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Biomedical subjects

Y Mino

Publications and source records attributed to Y Mino.

98 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Some properties of p-coumarate decarboxylase from Cladosporium phlei.

The optimal pH and temperature of p-coumarate decarboxylase were 6.0 and 23 degrees C respectively. The enzyme activity was reduced to three quarters by heat treatment at 35 degrees C for 5 min and by half at 25 degrees C in 24 h, but kept almost unchanged at -20 degrees C at least for 10 days. The activity was not inhibited by potassium cyanide, sodium diethyldithiocarbamate, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt, or sodium citrate at 10 mM concentration, but was inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoate or iodoacetate at 0.1 mM, the inhibition by the former being prevented to a great extent by the presence of reduced glutathione or dithiothreitol. The activity was inhibited by maleic acid cinnamic acid, or p-methoxycinnamic acid, but not by fumaric acid, acrylic acid, p-hydroxystyrene, furcatin p-hydroxyphenylacetic acid, or phloretic acid. An unsubstituted p-hydroxy group on the benzene ring and an acrylic acid side chain were required for the enzyme activity. Km value for trans-p-coumaric acid was about 6.5 X 10(-4) M.

Carbon Dioxide↗

Effects of anticonvulsant drugs on fetal mouse palates cultured in vitro.

Maxillary regions of day-12.5 ICR mouse fetuses were dissected and cultured in a chemically defined serumless medium, and the effects of anticonvulsant drugs on in vitro palatogenesis were studied. The explants were treated for 72 h in vitro with 50 to 200 micrograms/mL diphenylhydantoin (DPH), 200 to 800 micrograms/mL sodium phenobarbital (PB), 12.5 to 400 micrograms/mL sodium valproate (VPA), and 3 to 100 micrograms/mL diazepam (DAZ). During the culture, the secondary palatal shelves of control explants elevated, grew medially, and fused after 72-h culture in a manner similar to the palatogenetic process in vivo. The fusion of palatal shelves was inhibited dose-dependently by treatments with DPH, VPA, and DAZ. PB showed no significant inhibitory effects on palatal fusion at concentrations up to 800 micrograms/mL. The in vitro toxicity of the anticonvulsants tested appeared to correlate with the relative in vivo teratogenic potential of the drugs. The present study demonstrated that the in vitro organ culture system should be useful for screening teratogenic agents, especially those causing cleft palate, and for exploring the mechanisms of cleft palate formation.

Animals↗

Critical comments made to schizophrenic patients by their families in Japan.

Critical comments (CCs) are one of the components of expressed emotion (EE), an excess of which is related to relapse. Therefore, CCs could be a target of family psychoeducation. We examined the nature of CCs for clues to family therapy. We classified CCs expressed in the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI) into nine categories: (1) positive symptoms, (2) negative symptoms, (3) compliance with medical care, (4) life problems, (5) socially inappropriate behavior, (6) aggression, (7) rejection, (8) premorbid personality, and (9) other. Positive symptoms were the most frequently commented on (34%). Negative symptoms were not so frequently commented on (11%), as expected. In comparing high-EE and low-EE relatives or relapsers and nonrelapsers, there were no significant differences in the distribution of the nine CC categories. We conclude that positive symptoms should be a main topic of family psychoeducation in such cases.

Adolescent↗

Validity of a Five-Minute Speech Sample in measuring expressed emotion in the families of patients with schizophrenia in Japan.

The Five-Minute Speech Sample (FMSS) is a brief measure for the assessment of expressed emotion (EE). No prior studies have investigated the validity of the FMSS in comparison to the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI) in Japan. Therefore, we administered the CFI and the FMSS to schizophrenic families in an attempt to evaluate the usefulness of the FMSS. The ratings obtained from the CFI were then used to estimate the validity of the FMSS. The overall agreement of the two methods was 53.8%. We conclude that the FMSS may be a useful screening method for the evaluation of EE. Borderline low-EE subjects may have to be included in the high-EE group to improve the sensitivity.

Adult↗

No relationship between schizophrenic birth and influenza epidemics in Japan.

The finding that influenza epidemics are associated with an increased risk of adult schizophrenia has been controversial. Data was obtained from Japan's governmental statistics, the Patient Survey. Index years were defined as 1957/1958, 1962, and 1965, and comparison years were defined 2 years before and 2 years after the index year. Subjects were patients with schizophrenia who were born in the index years of influenza epidemics. Periods 5 months after the influenza epidemics were defined as exposed months. Proportions of patients born during the exposed period in the index years were compared with those of patients born in the corresponding months in the comparison years. The proportions of patients born in the exposed months in the index years were not significantly different from those born in the corresponding months in the comparison years, with odds ratios around 1 in the whole country, the Kanto area, and the Shikoku/Kyushu area where a remarkable influenza epidemic was observed in 1957. No difference was observed in analyses stratified by sex. In Japan, there was no relationship between influenza epidemics and schizophrenic birth.

Adult↗

Expressed emotion and family distress in relatives of patients with schizophrenia in Japan.

We evaluated the association between distress and expressed emotion (EE) in family members of patients with schizophrenia by the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI), and the Five-Minute Speech Sample (FMSS). The GHQ score was higher in the high-EE group determined by both the CFI and FMSS. The difference in the GHQ score between high-EE and low-EE groups was more marked for the CFI. Family distress is closely associated with the EE classification, but the EE classification by the CFI more markedly reflected family distress versus the FMSS. Even in relatives with low EE, distress was marked, and therefore, coping with mental health in family members is important.

Adaptation, Psychological↗