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Biomedical subjects

T Iida

Publications and source records attributed to T Iida.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

[Evaluation of Novapath assay for direct detection in patient stool of Vero toxin and Vero toxin-producing Escherichia coli].

We evaluated two kits which detect either Verotoxin (Novapath EHEC) or EHEC O157 (Novapath O157) directly from stool specimens and compared with the result of PCR. The tests can be completed in 3 hrs. All fecal specimens from 18 healthy volunteers showed negative results with both kits and PCR. Specimens from patients of EHEC O157 outbreak in Okayama Prefecture and asymptomatic families of patients of outbreak in Sakai City of Japan were also analyzed. Fecal specimens from which EHEC O157 was isolated showed positive results with both kits and PCR. Some specimens which were culture negative showed positive results with either Novapath EHEC or Novapath O157 or both. The sensitivity of Novapath O157 was lower than PCR to detect O157 organisms but took shorter time to get result. Novapath EHEC showed very high sensitivity in detecting Vero toxin. These results suggest that Novapath EHEC especially can be used clinically for rapid diagnosis.

Bacterial Toxins↗
PubMed1997

Polymorphonuclear cells in chronic hemodialysis patients have intact phagocytotic and impaired bactericidal activities.

Although it has been well documented that chronic hemodialysis (HD) patients are highly susceptible to infectious diseases, the reasons for this have yet to be clarified. The present study was thus designed in order to better define this issue. Fifty-eight stable chronic HD patients without any evidence of infection were selected for the study. Blood samples were collected before and after HD from the same patient to determine the effect of HD. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in polymorphonuclear cells (PMNC) was measured by chemiluminescence using luminol. When the PMNC collected after HD were stimulated in vitro with a calcium ionophore (A23187), they produced a larger amount of ROS than that obtained from healthy volunteers [mean 7.4 x 10(5) photon counts (n = 58) vs. 3.0 x 10(5) photon counts (n = 17); p < 0.01]. A higher production of ROS after HD was seen in patients using membranes such as cellulose triacetate, polymethylmetacrylate and cellulose diacetate, whereas cuprophane did not seem to augment ROS production at all. On the other hand, when the PMNC after HD were stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate, their photon counts (mean 4.3 x 10(7)) were comparable to those before HD (mean 3.5 x 10(7)), and to those of PBMC obtained from healthy volunteers (mean 4.1 x 10(7)). It was thus suggested that the enhanced ROS production of PMNC was related to some stimuli, possibly even to the assay used to measure ROS. The phagocytotic activity and bactericidal effect of PBMC were measured by coculturing 1 x 10(5) PMNC with 1 x 10(5) CFU of Escherichia coli. Similar phagocytotic activities were noted in the PMNC from healthy volunteers and chronic HD patients before and after HD: the mean number of phagocytosed bacteria (log10 CFU) was 3.3, 3.3, and 3.3, respectively. However, in the case of a bactericidal effect, only the PMNC from healthy volunteers, but not the PMNC from HD patients, could effectively kill the bacteria, since the number of bacteria in PMNC decreased from 10(3.3) to 10(2.1). The PMNC from HD patients could not kill the bacteria-regardless of the characteristics of the membranes. It was thus concluded that the PMNC of chronic HD patients possess an intact phagocytotic activity which impaired bacterial killing, and was probably due to an abnormality occurring in the ROS production pathway.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Comparative abilities and optimal conditions for beta-glycosidase enzymes to hydrolyse the glucuronide, glucoside, and N-acetylglucosaminide conjugates of bile acids.

Enzymatic hydrolyses were described for three variants of glycosidic conjugated bile acids with one beta-glucuronidase (Helix pomatia), three beta-glucosidase (almonds, sweet almonds, and Escherichia coli), and four beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase (jack beans, bovine kidney, human placenta, and Diplococcus pneumoniae) preparations. The substrates include the beta-glucuronide, beta-glucoside, and beta-N-acetylglucosaminide conjugates of bile acids related to hyodeoxycholic, murideoxycholic, chenodeoxycholic, and ursodeoxycholic acids possessing a sugar moiety at position C-3, C-6 or C-7. The comparative abilities and optimal conditions for the beta-glycosidases to catalyze the hydrolyses of the substrates were clarified by changing pHs and incubation times. Hydrolysis rates of the bile acid glycosides with beta-glycosidase treatments were influenced by both the source of the enzyme preparations and the conjugated position of a sugar moiety in the substrates, and the 3-glucoside and 3-N-acetylglucosaminide conjugates were usually hydrolyzed more efficiently than their corresponding 6- and 7-analogs. Escherichia coli and jack bean enzymes were chosen to hydrolyse the glucosidic and N-acetylglucosaminidic conjugated bile acids, respectively.

Acetylglucosamine↗
PubMed1997

Long-term effects of water-soluble corn bran hemicellulose on glucose tolerance in obese and non-obese patients: improved insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism in obese subjects.

We examined the effect of soluble corn bran hemicellulose (CBH, 10 g/day) on glucose control and serum insulin in three groups: patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) with (20 subjects) or without (8 subjects) obesity and with healthy non-obese controls (10 subjects). Long-term supplementation (6 months) with CBH decreased the post oGTT curve for patients with impaired mild Type II diabetes, but not that for the controls. Hemoglobin A1c decreased significantly during CBH supplementation in the obese patients, while the fasting glucose level decreased in all three groups, although not significantly. A decreased serum insulin response by oGTT was found in those patients with IGT. The improved oGTT result was associated with improved insulin release and perhaps with peripheral insulin sensitivity. These findings suggest that CBH at a low dose might contribute to glycemic control and would play a useful role in treating Type II diabetes patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Tibial nerve entrapment at the tendinous arch of the soleus: a case report.

Tibial nerve entrapment at the tendinous arch of the soleus has not been reported. A 58-year-old woman suffered from pain in the sole of her left foot, which was aggravated by active plantar flexion or passive extension of the ankle. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed a hypertrophic lesion in the left popliteus muscle. The tibial nerve was pushed posteriorly by the lesion and compressed by the arch of the soleus. The arch of the soleus was divided surgically. Pain was resolved immediately after the surgery, and significant neurologic recovery was observed 1 year after the surgical treatment. This condition must be recognized as a different clinical entity than either lumbar radiculopathy or tarsal tunnel syndrome.

Female↗
PubMed1997

[Effect of green tea (matcha) on gastrointestinal tract absorption of polychlorinated biphenyls, polychlorinated dibenzofurans and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins in rats].

This paper presents the liver distribution and fecal excretion of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDF) congeners and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) congeners, in male rats fed with powdered green tea (matcha). The rats were given a treatment diet containing 10% matcha for the first five days. Then, the animals were administered 4 g of 10% matcha diet containing 0.5 ml of the casual rice-bran oil of Yusho that had occurred in the Southwest part of Japan in 1968 and kept on the same diet for another five days. The fecal excretion of PCB, PCDF and PCDD in the group fed with 10% matcha were 4.4, 2.4-9.1 and 2.5-4.7 times higher (p < 0.01), respectively, than that in the control group. The liver distribution of PCB, PCDF and PCDD in the same groups were 79%, 20-75% and 26-67% of the control group, respectively. These findings suggest that administration of matcha is useful as a treatment of Yusho patients exposed to PCB, PCDF and PCDD.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

[Concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar PCBs in blood of 83 patients with Yusho].

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (Co-PCBs) and total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were analyzed in blood samples from 83 Yusho patients and 39 normal control subjects in 1995. The average concentrations of PCDDs, PCDFs and Co-PCBs in the blood of Yusho patients were 14, 128 and 14 pg toxic equivalent quantity (TEQ)/g, lipid, respectively. The levels of these compounds in the blood of normal subjects were 14, 10 and 8 pg/g lipid, respectively. Thus, although the average levels of PCDDs and Co-PCBs in the blood of Yusho patients were similar to those of control subjects, the PCDF level in Yusho patients was 12.8 fold higher than in normals. Average concentrations of total PCBs in the blood of Yusho patients and normal control subjects were 789 and 339 ng/g lipid, respectively. Thus, the PCB level in the blood of Yusho patients was 2.3 fold higher than in normal subjects. To test the reproducibility of determination of PCDDs, PCDFs and Co-PCBs, three normal blood samples were analyzed twice. These analyses gave similar results each time. Since, these compounds could be measured in five-milliliter blood samples, they can be monitored in Yusho patients.

Benzofurans↗
PubMed1997

[Levels of PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar PCBs in sebum and blood of Yusho patients].

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and it's related compounds such as polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) can be detected in the body in Yusho patients, a condition caused by ingestion of contaminated rice oil with these compounds. These compounds are excreted out of the body in small amounts directly in the feces from the wall of the intestine. We found the PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (Co-PCBs) in the sebum of Yusho patients and normal subjects, and there was significant correlation between their concentrations in sebum and blood in both patients and normal control subjects. The concentration of TEQ (toxic equivalent quantity of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin: TCDD) in sebum of Yusho patients (106 pg/g lipid) was half that in the blood (215 pg/g lipid), while that of normal subjects (29 pg/g lipid) was similar to that in the blood (34 pg/g lipid). On the other hand, in Yusho patients the concentrations of TEQ in the sebum and in blood were 2.3 and 6.4 fold higher than those in normal subjects. We concluded that dioxins and it's related compounds in Yusho patients and normal subjects were excreted not only in the feces but also in the sebum.

Benzofurans↗
PubMed1997

[Stimulation for sebum excretion of PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar PCBs on bathing ceramic sand bath].

We previously reported that high risk environmental contaminants such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are excreted not only in feces but also in the sebum of the face and body in both normal subjects and Yusho patients. A combination of administration of rice bran fiber and cholestyramine increased fecal excretion of PCDFs and PCBs. In the present study, we stimulated excretion of these compounds in sebum using a ceramic sand bath, a kind of sand bath using small ceramic balls (3.5 mm diameter) instead of natural sand. Five normal volunteers participated in this experiment. Sebum eliminated from the body on bathing ceramic sand bath was collected and weighed and then concentrations of the compounds interest in the sebum were determined. We also examined the effects varying the bath conditions such as temperature of sand, length of bathing time and frequency of taking bath on the amounts of the compounds in the eliminated sebum. The results can be summarized as follows: 1. The average amount of sebum per one bath eliminated from the body during the ceramic sand bath was 0.252 g, and those of PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar PCBs in it were 2.2, 2.0 and 2.2 pg of TEQ (2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin equivalent quantity). It was considered that the amounts of these compounds corresponded to between one quarter and third of those eliminated through the sebum in a day. On the other hand, 0.05 g of the sebum was collected from the face during the bath, included 0.39, 0.39 and 0.59 pg TEQ for PCDDs, PCDFs and coplanar PCBs, respectively. 2. As the number of bathing times a day increased, the amount of sebum per bath gradually decreased. However, we could not determine the influence of the conditions of the bath such as temperature and time.

Ammotherapy↗
PubMed1997

Induction of micronuclei in cultured human lymphocytes with the mixture of highly toxic organochlorine compounds retained in human body.

In this study, we investigated the effect of mixture of the organochlorine compounds, which very resembled their contamination profile of healthy Japanese people in its composition, on the induction of micronuclei in human whole-blood cultures in order to clarify their genotoxicity as a whole. The following results were obtained. Regardless of the presence or absence of 7, 8-benzoflavone (ANF) in the blood culture system, we observed a fairly good dose-response relationship between the concentration of the mixture and the induction of micronuclei. In particular, we found that 50% effective concentration of the mixture of the organochlorine chemicals was considered only about 7 times greater level over the average concentration in the healthy people, namely 70ppt as 2, 3, 7, 8-TCDD, in the absence of ANF and about 5 times more than that in the presence of ANF. Based on these results, the mixture was regarded as extremely genotoxic. Our human bodies, however, have already been contaminated with a variety of chemicals including PCDDs, PCDFs and Co-PCBs and accordingly one of the most important problems to be solved is a further comprehensive genotoxicity and health consequences due to these chemicals to the descendants.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[gamma-GCS and glutathione--new molecular targets in cancer treatment].

Glutathione (gamma-Glutamylcysteinyl glycine, GSH) exists in almost all cells in a millimolar order of concentration. GSH plays an important role in protecting cells against oxidative stress, maintaining a reducing environment within the cells, and inactivating many xenobiotics. Synthesis of GSH is regulated by gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (gamma-GCS). Increase in the activity of gamma-GCS has been found in many drug-resistant cancer cells. It is believed that GSH plays a role in the aquisition of resistance to anti-cancer drugs, such as a cisplatin, adriamycin, melphalan, or taxol. In this paper, the possible mechanism of GSH involvement in drug-resistance and new approach for the depletion of GSH by suppressing the expression of gamma-GCS are introduced.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1997

Vascular consideration in raising the pectoralis major flap.

Several types of musculocutaneous flaps, including that the pectoralis major, have been used for reconstruction following resection of malignant tumors in the head and neck region. Although several clinical studies have investigated the vascularity of such musculocutaneous flaps, the findings have been inconsistent. The present study examined the distribution of arteries in the pectoralis major muscle and surrounding subcutaneous tissue by macroscopic dissection and angiography. Based on the results of this examination, muscle layer and surrounding subcutaneous tissue appear to be supplied by different arteries and show different distribution patterns. However, evidence of penetrating branches from the muscle layer to the subcutaneous tissue layer suggests the existence of blood flow from the muscle layer to the subcutaneous tissue layer. Such arterial branches should be considered when raising the pectoralis major flap in order to prevent necrosis and improve the viability of the flap.

Angiography↗
PubMed1997

Novel detection system of flow injection analysis (1). The existence of significant relation between secondary structure of DNA and sensitivity in signal detection.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) products was detected quantitatively using a flow injection type sensor, based on Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR). We used asymmetric PCR to amplify the two kinds of products; their DNA lengths are different. This novel design permitted us not only to detect PCR products with high-sensitivity, but also to develop a rapid DNA detection system for the sense of the genetic pathogen.

Bacterial Toxins↗
PubMed1997

Novel DNA detection system of flow injection analysis (2). The distinctive properties of a novel system employing PNA (peptide nucleic acid) as a probe for specific DNA detection.

In order to realize immediate detection of a double stranded DNA amplified by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), we applied Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) to the probe of DNA detection system using Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR). We report our success in immediate detection of PCR products solution with high sequence-specificity.

Bacterial Toxins↗
PubMed1996

Vacuolar-type ATPase in a hyperthermophilic archaeum, Thermococcus sp. KI.

Membrane ATPase was purified from a hyperthermophilic heterotrophic archaeum, Thermococcus sp. KI, which grew anaerobically at 90 degrees C in the presence of sulfur. The purified enzyme had an optimal temperature of 90 degrees C and its molecular mass was estimated to be 600 kDa. It consisted of 4 subunits with molecular masses of 70, 60, 29 and 15 kDa. While the ATPase activity was resistant to most ATPase inhibitors, the activity was reduced by nitrate, an inhibitor of the vacuolar (V)-type ATPase. N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 70 kDa subunit was similar to those of catalytic subunit of V-type ATPases. This indicates that hyperthermophilic heterotrophs have a V-type ATPase in their membranes.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗