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Biomedical subjects

K Ando

Publications and source records attributed to K Ando.

At least 397 records · Page 22Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Life cycle of Gnathostoma nipponicum Yamaguti, 1941.

The life cycle of Gnathostoma nipponicum was examined by field survey and by experimental infection of animals with the larvae. Naturally infected larval G. nipponicum were found in loaches, catfish, and snakes. Experimentally, loaches, killifishes, frogs, salamanders, mice, and rats were successfully infected with the early third-stage larvae of G. nipponicum obtained from copepods (the first intermediate host), whereas snakes, quails, and weasels were not. Frogs, snakes, quails, and rats were experimentally infected with the advanced third-stage larvae (AdL3) from loaches. These results reveal that some species of fishes, amphibians and mammals can act as the second intermediate host and that some species of reptiles, birds and mammals can act as a paratenic host. The life cycle was completed in weasels, the definitive host, which were infected with AdL3 from loaches and started to evacuate eggs of G. nipponicun in faeces on days 65-90 postinfection.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Cyclical transmission of Plasmodium berghei (Coccidiida: plasmodiidae) by Anopheles omorii (Diptera: Culicidae).

Anopheles omorii, a tree-hole breeding anopheline collected in Japan, transmitted a rodent malaria, Plasmodium berghei ANKA strain, in the laboratory. Mice with 0.2-15% parasitemia, 0.01-1.5% gametocytemia, and 0.001-0.5% exflagellations were used as infective hosts. Oocyst numbers ranged from 2 to 171 (mean 44) on the midgut 8-16 d after the blood meal. Several to hundreds of sporozoites were detected in the salivary glands 14 d after feeding. The mosquitoes were infective to mice from 13 to 40 d after feeding. An. omorii occurs naturally at temperatures less than 25 degrees C and therefore is a suitable laboratory vector for the cyclic transmission of P. berghei, a malaria parasite that completes sporogony at 18-21 degrees C.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Exploratory eye movements and neuropsychological tests in schizophrenic patients.

Exploratory eye movements in schizophrenic and nonschizophrenic subjects were examined with an eye mark recorder while the subjects viewed geometric figures. Elementary components of eye movements and the responsive search score (RSS), a function of the number of sections on which the subjects fixated, were measured by means of an eye movement analyzer and slow motion replay. The schizophrenic group and the depressed patient group had fewer eye fixations than the normal control group and the obsessive-compulsive disorder group. The schizophrenic group had a lower RSS average than patients with depression, patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders, or subjects in the normal control group. These results in conjunction with those of our previous studies suggest that a low RSS is specific to schizophrenia. We examined the relationship between these eye movements and neuropsychological tests and also investigated the relation between the eye movements and clinical symptoms by means of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia, and the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms. The RSS correlated positively with the performance IQ and Wechsler's Maze test, but not with the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test or the verbal IQ result. The RSS also correlated negatively with negative symptoms. These results suggest that the RSS has two characteristic features: it is strongly associated with the interpersonal response and it may be connected with visuospatial and visuomotor functions including attention.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Tsutsugamushi disease in the central part of Japan.

Two cases of tsutsugamushi disease misdiagnosed initially as drug eruption were reported. Clinical symptoms of both cases disappeared dramatically after starting minocycline. Statistical examinations were performed on 29 cases of tsutsugamushi disease, including those observed in Mie Prefecture since 1982. Half of them were seen in the last 2 years. The onset was predominantly recorded in November (59%). Presumptive sites of infection were forests (63%) and fields (21%). No patients were infected along river-banks.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Tsutsugamushi disease (scrub typhus).

Two patients with Tsutsugamushi disease (fever) were successfully treated with tetracycline derivatives after typical eschars were found, although one of the patients was initially misdiagnosed as having a drug reaction eruption. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are important because this disease can be associated with considerable morbidity and simple effective treatment is easily available.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Functional changes of the exocrine perfused rat pancreas in cerulein-induced pancreatitis.

Functional changes of the exocrine pancreas in cerulein-induced pancreatitis were evaluated with the isolated perfused rat pancreas. In control specimens (n = 7), baseline pancreatic juice volume was 0.23 +/- 0.06 microliter/min and after stimulation with CCK-8 (10(-10) M) and secretin (10(-10) M), it was 2.26 +/- 0.45 microliter/min, and in cerulein-induced pancreatitis specimens (n = 8), the corresponding values were 0.11 +/- 0.03 and 0.23 +/- 0.08 microliter/min. The amylase content in the pancreatic juice (IU/min) was 0.73 +/- 0.15 (baseline) and 7.03 +/- 1.66 (stimulated) in the control specimens, and 0.012 +/- 0.002 (baseline) 0.018 +/- 0.004 (stimulated), in the cerulein-induced pancreatitis specimens. Amylase and lipase concentrations in the portal effluents were significantly higher in the cerulein-induced pancreatitis (481.3 +/- 79.4 IU/ml, 283.7 +/- 47.2 BALB U/ml) than in the control specimens (10.7 +/- 1.8 IU/ml, 8.9 +/- 2.9 BALB U/ml). Using the electron microscope fusion of large vacuoles with lateral plasma membrane was observed in cerulein-induced pancreatitis. In cerulein-induced pancreatitis, normal secretion was markedly decreased, and the lateral secretion was suggested to result in the elevation of pancreatic enzyme levels in portal effluents.

Amylases↗
PubMed1992

Conserved mechanism of negative gene regulation by extracellular calcium. Parathyroid hormone gene versus atrial natriuretic polypeptide gene.

We found that a negative calcium-responsive element (nCaRE) originally reported in the human parathyroid hormone gene is conserved among several genes. The results of the present study show that expression of one of the genes, the rat atrial natriuretic polypeptide gene, was negatively regulated in the heart by extracellular calcium by using an in vivo infusion system. Moreover, transfection of the cultured cells revealed that this DNA element conferred negative regulation by extracellular calcium on the reporter gene. It is suggested that there is a gene family whose expression is negatively regulated by extracellular calcium through this conserved DNA motif, nCaRE.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[Study on the kinetics of bradykinin level in the wound produced by thermal injury in the ear burn model in mice].

The kinetics of bradykinin derived from localized thermal injury on vascular-permeability were investigated in mice with experimental ear burn. The leakage of plasma into the ear tissue by accelerated vascular-permeability reached the maximum at 3 hr and decreased gradually until 6 hr after the thermal injury. The contents of bradykinin increased by the thermal injury and the increment continued up to 24 hr. Although the bradykinin contents in the burned ear decreased by using a protease inhibitor, the hyperpermeability of injured ear vessels was unchanged by protease inhibitors. These results suggest that bradykinin is concerned with the pain reaction rather than vascular-permeability.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Effects of psychoactive drugs on short-term memory in rats and rhesus monkeys.

To examine the effects of drugs on short-term memory in animals, the delayed discrimination experiment in rats and the delayed matching to sample experiment in rhesus monkeys were conducted. Nicotine at 0.125 mg/kg, s.c. in rats and at 0.5 mg/kg, s.c. in monkeys increased the percentages of correct choices. Scopolamine at 0.06-0.12 mg/kg, s.c. in rats and at 0.015 mg/kg, s.c. in monkeys decreased the percentages of correct choices. However, supposedly memory-specific, delay-time-dependent disruptive effects by scopolamine were found only in monkeys. Diazepam at 0.5-2 mg/kg, s.c. did not change the correct choices in rats. However, diazepam at 1-4 mg/kg, i.g. decreased the correct choices in monkeys regardless of the delay time. Chlorpromazine at 0.25-1.5 mg/kg, s.c. showed inconsistent effects in rats. In monkeys, chlorpromazine at 0.25-0.5 mg/kg, s.c. had no effect. These results suggested that using both rats and monkeys would be useful for evaluating the effects of drugs on memory.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Degradation and distribution of brain natriuretic peptide in porcine tissues.

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a novel peptide that has actions similar to atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). The present study investigated BNP localization in the heart, ANP and BNP contents in several organs, and ANP and BNP clearance through these organs. In the morphological study, it was shown that porcine BNP-like immunoreactivity was mainly distributed in the granules of the atrium. The content of porcine BNP-like immunoreactivity in the atrium was extremely high, about 100-fold greater than in the ventricle. From the determination of porcine BNP and ANP contents of such organs as the heart, kidney and liver and also plasma, it was shown that porcine BNP concentration was approximately one order of magnitude lower than that of ANP, and clearance rates of ANP and porcine BNP from these organs were similar and not significantly different between the organs. These results suggest that the modes of secretion and degradation of porcine BNP are not the same as those of ANP.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Atrial natriuretic peptide in eel plasma, heart and brain characterized by homologous radioimmunoassay.

A highly specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay has been developed for the measurement of eel atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP). The antiserum, raised against eel ANP-(1-27) did not cross-react with two other eel natriuretic peptides, i.e. eel ventricular natriuretic peptide and C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), or with any mammalian ANPs, CNPs or brain natriuretic peptides so far identified. The minimal detectable amount was 0.39 fmol (0.90 pg)/tube with more than 99% confidence. Because of its high sensitivity, the radioimmunoassay makes it possible to measure eel ANP directly with only a few microlitres of plasma without extraction. Using the radioimmunoassay we found high levels of ANP in the atrium (11 +/- 2 pmol/mg wet tissue, n = 8), and much lower levels in the ventricle (56 +/- 8 fmol/mg, n = 8) and the brain (22 +/- 1 fmol/mg, n = 8) of eels. Eel plasma contained a large amount of ANP (247 +/- 66 fmol/ml, n = 8) compared with the levels reported in mammals, although atrial levels are similar between eels and mammals. Gel-permeation chromography revealed that a major form of ANP stored in the eel atrium, ventricle and brain has a molecular mass of approximately 14 kDa but low molecular forms of about 3 kDa are predominant in eel plasma. A detailed analysis with reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography showed that a major molecular form circulating in eel plasma is ANP-(1-27). ANP-(1-27) was also detected in small amounts in the eel atrium, ventricle and brain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Acute cytotoxic effect of cyclosporin A on pancreatic acinar cells in rats. Protective effect of the synthetic protease inhibitor E3123.

This study was designed to evaluate the acute toxic effects of cyclosporin A on the exocrine pancreas and the protective effects of a new potent protease inhibitor, 4-(2-succinimidoethylthio) phenyl 4-guanidinobenzoate methanesulfonate, E3123. Cyclosporin A in a dose of 5 mg/kg.h caused a significant increase in serum amylase levels, pancreatic amylase content, and interstitial edema, suggesting that it induces exocrine pancreatic injury. Cyclosporin A also caused redistribution of cathepsin B from the lysosomal fraction to the zymogen fraction, indicating colocalization of lysosomal enzymes with pancreatic digestive enzymes. E3123 in a dose of 2 mg/kg.h prevented almost completely these changes caused by cyclosporin A. These results indicate that exocrine pancreatic injury is induced by cyclosporin A and that lysosomal enzymes play important roles in the pathogenesis of this injury and also suggest that E3123 might protect the exocrine pancreas of patients receiving cyclosporin A after organ transplantation.

Amylases↗
PubMed1992

ES-242-2, -3, -4, -5, -6, -7, and -8, novel bioxanthracenes produced by Verticillium sp., which act on the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor.

Verticillium sp. SPC-15898 was found to produce novel metabolites, designated ES-242-2-(-)8, which were structurally related to ES-242-1. These compounds were isolated from the culture broth and the physico-chemical and biochemical properties were examined. ES-242-2-(-)8 inhibited [3H]thienyl cyclohexypiperidine ([3H]TCP) binding to rat crude synaptic membranes (CSM) with IC50 values of 0.116, 2.9, ca. 2.9, 25.3, 1.0, 59, 24, and 13 microM, respectively. None of these compounds showed inhibitory effects against the binding of [3H]kainate to its receptor, which is another subtype of the excitatory amino acid receptor.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

ES-242-1, a novel compound from Verticillium sp., binds to a site on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor that is coupled to the channel domain.

A novel compound, ES-242-1, which binds to a site on N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor that is coupled to the channel domain, was isolated from the culture broth of a fungus, Verticillium sp. SPC-15898. ES-242-1 inhibited the [3H]thienyl cyclohexylpiperidine ([3H]TCP) binding to rat crude synaptic membrane fractions with an IC50 value of 116 nM, but did not inhibit the [3H]kainate binding to its receptor, which is another subtype of the excitatory amino acid receptor.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Protective effect of nafamostat mesilate on cellular and lysosomal fragility of acinar cells in rat cerulein pancreatitis.

This in vivo and in vitro study demonstrates the protective effects of a new synthetic protease inhibitor--nafamostat mesilate, FUT-175--on increased cellular and lysosomal fragility within acinar cells during the early stage of cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis in rats. FUT-175 prevented hyperamylasemia, pancreatic edema, congestion owing to amylase, and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) discharge from acini as well as cathepsin-B leakage from lysosomes dose-dependently in doses of 1-10 mg/kg.h. These results suggest that FUT-175 can protect against pancreatitis at subcellular levels in lysosomes and cellular or organelle membranes. Proteases may well play the important role in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis, and such a low molecular protease inhibitor may be useful clinically in the treatment of acute pancreatitis.

Amylases↗