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Biomedical subjects

K Yamane

Publications and source records attributed to K Yamane.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Sjögren's syndrome with hydronephrosis caused by pseudolymphoma.

A 67-year-old woman with Sjögren's syndrome was found to have left hydronephrosis and stenosis of the left ureter. Exploratory laparotomy disclosed a nodule at the ureteropelvic junction of the left ureter. Histopathological examinations of the biopsied specimen of this nodule showed lymphoid hyperplasia within the ureteral wall. Low dose prednisolone improved hydronephrosis and pseudolymphoma within several months. Hydronephrosis secondary to pseudo-lymphomatous infiltration of the ureter is a rare but, if properly treated, reversible complication of Sjögren's syndrome.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Bilateral symmetrical cerebral arteriovenous malformations in the basal ganglia--case report.

A 21-year-old male presented with visual disturbance followed by severe headache. Computed tomography showed right thalamic hemorrhage entering the right lateral ventricle. Cerebral angiography revealed bilateral symmetrical arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) fed by the lenticulostriate, anterior choroidal, and lateral posterior choroidal arteries and draining into the vein of Galen. Partial removal of the right AVM induced bleeding on the left side, probably due to postoperative hemodynamic changes. Bilateral symmetrical cerebral AVMs are extremely rare, but provide serious problems for surgical intervention in the deep cerebrum.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Significance of plasma endothelin-1 levels in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a novel potent vasoconstrictor peptide discovered in the supernatant fraction of cultured endothelial cells. We measured plasma levels of ET-1 using a sensitive sandwich enzyme immunoassay. Plasma concentrations of ET-1 in 31 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) (1.90 +/- 0.47 pg/ml) were higher than those (1.31 +/- 0.10 pg/ml) in 25 age and sex matched healthy subjects. Patients with SSc with diffuse scleroderma had higher levels of ET-1 compared with those with limited scleroderma. Plasma ET-1 levels correlated inversely with carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLco). Measurement of plasma ET-1 levels may be useful as a predictor of prognosis of SSc.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Analysis of pyrophillitosis by high-resolution computed tomography].

High-resolution computed tomography (HR-CT) was performed on 20 patients with pyrophilitosis. Small nodular opacities in these patients could be divided by HR-CT into two types, namely, tiny irregular branching structures (TIB) and small round opacities (SRO). TIB had a centrilobular distribution and were characteristic of pyrophillitosis. SRO had both centrilobular and perilobular distributions and were considered to be changes modified by the aspiration of silica. Large opacities (LO) of pyrophillitosis were classified into three types, that is, spherical type, flat type parallel to the bronchus and flat type parallel to the thoracic wall. The spherical type was seen in patients exposed to both pyrophillite and silica, while the flat types were seen in patients exposed to only pyrophillite and were characteristic opacities of pyrophillitosis. Pulmonary emphysema was found in only one patient with pyrophillitosis, whereas mediastinal lymph node swelling and calcification were seen in most patients with pyrophillitosis. HR-CT is useful in making a more accurate evaluation of these lesions.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Sequencing reveals similarity of the wild-type div+ gene of Bacillus subtilis to the Escherichia coli secA gene.

We have determined the nucleotide (nt) sequence of the wild-type div+ gene of Bacillus subtilis which complements the temperature-sensitive div-341 mutation and is involved in cell septation, sporulation, secretion of extracellular enzymes, development of competence, autolysis and spore outgrowth. It has an open reading frame encoding 841 amino acids (aa) with homology to the Escherichia coli secA gene, which is involved in protein secretion and cell separation. The deduced aa sequence of the B. subtilis div+ gene shares 50% identity with that of the E. coli secA gene, and highly homologous regions were observed in the N-terminal portions. DNA-DNA hybridization with the E. coli secA gene as the probe showed that the div+ gene could be easily detected by homology and that a single copy of the homologous gene was present in B. subtilis. Since both genes are similar in their functions and deduced aa sequences, we propose that the div+ gene is the counterpart of the secA gene of E. coli.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

A case of pheochromocytoma associated with meningioma.

We have recently observed a rare case of pheochromocytoma associated with meningioma. To determine the mechanism of such a coexistence in this particular case, we compared the constitutional and pheochromocytoma genotypes of the patient using polymorphic four DNA markers, and we found a loss of heterozygosity at the D1S7 locus. A loss of heterozygosity at this locus has previously been reported by Mathew et al. in pheochromocytoma patients, and our results were in agreement with that study. Therefore the allelic deletion at the D1S7 locus may be an important step in the tumorigenesis of pheochromocytoma in this case.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗
PubMed1991

Extracellular production of mouse interferon beta by the Bacillus subtilis alpha-amylase secretion vectors: antiviral activity and deduced NH2-terminal amino acid sequences of the secreted proteins.

Using two Bacillus subtilis alpha-amylase secretion vectors, mouse interferon-beta (IFN-beta) cDNA was expressed. Ten kinds of mature and hybrid forms of biologically active mouse IFN-beta proteins were synthesized in B. subtilis and were secreted into the culture medium. Similar amounts of proteins, which were determined by immunoblot analysis, were secreted from the B. subtilis transformants, while the antiviral activity in the medium was markedly different in each one of them. The highest antiviral activity was observed in a hybrid protein, in which eleven amino acids consisting of the prosequence of alpha-amylase (eight amino acids) and three amino acids encoding in the HindIII linker DNA were assumed to be extended in front of the Leu residue at position 6 of the mature form of mouse IFN-beta. Its activity was higher than that of the mature form of the mouse IFN-beta secreted from a B. subtilis transformant. These results indicate that the amino acid sequence around the NH2-terminal region of the mouse IFN-beta is closely related to the antiviral activity, but the NH2-terminal amino acid is not. The hybrid proteins of mouse IFN-beta show no interferon activity against a human cell line, HEL.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Clinical features of patients with mild systemic lupus erythematosus.

Clinical features of 16 patients with mild systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were compared with those of 21 control patients with moderate or severe disease. Age at the time of diagnosis of SLE was higher in mild disease group. The incidence of the coexistence of Sjögren's syndrome (SS) at the time of diagnosis of SLE was higher in patients who later developed mild disease. Anti-Sm antibody and decreased levels of C3, C4, and CH50 occurred less frequently in patients with mild disease. SLE patients with the coexistence of SS at the time of diagnosis of SLE may represent a subset with a benign prognosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Molecular cloning and analysis of nucleotide sequence of the Bacillus subtilis lysA gene region using B. subtilis phage vectors and a multi-copy plasmid, pUB110.

A 3.8-kb EcoRI-fragment containing the lysA gene [diaminopimelate (DAP) decarboxylase] of Bacillus subtilis has been cloned into B. subtilis phage phi 105 and its nucleotides sequenced. The nucleotide sequence of a 3,762 bp stretch contained three open reading frames (ORF1, ORF2, and ORF3) in one orientation and another open reading frame (ORF4) in the opposite orientation. ORF2 coded for the lysA gene based on the complementation of a B. subtilis lys auxotroph and on the fact that the predicted amino acid sequence (440 amino acids with a molecular weight of 48,876) of ORF2 shared a 29.7%, 38.3%, and 32.9% identity with the sequences of Escherichia coli, Corynebacterium glutamicum and Pseudomonas aeruginosa lysA genes, respectively. ORF1, ORF3, and ORF4 did not correspond to E. coli lysR. Based on the comparison of the B. subtilis lysA sequence with a sequence of the DAP-decarboxylase gene cloned into pUB110 (Yamamoto et al., Nucleic Acids Res., 17, 10105 (1989], it was found that the lys gene in the plasmid was fused with the dnaN gene in its COOH-terminal region.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

[A case of delayed myeloneuropathy due to malathion intoxication].

We report a patient with serious organophosphorus-induced delayed neurotoxicity due to malathion. The patient was a 49-year-old male with a history of habitual alcohol drinking, who ingested approximately 100 ml of 50% malathion [S-1,2-bis(ethoxycarbonyl)-ethyl-0,0-dimethyl phosphorodithioate solution], with a large amount of alcohol in a suicide attempt. Following recovery from an acute cholinergic phase 36 hours after ingestion, respiratory muscle weakness, consciousness disturbance and diffuse weakness of the limb muscles occurred, necessitating mechanical ventilation. On the 7th hospital day, glove and stocking type sensory disturbance was observed and weakness of the limbs had progressed to distal dominant flaccid quadriparalysis with moderate muscle atrophy. Two months after onset, neurogenic bladder and spinal automatism became obvious. After 7 months, spasticity of the lower limbs developed, while the weakness of the upper limbs improved. Sural nerve biopsy showed axonal degeneration, loss of large myelinated fibers and increases in Schwann cell clusters. These findings were similar to those seen in patient with triorthocresyl phosphate (TOCP) intoxication. The symptoms of this patient seemed to correspond to Senanayake's "intermediate syndrome". The final clinical features and sural nerve biopsy findings were in close agreement with those in patients with serious organophosphorus compounds induced delayed neurotoxicity due to TOCP intoxication. However, this patient exhibited more severe neuropathy than seen in previously reported cases of organophosphorus compounds induced delayed neurotoxicity caused by less toxic organophosphorus compounds, such as Dipterex. This suggests that alcohol might have been an etiological factor in damage of nervous tissue in this rare case. This is the first case of organophosphorus compounds induced delayed neurotoxicity due to malathion to be reported in Japan.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1991

[A case of transverse myelopathy caused by acupuncture].

A 54-year-old man received insertion of an acupuncture needle into the region extending from the posterior neck to the back on two occasions for the treatment of shoulder stiffness. Two weeks after the second acupuncture, he developed fever, dysarthria and mictionary disturbance, finally reaching the condition of tetraplegia. He was immediately admitted to an emergency room in our hospital, and was diagnosed as sepsis with DIC, ARDS, heart failure, renal failure, liver failure, and myelitis. After one month, he recovered with transverse myelopathy as a residual deficit. Neurological findings showed transverse myelopathy below the level of Th2 at that time. Cervical CT revealed an irregular low density at the periphery of the cervical vertebra from the C2 to C4 level. Cervical MRI revealed an irregular swelling of his spinal cord from the C2 to C7 level. We explained the mechanism of transverse myelopathy in this case as follows. After the acupuncture, he suffered a focal infection of the region of needle insertion, and then the infection expanded to the cervical vertebra, thus causing osteomyelitis, sepsis, and finally cervical myelitis. Direct injury of the spinal cord and nerve roots as a complication of acupuncture was previously reported, but indirect injury of the spinal cord due to myelitis had not been reported except our present case. Careful attentions should be paid to the complications of acupuncture.

Acupuncture Therapy↗
PubMed1991

Decreased release of leukotriene B4 from monocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

The leukotriene B4 (LTB4) releasing capacities of monocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) were studied using a specific radioimmunoassay in 28 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 9 normal controls. LTB4 release from both monocytes (7.3 +/- 3.3 ng) and PMN (6.6 +/- 3.4 ng) in SLE patients was decreased compared with that (15.2 +/- 4.3 ng for monocytes, 20.7 +/- 4.5 ng for PMN) in normal controls. There were no differences in the releasing capacities of monocytes and PMN between patients with active and inactive disease. LTB4 suppressed lymphocyte blastogenesis by PHA-P and induced suppressor cells. The significance of the decreased release of LTB4 from monocytes and PMN in SLE patients was discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

A positively charged region is a determinant of the orientation of cytoplasmic membrane proteins in Escherichia coli.

Basic amino acid residues were introduced into an extracellular (periplasmic) domain, preceding a membrane-spanning hydrophobic domain, of SecY, an integral cytoplasmic membrane protein. The localization of the domain was monitored as to the alkaline phosphatase activity of TnPhoA fused adjacent to the domain. The alkaline phosphatase activity of such Escherichia coli cells drastically decreased when positive charges were introduced, indicating that on the introduction the SecY domain showed a change in localization from the periplasm to the cytoplasm. In another experiment, positive charges were introduced to the same periplasmic domain of another SecY-PhoA fusion protein, in which PhoA is fused to the cytoplasmic domain of SecY following the particular hydrophobic domain. The alkaline phosphatase activity increased drastically when positive charges were introduced, indicating that the SecY domain fused to PhoA showed a change in localization from the cytoplasm to the periplasm. In both experiments, the removal of a large amino-terminal portion of the SecY domain did not alter the effect of the positive charge introduction. Changes in localization of SecY domains thus demonstrated were also supported by a protease accessibility test on spheroplasts. It is proposed that a positively charged region adjacent to a membrane-embedded hydrophobic region tends to be stabilized on the cytoplasmic surface of the membrane, which in turn endows the hydrophobic region with the ability to act as a stop-transfer sequence or a signal sequence and consequently determines the orientation of the hydrophobic region in the membrane.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Complementation of the protein transport defect of an Escherichia coli secY mutant (secY24) by Bacillus subtilis secY homologue.

Bacillus subtilis SecY homologue shares 41.3% homology with that of E. coli and remarkably higher homologous regions (more than 80%) are present in the four cytoplasmic regions [(1990) J. Biochem. 107, 603-607]. Based on the formation of the mature form of OmpA in E. coli, we have shown that the protein transport defect of the E. coli secY mutant (secY24) is complemented by the gene product from the B. subtilis secY homologue, which is expressed under the lac promoter control. However, B. subtilis SecY could not restore growth of the E. coli mutant at nonpermissive temperature.

Bacillus subtilis↗