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Biomedical subjects

S Suga

Publications and source records attributed to S Suga.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources

Iron concentration in teeth of Tetra-odontiform fishes and its phylogenetic significance.

It is known that iron is deposited in the enameloid of some teleost fishes, although its biological significance has not been clarified. In the present investigation, a quantitative analysis of iron in the enameloid of fishes of a primitive suborder, the Balistoidei, and an advanced suborder, the Tetra-odontoidei, of the Tetra-odontiformes of marine teleosts was performed by means of the electron microprobe. The results indicated that the enameloid of Balistoidei contained from 0.4-13.5% iron at its surface layer, whereas that of Tetra-odontoidei was very low in iron, which could not be discriminated from the background value of the emission intensity. The enameloid of three perciform species belonging to the Acanthuridae--from which the Tetra-odontiformes are considered to have been derived--also contained high iron (2.7-3.9%) throughout its entire layer. The iron concentration in the enameloid seemed to be related to the phylogeny of fishes rather than to their environmental water and feeding habits, and it is believed that the mechanisms of iron concentration into the developing enameloid have been lost during evolution from the Achanthuridae to the Tetra-odontoidei. Since a similar phenomenon has been previously observed with respect to the fluoride concentration in the enameloid of the same fishes (Suga et al., 1981a), it is speculated that the concentrations of iron and fluoride, which have originally no chemical correlation, have some special biological significance, although the timing and distribution pattern of their deposition are completely different.

Animals↗

Enamel hypomineralization viewed from the pattern of progressive mineralization of human and monkey developing enamel.

Microradiograms and their computer-aided image analysis of ground sections of the developing enamel of human permanent third molars and monkey permanent teeth (Macaca fuscata) indicate that the mode of progressive mineralization of enamel is completely different between the matrix formation and maturation stages. During the former stage, the enamel matrix is slightly mineralized. During the latter stage, which takes a much longer period than the previous stage, the increase in the secondary mineralization takes place first slightly, from the surface toward the inner layer, and then heavily, from the inner layer toward the surface. The narrow outer layer mineralizes very slowly during the middle and late stages of maturation, but finally achieves the highest mineralization of the entire enamel layer. The very narrow innermost layer mineralizes slowly without expanding its width. The former three processes seem to be under the direct control of the ameloblasts. Hypoplastic areas which appear during the matrix formation stages are not necessarily accompanied by hypomineralization. Dysfunction of the cells immediately after the completion of matrix formation appears to cause hypomineralization throughout the entire width of matrix except for the innermost layer. Disorders of the cells occurring during the middle and/or the late stage of maturation--due to chronic metabolic disturbances, such as fluorosis--induced hypomineralization localized mainly at the outer layer. The hypomineralized enamel is not necessarily accompanied by hypoplasia. The process of enamel mineralization is not necessarily fully synchronized with that of tooth eruption. Therefore, the narrow outer layer, especially in the fissure and cervical regions, is sometimes hypomineralized even after the teeth have erupted normally.

Animals↗

[UFT/CDDP treatment in advanced gastric cancer--case report].

In treating advanced gastric cancer cases, 100 mg/m2 of cisplatin (CDDP) was given to such patients by means of a 24 hr continuous iv infusion once a month. This was in addition to daily UFT chemotherapy with an oral administration of UFT at a dose of 200 mg/m2 twice a day before meals. In this paper, two patients who achieved an objective tumor response to this UFT/CDDP chemotherapy are discussed. It was felt that this treatment was not likely to induce either leukocytopenia or thrombocytopenia. With regard to this drug combination, it has been reported that a remarkable, synergistic, antitumoral activity of combined 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin was demonstrated against L-1210 leukemia in BDF1 mice.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Human herpesvirus-6 infection (exanthem subitum) without rash.

Two patients with a three-day febrile episode in whom exanthem subitum was expected showed no appearance of skin eruption after subsidence of the fever. Virus was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the acute stage, which was identified by the cytopathic effects of infected cells and the specific immunofluorescent staining of the cells with convalescent sera from exanthem subitum, but the virus could not be isolated from those in the convalescent stage. The morphology of the virus was similar to herpes group virus. There were seroconversions against representative strain of the causative agent of exanthem subitum in the two patients. The results indicated the presence of atypical clinical course of exanthem subitum.

Antibodies, Viral↗

Distribution of antibodies to a causative agent of exanthem subitum (human herpesvirus-6) in healthy individuals.

The transfer of IgG antibodies to a causative agent of exanthem subitum (human herpesvirus-6) from mother to infant was examined with an indirect immunofluorescence assay. Of 20 mothers, 85% had the antibody more than 1:10, and the significantly higher level of the antibody was found in the cord blood with a positive rate of 95%. A mean ratio of cord blood to maternal antibody titer was 1.63. A total of 301 sera from healthy individuals was examined for the age-specific prevalence of antibody to the virus. In the first 2 months of life, 87% of infants had the antibody; the positive rate and the level of antibody decreased during the first 6 months of life with the lowest positive rate of 6% at 4 to 5 months of age. After 6 months of age, they increased gradually and reached the highest level at 1 year of age with the positive rate of 86%. From 2 years of age, the prevalence of the antibody was almost stable (69% to 76%) and similar to those in adolescents and adults.

Adolescent↗

Placental transfer of IgG subclass-specific antibodies to varicella-zoster virus.

Commercially available mouse monoclonal antibodies to human IgG subclasses (IgG 1 to IgG 4) were used in an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to examine the placental transfer of IgG subclass-specific antibodies to varicella-zoster virus (VZV). All 46 mothers had total IgG antibody to VZV, and an equal level of antibody was found in the cord blood. All of the mothers had high antibody activities to VZV in IgG 1 and IgG 4 subclasses. The majority of the mothers were negative for IgG 2 and IgG 3 VZV antibodies, and the level of antibody found to be positive was very low. The IgG 1 antibody activity in the cord blood was almost equal to that of the maternal, and significantly higher level of IgG 4 antibody was found in the cord than maternal blood.

Adult↗

[Therapeutic treatment of Borrmann type 4 (scirrhous) gastric cancer-chemotherapy and histopathological studies].

Up to now, there has been no investigation documenting clearly the effectiveness of chemotherapy for Borrmann type 4 gastric cancer from a histopathological viewpoint. In this paper, we present a few representative cases of Borrmann type 4 gastric cancer in which microscopic examination revealed the therapeutic effectiveness (degradation of cancer cells) of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Further, comparative studies will be needed to clarify the relationship between the assessed effectiveness of therapy by roentgenological and histopathological examination.

Adenocarcinoma, Scirrhous↗

[FEP and FAP combination chemotherapy in advanced gastric cancer. Research Group for Gastric Cancer].

Twenty-six patients with unresectable gastric cancer, divided into two groups, were treated with combination chemotherapy of FEP (14 patients) or FAP (12 patients). The FEP regimen performed every 4 weeks was as follows: UFT 400 mg/m2 (p.o.) everyday, etoposide 50 mg/m2 (i.v.) and CDDP 30 mg/m2 (i.v.) on days 1, 8 and 15. FAP regimen was performed every 4 weeks was: UFT 400 mg/m2 (p.o.) everyday, adriamycin 10 mg/m2 (i.v.) and CDDP 30 mg/m2 (i.v.) on days 1, 8 and 15. In FEP group, (7 males and 7 females) the average age was 64 (range 53 to 75). Two patients were in PS 1, 4 in PS 2 and 8 in PS 3. In FAP group (7 males and 5 females) the average age was 55 (range 30 to 74). One patient was in PS 1, 5 in PS 2 and 6 in PS 3. No one in either group had prior chemotherapy. Response rates in FEP and FAP groups were 28.5% (4/14) and 33.3% (4/12), respectively. The median survival periods were 4.5 months in FEP group and 6.5 months in FAP group. As for side effects, myelosuppression appeared most frequently, being followed by alopecia and nausea, although the degree of alopecia was milder in FEP than in FAP. We conclude that new combination chemotherapies of either FEP or FAP are useful for advanced gastric cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Hormonal status of gastric cancer. II. Abnormal constitution of urinary steroids in gastric cancer patients.

We undertook a case-control study regarding the excretions of 14 urinary steroids in gastric cancer (GC) patients. The results are as follows: the levels of androgens, progestins, and two corticosteroids were, relative to tetrahydrocortisol, significantly depressed in GC patients of both sexes compared with the corresponding normal controls. The deviation profile of urinary steroids was not affected by radical gastrectomy. Evidence indicated that observed changes of GC urines were the steroidal expression of a decrease of endogenous testosterone combined with an increase of endogenous hydrocortisone; there was also evidence that the hormonal environment of our GC patients was endocrinologically homologous to that of rice-fed or salty rice-fed mice. Epidemiological inquiry revealed that GC patients having more access to rice-rich or salt-rich diets were taller and less obese than were rural healthy controls. In agreement with the anthropometric data of those cancer patients is the finding that the specific death rate of GC (as calculated for each of 15 prefectures of northern Japan) was positively correlated for each sex with the mean heights, but not with the mean weights, of 14-year-old youths of those areas. This paper discusses the possible relevancy of the hormonal and epidemiological aspects of GC patients to gastrocarcinogenesis in light of steroid physiology.

Adult↗