Biomedical subjects

T Matsushima

Publications and source records attributed to T Matsushima.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1996

Moyamoya disease associated with persistent primitive trigeminal artery variant in identical twins.

Identical twin cases of moyamoya disease associated with persistent primitive trigeminal artery variant are presented. Both of the children suffered from the cerebrovascular occlusive disease called "moyamoya disease," but there existed a remarkable time lag in the manifestation of their first clinical symptoms. Coexistence of persistent primitive trigeminal artery variant and high occurrence of moyamoya disease in identical twins suggest some congenital factors in the development of this disease. However, the time lag of the first clinical manifestation between the twins suggests certain acquired factors may also play a role in the manifestation of this disease.

Brain Ischemia↗

PubMed1996

DNA single-strand scission in the pyloric mucosa of rat stomach induced by four glandular stomach carcinogens and three other chemicals.

Induction of DNA single-strand scission by four glandular stomach carcinogens and three other chemicals was studied in the pyloric mucosa of rat stomach after gastric intubation. DNA single-strand scission, as was measured by the alkaline elution method, was induced by four glandular stomach carcinogens; N-nitroso N-methylurethane at doses of 1 and 9 mg/kg body wt, 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide at 20 and 30 mg/kg body wt. N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine at 30 and 100 mg/kg body wt and N-propyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine at 30 and 100 mg/kg body wt. DNA single-strand scission was also induced dose-dependently by a direct acting mutagen, 1-nitrosoindole-3-acetonitrile at doses of 100, 500 and 800 mg/kg body wt. Omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor, was equivocal in its effect in this assay at 30-500 mg/kg body wt: induction was statistically significant by Cochran-Armitage binomial trend test. Loxtidine, an H2-receptor antagonist, did not induce DNA single-strand breaks in the pyloric mucosa at a dose of 400 mg/kg body wt. The present results together with previous information suggest that DNA single-strand scission is a good marker for tumor-initiating activity in rat stomach mucosa.

4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide↗

PubMed1996

Continuous isolation and characterization of Chlamydia pneumoniae from a patient with diffuse panbronchiolitis.

We succeeded in isolating Chlamydia pneumoniae organisms continuously from a 70-year-old man who had received chemotherapeutic treatment with low dosages of erythromycin for five years to improve diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB). He had two episodes of acute exacerbation of DPB and a total of six strains of C. pneumoniae were isolated at different stages during the past 13 months. The morphological properties and protein profiles of the elementary bodies of all the C. pneumoniae isolates were similar to each other. Interestingly, his serological response against C. pneumoniae in immunoblotting tests was differed between two episodes. The sera collected during the first episode reacted weakly to the major outer membrane protein (MOMP), whereas those collected during the second episode reacted strongly to the 60-kDa protein and weakly to MOMP. These facts suggest that the two different episodes occurred as a result of different mechanisms. Additionally, in spite of the low antibody titer by micro-immunofluorescence test in the second episode as compared with that of the first episode, the immune response against 60-kDa immunodominant protein increased markedly in the second episode, and we suspect that the second episode was due to an allergic reaction caused by this 60-kDa protein. These findings suggest that repeated or prolonged exposure to C. pneumoniae may be associated with acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and that the patient should be noted as a possible source of C. pneumoniae infection.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

Relationship between hepatocellular carcinoma and subtypes of hepatitis C virus: a nationwide analysis.

Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) has now been classified into several subtypes, the clinical significance of HCV subtypes is not well known. Typing of HCV is now routinely performed in Japan. In the present study, HCV subtypes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients were analysed from nationwide data collected in Japan using a standard questionnaire. Answers to the questionnaire concerning HCV subtypes in patients with chronic hepatitis (CH), liver cirrhosis (LC) and HCC were obtained from 14 hospitals. The prevalence of the 1b-related subtype, which includes the mixed subtype of 1b and 2a or 2b, in patients with LC and HCC in each hospital was higher than in patients with CH, with few exceptions. However, the differences were not statistically significant because of the small number of patients in each hospital. In summarized data from all 14 hospitals, the 1b-related subtype was found in 1370 of 1922 patients with CH (71.2%). In 356 LC and 426 HCC patients, the prevalence of the 1b-related subtype was 79.8 and 80.5%, respectively. The prevalence of the 1b-related subtype in patients with LC and HCC was significantly higher than in patients with CH. There was no significant difference between the prevalence of the 1b-related subtype in patients with HCC and LC. These results indicate that the oncogenic activity of subtype 1b, although not yet clearly characterized, may be stronger than subtypes 2a and 2b.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗

PubMed1996

Distribution of the different subtypes of hepatitis C virus in Japan and the effects of interferon: a nationwide survey.

Interferon (IFN) is now commonly used for the treatment of type C hepatitis; however, its effects differ depending upon the subtype of hepatitis C virus (HCV) being treated. It has been recently confirmed in many studies in Japan that the effectiveness of IFN treatment is poor in patients having type 1b and better in patients having type 2a HCV. However, the effects of IFN treatment on other subtypes of HCV were not clear because of the small number of patients in each hospital. In the present study, the effects of IFN treatment in patients with other HCV subtypes were analysed from nationwide data collected in Japan using a standard questionnaire. From this questionnaire, local differences in the distribution of HCV subtypes in Japan were also analysed. A standard questionnaire, consisting of questions about the number of patients with chronic type C hepatitis with different HCV subtypes and the number of patients showing different responses to IFN treatment, was sent to over 40 study groups in Japan. Answers to the questionnaire concerning HCV subtypes and the effects of IFN treatment were obtained from 26 and 22 hospitals, respectively, throughout Japan. The incidence of HCV type 1b was highest in the Kinki area (south-central Japan). The incidence of type 1b HCV decreased in parallel with distance from this area. The mortality rates of hepatic cancer in different areas were significantly correlated with the incidence of HCV type 1b. The efficacy of IFN treatment was significantly better for both types 2a and 2b HCV than for type 1b HCV; the efficacy of IFN treatment was poor in the mixed type of 1b and 2a and tended to be better in type 1a. The efficacy of IFN treatment for other types of HCV was also better. These results indicate that there are local differences in the distribution of HCV subtypes in Japan and that these differences may be closely associated with the clinical features of HCV-related liver disease. The efficacy of IFN treatment was significantly poorer in patients with the 1b-related type HCV than in patients with other types of HCV.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗

PubMed1996

Neovascularization of the corpus luteum of rats during the estrus cycle.

In order to elucidate the chronological morphological changes of the corpus luteum (CL) of rats, as a physiological angiogenesis model, the CL of rat ovaries was studied light microscopically using periodic acid methenamine silver staining (PAM) and immunostaining for type IV collagen, laminin, thrombomodulin (TM), factor VIII related antigen (factor VIII) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA). The CL was also studied electron microscopically. Female Wistar-Imamichi rats were used, which have a regular 4-day estrous cycle. The histological changes of the CL were observed in 6-hour intervals from 4 h before the ovulation to 28 h post-ovulation during the estrous cycle. Once the basement membrane (BM) of the follicle disintegrated following ovulation, developing capillaries entered into the CL and formed a vascular lumen with a surrounding BM, which showed positive for PAM staining, type IV collagen and laminin. The developing capillaries in the CL showed a weakly positive reaction for TM and factor VIII, but were negative for alpha-SMA. However, the appearance of immature pericytes around the well-developed capillary was obvious with electron microscopy. The study reported here provides detailed descriptions of angiogenesis during luteinization. It is concluded that the angiogenesis of the CL begins at the time of destruction of the BM of the ovarian follicle, and that the capillary BM appears when the capillary forms its lumen. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the capillary does not develop into an arteriole during luteinization.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Evaluation of a direct fluorescent antibody assay for detection of Chlamydia pneumoniae.

We examined the utility of the direct immunofluorescent antibody test kit, IMAGEN (DAKO Diagnostic Co., Ltd.). The stainability of inclusions and purified elementary bodies (EBs) of all the Chlamydia pneumoniae strains used in this study was highly specific. Immunoelectron microscopy and light microscopy of stained EBs revealed the target antigen of IMAGEN to be located on the surface of the EB outer membrane. In a clinical study, we tested oropharyngeal swab specimens obtained from 41 patients (45 specimens). The results were compared with those obtained by isolation in cell culture, the indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) assay and serum antibody titration. C. pneumoniae was isolated from six specimens (13.3%), and the organisms were detected in 11 specimens (24.4%) with IMAGEN and nine specimens (20%) with IFA. A diagnosis of C. pneumoniae infection was made in six patients (13.3%) by the serological examination. Six specimens positive in isolation were positive in the IMAGEN but there were three cases which seemed to be false-positive by the IMAGEN. We conclude that the use of IMAGEN is an easy, rapid and sensitive method for detecting C. pneumoniae when there is a large amount of chlamydial antigen in the clinical specimen and when identification of the chlamydial species forming inclusions in cell cultures is required.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

[A case of Legionella micdadei pneumonia].

A 60-year-old male with type C chronic hepatitis was admitted to Kibikogen Rehabilitation Center with high fever, cough and general fatigue. Chest X-ray film on admission showed consolidation in the left middle and lower lung lung field. Initial treatment with intravenous ceftazidime, imipenem/cilastatin and clindamycin were ineffective due to continuous high fever and cough and spread of the pneumonia shadow. Administration of minocycline was started for suspected non-bacterial pneumonia whereupon his symptoms improved and the pneumonia shadow began to decrease in size. However, his symptoms and pneumonia shadow worsened after taking him off of minocycline due to progressive pancytopenia and liver dysfunction. He was transferred to our hospital and intravenous erythromycin treatment was initiated for suspected Legionell pneumonia because of the elevation of Legionella micdadei serum antibody titer. Immediately after starting treatment, his symptoms improved and the pneumonia shadow decreased in size. Erythromycin was stopped after the 14th day of administration. In this case, diagnosis of L. micdadei pneumonia was made because of the positive results of the polymerase chain reaction test and elevation of the L. micdadei serum antibody titer (from 0 to 1,024). This is the second report of a L. micdadei pneumonia case here in Japan.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

PubMed1996

[Assay of specific anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies by ELISA method. 1. Evaluation of ELISA kit using outer membrane complex].

Studies were conducted with the goal of developing a kit for assaying anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies in human serum which would enable judging positive cases with high specificity by means of an objective numerical index. Thus, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method employing a C. pneumoniae outer membrane complex protein was established. Elementary bodies (EB) were purified from the YK-41 strain of C. pneumoniae, and subsequent treatment with Sarkosyl, DNase and RNase yielded chlamydial outer membrane complex (COMC). COMC was employed as the antigen and immobilized on 96-well microplates for ELISA method. This ELISA method was used to test 51 serum specimens from patients who had been demonstrated to be positive for C. pneumoniae antigen (throat swab: PCR positive), and the levels of IgG, IgA and IgM antibodies were assayed. For each specimen, comparison was made with the antibody titers determined by the micro immunofluorescence test (Micro-IF method). The results showed good correlation coefficients of 0.950 for IgG, 0.852 for IgA and 0.866 for IgM. In addition, the two assay methods showed the following high agreement rates: 90.2% for IgG, 84.3% for IgA and 82.4% for IgM. Specimens which did not yield the same results with the ELISA method and Micro-IF method were subjected to analysis by Western blot method, and the rates of agreement with the ELISA results were 80% for IgG, 87.5% for IgA and 88.9% for IgM. These data indicate the efficacy of this new ELISA method. Moreover, COMC was reacted with mouse antisera to three Chlamydia species, and the mouse IgG antibody was assayed. Anti-C. pneumoniae antiserum showed the strongest reactivity, whereas weaker reactivity was shown by anti-C. trachomatis antiserum (1/32nd of the reactivity of the anti-C. pneumoniae antiserum) and anti-C. psittaci antiserum (1/4th). In addition, sera from patients infected with C. trachomatis or C. psittaci (Psittacosis) were subjected to the ELISA method using COMC from C. pneumoniae. It was found that the correlation between the ELISA and Micro-IF methods was higher in relation to the anti-C. pneumoniae antibody titer than either the anti-C. trachomatis antibody titer or anti-C. psittaci antibody titer. These findings indicate this new assay kit based on the ELISA method has high specificity for C. pneumoniae.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

[Assay of specific anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae antibodies by ELISA method. 2. studies on clinical usefulness and serological diagnostic standards].

We measured anti-Chlamydia pneumoniae (C. pneumoniae) specific antibody titers by means of a newly-developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method using an anti-C. pneumoniae specific antibody detection reagent. The clinical usefulness of this method was hereby evaluated. The IgG, IgA and IgM titers in 418 serum specimens obtained from patients with respiratory tract infections were measured by this new ELISA method, and the results were compared with the titers determined for the same specimens with the micro immunofluorescence (Micro-IF) method. The results showed good correlation coefficients for IgG, IgA and IgM. The two assay methods showed high agreement rates for positivity and for negativity. Specimens which did not yield the same results with the ELISA method and the Micro-IF method were subjected to analysis by the Western blot method, and the rates of agreement with the ELISA results were high. In addition, the child (0 approximately 15 yrs old; n = 122) and adult (16 approximately 90 yrs old; n = 133) cases were classified on the basis of being antigen-positive or antigen-negative at the initial examination, and their antibody-positive rates were determined. The adults showed no statistically significant differences in the antibody-positive rates for either IgG or IgA antibodies as a function of the pretreatment antigen status. However, the children showed statistically significant (p < 0.001) differences in the antibody-positive rates for both IgG and IgA antibodies as a function of the antigen status in the antigen-positive group compared with the rates in the antigen-negative group. Furthermore, the IgM-positive rates for the children were high in the antigen-positive group compared with the rates in the antigen-negative group, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). The IgM-positive rates in the adults were also significantly (p < 0.05) different between the antigen-positive group and the antigen-negative group. The Micro-IF method was applied to 34 specimens from antigen-positive patients, and 22 specimens were found to show an IgG titer of > or = 512 or an IgM titer of > or = 16. The diagnoses of these patients were acute respiratory disease in sixteen, pneumonia in four. Application of the ELISA-method to those 22 specimens showed all of them to exhibit IgG absorbance of > or = 0.6 and IgA absorbance of 0.2. The results described above indicate the clinical usefulness of our new ELISA method for the detection of antibodies specific for C. pneumoniae. The significance of this ELISA method for serological diagnosis of C. pneumoniae infections and the criteria for diagnosis of acute infections were also discussed.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

[An adult case of pneumonia due to Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Chlamydia psittaci].

A 18-year-old male was admitted to another hospital complaining of his chest X-ray. After transfer to our hospital, increased serum antibody titers to simultaneous M. pneumoniae and C. psittaci were noted. These antibody titers decreased after about four months. Positive results for M. pneumoniae was obtained by Polymerase chain reaction in the right pleural effusion. Based on these findings, this case was diagnosed as M. pneumoniae and C. psittaci pneumonia. A transbronchial lung biopsy and a bronchial biopsy revealed rare histological findings, including histiocytic intra-alveolar pneumonia with palisaded granuloma and small foci of necrosis in the left upper lobe and eosinophilic bronchitis in the right middle bronchus. His chest X-ray and chest CT showed a nodular shadow, obstructive pneumonia and pleural effusion which are rare in M. pneumoniae and C., psittaci pneumonia.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Evaluation of the sensitivity and specificity of a ligase chain reaction test kit for the detection of Chlamydia trachomatis.

The sensitivity and specificity of a newly developed ligase chain reaction (LCR) test kit were examined by the use of highly purified elementary bodies (EBs) and in situ inclusions containing reticulate bodies only. The performance of the LCR kit was compared with a commercially available polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test kit, AMPLICOR Chlamydia trachomatis. The number of EBs and inclusions of C trachomatis, respectively, at the detection limit of both kits were two EBs and one inclusion per assay. Neither kit cross-reacted with C pneumoniae, C psittaci and C pecorum EBs or reticulate bodies.

Chlamydia trachomatis↗

PubMed1996

Radioiodinated metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy for pheochromocytoma. A false-positive case of adrenocortical adenoma and literature review.

Radioiodinated metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy is known for its high specificity in detecting pheochromocytoma and other tumors of neural crest origin. We describe herein the first case of a definite adrenocortical adenoma that demonstrated false-positive uptake on MIBG scintigraphy. In addition, we reviewed all 13 reported cases showing false-positive uptake, and suggest that careful evaluation is needed before diagnosing a 'silent' or 'asymptomatic' pheochromocytoma.

3-Iodobenzylguanidine↗

PubMed1996

Recurrence of sarcoidosis following interferon alpha therapy for chronic hepatitis C.

We report a 67-year-old male patient with a known history of sarcoidosis in remission who had recurrent sarcoidosis following a five-month administration of interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) for chronic hepatitis C. He developed bilateral swelling of the parotid glands and bilateral diffuse reticulonodular pulmonary parenchymal opacities on chest roentgenograms. Serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) levels and soluble IL-2 receptor levels were high and a transbronchial lung biopsy revealed noncaseating granulomas. The abnormalities on both laboratory data and chest roentgenograms were resolved after administration of oral prednisolone.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

Dose-dependent effect of niceritrol on plasma lipoprotein-a.

Lipoprotein-a, Lp(a), is a variant form of low density lipoprotein (LDL) that contains apolipoprotein-a, whose structure has 75-85% homology with plasminogen. Elevated plasma levels of Lp(a) are considered to be one of the independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease. We studied the effects of niceritrol, a nicotinic acid derivative, on plasma Lp(a) levels in 72 patients with hypercholesterolaemia. The dose of niceritrol was increased every 4 weeks, from 750 to 1500 and then to 2250 mg day-1. The final dose was adjusted to obtain a plasma cholesterol level less than 5.69 mmol l-1. Niceritrol led to significant decreases in plasma levels of median Lp(a), from 16.1 mg dl-1 (interquartile intervals, 8.7 to 32.8) to 11.1 mg dl-1 (interquartile intervals, 6.6 to 21), the mean reduction rate being 17.6%. In the group with pretreatment Lp(a) levels of over 20 mg dl-1, Lp(a) decreased by 10.0, 22.0 and 31.8% at the doses of 750, 1500, and 2250 mg day-1, respectively. In the group with levels less than 20 mg dl-1, only the dose of 2250 mg day-1 was effective in the reduction of Lp(a). The results suggest that the reduction of Lp(a) was dependent on the dose of niceritrol and on the pretreatment level of Lp(a). In conclusion, niceritrol is effective, in a dose-dependent manner, for reducing Lp(a) levels.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

[Chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis complicated by pneumothorax].

A 66-year-old man was admitted to the hospital due to a rapidly progressing interstitial shadow in both lower fields on a chest roentgenogram taken on November 30 1993. The diagnosis was idiopathic interstitial pneumonia. A corticosteroid and a neutrophil elastase inhibitor were administered and the interstitial shadow resolved. A new infiltration shadow appeared in the right upper lung field one and a half months after the start of steroid therapy. This shadow gradually grew and Aspergillus fumigatus was detected in sputum cultures. In spite of treatment with FCZ+5-FC and 5-FC+AMPH, the abnormal shadow increased in size and mixed with the cavity, and the patient died of respiratory failure, with a pneumothorax caused by ruptures of the cavity formed by CNPA. The clinical and radiological course were considered to the indicative of chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis, which was described by Binder et al. in 1982.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

[Pneumonia and mortality in patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation].

We examined patients who required prolonged (>60 days) mechanical ventilation. A total of 31 patients were studied, 23 with pulmonary disease, 4 with neurologic disease and 4 with other conditions. Many of these patients were elderly. The survival rates one year and two years after the start of mechanical ventilation were 40% and 33%, respectively. Respiratory tract infection was the most common and most serious complication, and ventilator-associated pneumonia was the main cause of death. It is difficult but quite important to prevent these complications, especially ventilator-associated pneumonia.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Activation and priming of human monocytes by monocyte chemotactic activating factor: cooperation with other inflammatory cytokines and close association between an increase in cytoplasmic free Ca2+ and intracellular acidification.

Both monocyte chemotactic and activating factor (MCAF) and N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) stimulated an increase in cytoplasmic free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and changes in intracellular pH (pHi) in human monocytes in parallel at lower concentrations and stimulated superoxide (O2-) release and changes in transmembrane potential in parallel at higher concentrations. The changes in pHi were characterized by initial rapid acidification followed by sustained alkalinization, and the changes in transmembrane potential were characterized by initial depolarization followed by partial repolarization. The time courses of all responses stimulated by MCAF and FMLP were similar to each other, although the magnitude of all responses was less in MCAF-stimulated cells. MCAF by itself was a very weak stimulus for inducing O2- release. However, MCAF primed monocytes and enhanced O2- release stimulated by FMLP. The priming effect of MCAF was maximal within 5 minutes of preincubation, and the dose-response curves for priming were identical to those for triggering of an increase in [Ca2+]i. Treatment of monocytes with the intracellular Ca2+ chelator, 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA), abolished not only the increase in [Ca2+]i but also the changes in pHi (both acidification and alkalinization) induced by MCAF or FMLP. MCAF further potentiated FMLP-induced O2- release in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-, or IL-3-primed monocytes. These findings suggest that MCAF, alone or in concert with other cytokines, primes monocytes for enhanced release of 02-, and that MCAF- or FMLP-induced intracellular acidification and alkalinization are closely associated with an increase in [Ca2+]i, but not O2- release.

Adult↗