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Biomedical subjects

Y Okajima

Publications and source records attributed to Y Okajima.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

[Standardization of definitions concerning smoking behavior among Japanese adolescents--results from the Japan Adolescent Smoking Survey (JASS)].

The aim of the Japan Adolescent Smoking Survey (JASS) is to standardize the definitions of smoking behavior among Japanese adolescents together with measurement methods and questionnaires concerned. A study of 9921 school children aged 9 to 18 years in 17 elementary schools, 16 junior high schools and 18 senior high schools in 9 prefectures, was conducted between June and July of 1989, to determine the relationship between actual smoking behavior during the past month or year and the "self-referent label" concerning their smoking status. The main results were as follows: 1) The percentage of those who smoked at least one cigarette during the past month showed a high degree of similarity to the percentage of those who referred to themselves as "regular smokers" or "occasional smokers". 2) Less than 10% of students who identified themselves as "never smokers" or "ex-smokers" smoked at least one cigarette during the past month, while more than 80% of students who referred to themselves as "regular smokers" or "occasional smokers" smoked during the past month. 3) On the whole, those who smoked 20 or more cigarettes during the past month referred to themselves as "regular smokers"; those who smoked between 2 and 19 cigarettes as "occasional smokers"; those who smoked 1 cigarette as "ex-smokers"; those who did not smoke during the past month as "never smokers". 4) The definition where students who smoked one cigarette during the past month are classified as a category of smoker, displayed a high level of sensitivity and specificity for all school-level groups and for both sexes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Smoking and alcohol drinking behavior among Japanese adolescents--results from "Japan Know Your Body Study"].

The "Japan Know Your Body Study" (JKYB) is an example of collaborative activities of technology transfer carried out in Japan in several phases. The first phase is a needs assessment and data collection survey and it was administered during 1989. A survey was conducted throughout 9 prefectures in Japan with participation by 49 schools. Subjects were students in elementary, junior and senior high schools who ranged in age from 6 to 18 years. Participants, 12,892 in total, completed a survey on knowledge, attitude and behavior regarding cigarette smoking, alcohol drinking, diet, exercise and so on. The main results concerning cigarette smoking and alcohol drinking behavior were as follows: 1) The percentage of monthly male smokers rose remarkably from 8% in the third grade of junior high school to 37% in the third grade of senior high school, while that of female smokers showed a slow rise from 3% to 15%. The sex difference for smoking behavior was clear among senior high school students. 2) Smoking rates increased in proportion to the numbers of parents, siblings and friends who smoked. Above all, smoking behavior of friends was strongly related. Among senior high school students, for example, 50% of males and 46% of females who had two or more smoking friends were smokers, as compared to 5% of males and 2% of females with no smoking friends. 3) The percentage of monthly drinkers rose at a steady pace from 13% of males and 7% of females in the fifth grade of elementary schools to 59% of males and 50% of females in the third grade of senior high schools. The sex difference for alcohol drinking behavior among senior high school students, while statistically significant, was not as pronounced as that for smoking behavior. These results suggest that tobacco- and alcohol-use prevention programs should be introduced in elementary schools and those programs should include components relating to the social influences of parents, siblings and friends.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Magnetic resonance imaging of myocardial infarction in Kawasaki disease.

We performed magnetic resonance imaging in patients with Kawasaki disease following myocardial infarction to assess the usefulness of the technique in detecting myocardial infarction and coronary artery lesions. In six patients (group A), the interval after myocardial infarction was from 7 days to 7 months, and in five patients (group B), it was from 1 to 4 years. Imaging was performed with a superconducting magnet operating at 0.5 T with spin-echo sequence and ECG-gated multiple slices of 5 mm thickness. Myocardial signals were increased in group A, and the region of high signal intensity corresponded to the site of myocardial infarction. The signal intensity within the myocardium was homogeneous in five patients in group B. Coronary arteries were visualized in 20 of 22 instances. Signals within the coronary artery were observed in all 14 instances with poor contrast runoff from the coronary aneurysm, and 11 of these vessels showed high signal intensity. In all six instances in which large aneurysms with severe stenosis were present, signals in the coronary artery were increased. In contrast, high signal intensity in the coronary artery was not observed in five of six instances with good contrast runoff. Signals in the coronary arterial cavity and high signal intensity in the coronary artery persisted in five of six instances with turbulent coronary flow. The findings of increased coronary arterial signals suggested stagnant blood flow in the coronary aneurysm. In conclusion, magnetic resonance imaging was a useful modality for assessment of myocardial infarction and coronary artery lesions in Kawasaki disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Analysis of factors associated with adolescent smoking by a follow-up survey].

One hundred and seventy-four second year senior high school students (106 males and 68 females) participated in a questionnaire survey to analyze factors associated with smoking. The questionnaire consisted of variables on family smoking, beliefs regarding smoking, knowledge about the dangers of smoking, etc. Smoking behavior about three and a half year later, when the subjects had become adults (twenty years old), was then investigated. The relationships between their behavior and the variables obtained in the earlier research were analyzed in detail. The results were as follows: 1) Family smoking was related to smoking behavior at the stage of second year of senior high school for males and to smoking onset after second year of senior high school for females. 2) Self-prediction regarding future smoking was related to both smoking behavior during senior high school and smoking onset in the future. Almost all beliefs regarding smoking was related to smoking behavior at the second year of senior high school, however, these beliefs were not effective in predicting future behavioral change. 3) Knowledge about the dangers of smoking was related to neither the smoking behavior at the stage of senior high school nor behavioral change in the future.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Effect of forced running on rat skeletal muscle with acrylamide neuropathy.

This study was performed to evaluate the effect of prolonged forced running on rat lower limb muscles with acrylamide neuropathy. Twenty-four 4-week-old rats were divided into three groups of eight rats. Acrylamide was given to two groups of sixteen rats to induce mild paralysis. Eight rats with acrylamide injections were forced to run 3,200 m/day on a treadmill for five weeks. Running activities slowed the rate of body weight gain and aggravated paralysis. Although the wet weight of tibialis anterior (TA) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles was reduced by running, that of soleus (SOL) muscles was unchanged. The ratio of their weight to their body weight (BW) remained constant regardless of exercise. Protein content (PC) of muscles was not altered by exercise, either. We postulated that exercise-induced worsening of paralysis in acrylamide neuropathy rats was not caused by muscle pathology. Deterioration of neuropathic condition due to exercise was suggested.

Acrylamides↗
PubMed1989

[A fundamental and clinical investigation of cancer antigen 130 (CA 130) in the field of obstetrics and gynecology].

Two murine monoclonal antibodies designated 130-22 and 145-9 have been recently established by immunizing mice with a pulmonary carcinoma cell line (PC-9). With use of these monoclonal antibodies a sensitive sandwich immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) for cancer antigen 130 (CA130) was developed in Daiichi Radioisotope Laboratories (Tokyo). Applying this IRMA kit CA130 concentrations were measured in various body fluids with special reference to obstetrics and gynecology. The results are as follows; 1) A CA130-IRMA showed excellent sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility and analytical recovery. The standard dose-response curve covered the range from 10 to 500 U/ml. 2) Serum CA130 levels measured by this assay system were closely correlated with serum CA125 levels, demonstrating quite a high correlation coefficient (r = 0.965). 3) In pregnancy maternal CA130 levels increased moderately (less than 300 U/ml) in the first trimester, and thereafter fell rapidly under normal upper limit (less than 35 U/ml). Immediately after deliveries maternal CA130 levels showed a rapid increase, reaching 269 U/ml (mean levels). In amniotic fluids CA130 concentrations were greatly elevated (3,236 U/ml mean levels), while the levels were almost within normal limit in the umbilical arterial and venous blood. Accordingly it is necessary to measure Schwangerschaftsprotein 1 or human chorionic gonadotropin simultaneously with CA130 to rule out possible pregnancy. 4) CA130 was clearly localized in the amniotic epithelium and umbilical sheath and other placental tissue components remained negative for this antigen. Taking the lower CA130 levels in the umbilical sera into consideration, these immunohistochemical results suggest CA130 is not oncofetal but oncoplacental. 5) Serum CA130 levels increased pretherapeutically beyond 35 U/ml in 87% of ovarian malignancies, and in 56% of endometrial carcinoma. The mean levels of serum CA130 reached 931 and 143 U/ml, respectively. These data indicate clinical usefulness of CA130 as a tumor marker for those diseases. By contrast serum CA130 levels were lower, and very few cases showed serum CA130 levels over 35 U/ml in cervical cancer. 6) In endometriosis 88% of the cases demonstrated increased serum CA130 levels, indicating its usefulness for monitoring therapeutic courses, just like CA125. In benign gynecologic diseases over 80% of cases showed increased serum CA130 levels while only slight increase in serum CA130 was found (mean levels less than 84.0 U/ml). This disadvantage could be lessened by a combination assay with CA72-4 and others whose serum levels were very low in the benign diseases.

Antigens, Tumor-Associated, Carbohydrate↗
PubMed1989

Overwork weakness in rats with acrylamide neuropathy.

Exercised rats have larger myelinated nerve fibers than sedentary rats and exercised rats with acrylamide neuropathy have smaller fibers than acrylamide-treated sedentary rats. These nerve fiber changes were the result of work hypertrophy and overwork atrophy, respectively. This study was designed to reassess morphologic changes in nerves after overwork was induced in rats with acrylamide neuropathy and to test the effects of rest before and after an overwork period in rats with acrylamide neuropathy. The 4-week-old rats divided into four groups of eight rats. Acrylamide was administered to three groups (Groups 2, 3, and 4) to induce subacute paralysis followed by gradual ameriolation. Group 3 was exercised for the first 5 weeks and was rested for the last 5 weeks. Group 4 was exercised for the last 5 weeks. The diameter distribution of myelinated fibers of the tibial and sural nerves was analyzed. The percentage of larger myelinated fibers was decreased in all acrylamide-treated groups. The average values of fiber diameters in Group 4 were significantly smaller than injected sedentary animals (Group 2) or those with rest (Group 3), whereas no significant difference was found between the latter groups. Axonal degeneration of teased fibers was assessed in the tibial and sural nerves. The percentage of axonal degenerated fibers in exercised animals (Group 4) was significantly higher than in the other acrylamide-injected groups (Groups 2 and 3). This study supports the concept that acrylamide neuropathy worsens with moderate intensity of running activities for a prolonged period and that recovery may occur if vigorous exercise is avoided.

Acrylamide↗
PubMed1989

Clinical significance of a solid-phase immunoradiometrical assay for sialyl SSEA-1 antigen in obstetrics and gynecology.

The clinical usefulness of sialyl SSEA-1 antigen was evaluated in obstetrics and gynecology. Serum levels of sialyl SSEA-1 were measured in patients with benign or malignant gynecologic diseases, and in normal pregnant women. Moreover, in 10 cases of full term delivery, samples of maternal sera immediately prior to delivery, soon after delivery and 5-day-puerperium, cord sera from the umbilical artery and vein, and amniotic fluid were taken to measure its concentration. During the course of pregnancy, serum SSEA-1 levels were within the normal range (below 38 U/ml), showing no significant correlation with gestational weeks. Of patients with gynecologic diseases, those with malignant ovarian neoplasms, uterine cervical carcinoma and benign ovarian neoplasms exhibited elevated (over 38 U/ml) levels in 26%, 15% and 6% of all cases, respectively. In cases of full term delivery, the concentrations of sialyl SSEA-1 in the maternal and cord sera were within the normal range. Concentrations were extremely high, however, in the amniotic fluid.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1989

Giant right atrial thrombus in Noonan syndrome combined with Eisenmenger's complex.

A 54-year-old woman with the Noonan syndrome was admitted with congestive heart failure and a giant right atrial thrombus with atrial septal defect detected by two-dimensional echocardiography. The thrombus vanished on oral anticoagulant therapy with warfarin. The thrombus is considered to result from hemostasis in the right atrium due to congestive heart failure and to her specific skeletal characteristics. This report describes the first case of Noonan syndrome with right atrial thrombus.

Echocardiography↗
PubMed1988

Combined single stage anterior and posterior osteotomy for correction of iatrogenic lumbar kyphosis.

Fifty-four patients were treated by a standardized single stage anterior opening wedge and a posterior closing extension wedge osteotomy for back pain associated with postoperative loss of lumbar lordosis (iatrogenic flat back syndrome). Presenting complaints were fatigue, pain and a stooped posture. Etiological factors were, in descending order of frequency, distraction instrumentation with the lower end at the L5 or S1 vertebra, thoracolumbar junction kyphosis greater than 15 degrees, especially if associated with a hypokyphotic thoracic spine, and degenerative changes above and below a previous fusion. Kostuik-Harrington instrumentation was used anteriorly for the opening wedge and Dwyer cables and screws together with a midline plate were used posteriorly for the closing extension osteotomy. Malunion occurred in three patients, one requiring recorrection. Pain relief occurred in 48 (90%). Neurological complications occurred in two patients, one with permanent deficient. Follow-up averaged 4 years. Average preosteotomy lordosis L1-S1 was 21.5 degrees and was restored to 49 degrees (equal to the lordosis before the initial surgery) for an average correction of 29 degrees, (range 24 degrees to 63 degrees). Prevention of this complication can be accomplished by maintaining normal lordosis at the time of initial surgery.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Free compound rib-latissimus dorsi osteomusculocutaneous flap in reconstruction of the leg.

The use of a free compound rib-latissimus dorsi osteomusculocutaneous flap is described, for reconstruction of the tibia and soft tissue of the leg. The entire flap depends on the thoracodorsal artery for its blood supply. Dye injection studies of the artery demonstrated continuity between it and the intercostal artery, which is the periosteal vessel of the rib, through a dense network of vascular communications. The longest follow-up reported is three years and ten months. Follow-up showed that the use of this compound flap produced uniformly well-contoured soft tissue coverage and bony structure that thickened almost to the same dimensions as the tibia. The transferred tissue was examined by x-ray and bone scintigraphy, and was found to be viable.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Effect of (2"R)-4'-O-tetrahydropyranyladriamycin, a new antitumor antibiotic, on the cardiac function of hamsters].

Cardiovascular effects of (2''R)-4'-O-tetrahydropylanyladriamycin X HCl (THP) and doxorubicin (adriamycin, ADM) were studied in hamsters. In experiments to observe acute effects, THP was administered intravenously at a dose of 12.5, 25.0 or 50.0 mg/kg, and ADM at 1.56, 3.13 or 6.25 mg/kg was given to different subjects. The THP caused slight ECG alterations at a dose of 12.5 mg/kg. At a dose of 25.0 mg/kg or 50.0 mg/kg, THP caused moderate to remarkable alterations in ECG like a widening of PR and PRc interval, A-V block, ST segment depression and T wave flattening. The ADM caused moderate to remarkable alterations in ECG at a dose of 3.13 mg/kg or 6.25 mg/kg, including arrhythmia, bradycardia, A-V block, ST segment changes and T wave flattening. These changes caused by THP and ADM recovered within 5 approximately 10 minutes after injection. Alterations in the ultrastructure of the myocardium caused by THP at a dose of 50.0 mg/kg included some cells with slight changes like swelling of mitochondria, focal intracellular edema, and enlargement of myofibrils. The ADM, at a dose of 3.13 mg/kg, induced severer swelling of mitochondria than THP, dilatation of sarcoplasmic reticulum, intracellular edema, and disorganization of myofilaments. At a dose of 6.25 mg/kg of ADM, these changes became more pronounced. In experiments to observe subacute effects, hamsters were treated with THP or ADM by daily intraperitoneal injections for 15 consecutive days, and then allowed to be recovered for 15 days. Dose levels of THP or ADM were 0.125, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg. General toxicity, ECG, hematological and blood biochemical analysis, and electron microscopic examination were studied. In the ECG study, THP-treated hamsters showed a reversible elevation of R wave amplitude at a daily dose of 0.5 mg/kg. Widening of PR and PRc interval, elevation of R and S wave amplitude, and reduction of T wave amplitude were observed at a daily dose of 1.0 mg/kg of THP. Hamsters treated with ADM showed increase of heart rate, reduction of T wave amplitude, and shortening of PR and PRc interval at a daily dose of 0.5 mg/kg. Severe changes were observed at a daily dose of 1.0 mg/kg of ADM including an increase of heart rate, elevation of R wave amplitude, reduction of S and T wave amplitude, and shortening of QT interval. The electron microscopic examination revealed that THP-treated hamsters showed separation of intercalated discs, formation of myelin structure, and dilatation of T-tubules at a daily dose of 1.0 mg/kg. Similar changes were caused by ADM at a daily dose of 0.25 to 1.0 mg/kg.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗