Biomedical subjects

N Ito

Publications and source records attributed to N Ito.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

"Obtundation status (Dravet)" caused by complex partial status epilepticus in a patient with severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy.

PURPOSE: We report a 1-year 7-month-old boy with severe myoclonic epilepsy in infancy (SME) who exhibited complex partial status epilepticus (CPSE), which was confirmed by ictal video-EEG analysis. This boy first had a hemiconvulsion in a hot bath at age 3 months. Thereafter, he exhibited both partial and generalized seizures that were extremely intractable. At age 9 months, he had a prolonged episode of impaired consciousness that fit the "obtundation status in SME" defined by Dravet et al. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ictal EEG revealed persisting irregular spike-and-wave complexes over the left hemisphere, predominantly in the occipitotemporal area, and confirmed CPSE. The EEG abnormalities with decreased level of the consciousness continued approximately 6 h after onset of the symptoms even with AED administration. CONCLUSIONS: Because SME features both generalized and focal seizures, both types of nonconvulsive status may be seen in SME. Although Dravet et al. already reported long-lasting atypical absences in patients with SME as "obtundation status," we demonstrated CPSE in an infant with SME who exhibited a prolonged stuporous state.

Coma↗

PubMed1996

Clinical features and natural history of spinocerebellar ataxia type 1.

SCA1 is a dominant spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA) and a multi-systemic syndrome caused by abnormal expansion of unstable CAG repeat in a novel gene located on chromosome 6p22-p23. We clinically studied 35 Japanese SCA1 patients who were assumed to have come from a common origin. The age at onset ranged from 15-63 years, and significantly correlated with CAG repeat units of mutant alleles. Ataxia was the initial symptom, and the majority of patients had a similar history of signs and symptoms. Nystagmus was at first minimal, later attenuated, and a slow saccade followed. Limb tendon reflexes were mostly hyperactive and depressed with the development of diffuse amyotrophy. The cardinal feature was ataxia-hyperreflexia-late slow saccade syndrome with terminal amyotrophy. Although the phenotype of SCA1 overlaps with those of other dominant SCAs, some facets of the neurological events differ from either SCA2 with ataxia-hyporeflexia-slow saccade syndrome, or early-onset Machado-Joseph disease with dystonia-bradykinesia-spasticity syndrome.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Macrolide susceptibility of Mycoplasma hyorhinis isolated from piglets.

Twenty strains of Mycoplasma hyorhinis were investigated for their in vitro susceptibilities to 15 antimicrobial agents by broth and agar dilution methods. Two of the 20 field strains showed low susceptibility to 14- and 16-membered macrolide antimicrobial agents tested. The two field strains were considered inducibly resistant to macrolides.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

[Highlights from 43 years of chemistry of naturally occurring nitrogen-containing heterocycles. (2). Syntheses and reactions of purines and of their nucleosides].

The studies on the syntheses and reactions of purines and their nucleosides, carried out by the present author's group for these 34 years, are reviewed with particular emphasis on the employed synthetic strategies and tactics. Among the studies included in this review are as follows: ring-opening and recyclization of the adenine ring utilizing an N(1)-alkoxy group; kinetic studies of the Dimroth rearrangement and related reactions in the adenine series; syntheses and reactions of new Nx,Ny-disubstituted adenines and of new Nx-substituted adenosines; syntheses, structure determinations, and structure-activity relationships of new natural cytokinins; syntheses and reactions of new marine 8-oxopurines; syntheses, reactions, and biological activities of the N(7)-oxides of guanine, hypoxanthine, adenine, 6-mercaptopurine, and 6-methylthiopurine.

Nucleosides↗

PubMed1996

Mycoplasma hyorhinis infection levels in lungs of piglets with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS).

The infection levels of Mycoplasma hyorhinis, M. hyopneumoniae and M. hyosynoviae in the lung of piglets were examined in relation to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS). These animals consisted of 43 PRRS piglets with PRRS, 2 piglets infected with PRRS virus but symptom-free, and 10 control piglets free of PRRS virus and its antibody. M. hyorhinis was isolated from 40 of the 43 PRRS piglets, from 1 of the 2 latent infected piglets and from 3 of the 10 control piglets. The number of M. hyorhinis isolated from the lungs of PRRS piglets was more than 10(5) CFU/g, but those isolated from the latent infected piglets and the control piglets were less than 10(3) CFU/g. In addition to this, Haemophilus parasuis and Pasteurella spp. were frequently isolated from the piglets with PRRS (51.2% and 25.6%, respectively). On the other hand, M. hyopneumoniae was isolated from only 4 of 55 piglets tested, and M. hyosynoviae was not isolated. M. hyorhinis was also detected directly in the lung emulsion samples from almost all the PRRS piglets using a polymerase chain reaction-based method.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

In vitro susceptibility of Mycoplasma hyosynoviae and M. hyorhinis to antimicrobial agents.

Fifty-four Japanese strains of Mycoplasma hyosynoviae isolated from porkers during 1980 to 1995, and 107 Japanese strains of M. hyorhinis isolated from piglets with respiratory disease during 1991 to 1994 were investigated for the in vitro activities of 13 antimicrobial agents [josamycin, tylosin, spiramycin, kitasamycin, erythromycin, lincomycin (LCM), kanamycin (KM), chloramphenicol (CP), thiamphenicol (TP), tiamulin (TML), oxytetracycline (OTC), chlortetracycline (CTC), and enrofloxacin (ERFX)] by the agar dilution method. Of the drugs tested TML showed the highest activity with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.013 to 0.1 microgram/ m/ (MIC90; 0.05 microgram/ml) against strains of M. hyosynoviae, and 0.2 to 0.78 microgram/ml (MIC90; 0.39 microgram/ml) against strains of M. hyorhinis. ERFX, LCM, most of the 16-membered macrolide antibiotics and tetracyclines also showed low MICs against both mycoplasma species. The susceptibility of KM, CP and TP to the mycoplasmas was considered to be of a secondary grade. Two of 54 strains of M. hyosynoviae, and 11 of 107 strains of M. hyorhinis showed resistance to all 14- and 16-membered macrolide antibiotics tested. Tetracyclines (OTC and CTC) showed a relatively broad MIC distribution from 0.1 to 6.25 micrograms/ml against the M. hyosynoviae strains tested. All of the strains isolated during 1980 to 1984 were susceptible at the concentration of 0.78 microgram/ml or less (MIC90; 0.78 microgram/ml) to OTC and 1.56 micrograms/ml or less (MIC90; 1.56 micrograms/ml) to CTC, while the susceptibility of strains isolated recently, during 1994 to 1995, was more than 0.78 microgram/ml (MIC90; 3.13 micrograms/ml) to OTC, and more than 1.56 micrograms/ml (MIC90; 6.25 micrograms/ml) to CTC.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

A simple preparation of mycoplasmal DNA template for PCR from biological samples using effective surfactants.

To prepare mycoplasmal DNA template for PCR from biological samples rapidly and easily, surfactants which can solubilize cell membranes effectively were investigated. 3-[3-Cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS) was considered an effective surfactant. This surfactant could solubilize mycoplasma cell membrane without suppressing the polymerase reaction. In addition, proteinase K treatment played an important role in preparing mycoplasmal DNA template from a simulated biological sample. It was therefore considered that a combination of proteinase K- and CHAPS- added lysis buffer would be more useful in preparing mycoplasmal DNA template. We could detect PCR products by using the lysis buffer with a simulated lung emulsion sample containing mycoplasma organisms at 10(4) CFU per gram.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Genetic properties of Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides LC strains isolated from a goat in Japan in 1991.

Field isolated Mycoplasma strains LG1 and SF1 were isolated from the lung and leg joint fluid of a goat, respectively in Japan in 1991. These strains were closely related and had the following biochemical properties: glucose was metabolized, arginine and urea were not hydrolyzed, tetrazolium was reduced, phosphatase produced, and casein and coagulated serum were digested. Serologically, these strains cross-reacted with three Mycoplasma species [M. mycoides subsp. mycoides (Mmm), M. mycoides subsp. capri, and M. sp. Group 7]. From the above results, the field isolates were considered to be Mmm. In addition, DNA-DNA relatedness between the field isolates and other Mycoplasma species called the "mycoides cluster" was determined, and a recently developed PCR method was also used for mycoplasmal identification. From these results, the field isolates were identified as Mmm LC type.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Measurement of beta 2-microglobulin in bovine serum and urine by radioimmunoassay.

A radioimmunoassay (RIA) system for quantification of bovine beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-M) in serum and urine was developed. The protein isolated from bovine colostrum showed a single band in SDS-PAGE, and its molecular weight was approximately 11,600. Amino acid sequences for the first 24 residues and the amino acid composition of the protein were in agreement with those in the bovine beta 2-M of previous research works. In an Ouchterlony test, a single precipitation line was formed between the protein and the antiserum made by the protein. From these results, it was confirmed that the protein isolated from the colostrum was pure bovine beta 2-M. For creation of an RIA calibration curve for urine, a urine void of beta 2-M, as much as possible (beta 2-M-free urine), and a PBS were used as diluents. Intraassay (n = 10) and interassay (n = 3) variances were 1.7-4.6% and 7.1-11.5% in the PBS dilute method, and were 1.4-5.1% and 12.3-13.5% in the beta 2-M-free urine dilute method, respectively. Mean recoveries were 160 +/- 19% (mean +/- SD) and 98.4 +/- 7.9% in PBS and beta-M-free urine, respectively. It was found that the method using the beta 2-M-free urine as a diluent was more accurate than using PBS. The beta 2-M concentrations in serum and urine of healthy Holstein cows measured by this RIA system showed a logarithmic normal distribution for urine and a normal distribution for serum. The mean beta 2-M concentrations were 0.0305(+0.04443)(-0.0210) mg/l (Geometric mean +/- S.D., n = 43) in urine and 2.87 +/- 0.45 mg/l (Arithmetic mean +/- S.D., n = 26) in sera. Further, we could not observe the particular tendency of daily variation in urinary beta 2-M concentrations of healthy cows (Holstein, n = 3 x 2 days).

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1996

Effects of muscle relaxation therapy using specially designed plates in patients with pulmonary emphysema.

It has been suggested that respiratory muscle dysfunction plays a major role in the development of acute ventilatory failure in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In this study, we devised a respiratory muscle relaxation maneuver using wedge-shaped wooden plates, with which pressure was exerted on the intercostal and accessory respiratory muscles by hand, or by tapping with a wooden hammer, for 15-20 minutes twice a day. The muscle relaxation maneuver was performed in 5 moderate to severe pulmonary emphysema patients for 4 weeks and in 7 emphysema patients for 6 weeks, and the effects on pulmonary function were examined. After the therapy, inspiratory capacity (IC) and vital capacity (VC) in both the 4 weeks-and 6 weeks-treated groups, and the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV 1.0) in the 6 weeks-treated group were significantly increased, and CO2 retention had also improved. Daily peak expiratory flow (PEF) showed significant increases from 2 weeks after the initiation of the therapy. These results suggest that the respiratory muscle relaxation maneuver is effective for improving the pulmonary function of pulmonary emphysema patients.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

Histochemical demonstration and analysis of poly-N-acetyllactosamine structures in normal and malignant human tissues.

Poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl structures carry a variety of physiologically and pathologically important carbohydrate antigens and are presumed to have essential roles in the process of cellular recognition, differentiation, malignant transformation and cancer metastasis. Monoclonal antibodies, lectins and endo-beta-galactosidase are useful histochemical tools for detecting and analyzing poly-N-acetyllactosamines in tissue sections. I (branched structure) and i (linear structure) antigens recognized by monoclonal antibodies have been shown to be differentiation antigens in mouse embryo and mouse and human teratocarcinoma cells as well as in human erythrocytes. They are also oncofoetal antigens and are expressed in carcinoma cells in several tissues and organs. Immobilized lectins specific to poly-N-acetyllactosamine structures have been successfully applied for fractioning glycoproteins with poly-N-acetyllactosamine, but histochemical use of these lectins has been restricted to some animal tissues. Among them, pokeweed mitogen agglutinin was used to detect branched poly-N-acetyllactosamine in normal and malignant human colon, demonstrating that it has a highly selective affinity for colorectal carcinomas. Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin-II staining following endo-beta-galactosidase digestion procedure revealed the presence of poly-N-acetyllactosamine structures with or without blood group-specificities in several normal human tissues. By using this procedure, it was demonstrated that the blood group-related antigens oncofoetally expressed in thyroid carcinoma cells are carried by poly-N-acetyllactosamines containing a domain susceptible to the enzyme digestion. Staining with lectins specific to poly-N-acetyllactosamine in combination with endo-beta-galactosidase digestion demonstrated that poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl structures ubiquitously and consistently produced in thyroid papillary carcinomas are highly heterogeneous in their chain length and branching status and quite different from those produced in other thyroid neoplasms. Staining with monoclonal antibodies or lectins combined with endo-beta-galactosidase digestion procedures have been proven to be powerful tools for localizing and analyzing different types of poly-N-acetyllactosamine structures in normal and malignant tissues.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

[Clinical aspects of dementia].

Differential diagnosis of dementing diseases is very important to rule in the so-called treatable dementia. The new DSM-IV criteria for dementia include memory disturbances and one or more of aphasia, apraxia, or frontal lobe dysfunctions as essentials. Alzheimer disease requires, in addition, slowly progressive course and ruling out other brain or systemic diseases. Vascular dementia requires focal neurological or neuroimaging signs. Other diseases which cause dementia include chronic subdural hematoma, infection and brain tumor. CT or MRI can readily diagnose them if suspected and they may be treated. Systemic diseases associated with treatable dementia include electrolyte disturbances, hypothyroidism, vitamin deficiency, alcohol or drug intoxication, syphilis and HIV infection. Prevention of dementia seems to be the future problem as we could prevent cerebrovascular diseases by treating hypertension.

Dementia↗

PubMed1996

[A case of agammaglobulinemia with chronic enteroviral meningomyelitis].

We report a 30-year-old man with agammaglobulinemia and chronic aseptic meningomyelitis. The patient was diagnosed as having X-linked recessive agammaglobulinemia at 4 years of age and gammaglobulin supplementation was started. He had TIA-like episodes several times since 25 years of age. He developed difficulty in micturition and impotence at 29 years of age. Neurological examination revealed bilateral deafness, contracture of knee joints, slight weakness and areflexia in the lower extremities, Babinski sign and dysuria. There was sensory disturbance in the lower extremity on the left. There was not consciousness disturbance or meningeal irritation sign. The cerebrospinal fluid findings included pleocytosis and increase in protein. Enterovirus RNA was detected in the cerebrospinal fluid by the modified polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. MRI of lower spinal cord showed syrinx formation in the lumbosacral cord and CT of the brain showed bilateral temporal lobe atrophy and temporoparietal subdural fluid collection on the left. 123I-IMP SPECT showed decrease in the cerebral blood flow in the whole brain. EEG showed diffuse slow activity, suggesting the subclinical encephalopathy. Chronic enteroviral meningoencephalitis with agammaglobulinemia (CEMA) is one of the complications of agammaglobulinemia. However, myelitis without apparent encephalopathy is very rare. To our knowledge, there have been no reports of spinal sylinx formation in CEMA.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

[Paternity probability in the cases of incest].

To calculate the paternity probability in the cases of incest where the alleged father was either the father or the brother of the plaintiff's mother, some algebraic expressions applicable to a simple codominant diallelic genetic marker system were derived by modifying the formulas of Essen-Möller and Komatsu (the both formulas gave the same result). The paternity probability in the incest case is generally lower than that in usual case, because in the former case an allele present in the mother is sometimes found in both the alleged father and the child (plaintiff), even if the alleged father is not true father. The paternity probability in the incest case, however, becomes higher than that in usual case when an allele is common to both the alleged father and the child but not to the mother. The mean value of paternity probability becomes lower, as the relationship becomes closer between the alleged father and the mother.

Alleles↗

PubMed1996

[A method to calculate the probability of paternity between relatives--a paternity case where the putative father was a deceased granduncle].

To test paternity in a case where the putative father was a deceased uncle of mother (plaintiff's granduncle), we designed a new method to calculate the probability of paternity likelihood. The putative father's genotypes of red cell antigens, HLA and short tandem repeat (STR) polymorphism were estimated from those of mother and sister of the plaintiff. When the probability was calculated from the frequencies in the unrelated individuals (the standard method), a significant bias might be introduced since the putative father and the plaintiff were likely to have the same alleles come from their common ancestry. Therefore, we designed a new method to calculate the likelihood ratio from the frequencies in the group of mother's uncles estimated from mother's genotypes. The probability (0.9299) calculated with our method was found to be lower than that (0.9992) done with the standard method indicating that the new method could remove the bias introduced from the incest.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Atraumatic loose shoulder: the treatment by pectoralis major muscle transfer.

From 1975, 40 shoulders of 34 patients with a loose shoulder were operated on by pectoralis major transfer. The insertions of the clavicular and sternal portions were transferred to the inferior angle of the scapula to bring the glenoid cavity upwards. The follow-up period was 5.3 years on average, and complaints of dullness of the shoulder, feeling of subluxation and dullness of the arm had decreased. However, complaints of dullness of the shoulder girdle had increased at follow-up. The inferior instability had improved in all but four shoulders because this method brings the glenoid cavity upwards and the changes of the upward rotating angle of the scapula were confirmed by roentgenographic investigations. The study of the tracking movement pointed out that this method did not affect the motion of the shoulder, and the high activity of the transferred pectoralis major muscle during the movement was thought to play an important role in reducing inferior instability. This method is most recommended for a patient who has multidirectional instability and can subluxate the head antero-inferiorly by the pectoralis major muscle, but it is not recommended for athletes as the power of the shoulder adductor is reduced to some extent after surgery.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Aflatoxin-albumin adducts: a basis for comparative carcinogenesis between animals and humans.

The study objectives were (a) to correlate AFB1 serum albumin adduct levels with AFB1-DNA adduct levels in liver in different rodent species to determine whether the former could serve as a marker of hepatic DNA adduct levels irrespective of species, and (b) to relate the levels of both adducts to differences in susceptibility to tumor induction by AFB1 in the different species. Finally, an attempt was made to compare the dose response for AFB1-albumin adduct formation in the rodent species with that in human populations exposed environmentally to AFB1. Three strains of rat (Fischer 344, Wistar, and Sprague-Dawley), and one strain each of guinea pig (Hartley), hamster (Syrian golden), and mouse (C57BL) were treated by gavage with up to 14 daily doses of between 1 and 80 mug AFB1/kg body weight. Animals were killed 24 h after 1, 3, 7, or 14 days treatment. A dose response in both AFB1-albumin and AFB1-DNA adducts was seen for all species and strains with steady-state adduct levels at 14 days. In rat strains at 14 days after treatment with 20 mu g/kg, the mean AFB1-albumin levels were between 24 and 26 pg AFB1-lysine equivalent/mg albumin, and the mean AFB1-DNA adduct levels were between 1.5 and 2.5 pmol (8, 9-dihydro-8- (2, 6-diamino-4-oxo-3, 4-dihydro-pyrimid-5-ylforamido-)- 9-hydroxy) AFB1/mg DNA. The level of both adducts was in the following order: rat > guinea pig > hamster > mouse. In the case of AFB1-albumin, the mean adduct level at 14 days in the three rat strains was approximately 1.5, 3.0, and 8-fold higher than in the guinea pig, hamster, and mouse, respectively. When the levels of the albumin and DNA adducts at 14 days were plotted against each other for all species and strains, a correlation was observed (r = 0.83; P = < 0.0001; n = 57; two-tailed test) suggesting a constant relationship between the level of binding of AFB1 to serum albumin and liver DNA. The levels of AFB1-albumin adduct also reflect at least qualitatively the relative susceptibility of the different species to AFB1 carcinogenesis; the rat is sensitive and the hamster and mouse are resistant. The level of AFB1-albumin adduct formed as a function of a single dose of AFB1 in rodents was compared to data from humans exposed environmentally to AFB1. This comparison yielded a value for the three rat strains of between 0.3 and 0.51 pg AFB1-lysine equivalent/mg albumin/1 mu g AFB1/kg body weight and a value for the mouse of <0.025. The best estimate for people from The Gambia and southern China was 1.56 pg/mg albumin for the same exposure. These data suggest that humans exposed to AFB1 form amounts of albumin addducts, and by extrapolation amounts of DNA adducts, closer to those observed in AFB1-sensitive species and 1-2 orders of magnitude higher levels than the AFB1-resistant species.

Aflatoxins↗

PubMed1996

Localization of binding sites of Ulex europaeus I, Helix pomatia and Griffonia simplicifolia I-B4 lectins and analysis of their backbone structures by several glycosidases and poly-N-acetyllactosamine-specific lectins in human breast carcinomas.

Several studies have shown the deletion of blood group A or B antigens and the accumulation of H antigens in human breast carcinomas. Other studies have independently demonstrated that the binding sites of lectins such as Helix pomatia agglutinin (HPA) and Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin I-B4 (GSAI-B4) are highly expressed in these cells. In order to clarify the molecular mechanisms of malignant transformation and metastasis of carcinoma cells, it is important to understand the relationship between such phenotypically distinct events. For this purpose, we examined whether the binding sites of these lectins and Ulex europaeus agglutinin I (UEA-I) are expressed concomitantly in the same carcinoma cells and analyzed their backbone structures. The expression of the binding sites of these lectins was observed independently of the blood group (ABO) of the patients and was not affected by the histological type of the carcinomas. Observation of serial sections stained with these lectins revealed that the distribution of HPA binding sites was almost identical to that of GSAI-B4 in most cases. Furthermore, in some cases, UEA-I binding patterns were similar to those of HPA and GSAI-B4 but in other cases, mosaic staining patterns with these lectins were also observed, i.e., some cell clusters were stained with both HPA and GSAI-B4 but not with UEA-I and adjacent cell clusters were stained only with UEA-I. Digestion with endo-beta-galactosidase or N-glycosidase F markedly reduced the staining intensity of these lectins. Together with the reduction of staining by these lectins, reactivity with Griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin II appeared in carcinoma cells following endo-beta-galactosidase digestion. Among the lectins specific to poly-N-acetyllactosamine, Lycopersicon esculentum agglutinin (LEA) most vividly and consistently stained the cancer cells. Next to LEA, pokeweed mitogen agglutinin was also effective in staining these cells. Carcinoma cells reactive with these lectins corresponded well to those stained with both HPA and GSAI-B4, and in some cases, with UEA-I. These results demonstrate that the binding sites of UEA-I, HPA, and GSAI-B4 are expressed concomitantly in the same carcinoma cells and all carry linear and branched poly-N-acetyllactosamine on N-glycans, suggesting that the synthesis of this complex carbohydrate is one of the most important and basic processes leading to the malignant transformation of cells, invasion, and metastasis of carcinoma cells.

ABO Blood-Group System↗