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H Fukuhara

Publications and source records attributed to H Fukuhara.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

[A comparative study of cefepime for bacterial pneumonia].

The efficacy, safety and usefulness of cefepime (CFPM), a new cephem antibiotic, in bacterial pneumonia, were evaluated in a comparative study against ceftazidime (CAZ). Each drug was administered by intravenous drip infusion at a dose of 1.0 g (nominal potency) twice daily for 14 days, and the following results were obtained. 1. A total of 183 cases were enrolled in this study. Efficacy rates ("good" or better responses) as evaluated by the subcommittee were 90.3% (65/72) in the CFPM group and 94.0% (63/67) in the CAZ group, with no significant difference between the 2 groups. 2. Efficacy rates ("good" or better responses), as evaluated by attending physicians, (in the same bacterial pneumonia cases which were subjected to evaluation by the subcommittee) were 87.5% (63/72) in the CFPM group and 89.6% (60/67) in the CAZ group, with no significant difference between the 2 groups. 3. Bacteriologically, eradication rates were 96.9% (31/32) in the CFPM group and 96.7% (29/30) in the CAZ group with no significant difference between the 2 groups. 4. The incidence of side effects was 5.9% (5/85) in the CFPM group and 4.8% (4/84) in the CAZ group, with no significant difference between the 2 groups. No significant difference was also found between the 2 groups in the incidence of abnormal laboratory findings; 28.4% (23/81) of the case in the CFPM group and 34.1% (28/82) in the CAZ group. 5. As for overall usefulness of the drug in bacterial pneumonia cases, utility rates ("useful" or better evaluations) as evaluated by the subcommittee were 88.9% (64/72) in the CFPM group and 92.5% (62/67) in the CAZ group. The rates as evaluated by investigators (in cases judged as evaluable by the subcommittee) were 87.5% (63/72) and 85.1% (57/67), respectively. There were no significant differences between the 2 groups. These results indicated that CFPM is very useful for the treatment of bacterial pneumonia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[A comparative study of cefepime for chronic respiratory tract infections].

The clinical efficacy, safety and usefulness of Cefepime (CFPM), a new cephem antibiotics, in chronic respiratory infections were evaluated in a comparative study against Ceftazidime (CAZ). Each drug was administered by intravenous drip infusion at a dose of 1.0 g (nominal potency), twice daily for 14 days, and the following results were obtained: 1. A total of 170 cases were enrolled in this study. Efficacy rates ("good" or better responses) as evaluated by the subcommittee were 86.2% (56/65) in the CFPM group and 84.5% (60/71) in the CAZ group, with no significant difference between the two groups. 2. Efficacy rates ("good" or better responses) as evaluated by attending physicians were 83.3% (55/66) in the CFPM group and 84.5% (60/71) in the CAZ group with no significant difference between the two groups. 3. Bacteriologically, eradication rates were 83.3% (40/48) in the CFPM group and 88.2% (45/51) in the CAZ group, with no significant difference between the two groups. 4. Side effects occurred in none of the patients in the CAZ group and in 4 of the 66 patients in the CFPM group. There was a significant difference between the two groups (Fisher's test p = 0.0489). The incidence of abnormal laboratory findings were 17.6% (12/68) in the CFPM group and 21.1% (16/76) in the CAZ group. There was no significant difference between the two groups. 5. The utility rates evaluated by the subcommittee were 81.8% (54/66) in the CFPM group and 84.5% (60/71) in the CAZ group with no significant difference between the two groups. Only in the incidence of side effects, there was a significant difference between the two groups (Fisher's test p = 0.0489), but there was no significant difference in other items of efficacy, safety and usefulness between the two groups. These results indicate that CFPM is useful for the treatment of chronic respiratory tract infections.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

High-level secretion of correctly processed recombinant human interleukin-1 beta in Kluyveromyces lactis.

The lactose-assimilating yeast, Kluyveromyces lactis, has been developed as a microbial host for the synthesis and secretion of human proteins. Here, we report the use of multi-copy vectors based on the 2 mu-like plasmid pKD1 from Kluyveromyces drosophilarum [Chen et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 14 (1986) 4471-4481] for the secretion of recombinant human interleukin-1 beta (reIL-1 beta). High levels of reIL-1 beta were secreted into the growth medium when the structural gene was fused in-frame to a synthetic secretion signal derived from the 'pre'-region of the K. lactis killer toxin. N-terminal sequencing of the excreted protein showed highly efficient (greater than 95%) maturation of the signal sequence. Synthesis as prepro-IL-1 beta, the 'pro'-sequence being derived from the human serum albumin-encoding gene, resulted in equally efficient secretion of mature IL-1 beta. Cytoplasmic production of Met-IL-1 beta, without a secretion signal, was found to be toxic to K. lactis. As in Saccharomyces cerevisiae [Baldari et al., EMBO J. 6 (1987) 229-234], but unlike native human IL-1 beta, K. lactis reIL-1 beta is glycosylated. This glycosylation led to a 95% loss of its biological activity. Removal of the carbohydrate chains by endo-beta-N-acetyl-glucosamidase H treatment fully restored the biological activity. A modified form of IL-1 beta (Asn7----Gln7), in which the unique site for Asn-linked glycosylation was deleted, exhibited the same biological activity as native IL-1 beta. The level of secretion of mature recombinant IL-1 beta ws glycosylation-independent.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Distribution of mitochondrial r1-type introns and the associated open reading frame in the yeast genus Kluyveromyces.

We have sequenced the intron in the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene from the mitochondrion of Kluyveromyces lactis. It is a typical group I intron but, unlike the corresponding intron (r1) in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, it does not contain an open reading frame. This intron is widespread in the genus Kluyveromyces although intron-less strains were also found in some species of this genus. Sequences homologous to the open reading frame of the S. cerevisiae ribosomal intron were detected in some strains of K. waltii, K. thermotolerans and K. africanus.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Promoter activity associated with the left inverted terminal repeat of the killer plasmid k1 from yeast.

The killer plasmid k1 of Kluyveromyces lactis has terminal inverted repeats of 202 base pairs (bp). The left terminal repeat is contiguous to the transcribed open reading frame, ORF1, which is supposed to code for a DNA polymerase. A 266-bp fragment (called Pk1) containing most of the terminal repeat sequence was isolated and examined for promoter activity. Pk1 was fused, in either original or inversed orientation, with a promoter-less lacZ gene of E coli and a promoter-less G418 resistance gene of Tn903. These fusions were introduced into a pKD1-derived circular vector, and transformed into a lactose-negative (lac4), and a G418-sensitive K lactis host. Lac+ and G418-resistant transformants were obtained with either orientation of Pk1. The promoter activity of Pk1 fragment was independent of the presence or absence of killer plasmids. It is not known whether Pk1 can also function bidirectionally on the natural k1 plasmid. The possible functions of Pk1 for killer plasmid gene expression and plasmid replication are discussed.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1991

[Clinical evaluation of imipenem/cilastatin sodium in the internal medicine].

Fifty-two patients with moderate or severe infections associated with internal medicine were treated with imipenem/cilastatin sodium (IPM/CS) and the efficacy and the safety of this drug were evaluated. There were 20 patients with pneumonia, 10 with acute exacerbation of chronic respiratory tract infections, 9 with sepsis, 2 with pyothorax, 3 with intraabdominal infection, 2 with urinary tract infection, 1 with pulmonary abscess, 1 with infective endocarditis, 4 with fever of unknown origin. Forty-four patients were evaluable for the efficacy. Clinical efficacies were excellent in 12 patients, good in 26, fair in 3 and poor in 3. The overall clinical efficacy was 86.4%. The efficacy rate was 63.6% in patients previously treated and 93.9% in patients previously untreated with other antibiotics. Bacteriologically, Staphylococcus aureus (8 strains), Streptococcus pneumoniae (5), Streptococcus pyogenes (1), other Gram-positive coccus (1), Klebsiella pneumoniae (8), Haemophilus influenzae (4), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (3), Serratia marcescens (3), Escherichia coli (3), Branhamella catarrhalis (1), Citrobacter freundii (1), Klebsiella oxytoca (1), Enterobacter sp. (1), and Peptostreptococcus sp. (1) were eradicated. P. aeruginosa (3) and Acinetobacter sp. (1) decreased. S. aureus (1), S. epidermidis (1), P. aeruginosa (5), and S. marcescens (1) persisted or appeared. The eradication rate was 83.7%. Six patients showed adverse reactions including general fatigue 1, epigastralgia 1, eruption 1, eosinophilia 1 and elevation of S-GOT 2. But all of the adverse reactions were mild or slight, and transient. These findings indicate that IPM/CS is a useful and safe drug against bacterial infections in internal medicine.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

[Adoptive immunotherapy for pulmonary tuberculosis caused by multi-resistant bacteria using autologous peripheral blood leucocytes sensitized with killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria].

A patient with pulmonary tuberculosis caused by bacteria resistant to various anti-microbial agents was treated with adoptively transferred autologous peripheral blood leucocytes (PBL) sensitized with killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis organisms in vitro. The 32-year-old man was admitted to our hospital from National Sanitarium Okinawa Hospital with weight loss, high fever, and rapid aggravation on chest X-ray. Patient's PBL obtained by leukapheresis and separated with Ficoll-Hypaque solution were cultured with killed Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria of 0.4 microgram per ml at 1 x 10(6) cells per ml for 7 days in media containing 0.5 U recombinant 1L-2 per ml. After incubation, PBL were layered and centrifuged on Ficoll-Hypaque solution and washed three times with saline. PBL (1-3 x 10(8)) were combined and concentrated for infusion in 20 to 30 ml saline. After injection, patient displayed fever and transitory drop of PaO2. Although the patient did not have an improved on chest X-ray, his fever was alleviated, weight was increased, accelerated ESR was slightly improved, and the number of organisms in sputum (Number of Gaffky) temporarily decreased. Adoptive immunotherapy using the autologous PBL which were sensitized with killed bacteria may be an effective anti-tuberculous immunotherapy.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

A palindromic mutation of the linear killer plasmid k2 of yeast.

Production of the killer toxin in Kluyveromyces lactis is dependent on the presence of two linear DNA plasmids, k1 and k2. We isolated a non-killer mutant, VM5, with a modified plasmid composition. It had lost k1, but conserved k2, and acquired, in addition, three new DNA species. The new species were found to be rearranged derivatives of the k2 plasmid. One of them, pVM5-1, was made of the left terminal 4720 bp sequence of k2, including the inverted terminal repeat, and was organized as a large palindromic dimer molecule. The second, pVM5-2, was made of one strand of the pVM5-1 palindrome, folded into a hairpin structure. Like normal k2, pVM5-1 and 2 were present in a high copy number. The third species, pVM5-x, of variable size, was also a deletion product of k2, but not palindromic, and did not contain the terminal repeat. Genetic analysis showed that the presence of the palindromic derivatives appeared to destabilize the normal k2 genome, leading to gradual accumulation of plasmid-less cells.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Expression of a foreign KmR gene in linear killer DNA plasmids in yeast.

The killer plasmids of the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis, pGKL1 and 2 (k1 and k2 for short), are linear double-stranded DNAs. The expression of genes of these plasmids is thought to depend on their own transcription system. Cloning the plasmid genes in conventional circular vectors is therefore not suitable for transcriptional studies, because such vectors use the host nuclear transcription system. In vitro modification of the linear plasmid genomes in order to introduce transcription reporter genes has been difficult because the structure of the plasmids, with covalently bound terminal proteins, does not allow their manipulation in vitro and amplification in Escherichia coli. We introduced the kanamycin/G418 resistance gene, KmR, into the k1 plasmid in vivo, by transforming the yeast with the linearized KmR gene bordered with short k1 sequences (part of the region encoding the toxin) to allow homologous recombination with the resident k1. In the linear recombinants obtained, however, the KmR was not expressed, while it was expressed if carried on circularized plasmids. By replacing the native promoter of KmR by the ORF1 promoter from k1, the KmR gene could be expressed in linear recombinants and conferred on the host a high level of resistance to the drug. All the linear recombinant plasmids were extremely stable under nonselective conditions. As a rare event, the integration of KmR produced a palindromic rearrangement of the k1 plasmid.

DNA, Fungal↗
PubMed1990

The transmission of ambient noise and self-generated sound in the human body.

It is commonly understood that ambient noise and sounds produced by a pregnant woman herself are propagated into the body and reach the unborn child in the uterus. However, it would be unethical to study the propagation of sound to the fetus directly, so the present study, which aimed to clarify this process from an acoustical point of view, used the stomach as a model of the womb. The following points were demonstrated: For sound waves in the stomach, no interference such as occurs outside the body was observed. However, in the range 2 to 3 kHz, a resonance peak was visible, which was probably due to the gastric air space. Observing an average spectrum of songs showed that the sound pressure level (SPL(dB)) in the medium to lower range (below 3 kHz) tended to be higher in the stomach than outside.

Female↗
PubMed1990

[A retrospective study of hospitalized patients with fever of unknown origin (FUO) past six years].

We analysed retrospectively 48 hospitalized patients with fever of unknown origin (FUO) from 1982 through 1988. The criteria of FUO were (1) temperature of more than 38.3 degrees C documented on several occasions (2) overall duration of illness more than three weeks, (3) uncertain diagnosis till one week after hospitalization. Of this group of FUO, 25 patients (52.1%) were found to have infections, 8 patients (16.7%) had collagen disorders, 7 patients (14.6%) had neoplastic disorders, 3 patients (6.3%) were crohn disease and 5 patients (10.4%) were undiagnosed. Among infectious diseases, chronic tonsillitis was the most frequent (5 patients: 20%) and they were diagnosed by the provocative examination. Non bacterial meningitis and cervical lymphadenitis were diagnosed in all 3 patients (12% in all), Adult Still's disease was found in 3 patients (37.5%) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in 2 patients (25%) in collagen disease. Immunoblastic lymphadenopathy was diagnosed in 3 patients (42.9%) of malignant diseases. Three cases of Crohn disease were revealed in all the patients of the miscellaneous group. Duration of fever was relatively short in infection diseases compared to malignant and Crohn diseases. The most common laboratory abnormality is an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (89.6%). As the final diagnosis of FUO are changing with the development of diagnostic techniques, a new criteria of FUO is necessary.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[A case of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia with hyperinfection of Strongyloides stercoralis complicated with smoldering adult T-cell leukemia].

A 43-year-old woman visited a clinic for an attack of bronchial asthma which she had been suffering since her childhood. She was treated with prednisolone which was used for the first time. Two weeks later, she had a fever and her chest X-ray showed diffuse reticulonodular shadows on both middle to lower lung fields. In spite of the use of antibacterial drugs, her symptoms such as cough, dyspnea, malaise and fever increased. It was revealed that she had Stronglyoides sterocoralis in the stool. She was referred to our department for treatment and further examination. Transbronchial lung biopsy (TBLB) was performed, and cyst of Pneumocystis carinii were histologically detected in the lung specimen. Anti-human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) antibody in the serum was 1:4,096 less than. Typical adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells were also observed in the peripheral blood smear at the rate of 10-15% of leukocytes. The parasite was observed in the sputum too. We diagnosed her as having Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia with hyperinfection of Strongyloides stercoralis complicated with smoldering ATL, and the pneumonia might have been induced by steroid therapy (total doses of 500 mg, for 25 days). After sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (ST compound) was used for the Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, her symptoms markedly subsided, and the chest X-ray findings turned to normal by 45 days after the treatment. Thiabendazole was initially administered for the Strongyloidiasis and the parasite temporarily disappeared from both sputum and stool. Then pyrvinium pamoate and mebendazole were used, but the parasite could not be completely eradicated in the stool. We did not treat the smoldering ATL because there were no symptoms. We have been looking after her as an outpatient now, and she has neither symptoms nor signs.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[A case of bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis].

A 54-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis visited his general practitioner because of fever and cough. Chest X-ray showed an infiltrative shadow in the right lower field. Antibiotic treatment was not effective, and the specimens obtained by transbronchial lung biopsy was not diagnostic. The patient was transferred to our hospital for further examination and treatment. Previously he had been treated with prednisolone in the knee joint for rheumatoid arthritis. Open lung biopsy was performed. The specimen obtained showed bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) histologically. The patient recuperated and the chest X-ray shadow decreased with no therapy except the previous treatment with prednisolone.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1989

Genetic instability of an oligomycin resistance mutation in yeast is associated with an amplification of a mitochondrial DNA segment.

In the yeast Kluyveromyces lactis, mutations affecting mitochondrial functions are often highly unstable. In order to understand the basis of this genetic instability, we examined the case of an oligomycin resistant mutant. When the mutant was grown in the absence of the drug, the resistance was rapidly lost. This character showed a typical cytoplasmic inheritance. The unstable resistance was found to be associated with the presence of a repetitive DNA in which the repeating unit was a specific segment of the mitochondrial DNA. The amplified molecules were co-replicating with the wild type genome in the mutant cells. The spontaneous loss of the drug resistance was accompanied by the disappearance of the amplified DNA. The repetitive sequence came from a 405 base-pair segment immediately downstream of a cluster of two transfer RNA genes (threonyl 2 and glutamyl). Modified processing of these tRNAs was detected in the mutant. A possible mechanism by which these events could lead to drug resistance is discussed.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Analysis of the regions coding for transfer RNAs in Kluyveromyces lactis mitochondrial DNA.

The major regions coding for the transfer RNA genes in the mitochondrial DNA of K. lactis were studied. Twenty one, out of a supposed twenty four tRNA genes were identified and localized with respect to other mitochondrial genes. Most of the tRNA genes were found in a cluster downstream of the large ribosomal RNA gene. The order of a few groups of genes is conserved with respect to S. cerevisiae and T. glabrata. The highly diverged intergenic sequences contained a large number of guanine-cytosine clusters which frequently formed long palindromic sequences.

Base Composition↗
PubMed1989

The host range of the pKD1-derived plasmids in yeast.

pKD1 is a 2 mu-like circular plasmid found in the yeast Kluyveromyces drosophilarum that can also stably replicate in Kluyveromyces lactis. We have found a short intergenic region in this genome that appears to be functionally neutral; that is, the introduction of foreign sequences into the single EcoRI restriction site located near one of the inverted repeats did not affect the high stability of the natural plasmid. By introducing a G418 resistance gene at this site, we constructed an autonomous recombinant plasmid. Since this vector did not require cir+ hosts for its stable maintenance, it could be used to examine the transformation host range of pKD1 among all the species belonging to the genus Kluyveromyces. Both species closely related to K. drosophilarum as well as a few other species that are very different in chromosomal GC% could be transformed to yield highly stable transformant clones.

DNA Transposable Elements↗
PubMed1989

Improved bone mineral status in very low birthweight infants fed human milk mixed with preterm formula.

The bone mineral status of very low birthweight (VLBW) infants fed exclusively their own mother's milk (group I) was compared with that of VLBW infants fed mother's milk in the initial 4 weeks followed by a 1:1 mixture of mother's milk and preterm formula containing high phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) (group II). In both groups, most infants showed a biochemical picture characteristic of phosphorus deficiency syndrome by the fourth week. Thereafter, serum alkaline phosphatase activity (ALP) decreased and serum P increased in all group II infants. Conversely, serum ALP rose and hypophosphatemia persisted in most group I infants. Group II had a significantly higher serum P at weeks 8 and 12 and a significantly lower ALP at week 12 than group I. Furthermore, group II had a lower incidence of severe radiographic abnormalities than group I at week 12. We confirmed previous observations that VLBW infants fed exclusively human milk require P and Ca supplementation to prevent metabolic bone disease of prematurity.

Bone and Bones↗