Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Asai.
A case of acrania associated with medulloblastoma, agenesis of the cerebellum, and nasoshizis, is reported. The diagnosis of acrania was made at the 20th gestational week by sonographic examination. To our knowledge, this is the first report of fetal acrania associated with congenital brain tumor.
Met-enkephalin release is increased from amygdala and striatum 1 and 15 days after pharmacological kindling with pentylenetetrazol, following potassium-induced depolarization in vitro via a Ca2+ dependent mechanism. Leu-enkephalin release was only enhanced in amygdala and striatum 1 day after the last seizure. IR-Met-enkephalin amygdala tissue content enhanced 1 and 15 days after seizure. In striatum, we found an IR-Met-enkephalin decrease 35 days after the last stimulus. IR-Leu-enkephalin amygdala tissue content enhanced 1 day after the last seizure, and no significant increases were found in striatum 1, 15 and 35 days after the last seizure. In this paper, we show that opioid peptides release is differentially enhanced in rat brain for several days after the last seizure, thus suggesting that opioid peptides may have a protective action against seizure activity.
BACKGROUND: We examined interleukin-2 (IL-2) related immune pathways in depression to elucidate mechanisms underlying various immunological disturbances associated with depression. METHODS: Subjects comprised 35 unmedicated patients with a major depressive episode without psychotic features and 36 age- and sex-matched healthy volunteers. The immune parameters examined included the numbers of B and T cells, IL-2 receptor-mediated blastoformation (IL-2R-mediated blastoformation), IL-2 production and expression of the IL-2 receptor alpha-subunit. RESULTS: The patients with a severe episode showed significantly lower IL-2R-mediated blastoformation than the controls. There was a statistically significant negative correlation between IL-2R-mediated blastoformation and the severity of depression at the time of entry. CONCLUSION: The reduced IL-2R-mediated blastoformation may partly explain several previously reported abnormal immune functions associated with depression.
Calmodulin (CaM) through activation of CaM-kinase II may be involved in the molecular mechanisms underlying the epileptogenic processes. Some evidence suggests that kindling responses change across the day-night cycle. In order to test if kindling stimulation modifies CaM content, we measured CaM concentrations in amygdala, hippocampus and hypothalamus obtained from control and kindled rats during light and darkness. Male Wistar rats (250-300 g), were injected i.p. with Pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) (35 mg/kg/24 h). Once chemical kindling was established, rats were sacrificed by decapitation at 10:30 a.m. and 01:30 a.m. The brains were obtained, and the amygdala, hippocampus and hypothalamus dissected. CaM content was measured in the cytosol and membrane fractions by radioimmunoassay. We found a significant increase in CaM content in cytosol and membrane fractions of both control and kindled rats during the dark phase. No significant differences in CaM concentrations were observed between control and experimental rats, whether during the light or the dark phase. The data suggest a well defined photoperiodic variation in CaM concentrations in limbic structures, despite the neuronal excitability produced by kindling. In addition, the observed CaM increases during the dark time may be related to a protective mechanism against enhanced sensitivity to seizures observed during the night.
A carcinoma originating from the posterior wall of the oropharynx is not common, and radiotherapy has been used for years in this event without acceptable success. A free flap patch was used in 4 patients to reconstruct the defect after resection of a T2 or T3 carcinoma on the posterior wall of the oropharynx without laryngectomy. The free flaps used were the radial forearm and the free jejunal patch in 2 patients each. There was no flap loss, and successful laryngeal preservation was obtained in 3 of 4 patients. Laryngeal preservation surgery using a free flap patch proved very useful in selected patients with carcinoma of the posterior wall of the oropharynx. Based on our clinical experience, the free jejunal patch seems superior to the free forearm flap with regard to postoperative functional results.
Alongside the Western pharmacotherapy that is now the major medical modality in Japan, we continue to offer a number of traditional remedies. We prefer to allow patients to choose between these two approaches, after explaining the advantages and potential adverse effects of each. Research into the traditional treatments continues, and we now have a number of studies available concerning the efficacy of oriental herbal medicine (Kampo medicine) in Japan. There are about 120 different prescriptions available for treatment. Herbs are believed to affect both the psyche and soma, and Kampo medicine does not differentiate between them. Improvement brought about by herbal medicine is usually mild and slow, but sometimes very drastic. Side effects are rare. Those that do occur are mostly allergic reactions to natural substances. Therefore, herbal medicine is especially useful for elderly patients and patients with physical complications. Prescription is traditionally selected by judging Sho of a patient. Sho is equivalent to a syndrome, but comprises psycho and somatic symptoms and signs obtained by traditional physical examination that focuses constitution, general physical condition, pulse, abdominal signs, and examination of the tang. However, currently modern diagnoses are also applied to deciding upon the prescription. Western physicians can select the appropriate preparation without having a special knowledge of Oriental medicine.
In order to distinguish the trigger and the factors maintaining bulimia nervosa (BN), TCI temperamental scores were compared among BN patients, normal controls without diet experiences (N-N), and normal controls with diet experiences (N-D). On the novelty-seeking (NS) scale, the BN patients scored significantly higher than the N-N subjects, but there was no significant difference between the BN patients and the N-D subjects, and the N-D subjects scored higher than the N-N subjects. These findings suggest that high NS scores are related to diet experiences rather than chronic bulimic symptoms.
We have recently reported that endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide [LPS]) derived from Klebsiella pneumoniae dramatically decreased the biliary excretion of the beta-lactam antibiotic cefoperazone (CPZ), which is primarily excreted into the bile via the anion transport system, in rats. The present study was designed to investigate the effect of human recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), which is reported to be beneficial in experimental models of inflammation, on the pharmacokinetics and biliary excretion of CPZ in rats. CPZ (20 mg/kg of body weight) was administered intravenously 2 h after the intravenous injection of LPS (250 microgram/kg). G-CSF was injected subcutaneously at 12 microgram/kg for 3 days and was administered intravenously at a final dose of 50 microgram/kg 1 h before LPS injection. Peripheral blood cell numbers were also measured. LPS dramatically decreased the systemic and biliary clearances of CPZ and the bile flow rate. Pretreatment with G-CSF enhanced these decreases induced by LPS. The total leukocyte numbers were increased in rats pretreated with G-CSF compared to the numbers in the controls, while the total leukocyte numbers were decreased (about 3,000 cells/microliter) by treatment with LPS. Pretreatment with G-CSF produces a deleterious effect against the LPS-induced decrease in biliary secretion of CPZ, and leukocytes play an important role in that mechanism.
Schizophrenic delusions of 324 inpatients in Tokyo, 101 in Vienna, and 150 in Tübingen (Germany) were compared according to the same classifications. Among the three areas, about 80% of the patients had equally 'negative' delusions (injury and/or belittlement), and about one-fourth had 'positive' delusions of grandeur. Transcultural influences were found in the detailed contents of the 'negative' delusions; specific and direct themes of persecutory delusion, i.e., delusions of poisoning, and religious themes of guilt/sin were conspicuous in Europe, while amorphous delusions of reference such as 'being slandered' were predominant in Japan. The latter may derive from the group-oriented self in Japanese 'shame culture'.
A 54-year-old Japanese businessman who was found to exhibit the 'Alice in Wonderland' syndrome and went on to develop a depressive disorder is described. Lengthening and shortening of time experience continued intermittently for about 3 months, and metamorphopsia, distortion of body image, and the quick-motion phenomenon (alteration in time sense) persisted for almost 2 days without interruption. There were no abnormal physical findings. The authors review studies on 'Alice in Wonderland' syndrome and suggest that depressive illness may be a causal factor.
The bacteriostatic and bactericidal actions of vinegar on food-borne pathogenic bacteria including enterohemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) O157:H7 were examined. The growth of all strains evaluated was inhibited with a 0.1% concentration of acetic acid in the vinegar. This inhibition was generally increased in the presence of sodium chloride or glucose. There was almost no difference in sensitivity to the bacteriostatic action of vinegar among the strains of pathogenic E. coli. Vinegar had a bactericidal effect on food-borne pathogenic bacteria including EHEC O157:H7. This action against EHEC O157:H7 was synergically enhanced by sodium chloride but was attenuated with glucose. For EHEC strains (O157:H7, O26:H11, O111:HNM) the difference in the inactivation rate due to vinegar among strains used was small, although an enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC) O111:K58:H- strain was more sensitive, being more quickly killed compared with EHEC strains. The inactivation rate due to vinegar was constant irrespective of inoculum size. However, it differed greatly depending on growth phase of the cells, where logarithmic growth phase cells were more sensitive and easily killed than stationary phase cells. The bactericidal activity of vinegar increased with the temperature. Various conditions for bactericidal effects on EHEC O157:H7 were examined by the multiparametric analysis of five factors: acetic acid concentration in the vinegar, sodium chloride concentration, temperature, incubation time, and viable cell number. The combined use of vinegar and sodium chloride, with use of an appropriate treatment temperature, was found to be markedly effective for the prevention of bacterial food poisoning.
We evaluated the effect of impression materials used in preparation of pure titanium castings on the surface reactive layer. Surface roughness of the refractory models before and after firing was smaller when silicone rather than agar impression material was used. The surface roughness of castings prepared with T-invest varied little with the impression material. However, the surface roughness of the castings prepared with CD Titaninvest was less when silicone impression material was used. Surface hardness of the castings was slightly greater when agar impression material was used, and metallic texture analysis of the surface of the castings showed a chill layer and a columnar crystal layer extending from the surface toward the interior. A relatively non-corroded white layer and a markedly corroded black layer were observed in the chill layer, and their thickness was smaller when silicone impression material was used. Use of the Electron Probe Micro Analyzer (EPMA) to determine distribution of various elements in the superficial layer of the casting plates showed that the reactive layer contained less P and Si when silicone impression material was used rather than agar. NH4H2 PO4, which is a component of the bonding material in the investment, was present at a high concentration in the superficial layer of the agar impression material. This shows the importance of preparing refractory models with a non-water-absorbing impression material to obtain pure titanium casting plates with a smaller reactive layer.
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We investigated a genetic association between mood disorders (bipolar and unipolar) and the alleles of monoamine oxidase (MAO) A and B (MAOA and MAOB). One hundred and twelve unrelated Japanese patients (60 bipolar, 52 unipolar) and 100 controls were genotyped for three markers of MAOA and for one marker of MAOB. No statistically significant difference in the distribution of the alleles existed between cases and controls. Therefore, our results did not support the involvement of the alleles at MAOA and MAOB in the etiology of mood disorder.