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Biomedical subjects

I Shimizu

Publications and source records attributed to I Shimizu.

152 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

Epidemiological characteristics of the incidence of hepatitis C virus (C100-3) antibodies in patients with liver diseases in the inshore area of the Yangtze River.

The Nantong area is an endemic region of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the inshore area of the Yangtze River. However, no detailed data are available about hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in this area. In this study recent reports are reviewed about the incidence of viral hepatitis and primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) in China, and it is shown that the Nantong area is a high risk region for PHC. This study reports on the incidence of antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) in patients with chronic liver diseases in the Nantong area; investigated in collaboration with members of the Nantong Medical College, Jiangsu Province, the People's Republic of China. The incidence of anti-HCV (C100-3) in the Nantong area was: 0.67% (three of 451) in donor blood; 0.0% (none of 89) in patients with acute hepatitis; 2.7% (five of 186) in those with chronic hepatitis, 4.5% (two of 44) in those with liver cirrhosis; 6.3% (one of 16) in those with PHC; and 1.3% (one of 78) in patients without liver disease. The incidence of hepatitis B surface antigen in the Nantong area was: 15.7% (14 of 89) in patients with acute hepatitis; 81.2% (151 of 186) in those with chronic hepatitis; 81.8% (36 of 44) in those with liver cirrhosis; 87.5% (14 of 16) in those with PHC; and 20.5% (16 of 78) in patients without liver disease. Although the Nantong area is a high risk region for PHC, these data suggest that HCV infection is not an important aetiological factor for PHC in this area.

Adolescent↗

HCV infection and its clinical features in recipients of blood screened for HCV (C100-3) antibody.

After adoption of the anti-hepatitis C virus (C100-3) test, the incidences of definite and suspected cases of post-transfusional hepatitis (PTH) were 3.3% (7/209) and 7.2% (15/209), respectively. Four patients with definite PTH and seven patients with suspected PTH became positive for hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related antibodies or HCV-RNA after transfusion. These cases that became positive for anti-HCV or HCV-RNA showed a peak of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) more than 4 weeks after operation. Only rare cases that showed ALT peaks within 4 weeks after operation became positive for HCV-related antibodies or HCV-RNA. The peak ALT levels in cases showing positive conversion tended to be higher than those in cases showing no conversion. Judging from these results, cases of suspected PTH include those of transient liver disease attributable to surgery as well as clear cases of HCV infection. Thus new diagnostic criteria are required including data on HCV antibodies or HCV-RNA.

Alanine Transaminase↗

Incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibodies and HCV-RNA in blood donors and patients with liver diseases in the inshore area of the Yangtze River.

The Nantong area is a high risk region for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) in the inshore area of the Yangtze River. However, no detailed data are available about hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in this area. We examined the incidences of anti-HCV and HCV-RNA in blood donors with hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)- and hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb)-negative and patients with chronic liver diseases in the Nantong area at Nantong Medical College, Jiangsu Province, the People's Republic of China. The incidences of HBV markers (HBsAg and/or HBcAb), anti-HCV (C100-3), second generation anti-HCV, HCV-RNA and any marker of HCV in the Nantong area were found to be: 0.0, 0.7, 0.4, 0.2 and 0.7% in donor bloods; 16.9, 0.0, 3.4, 15.7 and 16.9% in patients with acute hepatitis; 82.8, 2.7, 4.8, 7.5 and 10.2% in those with chronic hepatitis; 86.4, 4.5, 9.1, 4.5 and 11.4% in those with liver cirrhosis; 87.5, 6.3, 0.0, 0.0 and 6.3% in those with PHC; and 21.8, 1.3, 1.3, 0.0 and 1.3% in patients without liver diseases, respectively. Although the Nantong area is a high risk region for PHC, these data suggest that HCV infection is not an important aetiological factor for PHC in this area.

Blood Donors↗

Age-dependent change in the response of isolated beagle cerebral arteries to vasoactive agents.

Responses to vasoactive agents were compared in helical strips of cerebral arteries from beagles of different ages (30 days, 3 months, 1 year, and 3 years old). Contractile responses to norepinephrine, serotonin, and histamine, relative to those induced by 30 mM K+, were greater in the infant (30-day-old) beagle arteries than in those from the older beagles. Angiotensin II-induced contractions did not differ in these arteries, whereas relaxations induced by the peptide, converted to contractions by indomethacin, were greater in the arteries from adult beagles than in the immature beagle arteries. Relaxations induced by nicotine, due to stimulation of vasodilator nerves, and those induced by a small amount of K+, mediated by activation of the electrogenic Na+ pump, were not dependent on age. Infant beagle cerebral arteries responded to prostacyclin (PGI2) with a greater relaxation, whereas isoproterenol produced greater relaxations in the adult beagle arteries. It may be concluded that the sensitivity or the quantity of alpha 2-adrenergic and H1-histaminergic receptors is high in the cerebral arteries of infant beagles and declines with age; the affinity of serotonergic receptors decreases with age. Biosynthesis of PGI2 in the vascular wall appears to increase with age. Functions of the vasodilator nerve innervating large cerebral arteries and of the electrogenic Na+ pump in muscle cell membranes may mature during the fetal or early postpartum period and, thereafter, are maintained unaltered.

Acetylcholine↗

Human alpha-1-antichymotrypsin enhances primary antibody response in the mouse.

The effect of human alpha-1-antichymotrypsin (alpha-1-Achy) on antibody response was studied in mice. alpha-1-Achy increased the number of antisheep erythrocyte antibody-producing cells. The increase was dependent on the dose of alpha-1-Achy injected (from 0.25 to 1 mg par mouse). alpha-1-Achy was effective if injected 2 days before or simultaneously with sheep erythrocytes. Asialylated alpha-1-Achy also enhanced the antibody response in the same way as native alpha-1-Achy. When alpha-1-Achy was heated at 60 degrees C for 15 min, it appeared to maintain immunoenhancing activity. However, when treated at 70 degrees C for 15 min, an intermediate immunoenhancing activity was observed, and heating at 100 degrees C for 15 min resulted in loss of activity.

Animals↗

Analysis of 16,16-dimethylprostaglandin E2-induced diarrhea in cecectomized rats.

The 16,16-dimethylprostaglandin E2 (dmPGE2)-induced diarrhea was analyzed in cecectomized rats prepared by resecting the cecum and its vasculature without disturbing the ileocecal junction. dmPGE2 (0.1-1.0 mg/kg, p.o.) dose-dependently increased the number of defecation episodes and induced a soft and watery stool in cecectomized rats. At 0.3 mg/kg, the diarrhea-inducing effects of dmPGE2 were more pronounced in cecectomized than in control rats. When given i.p., dmPGE2 (0.3 mg/kg) induced a watery stool in cecectomized and control rats with the same efficacy, although these effects were short-lasting as compared to oral administration. Castor oil (4 ml/kg, p.o.) also induced diarrhea, but did not produce a watery stool in cecectomized rats. There were no differences between cecectomized and control rats in basal small intestinal transits or in dmPGE2 (0.3 mg/kg, p.o.)-induced enhancements. Moreover, the basal and dmPGE2-induced jejunal net fluid transfers were the same in cecectomized and in control rats. On the other hand, the enhanced secretion of colonic fluid by dmPGE2, given intraluminally, was only half of that in control rats, whereas the colonic transit-enhancing effect of dmPGE2 in cecectomized rats was more pronounced than in control rats at 15 but not at 30 min after its administration. The basal colonic fluid contents and transits were the same in cecectomized and in control rats. Loperamide and morphine (0.1 and 1.0 mg/kg, s.c.) inhibited the dmPGE2 (0.3 mg/kg, p.o.)-induced diarrhea in cecectomized rats. N-methyllevallorphan (5 mg/kg, s.c.) completely antagonized the inhibitory effect of loperamide and partly antagonized the effect of morphine. These results suggest that oral administration of dmPGE2 induces a more pronounced secretory diarrhea in cecectomized than in control rats, probably due to the lack of the reservoir function of the cecum in the operated animals. This secretory diarrhea model is suitable for evaluating the antidiarrheal activity of drugs.

16,16-Dimethylprostaglandin E2↗