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Biomedical subjects

S Okamura

Publications and source records attributed to S Okamura.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

Cancer registration using case history database in hospital information system.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommendations for hospital cancer registration, although being effective for combating the disease, need heavy manpower for complete implementation. A computer-based method for cancer registration is in use at Kyushu University Hospital as part of the integrated hospital information system. This method needs no manpower for data gathering, and the database includes almost all the core data and half of optional data recommended for cancer registration by the WHO. This database can, therefore, be regarded as a file for hospital cancer registration, and is used for two applications. The prepared form is automatically completed for the regional cancer register by a computer program without involving any physicians' time. In addition, a decision support system for the protocol used for a patient with a cancer was developed. Trendtables and graphs of clinical examination and medication are displayed, with suggestions and warning for physicians to help them make clinical decisions.

Clinical Protocols↗

Growth of clonogenic myeloblastic leukemic cells in the presence of human recombinant erythropoietin in addition to various human recombinant hematopoietic growth factors.

The effects of human recombinant erythropoietin (rEpo) in the presence of other stimulators on the growth of clonogenic leukemic blast cells from ten Japanese patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia were studied with an in vitro leukemic blast colony assay in methylcellulose culture. With the addition of rEpo alone, no leukemic blast colony formation was stimulated in any of the cases examined. However, when rEpo and phytohemagglutinin lymphocyte-conditioned medium (PHA-LCM) were added to the culture simultaneously, in contrast to results with PHA-LCM alone, the number of leukemic blast colonies formed was significantly increased in two of the ten cases (P less than .01). These two cases were classified as M1 according to the French-American-British (FAB) classification. This enhancing effect of rEpo was observed with human recombinant granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (rGM-CSF) or human recombinant interleukin-3 (rIL-3) but was not observed with human recombinant granulocyte CSF (rGCSF).

Cell Division↗

Expression of the granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor gene in leukemic blast cells from patients with acute non-lymphocytic leukemia.

Since granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) has been reported to stimulate the proliferation of clonogenic leukemia cells from patients with acute non-lymphocytic leukemia in vitro, the expression of the GM-CSF gene in primary human leukemic blast cells was studied. T-cell-depleted mononuclear cells in freshly drawn peripheral blood from patients with acute non-lymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) were subjected to the study. The expression of the GM-CSF gene was detected by Northern blotting analysis using [32P]GM-CSF as a probe. The GM-CSF gene was expressed in two out of five cases examined. In both of the patients who showed GM-CSF expression, remission could not be achieved.

Acute Disease↗

Primary structure of the carboxy-terminal region of a higher plant beta-tubulin.

A tubulin-specific cDNA clone was isolated, using anti-chicken brain beta-tubulin monoclonal antibody as a probe, from a lambda gtll library of cDNA prepared from cultured carrot cells. It included a coding region of the C-terminal 39 amino acids and a part of the 3'-flanking of a beta-tubulin mRNA. The predicted amino acid sequence of 17 residues in the C-terminal variable region was AspGluGluGluTyrTyrGluAspGluGluGluGluGluAlaGlnGlyMet. Twenty-two amino acids preceding this acidic terminus were completely identical with those of the other known beta-tubulins, but the codons for them included many silent substitutions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Multipotent hemopoietic progenitor cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Hematologic abnormalities in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were studied before treatment, using an in vitro bone marrow progenitor cell assay. In 10 patients with SLE, there was a decrease in the number of multipotent hemopoietic colonies. Multipotent colony formation was suppressed by the addition of T cells from the patients with SLE. The culture supernatant of phytohemagglutinin stimulated SLE leukocytes had diminished activity to support the multipotent colony formation. These results suggest that the hematologic abnormalities in SLE occur at the multipotent stem cell level. The T cell mediated suppression of hemopoietic progenitor cells and the diminished activity of humoral factors released from SLE leukocytes may play some role in the pathogenesis of hematologic abnormalities in SLE.

Bone Marrow↗

Effect of human recombinant granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor and native granulocyte colony-stimulating factor on clonogenic leukemic blast cells.

The effects of human recombinant granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and human native purified granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) on the growth of clonogenic leukemic blast cells from eight Japanese patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia were studied, using an in vitro leukemic blast colony assay. The results showed that GM-CSF stimulated leukemic blast colony formation in all cases examined, whereas G-CSF stimulated colony formation in four of the eight cases. The maximum stimulating activity of GM-CSF on the growth of clonogenic leukemic blast cells was higher than that of G-CSF in the majority of cases, while sometimes GM-CSF and G-CSF worked synergistically. Thus, the clonogenic leukemic blast cell populations seemed to be heterogeneous with respect to their in vitro response to growth regulators.

Colony-Stimulating Factors↗

Synergism of leukemic blast growth factors in medium conditioned by human bladder carcinoma cell line 5637.

Leukemic blast growth factors (LBGFs) are necessary for in vitro growth of clonogenic cells from patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia. As the human bladder carcinoma cell line 5637 had previously been reported to secrete abundant LBGFs into the culture supernatant, the LBGFs in 5637-conditioned medium (5637-CM) were characterized. Measurement of LBGFs was done using an in vitro leukemic blast colony assay in methylcellulose culture. LBGFs in 5637-CM were fractionated by anion exchange chromatography, and two peaks of activity were recovered. Pool B (high-salt eluent) and/or purified granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) were added to the clonogenic leukemic blast cell assays. It was found that pool B was more active than G-CSF in the majority of cases examined and that the two types of activity were synergistic in some cases.

Cell Division↗

Treatment of four patients with myelodysplastic syndrome with a small dose of aclacinomycin-A.

The effect of a small dose of aclacinomycin-A (ACR) was examined in two patients with refractory anemia (RA) and two with refractory anemia with excess of blasts in transformation (RAEB-t). ACR (7 or 14 mg/m2) was given for 10 days in a 2-h per day drip infusion. Clinical symptoms and laboratory data improved in 3 of these 4 patients. In a patient with RA, marked increase in reticulocytes and elevation of the hemoglobin level from 6 to 9 g/dl was observed after two courses of ACR therapy. In two with RAEB-t, Auer's rod bearing cells disappeared in the bone marrow and megaloblastic change of the erythroblasts was diminished in one patient. Hemoglobin levels rose from 4.7 to 10 g/dl in one, and platelets and WBC increased in another. No effect was seen in a patient with RA. The cytoreductive effect of ACR was minor compared to the therapy with small dose of cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C). Therefore, ACR warrants further consideration for the treatment of patients with MDS.

Aclarubicin↗

Individualization of patients for adjuvant chemotherapy after surgical treatment of cervical cancer.

Adjuvant chemotherapy using Tegafur (1-(2-tetra hydrofuryl)-5-fluorouracil) was given to 52 of 216 patients with recurrence risk of cervical cancer after primary surgical treatment, the degree of risk of recurrence having been formulated as a discriminant function by computer analysis of risk factors involved in disease recurrence. Using the formula, we have managed outpatients in three groups--no recurrence and recurrence after, and before 5 years. Under existing circumstances the power of the discriminant function we have achieved is not yet entirely satisfactory although clinically of value in patient management. Oral, long-term adjuvant chemotherapy in risk groups was of value, with a 37.4% instantaneous recurrence rate and mild side-effects. An instantaneous recurrence rate of 37.4% signifies that the recurrence rate in the group of patients given chemotherapy would be 37.4% if it were 100% in the patients not so treated--an improvement factor of just less than 3.

Adult↗

A divergent testis-specific alpha-tubulin isotype that does not contain a coded C-terminal tyrosine.

On the basis of analysis of cDNA clones of alpha-tubulin RNAs expressed during spermiogenesis in chickens, we report the identification of a novel alpha-tubulin which is expressed exclusively in chicken testes. Comparison of its sequence with those previously determined not only demonstrates that the encoded polypeptide is significantly divergent from other alpha-tubulins but also supports the hypothesis that alpha-tubulin isotypes are distinguished by a carboxy-terminal variable region sequence and, to a lesser extent, by a domain near the amino terminus. Since essentially all previously known alpha-tubulins undergo a unique cycle of removal and posttranslational readdition of a tyrosine residue at the extreme carboxy terminus, the presence in this testes alpha-tubulin of a very divergent carboxy terminus that does not contain an encoded tyrosine raises the possibility that this polypeptide does not participate in the usual cycle of tyrosination/detyrosination.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Measurement of aortic blood flow with MR imaging: comparative study with Doppler US.

An innovative magnetic resonance imaging technique was applied to the measurement of blood flow in the abdominal aorta. The technique combines selective excitation and visualization from an orthogonal view. The distance that fluid has moved is directly visualized. The blood flow velocity at every 50 msec throughout the cardiac cycle was measured in a short time (about 4 minutes) using electrocardiographic gating and repeated excitations in each cycle. Measurements were compared with those obtained by Doppler ultrasound (US) as a reference. The pulsatile change of flow velocity in the cycle correlated well with the Doppler US recording. Two flow velocity indexes, peak flow velocity and the velocity integral, also showed good correlation (r = .98 for both). This method is applicable for clinical use and is useful for measurement of high flow rates, as found in arteries.

Adult↗

Human bladder carcinoma cell line HTB9, which secretes a factor to stimulate clonogenic leukemic blast growth, expresses the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor gene.

Media conditioned by the human bladder carcinoma cell line HTB9 contained high leukemic blast growth factor activity and also showed granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) activity. Northern blotting analysis of total RNA from HTB9 cells using GM-CSF cDNA as a probe demonstrated abundant expression of the GM-CSF gene. Thus, this cell line secretes GM-CSF, and this factor contributes to the proliferation of clonogenic leukemic blast cells.

Carcinoma↗

[An immunohistochemical study with monoclonal antibodies on lymphocytes infiltrating in cervical cancer].

We investigated lymphocytes infiltrating cervical cancer by an immunohistochemical method. Frozen sections (20 with frank invasive cancer, 4 with MIC, 5 with CIS, 6 with dysplasia, 3 normal) were stained by the ABC (avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex) method using monoclonal antibodies to identify functional subsets of lymphocytes. The monoclonal antibodies used were anti Leu 1 (T cell), anti Leu 2a (cytotoxic/suppressor T cell), anti Leu 3a (helper/inducer T cell), anti Leu 10 (B cell) and anti Leu 7 (NK cell). The results were as follows: Many lymphocytes infiltrated and surrounded the cancer nests, and there, T cells predominated over B cells. The intensity of infiltration of T cells was not correlated with the grade and prognosis of cervical cancer. The ratio of Leu 2a+ cells to Leu 3a+ cells tended to change with the advance of cancer. Leu 2a+ cells were relatively predominant in early cases and cases with a good prognosis. There were very few B cells close to cancer nests, and they were not correlated with the grade and prognosis of cervical cancer. NK cells were identified in many cases, but they were scattered and were not correlated with grade and prognosis of cervical cancer.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

[A case of Ewing's sarcoma treated successfully by combination chemotherapy consisting of high-dose methotrexate, aclacinomycin-A and vindesine].

A 22-year-old man was admitted to Kyushu University Hospital because of high fever, and pain in the right foot and back. An X-ray examination revealed an osteolytic lesion on the 5th metatarsal bone of the right foot. Paraplegia and disturbance of bladder function occurred and compression of the spinal cord between T3 and L5 was found by myelography. An extradural tumor was removed by emergent laminectomy, and a histological examination of the tumor showed aggregations of small round cells, which suggested Ewing's sarcoma. Although T-9 protocol was started with initial effect, the tumor recurred during the therapy. The patient was then treated with HD-MTX, ACR and VDS, which induced a clinical improvement for 4 months without maintenance therapy. This result showed that HD-MTX, ACR and VDS warrant further consideration for the treatment of refractory Ewing's sarcoma.

Aclarubicin↗