Biomedical subjects

T Hirose

Publications and source records attributed to T Hirose.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

PubMed1998

[Cough variant asthma among patients with chronic persistent cough and its clinical outcome].

Thirty-nine patients with chronic persistent cough continuing more than eight weeks were examined regarding to their airway responsiveness to methacholine challenge using the Astograph (TCK-6100H, Chest Corp. Japan). Of these, twenty-three individuals (59%) had airway hyperresponsiveness, leading to diagnose as having cough variant asthma (CVA). Patients with CVA had a higher percentage of eosinophils in peripheral blood and a lower forced expiratory volume in one second than those in non-CVA group. Furthermore, four patients (17%) developed the classic signs and symptoms of asthma, whereas 7 cases (30%) resolved their cough without further treatment and 12 cases (52%) continued to have CVA. These data suggested that a significant proportion of patients with chronic persistent cough had CVA and some of them may develop to classic wheezing asthma.

Asthma↗

PubMed1998

[Kampo medicines for the prevention of irinotecan-induced diarrhea in advanced non-small cell lung cancer].

A combination of irinotecan hydrochloride (CPT-11; 160 mg/m2, intravenous infusion, day 1) and cisplatin (5-day continuous intravenous infusion; 20 mg/m2/day) was administrated to advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients. They were given Hangeshashin-to (TJ-14), a Kampo medicine, to prevent the occurrence of irinotecan-induced diarrhea. The authors studied the Kampo medicine's clinical usefulness in a randomised comparative trial. Subjects in the study comprised 41 non-resectable and untreated non-small cell lung cancer patients. A daily dosage of 7.5 g Hange shashin-to was divided into three portions, each of which was given to the subjects orally before each meal. The subjects began taking the medicine three or more days before the start of chemotherapy, and continued taking it more than 21 days after starting chemotherapy. A total of 18 patients received TJ-14, and 23 did not. Compared with the latter, those given the Kampo medicine reported a significant (p = 0.044) improvement in the grade of diarrhea, and had a lower incidence of diarrhea grade 3 and above (p = 0.018). However, no differences were seen among the two groups in terms of the frequency of diarrhea and the duration of the diarrhea. As side effects, two patients developed grade 1 constipation. These findings showed that TJ-14 was effective in preventing and alleviating the incidence of diarrhea induced by CPT-11.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 in mice with Pseudomonas-induced pyelonephritis.

PURPOSE: To investigate the role of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in the renal inflammatory process, we studied the time-course fluctuation of ICAM-1 expression on inflammatory lesions in mice with experimentally induced bacterial pyelonephritis and the effect of in vivo administration of an anti-ICAM-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) on leukocytic migration. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ascending pyelonephritis was induced by transurethral instillation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and the expression of ICAM-1 in the pyelonephritic lesions was studied by immunohistochemical methods. RESULTS: The expression of ICAM-1 on the pyelonephritic lesions closely paralleled the degree of infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages until 3 days after infection. At 7 days after infection, though the degree of infiltration of these cells was quite high, expression of ICAM-1 was reduced. Treatment with the anti-ICAM-1 mAb in mice with bacterial pyelonephritis resulted in suppression of influx of neutrophils and macrophages in the infected sites until 3 days after infection. However, at 7 days after infection inhibition of the influx of these cells was not seen. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that ICAM-1 expression is transient and plays a key role in the influx of neutrophils and macrophages associated with the early-phase response, and that in the late phase ICAM-1 independent adhesion molecules may be more predominant.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

[Novel orphan receptor: ROR gamma expressed during adipocyte differentiation].

ROR/RZR family of nuclear orphan receptors is composed of ROR alpha, beta and gamma. ROR alpha has been demonstrated to play important roles in cerebellum development and immune response. In contrast little is reported about the roles of ROR beta and ROR gamma. We show findings about ROR gamma adipocytes. The expression of ROR gamma is induced in the middle stage of adipocyte differentiation and strongly induced by several ligands for PPAR gamma or overexpression of PPAR gamma. Rev-ErbA competitively antagonizes ROR gamma dependent transcriptional activity on the same response element. Cross-talk among ROR and Rev-Erb is speculated to organize the control of genes associated with adipocytes. In this minireview we summarized our current knowledge on the RORs family and discussed roles of ROR gamma in adipocytes.

Adipocytes↗

PubMed1998

[Sarcoidosis presenting as a diffuse micronodular shadow on a chest radiograph].

A 36-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with chest-radiographic findings of diffuse ground-glass shadows in both lungs. A chest CT scan revealed disseminated micronodules with mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Histological examination of a transbronchial lung-biopsy specimen showed non-caseous epithelioid cell granulomata. Marked lymphocytosis and an abnormally high CD 4/CD 8 ratio was found in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. These findings suggested a diagnosis of sarcoidosis despite the atypical radiographic findings.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

[Clinicopathological study of cases with Mycobacterium szulgai infection].

Pulmonary mycobacteriosis is usually caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium avium complex, or Mycobacterium kansasii. There are, however, other slow-growing mycobacteria which can cause pulmonary infection. Mycobacterium szulgai, first reported in 1972, is a scotochromogenic species which can affect human lungs, although human-to-human spread of infection is thought to be unlikely. We have recently treated three cases of middle-aged to elderly persons (45-87 year-old), two of them had underlying diseases (one with intrapulmonary and the other with extrapulmonary). All patients had constitutional symptoms (cough, sputum, dyspnea), and chest roentgenograms demonstrated either cavitation with scattered nodules or peripheral infiltrates predominantly in upper lobes, resembling pulmonary tuberculosis. In two cases, M. szulgai was identified by using DNA-DNA hybridization method. The in vitro susceptibility of M. szulgai to antimycobacterial drugs was better than that of M. avium complex, and it was resistant only to paraaminosalicylate, cycloserine, and partially to isoniazid. Pulmonary disease of three patients were successfully treated with a combination of multiple antimycobacterial agents including rifampin, ethambutol, isoniazid, or streptomycin.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

[Long-term effects of bicycle-ergometry training on exercise endurance and dyspnea in patients with chronic pulmonary emphysema].

Exercise reconditioning has long been considered an essential component of the pulmonary rehabilitation regime. To investigate the long-term effects of exercise training on exercise endurance and dyspnea in patients with chronic pulmonary emphysema (CPE), we developed a supervised exercise program using bicycle ergometers. Nineteen patients (mean age: 67) with moderate to severe airflow limitation (average FEV1/FVC, 39.8%) were enrolled in a predominantly outpatient rehabilitation program. After their lactate thresholds were measured by an incremental symptom-limited maximum test, patients engaged in exercise training 15 to 30 minutes per day in an arbitrary frequency and at a work rate at or below their lactate threshold (average: 20.1 w). No significant improvements were observed in resting pulmonary function, blood gas, nutrition, or systemic muscle volume. After long-term exercise training (average period: 33 months; average frequency: 6.5 times per month, individually), the patients demonstrated significantly improved exercise endurance and relief of their dyspnea during exercise. These findings provide a physiologic rationale for long-term exercise training by patients with CPE.

Aged↗

PubMed1997

Both RNA editing and RNA cleavage are required for translation of tobacco chloroplast ndhD mRNA: a possible regulatory mechanism for the expression of a chloroplast operon consisting of functionally unrelated genes.

Tobacco chloroplast genes encoding a photosystem I component (psaC) and a NADH dehydrogenase subunit (ndhD) are transcribed as a dicistronic pre-mRNA which is then cleaved into short mRNAs. An RNA protection assay revealed that the cleavage occurs at multiple sites in the intercistronic region. There are two possible initiation codons in the tobacco ndhD mRNA: the upstream AUG and the AUG created by RNA editing from the in-frame ACG located 25 nt downstream. Using the chloroplast in vitro translation system, we found that translation begins only from the edited AUG. The extent of ACG to AUG editing is partial and depends on developmental and environmental conditions. In addition, the in vitro assay showed that the psaC/ndhD dicistronic mRNA is not functional and that the intercistronic cleavage is a prerequisite for both ndhD and psaC translation. Using a series of mutant mRNAs, we showed that an intramolecular interaction between an 8 nt sequence in the psaC coding region and its complementary 8 nt sequence in the 5' ndhD UTR is the negative element for translation of the dicistronic mRNA. A possible mechanism in which the differential expression of the chloroplast operon consists of functionally unrelated genes is discussed.

Chloroplasts↗

PubMed1997

Genomic structure and chromosomal mapping of the nuclear orphan receptor ROR gamma (RORC) gene.

The nuclear orphan receptor subfamily ROR/RZR is part of the steroid and thyroid hormone/retinoid receptor superfamily and consists of three different genes, alpha, beta, and gamma. In this study, we determined the genomic structure of mouse ROR gamma and the chromosomal localization of both mouse ROR gamma and human ROR gamma (HGMW-approved symbol RORC). The genomic structure of the mouse ROR gamma gene was derived from the analysis of P1 vector clones containing large genomic fragments encoding ROR gamma. These results revealed that the mROR gamma gene has a complex structure consisting of 11 exons separated by 10 introns spanning more than 21 kb of genomic DNA. The DNA-binding domain is contained in two exons, 3 and 4, each encoding one zinc-finger. The splice site between exon 3 and exon 4 is identical to that found in RAR and TR3 receptors. ROR gamma is expressed as two mRNAs, 2.3 and 3.0 kb in size, that are derived by the use of alternative polyadenylation signals. We show by fluorescence in situ hybridization that the mouse ROR gamma gene is located on chromosome 3, in a region that corresponds to band 3F2.1-2.2. The human ROR gamma was mapped to chromosome region 1q21. The results demonstrate that the ROR gamma genes are located in chromosomal regions that are syntenic between mouse and human.

Alternative Splicing↗

PubMed1997

PCTAIRE 2, a Cdc2-related serine/threonine kinase, is predominantly expressed in terminally differentiated neurons.

PCTAIRE are members of a subfamily of Cdc2-related kinases that have been shown to be preferentially expressed in post-mitotic cells. To examine the neural functions of PCTAIRE, rat cDNA clones encoding PCTAIRE 1, 2, and 3 were isolated, and their expression patterns in the brain were analyzed. Among the three rat PCTAIREs, only PCTAIRE 2 was found to be specifically expressed in the brain. Furthermore, its expression was transiently increased during brain development, peaking 7-15 days after birth. Within the brain, PCTAIRE 2 was concentrated in the neuronal layers of the hippocampus and olfactory bulb, which mostly consist of post-mitotic neurons. In an immunocytochemical experiment, immunoreactivity for PCTAIRE 2 was detected in the cell bodies and extended neurites of neurons, but not in astrocytes. The PCTAIRE 2 protein was recovered in the particulate fraction and resistant to solubilization with non-ionic detergent, suggesting that PCTAIRE 2 might be present as a component of a large protein complex. An immunoprecipitation assay revealed that the PCTAIRE 2 was associated with Ser/Thr-phosphorylating activity for histone H1, and that its activity depended on association with a regulatory partner that can be released under high-salt conditions. These findings suggest that PCTAIRE 2 is a Ser/Thr kinase that might play a unique role in terminally differentiated neurons.

Aging↗

PubMed1997

Direct determination of estriol 3- and 16-glucuronides in pregnancy urine by column-switching high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

An HPLC method for the direct and simultaneous determination of estriol 3- and 16-glucuronides in pregnancy urine is described. The method is based on direct derivatization of the glucuronic acid moiety in estriol glucuronides in urine with 6,7-dimethoxy-1-methyl-2(1H)-quinoxalinone-3-propionylcarboxylic acid hydrazide. The derivatization reaction proceeds in aqueous solution (or urine sample) in the presence of pyridine and 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide at 37 degrees C. The resulting fluorescent derivatives were separated by column-switching chromatography using a first column (YMC-Pack C4) for clean-up of the derivatives and a second column (YMC Pack Ph) for the complete separation of the derivatives. The derivatives were detected spectrofluorimetrically at 445 nm with excitation at 367 nm. The detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio=3) for estriol 3- and 16-glucuronides were 150 and 180 fmol in a 5 microl of urine (14 and 17 ng ml(-1) urine), respectively. The present method is highly sensitive and simple without any clean-up such as conventional solid-phase extraction.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗

PubMed1997

Treatment of canine intervertebral disc displacement with chondroitinase ABC.

STUDY DESIGN: This study demonstrated the therapeutic value of chemonucleolysis with chondroitinase ABC to canine intervertebral disc displacement. OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of Chondroitinase ABC in the management of canine intervertebral disc displacement. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: No previous study has assessed the chemonucleolysis with chondroitinase ABC in the displaced discs. The changes of intervertebral disc syndrome were evaluated in this study. METHODS: Fifty-nine dogs with symptoms and signs of intervertebral disc displacement were treated with Chondroitinase ABC by a single intradisc injection. The changes in symptoms and signs of disc herniation in the dogs were followed from 7 days to 3 years after treatment. RESULTS: Forty-eight dogs were evaluated for the efficacy of the chemonucleolytic treatment with chondroitinase ABC. At 1 week after injection, 45 of 48 dogs showed some improvement in symptoms and signs. No adverse reactions were observed. There was no recurrence of symptoms in nine dogs who were observed from 14 months to 3 years after injection. CONCLUSION: Chemonucleolytic treatment with chondroitinase ABC is an effective and safe method for the management of canine intervertebral disc displacement.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Characterization of the response element and DNA binding properties of the nuclear orphan receptor germ cell nuclear factor/retinoid receptor-related testis-associated receptor.

Recently, we have reported the cloning of the germ cell-specific, nuclear orphan receptor germ cell nuclear factor (GCNF)/RTR. In this study, we characterize the RTR response elements by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay/polymerase chain reaction-based, DNA binding site selection strategy. RTR binds with the greatest affinity to response elements containing TCA(AG(G/T)TCA)2 (consensus RTR response element; conRTRE), to which it binds as a homodimer. RTR is also able to bind as a monomer to a single core motif TCAAG(G/T)TCA, albeit with a lower affinity. Mutation analysis supports the specific requirements of the 5'-flanking sequence and the core motif of the RTRE for optimal binding of RTR. An RTR-specific antiserum (RTR-Ab2) was raised that causes supershift of the RTR-conRTRE complex in EMSA. Based on the sequence of the conRTRE, we located a putative RTRE, referred to as P2-RE, in the 5' promoter-flanking region of the mouse protamine 2 gene, which is induced during the same stage of spermatogenesis as RTR. The ability of RTR-Ab2 to cause a supershift of an RTR-RTRE complex with nuclear extracts from different tissues correlated with the tissue- and development-specific expression of RTR. Transfection of RTR in CV-1 cells was unable to cause RTRE-dependent transactivation of a CAT reporter gene; however, an RTR-VP16 fusion protein could induce transactivation through several RTREs, including P2-RE.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1997

Ganglioglioma: an ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study.

BACKGROUND: Ganglioglioma is a rare, mixed neuronal-glial neoplasm of the central nervous system that occurs in young patients and has a benign clinical course. METHODS: To define the immunophenotypic and morphologic features of ganglioglioma precisely, 27 specimens were studied by routine histochemistry, 21 specimens by immunochemistry, and 14 specimens were examined at the ultrastructural level. RESULTS: The age of the 27 patients, 14 males and 13 females, ranged from 3 to 52 years (mean, 22 years). The most commonly affected site was the temporal lobe (13 patients). Three patients experienced a local recurrence. Microscopically, the tumors were comprised of well differentiated, somewhat abnormal neurons as well as glial cells, the latter including astrocytes of fibrillary (59%) and pilocytic (41%) type. Scant mitotic activity was observed in 2 tumors (7%). Glial cells of all tumors were immunoreactive for glial fibrillary acidic protein, S-100 protein, and vimentin. Ki-67 labeling indices (LI) ranged from 0.6 to 10.5% (mean, 2.7%) and p53 LI from 1.1 to 42.4% (mean, 15.6%). Ki-67 and p53 LI in recurrent tumors were significantly higher than those of nonrecurrent ones (P = 0.036 and 0.026, respectively). No examples of anaplastic transformation were encountered. Immunohistochemically, many neuronal cells were positive for synaptophysin (100%), Class 3 beta-tubulin (100%), neurofilament protein (90%), and chromogranin A (86%), in addition to S-100 protein (71%) and, occasionally, vimentin (24%). Ultrastructural characteristics of neuronal cells included the presence of numerous, 100-230-nanometer dense core granules within both perikarya and cell processes, well developed rough endoplasmic reticulum, microtubules within cell processes, and synapses associated with clear vesicles. Astrocytic cells usually contained abundant intermediate filaments; their cell membranes, when abutting the stroma, were covered by basal lamina. CONCLUSIONS: Gangliogliomas are comprised of well differentiated neuronal cells and glial cells that are very often of pilocytic type. No cells with features intermediate between neurons and glia were observed. Neuronal cells are characterized by prominent neurosecretory features distinct from those of normal neurons in the central nervous system. Higher Ki-67 and p53 LI may indicate more aggressive behavior.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Successful long-term xenoperfusion of the pig liver: continuous administration of prostaglandin E1 and insulin.

For clinical utilization of extracorporeal liver perfusion as an artificial liver assist device, we examined the possibility of long-term xenoperfusion of the pig liver by the continuous administration of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and insulin. After a 3-hr perfusion period, pig livers that were xenoperfused with human blood exhibited a drastic decrease in the perfusate volume, a progressive elevation of the hepatic artery pressure, a gradual deterioration of bile production, and a marked increase in the release of creatine kinase-BB component. The continuous administration of PGE1 (25 microg/hr) and insulin (1 U/hr) significantly improved these derangements (P<0.05) and allowed stable perfusion for up to 9 hr. This manipulation also inhibited leukocyte aggregation in the graft, the characteristic perfusate hemolysis, and acceleration of ketogenesis. Histological examination revealed that the interlobular edema and hemorrhage, characteristics of tissue injuries in xenogeneic hyperacute rejection, were markedly alleviated in the PGE1 and insulin-treated group. This study clarifies the finding that the combined administration of PGE1 and insulin is effective for long-term xenogeneic extracorporeal liver perfusion, with the graft viability well maintained.

Alprostadil↗

PubMed1997

Comparison of Snellen acuity and objective assessment using the spatial frequency sweep PVER.

BACKGROUND: We compared the vision objectively assessed by spatial frequency sweep pattern-reversal visual-evoked response (SPVER) with the Snellen acuity in patients. METHODS: SPVER acuity and Snellen acuity were measured in 100 patients with various ocular pathologies, including macular diseases, diffuse retinal degeneration, optic nerve diseases, glaucoma, and high myopia. For SPVER, 10 sinusoidally modulated vertical gratings were presented as stimuli. The responses were averaged and displayed through the discrete Fourier transform on the monitor display. The PVER acuity was determined by extrapolating the SPVER amplitude-spatial frequency function to baseline. RESULTS: Vision ranged from 20/15 to 20/400 with Snellen acuity, and from 20/25 to 20/190 with SPVER. The overall correlation between the two acuities was r = 0.666. The correlation varied from r = 0.895 in eyes with glaucoma to r = 0.436 in eyes with optic nerve disease. Seventy-seven eyes (77%) had a visual acuity agreement of within 1.0 octave between the two measurements. CONCLUSION: The SPVER acuity and the Snellen acuity correlated to a certain degree. Discrepancies were found in certain diseases, with the highest disparity in patients with optic nerve disease. We conclude that the SPVER is effective in estimating vision objectively, particularly in patients in whom the standard Snellen test is impossible to perform or yields unreliable results.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1997

Comparison of preferential looking acuity and pattern reversal visual evoked response acuity in pediatric patients.

BACKGROUND: We compared the visual acuities obtained with preferential looking (PL), the most widely used method of pediatric vision assessment, with those obtained with the spatial frequency sweep pattern-reversal visual evoked response (SPVER). METHODS: Eighty patients (ages 1.5 months to 12 years) with various ocular pathologies participated in this study. The PL acuity was determined using the up-and-down staircase procedure. The PVER was recorded with the spatial frequency sweep method using 10 spatial frequencies; the acuity was determined by placing the best-fit regression line on the descending slope of the PVER amplitude-spatial frequency function toward the higher spatial frequency to the baseline. RESULTS: The PL acuities ranged from 20/25 to < 20/1600 (mean 20/155). The correlation between the two methods was good (r = 0.847). Fifty-six patients (70%) had an acuity agreement within 1.0 octave. When the PL acuity was > 20/128, it was on average better than the PVER acuity. When the PL acuity was lower, the PVER acuity was usually better. This tendency was marked when the visual acuities were very poor (y = 0.552x + 0.362). CONCLUSION: The methods correlate well, although there is a dissociation of acuities in the presence of very low vision. PVER may be a useful addition to PL in assessment of vision in infants and young children.

Child↗

PubMed1997

Gliomatosis cerebri with good prognosis.

A 52-year-old man was admitted to our clinic with severe headache and bilateral papilledema. Magnetic resonance (MR) images on admission demonstrated diffuse swelling of the cerebral cortex without formation of a tumor mass. Biopsy revealed diffuse infiltration with neoplastic glial cells. After radiation and chemotherapy, the MR images returned to normal. The morphological and neurological features of the present case met the criteria for gliomatosis cerebri. However, this patient showed an unusually good response to radiation and chemotherapy.

Antigens, Nuclear↗