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Biomedical subjects

T Imai

Publications and source records attributed to T Imai.

At least 1,117 records · Page 62Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Proximal and distal motor nerve conduction velocities in Werdnig-Hoffmann disease.

Using the latencies of M and F responses, we assessed motor nerve conduction velocity along the entire course of the median and ulnar nerves from the spinal cord to the muscle in 14 patients with the less severe forms of Werdnig-Hoffmann disease. In these forms, the motor nerve conduction velocities were decreased significantly over both proximal (cord-to-elbow) and distal (elbow-to-wrist) segments in both the nerves as compared with normal values; however, the mean motor nerve conduction velocities in the proximal segments were faster than those in the distal segments by about the same amount as the normal controls. These findings indicate that motor conduction abnormalities in Werdnig-Hoffmann disease are diffuse over the entire course of the nerve and appear to eliminate a dying-back process in which the affected axons are severely damaged, beginning with the more distal sites.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Attenuated SEPs with no latency shifts in a family with hereditary spastic paraplegia.

Five siblings with hereditary spastic paraplegia of autosomal-dominant inheritance were studied with somatosensory evoked potentials. Somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded from Cz', T12, and the left popliteal fossa following left posterior tibial nerve stimulation. The latency and amplitude of the corresponding potentials (i.e., P37, N20, and N7) were compared with normal values obtained from age- and height-matched controls. There was no significant difference in the values of N7, suggesting an intact afferent peripheral pathway; in contrast, the amplitudes of P37 and N20 were decreased with normal latencies. The degree of amplitude decrease correlated with the severity of vibration sense impairment in the lower limbs. These results appear to support selective axonopathy of the centrally directed axons of the dorsal root ganglion cells. Furthermore, our results suggest that different degrees of dorsal column involvement in hereditary spastic paraplegia can cause different types of somatosensory evoked potential abnormalities, namely, attenuated amplitudes with no latency shifts, as recorded in this family, and the prolonged latencies, as reported previously.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Conjugation of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase with succinylated gelatin: pharmacological activity and cell-lubricating function.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and succinylated gelatin (succinyl gelatin) were conjugated to improve in vivo pharmacological activity of SOD. Lysyl residues of human recombinant Cu,Zn-SOD were cross-linked with carboxyl residues of succinyl gelatin using 1-ethyl-3-[3- (dimethylamino)propyl]carbodiimide. Various chemical and pharmacokinetic parameters of the conjugate were determined. Analysis by atomic absorption spectrometry and amino acid composition revealed that the conjugate was composed of about 2.9 mol of succinyl gelatin (with a mean molecular weight of 23,000) to 1 mol of SOD and exhibited an apparent mean molecular weight of 98,000. The conjugate retained almost 100% of its original activity on a molar basis. When the succinyl gelatin-conjugated Cu,Zn-SOD (Suc-gel-SOD) was administered intravenously to mice, its plasma half-life was prolonged to 29.7 min compared with 4.5 min for native SOD. Tissue distribution analysis revealed that intravenously administered Suc-gel-SOD showed a much greater accumulation than native SOD in the liver followed by in decreasing order the kidney, the lung, and the spleen; native SOD was excreted more rapidly into urine before it accumulated in tissues. Furthermore, Suc-gel-SOD exhibited lower antigenicity and immunogenicity than native SOD, and it had a better therapeutic effect against ischemic edema of the foot pad in mice. The conjugate was found to accumulate more than native SOD in the ischemic foot pad. A newly added property of the conjugate is cell-lubricating activity, which facilitated cell passage through micropores and reduced hemolysis during cell passage in vitro.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Juvenile xanthogranuloma with hematologic changes in dizygotic twins: report of two newborn infants.

We describe the first reported instances of juvenile xanthogranuloma (JXG) in dizygotic twins. They had characteristic skin lesions and subcutaneous nodules as well as hepatomegaly, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. These extracutaneous symptoms improved in 5 months, coincident with the resolution of the skin lesions. Although most patients with JXG have only cutaneous symptoms, some show such dramatic extracutaneous manifestations that the possibility of malignant disease is occasionally the principle concern. It is therefore necessary to make a precise diagnosis based on specific immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings, and to evaluate for other organ involvement, including hematologic abnormalities.

Anemia↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Complementary DNA sequences of renin. State-of-the-art review.

The primary structure of human renin precursor was deduced from its complementary DNA (cDNA) sequence. The predicted sequence consists of 406 amino acids with a pre- and a prosegment carrying 20 and 46 amino acids, respectively. A high degree of sequence homology, especially in the catalytically important region, was found upon comparison of the mouse and human renins. An overall homology, including presequence between the two renins, is 68.7%. Close similarities were also observed in the primary structure of renins and other aspartyl proteinases with defined three-dimensional structures, suggesting a tertiary structure for renin that is similar to the other enzymes. A bilobal model of the tertiary structure of human renin with two approximately equal domains separated by a cleft was constructed using the homology of amino acid sequence of renins and other aspartyl proteinases. These results indicate that human kidney renin is homologous with mouse submandibular renin in primary and tertiary structures, proteolytic processing, and catalytic apparatus with small differences. The major structural difference distinguishing the two renins was the presence of the two possible glycosylation sites in human kidney renin, which was not observed in mouse submandibular gland renin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Giant cell tumor of bone in an aged Fischer 344 rat.

A giant cell tumor (GCT) was detected on the distal end of the femur in a 98-wk-old male Fischer 344 rat. The yellowish white mass had expanded, compressing adjacent muscle tissues. The tumor had an osteolytic and relatively homogeneous appearance and was composed of multinuclear giant cells scattered in a mass of mononuclear stromal cells. No osteoid tissue formation was observed. The tumor cells were strongly immunoreactive for ED-1 and some were also positive for alpha-smooth muscle actin, suggesting that the tumor originated from the monocyte/macrophage lineage showing myofibroblastic differentiation. This is the first report concerning spontaneous GCT of bone in a rat.

Actins↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of Hochu-ekki-to, Yoku-kan-san and Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to on behavioral despair and acetic acid-induced writhing in mice.

Effects of the Kampo (Chinese herbal) medicines Hochu-ekki-to Yoku-kan-san and Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to, on behavioral despair and acetic acid-induced writhing were studied in mice. The Kampo medicines were administered for 14 consecutive days in the drinking water. In a behavioral despair study, mice were placed in a water tank containing a water wheel from which there was no escape for 15 min and the number of wheel rotations was counted as escape attempts. In accord with previous studies, imipramine (10 mg/kg i.p.) given daily for 3 days 10 min before testing markedly increased the number of wheel rotations. Hochu-ekki-to (60, 150 and 300 mg/kg/day) similarly increased the number of wheel rotations but the effect was not dose-dependent. Yoku-kan-san markedly increased the number of wheel rotations at lower doses (60 and 150 mg/kg/day), but decreased the number at the highest dose (300 mg/kg/day). Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to also increased the number of wheel rotations at the lowest does (60 mg/kg/day) but decreased the number at higher doses (150 and 300 mg/kg/day). In an antinociception study, all these Kampo medicines reduced the number of acetic acid-induced writhings, although the effect of Saiko-ka-ryukotsu-borei-to were not dose-dependent. These results suggests that these Kampo medicines may have antidepressive and antinociceptive properties.

Analgesics, Non-Narcotic↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hyperexcitability of cervical motor neurons during neck flexion in patients with Hirayama disease.

We recorded the motor evoked potentials (MEPs) from the affected thenar muscles during neck flexion in 4 patients in the early progressive phase of Hirayama disease. The MEP size significantly increased during neck flexion in patients compared with normal controls. In 2 patients who were treated with a neck collar, the intrinsic muscle atrophy gradually recovered together with increased grip power, and the time course of changes in MEP during neck flexion became normal after treatment with a neck collar for 7-16 months. The technique described here would be useful for evaluating the vulnerability of cervical motor neurons and the therapeutic effect of the neck collar in Hirayama disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Granulofilamentous profiles in lower motor neurons: a sporadic case of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with many Lewy body-like inclusions.

In a 62-year-old man with an 8-month course of sporadic classical amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, many Lewy body-like hyaline inclusions (LI) were observed in spinal anterior horn cells, hypoglossal nuclei, nucleus ambiguus, and motor nuclei of the trigeminal nerve. These motor neurons showed a mild degree of neuronal loss, several Bunina bodies, spheroids and chromatolytic neurons. Tract degeneration was limited to pyramidal tracts. In addition to intensely stained LI, immunoreactive skeins or granules were recognized by a polyclonal anti-ubiquitin antibody. Thick filaments of 15 to 20 nm in diameters with granules formed conglomerated masses with varying amounts of neurofilaments in the anterior horns, corresponding to light microscopically observed LI. More commonly, these thick granulofilamentous profiles were dispersed in small bundles or individually in the cytoplasm. Electron microscopically, there was no close association of filaments with Bunina bodies.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Decolorization of alcohol distillery wastewater by thermotolerant white-rot fungi.

To detect thermotolerant fungus strain for decolorization of alcohol distillery wastewater (WAD), 38 fungus strains were studied. Ability of ligninolytic enzyme production was examined at 35 and 43 degrees C on agar media containing 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) and MnCl2. At 43 degrees C, four of Pycnoporus coccineus strains showed their higher potential for WAD decolorization both on agar media and in liquid media. Immobilized mycelia on polyurethane foam removed total phenol about threefold higher than free mycelia did in shaking condition at 43 degrees C. Moreover, color removed by immobilized mycelia nearly 50% higher than free mycelia did.

Basidiomycota↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Inflammatory pseudotumor of the lung diagnosed as granulomatous lesion by preoperative brushing cytology. A case report.

The clinical and cytologic features of a case of inflammatory pseudotumor of the lung are presented. Chest roentgenograms revealed a solitary circumscribed round mass in a nine-year-old boy. The mass was diagnosed as a granulomatous lesion by bronchoscopic brushing cytology. Although smears and cultures of sputum and brushing specimens were negative for tuberculosis, a tuberculin reaction was positive and antitubercular therapy was instituted. Since the mass had grown further after six months of therapy, an open lung biopsy was performed to resect the lesion and establish the diagnosis. Imprint smears of the cut surface of the lesion showed cytologic features similar to those of the brushings: short, spindle-shaped cells with a tendency to be arranged in stori-form patterns against a background of minimal necrotic debris. Histopathology established the final diagnosis of inflammatory pseudotumor, a rare granulomatous lesion radiologically resembling a true tumor. Since this lesion usually occurs in younger patients, inflammatory pseudotumor should be considered in pediatric cases with an intrapulmonary lesion that shows histiocytic spindle-shaped cells in stori-form patterns, but whose smears and cultures test negative for tuberculosis.

Biopsy↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Cytologic study of tissue repair in human bronchial epithelium.

The cytologic findings of atypical cells considered to be tissue repair cells after mechanical injury to the bronchial epithelium are reported. These cells were studied in sequential bronchial brushing smears from patients who underwent repeated bronchoscopies for the diagnosis of lung cancer. The cellular findings varied according to the length of time since the previous bronchial brushing. Many cell clusters of highly atypical cells in two-dimensional sheets with large nuclei and prominent nucleoli were observed in specimens taken two or three days after a previous brushing; mitotic figures were observed on day two. In specimens taken on days four and five, the number of atypical cells was decreased and the degree of atypia was slight.

Bronchi↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Subaortic stenosis caused by an accessory tissue of the mitral valve.

A case of a three years old boy with subaortic stenosis caused by accessory tissue of the mitral valve is presented. We can find only four similar cases in the literature. In surgery of this anomaly, it is a peculiar problem that the most of stenotic tissues can not be identified through the aortotomy only. We opened the left atrium and pulled up the mitral valve with threads, so that we could distinguish the stenotic tissue from true mitral valve through the aortotomy.

Aortic Stenosis, Subvalvular↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Pathology of motor neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with dementia.

One type of motor neuron disease (MND) associated with dementia is well known for the fact that it displays atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes, neuronal loss and sponginess of the superficial layers of the cortex, and subcortical gliosis (so-called Mitsuyama type). In an attempt to determine characteristics of the pathology of motor neurons, three cases of MND with dementia were examined and compared with 16 cases of sporadic classical amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) with light and electron microscopes. All these cases with dementia showed loss of motor neurons, chromatolysis, spheroids, and Bunina bodies. Quantitative analyses of the 5th lumbar anterior horns showed no significant differences in incidences of chromatolysis and Bunina bodies between cases with and without dementia. Ultrastructures of the anterior horns were essentially identical in both groups. Therefore, the pathology of motor neurons at least in one type of MND with dementia seems to share common features with that in sporadic classical ALS without dementia.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Adult-onset motor neuron disease with basophilic intraneuronal inclusion bodies.

A 53-year-old man initially displayed muscle atrophy and weakness and a slight degree of pyramidal signs, which became more prominent with time. Later, gaze palsy, autonomic dysfunction, and bedsore developed. The total clinical course was 63 months. Pathologically, there was loss of upper and lower motor neurons and other regions, as well as degeneration of the anterior and lateral funiculi of the spinal cord. Round or irregularly-shaped basophilic inclusions were found not only in the motor neurons, but also in other regions such as the putamen, globus pallidus, thalamus, subthalamic nucleus, red nucleus, midbrain tegmentum, pontine nucleus, dentate nucleus, inferior olivary nucleus and others. The inclusions consisted of randomly arranged 12-25 nm thick filaments studded with granules. This patient with adult onset of the disease exhibited features resembling those of "juvenile amyotrophic lateral sclerosis" with basophilic inclusions. Clinically as well as pathologically, the disease manifestations involved many systems other than the motor neurons.

Age Factors↗