Biomedical subjects

N Murakami

Publications and source records attributed to N Murakami.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

PubMed2000

Immunohistochemical study on the expression of cyclin D1 and E in gastric cancer.

Cyclin D1 and E have been found to be deregulated and overexpressed in various types of cancers. In order to study the cell cycle regulatory mechanisms in gastric cancer, we have analyzed the protein expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin E in 76 tumor specimens from patients with primary gastric cancer, using immunohistochemistry. Overexpression of cyclin D1 was observed in 38 cases (50.0%). Overexpression of cyclin E was observed in 40 cases (52.6%). There was no significant difference between the expression of cyclin D1 and any clinicopathological factor. Cyclin E overexpression was correlated with a high incidence of lymph node metastasis, a low incidence of T1, and with Stage I. There was no significant difference in survival curves between cyclin D1 (+) and cyclin D1 (-). The survival curves of cyclin E (-) were significantly higher than those of cyclin E (+). These results suggested that in gastric carcinoma, cyclin E overexpression was useful as a prognostic indicator, but cyclin D1 was not.

Cyclin D1↗

PubMed2000

Two cases of cancer in the remnant stomach derived from gastritis cystica polyposa.

We have recently encountered two patients with early gastric cancer in the remnant stomach which resulted from gastritis cystica polyposa at the anastomosis site. The remnant stomach, which had been reconstructed with the Billroth II method, contained an elevated sessile lesion at the anastomosis site. One patient was a 73-year-old woman who had undergone gastrectomy for a gastric ulcer at 30 years earlier, cancer type I + IIa of the remnant stomach was diagnosed, and total remnant gastrectomy was performed. The other patient was a 59-year-old man who had undergone gastrectomy for a duodenal ulcer at 31 years earlier, cancer type I + IIa of the remnant stomach was diagnosed, and subtotal remnant gastrectomy was performed. Histological examination in each case showed that moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma had developed from gastritis cystica polyposa. These results suggested that this cancer has a close relationship with gastritis cystica polyposa.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

Morphological change in the MNNG-treated rat gastric mucosa.

To investigate the process of carcinogenesis in gastric cancer, we studied the histological features of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-treated rats. Samples of the gastric mucosa from both MNNG-treated and control rats were histologically examined every 2 months, for 10 months. In 40% of the MNNG-treated rats, atrophy in the gastric mucosa was observed after 2 months, and regenerative epithelium was observed after 4 months, followed by adenomatous proliferation and disappearance of the tight junction electron microscopically after 6 months. A small intestinal cancer had developed in 2 rats at 6 months. While gastric cancer had developed in 3 rats at 8 months, and in one of these 3 rats, peritoneal dissemination was observed macroscopically and histologically. These results suggested that adenomatous proliferation and disappearance of the tight junction observed electron microscopically were characteristic pathological features of precancerous lesions in the stomach in MNNG-treated rat.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Advanced gastric cancer with liver metastasis effectively treated by intra-hepatic arterial infusion of 5-FU, MMC and peroral administration of 5-FU: a case report.

We have experienced a case of advanced gastric cancer with liver metastasis effectively treated by intra-hepatic arterial infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), mitomycin C (MMC) and peroral administration of 5-FU. The patient was a 48-year-old male diagnosed as having advanced gastric cancer with multiple liver metastasis in the bilateral lobes of the liver. This patient was treated by intra-hepatic arterial infusion of 5-FU (250 mg/2 days x 8 doses), MMC (20 mg x 1 dose, 6 mg/2 weeks x 6 doses) and peroral administration of 5-FU (200 mg/day). At 14 weeks later, a CT revealed that the metastatic liver tumors had disappeared. However, at 7 months after the therapy, the patient eventually died of liver and brain metastasis. These results suggested that intra-hepatic arterial infusion of 5-FU and MMC was an effective therapy for metastatic tumors in the liver, but we need to perform intra-hepatic arterial infusion using a new prolonged regimen to treat the liver metastasis.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2000

Multiple carcinoids in the stomach with hypergastrinemia and type A gastritis: a case report.

We have experienced a case of the stomach with hypergastrinemia and type A gastritis with multiple carcinoids in a 37-year-old woman. An upper gastrointestinal series revealed multiple minute polyps in the upper body of the stomach. All polyps were diagnosed as carcinoid using endoscopic biopsies. She had neither symptom or signs of typical carcinoid disease. The serum gastrin level was as high as 725 pg/ml. Total gastrectomy was performed, and the diagnosis of multiple gastric carcinoids (sm, no) with type A gastritis was histologically confirmed. After the operation, the serum gastrin level returned to normal, and the patient has been doing well and is disease-free to date at 7 years after the operation. This case suggested that multiple gastric carcinoid lesions may be precipitated by chronic atrophic gastritis accompanying hypergastrinemia. In the treatment of multiple gastric carcinoids with type A gastritis, total gastrectomy with lymph node dissection should be standard operative procedure, in order to resect the fundic gland area completely which could be the origin of carcinoids and endocrine cell micronest.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Primary gastric lymphoma: a clinicopathological study.

A retrospective study of 25 patients treated for primary gastric lymphoma was made to investigate a number of problems related to treatments and report the factors influencing prognosis. In the 5-year-survival rate according to Working Formulation classification, either survival rate of low-grade type or intermediate-grade type was higher than that of high-grade type. Both the 5-year-survival rate of cases without lymph node metastasis and that of cases that involved perigastric lymph nodes were higher than that of cases that involved distant gastric lymph nodes. Those surviving five years after perigastric lymph node metastasis had received D3 or D4 dissection and postoperative multicombined chemotherapy. Tumors invading only to the submucosal layer had received D2 dissection and were not treated by postoperative multicombined chemotherapy, and recurrence was not recognized in these cases. Of 9 cases infiltrating into the musclaris propria or serosa without lymph node metastasis, 8 cases were treated by postoperative multicombined chemotherapy and were alive without recurrence, but one case without postoperative multicombined chemotherapy died by recurrence. Therefore, adequate therapy for gastric lymphoma with infiltrating into submucosal layer is gastrectomy with D2 lymph node dissection, and postoperative multicombined chemotherapy is not necessary. The cases with perigastric lymph node metastasis, or the cases with invading from muscularis propria to serosa require D3 or D4 lymph node dissection with postoperative multicombined chemotherapy. But the cases with distant gastric lymph node metastasis or invading adjacent structure or high-grade type histologically (WF classification) require preoperative chemotherapy.

Humans↗

PubMed2000

[Two cases of orbital non-Hodgkin's lymphoma presenting with hemophagocytic syndrome].

We report 2 cases of orbital non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) with hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS). Patient 1 was a 64-year-old man with a diagnosis of peripheral T-cell lymphoma originating in the right orbita (clinical stage: IV B). Epstein-Barr virus DNA was demonstrated in tissue specimens by polymerase chain reaction. Laboratory findings on admission were WBC: 4,700/microliter, Hb: 12.1 g/dl, Plt: 14.6 x 10(4)/microliter, LDH: 951 IU/l, sIL-2R: 2,553 IU/ml, and ferritin: 5998.1 ng/ml. Patient 2 was a 73-year-old man with a diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma originating in the right orbita (Clinical stage: IV B). Laboratory findings on admission were WBC: 9,100/microliter, Hb: 7.7 g/dl, Plt: 15.4 x 10(4)/microliter, LDH: 1,043 IU/l, sIL-2R: 10,090 IU/ml, and ferritin: 2079.3 ng/ml. Both patients had high-grade fever and extremely high serum cytokine levels. Bone marrow aspiration disclosed many histiocytes with hemophagocytosis. In both cases, combined chemotherapy was transiently effective, but patient 1 died of relapse of HPS and patient 2 of cerebral bleeding. Orbital non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with HPS is rare. These cases were interesting in terms of the relationship between HPS and the primary site of lymphoma.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

[An autopsy of parkinsonism after solitary living in Guam Island for 28 years].

The autopsy findings of an 82-year-old man with history of solitary living in the jungle of Guam, the endemic area of parkinsonism-dementia complex(PDC), for 28 years was reported in this paper. When he was 75 years old, about 20 years later to have come back to Japan, he developed parkinsonism. He noticed bradykinesia and was pointed out masked face, rigidity and tremor in his right hand. After 2 years, he was diagnosed as Parkinson's disease under the third degree of Hoehn-Yahr criteria. He also showed mild cognitive dysfunction, but no pyramidal signs, muscle atrophy of fasciculation at all. Anti-parkinsonian drugs were effective for his motor symptoms. He admitted at age 82 because of anorexia, and died after 3 months. Neuropathological study disclosed neuronal loss and gliosis with Lewy bodies in the substantia nigra, locus coeruleus and dorsal vagal nucleus. There were cortical type Lewy bodies in the limbic system and scanty amount in the neocortex. A few neurofibrillary tangles(NFT) were found in the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus, but no dominancy in the second or third layers of the cerebral cortex as reported in PDC. Senile plaques were not observed at all. Although the exact cause of PDC has not been clarified, environmental factors such as water or food seem to influence on the outcome of PDC. However, the pathological findings of the present case were compatible to those of idiopathic Parkinson's disease. Thus it is a very important fact that the present case was not suffered from PDC in spite of his long residence in the endemic area of Guam.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

[A case of Fisher syndrome showing pharyngeal-cervical-brachial weakness with an elevation of anti-GQ 1 b and anti-GT 1 a antibodies].

A 15-year-old boy developed ataxic gait, diplopia and hoarseness. Within 3 days after the onset, he had additional symptoms of dysphagia and dysarthria. He was admitted to our hospital 7 days after the onset of the disease. On admission, he had total ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, areflexia, facial diplegia, bulbar palsy and weakness of the neck and upper arms. Serum anti-GQ 1 b and anti-GT 1 a antibodies were significantly elevated. A diagnosis of Fisher syndrome associated with pharyngeal-cervical-brachial weakness was made. He was placed on a high dose of intravenous immunoglobins (12.5 g/day x 2 days) and had steroid pulse therapy (methylprednisolone 1 g x 3 days), which resulted in an almost complete recovery. There have been no reports of Fisher syndrome associated with brachio-pharyngeal-palsy. As in the case of the pharyngeal-cervical-brachial variant of Guillain Barré syndrome, anti-GT 1 a antibodies may be associated with Fisher syndrome with pharyngeal-cervical-brachial weakness.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2000

[A case with congenital hydrocephaly and west syndrome who recovered from hypsarrhythmia after the resolution of shunt trouble].

Hydrocephalus occasionally causes West syndrome, but the mechanism is unknown. We experienced a case with West syndrome and congenital hydrocephaly, in which the EEG findings improved after the resolution of shunt complications. The course of this case implied the pathogenesis of West syndrome associated with congenital hydrocephaly, as well as the origin of the seizures and that of the EEG findings in West syndrome. A 7-month-old girl had congenital hydrocephaly. A prenatal diagnosis was made by ultrasonography, and ventricle-peritoneal shunting was performed 7 days after birth. During the following 7 months several shunt replacements were done because of recurrent shunt complications. Her first series of infantile spasms began at the age of 6 months, and treatment was started under the diagnosis of West syndrome. One month later, her seizures were controlled by pyridoxal phosphate, while the EEG still showed hypsarrythmia. Her shunt was then removed again, because of bacterial meningitis due to shunt infection. The recovery from shunt complication resulted in marked improvement of the hypsarrhythmia. Our experience and previous literature suggest the involvement of cerebral cortex in the occurrence of West syndrome associated with congenital hydrocephaly.

Electroencephalography↗

PubMed2000

[Activities of antimicrobial agents against 5,180 clinical isolates obtained from 26 medical institutions during 1998 in Japan. Levofloxacin--Surveillance Group].

The surveillance study was conducted to determine the antimicrobial activity of fluoroquinolones (ofloxacin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, tosufloxacin) and other 20 antimicrobial agents against 5,180 clinical isolates obtained from 26 medical institutions during 1998 in Japan. The resistance to fluoroquinolones was remarkable in Enterococci, methicillin-resistant staphylococci and Pseudomonas aeruginosa from UTI. However, many of the common pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae including penicillin-resistant isolates, methicillin-susceptible Stahylococcus aureus, Moraxella catarrhalis, the family of Enterobacteriaceae, Haemophilus influenzae including ampicillin-resistant isolates have been kept to be susceptible to fluoroquinolones. About 90% of P. aeruginosa isolates from RTI were susceptible to fluoroquinolones. In conclusion, the results from this surveillance study suggest that fluoroquinolones are useful in the treatment of various bacterial infections including respiratory infections.

Anti-Infective Agents↗

PubMed2000

Polymerase chain reaction detection of rearranged immunoglobulin heavy chain DNA in plasma samples is useful in the diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma.

Using DNA extracted from plasma samples of B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL) patients, we attempted to detect the monoclonal rearrangement of immunoglobulin heavy chain gene by amplifying complementarity-determining region 3 (CDR3) by semi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method (plasma PCR). In 19 of 37 (51%) cases, clonal DNA was detected. With the same PCR method using DNA extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, clonal DNA was detected in 8 of the 37 cases (22%). These 8 were in advanced stages with bone marrow (BM) invasion mostly. On the other hand, the 19 positive cases by plasma PCR included those in early stages without BM invasion or with normal soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) values. In 15 healthy volunteers, plasma PCR showed no clonal DNA. In cases in which tumor biopsy was difficult to perform, plasma PCR was helpful for determining whether or not the tumor was B-NHL. Plasma PCR is simple and has high specificity, although its sensitivity is insufficient.

Aged↗

PubMed2000

[Muscle involvement of Stormorken's syndrome].

We described two patients, a mother and daughter, of Stormorken's syndrome. The syndrome is characterized clinically by autosomal dominant inheritance, congenital miosis, thrombocytopenia, asplenia and muscle weakness. Both patients had bleeding tendency, ichthyosis of arms, and muscle weakness. The daughter additionally had short stature (146 cm), low body weight (32 kg) and muscle cramp. Neurological findings of the patients included migraine-like headache, cognitive dysfunction, limitation of upward and lateral gaze, and amydriasis. Femoral muscle MRI of the daughter demonstrated decreased volume with patchy high intensity areas in the hamstrings. A muscle biopsy from the daughter showed myogenic changes with muscle fiber necrosis and regeneration, variation in fiber size, tubular aggregates in approximately 5% of fibers, and fibrous tissue proliferation. Dystrophin, dystrophin-associated proteins and dysferlin were normally expressed. Although both patients had elevated creatine kinase levels and generalized muscle wasting, muscle weakness was mild with slow progression. A certain membrane defect in the platelet and muscle fiber might be responsible for the pathogenesis of this syndrome.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Characterization of orexin-A and orexin-B in the microdissected rat brain nuclei and their contents in two obese rat models.

Orexin-A and orexin-B (also known as hypocretins) are newly discovered hypothalamic peptides that stimulate food intake. Using separate radioimmunoassays for these rat orexins, we determined their distributions in microdissected nuclei of the diencephalon and brainstem which have accumulations of orexin fibers. High orexin contents (orexin-A: between 250 and 350 fmol/mg protein and orexin-B: between 650 and 900 fmol/mg protein) were present in the lateral hypothalamus; ventromedial hypothalamic, paraventricular thalamic and dorsal raphe nuclei; periaqueductal central gray and locus coeruleus. Moderate orexin contents (orexin-A: between 100 and 250 fmol/mg protein and orexin-B: between 300 and 500 fmol/mg protein) were found in the median eminence; suprachiasmatic, paraventricular hypothalamic, arcuate and supraoptic nuclei; substantia nigra and the nucleus of the solitary tract. Mature orexin-A and -B peptides were the major endogenous orexin molecules in these nuclei. The orexin-A and -B contents in the brains of obese Zucker rats that have disrupted leptin receptor were significantly higher than in their lean littermates, but in Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty rats that have disrupted cholecystokinin type-A receptor the contents were similar to those of the controls. The widespread orexin distributions in the nuclei of diencephalon and brainstem suggest that orexins serve as neuromodulators, neurotransmitters, or both, in a wide variety of neural networks that regulate the autonomic and neuroendocrine systems.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Extracapsular invasion of lymph node metastasis. A good indicator of disease recurrence and poor prognosis in patients with thyroid microcarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The majority of patients with thyroid microcarcinoma have a favorable prognosis. However, some patients may die from this tumor. Although the incidence of microcarcinoma is high, to the authors' knowledge no histologic risk factors have been identified. The objective of this study was to establish risk factors for patients with thyroid microcarcinoma. METHODS: The histologic findings for 1743 surgically excised thyroid microcarcinomas (</=10 mm in greatest dimension) and simultaneously obtained lymph nodes from 324 microcancer patients were reexamined to determine risk factors. Follow-up for the patients was 11.2 +/- 6.3 years (mean +/- standard deviation). These thyroid carcinomas were classified according to the World Health Organization Histological Classification system, and lymph node involvement was classified into two groups: those patients with extracapsular invasion of the lymph node metastasis (ECI) (62 patients) and those patients without (1681 patients). A Fisher exact test, an F test, univariate and multivariate proportional hazards regression analyses, and a Kendall correlation measurement were performed. RESULTS: No undifferentiated tumors were found among the microcarcinomas. During the follow-up period, 1643 of 1743 patients were alive without recurrence, 25 were alive with recurrence, 71 had died of thyroid-unrelated diseases including 2 patients with recurrence, and 4 had died of recurrent thyroid carcinoma. In total, recurrence was noted in 31 patients. Multivariate proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that the absence of Graves disease (risk ratio = 5) and the presence of ECI (risk ratio = 7) were significant risk factors for disease recurrence. Univariate analysis revealed that patient age and the presence of ECI were significant risk factors for thyroid carcinoma-related deaths. CONCLUSIONS: The presence of ECI of lymph node metastasis in patients with thyroid microcarcinoma was found to be a significant indicator of disease recurrence and a poorer prognosis.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Association study of a polymorphism of nonerythroid alpha-spectrin gene with schizophrenia.

The specificity of cytoarchitectural abnormalities in limbic structures of patients with schizophrenia and their contributions towards the etiology of schizophrenia remain unknown. We have recently reported an increased breakdown of nonerythroid alpha-spectrin (fodrin), a major component of neuronal cytoskeletal proteins, in schizophrenic left superior temporal cortices [Kitamura et al., 1998: Biol Psychiatry 43:254-262], suggesting that polymorphisms of the alpha-spectrin gene might contribute to the vulnerability to schizophrenia. We screened for genetic variations associated with schizophrenia through the C-terminus sequences of the human nonerythroid alpha-spectrin gene (SPTAN1) spanning two EF-hands and also tested a possible contribution of the polymorphism to the development of schizophrenia by an association study. We found a polymorphic region of an intron located in the second EF-hand of SPTAN1 gene. There was no significant difference between patients with schizophrenia and controls in allele frequencies or genotype distribution. There is evidence that the Psh BI SPTAN1 gene polymorphism does not play a major role in the genetic component of schizophrenia.

Adult↗

PubMed1999

Widespread distribution of orexin in rat brain and its regulation upon fasting.

Orexins A and B, novel hypothalamic peptides encoded by a single mRNA transcript, stimulate food intake. Two antisera specific for the individual rat orexins were prepared and sensitive RIAs developed. Orexin-A and -B are abundant in the rat hypothalamus, medulla-pons, and midbrain-thalamus, and moderately abundant in the cerebral cortex. No orexins were found in the adipose tissues or visceral organs studied. The major endogenous molecule of orexin-A is a 33-amino-acid peptide, and that of orexin-B a 28-amino-acid peptide. After a 48 h fast, the orexin-A and -B contents of the lateral hypothalamus exhibited a trend to increase, but the contents of other brain tissues significantly decreased as compared with the fed control rats. No circadian variations in the orexin contents were found in the brain. The extensive and abundant distribution of orexins in the brain and changes in their contents upon fasting suggest that they serve as neuromodulators and/or neurotransmitters that regulate feeding behavior through interaction with diverse neural networks.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1999

Effect of lateral cerebroventricular injection of the appetite-stimulating neuropeptide, orexin and neuropeptide Y, on the various behavioral activities of rats.

The effect of lateral cerebroventricular injection of the appetite-stimulating neuropeptide, orexin and neuropeptide Y (NPY), on the behavior of rats was investigated. An immediate increase in face washing activity was observed after injection of orexin A or orexin B, but not NPY. Orexin A had a more potent effect on face washing behavior than orexin B. Grooming and burrowing activities also increased significantly after injection of orexin A, whereas, orexin B significantly increased burrowing and searching behavior. Feeding behavior and food consumption increased dramatically within 10 min of injection of NPY. Although the significant increase in feeding behavior was also observed after injection of orexin A, total food intake did not change significantly. These results suggest that orexin may be involved in the regulation of several other behavioral activities in rats, besides feeding.

Animals↗