Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Watanabe

Publications and source records attributed to H Watanabe.

At least 1,117 records · Page 62Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

[A case of invasive renal pelvic cancer: usefulness of auxiliary diagnosis using fluorescence in situ hybridization].

A 65-year-old man, on whom transurethral resection had been performed twice for bladder cancer in the past, was admitted to our hospital for further Class V urinary cytology examination. A low density area of 1.5 cm in diameter in the left renal pelvis without enhancement was the only abnormal sign on computed tomographic (CT) imaging. Malignant cells were not detected by random biopsy of the urinary bladder. The retrograde pyelogram showed no filling defect on the left renal pelvis or ureter. The cytological diagnosis of the right split renal urine was Class III, and that of the left split renal urine was Class V. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis, using specific probes for chromosome 8q21.3 and the centromere chromosome 11, was performed on cells from the bilateral split renal urine. Cells collected from the right split renal urine showed a normal disomic pattern, while those from the left split renal urine included an aneusomic pattern with polysomy. Left total nephroureterectomy was carried out. Histopathology proved invasive renal pelvic cancer. Thus FISH analysis may be useful for the localization of renal pelvic or ureteral cancers, which are difficult to diagnose.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

[Treatment strategies for lung cancer brain metastases].

Forty-one patients suffered initial relapses with brain metastasis after surgery for non-small lung cancer at our hospital between 1978 and 1995. These patients were a total of 8.4% of all cases of surgical removal, and had an average relapse period of 8.6 months +/- 8.0 months after surgery on the primary lesions. Of these, surgical removal of metastasized lesions was performed on 18 patients (43%), in which the 5-year post-operative survival rate was 35.7%, and the median survival time was good at 28 months. It was found that the survival period was significantly extended in the group whose relapse period was less than one year after surgery on the primary lesions, and in the group who received cranial irradiation post-operatively on the metastasized brain lesion. Following surgery on the metastasized lesion, second relapses occurred in nine patients, and six patients suffered from second relapses in the brain, of which four did not receive cranial irradiation post-operatively. Cases of radiotherapy in patients of 70 years of age or more frequently manifested post-radiotherapy subacute neuropathy. From the above, it is thought that the following procedures should be adopted: 1. Periodic examination for brain metastasis during the 24 months following surgery for non-small cell lung carcinoma for purposes of early detection; 2. in cases where brain metastasis is detected, if no metastasis is identified in other organs, a policy of surgical removal should be adopted where possible; and, 3. in cases of 70 years of age or less following surgery on the metastasized lesion, cranial irradiation should be considered.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Role of QT interval prolongation in the creation of spiral wave type reentry.

The inducibility of reentry was compared for four QT patterns in a heart conduction simulation model. Local (L) and gradual (G) QT prolongation models are more susceptible to reentry induction than the no (N) QT prolongation model (reentry induced episodes for N, L, and G numbered 90, 120, and 122, respectively). This increased vulnerability was diminished when the QT interval was prolonged at all simulation sites (reentry induced episodes for the diffuse QT prolongation model, D model, numbered 82). Decreased QT dispersion might be important for the prevention of reentry induction regardless of whether the QT interval is increased.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1997

[Clinical significance of orthostatic blood pressure decline in patients with Binswanger-type infarction].

We analysed the blood pressure change in 40 patients with Binswanger-type infarction after 10 minutes of 90 degrees head-up tilting to clarify the clinical significance of orthostatic blood pressure decline observed in this disease. We investigated the correlation of orthostatic decline in systolic blood pressure to dementia, gait disturbance and nocturnal decrease in 24-hour variation of systolic blood pressure. Orthostatic blood pressure decline in patients with this disease was significantly marked in comparison with that in 50 patients with lacunar infarction, especially in the males. This blood pressure decline was significant in patients with dementia and moderate or severe gait disturbance, compared with those without such symptoms. There was no difference in orthostatic change between patients suffering from this disease with non-dementia and mild or absent gait disturbance and those with only lacunar infarction. Orthostatic blood pressure decline was found to be correlated significantly with the disorder of nocturnal blood pressure decrease. It is suggested that the decline of blood pressure on standing is a parameter indicating the progression of this disease.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

[Flow cytometric analysis for the activation of peripheral immunoregulatory cells from patients with bronchial asthma].

By use of flow cytometry, we have investigated intracellular activated eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) in eosinophils and mitogen-induced cytokine production of T cells in peripheral blood from children with acute severe asthma. In addition, we measured ECP releasability (serum ECP/lysate ECP) as a maker of activated eosinophils. The monoclonal antibody EG2 (anti-activated ECP/EPX antibody) was used for measuring the amount of intracellular activated ECP. ECP releasability and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) values of EG2-positive eosinophils increased at the time of asthmatic attack and reduced after treatment with improvement in peak expiratory flow. Furthermore, the frequency of T cells which produced IL-4, IL-5 and IFN-gamma stimulated with phorbol myristate acetate and ionomycin increased and reduced in parallel with MFI of EG2-positive cells. These observations suggest that flow cytometric analysis for intracellular ECP and mitogen-induced cytokine production reflects the activation of T cells in bronchial mucosa, and is useful for monitoring airway inflammation in bronchial asthma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Poly(L-lysine)-graft-dextran copolymer is a novel stabilizer of triplex DNA (I): stabilization of poly(dA).2poly(dT) triplex.

Comb-type polylysine copolymer having grafted hydrophilic side chains was newly designed as a novel stabilizer of triplex DNAs. The comb-type copolymer elevated melting temperature of poly(dA).2poly(dT) triplex by 50 degrees C without affecting reversibility, melting and reassociation, of the triplex in buffer with physiological salt concentrations. The stabilizing effect of the copolymer was greater than spermine. Our results indicate that the molecular designing of polycation with comb-type structure is a successful strategy for creating an effective triplex stabilizer.

Biocompatible Materials↗
PubMed1997

Characteristic distribution of bases and codons around the initiation and termination codons in whole reading frames in bacteria and yeast genomes.

Recently the complete nucleotide sequence of the entire genome was determined for yeast and a few kinds of bacterium. To see characteristic features of base sequence in the cistron (actually the open reading frame, ORF) and in the regions around a cistron (ORF), the biases of appearance frequency of bases from the base ratio were studied statistically. In the regions before the base biases were observed. The characteristic base distribution patterns were similar to all the cases of bacteria, but different from yeast. The base biases are reflected on the appearance frequency of amino acids near the N-termini and C-termini of proteins. The characteristic biases found in the amino acid sequence of the N-terminal part of bacteria proteins are different from that in yeast proteins.

Bacillus subtilis↗
PubMed1997

Poly(L-lysine)-graft-dextran copolymer is a novel stabilizer of triplex DNA(II): potassium-insensitive triplex formation.

Triple helix formation involving guanine-rich oligonucleotides is inhibited by physiological concentrations of potassium (K+). Using in vitro electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), we show that PLL-g-dex copolymer significantly stabilizes triplex structure at physiological levels of K+ that greatly inhibited triplex formation with a unmodified, guanine-rich oligonucleotide.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Frequent loss of p16 expression and its correlation with clinicopathological parameters in pancreatic carcinoma.

Expression of the p16 gene product in human primary pancreatic carcinoma (PC) was investigated in paraffin-embedded tissue using a monoclonal antibody against p16 protein, clone G175-405, by means of immunohistochemistry, and the correlation of results with various clinicopathological parameters was evaluated. All six cases of normal pancreas and all but 1 of 20 cases of chronic pancreatitis expressed p16 protein, whereas 37.5% (3 of 8) of cystadenomas and 41. 9% (26 of 62) of PCs lost p16 expression. There was a significant difference between chronic pancreatitis and PC for frequency of the loss of p16 expression (P < 0.01). Moreover, loss of p16 expression in pancreatic malignancy was significantly associated with histological grade (G1 versus G2 and G3, P < 0.01) but not with sex, age, clinical stage, tumor location, or resectability. The survival period was shorter and metastasis is more likely in those cases that did not show p16 expression than those that did.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1996

Functional domains of transcription factor hGABP beta1/E4TF1-53 required for nuclear localization and transcription activation.

Transcription factor E4TF1 is the human homolog of GABP and has been renamed hGABP (human GABP). hGABP is composed of two types of subunits; hGABP beta1/E4TF1-53 and the ets-related protein hGABP alpha/E4TF1-60. Both bind together to form an (alpha)2(beta1)2 heterotetrameric complex on DNA and activate transcription at specific promoters in vitro. Tetramer formation depends on two regions of hGABP beta1; the N-terminal region containing the Notch/ankyrin-type repeats is necessary for binding to hGABP alpha and the C-terminal region is necessary for homodimerization. In this report, we constructed various deletion mutants of hGABP beta1 in order to delimit the functional regions required for nuclear localization and transcription activity. We found that hGABP beta1 localization in the nucleus is dependent on a region located between amino acids 243 and 330 and that the presence of hGABP beta1 influences the efficiency of hGABP alpha transport into the nucleus. Next, we demonstrated that the hGABP complex composed of alpha and beta1 subunits activates transcription from the adenovirus early 4 promoter in vivo. This transcription activation needs the C-terminal region of hGABP beta1 and is consistent with results obtained with the in vitro assay. Furthermore, site-directed mutagenesis analysis of the C-terminal region reveals that the alpha-helix structure and the leucine residues are important for formation of a heterotetrameric complex with hGABP alpha in vitro and for transcription activation in vivo. These results suggest that hGABP beta1 stimulates transcription as part of a heterotetrameric complex with hGABP alpha in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Central antinociceptive effects of mitragynine in mice: contribution of descending noradrenergic and serotonergic systems.

Mitragynine is a major alkaloidal constituent of young leaves of Mitragyna speciosa Korth, that is known to exhibit narcotic-like activity. In this study, we investigated the roles of central monoaminergic systems in the antinociceptive action of mitragynine by means of the tail-pinch and hot-plate tests in mice. Mitragynine (1.0-10 micrograms) injected i.c.v. exerted a dose-dependent antinociceptive activity in both tests. The activity of mitragynine (10 micrograms, i.c.v.) in the tail-pinch test was antagonized by reserpine, 6-hydroxydopamine plus nomifensine, and p-chlorophenylalnine treatment, whereas the antinociceptive activity of morphine (3 micrograms) given i.c.v. in this test was attenuated by 6-hydroxydopamine plus nomifensine but not by p-chlorophenylalanine treatment. Moreover, the activity of i.c.v. mitragynine was also antagonized by the alpha 2-adrenoceptor antagonist, idazoxan (10 micrograms), and cyproheptadine (1 microgram) administered intrathecally (i.t.). On the other hand, the antinociceptive action of i.c.v. mitragynine (10 micrograms) in the hot-plate test was abolished by reserpine and 6-hydroxydopamine plus nomifensine, but not by p-chlorophenylalanine treatment. This action was also antagonized by i.t. injection of idazoxan (10 micrograms). These results suggest that both descending noradrenergic and serotonergic systems are involved in the antinociceptive activity of supraspinally administered mitragynine on the mechanical noxious stimulation, while the descending noradrenergic system predominantly contributes to the effect of supraspinal mitragynine on the thermal noxious stimulation. The mechanisms underlying the suppressive action of mitragynine on the nociceptive response may differ from those of morphine in mice.

Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Antagonists↗
PubMed1996

Extrathymic differentiation of resident T cells in the joints of mice with collagen-induced arthritis.

Murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) is known as a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease, although autoantibodies are also suspected to be associated with the onset of the disease. To determine the origin of such T cells in the joints of mice with CIA, their phenotypic properties as well as those of T cells in other immune organs were examined in DBA/1 mice. Since a significant number of mononuclear cells (MNC) was also yielded by the joints of normal DBA/1 mice, the properties of these T cells were examined in parallel. When CIA was induced by an intradermal injection of type II collagen at the base of the tail, the numbers of MNC yielded by the regional lymph nodes and the foot joints were doubled. Interestingly, regardless of the onset of CIA, the joints were always comprised of unique T cell populations, including IL-2(R)alpha- beta+ T cells, gammadelta T cells, CD8alpha+ beta- cells, and CD44+ L-selectin- cells. All these properties coincide with those of extrathymic T cells in liver and intestine. In the case of gammadelta T cells in joints, Vgamma and Vdelta usages were unique and different from those in the other organs. More importantly, Vgamma and Vdelta usages in gammadelta T cells in the joints of normal mice and in those of mice with CIA were essentially the same. Taken together with the expression of recombination-activating gene-1 and -2 mRNAs by MNC in mice with CIA, these findings raise the possibility that the joints have their own resident T cells that are extrathymically generated in situ.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Comparison of mutagenic activity of bile between Chilean and Japanese female patients having cholelithiasis.

The mutagenic activity of bile was compared between Chilean and Japanese female patients having cholelithiasis by the Ames assay using Salmonella typhimurium tester strain TA98 in the presence of S9 mix with blue rayon adsorption technique. A reason for conducting the present investigation is that Chile and Japan have the highest mortality rates for the gallbladder cancer (GBC) in the world. Of 24 bile samples collected in Chile, 20 (83.3%) samples showed mutagenicity. In the case of Japanese bile, 21 (80.8%) of 26 and 5 (19.2%) of 26 cases were mutagenic in samples from high- and low-risk areas for GBC, respectively. Therefore, both the Chilean and the Japanese samples collected in high-risk areas showed higher mutagenic rates than the Japanese ones in a low-risk area, with a statistical significance (p < 0.001), chi-square test). The average number of revertant colonies were 128 +/- 92 (mean +/- SD), 62 +/- 14 and 66 +/- 13, respectively, when the blue rayon extracts of 200 microliters bile were applied to the Ames test. Thus, Chilean bile had a tendency to show a higher mutagenic activity than Japanese.

Adult↗