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Biomedical subjects

M Muranaka

Publications and source records attributed to M Muranaka.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Obui-himo syndrome.

Normal variants of the venous system are relatively common and rarely cause severe symptoms. We report the case of a 5-month-old baby who displayed cyanotic color and swelling of arms whenever she was carried on the mother's back with a special band "Obui-himo". It was demonstrated by venography that the symptoms were caused by the absence of a cephalic vein and compression of axillary veins with the Obui-himo. In any country with a custom similar to the Obui-himo, these symptoms, if clinically encountered, are an indication that venography should be performed.

Arm

Cefotiam-induced IgE-mediated occupational contact anaphylaxis of nurses; case reports, RAST analysis, and a review of the literature.

Cefotiam (CTM) is one of the most popular cephem antibiotics in Japan. Recently we experienced two cases of nurses with CTM-induced contact anaphylaxis. When they were preparing drip infusions of antibiotics or working around other nurses doing so, they suddenly fell into shock with other symptoms such as flushing, urticaria, abdominal distress, vomiting, dyspnoea and/or loss of consciousness. The symptoms never occurred after they avoided exposure to CTM. Passive cutaneous or open patch tests were positive for CTM. Histamine release was induced by CTM from washed leucocytes. RAST analysis using CTM-human serum albumin-coupled discs showed high % RAST count, suggesting that these reactions were mediated by IgE antibodies. A RAST inhibition test suggested that the methyl-thiotetrazole side-chain was the main antigenic determinant. Both patients had hand dermatitis that had appeared preceding the episodes of anaphylaxis. Although the dermatitis had been resistant to treatments, it also disappeared after they avoided exposure to CTM. It seemed likely that it was also induced or exacerbated by CTM and facilitated the penetration of CTM to cause anaphylaxis. The literature is also reviewed.

Adult

Case report: reversal of severe leukopenia by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor in anorexia nervosa.

Recent attempts to reduce weight by patients with anorexia nervosa have sometimes led to life-threatening hematologic complications. This report describes an instance in which a patient with anorexia nervosa and pancytopenia drastically improved with treatment that included administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. The patient had lost 27 kg of body weight within 8 months. Even after admission, the blood cell count continued to decrease rapidly as follows: platelet, from 244 x 10(3)/microliters to 44 x 10(3)/microliters; erythrocyte, from 4.04 x 10(6)/microliters to 2.58 x 10(6)/microliters; and leukocyte, from 4.8 x 10(3)/microliters to 1.6 x 10(3)/microliters (granulocyte, 0.8 x 10(3)/microliters). Complications included pneumomediastinum, pneumothorax, purpura, petechiae, hepatomegaly, fever, gangrenous stomatitis, and somnolence. Bone marrow aspiration disclosed absence of fat cells, marrow hypoplasia, and infiltration of the mature lymphocytes. Intravenous hyperalimentation, blood transfusion, gamma-globulin, and antibiotics were administered, but leukopenia and fever remained. However, administration of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor dramatically reversed the leukopenia and fever. With careful nutrition therapy, the patient's blood cell count and bone marrow normalized by the time of discharge. It was concluded that severe hematologic disorders may occur in patients with anorexia nervosa, and advanced treatment may be required to save the patient's life.

Adolescent

Brain-gut response to stress and cholinergic stimulation in irritable bowel syndrome. A preliminary study.

To investigate the influence of the brain-gut interactions on the pathophysiology of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), we compared such patients (n = 10) with healthy control subjects (n = 11) by measuring the pressure of the colon and small intestine simultaneously with analysis of power spectrum of the electroencephalography (EEG) under mental stress and administration of neostigmine. Stress slightly increased the colonic motility index, reduced the percentage of alpha power, and increased the percentage of beta and theta power of the EEG in the patients with IBS more than in the controls (p < 0.05). The patients with IBS had a longer phase II (p < 0.01) and shorter phase I (p < 0.02) of fasting duodenal motor activity than the controls. Neostigmine (10 micrograms/kg) caused a significant difference in the colonic motility index (p < 0.01) and power spectra of EEG (p < 0.05) in the patients with IBS compared to the controls. Significant positive correlation was detected between colonic motility and power spectral change induced by stress (r = 0.46, p < 0.05) or neostigmine (r = 0.51, p < 0.01). These results suggest that patients with IBS have exaggerated responsivity of the gut and the brain to mental stress and cholinergic stimulation. Moreover, there is a possibility that these exaggerated responses are related.

Abdominal Pain

Impact of stress on serum gastrin in Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

We report an impressive case with Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES), in which stress-induced sympathetic discharge influenced serum gastrin. Our patient was a 35-yr-old female who complained of frequent and massive vomiting (more than 4000 ml of gastric juice) which was aggravated especially by psychosocial stress. Basal hypergastrinemia (1900 pg/ml) was found after the admission. The most striking finding was that laboratory stress dramatically increased serum gastrin (from 1900 to 5400 pg/ml) and plasma noradrenaline (from 180 to 1130 pg/ml). Mental arithmetic stress further enhanced hypergastrinemia (5800 pg/ml) with a concomitant increase in plasma noradrenaline (1240 pg/ml). Neostigmine (10 micrograms/kg im) also increased serum gastrin up to 6100 pg/ml but propranolol (40 micrograms/kg i.v.) reduced these elevations (noradrenaline: 990 pg/ml, gastrin: 5000 pg/ml). In this case, the effect of stress on serum gastrin mimicked the effect of catecholamine infusion in ZES. These findings suggest that psychological stress induces serum gastrin secretion via beta-adrenoceptor with exacerbation of symptoms in some cases with ZES.

Adult

Accentuated vagal antagonism of beta-adrenergic effects on ventricular repolarization. Evidence of weaker antagonism in hostile type A men.

BACKGROUND: Prior research has suggested a weaker parasympathetic antagonism of sympathetic effects on the heart in type A (coronary-prone) men. To confirm this phenomenon and extend our understanding of it, we investigated the effects of prior muscarinic blockade on the electrocardiogram T wave and other cardiovascular and neuroendocrine responses to isoproterenol in type A and type B (non-coronary-prone) men. METHODS AND RESULTS: Responses to two 5-minute intravenous isoproterenol infusions (0.01 micrograms/kg/min and 0.02 micrograms/kg/min) were evaluated in six type A and six type B men after pretreatment with either dextrose placebo or atropine (1.2 mg). Atropine significantly potentiated T wave attenuation in the recovery period after isoproterenol infusion (0.30 +/- 0.07 mV) compared with placebo (0.54 +/- 0.09 mV, p less than 0.001). Atropine also potentiated the heart rate increase to isoproterenol (39 +/- 3 beats per minute versus 20 +/- 2 beats per minute after placebo). Atropine enhanced decreases in systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures as well as pulse pressure to isoproterenol. Atropine enhancement of many of these responses was increased among subjects with high scores on various hostility/anger scales. Isoproterenol alone produced greater T wave attenuation in type A than in type B men. However, atropine enhancement of T wave attenuation and blood pressure falls by isoproterenol was present only in type B men. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that there is accentuated parasympathetic antagonism of T wave attenuation and blood pressure responses induced by beta-adrenergic stimulation. Relative weakness of this antagonism of sympathetic effects on the heart in hostile type A individuals may contribute to their higher coronary disease risk.

Adult

[Brain-gut interactions in irritable bowel syndrome: physiological and psychological aspect].

Recent advances in the investigation of brain-gut interaction in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were reviewed. Brain is suggested to play an important role in the pathophysiology of IBS on the basis of the following evidence. (1) Stress often induces major symptoms of IBS patients (Drossman et al., 1982), simultaneously with colonic hypermotility (Fukudo et al., 1987) or dysmotility of the small intestine (Kumar et al., 1985). (2) IBS patients rarely express symptoms or small intestinal dysmotility during sleep (Kellow et al., 1990). (3) IBS patients complain of more pain with balloon distension of the colon or rectum than normal controls; visceral perception is enhanced in IBS (Whitehead et al., 1990). (4) IBS patients often show psychoneurotic symptoms and extra-colonic somatic symptoms (Young et al., 1976). (5) There are some animal (Williams et al, 1987) or human (Dinan et al, 1990) experiments which indicate the possible involvement of brain peptide or brain monoamine in IBS. (6) Dysrhythmia or increased beta power in electroencephalogram is observed more often in IBS patients than in the normal controls (Fukudo et al, 1991) in addition to abnormal REM sleep in IBS patients (Kumar et al., 1992). These observations support our hypothesis that not only the gut but also the brain show dysfunction and exaggerated responsivity to the stimuli in IBS. Further research on brain-gut interaction in IBS is warranted.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone

Topical thrombin-induced IgE-mediated anaphylaxis: RAST analysis and skin test studies.

Bovine topical thrombin (BTT) is a heterologous plasma thrombin concentrate that has been frequently used for the hemostasis since the 1940s. Recently, three patients in Japan went into shock after the topical application of BTT at lesion sites, and two of these patients had received BTT repeatedly. The clinical symptoms and the increased anti-BTT percent RAST counts suggest that these reactions were shock mediated by anti-BTT IgE antibodies. The RAST-inhibition analysis suggested that the antigenic substance(s) were bovine-specific moiety(ies) mainly involved in the contaminant rather than bovine thrombin itself. The skin tests were studied to predict such allergic reactions. The intracutaneous test provoked nonspecific reactions even at the low concentrations of BTT. The prospective study on the predictive value of the prick test with 1000 U/ml (1 mg/ml) of BTT in 192 patients suggested that it is useful to detect highly sensitive patients. In addition, the increased levels of anti-BTT IgE antibodies in patients 1 month after the single administration of BTT suggested the immunogenicity of the topical application of BTT.

Administration, Topical

Influence of environmental factors on IgE production.

The prevalence of atopic diseases appears to have increased rapidly, especially in industrialized countries. The increase may be explained by a change in certain environmental factors. This article focuses on the influence of environmental factors on IgE production. Epidemiological or experimental reports have shown that tobacco smoke, virus infection and mercuric chloride may enhance IgE production. We demonstrated the enhancing effect of diesel-exhaust particulates (DEP), which seem to have increased in urban environments, on IgE antibody production. The IgE antibody responses in mice immunized by intraperitoneal injection of antigens mixed with DEP were higher than those in animals immunized with the antigens alone. DEP also had an adjuvant activity for IgE antibody production in mice after entry via the respiratory tract (the natural mode of entry). The enhancing effect of DEP on IgE antibody responses was demonstrated even when a small dose such as 1 micrograms of DEP was given intranasally at three-week intervals. Our further study has indicated that suspended particulate matter including materials other than DEP has an adjuvant activity for IgE antibody production.

Air Pollution

Enhancing effect of suspended particulate matter on the IgE antibody production in mice.

Suspended particulate matter (SPM), suspended in the polluted environmental atmosphere, are perpetually inhaled into the human body and are considered to have profound effects on human health. This study investigated the enhancing effect of SPM on the IgE antibody production in mice. The IgE antibody responses in mice immunized with intranasal administration of ovalbumin (OA) plus SPM at 3-week intervals were higher than responses in the animals immunized with OA alone. When the dose of OA administered as an antigen was 0.25 microgram, the time course and magnitude of enhancement by SPM was comparable to those by killed Bordetella pertussis, a common adjuvant. SPM had an enhancing effect on IgE antibody production even in a small dose such as 0.25 microgram administered at 3-week intervals. The possibility cannot be excluded that the natural exposure of humans to SPM in the environmental atmosphere may explain the high prevalence rate of allergic rhinitis caused by pollens in polluted districts in Japan.

Adjuvants, Immunologic

Beta and alpha adrenergic reactivity elicitable stress study with special reference of electrocardiographic T-wave amplitude.

Twenty-six healthy young Caucasian males were defined into high hostile (Hi-Ho) group and low hostile (Lo-Ho) group assessed by Cook-Madley's Hostility (Ho) scale. Mental arithmetic task (MA) and forehead cold stimulus task (FCS) were loaded to both Hi-Ho and Lo-Ho groups. Electrocardiographic T-wave amplitude (TWA), heart rate (HR) and coefficient of variance of 100 R-R intervals (CVR-R) were measured continuously during MA and FCS task periods. Greater TWA attenuation was found in Hi-Ho group (p less than 0.05). Although no significant intergroup difference was represented in HR and CVR-R, HR increased significantly (p less than 0.01) in whole subjects and CVR-R was tend to be suppressed during MA period. In addition, comparison of these physiological responses were performed between Type-A and Type-B groups classified by Jenkins' Activity Survey Form-T (JAS-T). There was no significant difference in reactivity of TWA, HR and CVR-R to both two tasks between high and low Type-A scored groups. Previous data suggested that the TWA reactivity in Hi-Ho subjects to cognitive stress showed similar pattern in Type-A individuals. However, autonomic nervous interaction could not be clarified in Hi-Ho subjects. The differentiation of method for assessment of behavioral pattern was also discussed.

Adolescent

Physiological responses to catecholamine infusions in type A and type B men.

To determine whether there are basic biological differences between Type A and Type B men, we compared hemodynamic, electrophysiologic and neuroendocrine responses to equipotent doses of isoproterenol (ISO) and norepinephrine (NE) in 10 Type A and 10 Type B men ages 18 to 29. Results showed equal hemodynamic and neuroendocrine responses to graded ISO doses in Type A and Type B individuals. In contrast, Type A men showed a more prolonged decrease in electrocardiographic T-wave amplitude (TWA) than did Type B men. Post hoc analyses of the correlates of TWA recovery during high-dose ISO infusion provide preliminary evidence for a more robust parasympathetic antagonism of sympathetic nervous system effects in Type B men, especially those with low scores on the Cook-Medley Ho scale. These findings suggest that, in addition to cognitively mediated increases in sympathetic nervous system reactivity, Type As may also be placed at increased risk of developing coronary heart disease by reduced levels of parasympathetic antagonism of sympathetic effects.

Adolescent