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Biomedical subjects

T Endo

Publications and source records attributed to T Endo.

At least 631 records · Page 35Linked to original sources

Astronaut psychiatric selection procedures: a Japanese experience.

This paper presents the results of the first application of a structured NASA psychiatric interview for Japanese astronaut selection. We undertook a semi-structured, diagnostic, clinical psychiatric interview with 45 Japanese astronaut applicants for the position of mission specialist-astronaut, and performed "select-out" psychiatric evaluations according to DSM-III-R psychiatric diagnostic criteria. Two applicants (4.4%) who met Axis I or Axis II disorder criteria in DSM-III-R were evaluated as "Disqualified." There were 13 applicants "Qualified with Reservation"; the majority of their diagnoses were "hypomania." Those applicants "Qualified with Reservation" and "Disqualified" were not finally selected to be astronauts. This structured interview was not only useful for "select-out" psychiatric screening of Japanese astronauts, but also made clear the Japanese characteristics of this selection procedure.

Adult↗

[Thyrotropin receptor peptide antibody with thyroid stimulating activity induces an experimental hyperthyroidism in rabbits].

It has been presumed that N-terminal region of the TSH-R is important for TSH or TSH-R autoantibody binding to the receptor. We have synthesized human TSH-R peptide corresponding to the N-terminus of the extracellular domain, and immunized it into 8 rabbits. All these rabbits produced antibody against the peptide. Seven out of 8 antibodies showed thyroid stimulating antibody (TSAb) activity. We found that T3 and T4 concentrations in the sera of the immunized rabbits were significantly higher than those of the pre-immune sera, and increased time-dependently. These results suggest that anti-TSH-R peptide antibody with TSAb activity induced an increase in thyroid hormones in rabbits.

Animals↗

Effects of a novel dihydropyridine calcium antagonist on venous capacitance in Wistar-Kyoto rats.

Calcium antagonists are potent dilators of resistance vessels but do not dilate capacitance vessels. CD832 is a novel dihydropyridine calcium antagonist which has a nitrate moiety in its chemical structure. The authors examined the effects of CD832 on venous capacitance in anesthetized rats. Venous capacitance was assessed by measuring mean circulatory filling pressure (MCFP) at three levels of blood volume. Nitroglycerin decreased and phenylephrine increased MCFP. CD832 did not alter MCFP. After treatment with hexamethonium to prevent reflex venoconstriction, CD832 significantly decreased MCFP but nicardipine (another dihydropyridine calcium antagonist) did not. The magnitude of hypotension caused by CD832 and nicardipine was comparable. The results suggest that CD832 is a unique calcium antagonist which has a venodilator effect.

Animals↗

Cloning and characterisation of the mouse fra-2 gene.

Transcription factor AP-1 is comprised of multiple protein complexes that include members of a family of genes related to the proto-oncogene c-fos. In this report, we have extended the analysis of one member of this family, fos-related antigen-2 (fra-2), by isolating and characterising genomic and cDNA clones encoding the mouse fra-2 homolog. The overall gene structure (number and positions of introns) was similar to that of both the chicken fra-2 gene and other members of the fos family, and the relative positions of putative enhancers in the 5' regulatory region were well conserved between the mouse and chicken fra-2 genes. High levels of fra-2 mRNA were detected in ovary, stomach, small and large intestine, brain, lung and heart. The mouse Fra-2 protein showed 94% and 87.5% conservation with human and chicken Fra-2, respectively, and mouse Fra-2, like the chicken homolog, induced transformation of chicken embryo fibroblasts. The characterisation of the mouse fra-2 gene provides a basis for analysis of Fra-2 function in the whole animal.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Randomized controlled trial of MMC + UFT and MMC + 5-FU therapy in advanced gastric cancer].

To compare the effects of MMC + UFT (A) with MMC + 5-FU (B) therapy on the response rate, survival time and changes with time in quality of life (QOL) in unresectable or recurrent gastric cancer, we carried out a study by a multicenter, randomized controlled trial from June 1990 to August 1992. 39 patients were randomly divided into A group and B group, including 6 incompletely evaluated cases and 3 in eligible cases. Responses were recognized in 3 out of 13 evaluable cases (23.1%) treated with regimen A and in one out of 15 evaluable cases (6.7%) treated with regimen B. Mean survival time was 150 days (A) and 116 days (B), respectively. These results suggested that MMC + UFT therapy is one of the effective regimens for advanced gastric cancer and as useful as MMC + 5-FU therapy. Moreover, it showed that regimen A was superior to B on QOL.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

[Management of the uterine endometrial cancer cases whose cytological and histologic specimens cannot be obtained from the uterine cavity--assessment by CA125 or vaginal ultrasonography].

An examination for endometrial cancer has been done by cytology. However, cytology is sometimes not possible because of closed or narrow cervix of postmenopausal woman. We did a retrospective study regarding the usefulness of CA125 or transvaginal ultrasonography in postmenopausal cases. The mean +/- S.D. of CA125 in normal menopausal women was 10.3 +/- 3.0 U/ml. The value of mean +/- 2S.D., the finding of Relative Operating Characteristic curve and the purpose that false positive was 0%, so we set 17 U/ml as the cut off value for CA125. In 46 cases with postmenopausal endometrial carcinoma, 23 cases were screened; and in 30 cases with surgical stage I, 10 cases were screened with this cut off value. The echoic patterns for uterine cavities which were observed by transvaginal ultrasonography were divided into 4 patterns (type I: anechoic pattern, type II: linear pattern, type III: clear mass pattern, type IV: unclear mass pattern). In 20 cases with postmenopausal endometrial cancer, 19 cases had type III or IV. In 41 normal postmenopausal women, 26 cases showed an anechoic pattern and 14 cases showed a linear pattern. It was found that 97.5% of cases with anechoic or linear patterns were normal endometrium. The screening by transvaginal ultrasonography was more useful than CA125. However CA125 was more useful than transvaginal ultrasonography in detecting lymph node metastasis.

Aged↗

[Disorders of coagulation/fibrinolysis and bleeding tendency].

The liver produces almost all the factors involved in coagulation and fibrinolysis. The hepatic reticuloendothelial system also plays an important role in disposing activated coagulation/fibrinolysis-related factors and inhibitors. In liver cirrhosis, the production of coagulation/fibrinolysis-related factors is diminished, as well as its inhibitors. Moreover, the hematological profile is complicated by a decreased rate of clearance, thrombocytopenia induced by hypersplenism, and some qualitative abnormalities of the coagulation factor. Hence, treatment for bleeding tendency observed in cirrhotic patients is diverse.

Antithrombin III↗

[Thyrotropin receptor is expressed in non-thyroid tissues].

We have obtained TSH-R cDNA fragments from rat retro-orbital tissues and adipose tissue as well as FRTL5 cells by polymerase chain reaction methods. Nucleotide sequence of the non-thyroid cDNA was identical to that of the thyroid. Northern blot analysis has revealed that extremely high amount of TSH-R mRNA exist in the adipose tissue. TSH-R peptide antibody produced in rabbit, which stained recombinant TSH-R as 104 and 100 kDa proteins, also recognized the same M.W. bands in the adipose tissue and the retro-orbital tissues. These results suggest that TSH-R is expressed even in non-thyroid tissues.

Adipose Tissue↗

Recombinant thyrotropin stimulates cAMP formation in CHO-K1 cells expressing recombinant chorionic gonadotropin receptor.

Using CHO-K1 cells expressing rat thyrotropin-receptor (CHO-rTSH-R cells) or rat chorionic gonadotropin-receptor (CHO-rCG-R cells), we have examined their reactivity or cross-reactivity to recombinant human thyrotropin (TSH) or human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). TSH stimulated cAMP formation in CHO-rTSH-R cells dose-dependently, and the maximum response was obtained at 1 mIU/ml. hCG also increased cAMP in the cells from 10(4) mIU/ml, and the maximum stimulation was observed at 10(6) mIU/ml. 10(7) mIU of hCG had the same potency with 1 mIU of TSH to rTSH-R. On the other hand, 10(-1) mIU/ml of hCG increased cAMP content in CHO-rCG-R cells and reached the maximum level at 10(2) mIU/ml. TSH also showed the stimulatory activity to CHO-rCG-R cells. It increased cAMP formation in CHO-rCG-R cells dose-dependently from 10 mIU/ml to 10(3) mIU/ml. Thirty mIU of TSH was calculated to be equivalent to 1 mIU of hCG to CG-R. These results indicate that TSH and hCG cross-react each other with rTSH-R or rCG-R.

Animals↗

Alterations in the carbohydrate structures of an abnormal protein from sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

G4-11, an abnormal immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) glycoprotein, highly purified from the sera of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and from healthy individuals, contains two asparagine-linked sugar chains in one molecule. Comparative studies of the sugar chains released by hydrazinolysis revealed that the structures of the sugar chains of rheumatoid arthritis G4-11 are quite different from those of normal individuals. Although all G4-11 contained biantennary complex-type oligosaccharides like in the case of serum IgGs, samples from patients with rheumatoid arthritis had less galactosylated forms than those from normal individuals. These results indicated that this galactose deficiency of the sugar chains occurs in the abnormal IgG4 molecule of rheumatoid arthritis patients, just as was found in whole serum IgG.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

Intramitochondrial protein sorting. Isolation and characterization of the yeast MSP1 gene which belongs to a novel family of putative ATPases.

Replacement of the presequence of yeast cytochrome c1 by the amino-terminal 61 residues of MAS70, a yeast mitochondrial outer membrane protein, resulted in exclusive localization of the fusion protein (termed the 61-mC1 protein) to the outer membrane. When a cytochrome c1-deficient yeast strain was transformed with a plasmid encoding the fusion protein, the cells could not grow on nonfermentable carbon sources such as glycerol. We isolated a novel yeast gene MSP1 (mitochondrial sorting of proteins) whose overexpression causes mislocalization of the 61mC1 fusion protein to the inner membrane, probably via the intermembrane space, and thereby allows the host cells to grow on glycerol. The predicted MSP1 protein (MSP1) is a hydrophilic 40-kDa polypeptide containing a putative membrane-spanning domain near the amino terminus. Further sequence analyses revealed that MSP1 is a member of a novel family of putative ATPases which share a highly conserved domain of about 185 amino acid residues, including a consensus motif for a nucleotide binding site. MSP1 was found to be an intrinsic mitochondrial outer membrane protein of an apparent molecular mass of 40 kDa with a large domain facing to the cytosol. The MSP1 gene is not essential for the cell growth either on fermentable or nonfermentable carbon sources.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗