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Biomedical subjects

K Tada

Publications and source records attributed to K Tada.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Effects of long-term anticonvulsant therapy on copper, zinc, and magnesium in hair and serum of epileptics.

The effects of long-term anticonvulsant therapy on copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and magnesium (Mg) in the serum and hair were investigated in epileptics. Hair concentrations of Cu in both male and female epileptics, Zn in male epileptics, and Mg in female epileptics were significantly decreased when compared with those of age-matched and gender-matched controls. Hair Cu concentrations were significantly decreased in male epileptics; a significant decrease in hair Mg concentration was observed in female epileptics when compared with schizophrenics. An increased serum Cu concentration was found in female epileptics and a decreased Zn concentration was found in male epileptics. These findings suggest that long-term anticonvulsant therapy could induce alterations in both the metabolism and distribution of Cu, Zn, and Mg.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency: molecular aspects.

Medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder which is known to cause Reye-like syndrome in children and sudden infant death. A point mutation of lysine329-to-glutamic acid329 substitution in the MCAD gene was recently identified as the most common mutation in patients with MCAD deficiency. This mutation is responsible for about 90% of mutant MCAD alleles in Caucasians. Patients with this type of mutation have a variety of symptoms, indicating that the clinical heterogeneity of MCAD deficiency may not be caused entirely by genetic heterogeneity. Screening for the mutation among newborns in England, Australia, and United States of America indicates the prevalence of carriers to be 1 in 40-107, suggesting the high incidence of the mutation. Since presymptomatic diagnosis and appropriate dietary management are important in MCAD deficiency to prevent life-threatening complications, the relatively high incidence of this disorder may warrant population screening. The most common MCAD mutation can now be detected by DNA diagnostic methods using Guthrie cards. This makes it possible to screen a population efficiently for this potentially fatal disorder.

Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase↗
PubMed1992

Enzymatic diagnosis of nonketotic hyperglycinemia with lymphoblasts.

We developed a new enzymatic assay for the glycine cleavage system that used Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblasts instead of liver biopsy specimens. Patients with nonketotic hyperglycinemia from a deficiency of P-protein could be clearly distinguished from control subjects by activities in their lymphoblasts, suggesting the clinical usefulness of this method.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Serial magnetic resonance imaging studies in a case of late onset globoid cell leukodystrophy.

The late onset type of globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD) is a rare disorder and only three magnetic resonance imaging (MR) studies have been reported for this disease. We report a sporadic case of late onset GLD. The illness started at the age of 3 years and 8 months with spastic gait. He became bedridden at the age of 4 years and 7 months. The diagnosis was made by deficient activity of galactosylceramidase in lymphocytes, and the biochemical and morphological examinations of the biopsied sural nerve were also conducted. Computed tomography (CT) and MR study revealed that the degenerative change of the white matter was initially recognized in the occipital and parietal lobes and then extended forward. Literature of the CT or MR findings of GLD is also reviewed.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1992

Studies on the uronic acid-containing glycoproteins of Fusarium sp. M7-1: II. The primary structures of the low molecular weight carbohydrate chains of the glycoproteins.

The primary structures of the O-glycosidically linked oligosaccharides isolated from glycoproteins GP I and GP II of Fusarium sp. M7-1 were established. The oligosaccharides released by alkaline borohydride treatment from the glycoproteins were purified by Bio-Gel P-4 and HPLC. This approach resulted in one monosaccharide and seven oligosaccharides. Their primary structures were resolved mainly by NMR spectrometry in combination with methylation mass spectrometry and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry. The following structures have been determined. [formula: see text].

Carbohydrate Conformation↗
PubMed1992

Prenatal diagnosis in high risk pregnancies for Zellweger syndrome.

Zellweger syndrome is a lethal disorder. At present, no effective therapies are known for the patients of Zellweger syndrome. Recently a typical case of Zellweger syndrome in Japan was observed. In spite of intensive care, the patient died at the age of 3 months. Following this, the parents requested prenatal diagnosis for their following two pregnancies. We investigated levels of very long chain fatty acids (VLCFA), levels of bile acids in amniotic fluid and immunoblotting of peroxisomal beta-oxidation enzymes in cultured amniocytes. We report that immunoblotting using cultured amniocytes is an effective method for prenatal diagnosis of Zellweger syndrome. Furthermore, if we use immunoblotting for prenatal diagnosis, we can discriminate pseudoZellweger syndrome from pseudoneonatal adrenoleucodystrophy. Following prenatal diagnosis, two healthy babies were delivered. After birth, no abnormal levels of VLCFA in either serum or red blood cell membranes were confirmed. In this paper, we report that we can diagnose a healthy fetus in a high risk pregnancy for Zellweger syndrome.

Amniocentesis↗
PubMed1992

[Comparison of polymerase chain reaction and IDEIA Chlamydia in detection of Chlamydia trachomatis from first-voided urine of male urethritis patients].

We have reported a method for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with two oligonucleotides based on sequences within the major outer membrane protein gene from C. trachomatis serovar L2. In the previous report, in addition to treatment of the mixture of first-voided urine (FVU) sediment and 1 ml of urine with proteinase K. DNA purification by phenol extraction was necessary for preparation of template DNA for PCR. In this study, FVU sediment was suspended in 1 ml of Chlamydiazyme dilution buffer and a part of the suspension was treated with proteinase K for DNA extraction. The DNA extraction solution could be used as template for PCR without purification of DNA by phenol extraction. One hundred FVU specimens obtained from male urethritis patients were examined with the two methods (PCR and IDEIA) for detection of C. trachomatis. In 33 of 100 specimens, the DNA fragments of C. trachomatis was amplified by the PCR and in 32 of 100, the chlamydial antigen was detected by IDEIA. The positive and negative coincidence rate of the PCR to IDEIA were 93.8% (30.32) and 95.6% (65/68) respectively, resulting in a high overall coincidence rate at 95%. Thus, the improved method with PCR using FVU as a specimen is proved to be a useful, non-invasive diagnostic tool for diagnosis of chlamydial urethritis.

Chlamydia trachomatis↗
PubMed1992

[Detection of Ureaplasma urealyticum by polymerase chain reaction].

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure for detection of Ureaplasma urealyticum was developed. A set of oligonucreotides based on sequences within the 16S ribosomal RNA gene from U. urealyticum were used as extension primers for the PCR. A DNA fragment of 397 bp was amplified by the PCR, when U. urealyticum DNA was template for the PCR. No amplified product was detected from other bacterial DNA including those of Mycoplasma genus. The amplified DNA fragment of 397 bp was detected on agarose gel electrophoresis, when DNA of > or = 10(2) cells of U. urealyticum per PCR was used as template for the PCR. Thus, the PCR procedure was shown to be a simple, rapid and specific method for detection of U. urealyticum and could be applied to detection of U. urealyticum from clinical specimens.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1992

[Comparison of polymerase chain reaction and enzyme immunoassay (Chlamydiazyme) in detection of Chlamydia trachomatis from male urethritis].

A method using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was compared to an enzyme immunoassay (Chlamydiazyme) for detection of Chlamydia trachomatis by testing a reference strain and clinical specimens. Two oligonucleotides based on sequences within the major outer membrane protein gene from C. trachomatis serovar L2 were used as primers for the PCR. A DNA fragment of 242 bp specific for C. trachomatis was amplified by the PCR, when DNA of greater than or equal to 10(2) C. trachomatis was used as template for the PCR. A chlamydial antigen was detected by Chlamydiazyme, when greater than or equal to 2.6 x 10(3) C. trachomatis were applied for the enzyme immunoassay. The PCR method was 26 times more sensitive than Chlamydiazyme in detection of C. trachomatis. The PCR method and Chlamydiazyme were carried out to examine 74 urethral swabs obtained from male patients with urethritis for detection of C. trachomatis. In 45 of 74 specimens, the DNA fragment of C. trachomatis was amplified by the PCR, and in 41 of 74, the chlamydial antigen was detected by Chlamydiazyme. The detection rate of the PCR method (60.8%) was higher than that of Chlamydiazyme (55.4%). The positive coincidence rate of the PCR method to Chlamydiazyme was 100% (41/41) and negative coincidence rate was 87.9% (29/33). The overall coincidence rate between the two methods was high (94.6%). Thus, the PCR method was more sensitive than Chlamydiazyme for detection of C. trachomatis and specific for diagnosis of chlamydial urethritis.

Chlamydia trachomatis↗
PubMed1992

[Detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae from male patients with urethritis by polymerase chain reaction].

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure was developed for detection of Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Two oligonucleotides based on sequences within a 16S ribosomal RNA gene from N. gonorrhoeae were used as extension primers for the PCR. A single DNA fragment of 206 bp was amplified, when N. gonorrhoeae DNA was template for the PCR. No amplified product was detected in Chlamydia trachomatis DNA, Ureaplasma urealyticum DNA or other bacterial DNAs. The DNA fragment of 206 bp was detected on agarose gel electrophoresis, when DNA of greater than or equal to 6.5 N. gonorrhoeae per PCR was used as template DNA for the PCR. The culture and the PCR were carried out for detection of N. gonorrhoeae in 67 urethral swabs obtained from male patients with urethritis. In 27 of 28 specimens in which N. gonorrhoeae was isolated and identified by the culture, 206 bp DNA fragment was amplified by the PCR, but in one specimen no DNA fragment was detected. In 2 of 39 culture-negative specimens, 206 pb DNA fragment was detected and in the remaining specimens, PCR was negative for N. gonorrhoeae. The overall detection coincidence rate between the culture and the PCR was 95.5% (64/67). Thus, the PCR procedure developed in this study was sensitive and specific for detection of N. gonorrhoeae and could be applied for diagnosis of gonococcal urethritis.

Gonorrhea↗
PubMed1992

Residual effects of repeated administration of triazolam and nitrazepam in healthy volunteers.

The residual effects of hypnotics were investigated with a long-acting (nitrazepam) and a short-acting (triazolam) benzodiazepine hypnotic in 8 male volunteers. Subjects received placebo, nitrazepam 5 mg, or triazolam 0.25 mg for 7 consecutive nights in a random-order, double-blind crossover design. Daytime sleepiness, psychomotor performance, EEG activity and standing steadiness were assessed in the morning after 1, 4, and 7 days of drug treatment. Plasma concentrations of nitrazepam and triazolam were also assayed. The concentration of nitrazepam increased gradually during the course of treatment and was associated with residual sedative effects on days 4 and 7. Nitrazepam produced no apparent psychomotor impairments in these studies. On the other hand, there was no evidence of drug accumulation after triazolam administration and triazolam showed no residual sedative effects or residual impairment of psychomotor performance during the experiment. Thus, short-acting hypnotics may have an advantage over long-acting hypnotics in terms of producing less residual sedative effects during chronic treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Identification of a common mutation in Finnish patients with nonketotic hyperglycinemia.

Nonketotic hyperglycinemia (NKH) is an autosomal recessive metabolic disorder caused by the defects in the glycine cleavage system (GCS; EC 2.1.2.10), a multienzyme system that consists of four individual components. NKH is a rare disorder in many countries, but with a very high incidence in northern Finland. To understand the genetic background of this high incidence, we examined the GCS in a typical case of NKH at the molecular level. The activity of P protein, a component of the GCS, was not detected in the lymphoblasts of the patient, while P protein mRNA of a normal size and level was present in the cells. Structural analysis of P protein mRNA from the patient revealed a single nucleotide substitution from G to T in the protein coding region, which resulted in an amino acid alteration from Ser564 to Ile564. No P protein activity was detected when the mutant P protein with this amino acid substitution was expressed in COS 7 cells. The patient was homozygous for this mutation. Furthermore, this mutation was present in 70% (14 of 20) of P protein gene alleles in Finnish patients with NKH, whereas it was not found in 20 alleles of non-Finnish patients. The results suggest that this mutation is responsible for the high incidence of NKH in Finland.

Amino Acid Metabolism, Inborn Errors↗
PubMed1992

Systemic hypersensitivity vasculitis associated with bronchiectasis.

Systemic hypersensitivity vasculitis developed in a 53-year-old man during acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. High grade fever, mononeuropathy multiplex, cutaneous vasculitis, and biopsy specimen-proved mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis with crescent formation and leukocytoclastic vasculitis associated with circulating immune complex occurred. Corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide therapy was effective for vasculitis and bronchiectasis.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1992

Functions of ascending thin limb of Henle's loop with special emphasis on mechanism of NaCl transport.

Major controversy concerning the ascending thin limb of Henle's loop (ATL) centers on the urine concentration mechanism based on the countercurrent multiplier system in the inner medulla of the kidney. This renal tubular segment has specific transport properties which function to dilute the urine without any movement of water across the epithelium. This segment is fundamentally impermeable to water, moderately permeable to urea, and highly permeable to Na+ and Cl-. Whether NaCl is reabsorbed actively in the ATL has long been an important question. While mathematical modelling studies have failed to explain completely how the osmotic gradient in the inner medulla is generated without active NaCl transport in the ATL, the experimental data support the view that active NaCl reabsorption is absent. Recently, we succeeded in measuring the intracellular Na+ concentration by using the fluorescent Na+ indicator sodium-binding benzofuran isophthalate in the in vitro microperfused ATL. Our data suggest that the ATL maintains a low intracellular Na+ concentration by the ouabain-sensitive Na+/K+ ATPase in the basolateral membrane, and that the luminal membrane of the ATL has furosemide-insensitive Na+ permeability. Active Na+ reabsorption estimated in our study amounts to only a few per cents of the net Na+ reabsorption in the ATL. It is therefore suggested that the major role of Na+ extrusion in the ATL cells is to maintain a low cellular Na+ concentration against ambient hyperosmolarity, although small but substantial amount of Na+ is reabsorbed by the furosemide-insensitive Na+ permeability and ouabain-sensitive Na+/K+ ATPase.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Fetal and neonatal excretion of free and conjugated ritodrine.

The ability of the human fetus and neonate to conjugate and excrete ritodrine, a beta 2-sympathomimetic drug, was investigated. Free and conjugated ritodrine concentrations in the plasma, amniotic fluid and urine were measured in 11 mother-infant pairs, to whom intravenous ritodrine had been administered before elective cesarean section at term. Ritodrine was determined by HPLC with electrochemical detection. At delivery, conjugated ritodrine values were significantly higher than those for the free form in maternal and fetal plasma. There were significant positive correlations between the concentrations in the maternal and umbilical vein plasma for both free and conjugated ritodrine. In the amniotic fluid, the total ritodrine concentrations were much higher than those in the fetal plasma, the conjugated form accounting for 90.2% of the total. Furthermore, the percentages of conjugated ritodrine in the amniotic fluid and neonatal urine were significantly higher than the percentage in the maternal urine on the day of birth. In the neonatal urine, the concentrations of free and conjugated ritodrine decreased rapidly after birth as did those in the maternal urine, on day 3 postpartum being less than 2% of the values on the day of parturition. These results indicate that the fetus at term is capable of forming conjugated metabolites of ritodrine and of excreting free and conjugated ritodrine in its urine.

Amniotic Fluid↗
PubMed1992

Thiamine responsive pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency.

We studied a PDH deficient patient who is clinically responsive to thiamine. High Km and low Vmax values for the TPP were identified in the patient's cultured cells. Immunoblot analysis detected trace amount of mutant E1 alpha polypeptide which was 3.5 KD larger than normal in size. Four-nucleotide deletion in the E1 alpha gene causes a reading frame shift, producing an abnormal polypeptide with additional 31 amino acids at C-terminus of the E1 alpha subunit. The tryptophan (codon 383) and lysine (385) residues near the C-terminus might play a crucial role in the binding of TPP to the E1.

Amino Acid Sequence↗