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Biomedical subjects

T Hirao

Publications and source records attributed to T Hirao.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Bronchoscopic and cytopathological findings of tracheobronchial involvement in esophageal carcinoma.

To evaluate the usefulness of bronchoscopic and cytopathologic examinations for tracheobronchial involvement of esophageal carcinoma, we reviewed 14 cases of esophageal carcinoma suspected of tracheobronchial invasion. Two cases underwent bronchoscopy for postoperative respiratory symptoms, and both revealed endotracheal tumor growth and proved positive at brush cytology and biopsy. Among nine cases submitted to preoperative examination, bronchoscopy showed only protrusion in four cases, and redness with mucosal protrusion in five cases. Two of the latter evidenced cancer cells on brushing specimen, and their prognosis was poor. The remaining three cases underwent bronchoscopy for preoperative severe respiratory symptoms. Tumor growth was noted in two of them, and cytology or biopsy was positive. We conclude that bronchoscopy for tracheobronchial involvement of esophageal carcinoma plays a major role in the diagnosis of extra-esophageal extension. Because of the anatomical situation, biopsy is sometimes difficult. Brush cytology is important in the case of mucosal protrusion and redness.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Passive air-pouch anaphylaxis in rats. I. Induction of anaphylaxis.

Induction of an experimental passive anaphylaxis of the air-pouch type, passive air-pouch anaphylaxis, was carried out in an attempt to induce a reproducible anaphylaxis model suitable for quantitative studies. Rats were injected subcutaneously with 10 ml of air into the dorsal skin to make an air-pouch and with 2 ml of antiserum at an appropriate dilution for passive sensitization, and then 5 ml of air was removed. The challenge with 5 ml of antigen solution into the air-pouch 48 h later provoked mast cell degranulation and increased vascular permeability induced by released histamine. Treatment with monovalent hapten prior to the antigen challenge almost completely inhibited histamine release and plasma exudation to levels similar to those in the nonsensitized group. In this model, mast cell-dependent late-phase allergic reaction, such as leukocyte migration or the increase of plasma exudation following mast cell degeneration, was not observed.

Air↗
PubMed1989

Passive air-pouch anaphylaxis in rats. II. Pharmacological characterization.

The effects of some antiallergic agents on passive air-pouch anaphylaxis (PAPA) in the dorsal skin of rats were investigated by measuring plasma exudation and histamine content in the pouch fluid. Antiallergic agents, disodium cromoglycate (DSCG), tranilast and ketotifen, dose dependently inhibited both plasma exudation and histamine release, except that ketotifen showed a dose-unrelated inhibition of histamine release. An antihistamine, pyrilamine, suppressed plasma exudation without affecting histamine release. A cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, and a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), showed no significant effect. A slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis antagonist, FPL55712, exerted no effect at 0.3 and 3.0 micrograms/ml, but at 50 micrograms/ml it suppressed not only plasma exudation but also histamine release. Dexamethasone suppressed plasma exudation dose dependently without inhibiting histamine release significantly. A beta-stimulant, isoproterenol, and prostaglandin E2 also exerted significant inhibitory effects on plasma exudation but not on histamine release at 1 mg/ml. Theophylline inhibited both plasma exudation and histamine release. These observations indicate that PAPA is useful for studying antiallergic agents.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Inherited deficiency of the seventh component of complement associated with meningococcal meningitis: lack of serum bactericidal activity against Neisseria meningitidis in a girl with C7 deficiency and HLA studies of a C7-deficient Japanese family.

An 8-year-old girl with meningococcal meningitis lacked serum complement activity. The seventh component of complement (C7) could not be detected in her serum by either functional or immunochemical analysis. The levels of the other components were within the normal range. Her serum complement activity was restored by the addition of purified C7. Her fresh serum showed a total absence of bactericidal activity against Neisseria meningitidis, group Y, but her serum bactericidal activity was restored by the addition of purified C7. The restoration of her serum bactericidal activity was completely inhibited in the presence of Mg2+ EGTA. These findings suggest that restoration of the bactericidal activity of her serum against N. meningitidis might be mediated by the specific antibody against N. meningitidis and the reconstituted complement system in her serum. Heterozygous deficiency of C7 was found in 10 of her family members. Genetic studies showed that the mode of inheritance might be an autosomal codominant trait. No genetic linkage between deficiency of C7 and the HLA system was found.

Blood Bactericidal Activity↗
PubMed1985

Reconstitution of cell-mediated immunity in severe combined immunodeficiency following fetal liver transplantation.

A male infant X-linked, adenosine deaminase-positive severe combined immunodeficiency underwent partial immunological reconstitution by fetal liver transplantation at twenty months of age. Reconstitution of T lymphocytes was observed from sixteen weeks after transplantation, in the increase of T lymphocytes, positive delayed-type skin reaction and in vitro responsiveness to mitogens and allogeneic cells, sequentially. Chimerism was defined by chromosomal analysis and HLA typing, in which one haplotype seemed to be shared between the donor and the host by chance. However, defective immunoglobulin production has not yet been corrected. The assay on T-B lymphocyte interaction in vitro suggested that the failure might be attributed to an intrinsic defect of B lymphocytes, which were cells of donor origin after transplantation. Three years following transplantation, the patient is free of severe infections, although he requires regular injections of gamma globulin.

B-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1984

Stature, sitting height and relative sitting height of female northern Kyushuites.

Stature, sitting height and relative sitting height (a ratio of sitting height to stature) of 318 high school girls of 17 years of age in Kitakyushu City were studied. They consisted of groups over a three-year period; 1973, 1980 and 1984. There are statistically no significant changes in the stature, in the sitting height, and in the relative sitting height among these three groups. The relative sitting height of these three groups is about 54%, which is about the same as among the Chinese, Eskimos, American-Indians and the Hokkaido-Ainu.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Purification and characterization of cathepsin B from monkey skeletal muscle.

Cathepsin B was purified about 11,000-fold from monkey skeletal muscle by ammonium sulfate fractionation and sequential column chromatographies monitored by assaying of Z-Phe-Arg-MCA hydrolase activity. The purified enzyme gave a single protein band on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and its molecular weight was estimated to be 24,000 by gel filtration. It had a pH optimum of 6.5, required a thiol reducing agent for activation, and was inhibited by various thiol protease inhibitors. These properties were similar to those reported for cathepsins B from other sources. Although the enzyme scarcely hydrolyzed ordinary proteins, such as casein, hemoglobin, and bovine serum albumin, it degraded myosin and actin among various myofibrillar proteins. These results strongly suggested that skeletal muscle cathepsin B may participate in the degradation of muscle proteins in vivo. In addition, cathepsin B was shown to hydrolyze various neuropeptides such as Leu-enkephalin, beta-neoendorphin, alpha-neoendorphin, dynorphin(1-13), and substance P. It appeared to act on these peptides mainly as a dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase, although not so rigorously, presumably due to its endopeptidase activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Purification and characterization of a calcium-activated neutral protease from monkey brain and its action on neuropeptides.

A calcium-activated neutral protease was purified from Japanese monkey brain by ammonium sulfate fractionation and sequential column chromatographies monitored by assay of caseinolytic activity. The purified enzyme gave a single protein band on non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and consisted of two subunits with molecular weights of 74,000 and 20,000 as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The enzyme required millimolar order calcium ions for activation, and was optimally active at pH 7.5-8.0. Upon incubation with various neuropeptides as substrates, the enzyme preferentially cleaved the peptide bonds with Arg, Lys, or Tyr at the P1 position and an amino acid residue with a bulky aliphatic side chain, such as Leu, Val, or Ile, at the P2 position. The hydrolytic activity toward neuropeptides as well as casein was strongly inhibited by various thiol protease inhibitors. These results suggested that the brain calcium-activated neutral protease may participate in the degradation of neuropeptides in vivo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1984

Prevention of varicella in immunocompromised patients on unpredictable occurrence of the disease in a children's ward: vaccine-boostered immune whole blood transfusion (VIB) method.

For prevention of secondary varicella infection in patients whose immunities were extremely impaired by intensive chemotherapy or immunosuppressive agents, we have been using the vaccine-boostered immune whole blood transfusion (VIB) method when there was an unpredictable case of varicella in the children's ward. By this method passive transfer of humoral and cellular immunity is achieved. There have been 25 unpredictable occurrences of varicella or herpes-zoster in the ward of our children's hospital between April 1977 and May 1983 and during these episodes 16 patients, mostly with malignant diseases, have been treated by this method. There has been no case of secondary varicella infection among these patients and no serious troubles associated with the VIB method.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

Degradation of neuropeptides by calcium-activated neutral protease.

The substrate specificity of calcium-activated neutral protease (CANP) from monkey cardiac muscle was examined with various neuropeptides as substrates. The enzyme required mM order calcium ions for activation and had an enkephalinase activity, hydrolyzing Leu-enkephalin at the 1Tyr-2Gly and 3Gly-4Phe bonds. Furthermore, it showed the tendency to cleave especially the bonds around the paired basic amino acid residues in alpha- and beta-neoendorphins and dynorphin(1-13), while it could not hydrolyze substance P.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1983

[An experimental study on temporal changes of post-operative anti-reflux effect by modified Mark IV operation for esophageal achalasia].

This study was intended to elucidate possible temporal changes of the valve and fundoplication which are formed by modified Mark IV operation as a surgical treatment of esophageal achalasia. Heller's procedure was also studied in terms of its comparison with the above operation. Adult mongrel dogs were operated on as follows and studied at the following postoperative points: Heller's procedure at the forth postoperative week, Modified Mark IV operation at the forth postoperative week, Modified Mark IV operation at the third postoperative month. Postoperative comparative studies were made on temporal changes of the anti-reflux effect by intraesophagogastric pressure and withdrawal pH examinations, measurements of intragastric pressure at reflux through simultaneous evaluation of intraesophageal pH and inner pressures at 3 points, i.e. the esophagus, the high pressure zone and the stomach, and histological and morphological examination. From the above the following conclusion was drawn: The valve formed by modified Mark IV operation showed temporally a shortening tendency, and a significant shortening of the length of valve was observed also in comparisons of values between the forth postoperative week and the third postoperative month. Also in terms of the measurement of inner pressures, a significant decrease was observed in the length and the force of high pressure zone. However, comparisons of the intragastric pressure values at reflux revealed no significant difference in values between the forth week and the third month after the modified Mark IV operation and almost similar anti-reflux effects between both in spite of a shortening of the valve. The above results suggested that more reliable and long-term sustaining of the anti-reflux effect needed more extensive formation of the fundoplication.

Animals↗