Biomedical subjects

H Takeuchi

Publications and source records attributed to H Takeuchi.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

Spontaneous rupture of the urinary bladder is not a rare complication of radiotherapy for cervical cancer: report of six cases.

BACKGROUND: Spontaneous intraperitoneal rupture of the urinary bladder is an extremely rare event. It has been reported to be a rare complication of radiation therapy for cervical cancer, but no studies have ever reported the incidence of this life-threatening complication. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From August 1981 through December 1988, 143 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix were treated with high-dose-rate intracavitary brachytherapy combined with external beam therapy at Kobe City General Hospital. RESULTS: Of these patients, three (2.1%) suffered spontaneous intraperitoneal rupture of the urinary bladder as a late complication of radiation therapy between August 1995 and February 1998. Three other patients, treated with radiation therapy for cervical cancer at other hospitals, were also admitted to our hospital with this complication between August 1995 and February 1998. All six patients underwent laparotomy and repair of the perforation. However, rerupture of the bladder occurred in three of these patients. CONCLUSION: Spontaneous intraperitoneal rupture of the urinary bladder after radiation therapy for cervical cancer is less rare than previously expected, and urologists must consider the possibility of occurrence of this life-threatening event following radiation therapy.

Aged↗

PubMed1999

Systemic granulomatous arteritis associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection.

A 61-year-old woman initially presented with symptoms and findings reminiscent of infectious mononucleosis, and her illness then took a rapidly fatal course. Autopsy revealed widespread granulomatous arteritis, with multinucleated giant cells but without eosinophils and fibrinoid necrosis, affecting small arteries and arterioles and infiltration of haemophagocytic histiocytes into many organs. In situ hybridization with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-specific oligonucleotide probes showed positive signals in the infiltrating immune cells and epithelial and endothelial cells of the affected organs. EBV-associated haemophagocytic syndrome (EBV-AHS) with systemic granulomatous arteritis was diagnosed. From the immunophenotypes of the infiltrating immune cells, a possible role of CD4+ T-cells in the pathogenesis of this haemophagocytic syndrome and granulomatous vasculitis was suggested.

Arteritis↗

PubMed1999

Hepatic phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide content in noncirrhotic, cirrhotic, and antioxidant-treated rats with endotoxemia.

Hepatic phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide (PCOOH) was studied intensively to delineate its role in the altered pathophysiology of liver failure associated with endotoxemic shock. Endotoxemia was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) in three models using rats. Model 1 consisted of normal healthy rats; model 2, cirrhotic rats; and model 3, rats treated with catalase and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Samples were taken before CLP, then 12 h and 24 h following CLP. A progressive and significant increase in serum endotoxin was seen in all models; however, a significantly low energy charge (EC) and high PCOOH were seen in models 1 and 2, whereas no change was observed in model 3. The regional blood flow remained unchanged throughout the experiment in models 1 and 3, but not in model 2. An initial increase in alpha-tocopherol was seen in model 1. The survival rate was markedly better in model 3 than in models 1 or 2. The fall in EC corresponded to the increase in serum endotoxin as well as to the increase in tissue PCOOH in models 1 and 2. It was more likely that the elevated lipid peroxidation in model 1 resulted from endotoxemia rather than from tissue hypoperfusion. The early increase in alpha-tocopherol that occurred in models 1 and 2, but not in model 3, indicated the antiradical defense response to oxidative injury. Thus, antioxidant therapy significantly improved the survival rate and tissue adenine nucleotide level in spite of the increased serum endotoxin level.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1999

Surgical management of congenital permanent dislocation of the patella in nail patella syndrome by Stanisavljevic procedure.

We report a patient with nail patella syndrome associated with congenital permanent dislocation of the patella successfully operated on using a modified Stanisavljevic method. The patient, a 26-year-old woman, complained of inability to completely extend her right knee joint. She had occasionally experienced the "giving way" phenomenon since childhood, but she had not received any treatment since birth. Physical examination showed that all fingernails were deformed, with longitudinal striations, while the lunules were of an abnormal triangular shape or were missing. Both patellae were palpably hypoplastic, with the right patella dislocated laterally, and the knee had an extension lag of 90 degrees. Thigh and leg muscle were slightly underdeveloped, but quadriceps muscle contraction was good. Several radiographs were taken and they showed bilateral iliac horns and hypoplasia of the bilateral humero-radial joints and of both patellae, and complete dislocation of the right patella. We employed the Stanisavljevic procedure for the reduction of the patella, with Z-lengthening of the rectus femoris and medial translocation of the tibial tuberosity. Four years after the operation, a 30-degree extension lag still exists in the right knee, but the treatment resulted in stable alignment of the quadriceps mechanism, and notably improved gait appearance.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Membrane association of a new inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding protein, p130 is not dependent on the pleckstrin homology domain.

The 130-kDa protein was isolated as a novel inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3) binding protein from rat brain and was molecularly cloned to be found similar to phospholipase C-delta 1 (Kanematsu, T., Takeya, H., Watanabe, Y., Ozaki, S., Yoshida, M., Koga, T., Iwanaga, S. and Hirata, M., 1992. Putative inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding proteins in rat brain cytosol, J. Biol. Chem. 267, 6518-6525; Kanematsu, T., Misumi, Y., Watanabe, Y., Ozaki, S., Koga, T., Iwanaga, S., Ikehara, Y. and Hirata, M., 1996. A new inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate binding protein similar to phospholipase C-delta 1, Biochem. J. 313, 319-325). The 130-kDa protein and its deleted protein expressed in COS-1 cells were seen in both the membrane and the cytosol fractions. Truncation of 232 residues from the N-terminus, the protein molecule lacking the pleckstrin homology (PH) domain was also localized in the membrane fraction as much as seen with a full-length protein and other deleted proteins, thereby indicating that the PH domain is not primarily involved in the membrane localization. The addition of Mg2+ to homogenates of COS-1 cells caused the translocation of expressed proteins from the cytosol to the membrane fraction, yet further addition of AlF4- which induced the activation of GTP binding proteins did not cause a further translocation. The protein translocated to the membrane by the addition of Mg2+ was hardly extracted with Triton X-100. The inclusion of Ins(1,4,5)P3 or phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate in cell homogenates caused the very small reduction in the amounts of membrane-associated proteins expressed by some constructs. These results indicate that (i) the PH domain is not primarily involved in the membrane localization of the 130-kDa protein, (ii) the activation of GTP binding protein does not appear to cause the translocation of the 130-kDa protein, and (iii) intrinsic phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate present in the membrane appears to be involved in the membrane association of the 130-kDa protein to a very small extent, probably through the binding site in the PH domain.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗

PubMed1999

Serum C-reactive protein level and the impact of cytoreductive surgery in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: The prognosis of metastatic renal cell carcinoma is extremely poor. In this type of metastatic tumor cytoreductive surgery of the primary tumor is often performed to confirm the histological type or improve the response to immunotherapy with agents such as interferon or interleukin-2. However, the timing and impact of cytoreductive surgery on the success of immunotherapy require further study. We determined the type of metastatic renal cell carcinoma for which cytoreductive surgery is beneficial. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 58 patients in whom metastatic renal cell carcinoma was diagnosed at our hospital between 1986 and 1997. Three patients were excluded from study because they were judged to be poor candidates for surgery due to poor performance status. Of the remaining 55 patients 34 consented to cytoreductive surgery of the primary tumor and 21 did not. All except 1 patient were treated with interferon therapy. We evaluated the association of pretreatment serum C-reactive protein and the effect of surgery. RESULTS: We noted no significant difference in age at diagnosis, pretreatment serum immunosuppressive acidic protein, site of metastasis or performance status in 34 patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery and 21 who did not. Of the 21 patients in whom pretreatment serum C-reactive protein was within normal limits (less than 1.0 ng./ml.) no significant difference in disease specific survival was observed in those who did and did not undergo surgery (p = 0.4133). On the other hand, of 34 patients in whom pretreatment serum C-reactive protein was elevated (1.0 ng./ml. or greater) the prognosis was significantly better in those who did versus those who did not undergo surgery (p = 0.0054). Particularly the prognosis in patients in whom postoperative nadir C-reactive protein decreased to within normal limits was markedly better than in those in whom it remained elevated (p = 0.0025). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that cytoreductive surgery is beneficial to patients in whom pretreatment serum C-reactive protein is elevated. Particularly, those in whom serum C-reactive protein decreases to within normal limits may expect longer survival when surgery is combined with postoperative immunotherapy. Currently to our knowledge the prognostic factor that predicts postoperative nadir C-reactive protein has not been identified, indicating that cytoreductive surgery of the primary tumor should be performed in patients with elevated pretreatment C-reactive protein and as performance status permits.

Aged↗

PubMed1999

Reduction in terminal excitability of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons in rats following chronic L-dopa administration.

The effects of chronic L-dopa administration on antidromic excitability and the firing rate of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons were investigated in urethane-anesthetized rats. Rats that received daily L-dopa (100 mg/kg) and carbidopa (25 mg/kg) for 60 days showed a marked decrease in terminal excitability compared with the controls. There were no significant differences in the firing rates between the two groups. This finding may be related to impaired striatal dopamine release from exogenous L-dopa subsequent to chronic L-dopa treatment.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Prolonged circulation time of doxorubicin-loaded liposomes coated with a modified polyvinyl alcohol after intravenous injection in rats.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the functions of a modified polyvinyl alcohol (PVA-R), which has a hydrophobic moiety, as a coating material for liposomes to be loaded with the anticancer drug, doxorubicin. The size controlled liposomes (egg phosphatidylcholine: cholesterol=1:1 molar ratio) were prepared by the hydration method followed by extrusion. Drug encapsulation and surface modification with polymers (PVA and PVA-R) were carried out simultaneously using a modified pH gradient method. The existence of a thick polymer layer on the surface of the liposomes was confirmed by an increase in particle size and the amount of polymer on the liposomal surface, especially for the PVA-R-coated liposomes. The effects of polymer coating on the behavior of the liposomes in vivo were evaluated by measuring the circulation time and biodistribution of the drug after i.v. administration of the liposomal drug in rats. The PVA-R-coated liposomes showed a more prolonged circulating time for the drug with less uptake by the reticuloendothelial system after i.v. administration in rats, compared with non-coated liposomes. These results confirm that polymer possessing a hydrophobic anchor at its end, like PVA-R, is a suitable material for modifying the surface of doxorubicin-loaded liposomes to improve their stability in the circulating blood.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Comparison of anesthetic methods for microlaparoscopy in women with unexplained infertility.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of ketamine compared with fentanyl as analgesia or sedation for microlaparoscopy. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized study (Canadian Task Force classification I). SETTING: University-affiliated hospital. PATIENTS: Forty-one infertile women. INTERVENTIONS: Twenty-one patients were randomly assigned to have analgesia with fentanyl and 20 sedation with ketamine during microlaparoscopy. Maximum doses were 0.2 and 200 mg, respectively. Local anesthesia was provided with 0.25% bupivacaine 5 ml injected into cannula sites. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Abnormal findings such as endometriosis and periadnexal adhesions were identified in 24 patients. Ablation, coagulation, and adhesiolysis were easily performed in 14 (82.4%) of 17 women receiving ketamine, but difficulties were encountered in operating on 16 patients receiving fentanyl. Ketamine was administered to 10 patients (47.6%) in the fentanyl group because anxiety and pain were not sufficiently controlled by fentanyl. There were no significant differences in visual analog scale scores and recovery time between groups. On questionnaire, 19 (95%) of 20 patients receiving ketamine indicated they would choose the same anesthesia again if offered, compared with only 4 (19%) of 21 receiving fentanyl (p <0.001). CONCLUSION: Microlaparoscopy in infertile women was performed more effectively under sedation with ketamine than with fentanyl.

Analgesia↗

PubMed1999

Gelatinolytic activity of matrix metalloproteinase in tumor tissues correlates with the invasiveness of oral cancer.

We examined whether or not the gelatinolytic activity in tumor tissue was associated with the invasion and metastasis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Tissue homogenates were prepared from 57 biopsy specimens of OSCC. The gelatinolytic activities in the homogenates were measured by gelatin zymography and its densitometric analysis. The Immnunoblot findings revealed the major gelatinolytic activities to be due to matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and -9. The zymography-detected gelatinolytic activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in the tissue specimens significantly correlated with the degree of immunohistochemical staining detected in frozen sections of the same biopsy specimens. According to a histopathological analysis of the mode of invasion, highly invasive cases showed the increased gelatinolytic activities of MMP-2 as well as MMP-9 in the tissue specimens. Although no significant differences were observed in the gelatinase activities between the metastatic cases and the non-metastatic cases, the levels of tissue inhibitor of MMP (TIMP)-1 in the tumor tissue specimens were higher in the non-metastatic cases than in the metastatic cases. The cases with the high levels of MMPs and low levels of TIMP-1 thus seemed to have a high potential to metastasize. As a result, the zymographic measurement of the gelatinolytic activity in biopsy tissue specimens may therefore be useful in predicting the behavior and prognosis of OSCC.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

PubMed1999

Compaction properties of composite particles consisting of lactose with sodium alginate prepared by spray-drying.

PURPOSE: Composite particles of lactose with a small amount of sodium alginate were prepared by spray-drying (SD) in an effort to improve the compactibility of the polymer for direct compression. The compaction behavior of the SD composite particles with a range of polymer contents was investigated. METHODS: Composite particles were prepared by spray-drying an aqueous solution of lactose and sodium alginate at various formulating ratios. Improvement in the compactibility of the composite particles was evaluated by measuring the tablet tensile strength, porosity-applied pressure profiles, stress relaxation, elastic recovery of the compressed powder, and surface properties of the tablets by scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: The tensile strength of compacts formed from the SD composite particles containing sodium alginate (< or = 10 wt%) was as high as that of spray-dried amorphous lactose. The improved compaction was attributed to the higher relaxation pressure and lower elastic recovery of the composite particles compared with alpha-lactose monohydrate. However, increasing the sodium alginate content of the SD composite particles above 10 wt% led to a marked reduction in the tensile strength of the resultant tablets. Scanning electron micrographs revealed that composite particles with a good compactibility fused totally in the tablets while composite particles containing 15% or more sodium alginate retained their shape, even after compression. The presence of sodium alginate layered uniformly on the surface of the particles and the increase in the glass transition temperature of the particles, possibly due to interpolation of sodium alginate are responsible for the reduction in the fusion property of the composite particles on compression. CONCLUSIONS: Although increasing the sodium alginate content of SD composite particles led to an increase in their plastic deformation, fusion on compression was prevented by the presence of sodium alginate. The reduced compactibility of SD composite particles with an excess amount of sodium alginate was attributed to reduced cohesion and fusion of the particles during compression.

Alginates↗

PubMed1999

The immunogenicity of various peptide antigens inducing cross-reacting antibodies to a cell surface protein antigen of Streptococcus mutans.

A cell surface protein antigen (PAc) of Streptococcus mutans may be involved in the binding of bacteria to the tooth surface, and has long been focused upon as a candidate for a preventive vaccine of dental caries. Previously the peptide PAc (365-377) was shown to raise an antibody in B10.D2 mice which inhibited the binding of salivary components to the PAc molecule. Using this peptide as a unit peptide, two constructs based on multiple antigenic peptides, and several types of tandem repeats of two or three copies were synthesized to estimate the immunogenicity of these peptides. Increase in the immunogenicity was observed for all constructs with the use of an adjuvant compared to the unit peptide alone. However, the tandem repeat constructs generally induced antibody production in the absence of adjuvant, while the multiple antigenic peptide constructs did not induce antibody production under the same condition. Although such a phenomenon may be restricted to this particular peptide sequence, these results may influence the strategy for the design of peptide vaccines.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1999

Lymphocyte-sensitivity to glucocorticoid correlates with the sensitivity to cyclosporin A and tacrolimus in chronic renal failure patients.

AIMS: Association between lymphocyte-sensitivity to immunosuppressants in transplant recipients in vitro and clinical outcomes has been demonstrated. In general, renal transplant recipients are treated with a combination of immunosuppressants such as either glucocorticoid/cyclosporin A (CsA) or glucocorticoid/tacrolimus (FK506) but the pharmacological complementarity of these drugs is still controversial. We examined relationships between the lymphocyte-sensitivities to these immunosuppressants. METHODS: We examined lymphocyte-sensitivities to prednisolone (PSL), CsA, and FK506 in vitro in a total of 190 chronic renal failure (CRF) patients and 140 healthy subjects. The lymphocyte-sensitivity was evaluated from the IC50 value against mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte-blastogenesis in vitro. RESULTS: Statistically significant correlations of the IC50 values in CRF patients between the following pairs of drugs were observed: PSL and CsA (P<0.0001; n=129, r=0.419), PSL and FK506 (P<0.001; n=54, r=0. 441), and CsA and FK506 (P<0.0001; n=45, r=0.608). Similar correlations were also observed in lymphocytes from healthy subjects. The population of CRF patients who exhibited high IC50 values (low sensitivities) to PSL and FK506 was significantly larger than that of healthy subjects (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who showed low lymphocyte-sensitivity to either of the drugs also may exhibit low sensitivity to the others, and thus they may have a high risk of unsatisfactory outcome under combination therapy after renal transplantation. To overcome this risk, the selection of immunosuppressants is recommended to be restricted according to individual lymphocyte-sensitivities to these drugs in vitro, or alternatively, by addition of other drugs with different mechanisms for immunosuppression.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Clinical significance of telomerase activity in the non-cancerous epithelial region of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to examine telomerase activity in affected and adjacent tissue in patients with oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). METHODS: Telomerase activity was measured in oesophageal SCC cells, normal oesophageal culture cells, primary cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues from patients with oesophageal SCC using a polymerase chain reaction-based assay. RESULTS: All oesophageal SCC cells had telomerase activity, whereas normal cultured cells showed no activity. All 57 cancer tissues showed telomerase activity compared with only five (10 per cent) of 50 normal tissues. Cancer cells infiltrating the vessels of mucosal or submucosal tissues in non-cancerous regions were detected in four of five telomerase-positive normal tissues, whereas such infiltration was detected in only three of 45 telomerase-negative normal tissues. CONCLUSION: In patients with oesophageal SCC, measurement of telomerase activity in normal epithelium is a highly sensitive method of detecting the microinvasion of cancer cells.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

PubMed1999

Orthotopic ileal neobladder in male patients: functional outcomes of 66 cases.

BACKGROUND: Orthotopic urinary diversion has become the preferred form of bladder reconstruction after cystectomy. We report on our experience with 66 male patients undergoing this procedure from November 1990 to February 1998. METHODS: A neobladder was constructed using an ileal segment with a Hautmann type bladder. Complications were assessed and subdivided into early and late types. Voiding function was evaluated in terms of voiding pattern and continence. Median follow up was 19.5 (range 3.5-87.7) months. RESULTS: There was one (1.5%) perioperative death. The most frequent pouch-related and unrelated early complications were persistent urine leak (7.6%) and prolonged ileus (16.7%), respectively, the majority of cases of which were managed conservatively. Analysis of late complications revealed 6.2% ureteroileal stenosis and 1.5% urethrointestinal stenosis rates, but no case of bladder stone formation. Of the 61 patients in whom voiding function was evaluable, 95.1% achieved excellent daytime continence, while only 67.2% had night-time continence. With regard to posture at voiding, 23 (37.7%) voided in a sitting position. Three of the patients (4.9%) were unable to void and required regular intermittent catheterization. CONCLUSIONS: An orthotopic neobladder can be constructed with acceptable morbidity and excellent functional results. We believe that orthotopic urinary diversion offers an attractive alternative to a bladder substitute when cystectomy is required.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

A case of female large urethral diverticulum treated by electrofulguration.

Female urethral diverticulum is not an uncommon disease. We report a case of female urethral diverticulum which caused severe urethral pain, but for which the diagnosis had not been obtained at many hospitals for many years. Transurethral electrocauterization of the diverticulum was very effective in this case.

Diverticulum↗

PubMed1999

Adenosine, the anxiolytic-like principle of the Arillus of Euphoria longana.

According to traditional usage, the extract of Longan Arillus was tested for its anxiolytic-like effect by application of the Vogel-type anti-conflict method in mice. The extract indicated significant activity at a dose of 2 g/kg, s.c., and results of the bioassay-oriented isolation revealed adenosine to be the active principle. Adenosine produced the anti-conflict effect significantly at a dose of 30 mg/kg, s.c. Adenine, uridine, and 5-methyluridine did not exhibit the effect, although these compounds were isolated from the extract. Some other related compounds such as AMP and c-AMP showed no effect, except for inosine. Adenosine also contributed to the analgesic effect which was observed in the extract by the writhing method.

Adenosine↗

PubMed1999

A case of tuberculosis of the prostate.

Tuberculosis of the prostate is uncommon. However, the number of patients with tuberculosis has once again recently been gradually increasing in Japan. The number of immunocompromised hosts, such as those with AIDS, is also increasing, suggesting that this rare infectious disease may increase in frequency in the near future. We present a case of tuberculosis of the prostate.

Abscess↗