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Biomedical subjects

Y Kitahara

Publications and source records attributed to Y Kitahara.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

[Two cases of Churg-Strauss syndrome with bilateral wide-spread pulmonary infiltrates].

We report two cases of Churg-Strauss syndrome. The first case was a 25-year-old woman with a one year history of bronchial asthma, who developed fever, skin eruptions, abdominal pain and mononeuritis multiplex. During treatment with prednisolone 40 mg per day, chest X-ray films showed bilateral wide-spread infiltrates. When the dosage of prednisolone was increased to 80 mg per day, these infiltrates disappeared. Skin and lung biopsy specimens demonstrated allergic vasculitis and eosinophilic pneumonia. There was no response to high-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy for persistent severe abdominal pain and mononeuritis multiplex. Pericardial and pleural effusions with eosinophilia recurred eight months later. The second case was a 31-year-old man with a six year history of bronchial asthma, who developed fever, skin eruptions, myalgia and mononeuritis multiplex. One year later, during treatment with prednisolone 15 mg per day, bronchial asthma with eosinophilia relapsed and chest X-ray films showed bilateral patchy infiltrates. Skin biopsy specimens demonstrated eosinophilic infiltrates and necrotizing vasculitis, while lung biopsy specimens demonstrated eosinophilic infiltrates and small granulomas. With additional administration of cyclophosphamide, he has had no evidence of active disease for six years. In both cases, the neurological symptoms persisted despite treatment with high doses of steroids, and during tapering of prednisolone, vasculitis syndrome relapsed. Therefore, long-term careful surveillance is necessary in this disease.

Adult↗

[Clinico-immunological study of the patients infected with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC)].

Lymphocyte functions of the peripheral blood in the patients infected with MAC (MAC-pts) were evaluated comparatively with age-matched normal controls by using flow cytometry. The results obtained were as follows: 1) In normal controls, the number of total lymphocytes and the proportion and number of T lymphocyte subsets significantly decreased with age. The proportion of natural killer lymphocytes significantly increased in elder controls. 2) In MAC-pts, the number of total lymphocytes and T lymphocyte subsets were significantly lower and the proportion of natural killer lymphocytes were higher respectively than normal controls. 3) The lymphocyte proliferation induced by PPD-S stimulation in vitro in MAC-pts was significantly lower than the normal controls in both age groups of 50-69 and 70-89 years old. 4) The lymphocyte proliferation induced by PPD-S stimulation in MAC-pts was increased slightly by adding recombinant IL-2 and significantly higher by depletion of monocytes. By combination of both treatments, it recovered to the level of normal controls. From these results, we suggested that the decline of lymphocyte proliferation induced by PPD-S stimulation in MAC-pts was due to the decrease of IL-2 production by antigen committed lymphocytes and suppression by monocytes. 5) Lymphocyte proliferation induced by PHA stimulation in vitro was also significantly depressed in MAC-pts as compared with normal controls.

Adolescent↗

Inhibition of avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase by heterocyclic quinones: structure-activity correlation.

Synthetic heterocyclic quinones (107 samples) consisting of o- and p-quinoline quinones, o-isoquinoline quinones and p-quinoxaline quinones as well as o- and p-naphthoquinones (3 samples) were tested for their inhibitory activities against avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase (AMV-RT) and cytotoxic activities against mouse lymphoblastoma L5178Y cells. In general, o-quinoline quinones (i.e., the 5,6-quinolinedione derivatives) are more potent inhibitors of AMV-RT than p-quinoline quinones (the 5,8-quinolinedione derivatives). Furthermore, the growth of L5178/Y cells were significantly refractory to the 8-methoxy-5,6-quinolinedione derivatives whose suppressive effects on AMV-RT function were fairly comparable to those of the other o-quinoline quinones. The longer the chain length of 7-alkyl substituent in o- or p-quinoline quinones, the lower the biological activities.

Avian Myeloblastosis Virus↗

[Clinical evaluation of sultamicillin in lower respiratory tract infections].

Clinical efficacy and safety of sultamicillin (SBTPC) in patients with lower respiratory tract infections, mainly pneumonia and bronchitis, have been evaluated in a multicenter trial by 19 institutions in the Kyushu area during a period of 12 months from December 1988 to November 1989. 1. Clinical evaluation was made in 132 patients and efficacy rates of SBTPC were 80.0% (28/35) for pneumonia, 78.5% (73/93) for bronchitis and 100% for the remaining 1 patient with other respiratory tract infections. The overall efficacy rate was 79.1% (102/129). 2. Clinical efficacy rate of SBTPC for respiratory tract infections in patients with underlying diseases such as chronic bronchitis, old pulmonary tuberculosis etc., was 75.0% (60/80) which was not significantly different from the efficacy rate of 85.7% (42/49) in patients without underlying diseases. 3. Of 13 patients who failed to respond to previous antibiotic treatments, 8 (61.5%) were effectively treated with SBTPC. 4. Clinical efficacy rates against infections caused by single species of organisms were 90.9% (10/11) for Haemophilus influenzae, 100% (8/8) for Streptococcus viridans and 100% (3/3) for Staphylococcus aureus. The overall clinical efficacy rate in all cases of monomicrobial infections was 88.6% (31/35), in polymicrobial infection 45.5% (5/11) and the overall efficacy rate in cases in which causative bacteria were identified was 78.3% (35/46). 5. Adverse reactions occurred in 6.8% (9/132) of the patients. The symptoms included allergic reaction in 1 patient, gastrointestinal system disorders in 7 patients and general fatigability in 1 patient. As abnormalities in laboratory test values, elevations of A1-P, GOT, and GPT were observed in 3 patients during the study, but returned to normal after discontinuation of SBTPC administration. 6. SBTPC is a useful antibiotic in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections under the current medical environment where resistant organisms which produce beta-lactamases have been increasing.

Adolescent↗

A novel photoaffinity ligand for the phencyclidine site of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor labels a Mr 120,000 polypeptide.

A radiolabeled photoaffinity ligand has been developed for the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-preferring excitatory amino acid receptor complex. [3H]3-Azido-(5S, 10R)(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H- dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine [3H]3-azido-MK-801 demonstrated nearly identical affinity, density of binding sites, selectivity, pH sensitivity, and pharmacological profile in reversible binding assays with guinea pig brain homogenates to those displayed by its parent compound, MK-801. When employed in a photo-labeling protocol designed to optimize specific incorporation, [3H]3-azido-MK-801 labeled a single protein band which migrated in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels with Mr = 120,000. Incorporation of tritium into this band was completely inhibited when homogenates and [3H]3-azido-MK-801 were coincubated with 10 microM phencyclidine. These data suggest that the phencyclidine site of the NMDA receptor complex is at least in part comprised of a Mr = 120,000 polypeptide.

Affinity Labels↗

Autoxidation of myoglobin from bigeye tuna fish (Thunnus obesus).

Native oxymyoglobin (MbO2) was isolated directly from the skeletal muscle of bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) with complete separation from metmyoglobin (metMb) on a CM-cellulose column. It was examined for its stability properties over a wide range of pH values (pH 5-12) in 0.1 M buffer at 25 degrees C. When compared with sperm whale MbO2 as a reference, the tuna MbO2 was found to be much more susceptible to autoxidation. Kinetic analysis has revealed that the rate constant for a nucleophilic displacement of O2- from MbO2 by an entering water molecule is 10-times higher than the corresponding value for sperm whale MbO2. The magnitude of the circular dichroism of bigeye tuna myoglobin at 222 nm was comparable to that of sperm whale myoglobin, but its hydropathy profile revealed the region corresponding to the distal side of the heme iron to be apparently less hydrophobic. The kinetic simulation also demonstrated that accessibility of the solvent water molecule to the heme pocket is clearly a key factor in the stability properties of the bound dioxygen.

Animals↗

[Tuberculosis sequelae: clinical aspects].

We studied the pulmonary diseases which had developed as consequent deformities after healing of tuberculosis, which we called tuberculosis sequelae. Results are described as follows. 1. The frequency of tuberculosis sequelae was about 6% in the patients with pulmonary diseases admitted to our hospital. 2. 93 cases of them consisted of 4 groups, which were 39 of repeated bacterial infection of lower respiratory tract, 23 of pulmonary aspergilloma, 13 of atypical mycobacteriosis and 28 of chronic respiratory failure. 3. Patients with tuberculosis sequelae were distributed more in the younger age group than others with resembled pulmonary diseases. The men to women ratio was about 2:1. Patients with pulmonary aspergilloma were younger than those with atypical mycobacteriosis. 4. Death rate in tuberculosis sequelae was about 5% per year. 46% of patients with atypical mycobacteriosis and 44% with chronic respiratory failure died within 4 years. 5. In chest X-ray findings, fibrosis and shrinkage of the lung, compensatory pulmonary emphysema, deformity or dilatation of bronchi, bulla formation and residual tuberculous cavities were recognized in 40 to 65% of the cases. Severe pleural thickness or past thoracoplasty were frequently recognized in the patients with chronic respiratory failure. All the patients with pulmonary aspergilloma had one or more residual cavities. 6. The frequency of systemic complications was not more than in the control population matched by age. Comparatively, serum IgG and IgA were elevated and PHA-induced lymphocyte activation was not lowered in the patients with pulmonary aspergilloma and atypical mycobacteriosis. From these results, the main factor in the development of tuberculosis sequelae seemed to be local defects of the chest.

Adult↗

[Clinical evaluation of sulbactam/cefoperazone in lower respiratory tract infections].

Clinical evaluation, safety and kinetics in serum of sulbactam/cefoperazone (SBT/CPZ) in patients with lower respiratory tract infections have been studied in a multicenter trial participated by 28 institutions in Kyushu area during a period of 13 months from March 1987 to March 1988. 1. Mean peak serum levels of SBT and CPZ in 35 patients up to 4 hours after intravenous infusion of 2 g of SBT/CPZ were 38.2 +/- 17.3 micrograms/ml for SBT and 104.3 +/- 31.4 micrograms/ml for CPZ. Serum half-lives of SBT and CPZ were 0.76 hour and 1.53 hours, respectively. These results were in similar ranges to those reported elsewhere for SBT/CPZ. 2. Serum half-lives of SBT and CPZ after intravenous infusion of 2 g of SBT/CPZ were not significantly prolonged in patients with moderate liver or kidney dysfunctions. 3. Clinical efficacy rates of SBT/CPZ in 217 patients were 93.1% (81/87) for pneumonia, 93.3% (14/15) for lung abscess, 78.9% (15/19) for acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, 57.1% (4/7) for diffuse panbronchiolitis, 72.4% (21/29), 74.4% (32/43) and 100% (9/9) for infections concurrent to bronchiectasis, chronic respiratory disease and pulmonary emphysema, respectively. Those were 50% (1/2) for bronchitis associated with lung cancer and 66.7% (4/6) for empyema. The overall efficacy rate was 83.4% (181/217). 4. Clinical efficacy rate of SBT/CPZ for pneumonia in patients with underlying diseases such as lung cancer, pulmonary tuberculosis and pneumoconiosis, etc, was 85.3% (29/34) and was not significantly different from the efficacy rate of 98.1% (52/53) in patients without these underlying diseases. 5. Of 30 patients who failed to respond of previous antibiotic treatments, 21 were effectively treated by SBT/CPZ. 6. Bacteriological eradication rates against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Haemophilus influenzae and Streptococcus pneumoniae were 42.9% (9/21), 87.5% (14/16) and 100% (5/5), respectively. The overall eradication rate in all cases including polymicrobial infections was 72.8% (67/92). 7. The high levels of peak serum concentration of CPZ, and the difference between serum levels of SBT and of CPZ seemed to contribute to the high clinical efficacy. 8. Adverse reactions occurred in 2.8% (6/217) of the patients, and consisted primarily of rash and diarrhea. Laboratory abnormalities were observed in 8 patients during the study. These were elevations of S-GOT and S-GPT, and eosinophilia. 9. SBT/CPZ is a very useful drug in the treatment of lower respiratory tract infections as it has become available just in time when increase in resistant organisms to beta-lactams is notable.

Adult↗

[Aperiodic analysis of EEG in children during halothane anesthesia].

The difference according to age of EEG was studied during halothane and nitrous oxide anesthesia in 33 children ranging from neonate to 14 year old, using the Lifescan EEG Monitor (Neurometrics). The EEG of 12 infants younger than 6 months showed dominant slow waves, and did not show any activation with the stimulus induced by peritoneal retraction, while EEG of older children showed the high-voltage slow wave responding to such stimulus. Some of teen-agers showed the fast wave predominant response to such stimulus, which is observed in adults. When the EEG monitor is used to examine the depth of anesthesia, we always have to consider the differences according to age, especially in children.

Aging↗

[Immunological studies of pulmonary infection with atypical mycobacteria. II. Depression of in vitro PPD-induced lymphocyte proliferation in patients with pulmonary atypical mycobacteriosis].

To evaluate cell-mediated immune responses in patients infected with atypical mycobacteria (AM), mononuclear cells from patients were examined in vitro for purified protein derivatives (PPD) induced lymphocyte proliferation using combination of monoclonal antibodies and flowcytometry. Those from normal tuberculin-positive controls and chronic excreters with tuberculosis (chronics) were also examined. The results obtained were as follows: 1) In normal controls, PPD-S induced a significant proliferation of activated T cell subsets (Leu 4+ DR+, IL 2-R+ Leu 3+ and IL 2-R+ Leu 2+). A significant increase in pan T cells (Leu 4+), helper T cells (Leu 3+ 8-), suppressor T cells (Leu 2+ 15+) and B cells (Leu 4- DR+) was also observed. 2) In chronics, the pattern and degree of lymphocyte proliferation by PPD-S were similar to that observed in normal controls. 3) In AM, we found a significant proliferation of activated T cells (Leu 4+ DR+, IL 2-R+ Leu 3+, IL 2-R+ Leu 2+) and B cells (Leu 4- DR+) by PPD-S. However, the degree of lymphocyte proliferation in AM was clearly depressed as compared to normal controls and chronics. 4) In chronics, lymphocyte proliferation by PPD-S was significantly higher than that by PPD-B. In contrast, lymphocyte response by PPD-S was almost same as that by PPD-B in AM.

Adult↗

Primary atypical mycobacteriosis of the intestine: a report of three cases.

Primary atypical mycobacteriosis of the lung is comparatively common but primary atypical mycobacteriosis of the intestine had not been described previously in the English literature. We have treated three such patients with antituberculous drugs and the clinicopathological findings and course are described. We suggest that these findings may belong to a new clinical entity.

Adult↗

[Production of experimental infective endocarditis in rabbit mitral valve prolapse induced by vagus stimulation].

An experimental model of bacterial endocarditis was developed in rabbits with mitral valve prolapse which was induced by vagus stimulation. Endocarditis was produced by injecting bacteria including pseudomonas pseudoalkaligenes (pathogenic for rabbits) and streptococcus viridans taken from human beings. Both bacteria induced bacterial endocarditis with high incidence, which was augmented by higher dose or earlier administration of bacterial after producing mitral valve prolapse. Similarly, verruca was produced more frequently by higher dose of bacteria or earlier administration of bacteria. The present data are similar to those of human beings, so that it is helpful to a study of bacterial endocarditis in a clinical setting.

Animals↗

[Differential diagnosis of pulmonary emphysema using the CT index: LL%w].

We measured the computed tomography (CT) index, LL%w, in 81 patients of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. In this study we defined LL%w as the mean value of the proportion of the low density area under -950 Hounsfield units in the six lung fields: upper, middle and lower lung fields bilaterally, at deep expiration. In order to examine the usefulness of LL%w in differentiating pulmonary emphysema (PE) from bronchial asthma (BA) and chronic bronchitis (CB), we excluded the overlapped cases of each diseases. Mean value (+/- standard deviation) of LL%w in PE was 24.6 +/- 20.2% (n = 40), whereas it was 0.5 +/- 0.8% (n = 27) in BA and 0.2 +/- 0.3% (n = 14) in CB respectively. There were clear statistically differences in the values of LL%w between clinically diagnosed emphysema and others. In this quantitative study we considered that the value of LL%w within 1% would be observed nonspecifically, because the frequent existence of low density areas originated in bronchial tangents and/or motion artifacts mainly in the left lower lung field. Thus we judged that cases with over 1% of LL%w had abnormal CT findings. The relationship between clinically diagnosed emphysema and CT abnormality (LL%w greater than 1%) was significant in the analysis of the four-fold table; The CT sensitivity for diagnosing PE was 100%, the CT specificity was 87.8%, and CT accuracy was 93.8%. When cases of LL%w greater than 1% were shown in BA or CB, it would be better to consider the existence of complicated emphysema or the presence of air trapping or air spaces of any origin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

MR imaging of syringobulbia with giant syrinx.

Syringobulbia with a large syrinx was revealed by MR imaging. The syrinx extended from the medulla to vertebral level T10. We suspect that this giant syrinx may be produced by a congenital meningioma at C7, generating pulsatile flow in the original syrinx and causing a giant syrinx.

Aged↗