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Biomedical subjects

Kenji Tahara

Publications and source records attributed to Kenji Tahara.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Novel genetic variants of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Anaplasma bovis, Anaplasma centrale, and a novel Ehrlichia sp. in wild deer and ticks on two major islands in Japan.

Wild deer are one of the important natural reservoir hosts of several species of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma that cause human ehrlichiosis or anaplasmosis in the United States and Europe. The primary aim of the present study was to determine whether and what species of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma naturally infect deer in Japan. Blood samples obtained from wild deer on two major Japanese islands, Hokkaido and Honshu, were tested for the presence of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma by PCR assays and sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes, major outer membrane protein p44 genes, and groESL. DNA representing four species and two genera of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma was identified in 33 of 126 wild deer (26%). DNA sequence analysis revealed novel strains of Anaplasma phagocytophilum, a novel Ehrlichia sp., Anaplasma centrale, and Anaplasma bovis in the blood samples from deer. None of these have been found previously in deer. The new Ehrlichia sp., A. bovis, and A. centrale were also detected in Hemaphysalis longicornis ticks from Honshu Island. These results suggest that enzootic cycles of Ehrlichia and Anaplasma species distinct from those found in the United States or Europe have been established in wild deer and ticks in Japan.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2004

Orally administered Kampo medicine, Juzen-taiho-to, ameliorates anemia during interferon plus ribavirin therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C.

BACKGROUND: Interferon plus ribavirin (IFN/Rib) therapy is currently standard treatment for chronic hepatitis C. Hemolytic anemia, however, is a serious side effect of this treatment, requiring reductions in or complete withdrawal of ribavirin. METHODS: We retrospectively investigated the effect of the Kampo medicine Juzen-taiho-to (TJ-48), which contains bone marrow-stimulating compounds, on anemia in 67 patients with chronic hepatitis C, who received IFN/Rib therapy. RESULTS: The reduction in hemoglobin levels was significantly ameliorated in TJ-48-treated patients (P<0.05). Consequently, only 13% (4/32) of TJ-48-treated patients received altered doses of ribavirin, while the ribavirin dose had to be reduced or withdrawn in 43% (15/35) of patients in the absence of TJ-48 administration (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate the possibility that oral administration of TJ-48 supports IFN/Rib therapy without necessitating ribavirin reduction or withdrawal.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2003

Effectiveness of carbohydrate-restricted diet and arginine granules therapy for adult-onset type II citrullinemia: a case report of siblings showing homozygous SLC25A13 mutation with and without the disease.

Case 1 is a 37-year-old Japanese man who was admitted to this hospital with a disturbance of consciousness. A diagnosis of adult-onset type II citrullinemia was made by DNA analysis of SLC25A13 (851del4/851del4) and measurement of hepatic ASS activity (2% of control value). After regaining consciousness, Case 1 was started on a dietary therapy, revealing that hypertriglyceridemia and ketogenesis impairment deteriorated on a low-protein diet and ameliorated on a carbohydrate-restricted (high-protein) diet. Case 1 could tolerate 70 g/day of protein while using arginine granules and developed hyperammonemia only after discontinuation of the administration. Case 2 (an elder brother of Case 1) is also homozygote for the same SLC25A13 mutation. The hepatic activity of argininosuccinate synthetase was about 20% of the control value. However, Case 2 exhibited neither hyperammonemia nor lipid metabolism abnormalities. These results suggest that, although adult-onset type II citrullinemia is caused by a deficiency of citrin, which plays key roles in carbohydrates, amino acids and even lipid metabolism, some other environmental or genetic factors are required for the onset of the disease, and from the authors' clinical experience, a carbohydrate-restricted (relatively high-protein) diet is advocated as a benefit to the patients, and that arginine granules are indispensable to this new dietary therapy.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2003

Branched-chain amino acids supplements in the late evening decrease the frequency of muscle cramps with advanced hepatic cirrhosis.

Eight outpatients with advanced hepatic cirrhosis were tested over 3 months for branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) supplements in the late evening. Serum albumin level (2.8+/-0.3 vs. 3.1+/-0.2 g/dl, P<0.002), serum cholin esterase activity (54+/-13 vs. 67+/-17 IU/l, P<0.02), and plasma Fischer's ratio (1.3+/-0.9 vs. 1.4+/-0.9, P<0.005) increased over the 3 months. The frequency of muscle cramps decreased (7.4+/-2.0 vs. 0.3+/-0.5 times/week, P<0.0001) dramatically. These data suggest that BCAA supplements in the late evening are of benefit to malnourished patients with hepatic cirrhosis. Relief of muscle cramping is an important outcome of BCAA supplements in the late evening.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

[A patient with hepatocellular carcinoma with intraperitonial lymph node metastases in whom oral UFT treatment was markedly effective].

We report a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with intraperitoneal lymph node metastases in whom UFT (uracil + tegafur) was markedly effective. The patient was a 70-year-old woman with chronic hepatitis C, who developed HCC mainly infiltrating the medial segment of the liver. Arterial infusion chemotherapy and embolization were performed, and radiofrequency ablation was also conducted. Despite these interventions, the serum alpha-fetoprotein level continued to increase, and reached a level as high as 208,000 ng/ml by the second month of treatment. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed no recurrence in the liver, but multiple metastases to intraperitoneal lymph nodes were identified. UFT-E treatment was initiated at the dose of 400 mg/day. A subsequent abdominal CT revealed complete disappearance of the intraperitoneal lymph node metastases 2 months after the start of UFT treatment. The serum alpha-fetoprotein level returned to normal 4 months after the start of UFT treatment. We consider that the patient described here is a good example to illustrate the remarkable effectiveness of UFT in the treatment of metastatic HCC.

Administration, Oral↗