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Biomedical subjects

M Shimizu

Publications and source records attributed to M Shimizu.

At least 649 records · Page 36Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Noninvasive measurement of left atrial functions using transesophageal echocardiography.

The use of transesophageal pulsed Doppler echocardiography provides an ideal approach for determining both pulmonary venous flow and transmitral flow. This approach thus provides information about the flow of blood into and out of the left atrium. We designed a new method for separately evaluating left atrial functions on the basis of the time-velocity integrals of pulmonary venous flow and transmitral flow using transesophageal pulsed Doppler echocardiography, assuming that the cross-sectional areas of the mitral ring during the left ventricular diastolic phase and of the four pulmonary venous orifices throughout a cardiac cycle were constant and that the blood flows of the four pulmonary veins exhibited identical velocity profiles. Good correlation was observed between the indices of left atrial function (i.e. left atrial reservoir, conduit and forward contractile volume) using this new method of analysis of Doppler echocardiographic data and those of a conventional method using contrast angiography. In conclusion, transesophageal pulsed Doppler echocardiography provided satisfactory information about left atrial function, and our new method may be one of the most practical techniques for estimating individual left atrial functions.

Angina Pectoris↗
PubMed1996

Increased endothelial and epidermal thrombomodulin expression and plasma thrombomodulin level in progressive systemic sclerosis.

To clarify the relation between systemic and cutaneous vascular endothelial injury in progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS), we examined thrombomodulin (TM) expression in PSS skin lesions immuno-histopathologically and compared it with plasma soluble TM levels measured by specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The plasma soluble TM level in PSS patients was significantly higher than that of normal controls and was as high as the levels of SLE patients. In relation to disease activities, the plasma TM levels of sclerotic phase PSS patients were significantly higher than that of atrophic phase PSS patients. The plasma samples with anti-Scl-70 antibody showed a high TM level than samples with anti-centromere antibody or anti-RNP antibody. Barnett's types or systemic corticosteroid treatment did not affect the TM level. Histopathologically, the dermal endothelial TM expression significantly increased in the sclerotic skin and moderately increased in the non-sclerotic skin of PSS compared with that of normal control skin. In addition, immunoreactive TM expression in the epidermis also increased in PSS. Disease activity-dependent elevation of plasma TM levels and immuno-histopathological expression of TM suggested generalized endothelial and epidermal cell involvement in PSS, and compensation in part by overproduction of TM by endothelial cells.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Age-related alteration of pancreatic beta-cell function. Increased proinsulin and proinsulin-to-insulin molar ratio in elderly, but not in obese, subjects without glucose intolerance.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the secretion of insulin, C-peptide, and proinsulin after oral glucose loading in healthy elderly subjects compared with middle-aged subjects with and without obesity and with NIDDM. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Subjects fell into four groups: nonobese middle-aged normal control subjects (CNT group; n = 38, 40-64 years old); obese normal subjects (OB group; n = 18, 40-64 years old); nonobese NIDDM subjects (NIDDM group; n = 28, 40-64 years old); and nonobese elderly subjects (OL group; n = 17, 65-92 years old). Insulin, C-peptide, and proinsulin were determined by radioimmunoassay in plasma samples taken at 0, 30, 60, and 120 min during a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). RESULTS: There were no differences in plasma glucose during the OGTT among the three nondiabetic groups. Hyperinsulinemia was significant in the OB and NIDDM groups but not in the OL group. On the other hand, absolute hyperproinsulinemia was significant in the OL and NIDDM groups compared with the CNT group. Increased proinsulin was rather dominant in the OL group, especially late after glucose loading. Molar ratios of proinsulin to insulin or C-peptide thus were significantly higher in the OL and NIDDM groups. CONCLUSIONS: Alteration of pancreatic beta-cell function independent of that seen with NIDDM occurred in relation to aging. This may be a predisposing factor to the development of impaired glucose tolerance or NIDDM in elderly subjects, that is, independent of obesity.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

A new method for examining the judgment of bigness.

80 children (40 three-yr.-olds, 23 boys and 17 girls, and 40 five-yr.-olds, 22 boys and 18 girls) were presented pairs of quadrangles (square vs rectangle) and triangles (two isosceles triangles) and asked to select the bigger one. The pairs were varied on the area ratio of paired stimuli and magnitude in differences between height and width. Although 3-yr.-olds tended to rely on area in making their judgments and also occasionally relied on height, almost all 5-yr.-olds relied on height. These results were discussed in relation to the tasks used in the previous studies, the basis in judgment of bigness, and the Japanese word for "big."

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1996

Stimulus alignment and age in the selection of bigger rectangles.

90 children (28 3-yr.-olds, 32 5-yr.-olds, and 30 8-yr.-olds) were presented pairs of quadrangles with the bases or the centers aligned and asked to select the bigger ones. 3- and 8-yr.-olds selected larger ones under both aligned conditions, while 5-yr.-olds selected the taller ones more often under the base- than under the center-aligned conditions. 5-yr.-olds selected the larger ones less often than 3- and 8-yr.-olds under the base-aligned condition. These results were discussed in relation to the attention given to height.

Attention↗
PubMed1996

[Questionnaire survey of AIDS examination recipients at government-run public health center regarding AIDS awareness promotion and HIV examinations].

An anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted among persons who had undergone screening for AIDS at public health centers under the auspices of 7 local government bodies (Hokkaido, Metropolitan Tokyo, Aichi Prefecture, Osaka Prefecture, Kobe City, Saga Prefecture, Okinawa Prefecture). There were 1,230 replies, for a response rate of 46.8%. Questions in the survey pertained to general knowledge of AIDS, information desired by the recipients, desired ways to foster awareness, and a desirable examination system. A comparison was made in terms of gender, marriage status (married, single) and age (less than 40 years of age, more than 40 years of age), respectively. The survey results were as follows. 1. Concerning the infection route, accurate response rate was low with regard to the mother-child infection, mosquito transmission, and use of contaminated needles. 2. Desired methods to promote AIDS awareness expressed among replies were given in the following order or frequency: "information via radio and TV," "spread of knowledge through telephone consultation," and "holding an AIDS Week or similar kinds of campaigns." 3. Information sought by respondents frequently included AIDS treatment, pathology, and spread. This trend was most obvious among those under 40 years of age. 4. As for the AIDS examination system, replies most often reflected the hope that the examination site would be the Public Health Center, the charge would be gratis, and that one could be examined at night during the week, and on days off. 5. For those undergoing examination where there was no actual concern of possibility of HIV infection, single persons, accounted for around 80% of the overall. 6. More than half of those who had been examined mentioned having experienced concerns about maintaining confidentiality at the time they were examined.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1996

Measurement of visco-elastic properties of muscles around the ankle during standing.

The aim of this study was to determine elastic and viscous coefficients of muscles around the ankle during standing, and to investigate whether these coefficients depended on the balance task. By means of a servo-controlled platform, angle disturbances of the ankle were imposed upon a standing subject under three conditions: (a) standing on both legs with eyes open, (b) standing on both legs with eyes closed and (c) standing on one leg with eyes open. Visco-elastic properties of muscles around the right ankle of seven subjects were estimated using data for ankle moment and angle. Mean elastic coefficients changed from 151 to 220 Nm/rad and mean viscous coefficients changed from 15 to 49 Nms/rad. Both of them tended to increase as the balance task became more demanding, i.e. in the order (a), (b) and (c).

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Effects of several putative beta 3-adrenoceptor agonists on lipolysis in human omental adipocytes.

BACKGROUND: Atypical beta 3-adrenoceptor agonists have attained an increasing interest as potential drugs against obesity and diabetes. However, their pharmacological actions on the native, human beta 3-adrenoceptor are not well defined. DESIGN: In the present study, the lipolytic effects of several putative beta 3-adrenoceptor agonists were investigated in human omental adipocytes. RESULTS: CL 316 243 and CGP 12177 had selective partial beta 3-agonist effects (pD2 about 4 and 8, respectively); the latter drug is a beta 1-/beta 2-adrenoceptor blocker in addition to its beta 3-adrenoceptor agonist activity. BRL 37344 and SM 11044 were also partial agonists, but with significant beta 1- and/or beta 2-adrenoceptor agonist properties. Bucindolol, ZD 2079, ICI D7114 and SR 58611A were ineffective as lipolytic drugs. In addition, ICI D7114 was a non-selective beta 1-/beta 2-/beta 3-adrenoceptor antagonist in human adipocytes. CONCLUSION: None of the beta 3-adrenoceptor agonists tested is an ideal drug for therapeutic use in man (i.e. regarded as a selective and full agonist with high receptor potency). Only CL 316 243 may have a potential therapeutic role, although the potency is very low. CGP 12177 is useful as a reference substance for human in vitro studies.

Adipocytes↗
PubMed1996

Effects of tunicamycin on glycoprotein antigens of Aspergillus fumigatus.

Tunicamycin, which inhibits N-glycosylation of proteins, was used as a tool to determine the type of linkage which occurs in glycoprotein antigens of Aspergillus fumigatus. When A. fumigatus extracts were electrophoretically separated and blotted then probed with anti-Aspergillus patients' sera, differences in antigenic profiles were noted when tunicamycin-treated samples were compared with controls. Tunicamycin had no detectable effect on the cellular proteinases of A. fumigatus, most of which are glycosylated. Some enzymatic components were lacking when extracellular proteinases were compared with those of control samples. The major catalase component of A. fumigatus is a concanavalin A (ConA)-binding glycoprotein. In cultures grown in the presence of tunicamycin, partially-deglycosylated catalase components were obtained which could be distinguished from the native catalase by altered mobilities in polyacrylamide gels. The effect of deglycosylation on catalase antigens was monitored using an antiserum raised to a ConA-binding fraction of A. fumigatus mycelium. These antibodies bound both to the native glycoprotein and the partially deglycosylated material. These latter two were largely unaffected when incubated with an antiserum raised to a non-ConA-binding fraction of A. fumigatus which is essentially carbohydrate free. The ability to produce partially-glycosylated antigens of A. fumigatus offers a model to study the effect of basic structural modifications on both the enzymatic and antigenic activities of these molecules.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

[Clinical characteristics and genetic background of secondary amyloidosis associated with rheumatoid arthritis in Japanese].

In order to examine the clinical characteristics and genetic background of secondary amyloidosis associated with rheumatoid arthritis, we analyzed clinical features and HLA typing of 85 patients in a multicenter study. Eighty-five patients with secondary amyloidosis associated RA were studied. The diagnosis of secondary amyloidosis were made on histological findings by biopsy or autopsy. The most common biopsy site was gastrointestinal tract (79.5%). Clinical symptom and the frequency at the time of diagnosis were; diarrhea (35 cases), abdominal pain (22 cases) and vomiting and nausea (16 cases). Abnormalities and the frequency in a laboratory test included proteinuria (49 cases), increased serum creatinine (32 cases), anemia (30 cases) and hematuria (15 cases). Twenty-eight patients were dead and 57 patients were alive at the time of the study. The average duration between diagnosis of amyloidosis and death was 19.4 +/- 18.5 (SD) months among the dead patients. The average duration after diagnosis of amyloidosis was 24.2 +/- 19.5 (SD) months in surviving patients. The causes of death were renal failure complicated with heart failure (6 patients), heart failure alone (3 patients) and renal failure alone (2 patients). Fifty-nine patients in the control group who were negative to amyloid deposition on biopsies at more than one site in the gastrointestinal tract, were clinically compared with patients in the amyloidosis group. No difference were noted in the age of RA occurrence and the stage between the two groups. As to the class, however, the number of patients with severe functional disorder (class 3 or severe) was larger in the amyloidosis group. There were no significant difference between the two groups in Lansbury's activity index. On hematology, biochemistry and urinalysis, the incidences of increased white blood cell count, anemia, increased platelet count, increased serum creatinine, hypoproteinemia, hypoalbuminemia, increased IgA, and increased urine and blood BMG were statistically significantly higher in the amyloidosis group than in the control group. HLA-A, -B, -C, and DR-locus antigens were compared in the 53 patients in the amyloidosis group and in the 59 subjects in the control group. There were no significant differences in frequency of HLA-A, and -B antigens between two groups. Frequency of CW7 antigen was significantly decreased in the amyloidosis group (13.2%) than in the control group (39.0%). Frequency of DR1 antigen was decreased in the amyloidosis group (3.8%) than in the control group (22.0%), although the difference was not significant. These findings suggest the possible involvement of genetic factors in the occurrence of amyloidosis. It is suggested that the occurrence of amyloidosis is suppressed by some genes which are linked with CW7 antigen.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

[Ventricular septal perforation due to weak blunt chest trauma. A case report].

Traumatic ventricular septal perforation (VSP) is a rare type of heart injury. This case report describes a 72-year-old Japanese woman who got VSP secondary to weak blunt chest trauma on a train. A two-dimensional color doppler echocardiography and cardiac catheterization study revealed a VSP at muscular portion near the apex. On the 48th day following injury, she was performed a patch closure through left ventriculotomy under cardiopulmonary bypass. The patient was discharged uneventfully.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

[MRI findings of anterior spinal artery syndrome in childhood].

We reported two cases of anterior spinal artery syndrome in childhood evaluated by MRI of the spinal cord. The T2-weighted MRI revealed high signal intensity in the anterior region of spinal cord in both cases. These findings might be related with edema of the ischemic region. Several years later, the regions of the spinal cord showed atrophic changes. The high signal intensity on the T2-weighted MRI was characteristic of the anterior spinal artery syndrome.

Arteries↗
PubMed1996

Functional thrombomodulin expression on epithelial skin tumours as a differentiation marker for suprabasal keratinocytes.

In normal human skin,, immunoreactive thrombomodulin (TM) is expressed in a strict differentiation related pattern, solely in suprabasal spinous layer keratinocytes. To evaluate the potential application of TM as a differentiation marker for keratinocyte-derived skin tumours, we have studied immunohistopathological, biochemical and functional TM activities in various skin tumours. Immunoreactive, full sized and enzymatically active TM was expressed in keratinocyte-derived skin tumours (squamous cell carcinoma, seborrhoeic keratosis and partly Bowen's disease), as well as normal epidermal keratinocytes and endothelial cells. However, no TM was detected in basal cell carcinomas, senile keratosis or non-squamous epithelial tumours such as malignant melanoma, naevus pigmentosus and Paget's disease. Interestingly, decreased expression was observed in verruca vulgaris. These findings suggested that differentiation-dependent TM expression was restricted to epithelial skin tumours and undetectable on neural crest derived tumours. TM is a differentiation marker for spinous layer keratinocytes and is a useful tool in histopathological study of epithelial tumours.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMed1996

Indirect measurement of tidal volume by multi-lead electrocardiograms: effect of filtering, deep breath, lead and posture.

We examined a new method for estimating tidal volume from the electrocardiogram (ECG) in order to dispense with the need for sensors used exclusively for tidal volume measurement. The direction of the vector loop in the QRS complex (DVL) was defined as the direction of the diagonal line of the rectangle which circumscribed the vector loop obtained from two orthogonal leads. Two leads of the ECG were transformed into the orthogonal leads using Einthoven's triangle. The peak-to-peak change in the direction (the change in the DVL) was highly correlated with tidal volume. Low-pass filtering of the ECG produced a better correlation between tidal volume and the change in the DVL, when the cutoff frequency was set at 20-45 Hz. A tidal volume of less than 1.21 was correlated more highly with the change in the DVL than a tidal volume of more than 1.21 A combination of leads I and III produced the best correlation between tidal volume and the change in the DVL, compared with other combinations. The posture of the subject had some effects on the slope of the linear regression between tidal volume and the change in the DVL.

Electrocardiography↗