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Biomedical subjects

T Okuno

Publications and source records attributed to T Okuno.

At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources

Anti-thyroxine and anti-triiodothyronine antibodies in three cases of Hashimotos thyroiditis.

Antibodies against thyroxine (T4) and/or triiodothyronine (T3) were detected in 3 patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. One of the patients had both anti-T4 and anti-T3 antibodies and the other 2 patients had only anti-T3 antibody. Serum T4 or T3 antibodies and the other 2 patients had only anti-T3 antibody. Serum T4 or T3 values measured by the single antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA), were low or nil in these patients. One patient was mildly hypothyroid. The other 2 patients were clinically euthyroid, but they were considered latent hypothyroid because of a slight elevation in serum TSH. On extraction of the sera with ethanol, high or normal values of T3 were obtained in all cases. Recovery of T4 or T3 added to the patients' sera determined by RIA was significantly low. The binding of [125I]T4 or [125I]T3 to the patients' sera was demonstrated by the polyethylene glycol method and by using RIA kits without adding the antibody provided. The binding activity was localized in the IgG fraction by column chromatography and by immunoprecipitation. T4- or T3-binding protein in two sera migrated in the gammaglobulin region on paper electrophoresis and was found in 7S fraction on Sephadex G-200 chromatography. In one serum containing both anti-T4 and anti-T3 antibodies, the association constants (Ka) for binding of T4 and T3 were 3.8 x 10(8) l/mol and 1.7 x 10(8) l/mol, respectively. The binding capacities in the serum were 8.2 microgram of T4 and 1.9 microgram of T3 per 100 ml of serum. For two sera containing anti-T3 antibody, Ka were 5.5 x 10(8) l/mol and 7.4 x 10(10) l/mol, and the binding capacities were 0.6 microgram/100 ml serum and 0.7 microgram/100 ml serum respectively. The clinical significance of these antibodies is discussed.

Adult↗

An epidemiological review of Japanese encephalitis.

Twenty-five years ago, Japanese encephalitis (JE) was known as an endemic, mosquito-borne disease in East Asia. Today, the causative virus is known to be distributed from maritime Siberia to the north, eastern India to the west, the Archipelago of Japan presumably the Philippines to the east, and from Indonesia to the south. Since the late-1960s, the geopathological status of JE epidemics has undergone considerable changes. The sizes of JE epidemics in Japan and China (Province of Taiwan) have steadily declined. In fact the JE virus itself appears to be disappearing from Japan. Long-term prediction of JE epidemics is more difficult for Korean Peninsula, nevertheless, reported JE morbidity rate in the Republic of Korea has remained at a relatively low level since 1969. In contrast to the trend in East Asia, new epidemic foci of JE have been emerging in the northern part of Tropical Eastern South Asia starting in 1969. Of particular importance are the continued high incidence (annual morbidity rate: 8.67-22.04/100 000) of reported JE in the northern part of Viet Nam between 1969 and 1974, and the high incidence (14.7/100 000) recorded in Chiang Mai Valley, Thailand, between 1969 and 1970. Apparently, the epidemic in Chiang Mai Valley spread to the neighbouring Shan State of Burma in 1974. Another JE epidemic broke out in West Bengal State, India in 1973. The occurrence of JE in the endemic zone south of these areas has remained sporadic. An increasing number of pathogens have been shown to cause signs and symptoms clinically indistinguishable from JE. In this review, the quality and international comparability of available JE statistics are also examined. Only a few countries and areas with reasonably developed statistical and laboratory services are able to provide national JE statistics in a form ready for epidemiological analysis. A practical surveillance system for JE needs to be organized in those countries where JE is a newly emerging health problem.

Asia↗

Evaluation of the fibrinogen analyzer.

The fibrinogen analyzer, a newly introduced instrument for plasma fibrinogen assay, was evaluated for its clinical use. Fibrinogen was assayed based on the automated measurement of absorbance changes of fibrinogen clotting by thrombin. High reproducibility and close correlation with the phenol method were observed. Concentrations of heparin below 1.25 mu/ml had minimal effects on the fibrinogen assay using the fibrinogen analyzer. Free hemoglobin below 400 mg/dl and bilirubin with a concentration less than 4 mg/dl had no significant effects on the fibrinogen values. This instrument is highly recommended for plasma fibrinogen assay in clinical laboratories.

Animals↗

Platelet factor 4 activity and thromboembolic episodes.

Platelet factor 4 activity was evaluated in 323 patients who had various diseases. High incidences (30% or more) of elevated levels of platelet factor 4 were found in patients with recent myocardial infarctions, recent episodes of thromboembolism, hepatic diseases, and low platelet counts. Three of the four patients who had prosthetic heart valves had markedly elevated platelet factor 4 activities. It appears that elevation of platelet factor 4 activity is associated with a high platelet turnover such as is seen in intravascular coagulation or thromboembolism. Determination of platelet factor 4 activity may be a valuable laboratory tool for the diagnosis of thromboembolism.

Age Factors↗

Computerized tomography in Moyamoya syndrome.

Twelve patients with Moyamoya syndrome were examined by computerized tomography (CT); nine children and three adults. In one patient, CT was normal. Significant abnormalities on the precontrast CT in the remaining 11 patients were: cortical atrophy with or without varying degree of ventricular dilatation, and irregularly shaped, various sized, often multiple or bilateral lucent foci in the cortex, subcortical white matter and the central gray matter. After contrast enhancement, no significant increase in the attenuation number was observed in and around the lucent foci except in one patient. In three patients, there was a slight increase in density in the central gray matter, however the increase in density was slight when the dense angiographic vascular networks in the basal ganglia were considered.

Adolescent↗

Disseminated cytomegalic inclusion disease in an adult with cirrhosis of liver and review of literatures.

We reported a 44 year old man with micronodular cirrhosis who eventually died from massive hematemesis and melena. At postmortem studies, there were disseminated cytomegalic inclusion bodies detected in various organs. In liver, intranuclear inclusion bodies were observed in cirrhotic liver. We discussed here possible pathogenesis of CMV (cytomegalovirus) infection in adults, in reviewing literatures.

Adult↗

Anti-drug-related antibodies in nonthrombocytopenic cardiac patients.

Drug-related antibodies (quinidine, hydrochlorothiazide, and digoxin) were studied using the 51Cr platelet lysis test and a recently introduced simplified platelet factor 3 assay in a total of 109 patients admitted to a coronary care unit. Quinidine antibodies were found in 16 (14.7%), hydrochlorothiazide antibodies in six (5.5%) and digoxin antibodies in two (1.8%) of 109 patients. All patients had normal hematologic data, including platelet counts. There was a significantly high incidence of quinidine antibodies in male patients (p less than 0.02), despite the previous report that quinidine-induced purpura was seen predominantly in female patients. Ten patients (9.2%) had antiplatelet antibodies. The simplified platelet factor 3 assay can easily be done in most laboratories and appears as sensitive as the 51Cr platelet lysis test. The high incidence of drug-related or antiplatelet antibodies in hematologically asymptomatic patients may indicate the presence of an insidious, compensated thrombolytic state in many patients.

Adult↗