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Biomedical subjects

H Seki

Publications and source records attributed to H Seki.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

Malignant paraganglioma presenting as Cushing syndrome with virilism in childhood. Production of cortisol, androgens, and adrenocorticotrophic hormone by the tumor.

BACKGROUND: A 12-year-old girl with intractable retroperitoneal paraganglioma experienced increased appetite, acne, obesity, "moon face," and enlargement of the clitoris during the course of the tumor. Plasma cortisol, serum testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels were increased to 34.1 micrograms/dl, 2.0 ng/ml, and 6.628 ng/ml, respectively. Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) levels were not increased, and results of dexamethasone suppression tests were negative. Her condition was diagnosed as Cushing syndrome with virilism. Plasma cortisol levels were increased to a level of 107.1 micrograms/dl before death. METHODS: Tumor samples were obtained at the time of autopsy. The concentrations of cortisol, androgens, ACTH, and catecholamines were assayed in the tumor extracts. The indirect immunoperoxidase procedure was performed on fixed tissues for cortisol, DHEA-S, testosterone, and ACTH. RESULTS: Extracts of the tumor masses contained steroid hormones: the amount of immunoreactive cortisol was 1.64 micrograms/g wet weight; the amount of immunoreactive testosterone was 25.60 ng/g wet weight; immunoreactive DHEA-S, 579.00 ng/g wet weight; and immunoreactive ACTH, 891.00 pg/g wet weight in the metastatic mass of the lung. Immunohistochemically, immunoreactive cortisol, testosterone, and DHEA-S were detectable in the tumor cells. The adrenal gland was atrophic. CONCLUSIONS: The patient is the first reported with malignant paraganglioma with the capacity to produce cortisol, androgens, and ACTH.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1993

[Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist in the treatment of hypogonadotrophic secondary amenorrhoea].

In an attempt to induce ovulation in Clomiphene resistant secondary amenorrhoea patients, the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (Buserelin) (600-900 micrograms/day) was administered in 13 cases aged 18 to 24 years for one week from day 5 of the menstrual cycle. Serum levels of luteinizing hormone increased in all patients, and estradiol levels increased in 10 of 13 patients in response to Buserelin. However, ovulation was observed in 6 cases, and the response to Clomiphene was recovered in all of these 6 cases in their subsequent menstrual cycles. These results imply the existence of a subgroup who respond to Buserelin in Clomiphene resistant secondary amenorrhoea patients and a possible new approach for the treatment of secondary amenorrhoea.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) and perineural invasion in bile duct cancer.

Perineural invasion is associated with tumor spreading and an unfavorable prognosis in a variety of cancers. Recently, neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) has been reported to be affinitive to neural tissues, which suggests some relationship between NCAM and perineural invasion. This study was designed to elucidate the role of the expression of NCAM on the development of perineural invasion in bile duct cancer. A histopathologic study was performed on 24 patients with bile duct carcinoma who underwent resections. The overall incidence of NCAM expression in the resected specimen was 66.7% and that of perineural invasion was 87.5%. Furthermore, NCAM expression was shown to be positive in 16 (76%) out of 21 cases in whom perineural invasion was observed. A significant positive correlation was found between the expression of NCAM and perineural invasion in bile duct cancer. These results highlight an important role of NCAM in the development of perineural invasion in bile duct cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1993

Close phylogenetic relationship between Vestimentifera (tube worms) and Annelida revealed by the amino acid sequence of elongation factor-1 alpha.

To clarify the phylogenetic position of Vestimentifera (tube worms), 346-bp fragments of the elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1 alpha) gene (939-1286 according to the numbering of the human gene) of a vestimentiferan, Lamellibrachia sp., a sternaspid polychaete, Sternaspis scutata, an earthworm, Pheretima sp., and a gastropod, Alviniconcha hessleri, were sequenced. From the amino acid sequences of these EF-1 alpha, and those of two other vertebrates and two arthropods, phylogenetic relationships were deduced by the maximum likelihood (ML) method, by which the phylogenetic tree can be inferred without assuming constancy of the molecular evolutionary rate. For the ML tree and all of seven alternative trees, whose log-likelihoods could not be discriminated from that of the ML tree by the criterion of the standard error, the vestimentiferan, the polychaete, and the oligochaete formed a clade, excluding the arthropods and the gastropod as outgroups. This result is convincing evidence that Vestimentifera are protostomes that are closely related to Annelida. The ML tree suggests that Vestimentifera are more closely related to Polychaeta than to Oligochaeta, though the data were not sufficient to discriminate these three groups at a significant level. From recent evidence such as morphological characteristics and molecular information, it may safely be said that vestimentiferans should be included in the Annelida provided this phylum contains polychaetes and oligochaetes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Increased levels of urinary interleukin-6 in Kawasaki disease.

Kawasaki disease (KD) often presents with abnormal urinary findings, such as aseptic pyuria, mild proteinuria and microscopic haematuria. In this study, we measured urinary interleukin-6 (IL-6) by a sensitive sandwich ELISA assay using mouse monoclonal antibodies against recombinant IL-6 to elucidate the role of IL-6 in the pathogenesis of renal lesions in KD. Serum IL-6 levels were increased in acute KD as well as in febrile controls. Importantly, urinary IL-6 levels were consistently elevated in patients with acute KD, but much lower in febrile controls. Urinary IL-6 levels returned steadily to normal during the convalescent phase. In addition to IL-6, urinary levels of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-mg) were also elevated during the acute phase of this disease. Eosinophils and macrophages were identifiable in urinary sediments from these patients. The increased levels of urinary IL-6 in combination with increased NAG and beta 2-mg seemed to suggest the presence of certain renal parenchymal lesions with cellular infiltration during the acute phase of the disease. IL-6 may serve as clinically useful parameter for the detection and monitoring of the renal involvement in KD.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed1993

Synthesis and characteristics in tumor-bearing mice of N-[11C]methyl-1-deoxynojirimycin and N-[11C]methyl-1-deoxymannojirimycin.

N-[11C]Methyl-1-deoxynojirimycin ([11C]MDNM) and N-[11C]methyl-1-deoxymannojirimycin ([11C]MDMM) were prepared by 11C-methylation of 1-deoxynojirimycin (DNM) and 1-deoxymannojirimycin (DMM), which are specific inhibitors of glucosidase and mannosidase, respectively. In mice bearing Ehrich ascitic tumor, the highest uptake of the [11C]MDNM was observed in the kidney, followed by the liver and small intestine, while the tumor uptake was moderate. By MDNM loading, saturable uptake was observed in these tissues. In homogenates of the kidney and tumor tissues, a considerable amount of radioactivity was detected in a high-molecular weight fraction. These results demonstrate that the [11C]MDNM has a potential for imaging the glucosidase activity by positron emission tomography. On the other hand, [11C]MDMM showed lower uptake than [11C]MDNM in the kidney, liver and small intestine and no effect of carrier DMM, suggesting that the [11C]MDMM would not reflect mannosidase activity.

1-Deoxynojirimycin↗
PubMed1993

Mast cell quantitation in nasal polyps, sinus mucosa and nasal turbinate mucosa.

The distribution and abundance of mast cells in nasal polyps, the maxillary sinus mucosa of patients with sinusitis and the turbinate mucosa of allergic rhinitis was microscopically examined using different methods of fixation. In the epithelium of the surface and the ducts of nasal polyps (n = 8), the mean number of mast cells was over 20,000 per mm3 using Mota's fixation and the increase was correlated with the epithelial thickness (P < 0.05). On the other hand those of the maxillary sinus mucosa (n = 6) and the nasal turbinate mucosa (n = 7) were less than 6,000 per mm3. In the subepithelial layer or areas deeper than the area with the glands, however, mast cell counts were less than 3,200 per mm3 in all diseases. More than 70-90 per cent of all mast cells in the epithelium of the mucosal surface and the ducts of the polyp, the maxillary sinus mucosa and nasal turbinates were formalin sensitive. Most of the mast cells in the subepithelial and deeper areas were formalin resistant in all diseases. These results suggest that conditions for mast cell growth differ between polyps and the other diseases, and that the conditions which affect mast cells may contribute to polyp development.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Quantification of coronary artery calcification using ultrafast computed tomography: reproducibility of measurements.

BACKGROUND: Ultrafast computed tomography (CT) is a non-invasive method of visualizing and quantifying coronary artery calcification; its reproducibility, however, has not been fully elucidated. METHODS: To assess intra-observer, inter-observer, and inter-study reproducibility, 75 consecutive patients (51 men and 24 women) were studied. CT images were obtained using the volume mode of ultrafast CT (Imatron C-100). A total coronary calcification score (TCS) was calculated from the lesion area (> or = 2 pixels) and its peak CT density (> or = 130 HU). RESULTS: There was no intra-observer variability in two experienced observers. The TCS provided by these observers disagreed in 18 out of 75 (24%) cases, and the differences were -5.1 +/- 53 (mean +/- SD) for TCS and 0.014 +/- 0.13 for In(1 + TCS). They resulted from either 10 incorrect identifications of small coronary branches, or eight variations in determination of the ostial margin. The former was much smaller than the latter in TCS (0.66 +/- 3.0 and -48 +/- 165, respectively), but both were quite similar in In(1 + TCS) (0.082 +/- 0.31, 0.017 +/- 0.22, respectively). Between two scans, 50 out of 75 patients (67%) had different TCS values. The mean differences (95% confidence interval) were 1.8 +/- 106 (-210 to 214) in TCS, and -0.015 +/- 0.46 (-0.94 to 0.91) in In(1 + TCS). Because the differences increased with the mean values, the determination of TCS assumed a constant variance with increasing mean level. A comparison of scan images indicated that partial volume effects were responsible for this constant variance. CONCLUSION: Partial volume effects play a key role in producing the variability of TCS determination, and log transformation should be used to interpret TCS values. Thus, for clinical purposes, we recommend that two scans be performed in rapid succession, and that the average of these two scans be used to determine TCS.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

The auditory evoked middle-latency responses (MLRs): their normative variation and generators.

Auditory evoked middle-latency responses (MLRs) to clicks were recorded in 68 normal adults (ages from 21 to 59 year-old) at 16 scalp locations, all referred to a balanced non-cephalic reference. Both Na and Pa components were clearly demonstrated in all the subjects studied through the digital high-pass filtering. Both Na and Pa components were distributed dominantly over the frontal area in all subjects. The amplitudes of Na and Pa were significantly higher with binaural stimulation than with a monaural stimulation, and the existence of binaural interaction was also suggested. Binaural effect was more prominent in Pa than in Na component. When the data recorded from F3 and F4 electrodes were compared, most of F3/F4 amplitude ratios of Na and Pa were included between 0.7 and 1.5. The F3/F4 ratio should be useful indices for the diagnosis of excessive laterality. We also demonstrated gradual phase shifts of Na and Pa between the frontal and temporo-occipital area in about one-third of the records. This phenomenon strongly suggests that both Na and Pa components are derived from complex generators.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1993

[A case of chorea-acanthocytosis associated with low glycohemoglobin A1c].

We reported the first case of chorea-acanthocytosis associated with low glycohemoglobin A1c. Fasting blood sugar, daily profile of blood sugar, serum fructosamine and 75 g glucose tolerance test were all within normal limits. While abnormal hemoglobins were not detected, red blood cell half-life was sharply reduced to 13.4 days. These findings suggest that the low glycohemoglobin A1c in this case is highly ascribable to the reduction of red blood cell half-life rather than to continuous hypoglycemia. However, we can not rule out that the abnormalities of red blood cell membrane, suggested factors in this disease, may be related to the low glycohemoglobin A1c value. Further investigations on chorea-acanthocytosis cases with normal red blood cell half-life are necessary in order to elucidate whether an abnormal glycohemoglobin A1c value is a specific indication regarding this disease.

Acanthocytes↗
PubMed1993

[Modes of spread and surgical strategy for gallbladder carcinoma with subserosal invasion].

The mode of spread and the prognosis were investigated in 22 patients with resected gallbladder carcinoma invading the subserosal layer. By the Kaplan-Meier method, the 5-year survival rate was 68.8% in patients receiving curative or relatively noncurative resection. On the other hand, no patient survived for more than 3 years after noncurative resection. The mode of subserosal infiltration was classified according to the general rules for gastric cancer study. At least systemic lymph node dissection (R2) should be performed in patients with ss alpha cancer, because lymph node metastasis in these patients were confined to the 1st group. More extensive lymph node dissection (R2 with 9, 16) is essential for patients with ss beta and ss gamma, because lymph node metastasis to at least the 2nd group were seen in 75% of them. The surgical margin was positive for cancer in all patient with infiltration of the hepatoduodenal ligament. Therefore, it was considered that hepatoligamentectomy should be performed in these patients to obtain a cancer free surgical margin. Among patients undergoing curative or relatively noncurative resection, the recurrence rate was 43% in those with lymph node metastasis and 50% in those with DNA aneuploidy. Therefore, it appears that adjuvant chemotherapy should be given to such patients.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

[Percutaneous transhepatic cholecystoscopic lithotomy (PTCCSL)].

We have performed percutaneous transhepatic cholecystoscopic lithotomy (PTCCSL) in 37 cases of cholecystolithiasis and have succeeded in the removal of the stones in all cases without any serious complications. The average period from gallbladder puncture until the completion of lithotomy was 11.8 days and PTCCSL was performed an average of 2.1 times. The follow-up period after lithotomy ranged from one to 60 months, with an average of 24.7 months. Gallbladder function returned to the pretreatment level. However, gallstones recurred in 7 cases (18.9%). In comparison with both cholecystectomy by laparotomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy, PTCCSL is less invasive, but recurrence may occur in a relatively short period with PTCCSL. Therefore PTCCSL is particularly indicated for high-risk patients who cannot undergo general anesthesia.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Anterior segmentectomy with caudate lobectomy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma.

When hepatic resection for hilar chol-angiocarcinoma with impaired hepatic function is performed, minimal resection of the involved segment on the basis of the extent of cancer invasion must be selected so as to minimize the risk of postoperative hepatic failure. We describe our experience with anterior segmentectomy with caudate lobectomy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma in two patients with impaired hepatic function and poor general health. These procedures were curative resections histologically, and were not followed by severe postoperative complications. Anterior segmentectomy together with caudate lobectomy was considered appropriate treatment for hilar cholangiocarcinoma without infiltration of the posterior hepatic branch in patients with impaired hepatic function.

Adenoma, Bile Duct↗
PubMed1993

Experience in twenty patients with carcinoma of hilar bile duct treated by resection, targeting chemotherapy and intracavitary irradiation.

Three years ago, we reported a new treatment modality for carcinoma of the hilar bile duct consisting of limited hepatic hilar resection with selective adjuvant therapies by local chemotherapy using a new drug delivery system and by intracavitary 60Co irradiation using a remote after loading system. This treatment was applied in 20 patients by April 1991 and the results are fairly good. The overall one, three and five year survival rates are 80, 33 and 26 percent, respectively, which are better than those reported. No serious complications have been observed after operation and adjuvant therapies. Comparing the survival rate and prognostic factors, it was proved that the prognostic factors were not influential in the 20 patients. For the further improvement of this treatment modality, some special devices will be necessary to treat not only the resection stump but also the excisional surface of the tumor.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Involvement of rho p21 in the GTP-enhanced calcium ion sensitivity of smooth muscle contraction.

In the rabbit mesenteric arterial smooth muscle skinned by saponin, Ca2+ induced contraction in a concentration-dependent manner. Guanosine 5'-(3-O-thio)triphosphate (GTP gamma S), a non-hydrolyzable GTP analogue, lowered the Ca2+ concentrations required for this contraction and increased the Ca2+ sensitivity of the skinned smooth muscle contraction. GTP gamma S alone did not induce the contraction in the absence of Ca2+. This GTP gamma S-enhanced Ca2+ sensitivity was completely abolished by an exoenzyme of Staphylococcus aureus, named EDIN, and an exoenzyme of Clostridium botulinum, named C3, both of which are known to ADP-ribosylate the rho p21 family that belongs to the ras p21-like small GTP-binding protein superfamily. The GTP gamma S-bound form of rhoA p21 overcame the inhibitory action of EDIN. smg p21B, another small GTP-binding protein, was inactive. EDIN ADP-ribosylated a protein, which was most likely to be rho p21, in the skinned smooth muscle. The GTP gamma S-bound form of rhoA p21, but not the GDP-bound form, substituted for GTP gamma S and enhanced the Ca2+ sensitivity of the skinned smooth muscle contraction. smg p21B was inactive. These results indicate that rhoA p21 is involved in the GTP gamma S-enhanced Ca2+ sensitivity of the smooth muscle contraction.

Adenosine Diphosphate Ribose↗
PubMed1992

Gamma/delta T cell antigen receptors expressed on tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes from patients with solid tumors.

The expression of gamma/delta T cell antigen receptors (TcR) in T cell lines or clones derived from tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) from patients with solid tumors was investigated. gamma/delta TcR T cell lines were derived from TIL from patients with Wilms tumor, sarcoma or metastatic melanoma by stimulation with autologous tumor cells alone and recombinant interleukin 2 and they exhibited nonspecific cytotoxicity against autologous and allogeneic tumor cells, or cells of the K562 or the MEL21 tumor cell lines. Two T cell lines were derived from a patient with Wilms tumor. One of them expressed a non-disulfide-linked gamma/delta TcR using the 60-kDa gamma chain, whereas, the other expressed a disulfide-linked gamma/delta TcR. A T cell line was derived from a patient with sarcoma and expressed a disulfide-linked gamma/delta TcR, whereas, a T cell line derived from a patient with melanoma expressed a non-disulfide-linked gamma chain of 62 kDa. Several T cell clones were developed from patients with metastatic melanoma or Wilms tumor and expressed either disulfide- or non-disulfide-linked gamma/delta TcR. Northern analysis of RNA from certain of these clones revealed a full-length gamma chain transcript, whereas, the alpha or beta chain transcripts were either absent or truncated. These T cell clones exhibited nonspecific cytotoxicity. Both disulfide- and non-disulfide-linked TIL T cell lines and clones expressed the delta TCS1 determinant. gamma/delta TcR+ cells in freshly prepared TIL from these patients were present in low proportions (less than 5%) and their delta TCS1/delta 1 ratios were within the range observed in the peripheral blood of normal donors. These results demonstrate that both disulfide- and non-disulfide-linked gamma/delta TcR are expressed on T cell lines and clones derived from TIL from solid tumors. Non-disulfide-linked gamma/delta TcR using the 56-66-kDa gamma chain are frequently found on TIL-derived T cell lines and clones. These 56-66-kDa gamma chains are rarely expressed on T cell lines or clones derived from peripheral blood lymphocytes of normal donors.

Cell Line↗