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Biomedical subjects

Y Miwa

Publications and source records attributed to Y Miwa.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

[Ultrasonography-guided cobalt-60 brachytherapy of malignant glioma].

Brachytherapy with cobalt-60 source is reported. In this method it is characterized that the source is inserted interstitially with remote control system by after-loading method via outer catheter (using tandem tube), which was established in the center of residual tumor, using ultrasonography guide with trepanation, or intraoperatively put within the dead space after tumor resection. Six cases of deep-seated and recurrent malignant glioma, were treated with this method. A total dose of 20 to 45 Gy (10 to 15 Gy/day for 2 to 3 days) was delivered to the target. Additionally conventional external irradiation was followed. The effect of cobalt-60 brachytherapy on such tumors were favorable especially for well-circumscribed glioma less than 3 cm on CT scan.

Adolescent↗

[Clinical study on intracranial arachnoid cyst: with reference to the middle cranial fossa].

Thirty-two cases of congenital arachnoid cyst (AC), 26 cases of supratentorial, and 6 cases of infratentorial cyst are reported. They were encountered over a period of 9 years. The 26 supratentorial cysts consisted of 21 cases located in the middle fossa, 2 in the frontal, and 3 in the suprasellar. Patients' ages ranged from 7 months to 67 years (mean: 19.3 years), with a male to female ratio of 23:9. The most common symptoms were headache, epileptic seizure, and cranial enlargement. Based on observations between neuroradiological examinations including analysis of the cyst content, and operation, typical AC might be defined as "duplicated arachnoid and its splitting", and it may be said that "there is continuous existence of cerebral structure such as cortex and white matter lying adjacent to AC on MRI". Out of 32 cases, 15 received surgical treatment because of mass effect of AC itself, abnormal dynamics of the AC fluid, and/or increasing sign of ICP. 13 cases had resection of AC outer membrane with craniotomy, and the remaining two had cystoperitoneal shunt. One of the shunting cases complicated subdural hematoma. Surgical treatment was discussed and radical craniotomy rather than a shunt procedure was preferred. Prognosis of all cases was favorable and uneventful.

Adolescent↗

Purification and characterization of a repressor for the Bacillus subtilis gnt operon.

The GntR protein is a negative regulator involved in gluconate-inducible expression of the Bacillus subtilis gnt operon which is responsible for gluconate metabolism. The GntR protein has been purified to homogeneity from an overproducing Escherichia coli strain harboring a gntR gene-carrying plasmid. The total amino acid composition and the NH2-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified protein were essentially the same as those deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the gntR gene. Molecular weight determination by gel filtration revealed that the purified protein is in a highly polymerized form, but it likely exists as a dimer when highly diluted. The purified GntR protein was found to be specifically bound to DNA fragments carrying the promoter of the gnt operon in an electrophoretic mobility shift assay. This binding was specifically inhibited by the addition of gluconate or glucono-delta-lactone. The purified protein repressed in vitro transcription from the promoter of the gnt operon. This repression was suppressed by gluconate or glucono-delta-lactone. These results indicate that the GntR protein is a repressor for the gnt operon and that gluconate and glucono-delta-lactone are inducers for this operon.

Bacillus subtilis↗

Antibody responses of swine to type A influenza viruses during the past ten years in Japan.

A total of 6346 swine sera collected at an abattoir in the city of Obihiro, Hokkaido during the years 1978-87 were tested for the presence of antibodies to swine and human influenza viruses. A high incidence of antibody to A/New Jersey/8/76 (swine type H1N1) virus was observed throughout the 10 years except for the occasional month and a single long period of 15 months. Antibodies to human H3N2 virus in swine appeared to be related to the epidemics of human influenza which occurred in the study area during the years 1980-3, but unrelated to the epidemics during the years 1984-7. A large number of swine were found to be antibody positive to a human H1N1 virus during the period April to June 1964, and a smaller number, during the period November 1986 to June 1987. Both were in relation to human influenza epidemics. However, there were long periods where human H1N1 antibodies in swine could not be found.

Abattoirs↗

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions between furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide in nephrotic patients.

We examined the response of 8 patients with nephrotic syndrome (creatinine clearance 70.4 +/- 16.0 ml/min) to oral furosemide (F; 40 mg) in the absence (control) and in the presence of oral hydrochlorothiazide (HCT; 100 mg). In the 24-hour period after oral F, HCT was shown to increase urine volume and urinary sodium and chloride excretion. Increment was most significant during the 12- to 24-hour period. Enhancement of the diuresis with HCT was associated neither with a significant increase in the area under the curve of plasma F concentration nor an increase in urinary F excretion. Urinary excretion of glucuronidated F, one of the main metabolites of F, however, was decreased with HCT. In summary, HCT significantly enhanced the response to F in nephrotic patients.

Drug Interactions↗

Placental alkaline phosphatase as a tumor marker for primary intracranial germinoma.

A sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used in a retrospective study of placental alkaline phosphatase (PLAP) levels in serum, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and intratumoral cyst fluid in primary intracranial germinoma. The ELISA showed no cross-reactivity with intestinal alkaline phosphatase except in very high concentrations, after samples had been heat-treated. Three patients with germinoma were studied for serum PLAP levels and in all the levels were elevated (3.78, 0.52, and 2.11 IU/liter). Two of the germinoma patients were studied for PLAP levels in the CSF, and both had elevated levels (0.83 and 9.83 IU/liter). The intratumoral cyst fluid in one case of germinoma was tested for PLAP and the level was found to be very high (603 IU/liter). These PLAP levels decreased concomitantly with the reduction in tumor size during irradiation. Serum PLAP levels were measured in 40 control adult male individuals and in the CSF of 20 nonpregnant patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. The upper normal limits were 0.20 and 0.11 IU/liter in the serum and the CSF, respectively. All PLAP levels measured in the serum of patients with various brain tumors were 0.18 IU/liter or less. This study strongly suggests that PLAP is a clinically useful tumor marker for primary intracranial germinoma.

Adolescent↗

The urinary excretion of frusemide and its metabolites by kidney transplant patients.

Urine from 5 renal transplant recipients treated with frusemide was analyzed for unchanged frusemide (F), glucuronidated frusemide (G) and 4-chloro-5-sulfamoylanthranilic acid (CSA) by HPLC. In 3 recipients, whose renal function recovered steadily and whose hepatic function was normal throughout, the ratio of frusemide to its metabolites, F/(F + G + CSA), increased steadily in conjunction with the recovery of renal function. In one patient, who received frusemide 200-400 mg/day i.v., the urinary CSA concentration was 64-102 micrograms X ml-1. In 2 patients who experienced shock and/or hepatic dysfunction after transplantation, the F/(F + G + CSA) ratio fluctuated.

Adult↗

Possible involvement of an impaired baroreflex mechanism but not the renin-angiotensin system and vasopressin in the enhanced pressor responsiveness to physostigmine in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Effects of physostigmine on heart rate, mean arterial pressure (MAP), plasma renin concentration (PRC) and vasopressin (AVP) release were investigated in spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats. Physostigmine (100 micrograms/kg, i.a.) produced a greater and prolonged hypertensive response in the SHR than in the WKY. Heart rate was increased by physostigmine in SHR rats while it was unchanged in the WKY. PRC was unchanged or even slightly decreased in these animals when MAP was increased by physostigmine. An AVP pressor antagonist did not attenuate the pressor and cardiac effects of physostigmine in these animals. These data indicate that an impaired baroreflex mechanism or a different mode of sympathetic neuronal activation by physostigmine through the central mechanism appears to be contributory, at least in part, to the enhanced pressor responsiveness in the SHR. The renin-angiotensin system and AVP do not appear to be involved in the enhanced pressor responsiveness to physostigmine in SHR rats.

Animals↗

Antihypertensive action of melatonin in the spontaneously hypertensive rat.

The effects of melatonin on blood pressure and heart rate were studied in 23-week-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats. Melatonin infused i.p. at a dose of 6 mg/rat per day for 5 days using an osmotic minipump produced a significant reduction of blood pressure and a slight but significant decrease of heart rate in the conscious and unrestrained state. These cardiovascular effects of melatonin developed gradually. Plasma renin concentration tended to decrease after melatonin treatment. These results demonstrate that melatonin has an antihypertensive action. The mechanism of the antihypertensive action of melatonin requires further study.

Animals↗