Biomedical subjects

S Fujimoto

Publications and source records attributed to S Fujimoto.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

Prevention by methylprednisolone of increased circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels and lung injury associated with systemic inflammatory response syndrome due to intraperitoneal hyperthermia.

UNLABELLED: We previously demonstrated that intraperitoneal hyperthermic perfusion (IPHP), which is performed clinically as a treatment for patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer, can lead to increased serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), and acute lung injury. Glucocorticoids inhibit the production and actions of TNF-alpha. We investigated whether pretreatment with methylprednisolone (MPS) may modulate serum TNF-alpha and lung injury in patients subjected to IPHP. Serum TNF-alpha was not detected in the patients pretreated with MPS, whereas serum TNF-alpha increased in the control patients (45.7 +/- 8.3 pg/mL, mean +/- SEM) after IPHP. Postoperative lung injury scores were significantly lower in patients pretreated with MPS than in the control patients (P < 0.001). IMPLICATIONS: Pretreatment with methylprednisolone attenuates the increase in circulating tumor necrosis factor-alpha and prevents lung injury in this systemic inflammatory syndrome due to intraperitoneal hyperthermic perfusion.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Serum antibody level against GroEL type heat-shock protein of Campylobacter jejuni in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Recently there has been an increase in the number of cases reported of Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) developed after Campylobacter jejuni infection. To investigate the role of a C.jejuni GroEL-type heat-shock protein (CjHsp60) in the infection and induction of GBS, we examined the antibody level against CjHsp60 in 27 human sera, including GBS and non-GBS patients, by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Sera from patients with C. jejuni infection, despite the development of GBS, had a higher titer of anti-CjHsp60 antibody than those of patients without the infection and healthy control subjects. The patients with C. jejuni infection followed by GBS had slightly higher levels of this antibody than did the patients with infection who did not develop GBS, but there was no statistical significance. In conclusion, CjHsp60 is found to be one of the major immunogenic antigens in actual C. jejuni infection, but no evidence that supports the direct relationship between this protein and C. jejuni-associated GBS was found in this study.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

PubMed1999

Morphological aspects of ectopia cordis: four case reports and a review of the literature.

Ectopia cordis is a rare congenital anomaly. We present 4 cases of ectopia cordis, 1 of which is the first report of an affected fetus in a triplet pregnancy. The morphological relationship between the types of ectopia cordis and their outcomes were investigated in all 4 cases. In addition, the literature on ectopia cordis in Japan was reviewed and discussed.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Risk of recurrence of fetal chromosomal aberrations: analysis of trisomy 21, trisomy 18, trisomy 13, and 45,X in 1,076 Japanese mothers.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the risk of recurrence of fetal chromosomal aberrations in women who had offspring with numeric chromosomal abnormalities. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This collaborative study consisted of 1,076 Japanese women with a history of offspring with trisomy-21, -18, -13, or 45,X. Second-trimester amniocenteses were performed, resulting in 1,248 fetal karyotypes that were analyzed with reference to prior offspring karyotypes and maternal age. RESULTS: Of the 842 women with trisomy-21 offspring, 10 conceived another such fetus. In 2 women with 3 or more such offspring, parental mosaicism of trisomy-21 was suspected. The incidence of recurrence of trisomy-21 increased with age, and significantly exceeded the incidence of trisomy-21 fetuses in the general population. None of the 170 women with trisomy-18 offspring, and none of the 46 women with trisomy-13 offspring, had another such fetus. Of the 18 women with 45,X offspring, 1 with mos 45,X/46,XX had another such fetus. CONCLUSIONS: The risk of recurrence of trisomy-21 is affected by maternal age and parental germline mosaicism. The risk of recurrence of trisomy-18 or -13 appears to be much lower than that of trisomy-21. Women who give birth to more than 1 offspring with 45,X should be examined for mos 45,X/46,XX.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Fetal treatment of congenital heart block ascribed to anti-SSA antibody: case reports with observation of cardiohemodynamics and review of the literature.

PROBLEM: Maternal anti-SSA(B) antibody crosses the placenta and causes fetal myocarditis, congenital heart block (CHB), hydrops fetalis, and intrauterine fetal death. The aim of this study was to evaluate corticosteroids' efficacy as a treatment for CHB. METHOD OF STUDY: One fetus with complete CHB and one fetus with incomplete CHB due to anti-SSA(B) antibody received maternal prednisolone (PSL) and dexamethasone (DEXA) treatments. Heart rate, cardiothoracic ratio (CTR), left ventricular fractional shortening (FS), and preload index (PLI) were longitudinally measured by serial fetal echocardiograms. RESULTS: In the former case, after maternal PSL/DEXA administration, improvement of cardiohemodynamics, i.e., the reduction of PLI from 1.7 to 0.4, CTR from 70 to 52%, and FS from 63 to 54% were observed. In the latter case, second degree 2:1 block was converted to 3:2 block/sinus rhythm, resulting in the increase of the fetal heart rate from 65 to 116 beats per minute (bpm). CONCLUSIONS: We disclosed for the first time the beneficial effects of corticosteroids in the fetal cardiohemodynamics and conduction system of affected fetuses with the presence of maternal anti-SSA(B) antibodies.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Hypocomplementemia correlates with intrauterine growth retardation in systemic lupus erythematosus.

PROBLEM: The aim of this study was to elucidate fetomaternal risks in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-complicated pregnancy. METHOD OF STUDY: Pregnancy course, complications, and fetal outcome in 82 pregnancies of 55 patients with SLE were investigated. RESULTS: These 82 pregnancies resulted in 14 fetal losses and 66 live births. Without clinical manifestation of SLE-flare, 4 of 8 patients who had low serum complement activity during the pregnancies delivered small-for-date neonates. The rate of the intrauterine growth retardation was significantly higher than that observed in pregnancies with normal complement activity. The frequency of premature deliveries (60%) in patients who received more than 15 mg/day of prednisolone was significantly high when compared with pregnancies maintained by 0-15 mg/day (13.1%). CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate the preconceptional and perinatal management necessary in SLE and suggest that the pregnancy with hypocomplementemia, the disease activity, and/or a relatively high maintenance dose of corticosteroid should be carefully managed and monitored.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Atrial involvement in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis: relationship between ultrasonic tissue characterization of the atrium and interatrial conduction.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess atrial lesions using ultrasonic tissue characterization and to determine the contribution of atrial lesions to the interatrial electromechanical coupling conduction time in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS). METHODS: Twenty patients with PSS and 20 age-matched healthy controls were evaluated. The cyclic variation in integrated backscatter value (CV-IB) was measured at the interatrial septum (IAS) from apical four chamber view. M-modes of ventricular long axis motion along with phono- and electrocardiograms were recorded simultaneously at the right lateral (RT) and left lateral (LT) sites of the atrioventricular (AV) rings and central fibrous body (CFB) in the apical four-chamber view. Intervals from the P wave on ECG to the echocardiographic onset of atrial contraction as a point of inflection in long axis M-mode echocardiogram were measured at the RT and LT sites of AV rings and CFB (P-RT, P-LT, P-SEP, respectively). Interatrial electromechanical coupling conduction time was determined as [(P-LT) - (P-RT)]. RESULTS: In patients with PSS compared to normal controls, P-RT, P-SEP, P-LT, and interatrial conduction time were greater, while CV-IB in IAS decreased. Furthermore, CV-IB in IAS correlated well with interatrial conduction time (r = 0.7, p < 0.01) in patients with PSS. CONCLUSIONS: Interatrial electromechanical coupling times may be prolonged due to atrial tissue damage in patients with PSS.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

A sensitive, nonradioactive method for the detection of a low level of apoptosis in rat ovary and human placenta. Technical note.

Apoptosis is often characterized by internucleosomal DNA fragmentation, which is classically visualized in standard agarose gel electrophoresis. However, this technique is not sufficiently sensitive for the detection of a modest apoptotic level in intact tissues. We developed a sensitive, nonradioactive method for the qualitative and quantitative analyses of apoptotic DNA fragmentation in intact tissues. An ultrasensitive chemiluminescent substrate, CDP-Star, was used for the visualization of digoxigenin (DIG)-labeled DNA fragments, and banding patterns were densitometrically quantified. Serially diluted DNA samples from rat ovaries were labeled with DIG. As a result, only 1.56 ng of DNA could be analyzed for the presence of apoptotic DNA cleavage. The sum intensity of these bands increased almost linearly by increasing the amount of labeled DNA. In human placental tissues, clear apoptotic DNA ladders were visualized by this method, and the quantification of apoptotic DNA fragmentation was also possible. This new method provides a nonradioactive, highly sensitive and semiquantitative analysis of apoptotic DNA fragmentation and may be highly useful for the study of a low, physiological level of apoptosis.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Factors influencing pulmonary surfactant protein A levels in cord blood, maternal blood and amniotic fluid.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors that influence pulmonary surfactant protein A (SP-A) levels in cord blood, maternal blood and amniotic fluid, as well as to establish the normal range of serum SP-A. Labor significantly influenced cord blood SP-A levels. The SP-A levels in maternal blood after delivery were correlated with, but higher than those before delivery. There was a correlation between SP-A levels in amniotic fluid and cord blood. Neonatal serum SP-A was not correlated with maternal SP-A levels. The normal range of SP-A in cord blood was 2.7-21.7 ng/ml following cesarean section without labor, 4.8-50.2 ng/ml after labor at gestational weeks 36-38, and 12.2-44.6 ng/ml at gestational weeks 39-41. SP-A levels in maternal blood before and after delivery and amniotic fluid were 6. 0-74.0, 9.6-73.6 and 403.4-24,540 ng/ml, respectively.

Amniotic Fluid↗

PubMed1999

Plasma and urine levels of uroguanylin, a new natriuretic peptide, in nephrotic syndrome.

Uroguanylin, a new natriuretic peptide originally isolated from urine, stimulates the membrane guanylate cyclase C receptor. No information, however, is available on the plasma and urine levels of uroguanylin in nephrotic syndrome (NS), the state associated with sodium and water retention. Using a sensitive radioimmunoassay, we measured the plasma and urine concentrations of immunoreactive (ir-)uroguanylin in NS patients and compared them with those of patients with non-nephrotic glomerulonephritis. Plasma ir-uroguanylin, blood pressure and the cardiothoracic ratio were higher, and urine excretion of ir-uroguanylin was lower in the NS patients. Plasma ir-uroguanylin in the NS patients significantly decreased during remission as compared with findings on admission. There was a significant inverse correlation between the concentration of plasma ir-uroguanylin and that of serum total protein or albumin. Moreover, fluid retention in the NS patients was correlated with the changes in plasma ir-uroguanylin between admission and remission, indicative that the plasma concentration increases with the severity of the nephrotic state. Taking into account its potent natriuretic effect, these findings suggest that uroguanylin may function in the pathophysiological mechanism in NS.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

An insulinotropic effect of vitamin D analog with increasing intracellular Ca2+ concentration in pancreatic beta-cells through nongenomic signal transduction.

The effect of 1alpha,25-dihydroxylumisterol3 (1alpha,25(OH)2lumisterol3) on insulin release from rat pancreatic beta-cells was measured to investigate the nongenomic action of vitamin D via the putative membrane vitamin D receptor (mVDR). 1Alpha,25(OH)2lumisterol3, a specific agonist of mVDR, dose-dependently augmented 16.7 mM glucose-induced insulin release from rat pancreatic islets and increased the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), though not increasing Ca2+ efficacy in the exocytotic system. These effects were completely abolished by an antagonist of mVDR, 1beta,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1beta,25(OH)2D3), or by a blocker of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, nitrendipine. Moreover, both [Ca2+]i elevation, caused by membrane depolarization, and sufficient intracellular glucose metabolism are required for the expression of these effects. 1Alpha,25(OH)2lumisterol3, therefore, has a rapid insulinotropic effect, through nongenomic signal transduction via mVDR, that would be dependent on the augmentation of Ca2+ influx through voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels on the plasma membrane, being also linked to metabolic signals derived from glucose in pancreatic beta-cells. However, further investigations will be needed to discuss physiologically the meaning of insulinotropic effects of vitamin D through mVDR.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

A new insulin-mimetic vanadyl complex, (N-pyridylmethylaspartate)oxovanadium(IV) with VO(N2O2) coordination mode, and evaluation of its effect on uptake of D-glucose by Ehrlich ascites tumour cells.

Because it has been confirmed that the vanadyl(IV) ion and its complexes act as insulin mimetics, a new organic vanadyl complex, (N-pyridylmethylaspartate)oxovanadium (VOPASP) with VO(N2O2) coordination mode, was prepared. Development of a simple and rapid in-vitro assay is needed for recognition of potent insulin-mimetic complexes. Treatment of Ehrlich ascites tumour cells with 2-deoxyglucose in the presence of vanadyl sulphate, or other vanadyl complexes with the same coordination mode (VOPASP, bis(picolinate)oxovanadium (VOPA) and bis(6-methyl picolinate)oxovanadium (VOMPA)), in the presence of 2-deoxy-D-[1-3H]glucose ([3H]deoxyglucose), resulted in concentration-dependent uptake of 2-deoxyglucose by the cells. The responses of the cells to the vanadyl complexes were reflected, in part, by results obtained from the free fatty acid-releasing assay using rat adipocytes. These results show that the in-vitro assay with Ehrlich ascites tumour cells provides an accurate and rapid assessment of glucose uptake by the cells. The assay is proposed as a means of predicting the insulin-mimetic activity of the vanadyl complexes and for studying the mechanism of action of the complexes.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

The hydroxyl radical formation system in polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

We studied the hydroxyl radical (OH*)-generating system in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). When phenylalanine was incubated with the alpha, beta and gamma fractions prepared from pig polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), significant levels of formation of m- and o-tyrosine were observed in the alpha and beta fractions, but not in the gamma fraction. The amount of tyrosine formation per milligram of protein was greater with the beta than with the alpha fraction. Further, when phenylalanine was incubated with alpha or beta fractions with similar myeloperoxidase (MPO) activities in the presence of H2O2, tyrosine formation by the beta fraction was also more effective. Using the beta fraction in which the MPO activity was destroyed by heat treatment, no significant amount of tyrosine was formed. However, with the heat-treated beta fraction and MPO preparations from human neutrophils in the presence of H2O2, the amount of tyrosine formation increased with the addition of increasing amounts of heat-treated beta fraction. Tyrosine formation by the beta fraction in the presence of H2O2 was significantly reduced by OH* scavengers. The above results suggest the existence of an OH*-generating system in which MPO and H2O2 participate in the granules of PMNs and, especially, in specific granules, there may exist some factors that cause more effective OH* generation.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Participation of cytosolic protein phosphatase in regulation of NADPH oxidase in polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Calyculin A, a protein phosphatase inhibitor, enhanced phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced superoxide anion (O2-) production and translocation of the cytosolic NADPH oxidase factor, p47phox, to the plasma membrane in guinea pig polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). When PMNs were treated with t-(5-isoquino-line-sulfonyl)-3-methyl-piperazine (H-7), a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, after exposure to PMA, inhibition of O2- production and of translocation of p47phox to the membrane fraction in PMA-stimulated PMNs were observed. When calyculin A was added to the PMA-stimulated PMNs after the addition of H-7, O2- production was again observed, and translocation of p47phox to the membrane fraction also occurred. The activity of NADPH oxidase, the amount of p47phox and the level of phosphorylation of p47phox in the membrane fraction prepared from PMA-stimulated PMNs, were reduced by the addition of the cytosol fraction from unstimulated PMNs. These reductions were attenuated by calyculin A. These results indicate that the active form of NADPH oxidase in PMNs can be reconstituted after the active complex of the enzyme has disappeared once, and that one of the mechanisms of regulation of this enzyme activity involves the phosphorylation of p47phox in the cyotosol and dephosphorylation of phosphorylated p47phox in the NADPH oxidase complex by protein kinase and protein phosphatase, respectively.

1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine↗

PubMed1999

Abundance of low molecular weight phosphotyrosine protein phosphatase in the nerve-ending fraction in the brain.

The distribution of low molecular weight phosphotyrosine protein phosphatase (LMW-PTP) in subcellular fractions of rat brain tissue was investigated by immunoblotting analysis using anti-LMW-PTP antibody. The enzyme was detected in the 105000 g precipitate in addition to the supernatant of brain homogenate, even after the precipitate was extensively washed, and was abundant in the particulate fraction of nerve endings. Nerve ending LMW-PTP was effectively solubilized by 1% Triton X-100 or 1% deoxycholate, though the enzyme was solubilized by thorough sonication. Two forms of LMW-PTP, designated as LMW-PTP-I and -II, were separated from the nerve ending-rich fraction by chromatofocusing. Nerve endings PTP-I and -II were different in molecular weight, isoelectric point and susceptibility to activators and inhibitors. The properties of nerve endings LMW-PTP-I and -II were similar to those of cytosolic LMW-PTP-I and -II. The abundance of LMW-PTP in nerve endings as well as in the cytosol suggests that this enzyme plays an important role in synaptic function.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

A case of eosinophilic myocarditis complicated by Kimura's disease (eosinophilic hyperplastic lymphogranuloma) and erythroderma.

This report describes a patient with eosinophilic myocarditis complicated by Kimura's disease (eosinophilic hyperplastic lymphogranuloma) and erythroderma. A 50-year-old man presented with a complaint of precordial pain. However, the only abnormal finding on examinatioin was eosinophilia (1617 eosinophils/microl). Three years later, the patient developed chronic eczema, and was diagnosed with erythroderma posteczematosa. One year later, a tumor was detected in the right auricule, and a diagnosis of Kimura's disease was made, based on the biopsy findings. The patient developed progressive dyspnea 6 months later and was found to have cardiomegaly and a depressed left ventricular ejection fraction (17%). A diagnosis of eosinophilic myocarditis was made based on the results of a right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy. The eosinophilic myocarditis and erythrodrema were treated with steroids with improvement of both the eosinophilia and left ventricular function.

Angiolymphoid Hyperplasia with Eosinophilia↗

PubMed1999

Effects of exercise training on the heart rate variability and QT dispersion of patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Heart rate variability (HRV) reflects the autonomic tone of the heart, and QT dispersion reflects the regional inhomogeneity of ventricular repolarization. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of early exercise training on HRV and QT dispersion in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Forty patients (mean age: 59 years) with AMI were randomized to training rehabilitation (group Tr, n=20) or conventional rehabilitation (group C, n=20). Two weeks after AMI, group Tr underwent 10 min of exercise using a bicycle ergometer (80% of anaerobic threshold) twice a day. At the end of the second and fourth weeks, 12-lead and 24-h Holter ECGs were recorded. QT intervals were measured and corrected using Bazett's formula (QTc), and QTc dispersion (QTcd) was defined as the difference between maximum and minimum QTc. HRV was accessed by the high-frequency component (HF: 0.15-0.40 Hz) of the HRV power spectrum (parasympathetic activity) and the ratio of low frequency (0.04-0.15 Hz) to HF (L/H ratio: sympathetic activity). In group Tr, HF increased (82.5 to 131.1 ms2), the L/H ratio decreased (3.9 to 2.6), and QTcd decreased (77.2 to 57.2 ms). In group C, none of the indices changed. It was concluded that early exercise training improves sympathovagal balance and decreases QTcd, and may reduce the arrhythmogenic substrate following AMI.

Aged↗

PubMed1999

Correlation between magnetic resonance imaging and clinical profiles of periventricular leukomalacia.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of 70 children with periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), examined between 1 year 2 months and 8 years of age (mean: 2 years 4 months of age), were analysed. Neurological assessments were made between 1 year 3 months and 15 years (mean: 4 years 9 months). The possible correlations between MRI findings and clinical profiles of PVL were investigated using three parameters of the MRI findings. The grade of ventriculomegaly correlated well with the severity of cerebral palsy (CP) but not with the severity of mental impairment. The grade of reduction of periventricular white matter correlated well with the severity of CP and mental impairment, and is the most reliable parameter for neurological prognosis. The degree of periventricular hyperintensity on T2-weighted images did not correlate well with severity of CP, but correlated to some degree with mental impairment. There was a significantly lower degree of periventricular hyperintensity in children at less than 28 weeks of gestation than at 28 or more weeks of gestation, but no significant difference in other parameters. The periventricular hyperintensity should be evaluated in view of the gestational age.

Cerebral Ventricles↗