Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to M Takashima.
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Pain responsiveness and Met-enkephalin-like immunoreactivity (MLI) were studied in the rat after cold (25 degrees C) and immobilization stress for different lengths of time (30 min, 90 min and 180 min). The 30-min stress-induced analgesia (as measured by the tail-flick method), which was partially antagonized by pretreatment with naloxone (5 mg/kg, SC), and the magnitude of this analgesia was less than that of the 90-min stress or 180-min stress. The 30-min stress resulted in a significant decrease in MLI in the mesolimbic area, striatum, hypothalamus and thalamus. After the 90-min stress, MLI was found to be significantly decreased in the prefrontal cortex, amygdaloid nuclei and piriform cortex, thalamus and hippocampus, while the 180-min stress failed to induce a significant change in any brain area tested. As such a change in MLI content was thought to be related to an increase in the activity of the endogenous Met-enkephalin neuronal system, the activation of this system by the stress, especially in the hypothalamus and thalamus, seemed to be associated with analgesia.
Bilateral electrolytic lesion of the striatonigral pathways (which convey massive afferents to the substantia nigra) caused a marked lowering of alpha-neo-endorphin (alpha-Neo) and dynorphin A(1-8) [Dyn A(1-8)] levels in the substantia nigra without affecting the alpha-Neo content in the ventral tegmental area. Moreover, unilateral infusion of the axon sparing neurotoxin ibotenate into the striatum, but not into the substantia nigra, decrease these two opioid peptides in the substantia nigra on the side ipsilateral to the lesion, failing to modify the alpha-Neo levels in the ventral tegmental area. Bilateral electrolytic lesion of the habenula augmented alpha-Neo content in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area at 8-30 days postlesion without affecting the nigral Dyn A(1-8). These results add further support to the view that alpha-Neo- and Dyn A(1-8)-containing neurons projecting to the substantia nigra originate in the striatum and descend through striatonigral pathways. The present data provide evidence that the habenula may participate in the regulation of the activity of alpha-Neo-immunoreactive neurons in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area.
The characteristics of undifferentiated (anaplastic) carcinoma (UC) of the pancreas were analysed and compared with those of poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma (PA). Eight cases of UC of the pancreas were evaluated by clinicopathological and immunohistochemical methods and compared with 20 cases of PA. Large size of the tumor, local invasion and lymph node metastasis were frequently seen in UC, leading to a significantly worse prognosis compared to that of PA (p=0.022). Immunohistochemically, E-cadherin expression was completely lost in 7/8 UC cases, whereas half the PA cases revealed a strong reactivity for E-cadherin. alpha- and beta-catenin expressions tended to be impaired in UC compared with PA. The results suggest that the altered expression of adhesion molecules is correlated with dedifferentiated change and is contributory to its aggressive biological behaviour.
A successful resection rate for diffuse bile duct carcinoma is low. Major hepatectomy combined with pancreatoduodenectomy is a possible choice for curative resection, but the post-operative mortality rate after such an extensive surgery has been reported to be high. The main reason for post-operative death is liver failure. With the aid of pre-operative portal vein embolization, major hepatectomy (left lobectomy and extended right lobectomy with caudate lobectomy) and pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy was successfully applied to 2 patients with diffuse bile duct carcinoma as a one-stage surgery. We herein report these 2 cases discussing the usefulness of pre-operative portal vein embolization.
Glycoproteins gB of Marek's disease virus (MDV) and herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT) related to virus neutralization were purified from HVT-infected cells by affinity chromatography. Immunization of chickens with purified glycoproteins gB resulted in partial protection against MD. Neutralizing antibodies were detected in chickens immunized with HVT-gB.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The postoperative course of patients with bile duct carcinoma after surgical resection remains dismal. The purpose of this study was to examine the mode of spread from the original site of the carcinoma and its prognostic significance. METHODOLOGY: A total of 46 Japanese patients with extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma who underwent surgical resection from January 1976 to August 1995 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Out of 24 patients with upper bile duct carcinoma, 16 (67%) were papillary or well differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma of the polypoid or nodular type on gross configuration, whereas 7 of 11 patients (64%) with lower bile duct carcinoma had moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma or poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma of the annular constrictive or diffusely infiltrating type (p < 0.01). A noteworthy feature was perineural invasion (18/24, 75%) in the former group. Lymphatic permeation and venous invasion were seen in 50% and 38% of the former group and these were present in 73%, and in 73% of the latter (p < 0.01). Lymph node metastasis was most frequent in patients with lower bile duct carcinoma (5/11, 45%). Periductal spread along the bile duct toward the liver was more frequent and extensive in the infiltrating type than in the polypoid, nodular, or annular constrictive type. Carcinoma of the polypoid type often extended along the mucosa and rarely through the periductal layer. The mean distance between the edge of carcinoma invasion estimated by cholangiography and that proved by histology on the resected specimens was 6.1 +/- 6.1 mm in the hepatic and 6.2 +/- 9.1 mm in the duodenal direction. In all 11 patients with lower bile duct carcinoma, surgical margins were free of cancer cells, while they were affected by malignant cells in 17 of 24 patients with upper bile duct carcinoma. Univariate log-rank analysis showed that venous invasion, perineural infiltration, and the presence or absence of cancer cells at the cut edge of the bile duct in the hepatic direction and at the resection margins in the transverse direction were significant prognostic factors. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that cancer cells at the edge of the bile duct in the hepatic direction constitute a significant and independent prognostic variant. CONCLUSIONS: Extrahepatic bile duct carcinoma should be excised to a distance of 1.5 cm from the edge of the carcinoma as estimated on cholangiography to achieve cancer-free margins, especially at the resected margins in the hepatic direction.