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Biomedical subjects

M Nakatomi

Publications and source records attributed to M Nakatomi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Sonic hedgehog signaling is important in tooth root development.

Hertwig's epithelial root sheath (HERS) is important for tooth root formation, but the molecular basis for the signaling of root development remains uncertain. We hypothesized that Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling is involved in the HERS function, because it mediates epithelial-mesenchymal interactions during embryonic odontogenesis. We examined the gene expression patterns of Shh signaling in murine developing molar roots. Shh and Patched2 transcripts were identified in the HERS, whereas Patched1, Smoothened, and Gli1 were expressed in the proliferative dental mesenchyme in addition to the HERS. To confirm whether Shh signaling physiologically functions in vivo, we analyzed mesenchymal dysplasia (mes) mice carrying an abnormal C-terminus of the PATCHED1 protein. In the mutant, cell proliferation was repressed around the HERS at 1 wk. Moreover, the molar eruption was disturbed, and all roots were shorter than those in control littermates at 4 wks. These results indicate that Shh signaling is important in tooth root development. Abbreviations used: BrdU, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine; HERS, Hertwig's epithelial root sheath; NFI-C/CTF, nuclear factor Ic/CAAT box transcription factor; PCNA, proliferating cell nuclear antigen; Ptc, patched; Shh, sonic hedgehog; Smo, smoothened.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

[The clinical evaluation of MTD false-positive & false-negative results].

The usefulness of MTD (Amplified Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Direct Test) for a rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis was evaluated. A total of 400 clinical samples obtained from July, 1995 to June, 1997 were tested by MTD, direct microscopy and culture. The results of MTD and smear/culture were coincident in 387 out of 400 samples. Eight samples (2%) were MTD false-positive (i.e. they were MTD positive but smear and culture negative), and 5 (1.25%) were MTD false-negative (i.e. MTD negative but smear and/or culture positive). Despite a careful review of the clinical data of those patients whose samples showed discrepant results, the reasons of discrepancy were not clear in 2 (0.5%) of the 8 false positives and 3 (0.75%) of the 5 false negatives. In the other cases, the MTD false positives may be accounted for the presence of previous M. tuberculosis infection, the influence of anti-tuberculous medication and so on, and the MTD false negatives are most likely due to the presence of inhibitors (blood, for example) or to the small number of organisms in the specimens. It can be concluded that adequate samples should be obtained, and that MTD should be repeated in case of discrepant results.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[A study of virulence factors produced by MRSA strains isolated from blood samples].

Toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 (TSST-1) and enterotoxins are important virulence factors produced by Staphylococcus aureus. It is reported that these toxins are associated with septic shock and toxic shock syndrome. We investigated the toxin production and coagulase types of 701 MRSA strains isolated in Sasebo City General Hospital between 1994 and 1996 TSST-1 or/and enterotoxins were detected in 67% of all MRSA strains, and those were detected in 88% of MRSA strains isolated from blood samples. 45% of all MRSA strains produced both TSST-1 and enterotoxin C, and 70% of MRSA strains obtained from blood produced those toxins. Frequency of TSST-1 or/and enterotoxin production by MRSA strains isolated from blood samples was significantly higher than that by MRSA strains isolated from urine and pharynx (p < 0.05), and frequency of both TSST-1 and enterotoxin C production by MRSA isolates from blood was significantly higher than that by MRSA strains isolated from pharyngeal sample (p < 0.05). This study indicated that investigation of virulence factors produced by MRSA might give the useful information on prevention and treatment of MRSA infection.

Bacteremia↗
PubMed1992

[Angioscopic findings of the peripheral pulmonary arteries in patients with chronic pulmonary diseases].

Angioscopic observation of the peripheral pulmonary arteries was performed in 14 patients with chronic lung diseases (male 9/female 5, age 70.8 +/- 8.3 years, pulmonary tuberculosis sequelae 6, chronic bronchitis 4, chronic pulmonary emphysema 3, pneumoconiosis 1). The blood flow was stopped by the inflated balloon of a 7F guiding catheter, and then the peripheral pulmonary arteries (inner diameter 1.0-4.5 mm) were observed with a fiberoptic catheter (outer diameter 0.7 mm). In 10 out of 14 patients abnormal findings were obtained, which included redness, erosion, ulceration of the vascular wall, thrombus, fibrous tissue, and occlusion of the lumen. The incidence of abnormal findings tended to be higher in chronic bronchitis and pulmonary tuberculosis sequelae than in chronic pulmonary emphysema. These results suggest that 1) various changes including "vasculitis" and thrombus exist in the peripheral pulmonary arteries of chronic lung diseases, and 2) that angioscopy may provide the detailed information about both the vascular wall and the lumen which cannot be obtained by pulmonary angiography.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

[Extravascular thermal volume in pulmonary emphysema].

The extravascular thermal volume of the lung (ETVL) was measured by the heat-sodium double indicator dilution technique in 10 patients with chronic pulmonary emphysema. ETVL was 4.99 +/- 1.23 ml/kg, and correlated significantly with TLC(r = 0.747), %VC(r = 0.664), PaO2(r = 0.779), AaDO2(r = -0.796), shunt ratio(r = -0.7), and total pulmonary vascular resistance(r = 0.698). ETVL tended to decrease with the progression of the severity of emphysema as assessed by computed tomography. These results suggest that 1) the extravascular thermal volume decreases in chronic pulmonary emphysema parallel with an increase in the severity of the complaint, and that 2) the decrease of extravascular thermal volume may reflect a decrease in the size of the pulmonary capillary bed. It is concluded that the measurement of extravascular thermal volume may be useful for the evaluation of the severity of pulmonary emphysema.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

[Pulmonary hemodynamics and home oxygen therapy in patients with chronic respiratory failure].

The authors examined pulmonary hemodynamics with respect to underlying diseases, severity and type of chronic respiratory failure, and the incidence and effect of home oxygen therapy (HOT) in 155 patients with chronic lung diseases (old pulmonary tuberculosis (OTB) 45, chronic pulmonary emphysema (CPE) 54, chronic bronchitis (CBR) 42 and fibrosing lung disease (FLD) 14). They underwent right heart catheterization during a stable period, while breathing room air. The arterial PO2 ranged from 64.3 +/- 9.7 Torr (CBR) to 69.9 +/- 10.0 Torr (CPE), and the mean pulmonary arterial pressure ranged from 17.3 +/- 4.6 mmHg (CPE) to 20.6 +/- 5.4 mmHg (OTB). The incidence of pulmonary hypertension (PH, PA mean greater than or equal to 20 mmHg) was 53.3% in OTB, 40% in CBR, 35.7% in FLD, 23.8% in CPE, 69% in respiratory failure, 40% in quasi-respiratory failure, and 2.1% in non-respiratory failure. The percentage of patients who received HOT was 84.5% in respiratory failure and 54.1% in quasi-respiratory failure. Comparing Type I with Type II chronic respiratory failure, the incidence of PH was lower in the former than the latter (38.3% vs 80.6%), whereas HOT was applied to an equal percentage of patients (67.4%) in both groups. The effect of HOT was evaluated in 11 patients with chronic respiratory failure. The mean pulmonary arterial pressure was 22.7 +/- 4.7 mmHg before HOT, and decreased to 20.7 +/- 5.6 mmHg after 24.5 +/- 10.1 months of HOT. Although this difference was not significant statistically, this result suggests the desirable effect of HOT on pulmonary hemodynamics.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

[A cases of isoniazid-induced lupus].

A case of isoniazid (INH)-induced lupus occurring in a 62-year-old man is presented. He visited our hospital in May 1986 and a cavitary lesion was found in the right upper lobe on a chest roentgenogram. He had no previous history of treatment with antituberculotic agents. Though acid-fast bacilli were not found in his sputum, pulmonary tuberculosis was strongly suspected and INH, rifampicin and ethanbutol were administered. Four days after starting the treatment, minimal left pleural effusion was seen on chest X-ray film. Three months later he began to complain polyarthralgia in his digital joints. In a pleural effusion many lymphocytes were found; and the antinuclear antibody (ANA), the anti-extractable nuclear antigens (ENA) antibody, and the RNase resistant anti-ENA antibody were positive, and their titres were 20x, 1000x and 1000x, respectively, and the immune complex (IC) was 16.0 micrograms/ml (LT5). In blood serum, the ANA test the anti-ENA antibody and the RNase resistant anti-ENA antibody were positive with titres 40x, 640x and 640x respectively; and the IC was 14.0 micrograms/ml, and the RA test was positive. The improvement of clinical findings and disappearance of auto-antibodies seen after stopping INH confirmed the diagnosis as INH-induced lupus.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1987

Ciprofloxacin therapy in cystic fibrosis.

There is great need for an oral agent that could be used to treat pulmonary exacerbations in patients with cystic fibrosis. In this study, the use of oral ciprofloxacin as sole therapy was evaluated in 18 patients with 39 infectious episodes; 13 episodes were classified as severe, 19 were classified as moderate, and seven were classified as mild. Patients ranged in age from eight to 36 years (mean, 23 years). Dosage varied according to severity of disease, body size, and the susceptibility of the Pseudomonas isolate to ciprofloxacin; the dose ranged from 750 to 2,250 mg daily (mean, 1,800 mg). Ten patients received one course of ciprofloxacin, and eight received repeated courses. The overall clinical response rate was 82 percent. There was a response to the initial treatment course in 96 percent of the patients. Those in whom therapy failed had been re-treated with ciprofloxacin and were severely ill. Failure to respond correlated poorly with pretreatment minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values (0.6 microgram/ml for failures versus 0.4 microgram/ml for responses). Pseudomonas could not be eradicated from the sputum of any of the patients, although there was a marked reduction in purulence and bacterial counts. In general, patients who did not require re-treatment for three months would again have susceptible organisms. When organisms became resistant to ciprofloxacin (MIC greater than 2 micrograms/ml), they showed no concomitant new aminoglycoside or beta-lactam resistance. No serious toxicity occurred in any of the 39 episodes of treatment. In seven patients treated with combination therapy (tobramycin or azlocillin), the infecting organisms were reduced in number, but eradication of Pseudomonas generally could not be achieved. Increases in MIC occurred during combination therapy. Ciprofloxacin is a major advance in the treatment of bronchopulmonary infection in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

The effect of the combination of erythromycin with new beta-lactam antibiotics against gram-negative aerobic respiratory pathogens.

The effect of erythromycin on the in vitro activity of cefotaxime, ceftizoxime, cefoperazone, moxalactam, ceftazidime, cefmenoxime, aztreonam, imipenem, piperacillin, and gentamicin against 89 bacteria isolated from sputum and tracheal aspirates of patients admitted to intensive care units was evaluated. There were 30 Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 27 Klebsiella pneumoniae, 9 Enterobacter cloacae, 5 Escherichia coli, 4 Enterobacter aerogenes, 3 each of Klebsiella oxytoca, Pseudomonas maltophilia, Serratia marcescens, 2 each of Morganella morganii, Acinetobacter anitratus; 1 Proteus mirabilis. All isolates were resistant to erythromycin. Organisms were screened for synergy by fixed erythromycin concentration at 1, 8 and 16 micrograms/ml. There were 16 isolates that showed a greater than four-fold difference in MICs. These strains were analyzed by the checkerboard broth method. No antagonism was seen for any drug combination with erythromycin. One Enterobacter cloacae showed synergy of ceftizoxime and erythromycin, and 1 E. cloacae showed synergy with cefotaxime. Addition was found for 2 P. aeruginosa, 1 each E. aerogenes, E. coli, P. mirabilis, K. pneumoniae and S. marcescens. At concentrations of erythromycin achievable in blood or pulmonary tissue, the activity of newer beta-lactams and gentamicin is not altered by erythromycin.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1985

[Clinical studies on SM-4300, a new intravenous human gamma-globulin].

With the recent development of new potential antibiotics, it has become easier to treat patients with common bacterial infections. However, we find it difficult to handle severe infections due to opportunistic pathogens, developed in the so-called immunocompromised patients. SM-4300 is a newly developed intravenous human gamma-globulin, which is said to be intact without conventional enzyme-treatment and sulfonization. SM-4300 is also free from large molecules of aggregated gamma-globulin. SM-4300 was administered in combination with antibiotics to 2 patients of severe respiratory infections, having refractory underlying diseases. Case No. 1 was a 65-year-old female with bronchopneumonia, who had been suffering from pulmonary fibrosis, chronic bronchitis, chronic congestive heart failure and tricuspid insufficiency for several years. During her hospitalization because of these diseases, she developed cough with slight sputum and exertional dyspnea accompanied by high body temperature of 38 degrees C on January 1983. Chest X-ray revealed infiltration in the right lung field which was compatible with bronchopneumonia. SM-4300 of 5 g was added intravenously on 5th day after 4 day-cefotiam treatment with no improvement. High body temperature subsided and laboratory data became normal around 3 days after single SM-4300 injection. Case No. 2 was a 68-year-old male patient of chronic bronchitis with chronic pulmonary emphysema and bronchial asthma. Around the end of May 1983, he complained of dyspnea on exertion and had mucopurulent sputum, more than 100 ml daily, from which Pseudomonas aeruginosa was cultured in large number. He was afebrile.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1984

[Effectiveness of ceftizoxime on various infections in patients with underlying diseases].

Ceftizoxime (CZX), a parenteral cephalosporin derivative belonging to the so-called third generation cephalosporin is reported to have a broad antibacterial activity, particularly against Gram-negative aerobic bacilli and some anaerobes, such as Bacteroides fragilis and a good stability to beta-lactamases. Clinical study was performed on a total of 20 cases, 9 females (1 case had urinary tract infection 3 times) and 11 males, aged from 27 to 82 years. All patients had the underlying diseases. They were bronchial asthma in 3 cases, influenza in 1, chronic pulmonary emphysema in 1, pulmonary fibrosis in 1, chronic bronchitis with strongyloidiasis in 1, lung cancer in 3, esophagus cancer in 2, stomach cancer in 1, hepatoma with urolithiasis in 1, liver cirrhosis with diabetes mellitus in 1, alcoholism with strongyloidiasis in 1, cholelithiasis in 1 and congestive heart failure in 1, respectively. Clinical diagnoses for infections were 2-acute bronchitis, 2-exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, 2-broncho-pneumonia, 2-pneumonia including one suspected case, 1-obstructive pneumonia, 2-secondary pulmonary infection, 1-pulmonary infection, 3-urinary tract infection (UTI), 1-UTI with sepsis, 1-sepsis, 1-sepsis with purulent meningitis, 1-biliary tract infection and 1-infected bronchoesophageal fistula. CZX was given by intravenous drip infusion, at a dose of 1 to 2 g, twice daily for 3 to 15 days. Because of severity in infections and underlying diseases, some cases were treated either steroid, gamma-globulin preparations or other antibiotics in combination with CZX. Twelve out of 15 cases assessed clinically responded satisfactorily to the treatment and efficacy rate was 80.0%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗