Biomedical subjects

N Tokui

Publications and source records attributed to N Tokui.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

Effects of radiotherapy after hyperbaric oxygenation on malignant gliomas.

The purpose of this non-randomized trial was to evaluate the efficacy of radiotherapy combined with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) in patients with malignant glioma. Between 1987 and 1997, 29 patients in whom computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans showed post-operative residual tumours were locally irradiated with nitrosourea-based chemotherapy. Treatments were consecutively combined with HBO at two institutions since 1991 and 1993. Fifteen patients were irradiated daily after HBO, and the periods of time from decompression to irradiation were within 15 and 30 min in 11 and four patients respectively. Fourteen other patients were treated without HBO. Tumour responses were assessed by CT or MRI scans and survival times were compared between the treated groups. In the HBO group, 11 of 15 patients (73%) showed > or = 50% tumour regression. All responders were irradiated within 15 min after decompression. In the non-HBO group, four of 14 patients (29%) showed tumour regression. The median survivals in patients with and without HBO were 24 and 12 months, respectively, and were significantly different (P < 0.05). No serious side-effects were observed in the HBO patients. In conclusion, irradiation after HBO seems to be a useful form of treatment for malignant gliomas, but irradiation should be administered immediately after decompression.

Brain Neoplasms↗

PubMed1999

The relationship between lifestyle, social characteristics and obesity in 3-year-old Japanese children.

It has been observed that obese children receive genetic and environmental effects that are associated with them being overweight. With regard to the latter, lifestyles such as eating habits and physical activity have been focused on. In the present study, the social characteristics which would dominate their lifestyles were investigated as background variables. For this purpose, 9668 Japanese children aged three years who were all born in Toyama prefecture, Japan, in 1998, served as birth cohort subjects. For the comparison between obese (Kaup Index; mass in kg/(height in m)2 > or = 18) and nonobese (Kaup index < 18) children, irregular snack intake, physical inactivity and reduced sleeping hours were chosen as statistically significant obesity-related lifestyle indicators for the children. For social characteristics, family construction (expanded family with grandparents/nonexpanded family), main caregiver (mother/other), attending a nursery school (yes/no) and mother's employment (full-time worker/other) were chosen. These were significantly associated with the obesity-related lifestyles mentioned above using multiple logistic regression analysis adjusted for other variables of social characteristics as well as for gender and birth month (July-December/January-June). The two greatest population-attributable risk percentages were observed for mother as main caregiver (-36.5%) and attending a nursery school (-28.9%) for irregular snack intake. Therefore, these two social characteristics substantially reduced the number of children with irregular snack intake. On the other hand, the two social characteristics were reversed in children with reduced sleeping hours (population-attributable risk percentage of mother as main caregiver: 15.4%; attending a nursery school: 17%). In contrast with favourable effects on snack intake these social characteristics showed an adverse influence on the sleeping habits of children.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed1998

Body mass decrease after initial gain following smoking cessation.

BACKGROUND: Although smoking cessation is strongly associated with subsequent weight gain, it is not clear whether the initial gain in weight after smoking cessation remains over time. METHOD: Cross-sectional analyses were made, using data from periodic health examinations for workers, on the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the length of smoking cessation. In addition, linear regression coefficients of BMI on the length of cessation were estimated according to alcohol intake and sport activity, to examine the modifying effect of these factors on the weight of former smokers. RESULTS: Means of BMI were 23.1 kg/m2, 23.3 kg/m2, 23.6 kg/m2 for light/medium smokers, heavy smokers and never smokers, respectively. Among former smokers who had smoked > or = 25 cigarettes a day, odds ratio (OR) of BMI >25 kg/m2 were 1.88 (95% confidence interval [CI] : 1.05-3.35), 1.32 (95% CI : 0.74-2.34), 0.66 (95% CI: 0.33-1.31) for those with 2-4 years, 5-7 years, and 8-10 years of smoking cessation, respectively. The corresponding OR among those who previously consumed <25 cigarettes a day were 1.06 (95% CI: 0.58-1.94), 1.00 (95% CI: 0.58-1.71), and 1.49 (95% CI: 0.95-2.32). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that although heavy smokers may experience large weight gain and weigh more than never smokers in the few years after smoking cessation, they thereafter lose weight to the never smoker level, while light and moderate smokers gain weight up to the never smoker level without any excess after smoking cessation.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

Association between self-reported stressful feeling by SACL and mortality in a Japanese community.

A cohort study consisting of 4,291 residents of a Japanese community has been conducted since 1987. The associations between stressful feelings measured by Stress Arousal Checklist (SACL) and mortality of all causes and cancer were examined. The relative risks (RRs) for mortality for 7 years for high stressful state (SACL score: 7-17) and moderate stressful state (3-6) subjects compared with low stressful state subjects (0-2) were 1.1 (95% CI = 0.69-1.68), 1.3 (95% CI = 0.85-2.00) for all causes and 1.5 (95% CI = 0.80-2.99), 1.3 (95% CI = 0.67-2.61) for cancer respectively, after being adjusted for sex, age, smoking, drinking, exercise and medical-care use. When each item of the SACL was examined independently, six out of 17 items of SACL which were "not comfortable", "not contented", "not cheerful", "dejected", "nervous", "not pleasant" showed elevated RRs for all causes of mortality with statistical significance (RRs: 1.4, 1.4, 1.7, 1.7, 1.5, 1.5, respectively), after being adjusted for the possible confounding factors stated above. Especially, the adjusted RRs of "not cheerful" and "dejected" for all causes was 1.7 (95% CI = 1.20-2.33), 1.7 (95% CI = 1.17-2.46), respectively. The results suggested that stressful feelings of "not cheerful" and "dejected" might increase mortality.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

[The association of self-rated health and mortality--a 7-year follow-up study of a Japanese community].

This study aims to examine whether self-rated health is an independent predictor of cause-specific mortality even after the influence by a variety of factors in relation to mortality reported by previous studies have been excluded. This study included randomly selected 4,259 inhabitants (1,827 men and 2,432 women) in Y city, Fukuoka prefecture, Japan, aged from 30 to 79 in 1987. These subjects were surveyed in 1987 by self-administered questionnaires regarding self-rated health as well as life habits, and followed up for their vital status and underlying causes of death. After excluding the individuals who were lost to follow up or who didn't respond to the question on self-rated health, 4,046 individuals were analysed to see the relationship between self-rated health and cause-specific mortality by Cox proportional hazard models, controlling for sex, age, smoking, BMI, medical care use and ADL. It was shown that relative risks for all causes, cancer, circulatory disease and other causes among the unhealthy group were 2.95 (95% CI: 1.93-4.50), 2.96 (1.53-5.73), 2.32 (0.86-6.26) and 4.09 (2.12-7.89), relatively. In the analyses of the subgroup (subjects without diseases in 1987 or subjects excluding deceased cases within first 3 years after follow-up), to avoid selection bias, the association between self-rated health and mortality was substantially similar to the results obtained in the former analysis, even the association was weakened. Even after excluding both of the subjects with diseases in 1987 and the subjects who died in the first 3 years after follow-up, self-rated health could be associated with mortality from all causes (RR = 1.89, 95%CI; 0.91-3.94). From the results it is suggested that self-rated health itself can be the independent predictor of mortality.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

[A sero-epidemiological study on atrophic gastritis and Helicobacter pylori infection].

The aim of this study is to clarify the relationship between the incidence of atrophic gastritis and Helicobacter pylori infection. A case control study was conducted in 1995. Cases and controls were selected among those who took an annual health examination in a rural area of Fukuoka Prefecture. Cases are those who were not diagnosed as having atrophic gastritis in 1991 or 1992 but were diagnosed as having atrophic gastritis in 1995 by the examination of serum pepsinogens. Controls are those who were not diagnosed as having atrophic gastritis between 1991, or 1992 and 1995. Helicobacter pylori infection was evaluated by anti Helicobacter pylori IgG in 1995. The odds ratio for atrophic gastritis was calculated using Logistic regression analysis. The odds ratio of age and sex was not significant, but the odds ratio of Helicobacter pylori infection was significantly elevated (5.2, 95% confidence interval: 2.08-13.17). As for the influence of sex difference on the incidence of atrophic gastritis by Helicobacter pylori infection, the odds ratio among males was not significant (1.4, 95% confidence interval: 0.30-6.10), but the odds ratio among females was significantly high (9.8, 95% confidence interval: 2.82-34.11). These results suggest that Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with the incidence of atrophic gastritis. There may be a risk difference between males and females in the incidence of atrophic gastritis caused by Helicobacter pylori infection.

Adult↗

PubMed1993

Predictable factors for estimating prognosis of patients after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Although many studies have been concerned with a clarification of the relation between various clinicopathologic factors and the prognosis of operated hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), few studies have focused on the prognostic predictability of mitotic index and anti-hepatitis C virus (anti-HCV). METHODS: One hundred forty cases of HCC with hepatic resection were observed from 1 to 11 years, and the relationship among various clinicopathologic factors, including the mitotic index and anti-HCV, and prognosis was evaluated. RESULTS: Age at the time of operation, positive results for hepatitis B surface antigen or anti-HCV, accompanying cirrhosis, and the degree of tumor necrosis due to transarterial embolization did not influence the prognosis significantly. Patients with hepatitis C virus-related cases had a better prognosis than patients with hepatitis B-related cases. Patients with a single and small carcinoma smaller than 2 cm had a significantly better prognosis than those who had larger and/or multiple tumors. A better prognosis also was observed in the carcinomas with no histologic invasion into portal vein branches, low Edmondson grades, and low mitotic activities when compared with the counterpart of each group. Among these factors, the mitotic index was correlated best with prognosis in the current study. CONCLUSIONS: The examination of mitotic index was quite simple, and the index was a helpful factor in predicting prognosis.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1991

Single breath assessment of bronchial responsiveness: a comparison with the astograph method.

Bronchial responsiveness to inhaled doubling concentrations of acetylcholine using the astograph and single breath techniques was assessed in 7 males and 11 females (mean age 22.7, SD = 2.05 and 21.2, SD = 1.11 years for male and female respectively) healthy volunteers. Eleven (61%) of the subjects had neither a history of allergy nor wheezes. Five (28%) had allergic rhinitis and two (11%) had asthma. Seven (64%) of the normal subjects, all asthmatic and subjects with allergic rhinitis responded to inhaled acetylcholine. Respiratory conductance (Grs) and the one second forced expired volume (FEV1) expressed as percentages of the baseline values were compared on a semilogarithmic scale against cumulative dose. In most subjects the pattern of the curves showed close similarities in the two methods. The bronchial sensitivity i. e. minimum cumulative dose of acetylcholine just sufficient to start a fall in the FEV1 and Grs (CminS and CminA respectively), showed good correlation (r = 0.750, P less than 0.01). The results indicate that bronchial responsiveness can be reliably assessed using the simple single breath method as well as the more complex astograph method.

Acetylcholine↗

PubMed1990

Perioperative blood transfusion and gastric cancer: adverse effects or unfavourable conditions of pretreatment?

The use of perioperative blood transfusion (PBT), the immunological status pre-operatively and at discharge from hospital, and the clinical course were examined retrospectively in 124 patients who underwent 'curative' resection for gastric cancer at Shinkokura Hospital, Japan from 1979 to 1988. The general condition of patients with PBT was worse than that of those without PBT and the pre-operative immunological status of patients with PBT was less favourable than that of those without PBT. At the time of discharge from hospital the immunological condition remained worse for patients who had been given PBT. The clinical course of patients with PBT was significantly worse. A dose-response relationship was evident but the types of blood products did not influence the outcome. Cox regression analysis adjusting for potentially confounding prognostic factors revealed that the clinical course was not altered by perioperative blood transfusion itself. These observations do not support the idea of adverse effects of perioperative blood transfusion on outcome of patients undergoing 'curative' resection for gastric cancer.

Actuarial Analysis↗

PubMed1988

[Epidemiological study on socio-psychological factors to affect the change in life style].

A cohort with the general population of 5698 was established to clarify the association between individual life style and health. This study investigated the association between life style and socio-psychological factors by means of a cross-sectional study of 1005 males aged 30 to 59 years. The health practice index consisted of 5 health practices, 1) smoking 2) drinking 3) physical activity 4) Quetelet's index, and 5) sleep. The subjects were divided into two groups, group I (aged 30 to 44 years) and group II (aged 45 to 59 years). Path analysis was used to clarify the relationship between various socio-psychological factors relating to the health practice index. In group I, the health locus of control and perceived daily life stress were directly related to the health practice index. In group II, the only health locus of control was directly related to the health practice index. It was found that the social support network formed the basis of these two factors. These results suggested that it is very important to consider individual socio-psychological factors when promoting good health practice.

Adult↗

PubMed1984

[Review on dietary methods for epidemiologic studies].

Different dietary methods have been used for epidemiologic studies on nutrition, diet and disease. Methods so far reported are classified into dietary record method (including weighing method), recall method, Burke's method, frequency method, and semiquantitative frequency method. The recall method and frequency method are considered to be unsuitable when the average intake of nutrients and foods of individuals is to be assessed. It is difficult for a person to recall food intake over several days, and the 24-hour recall method is unable to evaluate the average intake. Quantitative assessment of intake is hardly possible in the frequency method. Dietary evaluation in case-control studies has limitations in terms of difficulties in retrospective dietary assessment and the change in dietary habit over a long period of time. Current epidemiologic knowledge on diet and disease stimulates cohort studies using the 7-day dietary record or semiquantitive frequency method.

Diet Surveys↗