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Biomedical subjects

S Shimada

Publications and source records attributed to S Shimada.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

Clinical evaluation of transhiatal bilateral splanchnicotomy for patients with intractable supramesenteric pain.

Although a transhiatal bilateral splanchnicotomy (TBS) has many advantages, it has not been widely employed as an effective minimal invasive therapy for intractable supramesenteric pain. Furthermore, the effects of TBS have not yet been clearly evaluated. Between 1995 and 1997, TBS was performed on 11 patients with intractable epigastric and/or flank pain due to unresectable pancreatic cancer, chronic pancreatitis, or an unknown cause. The effect of TBS on the pain was evaluated using a novel simple pain score and pain reduction percentage scaled on the basis of the medication and the judgments by patients themselves, respectively. The detection and cutting of the bilateral great splanchnic nerves were easily performed in all of the patients using common flexible chondrocostal retractors. The evaluation of the TBS effect using the pain score clearly demonstrated the early and late mean postoperative pain score (1.1 +/- 0.9 and 1.4 +/- 1.2: mean +/- SD) to be significantly (P = 0.0002 and P = 0.002, respectively) lower than the preoperative pain score (3.5 +/- 0.7). Furthermore, the mean postoperative pain reduction percentage (85% +/- 13%) evaluated by those patients was also significantly different (P < 0.0001). The present study showed no significant complications for TBS, except for minor complications such as the transient fall of blood pressure and reparable pleural damage. Interestingly, a long-term follow-up revealed that no complications related to the splanchnicotomy were observed. These results indicate that TBS is a useful treatment for patients with intractable supramesenteric pain caused by cancer as well as benign diseases.

Abdominal Pain↗
PubMed1999

Activation pattern of Langerhans cells in the afferent and efferent phases of contact hypersensitivity.

Langerhans cells are MHC class II (Ia) positive antigen-presenting cells that play a crucial role in the induction of contact hypersensitivity (CHS). The topical application of a hapten modifies the cell surface moieties of Langerhans cells, and activates Langerhans cells to increase their size and Ia intensity. The haptenated and activated Langerhans cells emigrate from the epidermis and thus the in situ density of Langerhans cells usually decreases during 24-48 h after the hapten application in CHS. To determine whether the early activation pattern of Langerhans cells is different between the afferent phase and the efferent phase of CHS, we compared the density and morphologic changes of Langerhans cells in CHS to trinitrochlorobenzene using nonsensitized and sensitized mice. We found that the application of a hapten induces more significant enlargement of Langerhans cell size in the afferent phase than in the efferent phase, whereas the reduction of Langerhans cell density is more marked in the efferent than in the afferent phase of CHS. Moreover, topical immunosuppressive drugs inhibit the in situ activation of Langerhans cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Fas/Fas ligand-mediated elimination of antigen-bearing Langerhans cells in draining lymph nodes.

Epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) are potent antigen-presenting cells (APC) that play a crucial part in initiating cutaneous immune responses. Although functional roles of LC as APC in the draining lymph node have been well investigated, little is known about the fate of LC after the antigen presentation to T cells. In this report, we demonstrate that antigen-bearing LC that migrated into the draining lymph nodes and were identified as fluorescent cells after skin painting with fluorescein isothiocyanate also expressed the Fas antigen. Clearance of the antigen-bearing LC was significantly delayed and the ratio of dead cells was reduced in Fas-deficient lpr and Fas ligand (FasL)-deficient gld mice at 2 days after skin painting, suggesting the involvement of a Fas/FasL-mediated pathway in the elimination of antigen-bearing LC in draining lymph nodes. These results suggest that a substantial population of LC after antigen presentation may undergo Fas/FasL-mediated apoptosis and that the elimination of active APC may be important for preventing excess immune responses.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Prevention of B220+ T cell expansion and prolongation of lifespan induced by Lactobacillus casei in MRL/lpr mice.

We examined the therapeutic effect of heat-killed Lactobacillus casei (LC) on MRL/lpr mice. Ingestion of a diet containing 0.05% (w/w) LC from the weaning period prolonged the lifespan and tended to reduce the proportion of B220+ T cells in the spleen and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) of MRL/lpr mice. When LC was intraperitoneally injected once a week after the age of 8 weeks, I-A- macrophages accumulated in the spleen as well as the peritoneum and macrophage progenitors increased in the bone marrow. Moreover, the amount of IL-6 mRNA in peritoneal macrophages was reduced by LC injection. Splenocytes from LC-injected MRL/lpr mice exhibited lower proliferative responses to mitogens than those from control MRL/lpr mice and the increase in number of B220+ T cells in the spleen and MLN was prevented by LC injection. However, LC injection affected neither expression of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-4 mRNAs nor proliferative capacities of splenic T cells. Our findings demonstrate that LC injection accelerates macrophage recruitment and prevents the expansion of B220+ T cells without affecting the functions of T cells in MRL/lpr mice. These immunological modulations induced by LC may lead to prolongation of the lifespan of MRL/lpr mice.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1999

Renin-angiotensin system stimulates cardiac and renal disorders in Tsukuba hypertensive mice.

1. The role of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in cardiac hypertrophy and nephropathy was examined in Tsukuba hypertensive mice (THM) carrying both human renin and angiotensinogen genes. 2. Tsukuba hypertensive mice were treated with 20 mg/kg per day lisinopril, 30 mg/kg per day hydralazine or nothing. Administration of drugs was performed for 6 months from 12 weeks of age; water intake and urine volume were measured and urine albumin excretion, heart to bodyweight ratio and the glomerulosclerosis index were examined. 3. Systolic blood pressure was significantly lowered by treatment with lisinopril and hydralazine. Urine volume, water intake and urinary albumin excretion were significantly decreased by lisinopril. When hydralazine was administered to THM, these parameters were transiently decreased, but eventually reached almost the same levels as those in the untreated group. The heart to bodyweight ratio was significantly decreased by lisinopril, but not by hydralazine. The glomerulosclerosis index was significantly lowered by lisinopril, but the index in the hydralazine group was not significantly different from that in the untreated group. 4. These results suggest that the RAS plays an important role in the progression of cardiac hypertrophy in THM. In addition, the RAS may also play an important role in the progression of nephropathy; however, this may also be partially regulated by elevated blood pressure in the short term.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1999

Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (Kikuchi's disease): the necrotic appearance of the lymph node cells is caused by apoptosis.

We report a case of histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis in a 28-year-old woman. The biopsy specimen of the enlarged lymph node showed lymphocytes, histiocytes, and a large amount of nuclear debris as well as marked eosinophilic deposits. We found DNA fragments by means of the modified TUNEL method, especially in the transitional area between intact cells and the foci of eosinophilic deposits and the cells positive for anti-Fas antibody in the biopsied lymph node. Therefore, the necrotic appearance of the lymph node was thought to be caused by apoptosis induced by the Fas-Fas ligand system. We hypothesize that the apoptosis was strongly related to the pathogenesis of this disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Antigen-specific response of murine immune system toward a yeast beta-glucan preparation, zymosan.

Zymosan, a particulate beta-glucan preparation from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, shows various biological activities, including anti-tumor activity. We have previously shown that soluble beta-glucan initiated anti-tumor activity was long-lived and was effective even by prophylactic treatment at 1 month prior to tumor challenge. However, the activity by zymosan was relatively short-lived. Antigen-specific responses of mice to zymosan might be a causative mechanism. In this paper, mice were immunized with zymosan and antibody production and antigen-specific responses of lymphocytes to zymosan were analyzed. Sera of zymosan immune mice contained zymosan-specific IgG assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and FACS. Spleen and bone marrow cells of zymosan-immune mice showed higher cytokine production in response to zymosan. Specificity of zymosan-specific responses were also analyzed using various derivatives prepared from zymosan. These facts strongly suggested that mice recognize zymosan as antigen in addition to non-specific immune stimulant.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

[A study on identification method of coxsackie virus A16 and enterovirus 71].

The simple and rapid identification method of coxsackie virus A16 (CA16) and enterovirus 71 (Ev71), the main cause of hand foot and mouth disease, was described in this report. This method was consists of three steps, those were virus isolation, amplification by RT-PCR, and digestion by restriction enzyme Taq I and EcoT22 I. In 1990, many virus strains were isolated in Vero cell line. But after 1994 the number of isolated viruses in Caco-2 cell line increased instead of isolated in Vero cell line. Concerning to isolation of CA16, in 1998, MRC-5 cell line was also used and it's sensitivity was same as Caco-2 cell line. Cytopathic effects were first observed in MRC-5 cell line among these three lines. RNAs of CA1-10, poliovirus 1-3, echovirus 1-7, 9, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 30, Ev71, and isolated viruses were extracted by using QIAamp viral RNA kit (QIAGEN). Then two series of reverse transcription using two down stream primers (E31 and E33) were performed. In PCR, the same upper stream primer (primer 2) was used. CA6, CA16 and Ev71 were the only viruses those were not amplified by RT-PCR using primer 2/E31 but amplified by RT-PCR using primer 2/E33. After PCR, PCR products of isolated viruses using primer 2/E33 were digested by Taq I and Eco T22 I. All of Ev71 products were not digested but all of CA16 products were digested. The band pattern of PCR products (CA16) digested by Taq I were divided into three groups. And Eco T22 I digestion pattern is only one. These results were in accord with Taq I and EcoT22 I digestion sites on sequences of CA16 and Ev71. This method should be useful for the rapid identification of CA16 and Ev71.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Prognostic significance of the pattern of multivessel spasm in patients with variant angina.

Multivessel spasm in variant angina is believed to be a major prognostic factor. Three patterns of multivessel spasm have been detected: (1) spasm at different sites on different occasions (migratory spasm); (2) spasm sequentially affecting 2 different sites (sequential spasm); and (3) simultaneous spasm at more than 1 site (simultaneous spasm). The present study investigated the prognosis based on this factor for variant angina without fixed coronary stenosis and examined the influence of multivessel spasm on cardiac events. Twenty-six patients were diagnosed as having variant angina without fixed coronary stenosis using 12-lead 24-h ECG recording system and coronary cineangiography. These patients were followed up prospectively for 57.1+/-7.6 months. Of the 26 patients 13 had single-vessel spasm, 6 had migratory multivessel spasm angina, and 7 showed sequential and/or simultaneous multivessel spasm angina. The survival free of serious cardiac events and of all cardiac events was significantly lower for patients with sequential and/or simultaneous multivessel spasm than for those with migratory multivessel spasm (p<0.05, p<0.05), whereas for patients with migratory multivessel spasm the difference comparison with single-vessel spasm did not attain statistical significance (p = ns, p = ns). The results of this study suggest that there seems to be a high-risk subgroup (i.e., sequential and/or simultaneous multivessel spasm) among patients with variant angina.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Dual-chamber pacing in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy: a comparison of acute and chronic effects.

This study describes the acute and chronic effects of dual-chamber (DDD) pacing in 14 consecutive patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM), whose symptoms were refractory to drug therapy. Although left ventricular (LV) outflow tract pressure gradients diminished from 106+/-47 to 62+/-33 mm Hg (p<0.001) by temporary pacing, the residual pressure gradients were >30 mm Hg in the majority of those with concomitant reductions in cardiac output. The DDD pacing was judged as insufficient by the acute study in the majority of patients. A dual-chamber pacemaker was, however, implanted in 11 patients, and the chronic pacing effects were evaluated. All symptoms (syncope, fainting, palpitation and dyspnea) subsided within 1 month. Left ventricular outflow tract pressure gradients diminished from 99+/-56 to 21+/-13 mm Hg (p<0.004) at 1 week after, and to 17+/-12 mm Hg (p<0.002) at 1 year after the implantation, as measured by Doppler echocardiography. Echocardiogram showed disappearance of the systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve, and significant regression of the septal hypertrophy (from 18.5+/-4.3 to 15.7+/-4.1 mm, p<0.04). There was no significant correlation between the acute and chronic pacing effects in the reduction of the pressure gradients or symptomatic improvement. These results suggest that DDD pacemaker implantation is an effective treatment without any serious risks for patients with drug-refractory HOCM. The chronic-pacing effect in the reduction of the pressure gradient, the regression of hypertrophy and symptomatic improvement cannot be predicted by the assessment of temporary DDD pacing.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

The effect of tulobuterol tape on histamine-induced bronchoconstriction in conscious guinea pigs: long duration of action.

The objective of the present study was to determine the action duration of tulobuterol tape within a 24-hr period in conscious guinea pigs. The bronchoconstriction induced by histamine-inhalation was significantly inhibited by tulobuterol tape in comparison with its placebo tape 8 and 12 hr after binding, and the inhibitory rate was 50+/-11% and 35+/-13%, respectively. Twenty-four hours after binding, the inhibitory effect of tulobuterol tape gradually diminished, but the inhibitory rate was maintained at 30+/-14%. These results suggest that tulobuterol tape has a long lasting bronchodilatory action.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1999

Sexual dimorphism of the human spinal cord in the aging process.

There have been few morphometric studies on age-related changes in the human spinal cord. The purpose of the present study was to determine the existence of sexual dimorphism of the spinal cord between males and females during the aging process. Spinal cords were removed from cadaver specimens, 26 males and 22 females for anatomic practice, the age at death ranged from 41 to 97 years for males (average, 71.5 years) and from 59 to 92 years for females (average, 76.6 years). Spinal cord segments were embedded in celloidin after secondary fixation and dehydration. Sections were stained with the Luxol fast blue-periodic acid-Schiff-hematoxylin and Klüver-Barrera methods. Morphometric analysis was performed with an electronic optical planimeter and a computer. Each section was enlarged 13.5 times to take a picture. The areas of the transverse section white matter and gray matter of the spinal cord at segments C5 and L3 were measured. Although there was no correlation between the total transverse area of the spinal cord and age either in males or females, we noticed that the area of the gray matter decreased faster in males than in females; while the area of the white matter decreased faster in females than in males. The area ratio of the white matter to the whole segment area of the spinal cord (W/T) at level C5 is larger in males than that in females. Our results suggest that there could be a difference between males and females in changes in the white and gray matters of the spinal cord due to aging.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Alpha1-adrenergic stimulation induced hypertrophy in protein kinase C down-regulated cultured cardiac myocytes.

To examine whether protein kinase C (PKC) activation is essential for the induction of cardiac myocyte hypertrophy caused by alpha1-adrenergic stimulation, we investigated the hypertrophic effect of phenylephrine in PKC down-regulated and non-treated cultured cardiac myocytes obtained from neonatal Sprague-Dawley rat ventricles. The treatment with 10 nmol/L 12-tetra decanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) for more than 2 hours decreased PKC activity by approximately 80% without marked hypertrophy. Phenylephrine increased [14C] phenylalanine (Phe) incorporation in both TPA non-treated and treated cells, 1.54- and 1.71-fold as large as control, respectively. The cell surface area also enlarged in both groups, 1.67- and 1.74-fold, respectively. Thus, phenylephrine induced the similar grade hypertrophy in cultured cardiac myocytes even when PKC was down-regulated. These results suggest that conventional PKC activation may not be essential for mediating myocyte hypertrophy by alpha1-adrenergic stimulation.

Adrenergic alpha-Agonists↗
PubMed1999

Carcinogenesis of intestinal-type gastric cancer and colorectal cancer is commonly accompanied by expression of brain (fetal)-type glycogen phosphorylase.

Our previous studies have demonstrated the significant enzymatic activity of glycogen phosphorylase (GP) in the gastric carcinoma and proliferating cells of particular intestinal metaplasia (IM). This paper reviewed the identification of the GP isoform in the gastrointestinal carcinoma, and the investigation on the role of this molecule in the gastrointestinal carcinogenesis. The only isoform expressed in gastric cancer was brain-type GP (BGP) using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis. The expression of BGP, oncogene products and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in the gastric and colorectal carcinomas, their premalignant lesions, and the normal mucosa were examined using 136 gastric and 96 colorectal surgically resected specimens, and 55 endoscopically resected colorectal adenomas. The BGP visualized by immunohistochemistry was commonly present in intestinal-type gastric (80.6%) and colorectal (83.3%) carcinomas, whereas no BGP expression was seen in the normal human gastric and large intestinal mucosa except in the BGP foci described below. IMs with BGP had close correlation with intestinal-type gastric carcinoma, and some of them coexpressed accumulated p53 protein. The expression of BGP during 'adenoma carcinoma sequence' (ACS) showed excellent correlation with the increased dysplasia and was found prior to p53 expression. Positive staining in overtly normal looking colonic mucosa (BGP foci) was observed mainly around carcinomas without any adenoma component, and frequent p53 mutation (41.2%) was detected in the BGP foci using PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism analysis. It is suggested that BGP is a novel biomarker for carcinogenesis in the intestinal-type gastric carcinoma and in both of the pathways of ACS and the 'de novo' colorectal carcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1999

Simultaneous detection of multiple STR loci on sex chromosomes for forensic testing of sex and identity.

The forensic usefulness of X and Y chromosomal STR loci has recently been demonstrated. One quadruplex-PCR, using 2 X- and 2 Y-STRs (STRX1/HPRTB and DYS390/ DYS393), and 2 duplex-PCRs, each using an X- and a Y-STR (ARA/DYS390 and ARA/DYS393), and detection of PCR products by using an automated DNA sequencer are reported herein. This approach allows us to determine not only the sex of the donor of a sample, but also the X- and/or Y-STR genotypes of the sample. A male biological specimen yields 4 amplified products in quadruplex-PCR and 2 amplified fragments in duplex-PCRs, whereas a female biological specimen yields only 2 amplified fragments of X-STR in quadruplex-PCR and one fragment, also of X-STR, in duplex-PCRs. Our study thus provides useful information for many activities in forensic practice, such as identity testing, paternity testing, especially of deficiency cases, compilation of population data, and sex determination of a biological sample from a single PCR.

Alleles↗
PubMed1999

[A long-term surviving case of multiple metastatic liver tumors from rectal cancer treated with microwave coagulation therapy (MCT)].

We experienced a long-term surviving case from excellent control of a multiple metastatic liver tumor from rectal cancer. The patient was a 38-year-old male, and his chief complaint was pain at defecation. The primary lesion was diagnosed as rectal cancer (Rb), and it was histologically found to be well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. The preoperative enhanced CT demonstrated 8 metastatic lesions in bilateral lobes of the liver. Low anterior resection for rectum and open microwave coagulation therapy (MCT) for liver metastasis were synchronously performed. The coagulated areas after MCT revealed no enhancement. The serum CEA levels returned to normal for 9 months. Nine months after the first operation, we detected 6 recurrent lesions in the other sites of the remnant liver. We used second open MCT because the hepatic arterial chemotherapy was ineffective. We performed percutaneous MCT for the next new lesions. The patient was diagnosed with lung metastasis 2 years after the first operation, and died of cancer growth 2 years and 9 months after the first operation. This long-term surviving case of nine metastatic liver tumors achieved adequate quality of life by a combination therapy mainly consisting of MCT.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1998

Detection and analysis of four polymorphic markers at the human monoamine oxidase (MAO) gene in Japanese controls and patients with Parkinson's disease.

Monoamine oxidase (MAO), which exists in two forms (MAOA and MAOB), plays an important role in the oxidative metabolism of neurotransmitters such as dopamine, and has been implicated in the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD). Individual variations in the activity of these enzymes appear to be genetically determined, and these genetic variations appear to be predominantly mediated by the MAO locus. Here, we detected and analyzed four polymorphic markers in the MAO gene using a polymerase chain reaction method in 228 Japanese controls (102 males and 126 females) and 68 patients with PD (30 males and 38 females). Although the analysis of the MAOA marker demonstrated no overall association between its alleles and PD, a significant difference in the frequency of one particular MAOA allele between controls and patients with PD was found. Moreover, in a comparison of the distribution of the full haplotypes at the MAOA locus, there was a significant difference in the frequency of one particular haplotype between male controls and patients with PD. In the MAOB polymorphism, there was no difference in the distribution of alleles between them. These findings support the hypothesis that the MAOA gene may affect the susceptibility of individuals to PD among MAOA polymorphic loci.

Adult↗