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Biomedical subjects

K Takagi

Publications and source records attributed to K Takagi.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Canine parentage testing based on microsatellite polymorphisms.

To establish an accurate method for parentage testing in dogs, microsatellite DNA repeat length polymorphisms were examined. We selected twenty microsatellite markers reported previously and examined their application for parentage testing in Beagles and Labrador Retrievers. Heterozygosity (He), Polymorphism Information Content (PIC), the probabilities of Paternity Exclusion (PE) and the combined PE were calculated from allelic frequencies of the markers. All markers amplified by polymerase chain reactions were polymorphic and many markers showed high He and PIC in the both breeds. The final combined PEs in Beagles and Labrador Retrievers were 0.999994 and 0.999920, respectively. The results suggest that the twenty markers can be applied for routine parentage testing in dogs.

Alleles↗

A case of a bitch with imperforate hymen and hydrocolpos.

A 38-month-old female Golden retriever was presented with dysuria and dyschezia. It was difficult to visualize the vagina by vaginoscopy due to a cystic polyp on the hymen. The polyp was 2 x 3 cm in diameter, round, and pink in color. From clinical and imaging evaluations the original diagnosis was mucometra or pyometra. From endoscopic examination of the vagina an imperforate hymen was finally diagnosed. The ovaries, uterus, and half of the vagina were removed through a median abdominal incision. The vagina contained about 1.5 liters of fluid, but the uterus and ovaries appeared normal. This is a rare case with imperforate hymen and hydrocolpos with a polyp on the hymenal membrane in bitch.

Animals↗

Symptoms and signs of irritation of the brachial plexus in whiplash injuries.

We investigated the incidence of evidence of irritation of the brachial plexus in 119 patients with whiplash injuries sustained in road-traffic accidents. We compared the symptoms, physical signs, autonomic status, psychological status and findings from radiographs of the cervical spine using examination charts and a modified Cornell Medical Index Health questionnaire, in patients in two distinct groups: those with irritation of the brachial plexus and those without. There were 45 patients (37.8%) in the first group. The ratio of women to men was significantly higher in patients with irritation of the plexus as was the incidence of symptoms other than neck pain. There was no significant difference between the two groups with regard to psychological status or findings in radiographs of the cervical spine. Symptoms and signs attributable to stretching of the brachial plexus do occur in a significant proportion of patients after a whiplash injury. Their presence and persistence are associated with a poor outcome.

Adolescent↗

Open-wedge osteotomy of the proximal tibia with hemicallotasis.

Conventional high tibial osteotomy for losteoarthritis of the medial compartment of the knee with closed-wedge or dome osteotomy (DMO) may produce shortening of the patellar tendon and loss of inclination of the proximal tibial plateau or of the offset of the tibial condyle relative to its bony axis. This can make subsequent total knee arthroplasty technically demanding. We undertook a prospective study comparing these changes after DMO with those after using open-wedge osteotomy hemicallotasis (HCO). A total of 50 knees with arthritis of the medial compartment in 46 consecutive patients was randomly allocated to either DMO or HCO. There were no significant differences between the groups with regard to age, gender, femorotibial angle before operation or the angle of correction. Radiological studies showed that HCO caused little change in the length of the patellar tendon or the inclination angle of the tibial plateau, while after DMO both gradually decreased. The degree of tibial condylar offset increased in both groups, but less so in the HCO group.

Aged↗

Antibody response of dogs inoculated with a large number of cultured canine monocytes adsorbed with a calicivirus in advance.

Five conventional Beagle dogs were intravenously injected with ten million canine monocyte cells (Cn/K99) cultured in vitro (Kadoi, 2000) adsorbed with a strain of calicivirus originally isolated from lions (Kadoi et al., 1997). Another two Beagle dogs were injected similarly with the virus suspension solely as control. Serum samples were collected from these dogs at intervals and specific seroneutralizing antibody production against the virus was measured in vitro. A significantly higher antibody production was demonstrated in the five dogs group. A clear booster effect was also proved in the sera of the dogs after the second virus inoculation made on day 100. A possibility of antigen presentation function of non-self monocytes is suggested.

Adsorption↗

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) converting enzyme contributes to production of TNF-alpha in synovial tissues from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Expression and function of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) converting enzyme (TACE) in synovia of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were examined to investigate posttranslational regulation of TNF-alpha production by TACE in RA. METHODS: Expression of TACE protein was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Cytokines and soluble cytokine receptors were measured by ELISA. TACE mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. The enzymatic activity of TACE was measured using TACE-specific fluorogenic substrate. RESULTS: Expression of TACE at protein level in synovial tissue (ST) of patients with RA was significantly stronger than that of patients with osteoarthritis (OA). In RA, TACE was mainly expressed in CD68+ macrophage-like synovial cells. ST from 9 of 9 RA and 3 of 8 OA patients expressed TACE mRNA. RA ST cells possessed significantly higher TACE-like enzymatic activity than OA ST. A synthetic TACE inhibitor significantly reduced the release of TNF-alpha and p75 TNF receptor from RA ST cells. CONCLUSION: TACE is an important regulator of the secretion of TNF-alpha from synovia of patients with RA.

ADAM Proteins↗

Mature form of interleukin 18 is expressed in rheumatoid arthritis synovial tissue and contributes to interferon-gamma production by synovial T cells.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression and function of interleukin 18 (IL-18) in synovial tissue (ST) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: The localization of IL-18 in ST was analyzed by immunohistochemistry. IL-18 and IL-18 receptor (IL-18R) mRNA were detected by RT-PCR. Expression of IL-18 at the protein level was analyzed by Western blotting. Cytokines in culture supernatants were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: From immunohistochemical analysis, IL-18-producing cells were localized in the lining layer and sublining region of RA ST. Most of them coexpressed CD68 antigen. In ST from patients with osteoarthritis (OA), IL-18-producing cells were localized only in the sublining region and the numbers of these cells were small. From RT-PCR, RA ST expressed mRNA of IL-18, as well as alpha- and beta-chains of IL-18R. OA ST did not express or very weakly expressed mRNA of alpha- and beta-chains of IL-18R. ST from RA patients produced significantly larger amounts of IL-18 in vitro than OA ST. Western blotting revealed that RA ST expressed mature IL-18 more abundantly than OA ST. IL-12 alone stimulates interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production by RA synovial tissue cells, but IL-18 alone could not. In the presence of IL-12, however, IL-18 could synergistically stimulate IFN-gamma production by RA synovial tissue cells. OA synovial tissue cells responded to neither IL-12 nor IL-12 + IL-18. IL-18 showed synergistic effects with IL-12 on promoting the ability of synovial T cells from RA patients to produce IFN-gamma. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that mature IL-18 is expressed in RA synovia and contributes to the production of IFN-gamma by infiltrating T cells.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

Artificial inseminations with frozen semen and application of DNA fingerprint for parents/offspring conformation on Great Pyrenees.

Frozen semen of Great Pyrenees, air-shipped from France, was artificially inseminated (AI) to two Great Pyrenees bitches. Blood LH and P concentrations and vulval width principally determined optimal breeding time of bitches. AI were performed on 17 to 21 days from the onset of estrous bleeding, and 25 days after final Al, pregnancy of one bitch, with two fetuses, was identified by ultrasound image diagnostic equipment. On 62 days, the bitch whelped one male pup and one female pup. Blood samples were obtained from four parents and offspring, and their DNA was extracted. DNA samples digested with four kinds of restriction endonucleases, and resulting fragmented DNA were used as test samples for DNA fingerprinting with Myo prove. As a result bands from pups, displayed by any enzyme, were inherited from either parent, and clear parent-offspring relationships were identified.

Animals↗

Use of microsatellite markers for parentage testing of two litters of beagles born after artifcial insemination with mixed fresh semen.

This study was undertaken to determine if 20 kinds of microsatellite markers, which have already been reported, were useful for the parentage testing of 16 Beagle puppies born after artificial insemination using intentionally mixed semen from six male Beagles. Of the 20 kinds of markers used in this study, 17 kinds (the exceptions were CPH6, FH0020 and FH0419) produced 3 to 5 kinds of alleles, and using these markers, the parentage was finally established for all of the 16 puppies. These 17 kinds of markers showed sufficient amplification in PCR and had no non-specific PCR products or alleles with single-base-alterations, which makes them very useful as markers for identification of individual Beagles and useful for parentage testing.

Alleles↗