Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Konishi

Publications and source records attributed to A Konishi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

[The effects of incentive spirometry on pulmonary functions].

The effects of incentive spirometry on pulmonary functions were studied in 46 normal adults of advanced age ('N' group) and 42 patients with chronic pulmonary emphysema ('E' group). Subjects of the both groups carried out deep breathing exercises by using incentive spirometry, 'Souffle', for five minutes, five times daily for four weeks. Pulmonary functions and arterial blood gases were measured at the start of exercise program, and at two and four weeks after the start. Both groups showed significant increases in VC, FEV1.0, peak expiratory flow, the flow at 75 percent VC (V75), maximal voluntary ventilation and PaO2, and a significant decrease in A-aDO2 at both two and four weeks after the start. In addition, V25 increased significantly in 'E' group. It is concluded that 'Souffle' is one of the useful preoperative respiratory managements for elderly patients and those with chronic pulmonary emphysema.

Aged↗

[Postoperative respiratory functions after laparoscopic cholecystectomy].

We studied the influences of the laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) on the postoperative pulmonary functions by performing respiratory function tests, blood gas analysis and the measurement of the rib cage contributions (RCC). LC resulted in less postoperative pulmonary dysfunctions compared with laparotomic cholecystectomy. After LC, vital capacity and PaO2 were not markedly affected, and RCC remained low. After LC, hospitalization was shorter, LC does not injure the abdominal muscles of the patients, and preserves the function of the diaphragm. In addition, it gives less wound pains. Therefore, we conclude that LC has many advantages for patients, especially for those with complications, and it will be used more in the near future.

Adult↗

[Evaluation of the peripheral circulation during surgery by the difference between the central and peripheral temperature].

The peripheral circulation during surgery was evaluated by the difference between rectal and sole deep temperature (RT-SDT) in 160 patients. Moreover it was investigated whether the peripheral circulation is influenced by the operation site, the method of anesthesia, the age of patient, the volume of infusion and blood loss. In many patients during intracranial, thoracic and upper abdominal surgeries, RT-SDT dissociated with time. But the change of RT-SDT varied with the anesthetic method. During upper abdominal surgery, RT-SDT tended to dissociate wtih the halothane (H) or enflurane (E)+N2O anesthesia and the wide dissociation was observed with fentanyl+droperidol+N2O anesthesia (NLA) on and after the 4th hour during the surgery. In contrast, RT-SDT continued to converge throughout the surgery in H or E+N2O+epidural anesthesia. The influence on RT-SDT of age, volume of infusion and blood loss, varied with the anesthetic method also. RT-SDT on the 4th hour during surgery correlated with the age of the patient, the volume of infusion in the H+N2O anesthesia, and with the volume of blood loss under NLA. The peripheral circulation during the surgery is affected seriously by anesthesia and the site as well as time of the operation. Therefore the anesthetic method should be selected in consideration of the type, length and site of operation. Some counter-measures should be taken in order to maintain good peripheral circulation in long operations.

Adult↗

An electron microscopic study of neurosecretion in the cerebral ganglion of the earthworm.

Non-synaptic, exocytotic release of neurosecretory granules in cerebral ganglion neurons was observed electron microscopically in 3 species of the oligochaete annelids Aporrectodea caliginosa, Octolasion cyaneum and Lumbricus terrestris. In addition to the features indicating exocytotic release of neurosecretory granules into perineuronal space, possible features of neurosecretion into blood vessels were seen within the cerebral ganglion. Axon terminals in synaptic contact with perikaryal profiles of cerebral ganglion neurons were also found.

Animals↗

Oligo(2'-O-methyl)ribonucleotides. Effective probes for duplex DNA.

To find novel probes for duplex DNA, we prepared four types of triplexes containing a homopurine-homopyrimidine 15-mer duplex DNA, and examined their thermal stabilities (Tm values). The single strand used for triplex formation were a DNA 15-mer having a defined C-T mixed sequence, and its sugar-modified analogs, namely 2'-fluoro DNA, RNA, and 2'-O-methyl RNA. The 2'-O-methyl RNA and the RNA-containing triplexes were similar in their enhanced stabilities at pH 6.1 and, amongst the four triplexes, the 2'-O-methyl was the most stable at pH 5.0. Furthermore, an experiment using a 34-mer duplex DNA suggested that the 2'-O-methyl RNA-triplex was destabilized, mostly as a result of the incorporation of a mismatched triplet, as compared to the DNA triplex counterpart. Thus, 2'-O-methyl RNA can serve as an effective probe for duplex DNA.

Base Sequence↗

A hybrid ribonuclease H. A novel RNA cleaving enzyme with sequence-specific recognition.

A hybrid enzyme which site-specifically hydrolyzes RNA was created by covalently linking an oligodeoxyribonucleotide to Escherichia coli ribonuclease HI, an enzyme which specifically cleaves RNA moiety of DNA/RNA hybrids. A cysteine residue was substituted for Glu135 by site-directed mutagenesis in the mutant enzyme, in which all 3 free cysteine residues were replaced by alanine (Kanaya, S., Kimura, S., Katsuda, C., and Ikehara, M. (1990) Biochem. J. 271, 59-66), and coupled with a maleimide group, which is attached to the 5' terminus of the nonadeoxyribonucleotide (5'-GTCATCTCC-3') with a flexible tether. The resulting hybrid enzyme, d9-C135/RNase H, cleaved the phosphodiester bond between the fifth and sixth residues of the complementary nonaribonucleotide, without addition of the oligodeoxyribonucleotide. The nonaribonucleotide is cleaved by the wild-type or unmodified mutant enzyme only when the complementary oligodeoxyribonucleotide is present. When the kinetic parameters of the hybrid enzyme for the hydrolysis of the nonaribonucleotide were compared with those of the unmodified mutant enzyme for the hydrolysis of the nonanucleotide duplex, the hybrid enzyme exhibited a 7- and 4-fold decreases in the Km and kcat values, respectively, indicating that it performs multiple turnovers and has a sufficiently high hydrolytic activity. Hybrid ribonucleases H with various oligodeoxyribonucleotides in size and sequence, therefore, might be used as excellent tools for structural and functional studies of RNA.

Autoradiography↗

[A study of postoperative respiratory function].

The purpose of this study is to investigate the causes of postoperative respiratory failure from the point of view of respiratory movement and respiratory function, using a respigraph. Thirty patients who had laparotomy, thoracotomy or both were studied. A-aDo2 increased after operation. The values recovered slowly in the order of thoracotomy, laparotomy, was thoraco-laparotomy group. Percent vital capacity (% VC), one second timed force expiratory volume (FEV1), and peak expiratory flow (PEF) were suppressed immediately after operations and increased slowly, but showed still lower values even on the 7th day. VT, V min, f, TI/TT, VT/TI and PaCO2 were almost at the same levels among the three groups. Percent rib cage (% of RC) increased and remained high on the 7th day after laparotomy and thoraco-laparotomy, but showed no remarkable changes after thoracotomy. Between A-aDo2 and % RC in laparotomy group, there was a good correlation. Not only FRC but also the change of % RC seemed to have caused postoperative hypoxemia. The movement of the abdomen affected respiratory dysfunction more than the movement of the thorax after thoracic and abdominal surgery.

Aged↗

Postnatal changes in the localization of prostaglandin D synthetase from neurons to oligodendrocytes in the rat brain.

Prostaglandin D synthetase (Urade, Y., Fujimoto, N., and Hayaishi, O. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 12410-12415) in the brain of 2- and 8-week-old rats was biochemically indistinguishable as judged by Mr (26,000), pI values (4.35-4.75), Km for prostaglandin H2 (approximately 20 microM), and requirement of sulfhydryl compounds. Furthermore, the enzyme was immunologically the same at both ages, as judged by immunotitration, Ouchterlony immunodiffusion, and immunoblotting analyses using a polyclonal and two monoclonal antibodies specific for the enzyme. However, the cellular localization of the enzyme was markedly different between the two ages, as examined by immunoperoxidase staining with the specific antibodies. The immunoreactivity was found in many neurons in 2-week-old rats but was not detected in most neurons in 8-week-old rats except for multipolar neurons in layers I-II of the neocortex and several clusters of dendrites in the pyriform cortex. In the adult rat, the immunoreactivity was mainly localized in oligodendrocytes. By immunoelectron microscopy, the immunoreactive deposits were seen in rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum and outer nuclear membrane of the glial cells.

Aging↗

A morphological evidence of direct connections from the cochlear nuclei to tensor tympani motoneurons in the cat: a possible afferent limb of the acoustic middle ear reflex pathways.

The central circuitry of the acoustic middle ear reflex activating the tensor tympani muscle was studied in the cat by tracer methods using horseradish peroxidase (HRP), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) or HRP conjugated with WGA (WGA-HRP). The results indicate that the dorsal and ventral cochlear nuclei send fibers to motoneurons innervating the tensor tympani muscle, bilaterally with an ipsilateral dominance.

Afferent Pathways↗

Trigeminal nerve branches containing primary afferent fibers to the dorsal division of the principal sensory trigeminal nucleus: a transganglionic horseradish peroxidase study in the cat.

Trigeminal nerve branches containing primary afferent fibers to the dorsal division of the principal sensory trigeminal nucleus (Vp) were examined in the cat by the transganglionic horseradish peroxidase method. The results indicate that the pterygopalatine, superior alveolar, infraorbital, buccal, lingual, inferior alveolar and mental nerves contain primary afferent fibers terminating in the dorsal division of the Vp probably conveying sensory information chiefly from the intraoral structures.

Afferent Pathways↗

Identification of thalamic neurons with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactivity in the rat.

Cell bodies with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide-like immunoreactivity (VIP-LI) were found in the thalamus of the rat. They were distributed throughout the ventrolateral nucleus (VL) and in the whole extent of the thalamic reticular nucleus (R) except for its most rostral part. On the basis of soma diameters, VIP-LI cells in the VL and R were assumed to be projection neurons.

Animals↗

Leucine-enkephalin-like immunoreactive afferent fibers to pudendal motoneurons in the cat.

Leucine-enkephalin-like immunoreactive (ENK-LI) afferent fibers to the feline homologue of the Onuf's nucleus (pudendal motoneurons) originate mainly from lamina X of the sacral cord. They make synaptic contacts chiefly upon dendrites of pudendal motoneurons; the synaptic terminals most often contain pleomorphic synaptic vesicles and occasionally round synaptic vesicles. Large-cored vesicles in the axon terminals within the Onuf's nucleus often showed ENK-LI.

Animals↗

Multipolar neurons and axodendritic synapses in the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus of the cat.

In the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus (MTN) of the adult cat, multipolar neurons with 1-9 smooth dendritic processes were labeled with horseradish peroxidase which was applied to central cut ends of the masseter, deep temporal, medial pterygoid, superior alveolar and inferior alveolar nerves. These constituted 40% of the total population of MTN neurons; most of them were jaw-closing muscle afferent neurons and located mainly at the levels of the superior colliculus. Axon terminals were found electron microscopically to make synaptic contacts upon horseradish peroxidase-labeled dendritic profiles of MTN neurons.

Animals↗

Increased lysyl oxidase activity in culture medium of nonparenchymal cells from fibrotic livers.

Lysyl oxidase, which plays an important role in collagen deposition in chronic liver diseases, was studied in nonparenchymal cell cultures from fibrotic human livers. Liver biopsy specimens were obtained from control patients without apparent hepatic disease, and from patients with chronic persistent hepatitis, chronic active hepatitis, or liver cirrhosis. Nonparenchymal cells from biopsy specimens were cultured. At the third passage of the culture, lysyl oxidase activity was measured in the culture medium and cell layer. Most of the activity in the culture medium of cirrhotic liver cells was significantly higher than that in the medium of liver cells from controls or from patients with chronic hepatitis, whereas no significant difference in activity was noted between chronic persistent hepatitis and chronic active hepatitis cells. In patients with chronic hepatitis, lysyl oxidase activity in the culture medium from liver cells of alcoholics was significantly higher than that in the medium from liver cells of nonalcoholics. Thus, increased lysyl oxidase activity was found in the medium of nonparenchymal cell cultures from patients with cirrhosis and from alcoholics with chronic hepatitis. This increased activity may be related to fibrotic processes in the liver.

Adolescent↗