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Biomedical subjects

Y Nakane

Publications and source records attributed to Y Nakane.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Results of a qualitative and field study using the WHOQOL instrument for cancer patients.

The main purpose of the study was to evaluate quality of life (QOL) among cancer patients using the WHOQOL-100 instrument and to see if any significant differences were seen in cancer stages, treatment status and prognosis. This study consisted of two parts; qualitative and quantitative. For the qualitative study, two focus groups were conducted by medical professionals to establish the applicability of the WHOQOL instrument in evaluating the QOL of cancer patients, but most participants were negative about using a generic instrument such as WHOQOL. For the quantitative study, 197 cancer patients (average age 55.86) from eight medical centers using the WHOQOL instrument, in addition to each patient's information sheet filled in by their own physicians, were analyzed. The average overall QOL score was 3.39. There was high reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.9685) and a high correlation between the psychological and the environmental domains (r = 0.7021), the physical domain and the level of independence (r = 0.6031) and social relations and the environment (r = 0.6856) and between health conditions perceived by patients and QOL scores. In addition, differences by gender, treatments and cancer sites were also found to be significantly different at the 5% significance level. The results indicated that the WHOQOL core instrument was sensitive enough to evaluate the QOL of cancer patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

The nature of psychiatric problems among disaster victims.

One-quarter of the residents (about 52,000) in the disaster area around the volcanic eruption area of Mt Unzen-Fugen have been forced to evacuate over a 3 year period. We conducted a psychological controlled study using the GHQ-30 for evacuees. As a result, the percentage of people with a high score over 8 points was 67% of evacuees, markedly higher than 10% of the control group. Some mental support activities, such as counseling by community nurses and crisis intervention/medication by psychiatrists and others, have been promoted. Subjects who received a psychiatric intervention had good outcome as a whole. The nature of psychiatric problems among disaster evacuees and the necessity of long-term support are discussed in this paper.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Progress of ICD-10 (F) family in Japan: research, field trials and publications.

The Nagasaki Center, designated as a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center in 1979, has taken the lead in generalizing ICD-10 (F) in Japan. The progress of ICD-10 (F)-related research, trials and publications has been as follows. The field trials of ICD-10 Clinical Descriptions and Diagnostic Guidelines (CDDG) 1986 draft were carried out with 129 patients by 61 clinicians in five institutions coordinated by Tokyo Medical and Dental University and Nagasaki University in 1988. The Japanese version of ICD-10 CDDG was published by Tooru et al. in February 1993. The field trials of ICD-10 Diagnostic Criteria for Research (DCR) 1990 version were conducted with 847 patients by 169 clinicians at 28 institutions and 2299 assessments were obtained. The Japanese version of ICD-10 DCR final version was published by Nakane et al. in May 1994. The Japanese version of the Glossaries and Conversion Tables between ICD-9 and ICD-10 was published by Nakane et al. in October 1994. The field trials of ICD-10 Multiaxial Presentation were conducted with 34 psychiatrists at six institutions in 1993 and the total of 676 assessments was obtained, and the adequacy and usefulness of the text were examined.

Cross-Cultural Comparison↗
PubMed1998

Azathioprine-induced megaloblastic anemia with pancytopenia 22 years after living-related renal transplantation.

Macrocytosis and megaloblastic changes in the bone marrow are frequently seen in renal transplant recipients treated with azathioprine (Az). However, severe anemia is a rare side effect of Az. We recently observed a case of severe megaloblastic anemia with pancytopenia in a renal transplant recipient who had been receiving Az therapy for 22 years. The patient was a 46-year-old woman who had been administered Az and prednisolone at a dose of approximately 1.7 mg/kg and 0.17 mg/kg daily, respectively. A bone marrow aspiration revealed megaloblastic anemia with the depletion of myeloid cells and megakaryocytes. She did not have vitamin B12 or folate deficiency. Therefore, FK506 (tacrolimus), a macrolide produced by Streptomyces tsukubaensis, which acts directly on T cells and is known to have less myelosuppression than Az, was substituted for Az. Although the leukopenia improved, the anemia and thrombocytopenia did not improve in the short term. She developed dyspnea and severe subcutaneous bleeding of the right lower extremity due to knee contusions. Hemodialysis was started to treat her uremic state. Although it was impossible to evaluate the long-term effects of FK506 therapy for the pancytopenia in our case, the conversion from Az to a less myelosuppressive drug, such as FK506, should be considered in renal transplant recipients with severe myelosuppression caused by long-term Az treatment.

Anemia, Megaloblastic↗
PubMed1998

Genomic discordance between monozygotic twins discordant for schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE: Genomic DNA of monozygotic twins discordant for schizophrenia was analyzed to determine whether their genomes were truly identical. METHOD: The subjects were monozygotic male twins, one of whom had DSM-III-R schizophrenia, undifferentiated type. Genomic DNA was extracted from leukocytes and was applied to restriction landmark genome scanning analysis, which was developed for a high-speed survey of restriction sites throughout a genome and measurement of their copy number in each locus. RESULTS: After comparisons of patterns with approximately 2,000 spots, the authors detected at least two spots with autoradiographic intensities that obviously differed in the two twins. CONCLUSIONS: The discrepancies likely were generated either by differences in the methylation status at NotI sites between the twins or by submicroscopic changes occurring at NotI-flanking sites in one twin after (or simultaneous with) twinning. In either case, the difference may influence the transcription level of one or more genes.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Development of heart rate in the precocial king quail Coturnix chinensis.

Our aim was to examine changes in heart rate (fh) during the embryonic and posthatching periods of the smallest precocial avian species, Coturnix chinensis. In experiment I, repeated measurements of mean fh were made for individual quail by ballistocardiogram (BCG) during incubation, and by both piezo-electric film and electrocardiogram (ECG) during the posthatching period (resting and thermoneutral conditions). Mean fh of all embryos increased during the second half of incubation and the first week posthatching, but a few embryos experienced a very brief period of decreased fh prior to internal pipping. After the first week, fh of posthatching quail was maintained at high levels (550-650 beats min-1), then decreased with age and increase in body mass. The maximal fh of quail chicks represents a greater posthatching increase in fh than is found in larger precocial chickens, this difference being attributable to the higher demands of thermoregulation at small body masses in the quail. In experiment II, the mean fh of quail embryos (day 2-16) was recorded by ECG, and embryonic stage, yolk-free embryo mass (wet and dry) and water content were measured. Mean fh was linearly related to embryo mass throughout incubation, except on the day prior to internal pipping, when the fh of a few embryos declined below this linear relationship. Measurements of instantaneous fh of late incubation embryos, young and adult quail all showed spontaneous fluctuations in fh. Two main frequency components of fh fluctuations were identified for the first time in an avian species. Low-frequency (mean 0.09 Hz, 12.6 s) and high-frequency (1.4 Hz, 0.9 s) oscillations in both young chicks and adult quail were detected and are considered to reflect baroreflex mediation of fh and respiratory sinus arrhythmia, respectively.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1998

A proposal of optimal floor surface temperature based on survey of literatures related to floor heating environment in Japan.

Due to comprehensive research on floor heating in Japan and abroad over the last twenty years it is possible today to predict these combinations of comfortable conditions. The specific aim of this investigation is to obtain experimental data upon which the comfortable range of the floor surface temperature could be based, thereby providing a practical and more satisfactory design guide. Accordingly literatures on floor heating are collected and investigated with the purpose of revealing what the comfort range of floor surface temperature ought to be. Authors tried to obtain a comfortable and permissible floor surface temperature and then reconfirm the maximum comfortable range so that they can propose a reasonable comfortable floor surface temperature and make it fit for practical and extensive use. After synthesizing all the comfortable and permissible values reported in many other papers, this paper finally advances a suggestion on the optimal and permissible floor surface temperatures. Results concerning this subject are as follows. The lowest floor surface temperature would be limited to 25 degrees C, and it is 21-23 degrees C for the air temperature so that more than 80% subjects can be expected to be comfortable within this recommended temperature interval.

Environment Design↗
PubMed1998

[Antimicrobial activity of ofloxacin against recent clinical isolates from otitis media and otitis externa].

In order to evaluate the annual changes of susceptibility, minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of ofloxacin (OFLX) and 4 control drugs were determined against clinical isolates that were obtained from patients with otitis media and otitis externa during the periods between January and December 1993, and the periods between October 1996 and March 1997. The results are summarized as follows: 1. No annual changes were seen for MIC50 of OFLX, but MIC80 and MIC90 of that rose against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa from 1993 to 1996. It appears that resistance to OFLX is increasing among these bacteria. Detection frequency of highly resistant strains to OFLX (MIC > 100 micrograms/ml) was lower than to other control drugs. 2. No annual changes were seen of MIC50, MIC80 and MIC90 of OFLX against methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), Streptococcus spp., Proteus spp. and Haemophilus influenzae. OFLX showed strong antimicrobial activities against these bacteria. 3. Since there was no large annual changes in the antimicrobial activity of OFLX against clinical isolates that were obtained from patients with otitis media and otitis externa, OFLX otic solution was considered as one of the clinically useful drugs even now.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed1997

Gicerin, a cell adhesion molecule, participates in the histogenesis of retina.

Gicerin is a novel cell adhesion molecule that belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily. Gicerin protein adheres to neurite outgrowth factor (NOF), an extracellular matrix protein in the laminin family, and also exhibits homophilic adhesion. Heterophilic adhesion of gicerin to NOF is thought to play an active role in neurite outgrowth of developing retinal cells in vitro. In this study, we examined the adhesion activity of gicerin during the retinal development of Japanese quail using an antibody directed against gicerin, to elucidate the biological importance of gicerin in retinal histogenesis. Immunohistochemical and Western blot analysis showed that gicerin was highly expressed in the developing retina but suppressed in the mature retina. The aggregation of neural retinal cells from 5-day embryonic quail retina was significantly inhibited when incubated with a polyclonal antibody to gicerin, suggesting that gicerin protein participates in the adhesion of neural retinal cells of the developing retina. Furthermore, histogenesis of retina both in the organ cultures and in ovo embryos was severely disrupted by incubation with a gicerin antibody. These findings provide evidence that gicerin plays an important role in retinal histogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Jejunal pouch and interposition reconstruction after total gastrectomy for cancer.

The authors modified the operative procedures used in pouch and interposition (PI) reconstruction in an attempt to improve the surgical results after total gastrectomy, because a randomized controlled trial had revealed that the clinical assessment of PI was quite poor, even though it is a physiological route. In most of the treated patients, the gastric emptying test revealed delayed emptying, and an X-ray video film showed folding and twisting of the jejunal conduit between the pouch and duodenum, which disturbed the transmission of nutrition. Modified PI (m-PI) was performed by decreasing the length of the jejunal conduit and widening the mesenteric pedicle to preserve the blood and nerve supply. This procedure was retrospectively compared with the previously used PI reconstruction by evaluating the postprandial symptoms, food intake, body weight, serum nutritional parameters, and emptying time of the gastric substitute. The m-PI group (n = 6) showed a lower incidence of symptoms, a greater food intake, and a greater weight recovery than the PI group (n = 6). The gastric emptying test also revealed an acceptable degree of emptying. We thus conclude that the m-PI reconstruction is more useful for improving the postoperative quality of life than the previously used method of PI reconstruction.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Measurement of reaction rate distributions in a plastic phantom irradiated by 40- and 65-MEV quasi-monoenergetic neutrons.

Reaction rate distributions in a plastic phantom were measured with solid state nuclear track detectors and a fission counter for 40- and 65-MeV quasi-monoenergetic neutrons generated by the 7Li(p,n) reactions with 43- and 68-MeV protons at AVF cyclotron of Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute. Measured distributions were compared with calculated ones.

Cyclotrons↗
PubMed1997

Prediction of drug responses in schizophrenia: a method using a test dose of chlorpromazine.

Thirty-seven newly admitted schizophrenic patients were treated with an open and flexible dosage of chlorpromazine for 3 months after receiving a test dose. Levels of chlorpromazine, demethylated chlorpromazine and chlorpromazine sulfoxide 3 h after the test dose were measured. Twenty-three patients responded to long-term chlorpromazine treatment but 14 did not, a rate of 62.2%. A discriminant function analysis was performed using variables relating to the patients, backgrounds added to the ratios of plasma drug levels separately by sex to increase predictability over the level of previous studies. The obtained equations were applied to 23 newly admitted schizophrenic patients, with the prescription of chlorpromazine for designated responders and haloperidol for designated non-responders for 4 weeks. The patients in the latter study responded better than those of the former with chlorpromazine alone; 71.4 and 88.9% of chlorpromazine- and haloperidol-treated groups improved, respectively, for an overall rate of 78.3%. However, the chlorpromazine-treated group had a lower level of positive symptoms than the haloperidol-treated group before treatment and this and other differences between the groups should be further examined.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Changes in the epidemiological pattern of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia].

The aim of this clinical study was to investigate the changes in the epidemiological pattern and clinical characteristics of Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MP). 244 patients with MP admitted to Kamo Hospital from 1979 to 1996 were reviewed. In the first half (1979-1987) there was a sharp increases once every 4-5 years in 1979-1978, 1984-1985, and 1988, but in the latter half (1988-1996) there were not sharp increases and decreases. The latest MP incidence in winter (Dec. to Feb.) was 24% in the latter half (1988-1996) significantly (p < 0.05) higher than 13% in the first half (1988-1996). In recent years in the management of pneumonia we should take MP into consideration every year and every season.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Dilute down lethal: a new lethal mutation in Japanese quail.

"Dilute down lethal (DDL)" is a new mutation of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Neonatal plumage of the DDL mutant is the same as the wild type in pattern, but its coloration is slightly lighter than that of the wild type. In addition to the down color abnormality, some DDL chicks have bent digits. All DDL chicks die within three days of age. Genetic analysis revealed that the DDL mutation is controlled by an autosomal recessive gene. The proposed gene symbol is ddl.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

[Antimicrobial activities of arbekacin against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus].

In order to evaluate antimicrobial activity of arbekacin (ABK), coagulase-type and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of ABK and other drugs were determined against 700 strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) that were obtained in our laboratory from 1990 to 1996, 7 years. The results are summarized as follows; 1. The MIC-distributions of ABK against 100 strains of MRSA obtained yearly did not show stochastically significant differences. 2. The coagulase-type distributions showed differences over the years. Coagulase-type II strains increased and type IV strains decreased, and MIC-distributions of ABK and other drugs were different according to coagulase-types. 3. The detection frequencies of ABK-resistant strains (MIC of ABK: > or = 12.5 micrograms/ml) were 2.0 approximately 8.0% through the years. The frequency reported in 1980 was equal to the frequency obtained in 1992 approximately 1993 in a nationwide survey. Coagulase-types II, IV and VII that were ABK-resistant strains were frequently obtained, and most of ABK-resistant strains were also highly resistant to gentamicin.

Aminoglycosides↗
PubMed1997

[Jejunal pouch and interposition reconstruction after a total gastrectomy for cancer].

The authors modified the operative procedures used in pouch and interposition (PI) reconstruction in an attempt to improve the surgical results after a total gastrectomy, because a randomized controlled trial had revealed that the clinical assessment of PI was quite poor, even though it is a physiological route. In most of the treated patients, the gastric emptying test revealed delayed emptying, and an X-ray video film showed folding and twisting of the jejunal conduit between the pouch and duodenum, which disturbed the transmission of the nutrition. Modified PI (m-PI) was performed by decreasing the length of the jejunal conduit and widening the jejunal pedicle to preserve the blood and nerve supply. The m-PI group showed a lower incidence of symptoms, a greater food intake, and a greater weight recovery than the PI group. The gastric emptying test also revealed an acceptable degree of emptying. We conclude that the m-PI reconstruction is more useful for improving the postoperative quality of life than the previously used method of PI reconstruction.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗
PubMed1997

[Type III procollagen N-terminal aminopeptide and type IV collagen 7S in pleural effusion fluid].

The mechanism of pleural fibrosis in malignant and inflammatory pleural effusion remains unclear. We measured the levels of type III procollagen N-terminal amino peptide (PIIIP) and type IV collagen 7S in patients who had pleural effusion and lung carcinoma, and in others who had inflammatory diseases (parapneumonic and tuberculous pleuritis). The PIIIP level and the PIIIP/type IV collagen 7S ratio in patients with malignant pleural effusion were significantly lower than those in patients with inflammatory pleural effusion (p < 0.01), but the levels of type IV collagen 7S did not differ. The ratio of PIIIP to type IV collagen 7S was higher in patients with tuberculous pleuritis than in those with parapneumonic pleuritis (p < 0.05). These data indicate that pleural fibrotic adhesion may be accelerated in inflammatory pleural effusion because of elevated production of type III collagen; basement membrane injury in malignant and inflammatory pleural effusion may be caused by similar damage. We conclude that a high level of PIIIP and a high PIIIP/type IV collagen 7S ratio may indicate the presence of inflammatory pleuritis, and that the latter may indicate the presence of tuberculous pleuritis.

Aged↗