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Biomedical subjects

I Hara

Publications and source records attributed to I Hara.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Effect of fusaric acid (a dopamine beta-hydroxylase inhibitor) on phaeochromocytoma.

Fusaric acid, an inhibitor of dopamine beta-hydroxylase, which converts dopamine to noradrenaline, lowered the blood pressure and induced a subjective improvement in patients with phaeochromocytoma. These effects may be due either to an impairment of catecholamine biosynthesis or to a direct action on the blood vessels. The use of this drug in the treatment of patients with inoperable malignant phaeochromocytoma or neuroblastoma may improve symptoms and prolong survival.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1985

Health status and PCBs in blood of workers exposed to PCBs and of their children.

A follow-up study of capacitor manufacturing workers exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and their children was conducted since 1973. PCB levels in whole blood of workers as well as in breast milk of the exposed lactating mothers were approximately 10 to 100 times those of nonexposed Japanese. Blood PCB levels had a statistically significant correlation with the duration of PCB handling and breast milk PCB levels. The rate of decline of blood PCB levels, as well as the changes of the gas chromatograph of blood PCB over 7 years was found to vary with the kind of PCB handled. The levels of blood PCB tended to be higher in the children fed PCB-contaminated breast milk for a long period. The great majority of workers handling PCBs had dermatologic complaints. Discontinuance of contact with PCB led to gradual improvement of these lesions. Abnormal results in the blood chemistry of the workers were rare, while serum triglyceride concentration was significantly correlated with blood PCB levels in 1974. In the questionnaire study, the number of complaints in children born from mothers who had handled PCBs, especially those fed breast milk for a long period, was conspicuously higher than that in control groups. Several children were found to have the same medical findings as in yusho; however, they have not been diagnosed as PCB-poisoning, because these findings were neither so serious nor related to the blood PCB levels.

Breast Feeding↗
PubMed1985

Variation of cysteine level by chlorobenzene-induced pertubation of glutathione metabolism in rat liver.

Effects of chlorobenzene-induced alteration in glutathione levels on cysteine metabolism in rat liver were investigated. Male Wistar rats were intraperitoneally injected with chlorobenzene (0.2, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 mmol/kg body weight). Both hepatic glutathione and cysteine levels were dose-dependently decreased by the chlorobenzene 6 h after the injection. However, at 24 h, the glutathione in the rats with chlorobenzene increased significantly as compared to that in the rats without chlorobenzene. Concomitant to the elevation in glutathione levels, hepatic glutathione synthesis activities were increased by the chlorobenzene by 68-111%. On the other hand, no significant difference between the rats with and without chlorobenzene was observed as regards cysteine levels at 24 h. Hepatic glutamate, glycine, methionine and serine levels were unaltered but hepatic taurine levels were significantly decreased by the chlorobenzene at both 6 and 24 h. Chlorobenzene administration had no effect on hepatic cystathionine synthase and cystathionase activities. These results indicate that a transient loss of hepatic glutathione, caused by the administration of chlorobenzene, resulted in an acceleration of glutathione synthesis and an increase of cysteine demand in the liver.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1984

High-performance liquid chromatography of apolipoproteins in serum high-density lipoproteins.

A simple and rapid method for apolipoprotein analysis in serum high-density lipoproteins (HDL) has been developed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) containing 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) as eluent. In contrast to the use of urea solution as an eluent, apolipoproteins can be analysed by applying an incubation mixture of HDL and the eluent buffer. A TSK-GEL column of G3000SW was found to be more profitable than G2000SW or G4000SW for analysis of HDL apolipoproteins. Elution patterns monitored by absorbance at 280 nm using a G3000SW column can give precise quantitative as well as qualitative information about apolipoproteins of molecular weight between 10(4) and 10(5). HPLC patterns of HDL apolipoproteins were compared between individual human subjects with various diseases. Elution profiles for lipid components in an incubation mixture were also examined.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Marked hyper-HDL2-cholesterolemia associated with premature corneal opacity. A case report.

We report here a peculiar case with premature corneal opacity and extremely high levels of HDL cholesterol in serum. The patient is a 54-year-old man who was first noticed to have marked corneal opacities at age 19. His serum HDL cholesterol level was elevated to the level of 135-160 mg/dl, while total serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were 254 mg/dl and 56 mg/dl, respectively. Serum apoprotein A-I and E levels analyzed by single radial immunodiffusion method were elevated in the case. Serum lipoprotein fractions isolated by preparative ultracentrifugation revealed that increased levels of HDL cholesterol were accounted for solely by the HDL2 fraction. HDL2 of the patient contained relatively higher amounts of apoprotein E than normal control HDL2. Elution profiles of lipoproteins in high performance liquid chromatography revealed that HDL2 particles from the patient were larger in size than those from normal controls. These characteristics of HDL are in part similar to those of HDLC which appears in experimental animals after cholesterol feeding. Such abnormalities in HDL2 fractions associated with premature corneal opacity have not been reported so far and appear to constitute a new disease entity.

Cholesterol↗
PubMed1984

Analysis of apolipoproteins in high density lipoproteins by high performance liquid chromatography.

A simple and rapid method for the analysis of apolipoproteins in high density lipoprotein (HDL) by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been developed (Kinoshita et al. (1983) J. Biochem. 94, 615-617). With this method, using a sodium phosphate buffer containing 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as an eluent, apolipoproteins can be analyzed from a very small amount of HDL fraction without delipidation using organic solvents. Separation profiles of apolipoproteins by this method were examined using several techniques. The elution pattern monitored by A280 can give precise quantitative as well as qualitative information about size-distribution of apolipoproteins, except for the apo C group. Moreover, separation of apo E from apo A-I was found to be improved by column elongation.

Apolipoproteins↗
PubMed1984

[A nationwide survey on the use of organic solvents in Japan].

A total of 1,179 organic solvent products used as thinners, paint, degreasers, inks, adhesive and others, were collected nationwide from factories of various sizes and kinds in Japan, and analyzed by gas chromatography. Solvent components per sample, frequency of each solvent component, and contents of each component were analyzed and classified by use. Paints, inks, and adhesives which contained nonvolatile substances were analyzed by head space techniques. Seventy-seven percent of all samples, 93% of paints, 85% of thinners, 73% of adhesives, and 52% of degreasers contained mixed organic solvents. The average numbers of solvent components per sample were 4.14 (max. 13) in thinner, 3.29 (max. 7) in paint, 2.23 (max. 5) ink, 2.19 (max. 6) in adhesive, 1.71 (max. 6) in degreaser, when gasoline was excluded. Toluene, xylene, methylalcohol, isopropylalcohol, ethylacetate, methylethylketone, industrial gasoline were widely used in the above-mentioned products. Toluene was the most popular component in the solvent products, excluding degreasers. Many kinds of solvent components were used in thinner and paint. However, toluene, xylene and industrial gasoline were their main components and contents per sample were very high. Acetates, alcohols, ketones and glycols were frequently detected in solvent products, but their contents per sample were relatively low, because these solvent components were usually used as subordinate solvents. The chlorinated hydrocarbons such as trichloroethylene, tetrachloroethylene and 1,1,1-trichloroethane, and industrial gasoline were the most popular components in degreasers. 1,4-dioxane was detected in a relatively large number of the samples, but its content per sample was very low, because it is usually used as an additive to 1,1,1-trichloroethane. Toluene was the most popular component in ink solvents, too. In addition, isopropylacohol, methylalcohol, methylethylketone were frequently detected in inks. Toluene was also the most popular component in adhesives, and n-hexane was also frequently detected in them. In order to prevent poisoning by industrial solvents, special attention should be paid to toluene and xylene, which are frequently and largely used for wide purposes, trichloroethylene which is largely used as a degreaser and has a severe toxicity, n-hexane which is frequently used in adhesives and has a high volatility and severe neurotoxicity, and other popular and toxic solvents. The severely toxic solvents such as benzene, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, 1,2-dichloroethane, 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane and carbon disulfide were detected in few samples.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adhesives↗
PubMed1984

Association of elevated serum glycoprotein gp70 with increased gp70 immune complex formation and accelerated lupus nephritis in autoimmune male BXSB mice.

BXSB male mice, which spontaneously develop a systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) like disease, were the only strain to have a significant incidence of abnormally elevated levels of gp70 in sera. Concentrations of gp70 in some mice were more than 10 times (greater than 500 micrograms/ml) those of young BXSB and any other murine strain. The presence of high serum levels of gp70 was significantly associated with hepatic sinusoidal lymphocytosis, a high incidence of which was only observed in male BXSB mice. Serum levels of gp70-anti-gp70 immune complexes were greatly increased in mice with high levels of gp70, presumably associated with increased anti-gp70 antibody production. Such mice developed fatal glomerulonephritis significantly earlier than those with lower levels of gp70. These results suggest that (1) hepatic inflammation of unknown aetiology occurring uniquely in male BXSB mice during the course of their SLE may be responsible for the enhanced expression of serum gp70 antigen, because of its nature as an acute phase reactant and (2) enhanced expression of gp70 antigen is associated with increased formation of anti-gp70 antibodies and exacerbation of lupus nephritis in male BXSB mice.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Abnormalities in plasma lipoprotein in familial partial lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase deficiency.

Abnormalities in plasma lipoproteins from patients with familial partial lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase deficiency were studied. In these patients the plasma cholesterol ester ratio was about 40% and plasma apolipoprotein B level remained within the normal range. The content of large-sized low-density-lipoproteins (LDL) was low. Apolipoprotein B-100 and B-48 were detected in very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL) and LDL in patients' plasma. In patients' LDL, apolipoprotein B-48 was primarily present in large-sized particles. Apolipoprotein E and A-I were mainly detected in intermediate-sized LDL. High-density lipoproteins (HDL) were separated into three fractions by gel permeation chromatography. Large-sized HDL particles (150-200 A) including discoidal particles contained apolipoproteins, E, A-IV and A-I. The content of discoidal HDL was low and, on electron micrograph, rouleau-formed particles were rarely seen. Normal-sized HDL (80-100 A) contained apolipoproteins A-I and A-II and small-sized HDL (about 60 A) contained only apolipoprotein A-I. Although several lipoprotein abnormalities were similar to those in classical familial lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase deficiency, remaining lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase activity may, however, cause a lack of reduction of apolipoprotein B level, a low level of large-sized LDL and also a low level of discoidal HDL.

Adult↗