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Biomedical subjects

H Harada

Publications and source records attributed to H Harada.

At least 649 records · Page 36Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Distinction of two subtypes of human leukocyte interferon (IFN-alpha) on B cell activation. B cell proliferation by two subtypes of IFN-alpha.

We examined the effect of interferon (IFN), with particular emphasis on the effects of the two subtypes of IFN-alpha (IFN-alpha A and IFN-alpha B) on the B cell proliferation induced by Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I bacterium (SpA Col). An increase of SpA Col-induced proliferation was observed in the presence of 100 to 1000 U/ml of IFN-alpha, but a decrease of SpA Col-induced proliferation was observed in the presence of 1000 to 10,000 U/ml of IFN-beta. The two subtypes of IFN-alpha had different effects on cell proliferation; a significant enhancement was shown in the presence of 1000 to 10,000 U/ml of IFN-alpha A, but inhibition was shown in the presence of 1000 to 10,000 U/ml of IFN-alpha B. In the reconstitution test of the two subtypes of IFN-alpha, the boundary between enhancement and inhibition of SpA Col-induced proliferation was revealed when the proportion of IFN-alpha A and IFN-alpha B (IFN-alpha A:IFN-alpha B) ranged between 8:2 and 9:1. Toward the SpA Col-induced responses, the above IFN were all found to act on B cells directly, independent of the presence of T cells. Proliferative responses by IFN-alpha and IFN-alpha A, however, were shown to be slightly dependent on the presence of monocytes. The lymphocyte proliferation induced by other mitogens (phytohemagglutinin, concanavalin A, pokeweed mitogen, and protein A of S. aureus) were all inhibited by the above IFN.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1983

Lactoferrin in pure pancreatic juice in chronic pancreatitis.

To investigate the role of lactoferrin in intraductal protein precipitates in chronic pancreatitis, lactoferrin was measured in pure pancreatic juice collected by endoscopic retrograde pancreatic cannulation using a sensitive and specific radioimmunoassay. Significant gradual increase in the lactoferrin concentration and output was observed in chronic pancreatitis (mean +/- SE = 1.13 +/- 0.04 microgram/ml, 1.61 +/- 0.44 microgram/min for five controls; 4.73 +/- 0.70 microgram/ml, 14.1 +/- 2.86 micrograms/min for 15 patients with noncalcified mild chronic pancreatitis; 23.6 +/- 4.7 micrograms/ml, 28.4 +/- 13.4 micrograms/min for four with chronic pancreatitis with visible protein plugs or calculi). The total protein in the juice gradually decreased in chronic pancreatitis (12.8 +/- 1.48 mg/ml for control, 7.6 +/- 1.37 for noncalcified, 5.2 +/- 1.27 for patients with plugs or calculi). Lactoferrin appears to rise as the disease progresses and although this may be important etiologically, it may also just be an accompanying protein which increases as the disease progresses.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Three types of blink reflex evoked by supraorbital nerve, light flash and corneal stimulations.

Three types of blink reflex were evoked by 1) supraorbital nerve stimulation, 2) light flash stimulation and 3) corneal touch. The blink reflex response was recorded simultaneously for both eyes by electromyography of the orbicularis oculi muscles of the lower eyelid. After supraorbital nerve stimulation, ipsilateral early response (R1) and bilateral late responses (R2) were demonstrated. The light flash stimulation evoked the photic early and late responses. The latency times of the R1, R2 and the photic early responses were determined in 22 normal subjects. The corneal touch was exactly timed using a new device and the latency time of the corneal blink reflex was determined. The latency of the ipsilateral corneal blink reflex was significantly shorter than that of the contralateral reflex. The blink reflexes by supraorbital nerve stimulation and light flash were studied concurrently in 7 patients with neurological disorders of vascular origin. The photic reflex was disturbed by bilateral occipital lobe lesions and also by affection of the rostral midbrain. The reflexes were not affected by lesions in the medial longitudinal fasciculus but were disturbed by widespread brainstem lesions of Foville syndrome. Clinical significance of a combined use of the supraorbital nerve and light flash stimulation was emphasized.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Therapy of congestive heart failure with orally administered taurine.

The clinical efficacy of 2 gm BID of oral taurine (2-aminoethane sulfonic acid) was studied in 24 patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). We expressed the severity of CHF by a score based on clinical signs and symptoms and on roentgenographic data. The maximum possible score, corresponding to the worst CHF, was 23 points. How much the 24 patients improved after receiving taurine for four or eight weeks was estimated by the difference between their pretreatment and posttreatment scores. In 19 of the 24 patients, taurine was effective. In the group as a whole, mean (+/- SEM) scores fell significantly, from 7.3 +/- 0.6 before treatment to 4.4 +/- 0.5 after treatment. Thirteen of the 15 patients who were designated as New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class III or IV before receiving taurine could be designated as class II after they completed the study. This pilot study should prompt further investigation into the possible use of taurine in the treatment of patients with CHF.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1982

Scanning electron-microscopic studies on protein plugs obtained from patients with chronic pancreatitis.

The previous histochemical study on the endoscopically obtained protein plugs revealed the process of protein plug formation. The present scanning electron-microscopic study was performed to clarify the fine structure of the protein plug and was quite in accordance with the results of the histochemical study: (1) protein plugs were constructed of interlacing networks and amorphous material stuffed in the networks; (2) protein plug formation started in the form of random and loose interlacing of cottony network fibrils and poor stuffing with degenerating epithelial cells and amorphous material, and in this stage protein plugs enlarged by adherence of smaller aggregates; (3) with maturation, protein plugs came to be covered by stratiform fine net works which were more compactly built up with uniformly thick, dense and smooth fibers and were stuffed more densely with amorphous material; (4) mature protein plugs were considered to enlarge by repeated process of stratiform deposit of reticular substance and amorphous material and subsequent maturation. However, it remains to be clarified which factors induce the changes of networks from random interlacing to stratiform arrangement.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMed1982

Role of endoscopic elimination of protein plugs in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis.

The purpose of this report is to evaluate the role of endoscopic elimination of protein plugs in the treatment of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and suspected CP. Endoscopic aspiration of pure pancreatic juice (PPJ) was performed on 69 patients with CP or suspected CP. PPJ was collected from within the main pancreatic duct by endoscopic retrograde catheterization of the papilla after a rapid intravenous injection of secretin and CCK-PZ. Following results were obtained. (1) Various numbers of protein plugs were obtained along with PPJ in 26 of the 69 patients. (2) Endoscopic elimination of protein plugs provided 17 of the 26 patients with dramatic relief from abdominal pain and back pain, indicting that the procedure was often useful, at least, for relieving pain in patients with protein plugs in the pancreatic duct system. (3) Follow-up studies suggested that the procedure could be an effective therapeutic tool in selected cases of CP or suspected CP in which no prominent stenotic lesions were noted in the major pancreatic duct system and abstinence from alcohol beverage was strictly observed. (4) In 43 patients with no protein plugs in the pancreatic juice, in contrast, transient or partial relief from abdominal pain was provided in only one patient, respectively.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1982

Aggregation of plant protoplasts by artificial lipid vesicles.

Sonicated unilamellar lipid vesicles, consisting of egg lecithin, stearylamine, and cholesterol in 7:2:1 molar ratios, promoted the aggregation of tobacco (Nicotiana glutinosa) protoplasts with the aid of mono- or divalent cations.A reaction mixture containing liposomes (0.4 micromoles lipid per milliliter), 50 millimolar CaCl(2), 0.5 molar mannitol, and 5 x 10(5) protoplasts per milliliter resulted in approximately 25% protoplast aggregation. To achieve the maximum protoplast aggregation, 1.6 x 10(8) liposomes per protoplast per hour would be required.The kind of liposomes effective in protoplast aggregation were positively charged, small-size vesicles which were obtained either by 60-minute sonication or by membrane filtration in conjunction with sonication.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1982

[Studies on industrial styrene poisoning (Part XIII). Experimental studies on the damage on the mucosal membrane of respiratory tracts of rats exposed to styrene-contemporary observations of the changes in ciliary function and fine structures].

Styrene is known to have an irritating effect on the tracheal mucosa, but there are few reports that have demonstrated it histologically. We carried out styrene-exposure experiments on rats, and made observations on morphological changes of the trachea with an electron-microscope. Observations on its functional aspects were also made by estimation of the ciliary movement per minute. The present study has revealed a considerable damaging effect of styrene on the tracheal mucosa, which we presented in this report in the hope that it could be used as an index in settling the maximum permissible concentration of styrene for the future.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Potentiation of natural killer cell activity of human lymphocytes in vitro: the participation of interferon in stimulation with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I bacteria but not with protein A.

In the previous paper we reported that human natural killer (NK) cell activity was augmented greatly by preincubation with Staphylococcus aureus Cowan I bacteria (SpA CoI) or its Protein A. We examined here whether the augmentation with these stimulants is ascribable to the direct activation of NK cells or mediated by some soluble factors produced by the stimulants. It was found that a significant amount of interferon (IFN) was produced by the SpA CoI-stimulation but not by the Protein A-stimulation, although the latter usually induced augmentation of NK-cell activity not less than SpA CoI-stimulation. IFN produced by SpA CoI was considered to belong to alpha-type IFN, because it was stable at pH 2.0 and could be neutralized effectively by anti-IFN alpha antibody. Kinetics of NK-cell activation by SpA CoI (but not by Protein A) were very similar to those by IFN alpha. Furthermore, augmentation of NK-cell activity with SpA CoI-stimulated supernatant was inhibited almost completely by diluted anti-IFN alpha antibody, whereas augmentation with Protein A-stimulated supernatant could not be abolished by the same treatment. It was, therefore, suggested that augmentation of NK-cell activity with SpA CoI might be ascribable in most part to the IFN induced, whereas Protein A can stimulated NK or T cells directly or soluble factors other than IFN might work as well.

Antibodies, Viral↗