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Biomedical subjects

K Ukai

Publications and source records attributed to K Ukai.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Glycoprotein analysis of middle ear effusions by rectin-conjugated sepharose affinity chromatography.

We analyzed the composition of glycoproteins in serous and mucoid middle ear effusions (MEE) collected from patients with chronic otitis media with effusion (OME), and compared this with plasma glycoproteins, using rectin-conjugated sepharose. The concentration ratio of rectin-absorbed glycoproteins to total protein concentration in serous MEE resembled that in plasma, although mucoid MEE had a higher concentration ratio than that of the serous effusions. By SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis, the molecular weight pattern of glycoproteins adsorbed to wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) gel in serous MEE was more similar to that in plasma than in the mucoid effusions. Using 2-mercaptoethanol, the basic low-molecular-weight components of the glycoproteins were almost identical in MEE and in plasma. Our findings show that mucoid MEE has a greater amount of plasma and epithelial glycoproteins than does serous fluid. The composition of these latter substances is more similar to that of plasma glycoproteins. The strong disulfide bonds present in glycoproteins may significantly contribute to the physicochemical properties of mucoid MEE.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Proteolytic activity and serum protease inhibitors in nasal secretions from adult patients with common colds.

Proteolytic activity and concentrations of serum protease inhibitors were measured in nasal secretions collected from 14 adult patients (6 males and 8 females) with common colds. Elastase concentration and fibrinolytic activity increased about three days after the onset of the colds, and there was a significant correlation between both values (p less than 0.01). Trypsin-like protease activity was very low. Of all serum protease inhibitors, inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor could not be detected, and alpha 2-macroglobulin could be detected in only two cases. Variation of alpha 1-antitrypsin value was very similar to that of alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, and there was a significant correlation between alpha 1-antitrypsin and elastase (p less than 0.001). Phoretic patterns of crossed immuneelectrophoresis revealed the presence of alpha 1-antitrypsin-protease complex. alpha-protease inhibitors are major serum protease inhibitors in nasal secretions of persons with colds, and inhibit excess proteolytic activity of serine proteases. This protection is considered to be one of the major factors in preventing irreversible mucosal change.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Adenoid cystic carcinoma of the head and neck--a clinical study of 27 cases].

Adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) is frequently seen in the salivary glands, but may occur at other sites in the head and neck. We report 27 patients with ACC treated at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Mie University School of Medicine, for 15 years. The survival rate dropped from 78% at five years to 36% at 10 years. This suggests that the long-term prognosis of ACC is poor. According to Batsakis, we classified ACC according to histopathology and emphasize that the solid cellular pattern had the worst prognosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Pathophysiological condition of the nose of asthmatic children with subclinical nasal allergy.

Nasal mucociliary transport time, nasal hypersensitivity to histamine, the number of basophils and eosinophils in the superficial mucous layer of the inferior turbinate, and the amount of histamine in the nasal secretion were measured in the asthmatic children with subclinical nasal allergy (asthma group). These results were compared with those in nasal allergic patients with nasal symptoms (nasal allergy group). Saccharin time did not show any significant difference between the asthma and nasal allergy group. The threshold for nasal hypersensitivity to histamine was significantly higher in the asthma group than in the nasal allergy group. Accumulation of basophils and eosinophils in the superficial mucous layer of the inferior turbinate were observed in both groups. There was a statistical correlation between the number of basophils and the number of eosinophils in the superficial nasal mucosa in the nasal allergy group, but not in the asthma group. These data suggest that basophilic cell function in the superficial mucous layer in the nose is of greater significance in the development of nasal symptoms in response to nasal allergy than either mucociliary activity or nasal mucosal hypersensitivity to histamine.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

The origin of square wave jerks: conditions of fixation and microsaccades.

The effects of various fixation stimuli on square waves of eye movements were studied in 16 normal subjects. Fixation eye movements were recorded by infrared reflection oculography under visual and nonvisual conditions. The target size was varied from 9 to 72 minutes of arc in four steps. The mean amplitude of the square wave was enlarged more than 0.5 degrees with the targets over 18 minutes of arc and in total darkness. The findings indicate that the square wave jerks are enhanced microsaccades and are closely related to the instability of the fixation eye movements.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

A quasi-static study of accommodation in amblyopia.

A method named quasi-static recording of accommodation is introduced. While accommodative stimulus (AS) is slowly changed over a wide range with a constant velocity (0.2 D s-1), accommodative response (AR) is continuously measured. AS and AR, respectively, are recorded on the abscissa and the ordinate of an x-y recorder to produce a "quasi-static" response/stimulus curve. This method was applied to 28 monocular amblyopic and formerly amblyopic subjects, and the findings were compared with those from their sound eyes. The recordings and subsequent analysis show reduced accommodative amplitude and reduced accommodative accuracy in amblyopic eyes, similar to those reported in previous static measurements of accommodation. In about a half of the amblyopic eyes, the recordings reveal that the fluctuations of accommodation are greater as the target becomes closer. Increased microfluctuation associated with a loss of sensitivity to change of contrast is discussed. This phenomenon suggests that increased microfluctuation is directly associated with reduced performance. In three recovered amblyopes, the accommodative functions were considerably reduced, while the other 10 subjects showed improved functions. It is suggested that, in some cases, the abnormal accommodation is the cause of the amblyopia.

Accommodation, Ocular↗
PubMed1985

Interaction between mucociliary transport and the ciliary beat of chicken nasal mucosa.

We studied the relationship between the mucociliary transport time and the ciliary beat frequency in the chicken nares following water deprivation and topical administrations of cocaine, atropine, and Newcastle disease virus (NDV). Dehydration produced progressive decelerations of mucociliary flow but not ciliary beat frequency. In vivo 5% cocaine resulted in decreased sinus mucociliary transport time, while application of 20% cocaine to in vitro tissues caused ciliary paralysis within 5 min. Topical atropine was seen to affect both mucociliary flow and the ciliary beat frequency. NDV infection induced deceleration of the turbinate clearance time after 72 h, but did not change ciliary beat frequency. By day 12, mucociliary flow remained unchanged although ciliary beat frequency decreased significantly. Our results support the general concept that mucus is more important than are the cilia in normal nasal mucociliary function.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

The significance of protease inhibitors in the pathogenesis of otitis media with effusion.

Concentration of alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1-AT), alpha 1-antichymotrypsin (alpha 1-AChyT), inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (I-alpha-I), and alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2-M) was measured in 27 serous middle ear effusions (MEEs) from 24 adult patients. The presence of protease-inhibitor complex was analyzed by crossed immunoelectrophoresis (CIEP). Mean concentration of alpha 1-AT was 361 +/- 90.0 mg/dl and was higher than that of other inhibitors: alpha 1-AChyT, 80.6 +/- 40.7; I-alpha-I, 21.3 +/- 21.5; alpha 2-M, 59.5 +/- 57.1. Molar concentration of alpha 2-M was the lowest. Most of alpha 1-AT and alpha 1-AChyT in MEEs were unsaturated; free inhibitors. Alpha-1-AT could be saturated by trypsin and elastase immediately, and only alpha 2-M could be saturated by papain (classical thiol protease). Serous MEEs have high anti-trypsin activity attributed to mainly free alpha 1-AT. Since level of alpha 2-M was very low, lysosomal thiol proteases could be one of the major proteases inducing proteolytic damage to middle ear mucosa.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Reversibility of reduced mucociliary clearance in chronic sinusitis.

Nasal mucociliary clearance was measured before and after treatment in patients with chronic sinusitis. Nasal mucociliary transit time before the study was greater than 36 min in 8 out of 14 patients who were treated with S-carboxymethylcysteine, and in 9 out of 22 patients who were treated by repeated antral lavage. The nasal mucociliary clearance was significantly improved by both treatment regimens. This may indicate that the malfunction of the nasal mucociliary system is not the cause of chronic sinusitis but an effect of chronic inflammation of the respiratory mucosa.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1985

Plasma component of middle ear effusion evaluated by prekallikrein level.

Plasma leakage into middle ear was evaluated by the level of prekallikrein in middle ear effusions (MEE), measured by the fluorometric assay. Plasma leakage into middle ear is a major source of MEE, especially serous effusions. The degree of plasma leakage at the time of sampling is very low in mucoid effusions and varied in serous effusions. Active plasma leakage into middle ear would occur at the early restricted inflammatory phase in the middle ear.

Albumins↗
PubMed1985

Spatial pattern as a stimulus to the pupillary system.

Pupillary responses to the contrast reversal of a checkerboard pattern of variable check size and contrast were measured. The results show that the pupillary system is responsive to the contrast reversal. It is argued that this response is the light reflex caused by the local luminance change. The summation characteristics of the pupillary afferent are considered. It has also been found that the pupil size, without any influence from contrast reversal, systematically changes with the changes in the check size. Whether this pupillary change is caused by the variation in accommodative performance with changing spatial factors of visual stimulus is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Macromolecular permeability of the tight junction of the human nasal mucosa.

Using HRP as a cytochemical tracer, we investigated the tight junctional permeability of the human nasal mucosa in the early stage of its transportation. We found that the tight junction becomes "leaky" in the inflammatory and in the allergic conditions. Connection of goblet-goblet and goblet-ciliated cells were weaker than that of ciliated-ciliated cells. All epithelial tight junctions seemed to be loose in cases of allergic rhinitis.

Biological Transport↗
PubMed1985

Cilia injury during virus infection in chickens.

The reduction of mucociliary clearance in the Newcastle disease virus-B infected nasal turbinate in chickens is mainly due to ciliary pathology, decrease of the number of cilia and of the ciliary beat frequency.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

The effect of protein malnutrition on the susceptibility of the chicken nose to Newcastle disease virus.

The effect of protein malnutrition on the susceptibility of the chicken nose to Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was studied. Chicks that were rendered acutely protein-deficient for 1 or 3 weeks from the time of hatching yielded approximately 10 times more NDV from their throats than did normally fed animals 7 days after inoculation with the virus. Serum antibody responses in the protein-deficient animals 14 days after inoculation of NDV was statistically lower than in the normally fed animals. These results were supported by the mucociliary transport time in the turbinate and sinus, as well as by the histological changes in the turbinate. This difference may thus be due to the fact that normally fed maturing chicks develop an increased resistance to virus which is depressed in protein-deficient animals.

Animals↗