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Biomedical subjects

Y Kubo

Publications and source records attributed to Y Kubo.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources

Anterior cervical vertebrectomy and interbody fusion for multi-level spondylosis and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament.

Multi-level cervical spondylosis and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) are well-documented causes of myelopathy. The choice of surgical procedures remain controversial. Between January 1983 and December 1987, we have performed anterior cervical vertebrectomy in 45 patients with cervical myelopathy caused by multi-level spondylosis and OPLL. They consisted of 19 patients with cervical spondylosis, 12 with OPLL, and 14 with combined lesions of both cervical spondylosis and OPLL. There were 32 men and 13 women. The mean age was 55 years, ranging from 35 to 70 years. In all of our 45 patients, anterior vertebrectomy, discectomy, removal of posterior osteophytes and OPLL, and interbody fusion were done for progressive myelopathy refractory to conservative treatment. In 2 of 45 patients, 5 vertebral bodies were resected; in 3 patients, 4 vertebral bodies were resected; in 12 patients, 3 vertebral bodies were resected, in 19 patients, 2 vertebral bodies were resected; and in 9 patients, 1 vertebral body was resected. Thirty-nine of 45 patients (87%) had good results. Neurological signs did not improve in 5 patients (11%). One patient died because of agranulocytosis secondary to treatment with antibiotics. In conclusion, cervical cord compression caused by lesions located principally in the anterior aspect of the spinal canal may be completely relieved via anterior vertebrectomy, discectomy, removal of the calcified ligament, and fusion.

Adult↗

Spinal dural arteriovenous malformation: report of an unusual case.

We present an unusual case of a spinal dural arteriovenous malformation (AVM) which produced compression radiculopathy of the left S1 nerve root. The nerve root was compressed by epidural vessels, draining vessels, and the nidus, without the characteristic myelographic findings of a dural AVM. No feeding vessels could be identified. It is important to consider the possibility of a spinal dural AVM in middle-aged patients who suffer lumbosacral radiculopathy, even if myelography does not demonstrate the characteristic findings.

Angiography↗

Application of video surgery to orthodontic diagnosis.

The purpose of this project was to develop a practical methodology for predicting the visual facial changes resulting from the movement of anterior teeth. The armamentarium includes an 8-bit audiovisual computer, a video camera, a digitizer, and a cephalogram of the patient. The system outputs the patient's profile on a personal computer video display. The image is superimposed on the soft tissue line of a digitized cephalogram plot on the same display. The video profile image is transformed from analog to digital signals. The profile image digitized by the computer is modified according to average ratios of soft tissue to hard tissue changes induced by modifications to the hard tissues. The program incorporates the spline function to smooth the profile image.

Audiovisual Aids↗

[Regulation of osteoclastic bone resorption. 1. Limitation of osteoclast motile activity by fibroblast-like cells].

The cell-to-cell interaction between osteoclasts and fibroblast-like cells, which were mechanically disaggregated from long bones of neonatal rabbits, was investigated to clarify the cellular mechanisms responsible for the regulation of osteoclastic bone resorption by using phase-contrast time lapse recording and fluorescent microscopy for visualization of F-actin cytoskeleton. Osteoclasts showed rapid extension and retraction of pseudopodia with intense ruffling activity and active translocation over a glass surface when there was enough open space around them, while fibroblast-like cells seemed much more stationary. Osteoclasts were not able to cross over cell bodies of fibroblast-like cells which interfered with migration of the osteoclasts. As fibroblast-like cells proliferated, they gradually took over the open glass surface and finally tightly surrounded the osteoclasts. Such osteoclasts usually became contracted and pseudopodial and migratory activities decreased. Fluorescent microscopy of well-spread osteoclaststs stained with rhodamine-labeled phalloidin revealed development of a band-like structure composed of a number of brightly fluorescent F-actin dots at the cell periphery and fine F-actin bundles which run through the cell bodies. On the other hand, contracted osteoclasts tightly surrounded by fibroblast-like cells showed conglomerates composed of accumulated F-actin dots instead of the band-like structure. An F-actin pattern of fibroblast-like cells, which was very different from that of osteoclasts, displayed thick and straight bright bundles with in the cell bodies. The present observation suggests that ongoing osteoclastic bone resorption may be regulated by fibroblast-like cells through limitation of osteoclastic motile activity, and alteration of cytoskeleton and cell-substratum interaction which occurred in osteoclasts may be involved in the mechanism.

Actins↗

[A clinical study of terminal pneumonia].

A total of 210 cases of terminal pneumonia were studied out of 1183 autopsied cases at Tenri Yorozu Hospital from 1978 to 1985. Underlying diseases included lung cancer (77 patients), gastric cancer (26 patients), leukemia (24 patients). There was no statistical significance between the time from death until autopsy and the bacterial examination of autopsied lung and blood. P. aeruginosa and Klebsiella sp. were the most frequently isolated organisms. Seventy percent of isolated organisms were gram negative bacilli. In spite of administration of antibiotics, bacteria isolated from specimens before death were sometimes the same as the one isolated from specimens after death. In addition it was recognized that multiple intensive examinations of sputum are necessary for rapid diagnosis of pneumonia. It was also noted that the longer the duration of antibiotic administration, the more frequently P. aeruginosa was isolated. Finally the possibility of pneumonia should be kept in mind in compromised hosts.

Humans↗

Intensive chemotherapy followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation for a patient having wide-spread embryonal carcinoma in the central nervous system.

A patient with an intracranial embryonal carcinoma, which was resistant to cisplatin-based combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy, developed spinal seeding. Alpha fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and the beta chain of HCG (NCG beta) in serum or cerebrospinal fluid immediately returned to elevated levels despite sequential chemotherapy and resection. Accordingly, we treated this patient with spinal irradiation and intensive combination chemotherapy (cisplatin etoposide, vinblastine, cyclophosphamide and actinomycin D) followed by autologous bone marrow transplantation. With this treatment, the clinical manifestations showed a tendency to improve and, furthermore, the serum levels of AFP and HCG returned to normal. These findings suggest autologous bone marrow transplantation to be a potential approach to the treatment of patients with embryonal carcinomas.

Adult↗

[Mathematical analysis of equilibrium on 2-site immunoradiometric assay using anti-human TSH monoclonal antibody].

A mathematical analysis of equilibrium was adapted on a practical 2-site immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) using 10 murine monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) to human TSH. The affinity constant of 10 Mabs was from 2.5 x 10(8) to 3.3 x 10(10) M-1. The dose-response curves using appropriate combinations of Mab-coated bead and 125I-labeled Mab were compared with the theoretical curves calculated from mathematical analysis of equilibrium. Theoretical curves were directly affected by the affinity constants in which antibodies with higher affinity constants showed higher binding activity of tracer. However, the curves which antibodies have more than 1 x 10(9) M-1 and 1 x 10(10) M-1 for capture antibody and tracer antibody did not show remarkable change, but were similar with the curve obtained from unlimited affinity constant. From these curve, the maximum and minimum detectable dose were approx. 2 x 10(-10) M and 4 x 10(-14) M, respectively. Seven out of 10 experimental curves for TSH showed good consistency with the corresponding theoretical curves which indicated that a mathematical analysis of equilibrium was useful to presume experimental results using monoclonal antibody.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

[Studies on antigen associated with human squamous cell carcinoma (SCC antigen) in patients with esophageal carcinoma].

The authors studied on SCC antigen in patients with esophageal carcinoma. Serum SCC antigen was found in 9 (40.9%) of 22 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and 5 (55.5%) of 9 patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma, but was not found in other malignant diseases, such as gastric cancer, hepatoma, colon cancer, pancreas cancer and biliary try tract cancer. SCC antigen positive cases increased in association with progression of histological invasion, grade of nodal metastasis and clinical stage. However, in early esophageal carcinoma, SCC antigen was rarely positive. There was no positive case in patients with poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma regardless of clinical stage. Positive rate of SCC antigen increased in association with progression of clinical stage in patients with moderately and well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. Immunoreactivity of SCC, which was investigated immunohistologically with TA-4 rabbit serum, was not found in cases with poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, but was found in keratinized portion and cytoplasm of moderately and well differentiated carcinoma. From the above, SCC antigen is intimately related with keratinization of squamous cell carcinoma, and it was thought that it could be useful as a good marker for diagnosis of moderately and well differentiated squamous carcinoma of the esophagus.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

[Pulmonary fibrosis after endotoxin-induced permeability edema].

To know the pathogenesis of the lung fibrosis after ARDS, we investigated the role of PMN-elastase after endotoxin-induced pulmonary edema in awake sheep with chronic lung lymph fistulas. The permeability of the pulmonary circulation increased 2 hours after endotoxin injection. Four hours after endotoxin injection, WBC migrated to the lung interstitium and the number of WBC in BALF increased. Endotoxin increased PMN-elastase in plasma and lymph whereas the level of alpha-1-protease inhibitor (alpha-1-PI) did not change. The activity of alpha-1-PI measured by trypsin inhibitory capacity was zero in the exudative phase. The level of PMN-elastase in lymph was significantly higher 1 week after endotoxin injection than baseline levels. Histologically, pulmonary fibrosis developed 1 week after endotoxin injection. These results suggest that inflammatory mediators released from PMN play an important part in progress to the fibrotic phase after ARDS.

Animals↗

[A probable case of adult Williams-Campbell syndrome incidentally detected by an episode of atypical mycobacterial infection].

A 39-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of dry cough. She had been quite well until 1 month before admission. She had no history of chronic sinusitis. Chest X-ray film showed a thin-walled cavity in the superior segment of the left lower lobe of the lung. Curettage biopsy of the cavity wall revealed granulomatous change. Mycobacterium intracellulare-avium complex was identified on sputum culture. Anti-tuberculous therapy was given and the cavity disappeared in 3 months. Since atypical mycobacterial infection is quite unusual for a healthy woman to contract, we performed high-resolution CT (HRCT) in search for occult abnormalities of the lung. HRCT detected a lot of thin-walled cystic lesions, and bronchography showed that they were consistent with cystic dilatation of relatively large bronchi, which ballooned up during inspiration, and collapsed during expiration. Airways peripheral to these dilatations were also visible, and were quite different from usual cystic bronchiectasis formed by acquired recurrent infections. Her bronchiectasis is most likely congenital in its etiology, and might be considered as an adult case of Williams-Campbell syndrome.

Adult↗

Limited proteolysis of the nitrate reductase from spinach leaves.

The functional structure of assimilatory NADH-nitrate reductase from spinach leaves was studied by limited proteolysis experiments. After incubation of purified nitrate reductase with trypsin, two stable products of 59 and 45 kDa were observed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The fragment of 45 kDa was purified by Blue Sepharose chromatography. NADH-ferricyanide reductase and NADH-cytochrome c reductase activities were associated with this 45-kDa fragment which contains FAD, heme, and NADH binding fragment. After incubation of purified nitrate reductase with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, two major peaks were observed by high performance liquid chromatography size exclusion gel filtration. FMNH2-nitrate reductase and reduced methyl viologen-nitrate reductase activities were associated with the first peak of 170 kDa which consists of two noncovalently associated (75-90-kDa) fragments. NADH-ferricyanide reductase activity, however, was associated with the second peak which consisted of FAD and NADH binding sites. Incubation of the 45-kDa fragment with S. aureus V8 protease produced two major fragments of 28 and 14 kDa which contained FAD and heme, respectively. These results indicate that the molybdenum, heme, and FAD components of spinach nitrate reductase are contained in distinct domains which are covalently linked by exposed hinge regions. The molybdenum domain appears to be important in the maintenance of subunit interactions in the enzyme complex.

Dihydrolipoamide Dehydrogenase↗

Transfrontal intradural microsurgical decompression for traumatic optic nerve injury.

Microsurgical decompression of the optic nerve was performed in 22 patients with traumatic optic nerve injury through a transfrontal intradural approach. When significant improvement is defined as an improvement of the visual acuity of 0.1 or more, 11 patients (50%) showed significant improvement and 7 patients (32%) showed non-significant improvement. Four patients who had been blind preoperatively, did not show any improvement. In cases with a preoperative visual acuity of 0.01 or more, significant improvement was obtained in 80% of the patients, and when the preoperative visual acuity was not nill but less than 0.01, 38% of patients showed significant improvement. We conclude that a transfrontal intradural microsurgical decompression is indicated, when the preoperative visual acuity is 0.01 or more and the time lag is less than 14 days after the injury.

Adolescent↗

Whole-body autoradiography of tumor-bearing hamsters with a new tumor imaging agent, indium-111-labeled porphyrin.

We have synthesized a new tumor imaging agent, 111In-labeled porphyrin (111In-ATN-2). In order to image transplantable pancreatic carcinoma in Syrian golden hamsters, we investigated the biodistribution of 111In-ATN-2 72 hr after injecting the agent by means of whole-body autoradiography. The efficacy of the agent was compared with that of 67Ga citrate. The images with 111In-ATN-2 were found to be clearer than those with 67Ga citrate. Tumor-to-tissue radiodistribution ratios of the former were higher than those of the latter. Thus, 111In-ATN-2 seems to be more useful for tumor diagnosis.

Animals↗

Effects of S-adenosyl-L-methionine upon ischemia-induced brain edema in Mongolian gerbils and spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Effects of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe).2 sulphate.tosylate upon the ischemia-induced brain edema and survival rate in Mongolian gerbils and spontaneously hypertensive rats were investigated, since SAMe is known to be important as a physiologically active substance in numerous metabolic processes including those that are inhibited in ischemia. SAMe suppressed increases in water and Na+ content in the ischemic brain which was produced by ligation of the common carotid artery for a short term (20-30 min) in Mongolian gerbils. This ameliorating effect of SAMe was observed dose-dependently at higher doses than 100 mg/kg administered repeatedly every 0.5 or 1 hr, starting within 2 hr, at least, after the reperfusion. Similar effects were also obtained in spontaneously hypertensive rats whose common carotid artery on both sides were ligated permanently. SAMe also increased survival rate in Mongolian gerbils with ischemic brain. Although the SAMe solution employed in the present experiments was hypertonic and contained mannitol as a filler, the beneficial effects were due to neither the hypertonicity of the solution nor mannitol, but due to SAMe itself.

Animals↗

[Experimental study of truncal vagotomy for healing of highly located gastric ulcer].

In order to investigate whether truncal vagotomy effects on the wound-healing of highly located gastric ulcer or not, the ratio of epithelialization of ulcer, gastric acidity, mucosal blood flow, mucosal PGE2 and labelling index of mucosa after vagotomy were studied by using the mongrel dogs which were prepared highly located penetrated gastric ulcer. Following results were obtained. 1. The ratio of epithelialization of vagotomized dogs at the third week after preparing ulcer showed significant high ratio compared with non-vagotomized dogs. Comparing thoracic truncal vagotomy with abdominal truncal vagotomy, the former was more effective than the latter. 2. Mucosal blood flow and gastric acidity were reduced after vagotomy. 3. Mucosal PGE2 decreased at the first week after vagotomy, however, reduced PGE2 recovered up-to the level with non-vagotomized dogs at the second week after thoracic truncal vagotomy and at the third week after abdominal truncal vagotomy, respectively. 4. Labelling indexes showed significant high counts after vagotomy compared with non-vagotomy. In conclusion, it was suggested that truncal vagotomy would be effective on the wound-healing of ulcer due to the reduction of acid out-put and only a transient decrease of PGE2, however, mucosal blood flow decreased after vagotomy.

Animals↗