[Helicobacter pylori elimination and gastroesophageal reflux disease].
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Gastroesophageal Reflux↗
Biomedical subjects
T Sugiyama
Publications and source records attributed to T Sugiyama.
2-aza-2'-deoxyadenosine: synthesis, base-pairing selectivity, and stacking properties of oligonucleotides.
2-Aza-2'-deoxyadenosine (2, z2Ad) is synthesized via its 1,N6-etheno derivative 7 and enzymatically deaminated to 2-aza-2'-deoxyinosine (3). Compound 2 is converted into the phosphoramidite building block 10b. This is employed in solid-phase oligonucleotide synthesis. The 2-azapurine base forms a strong base pair with guanine, but a much weaker one with adenine, thymine, and cytosine. Oligonucleotide duplexes with dangling nucleotide residues, such as 2-aza-2'-deoxyadenosine and 7-deaza-2'-deoxyadenosine (4, c7Ad), either on one or both termini, are synthesized, and the thermal stability of the duplexes is correlated with the hydrophobic properties of the dangling nucleotide residues.
Adenosine↗
Non-traumatic gas gangrene in the abdomen: report of six autopsy cases.
Six autopsy cases of non-traumatic gas gangrene in the abdomen are reported. Five of the six were caused by clostridia, as identified by culture or histology. There were associated underlying diseases, such as alcoholism, liver cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus, and malignant disease. Three of the six patients had gas gangrene in the liver. Bacterial proliferation and gas accumulation were found in the sinusoids of the liver, and congestion and edema with extensive gas embolism were found in the lungs. Pulmonary gas embolism was considered to be the direct cause of death in these three patients. The other three patients had intestinal clostridial gas gangrene, with alcoholism as an underlying condition. None of the six patients was clinically diagnosed as having gas gangrene. We suggest that gas gangrene should be considered in any patient with abdominal infection. A review of 19 autopsy cases of gas gangrene in the abdomen reported in the Japanese literature is also presented.
Abdomen↗
Menatetrenone plus alfacalcidol treatment for bone problems in eight children with skeletal unloading.
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Adolescent↗
Improvement of periarticular osteoporosis in postmenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis by beta-alanyl-L-histidinato zinc: a pilot study.
The effect of zinc on bone metabolism in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is unknown. In the present pilot study, we investigated the effect of two antiulcer drugs, beta-alanyl-L-histidinato zinc (AHZ) and cimetidine, on bone metabolism in postmenopausal women with RA who had bilateral wrist pain. Eight patients were enrolled in a prospective, single-blind study consisting of 6-month cimetidine treatment (400 mg/day) followed by 6-month AHZ treatment (300 mg/day). Biochemical markers and bone mineral density (BMD) by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry were measured at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Three patients withdrew, and five patients (mean age 60: range 55-64 years) were analyzed. Their disease activity including wrist pain and dosages of prednisolone and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs remained unchanged during the 12-month treatment. The AHZ treatment increased serum zinc (AHZ vs cimetidine, +48.0% vs +5.6%), and resulted in significant increases of serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (+93.5% vs -14.7%) and BMD of the bilateral ultradistal radius (+4.9% vs -5.6%). However, the AHZ treatment had no effect on BMD of the lumbar spine (-2.0% vs +1.5%) or the bilateral distal third of radius (-2.1% vs +0.2%). In the AHZ treatment, the percentage change in BMD of the unilateral ultradistal radius with more severe wrist pain was positively correlated with the percentage change in serum zinc (r = 0.97). These findings suggest for the first time that AHZ treatment improves periarticular osteoporosis, probably through an increase of bone formation, in postmenopausal women with RA. Randomized double-blind controlled trials are needed.
Alkaline Phosphatase↗
Role of ATP7B in biliary copper excretion in a human hepatoma cell line and normal rat hepatocytes.
BACKGROUND & AIMS: Wilson's disease is a genetic disorder characterized by the accumulation of copper in the body caused by a defect of biliary copper excretion. The Wilson's disease gene has been cloned; however, the precise localization of the gene product (ATP7B) and its role in biliary copper excretion have not been clarified. METHODS: We constructed a chimeric protein between green fluorescent protein (GFP) and ATP7B (GFP-ATP7B) and expressed it in a human hepatoma cell line (Huh7) and isolated rat hepatocytes. The Golgi apparatus, late endosomes, lysosomes, and bile canaliculus were visualized by fluorescence microscopy. Brefeldin A and nocodazole were used to redistribute the Golgi proteins. Bafilomycin A1 was used to analyze the association between GFP-ATP7B and the late endosomes. RESULTS: GFP-ATP7B colocalized with rhodamine-dextran and late endosome markers but not with the Golgi markers, lysosome markers, or a tight junction protein. Brefeldin A and nocodazole redistributed the Golgi proteins, but they did not affect the distribution of ATP7B. CONCLUSIONS: Although it is widely believed that ATP7B is located at the Golgi apparatus, its main localization is in late endosomes. ATP7B seems to translocate copper from the cytosol to the late endosomal lumen, thus participating in biliary copper excretion via lysosomes.
Adaptor Protein Complex gamma Subunits↗
A prospective evaluation of new rapid urease tests before and after eradication treatment of Helicobacter pylori, in comparison with histology, culture and 13C-urea breath test.
BACKGROUND: The rapid urease test is a simple and cost-effective method to detect Helicobacter pylori in biopsy specimens. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of two new rapid urease tests, Helicocheck and PyloriTek, before and after eradication. METHODS: A total of 278 patients, including 115 patients who had not undergone eradication of H pylori and 163 patients after eradication treatment, were enrolled. Eight biopsy specimens were taken from both the antrum and the body of the stomach for histology, culture, and two rapid urease tests. Assessment of H pylori infection was determined by the combination of histology, culture, and (13)C-urea breath test. RESULTS: Overall sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of the Helicocheck before eradication were 91.0%, 100%, 100%, and 62.5%; PyloriTek, 92.0%, 100%, 100%, and 65.2%. Those of Helicocheck after eradication were, respectively, 60. 5%, 99.2%, 95.8%, and 89.2%; PyloriTek, 60.5%, 99.2%, 95.8%, and 89. 2%. For the Helicocheck, determination of the infection status of H pylori by biopsies from the gastric body had a significantly higher sensitivity than antral biopsies. After eradication, the combination of 1 antral biopsy and 1 biopsy from the body was not effective enough to improve the overall sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: Helicocheck and PyloriTek have equally satisfactory overall sensitivity before eradication treatment. However, the sensitivity of these rapid urease tests was lower after eradication than before eradication.
Biopsy↗
Effect of the consumption of ethanol on the microcirculation of the human optic nerve head in the acute phase
Purpose: The effect of the consumption of ethanol on the circulation of the optic nerve head (ONH) in the human eye in the acute phase and its mechanism were studied.Methods: Eleven volunteers drank a bottle of beer (633 mL) with or without ethanol (29.5 g). Normalized blur (NB), a quantitative index of blood flow velocity, was measured in the temporal site of the ONH. NB, blood pressure (BP) and pulse rate (PR) were measured before, immediately after, and every 15 minutes for 90 minutes after consumption. Intraocular pressure (IOP) and plasma ethanol concentration were measured before, and 30 and 90 minutes after consumption. Genotyping of the aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) 2 gene was also performed.Results: NB in the ONH increased significantly from 15 to 45 minutes after consumption of ethanol and the maximum increase was 14% at 15 minutes. IOP was lowered at 90 minutes after consumption, but it was not significant. Mean BP was lowered significantly after 60 minutes. PR and ocular perfusion pressure did not change. A significant correlation was found between plasma ethanol concentration at 30 minutes and maximum NB. NB in the ALDH 2-deficient group was significantly larger from 15 to 45 minutes after consumption than in the proficient group.Conclusions: It appeared that the consumption of ethanol can increase the blood flow in the human ONH in the acute phase through decreased resistance in blood vessels induced by acetaldehyde, a metabolite of ethanol.
Journal Article↗
Evaluation of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase gene in human stroke.
Nitric oxide (NO) and its reactant product, peroxynitrite, have been implied to mediate neuronal damage following cerebral ischemia. However, the cellular targets of these compounds remain unclear. Studies using poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors and PARP knock-out mice have recently demonstrated that excessive activation of this nuclear enzyme plays an important role in NO-induced neurotoxicity. To evaluate the relevance of this plausible candidate gene to human stroke, we undertook a case-control study in Japanese. Participants comprised 213 cerebral infarction cases and 374 age- and sex-matched controls. As a primary investigation, we screened polymorphic sites of the PARP gene, and newly identified a total of four polymorphisms in 1230-bp 5'-flanking sequence. None of them were, however, located on the known promoter components of the gene. Two bi-allelic polymorphisms selected and a CA-repeat polymorphism were subsequently characterized in the case-control study, but none were significantly associated with cerebral infarction in the present study. Our data thus suggest that the tested PARP polymorphisms do not principally contribute to cerebral infarction, although extensive searches would be required to clarify whether the PARP gene plays an important role in the pathogenesis of human stroke.
Adult↗
Evidence for association between paraoxonase gene polymorphisms and atherosclerotic diseases.
Paraoxonase 1 (PON1) is proposed to have an anti-atherogenic action. Two polymorphisms at the PON1 (M/L55 and Q/R192) have been shown to be associated with coronary artery disease (CAD). This conclusion is not drawn universally, however, and specific ethnic characteristics may be important determinants in this association. Recently two homologues of PON1 - PON2 and PON3 - were identified and Sanghera et al. demonstrated C/S311 polymorphism at PON2 was associated with the risk of CAD. Within that context, we investigated the association between the aforementioned three polymorphisms and CAD and ischemic stroke in a Japanese population. The study population included 431 control subjects, 210 CAD patients, and 235 ischemic stroke patients. Genotype distributions and allele frequencies of M/L55 and C/S311 were similar among the control and patient groups, whereas the R192 allele frequency was significantly higher (P<0.001) in CAD (75%) and ischemic stroke (76%) patients than in control subjects (65%). When confounding influences of other risk factors were controlled for by multivariate analysis, R192 remained an independent risk determinant (additive model: OR (95% CI), P value CAD: 2.01 (1.45-2.79), 0.0001; ischemic stroke: 1.84 (1.34-2.52), 0.0002 (three genotypes into calculation)). Taken together, our data indicate that the Q/R192 is principally associated with both CAD and ischemic stroke in Japanese.
Aged↗
Expression of glucose transporter 4 mRNA in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle of ovariectomized rats treated with sex steroid hormones.
The effects of 17beta-estradiol (E) and/or progesterone (P) on glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) expression in the adipose tissue and skeletal muscle of ovariectomized female rats were studied. The Sprague-Dawley rats received daily subcutaneous injections of various doses of E and/or P for 7 days (n=5-6 per dose). The expression of GLUT4 mRNA was assessed by performing ribonuclease protection assays. GLUT4 protein levels were assessed by Western blotting assays. The adipose tissue levels of GLUT4 mRNA were reduced by the administration of 50 microg E, which resulted in unphysiologically high serum E concentrations. Although the GLUT4 mRNA levels did not change after the administration of 10 microg E or 5 mg P, they were reduced significantly to approximately half the control group level by the administration of both hormones (p <0.01). The skeletal muscle GLUT4 mRNA levels were not changed significantly by hormone treatment. These findings suggest that E and P may be involved in the regulation of GLUT4 mRNA expression in adipose tissue.
Adipose Tissue↗
Comparison of the validity of the criteria for gestational diabetes mellitus by WHO and by the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology by the outcomes of pregnancy.
Data for 416 Japanese pregnant women who received a 75g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) for determination of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in 13 hospitals in Japan were analyzed retrospectively. Comparison of the diagnostic criteria of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology (JSOG) revealed pregnant women who met the latter criteria for GDM to have significantly higher incidences of low Apgar scores, respiratory problems, neonatal hypoglycemia, preterm delivery and requirements for insulin therapy and cesarean section. The women who met the WHO criteria but not the JSOG criteria had minor complications. These observations suggest that the GDM criteria of the JSOG are more appropriate than the WHO criteria from the standpoint of therapeutic intervention for pregnant women.
Adult↗
Behavioral effect of mouse fibrinopeptide A on mouse forced swimming.
A specific dopamine 2 receptor antagonist, (-)sulpiride, induced an anti-depressive behavior, climbing, in mice forced to swim for 6 h after the injection. The effective fraction was divided from the mouse serum using an ion exchanger and an ultra filtration method. This fraction contained fibrinopeptide A. A peptide synthesized according to the primary 6-amino acid sequence (TDTEDK) of fibrinopeptide A also remarkably increased the behavior. The present findings clearly indicate that a peptide with TDTEDK showed anti-depressive activity.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Three-dimensional characterization of interior structures of exocytotic apertures of nerve cells using atomic force microscopy.
We examined the interior structure of exocytotic apertures in synaptic vesicles of neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cells using atomic force microscopy. The atomic force microscopy detected apertures of 50-100nm in diameter at various depths within the varicosities of these cells. We were also able to image a regular radial pattern on the wall and lump-like structures at the bottom of these apertures. In contrast, scanning electron microscopy could only detect the apertures but not the fine details of their interior. The cells examined here exhibited the same electrophysiological properties and expression of synaptophysin and syntaxin 1 as presynaptic terminals, as studied by various electrophysiological and imaging techniques. Our results indicate that atomic force microscopy allows three-dimensional viewing of the fine structures located inside exocytotic apertures in nerve cells.
Calcium↗
Vegetal localization of the maternal mRNA encoding an EDEN-BP/Bruno-like protein in zebrafish.
Asymmetric distribution of maternal mRNAs has not been well documented in zebrafish. Recently, we have shown that dazl mRNA is localized at the vegetal pole. Here we report a novel zebrafish gene, bruno-like (brul), which provides another example of vegetal mRNA localization. brul encodes an Elav-type RNA-binding protein that belongs to the Bruno-like family that includes mammalian CUG-BP, Xenopus EDEN-BP, and Drosophila Bruno. At 24 hpf, brul mRNA was abundant in lens fiber cells. At the onset of embryogenesis, maternal brul mRNA was detected at the vegetal pole, and it then migrated rapidly toward the blastoderm through yolk cytoplasmic streams. During oogenesis, brul mRNA became localized at the vegetal cortex at stage II, later than dazl mRNA. We found that anchoring of brul mRNA was dependent on microfilaments.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Effect of water content on dielectric relaxation of gelatin in a glassy state.
The dielectric properties of gelatin in the glassy state were measured from 100 Hz to 1 MHz over a temperature range of -20 to 60 degrees C. Samples with different water contents were prepared by varying the drying time for desalted gelatin solution; they were confirmed to be in the glassy state from DSC measurements. The dielectric relaxation (the decrease in dielectric constant, epsilon', and the maximum of the dielectric loss, epsilon' ') was observed for each sample; the relaxation time tau was evaluated from the peak of epsilon' '. The activation energy E obtained from an Arrhenius plot of tau decreased with increasing water content. On the basis of the order of magnitude of E, the dielectric relaxation observed was considered to be beta-relaxation reflecting the local motion of molecules. E and tau seem to describe the enhancement effect of water on the mobility of gelatin molecules in the glassy state; tau and E are considered to be suitable parameters for the characterization of the plasticizing effect of water on a glassy material.
Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗
His-Asp phosphorelay signaling: a communication avenue between plants and their environment.
His-Asp phosphorelay systems have been recently discovered in plants and have emerged as some of the most important signaling systems. The phosphorelay systems in plants include components with sensor (His-protein kinase) domains, His-containing phosphotransfer (HPt) domains, and receiver (response regulator) domains. Recent studies implicate phosphorelay systems in sensing and propagating signals from a wide variety of external and/or internal stimuli such as ethylene, cytokinin, and osmolarity. In maize and Arabidopsis, some response regulators are up-regulated by both cytokinins and nitrate. These findings imply that the His-Asp phosphorelay may operate in an inorganic nitrogen-signaling pathway mediated by cytokinin in plants.
Aspartic Acid↗
Binding of cell type-specific nuclear proteins to the 5'-flanking region of maize C4 phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene confers its differential transcription in mesophyll cells.
C4-type phosphenolpyruvate carboxylase (C4PEPC) acts as a primary carbon assimilatory enzyme in the C4 photosynthetic pathway. The maize C4PEPC gene (C4Ppc1) is specifically expressed in mesophyll cells (MC) of light-grown leaves, but the molecular mechanism responsible for its cell type-specific expression has not been characterized. In this study, we introduced a chimeric maize C4Ppc1 5'-flanking region/beta-glucuronidase (GUS) gene into maize plants by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Activity assay and histochemical staining showed that GUS is almost exclusively localized in leaf MC of transgenic maize plants. This observation suggests that the introduced 5' region of maize C4Ppc1 contains the necessary cis element(s) for its specific expression in MC. Next, we investigated whether the 5' region of the maize gene interacts with nuclear proteins in a cell type-specific manner. By gel shift assays with nuclear extracts prepared from MC or bundle sheath cells (BSC), cell type-specific DNA-protein interactions were detected: nuclear factors PEP(Ib) and PEP(Ic) are specific to MC whereas PEP(Ia) and PEP(IIa) are specific to BSC. Light alters the binding activity of these factors. These interactions were not detected in the assay with nuclear extract prepared from root, or competed out by oligonucleotides corresponding to the binding sites for the maize nuclear protein, PEP-I, which is known to bind specifically to the promoter region of C4Ppc1. The results suggest that novel cell type-specific positive and negative nuclear factors bind to the maize C4Ppc1 5'-flanking region and regulate its differential transcription in MC in a light-dependent manner.
Binding Sites↗