Induction of macrophage migration inhibitory factor precedes the onset of acute tonsillitis.

We investigated the serum macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) levels of palmoplantar pustulosis patients, before and after the tonsillar provocation test. Higher serum MIF levels of palmoplantar pustulosis patients were decreased after the tonsillar provocation test (n=29). To confirm these phenomena, two patients with acute tonsillitis had their changes in body temperature, C-reactive protein (CRP) and serum MIF levels examined during the course of their illness. Surprisingly, increased MIF preceded fever and CRP elevation, and MIF subsequently decreased at the onset of fever and CRP elevation. Since MIF is an initiator of other proinflammatory cytokines, we suggest that the induction of MIF may precede other inflammatory conditions

PETREL: Platform for Extra and Terrestrial Remote Examination with LCTF

A small satellite ”PETREL” for UV astronomy and remote sensing with ”tunable” multi-spectral cameras conducted by an academia-industrial collaboration is presented. This project was originally proposed by an astronomer who desired a satellite for exploration of explosive objects in ultraviolet. To avoid the earthshine the astronomical observations are scheduled only in the nighttime. To utilize the daytime more electively we conceived a plan of ”satellite sharing” with the industrial collaborators, that can also reduce the developing cost drastically. The daytime mission is spectroscopy that is one of the potential fields in terms of data business, because that can provide chemical and biological information on the surface of the earth. We employ multi-spectral cameras making use of liquid crystal tunable filters (LCTFs) that enable adaptive observations at the optimized wave-bands for each targets. In 2020, this remote-sensing project and ultraviolet astronomy mission were accepted as a small satellite project of JAXA’s Innovative Satellite Technology Demonstration program and as an ISAS/JAXA’s small-scale program, respectively. This satellit

Investigation of Nerve Conduction in Patients with Diabetes and/or Hemodialysis

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) has been clinically important, and nerve conduction studies (NCS) have been performed with rather complexity and high cost. By advances in technology, simple and useful DPN-Check device was developed obtaining NCS data as sural nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) and sural nerve action potential (SNAP). We enrolled 52 subjects classified into 4 groups according to the presence of hemodialysis (HD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) as follows: HD (+), DM (+) in group 1, HD (+), DM (-) in group 2, HD (-), DM (+) in group 3 and healthy controls in group 4. Average age was similar from 68 to 74 years in 4 groups. Median value of SNCV was 31, 48, 49, 54 m/sec, and median value of SNAP was 3, 9, 6, 22 μV, respectively, in 4 groups. These results might suggest some relationship between impaired states of HD and DM, and would become fundamental data for pathophysiological investigation of peripheral neuropathy of HD and/or DM in the future

Investigation of Nerve Conduction in Patients with Diabetes and/or Hemodialysis

Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) has been clinically important, and nerve conduction studies (NCS) have been performed with rather complexity and high cost. By advances in technology, simple and useful DPN-Check device was developed obtaining NCS data as sural nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) and sural nerve action potential (SNAP). We enrolled 52 subjects classified into 4 groups according to the presence of hemodialysis (HD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) as follows: HD (+), DM (+) in group 1, HD (+), DM (-) in group 2, HD (-), DM (+) in group 3 and healthy controls in group 4. Average age was similar from 68 to 74 years in 4 groups. Median value of SNCV was 31, 48, 49, 54 m/sec, and median value of SNAP was 3, 9, 6, 22 μV, respectively, in 4 groups. These results might suggest some relationship between impaired states of HD and DM, and would become fundamental data for pathophysiological investigation of peripheral neuropathy of HD and/or DM in the future

Influence of Diabetes and Hemodialysis Against Nerve Conduction Studies

Background: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) has been prevalent and discussed, and nerve conduction studies (NCS) has been continued. We have checked NCS using recently introduced useful DPN-Check device. Subjects and Methods: The subjects were 66 patients (pts) classified into 4 groups according to existence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and hemodialysis (HD); Group1: DM (+), HD (+) in 15 pts, group 2: DM (-), HD (+) in 15 pts, group 3: DM (+), HD (-) in 20 pts, group 4: 16 healthy controls. Methods included measurements of sural nerve conduction velocity (SNCV) and sural nerve action potential (SNAP) using HDN-1000. Results: Average age in each group was 64.4 years to 72.6 years. SNCV value of 4 group in average was 37.1 m/sec, 46.3 m/sec, 49.3 m/sec, 53.2 m/sec, respectively, and value of group 1 was significantly lower than those of group 2,3,4 (p<0.01). Similarly, average SNAP was 4.1 μV, 8.7 μV, 8.0 μV, 21.6 μV, respectively, and group 1,2,3 were significantly lower than group 4 (p<0.01). There was significant correlation between SNCV and SNAP in all subjects (p<0.01). Significant correlations were shown between DM duration and SNCV, and DM duration and SNAP (p<0.01). Discussion and Conclusion: SNCV and SNAP were measured successfully and easily by HDN-1000, indicating clinical availability. Obtained data suggested that 1) SNCV is not significantly decreased due to only uremic neuropathy, 2) SNCV is significantly decreased in patients with both HD and DM, 3) SNAP is significantly decreased in patents with DM for years and 4) SNAP would be remarkably decreased when HD is in addition to DM. These results would become the basal data of future NCS for DM and HD

Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg) with Methylprednisolone Pulse Therapy for Motor Impairment of Neuralgic Amyotrophy: Clinical Observations in 10 Cases

信州大学博士（医学）・学位論文・平成24年3月31日授与（甲第914号）・内藤康介Background Neuralgic amyotrophy (NA) is a distinct peripheral nervous system disorder characterized by attacks of acute neuropathic pain and rapid multifocal weakness and atrophy unilaterally in the upper limb. The current hypothesis is that the episodes are caused by an immune-mediated response to the brachial plexus, however, therapeutic strategies for NA have not been well established. Methods and Results We retrospectively reviewed 15 case series of NA; 10 of the 15 patients received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) with methylprednisolone pulse therapy (MPPT) and 9 of these10 patients showed clinical improvement of motor impairment. Conclusion Our clinical observations do not contradict the possibility that IVIg with MPPT may be one of the potential therapeutics for NA, however the efficacy remains to be established. Further confirmatory trials are needed in patients with various clinical severities and phases of NA. Further basic research and confirmatory trials should be performed to survey the efficacy of such immunomodulation therapy for NA.ArticleINTERNAL MEDICINE. 51(12):1493-1500 (2012)journal articl

Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg) with Methylprednisolone Pulse Therapy for Motor Impairment of Neuralgic Amyotrophy: Clinical Observations in 10 Cases

信州大学博士（医学）・学位論文・平成24年3月31日授与（甲第914号）・内藤康介Background Neuralgic amyotrophy (NA) is a distinct peripheral nervous system disorder characterized by attacks of acute neuropathic pain and rapid multifocal weakness and atrophy unilaterally in the upper limb. The current hypothesis is that the episodes are caused by an immune-mediated response to the brachial plexus, however, therapeutic strategies for NA have not been well established. Methods and Results We retrospectively reviewed 15 case series of NA; 10 of the 15 patients received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) with methylprednisolone pulse therapy (MPPT) and 9 of these10 patients showed clinical improvement of motor impairment. Conclusion Our clinical observations do not contradict the possibility that IVIg with MPPT may be one of the potential therapeutics for NA, however the efficacy remains to be established. Further confirmatory trials are needed in patients with various clinical severities and phases of NA. Further basic research and confirmatory trials should be performed to survey the efficacy of such immunomodulation therapy for NA.ArticleINTERNAL MEDICINE. 51(12):1493-1500 (2012)journal articl