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Biomedical subjects

K Uchida

Publications and source records attributed to K Uchida.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Serological diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary alveolar proteinosis.

Previously, we reported the specific occurrence of neutralizing autoantibodies against granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from 11 Japanese patients with idiopathic pulmonary alveolar proteinosis (I-PAP). The autoantibody was also detected in sera from all 5 I-PAP patients examined. To determine that the existence of the autoantibody is not limited to the Japanese patients, we examined sera from 24 I-PAP patients in five countries and showed that the autoantibody was consistently and specifically present in such patients. Thus, detection of the autoantibody in sera can be used for diagnosis of I-PAP. To establish a simple and convenient method for diagnosis of I-PAP, we developed a novel latex agglutination test using latex beads coupled with recombinant human GM-CSF. GM-CSF binding proteins isolated from the sera using the latex beads were identified as the autoantibodies of IgG(1) and IgG(2). The titer of the autoantibody determined by this test correlated with that determined by ELISA. Agglutination was positive in 300-fold diluted sera from all 24 I-PAP patients, but negative in sera from four secondary PAP patients, two congenital PAP patients, 40 patients with other lung diseases, and 38 of 40 normal subjects. These results establish that the latex agglutination test is a reliable method for serological diagnosis of I-PAP with high sensitivity (100%) and specificity (98%).

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Detection of Akabane viral antigens in spontaneous lymphohistiocytic encephalomyelitis in cattle.

A 5-month-old Japanese black bull calf and twenty-seven 1-27-day-old calves exhibiting neurological signs between August and October 1998 were examined. The bull calf exhibited rapid breathing, fever, hypersensitivity, and ataxia and was euthanized 4 days after the onset of symptoms. The 27 calves primarily exhibited ataxia, and 15 had arthrogryposis. Histological examination of the bull calf revealed perivascular infiltraction by mononuclear cells, diffuse to multifocal gliosis, and neuronal necrosis in the brain and spinal cord. Multiple malacic foci were found in the midbrain in 5 cases. In contrast, in the 15 calves necropsied in October, there were fewer inflammatory changes, but there was neuronal cell loss in the ventral horn and a decrease in myelinated axons in the lateral and ventral funiculi. Immunohistochemical examination using a rabbit antiserum against Akabane virus strain OBE-1 revealed a large amount of viral antigen in the degenerating neurons and glial cells of the bull calf, mainly in the spinal gray matter. Small amounts of viral antigen in swollen axons and a few glial cells were found in 5 of 27 calves. Thirteen of the 27 calves had high neutralization antibody titers against the Akabane virus, whereas there was no significant antibody titer in most of the calves necropsied during August. The present study revealed that viral antigen detection was very useful for the diagnosis of Akabane diseases in the 5-month-old bull calf that was suspected to be infected postnatally, while it had limited usefulness in the other young calves.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Effects of Ba2+ on F&F 96365-sensitive sustained contraction of rat pulmonary artery.

The effects of Ba2+ on receptor-mediated sustained contraction of rat pulmonary artery and guinea-pig oesophageal muscularis mucosae were studied in-vitro. In rat isolated pulmonary artery, sustained contraction induced by noradrenaline (1 microM) was resistant to nicardipine (1 microM), but this same sustained contraction was completely inhibited by SK&F 96365 (30 microM), a blocker of voltage-dependent L-type Ca2+ channels and receptor-activated Ca2+ influx. The SK&F 96365-sensitive sustained contraction induced by noradrenaline (1 microM) may be due primarily to Ca2+ influx through receptor-activated Ca)+ channels resistant to nicardipine. Cumulatively applied BaCl2 (0.1 - 10 mM) increased the noradrenaline (1 microM)-induced sustained contraction of the pulmonary arterial preparation in the absence of nicardipine, but in the presence of nicardipine (1 microM), BaCl2 (0.1 - 3 mM) did not affect this contraction. A higher concentration of BaCl22 (10 mM), however, weakly inhibited the noradrenaline (1 microM)-induced tone. In addition, BaCl2 (3-10 mM) increased the tone induced by KCl (60 mM), and the BaCl2-elevated KCl tone was markedly inhibited by nicardipine (1 microM) treatment. In the guinea-pig isolated oesophageal muscularis mucosae, sustained contraction induced by acetylcholine (3 microM) was resistant to nicardipine (1 microM) but was returned to its basal level by SK&F 96365 (30-60 microM). The SK&F 96365-sensitive, acetylcholine-induced sustained contraction of the oesophageal muscularis mucosae is also likely to link with receptor-activated Ca2+ channels resistant to nicardipine. In contrast to the rat pulmonary artery, cumulatively applied BaC12 (0.3 - 10 mM) inhibited the acetylcholine (3 microM)-induced sustained contraction of the oesophageal muscularis mucosae in a concentration-dependent manner in the presence of nicardipine (1 microM). In conclusion, Ba2+ presumably activates voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels by depolarizing plasma membrane and also passes through voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels to contract the pulmonary artery in the absence of nicardipine, and Ba2+ also has a minor effect on the nicardipine-resistant, SK&F 96365-sensitive sustained contraction induced by noradrenaline in rat isolated pulmonary artery.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed2000

Current non-surgical usage of albumin preparations in clinic divisions.

New guidelines for the clinical use of blood preparations, intended to promote a more rational use, were issued by the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare in June 1999. The purpose of this article is to clarify the current situation in the non-surgical use of albumin (Alb) preparations in each clinic division and to design a plan to promote the rational use of these products at Yamaguchi University Hospital. Of the patients administered Alb preparations in the clinic divisions of our hospital over the six-month period from January 1 to June 30, 1999, 454 were selected based on prescription records of plasma component preparations. Most of the patients were 60 years of age or older (61.7%) and from the surgery division (65.2%). The total amount of Alb administered to the patients was 52.9 kg. Those patients whose serum Alb concentration was less than 2.5 g/dl before and more than 3.5 g/dl after the administration numbered 125 and 122, respectively. The total amount of Alb overdosed to the patients, whose Alb concentration after administration of the preparations was more than 2.5 g/dl, was 17.7 kg (33.5% of the administered amount). The overdosed patients belonged mainly to the surgery division. These results indicate that it is possible to cut back on Alb by reconsidering the criteria for its administration, and that we need to promote more intensively the need to monitor the level and predict the effect of Alb in surgical divisions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

The value of plain radiographs in the prediction of outcome in pelvic fractures treated with embolisation therapy.

40 haemodynamically unstable patients with pelvic injuries were studied to assess the ability of plain radiographs to detect haemorrhagic sites. Pelvic radiographs and bilateral angiograms were reviewed separately for detection of haemorrhagic sites in both anterior and posterior segments. Sensitivity and specificity of pelvic radiographs for the detection of haemorrhagic sites were obtained by analysis of angiographic findings. Angiography demonstrated arterial injury in 106 divisions: 26 right anterior, 22 right posterior, 33 left anterior and 25 left posterior. Sensitivities of the radiographs for predicting haemorrhagic sites were higher in the anterior segment (right, 96%; left, 100%) than in the posterior segment (right, 73%; left, 83%). However, specificities were lower in the anterior segment (right, 79%; left, 78%) than in the posterior segment (right, 100%; left, 100%). In 15 (58%) of 26 patients with in-dwelling Foley catheters, including those with catheter deviation, the severity of anterior injury indicated on plain radiographs was correlated with angiographic findings. Plain radiographs of the pelvis proved useful for predicting haemorrhagic sites in haemodynamically unstable patients with pelvic fractures, especially in those with anterior fractures.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Mast cell tumor in the nasal cavity of a dog.

An 11-year-old male Shetland sheepdog displayed epistaxis and nasal discharge from the left nasal foramen. Cytological examination of a smear sample obtained by rhinotomy revealed neoplastic mast cells in the nasal cavity, a definitive diagnostic sign of mast cell tumor. The case was treated by surgery combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Eighteen days after the last treatment, marked enlargement of the mandibular lymph nodes and facial edema developed, and the dog was euthanized at the owner's request. At necropsy, metastatic proliferation of mast cells was confirmed in the lymph nodes and liver, but no neoplastic mast cells were observed in the nasal cavity.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Identification of canine alpha-lactalbumin.

The nucleotide sequence of canine alpha-lactalbumin cDNA from canine mammary tissue was determined by polymerase chain reaction with degenerate primers. A 742 base pairs nucleotide sequence cloned was similar to the size of mRNA in Northern blot analysis. The cDNA encodes 142 amino acid residues containing the conserved sequence motif of alpha-lactalbumin, demonstrating the highest homology with pig (73% identity-82% similarity) among the known amino acid sequences of alpha-lactalbumin. The canine cDNA also showed 71% identity-78% similarity with human, 58-73% with mouse, 60-74% with rat, 67-77% with goat, 66-77% with cattle, and 67-76% with sheep, respectively.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

A pathologic study on ocular disorders in calves in southern Kyushu, Japan.

Of 822 calves, ranging in age between one day and six months necropsied between 1996 and 1998 at Miyazaki University, histological examination showed that 25 (3.0%) had ocular lesions. These ocular lesions consisted of suppurative inflammation (13 cases), cataract (seven cases), and retinal atrophy (five cases). Inflammatory changes were classified as suppurative keratitis (one case), keratitis and uveitis (ten cases), and uveitis and retinitis (two cases). Cataract was subclassified into three categories; cortical (three cases), nuclear (one case), and mature (three cases). These lesions were characterized by degenerative changes in the lens fibers and the appearance of eosinophilic globules known as Morganian globules. In the most severely affected case, there was capsular rupture of the lens, resulting in severe infiltration by eosinophils and histiocytes of the whole anterior chamber. Almost all the calves with retinal atrophy had been suffering from severe hydranencephaly and three had significantly raised levels of neutralization antibodies for the Akabane and/or Aino viruses. This study indicates that congenital arbovirus infections may predispose calves to ocular diseases, especially retinal atrophy.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Green fluorescent protein gene insertion of Sendai Virus infection in nude mice: possibility as an infection tracer.

The green fluorescent protein (GFP) marker from jellyfish Aequorea victoria is considered to have potential use in the study of host-pathogen relationships, by tracing infections in living cells, organs and animals. We compared the pathogenicity of Sendai virus with an inserted GFP gene (GFP-SeV) with that of its wild-type (Wt-SeV) to determine the usefulness of the recombinant virus in long-term infection of BALB/c nude (nu/nu) mice. The results indicated that the presence of GFP in infected cells could be analyzed easily and sensitively. GFP helped in identifying and in understanding the cellular sites of viral replication in vitro and in vivo. However, the GFP insertion into the Wt-SeV genome, led to decreased pathogenicity, altering the in vivo viral kinetics.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

An epizootiological survey of necropsy cases (1993-1997) at University of the Philippines.

An epizootiological survey of necropsied cases (1993-1997) at University of the Philippines was performed. A total of 368 cases included 238 avian and 111 porcine cases. Amongst avian cases, the major cause of death was infectious diseases in 212 (89%) cases including 97 (41%) bacterial, 36 (15%) viral, and 21(9%) parasitic diseases. The majority of the avian bacterial diseases presented as septicemia (73 cases) and the viral diseases as Newcastle disease (17 cases). In porcine cases, the major cause of death was also infectious diseases, in 100 (90%) cases including 52 bacterial and 29 viral diseases. Porcine bacterial diseases were classified into 36 septicemia, 4 hemophillosis and 4 colibacillosis. Amongst the porcine viral diseases, most cases were diagnosed as Hog cholera (22 cases).

Animal Diseases↗
PubMed2000

Immunohistochemical analysis of cyclin A, cyclin D1 and P53 in mammary tumors, squamous cell carcinomas and basal cell tumors of dogs and cats.

The involvement of cyclin A, cyclin D1 and p53 proteins in canine and feline tumorigenesis was analyzed immunohistochemically. In the present study, a total of 176 cases were examined, among which there were 108 canine cases (75 mammary lesions, 16 squamous cell carcinomas and 17 basal cell tumors) and 68 feline cases (43 mammary lesions, 20 squamous cell carcinomas and 5 basal cell tumors). Speckled nuclear staining for cyclin A was observed in 19/38 (50%) canine malignant mammary tumors and 18/37 (48.6%) feline mammary carcinomas, while this was not seen in benign mammary tumors of either dogs or cats. Marked intense nuclear cyclin A staining was seen in 7/16 (43.8%) canine squamous cell carcinomas and 18/20 (90.0%) feline squamous cell carcinomas. Only 3/17 (17.6%) canine basal cell tumors showed slight and scattered staining for cyclin A. Expression of cyclin D1 was very rare in both canine and feline tumors. Nuclear staining of p53 was found in 7/37 (18.9%) feline mammary carcinomas. Intense immunoreactivity for p53 was found in 6/16 (37.5%) canine squamous cell carcinomas and 8/20 (40%) feline squamous cell carcinomas. These results suggest that cyclin A may have a role in the proliferation of canine malignant mammary tumors, feline mammary carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas of dogs and cats, and p53 may associate with the tumorigenesis of feline mammary carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas of dogs and cats.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Amplification of the cyclin A gene in canine and feline mammary tumors.

DNAs from 33 canine mammary tumors and 8 feline mammary carcinomas were examined by Southern blot analysis to clarify genomic abnormalities of the cyclin A gene. Amplification of cyclin A was detected in 27.3% (9/33) of canine mammary tumors and 87.5% (7/8) of feline mammary carcinomas. It was suggested that amplification of cyclin A do not correlate directly with the tumorigenesis of canine mammary tumors, because there was no significant difference of incidence of cyclin A amplification between the benign and malignant tumors. In feline mammary carcinomas, the high frequency of cyclin A amplification raised the possibility that the amplification lead to the protein overexpression and play an important role in the tumorigenesis.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2000

[Impact of indirect factors on the growing prevalence of workers with abnormal findings in periodic general health examinations: a survey on the definition and detection of such abnormal workers by occupational health organizations].

The prevalence of workers with abnormal findings in periodic general health examinations (PGHEx) has been growing recently in Japan and reached 41.2% in 1998. To clarify the indirect factors related to such an increase in workers with abnormal findings in the PGHEx, we carried out a questionnaire survey on the content of the statutory notification form of results of the PGHEx among a representative sample of 136 Occupational Health Organizations (OHOs). Questions on how those workers with abnormal findings were defined and detected and when the definition and the reference intervals for total cholesterol became available were included. Of the 107 OHOs which answered the questionnaire, 85 were included in the analyses because they actually calculated the number of workers with abnormal findings in each company and helped the employer fill out the notification form. The results revealed that there was no standardized definition of workers with abnormal findings in the PGHEx. Both reference intervals of items in the PGHEx and algorithm in detecting workers with abnormal findings in the PGHEx varied among the OHOs. When detecting the workers, 13 OHOs (15.3%) selected them taking into consideration medical background factors such as previous results of the PGHEx and current medical treatment. From the late 1980s to the early 1990s, many OHOs modified the definition of workers with abnormal findings, and have tended to reduce the upper limit of the reference interval for serum cholesterol. This is mainly due to amendment of the Industrial Safety and Health Law and a new recommendation for a reference interval/value proposed by the related scientific society. Although the prevalence of workers with abnormal findings in the PGHEx has continuously increased, it is not valid to compare the prevalence over the years because of modification in the definition of such workers. The prevalence of workers with abnormal findings in the PGHEx, which is one of the most important indices of the state of occupational health, should be measured by using an objective definition and be compatible with the future system of health examination for Japanese workers.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Treatment of renovascular hypertension using stent implantation in an elderly patient with NIDDM.

A 70-year-old man with NIDDM was diagnosed as having renovascular hypertension (RVH), based on a stenosis of the ostial portion of the left renal artery with markedly elevated plasma renin activity (PRA) in both the left renal vein and the peripheral blood, and positive captopril tests. After percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA), his blood pressure (BP) and PRA normalized. However, since restenosis occurred three months later, stent therapy was applied, and consequently BP and PRA normalized immediately after this procedure. During the one-year follow-up, side effects have not been noted. We propose that stent therapy may be feasible for ostial renal artery stenosis in elderly diabetic patients.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2000

Accuracy of detection of colorectal neoplasia using an immunochemical occult blood test in symptomatic referred patients: comparison of retrospective and prospective studies.

OBJECTIVE: In this study the sensitivity and specificity of immunochemical tests for colorectal neoplasia were evaluated in retrospective and prospective studies. METHODS: Four types of fecal blood tests--a chemical test (Hemoccult II) and three different immunochemical tests including a test which detects hemoglobin and transferrin- were performed in the retrospective study. In the prospective study the test for hemoglobin and transferrin was used for all patients that underwent total colonoscopy. PATIENTS: One hundred seven patients with colorectal neoplasia, 57 with gastroduodenal bleeding, and 62 with normal digestive tracts were examined retrospectively. One thousand two hundred and ninety-eight nonspecifically symptomatic patients whose endoscopic examination was negative for hemorrhagic lesions in the upper digestive tract were examined prospectively. RESULTS: In the retrospective study, sensitivities for the detection of colorectal cancers and adenomas with diameters > or =10 mm using the tests which detect hemoglobin and transferrin were 98% and 89%, respectively. These were the highest sensitivity among the four tests. The specificity of this test was 97%, which was higher than that of the Hemoccult II test. In the prospective study, the sensitivities of the tests for hemoglobin and transferrin for the detection of colorectal cancers and adenomas with diameters > or =10 mm were 79% and 33%, respectively. The specificity was 95%. CONCLUSIONS: The test for hemoglobin and transferrin showed the highest sensitivity and specificity for colorectal neoplasia in the retrospective study. The sensitivity and specificity of this test were not so high in the prospective study, but they may be clinically applicable in the evaluation of patients with various nonspecific symptoms.

Adenoma↗
PubMed2000

Comparison of tests for fecal lactoferrin and fecal occult blood for colorectal diseases: a prospective pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: This prospective pilot study was conducted to compare the usefulness of measuring fecal lactoferrin (Lf) to that of fecal occult blood (FOB) test for detection of colorectal diseases. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The subjects were 351 patients who underwent colonoscopy. A fecal sample was obtained on the day before colonoscopy. Fecal Lf was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The FOB test was performed by combined assay (latex agglutination) of hemoglobin and transferrin. RESULTS: The specificities of the fecal Lf and FOB tests were the same (88.7%). For patients with colorectal cancer (13), colorectal polyp (69), ulcerative colitis (18), Crohn's disease (13), non-specific colitis (8), internal hemorrhoids (60), colon diverticulum (27), and miscellaneous diseases of the colon (10), the rates of positivity for fecal Lf were 7/13, 14/69, 12/18, 7/13, 4/8, 22/60, 8/27, and 6/10, respectively. The corresponding rates for FOB were 8/13, 12/69, 11/18, 4/13, 4/8, 9/60, 2/27, and 1/10. For patients with internal hemorrhoids, the rate of positivity for fecal Lf was significantly higher than that for FOB. In other disease groups, there was no significant difference in the rate of positivity between fecal Lf and FOB. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that measurement of fecal Lf is as useful as FOB in detecting colorectal diseases.

Colonic Diseases↗