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Biomedical subjects

H Kodama

Publications and source records attributed to H Kodama.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Detection of Salmonella gallinarum and S. typhimurium DNA in experimentally infected chicks by polymerase chain reaction.

DNA detection with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as a mean of identifying Salmonella infection in chickens was compared with the conventional culture procedure. DNA was extracted from organs of experimentally infected chicks with either S. Gallinarum or S. Typhimurium. The pair of primers used were those directed at the InvA gene. Bacteria isolation was done by inoculating the pre-enrichment media with samples. As was expected a 284 bp fragment DNA was amplified from extracted DNA of infected organs by PCR. The results of our studies indicate that the PCR method is more sensitive than the conventional culture procedure since we were able to detect both S. Gallinarum and S. Typhimurium DNA not only in samples positive for bacteria isolation but also in negative samples. It was possible to detect Salmonella DNA in 15 out of 20 organ samples from chicks infected with S. Gallinarum 21 hr after infection, but, only five were positive for bacteria isolation. Salmonella DNA was detected throughout the entire test period. The results of this study confirm that PCR is a useful tool for the detection of Salmonella infection in poultry.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Degradation of cystathionine gamma-lyase in rat liver lysosomes: effect of leupeptin treatment.

Highly purified lysosomes from the livers of normal and leupeptin-treated rats were subjected to immunoblot analysis, using antibodies against rat liver cystathionine gamma-lyase. Normal lysosomes showed small amount of single band at about 40 kDa, whereas the leupeptin-treated lysosomes showed large amounts of a major band at about 40 kDa and a minor band at about 35 kDa. These observations suggest that cystathionine gamma-lyase is sequestered into lysosomes at the original subunit molecular weight and is degraded in the lysosome by way of the sequential formation of an intermediate with distinct molecular weight.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Changes in cystathionine gamma-lyase in various regions of rat brain during development.

Developmental changes in the activities of cystathionine beta-synthase and cystathionine gamma-lyase were measured in six regions of rat brain. On day-1, no differences were observed in the activities of cystathionine beta-synthase and cystathionine gamma-lyase among these regions, the values being about 40 nmol/h/mg protein, and 3 nmol/h/mg protein, respectively. Cystathionine beta-synthase activity increased gradually during development at almost the same rate in each region, reaching the adult level at week-4 (about 4-fold). Cystathionine gamma-lyase activity also increased during development, reaching adult level at week-2. But, the increase of enzyme activity in the cerebellum (about 1.8-fold) was clearly lower than that in the other regions (about 4-fold). Cystathionine gamma-lyase content in the various regions of week-3 rat brain estimated by immunoblotting was consistent with the enzyme activity, and the enzyme level in the cerebellum was lower than that in the other regions. Cystathionine content of cerebellum in week-3 increased rapidly during development, and was about five-fold more than that on day-1. However, cystathionine content in the other regions did not change during development. These findings indicated that at least one reason of the high content of cystathionine in the 3 weeks rat cerebellum was due to the low level of cystathionine gamma-lyase.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

[A case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis with lesions in the cerebral gray matter on MRI in the acute phase].

We reported a case of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) after Streptococcus infection. Brain MRI (T2-weighted image) showed high intensity lesion in the gray matter in the acute phase. The high intensity pattern of the lesion was different from those in previously reported cases. The boy, aged 14, had fever late in August 1993. He had lumbago and back pain since September 3 and also leg weakness developed since September 7. He became unable to urinate on September 10 and was admitted on September 12. His consciousness became indistinct. We considered ADEM on the basis of high CSF level of myelin basic protein, clinical course, symptoms and MRI findings and began to administer steroid hormone on the second day after admission. He rapidly recovered. We reported here an atypical case of ADEM as to the antecedent infection and MRI lesion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Surgical treatment of lung cancer complicated with liver cirrhosis, esophageal varices and pancytopenia: a case report].

Left upper lobectomy and lymph node dissection were successfully performed in a 75-year-old man with lung cancer combined with liver cirrhosis, esophageal varices and pancytopenia. No postoperative complications were encountered due to appropriate fluid transfusion, sufficient administration of fresh frozen plasma and well-chosen antibiotics. In lung operations on patients with liver cirrhosis, it is important to determine the operative indication according to natural history of liver cirrhosis and lung cancer, operative risk and prognosis. Furthermore, the management with special attention to complicated conditions of liver cirrhosis is necessary at the time of surgery.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1995

Evaluation of binding equation method for prediction of unbound serum valproic acid concentration in pediatric patients with epilepsy.

We retrospectively evaluated the ability of Scatchard binding equation method to predict the unbound serum valproic acid (VPA) concentration in 37 pediatric patients with epilepsy receiving VPA monotherapy. The correlation between predicted and observed unbound serum concentrations was high and significant (r = 0.873, p < 0.001). Mean prediction error (ME), mean absolute prediction error (MAE), and root mean squared error (RMSE) were calculated, and served as a measure of prediction bias and precision. The 95% confidence intervals of ME did not include 0, showing a bias to overpredict unbound concentration. The MAE and RMSE were not small in magnitude (MAE 17.4 mumol/l, RMSE 22.8 mumol/l). The current method using the in vivo population mean binding parameters from healthy young adults may be limited in the predictive performance of unbound serum VPA concentration.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Myasthenia gravis: an analysis of patients with postoperative crisis after thymectomy].

Five patients with myasthenia gravis whose condition declined during the postoperative unstable period were studied. The Osserman's type, age at the time of onset, duration of illness, sex, age at the time of surgery, preoperative steroid therapy, thymoma and acetyl choline receptor antibody titers were compared with those of 21 patients (control) with myasthenia gravis who had an uneventful postoperative course. In comparison, the study group's Osserman's type was slight, age at the time of onset was older (p < 0.05) and duration of illness was shorter (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the groups in sex, age at the time of surgery, thymoma and acetyl choline receptor antibody titers. None of them had preoperative steroid therapy. Intensive postoperative management and careful follow-up at the postoperative unstable period are necessary particularly for patients who have slight Osserman's type, old age at the time of onset, short duration of illness and no preoperative steroid therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Identification of perhydro-1,4-thiazepine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid, cystathionine mono-oxo acids, cystathionine ketimines, cystathionine sulfoxide and N-acetylcystathionine sulfoxide in the urine sample of D,L-propargylglycine treated rats.

Novel cystathionine metabolites, perhydro-1,4-thiazepine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid (PHTZDC), cystathionine mono-oxo acids [S-(3-oxo-3-carboxy-n-propyl)cysteine and S-(2-oxo-2-carboxyethyl)homocysteine], cystathionine ketimines, cystathionine sulfoxide and N-acetylcystathionine sulfoxide were identified previously in the urine of patients with cystathioninuria. We have identified these compounds for the first time in the urine of D,L-propargylglycine-treated rats using LC/APCl-MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with an atmospheric pressure chemical ionization interface system) and an amino acid analyzer. Cystathionine mono-oxo acids and cystathionine ketimines were easily interconvertible depending on the pH of the solution. The excretion of PHTZDC, total cystathionine ketimine (cystathionine mono-oxo acids plus cystathionine ketimines), cystathionine sulfoxide and Nac-cystathionine sulfoxide in the rat urine increased in proportion to that of cystathionine content after D,L-propargylglycine administration.

Alkynes↗
PubMed1994

Preliminary Results of Quadrantectomy and Radiation Therapy for Breast Cancer.

Between November 1987 and December 1992, a total of 200 breast carcinomas in 199 patients were treated by definitive radiation therapy following quadrantectomy and level III axillary dissection. One patient with sumultaneous bilateral breast cancers was excluded and 198 patients with breast cancer were enrolled in this study. There were 9 Stage 0, 117 Stage I and 72 Stage II tumors by the UICC tumor classification system (1987). Histological examination revealed that 9 tumors were non-invasive carcinomas and 189 were invasive carcinomas. For radiation therapy, a total of 50 Gy was delivered to the ipsilateral breast using &sup60;Co gamma rays. In three cases with level III lymph node involvement, the ipsilateral supraclavicular and parasternal regions were also irradiated. Boost irradiation was given to 8 of 12 margin-positive patients, and 2 of 24 patients in whom tumor cells were present within 5 mm from the margin. We used a CT simulator for the treatment planning of radiation therapy in 196 tumors. During follow-up for 16-77 months (median: 35 months), 2 patients died of unrelated causes and 6 developed distant metastasis (4 to bone and 2 to lung). Local recurrence was noted in 1 patient. Acute reactions to radiation therapy included moist desquamation involving the tip of the breast and the axilla in 14 and 5 patients, respectively, as well as bright erythema in 7 patients. Late reactions included arm edema in 12 patients, patchy depigmentation at the tip of the breast in 5 patients, moderate telangiectasia in 1 patient, and symptomatic radiationpneumonitis in 1 patient. The actuarial overall survival, cause-specific survival, disease-free survival, and relapse-free survival rates at 5 years were 97.2%, 100%, 93.5%, and 93.0%, respectively. This excellent locoregional control, together with a highly acceptable toxicity strongly suggests the usefulness of quadrantectomy and radiation therapy for Japanese women with breast cancer. The possible indications include clinical Stage 0 and, I breast cancer, and clinical Stage II cancer in patients with relatively large breasts and with the primary tumor not located close to the nipple.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1994

Iminodipeptides containing proline with C-terminal and N-terminal residues prime the stimulation of human neutrophil superoxide generation by fMLP.

Preincubation of human peripheral blood polymophonuclear leukocytes with an iminodipeptide containing proline at the C-terminus and/or N-terminus, Pro-Pro, Gly-Pro, Pro-Gly, Ala-Pro and Pro-Ala, significantly enhanced N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine-induced superoxide generation in a concentration-dependent manner. The iminodipeptide with C-terminal proline showed higher effect than that of the counterpart with N-terminal proline. These iminodipeptides also enhanced the superoxide generation induced by opsonized zymosan but not that induced by arachidonic acid or phorbol myristate acetate. Tyrosyl phosphorylation of the 45-kDa protein occurred in parallel with the iminodipeptide-dependent enhancement of superoxide generation in neutrophil.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Determination of D,L-propargylglycine and N-acetylpropargylglycine in urine and several tissues of D,L-propargylglycine-treated rats using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

An experimental animal model with cystathioninuria was obtained by the injection of D,L-propargylglycine into rats. The concentrations of D,L-propargylglycine in urine, several tissues and serum at different times after the injection were measured by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The propargylglycine accumulated rapidly in several tissues and serum of the rats, and reached its maximum level at about 2 h after the injection. Approximately 21.2% of the administered propargylglycine was excreted in urine. N-Acetylpropargylglycine was identified as a new metabolite of propargylglycine in urine. The concentration of propargylglycine was 100 times that of N-acetylpropargylglycine in urine.

Alkynes↗
PubMed1994

Cloning of a cDNA encoding tobacco omega-3 fatty acid desaturase.

A cDNA was isolated from a tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. SR1) leaf cDNA library using, as a hybridization probe, a cDNA fragment from the gene (fad7) encoding Arabidopsis thaliana chloroplast omega-3 fatty acid (FA) desaturase. The deduced 379-amino-acid (aa) sequence has 67-71% identity to those deduced from the previously described genes encoding the omega-3 FA desaturases of A. thaliana. The absence of an N-terminal extension transit peptide in the deduced aa sequence of the cDNA clone and the accumulation pattern of the mRNA corresponding to this cDNA in leaf and root tissues indicate that the isolated cDNA encodes a tobacco microsomal omega-3 FA desaturase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Specific sequences from the carboxyl terminus of human p53 gene product form anti-parallel tetramers in solution.

Human p53 is a tumor-suppressor gene product associated with control of the cell cycle and with growth suppression, and it is known to form homotetramers in solution. To investigate the relationship of structure to tetramerization, nine peptides corresponding to carboxyl-terminal sequences in human p53 were chemically synthesized, and their equilibrium associative properties were determined by analytical ultracentrifugation. Secondary structure, as determined by circular dichroism measurements, was correlated with oligomerization properties of each peptide. The sedimentation profiles of peptides 319-393 and 319-360 fit a two-state model of peptide monomers in equilibrium with peptide tetramers. Successive deletion of amino- and carboxyl-terminal residues from 319-360 reduced tetramer formation. Further, substitution of alanine for Leu-323, Tyr-327, and Leu-330 abolished tetramerization. Circular dichroism studies showed that peptide 319-351 had the highest alpha-helix content, while the other peptides that did not form tetramers had low helical structure. These studies define a minimal region and identify certain critical residues involved in tetramerization. Cross-linking studies between monomer units in the tetramer suggest that the helices adopt an anti-parallel arrangement. We propose that conformational shifts in the helical structure of the p53 tetramerization domain result in a repositioning of subunits relative to one another. This repositioning provides an explanation relating conformational changes at the carboxyl terminus with changes in sequence-specific DNA binding by the highly conserved central domain.

Circular Dichroism↗