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Biomedical subjects

T Fukuda

Publications and source records attributed to T Fukuda.

At least 721 records · Page 40Linked to original sources

Studies on the ascorbic acid 2-sulfate biosynthesis in rat.

The possible biosynthesis of ascorbic acid 2-sulfate (AsS) in rat was investigated. A in vivo test was conducted according to Mumma and Mohamram. 10 mumoles ascorbic acid (AsA) and 25 mu Ci35SO4(2-) were injected intraperitoneally into rats once a day for four days. 24 hours after the final administration, the animals were sacrificed and the liver, kidneys and urine were collected. The result did not confirm the biosynthesis of AsS under the test conditions, though there appeared the possibility of the biosynthesis of a trace amount of AsS too small to permit detection.

Animals↗

[Analysis of hemostatic abnormality in various disease using molecular-I. Liver disease].

We examined the hemostatic abnormality of liver disease using hemostatic molecular markers, i.e. TAT, FPA and SFMC for coagulation, B beta 15-42, FDP, D dimer and PIC for fibrinolysis, t-PA and TM for vessel wall. The molecular markers for coagulation were generally increased in cases of liver disease, which was most sensitively reflected by FPA. On the other hand, it was postulated that SFMC was a marker reflecting the complication of DIC in these cases. Hyperfibrinolysis of liver disease was sensitively reflected by the increase of B beta 15-42, and an occasional increase of SFMC or FDP was thought to indicate the complication of DIC in these cases. A high correlation was found between t-PA and TM. It was postulated that the increase of the both markers in liver disease was due to deteriorated clearance by liver dysfunction, although TM is regarded as a marker reflecting endothelial injury. It was expected that visualization of hemostatic disorder of liver disease was made practical with the use of radar chart of these molecular markers.

Antifibrinolytic Agents↗

[Usefulness of AlaSTAT, a new method for the measurement of IgE].

AlaSTAT is an enzyme-immunoassay method for the measurement of allergen specific IgE antibodies. This method has a special feature in that carbohydrate, nucleic acid and fat as well as protein allergens can be used as antigens. In this study, IgE antibodies were measured by the use of AlaSTAT kits which were able to detect IgE antibodies to protein or nucleic acid allergens, and the results were compared to those of skin tests and RAST. 1367 samples from 479 patients were examined with 20 allergens. The capacity in the AlaSTAT system was larger than that in the RAST system. The correlation coefficient between AlaSTAT and RAST was 0.90 (p less than 0.01) and the correspondence rate was 90.7%. When the rice allergen was used in RAST, a nonspecific reaction was observed at high concentrations of total IgE. However, no such reaction was observed in AlaSTAT, even with total IgE of 10,000 IU/ml. The sensitivity, specificity and correspondence rate to skin tests was 71%, 87% and 75% respectively. The specificity of AlaSTAT seemed to be slightly higher than that of RAST, but the sensitivity and the correspondence rate were similar to those of RAST. From these results, AlaSTAT appears to be a good or better method for the measurement of IgE antibodies in comparison with RAST.

Allergens↗

[Clinical and physiological features of chronic pulmonary emphysema with paroxysmal dyspnea attacks masquerading as bronchial asthma--improvement of respiratory function after combination therapy of intravenous aminophylline and subcutaneous epinephrine following daily oral administration of prednisolone].

Cases of chronic pulmonary emphysema accompanied with paroxysmal dyspnea attacks are often misdiagnosed as bronchial asthma. These patients repeatedly fall into a state of life-threatening respiratory failure. We must make an accurate diagnosis of emphysema to provide care of them. To clarify the possibility of doing this, we investigated the clinical and physiological features (primarily respiratory function) of emphysema. We observed twenty-five patients with chronic pulmonary emphysema and with chronic bronchial asthma, previously confirmed by selective alveolo-bronchogram (SAB); this technique reliably diagnoses emphysema, but often induces dyspnea attacks due to the stimulation resulting from intratracheal and intrabronchial procedures. In eight patients, chronic pulmonary emphysema was accompanied by an attack of paroxysmal wheezing and dyspnea; chronic pulmonary emphysema with wheezing (WPE). In eight other patients, chronic pulmonary emphysema was present without such attacks; usual pulmonary emphysema (UPE). In the final nine patients, chronic bronchial asthma (CBA) was present, while emphysema was ruled out by means of SAB. In all patients, we measured respiratory function before and after the combination therapy of intravenous aminophylline and subcutaneous epinephrine, which followed daily oral administration of prednisolone (PAE-treatment). In the WPE group, significant increases in measurement of various respiratory functions, including VC, RV, RV/TLC%, FVC, FEV1.0, PFR and V75 (p less than .05 excluded in FEV1.0 and PFR were p less than .01), were found after the PAE-treatment, compared with the values revealed before the treatment. In the UPE group, there were few changes PAE-treatment, compared with the values revealed before the treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Administration, Oral↗

[DNA ploidy in submucosal cancer of the stomach and its relationship to lymph node metastasis].

The relationship between DNA ploidy and lymph node metastasis was determined in 40 cases of gastric cancer confined to the submucosa (with lymph node metastasis 20 cases and without 20 cases). The DNA ploidy patterns were classified as follows: Type D, Type A1 and Type A2. Of the 20 cases with lymph node metastasis, 1 was Type D, 7 were Type A1 and 12 were Type A2. The likelihood of lymph node metastasis was 12.5% (1/8) for Type D, 43.8% (7/16) for Type A1 and 75.0% (12/16) for Type A2. It is concluded that although gastric cancer confined to the submucosa is classified as early one, analysis of DNA content places such tumors with lymph node metastasis into the advanced cancer category.

DNA, Neoplasm↗

[Severe alcoholic cirrhosis associated with spur cell anemia and DIC].

A 29-year-old male who had a 15-year history of alcohol drinking was admitted with a 5-month history of jaundice in July 1989. Laboratory examinations revealed that he had hemolytic anemia and severe liver damage. Erythrocytes of peripheral blood showed typical spiculated cells on light microscopic and scanning electron microscopic studies. Free-cholesterol/phospholipid ratio of the erythrocyte membrane was elevated, and the level of chenodeoxycholic acid increased in serum. The patient was diagnosed as having advanced alcoholic cirrhosis associated with spur cell anemia. Two months after admission, he was complicated with chronic disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC). Anemia, hepatic failure and DIC progressed, and the patient died six months after admission. The mechanism of the formation of spur cells was discussed.

Adult↗

Differentiation of naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene mothballs based on their difference in specific gravity.

The present study was conducted to measure the specific gravities of paradichlorobenzene and naphthalene mothballs and compare them with the specific gravity of a saturated aqueous solution of sodium chloride (1.197). The specific gravities of 450 paradichlorobenzene mothballs from 5 manufactures and 150 naphthalene mothballs from 2 manufactures were measured with a specific gravity meter. The mean specific gravities of paradichlorobenzene mothballs were between 1.429 and 1.437 (p = 0.99). On the other hand, the mean specific gravities of naphthalene mothballs were between 1.094 and 1.100 (p = 0.99). Based on the fact that paradichlorobenzene mothballs sink in a saturated solution of salt whereas naphthalene mothballs float on it, these 2 kinds of mothballs ought to be rapidly and accurately distinguished in clinical settings.

Chlorobenzenes↗

[Fundamental studies on measurement of the eosinophil cationic protein in sputum from patients with bronchial asthma].

One of the characteristics of patients with bronchial asthma is activation of eosinophils in the bronchi, which can be evaluated by measuring concentrations of the cationic granule proteins. Sputum seems to be the best material to evaluate the activation of eosinophils in the bronchi because it can be collected easily from the same patient every day even if he (she) has an asthmatic attack. Recently it has become possible to measure the concentration of the eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) thanks to the availability of the ECP RIA kit. However no fundamental studies have been carried out on the handling of sputum samples, and whether only ECP released into sputum is measured. We prepared supernatants of sputum samples according to the method of Gleich and others by adding the same volume of physiological saline, mixing it for one minute by a vortex mixer and centrifuging at 40000 Xg, 4 C, for 30 minutes. We found that the measurement of ECP is not inhibited by materials in sputum supernatants through a dilution test and a recovery test. We also found that the followings did not influence the measurement of ECP; the times of dilution, the duration from collection to handing of sputum, the solution added to sputum, and the gravity of centrifugation. In addition, it was suggested that only ECP released into sputum is measurable from the results of an electron microscopic study and the measurement of ECP after centrifugation following the addition of white blood cells to sputum.

Asthma↗

[Eosinophil chemotactic activity in the supernatant of mononuclear cell culture stimulated with specific antigen].

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) separated from patients with asthma who were sensitive to Dermatophagoides farinae (Df) were cultured in alpha-medium for 5 days at 37 degrees C in 5% CO2, in the presence or absence of 10 ng/ml of Df antigen. Eosinophils were purified from the peripheral blood of patients with eosinophilia who were not sensitive to Df. Eosinophil chemotactic activity (ECA) was tested using a modified Boyden chamber method. ECA in the supernatant of PBMC stimulated with Df antigen was detectable after 24 hrs, peaked at 72 hrs and continued throughout the experiment. ECA was not observed in the supernatant of PBMC culture from subjects who were not sensitive to Df, and negligible activity was also observed when PBMC were stimulated with an unrelated antigen. The activity was unchanged by heating at 56 degrees C for 30 min, but was inactivated at 100 degrees C for 10 min. CV-6209, a specific PAF antagonist, failed to inhibit this chemotactic activity. The molecular weight of this eosinophil chemotactic factor (ECF) was greater than 30,000 daltons as determined by an ultrafiltration study. In conclusion, these data suggest that in asthmatic patients sensitive to Dermatophagoides farinae mononuclear cells stimulated with a related antigen produce one of cytokine(s) which possess(es) ECA, and may play an important role in the recruitment of eosinophils in chronic asthma.

Animals↗

[Detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by the Showa disk].

The Showa disk susceptibility test using two penicillinase-resistant penicillins (PRPs: methicillin and oxacillin) and four cephalosporins (cefazolin, cefmetazole, ceftizoxime, and latamoxef) was evaluated to discriminate between the strains of Staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin (MRSA) and those susceptible (MSSA). Among 129 MRSA and 112 MSSA strains, significant numbers of MRSA found to be false-susceptible to PRPs, especially when incubated at 37 degrees C. Using agar plates supplemented with 5% NaCl, oxacillin disk correctly categorized all the MRSA and MSSA strains, but two MSSA strains were mischaracterized with methicillin disk. All the MSSA strains found to be susceptible against cephalosporins tested, but significant numbers of MRSA were also interpreted to be susceptible. Only the result of ceftizoxime disk susceptibility test highly correlated with methicillin resistance, when incubated at 35 degrees C. All the MRSA did not produce any significant bacterial growth inhibitory zone around the disk, whereas all the MSSA found to be susceptible (19 mm or more), e.g., 100% correlation. With these data, we recommend that ceftizoxime disk susceptibility test, incubated at 35 degrees C, provides a more reliable method to characterize the strains of MRSA and MSSA. The interpretive breakpoint would be used as; less than or equal to 16 mm (greater than or equal to 25 micrograms/ml) for MRSA.

Methicillin Resistance↗

An exploration of the binding site of aldolase using N-(omega-hydroxyalkyl) glycolamidobisphosphoric esters.

N-(omega-Hydroxyalkyl)glycolamidobisphosphoric esters (P-O-CH2-CO-NH-(CH2)n -O-P), which are analogues of the aldolase (D-fructose-1,6-bisphosphate D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-lyase, EC 4.1.2.13) substrate fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, were synthesized and used for probing its active site. These phosphate compounds competitively inhibited aldolase activity. The Ki value was lowest when the maximum distance between the phosphorus atoms of the bisphosphate was brought close to that of fructose 1,6-bisphosphate. The inhibitor constants, Ki, were compared to those of alkanediol monoglycolate bisphosphoric esters and alkanediol bisphosphate compounds, which were reported previously by Ogata et al. The values of Ki for the bisphosphate compounds containing an amide group, the amide bisphosphate compounds, were smaller than those for the bisphosphate compounds containing an ester group, the ester bisphosphate compounds, and those for alkanediol bisphosphates were the largest for the same distance between phosphorus atoms in these bisphosphates. The difference spectra of aldolase caused by binding of a saturating concentration of N-(omega-hydroxypropyl)glycolamidobisphosphoric ester resembled that of butanediol monoglycolate bisphosphoric ester. However, the effects of the amide bisphosphate compounds on the absorption spectrum of aldolase were smaller than those of the ester bisphosphate compounds for the same distance between phosphorus atoms in these bisphosphate compounds. These results suggest that the synthesized phosphate compounds bind to aldolase at the active site and the -CO-NH- group of the compounds might be held more tightly than the -CO-O- group by hydrogen bonds, presumably with the amino acid residues in the active site, such as Lys-146 or -229 and Asp-33 or Glu-187. On the other hand, the -CO-O- group might be more effective in changing the environment of the Trp-147 residue in the active site of this enzyme.

Animals↗

Ether lysophospholipid-induced production of platelet-activating factor in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

Human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) produced considerable amounts of platelet-activating factor (PAF) when exposed to various concentrations of lyso-PAF, especially in the absence of albumin. The amount of produced PAF in the presence of 5 microM lyso-PAF (without albumin) was 1.1 pmol/10 min per 2.5 X 10(6) cells, which was close to the level in the case of opsonized zymosan stimulation. We found that the activity of neither acetyltransferase nor acetylhydrolase was affected markedly by the treatment of cells with lyso-PAF, suggesting that the increased availability of lyso-PAF could be responsible for the induction of PAF synthesis. We also found that PAF synthesis was induced not only by lyso-PAF but also by ether-containing ethanolamine lysophospholipids, 1-alkenyl(alkyl)-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (GPE). The addition of 1-alkenyl(alkyl)-GPE caused the degradation of pre-existing 1-alkyl-2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (GPC) and an increased level of lyso-PAF, followed by the formation of PAF. By contrast, 1-acyl-GPC and 1-acyl-GPE failed to induce PAF production. These results suggest a possible key role of the availability of lyso-PAF in triggering the biosynthesis of PAF in human PMN.

Acetates↗

Immunohistochemical distribution of calcium-activated neutral proteinases and endogenous CANP inhibitor in the rabbit hippocampus.

Intracellular accumulation of Ca2+ after brain ischemia is regarded as one of the principal causes of neuronal death, but details of the intracellular events occurring after Ca2+ accumulation have not yet been described. We propose that a calcium-activated neutral proteinase which can degrade neuronal cytoskeletal proteins might link Ca2+ accumulation and irreversible injury of the neuronal intracellular structure. First, therefore, we examined the distribution of calcium-activated neutral proteinase in normal brains. Immunohistochemical distribution of calcium-activated neutral proteinases (CANP) with high and low sensitivity to Ca2+ (muCANP and mCANP) and of endogenous CANP inhibitor was investigated in the dorsal hippocampus of the rabbit. muCANP-immunoreactivity was detected in almost all of the pyramidal cells and granule cells and in some other neurons. A full-length staining from perikarya to dendrites was shown in muCANP-positive neurons. mCANP-immunoreactivity was found mainly in four kinds of hippocampal interneurons: 1) basket cells in the stratum oriens of Ammon's horn, 2) pyramidal basket cells at the boundary of pyramidal cell layer and stratum oriens, 3) polymorphic cells in the hilar region of dentate gyrus, and 4) pyramidal or fusiform basket cells at the inner boundary of the granule cell layer and the hilar region. The distribution of these four kinds of neurons was similar to that of parvalbumin-containing GABAergic neurons. CANP inhibitor immunoreactivity was confined to pyramidal cells in the CA3-CA3c region and some hilar neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Histidine decarboxylase in human basophilic leukemia (KU-812-F) cells. Characterization and induction by phorbol myristate acetate.

The human leukemic cell line KU-812-F is known to differentiate into mature basophil-like cells under serum-free culture conditions. In the present study, the activity of histidine decarboxylase (HDC), a histamine-forming enzyme, in KU-812-F cells was found to be high, ranging from 10 to 57 pmol/min/mg protein. The great variation in HDC activity appeared to be due to different percentages and degrees of maturity of basophil-like cells during differentiation of this cell line. The enzyme was inhibited by alpha-fluoromethylhistidine but not by carbidopa, was unable to form dopamine from L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, and had a Km value for histidine of 0.27 mM, indicating that it was HDC and not aromatic amino acid decarboxylase. The HDC activity increased 1.8-fold when the cells were stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate, which is known to activate protein kinase C, and this increase was blocked by staurosporine, a potent inhibitor of protein kinase C.

Alkaloids↗