Shiro Ikawa

Anxiety traits associated with a polymorphism in the serotonin transporter gene regulatory region in the Japanese.

AbstractWe determined polymorphism in the serotonin (5-HT) transporter gene-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) in 501 healthy Japanese, individuals, using the polymerase chain reaction of Lesch et al., with minor modifications. The distribution of allele frequencies was determined and found to differ from that in Caucasians. We also investigated the relationship of polymorphism in 5-HTTLPR to anxiety traits, by having 189 of the 501 subjects complete a self-rating questionnaire for anxiety and depression. Subjects with the short/short (s/s) genotype had significantly higher anxiety scores than those with the long/long (l/l) or l/s genotype. It is suggested that populations with the s/s genotype of 5-HTTLPR have stronger anxiety-related personality traits than those with the l allele.

First Streptococcus agalactiae Isolates Highly Resistant to Quinolones, with Point Mutations in gyrA and parC

ABSTRACT Three isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae highly resistant to multiple fluoroquinolones were isolated in Japan. Compared with susceptible strains of S. agalactiae, these quinolone-resistant strains had double point mutations within the quinolone resistance-determining regions of gyrA and parC; Ser-81 was changed to Leu (TCA → TTA) in the amino acid sequence deduced from gyrA, and Ser-79 was changed to Phe (TCC → TTC) in the amino acid sequence deduced from parC. Comparative sequence analysis revealed the possibility of gene transfer between S. agalactiae and another beta-hemolytic streptococcus, Streptococcus difficile.

A Polymorphism in the Serotonin Transporter Gene Regulatory Region and Frequency of Migraine Attacks

Background.—The serotonergic system has been thought to play an important part in the pathophysiology of migraine.

Fecal Bile Acids and Neutral Sterols in Japanese with Large Bowel Carcinoma

We compared the level of fecal bile acids and neutral sterols in 15 Japanese with large bowel carcinoma and 10 healthy controls. There was no significant difference in the amount of total fecal bile acids and neutral sterols between the patients and the controls. However, the amount of primary bile acids, especially chenodeoxycholic acid, tended to be higher in the patients. Conversely, lithocholic, beta-lithocholic and 3 alpha-hydroxy-12-ketocholanoic acid levels were higher in the controls. Trace amounts of 3 alpha-hydroxy-6-ketocholanoic acid were detected in some of the patients; none was found in the controls. Although a hasty conclusion should be avoided in the present study, it is of considerable interest that there was a difference in fecal bile acid composition between large bowel carcinoma patients and healthy controls.

The indirect pathogenicity of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia.

Stenotrophomonas maltophilia has at least two inducible beta-lactamases, L1 and L2, which can hydrolyze almost all classes of beta-lactam antimicrobial agents. This study was done to verify the indirect pathogenicity of S. maltophilia that could promote the growth of other beta-lactam agent-susceptible bacteria in a mixed culture. We counted CFU of beta-lactam agent-susceptible bacteria under the presence of imipenem or ceftazidime in a pure culture and mixed culture with S. maltophilia. Our results showed that beta-lactamase leaking from S. maltophilia can encourage the growth of Serratia marcescens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa even if imipenem or ceftazidime was supplemented. This study discovered a blind spot in chemotherapy against an indirect pathogen such as S. maltophilia.

Hemostatic studies in patients with carbohydrate-deficient glycoprotein syndrome

The carbohydrate deficient glycoprotein (CDG) syndrome is a newly described disorder characterized by impaired glycosylated molecules. It has been reported that transient stroke-like episodes appear in half of the patients. We performed hemostatic studies on three CDG syndrome patients belonging to two unrelated families. The most characteristic findings were decreases in antithrombin III (AT III), protein C and alpha 2 plasmin inhibitor to nearly half normal levels. Protein S was reduced in two (siblings) patients. Isoelectric focusing of AT III in native plasma revealed decreased intensity of the major band and increased intensity of a minor cathodal band. These minor AT III molecules were considered to lack an oligosaccharide sidechain. A 12-year-old girl defective not only for AT III but also protein C and protein S developed disseminated intravascular coagulation accompanied by arterial thrombosis in her left hand following dyspnea associated with bronchial asthma. These findings suggest that thrombotic predisposition in patients with CDG syndrome is due to decreased levels of major coagulation inhibitors, particularly as a result of impaired glycosylation of AT III.

Distribution of Hp, Tf, Gc and Pi polymorphisms in a Nepalese population

Hp typing and Tf, Gc and Pi subtypings were performed on 144 serum samples from a Nepalese population in the Katmandu Valley, Nepal. The obtained allele frequencies are as follows: Hp1 = 0.1771, Hp2 = 0.8229; TfC1 = 0.7222, TfC2 = 0.2500, TfC3 = 0.0174, TfCnepal (TfC9) = 0.0104; Gc1F = 0.2448, Gc1S = 0.4825, Gc2 = 0.2727; PiM1 = 0.6076, PiM2 = 0.2118, PiM3 = 0.1806. The relationship between this sample population and the Indian population is discussed.

Cerebral vascular resistance assessed by transcranial color Doppler ultrasonography in patients with chronic liver diseases

Background and Aim: Cerebral hemodynamic derangement is well known in patients with liver cirrhosis. The advent of transcranial Doppler enables a non‐invasive observation of cerebral hemodynamics. To evaluate the clinical usefulness we examined cross‐sectionally and longitudinally cerebral hemodynamic parameters in patients with cirrhosis.

Group separation of bile acids and salts by silicic acid column chromatography

Abstract Group separations of unconjugated and conjugated bile acids and salts were performed using mixtures of conventional solvents by chromatography on columns of silicic acid. The results suggest that this method is useful for group separations of mono-, di-, and trihydroxycholan-24-oic acids and their conjugates with good recoveries. This method is advantageous for synthesis work, especially for the purification of conjugated and sulfated bile acids and salts, and is applicable for the group separation of glycine and taurine conjugates. The application of this method to human gallbladder bile salts is demonstrated.

A factor XI deficiency associated with a nonsense mutation (Trp501stop) in the catalytic domain.

We identified a novel mutation in an asymptomatic 65‐year‐old Japanese man with severe factor XI deficiency. Sequence analysis after polymerase chain reaction single‐stranded conformation polymorphism (PCR‐SSCP) analysis of his factor XI gene revealed a G→A transition in codon 501 of exon 13, resulting in a substitution of Trp501 (TGG) by a stop codon (TAG) in the catalytic domain. This mutation abolished a FokI restriction site. The PCR product from normal subjects was digested with FokI and yielded two fragments, one of 223 bp and one of 47 bp. The PCR product from the patient gave a single 270‐bp fragment, demonstrating possible homozygosity.