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Biomedical subjects

M Hirose

Publications and source records attributed to M Hirose.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

Effect of temperature and mechanical strain on gastric epithelial cell line GSM06 wound restoration in vitro.

BACKGROUND: The influence of the degree of cell differentiation and of physical stimulation on gastric mucosal wound healing is not completely understood. METHODS: A gastric mucosal cell line, GSM06, derived from the gastric mucosal cells of transgenic mice harbouring the simian virus 40 large T antigen, was cultured at 33 degrees C to make a confluent cell sheet. Artificial wounds of constant size were created. Wound healing was monitored at different temperatures (33, 37 and 39 degrees C), which altered the degree of differentiation. Cell proliferation was detected by bromodeoxyuridine staining. Mechanical strain was applied to adherent GSM06 cells after wounding in order to increase their length by an average of 5 or 10% at 5 cycles/min for 60 h. Repair of the wound was monitored every 12 h. RESULTS: Differentiated gastric epithelial cells showed a higher speed of migration. The number of proliferating cells around the wound was greatest at 33 degrees C and barely detectable at 39 degrees C. Under conditions of mechanical strain, the migration speed of differentiated cells (at 39 degrees C) slowed in a strain strength-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested that cell differentiation status and physical stimulants might play a role in gastric wound healing in vivo by modifying cellular migration.

Animals↗

Molecular cytogenetic identification of cyclin D1 gene amplification in a renal pelvic tumor attributed to phenacetin abuse.

Despite extensive epidemiologic evidence of phenacetin abuse as a risk factor for renal pelvic carcinomas, genetic alterations in the resultant tumors remain largely unclear. In this report, a phenacetin-associated renal pelvic carcinoma (histologically a transitional-cell carcinoma) from an 80-year-old female patient was evaluated by molecular cytogenetic methods. Fluorescence in situ hybridization was used to identify chromosome gains or losses for the cyclin D1, p53, Rb and c-myc genes and the ploidy of their respective chromosomes. Cyclin D1 gene amplification, but normal copy numbers of p53, Rb and c-myc, and normal ploidy of chromosomes 8, 11, 13 and 17 were observed. Expression of cyclin D1 protein was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. In the absence of p53, Rb or c-myc abnormalities, the results suggested that cyclin D1 gene amplification and its protein overexpression may be involved in the genesis of renal pelvic carcinomas associated with phenacetin abuse.

Aged↗

Identification and characterization of ligands for L-selectin in the kidney. I. Versican, a large chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan, is a ligand for L-selectin.

Ligands for a leukocyte adhesion molecule, L-selectin, are expressed not only in the specific vascular endothelium in lymph nodes and Peyer's patches but also in the extravascular tissues such as the brain white matter, choroid plexus and the kidney distal straight tubuli. However, the biological significance of these extravascular ligands is currently unknown. We now report the purification and characterization of a novel extravascular ligand for L-selectin in the kidney using a tubule-derived cell line, ACHN. Binding of L-selectin-IgG chimera (LEC-IgG) to the isolated ligand was specifically blocked with either (i) anti-L-selectin mAb, (ii) EDTA, (iii) fucoidan, (iv) chondroitin sulfate (CS) B or CS E, or (v) treatment with chondroitinases. Partial amino acid sequencing, Western blotting and immunoprecipitation analyses showed that a major ligand for L-selectin in ACHN cells is versican of 1600 kDa. Histochemical as well as biochemical analyses verified that a versican subspecies in the kidney was indeed reactive with L-selectin. Studies with cell lines including those derived from the kidney indicated that a certain glycoform and/or splice form of versican is reactive with L-selectin. Under pathological conditions such as those induced by unilateral ureteral obstruction, versican was shed from the distal straight tubuli and became localized in the adjacent vascular bundles around which a substantial leukocyte infiltration was concomitantly observed. Possible involvement of versican in leukocyte trafficking into the kidney under diseased conditions is discussed.

Animals↗

Restoration to a quiescent and contractile phenotype from a proliferative phenotype of myofibroblast-like human aortic smooth muscle cells by culture on type IV collagen gels.

Aortic smooth muscle cells (A-SMC) undergo phenotypic transition to a synthetic and proliferative state and become fibroblast-like cells upon serial passage with culture on plastic dishes, especially in the presence of serum. Such fibroblast-like cells (M-SMC) derived from A-SMC may correspond to the cells identified pathologically as myofibroblasts. We examined the effects of type IV collagen gels used as a culture substrate on the morphology and proliferation of M-SMC. The M-SMC underwent extreme elongation in shape when cultured on rigid type IV collagen gels, and eventually formed cell-to-cell junctions with the elongated processes. In contrast, M-SMC showed a spindle-like cell shape on dishes coated with a type IV collagen solution or type I collagen solution, or on type I collagen gels or fragile type IV collagen gels. Cell proliferation was totally repressed by culture on rigid type IV collagen gels for over 10 days, while the highest proliferative activity was seen for cells grown on dishes coated with type IV collagen solution. The expression of smooth muscle myosin heavy chains, specific markers for contractile A-SMC, was acquired by M-SMC cultured on rigid type IV collagen gels for 3 days, while M-SMC cultured on type IV collagen-coated dishes continued to show no expression. These results suggest that the quiescent and contractile phenotype of A-SMC might be restored in M-SMC by culture on rigid type IV collagen gels, even after they have become myofibroblastic.

Animals↗

Cytocidal activity of PBL, LAK, and IDEC-C2B8 and expression of HLA class 1, ICAM-1, and CD20 in vincristine-resistant hematologic cell lines.

This study was designed to determine whether the cytocidal activity of immunotherapy such as cytotoxic peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells, and chimeric anti-CD20 mouse/human monoclonal antibody, IDEC-C2B8, overcome vincristine (VCR) resistance in cultured cell lines derived from human leukemia/lymphoma. In addition, the relation between the susceptibility to these immunotherapies and the expression levels of HLA class 1 and ICAM-1 as well as CD20 on the cell surface was analyzed. Three of six VCR-resistant cell lines were less susceptible to PBL cytotoxicity compared with wild-type cells, whereas the susceptibility was kept in the other three VCR-resistant cell lines. Four of six VCR-resistant cell lines were less susceptible to LAK activity and the other two cell lines were as sensitive to LAK cells as their wild-type counterparts. There was no correlation between the susceptibility for PBL cytotoxicity and the expression of HLA class 1 in both wild and VCR-resistant cells. In contrast, ICAM-1 in the two cell lines that showed decreased susceptibility for LAK cytotoxicity disappeared, although that in one cell line increased. IDEC-C2B8 was effective only against B-cell lines expressing CD20. One cell line in which the expression of CD20 increased was nearly six times more sensitive to IDEC-C2B8 than wild type. Thus, we concluded that the resistance to VCR in some tumor cell lines is associated with modified susceptibility for immunotherapies by the different expression of target molecules from those of wild-type counterparts.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗

Establishment of an in vivo highly metastatic rat hepatocellular carcinoma model.

We previously found by chance that N-nitrosomorpholine (NMOR) given after a multi-carcinogenic treatment induces liver carcinomas with 56% lung metastasis, and it was confirmed that hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with 100% lung metastasis was produced by 24-week treatment with NMOR and additional treatment with diethylnitrosamine (DEN). In the present study, we modified the duration of NMOR to establish an animal model with a simple experimental protocol and an appropriate experimental duration which would facilitate further study of the mechanisms of metastasis and antimetastatic agents. The results revealed DEN exposure followed by a 16-week treatment with NMOR to be a most efficient method for the induction of HCC metastasizing to the lung. Loss of cadherin, demonstrated immunohistochemically, occurred in an early stage of carcinogenesis, and this was reflected in malignant conversion of primary lesions. This model, with its essential similarities to malignant tumor behavior in man, should find application not only for elucidation of the mechanisms underlying metastasis, but also in the development of anti-metastatic agents.

Animals↗

Inhibition by beta-carotene of upper respiratory tumorigenesis in hamsters receiving diethylnitrosamine followed by cigarette smoke exposure.

In recent intervention studies, beta-carotene failed to reduce or even increased the incidence of lung cancers in smokers. In the present investigation, the modifying effects of beta-carotene at various doses on the development of upper respiratory tract tumors were investigated in Syrian hamsters treated with diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and cigarette smoke. A total of 120 male 5-week-old hamsters were divided into 4 groups, each consisting of 30 animals. After a single subcutaneous (s.c.) injection of 100 mg/kg DEN, hamsters in groups 1-4 were respectively administered diets supplemented with beta-carotene at doses of 0.5%, 0.05%, 0.005% or 0% during experimental weeks 1 to 13, and simultaneously exposed to cigarette smoke. The duration of cigarette smoke exposure was 9 min twice a day, 5 days a week. Because of a marked reduction of body weight in group 1, the highest dose of beta-carotene was changed to 0.25% after 10 days. In all groups, epithelial hyperplasias and/or papillomas were induced in the larynx and trachea. However, the incidence and multiplicity of papillomas in group 1 were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than the group 4 values. Moreover, the beta-carotene treatments significantly (P < 0.05 or 0.01) reduced both the incidence and multiplicity of hyperplasias in a dose-dependent manner. The levels of retinol and beta-carotene in the serum, and the retinol level in the liver, were also elevated with dose dependence. Our results thus indicate that beta-carotene inhibits tumorigenesis, even at the high dose of 0.25%, under the present experimental conditions.

Animals↗

Organ-dependent modifying effects of caffeine, and two naturally occurring antioxidants alpha-tocopherol and n-tritriacontane-16,18-dione, on 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP)-induced mammary and colonic carcinogenesis in female F344 rats.

Modifying effects of caffeine, alpha-tocopherol, and n-tritriacontane-16,18-dione (TTAD) on 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (PhIP)-induced mammary and colonic carcinogenesis were investigated in female F344 rats. Groups of 20 rats, 6 weeks old, were given 0.02% PhIP (in diet) alone, or together with 0.1% caffeine (in drinking water), 0.5% alpha-tocopherol (in diet) or 0.1% TTAD (in diet) for up to 54 weeks. Groups of 10 females receiving basal diet or one of the test chemicals without PhIP supplementation were also maintained. The final combined incidences (adenomas plus adenocarcinomas) and multiplicity (No./rat) of mammary adenomas and adenocarcinomas were significantly lowered in the PhIP plus caffeine group (10%, 0.10) as compared to the PhIP alone value (40%, (1.50). Incidences of mammary tumors in the PhIP plus alpha-tocopherol or TTAD groups tended to be decreased while their multiplicities were significantly lowered. With regard to colon tumor development, on the other hand, rats given PhIP plus caffeine exhibited an elevated incidence (75% versus 15% in the control), whereas alpha-tocopherol and TTAD had no effect. Surprisingly, metabolic activation of PhIP was inhibited by addition of caffeine in an in vitro assay. The results indicate that caffeine exerts a potent chemopreventive action against PhIP-induced mammary carcinogenesis, but acts as a co-carcinogen for PhIP-induced colonic carcinogenesis.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Parasympathetic inhibition of sympathetic effects on pacemaker location and rate in hearts of anesthetized dogs.

INTRODUCTION: The site of impulse origin in the right atrium generally is considered to be a single static locus within the sinoatrial (SA) node. Previous investigators showed that the pacemaker site may shift due to changes in sympathetic or parasympathetic neural activity. We investigated the interactions between sympathetic and parasympathetic influences on the site of impulse initiation in the right atrium in anesthetized dogs. METHODS AND RESULTS: We determined the site of impulse initiation and the spread of excitation over the anterior and posterior regions of the right atrium by a matrix of 48 unipolar recording electrodes. We assessed the spread of excitation at 3-msec intervals by constructing isochronal activation sequence maps. Sympathetic stimulation increased the frequency of atrial excitation (i.e., the heart rate), but also shifted the earliest activation region (EAR) from a locus in the SA node to a locus in the superior vena cava (the superior pacemaker site). Vagus stimulation decreased the heart rate and shifted the EAR to a lower site in the SA node or a site in the inferior right atrium along the sulcus terminalis (the inferior pacemaker site). A short period of vagus stimulation during a more prolonged sympathetic stimulation elicited a larger decrease in rate than did vagus stimulation alone and shifted the EAR from the superior site to the SA node or to the inferior site. After atropine, combined stimulation shifted the EAR to the superior site, but propranolol did not change EAR location. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that parasympathetic activity predominates over sympathetic activity not only on heart rate, but also on the location of the EAR in the anesthetized dog.

Anesthesia, General↗

How useful is the detection kit for antibody to Helicobacter pylori in urine (URINELISA) in clinical practice?

OBJECTIVE: Increased knowledge of the significance of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in gastric disorders has accelerated the trend of screening patients with dyspepsia for its infection. Serological examination of antibody for H. pylori has been widely performed. Recently, a urine-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (URINELISA) kit for detection of antibody for H. pylori has been developed. Accordingly, we evaluated its diagnostic accuracy in clinical practice. METHODS: Subjects of this study were 132 patients who presented at our university hospital because of dyspeptic symptoms (81 men, 51 women; age, 41.5+/-1.4 yr). 13C urea breath test, blood drawing for serological antibody for H. pylori infection by four different kits, and urine collection for the URINELISA test for detection of the antibody were performed. Diagnostic accuracy of the commercially available antibodies in serum and in urine were investigated using the results of the 13C urea breath test as the gold standard. RESULTS: Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of URINELISA were 86.3% (95% confidence intervals [CI], 76-93%), 91.5% (95% CI, 81-97%), and 88.6% (95% CI, 82-93%), respectively, which were comparable to those of imported serological kits. CONCLUSIONS: The URINELISA kit for detecting anti-H. pylori antibody in urine provides diagnostic accuracy comparable to that of imported kits for detecting antibodies in serum and is considered to be clinically useful for the diagnosis of H. pylori infection.

Adult↗

Effect of mechanical strain on gastric cellular migration and proliferation during mucosal healing: role of Rho dependent and Rac dependent cytoskeletal reorganisation.

BACKGROUND: Various factors affect gastric wound healing. The influence of physical stimulation on gastric mucosal cells during the process of gastric wound healing is not completely understood. AIMS: To assess the role of a physical stimulant, in this case mechanical strain, on gastric mucosal restoration. METHODS: Mechanical strain was applied to adherent rat gastric mucosal cells (RGM1) cultured confluently on collagen type I coated silicone elastomer membrane in order to increase the dimension by an average of 5% and 10% at 5 cycles/minute for 72 hours after wounding. Repair of the wound was monitored every 12 hours for up to 72 hours using an inverted phase contrast microscope. Cell proliferation was detected using 5-bromodeoxyuridine staining. The cytoskeletal protein actin, a component of focal adhesion plaque protein, vinculin, and the small GTP-binding proteins RhoA and Rac1 were detected by immunohistochemistry in the cells located at the margin of and remote from the wound. RESULTS: The cells located at the margin of the wound showed the greatest migration and proliferation and were found to express more rudimentary lamellipodia and filopodia in the absence of mechanical strain. Vinculin, RhoA, and Rac1 were also strongly expressed in the wound margin. Under conditions of mechanical strain, the speed of migration of cells slowed and fewer proliferating cells were detected around the wound in a strain strength dependent manner. Lamellipodial formation, vinculin, RhoA, and Rac1 were poorly expressed in the same area. However, in cells located more than 1 mm from the wound edge, cytoskeletal rearrangement, and the expression of vinculin, RhoA, and Rac1 were not influenced by mechanical strain. CONCLUSIONS: Migration and proliferation of RGM1 cells in culture during wound healing were inhibited by mechanical strain, which caused dysfunction of the cytoskeletal and cell adhesion systems. It is suggested that physical stimulants such as mechanical strain may play a role in gastric wound healing in vivo by modifying cellular migration and proliferation.

Animals↗

Suppression of airway inflammation by theophylline in adult bronchial asthma.

BACKGROUND: Chronic continuous airway inflammation caused by eosinophils has been noted to play critical roles in the pathophysiology of bronchial asthma, in addition to reversible obstruction and hypersensitivity of the respiratory tract. Therefore, suppression of chronic airway inflammation has become more important in asthma treatment. Although theophylline has been a conventionally used bronchodilator, it has been recently reported to have concurrent anti-inflammatory effects. OBJECTIVE: Accordingly, we studied the effects of a slow-release theophylline preparation, Theolong, on airway inflammation. METHODS: Administration of Theolong 400 mg/day to 24 patients with mild or moderate asthma and measuring eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), a marker of airway inflammation, and eosinophils in sputum and peripheral blood at 4 and 8 weeks. RESULTS: As a result, sputum ECP, serum ECP and sputum eosinophil count (%) were significantly lowered after 4 and 8 weeks. CONCLUSION: Thus, in the theophylline-administered group, slow-release theophylline, Theolong, was effective in treating asthma, with anti-inflammatory effects on inflammatory cells besides its bronchodilator action.

Administration, Oral↗

Conformational state of disulfide-reduced ovalbumin at acidic pH.

Ovalbumin assumes a highly ordered molten-globule conformation at pH 2.2. To investigate whether or not such structural nature is related to the existence of an intrachain native disulfide bond, the structural characteristics of disulfide-reduced ovalbumin at the acidic pH were compared with those of the native disulfide-intact protein by a variety of analytical approaches. The disulfide-reduced protein was found to assume a partially denatured molten globule-like conformation similar to the disulfide-intact counterpart as analyzed by the CD and intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence spectra and by the binding of a hydrophobic probe of anilino-1-naphthalene-8-sulfonate. The results from size-exclusion chromatography also showed that the disulfide-reduced and disulfide-intact proteins have essentially the same compact, native-like hydrodynamic volume. The disulfide-reduced protein was, however, highly sensitive to proteolysis by pepsin at the acidic pH under the proteolytic conditions in which the disulfide-intact protein was almost completely resistant. Furthermore, on a differential scanning calorimeter analysis the disulfide-reduced protein had an endothermic transition at a much lower temperature (Tm = 48.5 degrees C) than the disulfide-intact protein (Tm = 57.2 degrees C). Taken together, we concluded that the intrachain disulfide bond should not be directly related to the highly ordered molten-globule conformation of ovalbumin, but that its conformational stability depends on the presence of the disulfide bond.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

Structural properties of recombinant ovalbumin and its transformation into a thermostabilized form by alkaline treatment.

The recombinant ovalbumin produced in Escherichia coli was purified from the cytoplasmic fraction and analyzed for its chemical and conformational properties. The recombinant ovalbumin displayed almost exactly the same circular dichroism and intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence spectra as egg white ovalbumin. As in the egg white protein, four cysteine sulfhydryls and one cystine disulfide were contained in the recombinant protein, according to the results of amino acid analyses; the disulfide bond was found by a peptide mapping analysis to correspond to the native cystine, Cys73-Cys120. According to a gel electrophoresis analysis, the presence of the disulfide bond was accounted for by specific oxidation of the corresponding cysteine residues during purification of the cytoplasmic protein. Unlike the identity in the conformational and peptide structures, none of the post-translational modifications (N-terminal acetylation, phosphorylation, and glycosylation) that are known with egg white ovalbumin were detected in the recombinant protein. The recombinant ovalbumin was transformed into a thermostabilized form in a similar manner to the transformation of egg white protein into S-ovalbumin; alkaline treatment increased the temperature for thermostability by 8.7 degrees C. These data strongly suggest that the post-translational modifications of ovalbumin are not related to the formation mechanism for S-ovalbumin.

Alkalies↗

Embryo-dependent induction of embryo receptivity in the mouse endometrium.

The effect of intraoviductal embryos on endometrial receptivity was studied by intraendometrial and intrauterine embryo transfer. Five-week-old female ICR mice were mated after superovulation; a vaginal plug confirmed day 1 of pregnancy. On day 4 (90 h after hCG injection), blastocysts were collected and transferred to pseudopregnant female mice and to recipient mice in which the uterotubal junction had been ligated bilaterally on day 1 of pregnancy. Three embryos per uterine horn, a total of six embryos per recipient mouse at days 1-6, were transferred to the endometrium or uterine cavity and implantation and pregnancy rates were calculated. The implantation rate for intraendometrial embryo transfer to recipients of days 3, 5 and 6 was significantly higher for uterotubal junction-ligated mice (72.2, 20.8 and 9.7%, respectively) than for pseudopregnant mice (55.0, 8.3 and 0.0%, respectively). The implantation rate for intrauterine embryo transfer to recipients at days 2, 5 and 6 was significantly higher for uterotubal junction-ligated mice (11.1, 25.0 and 8.3%, respectively) than for pseudopregnant mice (0.0, 3.3 and 0.0%, respectively). Uterotubal junction-ligated mice achieved implantation and bore neonates by intrauterine embryo transfer on days 2 and 6, whereas no implantation was achieved in pseudopregnant mice. The difference in implantation rate could not be explained by a difference in progesterone concentration between the groups. The distribution of proliferating cells in the endometrium was also studied immunohistochemically by use of anti-proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) antibody in the recipient mice. PCNA-positive cells were more abundant in uterotubal junction-ligated mice and demonstrated a marked extension from the epithelium to the stroma over time, in contrast to those in pseudopregnant mice. These findings indicate that an intraoviductal embryo exerts a biological effect by sending a signal to the endometrial epithelium and stroma, thus facilitating endometrial receptivity to the embryo and improving the rate of implantation.

Animals↗

Influences of long-term administration of 24R, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, a vitamin D3 derivative, in rats.

In order to examine the influences by long-term feeding of 24R, 25 dihydroxyvitamin D3[24R, 25(OH)2D3], an active form of vitamin D, Wistar rats (14-week-old, male, 20 rats/group) were fed a powder diet containing 0 or 5 ppm 24R, 25(OH)2D3 for 57 weeks. Final body weights and total food consumption were comparable between the groups. Urinary calcium levels were significantly (p < 0.05 or 0.01) increased by the administration of 24R, 25(OH)2D3 at weeks 3, 22 and 56, although the levels of serum calcium did not differ between the groups at the termination of week 57. In the 24R, 25(OH)2D3 group, weights of the adrenals and femurs were significantly (p < 0.01) increased. Histopathologically, this was found due to thickening of cortical bone in the femurs, and medullary hyperplasia and pheochromocytoma of the adrenals. Immunohistochemically, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-labeling indices for intact adrenal medulla, medullary hyperplasia and pheochromocytoma in the 24R, 25(OH)2D3 group were respectively 1.82 +/- 1.21, 5.88 +/- 4.13 and 16, all higher than that for the adrenal medulla in the control group (0.87 +/- 0.67). These results indicate that 24R, 25(OH)2D3 at a dose with which serum calcium is not chronically increased causes thickening of the cortex of the femur, and development of adrenal proliferative lesions, suggesting that rats may be too sensitive for results to be relevant to human risk assessment.

24,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D 3↗

Time course observation of thyroid proliferative lesions and serum levels of related hormones in rats treated with kojic acid after DHPN initiation.

Time course changes in thyroid proliferative lesions as well as related hormone levels in the blood of male F344 rats given N-bis(2-hydroxypropyl)nitrosamine (DHPN: 2800 mg/kg body weight, single s.c. injection) as an initiation treatment followed by pulverized basal diet containing 0% (Group 2), 2% (Group 3) or 4% (Group 4) kojic acid (KA) were examined at Weeks 1, 2, 4, 8 and 12. As an untreated control group (Group 1), rats were given basal diet for 13 weeks and examined in the same manner. Serum T3/T4 levels in the DHPN + 2% KA and DHPN + 4% KA groups were significantly reduced as compared with the DHPN-alone group at each time point. Serum TSH levels in both DHPN + KA groups were significantly increased at each time point in a treatment period-dependent manner from Weeks 1 to 12, and the extent of elevation was more remarkable in the DHPN + 4% KA group. At Week 2, there were no statistically significant intergroup differences in liver T4-UDP-GT activities on a milligram microsomal protein basis. Histopathologically, no thyroid proliferative lesions were observed in the untreated control group or the DHPN-alone group. However, diffuse follicular cell hypertrophy and decreased colloid in the thyroid were apparent in all rats of the DHPN + KA groups at each time point. In addition, focal follicular cell hyperplasias and adenomas of the thyroid were observed at high incidence in the DHPN + 2% KA group from Week 4 and in the DHPN + 4% KA group from Week 8. Multiplicities of focal follicular cell hyperplasias and adenomas of the thyroid in the DHPN + 2% KA group were significantly greater than those in the DHPN + 4% KA group at Week 8. In the pituitary, an increase in the number of TSH producing cells with expanded cytoplasm was apparent from Weeks 4 to 12 in both DHPN + KA groups. These results strongly suggest that thyroid proliferative lesions were induced by KA administration due to continuous serum TSH stimulation through the negative feedback mechanism of the pituitary-thyroid axis, resulting from depression of serum T3 and T4.

Adenoma↗

[The efficiency of intermittent antegrade warm blood cardioplegia].

We studied the effects of modified Calafiore technique that is intermittent antegrade warm blood cardioplegia including potassium solution and oxygenated with normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. From January 1996 to March 1997, 45 patients who had undergone elective coronary artery bypass grafting were assigned retrospectively to two groups. Warm group: 25 patients received intermittent antegrade warm blood cardioplegia with normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. Cold group: 20 patients received intermittent antegrade cold blood cardioplegia with slight hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. Preoperative variables were similar in both groups. The rate of sinus rebeating after aorta declamping with DC was lower in warm group than in cold group [warm group 2/25 (8%) versus cold group 8/20 (40%); P < 0.05]. The levels of CK and CK-MB were significantly lower in warm group than in cold group on postoperative day 0. On postoperative day 0 and day 1, the dosage of cathecholamines were significantly less for the warm group than in the cold group. Perioperative events of IABP, PMI and neurological dysfunction were not statistically different. These results show that intermittent antegrade warm blood cardioplegia is a safe and effective method for myocardial protection. But it requires further assessment.

Aged↗