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Biomedical subjects

Y Asano

Publications and source records attributed to Y Asano.

At least 577 records · Page 32Linked to original sources

[A case of syphilitic meningitis presenting the seventh nerve and the eighth nerve palsies].

Here we described a case of syphilitic meningitis presenting the seventh nerve and the eighth nerve palsies. A 56-year-old man was admitted because of left facial palsy and hearing loss of bilateral ears. He had a penile chancre five months before admission. Cerebrospinal fluid examination showed high pressure, pleocytosis predominantly with mononuclear cells and high protein content. STS and TPHA of serum and CSF were positive. High dose penicillin G was effective, and he was discharged with only mild hearing loss in the left. Considering the penetration of penicillin G into the CSF and the minimum fully treponemicidal concentration of penicillin, the administration of large doses of aqueous penicillin G intravenously or intramuscularly was effective in such a case to prevent permanent deafness, though CDC recommends relatively low dose.

Facial Paralysis↗

[A clinical study of associated bladder cancer in patients with renal pelvic and ureteral cancer].

We reviewed 76 cases of renal pelvic and ureteral cancer, admitted to our hospital between January, 1975 and December, 1988, with special reference to the occurrence of bladder cancer. Bladder cancer was associated with an upper urinary tract neoplasm in 35 of the 76 cases (46.1%), 7 with a preceding bladder cancer, 17 with a coexistent one and 11 with a subsequent one. In case of renal pelvic and upper ureteral cancer the incidence of coexistent or subsequent tumors of the bladder was 28.7% (16 of 56 patients). However, in the cases of lower ureteral cancer the incidence of these tumors was 82.4% (14 of 17 patients). This incidence was significantly higher than that in renal pelvic and upper ureteral cancer. The subsequent bladder cancer was observed in 19 patients including 8 patients who had a recurrence of the bladder cancer after the treatment for a preceding and coexistent bladder cancer. The cancer in most cases occurred within 2 years after the treatment of the upper urinary tract neoplasm. Of 19 patients who had subsequent bladder cancer 11 had primary sites in the renal pelvis and upper ureter. Another 8 patient had primary sites in the lower ureter. Four of the 8 subsequent bladder cancers in patients with lower ureteral cancer occurred just on and around the affected ureteral orifice. All these 4 tumors were high grade and high stage tumors. On the other hand, another 15 patients developed subsequent bladder cancer in a place other than the affected ureteral orifice. Of these 15 patients, 13 cases showed a low grade and low stage tumor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

Properties of a novel D-stereospecific aminopeptidase from Ochrobactrum anthropi.

A novel aminopeptidase active toward D-amino acid-containing peptides, D-amino acid amides, and D-amino acid esters has been purified 2,800-fold to homogeneity from a bacterium Ochrobactrum anthropi SCRC C1-38, which had been isolated from soil. The enzyme has a molecular weight of about 122,000 and is composed of two identical subunits (Mr = 59,000). The optimal pH for activity was 8.0. It showed strict D-stereospecificity toward substrates including low molecular weight D-amino acid amides such as D-alanine amide, D-alpha-aminobutyric acid amides, and D-serine amide; D-alanine N-alkylamides such as D-alanine-p-nitroanilide, D-alanine benzylamide, and D-alanine n-butylamide; and peptides with a D-alanine at the NH2 terminus such as D-alanylglycine, D-alanylglycylglycine, D-alanyl-L-alanyl-L-alanine, and D-alanine oligomers. Generally, the enzyme did not act on substrates composed of L-amino acid at the NH2 terminus, although it showed low stereospecificity only toward substrates such as the methyl esters of L-alanine, L-serine, and L-alanine-p-nitroanilide. Comparing the Km and Vmax values for the major substrates, it is clear that the enzyme prefers peptides to amino acid arylamides or amino acid amides. The enzyme was tentatively named as "D-aminopeptidase." EDTA and divalent cations have no effect on the enzyme activity. The enzyme appears to be a thiol peptidase.

Alcaligenes↗

A new D-stereospecific amino acid amidase from Ochrobactrum anthropi.

A new D-stereospecific amino acid amidase has been partially purified from Ochrobactrum anthropi SCRC SV3, which had been isolated and selected from soil. The Mr of the enzyme was estimated to be about 38,000, and its isoelectric point was 5.3. The enzyme catalyzes the stereospecific hydrolysis of D-amino acid amide to yield D-amino acid and ammonia. The major substrates included D-phenylalanine amide, D-tyrosine amide, D-tryptophan amide, D-leucine amide, and D-alanine amide.

Alcaligenes↗

Generation of T cell repertoire. Two distinct mechanisms for generation of T suppressor cells, T helper cells, and T augmenting cells.

The present studies were carried out to characterize the influence of the T cell maturation environment on a repertoire of Th cells, T augmenting cells, and Ts cells, which were shown to construct a minimal regulatory circuit to regulate a helper function of class II-restricted Th cells. A repertoire of keyhole limpet hemocyanin-specific Th cells was influenced predominantly by I-A molecules of the T cell maturation environment, whereas a repertoire of T augmenting cells was determined by both I-A and I-E molecules. These repertoires were not influenced by the priming with Ag. A repertoire of Ts cell factor-producing Ts cells was not influenced by the T cell maturation environment, but rather was determined by the I-J haplotype of the APC utilized for priming with Ag. In contrast, a repertoire of novel cognate type Ts cells, which inhibit class II-restricted Th cell function in a restriction-restricted manner, was influenced by both I-A and I-E molecules of the T cell maturation environment. These results demonstrate the two distinct mechanisms for generating a T cell repertoire: a selection by class II molecules of the T cell maturation environment before the priming with foreign Ag and a selection by priming with APC and Ag.

Animals↗

Study of virus isolation from pharyngeal swabs in children with varicella.

We performed virus isolations from the pharyngeal swabs in 117 children with varicella who were aged from 22 days to 15 years and 70 healthy children who were aged from 3 months to 15 years, by using human embryonic lung cell cultures. Viral isolates were confirmed by an indirect immunofluorescence method or by neutralization with well-characterized antibodies. Five varicella-zoster virus isolates (4.3%), 23 cytomegalovirus isolates (19.7%), five herpes simplex virus isolates (4.3%), and one respiratory syncytial virus isolate (0.9%) were found in the patients with varicella. Ten cytomegalovirus isolates (14.3%), two herpes simplex virus isolates (2.9%), one respiratory syncytial virus isolate (1.4%), and one poliovirus isolate (1.4%) were found in the swabs of the healthy control children. The varicella-zoster virus isolation rate from the pharyngeal swabs in children with varicella was low as compared with the rate from those pharyngeal swabs in the children with cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus. No varicella-zoster virus isolates could be found in the swabbed materials after filtration (0.45 microns). On the other hand, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus could be isolated from the filtrated swabs, as well as from the unfiltrated swabs. The method of testing by filtration could have affected the results.

Adolescent↗

Cardiac Ca current does not run down and is very sensitive to isoprenaline in the nystatin-method of whole cell recording.

The conventional L type Ca2+ channel current (ICa.L) was measured in single atrial and ventricular myocytes, with a new whole-cell recording technique using an ionophore, nystatin. The membrane of a cell-attached patch was gradually permeabilized by nystatin (100-200 micrograms/ml), added to the pipette solution, within 2-5 min after formation of a G omega-seal. The electrical activity of the cells was measured through the pipette. ICa.L, measured with the nystatin-whole cell recording technique, did not exhibit the so-called "run-down" phenomenon for up to 90 min. The response of ICa.L to isoprenaline was also well preserved during the measurement. The half maximal concentration for the isoprenaline-induced increase of ICa.L was 8.2 x 10(-9) M, which is a much smaller value than that reported previously. Thus, the nystatin-whole cell clamp recording is a useful technique to measure membrane currents of cardiac myocytes with preserving the physiological intracellular milieu.

Animals↗

Effect of carteolol on renal function in healthy subjects and patients with hypertension.

The effect of short- and long-term administration of carteolol on renal function has been examined in healthy subjects and in hypertensive patients with or without renal failure. In healthy subjects neither a single dose of 10 mg carteolol nor continuous administration of 20 mg/day for 7 days had any effect on creatinine clearance and renal blood flow. In all subjects the clearance rate of carteolol was about 400 ml/min and its fractional excretion of carteolol exceeded 300%, suggesting that the drug is secreted actively from renal tubules. Twenty-three hypertensive patients with or without renal dysfunction were given carteolol 10 to 20 mg/day for more than 50 weeks in addition to their standard antihypertensive regimens, which were left changed. Laboratory results were compared with the mean values of 50 weeks before and after the addition of carteolol, and none, including plasma creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and electrolytes, were significantly changed. Neither the estimated glomerular filtration rate nor the effect of the drug on blood pressure changed significantly during this prolonged treatment. It is concluded that carteolol had no effect on renal function in healthy subjects and in hypertensive patients with or without renal failure.

Adult↗

Enzymatic cycling assay for phenylpyruvate.

Enzymatic cycling assays for the determination of L-phenylalanine and phenylpyruvate in deproteinized tissue extracts are described. Assay 1 couples glutamine transaminase K with L-phenylalanine dehydrogenase. Assay 2 combines phenylalanine dehydrogenase, L-amino acid oxidase, and catalase. In both assays, tyrosine and some other amino acids (or their alpha-keto acid analogs) can replace phenylalanine (or phenylpyruvate) to a small extent. Thus, if phenylalanine is to be measured a correction must be made for the nonspecificity of the reaction. By removing phenylalanine on a cation-exchange column it was possible to measure phenylpyruvate in tissue extracts. Concentrations of phenylpyruvate (mumol/kg) in normal rat liver, kidney, and brain were 2.1 +/- 1.1 (n = 8), 1.8 +/- 0.4 (n = 4), and 3.3 +/- 0.6 (n = 4), respectively.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗

Viremia and neutralizing antibody response in infants with exanthem subitum.

Mononuclear cell-associated viremia caused by human herpesvirus type 6 was detected in 39 (66%) of 59 blood samples from 38 children with exanthem subitum between day 0 and day 7 of the disease. The rate of virus isolation from mononuclear cells was 100% (26/26) on days 0 to 2 (just before appearance of skin rash), 82% (9/11) on day 3, 20% (2/10) on day 4, 7% (2/12) on days 5 to 7, and 0% (0/37) on day 8 and thereafter. The cell-free virus was detected in blood in 10 (21%) of 47 blood samples during the same period. The antibody activity to the virus, evaluated by a newly developed neutralization assay, was first detected on day 3 of the disease with a positive rate of 18% (2/11). It became 60% (6/10) on day 4, 75% (9/12) on days 5 to 7, and 100% on day 8 and thereafter. Thus the disappearance of the virus from blood was associated with the induction of specific immunity to the virus.

Adult↗

Glucagon stimulates chloride transport independently of cyclic AMP in the rat medullary TAL.

The effect of glucagon on chloride transport was studied in the rat medullary thick ascending limb (MTAL) perfused in vitro. In the bath, 10(-6) M glucagon increased the efflux coefficient of Cl (KeCl) from 6.88 +/- 0.21 x 10(5) to 9.65 +/- 0.38 x 10(-5) cm.sec -1 (P less than 0.01) without changing the influx coefficient (KiCl; 2.87 +/- 0.54 x 10(-5) in control vs. 2.83 +/- 0.57 x 10(-5) cm.sec-1 with glucagon) or transepithelial potential difference (4.8 +/- 0.76 in control vs. 5.0 +/- 0.71 mV with glucagon). A physiological concentration of glucagon (10(-8), (10(-10) M) also increased chloride efflux significantly. Pretreatment of tubules with luminal furosemide (10(-5) M) and/or basolateral ouabain (10(-4) M) completely abolished the effect of glucagon. In isolated MTALs incubated in the same medium as that used in the microperfusion study, 10(-6) M glucagon stimulated cAMP production by 255.2 +/- 33.7% (P less than 0.01). However, neither dibutyryl cAMP (10(-3), 10(-4) M) nor forskolin (10(-4), 10(-6) M) increased the chloride efflux. It is concluded that: 1) Glucagon stimulates net Cl reabsorption by increasing Cl efflux in the rat MTAL; and 2) cyclic AMP is not responsible for this effect of glucagon.

Animals↗

Biochemical identification of I-J as a novel dimeric surface molecule on mouse helper and suppressor T cell clones.

A monoclonal anti-I-Jk antibody JK10-23 was capable of precipitating the putative I-Jk molecule from NP-40 lysates of 125I-surface labelled mouse T cell clones with either helper or suppressor functions. The I-J molecule detected by specific immunoprecipitation and subsequent one- or two-dimensional gel analysis was a Mr 84-90 K dimer composed of 42-46 K glycopeptide subunits having isoelectric point pH 5.3 to 6.4. A monomeric form of I-J also existed in some of the T cell clones. The I-J subunit was a glycosylated polypeptide with a 41 K backbone having at least two glycosylation sites. I-J was distinguishable from other known dimeric T cell surface molecules with comparable molecular size, that is, T cell receptor alpha beta heterodimer, A1 and YE molecules expressed on a T cell leukemia EL4, and mouse CD28. The I-Jk molecule was precipitable from T cell clones with I-Ak and I-Ek restriction specificities including a clone derived from an H-2b----H-2bxkF1 radiation bone marrow chimera. None of the H-2b-restricted T cell clones from H-2b and its F1 showed the I-Jk immunoreactivity. T cell clones having either I-Ab or I-Ek restriction specificities derived from intra-H-2 recombinant mouse B10.A(5R) were positive for the I-Jk, while an I-Ab-restricted T cell clone from B10.A(3R) was negative in the I-Jk immunoprecipitation. The results indicate that I-J is a novel dimeric surface molecule, most likely to be a homodimer, expressed on T cells according to the major histocompatibility complex.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗

Post-transcriptional allelic exclusion of two functionally rearranged T cell receptor alpha genes.

We cloned and sequenced T cell receptor (TCR) alpha and beta chain cDNA from a lambda gt10 library obtained from a murine I-Ak autoreactive helper T cell clone MS202. Two types of cDNA clones for the alpha chain and one for the beta chain were obtained. The two alpha chain transcripts used two different V alpha genes: V alpha 4, joined to J alpha 11.2; and V alpha 5, J alpha TA13. The four V alpha 4 cDNA clones obtained did not have a complete sequences, lacking the leader portion. The V alpha 4 genomic gene segment of MS202 was revealed to contain two exons corresponding to the V alpha 4.MD13 cDNA sequence, and the potential RNA splicing signals between the two exons were intact. Both of the alpha chain cDNA clones showed in-frame rearrangements. Immunoprecipitation of 125I-surface-labeled lysate of MS202 with anti-TCR antiserum and subsequent electrophonetic analyses indicated that only one of the alpha chain polypeptides was expressed on the cell surface. Thus, allelic exclusion of the alpha chain in MS202 is achieved by post-transcriptional regulation rather than rearrangements.

Alleles↗

Unidirectional inhibition of early signal transduction of helper T cells by cloned suppressor T cells.

Early intercellular events occurring in cloned T helper (Th) cells following interaction with cloned T suppressor (Ts) cells were studied by stopped-flow fluorometry. It was found that the increase of intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) in major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted Th clones induced by the stimulation with antigen and antigen-presenting cells (APC) is inhibited by the incubation with antigen-activated Ts clones. Optimal suppression required that the two cells recognize antigen on the same APC, although the restriction element for recognition could be different. There was an absolute requirement for recognition of the same antigen by these two cell types. The inhibitory effect was unidirectional in that Ts clones could inhibit the increase of [Ca2+]i of Th clones but not vice versa. Ts clones could not suppress the [Ca2+]i response of other Ts clones. If Th and Ts clones do not share the same MHC restriction specificity, a longer co-incubation time for activation of Ts is required for the inhibition of the [Ca2+]i response of the Th clone, suggesting the presence of a non-specific suppressive mediator that selectively acts on Th.

Animals↗