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Biomedical subjects

A Umeda

Publications and source records attributed to A Umeda.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Effects of SO2 and pH on blood-gas partition coefficients of inert gases.

Potential effects of SO2 and of pH on blood-gas partition coefficients, lambda, for inert gases, including SF6, ethane, cyclopropane, halothane, diethyl ether, acetone and N2, were systematically investigated using human blood. Measurements on lambda were performed at 37 degrees C in conditions of varied SO2 and pH using gas chromatography. Incorporating the experimental data on lambda, multiple inert gas elimination was applied to 18 patients with varied chronic lung diseases, in order to estimate the effects of SO2 and of pH on both inert gas exchange and resultant recovery of VA/Q distribution in the lung. For this purpose, the data obtained by the procedure of multiple inert gas elimination were analyzed with the classical approach but allowance was made for lambda of the indicator gas to vary according to exchange of O2 and of CO2 in the pulmonary capillary. Among the gases studied, ethane, cyclopropane, halothane and diethyl ether showed significantly smaller lambda values in the oxygenated blood than in deoxygenated blood, whereas SF6, acetone and N2 were little dependent on SO2. An increase in lambda was found for ethane and a decrease for halothane with increasing pH in the blood. The other gases were not significantly influenced by pH. In spite of these experimental findings, regional difference of either SO2 or pH in the lung did not exert important influence on the inert gas exchange or on the predicted VA/Q distribution. In conclusion, blood-gas partition coefficients of some inert gases are consistently altered by SO2 and pH, but their possible effects on inert gas exchange seem to be negligible.

Adult↗

Continuous distributions of ventilation and gas conductance to perfusion in the lungs.

Theoretical analysis and experimental observations were conducted to establish a method allowing to demonstrate the characteristics of distribution of ventilation (VA) as well as of diffusive conductance (G) to perfusion (Q) in the lungs. O2, CO2 and CO binding to hemoglobin molecules within the erythrocyte together with six inert gases including SF6, ethane, cyclopropane, halothane, diethyl ether and acetone, of varied solubility in blood and different diffusivity in lung tissue, were used as indicator gases. 15 patients with interstitial pneumonia of unknown etiology, placed in the supine position, were given a mixture of 21% O2 and 0.1% CO in N2 as the inspired gas and saline containing appropriate amount of the six inert gases was infused via an antecubital vein. After a steady state was established, the expired gas was collected and the samples of both arterial and mixed venous blood were simultaneously taken through catheters inserted into the femoral and pulmonary artery. The concentrations of the indicator gases in the samples were measured by gas chromatography, with electrodes or with the Scholander gas analyzer. Assuming that the mass transfer efficiency of a given indicator gas at each gas exchange unit would be limited by VA/Q and G/Q ratios, the data obtained from the human subjects were analyzed in terms of a lung model having 20 units along the VA/Q and G/Q axes, respectively. The numerical analysis including the procedure of simultaneous Bohr integration for O2, CO2 and CO in a pulmonary capillary and the method of weighted least-squares combined with constrained optimization permitted the data to be transformed into a virtually continuous distribution of Q against VA/Q and G/Q axes. The numerical procedure was strictly tested using various artificial distributions of VA/Q and G/Q ratios, showing that it could characterize the distributions containing up to at least two modes on VA/Q-G/Q field with a substantial accuracy. Analytical results estimated from the patients with interstitial lung disease revealed the following features. (1) There appears to be bimodal distribution of Q along G/Q axis extending to relatively low G/Q less than 10(-3) ml(STPD)/(ml.Torr), which may limit O2 exchange between alveolar gas and capillary blood. This area of low G/Q receives 10% of total Q. (2) Severe diffusion limitation causing disequilibrium of the inert gas across the blood-gas barrier is solely observed in 2 out of 15 patients and an amount of Q associated with this phenomenon is very small (below 1%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Carbon Dioxide↗

[Cross protection between an encapsulated strain of Staphylococcus hyicus and an encapsulated strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis].

Strain ST67P of Staphylococcus hyicus was capsular type I (++)/II(+) of S. epidermidis as determined by the method of Ichiman. To mice immunized with heat-killed vaccine of strain ST67P, homologous strain and strain ATCC 31432 (capsular type I), SE-360 (capsular type II) and SE-10 (capsular type III) of S. epidermidis were injected intraperitoneally into mice, then, the viable cell number of the organisms in the peritoneal cavity were enumerated of 30 minutes and 20 hours after the injection. Results showed that the viable cell number of the homologous strain and strain ATCC 31432 was remarkably decreased at 20 hours after the injection, however, the cells were increased with strain SE-360 and SE-10. Passive protective activity of rabbit anti-ATCC 31432 serum was absorbed either with homologous strain or strain ST67P in the mouse, however, protective activity of anti-SE-360 strain serum and anti-SE-10 strain serum was not absorbed with these organisms although the activity was absorbed with homologous organisms. With an ultrathin section preparation of strain ST67P conjugated with ferritin-labelled rabbit anti-homologous strain serum, numerous ferritin granules surrounding the outermost layer of large capsule were electronmicro-scopically demonstrated. In the same organisms treated with ferritin-labelled anti-ATCC31432 strain serum, the all walls were surrounded by a relatively thinner capsule and a number of ferritin granules were located in the outermost layer of the capsule. However, with the organisms treated with ferritin-labelled anti-SE-360 strain serum only a number of ferritin granules were shown on the surface of the cell walls, and neither capsule nor ferritin granules were exhibited in the organisms treated with ferritin-labelled anti-SE-10 strain serum.

Animals↗

[Induction by Staphylococcus aureus L-form of tumor necrosis factor-alpha from macrophages].

Induction of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) by Staphylococcus aureus L-form was investigated. The supernatant of a macrophage culture mixed with S. aureus L-form showed a potent cytotoxic activity to L cells. Addition of anti TNF-alpha antibody inhibited completely the cytotoxic activity of the supernatant, indicating that the activity might be due mostly to TNF-alpha. To investigate localization of TNF-alpha production, the membranes of hypotonicity treated L-form were layered on a step-gradient composed of an upper and lower layers of 35% and 50% sucrose, respectively. The membranes were banded at the interface of 35% and 50% of sucrose. The activity of TNF-alpha production of the membrane fraction was 10-times higher than that of the soluble fraction.

Animals↗

[Characteristics of impaired gas exchange in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease].

Eleven patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), placed in a supine position, were given a mixture of 0.1% CO and 21% O2 in N2 as inspired gas and normal saline containing the six inert gases including SF6, ethane, cyclopropane, halothane, diethyl ether and acetone via the antecubital vein. After the steady state was established, the expired gas was collected and both arterial and mixed venous blood were simultaneously sampled through the catheter inserted either into the femoral or pulmonary artery. Assuming that mass transfer efficiency of a given indicator gas at each gas exchange unit would be limited by the ratio of ventilation to perfusion (VA/Q) and by that of diffusive conductance to perfusion (G/Q), the data were analyzed by means of a lung model with 20 units along the VA/Q and G/Q axes, respectively. By application of the method of weighted least-squares combined with the idea of constrained optimization, the data were transformed into a virtually continuous distribution of Q against VA/Q and G/Q axes. Analytical results revealed that: 1) patients with advanced COPD show widening of VA/Q distribution accompanied with a significant contribution of either high VA/Q (emphysematous change) or low VA/Q area (peripheral airway involvement). and 2) their Q distributions along the G/Q axis are unimodal but have an area with a relatively low G/Q, indicating a small but appreciable contribution of diffusion limitation to their hypoxemia. In conclusion, the findings consistently suggest that inhomogeneity of G/Q may partly be responsible for the impaired gas exchange in the cases of COPD.

Humans↗

Basic amphipathic helical peptides induce destabilization and fusion of acidic and neutral liposomes.

We have studied the fusion of small unilamellar vesicles composed of egg PC and of a mixture of egg PC plus egg PA using various basic amphipathic peptides. Fusion was monitored by carboxyfluorescein leakage assay, light scattering, membrane intermixing assay, contents mixing assay and electron microscopy. Ac-(L-Leu-L-Ala-L-Arg-L-Leu)3-NHCH3 (peptide 4(3] and Ac-(L-Leu-L-Ala-L-Lys-L-Leu)3-NHCH3 (peptide 4'3), which have high hydrophobic moments, caused transformation of small unilamellar vesicles into larger and relatively homogeneous ones. Ac-(L-Leu-L-Leu-L-Ala-L-Arg-L-Leu)2-NHCH3 (5(2], which has medium hydrophobic moment, induced weak but appreciable fusion, while Ac-(L-Ala-L-Arg-L-Leu)3-NHCH3 (3(3] which has no helical structure did not show any fusion. However, peptides 4(3), 4'3 and 5(2) caused massive leakage of the contents from small unilamellar vesicles. These results indicated that interaction of the peptides with artificial membranes caused extensive perturbation of the lipid bilayer, followed by fusion. The fusogenic capacity of model basic peptides was correlated with the hydrophobic moment of each peptide when the peptides adopted an alpha-helical structure in the presence of acidic liposomes. Peptides 4(3) and 4'3 also showed weak fusogenic ability for neutral liposomes, while 5(2) and 3(3) showed no ability, suggesting that highly amphipathic peptides, such as 4(3), interact weakly but distinctly with neutral liposomes to fuse them.

1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine↗

Hexagonal surface layer of Campylobacter fetus isolated from humans.

Electron microscopic studies of the surface structure of Campylobacter fetus by the freeze-etching method showed two different types of S layer. One was in a hexagonal array, and the other was in a tetragonal array. A high-passage-number strain lost its S layer during cultivation on culture media but regained it after a single animal passage.

Animals↗

Purification and antigenic analysis of flagella of Campylobacter jejuni.

The flagella of Campylobacter jejuni strain FUM158432 were purified and a flagellin preparation consisting of only a single peptide of 63,000 daltons was obtained. The peptide of 92,000 daltons usually associated with a flagellar preparation was shown to be a peptide derived from the hook region. Antiserum was prepared by immunizing a rabbit with the flagellin preparation. The reaction of the antiserum was found to be highly specific for the flagellar filament by immunoelectron microscopy and for flagellin peptide by the immunoblotting method. Seventeen of 23 clinically isolated strains of C. jejuni reacted with this antiserum but the other six strains did not, indicating the existence of antigenic variation of the flagella of C. jejuni. The flagella of a few strains of C. coli also reacted with this antiserum.

Agglutination↗

Cross protection between an encapsulated strain of Staphylococcus hyicus and encapsulated strains of Staphylococcus aureus.

Strain ST67P of Staphylococcus hyicus grew diffusely in regular serum-soft agar. With the addition of rabbit antisera prepared with Staph. aureus strains, Smith, NS58D or NS41D, capsular type A, B or C, respectively, the organisms converted to compact type growth. Mice immunized with heat-killed vaccine of strain ST67P showed significant resistance against either homologous or heterologous strains, Smith, NS58D and NS41D. Passive protective activities in rabbit antisera prepared with strains Smith, NS58D and NS41D were absorbed out with either homologous cell surface polysaccharide fraction or cell surface polysaccharide fraction extracted from strain ST67P. Well-defined large capsules were observed in ultra-thin sections treated with rabbit antiserum prepared with homologous strain conjugated with ferritin. Also, the capsule surrounded by ferritin granules was shown in ultra-thin sections treated with ferritin conjugated with antisera prepared with those heterologous strains although the capsular size was significantly smaller than those observed by homologous antiserum.

Animals↗

Demonstration of capsule in a strain of Staphylococcus hyicus by an electron microscope.

A compact type variant designated as strain ST67V was isolated by a high-temperature subculture method from strain ST67P of Staphylococcus hyicus, which was a diffuse type in serum-soft agar. The parent strain was relatively virulent in mice and resisted ingestion by mouse peritoneal cells. The variant strain, however, was avirulent in mice and no antiphagocytic activity was observed in the peritoneal cavity. In ultra-thin sections of the organisms treated with anti-ST67P rabbit anti-serum conjugated with ferritin, the outermost layer of the cell wall of the parent strain was covered with a well-defined capsule while no capsule was shown in the variant strain.

Animals↗

Cross protection between a strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis and eight other species of coagulase-negative staphylococci.

Passive protective activity of rabbit antiserum prepared by a representative capsular type II strain of Staphylococcus epidermidis in mice was absorbed out with homologous capsular type strains of S. simulans, S. cohnii, S. xylosus, S. hominis, S. capitis, S. hyicus, S. haemolyticus, and S. saprophyticus in addition to the homologous strain. The minimum amount of the strains required for absorption differed greatly, depending upon the strain. No absorption of the activity was shown with a strain of capsular type I and III of S. epidermidis, S. simulans, and S. cohnii, and a strain of capsular type III of S. hominis. These results suggest a possible capsular type specificity in the cross protection between strains of S. epidermidis and other species of coagulase-negative staphylococci.

Animals↗

Protection against Campylobacter jejuni infection in suckling mice by anti-flagellar antibody.

We obtained two monoclonal antibodies of IgM class and IgA class of immunoglobulin prepared from mouse spleen cells immunized with crude flagellar preparation, and a polyclonal antibody raised against purified flagellin monomer of Campylobacter jejuni in a rabbit. The specificity of the reaction of these antibodies for flagellar filament was confirmed by Western blotting and by immunoelectron microscopy. These antibodies caused agglutination of the bacteria and inhibited the motility of the bacteria. When a strain of C. jejuni was treated with IgM class monoclonal antibody before being inoculated into suckling mice, it reduced colonization of the intestinal tract by this bacteria. Inhibition of the colonization by IgA class monoclonal antibody was less effective than that of IgM class, and the polyclonal antibody consisting mostly of IgG class immunoglobulin was without effect.

Animals↗

Induction of resistance in mice by the capsular polysaccharide antigens of Staphylococcus aureus.

Mice actively immunized with capsular polysaccharides extracted from capsular type strains A, B, C, and D, determined by the serum-soft agar technique, were protected against lethal infection by homologous strains, but no animals survived infection by heterologous substance immunization even with at high doses. Passive protective antibody in rabbit antisera prepared using these strains was absorbed out only by homologous capsular polysaccharide in mice. These results indicated that resistance was specific for capsular polysaccharide. The substance contained mainly neutral sugar, small amounts of hexosamine, methyl-pentose, and phosphate although these amounts varied depending on the capsular types strains.

Animals↗

Structure of the Staphylococcus aureus cell wall determined by the freeze-substitution method.

The fine structure of the Staphylococcus aureus cell wall was determined by electron microscopy with the new technique of rapid freezing and substitution fixation. The surface of the cell wall was covered with a fuzzy coat which consisted of fine fibers or an electron-dense mass. Morphological examination of the cell wall, which was treated sequentially with sodium dodecyl sulfate, trypsin, and trichloroacetic acid, revealed that this coat was partially removed by trypsin digestion and was completely removed by trichloroacetic acid extraction but was not affected by sodium dodecyl sulfate treatment, suggesting that the fuzzy coat consists mostly of a complex of teichoic acids and proteins. This was confirmed by the application of the concanavalin A-ferritin technique for teichoic acid and antiferritin immunoglobulin G technique for protein A.

Acetylglucosamine↗