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Biomedical subjects

Y Wada

Publications and source records attributed to Y Wada.

At least 523 records · Page 29Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

BCX-34: a novel T-cell selective immunosuppressant: purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) inhibitor.

We evaluated the efficacy of a new purine nucleoside phosphorylase inhibitor, BCX-34, as an immunosuppressive agent. BCX-34 showed a complete inhibitory effect on the proliferation of T-cells in an in vitro system, whereas no influence was observed in B-cell lines. In addition, it was revealed that this inhibitory effect was not due to the suppression of interleukin-2 production. Therefore, BCX-34 might be a potentially useful drug that can be used in combination, not competition, with cyclosporine A and FK506.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

[A 12-year-old girl with acute respiratory disease with pneumonia caused by adenovirus type 7].

We have encountered a 12-year-old girl with acute respiratory disease including pneumonia caused by adenovirus type 7. While being followed-up for bronchial asthma, she developed this disease with dyspnea accompanied by high fever, pharyngalgia and a dry cough subsequent to a slight fever. Adenovirus type 7 was separated and identified from the pharyngeal smear. Additionally, perfusion scintigraphy of the lungs presented evidence of interstitial pneumonia. with these findings and the clinical course put together, this case was diagnosed as having acute respiratory disease with pneumonia caused by adenovirus type 7. Thereafter, perfusion scintigraphy of the lungs continued showing interstitial shadows, which suggested the presence of severe sequlae of the lung. Formerly the separation rate of adenovirus type 7 was low in Japan, but the rate has tended to increase in cities in recent years. Cases presenting such acute, severe respiratory symptoms are expected to increase in the future, and clinically we consider to be our case important enough to be reported.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1996

[Study on septicaemia in infants and children in the past 20 years. Part 1. An analysis of causal organisms].

Causal organisms and their changes were evaluated in 158 cases of septicaemia admitted to Jikei University Hospital from 1975 to 1994. Eighty patients (50.6%) were aged less than 1 year, and 37 patients (23.4%) were newborns. The average mortality rate was 18.4%. The mortality rate between 1975 and 1984 was 26.8%, and that of the past 10 years (from 1985 to 1994) decreased to 13.7%. Staphylococcus aureus (29 cases, 19.4%) was the most common pathogens isolated, followed by Pseudomonas sp. (24 cases, 15.2%), Escherichia coli (19 cases, 12.0%), and Haemophilus influenzae (18 cases, 11.4%). H. influenzae, Acinetobacter sp., Streptococcus pneumoniae and Group B streptococcus (GBS) increased in the past 10 years (from 1985 to 1994), compared with the preceding 10 years (from 1975 to 1984). The mortality rate of Klebsiella sp. septicaemia (28.6%) was highest, followed by Pseudomonas sp. (25.0%), S. aureus (24.1%), S. pneumoniae (22.2%). H. influenzae and Acinetobacter sp. septicaemia were not fatal. E. coli and GBS were common among neonates and patients aged less than 1 year. H. influenzae septicaemia occurred mainly in patients with meningitis, in those younger than school age. Acinetobacter sp. was common among neonates and children with leukaemia Pseudomonas sp., Klebsiella sp., and Acinetobacter sp. were mainly detected in patients with underlying diseases. E. coli, H. influenzae, S. pneumoniae and GBS were mainly detected in patients without underlying diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

[Study on septicaemia in infants and children in the past 20 years. Part 2. An analysis of factors that prescribe for the prognosis].

Underlying diseases, complications, clinical findings, and laboratory findings were evaluated in 158 cases of septicaemia admitted to Jikei University Hospital from 1975 to 1994, in order to conjectured factors that prescribe for the prognosis. 50% of the patients had underlying diseases. Malignancy including leukaemia (31 cases, 39.2%) was the most common underlying disease, followed by low birth weight infant (17 cases, 21.5%), aplastic anemia (9 case, 11.4%), and congenital heart disease (7 cases, 8.9%). The death rate for patients with underlying disease (27.8%) was significantly greater than the mortality for normal patients with septicaemia (8.9%) (p < 0.05). Meningitis (24.7%) was the most common complication, followed by DIC (19.6%), shock (15.2%), and pneumonia (10.8%). The mortality rate of septicaemia complicated by shock was 66.7% (p < 0.01), and that complicated by DIC was 45.2% (p < 0.01). The mortality rate for patients with the clinical findings of respiratory distress, cough, abdominal distention, cyanosis, splenomegaly, or peripheral coldness was more than 40% and significantly greater (p < 0.01). Mortality rate in patients with granulocyte counts of < 4.000/mm3, platelet counts of < 5 x 10(4)/ mm3, total protein of < 5.0 g/dl, or ESR of < 20 mm/hr were significantly greater (p < 0.01) than those in patients with normal laboratory findings. Coincidence rate of blood and stool cultures was 57.9% for E. coli, and 28.6% for Klebsiella sp., and that of blood and throat cultures was more than 30% for Pseudomonas sp., Haemophilus influenzae, and Staphylococcus aureus. In the study of antimicrobial susceptibility for microorganisms isolated, the number of drug resistant S. aureus had increased in the last 10 years.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Multiple function of macrophage scavenger receptors mediated by fibrous coiled coil domains.

Type I and type II macrophage scavenger receptors (MSR) have six structurally distinct domains. MSR are known to mediate a wide range of ligand recognition, endocytosis, phagocytosis and macrophage adhesion. Expression of mutated receptors in various cultured cells and analysis using synthetic peptides indicate that two coiled-coil domains, alpha-helical coiled-coil domain (domain IV) and collagen-like domain (domain V) mediate these functions. Domain IV is essential for the trimerization of MSR and EDTA-resistant adhesion function. Domain V is essential for the wide range of ligand recognition. Cooperation of these two domains is also essential for the cellular function of MSR including pH-dependent ligand dissociation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Electrophoretic gels of dentin matrix proteins as diffusion media for in vitro mineralization.

Non-collagenous proteins of dentin and bone have important effects on mineralization which have been studied by various in vitro systems. We developed an in vitro mineralization system using electrophoretic gels as diffusion media of calcium and phosphate ions. Calcium and phosphate ions were diffused naturally or propelled by electric potential. Calcium phosphate was precipitated in the gel, and the precipitation was affected by proteins in the gel which had been separated by electrophoresis. We applied this system to analysis of non-collagenous proteins of dentin. Among the proteins, phosphophoryns promoted calcium phosphate precipitation in the natural-diffusion system. A non-collagenous protein having a molecular mass of 60 kDa inhibited precipitation. The results were different, however, in the electric-diffusion system, in which phosphophoryns had a negative effect. The present system enabled us to compare the effects of plural proteins rapidly, even using unpurified material.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Gastric attaching and effacing Escherichia coli lesions in a puppy with naturally occurring enteric colibacillosis and concurrent canine distemper virus infection.

A puppy suffering from chronic diarrhea was humanely killed at 90 days of age. Numerous Gram-negative bacilli were found adhering to the surface of as well as within epithelial cells from the stomach to the colon. Canine distemper virus inclusions were in the epithelial cytoplasm of the esophageal, gastric, and intestinal mucosa. Typical attaching and effacing ultrastructural lesions were in the stomach, and some bacilli were in the cytoplasm of the epithelial cells. Escherichia coli, isolated from the contents of the small intestine, belonged to serotype 0118: NM and were negative for plasmid-encoded EPEC adherence factor (EAF) and positive for the E. coli attaching effacing (eae) gene. Immunohistologically, bacilli attached to the epithelium from the stomach to the colon were positive for antisera against E. coli 0118. E. coli 0118: NM inoculated into human tissue culture cells (HEp-2 cells) were attached to the surface of the cells and within the cytoplasm. This is the first report of attaching and effacing E. coli (AEEC) infection in the stomach of the dog.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Inter- and intrahemispheric EEG coherence during light drowsiness.

The present study was conducted to examine inter- and intrahemispheric EEG coherence in 14 healthy, right-handed adults during wakefulness and light drowsiness as assessed by eye movement and EEG activity. Interhemispheric coherence was significantly lower during light drowsiness than during wakefulness for O1-O2 in the alpha-1 band and for F3-F4 in the beta-1 band. Intrahemispheric EEG coherence was significantly higher during light drowsiness for C4-O2 in the theta-1 and beta-1 bands. These findings indicate that light drowsiness can alter both inter- and intrahemispheric EEG coherence when compared with wakefulness, suggesting that cerebral functional organization changes during light drowsiness. It is important, therefore, to control arousal level of subjects in future studies dealing with the relationship between EEG coherence and various pathological conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Immunosuppressant agent FK506 stimulates growth hormone (GH) secretion and gene expression of hypothalamic GH-releasing hormone in the rat.

Immunosuppressant agent FK506 has been reported to stimulate ACTH release from pituitary cells. We examined the effects of FK506 on GH release from the rat anterior pituitary cells and the effects of FK506 on hypothalamic GH- releasing hormone (GRH) and somatostatin (SS) gene expression in conscious male rats. In vitro experiments, the monolayer pituitary culture and reverse hemolytic plaque assay were employed to examine the GH release from the rat anterior pituitary cells. In in vivo experiments, the FK506 was administered for 7 days and then sequential blood sampling was performed every 20 min during 6 h in conscious rats. The hypothalamus was removed, and total RNA was extracted for Northern blot analysis. The FK506 significantly stimulated GH release from the rat anterior pituitary cells in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. In in vivo experiments, the area under the curve of GH surges was significantly increased in FK506-treated rats, although the peak height and the trough level of GH surges were not altered. Pituitary GH messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were significantly increased by the FK506 treatment. Hypothalamic GRH mRNA levels were significantly increased in FK506- treated rats, whereas hypothalamic SS mRNA levels were not altered. These findings indicate that FK506 stimulates GH secretion and gene expression of hypothalamic GRH in the rat.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Effect of fluvoxamine on 5-hydroxytryptamine uptake, paroxetine binding sites and ketanserin binding sites in the Japanese monkey brain and platelets, in vivo and in vitro.

We investigated the in vitro effects of fluvoxamine on 3H-paroxetine binding and 3H-monoamine uptake in monkey cerebral cortex in comparison with those of other antidepressants. Fluvoxamine selectively inhibited 3H-5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) uptake and 3H-paroxetine binding. However, it did not alter 3H-norepinephrine or 3H-dopamine uptake. In addition, we examined the effects of chronic treatment with fluvoxamine (5 mg/kg per day, p.o.) on 5-HT uptake sites that bind 3H-paroxetine and 5-HT2 receptors that bind 3H-ketanserin, in monkey brains and platelets. Chronic treatment with fluvoxamine affected neither the paroxetine binding sites nor the kentanserin binding sites of the brains and platelets. These results suggest that long-term treatment with fluvoxamine does not affect either the 5-HT uptake sites or 5-HT2-receptors of 5-HT neurons in monkey brain in spite of its strong inhibitory effect on 5-HT uptake in vitro.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Peripheral neuropathy of dietary riboflavin deficiency in racing pigeons.

An occurrence of peripheral neuropathy in nine 14- to 55-day-old racing pigeons was documented. The predominant clinical signs were diarrhea, and leg and wing paralysis. Grossly, there was discoloration and swelling of all the peripheral nerve trunks. Microscopic lesions comprising swelling, fragmentation and demyelination of myelin sheaths, and proliferation of Schwann cells, were seen in the peripheral nerves of all birds examined. These changes were associated with moderate to severe swelling, fragmentation, atrophy and loss of axons. The peripheral nerve lesions in these cases were similar to those of dietary riboflavin deficiency in chickens. An analysis of the diet given to the pigeons indicated that the riboflavin concentration was only 0.9 mg/kg feed.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1996

Alveolar hydatidosis in a gorilla and a ring-tailed lemur in Japan.

Alveolar hydatidosis by Echinococcus multilocularis (Em) infection occurred on a 22-year-old (approx.) male gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) and a 4-year-old female ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) in a zoo, in Hokkaido, Japan. Case 1: The gorilla presented neurologic signs in course of nine months and died. Pathologically, alveolar hydatid lesions were found in the liver, the liver-associated lymph nodes, the cerebrum, and the lungs. A protoscolex was found only in one hepatic cyst. Case 2: In the lemur, large masses of hydatide cysts were found on the liver and at the lung-associated lymph nodes. Cysts contained numerous calcareous corpuscles and protoscolices. The lemur appears a favorable intermediate-host for Em. The identification of Em in both cases were confirmed by PCR.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Severe cryoglobulinemia in a patient with asymptomatic hepatitis C virus infection.

A patient with severe type II cryoglobulinemia after ten years of asymptomatic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is reported. Laboratory data showed hypergammaglobulinemia with polyclonal IgG and monoclonal IgM, blood hyperviscosity, high level of cryocrit (60%), HCV viremia, and normal levels of serum transaminases. Due to cold exposure, acrocyanosis and cardiac ischemic attack occurred; he recovered after being artificially warmed. Administration of prednisolone and natural interferon-alpha for three months resulted in significant decreases in the levels of serum IgM and cryocrit.

Cryoglobulinemia↗
PubMed1996

[A boy highly suspected of hypersensitivity pneumonitis characterized by generalized mucosal lesions].

The case is a boy who developed progressive dyspnea and had since been followed over a long period time as a case of unknown fever without respiratory symptoms. He showed mucosal symptoms such as intraoral aphtha, eosinophilic pyuria and diarrhea and was clinically diagnosed as hypersensitivity pneumonitis. The affected child showed high levels of circulating immune complex, a decline in DLco on the respiratory function test and a decrease in CD 4/8 in bronchoalveolar lavage lymphocytes; furthermore, an antibody specific to Aureobasidium pullulans was positive in the precipitated antibody test. As for the immune function of the affected child during the follow-up, hypergammaglobulinemia and various immune abnormalities were observed. We thought the clinical feature of the affected child to be of pathophysiological value in dealing with unknown fever in childhood, so we reported our findings in this paper.

Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic↗
PubMed1996

An endemic condition of biochemical hypoglycemia among male volunteers.

Biochemical hypoglycemia has attracted attention because it triggers accidents through errors in judgment by impairing cognitive function. Its prevalence and associated risk factors have remained unexplored in the area of occupational health. The present study was designed to investigate its epidemiological aspects in male volunteers. The study population of 76 male volunteers, 63 of whom were firefighters and 13 had other jobs, filled out questionnaires by interview covering 37 factors concerning age, physical parameters, past and current health problems, habits (smoking, drinking, and exercise), food preferences and life style. The participants were asked to measure their blood glucose levels 9 times over a representative workday and holiday and record any symptoms of hypoglycemia at the time of measurement. The body fat ratio of each participant was measured by the bioelectrical impedance analysis method. 22.4% of the participants (17/76) experienced biochemical hypoglycemia (less than 60 mg/dl) at the time of blood glucose monitoring. Those who experienced biochemical hypoglycemia had significantly lower peak, average and nadir blood glucose levels (p < 0.05; 115.1 +/- 18.7 mg/dl, 82.2 +/- 7.0 mg/dl, 52.2 +/- 5.6 mg/dl, respectively) than those who did not (129.9 +/- 26.7 mg/dl, 97.0 +/- 9.9 mg/dl, 75.9 +/- 9.7 mg/dl, respectively). No symptom other than sudden hunger (p < 0.05) was correlated with biochemical hypoglycemia. Lower lean body mass index (lean body mass/height2) was the only statistically significant contributory risk factor (p < 0.05, Odds ratio: 2.91, 95% confidence interval 1.29-6.65) by multiple logistic analysis. Mean blood glucose levels had a positive correlation with lean body mass index (P < 0.0001, r2 = 0.372). The present results suggest that biochemical hypoglycemia is a potential risk problem in occupational settings. Low L.B.M.I. males should be educated about the possibility of biochemical hypoglycemia whoever have experienced a feeling of sudden hunger. Such precautions should be highly recommended to workers under dangerous and/or tense conditions in order to prevent error accidents in occupational settings.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Epidemiological study on hypoglycemia endemic to female nurses and other workers.

Hypoglycemia has been reported to occur frequently among individuals with health-related occupations, especially hospital nurses. In this study, we investigated the risk factors of hypoglycemia. Both female hospital nurses and other female workers participated in this study, which included questionnaires, and daily blood glucose monitoring. Responses from 3,415 workers were included for analysis. 2,489 workers reported that they had never had hypoglycemic episodes (symptom-free group), while 926 workers reported that they had experienced hypoglycemic symptoms more than once. Of these workers, 207 had had episodes within one year of the study and had experienced them more than once a month (symptomatic group). Thirty-one volunteers were recruited from the above two groups-21 from the latter group and 10 from the former group-and daily blood glucose levels were determined: 6 days for nurses to cover three shifts (dayshift, nightshift and midnightshift) and 2 days for other workers. Nine of 21 volunteers from the symptomatic group had biochemical hypoglycemic reading(s) (< 60 mg/dl) during the monitoring; however, none of 10 volunteers from the symptom-free group had such readings. These nine volunteers were found to have lower mean blood glucose levels (p < 0.05) and lower minimum blood glucose levels (p < 0.05) than other volunteers. Simple logistic analyses revealed multiple risk factors in the symptomatic group. By adjusting the confounding effects, these multiple risk factors were reduced into a small number of risk factors: occupation as a nurse, histories of hypotension and glucosuria, eating snacks, eating deserts, and insomnia. The present report clearly demonstrated that there are hypoglycemic-prone individuals among symptomatic female workers, who were shown to have multiple risk factors for hypoglycemic symptoms.

Adult↗