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Biomedical subjects

S Suzuki

Publications and source records attributed to S Suzuki.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Myasthenia gravis accompanied by alopecia areata: clinical and immunogenetic aspects.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients who had both myasthenia gravis (MG) and alopecia areata (AA). Clinical information was retrospectively collected for 159 Japanese patients with MG. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQB1 and DRB1 alleles were determined by genotyping. Of 159 MG patients, six (3.7%) developed AA after the onset of MG and thymectomy. The prevalence of AA in MG patients was higher than that reported in Caucasians. The frequencies of bulbar involvement, myasthenic crisis, and thymoma were significantly higher in MG patients with AA than in those without (P = 0.007, 0.004, and 0.006, respectively). All but one patient with AA had advanced stage thymoma. Three patients with a severe form of AA (alopecia totalis) had additional autoimmune diseases: myocarditis, myositis, and pure red cell aplasia. DRB1*0901 and DQB1*0303 tended to be more frequently detected in the six MG patients with AA than in the 82 patients without it. In conclusion, a subset of MG patients who have severe neuromuscular symptoms and thymoma develop AA several years after thymectomy.

Adolescent↗

Drug resistance and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of Lactococcus garvieae isolates from cultured Seriola (yellowtail, amberjack and kingfish) in Japan.

AIMS: To investigate the existing antimicrobial susceptibility and genetic characteristics of Lactococcus garvieae isolates from cultured Seriola in Japan. METHODS AND RESULTS: Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 14 antimicrobial agents for 170 isolates were determined using the agar dilution method. Seventy-five isolates (44.1%) were simultaneously resistant to erythromycin (EM) (MIC>or=2 microg ml-1), lincomycin (LCM) (MIC>or=128 microg ml-1) and oxytetracycline (OTC) (MIC>or=4 microg ml-1). Resistance to EM was grouped as intermediate- and high-level resistant by MIC values. All resistant isolates possessed ermB and tet(S) genes. The number of different bands between pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of 25 isolates and two ATCC strains (isolated in 1974), determined using two enzymes (ApaI and SmaI), did not exceed 3. CONCLUSIONS: The present resistance pattern observed with ermB and tet(S) is similar to that observed in previous reports. Moreover, the genetic characteristics of L. garvieae isolates from a wide area in Japan in 2002 and ATCC strains were closely related. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: This study suggests that EM-, LCM- and OTC-resistant isolates have been present for 15 years and that L. garvieae strains with same origin have spread among Seriola spp. in Japan since 1974.

Animals↗

Enamel matrix derivative gel stimulates signal transduction of BMP and TGF-{beta}.

It has been shown that Emdogain Gel (Emd-Gel) containing enamel matrix proteins promotes biomineralization, such as osteogenesis and cementogenesis, during the regeneration of periodontal tissues. However, the growth factors involved in these activities of Emd-Gel remain unclear. In this study, Emd-Gel was fractionated into 22 sub-fractions by size exclusion chromatography. The osteoinductive factors, TGF-beta and BMP, were examined by a specific luciferase reporter gene assay. In the unfractionated Emd-Gel, TGF-beta-like activity was detected, while BMP activity was not. In contrast, in the fractionated Emd-Gel samples, TGF-beta-like activity was detected from fractions 8 to 13, and BMP-like activity was detected from fractions 4 to 6. Also, it was confirmed that the BMP-like activity in Emd-Gel was inhibited by authentic TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta-like activity. These results indicate that Emd-Gel contains both TGF-beta- and BMP-like growth factors that contribute to the induction of biomineralization during periodontal regeneration.

Animals↗

Collagenofibrotic glomerulonephropathy in a cynomolgus macaque (Macaca fascicularis).

Collagenofibrotic glomerulonephropathy (CFGN) is characterized by the deposition of type III collagen within the mesangial matrix and the absence of mesangial cell proliferation. A case of CFGN in a 2.7-year-old female cynomolgus macaque was investigated in the present study. Clinically, the animal was shown to have severe systemic edema along with hypoproteinemia. At necropsy, the kidneys were swollen and pale. The glomerular lesions were characterized by massive diffuse and global accumulation of fibrous materials in the mesangial areas. Neither mesangial cell proliferation nor changes in other organs were found. The fibrous materials were confirmed by the results of immunohistochemical and electron microscopic findings to consist mainly of randomly arranged, curve-shaped, twisted, and entwined type III collagen. This is the first case report of CFGN in nonhuman primates to date.

Animals↗

Clinicopathological features and the prognosis of IgA nephropathy in Japanese children on long-term observation.

AIMS: Clinicopathological features were investigated to clarify the ultimate prognosis and prognostic indicators for patients with IgA nephropathy in Japanese children. METHODS: We evaluated the outcomes of 181 patients in whom IgA nephropathy was diagnosed before the age of 15 years since September 1979 and followed-up at least for three years with regard to clinical data at the onset of symptoms and renal histologic data. RESULTS: After mean follow-up of 7.3 years from onset, 91 patients of 181 (50.3%) were in clinical remission at the last examination, 24 (13.2%) had isolated hematuria, 59 (32.6%) had hematuria and proteinuria. Eighteen of 59 (9.9%) had proteinuria more than 1 g per 24 hours. Hypertension was observed in 12 cases and 7 (3.9%) developed end-stage renal disease. Except 7, no patient had reduced renal function and elevated serum creatinine at the final follow-up. Predicted renal survival rate from onset was 92.3% at 10 years and 89.1% at 20 years. In multivariable analysis, age at onset and chronic changes of tubulointerstitium were associated with poor outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Of 181 children with IgA nephropathy, 50% regressed, remaining 46% had hematuria and/or proteinuria and 4% of patients lapsed into end-stage renal disease. Our results indicate that childhood IgA nephropathy has a benign course and the risk for end-stage renal disease is lower than that of adults. Age at onset and tubulointerstitial lesions were the strong predictors of a progressive course of childhood IgA nephropathy.

Adolescent↗

[Chondrosarcoma of the chest wall].

We report 2 patients with chondrosarcoma of the chest wall. They were a 67-year-old woman (case 1) with an anterior chest wall tumor and a 68-year-old woman (case 2) with a painful rib tumor. Their computed tomography (CT) both revealed calcified tumors. Case 1 underwent a wide resection by partial sternectomy, with free surgical margins. Case 2 underwent tumor resection with the posterior part of the 3rd rib, with positive surgical margin in the vertebral site, and received adjuvant radiotherapy. Both patients were pathologically diagnosed as having grade II chondrosarcoma. In their postoperative courses, they are free from recurrence. Wide resection is likely to be the key to successful management of chest wall chondrosarcoma.

Aged↗

[Primary lung cancer incidentally diagnosed in lung biopsy for diffuse pulmonary disease].

UNLABELLED: We here presented 2 cases of interstitial pneumonia with lung adenocarcinoma incidentally diagnosed by partially resected lung for diffuse pulmonary disease. CASE 1: A 78-year-old female was admitted to the hospital complaining of productive cough and general fatigue. The chest computed tomography (CT) revealed diffuse honey comb pattern in bilateral lung field especially in the right lower lung. Video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy was performed and was diagnosed as diffuse spreading well differentiated adenocarcinoma. CASE 2: A 59-year-old male was admitted to the hospital complaining of dyspnea and general fatigue. The chest X-ray revealed right pneumothorax and chest CT revealed diffuse honey comb pattern and bullae in bilateral lung field and fibrous tumor-like lesion in the right middle lung. Video-assisted thoracoscopic lung biopsy was performed and was diagnosed as pulmonary fibrosis with papillary adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSION: It is important to examine carefully the specimen obtained from thoracoscopic lung biopsy even if interstitial pneumonia is strongly suspected.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Methotrexate-induced acute lung injury in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methotrexate (MTX)-induced acute lung injury developed in a female patient with rheumatoid arthritis. She was successfully treated with high-dose glucocorticoid therapy. During her hospital stay, the serum concentration of surfactant protein (SP)-D, which was markedly elevated on admission, was finally normalized and the disease resolved. However, the serum concentration of Klebs von den Lungen (KL)-6 remained high. Although the mechanisms of lung injury by MTX have not been well defined, serial measurements of serum SPD might be useful for the clinical evaluation of drug-induced acute lung injury.

Acute Disease↗

Induction of mononuclear cell infiltration into liver by Japanese herbal medicine.

Juzen-Taiho-To (JTT) is a Japanese herbal medicine that has been administered mainly to patients weakened by long illness. Currently, it has also been used for cancer patients and showed antitumor effects that have been reported as phagocytosis enhancement, cytokine induction and antibody production. In this study, we examined the effect of oral administration of JTT in mice on the immunological restoration of the liver, especially focused on natural killer (NK) T-cell induction. Mice were grouped to receive JTT or placebo orally for a period of 1, 3 and 7 days. After sacrifice, the liver tissue was fixed, embedded and stained with hematoxylineosin and some antibodies by common staining methods. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observation was also carried out. Although the JTT-treated mice had the same appearance as the non-JTT-treated mice, their livers were infiltrated by massive mononuclear cells, some of which were aggregated in clusters. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that there was abundant cytokine expression of interleukin (IL)-12 and massive infiltration of mononuclear cells with large granules in the liver of JTT-treated mice. Oral administration of JTT may induce the expression of IL-12 and be followed by immunological restoration such as NK T-cell induction in liver

Animals↗

PROTECT: a coordinated stroke treatment program to prevent recurrent thromboembolic events.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of the Preventing Recurrence of Thromboembolic Events through Coordinated Treatment (PROTECT) Program on achievement of its eight secondary prevention goals at the time of discharge. METHODS: Achievement rates for the eight program goals at time of discharge were compared in all patients discharged from a university hospital-based stroke service with a diagnosis of ischemic stroke or TIA during a 1-year period after implementation of the PROTECT Program vs rates obtained from a comparable group of patients admitted to the same service during the preceding year. RESULTS: Demographic and medical features were comparable in the baseline and intervention cohorts for all patients with cerebral ischemia presumed due to large-vessel atherosclerosis or small-vessel disease (baseline year n = 117, intervention n = 130). Implementation rates in patients without specific contraindications increased for all four medication goals: 97 to 100% for antithrombotic agents, 68 to 97% for statins, 42 to 90% for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, and 14 to 70% for diuretics. Although data were not collected on baseline lifestyle instruction rates, instruction in the program's four lifestyle interventions was achieved by discharge in 100% of the intervention cohort. CONCLUSION: Implementation of this single-center, systems-based, in-hospital program to initiate secondary stroke prevention therapies was associated with a substantial increase in treatment utilization at the time of hospital discharge.

Adult↗

Gastric and intestinal phenotypic marker expression in gastric carcinomas and recurrence pattern after surgery-immunohistochemical analysis of 213 lesions.

Both gastric and intestinal phenotypic markers are known to be expressed in gastric carcinomas, irrespective of their histologic type. In the present study, the relation between gastric and intestinal phenotypic marker expression in gastric carcinomas and the recurrence pattern after surgery was examined. The phenotypic marker expression of the tumour was determined by examining the expression of human gastric mucin (HGM), MUC6, MUC2 and CD10 in 213 advanced gastric carcinomas in 213 patients who had undergone a curative resection (97 died from recurrent gastric carcinoma and 116 were alive without recurrence at the end of the follow-up period). Tumours were classified into gastric (G), gastric and intestinal mixed (GI), intestinal (I) or unclassified (UC) phenotypes according to the immunopositivity of HGM, MUC6, MUC2 and CD10 stainings. The incidence of HGM-positive tumours and MUC2-negative tumours was significantly higher in tumours with peritoneal recurrence than in tumours without recurrence (73.3%, 44 out of 60 cases vs 54.3%, 63 out of 116 (P=0.022); and 70.0%, 42 out of 60 vs 38.8%, 45 out of 116 (P=0.0002), respectively). The incidence of G-phenotype tumours was also significantly higher in tumours with peritoneal recurrence than in tumours without recurrence (58.3%, 35 out of 60 cases vs 28.4%, 33 out of 116 (P=0.0002)). The incidence of MUC2-negative tumours and CD10-positive tumours was significantly higher in tumours with haematogenous recurrence than in tumours without recurrence (62.5%, 20 out of 32 cases vs 38.8%, 45 out of 116 (P=0.028); and 43.8%, 14 out of 32 vs 23.3%, 27 out of 116 (P=0.039); respectively). Our present findings show that the gastric and intestinal phenotypic marker expression of the tumour, determined by immunohistochemical staining for HGM, MUC6, MUC2 and CD10, can be used to predict the pattern of gastric carcinoma recurrence after curative resection.

Aged↗

Mass-fractal clustering and power-law decay of cluster size in 1-propanol aqueous solution.

Mesoscale structure of 1-propanol aqueous solutions with propanol mole fraction xp ranging from 0.1 to 0.33 has been studied by means of small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and large-scale reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) technique. Analysis of the SANS intensities in terms of a fractal model shows that the fractal dimension df of mesoscale structure of the solution is about 1.8-1.9 for water-rich solution and about 1.5 for propanol-rich solution. Percolation analysis on the RMC results reveals that the water molecules and the propanol molecules cluster, respectively, as a mass fractal, the dimension dM of which is about 2.3-2.5 for both clusters for water-rich solution. Furthermore, the distribution of the cluster size is expressed by a simple power law with an exponent tau of about 1.35-1.5 for the propanol clusters and 1.05-1.2 for the water clusters. These results imply that the current solution is characterized by polydisperse mass fractals. In fact, a theoretical relation for polydisperse system of mass fractals, df = dM(2-tau), holds well in the current solution. The characteristic change in df from 1.8-1.9 to 1.5 described above is attributed to the crossover between the water-rich regime and the propanol-rich regime. Most of the water molecules and the propanol molecules are located on the interface between clusters, and the water molecules form thin layers of about 10 A thick irrespective of 1-propanol content studied.

Journal Article↗

Theoretical Debye-Waller factors of alpha-MoO(3) estimated by an equation-of-motion method.

EXAFS oscillations of MoO(3), which has a highly asymmetric local structure, have been calculated using backscattering amplitudes and phase shifts derived from the FEFF8 code and using Debye-Waller factors from an equation-of-motion method. They were compared with polarization-dependent empirical EXAFS data of the alpha-MoO(3) single crystal at various temperatures. The theoretical EXAFS oscillations of Mo-O bonds for the [001] direction of the single crystal, where two symmetric Mo-O bonds exist, reproduced well the experimental data. On the other hand, the calculated data for the [100] direction, which contain two asymmetric Mo-O bonds with different bond lengths, agree well with the experimental data only after adjustment of the amplitude reduction factors for different Mo-O bonds. EXAFS oscillations of MoO(3) powder were also calculated by the same method, and theoretical parameters that could reproduce the experimental data were found. These results suggest that the equation-of-motion method can evaluate the Debye-Waller factors efficiently in molecules with asymmetric local structures and can reduce curve-fitting parameters.

Journal Article↗

Displacement of central sulcus in cerebral arteriovenous malformation situated in the peri-motor cortex as assessed by magnetoencephalographic study.

BACKGROUND: Intra-operative monitoring of the position of the central sulcus (CS) is indispensable to properly treat a peri-motor cortex lesion. Noninvasive preoperative studies for identification of CS are also needed for choosing the optimal operative procedure. Magneto-encephalography (MEG) has recently been introduced for non-invasive preoperative investigation and cortical functional mapping. METHODS: Stereotactic mapping of functional CS anatomy was performed preoperatively on 13 subjects using somatosensory evoked fields with MRI-linked whole head MEG system. All subjects had a left sided peri-motor cortex lesion with diagnoses including the following conditions: three arteriovenous malformations (AVM), seven gliomas, three meningiomas. FINDINGS: Functional CS in supratentorial brain tumor and parietal AVM cases corresponded with anatomical CS identified by MRI. But the AVM cases in whom the nidus was situated within the peri-motor cortex showed discrepancies between anatomical CS and functional CS. INTERPRETATION: Careful consideration of the operative procedure combined with non-invasive cortical functional mapping is needed to optimally treat AVM and congenital brain lesions situated in the anatomical peri-motor cortex.

Adolescent↗

Daily omega-3 fatty acid intake and depression in Japanese patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer.

The aim of the present study was to examine the association between daily omega-3 fatty acid intake and depression in Japanese cancer patients. Omega-3 fatty acid intake in 771 patients with newly diagnosed primary lung cancer was evaluated using a food-frequency questionnaire, and the prevalence of depression was examined using the cutoff values for the depression subscale included in the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, the odds ratio (OR) for depression among patients in the highest quartile of the total eicosapentaenoic acid- (C20:5n-3) and docosapentaenoic acid (C22:6n-3)-intake group compared with patients in the lowest quartile was not significantly different. On the other hand, the OR among the highest quartile of alpha-linolenic acid (C18:3n-3) intake (adjusted OR=0.50, 95% CI: 0.31-0.71, P for trend=0.004) and the highest quartile of total omega-3 fatty acid intake (adjusted OR=0.55, 95% CI: 0.35-0.88, P for trend=0.022) were significantly different. These results suggest that total eicosapentaenoic acid and docosapentaenoic acid intake might not be associated with depression in Japanese patients with newly diagnosed lung cancer, but that alpha-linolenic acid intake and total omega-3 fatty acid intake might be.

Aged↗

Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from marine environments in Tokyo Bay.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a pathogenic bacterium that has been thoroughly investigated since the 19th century and is generally regarded as a freshwater or terrestrial organism. In 1995, it was reported that the OprP porin, an outer membrane protein corresponding to that of this bacterium, was widely distributed as a dissolved component in seawater. This finding led us to investigate the presence of P. aeruginosa in marine environments. Both culture-independent and -dependent methods were applied to seawater samples obtained in Tokyo Bay during four cruises. The DVC-FA (direct viable count-fluorescent antibody) technique showed that cells reactive to an antibody against P. aeruginosa were widely present in the bay, i.e., 10(3) to 10(4) cells/mL in the inner bay, and 10(2) to 10(3) cells/mL at the mouth. Bacterial cells isolated by selective medium were identified by three methods: the presence of oprI and oprL, two outer membrane lipoprotein genes specific to P. aeruginosa; the API20 NE kit; and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The results confirmed that the majority of isolates from the bay were P. aeruginosa. Immuno-chemical analyses of the seawater results indicate that P. aeruginosa is commonly present in coastal marine environments and sheds OprP.

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗

Comparative study of gene expression of cholinergic system-related molecules in the human spinal cord and term placenta.

By reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Southern blot analysis, direct sequencing, and immunohistochemistry, we studied the expression of cholinergic neuronal markers (choline acetyltransferase [ChAT], vesicular acetylcholine transporter [VAChT], and a high-affinity choline transporter [CHT1]), and gene regulatory molecules (repressor element-1 silencing transcription factor/neuron-restrictive silencer factor [REST/NRSF] and CoREST) in the human spinal cord and term placenta, both of which are well known to contain cells synthesizing acetylcholine. H-type, M-type, N2-type, and R-type ChAT mRNAs, VAChT mRNA, and CHT1 mRNA were detected in the spinal cord, but only H-type, M-type, and N2-type ChAT mRNAs, in the term placenta. REST/NRSF and CoREST were detected in the spinal cord and the placenta, but the amounts of both mRNAs were greater in the placenta than in the spinal cord. Further microdissection analyses revealed that the placental trophoblastic cells contained more REST/NRSF and CoREST transcripts than the spinal large motor neurons. Large motor neurons in the anterior horn of the spinal cord were immunohistochemically stained for ChAT and VAChT. In the placenta, stromal fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and trophoblastic cells of the chorionic villi were positively stained with anti-ChAT antibody but not with anti-VAChT antibody. These findings suggest that transcriptions of the R-type ChAT and VAChT mRNAs are coordinately suppressed in the human term placenta, which might be regulated in part by a REST/NRSF complex that binds to a consensus sequence of repressor element 1/neuron-restrictive silencer element (RE1/NRSE) in the 5' region upstream from exon R, whereas transcriptions of the H-type, M-type, and N2-type ChAT mRNAs might be independent of control by RE1/NRSE. It is possible that at least two separate regulatory mechanisms of gene expression are present for the human cholinergic gene locus, which might be selected by different combinations of DNA motifs and binding proteins to function in neuronal and non-neuronal cells.

Acetylcholine↗