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Biomedical subjects

N Kojima

Publications and source records attributed to N Kojima.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Serum thyroglobulin concentration in patients with diabetes mellitus.

The serum thyroglobulin (Tg) concentration was measured in 97 patients with diabetes mellitus (39 males, 58 females). Hyper Tg-nemia which exceeds the normal range (1.0-26.6 ng/ml) was observed in 10 patients (3 out of 21 cases treated with diet alone, 3 out of 50 cases treated with oral hypoglycemic agents, 4 out of 26 cases treated with insulin). There was no significant correlation between concentrations of serum Tg and triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). However, a positive correlation was observed between serum concentrations of Tg and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Patients with diabetes were divided into three groups according to the mode of treatment (Group I; diet alone, n = 21, Group II; oral hypoglycemic agents, n = 50, Group III; insulin, n = 26). No significant difference in the serum Tg concentration was observed among the three groups. They were also divided into two groups; normal Tg-nemia (Group A, n = 87) and hyper Tg-nemia (Group B, n = 10). There was no difference between levels of T3, T4, FPG, and HbA1c in the two groups. The serum TSH concentration measured by double antibody RIA and two site immunoradiometric assay in Group B was significantly higher than that in Group A. These results suggest that hyper Tg-nemia in patients with diabetes could be due to the increased TSH concentration which reflects latent subclinical primary hypothyroidism in them.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1987

Dynamics of plasma lipoproteins and lipids during double filtration plasmapheresis (DEP).

Plasma lipids and lipoproteins obtained from different places of the circuit of double filtration plasmapheresis (DFP) were measured and effect of DFP therapy on removal of them was examined. When 2A was used as a second filter, 69.8%, 52.4%, 63.0%, 58.0%, 60.8%, 59.2% and 63.9%, respectively of beta-lipoprotein, cholesterol, triglyceride, high density lipoproteins (HDL), phospholipids, free cholesterol and lipoprotein (a) (Lp(a)) were removed from the patient's plasma. When 4A was used as a second filter, 69.0%, 56.8%, 53.2%, 45.4%, 56.0%, 50.9% and 51.7%, respectively of beta-lipoprotein, cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, phospholipids, free cholesterol and Lp(a) were removed from the patient's plasma. In contrast, concentrations of free fatty acids (FFA) after DFP therapy using filter 4A and 2A increased to 222.8% and 256.4%, respectively. Thus, it was shown that except for FFA, DFP therapy using either 2A or 4A as a second filter is effective in reducing concentrations of plasma lipid and lipoproteins.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Induction of intestinal metaplasia in rats by N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine but not by sodium hydroxide.

Intestinal metaplasia (IM) in the glandular stomach of male Wistar rats induced by oral administration of N-ethyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (ENNG) and/or intubation of 0.1N sodium hydroxide (NaOH) was studied as follows. Experiment I, sequential study: Rats in group I were given 100 micrograms/ml ENNG in drinking water for 12 weeks. Rats in group II were given 5 ml of 0.1N NaOH by gastric intubation once a week for 12 weeks. Group III control rats were given tap water. Rats were killed from week 1 until week 69 sequentially. IM was first found at week 26 in group I and at week 58 in groups II and III, its incidence being significantly higher in group I than in the other two groups (P less than 0.01), but without any difference between group II and group III. Experiment II, two-stage carcinogenesis: Rats in groups I and II were treated in the same way as in experiment I, while rats in group III were given 100 micrograms/ml ENNG for 12 weeks, followed by 0.1N NaOH once a week for 12 weeks intragastrically. All rats were killed at week 56. The numbers of metaplastic glands in groups I and III were higher than in group II. Gastric carcinomas were induced in all groups of rats treated with ENNG. The results of these two experiments show that IM is effectively induced by a carcinogen but is not enhanced by regeneration induced by alkaline treatment.

Aging↗
PubMed1987

[Basic studies on chemotherapy of brain tumors by means of liposomes: affinity of sulfatide-inserted liposomes to human glioma cells].

In order to utilize liposomes for the treatment of brain tumors, we examined the interaction between the cells and the liposomes prepared from phosphatidylcholine, cholesterol, and sulfatide (molar ratio, 7:2:1), which were able to deliver the encapsulated materials into the brain through the blood-brain barrier. With a variety of human cell lines, the incorporation of the liposomes and the release of the liposomal contents into cells were studied by spectrofluorometry and flow cytometry by use of encapsulated 6-carboxy-fluorescein. It was found that the amounts of liposomes incorporated into cells were dependent on the dose of liposomes and type of cells. At the same concentration of liposomes, the highest incorporation was found for glioma cells, which was further confirmed by electron microscopy with ferritin-containing liposomes. These results indicate that the liposomes composed of sulfatide, phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol have a high affinity for human glioma cells and should be useful for the chemotherapy of glioma when antitumor drugs are encapsulated into them.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1987

A simple fluorometric method to discriminate adriamycin-resistant subline from adriamycin-sensitive parental P388 murine leukemia cell line.

A fluorometric method to estimate adriamycin accumulation in cells was used to discriminate adriamycin- and vincristine-resistant sublines from sensitive parental P388 murine leukemia cells. It was easily checked that adriamycin accumulation was lower in the adriamycin- and vincristine-resistant cells than in the sensitive ones. With this method we found that tamoxifen as well as diltiazem increased adriamycin accumulation in the resistant cells to a level similar to that in the sensitive ones. The effect of progesterone was much less.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Biosynthesis of the wall acidic polysaccharide in Bacillus cereus AHU 1356.

Biosynthetic studies on an acidic polysaccharide, comprising galactose, rhamnose, N-acetylglucosamine and sn-glycerol 1-phosphate, were carried out with a membrane system obtained from Bacillus cereus AHU 1356. Incubation of the membranes with UDP-[14C]Gal, TDP-[14C]Rha and UDP-[14C]GlcNAc resulted in the formation of four or more labeled-sugar-linked lipids and a labeled polysaccharide. Data on structural analysis of the sugar moieties released from the glycolipids, together with results of enzymatic conversion of [14C]galactose-linked lipid and [14C]Rha-Gal-linked lipid to higher-oligosaccharide-linked lipids and polysaccharide, led to the conclusion that the acidic polysaccharide is probably synthesized through the following pathway: (sequence in text) The glycerophosphate residues seem to be derived from phosphatidylglycerol.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1986

Structural studies on the minor teichoic acid of Bacillus coagulans AHU 1631.

The minor teichoic acid linked to glycopeptide was isolated from lysozyme digests of Bacillus coagulans AHU 1631 cell walls, and the structure of the teichoic acid moiety and its junction with the peptidoglycan were studied. Hydrolysis of the teichoic-acid--glycopeptide complex with hydrogen fluoride gave a nonreducing oligosaccharide composed of glucose, galactose and glycerol in a molar ratio of 3:1:1 which was presumed to be dephosphorylated repeating units of the polymer chain. From the results of structural analysis involving NaIO4 oxidation, methylation and acetolysis, the above fragment was characterized as glucosyl(beta 1----3)glucosyl(beta 1----6)galactosyl(beta 1----6)glucosyl(alpha 1----1/3)glycerol. In addition, the Smith degradation of the complex yielded a phosphorus-containing fragment identified as glycerol-P-6-glucosyl(beta 1----1/3)glycerol. These results led to the most likely structure for the repeating units of the teichoic acid, -6[glucosyl(beta 1----3)]glucosyl(beta 1----6)galactosyl(beta 1----6)glucosyl(alpha 1----1/3)glycerol-P-. The minor teichoic acid, just like the major teichoic acid bound to the linkage unit, was released by heating the cell walls at pH 2.5. The mild alkaline hydrolysis of the minor teichoic acid after reduction with NaB3H4 gave labeled saccharides characterized as glucosyl(beta 1----6)galactitol and glucosyl(beta 1----3)glucosyl(beta 1----6)galactitol, together with a large amount of the unlabeled repeating units of the teichoic acid chain. Thus, the minor teichoic acid chain is believed to be directly linked to peptidoglycan at the galactose residue of the terminal repeating unit without a special linkage sugar unit.

Acetone↗
PubMed1986

4-aminobutyrate: 2-oxoglutarate transaminase-containing neurons in the perinuclear zone of the rat supraoptic nucleus.

A pharmaco-histochemical method for demonstrating the enzyme 4-aminobutyrate: 2-oxoglutarate transaminase was applied to the sections of the rat supraoptic nucleus region. The reactions of GABAergic interneurons and their relationship to neurosecretory neurons were studied. Medium-sized neurons heavily stained for transaminase were detected in the perinuclear zone just dorsal to the supraoptic nucleus. Neurons within the supraoptic nucleus were not stained. However, the perikarya of some neurosecretory neurons in the dorsal region of the supraoptic nucleus, as well as in discrete groups scattered throughout the nucleus; were surrounded by the granular reaction products. The results strongly suggest that these strongly positive neurons in the perinuclear zone send axons to the supraoptic nucleus, where they richly divide into many branches, which synapse on the perikarya of some vasopressin and oxytocin cells.

4-Aminobutyrate Transaminase↗
PubMed1986

Structural studies on N-acetylmannosaminuronic acid-containing and glucuronic acid-containing teichuronic acids in the cell wall of Bacillus megaterium AHU 1375.

Structural studies were carried out on two kinds of teichuronic acid-glycopeptide complexes (designated as TU-GP-I and TU-GP-II) isolated from lysozyme digest of N-acetylated cell walls of Bacillus megaterium AHU 1375 by ion-exchange chromatography and gel chromatography. TU-GP-I, accounting for about 25% of the cell walls, contained N-acetylmannosaminuronic acid, N-acetylglucosamine, glucose, galactose, glycerol, and phosphorus in an approximate molar ratio of 1:1:2:1:0.5:0.5, together with small amounts of glycopeptide components. TU-GP-II, accounting for about 9% of the cell walls, contained glucuronic acid, glucose, and fucose in a molar ratio of about 2:1.5:1, together with small amounts of glycopeptide components. The results of analyses involving Smith degradation, chromium oxidation, methylation, acetolysis, and H-NMR measurement led to the conclusion that the polysaccharide chain of TU-GP-I comprised repeating units,----6) Glc(alpha 1----3)-ManNAcUA(beta 1----4)[Gal(alpha 1----3)][Glc(beta 1----6)]GlcNAc(beta 1----. About half of the repeating units were substituted by glycerophosphoryl residues at C-6 of the beta-glucosyl residues linked to the N-acetylglucosamine residues. By means of a similar procedure, the polysaccharide chain of TU-GP-II was shown to comprise repeating units,----4)GlcUA(alpha 1----3)GlcUA(alpha 1----3)Glc(alpha 1----3)Fuc(alpha 1----, of which about half were substituted by alpha-glucosyl residues at C-3 of the 4-substituted glucuronosyl residues.

Bacillus megaterium↗
PubMed1986

Thyroid hormone autoantibodies (THAA) in two cases of Graves' disease: effects of antithyroid drugs, prednisolone, and subtotal thyroidectomy.

Changes in titers of serum thyroid hormone autoantibodies (THAA) and anti-thyroglobulin (Tg) antibodies during treatment with antithyroid drugs (methimazole and propylthiouracil) were examined in two cases of Graves' disease. Effects of prednisolone and subtotal thyroidectomy were also investigated in one case (case 1). Initially both cases had only anti-T4 autoantibodies in their serum. During methimazole therapy, the titer of anti-T4 autoantibodies increased in both cases, and anti-T3 autoantibodies became detectable and their titer increased in case 2. The influence of propylthiouracil on the titer of THAA was not clear. Both prednisolone plus methimazole therapy and subtotal thyroidectomy decreased the level of anti-T4 autoantibodies in case 1. There was a significant correlation between titers of THAA and anti-Tg antibodies in both cases, although titers of anti-Tg antibodies in case 1 stayed within the normal range throughout the investigation period. These results indicate that methimazole treatment could induce and/or enhance the production of THAA and THAA are antibodies against thyroid hormone-containing Tg molecule.

Autoantibodies↗
PubMed1986

Immunohistochemical studies on the GABAergic system in the rat supraoptic nucleus using the PAP method with an application of electron microscopy.

GABAergic neuronal profiles in the supraoptic nucleus of the rat were immunohistochemically identified by using a purified GABA antibody with the peroxidase-antiperoxidase method. The localization of GABA-like immunoreactivity in nerve terminals on the neurosecretory neurons was examined electron microscopically. A few small GABAergic neurons were found inside the supraoptic nucleus while only a very few medium-sized ones were detected in the perinuclear zone. Intrinsic, non-GABAergic small neurons covered by GABAergic neuropil were also detected. The neuropil with GABAergic axo-somatic synapses evenly encompassed unlabeled neurosecretory perikarya throughout the supraoptic nucleus. The GABAergic system seems to inhibit both vasopressin and oxytocin cells. In this area, glia cells showed clear outlines of unlabeled somata around counter-stained nuclei. Blood capillaries in the supraoptic nucleus were only slightly covered with a GABAergic neuropil. Electron microscopic observations demonstrated the presence of GABAergic axo-somatic symmetrical and axo-dendritic asymmetrical synapses on the neurosecretory neurons. GABA-like immunoreactivity was localized on the membranes of microtubules and synaptic vesicles, on the external membranes of the mitochondria, and on the inner leaf of the presynaptic sites. Numerous pairs of non-immunoreactive synapses were arranged along these immunoreactive synapses.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

A case of total thyroxine-binding globulin deficiency with Graves' disease: fluctuations of plasma triiodothyronine/thyroxine ratio.

A 37-year-old male with total thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) deficiency associated with Graves' disease is described. Both TBG immunoreactivity and TBG capacity were not detectable in his serum. Serum concentrations of thyroxine-binding prealbumin and albumin were normal. He was initially hyperthyroid. During methimazole-treatment he was maintained in an euthyroid state except for two short hypothyroid periods. His plasma triiodothyronine/thyroxine (T3/T4) ratios during both the untreated hyperthyroid and the methimazole-induced hypothyroid states were higher than those during his methimazole-induced euthyroid state. These findings on changes in his T3/T4 ratio accompanying thyroidal dysfunction were qualitatively comparable with those in patients with Graves' disease with normal TBG levels: that both untreated hyperthyroid and methimazole-induced hypothyroid patients showed higher T3/T4 ratios than methimazole-induced euthyroid patients. These results may provide indirect evidence that changes in hormonal secretion and conversion that raise T3/T4 ratio can occur in thyroidal dysfunctions even in the complete absence of TBG.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

The effect of double filtration plasmapheresis on thyroid hormone economy and thyroid function.

Five cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), two cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a case of mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), and a case of cold urticaria were treated with double filtration plasmapheresis (DFP). Each aliquot of plasma was obtained at three different points of the DEP circuit during the treatment and concentrations of thyroid hormones as well as thyroxine binding globulin (TBG) were measured. Despite the removal of considerable amounts of triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), and TBG from the plasma, levels of plasma free T3 (FT3) and free T4 (FT4) before and immediately after DFP treatment were not significantly different. These results indicate that DEP therapy rarely affects plasma concentration of active thyroid hormones in patients who undergo such therapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Concentrations of free thyroxine, total thyroxine, and total triiodothyronine in rabbits immunized with human thyroglobulin.

Levels of serum free thyroxine, total triiodothyronine and total thyroxine were measured in two rabbits (TG-1, TG-2) which had been immunized with human thyroglobulin and produced both anti-thyroglobulin and anti-thyroid hormone antibodies. Despite the presence of both anti-triiodothyronine and -thyroxine antibodies, levels of serum free thyroxine in serial sera obtained from a rabbit (TG-1) stayed within normal range up to 249 days after the first immunization, whereas in the other rabbit (TG-2), serum free thyroxine concentrations of serial sera declined after three immunizations and stayed at lower levels than normal range up to 249 days. Extraction of serial sera from both rabbits disclosed the presence of larger amounts of triiodothyronine and thyroxine in immune sera than preimmune sera. From these results, it is concluded that the presence of anti-thyroid hormone antibodies per se can reduce serum level of free thyroxine in rabbits.

Animals↗