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Biomedical subjects

Y Sakamoto

Publications and source records attributed to Y Sakamoto.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Electroencephalogram is activated by addition of pentobarbital in the isolated perfused head of the rat.

To evaluate the direct effects of a barbiturate on cerebral functions without its influence on brain perfusion pressure, circulatory hormones and metabolites, the electroencephalogram (EEG) was studied in the isolated rat head. Male Wistar rats were anesthetized, and EEG electrodes were inserted into the cranium. A Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer solution containing heparinized rat whole blood, 20 mmol/l glucose, 200 mmol/l mannitol and 0.1 mg/ml dexamethasone was used for the perfusate. The bilateral common carotid arteries were cannulated, pumped at a rate of 6 ml/min and the head was isolated. The venous effluent was reoxygenated and recirculated into the brain. Twenty-five min after isolation of the heads pentobarbital was added to the perfusate at concentrations of 0.1, 0.5 and 2.5 mg/ml. EEG was recorded before and during perfusion. EEG activity could be recorded for more than 25 min after the beginning of perfusion. EEG activity gradually declined from 42+/-5 microV before perfusion (in vivo) to 4+/-1 microV at 25 min after the beginning of perfusion. Then, 3 min after the addition of pentobarbital, the EEG activity became significantly higher in the high dose groups; 12+/-3 microV in the 0.5 mg/ml group (p<0.05) and 12+/-1 microV in 2.5 mg/ml group (p<0.05) compared with the group without pentobarbital (2+/-2 microV). The present study suggests that a barbiturate has mitigating effects on the brain damage induced by the in vitro brain perfusion.

Animals↗

Role of ATP decrease in secretion induced by mitochondrial dysfunction in guinea-pig adrenal chromaffin cells.

The mechanism related to mitochondrial dysfunction-induced catecholamine (CA) secretion in dispersed guinea-pig adrenal chromaffin cells was investigated using amperometry and confocal laser microscopy. Application of CCCP, which does not stimulate generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), reversibly induced CA secretion, whereas application of either cyanide or oligomycin (OL), a stimulator for ROS, enhanced CA secretion to a smaller extent. The CCCP-induced secretion was abolished by removal of external Ca2+ ions and was markedly diminished by D600. The mitochondrial membrane potential, measured using rhodamine 123, was rapidly lost in response to CCCP, but did not change noticeably during a 3 min exposure to OL. Prior exposure to OL markedly facilitated depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential in response to cyanide. The mitochondrial inhibitors rapidly produced an increase in Magnesium Green (MgG) fluorescence in the absence of external Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions, an increase that was larger in the cytoplasm than in the nucleus. The rank order of potency in increasing MgG fluorescence among the inhibitors was similar to that in increasing secretion. Thus, mitochondrial inhibition rapidly decreases [ATP] and the mitochondrial dysfunction-induced secretion is not due to ROS generation or to mitochondrial depolarization, but is possibly mediated by a decrease in ATP.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Inhibition of aromatase activity by green tea extract catechins and their endocrinological effects of oral administration in rats.

We orally administered polyphenone-60 (P-60), green tea extract catechins, in the diet (0, 1.25 and 5%) to male rats for 2, 4 and 8 weeks initiated at 5 weeks old. It was found that a 5% dose to male rats for 2-8 weeks induced goiters and decreased weights of the body, testis and prostate gland. Endocrinologically, elevating plasma thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone levels and decreasing tri-iodothyronine (T(3)) and thyroxine (T(4)) levels were induced by this treatment. We also found that P-60 as a whole and some of its constituents exhibited inhibitory effects on human placental aromatase activity by in vitro assay. The concentration of P-60 that required producing 50% inhibition of the aromatase activity (IC(50) value) was 28 microg/ml. The IC(50) values of (-)-catechin gallate (Cg), (-)-epigallocatechin (EGC), (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg) and (-)-gallocatechin gallate (GCg) were 5.5 x 10(-6), 1.0 x 10(-4), 6.0 x 10(-5) and 1.5 x 10(-5) M, respectively. (-)- Epicatechin gallate (ECg) at 1.0 x 10(-4) M produced 20% inhibition. (-)-Epicatechin (EC) and (+)-catechin (CT) exhibited no effects on aromatase activity. The endocrinological changes observed in vivo were in conformity with antithyroid effects and aromatase inhibition effects of P-60 and its constituents.

Administration, Oral↗

Measurement of lineal-energy distributions for neutrons of 8 keV to 65 MeV by using a tissue-equivalent proportional counter.

The lineal-energy spectra for monoenergetic and quasi-monoenergetic neutrons of 8 keV to 65 MeV were obtained using a tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC). The frequency-mean lineal energy, the dose-average lineal energy and mean quality factor were estimated from the measured data. The neutron absorbed doses obtained with this TEPC were compared with the kerma coefticient for A-150 plastic defined by ICRP 26 and the mean quality factors were compared with the data of ICRP 74. respectively. These comparisons indicated good agreement between them.

Alpha Particles↗

Glucagon is paradoxically secreted at high concentrations of glucose in rat pancreas perfused with diazoxide.

To study the role of B-cells in the regulation of glucagon secretion by glucose, the rat pancreas was perfused with 0.4 mmol/l diazoxide. Perfusate glucose was 5 mmol/l of a basal concentration, and then was decreased to 1 mmol/l, or was increased to 15 mmol/l. Insulin secretion was suppressed by diazoxide below the detectable level at each glucose concentration. Glucagon secretion was increased two-fold during the glucopenic perfusion without diazoxide, but was not changed at a low glucose concentration in the presence of diazoxide. During the glucose-excessive perfusion for 15 min, glucagon secretion was lowered from 0.69 +/- 0.17 pmol at 5 mmol/l glucose to 0.36 +/- 0.10 pmol at 15 mmol/l glucose (p < 0.05) without diazoxide, whereas that was inversely increased from 0.55 +/- 0.14 at 5 mmol/l glucose to 0.85 +/- 0.13 pmol at 15 mmol/l glucose (p < 0.05) in the presence of diazoxide. These results suggest that appropriate insulin secretion is necessary for the normal responses of glucagon secretion to hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia in the non-diabetic rat pancreas.

Animals↗

[A successful surgical treatment for original Taussig-Bing malformation 13 years after banding of the pulmonary artery].

A 13-year-old girl with original Taussig-Bing malformation underwent successful intraventricular rerouting. In this congenital heart disease, the large pulmonary flow elevates pulmonary arterial pressure and progress the pulmonary vascular diseases in early infancy. Banding of the pulmonary artery helps to prevent the irreversible vascular changes, while that may result in further hypertrophy of the right ventricle. Ideally, radical repair should be performed as soon as possible after definitive diagnosis. Although, she had banding operation of the pulmonary artery at 8 months of age, there was no difference between the right ventricle and the aortic pressure. The subpulmonary space was large enough to make the tunnel with an internal conduit. Additionally, right ventricle outflow tract reconstruction was performed by a Dacron patch. The postoperative cathetherization demonstrated no stenotic region in both left and right ventricular outflow tract. The Kawashima intraventricular rerouting can be applied to the patients without the subaortic stenosis if banding of the pulmonary artery have been performed long before.

Adolescent↗

Involvement of benzodiazepine binding sites in an antiaggressive effect by 5-HT(1A) receptor activation in isolated mice.

The effect of the benzodiazepine receptor antagonist flumazenil was examined on an antiaggressive effect of (S)-5-[3-[(1,4-benzodioxan-2-ylmethyl)amino]propoxy]-1,3- benzodioxole HCl (MKC-242), a 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist. MKC-242 (0.1-1.0 mg/kg, p.o.) selectively reduced isolation-induced aggressive behavior in a dose-dependent manner. Flumazenil (10 mg/kg, i.p.) antagonized the antiaggressive effects of MKC-242 and diazepam, although it alone did not affect the behaviors of isolated mice. These findings suggest that a gamma-aminobutyric acid(A) (GABA(A)) receptor system is involved in the antiaggressive effect by 5-HT(1A) receptor activation.

Aggression↗

Plasma equilibrium and confinement in a tokamak with nearly zero central current density in JT-60U.

A high confinement equilibrium with nearly zero toroidal current in the central region (a "current hole") has been observed for the first time to persist stably for several seconds in the JT-60U tokamak. This observation indicates the possibility of stable tokamak operation without central toroidal current; the central current has previously been believed to be necessary in tokamaks. The radius of the current hole extended up to 40% of the plasma minor radius. It was observed that the current hole was formed by the increase of the off-axis noninductive current.

Journal Article↗

Plasmids with a mammalian replication origin and a matrix attachment region initiate the event similar to gene amplification.

Gene amplification plays a crucial role in the development of many human malignancies. Amplified genes are frequently localized on double minutes (DMs). We show here that plasmids bearing both a mammalian replication origin and a nuclear matrix attachment region were able to integrate into DMs if transfected to cells having DMs (COLO 320DM). Furthermore, these plasmids triggered the events leading to the de novo formation of the structure similar to DMs if transfected to the cells without DMs (COLO 320HSR or HeLa). Autonomous replication of these plasmids was suggested to be a prerequisite for these events to occur, because the presence of the origin sequences in the plasmids was required. The presence of matrix attachment region in the plasmids is also required for these events to occur, suggesting that matrix attachment plays an indispensable role in extrachromosomal replication. This model system will allow us to investigate the mechanism of gene amplification as well as to analyze the autonomous replication of the plasmid with mammalian replication origins.

Colorectal Neoplasms↗

Study on CO2 global recycling system.

In order to assist in finding ways to mitigate CO2 emission and to slow the depletion of fossil fuels we have established and evaluated a representative system, which consists of three technologies developed in our laboratory. These technologies were in CO2 recovery, hydrogen production and methanol synthesis and in addition we established the necessary supporting systems. Analysis of outline designs of the large scale renewable energy power generation system and this system and energy input for building plant, energy input for running plant has been conducted based on a case using this system for a 1000-MW coal fired power plant, followed by an evaluation of the material balance and energy balance. The results are as follows. Energy efficiency is 34%, the CO2 reduction rate is 41%, the balance ratio of the energy and CO2 of the system is 2.2 and 1.8, respectively, on the assumption that the primary renewable energy is solar thermal power generation, the stationary CO2 emission source is a coal-fired power plant and the generation efficiency of the methanol power plant is 60%. By adopting the system, 3.7 million tons of CO2 can be recovered, approximately 2.7 million tons of methanol can be produced, and 15.4 billion kWh of electricity can be generated per year. Compared to generating all electrical power using only coal, approximately 2.6 million tons of coal per year can be saved and approximately 2.15 million tons of CO2 emission can be reduced. Therefore, it is clearly revealed that this system would be effective to reduce CO2 emissions and to utilize renewable energy.

Air Pollution↗

Quasisteady high-confinement reversed shear plasma with large bootstrap current fraction under full noninductive current drive condition in JT-60U.

A quasisteady reversed shear plasma with a large bootstrap current fraction ( approximately 80%) has been obtained for the first time in the JT-60U tokamak. The shrinkage of reversed shear region was suppressed by the bootstrap current peaked at the internal transport barrier (ITB) layer and the ITBs at a large radius were sustained, which, by combination with an H-mode edge pedestal, resulted in a high confinement or 2.2 times the H-mode scaling for 6 times energy confinement time or 2.7 s. Furthermore, a full noninductive current drive was obtained by the bootstrap current and the beam driven current.

Journal Article↗

(S)-preferential detoxification of 4-hydroxy-2(E)-nonenal enantiomers by hepatic glutathione S-transferase isoforms in guinea-pigs and rats.

In guinea-pig liver cytosol, racemic 4-hydroxy-2(E)-nonenal (HNE), a reactive and highly toxic product released from biomembranes by lipid peroxidation, was detoxified (S)-preferentially by GSH conjugation mediated by glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) and (R)-preferentially by NAD(+)-dependent oxidation mediated by aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH). The GST-mediated detoxification of the HNE enantiomers proceeded at much higher rates than that mediated by ALDH in guinea-pig liver cytosol. All the major guinea-pig GSTs, A1-1, M1-1, M1-2 and M1-3*, isolated from guinea-pig liver cytosol also catalysed the (S)-preferential conjugation of the HNE enantiomers. The liver and other major tissues of guinea-pigs had no immunologically detectable level of a putative GSTA4-4 orthologue, which exists as a minor GST protein in rat, mouse and human livers and exhibits extremely high catalytic activity towards HNE. All the hepatic rat GSTs, A1-1(2), A1-3, A4-4, M1-1, M1-2 and M2-2, also catalysed the (S)-preferential conjugation of HNE enantiomers.

Aldehydes↗