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Biomedical subjects

Y Horie

Publications and source records attributed to Y Horie.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

On the merits of ancient Chinese eye acupressure practices.

Chinese schoolchildren and adults with strenuous visual tasks routinely perform massage-and-pressure exercises on selected acupressure points around the eyes. This practice, taught by the Jing-Luo school of acupuncture for more than 4000 years, is claimed to prevent and cure myopia and other afflictions thought to result from visual close work. A four-week pilot experiment was carried out with the aim of designing a proper study on the possible short-term benefits of eye acupressure programmes. Questionnaire data revealed that the subjects did experience various eye/vision symptoms as a result of the 90 min experimental task. This could not be verified by the measurements of accommodation precision and critical flicker fusion, nor could any beneficial effects of acupressure be seen over the four experimental weeks.

Journal Article↗

Production of phytochelatins in Polygonum cuspidatum on exposure to copper but not to zinc.

We studied cellular resistance to copper of plant cells Polygonum cuspidatum. When callus of P. cuspidatum was incubated on medium containing 100 microM cupric sulfate, the callus grew as well as the control callus did. The copper content of the callus, however, was elevated to a similar level of the medium. When cell extracts of callus exposed to 100 microM cupric sulfate were fractionated by gel filtration chromatography, a specific copper peak was eluted at the region of molecular weights between 4000 and 1000. Since an appearance of the copper-containing materials was inhibited by buthionine sulfoximine and the partially purified copper-containing materials contained only three amino acids: glutamic acid, glycine and cystine, the materials were supposed to be gamma-glutamyl peptides phytochelatins. Callus of P. cuspidatum synthesized phytochelatins from 50 microM cupric sulfate and maximally at 100-150 microM cupric sulfate. When induction of phytochelatins by another heavy metal, zinc, was analyzed, the callus, however, did not synthesize phytochelatins on exposure to zinc sulfate up to 1 mM. These findings suggested that phytochelatins were required for resistance to copper but probably not to zinc in the plant cells.

Cells, Cultured↗

Kimura's disease: clinical, histological and immunohistochemical studies.

In the present study, 14 cases of Kimura's disease were clinicopathologically studied. The disease occurred at ages ranging from 5 to 75 years. The average age was 37.8 years. Sexes were about equally affected. The most common sites were the subcutis of head and neck, and parotid gland. Simultaneous involvement of lymph nodes occurred in 5 cases. Laboratory findings revealed eosinophilia in almost all the patients, but serum IgE levels were not elevated in 2 patients. Lesions were surgically removed and the clinical course thereafter was favorable for all but one case. Histologically, lesions were characterized by lymphoid follicles, granulation tissue with infiltration by many eosinophils, lymphocytes, plasma cells, mast cells and histiocytes, proliferation of blood vessels and fibrosis. Immunohistochemically, IgE reacted strongly in germinal centers, showing a reticular pattern. IgG-, IgA- and lysozyme-positive cells were scattered mainly in interfollicular granulomatous areas. Pathogenesis of this disease is briefly discussed.

Adolescent↗

[Measurement of serum type III procollagen aminopeptide with RIA-gnost PIIIP coated tube: changes in patients with various alcoholic liver diseases after abstinence].

In 55 patients with various alcoholic liver diseases, serum type III procollagen aminopeptide (PIIIP) was measured on admission, on biopsy (2-4 weeks after admission) and on discharge from hospital (3 months after admission) using RIA-gnost PIIIP Coated Tube, an assay kit recently launched by Hoechst Japan Limited. Serum PIIIP on admission showed a good correlation with the degree of hepatic fibrosis and was significantly higher in any disease group than in healthy controls, suggesting its usefulness as an indicator of hepatic fibrosis. After abstinence, however, serum PIIIP level exhibited an increasing tendency in all the disease groups except alcoholic hepatitis, and the number of laboratory tests showing a significant correlation with PIIIP decreased as compared with that on admission. The mechanism of serum PIIIP elevations seen after abstinence is yet to be elucidated in detail, considering their possible association with factors other than collagen synthesis in the liver.

Adult↗

Immunohistochemical study on the distribution of alpha and beta subunits of S-100 protein in brain tumors.

The immunohistochemical distribution of alpha and beta subunits of S-100 protein (S-100 alpha, S-100 beta, respectively) in 138 cases of human brain tumors was investigated by the avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase method. Brain tumors can be divided into four groups: group 1 [S-100 alpha (+) and/or S-100 beta (+)]; astrocytoma, glioblastoma, ependymoma, subependymoma, oligodendroglioma, choroid plexus papilloma, gangliocytoma, meningioma, chordoma, malignant melanoma. Group 2 [S-100 alpha (+) and S-100 beta (-)]; pineoblastoma, pituitary adenoma, craniopharyngioma, rhabdomyosarcoma. Group 3 [S-100 alpha (-) and S-100 beta (+)]; acoustic Schwannoma. Group 4 [S-100 alpha (-) and S-100 beta (-)]; medulloblastoma malignant lymphoma, germinoma. The S-100 beta immunoreactivity pattern in brain tumors was similar to those obtained using conventional anti-S-100 protein sera. In the first group of brain tumors both the number of positively stained tumor cells and the staining intensity were generally greater for S-100 beta than for S-100 alpha with a few exceptions including one gemistocytic astrocytoma, one subependymoma, one malignant melanoma, and some cases of glioblastomas. As to the relationship between malignancy and S-100 protein in glioma, S-100 beta immunoreactivity decreased according to degree of malignancy, while that of S-100 alpha varied, suggesting a heterogeneity of tumor cells in glioblastomas. Immunostaining for S-100 alpha and S-100 beta might become a useful diagnostic procedure in brain tumors and may give us more detailed and precise data of S-100 protein in brain tumors.

Avidin↗

A cell line of human malignant astrocytoma producing autocrine growth factor.

A cell line was established from an anaplastic astrocytoma from a 69-yr-old female. The cells have been serially subcultured over 300 times for 6 yr without showing any sign of cell senescence. Their doubling time is about 36 h. The cells are fusiform and often hexagonal in sparse culture, but become spindle-shaped and formed mosaic structure in confluent culture. Under electron microscopy, intermediate filaments were randomly distributed in the cytoplasma, especially in the perinuclear space. The chromosome number was near tetraploid and varied from 86 to 94 chromosomes with a modal number of 91. The alpha and beta subunits of S-100 protein, vimentin, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), which are reliable markers of astrocytic cells, were demonstrated in a large number of cells by immunoperoxidase staining. The results of immunoblotting showed that the expression of vimentin was much higher than that of GFAP. The tumorigenicity of the cells was revealed by xenografting into nude mice, which were X-irradiated before inoculation. Culture medium conditioned by the cells promoted growth of these cells in serum-free conditions and of normal rat glial cells in serum-depleted culture. The growth-promoting effect of conditioned medium was lost by trypsinization and reduced by boiling. These findings suggest that these cells are derived from neoplastic astrocytic cells and secrete a self-acting polypeptide growth-promoting factor into the culture medium.

Aged↗

Class II (HLA-DR, HLA-DP, and HLA-DQ) antigens on colonic epithelia in ulcerative colitis: a comparison between uneventful and intractable cases.

Class II antigens on colonic epithelia involved in ulcerative colitis (UC) with uneventful or intractable courses were investigated using an immunoperoxidase method. Twenty normal colonic mucosa served as normal controls. Nineteen specimens from 14 uneventful cases and 23 specimens from 12 intractable cases were studied. Normal colonic epithelia did not express class II antigens. In UC, there were no differences between uneventful cases and intractable cases in the frequencies of class II antigen expression, the distribution of class II antigen expression ratio, or the mutual relationship of the extent of expression of the three class II antigens on colonic epithelia. However, while the extent of expression of HLA-DR and HLA-DP antigens on the epithelia was positively correlated with the degree of inflammation in uneventful cases, there was no such correlation in intractable cases. These observations may suggest that the induction mechanisms of class II antigens on colonic epithelia in UC differ in uneventful and intractable cases.

Adolescent↗

Lectin-reactive patterns of markedly elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein in patients with chronic active hepatitis.

Four cases of chronic hepatitis associated with high serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) without hepatocellular carcinoma are reported. All showed transient elevations of serum AFP, with peak levels of 13,500, 8,000, 4,450, and 3,000 ng/ml shortly after aggravation resulting from liver function tests. Liver biopsies revealed severe parenchymal damage in all the cases with piece-meal necrosis, bridging necrosis or bridging fibrosis. In two of four cases, there was a lobular distortion. AFP stain by an immunoperoxidase method showed a positive result in surviving hepatocytes. Lectin affinity electrophoresis of AFP in the four cases, together with an additional 12 patients with chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis and 44 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, all having AFP levels above 1,000 ng/ml, revealed that the chronic hepatitis patients had a benign pattern of AFP bands, in contrast with the pattern of hepatocellular carcinoma with increased proportions of lentil lectin-reactive AFP-L3 and/or erythroagglutinating phytohemagglutinin-reactive AFP-P4, indicating that the analysis of lectin reactivity of AFP has a great value in differentiating the benign and malignant conditions with increased serum levels of AFP above 1,000 ng/ml.

Adult↗

[Vertebral bone density and its correlation with various factors related to bone metabolism in alcoholics: a quantitative study by computed tomography].

We measured vertebral bone density of 59 male alcoholics (ALC) using quantitative computed tomography (QCT). Bone density of ALC was decreased measured on admission compared with age-matched healthy male controls (ALC: 144 +/- 42, CONTROLS: 173 +/- 34 mg/cm3, p less than 0.05). The bone density was not correlated with serum ALP, Ca, and Pi. Serum parathyroid hormone and calcitonin were also not correlated with the bone density in ALC. Serum 25-(OH)-D showed significant positive correlation with the bone density (p less than 0.01) and 1,25-(OH)2-D showed trend of positive correlation with the bone density (p less than 0.01) in ALC. Severity of liver diseases did not have any relation to the bone density in ALC. Although the decreased bone density was not improved at the second QCT examined about 10 weeks after first QCT without medication, patients administered 1 microgram of 1 alpha-(OH)-D3 daily showed a significant increase in the bone density (on admission: 152 +/- 37, 10 weeks later: 162 +/- 35 mg/cm3, p less than 0.02). Combination therapy of 1 alpha-(OH)-D3 and calcitonin did not increase the bone density. These results indicate that bone density was decreased in ALC and a decrease in serum vitamin D metabolites may cause a decrease in the bone density, although liver dysfunction does not have a role in it. These data also suggest that 1 alpha-(OH)-D3 is effective in an increase in the bone density in ALC with osteoporosis after abstinence.

Adult↗

Lymphoid cell subsets in colonic mucosa and HLA-DR antigens on colonic epithelia in colitis excluding ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.

Lymphoid cell subsets, including T cells as well as Ig-containing cells in the colonic mucosa and HLA-DR antigens on colonic epithelia, were examined in non-IBD colitis (colitis excluding ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease) by the indirect immunoperoxidase staining method. Mouse anti-CD5, CD8, CD4, IgG, IgA1, IgA2, IgM, IgD, IgE, HLA-DR, and NuIa monoclonal antibodies were used as the first antibody. The results were compared to those of the normal controls and UC. T cell subsets in non-IBD colitis were almost similar to those of the controls and UC. The number of Ig-containing cells of all classes, except for IgA, tended to be increased in non-IBD colitis. In particular, both IgG- and IgE-containing cells were significantly increased compared to those in the controls. Compared to UC, IgG-containing cells were decreased in non-IBD colitis. Namely, in non-IBD colitis, as well as in UC, the change of Ig-containing cells (B cell lineage) was more pronounced than that of T cells. The frequency of the expression of HLA-DR antigens on colonic epithelia in non-IBD colitis was 70%, which was significantly higher than that in controls (0%), but significantly lower than that in UC (100%). Whether the differences in the number of IgG-containing cells, and the frequency of epithelial HLA-DR expression between non-IBD colitis and UC was due to the differences of the degree of local inflammation or due to the differences of the nature of the two diseases was not elucidated in this study.

Colitis↗

Class II (HLA-DR, -DP, and -DO) antigens on intestinal epithelia in ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, colorectal cancer and normal small intestine.

Class II antigens in involved colonic epithelia of ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn's disease (CD), colorectal cancer, and epithelia of normal small intestine were investigated using an immunoperoxidase method. Ten normal colonic mucosa served as normal controls. Ten specimens were studied for each group. Normal colonic epithelia did not express class II antigens. In colonic diseases; (1) with regard to the frequency and extent of class II antigens on epithelia. HLA-DR antigens were the most highly and greatly expressed, followed by HLA-DP and then HLA-DQ antigens. (2) The extent of HLA-DR and -DP, but not HLA-DQ, expression on epithelia of UC and colorectal cancer seemed to be positively correlated with the degree of mononuclear cell infiltration in the lesion. (3) The extent of class II antigen expression on colonic epithelia in CD was not related to the degree of mononuclear cell infiltration in the lesion. (4) The extent of HLA-DR and -DP expression on epithelia of colorectal cancer seemed to be positively correlated with increasing undifferentiation. In the normal small intestine, where HLA-DR antigens were physiologically expressed on epithelia. HLA-DQ antigens were not expressed. The heterogeneity among colonic diseases, and between the physiological and pathological status, may reflect differences in immunoregulation.

Adult↗

Characterization of nascent lipoproteins produced by perfused rat liver: evidence of hepatic secretion and post-secretory modification of nascent lipoproteins.

We characterized the lipoproteins produced by perfused rat liver in recirculating and non-recirculating systems. The apolipoprotein (apo) B of the perfusate very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) were labeled with a radioactive precursor amino acid in both systems, suggesting that newly synthesized apo B was secreted in association with VLDL and LDL. When the lipoproteins obtained from the non-recirculating perfusate were injected into rats in vivo, the half life of the VLDL was 13 min and most of it was converted to LDL, while that of the LDL was 5.2 h, indicating that the perfusate LDL was different from the VLDL with respect to its metabolic fate. These observations suggest that both VLDL and LDL are produced as independent primary products in the liver, although the majority of LDL is derived from VLDL in vivo. The nascent lipoproteins in the non-recirculating perfusate were richer in apo E than those in the recirculating perfusate, and a part of the apo E disappeared when the VLDL was added to the recirculating perfusate. The particle sizes of the VLDL and LDL were examined by electron microscopy, which revealed that those in the non-recirculating perfusate were more homogeneous and smaller than the plasma counterparts, while those in the recirculating perfusate were more heterogeneous and their mean diameter was closer to that of the plasma lipoproteins, than in the case of non-recirculating perfusate. These observations suggest that apo E secreted with the nascent lipoproteins may be picked up by the liver just after secretion, causing the heterogeneity in size, as observed in the case of plasma lipoproteins.

Animals↗

Expression of vimentin and epithelial membrane antigen in human malignant lymphomas.

Immunoreactivity with monoclonal antibodies against the intermediate filament protein, vimentin, and epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) was examined in 330 cases of lymphoma (317 non-Hodgkin's and 13 Hodgkin's lymphomas), 12 reactive lymph nodes and mononuclear cells of the peripheral blood using either indirect immunoperoxidase staining or the avidin-biotin immunoperoxidase complex technique. The cell origin of each tumor was established using a panel of monoclonal antibodies against lymphocyte differentiation antigens. There were 41 T-cell, 247 B-cell and 29 undetermined lymphomas, and 13 cases of Hodgkin's disease in the series. Vimentin was expressed in 24 T-cell lymphomas (58.5%) and 60 B-cell lymphomas (24.2%). This difference in frequency was statistically significant. Vimentin expression in follicular lymphomas was less frequent than in diffuse B-cell lymphomas. In diffuse lymphomas, small and medium cell types were more reactive with anti-vimentin than large cell types. Reed-Sternberg cells (R-S cells) in Hodgkin's disease were positive for vimentin in 11 cases (84.6%). The frequency of EMA reactivity in lymphomas was low, particularly in T-cell lymphomas. No positive cases were found among follicular lymphomas. In diffuse non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, EMA was expressed only in mixed and large cell types, but never in smaller ones. In conclusion, monoclonal antibodies against vimentin and EMA appear to be of limited usefulness for the diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, but anti-vimentin antibody may be used as an adjunct to the diagnosis of R-S cells in Hodgkin's disease.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Malignant schwannoma arising in the intracranial trigeminal nerve. A report of an autopsy case and a review of the literature.

An autopsy case of malignant schwannoma arising in the intracranial trigeminal nerve is reported. The tumor involved the right cerebellopontine angle of the brain stem in an 18-year-old man. The spindle-shaped tumor cells with eosinophilic cytoplasm proliferated in fascicles and exhibited hypercellularity, pleomorphism, increased mitotic activity and invasive growth. Ultrastructurally, interdigitating cytoplasmic processes and a few fragmented basal lamina-like structures were observed. Immunohistochemically, some tumor cells were reactive with conventional anti-S-100 protein antibody, but negative for beta subunit. Most tumor cells were positive for alpha subunit of S-100 protein. This is the eighth reported case of malignant schwannoma arising in the intracranial trigeminal nerve.

Adolescent↗

Production of apolipoprotein E-rich LDL by the liver. The effect of dietary cholesterol and some lipid lowering agents.

We reported previously that cholesterol feeding induced an increase in hepatic secretion of VLDL and a decrease in that of LDL, especially LDL-apo B100, using monkey liver perfusion. In the present study we conducted rat liver perfusion using the HMG Co A reductase inhibitor (CS-514) and Kampo medicine (Daisaikoto) to elucidate the mechanism of the effect of dietary cholesterol on hepatic lipoprotein and apolipoprotein synthesis. Although the secretion of VLDL was increased by cholesterol feeding, that of LDL and especially of apo B100 of LDL were markedly decreased, and apo E of the LDL was increased as observed in the monkey liver perfusion experiments. The effect of CS-514 was clearly different from the effect of dietary cholesterol in spite of the suppression of hepatic cholesterogenesis which was comparable to that induced by cholesterol feeding, suggesting that the decrease in secretion of LDL-apo B100 induced by the dietary cholesterol is not due to suppressed cholesterogenesis. Daisaikoto, which was added to the diet together with cholesterol, diminished the effects of dietary cholesterol on the plasma and hepatic cholesterol levels. When the liver treated with Daisaikoto was perfused, the effect of dietary cholesterol on the production of lipoprotein and apolipoprotein was markedly diminished. This evidence indicates that the decrease in LDL-apo B100 and the increase in apo E were mediated by the hepatic cholesterol level.

Animals↗

HLA antigens on colorectal adenoma and cancer cells.

HLA-DR and -ABC antigens on adenoma and cancer cells of the colon and rectum were investigated. Fifteen specimens of adenomas from 15 patients with sporadic colorectal adenoma, seven specimens of adenomas from seven patients with familial polyposis coli (FPC), and 10 specimens of cancers from 10 patients with colorectal cancer were obtained. Normal colonic mucosa far from the lesions, taken from 15 patients with sporadic adenoma or cancer, served as normal control mucosa. HLA antigens were identified using an immunoperoxidase staining method. Epithelia of all normal control mucosa (n = 15) expressed HLA-ABC antigens, but not HLA-DR antigens. HLA-DR antigens were expressed on 47% (7/15) of sporadic adenomas, 71% (5/7) of adenomas in FPC, and 100% (10/10) of cancers. The extent of HLA-DR expression on adenoma and cancer cells became broader with more severe dysplasia in adenoma, and increased undifferentiation in cancer. It also became broader with increasing mononuclear cell infiltration in both adenomas and cancers. HLA-DR antigens on adenoma and cancer cells appeared to be related to the neoplastic transformation of the epithelia, and to the mononuclear cell infiltration. Partial disappearance of HLA-ABC antigens on adenoma and cancer cells was observed in a few specimens of both adenomas and cancers.

Adenoma↗