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Biomedical subjects

T Ochiai

Publications and source records attributed to T Ochiai.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Dissociation and oxygen equilibrium properties of earthworm (Pheretima hilgendorfi) hemoglobin.

The dissociation and oxygen equilibrium properties of the purified hemoglobin and whole blood obtained from the earthworm Pheretima hilgendorfi were compared. Above pH 8.0, P1/2's were higher in the purified hemoglobin than in whole blood, while below pH 8.0, nearly identical P1/2's were observed in both materials and P1/2 was at a maximum at pH 6.5. The values of n1/2 were higher in whole blood than in the purified hemoglobin at alkaline pH. The maximum values of n1/2 were observed around pH 8.1 in the purified hemoglobin and pH 8.7 in whole blood, and the values were 5.3 and 9.5, respectively. In the purified hemoglobin, a small amount of dissociation component was already observed at pH 8.0, while in whole blood, no dissociation occurred up to pH 9.1. Dialysis of whole blood or addition of 10 mM EDTA to whole blood at alkaline pH induced the loss of the enhanced cooperativity, the increased oxygen affinity and the high stability of the 60 S whole molecule. These results strongly suggest that divalent cations are participating in the functional and dissociation properties of the whole blood of this species.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Preparation of native alpha and beta subunits from canine hemoglobin.

Preparation of native alpha and beta subunits from non-primate hemoglobins has never been successful using the procedure of Bucci, E. and Fronticelli, C. ((1965) J. Biol. Chem. 240, PC551-552). We describe a method for isolating the constituent subunits from canine hemoglobin. Human-canine hybrid hemoglobins (alpha 2Can beta 2A and alpha 2A beta 2Can) were prepared by acid hybridization techniques and DEAE-Sephadex chromatography. The hybrids were then reacted with an excess of p-chloromercuribenzoate under slightly acid conditions and the resultant alpha Can and beta Can subunits were isolated by either anion- or cation-exchange chromatography. Identifications of the subunits were made by gel electrophoresis and amino acid analysis. After removal of the bound mercurials with beta-mercaptoethanol, both subunits exhibited two reactive sulfhydryl groups per chain and were found to be fully in the native form, as judged by spectroscopy. By ultracentrifugal analysis, the alpha subunit was shown to be in a dimer-monomer equilibrium while the beta subunit was largely in a tetrameric form.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1983

Postoperative adjuvant immunotherapy of gastric cancer with BCG-cell wall skeleton. 3- to 6-year follow up of a randomized clinical trial.

The clinical effectiveness of immunotherapy with the cell wall skeleton of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin was assessed in a study involving 140 consecutive patients with gastric cancer, who were gastrectomized at a single institution from January 1976 through December 1978. These patients were randomized by an envelope method after operation and divided into three treatment groups: 'control', 'chemotherapy', and 'chemotherapy plus immunotherapy with BCG-CWS.' Only two patients who died during surgery were excluded, and a survey of survival periods was made on the remaining 138 patients in January 1982. As a result, statistically significant differences in the survival rate curve were observed between the control and chemotherapy plus immunotherapy groups (P less than 0.01), and between the chemotherapy and chemotherapy plus immunotherapy groups (P less than 0.05). These results emphasize effectiveness of BCG-CWS as an adjuvant immunotherapeutic agent in gastrectomized cancer patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

The ability of interspecies crossreactive anti-Ia murine alloantibodies to eliminate a subpopulation of human adherent cells responsible for induction of alloimmunity.

Certain anti-Ia murine alloantibodies react with the Ia-positive B cells of almost all mammalian species. In this report, the effect of such murine alloantibodies on the function of accessory cells in induction of human immune responses was studied by using human peripheral blood lymphocytes pretreated with anti-Iak murine alloantibodies and complement. The induction of allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions and allogeneic cytotonic T cells was drastically reduced by means of pretreatment of the stimulator population with anti-Ia and complement. When both responder and stimulator were pretreated with these reagents, inductions of the residual responses were completely eliminated. Cells with quite similar characteristics (i.e., adherence to the petri dish and crossreaction with the anti-Ia murine alloantibodies) were also found to be essential in the induction of in vitro T cell proliferative responses to purified protein derivate and concanavalin A. These results seem to indicate that the interspecies crossreactive anti-Ia murine alloantibodies react with the human homologue of murine Ia-positive macrophagelike cells that are recognized as antigen-presenting cells. It is also concluded that, in induction of alloimmunity, Ia-positive adherent cells of the stimulator population are the major source of the stimulation.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

[Evaluation of postoperative immunotherapy of gastric cancer].

In order to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of immunotherapy on gastric cancer patients, we performed two controlled trials of immunotherapy with BCG-CWS and Nocardia rubra CWS respectively. A controlled trial of BCG-CWS was performed from 1976 to 1978. The result showed an improved survival rate of the immunotherapy as compared with the chemotherapy group. From September 1979 through March 1981, a total of 302 patients with gastric cancer undergoing gastrectomy at the Department of Surgery, Chiba University Hospital and its 14 affiliated hospitals were studied for clinical effectiveness of immunotherapy with N-CWS. The subjects were stratified by a gross stage of cancer and degree of operative curability. They were then randomly assigned to either chemotherapy group or chemotherapy plus immunotherapy group. Immunotherapy used was intradermal injection of 400 micrograms of N-CWS which was given weekly for the first month and monthly thereafter. After the specimen was examined microscopically, the patients were classified by histological stage of cancer and radicality of surgical intervention into curative or non-curative groups. The patients were surveyed for survival period in December 1981. No statistical difference was found between the two treatment groups in age, sex or operative procedures that might influence the patient's survival. As a result, statistical intergroup difference in survival rates was not seen in patients of the curative group, probably due to short observation period. However, the intergroup difference in survival rates was statistically significant in patients of the non-curative group (p less than 0.01). These results indicate that the immunotherapy with BCG-CWS or with N-CWS is effective in patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

[Application of an automatic blood cell counter, MICROX, to experimental animals. II. Leukocyte differential count in rabbits, rats, and mice].

Automatic blood cell analyzer "MICROX" was examined for possible applicability to the differential count of white blood cell in the rabbit, rat and mouse. Spun blood smear slides prepared from 37 rabbits were treated with Wright-Giemsa stain, and those from 49 rats and 46 mice were stained with Wright's dye. Totals of 4272 white blood cells of rabbit, 5484 cells of rat and 5329 cells of mouse were counted, respectively. The identification rate of MICROX was checked by the cell-by-cell counting method. Analysis of the data was made to examine correlation between the results with a MICROX and those of visual counting by optical microscopy on the same slides. 1) Corrected identification rates were 98.0%, 98.2% and 97.8% respectively in rabbits, rats and mice. 2) A high degree of correlation was observed between the results by MICROX and by optical microscopy in respect of segmented neutrophils and lymphocytes. 3) There were an average of 13.2 cells counted as unknown cells in rabbit blood, 10.5 in rat blood and 13.6 in mouse blood per 100 cells, respectively. Of the unknown cells about 30 to 40% were closely disposed leukocytes within the same counting squares. Almost all of atypical lymphocytes and erythroblasts were also counted as unknown cells on the analyzer. The data support the feasibility of the use of MICROX for the differential count of white blood cells of normal rabbits, rats and mice as well as monkeys and dogs.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Randomly controlled study of chemotherapy versus chemoimmunotherapy in postoperative gastric cancer patients.

From September 1979 through March 1981, a total of 302 patients with gastric cancer and undergoing gastrectomy at the Department of Surgery at Chiba University Hospital and its 14 affiliated hospitals was studied for clinical effectiveness of immunotherapy with Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton. The patients were stratified by gross stage of cancer and degree of operative curability. They were then assigned randomly to either chemotherapy group or chemotherapy plus immunotherapy group. Immunotherapy used was intradermal injection of 400 micrograms of N. rubra cell wall skeleton which was given weekly for the first month and monthly thereafter. After the specimen was examined microscopically, the patients were classified by histological stage of cancer and radicality of surgical intervention into curative or noncurative groups. The patients were surveyed for survival period in December 1981. The postoperative survival rate was compared in patients of histologically curative or noncurative resection cases between the two treatment groups. No statistical difference was detected between the groups in age, sex, or operative procedures that might influence the patient's survival. As a result, statistical intergroup difference in survival rates was not seen in patients of the curative group, probably due to a short observation period. However, the intergroup difference in survival rates was statistically significant in patients of the noncurative group (p less than 0.01). These results indicate the adjunctive effect of N. rubra cell wall skeleton as an immunotherapeutic agent in patients undergoing gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed1982

Pharmacological studies on 6-amino-2-fluoromethyl-3-(O-tolyl)-4(3H)-quinazolinone (afloqualone), a new centrally acting muscle relaxant. (II) Effects on the spinal reflex potential and the rigidity.

Effects of afloqualone on mono- (MSR) and poly-synaptic reflex (PSR) potentials and alpha- and gamma-rigidities were studied in experimental animals. Afloqualone dose dependently inhibited both MSR and PSR potentials in spinalized cats though afloqualone had no inhibitory effect on the patellar reflex in cats as reported in the previous paper. Afloqualone, like tolperisone, more selectively inhibited the PSR potential than MSR potential, whereas baclofen inhibited them in reverse order. However, the selectivity towards the PSR potential was higher with afloqualone than with tolperisone. In rats and cats, afloqualone dose dependently relaxed both alpha- and gamma-rigidity when administered p.o. as well as i.v. Its 50% inhibitory dose for alpha-rigidity was 1.5-2 times larger than that for gamma-rigidity. Tolperisone also relaxed both rigidities in i.v. administration, but had little effect when given p.o. Only mephenesin relaxed the post-ischaemic spinal rigidity in cats. These results suggest that afloqualone, like other well known centrally acting muscle relaxants except for baclofen, more strongly inhibits the polysynaptic pathway than the mono-synaptic pathway of the spinal cord as well as more strongly the gamma-system than the alpha-system.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

[Application of an automatic blood cell analyzer "MICROX" to the blood of experimental animals. I. Differential counts of white blood cells in monkeys and dogs].

Automatic blood cell analyzer "MICROX" was examined for possible applicability to the differential count of white blood cell in the monkey and in the dog. Spun blood smear slides prepared from 42 monkeys and 60 dogs were stained with Wright's dye and totals of 4971 white blood cells of the monkey and 7189 cells of the dog were counted, respectively. The identification rate of MICROX was checked by the cell by cell counting method on a monitor TV of the instrument. Analysis of the data was made to examine correlationship between the results of MICROX and of optical microscopy on the same slides. 1) Identification rates and misclassification rates were 97.0% and 3.0% respectively in monkeys and 96.4% and 3.6% in dogs. 2) A high degree of correlation was observed between the results by MICROX and by optical microscopy in respect of segmented neutrophils and lymphocytes. 3) There were an average of 15.5 cells counted as unknown cells in monkey blood and 16.5 in dog blood per 100 cells, respectively. Of the unknown cells about 40 to 50% were closely disposed leukocytes within the same counting squares and almost all of atypical lymphocytes and erythroblasts were also counted as unknown cells on the analyzer. The data support the feasibility of the use of MICROX for the differential count of white blood cells of normal monkeys and dogs.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Fine structural and morphometric studies of the Merkel cell during fetal and postnatal development.

The morphological and morphometric changes of the Merkel cells during fetal and postnatal development were studied in the glabrous digital pads of rats. In 20-day-old fetus rats, the Merkel cells we observed were present in the lower spinous and basal layers, and not associated with axon terminals. The Merkel cell granules were few and sparse. The Merkel cell had clumps of fibrils and formed many desmosomes with surrounding keratinocytes. In postnatal rats, innervation was followed by an increase in the number of Merkel cell granules, and their specific accumulation. The fibrils of the Merkel cells were not prominent. It was found by t-test that the numerical density of the Merkel cell granules significantly increased from the fetal stage to 4-day-old postnatal rats. These results suggest that the Merkel cells are present in the epidermis without nerve contact in 20-day-old fetus rats, and that innervation is necessary for the increase of cellular activity in Merkel cells.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1981

[Effects of afloqualone, a new centrally acting muscle relaxant, on DRL response and CER in rats (author's transl)].

In gross-behavioral observations, chlordiazepoxide, diazepam, meprobamate, and pentobarbital-Na produced excitatory behavior at 5 and 10, 1 and 2, 100 and 200, and 10 and 20 mg/kg p.o., respectively whereas afloqualone produced no excitatory behavior at doses up to 20 mg/kg p.o., these doses induce muscle relaxation and motor depression. Afloqualone depressed DRL response at 10 and 20 mg/kg p.o. Similar effects were seen with chlorpromazine (5, 10, 20 mg/kg p.o.). Chlordiazepoxide, meprobamate, and pentobarbital-Na facilitated DRL response at doses producing excitatory behavior. Methamphetamine (0.5, 1, 2 mg/kg p.o.) facilitated the response, dose-dependently. In CER, chlordiazepoxide (5, 10, 20 mg/kg p.o.), diazepam (1, 2, 5 mg/kg p.o.), and meprobamate (50, 100, 200 mg/kg p.o.) dose-dependently increased the response during the alarm period, regardless of the response during the safe period. Pentobarbital-Na (5, 10, 20 mg/kg p.o.) had much the same effect. Afloqualone slightly increased the response during the alarm period in one out of 3 rats at 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg p.o., respectively. Chlorpromazine and methamphetamine had no influence on the response during the alarm period at doses up to 20 and 2 mg/kg p.o., respectively. These results suggest that the pharmacological properties of afloqualone, as related to behavior differ from those of anti-anxiety drugs, hypnotics, and stimulants.

Animals↗