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Biomedical subjects

H Kawamura

Publications and source records attributed to H Kawamura.

At least 253 records · Page 14Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

[A case of renal squamous cell carcinoma associated with giant hydronephrosis and ureteral stone: efficacy of imaging modality].

A rare case of squamous cell carcinoma of the right kidney associated with giant hydronephrosis and right ureteral stone was reported. A 60-year-old woman was referred to our department with a complaint of ileocecal dull pain. A plain computerized tomogram (CT) revealed giant hydronephrosis, and a kidney-ureter-bladder X-ray revealed a right lower ureteral stone. A right percutaneous nephrostomy was done and antegrade pyelography revealed giant hydronephrosis and a ureteral stone, but showed no intrapelvic filling defect. Under the diagnosis of right ureteral stone with hydronephrosis, right ureterolithotomy was done. However, since the inflammation did not subside after ureterolithotomy, right nephrectomy was done. The surgically removed right kidney did not show any evident tumor mass, a histological study revealed squamous cell carcinoma involving renal parenchyma. The patient received no adjuvant therapy and died 3 months after nephrectomy with sudden appearance of bone, liver and pulmonary metastases. The preoperative efficacy of imaging modalities for renal squamous cell carcinoma was discussed herein.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1992

[Traumatic dislocation of the testis].

Dislocation of the testis is a rare injury, with only 73 cases having been reported in Japan. We herein add 6 cases. Lately, accidents involving teenage patients, primarily involving motorcycles, have been increasing. Closed reduction is recommended, but it was successful only 5 of 73 cases. The results of testicular biopsies suggest that early surgical management is required when closed reduction is unsuccessful.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed1992

[Experimental study of biochemical modulation of 5-fluorouracil with l-leucovorin against human esophageal cancer].

Potentiation of cytotoxic effects of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were investigated by simultaneous or sequential combination of l-leucovorin (LV) against human esophageal cancer cell line (TE-1, TE-2) and 23 human clinical cancer samples in vitro. LV enhanced the cytotoxic effects of 5-FU on human esophageal cancer cell line as a dose dependent manner, and increased the cytotoxic effect of 5-FU about 1.5-fold with 10 microM and about 2-fold with 100 microM. The incubation time did not affect the effects. The potentiation with LV was also demonstrated against human clinical cancer samples, and the cytotoxic effects of 5-FU increased 7.6% in esophageal cancer, 20.9% in gastric cancer and 25.5% in colorectal cancer. As a result, the potentiating effects of LV against 5-FU seemed to be limited on human esophageal cancer.

Colonic Neoplasms↗
PubMed1992

[Clinical studies of patients with bladder cancers].

A clinical survey was performed on 185 cases of primary bladder cancer treated at our Department of Urology, between January, 1985 and December, 1989. Clinicopathological profiles of patients and survival rates according to these profiles were investigated. The patients were between 29 and 95 years old. The male to female ratio was 3.1 to 1. The cumulative survival rate after the first treatment was 73.3% and 71.5% at 3 and 5 years, respectively. Histologically, 17 cases were diagnosed as transitional cell carcinoma G1, 69 cases as G2 and 69 cases as G3. 5 cases were diagnosed as stage pTis, 6 cases as pTa, 41 cases as pT1, 15 cases as pT2, 9 cases as pT3a, 14 cases as pT3b and 6 cases as pT4. Stage, grade, size and type of tumors reflected the prognosis well. Significant differences were observed between the survival rates of the patients with grade G2 and grade G3, and the patients with stage T1 and stage T2. Although low-grade low-stage tumors recurred in 44% of the patients. The pathological stage showed a good relation to the grade. In particular, none of the G1 bladder tumors had muscle invasion in our series.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Experience with re-cardiopulmonary bypass graft].

We report 14 consecutive patients who have undergone ReCABG during the last 7 years (1984-1990). There were 11 males and 3 females with a mean age of 56.8 years. All bypass conduits used were saphenous vein grafts. Angiographic indications for ReCABG included primary bypass graft failure, progressive coronary arteriosclerosis, and both of them. Successful ReCABG is mainly dependent on careful attention to special surgical technical considerations such as heart exposure especially in the existence of functioning bypass graft, cardiopulmonary bypass technique and myocardial protection and choice of available bypass conduits. We used arterial grafts in 6 cases (ITA in 4 and GEA in 2 cases). There was only one hospital mortality in our series. Symptomatic relief of angina pectoris was obtained in all surviving patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

[Amyloidosis in rheumatoid arthritis].

Complication of secondary amyloidosis is becoming an important problem in the management of rheumatoid arthritis in Japan, because patients with rheumatoid arthritis, complicated by amyloidosis, have been increasing recently and the prognosis is poor in most cases. Renal and gastrointestinal symptoms are cardinal features of amyloidosis in rheumatoid arthritis, and most of these patients die of renal failure or cachexia, based on gastrointestinal involvement, within several years. Diagnosis in the early stage is recommended for good management of amyloidosis in rheumatoid arthritis, and gastroscopic biopsy appears to be the most available method for early diagnosis of amyloidosis.

Amyloidosis↗
PubMed1992

[Effects of prostaglandin E2 on intraocular pressure, anterior chamber depth and blood flow volume of the iris and the ciliary body in rabbit eyes].

The effects of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) on intraocular pressure (IOP), anterior chamber depth, and blood flow volume of the iris and the ciliary body of albino rabbits were investigated. Swelling and marked capillary dilatation of the ciliary body were observed after topical application of PGE2. IOP increased immediately by 200 micrograms, 400 micrograms, and 1,000 micrograms of PGE2, reached a peak within 30 minutes; then decreased gradually. The anterior chamber depth decreased only at 5 and 10 minutes after 1,000 micrograms of PGE2. The blood flow volume of the iris and the ciliary body immediately increased, and kept it up for 3 hours. Changes of IOP may be associated with an increase of blood flow attendant upon capillary dilatation of the ciliary body, and an increase of aqueous outflow due to breakdown of the blood-aqueous barrier. In addition to morphological and functional changes of the ciliary body, further factors which promote vitreous volume expansion may play an essential part in the development of malignant glaucoma.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[Graduated psychosomatic treatment and quality of life in asthmatics].

We investigated the quality of life (QOL) in 72 patients with bronchial asthma who are under our gradational psychosomatic treatment (GPT) by means of an 11-item questionnaire. The results were summarized as follows: 1) Ninety-two percent of the subjects showed a good understanding of mind-body relations and modified their stressful adaptive patterns. 2) Asthmatic symptoms improved in 86 percent of the subjects. Other symptoms also improved in 72 percent of the subjects. 3) In 81 percent of the subjects, their daily life improved. Furthermore 96 percent of the subjects obtained some advantages through GPT. 4) There were various improvements in psychological states, personal relations and life style in most of the subjects. 5) The attitudes of their families toward the patients improved in 46 percent of the subjects, however 71 percent of the families developed a better understanding of the cause of asthma from the psychosomatic point of view. 6) Most of the subjects with moderate or severe symptoms were considered to have reduced the grade of severity of their symptoms from the doctor's standpoint.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[A case of vocal cord dysfunction diagnosed as bronchial asthma, that was improved by psychosomatic therapy].

A 19-year-old psychologically disturbed female was admitted to our hospital because of intractable dyspnea and wheezing for twenty two months. She had been diagnosed as having asthma and had received several medications including steroids before admission to our hospital. According to our clinical observations, she was considered not to have asthma because neither FEV1.0 nor PaO2 was decreased during the periods of wheezing and FEV1.0 was not changed by inhalation of bronchodilators, although she had a family history of allergy and false bronchial hyperreactivity by asthograph. On physical examination, diffuse wheezing was heard mainly over the larynx during inspiration at the times of dyspnea. There was flattening of the inspiratory flow-volume loop during wheezing. Bronchoscopy performed during an attack confirmed that wheezing was due to adduction of the vocal cords throughout the respiratory cycle. Therefore, this case was diagnosed as vocal cord dysfunction. Her symptom was considered to be a form of conversion reaction derived from her unhappy past history. Following psychosomatic therapy, all of her medications became unnecessary. She understood the mind-body relationship of her condition, and learned to achieve self-control.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Chemical stimulation of the locus coeruleus: inhibitory effects on hemodynamics and renal sympathetic nerve activity.

We examined the role of the locus coeruleus (LC) in the regulation of the hemodynamics and sympathetic nerve activity in anesthetized rats. Unilateral microinjection into the LC of the excitatory amino acid, L-glutamate (Glu), elicited dose-dependent decreases in arterial pressure (AP) and heart rate (HR). The bradycardic response was partially attenuated after intravenous injection of atropine sulfate, but the greater part of this response still remained. Interruption of the ascending projections of the LC by midbrain transection did not affect the depressor and bradycardic responses elicited by chemical stimulation. The renal sympathetic nerve activity showed transient but strong inhibition with this stimulation. Cardiac output was measured using an electromagnetic flowmeter implanted in the ascending aorta. The stroke volume and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were calculated. Microinjection of Glu elicited a significant decrease in TPR and slight decreases in cardiac output and stroke volume. Microinjection of the inhibitory amino acid, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), or the alpha 2-adrenergic agonist, clonidine, exerted no effect on AP and HR. The present results therefore suggest that: (1) the LC neurons have an inhibitory influence on the sympathetic nervous system, and stimulation of these neurons can elicit depressor and bradycardic responses; (2) the depressor response was produced predominantly as a result of a decrease in vascular resistance, rather than a decrease in cardiac output; (3) these inhibitory responses may be provided not via the ascending projections of the LC; and (4) the LC neurons do not have a tonic influence on the cardiovascular system.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Effect of nifedipine tablets on ambulatory blood pressure in patients aged less than 60 and greater than 65 years with systemic hypertension.

To evaluate the effect of age on the pattern of circadian blood pressure after nifedipine tablets, ambulatory blood pressure after administration of low and high doses of nifedipine, taken twice daily, was measured over a 24-hour period in 10 elderly and 8 young hypertensive patients. After a 2-week control period without antihypertensive drug, 10 mg of nifedipine was administered twice daily for 2 weeks (low-dose period), followed by 2 weeks of 20 mg (high-dose period). At the end of each period, ambulatory BP monitoring was conducted every 30 minutes for 24 hours, using an ABPM 630 (Nippon-Colin, Komaki, Japan). In both groups, averages of systolic and diastolic BP for the entire day decreased significantly from the control to the low-dose periods. However, after the high-dose period, only the elderly group had further significant reduction of systolic BP, whereas no further reduction was seen in the young group. Separate analysis of whole-day data into daytime and nighttime values revealed that a further decrease in systolic BP after the high-dose period in the elderly group was a reflection of nighttime decline. It was suggested that circadian BP patterns after administration of nifedipine tablets in the elderly differed from those in young hypertensive patients, especially after administration of the high-dose.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Circadian rhythm of cortical acetylcholine release as measured by in vivo microdialysis in freely moving rats.

Circadian changes in cortical acetylcholine (ACh) release were examined in freely moving rats using long-term in vivo microdialysis and high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. A microdialysis probe was implanted into the frontal cortex and a dialysate was collected every 30 min for two or three days under a 12 h light/dark (LD 12:12) cycle and for the succeeding 2 or 3 days under constant dark (DD) conditions. When animals were exposed to the LD cycle, dialysate concentrations of ACh showed a clear circadian rhythmicity with the highest peak in the dark phase and the lowest peak in the light phase. The mean cortical ACh release during the dark phase under the LD cycle was approximately 33% higher than that during the light phase. Under DD conditions, circadian changes in ACh release persisted with similar amplitudes as observed in the LD condition. These results suggest that cortical ACh release is under the control of a circadian oscillator.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1991

Effects of chemical stimulation and lesion of the rostral ventrolateral medulla in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

We investigated whether or not the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVL) participates in maintaining a higher arterial pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). SHR and Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) were anesthetized with chloralose, paralyzed with tubocurarine, and artificially ventilated. Chemical excitation of the RVL neurons by microinjection of excitatory amino acids (L-glutamate) elicited a dose-dependent pressor response in both the SHR and WKY groups. The magnitude of increase in the arterial pressure (AP) was similar in both groups, but the present increase of AP was higher in WKY than in SHR. Chemical lesions of the bilateral RVL produced by the microinjection of tetrodotoxin decreased the AP to the spinal level, which was similar in both groups. The results indicate that the RVL functions as the sole sympathetic output of the brain in SHR, and suggest that the RVL neurons may be tonically overactive to maintain hypertension in SHR.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Heterogeneity and characterisation of mitogenic and anti-complementary pectic polysaccharides from the roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch et D.C.

Two anti-complementary polysaccharide fractions (GR-2IIa and GR-2IIb), isolated from the roots of Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch et D.C., each gave five anti-complementary polysaccharides (GR-2IIa-1-5 and GR-2IIb-1-5) on h.p.l.c.; likewise, GR-2IIc gave two anti-complementary and mitogenic polysaccharides (GR-2IIc-1-2A and -2IIc-2) by gel filtration and h.p.l.c. GR-2IIc-1-2A showed the most potent anti-complementary activity. GR-2IIa-1-5 and GR-2IIb-1-5 contained 40-85% and 50-90% of GalA, respectively, in addition to Rha, Ara, and Gal. GR-2IIc-1-2A and -2IIc-2 mainly comprised Glc, Gal, GalA, and GlcA in addition to Rha, Fuc, Xyl, Ara, and Man. Methylation analysis and digestion with endo-alpha-(1----4)-polygalacturonase indicated that all of the polysaccharides contained polygalacturonan regions which were frequently methyl-esterified. GR-2II-a, -2IIb, and -2IIc gave enzyme-resistant fractions of large and intermediate sizes, in addition to oligogalacturonides. Each large fraction from GR-2IIa and -2IIb consisted mainly of Ara, Gal, and GalA, whereas the intermediate fractions were composed of small proportions of 2-Me-Fuc, 2-Me-Xyl, and apiose (Api), in addition to Rha, Ara, Gal, and GalA. The large fraction from GR-2IIc mainly contained Rha, Man, Gal, and GalA in addition to Fuc, Ara, Xyl, and Glc, whereas the intermediate fraction consisted of 2-Me-Fuc, 2-Me-Xyl, and Api, in addition to Rha, Ara, GalA, Fuc, Xyl, Man, Gal, and Glc. Base-catalysed beta-elimination followed by ethylation indicated that all the polysaccharides except GR-2IIc-2 contained a 4-linked uronic acid attached to position 2 of 2,4-linked Rha. Single radial gel diffusion, using the beta-D-glucosyl-Yariv antigen, indicated that GR-2IIa-1 and GR-2IIc-2 contained relatively large proportions of (1----3,6)-beta-D-galactan moieties. The anti-complementary activities of GR-2IIa-3, GR-2IIa-4, and GR-2IIb-4 decreased after de-esterification followed by digestion with endo-alpha-(1----4)-polygalacturonase. The large fractions from GR-2IIa-2IIc showed more potent anti-complementary activities than the original polysaccharide fractions, whereas the intermediate fractions and oligogalacturonides were inactive. The large fraction from GR-2IIc had more potent mitogenic activity than GR-2IIc, whereas the intermediate fraction and oligogalacturonides from GR-2IIc were inactive.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1991

The effects of polysaccharides on plasminogen activation by single chain-and two chain-tissue plasminogen activator.

We examined the effects of polysaccharides on t-PA mediated plasminogen activation using single-chain tissue plasminogen activator (sct-PA) and two-chain tissue plasminogen activator (tct-PA). Unfractionated heparin, low molecular weight heparin (LMW heparin) and dextran sulfates enhanced the activation rate of plasminogen by sct-PA about three-fold to six-fold. Chondroitin sulfate C did not enhance the activation. The activation of plasminogen by tct-PA was slightly enhanced by unfractionated heparin, but not by other polysaccharides. Conversion of sct-PA to tct-PA was not stimulated by polysaccharides. SDS-PAGE showed no enhancement of the conversion from sct-PA to tct-PA by plasmin in the presence of polysaccharides. However, the enhancement of sct-PA mediated activation of plasminogen by unfractionated heparin, LMW heparin and dextran sulfates in the presence of aprotinin was shown with SDS-PAGE. It was suggested that unfractionated heparin, LMW heparin and dextran sulfates form complex with sct-PA and plasminogen, and stimulate the conversion of sct-PA to tct-PA.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Transplantation of ventral forebrain cholinergic neurons to the hippocampus ameliorates impairment of radial-arm maze learning in rats with AF64A treatment.

Two types of cholinergic neurons were transplanted into the hippoccampus of adult rats chemically damaged by lateral ventricular administration of AF64A, a cholinergic neurotoxin, and the effects were compared with respect to their ability to reinnervate the hippocampus and to repair behavioral deficit. Pieces of brain tissue containing the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) or the striatum were taken for grafting from 17-day rat fetuses. About 3 months after transplantation, the rats with bilateral NBM grafts showed significant amelioration in radial-arm maze performance and habituation to a novel environment in an open field box, although they had not recovered to the control level. In rats with NBM grafts that showed a good performance, there were surviving grafts and many ingrowths of AChE-positive fibers in the hippocampus. By contrast, rats with striatal grafts showed hardly any significant improvement in these behavioral measures. The AChE staining revealed poor outgrowth of the striatal grafts into the hippocampus. These results indicate that grafting of NBM cholinergic neurons, which are anatomically similar to septal neurons, into the hippocampus produces a partial restorative effect on the cognitive impairment associated with hypofunction of the septohippocampal system.

Analysis of Variance↗