Treatable fluctuating Parkinsonism and dementia in a patient with a dural arteriovenous fistula.
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Aged↗
Biomedical subjects
Makoto Kawahara
Publications and source records attributed to Makoto Kawahara.
Interferon causes no myasthenia in a seropositive patient with multiple sclerosis.
We describe a successful outcome of long-term interferon beta-1b therapy in a patient who had multiple sclerosis (MS) with positive serum autoantibody to muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR-Ab). Because of the reported possible causative linkage between interferon beta-1b and myasthenia gravis (MG), the presence of the pathogenic antibody complicated therapeutic strategies. We carefully observed the patient for further 6 months before the treatment, excluding symptomatic MG. The interferon beta-1b therapy then provided a clinical benefit. Hopefully this report will allow MS patients in similar situations to make more rapid, unprejudiced judgments than our patients.
Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
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↗
Finger flexor weakness in inclusion body myositis.
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Aged↗
Fasciitis associated with generalized morphea.
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Biopsy↗
Novel splice variants increase molecular diversity of aprataxin, the gene responsible for early-onset ataxia with ocular motor apraxia and hypoalbuminemia.
Early-onset ataxia with ocular motor apraxia and hypoalbuminemia (EAOH) is one of the most common forms of autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxia. We identified six new alternative transcripts produced by the aprataxin gene responsible for EAOH. Total eight transcripts encoded truncated proteins that were located within the nucleus or cytoplasm and showed different binding abilities to wild-type (WT) aprataxin. Thus, the alternative splicing increases the molecular diversity of aprataxin and the expression profiles of these transcripts in various tissues may be related to the tissue-specific phenotypes.
Adult↗
Ultrastructure and phylogenetic analysis of 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis' in the family Anaplasmataceae, isolated from wild rats and found in Ixodes ovatus ticks.
A novel bacterium that infects laboratory rats was isolated from wild Rattus norvegicus rats in Japan. Transmission electron microscopy of the spleen tissue revealed small cocci surrounded by an inner membrane and a thin, rippled outer membrane in a membrane-bound inclusion within the cytoplasm of endothelial cells. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence of the bacterium found in R. norvegicus rats and Ixodes ovatus ticks in Japan revealed that the organism represents a novel clade in the family Anaplasmataceae, which includes the Schotti variant found in Ixodes ricinus ticks in the Netherlands and the Ehrlichia-like Rattus strain found in R. norvegicus rats from China. The novel clade was confirmed by phylogenetic analysis of groESL sequences found in R. norvegicus rats and Ixodes ovatus ticks in Japan. No serological cross-reactivity was detected between this bacterium and members of the genera Anaplasma, Ehrlichia or Neorickettsia in the family Anaplasmataceae. It is proposed that this new cluster of bacteria should be designated 'Candidatus Neoehrlichia mikurensis'.
Anaplasmataceae↗
Novel endophytic nitrogen-fixing clostridia from the grass Miscanthus sinensis as revealed by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.
Anaerobic nitrogen-fixing consortia consisting of N2-fixing clostridia and diverse nondiazotrophic bacteria were previously isolated from various gramineous plants (K. Minamisawa, K. Nishioka, T. Miyaki, B. Ye, T. Miyamoto, M. You, A. Saito, M. Saito, W. Barraquio, N. Teaumroong, T. Sein, and T. Tadashi, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 70:3096-3102, 2004). For this work, clostridial populations and their phylogenetic structures in a stand of the grass Miscanthus sinensis in Japan were assessed by a 16S rRNA gene-targeted terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) analysis combined with most-probable-number (MPN) counts. PCR primers and restriction enzymes were optimized for analyses of the plant clostridia. Clostridia were detected in strongly surface-sterilized leaves, stems, and roots of the plants at approximately 10(4) to 10(5) cells/g of fresh weight; they made up a large proportion of N2-fixing bacterial populations, as determined by MPN counts associated with an acetylene reduction assay. Phylogenetic grouping by MPN-TRFLP analysis revealed that the clostridial populations belonged to group II of cluster XIVa and groups IV and V of cluster I; this result was supported by a culture-independent TRFLP analysis using direct DNA extraction from plants. When phylogenetic populations from M. sinensis and the soil around the plants were compared, group II clostridia were found to exist exclusively in M. sinensis.
Clostridium↗
Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences of Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys, and Wolbachia species from canine blood in Japan.
In the present study, three canine blood samples from Japan, that were suspected to be ehrlichia positive were examined. After sequencing the 16S rRNA genes, each dog was found to be infected either with Ehrlichia canis (Kagoshima 1), Anaplasma platys (Okinawa 1), or Wolbachia sp. (Okinawa 2). Phylogenic analysis was performed on these sequences. The nearly entire 16S rRNA sequence of Kagoshima 1 was found to be most similar to the sequences from Oklahoma and Venezuela E. canis strains (1 base pair difference out of 1,387, 99.9% sequence identity). The 16S rRNA gene sequence of Okinawa 1 showed the closest DNA identity to the French strain of A. platys (1 base deletion out of 1,385 bp, 99.6% sequence identity). The 16S rRNA gene sequence of Okinawa 2 illustrated the closest DNA identity to that of a Wolbachia sp. from Dirofilaria immitis (98.9% sequence similarity). These data imply a low diversity within E. canis strains and within A. platys strains, including those strains reported in this study. This is also the first demonstration of Wolbachia DNA in dog blood, suggesting the involvement of Wolbachia sp. in canine febrile illnesses.
Anaplasma↗
Fourth 3D structure of the chitosan molecule: conformation of chitosan in its salts with medical organic acids having a phenyl group.
Chitosan salts with two medical organic acids having phenyl groups (salicylic and gentisic acids) exhibited fiber diffraction patterns of a new type of crystal which does not compare with known types I and II. The crystals, called type III salts, showed a fiber repeat of 2.550 nm and a meridional reflection at the 5th layer line. These results coupled with a conformational analysis indicate the chain conformation of chitosan with the salts to be a 5/3 helix, this helix differing from those of type I (an extended two-fold helix) and type II (a relaxed two-fold helix or a 4/1 helix). The fiber patterns of all the type III salts were similar. This observation has also been found with type II salts and is an indication that the acid ions are not arranged in regular positions in the crystals. A comparison of solid-state 13C-NMR spectra of the gentisic acid salt and the aspirin salt, which could not be crystallized, suggests that, in the latter salt, the chitosan molecules also formed a 5/3 helix.
Acids↗
Dependence of the mechanical properties of a pullulan film on the preparation temperature.
The mechanical properties of pullulan films prepared at various temperatures were investigated. The films prepared at high temperatures (40 degrees C and 60 degrees C; H-films) did not show any clear plastic deformation in tensile test, indicating that they were brittle. In contrast, those prepared at low temperatures (4 degrees C, 13 degrees C, and 25 degrees C; L-films) showed such deformation. The latter films had higher values for both tensile strength and elastic modulus than the former, indicating that the L-films were stiffer and more flexible than the H-films. Stretching the L-films clearly showed a shear deformation band inclined at 45 degrees to the stretching direction, indicating that they were amorphous.
Elasticity↗
Humanin inhibits cell death of serum-deprived PC12h cells.
Humanin (HN) and S14G HN (HNG) are recently discovered polypeptides that rescue cells from death induced by multiple different types of familial Alzheimer's disease genes and by amyloid-beta. However, the cytoprotective activity of these peptides against other cell death-inducing stimuli remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated, using three different methods (MTS assay, caspase-3 assay, and detection of DNA fragmentation), that both HN and HNG protect PC12 cells from death elicited by serum deprivation. This implies the potential of the peptides to rescue cells from a broad spectrum, if not all, of cell death-inducing factors. Further investigations on HN may lead the possible application of this peptide as therapeutic agent for the treatment of other neurodegenerative diseases.
Animals↗
Characteristics of the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region of Mycoplasma haemomuris, previously classified as 'Haemobartonella muris'.
The intergenic spacer region between the 16S and 23S rRNA genes of Mycoplasma haemomuris, previously classified as 'Haemobartonella muris', was amplified by PCR and sequenced for analysis of the primary and secondary structures of the RNA transcript. The spacer region consisted of 219 base-pairs and lacked the spacer tRNA gene. A hypothetical secondary structure predicted in the RNA transcript of the spacer region was tentatively assigned box A and box B loci peculiar to the members of the Mycoplasma. Mycoplasma haemomuris and the other species of the genus Mycoplasma are consistent with these characteristics of the spacer region.
Base Sequence↗