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Biomedical subjects

A Fukui

Publications and source records attributed to A Fukui.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Molecular cloning of membrane cofactor protein (MCP; CD46) on B95a cell, an Epstein-Barr virus-transformed marmoset B cell line: B95a-MCP is susceptible to infection by the CAM, but not the Nagahata strain of the measles virus.

Measles virus (MV) infects not only human beings but also some simian species. The MV receptor on Vero cells (a cell line established from African Green monkey kidney cells) and human cells has been shown to be the membrane cofactor protein MCP/CD46, which is an inhibitor of autologous complement (C) activation. B95a, an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed marmoset B cell line, is a simian cell line used for MV selection and is much more susceptible to MV than Vero cells. In the present study, we isolated cDNAs encoding MCP homologues from B95a cDNA library and assessed whether B95a-MCP is responsible for the high susceptibility of B95a to MV. The deduced amino acid sequence of the cDNA of B95a-MCP was 76% identical to that of human-MCP, and the recombinant B95a-MCP exerts C inhibitor activity. Although CAM, a vaccine strain of MV, infected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing B95a-MCP, Nagahata strain, a wild type of MV, failed to infect the CHO transfectants, suggesting that additional membrane molecules of B95a are responsible for the high susceptibility of B95a to the Nagahata strain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Subzero nonfreezing preservation in a murine limb replantation model.

This study was designed to examine the most effective temperature for hypothermic storage, without freezing, to prolong ischemic tolerance in an amputated murine hindlimb model. We measured freezing points in the calf muscle and the subcutaneous tissue of the foot in the amputated limbs of Fisher 344 strain male inbred rats. The highest freezing point was -1.5 degrees C, which was recorded in the calf muscle. To prevent freezing in any of the tissues in the amputated limb, the temperature for the lowest nonfreezing preservation was defined as -1 degrees C. The amputated limbs were preserved at subzero nonfreezing temperature (-1 degrees C) and at 4 degrees C for 4, 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 h, and were then transplanted to other inbred rats by microsurgical techniques. We evaluated the vascular patency of the anastomoses by direct observation and performed histological examinations on the seventh day after replantation. Subzero nonfreezing preservation of a limb at -1 degrees C for 72 h was significantly superior to hypothermic preservation at 4 degrees C for 72 h in terms of anastomotic patency rates (P < 0.05). The histology of skeletal muscles preserved at -1 degrees C for 8 h showed greater similarity to the normal situation than the histology of those preserved at 4 degrees C for 8 h. Bone viability with osteoblastic activity was maintained in grafted limbs preserved at -1 degrees C for 72 h, but in the limbs preserved at 4 degrees C for 72 h the bone was not viable, showing no osteoblastic activity. Clinically, the period of ischemia in major limb replantation at normal ambient temperatures is limited to about 6 h. In this study, the maximum ischemia time for replantation of a limb containing muscle tissue was prolong to 8 h at -1 degrees C, but the maximum ischemia time at 4 degrees C could not be prolonged to 8 h. Our results suggest that, in the major replantation of a limb containing muscular tissue, hypothermic preservation at -1 degrees C would be more useful than preservation at 4 degrees C.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

A method for prevention of arterialized venous flap necrosis.

The authors used a delayed arteriovenous (A-V) shunt method to prevent congestion and necrosis of arterialized venous flaps. Two weeks before elevating the flap, an A-V shunt between the central artery and vein was created at the more proximal flap end. Twelve rabbits (24 flaps) were used for this experiment. Flaps were followed for 4 weeks. Twelve of 24 flaps survived completely; another 10 flaps showed partial necrosis; and two flaps became completely necrotic. These results demonstrated that this method is superior to a simple A-V shunt in preventing congestion and necrosis in the arterialized venous flap.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[Clinical usefulness of 201Tl-chloride scintigraphy for the evaluation of metastatic bone lesions].

201Tl-Chloride scintigraphy (early and delayed images) was performed in 40 patients with suspected metastatic bone lesions. The sensitivity and specificity of 201Tl scanning for detecting metastatic bone lesions were 66.7% and 77.4%, respectively. The uptake ratio of 201Tl per voxel of the lesions to the normal site was significantly different between the metastatic bone lesion and benign lesions. In 20 sites of 15 patients, 201Tl-Chloride scintigraphy was performed before and after radio- or radiothermotherapy. There was a significant difference in the mean uptake ratios in the early and delayed scans between before and after therapy. The mechanism of intracellular uptake of 201Tl is considered to be one of active transport, which might make 201Tl an accurate indicator of the viability of tumor cells and metabolic activity as long as there is sufficient blood flow to prompty transport 201Tl to tumor cells. Thus it would seem that decreased uptake of 201Tl and change in retention index after therapy depends partially on tumor blood flow. In conclusion, 201Tl-Chloride scintigraphy is very useful not only for clinically detecting metastatic bone lesions but also for assessing the therapeutic effects.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

An interferon regulatory factor-related gene (xIRF-6) is expressed in the posterior mesoderm during the early development of Xenopus laevis.

Out of a Xenopus neurula cDNA library, we isolated a clone which encodes a 52.4-kDa protein highly similar to the mouse interferon regulatory factor, IRF-6, whose function is unknown. The mRNA of this gene, named xIRF-6, seems to be maternally transmitted, but its amount rapidly decreases after the tailbud stage. Whole-mount in situ hybridization showed that xIRF-6 mRNA is expressed in the presumptive somitic mesoderm in the late gastrula, and then confined to a segment of posterior somite during the neurula through the tailbud stage. The temporally and spatially limited expression of the xIRF-6 gene product may contribute to the transcriptional regulation of specific genes which are necessary for the development of the posterior somites.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

An essay on the similarities and differences between inductive interactions in anuran and urodele embryos.

As a first step towards providing a conceptual approach to understanding similarities and differences in the mechanisms which guide inductive interactions among related organisms (e.g. various amphibia), a set of five principles is offered here. These principles were formulated by analyzing literature examples of classical embryological phenomena and by performing experiments with activin, a peptide growth factor which is currently suspected to play for a role in mesoderm induction. Mechanisms which account, at least in part, for the observed differences between anuran and urodele inductive processes can be derived from these principles.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

The effects of clomiphene citrate on normally ovulatory women.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of clomiphene citrate (CC) on normally ovulatory women who complained of infertility. DESIGN: A randomized study. SETTING: University Hospital. PATIENT(S): Thirty-three normally ovulatory women with unexplained infertility. INTERVENTION(S): Eighteen women received CC at a 50-mg dosage. Fifteen women received no ovulation-induction drugs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The pregnancy rate (PR) per patient, the PR per cycle, and the cumulative pregnancy rate. RESULT(S): Seven patients in the CC group stopped taking CC, and observations were terminated because of antiestrogenic effects. The pregnancy rate (PR) per patient and the PR per cycle were significantly decreased (P < 0.005) in the CC group (4 of 18 [22.2%] and 4 of 66 [6.1%], respectively) than in the spontaneous group (11 of 15 [73.3%] and 11 of 52 [21.2%], respectively). Kaplan-Meier tests showed that the cumulative pregnancy rate in the CC group was significantly lower than in the spontaneous group (P < 0.05). Five of seven patients who had stopped taking CC became pregnant in spontaneous cycles. CONCLUSION(S): Administration of CC to normally ovulatory women is not efficacious in terms of increasing the pregnancy rate.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

The Na+,K+-ATPase alpha subunit requires gastrulation in the Xenopus embryo.

Na+,K+-ATPase participates in reabsorption of ions and water and produces an electrochemical gradient between the intra- and extracellular spaces across the cell membrane. It also plays an important role in many developmental phenomena such as a blastocoele formation and neural formation. To elucidate the expression pattern of Na+,K+-ATPase in the Xenopus embryo, the spatial expression patterns of the Na+,K+-ATPase alpha subunit were studied in a normal embryo by whole-mount in situ hybridization. These transcripts were localized around the dorsal blastopore at the gastrula stage, in the neural tube at the neurula stage, and then in the pronephros and cloaca at the tail-bud stage. To study the function of Na+,K+-ATPase in embryogenesis after mid-blastula transition, the expression of the Na+,K+-ATPase alpha subunit was inhibited by the injection of specific antisense RNA. Embryos injected with Na+,K+-ATPase antisense RNA showed inhibition of gastrulation. When antisense RNA was injected into the dorsal blastomeres, head differentiation was markedly inhibited. These results suggest that this transcript plays an important role during gastrulation and head differentiation.

Activins↗
PubMed1997

Two-stage arterialized flow-through venous flap transfer for third-degree burn defects on the dorsum of the hand.

A modified, two-stage arteriovenous flow-through venous flap was designed to repair skin defects due to third-degree burns on the dorsum of the hand in four patients. Two weeks after plasty of an arteriovenous (A-V) shunt between the greater saphenous vein and dorsalis pedis artery, the arterialized flow-through venous flap was transferred using the greater saphenous vein as the pedicle. The size of the flaps utilized ranged from 7 x 13 cm to 9 x 13 cm. In three patients the entire flap survived without complication. In one patient whose flap had only one drainage vein, the flap survived with superficial necrosis of about 10 percent of the flap at the borders. During the 2 weeks after A-V shunt creation, the authors believe that microcirculation around the arterialized vein probably develops, contributing to better irrigation and thereby to flap survival. Using this two-stage procedure, it might be feasible to obtain larger grafts and to attain a higher flap survival rate.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Limits and expansion of the clinical use of salvaging autologous transfusion].

As salvaging autologous transfusion(SAT) is conducted by employing blood lost by the patient during surgery, the limits of its clinical use are automatically determined. A thorough understanding of the characteristics and problems of SAT to reduce complications and to avoid the use of homologous blood should lead to the expansion of its clinical use. To achieve an expansion of SAT's use the following steps should be taken. Combining of SAT with another method of autotransfusion, increasing of the preoperative blood volume(volume of erythrocytes), prevention of destruction of erythrocytes in the process of bleeding, salvaging, cleaning and concentration (improvement in the rate of salvaging), preservation of the function of the erythrocytes obtained, immediate salvaging of blood by reduction in the processing time, improvement in the salvaging rate, recycling of the plasma substance separated in the process, removal of mixed harmful substances(malignant tumor cells, urine, bacteria), extension of indications, extension of subjects for whom SAT may be used to children, increase in the remuneration point in the Health Care System, and improvement in the limits of hemodilution of the organic body.

Blood Loss, Surgical↗
PubMed1996

Free and island flap transfer for soft tissue defects in the hand and forearm.

Two hundred twenty patients with soft tissue defects in the hand and forearm were treated with 226 free and island flap transfers. Reconstructed sites involved the thumb in 74 cases, the fingers in 117, the hand in 30, and the forearm in 5. Seventy-nine patients received 82 free flaps, and 141 patients received 144 island flaps. Fifty-six finger reconstruction cases and 73 of 74 thumb reconstruction cases had sensory flap transfers. In the free flap transfer group, 77 flaps survived (93.9%), and 5 failed. In the island flap transfer group, 140 flaps survived (97.2%), and 4 failed. Of the five-failures in the free flap transfers, four were dorsalis pedis flaps, two of which were on patients with an arteriovenous fistula. Of the four failures in the island flap transfers, two were posterior interosseous flaps and two were digital island flaps. All four were reverse-flow island flaps.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Closed rupture of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon of the little finger caused by calcification of the triangular-fibrocartilage.

A case of rupture of flexor digitorum profundus tendon of the little finger caused by calcification of the triangular fibrocartilage (TFC) is reported. At operation, a round defect of the TFC and rupture of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon (FDP) of the little finger were observed. The defect of TFC was repaired using the palmaris tendon and FDP of the little finger was woven into FDP of the ring finger. Eleven months after operation, the patient had almost full flexion and extension of the distal and proximal interphalangeal joints.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Innervated radial thenar flap for sensory reconstruction of fingers.

A radial thenar flap, which is supplied by the superficial palmar branch of the radial artery and innervated by the superficial branch of the radial nerve, was used in four patients for sensory reconstruction of the fingers. Two patients had degloving injuries of the hand and two had amputation injuries of the thumb. Three of the cases underwent free-flap transfers, and one case underwent a reverse-flow island flap. The size of these flaps was about 3 x 5 cm except in one case, where a 15 x 5 cm flap combined with a radial forearm flap was used. Sensory reinnervation was excellent and donor site morbidity was minimal in all four cases. An innervated radial thenar flap from the ipsilateral hand offers an alternative choice to reconstruct large palmar defects of the fingers.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Treatment of massive hemorrhage with liposome encapsulated human hemoglobin (NRC) and hydroxyethyl starch (HES) in beagles.

The efficacy of NRC as a substitute for blood transfusion for treatment of acute, massive hemorrhage was evaluated in this study. Fourteen beagles, anesthetized with a mixture of 50% nitrous oxide, 0.97% sevoflurane and oxygen and ventilated by a respirator, were hemodiluted by withdrawal of 12 ml/kg of blood and infusion of isovolemic HES (hemodilution: HD) four times every 10 min. Then the animals were divided into two groups; an HES group, in which the same HDs were continued and an NRC group, in which the HDs were done with NRC. The hematocrit value decreased to 11% in the HES group after eight HDs and to 13% in the NRC group, which had a 3.9% NRCcrit value during the same period. In the NRC group, Cao2 decreased to 7.9 ml/min, which was significantly higher than the 5.9 ml/dl of the HES group. Oxygen consumption decreased to 56 ml/min in the HES group, but in the NRC group, it dropped to 74 ml/min, which was significantly higher than that of the HES group. Cardiac output increased to 1.2 times that of the control after eight HDs and arterial mean pressure decreased to approximately 60%. The above data indicated that NRC delivered sufficient oxygen to tissues, substituting for circulating red cells and maintained aerobic metabolism. Therefore, it should be possible to use NRC successfully for the treatment of cute, massive hemorrhage.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Increasing coronary perfusion pressure on diastolic and systolic performance is less pronounced in right ventricle than in left ventricle.

OBJECTIVE: Little is known as to whether an increase in coronary perfusion pressure can alter the right ventricular (RV) distensibility and the contractile function as it does in the case of the LV. METHODS: In eight isolated isovolumically contracting canine hearts, RV and LV volumes and coronary perfusion were independently controlled. Effects of an increase in coronary perfusion pressure (from 73 +/- 1 to 152 +/- 6 mmHg) on the end-diastolic and end-systolic pressure-volume relations in both RV and LV were assessed. RESULTS: Following an increase in coronary perfusion, and at a similar volume of the ventricles, end-diastolic pressure was elevated by 2.8 +/- 0.8 mmHg in RV and 8.9 +/- 2.0 mmHg in LV (P < 0.01; RV vs LV), and the slope of RV end-systolic pressure-volume relation, Ees, increased by 11 +/- 6% (P < 0.05) and that of the LV Ees by 21 +/- 5% (P < 0.01). The percent change of RV pressure-volume area (PVA) was less than that in LV-PVA (26 +/- 9 vs 48 +/- 11%; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Accordingly, increases in coronary perfusion pressure and/or flow decreased the RV distensibility and enhanced the RV contractile function, the extent of which, however, was less than that in the LV.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

[Effect of aprotinin on endothelial cell functions during cardiopulmonary bypass].

Fourteen patients undergoing cardiac or great vessel surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (ECC) were divided into two groups. Group A of 7 patients received 2 x 10(6) units of aprotinin (apr) 15 min before ECC and 0.5 x 10(6) unit immediately after the ECC. Group B of 7 patients received 0.5 x 10(6) unit of aprotinin 15 min before ECC and 2 x 10(6) units immediately after the ECC. Several physiological parameters were measured two hours before ECC, immediately after the cessation of the ECC and 4 hours thereafter. No difference was noted in coagulation time, which remained within normal range, and postoperative hemorrhage between the groups after ECC. Although thrombomodulin, ELAM-1 and ICAM-1 tended to decrease slightly in the two groups immediately after ECC, recovery of the thrombomodulin was much more rapid in the A group than in the B group. On the other hand, blood endothelin level and von Willebrand factor activity were elevated progressively after the ECC. Blood granulocyte-elastase activity and IL-8 increased markedly immediately after the ECC and then tended to decrease. These data indicate that no marked damage would be caused on the endothelial cells during ECC which was carried out using a relatively small dose of apr. However, the protective effect of apr remained to be clarified in the future.

Adult↗