[Prevalence of Borrelia on tick collected in Yamanashi Prefecture].
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Animals↗
Biomedical subjects
N Kubo
Publications and source records attributed to N Kubo.
[Changes in luminal diameter of internal thoracic arteries five years after coronary artery bypass grafting].
Five years after coronary artery bypass grafting, 23 internal thoracic arteries (ITAs) were reexamined angiographically, and their luminal diameters were compared with those of one month after the operation. Proximal diameter, just below the subclavian artery, and distal diameter, just above the anstomosis, were measured. One month after surgery, these were 2.38 +/- 0.48 mm and 1.69 +/- 0.39 mm, respectively. After five years, the proximal diameter had not changed significantly (2.48 +/- 0.47 mm), but the distal diameter had increased to 1.96 +/- 0.58 mm (p < 0.05). Especially when there was no competitive flow with the ITA, the distal diameter showed a marked increase from 1.80 +/- 0.35 mm to 2.27 +/- 0.42 mm (p < 0.01). Twelve ITAs were grafted to coronary arteries having less than critical stenosis, and five of them showed distal narrowing or so-called string sign after five years. This seemed to be a form or physiological atrophy resulting from competitive flow, and the patients had no anginal pain in spite of their poor ITA runoff. When coronary artery stenosis is less than 75%, a choice is difficult between an ITA or a saphenous vein graft. We think that the graft must be selected considering the possibility of stenosis progression, if the jeopardized area is important for the patient. An ITA graft would be advisable in such cases.
Aged↗
[Role of lipoprotein(a) in the progression of atherosclerosis: implication of localization in atherosclerotic lesions and clinical usefulness of serum level determination].
Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) is generally regarded as an atherogenic lipoprotein because so much previous cross-sectional research has shown a tight connection between its plasma level and development of atherosclerosis. Previous studies on Lp(a) concerning its localization in atherosclerotic lesions and the clinical usefulness of serum level determination were reviewed, and the role of Lp(a) in the progression of atherosclerosis was discussed. In addition to its experimental and biophysiological relevance, clinicoepidemiological and socioeconomical consideration is becoming necessary for the clinicopathologist to evaluate the usefulness of blood Lp(a) measurement. In the clinicopathological field, much interest has been concentrated on the standardization of Lp(a) measurement because many methods have previously been applied to measure the blood Lp(a) concentration, and many problems concerning Lp(a) measurement have been raised. Future results from randomized or cohort studies in Japanese populations on Lp(a) will provide firmer evidence for the clinical usefulness of Lp(a) measurement.
Arteriosclerosis↗
[Recent advances in apolipoprotein measurement].
Owing to the development of protein measurement methods, apolipoprotein can be measured more rapidly and precisely. It has been only in recent years that apolipoprotein measurement widely prevails in the clinical field. Various apolipoprotein measurement systems are available for the clinical laboratory in Japan. Formerly, apolipoprotein was manually measured mainly by a single radial immunodiffusion system, but recently more sophisticated automated systems for apolipoprotein measurement have been developed and applied. The more the need to detect apolipoprotein in the clinical laboratory and the larger the scale for apolipoprotein measurement, the more progress to be made in rapidity and cost performance. That is, the advances in apolipoprotein measurement depend on the requirement of its test by the clinicians. In the global trend, standardization for apolipoprotein measurement is being discussed and is in progress. The effort of standardization is fulfilled in some results of external standardization surveys on apolipoprotein measurement. In this report, we introduced the advances in apolipoprotein measurement which supported the standardization process in Japan.
Apolipoproteins↗
[Indication of surgery in TIA and cerebral thrombosis].
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Adult↗
Relations between lead exposure and peripheral neuromuscular functions of lead-exposed workers--results of tapping test.
In this study, four experiments using the tapping test were conducted to evaluate the possible subclinical effects of lead exposure on the neuromuscular systems of lead workers at some transfer printing factories in Japan. Decreases in the tapping ability appeared coincidentally with higher blood lead levels. The recovery of the tapping ability after 30 sec rest in the groups of 30-45 micrograms/dl and above 45 micrograms/dl PbB was worse than that in the group with less than 29 micrograms/dl PbB. The recovery of the decreased tapping ability after 60 sec rest was better even in the group with 30-45 micrograms/dl PbB. The tapping ability for 0-10 sec at the first tapping test was sustained after 30 or 60 sec rest in the group with the PbB below 29 micrograms/dl; however, the tapping ability at the second and third tapping test decreased in the two groups with the PbB level above 30 micrograms/dl. The decreased finger tapping speed may be functional evidence of low-grade motor neuropathy among the workers with higher levels of lead absorption.
Adult↗
A successful case of intraarterial prednisolone injection therapy in severe ulcerative colitis unresponsive to an intensive intravenous regimen.
A successful case of intraarterial prednisolone injection therapy in severe ulcerative colitis unresponsive to conventional therapy, including an intensive intravenous regimen, is presented. After the direct administration of prednisolone into the mesenteric arteries, the patient's conditions markedly improved, and he succeeded in overcoming the acute stage and entered remission. Accordingly, he safely underwent elective surgery which was finally required because of the inability to withdraw prednisolone therapy. It is well worthwhile to consider this therapy in the last resort of medical therapy for ulcerative colitis.
Adult↗
Fragmentation of internal elastic lamina and spread of smooth muscle cell proliferation induced by percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty.
We investigated smooth muscle cell proliferation associated with restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) in 8 arteries with fragmented internal elastic lamina obtained at autopsy in 7 patients who died between 2 months to 2 years 11 months after coronary angioplasty. The internal elastic lamina fragmentation, measured longitudinally along the blood vessels, measured 6.6 +/- 6.9 mm. Smooth muscle cell proliferation was concentrated around the fragmented internal elastic lamina, extending longitudinally even to unfragmented areas. The proliferation of smooth muscle cells extended for 1.8 +/- 2.2 mm in the proximal portion of the fragmentation, and for 2.0 +/- 2.9 mm in the distal portion. The possibility of new stenoses resulting from smooth muscle cell proliferation at sites adjacent to those subjected to PTCA should be borne in mind when PTCA of the proximal segments of the left anterior descending coronary artery is contemplated.
Aged↗
Surgical anatomy for infralabyrinthine approach to the internal auditory canal.
Surgical anatomy for infralabyrinthine approach to the internal auditory canal was evaluated using human temporal bone in order to understand advantages and disadvantages of this approach. The procedure is extracranial without any damage of labyrinth. Lateral exposure of the internal auditory canal allows for easy separation of the cochlear and vestibular nerves. There are some potential problems of little importance stemming from anatomical variations, such as high jugular bulb, forward positioned sigmoid sinus and poor pneumatization of the infralabyrinthine space. This approach offers access to the eighth cranial nerve with minimal risk and morbidity.
Cochlear Nerve↗
Thermal influence on intracellular calcium concentration in vestibular hair cells isolated from the guinea pig. A preliminary report.
Caloric responses to intracellular calcium homeostasis of vestibular hair cells isolated from the guinea pig were examined. An increase in intracellular free calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+]i) in the isolated cells was observed by direct heat stimulation. The cells, dissociated enzymatically or mechanically, were stimulated by perfusion of solution, in the temperature range of 2.2-5.2 degrees C. The [Ca2+]i was analysed using a digital imaging microscope and the Ca2+ sensitive dye, Fura-2. There was an increase in [Ca2+]i in both Types I and II vestibular hair cells with this heat stimulation. The direct thermal influence on vestibular sensory cells is discussed in relation to mechanisms involved in caloric nystagmus.
Animals↗
Regional blood flow volume in the eustachian tube.
Measurements of regional blood flow around the pharyngeal orifice of the Eustachian tube were carried out after topical administration of various inflammatory mediators in 14 mongrel dogs by the hydrogen clearance method. Histamine and platelet-activating factor (PAF) resulted in a significant alteration of blood flow volume. Histamine was found to induce a dose-response related increase, whereas blood flow volume tended to decrease in each concentration range in the series of PAF administration. There was no significant difference in blood flow between topical application of leukotriene C4 and leukotriene D4. It is likely that in upper respiratory tract inflammation, such as in otitis media and in nasal allergy, activated histamine and PAF affect the microcirculation of the tubal orifice. These results suggest that disturbance of the microcirculatory system in the Eustachian tube mucosa could be involved in the pathogenesis of chronic otitis media with effusion.
Animals↗
Effects of topical capsaicin on autonomic nerves in experimentally-induced nasal hypersensitivity. An immunocytochemical study.
Effects of capsaicin on autonomic nerves in the nasal mucosa and olfactory bulb of toluene diisocyanate sensitized guinea pigs were studied using immunocytochemistry. In the nasal mucosa, substance P (SP)- and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-like immunoreactive (SPI and THI) fibers seemed to decrease after capsaicin application. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-like immunoreactive (CGRPI) fibers did not show obvious alterations. In the olfactory bulb, SPI and CGRPI fibers were few and the effects of capsaicin on those fibers were difficult to evaluate. THI fibers seemed not to be affected by capsaicin. It is suggested that capsaicin affects not only sensory nerves but that it also impacts on THI sympathetic nerves in the nasal mucosa.
Administration, Intranasal↗
Beta adrenergic receptor inhibitory factor in serum of patients with nasal allergy.
Sera obtained from patients with perennial mite nasal allergy and Japanese cedar pollinosis were examined to identify "beta receptor inhibitory factor". This was done by evaluating the inhibition of 3H-dihydroalprenolol binding to guinea pig cerebral membrane. beta receptor binding was inhibited by preincubation with sera from 8 of 44 (18.1%) perennial allergy patients, whereas sera from 2 of 41 (4.9%) controls showed this inhibition. Sera from 6 of 41 pollenosis patients (14.6%) showed this inhibitory effect in the pollen season but not in other seasons. Serum from one such patient (2.4%) demonstrated this effect both in and out of the pollen season. Sera from 2 pollenosis patients inhibited the beta receptor function not in the pollen season, but in the off season. This inhibitory effect was eliminated by immunodepletion from the positive-inhibition serum. These findings identified circulating beta receptor inhibitory factor in a limited population of patients with nasal allergy indicating the possible pathogenetic role of this factor in the disturbance of the sympathetic nerve function. This beta receptor inhibitory effect may correspond to the anti beta receptor autoantibody which Venter postulated in 1980.
Animals↗
Functional disturbances of the autonomic nerve in nasal hyperreactivity: an up-date review.
During the 1980s, our view of airway hypersensitivity was altered significantly. Advances in biochemical techniques revealed involvement of several nonspecific events in nasal hyperreactivity: Autonomic dysfunction involving primary and/or secondary receptor disorders, epithelial damage by cytotoxic proteins in eosinophil, which is stimulated by inflammatory mediators, and an axonal reflex of sensory C fibers. Since 1983, we have neurobiochemically investigated the autonomic nerve dysfunction in the nasal mucosa of patients with nasal allergy and guinea pigs with experimentally-induced nasal hypersensitivity. We propose the following mechanisms as potential contributors to the disturbance of the beta receptor function in airway hyperreactivity: i) Down-regulation caused by excess endogenous norepinephrine stimulation, ii) down-regulation and uncoupling to adenylate cyclase, produced by the inflammatory mediator-induced activation of protein kinase C, iii) the action of beta receptor inhibitory factor, presumably anti beta receptor autoantibodies, and iv) dysfunction of beta receptor kinase, which is known to cause short-term desensitization of beta receptors after exposure to beta agonists. This review provides the anatomical and neurobiochemical background for the autonomic regulation and dysfunction in the nose. We also introduce our series of experiments and the above updated hypotheses of how functional disturbances of the autonomic nerve in the nasal mucosa may occur.
Autonomic Nervous System↗
Subjective results of laser surgery for allergic rhinitis.
Inferior turbinates of 389 patients with perennial allergic rhinitis were vaporized by a defocused carbon dioxide (CO2) laser beam, using specially designed handpieces. This laser surgery can be done under local anesthesia as an outpatient procedure, with no pain or bleeding. One month after laser surgery, 78% of 389 patients had excellent or good results, while 21 had no improvement, subjectively. Seventy-two of 389 patients were followed for over 2 years, and 61 of the 72 had excellent or good results. Twenty-seven of the 72 cases need revaporization because of recurrence. Patients with relapse less than one year after surgery had little improvement in subjective symptoms, even after revaporization; while patients with relapse more than one year after surgery responded well, and long-term results were favorable. All things considered, laser surgery is an effective treatment for perennial allergic rhinitis.
Follow-Up Studies↗
Thyroid follicle transplantation by percutaneous injection.
We previously reported on the isolation of thyroid follicles from thyroid tissue and their acceptance after allogeneic transplantation under the renal capsule with laparotomy in mice. In the present study, we introduced a new method of autologous transplantation of thyroid follicles accepted in the hosts after percutaneous injection into the spleen or into fat tissue in the peritoneal cavity without laparotomy in rats. This method of thyroid transplantation by a single injection, which induces little stress in the host, is applicable to autologous and allogeneic transplantations and may release patients from the burden of daily life-long administration of thyroxine.
Animals↗
Sympathetic nerve disturbance and fine structure of adrenergic nerve terminals in nasal mucosa after experimentally-induced nasal hypersensitivity.
Electron microscopic observations were used to study the relation between the adrenergic nerve terminal and the effector cell in the nasal mucosa of toluene diisocyanate-sensitized and non-sensitized guinea pigs. Adrenergic nerve terminals were abundantly distributed in the adventitia of arterioles, however, no synapse formation was observed in smooth muscle cells of the mesothelium, i.e., effector cells. Adrenergic nerve terminals were observed separated from smooth muscle cells of the mesothelium of the arteriole by distances of 1000 A-3000 A. Neurotransmission by the sympathetic nerve in the nasal mucosa is assumed to be by diffusion of norepinephrine (NE) or by diffusive synaptic conduction. The mechanism of sympathetic hypofunction in the nasal mucosa in nasal hypersensitivity is assumed to be as follows: Released histamine directly stimulates H-1 receptors at the sympathetic nerve terminal, leading to the release of NE. Once released, NE is not readily reabsorbed, and is gradually depleted in the sympathetic nerve terminal, leading to hypofunction of the sympathetic nerve.
Adrenergic Fibers↗
[Clinical evaluation of a lung cancer-associated protein antigen, cytokeratin 19 fragment: I. Radioimmunoassay and its fundamental character for clinical laboratory measurement].
Serum level of cytokeratin 19 fragment; which is a tumor associated antigen of lung cancer; was detected by the radioimmunometric assay. Reliability for clinical laboratory measurement was investigated. Detective range of cytokeratin 19 fragment was 0-50 ng/ml and the results including reproducibility, linearity of the data from diluted standard samples, was good enough for laboratory practice use. Although, influence of high concentration of CA19-9 over cytokeratin 19 fragment assay was suspected, there was no correlation between amount of added the antigen to data of cytokeratin 19 fragment. So direct cross reactivity of cytokeratin 19 fragment antibody to CA19-9 seemed less possible. As inhibitory effect of samples which contained over 100 ng/ml of cytokeratin 19 fragment on assay was observed due to antigen excess, evaluation by diluted sample was necessary for the samples that showed over detective limit.
Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗