Biomedical subjects

T Someya

Publications and source records attributed to T Someya.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2000

Effects of octreotide infusion, surgery and estrogen on suppression of height increase and 20K growth hormone ratio in a girl with gigantism due to a growth hormone-secreting macroadenoma.

We treated an extremely tall 13-year-old girl with a growth hormone (GH)-secreting macroadenoma and GH levels of 120-495 ng/ml with a combination of preoperative octreotide infusion, surgery and postoperative octreotide infusion plus estrogen, which resulted in reduced tumor size prior to surgery, reduced GH levels and completely suppressed growth after surgery. 20K GH is produced by alternative splicing of 22K GH mRNA and the ratio of 20K GH to 22K GH is within a small range in the normal population and high in a GH-secreting tumor. The 20K/22K GH ratio in this patient was persistently elevated during each phase of the treatment and may serve as a sensitive index of tumor-derived GH secretion.

Adenoma↗

PubMed2000

Relationship between five-year histological outcome and serial changes in serum alanine aminotransferase in patients with biochemical and virological relapse after interferon treatment for chronic hepatitis C.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between serial changes in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and histological outcome 5 years after treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C with interferon (IFN). METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 61 consecutive patients who underwent two liver biopsies, just before and 5 years after a 6-month course of IFN therapy, and who showed a relapse after therapy. The extent of liver fibrosis was estimated using a scale with seven grades. RESULTS: At the end of 6-month IFN therapy, 40 (65.6%) patients had normal serum ALT concentrations. However, 13 of the 40 patients relapsed within 6 months after IFN therapy. The average ALT during 5 years in 40 patients was less than or equal to 75 IU/l, while in the other 21 patients it was more than 75 IU/l. Among the 40 patients with a mean ALT less than 75 IU/l, 13 (33%) patients showed histological improvement, 26 (65%) showed no changes and only 1 patient (2%) showed worsening of liver fibrosis. On the other hand, among the 21 patients with a mean ALT of more than 75 IU/l, only 1 (5%) patient showed improvement, 8 (38%) showed no changes and 12 patients (57%) showed worsening of liver fibrosis. CONCLUSION: There is a significant relationship between 5-year histological outcome and serial changes in serum ALT in patients with biochemical and virological relapse after IFN treatment for chronic hepatitis C.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Characterization of genes encoding the pancreatic beta-cell ATP-sensitive K+ channel in persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy in Japanese patients.

Persistent hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia of infancy (PHHI) is a genetic disorder characterized by unregulated insulin secretion and profound hypoglycemia. Recently, mutations of SUR1 and Kir6.2, which constitute the pancreatic beta-cell ATP-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channel, have been shown to be associated with familial PHHI in certain ethnic groups. In the present study, we examined clinical symptoms, therapy, and variations in the SUR1 and Kir6.2 genes in eight Japanese patients with PHHI. Four patients were being treated with pharmacological agents and the other four had required pancreatectomy to normalize glucose levels. There was no difference in timing of the onset of hypoglycemia between the groups. There also was no difference in severity between the two groups, as assessed by blood glucose levels, plasma insulin levels, and birth weight. However, all of the pancreatectomized patients and none of the medically treated group had presented with seizures. By genetic screening, we found eleven nucleotide substitutions in the SUR1 gene, three of which result in amino acid changes, and three nucleotide substitutions in the Kir6.2 gene, two of which result in amino acid changes, but all of these genetic variants had been previously reported in normal subjects. These results indicate that the mechanism of hypoglycemia in these patients is different from those previously reported in PHHI patients, giving further support to the view that PHHI is a heterogeneous disorder.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

PubMed2000

Estrogen secreting adrenal adenocarcinoma in an 18-month-old boy: aromatase activity, protein expression, mRNA and utilization of gonadal type promoter.

We examined clinical, endocrinological and molecular biological aspects of an estrogen-secreting adrenal carcinoma in an 18-month-old male to clarify the pathogenesis of this condition. An 18-month-old boy was referred for evaluation of progressive bilateral gynecomastia and appearance of pubic hair. The patient had elevated plasma estradiol (349 pg/ml) and testosterone (260 ng/dl) levels that completely suppressed FSH and LH levels, and was subsequently diagnosed with an adrenal tumor on the right side. After removal of a 300-g adenocarcinoma, gynecomastia regressed and essentially normal hormone levels were restored. Aromatase activity in the tumor tissue determined by the 3H-water method was 71.0-104.4 pmol/min/mg protein. High levels of aromatase protein and mRNA in the tumor tissue were also demonstrated, while neither aromatase activity nor protein was detected in normal adrenal glands. To investigate the regulation of aromatase expression in the adrenal carcinoma, we examined the usage of alternate promoters responsible for aromatase gene transcription. In the present case, the amounts of aromatase mRNA utilizing gonadal types of exon 1c (1.3) and 1d (II) were significantly higher than those that using other exon 1s. This result suggested that the utilization of a gonadal-type exon 1 might be involved in the over-production of aromatase in estrogen-secreting adrenal carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2000

Maternal hypothyroidism in autoimmune thyroiditis and the prognosis of infants.

We evaluated the developmental prognosis of 31 infants born to mothers with autoimmune thyroiditis. Four of the babies developed transient neonatal hypothyroidism. Their mothers all had low thyroid hormone concentrations during pregnancy. Neonatal thyroid function tended to correlate with maternal thyroid function at delivery in babies born to mothers with Graves'disease who were taking antithyroid drugs. Since severe fetal hypothyroidism sometimes results in neurological damage, it is important to maintain normal maternal thyroid function during pregnancy.

Antithyroid Agents↗

PubMed1999

Room temperature lasing at blue wavelengths in gallium nitride microcavities

Lasing action has been demonstrated at blue wavelengths in vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers at room temperature. The microcavity was formed by sandwiching indium gallium nitride multiple quantum wells between nitride-based and oxide-based quarter-wave reflectors. Lasing action was observed at a wavelength of 399 nanometers under optical excitation and confirmed by a narrowing of the linewidth in the emission spectra from 0.8 nanometer below threshold to less than 0.1 nanometer (resolution limit) above threshold. The result suggests that practical blue vertical cavity surface-emitting lasers can be realized in gallium-nitride-based material systems.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1999

The association between the high interpersonal sensitivity type of personality and a lifetime history of depression in a sample of employed Japanese adults.

BACKGROUND: Although the 'high interpersonal sensitivity' type of personality has repeatedly been shown to be related to depression by case-control studies, no studies have confirmed whether this association also exists in a non-clinical sample. METHODS: Scores on the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM) were compared between employed Japanese adults with and without a lifetime diagnosis of major depressive disorder. The diagnosis was provided by the Inventory to Diagnose Depression, Lifetime version. A multiple logistic regression analysis estimated the odds ratios for having a lifetime diagnosis of depression. RESULTS: The scores on the IPSM were higher in the subjects with a lifetime history of depression than those without a lifetime history of depression. On the five subscales of the IPSM, the subjects with a lifetime history of depression showed higher scores on 'interpersonal awareness', 'need for approval', and 'separation anxiety' than those without a lifetime history of depression. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the subjects with the high interpersonal sensitivity type of personality had an increased risk for experiencing lifetime depression. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that high interpersonal sensitivity is a risk factor for depression even in a non-clinical sample from non-Western culture.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Misinterpretation of facial expression: a cross-cultural study.

Accurately recognizing facial emotional expressions is important in psychiatrist-versus-patient interactions. This might be difficult when the physician and patients are from different cultures. More than two decades of research on facial expressions have documented the universality of the emotions of anger, contempt, disgust, fear, happiness, sadness, and surprise. In contrast, some research data supported the concept that there are significant cultural differences in the judgment of emotion. In this pilot study, the recognition of emotional facial expressions in 123 Japanese subjects was evaluated using the Japanese and Caucasian Facial Expression of Emotion (JACFEE) photos. The results indicated that Japanese subjects experienced difficulties in recognizing some emotional facial expressions and misunderstood others as depicted by the posers, when compared to previous studies using American subjects. Interestingly, the sex and cultural background of the poser did not appear to influence the accuracy of recognition. The data suggest that in this young Japanese sample, judgment of certain emotional facial expressions was significantly different from the Americans. Further exploration in this area is warranted due to its importance in cross-cultural clinician-patient interactions.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Schizophrenia: is it time to replace the term?

The attitudes of Japanese psychiatrists toward their patients who suffer from schizophrenia were investigated. We were concerned specifically with whether the psychiatrists inform their patients of the suspected diagnosis. We discuss how the term 'schizophrenia' may influence a psychiatrist's decision to inform his patients of the diagnosis. A self-reported questionnaire was distributed to 150 executive board members of the Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology and analysis of the data obtained from 110 respondents was carried out. The results showed that the concepts that psychiatrists use when they give a diagnosis of schizophrenia vary considerably. Fifty-nine per cent of the respondents informed their patients of a diagnosis of schizophrenia on a case-by-case basis, while 37% informed only the patients' families. A tree analysis showed that the most important predictors for informing the patients of the diagnosis were assumptions about the public image of schizophrenia and a negative impression of the term schizophrenia, translated as 'Seishin Bunretsu Byou' in Japanese. The results revealed that the Japanese term for schizophrenia influences a psychiatrist's decision to inform patients of the diagnosis and that, by changing the term to a less stigmatized one, the disclosure of information about schizophrenia to patients would be promoted.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMed1999

Reliability of the 5-min speech sample for assessing expressed emotion in Japanese patients.

Expressed emotion (EE) has been shown in various countries to be a good predictor of the clinical course of a patient's mental illness. Because the traditional EE interview requires considerable time and effort, this study examined the reliability of a method called the five-minute speech sample (FMSS) for assessing EE. The samples of 65 subjects were rated by the FMSS-EE coding system, and the interrater reliability among four authorized raters was investigated. Of these 65 samples, 10 (15%) were rated as high-EE (high critical, 6%; high emotional over-involvement (EOI), 9%), and 19 (29%) were rated as borderline (b-)-high-EE (b-critical, 15%; b-EOI, 14%). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.91 for the overall category, 0.74 for criticism, 0.85 for EOI, 0.63 for b-critical and 0.54 for b-EOI. The FMSS was shown to be reliable for the assessment of EE, even outside of Western countries. However, the lower agreement in the subcategories of EOI and b-critical has to be considered as a limitation of this brief method.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

The effect of cytochrome P450 2D6 genotypes on haloperidol metabolism: a preliminary study in a psychiatric population.

We investigated the effect of cytochrome P450 (CYP2D6) genotypes on plasma levels of haloperidol (HAL) and reduced haloperidol (RHAL) in 47 Japanese male schizophrenic inpatients being treated with HAL. Mutation-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis was used to detect CYP2D6*10 as the C188C1T mutation in exon 1. A long-PCR analysis method was used to detect CYP2D6*5. Allele frequencies of CYP2D6*5 and CYP2D6*10 were 4.3% and 34.0%, respectively. Plasma concentrations of HAL and RHAL were measured using high-performance liquid chromatography. The ranges of the plasma concentration of HAL and RHAL corrected to the dose were 0.28-1.60 (mean +/- SD, 0.66+/-0.25, n = 47) ng/mL/mg and 0.03-3.00 (mean+/-SD, 0.36+/-0.46, n = 47) ng/mL, respectively. Plasma RHAL/HAL ratios (R/H ratios) ranged from 0.06 to 1.88 (mean +/- SD, 0.48+/-0.32, n = 47). The analysis was performed among the four genotype groups: CYP2D6*1/CYP2D6*1 (n = 11), CYP2D6*1/CYP2D6*10 (n = 11), CYP2D6*10/CYP2D6*10 (n = 6) and those who have CYP2D6*5 allele (CYP2D6*1/ CYP2D6*5 or CYP2D6*5/CYP2D6*10 (n = 4). We observed significant tendency in effects of CYP2D6 genotypes on plasma concentration of HAL and significant effects on plasma concentration of RHAL, and R/H ratio. These results we obtained suggested that the plasma concentration of HAL and RHAL were determined partly by CYP2D6 polymorphic activity.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Cultural difference in recognition of facial emotional expression: contrast between Japanese and American raters.

Using the Japanese and Caucasian Facial Expressions of Emotion (JACFEE) photo set, the relationship between recognition and intensity ratings of universal facial expressions of emotions in 123 Japanese undergraduate students was examined and compared with data reported by American raters. In Japanese raters, although the intensity was rated as high for some of the poses, their correctness scores were poor, suggesting a serious misjudgment of the intended emotions as defined in the JACFEE photo set. Only in Japanese raters were significant relationships between the intensity scores and the percentage correctness scores for sadness detected (r = 0.97, P < 0.0001), but no significant relationship was observed for other emotions. The robust correlation suggests the possibility that Japanese raters might be more responsive to certain emotional expressions when they are fully or intensely expressed. It is proposed that the facial emotional expression paradigm cannot be applied to the psychiatric setting without first refining for cultural differences.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Interindividual variation of plasma haloperidol concentrations and the impact of concomitant medications: the analysis of therapeutic drug monitoring data.

We analyzed therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) data from 231 schizophrenic inpatients (137 men, 94 women) and investigated interindividual differences of plasma haloperidol (HAL) concentrations and drug/drug interactions between HAL and various concomitant drugs. Plasma HAL concentrations were determined by an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) method. Plasma HAL concentrations per daily dose of HAL per body weight (HAL C/D ratio) demonstrated an approximately 11-fold interindividual variation. The patient subjects who received carbamazepine (CBZ) concomitantly had a mean HAL C/D ratio that was 37% lower than that of the patient subjects without CBZ. The patient subjects treated with concomitant phenobarbital (PB) also showed a mean HAL C/D ratio that was 22% lower than those without PB. We concluded that careful evaluation of HAL TDM data and consideration of the impact of concomitant medication such as CBZ or PB that might influence the metabolism of HAL is necessary in daily clinical settings to avoid insufficient clinical response because of lowered concentrations of HAL or adverse effects because of high concentrations of HAL.

Aged↗

PubMed1999

Lower plasma levels of haloperidol in smoking than in nonsmoking schizophrenic patients.

The impact of smoking on plasma haloperidol (HAL) concentrations was investigated in 66 Japanese male schizophrenic inpatients treated orally with HAL. The subjects consisted of 22 nonsmokers and 44 smokers each smoking ten cigarettes per day. Plasma concentrations of HAL were determined by an enzyme immunoassay method. There were significant positive correlations between the plasma HAL concentration and the daily dose of HAL per kg body weight (Y = 58.1X-0.01 (r = 0.86)). Smokers had significantly lower HAL concentrations per daily dose of HAL/kg body weight than nonsmokers (smokers vs. nonsmokers = 54.3+/-16.6 vs. 70.6+/-23.2 ng/mL/mg/kg). In doses less than 0.2 mg/kg of HAL, smokers showed significantly lower HAL concentrations per daily dose of HAL/kg body weight than nonsmokers (smokers vs. nonsmokers = 55.1+/-14.4 vs. 79.5+/-27.1 ng/mL/mg/kg), whereas no significant difference in HAL concentrations per daily dose of HAL/kg body weight was observed between smokers and nonsmokers when treated with more than 0.2 mg/kg (smokers vs. nonsmokers = 52.9+/-20.7 vs. 60.0+/-11.1 ng/mL/mg/kg). Our results indicate that smoking may induce the enzyme(s) metabolizing HAL, which results in lower plasma HAL concentrations in smokers than in nonsmokers, particularly at low doses of HAL.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1999

Factor analysis of the EMBU scale in a large sample of Japanese volunteers.

OBJECTIVE: The EMBU (Egna Minnen av Barndoms Uppfostran; (one's memories of upbringing') is a convenient and reliable instrument for the assessment of parental attitudes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the extent to which the factor structure of the EMBU, obtained in previous investigations, could be retrieved in a large Japanese sample. METHOD: The EMBU scale was administered to 1320 healthy Japanese volunteers. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed. RESULTS: The first factor in the analysis, accounting for 9.9% (father) and 10.6% (mother) of the variance, consisted of rejection items. The second factor, accounting for 9.1% (father) and 8.6% (mother) of the variance, contained items relating to emotional warmth. The third factor appeared to represent overprotection, and accounted for 7.8% (father) and 7.8% (mother) of the variance. The fourth factor, which accounted for 3.7% (father) and 3.7% (mother) of the variance, included items classified under favouring subjects. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that this four-factor structure fitted our data very well for both the father and the mother. The results of factor analysis for four subscales showed three major factors for the EMBU. CONCLUSION: The results of this study confirmed that the EMBU yielded a factor structure in Japan similar to that found in European countries. The EMBU is useful for comparison of parenting attitudes in different societies or countries.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Characteristics of perceived parenting styles in Japan using the EMBU scale.

OBJECTIVE: The EMBU (Egna Minnen av Barndoms Uppfostran) is a self-report questionnaire for the assessment of one's memory of parental rearing experiences. We are interested in using this scale to determine the characteristics of perceived parenting styles in Japan. METHOD: The study subjects consisted of 1320 healthy Japanese volunteers, comprising 687 males (52%) and 633 females (48%). We investigated the relationship between demographics and the EMBU scale. RESULTS: ANCOVA revealed that the subject's gender had a significant effect on paternal rejection scores (male > female), and both gender and birth-order position had significant effects on emotional warmth scores for both parents (female > male, and only-child > middle or last-born child). Birth-order position had significant effects on maternal over-protection, with the highest score being that of only children, and on the aspect of favouritism (favouring subjects), scores for both parents were highest from the last-born children. Rejection scores for the mother were significantly higher than those for the father from female subjects. Among both male and female subjects, emotional warmth scores and overprotection scores for the mother were significantly higher than those for the father. Among male subjects, scores for the mother on favouritism of the subject were significantly higher than those for the father. On the other hand, among female subjects, scores for the father on favouritism of the subject were higher than scores for the mother. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that parenting styles have significant interrelationships with the gender and birth-order position of the subject.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Relationship between stress coping and personality in patients with major depressive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Stress coping is defined as a behavioral or cognitive response of an individual to uncomfortable or difficult situations. It has been suggested that coping, like personality, is related to the pathology and course of mental disorders. Accordingly, we here used a clinical sample to investigate the relationships between coping strategies and personality traits. METHODS: Subjects were 60 outpatients who were in remission from major depressive disorder and who completed the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) and the Munich Personality Test (MPT). RESULTS: Task-oriented coping showed a positive correlation with extraversion and frustration tolerance. Emotion-oriented coping was closely associated with neuroticism, esoteric tendencies and isolation tendency. Avoidance-oriented coping was related to extraversion. Principal component analysis indicated three corresponding factors between coping and personality; one was related to psychopathology (loading from the neuroticism, esoteric tendencies and isolation tendency scales of the MPT, and from the emotion-oriented coping scale of the CISS), a second was a social-adaptive ability component (loading from the frustration tolerance and extraversion scales of the MPT, and from the task-oriented coping and avoidance-oriented coping scales of the CISS), and a third was a passive-avoidance coping component (loaded from the emotion-oriented coping and avoidance-oriented coping scales of the CISS only). CONCLUSION: Some personality traits such as extraversion and frustration tolerance are significantly related to task-oriented coping, and psychopathological personality traits such as neuroticism are associated with emotional-oriented coping in major depressive disorder.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1999

A pharmacotherapy algorithm for the treatment of dysthymia in Japan.

Based on randomized controlled trials conducted in western countries, we proposed a pharmacotherapy algorithm for DSM-IV dysthymia in Japan. The main strategy of the algorithm are: firstly, one of the antidepressants is selected for an initial agent, and secondly, efficacy of the selected antidepressant is evaluated at 8 to 12 weeks. The agent with sufficient efficacy is continued for at least 6 months, while ineffective agent is replaced to another antidepressant. The algorithm is preliminary mainly because of the lack of data from Japanese samples and the unavailability of some useful agents in Japan, for instance, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and monoamine oxidase inhibitors.

Algorithms↗