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Biomedical subjects

N Fujimoto

Publications and source records attributed to N Fujimoto.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

Fatigue effect within 10 degrees visual field in automated perimetry.

We studied the effect of fatigue within a 10 degree visual field measured with automated perimetry in normal volunteers (10 eyes), patients who have recovered from optic neuritis with multiple sclerosis (10 eyes), and patients with glaucoma (10 eyes). Using an Octopus 201, the visual field was tested with Program 61, which was centered (0.0), and 25 test locations were determined three times. Eight of the 25 points were selected for the evaluation. The mean sensitivity of the eight points was compared among the three measurements. Normal subjects and patients with optic neuritis showed no effect of fatigue within the 10 degrees visual field, but the patients with glaucoma indicated fatigue during the third measurement.

Adolescent↗

Effect of number of test points in automated perimetry.

We studied sensitivity variation in normal subjects by changing the number of test locations under the fixed test field on automated perimetry. Using the user-defined program (Sargon), we designed five different programs that varied in the number of test points. Mean sensitivity and short-term fluctuations were obtained from the same test points of each program. The mean sensitivity within 10 degrees decreased with the increasing number of test points, whereas the short-term fluctuation increased with the increasing number of test points. Our results showed that the number of test points had an important role in measuring sensitivity and its reproducibility on automated perimetry.

Adult↗

Early diagnosis of kidney transplant rejection and cyclosporin nephrotoxicity by urine cytology.

A total of 2000 urine samples from 53 kidney transplant recipients were studied to develop a routine method for the early diagnosis of rejection and cyclosporin (CSA) nephrotoxicity in urine. New-Sternheimer staining and an immunocytochemical technique were used together with classical Papanicolaou staining to differentiate cells in the urine. After cell count and differentiation of second morning urine samples with New-Sternheimer and Papanicolaou stains, immunocytochemistry was performed using antibodies against the following antigens: CD2, CD4, CD8, CD25, CD71 (transferrin receptor), HLA-DR and cytokeratin (Lu-5). Cell counts were obtained for the positively-reacting cells per millilitre of urine. By New-Sternheimer and Papanicolaou staining, CSA nephrotoxicity was characterized by the predominance of proximal tubular cells. During rejection episodes, increased numbers of mononuclear cells and renal epithelial cells were found. Immunocytochemical analysis showed a significant increase in CD2-, CD4-, CD8-, CD25-, CD71-, and HLA-DR-positive epithelial cells and in the ratio HLA-DR/cytokeratin-positive epithelial cells in rejection. CD25-positive cells had the highest sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of rejection. Our urine cytology technique proved to be a useful and non-invasive method for the early diagnosis of rejection and CSA nephrotoxicity.

Adolescent↗

MRI of syphilitic myelitis.

MR imaging was performed on a patient with syphilitic myelitis. T2-weighted images showed high intensity areas in the thoracic spinal cord. On T1-weighted images after gadolinium-DTPA injection, heterogeneous enhancement was observed in the superficial portion of the spinal cord. The intramedullary high intensity areas on T2-weighted images disappeared after antibiotic therapy.

Contrast Media↗

Biochemical and immunohistochemical demonstration of a tightly bound form of prostaglandin E2 in the rat brain.

Basal levels of prostaglandin E2 in the rat brain were determined by radioimmunoassay to be 0.68-0.79 pmol/g brain. About one-third of the prostaglandin E2 (0.23-0.28 pmol/g) was resistant to extraction with ethanol, but could be recovered with a mixture of ethanol and 1 N HCl (9:1, v/v), indicating that a tightly bound form of prostaglandin E2 exists in the brain. The amount of the bound form of prostaglandin E2 was almost unchanged by pentylenetetrazole-induced convulsion or by transcardial perfusion with a formaldehyde solution, although these treatments resulted in 40- to 80-fold increases in prostaglandin E2 content extracted with ethanol at neutral pH. A polyclonal antibody against prostaglandin E2-albumin conjugates recognized the bound form of prostaglandin E2, giving a punctate appearance in many neuronal cell bodies in the brain. Although almost all of the neuronal perikarya were immunoreactive for prostaglandin E2, intense immunoreactivity was observed in the mitral cell layer of the olfactory bulb, layer V of the cerebral neocortex, anterodorsal and reticular nuclei of the thalamus, supraoptic, paraventricular, accessory neurosecretory and lateral mammaillary nuclei of the hypothalamus, mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus, nucleus of the trapezoid body and deep cerebellar nuclei. When the cerebral neocortical regions were observed electron microscopically, immunoreaction products were seen as fine granules which were clustered into small patches in the cytoplasm of neuronal cell bodies and proximal dendrites. No immunoreaction products were seen in glial cells or endothelial cells. These results suggest that prostaglandin E2 is involved in fundamental processes of neurons.

Animals↗

Dissociation of collagenase-tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) complex--its application for the independent measurements of TIMP-1 and collagenase activity in crude culture media and body fluids.

Collagenase-tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) complex was prepared from activated collagenase and TIMP-1 purified from culture media of human skin fibroblasts. After having been confirmed to be a complex by zinc chelate chromatography, the complex was demonstrated to dissociate by passage through an anti-TIMP-1 monoclonal antibody-affinity column. On the basis of above evidence, a simple strategy was set up for the independent measurements of TIMP-1 concentration, and both active and total collagenase activities in crude culture media and body fluids.

Body Fluids↗

Increase in estrogen receptor levels in MNU-induced thyroid tumors in LE rats.

Estrogen receptor (ER) levels were evaluated in thyroid tumors induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) and low iodine diet (LID) or propylthiouracil (PTU) in intact and estrogen (E2) loaded Long-Evans (LE) rats. MNU at 40 mg/kg body wt was injected in 50 day-old LE rats of both sexes. The animals were killed 17-22 weeks later and the thyroid tissues were subjected to ER assay. In LID-treated groups, cytosolic ER (cER) levels were 6.7 +/- 5.8 (fmol/mg protein, mean +/- SE) in females and 0.7 +/- 1.4 in males, E2 increased the ER levels. In E2-loaded LID groups, cER levels were 12.9 +/- 3.7 in females and 1.7 +/- 1.7 in males. PTU treatment produced almost comparable ER levels as LID treatment. PTU treatment as well as LID treatment increased the serum TSH levels with E2 treatment producing additional elevation. In evaluating ER levels by histological type of thyroid tumors, the level in cER plus nER showed the lowest value of 6 +/- 6.4 (fmol/mg DNA, mean +/- SE) in hyperplasia, followed by 129 +/- 52.3 in adenoma and 289 +/- 51.7 in carcinoma. The rates of BrdU incorporation in thyroid follicles indicated higher proliferation activity in the area of adenoma and carcinoma rather than in the hyperplastic area. These data suggested that E2 treatment increases the ER levels in MNU and LID/PTU-induced thyroid tumors. The level of ER was correlated to the histological type of thyroid tumors.

Adenoma↗

Neuroradiological findings in children with congenital myotonic dystrophy.

We studied seven children with congenital myotonic dystrophy, aged 2.1-8.3 years, and the results of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain were analyzed and neurological development was assessed from the neonatal period. We found that ventricular dilatation that had been seen on the first day of life in two of three infants had not progressed in sequential follow-up computed tomography scans taken at intervals of one to six years. Also, in T2-weighted magnetic resonance imagings, areas of periventricular hyperintensity were identified in all children, as well as areas of subcortical hyperintensity in one child. Further, an asphyxial episode had occurred at birth in five patients and the extent of the periventricular hyperintensity was found to correlate significantly with Apgar scores, indicating that the degree of perinatal asphyxia that had occurred was responsible for the abnormalities uncovered by the magnetic resonance imagings. However, there was no correlation between the neurodevelopment outcome and the extent of the periventricular hyperintensity or ventriculomegaly. Therefore, in patients with congenital myotonic dystrophy, a neonatal episode of asphyxia can be responsible for a finding of periventricular hyperintensity, but it is unlikely that an integral part of the mental retardation is attributable to brain damage due to perinatal asphyxia.

Apgar Score↗

Effect of number of test points and size of test field in automated perimetry.

Sensitivity variation in normal subjects was studied, by changing the number of test locations and the size of test fields on automated perimetry. Using the Sargon program, four different programs that differed in the number of test points or in the size of test field were made. Mean sensitivity and short-term fluctuation were calculated from the same test points of each program. The program with the fewest points and the smallest size produced the greatest sensitivity and the least fluctuation. Our results showed that the number of test points and the size of test field affected the sensitivity and its reproducibility in automated perimetry.

Adult↗

Increased sensitivity with decreased numbers of test points and decreased test field size in automated perimetry of normal subjects.

Mean sensitivity (MS) was compared among programs with different numbers of test points and different test field sizes with an automated perimeter in normal subjects. The programs tested were designed by the program Sargon. Within a 10-degree visual field the MS was significantly higher with fewer test points and with a smaller test field size. The MS between 10 and 25-degree fields increased under the same conditions. Increased MS was found with decreased numbers of test points and decreased test field size within 25 degrees in automated perimetry of normal subjects.

Adult↗

Significance of low perfusion with increased oxygen extraction fraction in a case of internal carotid artery stenosis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Decreased cerebral blood flow with an increased oxygen extraction fraction, the so-called misery perfusion syndrome, suggests a vulnerability to reduction in cerebral perfusion pressure and a tendency to develop cerebral infarction. It is uncertain, however, whether the infarct would occur in the brain region specifically exhibiting this condition. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report the case of a patient with right intracranial internal carotid artery stenosis who presented with mild left hemiparesis resulting from a right frontal watershed infarct. Positron emission tomography 2 months after the stroke showed decreased cerebral blood flow with an increased oxygen extraction fraction in noninfarcted areas of the affected hemisphere. Maximal changes were detected in the watershed area between the middle cerebral artery and the posterior cerebral artery. Three months later, while on antiplatelet therapy, he suffered a new infarct in the right temporo-occipital watershed area that had shown the highest oxygen extraction fraction value on the first positron emission tomographic study. One month after the recurrence of stroke, a second study showed that low perfusion with increased oxygen extraction fraction persisted in the affected hemisphere to a lesser degree than in the first study. CONCLUSIONS: This observation suggests that the area of low perfusion exhibiting the highest oxygen extraction fraction has the highest risk for infarction. Increased oxygen extraction fraction may be an important factor in the development of hemodynamic infarction.

Brain↗

Effects of vitamin B12-deficiency on testes tissue in rats.

The state of vitamin B12-deficiency in rats was evaluated by determination of hepatic vitamin B12-dependent enzyme activities after the animals had fed on a vitamin B12-deficient soybean protein diet for 150 days. The effect of vitamin B12-deficiency on testicular tissue was also studied by morphological observations. Growth of vitamin B12-deficient rats was retarded and marked increase in urinary methylmalonic acid was observed. Vitamin B12 contents in the organs were depressed distinctly by the deficiency, especially in testes, vitamin B12 content decreased to 2.5 ng/g. Hepatic methionine synthase and methylmalonyl-CoA mutase activities showed striking depression to 5% of the control rats and extreme vitamin B12-deficiency was confirmed. Testes weight also showed marked decrease together with their relative weight per 100 g body weight. Morphological observations of testes of vitamin B12-deficient rats revealed atrophy of the seminiferous tubules and aplasia of sperms and spermatids. The above results proved that vitamin B12-deficiency affected rat testes, and suggested that the rat could be the animal model for elucidation of the mechanism of B12 action on testicular functions.

Animals↗

[Visual agnosia evolving to optic aphasia--a case study].

The underlying mechanism of visual agnosia and optic aphasia has not been fully elucidated, although a number of hypotheses have been proposed. Besides, the difference between these two conditions has been a matter of debate. We report here the result of neuropsychological evaluation in a case of associative visual agnosia evolving to optic aphasia. A 64-year-old right-handed patient was found to be disoriented and confused after undergoing the operation of gastrectomy. CT scan revealed a large infarction in the territory of left posterior cerebral artery. Since 3 weeks after onset, neuropsychological investigations were carried out during 5 months. He was alert and co-operative. Right homonymous hemianopia with macular sparing was noted, but his visual acuity was normal. There was neither a global deterioration of intellectual capacities nor aphasia. Most striking finding was his difficulty in identifying common objects and colours along with a profound alexia. Prosopagnosia was absent. Visual naming both for objects and line drawings was severely impaired. He was unable to describe or demonstrate the use of the objects which could not be named. Pointing to objects named by the examiner was also severely impaired. Although tactile naming was also impaired, both of auditory naming for environmental sounds and naming objects in response to verbal descriptions were preserved. While he was not able to copy the objects skillfully, matching of identical objects and matching objects to line drawings were normal. Clumsiness of coping was thought to be due to his constructional apraxia and visuomotor ataxia. Therefore, his deficit in visual domain was considered to be associative visual agnosia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Agnosia↗

[Clinical statistics on inpatients admitted to the Department of Urology, Hyogo Prefectural Hospital Nishinomiya during 20 years from 1972 to 1991].

A statistic analysis was carried out on the 4,956 inpatients admitted to our Department of Urology from April 1972 to December 1991. The patients included 3,399 males and 1,557 females. A total of 4,105 operations including 255 renal allotransplantations were performed on 3,590 patients. Open surgery for upper urinary tract stones has been replaced by extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in the last three years.

Adult↗

HTLV-I associated gastric lymphoma.

A large gastric lymphoma was detected in a 42-year-old woman who was seropositive for HTLV-I. The tumor was histologically shown to be of diffuse large cell type, and phenotypic analysis revealed high expression of CD3 and CD4, indicative of a helper/inducer type of T-cell lymphoma. In Southern blot analyses, the tumor cells showed T-cell receptor re-arrangement and contained proviral DNA of HTLV-1.

Adult↗