylene glycols enhanced the thermal stability of Fuc-TVII, leading to increased formation of the reaction product.

Burkitt Lymphoma↗

Effects of androgen receptor polyglutamine tract expansion on proliferation of NG108-15 cells.

Expansion of the polyglutamine tracts in the androgen receptor (AR) has been recognized as a cause of X-linked spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). In the present study, NG108-15 cells were stably transfected with expression vectors coding for either the wild type (WT) AR gene (CAG repeat number = 22) or a mutated (MT) AR gene (CAG repeat number = 52). Cells proliferation and cell cycle parameters were evaluated for NG108-15-WT and NG108-15-MT cells in the presence or absence of androgen. NG108-15-WT cells demonstrated an androgen-dependent increase in cell number, while NG108-15-MT cells did not. Our results demonstrate that expansion of polyglutamine tracts in the AR may affect the proliferation and differentiation of nerve cells.

Androgens↗

High-level expression and purification of a recombinant human alpha-1, 3-fucosyltransferase in baculovirus-infected insect cells.

A human alpha-1,3-fucosyltransferase (Fuc-TVII) was expressed by recombinant baculovirus-infected insect Sf9 cells as a secretory fusion protein. The fusion protein consisted of the human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor signal peptide followed by an IgG-binding domain of protein A, a Fuc-TVI-derived peptide, and the putative catalytic domain of Fuc-TVII. The signal peptide was correctly cleaved and the recombinant Fuc-TVII was secreted into the culture medium at a concentration of 10 micrograms/ml. The recombinant Fuc-TVII could be highly purified in a single-step purification procedure, i.e., IgG-Sepharose column chromatography. The enzymatic properties of the Sf9-produced Fuc-TVII were compared with the properties of that expressed by a human B-cell line, Namalwa KJM-1, transfected with an episomal plasmid carrying the fusion Fuc-TVII cDNA. Both recombinant proteins showed alpha-1,3-fucosyltransferase activity toward a type II oligosaccharide with a terminal alpha-2,3-linked sialic acid among various acceptors. The apparent Km values of Sf9-produced Fuc-TVII for GDP-fucose and its acceptor substrate were slightly lower than those of the Fuc-TVII produced by Namalwa KJM-1 cells. Sf9-produced Fuc-TVII has N-linked carbohydrate chains whose molecular weights are lower than those linked to Namalwa KJM-1-produced Fuc-TVII. This difference in carbohydrate structure hardly affects the thermal stability of Fuc-TVII. The baculovirus expression system is available for high-level expression of stable and enzymatically active secretory Fuc-TVII.

Amidohydrolases↗

Magnetic resonance imaging and serum aldolase concentration in eosinophilic fasciitis.

We report a 26-year-old man with eosinophilic fasciitis who presented with progressive joint contractures of all four limbs. In this patient, the serum aldolase concentration was elevated while the serum creatinine kinase concentration was normal. Magnetic resonance imaging showed gadolinium enhancement of fascial structures in the lower limbs. With the clinical improvement by the treatment with oral corticosteroid, the aldolase concentration was decreased, and the fascial hyperintensity on magnetic resonance images was reduced. The phenomenon of increased an aldolase concentration accompanied by a normal creatinine kinase concentration may be characteristic of eosinophilic fasciitis. Serial magnetic resonance images and serum aldolase concentration are useful for monitoring the therapeutic response in this condition.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Prostaglandin E2 level in gingival crevicular fluid from patients with Down syndrome.

The levels of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) were determined in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) collected from patients with gingivitis: 15 Down syndrome children and 15 controls. The mean level of PGE2 in GCF was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the Down syndrome group (10.0 pg/microliters GCF) than in the control group (4.6 pg/microliters GCF). In GCF samples collected from sites characterized as noninflamed, the mean level of PGE2 was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the Down syndrome group than in the controls. The mean level of PGE2 in samples from inflamed sites, on the other hand, did not differ between the two groups. The mean level of IL-1 beta was not significantly higher in the Down syndrome group than in the controls. This study shows that the level of PGE2 detected in GCF from Down syndrome patients is increased, a fact that may be of importance in the pathogenesis of the periodontal disease frequently seen in these patients.

Adolescent↗

[A case of small cell lung carcinoma associated with pneumoconiosis who responded well to the over twenty chemotherapy treatments, resulting in prolonged survival].

In a 62-year-old man with pneumoconiosis (management 4), small cell lung carcinoma (intermediate cell type) was detected at the routine health examination for pneumoconiosis. The stage of the disease was III B (T2N3M0). Chemotherapy was undertaken over twenty times, resulting in a prolonged survival time (42.5 months). A case of this kind with small cell lung cancer responding well to repeated chemotherapy (decreased tumor size and tumor marker) until the terminal stage seems relatively rare and valuable.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

[Posterior segment complications after macular hole surgery].

Fifty-three patients with stage III or stage IV idiopathic macular holes who underwent vitrectomy were reviewed. Posterior segment complications were noted in 20 (38%) of patients. These included peripheral retinal breaks (21%), peripheral visual field loss of unknown etiology (8%), rhegmatogenous retinal detachment caused by peripheral retinal break (6%), late reopening of the hole (4%), and retinal pigment epithelium loss under the hole (4%). The final visual acuity was two lines or more worse than preoperative visual acuity in 10% of these complicated eyes and in 9% of eyes without posterior segment complications. Patients with peripheral retinal breaks or retinal detachment had significantly shorter duration of macular hole symptoms (p < 0.01) than those without these complications. Posterior segment complications after vitrectomy for macular hole appear to be more common than expected, but the effect of such complications on final visual outcome was not significant.

Aged↗

On the importance of hydroxyl groups in the polar head-group of nonionic surfactants and membrane lipids.

In this review properties of natural membrane lipids and surfactants synthesized from natural substances, such as paraffin chain alcohols and carbohydrates, are compared with those of synthetic surfactants of the polyoxyethylene type. Special attention is paid to the characteristic solution properties of nonionic surfactants with hydroxyl groups as the hydrophilic moiety, including alkyl glyceryl ethers and alkyl glucosides and maltosides, which are compared with those with oxyethylene groups. The major properties of the hydrophilic moiety are lipophobicity and hydrophilicity. Lipophobicity is an important property of oil-soluble surfactants, in particular for the polyoxyethylene alkyl ether type of surfactants where a too high lipophobicity may result in solubility in water.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗

Transcriptional activation by the androgen receptor in X-linked spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy.

Polyglutamine tracts encoded by trinucleotide CAG repeats have been found in some transcription factors. Expansion of the polyglutamine tracts in the androgen receptor (AR) has been recognized as a cause of X-linked spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). To study the role of AR as a transcription factor in SBMA, we constructed AR genes encoding expanded polyglutamine tracts (repeat numbers = 52, 92, 132, and 212), and analyzed AR-induced transcriptional activation in NG108-15 cells. We found that AR-induced transcriptional activation gradually decreased with increasing glutamine repeat numbers, and polyglutamine expansion caused a specific reduction in transcription activity in motor neurons. However, the degree of reduction was slight in comparison with the normal AR gene and that of SBMA. Thus, subtle disorders of transcriptional control may occur in SBMA.

Animals↗

Effect of phenytoin on interleukin-1 beta production in human gingival fibroblasts challenged to tumor necrosis factor alpha in vitro.

Effects and interaction of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and the antiepileptic drug phenytoin (PHT) on interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) production as well as on prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) formation were studied in gingival fibroblasts in vitro. TNF alpha, in contrast to PHT, dose-dependently stimulated the production of cell-associated IL-1 beta. The stimulatory effect of TNF alpha on IL-1 beta production was accompanied by enhanced PGE2 formation. When PHT and TNF alpha were added simultaneously, the drug potentiated the stimulatory effect of TNF alpha on both IL-1 beta production and PGE2 formation. The major PHT metabolite, p-HPPH, did not affect IL-1 beta production, either alone or in combination with TNF alpha. The production of IL-1 beta induced by TNF alpha and the combination of TNF alpha and PHT was further enhanced in the presence of the prostaglandin endoperoxide (PGH) synthase inhibitors, indomethacin and flurbiprofen. The PHT-mediated enhancement of TNF alpha-induced IL-1 beta production and PGE2 formation in gingival fibroblasts may be an important link in the pathogenesis of gingival overgrowth induced by PHT.

Child↗

Effects of extracellular matrix macromolecules on the differentiation of plasma membrane structure in cultured astrocytes.

Orthogonal aggregates of small intramembrane particles, termed "assemblies," are concentrated especially in the cell membranes of astrocytic processes that form the glia limitans at the outer surface of the brain and the perivascular sheath surrounding the parenchymal blood vessels. As an initial step to clarifying the totally unknown biochemical nature of this intramembrane structure, we have devised a culture system which enhances the differentiation of assemblies in secondary cultures of astrocytes derived from neonatal mouse neopallium. Since assemblies are most concentrated in the plasma membranes attaching to the basement membrane, we expected that extracellular matrix molecules constituting the basement membrane would be suitable candidates for our aim. We report here that a mixture of type IV collagen, laminin, and fibronectin, major components of the extracellular matrix, has the potency to increase assembly density in cultured astrocytes. We also report that, in freeze-fracture electron microscopy of cultured cells, one can satisfactorily preserve membrane structure and reliably obtain large replicas by inoculating cells on aluminium foil and peeling it from the cells in a freeze-fracture apparatus.

Animals↗

Developmental defects of the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus and pituitary gonadotroph in the Ftz-F1 disrupted mice.

Ad4BP (or SF-1) has been identified as a transcription factor which regulates all the steroidogenic P450 genes in the peripheral organs, and is encoded by the mammalian homologue of Drosophila FTZ-F1 gene. mRNA coding for Ad4BP was detected in the hypothalamus and pituitary of rats by RT-PCR. Immunohistochemical analyses using an antiserum to Ad4BP in the brain and pituitary revealed that the transcription factor is expressed in nuclei of the dorsomedial part of the ventromedial hypothalamus (dmVMH) and in some subpopulation of the adenohypophysial cells. Double immunostaining of the pituitary for Ad4BP and trophic peptide hormones, FSH, TSH, and ACTH, indicated a restricted localization of Ad4BP to the gonadotroph. Disruption of the mouse Ftz-F1 gene was clarified to induce severe defects in the organization of the dmVMH and the function of the pituitary gonadotroph. However, some of the dm VMH neurons and pituitary gonadotrophs persisted, which provided a sharp contrast to complete agenesis of the peripheral steroidogenic tissues (adrenal and gonads) in the mutant mouse. Additional abnormalities were seen in the ventrolateral part of VMH and dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus, both of which do not express Ad4BP but have strong reciprocal fiber-connections with the dmVMH. Aromatase P450-containing cells in the medial preoptico-amygdaloid region, which were devoid of Ad4BP, persisted even in the brain of the gene disrupted mice. The present results clearly showed that the hypothalamic and pituitary Ad4BPs are essential to normal development of the functional VMH and gonadotroph through some mechanism distinct from that in the peripheral steroidogenic tissues.

Animals↗