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Biomedical subjects

T Ushijima

Publications and source records attributed to T Ushijima.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Biological activity of Pityrosporum. II. Antitumor and immune stimulating effect of Pityrosporum in mice.

The antitumor activity of Pityrosporum (P. orbiculare, P. ovale, P. pachydermatis, and Pityrosporum sp.) on Ehrlich ascites carcinomas (EACs) implanted into outbred ICR mice was studied. Pityrosporum significantly prolonged the survival of mice, regardless of the administration mode. In the case of P. orbiculare, the maximum survival time was 32.3 days on the mean and was obtained by injection ip of 1 mg (dry weight) P. orbiculare for 7 consecutive days following inoculation of the tumor cells. In contrast, the mean survival time of the nontreated mice was 14.9 days. For the investigation of the mechanisms of this antitumor activity, an examination was done on the ability of intracellular killing of Salmonella typhimurium and oxygen intermediate release by Pityrosporum, as elicited by mouse peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) or mouse peritoneal macrophages (PM). With about 40-minute incubation, 60-80% of S. typhimurium phagocytized by Pityrosporum elicited PEC or PM or were killed. The amounts of superoxide released from Pityrosporum-elicited cells were 1.5 times higher than those of P. acnes-elicited ones. Furthermore, three serum proteins (LA, LB, and LC), which closely related to the anti-tumor activity of immunomodulators, increased in the mice given Pityrosporum. These results indicated that the better survival rate seen in the case of Pityrosporum administration to mice with an implanted EAC may relate to the potent activation of phagocytes and to the increase in serum proteins LA, LB, and LC.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1985

Clostridium ramosum, an IgA protease-producing species and its ecology in the human intestinal tract.

A bacterial strain isolated from feces of a patient with ulcerative colitis, which had been shown to produce a novel immunoglobulin A (IgA) protease (cleaving both the human IgA1 subclass and IgA2 subclass of A2m(1) allotype) extracellularly, was identified as Clostridium ramosum. By using a selective medium (propionate-rifampicin-gentamicin-colimycin-polymyxin medium) devised for C. ramosum, analysis of the population level of this organism was performed to determine its ecology in the human intestinal tract. C. ramosum was isolated in 20 of 25 fecal samples (80%) from patients with inflammatory bowel disease (I.B.D.) and in 112 of 135 samples (83%) from patients without I.B.D. (control group). C. ramosum was also isolated from 6 of 11 biopsy samples (55%) of the inflamed rectal mucosa from patients with ulcerative colitis and from five of 15 samples (33%) from the intact mucosa of the control group. The population levels of C. ramosum in most of the biopsy samples ranged from 2.3 to 5.0 log10 per gram. The IgA protease-positive C. ramosum was found in only four of 135 fecal samples (3%) and one of 15 biopsy samples (6.7%) from the control group. These results indicate that IgA protease-positive C. ramosum is not likely to play a role in the induction of I.B.D., unless the organism is first isolated from the patient with I.B.D.

Clostridium↗
PubMed1984

Citrullinemia presenting as uncontrollable epilepsy.

We report the case of a 16-year-old girl with a variant form of citrullinemia who had been treated with anticonvulsants for uncontrolled epilepsy during the last 4 years. The diagnosis of citrullinemia was made because she had elevated values for serum citrulline (about 10 times control levels), elevated blood ammonia (over 400 micrograms/dl) and reduced activity of argininosuccinate synthetase in the biopsied liver tissue. Her EEG showed high voltage slow activity, but not triphasic waves, when she had high concentrations of blood ammonia. Treatment with a low-protein diet and sodium benzoate resulted in a normalized blood ammonia level, but her plasma citrulline levels remained unchanged. After the therapy she had neither convulsions nor seizure discharges on EEG, even when all anticonvulsant drug therapy was stopped. Thus it is suggested that hyperammonemia may account for the observed abnormal EEG findings, and triphasic waves on EEG are not always recorded in cases of hyperammonemia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Acetic, propionic, and oleic acid as the possible factors influencing the predominant residence of some species of Propionibacterium and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus on normal human skin.

The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of acetic and propionic acid for resident bacteria on normal human skin, such as Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis, was 25 mg/mL or more at any pH tested (pH 5.5-6.8). While the MIC of these acids for most of the transient bacteria was markedly decreased by lowering the pH of the media and at pH 5.5, the mean pH value of the normal human skin, the MIC was 6.25 mg/mL or less. The MIC of oleic acid for some strains of Gram-positive transient bacteria of Streptococcus, Micrococcus, or Bacillus was 100 micrograms/mL or less at all pH's tested. Staphylococcus aureus was resistant to this acid at pH 6.8, but became as sensitive as Streptococcus when the pH was lowered. The growth of P. acnes, the most predominant resident bacterium, was enhanced markedly and reached a maximum level at 6.25 mg/mL of propionic acid, 12.5 mg/mL of acetic acid, and 50-100 micrograms/mL of oleic acid. On the basis of these results, we presumed that acetic, propionic, and oleic acids are factors influencing the predominant residence of some species of Propionibacterium and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus on normal human skin.

Acetates↗
PubMed1984

The sequence and correlation of the changes in several parameters of energy metabolism induced by ischemic insult in heart muscle.

Samples of myocardium with varying degrees of ischemia were obtained from subendo- and subepicardium of nonischemic, ischemic border and center zones of canine left ventricles to assess the sequence of rapid alterations of several parameters of energy metabolism induced by myocardial ischemia. Ischemia was induced by occluding the left anterior descending coronary artery. The contents of creatine phosphate (CP) and ATP decreased significantly. There was a significant accumulation of lactate. The redox potential (Eh) and phosphorylation potential (l') also decreased sharply, but only a slight decrease in energy charge (E.C.) was noted. A close correlation was found between ATP and total adenine nucleotide (r = 0.99). There were various degrees of linear correlation between other parameters, except for ATP (and total adenine nucleotide) and Pi, and CP and l', which were uncorrelated. The sequence of rapid alterations in the parameters of energy metabolism induced by ischemia was: (1) l' and CP, (2) Pi, ATP and Eh, and finally (3) lactate and E.C. A significant increase of the heart rate and a decline of the mean blood pressure and left ventricular pressure (LVP) were also observed in association with a slight change in the maximum rate of rise of the left ventricular pressure (dP/dtmax).

Adenine Nucleotides↗
PubMed1984

Biological activity of Pityrosporum. I. Enhancement of resistance in mice stimulated by Pityrosporum against Salmonella typhimurium.

The effect of administration with Pityrosporum (P. orbiculare, P. ovale, P. pachydermatis and Pityrosporum sp.) on susceptibility of mice to Salmonella typhimurium infection was studied. Pretreatment of mice with 50 mg (wet weight) of killed Pityrosporum 4 days prior to the intraperitoneal (i.p.) challenge of 4 X 10(5) (10 LD50) S. typhimurium elicited resistance comparable to that induced by 500 micrograms (dry weight) of killed Propionibacterium acnes and over 30% of the infected mice survived. Among the species tested, P. pachydermatis was slightly less effective. The challenged organisms were not detected from the blood of mice treated with Pityrosporum but were present in the liver and spleen in approximately level amounts (10(4)-10(5)/organ) during the course of testing. These results suggest that the increased resistance in mice is the result of stimulation of the reticuloendothelial system by Pityrosporum.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Crystallization and properties of aromatic amine dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas sp.

An amine dehydrogenase was purified to homogeneity from an extract of a bacterium of the genus Pseudomonas grown in a medium containing beta-phenylethylamine as a sole carbon source and obtained in a crystalline form with about 100-fold purification. The purified enzyme catalyzed the oxidative deamination of various aromatic amines as well as some aliphatic amines to a lesser extent. An artificial electron acceptor such as phenazine methosulfate was required for the catalysis. The molecular weight determined by sedimentation equilibrium was 103,000 and the molecule seemed to be composed of two pairs of two nonidentical subunits (Mr 46,000 and 8000). The enzyme had a dull yellow-green color with an absorption maximum at 445 nm and this chromophore appeared to be involved in the catalytic action of the enzyme.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1983

Soybean adaptation to water stress at selected stages of growth.

Soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr. cv Braxton) plants were grown in sandy soil with only natural rainfall (N) or with supplemental irrigation (I). Water-stressed plants grew more extensive root systems, whereas irrigated plants developed larger shoots and smaller root systems. Maximum stomatal apertures were observed at the beginning of each photoperiod. Partial stomatal closure occurred each afternoon, but stomata of I plants remained open longer than those of N plants. Significant reductions in net carbon fixation rate generally accompanied decreases in stomatal aperture, which coincided with periods of high temperature, low relative humidity, maximum solar radiation, and water stress. Leaf water potential decreased from morning to afternoon, with a greater decrease observed for N plants. Midafternoon stomatal closure did not occur in N plants with very large root systems following a heavy rain which saturated the soil profile. With smaller root systems and greater evaporative demand from larger shoots, the I plants continued to show midafternoon stress following the heavy rain. The large root systems of the N plants absorbed sufficient water to meet shoot evaporative demand for several days following the rain. Root soil system resistance apparently contributed to the afternoon water stress in the I plants.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1983

Mode of protection of mice against herpes simplex virus type 2 infection by Propionibacterium.

We compared various strains of Propionibacterium with regard to protection of young adult mice against lethal infection with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Propionibacterium acnes, P. granulosum, and P. avidum were protective, while P. acidi-propionici and P. lymphophilum were ineffective. The protective effect proved to be in the cell wall fraction. Attempts were made to elucidate possible mechanisms of the protection using both effective and ineffective strains. The results strongly suggest that induction of interferon rather than activation of macrophages and natural killer cells by Propionibacterium pretreatment plays a crucial role, directly or indirectly, in protection against infection by herpes simplex virus. Propionibacterium only moderately protected newborn mice against HSV-2 infection.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1983

A selective medium for isolation and presumptive identification of the Bacteriodes fragilis group.

A new selective medium, Bacteroides fragilis ammonium-sulfate gentamicin (BFAG) agar, for isolation and presumptive identification of the Bacteroides fragilis group is presented in this paper. This semisynthetic medium includes 0.2 g of ammonium sulfate, 0.7 g of lactose, 10 mg of gentamicin, 0.1 mg of aminobenzylpenicillin, 60 units of bacitracin, 20 mg of sodium cholate and 1 mg of sodium azide per 100 ml of medium. Stock cultures of the B. fragilis group grew well on this medium. None of the other 126 gram-positive or negative strains belonging to 40 aerobic or 45 anaerobic species tested grew on this medium. Three of the seven specimens in the clinical trials yielded colonies of only the B. fragilis group on BFAG agar plates. Also BFAG agar plates inoculated with human feces and contents of the alimentary tract (stomach, small intestine, cecum and colon) of mice gave rise to colonies of only the B. fragilis group. The high selectivity and good plating efficiency of BFAG agar enabled us to isolate the B. fragilis group rapidly from various clinical specimens.

Agar↗
PubMed1983

Effects of drugs on the cerebral circulation of the dog in relation to the cerebral oxygen consumption.

Drug effects were studied on the cerebral circulation by measuring the sagittal sinus outflow in the anaesthetized dog following the method of Michenfelder and by monitoring cerebral oxygen consumption. Systemic aortic pressure, heart rate and spinal fluid pressure were also studied. Since dilatation of cerebral vessels was observed in nearly all the preparations after inhalation of CO2, it was thought that gross extracerebral contamination was virtually eliminated in this preparation. A close correlation was observed between the oxygen consumption of the brain as a whole and the sagittal sinus outflow (r = 0.93, P less than 0.001); therefore it became feasible to differentiate the direct effects of drugs on cerebral blood vessels from indirect ones attributable to changes in the cerebral oxidative metabolism. Sodium pentobarbitone (5 mg kg-1, i.v.), reduced the cerebral venous outflow and caused a decrease in the oxygen consumption. Pentylenetetrazol (30 mg kg-1 i.v.) and bemegride (5 mg kg-1 i.v.) produced an increase in the blood flow and a corresponding increase in the cerebral oxygen consumption. Thus, it was concluded these substances had no direct effects on the cerebral blood vessels. Acetazolamide (10 mg kg-1, i.v.), a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, produced a marked and sustained vasodilatation after a latent period of 0.5-1 min. There was no increase in the cerebral oxygen consumption. A similar pattern was seen after CO2 had been inhaled. Methylergometrine and dihydroergotamine (20 micrograms kg-1 i.v.) induced a prolonged vasoconstriction of the cerebral vascular bed without any changes in the oxygen consumption of the brain. Therefore this method can discriminate between indirect or direct effects of drugs on cerebral vascular outflow.

Acetazolamide↗
PubMed1983

Mechanism of relaxant effects of nicorandil on the dog coronary artery.

In order to search into the mechanism of the relaxant effects of nicorandil, a new coronary vasodilator, on the dog coronary artery, the effects of this substance on the potassium contracture were studied, and compared with those of nitroglycerin and nifedipine. All the three substances induced a dose-related relaxation (nifedipine greater than nitroglycerin greater than nicorandil). However, the increase in La3+-resistant 45Ca uptake was inhibited only by nifedipine. In a calcium-free EGTA containing medium caffeine induced a phasic contraction in the fully-depolarized preparation. Nicorandil produced an inhibition of this contraction, while nitroglycerin and nifedipine did not. It was concluded that nicorandil differs from the so-called calcium antagonists in the mechanism of relaxant action on the coronary artery. It also differs from nitroglycerin in that it produced an inhibition of caffeine-induced contraction.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Selective and differential media for isolation and tentative identification of each species of Pityrosporum residing on normal or diseased human skin.

Selective and differential media were designed for each species of Pityrosporum; P. pachydermatis, P. ovale, and P. orbiculare in order to make feasible a quantitative cultivation. Medium for P. pachydermatis (medium A) was composed of 1% trypticase peptone (BBL), 0.5% yeast extract (BBL), 0.3% glucose, 0.2% NaCl, 1.2% KH2 PO4 (anhydrous), 1.5% agar, 0.01% ampicillin, and 0.025% cycloheximide with a pH of 5.5. Medium for P. ovale (medium B) was medium A supplemented with 0.05% sodium acetate (anhydrous), 0.2% Tween 80, and 0.025% (selective medium) or 0.075% (differential medium) sodium laurate. Medium for P. orbiculare was medium B (devoid of laurate) supplemented with 2% olive oil, 0.25% glycerol, 0.25% gall powder, 0.05% sodium palmitate, 0.05% sodium stearate, 0.05% sodium oleate and 8% (selective medium) or 10% (differential medium) sodium lactate and an increase in Tween to 1%. For isolation of Pityrosporum, specimens were suspended in 0.1% Tween 80 solution and inoculated onto agar plates of three selective media. The plates were incubated aerobically at 37 C for 8-10 days under conditions of prevention of water loss from the media. The plating efficiency of each selective medium, expressed as a ratio of cultural counts to microscopic counts was generally over 70%. Species of Pityrosporum could also be identified when we inoculated the cell suspension onto differential agar plates and incubated the preparations at 37 C for 7 days.

Culture Media↗