This paper examines the applicability of psychosocial group intervention for Japanese patients with primary breast cancer. The study included two phases. First, we examined the applicability for Japanese patients of an intervention model developed in a Western country. The model, based on the work of Fawzy and Fawzy (1994) on a structured psychosocial group intervention for cancer patients, is a series of six 1.5-h sessions that incorporate health education, coping-skills training, relaxation training and psychological support. Second, we formulated a Japanese version of the intervention model by modifying areas identified as inappropriate by participants in the first-phase study. We then evaluated this by conducting sessions of the modified model with 44 additional breast cancer patients. Of the ten participants in the first-phase pilot study, three (30%) dropped out and several inappropriate areas were reported. The areas requiring significant change were the provision of medical information and communication style with family members and doctors. No participants dropped out of the modified version, and very few found any program areas to be inappropriate. The findings suggests that psychosocial group intervention is applicable for Japanese breast cancer patients when the model accounts for cultural differences.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Participation in psychosocial group intervention among Japanese women with primary breast cancer and its associated factors.

Though psychosocial group intervention is considered in the West to be an important source of support for reducing psychosocial distress in cancer patients, in Asian countries, there has been no research as yet on the needs for such intervention. This study investigated the level of participation and interest in psychosocial group intervention plus any associated factors in 151 primary breast cancer patients. All were less than 65 years old at 4-18 months post-surgery. Of the 126 subjects who responded (response rate 83%), 53 (42%) participated (participants) and 73 (58%) did not (non-participants). Participation was greater among those with a high level of anxiety measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) (odds ratio [OR], 3.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-10.42), those who had undergone surgery within the last 12 months (OR, 3.10; 95% CI, 1.35-7.55), and those who were 50-65 years old (OR, 3.08; 95% CI, 1.33-7.66). Among the non-participants, 53 (73%) were interested in the intervention while 20 (27%) were not. Non-participants without any interest in the psychosocial group intervention had significantly higher anxiety levels than those with interest (t=-2.08; df=71; p=0.03). These results suggest that most Japanese breast cancer patients who need psychological support can be sought out by asking whether they are willing to participate in a psychosocial group intervention. However, the minority not interested in any psychological group intervention might need other supports such as medication or individual psychotherapy.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Does a porcine hepatocyte hybrid artificial liver prolong the survival time of anhepatic rabbits?

To examine cultured porcine hepatocytes as a bioreactor of a hybrid artificial liver (HAL) in rabbits, a small version of a multiplated HAL was manufactured. In vitro and ex vivo studies were performed to evaluate the small HAL. The HAL consisted of 50 glass plates (10 x 5 x 0.04 cm each) on which porcine hepatocytes were cultured in a monolayer at confluent cell density. After 2 days of standard cultivation, the glass plates with hepatocytes were placed in the module and were used for studies. The module contains about 5 grams of hepatocytes (1/10 of 2 kg.bw rabbit liver). After undergoing perfusion culture for 5 days, the HAL showed satisfactory hepatic function. Glucose and urea were synthesized at the rate of 4.06 +/- 0.7 mg/module/hr and 0.62 +/- 0.09 mg/module/hr, respectively, and loaded ammonia was metabolized at the rate of 1.29 +/- 0.26 mg/module/hr. Ex vivo extracorporeal plasma perfusion studies revealed that the module with cultured porcine hepatocytes, which were heterogeneous to rabbits, showed a tendency to prolong the survival time of anhepatic rabbits. These results indicate that the HAL system, using multiplated porcine hepatocyte monolayers, is a promising artificial liver support system for clinical cases.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Embryology of the pancreatic duct system.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: It has been suggested that the distal portion of the dorsal pancreatic duct and the ventral pancreatic duct usually merge into the main pancreatic duct, and the proximal portion of the dorsal pancreatic duct becomes the accessory pancreatic duct. In this study, we investigated the embryology of the accessory pancreatic duct roentgenographically and immunohistochemically. METHODS/RESULTS: The accessory pancreatic duct shows two different patterns in pancreatograms: the long and the short type. The accessory pancreatic duct of the long type forms a straight line and joins the main pancreatic duct at the neck portion of the pancreas. The accessory pancreatic duct of the short type joins the main pancreatic duct near its first inferior branch. Long inferior branches from the accessory pancreatic duct were found in 74.6% with the long type, significantly more often than in the short type (29. 3%). Patency of the long type was (74.5%) significantly greater than in the short type (36.2%). Immunohistochemically, we found the main pancreatic duct between the junction with the accessory pancreatic duct and the neck portion of the autopsy pancreas in the short type was located within the ventral pancreas, characterized by pancreatic polypeptide-rich islets. CONCLUSION: The long type represents a continuation of the main duct of the dorsal primordium. The short type is very likely formed by the proximal main duct of the dorsal primordium and its long inferior branch, with the main duct of the dorsal primordium at the point of connection with the main duct of the ventral primordium being obliterated and replaced by this additional communication.

Cadaver↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cytology of Langerhans cell histiocytosis in effusions: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a relatively rare disorder of children, characterized by abnormal proliferation of Langerhans cells. There has been no report on the cytologic appearance of Langerhans cells in effusions. CASE: A 20-year-old had a 12-year history of the disease, since he was 8 years old. He had multiple mass lesions in the bones, lung and liver, and Langerhans cells appeared in the pleural fluid and ascites. They had indented, twisted or grooved nuclei, with a finely or coarsely granular chromatin pattern. Some of the nuclei were eccentrically located, and prominent nucleoli were occasionally seen. Immunohistochemically the cells showed positivity for S-100 protein. Electron microscopic examination revealed abortive Birbeck granules. CONCLUSION: The cytologic appearance was somewhat accentuated and different from that reported for other sites. Immunohistochemical staining for S-100 protein and/or electron microscopic examination should be employed.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Combination therapy of a vitamin D3 analog and all-trans-retinoic acid: effect on human breast cancer in nude mice.

BACKGROUND: Vitamin D3 analogs and all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) are able to inhibit the growth of a variety of malignant cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined the ability of three vitamin D3 analogs to inhibit the growth of a human mammary cancer cell line (MCF-7) in Beige Nude xid (BNX) mice either alone or with ATRA. Vitamin D3 analogs 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (code name, compound C), 1,25 (OH)2-16-ene-23-yne-19-nor-26,27-F6-D3 (compound LH) and 24a,26a,27a,-trihomo-22,24-diene-1,25(OH)2D3 (EB1089) were used. RESULTS: The antitumor effect of ATRA alone was greater than that of either of the vitamin D3 analogs alone, and an additive effect was observed when a vitamin D3 analog and ATRA were administered together. EB1089 was the most potent vitamin D3 analog; and EB1089 plus ATRA was the most potent combination decreasing the tumor mass nearly 3-fold compared to tumors of diluent control mice. None of the animals became hypercalcemic. Their complete blood counts, serum electrolyte analysis as well as their liver and renal functions were all fairly similar and within the normal range. CONCLUSION: This combination of a vitamin D3 analog and ATRA has the potential to be an adjuvant therapy for breast cancer.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

20-Cyclopropyl-cholecalciferol vitamin D3 analogs: a unique class of potent inhibitors of proliferation of human prostate, breast and myeloid leukemia cell lines.

We have synthesized and studied the ability of a series of nine novel 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] analogs to inhibit clonal growth of myeloid leukemic cells (HL,60), prostate (LNCaP, PC-3 and DU-145) and breast (MCF-7) cancers cells. DU-145 cells were actively resistant to compounds (cmpd) with all of these modifications, but when we removed C-19 (E, 1,25-Dihydroxy-23E-ene-26,27-hexafluoro-19-nor-20-cyclopropy l- cholecalciferol) an analog resulted that was inhibitory against all three prostate cell lines, breast and HL-60 cell lines. Further analysis showed that pulse exposure (3 days, 10(-7) M) to this analog was enough to inhibit clonal growth of PC-3 cell by 50%. Furthermore, cmpd E increased the number of PC-3 cells in G1 and decreased the number in S phase. 1,25(OH)2D3 mediates its biological activities through specific binding to the vitamin D3 receptor (VDR) and subsequent association with vitamin D3 response elements (VDRE) in genes modulated by 1,25(OH)2D3. Several novel vitamin D3 cmpds have recently been identified which have 5- to 1000-fold greater abilities to induce differentiation and to inhibit proliferation of prostate cancer, breast cancer and HL-60 leukemic blast cells as compared to the parental 1,25(OH)2D3. To clarify the mechanism by which nine of these vitamin D3 analogs mediate their remarkably potent biological activities, we have investigated their abilities in PC-3 prostate cancer cells to transactivate a chroramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter gene containing a VDRE from the human osteocalcin gene attached to a thymidine kinase minimal promoter. Dose-response studies of Cmpd E showed that in serumless culture conditions, transactivation of the VDRE-CAT was stronger than cmpd J [1,25(OH)2D3]. Then, we investigated the effects of vitamin D3 cmpd J in mice. Our data showed the growth inhibitory action of the vitamin D3 cmpd E in prostate cancer cell line (PC-3) was stastically superior to the non-treatment group in terms of tumor size and tumor weight in mice. In summary, this is the first report of a potent series of 20-cyclopropyl-cholecalciferol vitamin D3 analogs with the ability to inhibit proliferation of LNCaP, PC-3, DU-145, MCF-7 and HL-60 cell lines. These cmpds may mediate their potent anti-proliferative activities through a cell cycle arrest pathway.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Recent trends in viral hepatitis among Japanese children.

The prevalence of viral hepatitis in Japan were very high as peak HBsAg positive rate of 2-3% and HBsAb positive rate of 25% of peoples born in the 1930th and 1940th. But recently in Japan hepatitis A has completely eradicated and hepatitis B and C were seldom seen in our pediatric clinics. Many strategies were done beginning from sterilized water service to introduction of HCV-Ab screening system for blood transfusion in 1989. Many efforts had combined to get final success. The historical views of epidemics of viral hepatitis and maneuvers to improve were introduced here.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Hemophagocytosis in autoimmune disease.

Reactive hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) is known to be associated with various autoimmune diseases, as well as infection and/or malignancy. Here we review the features of autoimmune-associated HPS and describe the possible role of autoantibodies, especially antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL), in HPS based on data obtained from our own patients.

Antibodies, Antiphospholipid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Neuronal intranuclear hyaline inclusion disease: report of a case and review of the literature.

A case of neuronal intranuclear hyaline inclusion disease (NIHID) is described. The patient was a 26-year-old man who died of a progressive neurologic disorder, the onset of which occurred at the age of 11 years. Clinically, the disease presented as juvenile parkinsonism, and pathologically it was characterized by multiple-system degeneration in conjunction with the ubiquitous presence of intranuclear hyaline inclusions in neurons of the central and peripheral nervous system including the autonomic ganglia. Smaller and less eosinophilic intranuclear inclusions were also present in a small number of glial cells. The neuronal inclusions emitted a strong yellow-green autofluorescence under ultraviolet light and were composed of filaments 10-15 nm in diameter. The glial inclusions also consisted of similar filaments but their autofluorescence could not be determined with certainty because of their small size and background autofluorescence. A review of the literature revealed 19 similar autopsy cases up to 1987. Since the clinical presentation and distribution of neuronal loss as well as the characteristics of the inclusions showed some differences among the cases, some authors speculated that NIHID represented more than one variant of a multiple-system degenerative disease. However, about half of the reported cases had favorable sites of neurodegeneration, such as the pallidum, substantia nigra, motor nuclei of the brain stem, anterior horn cells, Clarke's column and spinal ganglion as well as similarities among the inclusions. Thus, there seems to be a discrete group among cases of NIHID.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

PAI-1 expression levels in esophageal and colorectal cancers are closely correlated to those in corresponding normal tissues.

To investigate the mechanism of PAI-1 overexpression in esophageal and colorectal cancers, PAI-1 expression levels in these cancers were compared to those in corresponding normal tissues. Quantitative RT-PCR was performed for the PAI-1 gene in esophageal and colorectal cancer tissues and in the corresponding normal tissues and the association between PAI-1 expression levels in these tissues was evaluated. There was a significant correlation between esophageal and colorectal cancer and the corresponding normal PAI-1 expressions with a Spearman's rank correlation coefficient of 0.77 (p < 0.0001) and 0.81 (p < 0.0001), respectively. In previous studies, PAI-1 overexpression was found to be significantly associated with the malignancy of esophageal and colorectal cancers. Taken together, PAI-1 overexpression in esophageal and colorectal cancers might originate from higher PAI-1 expression in corresponding normal tissues and result in a malignant phenotype of these cancers.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

N-hydroxymethyl metabolites of 450191-S, a 1H-1,2,4,-triazolyl benzophenone derivative, in dog plasma.

In a metabolic experiment of 5-[(2-aminoacetamido)methyl]-1-[4-chloro-2-(o-chlorobenzoyl)phenyl ]-N, N-dimethyl-1H-1,2,4,-triazole-3-carboxamide hydrochloride dihydrate (450191-S) in dogs, two new metabolites 8-chloro-6-(o-chlorophenyl)-N-hydroxymethyl-4H-1,2,4-triazolo [1,5-a] [1,4]benzodiazepine-2-carboxamide (M-A) and 8-chloro-6-(o-chlorophenyl)-N-hydroxymethyl-N-methyl-4H-1,2,4-triazolo [1,5-a] [1,4]benzodiazepine-2-carboxamide (M-D) in plasma were found in addition to 8-chloro-6-(o-chlorophenyl)-N,N-dimethyl-4H-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a] [1,4] benzodiazepine-2-carboxamide (M-1), 8-chloro-6-(o-chlorophenyl)-N-methyl-4H-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a] [1,4] benzodiazepine-2-carboxamide (M-2), 8-chloro-6-(o-chlorophenyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazolo-[1,5-a] [1,4] benzodiazepine-2-carboxamide (M-3), and 8-chloro-6-(o-chlorophenyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazolo[1,5-a] [1,4] benzodiazepine-2-carboxylic acid (M-4). The structures of N-hydroxymethyl metabolites were elucidated mainly by mass spectrometry. The structures were confirmed by synthesizing the authentic compounds and comparing the mass spectra.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Biopharmaceutical characterization of 450191-S, a ring-opened derivative of 1,4-benzodiazepine. II. Evidence for reduced first-pass extraction by rat liver.

The new hypnotic, 5-[(2-aminoacetamido)methyl]-1-[p-chloro-2-(o- chlorobenzoyl)phenyl]-N,N-dimethyl-1H-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide hydrochloride dihydrate (450191-S), is a ring-opened derivative of 1,4-benzodiazepine that is activated by spontaneous cyclization via a labile desglycylated metabolite (191DG). Pharmacokinetic comparison between 450191-S and its primary active metabolite, 8-chloro-6-(2-chlorophenyl)-N,N-dimethyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole[1,5-a][1,4] benzodiazepine-2-carboxamide (M-1), in rats revealed that higher levels of active metabolites were produced after 450191-S administration. To find the causes for this, in vivo and in vitro experiments were performed with the focus on hepatic uptake. Study of the absorption and distribution of radioactivity after intraduodenal administration of [14C]450191-S and [14C]M-1 revealed that most of the radioactivity was in the liver, with absorption of M-1 being rapid regardless of the dose and the absorption of 450191-S being slower at higher doses. Comparison of the portal and systemic metabolite levels showed the hepatic first-pass extraction after M-1 administration to be more effective than that after 450191-S administration. This was attributed to the labile intermediate, 191DG, which reduced the first-pass extraction in the liver. This reduction was confirmed by pharmacokinetic analysis after portal injection of 191DG in vivo and by incubation with liver slices in vitro. Thus, the presence of 191DG improved the bioavailability of active metabolites after 450191-S administration.

Animals↗