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Biomedical subjects

N Ikuta

Publications and source records attributed to N Ikuta.

61 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Diagnosis and clinical features of borderline personality disorder in the east and west: a preliminary report.

In the first clinical study of the borderline personality disorder (BPD) in Asia, the Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines (DIB) was performed on 85 female outpatients aged 18 to 30 years in Japan. BPD was diagnosed in 32 (38%) of these patients. The International Classification of Diseases-9 (ICD-9) diagnoses made at the initial examination of the DIB-identified BPD patients were, in order of frequency, neurotic disorders, anorexia nervosa and other eating disorders, and manic-depressive psychoses. The DSM-III axis I diagnoses of the DIB-identified BPD patients were affective disorders in 63%, eating disorders in 34%, and substance use disorders in 22%. This study suggests that there are indeed BPD patients in Japan. An exception is made of the low incidence of substance use disorders, and of the fact that most Japanese patients continue to maintain stormy one-to-one or masochistic relationships with their parents because they live at home--their clinical picture is not different from that of American patients.

Adolescent↗

Comparison of American and Japanese outpatients with borderline personality disorder.

The borderline psychopathology of 33 American and 19 Japanese female outpatients who met the Revised Diagnostic Interview for Borderlines (DIB-R) criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD) was compared. There were significant differences between the samples in the DIB-R total score, as well as in the affect/cognition section and scaled section scores. However, only one of the 22 summary statements (SS) of the DIB-R distinguished American borderlines from Japanese borderlines. Most of the differences seemed to reflect differences in inclusion criteria. It is concluded that there are borderline patients in Japan whose psychopathology is basically identical to that of American borderline patients.

Adolescent↗

Molecular characterization of Spanish infectious bursal disease virus field isolates.

Nine Spanish isolates of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) were characterized and classified after reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction of a 248-bp fragment of the VP2 gene hypervariable region and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The restriction endonucleases (REs) used were BstNI, Sad, SspI, TaqI, DraI, and StyI. Sequencing of the amplified product and further comparison of these sequences with published sequence data from other IBDV strains were also performed. Very virulent and classic strains were identified. None of the strains identified had molecular characteristics similar to that of the American variant strains. Four very virulent strains (VG-248, 5939, 6145, and 7333) were digested by the TaqI, SspI, and StyI enzymes. The sequences of these strains were closely related to other European and Japanese very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV) strains. Strains VG-311, VG-262, and VG-208 were digested by the BstNI and Sad REs and were classified as classic strains. Strains VG-276 and VG-313 had unique RFLP patterns. VG-276 exhibited the SspI RE site, which has been reported as a characteristic of vvIBDV strains, whereas the VG-313 strain exhibited a Sad and StyI RE site indicative of the classic IBDV Edgar and 52-70 strains. However, nucleotide sequence analysis of the amplified hypervariable region strain VG-276 revealed a higher identity with the classic strains STC, 52/70, and 9109 IBDV strains, whereas strain VG-313 exhibited a higher identity with the vvIBDV strains.

Animals↗

Molecular characterization of Brazilian infectious bursal disease viruses.

A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) procedure was used to amplify a VP2 gene fragment (248 bp) from infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). The procedure allowed the detection of known IBDV strains from the United States, along with field isolates and commercial vaccines produced in Brazil. Amplified VP2 fragments were further characterized by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis. From 55 Brazilian commercial flocks, 48 field samples were IBDV positive by RT-TCR. Vaccine RFLP patterns were found in 12 flocks, a pattern compatible with classic IBDV in one flock, four new patterns in 31 flocks, and a pattern compatible with very virulent (vv) IBDV in four flocks. Sequence analysis showed that the vvIBDV RFLP patterns were closely related to the vvIBDVs described in Europe and Asia. Phylogenetic analysis of the four new RFLP patterns showed that they were closely related to but distinct from other classic, variant, and vvIBDVs, suggesting a high prevalence of different IBDV strains in Brazilian commercial flocks.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Anti-GD1b IgG antibody-related Guillain-Barré syndrome initially mimicking brainstem infarction].

We described a 58-year-old woman with Guillain-Barré syndrome, who initially showed rapid progression of brainstem infarction-like signs. She developed superficial sensory disturbance on the left side, dysarthria, and left-predominant limb weakness within a few hours. She showed bilateral extensor plantar responses and head CT scan detected no abnormality. It was difficult to be distinguished from brainstem infarction until symmetrical limb weakness and generalized areflexia appeared. Serum anti-GD1b IgG antibody with cross-reactivity with GM1b was detected. Cerebrospinal fluid examination revealed albuminocytologic dissociation on day 5. After 5 sessions of immunoadsorption therapy, her symptoms gradually lessened. Anti-GD1b antibody has been detected in patients with sensory ataxic neuropathy. Our patient, however, was characterized with early involvement of brainstem with ataxia of cerebellar type. Our case suggests that anti-GD1b antibody-associated neuropathy has a broad spectrum of clinical features, which are related to cross-reactivity of this antibody.

Brain Stem Infarctions↗