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Biomedical subjects

K Masuda

Publications and source records attributed to K Masuda.

At least 361 records · Page 20Linked to original sources

[Continuous intraarterial infusion of 5-fluorouracil plus leucovorin for liver metastases from colorectal cancer].

Between September 1990 and August 1994, 11 patients (pts) with liver metastases (mets) from colorectal cancer were treated with continuous hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy of 5-fluorouracil (FU) plus leucovorin (LV). Eight pts had non-resectable liver mets (H3: 7, H2: 1), and 3 had residual small mets after resection of major mets. Drugs were administered via an extracorporeal infusion device connected to the hepatic arterial infusion port. 5-FU and LV were given through a 5- to 7-day continuous infusion at 500-750 mg/body/day and 30 mg/body/day, respectively, with a 3- to 4-week rest period. In the recent 6 pts, cisplatin was administered as a 2-hour infusion at 25 mg/body, one or two times simultaneously. Grade 2 toxicity was noted in two pts (18%). One was stomatitis and another was uncontrolled ascites in an advanced cirrhotic pt. The response rate in the 9 evaluable pts was 67% with 6 PR and no CR. The duration of the response was 5 to 9 months. One- and two-year survival rates were 75% and 22%, respectively. These results were superior to those of the intermittent bolus injection of 5-FU plus MMC (or epirubicin) in 40 pts from 1977 to 1994. These results suggest that continuous 5-FU plus LV arterial infusion is an effective regimen in pts with liver metastases from colorectal cancer. However, the infusion with an extracorporeal device limits the pts' quality of life. Further investigation is needed for a schedule that can be practiced for a longer period.

Aged↗

[A case of multiple liver metastasis from remnant gastric cancer responding to leucovorin.5-FU+UFT therapy].

We report a case of a 67-year-old male patient who experienced multiple liver metastasis 6 months after undergoing an operation for remnant gastric cancer. The histological classification of the cancer in gastric remnant was poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma. The patient was treated with a low dose of LV.5-FU once a week and oral UFT as an outpatient. As a result, after 3 months of the treatment, CT showed that multiple liver lesions almost disappeared, a condition that lasted about 3 years without relapse. Toxic effects due to this treatment were temporary slight liver disfunction, mild anorexia and stomatitis. This case indicates that the regimen of LV.5-FU+UFT may be effective for multiple liver metastasis from postoperative remnant gastric cancer, enabling the patient to maintain an excellent QOL (quality of life).

Adenocarcinoma↗

[HLA and uveitis in leprosy].

In order to investigate the role of immunogenetic factors in the pathogenesis of uveitis in leprosy, human leukocyte antigens (HLA) were analyzed among leprotics with and without uveitis. The subjects were 85 Japanese leprosy patients, 44 with uveitis and 41 without uveitis. Controls were 138 healthy subjects. A modified two-stage complement dependent microcytotoxicity test was used for typing HLA-A, -B, -C, -DR and -DQ antigens. The occurrence of HLA-DR2 antigen was significantly increased in patients as a whole (69.4%), and in the patients with uveitis (79.5%) as compared with the control subjects (35.5%). The association with DR2 was even stronger in the patients with uveitis (odds ratio = 7.1, Pc < 0.000005) than in the patients as a whole (odds ratio = 4.1, Pc < 0.0001). On the other hand, HLA-DR53 antigen was significantly decreased in the patients as a whole (43.5%) and in the patients with uveitis (36.4%) as compared with the control subjects (69.6%). No significant difference in the distribution of HLA antigens was observed in the patients without uveitis. Our results suggest that HLA-DR2 contributes to the susceptibility to uveitis in Japanese leprosy patients.

Aged↗

[Selective intra-arterial injection of calcium for localization of insulinomas: proposed new criteria].

To elucidate whether noninvasive arterial stimulation venous sampling (ASVS) is helpful for localizing insulinomas, calcium gluconate (0.02-0.025 mEq Ca2+/kg) was injected directly into the gastroduodenal, splenic and superior mesenteric arteries of six patients with episodic hypoglycemia. In all six patients, there was a greater than 26-fold increase in serum insulin levels in blood samples obtained from the hepatic vein after the infusion of calcium into the artery supplying the tumor. However, in four of the six patients, such an injection into an artery not supplying the tumor resulted in a greater than twofold increase in insulin concentration. Accurate localization of the insulinomas was verified at surgery in all patients. We believe that these false positive results were caused mainly by the influx of calcium via branches of intrapancreatic anastomoses. In order to minimize false positive results, we have recommended the following new criteria for ASVS: maximum insulin concentrations exceeding 150 microU/ml in blood samples obtained from the hepatic vein, and greater than twofold increases in insulin concentration. We concluded that noninvasive ASVS is helpful in determining the location of insulinomas.

Adult↗

Current trends in cataract and refractive surgery in Japan--1994 survey.

A third annual survey was carried out by mail in January 1995 to investigate the current trends in cataract and refractive surgery in Japan. A questionnaire was sent to 837 ophthalmologist among members of the Japanese Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery. Data received from 48.5% of the recipients were cross-analyzed and compared with those from the previous surveys.

Adult↗

[Cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism in patients with Moyamoya disease not demonstrating either cerebral infarct or hemorrhage on MRI].

We evaluated the cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism in Moyamoya patients who did not demonstrate either cerebral infarct or hemorrhage on MRI. The subjects consisted of 5 patients with Moyamoya disease (4 females and one male, aged from 15 to 40 years). The CBF, OEF and CMRO2 of the Moyamoya patients did not differ from those of the normal control subjects. The CBV did increase significantly in the cerebral cortices and striatum, but not in the cerebellum. The TT was also significantly prolonged in the frontal and parietal regions. The cerebrovascular CO2 response was markedly impaired in the frontal, temporal and parietal cortices. However, it was relatively preserved in the occipital cortex, thalamus and cerebellum. Thus, the cerebral hemodynamic reserve capacity decreased even in the Moyamoya patients not demonstrating either cerebral infarct or hemorrhage on MRI, and it should be considered in the management of these patients.

Adolescent↗

[Two cases of micrognathia caused by radiation therapy during infancy: an evaluation of their profilograms].

Two patients with micrognathia of the mandible caused by radiation therapy during infancy are reported herein. The first patient was a 25-year-old man with hemangioma of the tongue. He had previously received radiation therapy totaling 51 Gy at 1 and 2 years of age. The other patient was a 54-year-old woman who had received radiation therapy for an oral tumor during infancy. These two patients demonstrated micrognathia, and the former patient showed developmental anomaly of the teeth. In addition, the latter patient suffered from thyroid cancer at 45 years of age, and this was also thought to be radiation-related. Although reports of micrognathia caused by radiation are rare, such late effects should be taken into account when radiation therapy is planned for head and neck tumors in infants.

Adult↗

[A phase II study of FK506 (tacrolimus) on refractory uveitis associated with Behçet's disease and allied conditions].

A multicenter open study was conducted to investigate optimum dose schedule of FK506 on refractory uveitis associated with Behçet's disease and allied conditions. Fifty-three patients (41 with Behçet's and 12 with allied conditions) were enrolled in this study. A daily oral dose of FK506 was initially 0.05, 0.1, 0.15 or 0.2 mg/kg, but adjusted in more than half patients during the study based on clinical conditions of patients and/or adverse effects of FK506. The improvement rate of initial daily dose as well as final improvement rate were evaluated in the study. The improvement rate of initial daily dose was increased dose-dependently; 37.5% with 0.05 mg/kg initial daily dose group, 60.0% with 0.1 mg/kg, 91.7% with 0.15 mg/kg and 78.6% with 0.2 mg/kg. The final improvement rate was 76.5%. In patients with Behçet's disease, ocular symptoms improved in 30 (75.0%) of 40 patients evaluable for efficacy and the frequency of ocular attacks was significantly reduced. In eight (66.7%) of 12 patients with Behçet's disease in whom cyclosporin treatment had been failed, their ocular symptoms improved by FK506. Main adverse reactions of FK506 were renal impairment (28.3%), neurologic symptoms (22.6%), gastrointestinal symptoms (20.8%), hypomagnesemia (28.3%), hyperkalemia (13.2%), and hyperglycemia (13.2%. Most of the adverse effects disappeared or ameliorated after FK506 dose reduction or withdrawal from FK506 therapy. It seems that the incidence of the adverse effects depends on the dosage of FK506. The lower dosage (0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg) caused a relatively small number of adverse effects, and the higher dosage (0.15 and 0.2 mg/kg) caused them more frequently. Through level is recommended to maintain between 15-25 ng/ml during early days of treatment based on the safety and efficacy. It is also recommended that a initial daily dose is 0.15 mg/kg on the basis of the efficacy and safety results, and then adjusted based on symptoms of patients and whole blood through level of FK506.

Administration, Oral↗

Aggrecan synthesized by mature bovine chondrocytes suspended in alginate. Identification of two distinct metabolic matrix pools.

Proteoglycans synthesized by chondrocytes in alginate beads are found in two compartments: the cell-associated matrix and the further removed matrix (Häuselmann, H. J., Aydelotte M. B., Schumacher B. L., Kuettner K. E., Gitelis, S. H., and Thonar, E. J.-M. A. (1992) Matrix 12, 116-129). To study the metabolism of aggrecan in these two compartments, mature bovine articular chondrocytes in alginate beads were pulsed with [35S]sulfate for 30 min or 16 h on day 7 of culture and then chased in isotope-free medium for up to 21 days. At different times, the two matrix pools were separately isolated, and the 35S-proteoglycans quantified, purified, and characterized. Radiolabeled aggrecan molecules exhibited a very long average half-life in the beads (t1/2 = 95 days). In contrast, small non-aggregating proteoglycans, which made up approximately 4% of the 35S-proteoglycans synthesized, were rapidly lost from the beads (t1/2 = < 24 h). Approximately half the 35S-aggrecan subunits, representing mostly molecules which showed a delay in ability to form aggregates in the presence of exogenous hyaluronan and link protein, spent only a short time (t1/2 = 4 h) in the cell-associated matrix before moving into the further removed matrix. They exhibited a much longer average half-life in the beads than 35S-aggrecan molecules which became resident of the cell-associated matrix (t1/2 = > 95 days versus 15 days). Radiolabeled aggrecan subunits in the two matrix compartments had a similar average hydrodynamic size and polydispersity; importantly, the size of these molecules did not change during the chase period. Catabolism of 35S-aggrecan in the cell-associated matrix was the only significant contributor to the appearance in the medium of partially degraded 35S-aggrecan which had lost the ability to bind to hyaluronan. These results strongly suggest aggrecan molecules which reside in the pericellular and territorial matrix compartments in close proximity to the chondrocytes have a much faster rate of turnover than their counterpart in the interterritorial areas further removed from the cells.

Aggrecans↗

Specific cleavage of secretory leukoprotease inhibitor by neutrophil elastase and saliva.

In an attempt to explore the process of naturally occurring secretory leukoprotease inhibitor (SLPI) fragmentation, the cleavage profile of SLPI, which had been prepared by recombinant techniques, was investigated biochemically. Restricted fragments of SLPI were detected using SDS-PAGE after treatment with human neutrophil elastase (NE) or normal saliva and sequenced at their cleavage sites. Among these restricted fragments, two species of nearly half-length SLPIs that contained the C-terminal domain, (Arg58-Ala107)SLPI and (Arg59-Ala107)SLPI, were detected. They were both as active at inhibiting NE as the parent SLPI. These results suggest that functional SLPI derivatives may be generated physiologically in the respiratory tract under inflammatory and healthy conditions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Effects of stimulation side on human middle latency auditory evoked magnetic fields.

We investigated the effects of the stimulation side on middle latency auditory evoked responses (MLR) with neuromagnetic methods. Middle latency auditory evoked magnetic fields elicited by 1.0 ms clicks presented at ipsilateral and contralateral ear were recorded with a 7-channel DC SQUID. The amplitudes and latencies of the magnetic equivalents of Pa and Pb responses, which are the two main peaks of MLR, were measured. The amplitude of the contralateral Pa response was found to be significantly larger than the ipsilateral Pa response. On the other hand, no significant difference was observed in the latencies of Pa and Pb between the ipsi- and contralateral responses.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

O-glycosylation in hinge region of mouse immunoglobulin G2b.

Mouse monoclonal immunoglobulin G2b (IgG2b) antibodies are known to contain two forms of the heavy chain that are different in susceptibility to the protease attack. In the present study, by use of an affinity column containing sialic acid-binding lectins from Maackia amurensis seeds, a mouse monoclonal IgG2b was successfully separated into three phenotypes, which are different in the degree of sialylation in the heavy chain. In the N-linked oligosaccharides from all of the IgG2b phenotypes, virtually no sialylation was detected. Elution profiles of the lysyl endopeptidase digestion products were compared for the three phenotypes. The peptides eluted at different retention times were subjected to fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry and amino acid sequence analyses. It was revealed that approximately 40% of the heavy chain of the mouse IgG2b are O-glycosylated at Thr-221A in the hinge region, predominantly with a tetrasaccharide composed of GalNAc, Gal, and two N-glycolylneuraminic acid residues. We suggest that the O-glycosylation renders the hinge region resistant against the proteolyses of the heavy chain. A therapeutic significance of the O-glycosylation of IgG2b is briefly discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Synthesis and characterization of sapecin and sapecin B.

Two insect defencins, sapecin and sapecin B, were chemically synthesized to confirm their structure and antibacterial activity and also to examine the possibility that these peptides bind to the same site on the large conductance calcium-activated potassium channel as charybdotoxin. Both synthetic peptides showed the same antibacterial activity as native sapecins, indicating that the synthetic peptides folded correctly in the chemical synthesis. Synthetic sapecins did not show an inhibitory effect on [125I]charybdotoxin binding to rat brain synaptic membranes, suggesting that sapecin B recognizes a different binding site from that of charybdotoxin despite the similar structural motif.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Expression of myoglobin gene in skeletal muscle of patients with neuromuscular diseases.

Expression of the myoglobin (Mb) gene in skeletal muscle was studied in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), polymyositis (PM), or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) by measuring Mb concentration by radioimmunoassay and Mb messenger ribonucleic acid (RNA) (MbmRNA) levels by Northern blot analysis. Mb concentrations in the muscle cells (Mb/noncollagenous protein) were decreased in patients with DMD, PM, or ALS. However, while Mb concentrations per MbmRNA content (Mb/MbmRNA) were decreased in DMD and PM patients, these values were normal in ALS patients. These results suggest that Mb synthesis is increased in muscles of DMD and PM patients, but is not sufficient to compensate for the excessive loss of Mb from the affected muscles, and that the synthesis is decreased in the muscles of ALS patients.

Adolescent↗

Quantification of 35S-labeled proteoglycans complexed to alcian blue by rapid filtration in multiwell plates.

This paper describes a rapid filtration assay for the quantification of 35S-labeled proteoglycans and/or 35S-labeled glycosaminoglycans in a large number of samples. Separation of 35S-labeled proteoglycans and 35S-labeled glycosaminoglycans from unincorporated [35S]sulfate is effected by forming insoluble complexes between alcian blue and the glycosaminoglycan moieties of the proteoglycans and then filtering the solutions through "Durapore membrane" discs (0.45 microns pore size) fitted in a 96-well plate. Following brief rinsing steps, the discs are punched out and 35S-labeled macromolecules retained on the membrane are then quantified by scintillation counting. In this rapid filtration assay, the relationship between the amount of [35S]-aggrecan applied and radioactivity measured was linear over a broad range of concentrations (2-800 micrograms aggrecan/ml). The amount of 35S-labeled proteoglycans measured in media and 4 M guanidine HCl extracts of articular cartilage and three different chondrocyte culture systems (monolayer, agarose gel, and alginate bead) ranged between 90 and 101% of the value obtained by sieve chromatography on Sephadex G-25. The presence in samples of unlabeled proteoglycans (up to 1 mg/ml), bovine serum albumin (up to 4 mg/ml), DNA (up to 20 micrograms/ml), serum (up to 30%), or guanidine hydrochloride at 4 M did not affect recovery of 35S-labeled proteoglycans measurably. CPM values obtained for 35S-labeled proteoglycans or 35S-labeled glycosaminoglycans quantified by chromatography on Sephadex G-25 and the filtration assay showed a strong linear relationship (r > 0.99) irrespective of the type of culture medium, extract, or digest used.

Alcian Blue↗

MRI of the brain in chronic carbon monoxide poisoning.

We examined 13 patients with chronic carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); all of them had been in an explosion in a coal mine 25 years previously. Symmetrical globus pallidus lesions were observed in 12, as was degeneration of the white matter, with focal cortical atrophy. The temporal parietal and occipital lobes were usually affected, the parietooccipital region being the most frequently and extensively damaged. Of the 12 patients with white matter degeneration 7 had definitely asymmetrical cortical and subcortical lesions. There were 6 patients with dilated temporal horns, probably due to atrophy of the hippocampal gyri. A history of CO inhalation and an awareness of the typical distributions of lesions are important for recognition of the effects of CO poisoning, especially when patients are in the chronic stage.

Accidents, Occupational↗