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Biomedical subjects

M Nagai

Publications and source records attributed to M Nagai.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Purification and characterization of acid-stable protopectinase produced by Aspergillus awamori in solid-state fermentation.

Aspergillus awamori IFO 4033 produced an acid-stable protopectinase in solid-state fermentation using wheat bran as the medium. The enzyme was purified to a homogeneous preparation with anion-exchange, hydrophobic, and size-exclusion chromatography. The enzyme was a monomeric protein of 52 kDa, by SDS-PAGE analysis, with an isoelectric point of pH 3.7. The optimum pH for enzyme activity was 2.0, and it was most active at 50 degrees C (at pH 2.0) and was stable up to 50 degrees C (at pH 2.0). The enzyme showed pectin-releasing activity toward protopectins from various origins, especially on lemon protopectin. An outstanding characteristic of the enzyme was its extreme stability in acidic conditions: the enzyme activity was not lost after incubating at pH 2.0 and 37 degrees C for 24 h.

Acids↗
PubMed2000

Cloning and heterologous expression of gene encoding A polygalacturonase from Aspergillus awamori.

A polygalacturonase gene of Aspergillus awamori IFO 4033 was cloned by genomic Southern hybridization with a probe of a DNA fragment synthesized by PCR. This was done using primers constructed based on the N-terminal amino acid sequence of a polygalacturonase, protopectinase-AS, produced by the strain and the consensus internal amino acid sequence of fungal polygalacturonases. The cloned polygalacturonase gene, containing an ORF, encodes 362 amino acids, including a 52-bp intron. It contains the consensus nucleotide sequence of PacC binding sites, and its expression was appeared to be regulated by ambient pH. After the intron was excised, the cloned gene was inserted into an expression plasmid for yeast, pMA91, and introduced into Saccharomyces cerevisiae to be expressed. The expressed gene product was purified to a homogeneous preparation, and this confirmed that the polygalacturonase produced was the product of the cloned gene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Purification and characterization of an endo-polygalacturonase. From Aspergillus awamori.

An extracellular endo-polygalacturonase (PGase) produced by Aspergillus awamori IFO 4033 was isolated from the culture filtrate. The enzyme was purified to a homogeneous preparation with cation-exchange and size-exclusion chromatographies. Its properties were investigated, comparing them with that of recombinant pgx2 gene product, a PGase having protopectinase activity. This enzyme was a monomeric protein of 41 kDa, with an isoelectric point of pH 6.1. The characteristics of this PGase substantially coincide, with that of recombinant pgx2 gene product, and the PGase is assumed to be native pgx2 gene product. The production of PGase-X2 was confirmed to be regulated by ambient pHs.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Anterior tributaries of the portal vein at the superior margin of the pancreas: is "tunneling" procedure safe during pancreatic surgery?

BACKGROUND: It is widely believed that using the "tunneling" procedure during pancreatoduodenectomy is a safe maneuver because the anterior tributaries of the portal vein (PV) are absent or very rare. METHODS: The head of the pancreas with the duodenum and the common bile duct (CBD) was obtained from 22 autopsy cases. Three colors of silicon-polymerase dyes were injected into the pancreatic artery, PV, and bile duct. The tributaries of the PV at the superior margin of the pancreas were studied. RESULTS: There was no anterior branch of the intrapancreatic PV. The anterior superior pancreaticoduodenal vein (ASPDV) gave a definite branch to the anterior aspect of the PV at the superior margin of the pancreas in 4 of 22 cases. When the posterior superior pancreaticoduodenal vein (PSPDV) was located in front of the CBD (5 of 22 cases), the ASPDV and PSPDV had a thick common trunk at the right side of the PV. In these 5 cases, no individual branch from the ASPDV was found at the anterior aspect of the PV. CONCLUSION: PV sometimes has a definite anterior tributary at the superior margin of the pancreas; this must be kept in mind to perform the tunneling procedure during pancreatic surgery.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Rapid oscillation of insulin release by the rat pancreatic islets under stringent Ca2+-free conditions.

Oscillation of insulin release by the pancreatic islets was evaluated under stringent Ca(2+)-free conditions for the first time. Isolated single rat islets were exposed to 16.7 mM glucose in the presence of 1.9 mM Ca(2+), or under the stringent Ca(2+)-free conditions (Ca(2+) omission with 1 mM EGTA, 6 microM forskolin and 100 nM phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate). Fifteen minutes after the initiation of glucose stimulation, effluent was collected at a 6-s interval, insulin was determined in duplicate by a highly sensitive insulin radioimmunoassay, and oscillation and pulsatility of release statistically analyzed. Significant oscillation of insulin release was observed in all islets irrespective of presence and absence of Ca(2+). Significant pulsatility of release was detected in 7 of 11 islets in the presence of Ca(2+) and three of six isl! ets in the absence of Ca(2+). In conclusion, high glucose elicits oscillatory insulin release both in the presence and absence of extracellular Ca(2+).

Animals↗
PubMed2000

The pitfall in evaluating several serological markers of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia in a neutropenic patient.

We compared the significance of several serum markers to evaluate the activity of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) in an immunocompromised patient. We successively measured KL-6, an amino-terminal propeptide of Type III procollagen (PIIINP), and the cytokeratin 19 fragment (CK19) in the sera of a patient with PCP. Interestingly, PIIINP, KL-6, and CK19 levels in the sera did not increase at the time of onset of PCP during a neutropenic phase. Instead, they markedly increased after the recovery of WBC counts. This case suggests that values of PIIINP, KL-6, and CK19 used for monitoring the activity of PCP might be underestimated in neutropenic patients.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Delays and continuation of hospital visits among HIV-infected persons and AIDS cases in Japan.

This study attempts to clarify the distribution patterns of delay between HIV transmission and the first hospital visit among HIV-infected persons and AIDS cases in Japan except those infected through blood products. Such hospital visit patterns were analyzed, and the rates of reporting for HIV/AIDS surveillance among diagnosed HIV-infected persons and AIDS cases in hospitals were shown. From 1991 to 1997, a survey and subsequent follow-up were conducted among HIV-infected persons and AIDS cases diagnosed at 74 hospitals in Tokyo. The numbers of HIV-infected persons and AIDS cases were 590 and 208, respectively. The percentage of patients whose estimated date of HIV transmission was obtained ranged 23-41% among Japanese and non-Japanese HIV-infected persons and AIDS cases. Among these patients, 28% to 86% showed a 3-year delay between HIV transmission and their first hospital visit. The rate of HIV-infected persons who continued to visit hospitals within 1 year after their first visit was 77% for Japanese and 45% for non-Japanese; among those after 1 year or more following their first hospital visit the rate was more than 80% among Japanese and over 70% among non-Japanese. The rate of reporting to HIV/AIDS surveillance among diagnosed HIV-infected persons and AIDS cases was 90% or more after 1994 in Japan. The delay between HIV transmission and the first hospital visit was suggested to be very long. Not a few patients stopped visiting hospitals after only a short time. Most diagnosed HIV-infected persons and AIDS cases were reported to the surveillance system of Japan.

HIV Infections↗
PubMed2000

HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM)/tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP) with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-like manifestations.

To clarify the existence of HAM/TSP presenting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-like manifestations, we assayed HTLV-I proviral load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in 15 patients with anti-HTLV-I antibody in serum and ALS-like manifestations (upper motor neuron involvement in at least one region and lower motor neuron involvement in at least two limbs) by quantitative PCR, and compared the proviral load with that of 233 HAM/TSP patients and of 213 HTLV-I carriers. Five of 15 patients with ALS-like manifestations had proviral loads as high as those in the 233 patients with HAM/TSP. Anti-HTLV-I antibody in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was present in all of five patients. The proviral load in the remaining 10 patients was similar to that in HTLV-I carriers. Four of five patients with a high proviral load met the diagnostic criterion of HAM/TSP except for lower motor neuron involvement. These four patients showed high neopterin levels in CSF. On the basis of HTLV-I proviral load in PBMC and the clinical symptoms, our tentative conclusion is that these four patients are HAM/TSP presenting ALS-like manifestations.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Identification of the full-length KIAA0591 gene encoding a novel kinesin-related protein which is mapped to the neuroblastoma suppressor gene locus at 1p36.2.

The distal region of a short arm of chromosome 1p is frequently deleted in many human cancers including neuroblastoma (NBL), in which it has been narrowed down to the smallest region of overlap between D1S244 and D1S214 (approximately 7 cM). During the search for the candidate tumor suppressor genes mapped within the region, we found the KIAA0591 gene which encoded a new human kinesin-related protein with a homology to human axonal transporter of synaptic vesicles (ATSV). The kinesin is an intracellular motor protein and often associated with neuronal differentiation and survival. Here we identified a complete open reading frame of the KIAA0591 gene by screening a cDNA library derived from human substantia nigra. The KIAA0591 protein contains a possible pleckstrin homology (PH) domain at its carboxy-terminus. However, it did not possess a force-generating motor domain which is well conserved among kinesin superfamily members (KIFs). Northern blot analysis demonstrated that KIAA0591 mRNA was preferentially expressed in both adult and fetal brains, kidney, skeletal muscle and pancreas. KIAA0591 was expressed in favorable NBLs at higher levels than in unfavorable NBLs, although RT-PCR SSCP analysis showed no mutation within the coding region of the KIAA0591 gene, when 8 neuroblastoma tissues and 15 neuroblastoma-derived cell lines were examined. Thus, the full-length KIAA0591 gene may be a novel member of human KIF superfamily which lacks motor domain and might function as a tumor suppressor in an epigenetic but not a classic Knudson's manner.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

[Report of two cases of actinomycosis of the neck, one acute and one chronic].

We report two cases of actinomycosis of the neck, one acute and one chronic. The acute actinomycosis patient was a 63-year-old woman who complained of high fever, sore throat, and swelling of her neck on her first visit. Plain CT revealed gas-formation in the soft tissues of the left parapharyngeal space, the hyoid area and the cartilage thyroid area. We performed emergency tracheotomy and surgically drained her neck. No actinomycotic bodies were found microscopically in the surgically resected material, but cultures of the neck pus grew out actinomyces. A diagnosis of actinomycosis was made, and the patient was treated with administration of antibiotics, an ASPC drip infusion for about 7 weeks and oral BAPC for about 6 months, and the lesion was improved. The patient has been symptom-free for 4 years since the operation. The chronic actinomycosis patient was a 61-year-old woman who complained of swelling in the right submandibular region. Surgical resection was performed to exclude the possibility of a malignant tumor. Actinomycotic bodies were detected microscopically in the surgically resected material. The patient was treated with oral AMPC for about 6 months, and she has been symptom-free for 1 year since the operation.

Actinomycosis, Cervicofacial↗
PubMed2000

Effect of the adhesive layer thickness on the fracture toughness of dental adhesive resins.

We investigated how the thickness of an adhesive layer between two Co-Cr alloy plates affected the mode I fracture toughness of dental adhesive resin by varying the type of resin using a double cantilever beam (DCB) test. Two typical adhesive resins (PV and SB) were used. The adhesive layers of the DCB test specimens were 20, 100 and 200 microns thick. The fracture modes of PV differed with the thickness of the adhesive layer, such as interface fracture at 20 microns thickness, and similar cohesive fracture at 100 and 200 microns thickness. In the case of SB, crack-propagating areas were observed as cohesive fractures in all test specimens with different adhesive layer thickness, and the surfaces of these areas became remarkably rougher as the thickness of the adhesive layer increased. The fracture toughness of PV was not affected by the differences in thickness between the 100 and 200 microns adhesive layers, but there was a notable decrease in fracture toughness when the adhesive layer decreased to a thickness of 20 microns. That of SB showed a tendency to increase as the adhesive layer became thicker.

Adhesiveness↗
PubMed2000

[Evaluation of the operation of supporting programs for social activity of the elderly by city, town, village governments in Japan].

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study is to clarify the operative situation of the supporting programs for social activity of the elderly by city, town, village governments in 1997. METHODS: We conducted a study of 3,255 of cities, towns and villages in Japan using a mailed questionnaire, which had been developed to assess the activities of supporting programs for social activity of the elderly. The questionnaire asks government officers whether they had each of the 33 programs in 1997. Each one of these programs belongs to one of the four different aspects of social activities: 1. employment, 2. social participation/volunteering, 3. education/training, 4. individual activities. For each program, the frequency of regions having the program were counted in total, as well as for each of four levels on governments scale: 1. ordinance-designated city, 2. city, 3. town, 4. village. The number of programs operated by the municipality were also evaluated. The main results were as follows One thousand six hundred (49.2%) of cities, towns and villages responded to our questionnaire. 1. Four programs, the promotion of clubs for elderly people, class/lecture meetings for the elderly, sporting events/athletic meetings for the elderly, and a respect-for-age congratulatory gift/money, were put into operation by over 80% of cities, towns and village governments. 2. The number of programs in total or for each of the three aspects of social activities except for social participation/volunteering tended to be high for the large scale governments. There were wide gaps in the number of programs among the regions even of the same level of the government scale. 3. The regions having supporting programs for employment consisted mainly of cities. Seventy-five percent of villages had no supporting program for employment. CONCLUSION: The operational situation of the supporting programs for social activity of the elderly by city, town, village governments was clarified. Furthermore, results obtained by this study can be used for self-assessment of operational situations by municipalities and can contribute to the activation of their supporting programs.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

[Temporal and geographical variation in epidemics determined from the results of an infectious disease surveillance system in Japan description of epidemic patterns by data-based criteria for epidemic periods].

OBJECTIVE: After developing criteria for epidemic periods for 16 infectious diseases, we investigated temporal (annual and monthly) and geographical (regional) variation in epidemics. METHODS: Data from an infectious disease surveillance system for the years 1993 to 1997 were used for the analysis. The weekly number of patients per monitoring station was calculated from the data and used in developing criteria for an epidemic period. Based on these latter, we calculated the average number of epidemics occurring at each public health center in a year, an average length of the epidemic period, and the average number of patients per monitoring station reported during an epidemic period. These figures were used to explore temporal (annual, monthly) and geographical (regional) variation. RESULTS: With most diseases, the average number of epidemics occurring at a public health center was 0.3-0.5 per year and the average length of an epidemic period was 6-12 weeks. The average number of patients per monitoring station reported during an epidemic period differed according to the diseases. These indices showed that there were few annual differences, but great monthly differences, in most diseases. The average number of epidemics occurring in a public health center showed regional differences with some diseases. CONCLUSION: Temporal and geographical variation in epidemics for 16 infectious diseases was established by developing criteria for an epidemic period.

Data Collection↗
PubMed2000

[Evaluation of social activities of the elderly in 27 regions with use of the 'check list for vivid social activities'].

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the utility of a 'Check list for vivid social activities (Check list)' developed for self-evaluates of social activities by the elderly. In this study, two surveys were made. First, the usefulness of the 'Check list' was evaluated by the person in charge of health and welfare for elderly in each region. Then a survey of the elderly using the 'Check list' was made in some regions to further assess its. METHODS: 1. We conducted a study of 3,255 cities, towns and villages in Japan using a mailed questionnaire. 2. About 4,100 elderly 65 years of age or older from 27 regions filled in the 'Check list'. The participants belonged to various groups such as those receiving physical care and senior citizen organizations. RESULTS: 1. One thousand four hundred and seventy (45.2%) cities, towns and villages responded to our questionnaire. About 50% of those were in favor regarding 'the utility of the Check list' and 'ease of filling in the Check list'. About 25% of them were in favor in terms of 'the efficiency of the Check list for making elderly initiate some social activities'. Forty-four percent of them answered that they intended to take advantage of the 'Check list'. 2. By comparing results from each of the 27 regions, it was possible to evaluate the levels of social activities by the locality. By comparing activities of groups composed of regions with same characteristic, it was possible to characterize social activities at the group. CONCLUSION: These finding suggest utility for the 'Check list'.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed2000

[Secular trends of sex ratios at birth in Japan].

OBJECTIVE: To describe secular trends of change in sex ratio at birth in Japan during the 100 years from 1899 to 1998. METHODS: Data on sex ratios (number of males to females at birth by prefecture) from 1899 to 1998 were obtained from the vital statistics of Japan. We used moving averages (9-years averages) to minimize the effects of yearly fluctuation on the sex ratio and calculated simple linear regression coefficients to examine trends in change for the period between 1925 and 1969 and between 1970 and 1998. RESULTS: The male: female sex ratio in Japan increased during the period through 1925 to about 1970 and thereafter decreased. The increase was the case for all prefectures with few exception, while these but Fukushima, Ibaraki, Fukui, Yamanashi and Kumamoto demonstrated subsequent decrease. The prefectures with strong decrease in the sex ratio from about 1970 at largely distributed facing the Sea of Japan; e.g. Akita, Toyama, Ishikawa, Kyoto, Shimane and Fukuoka. CONCLUSION: Our study confirmed a decline in the male: female sex ratio at birth in recent decades in Japan as a whole and in most prefectures. Although we do not know whether this is an effect of environmental pollution due to chemical substances, monitoring of secular trends in sex ratios should be continued with due attention to counsel to government.

Birth Rate↗
PubMed2000

[Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma presenting with rapidly increasing biclonal gammopathy].

A 59-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with high fever and dysphagia. Physical examination revealed a lingual tumor and swelling of the cervical and inguinal lymph nodes. A lymph node biopsy specimen revealed that the normal nodal architecture had been obliterated by infiltration of small, intermediate, and large pale lymphocytes. Arborous branching of high endothelial venules was also observed. Southern blotting analysis showed rearrangement of the T-cell receptor beta gene. A diagnosis of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma was made. Serial serum protein fractionation analysis showed rapidly increasing M-protein. Immunofixation electrophoresis indicated specific bands for IgG kappa and IgM lambda, confirming the presence of biclonal gammopathy. Biclonal gammopathy has rarely been reported in patients with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. The relationship between the occurrence of biclonal gammopathy and the possible role of HHV-6, HHV-8 and EBV is discussed.

Humans↗
PubMed2000

[The investigation of the testing method on fracture toughness of dental adhesive resins].

OBJECTIVE: The testing method for mode I fracture toughness (GIC) of dental adhesive resins was investigated. METHODS: The dental adhesive resins were placed between two Co-Cr alloy plates to make up test specimen, so test specimen had a metal/adhesive resin/metal construction. The category of adhesive resins, the dimensions of test specimen and testing speed were used as the variants. The testing method for mode I fracture toughness (GIC) was investigated by using double cantilever beam (DCB) testing. The correlation between the GIC and each factor was analysed by regression analysis. RESULTS: In all test specimens, it was found that the values of fracture toughness (GIC, GIR) at the process of crack propagation were nearly constant. Therefore, it was found that fracture toughness (GIC) at maximal load might only be measured to evaluate an adhesive resin. On the values of GIC, there was no effect from the dimensions of the test specimens, width (b = 3.5 mm), thickness (2 hm = 2.4 mm), initial crack length (ao = 10-19 mm) and testing speed(Vc = 0.1 mm/min, 0.2 mm/min). But, it was found that the fracture toughness was influenced by thickness of adhesive layer (hr). In case of SB, the value of GIC had a tendency to increase as the adhesive layer became thicker, and then the crack propagating area observed as cohesive failure became remarkably rougher. In case of PV, the values for hr = 100 and 200 microns were similar, however, that for hr = 20 microns somewhat decreased resulting in an interfacial failure. By the way, cohesive failures of hr = 100 and 200 microns were observed as similar flat surfaces. CONCLUSION: Fracture toughness was not influenced very much by the dimensions of test specimen, but was influenced by thickness of adhesive layer. Thus, it was recognized that this testing method was more effective for evaluating the adhesive resin.

Materials Testing↗