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Biomedical subjects

Y Asano

Publications and source records attributed to Y Asano.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Elevated circulating soluble CD40 ligand in patients with mixed connective tissue disease.

Abnormalities of CD40 ligand have been demonstrated in various kinds of diseases. Our objective was to determine serum soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) levels in patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD). Serum sCD40L levels of 23 patients with MCTD and 21 healthy individuals were measured with specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Serum levels of sCD40L were significantly higher in patients with MCTD than in healthy individuals (median 0.179 ng/ml vs 0.99 ng/ml, 25th-75th percentile; 0.117-0.296 ng/ml vs 0.82-1.70 ng/ml, P<0.005), whereas there were no significant correlation between elevated serum sCD40L levels and clinical or serological features in patients with MCTD. These results suggest that sCD40L plays a role in the pathogenesis of MCTD. Further studies are needed to clarify this.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Male predominance among Japanese adult patients with late-onset hemorrhagic cystitis after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Late-onset hemorrhagic cystitis (LHC) after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is mainly caused by viral infections. We retrospectively analyzed the records of 141 Japanese adult patients who underwent a first allogeneic HSCT from 1995 to 2002. In all, 19 patients developed LHC a median of 51 days after HSCT. Adenovirus (AdV) was detected in the urine of 10 LHC patients, of whom eight had AdV type 11. Five of the six available serum samples from these patients were also positive for AdV type 11, but the detection of AdV in serum was not associated with a worse outcome. Male sex and the development of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease were identified as independent significant risk factors for LHC. Male predominance was detected in LHC after HSCT, as has been previously shown in children with AdV-induced acute HC. The detection of AdV DNA in serum did not predict a poor outcome.

Adenoviridae Infections↗
PubMed2003

Plasma plasmin-alpha2-plasmin inhibitor complex levels are increased in systemic sclerosis patients with pulmonary hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency and clinical significance of plasma plasmin-alpha(2)-plasmin inhibitor complex (PIC) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). METHODS: Plasma samples from 74 patients with SSc and 32 healthy volunteers were examined by a specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Elevated plasma PIC levels were present in 35 of the 74 patients (47.3%) with SSc. The patients with elevated plasma PIC levels had pulmonary hypertension (PH) at a significantly higher incidence than those with normal PIC levels (31.4 vs 7.7%, P<0.01). When PH was classified into isolated PH (IPH) and secondary PH (SPH), the presence of IPH was significantly greater in patients with elevated PIC levels than in those with normal levels (25.7 vs 5.1%, P<0.02). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that plasma PIC levels may be a marker of PH, especially IPH, in patients with SSc.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Trans-Tenon's retrobulbar triamcinolone infusion for the treatment of uveitis.

AIM: To assess efficacy and complications of trans-Tenon's retrobulbar infusion of triamcinolone acetonide for posterior uveitic inflammation. METHODS: Non-randomised, uncontrolled, retrospective study of 51 eyes of 37 patients who underwent triamcinolone infusion for vitritis, cystoid macular oedema (CMO), or posterior retinal vasculitis using a long blunt cannula via an incision made through conjunctiva and Tenon's capsule. RESULTS: Overall clinical efficacy was 86%; 96% for vitritis, 82% for CMO, and 33% for posterior retinal vasculitis. Mean visual acuity improved within 1 month after triamcinolone infusion (p <0.05). Cataract progression and intraocular pressure elevation were observed in 31% and 27% of eyes, respectively. CONCLUSION: Trans-Tenon's retrobulbar triamcinolone infusion may be a safe and effective treatment for posterior uveitic inflammation.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Combined treatment with nafamostat mesilate and aspirin prevents heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in a hemodialysis patient.

We report on the management of a 36-year-old hemodialysis patient with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT, type II) and clot formation in extracorporeal circulation. Platelet aggregation test and measurement of anti-platelet factor 4/heparin complex antibody by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay revealed to us that our patient had developed HIT. Instead of heparin, we used nafamostat mesilate (NM) as an anticoagulant during hemodialysis, but could not completely prevent HIT-induced thrombocytopenia or clot formation in the extracorporeal circuit. Combined use of NM and aspirin completely inhibited platelet aggregation, decrease in platelet count and clot formation in the extracorporeal circuit.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Measurement of the B(0)-B(0) mixing parameter Deltam(d) using semileptonic B0 decays.

We present a measurement of the B0-Bmacr;(0) mixing parameter Deltam(d) using neutral B meson pairs in a 29.1 fb(-1) data sample collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e(+)e(-) collider. We exclusively reconstruct one neutral B meson in the semileptonic B0-->D(*-)l(+)nu decay mode and identify the flavor of the accompanying B meson from its decay products. From the distribution of the time intervals between the two flavor-tagged B meson decay points, we obtain Deltam(d)=(0.494+/-0.012+/-0.015) ps(-1), where the first error is statistical and the second error is systematic.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Observation of D+(s)K- and evidence for D+(s)pi- final states in neutral B decays.

We report the first observation of a B meson decay that is not accessible by a direct spectator process. The channel B(0)-->D(+)(s)K- is found in a sample of 85 x 10(6) BB; events, collected with the Belle detector at KEKB, with a branching fraction B(B(0)-->D(+)(s)K-)=(4.6(+1.2)(-1.1)+/-1.3) x 10(-5). We also obtain evidence for the B0-->D(+)(s)pi(-) decay with branching fraction B(B0-->D(+)(s)pi(-))=(2.4(+1.0)(-0.8)+/-0.7) x 10(-5). This value may be used to extract a model-dependent value of |V(ub)|.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Radiative B meson decays into kpigamma and kpipigamma final states.

We report observations of radiative B meson decays into the K+pi(-)gamma and K+pi(-)pi(+)gamma final states. In the B0-->K+pi(-)gamma channel, we present evidence for decays via an intermediate tensor meson state with a branching fraction of B(B0-->K(*)(2)(1430)(0)gamma)=[1.3+/-0.5(stat)+/-0.1(syst)]x10(-5). We measure the branching fraction B(B+-->K+pi(-)pi(+)gamma)=[2.4+/-0.5(stat) +0.4-0.2(syst)]x10(-5), in which the B+-->K(*0)pi(+)gamma and B+-->K+rho(0)gamma channels dominate. The analysis is based on a data set of 29.4 fb(-1) recorded by the Belle experiment at the KEKB collider.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Observation of B+/- -->omegaK+/- decay.

We report the first observation of the charmless two-body mode B+/--->omegaK+/- decay, and a new measurement of the branching fraction for the B+/--->omegapi(+/-) decay. The measured branching fractions are B(B+/--->omegaK+/-)=(9.2(+2.6)(-2.3)+/-1.0)x10(-6) and B(B+/--->omegapi(+/-))=(4.2(+2.0)(-1.8)+/-0.5)x10(-6). We also measure the partial rate asymmetry of B+/--->omegaK+/- decays and obtain A(CP)=-0.21+/-0.28+/-0.03. The results are based on a data sample of 29.4 fb(-1) collected on the Upsilon(4S) resonance by the Belle detector at the KEKB e(+)e(-) collider.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Observation of B(0)-->D((*)0)pp.

The B meson decay modes B-->Dpp; and B-->D(*)pp; have been studied using 29.4 fb(-1) of data collected with the Belle detector at KEKB. The B;(0)-->D(0)pp; and B;(0)-->D(*0)pp; decays have been observed for the first time with branching fractions B(B;(0)-->D(0)pp;)=(1.18+/-0.15+/-0.16)x10(-4) and B(B;(0)-->D(*0)pp;)=(1.20(+0.33)(-0.29)+/-0.21)x10(-4). No signal has been found for the B+-->D(+)pp; and B+-->D(*+)pp; decay modes, and the corresponding upper limits at 90% C.L. are presented.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Observation of double cć production in e+e- annihilation at squareroot[s] approximately 10.6 GeV.

We report the observation of prompt J/psi via double cc; production from the e+e- continuum. In this process one cc; pair fragments into a J/psi meson while the remaining pair either produces a charmonium state or fragments into open charm. Both cases have been experimentally observed. We find cross sections of sigma[e+e- -->J/psieta(c)(gamma)]xB(eta(c)-->>or=4 charged)=(0.033(+0.007)(-0.006)+/-0.009) pb and sigma(e+e- -->J/psiD(*+)X)=(0.53(+0.19)(-0.15)+/-0.14) pb and infer sigma(e+e- -->J/psicc;)/sigma(e+e- -->J/psiX)=0.59(+0.15)(-0.13)+/-0.12. These results are obtained from a 46.2 fb(-1) data sample collected near the Upsilon(4S) resonance, with the Belle detector at the KEKB collider.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Observation of the decay B(0)-->D(+/-)D(*-/+).

We report the first observation of the decay B(0)-->D(+/-)D(*-/+) with the Belle detector at the KEKB e(+)e(-) Collider operated at the Upsilon(4S) resonance. The sum of branching fractions B(B(0)-->D(+)D(*-))+B(B(0)-->D(-)D(*+)) is measured to be (1.17+/-0.26(+0.22)(-0.25))x10(-3) using the full reconstruction method where both charmed mesons from B0 decays are reconstructed. A consistent value [(1.48+/-0.38(+0.28)(-0.31))x10(-3)] is obtained using a partial reconstruction technique that uses only the slow pion from the D(*-)-->D(-0)pi(-) decay and a fully reconstructed D(+) to reconstruct the B(0).

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Observation of the eta(c)(2S) in Exclusive B-->KK(S)K-pi(+) Decays.

We report the observation of a narrow peak in the K(S)K-pi(+) invariant mass distribution in a sample of exclusive B-->KK(S)K-pi(+) decays collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric e(+)e(-) collider. The measured mass of the peak is M=3654+/-6(stat)+/-8(syst) MeV/c(2), and we place a 90% confidence level upper limit on the width of Gamma<55 MeV/c(2). The properties agree with heavy-quark potential model expectations for the eta(c)(2S) meson, the n=2 singlet S charmonium state.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Study of CP-violating asymmetries in B0-->pi(+)pi(-) decays.

We present a measurement of CP-violating asymmetries in B0-->pi(+)pi(-) decays based on a 41.8 fb(-1) data sample collected at the Upsilon(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e(+)e(-) collider. We fully reconstruct one neutral B meson as a B0-->pi(+)pi(-) CP eigenstate and identify the flavor of the accompanying B meson from its decay products. From the asymmetry in the distribution of the time intervals between the two B meson decay points, we obtain the CP-violating asymmetry parameters S(pipi)=-1.21(+0.38)(-0.27)(stat)+0.16-0.13(syst) and A(pipi)=+0.94(+0.25)(-0.31)(stat)+/-0.09(syst).

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Observation of chi(c2) production in B meson decay.

We report the first observation of chi(c2) production in B meson decays. We find an inclusive B-->chi(c2)X branching fraction of (1.80(+0.23)(-0.28)+/-0.26) x 10(-3). The data set, collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB e(+)e(-) collider, consists of 31.9 x 10(6) BB events. We also present branching fractions and momentum spectra for both chi(c1) and chi(c2) production.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Observation of B(+/-) --> p(-)pK(+/-).

We report the observation of the decay mode B(+/-) --> p(-)pK(+/-)based on an analysis of 29.4 fb(-1) of data collected by the Belle detector at KEKB. This is the first example of a b-->s transition with baryons in the final state. The p(-)p mass spectrum in this decay is inconsistent with phase space and is peaked at low mass. The branching fraction for this decay is measured to be B(B+/--->p(-)pK+/-) = [4.3(+1.1)(-0.9)(stat)+/-0.5(syst)]x 10(-6). We also report upper limits for the decays B(0)-->p(-)pK(S) and B(+/-)-->p(-)p pi(+/-).

Journal Article↗