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Biomedical subjects

J Kai

Publications and source records attributed to J Kai.

26 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Thermodynamic aspects of hydrophobicity and the blood-brain barrier permeability studied with a gel filtration chromatography.

It has been said that the selective permeability across the blood--brain barrier depends on several physicochemical properties of drugs such as hydrophobicity, molecular weight, and hydrogen-bonding potential. In order to investigate quantitatively the relationship between the blood--brain barrier permeability and the hydrophobicity of drugs, we have measured the micelle/water partition properties (Pmic) by the MLC (micellar liquid chromatography) method using a gel filtration version and compared with the blood--brain barrier permeability. The thermodynamic aspects of partition were derived by separating the micelle/water partition coefficient (log Pmic) into the enthalpy term PH and the entropy term PS. It was found that the PH shows a good correlation to the permeability, although log Pmic fails to do so. The result means that PH, which is easily obtained from the in vitro experiment, can be used as an excellent standard in discussing the transport phenomena through the blood--brain barrier.

Blood-Brain Barrier↗
PubMed1994

'Baby Check' in the inner city--use and value to parents.

'Baby Check', an information booklet designed to aid assessment of acutely ill babies, was given to a group of socioeconomically disadvantaged families from one inner city general practice. Parents' perceptions and use of the booklet were explored in a qualitative study based on audiotaped interviews with 42 parents of 34 babies under 6 months old. Most families (26) used Baby Check spontaneously. Parents found that Baby Check was helpful, reduced anxiety and increased confidence coping with illness, seeking medical advice and communicating with doctors. Parents experienced some difficulties, e.g. they had concerns about a check for rectal temperature and they sought more information and advice about common illnesses. Parents valued and were empowered by access to 'medical' information. Further evaluation and consultation with parents is required to ensure that information is relevant to their needs.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1993

Parents' perceptions of taking babies' rectal temperature.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the attitudes of parents to measuring their babies' rectal temperature. DESIGN: Qualitative study using unstructured interviews of parents given "Baby Check," a scoring system designed to assess severity of illness in babies that includes measurement of rectal temperature. SETTING: One inner city general practice in Newcastle upon Tyne. SUBJECTS: 42 parents of 34 babies under 6 months old. RESULTS: Parents were reluctant to measure rectal temperature in their babies; 37 parents spontaneously raised concerns. Fifteen did not undertake measurement, 16 did so once only, and 11 did so more than once. Parents' concerns included a fear of hurting their child, anxieties about sexual intimacy and abuse, difficulty in comforting their child, and concern for their child's feelings. Most (33) substituted axillary measurement. CONCLUSIONS: Parents' preference for the axillary method of measuring temperature and resistance to using a rectal method in their children was based on several concerns. If parents are to be encouraged to use the rectal method of measuring temperature in sick babies any benefits must be set against the generation of considerable parental anxiety and the resources that would be necessary to negotiate with parents and change their views.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1989

Multiple genes coding for precursors of rhodotorucine A, a farnesyl peptide mating pheromone of the basidiomycetous yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides.

Haploid cells of mating type A of the basidiomycetous yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides secrete a mating pheromone, rhodotorucine A, which is an undecapeptide containing S-farnesyl cysteine at its carboxy terminus. To analyze the processing and secretion pathway of rhodotorucine A, we isolated both genomic and complementary DNAs encoding the peptide moiety. We identified three distinct genes, RHA1, RHA2, and RHA3, encoding four, five, and three copies of the pheromone peptide, respectively. Complementary DNA clones were classified into two types. One type was homologous to RHA1, and the other type was homologous to RHA2. Transcription start sites were identified by primer extension and S1 nuclease protection, from which the site of the initiator methionine was verified. A primary precursor of rhodotorucine A was detected as a 7-kilodalton protein by immunoprecipitation of in vitro translation products. On the basis of these results, we propose similar three-precursor structures of rhodotorucine A, each containing the amino-terminal peptide sequence Met-Val-Ala. The precursors contain three, four, or five tandem repeats of the pheromone peptide, each separated by a spacer peptide, Thr-Val-Ser(Ala)-Lys, and each precursor has the carboxy-terminal sequence Thr-Val-Ala. This structure suggests that primary precursors of rhodotorucine A do not contain canonical signal sequences.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

In vitro bactericidal activities and morphologic changes in Escherichia coli and Bacteroides fragilis by cephalosporins.

Polymicrobial infections with aerobes and anaerobes are common in pelvic inflammatory diseases. New parenteral cephalosporins have been widely used against those infections. We investigated in vitro morphologic changes and bactericidal activities on Escherichia coli and Bacteroides fragilis by cephalosporins; cefluprenam (CFLP), ceftazidime (CAZ) or cefotaxime (CTX). CFLP induced morphologic changes (filamentation) and bactericidal activities on E. coli and B. fragilis. Morphologic changes were observed by electron microscope. The filamentation induced by CFLP was time and concentration dependent. The bactericidal activity of CFLP against E. coli was almost equal to those of CAZ and CTX. The bactericidal activity of CTX against B. fragilis was superior to those of CFLP and CAZ. These results suggest that there are characteristic aspects in each cephalosporin.

Bacteroides Infections↗
PubMedDate not supplied

In vitro bactericidal activities of a new oral cephalosporin, E1100, and morphologic changes on Escherichia coli.

Escherichia coli is one of the most common aerobic bacteria in pelvic inflammatory diseases. Oral cephalosporins have been widely used against those infections. We investigated in vitro morphologic changes induced on E. coli by a new oral cephalosporin, E1100, and its bactericidal activity on this organism. Morphologic changes were observed by electron microscopy. E1100 induced morphologic changes (filamentation) and exerted a bactericidal activity on E. coli. The filamentation induced by E1100 was time and concentration dependent.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMedDate not supplied

In vitro bactericidal activities of antimicrobial agents and morphologic changes on Prevotella bivia.

Prevotella bivia is common in pelvic inflammatory diseases. Parenteral antimicrobial agents have been widely used against those infections. We investigated the bactericidal activities of three cephalosporins, i.e. cefluprenam (CFLP), ceftazidime (CAZ) and cefotaxime (CTX) and of two other antimicrobial agents, i.e. clindamycin (CLDM) and imipenem (IPM) against P. bivia. We also investigated the in vitro morphological changes induced by these agents in P. bivia. Cephalosporins exhibited bactericidal activities against P. bivia and induced time- and concentration-dependent morphological changes in P. bivia (filamentation). CLDM and IPM also had bactericidal activities, but induced different morphologic alterations: formation of spheroblasts and lysis. These results confirm the fact that each antimicrobial agent has characteristic aspects.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗