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Biomedical subjects

I Ohno

Publications and source records attributed to I Ohno.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

A Turkish case with molybdenum cofactor deficiency.

Molybdenum cofactor deficiency (MIM 252150) is a rare progressive neurodegenerative disorder with about 100 cases reported worldwide. We have identified a male with molybdenum cofactor deficiency and analyzed the molybdenum cofactor synthesis (MOCS)1 gene, MOCS2 gene, MOCS3 gene and GEPH gene. We homozygously identified the CGA insertion after A666 of the MOCS1 gene which produces arginine insertion at codon 222 of MOCS1A. The parents, his brother and his sister who did not have any symptoms were heterozygous for the same mutation. This region was highly conserved in various species. The N-terminal part of MOCS1 a protein is suggested to form the central core of the protein and be composed of an incomplete [(alpha/beta)6] triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) barrel with a lateral opening that is covered by the C-terminal part of the protein. The insertion is located in the loop connecting the fifth beta strand to the sixth alpha helices of the TIM barrel structure. This arginine insertion would induce the conformation change and the lack of the activity.

Arginine↗
PubMed2005

Assessment of talus deformity by three-dimensional MRI in congenital clubfoot.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the morphological deformity of talus in congenital clubfoot by three-dimensional MRI. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Subjects were five patients (two male, three female, mean age 5 months) with unilateral congenital clubfoot. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed of both feet using 1.5 T magnet. Based on the resulting magnetic resonance imaging volume data, a three-dimensional surface bone model was reconstructed by the Marching Cubes method. The long axis of the reconstructed model was determined, and in relation to the standard planes including this axis, the degree of talar head and neck deviation, and the relative positioning of the talus and navicular in the talonavicular joint were compared between normal foot and clubfoot. RESULT: The talar head and neck angle in relation to the talus exhibited significant medial deviation in the clubfoot, but the degree of plantar deviation of the talar head and neck did not show significance. The navicular was located more medially in clubfoot than in normal foot. The volume of the total talar and of the ossific nucleus for the clubfoot was smaller than that for the normal foot. CONCLUSION: The assessment technique presented herein was shown to be useful in ascertaining the various pathological characteristics associated with clubfoot.

Ankle Joint↗
PubMed2004

PK/PD and safety of a single dose of TMX-67 (febuxostat) in subjects with mild and moderate renal impairment.

A single oral dose of 20 mg febuxostat was administered to subjects with normal, mild or moderate impairment in renal function. There was less than a 2-fold difference in AUC of plasma unchanged febuxostat among the renal function groups, and changes in plasma urate levels from pre-dose levels were not significant. A total of five adverse events were reported with all mild in severity. The results indicate that renal impairment will have little clinical impact on the pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD) and safety of the study drug.

Area Under Curve↗
PubMed2002

Proliferative effects of eosinophil lysates on cultured human airway smooth muscle cells.

BACKGROUND: The hypertrophy/hyperplasia of airway smooth muscle (ASM) cells is one of the characteristic features of bronchial asthma. This structural change leads to the thickening of airway walls resulting in the amplification of airway narrowing. However, the pathogenesis of this structural change has not yet been determined. Eosinophils, which play a pathogenic role in asthma, have been demonstrated to have proliferative effects on fibroblasts and vascular smooth muscle cells. OBJECTIVE: We attempted to investigate the potential of eosinophils to induce the proliferation of ASM cells. METHODS: We examined the effect of lysates of eosinophils purified from peripheral blood of healthy donors on cultured human ASM cell proliferation. RESULTS: Eosinophil lysates significantly induced ASM cell proliferation in time- and dose-dependent manners, reaching a maximum on day 6 at 50% of eosinophil lysates (6.0 +/- 0.7 x 104 [mean +/- SD] /well, n = 5 vs. 4.5 +/- 1.1 x 104/well, n = 5; P < 0.05). This proliferative activity was heat-sensitive and recovered in the soluble fraction of the eosinophil lysates. Furthermore, the molecular weight of the mitogenic activity in the soluble fraction was identified as lower than 10 kDa. The inhibitory activity to ASM cell proliferation was also found in the insoluble fraction of the lysates. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that circulating eosinophils store mitogenic activity for ASM cells, suggesting that eosinophils might contribute to the development of the hyperplasia of ASM cells in asthmatics through the release of the stored mitogenic activity upon stimulation at the site of inflammation.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

The involvement of matrix metalloproteinases in basement membrane injury in a murine model of acute allergic airway inflammation.

BACKGROUND: Airway remodelling in asthma such as subepithelial fibrosis is thought to be the repair process that follows the continuing injury as of chronic airway inflammation. However, how acute allergic inflammation causes tissue injury in the epithelial basement membrane in asthmatic airways remains unclear. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) capable of degrading almost all of the extracellular matrix components have been demonstrated to be involved in cell migration through the basement membrane in vivo and in vitro. OBJECTIVE: We investigated the alterations of matrix construction and the role of MMPs in matrix degradation in the subepithelium during acute allergic airway inflammation. METHODS: Airway inflammation, the ultrastructure of the subepithelium and injury of types III and IV collagen in tracheal tissues from ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized mice after OVA inhalation with or without the administration of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) and dexamethasone were evaluated by cell counting in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids, electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry, respectively. RESULTS: The disruption of the lamina densa and matrix construction and the decrease of the immunoreactivity for type IV collagen in subepithelium were observed in association with the accumulation of inflammatory cells in airways 3 days after OVA inhalation. This disorganization of the matrix components in the subepithelium, as well the cellular accumulation, was abolished by the administration of TIMP-2 and dexamethasone. The immunoreactivity for type IV collagen in the subepithelium in OVA-inhaled mice returned to the level of that in saline-inhaled mice 10 days after inhalation in association with a decrease of the cell numbers in the BAL fluid. The immunoreactivity for type III collagen was changed neither 3 nor 10 days after OVA inhalation. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that epithelial basement membrane gets injured by, at least in part, MMPs as a consequence of cell transmigration through the membrane during acute allergic airway inflammation.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2001

Serum uric acid and renal prognosis in patients with IgA nephropathy.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was designed to elucidate the clinical significance of serum uric acid (SUA) and the relationship between hyperuricemia and renal prognosis in IgA nephropathy. METHODS: The correlation between SUA and other clinical parameters were examined in 748 IgA nephropathy patients (432 males and 316 females). Among these patients, 226 (144 males and 82 females) who were followed for more than 5 years were examined for the relationship between hyperuricemia and renal prognosis. RESULTS: In IgA nephropathy, SUA correlated negatively with creatinine clearance (Ccr), and positively with urinary protein and tubulointerstitial damage. SUA was higher in patients with hypertension or diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis. Hyperuricemia was a risk factor for renal prognosis, both in terms of serum creatinine (p = 0.0025) and Ccr (p = 0.0057). In 56 patients with normal Ccr at renal biopsy, the change of Ccr after more than 8 years was -22.3 +/- 20.8% in 13 patients with hyperuricemia, compared with +2.6 +/- 39.4% in 43 patients without hyperuricemia (p = 0.0238). Hyperuricemia was related independently to deterioration of Ccr (p = 0.0461). CONCLUSION: Hyperuricemia in IgA nephropathy is derived from both glomerular and tubulointerstitial damage, and correlated with hypertension. Hyperuricemia is a risk factor for renal prognosis in IgA nephropathy.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Visual disturbance due to carotid artery thrombosis in a patient with familial hypercholesterolemia; response to surgical thrombotectomy.

A 48 years-old Japanese man suffered from marked xanthomas on ankles, knees, hand fingers, and foot joints due to insufficient control of serum hypercholesterolemia despite low density lipoprotein (LDL-C) absorptive therapy followed by treatment with potent anti-hypercholesterolemic agents. He had undergone surgical resection of xanthoma on the knee, foot and hand finger joints. Treatment with simvastatin returned the serum total cholesterol levels to nearly normal levels, followed by marked fluctuations. He subsequently experienced transient right-visual disturbance, and roentogenographic examination was performed. The patient was diagnosed as right-common carotid artery thrombosis. After the thrombotectomy of the right-common carotid artery, his visual power was markedly improved.

Carotid Artery Diseases↗
PubMed2001

[Determination of sucralose in foods by HPLC].

A method for the determination of sucralose in various foods by RI-HPLC and ion chromatography with a pulsed amperometric detector (PAD-IC) was developed. Chopped or homogenized samples were packed into cellulose tubing with 0.01 mol/L hydrochloric acid containing 10% sodium chloride and were dialyzed against 0.01 mol/L hydrochloric acid for 24 hours. The dialyzate was passed through a Bond Elut ENV cartridge, and the cartridge was washed with 0.2 mol/L NaOH and water. Sucralose was eluted from the cartridge with methanol. The extract was taken to dryness in an evaporator and the residue was re-dissolved in water. Sucralose was separated on an Inertsil ODS-3V column with a mobile phase of acetonitrile-water (15:85) and an RI detector. It was also determined on a CarboPak PA1 column with a mobile phase of 100 mmol/L NaOH-75 mmol/L CH3COONa, using a PAD detector. The recoveries of sucralose from various kinds of foods spiked at 50 micrograms/g and 200 micrograms/g ranged from 88-105%. The detection limit in samples was 10 micrograms/g for RI-HPLC and 1 microgram/g for PAD-IC.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗
PubMed2001

[Susceptibilities of bacteria isolated from patients with lower respiratory infectious diseases to antibiotics (1999)].

From October 1999 to September 2000, we collected the specimen from 430 patients with lower respiratory tract infections in 17 institutions in Japan, and investigated the susceptibilities of isolated bacteria to various antibacterial agents and antibiotics and patients' characteristics. Of 515 strains that were isolated from specimen (mainly from sputum) and assumed to be bacteria causing in inflammation, 506 strains were investigated. The breakdown of the isolated bacteria were: Staphylococcus aureus 78, Streptococcus pneumoniae 101, Haemophilus influenzae 104, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (non-mucoid) 58, P. aeruginosa (mucoid) 11, Moraxella subgenus Branhamella catarrhalis 41, Klebsiella pneumoniae 18, etc. Of 78 S. aureus strains, those with 4 micrograms/ml or above of MIC of oxacillin (methicillin-resistant S. aureus: MRSA) occupied 57.7%. Vancomycin and arbekacin showed the most potent activities against MRSA without detection of ABK-resistant strain (MIC: 64 micrograms/ml) and decrease of VCM-sensitive strains those were found in 1998. The frequency of S. pneumoniae exhibiting low sensitivity to penicillin (penicillin-intermediate S. pneumoniae: PISP + penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae: PRSP) decreased to 34.7% from 46.0% in 1998. The frequency of PRSP was 3.0%, being the least number after 1991. Carbapenems showed strong activities against S. pneumoniae. Especially, panipenem inhibited the growth of all 101 strains with MIC of 0.063 microgram/ml. Generally, all drugs showed strong activities against H. influenzae with MIC80s of 4 micrograms/ml or below. MICs of ofloxacin ranged between 0.063 microgram/ml and 4 micrograms/ml in 1998, however, those were 0.125 microgram/ml or below in all H. influenzae in 1999 showing the strongest activity. Tobramycin and ciprofloxacin showed strong activities against P. aeruginosa (both mucoid and non-mucoid) with MIC80s of 1 microgram/ml. Number of isolated P. aeruginosa (mucoid) was little as 11, however, the susceptibilities to all drugs were better than P. aeruginosa (non-mucoid). K. pneumoniae showed good susceptibilities to all drugs except for ampicillin with decreasing of low-sensitive strains compared to those detected in 1998. Also, all drugs generally showed strong activities against M. (B.) catarrhalis. MIC80s of all drugs were 2 micrograms/ml or below. The drug which showed the strongest activity was imipenem inhibiting all 41 strains with MIC of 0.063 microgram/ml. On the patients' characteristics, the number of patients aged 80 years or older who had been increased was decreased in 1999 in the distribution by age. The percentage of the elderly patients aged 70 years or older was 47.0%, which occupied almost a half number of the total patients as in the last year. As for the incidence by disease, bacterial pneumonia and chronic bronchitis were the highest. They were noted in 37.9% and 30.5% of the patients, respectively. In 1999, bronchial asthma was frequently observed as compared in recent years. It was noted in about 10% of the patients which is the same % as in bronchiectasis. We examined the number of strains from these patients with infections before and after administration of antibiotics. In patients with bacterial pneumonia, the number of isolated strains was almost the same between those before and after administration. However, in patients with chronic bronchitis, the number of strains remarkably decreased to less than the half of the total after administration of antibiotics in the last year, but it decreased to 2/3 of the total in 1999. On the administration of antibiotics and isolated bacteria by the day of administration, the bacteria which were isolated more before administration were H. influenzae in 28.4%, S. pneumoniae in 25.7%, M. (B.) catarrhalis in 12.0% and S. aureus in 10.6%. The frequency of S. aureus after administration over 15 days was almost the same as that before administration, but the frequency of P. aeruginosa (both mucoid and non-mucoid) was 36.8% which was higher than that before administration. The frequency of isolated S. pneumoniae was decreased after administration and none of them was isolated after completion of administration. However, that of H. influenzae was decreased to 7.1% after administration within 3 days, and many H. influenzae were isolated after completion of administration as 21.4%.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

[Evaluation of endoscopic papillary balloon dilation (EPBD) using one-step catheter for removal of common bile duct stones].

We compared the results of EPBD in 18 patients using one-step catheter (one-step group) with those in 46 patients using usual two-step catheter (two-step group). The frequency of endoscopy and bile duct clearance were the equal in both groups. Pancreatitis occurred in only one patient of two-step group. Elevations of the amylase values were the equal in both groups. Amylase values after EPBD tended to decrease in 11 patients whose amylase values were above 500 IU/l before EPBD. Using one-step catheter in EPBD was useful for removing common bile duct stones easily and safety.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Expression of Glut-4 and Glut-1 transporters in rat diaphragm muscle.

Glucose transporters (Gluts) are a family of membrane proteins responsible for the transport of glucose across cellular membranes. Generally, alterations of Gluts expression in limb skeletal muscle have been reported. However, the changes of Glut isoforms in respiratory muscle which contracts with a duty cycle have rarely been studied. This study was performed to evaluate at the light microscopy level the expression of Glut-4 and Glut-1 transporters in normal and denervated diaphragm by immunohistochemistry method with specific Gluts antibodies. The results showed Glut-4 immunoreactivity in both the cell periphery and the interior of myocytes. Glut-1 was also present in the cell border and in the interior of myocytes in control diaphragm. However, Glut-4 staining was stronger than Glut-1 staining in control diaphragm. In denervated hemidiaphragm, the Glut-4 immunolabelling decreased and Glut-1 increased. These data indicated that (1) Glut-4 and Glut-1 transporters were observed in diaphragm; and (2) there were alterations in the expression of both glucose transporters after denervation. These alterations in Glut isoforms after denervation may be associated with the removal of innervation itself, and/or may partly result from passive stretch imposed by inspiratory activation of the contralateral side.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

BodyMap: a collection of 3' ESTs for analysis of human gene expression information.

BodyMap is a collection of site-directed 3' expressed sequence tags (ESTs) (gene signatures, GSs) that contains the transcript compositions of various human tissues and was the first systematic effort to acquire gene expression data. For the construction of BodyMap, cDNA libraries were made, preserving abundance information and histologic resolutions of tissue mRNAs. By sequencing 164,000 randomly selected clones, 88,587 GSs that represent chromosomally coded transcripts have been collected from 51 human organs and tissues. They were clustered into 18,722 independent 3' termini from transcripts, and more than 3000 of these were not found among ESTs assembled in UniGene (Build 75). Assessment of the prevalence of polyadenylation signals and comparison with GenBank cDNAs indicated that there was no significant contamination by internally primed cDNAs or genomic fragments but that there was a relatively high incidence (12%) of alternative polyadenylation sites. We evaluated the sensitivity and resolution of expression information in BodyMap by in silico Northern hybridization and selection of tissue-specific gene probes. BodyMap is a unique resource for estimation of the absolute abundance of transcripts and selection of gene probes for efficient hybridization-based gene expression profiling.

3' Untranslated Regions↗
PubMed2000

[Susceptibilities of bacteria isolated from patients with lower respiratory infectious diseases to antibiotics (1998)].

The bacteria isolated from the patients with lower respiratory tract infections were collected by institutions located throughout Japan, since 1981. Ikemoto et al. have been investigating susceptibilities of these isolates to various antibacterial agents and antibiotics, and analyzed some characteristics of the patients and isolates from them each year. Results obtained from these investigations are discussed. In these 18 institutions around the entire Japan, 532 strains of presumably etiological bacteria were isolated mainly from the sputa of 438 patients with lower respiratory tract infections during the period from October in 1998 to September in 1999. MICs of various antibacterial agents and antibiotics were determined against 85 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, 100 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, 96 strains of Haemophilus influenzae, 75 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (non-mucoid strains), 6 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (mucoid strains), 38 strains of Moraxella subgenus Branhamella catarrhalis, 26 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae etc., and the susceptibilities of 517 strains were assessed except for those strains that died during transportation. S. aureus strains for which MICs of oxacillin (MPIPC) were higher than 4 micrograms/ml (methicillin-resistant S. aureus: MRSA) accounted for 60.0%. Vancomycin (VCM) and arbekacin (ABK) showed the most potent activities against MRSA. But one of MRSA showed resistance to ABK with the MIC of 64 micrograms/ml. The sensitive strains of MRSA to VCM have decreased. The frequency of penicillin (PC)-intermediate S. pneumoniae (PISP) + PC-resistant S. pneumoniae (PRSP) have increased in 46.0% for 1998 comparatively from 30.9% of 1997's. But PRSP decreased, and PISP increased into 39.0% of 1998 years from 19.8% of 1997's. Panipenem (PAPM), imipenem (IPM) and faropenem (FRPM) showed the most potent activities against S. pneumoniae with MIC80s of 0.125 microgram/ml or below. Against H. influenzae and M. (B.) catarrhalis, almost all the drugs showed good activities. The sensitive strains of them against ceftazidime (CAZ) decreased in 1997, but those have increased in 1998. Inversely, the susceptibility of them against cefotiam (CTM) had been higher in 1997, but those have been lower in 1998. Tobramycin (TOB) showed the most potent activity against P. aeruginosa (both mucoid and nonmucoid strains). All drugs except ampicillin (ABPC) were active against K. pneumoniae. A quite few of K. pneumoniae showed low susceptibilities. Also, we investigated year to year changes in the characteristics of patients, their respiratory infectious diseases, and the etiology. The examination of age distribution indicated that the proportion of patients with ages over 70 years was 48.6% of all the patients showing a slight increase in every year. About the proportion of diagnosed diseases as follows: Bacterial pneumonia was the most frequent with 40.2%. The ratio of it has increased slightly, and the increased rate was 10% in patients with ages over 70 years compared with the results in 1997. Chronic bronchitis have decreased slightly with 27.6% in 1998. Number of strains isolated from patients before administration of antibiotics were more than those after administration of them in chronic bronchitis, but these were almost same number in bacterial pneumonia. Administration of antibiotics has changed the results of the frequency of isolation of bacterial species. Bacterial isolations before administration of antibiotics were as follows: S. pneumoniae 26.7%, H. influenzae 23.8%, S. aureus 13.3% and M. (B.) catarrhalis 10.8%. The frequencies of S. aureus decreased after antibiotics administration over 15 days, but the frequencies of P. aeruginosa (both mucoid and non-mucoid) was not affected. The frequencies of P. aeruginosa was 45.5% after administration over 15 days. The frequencies of S. pneumoniae decreased upon administration of antibiotics, these were only 4.5% over 15 days. The frequencies of H. (

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1999

Differential expression of alpha 1, alpha 3 and alpha 5 integrin subunits in acute and chronic stages of myocardial infarction in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Anchoring cardiac myocytes to extracellular matrix, which is mediated mainly by integrins on their surfaces, is important for maintaining the architecture of myocardial tissues and transmitting mechanical force. We evaluated the expression of alpha integrin subunits on myocytes and the accumulation of interstitial collagen and fibronectin at acute and chronic stages after myocardial infarction. METHODS: Myocardial infarction was induced by ligation of left coronary arteries in rats. The expression of alpha 1, alpha 3 and alpha 5 integrin subunits, and accumulation of collagen and fibronectin were analyzed with immunohistochemistry or sirius-red staining. RESULTS: In hearts without infarction, moderate expression of the alpha 3 subunit and only slight expression of the alpha 5 subunit were observed on myocytes. In the first week after infarction, the alpha 1 subunit, collagen and fibronectin were increased only in the peri-infarcted area, while the alpha 5 subunit was increased both in peri-infarcted and non-infarcted areas. At day 42, the expression of the alpha 1 subunit and collagen were still increased, although the alpha 5 subunit and fibronectin were decreased. The expression of the alpha 3 subunit was not altered throughout the experimental period. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that integrin subunits play an important role in healing and remodeling processes after myocardial infarction.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases prevents allergen-induced airway inflammation in a murine model of asthma.

Although matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been reported to play crucial roles in the migration of inflammatory cells through basement membrane components in vitro, the role of MMPs in the in vivo accumulation of the cells to the site of inflammation in bronchial asthma is still obscure. In this study, we investigated the role of MMPs in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma, using a murine model of allergic asthma. In this model, we observed the increase of the release of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids after Ag inhalation in the mice sensitized with OVA, which was accompanied by the infiltration of lymphocytes and eosinophils. Administration of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 to airways inhibited the Ag-induced infiltration of lymphocytes and eosinophils to airway wall and lumen, reduced Ag-induced airway hyperresponsiveness, and increased the numbers of eosinophils and lymphocytes in peripheral blood. The inhibition of cellular infiltration to airway lumen was observed also with tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and a synthetic matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor. These data suggest that MMPs, especially MMP-2 and MMP-9, are crucial for the infiltration of inflammatory cells and the induction of airway hyperresponsiveness, which are pathophysiologic features of bronchial asthma, and further raise the possibility of the inhibition of MMPs as a therapeutic strategy of bronchial asthma.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1999

Overexpression of insulin-like growth factor-I in hearts of rats with isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy.

Increased levels of plasma catecholamine lead to cardiac hypertrophy via the alpha-, beta-adrenergic receptors, and partially, type 1 angiotensin II (AT1) receptor. However, it remains unclear whether other factors are involved in catecholamine-induced cardiac hypertrophy. We investigated the expression of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I in hearts of male Wistar rats infused with a beta-adrenergic agent, isoproterenol (ISO) (3 mg/kg/day), with or without an AT1-receptor antagonist, TCV-116 (10 mg/kg/day). Cardiac myocytes became hypertrophied 1 day after the beginning of ISO administration. ISO induced a biphasic increase of cardiac myocytes positive for IGF-I protein in the early and late phases of the study period, whereas IGF-I gene expression was upregulated only in the late phase by ISO. TCV- 116 abolished the upregulation of IGF-I gene and protein expression in the late phase in association with the regression of cardiac hypertrophy. These results suggest that ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy is mediated, at least in part, by IGF-I, the expression of which is upregulated through the activation of AT1 receptor.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed1999

[Susceptibilities of bacteria isolated from patients with lower respiratory infectious diseases to antibiotics (1997)].

The bacteria isolated from the patients with lower respiratory tract infections were collected by institutions located throughout Japan, since 1981. Ikemoto et al. have been investigating susceptibilities of these isolates to various antibacterial agents and antibiotics, and analyzed some characteristics of the patients and isolates from them each year. Results obtained from these investigations are discussed. In these 17 institutions around the entire Japan, 512 strains of presumably etiological bacteria were isolated mainly from the sputa of 440 patients with lower respiratory tract infections during the period from October in 1997 to September in 1998. MICs of various antibacterial agents and antibiotics were determined against 100 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, 81 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, 85 strains of Haemophilus influenzae. 71 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (non-mucoid strains), 27 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (mucoid strains), 33 strains of Moraxella subgenus Branhamella catarrhalis, 17 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae etc., and the susceptibilities of these strains were assessed except for those strains that died during transportation. S. aureus strains for which MICs of oxacillin (MPIPC) were higher than 4 micrograms/ml (methicillin-resistant S. aureus: MRSA) accounted for 55.0%. The frequency of the drug resistant bacteria decreased comparing to the previous year's 67.3%. Arbekacin (ABK) and vancomycin (VCM) showed the most potent activities against MRSA. Imipenem (IPM) and panipenem (PAPM) of carbapenems showed the most potent activities with MIC80S of 0.063 microgram/ml against S. pneumoniae. The frequency of penicillin (PC)-intermediate S. pneumoniae (PISP)+PC-resistant S. pneumoniae (PRSP) had decreased gradually, that is, in 1995 the frequency of it was 40.3%, but that was 30.9% in 1997. Against H. influenzae and M.(B.) catarrhalis, all the drugs showed good activities. But the sensitive strains of them against ceftazidime (CAZ) had decreased in 1997, compared those in 1995 and 1996. Meropenem (MEPM), IPM and tobramycin (TOB) showed the most potent activity against P. aeruginosa (mucoid strains). And TOB and ciprofloxacin (CPFX) showed the most potent activities against P. aeruginosa (non-mucoid strains). All drugs except ampicillin (ABPC) were more active against K. pneumoniae in 1997 than that in 1996. Also, we investigated year to year changes in the characteristics of patients, their respiratory infectious diseases, and the etiology. The examination of age distribution indicated that the proportion of patients with ages over 70 years was 45.5% of all the patients showing a slight increase year by year. About the proportion of diagnosed diseases, not so particular changes were recognized as follows: Bacterial pneumonia and chronic bronchitis were the most frequent with 33.6% and 29.1%, respectively. Number of strains isolated from patients before administration of antibiotics were more than those after administration of them in chronic bronchitis, but these had reversed in bacterial pneumonia. The tendency in bacterial pneumonia had been acknowledged since 1995. The increase of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa (both mucoid and non-mucoid strains) isolated after administration of antibiotics, has suggested the decrease of the susceptibility of these strains against antibiotics. Administration of antibiotics has changed the results of the frequency of isolation of bacterial species. Bacterial isolations before administration of antibiotics were as follows: S. pneumoniae 24.5%, H. influenzae 21.4%, S. aureus 18.4% and P. aeruginosa 12.2%. The frequencies of S. aureus decreased after antibiotics administration over 15 days, but the frequencies of P. aeruginosa was not affected. The frequencies of P. aeruginosa was 47.8% after administration over 15 days. From patients administered antibiotics of penicillins and cephems. S. aureus was mainly detected with 31.7-58.3%, and from patients administere

Adult↗