Biomedical subjects

Akihiro Noda

Publications and source records attributed to Akihiro Noda.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Ion gels prepared by in situ radical polymerization of vinyl monomers in an ionic liquid and their characterization as polymer electrolytes.

To realize polymer electrolytes with high ionic conductivity, we exploited the high ionic conductivity of an ionic liquid. In situ free radical polymerization of compatible vinyl monomers in a room temperature ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide (EMITFSI), afforded a novel series of polymer electrolytes. Polymer gels obtained by the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) in EMITFSI in the presence of a small amount of a cross-linker gave self-standing, flexible, and transparent films. The glass transition temperatures of the gels, which we named "ion gels", decreased with increasing mole fraction of EMITFSI and behaved as a completely compatible binary system of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and EMITFSI. The temperature dependence of the ionic conductivity of the ion gels followed the Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher (VTF) equation, and the ionic conductivity at ambient temperature reached a value close to 10(-2) S cm(-1). Similarly to the behavior of the ionic liquid, the cation in the ion gels diffused faster than the anion. The number of carrier ions, calculated from the Nernst-Einstein equation, was found to increase for an ion gel from the corresponding value for the ionic liquid itself. The cation transference number increased with decreasing EMITFSI concentration due to interaction between the PMMA matrix and the TFSI(-) anion, which prohibited the formation of ion clusters or associates, as was the case for the ionic liquid itself.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Distinct difference in ionic transport behavior in polymer electrolytes depending on the matrix polymers and incorporated salts.

Two different electrolyte salts, lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), and a room temperature ionic liquid, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (EMITFSI), were incorporated into network polymers to obtain ion-conductive polymer electrolytes. Network polymers of poly(ethylene oxide-co-propylene oxide) (P(EO/PO)) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) were chosen as matrixes for LiTFSI and EMITFSI, respectively. Both of the polymer electrolytes were single-phase materials and were completely amorphous. Ionic conductivity of the polymer electrolytes was measured over a wide temperature range, with the lowest temperatures close to or below the glass transition temperatures (Tg). The Arrhenius plots of the conductivity for both of the systems exhibited positively curved profiles and could be well fit to the Vogel-Tamman-Fulcher (VTF) equation. The conductivity of the PMMA/EMITFSI electrolytes was higher at most by 3 orders of magnitude than that of the LiTFSI/P(EO/ PO) electrolytes at ambient temperature. When the ideal glass transition temperature, T0 (one of the VTF fitting parameters), was compared with the Tg, a difference in the ionic conduction was apparent in these systems. In the P(EO/PO)/LiTFSI electrolytes, the T0 and Tg increased in parallel with salt concentration and the T0 was lower than the Tg by ca. 50 degrees C. On the contrary, the difference between the T0 and the Tg increased with increasing content of PMMA in the PMMA/EMITFSI electrolytes, with the observed difference in the concentration range studied reaching up to ca. 100 degrees C. The conductivity at the Tg, sigma(Tg), for the LiTFSI/P(EO/PO) electrolytes was on the order of 10(-14-)10(-13) S cm(-1) and increased with increasing salt concentration, whereas that for the PMMA/EMITFSI polymer electrolytes reached 10(-7) S cm(-1) when the concentration of PMMA was high. The ion transport mechanism was discussed in terms of the concepts of coupling/decoupling and strong/fragile for the two different polymer electrolytes.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Synthesis and evaluation of [11C]FR194921 as a nonxanthine-type PET tracer for adenosine A1 receptors in the brain.

This report describes the synthesis of [11C]2-(1-methyl-4-piperidinyl)-6-(2-phenylpyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridin-3-yl)-3(2H)-pyridazinone ([11C]FR194921), a highly selective, nonxanthine-type adenosine A(1) receptor antagonist, used in brain imaging in rats and conscious monkeys as a potential novel PET tracer. [11C]FR194921 was successfully synthesized in 19 min after [11C]CH3I formation. The radiochemical yield was 38+/-3%; and radioactivity was 4.1+/-0.4 GBq, calculated from end of synthesis; radiochemical purity was higher than 99%; and the specific radioactivity was 25.0+/-8.1 GBq micromol(-1) (n=5). In a rat experiment, the distribution of [11C]FR194921 was higher in the hippocampus, striatum and cerebellum regions. This accumulation was significantly decreased by approximately 50% by pretreatment with 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX), an adenosine A1 receptor antagonist, which indicated specific binding of the radioligand to adenosine A1 receptors. In conscious monkey PET experiments, [11C]FR194921 accumulated in several regions of the brain, especially in the occipital cortex, thalamus and striatum. These results suggest that [11C]FR194921 can be used as an agent for imaging adenosine A1 receptors in vivo by positron emission tomography (PET).

Adenosine A1 Receptor Antagonists↗

PubMed2005

Rapid scanning protocol for brain (18)F-FDG PET: a validation study.

UNLABELLED: Although (18)F-FDG PET is an established technique to assess brain glucose use, a shorter imaging time is preferable for patient convenience and increased throughput. The aim of this study was to validate a brain (18)F-FDG PET protocol more rapid than the conventional protocol. METHODS: For comparison of normalized metabolic activities, brain (18)F-FDG PET was performed on 60 healthy subjects and 25 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD), and an additional 20 healthy subjects served as a control group to assess diagnostic performance between the conventional and rapid scanning protocols. Conventional scans were acquired for a total of 20 min (a 10-min emission and a 10-min transmission). Immediately after conventional scanning, rapid scanning was performed for a total of 4 min (a 3-min emission and a 1-min transmission). PET images were anatomically standardized using NEUROSTAT, with pixel values normalized to the individual global value. Two database sets, from the 2 protocols, were compared by regional values and pixel-by-pixel analysis. A receiver-operating-characteristic analysis was performed for comparison of diagnostic accuracy between the 2 protocols. A kinetic simulation study was also performed to examine the possible difference due to the time lag between the protocols. RESULTS: Although small differences in normalized activity were found in several regions in the healthy subjects between the 2 protocols, no significant difference was found in any region in the patient group. The coefficients of variation of the normalized activity were 20%-30% larger in the rapidly scanned images, but the mean z images and their coefficient-of-variation images did not differ. The kinetic simulation study suggested that the differences were caused by the time lag between the 2 protocols. No significant differences were found in area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curves, and the diagnostic accuracies for the detection of AD were virtually equal between the 2 protocols. CONCLUSION: The rapid scanning protocol used in the present study could provide results nearly equivalent to data from the conventional protocol. Thus, it is feasible to use this rapid protocol to detect AD, without losing diagnostic accuracy.

Aged↗

PubMed2004

An application of a new planar positron imaging system (PPIS) in a small animal: MPTP-induced parkinsonism in mouse.

OBJECTIVE: Recent animal PET research has led to the development of PET scanners for small animals. A planar positron imaging system (PPIS) was newly developed to study physiological function in small animals and plants in recent years. To examine the usefulness of PPIS for functional study in small animals, we examined dopaminergic images of mouse striata in MPTP-induced parkinsonism. METHODS: Male C57BL/6NCrj mice were treated with MPTP 7 days before the PPIS study. Scans were performed to measure dopamine D1 receptor binding and dopamine transporter availability with [11C]SCH23390 (about 2 MBq) and [11C]beta-CFT (about 2 MBq), respectively. After the PPIS study, dopamine content in the striatum was measured by HPLC. RESULTS: The MPTP treatment significantly reduced dopamine content in the striatum 7 days after treatment. In the MPTP-treated group, [11C]beta-CFT binding in the striatum was significantly decreased compared with the control group, while striatal [11C]SCH23390 binding was not affected. Dopamine content in the striatum was significantly correlated with the striatal binding of [11C]beta-CFT. CONCLUSION: The present results suggest that PPIS is able to determine brain function in a small animal. Using PPIS, high throughput imaging of small animal brain functions could be achieved.

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine↗

PubMed2004

Pharmacokinetic animal PET study of FK506 as a potent neuroprotective agent.

UNLABELLED: The immunosuppressive agent FK506 (tacrolimus) has neuroprotective properties not only in rodents but also in nonhuman primates. To improve the accuracy of clinical studies of acute stroke, clinical dose setting based on brain concentrations of agents in humans is very helpful. We have already established a rapid-synthesis method for (11)C-labeled FK506; therefore, in the present study, we aimed to establish a method to measure brain concentrations of FK506 using (11)C-FK506 PET in monkeys. METHODS: Studies were performed on 3 male cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). FK506 (0.1 mg/kg) containing (11)C-FK506 was intravenously injected into the monkeys, and dynamic PET images were acquired for 30 min afterward. Arterial blood samples were collected 5 and 15 min after injection, and their radioactivities were measured by a gamma-counter. FK506 concentrations in brain and blood were calculated in units of moles per liter using the specific activity of the injected FK506. The PET study data were validated using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Seven minutes after administration, the radioactivity in the brain became constant and was maintained up to 30 min. We succeeded in measuring the FK506 concentration in the brain using (11)C-FK506 PET. Fifteen minutes after FK506 (0.1 mg/kg) administration, the concentrations in the cortex and striatum were 20.0 +/- 1.7 ng/g and 14.1 +/- 1.7 ng/g, respectively. FK506 concentrations in the blood correlated significantly with those measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. CONCLUSION: We successfully measured FK506 concentrations in anesthetized monkey brain and blood using (11)C-FK506 PET. These results indicate a potential method to measure FK506 concentrations in human brain. Additionally, a potential use for the PET technique in drug development has been demonstrated.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

18F-labelled annexin V: a PET tracer for apoptosis imaging.

Annexin V can be used to detect apoptotic cells in vitro and in vivo, based on its ability to identify extracellular phosphatidylserine, which arises during apoptosis. In the present study, we examined the synthesis of fluorine-18 labelled annexin V as a positron emission tomography tracer for apoptosis imaging. The distribution of [18F]annexin V and technetium-99m labelled annexin V, a well-characterised SPET tracer for apoptosis imaging, was compared. [18F]annexin V was synthesised using N-succinimidyl 4-[18F]fluorobenzoate as an 18F labelling reagent. Synthesised and purified [18F]annexin V was confirmed by SDS-PAGE. In an ex vivo imaging experiment, [18F]annexin V was intravenously injected into rats 24 h after the induction of myocardial ischaemia, and accumulation in the left ventricle was examined. [18F]annexin V accumulated in the infarct area of the left ventricle, where apoptotic cells were observed. In separate experiments, [18F]annexin V or [(99m)Tc]annexin V was intravenously injected into ischaemic or normal animals, and the distribution of the tracers was compared. In ischaemic animals, accumulation of [18F]annexin V and [(99m)Tc]annexin V in the infarct area was about threefold higher than in the non-infarct area. Furthermore, the ratio of accumulation in the normal heart to the blood radioactivity was not significantly different between the tracers. In normal animals, however, the uptake of [18F]annexin V in the liver, spleen and kidney was much lower than that of [(99m)Tc]annexin V. The low uptake of [18F]annexin V in these organs might represent an advantage over [(99m)Tc]annexin V.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

A PET study following treatment with a pharmacological stressor, FG7142, in conscious rhesus monkeys.

FG7142 is a benzodiazepine partial inverse agonist, which is known as a pharmacological stressor. Several reports demonstrated that FG7142 produced anxiety in humans, non-human primates, and rodents, and impaired working memory in non-human primates and rodents. In this study, we examined the effect of FG7142 on cerebral blood flow and glucose metabolism using positron emission tomography (PET) in conscious rhesus monkeys. Male rhesus monkeys were intramuscularly treated with FG7142 (0.2 or 1.0 mg/kg, n=5, respectively), and regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRglc) were measured by PET 20 min and 40 min after treatment, respectively. During PET measurement, physiological parameters and plasma cortisol levels were monitored. FG7142 significantly decreased rCBF in the thalamus and rCMRglc in all brain regions examined in a dose-dependent manner without changes in physiological parameters. FG7142 also significantly increased plasma cortisol levels. The present study may provide an important insight into the understanding of the pathophysiology of anxiety and stress-related disorders in humans, and strongly suggesting that prevention of anxiety or stress is important when measuring conscious brain function.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Brønsted acid-base ionic liquids and their use as new materials for anhydrous proton conductors.

Novel Brønsted acid-base ionic liquids, derived from a simple combination of a wide variety of organic amines with bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl) amide are electroactive for H2 oxidation and O2 reduction at a Pt electrode under non-humidifying conditions, which shows the prospect of the use of protic ionic liquids as new materials for anhydrous proton conductors at elevated temperatures.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2003

Effect of N-(4-Acetyl-1-piperazinyl)-p-fluorobenzamide monohydrate (FK960), an antidementia drug with a novel mechanism of action, on regional cerebral blood flow and glucose metabolism in aged rhesus macaques studied with positron emission tomography.

Effect of N-(4-acetyl-1-piperazinyl)-p-fluorobenzamide monohydrate (FK960), a putative antidementia drug with a novel mechanism of action, on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRglc) was examined in conscious aged rhesus macaques using positron emission tomography. Seven aged (21.6 +/- 2.7 years) male rhesus macaques were subjected. FK960 was intramuscularly administered at doses of 0, 0.01, 0.1, or 1 mg/kg for seven consecutive days, in randomized order and in a blinded manner. Each subject was scanned four times in all, with at least 3-week intervals, after treatment with saline or three doses of FK960. Significant increases in rCBF in the left temporal and left frontal cortex, and in rCMRglc in the right hippocampus with adjacent cortex, were observed in the treatment group with 1 mg/kg FK960, without affecting any other cardiovascular and respiratory variables. No statistically significant change in any region was observed at doses of 0.01 or 0.1 mg/kg. These results suggested that FK960 restored the rCBF and rCMRglc deficits in brain areas responsible for cognitive functioning in aged rhesus macaques.

Aging↗

PubMed2003

Determination of kinetic rate constants for 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose and partition coefficient of water in conscious macaques and alterations in aging or anesthesia examined on parametric images with an anatomic standardization technique.

Kinetic rate constants for 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) and the tissue-blood partition coefficient of water were determined using dynamic positron emission tomography in conscious macaques, and alterations in these parameters in aging or anesthesia were also examined. The parameters were estimated on a pixel-by-pixel basis using an anatomic standardization technique; group differences were then examined on the parametric images from the young, aged, and anesthesia groups. For the conscious condition, seven young and seven aged male rhesus macaques were used; six young male rhesus macaques were used for the isoflurane anesthesia condition. H2 15O and FDG were used as tracers. The kinetic parameters were estimated by a nonlinear least-square fitting procedure with compartment models including terms for the cerebral blood volume (CBV) and time delay of the input function. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (CMRglc) were also calculated from the estimated parameters. In the aged group, glucose phosphorylation was decreased more than glucose transport, and the occipital cortex was the most affected region where reduction in CBV, CMRglc, and CBF were also observed. In the anesthesia group, glucose transport was decreased; however, glucose phosphorylation was not affected except for the occipital pole. The occipital cortex was also the most affected region. The tissue-blood partition coefficient of water was decreased globally.

Aging↗

PubMed2003

Measurement of brain concentration of FK960 for development of a novel antidementia drug: a PET study in conscious rhesus monkeys.

UNLABELLED: This study used PET to measure the time course of the brain concentration of (18)F-labeled N-(4-acetyl-1-piperazinyl)-p-fluorobenzamide monohydrate (FK960), a novel antidementia drug, after oral administration to conscious rhesus monkeys. METHODS: Three young-adult male rhesus monkeys were tested. FK960 (0.1 mg/kg) containing about 370 MBq of (18)F-FK960 was administered orally to each monkey. Dynamic PET images were acquired for 4 h from 5 min after the administration. Arterial blood samples were withdrawn during PET scanning and were analyzed by an automatic well gamma-counter and thin-layer chromatography to determine the time course of authentic (18)F-FK960 activity concentration in plasma. FK960 concentrations in brain and plasma were calculated in units of mol/L using the specific activity of FK960 preparations. RESULTS: (18)F-FK960 penetrated the blood-brain barrier and underwent perfusion-dependent distribution in the entire brain. Maximal concentrations in the brain and plasma were 1.11 +/- 0.30 x 10(-7) mol/L (at 3.0 +/- 0.6 h after administration) and 4.04 +/- 1.29 x 10(-7) mol/L (at 2.0 +/- 1.1 h after administration), respectively. CONCLUSION: We succeeded in measuring the FK960 concentration in the brains of conscious monkeys and in plasma after oral administration at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg. The results suggested that this method can measure the FK960 concentration in the human brain, and a potential use of the PET technique in drug development was demonstrated.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2003

A PET study after treatment with an anxiety-provoking agent, m-chlorophenyl-piperazine, in conscious rhesus monkeys.

UNLABELLED: Several PET studies have been performed on conscious nonhuman primates to examine brain function. However, it is unclear how anxiety or stress during PET measurements influences brain function. In the present study, we examined the effects of a well-known anxiety-provoking agent, m-chlorophenyl-piperazine (mCPP), on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and the regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRglc) using PET on conscious rhesus monkeys. METHODS: Male rhesus monkeys with experience undergoing PET measurements were used. Twenty and 40 min after mCPP injection (0.2, 1.0, or 5.0 mg/kg intramuscularly; n = 5), rCBF and rCMRglc were measured using an intravenous injection of (15)O-H(2)O and (18)F-FDG, respectively. Physiologic parameters, plasma cortisol, and prolactin levels were monitored during PET measurements. RESULTS: Treatment with mCPP significantly increased rCBF in both the cingulate cortex and striatum in a dose-dependent manner, and bell-shaped reductions in rCMRglc were observed for all regions examined. mCPP also significantly increased plasma cortisol and prolactin levels. Physiologic parameters were not affected by mCPP treatment. CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that treatment with the anxiety-provoking agent mCPP significantly affects rCBF and rCMRglc in conscious monkeys. Therefore, since the increases in hormone levels demonstrate that mCPP treatment produced anxiety or stress, these results suggest that anxiety or stress influences conscious brain function. Furthermore, the present study suggests that prevention of anxiety or stress is important when measuring conscious brain function in monkeys.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Age-related changes in cerebral blood flow and glucose metabolism in conscious rhesus monkeys.

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and regional cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (rCMRglc) were measured in aged and young monkeys by positron emission tomography (PET). Our purpose was to examine whether the age-related changes observed in the human brain also occur in the monkey brain. Studies were performed on six aged and six young-adult male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). rCBF and the rCMRglc were serially measured using PET with [(15)O]H(2)O and 2-[(18)F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG), respectively. In order to minimize the bias induced by anesthesia, the PET emission scans were performed in the conscious state. ROIs were taken for the cerebellum, hippocampus with adjacent cortex, striatum, occipital cortex, temporal cortex, frontal cortex and cingulate. Group differences and correlations between rCBF and rCMRglc in each group were determined. Aged monkeys had significantly lower rCBF in the cerebellum, hippocampus with the adjacent cortex, striatum, occipital cortex, temporal cortex, frontal cortex, and significantly lower rCMRglc in the cerebellum, hippocampus with the adjacent cortex, striatum, occipital cortex, temporal cortex, frontal cortex and cingulate, compared to young monkeys. There were significant correlations between rCBF and rCMRglc in both the aged and young groups, but no significant difference was found in relationship between the two groups. Age-related changes were observed not only in rCMRglc, but also in rCBF in aged monkeys, while the coupling between rCBF and rCMRglc was maintained even in aged monkeys. These results demonstrated the potential of aged monkeys to serve as an aged human model using PET.

Aging↗