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Biomedical subjects

T Minami

Publications and source records attributed to T Minami.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Lack of involvement of metallothionein expression in pancreatic carcinogenesis by N-nitrosobis (2-oxopropyl) amine in Syrian hamsters.

The possible involvement of metallothionein (MT) in pancreatic ductal carcinogenesis by N-nitrosobis(2-oxopropyl) amine (BOP) in hamsters was investigated. Hamsters received subcutaneous (s.c.) injections with dissolved BOP to 70 mg/kg body weight (BW) followed 7 days later by 20 mg/kg BW BOP and they were sacrificed at 4, 11, 16 and 27 weeks after the beginning of the experiment. MT expression was studied by immunohistochemistry and MT contents were assayed biochemically. Pancreatic ductal hyperplasias were developed from 11 weeks on and carcinomas from 16 weeks on, the incidence of the latter reaching 73% at the end of experiment. However, while normal appearing proliferating duct cells were sometimes positive, MT expression was not evident in hyperplasia (H), atypical hyperplasia (AH) or carcinoma (C), and MT contents did not significantly differ in pancreas of hamsters receiving saline or BOP at any time point. The results suggest that MT is not involved in pancreatic duct carcinogenesis. However, the presence of MT in proliferating ducts not related to carcinogenesis may suggest some unknown role for MT in cellular homeostasis.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

[Key issues in death at home].

After our facility was first opened, we provided terminal care for one patient with terminal stomach cancer. In this case palliative care, so important in terminal care, and care for the family was insufficient, and in the end we had to abandon the process assuring the kind of death the patient wished for at home. Learning from this experience, we have provided terminal care to about 150 patients based on each patient's outlook on life and view of life and death. These patients have included terminal cancer patients and patients informed of their cancer who chose to coexist with the cancer and live together with their families. At home, the words and facial expressions of the patients and their families are clear expressions of their humanity. At times, such, feelings are also directed frankly and unaffectedly toward us, the visiting nursing staff. When considering the early case in which we were unable to continue home care, we could see various problems: on the part of the medical staff including primary physician and nurses, the welfare service, the patient and family, and neighboring informal social resources. These included problems in informing the patient of his cancer and his remaining days. In home treatment of patients with terminal cancer, death at home assisted by a physician from the same medical facility is not emotionally all it might appear to be. Nurses, for example, do not provide religious comfort; therefore, they can not provide home hospice services. Or so it is said. However, in supporting community home care, there is an exchange between humans and the communication of genuine feelings; thus, the nurturing of warm care makes possible the kind of death the person wishes. In fact, we can not deny that that is the path we are taking. In the present report, we explore the issues that make home terminal care possible from the viewpoint of visiting nurses.

Attitude to Death↗
PubMed2000

[Right ureteral stenosis due to endometriosis occurring in the residual appendix: report of a case].

A 48-year-old female was found to have right flank pain at another hospital and transabdominal ultrasonography showed right hydronephrosis. She was referred to our department for further examination. She had undergone right oophorectomy and total hysterectomy 3 years before. Intravenous pyelography showed right hydronephrosis and retrograde pyelography revealed ureteral stenosis at the lower portion of the right ureter. Endometriosis had developed at the site of previous surgery on the appendix. A mass was formed in an extensive area including the endometriotic lesion, due to adhesion following previous surgery or other reasons, and extended to the retroperitoneum, thereby inducing right ureteral stenosis. The postoperative course was uneventful. The pathological diagnosis was endometriosis of the residual appendix.

Appendectomy↗
PubMed1999

Identification of metallothionein isoforms on capillary zone electrophoresis by adding anti-metallothionein antibody.

The aim of this study was to identify metallothionein (MT) isoforms in mouse liver by using capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). Purified MT-1 and MT-2 isoforms were completely separated by CZE using a polyacrylamide-coated tube at physiologic pH. There were two peaks in the cytosol fraction prepared from zinc-injected mouse liver, in which the migration times corresponded with those of purified MT-1 and MT-2 isoforms. When anti-MT monoclonal antibody was added with the purified MT-1 or MT-2 solution, the peaks decreased. Furthermore, the two peaks in the cytosol prepared from Zn-injected mouse liver decreased in a time-dependent manner from the electropherogram after the addition of the antibody. Therefore, those peaks were identified as MT-1 and MT-2 isoforms, respectively. In conclusion, the addition of anti-MT monoclonal antibody to the cytosol fraction of tissues is an effective method for identification of MT isoforms after separation using CZE.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Re-evaluation of sexual dimorphism in human corpus callosum.

To study the sexual dimorphism of human corpus cauosum (CC), we analyzed the midsaggital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) morphometry in 67 adults aged (mean+/-s.d.) 36.82+/-9.35 years. Four specific angles of the CC were determined. All four angles in 34 females and 33 age-matched males showed a significant difference between females and males. These morphometric findings confirm a gender difference in the orientation of corpus callosum.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Lack of tactile pain (allodynia) in lipocalin-type prostaglandin D synthase-deficient mice.

Prostaglandin (PG) D2 is the most abundant prostanoid produced in the central nervous system of mammals and has been implicated in the modulation of neural functions such as sleep induction, nociception, regulation of body temperature, and odor responses. We generated gene-knockout mice for lipocalin-type PGD2 synthase (L-PGDS) and found that the intrathecal administration of PGE2, an endogenous pain-producing substance, failed to elicit allodynia (touch-evoked pain), which is one typical phenomenon of neuropathic pain, whereas it evoked thermal hyperalgesia, in L-PGDS-/- mice. We also found that the allodynic response induced by the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)A receptor antagonist bicuculline was selectively abolished in the L-PGDS-/- mice, among excitatory and inhibitory agents that induced allodynia in wild-type mice. Interestingly, simultaneous injection of a femtogram amount of PGD2 with PGE2 or bicuculline induced allodynia in L-PGDS-/- mice to the same extent as in wild-type mice. The PGE2- or bicuculline-evoked allodynia in wild-type and in PGD2-supplemented L-PGDS-/- mice was blocked by a PGD2 receptor antagonist given in a femtogram amount. These results reveal that endogenous PGD2 is essential for both PGE2- and bicuculline-induced allodynia.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed1999

Metallothionein does not protect mouse endocrine cells from damage induced by alloxan injection.

Effects of metallothionein (MT) on pancreatic endocrine cells of mice, injected with alloxan and at different zinc status were studied. Mice were given drinking water containing four different concentrations of zinc (0, 0.05, 0.1 or 0.5%) for 18 days, and alloxan was injected once on the 14th day. When zinc was added to the drinking water, pancreatic zinc and MT contents increased after injection of alloxan, but did not change with injection of vehicle alone, except in the group of mice drinking 0.5% zinc in water. However, plasma glucose level was increased in all the alloxan injected groups, and was independent of their zinc status. In mice given water with 0.5% of zinc, both pancreatic zinc and MT contents were higher than control mice given water alone. There was no difference in zinc and MT contents of the pancreas in mice drinking 0.5% zinc in groups injected with either alloxan or vehicle. The increase in plasma alpha-amylase activity, an indicator of pancreatic exocrine toxicity, was observed only in mice drinking water with 0.5% zinc after injection of both alloxan and vehicle. Histochemically, degranulation of zymogen and duct-like structures of exocrine cells and atrophy and disappearance of islet cells were observed in alloxan-injected mice drinking 0.5% zinc in water. The zymogen degranulation was observed on the vehicle-injected mice drinking 0.5% zinc in water. MT was immunohistochemically detected in the exocrine cells of both alloxan- and vehicle-injected mice given 0.5% zinc in water. No MT was detected in islet cells of mice in any group. The results show that an increase of zinc content may be followed by induction of MT synthesis in the pancreas of mice given increasing amounts of zinc in drinking water. However, MT dose not provide any protection against damage caused by alloxan to endocrine cells of the pancreas.

Alloxan↗
PubMed1999

A possible balance of magnesium accumulations among bone, cartilage, artery, and vein in single human individuals.

It is known that a large quantity of magnesium contains bones, and the magnesium contents in spongy bones decrease gradually with advancing age. To elucidate the relationships between a decrease of mineral contents in human bones and an accumulation of minerals in the other human tissues, the content of magnesium was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry among human bones, arteries, veins, and cartilages in 27 subjects (17 men and 10 women). These were resected from the subjects who died in the age range 40-98 yr. Calcanei were chosen for analysis of magnesium contents in contrast with femoral, popliteal, and common carotid arteries, internal jugular and femoral veins, superior and inferior venae cavae, and pubic symphyses. The magnesium contents in the calcanei decreased gradually with aging, whereas they increased progressively in the arteries, veins, and pubic symphyses with aging. It was found that as the magnesium contents decreased in the calcanei, they increased in the arteries, such as the femoral, popliteal, and common carotid arteries, whereas they decreased inversely in the veins, such as the internal jugular and femoral veins and superior and inferior venae cavae. Furthermore, as the magnesium contents decreased in the calcanei, they hardly changed in the pubic symphyses. These suggest that magnesium released from bones is accompanied by accumulation of magnesium in the arteries.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

High accumulation of calcium and phosphorus in human iliac arteries.

To elucidate accumulation of minerals in human iliac arteries with aging, the content of minerals was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. Bilateral common, internal, and external iliac arteries of 16 men and 8 women, ranging ages from 65 to 93 yr, were examined. It was found that an extremely high accumulation of calcium and phosphorus occurred in the common iliac artery at old age, being higher than that of the internal and external iliac arteries. It should be noted that the accumulation of calcium and phosphorus is the highest in the common iliac artery among the human arteries examined to date. Regarding sexual differences, the content of calcium and phosphorus in the common and internal iliac arteries was higher in women than in men, whereas their content in the external iliac artery was lower in women than in men.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Age-related changes of element contents in human mitral and tricuspid valves.

To examine age-related changes of human cardiac valves, mitral and tricuspid valves were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects for mitral valves consisted of 12 men and 8 women, ranging in age from 52 to 96 yr. The subjects for tricuspid valves consisted of 11 men and 6 women, ranging in age from 52 to 93 yr. Furthermore, 16 of the samples of the cardiac valves were derived from the same subjects. The contents of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in the mitral valves increased progressively with advancing age and reached maximum in the 80s in regard to calcium and phosphorus and maximum in the 90s in regard to magnesium. The maximum average amounts corresponded to about three times the average contents in the 60s. In contrast, the content of sulfur in the mitral valves remained constant between the 50s and 90s. Regarding tricuspid valve, the contents of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium scarcely increased with advancing age, except for one subject who died of chronic renal failure. Histological observations of the mitral valves revealed that deposits of calcium were present in both the elastic fibers and its degenerative tissues of the mitral valve. The present study indicates that the accumulation of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium occurs progressively in the mitral valve with aging, but does not occur in the tricuspid valve.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Element content of human umbilical artery and vein in umbilical cord.

To elucidate the element content of newborn blood vessels, umbilical arteries and veins in human umbilical cords, which had the advantage of easy sampling, were examined by ICP-AES. Umbilical cords were removed after birth. Mothers' ages ranged from 26 to 35 yr. It was found that the content of sulfur was the highest in both umbilical arteries and veins, being higher than the content of calcium and phosphorus. With respect of the content of sulfur, calcium, and magnesium, there were significant differences between the arteries and veins.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

A possible balance of phosphorus accumulations among bone, cartilage, artery, and vein in single human individuals.

To elucidate relationships between the decrease of mineral contents in human bones and the accumulation of minerals in the other human tissues, the contents of phosphorus in human bones, arteries, veins, and cartilages in 27 subjects (17 men and 10 women) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. These were resected from subjects who died in the age range 40-98 yr. Calcanei were chosen for analysis of mineral contents in contrast to arteries such as the femoral, popliteal, and common carotid arteries, veins such as superior and inferior venae cavae, internal jugular, and femoral veins, and pubic symphyses. It was found that the content of phosphorus in calcanei was in agreement with that in both the pubic symphysis and the arteries such as femoral, popliteal, and common carotid arteries, but it was not in agreement with that in the veins such as superior and inferior venae cavae, internal jugular, and femoral veins. This suggests that phosphorus released from bones is accompanied by accumulations of phosphorus in the artery and cartilage.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Age-independent constancy of mineral contents in human ribs.

On age relationships of mineral contents in human bones, the contents of the sixth rib and a piece of its compact bone were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICPS). The ribs were resected from 21 subjects (14 men and 7 women) who died in age ranging from 65 to 93 yr. There were no age-dependent decreases in Ca and P contents of the ribs in the age range on ICPS. It was found that there were no age-dependent decreases in Ca and P in compact bones of ribs.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1999

Age-related changes of elements in human anterior cruciate ligaments and ligamenta capitum femorum.

To elucidate compositional changes of human ligaments by aging, the content of elements in anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs) and ligamenta capitum femorum (LCFs) was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. The subjects consisted of 11 men and 7 women, ranging from 59 to 91 yr of age. With regard to the content of elements, the content of sulfur and iron was significantly higher in the LCFs than in the ACLs. It was found in the ACLs that the content of sulfur decreased gradually with aging, whereas the content of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium increased progressively with aging. On the other hand, it was found in the LCFs that the content of magnesium decreased gradually with aging, where as the content of phosphorus increased progressively with aging. The common finding that the content of phosphorus increased with aging, but the content of iron decreased, was obtained in the ACL and LCF. Regarding sexual difference, it was found in both the ACLs and LCFs that the content of phosphorus was higher in women's ligaments than in men's.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Age-related changes of elements in the human articular disk of the temporomandibular joint.

To elucidate compositional changes of the articular disk (AD) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) by aging, elements of the ADs resected from 18 cadavers were determined by inductively coupled plasma atomic-emission spectrometry. It was found that calcium contents of ADs in TMJs increased progressively with aging, whereas the sulfur contents of the ADs decreased slightly with aging. Regarding the content of phosphorus, the contents increased progressively with aging. The study revealed that age-related changes of calcium contents in the ADs of TMJs were similar to those in women's pubic symphyses, but not those in intervertebral disks and menisci.

Aged↗