Biomedical subjects

Masashi Komori

Publications and source records attributed to Masashi Komori.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

A pregnant woman with complications of lymphangioleiomyomatosis and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

A pregnant 26-year-old woman developed hemosputum, dyspnea and pneumothorax. Lymphangioleiomyomatosis was suspected based on multiple cystic lesions on chest computed tomography. Additionally, moderate thrombocytopenia occurred during the last trimester. Hyperplasia of megakaryocytes in a bone marrow specimen and a high serum titer of platelet-associated IgG led to a diagnosis of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. High-dose intravenous gammaglobulin promptly restored her platelet count, and the patient successfully gave birth to a healthy baby by cesarean section. After delivery, lymphangioleiomyomatosis was diagnosed by lung biopsy that was obtained during a video-assisted thoracoscopic abscission for recurrent pneumothorax. Underlying lymphangioleiomyomatosis and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura may be obviated by pregnancy.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Effects of salmeterol in patients with persistent asthma receiving inhaled corticosteroid plus theophylline.

BACKGROUND: Patients with severe asthma require multiple therapies to improve lung function and reduce symptoms. The use of long-acting inhaled beta(2)-agonists plus theophylline in addition to high doses of inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) for the treatment of severe asthma has not been extensively studied. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of salmeterol combined with high-dose ICSs plus theophylline in severe asthma. METHODS: We undertook a randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover study to compare the effect of a single dose of inhaled salmeterol (50 microg) or a placebo in patients with severe asthma whose conditions were not being adequately controlled by therapies with high-dose ICSs plus oral theophylline with or without leukotriene receptor antagonists. RESULTS: Twenty patients took part in the trial. Compared with the placebo, the inhalation of salmeterol significantly increased the FEV(1). Even in the 9 patients treated with high-dose ICSs plus theophylline plus a leukotriene receptor antagonist, the FEV(1) increased significantly more after salmeterol than after the placebo. CONCLUSION: Patients with severe asthma receiving high-dose ICSs plus theophylline may benefit from the addition of salmeterol.

Administration, Inhalation↗

PubMed2005

Effects of receptive listening on the congruence of speakers' response latencies in dialogues.

The present study investigated the receptiveness of speakers toward conversational partners in dialogues by comparing duration of response latencies in both Compromise and Debate conditions. 12 dyads of speakers holding opposing opinions participated in a 15-min. dialogue. Six dyads in the Compromise condition reached a conclusion through discussion and consideration of the partner's opinion. The six dyads in the Debate condition imposed their opinion on the conversational partner. Analysis indicated that in compromise dialogues, the response latencies of the conversational partners become similar over the time course, while in debate diaogues, the response latency does not become similar, suggesting that speakers having a receptive attitude adjust their response latencies to match the partner's. The role of congruence of response latencies in dyadic communication was discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Influence of royal jelly on mouse hepatic gene expression and safety assessment with a DNA microarray.

We used a DNA microarray to compare the gene expression profiles in liver among three groups of mice fed a diet containing 5% royal jelly (RJ), a diet containing 5% RJ stored at 40 degrees C for 7 d (40-7d RJ) or a control diet which provides the same total energy as RJ. Expression of 267 genes was increased or decreased by 1.8-fold or more in animals given the RJ diet for 14 d as compared with control diet, though serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, phospholipid, glucose, insulin and leptin levels were unaffected. Many genes involved in cell growth, signal transduction, energy metabolism and transcription regulation were responsive to the RJ diet. Among the 267 genes whose expression was altered by RJ, 60% showed no change or a reduced change in response to 40-7d RJ diet. The 40-7d RJ diet contained little 57-kDa protein, identified as a possible freshness marker of RJ. Furthermore, the RJ diet did not influence the gene expression of cytochrome P450 enzymes and detoxifying enzymes, whereas the 40-7d RJ diet increased the gene expression of glutathione S-transferase and glutathione peroxidase. Indeed, the RJ diet decreased the gene expression of cytochrome P450 4A14 (CYP4A14), which catalyzes peroxidation of endogenous lipids that is associated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and alcoholic liver disease, while the 40-7d RJ diet was not effective to decrease the gene expression of CYP4A14. The results indicate that the efficacy of RJ decreased and the toxicity of RJ increased during storage at high temperature. We suggest that application of DNA microarray technology to the biochemical evaluation of food safety may be effective for rapid and precise quality control.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

[Two cases of Mycobacterium szulgai pulmonary disease in the elderly].

The rate of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacteriosis (NTM) in the total pulmonary mycobacteriosis has been continuously increasing. While M. avium complex is the most common cause of NTM, there are a few case reports of pulmonary infection due to M. szulgai. We described two cases of pulmonary NTM caused by M. szulgai. A 75-year-old male was admitted to our hospital because of dyspnea on effort, and productive cough. A chest X-ray showed an infiltrative shadow with cavity in the right upper lobe. A sputum smear for mycobacteria was positive, and a culture grew M. szulgai which was identified by DNA-DNA hybridization. He was treated with isoniazid, rifampicin, and ethambutol. His symptoms and CT and X-ray findings improved, and his sputum smear and culture converted to negative for mycobacteria. Second case was a 73-year-old male who had previously been diagnosed as MAC and pulmonary aspergillosis, and had been treated with antituberculous and antifungal drugs. He was readmitted to our hospital, because of general fatigue and hemoptysis. A chest X-ray revealed a consolidation with bronchiectasis and cavity in the both upper lung fields. A sptum smear for mycobacteria was positive, and a grown culture was identified as M. szulgai. He was treated with rifampicin, ethambutol and kanamycin based on the results of susceptibility testing. After 3 months of this treatment his sputum smear and culture converted to negative for mycobacteria, and his symptoms, and CT and X-ray findings improved.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

Decrease of interleukin-10-producing T cells in the peripheral blood of severe unstable atopic asthmatics.

BACKGROUND: Although IL-10 is known as an immunoregulatory cytokine produced by various cells including T cells, its basic profile in atopic asthma remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: The profiles of IL-10 production in circulating CD4+ T cells of atopic asthmatics were investigated with respect to clinical severity. METHODS: Forty atopic asthmatics were divided into three groups: mild, and severe but stable and severe unstable asthmatics. Eosinophils were counted in the peripheral blood and sputum, and exhaled nitric oxide was assessed. PBMCs were stimulated with or without anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies and then processed for detecting IL-10-producing CD4+ cells using flow cytometry. RESULTS: There was no difference in the eosinophil count in blood or sputum and in nitric oxide level among the three groups. IL-10-producing CD4+ cells were mainly detected in a CD45RO+ memory population. The frequency of IL-10-producing cells after stimulation was significantly lower in the severe unstable group compared to the mild group. In addition, the frequency of IL-10-producing cells in the severe unstable group was significantly lower than that in the severe stable group despite the fact that both groups received similar treatments with high-dose inhaled corticosteroids. The IL-10 production of CD4+CD45RO+ cells in response to dexamethasone did not differ among the three groups. CONCLUSIONS: IL-10-producing CD4+CD45RO+ cells in the peripheral blood are decreased in severe unstable asthmatics, which is not explained by the effect of high-dose inhaled corticosteroid medication.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

[A case of relapsing polychondritis successfully assessed for airway diameters under application of bi-level positive airway pressure (bilevel PAP)].

A 52-year-old man was admitted to our department because of hypercapnic respiratory failure. His illness had begun with scleritis 5 years before, followed by swelling of the fingers and auricular cartilages and saddle nose 3 years before, when a clinical diagnosis of relapsing polychondritis was made. His chest CT after intubation revealed diffuse airway narrowing with complete collapse of both main bronchi on expiration. Though his clinical status was stabilized after initiation of mechanical ventilation and pulse-dose corticosteroid treatment, he was difficult to wean from the ventilator with a conventional on-off trial. We therefore assessed the diameters of the central airways using dynamic CT under application of bilevel PAP, which confirmed an improvement in airway patency. He was then successfully weaned from artificial ventilation using bilevel PAP, initially through tracheotomy and subsequently via a nasal mask. To our knowledge, this is the first report that confirms the advantage of bilevel PAP objectively for a patient with labile airways.

Bronchi↗

PubMed2003

NMR and quantum chemical study on the OH...pi and CH...O interactions between trehalose and unsaturated fatty acids: implication for the mechanism of antioxidant function of trehalose.

Trehalose is a disaccharide that attracts much attention as a stress protectant. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of the antioxidant function of trehalose. The spin-lattice relaxation times (T(1)) of (1)H and (13)C NMR spectra were measured to investigate the interaction between trehalose and unsaturated fatty acid (UFA). We selected several kinds of UFA that differ in the number of double bonds and in their configurations (cis or trans). Several other disaccharides (sucrose, maltose, neotrehalose, maltitol, and sorbitol) were also analyzed by NMR. The T(1) values for the (1)H and (13)C signals assigned to the olefin double bonds in UFA decrease with increasing concentration of trehalose and the changes reaches plateaus at integer ratios of trehalose to UFA. The characteristic T(1) change is observed only for the combination of trehalose and UFA with cis double bond(s). On the other hand, from the (13)C-T(1) measurements for trehalose, the T(1) values of the C-3 (C-3') and C-6' (C-6) are found to change remarkably by addition of UFA. (1)H[bond](1)H NOESY measurements provide direct evidence for complexation of trehalose with linoleic acid. These results indicate that one trehalose molecule stoichiometrically interacts with one cis-olefin double bond of UFA. Computer modeling study indicates that trehalose forms a stable complex with an olefin double bond through OH...pi and CH...O types of hydrogen bonding. Furthermore, a significant increase in the activation energy is found for hydrogen abstraction reaction from the methylene group located between the double bonds that are both interacting with the trehalose molecules. Therefore, trehalose has a significant depression effect on the oxidation of UFA through the weak interaction with the double bond(s). This is the first study to elucidate the antioxidant function of trehalose.

Antioxidants↗

PubMed2002

[Clinical features of five cases of pulmonary Langerhans' cell histiocytosis].

We reviewed the clinical features of 5 cases of Langerhans' cell histiocytosis that had been referred because of pulmonary lesions. The most frequent symptom was persistent dry cough. Chest radiographs showed bilateral, symmetric reticulonodular infiltrates and accompanying cystic changes with an upper-field predominance. Pulmonary function testing (PFT) revealed moderate restrictive impairment in 3 patients. All the above features were in accordance with previous reports. The incidence of complications was, however, higher in the present cases than reported in the literature. Four cases were complicated with diabetes insipidus (DI), which caused polydipsia and polyuria on the initial presentation and was subsequently managed with intranasal desmopressin. In 4 cases, bone lesions were detected. A bone scintigram at 99mTc proved to be useful for surveillance. All patients had been followed up closely for longer than 2 years (median duration 2.8 years). Their clinical courses were generally stable without apparent decline in PFT, except that one patient with a psychiatric problem died from hypernatremia due to misuse of desmopressin. Immunosuppressive agents were given in only 2 patients including the one who died. Four transbronchial biopsies (TBB) were performed in 4 cases and at least 3 specimens were sampled from each. Histological diagnoses were made from TBB specimens in 3 patients, while the remaining 2 patients underwent an open lung biopsy. We conclude that TBB is acceptable as an initial diagnostic attempt. Multiple sampling may also contribute to preferable yield. Regarding patient management, we suggest that DI and bone lesions should be sought extensively as their incidence may be much higher than previously estimated.

Adolescent↗