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Biomedical subjects

K Nishitani

Publications and source records attributed to K Nishitani.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

[Treatment of tuberculous tracheobronchial stenoses with expandable metallic stent (EMS)s placed during percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS)].

A 63-year-old woman was taken to a hospital by ambulance because of dyspnea. She was admitted in nearly complete cardiopulmonary arrest. CPR was started immediately, and the patient was mechanically ventilated via a tracheostomy tube. Abnormally high airway pressures 40-50 cmH2O were required during positive pressure ventilation. Saber-sheath like stenoses of the lower trachea 3 cm long and left main stem bronchus 2 cm long were found by bronchoscopy. It was difficult to pass a 3-mm-diameter bronchoscope through these stenoses. The right main stem bronchus was completely obstructed. A chest radiograph showed a completely collapsed right lung and a scarred upper lobe of the left lung, probably caused by previous tuberculosis. Weaning from the ventilator was attempted over three months. However, the patient could not breathe by herself because of airway obstruction. She was referred to our hospital for the placement of stents into the stenotic parts of the airways. A longitudinally connected Gianturcotype EMS, 15 mm in diameter and 50 mm long was placed in each area of stenosis under general anesthesia. During the placement of EMSs, PCPS was used for 113 minutes instead of mechanical ventilation of the lungs. Hemodynamics were stable during PCPS. A bypass flow of 2.0-2.8 l/min/m2 was used. Oxygen saturation of arterial blood taken from an earlobe was maintained at 100%. Blood taken from the left radial artery had a PaO2 of 269.4 mmHg and a PaCO2 of 40.2 mmHg. There were no complications after the procedure. One month later, the stenoses had become slightly dilated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Bronchial Diseases↗
PubMed1994

[A case of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis associated with bilateral pulmonary arterial thrombosis found at autopsy].

A 73-year-old woman admitted to the hospital with dyspnea on exertion. Chest radiography revealed a diffuse interstitial shadow; PaO2 was 72 Torr, and PaCO2 was 41 Torr. Laboratory examination results were compatible with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Prednisolone relieved the dyspnea, but tapering of the drug led to a recurrence of this symptom. Pulse therapy was started and azathioprine was added to the corticosteroid. Over the course of 6 months of treatment, the patient's respiratory function remained fairly stable. Then respiratory distress was induced by an attack of atrial fibrillation, with relief provided by anti-arrhythmic drugs and large doses of corticosteroids. The patient died suddenly 3 weeks later. An autopsy revealed large thrombi in both pulmonary arteries with 90% stenosis. Parts of the thrombi were organized, which suggests that 2-3 weeks had elapsed since initial thrombus formation. Histological examination of lung tissue showed usual interstitial pneumonia. Pulmonary thromboembolism should be considered in patients with IPF if respiratory distress suddenly and unexpectedly worsens.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Molecular cloning and cDNA sequencing of endoxyloglucan transferase, a novel class of glycosyltransferase that mediates molecular grafting between matrix polysaccharides in plant cell walls.

Endoxyloglucan transferase is a novel class of glycosyltransferase recently purified from Vigna angularis (Nishitani, K,, and Tominaga, R. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 21058-21064). This enzyme is the first transferase identified that catalyzes molecular grafting between polysaccharide cross-links in the cell wall matrix and participates in reconstruction of the network structure in the cell wall. Based on the NH2-terminal amino acid sequence information of the purified transferase, we have here cloned and sequenced cDNAs derived from five different plant species, V. angularis, Triticum aestivum, Arabidopsis thaliana, Lycopersicon esculentum, and Glycine max. In the five plant species, the amino acid sequence of the mature proteins is conserved in the range of 71-90% throughout their length. The consensus sequence for N-linked glycosylation, and four cysteine residues are all conserved in the five species. Thus, the endoxyloglucan transferase protein is ubiquitous among higher plants. The highly conserved DNA sequence will serve as a promising tool for exploring the molecular process by which cell wall construction, and hence cell growth, is regulated.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

[Evaluation of CEA, SLX and CA125 in active pulmonary tuberculosis].

Serum tumor markers (CEA, SLX, CA125) were evaluated in 123 patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. The results were as follows: Elevated serum CEA, SLX and CA125 levels were found in 16.9%, 39.5% and 44.4%, respectively, of patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis. Markedly elevated serum CA125 levels were found in some cases. On chest X-ray films, the factors associated with elevation of serum tumor marker levels were examined. Serum CEA and SLX levels were correlated with the extent of disease. Pleural effusion had no influence on serum tumor marker levels. Serum SLX levels were higher in patients without a tuberculous cavity than in those with a tuberculous cavity. After therapy with antituberculous drugs, the mean values of serum SLX and CA125 levels significantly decreased. The decrease in mean value of serum CEA levels was not significant, but in 4 of 8 cases, elevated serum CEA levels were normalized after therapy. On the other hand, two cases with increased serum CEA or SLX level died of respiratory failure. These results suggest that to follow up patients with elevated serum tumor markers is useful for the evaluation of disease activity of pulmonary tuberculosis. Further elevation of serum tumor marker levels after antituberculous therapy may indicate the presence of cancer or deterioration of the disease.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[Arterial embalming method of the cadaver and its application to research].

Ever since 1974, the cadaver has been embalmed by the arterial embalming method, using pre-embalming fluid with blood clot disperser and cell conditioner for the removal of blood clots and drainage of blood, at the Department of Anatomy of the Kawasaki Medical School. According to this method, the cadavers are always very well fixed so that they can be used for not only anatomical dissection but also research for the vascular system by vasography, kinematics of the joint and other histologic examinations. In this report we have described our embalming procedure concretely and its application to research.

Angiography↗
PubMed1993

[A case of endobronchial chondroma in a patient with atypical mycobacterial infection].

A case of endobronchial chondroma in a 74-year-old man with atypical mycobacterial infection is reported. Bronchoscopy was performed in order to exclude the possibility of malignancy. At bronchoscopic examination, a hemispherical polypoid tumor with smooth surface was found at the orifice of left B3 and was removed by transbronchial biopsy forceps. Histologically the tumor was composed of cartilage tissue. About 1 year after forceps resection, no growth of the tumor was seen in the left upper lobe bronchus on bronchoscopic examination. Endobronchial chondroma is relatively rare. We discuss the clinical features of 19 cases of endobronchial chondroma so far reported in Japan, including our case.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

[Three cases of lung cancer with calcification--demonstration by chest CT].

We report three cases of lung cancer with calcification shown on chest CT scans. Case 1 was a 63-year-old man with well differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Chest CT scan showed pronounced central calcification within the tumor. Case 2 was a 57-year-old woman with small cell carcinoma of the lung. Chest CT scan showed diffuse amorphous calcification within the tumor. Case 3 was a 70-year-old man with lung cancer for which pathologic data was not available. Chest CT scan showed punctate and linear calcification of the cavity wall within the tumor. Microscopic examinations revealed dystrophic calcification in cases 1 and 2. Calcification has long been recognized as a distinguishing radiologic feature of a benign pulmonary mass, however, the presence of calcification within a tumor on chest CT scan does not exclude the diagnosis of lung cancer.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Endo-xyloglucan transferase, a novel class of glycosyltransferase that catalyzes transfer of a segment of xyloglucan molecule to another xyloglucan molecule.

Xyloglucans are the major component of plant cell walls and bind tightly to the surface of individual cellulose microfibrils, thereby cross-linking them into a complex polysaccharide network of the cell wall. The cleavage and reconnection of xyloglucan cross-links are considered to play the leading role during chemical processes essential for wall expansion and, therefore, cell growth and differentiation. Although it is hypothesized that some transglycosylation is involved in these chemical processes, the enzyme responsible for the reaction was not identified. We have now purified a novel class of endo-type glycosyltransferase to apparent homogeneity from the extracellular space or the cell wall of the epicotyls of Vigna angularis, a bean plant. The enzyme is a glycoprotein with a molecular mass of about 33 kDa. The enzyme catalyzes both 1) endo-type splitting of a xyloglucan molecule and 2) linking of a newly generated reducing end of the xyloglucan to the nonreducing end of another xyloglucan molecule, thereby mediating the transfer of a large segment of the xyloglucan to another xyloglucan molecule. The transferase exhibits no glycosidase or glycanase activity. Substrate specificity of the enzyme was investigated using several polysaccharides with different glycosidic linkages as donor substrates and pyridylamino oligosaccharides as acceptor substrates, in which the reducing end of the carbohydrate was tagged with a fluorescent group. The enzyme required a basic xyloglucan structure, i.e. a beta-(1-->4)-glucosyl backbone with xylosyl side chains, for both acceptor and donor activity. Galactosyl or fucosyl side chains on the main chain were not required for the acceptor activity. The enzyme exhibited higher reaction rates when xyloglucans with higher M(r) were used as donor substrates. Xyloglucans smaller than 10 kDa were no longer the donor substrate. On the other hand, pyridylamino heptasaccharide acted as a good acceptor as did xyloglucan polymers. Based on these results we propose to designate this novel enzyme a xyloglucan: xyloglucano-transferase, to be abbreviated endo-xyloglucan transferase (EXT) or xyloglucan recombinase. This enzyme is the first enzyme identified that mediates the transfer of a high M(r) segment between polysaccharide molecules to generate chimeric polymers. We conclude that endo-xyloglucan transferase functions as a reconnecting enzyme for xyloglucans and is involved in the interweaving or reconstruction of cell wall matrix, which is responsible for chemical creepage that leads to morphological changes in the cell wall.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗
PubMed1992

[Activation of aerobic bacteria used as BOD measurement of seawater].

Waste of seawater used for cooling water for machines in some kinds of industries in a littoral district in Sakai City, comes under the application of BOD control of the pollution control ordinance in Osaka Prefecture. But unfortunately the BOD measurement method of seawater sample has not been established. In order to establish the measurement method, we studied the strength of activation of aerobic bacteria in the incubation water used and the dilution water. From our results it was proved that we can use the incubation seawater consisting of more than 10(3) cells/ml general bacteria count and more than 0.50 microgram/l ATP (Adenosin triphosphate) as the incubation water and the artificial seawater as the dilution water.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1992

[Myocardial perfusion and left ventricular function during exercise evaluated by 201Tl myocardial scintigraphy and 99mTc radionuclide ventriculography in patients treated with PTCA].

To evaluate the effects of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), we investigated myocardial ischemia and left ventricular function during exercise before and after successful PTCA in 30 patients. We used extent and severity scores of 201thallium (201Tl) exercise myocardial scintigraphy to assess myocardial ischemia and determined global and regional left ventricular ejection fraction (EF and REF) of 99mTc-RBC exercise radionuclide ventriculography to assess left ventricular function. The extent and severity scores of stress images were significantly less after PTCA than before PTCA. The scores of the redistribution images were unchanged before and after PTCA. Global EF during exercise was significantly higher after PTCA than before PTCA. There was no difference in resting global EF between before and after PTCA. Myocardial ischemia induced by exercise was semi-quantitatively analyzed as transient perfusion defect with severity score. Severity score was significantly less after PTCA than before PTCA. delta EF, which was obtained by subtraction of resting global EF from exercise one, was significantly higher after PTCA than before PTCA. However, the degree of improvement in myocardial ischemia and left ventricular function varied from patient to patient. In 17 patients with one-vessel left anterior descending artery disease, delta REF, which was determined by subtracting resting regional EF from exercise one, was significantly higher in septal and apical segments after PTCA than before PTCA. Myocardial ischemia and left ventricular function under exercise were alleviated by PTCA. However, the degree of improvement varied from patient to patient and it might have been affected by various factors including coronary dissection, edema, thrombus, restenosis, spasm, side branch stenosis or occlusion, distal thrombus, and myocardial hibernation.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Glucuronoxylan xylanohydrolase. A unique xylanase with the requirement for appendant glucuronosyl units.

A new category of beta-(1----4)-xylan xylanohydrolases that exhibit a specific capacity to hydrolyze glucuronoxylans was characterized using heteroxylans prepared from Vigna (Vigna angularis Ohwi et Ohashi cv. Takara) and maize (Zea mays L.) cell walls together with appropriate derivatives as substrates. Glucuronopyranosyl moieties, as side chains, were prerequisite for enzyme-mediated hydrolysis of the beta-(1----4)-xylosyl linkages. The enzyme degraded glucuronoxylans derived from Vigna cell walls to yield a major oligomeric species (formula; see text) where Xyl represents xylose and GlcA represents glucuronic acid. The enzyme also degraded glucuronoarabinoxylans derived from maize cell walls to yield a major oligomeric species containing a single glucuronosyl side chain and a single unsubstituted beta 1----4Xyl pendant terminal. These results indicate that this xylanohydrolase recognizes glucuronosyl moieties inserted as monomeric side chains along the xylan backbone and mediates the hydrolysis of the beta-(1----4)-xylosyl linkage of the adjacent unsubstituted xylosyl residue in heteroxylans. This enzyme is the first xylanohydrolase identified that recognizes distinctly different sugars constituting side chains. We propose to designate this new enzyme as a glucuronoxylan xylanohydrolase to be abbreviated as glucuronoxylanase. Use of this unique enzyme demonstrated the presence of repeating units in heteroxylans in cell walls of higher plants.

Bacillus subtilis↗
PubMed1991

Analysis of methylation in the c-MYC gene in five human myeloma cell lines.

Genomic alterations of the human c-MYC gene were analysed in five human myeloma cell lines established in Kawasaki Medical School and compared with those of normal lymphocytes, Raji cells from Burkitt's lymphoma, and an Epstein-Barr virus positive lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL). Although no structural chromosome aberrations at 8q24, the c-MYC locus, were distinct, the mRNA level of c-MYC in these myeloma cell lines was 30-50-fold that in normal peripheral blood lymphocytes. Regarding the methylation of c-MYC, DNAs of the myeloma cell lines were digested with MspI plus EcoRI or HpaII plus EcoRI, and hybridized with three genomic 32P-labelled probes; the first, second and third exons of the human c-MYC gene, respectively. The extent of methylation in cytosine at a single CCGG site in the third exon substantially decreased in these myeloma cell lines as compared with that in normal tonsillar B, LCL and Raji cells. No significant differences in hypomethylation between these myeloma, normal B, LCL and Raji cells was detected in the first and second exon of c-MYC. These results suggest that the hypomethylation in the third exon of c-MYC might be related to the enhanced expression of c-MYC in these human myeloma cell lines.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

[A study on hemolytic streptococci (group A, B, C and G) isolated from throat of the middle-aged and advanced-aged--especially as compared with elementary school children].

Hemolytic streptococci were isolated from throat of middle-aged and advanced-aged and these organisms were classified into groups A, B, C and G. 1) Persons 15 to 39 years old were included in one group and persons from 40 years of age upward were divided into 5 groups every 10 years. Comparison of these groups were done. Generally, group B organisms were most often isolated. The detection rate of group B organisms was higher in the older age group. The detection rates of group A and G organisms were approximately equal, but both organisms were isolated from a few persons. No organism of group C was isolated from males, while only two strains belonged to group C organism were isolated from females. 2) A number of strains of group A hemolytic streptococci were isolated from school children, particularly in the lower classes. But the proportion of group B organism to isolated streptococci showed an increase in upper classes, noticeably in females. 3) For middle-aged and advanced-aged, blood samples were obtained simultaneously on examination of the throat, and ASO value and ASK titer were determined. ASO values were higher in persons infected with groups A, C or G organisms than in persons infected with group B organism or no hemolytic streptococcus. ASK titers revealed a similar results to ASO values, though the relation between ASK titers and isolated hemolytic streptococci was less positive.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Enzymic Analysis of Feruloylated Arabinoxylans (Feraxan) Derived from Zea mays Cell Walls : III. Structural Changes in the Feraxan during Coleoptile Elongation.

Changes in structural features of feraxan (feruloylated arabinoxylans) in cell walls during development of maize (Zea mays L.) coleoptiles were investigated by analysis of fragments released by feraxanase, a specific enzyme purified from Bacillus subtilis. The following patterns were identified: (a) The total quantity of carbohydrate dissociated from a given dry weight of cell wall by feraxanase remained rather constant throughout the initial 10 days of coleoptile development. However, during the same period the proportion of ferulic acid in the fraction increased 12-fold. The absolute amount of ferulic acid per coleoptile also increased rapidly during this developmental phase. (b) Fragments dissociated by the enzyme were resolved into feruloylated and nonferuloylated components by reversed phase chromatography. While the quantity of feruloylated fractions represented a small portion of the total arabinoxylan during the phase of maximum coleoptile elongation (days 2-4) this component increased in abundance to reach a plateau (after 8-10 days). In contrast, nonferuloylated fractions were most abundant during the stage of maximum elongation but declined to a constant level by day 6. (c) Glycosidic linkage analysis of carbohydrate reveals that substitution of the xylan backbone of feraxan by arabinosyl residues decreased during coleoptile growth. We conclude that significant incorporation of ferulic acid occurs and/or more feruloyated domains are added to the arabinoxylan during development. This augmentation in phenolic acids is accompanied by a concerted displacement of arabinosyl residues and/or a reduction in the incorporation of regions enriched in arabinosyl sidechains.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1990

[A case of giant osteoma in the occipital bone].

A 51-year-old female patient, admitted with a chief complaint of dizziness, had bulging of the occipital area, which had started insidiously. On admission, a bony hard swelling with a smooth surface was noted in the left occipital region, extending over the midline of the skull. Plain X ray films revealed a uniform shadow of an osteoid mass inside the occipital bone. A tomogram indicated that the mass originated in the diploë or outer table of the skull, although there was no evidence of destruction of the inner table. CT scan revealed mixed density mass with high density of bone and an irregularly shaped low density area. In the T1-weighted images of MRI, the entire mass showed a low intensity, while in the T2-weighted image the mass showed 3 areas with different intensities. Bone scintigraphy was performed with 99mTc-MDP and revealed an image of accumulation in the mass. Carotid and vertebral angiograms were negative for evidence of feeding arteries to the mass, for tumor stain, and for occlusion of either sigmoid sinus or transverse sinus. The mass was diagnosed as a giant osteoma, and was totally removed. The excised tumor measured 10 x 9 x 5 cm, and inspection at operation revealed it to be composed of a fragile osteoid portion and a comparatively soft connective tissue portion. The histological diagnosis of the mass was that it was a spongy osteoma including a comparatively large amount of connective tissue. The postoperative recovery of the patient was satisfactory and her dizziness disappeared.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Female↗
PubMed1989

Enzymic Analysis of Feruloylated Arabinoxylans (Feraxan) Derived from Zea mays Cell Walls : II. Fractionation and Partial Characterization of Feraxan Fragments Dissociated by a Bacillus subtilis Enzyme (Feraxanase).

Structural features of feruloylated arabinoxylan (feraxan) present in Zea mays L. (hybrid B 73 x Mo 17) coleoptile cell walls have been studied using a purified feraxan-dissociating enzyme (feraxanase) and an alpha-arabinofuranosidase. This experimental approach has demonstrated the following. (a) Feraxanase dissociated ca. 20% (dry weight basis) of the maize wall preparation. The predominant oligosaccharides enzymically liberated were allocated into seven major subfractions designated A-1 (0.8%), B-1 (1.6%), B-2 (2.4%), B-3 (4.6%), C-1 (1.0%), C-2 (4.2%), and C-3 (0.3%). Values in parentheses reflect the percentage of the wall associated with each subfraction. Subfractions represent samples enriched in different degrees of polymerization, sugar composition, linkage arrangements, and phenolic acid content. (b) B-1, B-2, and B-3 fractions are not feruloylated and have smaller molecular mass (less than 10(4) kilodaltons) and consist chiefly of t-arabinosyl-5-arabinosyl, 4-xylosyl, 2,4/3,4-xylosyl, and glucuronosyl residues, suggesting that these fragments constitute nonferuloylated regions of arabinoxylan. (c) C-2 and C-3 fractions contain ferulic acid (6.2% and 12.1%, respectively) and are similar to the B series in their sugar linkage arrangements but were derived from feruloylated regions. (d) Alkali treatment of the C-2 fraction decreases the molecular size of the fragment and liberates phenolic acids. The results suggest the presence of alkaline-labile links, probably diferulate bridges. (e) A-1 and C-1 fractions are larger (more than 5 x 10(5) kilodalton) and contain t-galactosyl-, 4-galactosyl, 2,4-rhamnosyl-residues, galacturonic acid, and the sugar linkage arrangements common to other fractions. The A-1 fraction is not feruloylated, whereas C-1 fraction contains 0.5% ferulic acid. The presence of galactose, rhamnose, and galacturonic acid suggests that pectic polymers, probably homopolygalacturonans and rhamnogalacturonans, are linked to nonferuloylated and feruloylated segments of arabinoxylans.

Journal Article↗