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Biomedical subjects

N Okazaki

Publications and source records attributed to N Okazaki.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

CD8+ cell-dominant alveolitis in pulmonary sarcoidosis.

A 55-year-old woman had bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy and retinouveitis. Microscopic examination of a biopsy specimen from a mediastinal lymph node revealed noncaseating epithelioid cell granulomas. Since granulomatous diseases of infectious origin and sarcoid reaction were reasonably excluded, she was diagnosed as having pulmonary sarcoidosis. Bronchoalveolar lavage findings were atypical in that the ratio of helper T cells to suppressor T cells (CD4/8 ratio) was 0.5 in two separate examinations, despite a moderately increased proportion of lymphocytes. Immunohistochemical examination of the lymph node also showed a predominancy of suppressor T cells. The inversion of the CD4/8 ratio suggests the presence of heterogeneity in the immunoregulatory mechanism in pulmonary sarcoidosis and may have a prognostic significance.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte↗
PubMed1989

A phase II study of etoposide in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma by the Tokyo Liver Cancer Chemotherapy Study Group.

Twenty-four patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were treated with 80 mg etoposide/m2 for five consecutive days at 4-week intervals. Of the 21 patients evaluated, only one showed a partial response (of 8 weeks, duration). The dose-limiting factor was bone marrow suppression. Grades 3 and 4 white blood cell count toxicity occurred in five (24%) and two (10%) patients, respectively. Alopecia (grades 1 and 2) was observed in 18 patients (57%). The The present study indicates that etoposide has very limited activity against hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

[A case of pulmonary sarcoidosis with CD8 positive cell dominant alveolitis].

A 55-year-old woman was admitted for examination of bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy. Serum angiotensin converting enzyme was not elevated, but gallium-scan revealed an increased uptake in both lung hilus. The percentage of lymphocytes in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was elevated (28.9%), and the proportion of OKIa1 positive cells was also elevated (50.5%). However, the ratio of cluster differentiation (CD) 4/8 was inverted at 0.5. Microscopic examination of the mediastinal lymph nodes revealed epithelioid cell granulomas without ceasation, and a diagnosis of sarcoidosis was made. Immunohistochemical examination of the lymph nodes showed predominancy of CD8 positive cells. Patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis having a low CD4/8 ratio in BALF are extremely rare in the early stage of sarcoidosis. The inverted CD4/8 ratio was of interest in regard to the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis.

Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte↗
PubMed1989

Spontaneous regression of a hepatocellular carcinoma--a case report.

Spontaneous regression of hepatocellular carcinoma was observed in a 67-year-old Japanese male with liver cirrhosis. Although the patient showed no histological evidence of hepatocellular carcinoma, findings obtained by hepatic angiography, computed tomography and echography strongly indicated that the tumor was a hepatocellular carcinoma. Moreover, the rate of growth of the tumor nodule paralleled an increase in serum alpha-fetoprotein. Following this accelerated increase in serum alpha-fetoprotein a sudden drop was observed with no specific treatment for cancer, and regression of the tumor was also observed. Six months later the serum alpha-fetoprotein level had normalized, and the tumor had disappeared completely. The patients is now alive and doing well more than 70 months after the initial diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

[Imaging of adenomatous hyperplastic lesions containing and not containing hepatocellular carcinoma in the liver].

In 41 patients with 54 lesions which were resected ans studied histopathologically, there were 14 lesions of adenomatous hyperplasias (AH) in 9 patients, 28 AHs containing hepatocellular carcinoma foci (early HCC, e-HCC) in 22 and 12 borderline lesions which fell between these two lesions in 10. The detectability of these lesions on imagings was evaluated. Detection rates for all lesions and e-HCCs were as follows; intraoperative sonography, 70.0%, 87.5%; Portal-CT, 71.4%; sonography, 44.4%. 64.3%; Arterial-CT, 37.5%, 50.0%; CT, 32.7%, 57.7%; angiography, 17.0%, 30.8%; Lipiodol-CT, 9.1%. 25.0%. On angiography, tumor stain was recognized in only 8 patients with e-HCC. Arterial-CT showed a relatively low density mass compared to non-tumorous area in 2 patients with e-HCC and one with borderline lesion. The median size of 54 lesions was 1.2 +/- 0.4 cm in diameter and that of AHs was 0.8 +/- 0.3 cm, the latter being significantly smaller than the other two lesions (p less than 0.01). Liver cirrhosis coexisted in 35 of 41 patients (85.4%). No complete necrosis occurred in 13 e-HCC lesions following therapeutic embolization or infusion chemotherapy in the hepatic artery.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Preoperative ultrasonography screening for liver metastases of patients with colorectal cancer.

The clinical value of preoperative ultrasonography in screening for synchronous liver metastases was prospectively evaluated in 338 patients with colorectal cancer. Synchronous liver metastases were observed at laparotomy in 11.5% (39/338) of the patients. The liver metastases had been found by preoperative ultrasonography in 30 patients and missed in nine. The overall accuracy rate, sensitivity and specificity, and the positive and negative predictive values of this modality were 0.970, 0.769, 0.997, 0.968 and 0.971, respectively. In detecting liver metastases, the results were superior to those of biochemical blood tests and measurements of carcinoembryonic antigen serum levels. The accuracy of the ultrasonography was also superior to that of these other tests combined. The results indicate ultrasonography to be an indispensable preoperative examination for patients with colorectal cancer.

Carcinoembryonic Antigen↗
PubMed1989

[Informing advanced cancer patients of the terminal nature of their disease and how this influenced their mental state].

From January, 1983 to July, 1987, advanced cancer patients, who have since died, were analysed as to the influence of their mental state after being told of the terminal nature of their disease. After obtaining family consent, 27 out of total of 65 patients were told the true nature of their disease, in contrast to the remaining 38 terminal patients who were kept unaware that they had cancer on the insistence of their families. The depression observed just before death was the marker used to determine the patients' mental distress during the terminal period, and it was noted that the incidence of this terminal depression was higher in the uniformed patients, and highest in those with pain who had not been told. Thus it was concluded that informing a patient that he or she has terminal cancer does not always induce mental distress, even in patients in an advanced cancer stage. Further, the pain that cancer causes must be effectively fought, since this was the major cause of mental distress during the terminal stage of the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Cloning and nucleotide sequencing of phenylalanine dehydrogenase gene of Bacillus sphaericus.

The gene coding for phenylalanine dehydrogenase [PDH; L-phenylalanine: NAD+ oxidoreductase (deaminating); EC 1.4.1.-] from Bacillus sphaericus SCRC-79a was cloned onto plasmid pUC9, and the nucleotide sequence of the 2-kb DNA region of the insert was determined. A 1143-bp open reading frame consisting of 381 codons was identified as a pdh gene coding for PDH.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗
PubMed1988

Production of eicosapentaenoic acid by marine bacteria.

About 5,000 strains of marine microorganisms were screened for eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)-producing ability, which was detected in 88 of them. All of the latter were found to be obligate aerobic, Gram-negative, motile, short rod-shaped bacteria. One strain, designated as SCRC-8132, showed a doubling time of 30 min at 25 degrees C and produced 20 mg/liter (4 mg/g dry cells) when cultured in a P-Y-M-Glucose medium for 18 h. The EPA to total fatty acids ratio was 24%. The strain produced 26 mg EPA/liter (15 mg/g dry cells) when cultured at 4 degrees C for 5 days, the EPA ratio being increased to 40%.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1988

Interleukins in pulmonary sarcoidosis. Dissociative correlations of lung interleukins 1 and 2 with the intensity of alveolitis.

To investigate whether interleukins are involved in the formation of alveolitis in pulmonary sarcoidosis, interleukin-1 (IL-1) production by LPS-stimulated alveolar macrophages (AM) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production by PHA-stimulated lung and blood T-cells were determined in 35 untreated patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis. The amount of IL-1 produced by AM (BAL IL-1) was significantly increased in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis compared with that in 18 control subjects. BAL IL-1 showed a significant positive correlation with the intensity of alveolitis assessed by the proportion of lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and the absolute number of lymphocytes per milliliter of BALF. However, the amount of IL-2 produced by lung T-cells (BALT IL-2) showed a significant negative correlation with the intensity of alveolitis. BALT IL-2 was significantly lower than the amount of IL-2 produced by blood T-cells (PBT IL-2). There was no correlation between PBT IL-2 and the intensity of alveolitis. These results suggest that IL-2 contributes to the formation and maintenance of alveolitis in pulmonary sarcoidosis, whereas IL-2 production by lung T-cells is suppressed to down-regulate the enhanced immune processes at the site of disease. The possibility that this hyporesponsiveness of lung T-cells to PHA has resulted from the modulation of the T3-T cell receptor complex remains to be determined.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Plasma cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of a patient with eosinophilic pneumonia. Morphologic proof of local production of antibodies.

We describe a case of eosinophilic pneumonia in which plasma cells appeared in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). A 49-year-old man presented with wheezing, lung infiltrates, peripheral eosinophilia, and extremely high IgE levels in serum and BALF. A differential count of BALF revealed 56.6 percent lymphocytes and 1.3 percent plasma cells. The appearance of plasma cells suggests local maturation of B cells and represents a morphologic proof of local production of immunoglobulins. The increased number of lymphocytes suggests their role in B cell differentiation via the lymphokine network.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

[Continuous infusion of anti-cancer drug with balloon infusors].

We evaluated the safety and stability of balloon infusors in which the distended elastomotor balloon acts as the energy source. Continuous intravenous administration of 5-fluorouracil with the infusor was carried out in nine patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancers. In additional two patients, morphine hydrochloride was administered continuously in the vein or in the epidural space. The patients were carefully observed and hematological and biochemical examinations were performed. Infusion volume was calculated by measuring the weight of the infusor. The present study showed that this infusor was safe and easy to handle. However, the infusion velocity was slightly unstable, being influenced by the temperature of the infusor. This infusor was used even on an ambulatory basis. According to our results, we thought this infusor is quite useful to improve the quality of life of cancer patients.

Aged↗