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Biomedical subjects

T Meguro

Publications and source records attributed to T Meguro.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Seasonal change in maximal expiratory flow-volume pattern in patients with Japanese cedar pollenosis.

Fifteen patients with Japanese cedar pollenosis were examined for lower airway function. Flow-volume patterns obtained from flow-volume and volume-time curves during the pollen season (March) and outside of the pollen season (June) were evaluated. In a previous report we classified maximal expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curves in five patterns from A to E. In the present study, the patterns did not vary between the two periods except in one patient. Eleven patients out of 15 showed type E patterns, in which the flow-volume curve was concave along its entire course. In most of the patients with severe or moderate symptoms of allergic rhinitis only during the pollen season, the curve shifted to the right, but the parameters of the curves did not increase significantly outside of season. These findings suggest that patients with Japanese cedar pollenosis suffer from continuous latent peripheral airway obstruction. Extremely slight changes in the flow rate were detected by comparing the curves obtained during the two periods.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Changes in coagulation and fibrinolytic factors observed during heparin-urokinase-pulse combined therapy for nephritis resistant to conventional treatment in children].

Coagulation and fibrinolytic factors in the blood were measured during heparin-urokinase (UK)-pulse combined therapy in order to investigate the background for the availability of the therapy. Five patients with nephritis resistant to conventional treatment were treated with this combined therapy (heparin: 350-450 U/kg day, continuously i.v. during the therapy; UK: 5000 IU/kg/2 hrs, i.v., two times a day, for 3 days = 1 Kur; methylprednisolone 20 mg/kg/2hrs, d.i.v., for 3 days = 1 Kur; 3 Kurs of UK and 3 Kurs of pulse were alternately administered). 1) Blood levels of alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor (alpha 2-PI) antigen were decreased and those of alpha 2-plasmin inhibitor.plasmin complex (alpha 2-PI. PmC) were elevated during 3 Kurs of UK administration. Accordingly, activation of the fibrinolytic system was confirmed during the combined therapy, suggesting that both alpha 2-PI and alpha 2-PI.PmC were relevant in monitoring the fibrinolytic state in blood. 2) Both tissue-plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) levels were sustained continuously in the elevated levels in the blood during both UK administration and pulse therapy. This movement of t-PA and PAI-1 was independent of that of the other fibrinolytic factors, such as alpha 2-PI,alpha 2-PI.PmC and plasminogen. 3) Inflammatory reactants such as fibrinogen, alpha 2-PI,alpha 2-macroglobulin and alpha 1-antitrypsin decreased more significantly during this heparin-urokinase-pulse combined therapy than during our previous combined therapy consisting of only heparin and urokinase. Therefore, we conclude that the anti-inflammatory effect was reinforced by adding the pulse therapy and that the combined therapy had some effect on the release of t-PA from vascular endothelial cells.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Isolation of HIV-1 and its correlation with various HIV-markers in Japan].

In Japan, the isolation rate of HIV-1 has increased in recent years, and has become as high as 36.7% in 1991. In order to evaluate the onset of AIDS, we have collected various HIV markers, which were obtained from surveillance committee of Natural History. These data include a total of 1991 specimens (actual number 556 individuals) from Japanese hemophiliacs and non-hemophiliacs since 1985. The data analysed CDC stage, leucocyte counts, lymphocyte counts, CD4+ cell counts, CD8+ cell counts, CD4/CD8 ratio and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, IgM). The results indicate that in HIV-isolation positive patients, leucocyte counts, lymphocyte counts, CD4+ cell counts, CD8+ cell counts and CD4/CD8 ratio were significantly lower than those of HIV-isolation negative patients in both hemophiliacs and non-hemophiliacs. IgA value of the positive patients was significantly higher than that of the negative patients, while the IgM value showed converse results to the IgA, in hemophiliacs only. In general, the difference of each HIV marker in non-hemophiliacs was more conspicuous than those in hemophiliacs.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1993

[Detection of HIV-1 proviral DNA in peripheral leukocytes by AMPLICOR HIV-1 test kit].

AMPLICOR HIV-1 test kits, which had been developed as an HIV-1 provirus detection test by PCR method, have been evaluated for its clinical diagnostic application. Sixty-six of HIV-1 antibody positive and 67 of HIV-1 antibody negative blood samples derived from hemophiliacs, who had received blood products, have been tested by AMPLICOR HIV-1. All of the results from AMPLICOR HIV-1 were consistent with those from antibody test and clinical aspects. Thirty-nine of HIV-1 antibody positive samples have been tested by AMPLICOR HIV-1 and virus isolation (culture method). Twelve of 39 (30.8%) were positive by virus isolation, and 39 of 39 (100%) were positive by AMPLICOR HIV-1. Two of new born infants from HIV-1 sero-positive mothers were tested by AMPLICOR HIV-1, and the result suggested that the kit would be useful for diagnosis of infants from sero-positive mothers. Based on these studies, AMPLICOR HIV-1 is considered as useful clinical diagnostic for HIV-1 proviral DNA detection.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Impaired in vitro accumulation of mercury in erythrocytes of acatalasemic mice.

In order to elucidate the role of erythrocyte catalase in the accumulation of mercury in erythrocytes, labeled erythrocytes and plasma were prepared by exposing normal and acatalasemic mice to radioactive mercury vapor (203Hg0: 6.8mg/m3) for 30 min. Labeled erythrocytes (or plasma) were mixed with unlabeled plasma (or erythrocytes) of normal or acatalasemic mice and incubated at 0 degrees C for 1 h. After incubation, the radioactivity of mercury in the erythrocytes and the plasma was measured by a gammascintillation counter. When labeled erythrocytes were incubated with unlabeled plasma, the ratio of mercury transferred from acatalasemic erythrocytes to normal plasma (11.6%) or to acatalasemic plasma (13.3%) were significantly higher than that from normal erythrocytes to normal plasma (1.8%) or to acatalasemic plasma (2.2%). When labeled normal (or acatalasemic) plasma was incubated with unlabeled normal or acatalasemic erythrocytes, the uptake of mercury by acatalasemic erythrocytes from normal plasma was 2.0%, and 1.2% from acatalasemic plasma, which tended to be lower than that by normal erythrocytes from normal plasma (3.4%) or from acatalasemic plasma (2.2%). The results indicated impaired accumulation of mercury in acatalasemic erythrocytes, suggesting the importance of catalase in taking up mercury in erythrocytes and protecting other organs from toxic effects of metallic mercury.

Acatalasia↗
PubMed1992

[Analysis of the electrical charge of albumin in idiopathic nephrotic syndrome by isoelectric focusing].

The state of the electrical charge of serum and urinary albumin was investigated in both the nephrotic and remission stage of idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (INS), using isoelectric focusing (IEF). 1) Both a b2 band (a main albumin band appearing at the site of isoelectric point: pI 4.7), and a b3 band (a more anionic albumin band than the b2 band) were detected commonly in all samples of urine and serum of INS patients in nephrotic and remission stages and of healthy volunteer controls even if the applied albumin in urine and serum amounted to 20 micrograms or 100 micrograms. 2) When applied albumin amounted to 20 micrograms, b1 bands (less anionic albumin bands than the b2 band) were detected between pI 4.7 and pI 6.5 in urine and in both serum and purified albumin fractionated from serum of INS patients in the nephrotic stage. However, b1 bands were not detected at all in the urine and serum of either INS patients in remission stage and healthy volunteer controls. 3) When applied albumin amounted to 100 micrograms, b1 bands were detected also in serum of healthy volunteer controls. From these results, it was confirmed that less anionic albumin existed also in the serum of healthy volunteer controls although the amount was extremely small.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Albumins↗
PubMed1991

Characteristics of the principal neutralizing determinant of HIV-1 prevalent in Japan.

The principal neutralizing determinants (PNDs) of 29 human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) isolates in Japan were analyzed using polymerase chain reactions. The viruses were isolated from 16 hemophiliacs, 11 individuals infected by their sexual transmission and 1 patient infected by blood transfusion (total 28 patients). Two virus isolates which were obtained from the same individual at different periods were also analyzed. All individuals were Japanese except one. The results produced 32 different PND sequences. A highly conserved central core sequence (GPG) was present in 27 of 32 patients, similar to the number reported in the United States, despite the marked heterogeneity in flanking regions of PNDs. The PNDs of all the 16 HIV-1 isolates obtained from patients with coagulation disorders had GPG sequences. Secondary structure prediction of PNDs by a joint method suggested that they were composed of coil-beta strand-coil-beta strand-alpha helix. It is suggested that the conserved core sequence has a type I turn. These findings may be useful in planning further clinical trials for passive vaccination.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Analysis of maximal expiratory flow-volume curves--visual evaluation and quantitative evaluation].

Maximal expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curves have been utilized in the diagnosis of chronic obstructive lung diseases, in the survey of air pollution, and in studies of respiratory functions in school children. Indices for the lower lung volumes of MEFV curves have been used in statistical analysis or individual evaluation because of their effort independence, while indices for higher lung volumes of MEFV curves, which were considered to be effort-dependent, have not been used. A few reports using indices for higher and lower lung volumes have been described because the indices for higher lung volumes are as reproducible to the maximal expiration as those for lower lung volumes. Recently, MEFV-type analysis has been studied and this analysis has been useful in assessing the effects of smoking on MEFV curves, or in assessing subjects with nasal allergies or those with prior nasal allergies. From the aspects of hygiene, this review mainly describes MEFV-type analysis and the quantitative analysis of discriminant analysis.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Maximal expiratory flow-volume types in young subjects with past history of nasal allergy and bronchial asthma.

Pulmonary function tests were performed on 252 healthy young subjects free from respiratory and allergic symptoms, and 80 young subjects with past history of nasal allergy (PNA) and 10 subjects with past history of bronchial asthma (PBA). All the subjects were non-smokers. Maximal expiratory flow-volume (MEFV) curves were visually classified into five types (A-E). The percent distribution of type A in healthy subjects was significantly higher than in the PNA group, while the total sum of percentage of types B, C, and D in the PNA group was significantly higher than in the healthy subjects. The percent distribution of type E in the PNA group was similar to that in the healthy subjects. The percent distribution of MEFV types were significantly different between healthy males and healthy females. The percent distribution of types A, B and E were the highest in healthy subjects, PNA and PBA groups, respectively. Conclusively, the difference in the percent distributions of MEFV types was recognized among healthy subjects, PNA and PBA groups.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[von Willebrand factor multimer analysis using electroblotting and immunoperoxidase staining method].

Further modification of the previously reported peroxidase staining method for von Willebrand factor (vWF) multimer is described in this article. The alteration are as follows: affinity purified anti-human vWF rabbit IgG was replaced by commercial anti-human vWF rabbit IgG, and washing and reaction steps were shortened markedly. Despite these modification, the resolution of vWF multimers on the nitrocellulose membrane remains comparable to the autoradiography. However, unlike autoradiography, results produced by this method can be obtained in a day. The features of this method are especially useful in clinical laboratories where both time and equipments are limited.

Humans↗
PubMed1991

Exhalation of metallic mercury by acatalasemic, hypocatalasemic and normal mice exposed to metallic mercury vapor.

In order to elucidate the amounts of metallic mercury exhaled from mice having different amounts of catalase activity, normal, homozygous hypocatalasemic and acatalasemic mice were exposed to radioactive metallic mercury vapor at three levels of concentrations (0.072, 0.144, and 0.297 mg/m3). The timed and cumulative amounts of metallic mercury exhaled from the mice were used to classify them, in the descending order, as being acatalasemic, hypocatalasemic, and normal at the three environmental mercury concentrations. The statistical differences in the mean values among the acatalasemic, hypocatalasemic, and normal mice were calculated by the use of one-way ANOVA and multiple comparison of the mean values by Tukey's method. The mean values of the timed amounts of exhaled metallic mercury were found to be significantly different (P less than 0.05) among the three kinds of mice several hours after exposure, and those of the cumulative amounts of exhaled metallic mercury were in the descending order of acatalasemic, hypocatalasemic and normal mice, and were significantly different among the three types of mice almost over the entire time course. Thus, negative correlation coefficients were obtained between the logarithms of the catalase activity in the lungs and the blood, and the logarithms of the cumulative amounts of exhaled metallic mercury.

Acatalasia↗
PubMed1991

Long-time inflation of the PTCA balloon.

For patients for whom the conventional percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) did not adequately improve stenosis, or sufficient angioplasty was impossible because of occurrence of dissection, we attempted using a long-time balloon inflation for more than 10 minutes. In order to allow the use of this balloon, we instituted an active rehabilitation program using a bicycle ergometer to promote the development of the collateral circulation up to the time of performing diagnostic angiography and PTCA, while attempting to use a perfusion balloon catheter for those patients not developing sufficient collateral circulation. Of the 134 patients undergoing PTCA, unsatisfactory angiographic results were obtained in 13 patients. Of these patients, long-time balloon inflation was performed in seven and primary success was achieved in six. From this study, we believe that the long-time balloon inflation in PTCA can improve the primary success rate and reduce postoperative complications.

Angina Pectoris↗
PubMed1991

[A case of giant cell myocarditis associated with a progressive disturbance in the conduction system].

A 73 year old male patient with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis was admitted to our department because of dyspnea and abdominal pain. The chest X-ray film on admission showed bilateral lung congestion. The ECG showed atrial fibrillation, left axis deviation and incomplete right bundle branch block. Five days after admission, the ECG changed into sinus rhythm and complete right bundle branch block. Eight days after admission, the patient complained of chest pain and the ECG showed ST elevation in II, III, aVF, reciprocal ST depression in V, and complete A-V block with junctional rhythm. Emergency coronary angiography revealed no significant stenosis. Echocardiography showed reduced contraction of the inferior wall and diffuse granular echoes in the myocardium. Light microscopic study revealed fibrosis, infiltration of eosinophils and histiocytes, degenerated myocardium and multinucleated giant cells. Some of the giant cells were morphologically similar to myocardium, so the myocardium might be a place of immunological reaction.

Aged↗
PubMed1990

Comparative studies on FcR (FcRII, FcRIII, and FcR alpha) functions of murine B cells.

Distribution of FcR II, FcRIII, and FcR alpha on murine splenic B cells was examined by using FITC-labeled heat-aggregated IgG of each subclass and IgA. Almost 60 to 80% of B cells expressed both FcRII and FcRIII. However, FcR alpha was expressed on only a small proportion (6%) of B cells that co-expressed FcRII. By inhibition assays with the use of cold IgG of each subclass and IgA in addition to anti-FcRII mAb (2.4G2), it was found that IgG1, IgG2a, and IgG2b utilized the same receptor (FcRII), whereas IgG3 and IgA bound only to their unique receptors, FcRIII and FcR alpha, respectively. Immune complexes IC prepared by IgG1, IgG2a, IgG2b, and IgA anti-TNP mAb with TNP-coupled SRBC inhibited the polyclonal Ig secretion and proliferative responses of B cells stimulated with either IL-4 or LPS. The inhibition of B cell activation was associated with the blockade of the membrane depolarization. Moreover, IC prepared by these antibodies caused production of suppressive B cell factor (SBF) as is the case with rabbit IgG antibody to SRBC, and SBF thus prepared regulated antibody responses in an isotype-nonspecific manner. In contrast, no inhibition for these responses or production of SBF was attained by the IC of IgG3 antibody. We concluded that FcRII and FcR alpha mediates a suppressive signal for B cells by acting on the initial step of activation, whereas FcRIII lacks this activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Frequent detection of hepatitis C virus US strain in Japanese hemophiliacs.

Hemophiliacs have been found to be at high risk of hepatitis. Hemophiliacs in Japan receive imported clotting factors as well as domestic ones. Recently we found that hepatitis C virus (HCV) could be classified into at least two types, HCV-US and HCV-J, depending on the nucleotide sequence. We analyzed the nucleotide sequences of virus RNAs from the plasma of patients with hemophilia A or B and found HCV-US in 3 of 4 Japanese hemophiliacs examined.

Adolescent↗