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Biomedical subjects

J Sasaki

Publications and source records attributed to J Sasaki.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Anti-tumor activity of squid ink.

The anti-tumor activity of a new type of peptidoglycan isolated from squid ink was shown to have a cure rate of 64% for Meth A tumor from BALB/c mice. The ink delipidated in acetone, which contained the peptidoglycan at 0.1% (w/w), was administered to tumor-transplanted mice so as to examine the anti-tumor activity. One-fifth of the tumor-bearing mice was cured with 3 injections (1 mg/head) of the acetone delipidated squid ink or a prolongation of survival was observed in the treated animals. Heat treatment at 100 degrees C for 10 min did not affect the anti-tumor activity of the delipidated ink, its potentiality being preserved. The acetone-extractable fraction of the ink also brought about a similar cure rate for Meth A tumor. The delipidated ink enhanced the phagocytic activity of macrophages but no direct cytotoxicity was observed for the Meth A tumor cells. Hence it may be said that the anti-tumor activity of the delipidated ink was mainly due to the augmented cellular immunity in vivo.

Acetone↗
PubMed1997

[Evaluation by visiting nurse in end-stage cancers--family questionnaire for patients who died after visiting nurse].

Since April 1994, we have provided visiting nurse care for patients with end-stage of cancers. A questionnaire was sent to 72 families of patients who died of cancer and who received after visiting nurse care. The response rate to the questionnaire was 76.4% (55 patients). One group of 27 patients died at home (Group A), and the other group of 28 patients died in the hospital (Group B). Patients who knew they had cancer accounted for 85.2% in Group A, and 57.1% in Group B. Of all patients, 69.1% desired home nursing, with 77.8% in Group A, and 60.7% in Group B. The satisfaction of families with the visiting nurse was evaluated. In Group A, satisfaction was 66.7% and relative satisfaction was 18.5%. In Group B, satisfaction was 50.0% and relative satisfaction was 25.0%. Satisfaction of patients with the place of death was 81.5% in Group A, and 35.7% in Group B. Many families wished to have the nurse visit 2 times a week, and an hour at each visit. The great mental burden on the families who provide home care for patients with terminal cancer was clear for the questionnaire. Arrangement for a support system for patients and families, through visiting nurse services, is necessary in our hospital.

Community Health Nursing↗
PubMed1997

Prevalence of congenital dental anomalies of the deciduous dentition in Japanese children.

We examined the prevalence of anomalies in deciduous dentition in 2,733 Japanese three-year-old children. The results showed that fused teeth occurs in 4.10%, congenital missing teeth in 2.38%, enamel hypoplasia in 1.50%, peg-shaped teeth in 0.55%, palatal cusps in upper deciduous incisors in 0.37%, supernumerary teeth in 0.07%, and color anomalies in 0.07%. Sixty-nine boys and 43 girls had fused teeth, percentages of 4.88 and 3.26, respectively. This difference was significant. All the fused teeth were located in the anterior region and were more frequent in the mandibular than in the maxillary arch. In the mandibular arch, 50 cases involved the lateral incisor and canine; the central incisor and lateral incisor were fused in 48 instances. There were 30 boys (2.12%) and 35 girls (2.65%) with congenitally missing deciduous teeth. This difference was not significant. Unilateral missing teeth were more frequently observed than bilateral missing ones. The lower lateral deciduous incisor was the most frequently missing tooth. The prevalences of fused teeth and congenital missing teeth were significantly higher in this study than in studies of American and Scandinavian children. These two anomalies are tending to increase in frequency in Japan.

Anodontia↗
PubMed1997

Comparison of in vitro activity of azithromycin and ampicillin against 31 isolates of Streptococcus milleri.

Antibacterial action of azithromycin against 31 strains of dental infection-derived Streptococcus milleri and tissue transfer of the agent were compared with ampicillin, the drug of first choice for dental infections. Concentrations required to inhibit 50% of isolates(MIC50) and Concentrations required to kill 50% of isolates(MBC50) were 0.10 and 0.2 microgram/ml, respectively, for azithromycin. The antibacterial action of azithromycin was 4 times more potent in than ampicillin. The MBC90 for azithromycin was 0.39 microgram/ml, for amplicill 3.13 micrograms/ml. Bactericidally, azithromycin was 8 times more active than ampicillin. The peak value of concentrations (Cmax) of azithromycin was 0.45 microgram/ml, about 1/10 that of ampicillin. The half-life of azithromycin was 10 hours, about 5 times longer than that of ampicillin. The contact time of MIC90 concentrations for azithromycin was 12 hours, distinctly longer than the 8 hours calculated for ampicillin. Azithromycin showed excellent tissue transfer concentrations: the gingival transfer concentration following oral administration of 500 mg/day ranged from 0.7-23.5 micrograms/ml.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1996

Hydration of the counterion of the Schiff base in the chloride-transporting mutant of bacteriorhodopsin: FTIR and FT-raman studies of the effects of anion binding when Asp85 is replaced with a neutral residue.

The chromophores of the D85T and D85N mutants of bacteriorhodopsin are blue but become purple like the wild type when chloride or bromide binds near the Schiff base. In D85T this occurs near neutral pH, but in D85N only at pH < 4. The structures of the L and the unphotolyzed states of these proteins were examined with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The difference spectra of the purple forms, but not the blue forms in the absence of these anions, resembled the spectrum of the wild-type protein. Shift of the ethylenic band toward lower frequency upon replacing chloride by bromide confirmed the contribution of the negative charge of the anions to the Schiff base counterion. These anions restored the change of water, which is bound near the protonated Schiff base but is absent in the blue form of the D85N mutant, though with stronger H-bonding than in the wild type. The C = N stretching vibration of the Schiff base in H2O and 2H2O was detected by Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy. The H-bonding strength of the Schiff base in the unphotolyzed state was weaker when chloride or bromide was bound to the mutants than with Asp85 as the counterion in the wild type. Thus, although the geometry of the environment is different, there is at least one water molecule coordinated to the bound halide in these mutants, in a way similar to water bound to Asp85 in the wild type.

Anions↗
PubMed1996

Structural changes in the peptide backbone in complex formation between activated rhodopsin and transducin studied by FTIR spectroscopy.

Structural changes in the complex formation between transducin and metarhodopsin II, the activated form of photolyzed rhodopsin, in visual transduction processes were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The spectrum of the complex was obtained by subtracting the contribution of metarhodopsin I and uncomplexed metarhodopsin II. The averaged spectrum upon the complex formation was then compared with that in the conversion of rhodopsin-to-metarhodopsin II. Frequency shifts of the peptide carbonyl vibrations at 1686, 1674, and 1661 cm-1 to 1640 cm-1 were observed upon complex formation from metarhodopsin II plus transducin. These changes must have resulted from the strengthening of H-bonding of one or a few peptide groups but is not ascribable to global conformation change. Changes in the frequencies of the peptide amides were also detected. With regard to intramembrane carboxylic acid residues, no further changes were noticed in the carboxyl vibrations of Asp83, Glu122, and Glu113. Only a small change possibly due to Glu134 was detected.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Characterization of a novel variant of apolipoprotein E, E2 Fukuoka (Arg-224 --> Gln) in a hyperlipidemic patient with xanthomatosis.

A new variant of apolipoprotein (apo) E, designated apo E2 Fukuoka, was identified in a 54-year-old Japanese woman who suffered from hyperlipoproteinemia (total cholesterol 29.7 mmol/l, triglyceride 12.0 mmol/l, when she was 48-year-old) with the presence of xanthoma in the palms, bones, and ocular fundi, and other sites. Foam-cell macrophages were observed in bone marrow specimens. Analysis of apo E phenotype showed the E3/E2 isoform on isoelectric focusing performed on plasma, but the E3/E3 isoform on restriction-fragment-length polymorphism of the apo E gene. This discrepancy indicated that the apo E had an amino-acid substitution outside of amino-acid residues at 112 and 158. Sequence analysis of the patient's DNA, which was amplified by PCR and subcloned, revealed a single substitution from arginine (CGG) to glutamine (CAG) at residue 224, thereby adding one negatively charged unit to apo E3. Recombinant apo E2 Fukuoka produced in COS-1 cells showed almost the same binding activity to the LDL receptor on human skin fibroblasts as compared with recombinant apo E3. Recombinant apo E2 Fukuoka showed the same heparin binding ability than recombinant apo E3. Findings indicated that apo E2 Fukuoka was not the primary cause of the hyperlipoproteinemia observed in this case.

Apolipoprotein E2↗
PubMed1996

Effects of arginine-82 on the interactions of internal water molecules in bacteriorhodopsin.

Arg82, one of the residues near the protonated Schiff base of bacteriorhodopsin, facilitates proton release to the medium during the L-to-M reaction of the photocycle, but retards the rate of proton transfer from the Schiff base to Asp85. In order to understand the role of Arg82 in these processes, the structural changes upon formation of the M intermediate were studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of the hydrated films of Arg82 mutants at pH 9.5. The negative band at 1700 cm-1 in the BR --> M spectrum due to the deprotonation of Glu204 was absent when Arg82 was replaced with alanine (R82A), but present with small amplitude when residue 82 was a glutamine (R82Q), or a lysine (R82K), with a shift to 1696 cm-1. The O-H stretch of water at 3643 cm-1 is shifted toward a lower frequency in R82Q, R82K, and R82A in the unphotolyzed state. However, R82Q retains a fraction of the unshifted band. Another O-H stretch is prominent in R82Q around 3625 cm-1 but absent in R82A and probably in R82K. In parallel, R82Q retains a fraction of the slow component of the formation of the M intermediate, which is almost completely absent in R82K and R82A. These results, along with previous data for the mutants of Glu204, suggest that the guanidium group of Arg82 influences the H-bonding of water molecules located close to Asp85 and Arg82-Glu204 regions, and the rate of proton transfer from the Schiff base to Asp85. The amide group of Gln82 can substitute for it but weakly.

Arginine↗
PubMed1996

Expression of manganese superoxide dismutase mRNA in reproductive organs during the ovulatory process and the estrous cycle of the rat.

Expression of manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) mRNA during the pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG)/human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG)-induced ovulatory process, and during the estrous cycle was examined in rat female reproductive organs. Mn-SOD mRNA levels in theca interna cells markedly increased in PMSG-primed rats and high levels of the transcripts were maintained after HCG injection. The PMSG-enhanced expression of Mn-SOD mRNA in follicular epithelial cells increased concomitantly with luteinization of these cells. The levels of Mn-SOD mRNA remained high and became equivalent in both granulosa and theca lutein cells 24 h after HCG injection. Neither luteinization nor the expression of Mn-SOD mRNA was observed in the epithelial cells of unovulated follicles. Luteal bodies had formed 3 days after HCG injection, and the same level of Mn-SOD mRNA expression continued in lutein cells, but not in stromal cells. During the estrous cycle, Mn-SOD mRNA was localized to theca interna cells on proestrus, to the epithelial cells of luteinizing follicles on estrus, and to newly formed luteal bodies on diestrus. The epithelial cells in the oviduct did not express Mn-SOD mRNA throughout the ovulatory process or the estrous cycle. Expression of Mn-SOD mRNA in the luminal epithelial cells of the uterus increased after PMSG injection, reaching a maximum after 24 h, and became relatively negative 3 days after HCG injection when corpora lutea had formed in the ovary. During the estrous cycle, uterine epithelial cells and leukocytes showed marked increases in Mn-SOD mRNA expression on estrus and on proestrus, respectively. Expression in the vaginal epithelium became apparent 3 days after HCG injection and continued for at least 12 days after HCG injection. The expression was localized to the superficial layer of the epithelium. During the estrous cycle, expression occurs in the basal layer on proestrus and estrus, transferring to the superficial layer on diestrus day 1, and expression stops on diestrus day 2. The relationship between the expression of Mn-SOD mRNA and hormone-induced metabolic changes, including steroidogenesis, is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Serum MIP-1 alpha and IL-8 in septic patients.

UNLABELLED: We studied blood MIP-1 alpha and IL-8 in 38 septic patients and 5 healthy volunteers. Both chemokines were undetectable in the healthy volunteers. In sepsis, serum MIP-1 alpha was detected in 45% of the patients and Il-8 in 84%. The levels of MIP-1 alpha, but not of IL-8, correlated with CRP, IL-6 and TNF alpha levels. Complications, including various organ failures and mortality, showed no correlation with serum MIP-1 alpha levels. In contrast, we found increased levels of serum IL-8 in septic patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation, central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction or renal failure, and the mortality rate was higher in the IL-8 detectable group than in the IL-8 undetectable group (50% vs 0%, p < 0.05). In conclusion, the production of both MIP-1 alpha and IL-8 was increased and initially detectable levels of circulating IL-8 predicted high mortality in sepsis. OBJECTIVE: To determine the significance of the C-C chemokine MIP-1 alpha and the C-X-C chemokine IL-8 in sepsis. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Clinical investigation, emergency department and general intensive care unit of university hospital. PATIENTS AND PARTICIPANTS: 38 septic patients and 5 healthy volunteers were studied. Sepsis was diagnosed following the criteria formulated by ACCP/SCCM. INTERVENTIONS: 10-20 ml of blood was drawn from each patient at the time of initial diagnosis of sepsis. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: MIP-1 alpha and IL-8 were determined by sandwich ELISA. Both chemokines were undetectable in the healthy volunteers. In sepsis, serum MIP-1 alpha was detected in 45% of the patients and IL-8 was detected in 84%. The levels of MIP-1 alpha, but not of IL-8, correlated with CRP, IL-6 and TNF alpha levels. Complications, including various organ failures and mortality, showed no correlation with serum MIP-1 alpha levels. In contrast, we found increased levels of serum IL-8 in patients with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) (p < 0.05), central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction (p < 0.05), renal failure (p < 0.01) and the mortality rates were higher in the IL-8 detectable group than in the IL-8 undetectable group (50% vs 0%, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The production of MIP-1 alpha and IL-8 was increased in sepsis. Furthermore, an initially detectable level of circulating IL-8, but not MIP-1 alpha, predicted a high mortality in sepsis diagnosed according to the ACCP/SCCM criteria.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed1996

Insecticidal activity of the protein encoded by the cryV gene of Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki INA-02.

A new host specificity was discovered with the insecticidal protein encoded by the cryV gene. The cryV gene was cloned from the Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki INA-02 strain, which was selected among a number of B. thuringiensis isolates because of its high activity against Spodoptera litura. Analyses by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed that INA-02 contained the cryIA(a) and cryV genes. Since no Spodoptera activity was observed with B. thuringiensis sotto, which contained only cryIA(a), insecticidal activity of the protein encoded by the cryV gene was investigated with several insect species including S. litura. For bioassay, the cryV gene was highly expressed in an acrystalliferous B. thuringiensis strain, BT51. The CryV protein from BT51 was assayed against larvae of three lepidopteran species, Bombyx mori, S. litura, and Plutella xylostella. The protein was highly active against S. litura and P. xylostella, suggestive that the protein contributes to the unique activity of INA-02.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Spontaneous dissecting aneurysm of the anterior cerebral artery: report of two cases.

BACKGROUND: Dissecting aneurysms of the vertebrobasilar artery have been increasingly reported. However, those of the anterior circulation are still rare lesions. Those confined to the anterior cerebral artery are extremely rare and their clinical features are not well known. CASE REPORT: Two cases of spontaneous dissecting aneurysm of the anterior cerebral artery are described. Both patients are middle-aged males and presented with ischemic attacks, although they were lacking any factors correlated to atherosclerosis. Definite diagnosis was made by angiography, which demonstrated characteristics of dissecting aneurysm, such as "double lumen" and "string sign." Serial angiography was performed and revealed dynamic changes during the time course. Nonsurgical therapy was utilized and both patients achieved good recovery. CONCLUSION: Most of the dissecting aneurysms confined to the anterior cerebral artery present with ischemic attacks. Although their etiology remains uncertain, such aneurysms may be a potent cause of occlusive diseases of the anterior cerebral artery, especially in relatively young males lacking any factors correlated to atherosclerosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Band neutrophil count and the presence and severity of coronary atherosclerosis.

It has been consistently shown that the total blood leukocyte count is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease. Few studies, however, have addressed the relation between differential leukocyte counts and coronary artery disease. We investigated the relation of total and differential leukocyte counts to angiographically determined coronary atherosclerosis. The study included 486 subjects (335 men, 151 women) who underwent coronary angiography for suspected coronary artery disease. Band neutrophil count was significantly positively related to coronary atherosclerosis (p = 0.004) after adjustments for age, sex, body mass index, cigarettes per day, serum total cholesterol, and hypertension. Although sex and age-adjusted total blood leukocyte count was significantly positively related to coronary atherosclerosis (p = 0.04), this relation did not reach significant levels (p = 0.08) after adjusting for other risk factors. The positive association with band neutrophil counts was at least as strong as that with serum total cholesterol concentrations. This study indicates that band neutrophil counts serve as an independent risk factor for coronary atherosclerosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Giant basilar artery aneurysm with intramural hemorrhage and then disastrous hemorrhage: case report.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: Intracranial giant aneurysms have been considered to grow by recurrence of intramural hemorrhage of the aneurysmal wall. However, it remains uncertain whether rupture of giant aneurysms is brought about by the same mechanism that causes the rupture of smaller saccular aneurysms. It is also unclear whether intramural hemorrhage is correlated with the rupture of giant aneurysms. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 67-year-old woman was admitted with symptoms of gait disturbance and dementia. Computed tomographic scans revealed a large mass located in the prepontine region and extending into the third ventricle as well as moderate dilatation of the lateral ventricles. Angiography demonstrated a giant basilar tip aneurysm and multiple aneurysms located in the bilateral anterior and middle cerebral arteries. INTERVENTION: Ventriculoperitoneal shunting was scheduled, but subarachnoid and intraventricular hemorrhage occurred and the patient died. Computed tomographic scans, performed immediately before the disastrous hemorrhage, displayed intramural hemorrhage in the wall of the giant basilar tip aneurysm. Ventricular drainage was performed, but the patient died. CONCLUSION: It seems probable that intramural hemorrhage of the aneurysmal wall may cause both the growth and rupture of intracranial giant aneurysms.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Agromyces mediolanus sp. nov., nom. rev., comb. nov., a species for "Corynebacterium mediolanum" Mamoli 1939 and for some aniline-assimilating bacteria which contain 2,4-diaminobutyric acid in the cell wall peptidoglycan.

In the course of identifying aniline-assimilating bacteria, researchers found some gram-positive strains that contain 2,4-diaminobutyric acid in their cell wall peptidoglycans and menaquinone 12 as the predominant menaquinone. "Corynebacterium mediolanum" and "Flavobacterium dehydrogenans" also are known to contain 2,4-diaminobutyric acid in their cell walls, as well as menaquinone 12, but the taxonomic position of these organisms has not been established previously. We found that the aniline-assimilating strains, together with "C. mediolanum" and "F. dehydrogenans," belong to a single species of the genus Agromyces, as determined by phenotypic characteristics, DNA-DNA relatedness data, and 16S ribosomal DNA sequence similarity data. The name Agromyces mediolanus sp. nov., nom. rev., comb. nov., is proposed for these organisms. The type strain of A. mediolanus is strain JCM 3346 (= ATCC 14004 = NCIMB 7206).

Actinomycetales↗
PubMed1996

Identification of two apolipoprotein variants, A-I Karatsu (Tyr 100-->His) and A-I Kurume (His 162-->Gln).

We identified two apolipoprotein (apo) A-I variants, using isoelectric focusing gel electrophoresis: apo A-I Karatsu, which had a relative charge of +1 compared to normal apo A-I4, and apo A-I Kurume, which had a relative charge of -1. Direct sequence analysis of the PCR-amplified DNA from the proband of apo A-I Karatsu revealed a single substitution of tyrosine (TAC) for histidine (CAC) at position 100. Sequence analysis of apo A-I Kurume revealed a single substitution of histidine (CAT) for glutamine (CAG) at position 162. Probands of these two mutants and limited family study showed no accelerated atherosclerosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

A cysteine-containing truncated apo A-I variant associated with HDL deficiency.

We identified a 50-year-old Japanese woman with a novel mutation in the apolipoprotein (apo) A-I gene causing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) deficiency. The patient had extremely low HDL cholesterol and apo A-I levels (0.14 mmol/L and 0.8 mg/dL, respectively) but no evidence of coronary heart disease. However, she had bilateral xanthomas of the Achilles tendon, elbow, and knee joint as well as corneal opacities. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of serum followed by immunoblotting revealed that the patient's apo A-I had a lower molecular weight (24,000) than normal apo A-I. A partial gene duplication encompassing 23 nucleotides was found by DNA sequence analysis, resulting in a tandem repeat of bases 333 to 355 from the 5' end of exon 4. This tandem repeat caused a frameshift mutation with premature termination after amino acid 207. The frameshift gives rise to a predicted protein sequence that contains two cysteines. We designated this mutant as apo A-ISasebo. Apo A-ISasebo formed heterodimers with apo A-II and apo E in the patient's plasma and was associated with both the low-density lipoprotein and HDL fractions. The patient's cholesterol esterification rate and lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase activity were reduced to about 30% of normal, although specific enzyme activity was unaffected, suggesting that it remained functionally normal. In addition, cholesteryl ester transfer activity was reduced to about half of normal. Thus, apo A-ISasebo was associated with complex derangements of lipoprotein metabolism.

Amino Acid Sequence↗