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Biomedical subjects

A Nanbu

Publications and source records attributed to A Nanbu.

51 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Anti-obesity and anti-diabetic effects of carteolol in non-insulin-dependent diabetic mice.

1. When carteolol, a beta-adrenergic blocker, was administered to KK-Ay/Ta Jc1 mice that are obese and develop spontaneously non-insulin dependent diabetes, their increase in bodyweight was arrested from the age of 16 weeks. Since their intake of food and water was not influenced by carteolol treatment, compared with the control KK-Ay/Ta Jc1 mice, abolition of the weight gain might be attributed to increased energy metabolism. 2. Non-fasting serum glucose levels in carteolol-treated mice at the age of 17 weeks were within normal range (118 +/- 4 vs 186 +/- 12 mg/dL). An intraperitoneal glucose-tolerance test revealed that the carteolol treatment markedly restored glucose metabolism; fasting plasma glucose (88 +/- 6 mg/dL) was within normal range, and immunoreactive insulin (IRI; 5.8 +/- 0.8 vs 33.3 +/- 10.5 ng/mL) and plasma glucose levels at 60 min post glucose (361 +/- 44 vs 541 +/- 32 mg/dL) were significantly lower in carteolol-treated mice than those in the control group at the age of 20 weeks. 3. From these findings, carteolol is considered to have little effect on the growth of mice but to correct the obesity that develops after age 16 weeks, when their growth terminates. In addition, the normalization of blood glucose and marked decrease in IRI levels suggests that carteolol improves glucose tolerance by increasing the insulin sensitivity. 4. Since brown adipose tissue (BAT) is closely associated with thermogenesis and energy consumption, we tested whether carteolol may affect BAT.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adipose Tissue, Brown↗

Adrenocortical carcinoma in a child with specific pedigree of family associated with cancer aggregation.

We report on a 5-year-old boy with functioning adrenocortical carcinoma as a proband of a specific pedigree with several young family members who had cancer. Most of the members who died of cancer had early onset of osteosarcoma, hepatoblastoma or malignant lymphoma. The finding of cancer aggregation in the family corresponded to the criteria for the cancer family syndrome.

Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms↗

[Dopaminergic control of gonadotropin secretion in male senescence].

To verify the role of the dopaminergic mechanism in the control of gonadotropin secretion and aging of this mechanism in men, we studied serum gonadotropin response to LH-RH (100 micrograms i.v.) in basal condition and during dopamine infusion (DA 4 micrograms/kg/min). Seven young males (24-29yr.) and twenty aged males (50-80yr.) without endocrinological diseases were included in the present study. Aged male subjects were divided into hyperresponders, in whom maximal LH response to LH-RH without DA infusion exceeded 153.5mIU/ml (mean + 2SD of young male subjects), and non-hyperresponders, in whom maximal LH responses to LH-RH without DA infusion were less than 153.5mIU/ml. In hyperresponders, serum LH response at 30 minutes after LH-RH administration was significantly (p less than 0.05) suppressed by DA infusion. In non-hyperresponders and young male subjects, however, serum LH response to LH-RH was not affected by DA infusion. Basal levels of serum LH and FSH in hyperresponders tended to be higher than that of non-hyperresponders. Total serum testosterone, free testosterone and estradiol levels of hyper and non-hyperresponders failed to reveal any significant differences. These observations suggest that 1) DA directly suppresses gonadotroph responsiveness to LH-RH, 2) in aging men, inhibitory tone imposed on gonadotrophs by DA is decreased, and 3) this decline of DA system can cause hypergonadotropism in aging men, independent of serum sex steroids levels.

Adult↗

[Salivary testosterone levels in normal boys at puberty].

Salivary testosterone (Salivary-T) was measured in 133 normal boys at puberty (8-14 years old) and 21 adult males (24-36 years old) by using radioimmunoassay. Also, a simultaneous measurement was performed on salivary-T and serum total testosterone (Total-T) and free testosterone (Free-T) in order to study the correlation between saliva and serum. The results were summarized as follows: (1) Good correlations were observed in the values between Salivary-T and Total-T or Free-T. The correlation coefficient value was 0.54 between Salivary-T and Total-T, 0.84 between Salivary-T and Free-T when measured by DPC kit. Correlation coefficient value was 0.59 between Salivary-T by Wien kit and Total-T by DPC kit, also 0.77 between Salivary-T by Wien kit and Free-T by DPC kit. (2) Salivary-T, in the mean level, increased by age. The most rapid increase of Salivary-T was observed at 13 years of age. (3) Diurnal change of Salivary-T was observed at 13 years of age through adult age. Salivary-T level was highest in the morning and declined toward evening. (4) These results suggest that Salivary-T measurement was highly reliable and applicable for use in the monitoring of androgen status.

Adolescent↗

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↗

[Therapeutic efficacy of testolactone (aromatase inhibitor) to oligozoospermia with high estradiol/testosterone ratio].

To our knowledge, the action of estradiol which is produced from testosterone by aromatase on human spermatogenesis has not been fully clarified. In oligozoospermia, with high values of E2/T ratio, it is considered that the role of estradiol is suppressive to spermatogenesis. In this study, alteration of spermatogenesis was evaluated when serum estradiol levels were decreased by suppression of aromatase activity. Nine male infertile patients were treated with testolactone (Teslac: 1.0 g/day, for 3 months), one of the aromatase inhibitors. Four of them had an increase in sperm count (more than 10 x 10(6)/ml relative to base line). In endocrinological findings, serum estradiol levels and E2/free T ratio were significantly decreased after treatment. Serum free testosterone levels were significantly increased in all cases, presumably from decreased sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels. These findings suggested the effectiveness of the administrated aromatase inhibitor. In particular four patients whose sperm counts were improved after testolactone treatment had high values of basal serum estradiol levels and E2/free T ratio before treatment, and these values were normalized after treatment. In conclusion we suggest that an aromatase inhibitor may be effective to male infertile patients with high serum estradiol levels.

Adult↗

[Determination of the normal range of serum LH and FSH levels in normal adult males--comparison with IRMA and RIA].

To determine the normal range of serum LH and FSH levels, blood samples from 53 normal adult males were measured by a double antibody radioimmunoassay system and a new immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) system. It was necessary to evaluate the individual pulsatile secretion and the differences in measured values among laboratories to determine the normal range. Therefore, in 53 normal adult males lacking any evidence of hormonal abnormalities, blood was sampled at 9:00 a.m. daily for 3 days, and these samples were measured in 3 laboratories. The result of the hormone concentration of blood sample was not appropriate as the normal range because of the high amplitude of LH and FSH pulses. Coefficient values (CV) between the mean value of the first two samples and the mean value of all three samples were small. Therefore, the mean value of the first two samples was clinically accurate for use as the normal range. Significant differences in measured values were observed among the 3 laboratories. The normal range, which included individual pulsatile secretion, and the differences in measured values among the laboratories was as followings: LH (RIA): 7.6-13.7 mIU/ml, LH (IRMA): 2.1-4.7 mIU/ml, FSH (RIA): 4.7-9.5 mIU/ml, FSH (IRMA): 3.0-7.4 mIU/ml. The serum LH and FSH levels of 68 untreated male infertility patients tended to rate high with respect to our normal range. It was considered that the normal range determined in this study was useful for clinical management.

Adult↗

[Therapeutic evaluation of male infertility--the increase of seminal transferrin level and the improvement in sperm concentration following administration of clomiphene citrate].

This study was designed to evaluate the functional changes of Sertoli cells following the administration of clomiphene citrate for male infertility. Sperm count and seminal transferrin level were measured before and after the treatment in 22 cases of oligozoospermia (sperm count: less than 20 X 10(6)/ml) and 14 cases of subnormal sperm count group (sperm count: 20-30 X 10(6)/ml). Clomiphene citrate was administered per os for more than 3 months consecutively in a dose of 25 mg/day. Seminal transferrin concentration increased more than 1.5 times compared with pre-treatment level in 6 cases (16.7%). Among these patients, sperm count markedly increased (20 X 10(6)/ml or more than the pre-treatment level) in 3 cases (50%) and slightly increased (10 X 10(6)/ml or more than pre-treatment) in 1 case (16.7%). In 30 cases, in which seminal transferrin level did not increase, sperm count markedly increased in 6 cases (20%) and slightly increased in 6 cases (20%). Thus, sperm count was improved more frequently in the cases in which seminal transferrin level remained elevated than the cases with no elevation of serum transferrin level. Serum FSH level of patients whose seminal transferrin level remained elevated after the treatment was significantly higher than that of patients with no elevation of serum transferrin level (mean +/- SD = 32.8 +/- 18.0 mIU/ml v.s. 14.4 +/- 11.7 mIU/ml, respectively). These data suggested that the activation of Sertoli cells may contribute to the increase of sperm count following the administration of clomiphene citrate and the elevated seminal transferrin secretion may be related to the increase of serum FSH level following this treatment.

Clomiphene↗

[Study on cases of precocious puberty].

Two boys and one girl with idiopathic precocious puberty were treated with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) for 2 years and 2 months to 9 years and 5 months, and its efficiency was evaluated. Treatment with MPA suppressed the gonadotropin levels, the signs and symptoms of patients with precocious puberty, and also had a suppressive effect on bone-age advance, so these patients showed almost normal growth in height. There has been controversy about the age when treatment for idiopathic precocious puberty should be finished. Our data suggested that the treatment should be stopped at 11-13 years when patients reach the age of puberty.

Adolescent↗

[A clinical study of congenital adrenal hyperplasia].

We have compared three treatments of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) for their effect on physical development. Thirteen girls and two boys with CAH due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency were treated with three different treatments, hydrocortisone (HC), dexamethasone (DXM) and cyproterone acetate (CA). The results showed that height growth was better with HC and CA than DXM, and bone excessive maturation was more suppressed with DXM and CA than HC. A dose-dependent relationship was revealed between body weight and dose of HC. Iatrogenic obesity was found in 42.9% and 38.1% of the patients treated with DXM and HC, but none of the patients treated with CA did became obese. Physical growth was better with CA treatment than HC or DXM treatment, but CA may have a suppressive effect on the pituitary-adrenal axis observed carefully, especially on prepubertal and pubertal cases.

Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital↗

Squamous cell carcinoma of bladder diverticulum with initial symptoms produced by metastasis to maxillary sinus.

A rare case of squamous cell carcinoma in the bladder diverticula of a 74-year-old man with initial clinical symptoms caused by metastasis to the maxillary sinus is reported. The histopathological examination at autopsy confirmed the metastatic squamous cell carcinoma in the maxillary sinus from the bladder diverticula. The vertebral vein plexus seems responsible for this type of metastasis.

Aged↗

Restoration of testicular transferrin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and spermatogenesis by exogenously administered purified FSH and testosterone in medically hypophysectomized rats.

To investigate the relation between testicular transferrin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) secreted by Sertoli cells and the differentiation of germ cells in the rat, testosterone and/or purified FSH was administered to rats medically hypophysectomized by an LH-RH agonist. Spermatogenesis was quantitatively analyzed and concentrations of intratesticular transferrin and IGF-1 were measured by radioimmunoassays. The last step of spermatogenesis was quantitatively restored by combined administration of testosterone and purified FSH. Intratesticular IGF-1 concentrations were significantly increased by combined administration of testosterone and purified FSH. From these observations, it is surmised that IGF-1 may have a stimulatory effect on the last step of spermatogenesis.

Animals↗

Active MR tracking on a 0.2 Tesla MR imager.

An active MR tracking system was implemented on a 0.2 Tesla open MRI system. Interventional devices with receive-only microcoils at their tips were developed and investigated on the scanner. Microcoils having a diameter of about 1 mm and 20 turns were found to provide sufficient signal-to-noise ratios for stable tracking. Positional accuracy and precision were found to be acceptable under practical conditions. Simulation of MR-guided biopsy using biplane images with tracking was performed in a gelatin phantom and dog livers. Successful tracking of catheters with integrated microcoils was also demonstrated in the aorta and IVC of live dogs.

Animals↗

Changes in the endocrinological milieu after clomiphene citrate treatment for oligozoospermia: the clinical significance of the estradiol/testosterone ratio as a prognostic value.

We have already reported that the rate of increase in the estradiol/testosterone ratio (E2/T ratio) following human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection has prognostic value in the treatment of oligozoospermia. It was found that the rate of increase in the E2/T ratio was statistically greater in the therapeutically ineffective cases compared to the therapeutically effective cases. The present study was planned in order to elucidate the relationship between the changes in the endocrinological milieu, especially the change in the E2/T ratio, and the therapeutic efficacy when clomiphene citrate was administered. Thirty-eight oligozoospermic patients were administered 25 mg of clomiphene citrate daily for 3 months. Sixteen of the 38 (42.1%) cases showed improvement of more than 10 x 10(6)/ml in sperm concentration. The rate of increase in the E2/T ratio of the effective cases (0.90 +/- 0.43) during the administration of clomiphene citrate was statistically (P = 0.02) lower than that of the ineffective cases (1.44 +/- 0.80). The rate of increase in the E2/T ratio during clomiphene citrate treatment showed a statistically positive correlation (r = 0.542) with the rate of increase following hCG injection performed before clomiphene citrate treatment. The rate of increase in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) in the ineffective cases (2.16 +/- 1.01) was statistically higher than in the effective cases (1.50 +/- 0.43).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Chorionic Gonadotropin↗