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Biomedical subjects

R Mori

Publications and source records attributed to R Mori.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Local disappearance of epiphyseal growth plates in rats with hypervitaminosis A.

Epiphyseal growth plates of proximal tibiae in rats with high doses of vitamin A (V-A) were observed. Of 4 groups, each consisting of 5 rats, three groups were given V-A at doses, IU/100 g by body weight/day, of 50,000, 100,000, and 150,000, respectively. The other group rats were given no V-A (control). Rats were administered V-A for the 5 days from 4 weeks after birth and sacrificed at 12 weeks after birth. Three rats of the 150,000 IU group died during the period of observation. The decalcified sections were stained with hematoxylin-eosin or toluidine blue. In the ground sections, microradiography, backscattered electron imaging, and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis were performed. These observations suggest that the local disappearance of epiphyseal growth plates under high doses of V-A goes in the order of the increased doses through the process of (1) calcified cartilage areae appearing in the resting cell zone, (2) some of the calcified areae extending in the growth plate towards the diaphysial side, (3) bone tissue replacing the calcified areae, and (4) the local disappearing of the growth plate. Such a local disappearance may be formed in the stressed proximal regions of tibiae.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[Celio-assisted vaginal surgery].

BACKGROUND: Remarkable progress has been made in laparoscopic surgery over the past few years. The evolution of laparoscopic techniques has enabled surgeons to undertake celio-assisted vaginal operations. In particular, the possibility of using mechanical retractors to lift the abdominal wall as an alternative to pneumoperitoneum now enables surgeons to operate simultaneously using a transvaginal and laparoscopic approach. Gas-free laparoscopy has introduced a new and very interesting concept of laparovaginal surgery. The uterus is in fact both an abdominal and pelvic organ and can therefore be reached more easily and with greater safety using a combined vaginal and laparoscopic technique. METHODS: A group of 17 patients underwent celio-assisted vaginal surgery. A prospective study was performed in patients with indications for vaginal operations who had given their informed consent to the use of this new surgical technique. Their mean age was 49.4 years. Mean parity was 1. RESULTS: Vaginal myomectomy was performed in 58.8% of cases, whereas 41.2% underwent vaginal hysterectomy. Laparoconversion was necessary in 17.6% of cases. Postoperative complications were rare (11.7%). The mean duration of surgery was 122.7 minutes. Mean hospital stay was 3.7 days. CONCLUSIONS: The considerable advantages of celio-assisted vaginal surgery using gas-free laparoscopy may be summed up as reduced operating time and reduced intra-abdominal pressure which significantly diminish the risk of thromboembolism. The disadvantages that were noted compared to pneumoperitoneum include: diminished lateral exposure of the abdominal cavity and paracholic grooves, reduced lifting of the rib margin and a greater presence of the intestinal ansae in the laparoscopic visual field in obese patients.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1997

Influence of fasting and neuropeptide Y on the suppressive food intake induced by intracerebroventricular injection of glucagon-like peptide-1 in the neonatal chick.

Recently, we have reported that central administration of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) strongly decreased food intake of chicks. The aim of the present study was to elucidate whether suppressed food intake by central injection of GLP-1 would be modified by an appetite stimulant such as fasting and neuropeptide Y (NPY). Birds (2 days old) were starved for 3 or 6 h and then GLP-1 (0.03 microg/10 microl) or saline was injected by the intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) route. Birds starved for 6 h ate significantly more food than those starved for 3 h, while irrespective of the time for fasting GLP-1 strongly inhibited food intake as rapidly as 10 min after i.c.v injection. The suppressive effect on food intake continued until 4 h after injection. Central administration of NPY (2.5 microg/10 microl) greatly enhanced food intake, but co-injection of GLP-1 (0.01, 0.02 or 0.03 microg/10 microl) decreased food intake in a dose-dependent fashion. Under GLP-1 (0.03 microg/10 microl) treatment, whether NPY modifies food intake of chicks in a dose-dependent manner was investigated by co-injection of graded levels of NPY (0.4, 1.0 and 2.5 microg/10 microl). GLP-1 completely inhibited the effect of NPY on food intake without a dose response. These results suggest that central GLP-1 may interact with NPY and may be the most potent inhibitor of food intake in the chicken.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Suppression of infectious virus spread and corneal opacification by the combined use of recombinant interferon beta and interleukin-10 following corneal infection with herpes simplex virus-1 in mice.

The effects of Interleukin-10 (IL-10) and recombinant murine interferon-beta (rMuIFN-beta) on experimental corneal herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) inoculation in BALB/c mice were examined. The mice were inoculated with the HSV-1 strain KOS at their corneas after abrasion. IL-10 was then administered topically once a day for 10 days beginning 2 days post inoculation, while rMuIFN-beta was administered once a day for 10 days beginning 1 day post inoculation. The local viral growth in the inoculated eyes and trigeminal ganglia was reduced in the rMuIFN-beta-treated mice but not in the IL-10-treated mice. In the mice treated with both rMuIFN-beta and IL-10, the degree of both the local viral growth and corneal opacification decreased. The establishment of HSV-1 latency in the trigeminal ganglia was partially prevented by rMuIFN-beta treatment but not by IL-10 treatment. The combined use of the cytokines resulted in both the suppression of viral spread and the prevention of corneal inflammation induced by HSV-1 infection.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Pathogenicity of glycoprotein C-deficient herpes simplex virus 1 strain TN-1 which encodes truncated glycoprotein C.

A clinical isolate of herpes simplex virus 1 (TN-1) from a stromal keratitis patient was found to be defective in the glycoprotein C (gC) gene (UL44), thus resulting in the production of truncated gC upon infection. To study the pathogenetic role of truncated gC, we prepared a recombinant LTN-8 derived from TN-1 with deletions of the 1.5 kilobase pairs of the gC gene including the initiation codon. A penetration assay revealed LTN-8 to be less efficient in its penetration ability than TN-1, the laboratory strain KOS and RTN-1-20-3, a recombinant derived from TN-1 with the KOS gC gene. The penetration of LTN-8 was facilitated by the addition of TN-1-infected culture medium. TN-1 virus preparations had no hemagglutinating activity. However, the animals infected with TN-1 did develop hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibodies. The LTN-8-infected animals did not develop HI antibodies. The pathogenicity in BALB/c mice following either corneal, intraperitoneal or intracerebral inoculation did not significantly differ among TN-1, RTN-1-20-3 or LTN-8. Our results indicate that truncated gC was sufficient for the induction of HI antibodies and was also able to facilitate penetration in vitro. Although truncated gC might be a virulence factor acting as a decoy, both truncated gC and intact gC had little effect on the outcome following intracerebral, intraperitoneal or corneal inoculation.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

The fetal aortic pressure pulse waveform in normal and compromised pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: To study the arterial pressure waveform in the descending thoracic aorta during pregnancy in both normal and compromised fetuses. DESIGN: The pressure pulsation waveform propagated along the vascular tree, and acting laterally on the arterial wall, produces a corresponding change in the vessel diameter. The distance between diametrically opposite points of the aortic lumen was followed using a phase locked loop echo tracking system coupled to a B-mode ultrasonic imager (central frequency 3.5 MHz). SETTING: Tertiary referral unit, teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A cross-sectional study of 80 normal fetuses between 20 and 40 weeks yielded normal data. We studied 58 women with evidence of potential fetal compromise (high umbilical artery systolic: diastolic ratio). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: From the aortic diameter waveform we measured the maximum systolic and minimum diastolic dimension and calculated pulse amplitude. The first derivative of the aortic diameter waveform identified the incisura of aortic and pulmonary valve closure and was used to time the end of ventricular ejection and systole. RESULTS: In normal pregnancy there was an increase in systolic and diastolic diameter and pulse amplitude with advancing gestation. Ventricular ejection time was constant. In the fetal compromised group the absolute systolic and diastolic diameters were within the normal range, but diastolic diameter per unit fetal weight was increased. There was a decrease in pulse amplitude as a percentage of diastolic diameter and an increase in the diastolic systolic diameter ratio. Fetal outcome was examined in relation to the diastolic systolic diameter ratio. Those with a high ratio (above 90th centile of normal group) exhibited significantly more adverse indices of fetal outcome. CONCLUSIONS: The fetal aortic pressure pulse waveform was represented by the vessel diameter waveform. In fetal compromise reduced pulse amplitude and increased diastolic to systolic diameter ratio suggest corresponding changes in arterial pressure pulse. We suggest these are the response of the cardiac pump to increased afterload imposed by the high umbilical placental vascular resistance.

Aorta, Thoracic↗
PubMed1997

[Analysis of genome types of adenovirus type 7 isolated in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1996].

Adenovirus type 7 (Ad7) was rarely isolated in Japan till 1994, but during April 1995 to August 1996, isolations of Ad7 were reported 230 cases. We isolated Ad7 in January and July 1996 in Fukuoka prefecture. We analyzed its genome type by using 14 restriction endonuclease and studied seroepidemiology of Ad7 infection in Fukuoka prefecture. Isolated Ad7 strains were identical by 14 restriction endonuclease. Between new Ad7 isolates and prototype (Gomen; Ad7p), 4 restriction endonuclease patterns were identical but 10 restriction endonuclease patterns were different. From the result of restriction endonuclease pattern analysis, genome type of Ad7 isolated in Fukuoka may be the same to Ad7c reported by Noda et al. (1996). The alterations in the cleavage sites of 10 restriction endonucleases between new Ad7 isolates and Ad7p were revealed at least 12 sites. Ad7 antibody positive rates in serum specimens collected in Fukuoka Prefecture were 3.6% in 1994 and 9.7% in 1996.

Adenovirus Infections, Human↗
PubMed1997

The inwardly rectifying potassium channel subunit Kir2.2v (KCNJN1) maps to 17p11.2-->p11.1.

Inwardly rectifying K+ (Kir) channels play important roles in various cellular functions in excitable and non-excitable cells. We recently cloned the human genes encoding the Kir channel subunits Kir2.2v (KCNJN1) and Kir2.2 (KCNJ12). However, the physiological role of Kir2.2v has not yet been clarified. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of human metaphase chromosomes assigned both genes to 17p11.2-->p11.1. The presence of hybridization signals in the paracentromeric regions of both chromosomes 17 from two Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) patients indicated that Kir2.2v and Kir2.2 are not located within the minimum critical region of this syndrome.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1997

DAX-1 gene mutations and deletions in Japanese patients with adrenal hypoplasia congenita and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

Abnormality of the DAX-1 gene accounts for many instances of congenital adrenal hypoplasia. In the present study, we performed molecular genetic analysis of DAX-1 in 4 unrelated Japanese patients with adrenal hypoplasia congenita and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. A double-point mutation for V126M and W171X was identified in 1 family and a complex de novo insertion-deletion mutation was identified in a second. The DAX-1 gene was entirely deleted in a 3rd patient as well as in a 4th with the additional feature of glycerol kinase deficiency.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Pubertal changes in testicular 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in a male with classical 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency showing spontaneous secondary sexual maturation.

Males with classical 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3 beta-HSD) deficiency manifest appropriate secondary sexual maturation with an elevation in serum testosterone levels at pubertal age. To define the origin of serum testosterone, we evaluated a male patient with classical 3 beta-HSD who showed pubertal development. High values of testosterone and a ratio of delta(5) to delta(4) steroids in the spermatic vein indicated direct production of considerable amounts of testosterone and a persistent defect of 3 beta-HSD activity in the gonad. Immunohistochemical analysis showed distinct immunoreactivity in the Leydig cells of the patient. The patient was homozygous for a nonsense mutation in the type-II 3 beta-HSD gene. We propose that gonadal type-I 3 beta-HSD could be expressed by gonadotropin stimulation at pubertal age, and delta(4)-steroid precursors would convert to testosterone.

3-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗
PubMed1996

Chondrodysplasia and neurological abnormalities in ATF-2-deficient mice.

Activating transcription factor-2 (ATF-2) is a basic region leucine zipper protein whose DNA target sequence is the widely distributed cAMP response element (CRE). We report here that mice carrying a germline mutation in ATF-2 demonstrated unique actions of ATF-2 not duplicated by other ATF/CREB family members. Mutant mice had decreased postnatal viability and growth, with a defect in endochondral ossification at epiphyseal plates similar to human hypochondroplasia. The animals had ataxic gait, hyperactivity and decreased hearing. In the brain, there were reduced numbers of cerebellar Purkinje cells, atrophic vestibular sense organs and enlarged ventricles. Unlike CREB alpha/delta-deficient mice whose main defect is in long-term potentiation, the widespread abnormalities in ATF-2 mutant mice demonstrate its absolute requirement for skeletal and central nervous system development, and for maximal induction of select genes with CRE sites, such as E-selectin.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1996

Hepatitis C virus replication is associated with expression of transforming growth factor-alpha and insulin-like growth factor-II in cirrhotic livers.

The molecular role of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in liver disease has yet to be clarified. In this study, we analyzed the relationship of HCV replication with mRNA expression of growth factors and mutation of tumor suppressor gene, ie, transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1), which promotes cirrhotic changes; TGF-alpha, insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II), which are both related to hepatocyte transformation; and tumor suppressor gene p53, which is associated with HCC progression. A semiquantitative RNA polymerase chain reaction (RNA-PCR) was used to analyze genetic expression in 31 cirrhotic liver specimens from patients with HCV. In order to detect HCV replication, the minus-strand RNA of HCV, which serves as a template for the synthesis of genomic plus-strand RNA, was examined. The expression of the growth factors was semiquantified by RNA-PCR, and the mutation of p53 was detected using PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism. According to the semiquantitative analysis, HCV replication was not associated with the expression of TGF-beta 1 but was significantly so with the overexpression of TGF-alpha (r = 0.74) and IGF-II (r = 0.65) in the HCV-positive cirrhotic livers. No mutation of p53 was recognized in any of the samples. Our investigation thus suggested that the replication of HCV might mediate the coexpression of TGF-alpha and IGF-II and act as a possible initiating factor for hepatocarcinogenesis.

Actins↗
PubMed1996

[Double infection of Chlamydia pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae in children].

There have been fewer reports on Chlamydia pneumoniae infection during childhood than those in adults, although many of the C. pneumoniae infections occurred during childhood based on prevalence of the antibody. And there have been no reports concerning the double infection of C. pneumoniae and M. pneumoniae. We reported three cases of children with the double infection. We diagnosed this from significant alteration of these antibodies from the acute to convalescent phases. We omitted the cases without significant alteration of the antibodies, even diagnosed from isolation or detection of the antigens in the samples by direct fluorescent antibody. Case 1 was an 8-year-old-boy who was admitted to our hospital because of fever, cough with vomiting and erythema multiforme. The symptoms did not subside after administration of clindamycin but subsided after minocycline. Case 2 was an 1-year-old-boy who was admitted because of fever, cough, rhinorrhea and vomiting. C. pneumoniae organisms were isolated from the pharyngeal swab specimen, the symptoms subsided after administration of clindamycin. Case 3 was a 9-year-old boy who was admitted because of fever and a cough followed by erythema multiforme. The symptoms did not decrease after administration of clindamycin but after minocycline. The characteristic of these cases are a strong cough with vomiting, weak response of acute reactants on the laboratory data, and skin eruption similar with that due to M. mycoplasmae in two of the three cases. We suspect that these double infections may induce the eruption, about which there have been no previous reports.

Child↗
PubMed1996

Changes in bone metabolism and epiphysial growth plate in bovine Hyena disease induced by administration of vitamin AD3E premix or Vitamin A.

The changes in bone metabolism and morphology of chondrocytes in bovine Hyena disease caused by administration of vitamin AD3E premix (V-AD3E) or vitamin A (V-A) were examined. At the each age, 5 calves were used. Among them, Hyena disease was recognized in 3 calves; a calf administered a high dose of V-AD3E premix (V-A 3,000,000, V-D3 300,000, and V-E 1,200 I.U./day), a calf administered a half dose of the V-AD3E premix, and a calf administered only V-A 3,000,000 I.U./day. The remaining calves without Hyena disease were a calf administered only V-D3 300,000 I.U./day and a control calf. Each agent was administered orally for 10 days from 1 week after birth. In the 3 calves with Hyena disease, the bone metabolism in bone histomorphometry of ilium was in the state of low turnover at the age of 50 days. The bone volume was small at the age of 12 months. The epiphysial growth plates of the distal femurs and the proximal tibias partially disappeared and the chondrocyte lacunas in them were flattened. The matrix fibers of epiphysial growth plates were thinner in diameter and higher in density than those of the control calf. In the calf administered only V-D3, the values of bone volume decreased with aging. In conclusion, Hyena disease may be caused by excessive administration of V-A, because hypervitaminosis A suppressed the activity of differentiation and proliferation in chondrocytes and osteoblasts, and excessive administration of V-D3 may promote these actions.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

In situ detection of frequent and active infection of human cytomegalovirus in inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms: possible pathogenic role in sustained chronic inflammatory reaction.

Inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm (IAAA) is histopathologically characterized by extensive adventitial fibrosis, mononuclear cell infiltration with lymph follicle formation, and severe atheromatous changes in the aneurysmal wall. We previously reported a frequent prevalence and immediate early gene expression of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) in IAAA by solution-phase PCR and reverse transcription PCR, respectively, and suggested that this virus might play a role in chronic inflammatory reaction in IAAA. To evaluate the pathogenic role of CMV infection, the frequency and distribution of CMV infected cells in IAAA were examined by in situ PCR, and compared with those in atherosclerotic aneurysms (AA) and control cases with minimal atherosclerotic changes. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR was simultaneously evaluated as a marker for immune response related to CMV infection. Immediate early gene expression was also detected by reverse transcription PCR and in situ hybridization, to certify whether the CMV infection in IAAA is active or latent. In the fibrously thickened adventitia of IAAA, CMV infected cells and HLA-DR-positive cells were more frequently encountered than in that of AA and control cases (p < 0.01). CMV infected cells were largely identified as macrophages, fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and lymphocytes. The expression of CMV immediate early mRNA, which suggests an active infection inducing active inflammatory reaction, was detected in most of the macrophages, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts. Our results strongly suggest that frequent and active infection of CMV in IAAA plays a significant role in the induction and acceleration of chronic inflammatory reaction in aortas of IAAA.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

The fetal central venous pressure waveform in normal pregnancy and in umbilical placental insufficiency.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to study the fetal central venous pressure waveform recorded noninvasively from the inferior vena cava in normal and complicated pregnancies by means of newly developed equipment to follow the vessel lumen diameter. STUDY DESIGN: A paired ultrasonic phase-locked loop echo tracking system with a high sampling frequency (3000 Hz) was used to follow the movement (point displacement) of diametrically opposite points of the vessel wall. The lumen was measured as the interval between these points. We studied 70 normal fetuses (20 to 40 weeks) and 54 complicated pregnancies with increased umbilical placental resistance. RESULTS: The four component waves of the central venous pressure waveform (A, X, V, Y) were identified and measured in the fetal recording. The crests of the A and V waves were of approximately equal height. An increase in the descent of the Y trough was observed with advancing gestation. By means of data from the normal group, the complicated group was divided into three subgroups. In 10 fetuses the waveform was normal. In 31 there was a high pulsatile pattern with deep descent from the A crest to X trough so that the pulsatility of the waveform appeared increased. In 13 this was shallow and the pulsatility appeared reduced. Clinical outcome (nonreactive fetal heart rate, percentile birth weight, days in neonatal intensive care unit) was significantly worse in both these latter two subgroups in comparison with normal and in the low compared with the high-pulsatile group. CONCLUSIONS: Human fetal central venous pressure waveforms can be simply recorded and represented by the transluminal diameter waveform. In fetal compromise the high pulsatility waveform may result from a reduced ventricular ejection and increased end-diastolic pressure in response to the increase in ventricular afterload caused by the placental vessel obliteration. In the most profoundly compromised fetuses the low pulsatility waveform may indicate depressed myocardial function and output.

Central Venous Pressure↗
PubMed1995

Suppression of infectious virus spread to the liver by foscarnet following lethal infection of acyclovir-resistant herpes simplex virus type 2 in mice.

Patients with the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) occasionally develop hepatitis, pneumonia or esophagitis due to herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infection. HSV hepatitis is a rare but serious complication in liver transplantation. Acyclovir-resistant HSV strains may emerge in immunocompromised patients. Following intraperitoneal inoculation, HSV-2 induces necrotizing hepatitis in mice. We studied the virus spread and mortality following intraperitoneal inoculation of HSV-2 RK (an acyclovir-resistant recombinant virus with altered thymidine kinase activity) as compared to its parent virus 8620K. Neither the 50% lethal dose (LD50) nor the average survival time was significantly different between the two strains. Parenteral acyclovir treatment was found to be effective against 8620K but not RK infection. Parenteral foscarnet treatment was effective against both RK and 8620K, and also inhibited the spread of either virus to the liver, spinal cord and brain. Peroral foscarnet administration was found to prevent the virus growth in the liver.

Acyclovir↗