Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to K Arai.
We have performed new umbilical reconstruction with good results in 9 patients using the procedure of forming a circular cone with a flap that is anchored onto the abdominal wall. Our procedure uses a single flap or brings two flaps together, to form a three-dimensional structure with a single or double suture line, so that the umbilicus will retain its depth over a long period of time.
In 69 lumbar intervertebral discs from 69 autopsies, lipofuscin was seen in discs from individuals older than 50 years of age and amyloids in the discs of individuals older than 40 years of age. In 261 intervertebral disc tissue specimens collected at the time of surgery for disc herniation, lipofuscin was seen in the discs of individuals older than 20 years of age and amyloids in the discs of individuals older than 15 years of age. It is speculated that amyloids and lipofuscin are a sign of aging in the intervertebral disc as in other tissues. Furthermore, amyloids and lipofuscin were seen in the operated discs of young individuals than in the autopsy cases.
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Cells from cutaneous neurofibromas of three patients with von Recklinghausen's disease and skin fibroblasts from four healthy adults were cultured. After two passages, DNA and collagen syntheses were determined by measuring incorporation of [3H] thymidine and [3H] proline respectively, and expressed as the values per unit DNA content. These values from neurofibroma cells were increased by 54% in DNA synthesis and 60% (p < 0.05) in nondialyzable hydroxyproline synthesis, suggesting that neurofibroma cells in culture even after several passages still possess those characteristics corresponding to their pathological features in vivo. Collagen synthesized by neurofibroma cells appears to be normal as judged by intracellular degradation rates and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.
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Radical vulvectomy is often complicated by problems associated with insufficient closure of large skin defects involving postoperative necrosis of the suture line over the mons pubis and the inguinal areas. To resolve these problems, the present study compared radical vulvectomy (RV, 7 cases) with radical vulvectomy followed by reconstructive operation using the gluteus maximus myocutaneous flap (RVR, 5 cases). There was no significant difference in operation time and blood loss between the two groups. Three of the 7 RV patients had wound separations requiring reoperation, while only 1 patient in the RVR group did. The average hospital stay was 86 days in the RV group and 38 days in the RVR. Risks of postoperative infection and wound breakdown were reduced with the flap technique, and ambulation and rehabilitation could begin earlier in this group. Surgical wounds were stable and the quality of life after operation was improved dramatically using the flap technique.
In order to investigate the renal change in preeclampsia, molecular weight and specific protein analyses in unconcentrated urine were performed by the immunoblot method. Urine samples were taken from 34 preeclamptic cases (pure type), including 20 severe cases. Polypeptide profiles of urine consisted of four patterns: low MW (L) pattern (tubular damage), high MW (H) pattern (glomerular damage), high and low MW (HL) pattern, and middle MW (M) pattern. The incidences of the HL, H, L, and M patterns were 26.5%, 14.7%, 11.8%, and 47.1%, respectively. The HL pattern was found more frequently in severe proteinuria than in mild proteinuria. High incidences of the HL and H patterns were found in the hypertensive group. Larger amounts of IgM, fibronectin, IgG, and beta 2 microglobulin in urine were confirmed using specific antibodies. Our results suggest that the immunoblot method makes it possible to differentiate glomerular and tubular damages and to evaluate the severity of renal damage in preeclampsia using unconcentrated urine.
Cytokines play a vital role in coordinating immune and inflammatory responses. Unlike growth factor receptors with a tyrosine kinase, cytokine receptors have no intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity. Based on their structure, cytokine receptors are classified into several groups. High affinity receptors for IL-2, IL-3, IL-5, IL-6, and GM-CSF are composed of at least two distinct subunits, alpha and beta. The alpha subunits are primary cytokine binding proteins, and the beta subunits are required for formation of high affinity binding sites as well as for signal transduction. The GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-5 receptors appear to share the same beta subunit in human, and therefore cross-talk among these cytokines may occur at the receptor level. High affinity receptors presumably are linked to various signal transduction pathways that lead to different cytokine functions. Differential expression of the cytokine receptors as well as reorganization of intracellular signalling pathways are critical for development of hemopoietic cells.
In this study, we have attempted to determine whether mouse peritoneal mast cells released histamine in response to IL-3. Recombinant mouse (m)IL-3 induced histamine release from mouse peritoneal mast cells in a dose-dependent fashion. Histamine release did not occur in the absence of phosphatidyl serine (PS), and was dependent on PS concentrations. The release was 14.3 +/- 3.8 and 43.5 +/- 11.5% (mean +/- SEM, n = 5) at 1 nM IL-3 in the presence of 10 and 20 micrograms/ml of PS. Calcium was required for the response, and in the absence of calcium, significant histamine release was not observed. The kinetics were slower than those of anti-IgE-induced response. IL-3-induced histamine release reached a peak within 15 min, while that by anti-IgE reached 80% of the maximum in 3 min. Lower concentrations of IL-3, which failed to directly induce histamine release, did not enhance anti-IgE-induced histamine release. Other cytokines, including mIL-4, mIL-5, m-granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, human (h)IL-1 alpha, hIL-1 beta and hIL-8, neither induced histamine release nor enhanced anti-IgE induced histamine release. IL-4 had no capacity to enhance IL-3-induced histamine release. These results suggest that locally produced IL-3 might modulate mast cell-related inflammation through histamine release from mast cells.
Effects of human placental calphobindin II (CPB-II) on the protein C activation and prothrombin activation on the cell surface of cultured calf pulmonary arterial endothelial cells have been investigated. CPB-II inhibited thrombin generation by factor Xa bound to the surface of the cultured endothelial cells in a dose-dependent manner. The amount (IC50) of CPB-II causing the inhibition at 50% was estimated to be approximately 10 nM. CPB-II was found to be ineffective, however, in the protein C activation by thrombin-thrombomodulin (TM) complex on the cell surface. Assay using purified TM revealed that CPB-II was able to exhibit the inhibitory potency for the protein C activation exclusively in the reconstituted system with negatively charged phospholipids. These results suggest that the neutral phospholipids participate in the protein C activation through the thrombin-TM system on the endothelial cell surface. The ability of CPB-II to inhibit procoagulant activity without affecting anticoagulant activity on the cultured endothelial cells is probably related to its potential physiological function, while it is able to exert various degrees of influence upon these activities in blood coagulation by interacting with negatively charged phospholipids in vitro.
At least three types of vanadate-insensitive membranous ATPase were identified on rat liver lysosomes: bafilomycin A1-sensitive Mg(2+)-ATPase (H(+)-ATPase), N-ethylmaleimide (NEM)-sensitive but bafilomycin A1-insensitive Mg(2+)-ATPase (ATPase I), and NEM-insensitive Ca2+/Mg(2+)-ATPase (ATPase II). They showed different sensitivity to chemicals and ions with apparent molecular masses of 700-800, 500-650, and 360 kDa, respectively. Of these membranous ATPases, H(+)-ATPase seemed to constitute only one tenth of the ATPase activity on rat liver lysosomes and to be the only ATPase that exposed its active site to the cytoplasmic side of the lysosomal membranes.
The gastric mucosal adhesiveness of Z-103 in rats with acetic acid ulcer was studied macroscopically, histologically, and biochemically. From macroscopical observations, when Z-103 was orally administered to an acetic acid ulcer model, there was adhesion of Zn to the normal mucosa as well as the ulcerous site under both the fasting condition and after feeding. It was also proven that the strength and duration of adhesiveness were increased dose-dependently under fasting conditions. In addition, histological localization of Zn was noted from the covering epithelial cell layer to the gastric lamina propria mucosae in the normal tissue and in the most superficial ulcerous layer and the granulous layer of the ulcerous site. Measurement of the gastric tissue Zn content after oral administration of 100 mg/kg of Zn showed that the Zn content was significantly increased for 6 hr at the normal site and for 24 hr at the ulcerous site. On the other hand, although ZnSO4 and ZnSO4+carnosine combination macroscopically produced generally the same level of adhesiveness as Z-103, when the gastric tissue Zn content for Z-103 and ZnSO4 were compared, the Zn content of ZnSO4 was lower than that for Z-103 at both the normal and ulcerous site. In summary, Z-103 shows a long-term adhesive and permeable action on the gastric mucosa in acetic acid ulcer rats, and it has a comparable high affinity at the ulcerous site.
A 63-year-old man who developed episodes of the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) twice in the course of multiple sclerosis (MS) is reported. SIADH in this patient occurred only during the administration of antibiotics (sulbactam/cefoperazone, SBT/CPZ). At autopsy, demyelinating lesions in the optic nerves, cervical and thoracic spinal cord, and areas adjacent to the lateral ventricles were observed. Destruction and loss of neuronal cells were found in the supraoptic nuclei. Lymphocytic infiltration was observed in the area adjacent to the supraoptic nuclei. Destruction and swelling of axons and reactive astrocytic gliosis were observed in the hypothalamus. SIADH associated with MS is rare and the histological findings in such a case have not yet been reported. It is suggested that the development of SIADH in MS may be related to the damage in the supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus.
The effect of hyaluronate (HA) on the physiochemical and biological properties of collagen solution was examined for two preparations of collagen with different rates of fibril formation. The addition of HA to the collagen preparation with the slower rate of fibril formation caused a prominent acceleration of fibril formation. A differential scanning calorimetric measurement of the collagen preparation demonstrated a stabilizing effect of HA on collagen solution after incubation at 37 degrees C. Histochemical examination of rat dermis after injection of the collagen solution into the tissue revealed the migration of fibroblast-like cells into the region occupied by the injected collagen. The addition of HA to collagen preparation S (slower rate of fibril formation) shortened the time-to-appearance of fibroblast-like cells to a similar value to that observed when collagen preparation F (faster rate of fibril formation) was used. The timing of cell appearance was in accord with the rate of fibril formation in vitro. Fibrils newly formed by injected collagen might provide sites for cell attachment, migration and proliferation.
Currently, urinary excretion of free gamma-carboxyglutamic acid (gamma-gla.), a terminal amino acid degraded from gamma-gla. containing protein including bone Gla. Estimated to be a more specific marker for bone metabolism and useful clinically rather than urinary excretion of hydroxyproline. In addition, serum levels of BGP have proved to be a significantly valuable indicator for bone metabolism, especially for process of bone formation, in recent studies. Therefore, we measured these parameters in 40 patients with idiopathic urinary calcium (Ca) stone and investigated bone metabolism in those patients. However, in majority of cases studied, urinary levels of gamma-gla. as well as that of hydroxyproline proved to be definite difference from that in healthy subjects (n = 12) and failed to suggest the presence of abnormality in bone turnover in the background of stone formation. Urinary excretion of hydroxyproline were 6.68 +/- 3.89 micrograms/mg.Cr in the patients and 6.95 +/- 3.08 micrograms/mg.Cr in healthy subjects. Urinary excretion of gamma-gla were 55.0 +/- 15.8 nmol/mg.Cr in the patients and 47.2 +/- 7.3 nmol/mg.Cr in healthy subjects.
This report is concerning a case of acute spontaneous paralysis of the posterior interosseous nerve (P.I.O.N.), possibly caused by twists in the nerve trunk, in a 23-year-old woman. The subject felt a tingling pain over the lateral epicondyle of the right forearm when grasping and lifting a basin, and noticed that the fingers of the right hand could not be extended three days later. The fingers of the left hand also experienced paralysis 3 months after the first injury when she pronated and extended left forearm. Neurological examination revealed bilateral P.I.O.N. paralysis. When, after a period of time, the bilateral P.I.O.N. paralysis had not improved, surgical exploration of both P.I.O.N. was performed. It revealed that the right P.I.O.N. underwent a severe constriction at 2 cm proximal to the superficial portion of the supinator muscle, and that the proximal portion of the right nerve was swollen. The constricted portion of the right nerve was resected 5 mm in length, and nerve suturing was performed. The left P.I.O.N. was also constricted at the same location, and was found to be a sausage-like neurinoma with two constrictions. In the histological examination of the right resected P.I.O.N., edema of the interstitial tissue and a great number of regenerating cluster formations, including swollen axons, were observed proximal to the constriction. Distal to this, severe Wallerian degeneration was found. These histological findings were the same as those of chronic compression neuropathy. The authors reviewed and analysed reports on 20 other cases of P.I.O.N. paralysis that had compressions at 2 cm proximal to the superficial portion of the supinator muscle.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Histological and electron microscopic studies were performed to demonstrate the changes in the morphology of the growth plate that occur in allografts obtained from the limbs of growing rats. A genetically defined model was used in which the right hindlimbs of Lewis rats were orthotopically transplanted into Fischer-344 recipient rats. These strains are matched for major histocompatibility antigens but mismatched for minor histocompatibility antigens. The disparity at the minor histocompatibility complex between the Lewis donors and the Fischer recipients creates a weak histocompatibility barrier to transplantation. Lewis-to-Lewis syngeneic limb grafts were used as controls. The proximal parts of the transplanted tibiae were excised during acute rejection of the allograft on days 1, 5, 8, 11, 14, and 28 postoperatively. During rejection, a widened zone of calcified cartilage in the growth plate was observed at eleven days; this zone increased progressively thereafter. The number of chondroclasts in the primary spongiosa of the metaphysis had decreased significantly at eleven days, and chondroclasts had disappeared completely at fourteen days, in association with mononuclear cell infiltration. Electron microscopic examination revealed inactive morphology in some chondroclasts at eight days, and the number of inactive chondroclasts had increased significantly on day 11. At fourteen days, there were no viable chondroclasts in the primary spongiosa, and only remnants of degenerated chondroclasts were present. These findings suggest that the chondroclasts were early targets of rejection and their loss resulted in the cessation of resorption of the calcified cartilage. However, the proliferation and maturation of chondrocytes in the growth plate and the calcification of the matrix continued, despite progression of rejection in the metaphysis. Thus, survival of the chondrocytes and rejection of the chondroclasts apparently led to the formation of a widened calcifying zone in the growth plate.
We used fresh materials and paraffin blocks of advanced gastric cancer to examine the relationship of DNA ploidy pattern from flow cytometry (FCM) to degree of malignancy and prognosis. No significant relationship was found between the frequency of DNA aneuploid (DA) and the clinicopathological factors (depth of invasion, degree of progression, histological type, lymph node metastasis, ly, v etc.). FCM examination using fresh materials revealed significant difference in prognosis between the non-DA and DA groups for non-curative stage III or IV cases (p < 0.05). On the other hand, in terms of the relationship between DNA ploidy patterns from paraffin blocks and prognosis for curative resection cases of ss-gastric cancer, prognosis was significantly better in the non-DA group than in the DA (p < 0.01). These results indicate that the clinicopathological prognostic factors for gastric cancer are connected in a complex way and that DNA ploidy patterns alone are not superior to the prognosis determining factors used in the past.