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Biomedical subjects

N Kubo

Publications and source records attributed to N Kubo.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

[Clinical evaluation of a lung cancer-associated protein antigen, cytokeratin 19 fragment: II. Radioimmunoassay and effect of aging and smoking over serum level of normal individuals].

Serum level of cytokeratin 19 fragment which is a tumor associated antigen of lung cancer was detected by the radioimmunometric assay. Effect of smoking and of aging on serum reference value was analyzed over 331 normal individuals. Serum cytokeratin 19 fragment level of smokers, mean 0.89ng/ml, was higher than that of non-smokers, mean 0.70ng/ml although there was no statistical meaning over the difference. And there was tendency to increase of cytokeratin 19 fragment level with aging. Mean + 2SD of cytokeratin 19 fragment of normal was 2.17ng/ml. Clinico-epidemiological specificity of cytokeratin 19 fragment on normal individuals was discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Study of the anti Borrelia burgdorferi antibody of hunters in Hokkaido].

We examined the sera of 587 hunters in Hokkaido (Japan's northernmost island) for the antibody to Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi) by enzyme immunoassay, clarified the conditions related to antibody positivity in these subjects according to region, and studied the effects of factors such as age and lifestyle on the antibody titer. In contrast with an anti-B. burgdorferi antibody positive rate of 7.1% in control sera, that in the hunters' sera was 16.0%. Among those positive for the anti-B. burgdorferi antibody, the antibody positive rate in sera excluding those testing positive in the serological test for syphilis was 5.5% in the controls, and 15.4% in the hunters, the latter rate being significantly higher (p less than 0.05). In both hunters and control groups, the antibody-positive rate tended to be higher in older subjects, but the antibody titer showed no correlation with their age, or the duration of their hunting experience. Examination of the hunters' occupations revealed a tendency toward high titers in those engaged in dairy farming. The antibody positivity of those who went gathering edible wild plants was significantly higher than those did not (p less than 0.05). These observations suggested that the high antibody-positive rate in hunters may have been due largely to the effect of activities other than hunting as sources of infection by Borrelia.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Questionnaire surveys of cases of tick bite and Lyme borreliosis in hunters in Hokkaido with reference to detection of anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibody.

An epidemic of Lyme borreliosis on Hokkaido island, Japan, was surveyed by questionnaire in 587 hunters. The 308 returns (52.4%) revealed episodes of tick bite (usually 2 or more) in 210 cases. Skin rashes appeared in 164 cases. Associated itching, pain, etc., but not skin rash, were more frequent after 2 or more tick bite. Previous determinations of anti-Borrelia burgdorferi antibody titers in these subjects and in controls suggested an association with outdoor activities other than hunting, and among 33 cases of dermatological symptoms and 23 of articular symptoms, 4 and 2, respectively, were antibody-positive. Most of these antibody-positive subjects had suffered tick bite at least twice, but had had no antibiotic treatment. Three subjects with joint disorders were antibody-positive. These findings suggested that the many hunters exposed to Borrelia burgdorferi frequently carried latent infections, and that some had latent form of arthritis, dermatitis and other disorders.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Effects of various inflammatory mediators on eustachian tube patency.

The effects of several inflammatory mediators on the patency of the Eustachian tube were evaluated in 15 mongrel dogs. Histamine, leukotriene C4(LTC4) and D4(LTD4), and platelet activating factor (PAF) were perfused through the Eustachian tube of anesthetized dogs at concentrations detected in human middle ear effusion of patients with otitis media. The patency of the Eustachian tube was then evaluated by perfusion pressure and opening pressure. Histamine at concentrations of more than 10(-5) M caused increased tubal resistance and opening pressure rapidly. LTC4 and LTD4 caused a rapid increase of tubal resistance and opening pressure at far lower concentrations, i.e. 10(-12) M. Doses of PAF over 10(-9) M may cause an increase in the opening pressure. These results indicate that various inflammatory mediators are capable of affecting the Eustachian tube function.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[Selection of graft materials in case of emergency coronary bypass surgery following failed angioplasty].

The clinical characteristics of selection of graft materials were analysed for patients undergoing emergency coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) following failed coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Ten emergency CABGs were performed from January 1983 to December 1991. Perioperative variables and follow-up were compared to 18 patients undergoing elective CABG after PTCA. The emergency group had shorter operative time (p less than 0.01) and shorter bypass time (p less than 0.05). Moreover the emergency group had decreased use of the internal thoracic artery (ITA) (40% vs 94.4%, p less than 0.01). There was no use of bilateral ITAs in the emergency group. There was not significant difference in hospital mortality and medium term follow-up between two groups. In conclusion, emergency CABG carries a significantly less use of ITA graft than elective CABG although ITAs are superior to SVGs about long term patency rate. So it is desirable that arterial graft should be used under an appropriate selection at emergency operation.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

[Surgical repair of discrete subaortic stenosis complicated with prosthetic valve endocarditis--a case report].

A 46-year-old man was referred to our hospital because of prosthetic valve regurgitation. Eight years previously he had undergone aortic valve replacement because of aortic regurgitation due to infective endocarditis. At reoperation, we found prosthetic valve endocarditis and discrete subaortic stenosis. The obstructing fibrous tissue was resected and the aortic valve was replaced. Because discrete subaortic stenosis is usually located just below the aortic valve, the aortic valve cusps are liable to become thickened by the jet through the discrete stenosis and thus are vulnerable to infective endocarditis. It is pointed out that care must be taken not to overlook discrete subaortic stenosis in the presence of other associated cardiac disorders.

Aortic Valve↗
PubMed1992

Clinical and pathologic features of chronic myocarditis: four autopsy cases presenting as dilated cardiomyopathy in life.

Four patients who appeared to suffer from dilated cardiomyopathy in life were found at autopsy to have had chronic myocarditis (two males and two females, aged 7 to 42 years). Before the appearance of cardiac symptoms, a flu-like illness was observed in two cases and fever in two others. The duration of illness was from 7 months to 10 years and 11 months (mean: 3 years and 8 months) and the heart weight in three adult patients varied from 510 to 940 g (mean: 720 g). Histologic observation of a transverse ventricular section in each patient showed 10 to 187 clusters of small round cells, and massive fibrosis was also found at these sites. The mean percent area of interstitial fibrosis was 26.3% in the ventricular septum, 31.2% in the left ventricular free wall, and 21.6% in the right ventricular free wall. These histologic findings indicated the presence of myocarditis, which was presumably chronic. Our findings suggest that some of the patients diagnosed as having dilated cardiomyopathy may in fact have chronic myocarditis.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[A case of brain stem encephalitis complicated with bifascicular block caused by rubella virus].

We reported a case of a 29-year-old man who had been in good health until contracting brain stem encephalitis due to a rubella virus 5 years previously, at which time the ECG revealed complete right bundle branch block and right axis deviation. An ECG obtained 6 months earlier had been within normal limits. Since yearly health checkups continued to show the same abnormalities, the patient was admitted for closer examination. At the time of admission, physical findings and blood tests revealed no abnormalities. No cardiomegaly nor pulmonary congestion was observed on chest X-rays either at the time of the original illness or at this time. An endomyocardial biopsy specimen obtained from the right ventricle revealed size variation of cardiac myocytes, moderate disarrangement, and mild myocardial interstitial fibrosis, indicative of post-myocarditic changes. The above findings suggest that bifascicular block (right bundle branch and posterior fascicle) appeared at the time of the rubella virus infection, in the pathogenesis of which the involvement of myocarditis was strongly suspected. Some patients developing myocarditis do not manifest cardiac symptoms such as heart failure. In these cases, conduction disturbances are the sole sequelae. To differentiate pathogenesis in such cases, endomyocardial biopsy was thought to be of value.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Functional T cell subpopulations responsible for hyposecretion of IL-2 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

The ability of T cells to secrete IL-2 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) was investigated. In patients with SLE, impaired IL-2 production by peripheral blood lymphocytes stimulated with mitogens is well known. In this paper, we report that purified T cells stimulated with mitogens, in the presence of Epstein-Barr virus transformed B cells (B-LCL) as an accessory cell, however, could secrete a large quantity of IL-2 as much as normal T cells. In order to study this potential capacity of T cells to secrete IL-2 in patients with SLE, IL-2 secreting T cells were examined. To obtain these cells, T cells were divided into cluster forming cells and noncluster forming cells after short culture of T cells with accessory cells in the presence of Con A. Then the ability of IL-2 production in two kinds of separated T cells was examined. We found that 1) after short culture with B-LCL, the cluster forming T cells could secrete IL-2 when cultured again, but non-cluster forming T cells could not, even in the presence of B-LCL, 2) after short culture with macrophages, in normal donors and SLE patients, noncluster forming T cells were able to secrete a greater amount of IL-2 than cluster forming and undivided T cells when cultured with B-LCL.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Studies on the giardiasis as the zoonosis. II. Giardiasis in dogs and cats].

To obtain the basic data on the route of Giardia infection as zoonosis, we examined feces from 354 dogs and 34 cats for Giardia cysts and trophozoites and evaluated the detection rates. In addition, the feces of owners of the dogs infected with Giardia were examined. Giardia cysts and trophozoites were detected in 58 of the 354 dogs (16.4%) and 3 of the 34 cats (8.8%). Of the 61 animals from which cysts and trophozoites were isolated, 59 were purchased from the breeders and the other two animals had been kept for examinations in the research institute. None of the owners of the dogs had this infection. This result suggests that the possibility of human infection from contact with infected dogs or cats seems to be very low. However, attention should be paid to the possibility of cross-infection between men and animals, because it is not yet clear whether Giardia is strictly host-specific or not.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[Studies on 15 seropositive cases to Lyme disease using immunoperoxidase test in Japan].

The serological survey, analyzing sera which were obtained from Lyme disease suspected subjects was performed using immunoperoxidase (IP) test between July, 1987 and February, 1989. Fifteen seropositive subjects to Borrelia burgdorferi have been found in this survey, and these cases were considered to be true Lyme disease or highly suspected for this illness. Most of these seropositive cases geographically occurred in northern part of Japan, and both sexes and all age subjects were affected. In clinical manifestations, 5 cases developed a typical skin lesion of erythema chronicum migrans (ECM) followed by tick-bite. Neurologic manifestations were found in 6 cases, including one patient who also had ECM after a known tick bite. Of these neurologic manifestations, 4 cases had lymphocytic meningitis, 3 unilateral or bilateral facial palsy, and one encephalomyelitis. When 8 of these 15 sera were analyzed for antibodies to Lyme disease with ELISA, a poor agreement of serodiagnosis between IP test and ELISA has been found in the course of this study.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[A method of interval estimation for number of patients in the nationwide epidemiological survey on intractable diseases].

A method for estimating the intervals for the number of patients with intractable diseases from nationwide epidemiological surveys was developed under the assumption that response is independent of frequency of patients. This method is based on data utilizing the number of response hospitals classified by their reported number of patients. The approximate 95% confidence intervals of numbers of several intractable diseases patients were estimated using this method.

Data Interpretation, Statistical↗
PubMed1991

Rupture of pararenal pseudocyst in a patient with Down's syndrome.

A rare case of Down's syndrome with spontaneous rupture of a pararenal pseudocyst has been reported. The rupture of the pararenal pseudocyst was treated nonsurgically. The presence of this cyst in conjunction with Down's syndrome may be due, in part, to muscular hypotonia.

Down Syndrome↗
PubMed1991

[Serodiagnosis of Lyme disease by ELISA using Borrelia burgdorferi flagellum antigen].

Antibodies to a 41,000 (41 kD) polypeptide in flagella of Borrelia burgdorferi were measured in patients with Lyme disease in Japan by flagellum ELISA. The IgG and IgM Classes of antibodies to a flagellum antigens were detected in the sera as early as 0.5 months after infection. The IgG antibodies continued to exist in their sera for more than one year, while the IgM antibodies quickly faded out from their sera. With respect to a diagnostic specificity of the flagellum ELISA, false positive reactions showing more than 10% were observed in sera with high levels of IgG or IgM, and with anti-syphilis antibody. This method, however, was unaffected by sera with high levels of IgA, rheumatoid factor or anti-nuclear antibody. In three cases of patients with erythema migrans preceded by tick-bite, and treated with antibiotics, seronegative results were observed by a immunoperoxidase (IP) test. Since two of them showed the positive level of IgM antibody by the flagellum ELISA, this method seems to be more sensitive and useful than the IP test for serodiagnosis of the Lyme disease.

Antigens, Bacterial↗
PubMed1990

Functional T-cell subset defined by cluster formation with EB virus transformed B-cells.

This study compares functional properties of T-cells capable of forming clusters with EB virus transformed B lymphoblastoid cells (B-LCL) as accessory cells (A-cells). T-cell functional properties examined include T-cell activation, interleukin 2 (IL-2) production and cell proliferation. In addition, functional properties were compared with the presence or absence of surface markers. T-cells were divided into those that formed clusters with the B-LCL (clustered T-cells) and those that failed to form clusters (nonclustered T-cells). Each subpopulation of T-cells was also incubated with B-LCL and Concanavalin A (Con A) to test for changes in proliferative capabilities. Functional studies indicated that IL-2 activity was higher in the culture supernatant fluids from clustered T-cells than nonclustered T-cells. Spontaneous proliferation of clustered T-cells was equivalent to proliferation of clustered T-cells stimulated with Con A or human IL-2. However, weak spontaneous proliferation by non clustered T cells was enhanced after culturing with Con A or human IL-2. The nonclustered T-cells also produced less IL-2 in cultures containing both B-LCL or Con A. Quantification of T-cell surface markers showed that the expression of Tac antigen was greater on the clustered T-cells than on the nonclustered T-cells. These data suggest that functionally different T-cell subsets can be identified and isolated by their capacity to form clusters with B-LCL A-cells.

Antigen-Presenting Cells↗