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Biomedical subjects

M Machida

Publications and source records attributed to M Machida.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Melatonin. A possible role in pathogenesis of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

STUDY DESIGN: The serum melatonin levels during 24-hour periods were compared between patients with idiopathic and age-matched normal control subjects. OBJECTIVE: To find if the melatonin deficiency may have some role for progression or etiology of idiopathic scoliosis in humans. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Experimentally induced scoliosis in chicken by pinealectomy can be attributed to the defect in melatonin metabolism. METHOD: Blood samples were correlated every 3 hours during 24-hour periods, and serum melatonin levels were measured and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The level of melatonin, integrated concentration through 24 hours and night time (0:00 am-6:00 am), in the patients who had progressive curve (more than 10 degrees of progression in the previous 12 months) was significantly lower than the level in the patients who had a stable curve (less than 10 degrees of progression in the previous 12 months) or in the control subjects (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The study suggests that normal melatonin synthesis or metabolism may have crucial role in regulating normal spine growth. The level of melatonin appears to be a useful predictor for progression of spine curvature in idiopathic scoliosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Molecular cloning of a cDNA encoding enolase from the filamentous fungus, Aspergillus oryzae.

A 1.6-kbp full-length cDNA for the Aspergillus oryzae enolase gene (enoA) was cloned. The sequenced insert contained a continuous open reading frame of 1314 bp encoding a protein of molecular weight 47 405. Among all enolases sequenced to-date, the deduced amino-acid sequence showed the highest homology (74.9%) with Candida albicans enolase (ENO1). Strong codon biases and multiple transcription start sites downstream from CT-blocks in the 5'-flanking region suggested strong expression. enoA mRNA was found to occupy approximately 3% (w/w) of total mRNA of A. oryzae by quantitative RT-PCR. This strong transcription was dependent on the carbon source in the medium and correlated with the growth rate of the mycelium.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Specific regulation of gene expression by antisense nucleic acids: a summary of methodologies and associated problems.

Gene therapy based on gene-specific nucleic acids has moved from theory to a practical possibility in a very short time. The new DNA and RNA therapeutic reagents are intended to stop the growth of cancerous cells or the production of viruses. At the practical level, the efficacy of antisense oligomers as therapeutic reagents has been carefully examined in various clinical contexts. For the efficient use of antisense nucleic acids as pharmaceutical agents, a complete analysis of their mechanisms of action is necessary. The use of antisense oligomers always involves the following problems: basepair specificity, stereoisomer specificity, stability and resistance to nucleases of sense-antisense duplexes, permeability of the cell membrane and targeting of the oligomer, safety, and the preparation of large amounts of oligomer. Herein, we review the basic concepts and problems associated with the exploitation of antisense technology. We have identified a new transcription factor triple-helix-binding zinc-finger protein-1 (THZif-1) induced by antisense c-myc RNA in the antisense-transformed HL60 cells. The encoded protein functions as the repressor of c-myc to achieve the reduction of the endogenous expression of c-myc gene. Therefore, the introduction of THZif-1 gene into HL60 cells in conjunction with antisense c-myc oligomers may result in the efficient repression of the expression of the c-myc gene. The molecular features of this factor are herein discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Pulmonary absorption of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) after intratracheal administration to rats.

Pulmonary absorption of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) was examined in the rat. The relative bioavailabilities of rhG-CSF after intratracheal administration to intravenous and subcutaneous means were 11.6% and 27.4%, respectively, which were evaluated from the ratio of area under the curve (AUC) of the plasma rhG-CSF concentration versus time for 8 h. The pharmacological availability after the pulmonary absorption was determined from the AUC for the increase ratio in total blood leukocyte numbers versus time curve. The availability was equal to or more than the availabilities after intravenous or subcutaneous administration. Comparison of the two different parenteral administration routes for rhG-CSF, intratracheal and intranasal showed the pharmacological availability after the intratracheal administration to be superior. The pulmonary absorption of rhG-CSF is thus an effective parenteral route of administration.

Absorption↗
PubMed1996

Application of long-distance PCR to restriction site mapping of a cloned DNA fragment on the lambda EMBL3 phage vector.

Long-distance PCR was applied to rapidly map the restriction sites of long inserts cloned on lambda EMBL3 phage vector. The restriction sites of 9 of 15 enzymes were completely assigned in a model experiment within 14 h, including 8h for the PCR amplification. This method was found particularly useful for genomic DNA cloning when the partial sequence of the corresponding cDNA is known.

Bacteriophage lambda↗
PubMed1996

Molecular cloning of a genomic DNA for enolase from Aspergillus oryzae.

We have isolated an enolase gene (enoA) from Aspergillus oryzae by heterologous hybridization using the corresponding Saccharomyces cerevisiae ENO2 gene as a probe. A 2.9-kb BglII-fragment contained the entire structural gene enoA including 5'- and 3'- flanking regions. The homology between A. oryzae enoA and S. cerevisiae ENO2 genes is 66.9% when introns are removed. Genomic Southern analysis indicated that there is only one enolase gene in A. oryzae.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

[The mass screening for prostate cancer and the age eligibility. Gunma Urological Oncology Study Group].

BACKGROUND: The age eligibility for the mass screening (MS) for prostate cancer was investigated. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This study was performed in subjects examined by MS from 1981 to 1994 in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. MS was performed by digital rectal examination (DRE) and prostatic acid phosphatase from 1981 to 1991, and by DRE, transrectal ultrasonography and prostate specific antigen from 1992 to 1994. RESULTS: It was demonstrated that the prostate cancer detection rate was affected by the ratio of subjects newly and previously examined, the age distribution in the group examined and the diagnostic modality. It was also demonstrated that the detection rate of early stage prostate cancer was also affected by the age distribution and the diagnostic modality. The effective detection rate was determined on the assumption that the purpose of MS is the detection of the subjects who have the indication for the radical prostatectomy, and the effective detection rate was calculated in the range from 50 to 69 years for age eligibility, and B and C for clinical stage. It was estimated that effective detection rate was 0.37 to 0.61%. They were higher than the detection rate of MS for other organ cancers. CONCLUSION: The eligibility is 50 to 69 years. If subjects in the range of 70 to 74 are included in this project, it is necessary to make an effort practice a subject-education about the prostate cancer natural history and the radical prostatectomy indication.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1995

Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene polymorphism in Japanese patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

To examine the contribution of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), we determined the ACE insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism in 80 patients with HCM and 88 of their unaffected siblings and children. Patients were divided into familial or solitary HCM (FHCM or SHCM) groups with or without affected family members. Genotypes were identified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with oligonucleotide primers flanking the polymorphic region in intron 16 of the ACE gene to amplify template DNA prepared from peripheral leukocytes. D-allele frequencies were 0.38 in all subjects, 0.42 in patients with HCM, and 0.35 in relatives (p < 0.05). The probability ratios were 1.98, 1.46, and 2.97 in patients with HCM, FHCM, and SHCM, respectively. The D allele frequency was higher in SHCM than in FHCM (p < 0.05). The findings suggest that HCM, especially in solitary cases, is partially determined by genetic disposition. Findings imply that the ACE D allele is one of the genetic contributing factors associated with cardiac hypertrophy in HCM.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

NP-06: a novel anti-human immunodeficiency virus polypeptide produced by a Streptomyces species.

From an extract of a Streptomyces culture, we identified and purified a novel compound, NP-06, which is active against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in vitro. Analyses indicate that NP-06 is a hydrophobic 21-mer oligopeptide, N terminally cyclized through the side chain of Asp-9, containing two intramolecular cystine linkages with a molecular weight of 2,163.4. The 50% inhibitory concentrations were 2.8 and 1.3 microM when NP-06 was tested for in vitro anti-HIV-1 activity in ATH8 cells and phytohemagglutinin-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells, respectively, NP-06 appears to block the early stage of HIV-1 infection, most likely at the stage of virus-cell fusion.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

[The effect of fixed night work on blood pressure of male bakery workers in a processing plant].

The effect of fixed night work on blood pressure was investigated for the 13 male bakery workers. All were on the fixed night duty for the first 5 years. The mean BP values of the subjects began to rise significantly from the 4th year. At the 6th year, half of the subjects switched to working in shifts. After that, no increase in the mean BP values was seen in this group. Further increase in the values was observed in the other group on the night duty. However, a two-hour nap late at night prevented the rise of the mean BP values.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[ECG-gated dual isotope myocardial SPECT with 99mTc-MIBI and 123I-BMIPP in patients with ischemic heart disease].

Simultaneous dual-isotope SPECT with 99mTc-methoxy isobutyl isonitrile (MIBI) and 123I-beta-methyl iodophenyl-pentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) was performed in 25 patients with ischemic heart disease. ECG-gated myocardial SPECT was acquired following the injection of MIBI (555 MBq) and BMIPP (148 MBq). Both MIBI and BMIPP scans provided high-quality myocardial images. Then, myocardial count increase rate (%WT = ES-ED/ED x 100) was calculated as an index of left ventricular contraction using MIBI gated SPECT data. The %WT was well correlated with severity scores of both MIBI image (r = -0.70) and BMIPP image (r = -0.72). Thus, ECG-gated dual-isotope SPECT with MIBI and BMIPP was considered to be useful method for assessment of left ventricular contraction as well as myocardial perfusion and fatty acid metabolism.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Role of melatonin deficiency in the development of scoliosis in pinealectomised chickens.

We studied the possible role of melatonin deficiency in experimentally-induced scoliosis. A total of 90 chickens underwent pinealectomy on the third day after hatching: 30 were treated with serotonin, 30 with melatonin and 30 received no therapy (control group). Scoliosis developed in all the control group, in 22 of the serotonin group, and in only 6 of the melatonin group. The six melatonin-treated chickens with scoliosis had less severe spinal deformities than those in the serotonin-treated group. There were lower blood melatonin concentrations in chickens with scoliosis than in those without. Our findings suggest that melatonin deficiency contributes to the aetiology of this experimental scoliosis, probably by interfering with the normally symmetrical growth of the proprioceptive system involving the paraspinal muscles and the spine.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Study of JA300 as agent having high transglycosylation activity.

Escherichia coli JA300 as the strain catalyzing transglycosylation of nucleic acids has so strong activity. We scrutinized where the high faculty of this strain come from. Using PCR methods with our primer pair MI-1 (up; GTT GAA TTC GCC TTT GTT ATG TCA C) and MI-2 (down; GTT CCG CTA ACG GAA CAC CTA GGC CT), we isolated deoD (the coding region of PNPase) of JA300. Nucleotide sequence analysis indicated that deoD of JA300 is definitely same as that of parent strain K12. The fact that the transcription of deoD of JA300 is more active than that of K12 was also revealed after the analysis by Northrn blot hybridization. These data may suggest that the varieties of gene concerning regulation contribute to the difference of PNPase activity between them.

Base Sequence↗