Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Murai

Publications and source records attributed to H Murai.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

WS009 A and B, new endothelin receptor antagonists isolated from Streptomyces sp. no. 89009. I. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, physico-chemical properties and biological activities.

WS009 A and B novel endothelin receptor antagonists, have been isolated from the fermentation broth of Streptomyces sp. No. 89009. These antagonists were purified from the culture filtrate followed by Diaion SP-207, DEAE Toyopearl column chromatography and HPLC. WS009 A and B showed selective activity in an endothelin receptor binding assay with IC50 of 5.8 x 10(-6) M and 6.7 x 10(-7) M, respectively. On the basis of spectroscopic and chemical evidence, the structures of WS009 A and B have been established as 1 and 3, and are highly hydroxylated benz[a]anthraquinone chromophores.

Anthraquinones↗

[Gadolinium-MRI findings of two adrenoleukodystrophy cases treated with gamma-globulin].

Two cases of adrenoleukodystrophy were reported. We treated them with intravenous gamma-globulin infusion. MRI with gadolinium enhancement was performed before and after the therapy to evaluate the effect of gamma-globulin. Case 1 was a 19-year-old boy, who noticed left hemianopsia when he was 18 years old. Case 2 was a 36-year-old man, who developed ataxic gait and character change when he was 33 years old. Very long chain fatty acids in plasma and RBC membrane were elevated in both cases. On T2-weighted image of MRI, high signal lesions were seen in the white matter of occipital lobe in case 1, cerebellum, internal capsule, and around the corpus callosum in case 2. On T1-weighted image, the rim of every lesion was enhanced by gadolinium infusion. After the gamma-globulin therapy, gadolinium enhancement of the rim remarkably reduced in case 1. No reduction was observed in case 2. MRI findings of case 1 indicate the possibility that gamma-globulin may suppress the inflammation of the adrenoleukodystrophy.

Adrenoleukodystrophy↗

[Attempt for modified radical mastectomy in the treatment of early breast cancer].

Until five years ago the Aichi Cancer Center had adopted the standard radical mastectomy where breast, major and minor pectoral muscles, and axillary adipose tissues were resected en bloc. In case tumor was found at the inner half or the center of the breast, parasternal lymph node dissection was concomitantly carried out. Recently, however, we begin to perform Auchincloss by which major and minor pectoral muscles can be conserved, as an attempt for modified radical mastectomy. In some cases, furthermore, breast conserving operation is made. The reasons why we changed the operation methods are: 1) Due to the advancement of diagnostic imaging and widespread self examination, percentage of early breast cancer has considerably increased. 2) Postoperative adjuvant therapy, especially adjuvant endocrine therapy, has remarkably progressed.

Breast Neoplasms↗

[A case of venous thrombosis associated with medullary venous malformation].

A 16 year-old girl was admitted to our hospital complaining of headache and vomiting. She was born with an orbital lymphangioma, which was resected partially at a younger age. On admission she had mild confusion and light neck stiffness as neurological positive findings. Enhanced CT scan showed an eight-figure enhancement at the straight sinus and a linear enhancement at the vermis. Angiography showed venous thrombosis spreading in the deep cerebral veins and the right superior ophthalmic vein. Furthermore a medullary venous malformation (MVM) was disclosed in the posterior fossa. Administration of urokinase and glycerol relieved her symptoms gradually. After that treatment, partial recanalization of the deep cerebral veins and the straight sinus and disappearance of the MVM were recognized in the second angiography. In the present case, the MVM played an important role as collateral channel. But, in general, when venous thrombosis occurs, collateral circulation is maintained by cork-screw vessels, not by MVM. In the light of the presence of the lymphangioma, the present case was thought to be a rare condition in the venous system. It appears that residual fetal vessels have existed in the posterior fossa from birth. It is considered that the residual fetal vessels opened and dilated temporally and were recognized as an MVM in angiography, when cerebral venous flow was disturbed by the venous thrombosis.

Adolescent↗

Clinical features of breast cancer--Anglo-Japanese comparative study.

A comparative study was undertaken at Guy's Hospital in the UK and the Aichi Cancer Center in Japan of the clinical picture of breast cancer in the UK and Japan. Target patients were 221 UK and 200 Japanese primary operable patients who were recruited from April 1979 through August 1980. No difference was seen between the two countries in the side and site of the lesion and the size of the lesion. The localized tenderness of the tumor site was higher in Japanese patients than in UK patients (25.5% vs 0%). Difference was observed in tumor characteristics: breast cancers of the UK patients were irregular, ill-defined, and not so mobile, whereas those of the Japanese patients were round or oval, well-defined, and mobile. Skin fixation was higher in Japanese patients (71.0% vs 44.8%). Clinical node involvement was higher in UK patients (32.5% vs 19.0%).

Age Factors↗

Patterns of recurrence and relapse--Anglo-Japanese comparative study.

A prospective study was undertaken to compare the recurrent sites of breast cancer patients in Japan and the UK. The number of patients collected between April 1979 and August 1980 were 205 in the UK and 199 in Japan, of which those who had recurrence were 89 and 49 respectively. A comparison of the distribution of the first recurrence sites demonstrated that the Japanese patients had significantly higher rates of local recurrence in the supraclavicular fossa and distant metastasis to the lung than UK patients. When comparing the distribution of all recurrent sites seen in the study, Japanese patients showed a significantly higher incidence of metastasis to the supraclavicular fossa and the lung while the UK patients showed a significantly higher incidence of skin metastasis. Bone metastases were observed more often in Japanese patients and liver metastases in UK patients, but neither of the differences were statistically significant.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Study of regional cerebral blood flow in experimental head injury: changes following cerebral contusion and during spreading depression.

Changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) following fluid-percussion brain injury (cerebral contusion) were studied in rats using the autoradiographic method. The direct current potential was monitored to identify spreading depression (SD). The rCBF was measured during SD and 2, 4, and 24 hours after injury. rCBF was almost nil in the contused area and decreased considerably in the cortices of the injured side for 4 hours after insult, then recovered by 24 hours. Focal relative rCBF increase occurred in the parietal cortex during SD, and was probably hyperperfusion due to SD. However, the rCBF did not increase over the sham-operated control. The injury probably caused hypoperfusion within 4 hours of insult and abolished the vascular response to SD.

Animals↗

WF-2421, a new aldose reductase inhibitor produced from a fungus, Humicola grisea.

WF-2421 is a novel aldose reductase inhibitor produced by Humicola grisea. WF-2421 was purified from the culture filtrate by successive ion exchange chromatography and the chemical structure was assigned to be alpha-formamido-5'-(2-formamido-1-hydroxyethyl)- beta,2',6-trihydroxy-3-biphenylpropanoic acid (1) on the basis of spectroscopic evidence. The IC50 value of WF-2421 was 3 x 10(-8) M against partially purified aldose reductase of rabbit lens.

Aldehyde Reductase↗

[Local spinal cord glucose utilization and extracellular potassium activity changes after spinal cord injury in rats].

Spinal microenvironment and metabolic alterations after experimental contusional injury of the spinal cord were evaluated in the same Wistar rats. Severe spinal cord injury was made under light GOF anesthesia with a 10 g weight drop onto the exposed Th-8 spinal cord from a 10 cm height and then halothane was ceased. The author studied extracellular potassium activity ([K+]e) and DC potential for 2 hours after paraplegic spinal cord injury in conscious rats. Furthermore, at 2 hours after cord injury, local spinal cord glucose utilization (1-SCGU) was measured with quantitative autoradiographic 2-[14C] deoxy-glucose method (Sokoloff et al.). [K+]e in injured spinal cords was 59 +/- 5 (mean +/- S.E.M.) mEq at 10 min after injury and was cleared with an exponential half-life of 1 hour. At 2 hours after injury [K+]e was still high with a value of 16 +/- 1 mEq compared with 4 mEq of control animals. DC potential changes was a mirror image of that of [K+]e. DC potential changed by a mean of 10.7 mV positively from 10 min. to 2 hours after injury. 1-SCGU at the impact site was extremely low in both white and gray matters. At 6mm rostral from the impact center 1-SCGU was remarkably reduced in the gray matter, and in the lateral white matter. But at 3 mm rostral 1-SCGU was well preserved. And at 20 mm rostral there was no difference in 1-SCGU with control animals. Massive potassium efflux from the injured spinal cord to the adjacent spinal segment was clarified at this experiment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

[Effects of the cortical subarachnoid hemorrhage on cerebral glucose metabolism].

Neurological deficits following human subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) have been related to the cerebral arterial spasm and the increase in intracranial pressure (ICP) secondary to the development of hydrocephalus. Metabolic depression in experiment study was thought as resulting from brain stem dysfunction. On the other hand, some reports have shown no relationship between vasospasm and neurological abnormalities. The mechanism of cerebral metabolism depression after SAH remains unclear. The effect of blood in the cortical subarachnoid space on the cerebral metabolism has not been known well. To investigate this effect, a new cortical SAH model was developed using rat and local cerebral glucose utilization (LCGU) after production of SAH was measured. A cortical SAH model: a small burr hole was made on the left parietal bone and the arachnoid membrane was pierced with a tapered glass-needle 60 mu tip in diameter. Fresh autologous non-heparinized arterial blood 0.04 ml was injected into subarachnoid space within 60 seconds through that needle. The blood extended over the left cerebral cortical surface with thin subarachnoid hematoma on the parietal cortex, but did not extend on the right hemisphere and the basal cistern. The increase in ICP during production of SAH was minimal, mean value of 7.2 mmHg and ICP slowly returned to the basal level within 30 minutes. Rats were divided into 3 groups; rats 2 hours (SAH-2h, n = 7) and 48 hours (SAH-48h, n = 7) after production of SAH and rats 2hours after 0.04 ml saline injection for control (Control, n = 7). LCGU was studied according to the methods developed by Sokoloff.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Studies on new dehydropeptidase inhibitors. III. Biological properties of WS1358A1.

WS1358A1, a novel inhibitor of renal dehydropeptidase (DHP), augmented the urinary recovery of a carbapenem antibiotic imipenem and improved its protective effect in experimental infections when simultaneously administered to mice with the antibiotic. WS1358A1 was a competitive DHP inhibitor with a Ki value of 1.6 x 10(-7) M.

Animals↗

[Fractional determination of bile acids bound with protein in serum by high-performance liquid chromatography using dual-column switching system].

A simple and rapid technique for the fractional determination of bile acids bound with protein in the serum was developed by using high performance liquid chromatography with a dual-column switching system. The serum samples were directly injected onto a first column (hydroxyapatite), which was initially flushed with 1 mM phosphate buffer. Serum proteins were strongly retained on a column of hydroxyapatite, but free bile acids were not retained. The bile acids were adsorbed on a second column (Serumout-25) and eluted onto a column of immobilized 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 alpha-HSD) with an elution solvent (CH3CN-MeOH-30 mM ammonium acetate, 30:30:40, v/v/v). Reduced nicotinamideadenine dinucleotide was produced on the immobilized 3 alpha-HSD column and then determined fluorometrically. Subsequently, the hydroxyapatite column was flushed with 20 mM phosphate buffer. Bile acids bound with albumin were eluted and condensed on Serumout-25. The phosphate buffer (400 mM) was finally used for the elution of bile acids bound with globulin from the hydroxyapatite column. Each condensed bile acid was eluted onto the immobilized 3 alpha-HSD column as described above.

Bile Acids and Salts↗

[A three-dimensional observation of human hair tissue treated by modified trypsin-HC1 method].

To observe the three-dimensional ultrastructures of human hair and hair follicle under scanning electron microscope, biopsied scalp tissues were treated by the combination of the trypsin-HC1 method and ultrasonic cleaning. After this treatment, the connective tissues surrounding the hair follicle were removed to permit the three dimensional observation of hair tissue. The following findings were obtained; 1) The basal plate, composed of fibroblasts and collagen fibers, was seen as a small disc covering the entrance of hair papilla, 2) The connective tissue (fibrous) sheet, with a capillary network, tightly surrounded the lower hair follicle. 3) A morphological difference in the cells between the cell layers constituting the hair bulb was seen; there were discoid cells in the outer and spherical cells in inner layer, 4) Numerous micro-villous projections were present on the surface of outer root sheath cells and on the surface of keratinized inner root sheath; the latter surface resembled the bark of a tree in appearance. The present modified method seems useful for three-dimensional ultrastructural observation of human hair and hair follicles.

Adolescent↗

[Occult carcinoma of the breast presenting as an axillary node enlargement].

The authors discuss ten cases of occult carcinoma of the breast which presented initially as the axillary node enlargement. All cases were proven as adenocarcinoma. Both mammography and ultrasonography revealed the tumor in 3 cases, while in the remaining 7 cases malignant lumps were not visualized. Multiple studies to detect an extra mammary site proved to be negative. A concealed carcinoma of the breast was found in 9 patients with careful sectioning of the resected breast specimens. Only one patient in whom carcinoma of the breast could not be detected has survived well for 6 years after the mastectomy. Parasternal node involvement was not identified in all 7 patients of who had received an extended radical mastectomy. Three patients died of the disease within 45 mo. Seven patients are free of recurrence for 1 to 10 years (average 6 1/2 Y). Prognosis of the patients in this group are as good as and/or sometimes better than those of the patients with axillary nodes pathologically positive.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Rapid and sensitive on-line precolumn purification and high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for bile acids in serum.

A simple and rapid technique for the simultaneous isolation and analysis of fifteen kinds of bile acid was developed using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with an automatic dual-precolumn switching system. The serum samples were directly injected onto a first precolumn (hydroxyapatite), which was flushed with 1 mM phosphate buffer. Serum proteins were strongly retained on the hydroxyapatite column, but bile acids were unretained. The bile acids were absorbed on a second precolumn (Serumout-25) and eluted onto the analytical column with solvent B (acetonitrile-methanol-30 mM ammonium acetate, 20:20:60, v/v/v). For the separation of each bile acid, the gradient elution technique was used (solvent A was acetonitrile-methanol-30 mM ammonium acetate, 30:30:40). After separation of the bile acids, NADH was produced by use of immobilized 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase column and then determined fluorimetrically (gamma em = 460 nm, gamma ex = 350 nm). The recoveries of bile acids in serum generally approached 100%.

Bile Acids and Salts↗