Biomedical subjects

K Nakata

Publications and source records attributed to K Nakata.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

Comparative study of C-reactive protein in chronic hepatitis B and chronic hepatitis C.

C-reactive protein (CRP) is a liver-specific acute-phase protein, and its expression in hepatocyte is regulated by cytokines such as interleukin-1, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Although several alterations in cytokines have been found in patients with chronic viral hepatitis, it remains obscure how CRP expression is associated with progression of the disease in chronic viral infection. In the present study, CRP expression was evaluated in 45 patients with chronic hepatitis B and in 38 patients with chronic hepatitis C. By the immunohistochemical analysis, the intensity of CRP expression in hepatocyte was closely associated with the histology activity index (HAI) score in chronic hepatitis B. In contrast, the association was not found in chronic hepatitis C. When serial changes in serum levels of CRP were compared in long-term follow-up patients including 5 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 4 patients with chronic hepatitis C, serum levels of CRP fluctuated simultaneously with serum levels of alanine aminotransferase in chronic hepatitis B, whereas the correlation was not recognized in chronic hepatitis C. These results suggest that CRP expression correlates with progression of the disease in chronic hepatitis B, but not in chronic hepatitis C. It is also possible that cytokine-mediated response is more pronounced in chronic hepatitis B than in chronic hepatitis C.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Clinical manifestations of HBsAg and anti-HCV negative chronic liver disease in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

The discovery of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has enabled the diagnosis of type C chronic liver disease, which had in the past been diagnosed as part of non-A, non-B chronic liver disease. Although most cases with chronic liver disease are caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) or HCV infection, there are still cases of non-B, non-C chronic liver disease. Forty patients with chronic liver disease, who were seronegative for hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody to HCV, were followed for a mean period of 72 months. The clinical manifestations in these patients were compared with those reported for type B and type C chronic liver disease. Of the 40 patients, 22 were diagnosed with chronic hepatitis, 14 with liver cirrhosis and 4 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Twenty-seven (67.5%) patients showed mild alanine aminotransferase activity profiles, and the natural clinical course of most patients showed a slow progression compared with that reported for type B and type C patients. The yearly incidence of HCC was 9.7% in patients with liver cirrhosis and 3.9% in chronic hepatitis. These rates were similar to those in type B or type C patients. This suggests that our population sample contained a number of patients with type B, type C or other etiologic agent(s), because 66.7% of the patients who developed HCC had some evidence of exposure to HBV or HCV. Our results suggest that more detailed and accurate tests for detecting HBV and HCV should be considered before making the diagnosis of non-B, non-C chronic liver disease, and that there is the need to reveal unknown etiologic agent(s).

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

[Susceptibilities of bacteria isolated from patients with respiratory infectious diseases to antibiotics (1993)].

Bacteria isolated from respiratory tract infections were collected in cooperation with institutions located throughout Japan, since 1981, and the Ikemotor et al. have been investigating susceptibilities of the isolates of various antibacterial agents and antibiotics, and the relationships between the isolates and backgrounds of the patients and so forth each year. We discuss the results in detail. In 20 institutions around the entire Japan from October 1993 to September 1994, 584 strains of bacteria were isolated mainly from sputa of 473 patients with respiratory tract infections and presumed to be the etiological agents. MICs of various antibacterial agents and antibiotics were determined against 91 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, 98 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, 122 strains of Haemophilus influenzae, 91 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (non-mucoid), 34 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (mucoid), 42 strains of Moraxella subgenus Branhamella catarrhalis, 25 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae etc., and the drug susceptibilities of these strains were measured except the strains which died during transportation. 1. S. aureus S. aureus strain sfor which MICs of methicillin was higher than 4 micrograms/ml (methicillin-resistant S. aureus) accounted for 56.0%, but this frequency of the drug resistant bacteria was lower than the previous year's 61.4%. Arbekacin and vancomycin showed the highest activities against MRSA and MIC80s were 1 microgram/ml. 2. S. pneumoniae Benzylpenicillin among the penicillins showed potent activities against S. pneumoniae. Cefuzonam, cefotaxime and cefmenoxime among the cephems showed excellent antimicrobial activities against S. pneumoniae. Imipenem; carbapenems, showed the most potent activity, and MIC90 was 0.063 microgram/ml. 3. H. influenzae All the drugs tested were quite active against H. influenzae. Cefotaxime, cefmenoxime, cefuzonam and cefixime among the cephems showed the most potent activities, and MIC90 were 0.063 microgram/ml against H. influenzae. Ofloxacin also showed MIC90 of 0.063 microgram/ml. 4. P. aeruginosa (mucoid) Tobramycin showed the most potent activity against P. aeruginosa (mucoid), and MIC80 was 1 microgram/ml. Ceftazidime, cefsulodin, imipenem, aztreonam, gentamicin and ciprofloxacin showed potent activities with MIC80s of 2 micrograms/ml. 5. P. aeruginosa (non-mucoid) Tobramycin showed the highest activity against P. aeruginosa (non-mucoid), and MIC80 was 1 microgram/ml, followed by ciprofloxacin with MIC80 of 2 micrograms/ml. Comparing to activities against P. aeruginosa (mucoid), all the drugs tested had relatively low activities against P. aeruginosa (non-mucoid). 6. K. pneumoniae. The activities of all drugs except ampicillin and minocycline were high against K. pneumoniae. Cefozopran, imipenem and carumonam showed the highest activities and MIC80s were 0.125 microgram/ml. Flomoxef showed the next highest activities with an MIC80 of 0.25 microgram/ml. 7. M.(B.) catarrhalis Imipenem showed the most potent activity against M.(B.) catarrhalis, with an MIC80 of 0.063 microgram/ml, followed minocycline and ofloxacin with their MIC80s of 0.125 microgram/ml. We also investigated year to year changes in the background of patients, as well as types of respiratory infectious diseases, and the etiological agents. As for patients background, there were many infectious diseases found among patients a high age bracket, and the patients over age 60 accounted for 61.3% of the diseases. The distribution by respiratory tract infections was as follows: chronic bronchitis and bacterial pneumonia accounted for the greatest numbers of cases with 31.1% and 26.0%, respectively, followed by bronchiectasis with 10.4%. In this year chronic bronchitis under age 29 were 41.7%, thus was much higher than 12.5% in previous year. This marked change was first noted in your research during the recent 5 years. As for frequencies of etiologic bacteria by respiratory tract infections, S. pneumoniae (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)

Aged↗

PubMed1996

Rapid detection cytomegalovirus pneumonia in recipients of bone marrow transplant: evaluation and comparison of five survey methods for bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.

To detect cytomegalovirus-associated interstitial pneumonia (CMV-IP) in recipients of BMT in its earliest stage, five CMV methods were assessed for their usefulness using bronchoalveolar lavage fluid as the test specimen. Of the 43 cases enrolled in the study, PCR was positive in 12 cases, shell vial in eight, culture in eight and cytology in three. There were no positive cases in in situ hybridization. Based on this result, the 43 cases were classified into four groups: Group 1, three cases: positive in PCR, shell vial and cytology; Group 2, five cases: positive in PCR and shell vial; Group 3, four cases: positive only in PCR; and Group 4, 31 cases: negative in all CMV tests. Cases in Group 1 were judged as having the highest risk of overt CMV-IP. They were successfully treated with a combination of ganciclovir and immunoglobulin. Group 2 was diagnosed as having active CMV infection and ganciclovir monotherapy was effective for these patients. Groups 3 and 4 were not given anti-CMV therapy, but they were free from CMV-related manifestations throughout the study. The sensitivity and specificity of each survey method for the detection of Groups 1 and 2 were 1.0 and 0.89 in PCR, 1.0 and 1.0 in shell vial, 0.88 and 1.0 in culture, and 0.38 and 1.0 in cytology. Similarly, the positive and negative predictive values were 0.67 and 1.0 in PCR, 1.0 and 1.0 in shell vial, 1.0 and 0.97 in culture, and 1.0 and 0.88 in cytology. Thus, CMV survey on bronchoalveolar fluid was thought to be useful in detecting post BMT CMV-IP in its earliest stage.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

[Susceptibilities of bacteria isolated from patients with respiratory infectious diseases to antibiotics (1994)].

Bacteria isolated from lower respiratory tract infections were collected in cooperation with institutions located throughout Japan, since 1981. IKEMOTO et al. have been investigating susceptibilities of these isolates to various antibacterial agents and antibiotics, and characteristics of the patients and isolates from them each year. Results obtained from these investigations are discussed. In 23 institutions around the entire Japan, 492 strains of presumably etiological bacteria were isolated mainly from the sputum of 421 patients with lower respiratory tract infections from October 1994 to September 1995. MICs of various antibacterial agents and antibiotics were determined against 70 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, 101 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, 92 strains of Haemophilus influenzae, 61 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (non-mucoid strains), 25 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (mucoid strains), 48 strains of Moraxella subgenus Branhamella catarrhalis, 14 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae etc., and the drug susceptibilities of these strains were assessed except for those strains that died during transportation. 1. S. aureus. S. aureus strains for which MICs of oxacillin were higher than 4 micrograms/ml (methicillin-resistant S. aureus) accounted for 51.4%, but the frequency of the drug resistant bacteria decreased comparing to the previous year's 56.0%. Vancomycin showed the highest activity against S. aureus with MIC80 of 0.5 microgram/ml. 2. S. pneumoniae. Most of the drugs tested showed potent activities against S. pneumoniae. Imipenem of carbapenems showed the most potent activity with MIC80 was 0.063 microgram/ml. Erythromycin and clindamycin showed low activities with MIC80s > or = 256 micrograms/ml. Among these strains, however, 46.5% and 68.3% of strains, were quite sensitive toward these agents, respectively, with MICs of 0.063 microgram/ml. 3. H. influenzae. The activities of all drugs were potent against H. influenzae tested. Cefmenoxime a cephem, showed the most potent activity, the MICs of this drug against all of the 92 strains were 0.063 microgram/ml. Ofloxacin also showed a potent activity, and inhibited about 96% of strains with MIC of 0.063 microgram/ml. 4. P. aeruginosa (mucoid strains). Tobramycin showed the most potent activity against P. aeruginosa (mucoid strains) with MIC80 of 0.5 microgram/ml. Gentamicin, arbekacin and ciprofloxacin showed next potent activities, and their MIC80s were 2 micrograms/ml. 5. P. aeruginosa (non-mucoid strains). Tobramycin showed the most potent activity against P. aeruginosa (non-mucoid strains) with MIC80 of 2 micrograms/ml. Comparing to the activities against P. aeruginosa (mucoid strains), the activities of all the drugs tested were lower against P. aeruginosa (non-mucoid strains). 6. K. pneumoniae. Carumonam showed the most potent activity against K. pneumoniae with MIC80 of 0.063 microgram/ml. Cefozopran showed the next most potent activity with MIC80 of 0.125 microgram/ml. Ampicillin and cephems except cefpodoxime, cefozopran and cefditoren showed low activities and their MIC80s were > or = 16 micrograms/ml, and their MICs were all higher than > or = 4 micrograms/ml. 7. M. (B.) catarrhalis. Imipenem and ofloxacin showed the most potent activities against M. (B.) catarrhalis, their MIC80s were 0.063 microgram/ml. Erythromycin and minocycline showed the next highest activities with their MIC80s at 0.25 microgram/ml. Also, we investigated year to year changes in the background of patients, the respiratory infectious diseases, and the etiology of bacteria. Patients characteristics, in this period of investigation showed varieties of infectious diseases found in patients in a high age bracket, and the patients over age 60 accounted for 62.0% of all the cases. Different lower respiratory tract infectious were distributed as follows: chronic bronchitis and bacterial pneumonia accounted for the greatest number of cases with 35.6%, 27.1%, respectively, followed by

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Coronary microcirculation during left heart bypass with a centrifugal pump.

To estimate coronary microcirculation during left heart bypass (LHB), we performed an experimental comparison study of LHB and intraaortic balloon pumping (IABP). LHB was performed with a BioMedicus BP-80 pump supporting half of the flow of cardiac output whereas the IABP was pumped in a 1:1 mode for cardiogenic shock in a swine model. Coronary circulations were analyzed by electromagnetic flowmeter, pulsed Doppler velocimeter, and laser Doppler flowmeter. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) was reduced significantly by LHB. Although there was no significant difference in epicardial flow between the LHB and IABP groups, endo cardial flow was increased significantly by LHB. In the LHB group, the systolic reverse wave of the coronary velocity called a myocardial invalid circulation was reduced remarkably. There was a significant inverse correlation between endocardial flow and LVEDP. These results suggested that LHB was more effective for myocardial microcirculation than was IABP.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Effect of pulsatile and nonpulsatile assist on heart and kidney microcirculation with cardiogenic shock.

To estimate microcirculation of the heart and kidney in pulsatile and nonpulsatile-assisted circulation, a comparison study was done using a swine model. Acute myocardial infarction was made by ligation of the left coronary artery branches. After cardiogenic shock, animals were divided into 3 groups as follows: Group C (n = 6), no assist provided; Group NP (n = 6), assisted by a nonpulsatile pump (Bio-Medicus BP-80); Group P (n = 6), supported by a pulsatile pump (Nippon Zeon). left coronary artery flow, endocardial and epicardial regional flows, and renal cortex and medulla tissue blood flows were measured. Left coronary artery flow and endocardial and epicardial tissue blood flows decreased in cardiogenic shock, and they recovered to the control level soon after support in both Group N and Group P. Renal medulla and cortex tissue blood flows decreased in cardiogenic shock, and these flows did not recover in either Group N or P. However, cortex blood flow in Group P did improve, but it did not improve in Group N. These results suggested that pulsatile assist was more effective than nonpulsatile assist for microcirculation after cardiogenic shock to avoid deterioration of major organ functions.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

[Susceptibilities of bacteria isolated from patients with respiratory infectious diseases to antibiotics (1992)].

Bacteria isolated from lower respiratory tract infections were collected in cooperation with institutions located throughout Japan since 1981, and Ikemoto et al. have been investigating susceptibilities of the isolates to various antibacterial agents and antibiotics, and the relationships between the isolates and characteristics of the patients and so forth each year. We discuss the results in detail. In 20 institutions around the entire Japan from October 1992 to September 1993, 690 strains of bacteria were isolated mainly from sputa of 549 patients with lower respiratory tract infections and presumed to be the etiological bacteria. MICs of various antibacterial agents and antibiotics were determined against 101 strains of Staphylococcus aureus, 121 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae, 122 strains of Haemophilus influenzae, 92 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (non-mucoid), 32 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (mucoid), 52 strains of Moraxella subgenus Branhamella catarrhalis, 28 strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae etc., and the drug susceptibilities of these strains were measured except the strains which died during transportation. 1. S. aureus S. aureus strains for which MICs of methicillin were higher than 4 micrograms/ml (methicillin-resistant S. aureus) accounted for 61.4% and the frequency of the drug resistant bacteria was higher than the previous year's 58.3%. MICs values indicated that arbekacin was as active as vancomycin against all the strains on S. aureus. 2. S. pneumoniae Benzylpenicillin among the penicillins showed potent activities against S. pneumoniae. Cefuzonam, cefazolin, cefotaxime and cefmenoxime among the cephems showed excellent antimicrobial activities against S. pneumoniae. Imipenem; carbapenems, showed the most potent activity, and MIC80 was 0.015 microgram/ml. 3. H. influenzae All the drugs tested were potent against H. influenzae. Ampicillin among the penicillins showed MIC80 1 microgram/ml against H. influenzae. Cefotaxime, cefmenoxime, cefuzonam and cefixime showed the most potent activities, and MIC80s were 0.063 microgram/ml. The antimicrobial activity of ofloxacin was equivalent to those of cephems. 4. P. aeruginosa (mucoid) Ciprofloxacin showed the most potent activity against P. aeruginosa (mucoid), and MIC80 was 1 microgram/ml. Cefsulodin, aztreonam, carumonam and tobramycin showed the next most potent activities with an MIC80s of 2 micrograms/ml. 5. P. aeruginosa (non-mucoid) Tobramycin and ciprofloxacin showed the highest activities against P. aeruginosa (non-mucoid) with an MIC80s of 2 micrograms/ml. Norfloxacin also showed some activity, and MIC80 was 4 micrograms/ml. Comparing to activities against P. aeruginosa (mucoid), all the drugs tested showed lower activities against P. aeruginosa (non-mucoid). 6. K. pneumoniae The activities of all drugs except penicillins were high activities against K. pneumoniae. Carumonam showed the most potent activity with an MIC80 of 0.063 microgram/ml, followed by flomoxef, cefixime and cefozopran with their MIC80s of 0.125 microgram/ml. 7. M.(B.) catarrhalis Imipenem; carbapenems, showed the most potent activity against M.(B.) catarrhalis with an MIC80 0.063 microgram/ml. Minocycline and ofloxacin showed MIC80s 0.125 microgram/ml, respectively. We also investigated year to year changes in the background of patients, as well as types of respiratory infectious diseases, and the etiological bacteria. As for patients backgrounds, there were many infectious diseases found among patients in a high age bracket, and the patients over age 60 accounted for 60.8% of the diseases. The distribution by lower respiratory tract infections was as follows: bacterial pneumonia and chronic bronchitis accounted for the greatest numbers of cases with 30.4%, 29.5%, respectively, followed by bronchiectasis with 12.2%. As for frequencies of etiologic bacteria for respiratory tract infections, H. influenzae: 22.2%, and S. pneumoniae: 15.1% in chronic bronchitis; S. pneumoniae: 2

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed1996

[A clinical evaluation of fluconazole in deep seated fungal infections associated with hematological disorders].

The effectiveness of fluconazole on deep seated fungal infections associated with hematological disorders was evaluated in a multicenter clinical study. The underlying diseases included acute myeloblastic leukemia, acute lymphocytic leukemia, malignant lymphoma, adult T cell leukemia, multiple myeloma and others. Fluconazole (FLCZ) was administrated 100-400 mg/day intravenously or orally to 79 patients with systemic fungal infections complicated with hematological disorders and it was possible to evaluate clinical efficacies in 60 patients. 27 patients were diagnosed as having determinate systemic fungal infections and 33 patients suspected fungal infections. The clinical efficacies were 81.5% (22/27) in patients with diagnosed fungal infections and 57.6% (19/33) in patients with suspected fungal infections. The overall clinical efficacy was 68.3% (41/60). No side effects such as gastrointestinal symptoms, vascular pain and renal dysfunction were observed in this study. As for abnormal laboratory test, transient increases in GOT, GPT, Al-P, LDH, serum Na, Cl and decrease in serum K were observed in 9 patients (11.4%). These results indicated that FLCZ has a high therapeutic efficacy on deep seated fungal infections in patients with hematological disorders.

Aged↗

PubMed1996

Percutaneous lumbar nucleotomy.

We performed 66 percutaneous lumbar nucleotomies (PLN) in 63 patients from October 1984 to March 1990. The patients (42 male patients, 21 female patients) ranged in age from 13 to 73 years (average, 36.8 years). Postoperative observation ranged from 6 months to 5 years and 11 months (average, 2.0 years). Pre- and postoperative discograms were reviewed. Fifty-one patients (79.7%) were judged to have successful results: They were able to return to gainful employment and to their preinjury level of activity. Six patients (9.4%) were judged to have unsuccessful results, and they required more radical surgical procedures. PLN was not effective for the patients with extremely severe positive SLR or agonizing leg pain.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1996

Enhancement of acetylcholine release by SA4503, a novel sigma 1 receptor agonist, in the rat brain.

We found that 1-(3,4-dimethoxyphenethyl)-4-(3-phenylpropyl) piperazine dihydrochloride (SA4503), a potent and selective sigma 1 receptor agonist, significantly enhanced the cerebral acetylcholine (ACh) release in the rat using in vivo brain microdialysis technique. Interestingly, the significant enhancement of ACh release elicited by SA4503 was observed in the rat frontal cortex and hippocampus, although the striatal ACh release was unchanged. This cortical ACh release was fully reversed by haloperidol, a prototype sigma receptor antagonist, or by N, N-dipropyl-2-(4-methoxy-3-(2-phenylethoxy)phenyl)ethylamine monohydrochloride, a putative sigma 1 receptor antagonist. In addition, this enhanced ACh release by SA4503 was inhibited by tetrodotoxin, a Na+ channel blocker. However, tetrahydroaminoacridine, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, significantly increased the extracellular ACh level in the rat frontal cortex and weakly increased the hippocampal level. This compound also showed the significant increase of extracellular ACh level in the rat striatum. Moreover, tetrahydroaminoacridine markedly produced cholinomimetic side-effects, such as hypothermia, tremor, miosis and lacrimation. However, SA4503 did not produce these cholinomimetic side-effects. These findings suggest that SA4503 enhances the ACh release that is mediated through a novel mechanism, namely sigma 1 receptor subtype. Furthermore, SA4503 has regional differences in the enhancement of cerebral ACh release, and did not produce cholinomimetic side-effects. These profiles are different from tetrahydroaminoacridine.

Acetylcholine↗

PubMed1996

Relationship between sustained elevation of serum alanine aminotransferase and progression from cirrhosis to hepatocellular carcinoma: comparison in patients with hepatitis B virus- and hepatitis C virus-associated cirrhosis.

Most patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Japan have hepatitis B virus (HBV)-or hepatitis C virus (HCV)-associated cirrhosis. In the present study, the risk of HCC in patients with cirrhosis was analysed by the levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT). One hundred and one (78%) of 129 patients with cirrhosis registered from April 1979 were followed at monthly intervals with the measurement of serum ALT. Of 101 patients, 38 tested positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) but negative for antibody to HCV (anti-HCV; HBV group), 47 tested negative for HBsAg but positive for anti-HCV (HCV group) and nine tested positive and seven tested negative for both. Mean serum ALT during follow-up was calculated on the basis of monthly values during the observation period that started at enrolment and ended with the detection of HCC or at the end of March 1994. By the end of March 1994, 37 (37%) patients developed HCC; 12 were in the HBV group, 21 in the HCV group and four were in the group positive for both. Mean serum ALT during the observation period was similar in patients who developed HCC and those who did not develop HCC in the HBV group. In contrast, the value was significantly higher in patients who developed HCC than in patients who did not develop HCC in the HCV group (P < 0.05).

Alanine Transaminase↗

PubMed1996

[NIHS information and computing infrastructure (NICI)].

We describe the information and computing infrastructure in National Institute of Health Sciences, which were constructed until May, 1996. The in house computer network and computing facilities for common usage in NIHS have been developed under the initiative of Division of Chem-Bio Informatics since 1989. The present LAN (Local Area Network) consists of coaxial cables and optic fibers which are connected by a LAN Switch. The LAN is connected to the Internet via IMnet, the inter ministry network back bone of the Science and Technology Agency. Various types of workstations and personal computers such as SUN WS, Silicon Graphics WS, IBM WS & PC, Macintosh, and NEC PC are connected to the LAN. This computing network environment which we named NICI (NIHS Information and Computing Infrastructure) not only provides network communications but also facilitates advanced computating systems for chemical safety research at NIHS as a COE.

Biological Science Disciplines↗

PubMed1996

[Development of a base system for information dissemination of the Internet].

The development of information and computing infrastructure at NIHS (NICI), enabled us to provide a good environment for storing information that can be accessed by the Internet. Information can be stored either on WWW servers or on databases. All databases were developed on PC using database management systems such as 4th Dimension or Access, and were transferred to a UNIX machine with the database management system Sybase. A tool for accessing databases via the WWW (Web) was developed. This interface program used a freeware called Genera. Tools were also implemented for handling the so called VRML worlds.

Computer Communication Networks↗

PubMed1996

[An international exchange and dissemination of chemical safety information on the Internet].

An information system for chemical safety has been developed on the National Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS) Information and Computing Infrastructure. The system is based on client server systems on the local area network (LAN) connected to the Internet. A wide range of safety information for chemicals including foods, food additives, household goods, industrial chemicals and environmental pollutants were collected and put on the World Wide Web (WWW) server and the database management system, Sybase. In addition to original information contents, the System has links to many useful Web sites so that it functions as a global hub for chemical safety information.

Agrochemicals↗

PubMed1995

Contents of D-lactate and its related metabolites as well as enzyme activities in the liver, muscle and blood plasma of aging rats.

As it is generally known. L-lactate is formed via the Embden-Meyerhof glycolytic pathway from triosephosphates, whereas D-lactate is formed via methylglyoxal in rat. In this paper, age-related changes in the levels of D-lactate and its related compounds in rat tissues are reported. Rats from 5 weeks to 30 months old were used in these experiments. (1) We observed that rats above 27 months old were decrepit as judged by external appearance movement and other physiological data of them. (2) The hepatic levels of D-lactate, methylglyoxal and pyruvate became markedly lower in aging rats, especially the D-lactate content in 30 month-old rats was lower by 90% than that of the 5 week-old rats. (3) As for plasma, D-lactate and phosphate levels became lower with aging, whereas levels of L-lactate and pyruvate were not altered. (4) In skeletal muscle, aging caused a lower methylglyoxal concentration. The D-lactate level was markedly decreased at the age of 30 months in muscle. (5) As for enzyme, activities of glyoxalase I and II became markedly decreased with age in livers, whereas the activity of glyoxalase I in muscle was maintained at control level and glyoxalase II increased with age.

Aging↗

PubMed1995

Gene therapy for hepatoma cells using a retrovirus vector carrying herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene under the control of human alpha-fetoprotein gene promoter.

The alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) gene is normally expressed in fetal liver and is transcriptionally silent in adult liver but is reactivated in hepatocellular carcinoma. It has been shown that the positive and negative transcriptionally regulatory elements of the human AFP gene, which play an important role in its developmental regulation, exist over the quite extended region (4 kb). We constructed a hybrid gene consisting of herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSV-tk) gene under the control of the 0.3-kb human AFP gene promoter and inserted it into a retroviral vector. When AFP-producing hepatoma cells were infected with this recombinant retrovirus (LNAF0.3TK virus), the cells expressed HSV-tk gene and exhibited increased sensitivity to ganciclovir parallel with the ability of AFP production. On the other hand, the retroviral infection had little effect on ganciclovir-mediated cytotoxicity in AFP-nonproducing hepatoma or non-hepatoma cells. Moreover, the addition of dexamethasone increased the cytotoxicity of aciclovir to the virus-infected, AFP-producing cells through a glucocorticoid-responsive element in the AFP promoter, although aciclovir, by itself, had little cytotoxicity. These results demonstrate that the AFP promoter sequence alone can provide enough tumor-specific activity for therapeutic gene expression and induce selective growth inhibition by ganciclovir in the virus-infected, AFP-producing human hepatoma cells. In addition, it is possible that expression of the therapeutic gene is modulated by administration of dexamethasone or other agents that alter AFP promoter activity after gene transduction.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1995

Analysis of wild-type and e antigen-defective hepatitis B viruses during the course of a short-term corticosteroid therapy in chronic hepatitis B.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV), with a G-to-a point mutation at nucleotide 83 in the precore region (mutant HBV83), accounts for most cases of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-defective HBV. However, it is still not clear how mutant HBV83 is associated with HBe seroconversion. Twenty-six HBeAg-positive patients with chronic hepatitis B who received oral prednisolone (30 mg/day) for 3 weeks were studied to clarify the prevalence of mutant HBV83 during the treatment using polymerase chain reaction with a restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. Twelve (46%) patients seroconverted to anti-HBe 1 year after treatment, whereas 14 (54%) did not. The proportion of mutant HBV83 to whole HBV remained unchanged in both groups during an acute exacerbation induced by withdrawal of corticosteroids. Among 12 anti-HBe-seroconverted patients, five (56%) of nine patients with only wild-type HBV at baseline developed detectable levels of mutant HBV83 while all three patients with a mixed viral population of wild-type HBV and mutant HBV83 at baseline developed a higher proportion of mutant HBV83 one year after treatment. In contrast, these changes were observed in only one (14%) of seven who failed to seroconvert. The results indicate that a flare-up of hepatitis precedes emergence or selection of mutant HBV83, followed by HBe seroconversion in patients with chronic hepatitis B.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗