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Biomedical subjects

H Abe

Publications and source records attributed to H Abe.

At least 1,243 records · Page 69Linked to original sources

Posttraumatic internal carotid aneurysm presenting as a nasal sinus lesion.

We report a case of an asymptomatic posttraumatic aneurysm of the internal carotid artery presenting in the sphenoidal and ethmoidal sinuses. Our initial clinical and radiographic diagnosis indicated a mucocele. There were two reasons for this. First, Maurer's triad of traumatic internal carotid aneurysm was not seen, since neither epistaxis nor visual disorder was present, and fracture was not evident on tomography or computed tomographic scans. Second, no symptoms or abnormalities were found in the sequential neurosurgical evaluations for a period of about six years after the head trauma. The successful results we have obtained in this case are attributable to localization by intraoperative arteriography and to hemostasis by electrothrombotic coagulation within the aneurysm alone, preserving internal carotid artery flow. A high index of suspicion preoperatively, with arteriography as indicated, may facilitate management of these cases, which are likely to become more frequent as medical advances produce more survivors of major head trauma.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Responses in muscle sympathetic nerve activity to sustained hand-grips of different tensions in humans.

To clarify whether sympathetic nerve activity increases in relation to the tension of a sustained muscle contraction, muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSA) was recorded directly from the peroneal nerve fascicle at the popliteal fossa by means of tungsten microelectrodes in five healthy male subjects. A sustained muscle contraction was performed by handgrip for two minutes in a supine position at tensions of 10, 30 and 45% of maximal grip strength (MGS). MSA, electrocardiogram (ECG) using bipolar electrodes from the chest and surface electromyogram (EMG) from the extensor pollicis longus were recorded simultaneously before and during the sustained handgrip. Arterial blood pressure was measured at the resting upper arm by auscultation. During handgrip with tensions of 10, 30 and 45% MGS, average MSA burst rate (bursts X min-1) increased to 122, 152 and 230% of the resting value, respectively. During the same experimental procedures with tensions of 10, 30 and 45% MGS, average heart rate increased to 105, 110 and 111% of the resting value. These results confirm that sympathetic outflow to a resting muscle is increased with elevation of tension in an active muscle. This process would promote perfusion pressure in the active muscle.

Adult↗

A reappraisal of the diagnosis in cervical disc disease: the posterior longitudinal ligament perforated or not.

Herniated nuclear material of the cervical disc often perforates the posterior longitudinal ligament. Of 22 patients who were operated on by an anterior approach, 10 were of this type (the subligamentous type of cervical disc protrusion), while in the remaining 12 patients and 15 discs the protruded disc caused no tear in the ligament (the epiligamentous type). Myelography and CT myelography of these patients were reviewed. On CT myelography a localized and sharply demarcated excavation of the metrizamide ring was commonly found in the subligamentous type. Myelographic lateral view in this group shows a moderate or large indentation of the metrizamide column, since the herniated nucleus pulposus sometimes migrates caudally or cephalically. A small myelographic deformity coupled with diffuse excavation of the metrizamide ring on a CT myelogram leads us to the diagnosis of the epiligamentous type of cervical disc protrusion. In such cases, excision of the ligament is unnecessary during exploration of the discs, except when there is marked depression in the posterior longitudinal ligament. Presurgical recognition of both anatomical processes must be stressed for anterior discectomy.

Adult↗

Estimated hepatic oxygen consumption in patients with chronic liver diseases as assessed by organ reflectance spectrophotometry.

We investigated the estimated hepatic oxygen consumption by reflectance spectrophotometry during peritoneoscopy and the rate of in vitro oxygen consumption of liver slices obtained by liver biopsy using the oxygen electrode apparatus in patients with chronic liver diseases. The estimated hepatic oxygen consumption decreased concomitantly with the decrease in blood supply, expressed as the regional hepatic blood hemoglobin concentration, and it was significantly decreased in cirrhosis compared to chronic hepatitis. The estimated hepatic oxygen consumption also was significantly correlated with the serum albumin level, 15-min retention rate of indocyanine green, and prothrombin time. There was no correlation between the estimated hepatic oxygen consumption calculated from the reflectance spectra and the rate of in vitro oxygen consumption measured by the oxygen electrode apparatus. Most cirrhotic liver slices had a respiratory rate comparable to that in chronic hepatitis. Thus, it is concluded that the reduction of estimated hepatic oxygen consumption in cirrhosis of the liver is mainly due to the reduction of oxygen supply secondary to the decrease of hepatic blood flow.

Adult↗

Expression of multiple troponin T variants in neonatal chicken breast muscle.

The types of troponin-T (TNT) expressed in neonatal chicken breast muscle were examined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE), immunoblotting, and peptide mapping. When troponin from neonatal chicken breast muscle or whole lysate of the muscle was displayed on 2-D PAGE, multiple spots were observed in the TNT region on the gel. They differed slightly from those in adult breast- and leg-type TNT, but were positively stained with the antibody specific for TN-T. These results indicate that multiple spots observed in the TNT region are all TNT isoforms. The TNT isoforms in the neonatal breast muscle were classified into two groups, based on size. Each group contained about five variants. The first group with a larger size was in the molecular weight range of adult breast TNT, while the smaller-sized second group was in the molecular weight range of adult leg TNT. Overall peptide map patterns of variants in the first group and also that of adult breast TNT resembled each other, whereas those of variants in the second group were similar to that of adult leg TNT. The TNT of adult breast-type appeared at about 2- to 3-weeks posthatch, and thereafter became a major TNT isoform.

Animals↗

Structure-taste correlation of L-aspartyl dipeptides using SIMCA method.

One of the pattern recognition techniques, the SIMCA method, has been applied to structure-taste studies on L-aspartyl dipeptides (L-Asp-NH-R). The sweet and bitter taste class models of the peptides were obtained by using five structural descriptors, such as molar refractivity, and four kinds of STERIMOL parameters. The classification rates were calculated to be 87% and 81% for sweet and bitter peptides, respectively. The SIMCA method has also suggested that two factors, shape and size, of the C-terminal amino acid moiety R in the dipeptides are extremely important to model their taste qualities.

Aspartic Acid↗

Cadmium levels in the urine of female farmers in nonpolluted areas in Japan.

About 1200 urine samples were collected, mostly in winter seasons in 1982-1984, from adult women in 7 nonpolluted areas in widely separated parts of Japan, and analyses for cadmium (Cd-U) were conducted in a single laboratory. The geometric mean (GM) by decades of age groups of Cd-U, after adjustment for a specific gravity of urine of 1.016, increased from 0.88 microgram/l in the twenties to reach a maximum of 1.78 micrograms/l in the fifties followed by gradual decrease to 1.31 micrograms/l in the eighties. The effect of smoking (about 8 cigarettes/d as a mean) was absent. Analyses of additional 125 urine samples from men revealed that Cd-U in men was not higher than that in women. When classified geographically, Cd-U was higher in the area on the coast of the Sea of Japan, as suspected in preceding studies on blood cadmium levels and dietary cadmium intakes. The Cd-U levels observed in the present study are similar to the values in previous publications on the Japanese and are apparently higher than the counterpart values from Europe, the United States, and New Zealand.

Adolescent↗

Benzene-specific increase in leukocyte alkaline phosphatase activity in rats exposed to vapors of various organic solvents.

Female Wistar rats were exposed to various solvent vapors 8 h/d for 7 d. The leukocyte suspension and serum were prepared from peripheral blood and utilized for the determination of alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity with disodium phenyl phosphate as a substrate [leukocyte AP (LAP) and serum AP (SAP) assay]. While the exposure to benzene at 20 or 50 ppm did not cause significant changes in LAP activity, the exposure at 100 and 300 ppm resulted in a dose-dependent increase of LAP activity up to more than 100% over the control. No further increase was observed at 1000 or 3000 ppm. Similar exposure at 300 ppm to either toluene, m-xylene, n-hexane, trichloroethylene, methyl ethyl ketone, ethyl acetate, or methyl alcohol did not induce any changes in LAP activity. Thus, the increase in LAP activity was considered to be specific to benzene exposure. When the animals were exposed to toluene (300 ppm) in combination with benzene (300 ppm), not only was the benzene-induced leukopenia alleviated as previously reported, but the benzene-induced increase in LAP activity was no longer observed. The parallel inhibitory effects of toluene on benzene-induced increase in LAP and leukopenia suggest that a relation may exist between increase in LAP activity and leukopenia. No changes in SAP activities were observed in the rats under the exposure conditions examined.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Metabolism of gibberellin a(12)-7-aldehyde by soybean cotyledons and its use in identifying gibberellin a(7) as an endogenous gibberellin.

The level of gibberellin(GA)-like material in cotyledons of soybean (Glycine max L.) was highest at mid-pod fill-about 10 nanograms GA(3) equivalents per gram fresh weight of tissue, assayed in the immersion dwarf rice bioassay. This amount is about 1000-fold less than levels in Pisum and Phaseolus seed, other legume species whose spectrum of endogenous gibberellins (GAs) is well known. The metabolism of [(14)C]-GA(12)-7-aldehyde (GA(12)ald)-the universal GA precursor-by intact, mid-pod-fill, soybean cotyledons and their cell-free extracts was investigated. In 4 hours, extracts converted GA(12)ald to two products-[(14)C]GA(12) (42% yield) and [(14)C]GA(15) (7%). Within 5 minutes, intact embryos converted GA(12)ald to [(14)C]GA(12) and [(14)C]GA(15) in 15% yield; 4 hour incubations afforded at least 22 products (96% total yield). The putative [(14)C]GA(12) was identified as a product of [(14)C]GA(12)ald metabolism on the basis of co-chromatography with authentic GA(12) on a series of reversed and normal phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) systems, and by a dual feed of the putative [(14)C]GA(12) and authentic [(14)C]GA(12) to cotyledons of both peas and soybeans. The [(14)C]GA(15) was identified as a metabolite of [(14)C]GA(12)ald by capillary gas chromatography (GC)-mass-spectrometry-selected ion monitoring, GC-radiocounting, HPLC, and TLC. By adding the [(14)C] metabolites of [(14)C]GA(12)ald to a different and larger extract (about 0.2 kg fresh weight of soybean reproductive tissue) and purifying endogenous substances co-chromatographing with these metabolites, at least two GA-like substances were obtained and one identified as GA(7) by GC-mass spectrometry. Since [(14)C]GA(9) was not found as a [(14)C]metabolite of [(14)C]GA(12)ald, soybean embryos might have a pathway for biosynthesis of active, C-19 gibberellins like that of the cucurbits; GA(12)ald --> GA(12) --> GA(15) --> GA(24) --> GA(36) --> GA(4) --> GA(7).

Journal Article↗

Identification of endogenous gibberellins from sorghum.

Gibberellins (GA) A(1), A(19), and A(20) were identified in shoot cylinders containing the apical meristems from sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.). Extracts were purified by sequential SiO(2) partition chromatography and reversed-phase C(18) high performance liquid chromatography and biologically active (dwarf rice cv Tan-ginbozu microdrop assay) fractions were subjected to gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring. Based on the use of [(3)H]GA and [(2)H](d(2))GA internal standards, amounts of GA(1), GA(19), and GA(20) were estimated to be 0.7, 8.8, and 1.5 namograms per gram dry weight of tissue, respectively.

Journal Article↗

A light and electron microscopic study of the regenerative epithelium in the intrahepatic bile duct. Experimental study of local direct instillation of paraquat into the intrahepatic bile ducts of rats.

To date, no reliable report on the regeneration of the intrahepatic bile duct epithelium following damage to the duct has been published. In this study, a direct instillation of paraquat dichloride into the intrahepatic bile ducts of rats was carried out, and the livers were examined under light and electron microscopy. One hour after treatment, the biliary epithelia showed degeneration and necrosis, and these changes remained for a considerable period in a large majority of the ducts examined. Three weeks after instillation, low columnar epithelium consisting of hyperchromatic nuclei and eosinophilic cytoplasm was present in a medium-sized bile duct, which was collared by marked periductal fibrosis. Electron microscopically, the eosinophilic epithelium showed a marked increase in the number of rough endoplasmic reticula, ribosomes, mitochondria, and filamentous structures, suggesting an active viability of the cell. Subsequently, the eosinophilic cells were replaced by normal-appearing epithelium, not associated with the periductal fibrosis. The data suggest that an epithelial regeneration occurred in the intrahepatic duct following injury and that this activity may be similar to that of the extrahepatic bile duct epithelium.

Animals↗

Calcitonin gene-related peptide stimulates somatostatin release from isolated perfused rat stomach.

Effect of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) on somatostatin release was investigated on the isolated perfused rat stomach. Perfusion with CGRP (0.1 nM-100 nM) caused a significant and dose-dependent increase in effluent somatostatin levels. The somatostatin response to CGRP was rapid in onset and reversible immediately after the cessation of CGRP infusion. These findings suggest that CGRP stimulates the release of gastric somatostatin, thereby modulating gastric functions in rat.

Animals↗

L-dopa stimulates release of hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing hormone in humans.

A sensitive RIA for human GH-releasing hormone-(1-44)-NH2 [hGHRH-(1-44)-NH2] was developed which allows its measurement in human plasma extracts. The assay did not detect hGHRH-(1-37)-OH or hGHRH-(1-40)-OH. A method to extract hGHRH from plasma was developed using silicic acid and acid-acetone, by which recovery of synthetic hGHRH-(1-44)-NH2 from plasma averaged 74.3%. Serial dilutions of plasma extracts gave an inhibition curve parallel with that of synthetic hGHRH-(1-44)-NH2 in the RIA system. On Sephadex G-50 columns, hGHRH-like immunoreactivity (hGHRH-LI) in plasma extracts eluted as a single peak corresponding to hGHRH-(1-44)-NH2. This hGHRH-LI peak, when subjected to reverse phase HPLC, emerged at the position where hGHRH-(1-44)-NH2 was eluted. hGHRH-LI was detectable in the peripherally circulating plasma of all subjects tested. The mean basal level of plasma hGHRH-LI in normal subjects was 9.4 +/- 0.7 (+/- SE) pg/ml (n = 22; range, 2.8-18.1 pg/ml), comparable to the basal plasma hGHRH-LI concentration in patients with hypothalamic lesions (11.3 +/- 1.1 pg/ml; n = 7). Oral administration of L-dopa (0.5 g) caused a significant increase in both plasma hGHRH-LI and GH levels in normal subjects, and the plasma hGHRH-LI peak slightly preceded or coincided with that of plasma GH in individual subjects. There was also a significant correlation between plasma hGHRH-LI and the GH rises after L-dopa administration when their net increments were compared. All of the patients with hypothalamic lesions had significant increases in plasma GH after hGHRH-(1-44)-NH2 injection (1 microgram/kg BW, iv), indicating the presence of functioning somatotrophs in their pituitaries. When L-dopa was orally administered to these patients, neither plasma hGHRH-LI nor GH concentration changed throughout a 120-min observation period. These findings suggest that 1) hGHRH, immunologically and chromatographically indistinguishable from synthetic hGHRH-(1-44)-NH2, is detectable in peripheral plasma in humans; 2) L-dopa stimulates the release of hypothalamic hGHRH, alterations of which are reflected in changes in peripheral levels; and 3) the source of circulating hGHRH is not restricted to the hypothalamus, since hGHRH-LI is present in the peripheral plasma of patients with hypothalamic lesions in amounts similar to those found in normal subjects.

Administration, Oral↗

Effect of intracerebroventricular administration of rat calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), human calcitonin and [Asu1,7]-eel calcitonin on gastric acid secretion in rats.

The effect of intracerebroventricular injection of rat calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), human calcitonin (CT) and [Asu1,7]-eel CT on the volume and acidity of gastric juice was examined in the pylorus-ligated male rats. These 3 peptides were effective in suppressing both the volume and acidity of secreted gastric juice. Their potency on a molar basis, however, was markedly different; [Asu1,7]-eel CT was most potent, followed by human CT and finally by rat CGRP. These finding suggest that CGRP could not substitute for [Asu1,7]-eel or human CT in exerting the suppressive effect of gastric acid secretion.

Animals↗

Plasma disappearance half-time and metabolic clearance rate of exogenous human growth hormone-releasing hormone-(1-44)-NH2 in normal subjects.

By means of human growth hormone-releasing hormone (hGHRH)-RIA using an antiserum directed toward the C-terminal region of hGHRH-(1-44)-NH2, the plasma disappearance half-time and metabolic clearance rate (MCR) of immuoreactive hGHRH (IR-hGHRH) were examined in normal subjects after an iv bolus injection of synthetic hGHRH-(1-44)-NH2 (1 microgram/kg BW). The disappearance of IR-hGHRH from plasma was characterized by a biexponential decay curve, with initial distribution and subsequent metabolic t1/2 value of 5.0 +/- 1.0 and 29.6 +/- 5.4 min (mean +/- SE), respectively. The MCR of IR-hGHRH was 6.1 +/- 1.2 ml/min X kg. The volume of distribution of IR-hGHRH was 3.3 +/- 0.4 liters. The molecular size of the plasma IR-hGHRH was not different from that of hGHRH-(1-44)-NH2 for at least 90 min after the injection of hGHRH-(1-44)-NH2 when examined by gel-filtration chromatography. This prolonged clearance of hGHRH from human plasma relative to that of other hypothalamic hormones may in part explain the sustained plasma GH rises after hGHRH injection in man.

Adult↗