[Influence of rate of skin temperature decrease due to skin cooling on tension threshold of motor units].
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Adult↗
Biomedical subjects
M Muro
Publications and source records attributed to M Muro.
The effect of behavioral states on fetal heart rate and middle cerebral artery flow-velocity waveforms in normal full-term fetuses.
OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of fetal behavioral states on the relationship between fetal heart rate (FHR) and middle cerebral artery resistance index (MCA RI) in normal fetuses. METHODS: The FHR and MCA RI of 10 normal cases from 37 to 40 weeks of gestation were recorded consecutively over a 45-min period. Correlations between the MCA RI and FHR during resting and active phases, classified by an actocardiotocogram, were analyzed by simple regression analysis. RESULTS: The mean FHR and MCA RI were significantly higher during the active phase (140.3 +/- 6.6 bpm, 0.79 +/- 0.06) than those during the resting phase (137.4 +/- 6.8 bpm, 0.75 +/- 0.07, P < 0.01, two sample t-test). There was a significant negative correlation (r = - 0.22, n = 2642, P < 0.01) between RI and FHR during the active phase and a significant positive correlation (r = 0.28, n = 2066, P < 0.001) during the resting phase. CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between FHR and the MCA RI during the resting phase is different from during the active phase.
Behavior↗
CD28 expression on peripheral blood T lymphocytes after orthotopic liver transplant: upregulation in acute rejection.
Despite immunosuppressive treatments, acute rejection remains a significant cause of graft loss. Efficient allorecognition implicates cognate T-cell interactions and requires costimulatory signals such as those delivered via CD28. Therefore, we have studied CD28 peripheral blood T-cell expression, analyzing its possible implications in liver allograft acute rejection. Fifty-five CsA-immunosuppressed orthotopic liver recipients, with or without acute rejection (AR and NAR) were immunocytometrically monitored after transplant and thirty healthy volunteers were studied as controls. In liver recipients the absolute number of CD28+ cells fell sharply immediately after transplant, but no significant differences were detected between the AR and NAR groups either in the absolute number or in the percentage of CD28+ lymphocytes. By contrast, both CD4+CD28+ and CD8+CD28+ T-cell subsets displayed a significant increase in CD28 intensity expression in AR recipients, whereas CD28 expression was significantly downregulated in the NAR recipients. This data suggests that CD28 molecule can be important in the immunologic events preceding acute rejection and that CD28 up- or downregulation could become a useful predictive marker for acute rejection or tolerance development in liver recipients.
CD28 Antigens↗
Application of hydrogen absorbing alloys to medical and rehabilitation equipment.
As power sources for rehabilitation equipment, electric, hydraulic, and pneumatic actuators have been used. However a more human-sized and higher powered actuator that can reduce the equipment size is desired. A new metal hydride (MH) actuator that uses the reversible reaction between the heat energy and mechanical energy of a hydrogen absorbing alloy has recently attracted much attention. The MH actuator is characterized by its small size, low weight, noiseless operation and a compliance similar to that of the human elbow joint. Therefore, the MH actuator has the characteristic of being light and easy to use and so is suitable for use in medical and rehabilitation applications. Some lifting devices using this actuator have already been developed and are being used for the care of the aged and disabled. The characteristics of the MH actuator are presented and then some applications are introduced in this paper. It is our opinion that in our aging society the MH actuator will play an important role in the development of medical and rehabilitation equipment.
Absorption↗
Role of CD14 molecules in internalization of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans by macrophages and subsequent induction of apoptosis.
We report the evidence for apoptosis in J774.1 cells by the periodontopathic bacterium Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, suggesting that the ability of A. actinomycetemcomitans to promote apoptosis might be important in the initiation and development of periodontitis. In this study, we examined the role of macrophage CD14, anchored by a glycerophosphatidylinositol tail, in the induction of apoptosis by A. actinomycetemcomitans infection by using the parent J774.1 cells and CD14-defective mutant (LR-9) cells. A small number of A. actinomycetemcomitans Y4 cells inside the LR-9 cells compared with the number in J774.1 cells was detected by confocal scanning microscopy. We found that LR-9 cells showed a weak cytotoxic effect after being infected with A. actinomycetemcomitans Y4. Apoptotic cell death of LR-9 cells infected with A. actinomycetemcomitans Y4, compared with that of the parent J774.1 cells was almost undetectable, as shown by the proportion of fragmented DNA in agarose gel electrophoresis and by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP end-labeling method. Flow cytometric cell cycle analysis of J774.1 cells infected with A. actinomycetemcomitans Y4 revealed the increased percentage of apoptotic cells with hypodiploid DNA. However, LR-9 cells infected with A. actinomycetemcomitans Y4 showed no increase in population of apoptotic nuclei compared with the noninfected cells. These findings suggest that the CD14 molecules may contribute to the phagocytosis of A. actinomycetemcomitans by J774.1 cells and regulate, at least in part, apoptotic cell death of macrophages infected with A. actinomycetemcomitans.
Actinobacillus Infections↗
Co-stimulation of cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells from intrinsic asthmatics with exogenous recombinant IL-6 produce high levels of IL-4-dependent IgE.
Asthma is an inflammatory airway disorder, traditionally subdivided into extrinsic, immunoglobulin E (IgE)-mediated, and intrinsic asthma of unknown aetiology. IgE synthesis requires contact between T- and B-cells and a signal provided by interleukin (IL)-4, which can be modulated by IL-6. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of IL-4 and IL-6 on total IgE synthesis by peripheral blood mononuclear cells from intrinsic and extrinsic asthmatics. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from intrinsic and extrinsic asthmatic patients and from healthy subjects were cultured and stimulated with pokeweed mitogen, recombinant IL-4 and IL-6. The IgE level in serum and supernatants was measured by an enzyme-linked immunoassay. Serum IgE was significantly lower in intrinsic asthma than in extrinsic asthma, but significantly higher than in control subjects. IgE production by cultured mononuclear cells from extrinsic asthmatics was not modified after exogenous IL-4 and IL-6 addition. However, intrinsic asthmatics showed enhancement of IgE synthesis in response to IL-4 stimulation, reaching a threefold increase of the spontaneous IgE values, when simultaneous recombinant IL-4 plus IL-6 stimulus was used. Our results indicate that exogenous recombinant interleukin-6 can significantly upregulate the interleukin-4-dependent immunoglobulin E synthesis in intrinsic asthma. This suggests that immunoglobulin E could also play a role in the pathogenesis of intrinsic asthma, in which an interleukin-6 threshold would be critical.
Adolescent↗
Diurnal variations in resting-active cycles in full-term fetal heart rate changes.
To elucidate the mechanism of the resting-active cycles (RAC) of fetal heart rates (FHR), in the resting and non-resting phases (RP and NRP), 24-h FHR recordings were made on 16 normal full-term pregnant women. RP, NRP, RAC-1 (NRP-NRP cycle), and RAC-2 (RP-RP cycle) were defined based on the criteria of Nijhuis et al. Frequency distributions were plotted separately for the entire 24-h period as well as for the day-time (07:00-21:00 h) and night-time (21:00-07:00 h), and were compared using Kolmogorov-Smirnov two-sample tests. The mean durations (+/- S.D.) (min) of RP, NRP, RAC-1, and RAC-2 were 22.7 +/- 11.2, 67.3 +/- 47.2, 90.0 +/- 47.6, and 89.9 +/- 48.6 during 24-h periods, 20.1 +/- 7.7, 68.3 +/- 52.3, 88.6 +/- 53.1, and 88.4 +/- 53.0 during the day-time, and 25.4 +/- 13.2, 66.2 +/- 41.2, 91.4 +/- 41.0, and 91.5 +/- 43.4 during the night-time. Length of RP was the only factor significantly different during the day and night (P < 0.05). We propose that there are different mechanisms controlling RP and NRP.
Activity Cycles↗
[Comparative study of soluble interleukin 2 receptor and adenosine deaminase levels in tuberculous and other etiologies pleural fluids].
In order to better understand the immunological mechanisms involved in host protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, we studied soluble interleukin 2 receptor (sIL-2R) concentration in tuberculous pleural exudates as well as in pleural fluids of non-mycobacterial etiology. We collected pleural fluid from 40 patients: 10 with tuberculous bacterial pneumonia and 10 with trasudate. Soluble IL-2R was measured in the stored specimens using a standard ELISA technique. In patients with tuberculosis, sIL-2R in pleural fluid was 14,666 +/- 5,634 U/ml, significantly higher than was detected in any other group, being 4,341 +/- 2,655 U/ml in pneumonic exudates, 5,542 +/- 3,682 U/ml in neoplastic exudates and 1,377 +/- 125 in trasudates (p < 0.001). Also, an excellent correlation was demonstrated between adenosine-desaminase (ADA) and sIL-2R in tuberculous pleural fluids, with p < 0.001 and r = 0.805. In pleuropulmonary tuberculosis, compartmentalization of the immune response in the pleural space is responsible for the significantly higher levels of sIL-2R that were found in tuberculous pleural liquids compared with the ones detected in other diseases. This observation, as well as the demonstration of a good correlation between sIL-2R and ADA, suggest the possible usefulness of this molecule as an additional marker in the differential diagnosis of pleural effusions, though in the present study it appears to be less reliable than ADA.
Adenosine Deaminase↗
Specific inhibitors of vacuolar type H(+)-ATPases induce apoptotic cell death.
Concanamycin A and bafilomycin A1 are known as strong inhibitors of the vacuolar type H(+)-ATPases in vitro. These inhibitors exhibited cytotoxic effects on twelve cell lines in cell viability assay. On the other hand, the F1F0-type H(+)-ATPase inhibitor oligomycin and the E1E2-type H(+)-ATPase inhibitor vanadate showed no cytotoxic effect. We show here that concanamycin A and bafilomycin A1 induce a significant increase in the proportion of fragmented DNA in agarose gel electrophoresis. Flow cytometric cell cycle analysis of WEHI 231 cells stimulated with concanamycin A revealed the increased percentage of apoptotic cells with hypodiploid DNA. These findings indicate that cell death induced by specific inhibitors of vacuolar type H(+)-ATPases occurs through apoptosis.
Animals↗
Thermal stability of chimeric isopropylmalate dehydrogenase genes constructed from a thermophile and a mesophile.
Chimeric isopropylmalate dehydrogenases were constructed by connecting the genes isolated from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus, and a mesophile, Bacillus subtilis. These genes were expressed in Escherichia coli. The enzymes were purified and analysed. Enzymes of T.thermophilus and B.subtilis and chimeric enzymes showed similar enzymological characteristics except for thermal stability. The stability of each enzyme was approximately proportional to the content of the amino acid sequence from the T.thermophilus enzyme. The results suggested that amino acid residues contributing the thermal stability distribute themselves, in general, evenly at least in the N-terminal half of the amino acid sequence of T.thermophilus isopropylmalate dehydrogenase.
3-Isopropylmalate Dehydrogenase↗
Halothane and isoflurane inhibit endothelium-derived relaxing factor-dependent cyclic guanosine monophosphate accumulation in endothelial cell-vascular smooth muscle co-cultures independent of an effect on guanylyl cyclase activation.
BACKGROUND: Interaction of inhalational anesthetics with the nitric oxide signaling pathway and the mechanism of such effects are controversial. The aim of this study was to clarify the sites and mechanism of inhalational anesthetic interaction with the vascular nitric oxide and guanylyl cyclase signaling pathway. METHODS: To specifically study the mechanism of anesthetic interaction with the nitric oxide-guanylyl cyclase pathway, cultured vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cell-vascular smooth muscle (EC-VSM) co-culture models were chosen. Monolayer cultures of VSM with or without cultured endothelial cells grown on microcarrier beads were preequilibrated with anesthetic and stimulated with agonists. The effect of inhalational anesthetics on cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP) content of unstimulated VSM and of VSM in which soluble guanylyl cyclase had been activated by the endothelium-independent nitrovasodilators, sodium nitroprusside, nitroglycerin, or nitric oxide was determined. Experiments were also performed to assess the effect of inhalational anesthetics on unstimulated endothelial cell-vascular smooth muscle co-cultures and on co-cultures in which nitric oxide synthase and subsequent cyclic GMP production had been activated by the receptor-mediated agonists bradykinin and adenosine triphosphate and by the non-receptor-mediated calcium ionophore A23187. RESULTS: Increasing concentrations of halothane and isoflurane from 0.5 to 5% had no effect on basal cyclic GMP concentrations in cultured VSM alone or in endothelial cell-vascular smooth muscle co-cultures, and had no effect on sodium nitroprusside, nitroglycerin, or nitric oxide stimulated cyclic GMP accumulation in cultured VSM. In agonist-stimulated co-cultures, however, halothane and isoflurane significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited increases in cyclic GMP concentration in response to both receptor- and non-receptor-mediated nitric oxide synthase activating agents. CONCLUSIONS: Inhalational anesthetics do not stimulate or inhibit basal cyclic GMP production in co-cultures or VSM, suggesting that inhalational anesthetics do not activate soluble or particulate guanylyl cyclase and do not activate nitric oxide synthase. Inhalational anesthetics do not inhibit nitrovasodilator-induced cyclic GMP formation, suggesting a lack of interference with soluble guanylyl cyclase activation. Inhalational anesthetics inhibit both agonist and calcium ionophore-stimulated nitric oxide-dependent cyclic GMP accumulation in endothelial cell-vascular smooth muscle co-cultures. Consistent with previous vascular ring studies, anesthetics appear to inhibit nitric oxide-guanylyl cyclase signaling distal to receptor activation in the endothelial cell and proximal to nitric oxide activation of guanylyl cyclase.
Anesthetics, Inhalation↗
Evidence for apoptosis of murine macrophages by Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans infection.
The gram-negative bacterium Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans is considered an important etiological agent in periodontal diseases. In this study, we show that A. actinomycetemcomitans strains are cytotoxic for the murine macrophage cell line J774.1. On the other hand, Porphyromonas gingivalis strains, other gram-negative oral species implicated in adult periodontitis, showed weak cytotoxic effects. For this to occur, A. actinomycetemcomitans had to gain entry into the macrophages, since cytotoxicity was prevented by cytochalasin D. We demonstrate that cell death induced by A. actinomycetemcomitans Y4 occurs through apoptosis, as shown by changes in nuclear morphology, an increase in the proportion of fragmented DNA, and the typical ladder pattern of DNA fragmentation indicative of apoptosis. We further sought to determine whether the cytotoxicity induced by A. actinomycetemcomitans Y4 could be modulated by the protein kinase inhibitors H7 and HA1004. Apoptotic cell death induced by A. actinomycetemcomitans Y4 was suppressed by H7 but was relatively unaffected by HA1004. These findings suggest that the signals of protein kinases may regulate apoptosis induced by A. actinomycetemcomitans Y4. The ability of A. actinomycetemcomitans to promote the apoptosis of macrophages may be important for the initiation of infection and the development of periodontal diseases.
Actinobacillus Infections↗
Presence of different T and B-peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in liver transplantation after cyclosporine or OKT3 immunosuppressive treatment.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Azathioprine↗
Expression of c-fos-like protein in the rat brain after injection of interleukin-1-beta into the gingiva.
Expression of the c-fos proto-oncogene in the rat brain was examined by immunostaining for fos, the nuclear protein product of the c-fos gene, after injection of interleukin-1-beta (IL-1 beta) into the gingiva of an incisor. The distribution pattern of labelled cells was compared with that induced by tooth pulp stimulation. Neurons that express fos-immunoreactivity (fos-IR) appeared in several regions in the neuraxis 1.5 h after IL-1 beta injection, peaked at 2 h, and then declined. Labelled cells were found bilaterally in regions that contribute to pain-relay and pain-inhibition. The distribution of labelled cells almost matched the pattern induced by noxious tooth pulp stimulation. In indomethacin-pretreated animals, no neurons expressing fos-IR were found in nuclei associated with relay of nociception nor in nuclei contributing to inhibition of nociception. The results suggest that a small amount of IL-1 beta at the site of periodontal disease can induce fos-IR in brain neurons through increased prostaglandin production.
Animals↗
Soluble CD23 (sCD23) serum levels and lymphocyte subpopulations in peripheral blood in rhinitis and extrinsic and intrinsic asthma.
To determine serum levels of IgE and sCD23 and lymphocyte subpopulations, we studied 37 control subjects and 84 patients (27 with allergic rhinitis, 27 with extrinsic asthma, and 30 with intrinsic asthma). A rise in surface CD23 on B and monocyte cells and sCD23 serum levels was exhibited by patients with rhinitis and extrinsic asthma. Unexpectedly, in intrinsic asthmatic patients, high CD23 expression on monocytes and high sCD23 levels were seen that did not result in IgE production. It appears that CD23, in its soluble form, could be a good disease marker, especially in asthma. Atopic patients yielded a significantly lower proportion of CD4+ T cells than intrinsic asthmatic patients and normal persons. Otherwise, CD4+CD29+CD45RA- and CD4+CD29-CD45RA T-cell subsets were significantly decreased in all patient groups.
Adult↗
Fetal heart rate recorder for long-duration use in active full-term pregnant women.
We sought to assess the signal consistency and accuracy of a long-duration fetal heart rate (FHR) recorder (a 1-MHz ultrasonic Doppler transducer composed of six miniprobes and an autocorrelation technique) in active, full-term pregnant women. The FHR data of 15 normal full-term fetuses were obtained every 250 milliseconds in various maternal positions using the new Doppler system or a direct scalp electrocardiographic (ECG) transducer. Differences between simultaneous Doppler and ECG measures were small and within acceptable limits except for short-term variability. Signal loss, assessed in 15 subjects in various positions, was less than 10% except during sitting or walking. The mean (+/- standard deviation) percentages of FHR signals lost over 2 hours in bed, 1 hour out of bed, and 24 hours in and out of bed were 1.2 +/- 2.1, 12.9 +/- 16.2, and 3.8 +/- 4.4, respectively. This system for recording FHR is suitable for clinical research and routine FHR monitoring, and provides data comparable to Holter ECG monitoring in patients with heart disease.
Electrocardiography↗
ICAM-3, the third LFA-1 counterreceptor, is a co-stimulatory molecule for both resting and activated T lymphocytes.
Optimal activation of human T cells mediated by ligation of CD3/T cell receptor (TcR) complex requires co-stimulatory signals. These can be provided by the adhesive interaction between receptor molecules on T cells and their counter-receptors on antigen-presenting cells. Soluble ICAM-3, anti-ICAM-3 and anti-CD3 mAb were utilized to address the role of the ICAM-3/LFA-1 pathway in TcR/CD3-dependent or -independent T cell activation. Immunoaffinity-purified ICAM-3 co-immobilized with suboptimal concentrations of anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) stimulated T lymphocytes as monitored by the expression of the lymphocyte activation antigens CD25 and CD69. The mechanism underlaying this activation appear to involve the interaction of ICAM-3 with a beta 2 integrin, likely to be LFA-1, since mAb to the CD18 chain completely inhibited T cell activation. Similar experiments demonstrated that anti-ICAM-3 mAb were able to co-stimulate both resting (cord blood) and activated (T cell clones) T lymphocytes. On the contrary, anti-ICAM-1 mAb were only co-stimulatory for CD25 expression on activated but not on resting T cells. In addition, we have found that some gamma delta T cell clones bearing the V delta 1 segment were activated by direct mAb engagement of ICAM-3 in the absence of TcR/CD3 occupancy. Furthermore, immobilized anti-ICAM-3 mAb also induced development of dendritic processes. In conclusion, our data suggest that ICAM-3 on the surface of both T cells and antigen-presenting cells plays an essential role in the initiation of the immune response.
Adult↗
Anencephaly and limb deficiencies.
Limb deficiencies (LDs) are rarely reported in anencephalic infants. A review of 662 patients in the literature on non-neural defects in anencephaly only showed five patients with LDs. We report on eight patients with various LDs from the records of 141 necropsies of the anencephalic infants found among 495,830 births. Compared with another group of anencephalic infants reported in the literature, the patients in this group of anencephalic infants with LDs were predominantly male, their mean gestational age was younger by approximately 5 weeks, their mean birth-weight was approximately 1,400 g less, and they presented with a higher incidence of polyhydramnios during gestational development. The association of this pair of anomalies, which was 100 times more frequent than expected, seems not due to chance. Since all eight patients had other multiple congenital anomalies (MCA), in addition to anencephaly and LDs, the postmortem study should be mandatory in anencephalic infants with LDs. The most common associated anomalies were cardiovascular and renal defects. Oral clefts, diaphragmatic hernia, esophageal atresia, and imperforate anus were also observed in these infants. The recognition of LDs in anencephalic infants indicates severe and extensive disturbance of the early embryogenesis (blastogenesis), which affects the midline of the embryo.
Anencephaly↗