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Biomedical subjects

M Suchi

Publications and source records attributed to M Suchi.

28 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Pulmonary tuberculosis. An occupational hazard for pathologists and pathology technicians in Japan.

The incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis among pathology workers in Japan is elevated, presumably due to frequent exposure to tubercle bacilli in the work place. To demonstrate the etiological significance of the association between this disease and occupation epidemiologically, a questionnaire survey was performed to assess the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis among 1,201 pathologists and 1,187 pathology technicians throughout Japan. Pathology department workers other than pathologists and technicians, such as secretaries (n = 207), and workers in university departments of preventive medicine and public health (n = 732) served as control groups. While non-occupation-related tuberculosis was found in both departmental groups with nearly equal incidence, the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis among pathologists and pathology technicians after engagement in their current specialist work was significantly higher than that in the control groups (odds ratio = 6.08-10.98). The incidence of disease among pathology technicians who assisted in autopsies was markedly higher than among those not involved in autopsies (odds ratio = 6.65). This elevated incidence was significantly related to the duration of work in pathology activities, and showed little change over the last decade. These findings indicate that specific environmental conditions in pathology departments, particularly autopsy of cadavers harboring active tuberculosis, constitute a serious occupational hazard.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Isolation of cDNA clones encoding human acid sphingomyelinase: occurrence of alternatively processed transcripts.

Acid sphingomyelinase (sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase, EC 3.1.4.12) was purified from human urine and 12 tryptic peptides were microsequenced (128 residues). Based on regions of minimal codon redundancy, four oligonucleotide mixtures were synthesized and oligonucleotide mixture 1 (20mer; 256 mix) was used to screen 3 X 10(6) independent recombinants from a human fibroblast cDNA library. Putative positive clones (92) were purified and analyzed by Southern hybridization with oligonucleotide mixtures 2-4. These studies revealed two groups of clones; group 1 (80 clones; inserts ranging from approximately 1.2 to 1.6 kb) hybridized with oligonucleotides mixtures 1-4, while group II (12 clones; inserts ranging from approximately 1.2 to 1.4 kb) hybridized with oligonucleotide mixtures 1-3. Several group II clones had larger inserts than those in group I, but did not hybridize with oligonucleotide mixture 4. Screening of a human placental cDNA library with a 450 bp group I fragment, also resulted in the isolation of group I and II clones. Representative clones from group I (pASM-1) and group II (pASM-2) were sequenced. pASM-1 contained a 1879 bp insert which was colinear with 96 microsequenced amino acids, while the pASM-2 1382 bp insert was colinear with 78 microsequenced residues. Notably, pASM-2 did not have an internal 172 bp sequence encoding 57 amino acid residues, but had instead an in-frame 40 bp sequence encoding 13 amino acids which was not present in pASM-1. These findings demonstrate the presence of two distinct acid sphingomyelinase transcripts in human fibroblasts and placenta and suggest the occurrence of alternative processing of the mRNA encoding this lysosomal hydrolase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

A screening method for dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency with colorimetric detection of urinary uracil.

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase deficiency has a neurological involvement as a common symptom among reported cases. No major symptom except that exists for DHPDH deficiency. On the other hand, relationship between neurological involvement and metabolic disorder is still obscure. For the purpose of looking for more patients with DHPDH deficiency, a screening method for DHPDH deficiency is introduced. Urinary uracil was determined colorimetrically. This method is not so complicated and less time consuming as previous method such as liquid chromatography. With this method, it is possible to detect about 1 mmol/l (12 mg/dl) of uracil, which is sensitive enough for the screening for DHPDH deficiency. Interfering substance in urine were negligible. Addition of albumin to normal urine dose not affect the result but proteinuria results in false positive. The urine from 83 epileptic children were screened with this method, but no patients were found.

Child↗
PubMed1989

Effects of health of automobile exhaust and environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) in areas alongside main road.

During a period of eight years from 1977, pupils in F primary school in S ward, Tokyo were monitored each year with a general medical check-up to identify and eliminate any children with urine abnormalities and then the hydroxyproline: creatinine ratio (HOP ratio) in the urine of 4,375 children chosen at random was measured. The children's area of residence was classified, according to distance, into three areas. In addition, the children were classified into four groups depending on their estimated degree of exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS). The relationship between ETS and the HOP ratio was observed annually. The HOP ratio was greatest in schoolchildren living in the area nearest the main roads. The influence of ETS also tended to increase when ventilation rates in their rooms were lowered. The strength of these associations was considered significant depending on the magnitude of the HOP ratio, the correlation coefficient, a two-way layout and relative risk (R.R.). In addition, the consistency and coherence observed in measurements each year suggested a causal relationship. The influence of ETS and area distinctions on the HOP ratio was totally independent and showed virtually no interaction. However, the changes in patterns of indoor smoking from 1980 onwards were not sufficiently accounted for by the previous interview and questionnaire surveys so we introduced an additional bias, namely misclassification of pupils. Subsequently, the possibility of underestimation of the influence of ETS was considered, thereby establishing the need for a revision of the relevant questionnaires.

Air Pollutants↗
PubMed1989

The effect of abstinence from smoking on urinary excretion of hydroxyproline.

The effect of abstinence from smoking on the urinary hydroxyproline to creatinine ratio (HOP ratio) was assessed in 49 smokers who participated in an anti-smoking course. Urine samples were collected at the beginning of the course and weekly during the subsequent 14 weeks in 1985. The subjects were divided into five groups depending on the number of cigarettes smoked daily before abstinence: 1-10, 11-20, 21-30, 31-40 and greater than 40 cigarettes. The urinary HOP ratio immediately after abstinence from smoking was proportional to the mean daily number of cigarettes smoked in the past. All groups showed decreasing HOP ratios with a longer period of abstinence. Half of the total decrease observed in the HOP ratios after 14 weeks was reached within 5 or 6 weeks. When using the Brinkman index to adjust for the number of smoking years, half of the maximum decrease in all groups was reached within 4 weeks. In an exponential decay model fitted to the data, the half-life time taken to reach the non-smokers' level was 9-10 weeks for all groups. The HOP level of smokers who smoked less than 41 cigarettes before cessation approached the HOP level of the control group after 61-74 weeks. The results suggested that the urinary HOP ratio was useful as a biochemical marker for short-term breakdown of lung collagen and lung elastin.

Biomarkers↗
PubMed1989

High incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in pathologists at Tokai University Hospital: an epidemiological study.

Between 1935 and 1950 tuberculosis was the most common cause of death in Japan. Subsequently, the mortality rate, incidence, and prevalence of tuberculosis have decreased remarkably due to socioeconomic improvements and development of specific chemotherapy. It has been suspected that the incidence and prevalence of pulmonary tuberculosis in hospital workers, particularly those employed in pathology divisions, may be higher than those for other health care workers. However, there have been no reports on this subject. We conducted a questionnaire survey to assess and compare the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in pathologists at Tokai University Hospital with that in other employees of the University. Data on history of treatment for tuberculosis were obtained. The incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis in pathologists was significantly higher than that in other university employees, including clinical doctors who see patients with tuberculosis. These findings suggest that specific environmental conditions in the Pathology Division represent an occupational hazard although the infection might be contracted from other hospital staff.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Bioavailability of a film-coated tablet of valproate in nonfasting volunteers.

The bioavailability of a film-coated tablet of valproate (VPA) in nonfasting volunteers was studied. Ten healthy adults received a single 200 mg (mean 3.55 mg/kg) film-coated tablet, 15 minutes after breakfast. Venous blood was then taken at regular intervals of up to 4 or 7 hours after the dosage, and the serum VPA concentrations were determined by means of a fluorescence polarization immunoassay. VPA was slowly absorbed with the peak concentrations occurring 1.5 to 4 hours after the administration. The mean concentration (Cmax) and extent of absorption (area under the concentration-time curve) between 1 and 4 hours were 22.2 micrograms/ml and 59.3 micrograms.h/ml, respectively. It was concluded that Cmax with a film-coated tablet of VPA can be detected if blood is taken at around 3 hours after the dosage under nonfasting conditions.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Increase of protein synthesis by uridine supplement in lectin-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes and EB virus-transformed B cell line of hereditary orotic aciduria type I.

A 2 month-old Japanese girl with hereditary orotic aciduria type I was treated with oral uridine supplement. The activities of orotate phosphoribosyltransferase (OPRT) and orotidine-5'-phosphate decarboxylase (ODC) in erythrocytes were 2.7 and 0.4%, respectively, of those in the controls. Megaloblastic anemia, excessive urinary excretion of orotic acid, lymphopenia and decreased number of OKT3 positive lymphocytes on admission were corrected after the uridine supplement. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were cultured for 24 hr in RPMI 1640 medium with 10% heat-inactivated fetal calf serum and further stimulated with PHA-P, ConA or PWM in the presence of 10 to 1000 microM uridine. EB virus-transformed B cell line (LCL) maintained with an optimal concentration of uridine was cultured for 48 hr in uridine free medium and cultured for an additional 48 hr with 1 to 1000 microM uridine. The incorporations of leucine in to PHA-, ConA- and PWM-stimulated PBL and into LCL of the patient increased in the presence of uridine over 10 microM, although they did not increase in controls. These data suggest that low protein synthesis might correlate with an immune deficiency in hereditary orotic aciduria type I.

Antigens, Surface↗
PubMed1987

Impact of smoking on the concentration and activity of alpha-1-antitrypsin in serum in relation to the urinary excretion of hydroxyproline.

The impact of active and passive smoking on the serum levels of alpha 1-AT, the trypsin inhibitory capacity (TIC), the trypsin inhibitory activity (TIA) and the urinary hydroxyproline to creatinine ratio (HOP-ratio) was studied. The subjects used in the study on active smoking were 167 healthy adult men and in the study on passive smoking 189 healthy primary school children. Serum levels of alpha 1-AT in active smokers were significantly higher than those in non-smokers. The TIC as well as the TIA in active smokers decreased with increasing number of cigarettes smoked. The urinary HOP-ratio increased significantly with increasing number of cigarettes smoked. On the other hand, in the case of passive smokers a significant difference was obtained only for the HOP-ratio. The correlations between all markers in active smokers were significant. Less significant correlations were found in the case of passive smokers. These results suggest that the urinary excretion of hydroxyproline can be considered as a marker for the imbalance between proteases and anti-proteases as a result of smoking.

Adult↗