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Biomedical subjects

Y Doi

Publications and source records attributed to Y Doi.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Subjective sleep quality and sleep problems in the general Japanese adult population.

To dimensionally describe subjective sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and estimate the prevalence rate of sleep problems (PSQI global score > 5) in the general Japanese adult population, 1871 subjects randomly selected from the 1995 Census were examined. The PSQI component scores (mean +/- SD) widely ranged (e.g. 0.04 +/- 0.31 in hypnotic medication use for males aged 20-29 years, 0.03 +/- 0.18 in hypnotic medication use for females aged 20-29 years, 1.10 +/- 0.94 in sleep latency for males aged 80 or older, 1.52 +/- 1.03 in sleep latency for females aged 80 or older). Statistical significance was found in each component score among age groups by gender. The PSQI global scores (mean +/- SD) by age groups ranged from 4.00 +/- 2.59 to 5.02 +/- 3.89 for males (P < 0.39) and 4.30 +/- 2.34 to 6.75 +/- 4.10 for females (P < 0.001). The respective prevalence rates of sleep problems were 26.4% (95% CI = 23.6, 29.3) for males and 31.1% (95% CI = 28.1, 33.9) for females.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Double ventricular response via dual atrioventricular nodal pathways resulting with nonreentrant supraventricular tachycardia and successfully treated with radiofrequency catheter ablation.

We report a patient with a complex nonreentrant supraventricular tachycardia because of double ventricular response resulting from antegrade dual atrioventricular (AV) nodal pathways. We could induce double ventricular response and confirm dual AV nodal pathways by AV simultaneous pacing during basic stimulation proceeding with programmed atrial single extrastimulation. As far as we know, it is the first report about the application of the AV simultaneous basic stimulation to prove the sustained nonreentrant tachycardia because of simultaneous conduction over dual AV nodal pathways. This was also confirmed by absence of the arrhythmia immediately after the elimination of the slow pathway conduction by radiofrequency ablation.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Immunocytochemistry of glutathione S-transferase in taste bud cells of rat circumvallate and foliate papillae.

Immunocytochemistry was used to investigate the distribution of cells reacting with specific antibodies against glutathione S-transferase (GST) mu and pi in rat circumvallate and foliate taste buds; the findings were confirmed by Western blotting. Double immunofluorescence staining for protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 and GST subunits allowed the classification of taste bud cells of both papillae into: (i) cells immunoreactive to either PGP 9.5 or GST subunit antibody; (ii) cells immunoreactive to both antibodies; and (iii) cells that did not react with either of these antibodies. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that most GST subunit-immunoreactive cells seemed to be either type II or type III cells based on their ultrastructure. Since PGP 9.5 is now widely used as a marker for type III cells in mammalian taste buds, it seems reasonable to believe that most GST subunit-immunoreactive cells are type II cells. Whether cells immunoreactive for both PGP 9.5 and GST subunits constitute a small subpopulation of type III cells or whether they are intermediate forms between type II and III cells is under investigation. No type I cells reacted with antibodies against GST subunits in the present study. GST subunits in taste bud cells may participate in xenobiotic metabolism of certain substances exposed to taste pits, as already shown for olfactory epithelium.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Multiethnic comparison of adolescent major depression based on the DSM-IV criteria in a U.S.-Japan study.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the prevalence rates of major depression based on the DSM-IVcriteria with data from a multiethnic sample of adolescents drawn from the same U.S.-Japan study and to investigate the relation of adolescent major depression to ethnicity. METHOD: Adolescents aged 12-15 years (N= 2,046; 539 Anglo-American, 636 African-American, 409 Mexican-American, and 462 Japanese adolescents) were studied in 1994 (response rates: 85.3% for U.S. students and 95.5% for Japanese students). The DSM Scale for Depression, a self-administered checklist developed from the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children questions on major depression, was used to estimate the prevalence of DSM-IV major depression. RESULTS: The overall prevalence rates of major depression without/with impairment were 9.6% and 4.3% for Anglo-American, 13.4% and 6.1 % for African-American, 16.9% and 9.0% for Mexican-American, and 5.6% and 1.3% for Japanese adolescents. The significant association between adolescent major depression and ethnicity disappeared after sociodemographic adjustments. Only fathers' educational attainment and family financial status remained significant (odds ratios: 3.28-5.30 for grade school for fathers and 2.62-2.78 for being worse off economically). CONCLUSION: These findings imply ethnicity does not have a significant impact on the risk of adolescent major depression after sociodemographic adjustments.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of (R)-specific enoyl-CoA hydratase from Aeromonas caviae involved in polyhydroxyalkanoate biosynthesis.

Dimeric (R)-specific enoyl-coenzyme A (CoA) hydratase from Aeromonas caviae catalyzes the hydration of trans-2-enoyl-CoAs with carbon lengths of 4-6 to yield their corresponding (R)-3-hydroxyacyl-CoAs and is essential for polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biosynthesis. The enzyme has been crystallized by vapour diffusion against a reservoir solution containing 20% polyethylene glycol 4000, 5% 2-propanol and 20 mM HEPES pH 7.0 at 298 K. Crystals belong to the monoclinic space group C2, with unit-cell parameters a = 111.54 (3), b = 59.29 (1), c = 47.27 (4) A, beta = 113.04 (2) degrees and contain a dimeric molecule in the asymmetric unit. Flash-cooling of a crystal at 100 K alters its unit-cell parameters to a = 109.82 (7), b = 57.98 (6), c = 46.84 (2) A, beta = 112.71 (3) degrees. Native data to a resolution of 1.7 A have been collected with 94.5% completeness and an R(merge) of 4.0% under cryogenic (100 K) conditions using synchrotron radiation.

Aeromonas↗
PubMed2001

The first large-scale nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) of donated blood using multiplex reagent for simultaneous detection of HBV, HCV, and HIV-1 and significance of NAT for HBV.

The first nationwide nucleic acid amplification testing (NAT) for hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) of voluntarily donated blood after serological pre-screening and before release of cellular components and plasma for fractionation was implemented by the Japanese Red Cross Blood Transfusion Services. From February 1, 2000 to April 30, 2001, specimens from 6,805,010 units of serologically negative donation were screened in minipools of 50 samples within 24 hr after blood donation by NAT using multiplex HBV/HCV/HIV-1 reagent for blood transfusion including short shelf-life platelets. Among them, 112 HBV DNA-positives, 25 HCV RNA positives and 4 HIV-1 RNA positives were screened out and we could prevent transfusion of these NAT positive units. Subtypes/genotypes of HBV DNA, adr/C, adw/A, adw/B, adw/C, ayr/C and ayw/D were found and adr/C was predominant. A total of 61.6 % of them (69/112) were negative by overnight EIA. Sixth three of HBV NAT-positive samples carried virus loads less than 10(4) copies/mL and 92.1 % of them (58/63) were negative by overnight EIA. The virus growth curves of HBV in 6 cases obtained by retrospective and prospective follow-up study showed exponential straight lines in the early stage of serological window periods and the log times of HBV growth (10 fold increase) in serological window period were between 4.6 and 7.6 days. NAT screening with highly sensitive reagents in pool of specimens is useful to exclude blood units with low level of HBV and HBV mutants from blood transfusion.

Blood Donors↗
PubMed2001

Apoptotic signaling pathway activated by Helicobacter pylori infection and increase of apoptosis-inducing activity under serum-starved conditions.

The enhanced gastric epithelial cell apoptosis observed during infection with Helicobacter pylori has been suggested to be of significance in the etiology of gastritis, peptic ulcers, and neoplasia. To investigate the cell death signaling induced by H. pylori infection, human gastric epithelial cells were incubated with H. pylori for up to 72 h. H. pylori infection induced the activation of caspase -8, -9, and -3 and the expression of the proapoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins Bad and Bid. The peak of the activity of the caspases occurred at 24 h. At this time, the inhibition of caspase-8 or -9 almost completely suppressed H. pylori-induced apoptosis. Inhibition of caspase-8 suppressed the expression of Bad and Bid and the subsequent activation of caspase-9 and -3. These observations indicate that H. pylori induces apoptosis through a pathway involving the sequential induction of apical caspase-8 activity, the proapoptotic proteins Bad and Bid, caspase-9 activity, and effector caspase-3 activity. Activation of the pathway was independent of CagA or vacuolating toxin. A membrane fraction of H. pylori was sufficient to activate this pathway, and treatment with proteinase K eliminated the activity. Apoptotic activity of the membrane fraction was significantly increased by incubating the bacteria under serum-starved conditions for 24 h. These observations suggest that environmental conditions in the human stomach could induce H. pylori-mediated pathogenesis, leading to a variety of clinical outcomes.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed2001

Coupling interval from slow to tachycardiac pacing decides sustained alternans pattern.

We discovered that the coupling beat interval from a slow to a tachycardiac pacing period considerably affected the pattern of the beat-to-beat alternation of the tachycardia-induced sustained contractile alternans. We analyzed the relationship between the coupling interval and the pattern and amplitude of the alternans in the isovolumic left ventricle of canine blood-perfused hearts. The alternans pattern and amplitude varied transiently over the first 30-50 beats and became gradually stable over the first minute in all 12 hearts. We discovered that stable alternans, even under the same tachycardiac pacing, had three different strong-weak beat patterns depending on the coupling interval. A relatively short coupling interval produced a representative sustained alternans of the strong and weak beats. A relatively long coupling interval produced a similar sustained alternans but in a reversed order of even- and odd-numbered beats counted from the coupling interval. However, sustained alternans disappeared after 1-3 specific coupling intervals. We conclude that ventricular pacing rate does not solely determine the pattern and amplitude of sustained contractile alternans induced by tachycardia.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed2001

Role of hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus in the development of coronary atherosclerosis in Japan.

The present study evaluated the effect of hypertension (HT), dyslipidemia and diabetes mellitus (DM) on the development of coronary atherosclerosis in the Japanese population, using a cross-sectional study of 433 patients (254 men and 179 women) aged 30 years or older who underwent coronary angiography for suspected or known coronary heart disease angina at 5 cardiology departments in the Fukuoka area between September 1996 and August 1997. Patients with a disease duration of 6 months or more were excluded. The main outcome measure was angiographically defined coronary artery stenosis and was found to a significant degree in 146 patients (33.7%). HT, DM, low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and hypertriglyceridemia remained as significant coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors even after controlling for age, sex, hospital, smoking, alcohol use, body mass index and leisure time physical activity. However, hypercholesterolemia was not a significant risk factor after adjusting for these variables. After controlling for these variables, DM, low HDL-C and hypertriglyceridemia were significant CAD risk factors for men, but only DM was a significant CAD risk factor in women. These results indicate that in Japan DM, low HDL-C and hypertriglyceridemia may be more important CAD risk factors than hypercholesterolemia.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

GTP gamma S-induced Ca2+ activated Cl- currents: its stable induction by Gq alpha overexpression in Xenopus oocytes.

In native Xenopus oocytes, injection of guanosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (GTPgammaS) (30 mM, 5 nl) did not induce Cl- current in 11 out of 22 oocytes. Injection of increased concentration of GTPgammaS (100 mM, 5 nl) into the oocytes induced Cl- currents in 16 out of 17 oocytes; however, the size of the induced currents was extremely varied. In oocytes overexpressing Gq alpha, GTPgammaS (30 mM, 5 nl) faithfully evoked Ca2+-activated Cl- currents. These results indicate that heterogeneous expression of Gq alpha in Xenopus oocytes provides a useful system for studying the functional roles of Gq alpha in regulating cellular events.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Effects of adenosine A1- and A2A-receptor agonists on enhancement of dopamine release from the striatum in methamphetamine-sensitized rats.

We report here both adenosine A1- and A2A-receptor agonists inhibit the expression of methamphetamine (MAP)-induced behavioral sensitization in rats. Animals were treated with MAP (1.0 mg/kg, i.p.) every 3 days with a total of 5 administrations. The augmentation of dopamine release from the striatum was demonstrated by MAP re-administration (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) after 7-day withdrawal by microdialysis. The augmentation of dopamine release was inhibited by pre-treatment not with N6-cyclohexyladenosine (0.01 mg/kg, i.p.) but by with 2-p-(2-carboxyethyl)phenethylamino-5'-N-ethylcarboxy-amide adenosine (0.1 mg/kg, i.p.). These results suggested that adenosine A1 and A2A receptors play an inhibitory role in sensitization via different mechanisms.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Introduction of bacterial metabolism into higher plants by polycistronic transgene expression.

Multiple-gene transformation is required to improve or change plant metabolisms effectively; but this many-step procedure is time-consuming and costing. We succeeded in the metabolic engineering of tobacco plants by introducing multiple genes as a bacteria-type operon into a plastid genome. The tobacco plastid was transformed with a polycistron consisting of three bacterial genes for the biosynthesis of a biodegradable polyester, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). Accumulation of PHB in the leaves of the transgenic tobacco indicated that the introduced genes were polycistronically expressed. This "phyto-fermentation" system can be used in plant production of various chemical commodities and pharmaceuticals.

Acetyl-CoA C-Acyltransferase↗
PubMed2001

Synthesis of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) by rat arterial endothelial cells.

We investigated the protein and mRNA expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in endothelial cells of the rat thoracic aorta and femoral artery. Light microscopic immunocytochemistry revealed that immunoreactivity for CGRP was preferentially located in the endothelium of both vessels. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that CGRP-immunoreactive gold particles were preferentially localized on cisterns of the rough endoplasmic reticulum and on the Weibel-Palade (WP) bodies in the endothelial cells. Prepro CGRP mRNA signals were also detected on the endothelium. Our results are the first to demonstrate that endothelial cells of both elastic and large muscular arteries synthesize CGRP and store it, in part, in WP bodies, implying that CGRP may act as an endothelium-derived relaxing factor in these vessels.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

[Infective endocarditis in the elderly].

To elucidate clinical features of infective endocarditis in the elderly, 20 elderly patients aged > or = 60 years were compared in detail with 30 others aged < 60 years retrospectively. Twelve of the 20 elderly patients had a calcific aortic valve or an artificial device as a predisposing heart disease, whereas 16 middle-aged patients had mitral valve prolapse or congenital heart disease (p = 0.001). The prevalence of major extracardiac disorders such as neurological disease were higher in the elderly than in the middle (9/20 vs 3/30; p < 0.01). The frequency of infected valve was similar; mitral in 8, aortic in 11 and other valves or congenital defect in 2 in the elderly versus 14, 11 and 6, respectively in the middle. Among 39 patients in whom causative microorganisms were identified, staphylococcus epidermidis was most frequently identified in the elderly (5/20), whereas streptococcus species was found in the middle (12/30). Time from the onset of symptoms to correct diagnosis was usually delayed in the entire group; the delay was longer particularly in the elderly than in the middle-aged patients (72 +/- 87 vs 36 +/- 32 days; p < 0.1). Maximal body temperature was less in the elderly than in the middle-aged patients (38.5 +/- 0.7 vs 39.3 +/- 1.1 degrees C; p < 0.01), whereas peak level of C-reactive protein (10.4 +/- 6.1 vs 13.0 +/- 7.9 mg/dL), the incidences of heart failure (9/20 vs 10/30), and embolic complications (7/20 vs 10/20) were similar in the 2 groups. Cardiac operation was performed less in the elderly than in the middle-aged patients (9/20 vs 21/30; p < 0.08). Five elderly patients had disease-related mortality, whereas only one middle-aged patient died (p = 0.02). These results suggest that although predisposing heart disease and causative microorganism in infective endocarditis are different between the elderly and middle-aged patients, the incidence of major complications are similar. However, due to the delay of correct diagnosis in the elderly who usually have major extracardiac disorders, the prognosis of infective endocarditis in the elderly is poor.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

[Evaluation of cases of off-pump CABG with mid-sternotomy].

Off-pump CABG was utilized on patients who had multivessel coronary artery disease and other organ diseases. A total of 79 patients who underwent off-pump CABG were evaluated. Of these, 66 suffered from OMI and AP, 4 form AP, 6 from u-AP, and 3 from AMI. LITA was used in 75 cases, RA in 48, GEA in 45, RITA in 13, IEA in 3, and SVG in 38. Revascularization was performed at # 2 in 3 cases, # 3 in 11, 4 PD in 37, 4 PL in # 7 or # 8 in 79, # 9 in 27, # 12 in 51, and # 14 in 17. A time of 10.3 min was spent on LAD revascularization, 9.8 min on D 1, 10.2 min on Cx, anf 11.5 on RCA. Seven patients were transferred to on-pump beating CABG because of hemodynamic instability. One patients suffered postoperative CVA, and 2 had wound infection. Complete revasculization was accomplished in 78 patients, and hospital death was not reported.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the elderly: significance of atrial fibrillation.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Atrial fibrillation (Af) is an important prognostic indicator for clinical deterioration in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), particularly in elderly patients, but its significance may vary from unselected to selected populations. This study investigated the risk of Af as a prognostic factor in long-term mortality and morbidity in Japanese patients with HCM at our institution. METHODS: All fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events were estimated in 91 patients with HCM (mean age 51 +/- 14 years, 62 men) and follow up continued for 6.7 +/- 4.8 years. RESULTS: Either chronic or paroxysmal Af documented by standard electrocardiography (ECG) or ambulatory ECG monitoring at diagnosis and during follow-up were included with other clinical features in the survival analysis. Af was documented in 22 patients (24%). They were older than those without Af (57 +/- 10 vs 48 +/- 14 years, p < 0.005) and had larger left atrial dimensions (43 +/- 6 vs 36 +/- 5 mm, p < 0.01). Cardiovascular events occurred in 12 patients with Af (embolic events in five, heart failure in four, and sudden death in three), and in four patients without Af (embolic event in one, and sudden death in three). Death occurred in 10 patients (seven with Af and three without Af); sudden death in six patients (three with Af and three without Af) and four patients died of cerebrovascular embolism (four with Af and none without Af). Cox's regression analysis showed the occurrence of Af was the most useful predictor of cardiovascular death in patients with HCM. The event-free rate was significantly worse in patients with Af than in those without Af (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Af is an important prognostic feature in patients with HCM, which occurs in older patients and in those with left atrial dilation.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Psychometric assessment of subjective sleep quality using the Japanese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI-J) in psychiatric disordered and control subjects.

Subjective sleep quality has been identified as an important clinical construct in psychiatric disordered patients. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), one of the most widely used standardized measures to assess subjective sleep quality, generates a global score and scores seven components. The present study psychometrically assessed clinical profiles of subjective sleep quality in 82 control and 92 psychiatric disordered subjects (primary insomnia, n=14; major depression, n=30; generalized anxiety disorder, n=24; and schizophrenia, n=24), using the Japanese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI-J). The overall reliability coefficient of the PSQI-J was high (Cronbach's alpha=0.77). Correlation coefficients between the PSQI-J global and component scores were statistically significant. The PSQI-J global and component mean scores were significantly higher in psychiatric disordered subjects than control subjects, except for the component of sleep duration. Using a cut-off point of 5.5 in the PSQI-J global score, estimations of sensitivity and specificity provided 85.7 and 86.6% for primary insomnia, 80.0 and 86.6% for major depression, 83.3 and 86.6% for generalized anxiety disorder, and 83.3 and 86.6% for schizophrenia, respectively. The present study supports the utility of the PSQI-J as a reliable and valid measure for subjective sleep quality in clinical practice and research.

Adult↗