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Biomedical subjects

K Moriya

Publications and source records attributed to K Moriya.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Virologic analysis of non-B, non-C hepatocellular carcinoma in Japan: frequent involvement of hepatitis B virus.

Serum and liver tissues from hepatitis B surface antigen-negative/anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV)-negative (non-B, non-C) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients in Japan were examined for the presence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), HCV, and TT virus (TTV) by polymerase chain reaction. The studies evaluated the contribution of these viruses to pathogenesis of HCC. HBV DNA was detected in the sera of 20 (47.6%) of 42 non-B, non-C HCC patients, which was significantly higher than in age-matched controls without liver disease (P<.001). In 8 of 12 patients with liver tissues available, HBV DNA was detected in cancerous and adjacent noncancerous liver tissues. No HCV RNA was detected. The positivity for TTV DNA was not significantly different between HCC patients and controls. These results indicate that HBV is associated with a substantial proportion of non-B, non-C HCC cases in Japan. The role of HBV in hepatocarcinogenesis in such patients needs to be clarified.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Development and regulation of heart rate in embryos and hatchlings of gulls (Larus schistisagus and Larus crassirostris) in relation to growth.

We compared the developmental patterns of mean heart rate in Larus crassirostris and L. schistisagus embryos and chicks with other avian species of different hatchling developmental modes. We proposed that, since mean heart rate is inversely related to fresh egg mass in all birds, larger species reached a higher fraction of their hatchling mean heart rate by the end of the early phase of incubation and that heart rate contributions to supplying the increasing metabolic demands during mid and late incubation phases were less important than in smaller avian species. Mean heart rate was essentially independent of age throughout the mid-incubation phase (33% of normalised incubation until pipping), but increased with time during early (L. schistisagus only investigated) and late-incubation phases in both species. The O2 pulse of L. schistisagus embryos and chicks increased linearly with yolk-free body mass (log-log) after the early-phase of incubation until shortly before pipping, but was independent of body mass in the periods before and after. We conclude that a high heart rate in this first period is probably more important for increasing the circulation of nutrients to the embryo at a stage when extra-embryonic circulation to the yolk sac is limited by the size of the growing area vaculosa. Furthermore, large increases in mean heart rate during the late-incubation phase are probably important for increasing the cardiac output to hatching levels with onset of endothermy. However, mean heart rate is stable over the mid-incubation while O2 pulse increases, suggesting that increases in stroke volume and other circulatory adjustments may be entirely responsible for the largest increases in O2 transport during incubation of large avian species.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Glycosylated human interleukin-1alpha, neoglyco IL-1alpha, coupled with N-acetylneuraminic acid exhibits selective activities in vivo and altered tissue distribution.

In order to study the effect of glycosylation on its biological activities and to develop IL-1 with less deleterious effects, N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc) with C9 spacer was chemically coupled to human recombinant IL-1alpha. NeuAc-coupled IL-1alpha (NeuAc-IL-1alpha) exhibited reduced activities in vitro and receptor-binding affinities by about ten times compared to IL-1alpha. In this study, we examined a variety of IL-1 activities in vivo. NeuAc-IL-1alpha exhibited a marked reduction in the activity to up-regulate serum IL-6, moderate reduction in the activities to up-regulate serum amyloid A and NOx. However, it exhibited comparable activities as IL-1alpha to down-regulate serum glucose and to improve the recovery of peripheral white blood cells from myelosuppression in 5-fluorouracil-treated mice. In addition, tissue level of NeuAc-IL-1alpha was high compared to IL-1alpha. These results indicate that coupling with NeuAc enabled us to develop neo-IL-1 with selective activities in vivo and enhanced tissue level.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Embryonic heart rate measurements during artificial incubation of emu eggs.

1. Daily changes in embryonic heart rate (HR) of emu were determined non-invasively at 36 degrees C by acoustocardiography (ACG) during the last 30% of artificial incubation (predicted incubation time is 50 d). 2. The pattern of daily changes in mean HR of hatched embryos decreased from about 175 bpm to about 140 bpm towards the end of incubation. 3. The mean HR at 80% of incubation (ca. 170 bpm) was close to the value predicted from an allometric equation reported previously for precocial domesticated birds. 4. ACG could measure embryonic HR even during the external pipping period. 5. If the artificial external pipping procedure is timed correctly after internal pipping, it might aid the embryos in hatching. However, further investigation into this aspect is needed.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Significance of the Grb2 and son of sevenless (Sos) proteins in human bladder cancer cell lines.

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor has been suggested to have an important role in tumor initiation and progression of human bladder cancers. Grb2 protein, which is the downstream effector of the EGF receptor, acts as an adaptor protein between the EGF receptor and the Ras guanine-nucleotide exchange factor, son of sevenless (Sos) protein. Sos protein regulates the action of Ras protein by promoting the exchange of GDP for GTP. However, the significance of Grb2 and Sos proteins, which is related to EGF-triggered Ras activation, has not been elucidated in human bladder cancer. The aim of the present study is to clarify the significance of these proteins in human bladder cancer cell lines. In the present study, we used four human bladder cancer cell lines (T24, KU-7, UMUC-2, UMUC-6) and two kinds of cultured normal urothelial cells (HMKU-1, HMKU-2) isolated from patients with no malignancy. We examined the expression of EGF receptor, Grb2, and Sos proteins in these cells by Western blot analysis. Furthermore, the bladder cancer cell lines were subjected to sequence analysis to identify a point mutation in the c-H-ras gene at codon 12. There was no marked difference in the expression of the EGF receptor between human bladder cancer cell lines and cultured normal urothelial cells. On the other hand, expression of Grb2 and Sos proteins was substantially increased in all human bladder cancer cell lines examined in comparison with cultured normal urothelial cells, whether codon 12 of H-ras was mutated or not. These results suggest that the amplification of both Grb2 and SOS proteins plays an important role in the carcinogenesis of human bladder cancer.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2000

[The prevalence of virulence-related genes, eaeA, aggR and astA, of localized and aggregative-adherent Escherichia coli (EPEC and EAggEC) in healthy children and age-matched patients with diarrhea].

The prevalence of virulence-related genes of localized- and aggregated-adherent Escherichia coli (EPEC and EAggEC), such as eaeA, aggR and astA was compared between E. coli isolated from 0 to 5 year old children with and without diarrhea in Saga Prefecture. In the case of eaeA, 233 cases in Aichi Prefecture were included. The subjects were 74 diarrheal patients from which no diarrheagenic bacteria were detected besides E. coli. The control subjects were 304 nursery school children without diarrhea, and E. coli was isolated from 278 children in which 105 strains were of 0-serotype. EaeA-positive E. coli was isolated from nine (12.2%) Saga cases, 19 (8.2%) Aichi cases and 6 (5.7%) control subjects; aggR-positive E. coli was isolated from 10 (13.5%) cases and 6 (5.7%) control subjects and astA-positive E. coli from 10 (13.5%) cases and 14 (13.3%) control subjects. No significant difference (p > 0.05) was observed in the prevalence of eaeA, aggR and astA between healthy and diarrheal children, even in age-matched and 0-serotypable E. coli limited comparisons. The pathogenicity of EPEC and EAggEC should be investigated, considering other known or unidentified factors.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗
PubMed2000

Continuous measurements of instantaneous heart rate and its fluctuations before and after hatching in chickens.

There has been considerable interest in heart rate (fh) fluctuations in relation to cardiovascular control systems and foetal conditions during pregnancy in mammals. Prominent fluctuations in fh also occur in avian embryos, which are an important experimental model for studying developmental physiology. The present study determined the instantaneous fh of seven chick embryos continuously from the last stage of prenatal development (day 18), throughout the pipping (perinatal) period (days 19-21) until hatching and, subsequently, of newly hatched chicks (up to day 2). The distinctive patterns of instantaneous fh fluctuations took the form of specific changes within a broad mean fh baseline. Cyclic oscillations (ultradian rhythm) occurred until an early stage of the perinatal period, when the fh baseline started rising. Subsequently, the baseline dropped and respiratory arrhythmia began to appear concomitant with external pipping. During the final stage of external pipping, when the fh baseline rose again prior to hatching, three unique patterns of instantaneous fh fluctuations were evident: relatively long-lasting cyclic small accelerations, irregular intermittent large accelerations and short-term repeated large accelerations. Furthermore, repeated alternate occurrences of the latter two types of acceleration formed an additional oscillating pattern with a period of 10-15 min. During the early period after hatching, when the fh baseline reached its maximum, instantaneous fh changed relatively slowly accompanied by transient rapid decelerations, probably due to augmented vagal tone. Subsequently, the mean fh baseline dropped to its minimum, and a circadian rhythm and three types of previously reported fh fluctuations (types I-III) appeared. Developmental patterns of mean fh and the appearance of distinctive patterns of instantaneous fluctuations in fh and circadian rhythms were not influenced by an ultimate failure of hatching after a normal development. The demonstration of complex, repeatable patterns of fh fluctuation that change during development suggests that the avian embryo model should be useful in studying the phenomenon of fh fluctuation and its underlying causes.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

[Quantitation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 RNA by ultrasensitive method in the analysis of samples with low viral load].

With the introduction of combination therapy to the patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1(HIV-1) infection, HIV-1 RNA levels in plasma have been reduced, frequently to less than limit of quantitation(400 copies/ml). To achieve enhanced sensitivity, a modified specimen preparation procedure that allows the quantitation of plasma HIV-1 RNA levels as low as 50 copies/ml was developed. Of 67 samples with less than 400 copies/ml of HIV-1 RNA by standard method, 39(58.2%) were not detected by the "ultrasensitive" method. Among 5 samples obtained from patients who were treated with 2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, 4 samples still had detectable copies of HIV-1 RNA. Those suggest that the ultrasensitive assay for HIV-1 RNA has advantage for clinical practice.

HIV Infections↗
PubMed2000

Clinical evaluation of inferior alveolar nerve block by injection into the pterygomandibular space anterior to the mandibular foramen.

The conventional inferior alveolar nerve block (conventional technique) has potential risks of neural and vascular injuries. We studied a method of inferior alveolar nerve block by injecting a local anesthetic solution into the pterygomandibular space anterior to the mandibular foramen (anterior technique) with the purpose of avoiding such complications. The insertion angle of the anterior technique and the estimation of anesthesia in the anterior technique were examined. The predicted insertion angle measured on computed tomographic images was 60.1 +/- 7.1 degrees from the median, with the syringe end lying on the contralateral mandibular first molar, and the insertion depth was approximately 10 mm. We applied the anterior technique to 100 patients for mandibular molar extraction and assessed the anesthetic effects. A success rate of 74% was obtained. This is similar to that reported for the conventional technique but without the accompanying risks for inferior alveolar neural and vascular complications.

Anesthesia, Dental↗
PubMed2000

Inferior alveolar nerve block by injection into the pterygomandibular space anterior to the mandibular foramen: radiographic study of local anesthetic spread in the pterygomandibular space.

We studied the spread of local anesthetic solution in the inferior alveolar nerve block by the injection of local anesthetic solution into the pterygomandibular space anterior to the mandibular foramen (anterior technique). Seventeen volunteers were injected with 1.8 mL of a mixture containing lidocaine and contrast medium utilizing the anterior technique. The course of spread was traced by fluoroscopy in the sagittal plane, and the distribution area was evaluated by lateral cephalograms and horizontal computed tomography. The results indicate that the contrast medium mixture spreads rapidly in the pterygomandibular space to the inferior alveolar nerve in the subjects who exhibited inferior alveolar nerve block effect. We concluded that the anesthetic effect due to the anterior technique was produced by the rapid distribution of anesthetic solution in the pterygomandibular space toward the mandibular foramen, and individual differences in the time of onset of analgesia may be due to differences in the histologic perineural tissues.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Radiotherapy following mastectomy: indication and contraindication of chest wall irradiation.

PURPOSE: To determine in which cases radiotherapy of the chest wall following mastectomy is indicated, based on the local recurrent rate in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. METHODS AND MATERIALS: From 1984 until 1994, 105 patients who had four or more histopathologically confirmed axillary nodes metastases, or T3-4Nany, were subjected to mastectomy and were administered radiotherapy postoperatively using the hockey-stick field, which included the ipsilateral supraclavicular fossa and internal mammary nodes, except the chest wall. Median age was 51 years old (range, 23 to 82 years old). Eighty-five patients underwent radical mastectomy, 18 modified radical mastectomy, and 2 extended radical mastectomy. Fraction size was 2 Gy/day, the weekly fraction size was 10 Gy and the total dose ranged from 44 Gy to 54 Gy (median 50 Gy). Seventy-four patients were administered adjuvant chemotherapy, and 61 patients were administered hormone therapy. RESULTS: The 5-year disease-free survival rates of the whole study population were 66%. The 5-year chest wall recurrence rates were 10%. The 5-year chest wall recurrence rates of the patients who had no vascular invasion (n = 19) and the patients who had definite vascular invasion (n = 38) were 0% and 24%, respectively (p = 0.036). All the patients who presented chest wall recurrence had four or more axillary nodes metastases. Nine of the 10 patients who presented chest wall recurrence had definite vascular invasion, while there was no information about vascular invasion for the remaining patient. Factors such as age, pathological subtypes, tumor location, estrogen receptors, extent of resection, chemotherapy, and hormone therapy did not influence the development of chest wall recurrence. CONCLUSION: Among patients with breast cancer who have four or more positive axillary nodes or T3-4Nany, those who have no vascular invasion or less than 4 axillary nodes metastases do not need to be subjected to chest wall irradiation after radical mastectomy.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Steatosis and intrahepatic hepatitis C virus in chronic hepatitis.

Hepatic steatosis has been reported as one of the characteristics which discriminates hepatitis C from other forms of hepatitis, besides lymphoid follicles and bile duct damage. However, it is unclear whether or not the presence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) itself is associated with the development of steatosis. The possibility that the HCV itself is directly related to the development of steatosis was examined. The intrahepatic core protein levels, as a marker of the HCV load, were correlated with the presence of steatosis in 43 patients with chronic hepatitis C. Among 43 patients studied by Western blotting, the core protein was detected in the liver in 27 (62.8%). On the other hand, hepatic steatosis was observed in 21 (48.8%) of the 43 patients. Importantly, the core protein was detectable in 19 (90.4%) of the 21 patients with steatosis, while it was detected in only 8 (36.4%) of the 22 patients without steatosis (P = 0.008). However, serum HCV-RNA levels as determined by the Amplicor monitor were not significantly different between patients with and without steatosis. Multivariate analysis showed that the serum alanine aminotransferase level (P = 0. 013), body mass index (P = 0.038), and intrahepatic HCV core protein positivity (P = 0.038) were the independent parameters best predictive of steatosis. These results indicate a close relationship between intrahepatic HCV and the development of steatosis, and suggest a possible role of the HCV itself or core protein in the pathogenesis of steatosis in human chronic hepatitis C.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Relaxation effects in humans of underwater exercise of moderate intensity.

In this study we investigated the effects of underwater exercise in warm water (34 degrees C) on physiological and psychological relaxation. Eight healthy young men (aged 20-26 years) volunteered for the experiment. The experiment consisted of the following three successive segments: a pre-exercise period of 20 min, during which the subjects rested in a semi-supine posture with their eyes closed for the final 10 min; an underwater exercise period of approximately 60 min, during which the subjects performed gymnastic exercises or aerobic dancing with occasional movements or jumping; a post-exercise recovery of 20 min, which was similar to the pre-exercise rest period. We compared the relative power values (power %) of the electroencephalogram alpha bands (8-13 Hz) and profile of moods states (POMS) before and after the underwater exercise. We also estimated the percentage of maximal heart rate (%HRmax) throughout the experiment to ascertain the intensity of the underwater exercise. The results of %HRmax indicated that the intensity of underwater exercises practised in the experiments ranged from low to moderate. The power % of EEG alpha bands had increased significantly after the underwater exercise compared with the pre-exercise rest (P<0.05). From the POMS results, we observed that positive mood (vigour) increased and negative mood (tension and anxiety, depression and dejection) decreased significantly after the underwater exercise (P<0.05). This study found that the subjects showed increased physiological and psychological indices of relaxation after underwater exercise.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Cardiac rhythms in developing chicks.

Instantaneous heart rate (IHR) of chicks was determined by electrocardiogram measured non-invasively from the day of hatch to day 6 for continuity of investigation of HR fluctuations from embryos and for ascertainment of HR diurnal rhythms. In Experiment I, IHR was determined for 1-h periods twice a day, in daytime and at night, to investigate development of heart rate fluctuations (variability and irregularities). Chick IHR was substantially more arrhythmic than embryonic HR and spontaneous acceleration dominated HR fluctuations. Chick HR fluctuations were categorized into three types; [1] Type I as a widespread baseline HR (20-50 bpm) due to respiratory arrhythmia, with a mean oscillatory frequency of 0.74 Hz (range 0.4-1.2 Hz); [2] Type II as low frequency oscillations of baseline HR, at a mean of 0.07 Hz (range 0.04-0.10 Hz), and [3] Type III as non-cyclic irregularities, dominated by frequent transient accelerations. In Experiment II, continuous measurements of HR were made under conditions of a natural photoperiod, thermoneutrality and with feed available throughout the first week after hatching and circadian rhythms of HR were ascertained. HR was very variable in the daytime (250-500 bpm), due in part to feeding and activity, and decreased to a diurnal low (200-350 bpm) at night when mean HR was relatively stable. HR fluctuations persisted throughout the diurnal cycle.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Synthesis of glycosylated human interleukin-1alpha, neoglyco IL-1alpha, coupled with N-acetylneuraminic acid.

In order to develop glycosylated cytokine, recombinant human IL-1alpha was chemically modified with N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA). NANA with C9 spacer, 8-(hydrazinocarbonyl)octyl 5-acetamido-3, 5-dideoxy-D-glycero-alpha-D-galacto-2-nonulo-pyranosidonic acid potassium salt (6), was synthesized by glycosylation of C9 spacer, 8-[2-N-(benzyloxycarbonyl)hydrazinocarbonyl]octanol, with methylthio glycoside derivatives of NANA in the presence of molecular sieves 3A and methyl (methylthio)sulfonium trifrate in propionitrile, followed by separation of a and beta anomers with a column chromatography and deprotection. Compound 6 was coupled to IL-1alpha by the acyl azide method. The glycosylated IL-1 was purified by anion-exchange chromatography, and NANA coupled to IL-1 was confirmed by oxidation with NaIO4. Based on the molecular weight average number of carbohydrate molecules introduced per molecule of IL-1alpha was estimated to be 2.9.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid↗
PubMed1999

In vitro biological activities of glycosylated human interleukin-1alpha, neoglyco IL-1alpha, coupled with N-acetylneuraminic acid.

In the previous study, N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) with C9 spacer was chemically coupled to human recombinant (rh) IL-1alpha in order to study the effect of glycosylation on its biological activities, and to develop IL-1 with less deleterious effects. In this study we examined a variety of IL-1 activities in vitro, including proliferative effect on T cells, antiproliferative effect on myeloid leukemic cells and melanoma cells, stimulatory effects on IL-6 synthesis by melanoma cells and PGE2 synthesis by fibroblast cells. NANA-introduced IL-1alpha (NANA-IL-1alpha) exhibited reduced activities about ten times compared with original IL-1alpha in all the activities performed in vitro. The competitive binding of 125I-IL-1alpha to mouse T cells and pre-B cells with unlabeled IL-1alphas suggests the decrease in binding affinities of NANA-IL-1alpha to both type I and type II IL-1 receptors. Therefore, reduced activities of NANA-IL-1alpha well correlated with the decrease in its receptor binding affinities.

Animals↗