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Biomedical subjects

H Okamura

Publications and source records attributed to H Okamura.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Mental adjustment to first recurrence and correlated factors in patients with breast cancer.

Previous reports have demonstrated that breast cancer patients felt that news of their recurrence was more upsetting than their initial diagnosis. However, no studies have examined the factors that are correlated with mental adjustment in breast cancer patients who experienced recurrence. The authors investigated factors that are correlated with mental adjustment styles of fighting spirit or helplessness/hopelessness in women with breast cancer with a first recurrence. Fifty-five participants were interviewed and completed the Mental Adjustment to Cancer scale. Factors that correlated significantly with fighting spirit were performance status and history of major depression, while factors that correlated significantly with helplessness/hopelessness were age, pain, and history of major depression. These findings suggest that it is necessary to provide intervention for first recurrent breast cancer patients who have such biomedical factors, as young age, poor performance status, pain, and history of major depression to help them better cope with cancer.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2001

Alteration of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer region associated (Ag-NOR) proteins in apoptosis-induced human salivary gland cells and human oral squamous carcinoma cells.

The level of argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNORs) and AgNOR-associated proteins (Ag-NOR proteins) varies with cell activity, including ribosomal biogenesis occurring in proliferating cells. Proteins associated with some AgNORs are detected by a specific silver staining. To investigate a possible relationship between apoptosis and the AgNORs or Ag-NOR proteins, we examined the changes of AgNORs and Ag-NOR proteins during apoptosis in a human salivary gland cell line, HSG cells, and a human oral squamous carcinoma cell line, SCC-25 cells. Apoptosis was induced by treatment of HSG and SCC-25 cells with okadaic acid. Proteins prepared from HSG and SCC-25 cells treated with varying concentrations of okadaic acid (OA) were subjected to sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) followed by transferring to transfer membranes and staining for Ag-NOR proteins by modified Western blot analysis. Four major bands (110 kDa, 43 kDa, 39kDa, and 37 kDa) were detected in the proteins obtained from the control cells. The level of the 110-kDa protein decreased in the proteins prepared from OA-induced apoptotic cells; however, the reaction intensity of the other three bands was changed in apoptotic cells. An additional band of an 80-kDa Ag-NOR protein appeared and increased in the apoptotic cells. Cellular fractionation of HSG cells and SCC-25 cells was done with or without apoptotic induction. An 80-kDa Ag-NOR protein was detected in the nuclear fraction prepared from the apoptotic cells, while the 110-kDa protein decreased in the nuclear fraction of these cells. The 110-kDa Ag-NOR protein may be nucleolin (C23) as deduced from its AgNOR staining features, including molecular weight. The 80-kDa protein may be the cleavage product of the 110-kDa protein. In the cell-free apoptotic system, in which intact nuclei of HSG cells were incubated with the cytosol fraction of apoptotic HSG and SCC-25 cells, the 80-kDa Ag-NOR protein was detected in nuclei incubated with the cytosol fraction of apoptotic cells, while the level of the 110-kDa protein decreased. The changes of Ag-NOR proteins in nuclei prepared from SCC-25 cells incubated with cytosol fractions prepared from HSG and SCC-25 cells were identical to those of the HSG cells. The alternation of AgNORs in apoptosis-induced HSG cells was also examined using double staining with Hoechst 33342 and silver nitrate. Hoechst staining revealed typical apoptotic nuclei, which exhibited highly fluorescent condensed chromatin in OA-treated HSG cells. Silver grains representing AgNORs were not detected in the cells undergoing apoptosis. The dual-imposition view confirmed that AgNORs, which are visible as dots in nucleoli in the control cells, disappeared from the apoptotic nuclei of HSG cells. Our results indicate that the 110-kDa nucleolar Ag-NOR protein is associated with apoptosis and is cleaved during apoptosis.

Antigens↗
PubMed2001

Expression of interleukin-18 and its receptor in mouse ovary.

PROBLEM: Interleukin-18 (IL-18) strongly induces interferon-gamma production and is produced not only by types of immune cells but also by types of non-immune cells. Ovulation is thought to be an inflammation-like reaction in which many pro-inflammatory cytokines are involved. We investigated whether IL-18 is involved in the functions of ovary. METHOD OF STUDY: The 4-week-old immature female mice were examined for IL-18 and IL-18 receptor (IL-18R) expression on their ovaries under stimulation with pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) by immunohistochemical staining, Western blotting and reverse transcript-polymerase chain reaction. The IL-18R was blocked by the injection of anti-IL-18R monoclonal antibody to immature mice during PMSG-hCG stimulation, and the number of ovulated ova was counted. RESULTS: The expression of both proteins and mRNA of IL-18 and IL-18R were very low in immature ovaries before stimulation, but after PMSG injection both IL-18 and IL-18R increased dramatically in theca cells and reached a maximum level at the peri-ovulatory phase then slightly lowered, but still kept a high level during the luteal phase in the corpus luteum. The treatment of IL-18R monoclonal antibody to the mice during ovarian stimulation reduced the number of ovulated ova and inhibited the expansion of cumulus cells surrounding the ovum. CONCLUSION: IL-18 and IL-18R play roles in various kinds of function of ovary.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Localized malignant mesothelioma of the pleura.

We describe a case of malignant pleural mesothelioma appearing as a solitary pleural tumor in a 56-year-old Japanese man with no history of exposure to asbestos. A chest radiograph revealed an isolated extrapulmonary mass in the left hemithorax. The patient underwent tumor resection, but the tumor later recurred on the contralateral pleura. The patient developed cerebral metastases and died 16 months after the initial surgery. The resected tumor was sessile with broad-based pleural attachment. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of interlacing fascicles of plump spindle cells intermixed with few polygonal cells. Most of the tumor cells showed positive immunoreactivity for cytokeratins (AE1 and AE3) and vimentin. Many of the tumor cells were positive for epithelial membrane antigen, and a few were positive for desmin. In contrast, the tumor cells were consistently negative for carcinoembryonic antigen, epithelial antigen BerEP4, calretinin, S-100 protein, neuron-specific enolase, muscle actin antigen HHF35, alpha-smooth muscle actin antigen and CD34. Ultrastructurally, the tumor cells had diffusely distributed cytoplasmic intermediate filaments, desmosome-like junctions, and a few microvilli. Some tumor cells contained cytoplasmic tonofilaments. Immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings supported the mesothelial nature of the tumor, and led us to diagnose this tumor as a sarcomatoid localized malignant mesothelioma.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed2001

Psychiatric disorders in cancer patients: descriptive analysis of 1721 psychiatric referrals at two Japanese cancer center hospitals.

BACKGROUND: Although a diagnosis of cancer today may no longer be considered to be the equivalent of a death sentence, many previous studies in Western countries have revealed that such a diagnosis places many kinds of emotional burden on a patient. However, few studies have focused on the nature of psychiatric disorders in Japanese cancer patients. METHODS: We investigated the characteristics, reason for psychiatric consultation and psychiatric diagnosis of cancer patients by analyzing the database of patients referred to the Psychiatry Divisions at the National Cancer Center Hospital and the National Cancer Center Hospital East, Japan. RESULTS: Among a total of 1721 referrals, most of the cancer patients (78%) were inpatients. Patients with lung cancer (19%) were the most common, followed by patients with breast cancer (13%) and with head and neck cancer (10%). More than half of the patients had recurrent and/or metastatic cancer and 60% of the patients had pain. The most common reason for the consultation was psychiatric evaluation (35%), followed by sleep disorders (19%), anxiety or fear (18%) and depression (18%). Regarding the psychiatric diagnosis, adjustment disorders were the most common (34%), followed by delirium (17%) and major depression (14%). The diagnosis of cancer had been disclosed to more than 99% of the patients. CONCLUSION: The common psychiatric disorders observed in Japanese cancer patients were similar to those in the Western countries provided the cancer diagnosis is disclosed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Protein tyrosine kinase expression in the porcine ovary.

Various growth factor receptors contain intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity, indicating that protein tyrosine kinases (PTK) play an important role in signal transduction pathways for cell proliferation and differentiation. To identify oocyte-derived factors which control follicle cells as well as oocyte-controlling factors produced by follicle cells, we examined the expression of genes which contain the PTK domain in the porcine ovary, using a polymerase chain reaction-based amplification technique with degenerate oligonucleotide primers that are specific to the PTK domain. Clones for the porcine homologues of platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRalpha) and of insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR) were found during follicle growth both in oocytes and follicle cells. Clones for the porcine homologues of focal adhesion kinase (FAK), of c-kit and of fms-like tyrosine kinase (FLT)-3 were found only in oocytes. Moreover, after 24 h of in-vitro maturation of the cumulus-oocyte complexes, clones for the porcine homologues of FLT-1, of FLT-4, of Tie2 and of RYK in oocytes were observed. Immunohistochemical studies revealed the existence of PDGFRalpha, platelet-derived growth factor A (PDGFA), FAK and FLT3 in oocytes at various stages of folliculogenesis. These results suggest that fluctuations in the expression of these PTK genes may be involved in follicle growth and maturation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Structure of the DNA-binding domain of human telomeric protein, TRF1 and its interaction with telomeric DNA.

TRF1, a key player in regulation of the telomere length, is a double-stranded telomeric DNA binding factor in vertebrate. The DNA-binding domain of TRF1 shows a sequence similarity to each of the tandem repeat in the DNA-binding domain of the c-Myb protein. Here, the solution structure of the DNA-binding domain of human TRF1 has been determined by NMR. It consists of three helices, and its topological arrangement is very close to that of each c-Myb repeat and also to that of each subdomain of the DNA-binding domain in yeast telomeric protein, Rap1p. The interaction with DNA has been investigated by chemical shift perturbations. The result suggests that TRF1 recognizes the sequence centered on AGGGTTA mainly with its N-terminal arm, N-terminal portion of second helix and both ends of third helix.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Susceptibility of calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite-collagen composite to irradiation.

The ESR spectrum of calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (DAp) has the peaks assigned to the hyperfine structure of dangling H+ (hyperfine coupling constant = 50.8 mT, I = 1/2) due to the HPO(4)2- ion which captured the hole released by X ray irradiation. This ESR peak intensity in DAp with collagen (c-DAp) decreased in an increase in the amount of collagen added into Ca(H2PO4)2H2O (MCP) electrolytic solution, because dangling H+ of HPO(4)2- binds to the carboxyl group of collagen due to the hydrogen bond. The ESR signal intensities at near g = 2 in DAp, c-DAp, and stoichiometric hydroxyapatite (HAp) after X ray irradiation, were proportional to the absorbed dose in the range from 6 to 380 Gy. These ESR signal intensities decreased when the X ray-irradiated DAp, c-DAp, and HAp was suspended in the simulated body fluid. This fact suggests that the surface layer contained high density of ESR active species in DAp, c-DAp, and HAp dissolved in the simulated body fluid. Therefore, with the dosemeter utilising such biomaterials as tooth and bone, sufficient care must be paid to the effect of body fluid.

Collagen↗
PubMed2001

EEG modification induced by repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a powerful, noninvasive tool for investigating cortical physiologic functions in the brain. However, EEG spectral analysis has not been investigated extensively in rTMS study. The authors investigated the influence of rTMS on the EEG power spectrum by stimulating the left frontal cortex in 32 healthy subjects. Stimulation parameters were a 10-Hz frequency, a 3-second duration, and a 100% motor threshold. The data showed that rTMS increased the peak frequency of EEG across the scalp within 2 minutes after stimulation, whereas the value decreased at 3 to 4 minutes. The mean absolute powers within 3 minutes after rTMS did not differ from those estimated before rTMS, but increased uniformly at 4 to 5 minutes. The spectra did not change after sham stimulation. These results indicate that rTMS can influence cortical activities significantly by increasing the frequency and amplitude of EEG, and is a useful tool for helping us understand brain functions.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Rapid detection of chromosome aneuploidies by prenatal interphase FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) and its clinical utility in Japan.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy, informative rate, detection rate, and clinical utility of prenatal interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of amniotic fluid samples from Japanese women. METHODS: Amniotic fluid specimens from 2,639 Japanese women were received for prenatal interphase FISH and chromosome analysis. A questionnaire was designed to evaluate FISH clinical utility by collaboration sites. RESULTS: Based on 2,319 tested samples, the accuracy (100%), informative (94%), and detection (87.6%) rates were all high. The accuracy (100%), informative (90.2%), and detection (90.0%) rates were also remarkable in third-trimester pregnancies. We perceive significant advantages from this test regarding medical management and patient satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: This novel report shows that in Japan prenatal interphase FISH testing is highly informative and accurate, not only in second-trimester pregnancies but also in third-trimester pregnancies. This test provides advantages to both physicians and patients, provided that its capabilities and limitations are understood.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Interleukin-18 regulates both Th1 and Th2 responses.

Although interleukin-18 is structurally homologous to IL-1 and its receptor belongs to the IL-1R/Toll-like receptor (TLR) superfamily, its function is quite different from that of IL-1. IL-18 is produced not only by types of immune cells but also by non-immune cells. In collaboration with IL-12, IL-18 stimulates Th1-mediated immune responses, which play a critical role in the host defense against infection with intracellular microbes through the induction of IFN-gamma. However, the overproduction of IL-12 and IL-18 induces severe inflammatory disorders, suggesting that IL-18 is a potent proinflammatory cytokine that has pathophysiological roles in several inflammatory conditions. IL-18 mRNA is expressed in a wide range of cells including Kupffer cells, macrophages, T cells, B cells, dendritic cells, osteoblasts, keratinocytes, astrocytes, and microglia. Thus, the pathophysiological role of IL-18 has been extensively tested in the organs that contain these cells. Somewhat surprisingly, IL-18 alone can stimulate Th2 cytokine production as well as allergic inflammation. Therefore, the functions of IL-18 in vivo are very heterogeneous and complicated. In principle, IL-18 enhances the IL-12-driven Th1 immune responses, but it can also stimulate Th2 immune responses in the absence of IL-12.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Clinical value of thymidine kinase in patients with cervical carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to determine the clinical value of thymidine kinase (TK), which is an important pyrimidine pathway enzyme involved in salvage DNA synthesis, in patients with cervical carcinoma. METHODS: We examined TK mRNA expression by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction in 19 tissue specimens of invasive cervical carcinoma and 9 normal cervices and related it to thymidylate synthase (TS) and thymidine phosphorylase (TP) mRNA expressions. Serum TK level was determined by radioenzymatic assay in 79 patients with invasive cervical carcinoma, 7 patients with microinvasive carcinoma, 21 patients with carcinoma in situ and 32 normal women. RESULTS: TK mRNA expression was upregulated in invasive cervical carcinoma compared with the normal cervix (p < 0.05) and significantly correlated with TS mRNA expression (p < 0.0001) but not with TP mRNA expression. The serum TK level was significantly higher in patients with invasive carcinoma than in normal women and patients with carcinoma in situ (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05). In patients with invasive cervical carcinoma, the serum TK level significantly correlated with TK mRNA expression (p < 0.05), but not with any conventional clinicopathologic factors. High serum TK levels significantly correlated with a poorer survival (p < 0.05), and multivariate analysis showed serum TK level to be an independent prognostic factor (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: TK may play an important role in influencing the malignant behavior of cervical carcinoma, and measurement of the serum TK level may be useful in predicting survival in patients with cervical carcinoma.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

A possible role of neuropeptide Y as a mediator of undernutrition to the hypothalamic gonadotropin-releasing hormone pulse generator in goats.

To understand central mechanisms for nutritional infertility, the activity of the GnRH pulse generator was directly assessed in ovariectomized (OVX) goats under several experimental conditions by recording characteristic increases in the multiple-unit activity (volleys). When estradiol (E(2))-treated animals were fasted for 4-5 days, the activity of the GnRH pulse generator was gradually suppressed, and the volley interval at the end of fasting was significantly prolonged, compared with that during the feeding period (67.4 vs. 49.3 min, n = 5, P < 0.01). On the other hand, such a significant effect on the pulse generator was not observed in OVX goats. In the second experiment, the animals received a bolus intracerebroventricular injection of several doses (0, 2, 5, and 20 microg/400 microl) of neuropeptide Y (NPY). Exogenous NPY dose-dependently inhibited the pulse generator activity. At the highest dosage, the 1st posttreatment volley interval was significantly longer than that of the pretreatment (112.4 vs. 32.6 min, n = 5, P < 0.01) in OVX goats. The suppressive effect of NPY was similarly observed in OVX+E(2) goats. Further, when NPY was infused (10 microg/200 microl.h for 6 h) into OVX goats, the activity of the GnRH pulse generator was almost completely inhibited during the infusion period. Hypothalamic sites responding to fasting were immunohistochemically evaluated using an antibody for Fos in castrated goats. Fos-immunoreactive neurons were found in areas adjacent to the third ventricle. Double-labeling immunohistochemistry revealed that a subpopulation of NPY neurons in the arcuate nucleus was activated in response to fasting. These results demonstrate that: 1) the activity of the GnRH pulse generator is suppressed by fasting in the presence of E(2); 2) exogenous NPY inhibits the activity of the GnRH pulse generator regardless of the presence of E(2); and 3) several hypothalamic neurons or regions, including those containing NPY in the arcuate nucleus, are activated by fasting. Collectively, these observations suggest that NPY acts as a mediator of undernutrition to the GnRH pulse generator.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed2001

[The occurrence of Churg-Strauss syndrome in two patients with remitted asthma].

We report two patients with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) which occurred on the remission stage of bronchial asthma. Case 1 of a 64-year-old woman suffered from asthma in June, 1997, and got relief with treatment. In February, 1998, dysesthesia, pain and severe muscle weakness occurred in the extremities and erythematous rashes appeared on the extremities and back. She was transferred to our hospital on March 3. Peripheral blood eosinophilia was observed and a diagnosis of CSS was made. Eosinophilic tissue infiltration and vasculitis was found in the skin biopsy specimen. She was treated with prednisolone (60 mg/day) with moderate improvement. But the dysesthesia in the extremities, bilateral foot drop and the weakness of the left hand grasping power continued. Case 2 of a 62-year-old woman suffered from asthma in 1995, which improved by treatment. In March 1998, dysesthesia and pain in the lower extremities occurred and progressed. Erythematous rashes appeared on the feet and she was admitted to our hospital in May. Peripheral blood eosinophilia and eosinophilic tissue infiltration in the skin biopsy specimen were observed and a diagnosis of CSS was made. The treatment with prednisolone (60 mg/day) improved the pain but the dysesthesia continued. It is important to know the occurrence of CSS on the remission stage of bronchial asthma.

Asthma↗
PubMed2001

[A comparison of differences in the outcome (hospitalization and mortality) between two special nursing homes of the same size managed by the same organization].

The purpose of this study was to examine the usefulness of information about outcome in evaluation of the quality of special nursing homes. Two special nursing homes A and B were selected. These two facilities were the same in their service capacity and are also owned as well as managed by the same organization. There were no differences in the structural elements between the two facilities. The hospitalization and mortality rate of the two facilities were compared. There were no significant differences in terms of the distribution of the characteristics of the residents between facility A and B at the time of their admission. However, the average survival time of the persons who died was significantly shorter in facility B than that in facility A. (A facility = 1,165 days, B facility = 831 days; p < 0.05). There were significant differences in cumulative survival and non-hospitalization rate of residents in the two facilities (p < 0.05). The differences were seen even after controlling for the prognostic factors by Cox's proportional hazard model (hazard rate: mortality = 1.562, hospitalization = 2.526, p < 0.01). Furthermore, the proportion of residents hospitalized right after their first visit to the hospital was significantly higher in facility B than that in facility A (A = 9.6%, B = 19.3%; p < 0.05). Also, the mortality risk of hospitalized persons was significantly higher than non-hospitalized persons in facility B (p < 0.05), although there was no significant difference in terms of the mortality risk between the two groups in facility A. Because the differences in the cumulative survival and non-hospitalization rate could occur in the facilities that are similar in institutional structures, it suggests that these outcomes are indicators of the quality of special nursing homes. It would be, therefore, important to collect the information about outcome including cumulative survival and non-hospitalization rate of the residents in order to evaluate the quality of special nursing homes.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

IL-12 and IL-18 synergistically induce the bactericidal activity of murine peritoneal cells against M. leprae.

We examined the effect of IL-12 and IL-18 on bactericidal activities of mouse peritoneal cell (PC) against Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae). We demonstrated that IL-12 and IL-18 synergistically induced the NO-dependent bactericidal activity of PC by stimulating Natural Killer (NK) cells and T-cells through IFN-gamma production. IL-12 and IL-18 induced host cell death through NK-cells and T-cells. Therefore. IL-12 and IL-18 play an important role on direct killing of intracellular M. leprae and on indirect killing of them through inducing host cell death.

Animals↗