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Biomedical subjects

Y Ono

Publications and source records attributed to Y Ono.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

Prognostic value of pressure-flow study in surgical treatment of benign prostatic obstruction.

The prognostic value of pressure-flow study (P-FS) in the surgical treatment of bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) was retrospectively studied in patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. In 74 patients who underwent surgical treatment for BOO, P-FS and free uroflowmetry were performed pre- and postoperatively. On P-FS, obstruction and detrusor contractility were analyzed according to the Schäfer nomogram. The patients were classified into the following 3 groups according to their preoperative P-FS: group A consisted of 39 patients with normal detrusors and obstruction (obstruction grade 3-6); group B consisted of 13 patients with weak detrusors and obstruction; and group C included 22 patients with weak or very weak detrusors combined with minimal obstruction, if any (obstruction grade 0-2). Postoperatively, the detrusor pressure at maximal flow rate and obstruction grades on P-FS improved significantly in groups A and B but not in group C. The rate of improvement was most prominent in group A, followed by groups B and C. On free uroflowmetry, however, a significant improvement occurred in all three groups with respect to maximal flow rate, average flow rate, and postvoid residue. Moreover, the rate did not differ among the three groups except for the maximal flow rate as determined between groups A and C. Although good detrusor contractility and evident obstruction on analysis of P-FS will guarantee the best surgical outcome, subjects with weak detrusors and minimal obstruction will also have a good outcome by the relief of BOO. In the weak detrusor, P-FS may be limited in diagnosing obstruction and have a low prognostic value, and such patients should not necessarily be excluded from surgical indications.

Aged↗

Effects of diadenosine tetraphosphate on systemic and regional hemodynamics in dogs.

PURPOSE: Diadenosine tetraphosphate (AP(4)A) produces vasodilation and hypotension. If AP(4)A is to be employed clinically, its influence on systemic and regional hemodynamics needs to be investigated. In this study, we observed systemic and regional hemodynamics during reduction of mean arterial pressure (MAP) induced by AP(4)A in dogs. METHODS: Nineteen mongrel dogs were allocated to three groups: those given physiological saline (vehicle group) and dogs in which MAP was decreased either by 8% (8% group) or by 30% (30% group) by infusion of AP(4)A. Systemic hemodynamics and microsphere-determined regional blood flow to vital organs were assessed before and during AP(4)A infusion. RESULTS: In the 8% group, cardiac output (CO) increased, and systemic vascular resistance (SVR) decreased during AP(4)A infusion. Although regional blood flow to myocardium and portal organs increased, hepatic blood flow decreased. In the 30% group, heart rate and SVR decreased, and stroke volume index increased without change in CO. Regional blood flow to myocardium, kidneys, and portal organs increased. In both groups, cerebral blood flow remained unchanged. CONCLUSION: During the decrease in MAP induced by AP(4)A, there were increases in regional blood flow distributed to the myocardium, kidneys, and portal organs, without change in the blood supply to the brain. This finding suggests that AP(4)A may be clinically useful for reducing blood pressure without compromising blood flow to vital organs.

Journal Article↗

Cerebral gangliogliomas: clinical characteristics, CT and MRI.

Eight patients with ganglioglioma who received surgical treatment at our institute between January 1989 and January 1997 were reviewed to determine their clinical, CT and MRI characteristics. Tumours were located in the temporal lobe (four patients), trigone of the lateral ventricle (two patients), basal ganglia (one patient) and fronto-temporal lobe (one patient). On imaging, two types of tumours were seen, a solid mass in 5 patients (62.5%) and a cystic mass in three patients (37.5%). Six complete tumours (75%) and all of the solid components of the cystic tumours were enhanced by contrast medium. Seven tumours (88%) had no peripheral oedema. On CT, the tumours being studied appeared as iso-(62.5%) or low density (37.5%) intra-axial tumours. Four tumours (50%) contained calcification. On MRI, the tumours appeared as well-circumscribed, iso-(62.5%) or low intensity (37.5%) intra-axial tumours on T1 weighted images, and as high (75%) on T2 weighted images. Three underwent total resection, 2 subtotal resection and 3 partial resection. No patients had have any further treatment such as radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Postoperative studies were conducted on all patients with an average follow-up period 56 months (range 4-147 months) after surgery. There was no evidence of recurrence of tumours or of growth of residual tumours. We observed gangliogliomas which were located in unusual regions such as the trigone in two of the patients. To our knowledge, our series is the first report to describe trigonal gangliogliomas. We conclude, therefore, that ganglioglioma should be included as a possibility in the differential diagnosis of intracranial masses, even when they are located in the trigone.

Adolescent↗

Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma: a five-year experience.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for patients with small renal cell carcinoma by comparing the clinical results of patients treated laparoscopically with those of patients treated with traditional open radical nephrectomy. METHODS: Of 100 patients with localized, small (less than 5 cm in diameter) renal cell carcinoma treated by the same surgical team between 1992 and 1998, 60 patients underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy and 40 underwent open radical nephrectomy. Of the 60 laparoscopically treated patients, the first 11 and the most recent 34 patients were operated on transperitoneally and the other 15 retroperitoneally. RESULTS: The mean operative time of the laparoscopically treated patients was longer than that of the open nephrectomy patients (5.2 versus 3.3 hours, P<0.001). The mean blood loss of the laparoscopically treated patients was less than that of the open nephrectomy patients (255 versus 512 mL, P<0.001). One laparoscopically treated patient needed conversion to open surgery. The time to full convalescence of the laparoscopically treated patients was shorter than that of the open nephrectomy patients (23 versus 57 days, P<0.001). Two of the 59 laparoscopically treated patients and 1 of the 40 open nephrectomy patients had metastatic disease. The former 2 are alive with stable disease and the latter died of progressive disease 11 months after surgery. The 5-year disease-free rate was 95.5% in laparoscopy patients and 97.5% in open nephrectomy patients (P = NS). CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy is a less invasive alternative to open surgery for patients with localized small renal cell carcinoma.

Adult↗

Increased urinary levels of adrenomedullin in patients with cystitis.

In this study, we examined urinary levels of adrenomedullin (AM) in 18 healthy volunteers and 18 patients with cystitis. We also compared urinary levels of AM in 11 patients with cystitis before and after antibiotic treatment. Urinary AM concentrations were measured by a radioimmunoassay specific for human AM. Urinary AM levels in patients with cystitis were significantly elevated compared with those of healthy volunteers and correlated positively with the number of urine leukocytes. By antibiotic treatment, urinary AM levels significantly decreased as compared with before the treatment. By RNA blot analysis of AM transcript, we detected significant levels of AM mRNA in canine urinary bladder and ureter. Intravenous administration of lipopolysaccharide elevated the AM mRNA level in the urinary bladder. These data suggest that infection and inflammation stimulate AM production in the urinary tract, which results in increased urinary AM levels in patients with cystitis. Based on these results, it is deduced that AM participates in the pathophysiology of cystitis, and its urinary level could be used as an index of the degree of cystitis.

Adrenomedullin↗

Clinical features of isolated noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium: long-term clinical course, hemodynamic properties, and genetic background.

OBJECTIVES: A nationwide survey was conducted to clarify the clinical features of isolated noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium (INVM) in Japanese children in comparison with features previously described in patients with INVM. BACKGROUND: Isolated noncompaction of the ventricular myocardium is a rare disorder characterized by an excessively prominent trabecular meshwork. It is accompanied by depressed ventricular function, systemic embolism and ventricular arrhythmia. METHODS: A questionnaire specifically designed for this study was sent to 150 hospitals in Japan where a pediatric cardiology division exists. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients were diagnosed by two-dimensional echocardiography, their ages ranging from one week to 15 years at presentation, with follow-up lasting as long as 17 years. The gross anatomical appearance and the extension of noncompacted myocardium predominantly at the apex observed on two-dimensional echocardiograms were similar to observations reported previously. Dissimilarities included a greater number of asymptomatic patients at initial presentation, a longer clinical course with gradually depressed left ventricular function, no systemic embolism, and rare ventricular tachycardia in the Japanese children. Cardiac catheterization disclosed normal left ventricular end-diastolic volume and increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressure in most cases, consistent with restrictive hemodynamics. A higher incidence of Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome was found in the children, whereas left bundle branch block was rarer than reported in adults. Familial recurrence was high (44%) and included many women. CONCLUSIONS: In Japanese children, INVM can be found by screening examinations at asymptomatic stage, and it might have a longer dinical course with gradually depressed left ventricular function and restrictive hemodynamics. The pattern of familial recurrence we observed implies that INVM is a distinctive clinical entity with a heterogeneous genetic background.

Adolescent↗

New aspect of the research on limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2A: a molecular biologic and biochemical approach to pathology.

p94, a muscle-specific member of the calpain family, also called calpain3 (CAPN3), has been identified as the gene product responsible for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2A (LGMD2A). To elucidate the molecular mechanism of LGMD2A, the effects of missense point mutations found in LGMD2A on the unique properties of p94 were studied. All of the mutants examined to date lose their proteolytic activity against fodrin, a cytoskeletal protein, strongly suggesting that of the specific properties of p94, the loss of protease activity is the prime cause of LGMD2A. Studies of LGMD2A and p94 suggest a novel molecular mechanism for muscular dystrophy, showing that a combined pathologic and biochemical approach is effective.

Animals↗

Acidic glycosaminoglycans of abdominal mucin in a case of pseudomyxoma peritonei caused by appendiceal cancer.

Although the use of intraperitoneal mucolytic agents is useful in the management of pseudomyxoma peritonei, effective removal of mucin is difficult even by repeated mucolysis in cases with massive ascites. To establish mucolytic therapy as a further effective procedure, biochemical analysis of mucin is required in greater detail. We reported here a case of pseudomyxoma peritonei caused by primary appendiceal cancer with biochemical analysis of mucin. The abdominal cavity in this case was filled with massive mucinous ascites. Although the mucolytic therapy was performed repeatedly, it was not effective in preventing mechanical ileus which was followed by surgical exclusion. Biochemical study of mucin showed that the mucin contained a small amount of hyaluronic acid, as characterized by electrophoretic study. These data led us to the hypothesis that the hyaluronic acid component plays a role in the pathogenesis of the replacement of mucin in the abdominal cavity.

Aged↗

Schizophrenia: is it time to replace the term?

The attitudes of Japanese psychiatrists toward their patients who suffer from schizophrenia were investigated. We were concerned specifically with whether the psychiatrists inform their patients of the suspected diagnosis. We discuss how the term 'schizophrenia' may influence a psychiatrist's decision to inform his patients of the diagnosis. A self-reported questionnaire was distributed to 150 executive board members of the Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology and analysis of the data obtained from 110 respondents was carried out. The results showed that the concepts that psychiatrists use when they give a diagnosis of schizophrenia vary considerably. Fifty-nine per cent of the respondents informed their patients of a diagnosis of schizophrenia on a case-by-case basis, while 37% informed only the patients' families. A tree analysis showed that the most important predictors for informing the patients of the diagnosis were assumptions about the public image of schizophrenia and a negative impression of the term schizophrenia, translated as 'Seishin Bunretsu Byou' in Japanese. The results revealed that the Japanese term for schizophrenia influences a psychiatrist's decision to inform patients of the diagnosis and that, by changing the term to a less stigmatized one, the disclosure of information about schizophrenia to patients would be promoted.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

A comparative study of endoscopic trigonoplasty for vesicoureteral reflux in children and in adults.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic trigonoplasty is an experimental therapy for vesicoureteral reflux. We investigated differences in surgical results between children and adults. METHODS: Endoscopic trigonoplasty was performed on 51 patients and 15 pediatric and 21 adult patients were included in this study. The children accounted for 27 cases of refluxing ureter (grade II, 8; III, 14; IV, 4; V, 1) and the adults for 28 cases (I, 4; II, 18; III, 4; IV, 2). There was a greater proportion of bilateral disease and a higher average degree of reflux in the children's group. RESULTS: We found no significant differences in operative time, complications, analgesics usage, the duration of the indwelling catheter and hospital stay. Our follow up at 3 months showed that the reflux had ceased in 19 of 27 cases (70%) in the children's group and in 27 of 28 cases (96%) in the adults' group. The next follow up at 12 months showed that there was no reflux in 16 of 27 cases (59%) in 15 children and in 17 of 23 adult cases (74%). Trigonal splitting caused recurrence of reflux greater than grade II, in two children (13%) affecting four ureters and in three adults (14%) affecting four ureters. CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic trigonoplasty has proved to be equally less invasive in children and in adults, but vesicoureteral reflux was less often resolved in children. This suggests that the greater original distance between the ureteral orifices and the greater thickness of the detrusor muscle favor the adult patient. For children, a new surgical concept is needed to increase cessation rate of vesicoureteral reflux.

Adult↗

Preliminary results of the alternating administration of natural interferon-alpha and recombinant interferon-gamma for metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the alternating administration of natural (n) interferon (IFN)-alpha and recombinant (r) IFN-gamma for metastatic RCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study comprised 24 patients (median age 60 years, range 42-77), 20 of whom were evaluable for response and all 24 evaluable for toxicity. Initially, nIFN-alpha was administered subcutaneously on days 1 and 3, and rIFN-gamma on day 2, for 1-2 weeks in the evening or at night, both at doses of 3 MU. If this regimen was tolerated, nIFN-alpha and rIFN-gamma were administered at the same doses on days 1, 3 and 5, and on days 2 and 4, respectively. RESULTS: There were three complete remissions and two partial remissions, giving a total response rate of 25%. All responders (complete plus partial remission) had undergone nephrectomy. Multiple lung metastases completely disappeared from four responders. The median and maximum time to remission in the responders were 2 and 7 months, respectively. The survival time of the responders was significantly longer than that of those not responding (stable and progressive disease, P=0.0202). Toxicities were mostly limited to WHO grades 1 and 2, with grade 3 leucopenia and grade 4 hepatic dysfunction in only one patient each. These toxicities were transient and there were no treatment-related deaths. CONCLUSION: The alternating administration of nIFN-alpha and rIFN-gamma is an effective treatment for metastatic RCC. This treatment is particularly suitable for patients who have undergone nephrectomy and have lung metastases.

Administration, Cutaneous↗

Hypoxia-induced adrenomedullin production in the kidney.

BACKGROUND: Adrenomedullin (AM) is a newly discovered peptide that has a potent vasorelaxant activity. To investigate its potential roles in hypoxia-induced renal injury, we examined whether AM production in the kidney increased under hypoxic conditions. METHODS: The AM transcript levels in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells, rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and rat mesangial cells were assessed by Northern blot analyses under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. The AM peptide in culture media was measured by radioimmunoassay. The effects of hypoxia on accumulation of cAMP in VSMCs were also examined. The stability of AM transcripts under normoxic and hypoxic conditions was compared in the presence of actinomycin D. The effects of hypoxia on AM promoter activity was assessed by transient transfection assays using the AM promoter subcloned upstream of luciferase gene. RESULTS: The expression of AM transcripts increased significantly in MDCK cells, rat VSMCs, and rat mesangial cells under hypoxic conditions without changes in the stability of AM transcripts; however, the AM promoter activity under hypoxic was not elevated significantly. The accumulation of AM peptide in culture media also increased significantly under hypoxic conditions in MDCK cells (2.2 +/- 0.1 fmol/10(5) cells in normoxia vs. 3.5 +/- 0.3 fmol/10(5) cells in hypoxia, 6 hr after hypoxia induction, P < 0.001), and in rat VSMCs (5.5 +/- 0.3 fmol/10(5) cells in normoxia vs. 7.8 +/- 0.4 fmol/10(5) cells in hypoxia, 8 hr after hypoxia induction, P < 0.01). Under hypoxic conditions, cAMP levels in rat VSMCs increased significantly compared with those under normoxic conditions (13.3 +/- 1.4 pmol/well vs. 4.6 +/- 0.4 pmol/well, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Renal parenchymal cells as well as renal vessels may produce AM under hypoxic conditions.

Adrenomedullin↗

Long-term follow-up results of a Pilot Phase II study of multidrug chemotherapy (MVP-CAB) in patients with advanced urothelial cancer.

BACKGROUND: To determine the long-term effects and toxicity of multidrug chemotherapy for advanced urothelial cancer. METHODS: Forty patients with metastatic urothelial cancer were treated with a new combination chemotherapy, MVP-CAB (methotrexate, doxorubicin, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, bleomycin and cisplatin every 28 days). Of the 40 patients, 26 had not undergone prior chemotherapy or radiotherapy; the remaining 14 patients had undergone prior cisplatin-based chemotherapy. RESULTS: The clinical response rate to MVP-CAB therapy for all 40 patients was 63% [complete response (CR), six patients; partial response (PR), 19 patients]. The median duration of the effects was 22 and 13 months in the patients with CR and PR, respectively. The clinical response rate for the 26 patients without prior chemotherapy was 77% (CR, four patients; PR, 16 patients). The rate for the 14 patients with prior chemotherapy was 36% (CR, two patients; PR, three patients). The response rate according to metastatic site was highest for the liver (80%), followed by the lymph nodes (74%) and lungs (67%). The effect on bone metastasis was poor (22%). There was good compliance with the MVP-CAB chemotherapy regimen and toxicity was tolerable. The 1-, 3- and 5-year overall survival rates were 42.5, 10 and 5%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: MVP-CAB combination chemotherapy was found to be effective for the treatment of advanced urothelial cancer, especially for liver metastasis.

Adult↗