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Biomedical subjects

S Uchiyama

Publications and source records attributed to S Uchiyama.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

[Two cases of spinal epidural lipomatosis].

Two cases of spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL) were reported. Patient 1 was on oral corticosteroid and patient 2 was obese and had prostate cancer. Patient 1 was a 45-year-old man diagnosed as sarcoid myelopathy at C 5/6 vertebral body levels and had been placed on oral corticosteroid therapy for 14 months. He showed spastic paraplegia, hypesthesia below C 4 level with distal dominancy and dysesthesia below Th 6 level. MRI revealed epidural lipomatosis from Th 3 to Th 9 vertebral bodies, which presented high in T 1 weighted image (WI) and T 2 WI, and non-signal in STIR image. On axial image spinal cord was compressed by this mass. Patient 2 was a 73-year-old man with spastic paraplegia, and superficial and deep sensory disturbances below Th 6. He had been obese (BMI 26.1) upon admission. He was diagnosed as prostate cancer with bone metastasis. On MRI of the thoracic spine revealed epidural mass of high in T 1 WI and T 2 WI, and non-signal in STIR image. SEL is a rare condition known as hyperplasia of normal fat tissue in epidural space which sometimes compresses the spinal cord or spinal nerve roots resulting in neurologic deficit. SEL should be kept in mind as having possible neurologic complications in obese patients or ones on long term steroid therapy.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Ultrafine flexible spinal endoscope (myeloscope) and discovery of an unreported subarachnoid lesion.

STUDY DESIGN: Introduction of a new diagnostic procedure and a report on its usefulness. OBJECTIVES: To introduce a new endoscope (myeloscope) developed for the examination of the spinal canal and to present a previously unreported subarachnoid condition as a cause of paraparesis revealed by it. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: In spite of the availability of advanced imaging technology, there still exists a significant number of patients with spinal diseases in whom a diagnosis cannot be made. Direct visualization of the pathologic area is required in these patients. Recent advances in fiberoptics have made this possible. METHODS: The endoscope consisted of a fiberscope with an external diameter of 0.5, 0.9, or 1.4 mm. It was inserted into the subarachnoid space in the lumbar spine and carefully advanced cranially. Since 1987, this examination has been performed on 18 patients aged 7 to 69 years who had pain or other neurologic symptoms of unknown origin. RESULTS: The surface of the spinal cord, roots, properties of the arachnoid membrane, and small vessels could be observed clearly. The scope could be advanced as far as the upper cervical spine. Cotton-candy-like proliferation of fibrous tissue was identified by myeloscopy in four paraparetic patients who had clinical and radiologic features similar to those of a spinal cord herniation. The fibrous tissue beat on the spinal cord with the pulsation of the spinal fluid. Resection of the fibrous tissue with conventional surgery resulted in neurologic improvement. Complications included one case of meningitis in the early period and five cases of postspinal headache. No nerve injury was apparent. CONCLUSIONS: Myeloscopy provides detailed information about the subarachnoid space and even reveals dynamic conditions that cannot be identified during open surgery or at autopsy. It will bring new concepts to the diagnosis of spinal diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

cAMP-dependent long-term potentiation of nitric oxide release from cerebellar parallel fibers in rats.

Nitric Oxide (NO) is released from parallel fibers (PFs) after PF stimulation. NO-cGMP signaling is essential for long-term depression (LTD) in cerebellar PF-Purkinje cell synapses, which also exhibit presynaptic long-term potentiation (LTP) after tetanic PF stimulation. This LTP is dependent on cAMP but not NO-cGMP signaling. In this study, we analyzed long-term changes of NO release from PFs in rat cerebellar slices using electrochemical NO probes. Repetitive PF stimulation at 10 Hz for 2 sec elicited a transient increase in NO concentration (2.2 +/- 0.1 nM; mean +/- SEM; n = 116). This NO release exhibited long-term potentiation (LTPNO) by 36 +/- 3% (n = 15) after tetanic PF stimulation. Induction of LTPNO was not affected by Glu receptor antagonists. NO release from PFs was also potentiated by L-Arg (ARG) (100 microM), forskolin (50 microM), and 8-bromo-cAMP (Br-cAMP) (1 mM) but not by 1,9-dideoxyforskolin (50 microM), a biologically inactive analog of forskolin. The potentiation induced by forskolin was significantly suppressed by H89 (10 microM), a blocker of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The potentiation induced by forskolin, but not that induced by Arg, interfered with LTPNO. H89 (10 microM) and KT5720 (1 microM), another blocker of cAMP-dependent protein kinase, but not KT5823 (300 nM), a blocker of cGMP-dependent protein kinase, significantly suppressed LTPNO. These data indicate that neural NO release is under activity-dependent control, just as synaptic transmitter release is. LTPNO might play a role in cross talk between presynaptic and postsynaptic plasticity by facilitating NO-cGMP-dependent postsynaptic LTD after induction of cAMP-dependent presynaptic LTP and LTPNO.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗
PubMed1998

Conformation analysis of eel calcitonin--comparison with the conformation of elcatonin.

The solution structure of eel calcitonin in a mixture of 60% water and 40% trifluoroethanol has been determined in this study by the combined use of 1H-NMR spectroscopy and distance geometry calculations. 1H-NMR spectroscopy provided 181 distance constraints, 5 dihedral angle constraints and 14 hydrogen bond constraints. The observed NOEs demonstrated the presence of an amphiphilic a-helix in position Leu4-Gln20. The seven best converged structures exhibit backbone atomic rmsd of 0.027 nm for the backbone atoms from the averaged coordinate position in the region of Cysl-Leu19. In the previous study [Ogawa, K., Nishimura, S., Doi, M., Kyogoku, Y., Hayashi, M. & Kobayashi, Y. (1994) Eur: J. Biochem. 222, 659-666], the conformation of elcatonin, an analogue of eel calcitonin, was characterized by an amphiphilic a-helix between Thr6 and Thr21 and a turn structure in the first five residues of the N-terminus. The major difference of structure between eel calcitonin and elcatonin exists within the cyclic moiety at the helical N-terminus. Some of the turn structure detected at the N-terminus in elcatonin is not found in eel calcitonin. This is attributed to the difference in the ring formation caused by the disulfide bridge and ethylene bridge. A medium-range NOE, dalphaN(i,i+2), is detected between the CalphaH of Arg24 and the NH of Asp26, so a turn structure occurs in this segment. This NOE connectivity profile in the C-terminal region is also the same in elcatonin, suggesting that this is important for receptor binding and immunological properties.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Vertebral pseudarthrosis in the osteoporotic spine.

STUDY DESIGN: Radiologic and operative findings of intravertebral cleft in the osteoporotic spine were investigated and the pathomechanism discussed. OBJECTIVES: To clarify the pathologic features of the intravertebral cleft. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Intravertebral "vacuum" cleft is one of the common radiographic findings in the osteoporotic spine. It is thought that the cleft is a rare lesion of an ununited fracture, or pseudarthrosis. Evidential findings of the disease, however, have never been reported. METHODS: Simple bone grafting was performed in five cases (average age, 76.8 years) of thoracolumbar intravertebral cleft in osteoporotic spine in patients who had been suffering from prolonged pain of the back or leg. Preoperative radiologic evaluation using flexion-extension radiograph and magnetic resonance imaging was performed in all patients. At operation, the cleft and the components of the structure were macroscopically and microscopically observed. The fluid content in the cleft was biochemically analyzed. RESULTS: In all patients, preoperative flexion-extension radiographs showed intravertebral instability at the location of the clefts that indicated gas density in three cases and water density in two cases. Magnetic resonance imaging showed that, for the most part, the cleft was low intensity on the T1-weighted image and high intensity on the T2-weighted scans, regardless of the radiographic findings. At operation, abnormal movement was observed at the cleft of the affected body, which was covered with hypertrophic membrane. The serous fluid within the cleft was aspirated before the excision of soft tissue. The thick membrane was excised and showed that the cleft was lined by smooth fibrocartilaginous tissue and the great degree of motion between the fracture ends that is consistent with the pathologic appearance of pseudarthrosis. CONCLUSIONS: The unstable cleft in the affected vertebral body of the osteoporotic spine with magnetic resonance findings of low intensity on the T1-weighted scans and high intensity on the T2-weighted scans suggests that the cleft is a false joint lined by fibrocartilaginous tissue with notable movement consistent with pseudarthrosis.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

N-(4-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazoyl-7-yl)-N-methyl-2-aminoacetohydrazide (NBD-CO-Hz) as a precolumn fluorescent derivatization reagent for carboxylic acids in high-performance liquid chromatography.

A new fluorescent reagent for carboxylic acids, N-(4-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazoyl-7-yl)-N-methyl-2-aminoacetohydr azide (NBD-CO-Hz) was synthesized and its applicability as a precolumn derivatization reagent in high-performance liquid chromatography was examined. NBD-CO-Hz reacted with 2-arylpropionic acids (2-APAs), a group of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the presence of a condensing agent, 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and pyridine at room temperature for 2 h to give fluorescent adducts. The reaction solution was subjected to a reversed phase or a chiral stationary phase HPLC and the derivatives were detected fluorometrically at a wavelength of 530 nm with an excitation of 475 nm. The detection limits were in the fmol range on column.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗
PubMed1998

Lipidized (foamy) tumor cells in a spinal cord ependymoma with collagenous metaplasia.

We report a 49-year-old woman with a spinal cord ependymoma located in the thoracolumbar region. At surgery, a soft dark-grayish tumor, which contained a hard whitish area, was removed. The specimen was a moderately cellular tumor with a central core made up of collagen nodules poor in cellular elements. Many of the tumor cells possessed ground glass-like eosinophilic cytoplasm, and frequently foamy tumor cells were evident. Perivascular pseudorosettes, ependymal rosettes and canals were present, the latter being rare. Many tumor cells, including those with foamy cytoplasm, were positive for glial fibrillary acidic protein. Similar tumor cells were also seen among, and even within, the collagen nodules. The MIB-1 labeling index was 0.66%. Ultrastructurally, the frequent lipidized tumor cells were ependymal in nature; cytoplasmic 10-nm-wide filaments, and intracytoplasmic lumina and intercellular microrosettes lined by microvilli were evident. Cilia were very rare. We considered the present case to be an unusual, lipidized variant of ependymoma. The collagen nodules appeared to be produced by the tumor cells themselves.

Collagen↗
PubMed1998

Highly sensitive flow detection of uric acid based on an intermediate regeneration of uricase.

The principle of the signal amplification of a uric acid sensor based on dithiothreitol (DTT)-mediated intermediate regeneration of uricase was applied to a flow-injection system with an immobilized uricase reactor and a DTT-containing carrier. Highly sensitive detection for nM to microM order of uric acid was achieved when 10 mM TRIS-HCl buffer (pH 10.0) containing 20 mM DTT was used as a carrier at 0.6 ml min-1 and 37 degrees C. The sensitivity of the uric acid was much improved over a batch method using a uricase membrane-coupling electrode, and the detection limit (ca. peak current 8 nA) of uric acid was found to be down to 3 x 10(-10) M (amplification factor; more than 10,000). This chemically amplified flow-system is very useful for the direct assay of uric acid in highly diluted biological fluids (urine and serum) without complicated pretreatment of the samples, because this sensor has the potential to detect trace amounts (nM to microM) of uric acid in highly diluted body fluids in which the concentration of interfering constituents was decreased to negligible levels. Good correlation was observed between this system and conventional spectrophotometry. The immobilized uricase reactor could be re-used for at least 4 months of repeated analysis without loss of activity and was stable if stored at 4 degrees C in 10 mM TRIS-HCl buffer, pH 9.0.

Dithiothreitol↗
PubMed1998

Characterization and primary structure of a base non-specific and acid ribonuclease from Dictyostelium discoideum.

A base non-specific and acid RNase was isolated from cellular slime mold (Dictyostelium discoideum) cells in a homogeneous state (about 2.4 kDa) by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The RNase (RNase DdI) has a pH optimum of 5.0. The amino acid sequence of RNase DdI was determined by a combination of protein chemistry, a search of Data base, Dicty cDB and further sequence analysis of cDNA from the same bank. RNase DdI consists of 198 amino acid residues, and about 13.3, 0.9, 1.2, 3.3, and 1.0 residues of mannose, xylose, glucose, GlcNAc, and GalNAc, respectively. RNase DdI has two characteristic conserved segments of the RNase T2 family, and thus belongs to the RNase T2 family. Considering the fact that most of the RNase activity of D. discoideum is present in the lysosomal fraction [Wiener and Ashworth (1970) Biochem. J. 118, 505-512], it was concluded that the lysosomal RNase in D. discoideum is a member of the RNase T2 family. The amino acid sequence of RNase DdI is highly homologous with that of Physarum polycephalum RNase (RNase Phyb), and its amino acid sequence seems to be similar to those of plant/animal type RNases, rather than fungal RNases. The location of RNase DdI in the phylogenetic tree of the RNase T2 family was estimated.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

A case with subcapsular hematoma of the liver following laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is a safe and less traumatic procedure for benign cholecystic disease. However there have been some complications peculiar to LC. Here we report a case with postoperative subcapsular hematoma of the liver after LC. A 78-year-old woman was admitted with acute cholecystitis due to cholecystolithiasis. She underwent LC and liver dysfunction was noted after the operation. Ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) showed subcapsular hematoma of the liver. It was supposed that it had happened to occur during the operation, but we could not make the cause clear. The patient was improved with only conservative therapy and discharged. It is important to handle the forceps carefully close to the liver in the laparoscopic surgery in order to prevent this complication. We report a case with subcapsular hematoma of the liver following LC with a review of the literature.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Reconstruction of the flexor pulley. The effect of the tension and source of the graft in an in vitro dog model.

Flexor pulleys in the hindpaw digits of twenty-eight adult mixed-breed dogs were reconstructed in order to investigate the influence, on the reconstruction, of the source of the autogenous tissue (intrasynovial compared with extrasynovial tendon) and the tension applied during the repair. The ipsilateral peroneus longus tendon was used to reconstruct the A2 pulley with an around-the-bone technique in twenty-one digits; the graft was sutured at a tension of 0.49, 0.98, and 1.96 newtons in seven digits each. The flexor digitorum profundus tendon of an adjacent digit was used to reconstruct the A2 pulley, at a tension of 0.98 newton, in seven additional digits. The contralateral digits were used as controls for all twenty-eight treated digits. The digits were tested in a custom apparatus designed to measure the frictional force generated between the reconstructed pulley and the tendon beneath it. The frictional force did not differ significantly (p > 0.5) among the three groups repaired with peroneus longus tendon; however, the average value was more than five times that produced in the contralateral, control digits. The average frictional forces created by the flexor digitorum profundus grafts were similar to those in the contralateral, control digits. Reconstruction with the flexor digitorum profundus at a tension of 0.98 newton produced significantly less frictional force (p < 0.05) than that produced by the peroneus longus graft at the same tension. This in vitro model of reconstruction of the A2 pulley demonstrated that tendon from an intrasynovial source (the flexor digitorum profundus) produced less frictional resistance to gliding of the tendon than did tendon from an extrasynovial source (the peroneus longus). This result is consistent with previously published findings that intrasynovial tendons may make better grafts than extrasynovial tendons for the reconstruction of gliding flexor tendons because of decreased friction and better healing qualities. Intrasynovial tendons may also make better grafts for the reconstruction of flexor pulleys.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Nontraumatic bilateral first rib fractures.

The authors report the case of a 21-year old woman who presented bilateral spontaneous fractures of the first ribs, in the posterior portion on the right side, in the anterior portion on the left side. The pathogenesis of spontaneous fractures of the first rib is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Structural characteristics of the pedicle and its role in screw stability.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional regional bone mineral density of the pedicle was measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography. Biomechanical tests were performed to clarify the role of the pedicle in screw stability. OBJECTIVES: To identify the structural characteristics of the pedicle that supports pedicle screw stability and the differences in these characteristics between normal and osteoporotic vertebrae. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The pedicle screw is an essential component of many systems used to align the spine. The contribution of the pedicle to screw stability, however, has not been fully investigated. METHODS: Trabecular, subcortical, and cortical bone mineral density and the area of the pedicle were measured by peripheral quantitative computed tomography. Bone mineral density also was recalculated in four circumferential layers. These parameters were compared between normal and osteoporotic individuals. The relative contribution of the pedicle to screw stability was evaluated by caudocephalad and pull-out loading in a vertebra with or without its body. RESULTS: Inner trabecular, middle subcortical, and outer cortical bone mineral density and cortical bone area in the pedicle were significantly lower in osteoporotic vertebrae than those in normal vertebrae. In the pedicle, bone mineral density increased close to the outer layer. Bone mineral density not as thick even in the outer layer in osteoporotic subjects. Approximately 80% of the caudocephalad stiffness and 60% of the pullout strength of the pedicle screw depended on the pedicle rather than on the vertebral body. CONCLUSION: Screw stability depends on the structural characteristics of the pedicle. The pedicle was denser in the subcortical bone, in which the threads of the screw engage, than in trabecular bone. In osteoporosis, bone mineral density was not as dense even in the outer layer, and the cortex was thinner than normal. A larger screw would not enhance screw stability and may break the thin cortex in osteoporotic vertebrae.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗
PubMed1997

Specific and amplified current responses to histidine and histamine using immobilized copper-monoamine oxidase membrane electrode, based on novel ascorbate oxidase activity induced by exogenous ligands.

Upon the addition of histidine and histamine, the copper containing monoamine oxidase (MAO) catalyzes the oxidation of L-ascorbic acid (AsA) by dissolved oxygen, in which the consumed oxygen was finally converted to hydrogen peroxide, according to Michaelis-Menten kinetics (Km) = 1.97 mM, upon the addition of 5 x 10(-5) M L-histidine at 35 degrees C and pH 8.5). The amount of oxygen consumption depended on the amount of histidine and histamine added, and specific responses over other amines were observed when the oxygen electrode modified with immobilized MAO membrane was used in the 0.1 M Tris buffer containing AsA. The calibration curves of L-histidine and histamine at 4 mM AsA exhibit linearity in the concentration range from 5 x 10(-7) to 5 x 10(-5) M L-histidine and 5 x 10(-6) to 1 x 10(-8) M histamine, with detection limit of 3 x 10(-7) M L-histidine and 3 x 10(-6) M histamine, respectively. The ESR signal of copper(II) in active site of MAO at 77K was apparently changed upon the addition of L-histidine and histamine indicating that exogenous histidine and histamine bound to the copper site of enzyme and lead to the structural change in active site.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Cloning and sequencing of a 35.7 kb in the 70 degree-73 degree region of the Bacillus subtilis genome reveal genes for a new two-component system, three spore germination proteins, an iron uptake system and a general stress response protein.

In the framework of the international project aimed at sequencing the Bacillus subtilis (Bs) genome, a 35.7-kb chromosome segment around the pel locus has been cloned and sequenced. This region (35,745 bp; 70 degrees-73 degrees of the genetic map) contains two partial and 38 complete orfs. A homology search for the products deduced from the 39 orfs revealed that 26 of them exhibit significant similarity to known proteins, e.g. germination proteins, sodium-alanine symporter, PTS system, methionine amino peptidase, 2-oxoglutarate/malate translocater, pectate lyase, general stress response protein, RNA helicase, iron uptake and two-component systems.

Bacillus subtilis↗
PubMed1997

Neovascularization induced by anulus and its inhibition by cartilage endplate. Its role in disc absorption.

STUDY DESIGN: A study of neovascularization with respect to the anulus and the endplate. OBJECTIVES: To determine the ability of the anulus and the endplate to induce neovascularization and to study the effect of the endplate on the neovascularizing activity of the anulus. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Previous studies showed that herniations contain varying amounts of nucleus pulposus, anulus fibrosus, and endplate. Results of recent studies have shown preferential neovascularization around the herniated anulus rather than the endplate. METHODS: Human L4-L5 discs were harvested from three specimens. In the left cornea of New Zealand White rabbits, an anulus (AF group) or an endplate (EP group) was implanted 4 mm from the superior corneoscleral limbus. In a third group (AF and EP group), an endplate was implanted between the anulus and the limbus. Twelve assays were done for each group. Sham surgeries were done on a fourth group as a control. Neovascularization was monitored by stereomicroscopy and scored from 0 (no neovascularization) to +5 (capillaries growing around the implant). Histologic studies were done at weekly intervals. RESULTS: In the AF group, the anulus induced neovascularization in 11 or 12 corneas. By the third week, the anulus appeared thinner, and the newly formed vessels regressed. In the EP group, only two corneas showed neovascularization; 10 corneas showed no vascularization. In the AF and EP group, three corneas showed no neovascularization, seven had sustained neovascularization, and two had vascularization. In the corneas containing the endplates, the implants remained unchanged. Control corneas did show vascularization. Histologic sections showed that neovascularization and cell infiltration were most abundant in the AF group, followed by the AF&EP and the EP groups. CONCLUSION: The reactions to anulus fibrosus and to cartilage endplate differ. Anulus fibrosus may contain soluble substances that induce neovascularization, leading to its degradation and absorption. Cartilage endplate fails to induce neovascularization or diminishes the neovascular response, preventing its degradation. Disc herniations that contain a significant amount of endplate may not be degraded nor absorbed, leading to failure in spontaneous remission of symptoms.

Animals↗