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S Fujioka

Publications and source records attributed to S Fujioka.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Identification and production of a bacteriocin from Enterococcus mundtii QU 2 isolated from soybean.

AIMS: Identification of the bacteriocin produced by Enterococcus mundtii QU 2 newly isolated from soybean and fermentative production of the bacteriocin. METHODS AND RESULTS: The bacteriocin produced by Ent. mundtii QU 2 inhibited the growth of various indicator strains, including Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus and Listeria. The bacteriocin activity was stable at wide pH range and against heat treatment, but completely abolished by proteolytic enzymes. The bacteriocin was purified from the culture supernatant by the three-step chromatographic procedure. Mass spectrometry, amino acid sequencing and DNA sequencing revealed that the bacteriocin was similar to class IIa bacteriocins produced by other Ent. mundtii strains. The bacteriocin production decreased in the absence of glucose, nitrogen sources, or Tween 80 in MRS medium. Additionally, it was strongly suppressed by addition of Ca(2+) (CaCO(3) or CaCl(2)). In pH-controlled fermentations, the highest bacteriocin production was achieved at pH 6.0, whereas the highest cell growth was obtained at pH 7.0. CONCLUSIONS: Ent. mundtii QU 2 produced a class IIa bacteriocin. Some growth factors (e.g. Ca(2+) and pH) influenced the bacteriocin production. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: A new soybean isolate, Ent. mundtii QU 2 was found to be a class IIa bacteriocin producer. Factors influencing the bacteriocin production described herein are valuable for applications of the bacteriocins from Ent. mundtii strains.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Serial changes in the regional cerebral blood flow of patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage -- long-term follow-up SPECT study.

We analyzed serial changes in the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) of 13 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage by single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) during the acute- to chronic stage (2 hr to 55 weeks). The (99m)Tc-ethyl cysteinate dimmer ((99m)Tc-ECD) was used as the nuclear mediator. The SPECT timing within 48 hours after the onset was considered to be acute stage, from 48 hours to 4 weeks to be subacute stage, and after 4 weeks to be chronic stage. The region of interest was each hemisphere in the whole brain without ventricles at the thalamic level. For semi-quantitative analysis of rCBF, we used the Brain Uptake Ratio method. Of the 13 patients (mean age 65.5 years), 3 had thalamic-, 4 putaminal-, 5 subcortical-, and one a cerebellar hemorrhage; the hematoma volume varied from 4-50 ml (<20 ml, n=9; 20-30 ml, n=1; >30 ml, n=3; mean 17 ml). The rCBF changes during the long-term follow-up were classified as increase-, decrease-, and unchanged type. Of 5 patients with increased rCBF, 4 made a good recovery and one was severely disabled; of 5 patients with decreased rCBF, 1 made a good recovery, 3 were moderately-, and one was severely disabled. All 3 patients with unchanged rCBF were moderately disabled. Our findings suggest that among patients with hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage, those with increased rCBF over time may have a favorable outcome. We further need more cases with intracerebral hemorrhage to clarify this trend.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

DWI abnormalities and clinical characteristics in TIA patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical characteristics of diffusion-weighted images (DWIs) in patients with TIA. METHODS: The authors performed prospectively MRI including DWI in 129 consecutively studied patients with TIA (mean age, 67 years; 68% men) within 14 days after TIA onset. They examined the frequency of TIA-related DWI abnormalities and compared the clinical background of patients with and without DWI abnormalities. Using multivariate statistical methods, the authors investigated the independent factors associated with detection of DWI abnormalities. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients with TIA (44%) had DWI abnormalities (positive group), whereas 72 (56%) had no abnormalities (negative group). Prolonged TIA duration (TIA duration > or = 30 minutes), hemiparesis, monoparesis, disturbance of higher brain function, history of either stroke or TIA, diabetes mellitus, and atrial fibrillation were observed more frequently in the positive group than in the negative group. No difference in other symptoms, vascular risk factors, or emboligenic cardiac and arterial disease was observed between the two groups. A multiple logistic regression model demonstrated that prolonged TIA duration (odds ratio [OR], 3.7; 95% CI, 1.3 to 10.8) and disturbance of higher brain function (OR, 10.2; 95% CI, 2.2 to 46.9) are significant and independent factors in correlating with DWI abnormalities. CONCLUSIONS: TIA-related DWI abnormalities are associated with prolonged duration of TIA and disturbance of higher brain function. More sustained and extensive ischemia may contribute to DWI abnormalities in patients with TIA.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Laparoscopic features of primary biliary cirrhosis in AMA-positive and AMA-negative patients.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Antimitochondrial antibody (AMA)-negative primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) has been difficult to diagnose. Laparoscopic features of AMA-negative PBC were evaluated in comparison with those of AMA-positive PBC and autoimmune hepatitis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 71 patients who fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for PBC were enrolled in the study; 48 were AMA-positive and 23 were AMA-negative. As a disease control, 46 autoimmune hepatitis patients were included. Both the frequency and specificity of each laparoscopic finding were evaluated. A laparoscopic scoring system was introduced, which used, common and uncommon laparoscopic findings, and was evaluated for the diagnosis of AMA-negative PBC. RESULTS: The characteristic laparoscopic findings for AMA-positive PBC were yellowish-white marking (92 %), dark-brown discoloration (73 %), gentle undulation (67 %), reddish patch (38 %), and yellowish-white nodules (32 %). On the other hand, laparoscopic findings such as trench-like depression, reddish markings, and wide and small depressions were uncommon in PBC compared with autoimmune hepatitis. The frequencies of characteristic and uncommon laparoscopic findings did not differ statistically between AMA-positive and AMA-negative PBC, but were different between AMA-positive or AMA-negative PBC and autoimmune hepatitis. Scores based on common and uncommon laparoscopic findings were 5.5 +/- 1.5 (mean +/- SD) in AMA-positive PBC, 5.6 +/- 2.0 in AMA-negative PBC, and - 0.30 +/- 0.5 in autoimmune hepatitis. CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic findings in AMA-negative PBC did not differ from those of AMA-positive PBC. A laparoscopic scoring system may be helpful in the diagnosis of AMA-negative PBC.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Angiogenesis in pancreatic carcinoma: thymidine phosphorylase expression in stromal cells and intratumoral microvessel density as independent predictors of overall and relapse-free survival.

BACKGROUND: Recently, the usefulness of intratumoral microvessel density (IMD) and expression of several angiogenic factors as prognostic indicators have been demonstrated in several human solid tumors. METHODS: One hundred four patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma were examined retrospectively. The investigated clinicopathologic and immunohistologic data included staining for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), thymidine phosphorylase (TP), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), CD34 (for calculating IMD), p53, and Ki-67. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis for both overall and relapse-free survival revealed two independent variables, IMD and TP staining in stromal cells (TPs, P < 0.02). Whereas the frequency of hepatic metastasis was correlated significantly with cytoplasmic expression of TP or bFGF in tumor cells (TPc, bFGFc), IMD, and p53 status, local recurrence was significantly more common in patients with positive staining for TPs, bFGF in stromal cells (bFGFs), and for the pM category (P < 0.05). TPc, bFGFc, VEGF, and p53 expression correlated with IMD (P < 0.01), although TPs and bFGFs expression did not. VEGF and IMD status correlated with p53 expression (P < 0.001), although TP, bFGF, and Ki-67 status did not. CONCLUSIONS: TPs expression and IMD were revealed to be valuable tools for predicting overall and relapse-free survival in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Whereas TPc and bFGFc are likely to participate in hepatic metastasis by means of their angiogenic properties, TPs and bFGFs may be related to local tumor progression. Angiogenesis in human pancreatic carcinoma may be dependent on VEGF, TP, and bFGF. p53 abnormality is likely to take part in VEGF-related angiogenesis.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2001

Obtusifoliol 14alpha-demethylase (CYP51) antisense Arabidopsis shows slow growth and long life.

Obtusifoliol 14alpha-demethylase is a plant orthologue of sterol 14alpha-demethylase (CYP51) essential in sterol biosynthesis. We have prepared CYP51 antisense Arabidopsis in order to shed light on the sterol and steroid hormone biosynthesis in plants. Arabidopsis putative CYP51 cDNA (AtCYP51) was obtained from Arabidopsis expressed sequence tag (EST) library and its function was examined in a yeast lanosterol 14alpha-demethylase (Erg11) deficient mutant. A recombinant AtCYP51 protein fused with a yeast Erg11 signal-anchor peptide was able to complement the erg11 mutation, which confirmed AtCYP51 to be a functional sterol 14alpha-demethylase. AtCYP51 was then used to generate transgenic Arabidopsis by transforming with pBI vector harboring AtCYP51 in the antisense direction under CaMV35S promoter. The resulting transgenic plants were decreased in accumulation of AtCYP51 mRNA and increased in the amount of endogenous obtusifoliol. They showed a semidwarf phenotype in the early growth stage and a longer life span than control plants. This newly found phenotype is different from previously characterized brassinosteroid (BR)-deficient campesterol biosynthesis mutants.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Light and brassinosteroid signals are integrated via a dark-induced small G protein in etiolated seedling growth.

Plant growth and development are regulated through coordinated interactions between light and phytohormones. Here, we demonstrate that a dark-induced small G protein, pea Pra2, regulates a variant cytochrome P450 that catalyzes C-2 hydroxylation in brassinosteroid biosynthesis. The cytochrome P450 is dark-induced and predominantly expressed in the rapidly elongating zone of etiolated pea epicotyls, where Pra2 is also most abundant. Transgenic plants with reduced Pra2 exhibit a dark-specific dwarfism, which is completely rescued by exogenous brassinolide. Overexpression of the cytochrome P450 results in enhanced hypocotyl growth even in the light, which phenocopies the etiolated hypocotyls. We therefore propose that Pra2 and its orthologs are molecular mediators for the cross-talk between light and brassinosteroids in the etiolation process in plants.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Selective interaction of triazole derivatives with DWF4, a cytochrome P450 monooxygenase of the brassinosteroid biosynthetic pathway, correlates with brassinosteroid deficiency in planta.

Brassinazole, a synthetic chemical developed in our laboratory, is a triazole-type brassinosteroid biosynthesis inhibitor that induces dwarfism in various plant species. The target sites of brassinazole were investigated by chemical analyses of endogenous brassinosteroids (BRs) in brassinazole-treated Catharanthus roseus cells. The levels of castasterone and brassinolide in brassinazole-treated plant cells were less than 6% of the levels in untreated cells. In contrast, campestanol and 6-oxocampestanol levels were increased, and levels of BR intermediates with hydroxy groups on the side chains were reduced, suggesting that brassinazole treatment reduced BR levels by inhibiting the hydroxylation of the C-22 position. DWF4, which is an Arabidopsis thaliana cytochrome P450 isolated as a putative steroid 22-hydroxylase, was expressed in Escherichia coli, and the binding affinity of brassinazole and its derivatives to the recombinant DWF4 were analyzed. Among several triazole derivatives, brassinazole had both the highest binding affinity to DWF4 and the highest growth inhibitory activity. The binding affinity and the activity for inhibiting hypocotyl growth were well correlated among the derivatives. In brassinazole-treated A. thaliana, the CPD gene involved in BR biosynthesis was induced within 3 h, most likely because of feedback activation caused by the reduced levels of active BRs. These results indicate that brassinazole inhibits the hydroxylation of the C-22 position of the side chain in BRs by direct binding to DWF4 and that DWF4 catalyzes this hydroxylation reaction.

Arabidopsis Proteins↗
PubMed2001

BRI1 is a critical component of a plasma-membrane receptor for plant steroids.

Most multicellular organisms use steroids as signalling molecules for physiological and developmental regulation. Two different modes of steroid action have been described in animal systems: the well-studied gene regulation response mediated by nuclear receptors, and the rapid non-genomic responses mediated by proposed membrane-bound receptors. Plant genomes do not seem to encode members of the nuclear receptor superfamily. However, a transmembrane receptor kinase, brassinosteroid-insensitive1 (BRI1), has been implicated in brassinosteroid responses. Here we show that BRI1 functions as a receptor of brassinolide, the most active brassinosteroid. The number of brassinolide-binding sites and the degree of response to brassinolide depend on the level of BRI1 protein. The brassinolide-binding activity co-immunoprecipitates with BRI1, and requires a functional BRI1 extracellular domain. Moreover, treatment of Arabidopsis seedlings with brassinolide induces autophosphorylation of BRI1, which, together with our binding studies, shows that BRI1 is a receptor kinase that transduces steroid signals across the plasma membrane.

Arabidopsis↗
PubMed2001

Semaphorin 4C, a transmembrane semaphorin, [corrected] associates with a neurite-outgrowth-related protein, SFAP75.

Semaphorin 4C (S4C, previously called M-SemaF) was recently identified as a brain rich transmembrane member of semaphorin family of the vertebrate. In the cytoplasmic domain of S4C there is a proline-rich region suggesting that the cytoplasmic domain may play an important role in Sema4C function. In this study, we have identified the cytoplasmic domain (cd) of M-SemaF(S4C)-associating protein with a Mr of 75 kDa, named SFAP75, from mouse brain. SFAP75 turned out to be the same as the recently reported neurite-outgrowth-related protein named Norbin. Deletion mutants analyses of S4C and SFAP75 revealed that the membrane-proximal region of S4Ccd binds to the intermediate region of SFAP75. Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses with anti-Sema4C and anti-SFAP75 antibodies indicated that S4C and SFAP75 were specially enriched in the brain with a similar distribution pattern to each other. These results suggest that S4C interacts with SFAP75 and plays a role in neural function in brain.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Increased plasma concentration of adrenomedullin during and after major surgery.

Adrenomedullin (AM), a novel vasodilatory peptide, appears to participate in the regulation of circulation. Recent studies have reported a relationship between AM and cytokine. The present study was performed to determine whether major surgery, which is accompanied by an altered cytokine production, affects the concentration of plasma AM. Eighteen patients undergoing major upper abdominal and thoracoabdominal surgery were thus studied. Arterial blood samples were obtained before anesthetic induction (PRE), 2h after a surgical incision was made (2H), at the end of surgery (END), at postoperative day 1 (1POD), and at 3POD. The concentrations of plasma AM and serum interleukin (IL)-6 were measured. The levels of plasma AM were found to be significantly higher at END (P < 0.001), 1POD (P < 0.0001), and 3POD (P < 0.05) compared with PRE. A significant correlation was found between the concentrations of serum IL-6 and plasma AM (r = 0.59, n = 18, P < 0.01). These results suggest that major surgical stress might thus increase the plasma AM concentration, and such an increase may be related to cytokine induction.

Abdomen↗
PubMed2001

Management outcome for ruptured anterior circulation aneurysms with a Hunt and Hess clinical grade of III in patients in the 9th decade of life.

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to define general guidelines for rational clinical decision-making with respect to patients older than 80 years who present with ruptured anterior circulation aneurysms and a Hunt and Hess clinical grade of III. METHODS: The 29 consecutive patients enrolled in this study were treated at 4 participating centers between 1995 and 1998. All were 80 years or older on admission and met 7 eligibility criteria. The decision to treat surgically or non-surgically was made individually at each center. The outcome at discharge was assessed using the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS); the Barthel Score (BS) was used to determine the patients' quality of life after discharge. RESULTS: Of 15 surgically treated patients, 4 died before discharge and 8 were discharged in poor condition. Of these, 7 died of unrelated causes within 2 years of the SAH and one is living in a nursing home. Three patients with middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysms made a good recovery; they are currently living at home. Of the 14 conservatively treated patients, 10 died during their hospital stay mainly because of rebleeding that occurred within 3 weeks of the subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Three others who were discharged in poor condition died of systemic illness within 2 years. The remaining patient is living in a nursing home with a BS value of 0. CONCLUSIONS: The outcomes for patients treated conservatively were catastrophic. Even in surgically treated patients, favorable outcomes were rare; the best results were achieved in surgically treated patients with MCA aneurysms.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

High prevalence of TT virus in human bile juice samples: importance of secretion through bile into feces.

TT virus (TTV) is much more prevalent than we once imagined. With the use of primers designed from the noncoding regions, a more than 90% rate of TTV infection in the general population by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) has been reported, showing that nonparenteral transmission must play an important role to its epidemiology. We considered that TTV may be secreted through bile juice into feces to establish nonparenteral infection. Paired bile juice and serum samples were obtained from 26 patients who were receiving bile drainage. Feces were also recovered after the drainage tube was removed. TTV DNA was detected from 22 patients in serum (84.6%), and they were all TTV DNA positive in bile juice. Most feces samples recovered from TTV-positive patients were also TTV DNA positive. Secretion of TTV into bile juice appears to be common, and this could play an important role to its transmission and its epidemiology.

Bile↗
PubMed2001

Overexpression of DWARF4 in the brassinosteroid biosynthetic pathway results in increased vegetative growth and seed yield in Arabidopsis.

Plants unable to synthesize or perceive brassinosteroids (BRs) are dwarfs. Arabidopsis dwf4 was shown to be defective in a steroid 22alpha hydroxylase (CYP90B1) step that is the putative rate-limiting step in the BR biosynthetic pathway. To better understand the role of DWF4 in BR biosynthesis, transgenic Arabidopsis plants ectopically overexpressing DWF4 (AOD4) were generated, using the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter, and their phenotypes were characterized. The hypocotyl length of both light- and dark-grown AOD4 seedlings was increased dramatically as compared to wild type. At maturity, inflorescence height increased >35% in AOD4 lines and >14% in tobacco DWF4 overexpressing lines (TOD4), relative to controls. The total number of branches and siliques increased more than twofold in AOD4 plants, leading to a 59% increase in the number of seeds produced. Analysis of endogenous BR levels in dwf4, Ws-2 and AOD4 revealed that dwf4 accumulated the precursors of the 22alpha-hydroxylation steps, whereas overexpression of DWF4 resulted in increased levels of downstream compounds relative to Ws-2, indicative of facilitated metabolic flow through the step. Both the levels of DWF4 transcripts and BR phenotypic effects were progressively increased in dwf4, wild-type and AOD4 plants, respectively. This suggests that it will be possible to control plant growth by engineering DWF4 transcription in plants.

Arabidopsis↗
PubMed2001

Laparoscopic findings in primary sclerosing cholangitis.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a cholestatic disease characterized by segmental narrowing and dilatation of bile ducts. Few studies have been performed on the laparoscopic findings associated with this disease, and the present study was intended to assess the usefulness of laparoscopy for the diagnosis and staging of PSC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Six patients were examined by laparoscopy with liver biopsy. Repeated laparoscopy was performed in three patients. RESULTS: Laparoscopy revealed coarse surface irregularity and discoloration. Surface irregularity was classified into four grades: smooth, shallowly depressed, undulated, and nodular. The affected area showed whitish yellow discoloration. The discolored area was demonstrated as a poorly stained area by intravenous injection of indocyanine green (ICG). Lobular markings became apparent because of the yellow color change in the portal tract, resulting in a leopardskin-like appearance. Lymph-vessel dilatation was seen in advanced stages. Repeated laparoscopy of a patient without treatment demonstrated a progression from a smooth surface to a shallow depression with leopardskin-like markings. On the other hand, the two patients treated with immunosuppressive agents showed improvement of liver swelling and disappearance of the leopardskin-like markings and lymph-vessel dilatation. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopy may provide useful information for the diagnosis and staging of PSC.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

The relationship between plasma concentration of mature adrenomedullin and jugular venous oxygen saturation during and after cardiopulmonary bypass.

UNLABELLED: Adrenomedullin (AM), a vasodilatory peptide, increases during cardiac surgery. However, the physiological role of AM during cardiac surgery remains unclear. AM dilates cerebral arterioles and increases cerebral blood flow in rats. Therefore, we investigated whether AM is related to cerebral oxygen balance during cardiac surgery. In nine patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafts, plasma concentrations of mature AM from the radial artery (mAMa) and jugular bulb (mAMj) were measured, and jugular venous oxygen saturation was obtained before surgery (baseline), before aortic cross-clamp (preclamp), after aortic declamp (postclamp), and 20 min after weaning from the cardiopulmonary bypass (post-CPB). Plasma concentrations of mAMa and mAMj were significantly increased at postclamp (P < 0.01 for both) and post-CPB (P < 0.01 for both) compared with baseline values. SjO(2) correlated with plasma mAMj concentrations at preclamp (r = 0.79, P < 0.01), postclamp (r = 0.71, P < 0.05), and post-CPB (r = 0.72, P < 0.05), as well as with mAMa concentrations at preclamp (r = 0.79, P < 0.01) and postclamp (r = 0.72, P < 0.05). This suggests a relationship between AM and cerebral oxygen balance during cardiac surgery. IMPLICATIONS: Plasma concentrations of mature-form adrenomedullin, a vasodilatory peptide, was correlated with jugular venous oxygen saturation during cardiac surgery. This suggests a relationship between adrenomedullin and cerebral oxygen balance during cardiac surgery.

Adrenomedullin↗
PubMed2001

Brassinosteroid levels increase drastically prior to morphogenesis of tracheary elements.

As the first step toward understanding the involvement of endogenous brassinosteroids (BRs) in cytodifferentiation, we analyzed biosynthetic activities of BRs in zinnia (Zinnia elegans L. cv Canary Bird) cells differentiating into tracheary elements. The results of feeding experiments suggested that both the early and late C6-oxidation pathways occur during tracheary element differentiation. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that five BRs, castasterone, typhasterol, 6-deoxocastasterone, 6-deoxotyphasterol, and 6-deoxoteasterone, actually existed in cultured zinnia cells and culture medium. Quantification of endogenous BRs in each stage of tracheary element differentiation by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry exhibited that they increased dramatically prior to the morphogenesis, which was consistent with the idea that BRs are necessary for the initiation of the final stage of tracheary element differentiation. Moreover, the proportion of each BR in culture medium was quite different from that in cells, suggesting that specific BRs are selectively secreted into medium and may function outside the cells.

Asteraceae↗