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Biomedical subjects

K Tanimoto

Publications and source records attributed to K Tanimoto.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

Transient myopia with severe chemosis associated with exacerbation of disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus.

A 46-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) developed bilateral transient myopia and periorbital edema with severe chemosis. Her myopia was ascribed to a refractive abnormality that was caused by curvature change and anterior displacement of the lenses and the ciliary bodies due to anterior ocular edema. The conditions were not associated with systemic edema or abnormality in the fundi and responded well to the systemic administration of corticosteroid. The course of the ocular symptoms paralleled changes of serum CH50 and anti-dsDNA antibody levels. Thus it was concluded that her ocular symptoms were closely related to activity of her SLE and may be considered a feature of SLE.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗

Early hilar lung cancer: its clinical aspect.

Early hilar lung cancers are rare, but are curable if they are properly diagnosed and treated. In the past 14 years, we have treated 27 patients with early hilar cancers that fulfilled the criteria proposed by the Japanese Lung Cancer Society (JLCS). Eighteen patients presented with symptoms and 9 were detected by the mass screening examination of sputum cytology. All lesions in both groups were finally diagnosed by bronchoscopy. Twenty patients (74%) had positive sputum cytology, whereas only 7 (26%) had positive chest X-ray findings. All the patients underwent surgery, and bronchoplasty was the most frequent operative procedure. The 5-year survival rate was 100%, and the 10-year survival rate was 91.7%, as one patient died of a second primary lung cancer in the 6th postoperative year. In conclusion, the definition of early hilar lung cancer proposed by the JLCS is thought to be reasonable, and early hilar lung cancer is a curable disease, if it is properly diagnosed and treated.

Bronchoscopy↗

The effect of intracerebroventricular administration of somatostatin on prolactin and TSH release in rats.

We investigated the effect of intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of somatostatin (SRIF) on prolactin (PRL) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) release in freely moving rats chronically cannulated with an atrial catheter. The plasma PRL levels were significantly elevated following the icv administration of 0.5 microgram SRIF. No further increase in PRL following the icv administration of SRIF were found in the rats in the course of repeated intravenous of injection of 5.0 mg/kg sulpiride, a specific D2 receptor antagonist. On the other hand, the injection of 5.0 micrograms SRIF resulted in no significant change in the plasma TSH levels. These results suggest that the effect of SRIF on PRL release was exerted through brain D2 receptors.

Animals↗

Effect of size of region of interest on precision of bone mineral measurements of the mandible by quantitative computed tomography.

The effect of size and shape of the region of interest (ROI) on the precision of the measurements of bone mineral content of mandibular bone by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) has been studied. A dry mandible and a series of calcium carbonate rods (density: 119.6 mg cm-3, 461.2 mg cm-3 and 939.0 mg cm-3) were used. The precision of measurements of the ROI for sizes less than 1 cm2 was very low, but the shape did not have any influence on the precision if the material examined was either homogeneous or if it was heterogeneous from always the same area. Higher precision was found when the ROI was more than 1 cm2. The size of ROI is a critical factor in the measurement of bone mineral content in the mandible by QCT.

Bone Density↗

Image salvage in panoramic radiography using histogram optimization.

Optical density and contrast recovery from poor quality panoramic radiographs was studied using the histogram modification technique. A series of experimental images of varying density and contrast were obtained by exposing a phantom in 4 kV steps between 50 and 94 kV. A standard of good image quality was selected by 10 observers grading the radiographs. Images were processed using the histogram specification technique and re-evaluated. All the processed images were found to be of acceptable quality. This technique was also shown to be applicable for salvaging unacceptable clinical radiographs.

Humans↗

Structure and sequence analysis of the human activin beta A subunit gene.

The cloned genomic DNA containing the human activin beta A subunit gene were analyzed by restriction endonuclease mapping, Southern blotting and DNA sequencing. The activin gene is composed of two exons interrupted by the 9-kb intron. The TATA, CCAAT and CT-stretch sequences were found in the 5'-flanking region of the gene. An intronic sequence contained SV40 enhancer core element in the vicinity of the exon 1. In the 3'-flanking region, we identified eight consensus polyadenylation sequences, five ATTTA motifs, CA element consisting of (CA)14, AP-1 binding site and two SV40 enhancer core elements. A dot matrix analysis revealed the high degree of conservation between the human and rat sequences within the 3'-flanking region, suggesting a possible functional significance.

Activins↗

Regulation of human renin and angiotensinogen genes.

We have constructed pUCSV0cat with low background of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) activity and pUCSV3cat (positive control), both containing a SV40 polyadenylation signal 5' to the CAT-coding gene and to the SV40 promoter, respectively. Using this modified pUCSV0cat, we found that human embryonic 293 cells have the ability to activate the promoter of the human renin gene. In addition, we identified the cis-acting sequences responsible for cell-specific expression of the human angiotensinogen gene in its 5'-flanking region.

Angiotensinogen↗

Structure and expression of the human angiotensinogen gene. Identification of a unique and highly active promoter.

We have isolated the human angiotensinogen gene from a genomic library and determined the exon-intron junction sequences. The gene is 12 kilobases long and consists of five exons interrupted by four introns, as a single copy in the human genome. Of particular interest are the positions of the introns in the human angiotensinogen gene which are identical to those in the highly homologous human alpha 1-antitrypsin and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin genes, as well as rat and mouse angiotensinogen genes. Northern blot analysis showed that human hepatoma cells (HepG2) produce a large amount of angiotensinogen mRNA but not human glioma cells (T98G). To assay the promoter activity, the 1.3-kilobase genomic fragment containing the 5'-flanking region, first exon, and a part of first intron at positions -1222 to +44 was fused upstream to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene, then transfected into HepG2 and T98G cells. The gene sequence was active only in HepG2 cells, suggesting the presence of a functional promoter. Analysis of deletion mutants demonstrated that the 76-base pairs region from -32 to +44 containing the TATA box and first exon is the minimal promoter, whose activity is as high as that of the SV40 enhancer-promoter. Since the basal expression of the human angiotensinogen gene is much higher in HepG2 than T98G cells, these results may reflect cell-specific differences in the gene transcription.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Diagnostic outcome and observer performance in sagittal tomography of the temporomandibular joint.

The diagnostic outcome and observer performance of sagittal tomography in detecting degenerative lesions of the temporomandibular joint was studied. Thirty tomograms depicting findings such as cyst, erosion, osteophyte and sclerosis and 30 with a normal appearance were selected. The joint status was verified histologically. Four observers evaluated the tomograms with the aid of reference tomograms, independent of the microscopic examination. The diagnostic accuracy was high (80-87%). The sensitivity was between 67% and 90% and the specificity between 73% and 93%. An osteophyte was, with few exceptions, a true finding whereas sclerosis most frequently was false. About two-thirds of the reports of cyst and erosion were found to be true. The interobserver overall agreement rates for any two observers varied between 68% and 90%, for three observers between 65% and 82%, and for all four observers was 63%. The Kappa value for any two observers was 0.40-0.80, indicating fair to substantial agreement. The intra-observer agreement was only somewhat higher than the interobserver. This study shows that, with the aid of reference tomograms, high diagnostic accuracy and observer agreement can be achieved in sagittal tomography.

Aged↗

Comparison of computed with conventional tomography in the evaluation of temporomandibular joint disease: a study of autopsy specimens.

Autopsy specimens were examined both radiographically and macroscopically to compare direct computed tomography (CT) with conventional tomography (CVT) for their diagnostic yield of the structural bone changes in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Fifteen specimens were examined with corrected sagittal and 12 with corrected frontal tomography. Five joints showed bone exposure and/or disc perforation macroscopically and all of them were correctly diagnosed by both CT and CVT (sensitivity 1.0). However, false-positive diagnoses were also made, resulting in values for specificity which were somewhat lower for CT than for CVT. Frontal images did not reveal any additional 'true' findings compared with sagittal CT or CVT. For single areas of the joints the average sensitivity was low, 0.28 for CT and 0.47 for CVT, but the specificity for the joint as a whole was high with both methods (0.91 and 0.94 respectively). We conclude that CVT is superior to CT in the diagnosis of single structural bone changes but comparable for comprehensive diagnosis of TMJ disease.

Adult↗

Lack of gene deletion for complement C4A deficiency in Japanese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

The frequency of C4A gene deletion was studied in Japanese patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and was compared with healthy controls. DNA preparations were extracted from peripheral blood leukocytes from 59 patients with SLE and from 166 healthy persons, and digested by restriction enzymes. They were hybridized with C4 complementary DNA by the Southern blotting method and the deletion of C4A gene was judged from restriction fragment length polymorphism. At the same time phenotypic C4A deficiency (C4AQ0) was measured. Our results showed that the frequency of phenotypic C4A deficiency was 44.1% in Japanese patients with SLE and this value was comparable with that (43.2%) in Caucasian patients. On the other hand the deletion of C4A gene was not found in Japanese patients with SLE (0%), or in healthy controls (0.6%). Our results indicate that C4AQ0 may contribute to the pathogenesis of SLE beyond the ethnical differences but Japanese patients with SLE have a different genetic background from Caucasian patients with the C4A gene deleted.

Alleles↗

Adult Still's disease: a multicenter survey of Japanese patients.

A comprehensive survey of Japanese patients with adult Still's disease was made by questionnaire which was sent to major institutions with rheumatology units in Japan. Of 146 cases from 32 institutions, 90 were judged to be definitely diagnosed as adult Still's disease. The major clinical features in these 90 patients consisted of high fever, polyarthralgia, rash, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, negative autoantibodies, leukocytosis, liver dysfunction, and hyperferritinemia. The incidence of several features showed significant differences between these cases and previous nonJapanese cases.

Adolescent↗

A filter for use in lateral cephalography.

A new filter was devised for density compensation and absorbed-dose reduction in cephalometric radiographs. It is composed of a rare earth screen that plays a role in depicting soft tissue shadows and cephalometric points. The greatest reduction of the absorbed dose was about one seventh at the tube side of the thyroid gland when it was included in the direct x-ray beam. Smaller collimation was the most important factor in reducing the absorbed dose.

Aluminum↗