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S Fujimoto

Publications and source records attributed to S Fujimoto.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Purification and characterization of 38-kDa protein in plasma of dietary magnesium-deficient rat.

We have found an increase of a 38-kDa plasma protein level from 10 to 30 days in rats on a magnesium-deficient diet (Mg; 0.001 per cent), using sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). This 38-kDa protein returned to the control level after feeding the rats a magnesium-sufficient diet (Mg; 0.07 per cent) for 1 week. Purification of the protein by reverse-phase HPLC separated it into two components (p38k-1 and p38k-2). Amino acid analysis showed that these components were both haptoglobin (Hp) beta-chain. Furthermore, hemoglobin-immobilized affinity chromatography analysis confirmed the increase of Hp in magnesium-deficient rat plasma. This is the first demonstration of an increase of Hp in plasma of dietary magnesium-deficient rats.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Role of nitric oxide and nitric oxide-independent relaxing factor in contraction and relaxation of rabbit blood vessels.

It has been shown that spontaneous release of nitric oxide (NO) from the vascular endothelium attenuates contractile responses of vascular smooth muscles to norepinephrine, and that acetylcholine-induced relaxation is mediated by the evoked release of NO and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor. Since the involvement of these substances (or factors) in mechanical responses is heterogeneous among blood vessels, we have investigated the role of these substances in agonist-induced contraction and relaxation in 6 rabbit blood vessels. Vascular reactivity for the contractile response to norepinephrine was potentiated after removal of endothelium and by 100 microM N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA) but not by 80 nM-0.4 microM clotrimazole. This potentiation was most marked in the mesenteric artery among the blood vessels tested, suggesting that the basal release of NO reduced the contractile response of the vascular smooth muscle to norepinephrine in this artery. Acetylcholine-induced relaxation was abolished by removal of the endothelium and was attenuated by L-NA (1-100 microM) in all blood vessels. The attenuation by 100 microM L-NA was most obvious in aorta and vein and least in mesenteric resistance artery in which the acetylcholine-induced, L-NA-resistant relaxation was inhibited by 80 nM-0.4 microM clotrimazole. These results suggested that there is a regional difference in the degree of involvement of NO in acetylcholine-induced relaxation. In mesenteric resistance artery, the NO-independent, clotrimazole-sensitive factor, possibly hyperpolarizing factor may also contribute to the response to acetylcholine at high concentrations.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1997

Diagnosis of a deletion of steroid sulfatase by polymerase chain reaction and high-performance liquid chromatography.

X-linked ichthyosis is an inherited skin disorder caused by deficiency of steroid sulfatase activity. We studied the possibility of diagnosing the defect in patients and carriers by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We chose the usual PCR procedure of 25 temperature cycles. PCR products were resolved by HPLC and quantified by measurement of absorbance at 260 nm. The optimal amount of DNA template was 50 ng using either steroid sulfatase (STS) or beta-globin (internal control) primer. The results show that the amount of STS in ichthyosis patients was null. The amount of STS DNA in mothers of patients was half of that in normal females. By this HPLC-PCR method we will able to diagnose not only ichthyosis patients but also carriers before birth.

Arylsulfatases↗
PubMed1997

Improved mortality rate of gastric carcinoma patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis treated with intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemoperfusion combined with surgery.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal carcinomatosis from gastric carcinoma has a very poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of intraperitoneal hyperthermic chemoperfusion (IHCP) in advanced gastric carcinoma patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis. METHODS: IHCP combined with aggressive surgery was performed in 48 gastric carcinoma patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis; 18 gastric carcinoma patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis serving as controls were treated with surgery alone. RESULTS: The survival period was extended for the 48 patients who underwent surgery plus IHCP compared with the control patients (P = 0.00167). Of the 29 patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis in the upper abdominal cavity, the 21 patients treated with IHCP and surgery had survival periods superior to those of the 8 patients treated by surgery alone (P = 0.000817). The 5-year survival rate of the 18 IHCP patients with countable metastases in the entire cavity was 41.6%, whereas the 50% survival duration of the control group was 110 days. Nineteen patients with numerous metastases in the entire cavity died within 673 days, regardless of whether or not IHCP was used. CONCLUSIONS: Peritoneal carcinomatosis is not a disease beyond treatment. IHCP treatment combined with extensive surgery provides an effective and practical method of treating this disease entity.

Carcinoma↗
PubMed1997

A clinical and pathologic study on para-aortic lymph node metastasis in endometrial carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that poor survival for patients with early endometrial cancer was related to the extrapelvic spread of the cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the correlation between para-aortic lymph node (PAN) metastasis and histopathologic findings and to assess the clinical utility of identifying PAN metastasis of endometrial carcinoma. METHODS: The correlation of para-aortic lymph node metastasis to the clinical stages of endometrial carcinoma (FIGO, 1982), histopathologic findings, and prognosis were investigated in 200 patients with endometrial carcinoma, who were treated by radical operations, including systematic retroperitoneal lymphadenectomies, between July 1982 and February 1996. RESULTS: Of these, para-aortic lymph node (PAN) metastasis was seen in 18 (9.0%) and pelvic lymph node (PLN) metastasis in 40 (20.0%). The incidence of PAN metastasis according to clinical stages Ia, Ib, II, and III were 2.5%, 8.5%, 15.7%, and 33.3%, respectively. The incidence of metastasis was significantly higher in stage II than in stage Ia (P < 0.05), and in stage III than in stage Ia (P < 0.01). PAN metastasis occurred significantly more frequently in the first of each of the following groups: invasion of > 1/2 of the myometrium (15.7%) vs. invasion of < 1/2 of the myometrium (3.6%) (P < 0.01), the group with cervical invasion (23.5%) vs. the group without (4.0%) (P < 0.0001), the group with lymph-vascular space involvement (17.2%) vs. the group without (1.0%) (P < 0.0005), and PLN-metastasis-positive group (40.0%) vs. the negative group (1.3%) (P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis showed a significant correlation between PAN and PLN metastases (P < 0.0005). Positive PAN metastasis is not related to multiple PLN metastasis (bilateral PLN metastasis and the number of PLN metastatic groups). However, a correlation was seen between PAN metastasis and common iliac node metastasis. The prognosis was significantly poorer (P < 0.05) for patients with both PLN and PAN metastases than for those with PLN metastasis alone. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study suggest that PAN metastasis may occur as a consequence of PLN metastasis or the two may occur simultaneously as PLN metastasis and also that careful examination of PAN metastasis is necessary to determine the prognosis.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1997

Weibel-Palade bodies as a storage site of calcitonin gene-related peptide and endothelin-1 in blood vessels of the rat carotid body.

BACKGROUND: The vasculature of the carotid body has been considered to play a role in the regulation of blood flow into this organ. This light and electron microscope immunocytochemistry deals with endothelium-dependent vasomotion by vasodilatory calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and vasoconstrictive endothelin-1 (ET-1). METHODS: After adult male rats were perfused with a solution of periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde through the left ventricle, the carotid artery bifurcations were isolated and utilized for light and electron microscope immunolabelings with CGRP and ET-1 primary antisera. RESULTS: By light microscope immunocytochemistry, immunoreactions to CGRP were seen along the endothelium of the carotid body artery (CBA) and its branches, and those of ET-1 were observed along the endothelium of the intralobular capillaries in addition to the above vessels. By immunoelectron microscopy, immunoreactive gold particles of CGRP and ET-1 were identified in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER) and in the Weibel-Palade (WP) bodies of endothelial cells of the CBA and its branches. Colocalization of both immunoreactive gold particles was observed in the same WP body. Immunoreactive gold particles of CGRP were also identified in the rER, Golgi apparatus, and specific granules of the dark glomus cells. CONCLUSIONS: Conceivably, CGRP and ET-1 are synthesized in the rER of these endothelial cells and are stored in the WP bodies for the autoregulation of blood flow.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Apical tubules in marginal cells of the differentiating stria vascularis.

BACKGROUND: Apical tubules (ATs) in marginal cells (MCs) of the stria vascularis appear in limited stages of differentiation of the MCs, but their origin and roles remain uncertain. The present study was designed to solve the problem of whether the ATs are intracellular compartments derived from the Golgi apparatus (GA). METHODS: The cochleae of Wistar rats at ages of postnatal days 1, 3, and 5 were prepared for electron microscopy and cytochemistry using thiamine pyrophosphatase (TPPase) and coenzyme A phosphatase (CoA-Pase) as marker enzymes of trans Golgi cisterns and fluorescent labelled lectin, griffonia simplicifolia agglutinin-I (GS-1). RESULTS: The ATs appeared in the apical cytoplasm of the MCs between postnatal days 1 and 5. Reaction products of TPPase and CoA-Pase activities were localized in the trans-Golgi cisterns and the ATs, which were occasionally in a close apposition to the GA. The reaction was found along the apical plasma membrane of the MCs only in case of TPPase. Heavy reactions to GS-1 were seen in the supranuclear region as well as along the apical plasma membrane of the MCs. CONCLUSIONS: The present ultrastructural and cytochemical studies indicate that the ATs, which appear in the MCs at limited perinatal stages, originate from the trans-Golgi cisterns. These ATs may be involved in the apical plasma membrane supply for the differentiation of the MCs prior to the generation of EP.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

A deletion in the sapA homologue cluster is responsible for the loss of the S-layer in Campylobacter fetus strain TK.

The surface array protein (SAP) of Campylobacter fetus strain TK is encoded by seven homologous sapA genes clustered on the chromosomal DNA. The spontaneously arising variant strain TK(SAP-) produces no SAP and carries an approximately 10-kb chromosomal deletion. To elucidate the mechanism underlying the loss of SAP synthesis, we analyzed the region containing the sapA homologues and the deletion. We constructed a physical map of the sapA cluster region by aligning the clones that contain sapA homologues. These analyses demonstrated that all sapA homologues were located within a limited region of about 50 kb of chromosomal DNA of strain TK. The TK(SAP-) deletion was located within this cluster and was 13.3 kb in size. The deletion occurred between two sapA homologues and resulted in the formation of a chimeric sapA homologue in the variant strain. Sequence analysis of the upstream regions and the conserved regions of all sapA homologues revealed a high degree of similarity. However, only one sapA homologue contained a putative promoter sequence. This promoter sequence was located in the deleted region. Thus, the deletion of the promoter appears to be responsible for the loss of SAP expression in TK(SAP-).

Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins↗
PubMed1997

Prenatal diagnosis of congenital unilateral hydrocephalus.

A case is presented in which fetal unilateral hydrocephalus that had not been definitively diagnosed by ultrasonography was confirmed by means of magnetic resonance imaging. Computed tomography performed in the neonatal period after intraventricular injection of contrast medium showed stenosis of the foramen of Monro.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Relationship between isocapnic buffering and maximal aerobic capacity in athletes.

This study was performed to clarify the relationship between isocapnic buffering and maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) in athletes. A group of 15 trained athletes aged 21.1 (SD 2.6) years was studied. Incremental treadmill exercise was performed using a modified version of Bruce's protocol for determination of the anaerobic threshold (AT) and the respiratory compensation point (RC). Ventilatory and gas exchange responses were measured with an aeromonitor and expressed per unit of body mass. Heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion were recorded continuously during exercise. The mean VO2max, oxygen uptake (VO2) at AT and RC were 58.2 (SD 5.8) ml x kg(-1) x min(-1), 28.0 (SD 3.3) ml x kg(-1) x min(-1) and 52.4 (SD 6.7) ml x kg(-1) x min(-1), respectively. The mean values of AT and RC, expressed as percentages of VO2max, were 48.3 (SD 4.2)% and 90.0 (SD 5.2)%, respectively. The mean range of isocapnic buffering defined as VO2 between AT and RC was 24.4 (SD 4.5) ml x kg(-1) x min(-1), and the mean range of hypocapnic hyperventilation (HHV) defined as VO2 between RC and the end of exercise was 5.8 (SD 3.0) ml x kg(-1) x min(-1). The VO2max per unit mass was significantly correlated with AT (r = 0.683, P < 0.01). In addition, VO2max/mass was closely correlated with both the range of isocapnic buffering (r = 0.803, P < 0.001) and RC (r = 0.878, P < 0.001). However, no correlation was found between VO2max per unit mass and the range of HHV (r = 0.011, NS.). These findings would suggest that the prominence of isocapnic buffering, in addition to the anaerobic threshold, may have been related to VO2max of the athletes. The precise mechanisms underlying this proposed relationship remain to be elucidated.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Necrotizing funisitis: clinical significance and association with chronic lung disease in premature infants.

OBJECTIVES: Our purpose was to analyze the clinical significance of necrotizing funisitis, an unusual type of chronic inflammation of the umbilical cord, and to determine whether necrotizing funisitis is associated with chronic lung disease in premature infants. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 52 perinatal factors were prospectively assessed in 18 pregnant women and their fetuses in cases of chorioamnionitis at delivery occurring at 22 to 30 gestational weeks; a statistical comparison between the necrotizing funisitis group (n = 5) and the group without necrotizing funisitis (n = 18) was carried out. RESULTS: Significant correlations were found between necrotizing funisitis and the following factors: maternal serum C-reactive protein level on admission (p = 0.014), fetal distress (p = 0.044), umbilical artery blood pH value (p = 0.037) and polynuclear neutrophilic leukocyte count at birth (p = 0.014), chronic lung disease (p = 0.035), need for dexamethasone therapy for chronic lung disease (p = 0.029), duration of oxygen supplementation (p = 0.026), and length of hospital stay (p = 0.026). CONCLUSIONS: There was a significant association between necrotizing funisitis and development of chronic lung disease, suggesting that necrotizing funisitis is an important risk factor for the development of chronic lung disease.

Chorioamnionitis↗
PubMed1997

Production of adrenomedullin in human vascular endothelial cells.

To examine the production of adrenomedullin (AM) in human vascular endothelial cells, AM concentrations in cultured endothelial cells derived from the human umbilical vein and the conditioned media of the cells were measured in the present study. The cultured endothelial cells secreted immunoreactive AM (ir-AM) into the medium at a rate of 14.7 +/- 3.0 fmol/10(6) cells/24 h with an intracellular ir-AM of 5.2 +/- 0.8 fmol/l0(6) cells. Analysis by reverse phase high performance-liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed that ir-AM in both the cells and the conditioned medium eluted at the position identical to that of human AM(1-52). Treatment with dexamethasone significantly augmented the secretion of ir-AM from the cells without any effect on the intracellular ir-AM concentration. Northern blot analysis showed not only the presence of the 1.6 kb human AM precursor mRNA in the endothelial cells, but also its increased expression in the dexamethasone-treated cells. Thus, AM was synthesized and secreted by the human endothelial cells of the umbilical vein, and glucocorticoid augmented the AM production. These findings suggest not only the role of AM as a local modulator of the vascular tone but also the possibility that endothelial cells contribute to circulating AM in the human blood.

Adrenomedullin↗
PubMed1997

Revascularization of the anterior cerebral artery using a free superficial temporal artery graft: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Various bypass procedures have been used to treat occlusive cerebrovascular diseases. Most procedures were performed to prevent further ischemia in the territory of the middle cerebral artery, while only a few of the papers discuss the anterior cerebral artery (ACA) territory. METHOD AND RESULTS: A patient who initially presented with several episodes of transient monoparesis in the left leg was found to have severe stenosis of the right A2-A3 junction. A free superficial temporal artery (STA) graft was anastomosed between the right A2 and A3 portion intracranially. Transient ischemic attacks immediately disappeared after surgery and subsequent cerebral angiography revealed good anterograde filling from the A2 to A3 portion via the free STA graft. CONCLUSION: Revascularization using a free STA graft is useful for reconstruction of a local stenotic lesion, especially in the ACA territory.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Increased frequency of HLA-DR4 allele in women with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortions, detected by the method of PCR-SSP.

We investigated whether HLA-DR genes are associated with the etiology of unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA), by using the polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) method, which is more accurate than serological typing. In women (n = 27) who experienced three or more consecutive spontaneous abortions in the first trimester, the frequency of the DR4 allele was significantly increased (relative risk = 4.25, P = 0.020) when compared with controls (n = 22) who experienced two or more full-term deliveries and no miscarriage. After high-resolutional analysis by a second PCR-SSP in positive cases for the DR4 allele phenotypic frequencies of HLA-DRB1*04 sub-alleles were disclosed. The most frequent sub-allele was DRB1*0405, followed by DRB1*0406 in both women with URSA and controls. However, none of the specific sub-alleles were attributed statistically to the increase in the DR4 allele in women with URSA.

Abortion, Habitual↗
PubMed1997

Magnetic resonance velocity mapping of normal transtricuspid velocity profiles.

To investigate the velocity profiles of transtricuspid inflow, we examined 20 normal subjects (17 males and 3 females, mean age 27 +/- 7) by the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Electrocardiographic gating was performed in all anatomical and flow studies, and sequences were triggered by the R wave. Cine gradient echo images (echo time, 14 ms) were acquired in the right ventricular horizontal long axis, and from these, cine images with velocity mapping were obtained in the short axis of the right ventricle. Velocity mapping of right ventricular inflow was obtained at peak early diastolic filling. Velocity profile curves across the tricuspid inflow were obtained at each 1 cm interval from the tricuspid ring to 3 cm into the cavity. Maximum/mean velocity was 1.1 +/- 0.1 at ring level, unchanged at 1 cm from the tricuspid ring, and thereafter increased to 1.4 +/- 0.3 at cm2, and 1.5 +/- 0.3 at 3 cm as peak velocity fell. The ratio of the longest and shortest jet width cross section was 1.3 +/- 0.3 at ring level, and increased to 1.5 +/- 0.3 at 3 cm from ring level. Jet cross sectional area was 10.4 +/- 2.1 cm2 at ring level, and was unchanged at 3 cm level. Thus, tricuspid inflow velocity showed a relatively flat profile at the tricuspid ring and tip level, becoming more dispersed at 2 and 3 cm from the ring. Right ventricular inflow jet cross section was elliptic, and appeared to be relatively constant in the cross-sectional area.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Urine and plasma levels of uroguanylin and its molecular forms in renal diseases.

Uroguanylin activates the intestinal and possibly the renal guanylate cyclase C receptor, and stimulates Cl- secretion. We developed a sensitive radioimmunoassay (RIA) for human uroguanylin and measured its concentration in the urine and plasma. Twenty-four-hour urinary excretion of immunoreactive (ir-) uroguanylin for persons with a high-salt diet (10 g/day) was 137.8 +/- 14.4 pmol/day, significantly higher than that for persons with a low-salt diet (7 g/day, 95.1 +/- 16.3 pmol/day, P < 0.05). There were significantly positive correlations between the urinary excretion of ir-uroguanylin and Na+, Cl-, K+ or cyclic GMP (cGMP). We demonstrated the presence of messenger RNA of guanylate cyclase C in the medulla of human kidney. The concentration of plasma ir-uroguanylin significantly correlated with that of serum creatinine (r = 0.71, P < 0.001). Biologically active uroguanylin-16 accounted for 99% of the endogenous uroguanylin molecules in normal urine and 60% in plasma, the remainder being the 10 kDa precursor. The precursor content increased in the urine and plasma as the severity of renal impairment increased. These findings suggest that bioactive uroguanylin-16 is involved in the regulation of electrolyte homeostasis and that the kidney participates in the metabolism and excretion of uroguanylin.

Circadian Rhythm↗