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Biomedical subjects

M Tokunaga

Publications and source records attributed to M Tokunaga.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

DNA homology between Candida albicans strains: evidence to justify the synonymous status of C. stellatoidea.

Genetic relatedness between strains of C. albicans and C. stellatoidea was studied by measuring G + C content and overall sequence homology. G + C contents determined by high-performance liquid chromatography were 32.6 to 34.2% for 26 strains of C. albicans and 33.0 to 33.9% for eight strains of C. stellatoidea. DNA-DNA hybridization with two C. albicans and two C. stellatoidea probes revealed that all 34 test strains formed a single cluster in which the extents of hybridization with the heterologous probes ranged between 77.9 and 105.6% of those with the homologous probes. These results give support to the unification of C. albicans and C. stellatoidea into a single species.

Base Composition↗
PubMed1989

New method to prepare single-headed heavy meromyosin with high purity and a high yield.

We have developed a new method to prepare single-headed heavy meromyosin with high purity and a high yield. To examine whether the two heads on the same myosin molecule work cooperatively or not, it is important to prepare pure single-headed heavy meromyosin. Myosin was extracted from myofibrils treated with a solution containing CyDTA, a strong divalent cation chelator. CyDTA treatment was essential to the production of sHMM. Then such myosin was digested with chymotrypsin in the presence of divalent cations at high ionic strength. Crude sHMM was separated from double-headed HMM by affinity chromatography using an ADP-column. Contaminating S1 was removed by gel filtration. Heavy chain of sHMM obtained by the present method had no nick. Purified sHMM showed normal EDTA-ATPase and Ca-ATPase. It interacted with thin filament and its ATPase was activated by actin normally.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1989

Cell surface of Micrococcus luteus: chemical treatment of the cells and teichuronic acids on the surface.

Micrococcus luteus IFO 3333 cells, both treated with chemical reagents and non-treated, were observed with a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The agglutinability of the cells with antiserum containing anti-teichuronic acid antibody was examined. The binding of protein A-gold particles to the cells, mediated with the antiserum, was also observed with SEM. The surface of a M. luteus cell consisted of two or three areas with borders--the rough and the smooth areas, or the rough, the slightly rough, and the smooth areas; fluffy materials were clearly seen in the rough area. Gold particles were observed uniformly and densely on the whole cell surface. However, either mild acid treatment or mild Smith degradation of the cells altered the fluffy rough area to a rough one, and extremely decreased the agglutinability and the binding of protein A-gold particles. Teichuronic acids appeared to be distributed uniformly on the whole cell surface of M. luteus IFO 3333.

Agglutination Tests↗
PubMed1989

An outbreak of amebiasis in an institution for the mentally retarded in Japan.

The results of an epidemiological survey in a 190-patient institution for mentally retarded were reported. Twenty percent of the patients had either cysts or trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica in their stools, and 38% were positive serologically. The amebic outbreak revealed a sex-independent but age-dependent distribution; younger patients had more serious symptoms in cases invasive amebiasis. A high prevalence of amebic infection was found in the heavily retarded patients, and the positive cases tended to concentrate in certain training classes. Further demographic analysis suggests that the amebic infection was possibly caused by abnormal behavior of heavily retarded patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Adult T-cell leukemia associated with cancer].

We observed adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) associated with cancer in four of 46 patients with ATL, including gastric cancer in two, lung cancer in one, and esophageal and gingival cancer in one. The associated cancer was recognized in three of these patients prior to the diagnosis of ATL and, in one, at autopsy. One patient suffered from a skin type of ATL, two a smoldering type and one a chronic type. No information was obtained from our patients presented here as to whether HTLV-1 influenced the appearance of other cancers, or whether the treatment for cancers influenced the appearance of ATL. Further investigations are necessary to clarify the relationship between ATL and associated cancers.

Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous↗
PubMed1989

[Clinicopathological studies of the gastrointestinal tract in adult T-cell leukemia patients].

We analysed the digestive symptoms and the gastrointestinal (GI) tract lesions in 61 patients with adult T cell leukemia (ATL). Digestive symptoms were found in 36 patients (59.0%) at the onset of leukemia, and in 45 patients (73.8%) at the first medical examination. X-ray examination of the GI tract was made in 22 patients, and abnormal stomach mucosa patterns were found in 20 patients (90.9%). Endoscopic examination of the GI tract was carried out in 18 patients, and it revealed that most of the stomach mucosa was accompanied by edema and redness. Erosions and ulcers also were found in many patients. A granular shadow, which was noted during the x-ray examination, could not be confirmed by endoscopy. A pathological examination of biopsied specimens was made in 13 patients, and infiltration of leukemic cells into the stomach was observed in 10 of the 13 cases. These findings suggest that leukemic infiltration into digestive tracts is related to the development of digestive symptoms in ATL patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Anticardiolipin antibodies by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay: fundamental studies on the conditions for antigen-application and specificity of the assay.

We have established an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) using standard sera obtained from the Rayne Institute, St. Thomas' Hospital (London, U.K.). In this study, we compared several fundamental requirements for the assay with the standard assay as a reference, such as conditions for antigen application and test samples using our patients' samples. In addition, the specificity of our assay and cross-reactivities of aCL were also evaluated. In the standard assay, the concentration of antigen was optimal in the range of 30-100 micrograms/ml. The antigen-coating temperature was optimal at 4 degrees C for 16 hours. The method based on rapid evaporation of CL-ethanol solution can be used instead of the standard method. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the results between physical conditions of the antigen (CL-ethanol solution vs. CL-micelles), between washing solutions (saline vs. PBS containing 0.05% Tween-20) and between test samples (sera vs. plasma). The aCL activity in our patients' samples was almost completely inhibited by pre-incubation of sera with either CL or phospholipid reagent for activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT). Interestingly, the aCL activity of the lupus anticoagulant was negative, but aCL-positive samples were also absorbed by the reagent for APTT. No inhibition of the aCL activity, however, was observed when patients' sera were preincubated with ss-DNA.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1989

A clinical study of patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Fifty patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) were initially treated with corticosteroids. Seven patients had an excellent response (normal platelet count after therapy), 17, 18, and 8 had a good response (normal platelet count during therapy), fair response (improved platelet count during therapy) and poor response (no improvement), respectively. Nine patients, who had a fair or poor response to the corticosteroids, were splenectomized. Five of the 9 had an excellent response to splenectomy. The other four patients were then treated with azathioprine. Three of the four responded well to the immunosuppressive therapy. The effectiveness of three main therapies for chronic ITP was confirmed in the present study. Especially, it indicated that splenectomy can be considered for relatively young patients who show a fair to good response to corticosteroids. Of the 6 patients with acute ITP, 5 had an excellent response to corticosteroids, and 1 recovered without therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Adansonian study of Candida albicans: intraspecific homogeneity excepting C. stellatoidea strains.

Fifty-six strains of Candida albicans (40 fresh human isolates, 10 laboratory strains, and 6 Candida stellatoidea strains), seven strains of other Candida species, and one strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were examined for a total of 182 biochemical and physiological characters. As 121 characters proved positive or negative in all of the strains, analysis of similarity values (simple matching coefficients) derived from the remaining 61 characters revealed that C. albicans strains could be discriminated from other species with similarity values of 70% or lower, and that the cluster of C. albicans strains with internal similarity values above 70% could be divided into two subclusters representing classical C. albicans and C. stellatoidea, with intergroup similarity of 70 to 85% and intragroup similarities of 85% or higher. No discernible difference was noted between isolates from pathological specimens and those from healthy individuals.

Antifungal Agents↗
PubMed1988

A novel yeast secretion signal isolated from 28K killer precursor protein encoded on the linear DNA plasmid pGKL1.

Saccharomyces cerevisiae harboring linear dsDNA plasmids, pGKL1 and pGKL2, secretes a killer toxin consisting of 97, 31 and 28 kilodalton subunits (Nucleic Acids Res., 15, 1031-1046, 1987). We isolated the DNA encoding the N-terminal pre-sequence of the 28K precursor protein and constructed a new secretion vector in S. cerevisiae. Mouse alpha-amylase fused to the 28K signal sequence was secreted into the culture medium with a high efficiency similar to those fused to the mating factor alpha and 97K-31K killer signal sequences. This data clearly indicates that 28K presequence functions as a secretion signal. Glycosylated and nonglycosylated alpha-amylase molecules were detected in the culture medium. The secretion of alpha-amylase was blocked by sec18-1 mutation. The secreted alpha-amylase recovered from the medium was found to migrate faster in SDS-polyacrylamide gel than the precursor form of alpha-amylase synthesized in vitro. These lines of evidence suggest that mouse alpha-amylase fused to 28K killer signal sequence was processed, glycosylated and secreted through the normal secretion pathway of the yeast.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Adult T-cell leukemia with leukemia cell infiltration into the gastrointestinal tract.

Five cases of untreated adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) with leukemia cell infiltration into the gastrointestinal (GI) tract were reported. X-ray findings of the GI tract showed diffuse abnormal mucosal patterns throughout the GI tract in all five patients. Endoscopic findings corresponded well with the x-ray findings. Pathologic examination of biopsied specimens from all five patients revealed diffuse and extensive leukemic infiltration into the stomach and/or the large intestine.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Histologic types of lung cancers among male Japanese copper smelter workers.

This study was done to investigate which histologic type of lung cancer is prevalent among male Japanese copper smelter workers. A panel of eight pathologists was asked to diagnose uniformly prepared materials for 19 occupational series, 87 nonoccupational bronchogenic carcinomas, and 14 benign lesions. The consensus diagnosis was used as reference. The reference diagnoses and the originals without materials employed for verification were designated as finals. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most frequent cell type in the occupational group, which comprised 21 (75.0%) of 28 histologically proven cases. There were three (10.7%) small cell carcinomas, one (3.6%) large cell carcinoma, and three (10.7%) adenocarcinomas. The proportion of Kreyberg group I in the occupational cases was significantly larger than that of lung cancers in the population-based cancer registries in Japan. These findings are compatible with Kreyberg's hypothesis. Above all, squamous and small cell carcinomas were prominent and appeared to be environmentally related bronchogenic carcinomas.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1988

Macroconidial development and germination in Trichophyton mentagrophytes.

Trichophyton Mentagrophytes was investigated for macroconidial development with particular emphasis on the conidial ageing by light and scanning electron microscopy. Macroconidial germination was also studied under various conditions. Sabouraud glucose agar supplemented with 3% NaCl was used to enhance production of macroconidia. After a long-term cultivation macroconidial compartments changed to spherical thick-walled structure. Some 12-month-old macroconidia were still capable of germination. A wide range of temperature (15-37 degrees C), and inoculum of less than 1 X 10(5) conidia per ml of rich media were appropriate for macroconidial germination. The germination process of macroconidia was highly tolerant to NaCl. A small fraction of the conidia were able to germinate even in distilled water without activation. Effect of freeze-thaw or ultraviolet irradiation on macroconidial germination was determined.

Sodium Chloride↗
PubMed1988

[An immunohistologic study of reactive lymphocytes in breast tissue].

A series of T-cell specific monoclonal antibodies (Leu-4; CD-3, OKT-4; CD-4, OKT8; CD-8) and a B-cell specific monoclonal antibody (Leu-12; CD-19) were used to detect the localization and intensity of lymphocytes in breast tissue. Frozen sections of 12 fibrocystic diseases, 11 fibroadenomas and 17 carcinomas of the breast were examined during this study. CD-3 and CD-8 positive lymphocytes predominated in and around the ducts of the fibrocystic disease and the fibroadenoma. Similarly, almost all of the reactive lymphocytes around the cancerous tissue also were CD-3 and CD-8 positive suppressor/cytotoxic cells.

Adenofibroma↗
PubMed1988

Clinical trial of ambroxol (Mucosolvan) in Sjögren's syndrome.

A clinical trial is described in which twelve patients with Sjögren's Syndrome (SS) were given a dose of 135 mg ambroxol (Mucosolvan) daily for eight weeks. Nine of the patients completed the trial. Three patients dropped out because they developed side effects (generalized rashes in two patients and stomatitis in one). The side effects, however, were mild and cleared off after cessation of treatment. Ambroxol improved sicca symptoms, especially ocular symptoms, in the SS patients, although lacrimal and salivary gland functions measured by Schirmer test or gum test were not changed. Furthermore, the treatment did not alter any chemical findings determined in the stimulated tear and saliva. Our results suggest that ambroxol is useful for the management of sicca symptoms in some patients with SS.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Respiration of medically important Candida species and Saccharomyces cerevisiae in relation to glucose effect.

Strains of medically important Candida species (C. albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis and C. [Torulopsis] glabrata) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were examined for a glucose effect on respiratory activity. Reduced O2-consuming ability and a relative decrease in cytochrome type c, as determined by polarography and spectrophotometry, respectively, were observed in glucose-grown S. cerevisiae cells in contrast with acetate- or ethanol-grown cells. In glucose-grown cells of C. glabrata, O2 consumption was also reduced without any change in the cytochrome pattern compared to acetate-grown cells, while no such decrease was detected in any of the other strains of Candida species tested. These results suggest that the medically important Candida species, except for C. glabrata, can be categorized as members of the glucose-insensitive yeast type with respect to respiration.

Candida↗