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Biomedical subjects

S Tagami

Publications and source records attributed to S Tagami.

35 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[Mild hypothermia in patients with senile dementia].

From the viewpoint of the high frequency of mild hypothermia in patients with senile dementia, we investigated causative factors in comparison with accidental hypothermia. We also investigated the relationship between hypothermia and the type or grade of dementia. A total of 127 demented cases including 30 males and 97 females, whose mean age was 80.6 +/- 8.9 years, were classified into 3 groups according to the axillary temperature measured in August 1989. Group A consisted of 33 cases whose body temperature was below 36 degrees C on more than 25 days. Group C consisted of 24 cases whose body temperature was above 36 degrees C on more than 25 days, and the remaining 70 cases were classified as group B. The frequency of group A classification in demented patients was higher than age-matched non-demented controls (26% vs 13%, p less than 0.05). In demented males, serum total cholesterol, serum albumin, and hemoglobin were significantly higher in group A than in group B or C. Body weight and serum triglyceride were also higher in group A, but not significantly. In demented females, serum albumin and hemoglobin were higher in groups A and B than group C. In addition, cases with diabetes mellitus or cases receiving with major tranquilizers were more frequent in group A, and the index of activities of daily living was higher in group A, in both sexes. Factors such as age, CRP or thyroid hormone (free T3, free T4) showed no significant difference among the 3 groups.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

Effects of cold stress on glutathione and related enzymes in rat erythrocytes.

Effects of acute and chronic cold stress on glutathione and related enzymes in rat erythrocytes were investigated. Blood from both cold-acclimated (CA) and cold-adapted (CG) rats had significantly lower concentrations of glutathione than blood from control animals. Superoxide dismutase activity was increased significantly in CA rats and tended to rise in CG rats. Activity of glutathione peroxidase in erythrocytes was inconsistent in that it tended to increase in CA rats but decreased significantly in CG rats. The results may imply that CG rats suffered deleterious effects of hydrogen peroxide. On the other hand, there were marked decreases in glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase activities in acutely cold-exposed rats in conjunction with unchanged levels of glutathione. In all treatments the state of riboflavin metabolism was estimated to be adequate, since no increases were observed in the erythrocyte glutathione reductase activity coefficient.

Animals↗

An enzymatic method for the kinetic measurement of L-asparaginase activity and L-asparagine with an ammonia gas-sensing electrode.

A simple kinetic method to assay L-asparaginase and L-asparagine with an ammonia gas-sensing electrode is described. The method is based upon the de-amination of L-asparagine by L-asparaginase from Escherichia coli, resulting in the production of ammonia. The initial rate (mV/min) of ammonia release is proportional to the activity of L-asparaginase and also to the concentration of L-asparagine in the presence of a large amount of the enzyme. Optimal temperature, buffer composition and pH for the assays are specified. L-Asparaginase was determined in the range of 0.4-1.6 U in a 0.1 ml sample; the recovery was 98.1-103.8% for 16 determinations and sigma n was 1.59. L-Asparagine was determined in the concentration range of 1 x 10(-4)--1 x 10(-3) M with sigma n-1 1.92. The method was applied to the determination of 1-5 x 10(-4) M asparagine added to human serum with sigma n-1 1.96 for 5 determinations.

Ammonia↗

Peptidylarginine deiminase of the mouse. Distribution, properties, and immunocytochemical localization.

Peptidylarginine deiminase (protein-L-arginine iminohydrolase, EC 3.5.3.15) is widely distributed in various organs of the mouse. Activity in salivary glands, pancreas, and uterus is higher than that in the other organs. In submandibular gland and uterus, sex- and estrous cycle-related differences were observed, respectively. The activity in the submandibular gland from females was approximately four times higher than that in the male. In the uterus, the activity increased in proportion to the hyperplasia of the tissues. Peptidylarginine deiminase from the murine skeletal muscle resembles the enzyme obtained from other animal species with respect to enzymatic and chemical properties. Double immunodiffusion tests and immunoblotting analyses showed that the enzymes present in each murine tissue have the same molecular weight (81,000) and are immunologically indistinguishable. Immunohistochemical analyses of salivary glands and pancreas revealed an intense staining only of the exocrine cells. In uterus, the staining was restricted to the luminal and glandular epithelia of endometrium; the intensity of the staining changed during the course of the estrous cycle. Furthermore, immunoelectron microscopy showed that the enzyme is distributed diffusely in the cytoplasm of the exocrine cell. These observations indicate the general importance of peptidylarginine deiminase, presumably in a cytoplasmic secretory process of the exocrine cells.

Animals↗

Application of the ammonia gas-sensing electrode: determination of drugs having a carbothionamido group by decomposition with acid.

A method to determine drugs having a carbothionamido group using an ammonia gas-sensing electrode is described. To obtain analytical accuracy, the effect of factors that influence the potential is also discussed. Ethionamide or prothionamide was refluxed with 20% HCl to give ammonium chloride, hydrogen sulfide, and a carboxylic acid. The ammonia, which evolved at pH greater than 11, was determined. A linear calibration plot was obtained within the drug concentration range of 2 X 10(-5)--1 X 10(-2) M.

Amides↗

Application of the ammonia gas-sensing electrode: determination of drugs having a carboxyamide group by decomposition with acid.

A simple potentiometric method for the determination of drugs having a carboxyamide group is described. Ethenzamide, niacinamide, pyrazinamide, or salicylamide was refluxed with 20% HCl and the carboxyamide was hydrolyzed. The ammonia evolved at a pH greater than 11 and was determined without separation from the decomposition solution using an ammonia gas-sensing electrode. A linear calibration plot was obtained with drugs in the range of 2 x 10(-5) - 1 x 10(-2) M. This method was applied to the analysis of injection and powder-containing auxiliary compounds.

Amides↗

Structure of a complex-type sugar chain of human glycophorin A.

Tryptic glycopeptide T1 of human glycophorin A [Tomita, M., & Marchesi, V. T. (1975) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 72, 2964-2968] was subjected to hydrazinolysis. After N-acetylation, the complex-type oligosaccharides were isolated by gel filtration. The major neutral oligosaccharide (2000 molecular weight) was purified by a combination of ion-exchange and gel-permeation chromatography. Treatments with endo- and exo-glycosidases, periodate oxidation, and methylation analysis indicated that the major neutral oligosaccharide has the following structure: Gal beta 1 leads to -4GlcNAc beta 1 leads to 2Man alpha 1 leads to 6(GlcNAc beta 1 leads to 4)(Gal beta 1 leads to -4GlcNAc beta 1 leads to 2Man alpha 1 leads to 3)Man beta 1 leads to 4GlcNAc beta 1 leads to 4-(Fuc alpha 1 leads to 6)GlcNAc. This oligosaccharide was retained by Ricinus communis agglutinin-Sepharose and retarded by Sepharose 4B coupled with erythroagglutinating E4 isolectin from Phaseolus vulgaris. Retention by concanavalin A-Sepharose was observed only after treatment of the oligosaccharide with beta-galactosidase.

Carbohydrate Conformation↗