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Biomedical subjects

O Yoshida

Publications and source records attributed to O Yoshida.

At least 739 records · Page 41Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Serous retinal detachment in patients under systemic corticosteroid treatment.

PURPOSE: To understand the pathophysiology of central serous chorioretinopathy or bullous retinal detachment in patients under systemic corticosteroid treatment. Little is understood about the mechanism of the development of serous retinal detachment. METHODS: Three patients who had developed central serous chorioretinopathy or bullous retinal detachment during systemic corticosteroid administration were examined by fluorescein angiography and indocyanine green angiography. RESULTS: Indocyanine green angiography revealed dilated choroidal veins, delayed choroidal filling, intrachoroidal hyperfluorescence, and patchy hypofluorescence at or near the sites of dye leakage examined by fluorescein angiography. CONCLUSIONS: The primary change caused by central serous chorioretinopathy is thought to occur in the choroid, followed by the breakdown of the outer blood-retinal barrier in the pigment epithelium, resulting in the development of serous retinal detachment.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Analysis of responses of peripheral blood lymphocytes from sarcoidosis patients to purified protein derivative.

PURPOSE: Negative skin test reaction against purified protein derivative (PPD) is one of the important diagnostic criteria for sarcoidosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between negative skin test reaction against PPD and the responses of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) against PPD in sarcoidosis patients. METHODS: Sarcoidosis patients (n = 14) with ocular changes were selected for this study. As a control, blood was collected from volunteers without uveitis (n = 10). All subjects in both groups had a history of bacille de Calmette-Guerin vaccination, and 8 of the 14 patients underwent the PPD skin test. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were obtained from all patients and separated by gradient centrifugation. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were tested for their proliferative responses to PPD. To determine the frequency of PPD-specific precursor cells in blood, limiting dilution analysis was used. The frequency was calculated following the Poisson model. The culture supernatants were harvested 3 days after incubation and assayed for interferon (IFN)-gamma production by ELISA. RESULTS: Four of the 8 patients showed a negative skin test reaction against PPD, while all the healthy volunteers had a positive reaction. Compared to PBLs from healthy volunteers, PBLs from sarcoidosis patients showed weaker responses to PPD. There was no clear difference between these two groups about frequency of precursor cells against PPD and production of IFN-gamma. CONCLUSIONS: Negative skin test for PPD in sarcoidosis patients does not seem to have any relationship to the low precursor frequency of PPD-specific cells in patient blood.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Ha-ras oncogenes are activated by somatic alterations in human urinary tract tumours.

DNA-mediated gene transfer (transfection) studies using NIH 3T3 cells as recipients have demonstrated the presence of transforming genes (oncogenes) in diverse human tumours. A large proportion of oncogenes so far detected by DNA transfection are related to the Ha-ras onc gene of Harvey (and BALB) murine sarcoma viruses (MSV), Ki-ras, the oncogene of Kirsten MSV, and a third member of the ras gene family, N-ras. Individual tumours of many different organs have been associated with the activation of members of the ras gene family. We now present the first systematic survey of human urinary tract tumours processed immediately after surgery, as well as normal tissues from the same patients, to detect the presence of such genes. We demonstrate activation of Ha-ras as an oncogene in around 10% of randomly selected urinary tract tumours as well as direct evidence that oncogene activation is the result of a somatic event which is selected for within the tumour cell population.

Cell Line↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Hallucal ridge counts in patients with Klinefelter's syndrome.

Ridges counts of the whorls, distal loops and tibial loops of the hallucal patterns of 85 Klinefelter's syndrome patients (47,XXY) were undertaken. Comparison with counts from normal male and female controls showed that the whorls and distal loops of the Klinefelter's patients had significantly fewer ridges, if the ridge count was limited to the tibial side of the patterns. These findings are in contrast with those of Turner's syndrome cases, in which the hallucal patterns have greater ridge counts than normal subjects. As a result, it is suspected that deficiency or excess of the X chromosome affects the hallucal ridge count as well as the ridge counts of fingers and palms.

Dermatoglyphics↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Successful immunoadsorption with membrane plasmapheresis for multiple sclerosis.

Sixteen patients (mean age, 36.4 years) with multiple sclerosis were treated with immunoadsorption membrane plasmapheresis (IAP). Using an immunoadsorption column containing polyvinyl alcohol gel, IAP was performed two times a week for 2 weeks, followed by once a week for 2 months, and then every 2 weeks. The volume of perfused plasma was 3 liters for each IAP. Activity of natural killer (NK) cells and helper T cells was significantly (p less than 0.01) increased after IAP therapy. In addition, muscle power improved in all patients. Walking ability improved in four patients, standing ability in six, and sitting ability improved in seven. Most patients showed improvements in ability to lie still, sensory disturbance, visual disturbance, and urinary complications. No adverse effects were associated with IAP treatment. These findings indicate that IAP therapy is effective for multiple sclerosis.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical evaluation of nafamstat mesilate (FUT 175). A new anticoagulant for plasmapheresis.

Nafamstat mesilate (FUT), a new anticoagulant with a short half-life of biologic activity, was used in six patients who had a history of bleeding (two from the eye, two nasally, and two orally) during plasmapheresis (PP) due to overdosage of heparin. FUT (1.2 mg/kg/hr) was injected into the arterial blood line during PP. Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), bleeding time (BT), and complete blood count (CBC) were measured before and after PP. Values of PT (17 +/- 1.4 sec) after treatment were nearly 1.5 times the levels of PT (12.5 +/- 0.8 sec) before treatment. Levels of APTT after PP (70.4 +/- 4.1 sec) were nearly double the values of APTT before PP (36.8 +/- 2.6 sec). There were no significant differences between red blood cell (RBC), hemoglobin (Hgb), or platelet counts before and after PP. No patient developed thrombosis, hemorrhage, or other side effect during PP. In conclusion, the optimal dosage of FUT was 1.2 mg/kg body weight/hr during PP. FUT is recommended as a useful anticoagulant during PP treatment of patients with an increased risk of bleeding.

Anticoagulants↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical studies on molybdenum in patients requiring long-term hemodialysis.

Molybdenum is an essential trace element in humans. However, the serum molybdenum level or its role in patients with chronic renal failure or those requiring long-term hemodialysis remains unknown. The authors examined the serum molybdenum levels and studied the role of hemodialysis in 60 patients requiring long-term hemodialysis. The serum molybdenum levels of the 60 patients with chronic renal failure were examined before and after hemodialysis. The authors also studied the relationships between serum molybdenum levels and beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-MG) levels, c-parathyroid hormone (C-PTH) levels, and dialysis related arthritis in the 60 patients. Molybdenum was measured with a flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with an autobackground corrector. The level of molybdenum in serum significantly (P < 0.01) decreased from 2.7 +/- 1.9 micrograms/dl (normal value, 0.02-0.13 micrograms/dl) before hemodialysis to 1.4 +/- 0.7 micrograms/dl after hemodialysis. The correlation between serum molybdenum value and serum beta 2-MG level was significant (P < 0.01). The authors also found significant correlations between serum molybdenum level and C-PTH value, serum calcium ion (C++) level in serum, and duration of hemodialysis. Serum molybdenum levels were high (12.8 +/- 0.96 micrograms/dl) in nine patients with dialysis related arthritis. In conclusion, serum molybdenum levels are high in patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis, and abnormal molybdenum accumulation may contribute to dialysis related arthritis.

Arthritis↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Asymptomatic normotensive primary aldosteronism. Case report.

We report a case of primary aldosteronism in a 30-year-old woman without hypertension or any other characteristic symptoms. The condition was first suspected by hypokalemia (2.6 mEq/liter), which was incidentally found by routine checkup. There was evidence of suppressed plasma renin activity (PRA) and elevated plasma aldosterone levels. However, the blood pressure never reached a hypertensive level, and the circulating blood volume was within a normal range. A functioning right adrenal tumor was diagnosed by adrenal scintigraphy, computerized x-ray tomography, and adrenal venography. Adrenal venous catheterization suggested an aldosteronoma, which was confirmed by lateralized hypersecretion of aldosterone. After removal of the benign adenoma, the biochemical abnormalities were corrected, yet the blood pressure remained much the same. Hypertension is not necessarily a sign of primary aldosteronism.

Adenoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical evaluation of Ramosetron injections in the treatment of cisplatin-induced nausea and vomiting.

A phase III, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed to examine the safety and efficacy of ramosetron in cancer patients with cisplatin-induced nausea/vomiting. Patients were divided into two groups: group R received 0.3 mg ramosetron intravenously and group P received placebo. Eighty-eight patients were enrolled, 44 in each group; 84 (43 in group R, 41 in group P) were included in the clinical efficacy analysis and 86 (44 in group R, 42 in group P) in the safety analysis. Ramosetron was significantly more clinically effective than placebo against nausea, vomiting and anorexia; 65.1% of patients in group R experienced no vomiting in the first 6 h of observation compared with 7.3% of those receiving placebo. No serious adverse reactions or significant differences in safety were observed between the groups. Based on these results, ramosetron injection is effective in the treatment of cisplatin-induced nausea/vomiting and its clinical usefulness is demonstrated here.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Newly developed transurethral radiofrequency thermotherapy device for benign prostatic hyperplasia: a pilot study in canine prostate.

The safety and efficacy of transurethral microwave thermo-therapy (TUMT) for the treatment of symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) have been demonstrated in the urological literature. Since a radiofrequency electromagnetic wave has deeper and more even transmission of heat to tissues than a microwave, we have developed a new prototype device for transurethral thermotherapy using a radiofrequency electromagnetic wave. The device consists of a microcomputer-controlled heat generator operating at 8 Mhz, a temperature monitoring system, a urethral cooling system and a urethral applicator and a rectal thermosensor probe. A balloon electrode encased in a specialized Foley catheter is connected parallel to twin plate electrodes on both sides of the pelvic region. An 8-MHz electromagnetic wave is directed to the prostate by means of capacitive coupling. The water coolant continuously perfused through the catheter allows high temperatures within the prostate while preserving the urethral mucosa. Heating experiment using agar phantom showed the hot spots to be distributed at 0.5-3 cm from the catheter surface. Heating experiment using canine prostates demonstrated that an intraprostatic temperature of > 48 degrees C could be achieved while the urethral and rectal temperatures had not exceeded 36 and 40 degrees C respectively. Histological examination immediately after the experiment showed the urethral mucosa to be preserved while coagulation necrosis of the periurethral prostate accompanied with congestion and hemorrhage of small blood vessels were observed at 5-8 mm from the urethra. The bladder and the rectum showed no gross alterations. Histopathological examination 10 days after the experiment revealed the intact urethral mucosa and mild mononuclear infiltration around the destroyed periurethral glands.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Serum copper concentration changes in chronic hemodialyzed patients.

We studied the behavior of copper during hemodialysis and the relationship between serum copper levels and hematologic parameters such as red blood cell count (RBC), hematocrit (Hct), hemoglobin (Hb), and serum iron in 48 hemodialyzed patients. To study diffusion, we measured copper in the arterial blood and in the dialysate at the inflow and outflow sites of the dialyzer. To study hemoconcentration, the change in hematocrit values and total serum protein values were examined. To study liberation of copper from the dialyzer membrane, copper concentrations in normal saline were measured before and after the saline was used to wash dialyzers of various kinds. We found that changes in serum copper concentration were due mainly to hemoconcentration and liberation, but partly also to diffusion, and that the net result of changes was a significant increase in serum copper. We observed no correlation between serum copper levels and RBC, Hct, Hb, and serum iron levels.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Chemoimmunosensitization of the T24 human bladder cancer line to Fas-mediated cytotoxicity and apoptosis by cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil.

Previous studies have demonstrated that cisplatin (CDDP) sensitizes bladder cancer cells to Fas-mediated cytotoxicity and that CDDP also enhances the cytotoxic effect of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). These agents mediate apoptosis and may share common intracellular pathways leading to cell killing. We reasoned that combination treatment with CDDP, 5-FU and anti-Fas monoclonal antibody (mAb) might overcome the drug-resistance. We investigated whether CDDP, 5-FU and anti-Fas mAb synergize in cytotoxicity and apoptosis against the T24 bladder cancer line. Cytotoxicity was monitored by a one day microculture tetrazolium dye assay. Treatment of T24 cells with anti-Fas mAb in combination with CDDP or 5-FU resulted in a synergistic cytotoxic effect. In addition, combination treatment of T24 cells with CDDP, 5-FU and anti-Fas mAb further enhanced the synergistic cytotoxicity achieved by two agents. The synergy achieved in cytotoxicity with CDDP, 5-FU and anti-Fas mAb was also achieved in apoptosis. The current study demonstrates that combination treatment of bladder cancer cells with CDDP, 5-FU and anti-Fas mAb overcomes their resistance. In addition, the sensitization required low concentrations of CDDP and 5-FU, and thus supporting the potential in vivo application of combination of CDDP, 5-FU and immunotherapy in the treatment of drug-resistant bladder cancer.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
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Detection of alpha-fetoprotein mRNA in seminoma.

The classic testicular tumor marker alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is associated with nonseminomatous germ cell tumors, including embryonal carcinoma, yolk sac tumor, and teratoma. AFP is not considered to be produced by pure seminoma. However, postmortem studies have demonstrated that 30 to 45% of patients who died of seminoma initially diagnosed harbored nonseminomatous metastases and had an elevated serum AFP. We analyzed AFP expression by immunohistochemistry and by nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in 10 seminomas, 3 embryonal carcinomas, and 1 immature teratoma, diagnosed by traditional clinical methods. Positive immunohistochemical staining was observed in all embryonal carcinomas and in the teratoma but not in the seminomas. AFP mRNA, however, was found in 6 of 10 seminomas, in all embryonal carcinomas, and in the teratoma. The nucleotide sequence of PCR products was identical with that of the AFP gene. We conclude that the analysis of AFP gene expression by nested RT-PCR would be useful for detecting minute quantities of nonseminomatous germ cell elements in classic seminoma. Moreover, the existence of AFP mRNA suggests the possibility that seminoma cells can differentiate into nonseminomatous germ cells.

Adult↗
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Sperm morphology in subfertile carriers of autosomal translocations.

Sperm morphology of nine translocation carriers was compared with that of subfertile controls with a normal karyotype to determine whether there was a specific morphologic pattern in translocation carriers. The two groups were matched for age, sperm concentration, sperm motility, and presence or absence of a varicocele testis. No specific abnormality of sperm morphology was found among the translocation carriers. No significant difference in either the percentage of abnormal sperm or the morphologic pattern of sperm was observed between the two groups. It was concluded that structural chromosomal aberrations have no relation to sperm morphology.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Quantitative analysis of seminiferous epithelium in subfertile carriers of chromosomal translocations.

In order to study the effect of structural chromosomal aberrations on spermatogenesis, quantitative analysis of the germinal epithelium was performed on testicular specimens from 12 carriers of balanced chromosomal translocations diagnosed at male infertility clinics: a Y-autosome translocation, eight reciprocal translocations, and three D/D Robertsonian translocations. Spermatogenic arrest at the spermatocyte stage was revealed in the Y-autosome translocation and four of the reciprocal translocations. The number of spermatids was selectively reduced in three carriers, while normal spermatogenesis was found in three. Thus, the majority of carriers with impaired semen quality showed a complete or partial reduction in the number of spermatids, suggesting that the effect of chromosomal aberrations is to arrest the spermatogenic process at the spermatocyte stage.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Effect of misonidazole in preoperative irradiation for bladder cancer followed by total cystectomy.

Between 1980 and 1984, 44 patients were treated for bladder cancer by preoperative irradiation of 40 Gy to the pelvic region followed by total cystectomy. These patients were prospectively divided into two groups at random. In 23 cases, 500 mg of misonidazole (MISO) was administered four hours prior to irradiation. Twenty-one patients were preoperatively treated by radiation alone. Most patients had histopathological grading of G3-4, and the distribution of T-factors in the two groups was comparable. Thirty-seven patients out of 44 underwent total cystectomy within three weeks after irradiation. pT-factors were carefully examined in resected specimens. Survival rates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The 5 year survival rate for T3 patients in the group treated by MISO combined with radiotherapy was 59%, while that for T3 patients in the radiation only group was 43%. A reduction in T-factors was observed in 9 of 17 T3 cases treated by MISO combined with radiation, and in one of 14 T3 cases treated by radiation alone. This finding was significant on chi-square test (p = 0.02). Since the survival rate of T3 patients with a reduction in T-factors by preoperative irradiation was superior to that of cases without reduction (70% vs. 43%), the combined use of MISO in preoperative irradiation seems to be useful for the treatment of T3 bladder cancer.

Aged↗