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Biomedical subjects

S Imamura

Publications and source records attributed to S Imamura.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA) with nonclassical distribution of eruptions.

The skin lesions in epidermolysis bullosa acquisita (EBA), a mechanobullous disease, often show acral distribution. Recently, we experienced a case of EBA in which most of the skin lesions were located on the trunk. We reviewed the distribution of the skin eruptions in 58 reported cases of EBA. Although the extensor surfaces of the extremities are the most common site, there were some cases with non-acral distribution. These "nonclassical" cases should also be considered in the clinical diagnosis of EBA and other bullous diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

A case of xeroderma pigmentosum complementation group F with neurological abnormalities.

We report a 48-year-old Japanese man suffering from xeroderma pigmentosum associated with mental retardation, cerebral atrophy and cerebellar ataxia. Cultured fibroblasts from an unexposed area of skin had reduced DNA repair capacity after UV irradiation, with higher sensitivity to UV than normal cells in colony-forming ability and host cell reactivation using herpes simplex virus. Genetic complementation tests by cell fusion with polyethylene glycol revealed that the patient belonged to group F. He died of bile duct cancer at the age of 50. This is the first report of an XP-F patient with neurological abnormalities.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed1993

Roles of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in UVB-induced suppression of splenic alloantigen-presenting function.

Whole body ultraviolet light (UV) radiation causes systemic immunosuppression. Splenic antigen-presenting cell (APC) activity is decreased by UV radiation. To determine whether splenic CD4+ or CD8+ cells are involved in the UV-induced depression of splenic alloantigen-presenting function, we investigated the effect of in vivo UV radiation on the splenic stimulatory function in allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction in mice after the elimination of CD4+ or CD8+ cells by administering anti-CD8 or anti-CD4 Ab. Ab-treated and non-treated mice were exposed to UVB radiation (2.5 kJ/m2) twice or eight times. Two exposures to UVB radiation significantly suppressed the splenic alloantigen-presenting function of mice previously treated with anti-CD4 Ab, but hardly affected that of anti-CD8 Ab-treated or non-treated mice 2 days after the last radiation. On the other hand, eight exposures to UVB radiation suppressed this function in all mice. FACS analysis revealed that the UV-induced suppression is not associated with a significant decrease in the number of IA+ cell, as stimulator cells. It is suggested that CD4+ cells are somewhat preventive of the UV-induced depression of splenic allo-antigen-presenting function.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

In vitro granuloma formation by spleen cells treated with psoralen plus long-wave ultraviolet radiation.

In vitro granulomas are induced by culturing murine spleen cells with artificial microparticles, dextran beads. In the presence of 0.5 microgram/mL 8-methoxypsoralen, UVA radiation (0.2-2.0 J/cm2) suppressed granuloma formation in a UVA dose-dependent manner. The doses of PUVA did not affect the cell viability as assessed by trypan blue exclusion. The time course of granuloma formation in 0.5 J/cm2 PUVA-treated cells was similar to that of normal spleen cells, with a maximum granuloma index at day 3 of culture, although a 49-63% suppression of granuloma formation was observed. PUVA-treated, nonadherent cells produced the same granuloma index when cultured with normal adherent cells. In contrast, a smaller granuloma index was observed in PUVA-treated adherent cells even when they were cultured with normal nonadherent cells. These data suggest that PUVA alters macrophages, resulting in the suppression of granuloma formation in vitro.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Spindle cell carcinoma arising in a port-wine stain.

We report a 75-year-old man with a port-wine stain (PWS) in whom spindle cell carcinoma (SCC) arose within a hemangiomatous area. Although reports on basal call carcinoma in association with a PWS exist, no literature is available about the development of an SCC within a PWS.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Effects of intravenous anesthetics, thiopental, fentanyl, and morphine on ventricular delayed activation in a canine myocardial infarction model.

We examined the effects of intravenous anesthetics (thiopental, fentanyl and morphine) on the ventricular activation in a canine myocardial infarction model. Thiopental at 5 and 10 mg/kg delayed or abolished the delayed activation in the infarcted zones with slight delay of activation of the normal zones. Fentanyl at 30 micrograms/kg slightly but significantly prolonged the activation time in both normal and infarcted zones. Morphine at 1 mg/kg did not produce any significant effect. Thiopental, but neither fentanyl nor morphine, inhibited ventricular stimulation-induced arrhythmias. Thus, thiopental, but not fentanyl nor morphine, markedly depressed the delayed activation in myocardial infarction, which may affect and probably inhibits the ventricular arrhythmias in myocardial infarction. It also should be kept in mind that thiopental may have arrhythmogenic effects in myocardial infarction.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1993

Gene screening of 23 Japanese families with complete thyroxine-binding globulin deficiency: identification of a nucleotide deletion at codon 352 as a common cause.

Thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) is a major thyroid hormone transport protein in human serum. Its complete deficiency (TBG-CD) is one of inherited TBG abnormalities that transmit on X-chromosome. We previously reported a nucleotide deletion at codon 352 of the TBG gene (TBG-CDJ) in Japanese families with TBG-CD. To determine the prevalence of this mutation in Japanese with TBG-CD, 23 affected subjects (19 males and 4 females) belonging to unrelated families living in 4 major islands of Japan were analyzed with regard to the mutation at codon 352. Their genomic DNAs were amplified by the polymerase chain reaction with allele specific primers. Nineteen male and four female subjects were shown to have the mutation as hemizygotes and heterozygotes, respectively. It is concluded that TBG-CDJ may be a common cause of TBG-CD in Japanese and might have appeared in the ancestors of the Japanese after the human race divergence.

Alleles↗
PubMed1993

Effect of a single exposure to in vivo UVB radiation on the allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reaction of spleen cells.

We investigated the effect of a single exposure to in vivo UVB radiation on the splenic T cell alloreactivity and antigen presenting cell (APC) function needed for alloantigen presentation. Splenic T cells from UVB-irradiated C57BL/6 mice were used as responders, and spleen cells from UVB-irradiated BALB/c mice were used as stimulators for a source of APCs in mixed lymphocyte culture. A single UVB radiation suppressed T cell alloreactivity, although the proliferative response to T cell mitogens was still normal. Moreover, UVB radiation impaired APC function. FACS analysis revealed a reduction not in the number of APCs but the intensity of class II alloantigen expression on APCs. Our findings suggest that, unlike repeated UVB exposure which impairs splenic APC function by the decrease in the number of APCs, a single UVB exposure impairs APC function by decreasing class II alloantigen expression.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

[Further study of Schellong testing in 152 young females].

Orthostatic dysregulation (OD) generally implies a systemic condition indicating poor circulatory function resulting from autonomic imbalance, which usually appears in a rather young population at or around puberty, predominantly in females. This condition can be recognized from the results of a questionnaire which has been proposed and prepared by the Pediatric OD Study Group of Japan as diagnostic criteria for OD. Schellong testing has also been developed as a screening method to determine OD or orthostatic hypotension. We carried out a survey and analyzed data collected with the questionnaire and Schellong test results among 152 young normal females ranging in age from 18 to 21 years in order to obtain the actual prevalence of OD in these subjects. Among 152 young normal females, 39 (25.7%) were confirmed to have OD based on the questionnaire. Although orthostatic dizziness was relatively common in this series of young females, regardless of the presence or absence of OD (90/152, 59.2%), this symptom, which is listed as one of the 5 major items on the questionnaire, was much more prevalent in subjects with OD (37/39, 94.9%). Similar prevalence patterns for fatigability or unexplained tiredness were also found in subjects with OD (28/39, 71.8%) when compared with total subjects (55/152, 36.2%). As for the positive rate of the Schellong test, subjects with and without OD showed 33.3% and 31.3%, respectively, and this difference was not statistically significant. There was, however, a highly significant difference in the fall in systolic pressure during the Schellong test procedure between subjects without OD and 10 subjects with OD in whom orthostatic dizziness frequently occurred.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Virological studies on the usefulness of anti-HCV ELISA assay using recombinant N-14 fusion protein in various liver diseases].

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the detection of HCV antibodies was established, using recombinant N-14 fusion protein, and compared with the results of Ortho's HCV antibody (C-100 Ab) test, in serum samples of 1848 normal blood donors and 248 patients with liver diseases. The following results were obtained. 1) N-14 antibodies and C-100 antibodies were detected in 25 (1.4%) and 17 (0.9%) out of 1848 normal blood donors, respectively. The detection rate was enhanced by 1% by using the N-14 test in addition to the C-100 kit. 2) The prevalence rate of anti-HCV in NANB liver diseases was 119 of 169 patients (70.4%) by the N-14 test and 114 of 169 patients (67.5%) by the C-100 test. 145 (85.8%) patients were positive by either one of the assays. The antibody in patients with chronic hepatitis tends to be detect in higher rate by the N-14 test than the C-100 test (p < 0.01). Reversely the latter could detect in higher rate than the former in patients with liver cirrhosis (p < 0.01). The detection rate of the antibody in patients with HCC was the same level by these two tests. By using both tests the detection rate was increased by 15-18%, up to totally 85.8% when compared with the rate obtained by testing either one of these tests. 3) Among 79 patients with liver diseases unrelated to HCV infections such as chronic hepatitis B and auto-immune hepatitis, 3 cases (3.8%) were detected by the N-14 test and 7 (8.9%) by the C-100 test, suggesting more strict specificity of the N-14 test. History of blood transfusion of the patients gave no difference in the results. In conclusion, the N-14 test for the detection of HCV infection seems to be specific and sensitive for the blood-screening, and the diagnosis of hepatitis C infection.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

High prevalence of the point mutation in exon 6 of the xeroderma pigmentosum group A-complementing (XPAC) gene in xeroderma pigmentosum group A patients in Tunisia.

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) patients in Tunisia who belong to the genetic complementation group A (XPA) have milder skin symptoms than do Japanese XPA patients. Such difference in the clinical features might be caused by the difference in the site of mutation in the XP A-complementing (XPAC) gene. The purpose of this study is to identify the genetic alterations in the XPAC gene in the Tunisian XPA patients and to investigate the relationship between the clinical symptoms and the genetic alterations. Three sites of mutation in the XPAC gene have been identified in the Japanese XPA patients, and about 85% of them have a G-->C point mutation at the splicing acceptor site of intron 3. We found that six (86%) of seven Tunisian XPA patients had a nonsense mutation in codon 228 in exon 6, because of a CGA-->TGA point mutation, which can be detected by the HphI RFLP. This type of mutation is the same as those found in two Japanese XPA patients with mild clinical symptoms. Milder skin symptoms in the XPA patients in Tunisia than in those in Japan, despite mostly sunny weather and the unsatisfactory sun protection in Tunisia, should be due to the difference in the mutation site.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[A case of Listeria rhombencephalitis with a secondary vasculitis suggested by MRI].

We reported a rare case of Listeria rhombencephalitis with meningitis. A 48-year-old healthy man suddenly experienced high fever and headache, then he had lower cranial nerve's palsies and mental dysfunction developed during one week period. On admission, his temperature was 38 degrees C. He was slightly delirious and euphoric. He had nuchal rigidity, mild paresthesia over his left cheek to left upper lip, a right sixth nerve palsy, dysphagia, hiccup, nasal voice and left cerebellar ataxia. His tongue deviated toward the right side on protrusion. A CSF culture grew Listeria monocytogenes. Intravenous antibiotic therapy (PIPC, minocycline hydrochloride) produced improvement in one month except for mild paresthesia and dysphagia. He almost recovered after 7 months of illness. Brain MRI on T2 weighted image demonstrated multiple small ischemic lesions in the left lateral medulla, upper pontine tegmentum in the right side, and pontine tegmentum in the left side. These lesions enhanced by Gd. were assumed to be due to the secondary vasculitis. Listeria rhombencephalitis is extremely rare in human beings. To our knowledge only thirteen cases have been reported. In seven cases, post-mortem pathological findings confirmed necrotizing angitis in brainstem. Clinical aspects of Listeria rhombencephalitis were discussed, and the entity of this disease should be considered as a treatable cause of acute progressive brainstem meningoencephalitis.

Humans↗
PubMed1993

A case of Rothmund-Thomson syndrome with reduced DNA repair capacity.

BACKGROUND: Rothmund-Thomson syndrome is an autosomal recessively inherited disease with multiple skin disorders, and little has been known about the cause of the clinical features. We cultured the cells from a patient with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome and examined the ultraviolet repair characteristics. OBSERVATIONS: A 5-year-old boy with Rothmund-Thomson syndrome is presented. He has had reticular pigmentation and hypopigmentation on his cheeks, upper aspect of the trunk, palms, and soles since 6 months of age. Cells originating from the patient had reduced unscheduled DNA synthesis, 37% of normal, after exposure to ultraviolet C (predominantly at 254 nm), and they were slightly more sensitive to ultraviolet C than were normal cells in cell ultraviolet survival. CONCLUSION: Such repair deficiency might account for the mild sun sensitivity in early childhood. Heterogeneity in the repair mechanism as well as in clinical features in this syndrome was suggested.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1993

[Brain imaging in a case of early-onset acute disseminated encephalomyelitis].

A case of early-onset acute disseminated encephalomyelitis was presented with her brain imaging. Two weeks after a nonspecific upper respiratory infection, a 14-month-old girl developed spastic paraplegia, difficulty in using left upper extremity and mental deterioration with aphasia. Steroid improved her clinical symptoms. However, 9 weeks later, when steroid was almost withdrawn, relapse with meningeal signs appeared. Reinstitution of steroid was started and 8 weeks later when meningeal signs disappeared, rehabilitation by physical therapist was started. Eighteen months later she recovered into normal intelligence and slight gait difficulty walking with left lower extremity weakness. CT showed extensive symmetric low density lesions in bilateral cerebral white matters and they almost resolved 8 months later. MRI showed extensive symmetric high signal lesions in bilateral cerebral white matters which were demonstrable in the sagittal image. Abnormalities in MRI were much improved 4 months later when she began to speak several words again.

Encephalomyelitis↗
PubMed1993

[A study of ambulatory treatment for pulmonary tuberculosis in foreigners residing in Japan].

We studied 130 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in foreigners residing in Japan to obtain the results as follows; 1. Of the cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in foreigners who are registered and receiving treatment in Japan, 20.3% were treated at three dispensaries of the Japan Antituberculosis Association in Tokyo. 2. The nationality of the cases treated was China in more than half of them, followed by the Republic of Korea. 3. The number of days taken from entry into Japan to the start of treatment was about 11.4 months; 0.9% of the total number of cases examined by chest radiophotography required medical treatment. 4. Their living conditions in Japan according to questionnairing are: 56.2% have jobs in Japan; working hour, 4.99 +/- 1.19 hours a day; 64.4% take night work; 57.6% work in food/drink service industry; living space is 12.5 m2; 52.4% share the same house with other persons, living together with 1.6 persons. 5. As for the type of illness at the start of treatment, GAKKAI classification type III accounted for 90% and spread 1 83.8%. GAKKAI classification type II accounted for 10%, consisting of many relatively mild cases. 6. The defaulter rate was high at 40.8%. The reason for defaulting was broken down to discontinuation on his own 68%, repatriation 15% and side-effects 19%. The time to default was average 3.2 +/- 3.1 months after the start of treatment. They defaulted 1.2 +/- 0.4 times on the average. 7. To reduce the defaulter rate to the minimum in treating the foreigners residing in Japan, the following may be needed. a. To give guidance on the regimen including the need of treatment and risk associated with discontinuation of treatment at the first visit. b. Measures to reduce the amount to be born by the individual in the medical expenses. c. Preparation of a pamphlet for therapeutic guidance in foreign languages.

Adult↗