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Biomedical subjects

K Kondo

Publications and source records attributed to K Kondo.

At least 487 records · Page 27Linked to original sources

[Eosinophilic meningo-encephalo-myelitis due to Toxocara canis].

A 21-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of frontal headache, low-grade fever and convulsion. The patient had long been in a close contact with a dog. Neurologic examination revealed meningeal irritation signs and cerebellar ataxia. Slight leukocytosis with an increased rate of eosinophils (23.2%) was present. A lumbar puncture yielded 330 leukocytes/microliters with 30% of eosinophils; protein, 55 mg/dl; and increased IgG synthesis, 43.6 mg/day. The antibody titer against Toxocara canis was positive both in serum and in CSF by the use of immunoblotting assay, Ouchterlony, indirect immunofluorescence and ELISA. Cranial MRI showed a number of lesions located mainly cortically or subcortically, which had a hyperintense appearance on T2-weighted images and were clearly enhanced with Gd-DTPA. A diagnosis of eosinophilic meningoencephalo-myelitis due to Toxocara canis was made. In spite of the treatment with diethylcarbamazine and prednisolone, other lesions including cervical cord and optic nerves developed. Although CSF antibodies against Toxocara canis were reduced in titer, neurologic symptoms relapsed, raising the possibility that some allergic mechanisms may, at least in part, be responsible for this neurologic complication.

Adult↗

[Two cases of aorto-coronary bypass grafting for two different types of single coronary artery].

Single coronary artery is a rare congenital anomaly and its prognosis is good. This entity can be diagnosed only by coronary angiography in lift. Atherosclerotic obstruction of a single coronary artery causes a high incidence of sudden death, so this anomaly does not take a good course. We present two cases of CABG which have two different types of single coronary artery with some significant stenoses of the coronary arteries.

Aged↗

[Esophageal perforation after replacement of descending thoracic aorta for rupture mycotic aneurysm].

Primary mycotic aneurysm of the thoracic aorta has rarely been reported. The patient was a 61-year-old male who had a ruptured mycotic aneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta without any evidence of infectious disorders in his history. The patient developed esophageal perforation after graft replacement of the descending thoracic aorta. After continuous irrigation of the left pleural cavity and the mediastinum for one month, the thoracic esophagus was resected and reconstructed. However, the patient died of DIC following uncontrolled sepsis on the 98th postoperative day. Pathogenesis of the esophageal perforation and operative procedures that might have been effective in saving the patient were discussed.

Aneurysm, Infected↗

[The causes and timing of reoperation for coronary artery disease].

In eight hundred and sixteen consecutive patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) within the past 19 years (1974 to 1993), repeated CABG were performed on 12 patients (1.47%). The main reasons for repeated CABG were graft failure (GF), progression of native disease (NP) and incomplete revascularization (IR). The incidence of GF only and GF combined NP were high either within a half year or around 5 years after CABG. When the recurrence of angina is noted after CABG, the catheter intervention should be chosen at first but the reoperation should be done not so late. Although all patients survived from reoperation, three patients continued to have mild angina pectories. If a reoperation is inevitable, maximum utilization of arterial graft and accomplishment of complete revascularization are emphasized.

Aged↗

Preoperative chemotherapy for esophageal cancer based on chemosensitivity testing.

To examine the role and significance of in vitro chemosensitivity testing on cells cultured from endoscopic biopsy specimens, we evaluated outcomes in 57 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the thoracic esophagus. Over 3 1/2 years, 57 patients were treated with a single course of preoperative combination chemotherapy based on the results of chemosensitivity testing utilizing eight antineoplastic agents. A radiologically evident response (partial response) was seen in 23 patients (40.4%) and histologic effects on grade IIb tumors were seen in six patients (10.5%). The median survival time of all 57 patients was 16.3 months. The median survival time of nine patients who received palliative resection was 4.5 months. The median survival times after curative resection of the 19 patients with a partial response and 29 patients with no response were 27.7 months and 17.3 months, respectively (p < 0.009). The most frequent combination chemotherapy used was cis-dichlorodiammine platinum (II) vindesine/5-fluorouracil, and a high rate of response was noted after therapy with etoposide and 4'-D-tetrahydropyranyl-doxorubicin. Chemosensitivity testing appears to be useful in selecting preoperative chemotherapeutic agents for patients with esophageal cancer, decreasing tumor recurrence after surgery and resulting in more partial responses than conventional chemotherapy.

Adult↗

[The association between body mass index and self-assessed symptoms among young women].

Attitudes and behaviours of young women toward dieting and the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and subjective symptoms were studied by a questionnaire survey applied to all the students of a two-year women's college in Sapporo, Hokkaido. The response rate was 96% to yield a total of 608 subjects. 1) Young women showed excessive thinness-oriented attitudes. 2) Over 30 percent of the women reported irregular menstruation, neck pain, fatigue and oversensitiveness to cold. 3) Those who reported oversensitiveness to cold, wearied eyes or stomachache had significantly lower average BMI than those who did not. 4) A U-shaped relationship, with a higher prevalence of complaints of these three symptoms with a low BMI, was shown. Considering these findings, it appears that being excessively thin is related to symptoms and young women's thinness-oriented attitudes are unhealthful.

Adolescent↗

[The clinical effect of chemotherapy with 5-FU and low-dose CDDP in patients with advanced gastric cancer].

A trial of FP therapy, a novel systemic chemotherapy consisting of 5-FU and low-dose CDDP, was carried out in patients with advanced gastric cancer and the clinical effects were evaluated. Five hundred mg/body/day of 5-FU was continuously administered via the central venous catheter for 7 consecutive days and 10mg/day of CDDP was rapidly administered with 500ml saline on days 1-5. The regimen was repeated for at least 4 weeks. The FP therapy was carried out in 22 cases, including several patients who underwent FP as an adjuvant therapy; 1 CR, 2PR's 1MR and 2NC's were obtained among the 6 patients with clinically evaluable lesions, resulting in a response rate of 50%. In four cases, the FP therapy was given as a neoadjuvant therapy, and histopathological examination of the resected specimen revealed histological effects exceeding Grade 2 in all 4 cases. Bone marrow suppression was the most commonly observed side effect, but renal dysfunction and nausea were not found. FP therapy is considered an effective therapy against advanced gastric cancer, from the viewpoint of both the clinical and adverse effects, in comparison with conventional regimen consisting of 5-FU and a single and large dose of CDDP.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Analysis of molecular functions of the tumor metastasis promoting surface molecule CD44v4-v7 using transgenic mice.

In certain circumstances, metastatic tumor cells may mimic the molecular properties and behaviour of lymphocytes. Support for this hypothesis has come from the observation that activated lymphocytes and some tumor cells need a CD44 variant isoform (CD44v) to survive and/or expand in the lymphatic system. CD44 variant (CD44v) isoforms are created by differential splicing from a pool of at least ten variant exons (v1-v10), the encoded sequences of which are absent in the CD44 standard isoform (CD44s). To dissect the molecular interactions of CD44v, transgenic animals have been generated that constitutively express a variant of CD44 containing sequences encoded by exons v4 to v7 on the surface of T cells. Lymphocytes derived from these transgenic animals show accelerated entry into S phase upon antigenic stimulation, and a subpopulation of the cells constitutively express early lymphocyte activation markers. Our data support the hypothesis that the presence of CD44v4-v7 on the surface of T cells mediates intercellular or intracellular processes which result in the promotion of T cells towards a preactivated state.

Animals↗

Orally active, nonpeptide vasopressin V1 antagonists. A novel series of 1-(1-substituted 4-piperidyl)-3,4-dihdyro-2(1H)-quinolinone.

A series of compounds has been synthesized and demonstrated to be antagonists of V1 receptors both in vitro and in vivo. These compounds are structurally related to the 1-(4-piperidyl)-2(1H)-quinolinones, including OPC-21268, an orally bioavailable AVP V1 antagonist with high V1 specificity. It has been found that the introduction of an acetamide group on the terminal alkoxy chain of 41-44 leads to an increase in oral activity. Certain of these compounds may have efficacy in the study of AVP V1 receptors.

Administration, Oral↗

Preoperative in vitro chemosensitivity test of esophageal cancer with endoscopic specimens.

BACKGROUND: From January 1990 to June 1991, the authors tested in vitro chemosensitivity before surgery with endoscopic biopsy specimens from 23 patients with intrathoracic esophageal cancer. METHODS: The authors tested eight anticancer agents using the dye exclusion method, and all 23 patients received chemotherapy with the most sensitive three drugs according to the results of the chemosensitivity test. RESULTS: Ten patients (43.5%) had a tumor reduction of more than 50% on radiologic studies, and 4 patients (17.4%) had a good histologic effect. CONCLUSIONS: The chemosensitivity test is useful in selecting preoperative chemotherapeutic agents for patients with esophageal cancer.

Adult↗

Intractable chest pain in a patient whose postpneumonectomy space was managed with sulfur hexafluoride.

A 50-year-old man who had undergone right pneumonectomy 1 year previously was referred to our department following the sudden onset of severe chest pain. Since the operation, his postpneumonectomy space had been managed with sulfur hexafluoride. On admission, the pressure in the postpneumonectomy space was found to be more than +60 cmH2O. The chest pain was relieved after the sulfur hexafluoride had been drained and the pressure released. Thus, it is advisable to inject sulfur hexafluoride stepwise into the postpneumonectomy space of patients with long-standing fluid accumulation.

Diagnosis, Differential↗

Frequency of spontaneous p53 mutations (CpG site) in breast cancer in Japan.

Sixty-five tumors of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast were examined for p53 alteration by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (RT-PCR-SSCP) method and sequencing analysis. In total, 16 samples (24.6%) showed p53 gene alteration. Sixteen of these alterations were evaluated by sequencing analysis, and 15 showed missense point mutations while one showed a 9-base pair deletion. In the 15 point mutations, G:C to A:T transitions constituted the majority (53%), and five tumors (33%) had a transition at the CpG site, which are mutational patterns not commonly found in breast tumors from Europe and America. On the other hand, there were no G:C to T:A transversions in our cases, which were frequently observed transversions in Europe and America. These p53 mutation patterns in breast cancer in Japan are not similar to those in Europe and America reported by Hollstein et al. and Coles et al.. These findings suggest that there are some differences between mechanisms of breast cancer in Japan and in Europe and America.

Adult↗

Developmental profile of P element transposition in Drosophila somatic cells.

Transposition of the P element during Drosophila ontogenesis was monitored. A modified P element was transposed by the P delta 2-3 transposase source. P elements inserted into the genome were cloned by the plasmid rescue at various developmental stages of the G1 hybrid to trace events in somatic cells. The transposed elements were directly counted by analyzing RFLP of genomic DNA fragments flanking the P elements. Transposition began from the late embryonic stage, but occurred rarely. Frequent transposition was observed from the late third instar to early pupal stage. From these results, transposition of the P element would appear to be affected by the developmental state of somatic host cells.

Animals↗

Glucose clearance from different surfaces of human central incisors and first molars.

The study examined the glucose clearance (retention) in saliva at different surfaces of these teeth in 23 subjects. The mouth was thoroughly rinsed for 15 s with 20 ml of a 0.5 M glucose solution. The concentrations of glucose absorbed by small pieces of paper, placed on the mesial, distal, labial (buccal), lingual and occlusal surfaces 3 min after rinsing, were measured using an immobilized enzyme system and an electrochemical sensor. On the maxillary and mandibular central incisors, the glucose concentrations on the labial surfaces were significantly higher than on all other surfaces and lowest on the lingual surfaces. In the mandibular molars, glucose concentrations were significantly higher on the buccal surfaces than on the lingual surfaces. Clear site-specific differences in glucose clearance were thus observed at the different tooth surfaces. It is considered that the differences in the glucose retention rate might be indicative of factors important for the site specificity of dental caries.

Adult↗

Correlation between various parameters derived from body surface maps and ejection fraction in patients with anterior myocardial infarction.

To determine the best map parameter to predict cardiac function, various map parameters were correlated with the left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) in patients with a previous (between 3 months and 1 year) anterior myocardial infarction, but without overt congestive heart failure or ventricular dyssynergy. From 300 consecutive patients with a previous myocardial infarction, 82 patients with only an anterior infarction and who underwent cardiac catheterization and body surface mapping were selected for this study. The maps from 100 healthy subjects were used as normal controls. Body surface maps using 87 unipolar electrodes were recorded and various parameters were derived from the Q map, the QRS departure maps, the QRS isointegral (IQRS) map, and the QRST isointegral (IQRST) maps. They were compared with the angiographically determined EF. The EF was correlated with nQ (r = -0.72), four parameters derived from the QRS departure map (r ranged from -0.73 to -0.79), two parameters derived from the IQRS map (r = -0.90 and -0.86), and two parameters derived from the IQRST map (r = -0.84 and -0.85). Some parameters derived from body surface maps were found to have a very high correlation with the EF in patients who had a previous anterior myocardial infarction.

Electrocardiography↗

A new analysis of mortality from motor neurone disease in Japan, 1950-1990: rise and fall in the postwar years.

Recent studies have demonstrated a worldwide rise in mortality from motor neurone disease (MND). However, in Japan mortality appears to have fallen significantly since the late 1960s, especially amongst women. Studies of the cause of both the worldwide rise, and the unique decline in MND mortality in Japan, have largely failed to substantiate the role of any single factor, or group of factors in these phenomena. Modelling the relationship between age and mortality using gompertzian analysis has already shown that the rise in MND mortality in England and Wales, and the United States, is mainly the result of increased longevity and decreasing competition from other causes of death amongst a susceptible subpopulation. Employing the same techniques on Japanese mortality data from 1950 to 1990 demonstrates that an unusual and accelerated increase of mortality occurred in the 1950s and 1960s, probably caused by an earlier unknown but extremely potent environmental agent or agents. This premature depletion of the susceptible subpopulation resulted subsequently in a lower than expected mortality rate. Mortality is now rising slowly to expected levels as the size of the susceptible subpopulation recovers to reach the ages at which MND is normally expressed. Further substantial rises in mortality are anticipated in future decades.

Adolescent↗

Molecular cloning of the kainate-binding protein and calmodulin genes which are induced by an imprinting stimulus in ducklings.

For the formation of imprinting in birds, protein synthesis is known to be essential in the medial hyperstriatum ventrale (MHV) of the forebrain after presentation of an imprinting stimulus. We have searched for the genes whose expressions are increased in duckling's MHV during formation of imprinting, and identified kainate-binding protein and calmodulin genes. This may reflect the formation of glutamatergic pathways in MHV.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Changing chemosusceptibility in the second-stage larvae of Toxocara canis by long-term incubation.

Second-stage larvae of Toxocara canis were maintained in vitro for one year. Susceptibility of the larvae to drugs was evaluated by means of minimal larvicidal concentration (MLC) and larval bursting percentage. MLCs of citral and decanoic acid were almost constant throughout all stages of incubation. However, bursting percentage markedly varied within the first 20 weeks of incubation. Therefore, while larvae are available for use in the MLC assay at any stage of incubation, those beyond the first 20 weeks after incubation should be used for the bursting assay to obtain reproducible results.

Acyclic Monoterpenes↗