PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Nishikawa

Publications and source records attributed to H Nishikawa.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Effects of the bisphosphonate YM175 on bone mineral density, strength, structure, and turnover in ovariectomized beagles on concomitant dietary calcium restriction.

We evaluated the effect of YM175 on bone in ovariectomized beagles fed a calcium-restricted diet for 18 months. Groups 1 (n = 6) and 2 (n = 6) underwent sham operation, and groups 3-6 were ovariectomized at the age of 21 months. Group 1 was fed standard dog chow (calcium: 1.4%), and groups 2-6 were given a low calcium diet (0.14%). Groups 3 (n = 7), 4 (n = 7), 5 (n = 7), and 6 (n = 7) were given YM175 orally at doses of 0, 0.01, 0.1, and 1.0 mg/kg/day, respectively. At the end of the experimental period, bone mineral density values measured in the lumbar (L2) vertebra, the femoral neck, and the midfemur, were reduced in groups 2 and 3. Bone strength, measured by compression tests on L2 body and L3 cancellous core specimens and by bending tests on the femoral neck, also decreased. YM175 treatment dose-dependently increased the values of these parameters. However, the reduction in torsional stiffness in the midfemur was not completely prevented. In the L4 body, trabecular thickness decreased in group 2 and trabecular separation increased in group 3. YM175 treatment prevented these changes, and the values in group 6 were maintained at the same levels as those in group 1. Bone formation rates were increased in groups 2 and 3. YM175 treatment decreased these indices, but the reduction was incomplete even with the highest dose (group 6). These results demonstrate that, in our model, YM175 maintained the mass, structure, and mechanical properties of cancellous bone. Increased bone turnover was not completely prevented by the doses employed, but the balance between net resorption and formation in one remodeling cycle would have been equilibrated by YM175.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1995

Heterosexual activity as a risk factor for the transmission of hepatitis C virus.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV), the major causative agent of non-A, non-B hepatitis, is transmitted by parenteral exposure. Transmission by sexual activity, however, is controversial. Possible behavioral risk factors for HCV infection were studied retrospectively among imprisoned men (n = 201, mean age: 45 years [S.D. 13]) who visited a health service center at a Japanese correctional facility for medical examination. Seropositivity of anti-HCV antibody was disproportionately high (49.8%) in comparison with volunteer blood donors. Among possible risk factors significant on univariate analysis, intravenous drug abuse and Tama-Ire, a Japanese custom of sexual behavior that suggests frequent, aggressive or promiscuous heterosexual activity, proved to be independent risk factors for HCV infection (odds ratio = 7.39, 95% CI = 3.41 - 16.05, P < 0.0001; odds ratio = 3.16, 95% CI = 1.16 - 8.64, P = 0.026, respectively) as shown by logistic regression analysis. The data suggest that HCV may be transmitted by sexual activity.

Hepacivirus↗
PubMed1995

Lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh blockade as primary anaesthesia for harvesting skin grafts.

The lateral cutaneous nerve of the thigh (LCNT) supplies a large area of skin in an ideal site for harvesting a split skin graft. LCNT block was used as primary local anaesthesia for harvesting split skin grafts in 23 patients with a variety of injuries. Their ages ranged from 26 to 99 years. The mean age was 69 years. The onset of full anaesthesia took between 15 and 20 min. The area anaesthetised ranged from 250 cm2 to 1020 cm2 with a mean of 569 cm2. There were 17 successful blocks and 6 failures. Most of the 6 failures occurred during the early phase of the study. We have found that, with experience, LCNT block is a safe, simple and reliable method for achieving adequate anaesthesia for harvesting split skin graft from the thigh and that it provided excellent postoperative analgesia.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Behavioral characteristics of SART-stressed mice in the forced swim test and drug action.

SART-stressed (repeated cold-stressed) mice exhibited shortened immobility time in forced swimming tests, and a time-dependent increase in the duration of immobility time of stressed mice was less compared to unstressed mice. These changes were blocked by diazepam and alprazolam without influence on the immobility time of unstressed mice. The shortening of immobility time caused by SART stress was inhibited by repeated pretreatment with imipramine and mianserin, but not by a single dose. In contrast, neither single nor repeated administrations of lithium carbonate had effect on the immobility time of SART-stressed mice. The SART stress technique may be a potential model to investigate the relationship between stress and depression with complex symptoms like excessive emotion- and anxiety-related depression.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Relationship of cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and dietary habits with sigmoid colon adenomas.

The relationship between cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and dietary factors and the risk of adenomas of the sigmoid colon was examined in male self-defense officials who received a preretirement health examination at three Self-Defense Forces hospitals in Japan. In the comparison between 228 patients with sigmoid adenomas and 1484 control subjects with normal colonoscopy findings (> or = 60 cm from the anus), a clear dose-response relationship was observed between cigarette smoking and risk of adenoma. After adjustment for rank, body mass index, alcohol use, and physical activity as well as for hospital and survey season, the odds ratios (and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)) for the categories of 0, 1 to 399, 400 to 799, and 800 or more cigarette-years were 1.0, 2.1 (1.2 to 3.5), 2.8 (1.8 to 4.3), and 3.5 (2.1 to 5.8), respectively. Current alcohol drinkers tended to have an increased risk, but without a dose-response relation. Among four types of alcoholic beverages (shochu, sake, beer, and whiskey), only whiskey showed a weak association with risk of adenoma. None of the 13 dietary items studied (including meat and rice consumption) was measurably associated with adenoma risk. The present findings provide additional evidence that cigarette smoking is a risk factor for colon adenomas. It is inconclusive regarding alcohol intake's association with adenoma risk.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1995

Apolipoprotein mRNA in liver and intestine of rats is affected by dietary beet fiber or cholestyramine.

Rats were fed a cholesterol-free diet with no added fiber (fiber-free) or with 15 g/100 g beet fiber or 5 g/100 g cholestyramine for 14 d. Final plasma total cholesterol concentrations were significantly lower in rats fed beet fiber than in those fed fiber-free or cholestyramine diets. This difference was due mainly to lower HDL cholesterol concentrations. The group fed beet fiber also tended (P < 0.1) to have lower apolipoprotein A-I concentration in plasma. Northern blot analysis revealed that the relative concentrations of jejunal apolipoprotein A-I and A-IV mRNA were the same in all groups, whereas ileal apolipoprotein A-I and A-IV mRNA levels were significantly lower in rats fed beet fiber or cholestyramine than in those fed the fiber-free diet. Hepatic apolipoprotein E mRNA concentrations were the same in all groups, but apolipoprotein A-I mRNA levels were significantly lower in rats fed beet fiber than in those fed the other diets. Apolipoprotein A-IV mRNA tended (P < 0.1) to be lower in rats fed the beet fiber diet. These data suggest that the hypocholesterolemic effect of dietary beet fiber is associated with diminished expression of the hepatic apolipoprotein A-I gene.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

The relation of smoking, alcohol use and obesity to risk of sigmoid colon and rectal adenomas.

We conducted a case-control study, using 429 cases with histologically confirmed sigmoid adenoma, 75 cases with rectal adenoma, and 3101 controls showing normal colonoscopy at least up to 60 cm from the anus. The subjects were male Self-Defense Forces personnel aged 48-56 who received a retirement health examination including a routine sigmoid- or colonoscopy. Lifestyle characteristics were ascertained by a self-administered questionnaire. Smoking in the recent past (< or = 10 years preceding the colonoscopy) and smoking in the remote past (> 10 years before the colonoscopy) were both significantly associated with risk of sigmoid adenoma but not with rectal adenoma as a whole. After reciprocal adjustment for smoking in the two periods, only smoking in the recent past was associated with both sigmoid colon and rectal adenomas. Odds ratios (OR) of sigmoid adenoma (and 95% confidence interval) for the categories of 0, 1-150, 151-250 and > or = 251 cigarette-years were 1.0 (reference), 1.9 (1.3-2.8), 2.1 (1.4-3.0) and 3.0 (1.9-4.7), respectively (P for trend < 0.01), and those for rectal adenoma were 1.0 (reference), 1.2 (0.4 3.2), 3.5 (1.4-8.5) and 2.0 (0.6 6.7), respectively (P for trend = 0.03). Alcohol use was significantly positively associated with sigmoid adenoma, and insignificantly associated with rectal adenoma. Body mass index was significantly positively associated with sigmoid adenoma, especially large ones. No such association was found for rectal adenoma. These findings suggest that smoking, especially in the recent past, and alcohol use are common risk factors for sigmoid colon and rectal adenomas while obesity may be exclusively related to the growth of sigmoid adenoma.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1995

Drastic reduction in antimicrobial activity by replacement of Orn residues with Lys in cyclized amphiphilic beta-structural model peptides.

Recent investigation have indicated that cyclic dodeca- and tetradecapeptides, cyclo(-Leu-Orn-Leu-Orn-D-Phe-Pro)2 (Orn-DLL-12) and cyclo(-Leu-Orn-Leu-Orn-Leu-D-Phe-Pro)2 (Orn-DLL-14), which are designed on the basis of a cyclic beta-structural antibiotic, gramicidin S (GS), inhibit the growth of Gram-positive and -negative bacteria with high potency [Ando, S., Nishikawa, H., Takiguchi, H., Lee, S. & Sugihara, G. (1993) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1147, 42-49]. In this study we designed and synthesized two analogs, Lys-DLL-12 and Lys-DLL-14, in which four Orn residues in Orn-DLL-12 and Orn-DLL-14 were replaced by Lys residues, respectively, and investigated their interactions with model membranes in terms of CD and dye-leakage experiments, antimicrobial activity and lytic activity for human erythrocytes. Both peptides newly designed showed no antimicrobial activity and no lytic activity of erythrocytes. The present CD study showed that the presence of neutral liposomes and of acidic liposomes of natural or synthetic phospholipids results in no remarkable conformational difference between Orn-DLL-12/-14. The leakage experiment showed a clear relation between the antimicrobial activity and the leakage ability in acidic synthetic phospholipid liposomes but no correlation in acidic natural ones. The difference in hydrophobic and hydrophilic balance between Orn-DLL-12/14 and Lys-DLL-12/14 (derived from the increasing hydrophobicity due to an increase of four methylene units by the substitution of Lys for Orn) may be one of the important factors in the drastic decrease in activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Gallstone disease among Japanese men in relation to obesity, glucose intolerance, exercise, alcohol use, and smoking.

BACKGROUND: Risk factors for gallstones are not fully understood, especially in men. Obesity and other risk factors for gallstone disease were investigated in Japanese men based on gallbladder ultrasonography. METHODS: Forty-one men with gallstones, 31 with postcholecystectomy state, and 2044 with a normal gallbladder were identified among 2228 men aged 49-55 years who received a retirement health examination at three hospitals of the Japan Self-Defense Forces between 1991 and 1992. Glucose tolerance was determined with a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. RESULTS: Body mass index was not associated with gallstones, although it was significantly, positively related to postcholecystectomy. Waist to hip circumference ratio tended to be weakly associated with gallstones. Diabetes mellitus was associated only with postcholecystectomy. Smoking, alcohol intake, and physical activity were not measurably related to either gallstones or postcholecystectomy. CONCLUSIONS: The present study failed to substantiate an association of gallstone risk with either obesity or any other risk factor. Further observation is needed in view of the limited study power.

Alcohol Drinking↗
PubMed1995

[Sex cord/stromal tumor of the testis: a case report].

We herein report a case of sex cord/stromal tumor of the testis. A 28-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with the chief complaint of painless swelling of the left scrotal contents. On examination, gynecomastia or swelling of superficial lymph nodes was not observed. With a diagnosis of left testicular tumor, left high orchiectomy was performed. Gross examination of the specimen demonstrated a mass measuring 20 x 18 x 14 mm within the testis. On the cut surface, the tumor was gray and was associated with focal hemorrhage and necrosis. The spermatic cord and epididymis were not involved by the tumor. Microscopically, the tumor demonstrated a mixed pattern consisting of, we thought, areas of Leydig-like cells as well as areas of Sertoli-like cells showing mild atypia. Without further treatment, the patient has remained free from the disease for over fifteen months since the operation. Fifty eight cases of sex cord/stromal tumor of the testis have been reported in the Japanese literature, but sex cord/stromal tumors, other than pure Leydig cell tumor or Sertoli cell tumor, are very rare. Only 4 cases have been reported including our case.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[A case of tuberculous mesenteric lymphadenitis and peritonitis with symptoms of acute abdomen].

Both of tuberculous mesenteric lymphadenitis and tuberculous peritonitis are now rather rare in parallel with the decrease of the incidence of tuberculosis as a whole. Here, we report a case of tuberculous mesenteric lymphadenitis complicated with tuberculous peritonitis. A 28-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with pulmonary tuberculosis. Antituberculous chemotherapy was started and his chest X-ray findings were improved. After 11 weeks of the treatment, high fever of 39.0 degrees C developed suddenly and he complained right lower abdominal pain. During laparotomy performed on suspicion of acute appendicitis, swelling of mesenteric lymph-nodes, numerous miliary tubercles on mesentery and turbid ascites were noticed. Diagnoses of tuberculous mesenteric lymphadenitis and tuberculous peritonitis were confirmed by bacteriological and histological examinations of lymph-nodes and tubercles. Ileocecal resection was performed and clinical course after the surgery was favourable.

Abdomen, Acute↗
PubMed1995

Relation of waist-hip ratio to glucose tolerance, blood pressure, and serum lipids in middle-aged Japanese males.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether waist-hip ratio (WHR) influences glucose tolerance, blood pressure, and serum lipids independently of body mass index (BMI). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: 2,228 male self-defense officials aged 49-55 years in Japan. MEASUREMENTS: BMI, WHR, serum lipids, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and glucose tolerance status according to World Health Organization (WHO) criteria. RESULTS: Adjustment was made for smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and inter-hospital variation in statistical analysis. Adjusted odds ratios of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) were progressively increased with increasing levels of WHR, but not BMI. Both BMI and WHR were independently positively associated with impaired glucose tolerance to almost the same degree. Adjusted means of blood pressure, total cholesterol, and triglycerides were almost linearly increased with increasing levels of both BMI and WHR, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was progressively decreased. Although the associations of BMI and WHR with blood pressure and serum lipids attenuated after mutual adjustment for each, BMI was less influenced by WHR than vice versa, except for triglycerides. CONCLUSION: WHR is an important contributor not only to NIDDM but also to impaired glucose tolerance, blood pressure, and serum lipids, although the associations of WHR with blood pressure and serum lipids were generally weaker than those of BMI, except for triglycerides.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1995

[Early phase II study of oral administration of etoposide for 21 consecutive days in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer].

An early phase II clinical study was done to investigate the activity and the safety of oral administration of etoposide for 21 consecutive days in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer. An interim analysis was done after registration of 24 cases. One case was a dropout because of an insufficient administration period (4 days). The other 23 cases were complete: they comprised 9 cases of adenocarcinoma, 13 cases of squamous cell carcinoma, and 1 case of large cell carcinoma. Prior therapy had not been given in two cases. The doses used were 50 mg/person/day in 12 cases and 75 mg/person/day in 11 cases. The response observed was one case of at 50 mg/person/day to stage IV squamous cell carcinoma, 17 cases were no change, 5 cases were progressing disease, and giving a response rate of 4.3% in complete cases. Considering those results, we decided that it would be difficult to achieve a 20% response rate by the end of this study, and therefore the study was terminated. The side effects of the regimen were tolerable. In conclusion, etoposide was not active against non-small-cell lung cancer at the dosage and schedule employed. Further investigation is required to obtain a more effective form of therapy.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1994

[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↗
PubMed1994

Prevention of restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty by reducing lipoprotein (a) levels with low-density lipoprotein apheresis. Low-Density Lipoprotein Apheresis Angioplasty Restenosis Trial (L-ART) Group.

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that high plasma lipoprotein (a) (Lp[a]) levels are associated with an increase incidence of restenosis after angioplasty. Elective transluminal coronary angioplasty was performed in 66 patients (58 men and 8 women) aged 57 +/- 9 years (mean +/- SD). Two days before and 5 days after angioplasty, all patients underwent low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis with a dextran sulfate cellulose column as an Lp(a) absorbent; 39 patients also received 10 mg of pravastatin and 1,500 mg of niacin daily. Restenosis was defined as a recurrent luminal stenosis of > or = 50% in a previously dilated segment. Median Lp(a) levels were reduced from 23.3 mg/dl before apheresis to 10.9 mg/dl after apheresis (p < 0.0001). Angiography performed 2 to 9 months after angioplasty revealed restenosis in at least 1 site in 38% of the 137 control patients and in 32% of the 66 patients who underwent apheresis. Restenosis also occurred in 37% of the patients who underwent apheresis alone and in 28% of the patients who also received pravastatin and niacin in combination with LDL apheresis. The restenosis rate was 21% in the 42 patients whose Lp(a) levels were significantly reduced > or = 50%, and in 50% of the 24 patients whose Lp(a) levels were significantly reduced < 50% (p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Determination of clonidine in human plasma by gas chromatography-electron-impact mass spectrometry.

A new and sensitive gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric (GC-MS) assay for routine analysis of clonidine in human plasma is described. Quantification is carried out with simple electron-impact ionization mass spectrometry and solid-phase cartridges for preliminary extraction from plasma. The pentafluorobenzyl derivative of clonidine yields an intense ion fragment at m/z 354, and the lower limit of detection is 0.025 ng/ml for a 1-ml plasma sample. The practical applicability of this method is demonstrated by determining plasma concentrations of clonidine in a clinical study of a new transdermal delivery system for clonidine.

Administration, Cutaneous↗
PubMed1994

Effectiveness of LDL-apheresis in preventing restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA): LDL-apheresis angioplasty restenosis trial (L-ART).

To investigate the efficacy of reducing plasma lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) as well as low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels on the prevention of restenosis after PTCA, LDL-apheresis was attempted on a total of 54 patients at six institutions. LDL-apheresis using a dextran sulfate cellulose column has been proven to be an effective method for reducing both plasma Lp(a) and LDL-C levels. As a subgroup (apheresis-drug combined group), 29 of the 54 patients were given Pravastatin (HMG CoA reductase inhibitor) and Niceritrol (Nicotinic Acid) in addition to LDL-apheresis to maintain low plasma levels of both Lp(a) and LDL-C through the follow-up period of 5 months after PTCA. Patients whose plasma Lp(a) levels were reduced by more than 50% showed a lower restenosis rate than those whose plasma Lp(a) levels were reduced by less than 50% (21.2% vs. 52.4%, P = 0.0179), especially in patients with high plasma Lp(a) levels above 30 mg/dl where a much lower restenosis rate (15.0%) was observed. Furthermore, in the apheresis-drug combined group, the restenosis rate was 11.8% regardless of baseline plasma Lp(a) levels, including even those below 30 mg/dl. In conclusion, in patients with high plasma Lp(a) levels, a greater than 50% reduction in Lp(a) levels by LDL-apheresis is effective in preventing restenosis after PTCA. If the plasma Lp(a) reduction rate is greater than 50%, LDL-apheresis combined with lipid-lowering drugs such as niceritrol and pravastatin seems to be more effective, even in patients with low plasma Lp(a) levels.

Aged↗