Biomedical subjects

H Hashimoto

Publications and source records attributed to H Hashimoto.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources

PubMed1998

Detection of TLS/FUS-CHOP fusion transcripts in myxoid and round cell liposarcomas by nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction using archival paraffin-embedded tissues.

The reciprocal translocation t(12;16)(q13;p11) has been shown to be highly characteristic of myxoid and round cell subtypes of liposarcoma, and the TLS/FUS-CHOP fusion gene that resulted from the translocation is expected to be a diagnostic molecular marker of these sarcomas. In this study, we conducted a nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-based assay to detect the TLS/FUS-CHOP fusion gene transcripts using archival formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor specimens. Of 18 paraffin-embedded specimens from 16 myxoid and round cell liposarcoma cases, the fusion transcripts could be identified in 16 (89%) specimens from 15 (94%) cases. A sequence analysis using the PCR products confirmed that the detected messages were derived from either type I or type II TLS/FUS-CHOP fusion gene, the latter of which was predominant (80%). The results were consistent in primary and recurrent lesions of the same patients and in paraffin-embedded and snap-frozen samples from the same tumors. In two negative specimens, transcripts of the beta-actin gene could not be detected by RT-PCR, and intact mRNA including the fusion messages might have been degraded. No fusion transcripts were detected in snap-frozen or paraffin-embedded material of other types of tumors with myxoid morphology (seven myxoid malignant fibrous histiocytomas and four lipomas with myxoid change). These results indicate that this molecular assay can be applied to formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor tissues as a diagnostic aid for these subtypes of liposarcoma.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

Outcome of collagen vascular diseases by treatment with plasmapheresis.

The outcome of collagen vascular diseases after treatment with plasmapheresis was studied in 9 patients with polyarteritis nodosa (PN), in 2 patients with Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), in 1 patient with allergic granulomatous angitis (AGA), and in 20 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) associated with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Improvement after treatment with plasmapheresis was observed in 41.7% of the patients with PN, WG, and AGA. On the other hand, with the exception of 1 patient with thrombocytopenia and 1 patient with renal failure, all of the clinical manifestations, including thrombocytopenia, central nervous system (CNS) lupus, thrombophlebitis, lung infarction, and recurrent abortions in the SLE patients with APS, improved after plasmapheresis. Plasmapheresis is thought to be an influential strategy of treatment for patients with collagen vascular diseases.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Presymptomatic brain lesions on MRI in a patient with intravascular malignant lymphomatosis.

A 58-year-old man with a intravascular malignant lymphomatosis initially developed myeloradiculopathy without cerebral symptoms. His MRI, however, demonstrated solid, wedge-shaped, and well-demarcated lesions in the deep white matter and a string-shaped lesion along with nerve fibers in the splenium of corpus callosum. A variety of cerebral symptoms manifested a month afterward. The possibility of this disease should be considered in cases of undiagnosed myeloradiculopathy with such silent brain lesions.

Brain↗

PubMed1998

Involvement of simultaneous multiple transcription factor expression, including cAMP responsive element binding protein and OCT-1, for synovial cell outgrowth in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate possible roles of several transcription factors in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the transcription factor expression in RA synovial tissue and their contribution to RA synovial cell functions were studied. METHODS: Single cell suspension of dissociated synovial tissue was cultured to induce in vitro tissue outgrowth of RA synovial cells. Transcription factors were immunohistochemically identified in RA synovial tissue obtained by joint surgery and in the in vitro tissue outgrowth, and confirmed by western blotting and gel shift assays. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical examination of RA synovial tissue revealed simultaneous expression of various transcription factors (NF-kappa B, c-Jun (a component of AP-1), cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB), and OCT-1). The same set of transcription factors was expressed in the in vitro tissue outgrowth of RA patients. The early passage RA synovial cells were treated with interleukin 1 beta (IL1 beta) and confirmed translocation of transcription factors into the nucleus by western blotting, and their DNA binding activity by gel shift assays. CONCLUSION: This study emphasises the importance of the simultaneous expression of several transcription factors for the hyperactivity of RA synovial cells that leads to tissue outgrowth.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Basal cell carcinoma within vulvar Paget's disease.

An 85-year-old Japanese woman had noticed erythema on her vulvar region 3 years before. The erythema gradually increased in size and followed erosion and ulceration with pigmentation on the edge of the erythema. A skin biopsy from the pigmented area showed large round cells with ample cytoplasm, which formed nests or glandular structures. In the dermis there was mass formation of basophilic cells and peripheral cells in a palisade arrangement. The tumor cells in the epidermis showed positive immunoreactivity for carcinoembryonic antigen; on the other hand, the dermal tumor was negative. We diagnosed that the tumor in the epidermis was vulvar Paget's disease, and the dermal tumor was a solid type of basal cell carcinoma. We speculate that the vulvar Paget's disease preceded and then the basal cell carcinoma developed in the area of Paget's disease. This is the first report in which basal cell carcinoma in the area of Paget's disease was documented.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

Effect of extremely low dose cyclosporine treatment on the thrombocytopenia in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Cyclosporine is widely known to be effective in cases involving both transplantation as well as a spectrum of immune-mediated diseases, although careful monitoring is required for the preemptive detection of its adverse effects. Here we report the successful treatment by extremely low dose cyclosporine (1 mg/kg per day) of two patients with thrombocytopenia in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Exacerbation of systemic lupus erythematosus related to cytomegalovirus infection.

We report two patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in whom cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection may have played a significant role in the exacerbation or onset of symptoms. The first patient had thrombocytopenia and the second had proteinuria. CMV infection was observed in both patients when their symptoms developed.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Effects of amorphous and polymorphs of PF1022A, a new antinematode drug, on Angiostrongylus costaricensis in mice.

To enhance the bioavailability of PF1022A (cyclo(D-lactyl-L-N-methylleucyl-D-3-phenyllactyl-L-N-met hylleucyl-D-lactyl-L-N-methylleucyl-D-3-phenyllactyl-L-N- methylleucyl)), a newly developed antinematode drug, we examined whether the new drug has polymorphism or not. First, four forms of PF1022A, designated as form alpha, form I, form II and form III of PF1022A, were prepared. By examining physicochemical properties of these forms by various methods including X-ray powder diffractometry and differential scanning calorimetry, it became apparent that PF1022A had one amorphous (form alpha) and three crystalline polymorphic forms, form I, form II and form III. Secondly, a dissolution study was carried out, and form alpha and form III were found to have higher solubility than form I and form II. Thirdly, anti-larval effects of the 4 forms of PF1022A on tissue-dwelling nematode, Angiostrongylus costaricensis, in mice were compared when given orally for 5 successive days at 10 or 40 mg/kg/day. Significant effects were observed in almost all parameters in host mice and worms in the groups treated with form alpha or form III, each at 40 mg/kg, but form I and form II had little effect. The present results suggest that PF1022A has polymorphism and that the form alpha and form III were more effective against tissue-dwelling nematodes than the form I and form II when given orally.

Angiostrongylus↗

PubMed1998

Effective treatment of autoimmune diseases with extremely low dose cyclosporine.

The dosage of cyclosporine administered in the treatment of autoimmune diseases has generally been comparable to those required in cases of transplantation. Here we report on the successful treatment using an extremely low dose cyclosporine (1 mg/kg/day) on four patients, involving thrombocytopenia with systemic lupus erythematosus, and interstitial pneumonitis with Sjögren's syndrome, and discuss the optimal dose of cyclosporine for autoimmune-mediated manifestations.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Abiotic formation of bioorganic compounds in space--preliminary experiments on ground and future exobiology experiments in space.

Simulation experiments on ground have shown that "amino acid precursors", which give amino acids after acid-hydrolysis, can be formed when an ice mixture simulating ice mantles of interstellar dust particles (lSDs) is irradiated with high energy particles or UV light. It is strongly suggested that such bioorganic compounds were delivered by comets for the first biosphere on the Earth. It is of great interest to confirm this hypothesis in actual space conditions, such as in an exposed facility of JEM. Fundamental designs for such exobiology experiments in earth orbit (EEEO) will be discussed.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1998

A conceptual design for cosmo-biology experiments in Earth's Orbit.

A conceptual design was developed for a cosmo-biology experiment. It is intended to expose simulated interstellar ice materials deposited on dust grains to the space environment. The experimental system consists of a cryogenic system to keep solidified gas sample, and an optical device to select and amplify the ultraviolet part of the solar light for irradiation. By this approach, the long lasting chemical evolution of icy species could be examined in a much shorter time of exposure by amplification of light intensity. The removal of light at longer wavelength, which is ineffective to induce photochemical reactions, reduces the heat load to the cryogenic system that holds solidified reactants including CO as a constituent species of interstellar materials. Other major hardware components were also defined in order to achieve the scientific objectives of this experiment. Those are a cold trap maintained at liquid nitrogen temperature to prevent the contamination of the sample during the exposure, a mechanism to exchange multiple samples, and a system to perform bake-out of the sample exposure chamber. This experiment system is proposed as a candidate payload implemented on the exposed facility of Japanese Experiment Module on International Space Station.

Cold Temperature↗

PubMed1998

Ecological cultivation ark (ECA) project--mutation and evolution of micro-organisms in space.

Ecological cultivation capsules (ECC), that is a materially sealed microcosm. composed of primary producers, consumers and bacteria as a decomposer were developed in order to cultivate bacteria without any artificial operation for long duration more than 10 years in space. It is planned to be left on the space station to study the process that bacteria in MIR space station had acquired their resistance to cosmic ray radiation as well as ultra-violet light. As contrasted with the space experiment, bacteria are cultivating in the ECC on the ground to trace the changes of bacteria under the simulated radiation dose in Earth orbit.

Bacillus subtilis↗

PubMed1998

Insulin and glucagon secretion in lactating cows during heat exposure.

Heat stress affects endocrine systems in cows. This study investigated changes in insulin and glucagon secretion between thermoneutral (TN; 18 degrees C, relative humidity [RH] 60%) and hot (28 degrees C, RH 60%) environments in lactating cows. Glucose, arginine, and butyrate were administered i.v. to four cows (mean, at 83 d postpartum) in each environment. Blood was collected via a jugular catheter at regular intervals. Heat exposure resulted in a marked increase in respiration rate and rectal temperature. A decrease in milk yield was also observed during heat exposure. Basal insulin concentrations were elevated, and basal glucose concentrations tended to be lower in the hot environment. Peak values of insulin and glucagon following the arginine injection were significantly higher in the hot than in the TN environment. The insulin peak value in response to the butyrate infusion was also higher during the heat exposure. However, insulin and glucagon responses to the glucose load were not affected by heat stress. The increase in plasma glucose concentration following arginine injection was inhibited by the heat exposure. In conclusion, heat stress resulted in a higher insulin secretion in lactating cows. Glucagon secretion in response to the arginine injection was enhanced, but the rise in plasma glucose was inhibited by heat exposure. These changes would be related to a reduction in milk yield during heat stress.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

[Two elderly patients with intestinal perforation caused by press-through package].

We report two cases of intestinal perforation caused by accidental swallowing of Press-Through Packages (PTP). The first case occurred in a 90-year-old woman with moderate dementia. She was admitted to our hospital because of abdominal pain and intestinal obstruction. She showed symptoms and sign of peritonitis and underwent abdominal surgery. The postoperative diagnosis was diffuse peritonitis due to a perforated rectal ulcer caused by the sharp corners of an accidentally swallowed PTP. The second case occurred in an 82-year-old woman with recurrent symptoms and signs of intestinal obstruction. She underwent abdominal surgery and the operation revealed an ileal perforation due to penetration by the sharp edge of a PTP. Both patients were discharged in good condition. PTPs are rapidly becoming popular as packaging for tablets and capsules. However, reports of accidental swallowing of PTPs have recently been increasing. In most cases, the PTPs were found in the esophagus and removed endoscopically. Progression of accidentally swallowed PTPs to the intestines is rare. However, when this occurs, the patient's condition becomes more serious. We propose that drugs should not be dispensed in PTPs but rather handed to the patients, especially to elderly patients, or when impossible, the corners of PTPs should be rounded.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

[Antimicrobial prophylaxis in transurethral resection of the prostate].

OBJECTIVE: A prospective trial was performed to propose a suitable antimicrobial prophylaxis in patients undergoing transurethral resection of the prostate (TUR-P). SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent TUR-P due to symptomatic prostatic hyperplasia between April 1995 and February 1996 were included. Based on the results of urinalysis obtained within preoperative 3 days, the patients were classified into Group I (less than 5 WBC/hpf and bacterial count of less than 10(4) CFU/ml in urine specimen), and Group II (5 or more WBC/hpf or bacterial count of 10(4) or more CFU/ml in urine specimen). Furthermore, each group was randomly subdivided into Group A and Group B according to the period of antimicrobial administration. As prophylactic antimicrobials, cefazolin (CEZ) was used in Group I and CEZ or cefotiam (CTM) in Group II. The antimicrobial was administered only on the day of operation in Group IA (n = 92), for 3 days in Group IB (n = 96), 2 days in Group IIA (n = 37), and 4 days in Group IIB (n = 30). On the day of operation, the antimicrobial was infused immediately before the operation. The presence or absence of pyuria, bacteriuria and febrile infection, and the period required for normalization of the urinalysis were the major points evaluated here. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in any parameters with respect to the period of administration of antimicrobial between the groups, but in both Group I and Group II, the incidence of febrile infection was higher in the groups with shorter antimicrobial administration periods. The mean period for normalization of the urinalysis required 68.4, 68.6, 65.2 and 58.2 days in Group IA, Group IB, Group IIA and Group IIB, respectively. CONCLUSION: It is concluded that 3 or 4-day administration of first or second generation parenteral cephems is generally acceptable regimen for antimicrobial prophylaxis in patients undergoing TUR-P.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

Three-dimensional power Doppler sonography of tumor vascularity.

The purpose of this study was to assess the value of routine clinical examination using three-dimensional power Doppler sonography of intratumoral blood flow. Twenty-two hepatocellular carcinomas, seven cases of hepatic metastasis, four hepatic hemangiomas, six renal cell carcinomas, two cases of hepatic focal nodular hyperplasia, and one case of splenic metastasis were included in the study. Three-dimensional images were reconstructed by maximum intensity projection method using cine-loop data on a built-in computer in a LOGIQ 500 and a LOGIQ 700 from GE Yokogawa Medical Systems. The three-dimensional images obtained were viewed multidirectionally on a monitor screen. Three-dimensional representations of intratumoral blood flow became available for all tumors approximately 5 s to 30 s after scanning. In every case, the entire vasculature of the tumor was appreciated more easily from three-dimensional images than from cross-sectional two-dimensional images. These three-dimensional images of intratumoral blood flows corresponded to the tumor vessels that could be visualized by angiography at the early arterial phase. Differential diagnosis of hepatic tumors based on distinct difference in their intratumoral vascular structures was performed. Our results suggest that three-dimensional power Doppler sonography can be used for routine clinical examination of tumor vascularity and may provide improved diagnostic information.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗

PubMed1998

[An evaluation of efficacy of minocycline as an anti-rheumatic drug in patients with active and refractory rheumatoid arthritis].

The efficacy and safety of minocycline was investigated in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had already received more than three disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Minocycline was administered at 100 mg twice a day to fifteen patients with active RA. The drug efficacy was evaluated by the clinical variables including the number of painful and/or swollen joints, the duration of morning stiffness, grip strength, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, serum concentrations of C-reactive protein, and the titer of rheumatoid factor. Three patients experienced adverse effects such as dizziness and abdominal pain or discomfort, but only one patient with abdominal pain and dizziness was discontinued. Fourteen RA patients, who had taken minocycline for at least 6 months, were subjected to the clinical evaluation. Among them, 8 patients (54%) showed a significant improvement of clinical valuables for disease activity, beginning even at 4 weeks of the therapy. The continued effects were observed in 8 patients with over 1 year-minocycline therapy. Intriguingly, an active patient with a history of multiple DMARDs-resistancy showed a marked favorable response to this drug. The present study indicates that minocycline may be an effective DMARD with highly safe performance for patients with active and refractory RA. This is the first demonstration of the benefit of minocycline in the Japanese patients.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

Diagnostic implication of Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus with special reference to the distinction between spindle cell hemangioendothelioma and Kaposi's sarcoma.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic utility of recently identified Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV, also referred to as human herpesvirus 8) in distinction between Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) and other types of vascular lesion, especially spindle cell hemangioendothelioma (SCH). DESIGN: We conducted a polymerase chain reaction analysis of KSHV in 93 cases of benign and malignant vascular lesions, using DNA extracted from archival specimens. RESULTS: All five cases of Kaposi's sarcoma examined, including cases related and cases unrelated to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, were positive for KSHV. Vascular lesions other than KS, including 6 SCH, 1 kaposiform hemangioendothelioma, 8 angiosarcomas, 46 hemangiomas (15 cavernous, 12 capillary, 7 venous, 6 intramuscular, 2 sinusoidal, 2 epithelioid, 1 microvenular, 1 glomeruloid), and 7 glomus tumors were consistently negative, except for 1 of the 20 pyogenic granulomas examined. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support the previous finding that KSHV is confined almost exclusively to KS, irrespective of human immunodeficiency virus infection, and suggest that KSHV is a reliable diagnostic marker to differentiate KS from other vascular lesions, including those with KS-like morphology, such as SCH.

Base Sequence↗