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Biomedical subjects

A Fujii

Publications and source records attributed to A Fujii.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Ampicillin concentrations in radicular cysts following a single oral administration of bacampicillin.

1. Ampicillin concentrations in cyst wall (wall) and cyst fluid (fluid) of radicular cyst and serum following a single oral administration of bacampicillin (equivalent to 500 mg of ampicillin) were measured by a paper disk method. 2. The mean peak concentrations of ampicillin in wall, fluid, and serum occurred at identical times, 1.5 hr, and were 2.39 micrograms/g, 0.77, and 10.24 micrograms/ml, respectively. 3. Mean ampicillin concentration ratios of wall/serum, fluid/serum, and fluid/wall at the peak time were 0.23, 0.07, and 0.40, respectively. 4. Mean ampicillin concentrations in wall and fluid at the peak time exceeded MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) for 90% (0.5 microgram/ml) for clinically isolated strains of alpha-hemolytic Streptococci.

Administration, Oral↗

Effect of organic germanium compound (Ge-132) on experimental osteoporosis in rats.

1. The therapeutic effect of organic germanium compound, 2-carboxyethylgermaniumsesquioxide (Ge-132), for experimental osteoporosis was studied using ovariectomized rats maintained on a low calcium containing diet. 2. Serum calcitonin (sCT) level was decreased and serum parathyroid hormone (sPTH) level was increased by ovariectomy and the decrement and increment rates, respectively, were reduced by administration of Ge-132. Thus, the sCT/sPTH ratio was greater in the groups given Ge-132, indicating that the resorption was somehow inhibited by Ge-132. 3. The transverse strength of femur bone was significantly enhanced by Ge-132. 4. A trend was found in the group given Ge-132 for a larger femur cortical bone index. 5. The relative femur bone wet weight was greater in the group given Ge-132. 6. These results indicate that Ge-132 prevents decreased bone strength, and affects the femur cortical bone index, and bone mineral mass caused by osteoporosis.

Animals↗

The impact of autologous bone marrow transplantation on hematopoietic recovery after high-dose cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and cisplatin chemotherapy for patients with gynecological malignancies.

Twenty-six patients with gynecological malignancies (21 ovarian and 5 uterine malignant tumors) who were treated 42 times with high-dose cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and cisplatin (CAP) chemotherapy with autologous bone marrow transplantation (ABMT) were assessed for the impact of predictive parameters on hematopoietic recovery. An inverse correlation was observed between the number of infused nucleated marrow cells (NMC)/kg or colony-forming units of granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM)/kg and the leukopenic duration < 1 x 10(3)/microliters; the correlation coefficients were r = -0.54 and -0.49, respectively (p < 0.001). The recovery time of platelet count to achieve more than 5 x 10(4)/microliters without transfusion was inversely correlated with CFU-GM/kg (r = -0.33, p < 0.05) but not with NMC/kg. Neither the episodes of fever nor the number of chemotherapy courses performed on the patients influenced the hematopoietic recovery. The numbers of infused CFU-GM and NMC were useful parameters of leukopoietic recovery after ABMT and high-dose CAP chemotherapy.

Adult↗

Conformational studies of cyclo(L-Phe-L-Pro-Gly-L-Pro)2 by 1H- and 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and its enantioface-differentiating ability.

Analyses of the 1H- and 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H- and 13C-NMR) spectra of the cyclooctapeptide cyclo (L-Phe-L-Pro-Gly-L-Pro)2 (3) in CDCl3 with the aid of the C-H correlated spectroscopy (C-H COSY) two-dimensional NMR spectrum (Fig. 2) suggested that two kinds of C2-symmetric conformation with all trans and cis-trans-trans-trans forms coexist. When 0.5 eq of CsSCN or 1 eq of D- and L-PheOMe.HCl (D/L ratio = 1/2) was added to a solution of the cyclooctapeptide (3) in CDCl3, the 1H- and 13C-NMR spectra (Fig. 3) suggested the presence of only one C2-symmetric conformation (all trans), resulting from the formation of complexes with CsSCN or D- and L-PheOMe.HCl. The 13C-NMR spectra of the complexes of the cyclooctapeptide (3 or 4) with D- and L-PheOMe.HCl displayed separate resonances for each carbon atom of D-PheOMe.HCl and L-PheOMe.HCl. Furthermore, the ability of 3 to distinguish the D from the L enantiomer, is superior to that of 4 (Table II).

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Concentrations of lomefloxacin in radicular cyst and oral tissues following single or multiple oral administration.

Concentrations of lomefloxacin in serum, the wall and fluid of radicular cyst, gingiva, and jawbone following single or multiple oral administration were measured. The highest concentrations of lomefloxacin in serum, cyst wall, cyst fluid, gingiva, and jawbone occurred at 3 h after multiple administration, and were 2.31 micrograms/ml, 4.06 micrograms/g, 1.54 micrograms/ml, 4.72 micrograms/g and 2.79 micrograms/g, respectively. The mean concentration ratios of wall/serum, fluid/serum, fluid/wall, gingiva/serum, and jawbone/serum at the highest concentrations were 1.74, 0.73, 0.47, 2.52 and 1.20, respectively. Although most lomefloxacin concentrations in cyst and oral tissues following single oral administration did not exceed the MICs for 80% of clinically isolated strains of alpha-hemolytic streptococci, Staphylococcus aureus and Niesseria spp., most of those obtained after multiple oral administration exceeded the MICs except in the case of fluid.

Adult↗

Adjuvant chemotherapy for invasive urothelial cancer: experience with a methotrexate, vincristine, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, adriamycin and bleomycin (MVP-CAB) regimen: a preliminary report.

MVP-CAB chemotherapy (methotrexate, vincristine, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, adriamycin and bleomycin) was administered to 28 patients with high grade, locally-invasive or regional lymph node-involved urothelial cancer as an adjuvant therapy after radical surgery. The median follow-up period of all the evaluated patients was 24 (range, 5-62) months. The median disease-free durations in patients with pT1b+2+3 bladder and upper urothelial cancer were 26 and 22 months, respectively. In contrast, all patients with pT4 disease or lymph node metastases had a recurrence within 24 months of surgery. The median disease-free durations in patients with pure transitional cell carcinoma (grade 3) of the bladder and upper urothelial cancer were 19 and 18 months, respectively. The median disease-free duration in patients with grade 3 pT1b+2+3 pure transitional cell carcinoma was 19 months. In contrast, the median disease-free duration in bladder cancer patients with pT1b+2+3 squamous cell carcinoma components was 35 months. The three-year actuarial survival rates were 79 and 89% for pT1b+2+3 bladder and upper urothelial cancer, respectively, while the three-year actuarial survival rates of patients with pT4 bladder cancer and pT4 upper urothelial cancer were 0 and 100%, respectively. The two-year actuarial survivals in the bladder cancer and upper urothelial cancer patients with lymph node involvement were 0 and 100%, respectively. The three-year actuarial survivals of patients with pure transitional cell carcinoma (grade 3) were 53 and 80% in bladder cancer and upper urothelial cancer patients, respectively. The three-year actuarial survival rate in patients with squamous cell carcinoma or adenocarcinoma components which did not recur was, however, 100%. Although randomized studies comparing MVP-CAB and M-VAC (methotrexate, vinblastin, adriamycin and cisplatin) or other chemotherapeutic regimens will be necessary, we believe our results indicate that MVP-CAB chemotherapy may be useful as an adjuvant therapy for patients with urothelial cancer, including those with squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma components. More intensive MVP-CAB chemotherapy, i.e., increasing the dose of cisplatin and giving at least five courses, as well as the use of granulocyte colony stimulating factor and a new antiemetic drug (granisetron), will, however, be necessary for patients with pT4 or lymph node-involved disease.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Paratesticular leiomyosarcoma with elevated serum basic fetoprotein: a case report.

A case of paratesticular leiomyosarcoma associated with elevated serum basic fetoprotein level is reported. A 45-year-old male visited our hospital with a 6-month history of a painless left scrotal mass. High orchiectomy was performed under the diagnosis of left testicular tumor. Macroscopic and microscopic examination of the resected tumor demonstrated it to be paratesticular leiomyosarcoma. The value of serum basic fetoprotein, which is a newly identified oncofetal protein and useful as a tumor marker in some kinds of malignant neoplasm, was elevated before therapy, and its fluctuation was correlated with his clinical course. In spite of chemotherapy and resection of metastatic lesions in the lung, his condition gradually deteriorate with increasing serum basic fetoprotein level, and he died with carcinomatosis 2 years and 6 months after his admission. We suggest that basic fetoprotein is a useful tumor marker in this disease.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗

[A case of asynchronous renal cell carcinoma and urothelial cancer of the urinary bladder and left ureter].

A 49-year-old male with left renal cell carcinoma and urothelial cancer (bladder and residual left ureter), which asynchronously occurred, was reported. He had received radical nephrectomy due to renal cell carcinoma 12 years earlier. He was followed up by his local physician for 7 years postoperatively, during which time no metastatic lesion was detected. However, he presented with macroscopic hematuria on January 7, 1992, and a diagnosis of urinary bladder cancer was made at our hospital. Computerized tomography demonstrated a non-papillary, broad-based tumor on the left wall of the urinary bladder, which histologically was transitional cell carcinoma (grade 3). Radical cystectomy, ureterectomy of the left residual ureter and ileal conduit were performed. Histological examinations showed that the urinary bladder tumor was transitional cell carcinoma, grade 3, pT-3b, and CIS (transitional cell carcinoma, grade 3) was found in the residual left ureter. Chemotherapy containing cis-platinum was performed as an adjuvant therapy, but multiple lung metastatic lesions appeared 2 months postoperatively, the histology of which was transitional cell carcinoma, suggesting metastasis from the urothelial cancer. Chemotherapy was ineffective, and he died of the disease 9 months after the operation. If this patient had been under long-term follow-up, the urothelial cancer may have been resected completely by transurethral resection. Our report indicated the importance of examination of the urinary tract in patients with such cancers, as well as the necessity of long-term follow-up.

Carcinoma, Renal Cell↗

[A method for measurement of circulating blood volume with fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled red blood cells].

We developed a new method to measure the total circulating blood volume using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labeled autologous red blood cell as an indicator. Red blood cells were labeled by incubation with 0.1 mg.ml-1 FITC in PBS (pH 7.2) for 30 min at 37 degrees C. Eighteen dogs were given an intravenous injection of FITC labeled red blood cells, which were approximately 0.1% of the total circulating red blood cells estimated from the body weight. The ratio of labeled cells to the normal circulating red blood cells was determined by a flow cytometry. The total blood volume was calculated from its dilution rate. The average circulating blood volume determined by this method was 76.8 +/- 9.2 ml.kg-1 (mean +/- SD). This result coincides well with the values reported previously. This method using non radioactive tracers enables a reproducible measurement of circulating blood volume and its change with time.

Animals↗

[Influences of 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-DFUR) on cell cycle in patients with breast cancer].

Recently, the effectiveness of preoperative chemotherapy for cancer treatment has attracted much attention. The authors conducted a study to investigate the influence of 5'-DFUR administration on the cell cycle, based on DNA analysis using FCM in patients with breast cancer. A total of 53 patients with breast cancer (Stages I, II and III) were investigated concerning tumor PyNPase activity and cell cycle phase. Subjects were stratified according to tumor diameter, histologic type and ER in the group receiving preoperative 5'-DFUR administration (25 patients) and the group not receiving 5'-DFUR (28 patients). The subjects in the group on 5'-DFUR preoperative administration were classified into three sub-groups according to total dosages of 400 mg (8 patients), under 4,800 mg (8 patients) and 4,800 mg or over (9 patients). In terms of tumor diameter, significant increases (p = 0.027) of S-phase were observed in patients with the diameters of 5 cm or more in the sub-group of under 4,800 mg dosage. Similar tendencies were seen in all drug administration groups (p = 0.05). However, no influence was observed on S-phase in the group without 5'-DFUR administration. In terms of ER stratification, ER(-) patients in the dosing groups showed increasing tendencies in S-phase and significant differences of G1- as well as G2+M phases. No differences in PyNPase activity were noted in each stratified group. Preoperative administration of 5'-DFUR resulted in alterations of cell cycle in breast cancers. In patients with a total drug dosage of under 4,800 mg and with tumor diameters of 5 cm or more, increases of S-phase and decreases of G1-phase were observed. It was suggested that 5'-DFUR acted in DNA synthesizing stage to accumulate S-phase inhibiting cell cycles. Consequently, this drug is considered useful for neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Cloning and sequencing of the human homeobox gene HOX4A.

The HOX4A gene, one of the homeobox-containing genes on human chromosome 2, has been isolated by screening a genomic cosmid library with a HOX4B cDNA probe. The HOX4A gene consists of at least two exons separated by a long intron of 1860 bp. According to conceptual translation, the HOX4A protein is predicted to be composed of 416 amino acid residues. Interestingly, the HOX4A protein has a sequence, Pro-Ala-Ser-Gln-Ser-Pro-Glu-Arg-Ser, eight amino acids downstream from the homeodomain, which is similar to that containing a phosphorylation site in pp60c-src, Pro-Ala-Ser-Gln-Thr-Pro-Asn-Lys-Thr. However, the HOX2G protein, which exhibits a paralogous relationship with the HOX4A protein, does not possess the sequence which is similar to that in pp60c-src. A comparison of the predicted HOX4A protein with the HOX2G protein revealed four regions of amino acid sequence similarities: an N-terminal tetrapeptide, a pentapeptide (pre-box) upstream of the homeodomain, the homeodomain and a C-terminal octapeptide.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Deoxyspergualin, a novel immunosuppressant, markedly inhibits human mixed lymphocyte reaction and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte activity in vitro.

Deoxyspergualin (DSG) has demonstrated potent immunosuppressive activities in vivo. However, because of its lability in culture medium, the mechanism of activity has not yet been identified in vitro. In this study, a more stable analogue, deoxymethylspergualin (MeDSG), was used to investigate the in vitro immunosuppressive activity of DSG. MeDSG suppressed both human mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity at doses greater than 0.1 micrograms/ml in vitro. In kinetics studies, MeDSG was found to suppress a MLR when added on day 3 of a 7 day MLR incubation but cyclosporin A (CYA) suppressed a MLR only when added during the initial stage of a MLR (i.e. on day 1). In studies of cell surface phenotype in the MLR, MeDSG treatment decreased the numbers of CD8+ lymphocytes but those of CD4+ lymphocytes were not affected. In addition, MeDSG had no significant effect on interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor expression or IL-2 production. These results suggest that MeDSG suppresses the T-cells which are proliferating competent cells such as cytotoxic T-cells (CD8+), but has a different mode of immunosuppressive action compared with CYA.

Cyclosporine↗

Ampicillin concentrations in human radicular granuloma following a single oral dose of bacampicillin.

Ampicillin concentrations in human serum and radicular granulomas of 42 patients were determined after a single oral dose of bacampicillin (equivalent to 500 mg of ampicillin). Although wide variations were found among both serum and radicular granuloma ampicillin concentrations, measurable concentrations were found in all cases. The mean peak ampicillin concentrations in serum and radicular granulomas occurred at identical times, 1.5 hours, and were 11.19 micrograms/mL (range, 1.30 to 21.00 micrograms/mL) and 5.12 micrograms/g (range, 0.50 to 10.50 micrograms/g), respectively. The mean radicular granuloma/serum ampicillin concentration ratio at the peak time was 0.42. Ampicillin concentrations in radicular granulomas exceeded most of the minimum inhibitory concentrations for bacteria commonly isolated from odontogenic infections.

Administration, Oral↗

Cefaclor concentrations in human serum, gingiva, mandibular bone, and dental follicle following a single oral administration.

1. Cefaclor concentrations in human serum (n = 59), gingiva (n = 46), mandibular bone (n = 39), and dental follicle (n = 42) following a single oral administration of cefaclor (500 mg) were measured by the paper disk method. 2. The peak times of serum, gingiva, mandibular bone, and dental follicle were 1.5, 2, 2, and 1.5 hr, respectively. 3. The mean peak concentrations of serum, gingiva, mandibular bone, and dental follicle were 7.58 micrograms/ml, 3.71, 1.59 and 2.42 micrograms/g, respectively. 4. The concentration ratios of gingiva/serum, mandibular bone/serum, and dental follicle/serum at peak times of the tissues were 0.49, 0.18, and 0.32, respectively. 5. Mean cefaclor concentrations in gingiva, mandibular bone, and dental follicle at peak times exceeded MIC for 90% for clinically isolated strains of alpha-hemolytic Streptococci.

Administration, Oral↗

The impact of endometriosis on the reproductive outcome of infertile patients.

OBJECTIVE: We examined whether the presence and severity of endometriosis affect the reproductive outcome of infertile patients. STUDY DESIGN: The conception rates of 2080 infertile women, 1263 who had endometriosis and 817 who did not have endometriosis, were analyzed retrospectively by means of the chi 2 test. Depending on the stage of the disease patients who had endometriosis-associated infertility underwent expectant management, danazol therapy, or minor or major conservative surgery. The patients who failed to conceive after these conventional treatments were enrolled in the in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer program. RESULTS: The conception rates were virtually identical regardless of the presence or absence of endometriosis (30.7% vs 30.0%). The outcome of in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer was not affected either by the presence or the severity of the disease. CONCLUSION: Endometriosis had no impact on the reproductive outcome of infertile patients in this series unless the anatomy of the pelvic organs was heavily distorted, which can occur in the advanced stages of the disease.

Adult↗

Alteration of cytoplasmic Ca2+ in resting and stimulated human neutrophils by short-chain carboxylic acids at neutral pH.

The results reported here indicate that the short-chain carboxylic acids acetate and propionate stimulate cytoplasmic calcium mobilization in human polymorphonuclear leukocytes, while butyrate and lactate do not. Together with the results of previous work, this indicates that there are at least three classes of short-chain carboxylic acids: those which can alter only cytoplasmic pH (e.g., lactic acid), those which can alter cytoplasmic pH and actin (e.g., butyric acid), and those which can alter cytoplasmic pH, actin, and calcium (e.g., acetate and propionate).

Calcium↗