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Biomedical subjects

T Fujii

Publications and source records attributed to T Fujii.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

A case of progressive congestive heart failure secondary to severe anemia in a patient presenting with uterine hemorrhage.

In this report, we present a 42-year-old female patient who was transferred to our emergency department due to symptoms of congestive heart failure. She presented with severe anemia (hemoglobin was 1.3 g dl(-1), and hematocrit was 6.0%) due to continuous uterine hemorrhage and metabolic acidosis, otherwise she seemed to be free from illness. We diagnosed that she was suffered from chronic severe anemia due to uterine hemorrhage and congestive heart failure. Monitoring her hemodynamic status, treatment of congestive heart failure using diuretics and inotropes in combination with blood transfusion brought her good recovery. We discussed this case from the mechanisms of development of congestive heart failure in a chronic severe anemic condition, and pointed out that distributive effects of sodium and water may develop congestive heart failure without myocardial dysfunction in such a condition.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Adenylate kinase is tightly bound to axonemes of Tetrahymena cilia.

Cilia of Tetrahymena thermophila possess adenylate kinase [ATP:AMP phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.4.3] activity. More than 95% of the total activity was recovered in the axonemal fraction when cilia were demembranated with 0.2% Nonidet P-40. There was no loss of the specific activity of adenylate kinase when axonemes were thoroughly washed with HMEK solution (10 mM HEPES, 5 mM MgCl2, 0.1 mM EDTA, and 0.1 M KCl, pH 7.4). These results suggest that adenylate kinase is tightly bound to axoneme. Solubilization of adenylate kinase was markedly increased when axonemes were incubated in HME buffer (10 mM HEPES, 1 mM MgCl2, 0.1 mM EDTA, pH 7.4) containing concentrations of NaCl (or KCl) exceeding 1 M. Therefore, routine isolation of adenylate kinase from axonemes involved pre-extracting axonemes with 0.5 M NaCl in HME buffer followed by extraction in HME buffer containing 1.5 M NaCl. Native-gel electrophoresis of the high salt extract revealed two protein bands (band I and band III). An active staining for adenylate kinase showed a single active band corresponding to the position of band III. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis using native-gel electrophoresis in the first dimension and SDS-PAGE in the second dimension suggests that band III protein contains at least nine polypeptides ranging from 21 to 110 kDa.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1999

Time-dependent effects of stressor application on metastasis of tumor cells in the lung and its regulation by an immunomodulator in mice.

The effects of the timing of stressor application on transplanted tumor cells and its possible regulation by an immunomodulator was investigated. Male C57 BL/6N mice were subjected to rotational stressor for 7 days relative to tumor cell inoculation: stressor after inoculation of Lewis lung cancer cells, stressor during inoculation and stressor before inoculation. Stressor application and tumor cell inoculation induced transient decreases in body weight, particularly in mice stressed after inoculation. The mice exposed to the stressor during inoculation or before inoculation showed significant increases in the number of metastatic foci relative to control mice. Early administration of an immunomodulator, PSK, significantly attenuated the increase of metastatic foci in stressed mice. The weights of thymus gland and spleen at 14 days after inoculation were similar in the three stressor groups and the control group. Application of the stressor reduced NK cell activity of the normal mice as well as tumor bearing mice. The lowest pre-inoculation NK cell activity was observed in mice stressed for 7 days beginning on the day of inoculation. The NK cell activity decreased in the tumor bearing mice which were stressed at the time of tumor inoculation. Decreased NK cell activity was reversed at day 14 after tumor inoculation. The mice exposed to the stressor after inoculation showed lowest level of NK cell activity relative to mice exposed to the stressor before or during inoculation. The treatment of mice with PSK reduced these changes significantly. The present results suggest that the rotational stress reduces splenic NK cell activity, which may influence the magnitude of tumor metastasis, depending on the time of tumor cell injection. Further, administration of an immunomodulator may counteract the reduction of the NK cell activity.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1999

Successful management of intractable epilepsy with intravenous lidocain and lidocain tapes.

The authors report on the successful management of a 6-year-old male with intractable epilepsy using intravenous lidocaine and lidocaine tapes. At 4 years of age, he developed psychomotor deterioration and intractable epilepsy associated with leukoencephalopathy secondary to the treatment of central nervous system leukemia. His seizures were refractory to conventional antiepileptic drugs. The adjunct treatment with intravenous lidocaine and lidocaine tapes proved effective in controlling the intractable seizures. Mental state and motor activity subsequently began to improve after the reduction of the seizures.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1999

Determinants of circadian blood pressure rhythm in essential hypertension.

It has been postulated that the lack of nocturnal blood pressure fall in patients called nondippers is associated with more serious end organ damages by hypertension than in dippers whose blood pressure falls during the night. Recently, we found that sodium restriction shifted circadian rhythm of blood pressure from that of a nondipper to a dipper in patients with essential hypertension. In the present study, we aimed to clarify these important findings from the different approaches, and examined which factors affected the diurnal rhythm of blood pressure. A total of 70 patients with essential hypertension were maintained on high and low sodium diets for 1 week each. Nocturnal fall in mean arterial pressure was calculated in each patient, and, based on multiple regression analysis, independent factors affecting this nocturnal fall were examined. Thirty-eight patients were classified as non-sodium-sensitive, whereas 32 were considered sodium sensitive, based on a >10% change in 24-h mean arterial pressure by sodium restriction. In all 70 patients, sodium sensitivity of blood pressure, as well as an interaction between sodium sensitivity and sodium restriction, were identified as independent factors affecting the nocturnal fall. In sodium-sensitive types, in addition to sodium restriction, glomerular filtration rate was identified, whereas, in non-sodium sensitive types, there was no significant factor. Based on multiple regression analysis, the present study reached the same important conclusion as our previous findings: namely, that the enhanced sodium sensitivity was an independent determinant for the diminished nocturnal fall in essential hypertension and that sodium restriction could restore the nocturnal decline, especially in patients with enhanced sodium sensitivity whose nocturnal decline was diminished. Reduced renal sodium excretory capability may be one of the mechanisms involved in nondipping.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Ytterbium-decreasing Streptomyces sp. and its naphthoquinone-pigment production in the presence of rare-earth elements.

We screened for oligotrophic microorganisms capable of decreasing the concentration of ytterbium (Yb), a representative of the heavy rare-earth elements, in a culture medium. From 476 strains of oligotrophic microorganisms (grown on 1/100 diluted nutrient agar) isolated from soil and river water samples, 5 strains capable of reducing the concentration of Yb in diluted nutrient broth containing 5 ppm Yb were selected. Among them, a strain capable of reducing the concentration of all rare-earth elements to a great extent was identified as Streptomyces sp. (strain YB-1). This strain produced redish-purple pigment(s) only in the presence of rare earths, but not in that of other metals. The pigment was extracted with ethyl acetate and purified by a series of column chromatography steps. From the results of structural analysis using ultraviolet or infrared absorption spectrometry and 13C-NMR, the pigment was determined to be a kind of naphthoquinone similar to nanaomycin produced by a Streptomyces sp. These results suggested that rare earths might affect the physiological activity of this strain.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Serum levels of pancreatitis-associated protein in digestive diseases with special reference to gastrointestinal cancers.

The serum levels of pancreatitis-associated protein (PAP) were measured in 196 patients with digestive diseases and 15 healthy subjects by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The serum PAP levels were significantly elevated in the patients with gastric, colorectal, biliary tract, hepatocellular, or pancreatic cancers compared with the healthy subjects. After curative resection of the tumor, serum PAP levels were significantly decreased. The serum PAP levels were not related to clinicopathological factors except for the tumor size of pancreatic cancer. There were some cases of PAP-positive and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) or carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 -negative gastric and colorectal cancers. The serum PAP levels were also significantly elevated in the patients with acute pancreatitis compared with those in not only the healthy subjects but also the patients with chronic pancreatitis. The peak PAP levels were significantly correlated with the severity of acute pancreatitis and reflected the clinical healing of the disease. The peak of serum PAP was significantly delayed compared with those of other pancreatic enzymes. These results suggest that the increase of serum PAP levels in patients with gastrointestinal cancers reflects an ectopic expression of PAP in cancer cells and that increased serum levels of PAP in acute pancreatitis are correlated with the disease severity and are prolonged than those of other pancreatic markers.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1999

Activation of lymphocytes and increased interleukin-5 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid in acute eosinophilic pneumonia.

Acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP) is a recently described illness and the number of case reports has increased during the last few years. However, the role of interleukin (IL)-5 and activated lymphocytes in the pathogenesis or activity of AEP is still not clear. The clinical features, lymphocyte surface analysis and IL-5 concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and peripheral blood (PB) of a young female patient with AEP are described before and at 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 months after a 3-day course of i.v. methylprednisolone. Serum and BALF concentrations of IL-5 before treatment were 5,200 and 8,400 pg x mL(-1), respectively. Activated CD4 lymphocytes bearing CD25 and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR in BALF were higher than in PB. Treatment caused a rapid fall in these cells and levels of IL-5 in BALF returned to normal levels in parallel with clinical improvement. There was no evidence of recurrence after cessation of steroid therapy. In contrast, eosinophilia in BALF persisted for 4 weeks after steroid therapy in spite of normalization of the chest radiograph and arterial blood gases. The number of CD8+CD11b- (suppressor/cytotoxic) T-cells subsequently increased while the number of CD8+CD11b+ cells decreased. These results suggest that activated CD4 cells and interleukin-5 elevation contribute to the development of acute eosinophilic pneumonia rather than persistent eosinophilia in the lung and that a short course of steroid therapy may effectively control acute eosinophilic pneumonia.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1999

Role of insulin resistance in the genesis of sodium sensitivity in essential hypertension.

We recently showed that cardiovascular morbidity was higher in sodium sensitive type of essential hypertension than in the non-sodium sensitive type. It was examined whether sodium sensitivity was associated with insulin resistance, an important atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk factor in essential hypertension. Fifty-three patients with essential hypertension, who had normal (n = 12) and impaired (n = 41) glucose tolerance, were placed on high (12-15 g NaCl/day) and low (1-3 g) sodium diets for 1 week each to determine sodium sensitivity. Fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were measured on a regular sodium diet. The homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance index (fasting glucose [mmol/L] x fasting insulin [mU/L]/22.5) was 1.40+/-0.10 and 1.47+/-0.14 in non-sodium sensitive and sodium sensitive groups. The insulin resistance index was positively correlated with the sodium sensitivity index, while was negatively correlated with fractional excretion of sodium (FE(Na)) obtained during a high sodium diet. In addition, the insulin resistance index had a positive relationship with overall creatinine clearance. Sodium sensitivity index was also negatively correlated with FE(Na) obtained during a high sodium diet. These results showed that insulin resistance might participate in the genesis of sodium sensitivity in essential hypertension by enhancing tubular sodium reabsorption, as reflected in decreased FE(Na) and augmented creatinine clearance. Insulin resistance seemed elevated in sodium sensitive state of essential hypertension, leading to future cardiovascular events.

Absorption↗
PubMed1999

Purification and characterization of a trypsin-like protease from the culture supernatant of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans Y4.

We purified and characterized a protease from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans. The protease was isolated from the culture supernatant by sonication in phosphate-buffered 3-[(3 cholamidopropyl)dimethylammonio]-1-propanesulfonate (CHAPS). The protease was purified by acetone precipitation, followed by column chromatography with Arginine Sepharose 4B, DEAE Sepharose CL-6B, Sephacryl S-200HR and HiTrap Q. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the purified protease showed a clear band at approximately 50 kDa. The protease showed trypsin-like activity with hydrolytic activity for the synthetic substrates N alpha-benzoyl-DL-arginine p-nitroanilide (BApNA) and N alpha benzoyl-DL-lysine p-nitroanilide (BLpNA). The activity of the protease was stable at pH 7.0 to approximately 8.0. The activity of the protease was inhibited by leupeptin, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), and EDTA, but was not affected by dithiothreitol (DTT), cysteine, 2-mercaptoethanol, pepstatin or soybean trypsin inhibitor. These data suggest that this protease is a serine protease or metallo protease. This enzyme extensively degraded collagen type I and fibronectin.

Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans↗
PubMed1999

Primary amebic meningoencephalitis due to Naegleria fowleri: an autopsy case in Japan.

Free-living amebas represented by Naegleria fowleri, Acanthamoeba and Balamutia have been known to cause fatal meningoencephalitis since Fowler and Carter (1965) reported the first four human cases. An autopsy case of a 25-year-old female with primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) due to Naegleria fowleri is described. Headache, lethargy and coma developed in this patient, and her condition progressed to death 8 days after the onset of clinical symptoms. Cerebral spinal fluid examination confirmed clusters of amebas, which were grown in culture and identified as Naegleria fowleri. At autopsy, lesions were seen in the central nervous system (CNS) and the ethmoid sinus. The CNS had severe, suppurative meningoencephalitis with amebic trophozoites mingled with macrophages. This case is the first report of PAM due to Naegleria fowleri in Japan.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

MEN1 gene mutations in sporadic neuroendocrine tumors of foregut derivation.

Foregut-derived neuroendocrine (NE) tumors occur sporadically or in association with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) syndrome. Thirty-nine sporadic NE tumors of foregut derivation (six thymic, 21 bronchial, three gastric, and nine pancreatic tumors) as well as two hindgut-derived rectal carcinoids for somatic MEN1 gene mutation were analyzed by direct sequencing analysis. Five tumors showed mutations: nonsense mutations (Q393X and R98X) in thymic and pancreatic NE tumors, respectively, a 4 b.p. deletion (357del4) in a gastric NE carcinoma, and missense mutations (D172Y and S178Y) in pancreatic NE tumors. No mutation was identified in pulmonary or rectal NE tumors. In a patient with a pancreatic NE tumor (D172Y), the corresponding germline DNA showed the same mutation, suggesting that sporadic MEN1 syndrome was masked in this case. Somatic MEN1 gene mutations and deletions may play a crucial role in the tumorigenesis of a subset of foregut-derived NE tumors. Sporadic MEN1 syndrome may occur as a sporadic NE tumor of the pancreas.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

The histological basis of detection of adenoma and cancer in the colon by autofluorescence endoscopic imaging.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: The reason for the difference in fluorescence between normal and diseased tissues (carcinoma and adenoma) in the colon observed on autofluorescence endoscopy is unclear, flavins, NADPH and collagen being regarded as possible major sources of fluorescence. The purpose of this study was to identify the reason for this difference in fluorescence. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Samples of human colonic tissues (adenoma: n = 6, cancer: n = 11, normal: n = 11) were obtained from resected specimens. The flavin content of human colonic tissue was measured by high performance liquid chromatography. Fluorescence microscopy under blue light excitation (400-440 nm) was performed using frozen sections of normal, adenomatous and cancerous tissues, and examining them for the presence and characteristics of fluorescence. RESULTS: The flavin content of normal and diseased tissue was not significantly different. Fluorescence microscopy of normal colonic tissue revealed strong fluorescence in the submucosal layer, which corresponded to collagen. Tissue fluorescence did not decrease in reducing agent or acid solution. No difference in fluorescence was detected in normal mucosa, adenoma or cancerous tissue on fluorescence microscopy. These findings indicate that flavins and NADPH do not affect tissue fluorescence, and that submucosal collagen is the main source of tissue fluorescence in the colon. CONCLUSION: The reason for the decreased fluorescence in diseased tissues appears to be a decrease in collagen fluorescence due to the screening effect of mucosal thickening or replacement of submucosa by cancer cells.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1999

Occlusal conditions just after the relief of temporomandibular joint clicking.

When the signs and symptoms of temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) are present, the possibility that occlusal position and mandibular movements are changed is considerable. Accordingly, the presence of occlusal interferences may be misjudged. It is therefore reasonable to consider that occlusal conditions should be examined just after the relief of symptoms. A comparison of occlusal condition in 45 patients with eminence clicking with a group of 60 asymptomatic controls was made. An occlusal examination was administered to the patient group just after the relief of clicking using bite plane therapy alone. The number of occlusal teeth in ICP (intercuspal position) for the patient group was significantly lower than for the controls, and the frequency of no contact of canines on the working side in the patient group was higher than that in the control group. This suggested that in order to avoid the recurrence of eminence clicking, efforts should be made to raise the number of contact teeth in ICP and to make canines on the working side come into contact.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Rapid and specific detection of RNA base sequence using fluorescence polarization.

Rapid and specific determination of the RNA gene of hepatitis C virus (HCV), which had been multiplied by NASBA, was performed using a fluorescence polarization assay. The polarization of the probe DNA in the presence of HCV positive sample, amplified by NASBA, was obviously different from those in the presence of negative control samples. The total time for the gene amplification and detection was about 90 min, while the polarization detection was completed within 10 min. The slight increase of polarization was also confirmed with the hybridization between probe oligo-DNA 25-mers and the synthesized complementary oligo-RNA 25-mers. The polarization of positive and negative samples showed excellent agreement with the results obtained from electrophoresis and dot-blot hybridization.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Rapid detection of the gene of Legionella pneumophila using the fluorescence polarization with the asymmetric PCR.

We attempted the rapid detection method of Legionella pneumophila by the asymmetric PCR and the fluorescence polarization. Eleven extracted DNAs from L. pneumophila serogroup 1 to approximately 6, L. bozemanii, L. dumoffii, L. gormanii, L. micdadei, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were amplified by asymmetric PCR, and the polarization of those products were measured. Only the polarization of L. pneumophila serogroup 1 to approximately 6 rose within a few minutes after the beginning of measurement. The sensitivity to L. pneumophila using this method was 10(3) cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Identification of the binding region of basic calponin on alpha and beta tubulins.

Calponin is a basic smooth muscle protein capable of binding to actin, calmodulin, tropomyosin, and phospholipids. We have found that the basic calponin interacted with brain tubulin under polymerized and unpolymerized conditions in vitro [Fujii, T., Hiromori, T., Hamamoto, M., and Suzuki, T. (1997) J. Biochem. 122, 344-351]. We examined the calponin-binding site on the tubulin molecule by sedimentation, limited digestion, chemical-cross linking, immunoblotting, and delayed extraction matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometric (DE MALDI-TOF) analyses. Calponin interacts with both the alpha and beta tubulins and only slightly with the tyrosinated and acetylated form of alpha tubulin. The binding of calponin to microtubules was blocked by adding poly(L-aspartic acid) (PLAA) or MAP2. After digestion of microtubule proteins with subtilisin, the amount of calponin binding to alphabetas microtubules was reduced compared to native microtubules, but no further reduction was observed in the case of alphasbetas microtubules. The chemical cross-linked products of calponin and synthesized peptides (KDYEEVGVDSVEGE; alpha-KE) derived from the C-terminal region of alpha tubulin and (YQQYQDATADEQG; beta-YG) and (GEFEEEGEEDEA; beta-GA) from that of beta tubulin were detected by mass spectrometry. One kind of calponin-peptide complex was formed in the presence of alpha-KE or beta-YG, while five complexes (calponin:peptide = 1:1-5) were generated in the presence of beta-GA. Peptides alpha-KE and beta-GA inhibited the binding of calponin to tubulin produced by EDC in a concentration-dependent manner. These findings suggest that basic calponin interacts with both tubulin subunits and that their C-terminal regions, which also contain the binding sites of MAP2, tau, and kinesin, may be involved in calponin-binding.

Amino Acid Sequence↗