Quantitative analysis of ERD during odorous sensation.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Y Koyama.
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With the improvement in survival of cancer patients, the incidence of second primaries has been increasing. Data from the Osaka Cancer Registry showed that the incidence of metachronous second primaries was associated with gender (male), age and calendar year at diagnosis of the first cancer. The 10-year cumulative risk was estimated at around 10% for those who developed their first cancer in their sixties in 1978-83. The observed number (O) of second primaries (including synchronous) was compared with the expected number (E). The O/E ratios among those who developed their first cancer at ages 0-14 and 15-29 years old were much higher than the ratios among all age groups. Patients who had developed cancer of the colon, larynx, lung, bladder, or breast (1978-86) showed a significantly higher than expected risk of developing second primaries during the 1-4 years after diagnosis of the first cancer. Based on the hospital cancer registry data from Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, associations between adjuvant chemo-immunotherapy and the risk of second primaries were examined among 1,925 gastric cancer patients who underwent curative gastrectomy. The sex-, age-, and stage-adjusted hazard rate ratio of second primaries was 1.04 for patients who underwent chemotherapy and 0.70 for patients who underwent chemo-immunotherapy, when compared with the risk for patients who did not receive adjuvant chemo-immunotherapy. Some chemotherapeutic agents appeared to increase the risk of second primaries. Second primaries among 2,824 breast cancer patients were examined and their associations with adjuvant chemo-immuno-radiotherapy were analyzed. The O/E ratio for cancers of all sites was 1.28, significantly higher than 1.0. Cancer of the stomach, colon, lung and ovary were frequently observed as a second primary among them. Among 117 patients who developed second primaries, 4 developed cancer of the corpus uteri. This corresponded to 1.89 times the expected, however, only one of the 4 patients underwent tamoxifen treatment. The O/E ratio for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma was 3.40, significantly higher than 1.0. These results suggest associations between the risk for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chemotherapy.
The LH1 antenna complex and a native form of the LH2 complex were isolated from the carotenoidless R26 and R26.1 mutants of Rhodobacter sphaeroides by the use of a new detergent, sucrose monocholate. One-color, pump-and-probe transient Raman spectroscopy of these complexes using 351 nm, approximately 50 ps pulses showed the generation of the triplet state of bacteriochlorophyll a (BChl a), whereas measurements using 355 nm, approximately 12 ns pulses showed the generation of BChl a cation radical. Subpicosecond to nanosecond time-resolved absorption spectroscopy using 388 nm, 200 fs pulses for excitation showed rapid (<1 ps) generation of the triplet state and fast decay (<10 ps) of the singlet state of BChl a. Microsecond absorption spectroscopy confirmed the generation of BChl a cation radical. EPR spectroscopy using 532 nm, approximately 5 ns pulses for excitation established the generation of BChl a cation radical. The EPR line width suggested that the unpaired electron is shared by two BChl a molecules. In LH1, the yield of BChl a cation radical per complex was estimated to be about 80% of that in the reaction center, and in LH2 about 50%. Thus, rapid generation of the triplet state, and its subsequent transformation into the cation-radical state of BChl a have been shown to be intrinsic properties of B870 and B850 BChl a assembly in the carotenoidless LH1 and LH2 antenna complexes. In the case of the carotenoid-containing LH2 complex, the triplet states of BChl a and carotenoid (spheroidene) were generated immediately after excitation, but the triplet-state BChl a was quenched efficiently by the carotenoid so that no BChl a cation radical was generated. Thus, the photoprotective function of the carotenoid in this antenna complex is shown.
Interleukin 1 (IL-1) delivers a stimulatory signal which increases the expression of a set of genes by modulating the transcription factor NF-kappaB. The IL-1 receptors are transmembrane glycoproteins which lack a catalytic domain. The C-terminal portion of the type I IL-1 receptor (IL-IRI) is essential for IL-1 signalling and for IL-1 dependent activation of NF-kappaB. This portion contains a putative phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) binding domain (Tyr-E-X-Met), which is highly conserved between the human, mouse and chicken sequences, as well as the related cytoplasmic domain of the Drosophila receptor Toll. This observation prompted us to investigate the role of PI 3-kinase in IL-1 signalling. Here we report evidence that PI 3-kinase is recruited by the activated IL-IRI, causing rapid and transient activation of PI 3-kinase. We also show that the receptor is tyrosine phosphorylated in response to IL-1. Expression of a receptor mutant lacking the putative binding site for p85 demonstrates that Tyr479 in the receptor cytoplasmic domain is essential for PI 3-kinase activation by IL-1. Our results indicate that PI 3-kinase is likely to be an important mediator of some IL-1 effects, providing docking sites for additional signalling molecules.
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When the genome of the thermophilic archaeon Pyrococcus horikoshii was sequenced, a gene homologous to the mammalian gene for an acylamino acid-releasing enzyme (EC 3.4.19.1) was found in which the enzyme's proposed active residues were conserved. The P. horikoshii gene comprised an open reading frame of 1,896 base pairs with an ATG initiation codon and a TAG termination codon, encoding a 72,390-Da protein of 632 amino acid residues. This gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli with the pET vector system, and the resulting enzyme showed the anticipated amino-terminal sequence and high hydrolytic activity for acylpeptides. This enzyme was concluded to be the first acylamino acid-releasing enzyme from an organism other than a eukaryotic cell. The existence of the enzyme in archaea suggests that the mechanisms of protein degradation or initiation of protein synthesis or both in archaea may be similar to those in eukaryotes. The enzyme was stable at 90 degreesC, with its optimum temperature over 90 degreesC. The specific activity of the enzyme increased 7-14-fold with heat treatment, suggesting the modification of the enzyme's structure for optimal hydrolytic activity by heating. This enzyme is expected to be useful for the removal of Nalpha-acylated residues in short peptide sequence analysis at high temperatures.
The carotenoids accumulated by a mutant Rhodospirillum rubrum ST4, containing a single Tn5 lesion in the pathway for carotenoid biosynthesis, were analyzed by HPLC, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and field desorption mass spectrometry. The main carotenoid was identified as 3,4,3',4'-tetrahydrospirilloxanthin, and the four minor carotenoids were identified as rhodopin, 3,4-dihydroanhydrorhodovibrin, 3', 4'-dihydrorhodovibrin, and 1,1'-dihydroxylycopene. The C-3,4 and C-3',4' bonds of all 5 carotenoids are saturated, and they have 11 conjugated double bonds. With the exception of rhodopin, which is a normal intermediate of the wild-type pathway, all of the carotenoids are not naturally occurring. The Tn5 lesion was assigned to rhodopin 3,4-desaturase which is proposed to catalyze dehydrogenation at both ends of the symmetrical spirilloxanthin derivative. An unexpected finding was that the enzymes following rhodopin 3,4-desaturase are still able to end-modify the 3,4-, and 3',4'-saturated precursors and that the order of methylation and hydroxylation is not obligatory. It is proposed that the observed nonnatural carotenoids can be explained by the inclusion of a cryptic branch, unmasked by the absence of rhodopin 3,4-desaturase, in the established linear pathway for spirilloxanthin biosynthesis. This is the first example of latent branching of the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway exhibited by a carotenoid mutant of a phototrophic bacterium.
Left unilateral spatial neglect (USN) and spatial agraphia are both caused by right hemisphere damage. However, effects of USN on spatial agraphia have not been fully investigated. This study examined performances of patients with or without neglect and normals on single letter writing, using Japanese unique writing systems, kana (phonogram) and kanji (ideogram). Our patients exhibited agraphia of kanji, but not of kana. However, accuracy of writing was not associated to neglect severity, and errors for writing to dictation occurred either on the left or right side of kanji. Right frontal damage seemed to be related to the genesis of duplication or omission errors of repeated elements. Effect of USN was limited to spatial arrangement of letters and copying performance.
In our previous paper, we reported that a monoclonal antibody (MAb) 710F, which recognizes a cell surface glycoprotein, induces morphological change in monocytic cells, promoting cellular adhesion and extensive spreading on tissue culture dishes [Koyama et al., Biochem, Biophys. Res. Commun., 168 (1990) 898-904]. We report here that the antigen was identified to be CD63, a member of tetraspan transmembrane protein family, by purification of the antigen molecule and subsequent cDNA cloning. The identity was further evidenced by sequential immunoprecipitation experiments using MAb 710F and anti-CD63, MAb2.28, and by their reactions with insect cells infected with baculovirus carrying CD63 expression cassette. Furthermore, the MAb2.28 exhibited cell-spreading activity, although to a lesser extent than MAb710F, suggesting the participation of CD63 in adhesion and spreading of monocytic cells.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The importance of nodal involvement as a prognostic factor in differentiated carcinoma of the thyroid gland remains controversial. We therefore attempted to confirm the prognostic factors in differentiated thyroid carcinoma, with special reference to nodal status. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 139 patients with differentiated thyroid cancer followed for 2-27 years, with a median follow-up of 7 years were studied. All patients underwent surgical resection, either subtotal, total, or lobectomy, with modified radical neck dissection. Survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: Ten (7%) patients have died from thyroid cancer. Adverse prognostic factors included age >45 years (P=0.0120), the presence of distant metastases (P=0.0006), and TNM stage (P=0.0002). The number of lymph nodes dissected ranged from 6 to 92, with an average of 26. Lymph node metastases were found in 102 (73%) patients. There was no difference in survival according to the level of nodal disease by the TNM classification. Furthermore, the number of cervical lymph nodes involved had no effect on the survival. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the presence of histologically confirmed lymph node metastases is not an important prognostic factor in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma.
Three patients with unilateral spatial neglect could detect the difference of length between the right and left segments when a line had a transection mark. To examine the effect of response mode, the manual line bisection task and a new "line bisection task by fixation" were given to the patients. In tasks that used lines with no landmark, they showed apparent rightward errors. The results suggest that line bisection is not a task that examines the ability of patients with neglect to compare the right and left extents of a line. Where to fixate as the subjective midpoint may determine the rightward errors of bisection, whether manual response is used or not.
Cytokines play an important role in inflammation and immunity. In this study, the authors examined expression of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) in vascular endothelial cells, using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)/Southern blot, Western blot analysis, and immunohistochemistry. The RT-PCR/Southern blot showed that MIF mRNA was exceedingly upregulated by the stimulation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and reached the maximum 12 h after the stimulation. At the range of 10 pg/ml to 10 ng/ml of LPS, the MIF mRNA expression was induced in a dose-dependent manner, but drastically decreased at doses of more than 100 ng/ml. Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry using an anti-human MIF antibody revealed the presence of MIF protein in cytoplasm of the unstimulated cells. The precise pathophysiological role of MIF in HUVEC has not been fully understood; however, the upregulation of MIF mRNA expression in vascular endothelial cells by LPS stimulation suggests the possibility that the cytokine plays an important role in systemic inflammatory events such as endotoxaemia.
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Ileal conduits have long been accepted as a standard method for urinary diversion, but conventional ileal conduits are not always suitable for patients whose ureters are for the greater part compromised by neoplasm or preoperative irradiation, resulting in a shortening of the ureters. Bowel migration into the large cavity, which develops after pelvic organ removal, appears to cause tension on the ureteroileal anastomotic site. Dextrotransmesenteric placement of an ileal conduit may provide easy access to the shortened ureters without exerting pressure on the anastomosis. We employed this procedure in seven patients undergoing pelvic exenteration with relatively minimal morbidity.
PURPOSE: Micturition and male sexual activity require the lower urinary tract to function. During the sexual act, micturition must be inhibited and urine stored in the bladder. We studied the role of the brainstem in relation to both micturition/urine storage and penile erection in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Wire electrodes were placed on the dorsal nerve of the penis and microelectrodes for stimulation were introduced into the brainstem in decerebrate male rats. Electrical stimulation was used to locate optimally responding sites by monitoring the isovolumetric intravesical pressure and intracavernous pressure. RESULTS: Electrical stimulation of the dorsal nerve of the penis, the subcoeruleus nucleus in the rostral pons, and the nucleus raphe magnus in the caudal pons increased intracavernous pressure, but inhibited rhythmic bladder contractions. Electrical stimulation of Barrington's nucleus (the pontine micturition center in the rat) in the rostral pons induced bladder contraction. Stimulation of the pontine reticular formation did not increase intracavernous pressure. Acute transection of the thoracic spinal cord eliminated rhythmic bladder contractions, but gave rise to sporadic increments of intracavernous pressure. CONCLUSIONS: This electrophysiological study demonstrated that the subcoeruleus nucleus and nucleus raphe magnus are involved in both urine storage and penile erection, and that their physiological functions are reciprocally controlled; so that erection leads to inhibition of micturition.
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From indirect evidence we have proposed that cholinergic versus non-cholinergic neurons in the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus can be distinguished with the duration of their extracellularly recorded action potentials, "broad" spikes for the former, "brief" for the latter. To test this assumption more directly, we labelled single neurons recorded extracellularly in and around the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus with biocytin or neurobiotin, and processed the sections with reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase, a proven marker for cholinergic neurons in the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus. Biocytin or neurobiotin which was deposited at the site of recording was incorporated into single neurons. Among 171 trials (91 for broad-spike and 80 for brief-spike neurons), marking was successful in 68 cases (29 for broad-spike and 39 for brief-spike neurons). Almost all (21/22) of the broad-spike neurons located within the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus were positive for reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase staining, i.e. they were cholinergic, while all of the brief-spike neurons in and outside of the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus lacked the diaphorase activity, and were thus non-cholinergic. The present study shows that, after extracellular labelling of single neurons by biocytin or neurobiotin, cholinergic neurons in the laterodorsal tegmental nucleus are confidently distinguished from non-cholinergic ones in the corresponding area with their spike shapes. It is also shown that the cholinergic neurons distinguished by this criterion are characterized by their tonic firing at slightly lower rate and larger cell size than the brief-spike non-cholinergic ones.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the changes in plasma cytokine levels including interleukin-6 (IL-6) interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) are involved in postoperative fever following oral and maxillofacial surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Ten patients undergoing elective oral and maxillofacial surgery were studied. We investigated the plasma cytokine levels by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and measured the core temperature and degree of postoperative shivering and peripheral vasoconstriction after surgery. The relationships between the changes in plasma cytokine levels and postoperative fever were statistically evaluated using Spearman's rank correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The elevation of plasma IL-6 level was significantly correlated with the increase in core temperature after surgery and with the degree of postoperative shivering and vasoconstriction, whereas the changes in plasma II-1 beta or TNF-alpha levels were not. CONCLUSIONS: Elevation of plasma IL-6 level is probably involved in postoperative fever following oral and maxillofacial surgery.