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Biomedical subjects

K Inoue

Publications and source records attributed to K Inoue.

At least 739 records · Page 41Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

A PET study of axis orientation discrimination.

We examined the cortical areas showing increased activation related to axis orientation discrimination in hand movement and perception by positron emission tomography (PET) in right-handed normal human subjects while they performed a hand orientation (HO) task and an orientation discrimination (OD) task. In the OD task, fields in the parietal cortex and a field in the inferior frontal gyrus showed increased activation relative to the control task. In the HO task, fields in the intraparietal sulcus, the inferior and middle frontal gyri, the fusiform gyrus and the middle temporal gyrus showed increased activation relative to the control task. The results indicate that areas involved in axis orientation discrimination seemed to be segregated in the parietal cortex, with one field in the left intraparietal sulcus related to hand movement and another field in the right intraparietal sulcus related to perception.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Molecular cloning of cDNAs encoding alpha1, alpha2, and beta subunits of rat brain platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase.

Brain intracellular platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH(Ib)) is a tertiary G-protein-complex-like heterotrimeric enzyme which is composed of alpha1, alpha2, and beta subunits and is implicated in stages of brain development such as the formation of the brain cortex. We have isolated and sequenced cDNA clones encoding these three subunits of rat brain PAF-AH(Ib). The amino acid sequences of brain PAF-AH has shown an extremely high homology among mammalian species. The tissue distribution of the three subunits was examined by Northern blot analysis. Although the mRNAs were detected in various organs, the ratio of the level of mRNA expression for the three subunits differed among rat tissues, raising the possibility that isoform(s) other than the heterotrimeric isoform exist in certain tissues.

1-Alkyl-2-acetylglycerophosphocholine Esterase↗
PubMed1998

Electroencephalographic findings in patients with DSM-IV mood disorder, schizophrenia, and other psychotic disorders.

BACKGROUND: Although numerous electroencephalographic (EEG) studies have been performed in psychiatric populations, and some have identified specific abnormalities within groups of functional psychoses, differences in EEG findings among subgroups of functional mental illness need to be evaluated with careful consideration of the nosologic systems employed in each study. In the present study, we examined whether there might be EEG differences among subgroups of functional psychoses defined by DSM-IV. METHODS: A total of 143 patients, whose discharge diagnoses met the DSM-IV criteria for mood disorder, schizophrenia, and other psychotic disorders, were studied. EEG findings were compared among seven diagnostic categories: mood disorder without, with mood-congruent, and with mood-incongruent psychotic features; schizoaffective disorder; schizophreniform disorder; brief psychotic disorder; and schizophrenia. RESULTS: The frequency of epileptiform variants, including the phantom spike and wave, positive spikes, and small sharp spikes, was significantly higher among patients with mood-incongruent psychotic mood disorder (33%), schizoaffective disorder (33%), and schizophreniform disorder (30%), as compared with patients with nonpsychotic mood disorder (3.2%) and schizophrenia (0%). CONCLUSIONS: Our results imply that patients with "atypical" psychoses that are located between typical mood disorder and schizophrenia have similar biological vulnerability, represented by epileptiform EEG variants.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Clinical and molecular virological differences between fulminant hepatic failures following acute and chronic infection with hepatitis B virus.

Clinical and molecular biological characteristics were compared between patients who presented with fulminant hepatic failure following acute infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and those who developed hepatic failure during they carried HBV. The 11 patients with acute HBV infection had higher levels of alanine aminotransferase (mean +/- SD: 4943 +/- 2867 vs 1157 +/- 678 IU/L, P < 0.01), more often with a single peak (91% vs. 0%, P < 0.001), and lower total bilirubin level (15.3 +/- 4.4 vs 28.1 +/- 14.3 mg/1000 ml, P < 0.01) than the 13 patients with chronic HBV infection. Hepatitis B surface antigen was detected less often (55% vs. 100%, P < 0.05) and viral DNA polymerase less frequently (0% vs. 46%, P < 0.05) in the patients with acute than chronic HBV infection. Hepatitis B e antigen was detected in one (9%) patient with acute infection, less frequently than in six (46%) patients with chronic infection (P < 0.05). Mutations in the precore region was detected in HBV DNA clones from ten (91%) patients with acute infection and only in those from eight (62%) patients with chronic infection. All HBV DNA clones from the five (38%) patients with chronic infection that did not have precore mutations, however, possessed mutations in the core promoter. These results indicate that HBV mutants incapable of translating hepatitis B e antigen would play a major role in fulminant hepatic failure occurring after acute HBV infection. In contrast, HBV variants with core promoter mutations for reducing the transcription of hepatitis B e antigen would play an additional role in fulminant hepatic failure developing during chronic infection.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1998

Developmental changes in the expression of alpha-tocopherol transfer protein during the neonatal period of rat.

It is well known that the cellular concentration of alpha-tocopherol (alpha-toc) is about 10-fold greater than that of gamma-tocopherol (gamma-toc) despite the ingestion of a large amount of gamma-toc in the diet. Recently, this discrimination of tocopherol is considered to be attributed to alpha-tocopherol transfer protein (alpha-TTP) which binds to alpha-toc in preference to the other forms of tocopherol in the liver. In the present study, developmental changes in expression of alpha-TTP after birth were investigated using rats with respect to plasma changes of tocopherols. The expression of alpha-TTP in the neonatal rat liver, which was very low immediately after birth, increased steadily during the two weeks of life before weanling and reached the adult level at four weeks. During the suckling period, the plasma ratio of alpha-toc to gamma-toc linearly increased, because plasma alpha-toc which was low immediately after birth, increased rapidly during the period, while gamma-toc remained unchanged. The increase in the ratio seemed to correlate with the developmental expression of alpha-TTP in the liver during this period.

Aging↗
PubMed1998

Effects of L-arginine on the systemic, mesenteric, and hepatic circulation in patients with cirrhosis.

Nitric oxide (NO) is known to play an important role in modulating both the hepatic and mesenteric circulation under physiological and pathological conditions. We investigated how L-arginine, a precursor of NO, modifies the hepatic and mesenteric circulation in patients with cirrhosis. The study design was a single-blind controlled study. We measured the systemic and portal hemodynamics before and following intravenous L-arginine and saline infusion using pulsed Doppler ultrasonography in 20 patients with cirrhosis, and then the effects were compared with those found in 20 healthy subjects. In these patients, the effects of L-arginine on hepatic circulation were investigated using hepatic catheterization. L-Arginine infusion induced systemic vasodilation in both the healthy controls and the cirrhotic patients in a similar hemodynamic manner. In these patients, the L-arginine-induced increase in the portal flow was significantly higher than that of cardiac output (CO); however, the relation was the inverse in healthy subjects. Moreover, the L-arginine-induced increase in the portal flow was greater in the cirrhotic patients than that seen in healthy subjects. As a result, L-arginine infusion was thus found to selectively augment the hepatopetal portal blood flow in the cirrhotic liver. In patients, L-arginine infusion induced marked hepatic vasodilation as demonstrated by the reduced hepatic sinusoidal resistance (HSR) and increased estimated hepatic blood flow (EHBF) associated with the ameliorated intrinsic clearance of indocyanine green. Despite the fall in HSR, the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) increased following L-arginine infusion. The mesenteric and hepatic vascular areas of cirrhosis exhibited an increased susceptibility to the dilator action of L-arginine. These findings suggest that the enhanced NO production in the splanchnic vascular area has an important role in the hepatic circulation in patients with cirrhosis.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Classification of Clostridium butyricum based on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis.

Eleven strains of Clostridium butyricum collected from different sources were analysed by both sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The strains could be classified into four groups based on their banding profiles of the proteins extracted from the cells on SDS-PAGE. Group I consisted of seven strains, and these strains were further divided into five subgroups by PFGE. The strains belonging to groups II, III, and IV on SDS-PAGE were also classified into the same II to IV groups by PFGE. These data indicate that grouping of the strains of C. butyricum can be performed by employing both SDS-PAGE and PFGE.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

The functions of ATP receptors in the hippocampus.

The possible involvement of adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP) receptors in the function of the hippocampus is reviewed. The involvement of these receptors in the hippocampus is suggested by data that ATP is released from hippocampal slices [1] and that it also induces fast synaptic currents in cultured hippocampal neurons [2], and long-lasting enhancement of the population spikes [3-5]. In addition, ATP is released by glutamate-stimulation which leads to an increase in intracellular Ca2+ in hippocampal cells [6], ATP also inhibits the glutamate release in cultured hippocampal neurons [7], and it has been shown that several mRNAs for certain types of P2X-purinoceptors are present in this area [8]. It is therefore likely that ATP may play a role in the modulation of synaptic efficiency in the hippocampus. Microglia cells are activated by the stimulation of ATP and releases plasminogen but not nitric oxide (NO). It has been reported that plasminogen promotes the development of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons and enhances neurite outgrowth from explants of neocortical tissue [9,10]. The possibility that ATP protects brain function from over stimulation is discussed. (c) 1998 The Italian Pharmacological Society.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1998

Intramedullary fibular graft for supracondylar fracture of the femur following total knee arthroplasty.

We describe a successful treatment, intramedullary fibular grafting, for a patient with a supracondylar fracture of the femur following total knee arthroplasty in which the fracture region was comminuted and a segmental large bone defect was present. Free autogenous fibular was inserted into the medullary cavity from the intercondylar region and fixed to the proximal fragment of the femur with augmented fixation using a small plate and screws. Our procedure makes it easy to perform large segmental bone grafting and internal fixation at the same time for such a condition.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Three-dimensional imaging and osteometry of adult human skulls using helical computed tomography.

To make a digital image database of human craniology, we optimized the three-dimensional (3-D) images of 29 dried human skull specimens by helical computed tomography (CT). For the verification of the quantitative exactitude of these image data, we manually measured nine items of direct distances between standard anthropologic points on each skull and the corresponding distances projected on the CT monitor by specifying the respective points. The results obtained by the two methods of manual and CT measurements were compared and statistically analyzed. The CT measurements were so exact that the lower limit of correlation coefficients (95% of the confidence interval) between the two results was more than 0.8 in six items; i.e., maximal cranial length and breadth, minimal frontal breadth, bizygomatic breadth, distance between ectomolares and nasion-basion length. In contrast, the CT results were less well correlated with the manual measurements of three items; i.e., distance between bilateral mastoidales, total facial height, and nasal breadth. We concluded that the qualitative representation of 3-D CT images was adequate, although some quantitative data may be incorrect. The inaccuracy is suspected to be due to the difficulty in specifying the standard points on the CT images, and due to the differences in measurement procedures between the direct and projected distances.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Blood flow velocity in the ophthalmic artery measured by Doppler ultrasonography during cardiopulmonary bypass--usefulness for cerebral perfusion monitor].

Brain blood flow is supplied from the internal carotid artery, and the ophthalmic artery is the first branch of the internal carotid artery. We studied how blood flow velocity in the ophthalmic artery (OAV) changes during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and investigated whether it can be used to monitor brain blood flow during CPB. In 13 open heart surgeries in adults, OAV and blood flow velocity in the common carotid artery (CAV) were measured with Doppler ultrasonography, and blood flow volume in the brachiocephalic artery (BA flow) was measured simultaneously with an electromagnetic flow meter. Maximal blood flow velocity in the ophthalmic artery (OAVmax) and the common carotid artery (CAVmax) were 0.27 +/- 0.13 m/sec and 0.64 +/- 0.40 m/sec, BA flow was 486 +/- 226 ml/min before CPB. When CPB pump flow was varied (2.4, 2.2, 2.0, 2.2, 2.4 l/min/m2), the parameters during and after CPB changed as follows (as percentage of pre-CPB levels): OAVmax, 58.1%, 50.9%, 37.6%, 49.4%, 64.7%, 108.4%; CAVmax, 67.0%, 58.0%, 48.2%, 113.6%, 105.5%, 134.3%; and BAflow, 87.3%, 39.8%, 53.9%, 50.5%, 95.0%, 159.8%. Our results indicate that OAVmax more accurately reflects changes in pump flow than does CAVmax and BA flow. Because vessel resistance in the ophthalmic artery was small during CPB, OAVmax was thought to be determined mainly by CPB pump flow. OAVmax was useful for monitoring brain blood flow during CPB.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Effects of myocardial protection with ryanodine, measured with the intracellular calcium fluprescent indicator Fura-2].

The effects of Ryanodine, an inhibitor of salcoplasmic reticulum function, was investigated in isolated hearts of the Wistar rat strain. The cytosolic calcium was measured with the intracellular Ca2+ fluorescent indicator Fura-2. After 3 minutes perfusion of various cardioplegic solution which were added potassium (the concentration; 20 mmol/L) and four Ryanodine groups (1, 4, 10, and 20 nmol/L), these were obtained cardiac arrest. The arrested hearts were kept at 37 degrees C (normothermia) measuring hemodynamic studies. Hemodynamic parameters were heart rate, LVDP, LV dp/dt, coronary flow, and the intracellular calcium fluorescents which were calculated intracellular Ca2+. The significant difference was not noted in LVDP, but comparable improvement was achieved with Ryanodine groups (p < 0.05; 20 nM vs 0 nM). Other cardiac functions were likely same as above. The cytosolic calcium concentration of Ryanodine groups was depressed during cardiac arrest, it was 97.4 +/- 17.2% at the end of cardiac arrest, and it was slowly increased to 161.9 +/- 46.9% after 40 minutes reperfusion. On the other hand, that of the control group was higher than Ryanodine groups at every measuring points about two times. There was significant difference between both groups (p < 0.01). Concequently these phenomena caused that Ca2+ handling in the salcoplasmic reticulum were supressed by Ryanodine and the contractile function was recovered for that reason.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[Protective effects of halothane on ischemic reperfusion injury on rat perfused hearts].

UNLABELLED: We evaluated the possible cardioprotective effects of halothane in isolated rat hearts. Langendorff perfusion was initiated by using Krebs-Henseleit Buffer (KHB) heated at 37 degrees C. CONTROL GROUP: After 15 mins Langendorff perfusion, global ischemia was induced for 40 mins at 37 degrees C by clamping aorta, followed by 60 mins of reperfusion. Experimental group: Global ischemia was induced at the same time course as the control group and during reperfusion, halothane administered at the concentration of 1%, 2%, 3%. Cardiac function (heart rate, coronary flow, Vmax of the left ventricule) and intracelluar calcium level was measured during pre-ischemia, ischemia and reperfusion period. Recovery of cardiac function after ischemia was better in the 1% halothane group than in the control group but suppression on cardiac function inclined to increase concentration dependently. Compared to the control group, increase of intracellular calcium level after ischemia was suppressed in the halothane administered group at all concentration level. These data suggests that a low dose halothane administration shows a cardioprotective effects during reperfusion.

Anesthetics, Inhalation↗
PubMed1998

Differential age-dependent expression of alpha2 adrenoceptor- and P2 purinoceptor-functions in rat locus coeruleus neurons.

Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were made in a pontine slice preparation of the rat brain containing the nucleus locus coeruleus (LC). In a first series of experiments, it was demonstrated that tyrosine hydroxylase-positive LC neurons of young (10-14 days of age) rats are multipolar with numerous dendrites. When pipettes filled with the marker molecule biocytin were used for recording, all cells exhibiting outward current responses to noradrenaline (100 microM) showed the morphology typical for LC neurons. At a holding potential of -80 mV, noradrenaline (100 microM) produced a comparably small outward current both in LC neurons of young (8-14 days) and older (18-23 days) rats. In contrast, 2-methylthio ATP (2-MeSATP; 100 microM) caused a relatively small inward current in the young animals, while inward current responses were much larger in most older animals (8 out of a total of 11). It is suggested that after birth there are probably no functional P2 purinoceptors present at LC neurons. Thereafter, P2 purinoceptor-function increases with age, reaching maturity only in animals older than 18 days.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1998

Oculomotor sequence learning: a positron emission tomography study.

The purpose of this study was to identify the brain regions activated in relation to oculomotor sequence learning. Nine healthy subjects participated in the study, which consisted of three positron emission tomography scans. In the initial learning task, subjects were instructed to track a sequence of seven successive positions of visual targets and to memorize the order of the targets as well as their spatial locations. In the saccade task, subjects were instructed to track visual targets presented at random locations. In the control task, subjects were instructed to gaze at a fixation point. Fields showing significant regional cerebral blood flow change were determined from task-minus-control subtraction images. We determined that fields in the pre-supplementary motor area (pre-SMA), the intraparietal cortex, and the prefrontal cortex were activated not only in the learning-minus-control images but also in the learning-minus-saccade images. Although prefrontal and parietal activations were bilateral, pre-SMA activation was confined to the left hemisphere. The results indicate that these fields function as a part of the neural network involved in the learning of sequential saccadic eye movements.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Overexpression of c-met proto-oncogene associated with chromophilic renal cell carcinoma with papillary growth.

Various genetic changes are involved in human renal cell carcinomas (RCCs). However, the molecular events related to other cytomorphological subtypes of RCC are not well known, apart from the relationship between the von Hippel-Lindau tumour suppressor gene and clear cell subtype RCC. We examined the overexpression of several growth factor receptors immunohistochemically and analyzed their relationship to the cytomorphological characters in 120 cases of RCCs. These receptors included c-met proto-oncogene product (c-MET), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and transforming growth factor beta receptor II (TGFbetaR). The overexpression of c-MET was detected in all cases (20/20) of the tubulo-papillary growth type and 78.3% (18/23) of chromophilic cell subtype, resulting in a very significant associations between c-MET overexpression and tubulo-papillary growth RCCs (P<0.0001), c-MET and chromophilic subtype RCCs (P<0.0001), and c-MET and EGFR (P<0.0001). EGFR overexpression was significantly associated with the compact growth RCCs (49/89, P<0.0001), clear cell subtype RCCs (P<0.005) and the overexpression of TGFbetaR (P<0.0001). These results strongly suggest a close correlation between the overexpression of c-MET and development of the chromophilic subtype of RCC with papillary growth pattern. EGFR expression is closely related to the pathogenesis of the clear cell subtype of RCC with compact growth pattern. The overexpression of c-MET, EGFR, and TGFbetaR may have roles that are individually significant in the morphogenesis of RCC.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Systematic laparoscopic left lateral segmentectomy of the liver for hepatocellular carcinoma.

A systematic technique for the resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prevents the dissemination of cancer cells through the portal vein of the remnant liver. We successfully performed a systematic laparoscopic left lateral segmentectomy in a 62-year-old man with HCC. The tumor was located in the left lateral segment of the liver, and measured approximately 4 cm in diameter. Since no other tumors were detected in the liver or in any distant organs, the patient was considered to be a candidate for surgery. A laparoscopic hepatic resection was selected as the procedure of choice. Prior to dissection of the liver parenchyma, the arteries and branches of the portal vein feeding the left lateral segment were divided and dissected, together with the branches of the biliary tree in the umbilical portion of the left pedicle of Glisson's capsule. The liver parenchyma was then dissected and the left hepatic vein divided and dissected, and transection of the left lateral segment was completed. The patient's postoperative course was uneventful and he was discharged on postoperative days 14. No evidence of recurrence has been noted in the 22 months after surgery (the time of this report). This less invasive surgery, taking into consideration the pathogenesis of HCC, may be a useful new approach in selected patients with this tumor.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗