Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Suyama

Publications and source records attributed to A Suyama.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Application of a computer based education system for aged persons and issues arising during the field test.

We plan to apply a computer-based multimedia text-book system for health education in the future. To do this, the computer system should be manageable to any person regardless of age or computer experience. We developed a multimedia text-book system and field-tested it to survey the reaction of aged persons. The system offers information about obesity prevention, such as a guide for eating and exercise. All contents are presented by text, image and voice. Also, a guide for exercise is shown by a movie. In this investigation we found that there were many considerations for aged persons using a computer. They seemed to have a strong aversion toward computers. They had the feeling that computers are difficult to use; actually 22 persons among 65 could not use it. Improvements in user interface seems to be the most important thing to make computers accessible to aged persons. On the other hand, question-and-answer programs for diagnosing one's health status were well accepted. Such a function is useful for attracting the interest of aged persons when we design a computer-based education system.

Aging↗
PubMed1999

Sexual behaviour of commercial sex workers and their clients in Cambodia. Japan-Cambodia Collaborating Research Group.

OBJECTIVE: This study surveyed the sexual behaviour of commercial sex workers and their clients in an attempt to identify factors of transmission of STDs (including HIV/AIDS) and to control their epidemics in Cambodia and South-East Asia. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SETTING: Trained questioners asked items of the questionnaires to each objective subject in December 1996. Data were analysed to show the descriptive status by risk group of each person. PARTICIPANTS: 200 direct commercial sex workers, 220 indirect commercial sex workers, and 211 clients in Phnom Penh. RESULTS: Prostitution was widely accepted by both young males and females, and this was an easy way for young girls to obtain money. Although commercial sex workers and clients were knowledgeable about prevention methods against STDs, they seldom used condoms. Some commercial sex workers had been infected with STDs many times, and many of them incompletely treated the diseases by themselves. Social support from governmental and non-governmental organisation was poor. CONCLUSIONS: It is very important to support both commercial sex workers in practicing preventive methods against STDs and also visiting physicians when they notice symptoms of STDs. It is strongly recommended that not only governmental but also non-governmental organisations should be more active in this area.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1999

[Epidemiological study on HIV/AIDS in Cambodia seroprevalence of HIV/STD among commercial sex workers].

OBJECTIVE: To describe epidemiological features of HIV prevalence among female commercial sex workers (CSWs) in Cambodia, a cross-sectional study using a questionnaire study and serological tests was carried out from December 1997 to January 1998. We report the main results of the analyses of serological tests in this article. METHODS: Two hundred ninety six CSWs working in Sisophon and Poi Pet, located in northwest Cambodia, Bantey Mean Chey province, were recruited for interview based on a questionnaire on sexual behavior, and serological tests. The blood samples were examined for HIV antibody, Chlamydia trachomatis IgG antibody, TPHA, Hepatitis B surface antigen, and Hepatitis B surface antibody. The relationship between HIV and the other STD's was analyzed by using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The HIV seroprevalence rate was 43.9% (130 out of 296). The seropositive rate of Chlamydia trachomatis IgG antibody (C.T.-IgG-Ab) was 73.3% (217 out of 296). Logistic regression analysis showed a significant association between C.T.-IgG-Ab positive and HIV prevalence. (Odds Ratio: 5.33; 95% Confidence Interval, 2.82-10.07). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the existence of Chlamydia trachomatis is closely related with HIV prevalence among CSWs in Cambodia. Other STDs may also increase susceptibility to male-to-female sexual transmission of HIV. This suggests that appropriate prevention against STDs will be needed for the control of HIV prevalence in Cambodia.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1998

Construction of the chimeric reverse transcriptase of simian immunodeficiency virus sensitive to nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor.

A number of structurally diverse compounds have been shown to be potent inhibitors of the DNA polymerase activity of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase (RT). The compounds can be grouped into two broad classes; nucleoside analogs and nonnucleoside RT inhibitors. The nonnucleoside RT inhibitors are quite specific for HIV-1 RT but not human immunodeficiency virus type 2 (HIV-2) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) RT. We have investigated the property of SIV/HIV-1 chimeric viruses in which portions of SIV(MAC) RT were exchanged with the corresponding domain of HIV-1 RT; amino acids 176-190, 176-383 and 176-495 of HIV-1 RT. The chimeric virus, which was substituted amino acids 176-190 of RT, had detectable RT activity, and this chimeric RT was sensitive to three nonnucleoside RT inhibitors [nevirapine, HEPT derivative (E-EBU-dM) and TIBO derivative (R82913)]. To further study this chimeric virus, we purified the chimeric RT enzyme expressed in Escherichia coli and determined its kinetic properties; the Km, and Vmax values, and the Ki value of HEPT derivative calculated for the DNA polymerase activity. This study reveals that amino acids 176-190 of SIV(MAC) RT were important for the enzymatic activity and the SIV/HIV-1 chimeric RT, which had amino acids 176-190 of HIV-1, was sensitive to the nonnucleoside RT inhibitor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Mortality and cancer incidence in Misasa, Japan, a spa area with elevated radon levels.

A historical cohort study was conducted in Misasa town, Tottori prefecture, Japan, where radon spas have been operating for a long time. Misasa town was divided into an elevated radon level area and a control area, with mean indoor radon levels of about 60 and 20 Bq/m3, respectively. In total, 3,083 subjects in the elevated radon level area and 1,248 in the control area, all aged 40 or older on January 1, 1976, were followed up until December 31, 1993, for a mean period of 14 years. The mortality rates from all causes exhibited no difference between the elevated radon level area and the control area for both sexes. No difference was observed in the incidence of all-site cancers (age, period-adjusted rate ratios by Poisson regression, RR = 1.06, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.79-1.42 for males, RR = 0.90, 95% CI 0.65-1.24 for females), while stomach cancer incidence seemed to decrease for both sexes (RR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.44-1.11 for male, RR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.34-1.00 for female) and lung cancer incidence for males only seemed to increase (RR = 1.65, 95% CI 0.83-3.30 for male, RR = 1.07, 95% CI 0.28-4.14 for female) in the elevated radon level area. Caution is needed in the interpretation of these findings, however, since the individual exposure level was not measured and major confounding factors, such as smoking and diet, could not be controlled in this study.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Multiple regression analysis of airway responsiveness in adult asthmatic patients.

The aim of this study was to determine which background variables exert the most influence on airway responsiveness in adult asthmatic patients. The relationships between airway response and background variables were investigated by multiple linear and logistic regression analysis in 97 asthmatic patients. Airway responsiveness was measured by the oscillation technique during methacholine inhalation challenge. The regression analyses revealed that modified Aas score "one of asthma severity score", was the major factor contributing to airway hyperreactivity. We conclude that the number of attacks during a previous year is the most important background factor related to airway hyperresponsiveness on a clinical basis.

Asthma↗
PubMed1997

Construction and characterization of a full length-enriched and a 5'-end-enriched cDNA library.

Using 'oligo-capped' mRNA [Maruyama, K., Sugano, S., 1994. Oligo-capping: a simple method to replace the cap structure of eukaryotic mRNAs with oligoribonucleotides. Gene 138, 171-174], whose cap structure was replaced by a synthetic oligonucleotide, we constructed two types of cDNA library. One is a 'full length-enriched cDNA library' which has a high content of full-length cDNA clones and the other is a '5'-end-enriched cDNA library', which has a high content of cDNA clones with their mRNA start sites. The 5'-end-enriched library was constructed especially for isolating the mRNA start sites of long mRNAs. In order to characterize these libraries, we performed one-pass sequencing of randomly selected cDNA clones from both libraries (84 clones for the full length-enriched cDNA library and 159 clones for the 5'-end-enriched cDNA library). The cDNA clones of the polypeptide chain elongation factor 1 alpha were most frequently (nine clones) isolated, and more than 80% of them (eight clones) contained the mRNA start site of the gene. Furthermore, about 80% of the cDNA clones of both libraries whose sequence matched with known genes had the known 5' ends or sequences upstream of the known 5' ends (28 out of 35 for the full length-enriched library and 51 out of 62 for the 5'-end-enriched library). The longest full-length clone of the full length-enriched cDNA library was about 3300 bp (among 28 clones). In contrast, seven clones (out of the 51 clones with the mRNA start sites) from the 5'-end-enriched cDNA library came from mRNAs whose length is more than 3500 bp. These cDNA libraries may be useful for generating 5' ESTs with the information of the mRNA start sites that are now scarce in the EST database.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Prognostic significance of serum anti-p53 antibody in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Abnormalities of the p53 gene can lead to the production of anti-p53 antibody in the serum of cancer patients. We evaluated the prognostic significance of anti-p53 antibody in 86 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in comparison with clinicopathological factors: age, sex, etiology, smoking and drinking habits, history of blood transfusion, presence of encephalopathy and ascites, Child classification, Pugh score, bilirubin, albumin, prothrombin time, indocyanine green retention time at 15 min (ICG), underlying liver disease, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), tumor size, number of tumors, differentiation degree of HCC, presence of extrahepatic metastasis and therapy for HCC. METHODS: The serum anti-p53 antibody in 86 patients with HCC, 20 with chronic hepatitis (CH) and 20 with liver cirrhosis (LC) was measured by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). A single-strand conformation polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction (SSCP-PCR) analysis and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) study of the p53 gene were performed using 8 tissue samples of 8 HCC from four antibody-positive and four antibody-negative patients. The survival probabilities were assessed by the Kaplan-Meier technique, and a Cox regression analysis was used to identify the independent factors for prognosis. RESULTS: Anti-p53 antibody was positive in 32% (28 of 86) of the sera from patients with HCC, but in none of the 20 with CH and 20 with LC. p53 antibody positivity was associated with bilirubin and the number of tumors (p=0.027 and p=0.018, respectively). Overall survival was shorter in the HCC patients with p53 antibody than in those without p53 antibody (p<0.02). Bilirubin, p53 antibody, AFP and ICG were found to be significant prognostic factors by univariate analysis. A Cox multivariate analysis showed that bilirubin and p53 antibody were independent prognostic variables (p<0.0001 and p=0.003, respectively). In four antibody-positive patients, mutation and LOH of the p53 gene were detected in one patient and two patients, respectively. In contrast, only one of four antibody-negative patients exhibited LOH of the p53 gene. CONCLUSIONS: Serum anti-p53 antibody could be a useful prognostic factor in patients with HCC.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Evidence for direct association of Vpr and matrix protein p17 within the HIV-1 virion.

Vpr is one of the auxiliary proteins of HIV-1 and is selectively incorporated into the virion by a process involving the C-terminal p6 portion of the Gag precursor Pr55. Vpr and the matrix protein p17 are the components of the viral preintegration complex and appear to play important roles in the nuclear transport of proviral DNA in nondividing cells. In the present study, we have demonstrated by coimmunoprecipitation experiments that Vpr associates with matrix protein p17 but not with capsid protein p24 within the HIV-1 virion. Experiments employing the yeast two-hybrid GAL4 assay for protein-protein interactions also demonstrated a direct association between Vpr and the C-terminal region of matrix protein p17. Association of Vpr and the matrix protein p17 within the mature virion is consistent with their collaborative role in the nuclear transportation of the viral preintegration complex in nondividing cells such as macrophages.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Engineering hybrid pseudomonads capable of utilizing a wide range of aromatic hydrocarbons and of efficient degradation of trichloroethylene.

We constructed hybrid Pseudomonas strains in which the bphA1 gene (coding for a large subunit of biphenyl dioxygenase) is replaced with the todC1 gene (coding for a large subunit of toluene dioxygenase of Pseudomonas putida Fl) within chromosomal biphenyl-catabolic bph gene clusters. Such hybrid strains gained the novel capability to grow on a wide range of aromatic hydrocarbons, and, more interestingly, they degraded chloroethenes such as trichloroethylene and cis-1,2-dichloroethylene very efficiently.

Benzene Derivatives↗
PubMed1996

[Follow-up study of obese pupils and their life styles in the lower grades of primary schools].

Physical examinations and a questionnaire survey of life style were carried out on all pupils (105 boys and 110 girls) at the first grade of primary school in Saigo town, Fuse village, Goka village, and Tsuma village of Shimane prefecture in 1992. In 1994, physical examinations and a questionnaire survey were again performed along with a newly-added blood examination on the same cohort. Parents of the pupils answered the questionnaire. The pupils who were included in both the first (in 1992) and the second (in 1994) examinations and surveys (89 boys and 101 girls, but 71 boys and 77 girls for blood examination) were subjects in this study to analyse the relationship between obesity and life style. The results showed (a) the proportional rates of obese boys and girls increased during the two years; (b) the obesity index of boys and girls in the third grades correlated with the obesity index of their mothers; (c) obese boys ate snacks frequently, had a higher speed in eating, and disliked physical exercise; and (d) the obesity index of boys and girls correlated with serum total cholesterol. These findings indicate that obesity occurs as early as the lower grades of primary schools and that it continues for at least two years.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1995

A simple and rapid method for preliminary evaluation of in vivo efficacy of anti-HIV compounds in mice.

In vivo efficacy of anti-HIV compounds is affected by various factors such as bioavailability, metabolism, clearance, and toxicity. Here we report a simple and rapid method that might be useful for preliminary evaluation of in vivo efficacy of anti-HIV compounds. MT-4 cells carrying proviral HTLV-1 were infected with HIV-1 in vitro and injected into the peritoneal cavity of SCID mice or BALB/c mice. Inoculated cells survive for 1-2 days, and support one to two cycles of viral replication which can be monitored by RT activity or p24 content in the supernatants of peritoneal wash fluids. Test compounds were administered either orally or subcutaneously. AZT, DDC and DDI, the nucleoside-type RT inhibitors currently in clinical use, all showed potent anti-HIV-1 activities in this mouse/MT-4 assay. HEPT (E-EBUdM), a non-nucleoside RT inhibitor, also showed potent anti-HIV-1 activity in vivo, whereas TIBO (R82913), another non-nucleoside RT inhibitor, was less active. In protease inhibitors KNI-272 and Ro 31-8959 showed good in vivo activities, while KNI-144, a compound closely related to KNI-272, showed poor in vivo activity. This mouse/MT-4 assay, although having a number of shortcomings as an animal model for HIV-1 infection, may be of some practical utility for preliminary evaluation of in vivo efficacy of potential anti-HIV compounds.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Functional and structural relationship of various extradiol aromatic ring-cleavage dioxygenases of Pseudomonas origin.

The extradiol ring-cleavage dioxygenases derived from seven different Pseudomonas strains were expressed in Escherichia coli and the substrate specificities were investigated for a variety of catecholic compounds. The substrate range of four 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl dioxygenases from biphenyl-utilizing bacteria, 3-methylcatechol dioxygenase from toluene utilizing Pseudomonas putida F1, 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene dioxygenase from a NAH7 plasmid, and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase from a TOL plasmid pWW0 were compared. Among the dioxygenases, that from Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes KF707 showed a very narrow substrate range. Contrary to this, the dioxygenase from pWW0 showed a relaxed substrate range. The seven extradiol dioxygenases from the various Pseudomonas strains are highly diversified in terms of substrate specificity.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed1994

Development of an instrument to measure postmortem lividity and its preliminary application to estimate the time since death.

A degree of postmortem lividity was related to a subcutaneous hemoglobin concentration, which can be measured by using light absorption. On the basis of this theory, the authors have developed an instrument utilizing a light to measure the degree of postmortem lividity. By using 42 corpses whose postmortem intervals were known, the authors examined the relationship between the actual postmortem intervals and the measurements, and found that there was significant correlation between them.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Construction of hybrid biphenyl (bph) and toluene (tod) genes for functional analysis of aromatic ring dioxygenases.

Multicomponent enzyme complexes of biphenyl (BP) dioxygenase (Dox) encoded by the gene cluster, bphA1A2A3A4 in Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes strain KF707 [Taira et al., J. Biol. Chem. 267 (1992) 4844-4858] and toluene Dox encoded by the gene cluster, todC1C2BA in P. putida strain F1 [Zylstra et al., J. Biol. Chem. 264 (1989) 14940-14946], show high homologies (approx. 60%) for the corresponding subunit component in spite of the fact that they have discrete substrate specificities. We constructed hybrid gene clusters by replacing the gene component(s) between the large and small subunits of terminal Dox in the bph and tod gene clusters, and analyzed the function of a novel hybrid aromatic ring Dox. Escherichia coli cells expressing the hybrid gene clusters, todC1::bphA2A3A4, todC1C2::bphA3A4 and bphA1::todC2::bphA3A4, gained the ability to convert benzene-toluene and their derivatives to the dihydrodiols, indicating that the hybrid terminal Dox composed of TodC1::BphA2 and BphA1::TodC2 forms a functionally active multicomponent Dox associated with ferredoxin (Fer) (BphA3) and Fer reductase (BphA4). Moreover, hybrid Dox (composed of TodC1::BphA2A3A4 and TodC1C2::BphA3A4) showed a wide substrate specificity rather similar to that of the wild-type toluene Dox (TodC1C2BA). On the other hand, the hybrid Dox (BphA1::TodC2::BphA3A4) showed oxidative activities for the same compounds, but the rate of oxidation was dependent upon the substrate. These results suggest that (i) the two subunits of terminal Dox are critically involved in the substrate specificity for BP, benzene and their derivatives, and (ii) the electron transport proteins, Fer and Fer reductase, are exchangeable with one another between the BP Dox and toluene Dox complexes.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Three year follow up study of national influenza vaccination practices in Japan.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate new national influenza vaccination practices which were started in 1987 under a revised law in Japan. DESIGN: This was a three year, nonrandomised cohort study with information collected by questionnaire between 1989 and 1991. SETTING: Eight primary schools in the city of Yonago, Tottori, Japan. These schools were selected from 23 schools in the city. PARTICIPANTS: Altogether 4251 pupils (1355 boys and 2896 girls) in years 1-4 of the eight primary schools were included in this study, and followed up. Three years later, data for 1619 pupils (768 boys and 851 girls) were obtained and analysed. MAIN RESULTS: The one-winter seasonal incidence rates of influenza-like disease were 13.4%, 29.9%, and 10.3% in 1989, 1990, and 1991 respectively. The incidence rate of influenza-like disease in fully vaccinated pupils was significantly lower than that in unvaccinated pupils in 1990, but not in 1989 or 1991. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the incidence of influenza-like disease had a statistical relationship with the frequency of vaccination and the school year (R2 was 0.0148). Standardised parameters of the frequency of vaccination and the school frequency of vaccination and the school year were -0.089 and -0.080 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The preventive effects of influenza vaccine are not strong. There must be some unknown factors that affect the incidence of influenza. This vaccine is useful for pupils in the early school years who seem to have less resistance. All pupils should not be inoculated with the vaccine to reduce influenza transmission in the community or school.

Child↗
PubMed1993

Gene components responsible for discrete substrate specificity in the metabolism of biphenyl (bph operon) and toluene (tod operon).

bph operons coding for biphenyl-polychlorinated biphenyl degradation in Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes KF707 and Pseudomonas putida KF715 and tod operons coding for toluene-benzene metabolism in P. putida F1 are very similar in gene organization as well as size and homology of the corresponding enzymes (G. J. Zylstra and D. T. Gibson, J. Biol. Chem. 264:14940-14946, 1989; K. Taira, J. Hirose, S. Hayashida, and K. Furukawa, J. Biol. Chem. 267:4844-4853, 1992), despite their discrete substrate ranges for metabolism. The gene components responsible for substrate specificity between the bph and tod operons were investigated. The large subunit of the terminal dioxygenase (encoded by bphA1 and todC1) and the ring meta-cleavage compound hydrolase (bphD and todF) were critical for their discrete metabolic specificities, as shown by the following results. (i) Introduction of todC1C2 (coding for the large and small subunits of the terminal dioxygenase in toluene metabolism) or even only todC1 into biphenyl-utilizing P. pseudoalcaligenes KF707 and P. putida KF715 allowed them to grow on toluene-benzene by coupling with the lower benzoate meta-cleavage pathway. Introduction of the bphD gene (coding for 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6-phenylhexa-2,4-dienoate hydrolase) into toluene-utilizing P. putida F1 permitted growth on biphenyl. (ii) With various bph and tod mutant strains, it was shown that enzyme components of ferredoxin (encoded by bphA3 and todB), ferredoxin reductase (bphA4 and todA), and dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (bphB and todD) were complementary with one another. (iii) Escherichia coli cells carrying a hybrid gene cluster of todClbphA2A3A4BC (constructed by replacing bphA1 with todC1) converted toluene to a ring meta-cleavage 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-hepta-2,4-dienoic acid, indicating that TodC1 formed a functional multicomponent dioxygenase associated with BphA2 (a small subunit of the terminal dioxygenase in biphenyl metabolism), BphA3, and BphA4.

Base Sequence↗