Biomedical subjects

Yuji Nakamura

Publications and source records attributed to Yuji Nakamura.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2003

Spirits and gastrectomy increase risk for chronic pancreatitis in Japanese male alcoholics.

INTRODUCTION: Most cases of chronic pancreatitis are alcohol-related, but not all alcoholics develop pancreatitis. AIM: To elucidate historical and biologic risk factors for this disease. METHODOLOGY: Alcoholic Japanese men (n = 132) consecutively admitted to the National Alcoholism Center over 24 months, including 54 with chronic pancreatitis (diagnosed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) and 78 without, were surveyed about drinking history, smoking, education, and marital status, and tested for amylase, glycosylated hemoglobin, body mass, alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase genotypes, and K-ras gene mutations in pancreatic juice. RESULTS: Higher risk for chronic pancreatitis was associated with drinking spirits rather than lower-alcohol beverages (odds ratio [OR], 2.58; p= 0.01). Daily ethanol consumption by those who drank spirits was greater than that among those who drank lower-alcohol beverages; however, no differences in either daily ethanol consumption or duration of drinking were observed between alcoholics with and without chronic pancreatitis. Postgastrectomy patients were at higher risk for chronic pancreatitis than unoperated comparison subjects (OR, 4.35, P< 0.05). Elevated glycosylated hemoglobin (OR, 4.62, p< 0.01), decreased amylase (OR 4.20, P<0.02), and low body mass (OR 1.89, P<0.1) were more frequent in alcoholics with chronic pancreatitis. K- gene mutations existed in 18.8% of alcoholics with chronic pancreatitis but in only 11.4% of those without the disorder. The frequencies of alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase genotypes in alcoholics with and without pancreatitis did not differ significantly. CONCLUSION: Our study strongly suggested that spirits and partial gastrectomy increase the risk for chronic pancreatitis in male alcoholics.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Low serum amylase levels in drinking alcoholics.

BACKGROUND: We have reported that the serum level of amylase, different from other pancreatic enzymes, increases temporarily after abstinence in alcoholics. To elucidate the mechanism of this phenomenon, pancreatic isoamylase, salivary isoamylase, and amylase in urine were measured together with total serum amylase. METHODS: Total serum amylase, pancreatic isoamylase, and salivary isoamylase values were measured in 38 male patients admitted to the National Alcoholism Center, Kurihama Hospital, for alcoholism after abstinence. In an investigation of amylase secretion, amylase in urine was measured in some patients after abstinence. RESULTS: In the group with abnormally high total serum amylase on admission, levels were found to decrease after abstinence. In patients with pancreatic disorders in this group, abstinence leads to a decrease in total serum amylase, but in patients with no such disorders, total serum amylase increases temporarily due to increases in salivary isoamylase. In the group with normal total serum amylase on admission, levels increased sharply after abstinence, and both pancreatic isoamylase and salivary isoamylase contributed to the gains. In the group with low total serum amylase, a sharp increase of 2-fold or more was noted after abstinence, and a major contributor was pancreatic isoamylase. The ratio of urine amylase to total serum amylase gradually declined, indicating clearly that abstinence led to a decrease in the excretion of amylase in urine. CONCLUSIONS: In cases of heavy alcohol consumption, a decrease in the production or secretion of pancreatic isoamylase and salivary isoamylase while drinking could happen. It was thus suggested that the increase in serum amylase might be due to the fact that this situation is improved by abstinence, plus the fact that excretion of amylase in urine increases during alcohol consumption, and abstinence brings about a decline in such excretion. Measurement of total serum amylase is not appropriate for diagnosing pancreatitis in alcoholic patients or those who consume large quantities of alcohol.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Environmental gamma-ray dose rate in Aomori Prefecture, Japan.

Japan's first commercial nuclear fuel cycling facilities, including a spent nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, are now under construction in Rokkasho, Aomori Prefecture (prefecture--an area of administration similar to a county in the U.S.). The reprocessing plant is due to be completed by 2004. We surveyed indoor and outdoor environmental gamma-ray dose rates throughout Aomori Prefecture from 1992 to 1996 to get background data before operation of the plant. Glass dosimeters were used to measure cumulative gamma-ray dose rate. The outdoor gamma-ray dose rates were measured at 109 locations in the prefecture. The indoor gamma-ray dose rates were measured at 81 locations, which were generally in a dwelling near the location of an outdoor measurement. The contribution of radionuclides in the ground to the outdoor dose rate was estimated by using in-situ gamma-ray spectrometry with a germanium detector. The spectra were measured at 20 locations used for the glass dosimeter measurements. The outdoor gamma-ray dose rate was higher in the Tsugaru area (western part of the prefecture) than in the Nanbu area (eastern part). Means of the dose rate were 28, 31, and 25 nGy h(-1) for the whole prefecture and Tsugaru and Nanbu areas, respectively. The dose rates in winter were lower than those in the other seasons due to the shielding effect of snow on the ground. Mean contributions of uranium series, thorium series and 40K to the dose rates were 7.7, 8.2, and 9.3 nGy h(-1), respectively. The indoor dose rate was generally higher than the outdoor one, and the mean ratio of indoor to outdoor dose rates was 1.42. Means of indoor gamma-ray dose rate were 41, 37, and 43 nGy h(-1) for the whole prefecture and Tsugaru and Nanbu areas, respectively. The average effective dose rate to people in the prefecture was estimated to be 0.24 mSv y(-1).

Air Pollution, Indoor↗

PubMed2002

Cardiovascular and adenylate cyclase stimulating effects of colforsin daropate, a water-soluble forskolin derivative, compared with those of isoproterenol, dopamine and dobutamine.

Colforsin daropate is a recently developed water-soluble derivative of forskolin that directly stimulates adenylate cyclase, unlike the catecholamines. The chronotropic, inotropic and coronary vasodilator actions of colforsin daropate were compared with those of isoproterenol, dopamine and dobutamine, using canine isolated, blood-perfused heart preparations. The stimulating effect of each drug on adenylate cyclase activity was also assessed. Colforsin daropate, as well as each of the catecholamines, exerted positive chronotropic, inotropic and coronary vasodilator actions. The order of selectivity for the cardiovascular variables of colforsin daropate was coronary vasodilation >> positive inotropy > positive chronotropy; whereas that of isoproterenol, dopamine and dobutamine was positive inotropy >> coronary vasodilation > positive chronotropy. Thus, a marked characteristic of colforsin daropate is its potent coronary vasodilator action. On the other hand, each drug significantly increased the adenylate cyclase activity in a dose-related manner: colforsin daropate >> isoproterenol > dopamine = dobutamine. These results suggest that colforsin daropate may be preferable in the treatment of severe heart failure where the coronary blood flow is reduced and beta-adrenoceptor-dependent signal transduction pathway is down-regulated.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

PubMed2002

[Radiation-induced apoptosis in vivo: therapeutic significance of apoptosis in radiation therapy].

Apoptotic cell death is frequently found in certain tumor cells after irradiation; however, the incidence is not always high in vivo. Seven tumors were transplanted to nude mice, and their organs were histologically examined after irradiation to study the therapeutic significance of apoptosis in radiation therapy. A high incidence of apoptosis was found only in radiosensitive tumors or normal cells with wild-type p53, but the peak incidence in most cells was only a few percent or less. However, the calculated total incidence of apoptotic cell death was much higher than the actual peak incidence, because the half-life of apoptosis is very short. Even in radioresistant tumors, total radiation-induced apoptosis was estimated to be about 10 percent. These results suggest that apoptotic cell death in radiotherapy may be more important in vivo than previously estimated.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

[Not Available].

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Journal Article↗