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Biomedical subjects

A Matsuo

Publications and source records attributed to A Matsuo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Reliability of measurement of oxygen uptake by a portable telemetric system.

The purpose of the present study was to check the reliability of measurements of oxygen uptake (VO2) using a newly developed portable telemetry system. This system (K2) consisted of a face mask, a flow meter, a gas analyser with a transmitter, and a receiver. The total mass for the subject to carry was about 850 g. Three experiments were carried out, firstly to check the reliability and reproducibility of the flow meter and the K2 gas analyser, secondly to check the accuracy of K2 by comparing it with the Douglas bag method (DB), and thirdly to apply K2 to sports activities. In the first experiment, the flow meter was highly accurate up to 180 l.min-1 with good reproducibility. The measurement error of the gas analyser was less than 2%. In the second experiment, there was no significant difference in the calculated ventilation between K2 and DB. The VO2 showed no significant difference between K2 and DB with some exceptions. In the third experiment, we succeeded in the measurement of VO2 during rowing on water. The measurement of VO2 during running and playing soccer was also possible. It would seem that the present system could well be a powerful tool in the field measurement of VO2 during various sports activities.

Exercise

Immunohistochemical demonstration of keratin in ameloblastoma as an indication of tumor differentiation.

Keratin expression was studied immunohistochemically in 27 ameloblastomas using polyclonal antibody against wide-spectrum keratins (TTL) and monoclonal antibodies against lower- and higher-molecular-weight keratins (PKK1 and KL1), respectively, to clarify the tumor differentiation. Reactions with TTL and KL1 antibodies were generally positive in the stellate cells of the follicular or acanthomatous ameloblastomas. Cell nests of the basal cell type were positive for PKK1. On the other hand, the reactions with TTL or KL1 in the plexiform type were generally weak or absent. From these facts, it was concluded that the follicular, as well as acanthomatous, ameloblastoma is liable to undergo squamous differentiation, whereas the plexiform ameloblastoma remains in primitive stage of tumor differentiation.

Ameloblastoma

[A case of schwannomatosis--clinical, pathological and biochemical studies].

A case of schwannomatosis is described, including clinical, pathological and biochemical features. A 16-year-old male patient was admitted because of multiple subcutaneous tumors without family history. No café au lait spots were found. Magnetic resonance images (MRI) revealed multiple tumors of cranial and spinal nerves. The tumors in the scalp, right forearm and left spinal nerve at the level of C5 were excised out surgically. The pathological study of all tumor specimens showed a typical appearance of schwannoma with Antoni A and B tissues but not that of neurofibroma. Electrophoretic study of the extract from the tumor detected a basic protein at a molecular weight of 18.5 KD, which has been reported to be a tumor marker protein of benign schwannoma. From these findings, this patient had the features of schwannomatosis, clearly distinguished from those of neurofibromatosis.

Adolescent

Changes in HBsAg carrier rate in Goto Islands, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

Annual mass examinations in an area where hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is very prevalent revealed that 12.1% of inhabitants born during 1946-50 were positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), compared with only 0.6% of those born during 1971-75. To find out why the HBV carrier rate has fallen, changes in the modes of HBV infection were examined. The HBsAg positivity rate among mothers who gave birth to HBV carrier children in 1965 and before was 26.8% and that for such mothers whose babies were born in 1966 and after was 66.7%, whereas the HBsAg positivity rate among children born to HBV carrier mothers in 1965 and before and in 1966 and after were 30.8% and 28.3%, respectively. None of the 503 inhabitants who had no HBV markers in 1976 had become carriers by 1981. These findings indicate that the decrease in the prevalence of HBV carriage is caused mainly by the reduction in occurrence of horizontal transmission of HBV in infancy.

Adolescent

Existence and unique N-terminal sequence of alpha II (omega) interferon in natural leukocyte interferon preparation.

Human alpha interferon produced in Sendai virus-stimulated leukocytes was purified by immunosorbent affinity chromatography and subjected to subtype analysis. All subtypes in leukocyte culture supernatant were confirmed in purified preparation. One of these subtypes was reactive in Western blotting with antibody specific to alpha II (omega). N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis of this particular subtype showed addition of two amino acids to the N-terminus of alpha II predicted through cDNA studies. The apparent cleavage site for leader sequence of alpha II was different from the site common to all other alpha subtypes. This is the first report on the isolation of natural alpha II and its unique N-terminal amino acid sequence.

Amino Acid Sequence

Plasma levels of insulin-like growth factor-I and its binding protein in polycystic ovary syndrome.

Patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) had significantly higher levels of total insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) than those in age- and weight-matched controls (PCOS, 230 +/- 21 ng/ml; control, 180 +/- 16 ng/ml; mean +/- SE, p less than 0.05) as well as free IGF-I (PCOS, 3.8 +/- 0.2 ng/ml; control, 3.0 +/- 0.2 ng/ml; p less than 0.05). These elevated levels of IGF-I were correlated slightly with levels of LH and LH/FSH ratio (r = 0.171, p less than 0.05 and r = 0.239, p less than 0.01, respectively). Elevated fasting levels of insulin and decreased levels of IGF binding protein (32K-BP) were also observed in PCOS, and the levels of 32K-BP in PCOS were negatively correlated with insulin (r = -0.39, p less than 0.01). These results suggest that elevated IGF-I levels and decreased 32K-BP levels in the circulation are one of the endocrinological features of PCOS and that insulin is responsible for the clinical manifestation of decreased 32K-BP levels in PCOS.

Adult

[Fibrous components and lamellar structures in cementum].

The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between the lamellar structure and the fibrous components of cementum. Freeze-fracture specimens and ground sections of the human molar cementum were treated with acid- and/or alkaline-solutions, then examined by scanning electron microscopy. Both of the layers of Sharpey (extrinsic) fiber and matrix (intrinsic) fiber were distinguished in freeze-fracture specimens and ground sections, but no lamellar structures appeared. For the first time, the lamellae isolated with narrow grooves were clearly observed on the ground sections that were treated with 5% sodium hypochlorite for 60 min followed by 0.5-1.0 M hydrochloric acid for 30-60 sec. In addition to the two fiber-layer types, the mixed fiber layer containing both components of matrix and Sharpey's fibers was classified, and the lamellar arrangement of matrix fibers was also revealed. When the hypochlorite treatment time was prolonged for 120 min, the lamellar structures were evident. Our results show that those treatments may resolve the regions of physiological hypomineralization related to the incremental lines running parallel to the cemento dentinal junction and the lines of discontinuity of the fibrous components.

Dental Cementum

Identification of newborn rats by tattooing.

Pups were identified by toe clipping or tattooing the plantar surface of the paws on day 4 after delivery. Their growth, maturation, and reproductive capability were not affected by either identification method. In the toe clipping group, however, the duration until fall in the suspension test was significantly shortened, indicating that this identification method may not be suitable for some behavioural tests. The clipping also disturbs the skeletal investigation of toes and is not recommended from the view point of animal welfare. Palm tattooing, on the other hand, satisfies the fundamental requirements for long-term identification of rats.

Animal Identification Systems

Collagen phagocytosis by cementoblasts at the periodontal ligament-cementum interface.

The periodontal ligament-cementum interface of rat first molars was investigated by electron microscopy. Evidence supporting cementoblast phagocytosis of collagen fibrils of the periodontal ligament was found. In addition, collagen-containing vacuoles were frequently observed within cementoblasts in association with an acid phosphatase activity. The presence of acid phosphatase activity in these vacuoles suggested that intracellular degradation of collagen was occurring. Our results showed that cementoblasts exhibited collagen phagocytic activity and suggest that cementoblasts may play an important role in the physiological remodeling and metabolic breakdown of the collagen at the periodontal ligament-cementum interface.

Animals

[Connective tissue attachment to root surfaces in periodontal disease. Initial attachment of human gingival fibroblasts].

We studied the effect of periodontal treatment (scaling, SC; root planning, RP; scaling followed by citric acid, SC + CA; and root planing followed by citric acid, RP + CA) of periodontally diseased root surfaces on the initial attachment of human gingival fibroblasts in vitro. Root slices were prepared from surgically extracted human normal and periodontally involved teeth. Each treated root slice was placed in a well of a 24-well plate containing a PBS-antibiotic solution (penicillin, 200 units/ml; streptomycin, 200 micrograms/ml) for 1 hr. at 4 degrees C. Then, to each well was added 1 x 10(4) cells in 1 ml of alpha-MEM, and the plates were incubated for 24 hr. After the root slices were fixed and stained, the morphological changes and the numbers of attached cells were determined under a dissecting microscope. The fibroblasts on the controls (untreated normal roots) and the RP-roots appeared spindle-shaped with a few cell processes. The cells on the SC-roots were rounded or slightly elongated. The cells on the roots treated with citric acid (SC + CA and RP + CA) had were flat and seemed well attached to the surface. The number of cells attached on RP- and RP + CA-roots was increased to the control level, but those on SC- and SC + CA-roots were showed about 60% of the control. No significant differences in the numbers of cells were found between RP and RP + CA treatment or between SC and SC + CA treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cell Adhesion

Monoclonal antibodies specific for high molecular weight form of human epidermal growth factor.

Hybridomas that secrete monoclonal antibodies specific for the high molecular weight (HMW) form of human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) were established by fusing spleen cells obtained from mice immunized with purified urinary HMW-hEGF with myeloma P3 x 63Ag8.653. The resulting monoclonal antibodies were characterized basically into two groups. One group recognized both EGF and HMW-hEGF, while the other recognized HMW-hEGF specifically on radio immunoprecipitation. Surprisingly, the majority of the isolates was positive by western blotting. Utilizing these monoclonal antibodies for affinity chromatography, we purified HMW-hEGF successfully from urine. These antibodies may be an extraordinarily powerful tool for histological study related to both forms of EGF.

Animals

Tandem gene amplification in vitro for rapid and efficient expression in animal cells.

Plasmid vectors pHSG293 and pHSG747, suitable for in vitro gene amplification for subsequent animal-cell expression, were developed. A cosmid vector pHSG293 confers Km resistance to Escherichia coli host cells and G418 resistance to animal cells and contains a single BstXI recognition/cleavage site, CCACGGGG/CTGG, near the cos site (the recognition site is underlined). The cassette vector plasmid pHSG747 contains a multiple cloning site (MCS) between the simian virus 40 early promoter and the poly(A) signal sequence flanked by the same BstXI sites and confers Cm resistance to E. coli host cells. After inserting a coding fragment for human protein C or its derivative in the appropriate orientation in the MCS of pHSG747, the BstXI expression unit fragment was purified, mixed with BstXI-digested pHSG293 DNA at a molecular ratio of 20 to 40:1 and ligated. This allowed for tandem gene amplification due to asymmetric cohesive ends. Ligation products were packaged in lambda phage particles, amplified in E. coli cells as large cosmid molecules, and then introduced into CHO cells. G418R transformants were found to produce and secrete recombinant protein molecules at a high level. The plasmid vectors developed in this work will provide a rapid screening system useful for protein engineering in animal cells.

Animals

Mechanical efficiency in rowing.

Five university oarsmen participated in a determination of mechanical efficiency when rowing in a tank. In the tank, water was circulated at 3 m X s-1 by a motor driven pump. The subjects rowed with the stepwise incremental loading, in which the intensity increased by 10% of the maximum force of rowing (maxFc) every 2 min. Power (WO) was calculated from the force applied to the oarlock pin (FC) and its angular displacement (theta H). Oxygen uptake and heart rate were measured every 30 s during rowing. Anaerobic threshold (AT) was determined from expired gas variables by Wasserman's method. AT of oarsmen was 74.6 +/- 6.01% as a percentage of VO2max. As the displacement of the handgrip in the stroke was independent of WO, the increment of WO was caused by the increase of both FC and stroke frequency. Gross efficiency without base-line correction (GE) increased with FC with low intensities of rowing. In the region of 124-182 W of WO GE was almost constant at 17.5%. Efficiency was 19.8 +/- 1.4%, with resting metabolism as base-line correction (net efficiency), and 27.5 +/- 2.9% when using the unloaded rowing as the base-line correction (work efficiency), and 22.8 +/- 2.2% when calculating the work rate as the base-line correction (delta efficiency).

Adult

Litter parameters and spontaneous abnormalities in Himalayan rabbits.

A joint study was undertaken in three testing facilities to evaluate cumulative background data of Himalayan rabbits. All litters were derived from control does. The conception rate was high (84.0-95.1%) but the average numbers of corpora lutea (7.9-8.7), implantation sites (6.5-7.5) and viable fetuses (5.8-6.9) were somewhat lower than that of most other strains of rabbit. Altogether 90 malformed fetuses (1.12%) and 425 fetuses with variations (5.27%) occurred among 8,060 virable fetuses.

Animals