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Biomedical subjects

S Imamura

Publications and source records attributed to S Imamura.

At least 451 records · Page 25Linked to original sources

Sex differences and ethnic variations in speed of automatized naming.

White American-Caucasian children from 6-12 yr showed significant sex differences on four tasks of rapid automatized naming; and in each case, girls outperformed boys. American-Chinese, native Japanese and native Korean schoolchildren did not differ from American-Caucasians in naming speed when scores for boys and girls were combined. However, in the three Asian subgroups, there were no sex differences on any naming task. It is suggested that biological as well as experiential factors contribute to behavioral sex differences; and that biological (genetic) variables associated with mating group membership modify the expression of cognitive sex differences.

Child↗

Potassium iodide in erythema nodosum and other erythematous dermatoses.

Potassium iodide therapy has a history of more than 150 years. It has been tried in many diseases in the past. However, with the development of modern medications indications for potassium iodide therapy are very limited. It is well known that potassium iodide is the drug of choice for sporotrichosis. Subacute nodular migratory panniculitis and erythema nodosum have also been treated successfully with this drug.

Erythema Multiforme↗

Follow-up study of children with cerebral coordination disturbance (CCD, Vojta).

713 children (from newborn to 12-month-old) with delayed motor development were carefully examined and classified into normal, very light cerebral coordination disturbance (CCD, Vojta), light CCD, moderate CCD, severe CCD, suspected cerebral palsy (CP) and other diseases at their first visit, and were followed up carefully. Finally, 89.0% of very light CCD, 71.4% of light CCD, 56.0% of moderate CCD and 30.0% of severe CCD developed into normal. 59.5% of moderate CCD and 45.5% of severe CCD among children who were given Vojta's physiotherapy developed into normal. The classification of cases with delayed motor development into very light, light, moderate and severe CCD based on the extent of abnormality in their postural reflexes is useful and well correlated with their prognosis. Treatment by Vojta's method seems to be efficient and helpful for young children with delayed motor development.

Female↗

Topical 8-methoxypsoralen photochemotherapy of psoriasis: a clinical study.

Topical psoralen plus UV-A irradiation (topical PUVA) was re-evaluated with regard to the timing of UV-A exposure. Symmetrical lesions of fifteen patients with psoriasis were treated with topical PUVA. One side was exposed to UV-A 2 h after topical application of I% 8-methoxypsoralen (2-h interval therapy), while the other side was exposed to the same dose of UV-A within 5 min of the topical application (non-interval therapy). Both regimens were effective. The non-interval therapy was preferred in one case, the 2-hour interval was preferred in three cases, and there was no clear difference in the other eleven cases. There was less tendency to burning with the non-interval therapy, and our study suggests that this is a useful regimen in the out-patient treatment of psoriasis.

Administration, Topical↗

Distribution patterns of cytoplasmic microtubules in epidermal keratinocytes.

The distribution of cytoplasmic microtubules in cultured guinea-pig keratinocytes was investigated using immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy with monospecific anti-tubulin antibodies and electron microscopy (EM). In culture, adherent cells displayed networks of thin fluorescent fibres, while a homogeneous and/or granular cytoplasmic IF was shown in the cells of upper layers as well as in trypsinized cells. By EM many microtubules were shown in adherent cells but there were fewer or none in the upper layers. An increase in calcium ion (Ca2+) concentration and the addition of an ionophore (X537A) to the culture medium caused disassembly of microtubules. This effect was cancelled by a calmodulin inhibitor. Cryostat sections of normal human and guinea-pig epidermis stained with anti-tubulin antibodies showed a homogeneous and/or granular cytoplasmic IF from basal to granular layers but no detectable IF was seen in the horny layer. These results suggest that keratinocytes contain a cellular pool of tubulin in various states of polymerization and that microtubule disassembly may occur during differentiation, probably being regulated by Ca2+-calmodulin complexes.

Animals↗

A case of trophoneurotic bullae.

A 57-year-old woman who had sensorimotor polyneuropathy with dysgammaglobulinemia showed pea-sized tense blisters on the fingers. Histopathological features were intraepidermal multilocular bullae and degeneration of capillaries of the papillary dermis with decreased nerve components of the dermis. Clinicopathological findings indicate this case to be trophoneurotic bullae.

Capillaries↗

Bullous pemphigoid and antinuclear antibodies. Unmasking of basement membrane fluorescence in sodium chloride-treated substrates.

Immunoflourescent (IF) microscopic studies were done on a patient with bullous pemphigoid who had a high titer of antinuclear antibodies (ANAs). Direct IF microscopy showed deposition of lgG and C3 at the basement membrane zone (BMZ), while, by indirect IF microscopy, ANAs (but not circulating pemphigoid antibodies) were detected. The 2M sodium chloride (NaCl) solution-treated substrates, in which nuclear antigens were eluted, uncovered pemphigoid antibodies. Treatment of the substrates with NaCl solution unmasked BMZ fluorescence in another set of experiments in which a large amount of serum samples containing ANAs was added to serum samples containing only pemphigoid antibodies. These results suggest that pemphigoid antibodies are able to react to the BMZ in the presence of concomitant ANAs unless bind to the nuclear antigens.

Animals↗

Increased hydroxyl radical generation by normal polymorphonuclear leukocytes incubated in sera from patients with leukocytoclastic vasculitis.

The effect of sera from patients with untreated leukocytoclastic vasculitis was investigated on the generation of oxygen intermediates by normal polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Sera from untreated patients induced increased hydroxyl radical generation, which is one of the most potent oxidants capable of causing tissue damage. It is suggested that vascular injury may be mediated in part by enhanced production of hydroxyl radical by polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Circulating immune complexes in the sera of the patients are considered to be one of the factors responsible for enhanced generation of hydroxyl radical.

Adult↗

Assessment of anti-stratum corneum antibody titres in pustulosis palmaris et plantaris.

Titres of anti-stratum corneum (SC) antibodies, determined by an indirect immunofluorescence (IF) technique, were significantly higher on average in pustulosis palmaris et plantaris (PPP) and pompholyx than in normal controls. By a complement IF technique, the antibodies fixed complement (C3) in high titer in PPP, but to a much lesser degree in pompholyx and normal controls. Direct IF microscopy studies showed the deposition of IgG and C3 in the SC in some of the biopsy specimens of the pustular lesions. These findings suggest that in PPP anti-SC antibodies may be involved at least in part in activation of the complement system and the subsequent accumulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Antibodies↗

Dyskeratotic degeneration of epidermal cells in pityriasis rosea: light and electron microscopic studies.

We studied biopsies from twenty-nine patients with pityriasis rosea. All specimens showed features of subacute or chronic dermatitis as previously reported, but sixteen cases (55%) had dyskeratotic cells within the epidermis. Ultrastructurally, these cells contained an aggregation of tonofilaments, many vacuoles and intracytoplasmic desmosomes. Previously, only non-specific histological changes had been described in pityriasis rosea, but the presence of dyskeratotic cells seems to be a significant feature.

Adolescent↗

Deposition of complement C1q in primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis.

Deposition of immunoglobulins and complement components was studied in twelve cases of primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis by direct immunofluorescence microscopy. C1q was detected in amyloid islands in ten cases by immunoglobulins and C3 were found in only a few cases. It is suggested that C1q may be one of the nonepidermal components of cutaneous amyloid.

Amyloidosis↗

Human Ia-like-antigen-expressed cutaneous T cell lymphoma associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection.

2 cases of cutaneous T cell lymphoma are reported. In both cases immunological studies revealed that the tumor cells from the cutaneous lesions had human Ia-like antigen on the cell surface, which was considered to be alloantigen primarily present on B lymphocytes. Serum examination showed an extremely high titer of two types of antibody against Epstein-Barr (EB) virus in the 1st case and a relatively high titer of one type of antibody in the 2nd case, suggesting that the patients had EB virus infection. Recently, some hematologists found the significant correlation of T lymphocytosis and the appearance of human Ia-like antigen in infectious mononucleosis. Based on these findings, it is assumed that EB virus has the ability of the immunological transformation of cutaneous neoplastic lymphocytes, and so we should not overlook the susceptibility of phenotypical changes of the original cell by EB virus when the immunological classification of cutaneous malignant lymphoma is done.

Aged↗