PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

N Nakamoto

Publications and source records attributed to N Nakamoto.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

[A case of rubella encephalitis: rubella virus genome was detected in the cerebrospinal fluid by polymerase chain reaction].

We studied a 2-year-old boy who had been diagnosed as having rubella encephalitis by detection of rubella virus genome in his cerebrospinal fluid with the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR was considered to be very useful not only to make an early diagnosis of rubella encephalitis but also to be applied generally to that of various viral encephalitis.

Cerebrospinal Fluid

[A case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis with lesions in the cerebral gray matter on MRI in the acute phase].

We reported a case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) after Streptococcus infection. Brain MRI (T2-weighted image) showed high intensity lesion in the gray matter in the acute phase. The high intensity pattern of the lesion was different from those in previously reported cases. The boy, aged 14, had fever late in August 1993. He had lumbago and back pain since September 3 and also leg weakness developed since September 7. He became unable to urinate on September 10 and was admitted on September 12. His consciousness became indistinct. We considered ADEM on the basis of high CSF level of myelin basic protein, clinical course, symptoms and MRI findings and began to administer steroid hormone on the second day after admission. He rapidly recovered. We reported here an atypical case of ADEM as to the antecedent infection and MRI lesion.

Adolescent

[Study of influence of respiratory rate to airway resistance in patients with pulmonary emphysema].

Application of the panting method is very difficult for patients with pulmonary emphysema (PE). We attempted to measure airway resistance (Raw) during quiet breathing and changing respiratory rate step by step in patients with PE using a pressure-type body plethysmograph system (BX-82) correcting measured values by temperature and humidity. Influence of the respiratory rate to Raw was studied at 0.5l/sec of inspiratory and expiratory flow. Whenever the respiratory rate was going up, the Raw increased in spite of the increase of the thoracic gas volume. Raw (2Hz) was about one and a half times as high as Raw (quiet breathing). On the other hand, when the respiratory rate was going up, elevation of the peak flow was always able to be recognized. It seemed that the state of the airway varied during the panting method. The Raw measured during 0.5 Hz breathing (nearly quiet breathing) had small variability. Because the airway state during 0.5 Hz breathing was nearly the same as that during quiet breathing, measurement of Raw (0.5Hz) can be regarded as a practical method in patients with PE.

Aged

A case of Canavan disease: the first biochemically proven case in a Japanese girl.

Canavan disease (CD) has only been diagnosed on autopsy or brain biopsy, however, specific biochemical markers, such as N-acetylaspartic acid (NAA) and aspartoacylase activity, have recently been described in CD. We report a case of CD having the above biochemical markers. High levels of NAA were found in her urine, serum and CSF. Fibroblasts did not exhibit aspartoacylase activity. Clinically, she presented progressive psychomotor retardation, cerebellar signs, pyramidal signs and relative megalencephaly. CT and MRI showed findings of leukodystrophy. The evoked potentials showed widespread involvement in the brainstem. Magnetic resonance spectra showed a high level of NAA in the white matter. In Japan, this case is the first of CD determined on the basis of biochemical markers.

Amidohydrolases