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Biomedical subjects

Nobukazu Tanaka

Publications and source records attributed to Nobukazu Tanaka.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

[The use of questionnaires for rotating residents in evaluating training in anesthesiology].

BACKGROUND: We prepared questionnaires for the rotating residents during their assignment for anesthesiology in the novel Japanese residency programs for the year 2004. METHODS: Questionnaires consisting of 39 items with 235 model answers for these items were prepared. The residents underwent three interviews by these questionnaires over the three-month training period. The number of correct answers for these questionnaires was recorded and evaluated using a computer database software. RESULTS: There was no significant correlation between the results of these questionnaires and the subjective evaluation by supervisors conducted during clinical training. On stepwise regression analysis, the results of the questionnaires for "American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status", "contraindications for epidural anesthesia", "complications of general anesthesia" and "initial procedures for patients in the operating room" correlated with the subjective evaluation by supervisors. CONCLUSIONS: Stepwise regression analysis was shown to be helpful in improving the questionnaires regarding the training in anesthesiology.

Anesthesiology↗

The application of the hemoglobin saturation sensor and indocyanine green (ICG) for blood flow measurement.

BACKGROUND: The aim in this study is to evaluate a new blood flow measurement applying a hemoglobin saturation sensor and indocyanine green (ICG) in circuit and animal models. METHODS: 1) In the basic study, the blood was mixed in a tube with ICG, and a near-infrared sensor was placed in this tube. The standard curve of the relationship between ICG concentration and optical density was obtained. 2) In the circuit model, the blood was circulated by the roller pump. ICG was injected in this circuit and its concentration was calculated from the change in optical density at 810 nm. Rate of flow was calculated based on the Fick's principle. The validity of this method was evaluated by Bland and Altman analysis. 3) In the animal model, a hemoglobin saturation sensor was inserted into three anesthetized dogs via the jugular vein, and iced ICG was injected for calculating cardiac output. Cardiac output was calculated by the same theory of the circuit model. The validity of this method was also evaluated by Bland and Altman analysis. RESULTS: 1) A standard curve was drawn from 11 different points (r2=0.99). 2) The calculated flow rate correlated well with the actual flow rate (r2=0.97). 3) The calculated cardiac output correlated well with results obtained with the thermodilution method. CONCLUSIONS: Application of a hemoglobin saturation sensor and ICG to blood flow measurement was reliable and useful in both circuit and animal models. This method may be clinically useful for measurement of blood flow.

Animals↗

Hairy root-activation tagging: a high-throughput system for activation tagging in transformed hairy roots.

Activation tagging is a powerful technique for generating gain-of-function mutants in plants. We developed a new vector system for activation tagging of genes in "transformed hairy roots". The binary vector pHR-AT (Hairy Root-Activation Tagging) and its derivative pHR-AT-GFP contain a cluster of rol (rooting locus) genes together with the right border facing four tandem repeats of the cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S enhancer element on the same T-DNA. Transformation experiments using Arabidopsis, potato, and tobacco as model plants revealed that upon inoculating plants with Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring these vectors, a large number of independently transformed roots could be induced from explants within a short period of time, and root culture lines were subsequently established. Molecular analyses of the pHR-AT-GFP-transformed Arabidopsis lines showed that expression of the genes adjacent to the T-DNA insertion site was significantly increased. This system may facilitate application of the activation-tagging approach to plant species that are recalcitrant to the regeneration of transgenic plants. High-throughput metabolic profiling of activation-tagged root culture lines will offer opportunities for identifying regulatory or biosynthetic genes for the production of valuable secondary metabolites of interest.

Arabidopsis↗

A new method for measuring total coronary blood flow using the lithium dilution method.

BACKGROUND: The aim in this study is to evaluate a new method of measuring total coronary blood flow (TCBF) in (1) an in vitro model and in (2) an animal model by the lithium dilution method. METHODS: (1) Ringer's solution was circulated in a closed circuit with the main flow as a systemic circulation, and the side flow as a coronary circulation by a roller pump. Two peaks originating from the main and side flow were recorded by the lithium dilution method. The flow was calculated using the Fick principle based on the ratio of the areas under the curve. The validity of this method was evaluated by Bland Altman analysis. (2) Four beagles were anesthetized and subjected to insertion of two pulmonary artery catheters. The position of the catheters was confirmed as being in the pulmonary artery and in the right atrium. Lithium chloride solution was injected into the pulmonary artery and the change in lithium concentration at the right atrium was recorded. TCBF was estimated by the method used in the in vitro study. RESULTS: (1) The calculated flow correlated well with the actual flow (r2 = 0.86). (2) The estimated TCBF at baseline, with low-dose nitroglycerin, and with high-dose nitroglycerin was 206 +/- 43.0 mL/min, 304 +/- 50.3 mL/min, and 348 +/- 50.1 mL/min, respectively (mean +/- SE). TCBF was significantly increased by nitroglycerin infusion. CONCLUSION: A new method of measuring TCBF using the lithium dilution method was reliable and useful both in vitro and in an animal model. This may be clinically useful method for measuring TCBF.

Animals↗

Nuclear localization and interaction of RolB with plant 14-3-3 proteins correlates with induction of adventitious roots by the oncogene rolB.

The rooting-locus gene B (rolB) on the T-DNA of the root-inducing (Ri) plasmid in Agrobacterium rhizogenes is responsible for the induction of transformed adventitious roots, although the root induction mechanism is unknown. We report here that the RolB protein of pRi1724 (1724RolB) is associated with Nicotianatabacum14-3-3-like protein omegaII (Nt14-3-3 omegaII) in tobacco bright yellow (BY)-2 cells. Nt14-3-3 omegaII directly interacts with 1724RolB protein. Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-fused 1724RolB is localized to the nucleus. GFP-fused mutant 1724RolB proteins having a deletion or amino acid substitution are unable to interact with Nt14-3-3 omegaII and also show impaired nuclear localization. Moreover, these 1724RolB mutants show decreased capacity for adventitious root induction. These results suggest that adventitious root induction by 1724RolB protein correlates with its interaction with Nt14-3-3 omegaII and the nuclear localization of 1724RolB protein.

14-3-3 Proteins↗

Tobacco plants were transformed by Agrobacterium rhizogenes infection during their evolution.

We discovered that the origin of cT-DNA in the genome of wild-type Nicotiana glauca is the T-DNA of the mikimopine-type Ri plasmid (pRi) harbored in Agrobacterium rhizogenes. The cT-DNA was inserted into the genomic DNA of N. glauca from the position corresponding to the right border of mikimopine-type pRi. The cT-DNA contained two mikimopine synthase gene (mis) homologs, NgmisL and NgmisR, both of which were transcribed at low level in all N. glauca organs. NgMisR protein expressed in Escherichia coli has preserved Mis activity, which converts l-histidine and alpha-ketoglutaric acid to mikimopine. The mis homolog was also found in the genome of three other Nicotiana species: N. tomentosa, N. tomentosiformis, and N. tabacum; however, the site of insertion differed from that in N. glauca, suggesting that A. rhizogenes harboring mikimopine-type pRi independently infected the ancestors of some Nicotiana plants. This is the first clear evidence of a host-parasite relationship during the early evolution of Nicotiana plants. We propose that a new phylogenetic approach using opine type cT-DNA is applicable for presuming divergence in the genus Nicotiana.

Amino Acid Sequence↗