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Biomedical subjects

K Yamaguchi

Publications and source records attributed to K Yamaguchi.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Detection of anti-borna disease virus antibodies from cats in Asian countries, Japan, Philippines and Indonesia using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.

Anti-Borna disease virus (BDV) antibodies were detected from cats in Japan, Philippines and Indonesia by using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Positive rates were 3.1%, 3.8% and 2.0% in Japan, Philippines and Indonesia, respectively. There was no differences in the positive rate of anti-BDV antibodies between male and female cats and among habitats. While, a significantly (P<0.05) higher prevalence (6.5%) was found in the oldest age group (more than 6 years) cats.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2001

Usefulness of pulmonary vascular leakiness assessment in interstitial pneumonitis.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Pulmonary vascular leakiness of (67)Ga-circulating transferrin in interstitial pneumonitis (IP) was estimated by our previously described method, and its ability to evaluate disease activity was compared with conventional (67)Ga scintigraphy. DESIGN: Using 30-min dynamic scanning data after IV injection of (67)Ga citrate, the exponential equilibration coefficient of (67)Ga between the intravascular and pulmonary interstitial compartments was calculated and defined as the leak index (LI). Pulmonary (67)Ga uptake was assessed by gallium index, determined by conventional static images taken 48 h after (67)Ga citrate injection. SETTING: Hospitalized patients. PARTICIPANTS: The study population consisted of 17 control patients and 20 patients with IP. RESULTS: The mean LI in patients with IP was significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.0001), whereas no significant increase in gallium index was noted between the IP group and the control group. No significant correlation was found between gallium index and LI among all study participants. Mean LI in patients with active IP was significantly higher than in patients with stable IP (p = 0.0024). CONCLUSIONS: An increase in pulmonary vascular leakiness was found in patients with IP. LI may be useful to assess the disease activity.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

BAL induces an increase in peripheral blood neutrophils and cytokine levels in healthy volunteers and patients with pneumonia.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To examine the peripheral effects of BAL on the neutrophil counts and cytokine levels in the circulation. DESIGN AND METHODS: WBC counts and plasma cytokines were measured before and 4 h after fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) without further interventions (n = 6), or combined with BAL in normal volunteer subjects (n = 6), and in patients with bacterial pneumonia (n = 4). The bronchus of the right middle lobe was wedged, and three 50-mL aliquots of sterile saline solution was instilled. There was no endotoxin contamination in the saline solution or the fluid obtained through the working channel of bronchoscope. RESULTS: In volunteers, peripheral WBC counts and the number of nonsegmented and segmented neutrophils increased after the BAL procedure (p < 0.05) associated with the increase in plasma concentration (mean +/- SEM) of interleukin (IL)-6 (0.99 +/- 0.32 pg/mL before BAL and 20.38 +/- 13.42 pg/mL after BAL; p < 0.05) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; 14.1 +/- 1.7 pg/mL before BAL and 38.5 +/- 9.7 pg/mL after BAL; p < 0.05). The increase in WBC counts and neutrophil counts was positively correlated to the increase in IL-6 (p < 0.05) and the increase in G-CSF (p < 0.05). In patients with pneumonia, IL-6 and G-CSF levels were higher after BAL than in normal volunteer subjects (p < 0.05). There was no increase in plasma concentration of IL-1beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, or IL-8 after BAL in normal volunteer subjects or in patients with pneumonia. FOB without BAL did not increase the WBC count, neutrophil count, or plasma cytokine levels. CONCLUSION: The BAL procedure increases the number of WBCs, and segmented and nonsegmented neutrophils in the peripheral circulation as well as circulating IL-6 and G-CSF levels.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Inhaling gas with different CT densities allows detection of abnormalities in the lung periphery of patients with smoking-induced COPD.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: To establish a novel method allowing detection of regional abnormalities in gas distribution at the acinar level by high-resolution CT (HRCT). PARTICIPANTS: Nonsmoking control subjects (n = 28) and patients with smoking-induced COPD (n = 47). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Changes in lung CT densities were examined by HRCT while the subjects inhaled a gas mixture consisting of 21% O(2) in SF(6) or 21% O(2) in He. HRCT images of the right upper and lower lung fields were obtained at the end of inspiration and expiration of the second and 60th breaths after the start of each gas. Introducing mean lung density (MLD) and relative area with low CT attenuation (%LAA), we analyzed the differences in acinar SF(6) and He distribution in the early phase (second breath) and in the equilibrium state (60th breath). We found that the differences in inspiratory MLD between the SF(6) and He images at the 60th breath were qualitatively consistent with the differences predicted from the physical properties of these gases. However, the differences in inspiratory MLD between the SF(6) and He images taken at the second breath were smaller than those at the 60th breath, especially in the smoking group with COPD. These differences in second-breath inspiratory MLD in the smoking group were smaller in the upper lung field than in the lower lung field. The differences in MLD between the two gases were not detected at end-expiration at the time of either the second or 60th breaths. The %LAA values did not differ between the SF(6) and He images in either the nonsmoking group or the smoking group. CONCLUSIONS: SF(6)/He-associated HRCT images obtained at end-inspiration, but not at end-expiration, in the early breathing phase are useful for predicting acinar gas distribution abnormalities in patients with COPD.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed2001

The MEN1 gene and associated diseases: an update.

Heterozygous germline mutations of the tumor suppressor gene MEN1 are responsible for multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1), a dominantly inherited familial cancer syndrome characterized by the combined occurrence of pituitary, parathyroid, and enteropancreatic tumors. Various types of mutations likely causing loss of the gene function have been identified throughout the entire gene region in patients with MEN1 and related disorders including a small fraction of familial isolated hyperparathyroidism (FIHP). Neither mutation hot spot nor phenotype-genotype correlation has been established in classical MEN1, although some missense mutations may be specifically associated with a phenotype of FIHP. Familial isolated pituitary tumor and atypical familial MEN1 consisting of only pituitary tumor and hyperparathyroidism usually lack germline MEN1 mutations, suggesting that these familial endocrine tumor syndromes are genetic entities distinct from MEN1. DNA test for MEN1 germline mutations is a robust tool for diagnosis of predisposition to MEN1, and will be useful for the counseling and management of patients and their families. In this review, we will summarize the most recent findings on the MEN1 gene, focusing primarily on germline mutations and associated diseases.

DNA Mutational Analysis↗
PubMed2001

Cross-reactive mechanism for the false elevation of free triiodothyronine in the patients treated with diclofenac.

We report three cases of patients exhibiting a false elevation of serum free triiodothyronine (FT3) as a result of a cross-reaction with diclofenac. The first case is a 66-yr-old woman with a long history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The patient was receiving diclofenac for the treatment of her RA. The patient was subsequently diagnosed as having thyroid papillary adenocarcinoma and received a subtotal thyroidectomy. After the operation, the patient exhibited postoperative hypothyroidism except for a gradual elevation of FT3. The other two patients also exhibited an elevated serum FT3 level after the administration of diclofenac. Serum FT3 levels in these patients decreased to normal or below normal after diclofenac administration was discontinued. In the first case, the elimination of immunoglobulin from the sera using polyethylene glycol precipitation did not reduce the FT3 level. In our hospital, Vitros ECi (enhanced chemiluminescence enzyme immunoassay) system and Vitros FT3 kit were used for FT3 assay. The patient's FT3 levels were normal or below normal when they were measured using other FT3 kits. FT3 was also detected when diclofenac was dissolved in a phosphate buffered saline. Therefore, we concluded that a cross-reaction between FT3 and diclofenac was the mechanism causing the false elevation of FT3 in these patients.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Echocardiographic evaluation of right cardiac function in patients with chronic pulmonary diseases.

It is clinically important to evaluate the severity of right ventricular (RV) overload in patients with chronic pulmonary diseases (CPD). For such evaluation, echocardiography has been widely used because the procedure is noninvasive and can be performed repeatedly. We evaluated the severity of RV overload in CPD patients to assess the usefulness of pulsed Doppler echocardiography. The A/E ratio and deceleration time of early RV inflow velocity correlated significantly with the mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) both in patients with and without CPD. The acceleration time/RV ejection time (AcT/RVET) was significantly lower in CPD patients than control subjects and correlated significantly with MPAP. Furthermore, AcT/RVET improved in patients with mild respiratory failure after oxygen therapy, along with a decrease in MPAP. We also compared the new index of myocardial performance (NI) in control subjects and patients with pulmonary tuberculosis sequelae (TB) undergoing home oxygen therapy. The NI was significantly higher in the TB group. Although these results were satisfactory, the pulsed Doppler echocardiography has certain disadvantages because monitoring is influenced by anatomical factors and it is difficult to perform in patients with atrial fibrillation or tachycardia. We conclude that echocardiography using a Doppler method is a useful noninvasive technique for assessment of the right heart system. The precision of this procedure can be improved by combination with other echocardiographic indices of RV overload.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Asialoglycoprotein receptors on rat dendritic cells: possible roles for binding with Kupffer cells and ingesting virus particles.

Rat dendritic cells selectively bind to Kupffer cells in vitro. The present study aimed to reveal adhesion molecules on dendritic cells and their roles in the host defense system. The in situ binding assay to examine the effects of pretreatment of dendritic cells with various kinds of monosaccharides suggested that N-acetylgalactosamine was necessary for the binding of dendritic cells to Kupffer cells. This binding was also attenuated when dendritic cells were injected into an ex vivo liver perfusion circuit together with N-acetyl-galactosamine. It was further shown that the majority of rat lymph dendritic cells and some interdigitating dendritic cells in the lymph nodes possessed asialoglycoprotein receptors specific for N-acetylgalactosamine/galactose as detected by immunostaining. Lymph dendritic cells could ingest virus particles in vitro, even though these cells showed no phagocytic activity for latex particles. The results indicate that rat dendritic cells possess asialoglycoprotein receptors which are probably utilized to recognize Kupffer cells for their recruitment to the liver and possibly to recognize virus particles prior to phagocytosis.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Determination of trace amounts of boron in steel by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with azomethine-H as a precolumn derivatizaion agent.

The determination of trace amounts of boron in steel by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is described. As a derivatizing reagent for the HPLC determination of boron, 8-hydroxy-1-(salicylideneamino)-3,6-naphtalenedisulfonic acid (azomethine-H) was used with a spectrophotometric detection. A peak of boron-azomethine-H chelate was resolved from other peaks using an acetonitrile-water (29 + 71 m/m) eluent containing 8 x 10(-3) mol kg(-1) tetrabutylammonium bromide and 5 x 10(-3) mol kg(-1) acetate buffer (pH 5.0). The lower determination limit (10sigma) of boron was 3.3 x 10(-8) mol dm(-3) for a solution injected into HPLC, which is translated to 0.09 microgB/g when 0.1 g of a steel sample was subjected to the analysis. The analytical results of certified steel samples were in good agreement with the guaranteed values. The addition of ethylenediamine-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetate as a masking agent for the iron(III) matrix with the optimized eluent enables one to achieve the direct determination of trace amounts of boron in such steel sample solutions without any tedious matrix removal or preconcentration.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

A germline mutation, 1001delC, of the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1) gene in a Japanese family.

Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1) is an autosomal dominant inherited disorder characterized by tumors of the enteropancreas, parathyroid and anterior pituitary. The MEN 1 gene was recently cloned, and germline mutations of the gene have been demonstrated in cases of MEN 1. Here, we report a Japanese family with a germline mutation of the MEN 1 gene. The proband (44 y.o., male) had primary hyperparathyroidism (PHP) and pancreatic carcinoid, and his older sister (50 y.o.) had a history of parathyroidectomy for primary hyperparathyroidism at the age of 40. Clinical examination revealed no evidence of PHP or other MEN 1-related tumors in his son. Direct sequencing analysis revealed a heterozygous germline mutation (1001delC) at codon 297 in exon 6 of the MEN 1 gene in the proband and his son. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was also found in the resected parathyroid tissue of the proband. The deletion of cytosine 1001 observed in this case induces a frame shift, which causes the appearance of a stop codon (TAG) at codon 367. This mutation appears to be associated with tumors of the endocrine tissues in the cases studied.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Pneumonitis induced by ou-gon (scullcap).

A 53-year-old Japanese man with recurrent interstitial pneumonia was referred to us. The patient had taken a traditional herb medicine, otsu-ji-to, before the onset of pneumonia. A provocation test for each herbal ingredient contained in otsu-ji-to revealed that the pneumonitis had been induced by ou-gon (scullcap). Lymphocytosis with the CD8+ T-cell subset predominance was found in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lymphocytic alveolitis was noted in the transbronchial lung biopsy specimen after the provocation test. Ou-gon, or scullcap, should be included in the list of drugs with definite causal association with pneumonitis.

Biopsy↗
PubMed2001

Occupational contact urticaria caused by airborne methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride.

Acid anhydrides are low-molecular weight chemicals known to cause respiratory irritancy and allergy. Skin allergy has on rare occasions been reported. A total of 3 subjects with occupational exposure to methylhexahydrophthalic anhydride (MHHPA) and hexahydrophthalic anhydride (HHPA) from an epoxy resin system were studied to evaluate the nature of their reported skin and nose complaints (work-related anamnesis, specific IgE, contact urticaria examinations, and ambient monitoring). Using a Pharmacia CAP system with a HHPA human serum albumin conjugate, specific IgE antibody was detected in serum from 1 (33.3%) out of the 3 workers. One unsensitized worker displayed nasal pain and rhinorrhea only when loading liquid epoxy resins into the pouring-machine (2.2 mg MHHPA/m3 and 1.2 mg HHPA/m3), probably being an irritant reaction. Two workers had work-related symptoms at relatively low levels of exposure (geometric mean 32-103 microg MHHPA/m3 and 18-59 microg HHPA/m3); one complained of only rhinitis, and the other was sensitized against HHPA and displayed both rhinitis and contact urticaria (the face and neck). The worker's skin symptoms were evidently due to airborne contact, since she had not had any skin contact with liquid epoxy resin or mixtures of MHHPA and HHPA. These urticaria symptoms were confirmed by a 20-min closed patch test for MHHPA, but not by that for HHPA. The causative agent was considered to be MHHPA, although the specific IgE determination to MHHPA was not performed.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[A case of relapsed small cell lung cancer recognized by simple metastasis to the duodenum].

We describe a case of relapsed small cell lung cancer (SCLC) recognized by a duodenal tumor, its probable metastasis. A 69-year-old man was admitted to Keio University Hospital complaining of persistent sputum production in September, 1996. A diagnosis of SCLC of the left lung invading the mediastinum was based on a transesophageal biopsy. Chemotherapy consisting of CDDP and VP-16 followed by thoracic irradiation at a total dose of 50 Gy was performed from October 1996 to August 1997, resulting in CR (Complete Response) of the tumor. In April of 1999, a mass surrounding the duodenum was found through an abdominal CT survey for tumor relapse, but no other tumors were detected in a series of CT scans or inbone scintigraphy. Subsequent fiberscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract revealed an ulcerative tumor extensively invading the mucosa of the duodenal bulb. Biopsy specimens obtained from the duodenal tumor showed small-cell carcinoma with features similar to those of SCLC found in 1996, suggesting that SCLC of the left lung metastasized to the duodenal wall. Chemoradiotherapy with 4 cycles of CDDP and VP-16 followed by abdominal irradiation at a dose of 30 Gy was given again from May to September 1999, producing good PR (Partial Response). Although metastasis of SCLC to the duodenum seldom occurs, this report indicates that its early detection and effective treatment may prevent serious symptoms caused by obstruction of the duodenum or the papilla Vater.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

[Changes of infections due to drug resistant bacteria and its control].

The development and use of antibiotics for the chemotherapy of bacterial infections was one of the most remarkable accomplishments in medicine of the 20th. However, antibiotic-resistant bacteria were found in clinical isolates soon after the introduction of the earliest antimicrobial agents into the market. Significant increases in prevalence of resistance to antimicrobial agents have been observed in common pathogens of humans in the worldwide and problems of resistance are still presently serious among the immunocompromised host. The most important of these organisms are methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, and certain gram-negative bacilli due to extended-spectrum beta-lactamase production. These antibiotic resistances have made antimicrobial therapy of many infections extremely difficult or virtually impossible in some instances. In this article, we reviewed the history of antibiotic-resistance and discussed on the future.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed2001

[Vancomycin-resistant enterococci(VRE)].

The incidence of Enterococcal nosocomial infection has increased since 1980s. Most Enterococci are intrinsically resistant to many kinds of antibiotics, therefore, therapeutic drugs for enterococal infectious disease are limited to a few antibiotics such as ampicillin, gentamicin and vancomycin. However, since the first report of penicillinase producing E. faecalis in 1983, ampicillin-resistant strains have been increasing, furthermore, these strains often associated with high-level resistance to aminoglycosides. The yearly usage of vancomycin increased because vancomycin was only effective drug against such resistant strains and worldwide spread of multidrug-resistant MRSA which vancomycin is only effective. However, High-level vancomycin-resistance strains of E. faecium were first isolated in England in 1986. In 1990s, VRE have been spreading all over the world, especially, the emergency of multidrug-resistant strains, which are resistant to high concentrations of ampicillin or gentamicin or to vancomycin in USA, brought serious therapeutic dilemmas. This review focuses on the background in emergence of VRE, the relation with use of avoparcin, is used for growth promotion in farm animals, the mechanism of resistance, and the prevention of the spread of vancomycin resistance.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed2001

Mini-open rotator cuff repair: an updated perspective.

The mini-open rotator cuff or arthroscopically assisted surgical procedure for repair of the rotator cuff has become a popular procedure with proven clinical results. The development of this procedure has followed a natural progression toward more minimally invasive means to accomplish rotator cuff repair. For many, it represents a middle ground between the traditional formal open repair and the newer complete arthroscopic rotator cuff repairs. As arthroscopic rotator cuff repair becomes more refined and accepted, the mini-open repair can also represent an excellent transitional technique to someday accomplish the more technically difficult complete arthroscopic repair. Whether used as the definitive rotator cuff repair procedure or as a transitional procedure toward arthroscopic repair, the mini-open repair can be thought of as two different types of procedures, an arthroscopically assisted open repair in which the actual repair is performed in a primarily open fashion, or as a mini-open assisted arthroscopic repair in which most of the repair is performed arthroscopically and an open exposure provided just for bone-tendon fixation. With either strategy, the mini-open repair represents an excellent technique for treating full-thickness rotator cuff tears and offers many of the advantages of either formal or complete arthroscopic repair while minimizing many of the disadvantages.

Arthroscopy↗