Biomedical subjects
K Yabuki
Publications and source records attributed to K Yabuki.
Association of MICA gene and HLA-B*5101 with Behçet's disease in Greece.
PURPOSE: Behçet's disease (BD) is known to be associated with HLA-B51 in many different ethnic groups. Recently MICA, a member of a novel family of the human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I genes termed MIC (MHC class I chain-related genes), was identified near the HLA-B gene, and a triplet repeat microsatellite polymorphism was found in the transmembrane (TM) region. Because a strong association with BD of one particular MICA-TM allele, A6, was shown in a Japanese population, the present study was conducted to investigate microsatellite polymorphism in Greek patients with BD to know whether this association is generally observed in BD occurring in other populations. METHODS: Thirty-eight Greek patients with BD and 40 ethnically matched control subjects were examined for MICA microsatellite polymorphism using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent automated fragment detection by fluorescent-based technology. RESULTS: Similar to the Japanese patients with BD, the phenotype frequency of the MICA-TM A6 allele was significantly increased in the Greek patients with BD (50.0% in control subjects versus 86.8% in BD cases), with an odds ratio (OR) of 6.60 (P = 0.0012). The MICA-A6 allele was found in a high frequency both in males and females (weighted OR = 6.68; P = 0.0017). No association was found between the A6 allele and several disease features. A strong association exists between the MICA-TM A6 allele and the B*5101 allele in both the control subjects and patients with BD (weighted OR = 44.39; P = 0.0000023). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed in Greek patients a strong association of BD with a particular MICA-TM allele, MICA-A6, providing insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the development of BD.
Association between MICA gene A4 allele and acute anterior uveitis in white patients with and without HLA-B27.
PURPOSE: Acute anterior uveitis is strongly associated with the HLA-B27 antigen and triggered by the involvement of some external factors. However, it is uncertain whether HLA-B27 itself or other gene(s) near the HLA-B region in a linkage disequilibrium with HLA-B27 predispose to this uveitis. We therefore investigated microsatellite polymorphism in the transmembrane region of the major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related gene A (MICA), located 47 kilobases (kb) on the centromeric side of the HLA-B gene on the short arm of chromosome 6 within 6p21.3. METHODS: We examined the following patients for MICA gene polymorphism by means of polymerase chain reaction and subsequent automated fragment detection by fluorescent-based technology: 64 (37 HLA-B27-positive and 27 HLA-B27-negative) whites with acute anterior uveitis, 74 (67 HLA-B27-negative and 7 HLA-B27-positive) ethnically matched random controls, and 36 HLA-B27-positive healthy controls. RESULTS: The microsatellite allele consisting of four repetitions of GCT/AGC (designated A4 allele) was present at the significantly higher phenotype frequency (71.9%) in the patient group than in the ethnically matched random control group (13.5%) (P < .0000001, corrected P < .0000001). The A4 allele was strongly linked to HLA-B27 in a white population. However, the A4 allele was also found at the significantly higher phenotype frequency (37.0%) even in the HLA-B27-negative patient group than in the ethnically matched HLA-B27-negative control group (4.5%) (P = .0086, corrected P = .043). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the MICA gene itself or other nearby gene(s) linked to the MICA A4 allele may be involved in the development of acute anterior uveitis in a white population.
Microsatellite polymorphism within the MICB gene among Japanese patients with Behçet's disease.
Behçet's disease (BD) is known to be associated with HLA-B51. In order to investigate the influence of the MICB gene, located about 120 kb centromeric of the HLA-B gene, on the susceptibility to BD, (CA/TG) dinucleotide repeat microsatellite polymorphism in intron 1 of the MICB gene was investigated among 77 Japanese patients with BD, 60 randomly selected controls and 28 HLA-B51-positive unrelated healthy controls. There was no significant difference in the phenotype frequency of the microsatellite polymorphism between the BD patients and controls. This result suggests that the MICB gene itself is not responsible for the development of BD, and that the candidate gene(s) for BD is located between the MICA and HLA-C genes.
Episcleritis associated with pigmentary retinal degeneration in an HTLV-I carrier.
Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) has been reported as the cause of a kind of endogenous uveitis (HTLV-I associated uveitis; HAU). We observed a case of episcleritis in a HTLV-I carrier with pigmentary retinal degeneration. HTLV-I infection might be associated with the development of episcleritis and pigmentary retinal degeneration. Patients with episcleritis or pigmentary retinal degeneration should be examined for HTLV-I infection.
MICA gene polymorphisms and HLA-B27 subtypes in Japanese patients with HLA-B27-associated acute anterior uveitis.
PURPOSE: HLA-B27-associated acute anterior uveitis (HLA-B27 AAU) seems to be triggered by external factors in persons with a particular genetic background. It is still uncertain whether HLA-B27 or other gene(s) near the HLA-B region predisposes to uveitis in a linkage disequilibrium with B27. The authors investigated microsatellite polymorphism within the transmembrane region of the MICA gene, located 47 kb centromeric of the HLA-B gene, and HLA-B27 subtypes. METHODS: Seventeen HLA-B27-positive Japanese patients with HLA-B27 AAU, 51 Japanese controls, and 20 B27-positive Japanese controls were examined for MICA gene polymorphism within the transmembrane region using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent automated fragment detection by fluorescent-based technology. Furthermore, B27-positive patients with HLA-B27 AAU and B27-positive controls were examined for HLA-B27 subtypes by the PCR-sequence-specific primer method. RESULTS: The microsatellite allele in the MICA gene, consisting of four repetitions of GCT/AGC (designated A4 allele), was present at a significantly higher phenotype frequency in the patient group (64.7%) than in the control group (25.5%) (chi 2 = 6.95, Pc = 0.042). Furthermore, the frequency of the A4 allele was significantly higher, even when compared with 20% in the B27-positive control group (chi 2 = 5.88, Pc = 0.042). The frequency of HLA-B27 subtypes was not significantly different between B27-positive patients with HLA-B27 AAU and B27-positive controls. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the MICA gene itself, or other nearby gene(s), linked to the MICA A4 allele may be involved in the development of HLA-B27 AAU and that HLA-B27 subtypes are not important in the development of HLA-B27 AAU in a Japanese population.
A patient with a traumatic right diaphragmatic hernia occurring 4 years after sustaining injury--statistical observations of a delayed diaphragmatic hernia caused by uncomplicated injury in Japan.
We describe our experience with a patient in whom a traumatic right diaphragmatic hernia developed 4 years after sustaining injury and review cases of delayed diaphragmatic injury reported in Japan. The patient was a 28-year-old man who sustained a severe contusion of the right epigastric region and fractured a right rib in a traffic accident in September 1992. In August 1996, the patient presented with shortness of breath on effort or after meals. A chest roentgenogram revealed intestinal gas in the right side of the thoracic cavity. A right diaphragmatic hernia was diagnosed on the basis of a gastrointestinal series, and the patient was operated on. The hernial orifice extended anteriorly from the central tendon in an 11:00 direction and measured 11 x 6 cm. The small intestine, right side of the colon, and liver were herniated. A total of 297 cases of blunt traumatic diaphragmatic hernia were reported in Japan between 1981 and 1996, including 47 cases (left side, 32 cases; right side, 15 cases) of delayed diaphragmatic hernia, defined as occurring one month or more after injury. Diaphragmatic hernia should be considered as a possible diagnosis in patients with abnormal shadows in the thoracic region who have recently sustained injury or who have a past history of injury.
A clinical study of elderly patients with acute cholecystitis.
UNLABELLED: In recent years, an increase in average life expectancy has led to a rapid rise in the number of elderly patients undergoing surgery for acute cholecystitis. We studied the clinical characteristics of elderly patients (aged 75 years of more) undergoing surgery for acute cholecystitis, as compared with those of non-elderly patients (aged less than 75 years) undergoing similar procedures. Twenty-four of the patients were elderly, and 44 were non-elderly. RESULTS: Echography and abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed no characteristic findings specific to elderly patients, but a smaller proportion of elderly patients showed a three-layered structure of the gallbladder wall. The leukocyte count on admission was significantly lower in elderly patients than in non-elderly patients. As for therapy, a significantly higher proportion of elderly patients underwent percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) + cholecystectomy + choledochotomy/choledocholithotomy, as compared with non-elderly patients. In contrast, cholecystectomy alone was performed more frequently in non-elderly patients than in elderly patients. The main postoperative complications were psychic symptoms and respiratory tract infections. The postoperative hospital stay was significantly longer for elderly patients, in part because they requested to remain in the hospital until they were able to perform activities of daily living.
A case of early gastric carcinoma with acute gastric mucosal lesions presenting difficulty in differentiating advanced gastric carcinoma.
An 87-year-old man diagnosed as having advanced gastric carcinoma was admitted to our hospital. In a barium X-ray examination of the stomach taken at another hospital, filling defects were obseved in the greater and lesser curvatures of the antrum, while the entire pyloric region was rigid and stenotic. The gastroscopic findings showed pronounced curvature and stenosis of the pylorus and the pyloric mucosa was edematous and sclerotic. Histopathological examination of a biopsy specimen from the pylorus indicated a group V. The gastroscopic findings subsequent to admission displayed pronounced improvement with only sporadic shallow ulceration and erosion. The histopathological findings of the excised specimen showed that several depressed lesions in the antrum were active ulcers or their scars and the depressed lesions extending from the antrum to the pyloric ring were early gastric carcinoma. The findings of filling defects of the antrum and stenosis with ridigity of the pyloric region in the radiographic examination, and pronounced curvature and stenosis of the pylorus and sclerosis with edema of the pyloric mucosa in the gastroscopic examination were very similar to typical findings of advanced gastric carcinoma with pyloric stenosis. In addition, histopathological examination of a biopsy specimen from the pylorus indicating a group V made differentiation from advanced gastric carcinoma extremely difficult.
Human T cell lymphotropic virus type I associated uveitis in a child.
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Role of Kupffer cells in the induction of tolerance after liver transplantation.
The role of Kupffer cells (KC) in the induction of tolerance caused by preoperative donor-specific blood transfusion (DST) was investigated. DA rats (RT1a) were used as donors and Lewis rats (RT1(l)) as recipients. Recipients of an orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) were divided into eight groups: Group 1, only OLT was performed; Group 2, on Days 9 and 8 before OLT, gadolinium (Gd) was injected intravenously; Group 3, on Day 7 before OLT, donor blood was injected intravenously (ivDST); Group 4, DST was performed via the portal vein (ipvDST); Group 5, Gd was injected twice as described for Group 2 before ivDST; Group 6, Gd was injected as described for Group 2 before ipvDST; Group 7; ivDST was performed, and then on Days 3 and 2 before OLT, Gd was injected; Group 8, ipvDST was performed, and then Gd was injected as described for Group 7. The mean survival times (MSTs) were 11.6, 11.8, 52.7, 64.4, 27.7, 39.4, 49.4, and 64.2 days in each group. That is, injection of Gd only or injection after DST had no effects for the survival days of recipients. There was no statistically significant difference between Group 6 and Groups 3 and 4, but the MST of Group 5 was significantly shorter than those of Groups 3 and 4. Microscopic studies demonstrated marked portal and lobular infiltration and endothelialitis, as well as necrosis of the parenchyma and paucity of interlobular bile ducts in Groups 1, 2, and 5. While in Groups 3, 4, and 6 these findings were considerably mild. These results suggested that KC participated in the induction of tolerance caused by DST and that portal venous injection of donor blood diminished the effects of Gd.
Carbon dioxide and oxygen budgets of a plant cultural system in a CELSS--a case of cultivation of lettuce and turnips.
In order to collect basic data about CO2 and O2 budgets of a plant cultural system in a CELSS, the variation of the CO2 absorption rates of lettuce and turnips were observed during the growing period, under different conditions. The O2 release rates were deduced from the CO2 absorption rates multiplied by 32/44. As a result, when the light intensity, the photoperiod and the atmospheric CO2 concentration increased, the rates also increased. The effects on the turnips were more significant than those on the lettuce. Turnips at 310 micromoles/m2/s of PPFD, 24 hours of photoperiod and 1100 ppm of CO2 concentration grew most actively in the present experimental conditions. One turnip absorbed 32.3 g CO2 and released 23.5 g O2 for 6 days between 24 days and 30 days after sowing.
Urinary calcium and calcium balance in young women affected by high protein diet of soy protein isolate and adding sulfur-containing amino acids and/or potassium.
The effects of sulfur-containing amino acids (SAA) and potassium (K) on urinary excretion and retention of calcium (Ca) of 27 young Japanese women were studied. A basal diet low in protein level (50 g per day) was fortified by meat or soy protein isolate (SPI) to a protein level of 100 g per day, and effects of addition of apple to these high protein diets, and addition of SAA and/or potassium (K) to the high SPI diet, especially on urinary Ca excretion, were studied. The addition of meat which increased protein intake to 100 g caused the increase in apparent absorption and urinary excretion of Ca with increased excretion of urinary sulfur (S), phosphate, ammonia, and titratable acids (TA), whereas addition of SPI did not. The addition of apple to high meat diet decreased absorption and urinary excretion of Ca. Urinary Ca, S, K, ammonia, and TA excretion increased by the addition of SAA to high SPI diet in a manner similar to the meat diet. Consequently, SAA-supplemented diet had a significantly negative effect on Ca retention. In SPI+SAA,K diet period, urinary K excretion markedly increased, and increments in urinary Ca, ammonia, and TA excretion were reversed. These changes observed in SPI+SAA, K diet period were similar to those by adding apple to meat diet without any effect on Ca absorption. The results suggest that the hypercalciuria induced by high meat diet is mainly caused by high content of SAA and may be reversed by the ingestion of K-rich foodstuffs, and soy protein does not induce hypercalciuria because of it contains less SAA than animal protein.
[Experimental study of the effects of exogenous epinephrine on the mechanism of gastric acid secretion].
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[Treatment of patients with hepatoma and esophageal varices].
Fifty-nine patients with hepatoma associated with advanced esophageal varices who received a variety of therapeutic modalities in the past 10 years at our department were reviewed. Our therapeutic modalities are hepatic resection, hepatic artery ligation (HAL) and trans-arterial embolization (TAE) for those with hepatoma and non-shunting treatment (NST; esophageal transection or Hassab's procedure) and endoscopic sclerotherapy (ST) for those with esophageal varices. A patient selection was made by our own criterial developed by a multiple regression analysis for the hepatoma and KICG value for esophageal varices. Out of 59.16 underwent hepatic resection and NST. Eight survived more than 2 years. The longest survivor has been living for 4 yr and 4 months. Two-year survival rate is 69.8%. Another 16 underwent HAL and NST. Two-year survival was 14.6%. Another 7 underwent ST following hepatic resection or HAL. Five of the 7 received an emergency ST. Hemostasis was achieved in all of them. Two-year survival was 21.8%. The remaining 20 underwent ST and TAE; 13 received an emergency ST with 85% of hemostasis rate. None of them survived more than 2 years. From these data, it is suggested that a proper selection of patients for a proper therapeutic modality improves the prognosis even in those with hepatoma associated with advanced esophageal varices.
[Effect of the size of the disc cup on the area of the isopters in normal, ocular hypertension and glaucomatous eyes].
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[Temporal summation of normal eyes and impaired regions of the visual field].
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[A case of mesenteric panniculitis diagnosed before operation and cured by colostomy].
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