Biomedical subjects

M Fukaya

Publications and source records attributed to M Fukaya.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

Down-regulated expression of glutamate transporter GLAST in Purkinje cell-associated astrocytes of reeler and weaver mutant cerebella.

The glutamate transporter plays an important role in rapid removal of glutamate from the synaptic cleft. Glutamate transporter GLAST is highly expressed in the Bergmann glia (BG), a unipolar cerebellar astrocyte associated structurally and functionally with Purkinje cells (PCs). Here we investigated the expression and localization in the reeler and weaver mutant cerebella with disorganized cytoarchitecture and disrupted synaptic circuitry. In the cortex of both cerebella, GLAST-expressing cells were astrocytes associating PCs; they were located around PC somata and primary dendrites, and extended glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)-immunopositive processes surrounding PC somata and dendrites. Additional signals were detected in astrocytes of the reeler subcortex; they were dispersed among ectopic PCs and had GFAP-positive processes apposing to PC somata and stunted dendrites. Therefore, GLAST expression in PC-associated astrocytes was conserved in these mutants. Compared to the wild-type BG, however, the transcription level in individual mutant astrocytes was significantly reduced to about one-third level in the reeler and weaver cortex or one-sixth level in the reeler subcortex. Taking previous results on remarkable up-regulation during dendritogenic/synaptogenic stages and down-regulation following experimental glutamatergic denervation, it is suggested that GLAST expression in cerebellar astrocytes is regulated correlatively with cytological and/or synaptic differentiation of neighboring PCs.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

PubMed1999

Irritancy of scrubbing up for surgery with or without a brush.

Hand washing is an indispensable procedure for surgical nurses. Although scrubbing up with a brush is preferable to prevent infections, it is not clear how irritating to the skin scrubbing with a brush is compared with hand washing without a brush. TEWL, high frequency conductance and pH were measured on the hand skin of the same group of nurses before and after daily hand washing for 11 days in different seasons, which were chosen as favourable and unfavourable periods for the condition of hand skin, namely the early summer and autumn. Additionally, we compared the antimicrobial effects on the skin of scrubbing up, using a palm stamp method. TEWL showed significantly higher values with brush washing than with simple hand washing only in the autumn. There was no significant difference in the measurement of high frequency conductance, pH or in the antimicrobial effects between the two washing techniques. Results showed the deleterious effects on the skin of hand washing, particularly that of using a brush in the cold season.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Nondestructive prediction method for yolk:albumen ratio in chicken eggs by computer image analysis.

The purpose of this study was to develop a nondestructive prediction method for the yolk: albumen ratio by computer image analysis for candling inspection. Twenty-two to 49 eggs per line were randomly sampled from four chicken lines. After weighing the eggs, the eggs were illuminated by an overhead projector beam through a small hole in dark room. Video images were taken of the eggs from four directions, the eggs rotated each time by 90 degrees. The eggs were broken for measuring egg traits, including the yolk:albumen ratio. The average value obtained from four directions was used for statistical analysis. The ratio of the number of pixels of light and dark parts (light: dark ratio), and the CV of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) components for the whole egg and for light and dark parts of the egg were calculated and defined as image analysis traits. Correlation coefficients between the yolk: albumen ratio and CV of R and G components of the whole egg were significant (0.42 to 0.79) in all the lines. The determination coefficient of multiple regression of the yolk:albumen ratio on the CV of R and G components of the whole egg and the light:dark ratio was 0.83. Observed and predicted yolk:albumen ratios were classified into five levels. The ratio of zero difference between observed and predicted values was 76.1%, and the percentage of 0 to +/- 1 difference between observed and predicted values was 100.0%. The image analysis method accurately predicted the yolk:albumen ratio without breaking the egg.

Albumins↗

PubMed1999

Enhancing effect of dietary vinegar on the intestinal absorption of calcium in ovariectomized rats.

We studied the effect of dietary vinegar on calcium absorption by using ovariectomized rats fed on a low-calcium diet. The apparent absorption of calcium was higher when the rats were fed on a diet containing 1.6% vinegar for 32 days than when fed on a diet without vinegar (P < 0.05). The calcium content in the femur of the rats given diets containing 0.4% and 1.6% vinegar were also higher (P < 0.05). The serum parathyroid hormone level was lower and the crypt depth of the duodenum thicker in the rats fed on a diet containing 1.6% vinegar (P < 0.05). These results suggest that dietary vinegar enhanced intestinal calcium absorption by improving calcium solubility and by the trophic effect of the acetic acid contained in vinegar, which would reduce the bone turnover caused by ovariectomy and be helpful in preventing osteoporosis.

Acetic Acid↗

PubMed1999

[Change of housing environment and withdrawal of corticosteroid as treatments of atopic dermatitis].

For the purpose of searching for the factors for improvement in cutaneous lesions of atopic dermatitis, we evaluated two factors, namely, change in the housing environment and withdrawal of corticosteroid in a group of patients whose clinical course had been observed for more than one year. The condition of illness was judged by a combination of VAS scoring of cutaneous lesions, laboratory data (IgE, LDH, eosinophil) and evaluation by the patient himself. The results showed a significant difference (p = 0.143) by Fisher's direct probability for the tendency to improve in the group in which the housing environment had changed and p = 0.266 for the tendency to improve in the group in which corticosteroid was withdrawn. When the tendency to improve by either change in the housing environment or corticosteroid withdrawal was examined, the p value was 0.028 at 5% level of significance. That is, the findings in this study suggest that atopic dermatitis will improve in the presence of either or both of these two factors at 5% level of significance. Factors regulating the condition of illness in atopic dermatitis are diverse. Analysis using only one of these factors cannot easily show a statistically significant difference. So studies involving two or more factors are needed.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

PubMed1999

Localization of GABA receptor rho 2 and rho 3 subunits in rat brain and functional expression of homooligomeric rho 3 receptors and heterooligomeric rho 2 rho 3 receptors.

Ionotropic GABA receptors that are composed of rho subunits act to gate bicuculline-insensitive Cl- currents. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that the expression of rho 2 mRNA in adult rat brain was approximately eight times higher than mRNA in the rat brain at embryonic day 16, while that of rho 3 in the embryonic brain was approximately six times higher than in the adult brain. In the adult rat brain the rho 3 mRNA was present in the mesencephalon, hippocampus, cerebellum, thalamus and basal ganglia. In situ hybridization has been used to demonstrate the presence of rho 2 mRNA in the hippocampal CA1 region of the 8-day-old rat, and in the CAl region of the hippocampus, lateral geniculate nucleus, superficial gray layer of the superior colliculus and the pars compacta of the substantia nigra of the adult rat. When the homooligomeric rho 3 receptors were expressed in Xenopus oocytes, applications of agonists induced ionic currents. The order of potency of the agonists was muscimol > GABA = trans-4-amino-crotonic acid > cis-4-aminocrotonic acid. The ionic currents induced by GABA were blocked by picrotoxinin and Zn2+ in dose-dependent manner. In heterooligomeric rho 2 rho 3 receptors, picrotoxinin sensitivity was significantly reduced.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1998

Selective scarcity of NMDA receptor channel subunits in the stratum lucidum (mossy fibre-recipient layer) of the mouse hippocampal CA3 subfield.

Hippocampal synapses express two distinct forms of the long-term potentiation (LTP), i.e. NMDA receptor-dependent and -independent LTPs. To understand its molecular-anatomical basis, we produced affinity-purified antibodies against the GluRepsilon1 (NR2A), GluRepsilon2 (NR2B), and GluRzeta1 (NR1) subunits of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor channel, and determined their distributions in the mouse hippocampus. Using NMDA receptor subunit-deficient mice as the specificity controls, section pretreatment with proteases (pepsin and proteinase K) was found to be very effective to detect authentic NMDA receptor subunits. As the result of modified immunohistochemistry, all three subunits were detected at the highest level in the strata oriens and radiatum of the CA1 subfield, and high levels were also seen in most other neuropil layers of the CA1 and CA3 subfields and of the dentate gyrus. However, the stratum lucidum, a mossy fibre-recipient layer of the CA3 subfield, contained low levels of the GluRepsilon1 and GluRzeta1 subunits and almost excluded the GluRepsilon2 subunit. Double immunofluorescence with the AMPA receptor GluRalpha1 (GluR1 or GluR-A) subunit further demonstrated that the GluRepsilon1 subunit was colocalized in a subset, not all, of GluRalpha1-immunopositive structures in the stratum lucidum. Therefore, the selective scarcity of these NMDA receptor subunits in the stratum lucidum suggests that a different synaptic targeting mechanism exerts within a single CA3 pyramidal neurone in vivo, which would explain contrasting significance of the NMDA receptor channel in LTP induction mechanisms between the mossy fibre-CA3 synapse and other hippocampal synapses.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Pulmonary hypertension associated with systemic lupus erythematosus: predominantly thrombotic arteriopathy accompanied by plexiform lesions.

We report an autopsy case of pulmonary hypertension associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in a 48-year-old woman. After 8-year follow-up under a definite diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, she experienced gradually developing exertional dyspnea with palpitation. Her chest x-ray showed clear lung fields with marked cardiac enlargement. A right cardiac catheterization revealed a pulmonary arterial pressure of 74/30 mm Hg (mean: 47). She was treated with repeated plasmapheresis, oral corticosteroid, and immunosuppressant without improvement, and she died suddenly, 23 days after admission. Pathological examination revealed that small pulmonary arteries and arterioles were diffusely involved by florid thrombotic lesions, which were characterized by intimal eccentric fibrous thickening, luminal occlusion with recanalization, and occasional fresh thrombi. In addition, some arteries showed plexiform lesions coexistent with intimal thrombotic lesions. Concentric laminar intimal fibrosis was not seen. No significant parenchymal change was seen. Our study not only adds a rare case of thrombotic pulmonary hypertension associated with systemic lupus erythematosus, but also suggests that plexiform lesions can occur in association with thrombotic arteriopathy.

Fatal Outcome↗

PubMed1993

Cloning and sequencing the recA+ genes of Acetobacter polyoxogenes and Acetobacter aceti: construction of recA- mutants of by transformation-mediated gene replacement.

The recA+ gene of Acetobacter polyoxogenes was cloned as a gene that conferred methyl methanesulfonate resistance (MMSR) on the RecA- Escherichia coli HB101. The cloned recA+ gene also conferred (i) resistance to UV irradiation, (ii) enhanced intrachromosomal recombination, and (iii) permitted prophage phi 80 induction in E. coli recA- lysogens. Nucleotide sequence determination revealed that the recA product consists of 348 amino acids (aa) corresponding to 38 kDa, and shows significant similarity to RecA proteins from other Gram- bacteria. Next, a portion of recA from Acetobacter aceti was cloned by using polymerase chain reaction with oligodeoxyribonucleotide primers design based on the A. polyoxogenes recA sequence. Due to availability of efficient host-vector and transformation systems in A. aceti, recA mutants of A. aceti were obtained by transformation-mediated gene replacement with the cloned A. aceti recA gene which was inactivated by insertion of the kanamycin-resistance-encoding gene from pACYC177. The recA mutants obtained in this way showed similar phenotypes to those of E. coli recA strains, such as increased sensitivity to MMS and to UV irradiation, and decreased homologous recombination.

Acetobacter↗

PubMed1993

Characterization of a cytochrome a1 that functions as a ubiquinol oxidase in Acetobacter aceti.

The terminal oxidase for ethanol oxidation in Acetobacter aceti was purified as a complex consisting of four subunits (subunits I, II, III, and IV) with molecular masses of 72, 34, 21, and 13 kDa, respectively. Spectrophotometric analysis and catalytic properties determined with the purified enzyme showed that it belonged to a family of cytochrome a1 (ba)-type ubiquinol oxidases. A polymerase chain reaction with two oligonucleotides designed for amino acid sequences that are conserved in subunit I of the aa3-type cytochrome c oxidases from various origins and of an Escherichia coli o (bo)-type ubiquinol oxidase was used for cloning the cytochrome a1 gene. A 0.5-kb fragment thus amplified was used as the probe to clone a 4.5-kb KpnI fragment that contained a putative open reading frame for the whole subunit I gene. The molecular weight and amino acid composition of the product of this open reading frame (cyaA) were the same as those of the purified protein from A. aceti. The amino acid sequence of CyaA was homologous to that of subunit I of the E. coli o-type ubiquinol oxidase. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the region neighboring the cyaA gene revealed that the genes (cyaB, cyaC, and cyaD) encoding the other three subunits (subunits II, III, and IV) were clustered upstream and downstream of the cyaA gene in the order cyaB, cyaA, cyaC, and cyaD and with the same transcription polarity, forming an operon. As expected from the enzymatic properties, CyaB, CyaC, and CyaD showed great similarity in amino acid sequence to the corresponding sununits of the E. coli o-type ubiquinol oxidase and as(3)-type cytochrome c oxidases.

Acetobacter↗

PubMed1991

Cloning and sequencing of the gene cluster encoding two subunits of membrane-bound alcohol dehydrogenase from Acetobacter polyoxogenes.

The membrane-bound alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) from Acetobacter polyoxogenes NBI1028 is composed of a 72 kDa subunit and a 44 kDa cytochrome c subunit. The amino acid sequences of the two regions of the 72 kDa subunit were determined to prepare oligonucleotides for the purpose of amplification of a DNA fragment corresponding to the intermediate region by the polymerase chain reaction. A 0.5 kb DNA fragment thus amplified was used as the probe to clone a 7.0 kb PstI fragment coding for the whole 72 kDa subunit. Nucleotide sequencing and immunoblot analysis revealed that the cloned fragment contained the full structural genes for the 72 kDa and the 44 kDa subunits and they were clustered with the same transcription polarity. The predicted amino acid sequence of the gene for the 72 kDa subunit showed homology with that of the 72 kDa subunit from ADH of A. aceti and those of methanol dehydrogenase from methylotrophic bacteria. The 72 and 44 kDa subunits contained one and three typical haem binding sequences, respectively.

Acetobacter↗

PubMed1991

Two cases of hemangioma of the upper lip in infants--treatment using the Nd: YAG laser.

We report here two cases of treatment of upper lip hemangioma in infants, in which the Nd:YAG laser had a significant therapeutic effect. Case 1 was a 3-month-old male with swelling of the upper lip as the chief complaint. After galvano-caustic was performed under general anesthesia, sclerosing agent injection therapy (6 times, total 4.5 ml) was continued for 2 months. But the tumor was still growing about 2 years later, so resection was performed with Nd:YAG laser under general anesthesia. Case 2 was a 1-month-old male, also with swelling of the upper lip as the chief complaint. Resection was performed with Nd:YAG laser under general anesthesia. But the tumor was still growing about 4 months later, so it was repeated. The patients made satisfactory prognosis. Histologically, the final diagnoses of two cases were capillary hemangioma.

Hemangioma↗

PubMed1991

Mandibular reconstruction using the skeletal pin fixation system.

Excellent results were obtained in mandibular reconstruction by using the skeletal pin fixation system. The remaining bone was fixed before segmental resection. Case 1 was a 35-year-old male with a cementifying fibroma in the 2/6 region. We used the HH type pin fixation system and Kirschner wire (diameter 3.0 mm) for the fixation of the mandibular resection end. Case 2 was a 51-year-old male with an ameloblastoma in the 6/4 region. We used the HY type pin fixation system before mandibular resection. Case 3 was a 45-year-old female with an ossifying fibroma in the 6/4 region. The same fixation system was used as in case 2. In all cases, mandibular reconstruction was carried out with iliac bone graft and A-O plate.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Cloning of genes responsible for acetic acid resistance in Acetobacter aceti.

Five acetic acid-sensitive mutants of Acetobacter aceti subsp. aceti no. 1023 were isolated by mutagenesis with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. Three recombinant plasmids that complemented the mutations were isolated from a gene bank of the chromosome DNA of the parental strain constructed in Escherichia coli by using cosmid vector pMVC1. One of these plasmids (pAR1611), carrying about a 30-kilobase-pair (kb) fragment that conferred acetic acid resistance to all five mutants, was further analyzed. Subcloning experiments indicated that a 8.3-kb fragment was sufficient to complement all five mutations. To identify the mutation loci and genes involved in acetic acid resistance, insertional inactivation was performed by insertion of the kanamycin resistance gene derived from E. coli plasmid pACYC177 into the cloned 8.3-kb fragment and successive integration into the chromosome of the parental strain. The results suggested that three genes, designated aarA, aarB, and aarC, were responsible for expression of acetic acid resistance. Gene products of these genes were detected by means of overproduction in E. coli by use of the lac promoter. The amino acid sequence of the aarA gene product deduced from the nucleotide sequence was significantly similar to those of the citrate synthases (CSs) of E. coli and other bacteria. The A. aceti mutants defective in the aarA gene were found to lack CS activity, which was restored by introduction of a plasmid containing the aarA gene. A mutation in the CS gene of E. coli was also complemented by the aarA gene. These results indicate that aarA is the CS gene.

Acetates↗

PubMed1990

A case of a salivary calculus containing a limb of a shrimp--the structural analysis.

This study describes a case of a salivary calculus which contained the limb of a shrimp. Pathological findings seemed to show a stratiform structure of calculus around the foreign body at the center. However, when the cut surface of the salivary calculus was examined by a scanning electron microscope, it was suspected that the origin of the calculus was in another area next to the foreign body. As a result, it became clear that the foreign body was not the core, but that the core of the salivary calculus was somewhere else, and that the earlier foreign body theory needed to be reconsidered. As to the foreign body, the patient remembered eating a shrimp, which was probably the foreign body in question. The findings obtained from the analysis of other shrimp limb specimens were structurally similar. Therefore the suspicion that the foreign body was indeed the limb of a shrimp was increased.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

[Sensory responses to Nd:YAG laser irradiation in humans].

Pain and detection thresholds upon Nd:YAG laser irradiation were studied in healthy human subjects. The output power was set at 100 mW (1.36 W/cm2), 300 mW (4.11 W/cm2), 600 mW (8.22 W/cm2), 800 mW (11.0 W/cm2) and 1,000 mW (13.7 W/cm2). The duration was 5 seconds. The irradiation was done to the hand dorsum using the non-contact method (distance between the subject and the laser tip was 5.0 mm). After irradiation, the detection threshold was about 600 mW and the pain threshold was about 1,000 mW. The skin temperature was 34.9 +/- 0.64 degrees C before irradiation and 38.0 +/- 0.45 degrees C after a 5-sec-irradiation at 1,000 mW. No skin damage was observed after the irradiations.

Humans↗

PubMed1990

[Clinical study on the treatment of hypersensitive dentin by GaAlAs laser diode using the double blind test].

This study was conducted to evaluate the results of treating hypersensitive dentin with a GaAlAs semiconductor laser diode using the double blind test. For this purpose, sixty-seven teeth were examined. Thirty of the teeth were treated with laser irradiation (active group), while the other 36 were not (dummy group). The irradiation equipment was obtained from J. Morita Co. and operated at a continuous wavelength of 790 nm and a laser strength of 30 mW. The following results were obtained: After two hours of laser irradiation, 40% of the active group and 13.9% of the dummy group showed effective results. After one day, these values were 36.9% and 13.9%, and after 5 days, 43.3% and 19.4%, respectively. A overall evaluation indicated these values to be 60.0% and 22.2%, respectively. In evaluating these four results, significant differences are apparent between the active and dummy groups. The present results indicate that laser irradiation may possibly be effective in decreasing pain when treating hypersensitive dentin.

Dentin Sensitivity↗

PubMed1989

Verruciform xanthoma of the gingiva: report of three cases.

Forty-seven English and Japanese cases (including three new cases) of verruciform xanthoma of the gingiva were analyzed. Males were affected more frequently than females, and the average age of the patients was 40.9 years. Both maxillary and mandibular gingivae were affected. The most frequent site of involvement in both jaws was the premolarmolar gingiva. Simple surgical excision was the treatment of choice.

Adolescent↗