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N Anzai

Publications and source records attributed to N Anzai.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

[Primary culture of proximal tubular cells (PTC) from normal mouse kidney as an in vitro model to study mechanisms of development of tubulointerstitial nephritis. Induction of ICAM-1 in PTC by antigen-primed lymphocytes].

Cultured PTC clearly expressed intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) under the influence of tubular basement membrane antigen (TBM)-primed lymphocytes. These TBM-primed lymphocytes also demonstrated a high cytotoxic activity against cultured PTC. A pure preparation of isolated PTC from BALB/c mouse kidney was brought into primary culture. PTC was prepared by the method of Boogaard PJ et al, and our modification. Briefly, kidney was perfused with buffer containing 0.08% (w/v) collagenase. The cortical tissue was then filtered through nylon-gauze. Viable PTC were separated from other materials by isopycnic centrifugation on a discontinuous Nycodenz gradient. The confluent monolayer of PTC showed a typical epithelial morphology with cobblestone-like cells in the center of the cell-islands. Typical dome formation was observed in PTC cultures. These cells also strongly expressed gamma-glutamyl transpeptitase activity. Coculture of PTC with syngeneic lymphocytes primed with TBM antigen induced ICAM-1 expression in PTC. The TBM-primed lymphocytes had a cytotoxic activity without complement. However, neither virgin lymphocytes nor liver antigen-primed lymphocytes had cytotoxic activity. This simple syngeneic experimental model may allow us further molecular biological examination of renal tubulointerstitial diseases.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

A new method for quantitative estimation of the degree of DNA fragmentation utilizing agarose gel electrophoresis.

We designed a new method for quantitative analysis of the degree of DNA fragmentation, a characteristic feature of apoptosis. A photograph of an agarose gel electrophoresis of fragmented DNA was incorporated by an optical density scanner or equivalent equipment, and the integrations of middle molecular size area (10,000 to 300 bp), single nucleosomal size area (smaller than 300 bp) and total lane area were calculated. We defined fragmentation rate or (%)FR as the amount of fragmented DNA expressed as the percentage of the total amount of DNA, assigning the coefficients of 1 and 0.5, respectively, to the fragments completely digested into single nucleosomal length and to those partially digested (between 10 k to 300 bp). A standard calibration curve was constructed from triplicate experiments of target nuclei digestion by micrococcal nuclease, which revealed that this method covered a wide range of nuclease activity. We also confirmed that our method was applicable to an autodigestion assay of isolated nuclei which represented endogenous endonuclease activities. This method may be a useful tool for quantitative analysis of endonuclease activities capable of producing nucleosomal-size DNA fragmentation.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed1994

Marked apoptosis of human myelomonocytic leukemia cell line P39: significance of cellular differentiation.

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)-derived leukemia cell line P39/Tsugane could be induced to apoptosis by a variety of agents including metabolic inhibitors, a calcium ionophore and differentiation-inducing agents. As evaluated by characteristic morphological changes and oligonucleosomal lengths DNA ladder, the levels of apoptosis in P39 cells induced by actinomycin D, or A23187, were far greater than in other myeloid lines examined in this study. When 22-oxa-1 alpha, 25(OH)2D3 (D3), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and all-trans retinoic acid (RA) were used as differentiation-inducers, varying degrees of apoptosis were seen. D3 induced monocytoid differentiation, but not apoptosis above the control level. On the other hand, RA induced profound apoptosis concomitant with the progressive expression of differentiation markers. Studies on morphology, functions and phenotypes of P39 cells exposed to differentiation inducers suggest that the incidence of apoptosis was not affected by the process of differentiation, but cells in the process of varying degrees of differentiation may die via apoptosis. Moreover, RA-treated P39 cells are unique in the simultaneous occurrence of profound apoptosis and differentiation. We propose that RA-treated P39 differentiation model is ideally suited for the study of MDS.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed1994

[Assessment of social disability of patients suffering from chronic mental illness with the role play test].

UNLABELLED: Among the chronic mentally ill patients, disabilities invade most parts of their social functioning, and influences their long term course profoundly. It is important clinical issue to improve disability. Social skills training is assumed to be effective method to improve disability, and it has been disseminated over Japan recently. The assessment system to evaluate disabilities objectively at the viewpoint of social skills must be required to verify effects of social skills training, and to develop further effective therapeutic method. A role play test is the assessment tool for social skills through role plays under specific social conditions. It was reported to be useful as the method of functional assessment before treatment, and as the tool to evaluate effects of treatment to improve disability. PURPOSE: We created the Role Play Test (RPT) which was adapted to Japanese cultural background, and we tried to verify feasibility, reliability, and validity of the RPT. SUBJECTS: Thirty out-patients attending in the Day Hospital attached to Tokyo University Hospital. Twenty-six were schizophrenia, and 4 were other diagnoses. METHOD: Subjects were assessed with the RPT, BPRS, SANS, four rating scales for social functioning, and self-efficacy rating scale. The RPT was designed to assess components of social skills--social perception, role play behavior, and self-efficacy. Role play behaviors were recorded with video tapes for analysis of interrater reliability. The RPT is consisted of 12 scenes to evaluate social skills which are required in daily life. Statistical analyses were done with SAS (Statistical Analysis System). RESULTS: (1) The RPT was presumed to be feasible clinically, because the RPT could be practiced easily and responsibilities of both subjects and testers were not so much. (2) Interrater reliabilities assessed with ANOVA-ICC on 12 items was sufficiently high except one item. (3) Construct validity was certified through factor analysis, and criterion-related validity was certified through correlation analysis with other rating scales of social functioning. (4) Individual profile of the RPT should be useful instrument for functional analysis before social skills training. We also discussed on some hypotheses on the causal relationship between positive and negative symptoms and social skills. The RPT could be used as a tool to research causes of disabilities, and to evaluate improvement of social functioning after psycho-social intervention including social skills training, because the RPT can assess social skills quantitatively according to the cognitive-behavioral model.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Detection of Mg(2+)-dependent endonuclease activity in myeloid leukemia cell nuclei capable of producing internucleosomal DNA cleavage.

We detected Mg(2+)-dependent, Ca(2+)-independent endonuclease activity in non-apoptotic myeloid leukemia cell nuclei using autodigestion method which cleaved the chromatin of the autologous leukemia cells to an oligonucleosomal length pattern. Similar endonuclease activity could be successfully recovered in the protein extracts of the human leukemia cell nuclei. The extracts consistently elicited characteristic DNA cleavage of another leukemia cell (KG-1) nuclei as the target, the enzyme activity of which had been inactivated. We propose that this method is a useful tool for the study of endonucleases involved in apoptosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Serial changes in endogenous erythropoietin levels in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and aplastic anemia undergoing erythropoietin treatment.

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEpo) was administered to 14 patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and seven patients with aplastic anemia (AA). In 19 patients, doses of 6000 units were given intravenously three times a week (t.i.w.) with the dose being doubled up to 24,000 units every 8 weeks until a response was obtained. RhEpo was given subcutaneously in two patients. Seven patients, four with MDS and three with AA, showed a significant response with an increase of hemoglobin concentration during therapy. The response occurred at doses of 12,000 units in five and 24,000 units in two patients. Responding patients with both MDS and AA had a relatively low serum Epo (s-Epo) level prior to Epo therapy. MDS responders had either refractory anemia (RA) or RA with ring sideroblasts (RARS), while two of the Epo responders in AA had a severe form of the disease. However, since some of the Epo responders had a high initial s-Epo concentration, a high s-Epo level does not preclude the use of rhEpo. Serial determination of s-Epo levels showed a progressive decline in six of the seven responders even when they were on rhEpo therapy, while the s-Epo levels remained elevated or further increased with time in most nonresponders. RhEpo was well tolerated by all patients. The results suggest that rhEpo is a safe and effective treatment for a certain proportion of patients with MDS and AA. Moreover, serial determination of s-Epo during therapy may be useful in monitoring and predicting the therapeutic effect of rhEpo.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Compensatory function of central dopaminergic system for suppressing psychic seizures--repeated plasma homovanillic acid measurement in refractory temporal lobe epilepsy.

Repeatedly measured plasma homovanillic acid concentration, as a clinically available index of central dopaminergic activity in a patient with temporal lobe epilepsy during a drug-free period, was significantly correlated with seizure frequency in the week immediately following, but not preceding, blood sampling days. This result suggests a compensatory function of the dopaminergic system in suppressing refractory psychic seizures.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Effects of TJ-960 on Sternberg's paradigm results in epileptic patients.

OBJECTIVES: This study is aimed at investigating the effects of TJ-960 on cognitive function in epileptic patients. Sternberg's paradigm was used to examine the change in cognitive function, especially short-term memory, resulting from administration of TJ-960, along with the effects of the drug on seizures. SUBJECTS: The subjects of this investigation were 26 epileptic outpatients (14 males and 12 females; average age: 35 +/- 11 years old) of the Saitama Medical School Hospital, the Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital and the Tokyo University Hospital. The controls were 17 other epileptic outpatients (12 males and 5 females; average age: 40 +/- 12 years old) of the same hospitals. METHODS: The subjects were administered 7.5 g of TJ-960 per day for 8 weeks in addition to their previous medications. Immediately before the beginning of drug administration, and again after 8 weeks of administration, they were examined, using Sternberg's paradigm. The controls were examined at intervals of 8 weeks in the same manner as the subjects (i.e., no change in regimen). RESULTS: After 8 weeks of treatment with TJ-960, 8 of the subjects exhibited a greater than 25% decrease in the number of seizures. Seventeen cases showed no change, and one case showed exacerbation. The correct reaction times for Sternberg's paradigm in the group administered TJ-960 were 955 +/- 307 ms at the time of the first examination and 881 +/- 277 ms at the time of the second, and those of the control group were 845 +/- 288 ms for the first examination and 829 +/- 269 ms for the second. As these figures show, the correct reaction time was significantly shortened between the first and second examinations in the TJ-960 group. No change was exhibited in the sample reaction time between the first and second examination in either group. The difference in alpha wave power of the occipital region before and after the TJ-960 administration was significantly greater in the patients who showed improvement in Sternberg's paradigm as compared to the patients who remained unchanged in Sternberg's paradigm. In addition, the results for the theta wave power were opposite to those of alpha waves. As mentioned above, TJ-960 was presumed to have the effect of improving the cognitive function in epileptic patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)-associated inhibitory activity on haematopoietic progenitor cells: contribution of monocyte-derived lipid containing macrophages (MDLM).

We studied myelodysplastic syndrome-associated inhibitory activity (MDS-IA), which inhibited colony formation in vitro of normal granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (CFU-GM). When adherent marrow cells were incubated with fetal calf serum for 21-24 d, monocyte-derived lipid containing huge macrophages (MDLM) developed. MDLM from MDS marrow (MDS-MDLMs) and their conditioned medium (MDLM-CM) consistently suppressed the growth of normal CFU-GM colony formation. MDS-IA was active on CFU-GM during the S-phase and relatively resistant to heating. Monoclonal antibody against H subunit (acidic) ferritin and polyclonal antibody against placental ferritin neutralized the inhibitory activity of MDS-MDLMs. In addition, cell lysates of MDS-MDLMs reacted to both monoclonal anti-H subunit ferritin and polyclonal anti-placental ferritin in Western blotting analysis, indicating that the inhibitory activity was predominantly acidic isoferritin. On the other hand, MDLMs obtained from normal bone marrow had a CFU-GM enhancing activity. These results suggest that MDS-MDLMs may be responsible for the suppression of granulopoiesis in patients with MDS and that the suppression may be mediated by soluble factors, notably H subunit isoferritin.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

A right atrial thrombus, attached to the inferior limb of the fossa ovalis.

A right thrombus was incidentally found in a 65-year-old male during mitral valve surgery. A mushroom-like thrombus was attached to the inferior limb of the fossa ovalis with broad based stalk. It developed in sinus rhythm and in the absence of evidence of blood stasis in the right atrium. The most likely pathogenesis of right atrial thrombus formation in this case is endocardial damage from right heart catheterization prior to surgery.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

[A case of myocardial infarction with normal coronary arteriogram in combined valvular disease].

In this report, we presented a case of myocardial infarction with angiographically normal coronary artery, possibly caused by coronary thromboembolism due to combined mitral and aortic valvular lesions. Embolism arising from the mitral valve or left atrium might preferentially enter the coronary arteries because of the turbulence produced by the associated aortic valve lesion. Her impaired cardiac function, due to valvular lesions and myocardial infarction, has improved after double valve replacement.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[A successful surgical case of acute myocardial infarction in total obstruction of the left main coronary arterial ostium].

Cardiogenic shock due to acute myocardial infarction in an 81-year-old man with total obstruction of the left main coronary arterial ostium was successfully treated with coronary artery bypass grafting. Although this procedure was successful there are some problems in the surgical management of this condition with regard to myocardial protection and preoperative evaluation of poorly visualized left coronary system. It is necessary to infuse first a large volume of high pressure cardioplegic solution and then follow it with another infusion of the solution, through the vein graft, at the regular volume and pressure. Furthermore, the complete revascularization of the left coronary system by vein grafts is recommended.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Diagnostic reliability and significance of irregular beta patterns.

We designated EEGs with marked and irregular beta waves in basic patterns as "irregular beta patterns" on the basis that these patterns are related with particular symptoms such as dysphoria, irritability and autonomic symptoms and they implicate choice of therapeutic agents. Because of good response to antiepileptic agents in patients with "irregular beta patterns" along with EEG characteristics, we hypothesized that the prevalence of "irregular beta patterns" is higher in epileptics than in other psychiatric patients. In the present study, we tested this hypothesis, investigating actual frequencies of these patterns among different diagnostic categories for all patients whose EEG were recorded in all the first-visit patients to the Outpatient Clinic, Department of Neuropsychiatry of the Tokyo University Hospital during one year period of 1986. Before starting this investigation, we checked the interrater reliability for these patterns. Therefore, two studies are reported here. In Study 1, five raters judged 98 EEG recordings blindly (43 epileptics and 55 healthy subjects). As a result, the generalized Kappa of 0.473 was obtained, indicating our agreement level was moderate or fair. This result lends support to our contention that irregular beta patterns are reliably judged. In Study 2, we judged the EEG recordings (137 schizophrenics, 62 affective disorders, 43 epileptics and 55 healthy controls) and calculated the prevalence rate of "irregular beta patterns" among the diagnostic categories. The results show that the prevalence rates of "irregular beta patterns" among psychiatric disorders and normal controls were 13% (18/137) in schizophrenics, 11% (7/62) in affective disorders, 14% (6/43) in epileptics and 4% (2/55) in healthy controls. These rates did not differ significantly among the three disorders. Thus, our hypothesis was not supported. The clinical significance of these patterns is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Psychiatric patients showing irregular beta activities in EEGs and treatment with antiepileptic drugs: a report of 15 cases.

Fifteen psychiatric cases are reported who were clinically diagnosed as schizophrenic, affective disorders, or neurotic, but resisted standard medication regimens, all showing irregular beta activities on EEGs. The cases tended to display symptoms in common, such as dysphoria, emotional instability or frequent physical complaints. These characteristic symptoms share something mutually with the symptoms shown in some epileptic patients or psychiatric patients with epileptic EEG abnormalities without clinical seizures. Antiepileptic drugs seemed more specifically effective to the above symptoms. More than half of these cases showed improvement on EEG findings such as a decrease in irregular beta activities and an increase in rhythmicity or regularity of alpha activities along with clinical improvement with the administration of adjunctive antiepileptic drugs. These results suggest that the adjunctive administration of antiepileptic drugs to patients with irregular beta activities on EEGs is clinically useful and an EEG examination has much value in psychiatric practice to find the criteria of drug therapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Multiple myeloma causing obstructive jaundice by extramedullary plasmacytoma after Bence Jones protein loss--an autopsy case report].

A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a chief complaint of general malaise in March 1986. A diagnosis of Bence Jones protein (kappa) type of multiple myeloma was made from increased atypical plasma cells in the bone marrow, urinary BJP (kappa) and osteolytic lesions. Urinary BJP (kappa) was decreased by MP and VENP therapies. In April 1987, he visited us again with the complaint of pain on the left shoulder. An examination revealed multiple osteolytic lesions and bilateral pleural effusion containing atypical plasma cells. Jaundice was developed at the end of July 1987. An ultrasound examination revealed a hypoechoic mass in the area of pancreatic head. The effusion was gradually increased without response to the treatment. He died of respiratory failure on July 31, 1987. On autopsy, extramedullary plasmacytoma was found in the head of pancreas. It was a rare case of multiple myeloma in which pleural effusion and multiple plasmacytomas, and finally obstructive jaundice were developed although urinary BJP (kappa) was reduced by treatment.

Bence Jones Protein↗
PubMed1990

[Cerebral and myocardial infarcts due to deterioration of cloth-cover of Starr-Edwards mitral valve 16 years after replacement].

A 55 year-old woman whose mitral valve had been replaced 16 years previously with a Starr-Edwards cloth-covered ball valve was admitted to our hospital, complaining of memory disturbance and bilateral pretibial edema. Her CT scan findings showed a low density area in the left anterior and temporal lobes, hippocampus, and insula. A right coronary angiogram demonstrated total obstruction at the midportion. In addition to these cerebral and myocardial infarctions due to cloth-wear of the Starr-Edwards ball valve, her laboratory data indicated intravascular hemolysis. Her malfunctioning Starr-Edwards valve was successfully replaced with a Björk-Shiley valve. An aggressive attitude toward urgent replacement is suggested in cases of suspected cloth-wear.

Cerebral Infarction↗