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Biomedical subjects

K Fujisawa

Publications and source records attributed to K Fujisawa.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Thrombin enhances lung fibroblast proliferation in bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis.

To clarify the role of thrombin in fibroblast growth and the development of pulmonary fibrosis in bleomycin-induced interstitial lung disease, we examined the relationship of thrombin activity to fibroblast growth-stimulating activity (FGA) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid from bleomycin-treated rats. Male Wistar rats were given a single intratracheal injection of bleomycin, BAL was performed 2, 6, and 15 days later, and the BAL fluid was assayed for thrombin activity and FGA. Higher FGA than the control value was detected in the BAL fluid from rats on day 6 after bleomycin administration. In bleomycin-treated rats, thrombin activity in the BAL fluid was significantly elevated on day 2 and maximal on day 6. The FGA of the BAL fluid from bleomycin-treated rats on day 6 was significantly decreased by its treatment with various thrombin inhibitors, such as alpha 1-protease inhibitor, antithrombin III, hirudin, and MD-805. In our assay, purified rat thrombin also showed FGA in vitro, and its FGA was inhibited by the same concentrations of these thrombin inhibitors as those inhibiting the activity in the BAL fluid. On ammonium sulfate fractionation, most of the thrombin activity was recovered in the fraction of 35 to 50% saturation in which most of the FGA was detected. These results suggest that the FGA of the BAL fluid from bleomycin-treated rats was at least partly due to thrombin is responsible, at least in part, for fibroblast growth and pulmonary fibrosis in bleomycin-induced interstitial lung disease.

Ammonium Sulfate↗
PubMed1991

Inhibitory effect of MY-1250 on histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells and guinea pig lung fragments: the elucidation of the mechanism.

When the effect of MY-1250 (5,6-dihydro-7,8-dimethyl-4,5-dioxo-4 H-pyrano [3,2-c] quinoline-2-carboxylic acid) on histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells induced by compound 48/80 was studied, MY-1250 caused a significant inhibition of histamine release at concentrations higher than 3 microM. Furthermore, the compound inhibited not only 45C a uptake into the mast cells but also Ca2+ release from the intracellular Ca store at a concentration of 10 microM in both cases. By contrast, MY-1250 did not affect either histamine release from permeabilized mast cells induced by TPA, IP3 and GTP gamma S or Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum induced by IP3. In the chopped lung preparations, MY-1250 at doses of 10 and 100 microM caused a significant inhibition in histamine release from the pieces of actively sensitized guinea pigs exposed to antigen and simultaneously prevented a decrease in intracellular cAMP contents taking place in association with antigen-antibody reaction. No significant changes were effected by MY-1250 in alpha-chymotrypsin activity and phospholipase A2 activity. Also, no antagonistic effects on LTD4 and PAF were observed.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Problems of protocol practice in Japan.

With progress in medical knowledge and in the technology of medical care, the contents of medical practice have become increasingly complicated year by year. The protocol practice (clinical algorithms or scheduled care) has been experimentally employed as one of medical-practice systems aimed at providing better medical care and maintaining its high standards. In the protocol practice the criteria for decision-making, which are clinically employed, are precisely made up in advance so that practice will be performed systematically. The WHO has recommended this protocol practice as a medical-care system appropriate for realizing clinical experiments. In recent years a number of clinical studies have been born from the protocol practice and, thus, it has been considered to be a formula for conducting clinical experiments tolerant of scientific criticism. The protocol practice, however, since it is difficult to conduct smoothly, has not yet been settled. This study aims at considering what we should do to make the protocol practice system settled through the observation of pitfalls in the course of its application.

Clinical Medicine↗
PubMed1991

A 24-hour ordering system for clinical examinations.

We have developed a 24-hour ordering system for clinical examinations, making use of the features of multi-function workstation (IBM5550) which performs two functions both in an on-line terminal and in a personal computer. It is used as an on-line terminal for the host computer (IBM4381) in day time. At night or on holiday, it is used as a stand-alone type personal computer to order clinical examinations. For this purpose, basic information of the inpatients (patient number, name, sex, date of birth, clinic, ward) are transferred from the host computer to the disket in the workstation in the evening when host computer finished on-line service. A physician can input the patient number followed by examination items using the touch panel according to the dialogue type guides written in Chinese character. Then, specimen label, list of ordered tests and an order form are printed out instantly. The date (patient number, examination items, identification number of the specimen, etc.) stored in the disket in the workstation at night are transferred from workstation to the host computer next morning. The host computer merges the information ordered in day time and at night and supplies working documents for examination (worksheets, master log, etc.) to technicians. Thus physicians can order examinations all day long using workstation, which make it possible to spare the time.

Clinical Laboratory Information Systems↗
PubMed1991

[The role of thrombin on lung fibroblast growth and fibrosis in bleomycin-induced lung disorder].

In order to clarify the role of thrombin on the development of pulmonary fibrosis in diffuse interstitial lung diseases, we examined the relationship between fibroblast growth-stimulating activity (FGA) and thrombin activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from rats with bleomycin-induced interstitial lung disorders. Male Wistar strain rats (body weight about 200 g) were given a single intratracheal injection of 0.9 mg bleomycin, and bronchoalveolar lavage was performed on days 2, 6 and 15. The BALF was centrifuged at 250 X g for 10 min to remove cells, and then the supernatant was recentrifugation at 27,000 X g for 40 min to remove pulmonary surfactants. The supernatant (10 ml) was dialyzed overnight against distilled water, frozen at -70 degrees C, freeze-dried, and resuspended in 2 ml of Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium (concentrated 5-fold). The 5-fold concentrated BALF was added to rat lung fibroblast culture media, and assayed for cytotoxic activity and FGA. Thrombin activity in 250 X g supernatant was measured by using fluorescence assay with the synthetic peptide substrate, Boc-Val-Pro-Arg-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide. Histological examination showed a prominent increase in fibroblast number in the pulmonary interstitium on day 6, and transformation of fibroblasts into mature forms, fibrocytes, on day 15. On day 2 after bleomycin administration, no FGA was seen but cytotoxic activity was detected in the BALF. On day 6, the cytotoxic activity was not found, whereas FGA showed a significantly higher level than the control value. On day 15, the FGA decreased to the control value.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Ammonium Sulfate↗
PubMed1991

Antiallergic effects of major metabolites of astemizole in rats and guinea pigs.

Antiallergic effects of astemizole (CAS 68844-77-9) and its metabolites were studied using rats and guinea pigs. All the metabolites of astemizole tested i.e., desmethylastemizole, 6-hydroxydesmethylastemizole and norastemizole, were more active than astemizole in inhibiting the contraction of the ileum as well as the bronchoconstriction induced by histamine in guinea pigs. Desmethylastemizole was about the same as the parent compound in inhibiting the 3H-mepyramine binding in guinea pig cerebellum. In heterologous passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) and homologous PCA, the metabolites caused almost equipotent inhibition to that seen in astemizole. On the other hand, in the studies of histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells induced by compound 48/80 or from lung fragments in actively sensitized guinea pigs, desmethylastemizole, 6-hydroxydesmethylastemizole and norastemizole were much less potent than was astemizole. No H2-antagonistic activity was observed with either astemizole or desmethylastemizole.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[Inter-observer agreement tests in cataract epidemiology surveys].

Inter-observer agreement on cataract diagnosis performed by two examiners was evaluated. The classification systems employed were the Japanese Cataract Cooperative Epidemiology Study Group System (Jap-CCESGS) and Lens Opacity Classification System (LOCS II). Examiner A was a highly trained specialist who has been involved in the development of Jap-CCESGS, but had no experience in the application of LOCS II. Examiner B had no experience in either system and was given explanations about both classification systems a few days before the first application. During the first examination, the inter-observer agreement using the Jap-CCESGS ranged from 37.5% to 83.3%, and the kappa values from 0.22 to 0.58. Regarding LOCS II, they ranged from 39.6% to 68.8% and from 0.18 to 0.29, respectively. Before the second examination, there was a training session utilizing both slit and retroillumination images of the previous subjects. Inter-observer agreement and the kappa value obtained from the second examination ranged from 70.1% to 93.4% and from 0.42 to 0.50 in the Jap-CCESGS and those in the LOCS II ranged from 61.3% to 94.2% and from 0.49 to 0.55, respectively. To obtain high grade results in cataract investigations that apply a unified classification system, training sessions are required.

Cataract↗
PubMed1991

Detection of fibronectin receptor in sera: its clinical significance as a parameter of hepatic fibrosis.

Pooled sera collected from cirrhotic patients was fractionated by affinity chromatography with a fibronectin receptor monoclonal antibody against the beta-subunit of fibronectin receptor. Eluates were assayed using Western immunoblotting. The relative mobility of the protein reactive with fibronectin receptor antibody was nearly identical to that of the beta-subunit of fibronectin receptor, confirming that fibronectin receptor is present in human serum. Serum levels of the beta-subunit of fibronectin receptor were analyzed by sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in patients with various liver diseases. The serum level of fibronectin receptor (micrograms/ml) was significantly higher in patients with chronic hepatitis (inactive, 2.59 +/- 0.04; active, 3.45 +/- 0.13), cirrhosis (4.77 +/- 0.30), alcoholic liver disease (2.96 +/- 0.16) and hepatocellular carcinoma (4.71 +/- 0.49) than in normal subjects (2.11 +/- 0.08). Strong positive correlation was observed between serum levels of fibronectin receptor and histological findings, particularly in the degree of hepatic fibrosis. Immunohistochemical studies with fibronectin receptor antibody revealed that the beta-subunit of fibronectin receptor was present on the plasma membrane of hepatocytes and sinusoidal lining cells in the normal liver and was increased in fibrotic areas and on the plasma membrane of hepatocytes and sinusoidal lining cells of fibrotic liver. The serum level of fibronectin receptor in patients with chronic liver diseases may therefore be a useful marker of hepatic fibrosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Antitumor effect of direct intra-tumor administration of OK-432 on malignant glioma: basic and clinical observations].

In this study, we tried to examine the efficacy of a cytotoxic factor which is induced by periodic, repeated local administration of OK-432 into the tumor cavity of malignant glioma patients. OK-432 was administered intratumorally via a tube to 4 malignant glioma patients on Days 1, 3, 5, 7 and 12 in doses of 0.5 KE, 1 KE, 2 KE, and 3 KE, respectively. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was collected several times during the 24-hour period beginning immediately after the administration on Day 12. The CSF was added to the culture medium of rat glioma cells (GA-1 and C-6) in order to observe the cytotoxic effect morphologically. The clinical efficacy in the patients was evaluated from the changes in tumor size observed by CT. CSF collected from the tumor cavity of 3 patients was bloody. By adding this bloody CSF, a significant morphological cytotoxic effect was observed on both the GA-1 and C-6 glioma cells in culture. The level of cytotoxicity was higher with the bloody fluid collected at 4 to 24 hours after the final administration than with the bloody fluid collected immediately after the final administration. The cytotoxic effect of this fluid was stronger than that of rabbit TNF (tumor necrosis factor) serum induced with P. acnes and LPS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[Keratocyte activity during wound healing of alkali-burned cornea].

The proliferation and collagen synthesis of keratocytes during corneal wound healing after alkali-burn were investigated using 3H-thymidine or 3H-proline autoradiography. The effect of epidermal growth factor (EGF) on keratocytes was also examined. On day 1 after burn, the wounded stroma lacked keratocytes, and keratocytes at the periphery of the wound started to proliferate from the endothelial side. On day 7 and day 14, the population of keratocytes returned to normal. Collagen synthesis activity of the keratocytes was observed from day 7 through day 56, with the highest activity on around day 21. After day 14, keratocytes at the site of epithelial reopening or ulceration started to proliferate again. In the early stage of wound healing more keratocytes incorporated H-thymidine in eyes treated with EGF than those treated without EGF, suggesting that EGF may stimulate the proliferation of keratocytes in the early stage of wound healing.

Alkalies↗
PubMed1990

Molecular cloning and nucleotide sequence of full-length cDNA for ascorbate oxidase from cultured pumpkin cells.

A lambda gt11 cDNA expression library was constructed from size-fractionated poly(A)-rich RNA of cultured pumpkin cells. A full-length cDNA clone for ascorbate oxidase mRNA was selected from the library by screening with synthetic oligonucleotides designed from the amino-terminal sequence of ascorbate oxidase protein. The identity of the clone was confirmed by comparing the amino acid sequence deduced by nucleotide sequence analysis with that determined for the amino-terminal sequence of pumpkin ascorbate oxidase. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert was found to contain an open reading frame of 579 codons corresponding to a signal peptide of 30 amino acids and the mature 549-residue ascorbate oxidase. Furthermore, it was found that the amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA insert contained four potential N-glycosylation sites and copper-binding amino acid residues located in four regions where the sequence was identical or nearly identical to those of the other known blue multicopper oxidases Neurospora crassa laccase and human ceruloplasmin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

A new alpha chain variant Hb Tonosho [alpha 110(G17)Ala----Thr]: subunit dissociation during cation exchange chromatography for Hb A1c assay.

A new alpha chain variant, alpha 110(G17)Ala----Thr, was detected because of subunit dissociation during the determination of the Hb A1c by automated cation exchange high performance liquid chromatography. The abnormal hemoglobin overlapped the cathodic edge of the band of Hb A in isoelectrofocusing. It was slightly unstable in the isopropanol test and had a slightly increased oxygen affinity. The abnormal alpha chain eluted slightly faster than the normal alpha chain in reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. The amino acid substitution was determined by purification of S-alkylated alpha T-12,13 tryptic peptide, chymotryptic digestion, and sequencing of an octapeptide alpha 110-117. The abnormal alpha chain comprised about 14% of the total alpha chain. A biosynthetic study did not suggest selective loss of the abnormal chain in reticulocytes.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Development of an automatic medical summary report system.

We developed a medical summary report system. In this system, each department can specify the predetermined conditions for issuing the summary report. The summary is made through a hierarchical database in the integrated hospital information system according to the predetermined conditions. The summary automatically issued after reception of the outpatient, or also issued by on-line summary report program with the patient number if requested by doctors. The report is sent to the proper consulting room from the reception desk using an air-shooter. The report contains the patient information such as a patient name, age, sex, birthday, a clinic name, a chart number, a patient number, diagnoses and examinations. The doctors can refer to the points of the clinical history of the patient in his own and other departments, and make a correct diagnoses and avoid the overlaps of the examinations and medications. This system has contributed to the quality-up of the patient care by availability of patient information even in other departments without the medical chart.

Hospital Information Systems↗
PubMed1990

A disposable patient identification card made of a paper.

This paper describes a patient identification system with a disposable paper card. In general, total costs of cards themselves, equipments and personnel are remarkable, not negligible for the hospital management. Therefore, a disposable identification cards made of a paper were issued to out-patients in our hospital. Many order forms were integrated into only one sheet. Patient identification data were printed on this sheet by a computer system when a patient came to the reception desk, and quickly transmitted to physicians. We could save the hospital costs and printing works by physicians, and also shorten the waiting time of patients at reception desks.

Ambulatory Care Information Systems↗
PubMed1990

[Detection of antigenic determinants of autoantibodies in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura using anti-platelet monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry in whole blood].

To detect antigenic sites of platelet-bound autoantibodies in chronic ITP, whole blood or platelet-rich plasma from patients was stained with monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) directed against platelet membrane glycoproteins (GPs) and with FITC-conjugated anti-mice IgG in an unwashed system followed by flow cytometric analysis. Platelets were identified by light-scattering profile and the amount of anti GP MoAb bound to platelets was measured and expressed as mean fluorescence intensity. This system enabled to quantitate the amount of intact GPs on platelet surface, regardless of activation of platelet. As a result, decreased amount of platelet-bound anti GPIIb/IIIa MoAb was noted in 5 of 22 patients with chronic ITP comparing to those with normal subjects. On the contrary, none of these patients revealed any demonstrable decrease in the amount of anti GPIb MoAb binding. From these observations, we suggest that the decreased MoAb binding to platelets in these five patients indicates the binding of autoantibody directed toward antigenic determinants, which are on or close to the epitope of this MoAb.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Clinical evaluation of aztreonam for infections accompanying febrile neutropenic children with hematologic disorders and solid tumors. A cooperative study].

One hundred four children with infection accompanying hematologic disorders and solid tumors were treated with aztreonam (AZT) (120-150 mg/kg), either alone or in combination with one of the following drugs; cefmetazole (CMZ) (120-150 mg/kg), piperacillin (PIPC) (120-150 mg/kg), or amikacin (AMK) (5-10 mg/kg). The overall efficacy rate was 69.2%. Efficacy rates by regimen were as follows: AZT alone was 63.2%, AZT plus CMZ was 73.6%, AZT plus PIPC was 74.1% and AZT plus AMK was 20.0%. Efficacy rates in different types of infections were 53.2% for sepsis and suspected sepsis, 78.9% for pneumonia and respiratory tract infection, 93.1% for fever of undetermined origin and 55.6% for other infections. The efficacy rate was 71.3% in 94 patients in whom causative organisms were not identified and 50.0% in 10 patients in whom causative organisms were identified. Most of infections in which causative organisms were identified were caused by Gram-negative pathogens. The response rate among infections caused by Gram-negative bacilli was 50.0%. A combination of AZT and CMZ or PIPC was effective in 3 (100.0%) out of 3 patients in whom Escherichia coli was the causative organism. Efficacies classified according to different neutrophil counts were 59.3% for less than or equal to 100/microliters, 78.6% for 101-500/microliters and 82.4% for greater than or equal to 501/microliters. No significant adverse reactions were observed. These results indicated that combination of AZT and 2nd generation cephalosporins or penicillins were well tolerated and effective for infections complicated with accompanying hematologic disorders and solid tumors.

Adolescent↗