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Biomedical subjects

M Ochi

Publications and source records attributed to M Ochi.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Effects of basic fibroblast growth factor on proliferation and phenotype expression of chondrocytes embedded in collagen gel.

1. Whether basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) can stimulate proliferation and synthesis of chondroitin sulfate of chondrocytes in gel culture while maintaining the phenotype was studied. 2. At 3 weeks in culture, the cell number in 1.0 ng/ml (18.5+/-2.1 x 10(5)) and 10.0 ng/ml of the bFGF group (15.3+/-1.9 x 10(5)) was significantly larger than that in 0 ng/ml (12.3+/-2.1 x 10(5)), 0.1 ng/ ml (11.7+/-2.2 x 10(5)) and 100.0 ng/ml of the bFGF group (9.8+/-2.3 x 10(5)). 3. All doses of bFGF used in this study suppressed synthesis of chondroitin 6-sulfate. 4. Chondrocyte phenotype in gel culture was maintained for 4 weeks even with stimulation of bFGF.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Antioxidative bromoindole derivatives from the mid-intestinal gland of the muricid gastropod Drupella fragum.

Three new bromoindoles, 6-bromo-5-hydroxyindole (1), 6-bromo-4, 5-dihydroxyindole (2), and 6-bromo-4,7-dihydroxyindole (3), were isolated from the midintestinal gland of the muricid gastropod Drupella fragum. The structures of 2 and 3 were elucidated mainly by NMR spectroscopic analyses of their acetyl derivatives, whereas the structure of 1 was established by spectroscopic methods and total synthesis. Antioxidative activity for compounds 1-3 was evaluated by the POV method, and compound 1 was found to have as strong an antioxidative potency as BHT.

Acetates↗
PubMed1998

Quantitative evaluation of nutritional pathways for the posterior cruciate ligament and the lateral collateral ligament in rabbits.

The cruciate ligament of the knee receives its nutrition from a direct vascular supply and by permeation of nutrients from the synovial fluid. The contributions of these two routes as nutritional pathways are not known in detail. In this study, we injected [3H]methyl glucose as a tracer intravenously or directly into the knee of rabbits. Tracer concentrations in plasma, synovial fluid, the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), and the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) were analysed by a pharmacokinetic compartment model. The contribution of [3H]methyl glucose permeation from the synovial fluid during steady state was calculated at 44.3% in the PCL and at 39.0% in the LCL. Although these results indicated that more than half the nutrition for both ligaments is provided by its vascular supply, synovial fluid permeation is also an important transport route for small molecules for the PCL and the LCL, which is an extra-articular structure.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Improvement in nerve regeneration by monoclonal antibodies to ICAM-1 and LFA-1 in allogeneic mice.

We examined whether giving monoclonal antibodies (MoAb) to intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and leucocyte function associated antigen (LFA-1), which have important roles in the initial stage of rejection after allografts, can improve nerve regeneration in allogeneic mice. Fresh sciatic nerves were grafted using BALB/c mice as donors and C3H/He mice as recipients. Nerve regeneration at six weeks was significantly better in the mice given MoAbs at one and five days than in those given none (n = 5 in each group), although nerve regeneration even in the five-day group was significantly inferior to that in the syngeneic nerve graft group (n = 5). The survival time of the nerve donor skin graft at 12 weeks was not prolonged by treatment with MoAbs, indicating a failure to induce immunological tolerance. However, at 10 months after nerve grafting there were fewer Mac-1, Lyt-1, and Thy-1 positive cells in the five-day group and they showed less immunoreactivity than the untreated group. We conclude that giving MoAbs could effectively improve nerve regeneration in grafted allogeneic nerve segments, although it did not induce immunological tolerance.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Cloning and sequencing of the homologues of both the bacterial and eukaryotic initiation factor genes (hIF-2 and heIF-2 gamma) from archaeal Halobacterium halobium.

The cloning and sequencing of the genes encoding the translational initiation factors (hIF-2 and heIF-2 gamma) was performed by screening the halophilic archaeon Halobacterium halobium genomic library with a probe constructed from the peptide IGHVDHGK that is conserved in archaeal GTP-binding elongation factors. The codon usage by the hIF-2 and heIF-2 gamma genes showed a preference for triplets ending in G or C. This characteristic is almost identical to that of other H. halobium genes. The translated protein of hIF-2 and heIF-2 gamma genes is made of 414 and 583 amino acid residues, respectively, and contains the sequence motif for the binding of GTP. The sequence of hIF-2 shows a strong similarity to the initiation factor IF-2 from Bacteria whereas heIF-2 gamma shows a strong similarity to the initiation factor eIF-2 gamma from Eucarya.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

[Appropriate intravesical retention time of pirarubicin concentration based on its level in tumor tissue, anti-tumor effect and side effect in intravesical instillation therapy for bladder tumor].

The present study was designed to investigate the appropriate intravesical retention time of pirarubicin (THP) for the treatment of bladder tumor in terms of its anti-tumor effect and side effect. We administered THP to 22 patients with superficial bladder tumor intravesically and measured the THP concentration in the tumor tissues. Patients were divided into 3 groups by retention time; 8 for 30 minutes, 8 for 1 hour and 7 for 2 hours. Tumor tissues were obtained by transurethral resection 30 min., 1 or 2 hours after the intravesical instillation of THP at the fixed concentrations of 30 mg/30 ml. There was no significant difference in THP concentration between 3 groups. This indicates that the anti-tumor effect of intravesical instillation of the THP would be expected by only 30 min. of intravesical retention time at the THP concentration of 30 mg/30 ml. Then, we administered 30 mg/30 ml of THP solution for 30 min. to 10 patients intravesically 6 times every 48 hours to investigate its clinical anti-tumor effect and side effect. There were 2 complete responses, 3 partial responses and 5 cases with no changes for a total response rate of 50%. No side effect was observed. It is considered that 30 min. of intravesical retention time at the THP concentration of 30 mg/30 ml would be appropriate in terms of its anti-tumor effect and side effect.

Administration, Intravesical↗
PubMed1998

[Lipid peroxide and antioxidants in the elderly].

Aging is associated with changes in physical characteristics and decline of many physiological functions. The aging process have been described by various theories, in particular the free radical theory of aging has received widespread attention. It has been accepted that the oxidative stress or damage induced by free radicals is related to aging. In this study, we determined the serum concentration of lipid peroxide and antioxidant as biomarker for aging. Healthy subjects were classified into 3 groups, elderly (65-), middle-aged (40-64) and young group (20-39). Findings in the elderly were as follows: 1. Lipid peroxides in the elderly group were significantly higher than those in the young group. 2. Preventive antioxidant concentrations of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and albumin were lower than those in the young group, but ceruloplasmin values increased and catalase activity was unchanged. 3. The total antioxidant capacity of serum was slightly decreased. 4. Superoxide generation by neutrophils while resting was significantly higher in the young group.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Combined intraarterial chemotherapy and radiotherapy in the treatment of bladder carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The combination of radiotherapy and cisplatin-based chemotherapy has proved to be an effective treatment for bladder carcinoma in many clinical studies. Intra-arterial approaches to chemotherapy have been developed to reduce systemic toxicities and improve response rates. This study was designed to determine the effectiveness of intra-arterial chemotherapy with cisplatin and doxorubicin combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of patients with invasive bladder carcinoma. The objectives were to evaluate the response rate, bladder preservation rate, toxicity, and survival rate. METHODS: Thirty-five patients with muscle-invasive bladder carcinoma at clinical stage T2-T4N0M0 were each treated with 2courses of intra-arterial cisplatin and doxorubicin at 3-week intervals, whereas radiotherapy was administered for 4 weeks (2 gray [Gy] given a total of 20 times, at 5 fractions per week). Patients with complete responses were given an additional course of chemotherapy (intra-arterial cisplatin and doxorubicin) and irradiation (20 Gy), and patients with residual tumor after the initial chemoradiotherapy underwent cystectomy. RESULTS: A clinical complete response was observed in 26 patients (74%; 95% confidence interval, 59-89%), and an incomplete response was observed in 9 (26%; 95% confidence interval, 11-41%). The bladder was preserved in all patients with a complete response, and it was tumor free in 19 of them (54% of all patients). The actuarial survival rate was 76.6% at 5 years. After a median follow-up interval of 45 months, 28 patients (80%) were alive and 7 (20%) had died due to disease progression. The regimen was well tolerated, with no severe systemic or local toxicities. CONCLUSIONS: The high rates of response, survival, and bladder preservation observed indicate that this combined intra-arterial chemotherapy and radiotherapy regimen would be useful in the management of invasive bladder carcinoma. This was a small Phase II trial; the results are preliminary, and the utility of this treatment modality in patient management remains to be proven.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Influence of distal nerve segment volume on nerve regeneration in silicone tubes.

The influence of a volume of a distal nerve segment upon nerve regeneration in an 8-mm gap created within a silicone tube was examined. The rats were randomly divided into four groups. Each group had 5 mm, 1 mm, or a half volume of 1-mm nerve segment (a nerve piece of 1 mm transected longitudinally) inserted into the distal end of a silicone tube of 11 mm. The empty group without a nerve segment was used as control. Diameters of regenerated cylindrical structure between the nerve ends in the silicone tube were measured under an operation microscope and myelinated axon diameter, myelinated axon density, myelin sheath width, and ratio of myelinated axon area to total cross sectional area were measured using the transverse sections at the midpoint of the silicone tube at 6 weeks after surgery. Although there was a significant difference in all of those parameters between the control group and any of the remaining three groups, no significant difference was found between any pair of these three groups. The results of this study indicated that the degree of nerve regeneration does not correlate with the volume of a distal nerve segment and even a very small piece can play an important role in supporting regenerating nerve beyond a definitive gap.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Histological and biomechanical observations of the rabbit patellar tendon after removal of its central one-third.

Using 35 Japanese white rabbits, a study was made of tissue regeneration and the mechanical properties of the patellar tendon after removal of its central one-third. After removal of the central one-third of the patellar tendon on one side, in experiment 1 the strength of the entire patellar tendon including the regenerated tissue was compared with that of the patellar tendon on the opposite side with the central one-third removed at the time of killing, and in experiment 2 the strength of only the regenerated tissue was compared with that of the patellar tendon on the opposite side with two-thirds of the medial and lateral sides removed at the time of death. In experiment 1, the maximum load showed no significant difference between the operated side and the control. In one half of the cases, the strength of the operated side including the regenerated tissue was weak, suggesting weakening of the patellar tendon on the residual bilateral sides. In experiment 2, the maximum load of the regenerated tissue was significantly lower than that of the control, the former being 25% of the latter even at 6 months. Histologically, the characteristics of the cells and collagen fibers gradually approached those of normal tissue, but the crimp pattern of the collagen fibers and fibrils was evidently smaller than that of the control. These results indicate that regenerated tissue was still mechanically weak and immature at 6 months.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

The adverse effects of sectioning the posterior cruciate ligament in rabbits. Changes in the structural and morphological properties of the femur-anterior cruciate ligament-tibia complex.

This study examined the changes in the structural properties of the femur-anterior cruciate ligament-tibia complex (FATC) and the histologic changes of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) following sectioning of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) of 20 rabbits. The PCL in the right knee was sectioned through an arthrotomy. The left knee underwent arthrotomy only and was used as a control. The animals were killed 3 and 6 months postoperatively. The tensile properties of the FATCs were tested, and the ACLs were histologically examined using polarized light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. There were significant decreases in the ultimate load following sectioning of the PCL, although there were no significant changes in the stiffness. There were no significant differences in either the crimp period or the crimp amplitude of the ACL following sectioning of the PCL. There were significant increases in the number of collagen fibrils per square micrometer, and significant decreases in the collagen fibril diameter and proportion of total collagen fibril area per square micrometer following sectioning of the PCL. These findings suggest that isolated PCL injury may cause pathological changes in the ACL and its insertion sites.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Rotational acetabular osteotomies: a rabbit model.

We investigated the morphological changes in the articular cartilage after rotational acetabular osteotomy in 16 adolescent rabbits. Radiological and histological studies were conducted at 12 and 24 weeks postoperatively. The radiological evaluations at 12 and 24 weeks showed significantly increased femoral head coverage. No cases of osteonecrosis of the acetabulum or femoral head nor narrowing of the joint space was observed. The histology of the articular cartilage at 12 weeks postoperatively showed cloning and hypercellularity of the chondrocytes in the medial portion of the acetabular roof, indicating remodelling due to the increased weight-bearing stress caused by the osteotomy. The histology at 24 weeks postoperatively showed less cloning of the chondrocytes, indicating that the remodelling process in the articular cartilage induced by this procedure was almost complete at 24 weeks. Degeneration of the articular cartilage was not observed within 24 weeks of the operation.

Acetabulum↗
PubMed1997

Simultaneous subclavian artery reconstruction in coronary artery bypass grafting.

BACKGROUND: Subclavian artery occlusive lesion, although rare, is sufficiently important to consider before coronary artery bypass grafting because it can cause not only symptoms of the lesion per se, but also the postoperative coronary-subclavian steal phenomenon. METHODS: Four patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting received simultaneous reconstruction of the subclavian artery. During aortic cross-clamping, an 8-mm ring-reinforced polytetrafluoroethylene graft was attached to the aorta perpendicularly. The prosthetic graft was led to the proximal segment of the axillary artery through the second intercostal space and anastomosed to the inferior surface of the artery. RESULTS: Three patients received unilateral reconstruction of the subclavian artery, whereas another received bilateral reconstruction. There were no complications related to the subclavian reconstruction procedure. Post-operative angiograms revealed excellent patency of the prosthetic grafts. All of the patients have been asymptomatic with follow-up periods ranging from 9 to 50 months. CONCLUSIONS: To perform simultaneous subclavian artery reconstruction along with coronary artery bypass grafting, the aortoaxillary bypass procedure using an 8-mm polytetrafluoroethylene graft may be the method of choice because it has lower potential for complications and is less technically demanding.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Mennen plate fixation for fractures of the femoral shaft after ipsilateral hip arthroplasty.

We performed osteosynthesis with the use of a Mennen plate for six patients with femoral fractures in the vicinity of the stem, which occurred after ipsilateral hip arthroplasty. The fixation was so favorable that postoperative deformity was slight. At 4 months after surgery, bone fusion was obtained in all patients, and their hip joint functions recovered to the preinjury level. For femoral fractures in the vicinity of the stem after ipsilateral arthroplasty, there are no suitable fixation methods other than treatment with the Mennen plate. Therefore, this method is recommended.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Phylogenetic positions and assignment of swine and ovine corynebacterial isolates based on the 16S rDNA sequence.

The nucleotide sequences of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA) of swine and ovine corynebacterial strains were determined. The sequences of the strains that identified as Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis by their biochemical characteristics were homologous with each other. The phylogenetic position of C. pseudotuberculosis strains was closet to C. ulcerans and next closet to C. diphtheriae. The nucleotide sequence of another swine isolate, SC8, was similar to that of a recently proposed species, C. seminale, and a non-validated species, "C. glucuronolyticum," with about 0.01 to 0.02 evolutionary distances. Analysis of the predicted secondary structure of the 16S rRNA molecule agreed with the close phylogenetic relationships between C. pseudotuberculosis and C. ulcerans and between C. seminale and strain SC8.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Infective endocarditis. Considerations for the timing of surgical intervention and type of infecting microorganism.

To determine the appropriate timing for surgical intervention in infective endocarditis (IE), we evaluated 24 patients (17 males, 6 females, with one included twice) who underwent surgical intervention for IE of native valves (NVE, n = 21) and prosthetic valves (PVE, n = 3) between January 1989 and September 1994. The mean age was 41 +/- 13 years (range 6 to 64 years). The most common infective organisms were Staphylococcus (33% of NVE) and Streptococcus (19% of NVE), with five NVE patients (24%) negative for blood culture. The PVE patients showed a different pattern of infecting organisms, with Enterococcus in one and Pseudomonas in another. From the resected valve culture and pathological findings, 12 patients were in the active stage at operation. Two in-hospital deaths occurred for a mortality rate of 8.7% (2/23). Further, surgical interventions were performed earlier with Staphylococcal infections than with Streptococcal infections, because hemodynamic compromise presented more progressively in the former. Also resected valve cultures and the pathological findings showed that a persistent infectious process existed in many cases of Staphylococcal infection in spite of intensive antibiotic therapy. In conclusion, we suggest that internists make referrals for surgical intervention for patients with NVE or PVE as early as possible in the active stage of infection.

Adolescent↗