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Biomedical subjects

N Shibata

Publications and source records attributed to N Shibata.

406 records · Page 23Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Plasma 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol and homovanillic acid concentrations in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

To ask if the determination of central-nervous-system-derived catecholamine metabolites in peripheral circulation could be a useful index of brain dysfunction after subarachnoid hemorrhage, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol and homovanillic acid concentrations in plasma, together with those of free catecholamines (noradrenaline, adrenaline, and dopamine), were serially measured for up to 3 weeks after the initiation of symptoms in 23 patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage as compared to 17 healthy and 9 patient controls. Catecholamines and their metabolites were determined by using high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Plasma 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol concentrations were markedly elevated in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients with coma compared to those without, and the maximal concentrations observed in comatose patients never occurred in normal subjects or in patients with other neurological disorders. The mean maximal plasma concentrations of free catecholamines did not differ significantly between the comatose and noncomatose groups. Combining 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol with homovanillic acid level data more clearly discriminated between the comatose and noncomatose subarachnoid hemorrhage groups. The results suggest that plasma concentration of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol, a major metabolite of brain noradrenaline, can be a prognostic discriminator for patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage and its discriminating power can be strengthened by combining it with homovanillic acid data.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Early ultrastructural changes in the central nervous system in Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy.

Electron microscopy of the central nervous system surface structure is described in two fetuses with Fukuyama congenital muscular dystrophy (FCMD). In addition to relatively large surface defects, many minute defects less than several micrometers in size associated with protrusion of glial cytoplasm were observed in the cerebrum. These findings were considered to represent early changes prior to cortical dysplasia. The basement membrane adjacent to the defects showed amorphous, wavy, or whorled configurations, and gradually disappeared. The glial cytoplasmic membrane seemed to be relatively well preserved in some areas where the basement membrane disappeared. On the other hand, both the basement membrane and cytoplasmic membrane became indistinct irregularly in areas without defects, including the spinal cord; similar lesions were found in the skeletal muscle. These observations confirm previous observations concerning defects of the pial-glial barrier of the brain surface, and may suggest the involvement of abnormal basement membrane or related structures, or both, in the genesis of the brain lesions of FCMD.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Trends in antimicrobial-drug resistance in Japan.

Multidrug resistance in gram-positive bacteria has become common worldwide. In Japan until recently, gram-negative bacteria such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Serratia marcescens were controlled by carbapenems, fluoroquinolones, and aminoglycosides. However, several of these microorganisms have recently developed resistance against many antimicrobial drugs.

Drug Resistance, Microbial↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Relationship between energy liberation and utilization in ischemic cardiac muscle.

Mitochondrial respiration, succinate dehydrogenase coenzyme Q reductase, and myosin B were investigated in ischemic myocardium from experimental myocardial infarction in dogs. Respiratory control ratio of mitochondria was impaired by ischemia at 60 min after coronary ligation, and oxygen consumption was inhibited 120 min later. Enzyme activity of succinate dehydrogenase coenzyme Q reductase was decreased at 6 hr after coronary ligation. Calcium ion sensitivity of myosin B declined 12 hr after coronary ligation. However, adenosine triphosphatase activity of myosin A from infarcted myocardium was not different from that of the intact one. These results suggest that interaction in the sequence of enzyme complexes was first impaired in ischemic myocardium and that deterioration of enzyme activity was then manifested.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Features of lysosomal proteolytic enzyme activity in infarcted myocardium.

Myocardial infarction was produced in dogs to investigate the behavior of cardiac lysosomal enzymes; acid protease and beta-glucuronidase activities were measured in whole myocardial homogenate and 30,000 X g supernatant fractions. Total activity of acid protease in the whole homogenate of the myocardium increased after 1 hr of infarction and showed maximal value after 6 hr, while in the 30,000 X g supernatant fraction the activity began to increase after 3 hr and reached the maximal level by 24 hr. Total beta-glucuronidase activity in the whole homogenate decreased during the initial 3 hr after myocardial infarction and markedly increased after 12 hr. The activity in the 30,000 X g supernatant fraction showed corresponding changes. These findings that the increase in whole homogenate activity preceded that in the 30,000 X g supernatant fraction may support the hypothesis that lysosomal enzymes may be newly synthesized and then solubilized in the infarcted myocardium.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) has recently been introduced as a new treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Japan. This study was performed to evaluate its efficacy and safety. METHODOLOGY: Thirteen patients with 17 nodules of unresectable HCC were subjected to PMCT under ultrasonic guidance. The tumors ranged from 1.2-4.4 cm in size. Assessment of the efficacy of PMCT was made by follow-up with dynamic computed tomography (CT). RESULTS: In the patients with small HCC (< or = 2.0 cm), 8 of 10 nodules (80%) showed complete remission after PMCT. In small nodules located on the liver surface, 3 out of 4 nodules (75%) showed complete remission. However, in the patients with larger HCC (> or = 2.1 cm), 5 out of 7 nodules developed local recurrence after PMCT. Regarding assessment of the necrotic area after PMCT, dynamic CT revealed enhancement that was possibly caused by congestion of the liver parenchyma surrounding the area of necrosis due to PMCT in the early phase of the treatment. Therefore, the necrotic area must be assessed carefully. Although a slight heat sensation and/or pain during microwave irradiation (a common effect of PMCT) occurred in all patients, there were no serious adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: Complete remission of small HCC (< or = 2 cm in diameter) can be achieved with PMCT alone, but there seem to be limitations to its effectiveness with larger HCC (> or = 2.1 cm). There were no serious adverse effects from PMCT and the therapy can be safely carried out even in patients with poor liver function.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Intraperitoneal hemorrhage as a major complication of percutaneous ethanol injection therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Two cases of intraperitoneal hemorrhage, which is one of the major complications of percutaneous ethanol injection therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma, are reported. A 70-year-old man was hospitalized for treatment of a small recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma located on the surface of the left lobe of the liver. Acute hemoperitoneum developed after percutaneous ethanol injection therapy, but he was treated conservatively with blood transfusion, and recovered. The other patient was a 72-year-old man who was admitted for treatment of a solitary superficial hepatocellular carcinoma on the dome of the liver. Immediately after percutaneous ethanol injection, he suffered the sudden onset of severe abdominal pain with shock and massive hemoperitoneum. His bleeding was successfully controlled by emergency transcatheter arterial embolization. Our experience suggests that care must be taken when using percutaneous ethanol injection to treat patients with superficial hepatocellular carcinomas located on the surface of the liver. Moreover, transcatheter arterial embolization should be considered the treatment of choice for the management of uncontrollable intraperitoneal hemorrhage after percutaneous ethanol injection therapy.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with dementia and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase-positive Lewy body-like inclusions.

This report concerns a case of sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with dementia and Lewy body-like hyaline inclusions (LBHIs). The patient was a 70-year-old woman who initially showed memory disturbance and later developed bulbar palsy, muscle atrophy and weakness. The total clinical course was 51 months. The postmortem examination revealed superficial sponginess and subcortical gliosis in the frontotemporal cortices. Ubiquitin-positive intraneuronal inclusions were found in small cortical neurons of the frontotemporal lobe. Neuronal loss was marked in the spinal anterior horn with degeneration of the pyramidal tracts. The anterior horn cells had ubiquitin-immunoreactive skein-like inclusions and Bunina bodies. LBHIs were present in the lumbar horn; ultrastructurally they were composed of randomly arranged thick filamentous structures studded with granules. The LBHIs were intensely stained with anti-ubiquitin antibody. As in familial ALS and in certain cases of sporadic ALS, some of these inclusions reacted with an antibody against Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase, the enzyme whose gene was recently found to be mutated in some forms of familial ALS.

Aged↗