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Biomedical subjects

Y Fukui

Publications and source records attributed to Y Fukui.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Molecular cloning and characterization of Rosa hybrida dihydroflavonol 4-reductase gene.

A full length cDNA clone encoding rose dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) was isolated from a cDNA library derived from rose petals by screening with the cDNA of Petunia hybrida DFR. Sequence comparison of the rose DFR with reported DFR genes revealed that they are homologous to each other. The amount of DFR mRNA in rose petals was developmentally regulated and paralleled anthocyanin production in petals. Sepals, thorns, styles and stamens also contained anthocyanins and DFR mRNA. No DFR mRNA was observed in mature leaves and a small amount of the transcript was detected in young leaves. A petunia cultivar, whose colour was pale pink due to a deficiency in flavonoid 3'-hydroxylase and flavonoid 3',5'-hydroxylase, was transformed with a binary vector containing a rose DFR cDNA cloned behind a constitutive promoter. Petals and anthers of the resultant transgenic petunia plants were salmon pink and contained pelargonidin, an anthocyanidin rarely found in petunia.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗
PubMed1995

Flow visualization study on centrifugal blood pump using a high speed video camera.

Flow visualization is widely applied to evaluate rotary blood pumps; however, it is very difficult to visualize flow near the vanes of centrifugal blood pumps because the rotational speed of the impeller is usually several thousand rpm. In this study, a tracer method with a high speed video camera that can take more than 2,000 frames/s was utilized for flow visualization together with computer-assisted image measurement. This method visualized the complex secondary flow pattern near the vanes of the impeller, such as the vortex and recirculation. It also visualized the enhanced washout effect by the secondary washout vanes on the backside of the impeller. The proposed method was effective to analyze the flow pattern in the centrifugal blood pump by providing useful information for better design of the pump hemolysis and thrombus formation.

Blood Flow Velocity↗
PubMed1995

Tubulointerstitial nephritis in a patient with eosinophilic fasciitis and IgA nephropathy.

We report a tubulointerstitial nephritis in a patient with eosinophilic fasciitis and IgA nephropathy. Urinalysis revealed mild proteinuria and microscopic hematuria, and renal biopsy disclosed diffuse interstitial infiltrations of lymphocytes and plasma cells with few eosinophils in spite of mild mesangial proliferation with IgA deposits, indistinguishable from those of primary tubulointerstitial nephritis. Immunohistochemical examination showed a predominance of helper/inducer T cells infiltrating the renal interstitium and the fascia. Corticosteroid treatment led to a decrease of infiltrating cells in both tissues. Therefore, eosinophilic fasciitis and tubulointerstitial nephritis in our patient seemed to be interdependent phenomena.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Effects of methamphetamine on rat embryos cultured in vitro.

Wistar rat embryos were explanted on day 10.5 of gestation and exposed in vitro to methamphetamine (MAMP) at a concentration of 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, or 0.8 mM for 24 h, and the direct teratogenic effects of the drug on rat embryos were examined. The viability of cultured embryos was not affected by the MAMP treatment. The yolk sac diameter was reduced at MAMP concentrations of 0.6 and 0.8 mM. The crown-rump length and the somite number of the embryos decreased significantly and dependently on the MAMP concentrations at 0.4-0.8 mM. The protein content was also significantly reduced at 0.4-0.8 mM. The developmental score was decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. The frequency of malformed embryos significantly increased at 0.6 and 0.8 mM. The malformations induced in treated embryos included microcephaly, neural tube defects, incomplete rotation of the body axis, and tortuous spinal cord. Abnormal histological changes such as derangement and necrosis in the neuroepithelial tissue were observed in embryos exposed to high concentration of the drug. Our results revealed the direct embryotoxic and teratogenic effects of MAMP in the rat.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1995

Phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase in fission yeast: a possible role in stress responses.

A DNA fragment coding for a part of a putative phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase was cloned from Schizosaccharomyces pombe by cross-hybridization with Saccharomyces cerevisiae VPS34 gene, a yeast homologue of mammalian PI-3 kinase. The clone contained an open reading frame of 797 amino acids but lacked the initiation codon, ATG. The predicted amino acid sequence was homologous to those of S. cerevisiae VPS34 and mammalian PI-3 kinase genes. Disruption of the gene resulted in extremely low levels of PI-3-P and higher levels of PI-4-P, supporting the idea that the gene codes for the PI-3 kinase of S. pombe. The disruptants harbored large vacuoles and were sensitive to stresses such as high temperature or high concentration of monovalent and divalent cations.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Familial macrothrombocytopenia with unusually elongated mitochondria.

We report a familial case of macrothrombocytopenia without inclusion bodies in polymorphonuclear cells or any congenital abnormalities. The results of the hemostatic and platelet function tests were all normal except for the platelet retention rate. The number of megakaryocytes increased slightly and some were relatively small. Electron microscopic studies revealed a unique morphological abnormality of the platelets' mitochondria.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Visible light-sensitized oxidation of arachidonic acid in the presence of inperatorin.

To understand the mechanism of the phototoxic effects of inperatorin, a psoralen derivative used as a pigmentation agent, we have investigated the photosensitized oxidation of arachidonic acid (ARA) by irradiation with visible light (> 400 nm) in the presence of inperatorin. HPLC and GC/MS analyses of the products showed the formation of many hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acids (HPETEs) including the products of lipoxygenase-catalyzed reactions such as 5- and 15-HPETEs, which are the precursors of chemical mediators such as leukotrienes and lipoxins, during the reaction. Active oxygen scavening agents such as D-mannitol, superoxide dismutase, and beta-carotene inhibited the formation of the oxidation products, indicating that the oxidation reaction was mediated by various active oxygen species. These results suggest that the phototoxic effects of inperatorin could also be induced by visible light and could be explained at least partially in terms of inflammation initiated by the biologically active HPETEs arising from photosensitized oxygenation reactions of ARA with the drug.

Arachidonic Acid↗
PubMed1995

[Fine needle aspiration cytology in screening of prostatic cancer].

Between October 1990 and June 1993, 112 patients underwent fine needle aspiration cytology and core needle biopsy of the prostate under transrectal ultrasonographic guidance. They were suspected of having prostatic cancer from the prostatic antigen level, digital rectal examination and/or transrectal ultrasonography. Twenty seven of the 112 cases (24%) were diagnosed with prostatic cancer. Their cytological diagnoses showed 22 class IV or V, 2 class III, and 3 class I or II. Efficiency, false negative rate and false positive rate were 86%, 11% and 0% in fine needle aspiration cytology. We could obtain sufficient samples for fine needle aspiration cytology in all cases. No severe complication was observed. However, we missed 3 patients, in fine needle aspiration cytology, who were strongly suspected of having prostatic cancer, and reexamination or additional core needle biopsy would have been necessary on 15 of the 112 patients (13%) who showed false negative or class III cytological results, if we had screened prostatic cancer only by fine needle aspiration cytology. In conclusion, fine needle aspiration cytology may not be as useful as core needle biopsy to screen prostatic cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1995

Autopsy cases among patients with mental disorders: an unusual case of asphyxia caused by the iron roller of a garbage truck.

A case of asphyxia of a young man suffering from "Identity Disorder" as delineated by the DSM-III-R (American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders revised in 1987) is reported. The patient jumped into the drum of a garbage truck and the iron roller in the drum asphyxiated him by compression. In addition to the presentation of this rare category of the DSM-III-R disorders as an autopsy case and an unusual means of asphyxia, we briefly reviewed other autopsy cases of the patients with mental disorders who died in Japan between 1988 and 1992.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed1995

Pharmacokinetics of ethanol drinking--absorption kinetics and first-pass effect.

The pharmacokinetics of alcohol drinking was studied in male rabbits. Various doses (D) of ethanol (0.25, 0.5, 1, 2 and 3 g/kg BW) were administered perorally to the animals and blood alcohol (ethanol) concentration (BAC) was measured. Simultaneous multiline fitting was attempted using the BAC-time curves of 5 peroral doses and of 5 intravenous doses. The two-compartment open model with parallel first-order and Michaelis-Menten elimination and first-order absorption kinetics was concluded to be the best model. To estimate the value of the absorption rate constant (ka) and the bioavailability (F) at each dose, curve fitting was also attempted by using a single BAC-time curve. The F value decreased with a low dose (0.25 g/kg), but complete systemic bioavailability was noted in higher doses. A first-pass effect was suggested to occur with the low dose. With low doses, the peak BAC might be too low to saturate the ethanol metabolism. The conventional method using area under the BAC-time curve (AUC) underestimated the F value. The other conventional method using theoretical BAC at time zero (C0) [F = C0oral x D(i.v.)/C0i.v. x Doral)] was compared to the AUC method. The estimated F value by this C0 equation method was closer to it by curve fitting than that by the AUC method. The effects of various ka, F and D values were also studied using a computer simulation. Consequently, the conventional AUC method was concluded to overestimate the first-pass metabolism of ethanol. The C0 equation method is thought to be more useful.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1995

[A case of an intrapulmonary lymph node indistinguishable from carcinoma of the lung by CT].

A 64-year-old female was referred to our hospital for further examination of a coin lesion, 8 mm in diameter, superimposed on the right ninth posterior rib. CT revealed a nodule, close to the minor fissure, with spiculation, which seemed to be connected with the pulmonary vein. Since the bronchofiberscopic examination revealed no histological diagnosis, the exploratory thoracotomy was performed. The nodule was found to be a 10 x 7 x 5 mm black mass located subpleural at the minor fissure. Histologically, it was recognized as a lymph node with anthracosis and silicotic nodules.

Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1995

[Psychological problem due to long-term organic solvent abuse].

Organic solvent abuse in adolescents has become a serious social problem. One of the reasons for this is the relationship to juvenile delinquency, and another is that it leads to various clinical symptoms including disturbance of consciousness, hallucinations, fantasia and apathy. In this study, using a health questionnaire that is composed of 33 psychiatric and 29 physical items and the Rorschach Test, we investigated these symptoms and the psychodynamics of personality respectively. The principal component analysis obtained for the health questionnaire extracted four factors as follows: 1) feelings of general fatigue and somatic symptoms, 2) feelings of guilt and self blame, 3) low self esteem and withdrawal adaptation, and 4) unreasonable anxiety and sleeping disturbance. The results of Rorschach Test supported the loss of libido, disability of reality testing and ego vulnerability in organic solvent abusers. This research strongly suggests that apathetic or depressive mood in chronic organic solvent abusers relates with loss of drive.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Amotivational syndrome of chronic organic solvent abusers--neuropsychological study].

It is conceivable that many of chronic organic solvent abusers have shown "Amotivational Syndrome" that is often seen in marijuana abuse. This syndrome revealed various psychiatric symptoms such as diminution of ambition, productivity and motivation. However, the pathogenesis of this syndrome is not elucidated. In present study, we examined 31 patients who showed amotivational syndrome (AS) induced by chronic organic solvents abuse, using neuropsychological battery including Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) and Bender Gestalt Test (BGT). In BVRT, there was a differences between AS and controls in the items of number of errors, omission, distortion and misplacement. In BGT, each Figure's score except I and VIII has changed and total score was 43.25 (vs control; 23.05), corresponding to 9-10 year old development in AS. These results suggest that organic solvent-induced AS is closely related with neurological and cognitive impairments in the central nervous system.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Smoking habits in chronic schizophrenics].

The smoking habits of 48 chronic schizophrenics who were inpatients of private psychiatric were examined. Subjects were divided into three groups; non-smokers, moderate smokers and heavy smokers, and tested by Fagerstrom's Tolerance Questionnaire (FTQ) as a tobacco dependence evaluation, and Bender Gestalt Test (BGT) and Benton Visual Retention Test (BVRT) as a neuropsychological battery. In addition, we used the Scales for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS) to evaluate the degree of schizophrenic negative symptoms, confirming the correlation between SANS score and the amount of nicotine intake or FTQ item. From the results of FTQ scores and their correlation with SANS scores, the amount of nicotine intake was significantly related to the severity of schizophrenic negative symptoms including affective blunting, poverty of thinking and attention impairment. BGT and BVRT showed disturbances in visual-motor gestalt function, and attention and memory, in chronic schizophrenics who smoked, especially in heavy smokers. These results suggest that smoking behavior in chronic schizophrenics might increase the individual vigilance against negative symptoms, from the perspective of self-medication.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

In situ non-ischemic enucleation of multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma using a microwave coagulator.

A case of multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma is reported, in which nephron-sparing surgery was done using microwave tissue coagulation. A 37-year-old man was referred to our outpatient clinic for a multilocular cystic tumor, 4.5 cm in diameter, in the middle-lower portion of the right kidney, which was detected by ultrasound during a health checkup. The patient had been found to have the same cystic mass on a CT done during another health checkup 1.5 years before. The tumor showed no growth during the 1.5-year period. With a diagnosis of multilocular cystic renal cell carcinoma, T2N0M0, in situ non-ischemic tumor enucleation was done using a microwave tissue coagulator (Microtaze, Heiwa Electronics Industry Inc., Tokyo). Operation time was 150 minutes and blood loss was 135 cc. The histological diagnosis was renal cell carcinoma, T2N0M0V0, cystic type, clear cell subtype, grade 1. Diagnostic imaging done postoperatively showed no sign of damage to renal function. In this report, the characteristics of multilocular cystic renal carcinoma are reviewed from the literature, and the advantages of nephron-sparing surgery for this type of renal tumor are discussed. In addition, an operative technique of tumor enucleation used in this case and the characteristics of Microtaze are introduced.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Induction of Fos-like immunoreactivity in the rat hypothalamus by an endogenous feeding suppressant (2-buten-4-olide).

Central influence of 2-buten-4-olide (2-B4O), an endogenous feeding suppressant, was studied through immunohistochemical detection of Fos expression in the rat hypothalamus. Animals received 2-B4O (100 or 200 mg/kg i.p.) or saline 2 h before perfusion with 4% phosphate-buffered paraformaldehyde. The hypothalamus was removed and cut into vibratome sections. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that injection of 2-B4O induced Fos-like immunoreactivity significantly in the paraventricular, dorsomedial and arcuate nuclei and the periventricular and lateral hypothalamic areas. These hypothalamic regions may control feeding under the influences of endogenous 2-B4O.

4-Butyrolactone↗
PubMed1994

Regional difference in the neurotoxicity of ochratoxin A on the developing cerebral cortex in mice.

Pregnant mice were treated intraperitoneally with 3 mg/kg of ochratoxin A on day 10 of gestation. They were allowed to give birth and the offspring were killed at 6 weeks of age for observation. Prenatal exposure to ochratoxin A caused microcephaly in offspring. Their body weight, brain weight, cortical thickness and numerical densities of neurons and synapses in somatosensory and visual cortex were examined. The mice exposed in utero to ochratoxin A showed a significant deficit in brain weight compared to the age-matched control, but there was no significant difference in body weight between these two groups. The cortical thickness showed a significant decrease in both somatosensory and visual cortex. Normal control mice had about 66,000 neurons/mm3, while age-matched ochratoxin A-treated mice had about 91,000 neurons/mm3 in somatosensory cortex. There was a significant increase in OA-treated group. However, there was no significant difference in the numerical density of neurons in visual cortex. On the other hand, there was no significant difference in the numerical density of synapses in both somatosensory and visual cortex. The somatosensory cortex of control mice had about 13,000 synapses per neuron, whereas ochratoxin A-treated mice had about 9,400 synapses per neuron. In the visual cortex, no significant difference was seen in synapse-to-neuron ratios. The discrepancy in the numerical density of neurons and synapse-to-neuron ratios between the somatosensory and visual cortex might derive from a time difference in cortical neurogenesis.

Aging↗