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Biomedical subjects

N Kinjo

Publications and source records attributed to N Kinjo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy using a newly developed laparoscope manipulator for 10 patients with cholelithiasis.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic surgery has continued to gain popularity in almost all fields of abdominal surgery, and robotic systems have been introduced in general surgery. Naviot is a new remote-controlled laparoscope manipulator system controlled by the operator's hand. This study assessed its introduction into clinical practice. METHODS: A group of 10 consecutive patients with cholelithiasis underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy assisted by the Naviot system (Naviot group). Another group of 41 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a conventional human camera holder (human camera group) were selected for a comparison of their operative results with those of the Naviot group. RESULTS: The operative time of 89.3 +/- 27.1 min for the Naviot group was significantly longer than that of 74.8 +/- 28.1 min for the human camera group (p < 0.05). However, when the setup time for the Naviot system was excluded, the operative time was not significantly different from that for the human camera group. Other operative results showed no significant difference between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The authors believe that the new Naviot system is feasible for clinical use, and that it enables surgeons to perform solo gastrointestinal surgery.

Aged↗

Effects of the mycelial extract of cultured Cordyceps sinensis on in vivo hepatic energy metabolism in the mouse.

Mice were given the extract of cultured Cordyceps sinensis (Cs) (200 mg/kg daily, p.o.) for 3 weeks. In vivo phosphorus-31 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of the liver were acquired at weekly intervals using a surface coil. From 1 to 3 weeks, a consistent increase in the ATP/inorganic phosphate ratio, which represents the high energy state, was observed in the Cs extract-treated mice. The intracellular pH of the Cs extract-treated mice was not significantly different from that of the control mice. No steatosis, necrosis, inflammation or fibrosis were observed in the liver specimens from Cs extract-treated mice.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Astrocytoma linked to familial ataxia-telangiectasia.

A 7-year and 11 month-old girl with cerebellar astrocytoma linked to familial ataxia-telangiectasia (AT) is presented. She was born as the 7th girl of a woman with aortic arch syndrome. Two elder sisters of the patient have ataxia telangiectasia. She had immunodeficiency, and cerebellar ataxia, but had no oculocutaneous telangiectasia. The risk of cancer developing in AT patients is about 1,200 times greater than that in age-matched controls. With regard to central nervous system tumours, seven primary tumours have been reported, such as 3 cases of medulloblastoma and 4 cases of glioma. Members of AT families who were under the age of 45 had a risk of dying of a malignant neoplasm five times greater than in the general population. However, there were no reports of glioma in AT families. In this case, it is suggested that IgA deficiency linked to familial AT may have contributed to the development of astrocytoma.

Astrocytoma↗

Cardiovascular effects of Acanthaster planci venom in the rat: possible involvement of PAF in its hypotensive effect.

Cardiovascular effects of the crowns-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) venom were examined in rats. The crude venom extracted from the spines of A. planci caused systemic hypotension associated with an increase in heart rate and a decrease in renal cortical blood flow when given i.v. The hypotensive effect of the venom was not inhibited by pretreatment with atropine, indomethacin or aprotinin, but was significantly inhibited by SRI 63-441, a platelet activating factor (PAF) antagonist. The venom caused dose-dependent vasorelaxation of the isolated rat aortic ring preparation precontracted by noradrenaline, an effect which was significantly attenuated by pretreatment with SRI 63-441, methylene blue or parabromophenacyl bromide. Denudation of the endothelium also diminished the vasorelaxing effect of the venom. Both the vasorelaxing and the hypotensive effects showed tachyphylaxis. These results suggest the release of PAF or a PAF-like substance from the endothelium by the venom.

Animals↗

[Clinical study on symptoms in patients with strongyloidiasis].

We treated strongyloidiasis patients and obtained the following results: Of the 299 patients (184 males and 115 females), 81 patients (27.1%) had no complaints before treatment, 218 patients complaints of some symptoms, including arthralgia and/or lumbago (28.4%), abdominal pain and/or borborygmus (19.3%), numbness of extremities (18.1%), constipation (16.3%) and itching (15.7). We treated 219 patients with mebendazole and symptoms improved after treatment described below: Thirty-seven of the 63 patients (58.7%) with arthralgia and/or lumbago improved. Twenty-seven of the 36 patients (75.0%) with numbness of extremities improved. Thirty-one of the 32 patients (96.9%) with heartburn improved. We treated 26 patients with mebendazole plus thiabendazole and twelve of 14 patients (85.7%) with abdominal pain and/or borborygmus were improved after treatment. We treated 54 patients with ivermectin and five of 18 patients (27.8%) with arthralgia and/or lumbago were improved after treatment.

Adult↗

Efficacy of ivermectin against Strongyloides stercoralis in humans.

Okinawa Prefecture is an endemic area of Strongyloides stercoralis infection. Since treatment of this infection remains unsatisfactory, we evaluated the efficacy of ivermectin. Twenty-three patients were treated with a single oral dose of ivermectin (mean +/- SD, 105.5 +/- 20.8 mcg/kg of body weight), followed by a second dose two weeks later. The rate of cure was 85.7% at 2 weeks after the first treatment, and 90.5% at 2 weeks after the second treatment. Side effects occurred in 2 patients (8.7%), but they were mild and transient. The results indicate that ivermectin might be useful and relatively safe for the therapy of Strongyloides stercoralis infection as an alternative to thiabendazole or mebendazole.

Aged↗

[Comparison of efficacy of powder and tablet of mebendazole in the treatment of strongyloidiasis].

We previously treated 47 patients with 100 mg of mebendazole (MBZ) twice a day by oral use for 5 days and this treatment was repeated 1, 3 and 4 weeks later. Although the cure rate was 100%, liver injury was observed in 48.9% of the patients. On this study, we reduced the periods of administration of MBZ (powder; 100 mg twice a day) to 4 days, and repeated it once after 3 days interval, and this initial treatment was performed one more time after 10 days interval (group 1). As Strongyloides stercoralis is mainly located in upper digestive systems, we used the drug reduced to powder for the purpose of better contact with the parasites. We considered that the powder should be absorbed well and liver injury occurred in high incidence. As group 2, we used the tablet itself in the same schedules of group 1. The results obtained were as follows; 1) The eradication rates at 10 days after the initial treatment were 97.8% (44 of 45 patients) in group 1 (powder) and 93.0% (40/43) in group 2 (tablet). 2) At 3 days after the whole treatment, the eradication rates were 100.0% in group 1, and 97.7% (42/43) in group 2. 3) Slight side effects such as constipation (6.7% in the group 1), dizziness or vertigo (6.7% in the group 1) and itching (6.7% in the group 2) were observed. 4) Liver injury was observed at 11.1% (5/45) 10 days after the initial treatment in the group 1 and 13.3% (6/45) in the group 2.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

[A case of successfully removed posttraumatic high flow dural arteriovenous fistula in the posterior fossa].

A 49-year-old male patient was admitted to Ryukyu University Hospital complaining chiefly of progressive loss of mental activity for one year. He had a history of head trauma at the right retromastoid region when he was 24. Generalized convulsions developed three years later, and left exophthalmos, facial varix and impairment of visual acuity developed seven years later. Dural arteriovenous fistula of the posterior fossa was diagnosed at the age of 32, and feeding EC and tentorial arteries were successively ligated on the right several times without any effect. Angiography during this admission revealed tremendous collateral flows; a marked dilated tortuous occipital artery fed from the right vertebral artery, meningeal branches of VA and PICA, the marginal tentorial artery, and the posterior temporal artery from MCA, PCA were drained into the right transverse sinus. But transverse sinuses were occluded bilaterally, and venous outflows were directed to the superior sagittal sinus retrograde via the ascending cortical vein, Trolard veins, and sphenoparietal and cavernous sinuses. The final drainer was the superior ophthalmic vein on the left. Normal deep veins were not visible. In park bench position, the nidus was totally resected with a part of the transverse and thrombosed sigmoid sinus. Postoperative course was uneventful, and an angiogram showed complete disappearance of the AVF. Dural AVG in the posterior fossa with characteristics such as high flow, and which is rich in collaterals following palliative treatment indicates that total surgical resection should be undertaken.

Arteriovenous Fistula↗

[Chronic subdural hematoma secondary to coagulopathy].

Eleven cases of chronic subdural hematoma (CSH) secondary to coagulopathy were experienced in our department in the last 5 years. They were classified into 4 groups, I: secondary to diffuse metastatic carcinomatosis of the bone marrow (4 cases), II: malignant hematological disease (acute lymphocytic leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome 1 case each), III: postreplacement of cardiac valves or vein graft having been treated with anticoagulants (warfarin) (3 cases) and IV: chronic renal failure after having been hemodialyzed (2 cases). The outcomes were all good in group III, and there was one good outcome in group IV. However, death was the outcome in all the other cases. Conservative treatment (mannitol and steroid for 2 weeks) was carried out in 4 cases, all of which improved clinically with diminished hematoma. In 9 cases, surgical treatment was attempted by means of burr hole irrigation of the hematoma. Two of them developed intracerebral hematoma, and one developed acute brain swelling. In conclusion, treatment of CSH secondary to coagulopathy should be selected as follows. 1. Conservative treatment is to be the first choice, if conditions allow it. 2. Surgery can be performed by burr hole irrigation when indicated. Precautions should be taken not to injure the inner membrane of the hematoma or the brain proper, and the need for slow decompression should be kept in mind.

Aged↗

Posterior midbrain-induced locomotion.

The purpose of this study was to determine the nature of the neurochemical signals which impinge on the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) to produce locomotion in the rat. Injections of GABA antagonists into NADPH diaphorase-positive regions (PPN) were found to induce locomotion for short episodes (5-30 sec) which were repeated for several minutes (1-40 min). Such activity was blocked by injections of GABA and the GABA agonist, muscimol. Locomotion was induced by injection of substance P (SP), which also produced short, repeated episodes of locomotion. The more potent excitatory amino acid agonist, n-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA), however, did produce dose-dependent, long-lasting (20 sec-5 min) locomotor episodes which were repeated over prolonged periods at the higher concentrations used (2-24 min). Additional injections of NMDA could drive stepping from a walk to a trot to a gallop. The effects of NMDA were blocked by injections of the excitatory amino acid antagonist, aminophosphonovalerionic acid (APV) (1-10 mM). Preliminary evidence suggests that carbachol (10-50 mM), a cholinergic agonist, inhibits NMDA-induced increases in muscle tone and episodes of stepping. The effect of carbachol was blocked by the cholinergic antagonist, atropine.

Animals↗

Medioventral medulla-induced locomotion.

Previous anatomical studies demonstrated the presence of descending projections from the physiologically identified mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR) to the medioventral medulla (MED) in the cat. The present experiments were designed to determine if a similar low threshold locomotion-inducing area is present in the rat medulla. In addition, the nature of the neurochemical control of this area of the brain was explored using localized injections of neurochemical agents in the decerebrate rat during locomotion on a treadmill. A region virtually identical to that reported in the cat was found to lead to controlled locomotion on a treadmill following stimulation at low amplitude currents (less than or equal to 60 microA). Injections of cholinergic agonists into the MED of the rat induced locomotion which could be blocked by injections of cholinergic antagonists. In addition, injections of GABA antagonists were found to induce stepping which could be blocked by injections of GABA or GABA agonists. Substance P (SP) also was found to induce walking following injection into the MED of the rat. Injections of an excitatory amino acid agonist (NMDA) also were found to induce locomotion in the rat. These effects were blocked by injections of an excitatory amino acid antagonist (APV). Since these results had not been reported for the cat MED, a short series of experiments revealed that the MED in the cat also responded to NMDA.

Animals↗

Comparative effects of arotinolol, labetalol and propranolol on regional myocardial dysfunction induced by flow-limiting coronary stenosis in anesthetized dogs.

Effects of arotinolol, a combined alpha- and beta-adrenoceptor blocking agent, on regional myocardial dysfunction produced by severe coronary stenosis in anesthetized dogs were examined and compared with those of labetalol and propranolol. Doses of these three antagonists were selected to produce a comparable degree of the negative chrono- and inotropic effect but a different potency of alpha-adrenoceptor blockade (labetalol greater than arotinolol). Regional myocardial function measured as segment shortening (%SS) was decreased to around 2-3% by constriction of the left circumflex coronary artery (LCX), and then drug or saline was administered i.v. The stenosis of LCX was released 30 min after the administration. No significant alteration in hemodynamic and contractility parameters was seen as compared to the predrug value up to at least 30 min after saline i.v. Arotinolol and propranolol both reduced heart rate and peak positive left ventricular dP/dt (LVdP/dt) without a significant change in LCX flow. Concomitantly, %SS distal to a coronary stenosis was significantly improved by arotinolol and propranolol. On the other hand, labetalol significantly reduced LCX flow probably due to systemic hypotension and failed to improve %SS in the ischemic area, although the agent markedly decreased heart rate and LVdP/dt. These results indicate that arotinolol improves impaired regional myocardial function distal to a coronary stenosis in a similar manner with propranolol.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Characteristics of cardiovascular effects of the venom of habu (Trimeresurus flavoviridis) in rats.

Characteristics of the cardiovascular effects of habu venom were studied in vivo and in vitro in rats. Aortic pressure (AoP), heart rate (HR) and renal cortical blood flow (RCBF) assessed by a laser-Doppler flowmeter were measured in anesthetized rats. Administration of habu venom (0.2-1.6 mg/kg, i.v.) dose-dependently produced a fall in AoP without a marked change in HR. RCBF decreased significantly along with the decline in AoP. Heated habu venom (70 degrees C for 5 min) or the residual venom by dialysis produced similar hemodynamic responses to nonheated crude habu venom. Although habu antivenin significantly reduced the effects of habu venom, indomethacin, aprotinin, atropine, captopril and chlorpheniramine did not. Methylprednisolone significantly attenuated these effects. Habu venom (10(-5) to 3 x 10(-4) g/ml) produced dose-dependent relaxations of the isolated rat aorta preparations precontracted with norepinephrine or KCl, which were not affected by indomethacin, nordihydroguaiaretic acid, p-bromophenacyl bromide, mepacrine, methylene blue or de-endothelialization. These results indicate that habu venom, particularly its heat-stable component(s) which has at least more than 10,000 molecular weight, produces hypotensive and vasorelaxant effects in rats, and suggest that eicosanoids, kinins, histamine, ACh, and endothelium are scarcely involved in these effects.

Animals↗