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Biomedical subjects

K Kono

Publications and source records attributed to K Kono.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

[Experience in treatment of patients with locally advanced or recurrent breast cancer: intraarterial infusion chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy].

For the purpose of local control and breast conservation, intraarterial infusion chemotherapy combined with radiotherapy has been indicated in patients with locally advanced breast cancer both in primary and recurrent cases. The present series, evaluated during the past 4 years, consisted of 15 patients 35-83 years of age, with invasive ductal carcinoma, including 10 with primary breast cancer (stage IIIb: 1; IV: 9) and 5 with postoperative recurrence (stage IIIb: 2, IV: 3). Intraarterial chemotherapy is started, basically infusing ADM 50 mg, MMC 10 mg and CDDP 50 mg into the internal thoracic and/or subclavian artery 1-3 times, followed by reduction surgery (quadrantectomy: 4, wide resection: 2) and radiotherapy to the breast, supraclavicular, parasternal and cervical regions according to tumor extent. Local response after arterial infusion was CR: 2, PR: 10, NC: 3 (response rate: 73%). The response rate of distant metastases after arterial infusion was 73%. Of 10 patients with primary breast cancer, recurrence was noted in 1. Breast conservation was successful in 8 of 10 patients. One of them, in stage IIIb, has survived for 4.5 years with no evidence of disease and with breast conservation. Five patients with postoperative recurrence showed CR with no recurrence after intraarterial chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Acute skin reaction occurred in 6 patients, and was especially frequent in patients with postoperative recurrence (4 of 5). According to these results, combined therapy affords breast conservation even in patients with locally advanced breast cancer, and improves patient's QOL in stage IV.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Reconsideration of evaluation criteria for physical fitness tests of a working population--comparing conventional and new evaluation criteria].

We set up new evaluation criteria values for grip strength, sit ups, trunk flexion, standing on one leg with eyes closed, whole body reaction and maximum oxygen uptake by age and by sex, by analysing data for about 50,000 people collected by the Japan Industrial Safety & Health Association. We thought that the conventional evaluation criteria values used in the physical fitness tests for a working population did not appropriately reflect the present conditions, and so we compared the new evaluation criteria values with the conventional evaluation criteria values. As a result, a very significant difference was noted in each test item. Then, by examining the quality of the data, change of the times, number of persons tested, and characteristics of the groups studied, all of which could have caused such differences, it was concluded that the proposed new criteria values would be appropriate for evaluation of the physical fitness of the current working population.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Boron diffusion across the dialysis membrane during hemodialysis.

To investigate the movement of boron across the dialysis membrane, serum and dialysate boron levels of long-term hemodialysis (HD) patients (n = 17) were determined using inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry in both the inlet and the outlet side of the dialyzer. Results revealed that 77.8% of the serum boron in the inlet side of the dialyzer was filterable and 94.4% of filterable boron was actually filtered during HD. Boron dialysance was found to be 138.6 +/- 16.1 ml/min, and this value was higher than the clearance value of blood urea nitrogen (not significant), phosphorus and creatinine (p < 0.001). It is concluded that HD is effective in eliminating serum boron even at low concentrations, and boron can be classified as an element that is easily diffusible across the dialysis membrane. There seems to be relatively little relation of boron to serum constituents of macromolecules that are reported to have a major impact on the diffusion of trace elements across the HD membrane.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

[A case of local advanced cervical esophageal cancer treated with concurrent radiochemotherapy followed by surgery].

A 61-year-old-male with local advanced inoperable cervical esophageal cancer (squamous cell carcinoma, T4N1M0 stage III) was treated by concurrent radiochemotherapy. A dose of 50.6 Gy/46 Fr/36 days and one course each of CDDP-5-FU and nedaplatin-5-FU were delivered safely. Radical surgery could be performed thereafter because of the good tumor response. Pathological CR was obtained in metastatic cervical lymph nodes and almost total necrosis in primary cancer. Concurrent radiochemotherapy produced a significant improvement in this case of advanced cervical esophageal cancer.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗
PubMed1996

Hemodialysis effect on serum boron level in the patients with long term hemodialysis.

Serum and dialysate boron levels in 17 patients with long term hemodialysis (HD) were determined by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICPES). Serum boron level was compared with the value of age matched 467 healthy controls and the relationship between serum and dialysate boron level was analyzed. The results showed that serum boron level was significantly higher at the beginning of HD, and lower at the completion of HD in comparison with controls. Although the dialysate was contaminated with trace boron, HD resulted in an excessive decrease of serum boron, rather than boron exposure from the dialysate. Boron hemodialyzability was almost proportional to the gradient of the boron level at the beginning of HD and it could be controlled by the adjustment of the gradient. In conclusion, the serum boron level was very much disturbed in long term HD patients. If boron excess in serum at the beginning of HD, or deficiency at the completion of HD may contribute to the complications of HD patients, fine adjustment and close surveillance of the gradient should be taken into account.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1996

Temperature-controlled release property of phospholipid vesicles bearing a thermo-sensitive polymer.

As a novel temperature-sensitive liposome, dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine vesicles bearing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), which shows a lower critical solution temperature (LCST) near 32 degrees C, were designed. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) having long alkyl chains which are anchors to the lipid membranes was prepared by radical copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide and octadecyl acrylate using azobisisobutyronitrile as the initiator. The copolymer obtained revealed the LCST at about 30 degrees C in an aqueous solution. Dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine vesicles coated with the copolymer was prepared and release property of the copolymer-coated vesicles was investigated. While release of calcein encapsulated in the copolymer-coated vesicles was limited below 30 degrees C, the release was drastically enhanced between 30 and 35 degrees C. Complete release from the vesicles was achieved within several seconds at 40 degrees C. This temperature-controlled release property of the vesicles can be attributable to stabilization and destabilization of the vesicle membranes induced by the copolymer fixed on the vesicles below and above the LCST, respectively. Moreover, the fluorometric measurement using dioleoyl-N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)phosphatidylethan ola mine suggested that the extensive release of calcein observed above the LCST is resulted from the bilayer to HII phase transition of the vesicle membranes. Since LCST of the copolymer is controllable, these vesicles might have potential usefulness as a drug delivery system with high temperature-sensitivity.

Acrylic Resins↗
PubMed1996

Hydrogen peroxide secreted by tumor-derived macrophages down-modulates signal-transducing zeta molecules and inhibits tumor-specific T cell-and natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

Although alterations in CD3-associated signal-transducing molecules in tumor-infiltrating T cells of patients with advanced cancer have been previously described, the mechanism behind these changes is not known. We demonstrate that macrophages isolated from metastatic lymph nodes of patients with malignant melanoma down-regulate levels of CD3 zeta in autologous peripheral blood T cells. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated monocytes derived from peripheral blood of healthy donors also induced decreased expression of CD3 and CD16-associated zeta chains similar to that observed in T cells and natural killer (NK) cells of patients with advanced cancer. Co-culture with activated monocytes impaired Ca2+ mobilization in peripheral blood derived-T cells when stimulated with monoclonal antibodies to CD3 and also strongly inhibited melanoma-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity and NK activity. The presence of catalase, a scavenger of H2O2, during co-culture almost totally abrogated the inhibitory effect of activated monocytes on melanoma-specific CTL lines and on NK cells. Pre-treatment of CTL or NK cells with nontoxic concentrations (1 x 10(-5) M) of H2O2 also severely reduced their cytotoxic activity which could be prevented by catalase. The decrease in CD3 zeta and in CD16 zeta expression, induced by macrophages isolated from metastatic lymph nodes or by LPS-stimulated monocytes, was also prevented by catalase when maintained throughout the co-culture period. The possibility that monocyte/macrophage-derived reactive oxygen metabolites contribute directly to alterations in signal transducing molecules of T cells and NK cells and to the mechanism of immunosuppression in individuals with cancer should be considered.

CD3 Complex↗
PubMed1996

[Relation between nutrition of patients and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)].

We respectively evaluated the nutritional state of 31 patients who isolated Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was isolated from January to November in 1993. Because 4 of 31 isolates were not considered to be a causative bacteria, we evaluated the rest 27 cases. Fifteen of 27 cases were diagnosed as MRSA infection and 12 (44%) MRSA colonization. We evaluated the nutritional state of patients with infection and colonization. There was significance (p < 0.01) between two groups as for serum total protein were 5.52 g/dl in infection group and 6.65 g/dl in colonization group. Furthermore there were significance (p < 0.05) for mean serum albumin were 3.04 g/dl v.s. 3.58 g/dl and total cholesterol were 122.3 mg/dl v.s. 162.5 mg/dl. Thus, MRSA was colonized in respiratory patients who were in better nutritional state, suggesting that importance of nutritional improvement for prevention and therapy against MRSA infection. We obtained similar results on Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Aged↗
PubMed1996

[Clinical studies of fluconazole in patients with deep-seated fungal infection in intravenous hyperalimentation (IVH)].

Clinical efficacy of fluconazole on fungal infections was evaluated. Fluconazole was administrated orally or intravenously to 16 cases with fungal infections (chronic renal failure 4, congestive heart failure 2, cerebral infarction 2, etc). All cases were suspected of mycosis. The details of those administrated were 16 cases of pneumonia 3 cases, fungemia 9 cases (suspected 7 cases) and urinary tract infection 3 cases. Clinical efficacy rate was 71.4%. Side-effects were observed in only 1 case, and this consisted of transient increase of leukocytes and thrombocytes. Fluconazole is considered to be a potent, safe antifungal agent for the treatment of suspected fungal infection during intravenous hyperalimentation.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

[Hypersensitivity in the pupil dilation response to a cholinergic antagonist in patients with Alzheimer's disease and Down's syndrome].

In 1994, Scinto et al. reported hypersensitivity in the pupil-dilation response to topical application of a cholinergic antagonist, tropicamide, in patients with Alzheimer-type dementia. Similar tests on Japanese subjects showed significant differences in pupil response between subjects with Alzheimer-type dementia (under age 70 years) and age-matched controls. The present study included 24 patients with early-onset Alzheimer-type dementia, 29 patients with late-onset Alzheimer-type dementia, 15 healthy controls (all spouse of patients with Alzheimer-type dementia), 9 patients with vascular dementia and 5 patients with Down's syndrome. After adapting to semi-darkness (10 lux), a solution of tropicamide (Midrin-P, Santen Co, Ltd) was instilled into the right eye. Pupil diameters were measured every 5 to 10 min, and the maximum pupil diameter for each eye was used in the data analysis. The solution was diluted until the tropicamide concentration reached 0.01%. Pupil diameters were measured, and differences between baseline and maximum pupil diameter were computed. Among 18 patients with early-onset Alzheimer-type dementia (mean age 63.9 years) the pupils dilated by 1.12 +/- 0.52 mm (mean +/- SD) as compared with 0.20 +/- 0.75 mm in 7 age-matched controls (mean age 57.8 years); this difference was significant (T-test, p < 0.05). Correlations between the degrees of pupillary dilation and the scores on the revised version of Hasegawa's Dementia Scale were not significant. These data suggest that in subjects under 70 years of age, the diagnostic methods described by Scinto et al. can be used to distinguish those with Alzheimer-type dementia from those without dementia, but those methods may not be effective in subjects over 70 years of age.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Decreased expression of signal-transducing zeta chain in peripheral T cells and natural killer cells in patients with cervical cancer.

An impaired immune response is frequently observed in patients and experimental animals with advanced cancer. We and others have shown alterations in CD3-associated signal-transducing zeta molecules in tumor-infiltrating T cells and peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) of patients with advanced cancer. By using flow cytometric analysis of permeabilized cells with a monoclonal antibody (TIA-2) that reacts with the cytoplasmic domain of the zeta chain, here we demonstrate a marked decrease (P < 0.01) in the expression of the signal-transducing CD3 zeta chain of PBLs in patients with cervical cancer (n = 22) as compared to PBLs from healthy donors (n = 21). In addition, PBLs isolated from patients (n = 23) with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), to a lesser but significant (P < 0. 01) extent, expressed reduced CD3 zeta levels as compared to those from healthy donors. This decreased expression of zeta chains was also observed on CD16(+) natural killer cells in PBLs from patients with cervical cancer. Surface expression of CD3 epsilon on PBLs was also decreased in cervical cancer patients as compared to healthy donors, but not on PBLs from patients with CIN. CD3 zeta chain expression significantly (r = 0.53, P < 0.01) correlated with the ability of the PBLs to produce tumor necrosis factor in response to anti-CD3 stimulation. These findings suggest that alterations of signal-transducing zeta molecules commonly occur in patients with cervical cancer and to a lesser extent with CIN, and that they are associated with reduced cellular functions such as production of tumor necrosis factor.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1995

Methylcholanthrene-induced mouse sarcomas express individually distinct major histocompatibility complex class I-associated peptides recognized by specific CD8+ T-cell lines.

Mouse sarcomas induced by methylcholanthrene (MC) are immunologically distinct even if they are induced in the same strain of mice. T-cell lines were derived from mice immunized against a series of syngeneic MC sarcomas on B6 background, known to carry unique tumor-specific transplantation antigens. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) release assays concurred with the in vivo rejection tests. The strongest response in the TNF-alpha release was always obtained with the corresponding tumor, with very limited cross-reactivity against five other MC tumors or two virally induced B6 lymphomas. The specific TNF-alpha release from the anti-MC tumor CTL lines was mainly mediated by CD8+ cells. T-cell lines from intact and CD4-/- mice gave a similarly specific pattern. In contrast, T-cell lines derived from CD8-/- mice cross-reacted with several other MC-induced tumors. Peptides eluted from MC sarcomas under mild acid conditions were fractionated by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography and tested for their ability to sensitize the processing- and presentation-defective mutant RMA-S line. Only one high performance liquid chromatographic fraction from each of the three different tumor-derived peptide eluates capacitated RMA-S to induce TNF-alpha release and sensitized the cell to the cytotoxic effect of the corresponding tumor-specific T-cell line. A different Kb-restricted peptide fraction was active for each of the three MC sarcomas tested, indicating that they all expressed individually distinct peptide epitopes.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Decreased interleukin-6 level in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Alzheimer-type dementia.

We examined IL-6 levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer-type dementia (ATD) and with vascular dementia (VD) and of age-matched normal subjects. The IL-6 levels in the CSF of ATD, but not VD patients, were significantly decreased. In the early onset ATD patients (disease onset < 65 years), IL-6 levels were reduced to 21% of the control level. The IL-6 levels in the CSF were not associated with the severity of the dementia or the duration of the disease since the identification of the first symptoms.

Acute-Phase Reaction↗
PubMed1995

Influence of surgical stress on monocytes and complications of infection in patients with esophageal cancer--monocyte HLA-DR antigen expression and respiratory burst capacity.

We investigated how surgical stress affects the phenotypic and functional properties of peripheral blood monocytes, especially the expression of human leukocyte antigen DR (HLA-DR), Mac-1 antigen, and respiratory burst capacity. Then, we analyzed the relation between these monocyte parameters and septic complications following esophagectomy. Increased H2O2 production (605.3 +/- 95.3 fluorescence intensity (FI) vs 441.8 +/- 55.5 FI) in the preoperative period and decreased HLA-DR expression (20.5 +/- 5.5% vs 39.6 +/- 11.1%) on monocytes on the 1st postoperative day (POD) were found in esophagectomy patients (n = 14) compared with gastrectomy patients (n = 29). Furthermore, the level of increased H2O2 production and decreased HLA-DR expression continued on the 8th and 14th POD in the esophagectomy group with septic complications compared with the esophagectomy group without septic complications. These results suggested that patients with septic complications following esophagectomy had alterations of monocyte phenotype and function. This monocyte analysis may contribute to our understanding of the complicated mechanism involved in surgical stress and the development of postoperative septic complications.

Aged↗