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Biomedical subjects

A Sato

Publications and source records attributed to A Sato.

At least 433 records · Page 24Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

The relationship between acridine orange fluorescence of sperm nuclei and the fertilizing ability of human sperm.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the outcome of IVF can be predicted by acridine orange (AO) nuclear fluorescence of sperm. DESIGN: Based on the fact that AO nuclear fluorescence color after acid treatment reflects maturity (green fluorescence) or immaturity (yellow to red fluorescence) of spermatozoa, the relationships between sperm maturity and the outcome of IVF, subzonal insemination, or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) were investigated. SETTING: The IVF program at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fukushima Medical College. PATIENTS: Sixty-eight patients undergoing 68 IVF treatment cycles. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Acridine orange fluorescence of sperm nuclei and successful oocyte fertilization. RESULTS: conventional semen parameters (sperm concentration and percentages of motile or morphologically normal spermatozoa in semen) did not correlate with the incidence of spermatozoa with green AO fluorescent (mature) nuclei. When > or = 50% of spermatozoa in semen samples exhibited green AO nuclear fluorescence, IVF was always successful. When green AO nuclear fluorescence was < 50%, only 39% of IVF treatment cycles (13/33) were successful. Only green AO fluorescent spermatozoa were able to bind efficiently human zona pellucida. When the incidence of green AO fluorescent spermatozoa was < 50%, no pregnancy resulted even though an average of 26% of the oocytes could be fertilized by ICSI. CONCLUSIONS: The spermatozoa which fertilized oocytes in vivo and in IVF were limited to those whose nuclei exhibited green AO fluorescence. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection may be the method of choice when the incidence of green AO nuclear fluorescence is low regardless of the results of semen analysis.

Acridine Orange↗
PubMed1996

Septal structure of incomplete interlobar fissures of the lung.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Some septal structures have been observed in the areas of incomplete interlobar fissures (IIFs) in resected lungs. We describe the anatomy of IIFs with or without the presence of septal structures. METHODS: Twenty fused areas from 16 autopsy cases were examined histologically. Other septal structures outside the areas of IIFs also were examined. RESULTS: In 10 of the 20 fused areas, there was a mixture of septal structures with and without defects. In the remaining 10, there were no septal structures. The septal structures consisted of two inner layers from both lobes. Other septal structures examined were the same as ones observed in the IIFs. CONCLUSION: Linear shadows seen at interlobar fissures and on computed tomography scans do not necessarily depict the presence of complete interlobar fissures. The absence of linear shadows does not necessarily imply the absence of septal structures.

Bronchi↗
PubMed1996

Possible involvement of an environmental agent in the development of acute eosinophilic pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Although the pathogenesis of acute eosinophilic pneumonia remains largely unknown, it has been suggested that it may include a hypersensitivity phenomenon induced by inhaled environmental antigens. METHODS: To investigate this possibility, we studied the effect of environmental challenges in three patients with acute eosinophilic pneumonia. Symptoms and laboratory findings were evaluated before and after the challenge tests in the patient's homes and their places of work. RESULTS: After the provocation challenges to their homes, all three patients developed fever, cough, and fatigue and two of them presented with dyspnea. Inspiratory crackles became audible in all cases, and there was a decreased Pao2 level in two. Similar challenges at their workplaces were negative. After moving out of their homes, the patients engaged in their usual work but had no recurrent episodes. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that environmental factors in the home can be the cause of acute eosinophilic pneumonia. In order to elucidate the pathogenesis of the disease, it is important to further investigate environmental factors.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1996

Identification of the spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 gene using a direct identification of repeat expansion and cloning technique, DIRECT.

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) is an autosomal dominant, neurodegenerative disorder that affects the cerebellum and other areas of the central nervous system. We have devised a novel strategy, the direct identification of repeat expansion and cloning technique (DIRECT), which allows selective detection of expanded CAG repeats and cloning of the genes involved. By applying DIRECT, we identified an expanded CAG repeat of the gene for SCA2. CAG repeats of normal alleles range in size from 15 to 24 repeat units, while those of SCA2 chromosomes are expanded to 35 to 59 repeat units. The SCA2 cDNA is predicted to code for 1,313 amino acids-with the CAG repeats coding for a polyglutamine tract. DIRECT is a robust strategy for identification of pathologically expanded trinucleotide repeats and will dramatically accelerate the search for causative genes of neuropsychiatric diseases caused by trinucleotide repeat expansions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Tuft cells in the main excretory duct epithelia of the three major rat salivary glands.

We report the tuft cells in the main excretory duct epithelia of rat salivary glands. These cells exhibit similar fundamental characteristics in the salivary glands and in other organs. However, numerous membrane-bound electron-dense granules are present among the microvilli of the tuft cells in the submandibular gland, but not in other organs. The apical cytoplasm contains numerous vesicles with a filamentous substance that reacts positively for glycoconjugates. The vesicles frequently are close to the apical plasma membrane and seem to open into the lumen. Nerve endings with synaptic vesicles are seen close to the basal portion of the tuft cells. The ratio of the tuft cells to principal cells is highest in the submandibular gland and lowest in the sublingual gland. The functions of the tuft cells in the salivary glands are suggested to be secretion, absorption, and reception.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

The rpoD1 gene product is a principal sigma factor of RNA polymerase in Microcystis aeruginosa K-81.

We performed molecular characterization of the RpoD1 protein encoded by the rpoD1 gene isolated from a cyanobacterium, Microcystis aeruginosa K-81. The deduced amino acid sequence (416 aa, 48,871 Da) of RpoD1 exhibited extensive similarity to those of proteins of the eubacterial RpoD family (Escherichia coli sigma 70 homologs). We overproduced and purified RpoD1 (54 kDa) from E. coli. Biological and biochemical analyses suggested that RpoD1 has a function homologous to that of E. coli sigma 70 as follows: (i) the RpoD1 protein complemented an rpoD mutant of E. coli strain YN543 (rpoD285) and (ii) the heterologous RNA polymerase holoenzyme reconstituted from the E. coli core enzyme and recombinant RpoD1 was specifically transcribed from E. coli promoters. Furthermore, Western blot analysis with antiserum against Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 RpoD1 (a principal sigma factor of the sigma 70 type) indicated that M. aeruginosa K-81 RpoD1 (sigma A1) is the principal sigma factor, which is a major component of the sigma subunit on exponential cell growth.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Evaluation with MIB1 antibody of proliferative activity in ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether proliferative activity is a prognostic factor in ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma. The paraffin-embedded sections from eight cases of ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma were immunostained with monoclonal antibody MIB1 using microwave oven heating for antigen retrieval. The difference in survival (Kaplan-Meier) between patients with high and low MIB1 expression was estimated with the generalized Wilcoxon test. MIB1 positivity ranged from 1.80 to 27.12% with a mean of 11.43%. A cutoff point of 10% dichotomized patients into two groups. The survival of high (> or = 10%) expressing tumors was worse than that of low (< 10%) expressing tumors (p < 0.05). MIB1 immunostaining may have useful prognostic value in ovarian clear cell adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma, Clear Cell↗
PubMed1996

Expression of Phaseolus vulgaris leukoagglutinin-binding oligosaccharides in oral squamous cell carcinoma: possible association with the metastatic potential.

The expression of -GlcNAc beta 1-6Man-(beta 1-6) branched oligosaccharides in carcinoma cells has been considered to influence their metastatic potentials. In the present paper, the lectin histochemistry of oral squamous cell carcinomas obtained in biopsy from 34 patients with Phaseolus vulgaris leukoagglutinin (L-PHA), which potentially binds to N-glycosidic carbohydrates with beta 1-6 linked lactosamin antennae, was studied in order to analyze the relationship between their staining patterns and metastases. The L-PHA-binding oligosaccharides of the carcinomas were expressed on the cell surface in the following patterns: (i) all cells were positive for the staining ('positive'); (ii) some cells were positive but the rest of the carcinoma cells were negative ('weakly positive'); and (iii) all were negative ('negative'). Statistical analysis revealed that the incidence of the metastasis to regional lymph nodes in the 'positive' cases was significantly higher than that in the 'negative' cases. Moreover, the number of the CD14 positive cells including macrophages in the stroma adjacent to the carcinomas in the 'positive' cases was less than that in the 'negative' or 'weakly positive' cases. The expression of L-PHA-binding oligosaccharides in oral squamous cell carcinoma may be responsible for their metastatic potential to regional lymph nodes, possibly including their ability to escape macrophage recognition.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1996

Interleukin-1 beta decreases sensitivity of guinea-pig airway to potassium chloride and isoproterenol by an epithelium-dependent mechanism.

Airway inflammation may cause alteration of airway responses in chronic airway diseases, such as bronchial asthma. The objective of this study was to examine whether interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) [corrected], one of the pro-inflammatory cytokines, has a direct effect on airway functions. The effects of IL-1beta on carbachol, KCl and isoproterenol (ISO) responses of isolated guinea-pig tracheal strips were examined by measuring isometric tension in tissue bath. Responses of tracheal strips with or without epithelium to each agonist were compared before and after incubation with IL-1beta (25 ng or 250 ng/mL). Both 1 h and 5 h incubation of the strips with 250 ng/mL IL-1beta significantly decreased the sensitivity not only to KCl (P < 0.05; P < 0.01, respectively), but also to ISO (both P < 0.05) without affecting maximum contraction or relaxation. Response to carbachol was not affected by IL-1beta. Epithelial denudation abolished the effects of IL-1beta on KCl and ISO responses. Indomethacin (2 micromol/L) [corrected] reversed the effects of IL-1beta both on KCl and on ISO. These results suggest that IL-1 beta decreases the sensitivity of airway strips to KCl and ISO, possibly by stimulating prostaglandin production from the airway epithelium [corrected].

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Effect of estriol on bone loss in postmenopausal Japanese women: a multicenter prospective open study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of oral estriol on the bone mineral density (BMD) and bone metabolism in postmenopausal women. METHODS: Seventy-five natural postmenopausal women with a BMD of more than 10% below the peak bone density were treated for 50 weeks with 2 mg/day estriol (E3) cyclically and 0.8 g/day of calcium lactate continuously. BMDs at L2-L4 were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). RESULTS: The BMD increased 1.79% (p < 0.01 vs. pretreatment) after 50 weeks, accompanied with decrease of biochemical markers of bone turnover. With regard to climacteric symptoms, Kupperman's menopausal index improved (p < 0.01 vs. pretreatment) after 5 weeks of treatment. As to the incidence of adverse events genital bleeding was observed in only 8.0% of the subjects. Endometrial histology and cytology showed neither abnormalities nor hyperplasia during and after the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Estriol prevented postmenopausal bone loss and improved climacteric symptoms effectively with low incidence of genital bleeding.

Bone Density↗
PubMed1996

A method of measuring dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC): effect of dexamethasone on DPPC secretion in fetal rat alveolar type II cell culture.

OBJECTIVE: To establish a method by which to measure dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC), which is the most prevalent phospholipid in lung surfactant, by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and to measure DPPC secretion in type-II alveolar cell culture to determine whether glucocorticoid has a direct accerelating effect. METHOD: Type-II alveolar cell suspensions were made with fetal rat lungs and then cultured. Dexamethasone, (10(-9), 10(-8) M) was added to some of the culture dishes. DPPC was extracted from the culture medium, purified, and measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: In the measurements of DPPC, the specificity of isolation and measurement parity were excellent [coefficient of variation: intraassay; 5.66% (0.005 mg/ml), 25.37% (0.05 mg/ml): interassay; 8.35% (0.005 mg/ml), 0.08% (0.05 mg/ml)]. The DPPC concentration in the culture dishes of the dexamethasone was not significantly different than that of the control dishes (Student's t-test). CONCLUSION: The above results prove that dexamethasone does not directly stimulate lung alveolar type-II cells.

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine↗
PubMed1996

Evaluation of human skin irritation by carboxylic acids, alcohols, esters and aldehydes, with nitrocellulose-replica method and closed patch testing.

Closed patch testing and the nitrocellulose-replica method are performed as useful clinical methods for the evaluation of human skin irritation by cosmetics and topical medicaments. Comparison of the sensitivity between microscopic scoring by nitrocellulose-replica method and visual scoring by closed patch test in the detection of skin irritation, however, has not been well studied with statistical analysis. Here, we evaluated human skin irritation by carboxylic acids, alcohols, esters and aldehydes, with different chain length (C8-C18), using both methods. The results of closed patch testing showed that, although the score of skin irritation for carboxylic acids (C8, C12), alcohols (C8) and aldehydes (C8), tested at a concentration of 0.5 m-2.0 m, significantly increased with increasing concentration of the test compounds, ester compounds scarcely caused any irritation on the surface of the skin occluded. In addition, an increase of carbon chain length in the test compounds made it impossible to detect skin irritation. In contrast, the nitrocellulose-replica method could evaluate skin reactions against very weak irritants that gave no macroscopic alterations on the skin surface in the closed patch test. However, the scoring system is somewhat subjective and should be improved to make the analysis more objective.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[Clinical study of 18 patients whom MRSA was detected from stool--especially about comparison enterocolitis with colonization].

We studied the clinical aspects of 18 patients from whom MRSA was detected from the stool and compared with 9 enterocolitis cases (7 male, 2 female, median age 72.4 y.o.) with 9 colonization cases (5 male, 4 female, median age 70.2 y.o.) from 1991 June to 1995 May. Cases of postoperative, use of anti-peptic ulcer drugs and administration of antibiotics for enterocolitis were more than that of colonization. On the other hand, eatable patients in the colonization group who could take food orally were more in number. Many patients of both enterocolitis and colonization were colonized in the respiratory tract. Drug sensitivity of MRSA in both cases were almost the same and the coagulase type were all that of II. Three courses on how MRSA enterocolitis occurs is considered. At first, colonization in the respiratory tract, second, proliferation of MRSA in the higher pH gastric juices as a result of gastrectomy or use of anti-peptic ulcer drugs, and third, selection of MRSA after administration of antibiotics.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

cAMP modulates glucocorticoid-induced protein accumulation and glucocorticoid receptor in cardiomyocytes.

Glucocorticoids have complex effects on cardiac muscle growth in vivo, and one possible reason may the regulatory cross talk between glucocorticoids and second messengers. In this study we investigated the effect of adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP), shown to affect cardiomyocyte growth and glucocorticoid action in several systems, on glucocorticoid-induced protein accumulation and glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Dexamethasone (DEX) decreased the protein-to-DNA ratio, and 8-bromoadenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (BrcAMP) or forskolin increased this ratio. The inhibitory effect of DEX was potentiated by an elevated cAMP, despite the stimulatory effect of cAMP alone. Nuclear GR binding was increased by BrcAMP, with no change in GR mRNA or protein levels, via increased affinity of nuclear GR. H-89 blocked the effects of BrcAMP. In conclusion, glucocorticoids have an inhibitory effect on protein accumulation in cardiomyocytes via GR, an effect potentiated by elevated cAMP via increased nuclear GR binding. These results suggest that glucocorticoid effects on cardiomyocytes may be modulated by cAMP-mediated mechanisms, which may produce the complex effects of glucocorticoids on cardiomyocyte growth in vivo.

8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate↗
PubMed1996

Bronchiolar disease in rheumatoid arthritis.

The pulmonary manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) include bronchiolar diseases such as follicular bronchiolitis (FB) and bronchiolitis obliterans (BO). In this study, we investigated the clinical and pathologic features of FB and BO, as well as the effect of erythromycin (EM) on these diseases. The subjects included 15 RA patients with biopsy-proven bronchiolar disease (eight with FB, seven with BO). None of the patients had Sjögren's syndrome. Eleven patients (73%) had chronic sinusitis, and 14 (93%) had a chronic cough with sputum. Bacterial culture of sputum was positive in 50% and 71% of the FB and BO patients, respectively. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) revealed small nodular shadows in the centrilobular regions (FB and BO), patchy areas of low attenuation (BO), and peribronchial thickening (FB and BO). Eleven patients who received EM therapy showed a significant improvement of symptoms. In addition, none of the 15 patients died of the bronchiolar disease during follow-up. In conclusion, RA patients with FB or BO basically have a chronic clinical course with main complaint of productive cough, and EM may be useful for the management of these diseases.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1996

Cellular distribution of bronchus-associated lymphoid tissue in rheumatoid arthritis.

Bronchus-associated Lymphoid tissue (BALT) has been reported to be present in the lungs of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, little is known about the structure and cellular distribution of BALT in this disease, so we investigated these points using immunohistochemical methods. The subjects were eight RA patients with BALT in biopsy specimens and a histologic diagnosis of follicular bronchiolitis. Seven patients had cough and purulent sputum, and four patients had positive sputum cultures. BALT was histologically composed of four distinct regions, which were the lymphoepithelium, the dome area, the follicular area, and the parafollicular area. Surface IgM+ B cells were predominant in the follicular area, whereas IgA+ cells were scattered in the dome and parafollicular areas. T cells were mainly found in the parafollicular area (CD4+ > CD8+), and most of them expressed the T Cell receptor alpha beta (alpha beta TCR). These findings were similar to those described previously for BALT in diffuse panbronchiolitis, which manifests as a chronic respiratory infection. The present study indicated that extrinsic stimulation as well as alterations of the immune response are involved in the development of BALT in RA, although the exact mechanism requires further clarification.

Adult↗