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S Furuya

Publications and source records attributed to S Furuya.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

[The background factors influencing loss of sexual intercourse after transurethral resection of the prostate (TUR-P)--A study using the Sapporo Medical University-Questionnaire].

BACKGROUND: Sexual dysfunction after transurethral resection of the prostate (TUR-P) depends on multiple factors including preoperative erectile function itself. Using the Sapporo Medical University-questionnaire, we analyzed background factors contributing to loss of sexual intercourse after the operation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We sent the self-administered questionnaires to 1,000 patients who had received TUR-P. Answers to questions were ranked as scores. Multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors significant for loss intercourse after TUR-P. RESULTS: The response rate was 63.5%. Patient with incomplete answers and those having diseases affecting voiding or sexual function and antiandrogen medication were excluded from the study. Leaving 536 patients for the final analysis. Scores for sexual desire and erectile function in the patients who received TUR-P were lower than those of age-matched healthy males. When we divided the patients according to frequency of sexual intercourse before and after TUR-P, there was distinct differences in age, scores for sensory disturbance, depression, the cooperative value of the sexual partner, sexual desire, erectile function, nocturia, residual sensation and urgency between those maintaining sexual intercourse and those having lost it. Multiple regression analysis using these factors indicated that the scores of erectile function was the most significant determinant for maintaining sexual intercourse after TUR-P in patients aged from 50 to 69 years, followed by the cooperative value of the sexual partner, residual sensation and sensory disturbance. In those 70 old and older, the score for erectile function was the most significant determinant, followed by the cooperative value of sexual partner. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that, irrespective of age, the cooperation of the patient's sexual partner as well as erectile function significantly influence the maintenance of sexual intercourse after TUR-P. In addition, voiding condition and psychological status after TUR-P may affect the maintenance of sexual intercourse in patients in their fifties and sixties.

Aged↗

[The role of magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging in patients with Parkinson's disease].

There are some single voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy(MRS) of Parkinson's disease but no multi-voxel proton MRS. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging(MRSI) is the multi-voxel method, from which we can obtain many spectra from many voxel at the same time. The distribution of each metabolite can be observed in the metabolite map. Although defects in oxidative phosphorylation have been reported from the studies of Parkinson's disease and dopaminergic cell death has been observed, the cause of Parkinson's disease is unknown. The spectra from the striatum and surroundings and the metabolite maps in MRSI will help to understand the pathogenesis of the disease.

Brain↗

[Evaluation of cerebral ischemia with metabolic image by using 3D-CSI--comparing with SPECT and PET].

MR spectroscopy(MRS) is a powerful method to evaluate brain metabolism directly and non-invasively. We developed 3D-CSI method as a multi-voxel MRS. It has some advantages or single-voxel MRS; 1) spectra in many voxels can be acquired simultaneously 2) Mapping of metabolites can be acquired 3) A small size voxel can be obtained. It make it possible to evaluate the change of NAA in wide area. In case of cerebral ischemia, we found the tendency that NAA decreases in fatal damage area and is normal in recoverable damage area. Therefore, we suppose that NAA could be a indicator of viability of neuron. It is necessary to coordinate the data from MRI/ MRS and PET/SPECT for analyzing the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemia.

Amphetamines↗

[1H-MRSI of Alzheimer's disease].

To evaluate neuronal change in the neocortex of the patients with Alzheimer's disease in early stage, proton MRSI study was performed in 13 probable AD patients and 6 healthy volunteers and the change of NAA, a putative neuronal marker, between the temporal cortex and the white matter including basal ganglia was analyzed. Proton MRSI data were measured with 3D-FT-CSI method, using spin echo method with TE = 135 ms. Two directional 16 x 16 phase encodings were applied on the field of 18 x 18 x 1.5 cm3. One voxel size was 1.9 cm3. Out of thirteen probable AD patients, 7 patents, who were considered in early stage, showed low NAA levels in the temporal neocortex without NAA change in the white matter including basal ganglia. Six patients, who were considered in more advanced stage, showed low NAA levels in both regions. NAA decrease in neocortical area is considered to be a good indication of AD in early stage at the examination with proton MRSI.

Adult↗

[Incidence of postmicturition dribble in adult males in their twenties through fifties].

A survey was conducted to investigate postmicturition dribble in the general adult male population. A questionnaire was sent to 3,034 clerical workers between 20 and 50 years of age living in urban areas of Hokkaido and Tokyo, and it was returned by 2,839 men (93.5). The incidence of postmicturition dribble in the men in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s, was 11.5, 13.2, 19.4 and 26.9%, respectively. The overall incidence was 17.1%. Of those who had experienced postmicturition dribble; 14.0% dribbled almost daily but the degree of postmicturition dribble was limited to spotting or wetting of the underwear in 93.2%. Therefore, 2.3% of all respondents answered that they had experienced postmicturition dribble almost daily. It is concluded that postmicturition dribble is fairly common in adult men.

Adult↗

Restricted occurrence of an unusual ganglioside GD1 alpha in rat brain and its possible involvement in dendritic growth of cerebellar Purkinje neurons.

The spatial pattern of expression of a minor disialosyl ganglioside GD1 alpha in the rat brain was investigated immunohistochemically using a specific murine monoclonal antibody KA-17. The antibody shows noticeable immunoreactivity in the proximal dendrites and neuronal cell bodies of restricted populations of neurons including cerebral pyramidal neurons and cerebellar Purkinje neurons. Immunocytochemical analysis revealed that Purkinje neurons maintained in a dissociate culture condition also express GD1 alpha in the dendrites and cell bodies. We have examined the functional involvement of this ganglioside in the growth of brain neurons using KA-17 antibody. Addition of the antibody to cerebellar primary cultures caused perturbation of the dendritic development of Purkinje neurons in a dose-dependent manner. The length and branching of the dendrites were severely decreased by the antibody treatment. When other anti-glycoconjugate or sphingolipid monoclonal antibodies were tested, only HNK-1 monoclonal antibody that recognizes sulfoglucuronic residues in glycolipids and glycoproteins had similar but moderate inhibitory actions on the dendritic development of these neurons. In contrast to the morphological alterations observed in Purkinje cells, other cerebellar cells including granule neurons appear to be almost normal following the antibody treatment. These observations lead to the possibility that GD1 alpha ganglioside has a role in the development of Purkinje cell dendrites.

Animals↗

Lysosphingomyelin-elicited Ca2+ mobilization from rat brain microsomes.

We have examined the Ca2+ release activity of sphingolipid-derivatives from rat brain microsomes using a Fura-2 cytofluorometric assay. Sphingosylphosphorylcholine, lysosphingomyelin, elicited a rapid Ca2+ release from both cerebral and cerebellar microsomes. Other compounds including sphingosine and sphingosine-1-phosphate were incapable of causing the Ca2+ release. The pharmacological properties suggest that the sphingosylphosphorylcholine-elicited Ca2+ mobilization is not mediated by inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptors. Immunocytochemical study showed the occurrence of sphingomyelin, a putative precursor for sphingosylphosphorylcholine, in the somatodendritic membrane domains of cerebellar neurons. These observations imply that sphingosylphosphorylcholine is a potent Ca2+ releaser in brain neurons.

Animals↗

Irradiation effects on the metabolism of metastatic brain tumors: analysis by positron emission tomography and 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

To evaluate irradiation effects on the metabolism of metastatic brain tumors treated by Gamma Knife radiosurgery, positron emission tomography (PET) and 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) studies were performed on five patients. The tumor origins were lung cancer in three patients and breast cancer in two. Treatment volume was 0.4-10.1 cm3 (mean: 5.5 cm3). The marginal dose to the tumor was 24-30 Gy (mean: 26.2 Gy). The follow-up period was 5-19 months (mean: 13.4 months). No patients had conventional whole-brain radiation therapy. 18F-fluoroboronophenylalanine (18FBPA) or 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG) were used as tracers for the PET study. Using 1H-MRS, several metabolites were simultaneously measured in metastatic brain tumor and adjacent brain. In the PET study of the representative case, the uptake rate of 18FBPA that is actively transported to the tumor decreased markedly 15 days after radiosurgery and continued to decrease thereafter. In the 1H-MRS study, choline, which is characteristically high in metastatic brain tumors, also decreased over time. In two cases with suspected radiation injury, the enhanced region, which was decreased in size in early follow-up, enlarged progressively and was accompanied by edema. However, 18FBPA and 18FDG were not transported to the enhanced region. The peak of free lipid, which might show destruction of the cell membrane, was recognized in the enhanced region and adjacent brain in these cases. This study revealed that radiation effects on the metabolism of metastatic brain tumors occur at an early stage after radiosurgery and continue over several months. In particular, in the case of radiation injury, PET and 1H-MRS studies made it possible to distinguish between regrowth of the tumor and radiation injury.

Aged↗

Granule swelling in stimulated bovine adrenal chromaffin cells: regulation by internal granule pH.

Adrenal medullary chromaffin cells secrete catecholamines through exocytosis of their intracellular chromaffin granules. Osmotic granule swelling has been implicated to play a role in the generation of membrane stress associated with the fusion of the granule membrane. However, controversy exists as to whether swelling occurs before or after the actual fusion event. Using morphometric methods we have determined the granule diameter distributions in rapidly frozen, freeze-substituted chromaffin cells. Our measurements show that intracellular chromaffin granules increase in size from an average of 234 nm to 274 nm or 277 nm in cells stimulated to secrete with nicotine or high external K+, respectively. Granule swelling occurs before the formation of membrane contact. Ammonium chloride, an agent which inhibits stimulated catecholamine secretion by approximately 50% by altering the intragranular pH, also inhibits granule swelling. In addition, ammonium chloride-treated secreting cells show more granule-plasma membrane contacts than untreated secreting cells. Sodium propionate induces granule swelling in the absence of secretagogue and has been shown to enhance nicotine- and high K(+)- induced catecholamine release. These results indicate that in adrenal chromaffin cells granule swelling is an essential step in exocytosis before fusion pore formation, and is related to the pH of the granule environment.

Adrenal Medulla↗

Cerebral MRI and spectroscopy in Sjögren-Larsson syndrome: case report.

We report MRI and MRS of the brain in a patient with Sjögren-Larsson syndrome (SLS) in whom fatty alcohol oxidoreductase (FAO) deficiency has been verified. MRI showed periventricular lesions, high intensity on T2-weighted and low intensity on T1-weighted images at trigones of the lateral ventricles. 1H-MRS of these lesions revealed high lipid and low N-acetyl aspartate peaks. We presume such lipids in periventricular lesions with high T2 signal may be pathognomonic of SLS.

Adult↗

Neuronal expression of a minor monosialosyl ganglioside GM1b in rat brain: immunochemical characterization using a specific monoclonal antibody.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against GM1b ganglioside were raised by immunizing NZB/n mice with the antigen purified from bovine brains, and the details of binding specificity of the mAbs were characterized. Anti-GM1b mAb, termed NA-6, reacted specifically with GM1b (NeuAc) and GM1b(NeuGc). NA-6 antibody did not react with other structurally related gangliosides, indicating that the antibody recognizes NeuAc or NeuGc alpha 2-3Gal beta 1-4GalNAc beta 1-4Gal structure. Using NA-6 antibody, GM1b ganglioside in developing rat brain was investigated by TLC/enzyme-immunostaining and detected first on gestational day 16. The specific content of brain GM1b increased until postnatal day 10, and then gradually decreased in later stage of development. Immunohistochemically GM1b was found in proximal dendrites and cell bodies of neurons in extensive regions of adult rat brain. The immunoreactivity tended to be confined in patch-like clusters on cell membranes, as typically found in the hippocampus and neocortex. The GM1b synthase activity, when assayed in the cerebellar microsome proteins, was significantly reduced in lurcher mutant mouse that is devoid of both cerebellar granule and Purkinje cells. These findings demonstrate that GM1b ganglioside exists in neurons and is actively synthesized during the development in rat brain.

Animals↗

Overexpression of choline acetyltransferase reconstitutes discrete acetylcholine release in some but not all synapse formation-defective neuroblastoma cells.

Secretion of acetylcholine (ACh) in neuroblastoma cells overexpressing choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) was examined. With transient transfection of ChAT cDNA, neuroblastoma cells, which have no endogenous ChAT and either adhere to myotubes or not, failed to form functional synapses, and thus no evidence for release of ACh was detected. Stable neuroblastoma cell lines overexpressing ChAT accumulated ACh inside the cell, and slowly released ACh to the outside of the cell in a calcium-independent fashion. However, after co-culturing them with rat muscle cells, these transformed cells adhered to myotubes and ACh was secreted in a discrete fashion into the synaptic cleft efficiently in some neuroblastoma cell lines but rather inefficiently in another cell line. The results show that the latent secretion machinery of ChAT overexpressing neuroblastoma cells either is competent or possess defect(s) in ACh release.

Acetylcholine↗

Sphingolipid biosynthesis is necessary for dendrite growth and survival of cerebellar Purkinje cells in culture.

The requirement of complex sphingolipid biosynthesis for growth of neurons was examined in developing rat cerebellar Purkinje neurons using a dissociated culture system. Purkinje cells developed well-differentiated dendrites and axons after 2 weeks in a serum-free nutrient condition. Addition of 2 microM fumonisin B1, a fungal inhibitor of mammalian ceramide synthase, inhibited incorporation of [3H]galactose/glucosamine and [14C]-serine into complex sphingolipids of cultured cerebellar neurons. Under this condition, the expression of Purkinje cell-enriched sphingolipids, including GD1 alpha, 9-O-acetylated LD1 and GD3, and sphingomyelin, was significantly decreased. After 2 weeks' exposure to fumonisin B1, dose-dependent measurable decreases in the survival and visually discernible differences in the morphology were seen in fumonisin-treated Purkinje cells. The Purkinje cell dendrites exhibited two types of anomalies; one population of cells developed elongated but less-branched dendrites after a slight time lag, but their branches began to degenerate. In some cells, formation of elongated dendrite trees was severely impaired. However, treatment with fumonisin B1 also led to the formation of spinelike protrusions on the dendrites of Purkinje cells as in control cultures. In contrast to the alterations observed in Purkinje cells, morphology of other cell types including granule neurons appeared to be almost normal after treatment with fumonisin B1. These observations indicated strongly that membrane sphingolipids participate in growth and maintenance of dendrites and in the survival of cerebellar Purkinje cells. Indeed, these effects of fumonisin B1 were reversed, but not completely, by the addition of 6-[[N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)-amino dcaproyl]sphingosine (C6-NBD-ceramide), a synthetic derivative of ceramide. Thus, we conclude that deprivation of membrane sphingolipids in a culture environment is responsible for aberrant growth of Purkinje cells.

Animals↗

Transurethral balloon laser thermotherapy for symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia: preliminary clinical results.

Between April 1993 and May 1994, 66 patients were treated with transurethral balloon laser thermotherapy (TUBAL-T) for the relief of bladder outlet obstruction secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia. TUBAL-T, with a urethral cooling system, employs a balloon catheter and irradiating laser through 360 degrees to produce deep coagulation and necrosis of the prostatic tissue while preserving the urethral mucosa. The procedure was implemented under local topical anesthesia. Baseline AUA Symptom Scores, peak uroflow rates, postvoiding residual urine volumes (PVR), and prostatic volumes were measured before and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after treatment. The mean symptom score decreased from 18.8 preoperatively to 9.8, 6.9, 7.4, and 4.8 at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. The mean peak uroflow rate increased from 6.4 mL/sec to 9.1, 11.2, 10.1, and 10.4 mL/sec at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. As for the mean PVR, statistically significant reductions were clearly observed at 3 and 6 months after treatment. However, at 1 and 12 months, the difference was not statistically significant. In follow-up for as long as 12 months after the procedure, 23 of 26 patients (88%) showed an improvement of 50% or more in the AUA Symptom Scores. Of 20 available patients, 12 (60%) showed an improvement of 50% or higher in the peak uroflow rates, and 10 (50%) showed an improvement of 50% or higher in PVR. The mean prostatic volume reductions at 3, 6, and 9 months were 12%, 16%, and 14%, respectively. The serum prostate specific antigen concentration increased to four times the baseline concentration on the 7th day.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

Ultrasonographic and pathologic changes in the prostate of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia after transurethral balloon laser therapy.

Twenty-seven patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) were treated with a transurethral flexible laser balloon (PROSTALASE) under ultrasound guidance. Three months after treatment, 22 (82%) of the patients showed a 50% or greater decrease in the AUA Symptom Score. The average uroflow rate, peak uroflow rate, and postvoiding residual urine volume also showed significant improvement. Ultrasonography showed that the prostatic volume had decreased by 17% (8%-37%). Also, a circular hyperechoic zone about 3 cm in diameter was noted around the prostatic urethra. The prostatic tissue in the hyperechoic zone was sampled by transperineal needle biopsy under transrectal ultrasound guidance, and histopathologic examination showed degenerative necrosis. The necrotic tissue was gradually absorbed, resulting in prostatic shrinkage at around the third month. These results suggest that clinical improvement, both subjective and objective, is brought about by this therapy.

Aged↗