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Biomedical subjects

H Tajima

Publications and source records attributed to H Tajima.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Analysis of initial attachment of B cells to endothelial cells under flow conditions.

This study examined the adhesive interactions of peripheral blood B cells with TNF-alpha-activated endothelial monolayers, and analyzed the roles of E-selectin, P-selectin, or VCAM-1 molecules expressed on activated HUVEC. B cell interaction occurred on activated HUVEC, but not on resting HUVEC under flow conditions. The majority of peripheral blood B cells expressed P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 and alpha4 integrin. However, the expression of cutaneous lymphocyte Ag on B cells was low. Under flow conditions, B cells could bind to P-selectin-coated tubes and VCAM-1-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. In contrast, B cells could not bind to E-selectin-coated tubes. Adhesion activity of B cells to P-selectin-coated tubes was weaker than that of T cells. Furthermore, adhesion activity of B cells to VCAM-1-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells was similar to that of T cells. Treatment of activated HUVEC with anti-VCAM-1 mAb reduced interaction of B cells under flow conditions. However, the treatment of activated HUVEC with anti-P-selectin mAb did not reduce interaction. These data indicated that the interaction of VCAM-1 with alpha4 integrin plays a major role in an initial attachment of B cells to endothelial monolayers under flow conditions.

Animals

Arteriovenous malformation of the gallbladder.

Review of the literature shows no reports of vascular malformation of the gallbladder. Herein we report an unusual case of arteriovenous malformation of the gallbladder in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma. The gallbladder lesion was found incidentally during abdominal angiography for the carcinoma. The angiographic features were specific, comprising dilated and tortuous feeding cystic arteries, a racemose vascular network, and early-filling cystic veins.

Adult

[Diagnostic imaging of "body packers"].

Drug smuggling by intra-abdominal concealment, so called "body packing," has recently increased, even in Japan. Because of fatal drug intoxication and other adverse side effects, it is important to make a radiological diagnosis of body packers as soon as possible. A retrospective analysis of the images of plain abdominal radiography, computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound (US) was performed in twenty-three body packers to evaluate the imaging characteristics of three drugs (cannabis, cocaine and heroin). Cannabis (16 patients) and cocaine (5 patients) packages were demonstrated as well-demarcated rectangular-shaped high-density shadows surrounded by gas halo ("double condom sign") in abdominal plain radiographs and CT. Heroin packages (2 patients) were demonstrated as obscure shadows and were difficult to identify on plain radiographs, because they resembled stool masses. US was performed in one cannabis patient because of the refusal of radiological examination, and packages were demonstrated as round echogenic structures with dorsal echo extinctions. In conclusion, abdominal plain radiography, CT and US represent valuable diagnostic modalities in the assessment of body packers.

Abdomen

Effect of iomeprol on renal function immediately after abdominal angiography.

PURPOSE: To investigate the acute renal effects of 2 osmolality levels of iomeprol in a double-blind, randomized, parallel-group study. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten patients received iomeprol 300 mg I/ml, and a further 10 received iomeprol 400 mg I/ml intraarterially at routine abdominal angiography. The mean volume of contrast medium administered was 227.3+/-59.3 ml in the iomeprol 300 group and 221.5+/-30.9 ml in the iomeprol 400 group. RESULTS: The urinary minute volume increased immediately after angiography, but tended to return to baseline 120 min after the examination. No significant decrease in creatinine clearance occurred; however, the fraction excretion of sodium increased immediately after angiography. The lysosomal enzyme N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase and the proximal tubular brush border enzyme gamma-glutamyl transferase increased up to 120 min after the procedure. Free water clearance was negative during each study period. No statistical differences in any parameter were evident between these 2 groups. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that osmotic diuresis and its acute effect on proximal tubular function are induced by the administration of iomeprol, but that these changes are reversible.

Abdomen

Marine natural products. XXXVI. Biologically active polyacetylenes, adociacetylenes A, B, C, and D, from an Okinawan Marine sponge of Adocia sp.

Adociacetylenes A (1), B (2), C (3), and D (4) were isolated as new polyacetylenes from an Okinawan marine sponge of Adocia sp. Their chemical structures have been elucidated on the bases of their chemical and physicochemical properties. Adociacetylenes A (1), C (3), and D (4) exhibited inhibitory activity in the in vitro endothelial cell-neutrophil leukocyte adhesion assay.

Acetylene

Clinical manifestations of HBsAg and anti-HCV negative chronic liver disease in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

The discovery of hepatitis C virus (HCV) has enabled the diagnosis of type C chronic liver disease, which had in the past been diagnosed as part of non-A, non-B chronic liver disease. Although most cases with chronic liver disease are caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) or HCV infection, there are still cases of non-B, non-C chronic liver disease. Forty patients with chronic liver disease, who were seronegative for hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody to HCV, were followed for a mean period of 72 months. The clinical manifestations in these patients were compared with those reported for type B and type C chronic liver disease. Of the 40 patients, 22 were diagnosed with chronic hepatitis, 14 with liver cirrhosis and 4 with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Twenty-seven (67.5%) patients showed mild alanine aminotransferase activity profiles, and the natural clinical course of most patients showed a slow progression compared with that reported for type B and type C patients. The yearly incidence of HCC was 9.7% in patients with liver cirrhosis and 3.9% in chronic hepatitis. These rates were similar to those in type B or type C patients. This suggests that our population sample contained a number of patients with type B, type C or other etiologic agent(s), because 66.7% of the patients who developed HCC had some evidence of exposure to HBV or HCV. Our results suggest that more detailed and accurate tests for detecting HBV and HCV should be considered before making the diagnosis of non-B, non-C chronic liver disease, and that there is the need to reveal unknown etiologic agent(s).

Adolescent

[Secondary porphyrinuria].

The condition that the porphyrins are excreted into the urine due to impairment of bile excretion, is called as secondary porphyrinuria. The main porphyrin is coproporphyrin, there fore the condition is called as secondary coproporphyrinuria. Secondary porphyrinuria is associated with various disorders, such as hepatobiliary diseases, hereditary hyperbilirubinemia, intoxications, blood and metabolic diseases, but the etiology of secondary porphyrinuria is unclear. Coproporphyrin is divided into two isomers, one is coproporphyrin-I type and the other is coproporphyrin-III type. In normal human urine, coproporphyrin-III type is predominant, and the ratio of coproporphyrin-I to total coproporphyrin is 10-50% (% as isomer I), while in urines of hepatobiliary diseases, the ratio is 40-60%. In Dubin-Johnson syndrome, the ratio is 80-100%. Coproporphyrinuria in hepatocellular carcinoma and alcoholic liver disease may be different from that in hepatobiliary diseases, often associated with uroporphyrinuria as well as coproporphyrinuria. Coproporphyrinuria arising in blood and metabolic diseases must be taken into account of associated liver diseases.

Biliary Tract Diseases

[Superselective local infusion therapy with tissue-plasminogen activator for acute massive pulmonary thromboembolism: preliminary clinical experience].

Three cases of acute massive pulmonary thromboembolism were treated with the superselective infusion of tissue-plasminogen activator. Superselective pulmonary angiography immediately after administration of tissue-plasminogen activator demonstrated angiographic improvement in all patients. No complications were encountered during or after the procedure. It is considered that superselective infusion of tissue-plasminogen activator can be an effective therapy for massive pulmonary thromboembolism.

Acute Disease

[MR angiography of the venous system of lower extremities with gadolinium-enhanced fast spoiled GRASS].

MR angiography (MRA) of the venous system of the lower extremities was carried out in 10 patients with varicose veins using the Gd-DTPA-enhanced Fast Spoiled GRASS (FSPGR) method. The quality of imaging of the popliteal vein (n = 20), calf deep vein (n = 20), varicose vein (n = 12), and femoral vein (n = 6) were assessed in terms of four categories: excellent, good, marginally adequate and nondiagnostic. Nineteen popliteal veins, seventeen calf deep veins, and nine varicose veins were judged as excellent or good. All femoral veins were evaluated as excellent. Enhanced FSPGR was useful for the preoperative evaluation of patients with varicose veins.

Femoral Vein

[Hepato-biliary excretion of water-soluble iodinated contrast medium shortly after abdominal angiography].

Thirty-nine patients underwent CT examination 15 to 30 min after abdominal angiography with ioxaglate. Gallbladder opacification was observed in 15 patients in the absence of clinical evidence of renal impairment. Among them, 14 patients revealed liver cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis, and one patient showed severe fatty liver on CT. The amount of contrast medium used varied from 70 ml to 310 ml (mean 180 ml). There was no significant relationship between visualization of the gallbladder and the total dose of ioxaglate or presence of liver dysfunction, which indicated that gallbladder opacification was not a rare phenomenon on CT shortly after abdominal angiography with a normal dose of ioxaglate. Gallbladder opacification on CT examination shortly after abdominal angiography shows that the hepatobiliary tract is important in the excretion of ioxaglate.

Abdomen

[Stent placement without thrombolysis in chronic iliac arterial occlusion: preliminary clinical evaluation].

Intra-arterial stent placement without thrombolytic therapy was performed in four patients with chronic iliac arterial occlusion. The length of angiographically observed occluded lesions ranged from 2.0 cm to 14.0 cm (mean: 5.1 cm). The implanted stents included four Wall stents, two Strecker stents and one Palmaz stent. The mean ankle-arm index before and after stenting improved from 0.48 to 0.77, while the mean pressure gradient improved from 82.5 mmHg to 3.0 mmHg. Symptoms were eliminated in all patients after the procedure. No major complications were encountered during the procedure. Primary stent implantation in chronic iliac occlusions is useful to avoid bypass surgery.

Aged

[Three-dimensional imaging of portal and hepatic veins using helical CT with intravenous injection of contrast medium].

The authors developed a simple new method for obtaining three-dimensional helical CT images that simultaneously depict both the portal and hepatic veins. One hundred ml of contrast medium was injected intravenously, and helical CT was carried out. Three-dimensional venous images were successfully displayed with rotational movement on the CRT monitor. The new method provided high-quality images in which the anatomical relationship between the portal and hepatic venous systems could be clearly visualized. This information was useful in helping angiographers to successfully perform transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt and will be of great value for the presurgical planning of hepatic resection.

Adult

Risk of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with cirrhosis in Japan. Analysis of infectious hepatitis viruses.

BACKGROUND: The development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated closely with cirrhosis. In the present study, the cumulative risk of HCC in patients with cirrhosis was investigated. METHODS: A total of 401 patients were registered from April 1977 and followed for a mean of 4.4 years. Of 401 patients, 255 (64%) were tested for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody (anti-) to the hepatitis C virus (HCV); 87 (34%) patients were positive for HBsAg but were negative for anti-HCV (hepatitis B virus [HBV] group), 126 (49%) were negative for HBsAg but were positive for anti-HCV (HCV group), 10 (4%) were positive for both and 32 (13%) were negative for both (non-B non-C group). RESULTS: By the end of March 1993, HCC was diagnosed in 127 (31.6%) patients. The cumulative risk of HCC in the HCV group was slightly higher than that in HBV group (P = 0.3, 5-year risk: 36.9 versus 21.2%). In contrast, the rate was significantly lower in the non-B non-C group than in the HBV or HCV groups (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01, respectively, 5 year risk: 12.4%). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that not only HBV infection but also HCV infection increase the risk for HCC in patients with cirrhosis.

Adult

[Changes in renal function immediately after the angiography].

The effect of radiographic contrast media upon renal function was investigated in 30 patients with normal renal function using Ioxaglate 320 mgI/ml (0.58 Osm/KgH2O), Iohexol 350 mgI/ml (0.88 Osm/kgH2O) and Iomeprol 400 mgI/ml (0.75 Osm/kgH2O). Before and immediately after conventional abdominal angiography, serum and urinary BUN, creatinine, sodium, osmolality and urinary volume were examined. Urinary minute volume increased remarkably immediately after angiography in all the contrast media groups. In Iohexol 350 and Iomeprol 400, creatinine clearance (Ccr) increased immediately after angiography, while no Ccr increase was observed in Ioxaglate 320. FENa increased immediately after angiography in all the contrast media groups. There were no statistical differences in the changes of FENa among Ioxaglate 320, Iohexol 350 and Iomeprol 400. There was no significant change in CH2O. It becomes evident that the osmotic diuresis and its effect on the proximal tubular function are induced by administrated low osmolar contrast media and that these changes are reversible.

Adult

Hepatocyte growth factor elevates the activity levels of glycolipid sulfotransferases in renal cell carcinoma cells.

Accumulation of sulfoglycolipids associated with markedly elevated activity levels of glycolipid sulfotransferases has previously been demonstrated in the human renal cell carcinoma cell line, SMKT-R3. To elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of sulfoglycolipid synthesis in SMKT-R3 cells, the effects of various growth factors on the metabolic enzymes of sulfoglycolipids were investigated. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) significantly increased the activity levels of the sulfotransferases in a dose-dependent manner, but did not change that of arylsulfatase A, which hydrolyzes sulfoglycolipids. Scatchard analysis of 125I-HGF binding to SMKT-R3 cells indicated that the cells expressed high-affinity receptors for HGF with a Kd of 36 pM and 750 sites/cell. Furthermore, metabolic labeling with [35S]sulfate revealed that the addition of HGF to the culture medium of the cells resulted in an increment of sulfoglycolipid synthesis. Therefore, these observations suggest that HGF can function as a regulatory factor in sulfoglycolipid synthesis through the modulation of the sulfotransferase activity levels in renal cell carcinoma cells. In addition, HGF stimulated the proliferation and motility of SMKT-R3 cells, suggesting that HGF has multiple biological activities in renal cell carcinoma cells.

Animals

Pancreatic trypsinogen and cathepsin B in human pancreatic carcinomas and associated metastatic lesions.

Expression of pancreatic trypsinogen and cathepsin B in 23 surgically resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas was evaluated immunohistochemically, using a monoclonal antibody against human pancreatic trypsinogen and a polyclonal antibody against human cathepsin B. Fifteen of 20 invasive tubular adenocarcinomas (75%) expressed pancreatic trypsinogen in a coarse granular pattern located in the supranuclear cytoplasm of the carcinoma cells. In addition, metastatic lesions, including those in peripancreatic lymph nodes and neural plexuses, expressed pancreatic trypsinogen. In contrast, three intraductal (non-invasive) papillary adenocarcinomas did not express pancreatic trypsinogen. Cathepsin B expression was recognised in 14 of 20 invasive tubular adenocarcinomas (70%) in a fine granular pattern located diffusely in the cytoplasm of the carcinoma cells, while none of the three intraductal papillary adenocarcinomas had detectable cathepsin B. These findings suggest that pancreatic invasive ductal adenocarcinomas express pancreatic trypsinogen and cathepsin B immunoreactive peptides, raising the possibility that pancreatic trypsinogen and cathepsin B may act independently of each other in the process of carcinoma invasion and metastasis, like other different classes of proteases involved in the proteolytic modification of the matrix barrier.

Adult

Presence of pancreatic alpha-amylase, trypsinogen, and lipase immunoreactivity in normal human pancreatic ducts.

Presence of pancreatic alpha-amylase, trypsinogen, and lipase in normal pancreatic ducts was evaluated immunohistochemically in 10 surgically resected normal pancreatic specimens, using monoclonal antibodies against human pancreatic alpha-amylase, trypsinogen, and lipase. Immunoreactivity to all enzymes occurred patchily in some epithelial cells not only of the common bile duct and its periductal glands but also of the main and interlobular pancreatic ducts and periductal glands in the main pancreatic duct, as well as in pancreatic acinar cells. Ductal staining was fine-granular, and generally present in the supranuclear cytoplasm. Immunoreactivity was abolished by preabsorption. Centroacinar cells and intercalated and intralobular pancreatic ducts did not stain for any enzyme. These findings suggest that some epithelial cells of the large-sized pancreatic duct and its periductal glands express pancreatic alpha-amylase-, trypsinogen-, and lipase-like peptides, as do some epithelial cells of common bile duct and its periductal glands.

Adult