bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characteristics of epilepsy in severely mentally retarded individuals
Authors: Amano Kouichiro , Takamatsu Junichi , Ogata Akira , Miyazaki Chihiro , Kaneyama Hisakazu , Katsuragi Shouichi , Deshimaru Motonori , Sumiyoshi Shiro , Miyakawa Taihei 
Published: March 2003

AbstractIn order to clarify the characteristics of epilepsy in patients with severe mentally retarded (SMR) subjects, we analyzed 52 SMR subjects with epilepsy from the institute for SMR subjects at Kikuchi National Hospital, Kumamoto, Japan. A total of 61.5% patients had uncontrolled seizures which were resistant to treatment. The most common combinations of seizure types in those not responding to conventional anticonvulsants were generalized tonic–clonic seizures (GTCS) with tonic seizure and GTCS with atypical absence. Their clinical features were characterized by spastic paralysis associated with a slower background electroencephalogram and abnormal computed tomography scans of the head, suggesting the involvement of cortical damage. These findings suggest that a large proportion of epilepsy in SMR subjects does not respond to treatment and that the severity of organic brain damage may therefore affect the natural course of epilepsy in such patients.
Quantitative analysis of paradoxical inward rib cage movement during sleep in children
Authors: Kohyama Jun , Sakuma Hiroshi , Shiiki Toshihide , Shimohira Masayuki , Hasegawa Takeshi 
Published: March 2003

AbstractParadoxical inward rib cage movement in children is quantified by the labored breathing index (LBI) on the respiratory inductive plethysmography. Labored breathing index during rapid eye movement sleep (REMS) in 59 children without obvious sleep disordered breathing (SDB) declined with age, and decreased to the mature low level at 35 months of age. The LBI was also found to reflect well the severity of SDB. Paradoxical inward rib cage movement, which was quantified by LBI, is concluded to be an important finding in diagnosing SDB in child patients.
Spatio‐temporal EEG power spectral patterns during a short daytime nap
Authors: Luo Zili , Honda Kazuki , Inoué Shojiro 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThis is an approach to investigate topographic changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) spectral power during pre‐ and post‐nap wakefulness as well as stages 1 (S1) and 2 (S2) NREM sleep in 12 subjects. Delta‐ and theta‐band power significantly increased in the frontal and central regions during S1 and S2 with an increase in inter‐ and intra‐hemispheric correlations. Beta‐band power significantly increased in the frontal, central and parietal regions during S2 with an increase in interhemispheric correlation. In contrast, alpha‐band power significantly decreased in the parietal‐occipital regions during S1 and S2 with a decrease in interhemispheric correlation. Thus, daytime nap modulated spatio‐temporal patterns of EEG power spectral patterns in wide scalp regions.
Two auto‐detection methods for eye movements during eyes closed
Authors: Suzuki Hiroyuki , Matsuura Masato , Moriguchi Kazuhiko , Kojima Takuya , Hiroshige Yoshiharu , Matsuda Tetsuya , Noda Yuji 
Published: March 2003

AbstractEye movements during closed eyes closely reflect changes of the arousal level during transition from wakefulness to sleep. Because they contain both rapid and slow eye movements (REM and SEM), it has been difficult to detect them automatically. Hiroshige recently developed the method of linear regression analysis for automatic detection of the two types of eye movements, and we have developed a template matching method for autodetection. The aim of the present study was to compare both auto‐detection methods and visual scoring for REM and SEM. The results revealed high agreement between the two quantitative methods and the visual scoring, indicating that auto‐detection of eye movements is useful for quantitative evaluation of arousal level.
Semiquantitative immunoblot analysis of nm23‐H1 and ‐H2 isoforms in adenocarcinomas of the lung: Prognostic significance
Authors: Sato Yuichi , Tsuchiya Benio , Urao Takeshi , Baba Hideo , Shiku Hiroshi , Kodama Tetsuro , Kameya Toru 
Published: March 2003

AbstractTotal amounts of nm23 protein and relative levels of H1 and H2 isoforms were studied in 27 fresh‐frozen samples of pulmonary adenocarcinoma and adjacent non‐neoplastic tissues that were obtained at surgery. Semiquantitative immunoblotting with a monoclonal antibody (Pan‐242) against nm23 protein demonstrated both isoforms, recognized as 20.5 kDa for H1 and 18.5 kDa for H2, to be present in all cases. Both H1 and H2 levels in neoplastic tissues were higher than in the corresponding non‐neoplastic samples. Expression of H2 was usually greater than of H1. The H2/H1 ratio varied from 1.9 to 14.1 (mean value 5.2) in non‐neoplastic tissues and 1.0–5.9 (mean value 2.5) in neoplastic tissues, although this ratio did not correlate with any prognostic factor like tumor size, nodal status or distant metastasis (TNM tumor stage). H1 and H2 levels were significantly lower (mean values 4.3 and 2.4) in well‐differentiated than in moderately and poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas (8.3 and 3.0) (P< 0.03 and P< 0.05, respectively). These data indicate that H1 and H2 isoform levels correlate with histological differentiation, but not the metastatic potential or stage of pulmonary adenocarcinoma.
Fine mapping of thymus enlargement gene 1 (Ten1) in BUF/Mna rats
Authors: Ye Chunlin , Murakumo Yoshiki , Higo Kyoko , Matsuyama Mutsushi 
Published: March 2003

AbstractTwo polymeric autosomal loci, Ten1 and Ten2, regulate thymus enlargement in BUF/Mna (B) rats. Previously, we mapped Ten1 on chromosome (Chr) 1 to a 20 cM region between Myl2 and D1Mgh11, and Ten2 on Chr 13. To further characterize the precise position of Ten1, 34 and 37 microsatellite markers, that have a polymorphism between the B and WYK (W) and between the B and MITE (M) strains, were used for linkage analysis of thymus enlargement in 105 (WBF1 × B) blackcross (BC) and 78 (B × BMF1) BC rats, respectively. Our data showed that the D1Rat168, D1Rat112, D1Rat323, D1Got186, D1Got187 and D1Got188 markers each gave a peak logarithm of odds (LOD) score of 10.68 for linkage to the thymus ratio in (WBF1 × B) BC rats, and that the D1Rat168, D1Rat197, D1Got184, D1Got186 and D1Got188 markers each gave a peak LOD score of 7.82 in (B × BMF1) BC rats. The two LOD score peaks are coincident in the position of the rat genetic map. All of the markers mentioned above are located in the region between Igf2 and D1Mgh11, in which synteny is conserved with human 11q15.5 and the distal end of mouse Chr 7 or with human 11q13 and the proximal end of mouse Chr 19. Genes existing in these regions are discussed as candidate genes for Ten1.
Adult‐onset giant juxtaglomerular cell tumor of the kidney
Authors: Kuroda Naoto , Moriki Toshiaki , Komatsu Fumito , Miyazaki Eriko , Hayashi Yoshihiro , Naruse Keishi , Nakayama Hirofumi , Kiyoku Hiroshi , Hiroi Makoto , Shuin Taro , Enzan Hideaki 
Published: March 2003

AbstractThe juxtaglomerular cell tumor (JGCT) of the kidney is a rare neoplasm which commonly secretes renin. This tumor often occurs in teenagers. This paper documents the 14th adult‐onset (over 30‐years‐old) case with a giant JGCT which measured 9.0 × 8.0 × 7.5 cm. Histologically, this tumor was composed of both vascular and tubular components. Immunohistochemically, the vascular component reacted with renin, cytokeratin 7, ulex europaeus agglutinin‐1, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Flk‐1 (VEGF‐R2), whereas the tubular component was positive for renin, epithelial membrane antigen (EMA), cytokeratin 7, α‐1‐antitrypsin, VEGF and Flk‐1. This finding suggests that both vascular and tubular components of JGCT may promote neoplastic proliferation via an autocrine mechanism through the action of VEGF.
Ex‐situ conservation of protistan and cyanobacterial biodiversity: CCAP‐NIES collaboration 1991–1997
Authors: Day John G. , Watanabe Makoto M. , Turner Michael F. 
Published: March 2003

SUMMARYThe Culture Collection of Algae and Protozoa (CCAP) and the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) act as service collections in the UK and Japan, respectively. Since 1991, the collections have collaborated on a wide range of topics of mutual interest. These include: algal taxonomy, bio‐informatics, collection management, conservation of microbial biodiversity, cryopreservation, and cyanobacterial toxin research. The main activities have focused on the re‐examination of cyanobacterial isolates housed in both collections and cryopreservation research.The preliminary data generated in the survey of cyanobacterial strains were used in the production of the latest CCAP catalogue and database. This project is ongoing at NIES and forms a key component of a major project on cyanobacterial taxonomy.To date, many protists are apparently freeze‐recalci‐trant. A primary mode of lethal cell injury is the formation of intracellular ice. In this study, intracellular ice formation was observed in Tetraselmis suecica (Ky‐lin) Butcher under suboptimal cooling conditions, Tetraselmis chui Butcher under both fast and slow cooling and in both pigmented and achlorophylous strains of Euglena gracilis Klebs. These findings have significant implications for the development of successful cryopreservation strategies.In addition to the above activities, a variety of algal strains have been examined in taxonomic and ultra‐structure research projects and cyanobacterial cultures have been screened for novel toxins.
Malignant mesothelioma presenting as pulmonary metastasis ahead of growth of primary tumour
Authors: Heki Ytako , Fujimura Masaki , Kasahara Kazuo , Matsubara Fujitsugu , Matsuda Tamotsu 
Published: March 2003

AbstractA 59‐year‐old woman was admitted to Houju Memorial Hospital, Ishikawa, Japan, because of cough and fever on 30 March 1997. A diagnosis of pneumonia was made and she was given antibiotics. Her symptoms improved but failed to resolve completely on antibiotic therapy. On 9 September 1997, she revisited the hospital because of bodyweight loss and malaise. There was no history of exposure to asbestos. The chest roentgenogram revealed infiltrative shadows with vague and indistinct margins suggesting inflammatory processes, which were more extensive than those investigated on her last visit. One month later, a giant tumour was detected rapidly growing from the mediastinum and open biopsy was performed. The histological examination confirmed that the tumour was a malignant mesothelioma and the intrapulmonary nodules were its metastases. This is a rare case of pulmonary metastasis being present for several months before an appearance of primary mesothelioma.
Ciliary assessment in bronchiectasis
Authors: Tsang Kenneth Wt , Zheng Ling , Tipoe George 
Published: March 2003

Objective:Bronchiectasis is a common condition among the Oriental population and affected patients suffer from chronic sputum production punctuated by recurrent infective exacerbations. Cilia are minute structures present on the surface of respiratory and other epithelial cells that beat continuously to maintain a sterile mucosal surface in the respiratory tract. Patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia could potentially develop recurrent sinotrachrobronchitis, bronchiectasis, serous otitis media, hydrocephalus, and male infertility. The assessment of cilia has, however, received little attention until recently and generally involves elaborate methods that require complex and expensive technology. This brief article discusses application of the saccharine test, light microscopy assessment of ciliary beat, and transmission electron microscopy assessment of the ultrastructure of cilia. The rationale and indications for ciliary assessment are also listed along with illustrations showing ciliary structure, equipment required for sampling and assessment of cilia, and transmission electron micrographs of ciliary ultrastructural abnormalities.
A double‐blind, placebo‐controlled steroid‐sparing study with budesonide Turbuhaler in Japanese oral steroid‐dependent asthma patients
Authors: Miyamoto Terumasa , Takahashi Terumi , Nakajima Shigenori , Makino Sohei , Yamakido Michio , Mano Kenji , Nakashima Mitsuyoshi , Tollemar Ulf , Selroos Olof 
Published: March 2003

Objective:The aim of this study was to evaluate the oral steroid‐sparing capacity of budesonide Turbuhaler®.Methodology:One hundred and thirteen oral steroid‐dependent patients were treated for 6 months with placebo or budesonide 800 μg or 1600 μg daily. Every second week the oral steroid dose was reduced if asthma control permitted.Results:The reductions in oral steroid doses were 9, 35 and 60% in the placebo and budesonide 800 μg and 1600 μg groups, respectively. Oral steroid treatment could be discontinued in 4% (placebo), 15% (800 μg) and 23% (1600 μg). Mean peak expiratory flow values increased by 21 and 24 L/min in the budesonide groups but decreased by 6 L/min in the placebo group. Asthma attack, activity and sleep scores remained unchanged showing maintained efficacy. Plasma cortisol levels increased and an adrenocorticotropic hormone test showed improved adrenocortical response in both budesonide groups, indicating improved safety. Adverse drug reactions were infrequent and mild in all study groups.Conclusion:Budesonide Turbuhaler, 800 μg and 1600 μg daily, resulted in a significant reduction in oral steroid usage in steroid‐dependent patients. The effect was achieved with maintained asthma control together with improvements in lung and adrenal functions.
An inverse correlation between estimated tuberculosis notification rates and asthma symptoms
Authors: SHIRTCLIFFE PHILIPPA , WEATHERALL MARK , BEASLEY RICHARD 
Published: March 2003

Background: A recent ecological analysis demonstrated a strong inverse relationship between tuberculosis notification rates and the prevalence of asthma symptoms in 13–14‐year‐old children as obtained from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). However, the analysis was confined to the 23 countries in which the tuberculosis notification rates were considered to be of sufficient validity.Methods: A similar analysis was performed using estimated tuberculosis incidence rates obtained from the World Health Organization Global Tuberculosis Programme and asthma symptom prevalence data from ISAAC for both the 6–7 and 13–14 years age groups in 38 and 55 countries, respectively.Results: For the 6–7‐year‐old children, there was a significant inverse relationship between estimated tuberculosis incidence and the prevalence of key asthma symptoms. However, in the 13–14 year age group, a significant inverse relationship was only demonstrated for ‘asthma ever’.Conclusion: The present study extends the inverse relationship between tuberculosis rates and asthma prevalence to the 6–7‐year‐old age group and suggests that the association, if causal, may be stronger at this younger age.
The causes of haemoptysis in Malaysian patients aged over 60 and the diagnostic yield of different investigations
Authors: WONG Catherine Mee‐Ming , LIM Kim Hatt , LIAM Chong‐Kin 
Published: March 2003

Objective:  In southeast Asia, pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is the most frequently presumed diagnosis for haemoptysis. This study was designed to assess the causes of haemoptysis, the diagnostic yield of causes in different diagnostic modalities and the distribution of older patients.Methods:  All patients presenting to the University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with haemoptysis were recruited prospectively and evaluated.Results:  One hundred and sixty patients were evaluated for haemoptysis; 71 (44.4%) were aged 60 years or more. Significantly more patients smoked in the older age group (P = 0.002). The main causes of haemoptysis in the older patients were bronchogenic carcinoma (49.3%), pneumonia (11.3%), bronchiectasis (8.6%), cryptogenic (5.6%) and active TB (4.2%). Significantly more older patients had carcinoma (P < 0.001), while the younger patients more often had TB (P < 0.001). Chest pain was significantly more common in the older patients (P = 0.025), particularly in patients with carcinoma. Bronchoscopy alone or combined with CT of the thorax was significantly more diagnostic in the older patient (P = 0.006).Conclusion:  Bronchogenic carcinoma is the commonest cause of haemoptysis in patients aged 60 years and above. Presumptive anti‐TB therapy should not be encouraged despite the regional high prevalence of TB.
Response of Trifolium repens to a mosaic of bare and vegetated patches
Authors: Leeflang Lizelotte 
Published: March 2003

AbstractIn herbaceous vegetation, plants are subjected to a spatial heterogeneous distribution of light. Trifolium repens was tested on its ability to avoid vegetated patches by change of stolon growth direction, reduced branching or reduced growth. Treatments consisted of a no grass control, grass on the west side and grass on the north side. When Trifolium was growing beside a grass patch on the west side, plants reduced branching but did not change direction nor was there reduced growth in stolons that were growing towards/in the vegetated patch compared to the control plants. When the grass patch was situated to the north of the plant, plants did not show reduced branching except of the primary stolon, nor was there change of growth direction or reduced growth. The biomass and number of ramets were reduced in the vegetated patch of the west treatment and the patch adjacent to the grass patch. In the north treatment biomass and number of ramets were only reduced in the vegetated patch. Compared to the control, total plant biomass was reduced in the west‐grass‐patch treatment but not in the north‐grass‐patch treatment. Reduced branching near grass patches could be an added mechanism by which to avoid vegetated patches; it is not very effective, however, because biomass production did not increase in the open patches but was only reduced in the vegetated patches.
Effects of growth hormone replacement therapy on lipids, lipoproteins and apolipoproteins: Is the increased apolipoprotein A‐1/B ratio the only benefit?
Authors: Yildiz, Metin , Arslanoglu, Ilknur , Yildiz, Nurdan , Nartop, Filiz , Isik Kutay , Isguven Pinar 
Published: March 2003

Abstract

Background
: The aim of the present study was to investigate the controversial role of growth hormone (GH) therapy in lipid regulation.
Methods
: We studied serum levels of cholesterol and subgroups, triglyceride and apolipoprotein A‐1 and B in 41 GH‐deficient children (with subgroups of untreated and short‐ and long‐term treated subjects) and 20 healthy controls.
Results
: Cholesterol and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (in mmol/L) were found to be 4.92~1.34 and 3.02~1.58 in untreated, 4.15~0.72 and 2.46~0.65 in short‐term (3 month) treated, 4.93~1.39 and 3.15~1.38 in long‐term (> 1 year) treated and 4.11~0.5 and 2.0~0.74 in control subjects, respectively. The apolipoprotein A‐1:B ratio was 1.98~0.5 in long‐term treated and 1.6~0.6 in control subjects.
Conclusions
: The improvement of lipid composition with short‐term GH therapy is temporary, but the increase in apo A‐1:B is not and seems to be the particular benefit of this therapy.
Influenza virus‐induced encephalopathy: Clinicopathologic study of an autopsied case
Authors: Takahashi Mitsuo , Yamada Tatsuo , Nakashita Yoshio , Saikusa Hiroaki , Deguchi Masatune , Kida Hiroshi , Tashiro Masato 
Published: March 2003

Abstract

Background
: Rapid progressive encephalopathy with a high fever, consciousness loss and recurrent convulsions has been occasionally reported in children during influenza pandemics in Japan since 1995. We examined a 2‐year old girl with hemorrhagic shock and encephalopathy syndrome associated with acute influenza A virus infection (A/Nagasaki/76/98; H3N2), to answer several questions for which no histologic or virologic data exist.
Methods
: A clinicopathologic study using immunohistochemical staining and viral genome detection by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) was performed with this autopsied case.
Results
: The virus antigen was positive in CD8+ T lymphocytes from the lung and spleen. The virus infected a very limited part of the brain, especially Purkinje cells in the cerebellum and many neurons in the pons, without inducing an overt immunologic reaction from the host. The RT‐PCR used for detecting the hemagglutinin gene demonstrated positive bands in all frozen tissues and cerebrospinal fluid taken at autopsy and not in samples obtained on admission.
Conclusions
: The pathologic change induced by the direct viral invasion cannot be responsible for all of the symptoms, especially for the rapid and severe clinical course of the disease within 24–48 h after the initial respiratory symptoms. Together with the rapid production of several inflammatory cytokines, the breakdown of the blood–brain barrier may induce severe brain edema and can be a major pathologic change for the disease. Any therapeutic strategy to control this multistep progression of the disease could be effective.
Urinary pyrimidine analysis in healthy newborns, infants, children, adults and patients with congenital metabolic diseases
Authors: Asai Masami , Sumi Satoshi , Kidouchi Kiyoshi , Imaeda Hiromi , Togari Hajime , Wada Yoshiro 
Published: March 2003

Abstract Background: In previous reports, the reference range for urinary pyrimidine was determined on the basis of a small number of samples, with data for only a few patients being reported. In the present study, we measured urinary pyrimidine compounds in 25 healthy newborns, 33 healthy infants, 130 healthy children and 166 healthy adults. In addition, we also analyzed urinary pyrimidine compounds in various patients with abnormal pyrimidine metabolism, such as congenital pyrimidine metabolism disorders and urea cycle disorders.
Methods
: We analyzed urines by high‐performance liquid chromatography with column switching. Analyses were performed with both a reverse‐phase column and an anion‐exchange column. The columns were connected by a column switch, with all systems being controlled automatically by a computerized system controller.
Results
: The excretion of pyrimidine compounds in patients with abnormal pyrimidine metabolism (containing heterozygotes) was out of our reference ranges.
Conclusions
: These results suggest that urinary pyrimidine analysis is a useful index for the diagnosis of pyrimidine metabolism disorders, urea cycle disorders and these heterozygotes. Based on this large‐group analysis of healthy individuals, we were able to determine the reference ranges of urinary orotic acid, dihydrouracil and uracil for each age group.