Biomedical subjects

T Fujii

Publications and source records attributed to T Fujii.

At least 451 records · Page 25Linked to original sources

PubMed1998

Immunotherapy before and during pregnancy improves pregnancy outcome in women who suffer from recurrent abortion and did not benefit from immunotherapy before pregnancy.

PROBLEM: The appropriate modality of immunotherapy with the husband's mononuclear cells in women with a history of recurrent abortion who aborted despite the immunotherapy performed before pregnancy was explored. METHOD OF STUDY: Nineteen patients who had suffered from recurrent abortion who had received the immunotherapy only before pregnancy and had aborted were treated with further immunotherapy performed either only before pregnancy or twice: before and during pregnancy. RESULTS: In 9 out of the 19 women who received further immunotherapy before pregnancy, 2 had healthy babies and 7 aborted again. In the remaining 10 patients who received further immunotherapy twice, before and during pregnancy, 8 had healthy babies and 2 aborted again. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that immunotherapy performed before and during pregnancy produces a better outcome compared with that performed only before pregnancy, especially in patients who showed no benefit from the immunotherapy performed only before pregnancy.

Abortion, Habitual↗

PubMed1998

Human lymphocytes obtained from decidual tissue express killer activatory receptors as well as killer inhibitory receptors: analysis using a single strand conformation polymorphism method.

PROBLEM: The objective was to clarify whether lymphocytes in decidual tissue express only killer inhibitory receptors (KIRs) or both KIRs and killer activatory receptors (KARs). METHOD OF STUDY: A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis method, using cDNA as a template, was applied to detect as many natural killer receptors (NKRs) expressed on natural killer (NK) cells as possible and to distinguish between KIRs and KARs. Using this method, we analyzed NKRs on lymphocytes in decidual tissue and maternal peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) (n = 10) from the same individuals. RESULTS: More than 20 SSCP bands were detected for NKRs on both the lymphocytes in decidual tissue and the maternal PBMCs. The SSCP band patterns were different for each individual. KARs mRNA was detected in lymphocytes in decidual tissue according to the SSCP analysis results. CONCLUSION: Lymphocytes in decidual tissue express not only KIRs but also KARs; this finding suggests their roles in placentation and the maintenance of pregnancy.

Abortion, Induced↗

PubMed1998

Secretion of interleukin-2 from unstimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells is a possible pathogenic mechanism in recurrent abortion.

PROBLEM: The objective of this study was to evaluate the activated status of helper T cells in women with recurrent abortion. METHOD OF STUDY: The spontaneous secretion of interleukin (IL)-2 from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from 12 women with primary partner-specific recurrent abortion and 7 normal females and 10 normal males was measured. RESULTS: IL-2 concentrations in medium conditioned with PBMCs from the recurrent abortion group were 1.44 +/- 0.32 (mean +/- standard deviation) U/ml, whereas those from the normal female and male groups were below the minimum detectable concentration. CONCLUSION: The fact that PBMCs from recurrent aborters spontaneously secrete IL-2 suggests that helper T cells are activated in recurrent aborters.

Abortion, Habitual↗

PubMed1998

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from women with recurrent abortion exhibit an aberrant reaction to release cytokines upon the direct contact of human leukocyte antigen-G-expressing cells.

PROBLEM: In search for pathogenesis of recurrent abortion, we examined whether lymphocytes/macrophages from women with recurrent abortion exhibited an aberrant ability to release cytokines upon the direct contact of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G. METHOD OF STUDY: The amounts of cytokines released from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from women with recurrent abortion were compared with those from normal multiparous women or normal nulligravidous women when cocultured with or without HLA-G-expressing target cells. RESULTS: When cocultured with HLA-G-expressing target cells, the amount of interleukin-1 beta released from PBMCs was increased in recurrent aborters whereas it decreased in both normal multiparous and nulligravidous women. The amount of interleukin-3 released from PBMCs did not differ with or without HLA-G-expressing cells in recurrent aborters, whereas it increased in the presence of HLA-G-expressing cells in normal controls. The amount of tumor necrosis factor-alpha released from PBMCs was decreased in the presence of HLA-G-expressing cells in both recurrent aborters and normal controls. CONCLUSION: The aberrant reaction of maternal lymphocytes/macrophages in releasing cytokines upon the contact of HLA-G expressed on trophoblasts may impact negatively on trophoblastic growth, which may be pathogenic in recurrent abortion.

Abortion, Habitual↗

PubMed1998

[Two cases of spotted fever group rickettsiosis contracted in southern parts of Africa].

A 40-year-old Japanese male stayed in Zimbabwe and developed a fever above 38 degrees C during which he noted a typical eschar in the lumbar region and also regional inguinal lymphadenopathy. Although not conspicuous, erythematous eruptions accompanied by itching were observed on the face, trunk and lower extremities. After returning to Japan and visiting our hospital, he was suspected of rickettsiosis and put on minocycline which gradually led to the improvement of the symptoms. Immunofluorescence antibody determinations disclosed rising titers against Rickettsia conorii (R. conorii) for both IgM and IgG classes. The second patient, a 34-year-old Japanese male, developed fever, generalized erythema and a typical eschar while staying in South Africa. The first blood sample showed positive IgM and IgG antibodies against R. conorii, and the second sample a decline in IgM but not in IgG class antibodies. Both cases were diagnosed as spotted fever group rickettsiosis based on their clinical manifestations including typical eschar and also the results of antibody determinations. Most of the previous cases of spotted fever group rickettsiosis in Africa have been regarded as Mediterranean spotted fever which is caused by R. conorii and transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus. However, recently, the presence of another type of spotted fever group rickettsiosis, African tick-bite fever, caused by Rickettsia africae and transmitted by Amblyomma hebraeum has been proposed. Although clinical features of the two rickettsiosis are reported to be separable, apparent cross reaction between the two organisms hampers the use of conventional antibody determinations for their differentiation. For the two cases presented here identification of the causative rickettsia species was impossible, because they were not isolated. With ever increasing numbers of international travel, physicians should be alert to the possibility of spotted fever group rickettsiosis when encountering febrile patients returning from endemic countries. This is particularly important considering that beta-lactam antibiotics commonly used as an empiric therapy are not effective, and the disease has a potential to develop into severe forms.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

glkA is involved in glucose repression of chitinase production in Streptomyces lividans.

Chitinase production in Streptomyces lividans is induced by chitin and repressed in the presence of glucose. A mutant of S. lividans TK24, strain G015, which was defective in glucose repression of chitinase production, was obtained by screening colonies for zones of clearing on colloidal chitin agar plates containing 1.0% (wt/vol) glucose. The transcriptional analysis of chiA in G015 with xylE, which encodes catechol 2,3-dioxygenase, as a reporter gene showed that the transcription from the chiA promoter of S. lividans TK24 occurred regardless of the presence of glucose. G015 was resistant to 2-deoxyglucose (2-DOG) and did not utilize glucose as a sole carbon source. When a DNA fragment containing glkA, a gene for glucose kinase, of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) was introduced into strain G015 on a low-copy-number plasmid, the sensitivity to 2-DOG, the ability to utilize glucose, and the glucose repression of chitinase production were restored. These results indicate that glkA is involved in glucose repression of chitinase production in S. lividans TK24.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed1998

Severity of exercise-induced bronchoconstriction is related to airway eosinophilic inflammation in patients with asthma.

Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is widely prevalent in asthmatic patients. Eosinophilic airway inflammation is considered to be a major factor in the pathogenesis of asthma. However, the effects of eosinophilic airway inflammation on EIB have been elucidated insufficiently. To examine the relationship between the severity of EIB and eosinophilic inflammation, sputum induction and exercise challenge were performed in 21 asthmatic patients. Significantly higher percentages of eosinophils and levels of eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) were found in induced sputum in EIB-positive asthmatics (median (range), eosinophils: 23.5 (11.0-61.0)%; ECP: 1,475 (74.8-17,701) ng x mL(-1)) than in EIB-negative asthmatics (eosinophils: 6.0 (1.0-41.5)% (p=0.006); ECP: 270.6 (10.8-7,700) ng x mL(-1) (p=0.049)). There was a significant correlation between the severity of EIB and the sputum eosinophil percentage (r=0.59, p=0.009) and the level of ECP (r=0.47, p=0.037). The area under the curve of the forced expiratory volume in one second for 30 min after exercise correlated with the percentage of eosinophils (r=0.60, p=0.008) and the level of ECP (r=0.45, p=0.04). There was no correlation between airway responsiveness to methacholine on the one hand and EIB, sputum eosinophils or ECP on the other. In conclusion, these results provide evidence that the severity of bronchoconstriction evoked by exercise is more closely related to eosinophilic airway inflammation than airway hyperresponsiveness to methacholine in asthmatic patients.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Impaired recall and preserved encoding in prominent amnesic syndrome: a case of basal forebrain amnesia.

We describe a patient who developed amnesia following extensive basal forebrain infarct. He completely recovered from the infarct 32 days postonset. He had poor spontaneous recall and preserved recognition of recent as well as more remote events. Surprisingly, he could recall events in sequence during the postictal amnesic period after recovery. We speculate that encoding and recall may employ different neural systems.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

Dissociation of letter and picture naming resulting from callosal disconnection.

BACKGROUND: Detailed mapping of the corpus callosum for functional fractionation in humans remains incomplete. OBJECTIVE: To examine separable interhemispheric transfer of visual information by callosal fibers, especially in the splenium. METHODS: We examined callosal disconnection signs in a 14-year-old boy with a lesion confined to the posterior part of the splenium and reviewed reported cases with callosal lesions. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The patient presented with left hemialexia as the only manifestation of callosal disconnection syndrome. The only difficulty demonstrated was in reading aloud or copying letters, which were presented tachistoscopically to the left visual field, with his right hand. He could copy letters presented to his left visual field with his left hand, however. Therefore, left hemialexia was not due to hemiamblyopia or hemineglect. There was no anomia for pictures and colors in the left visual field. MRI revealed that the lesion was limited to the ventroposterior end of the splenium. Review of 40 reported patients with callosal lesions suggests that the anterior to middle part of the splenium is involved in transferring picture information from the language-nondominant hemisphere to the language-dominant hemisphere and that the ventroposterior part is involved in transferring letter information.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Cardiac sarcoidosis mimicking hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: clinical utility of radionuclide imaging for differential diagnosis.

A 62-year-old woman with skin sarcoidosis was admitted to our hospital to ascertain whether she had cardiac involvement. Although she displayed no cardiac signs or symptoms, the electrocardiogram showed first-degree atrioventricular block, right bundle branch block with left anterior fascicular block, and giant negative T waves in the V3 lead. Echocardiography revealed marked hypertrophy localized in the basal portion of the interventricular septum (IVS) without systolic dysfunction, mimicking hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Exercise thallium-201 myocardial imaging revealed redistribution in the anteroseptal region. Both gallium-67 (67Ga) and technetium-99m pyrophosphate (99mTc-PYP) scintigraphy revealed abnormal uptake in the myocardium. These findings disappeared after 2 months of steroid treatment. Reports of cardiac sarcoidosis mimicking HCM are rare. However, hypertrophy in the basal portion of the IVS is an important sign of early cardiac involvement in sarcoidosis. 67Ga and 99mTc-PYP scintigraphy were useful and necessary to differentiate this type of cardiac sarcoidosis from HCM.

Cardiomyopathies↗

PubMed1998

[Biological significance of nitration, nitrosation and nitrosylation in vivo].

Nitric oxide is an exceptionally stable molecule as a radical species. The smallest signal molecule is formed from oxygen and L-arginine by well-defined enzymes. Nitric oxide plays roles not only in physiological regulation such as blood pressure, platelet aggregation and neuronal function, but also in pathophysiological states. The reactions of nitric oxide with target molecules involve electron transfer. This mechanism differs essentially from those of neurotransmitters and hormones identified so far. It is reasonable to assume that distinct signal transduction pathways are involved in this redox signal molecule. In this review, we briefly summarize nitration, nitrosation and nitrosylation of target molecules in vivo by nitric oxide.

Aconitate Hydratase↗

PubMed1998

[Effects of tacrolimus ointment on type I (immediate and late) and IV (delayed) cutaneous allergic reactions in mice].

The effects of tacrolimus ointment on immediate, late and delayed-type cutaneous allergic reactions and normal skin thickness were investigated in mice and compared with those of steroid ointments. Tacrolimus ointment had no effect on ear edema in the immediate phase of the biphasic reaction and did not inhibit passive cutaneous anaphylaxis, but in the late phase of the biphasic reaction, it inhibited the ear edema. It also showed a clear inhibitory effect on the delayed-type reaction. These evidence suggest that the clinical effect of tacrolimus ointment against atopic dermatitis (AD) may be mainly due to its inhibitory action on late and delayed-type reactions. The steroid ointments inhibited all the reactions mentioned above, and the effects were more potent than those of tacrolimus. Moreover, they also decreased the normal ear thickness, suggesting that the inhibitory effect of the steroid ointments was partially due to skin atrophic action. The same ointments applied to the ears during the induction phase showed an enhancement of delayed-type reaction at the effector phase. Tacrolimus ointment did not show such a rebound effect or skin atrophy. Thus, tacrolimus ointment was expected to be more useful than the steroids for the treatment of AD.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Heterotopic polyodontia in a cynomolgus monkey.

A case of heterotopic polyodontia was detected in a 6-year-old male laboratory cynomolgus monkey. A heterotopic tooth had erupted through the right maxillofacial area at the side of the nose, with a crustated surface. Macroscopically, the tooth was not connected with the right parotid. Radiography and histopathology of the transverse section of the lesion showed almost normal propriodentium containing alveolar bone and partial continuity with the maxillary bone. We believe this is the first case description of heterotopic polyodontia in a monkey.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Biological and structural properties of cyclic peptides derived from the alpha-amylase inhibitor tendamistat.

Six cyclic peptides with 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 15 amino acids, with the inhibitory sequence of the alpha-amylase inhibitor tendamistat, were synthesized. The 11-residue peptide inhibited porcine pancreatic alpha-amylase most potently (K1 0.29 +/- 0.09 microM). For the 11-residue peptide, the circular dichroism study suggested a preliminary relationship between its inhibitory activity and structural property.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

hCG-stimulated ovarian carbonyl reductase in relation to preovulatory ovarian follicular growth.

The relationship between carbonyl reductase, which is localized in the theca and interstitial cells, and ovarian follicular development was evaluated by measuring the enzyme activity and concentration of carbonyl reductase, and examining its immunohistochemical localization in immature rats treated with equine chorionic gonadotrophin (eCG), ovine(o) FSH and hCG. eCG and oFSH were administered s.c. to 26-day-old rats, and the ovaries were isolated 48 and 72 h after treatment. hCG was administered s.c. 48 h (at 28 days of age) after eCG or oFSH, and the ovaries were isolated 6 or 9 h after treatment. Both eCG and oFSH significantly increased the ovarian carbonyl reductase concentration 48 h after treatment compared with the saline-treated group, but the increase with eCG was approximately twice that with oFSH. Seventy-two hours after treatment, eCG further increased both carbonyl reductase activity and its concentration. Ovulation was also induced. oFSH stimulated only ovarian follicular growth without further increase in either activity or concentration. In addition, eCG increased the immunoreactivity to anti-carbonyl reductase antibody in the theca and interstitial cells, but oFSH did not. Treatment with hCG in saline-pretreated rats increased carbonyl reductase activity by 2.8-fold and carbonyl reductase concentration by 4.1-fold after 9 h compared with the 0 h concentration, without producing the large follicles observed with eCG and oFSH. However, the stimulatory effect of hCG on ovarian carbonyl reductase in eCG- or oFSH-pretreated rats was weaker than that in saline-pretreated rats. These results suggest that ovarian carbonyl reductase is induced by LH/hCG but not by FSH and that the enzyme induced by hCG is unrelated to preovulatory ovarian follicular growth.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

PubMed1998

Scanning electron microscopic study of the effects of Er:YAG laser on root cementum.

Use of Er:YAG laser has been proposed for the removal of microbial deposits and calculus present on teeth affected by periodontal disease. However, the influence of Er:YAG laser irradiation on root surfaces has not yet been fully investigated. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of Er:YAG laser irradiation on root cementum by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Specimens were obtained from extracted human periodontally-diseased teeth using a water-cooled high-speed bur. An Er:YAG laser beam was then applied at various powers ranging from 25 to 100 mJ/ pulse/sec. The laser irradiation was performed under water irrigation, with the tip held perpendicular to the root surface in the contact mode. Following laser exposure, specimens were fixed, dehydrated, and dried at critical-point in liquid CO2. After mounting on SEM plates and sputter-coating with gold, the cementum surface was examined by SEM. Observations of the root surface showed a relatively flat surface in control specimens. In Er:YAG exposed specimens, the laser beam created a circular, notched-edge, crater-like defect on the root. The bottom of the lesion showed an irregular and sharp-pointed surface. Subsequently, the specimens were fractured with a sharp scalpel perpendicularly to the surface. SEM observations of these specimens showed a 15 microm layer of damaged tissue within the laser-irradiated cementum. The tissue presented an amorphous appearance and the Sharpey's and matrix fiber bundles were not clearly distinguishable. These observations indicate that cementum tissue could be damaged by Er:YAG laser irradiation.

Dental Cementum↗

PubMed1998

Giant hepatic biloma following transcatheter oily chemoembolization in a patient with hepatic metastases from malignant pheochromocytoma.

A 48-year-old woman developed hepatic metastases from malignant pheochromocytoma resected 8 years previously. Angiography revealed multiple tumor stains in the liver. Transcatheter oily chemoembolization using styrenomaleic acid neocarzinostatin and iodized oil was performed. The patient complained of severe right upper quadrant pain immediately following the transcatheter oily chemoembolization. Necrotizing cholecystitis developed on the 4th day post-transcatheter oily chemoembolization, hepatic infarction on the 12th day, and a biloma on the 19th day. Despite the administration of antibiotics and percutaneous transhepatic drainage, neither the volume of drainage nor the size of the biloma decreased. Biliary reconstruction was performed using a metallic stent, which decreased the size of the biloma.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

PubMed1998

Clinicopathologic study of multiple primary superficial carcinoma of the esophagus.

Endoscopic examination with iodine staining has led to the easy detection of multiple superficial esophageal carcinoma (MSEC). The purpose of this study was to better understand the characteristics of MSEC. Of 49 patients with multiple esophageal carcinomas, 19 had superficial carcinoma. Multiple esophageal carcinomas were more often found in superficial carcinomas (31.1%) than in advanced carcinomas (14.4%). Comparing the depth of invasion of multiple esophageal carcinomas, the secondary lesions represented relatively early stages. Ki-67-positive cells were seen significantly more frequently in the main lesion of MSEC than in the secondary lesions, but proliferating cell nuclear antigen positivity and p53 expression did not differ significantly. Since multiple carcinoma occurs more frequently, care should be taken to look for small secondary lesions when treating superficial esophageal carcinoma. Ki-67 immunohistochemistry suggested that tumor cells proliferate more slowly in secondary lesions than in main lesions of MSEC.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗