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Biomedical subjects

H Kudo

Publications and source records attributed to H Kudo.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Effects of danazol on endometrial DNA synthesis in rats.

The suppressive effects of Danazol, an isoxazol derivative of the synthetic steroid 17 alpha-ethinyltestosterone, on endometrial DNA synthesis were investigated in rats by immunohistochemistry with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and DNA-synthesizing enzyme assays. Rats treated with Danazol for 14 days at 17-19 weeks of age showed a decrease of plasma gonadotropins associated with ovarian hypofunction, persistent diestrus, and a smaller number of corpora lutea in ovary, resulting in no BrdU-immunoreactive (S-phase) cells in endometrial epithelium and lower activity of thymidine kinase in the uterus compared with control.

Adrenal Glands↗

Syrinx-fourth ventricle and lateral ventricle-peritoneal shunts for congenital hydrocephalus with syringobulbia and syringomyelia: case report.

A case of congenital hydrocephalus with syringobulbia and syringomyelia was reported. Although his neurological condition had deteriorated because of shunt malfunction, progressing syringobulbia, and syringomyelia, he recovered because of the direct communication from the syrinx in the medulla to the fourth ventricle, the shunt from the syrinx in the cervical spinal cord to the fourth ventricle, and the lateral ventriculoperitoneal shunt.

Adult↗

Effects of kampo (Japanese herbal) medicine "sho-saiko-to" on DNA-synthesizing enzyme activity in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine-induced colonic carcinomas in rats.

Sho-Saiko-To (SST) is a modified Japanese traditional Chinese herbal medicine containing seven medical plants: Bupleuri radix, Pinelliae tuber, Suxtallariae radix, Zizyphi fructus, Ginseng radix, Glycyrrhizae radix, and Zingiberis recens rhizoma. This preparation has been used in the treatment of some inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system and chronic hepatitis. In the present study, the effects of SST were investigated on the activities of DNA-synthesizing enzymes in 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colonic carcinomas in rats. Six-week administration of SST prevented nearly 100% of the body weight loss and the final number of the colonic carcinomas compared to those in the rats treated with DMH alone, and suppressed the enhanced activities of thymidylate synthetase (TS) and thymidine kinase (TK) which were involved in the de novo and salvage pathways of pyrimidine synthesis, respectively, in DMH-induced colonic carcinomas. These results indicate that SST may show directly and/or indirectly inhibitory effects on the development of colonic carcinomas.

1,2-Dimethylhydrazine↗

Suppression by kampo medicines in preneoplastic mammary hyperplastic alveolar nodules of SHN virgin mice.

Sho-saiko-to (SST), Keishi-bukuryo-gan (KBG), and Shakuyaku-kanzo-to (SKT) are Japanese modified traditional Chinese herbal medicines (Kampo medicines) consisting of 7, 5, and 2 medical plants, respectively. It is known that the hyperplastic alveolar nodule (HAN) is a representative preneoplastic state in the mammary glands of mice. We examined the effects of SST, KBG, and SKT on the formation and growth of HAN in a high-mammary-tumor strain of SHN virgin mice. Oral administration of SST for 60 days beginning at 90 days of age reduced the number and area of HAN and mammary thymidylate synthetase activity with a reduction of serum prolactin level. There was little difference between the other experimental groups and the control in the formation and growth of HAN and the enzyme activities. These results indicate that SST may have a preventive effect on malignant mammary transformations.

Animals↗

Hepatocellular carcinoma with unusual metastasis to the small intestine.

An autopsy case of a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with unusual metastasis to the mucosa of the small intestine is reported. The patient was a 73 year old female. At autopsy, the liver weighed 970 g, and an ovoid and necrotic 6 x 5 cm sized tumor was found in the right posterior lobe with many daughter tumors within the cirrhotic liver. The tumor embolus in the portal vein was not found. Extrahepatically the tumor metastasized to the lungs, sacral bone and hepatohillar and para-aortic lymph nodes. Additionally, many sessile and pedunculated polyps up to 2 cm in diameter were found sporadically in the small intestine. These seemed to be primary adenomatous polyps but histologically they were HCC metastasis. To the best of the authors' knowledge, many polypoid involvements of the small intestine by a hepatocellular carcinoma have not been reported until now.

Aged↗

[Essential thrombocythemia in pregnancy].

A 30-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of thrombocythemia during pregnancy. Her leukocyte count was 10,000/microliters, Hb was 11.7 g/dl, and platelet count 181.9 x 10(4)/microliter. Bone marrow aspirate showed an increase in megakaryocytes (255/microliters). Both Ph1 chromosome and bcr rearrangement were negative. She was diagnosed as having essential thrombocythemia (ET) with pregnancy, and was treated with aspirin (150 mg/day). Her pregnancy was uneventful, but she was readmitted because of overterm pregnancy. A caesarean section was performed, and a healthy male infant weighing 3,672 g was delivered, with a platelet count of 25.5 x 10(4)/microliter. However, the uterine was atonic, and atonic hemorrhage occurred. Supravaginal hysterectomy was performed. Subsequently, intrabdominal gross hemorrhage occurred, but the bleeding was halved by platelet transfusion. Microscopic examination showed uterine infarction. We suggest that platelet count should be reduced by means of plateletpheresis or interferon-alpha throughout pregnancy with ET.

Adult↗

[Serum inorganic fluoride concentrations and their urinary excretion during and after sevoflurane, isoflurane, or enflurane anesthesia in man].

Serum inorganic fluoride concentrations and their urinary excretion were examined during and after sevoflurane, isoflurane, or enflurane anesthesia in man. Duration of anesthesia was 3 hours in sevoflurane and enflurane groups (S3 group: n = 10, E3 group: n = 5), and 3 or 5 hours in isoflurane groups (I3 group: n = 5, I5 group: n = 5). Serum inorganic fluoride concentration of the S3 and E3 groups increased immediately following induction, and reached the maximum concentration of 21.8 +/- 9.3 (M +/- SD) mumol.l-1 (S3), 13.6 +/- 6.2 mumol.l-1 (E3) at 1 hour after anesthesia. Serum inorganic fluoride decreased after the peak concentrations, and returned to the pre-anesthesia level at 96 hours (S3) and 144 hours (E3) after anesthesia. On the other hand, serum inorganic fluoride of the I3 and I5 groups scarcely changed from the pre-anesthesia level, and maximum concentrations of these two groups were one tenth of the S3 group. Urinary excretion of inorganic fluoride of the S3 and E3 group began to increase from 2 hours after anesthesia, and showed plateau of 60-90 mmol.h-1 from 12 hours to 24 hours after anesthesia. The change of serum inorganic fluoride sharply contrasted with urinary excretion. Our results suggest that fluoride excretion is largely carried out by the kidney. Therefore sevoflurane or enflurane anesthesia should be avoided in patients with renal dysfunction.

Adolescent↗

[The role of the clinical microbiology laboratory in the past].

Over the past 150 years, since Koch first isolated the tubercle bacillus, clinical microbiologists have used culturing techniques to demonstrate of the presence of pathogenic microorganisms associated with infectious diseases in clinical specimens. The development of medicine and chemotherapy and the improvement of sanitary conditions resulted in a marked decrease in infectious diseases. In stead of infections due to virulent pathogens, opportunistic infections in the compromised hosts by non-virulent or weakly virulent bacteria have been on the rise. As a result, determining the pathogenicity of an isolated bacteria becomes important. The past two decades have seen extensive efforts to exploit the potential of automation in clinical microbiology and to develop increasingly rapid procedures. New technology, such as molecular genetics, has also been introduced into clinical microbiology. For more correct and precise diagnoses of infectious diseases, the clinical microbiology laboratory should be enlarged as an "Infectious Disease Laboratory" to include an extended work on not only the detection of pathogens from the specimens of infectious disease, but also serodiagnostic tests and immunological tests of hosts. The "Infectious Disease Laboratory" would also play a key role in the control of nosocomial infection working with the infection control committee and infectious disease clinicians.

Humans↗

[Turning point in quality control in Japan--current status & problems and future issues].

Some authorities suggest that quality control in Japan is now at a turning point. During the 30 years since its introduction in the 1960s, quality control has improved dramatically, and a number of new quality control techniques have been designed and applied to routine examination. In actual practice, however, people tend to become insensitive to abnormalities or to ignore them, causing an increase in the number of abnormal results. This article will review a survey of quality control and describe the current status, problems and future issues in quality assurance.

Forecasting↗

[Four cases of CD7-positive acute myeloid leukemia].

This report describes 4 cases of T-cell-associated CD7-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Myelo-peroxidase staining of blasts was negative in 2 cases but became positive during their courses. In all cases, the myeloid determinants CD13 and/or CD33 were associated with CD7 expression. Other B-lymphoid (CD10, CD19) or T-lymphoid (CD2) markers were negative. In three cases, dual fluorescence analyses showed co-expression of CD7 and CD13 (CD33). Clinically, compared with CD7+AML, these CD7+AML patients presented higher leukocyte and blast counts in peripheral blood. All patients achieved complete remission with chemotherapeutic regimens for AML, but 3 relapsed within a short time. Systemic lymphadenopathy was found in 2 cases, and interestingly, the surface markers of the lymph-node in one case were CD7+CD33-. These cases of CD7+AML may represent a distinct subgroup that arises from particular, less different myeloid precursors, and may have poor prognosis.

Acute Disease↗

Molecular cloning of a mouse 47-kDa heat-shock protein (HSP47), a collagen-binding stress protein, and its expression during the differentiation of F9 teratocarcinoma cells.

A 47-kDa heat-shock protein (HSP47) is a major collagen-binding stress protein residing in the endoplasmic reticulum, and is assumed to be a molecular chaperone specific to collagen. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and immunoprecipitation studies showed that the expression of HSP47 was significantly induced during the differentiation of mouse teratocarcinoma F9 cells by treatment with retinoic acid alone or with retinoic acid and dibutyryladenosine 3',5'-phosphate. The induction of type-IV collagen was also observed during F9-cell differentiation. For further analysis, we cloned cDNA encoding mouse HSP47 from a cDNA library of BALB/c 3T3 cells and performed Northern-blot analysis. The cDNA contained a signal sequence at the N-terminus and an endoplasmic-reticulum-retention signal, RDEL, at the C-terminus. An homology search revealed that mouse HSP47, as well as chick HSP47, belonged to the serine protease inhibitor superfamily. While chick HSP47 mRNA was 4.5 kb with a long (2-kb) 3' untranslated region, mouse and human HSP47 mRNA were 2.5 kb, with a 0.8-kb 3' untranslated region. Northern-blot analysis revealed that the concurrent induction of HSP47 and type-IV collagen during F9-cell differentiation, and the transient induction of HSP47 after heat shock was regulated at the level of mRNA accumulation. These results suggested that HSP47 was closely related to collagens in terms of its expression as well as in its functional relevance.

3T3 Cells↗

Treatment of early recurrent medulloblastoma in children with cisplatin and etoposide: a preliminary report.

The prognosis of recurrent medulloblastoma remains extremely poor. Combination chemotherapy with cisplatin (CDDP) and etoposide (VP-16) was given to five children with early recurrent medulloblastoma. As a rule, CDDP 20 mg/m2 per day and VP-16 60 mg/m2 per day were administered intravenously for 5 days. This cycle was repeated three times at 4-week intervals. After this therapy, cerebellar signs improved in one case and were unchanged in four cases. Weakness and sensory disturbance, however, improved in three of four patients. Moreover, neck and/or back pain resolved in all these four. Radiological findings improved in three cases. Myelosuppression appeared in all patients, but receded rapidly. No other significant complications were noticed. Two patients died 5 and 6 months after this therapy. These results seem to suggest that this therapy has a use in improving neurological symptoms, particularly neck and/or back pain, although its efficacy is limited.

Adolescent↗

Molecular analysis of rice dwarf phytoreovirus segment S1: interviral homology of the putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase between plant- and animal-infecting reoviruses.

We have determined the complete nucleotide sequence of the largest segment S1 of rice dwarf phytoreovirus (RDV), a member of the family Reoviridae. S1 is 4423 nucleotides long with a segment-specific inverted repeat located adjacent to the conserved termini (5'GGCAAA---UGAU3'). A major open reading frame (bases 36 to 4367) on the S1 plus strand, which is preceded by a minicistron (bases 6 to 29), encodes the polypeptide (P1) consisting of 1444 amino acids with a M(r) of 164, 142. The sense-strand transcript derived from the full-length S1 cDNA, the minicistron of which was abolished, directed the synthesis of a polypeptide of 170 kDa in addition to smaller polypeptides in wheat germ extracts, and the 170-kDa product comigrated with the minor core protein in SDS-polyacrylamide gel. Thus, P1 is assumed to be localized in the viral core particle. The consensus sequence element conserved in RNA-dependent RNA polymerase is observed in the P1 amino acid sequence predicted from the nucleotide sequence. Based on the dendrogram established from the sequence alignment around the polymerase module region, and sequence identity within the alignment, P1 of plant-infecting RDV was evolutionarily compared with VP1, lambda 3, and VP1 of three other animal-infecting members of the family, rota-, reo-, and bluetongue viruses. Consequently, RDV S1 was shown to be more closely related to the rotavirus gene segment 1, in terms of molecular evolution, than the animal-infecting members are to one another.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Effects of carcinogenesis on colonic thymidine kinase activity in familial adenomatous polyposis.

Thymidine kinase (TK) activity of polyp tissue from patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) was measured and compared with that of non-tumorous colon, sporadic polyp and colorectal carcinoma tissues. Total TK activity in colonic carcinoma was 3-fold that of non-tumorous colon; its increase seems attributable mainly to increased activity of cytosolic TK isozyme activity. By using DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, the colorectal TK isozymes were separated into two types, i.e. two isozymes, referred to as the fetal (predominantly cytosolic) and adult (predominantly mitochondrial) types. However, FAP polyp samples from 15 patients showed an average elevation of only 1.8-fold over non-tumorous region of colon. Examined individually, only 5 of the 15 FAP samples showed significant elevations in total TK activity. Furthermore, TK isozyme analysis revealed variable patterns of the cytosolic isozyme activity, which was elevated in some cases (8/15) and remained low in others. Thus FAP polyps seem to be a heterogeneous population with respect to DNA replicative activity, and cytosolic TK isozyme activity may constitute a biochemical marker for the subsequent development of colorectal carcinoma in FAP.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗

Conserved terminal sequences of rice ragged stunt virus genomic RNA.

The 5'- and 3'-terminal nucleotide sequences of the dsRNA genome segments of rice ragged stunt virus (RRSV), a member of the plant Reoviridae, were determined and compared with those published for other viruses in this family. The 5'- and 3'-terminal regions of the RRSV plus strand RNA from all genome segments were found to have the same conserved hexanucleotide (5' GAUAAA---) and tetranucleotide (---GUGC 3') sequences, respectively. These conserved terminal sequences were different from those found in viruses in the Phytoreovirus and Fijivirus genera. This result confirms that, as already suggested, RRSV should be placed in a third genus.

Base Sequence↗

Inhibition of the activation of heat shock factor in vivo and in vitro by flavonoids.

Transcriptional activation of human heat shock protein (HSP) genes by heat shock or other stresses is regulated by the activation of a heat shock factor (HSF). Activated HSF posttranslationally acquires DNA-binding ability. We previously reported that quercetin and some other flavonoids inhibited the induction of HSPs in HeLa and COLO 320DM cells, derived from a human colon cancer, at the level of mRNA accumulation. In this study, we examined the effects of quercetin on the induction of HSP70 promoter-regulated chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) activity and on the binding of HSF to the heat shock element (HSE) by a gel mobility shift assay with extracts of COLO 320DM cells. Quercetin inhibited heat-induced CAT activity in COS-7 and COLO 320DM cells which were transfected with plasmids bearing the CAT gene under the control of the promoter region of the human HSP70 gene. Treatment with quercetin inhibited the binding of HSF to the HSE in whole-cell extracts activated in vivo by heat shock and in cytoplasmic extracts activated in vitro by elevated temperature or by urea. The binding of HSF activated in vitro by Nonidet P-40 was not suppressed by the addition of quercetin. The formation of the HSF-HSE complex was not inhibited when quercetin was added only during the binding reaction of HSF to the HSE after in vitro heat activation. Quercetin thus interacts with HSF and inhibits the induction of HSPs after heat shock through inhibition of HSF activation.

Animals↗