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Biomedical subjects

K Sugimoto

Publications and source records attributed to K Sugimoto.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources

[A case of invasive renal pelvic cancer: usefulness of auxiliary diagnosis using fluorescence in situ hybridization].

A 65-year-old man, on whom transurethral resection had been performed twice for bladder cancer in the past, was admitted to our hospital for further Class V urinary cytology examination. A low density area of 1.5 cm in diameter in the left renal pelvis without enhancement was the only abnormal sign on computed tomographic (CT) imaging. Malignant cells were not detected by random biopsy of the urinary bladder. The retrograde pyelogram showed no filling defect on the left renal pelvis or ureter. The cytological diagnosis of the right split renal urine was Class III, and that of the left split renal urine was Class V. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis, using specific probes for chromosome 8q21.3 and the centromere chromosome 11, was performed on cells from the bilateral split renal urine. Cells collected from the right split renal urine showed a normal disomic pattern, while those from the left split renal urine included an aneusomic pattern with polysomy. Left total nephroureterectomy was carried out. Histopathology proved invasive renal pelvic cancer. Thus FISH analysis may be useful for the localization of renal pelvic or ureteral cancers, which are difficult to diagnose.

Aged↗

[A case of functioning parathyroid cyst].

A case of functioning parathyroid cyst is reported. A 63-year-old woman consulted our hospital with the chief complaint of neck and joint pain. At that time, laboratory data showed a serum calcium level of 12.8 mg/dl and a phosphorus level of 2.2 mg/dl. Plasma levels of intact PTH were elevated to 278 pg/ml. Computerized tomography, ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging suggested parathyroid cyst on the left side of the thyroid gland. We performed left superior parathyroidectomy. The cyst measured 30 x 40 x 30 mm and was chocolate colored. The histopathological diagnosis was a functioning parathyroid cyst. Her postoperative course was uneventful and she was discharged on the 10th postoperative day without symptoms. To our knowledge, only 38 cases of functioning parathyroid cyst have been reported in the Japanese literature.

Cysts↗

[The care principles of home care based on the cognition of care providers].

The purpose of this study was to clarify the care principles that are most highly valued by various care providers, including public health nurses, home visiting nurses, home helpers, and case-workers, by factor-identification-study (KJ method), and to consider measures for sharing care principles among these sectors. It was found that care principles are composed of three factors: "User-oriented care", "Good mutual relationship", and "Self-improvement". Also there are differences in cognition of these according to occupation, workplace, experience, and so on. We should develop strategies for improving the quality of user-oriented care, as we understand the differences in cognition of care principles, and as we share the experience gained in each working aria.

Adult↗

Diagnostic significance of an exercise-induced prominent U wave in acute myocardial infarction.

A prominent U wave induced by exercise testing in patients with anterior wall myocardial infarction is a highly specific but insensitive marker for the narrowing of the left circumflex or right coronary artery, although a U-wave increase alone with or without ST-segment depression may help better identify these coronary artery narrowings. In patients with inferior and/or posterior myocardial infarction, a prominent U wave is regarded as a simple electrocardiographic marker for inferior and/or posterior residual ischemia.

Adult↗

The recombination mediated by double-strand breaks in extrachromosomal DNA substrate carrying mouse immunoglobulin switch regions S mu and S gamma 2b.

Recombination in mouse cells was analyzed using extrachromosomal DNA substrates carrying the mouse immunoglobulin switch regions S mu and S gamma 2b. Recombination was detected at a frequency of 10(-2)-10(-3) in mouse fibroblasts and in pre-B cell lines, but at a low frequency in a scid fibroblast cell line. Restriction enzyme digestion profile revealed that most recombination occurred between the CMV promoter region, which neighbors the S mu upstream region, and the S gamma 2b region. However, frequency of direct recombination between the CMV promoter region and the S gamma 2b region was low as measured by the substrate-lacking S mu region. Nucleotide sequence analysis showed that recombination occurred between several homologous base-pairs, and extranucleotides were frequently found at the recombination junctions. These results indicate that recombination took the form of the recombination mediated by double-strand breaks. Double-strand breaks likely occurred in the S mu and/or S gamma 2b region, and the ends joined.

Animals↗

Retrotransposons of rice involved in mutations induced by tissue culture.

Five retrotransposon families of rice (Tos1-Tos5) have been reported previously. Here we report 15 new retrotransposon families of rice (Tos6-Tos20). In contrast to yeast and Drosophila retrotransposons, all of the rice retrotransposons examined appear inactive (or almost inactive) under normal growth conditions. Three of the rice retrotransposons (Tos10, Tos17, and Tos19) are activated under tissue culture conditions. The most active one, Tos17, was studied in detail. The copy number of Tos17 increased with prolonged culture period. In all of the plants regenerated from tissue cultures, including transgenic plants, 5 to 30 transposed Tos17 copies were detected. The transcript of Tos17 was only detected under tissue culture conditions, indicating that the transposition of Tos17 is mainly regulated at the transcriptional level. To examine the target-site specificity of Tos17 transposition, sequences flanking transposed Tos17 copies were analyzed. At least four out of eight target sites examined are coding regions. Other target sites may also be in genes because two out of four were transcribed. The regenerated plants with Tos17-insertions in the phytochrome A gene and the S-receptor kinase-related gene were identified. These results indicate that activation of Tos17 is an important cause of tissue culture-induced mutations. Tissue culture-induced activation of Tos17 may be a useful tool for insertional mutagenesis and functional analysis of genes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Rfc5, a small subunit of replication factor C complex, couples DNA replication and mitosis in budding yeast.

The inhibition of DNA synthesis prevents mitotic entry through the action of the S phase checkpoint. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, an essential protein kinase, Spk1/Mec2/Rad53/Sad1, controls the coupling of S phase to mitosis. In an attempt to identify genes that genetically interact with Spk1, we have isolated a temperature-sensitive mutation, rfc5-1, that can be suppressed by overexpression of SPK1. The RFC5 gene encodes a small subunit of replication factor C complex. At the restrictive temperature, rfc5-1 mutant cells entered mitosis with unevenly separated or fragmented chromosomes, resulting in loss of viability. Thus, the rfc5 mutation defective for DNA replication is also impaired in the S phase checkpoint. Overexpression of POL30, which encodes the proliferating cell nuclear antigen, suppressed the replication defect of the rfc5 mutant but not its checkpoint defect. Taken together, these results suggested that replication factor C has a direct role in sensing the state of DNA replication and transmitting the signal to the checkpoint machinery.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular cloning and characterization of a newly identified member of the cadherin family, PB-cadherin.

We have isolated cDNA clones encoding novel proteins belonging to the cadherin family. These novel proteins are encoded by two distinct mRNA species generated by alternative splicing from a single gene, and based on preferential expression in the pituitary gland and brain, we named it PB-cadherin. One mRNA species encodes long type PB-cadherin composed of 803 amino acid residues with a longer cytoplasmic domain, whereas the other species encodes short-type PB-cadherin composed of 694 amino acid residues with a shorter cytoplasmic domain. Both long and short type PB-cadherin contain five repeats of a cadherin motif in the extracellular domain, the transmembrane domain, and the cytoplasmic domain, and the deduced amino acid sequences have a 30% homology to those of E-, N-, and P-cadherins. Although the primary structure of N-terminal amino acids is identical between long and short type PB-cadherin, the following structures in the cytoplasmic regions are completely different. The long type PB-cadherin but not the short type contains the putative catenin-binding domain. When these two distinct forms of PB-cadherins were stably expressed in L cells, L cells expressing long type PB-cadherin or short type PB-cadherin both acquired a Ca2+-dependent cell adhesion property, thereby indicating that both types of PB-cadherin are responsible for Ca2+-dependent cell adhesion. Persistent expression of PB-cadherin mRNA was found in the brain of rat embryos at least from embryonic day 15 to the postnatal period. In situ localization of PB-cadherin mRNA in the adult rat brain indicated that PB-cadherin mRNA is expressed in the inner granular layer of the olfactory bulb, Purkinje cell layer of the cerebellum, and in the pineal gland. PB-cadherin may play an important role in morphogenesis and tissue formation in neural and non-neural cells for the development and maintenance of the brain and neuroendocrine organs by regulating cell-cell adhesion.

Aging↗

Suppressive effect of N-(benzyloxycarbonyl)-L-phenylalanyl-L-tyrosinal on bone resorption in vitro and in vivo.

The suppressive effect of N-(benzyloxycarbonyl)-L-phenylalanyl-L-tyrosinal on bone resorption was examined in vitro and in vivo. This synthetic peptidyl aldehyde was found to be a potent and selective cathepsin L inhibitor in our screening for cysteine protease inhibitors. In the pit formation assay with unfractionated rat bone cells, 1.5 nM of this compound markedly inhibited parathyroid hormone-stimulated osteoclastic bone resorption. In addition, intraperitoneal administration of this peptidyl aldehyde (2.5-10 mg/kg) for 4 weeks suppressed bone weight loss dose dependently in the ovariectomized mouse, experimental model of osteoporosis. Hydroxyproline measurement of the decalcified femurs from these ovariectomized mice suggested that this compound acts as a bone resorption suppressor through the inhibition of collagen degradation.

Animals↗

Induction mechanism of small intestinal lesions caused by intravenous injection of endotoxin in rats.

The pathogenesis of intestinal damage caused by bolus intravenous injection of endotoxin (ETX; 3 mg/kg) was investigated. Administration of ETX to rats induced reddish discoloration suggestive of bleeding, increased hemoglobin amounts, and leakage of plasma protein in the intestine. However, light microscopic examination of the intestine demonstrated blood congestion of the microvessels. Plasma accumulation was partially inhibited by combined pretreatment with a histamine H1 antagonist and a serotonin (5-HT) antagonist. Neither a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, a soybean trypsin inhibitor, nor atropine was observed to inhibit plasma accumulation. Both the intestinal leakage of plasma and the accumulation of hemoglobin were completely inhibited by indomethacin, a selective thromboxane A synthetase inhibitor (OKY 1581), and a stable PGI2 analogue (beraprost). Intravital microscopic observation of the microvessels of the small intestinal villi demonstrated microthrombus formation within several minutes after the injection of ETX, and pretreatment with OKY 1581 attenuated the formation of microthrombus. Platelet counts decreased significantly 10 min after ETX administration, and the decrease was not inhibited by pretreatment with either OKY 1581 or beraprost. Prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) were not prolonged. These observations thus suggest that microcirculatory disturbances by platelet thrombus, which are mediated by thromboxane A2 at least in part, play an important role in ETX-induced intestinal damage.

Animals↗

Epitope analysis of chromo antigen and clinical features in a subset of patients with anti-centromere antibodies.

Heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1) is one of the nonhistone chromosomal components tightly associated with the pericentromeric heterochromatic region in Drosophila. The human homologue of HP1 is recognized by a subpopulation of anti-centromere antibodies (ACA). Such autoantibodies recognize a group of several nuclear proteins with Mr of 23-25 kDa and have been termed 'anti-chromo antibodies (AChA)' because an evolutionarily conserved N-terminal half called the 'chromo domain' of HP1 is the epitope. In this study, 84 ACA sera were examined by immunoblotting with recombinant 25-kDa chromo protein (p25). The p25 antigen was expressed as a glutathione S-transferase-fusion protein in E. coli and purified with glutathione-sepharose. Except for one serum specimen, AChA-positive sera reacted with the N-terminus (a.a 16-106) and/or the C-terminus (a.a. 83-191) of p25. Autoimmune response against the N-terminus of p25 in 33 patients was significantly associated with systemic lupus erythematosus and significantly related to leukopenia, thrombocytopenia and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate; C-terminal reactivity in 30 patients was significantly associated with primary Sjogren's syndrome and related to leukopenia. The internal 64-amino acid stretch (a.a 43-106) with DNA-binding activity was not autoantigenic. p25 has two separate homologous regions to Drosophila HP1 at the N- and C-termini; the chromo domain and the chromo shadow domain. Patients with autoimmune response against these conserved domains might form a clinical subset of patients positive for ACA.

Animals↗

Pneumatosis intestinalis and necrotizing enterocolitis associated with liver cirrhosis.

We report a 58-year-old woman with pneumatosis intestinalis and necrotizing enterocolitis associated with liver cirrhosis. She was receiving treatment for liver cirrhosis and hepatic failure when sudden severe right upper abdominal pain and fever developed. Abdominal radiograph disclosed pneumatosis intestinalis, involving the ascending colon, and small collections of free air along the right hemidiaphragm. The pneumatosis intestinalis appeared in both cystic and linear form. Autopsy revealed necrosis and multiple gas-filled mural cysts in the ascending colon. To our knowledge, this is the first case to be reported of pneumatosis intestinalis and necrotizing enterocolitis associated with liver cirrhosis.

Colon↗

Technegas ventilation SPECT for evaluating silicosis in comparison with computed tomography.

To compare the subtle pulmonary parenchymal morphologic changes with ventilation function in patients with silicosis, the conventional CT, high resolution CT and technegas ventilation SPECT were performed. In 25 silicotic patients and six controls, the pulmonary ventilation state was evaluated by an index called the coefficient of variation (CV), which expresses the subliminal heterogeneous distribution of technegas in the lungs. The results showed that with silicosis the CV value is significantly higher than that without silicosis. The CV value was proved by multifactorial analysis to independently reflect the extent of the appearance of small scattered interstitial findings such as nodules, septal thickening and bulla, which were typical findings for silicosis. The CV value calculated from the technegas SPECT correlated well with the severity of silicosis. It is considered that the CV value can also express the functional state of the silicotic lung.

Adult↗

Peripheral nerve pathology in rats with streptozotocin-induced insulinoma.

Peripheral nerve structure was systematically examined in rats with insulinoma induced by streptozotocin (STZ). Normal Wistar rats, aged 3 months (n = 10), were treated with intravenous injections of STZ (20 mg/kg) and housed in plastic cages with free access to water and chow until 24 months of age. Three rats with insulinoma survived and were examined pathologically. Age-matched normal Wistar rats (n = 6) were used for comparison. The insulinoma-bearing rats showed a marked increase in body weight and decrease in blood glucose. In a teased nerve fiber study of the sciatic nerve, the percentage of abnormal fibers undergoing axonal degeneration and de- and remyelination in age-matched normal control rats was 3.9 +/- 2.5% (means +/- SD), whereas in the three insulinoma-bearing rats 49%, 50%, and 24%, respectively, of the fibers showed such changes. Regenerating fibers were also numerous in each insulinoma-bearing rat (36%, 42% and 27%, respectively). Morphometric analysis revealed smaller mean myelinated fiber and axonal areas in all the nerves examined (sciatic, tibial and sural) in insulinoma-bearing rats as compared to those in age-matched normal rats. Fiber area frequency histograms showed a decrease in large myelinated fibers and an increase in small regenerated fibers in insulinoma-bearing rats. Ultrastructurally, endoneurial microvessels exhibited a narrowed vascular lumen with swollen endothelial cells and vacuolar degeneration of pericytes, suggesting an involvement of vascular changes in the neuropathic development. The present study demonstrated marked structural changes in both motor and sensory peripheral nerves of rats bearing experimentally induced insulinoma. We consider that axonal degeneration, regeneration and demyelination constitute the main pathology in the peripheral nerves of insulinoma-bearing rats, although no particular difference in severity of the lesions between sensory and motor and between proximal and distal nerves was apparent.

Animals↗

Lack of contribution of circulatory kinin elevated by captopril to induce hypotension in normotensive and hypertensive rats.

Captopril (10 mg/kg, i.p.) increased the arterial bradykinin (BK) level (Art-BK) of non-treated Sprague-Dawley rats (SD), determined by an ELISA, from 10.8 +/- 3.2 pg/ml to 32.9 +/- 5.4 pg/ml significantly (p < 0.05, n = 6). Intravenous infusion of BK (100-3000 ng/kg/min) dose-dependently increased heart rate (HR) and decreased mean blood pressure (MBP), the former at lower doses than the latter, and the hypotensive response became significant at 3000 ng/kg/min. Art-BK determined during infusion of the lowest dose of BK (100 ng/kg/min) was 12 times the endogenous Art-BK after captopril administration. In spontaneously hypertensive rats, Wistar Kyoto rats, and deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt treated hypertensive rats, Art-BK (450-1280 pg/ml) determined during intravenous BK-infusion (1000-3000 ng/kg/min), which induced significant hypotension, was 20 to 100 times the endogenous Art-BK (4.5-64 pg/ml) with captopril treatment. These results suggest that the increased Art-BK due to inhibition of kinin degradation by captopril could not account for the hypotension due to this angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor in normotensive and hypertensive rats.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗

Characteristics of pancreatic injury in children: a comparison with such injury in adults.

A retrospective study of eight pediatric patients (under 15 years of age) who had pancreatic injuries was undertaken. Comparisons were made with 59 adult patients who sustained pancreatic injuries over the same 15-year period. All the pediatric injuries and 96.6% of the adult resulted from blunt abdominal trauma. Bicycle accidents (children, 75.0%; adults, 0%; P < .001) and automobile accidents (children, 0%; adults, 61.0%; P < .01) were the most common causes of pancreatic injury in the two groups. There was no significant difference in the incidence of abdominal pain or peritoneal irritation between the groups. However, abdominal pain in the adults was poorly localized. Isolated pancreatic injuries were noted in 62.5% of the pediatric patients and in 15.3% of the adult patients (P < .05). Associated intraabdominal injuries were present in 25.0% of the children and in 69.5% of the adults (P < .05). The duodenum was injured in two (25.0%) pediatric patients and in 10 (16.9%) adult patients. Whereas the duodenal injuries in pediatric patients were intramural hematomas without perforation in both cases, all but one of these injuries in adults were perforations or transections (P < .05). There was a significant difference in the type of pancreatic injury between the two groups (P < .05). Surgery was performed in 12.5% of the pediatric cases and in 78.0% of the adult cases (P < .01). There were no deaths among the pediatric patients, but 8.5% of the adults died in the hospital. The difference with respect to clinical course might be related to the differences in cause of injury.

Abdominal Injuries↗

Clinical features of anti-chromo antibodies associated with anti-centromere antibodies.

Anti-chromo antibodies (AChA) are autoantibodies accompanying anti-centromere antibodies (ACA). We determined the frequency and clinical significance of AChA in autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Serum samples from 252 patients with rheumatic diseases were examined by immuno-blotting with HeLa nuclear extract and with recombinant N-terminus of 25-kD chromo protein (p25). AChA were detected in 28 (36%) of 77 sera with ACA. AChA were found only in ACA-positive sera. Twenty-two (79%) of 28 recognized a recombinant N-terminal portion of p25, including the chromo domain which is conserved among species. AChA were related to leucopenia, thrombocytopenia, elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and existence of Sjögren's syndrome (SS). In ACA-positive patients, AChA might be a serologic indicator of systemic sclerosis (SSc), having features of systemic lupus erythematosus and/or SS or diseases other than SSc.

Autoantibodies↗