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Biomedical subjects

N Yoshikawa

Publications and source records attributed to N Yoshikawa.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

Macroscopic hematuria in childhood IgA nephropathy.

The clinical presentation, initial laboratory and renal biopsy findings, and subsequent clinical course in 205 children with IgA nephropathy were studied retrospectively. The findings in the 119 patients with macroscopic hematuria and those in the 86 without macroscopic hematuria were compared. There were no differences with regard to sex distribution, age at onset, initial renal function, incidence of hypertension, degree of proteinuria and degree of mesangial proliferation. At the latest follow-up, 3% of the patients with macroscopic hematuria and 8% without macroscopic hematuria had developed chronic renal failure; 8% of the patients with macroscopic hematuria and 20% without had heavy proteinuria with or without hypertension (p less than 0.01); 41% of the patients with macroscopic hematuria and 24% without macroscopic hematuria had normal urine, blood pressure and GFR (p less than 0.05). The disease appears to follow a significantly more benign course in children with macroscopic hematuria than in those without macroscopic hematuria. These observations suggest some macroscopic hematuria-related differences in the natural history of childhood IgA nephropathy.

Child↗

Henoch-Schoenlein nephritis and IgA nephropathy in children: a comparison of clinical course.

The clinical presentation, initial laboratory and renal biopsy findings, and subsequent clinical course were studied and compared in 128 children with Henoch-Schoenlein (HS) nephritis and in 206 children with IgA nephropathy. The clinical and pathological findings of the two conditions were similar. After a mean follow-up period of 5 years, 72 patients (56%) with HS nephritis and 67 (32%) with IgA nephropathy showed no demonstrable abnormality, 29 (23%) with HS nephritis and 103 (50%) with IgA nephropathy had minor urinary abnormalities, 7 (5%) with HS nephritis and 26 (13%) with IgA nephropathy had heavy proteinuria and/or hypertension, and 20 (16%) with HS nephritis and 10 (5%) with IgA nephropathy had developed chronic renal failure. A worse outcome was significantly associated with the more severe clinical presentations and more severe glomerular changes by light microscopy in HS nephritis, whereas there was no relationship between the severity of clinical presentation and glomerular changes and prognosis in IgA nephropathy. These findings suggest that HS nephritis is an acute disease and prognosis is associated with the severity of glomerular changes at onset, while IgA nephropathy is a chronic, slowly progressive glomerular disease.

Adolescent↗

Lysis of the glomerular basement membrane in children with IgA nephropathy and Henoch-Shönlein nephritis.

An electron-microscopic study of the glomerular basement membrane was made on 242 renal biopsies from 222 children with a variety of renal diseases. Lysis of the basement membrane was observed in 16 of the 25 children with Henoch-Schönlein nephritis, 36 of the 72 with IgA nephropathy and one with acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis. Lysis was frequently associated with subepithelial dense deposits and polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and these are thought to play a role in the lytic process. There was a significant correlation between the presence of lysis of the basement membrane, the degree of proteinuria and the severity of glomerular changes by light microscopy. These findings suggest that the degree of lysis is an indication of the severity of the disease and lysis is associated with progressive disease and a worse prognosis in Henoch-Schönlein nephritis and IgA nephropathy.

Adolescent↗

Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis with and without nephrotic syndrome in children.

The clinical presentation, initial laboratory and renal biopsy findings, and course of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) were studied retrospectively in 57 children in order to compare findings in those with and without nephrotic syndrome and to establish factors of prognostic significance. All patients had proteinuria. Eleven patients were otherwise asymptomatic, and nephrotic syndrome did not develop (group 1); 14 patients had asymptomatic proteinuria, but nephrotic syndrome subsequently developed (group 2); 32 patients had nephrotic syndrome (group 3). There were no differences between these three groups with regard to sex, age, initial renal function, incidence of hypertension and hematuria, and pathologic findings. At the latest follow-up, five group 1 patients, six in group 2, and 14 in group 3 had chronic renal failure; the incidence was similar for those with asymptomatic proteinuria and those with nephrotic syndrome. The location of the sclerosis within the glomerulus proved to have prognostic significance. All 12 patients with peripheral FSGS maintained normal renal function, whereas in 25 of the 44 with hilar FSGS chronic renal failure developed.

Biopsy, Needle↗

[Stimulation of pituitary-adrenocortical system by cepharanthine].

We observed that cepharanthine might exert its anti-allergic action by stimulating the secretion of corticosterone. The present experiments were carried out to investigate stimulation of the pituitary-adrenocortical system by cepharanthine. Administration of cepharanthine to rats produced increases in plasma and adrenal corticosterone levels. Administration of cepharanthine to propranolol pretreated rats also produced increases in plasma and adrenal corticosterone levels and plasma ACTH level. The elevation of corticosterone level induced by cepharanthine was considered to be the specific effect of cepharanthine. Cepharanthine did not increase plasma corticosterone level in rats in the state of dexamethasone suppression of the pituitary-adrenocortical system, in which the level was lowered. Administration of cepharanthine to Bordetella pertussis vaccine induced beta-adrenergic blocked rats also produced increases in plasma and adrenal corticosterone levels. The production and release of corticosterone from an adrenal cell suspension were not influenced by cepharanthine in vitro. These results suggest that cepharanthine stimulates the pituitary-adrenotropic function.

Adrenal Glands↗

Glomerular podocyte vacuolation in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.

An electron microscopic study of the nonsclerotic glomeruli or nonsclerosed segments of affected glomeruli was made in 34 children with nephrotic syndrome and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and in 34 children with minimal-change nephrotic syndrome. Particular attention was paid to alterations of glomerular epithelium. The most striking glomerular change in FSGS was vacuolation of the epithelial cell. Glomerular epithelial vacuolation was found in 21 of the 34 patients with FSGS. Eleven of these 21 patients with vacuoles developed chronic renal failure, while only one of the 13 patients without vacuoles developed renal failure. In minimal-change nephrotic syndrome only five of the 34 patients showed mild epithelial vacuolation. These observations are consistent with glomerular epithelial vacuolation contributing to the development and progression of the glomerular lesion in FSGS.

Adolescent↗

Glomerular electron-dense deposits in childhood IgA nephropathy.

An electron-microscopic study of the glomeruli was made on 154 children with IgA nephropathy and no evidence of systemic disease, in whom immunofluorescence microscopy had shown diffuse mesangial deposition of IgA. Mesangial deposits were observed in all but eight children. Subepithelial deposits were observed in 40 children and were almost always accompanied by both mesangial and subendothelial deposits. Subepithelial deposits were significantly associated with more severe clinical presentations, a worse outcome and more severe light microscopic glomerular changes. These observations support the concept that IgA nephropathy is an immune complex disease.

Adolescent↗

[Changes of lysosomal enzyme activities in experimental type I and type IV allergic models].

Experimental allergy was induced in animals: asthma, a Type I allergy, was induced in guinea pigs by sensitizing them with alpha-amylase (inhalation), and experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), a Type IV allergy, was induced in rats. Pulmonary, brain and serum lysosomal enzyme activities were measured in normal and allergic conditions. beta-Glucuronidase (beta-G) and arylsulfatase (AS) activities were determined by the fluorescent technique. During the asthmatic attack, pulmonary lysosomal enzyme activities were not different from that in the normal state in guinea pigs. However, brain lysosomal enzyme activities were elevated markedly on the 1 st day of EAE induction. Brain beta-G activity was elevated on the 2nd day, and AS activity had a tendency to be increased. On the other hand, serum lysosomal enzyme activity was not altered significantly. In the experimental allergy, lysosomal enzyme activity was altered in Type IV, but not in Type I.

Animals↗

[Hyperthermia: microwave hyperthermia in combination with intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy of cancer of the pancreas].

Fourty eight patients with cancer of head of pancreas have been treated by the intra-arterial infusion of 5-FU and Mitomycin C alone or in combination with regional hyperthermia, employing microwave machine operating at a frequency of 2450 MHz. In patients treated with intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy alone the average survival of 4.2 month was attained, whereas the average survival of 9.0 month has been seen in 39 patients treated with infusion chemotherapy and hyperthermia. The hyperthermia treatment has improved the local therapeutic effects and the effects on the survival of the patients. Thanks to this combination therapy 27 of 39 patients (69%) survived more than 6 month, and 12 patients (31%) survived more than one year, longest survival being 7 years. This study confirms that heat administered by the microwave unit potentiated the effects of the intraarterial infusion chemotherapy.

Aged↗

Membranous glomerulonephritis associated with hepatitis B antigen in children: a comparison with idiopathic membranous glomerulonephritis.

The laboratory and pathological findings are reported for 16 children with membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN) associated with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and compared with those of 12 children with idiopathic MGN. Serum hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was found in all children with HBV associated MGN and serum hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) in 11 of the 15 examined. Five patients with HBV associated MGN, but none with idiopathic MGN, showed reduced serum C3 values. Otherwise there was no difference in laboratory findings. HBeAg was detected in the glomeruli of all 7 patients with HBV-associated MGN examined but HBsAg was not detected. Of the 14 children with HBV-associated MGN examined by electron microscopy, all but one showed small mesangial deposits and 4 subendothelial deposits, whereas of 9 with idiopathic MGN only 2 showed mesangial deposits and none subendothelial deposits. Thus most of the children with HBV-associated MGN are characterized by some laboratory and pathological features of membrano proliferative glomerulonephritis in addition to those of idiopathic MGN. These observations are consistent with HBV inducing a spectrum of glomerulopathy from typical MGN to typical membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.

Adolescent↗

The thin glomerular basement membrane in children with haematuria.

To determine the specificity and significance of widespread attenuation of the glomerular basement membrane on electron microscopy, 240 renal biopsies from 218 children were studied retrospectively. Twenty-three patients showed diffuse attenuation and three of them are cases of hereditary nephritis. The other 20 patients are characterized by persistent microscopic haematuria, absence of proteinuria, normal blood pressure and renal function, and minimal glomerular changes. In 10 of these 20 children, microscopic haematuria was also present in the family. We conclude that widespread attenuation of the glomerular basement membrane is a characteristic of benign familial and non-familial haematuria. The thin glomerular basement membrane may be responsible for the haematuria and may result from incomplete glomerular maturation.

Basement Membrane↗

[A case of congenital mesoblastic nephroma growing with a polypoid pattern in the renal pelvis and ureter].

Congenital mesoblastic nephroma (CMN) is an unusual renal tumor, similar in some respects to Wilms' tumor and reported only in infants. We report a case of CMN in a 2-year-old boy. He was referred to us with a right abdominal mass. Excretory urogram, arteriogram and computed tomogram revealed a large malignant renal tumor on the right side. With a clinical diagnosis of Wilms' tumor of the right kidney, he received radiation and chemotherapy. After radiation and chemotherapy, tumor size was decreased. Right nephrectomy was performed on April 22, 1982. The kidney and tumor weighed 270 g and measured 12 X 7 X 5 cm. The tumor extended to the renal pelvis and the ureter with polypoid growth pattern. Microscopically, the tumor was composed of compact interlacing bundles of elongated fibromyomatous cells. Islands of entrapped glomeruli and tubules were also detected within the tumor. He was well and had no signs of recurrence of tumor at the age of 3 years.

Child, Preschool↗