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Biomedical subjects

K Kuroda

Publications and source records attributed to K Kuroda.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Relation between use of health check ups starting in middle age and demand for inpatient care by elderly people in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: To find out whether there is any correlation between the use of general health check ups (provided for by the Health Services for the Elderly Act 1982) by insured Japanese residents aged 40 or older and demand by the elderly for inpatient care. DESIGN: A questionnaire was posted in 1988 to municipal offices of Japanese cities. All questionnaires were returned with data for 1983 and 1986. SETTING: All 509 Japanese cities with a population of 30,000-199,999. SUBJECTS: All people aged 40 or older who hold a resident card and are not offered health examinations at work are eligible for general health check ups. The questionnaire also inquired about use of inpatient care by elderly residents (aged 70 or older) who were covered by national health insurance. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Correlation coefficients between the rates of use of general health check ups and mean annual bed days for the elderly. Comparison of relative changes by analysis of correlation between improvement indices in mean bed days and mean inpatient fee. RESULTS: In cities with relatively high rates of use of health check ups both the mean annual bed days and the mean inpatient fee for the elderly tended to be low. Correlation coefficients between the logarithmic rates of use of check ups and mean bed days by sizes of cities and number of beds were all negative values. There tended to be more correlation between improvement indices for rate of use of check ups and both mean bed days and mean inpatient fee with higher rates of use in 1983, and the correlation was significant for rates of 60% or more. CONCLUSIONS: Strong health service programmes that start in middle age decrease the demand for inpatient care of the elderly. It was estimated that in a single year from 1985 to 1986, when there was an increase in the rate of use of check ups from 25.5% to 27.6%, the reduction in the number of bed days for the total of 8.5 million elderly insured people was 2.21 million bed days.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1991

Enhancement of mutagenicity of 1-nitropyrene by water as a diluent.

The mutagenicity of 1-nitropyrene was strongly enhanced in the Salmonella mutagenicity test with the preincubation modification when it was dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide and diluted with water. The enhancement of mutagenicity was not found in the plate incorporation method and seemed to be common to chemicals which have low solubilities in water. The indications were that the effectiveness of preincubation modification was due to the increased absorption of test chemicals by the Salmonella cells, and that the absorption depends primarily on the solubility of test chemicals in the assay mixture.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1991

Retarded processing of influenza virus hemagglutinin in insect cells.

When expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda cells by a baculovirus vector, the hemagglutinin of fowl plague virus has been found to contain palmitic acid in covalent hydroxylamine-sensitive linkage, indicating that these cells have the capacity to acylate foreign proteins at cysteine residues. Centrifugation on sucrose density gradients and immune precipitation with conformation-specific antibodies were used to compare trimerization of the hemagglutinin in insect cells and in fowl plague virus-infected MDCK cells. Trimerization of the hemagglutinin was incomplete in insect cells, and the kinetics of this reaction were about three times slower than in vertebrate cells. Similarly, post-translational proteolytic cleavage occurred in insect cells with a half-time of 90 min, and a substantial fraction of the hemagglutinin persisted in uncleaved form. In contrast, hemagglutinin was almost completely cleaved in MDCK cells, and the half-time of cleavage was only 30 min. The data indicate that in insect cells trimerization and, as a result, the subsequent processing steps of the hemagglutinin, are retarded and less efficient. The possible roles of aberrant glycosylation, acidic milieu, and lack of other influenza virus proteins in hemagglutinin trimerization are discussed.

Acylation↗
PubMed1991

Genotoxicity of beryllium, gallium and antimony in short-term assays.

The genotoxicity of beryllium, gallium and antimony compounds was studied with the rec, Salmonella mutagenicity and SCE assays. In the rec assay, all the salts of the metals, BeCl2, Be(NO3)2, GaCl3, Ga(NO3)3, SbCl3, SbCl5, and an oxide, Sb2O3, had DNA-damaging activity. None of the compounds was mutagenic to Salmonella. In the SCE assays using V79 cells, 2 antimony(III) compounds, SbCl3 and Sb2O3, and 2 beryllium compounds, BeCl2 and Be(NO3)2, induced SCEs significantly. Sb2O3, slightly soluble in water, was positive in both the rec assay and the SCE assay at very low doses.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Site-specific mutagenesis identifies three cysteine residues in the cytoplasmic tail as acylation sites of influenza virus hemagglutinin.

The hemagglutinin (HA) of influenza virus is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein which is acylated with long-chain fatty acids. In this study we have used oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis of cloned cDNA and a simian virus 40 expression system to determine the fatty acid binding site in HA and to examine possible functions of covalently linked fatty acids. The results show that the HA is acylated through thioester linkages at three highly conserved cysteine residues located in the cytoplasmic domain and at the carboxy-terminal end of the transmembrane region, whereas a cysteine located in the middle of the membrane-spanning domain is not acylated. Mutants lacking fatty acids at individual or all three attachment sites acquire endoglycosidase H-resistant oligosaccharide side chains, are cleaved into HA1 and HA2 subunits, and are transported to the plasma membrane at rates similar to that of wild-type HA. All mutants are membrane bound and not secreted into the medium. These results exclude transport signal and membrane-anchoring functions of covalently linked fatty acids for this integral membrane glycoprotein. Furthermore, lack of acylation has no obvious influence on the biological activities of HA: cells expressing fatty acid-free HA bind to and, after brief exposure to mildly acidic pH, fuse with erythrocytes; the HA-induced polykaryon formation is not impaired, either. Other possible functions of covalently linked fatty acids in integral membrane glycoproteins which cannot be examined in conventional cDNA expression systems are discussed.

Acylation↗
PubMed1991

Preparation of glycyrrhetic acid glycosides having various beta(1----2)-linked disaccharides and their cytoprotective effects on carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic injury.

Glycyrrhetic acid glycosides (1-7) having beta(1----2)-linked disaccharides such as 2-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-galactopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-galactopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-beta-D-galactopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-beta-D-glucuronopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-glucuronopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-galactopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranose, 2-O-beta-D-glucuronopyranosyl-beta-D-glucopyranose, respectively, were synthesized by stepwise construction; from glycyrrhetic acid monoglycosides to the diglycosides. The cytoprotective activities of the glycosides 1-7 and 2-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-11-oxoolean-12-e n-30-oate (8) were compared with natural occurring glycyrrhizin (9). Among these glycosides 1-8, glycosides 3 and 7 having beta-D-glucuronopyranose (glcUA) as the only terminal sugar component were more effective materials against hepatic injury than glycyrrhizin 9.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Antifungal activity of fumaric acid in mice infected with Candida albicans.

An examination was made on the effect of fumaric acid on an experimental systemic candidiasis. Male ICR mice were innoculated into the tail veins with 10(6) yeast cells of Candida albicans and treated with daily intraperitoneal injections of fumaric acid at the dose of 40 mg/kg/d. The results indicated that the administration of fumaric acid was effective in prolonging the survival of animals after the fungal challenge and prevented one-fifth of the treated animals from dying of candidiasis.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Cycloleonurinin, a cyclic peptide from Leonuri Fructus.

From Leonuri Fructus, a cyclic peptide composed of twelve amino acid residues was isolated. The sequence of the residues was established by mass spectroscopy and by the use of a protein sequencer for the partial hydrolysates obtained by alpha-chymotrypsin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Diagnostic value of Lipiodol injection in focal nodular hyperplasia of the liver.

We encountered a case of small focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) of the liver. It was difficult to distinguish FNH from hepatocellular carcinoma by means of sonography, computed tomography (CT), and angiography. After the injection of Lipiodol, it accumulated densely on FNH, but was washed away after a short time, as observed on the follow-up CT. This progress was different from that in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Serodiagnosis of cancer by using Candida cytochrome c recognized by human monoclonal antibody HB4C5.

Cytochrome c from various sources, such as Candida krusei, yeast, horse, and cattle, was found to be recognized by human monoclonal antibody HB4C5 specific to lung cancer. Therefore, the cytochrome c was applied to the measurement of antibody amount in patient sera with a similar reactivity to the antibody HB4C5 for serodiagnosis of cancer. The cytochrome c from Candida krusei was most valuable for the serodiagnosis of various cancers, and the yeast cytochrome c was also useful. However, horse and bovine cytochrome c did not react with antibody of the cancer patients. By using Candida cytochrome c lung, bile duct, esophagus, and liver cancers were detected at high rates of more than 50%. In the case of lung cancer, the detection rates of small-cell, squamous, large-cell and adenocarcinoma were 78%, 63%, 100%, and 34%, respectively. The rate for small-cell carcinoma was higher than that with the currently used NSE assay system, and the rate for squamous carcinoma was comparable to that with the SCC assay system, although the system using cytochrome c did not show similar reactivity to that with the SCC system. Furthermore, lung cancer was detected at early stages by using cytochrome c, and even in the case of adenocarcinoma, the rate at early stages with the cytochrome c system was higher than that with the CEA assay system. On the other hand, false positive rates of benign diseases and normal were low--8% and 2%, respectively.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1991

Effects of felodipine on vascular smooth muscle in comparison with nifedipine.

Felodipine (ethylmethyl 4-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)-1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl- 3,5-pyridine dicarboxylate, CAS 72509-76-3), a vasoselective calcium antagonist, has a slow onset inhibitory effect on high K(+)-induced contractions in vascular smooth muscle and a longer duration than that of nifedipine. In addition it non-competitively inhibits Ca(++)-induced contraction in the depolarized aorta or femoral artery in the rat. Felodipine's inhibitory effect on caffeine or norepinephrine-induced contraction was observed at a micromolar range. This result suggests that felodipine may inhibity Ca++ release from intracellular Ca++ stores through a mechanism of Ca++ or inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate induced Ca++ release in addition to a blockade of Ca++ influx through the sarcolemma.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[An evaluation of the attitudes and productivity of public health nurses in mental health service programs for the elderly].

The relationship between productivity of public health nurses (PHN) employed in mental health programs including home visit service for elderly people with dementia, and their attitudes toward mental health services was studied by surveying PHN at 31 health centers (HC) in Osaka Prefecture. A review of the services provided for 382 clients with dementia visited during a one-year period showed that PHN had provided the following services: home health care education: family education to promote understanding of the disease; management of interpersonal relations in the family; intervention to reduce the burden placed on the family members; medical facility referral; social service resource referral. For each of these PHN-provided services, the service had been provided to more than 60% of the clients. The percentage of clients who had been visited by a PHN accompanying a psychiatrist or a social worker was significantly higher at the 13 HC where PHN attach importance to counseling programs for the elderly, the 8 HC which provide group work services, and the 13 HC which hold case conferences more than six times a year than at other HC. In addition, the service provision rates for many PHN-provided services were significantly higher for these HC than for other HC. Analysis on the basis of whether PHN did or did not attach importance to the counseling program, showed that in either group, clients who had been visited by a PHN accompanying a psychiatrist or a social worker were more likely to have received PHN-provided services than other clients. Furthermore, at HC where PHN actively participated in mental health programs, PHN attitudes toward mental health care were more enthusiastic than at other HC. These results indicate that increased productivity of PHN employed in mental health programs and promotion of a multidisciplinary approach in client services are correlated with each other, and that both factors contribute to improving the quality of home visit services provided by PHN.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

General pharmacology of the novel angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor benazepril hydrochloride. Effects on cardiovascular, visceral and renal functions and on hemodynamics.

The effects of benazepril hydrochloride (CGS 14824 A, CAS 86541-74-4), a novel angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor, on cardiovascular, visceral and renal functions and on hemodynamics, were studied in various experimental animals. Even at a high dose of 100 mg/kg p.o. benazepirl hydrochloride had no influence on the respiration, heart rate and ECG of normotensive anesthetized cats and, except at higher doses, had little effect on the contractile tension of mammalian isolated atrium, ileum, trachea, stomach fundus strips, vas deferens or uterus. Benazepril hydrochloride even at a high dose of 100 mg/kg p.o. had little effect on spontaneous uterine motility, charcoal transportation and gastrointestinal tract motility. In addition, it did not cause gastric irritation, alter the secretion of gastric and biliary juices, and did not affect the tension of the nictitating membrane or the twitch tension of the gastrocnemius muscle in various experimental animals. Benazepril hydrochloride had no effect on the blood glucose and cholesterol levels in alloxan-induced diabetic rats but decreased the triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in normotensive rats at a dose of 30 mg/kg p.o. Benazepril hydrochloride at 3 mg/kg.day s.c. for 10 weeks caused a significant decrease in aortic atherosclerosis without reducing hypercholesterolemia in cholesterol-fed rabbits. Benazepril hydrochloride at a high dose of 100 mg/kg p.o. showed no effect on the urine volume and urinary excretion of electrolytes but decreased PSP excretion in normotensive rats. At a dose of 3 or 10 mg/kg.day p.o. for 4 weeks benazepril hydrochloride inhibited the increase in the excretion of urinary protein in DOCA/salt spontaneously hypertensive rats. It caused hemolysis at concentrations as high as 0.1-1% in rabbits, however, even at a high dose of 100 mg/kg p.o. it did not affect red blood cell fragility in rats, and, except at a high dose of 10(-4) g/ml, showed little effect on the platelet aggregation response induced by collagen or arachidonic acid in rabbits. From these results, benazepril hydrochloride is considered to be a safe and well-tolerated addition to the therapeutic armamentarium of cardiovascular drugs.

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors↗
PubMed1991

[The effects of lowering of blood pressure on pain sensitivity in spontaneously hypertensive rats].

It has been reported that elevation of blood pressure produces a reduction in pain sensitivity. This study was designed to clarify the correlation in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) between fall in blood pressure and pain sensitivity. In seven-weeks-old male SHR, the angiotensin converting inhibitor delapril (10 mg/kg/day) or calcium antagonist nifedipine (3 mg/kg/day) was administered orally every day for 8 weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) pretreatment was significantly higher in the SHR than in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats and pain sensitivity measured with the hot plate method was significantly lower in the SHR than in the WKY rats. Administration of both drugs produced a significant suppression of elevation of SBP, and produced a significant elevation of pain sensitivity. Furthermore, at 8 weeks after drug administration, urinary norepinephrine (UNE) significantly decreased and plasma beta-endorphin (beta-end) significantly increased. A significant correlation was noted between pain sensitivity and SBP and also between pain sensitivity and UNE. Of these, pain sensitivity was the more closely correlated to degree of change in UNE than to degree of change in SBP. It appears that elevation of pain sensitivity is due to suppression of the sympathetic nervous system by antihypertensive drugs, but not to elevation of beta-end levels. These data suggest that a fall in blood pressure through administration of delapril or nifedipine reverses decrease in pain sensitivity in SHR and that decrease in sympathetic tone plays an important role in the restoration of levels of sensitivity to pain.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Serodiagnosis of cancer using porcine carboxypeptidase A as an animal antigen recognized by human monoclonal antibody HB4C5.

Protein from hog which is recognized by human monoclonal antibody (HB4C5), generated from a patient with large cell lung carcinoma, was identified as carboxypeptidase A by comparison of the protein with carboxypeptidase A in enzymatic activity, immunologic reactivity, and amino acid sequence. Carboxypeptidase A activity was also found in human cancer tissue, and purified antigen from cancer tissue recognized by the antibody HB4C5 was reacted with rabbit anti-carboxypeptidase A serum, indicating that carboxypeptidase A is an antigen of HB4C5. Since large amounts of carboxypeptidase A can be obtained from porcine sources, a simple method for its purification was established. The fraction which was most reactive with HB4C5 was obtained from acetone powder of porcine pancreas by successive applications of water extraction, ammonium sulfate precipitation, trypsin treatment, and Mono Q column chromatography. Its apparent molecular weight was 40,000, according to SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. When the reactivity of IgG in sera with the purified carboxypeptidase A was measured, the detection rates for lung, ovary, larynx, uterus, and liver cancer were more than 50%, while the rates for stomach and breast cancer were around 30%, and pancreatic cancer, benign diseases, and normal controls were minimally detected.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Histone H2B as an antigen recognized by lung cancer-specific human monoclonal antibody HB4C5.

Histone H2B was demonstrated to be an immunoreactive material recognized by the human monoclonal antibody HB4C5, which had been already established to be specific for lung cancers. The inhibitory effect of histone H2B on the activity of HB4C5 antibody to immunostain the cytoplasmic antigen in lung adenocarcinoma tissue indicated that histone H2B at least had antigenic determinant comparable to the cytoplasmic antigen. A mouse anti-histone H2B monoclonal antibody could immunostain the cytoplasm of lung adenocarcinoma cells in sliced tissue sections in the same manner as the human monoclonal antibody HB4C5. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of HB4C5 antibody on plastic immunoplates coated with histone H2B also showed specific reactivity of this antibody with histone H2B, and the reaction was effectively inhibited when extra histone H2B or mouse anti-histone H2B monoclonal antibody was added to the reaction mixture. These results consistently lead us to a conclusion that histone H2B possesses antigenicity to the human monoclonal antibody HB4C5.

Adenocarcinoma↗