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Biomedical subjects

S Kawamura

Publications and source records attributed to S Kawamura.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

[Pregnancy outcome in long-term survivors with adult acute leukemia, malignant lymphoma and breast cancer].

By means of a mail questionnaire, we evaluated the influence of treatment for acute leukemia on offspring of long-term survivors and determined whether pregnancy in patients (or spouses) induced relapse of acute leukemia. In 322 replies from the 445 institutions where a questionnaire was sent, there were 1,136 adult long-term survivors. We analyzed 43 adults who had become pregnant or a father after postremission therapy. The mean age at leukemia onset was 26.4 and 21.6 years for males and females, respectively. Forty-six normal children (26 boys and 20 girls) were born to long-term survivors including 7 pairs of siblings and a pair of twin sisters. There were no malformed babies. The average duration until delivery was 79 months after diagnosis and 49 months after the final postremission therapy. Four of 38 parents of live offspring died (3 relapse, 1 other disease), and the other 34 parents of live offspring were in complete remission at the point of this survey. The literature since 1986 (except case report) was reviewed for the current situation of pregnancy outcome in long-term survivors after chemotherapy for adult acute leukemia, malignant lymphoma and breast cancer.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1996

[QOL and nursing care of a ventilator-assisted child at home].

QOL is the important issue for chronically ill children. We visited a girl, 8 years old and 24 hours dependent on a ventilator. We talked to her, and observed her daily life, mainly on the following points: (1) what she is doing; and (2) how often, and what kind of care she needs at school and at home. Then we discussed the problems, QOL and nursing care. She enjoyed her school life with her many friends, and received respiratory care, sanitary care, and other care for 11 hours and 19 minutes in average per day. 93.1% of the care was taken by her parents and volunteer care givers, so that they wanted to have nurses care for her. Many kinds of nursing care service were necessary as soon as possible.

Child↗
PubMed1996

Hereditary nephritis associated with low-tone sensorineural hearing difficulty: a case report.

The proband was a 14-year-old girl with hematuria and proteinuria. Many members of her maternal pedigree had hematuria and proteinuria. Her mother, younger brother (age 12 years) and younger sister (age 9 years) had microscopic hematuria and proteinuria with normal renal function. Her mother had nephrotic syndrome during pregnancy and a renal biopsy was performed. Light microscopic findings of the renal biopsy specimen revealed mild mesangial proliferation and irregularity of glomerular basement membrane. The pedigree showed no chronic renal failure and no deafness. The proband had experienced microscopic hematuria and occasionally macroscopic hematuria since 3 years of age. Proteinuria increased steadily and at the age of 14 years, she had nephrotic syndrome and renal dysfunction (creatinine clearance of 57.9 ml/min/1.48 m2). Renal biopsy was performed and light microscopic findings showed segmental mesangial cell proliferation and numerous interstitial foam cells without significant findings by immunofluorescent study. Electron microscopic examination showed splitting into many layers and thinning of the glomerular basement membrane. She had no complaint of hearing. However, audiological studies detected bilateral low-tone (from 125 Hz to 1000 Hz) sensorineural hearing difficulty, ranging from 30 to 40 dB. High scores on the short increment sensitivity index (SISI) test suggested inner ear hearing difficulty. Audiogram of her brother revealed also low-tone sensorineural hearing loss. Hereditary nephritis with the characteristic lesion of the glomerular basement membrane and sensorineural hearing difficulty has been known as Alport syndrome. Alport syndrome associated with familial low-tone hearing difficulty has not been reported previously.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

[Lymphangiomyomatosis with chylous ascites treatment successfully by peritoneo-venous shunting].

A 49-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of coughing and dyspnea. A chest roentogenogram showed emphysematous changes and a diffuse reticular shadow. A high-resolution CT scan of the chest showed many small cysts throughout the lungs. Lymphangiomyomatosis was diagnosed after examination of a specimen obtained by transbronchial biopsy. Abdominal distention due to chylous ascites developed during the hospital stay despite anti-estrogen therapy. Because the ascites was resistant to conservative therapy, we decided to begin peritoneo-venous shunting with a Denver Shunt system. After the operation, the abdominal distention was controlled for 1 year and 11 months, at which time the patient died of respiratory and heart failure with pneumonia. At autopsy, the shunt was patent and functional although about 900 ml of serous ascites fluid was present. An adenocarcinoma was found in the upper lobe of the right lung, but it may not have been related to the lymphangiomyomatosis. Peritoneovenous shunting with a Denver Shunt can be used to treat chylous ascites due to lymphangiomyomatosis when conservative therapy is insufficient.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1996

[Three cases of hydronephrosis in which the indwelt ureteral stent was ineffective. Urodynamic studies using a stent indwelling model for retroperitoneal fibrosis].

We report 3 cases in which ureteral stents were indwelt to treat hydronephrosis due to retroperitoneal fibrosis, resulting in aggravation of hydronephrosis and renal function. An urodynamic study was carried out to determine the factors that aggravated hydronephrosis. The subjects were a 59-year-old male with prostatic cancer and bilateral hydronephrosis due to intrapelvic lymph node metastasis, a 49-year-old female with retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis and bilateral hydronephrosis following surgery for stomach cancer, and a 65-year-old male with hydronephrosis due to idiopathic retroperitoneal fibrosis. Indwelling of ureteral stents in the 3 patients resulted in aggravation of hydronephrosis and renal function. Stent indwelling models of retroperitoneal fibrosis were produced using adult mongrel dogs. A pressure flow study was carried out through the nephrostomy in each experimental model to determine the intrapelvic pressure and urine volume. In all stent indwelling models, the urine volume showed changes similar to those in the controls. In the stent indwelling models, the intrapelvic pressure showed a significant increase with an increase in the volume of water instilled through the nephrostomy in the stent indwelling models with retroperitoneal fibrosis, unlike the controls and models with ureteral stenosis. In conclusion, the clinical cases and model experiment suggested that unlike partial ureteral stenosis, in ureters in which extensibility was disturbed in an extensive area, the indwelt stent caused an increase in the resistance of the liquid flowing in the ureter, aggravating hydronephrosis.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

[A case of Sjögren's syndrome complicated by membranous nephropathy].

A case of Sjögren's syndrome (SjS) complicated by membranous nephropathy (MN) is presented. A 50-year-old female was admitted to Toho University Hospital because of overt proteinuria (5g/day). She had xerotic keratitis in addition to a renal disorder, and laboratory data showed positive anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) and anti-SSA antibody. The specimens from renal biopsy revealed mild thickening of the glomerular basement membrane under light microscopy, positive IgG along the capillary walls revealed by immunofluorescence, and sparse and irregular subepithelial electron dense deposits seen under electron microscopy. No interstitial changes were observed. From these findings, she was diagnosed as having SjS complicated by MN. Proteinuria gradually decreased with a reduction in serum levels of ANA and anti-SSA antibody following corticosteroid therapy. Although renal interstitial lesions occasionally develop in patients with SjS, glomerular changes, especially MN, are very rare. We suspect that immunocomplexes, such as anti-SSA antibody, revealed in SjS patients could be responsible for the glomerular lesions, leading to MN.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1995

Regulation of rhodopsin phosphorylation by a family of neuronal calcium sensors.

Recoverin is a calcium sensor that regulates rhodopsin phosphorylation in a calcium-dependent manner. Cloning experiments indicate the presence of a numerous gene family, called the NCS family, encoding recoverin-like proteins expressed predominantly in neurons. Here, we report the cloning of three novel NCS genes, and demonstrate that at least six distinct members of the NCS family (including recoverin, S-modulin, vilip 1, NCS-1, Ce-NCS-1, and Ce-NCS-2) specifically inhibit rhodopsin phosphorylation. The presence of species homologues within the NCS family suggests that this function might be shared by at least 12 (out of 18) NCS proteins. Recent studies indicate that recoverin inhibits rhodopsin phosphorylation by directly regulating rhodopsin kinase, a G protein coupled receptor kinase (GRK). Since several NCS proteins are found in neurons throughout the entire nervous system, they may regulate other members of the GRK family. Together, our data suggest a general role for NCS proteins in the regulation of calcium-dependent phosphorylation in the nervous system.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Galactosylgloboside expression in seminoma. Inverse correlation with metastatic potential.

BACKGROUND: Altered glycosylation is a common phenotype expressed in essentially all types of human cancer and has been found to be correlated closely with the invasive and metastatic properties of a given tumor. Because there was no prognostic information concerning aberrant glycosylation of seminoma, the authors studied this topic. METHODS: Glycosphingolipid (GSL) composition of orchiectomy samples of seminoma were analyzed systematically. GSL patterns from seminoma samples of the following three groups were compared after a 44-month postoperative period: Stage I disease with no evidence of metastasis during the 44-month postoperative period, Stage I with metastatic relapse during this period, and Stage II with retroperitoneal lymph node metastasis. Unknown GSLs detected were analyzed chemically by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. RESULTS: All nonmetastatic seminomas (n = 12) contained a GSL band that was identified as galactosylgloboside (Gb5; Gal beta 1-->3GalNAc beta 1-->3Gal alpha 1-->4 Gal beta 1-->4Glc beta 1-->1Cer). All metastatic seminomas (n = 5) lacked this GSL, although the sample sizes were admittedly small. CONCLUSION: Only the presence or absence of galactosylgloboside (Gb5), but of no other GSL or gangliosides, clearly correlated with metastatic potential in patients with seminoma. This observation is useful in the estimation of prognosis of patients with seminoma, especially those with Stage I disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Paralogous origin of the rhodopsinlike opsin genes in lizards.

Rhodopsinlike opsins constitute a distinct phylogenetic group (Yokoyama 1994, Mol. Biol. Evol. 11:32-39). This RH2 group includes the green-sensitive opsins in chicken and goldfish and the blue-sensitive opsin in a nocturnal lizard gecko. In the present study, we isolated and sequenced the genomic DNA clones for the RH2 opsin gene, rh2Ac, of the diurnal lizard Anolis carolinensis. This single-copy gene spans 18.3 kb from start to stop codons, making it the longest opsin gene known in vertebrates. Phylogenetic analysis strongly suggests that rh2Ac is more closely related to the chicken green opsin gene than to the gecko blue opsin gene. This gene tree differs from the organismal tree, where the two lizard species should be most closely related, implying that rh2Ac and the gecko blue-sensitive opsin genes have been derived from duplicate ancestral genes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Diagnosing infection of extracardiac conduit in children.

Between August 1985 and July 1992, at our center, 142 Japanese children had an extracardiac conduit operation to reconstruct the right ventricular outflow tract. The study group consisted of 22 of these 142 children who had a persistent fever and whose serum was positive for acute-phase reactants after the operation. We present the diagnostic findings for 10 children with infection of an extracardiac conduit that had been placed to restore the continuity of the right ventricle-pulmonary artery. They were part of the group of 22 children who were followed over the past 7 years with blood cultures, echocardiography, and 67Ga imaging. All 10 developed a persistent fever and were seropositive for acute-phase reactants. Conduit infection was diagnosed in only 2 patients by the detection of vegetation on echocardiography and was diagnosed in 9 of the 10 patients by an abnormal 67Ga uptake in the area of the artificial vessels used to reconstruct the pulmonary artery. The present study compared the use of blood cultures, echocardiography, and 67Ga imaging in diagnosing an infection of the extracardiac conduit. The sensitivity of blood cultures in diagnosing an extracardiac conduit infection was 70% (7/10), and the specificity was 92% (1/12). 67Ga imaging showed a higher sensitivity than echocardiography in diagnosing infection of an extracardiac conduit.

Acute-Phase Proteins↗
PubMed1995

Cerebral blood flow and oxygen metabolism in hemiparetic patients with chronic subdural hematoma. Quantitative evaluation using positron emission tomography.

BACKGROUND: It remains unclear why chronic subdural hematoma (CSH) can cause hemiparesis, although the contribution of impaired cerebral blood flow and metabolism has been suggested. METHODS: We studied six hemiparetic patients (five men, one woman; mean age 60.5 +/- 7.5 years) with unilateral CSH using positron emission tomography. The 15O2 steady state technique was used to measure regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), regional oxygen extraction fraction (rOEF), and regional cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (rCMRO2), followed by the 1-minute inhalation of C15O to measure regional cerebral blood volume (rCBV). RESULTS: On the hematoma side, rCBF and rCMRO2 were significantly reduced in the caudate nucleus and the cingulate gyrus. We observed a tendency toward reduced levels of rCBF and rCMRO2 in the lentiform nucleus. rCBV was not elevated. rOEF was significantly elevated in the lentiform nucleus, the cingulate gyrus, the frontal gray matters under the hematoma and the semioval center. On the nonhematoma side, rCBF and rCMRO2 were normal except for the significant reduction in the cingulate gyrus. rCBV was elevated in the lentiform nucleus, the middle temporal gyrus and the inferior frontal gyrus. rOEF was elevated significantly in the cingulate gyrus, the precentral gyrus and the semioval center. CONCLUSIONS: Our hemiparetic patients with CSH were observed to have a circulatory disturbance of blood; it was manifested by an elevation of rOEF, specifically in the hemisphere adjacent to the hematoma. This circulatory disturbance was highly pronounced and resulted in a consistent reduction in rCBF and rCMRO2 in the anterior central cerebral area such as the caudate nucleus, the lentiform nucleus and the cingulate gyrus.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Pregnancy outcome among long-term survivors with acute leukemia.

By means of a mail questionnaire, we evaluated the influence of treatment for acute leukemia on offspring of long-term survivors and determined whether the outcome of pregnancy in patients (or spouses) induced relapse of acute leukemia. In 322 replies from the 445 institutions where a questionnaire was sent, there were 1136 adult long-term survivors. We analyzed the 43 adults who had become pregnant or become a father after postremission therapy. The mean age at the leukemia onset was 26.4 and 21.6 years for males and females. Forty-six normal children (26 boys and 20 girls) were born of long-term survivors including 7 pairs of siblings and a pair of twin sisters. There were no malformed babies. There were five abortions. The average duration until delivery was 79 months after diagnosis, and 49 months after the final postremission therapy. Four of 38 parents of live offspring died (3 relapse, 1 other disease), and the other 34 parents of live offspring were in complete remission at the point of this survey. The adverse effect of treatment on the offspring of long-term survivors could not be clarified in this survey. Additional lifetime follow-up of long-term survivors with acute leukemia and their offspring may be necessary.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1995

Flow-through anterior thigh flaps for one-stage reconstruction of soft-tissue defects and revascularization of ischemic extremities.

"Flow-through" anterior thigh flaps are used to reconstruct defects accompanied by major vessel damage in the extremities. These flaps have long flow-through pedicle vessels (which are the descending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral system) that can be interposed into the vascular gaps in the extremities and are composed anatomically of the rectus femoris muscle. The defects of eight patients were repaired successfully with flow-through anterior thigh flaps, which were from 10 to 30 cm in length and 7 to 15 cm in width. The advantages of these flaps are (1) the damaged main vessels (< 20 cm in length) can be reconstructed simultaneously with large skin defects (up to 30 cm in length and 15 cm in width), (2) double arterial inflow by means of both ends of the pedicle artery ensures safe blood circulation of the flap, (3) the lateral circumflex femoral system, the pedicle of the anterior thigh flaps, can be used for chimeric composite flaps for the reconstruction of composite defects with major vessel loss in the extremities, (4) two concomitant veins can be used as a drainage system in extremities with severe edema, and (5) multistage flap transfers are possible to repair recurring defects in the extremities with a single major vessel using additional transection and pedicle interposition.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Expression of sialylparagloboside in a case of liposarcoma: aberrant glycosylation in tumors arising in adipose tissues.

Gangliosides of liposarcoma, lipoma and lipids from omental tissues were analyzed. By immunostaining after thin layer chromatography, gangliosides of liposarcoma were identified as GM3, sialylparagloboside and GD3, whereas those of lipoma were GM3 and GD3, and those of fat in omental tissues were GM3, GD1a, GD3 and some unknown ones. Expression of sialylparagloboside is thought to be very rare.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed1995

Basophilic degeneration of the myocardium: histological, immunohistochemical and immuno-electronmicroscopic studies.

We studied basophilic degeneration of heart muscle cells in 100 consecutive autopsies (74 males, 26 females). Except for two infants, the age of individuals whose tissue was studied ranged from 10 to 90 years (mean age, 68.3). Using histochemical and immunohistochemical methods, we found the frequency and extent of basophilic degeneration and the materials in type IV glycogenosis (Andersen's disease) were reactive to monoclonal antibodies raised against polyglucosan extracted from the myocardium of a patient with Lafora's disease. Basophilic degeneration was found in 98% of the entire study population and in 100% of those aged over 60. The reactivity for polyglucosan became more intense after diastase digestion. Immuno-electronmicroscopy using an immunogold method showed that the fibril-like structures of basophilic degeneration were specifically labelled by the monoclonal antibodies to polyglucosan.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Histiocytoid cardiomyopathy with hypotonia in an infant.

A 15 month old female, who had suffered from ventricular tachycardia from the prenatal period, experienced cardiac arrest at home. Once she had recovered, ventricular tachycardia occurred repeatedly. She died 7 months after admission. At autopsy, the heart showed many yellowish white nodules in the endocardium. Histologically these nodules consisted of granular or foamy histiocyte-like cells, which had spread to all four chambers. Electron micrographs showed mitochondrial hyperplasia in these cells. The cells had some myofibrils in their cytoplasm. These findings were compatible with histiocytoid cardiomyopathy. Interestingly, the present case showed hypotonia. Her muscle biopsy revealed decreased activity of cytochrome c oxidase, suggesting that histiocytoid cardiomyopathy is related to mitochondrial cytopathy.

Cardiomyopathies↗
PubMed1995

Incidence and distribution of isolated atrial amyloid: histologic and immunohistochemical studies of 100 aging hearts.

The incidence and anatomic distribution of isolated atrial amyloid (IAA) in 100 aging hearts were studied histologically and immunohistochemically using antibodies against alpha-human-atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-ANP), human transthyretin (TTR) and human amyloid P component (AP). Ninety-one of 100 hearts (91%) had amyloid deposits in the atria. Amyloid deposits in all 91 hearts reacted with alpha-ANP and AP antisera, and in four hearts other amyloid deposits that reacted with TTR antiserum were coincidentally seen in the atria. The prevalence of IAA deposition, using a semiquantitative evaluation, was significantly higher in the hearts from patients over 80 years of age, from women, those weighing over 450 g, with a thickened left ventricular wall (> 1.4 cm) and with multiple myocardial scars. IAA deposition showed a significant distribution in the auricle and left atrium; it was located mostly in the interstitium of the subendocardial layer and the subendocardial myocardium. These results indicate that IAA occurs more frequently than previously appreciated in the elderly and in patients with certain cardiac disorders.

Aged↗