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Biomedical subjects

K Sugai

Publications and source records attributed to K Sugai.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Effect of selenium deficiency on cardiac function of individuals with severe disabilities under long-term tube feeding.

Eleven orally fed (group A) and 14 tube-fed patients (group B) with severe disabilities and neurological disorders were compared to determine whether selenium (Se) deficiency is present in patients undergoing long-term tube feeding, and to examine if Se supplementation has beneficial effects on their cardiac function. Assessments of Se intake, serum levels of Se, and cardiac-function analysis including chest X-ray, electrocardiography (ECG), and M-mode echocardiography (UCG) were made. For group B, the effect of Se supplementation on cardiac function was assessed. Statistical significance was determined using Mann-Whitney U test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Deficiencies of Se were found in group B. ECG abnormalities were more common in group B than group A. UCG showed a lower ejection fraction, a lower mean rate of circumferential fiber shortening corrected by heart rate, and a lower diastolic velocity of the left-ventricular posterior walls in group B than in group A. In group B, Se supplementation resulted in normalized serum Se levels, partial improvement of ECG abnormalities, and an increase of cardiac functions on UCG. It is thought that Se has beneficial effects on the myocardium of chronically tube-fed patients. Se supplementation is recommended in this population.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Levcromakalim decreases vascular tone, cytoplasmic Ca2+ and Ca2+ sensitivity in canine basilar artery.

The involvement of large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels (BK) and ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels in the regulation of canine basilar arterial tone was estimated in the presence of the agonist and blockers of these channels, by simultaneously measuring the changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) with the fura-2 microfluorimetric method. In the resting condition, levcromakalim reduced [Ca2+]i and vascular tone. Levcromakalim suppressed the serotonin-induced increases in [Ca2+]i and force of contraction, the maximum effects of which were much greater than those of nicardipine. The inhibitory effects of levcromakalim were blocked by glibenclamide but not by tetraethylammonium (TEA) or iberiotoxin (IbTX). In the presence of levcromakalim, the curve relating [Ca2+]i with force in the presence of serotonin at different extracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]o) was shifted down- and right-ward compared with that in the absence of levcromakalim, suggesting that levcromakalim may reduce the Ca(2+)-sensitivity of the contractile proteins. Thus, levcromakalim may be a good candidate to suppress delayed cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Somatosensory evoked potentials with a unilateral migration disorder of the cerebrum.

The somatosensory evoked potentials in two children with a unilateral migration disorder (pachygyria) of the cerebrum, which was detected by MRI, were examined in order to evaluate the function of the malformed sensory cortex. A 5-year-old girl had slight left hemiparesis, seizures, and mental retardation, and a 4-month-old boy had left hemiparesis. Neither patient showed distinct sensory disturbance. Short latency somatosensory evoked potentials and somatosensory evoked potentials recordings demonstrated that the early cortical component, N20, was absent and a positive wave appeared on paretic left-hand stimulation. On nonparetic right-hand stimulation, the primary evoked response (N20-P30) of the left hemisphere, which originates in Broadmann area 3b, was almost normal. Multichannel recordings on the scalp of one patient revealed that a positive wave without polarity inversion appeared posterior to the right central sulcus on median nerve stimulation on the paretic side. The radial dipole in the sensory cortex (area 1 or area 3a) or motor cortex (area 4) could have formed the positive/negative biphasic wave in the relatively wide centroparietal area in the present patients. In the case of unilateral cortical dysplasia, the malformed cortex with subnormal function of sensation might induce the change in the early component of somatosensory evoked potentials.

Cerebral Cortex↗
PubMed1998

Local anti-inflammatory activity and systemic side effects of NM-135, a new prodrug glucocorticoid, in an experimental inflammatory rat model.

The local anti-inflammatory activity and systemic side effects of NM-135 (6alpha,9-difluoro-11beta-hydroxy-16alpha-methyl-21[[2 ,3,4,6-tetrakis-O-(4-methylbenzoyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl]oxy]-pregna-1, 4-diene-3,20-dione) in croton oil-induced granuloma pouches and ear edema in rats were studied. The local anti-inflammatory activity of NM-135 was stronger than that of betamethasone 17-valerate (BV). As to systemic side effects, BV and diflucortolon valerate (DFV) caused thymolysis at the doses required for the anti-inflammatory activity. In contrast, no clear systemic side effect was observed in rats administered NM-135 at the dose producing the anti-inflammatory activity. These results suggest that NM-135 is a drug exhibiting a high degree of dissociation between the local anti-inflammatory activity and systemic side effects.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Improved detection of cortical and subcortical tubers in tuberous sclerosis by fluid-attenuated inversion recovery MRI.

We carried out fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) pulse sequences with long repetition and echo times in seven children with tuberous sclerosis, and compared them with conventional spin-echo (SE) sequences. FLAIR images exhibited higher sensitivity than conventional SE images to cortical and subcortical tubers. The low signal intensity of cerebrospinal fluid on FLAIR images allowed more accurate delineation of the cortical and subcortical tubers. However, T1-weighted imaging was still superior for delineation of subependymal nodules.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Effective immunoglobulin therapy for brief tonic seizures in methylmalonic acidemia.

We report on a patient with methylmalonic acidemia (MMA). He experienced a metabolic acidosis attack at 3 weeks of age. He immediately received peritoneal dialysis and exchange transfusion, and recovered from the attack. His MMA phenotype was mut0. Dietary therapy (strict protein restriction) was found to be effective in preventing further attacks, and he had mild hypotonia and impaired psychomotor development. At 9 months of age, he developed brief tonic seizures, which showed polyspike bursts under EEG. His psychomotor development continued to deteriorate. However, intravenous administration of immunoglobulin (200 mg/kg/day for 5 consecutive days) had a dramatic effect; his seizures disappeared and his psychomotor development improved.

Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors↗
PubMed1997

A case of Noonan syndrome with cortical dysplasia.

We report the case of a 20-year-old woman with Noonan syndrome. She had severe mental retardation and intractable epilepsy. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed dilated perivascular spaces and a dysplastic lesion in the left temporal lobe, which is thought to have caused her neurologic symptoms. These findings suggest that neuronal in addition to somatic migration can be impaired in Noonan syndrome.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Hirudin suppresses the invasion of inflammatory cells and the appearance of vimentin-positive astrocytes in the rat cerebral ablation model.

Hirudin is a specific and direct-acting thrombin inhibitor superior to heparin as an anticoagulant. Thrombin is a multifunctional molecule that acts as a serine protease locally generated from prothrombin during blood coagulation related to injury and/or inflammation. We previously reported that thrombin might be involved in the inflammatory response, glial reaction, and scar formation that occurred in central nervous system (CNS). Here we studied the suppressive effects of hirudin on the inflammation, vimentin-positive astrocytes, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-positive astrocytes using rat cerebral ablation models. Hirudin and vehicle solution soaked in Gelform were administered to the cavity of the traumatic brain defect. Brains were examined by conventional histologic and immunohistologic technique. Antibodies for monocytes/macrophages, GFAP, and vimentin were used to assess the infiltration of inflammatory cells and reaction of astrocytes. The number of the inflammatory cells, vimentin-positive astrocytes, and GFAP-positive astrocytes were quantitatively analyzed. Hirudin suppressed the infiltration of inflammatory cells and the increase in vimentin-positive astrocytes, but had no effects on the increase in GFAP-positive astrocytes. These data suggest that thrombin may play an important role in inflammatory and glial responses to CNS injury, and that hirudin can be a candidate for the therapeutic agent that minimizes the secondary brain damage following the inflammation, and the glial reaction mediated by vimentin-positive astrocytes near the lesion site.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Relation between synchronized and self-paced response in preschoolers' rhythmic movement.

Regulation of the rhythmic movement of 29 preschoolers ages 3 to 6 years was studied in connection with self-paced response. An Auditory Pulse condition presented the pulse audibly, a Visual Pulse condition presented the pulse visibly, and a Moving Visual Target condition presented the repetitive movement of a visual target. We used a Quick Tempo condition in which the interstimulus interval was slightly different from the average self-paced tapping rate at which each subject felt comfortable, and a Slow Tempo in which the interval was considerably different. The error in the interresponse interval of tapping, i.e., the time gap between the mean interresponse and interstimulus intervals, was calculated as an indicator of regulation. The error in the former decreased across age groups only in the Slow Tempo condition. In the Slow-Tempo Visual-Pulse condition in which the error in the interresponse interval was particularly large, the younger subjects tended to respond at a rate near the self-paced response. In both tempos, the error in the interresponse interval in the Moving Visual Target condition was much the same as in the Auditory Pulse condition and was statistically smaller than in the Visual Pulse condition. These results may suggest that one of the important factors in the development of preschoolers' synchronization with physical rhythm is an ability to modify or restrain the self-paced response and that additional information from movement of the visual target could assist them externally in regulating movement.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1997

Single-photon emission CT and MR findings in Klüver-Bucy syndrome after Reye syndrome.

We present the MR and single-photon emission CT findings in a 3-year-old patient in whom Klüver-Bucy syndrome developed after Reye syndrome. MR images showed diffuse brain atrophy, which was predominant in the temporal lobes, and single-photon emission CT scans showed decreased cerebral perfusion in the bilateral temporal lobes and associated cortical areas.

Agnosia↗
PubMed1997

[A case of juvenile Huntington's disease presenting dystonia and confirmed by DNA analysis].

We reported a 13-year-old boy with juvenile Huntington disease diagnosed by DNA analysis. Symptoms started with dysarthria at 6 years of age, which was followed by progressive dysgraphia and gait disturbance due to dystonia from 7 years, and by epileptic seizures from 12 years. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed atrophy of the bilateral caudate nuclei and T2- and proton-weighted high intensity area in both putamina. The CAG (cytosine-adenine-guanine) trinucleotide repeat on chromosome 4 p16 was markedly expanded to 81. For a child with dystonia with mental deterioration, juvenile Huntington disease should be considered in the differential diagnosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

[A case of congenital hypomyelination neuropathy with type I Chiari malformation and mental retardation].

A four-year old boy with congenital hypomyelination neuropathy (CHMN) had mental retardation and a tic disorder, the latter commencing at 2 years of age. The diagnosis of CHMN was confirmed by electron microscopy of his biopsied sural nerve which showed loss of large myelinated fibers, decreased density of myelinated fibers, many naked axons and atypical onion bulb formation. MR imaging showed type I Chiari malformation in the absence of clinical signs attributable to it. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) showed delayed wave I peak latency, prolonged I--III interpeak latency, broad wave II duration and normal III--V interpeak latency, suggesting abnormal peripheral and normal central myelination. The association of CHMN with mental retardation. Chiari malformation and tic disorder has never been reported, the significance of which remained unclear.

Arnold-Chiari Malformation↗
PubMed1997

[Mismatch negativity of patients with hydranencephaly].

We examined auditory evoked potentials and passive event-related potentials in two patients with hydranencephaly. In the middle latency response, a Na component was observed in both cases. Mismatch negativity was elicited in response to tone bursts and three patterns of vowel sounds in Patient 1, and three patterns of vowel stimuli in Patient 2. These results implicate the subcortical components of the auditory system in the generation of mismatch negativity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

[Global life satisfaction and its related factors in community elderly residents].

This study was aimed at identifying the distribution of global life satisfaction as measured by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and factors related to it in 531 community elderly residents aged 75-80 years. Subjects were divided into two groups according to the extent of their daily activities, which has been emphasized as an important health index for the elderly: the outdoor-activity group (defined as people whose daily activities extended into their community) and the indoor-activity group (defined as people whose daily activities was limited to inside their home). The distribution of global life satisfaction and related factors were compared between the two groups. For independent variables, daily behaviors were classified into five categories and examined for how they related to global life satisfaction. The results obtained were as follows: Global life satisfaction showed a bimodal distribution in both groups tending to be lower in the indoor-activity group than in the outdoor-activity group. Most of the indoor-activity group indicated low or moderate life satisfaction. The extent of their daily activities was thus related to global life satisfaction. The strongest direct factor relating to global life satisfaction was self-rated health for the outdoor-activity group. Some of their daily behaviors also related to it and these significant daily behaviors differed by sex. Only self-rated health was related to global life satisfaction in the indoor-activity group. The results indicate that, when compared to other factors, daily activity in community elderly residents is crucial to increasing their global life satisfaction, and therefore efforts to enlarge subjects' daily activities are also required.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1995

Congenital hypomyelination neuropathy: decreased expression of the P2 protein in peripheral nerve with normal DNA sequence of the coding region.

Congenital hypomyelination neuropathy (Lyon type) is characterized by a non-progressive clinical course and a histopathological formation of atypical onion-bulb. We have studied the immunohistochemical expression of the major peripheral myelin proteins including P0 protein, myelin basic protein (MBP) and P2 protein in three such patients. No significant difference was observed between the patients and the controls, as to the P0 and MBP staining. In contrast, P2 protein antiserum scarcely stained the patients' nerve fibers except for a few scattered adequately myelinated fibers. Assuming the pathogenetic contribution of the extremely decreased P2 protein to the disease, we investigated P2 protein gene by sequencing all coding regions but failed to detect any change in the nucleotide sequence. Further investigation including the analysis of promoter region of P2 protein gene is needed to elucidate the mechanism of congenital hypomyelination neuropathy.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Pentobarbital therapy for status epilepticus in children: timing of tapering.

Three children with refractory status epilepticus, unresponsive to intravenous administration of diazepam, phenytoin, and lidocaine, received pentobarbital therapy and were monitored by electroencephalography (EEG). They required mechanical ventilation and vasopressor therapy. Intravenous pentobarbital therapy was successful and without distinct sequelae in all 3 patients, and could be incrementally discontinued without breakthrough seizures after 12-65 hours of a burst-suppression or complete suppression pattern on EEG. Obtaining a suppression pattern was important for controlling status epilepticus in children as well as adults. We suggest that 12 hours after a burst-suppression pattern is obtained, tapering of pentobarbital should be attempted to avoid serious complications of extended pentobarbital anesthesia (e.g., respiratory depression, hypotension, pneumonia).

Anticonvulsants↗