Biomedical subjects

O Inoue

Publications and source records attributed to O Inoue.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMed1993

Effects of smoking and drinking on excretion of hippuric acid among toluene-exposed workers.

In order to investigate possible effects of smoking and drinking on the metabolism of toluene in occupational settings, 206 toluene-exposed men (mean age: 31.4 years) in shoemaking, painting, or surface-coating workshops together with 246 nonexposed control men (36.8 years) were studied for the time-weighted average intensities of exposure to toluene, hippuric acid concentration in shift-end urine samples, and the two social habits of smoking and drinking. The mean daily consumptions of cigarettes and ethanol were about 20 pieces and 10 g among smokers and drinkers, respectively. The geometric mean toluene concentration among the exposed subjects was about 20 ppm, with a maximum of 521 ppm. Regression analysis after classification of the subjects by smoking and drinking clearly demonstrated that the two social habits, when combined, markedly reduce the hippuric acid level in the urine of workers exposed to toluene. There was a significant association between smoking and drinking habits, which hindered separate evaluation of the effects of the two habits on toluene metabolism. Comparison of the present results with the findings reported in the literature, however, suggested that the observed effects may be attributable to smoking rather than to drinking habits.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

The clinical significance of reactivity to individual epitopes of the hepatitis C viral genome.

In order to analyze the clinical significance of the various HCV epitopes, we compared the results of different HCV specific assays with HCV-RNA, determined in serum by RT-PCR method using primers to the 5' untranslated region of HCV-RNA. Among 73 patients with chronic NANB liver disease, 93% were positive for C22-3, 96% for C33C, 81% for C100-3 and 91% for RT-PCR. Positivity rates for 537 healthy subjects were 1.7% for C100-3 and 2.9% for second generation anti-HCV. A total of 6 persons were positive for C22-3 but not C100-3; all were negative for HCV-RNA. In 11 of 30 patients treated with interferon and HCV-RNA became negative and remained so for more than 24 months. In these 11 sustained responders, C100-3 and C33C antibody declined progressively, but C22-3 antibody showed a little change after treatment by quantitative analysis. The discrepancy of changes to NS region and core region after interferon treatment is consistent with a different clinical significance of reactivities to these HCV epitopes. Thus negative reactivity to NS region but positive for core region among healthy subjects may indicate past infection with HCV. Presence of antibodies to NS epitopes is implicated in HCV replication, while core epitopes indicate both present and past HCV infection.

Antigens, Viral↗

PubMed1993

Biplane transesophageal echo-Doppler studies of atrial septal defects: quantitative evaluation and monitoring for transcatheter closure.

Forty-four patients with atrial septal defects, aged 7 months to 18 years (median 8.9), underwent biplane transesophageal (TEE) and transthoracic (TTE) echocardiography. The size of the defect and the shunt flow volume were measured by TEE and compared with the actual size at surgery (N = 14) or the shunt volume measured by the Fick method (N = 34), respectively. In all cases the location and morphology of the defect were clearly demonstrated by TEE; on the other hand, two patients with sinus venosus-type and multiple-type defects, respectively, and one with a small ostium primum defect did not have a complete diagnosis by TTE. The defect size determined by TEE correlated well with the surgical measurement. Similarly a significant correlation was demonstrated between the shunt volume measured by TEE and that obtained by the Fick method. In three patients transcatheter closure of the atrial septal defect by means of a clamshell device was accomplished successfully with TEE monitoring. We conclude that biplane TEE provides a better appreciation of cardiac anatomy and hemodynamic evaluation than TTE in this setting, and TEE is essential for monitoring during transcatheter closure.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1993

An increase in the in vivo binding of [3H]SCH 23390 induced by MK-801 in the mouse striatum.

The effect of MK-801, a non-competitive NMDA antagonist, on the in vivo binding of [3H]SCH 23390, a dopamine D1 receptor antagonist, was investigated in the mouse brain. The radioactivity following injection of the tracer was measured in the striatum, cerebral cortex and cerebellum. It was found that MK-801 increased the [3H]SCH 23390 binding in the striatum in a dose-dependent manner, but did not influence the binding in the cerebral cortex. The kinetic analysis using the cerebellum as a reference region revealed that the apparent increase in [3H]SCH 23390 binding in the striatum was mainly due to the increase in the input rate of the specific binding component. An in vivo saturation study using varying doses of [3H]SCH 23390 indicated that the maximum binding sites available (Bmax) in the striatum was not altered by MK-801. As the rate constant K3 includes both Bmax and the association rate constant (kon), an increase in the rate constant kon in vivo was the primary factor in the changes in [3H]SCH 23390 binding. The changes in the rate constant kon in vivo seem to be due to a NMDA receptor-mediated process. An in vivo binding method would be applicable for the investigation of the neural interaction between glutamatergic and dopaminergic neurons in intact brain.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Immunoglobulin allotypic markers in Kawasaki disease.

We investigated the possible relationship of the distribution of immunoglobulin allotypic markers for susceptibility to Kawasaki disease in Japanese, Japanese-American, and white American populations. The kappa-chain allotype Km1 was present in 25.6% of sera from white patients with Kawasaki disease and in 14.4% of control sera (p < 0.01), and the combination of Km1 with Gm heterozygosity was present in 17.9% of white patients with Kawasaki disease and in 6.4% of control sera (p < 0.0001). In all populations studied, differences were observed between the patients with Kawasaki disease and the race-matched control subjects. The findings support the hypothesis that one or more unknown infectious agents may trigger genetically influenced immune responses that result in clinically recognizable Kawasaki disease.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Immunopathology and cytokine detection in the skin lesions of patients with Kawasaki disease.

To investigate the pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease, we examined biopsy specimens from the skin lesions of 10 Japanese patients at the site of the polymorphous exanthem on the hip and at the site of an inoculation with BCG (bacillus Calmette-Gruérin) vaccine of two of them. Ten normal patients were also examined for control purposes. The histopathologic features of the skin lesions were characterized by extensive edema with dilation of the small blood vessels in the papillary dermis; the site of BCG vaccine inoculation showed much greater inflammatory change; neutrophil emigration was weak and most of the infiltrates were CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD13+ macrophages. The expression of the DR locus of human leukocyte antigen was detected not only on the epidermal keratinocyte surface but also on the walls of the small blood vessels and the infiltrating cells around these blood vessels. We also detected cytokines in the skin lesions: (1) interleukin-1 alpha and tumor necrosis factor alpha were strongly positive in all patients with acute Kawasaki disease, (2) interleukin-2 and interferon gamma were weakly or partially positive, (3) no cytokines were detected in the convalescent phase, and (4) the amounts of cytokines at the site of BCG vaccine inoculations were larger than those at the site of the polymorphous exanthem. These findings suggest that CD4+ T lymphocytes and CD13+ macrophages are activated and interleukin-1 alpha and tumor necrosis factor alpha may be involved in the pathogenesis of the inflammation of acute Kawasaki disease.

BCG Vaccine↗

PubMed1993

Scales for mental state and daily living activities for the elderly: clinical behavioral scales for assessing demented patients.

In the diagnosis, treatment, and care of dementia patients in the senile stage, comprehensive evaluation of ability in daily life and mental function is needed. Using a simple behavioral rating scale for the mental states (NM scale) and activities of daily living (N-ADL) of the elderly, we evaluated 250 elderly subjects. According to the NM scale, the scores for subjects in whom the severity was clinically diagnosed were as follows: normal, 50-48; borderline, 47-43; mild dementia, 42-31; moderate dementia, 30-17; and severe dementia, 16-0. Screening for dementia and determining its severity were readily accomplished using the NM scale, and basic activities in the daily life of the elderly could be evaluated effectively using the N-ADL. There was a significant correlation (r = 0.863) between the Hasegawa dementia scale and the NM scale (p < 0.001), a significant correlation (r = -0.947) between intellectual function scores of the GBS scale and the NM scale, and a significant correlation (r = 0.944) between motor function score of the GBS scale and the N-ADL score. Evaluations of daily life activities can be made not only by psychiatrists and clinical psychologists, but by nonspecialists as well, because they are based on data obtained by observation of daily life behaviors; thus, assessment is appropriate both in clinical settings and in places of living.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1993

Current issues in Kawasaki disease.

The most important clinical aspect of Kawasaki disease is the cardiovascular problems. This article reports on the cardiovascular spectrum in acute Kawasaki disease, analysis of myocardial infarction and fatal cases, a follow-up study on the natural history of coronary artery lesions, long-term cardiovascular problems including premature atherosclerosis, problems in the adult cardiology and the treatment of acute Kawasaki disease. The etiology and pathogenesis of this disease are still unknown. Current hypotheses and leading studies on the etiology and the pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease are also reviewed.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Epidemiology and long term prognosis of hepatitis C virus infection in Japan.

In Japanese blood donors, positivity for antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV) ranges from 0.2% in subjects under 20 to 3.9% in those over 50 years. It is estimated that at least 2.3 million Japanese have contracted HCV infection through contaminated blood. HCV carrier state was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction for HCV-RNA in subjects positive for antibodies to more than one viral protein (70% of cases). Subjects positive for core antibody alone, however, were found to be HCV-RNA negative with normal liver function, and are considered to have only a past history of HCV infection (30% of cases). Acute hepatitis C progresses to chronic infection in about 90% of cases. In comparison with hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C leads more frequently to cirrhosis and liver cancer, and rarely remits spontaneously. In typical HCV infection, aminotransferase activities fluctuate markedly in the early stages, then become relatively stable for 10 years or more, with chronic persistent hepatitis shown by histological examination. Thereafter, aminotransferase activities may change dramatically, with progression to chronic active hepatitis and rapid development of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. On average, it takes about 30 years for chronic hepatitis C to progress from initial infection to cirrhosis and cancer, but the disease progresses much more rapidly in elderly patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Dopamine D1 receptors in Parkinson's disease and striatonigral degeneration: a positron emission tomography study.

Striatal dopamine D1 receptors were investigated in 11 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), five patients with striatonigral degeneration (SND) and six age-matched controls by positron emission tomography and carbon-11 labelled SCH23390. The SND patients showed mean 12%, 21%, and 31% declines in the ratios of radioactivity in the caudate, anterior putamen, and posterior putamen compared with that in the occipital cortex. These ratios were not significantly altered in the PD patients. The results may explain the different therapeutic responses to levadopa between SND and PD patients, and this technique might prove useful for their differentiation.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Packing with high-porosity hydroxyapatite cubes alone for the treatment of simple bone cyst.

In 23 patients, simple bone cysts were treated by curettage followed by packing the cavity with cubes of high-porosity hydroxyapatite (HA). In 22 patients, HA was packed exclusively without autogeneic bone graft. Except in one patient who sustained pathologic fracture at the femoral diaphysis, HA was packed with a fibula strut graft. Each case had an uneventful postoperative course and was followed, on average, two years. Complete healing without cyst recurrence occurred in 18 cases (78%). In three cases--all rapidly growing children--a new cyst appeared between the epiphyseal plate and the HA packing, but the original cysts did not recur. In two multiloculated cysts, the cavities were not filled fully and healing was incomplete, yet there was no cyst recurrence. In the entire group, new bone surrounding HA was roentgenographically evident within an average of 2.3 months. Thus, the result of packing high-porosity HA for simple bone cysts compares favorably with the cure rates reported either with autogeneic bone graft, or topical steroid injection.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1992

Adult coronary artery disease probably due to childhood Kawasaki disease.

We have surveyed adult survivors of childhood Kawasaki disease (KD) who had coronary artery disease that could be ascribed to KD. In response to questionnaires sent to cardiologists throughout Japan, 21 patients (17 men, 4 women, aged 20-63 years) with coronary lesions and a definite (2) or suspected (19) history of KD were reported. 5 patients had presented with acute myocardial infarction, 6 previous myocardial infarction, 9 angina pectoris, and 1 dilated cardiomyopathy. 16 patients had obstructions in two or more coronary arteries. 3 had died and 18 were alive with serious sequelae (mitral regurgitation, arrhythmias, congestive heart failure). Childhood KD should be included in the differential diagnosis of coronary artery disease in young adults.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

In vivo binding of [11C]Ro15-4513 in human brain measured with PET.

Ro15-4513, an azide derivative of benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil (Ro15-1788), and Ro15-1788 were labelled with carbon 11. Sequential PET scans following injection of [11C]Ro15-4513 or [11C]Ro15-1788 into normal male healthy volunteers were measured, and kinetic analysis using pons as a reference region was performed. [11C]Ro15-4513 was highly accumulated in frontal cortex, temporal cortex, hippocampus and relatively lower accumulation in occipital cortex, whereas almost homogeneous distribution of Ro15-1788 throughout cortex area was seen. The kinetic analysis revealed that such differences of regional distribution in brain between two labelled ligands were mainly due to the regional difference of the dissociation rate constants in vivo (k4). [11C]Ro15-4513 may be a useful tool for the in vivo study of benzodiazepine receptors in human brain.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Toluene vapor exposure and urinary excretion of hippuric acid among workers in China.

A factory survey was conducted in three provinces in China from 1985 to 1989. The time-weighted average toluene concentrations in breathing zone air were monitored by diffusive sampling, whereas hippuric acid (HA) concentrations in shift-end urine samples were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Exposed workers (456 men and women) were those for whom toluene (up to 548 ppm toluene) accounted for greater than or equal to 90% of total exposure (by vapor concentration in ppm), whereas 517 nonexposed controls were recruited from the same factories or from factories of the same region. There was a linear correlation between the intensity of toluene exposure and HA concentration in the shift-end urine. Comparison of the results with findings in the literature shows that the toluene-induced increase in urinary HA concentration among workers in China is significantly smaller than the published values, whereas HA concentrations in urine samples from nonexposed controls are comparable to the levels previously reported.

Air Pollutants, Occupational↗

PubMed1992

Successful treatment of neonatal aneurysmal dilatation of the vein of Galen: the role of prenatal diagnosis and trans-arterial embolization.

We report a neonate with aneurysmal dilatation of the vein of Galen diagnosed prenatally by color Doppler sonography and MRI at 37 weeks' gestation. The child was treated by transarterial embolization of micro-coils 2 and 8 days after birth. The aneurysmal dilatation of the vein of Galen markedly decreased after embolization and the patient is developing normally at 2 years 5 months of age. Prenatal diagnosis and early intervention by transarterial embolization produced in a good outcome in this patient.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Increase in sister chromatid exchange rates in association with occupational exposure to N,N-dimethylformamide.

The effects of occupational exposure to N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) on sister chromatid exchange (SCE) rates were studied in peripheral lymphocytes from 22 DMF-exposed women (aged 22-52 years) in comparison with 22 sex-, age-, and residence-matched controls. All subjects were nonsmokers and nondrinkers as confirmed by medical interview. The 22 pairs were divided by the intensity of exposure to DMF into 3 subgroups of high-exposed (8 pairs with mean DMF exposure at 5.8 ppm), middle-exposed (5 pairs with DMF at 0.7 ppm in combination with toluene at 0.9 ppm), and low-exposed (9 pairs with DMF at 0.3 ppm). The SCE rates were significantly higher in the high (P less than 0.005) and middle (P less than 0.01) exposed than in their matched pairs, and the increase was related to the intensity of DMF exposure.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

D1 dopamine receptor binding in mood disorders measured by positron emission tomography.

D1 dopamine receptor binding in mood disorders was studied by positron emission tomography (PET) using 11C-SCH23390. Ten patients with bipolar mood disorders and 21 normal controls were studied in the drug-free state. The patients were in euthymic (N = 6), depressed (N = 3) and manic (N = 1) states. Regional radioactivity in the brain was followed for 40 min by PET. A two-compartment model was used to obtain the binding potential (k3/k4) for the striatum and frontal cortex. The binding potentials for the frontal cortex for the patients were significantly lower than those for normal controls, whereas those for striatum were not significantly different. These findings suggest that D1 dopamine receptors in the frontal cortex may be in a different state in patients with bipolar mood disorders.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

The effect of benzodiazepines on the binding of [3H]SCH 23390 in vivo.

The effect of flunitrazepam upon the binding of [3H]SCH 23390 in vivo was investigated. Acute treatment with flunitrazepam decreased the binding of [3H]SCH 23390 in the striatum in a dose-dependent manner. The time course of radioactivity in the striatum, cerebral cortex and cerebellum in controls and flunitrazepam (1 mg/kg)-treated mice was measured after intravenous injection of [3H]SCH 23390. The binding kinetics were calculated, using the cerebellum as a reference region for the estimation of the amount of free ligand in the brain. Flunitrazepam significantly decreased the input rate constant to the receptor compartment and the dissociation rate constant in vivo. An in vivo displacement study, using carrier SCH 23390, also showed significant reduction in the dissociation rate constant of [3H]SCH 23390 in vivo. The drug Ro 15-1788 reversed the effect of flunitrazepam, suggesting that this reduction in binding of [3H]SCH 23390 was mediated by benzodiazepine receptors. To evaluate the relationship between the reduction in binding of [3H]SCH 23390 in vivo and in vivo occupancy of benzodiazepine receptors, in vivo occupancy of benzodiazepine receptors was measured using [3H]Ro 15-1788. A non-linear relationship was found between the reduction in dopamine D1 receptor binding in vivo and the occupancy of benzodiazepine receptors in vivo, indicating that benzodiazepines exerted the maximum change in dopamine receptor binding at a low fractional occupancy of receptors.

Animals↗