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Biomedical subjects

R Minami

Publications and source records attributed to R Minami.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Delayed expression of dystrophin on regenerating muscle from two siblings with Becker muscular dystrophy.

We present here a unique expression of dystrophin on biopsied muscle from 2 siblings with Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD). They had neither muscle weakness nor atrophy. Clustered dystrophin-deficient fibers were constituted to regenerating basophilic fibers (mainly type 2C fiber) based on histochemical stainings. We speculate that the developmental delay in the expression of dystrophin is a characteristic finding in regenerating fibers from asymptomatic and young BMD patients, such as the siblings in this report.

Child↗
PubMed1992

Demyelinating peripheral neuropathy in Cockayne syndrome: a histopathologic and morphometric study.

The clinical and histopathological features of Cockayne syndrome in a 2-year-old girl are reported. Sural nerve biopsy revealed segmental demyelination and remyelination. The density of myelinated fibers, especially small ones, was decreased in comparison with an age-matched control. Although the total number of unmyelinated fibers showed no difference from that in the control, the number of small unmyelinated fibers was slightly increased. A study of teased fibers from the patient's nerve revealed that 1% of the fibers had segmental demyelination, and 7% showed remyelination. Ultrastructurally, demyelinated fibers were present sporadically. No degeneration of axons was evident. Our pathological and morphometric data for the sural nerve suggest the presence of primary demyelination in early childhood.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1992

Allelic heterogeneity in group A xeroderma pigmentosum.

The molecular basis of Group A xeroderma pigmentosum was investigated by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of PCR-amplified DNA sequences using the two restriction enzymes, endonucleases AlwN I and Hph I. The clones of a patient with Group A xeroderma pigmentosum who had typical symptoms showed a G-C substitution at the 3' splice acceptor site of intron 3. However, of the two atypical Group A xeroderma pigmentosum patients with mild skin lesions and minimal neurological abnormalities, the milder one showed homozygosity for the nonsense mutation of exon 6, while the other patient with slightly greater central nervous involvement was shown to be a compound heterozygote for the splicing mutation of intron 3 and the nonsense mutation of exon 6, thus indicating an allelic heterogeneity in group A xeroderma pigmentosum.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Gene deletions in Japanese patients with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophies: deletion study and carrier detection.

Fifty unrelated Japanese patients with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD and BMD) have been studied through use of the dystrophin cDNA probes. The 14-kb dystrophin cDNA was subdivided into six subclones, and Hind III-digested DNAs were analyzed by Southern blotting. Of 50 unrelated patients, 20 showed a deletion of one or several of the exon-containing Hind III fragments (40.0%). These corresponded to 50% (11/22) of BMD patients and 32.1% (9/28) of DMD patients, and the position and extent of deletions were mapped and proven to be more heterogeneous in DMD than in BMD. Both ends of deletions detected by probe 1-2a were common to all six BMD patients, and the 5' ends of deletions in probe 5b-7 were also common to four BMD patients. The phenotypic-specific deletion in Japanese BMD patients existed in the 5' end of the DMD gene, although an apparently similar deletion produced a wide range of clinical courses (BMD phenotype). Three out of eight females in DMD/BMD families were diagnosed as carriers through use of the junctional fragment and dosage analyses of dystrophin cDNA.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Benign familial neonatal convulsions: clinical features of the propositus and comparison with the previously reported cases.

A family with benign familial neonatal convulsions (BFNC) was presented. The propositus had his first episodes of cyanosis on the second day after birth. Thereafter, he also experienced multifocal clonic and/or focal clonic seizures. Between the seizures he appeared well and was essentially normal upon physical examination. Treatment with phenobarbital (4 mg/kg/day, p.o.) was started, and subsequently, he had no further seizures until 3 months of age. At the age of 4 months, he was again admitted to the hospital because of generalized tonic-clonic seizures. The findings of ictal EEG at that time were characterized by fast spiking with increasing amplitude during the tonic phase. During the clonic phase, there were repetitive bursts of spikes or sharp waves mixed with persisting muscle potentials. The termination of the convulsion was characterized by general voltage depression. Reference to previously reported cases of BFNC revealed that 10-15% of patients with this disorder had epilepsies later in life.

Electroencephalography↗
PubMed1991

[Occipital horn syndrome (Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IX) with severe psychomotor retardation and muscle atrophy--a first Japanese case].

Occipital horn syndrome (OHS; Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IX) belongs to the category of the copper metabolism disorders and is at present being investigated biochemically as is Menkes disease. We report a case of OHS in a 34-year-old male, which we believe to be the first Japanese case. He had been noted to have psychomotor retardation since his early childhood and now presents severe psychomotor retardation and muscle atrophy. He shows characteristic facial appearance, hyperelasticity of the skin, joint subluxation and generalized muscular atrophy. Laboratory investigations revealed a low serum copper and ceruloplasmin level as well as intestinal non-absorption of copper. Radiologic imagings showed occipital exostoses and bladder diverticula. The activity of lysyl oxidase, a copper-dependent enzyme involved in cross-link formation in collagen, was decreased in a skin-biopsied specimen. Electronmicroscopic investigation of a muscle biopsy showed irregularity of the myofibrillar network and accumulation of the concentric laminated bodies in the subsarcolemmal regions.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[A case of Moebius syndrome--electrophysiological studies of facial nerve and brainstem].

A five-year old boy was the product of a 40 week pregnancy by vertex presentation complicated only by threatened abortion at approximately 8 weeks gestation. Apgar score was 5 after one minute. At birth he was noted to have a generalized hypotonia associated with facial diplegia, small mandible, weak suck and swallow reflexes. Admission examination revealed small mandible, mask-like facial expression and mild mental retardation. Cranial nerve examination showed bilateral blepharoptosis and facial nerve palsies. Pupil reflexes were normal, but corneal reflexes were impaired bilaterally. Diplopia due to the left abducens nerve palsy was suggested. There was no atrophy of the tongue. Motor tone, strength, and deep tendon reflexes were normal. A normal 46 XY karyotype was present. The other clinical and laboratory findings were normal. MRI of the brain was unremarkable. The characteristics of electrophysiological studies were summarized as follows: 1) Auditory brainstem evoked responses demonstrated waveforms IV-V were abnormal because their amplitudes were less than 30% of wave I bilaterally. 2) Somatosensory evoked potentials documented by central conduction times from cervical region to sensory cortex were prolonged on both sides. 3) Facial nerve conduction velocity was calculated by evoked EMGs of the mentalis muscle electrically stimulated at two distal points over the marginal mandibular branch. MCV of the left side was reduced (34.2 m/sec). 4) The amplitude of the facial muscle potentials evoked by facial nerve stimulation was reduced on both sides. 5) Blink reflex responses documented by the latency difference of R1 responses between the two sides were prolonged.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Blepharoptosis↗
PubMed1991

[A case of type I hyperprolinemia associated with photogenic epilepsy].

A 9-year-old girl with type I hyperprolinemia, who also had photogenic epilepsy, was reported. She showed epileptic discharges and the regression in speech and motor activities, since 7 years of age. Her plasma proline levels were 3 to 4 times higher than control levels. In urine, iminoglycinuria appeared, when plasma proline value exceeded 0.80 mM. The proline oxidase activity of the liver tissues obtained by biopsy in the patient was about 23.5%, compared to that of controls. In spite of the restriction of proline and protein intake, she showed progressive speech and motor retardation.

Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors↗
PubMed1990

Gene deletions in Japanese patients with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy.

Thirty-eight unrelated Japanese patients with Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy (DMD and BMD) have been investigated with the DMD cDNA probes. The 14-kb DMD cDNA was subdivided into 6 subclones and HindIII-digested DNAs were analyzed by Southern blotting. Out of 38 unrelated patients, 14 showed a deletion of one or several of the exon-containing HindIII fragments (36.8%). These corresponded to 50% (9/18) of BMD patients and 25% (5/20) of DMD patients, and the position and extent of deletions were mapped and proved to be more heterogeneous in DMD than in BMD. Both ends of deletions detected in probe 1-2a were common to all six BMD patients without the maintenance of reading frame of messenger RNA, and 5' ends of deletions in probe 5b-7 were also common but maintained in frame in three BMD patients. The phenotypic-specific deletion in Japanese BMD patients has existed in the 5' end of the DMD gene, although its apparently similar deletion produced a wide range of clinical courses (BMD phenotype). There was no tight correlation between clinical severity and presence or absence of deletion in DMD or BMD.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

Asymptomatic ulnar neuropathy in carpal tunnel syndrome.

Quantitative assessment of the vibration threshold of the second and fifth fingertips at 125Hz was performed on 28 affected limbs of 17 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) together with a median and ulnar sensory nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) study. Twenty-six limbs of 26 age-matched healthy subjects were used as controls. Both the vibration threshold elevation of the second finger and the delay of median SNCV were significant in CTS patients as compared with controls (p less than .001). Although the ulnar SNCVs of all affected limbs were within the normal range, ten affected limbs (36%) were found to have a concomitant vibration threshold elevation of the fifth finger, and eight of those limbs were found to be exposed to chronic occupational mechanical stimulation at the wrist. These findings appear to support the presence of subclinical traumatic damage to the ulnar nerve at the wrist. In summary, digital vibration measurement can elucidate subclinical ulnar neuropathy in CTS which cannot be detected by SNCV studies.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1990

[Two cases of X-linked ichthyosis associated with myopathies].

X-linked ichthyosis is an inborn error of metabolism due to the deficiency of steroid sulfatase. We reported two cases of the patients associated with myopathies, which are Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and myotonic dystrophy (MyD), respectively. In addition to DMD and MyD, they showed corneal opacities, lack of steroid-sulfatase activities in peripheral leukocytes and massive accumulation of cholesterol sulfate in plasma. Such cases were not reported, previously. Assay of steroid sulfatase and cholesterol sulfate in the patients having ichthyosis is important to elucidate the wide clinical spectrum of steroid sulfatase deficiency.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Benign familial neonatal convulsion: clinical features of the propositus and comparison with the previously reported cases].

A patient with benign familial neonatal convulsions was presented. The patient had the first episode of cyanosis on the second day of life. Thereafter, he also experienced focal clonic and/or multifocal clonic seizures. The interictal EEG showed no definite abnormality. Between the seizures he appeared well and physical examination was essentially normal. Treatment with phenobarbital (4 mg/kg/day, P. O.) was started and subsequently he had no further seizures until 3 months. At the age of 4 months, he was admitted to the hospital again because of generalized tonic-clonic seizures. The interictal EEG showed sporadic spikes dominantly in the right central area. The findings of ictal EEG at that time are characterized by fast spiking of increasing amplitude during the tonic phase. During the clonic phase, there are repetitive+ bursts of spikes and sharps mixed with persisting muscle potential. The termination of the convulsion is characterized by general voltage depression. Clinical characteristics such as seizure types, EEG findings, responses to antiepileptic drugs and recurrence of the seizures found in our propositus were compared with those of the patients previously reported in the literature.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

[A case of epilepsy with myoclonoic absences].

A case of epilepsy with myoclonic absences is reported. A boy, 3 years and 8 months old, had the first attack at the age of 1 year and 8 months. He was mentally retarded, but had no evidence of organic brain damages. He had been said to have "absence" at another hospital for 2 years until he was referred to our hospital. The attack was characterized clinically by sudden loss of consciousness accompanied with rhythmical massive myoclonias. The ictal EEGs showed synchronous diffuse 3 c/s spike-wave discharges. There was a strict and constant relation between spike-wave discharges and the myoclonia. The polygraphy recording (EEG and EMG of various muscles) was very helpful for the diagnosis of epilepsy with myoclonic absences. We think that epilepsy with myoclonic absences should be considered in any case of "absence" with concomitant 3 c/s spike-wave discharges which is resistant to appropriate treatment, or is accompanied with mental retardation.

Child, Preschool↗