Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

K Yamada

Publications and source records attributed to K Yamada.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Effect of dietary cabbage fermentation extract and young barley leaf powder on immune function of Sprague-Dawley rats.

We investigated dietary effects of cabbage fermentation extract (CFE) and young barley leaf powder (YBLP) on rat immune functions. Male Sprague-Dawley rats of 4 wk age were fed for 3 wk diets containing these samples at 0.1 or 1% level. After the feeding period, serum IgG level was significantly higher in the rats fed 1% CFE. IgG productivity of spleen lymphocytes was enhanced dose-dependently in both groups of CFE and YBLP. Furthermore, IgG productivity of mesenteric lymph node (MLN) lymphocytes was approximately 2 times higher in the rats fed 1% CFE diet than in the control ones. IgA productivity of MLN lymphocytes tended to increase in both of CFE and YBLP groups. From these results, it was suggested that dietary CFE and YBLP reinforced Ig productivity in both systemic and intestinal immune systems. Moreover, CFE feeding tended to enhance the production of TNF-alpha by spleen lymphocytes. In spleen phospholipids, the level of arachidonic acid, a substrate for inflammatory lipid mediators, was not affected by CFE or YBLP feeding.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Analytical method of measuring tea catechins in human plasma by solid-phase extraction and HPLC with electrochemical detection.

We developed an analytical method for measuring tea catechins in plasma by solid-phase extraction (SPE), followed by HPLC with a coulometric electrochemical detector. The plasma was mixed with an equal volume of acetonitrile to precipitate protein, and catechins in the resulting supernatant were extracted by SPE, using a C18 cartridge. To correct the extraction efficiency, ethyl gallate was simultaneously added with acetonitrile as an internal standard. Plasma samples were treated in microtubes, and evaporation and SPE were performed by the use of a vacuum centrifuge and vacuum manifold for SPE. The use of these instruments allowed the handling of a large number of samples simultaneously. In this method, (-)-epicatechin (EC), (-)-epicatechin-3-O-gallate (ECg), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCg), and ethyl gallate could be detected as a single peak with high sensitivity. For an analysis of the conjugated form of catechins, plasma samples were treated with glucuronidase and sulfatase. Type H-2 beta-glucuronidase effectively digested the conjugated forms, and the enzyme also converted EGCg and ECg to their nongallated form. When the concentrations of catechins in plasma were analyzed in subjects who took a single dose of catechin liquid, the concentration of free EGCg in plasma reached a maximum of 300 nM at 1 h after intake; those of the other free form of catechins increased only slightly after the intake. The concentration of total catechins (free+conjugated forms) in plasma increased up to 2 h after the intake.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Le Duc-Camey procedure as a method of ureteroileal implantation on augmentation cystoplasty in patients with myelodysplasia].

PURPOSE: We investigated the results of Le Duc-Camey procedure as a method of ureteroileal implantation on augmentation cystoplasty in patients with myelodysplasia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 14 patients (25 renal units) underwent ureteroileal implantation with Le Duc-Camey procedure on augmentation cystoplasty. The possible causes of complications concerning ureteroileal implantation that developed during the postoperative observation were classified as preoperative factors and postoperative factors.: The preoperative factors were the causative disease required ureteroneostomy, the grade of preoperative VUR, and the ureteral diameter at the anastomosis with the ileum.: The postoperative factors were the volume, and the compliance of the urinary bladder, and the maximum intravesical pressureled by the peristalsis of the utilized intestine. RESULTS: With the mean observation period of 31.6 months, no complications developed but VUR observed in 4 renal units of 4 patients. The patients with VUR had a larger ureteral diameter at the anastomosis site to the ileum among the preoperative factors and a significantly larger maximum intravesical pressure led by the intestinal peristalsis among the postoperative factors when compared with the patients without VUR. CONCLUSION: Regarding ureteroileal implantation with Le Duc-Camey procedure on augmentation cystoplasty in patients with myelodysplasia. It seems necessary to consider some countermeasures for the dilated ureters and for the unexpected 2 elevation of intravesical pressure due to the peristalsis of the utilized intestine.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

[A lung cancer patient whose renal scintigram showed transient renal dysfunction after administration of contrast material for CT].

We encountered a patient whose renal scintigram showed renal tubular damage four days after administration of contrast material for CT. As no secretion of radioisotope to the urinary tract was observed on the scintigram and the renogram did not show a secretionary phase, renal tubular damage was suspected. As the renal damage disappeared six days after administration of the contrast material, the damage seemed to be transient, disappearing within five days. Caution is needed with the use of renotoxic drugs such as anti-tumor drugs, especially within five days after administration of contrast materials.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

The accuracy of sonography for evaluation of internal derangement of the temporomandibular joint in asymptomatic elementary school children: comparison with MR and CT.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In order to clarify the incidence and evolution of disk displacement in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in children, we performed a longitudinal analysis in 18 subjects. Some investigators have suggested that sonography can provide information about the articular disk position of the TMJ. The purpose of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of sonography for revealing internal derangement of the TMJ in elementary school children compared with our standard of reference, MR imaging and helical CT. METHODS: Eighteen children were examined using both sonography and MR imaging or helical CT or both. The sonographically revealed distance between the articular capsule and the lateral surface of the mandibular condyle was measured and compared with that obtained by MR or helical CT scanning. RESULTS: Compared with our MR/CT standard of reference, sonography revealed a sensitivity of 83%, a specificity of 96%, and an accuracy of 92% for identifying disk displacement (defined as a distance of 4 mm or more between the articular capsule and the lateral surface of the mandibular condyle). CONCLUSION: Although sonography's sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for the diagnosis of disk displacement were slightly inferior to those of MR or helical CT, we assert it is a useful imaging method for longitudinal investigations of a large group of elementary school children. Internal derangement of the TMJ should be suspected if sonography reveals a distance between the articular capsule and the lateral surface of the mandibular condyle of 4 mm or more.

Child↗
PubMed2001

Interactions of dietary fats and proteins on fatty acid composition of immune cells and LTB4 production by peritoneal exudate cells of rats.

The interaction of dietary fats and proteins on lipid parameters of rats was studied using safflower oil (linoleic acid-rich), borage oil (gamma-linolenic acid-rich) or perilla oil (alpha-linolenic acid-rich) in combination with casein or soybean protein. The experiment was focused on the fatty acid composition of immune cells and the leukotriene B4 production by peritoneal exudate cells. Serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and phospholipid levels were low in perilla oil-fed or soybean protein-fed rats. Fatty acid compositions of serum and liver phospholipids reflected those of dietary fats. However, feeding borage oil resulted in a marked increase in the proportion of dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid in phospholipids of peritoneal exudate cells, spleen lymphocytes, and mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes in relation to those of liver and serum. It is suggested that activities of metabolic n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids are different between immune and other tissues. In addition, the magnitude of the reduction of the proportion of linoleic acid of perilla oil in immune cells was considerably more moderate than serum and liver, indicating a different degree of interference of alpha-linolenic acid with linoleic acid metabolism. Leukotriene release from peritoneal exudate cells was in the order of safflower oil > borage oil > perilla oil groups as reflecting the proportion of arachidonic acid, and tended to be lower in soybean protein-fed groups. These suggest an anti-inflammatory property of gamma-linolenic acid as well as alpha-linolenic acid tended to be strengthened when they were combined with soybean protein than with casein.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

[Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia after adjuvant thoracic radiotherapy for breast cancer: a case report].

We report a case of recurrent cough and migratory pulmonary infiltrates in a 55-year-old woman after adjuvant thoracic radiotherapy for breast cancer. The pulmonary infiltrates were initially limited to the area adjacent to the irradiated breast, but later migrated to the opposite lung. The diagnosis of bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) was made using a transbronchial biopsy, which disclosed intraluminal fibrosis in the distal airspace, together with a radiographic appearance typical of BOOP. This case was assumed to be in a series of reported cases of BOOP primed by radiotherapy.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed2001

[Objective evaluation of visual field loss in a patient with branch retinal artery occlusion and brain infarction].

PURPOSE: To evaluate visual field loss using multifocal ERG(m-ERG), multifocal VEP(m-VEP), and Heidelberg Retina Flowmeter(HRF) in a patient with branch retinal artery occlusion(BRAO) and brain infarction. CASE: A 38-year-old man noticed inferior-nasal visual field loss in the left eye, and was referred to Keio University Hospital. He suffered from paralysis in the left leg due to brain infarction at the age of 24. However, he had not noticed visual field loss due to the brain infarction. His left fundus showed retinal edema in the area of a superior-temporal retinal artery occulusion. He was diagnosed as having BRAO. The Goldmann and Humphry perimetric examinations revealed homonymous quadrantanopia in the upper left field as well as inferior visual field defect in the left eye. RESULTS: Both m-ERG and m-VEP, especially second-kernel responses, were reduced in the affected retinal area of BRAO. But only m-VEP was affected in the corresponding area of homonymous quadrantanopia in the upper left field. The retinal flow in the area with BRAO evaluated by HRF was decreased in some areas and not in others, suggesting that retinal function was not necessarily consistent with retinal circulation. CONCLUSIONS: m-ERG and m-VEP are useful To differentiate retinal lesions from brain lesions in visual field loss.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Biological leaching of heavy metals from anaerobically digested sewage sludge using indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and sulfur waste in a closed system.

The utilization of indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and sulfur waste was investigated in order to remove heavy metals from anaerobically digested sewage sludge economically. Indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria existing in anaerobically digested sewage sludge were activated by adding elemental sulfur to the sludge and then the bacteria were isolated. It was found that indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria could utilize sulfur waste generated by desulfurization of digestion gas as a substrate. Then, biological leaching of heavy metals from anaerobically digested sewage sludge was carried out using indigenous sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and sulfur waste. By adding sulfur waste to sewage sludge, sulfuric acid was produced by the bacteria and the sludge pH decreased. Heavy metals in sewage sludge were effectively removed owing to the decrease of pH. The optimum amount of sulfur waste added to decrease the pH sufficiently was 5g/L when the sludge concentration was 2%. It was presented that the biological leaching of heavy metals from sewage sludge can be carried out in a closed system, where all required materials are obtained in a sewage treatment plant.

Environmental Pollution↗
PubMed2001

Urinary type IV collagen excretion reflects renal morphological alterations and type IV collagen expression in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

AIM: We tried to establish the significance of quantifying urinary type IV collagen (IV-C) excretion for the evaluation of renal involvement of type 2-diabetic patients. METHODS: Twenty patients (13 males and 7 females; age range 31 to 69 years) with type 2 diabetes mellitus had undergone renal biopsy and relationship between the severity of morphological alteration, IV-C expression and urinary IV-C excretion were examined. RESULTS: Urinary IV-C excretion significantly correlated with mesangial expansion score (p = 0.49, p < 0.05) and tubulointerstitial injury score (p = 0.56, p < 0.05). Furthermore, urinary IV-C excretion significantly correlated with both glomerular (r = 0.56, p < 0.01) and tubulointerstitial IV-C expression areas. Urinary protein excretion also correlated with mesangial expansion score and tubulointerstitial injury score. However, it did not correlate with the expression of IV-C in the kidney. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that urinary IV-C excretion reflects the pathogenetic process of diabetic nephropathy, which urinary protein excretion alone cannot do sufficiently. It can be concluded that urinary IV-C excretion could be a more useful marker for the evaluation of renal involvement of type 2-diabetic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Lusitropic effect of MCC-135 is associated with improvement of sarcoplasmic reticulum function in ventricular muscles of rats with diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Effects of MCC-135 on contraction and relaxation properties and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) function were investigated in the failing ventricular muscle due to diabetic cardiomyopathy. Wistar rats were made diabetic by a single injection of streptozotocin (40 mg/kg i.v.). Seven months later, the left ventricular papillary muscle was isolated and isometric tension was measured. The skinned fiber with functional SR preserved was prepared by treatment of the papillary muscle with saponin and used to study SR Ca(2+) uptake, Ca(2+) release, and Ca(2+) leakage. In diabetic rats, developed tension (DT) was decreased, and 80% relaxation time (TR80) and time to peak tension (TTP) were increased compared with normal rats. MCC-135 decreased TR80 and TTP without significant effect on DT in diabetic rats, but not in normal rats. Isoproterenol increased DT, and decreased TTP and TR80 only in normal rats. In diabetic rats, SR Ca(2+) uptake and SR Ca(2+) release were decreased, and SR Ca(2+) leakage was increased compared with normal rats. MCC-135 increased SR Ca(2+) uptake and decreased SR Ca(2+) leakage in diabetic rats, but not in normal rats. SR Ca(2+) release was not affected by MCC-135 both in normal and diabetic rats. The combination of protein kinase A and cAMP increased SR Ca(2+) uptake only in normal rats. These results suggest that MCC-135 has a positive lusitropic effect that might be associated with enhanced Ca(2+) uptake into the SR and reduced Ca(2+) leakage from the SR. MCC-135 appears to be more beneficial in treating the failing myocardium with lusitropic abnormality than cAMP-increasing drugs.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

[A patient with lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) and adenocarcinoma in the same tumor of the lung].

A 60-year-old woman with no symptoms was found to have a mass shadow in the left lower lobe of the lung on chest radiography. Open lung biopsy and left lower lobectomy were performed. Histopathological study of the specimen revealed two distinct neoplasms. One tumor was a low grade B-cell lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) of the lung, while the other was an adenocarcinoma. The two neoplasms were admixed to form a composite tumor.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2001

[Current status of genetic study on affective disorder].

A series of studies have indicated the existence of genetic predisposition and the polygenic-multifactorial mode of transmission for bipolar disorder(BPD). Linkage studies have defined several BPD susceptibility loci. The findings to date suggested the candidate regions on 4p16, 12q23-24, 18p11, 18q22, 21q22, Xq24-27 for BPD, although no genes has yet been definitively identified. There are also many reports on the analyses of candidate genes, using association studies. But none of gene polymorphisms have been established as firm disease alleles with sufficient replications. Novel statistical methods and development of new strategies are necessary to approach the goal of isolating susceptibility genes.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and probucol suppress the time-dependent increase in urinary Type IV collagen excretion of Type II diabetes mellitus patients with early diabetic nephropathy.

BACKGROUND: A multicenter prospective clinical trial was carried out in 9 National Hospitals in Japan to elucidate the time-dependent change in urinary Type IV collagen excretion rate of Type II diabetes mellitus (DM) patients, and to investigate whether an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACE-I) or probucol is effective in preventing progression of renal involvement of diabetics by evaluating urinary Type IV collagen excretion. METHODS: Normo- and microalbuminuric patients with Type II DM were recruited. Patients were assigned to either the control (n = 88), ACE-I (n = 43) or probucol (n = 37) group and treated for 24 months. Besides albumin excretion rate (AER), urinary Type IV collagen excretion rate was also measured. RESULTS: Although, AER, urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase and beta2-microglobulin excretion rates in the control group did not vary over 24 months, urinary Type IV collagen excretion rate in the control group increased time-dependently (p < 0.01 vs baseline at 18 months and p < 0.005 vs baseline at 24 months). In the ACE-I and probucol groups, time-dependent increases in urinary Type IV collagen excretion rates were not observed. In the ACE-I group, the urinary Type IV collagen excretion rate was significantly lower than that in the control group at 24 months (p < 0.05). In the probucol group, the urinary Type IV collagen excretion rate was significantly lower than that in the control group at 6 months (p < 0.05). In the ACE-I group, AER decreased significantly compared with baseline at 18 months (p < 0.05) and at 24 months (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: ACE-I has a beneficial effect and probucol may have a beneficial effect in preventing the progression of early diabetic nephropathy. Measurement of the urinary Type IV collagen excretion rate in combination with AER would be useful for the management of early renal involvement in Type II DM.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed2001

[DNA diagnosis of Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy performed at Keio University Hospital].

PURPOSE: To learn the clinical value of DNA diagnosis for Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), we reviewed the results of DNA diagnosis performed at Keio University Hospital. METHODS AND PATIENTS: Included were 224 patients, 87 patients at Keio University Hospital and 137 patients from other clinics, with bilateral optic neuropathy who were suspected of having LHON. With informed consent, the 3460, 9804, 11,778, 13,730, and 14,484 mutations of mitochondria DNA (mt-DNA) were examined form 1990 to 1998. Percentage of male patients, age at onset of the disease, and percentage of familial history were compared between patients with and without the mutations. The clinical diagnosis at the time of DNA analysis were examined in patients without the mutation. RESULTS: Seventy two(32%) of the 224 patients had one of the five mtDNA mutations, 63(88%) patients had the 11,778 mutation, 6(8%) had the 14,484 mutation, and 3(4%) had the 3460 mutation. In 72 patients with one of the LHON mutations, 89% of the patients were male, the average age of the disease onset was 24.3 years, and 42% of the patients had a familial history of the disease. Eighty (53%) of 152 patients who did not have one of the 5 mutations were diagnosed as having bilateral optic atrophy with unknown causes. CONCLUSION: Although DNA diagnosis of LHON is a useful clinical test, we must know the clinical characteristics of the disease, before taking advantage of this analysis.

Adult↗