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Biomedical subjects

S Yasaki

Publications and source records attributed to S Yasaki.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

Usefulness of switching to cabergoline from other dopamine agonists in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease.

Problems associated with long-term treatment of advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) include motor complications and psychotic and autonomic symptoms. We switched patients from bromocriptine (BR) or pergolide (PER) to cabergoline (CB) therapy and investigated CB's usefulness in alleviating such problems. Subjects were 30 patients (mean age 68.2 years; 13 receiving BR, 17 PER) with PD complicated by effects of long-term treatment but in whom their dose of dopamine (DA) agonist was contraindicated due to adverse reactions. Patients were switched to CB over a 2-4-week period. Hoehn-Yahr and Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) I-IV "on" and "off" scores improved in both the BR and PER groups. CB was not discontinued due to adverse reactions in any patient. In conclusion, switching to CB is useful in patients in whom it is problematic to increase their dose of DA agonist due to motor complications or psychotic symptoms of advanced PD.

Aged↗

[Serial changes of MRI and SPECT findings in a case of adult-onset SSPE].

A 20-year-old man who had developed involuntary movement of his left hand and memorial disturbance visited our hospital in December, 1991. On admission, myoclonus, dementia and speech disturbance were recognized. He was diagnosed as subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) based on a high titer of serum anti-measles antibody (1/256), serum anti-measles-IgG antibody (> 1/4,800) and typical EEG fiding of periodic synchronus discharge (PSD). Inosine pranobex was administrated orally (4,800mg per day). Serial cranial magnetic resonance imagings (MRI) were taken since January, 1992 to June, 1994. No abnormal finding was demonstrated until April 16, 1992 in MRI, but 123I-IMP SPECT detected decreased accumulation in parietal to occipital lobes on early image in February 5, 1992. Marked high signal area on T2 weighted image in right temporal lobe and parieto-occipital lobe were firstly demonstrated in June 22, 1992 on MRI. These high signal lesions alternated the areas and locations, but the changes were not related to his clinical symptom. These findings may suggest ischemic changes after demyelination. His symptoms have been improving gradually since June, 1994. To our knowledge, 42 cases of adult-onset SSPE were reported so far (5 were in Japan). This case is the first report in the world on adult-onset SSPE serially observed with MRI and SPECT since early stage.

Adult↗

[A case of early syphilis presenting general paresis-like symptoms and bilateral tonic pupils].

A 40-year-old man was admitted after 8 months of speech disturbance and locomotive ataxia. He had no seizures, lightning pains, paresthesia, visual loss, bladder disturbance or rectal incontinence. He had never been neurologically or psychiatrically ill and had no history of syphilis. When the patient was admitted, his general physical examination including blood pressure and dermatologic examination was normal. His consciousness was alert. He was found to have a deterioration of mental status such as inability to concentrate, failing memory, amnesia and circumstantiality. His pupils were anisocoric and Achilles jerks were absent. No rigidity of the neck muscles, paralysis and sensory disturbance were recognized. Romberg's sign was absent. The right pupil was 7.0 mm and the left was 6.0 mm in room illumination. The pupils were nonreactive to bright light and both did not constricted to near stimuli. 0.125% pilocarpine eyedrops produced bilateral pupillary constriction. The results indicated bilateral tonic pupils. Laboratory data revealed white cell count of 12,600/mm3 and normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 8 mm/hr. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination revealed the following: opening pressure, 140 mm of water; cell counts, 76/mm2 (mononuclear cells); total protein, 116 mg/dl; glucose, 57 mg/dl. A serum venereal disease research laboratories (VDRL) test was positive in a 1:32 titer confirmed by positive treponema pallidum hemagglutination (TPHA) test in a 1:40,960 titer and positive fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption (FTA-ABS) test. Serum TPHA-IgM was positive in a 1:320 titer but TPHA-IgG was negative. CSF examination revealed positive TPHA test (titer of 1:2,560) and positive FTA-ABS test.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Spatial distribution of fiber degeneration in acute hypoglycemic neuropathy in rat.

Hypoglycemia may cause axonal nerve fiber degeneration, but to do so it must be severe (less than 1.5 mmol/L) and of long duration (greater than or equal to 12 hours). Since in our previous study, systemic PO2, PCO2, pH, blood pressure, temperature, and hematocrit were maintained within physiologic limits, fiber degeneration cannot be attributed to systemic hypoxia. In this study the spatial distribution of axonal degeneration was assessed in transverse epoxy sections and teased fibers from different proximal-to-distal levels of nerves of the lower limb of the rats. Reactions in lumbar spinal motor neurons, spinal ganglia, and fasciculus gracilis were also studied. Axonal degeneration was the characteristic fiber alteration and it predominated in central fascicular distributions of distal sciatic, proximal tibial, and proximal peroneal nerves. This proximal-to-distal and central fascicular spatial distribution is not typical of distal polyneuropathy or of neuronal degeneration, but it is characteristic of a focal or multifocal nerve trunk neuropathy. Although local hypoxic-ischemic injury, possibly mediated by enhanced sympathetic tone, has not been excluded, we postulate a generalized deficiency of energy substrate manifesting itself by fiber degeneration at watershed zones of poorest perfusion.

Animals↗

A simple method for rat endotracheal intubation.

A simple, fast, reliable, and atraumatic method of endotracheal intubation was developed to provide long-term mechanical ventilation in rats. Light from a focused point source directed to the outside of the skin just anterior to the pharyngoepiglottic region penetrated the skin, muscles and trachea and allowed direct visualized placement of an endotracheal tube.

Animals↗

Duration and severity of hypoglycemia needed to induce neuropathy.

The duration and severity of hypoglycemia needed to induce neuropathy is not known. To test these variables, the percentage of teased fibers of peroneal and tibial nerves showing graded pathologic abnormalities was estimated in groups of rats that had been made hypoglycemic for various times and severities one week earlier. The techniques used maintained core temperature, pO2, pCO2, and hematocrit within physiologic limits. A control group was anesthetized and mechanically ventilated but insulin was not given. A second control group underwent no experimental manipulation. Life could not be sustained with hypoglycemia below 1 mmol/l. In 23 rats that were hypoglycemic (1.4 +/- 0.2 mmol/l, mean +/- S.E.M.) for various times less than 11 h, the frequency of axonal degeneration of teased myelinated fibers (0%-1%) was not different than in controls. In 9 young rats that were hypoglycemic (1.4 +/- 0.0 mmol/l) for various times of 12 or more hours, the frequency of fiber degeneration was significantly higher than in controls (P less than 0.01) and increased to as high as 26%. By contrast, in 5 older rats that were hypoglycemic (1.5 +/- 0.1 mmol/l) for various times of 12 or more hours, the frequency of degeneration was not different from that of controls. Both duration and severity of hypoglycemia are risk factors for fiber degeneration. The peripheral nerves are more vulnerable to prolonged severe hypoglycemia in younger rats than in older rats.

Animals↗

Effect of oil-attached BCG cell-wall skeleton and thymectomy on the incidence of lung cancer and amyloidosis induced by chemical carcinogens in rabbits.

Intravenous injection of oil-attached BCG cell-wall skeleton showed potent preventive activity for induction of lung cancer by the intrabronchial instillation of chemical carcinogens (3-methylcholanthrene, 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide) in rabbits. On the other hand, the thymectomized rabbits developed lung cancer by instillation of chemical carcinogens at an 80% incidence, compared to 47.2% in the controls. There were no differences in the appearance of amyloidosis between thymectomized and BCG cell-wall skeleton-treated rabbits and the controls.

4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide↗

Effect of BCG cell-wall skeleton immunotherapy on the peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with lung cancer after radiotherapy.

The effect of radiotherapy on peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of lung cancer and the effect of BCG cell-wall skeleton (BCG-CWS) on recovery of impaired PBL were examined. A remarkable depression of the absolute number of E- or EAC-rosette cells and of the response of PBL to mitogens were observed immediately after radiotherapy, and these continued for several months. With BCG-CWS immunotherapy, the response of PBL to phytohemagglutinin recovered rapidly, compared with non-vaccinated patients. The response of PBL to pokeweed mitogen seemed to give similar results. These results suggested that BCG-CWS injection to the patient receiving radiotherapy was effective for recovery of T-cell response.

Adenocarcinoma↗