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Biomedical subjects

M Kubo

Publications and source records attributed to M Kubo.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Studies of cuticle drugs from natural sources. III. Inhibitory effect of Myrica rubra on melanin biosynthesis.

The inhibitory effect of a 50% ethanolic extract obtained from the dried leaves and the bark of Myrica rubra, was investigated in vitro on melanin biosynthesis which is closely related to hyperpigmentation. These extracts inhibited tyrosinase activity which converts dopa to dopachrome in the biosynthetic process. Furthermore, the extracts inhibited the production of melanin from dopachrome by autoxidation and also showed superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity. After bioassay-guided fractionation, quercetin, myricetin and myricetin 3-O-rhamnoside were isolated from the leaves. As they showed the inhibitory effect on tyrosinase activity, the activity is partially attributable to them in the extract of M. rubra. These results suggested that the leaves or the bark of M. rubra might be used as a whitening agent for the skin.

Melanins↗
PubMed1995

Study on anti-cataract drugs from natural sources. II. Effects of buddlejae flos on in vitro aldose reductase activity.

The inhibitory effects of nine crude drugs were tested on unpurified rat lens aldose reductase, an enzyme involved in the complications of diabetes. Among the crude drugs, a 70% methanolic extract of Buddlejae Flos (flower of Buddleja officinalis) exhibited the highest inhibition. Luteolin, luteolin-7-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside, apigenin and acacetin-7-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(6-1)-beta-D-glucopyranoside isolated from Buddlejae Flos showed the inhibitory activity, the IC50 (concentration of 50% inhibitory percentage) values of which were 0.21, 0.28, 0.58 and 0.75 microM, respectively. It is suggested that the inhibitory effect of Buddlejae Flos on aldose reductase is partially attributable to these flavonols or their glycosides.

Aldehyde Reductase↗
PubMed1995

Inhibitory effects of methanolic extract from corydalis tuber against types I-IV allergic models.

Methanolic extract (CM-ext) from tubers of Corydalis turtschaninovii forma yanhusuo has been screened for activity in experimental models of types I-IV allergy. In type I allergic models, CM-ext at doses of 200, 500 mg/kg, p.o. inhibited 48-h homologous passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) in rats which is related to IgE, and 4-h heterologous PCA in guinea pigs which is related to IgG. The inhibition of CM-ext on 48-h PCA was also recognized in adrenalectomized rats. CM-ext exhibited the inhibitory effect on formation of IgE antibody in BALB/c mice. In type II allergic model, it was found that CM-ext inhibits reversed cutaneous anaphylaxis (RCA). In type III allergic model, CM-ext showed the inhibitory effect on direct passive arthus reaction (DPAR) in rats. Furthermore, in type IV allergic model, CM-ext had the inhibitory effects on induction phase and effector phase in picryl chloride-induced contact dermatitis (PC-CD). It also showed therapeutic action on PC-CD. These results indicated that CM-ext not only inhibits antibody-mediated allergic reactions but also influences cell-mediated allergic reactions and should be recognized as a potent material for allergic reactions, although the mechanisms and active principles of CM-ext have not yet been completely determined.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

[Study on Alpiniae Fructus. I. Pharmacological evidence of efficacy of Alpiniae Fructus on ancient herbal literature].

Pharmacological effects on anti-diuresis, anti-ulceration, anti-dementia and learning function of 50% ethanolic extract (AO-ext) from Alpiniae Fructus (fruit of Alpinia oxyphylla) removed seed vessel were investigated in order to prove the evidence of the efficacy of Alpiniae Fructus on the ancient herbal literature. AO-ext showed the effects of anti-diuresis, anti-ulceration, anti-dementia and on increase in the learning function in animals. And also, AO-ext exhibited the increasing effect on the serum 11-hydroxycorticosteroid (11-OHCS) level in the above-described experimental animals and in intact and hypophysectomized rats.

11-Hydroxycorticosteroids↗
PubMed1995

[Simultaneous analysis of ginsenosides of various ginseng radix by HPLC].

A simultaneous analysis of ginsenosides in Panax ginseng by high performance liquid chromatography recently established by us was applied to the analysis of various Ginseng Radix. The contents of ginsenosides in P. ginseng were examined according to the differences of the growth year, the used part of the plant, the method of processing and the cultivated location. In the case of P. ginseng cultivated in Nagano, Japan, the ratio (total ginsenosides content/total dry root weight) increases annually for three years. And it decreased at the fourth year and increases again at the fifth and the sixth years. Concerning the distribution of ginsenosides in the parts of the plant, they were contained at the highest level in a lateral root and in succession, in a rhizome > in a root hair > in a main root. They were also distributed much richer at periderm than at phloem or at xylem of a main root. The contents of panaxadiol- and panaxatriol-saponins gradually increase with the growth year, whereas an oleananesaponin, ginsenoside-Ro, drastically increases at the sixth year and goes to 15-fold, which suggests that the content of ginsenoside-Ro needs to be estimated much more when Ginseng Radix is evaluated. The fact that the processing for preparation of Red Ginseng increases the total content of saponins was clearly revealed by the present study. The highest contents of saponins among Red Ginsengs (all 6-year-old) were observed in ones prepared in Korea, and in Japan > in China, successively.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗
PubMed1995

Natural infection with attaching and effacing Escherichia coli and adenovirus in the intestine of a pigeon with diarrhea.

Attaching and effacing Escherichia coli (AEEC) and adenovirus infections in a 6-month old pigeon were found by retrospective histologic examinations. Histologically, numerous gram-negative bacilli covered the surface of the enterocytes of the ileum. Brush borders were not sharply defined on the apical enterocytes at the sites of bacterial attachment. Scanning electron microscope showed that much of the mucosal surface was heavily colonized by bacilli and that the microvilli were lost. Many intranuclear inclusions were seen in enterocytes from the duodenum to the cecum. On transmission electron microscopy, adenovirus-like particles were observed in the nuclei of enterocytes.

Adenoviridae↗
PubMed1995

Rapid detection of mycoplasma contamination in cell cultures by enzymatic detection of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products.

Enzymatic detection of polymerase chain reaction (ED-PCR) was applied for rapid and easy identification of mycoplasmas from contaminated cell culture. This method was based on the capture of amplified products via biotin-streptavidine affinity and the detection of an incorporated hapten in amplified products with enzyme-linked antibody. Primers corresponding to common sequence of Mollicutes in 16S ribosomal RNA dominated gene was used. Nineteen of twenty Mollicutes so far reported as cell contaminants appeared positive by ED-PCR, whereas remaining one, Acholeplasma axanthum, appeared negative. Samples from sixty-two cell culture were tested for contamination of mycoplasmas by means of ED-PCR, cultivation, and electronmicroscopy. The results of ED-PCR were the same as those of cultivating method. The time required for all the detection process in ED-PCR was about 5 hr for 20 samples. We suggest that ED-PCR can be used in the rapid detection of mycoplasms from cell culture.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

A case of deoxycorticosterone-producing adrenal adenoma.

A 29-year-old woman with deoxycorticosterone (DOC)-producing adrenocortical adenoma had hypertension and hypokalemia but without Cushingoid features. Plasma renin activity and the aldosterone concentration were low, while the DOC concentration was high (6.10-10.3 ng/ml; normal range 0.03-0.33). Plasma cortisol, androgens, and estrogens as well as urinary 17-OHCS and 17-KS were within normal limits. Furosemide administration and two hours upright posture resulted in a 3-fold increase in plasma DOC, but the administration of ACTH, dexamethasone, or angiotensin III had no effect on plasma DOC. Following resection of a right adrenal tumor weighing 70 g, the hypertension and hypokalemia disappeared. DOC content in the tumor was high. On light microscopic examination, the tumor was encapsulated, composed of cells with clear cytoplasm and large nuclei and there were extensive areas of fibrosis and infiltration of lymphocytes. According to Weiss's criteria, the tumor was considered to be an adrenocortical adenoma. Immunohistochemically, P450scc, 3 beta HSD, P450C21 and P45011 beta were positive with heterogeneity of intra-tumoral expression. No immunoreactivity for P45017 alpha in this adenoma was detected. This is different from a previous report in which a relatively small number of cells in DOC-secreting adrenocortical carcinoma were positive for P45017 alpha.

Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms↗
PubMed1995

A study on the difference of human sensation evaluation to whole-body vibration in sitting and lying postures.

The evaluation of vibration sensation is a problem which has large individual differences. In order to clarify the relationship between posture and psychological response, human sensation to whole-body vibration (from 2 to 11 Hz) in sitting and lying postures was evaluated by the semantic differential method, and the influences of posture on the evaluation were investigated by using the fuzzy measure. Furthermore, the paired t-test was used to test the significant differences in the results of evaluation between the two postures. The results were as follows: (1) Psychological responses of human beings to whole-body vibration were greatly affected by the postures. (2) Changes of the psychological responses in the lying posture were smaller than those in the sitting posture. (3) There were significant differences between sitting and lying postures in the evaluation results of physiological factor, psychological factor and synthetic evaluation (P < 0.025).

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

Physiological and subjective responses to standing showers, sitting showers, and sink baths.

The purpose of this study was to investigate physiological and subjective responses during and after bathing in three different bathing methods. Eight healthy males bathed for 10 minutes, and then rested for 30 minutes. Three kinds of bathing methods - standing shower, sitting shower and sink bath - were adopted in this experiment. Water temperature and flow volume of the showers were kept at 41 degrees C and 11 liter/min, while water temperature of the bath was kept at 40 degrees C. Rectal temperature, skin temperatures and heart rate of the subjects were measured continuously during bathing and the subsequent 30-minute rest. Blood pressure and votes for thermal sensations were recorded before bathing, after 5 and 10 minutes of bathing, and 5, 10, 20 and 30 minutes after bathing. The following results were obtained. 1) Although rectal temperature rose, on the average, by 0.15 degrees C in all bathing methods, there were no significant differences among the three bathing methods at any time in the experiment. 2) Mean skin temperature (Tsk) during the sink bath was significantly higher than that in the standing or sitting shower. After bathing, Tsk of sink bath was slightly higher than those of the remaining conditions, but did not significantly differ among the bathing methods. 3) Heart rate increased gradually during all the bathing methods, however, only HR in the standing shower exceeded 100 beats/min which was significantly higher than those of the two remaining bathing methods. 4) Blood pressure (BP) decreased rapidly during the sink bath in contrast to an increased BP in the sitting and standing showers.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Chronic cytomegalovirus infection that present specific clinical course--a case of a boy with common variable immunodeficiency].

We describe an 8-year-old boy with CVID and chronic CMV infection. Although at onset he was diagnosed as IgA deficiency, 4 years after his clinical manifestations because compatible to CVID. During his clinical course he had suffered from various disorders as follows; AIHA, interstitial pneumonia, hemophagocytic syndrome, chronic gastroenterocolitis and so forth. At the age of 8 the PCR of CMV-DNA of biopsy specimen from colon, lung and bone marrow were confirmed to be positive. Hematological examinations revealed abnormal cellular immunity such as decreased CD 4/8 ratio with increased HLA- DR+ CD 8+ T cell, decrease of absolute blood lymphocytes count and reduced response of lymphocytes to blastogenetic agents. These findings brought us to diagnose him as having CVID complicated with chronic CMV infection. This case gives us some impact to speculate what role CMV infection plays in CVID, Whose etiology is unknown.

Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune↗
PubMed1995

Renal changes of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats fed a low-zinc diet.

The changes in kidneys of streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats fed a low-zinc (LZ) diet were observed. Calcium deposits were detected in the LZ-diabetic groups from the 2nd to the 8th week. The deposits were mainly detected in the corticomedullary junction, and found in the tubular lumina and epithelial cytoplasm and interstitium. Tubular morphological changes, including luminary distension, epithelial flattening, and paleness of cytoplasm and nuclei, were observed near the calcium deposits in the LZ-diabetic group over the 2nd week. Moreover, at the 8th week, wedge-shaped vasogenic lesions were found on the surface of the renal cortex in the LZ-diabetic group. No changes were detected in the control for the LZ or in the diabetic group fed a standard (SC) diet. When STZ was administered, plasma glucose level in groups fed LZ or SC diet increased in the 1st week, and over the 2nd week, glucose level was maintained at more than 400 mg/dL. Glucose level of the LZ-diabetic group did not differ from that of the SC-diabetic group. However, urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase activity of the LZ-diabetic group at the 8th week was significantly higher than that of the SC-diabetic group. These findings suggested that low-zinc diet hastens renal damages in diabetic rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Contribution of Lp(a) to the occurrence of vascular diseases: correlation of several risk factors including diabetes mellitus.

We demonstrated that Lp(a) levels in patients with arteriosclerosis obliterans (21.4 +/- 2.5 mg/dl) and in patients with ischemic heart disease (17.2 +/- 0.8 mg/dl) are higher than those in controls (15.4 +/- 0.7 mg/dl) or healthy controls (11.3 +/- 1.1 mg/dl). Lp(a) levels in patients with these vascular diseases were especially higher when there were known atherosclerotic risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia or hypertension, although Lp(a) levels in patients with these risk-positive group was not different from that of control. These results suggest that Lp(a) contributes to the development of atherosclerotic vascular diseases especially when known atherosclerotic risk factors are not present. We also investigated the case of thromboangiitis obliterans, which is believed to develop from nonatherosclerotic mechanisms, and found that Lp(a) levels were higher (26.5 +/- 9.6 mg/dl) in such patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[The classification and therapeutical methods of cataract on Chinese medicine in the modern times].

We investigated cataract-related description on the medical literatures written at China in modern times. In those days, the cataract was classified by the shapes of clouds on the crystalline lens. In present Chinese medicine, it has been interpreted that the senilecataract was showed Eneinaisyo. Hyoei-naisyo, Katsuei-naisyo, Zyuei-naisyo, Sanei-naysyo, Fuei-naisyo, Tinei-naisyo, Ohei-naisyo, Engetsuei-naisyo, Soukaei-naisyo, Hakueiohsin-naisyo and Kokusuigyoei-naisyo; these words were old names for cataract. We separately rethought about their symptoms from the description in the original literatures; however, they showed some symptoms which generally were not found on the senilecataract. On the other hand, the therapeutic methods mainly existed pharmacotherapy, surgical methods and treatments with acupuncture and moxibustion and their applications were each different according to the shapes of the clouds.

Cataract↗
PubMed1995

[A battery model of the eyeball to calculate standing potential of the eye].

Variation of the resting potential caused by eye movements was analyzed by applying a battery model to the eyeball. A formula that gives the potential between the inner canthus and the outer canthus of the eye was derived on the basis of the electric theory in electromagnetics, on the assumption that the eyeball was floating in a homogeneous conductor. The variations of the resting potentials were represented using the distance from the center of the eyeball to the potential detecting position and the deflection angle of the position with respect to the optical axis of the eyeball. To verify the validity of the formula, the variation of the resting potential caused by the various amplitudes of bilaterally symmetrical eye movements were measured. The calculated results were found to be in good agreement with the experimental ones.

Electrooculography↗
PubMed1995

[A case report of a 6-year-old boy with intracranial yolk sac tumor treated by VAB-6 regimen].

Several clinical trials have demonstrated that cisplatin-based chemotherapy for primary intracranial germ-cell tumors is effective as a neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In this report, we describe a 6-year-old boy, Down syndrome and Hirschsprung's disease with intracranial pure yolk sac tumor treated by combined chemotherapy with cisplatin, vinblastine, bleomycin and cyclophosphamide (modified VAB-6 regimen). He had been admitted to our hospital because of intractable vomiting, and left facial nerve palsy since 1 month before. An MRI revealed an enlarged mass, 4cm in diameter, in the left cerebello-pontine angle with uniformal enhancement by Gd-DTPA, and bilateral ventricular dilatation. He was found to have increased serum alpha-fetoprotein level (AFP 11, 786ng/ml), but not human chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunit. After a partial resection of the tumor, diagnosed as pure yolk sac tumor, and ventriculo-peritoneal shunt, three courses of combined chemotherapy with cisplatin, bleomycin, vinblastine and cyclophosphamide (modified VAB-6 therapy) were carried out. The serum AFP level returned to normal, and the tumor mass entirely disappeared (a complete response) on MRI after the second course of chemotherapy. However, cisplatin-induced vomiting and mild neutropenia and renal tubular injury developed after the third course of chemotherapy. Irrespective of administration of recombinant human G-CSF and broad spectrum antibiotics, he suffered from pneumonia and died of septic shock and multiple organ failure. Autopsy showed microscopic residual tumors. The combination chemotherapy with cisplatin, bleomycin, vinblastine and cyclophosphamide is effective for initial treatment of childhood intracranial yolk sac tumor. It is necessary, however, to reevaluate the cisplatin dosage and treatment schedule in order to reduce such side effects as bone marrow suppression and renal damage.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1995

[Generalized angitis and recurrent infection associated hemophagocytic syndrome in a girl with XXX syndrome].

We have encountered a case of a girl with XXX syndrome who had infection associated hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) recurrently. The patient presented hyper-gammaglobulinemia during the clinical course and developed IAHS probably because of infection with Rubella virus and EB virus each as a trigger. Diseases that cause abnormality in X chromosome are said to present immune abnormality such as SLE in many cases. It is possible that the excessive X chromosome in this cases partially concerned with such as an immune abnormality as to cause recurrent IAHS.

Adolescent↗