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T Kamijima

Publications and source records attributed to T Kamijima.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

Preoperative diagnosis of strangulated obturator hernia using ultrasonography.

BACKGROUND: Obturator hernia is rarely recognized before surgical intervention, since it is relatively infrequent and its definitive diagnosis is difficult. To change this situation, we introduced ultrasound examination in 1993 for differential diagnosis of strangulated obturator hernia among patients with bowel obstruction of unknown cause. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between 1993 and 1995, we encountered 15 patients with suspected obturator hernia based on the presence of bowel obstruction of unknown cause and so-called predisposing factors. These patients underwent ultrasound examinations. RESULTS: The 4 patients with bowel obstruction caused by strangulated obturator hernia were all correctly diagnosed preoperatively by ultrasonography and were successfully cured by surgery. The time required for diagnosis was shorter than reported previously (average 16.5 h). CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasonography is useful and reliable for the diagnosis of strangulated obturator hernia and can decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with delayed diagnosis.

Aged↗

A new attempt to solve the scale-up problem for granulation using response surface methodology.

Scale-up from lab to production is always problematic for the development of pharmaceuticals. In granulation, an optimal formulation of binder solution determined in a lab scale is often different than that in a production scale. A new mathematical procedure to solve this scale-up problem is assessed. Granules were prepared in the two manufacturing scales (2- and 5-kg scale) by using a high-speed mixer granulator. In the manufacturing process, the binder solution plays an essential role in the formation of granules with desired physical properties, in close conformity with the manufacturing scale. A computerized optimizing technique based on a response surface methodology was developed to study the scale-up problem in the manufacturing of granules. For this purpose, a new mathematical function was introduced for the first time, which is namely an integrated optimization function. A universal optimal formulation unaffected by manufacturing scale could be obtained by minimizing the integrated optimization function. Predicted values such as yield, mean granule size, and uniformity of granule size agreed well with experimental ones on both scales. Furthermore, the optimized characteristics measured at the production scale coincided well with those obtained at laboratory scale, suggesting that this approach could be very useful in minimizing scale-up problems.

Drug Compounding↗

Enhanced embryonic nonmuscle myosin heavy chain isoform and matrix metalloproteinase expression in aortic abdominal aneurysm with rapid progression.

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are characterized by structural deterioration of aortic wall leading to progressive dilatation. The histopathological changes in AAAs are particularly evident within the elastic media, which is normally comprised mainly of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs). There are vascular myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms; SM2 is specifically expressed in differentiated SMCs and SMemb is a nonmuscle-type MHC abundantly expressed in SMCs of the fetal aorta with an immature phenotype. Although AAA altered expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs), pathophysiological role of SMC phenotypic modulation in the AAA progression remains uncertain. To determine whether phenotypic modulation in vascular SMCs contributes to arterial medial degeneration, we examined MHC expression in SMCs of AAA. Aortic specimens were obtained from patients with slowly progressed AAA (n = 12) and rapidly progressed AAA (n = 5), and compared with normal aortic tissue (n = 3). Immunohistochemical staining was performed for detection of SMemb, SM2, MMP (types 2 and 9) and TIMP (types 1 and 2). Faint SMemb and abundant SM2 were observed in normal aorta, while the balance shifted to SMemb predominance in AAAs. Compared with slowly progressed AAA tissue, rapidly expanded AAA tissue demonstrated marked increases in SMemb expression with suppressed SM2. Predominant SMemb expression indicates presence of phenotypic modulated SMCs and enhanced MMP; while abundant TIMP was seen in mature SMCs expressing SM2. SMemb expression is markedly increased in AAA with MMP enhancement, and a significant imbalance between SMemb and SM2 results in rapid progression of AAA.

Aged↗