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Biomedical subjects

R Kaneko

Publications and source records attributed to R Kaneko.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Glial-specific cAMP response of the glial fibrillary acidic protein gene cell lines.

Expression of the rat glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) gene is responsive to the intracellular level of cAMP. We have examined the sequence 5'-upstream of the transcription start site of the rat GFAP-encoding gene to determine the elements responsible for regulating the cAMP response. The RT4 cell lines consist of a neural stem-cell type RT4-AC and its three derivative cell types, one glial-cell type, RT4-D, and two neuronal-cell types, RT4-B and RT4-E. GFAP is expressed in the stem-cell type and the glial-cell type but is not expressed in the neuronal-cell types. Luciferase expression vectors containing various areas of the 10.8-kb region upstream of the transcription start site of the GFAP gene were transiently transfected into these RT4 cells. The effect of cAMP was examined by quantitating the transient expression of luciferase. We found that (i) the 5'-upstream region alone (up to 10.8 kb) allows expression of the GFAP gene in the stem-cell type, the glial-cell type, and a neuronal-cell type; (ii) there are negative and positive cAMP-responsive elements that are juxtaposed within the region between -240 bp and -110 bp upstream and are functional in the stem-cell and glial-cell types but are not functional in the neuronal-cell type RT4-E; (iii) there may be elements that respond to dibutyryl-cAMP in all three RT4 cell types within the region from 2 kb to 10.8 kb upstream of the transcription start site; and (iv) a regulatory luciferase plasmid pRLgfap-1, containing both the upstream and downstream regulatory regions of the GFAP gene, not only expresses luciferase but also responds to forskolin in the stem-cell type and the glial-cell type. This regulatory plasmid, however, does not express in the neuronal-cell type with or without the forskolin treatment.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

[[Trends in demand and supply factors of marriage in the Japanese never-married population: findings from the Tenth Japanese National Fertility Survey]].

"The purpose of the present paper is to describe findings from a survey on attitudes toward marriage and family among Japanese never-married youth from the point of view of the general framework of the demand and supply system. The survey was conducted as a part of the Tenth Japanese National Fertility Survey on the first of July in 1992.... The results...indicate that never-married people in Japan are in a kind of paradoxical situation in which they complain about such difficulties...as insufficient availability of prospective spouses, while they have weaker motivation to get married.... This situation can possibly be explained by [the] increasing level of expectation for marriage and spouse due to dynamic changes in [the perceived] function of marriage." (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Tissue-specific versus cell type-specific expression of the glial fibrillary acidic protein.

Expression of the glial cell-specific gene encoding glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is regulated in a tissue-specific (neural tissue versus other tissues) as well as a cell type-specific (glial cell versus neuron) manner. Using a family of rat neurotumor RT4 cell lines in which neuronal/glial differentiation occurs in vitro, along with cell lines of different tissue origins, we identified by transient- and permanent-transfection assays two negative regulatory regions, GFAP downstream regulators 1 and 2 (GDR1 and GDR2). Both regions lie 3' of the transcription start site; GDR1 is in a 2.7-kb region extending from the first intron through the fifth exon, and GDR2 is within 1.7 kb 3' of the polyadenylylation site. GDR1 alone is responsible for tissue-specific expression (suppression in nonneural tissues), while both GDR1 and GDR2 are necessary for cell type-specific expression (suppression in neuronal cells).

Animals↗
PubMed1993

[Study on semen collection from patients with anejaculation by electrostimulation].

Several methods to provoke ejaculations artificially have been used to treat patients with anejaculation. The purpose of this study is to investigate the clinical usefulness of electroejaculation for patients with anejaculation induced by spinal cord injury or surgical operation. Forty patients with spinal cord injury and one with anejaculatin after radical operation for rectal cancer underwent electroejaculation by Brindley's technique and/or modified Seager's technique. To reduce the electric energy consumed in patients, we applied bipolar pulses for modified Seager's technique instead of sine-wave current. Seminal emissions were obtained from 11 out of 18 patients by Brindley's technique and from 24 out of 29 patients by Seager's technique. From the patient with anejaculation after radical operation for rectal cancer, semen was obtained by modified Seager's technique. Most common complications were autonomic dysreflexia and pain. Since these complications disappeared soon after the termination of electrostimulation, this method was thought to be safer than intrathecal injection of neostigmine. Regarding the semen quality, it seemed that total sperm counts got worse as the interval after injury was extended. Not only in the chronic stage but also in the first one month after spinal cord injury, sperm motility was low. It was suggested that dysfunction of the testis and epididymis appeared in the early stage of spinal cord injury.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

[[A projection system for future age-specific fertility rates]].

"This paper presents detailed description of a newly developed fertility projection system which was used in population projections for Japan, and population projections by prefectures, officially announced in September and November 1992 respectively. The system is based on a model of age-specific fertility rates by birth order, and it converts parameters which convey behavioral traits of cohort fertility into age-specific fertility rates of future years." (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Asia↗
PubMed1991

Substrate specificity of alpha-galactosidase from Aspergillus niger 5-16.

This paper describes the specificity of Aspergillus niger 5-16 alpha-galactosidase toward various oligosaccharides having terminal galactose or stub galactose or both on the oligosaccharide. The galactosidase rapidly hydrolyzed p-nitrophenyl-alpha-D-galactopyranoside, but hardly liberated galactose from melibiose, manninotriose, 6(3)-alpha-D-galactosylmannotriose, etc. On the other hand, the enzyme tore off the stub galactoses attached to the inner mannoses of the main-chain of galactomannooligosaccharides, but not the terminal galactoses attached to the non-reducing-end mannoses of the main-chain. Thus, the substrate specificity of A. niger 5-16 alpha-galactosidase is quite different from that of Mortierella vinacea alpha-galactosidase.

Aspergillus niger↗
PubMed1991

[Study of the combined M-VAC therapy in invasive bladder cancer].

We carried out combined M-VAC therapy in 12 patients with invasive bladder cancer without metastatic foci, and studied mainly the pathohistological findings and side effects before and after chemotherapy. There were 9 male cases and 3 female cases who were between 53 and 76 years old, and 66 years old on the average. After admission, 1 or 2 courses of M-VAC therapy were performed after confirmation of the pathological tissues by transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TUR-BT), and then total cystectomy (in 6 cases) or TUR-BT (in 6 cases) was conducted after 15 days on the average. According to the combined M-VAC therapy, down-stage was noted in 6 cases (50%) and down-grade in 6 cases (50%). Side effects such as anorexia, nausea and leukopenia were noted in all cases, and depilation, vomiting and thrombopenia were frequently noted. However, all these cases were transient without any serious trouble. The usefulness of the combined M-VAC therapy in invasive bladder cancer was proven, and the possibility of elevating the therapeutic response by surgery with lesser invasion was suggested.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Molecular cloning of the structural gene for alkaline elastase YaB, a new subtilisin produced by an alkalophilic Bacillus strain.

Alkaline elastase YaB is an extracellular serine protease of the alkalophilic Bacillus strain YaB. We cloned the structural gene, ale, and determined the nucleotide sequence. The mature enzyme (268 amino acids) was preceded by a putative signal sequence and a prosequence (27 and 83 amino acids, respectively). The mature enzyme was 55% homologous to subtilisin BPN'. Almost all the positively charged residues are predicted to be on the surface of the molecule, which would facilitate binding to elastin. The P1 substrate site-related sequences differed between alkaline elastase YaB and subtilisin BPN'.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1987

[[Development of new relational models for the age pattern of mortality]].

After a discussion of the Brass logit model of age-specific mortality, the author proposes five new relational models of the age pattern of mortality. These models and related mathematical extensions of the conventional logit model are assessed as to "their applicability as model life table systems and projection tools of age patterns of mortality in time series. The results indicate that [the] relational models serve as useful demographic tools for estimation and projection besides [their] original use in analytical studies of aging and mortality processes." (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Age Factors↗