The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine
Online ISSN : 1349-3329
Print ISSN : 0040-8727
ISSN-L : 0040-8727
213 巻, 3 号
November
選択された号の論文の10件中1~10を表示しています
Review
  • Katsuyuki Murata, Miwako Dakeishi, Miyuki Shimada, Hiroshi Satoh
    2007 年 213 巻 3 号 p. 187-202
    発行日: 2007年
    公開日: 2007/11/05
    ジャーナル フリー
    In evaluating the health effects in the offspring born to the mothers exposed to methylmercury (MeHg) during pregnancy, biomarkers obtained from maternal blood and hair, and umbilical cord have been employed for the exposure assessment. However, which biomarker is employed may affect the study conclusion. In this sense, umbilical cord mercury concentration appears to be a direct exposure biomarker of the fetus. We present an overview of the studies addressing umbilical cord and mercury and scrutinize the usefulness of umbilical cord samples for intrauterine exposure assessment of MeHg. The mean total mercury concentration in cord blood ranged from 0.5 to 35.6 μg/L among the studies reviewed. In Japanese populations, MeHg concentrations in dry cord tissue did not exceed 0.4 μg/g. Also, dry cord tissue would be preferable to wet tissue because the definition of wet weight of the umbilical cord is ambiguous. The cord blood-to-maternal blood ratio of mercury concentrations differed considerably among mother-child pairs despite the significant positive correlation between the cord and maternal mercury concentrations. Moreover, the increased cord mercury concentration was associated with some neurobehavioral and neurophysiological deficits in child. Therefore, mercury concentrations in cord blood and tissue can be accepted as more useful and valid biomarkers of fetal exposure to MeHg, for assessing a dose-response relationship in children at the developmental stage, than maternal mercury concentrations at parturition. Because umbilical cord blood has been used for cord-blood stem cell transplants, dry umbilical cord tissue should be effectively utilized for the advancement of medical sciences.
Regular Contributions
  • Geng Zhang, He Wang, Fuli Wang, Lei Yu, Xiaojian Yang, Junhua Meng, We ...
    2007 年 213 巻 3 号 p. 203-214
    発行日: 2007年
    公開日: 2007/11/05
    ジャーナル フリー
    Steroid refractory acute rejection (SRAR) is a major vital factor in renal transplantation recipients. The pathogenesis of SRAR may involve both immune and non-immune mechanisms. A decreased renal allograft function has also been associated with increased activity of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAS), which may be genetically determined. A total 206 renal transplant recipients, 116 males and 90 females, were included. The effects of gene polymorphisms of the four components of RAS including angiotensinogen (AGT), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R), and aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) were investigated in 19 cases of renal transplant patients with SRAR. The association between SRAR and the activating antibodies targeting the AT1R were also investigated. Genotyping was performed for the M235T-AGT, the I/D-ACE, the A1166C-AT1R, and the -344T/C-CYP11B2 gene polymorphisms using polymerase chain reaction. Our results showed that renal allograft recipients with SRAR had significantly higher occurrences of the DD genotype of ACE and CC genotype of AT1R than recipients without SRAR. The other genetic polymorphisms of the RAS were not associated with SRAR. Activating antibodies targeting the AT1R were detected in the sera from 14 SRAR victims with malignant hypertension and without anti-HLA antibodies. This study provides evidence that determination before transplantation of the polymorphism of the gene encoding components of RAS may help identify patients who are at risk for SRAR. The detection of the antibodies of AT1R may contribute to the prevention of SRAR.
  • Feng Xu, Yu-Guo Chen, Yong-Jian Geng, He Zhang, Chun-Xiao Jiang, Yi Su ...
    2007 年 213 巻 3 号 p. 215-220
    発行日: 2007年
    公開日: 2007/11/05
    ジャーナル フリー
    Alcohol consumption has an important effect on coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CAD). Acetaldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) is a key enzyme in alcohol metabolism. A G-to-A missense mutation of ALDH2 gene, which causes a Glu > Lys504 substitution, was recently shown to be associated with carotid atherosclerosis; however, its relationship with coronary atherosclerosis has not been well studied. We, therefore, investigated this relationship in Han Chinese. There are two ALDH2 alleles (*1 and *2) and their combination: *1/*1 (GG, typical homozygote), *1/*2 (GA, heterozygote) and *2/*2 (AA, atypical homozygote) in the population. Successive Han Chinese, including 89 with myocardial infarction (MI) and 142 with unstable angina, were recruited, and underwent coronary angiography and gene sequencing. Coronary atherosclerosis severity was expressed by the number of lesioned coronary arteries (≥ 50% diameter stenosis) and Gensini score, calculated based on the luminal narrowing degree and its geographic importance, as assessed by angiography. Based on their ALDH2 genotypes, the 231 patients were divided into wild-type (*1/*1, n = 145) and mutation groups (*1/*2 and *2/*2, n = 86). There were no significant differences in basic clinical data between the two groups; however, the mutation group had significantly higher rates of diabetes mellitus and MI, and lower prevalence of alcohol consumption than wild-type group. Yet, the two groups were not significantly different in coronary atherosclerosis severity. Multiple regression analysis has shown that the ALDH2 genotype *1/*2 or *2/*2 is an independent risk factor for MI, but is not associated with coronary atherosclerosis severity in Han Chinese.
  • Zeki Ustuner, Mert Basaran, Yavuz Dizdar, Fulya Yaman Agaoglu, Bilge B ...
    2007 年 213 巻 3 号 p. 221-229
    発行日: 2007年
    公開日: 2007/11/05
    ジャーナル フリー
    Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is rare disease in adults (age ≥ 16 years). The data from randomized prospective trials are scarce; the clinical outcome of these patients seems poor with the currently available treatment strategies. In this study, we report a single institution's experience in the treatment of adult RMS. We reviewed the medical records of patients with RMS who were ≥ 16 years and have been treated in our institution between 1988 and 2003 retrospectively. We analyzed the survival outcome of these patients and the prognostic impact of clinical/pathological factors on their survival. In total, 23 patients with RMS were identified. Median age was 26 years (range, 16-72 years). Majority of patients were male (n: 17, 73.9%), and had large tumors (≥ 5 cm, n: 13, 56.5%), localized disease (N0, M0, n: 12, 52.2%), and embryonal histology (n: 10, 43.5%). Median overall survival was 31.3 months, and the 3-year progression-free survival and overall survival rates were 19.9% and 34.94%, respectively. Patients with smaller tumors (< 5 cm) (p < 0.04), local disease (p < 0.01), and normal lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) level (p < 0.01) at the time of diagnosis were found to have better survival outcome. The tumor size, serum LDH level, and metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis are potential predictors of outcome in patients with adult RMS. Adult RMS is an aggressive disease with poor survival despite treatment. The data from prospective, randomized multicenter trials are necessary in order to improve the clinical outcome of adult RMS patients.
  • Olivera Miloševic-Djordjevic, Darko Grujicic, Slobodan Arsenije ...
    2007 年 213 巻 3 号 p. 231-239
    発行日: 2007年
    公開日: 2007/11/05
    ジャーナル フリー
    Exposure to environmental pollutants can result in chromosomal instability, which can produce a wide variety of effects on human health. In the spring of 1999, extensive environmental pollution happened in Kragujevac (the city in the central Serbia) with damages of soil, water and air, caused by the air strikes on “Zastava” complex. Because we found significant increase of micronuclei in newborns born 12 months after this environmental pollution (in the beginning of 2000), the purpose of the present study was to follow the frequency of micronuclei in lymphocytes of newborns born seven years after pollution (in 2006). The frequencies of micronuclei were estimated in cord blood lymphocytes of 41 newborns (20 males and 21 females) by application of cytokinesis-block (CB) micronucleus test. The obtained results showed that the mean value of micronuclei was significantly decreased in newborns born in 2006 in comparison to the mean value of micronuclei in newborns born 12 months after contamination (4.73 ± 3.38 micronuclei/1,000 CB cells vs 9.36 ± 5.60 micronuclei/1,000 CB cells), with probability p < 0.001. Newborn's gender, mother's age (19-40 years) and maternal cigarette smoking (< 20 cigarettes per day) did not show any noticeable effects on micronuclei frequencies in the analyzed newborns. There was relationship between the micronuclei frequencies and the level of environmental pollution (F = 6.95, p = 0.000). Our results suggest that the environment profoundly influences genetic constitution of newborns, and that micronucleus assay in cord blood lymphocytes is an important method for evaluation of transplacental mutagens.
  • A. Ata Alturfan, Ezel Uslu, Ebru Emekli Alturfan, Gulen Hatemi, Izzet ...
    2007 年 213 巻 3 号 p. 241-248
    発行日: 2007年
    公開日: 2007/11/05
    ジャーナル フリー
    Accumulation of oxidized proteins and impaired antioxidant system have been shown to be associated with arthritis. Serum sialic acid (SA) is known as a parameter of inflammation. In the present study, to explore the potential role of SA in arthritis, we measured serum SA levels, plasma protein oxidation, and antioxidant status in patients with primary osteoarthritis (POA) and inactive rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Inactive RA (iRA) was defined upon the American College of Rheumatology criteria for clinical remission of RA. A total of 40 patients (20 POA patients, including 4 male subjects, and 20 iRA female patients) and 20 healthy female subjects were included in this study. SA, antioxidants, and protein oxidation levels were determined spectrophotometrically in serum or plasma samples. Serum SA levels were significantly increased in POA (3.34 ± 0.37 mM, p < 0.0001) and iRA (3.11 ± 0.47 mM, p < 0.05), compared with healthy controls (2.41 ± 0.16 mM). Plasma total antioxidant activity, plasma superoxide dismutase activity and serum reduced glutathione levels were significantly decreased in patients with POA and those with iRA, whereas plasma carbonyl content and serum total protein were increased in those patients. Moreover, plasma total thiol levels were significantly increased in iRA and decreased in POA. Thus, increased SA and protein oxidation levels are associated with the decreased antioxidant levels in POA and iRA patients. These results suggest that SA may be considered as a potent defense molecule against oxidative damage in arthritis. Antioxidant therapy may halt or ameliorate the progression of arthritis.
  • Mustafa Karaca, Ata Kirilmaz, Güray Oncel, Dilek Oncel, Hasan Yil ...
    2007 年 213 巻 3 号 p. 249-259
    発行日: 2007年
    公開日: 2007/11/05
    ジャーナル フリー
    Anomalous coronary artery (ACA) has either an unusual origin or different anatomical course and is associated with sudden cardiac death. The absence or nonspecific symptoms of ACA make its diagnosis difficult. Mostly, ACA is diagnosed coincidentally during invasive coronary angiogram (ICA). A conventional computed tomography (CT) cannot provide detailed images of coronary arteries of the moving heart, but 64-slice CT, with its short acquisition time, can provide detailed anatomy of coronary arteries non-invasively. In this study, we assessed the validity of contrast-enhanced 64-slice CT in the evaluation of ACA. ICA was performed in 7,574 patients for the diagnosis or evaluation of occlusive coronary artery disease and detected coronary anomalies in 56 patients (0.7%). We then performed 64-slice CT in 53 patients out of the 56 patients with demonstrated or suspected coronary anomaly, showing the origin and the course of the ACA along with stenosis, except for one patient who could not be evaluated due to image distortion artifacts. Contrast-enhanced 64-slice CT was also performed in 374 patients with vague signs and symptoms, detecting coronary anomalies in 7 patients (1.2%). Thus, in the total of 59 patients undergone 64-slice CT, we were able to visualize the entire abnormal coronary tree with a high diagnostic image quality. This is the first study to demonstrate the utility of 64-slice CT in a large series of ACA. Contrast-enhanced 64-slice CT is superior to ICA to identify the presence and course of ACA and should be the first line diagnostic tool in the evaluation of ACA.
  • Víctor Manuel Mendoza-Núñez, Mirna Ruiz-Ramos, Ma ...
    2007 年 213 巻 3 号 p. 261-268
    発行日: 2007年
    公開日: 2007/11/05
    ジャーナル フリー
    Oxidative stress has been reported to increase with aging; however, the scientific evidence is controversial. We therefore aimed to analyze the relationship between aging and some markers of oxidative stress. A cross-sectional and comparative study was carried out in a sample of 249 healthy subjects: (i) 25-29 years (n = 22); (ii) 30-39 years (24); (iii) 40-49 years (30); (iv) 50-59 years (48); (v) 60-69 years (60), and (vi) ≥ 70 years (65). We measured lipoperoxides and total antioxidant status in plasma and superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities in erythrocytes. There was an age-related increase in lipoperoxides, which was evident in the comparison of the group of 25-29 years (0.22 0.11 μmol/l) with the group of 60-69 years (0.38 ± 0.18 μmol/l, p < 0.01) and ≥ 70 years (0.42 ± 0.19, p < 0.001). Conversely, the total antioxidant status showed an age-related decrease (25-29 years, 1.4 ± 0.31 mmol/l vs 60-69 years, 1.1 ± 0.21 and ≥ 70 years, 1.1 ± 0.22, p < 0.05 for each). In erythrocytes, glutathione peroxidase activity showed an age-related decrease (25-29 years, 7,966 ± 1,813 UI/l vs 60-69 years, 6,193 ± 2,235 and ≥ 70 years, 6,547 ± 2,307, p < 0.001 for each), whereas superoxide dismutase activity was similar in all age groups. Importantly, there was no age-related change in oxidative stress markers in subjects of < 60 years. These findings suggest that age of ≥ 60 years may be associated with increased oxidative stress.
  • Pinar Oner, Ebru Bilge Dirik, Yasemen Taner, Ali Caykoylu, Omer Anlar
    2007 年 213 巻 3 号 p. 269-276
    発行日: 2007年
    公開日: 2007/11/05
    ジャーナル フリー
    Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobehavioral disorder characterized by pervasive inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity. It has been suggested that ADHD symptoms are associated with restless legs syndrome (RLS), which is a neurological condition that is defined by an irresistible urge to move the legs. Increasing evidence suggests iron deficiency may underlie common pathophysiological mechanisms in subjects with ADHD and with RLS. To further define the relationship between iron deficiency and RLS in children and adolescents with ADHD, we evaluated 87 ADHD subjects: 79 boys and 8 girls with age 9.3 ± 2.5 years (6-16 years). Various psychopathologies and the severity of the ADHD symptoms and serum ferritin levels were assessed. Diagnosis of RLS was made according to the International RLS Group criteria. The patients were evaluated for the iron deficiency (ferritin < 12 ng/ml). RLS was found in 29 (33.3%) of the 87 ADHD subjects. Parent- and teacher-rated behavioral and emotional problems and the severity of ADHD symptoms were not significantly different between ADHD subjects with RLS and those without RLS (n = 58). The rate of iron deficiency was significantly higher in ADHD subjects with RLS (n = 6, 20.7%) when compared with ADHD subjects without RLS (n = 1, 1.7%, p = 0.005). Our results showed that depleted iron stores might increase the risk of having RLS in ADHD subjects. Iron deficiency, which is associated with both ADHD and RLS, seems to be an important modifying factor in the relationship between these two conditions.
  • Sebnem Bicakci, Fahrettin Over, Kezban Aslan, Nafiz Bozdemir, Esra Saa ...
    2007 年 213 巻 3 号 p. 277-282
    発行日: 2007年
    公開日: 2007/11/05
    ジャーナル フリー
    Headache is one of the most common neurological complaints of the young population and it affects the quality of life due to limitation of daily activities. In this study, our main goal was to appraise the general headache characteristics in senior medical students just before graduation and to determine the impact of headache on the quality of life, as well as the general attitude of students about their headaches. The study group consisted of 141 senior students. As the first step, the question about “having headache within the past one year period” was asked. Of the 141 students, 127 students answering “yes” were invited to a face-to-face interview. Of these, 67 students (52.8%) participated in the second evaluation. The second evaluation consisted of history taking and neurological and physical examination. All subjects were classified according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders (2nd edition) criteria. Validated Turkish version of Migraine Disability Assessment questionnaire was given to the subjects to evaluate the socio-economical impact of headache. Tension-type headache, which is the most common form of primary headaches, was identified in 34 students (50.7%) out of 67 students. Migraine was detected in 31 students (46.3%). This is the first study performed on a face-to-face interview basis with medical students using the new classification criteria in Turkey. Astonishingly, most of the students (n:65) ignored their headaches and did not seek medication, despite the negative impact of headache on daily functioning and overall quality of life.
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