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Biomedical subjects

T Shirakura

Publications and source records attributed to T Shirakura.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Acquired total immunoglobulin G deficiency in a patient with primary biliary cirrhosis.

A 38-year-old Japanese woman was hospitalized for susceptibility to respiratory tract infections. Clinical examinations revealed asymptomatic primary cholestasis, abnormally elevated immunoglobulin M (IgM) and antimitochondrial antibody, being consistent with asymptomatic primary biliary cirrhosis. Three years later her serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) decreased remarkably, whereas other immunoglobulins were unchanged. Immunological examinations on the peripheral blood lymphocytes demonstrated spontaneous over-synthesis of serum IgM and decreased synthesis of IgG due to abnormal function of both T and B cells. Our case suggests a new possible association between primary biliary cirrhosis and IgG deficiency.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Elderly onset of adult Still's disease: report of a case.

Adult Still's disease is a variant of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis occurring most frequently in women 16-35 years of age, but rarely in elderly people. We describe a 75-year-old woman who was considered as having adult Still's disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Protein phylogeny gives a robust estimation for early divergences of eukaryotes: phylogenetic place of a mitochondria-lacking protozoan, Giardia lamblia.

A partial nucleotide sequence of the mRNA encoding a major part of elongation factor 1 alpha (EF1 alpha) from a mitochondria-lacking protozoan, Giardia lamblia, was reported, and the phylogenetic relationship among lower eukaryotes was inferred by the maximum-likelihood and maximum-parsimony methods of protein phylogeny. Both the methods consistently demonstrated that, G. lamblia among the four protozoan species being analyzed, is the earliest offshoot of the eukaryotic tree. Although the Giardia EF1 alpha gene showed an extremely high G+C content as compared with those of other protozoa, it was concentrated only at the third codon positions, resulting in no remarkable differences of amino acid frequencies vis-à-vis those of other species. This clearly suggests (a) that the amino acid frequencies of conservative proteins are free from the drastic bias of genome G+C content, which is a serious problem in the widely used tree of ribosomal RNA, and (b) that protein phylogeny gives a robust estimation for the early divergences in the evolution of eukaryotes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Phylogenetic place of a mitochondria-lacking protozoan, Entamoeba histolytica, inferred from amino acid sequences of elongation factor 2'.

Partial DNA regions encoding a major part of translation elongation factor 2 (EF-2) from a mitochondria-lacking protozoan, Entamoeba histolytica, were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and their primary structures were analyzed. The deduced amino acid sequence was aligned with other eukaryotic and archaebacterial EF-2's, and the phylogenetic relationships among eukaryotes were inferred by the maximum likelihood (ML) method. The ML analyses using four different stochastic models of amino acid substitutions consistently suggest that among eukaryotic species being analyzed, E. histolytica is likely to have diverged from other higher eukaryotes on the early phase of eukaryotic evolution.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

[Magnetic resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid examinations in a case of central nervous involvement of systemic lupus erythematosus].

A 69-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a 7-month history of sensory disturbance of the bilateral lower extremities. Since she developed paraplegia of the extremities, urinary incontinence and left hemiplegia several days after admission, neurologic involvement both in the lumbar cord, and in the cervical cord or the brain was suspected. While no abnormalities were noted by computerized tomography of the brain. T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) clearly demonstrated foci in the periventricular and the basal ganglia regions bilaterally. Furthermore, the levels of immunoglobulin G and interleukin 6 were increased in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). From physical and other laboratory findings in addition to the MRI and CSF findings, she was diagnosed as having systemic lupus erythematosus with central nervous involvement. The administration of prednisolone resulted in marked improvement in her neurologic symptoms in two months. Thus, it is considered that the MRI and CSF examinations are useful for the diagnosis and treatment of central nervous involvement of systemic lupus erythematosus.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Dependence on very hot hot-spring bathing in a refractory case of atopic dermatitis.

A 21-year-old female with atopic dermatitis showed "dependence" on very hot hot-spring bathing. Her skin disease had been refractory to various treatments including steroid therapy for a long time. Without medical supervision she took four 3-minute 47 degrees C hot-spring baths daily for a month for the purpose of improving her skin symptom. Subsequently, she could not stop bathing in very hot hot-spring water of her own will. However, a month's isolation in a hospital relieved her of the situation. The mechanism of the dependence on very hot hot-spring bathing may be explained by a transient rise in the plasma beta-endorphin level due to hyperthermal stress.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Successful treatment with auranofin in a patient with elderly-onset Still's disease.

We report a successful treatment with auranofin in a case of elderly-onset Still's disease. The administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, mizoribine and prednisolone were not only insufficient to suppress the disease activity but were followed by the development of multiple gastric ulcers and severe osteoporosis. On the contrary, treatment with auranofin, 9 mg per day, was effective enough to maintain the disease inactive without any side effects. We also found that plasma levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were significantly elevated in our patient, suggesting a possible involvement of inflammatory cytokines in this disease.

Age of Onset↗
PubMed1993

Evaluation of increased serum ferritin levels in patients with hyperthyroidism.

To further elucidate the mechanism of increased serum ferritin levels in hyperthyroidism, the changes in erythrocytes and serum iron and total iron-binding capacity levels were examined in addition to serum ferritin levels in 13 hyperthyroid patients. The mean values of hemoglobin, red blood cells, and packed cell volume were increased by antithyroid therapy. While the serum levels of iron did not change, those of total iron-binding capacity increased significantly after achieving a euthyroid state. Increased serum ferritin levels returned to normal through antithyroid therapy. Furthermore, the serum ferritin levels of four anemic patients were significantly higher than those of nine nonanemic patients. Thus it is concluded that the increase in serum ferritin levels in patients with hyperthyroidism may be due to the direct action of thyroid hormones on its synthesis, while in some cases complicated with anemia impaired iron utilization by erythropoietic cells may also be involved.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

[Blood viscosity and cerebral blood flow in aged].

It is well known that there is a close correlation between blood viscosity and blood flow. To clarify any relationship between blood viscosity and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in the elderly, we simultaneously studied both CBF with PET (positron emission tomography) and blood viscosity with viscosimeter before and after phlebotomy in the elderly with various kinds of polycythemia. These subjects consisted of five male cases of secondary polycythemia due to pulmonary fibrosis, one male case of essential erythrocytosis (average age 66.6 +/- 4.6 years old) and one female case of stress polycythemia (47 years old). Before phlebotomy an increase in blood viscosity, decrease in rCBF and regional cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (rCMRO2) were observed in all cases. After phlebotomy (total amount of 800 to 1,000 ml) blood viscosity rapidly decreased, and both rCBF and rCMRO2 tended to increase. There was a significant negative or positive correlation between CBF and blood viscosity or rCMRO2, respectively. However, no increase in cerebral oxygen transport was observed in any subject after phlebotomy. It was noted that cerebral infarction is not infrequent among elderly visitors to Kusatsu spa, which is characterized by high temperature hot spring water. From the authors' observation of 23 cases of cerebral infarction encountered during the last five years, it is noteworthy that the disease tended to occur more frequently during midnight to morning, specially 3:00 to 6:00. Thus, to clarify the pathogenetic mechanism of the cerebral infarction occurring after bathing in hot spring water, we studied the changes in blood viscosity, blood pressure and coagulation-fibrinolytic system after bathing in hot spring water.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1993

[Effect of G-CSF and M-CSF on busulfan-induced marrow failure in a 91-year old patient with essential thrombocythemia].

A 91-year-old patient with essential thrombocythemia presented with marked bone marrow suppression induced by long-term administration of busulfan. Her pancytopenia extended for over two months even after the cessation of busulfan, suggesting that she had developed a severe decrease in hematopoietic reserve. We administered G-CSF and M-CSF to accelerate recovery from marrow failure and to evaluate the recovery of hematopoiesis. The standard doses of G-CSF and M-CSF increased her neutrophil and platelet counts sufficiently but only transiently. Transient eosinophilia was also noted after cessation of M-CSF. The possibility that the expansion of abnormal clone(s) induced the transient increase in platelet and eosinophil counts could not be completely excluded. We suggest that the administration of hematopoietic growth factors should be limited to patients, irrespective of age, who present marked clinical symptoms attributable to marrow failure when the patient has a chronic myeloproliferative disorder.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

A transient rise in plasma beta-endorphin after a traditional 47 degrees C hot-spring bath in Kusatsu-spa, Japan.

To clarify the mechanism of the intoxicating feeling attained after a traditional 47 degrees C hot-spring bath called 'jikan-yu' in Kusatsu-spa, Japan, we examined the change in plasma levels of beta-endorphin and methionine enkephalin in 7 healthy subjects. The mean sublingual temperature rose from 36.8 degrees C to 38.6 degrees C and the plasma beta-endorphin level from 16.2 pg/ml to 49.5 pg/ml 2 minutes after completing a 3-minute bath in 47 degrees C hot-spring water. However, the plasma methionine enkephalin level was not changed. This feeling of intoxication may be explained by the transient rise in plasma beta-endorphin level.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Complete cure of urinary and faecal incontinence after intravenous vitamin B12 therapy in a patient with post-gastrectomy megaloblastic anaemia.

The case of a 59-year-old Japanese woman with post-gastrectomy megaloblastic anaemia having urinary and faecal incontinence and paraesthesia in four extremities is described. While the haematological abnormalities were improved by administration of a total dose of 17 mg of intramuscular mecobalamin, the neurological abnormalities remained unchanged. Five months later, a total dose of 7.5 mg of mecobalamin was injected intravenously over a period of 5 weeks, although the serum level of vitamin B12 was greater than 1180 pmol l-1. Immediately after initiation of the therapy, the urinary and faecal incontinence were gradually improved, and were completely cured within 2 months. The peripheral neuropathy was also ameliorated. The effectiveness of intravenous vitamin B12 injection for the neurological abnormalities due to vitamin B12 deficiency is emphasized.

Anemia, Megaloblastic↗
PubMed1992

Effects of long-term running on lymphocyte subpopulations.

Thirteen healthy members (11 males and 2 females; mean age 19.8 years) of an athletic club underwent a long-term exercise program (five 8-km runnings per week for 40 weeks) as regular training for their club. The circulating lymphocyte number, T lymphocyte percentage, and OKT4/OKT8 ratio did not change through the 40-week training period. However, suppressor/inducer (Leu3a+Leu8+) and suppressor T cells (Leu2a+Leu15+) significantly increased. In contrast, helper (Leu3a+Leu8-) and cytotoxic T cells (Leu2a+Leu15-) significantly decreased. On the other hand, there was no change in three males (mean age 18.7 years) without the long-term exercise program. These results suggest that long-term running may induce some change in lymphocyte subpopulations.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Restoration of abnormally high CD4/CD8 ratio and low natural killer cell activity by vitamin B12 therapy in a patient with post-gastrectomy megaloblastic anemia.

A patient with post-gastrectomy megaloblastic anemia is described. Initially, the CD4/CD8 ratio of blood cells was abnormally high and the level of natural killer cell activity was markedly low. These abnormalities were, however, restored by vitamin B12 treatment. Taken together with our prior report on a patient with pernicious anemia in whom the decreased level of CD8-positive blood cells was corrected by vitamin B12 therapy, it may be considered that the reversible CD4/CD8 imbalance of blood cells noted in some cases of pernicious anemia is not pathognomonic for the disease but secondary to vitamin B12 deficiency.

Anemia, Megaloblastic↗