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Biomedical subjects

A Yoshizumi

Publications and source records attributed to A Yoshizumi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1999

Temperature-Responsiveness of A-B-A Block Telomers at Solid-Liquid Interfaces.

Macroinitiators were prepared by coupling disuccinimidyl ester of 4,4'-azobis(cyanovaleric acid) with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PIPA), which had an amino group at its end. Styrene was telomerized with the initiators in THF. When the styrene content in the A-B-A block telomer obtained (PIPA-b-PSt-b-PIPA) was high, the telomer formed an irreversible aggregation resulting in microspheres, whereas the telomer with a much shorter styrene block could be dispersed monomolecularly. The telomers dispersed in water were aggregated by raising the temperature above 32 degrees C due to a coil-globule transition of PIPA moieties. The PIPA-b-PSt-b-PIPA could be strongly adsorbed to polystyrene (PSt) solid surfaces to form a layer, and the PSt blocks might lay on the PSt surface and the PIPA blocks might direct to the solution phase. The contact angle of air bubbles on the surface of telomer-coated PSt in the air-in-water system was dependent on temperature; that is, with the increase in temperature the contact angle of air bubbles largely decreased and leveled off above the coil-globule transition temperature (Tc). Correspondingly, the amount of protein Concanavalin A adsorbed to the telomer layer deposited on the PSt surface increased gradually with an increase in temperature and leveled off above the Tc. These phenomena were attributed to the changes in hydrophobicity of the telomer layer below and above the Tc. The usefulness of macroinitiators in preparing various kinds of block telomers which have responsiveness to external stimuli was strongly suggested. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Occurrence of multiple ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate-reducing enzymes in Candida magnoliae.

Multiple ethyl 4-chloro-3-oxobutanoate (COBE)-reducing enzymes were isolated from a cell-free extract of Candida magnoliae. A NADPH-dependent COBE-reducing enzyme, distinct from the carbonyl reductase and aldehyde reductase previously reported, was purified to homogeneity using five steps, including polyethylene glycol treatment. The relative molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 86,000 on high performance gel-permeation chromatography and 29,000 on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme catalyzed the reduction of COBE to the corresponding (S)-alcohol with a 51% enantiomeric excess. The substrate specificity of the enzyme was different from those of the other COBE-reducing enzymes of the same strain. The partial amino acid sequences of the enzyme showed that it belongs to the short chain alcohol dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family. This is the first report of multiple COBE-reducing enzymes with various stereoselectivities occurring in the same strain but belonging to different (super)families.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Purification and characterization of monovalent cation-activated levodione reductase from Corynebacterium aquaticum M-13.

(6R)-2,2,6-Trimethyl-1,4-cyclohexanedione (levodione) reductase was isolated from a cell extract of the soil isolate Corynebacterium aquaticum M-13. This enzyme catalyzed regio- and stereoselective reduction of levodione to (4R,6R)-4-hydroxy-2,2, 6-trimethylcyclohexanone (actinol). The relative molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be 142,000 Da by high-performance gel permeation chromatography and 36,000 Da by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme required NAD(+) or NADH as a cofactor, and it catalyzed reversible oxidoreduction between actinol and levodione. The enzyme was highly activated by monovalent cations, such as K(+), Na(+), and NH(4)(+). The NH(2)-terminal and partial amino acid sequences of the enzyme showed that it belongs to the short-chain alcohol dehydrogenase/reductase family. This is the first report of levodione reductase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

[A nationwide investigation needs for rehabilitation of schizophrenic outpatients--the patients' attribute and actual conditions of living].

In Japan we are very short of community resources for persons with mental disability. The authors, a board of resettlement, thought patients' actual conditions of living and needs for rehabilitation to let them live in the community had to be evaluated. Then in March 1993 the actual conditions of living and needs for rehabilitation of schizophrenic outpatients were investigated nationally. This article is the report on the patients' actual conditions of living. Investigation papers were sent to 358 institutions (286 hospitals and 72 clinics) which agreed to cooperate with the investigation. The 5186 investigation papers were received from 313 institutions. All of the papers except 18, which were lack of their ages, were analyzed. All of the schizophrenic outpatients, who consulted psychiatrists on one day during investigation, were considered objects of this research. Those who consented were included the research and psychiatrists filled in investigation papers. These institutions had a policy of intensive social resettlement activities and so on. Male patients were 55% and females were 45%. There were patients in the forties and females were older than males. Thirty-nine percent of them had been hospitalized once or twice. Thirty-four percent of them had been hospitalized for less than one year. Eighteen percent of them had not been hospitalized. Fifty percent of patients answered there was no friend and acquaintance, and had a tendency to stand alone. Fifty-three percent of patients lived with their parents, 21% with their spouses, and 17% alone. But 32% of females lived with their husbands. Sixteen percent worked for full-time jobs, 8% worked part-time jobs, 12% attended day care center 4% went to sheltered-workshops and only 1% went to rehabilitation-workshops for outpatients. While 13% didn't have a right to receive disability pension, the sources of income were job (30%), disability pension (30%), and welfare benefits (12%). Regarding the ability for living, both socially independent patients and daily independent were 36%. On the other hand, patients who needed support in daily life were 27%. This ability wasn't related to sex and age significantly (chi-square test). It is clear most of the patients were in isolation and depended on their families, so they needed support in income, accommodation and daily life.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Urinary excretion of podocalyxin indicates glomerular epithelial cell injuries in glomerulonephritis.

Immunofluorescent study of urine sediments was performed to detect glomerular epithelial cell injuries using specific monoclonal antibody against podocalyxin, a glycoprotein that is prominently expressed on glomerular epithelial cells. Three kinds of structures (casts, granules and cells) were stained in urine sediments from various glomerular diseases. The presence of podocalyxin in urines was confirmed by absorption test, immunoelectron microscopy and Western blotting. Podocalyxin was detected in the urinary sediments of patients with various forms of glomerulonephritis, particularly those with acute onset. The amount of their urinary excretion apparently indicates the degree of the glomerular epithelial cell injuries in glomerular diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Finite element model of facial soft tissue. Effects of thickness and stiffness on changes following simulation of orthognathic surgery.

A study was conducted to investigate the influence of the thickness and stiffness of soft tissue on changes following orthognathic surgery. The finite element method was used to simulate surgery. Three finite element models with normal thickness and stiffness, twice the thickness and twice the stiffness were made in preparation for the simulation. The thickness of soft tissue had more effect than stiffness on posterior and vertical changes.

Cephalometry↗
PubMed1992

[Efficacy of early use of continuous isoproterenol inhalation therapy for severe asthma attacks in children].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of continuous isoproterenol inhalation therapy for asthma attacks in children. We used l-body isoproterenol (Proternol L) in 22 children with 32 episodes of severe attacks. One of them did not respond to this therapy, and two had complications (atelectasis and pneumothorax). Twenty-nine cases were divided into three subgroups according to their clinical scores; A) scores less than or equal to 4, which meant that they were in the early stage of severe attack (n = 9), B) scores 5-6, which meant impending respiratory failure (n = 17), C) scores greater than or equal to 7, which meant respiratory failure (n = 3). The values of SpO2 at the start of this therapy were 94.8, 91.5, 82.0%, respectively. The more severe their attacks were, the lower their SpO2 levels were. The periods until their scores became zero were 0.78, 6.3, 17.2 hours, respectively. There were significant differences between each period respectively (p less than 0.001, p less than 0.01). Heart rates decreased when their symptoms improved, and other adverse effects were not detected. These results suggest that this therapy is effective and safe for children with severe asthma attacks, especially in the early stage.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1992

[Efficacy of continuous isoproterenol inhalation therapy for severe asthma attacks in younger children].

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of continuous isoproterenol inhalation therapy for severe asthma attacks in younger children, compared with its efficacy in older children. We used l-body isoproterenol (Proternol L) in 31 children with 42 episodes of severe attacks. They were divided into two group according to age: 20 cases under 6 years old (Group A), and 22 cases over 7 years old (Group B). All of the patients except for one in Group B, eventually improved with this therapy. Wood's clinical scores for Group A were significantly higher than those for group B (p < 0.01). In 22 cases whose scores were 5-6, their SpO2 values at the onset of this therapy were 90.8 +/- 3.17 in group A and 92.4 +/- 3.82% in group B. The improvement time of group A (13.6 +/- 16.2 hours) was significantly longer than that of group B (2.5 +/- 5.66, p < 0.01). The nebulized isoproternol doses for group A were 0.47 +/- 0.168 and for group B 0.26 +/- 0.096 mg/kg/saline 500 ml. The dose for group A was significantly higher than that for group B (p < 0.01). We concluded that continuous isoproterenol inhalation therapy was effective even in younger children. But the degree of efficacy was slightly lower in younger children, although they inhaled higher doses of isoproterenal than older children.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1992

Longitudinal study of bronchial hyperreactivity in preschool children with bronchial asthma.

Forty asthmatic children aged 4 to 6 years performed histamine inhalation tests over 2 to 3 years. We used a previously reported method for examining bronchial hyperreactivity; measuring the transcutaneous oxygen pressure to evaluate whether bronchial hyperreactivity in younger children with bronchial asthma changed, and which potential factors affected changes in bronchial hyperreactivity. Although there was no significant relationship between the severity of asthma and respiratory threshold to histamine (RT-Hist) at the initial test, RT-Hist results in the severely asthmatic group were significantly lower than those of the remission and mild groups at the final test (P less than .01), respectively. RT-Hist significantly decreased in only the group whose asthma worsened (P less than .05). In the remission and improvement groups, RT-Hist did not improve despite their favorable clinical courses. When divided into two subgroups according to the extent of their RT-Hist, a high responder group had significantly more subjects who family histories of asthma than the low-responder group (P less than .05). There was no difference, however, in family history of allergic diseases between the two groups. We conclude that bronchial hyperreactivity in younger asthmatic children is influenced by multiple factors that may be congenital or acquired.

Administration, Inhalation↗
PubMed1990

[Nationwide intradermal test with chironomid midge extract in asthmatic children in Japan].

Chironomidea (Insecta) is recently considered one of the most common inhalant antigen in Japan. Intradermal tests with Chironomus plumosus (CP) extract were undertaken on seven hundred and eighteen asthmatic children aged from 6 to 15 years in 10 areas (11 medical institutions) in Japan. The number of cases who showed positive intradermal tests with CP extract was 200 (27.9%) and the positive rate increased in proportion to their age (p less than 0.005). In each of the 11 medical institutions the positive rates ranged from 12.6% in Akita to 45.5% in Okinawa. There were no significant correlations between the results of the intradermal test with CP and those of RAST, prick test and intradermal test with mite, HD and silk, whereas correlation was noted in the prick test with silk (p less than 0.01). The CP positive asthmatics had significantly more attacks than the CP negative ones in the summer (p less than 0.01). The positive rate of asthmatics living near paddy or farm fields was significantly higher than that of those in urban residential areas (31.3% vs 23.8%, p less than 0.05). Chironomid midge is one of the most common and important allergen in Japan.

Adolescent↗