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Biomedical subjects

K Yoshimura

Publications and source records attributed to K Yoshimura.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Cisplatin, vincristine, methotrexate, peplomycin, etoposide (COMPE) therapy for disseminated germ cell testicular tumors.

BACKGROUND: The advent of cisplatin rendered disseminated testicular germ cell tumor an often curable malignant disease. Patients with a heavy metastatic burden, however, remain poor risks; furthermore, many patients experience nausea or other adverse events. This paper reports a trial of a cisplatin-based (COMPE) combination chemotherapy regimen based on synchronization theory. METHODS: Twenty patients with disseminated germ cell testicular tumors were treated with COMPE; any residual tumor mass was surgically resected. RESULTS: Seventeen patients (85%) achieved complete remission by chemotherapy. The actuarial overall and cause-specific 3-year survival rates were 89% and 94%, respectively. In the subset of 16 "good-risk" patients, all remain alive after a median follow-up of 43 months. Complications were quite tolerable, with nephrotoxicity in particular being extremely mild. CONCLUSION: COMPE is an effective chemotherapy regimen in patients with disseminated germ cell testicular tumors. Complications arising from this therapy are mild.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Influence of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy on systemic immunological status.

BACKGROUND: Intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) therapy for superficial bladder cancer induces obvious local immunological responses. The purpose of this study was to examine the systemic immunological influences induced by intravesical BCG therapy. METHODS: We measured peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets (PBLS) and monocyte counts in 30 patients with superficial bladder carcinoma by two-colored flow cytometry before, during, and after intravesical BCG treatment. Comparisons were made between 24 good treatment responders and 6 poor responders. RESULTS: From 3 to 12 months after the beginning of treatment, PBLS and monocyte counts changed, as evidenced by an increase of suppressor T cells and a decrease of helper T cells. The good responders had higher cell counts than the poor responders, with differences in cell counts between good and poor responders more marked 1 month after beginning treatment, particularly of natural killer cells, cytotoxic T cells, and inducer T cells. These differences disappeared 3 months after the onset of treatment. CONCLUSION: Intravesical BCG therapy caused a marked and persistent alteration of the systemic immunological status.

Administration, Intravesical↗
PubMed1997

Pregnancy and delivery in patients with von Willebrand's disease.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the obstetrical problems that are encountered in women with von Willebrand's disease (vWD). METHODS: Case histories of 6 women whose pregnancies were complicated by vWD were reviewed retrospectively over an 11-year period. The disease had been diagnosed before pregnancy in only 2 cases. The 6 women had a total of 10 deliveries, 3 induced abortions, and 1 spontaneous abortion. RESULTS: Although all 6 women had Type-I vWD, their laboratory data and bleeding symptoms varied. The 10 full-term deliveries were all vaginal. Heat-treated concentrated Factor-VIII preparations were administered in 2 cases, in both of which abortions were induced during the 2nd trimester. Genital bleeding persisted in the second case, so that the administration of Factor VIII was repeated, and the patient underwent uterine curettage on the 12th day after abortion. Desmopressin was administered before the early induction of abortion in 1 case. The patient with persistent genital bleeding after spontaneous abortion received Factor VIII for 5 consecutive days. CONCLUSION: Bleeding problems occurred about 1 week after delivery or at the time of induced abortion in the 6 women with vWD. Thus, such patients require special care during pregnancy.

Abortion, Induced↗
PubMed1997

Exercise performance of Tibetan and Han adolescents at altitudes of 3,417 and 4,300 m.

The difference was studied between O2 transport in lifelong Tibetan adolescents and in newcomer Han adolescents acclimatized to high altitude. We measured minute ventilation, maximal O2 uptake, maximal cardiac output, and arterial O2 saturation during maximal exercise, using the incremental exercise technique, at altitudes of 3,417 and 4,300 m. The groups were well matched for age, height, and nutritional status. The Tibetans had been living at the altitudes for a longer period than the Hans (14.5 +/- 0.2 vs. 7.8 +/- 0.8 yr at 3,417 m, P < 0.01; and 14.7 +/- 0.3 vs. 5.3 +/- 0.7 yr at 4,300 m, P < 0.01, respectively). At rest, Tibetans had significantly greater vital capacity and maximal voluntary ventilation than the Hans at both altitudes. At maximal exercise, Tibetans compared with Hans had higher maximal O2 uptake (42.2 +/- 1.7 vs. 36.7 +/- 1.2 ml . min-1 . kg-1 at 3,417 m, P < 0.01; and 36.8 +/- 1.9 vs. 30.0 +/- 1. 4 ml . min-1 . kg-1 at 4,300 m, P < 0.01, respectively) and greater maximal cardiac output (12.8 +/- 0.3 vs. 11.4 +/- 0.2 l/min at 3,417 m, P < 0.01; 11.5 +/- 0.5 vs. 10.0 +/- 0.5 l/min at 4,300 m, P < 0. 05, respectively). Although the differences in arterial O2 saturation between Tibetans and Hans were not significant at rest and during mild exercise, the differences became greater with increases in exercise workload at both altitudes. We concluded that exposure to high altitude from birth to adolescence resulted in an efficient O2 transport and a greater aerobic exercise performance that may reflect a successful adaptation to life at high altitude.

Acclimatization↗
PubMed1997

Correlation between bone metabolic markers and bone scan in prostatic cancer.

PURPOSE: We examined the correlation between bone metabolic markers and bone scintigraphy in prostatic cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Osteoblastic and osteoclastic markers, prostate specific antigen (PSA) and bone scans were investigated in 83 specimens from 70 patients with prostatic cancer, including 32 with and 38 without bone metastasis. RESULTS: All markers except for osteocalcin were significantly greater in patients with than without bone metastasis. Pyridinoline cross-linked carboxyterminal telopeptide, an osteoclastic marker, reflected the extent of bone metastasis more accurately than PSA and other bone markers. CONCLUSIONS: Pyridinoline cross-linked carboxyterminal telopeptide might assist PSA and bone scintigraphy in monitoring metastatic bone activity of prostatic cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1997

Basic fibroblast growth factor regulates matrix metalloproteinases production and in vitro invasiveness in human bladder cancer cell lines.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to investigate the effect of endogenous basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) on matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) production and in vitro invasive potential of human bladder cancer cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The human bladder cancer cell lines, HT1376 and KoTCC-1, were used in this study. The mRNA for FGF receptor has been shown to be expressed in both cell lines; the mRNA for FGF-2 is expressed in only KoTCC-1. The effects of FGF-2 expression on HT1376 by gene transfection and those of FGF-2 antisense oligonucleotides treatment on KoTCC-1 were analyzed by zymography and in vitro tumor cell invasion assay. RESULTS: The introduction of human FGF-2 gene into HT1376 cells markedly enhanced both the MMP-2 and MMP-9 production, and the in vitro invasive potential was also increased. In contrast, the exposure of KoTCC-1 cells to FGF-2 specific antisense oligonucleotides decreased the MMP-2 production and in vitro invasive potential, but the exposure to FGF-2 sense oligonucleotides did not. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that FGF-2 plays an important role in the invasive process of human bladder cancer in part through the regulation of MMPs production.

Cell Division↗
PubMed1997

[Inhibitory effect of oral administration of Takusya on calcium oxalate crystallization in human whole urine].

We previously reported that Takusya had the inhibitory effect on in vitro calcium oxalate crystallization and in vivo stone formation in an animal model and it could be a prophylactic agent against calcium oxalate stone formation. We studied the effect of Takusya on calcium oxalate crystallization in human urine. Takusya (500 mg/day and 1,000 mg/day) was administered to 16 healthy men for 3 days and then 24-hour urine samples were collected to measure the urinary excretion of calcium, phosphate, magnesium, uric acid, creatinine, citric acid and oxalic acid. The urine samples before the administration of Takusya was used as a control. The size and distribution of crystals, which were formed in the urine samples by adding calcium chloride and sodium oxalate, were measured using the Coulter counter technique. Urinary magnesium excretion was significantly reduced by 1,000 mg/day of Takusya compared with the control (p < 0.05). The growth of crystals was significantly inhibited by 500 mg/day of Takusya in the large crystal formers whose urine created crystals more than 3.5 microns before the administration of Takusya (p < 0.05). These findings suggested that Takusya inhibited the growth of crystals formed in human urine.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1997

[Lung cancer with a sarcoid-like reaction in the primary tumor].

An 80-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of a nodular lesion in the right upper lobe of the lung. Transbronchial biopsy was performed and adenocarcinoma of the lung was confirmed by pathological examination. The tumor was resected by right upper lobectomy and was found to be a moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma. Numerous non-caseating epithelioid cell granulomas were also found intermingled with the cancer cells. Metastasis was apparent in several regional lymph nodes but no granulomatous lesions were found in any lymph node, regardless of metastasis. These findings were compatible with a "sarcoid-like reaction" because there was no clinical evidence of generalized sarcoidosis or pulmonary mycobacterial infection. Although sarcoid-like reactions are occasionally associated with cancer, formation of an epithelioid cell granuloma inside the primary tumor is very rare. All the reported cases of a sarcoid-like reaction within the primary lung tumor so far were with adenocarcinoma. The sarcoid-like reaction may be a local immune response to the cancer cells.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1997

[Two patients with summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis in Nagano Prefecture].

We encountered two patients with summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis that developed in Nagano Prefecture. Patient 1 was a 61-year-old man who had worked in warm and humid environments as painter. He was referred to our hospital because of fever, coughing and exertional dyspnea. Respiratory symptoms developed during work but were gone within in few weeks. Patient 2 was a 50-year-old housewife who was admitted to our hospital because of persistent coughing and a low-grade fever. In both patients, chest roentgenograms and computed tomograms showed bilateral, small, nodular and reticular shadows. Examination of a specimen obtained from patient 2 by transbronchial lung biopsy revealed alveolitis. In both patients, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid had low CD4/8 ratios, but in patient 1 the lymphocyte fraction was high and in patient 2 the neutrophil fraction was high. A steroid drug was given to patient 1 because of the patients symptoms and prolonged abnormal roentgenographic findings. Patient 2 reacted positively on a provocation test when returned to her house. Serum from both patients contained antibodies to Trichosporon mucoides and T. asahii. We know of no previous reports of summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis that developed in Nagano prefecture.

Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic↗
PubMed1997

[Pharmacokinetic, bacteriological and clinical studies on cefozopran in neonates].

Cefozopran (CZOP) was administered to nine newborn patients with infections at a dose of 20 mg/kg twice or three times daily for 5 to 6 days to evaluate the efficacy, safety and pharmacokinetics of cefozopran. 1. Blood concentrations CZOP was intravenously given to 6 newborn patients by drip infusion at a dose of 20 mg/kg over 30 minutes. The maximum blood concentrations (Cmax) were 38.4 micrograms/ml in a patient aged 0 day, 37.7 and 54.3 micrograms/ml in two patients aged 1 day, 51.3 and 64.1 micrograms/ml in two patients aged 3 days and 51.0 micrograms/ml in a patient aged 5 days. Cmax was lower in the patient aged 0 day. The elimination half life (T 1/2) was 9.2 hours in the patient aged 0 day, 4.9 and 3.7 hours in the patients aged 1 day, 3.1 and 2.4 hours in the patients aged 3 days and 2.9 in the patient aged 5 days, showing a prolongation of T 1/2 in patients of lower age. 2. Urinary excretion Of the 6 patients given CZOP at a dose of 20 mg/kg by intravenous drip infusion over 30 minutes, urine was collected in 5 patients. The cumulative excretion rate within 6 hours after infusion was as low as 19.8% of dose in the patient aged 0 day. The rates were elevated as high as 46.3 and 57.0% of dose in the patients aged 1 day. In the patient aged 3 days, the recovery within 4 hours after infusion was 47.3%. It was 70.6% of dose within 6 hours after dosing in the patient aged 5 days. The urinary recovery within 6 hours after dosing increased with the advance of age. 3. Clinical results Efficacy was evaluable in 7 patients. Of them, 3 had suspected septicemia, 2 pneumonia, 1 intrauterine infection and 1 urinary tract infection. The clinical efficacy was judged "excellent" in all the evaluable patients. Neither adverse drug reactions of signs and symptoms nor abnormal alterations of the laboratory test values were recognized in the 9 patients evaluable for safety. These results suggest that CZOP is an effective and safe drug for treatment of infections in the newborns. As for the dosage and method of administration from the view of the pharmacokinetic data obtained, intravenous drip infusion of 20 mg/kg once or twice daily was considered to be sufficient for patients aged 0 day. For patients aged 1 to 7 days and those aged 8 days or elder, the administration of twice to 3 times daily and 3 to 4 times daily were considered to be sufficient, respectively.

Bacterial Infections↗
PubMed1996

Messenger ribonucleic acids for fibroblast growth factors and their receptor in bladder and renal cell carcinoma cell lines.

FGF-like growth factors have been detected in the urine of patients with bladder or renal cell carcinoma. FGF-1-like and FGF-2-like proteins have been detected in the urine of patients with bladder carcinoma. However, the expression of FGFs and their receptor in bladder and renal cell carcinoma cells remains limited. We measured the mRNA levels of FGFs and their receptor in these carcinoma cell lines by means of RT-PCR. We detected FGF-8 mRNA expression in murine cell lines of bladder and renal cell carcinomas but not in those of the normal bladder and kidney. Furthermore, FGF-8 mRNA expression was detected in all human bladder and renal cell carcinoma cell lines tested. We also frequently detected FGF-1, FGF-2 and FGF-5 mRNA expression in human bladder and renal cell carcinoma cell lines. These results indicate that FGF-8 is also candidate for marker of these types of carcinoma as well as FGF-1 and FGF-2.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Introduction of basic fibroblast growth factor gene into mouse renal cell carcinoma cell line enhances its metastatic potential.

To clarify the role of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) in the malignant progression of renal cell carcinoma, we transfected the FGF-2 gene, which lacks the typical signal sequence, into RenCa, a mouse renal cell carcinoma cell line that does not express FGF-2 mRNA. In an in vitro tumor cell invasion assay, the FGF-2-transfected cell lines (RenCa/F) exhibited 3- to 4-fold higher invasive potential than either the parental RenCa (RenCa/P) or the vector-only transfected cell line (RenCa/C). Zymography showed a marked increase in matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) production in the culture supernatants of RenCa/F. Furthermore, when injected i.v. or into the renal subcapsule in syngeneic mice, RenCa/F formed more than 10 times as many metastatic nodules in the lung as did RenCa/P and RenCa/C. Metastases to the liver and mesenteric lymph nodes were observed only after the injection of RenCa/F into the renal subcapsule. In contrast, there was no significant difference in either cell proliferation in vitro or tumor growth in vivo among RenCa sublines. These results suggest that if it is overexpressed, endogenous native FGF-2 plays an important role in the invasion and metastasis of renal cell carcinoma, probably through the production of MMP-2.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

cDNAs encoding spinach stromal and thylakoid-bound ascorbate peroxidase, differing in the presence or absence of their 3'-coding regions.

Two cDNA clones encoding stromal (SAP28) and thylakoid-bound (SAP22) ascorbate peroxidase were isolated from a spinach cDNA library constructed by greening cotyledons. The SAP22 and SAP28 contained an open reading frame encoding mature protein of 295 and 345 amino acids with calculated molecular mass of 32239 Da and 37710 Da, respectively, preceded by the common transit peptides of 70 amino acid residues. Interestingly, the N-terminal 364 amino acids of SAP22 were 100% identical with SAP28 except for one C-terminal amino acid residue (Asp-365), and the C-terminal of SAP22, which is the putative transmembrane segment, was 50 amino acids longer than that of SAP28.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Lupus peritonitis mimicking acute surgical abdomen in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus: report of a case.

A 25-year-old Japanese woman who had been suffering from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) for 12 years was admitted to our hospital with a suspected diagnosis of peritonitis after suddenly developing severe abdominal pain and distention which could not be relieved by treatment with anodyne. Noninvasive examinations did not provide enough evidence to rule out acute appendicitis, bowel perforation, or ischemia due to vasculitis. Therefore, in consideration of the severity of her uncontrollable abdominal pain, an exploratory laparotomy was performed. The operative findings revealed nonbacterial peritonitis with a large amount of ascites and an edematous small bowel. No perforation of the intestine was found. On post-operative day (POD) 3, the severe abdominal pain redeveloped, but responded well to steroid pulse therapy. Based on the operative findings and her clinical course, the most likely diagnosis was thought to be acute lupus peritonitis. It is often difficult to ascertain whether abdominal pain in an SLE patients is due to lupus peritonitis or to an underlying cause requiring surgery. Thus, it is essential that continuous and careful assessment of the surgical abdomen is performed when a patient with SLE develops acute abdominal pain, and if a surgical condition cannot be ruled out, a laparotomy should be performed without delay.

Abdomen, Acute↗
PubMed1996

Mediastinal lymph node cells of Angiostrongylus cantonensis-infected rats respond to antigens and release interleukin-5 in vitro.

The kinetics of eosinophil growth and/or survival stimulating factor (Eo-stimulating factor) production in Angiostrongylus cantonensis-infected rats was assessed by in vitro marrow cultures. When lymphocytes, obtained from cervical, mediastinal or mesenteric lymph nodes of infected WKAH rats, were cultured with A. cantonensis antigens, Eo-stimulating factor activity was detected in the conditioned media obtained only from mediastinal lymph node cells at and after 35 days p.i. Eo-stimulating factor activity in the conditioned media was not detected before or at 20 days p.i. The kinetics of the factor was, therefore, almost identical to those of eosinophilia in bone marrow and peripheral blood. This Eo-stimulating factor activity was inhibited (maximum inhibition = 73%) by anti-mouse IL-5 monoclonal antibody in a dose-dependent fashion, indicating that the factor would be, at least in part, identical to IL-5. Similar Eo-stimulating factors were also detected in the conditioned media which were obtained by stimulating spleen cells from Wistar rats at 35-45 days p.i. with Con A. These data suggest that lymphocytes in the mediastinal lymph nodes, local lymph nodes near the adult worm habitat, could play an essential role in induction of eosinophilia in A. cantonensis-infected rats.

Angiostrongylus cantonensis↗
PubMed1996

Monoclonal antibodies specific to the integral membrane protein P0 of bovine peripheral nerve myelin.

Two monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), 58A and 46E, were generated against the major protein P0 of bovine peripheral nervous system myelin (PNSM). The reactivities of the mAbs were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot, and immunohistochemistry. Both mAbs, 58A and 46E, reacted to PNSM of bovine, human, rat and rabbit, but not to chicken PNSM or the brains of rat and rabbit. In the Western blot, these mAbs showed specific binding to bovine P0 as well as deglycosylated P0, but not to myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) of bovine spinal cord. The analyses of the lysylendopeptidase-digested peptides of bovine P0 revealed that the epitopes for the mAbs 58A and 46E were located on the amino acid residues 68-79 and 210-216, respectively. Since the mAbs 58A and 46E recognize the extracellular domain and the cytoplasmic domain of P0, respectively, they could be useful for studies on P0's role in myelin formation, its adhesive properties, and functions of the N-terminal extracellular and C-terminal cytoplasmic domains of the protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗