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Biomedical subjects

S Funahashi

Publications and source records attributed to S Funahashi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Management of concomitant abdominal aortic aneurysm and gastrointestinal malignancy.

Selecting the most appropriate surgical approach for patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and gastrointestinal malignancy remains controversial. In an attempt to develop guidelines for the management of patients with these two simultaneous lesions, a retrospective review of patients who had concomitant AAA and gastrointestinal malignancy was undertaken. During the period from January 1985 to February 1993, 229 patients with AAA were admitted to our hospital. Among these, 19 patients (8%) had a gastrointestinal malignancy together with AAA and were divided into 2 groups. Group I was composed of 11 patients who underwent either a 1- or a 2-stage operation for both lesions. Group II was composed of eight patients who either underwent an operation for one lesion (six patients) or did not have any operation (two patients). Among group I, six patients underwent the two-stage operation. In four of the six patients, the malignancy was resected first. In the remaining two patients, the aneurysmectomy was performed first, because, in one patient, the aneurysm was more than 6 cm in diameter, and, in the other patient, the aneurysm was a saccular type. Among group I, five patients (two patients with gastric cancer, and one patient each with esophageal cancer, rectal cancer, and malignant lymphoma of the stomach) underwent a one-stage operation. In three of the five patients (two patients with gastric cancer and one patient with esophageal cancer), simultaneous resection was carried out by using segregated approaches, namely, the retroperitoneal approach for AAA and the transperitoneal approach for malignancy. Although the clinical characteristics of the patients were different, 8 of the 11 patients (73%) in group I are still alive, whereas only 1 of the 8 patients (13%) in group II is still alive. The principles of our surgical approaches for concomitant AAA and gastrointestinal malignancy are as follows: (1) The lesion that absolutely indicated urgent surgery was resected first. (2) If both lesions were asymptomatic, the malignancy was resected first. (3) Simultaneous resection using different approaches was useful in some patients with concomitant upper early gastrointestinal malignancy. (4) Both lesions need to be resected eventually for better long-term survival.

Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal↗
PubMed1993

Correlation of long-term results of extra-anatomic bypass and flow waveform analysis.

To investigate the correlation between the long-term results of an extra-anatomic bypass and operative flow waveform analysis, we retrospectively reviewed 32 axillofemoral and 21 femorofemoral bypasses for between 1 and 5 years after surgical repair. For the grafts with a type O or I flow waveform pattern, the patency at 3 years (83%) and at 5 years (83%) was superior to grafts with a type II flow waveform (69 and 60%). For the axillofemoral bypass grafts with a type O or I waveform, the patency rate was 92% at 5 years. In contrast with the type II flow, the patency rate was 70% at 5 years. For the femorofemoral bypass with a type O or I and a II flow waveform, the patency at 4 years was 67 and 46%, respectively. In cases with concomitant superficial femoral artery occlusion, the flow waveform was type O or I in 23% and type II in 77%. The patency rate at 5 years was 85% for cases with a patent superficial femoral artery, and 51% for an occluded superficial femoral artery (p < 0.05). These results suggest that the long-term outcome of extra-anatomic bypass correlates with the operative flow wave analysis. In addition, good long-term results and an accurate flow wave pattern depend on the distal run-off, particularly the presence of a patent superficial femoral artery.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Dorsolateral prefrontal lesions and oculomotor delayed-response performance: evidence for mnemonic "scotomas".

The spatial memory functions of the monkey's prefrontal cortex were examined with oculomotor delayed-response (ODR) paradigms that required the animal to remember the spatial location of peripheral visual cues, while maintaining fixation on a central visual target during the presentation of each cue and during a subsequent 1.5-8 sec delay period. Four rhesus monkeys received unilateral or serial prefrontal lesions in and around the principal sulcus after they reached criterion performance on the ODR tasks. Unilateral lesions disrupted the performance of memory-guided eye movements to spatial cues in the visual field contralateral to the hemisphere in which the lesion was placed. Memory-guided eye movements to ipsilateral cues were mildly affected by unilateral lesions, and these lesions had little or no effect on performance in visually guided control tasks. With addition of a second lesion in the opposite hemisphere, the deficit was extended to include the opposite hemifield. The impairment was characterized by eye movements of inappropriate direction, and, excepting the one lesion that extended into the frontal eye field region of the arcuate sulcus, saccadic reaction times and velocities were the same before and after the lesions. The effect of the lesions was delay dependent: performance was rarely altered at the shortest (1.5 sec) delay but became progressively worse as the delay period was lengthened. The present results strengthen the evidence that the delayed-response deficits of monkeys with prefrontal lesions are caused by failure to maintain a transient memory "trace" in working memory, and indicate for the first time that working memory mechanisms are lateralized: memories for visuo-spatial coordinates in each hemifield are processed primarily in the contralateral prefrontal cortex. These findings provide evidence for the concept of mnemonic hemianopias and mnemonic scotomas, that is, memory deficits for particular hemifields or visual field locations, unaccompanied by simple sensory or motor deficits.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Simultaneous resection of abdominal aortic aneurysms and early gastric cancer by retroperitoneal and transperitoneal approach.

The surgical approach to patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm and gastrointestinal malignancy remains controversial. We experienced two cases with abdominal aortic aneurysm and gastric cancer, which were treated by a one-stage operation using a different approach. At first, the operation for the aneurysm was done through a retroperitoneal approach and then, a partial gastrectomy for gastric cancer was done through a transperitoneal approach. The postoperative course of both cases was uneventful. The patients were discharge on the 19th and 21st postoperative days, respectively. This one-stage operation using different isolated approaches, such as the retroperitoneal approach for abdominal aortic aneurysm and transperitoneal approach for gastric cancer, was useful for the patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm and particularly early gastric cancer in terms of preventing an infection of the prosthetic graft.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1992

[Clinical usefulness of carcinoembryonic antigen measurement in nipple discharge as an adjunctive tool for diagnosis of breast cancer].

We measured carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in 43 cases with abnormal nipple discharge by means of enzyme immunoassay utilizing monoclonal anti-CEA antibodies. When the cut-off value was set at 400 ng/ml so that the cases where measured values are not less than this value may be interpreted to be positive, the sensitivity and specificity were 60% and 75% respectively. The clear relationship was virtually observed between the concentration of CEA in nipple discharge and the cytological diagnosis. 9 of 10 malignant cases showed positive in both or either of the CEA assay and the cytological examination. And we could find 1 case of the zero stage of breast cancer and 4 cases in non-invasive carcinoma (Tis) through the combined diagnosis. On the other hand, only 2 of 8 benign cases showed false positive results. The correlation between the CEA concentration in nipple discharge and intratumoral expression of CEA was also observed. In this study, we concluded that the combined use of the enzyme immunoassay and the cytological examination would be more effective in the detection of early breast cancer accompanied with abnormal nipple discharge.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Regulation of plaque size and host range by a vaccinia virus gene related to complement system proteins.

A vaccinia virus variant, LC16m8, and its parental Lister (Elstree) strain (LO) were employed to identify the viral gene(s) responsible for plaque size and host range: the large-plaque-forming LO strain but not the small-plaque-forming LC16m8 strain can actively proliferate in Vero (YTV) cells. Previously, we suggested that some particular gene(s) present in the HindIII D fragment of LO DNA was responsible for these biological activities. In the present experiment, the mapping of the putative gene was done by introducing various subfragments of the HindIII D fragment of LO DNA into the gene of LC16m8 strain and screening of the resultant virus variants for the capability of forming large plaques or of proliferating well in Vero cells. The results indicated that an open reading frame (called ps/hr gene) in LO HindIII D fragment was responsible for either plaque size or host range. This gene encoded a polypeptide of 317 amino acids related to the regulators of complement activation (RCA) gene family of mammals. Thus, the present genetic analysis provided direct evidence for a previously unrecognized function of RCA-related proteins encoded by the virus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Homotypic and heterotypic protection against influenza virus infection in mice by recombinant vaccinia virus expressing the haemagglutinin or nucleoprotein of influenza virus.

Recombinant vaccinia virus expressing the influenza virus haemagglutinin (HA) or nucleoprotein (NP) genes from A/SW/Hong Kong/1/74 (H1N1) under the control of a hybrid promoter containing the P7.5 early promoter element and promoter of the gene encoding the major protein of cowpox virus A type inclusion body was constructed to investigate protective immunity against homologous and heterologous viruses in mice. These recombinant vaccinia viruses produced authentic influenza virus HA and NP in infected cells. The recombinant vaccinia virus-influenza virus HA conferred efficient subtype-specific protection although mice challenged with heterologous influenza viruses underwent initial infection. By contrast, immunization with the recombinant vaccinia-influenza virus NP limited virus multiplication in the lungs against challenge infection with all H1N1 and H3N2 influenza viruses examined, although less efficiently. These results will prompt the re-examination of the possibility of using the recombinant vaccinia virus-influenza virus NP as a cross-protective vaccine.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Human papillomavirus type 6 and 11 E4 gene products in condyloma acuminata.

The human papillomavirus type 6 (HPV-6) E4 gene was expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with E. coli beta-galactosidase (E4-beta-Gal), and rabbit antibody against the E4-beta-Gal was prepared. By Western blotting with this antibody, we detected E4 gene products in six out of 18 condyloma acuminata specimens. In four specimens (C-1, C-13, C-14 and C-19), the E4 protein was found as a 10K/11K doublet, but in other specimens (C-8 and C-23), only the 11K protein was detected. By Southern blot analysis, it was found that C-13 harboured HPV-6 DNA but that C-1 and C-8 harboured HPV-11 DNA, indicating that the E4 proteins of HPV-6 and -11 have cross-reactive antigenicity. After incubation at 37 degrees C of the C-23 tissue specimen, the 10K protein was clearly detected. These results suggest that the 10K protein may be derived from the 11K protein by a modification such as proteolytic cleavage before and/or after specimens were taken.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Increased expression in vivo and in vitro of foreign genes directed by A-type inclusion body hybrid promoters in recombinant vaccinia viruses.

We constructed A-type inclusion body (ATI) hybrid promoters, that is, late ATI promoters followed by tandemly repeated early regions of the promoter for the 7.5-kDa protein (the 7.5-kDa promoter). The repetition of the whole early promoter sequence of the 7.5-kDa gene, including the upstream consensus sequence and initiation region, efficiently increased the early expression of the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene in recombinant vaccinia virus. Recombinant vaccinia virus could express influenza virus hemagglutinin via the hybrid promoter more efficiently, induced higher levels of neutralizing antibody and cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and consequently protected mice more efficiently against challenge with influenza virus than did recombinant vaccinia virus containing the widely used 7.5-kDa promoter.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Neuronal activity related to saccadic eye movements in the monkey's dorsolateral prefrontal cortex.

1. Single-neuron activity was recorded from the prefrontal cortex of monkeys performing saccadic eye movements in oculomotor delayed-response (ODR) and visually guided saccade (VGS) tasks. In the ODR task the monkey was required to maintain fixation of a central spot throughout the 0.5-s cue and 3.0-s delay before making a saccadic eye movement in the dark to one of four or eight locations where the visual cue had been presented. The same locations were used for targets in the VGS tasks; however, unlike the ODR task, saccades in the VGS tasks were visually guided. 2. Among 434 neurons recorded from prefrontal cortex within and surrounding the principal sulcus (PS), 147 changed their discharge rates in relation to saccadic eye movements in the ODR task. Their response latencies relative to saccade initiation were distributed between -192 and 460-ms, with 22% exhibiting presaccadic activity and 78% exhibiting only postsaccadic activity. Among PS neurons with presaccadic activity, 53% also had postsaccadic activity when the monkey made saccadic eye movements opposite to the directions for which the presaccadic activity was observed. 3. Almost all (97%) PS neurons with presaccadic activity were directionally selective. The best direction and tuning specificity of each neuron were estimated from parameters used to fit a Gaussian tuning curve function. The best direction for 62% of the neurons with presaccadic activity was toward the contralateral visual field, with the remaining neurons having best directions toward the ipsilateral field (23%) or along the vertical meridian (15%). 4. Most postsaccadic activity of PS neurons (92%) was also directionally selective. The best direction for 48% of these neurons was toward the contralateral visual field, with the remaining neurons having best directions toward the ipsilateral field (36%) or along the vertical meridian (16%). Eighteen percent of the neurons with postsaccadic activity showed a reciprocal response pattern: excitatory responses occurred for one set of saccade directions, whereas inhibitory responses occurred for roughly the opposite set of directions. 5. Sixty PS neurons with saccade-related activity in the ODR task were also examined in a VGS task. Forty of these neurons showed highly similar profiles of directional specificity and response magnitude in both tasks, 13 showed saccade-related activity only in the ODR task, and 7 changed their response characteristics between the ODR and VGS tasks.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Chemical diagnosis of Fabry's disease by fluorometric assay and fast atom bombardment/mass spectrometry.

We report the results of a fluorometric assay for alpha-galactosidase A (EC.3.2.1.22) in plasma and leukocytes, and fast atom bombardment/mass spectrometry (FAB/MS) analysis of glycosphingolipids in urine sediments from a patient with Fabry's disease. In plasma, this patient had only 5.0% of the normal amount of alpha-galactosidase A, and his brother and mother had 11.0% and 25.0%, respectively. In leukocytes, the activities were below 8.0%. Glycosphingolipids from urine sediments were partially purified using a Sep-Pack C18 cartridge. The chemical diagnosis of Fabry's disease can be made more rapidly and accurately using fluorometric and FAB/MS analyses.

Child↗
PubMed1990

Visuospatial coding in primate prefrontal neurons revealed by oculomotor paradigms.

1. Visual responses and their relationship to delay-period activity were studied by recording single neuron activity from the prefrontal cortex of rhesus monkeys while they performed an oculomotor delayed-response (ODR) and a visual probe (VP) task. In the ODR task, the monkey was required to maintain fixation of a central spot of light throughout the cue (0.5 s) and delay (3 s) periods and then make a saccadic eye movement to one of four or eight locations where the visual cue had been presented. In the VP task, the same visual stimuli that were used in the ODR task were presented for 0.5 s, but no response was required. The VP task was thus employed to test the passive visual response and, by comparison with cue-elicited activity in the ODR task, to examine the degree of behavioral enhancement present in prefrontal visual activity. 2. Among 434 neurons recorded from the prefrontal cortex within and surrounding the principal sulcus (PS), 261 had task-related activity during at least one phase of the ODR task, and 74 of these had phasic visual responses to the onset of the visual cues with a median latency of 116 ms. The visual responses of 69 neurons were excitatory, and 5 neurons were inhibited. Five of the neurons with excitatory visual responses also responded transiently after the offset of the cue. 3. Visual responses were classified as directional for 71 PS neurons (96%) in that excitatory or inhibitory responses occurred only for location of cues in a restricted portion of the visual field. Only 3 PS neurons were omnidirectional, i.e., responded equivalently to cues in all locations tested. 4. The best direction and tuning specificity of all PS neurons with directional visual responses were estimated from parameters yielding the best fit to a Gaussian-shaped tuning function. The best direction for the majority (71%) of neurons was toward the visual field contralateral to the hemisphere where the neuron was located. The remaining neurons had their best directions in the ipsilateral field (18%) or along the vertical meridian (11%). 5. The specificity of directional tuning for PS visual responses was quite variable, ranging from neurons that responded only to one of the eight cue locations to neurons that responded to all eight, but in a clearly graded fashion. The standard deviation parameter of the Gaussian curve indexed the breadth of directional tuning of each neuron; its median value was 37 degrees.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Induction of neutralizing antibodies against bovine leukosis virus in rabbits by vaccination with recombinant vaccinia virus expressing bovine leukosis virus envelope glycoprotein.

Three kinds of recombinant vaccinia virus (RVV)--mO-HA/ATI, LO1-HA/ATI and mO-HA/7.5kD--expressing bovine leukosis virus (BLV) envelope glycoprotein (gp60) were constructed. The BLV envelope gene of RVV mO-HA/ATI and LO1-HA/ATI or of RVV mO-HA/7.5kD was expressed under control of the promoter of A-type inclusion body (ATI) protein gene of cow-pox virus or vaccinia virus 7.5-kD protein gene, respectively. The vaccinia virus strain, LC16mO, was used as vector for RVV mO-HA/ATI and mO-HA/7.5kD, and strain LO-1 was used for RVV LO1-HA/ATI. Strains LC16mO and LO-1 are attenuated vaccine virus strains originating from the Lister original vaccinia virus. All 3 kinds of constructed RVV expressed gp60 in cultured rabbit kidney cells after infection; mO-HA/ATI expressed more antigen than did mO-HA/7.5kD. Rabbits vaccinated with RVV produced considerable antibody capable of inhibiting syncytium formation, as well as antibody with virion-binding ability. The RVV that used ATI promoter induced higher antibody titer than did the RVV that used 7.5-kD promoter. Results indicate that BLV gp60 is responsible for induction of neutralizing antibodies that suppress in vitro formation of syncytia among BLV-infected cells. Applicability of RVV, especially those using ATI promoter, was evaluated in a vaccine against bovine leukosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Development of heat-stable recombinant rinderpest vaccine.

Recombinant vaccinia virus (RVV) containing the full-length cDNA of rinderpest virus (RV)-haemagglutinin (H) gene was constructed. The H gene was inserted into the attenuated vaccine strain of vaccinia virus (VV), Le 16 m0, with two different promoters, namely cowpox virus A-type inclusion body (ATI) promoter or VV 7.5 kilodalton (P7.5) promoter. These RVVs produced the same sized fully glycosylated RV-H protein in RK 13 cells as that of the authentic RV-H. Their heat stability in the lyophylized state was similar to that of the parental VV. All rabbits immunized with these RVVs produced virus neutralizing (VN) antibody to RV as well as anti RV-H antibody. Four weeks after immunization, these animals were challenged with RV intravenously. None of the RVV-immunized rabbits developed any clinical signs of RV infection except one which was immunized with RVV containing the ATI promoter and developed low VN titer. These results indicate the possibility of developing a heat-stable recombinant vaccine for the eradication of rinderpest in tropical countries without cold storage systems.

Animals↗