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Biomedical subjects

H Fujii

Publications and source records attributed to H Fujii.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

In vitro assessment of corrosive properties of titanium as a biomaterial.

Titanium (Ti) is thought to be a highly biocompatible material, and its clinical applications are becoming increasingly frequent. However, there have recently been some clinical papers reporting hypersensitivity and allergic reactions to Ti. The purpose of this study was to assess the corrosive properties of Ti in the intra-oral environment in vitro. Cast pure Ti specimens were immersed in artificial saliva, physiological saline solution, and 128 mmol x L(-1) of lactic, formic and acetic acids for 3 weeks at 37 degrees C with shaking. The colour, weight, surface morphologies and chemical binding state of specimens were observed before and after immersion. Marked discoloration was recognized on the surface of specimens immersed in formic acid, and a significant difference was found between the immersion solutions. Weight changes also varied with solutions; a tendency to increase in formic acid and to decrease in lactic acid. A slight loss was observed in specimens immersed in lactic acid and artificial saliva. The oxide layer composed mainly of Ti-oxide on the surface of the immersed specimens was thinnest in lactic acid, and thickest in formic acid. The present study indicates that both hydrogen evolution type and oxygen diffusion type corrosion on Ti surfaces are possible in the living body. (Our results also confirm some clinical studies reporting Ti accumulation in surrounding tissues and Ti causing allergic reactions.)

Acetates↗
PubMed2001

Influence on force curve exerted by jaw tapping force.

The purpose of this study, which made use of visual biofeedback, was to determine how methods of regulating jaw tapping force differed depending on the strength of the tapping, using the force curve as an index. Nine healthy examinees were asked to make 30-35 jaw tapping movements, reproducing the defined target tapping force as accurately as possible. We measured the duration of the tooth contact phase, the time to peak force, the first time derivative of force (peak dF/dt), and the time to peak dF/dt. The results indicated that the duration of the tooth contact phase and the time to peak force increased with the target value (P < 0.01). As the target rose, the peak dF/dt increased significantly (P < 0.01), but the time to peak dF/dt was not significant (P=0.134). We found that the higher the target value, the greater the degree of dependency on feedback information. We also found that both the peak dF/dt and the time to peak dF/dt were determined for each examinee prior to movement.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Propagation of the impact on the tooth caused by jaw tapping movement.

The influence of mechanical stimulation on the human body is extremely important. We hypothesized that if tooth impact is propagated to other sites of the body, this impact will have some effect on those sites as well. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which tooth impact was propagated in the head and neck. It was found that the waves recorded on the upper canine are divided into a high frequency component and a low frequency component at a border of approximately 7 kHz. The amplitude of the impulse wave was 80.813 g for the low frequency component, and 177.839 g for the high frequency component. In terms of propagated vibration from the canine, the amplitude of the low frequency component was larger than that of the high frequency component, and greatest at the chin, followed in descending order by the zygomatic bone, forehead and vertebra prominens. For both frequency components, the amplitude of the propagated vibrations was small compared with the impulse waves. These results provide a basis for future analysis of the influence of such impact on cell response.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Head movement properties during voluntary rapid jaw movement in humans.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the start of the synchronized head movement during mandibular movement is evoked by the peripheral reflexes following mandibular movement (i.e. stretch or trigemino-neck reflexes), or, alternatively, is started by pre-programmed central command. Head movement accompanying voluntary rapid jaw opening movement was studied using accelerometers fixed to the upper and lower incisors, as well as electromyographs (EMGs) of the neck muscles. The direction of head acceleration at the upper incisor was towards head extension at the beginning of jaw opening movement in 89.2% of all trials, opposite to the direction of lower jaw acceleration. The onset of head acceleration was later than that of the lower jaw acceleration by averages of 6.2-10.7 ms, and the onset of electromyographic activities of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle preceded that of head acceleration by an average of 12.5-24.3 ms. These findings suggest that head movement during mandibular movement is not started by peripheral reflexes but by pre-programmed central commands. This may be relevant to muscular discomfort in the neck and shoulder regions of patients with stomatognathic disorders.

Acceleration↗
PubMed2001

Spontaneous regression over a 16-year period of tachyarrhythmias to sick sinus syndrome and complete atrioventricular block in a young patient with Ebstein's anomaly.

A 25-year-old man with Ebstein's anomaly showed spontaneous regression of tachyarrhythmias to sick sinus syndrome and complete atrioventricular block over a 16-year period. This is the first clinical report supporting the hypothesis that abnormal cell death might contribute to the disturbance of the heart conduction system in Ebstein's anomaly.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Pancreaticobiliary maljunction: etiologic concepts based on radiologic aspects.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to develop a new concept of the embryonic etiology of pancreaticobiliary maljunction (PBM) based on cholangiopancreatograms. METHODS: The subjects were 202 patients with PBM (60 men and 142 women) in whom the junction of the pancreatic and bile ducts was radiologically diagnosed as being located outside of the duodenal wall; 133 of the 202 patients also had congenital cystic dilatation of the bile duct (CCBD). RESULTS: The length of the duct from the junction to the orifice of the major papilla (the common channel) ranged from 0.5 to 5 cm on the cholangiopancreatograms. Small radicles of the pancreatic duct arose from the common channel in 36 of the 202 patients. This finding suggests that the common channel is itself the main pancreatic duct in patients with PBM. Moreover, cholangiopancreatography revealed that in 99 of the 202 patients, there was a narrowed duct segment distal to the biliary cyst in patients with CCBD or distal to the normal bile duct in those without CCBD; the length of the narrowed segment varied. Histologic examination revealed smaller branches that had arisen from this narrowed segment in 2 anatomic specimens. This also suggests that the narrowed ductal segment belongs to the pancreatic duct system. CONCLUSION: PBM is an anomaly that is probably caused by a disturbance in the embryologic connections (misarrangement) of the pancreatic and biliary duct system that occurs extremely early during gestation when the bile duct joins with the ventral pancreatic duct system. PBM is not due to an arrest of the normal migration of the common channel into the duodenal lumen during embryonic development.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Time course profile and cell-type-specific production of monokine induced by interferon-gamma in Concanavalin A-induced hepatic injury in mice: comparative study with interferon-inducible protein-10.

BACKGROUND: We have previously shown that interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10), a chemokine for activated lymphocytes, was specifically induced in the liver of Concanavalin A (Con A)-treated mice. The aim of this study was to investigate the time course profile and cell-type-specific hepatic production of monokine induced by interferon-gamma (MIG), a chemokine which shares its receptor and most of its activity with IP-10, in Con A-treated mice and to compare them with those of IP-10. METHODS: Hepatic mRNA expression of MIG and IP-10 was studied by means of Northern blot analysis and in situ hybridization in Con A-treated mice. The levels of MIG and IP-10 in the serum and culture supernatants of murine hepatoma-, hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cell-, hepatic stellate cell- and macrophage-derived cell lines were determined by means of specific enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: The serum level of MIG slowly reached a maximum at 12 h after Con A injection and remained elevated for a long time, whereas that of IP-10 reached a maximum at 3 h and declined quickly, a finding supported by Northern blot analysis. Using in situ hybridization, the mRNA of MIG as well as IP-10 was found to be expressed in hepatocytes and hepatic non-parenchymal cells. Similar to IP-10, MIG was produced by hepatoma-, hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cell-, hepatic stellate cell- and macrophage-derived cell lines in vitro. CONCLUSIONS: Although both MIG and IP-10 were produced by hepatocytes and hepatic non-parenchymal cells in Con A-treated mice, the time course profile of MIG was distinguishable from that of IP-10. The fact that hepatic MIG and IP-10 were produced sequentially in this hepatitis model may suggest that a non-redundant role is played by these two chemokines in the process of hepatic necro-inflammation.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Clinical effect of irinotecan in advanced and metastatic breast cancer patients previously treated with doxorubicin- and docetaxel-containing regimens.

BACKGROUND: Previous phase II trials in Japan suggested that irinotecan was a promising agent for advanced or metastatic breast cancer pretreated with anthracycline. However, irinotecan has not yet been evaluated in the salvage setting for breast cancer pretreated with both anthracycline and taxane, which are two active agents for breast cancer. METHODS: The efficacy and safety of irinotecan were retrospectively evaluated in patients with breast cancer who had previously been treated with both doxorubicin and docetaxel. From 1996 to 1999, irinotecan was administered to 20 patients, all with a performance status of <2. Irinotecan treatment was repeated in approximately 6 week cycles consisting of the administration of irinotecan once weekly for 4 weeks followed by a 2 week rest. The median dose of irinotecan administered was 100 mg/m(2) weekly. The median number of irinotecan cycles given was 1 (range: 1-8 cycles). The median total dose was 388 mg/m(2) (range: 50-2400 mg/m(2)). RESULTS: Performance status declined to >3 after treatment with irinotecan in four patients. Two patients had grade 3 leukopenia; three had grade 3 anemia and one had a creatinine elevation of grade 4. The objective response rate for all patients was 5.0% (95% CI: 0-15.5%). The median time to progression and overall survival were 35 days (range: 17-285 days) and 124 days (range: 17-667 days), respectively, since the start of the administration of irinotecan. CONCLUSIONS: Salvage chemotherapy with irinotecan may be inactive against advanced and metastatic breast cancer pretreated with doxorubicin and docetaxel. We will evaluate irinotecan for advanced and metastatic breast cancer patients as first- or second-line chemotherapy combined with anthracycline or taxane.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

A case with HER2-overexpressing breast cancer completely responded to humanized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody.

This is a case report of a 57-year-old woman with a history of primary carcinoma of the right breast with metastases to the contralateral axillary lymph node. After a partial response (PR) was induced by high-dose chemotherapy with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation, she underwent mastectomy with biopsy of the bilateral axillary lymph nodes. Six months after surgery, the patient had multiple lung metastases. She was then treated with five cycles of fluorouracil, mitoxantrone and vindesine. Although a PR was achieved, further chemotherapy could not be given because of cardiac dysfunction. Since immunohistochemical staining for the HER2 gene product was strongly positive on the surface of primary tumor cells, humanized anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody (trastuzumab) was given intravenously. The metastatic lesion decreased in size and finally appeared to be only cicatricial. Twenty-one months after the initial administration of trastuzumab, the pulmonary lesion was excised. The pathological examination revealed no tumor cells in the resected specimen so further treatment was stopped. The relapse-free state has continued for 24 months after the pulmonary resection.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed2001

Synthesis and DNA binding properties of alkyl-linked bis(benzimidazole) compounds.

We have synthesized novel alkyl-linked bis(benzimidazole) compounds and studied their DNA binding properties by spectroscopic (absorption, CD, flow dichroism and fluorescence) and viscosity measurements. The results indicate that bis(benzimidazole) compounds interact with DNA both by intercalation and by groove binding.

Alkylation↗
PubMed2001

Solution structures of the DNA complexes with alkyl-linked bis(benzimidazole) compounds studied by NMR spectroscopy.

We have synthesized two novel alkyl-linked bis(benzimidazole) compounds related to pentamidine. The solution structures of 1:1 complexes of these compounds with the self-complementary DNA duplexes, d(CGCGAATTCGCG)2 (A2T2) and d(CGCAAATTTGCG)2 (A3T3) have been studied by one- and two-dimensional 1H NMR spectroscopy. The intermolecular NOE data of the A3T3 complexed with compound 3 indicate that 3 binds in the minor groove of the central 5'-CAAATTTG region of A3T3.

Alkylation↗
PubMed2001

Identification of a rat 30-kDa protein recognized by the antibodies to a recombinant rat cutaneous fatty acid-binding protein as a 14-3-3 protein.

Immunoblot analysis with polyclonal antibodies raised against a recombinant rat cutaneous fatty acid-binding protein revealed a 30-kDa protein other than the 15-kDa fatty acid-binding protein in rat skin cytosol. This protein was present in a number of rat organs and in mouse 3T3 L1 cells. The amino acid sequences of the enzymatic peptides of the 30-kDa protein extracted from SDS-PAGE gels suggested that it was a mixture of the subunits of the eukaryotic signaling molecule, 14-3-3 protein. Glutathione S-transferase fusion proteins of 14-3-3 protein subunits were examined for cross-reaction by Western blotting, and the epsilon-subunit alone was found to be immunoreactive, so far as tested. It is likely that the 30-kDa protein detected in the rat tissues by the antibodies is the 14-3-3 protein epsilon-subunit. Although there is no apparent sequence similarity between the fatty acid-binding protein and the 14-3-3 protein subunit, they appear to share a common structural element recognized by the antibodies. Since 14-3-3 proteins and fatty acid-binding proteins are known to interact with a wide variety of cellular proteins, the presence of a common local structure might mutually modulate such interactions.

14-3-3 Proteins↗
PubMed2001

The effects of epidural insertion site and surgical procedure on plasma lidocaine concentration.

We compared the plasma lidocaine concentrations associated with continuous epidural infusion at different insertion sites in patients during surgery using epidural plus general anesthesia. In Study 1, there were 12 patients in each of four surgical groups in whom blood loss was expected to be <400 mL. The four groups were as follows: the lower extremity, the lower abdomen, the upper abdomen, and the lung. Liver surgery was excluded from Study 1. Study 2 comprised patients undergoing radical hysterectomy or radical prostatectomy (a radical operation group, n = 12) and hepatectomy (a hepatectomy group, n = 12) in whom the expected surgical blood loss was more than 1500 mL. All patients initially received 0.1 mL/kg followed by a continuous infusion of 0.1 mL. kg(-1). h(-1) of 1.5% lidocaine, and plasma concentrations of lidocaine were measured at 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min and every 60 min thereafter to 300 min. The plasma lidocaine concentration during surgery did not change regardless of the infusion site or the surgical site, other than the liver. The plasma concentrations of lidocaine in the hepatectomy group increased significantly at 180 min (2.9 +/- 0.6 microg/mL, P < 0.01), 240 min (3.5 +/- 0.7 microg/mL, P < 0.01), and 300 min (3.6 +/- 0.74 microg/mL, P < 0.01) compared with that at 15 min (2.0 +/- 0.3 microg/mL), and these values were significantly larger than those in all other groups.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

FDG accumulation in aortic walls.

A 65-year-old woman with no symptoms underwent whole-body F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) for cancer screening. FDG accumulation was detected incidentally in her arterial walls, including the aortic wall. She had no history of inflammatory or cardiovascular disease. Although accumulation of FDG is well recognized in the aortic wall when vasculitis is present, this patient showed no symptoms of active vasculitis during the 22-month follow-up period after the PET study. The aortic wall might be a site where FDG accumulates physiologically in elderly persons.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

F-18 FDG uptake in endometrial cancer.

Endometrial cancer, which is one of the most common malignant gynecologic diseases, was detected by F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in a 60-year-old woman with abdominal distention. FDG PET revealed heterogeneous and marked accumulation in the endometrium, which was thought to represent endometrial cancer. In addition, focal intense accumulation of FDG in both lungs suggestive of lung metastases were noted. Endometrial cancer and lung metastases were confirmed by endometrial biopsy and computed tomography of the chest, respectively.

Endometrial Neoplasms↗
PubMed2001

Simultaneous squamous cell carcinomas of the uterine cervix and upper genital tract: loss of heterozygosity analysis demonstrates clonal neoplasms of cervical origin.

Five cases of cervical squamous cell carcinoma with synchronous superficial squamous cell carcinoma in the upper genital tract were genetically analyzed to demonstrate the possibility of a clonal neoplastic process. In these cases, the cervical lesions were squamous cell carcinoma in situ (cases 1, 2, and 3) and invasive squamous cell carcinoma (cases 4 and 5). Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) analyses with a panel of microsatellite markers revealed a monoclonal process in four of the five cases. Homogeneous LOH throughout the microdissected lesions was most frequently detected on 6p and 6q (3 cases), followed by 11p and 11q (2 cases), loci known to be commonly lost in typical cervical squamous cell carcinoma. In two cases, genetic progression in terms of additional LOH was found in the upper genital tract but not in the cervix. Most of these squamous cell carcinomas were monoclonal neoplasms originating from the cervical mucosa with subsequent superficial migration of the tumor clone to the upper genital mucosa, and in some cases, genetic progression.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Overexpression of lymphangiogenic growth factor VEGF-C in human pancreatic cancer.

Vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) is a lymphangiogenic polypeptide that has been implicated in cancer growth. In this study, we characterized VEGF-C expression in cultured human pancreatic cancer cell lines and determined whether the presence of VEGF-C in human pancreatic cancers is associated with clinicopathologic characteristics. VEGF-C mRNA transcripts were present in all five tested cell lines (Capan-1, MIA-PaCa-2, PANC-1, COLO-357, and T3M4). Immunoblotting with a highly specific anti-VEGF-C antibody revealed the presence of VEGF-C protein in all the cell lines. Northern blot analysis of total RNA revealed an approximately 2.2-fold increase in VEGF-C mRNA transcript in the cancer samples compared with the normal pancreas. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the expression of VEGF-C and its receptor flt-4 in the cancer cells within the tumor mass. Immunohistochemical analysis of 51 pancreatic cancer tissues revealed the presence of strong VEGF-C immunoreactivity in the cancer cells in 80.4% of the cancer tissues. The presence of VEGF-C in these cells was associated with increased lymphatic vessels invasion and lymph node metastasis, but not with decreased patient survival. These findings indicate that VEGF-C and its receptor are commonly overexpressed in human pancreatic cancers and that this factor may contribute to the lymphangiogenic process and metastasis in this disorder.

Blotting, Northern↗