Biomedical subjects

T Horiguchi

Publications and source records attributed to T Horiguchi.

166 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Imaging of optical disc using reflection-mode scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscopy.

A phase-change optical disc was observed using a reflection-mode scattering-type scanning near-field optical microscope (RS-SNOM). In an a.c.-mode SNOM image, the 1.2 microm x 0.6 microm recording marks were successfully observed although the data were recorded on the groove. In contrast, no recording marks could be resolved in a d.c.-mode SNOM image. These results are in good agreement with those from a numerical simulation using the finite difference time domain method. The resolution was better than 100 nm with a.c.-mode SNOM operation and the results indicate that recording marks in phase-change optical media can be directly observed with the RS-SNOM.

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Antibacterial activity and clinical efficacy of sparfloxacin in Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex infection.

In Japan the incidence of atypical mycobacteriosis has steadily increased, with Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAC) the most common infecting organism. A standard chemotherapy regimen for MAC infection has not been established because of significant resistance to anti-mycobacterial drugs. Sparfloxacin has good antimicrobial activity against several acid-fast bacteria and is expected to be an effective drug for treating mycobacteriosis. We examined the effects of adding sparfloxacin to anti-tuberculotic combination therapy in six patients with MAC pulmonary disease. Drug susceptibility was also assessed using the agar dilution method. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for sparfloxacin, levofloxacin, isoniazid, rifampicin, streptomycin, ethambutol and clarithromycin was measured in clinical isolates from all patients; sparfloxacin showed the lowest MIC. Bacteriological and clinical improvements were observed in the four patients who completed the study. Dosing was discontinued in two patients because of pruritic skin eruptions. Sparfloxacin shows promise as an anti-mycobacterial agent for treating MAC pulmonary disease.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Usefulness of sparfloxacin against Chlamydia pneumoniae infection in patients with bronchial asthma.

The efficacy of sparfloxacin (SPFX) for the control of bronchial asthma was evaluated in 26 patients with suspected Chlamydia pneumoniae infection. Patients were randomly allocated to receive SPFX 200 mg/day (n = 14) or control treatment (n = 12) for 21 days. Significant improvements in serum C-reactive protein levels, and significant decreases in peripheral eosinophil counts, serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and sputum ECP were observed in the SPFX-treated group at day 21. SPFX-treated patients also had a significantly reduced frequency of asthma symptoms, reduced inhalant beta2-stimulant use, and significant increases in morning peak expiratory flow. At the end of the study, C. pneumoniae was undetectable in two SPFX-treated patients who underwent polymerase chain reaction testing, but one control patient who was tested still had detectable levels of C. pneumoniae. These results suggest that SPFX could be used to control bronchial asthma in patients with suspected persistent C. pneumoniae infection.

Administration, Inhalation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Direct and indirect stimulation of megakaryocytopoiesis by TAN-1511 A, a microbial lipopeptide.

TAN-1511 A, a microbial lipopeptide, stimulates granulocytopoiesis through the induction of various hematopoietic cytokines. The ability of synthetic TAN-1511 A to affect megakaryocytopoiesis was examined. TAN-1511. A augmented the activity of acetylcholine esterase (AChE), which is a cell-lineage marker enzyme of megakaryocytes in cultured murine bone marrow cells and enhanced megakaryocyte colony formation in fibrin clot culture. These effects were observed not only in the presence, but also in the absence of IL-3, which is a megakaryocyte colony-stimulating factor. The increase in AChE activity mediated by TAN-1511 A was blocked by anti-IL-6 but not anti-IL-3 or anti-GM-CSF neutralizing antibodies. RT-PCR analysis also showed that the remarkable induction of IL-6 was triggered by treatment with TAN-1511 A, while each message level of c-mpl ligand and c-mpl remained unchanged, suggesting that the IL-6 induced by the lipopeptide plays a role in enhanced megakaryocytopoiesis. TAN-1511 A also stimulated the proliferation of CMK86, a human megakaryoblastic cell line. This promoted growth was partially and additively affected by anti-IL-3, anti-IL-6, and anti-GM-CSF antibodies. TAN-1511 A slightly reduced the expression of GpIb and GpIIb/IL1a in CMK86 cells. The enhanced platelet recovery mediated by TAN-1511 A was also demonstrated in a model of myelosuppressive mice. These results suggest that TAN-1511 A directly affects megakaryocytopoiesis, and indirectly modulates megakaryocytopoiesis through the induction of cytokines such as IL-6.

Acetylcholinesterase↗