PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Y Yamaguchi

Publications and source records attributed to Y Yamaguchi.

At least 793 records · Page 44Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

[A case of verrucous carcinoma showing a good partial response by C.P.E. (CDDP, PEP, etoposide) chemotherapy].

A 60-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with a complaint of rough feeling on the oral mucosa and diagnosed as verrucous carcinoma with histopathological examination. She was treated with CPE chemotherapy, and showed a good response and improvement of clinical symptoms. Toxicities were leukopenia, alopecia and anorexia. However, these were slight side effects. The patient is currently healthy with no recurrence after two years and 3 months. CPE chemotherapy is considered to be effective for a patient with verrucous carcinoma.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1992

[Analysis of lymph node metastatic pattern in relation to prognosis and recurrence in pN2 resected lung cancer patients].

Lymph node metastasis was analyzed quantitatively with 4 categories and relation to post surgical survival and recurrence pattern was studied in patients with pN2 primary lung cancer who underwent relatively curative or relatively noncurative resection of the tumors. There was no relation between metastatic coefficient and post surgical survival, however, better survival was observed when the metastatic ratio and metastatic frequency were low and metastatic mode was random or skip pattern rather than sequential pattern. Metastatic coefficient and metastatic frequency were higher in cases with recurrence in lymph nodes but the former was lower and the latter was higher in cases with recurrence in intra-pulmonary dissemination or metastasis. There was no relation between metastatic coefficient and distant metastasis but metastatic frequency was lower in cases with recurrence in distant metastasis. Cases with sequential lymph node metastasis showed a tendency of lymph node recurrence and intrapulmonary metastasis and those with random or skip metastasis of lymph nodes had a tendency of distant metastasis.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1992

[Function, molecular structure and gene expression regulation of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta)].

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is a multifunctional peptide growth factor widely distributed in vertebrates and represents a prototype of a large family of structurally related factors that regulate various cellular functions, ranging from amphibian embryonal development to hormone production in the human pituitary. TGF-beta is a disulfide-bonded homodimer of a subunit of 12.5 kD that is derived from a much larger precursor. The amino acid sequences of TGF-betas are highly conserved among species, suggesting their physiological importance. TGF-beta was originally isolated from human platelets as a factor that induces anchorage-independent growth of normal fibroblasts. However, later studies have revealed that its major biological activities include inhibition of cell proliferation, and regulation of differentiation, cell adhesion and extracellular matrix deposition. There are three types of cellular receptors that bind TGF-beta. Type II receptor, of which cDNA was recently cloned, is a functional serine/threonine kinase and is thought to be involved in the TGF-beta-mediated signal transduction pathway. The importance of TGF-beta in clinical medicine will increase not only as it is a promising therapeutic drug, but also as its excessive activity can be the cause of various human fibrotic diseases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

[Flow cytometric analysis of the DNA ploidy pattern of primary lung cancer--its prognostic and biological implications].

In order to clarify the significance of the nuclear DNA ploidy pattern in primary lung cancer, recent reports of flow cytometric analysis of nuclear DNA are discussed. It has been reported in many institutes, that nuclear DNA ploidy pattern was a significant and an independent postsurgical prognostic factor in lung cancer, statistically. Diploidy tumors showed a better post-surgical outcome than aneuploid tumors. This fact is more evident in stage I tumor than in advanced cases and was more in squamous cell carcinomas than in adenocarcinomas. Some papers reported that tumors with a high DNA index showed more invasive character than that with a low DNA index with flow cytometric and histopathological examination. As the percentage of aneuploid tumor was much higher in primary lung cancer than in other cancers, more detailed characterization is believed to be needed in aneuploid tumors by means of other oncological analysis, e.g. growth factors or expression of oncogene products.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1992

Angiotensin II influences the renal hemodynamic response to blockade of thromboxane A2 and prostaglandin H2 receptors.

This study was designed to examine the influence of angiotensin II on the renal hemodynamic response to blockade of thromboxane A2 and prostaglandin H2 receptors with SQ29548 (2 mg/kg, i.v. bolus, plus 2 mg kg-1 hr-1 infusion) in anesthetized rats. In control rats without any pretreatment, SQ29548 did not change blood pressure, but increased renal blood flow from 7.0 +/- 0.4 to 7.7 +/- 0.4 ml min-1 g kidney weight-1 (P < .05) and decreased renal vascular resistance from 18.1 +/- 1.0 to 16.2 +/- 0.8 mm Hg/ml min-1 g kidney weight-1 (P < .05). In contrast, SQ29548 was without effect on renal blood flow or renal vascular resistance in rats pretreated with saralasin or captopril to block angiotensin II actions and formation, respectively. SQ29548 also increased renal blood flow and decreased renal vascular resistance in rats pretreated with captopril in which the plasma concentration of angiotensin II was fixed at elevated levels by concurrently infusing the peptide at doses ranging from 5 to 80 ng/min. In this experimental setting, the administration of SQ29548 reduced preglomerular vascular resistance selectively. Because, according to previous studies, SQ29548 does not interfere with the direct vasoconstrictor actions of angiotensin II, the renal vasodilatory effect of SQ29548 in rats with elevated plasma angiotensin II is attributable to interference with the operation of mechanisms of vasoconstriction mediated by activation of thromboxane A2-prostaglandin H2 receptors. We conclude that the status of the renin-angiotensin system is a determinant of the renal vasodilatory response to SQ29548.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1992

Development of systemic lupus erythematosus after total resection of a thymoma and the adjacent thymic gland.

We describe a woman with systemic lupus erythematosus presenting with nephropathy after the complete resection of a thymoma and the adjacent thymic gland. The woman showed no symptoms of autoimmune disorders or nephropathy at operation. One year later, however, she noticed arthralgia, and laboratory examination showed mild proteinuria, leukopenia, a high level of serum antinuclear antibody (1:1280), anti-dsDNA antibody, and a low level of complement. Renal biopsy showed focal necrotizing glomerular lesions, suggestive of lupus involvement. The pathogenesis of lupus erythematosus in our case is briefly discussed in relation to preceding thymoma and its resection.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1992

New enzymatic method with tryptophanase for determining potassium in serum.

We established a simple and rapid enzymatic method for measuring potassium ion in serum by using tryptophanase (EC 4.1.99.1) purified from Escherichia coli K12 strain (E. coli K12 IFO 3301). The presence of pyridoxal 5-phosphate promotes this enzymatic reaction, and potassium and (or) ammonium ions further accelerate it, with ammonium and potassium ions providing equivalent acceleration. We eliminated endogenous ammonium ion by using glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH; EC 1.4.1.4), then produced ammonium ion in the presence of tryptophanase, tryptophan, and pyridoxal 5-phosphate. The concentration of formed ammonium ion, which was proportional to that of potassium ion in sample, was determined by adding GLDH to produce NADP+ in the presence of 2-oxoglutarate and NADPH; we then read the change of absorbance at 340 nm. The standard curve was linear for potassium ion concentrations up to 7.00 mmol/L. The within-assay variation (CV) was 0.89% at 5.51 mmol/L and 1.32% at 3.37 mmol/L. The day-to-day CVs were 0.99% at 6.85 mmol/L and 1.71% at 3.52 mmol/L. Analytical recoveries ranged from 98.7% to 108.9%. The correlation coefficient between values obtained with this enzymatic assay (y) and by flame photometry (x) was 0.995: y = 0.984x + 0.091 mmol/L (Sy.x = 0.105, n = 100). The presence of hemoglobin, bilirubin, or other cations little affects this system.

Ammonia↗
PubMed1992

[The advantages of laser assist in parenchyma-sparing pulmonary resection].

The advantages of laser irradiation were investigated retrospectively, using a total of 89 parenchyma-sparing pulmonary resection (PSPR) for localized lung lesions which included 42 conventional wedge resection (CWR), 8 PSPR using electrocoagulator (PE) and 39 PSPR using CO2 laser or Nd:YAG laser (PCYL). The major axes of the lesions in PNYL (25.4 +/- 10 mm) were significantly (p = 0.0387) longer than that in CWR (20.3 +/- 11.3 mm). The amount of bleeding during operation was similar in three groups. The mean value of the amount of postoperative exudation from the thoracic drains in PCYL (615 ml) was only 60 ml more than that in CWR. Bloody sputum was observed for 4.8 days in PCYL and 5.0 days in CWR, whereas 7.1 days in PE. Air leak was observed 33.3% in PCYL, 37.5% in PE, whereas 22.5% in CWR, that continued for 1.7 days (mean value) in PCYL, 1.6 days in PE and 2.0 days in CWR. Decrease (differences between preoperative and postoperative lung functions/volume of the lesions) in FVC and FEV1.0 in PCYL (mean values = 221, 158) and PE (174, 135) were less than that in CWR (339, 204). Laser assist in PSPR revealed advantages in hemostasis comparing with PE, and in parenchyma-sparing comparing with CWR. And no clear difference between PCYL and CWR in bleeding during operation, the amount of postoperative exudation and postoperative air leak. CO2 laser is reported that has higher potential in vaporization or cutting but lower ability in hemostasis comparing with Nd:YAG laser, so authors would express that Nd:YAG laser assist is most safe and effective in parenchyma-sparing lung resection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

A new approach to chemoembolization for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma using aclarubicin microspheres in combination with cisplatin suspended in iodized oil.

Sixty-six consecutive patients with unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were treated with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) using aclarubicin microspheres (ACRms) in combination with cisplatin suspended in iodized oil (Lipiodol, Laboratoire Guerbert, Paris, France) (CSL). The stages of the disease were as follows: Stage I (n = 1), Stage II (n = 10), Stage III (n = 26), and Stage IV (n = 29). The effectiveness of TACE was assessed by comparing ACRms with CSL with ACRms without CSL. Of 66 patients treated with ACRms and CSL, 62 (93.9%) could be examined for response. According to response criteria, there were 31 (50.0%) partial responses and 17 (27.4%) minor responses. In 13 cases (21.0%) there was no change and in 1 case (1.6%) there was progressive disease. The cumulative survival rate was 80.7% at 1 year, 64.2% at 2 years, and 50.6% at 3 years. The rates were significantly higher than those of the group treated with ACRms. Eleven patients in the ACRms and CSL group experienced clinical complications: cholecystitis (4.5%), pancreatitis (3.0%), liver abscess (3.0%), hepatic failure (3.0%), gastrointestinal bleeding (1.5%), and renal failure (1.5%). No lethal side effects related to the therapy were observed. TACE using ACRms in combination with CSL prolongs the survival of patients with unresectable HCC.

Aclarubicin↗
PubMed1991

Analysis of the survival of mature human eosinophils: interleukin-5 prevents apoptosis in mature human eosinophils.

We and other groups have previously shown that interleukin-5 (IL-5) maintained the viability of mature eosinophils in an in vitro liquid culture system. Mature eosinophils did not proliferate but their survival was maintained in the presence of IL-5. Using this culture system, we investigated the mechanism of IL-5-mediated survival. In the absence of human IL-5 (hIL-5) mature eosinophils succumbed after 4 days, while in the presence of hIL-5 they survived up to 10 days. When DNA extracts of cultured eosinophils were analyzed on an agar gel electrophoresis, marked DNA fragmentation was observed in the absence of hIL-5, while no significant DNA fragmentation was observed in the culture with hIL-5 for 48 hours. The DNA fragmentation appeared as early as 6 to 12 hours after hIL-5 deprivation. Concomitantly, IL-5 stimulated total RNA and protein synthesis, but did not induce DNA synthesis in mature eosinophils. Because cycloheximide or actinomycin D impeded the protection of apoptosis by hIL-5, some new RNA and protein synthesis appeared to be required in this phenomena. These findings indicate that IL-5 maintains survival of mature eosinophils with induction of new RNA and protein synthesis, thus leading to the inhibition of apoptosis.

Cell Death↗
PubMed1991

Growth inhibitory factor of human alveolar macrophage.

The effect of human lung conditioned medium (HLCM) on the DNA synthesis in cultured human alveolar macrophages (HAM) was evaluated. The medium from human lung cultured for 3 days (3d-HLCM) promoted the DNA synthesis as well as the recombinant human GM-CSF does. On the other hand, that cultured for six days (6d-HLCM) did not promote the DNA synthesis but strongly suppressed GM-CSF induced DNA synthesis in HAM. This growth inhibitory effect was also observed when several macrophage like cell lines were cultured with 6d-HLCM. Partial purification of an inhibitory factor on gel permeation HPLC revealed two distinct peaks of activity with molecular weights of 38 kd and 110 kd.

Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid↗
PubMed1991

Effect of synthesized constituents in the L-tryptophan product on the differentiation of eosinophils and the induction of IL-6: a possible cause of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome.

While the pathogenesis of eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) remains obscure, the ingestion of L-trypophan (LT) and possibly certain constituents in the LT product might be associated. We investigated the effect of chemically synthesized substances, 1,1'-ethylidene bis[tryptophan] (EBT) and its decomposition product, 1-methyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid (MTCA) recently identified in the implicated LT, on the eosinophil differentiation and the induction of IL-1 and IL-6. EBT and MTCA alone did not support colony formation. However, EBT or MTCA in conjunction with IL-2 induced colony-forming activity containing a small number of eosinophils. In addition, these LT constituents induced a significant level of IL-6 but not IL-1 beta in the mononuclear cells from normal volunteers and a patient with hypereosinophilic syndrome. These results suggest that certain constituents of LT product are associated with the pathogenesis of EMS through the induction of colony-stimulating factors and IL-6, hence giving rise to eosinophilia and inflammation.

Bone Marrow↗
PubMed1991

Support of early B-cell differentiation in mouse fetal liver by stromal cells and interleukin-7.

We compared the development of B-cell progenitors with that of myeloid progenitors in fetal liver cells at various gestational ages. Day 12 to 14 fetal liver cells did not form pre-B-cell colonies. Pre-B-cell colonies were developed from day 15 fetal liver cells. The incidence of colonies increased with increases in gestational age and reached a maximum on days 18 to 19. In contrast, the incidence of myeloid colonies formed in the presence of interleukin-3 (IL-3) and erythropoietin did not change significantly during days 13 to 21 of gestation. After coculturing day 13 fetal liver cells with IL-7-producing stromal cell line ST-2, they could respond to IL-7 and proliferate. Analysis of the phenotypes showed that day 13 fetal liver cells were B220-, IgM-, while culturing day 13 fetal liver cells with ST-2 and untreated day 18 fetal liver cells contained the population of B220+ cells. Even in the presence of IL-7-defective stromal cell line FLS-3, IL-7-responsive cells could be induced from day 13 fetal liver cells. IL-7 acted on B220+ cells and induced pre-B-cell colonies that contained IgM+ cells in the methylcellulose culture. IL-7 mRNA was expressed in days 13 and 18 fetal liver cells but not in pre-B cells or adult liver cells. From these findings, it is suggested that stromal cells or stromal-derived factors but not IL-7 were required for the differentiation from B220- cells to B220+ cells. In the second stage, B220+, IgM- cells proliferated and some of them differentiated to IgM+ cells in the presence of IL-7 alone. The two-step model can apply to in vivo early B lymphopoiesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Rat plasma cholesterol after particulate triacylglycerol clearance.

Following clearance of plasma cholesterol-rich triacylglycerol emulsions, lower-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased minimally in chow and considerably in cholesterol-fed rats. Cholesterol-poor chylomicrons and enteral triacylglycerol produced similar lipoprotein cholesterol increases in cholesterol-fed rats indicating tissue cholesterol recruitment after particulate triacylglycerol clearance. No plasma cholesterol increment was found after chylomicron clearance in anhepatic cholesterol fed rats demonstrating the liver as the major tissue source. The post triacylglycerol clearance was not due to the influx of fatty acid into the liver since larger hepatic free fatty acid loads produced no plasma cholesterol increment. This plasma cholesterol response to particulate triacylglycerol flux occurs only when the liver has excess cholesterol and if applicable to man, may be a factor explaining the large plasma cholesterol differences between diets rich and poor in lipid.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

The assessment of bioavailable androgen levels from the serum free testosterone level.

Recently, it has been concluded that measurement of the serum free testosterone level is crucial for evaluating male gonadal function. However, the extent of the decline of serum free testosterone levels with aging and the actual levels in male infertility have not yet been clearly defined. In this study, the clinical significance of serum free testosterone levels was evaluated in a total of 248 subjects, including 120 healthy adult males (54 males aged 20-39, 26 males aged 40-59 and 41 males aged more than 60), 94 infertile males, 28 male hemodialysis patients, and 6 patients with Klinefelter's syndrome. Since the serum free testosterone levels correlate significantly with serum LH and FSH levels among 120 normal adult males, it appears that free testosterone has a biological action on the organ. In the subjects aged over 60, serum free testosterone levels were significantly decreased compared with the decrease of serum total testosterone. Thus, biologically active androgen levels decreased with aging. Serum free testosterone levels tended to decrease significantly from 40 years onwards. In infertile males, serum total testosterone levels were equal to those in normal adult males, but their serum free testosterone levels were significantly lower. This decrease of serum free testosterone may be one of the causes of their hypospermatogenesis. In male hemodialysis patients, serum total and free testosterone levels were not lower than in normal adult males. It is considered that the decline of percentage of serum free testosterone levels in aged males and infertile males was caused by increased serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels. Several workers have shown that the production of SHBG is regulated by sex steroid hormones. In this study, however, serum SHBG levels were not correlated with the E2/T ratio. We concluded that measurement of the serum free testosterone level is of value in the endocrinological evaluation of male gonadal function.

Adult↗