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Biomedical subjects

Keiji Tamaki

Publications and source records attributed to Keiji Tamaki.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Unexpected sudden death resulting from anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the left sinus of Valsalva: a case report involving identical twins.

An anomalous origin of the coronary arteries had been implicated as a cause of sudden cardiac death in a case involving a 16-year-old student who suddenly collapsed while running track at school. An autopsy revealed that the right coronary artery arose from the aorta in the left sinus of Valsalva. In order to determine whether the same anomaly was inherent in his brother--an identical twin--a complete cardiac medical examination was conducted. Multi-detector-row computed tomography (MDCT) coronary angiography showed no anomaly at the sinus of Valsalva, which indicates that the anomaly, in this case, was not hereditary. This case exemplifies instances where forensic medicine may intervene to prevent sudden deaths in surviving family members.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Human tandem repeat sequences in forensic DNA typing.

It has been 20 years since the first development of DNA fingerprinting and the start of forensic DNA typing. Ever since, human tandem repeat DNA sequences have been the main targets for forensic DNA analysis. These repeat sequences are classified into minisatellites (or VNTRs) and microsatellites (or STRs). In this brief review, we discuss the historical and current forensic applications of such tandem repeats.

DNA Fingerprinting↗
PubMed2002

Allelic structures at hypervariable minisatellite B6.7 in Japanese show population specificity.

Human minisatellite B6.7 shows extensive allele length and structural variability in north Europeans. We analysed this locus in the Japanese population. Allele size distributions showed that Japanese retain extensive allele length variability but have significantly smaller alleles compared with north Europeans. In contrast, there is very little variation in flanking DNA, with only one single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) near the minisatellite. Ninety-two Japanese alleles were further characterised by minisatellite variant repeat mapping by polymerase chain reaction (MVR-PCR). These alleles showed a wide variety of internal MVR structures, despite their relative shortness, with most alleles observed only once in the sample. The true heterozygosity is estimated at 99.95%, with well in excess of 2000 different alleles existing in the Japanese population. Dot matrix analysis showed that groups of related alleles sharing structural motifs could be identified within Japanese and in north Europeans, and that these groups are population specific with no examples of significant similarity between any Japanese and north European alleles. Minisatellite B6.7 therefore shows huge allele variability and fast repeat turnover in Japanese as well as north European populations, and provides novel lineage markers for exploring very recent events in human population history.

Alleles↗
PubMed2002

Role of endotoxin in NF-kappaB activation by ethanol in rat hepatocytes.

BACKGROUND: Endotoxin plays an important role in the progression of alcoholic liver injury. However, the role of endotoxin in acute activation of NF-kappaB by ethanol remains unclear. METHODS: In primary rat hepatocyte cultures treated with ethanol and/or endotoxin, the DNA-binding activity of NF-kappaB in the nuclear extract was estimated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. After pretreatment of a CYP2E1 inhibitor, 4-methyl pyrazole or diallyl sulfide, NF-kappaB activity was also measured in the same manner. RESULTS: Ethanol or endotoxin caused activation of NF-kappaB in primary rat hepatocytes. Taking 50 mM of ethanol and endotoxin together raised the rapid increase in NF-kappaB activation, but both 100 mM of ethanol and endotoxin treatment reduced the increase. Addition of diallyl sulfide decreased the activity at rapid phase but increased it after 60 min, whereas addition of 4-methyl pyrazole caused no change of the activity at rapid phase but raised it after 60 min. Pretreatment with both endotoxin and a CYP2E1 inhibitor raised the activation of NF-kappaB constantly after ethanol addition. These findings suggest that endotoxin plays a critical role in the metabolism-independent activation of NF-kappaB by ethanol. CONCLUSIONS: Endotoxin raised metabolism-independent activation of NF-kappaB by high ethanol in rat hepatocytes.

Animals↗