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S Saitoh

Publications and source records attributed to S Saitoh.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Interferon beta prevents recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after complete resection or ablation of the primary tumor-A prospective randomized study of hepatitis C virus-related liver cancer.

Because hepatocellular carcinoma often recurs after surgical resection or ethanol injection therapy, we conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial of interferon (IFN) in patients with chronic liver disease caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV). Twenty eligible patients with cirrhosis were randomized into two groups: 10 patients treated with 6 million units of natural IFN-beta twice a week for 36 months and 10 patients without IFN therapy. One patient within the treatment group discontinued interferon therapy after 19 months of treatment because of a mild degree of retinopathy. None of the patients in either group lost HCV-RNA until the end of the observation. Although 7 (70.0%) of 10 patients in the nontreatment group showed tumor recurrence, only 1 (10.0%) of 10 patients with IFN therapy developed tumor recurrence during a median observation period of 25.0 months. Cumulative recurrence rates of the treated and untreated groups were 0% and 62.5% at the end of the first year, and 0% and 100% at the second year, respectively (log-rank test, P =.0004). In conclusion, intermittent administration of IFN suppressed tumor recurrence after treatment with surgery or ethanol injection in patients with HCV-related chronic liver disease.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Relationship between blood pressure level and mortality rate: an 18-year study conducted in two rural communities in Japan.

BACKGROUND: There have been very few studies on life prognosis of cardiovascular disease according to blood pressure stratification in the Japanese. Therefore, in Japan, although treatment of hypertension is possible, albeit at times difficult, due to the availability of various antihypertensive medications, the appropriate time at which treatment should be started remains a problem. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the long-term prognosis of cardiovascular disease in the Japanese general population according to blood pressure stratification in the Japanese. DESIGN: A community-based prospective cohort study of 1996 men and women between the ages of 40 and 64 years at the baseline examination was conducted over an 18-year period. Information on death was obtained from local public health nurses and death certificates. The causes of death were clarified by questionnaires sent to doctors in the hospital in which the deceased was hospitalized, and the causes of death were analysed in each blood pressure category at baseline examination. RESULTS: Mortality from cardiovascular disease increased with increases in the level of blood pressure and was significantly higher in > or = 140 mmHg group in systolic blood pressure and > or = 90 mmHg group in diastolic blood pressure, adjusted for age, sex and other cardiovascular risk factors in the Japanese general population. However, mortality risk from cardiovascular disease did not have a J-shaped relationship with systolic and diastolic blood pressure. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the optimum time for starting treatment in Japanese people is when blood pressure is 140/90 mmHg or less.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha on basal and stimulated endothelium-dependent vasomotion in human resistance vessel.

The aim of this study was to determine whether tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha would impair basal and stimulated endothelium-dependent vasomotion in human resistance vessel. Changes in baseline and acetylcholine (ACh)-induced forearm vascular resistance (FVR) were measured plethysmographically before and after a low-dose intraarterial forearm infusion of TNF-alpha according to the following three protocols in healthy volunteers. In the condition without pretreatment, basal FVR was significantly increased by TNF-alpha (from 30.5 +/- 4.8 to 39.9 +/- 5.9 units; p < 0.01), whereas ACh-induced minimal FVR did not differ between pre- and post-TNF-alpha states. In the condition after pretreatment with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor acetylsalicylic acid, although the vascular effects of TNF-alpha on basal FVR appeared to be blocked (37.1 +/- 5.3 vs. 37.6 +/- 5.2; NS), ACh-induced minimal FVR did not differ between pre- and post-TNF-alpha states. In the condition after pretreatment with the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine, the vascular effect of TNF-alpha on basal FVR was diminished, and the ACh-induced maximal dilatory response was significantly blunted after TNF-alpha compared with before TNF-alpha (minimal FVR: 30.4 +/- 12.0 vs. 12.3 +/- 4.2 units; p < 0.05). These findings suggest that brief exposure of the human forearm resistance artery to TNF-alpha may increase basal bioavailability of the vasoconstrictor prostaglandin and reduce basal bioavailability of NO. In the stimulated condition, TNF-alpha-induced vascular dysfunction may be overwhelmed by increased NO bioavailability in healthy humans.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed2000

Identification and expression of a Mycoplasma gallisepticum surface antigen recognized by a monoclonal antibody capable of inhibiting both growth and metabolism.

In order to identify antigenic proteins of Mycoplasma gallisepticum, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against virulent M. gallisepticum R strain were produced in mice. MAb 35A6 was selected for its abilities to inhibit both growth and metabolism of M. gallisepticum in vitro. The MAb recognized a membrane protein with an apparent molecular mass of 120 kDa. The corresponding gene, designated the mgc3 gene, was cloned from an M. gallisepticum genomic DNA expression library and sequenced. The mgc3 gene is a homologue of the ORF6 gene encoding 130-kDa protein in the P1 operon of M. pneumoniae and is localized downstream of the mgc1 gene, a homologue of the P1 gene. To assess the characteristics of MGC3 protein, all 10 TGA codons in the mgc3 gene, which encode a tryptophan in the Mycoplasma species, were replaced with TGG codons, and recombinant fowlpox viruses (FPV) harboring the altered mgc3 gene were constructed. One of the recombinant FPVs was improved to express MGC3 protein on the cell surface in which the signal peptide of MGC3 protein was replaced with one from Marek's disease virus gB. These results should provide the impetus to develop a vaccine based on MGC3 protein which can induce antibodies with both growth inhibition and metabolic-inhibition activities using a recombinant FPV.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Interaction of the effects between vitamin D receptor polymorphism and exercise training on bone metabolism.

Bone metabolism is strongly influenced by heredity and environmental factors. To investigate interaction of the effects between vitamin D receptor polymorphism by Fok I and resistance exercise training on bone metabolism, young male subjects with FF genotype (F, n = 10) and Ff or ff genotypes (f, n = 10) followed 1 mo of weight training, and changes in bone metabolism were compared. An additional 14 subjects served as a sedentary control. Biomarkers of bone formation, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, and osteocalcin were significantly increased by training in both F and f groups. 1, 25-Dihydroxyvitamin D(3), known to upregulate bone formation, was also increased by the training in the f but not in the F group. Bone resorption assessed by cross-linked NH(2)-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen was significantly suppressed by the training, and the decrease in F was greater and longer lasting than that in f group. In conclusion, stimulation of bone formation and suppression of bone resorption occurred within 1 mo in young men. Despite a significant increase in 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) in the f group but not in the F group, the response of bone metabolism to the training in the F was similar to or greater than that in f group, suggesting a functional difference between vitamin D receptor genotypes f and F.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Relationship between five-year histological outcome and serial changes in serum alanine aminotransferase in patients with biochemical and virological relapse after interferon treatment for chronic hepatitis C.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between serial changes in serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and histological outcome 5 years after treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C with interferon (IFN). METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 61 consecutive patients who underwent two liver biopsies, just before and 5 years after a 6-month course of IFN therapy, and who showed a relapse after therapy. The extent of liver fibrosis was estimated using a scale with seven grades. RESULTS: At the end of 6-month IFN therapy, 40 (65.6%) patients had normal serum ALT concentrations. However, 13 of the 40 patients relapsed within 6 months after IFN therapy. The average ALT during 5 years in 40 patients was less than or equal to 75 IU/l, while in the other 21 patients it was more than 75 IU/l. Among the 40 patients with a mean ALT less than 75 IU/l, 13 (33%) patients showed histological improvement, 26 (65%) showed no changes and only 1 patient (2%) showed worsening of liver fibrosis. On the other hand, among the 21 patients with a mean ALT of more than 75 IU/l, only 1 (5%) patient showed improvement, 8 (38%) showed no changes and 12 patients (57%) showed worsening of liver fibrosis. CONCLUSION: There is a significant relationship between 5-year histological outcome and serial changes in serum ALT in patients with biochemical and virological relapse after IFN treatment for chronic hepatitis C.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Leisure-time physical activity and related lifestyle characteristics among middle-aged Japanese. Japan Lifestyle Monitoring Study Group.

The present study describes leisure-time physical activity status and related lifestyle factors in middle-aged Japanese. Data were obtained from 1,893 (905 men, 988 women) participants aged 40-69 years who had either been selected from a public registry or who had visited a healthcare facility. Subjects responded to a self-administered questionnaire and were interviewed using an assessment method for leisure-time and on-the-job physical activity within the last 12 months by trained interviewers. According to the leisure-time physical activity score, men and urban residents tended to engage in more leisure-time physical activity than did women and rural residents, respectively. Leisure-time physical activity tended to be inversely associated with on-the-job physical activity in all cases aside from women in urban regions, and also to be associated with higher levels of education in rural regions. Subjects engaging in more leisure-time physical activity had higher odds ratios of certain lifestyle factors, indicating a healthy lifestyle that included a variety of foods in their diet and a subjective sense of wellness in both men and women, in addition to non-smoking and drinking milk in men. These results suggested that leisure-time physical activity is influenced by socio-environmental factors, and that it is accompanied by other healthy behavior.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Swelling/deswelling mechanism of calcium alginate gel in aqueous solutions.

To elucidate the mechanism of dimensional changes in alginate impression in solutions, the relationship between the ion concentrations in three types of solutions (nonelectrolyte and monovalent and divalent metallic salts) and change in gel volume was examined. The gel in the monovalent metallic salt solution expanded and a decrease in monovalent cation and an increase in Ca2+ were observed. This suggests that the crosslinking density of the gel reduced due to dissociation of Ca2+ from the calcium alginate gel. In divalent metallic salt solutions, the shrinkage occurred according to crosslinking of unreacted residue. In the nonelectrolytic solution, gel, neither ethylene glycol nor acetonitrile showed any volume changes, while that in glutaraldehyde contracted. It is speculated that the former two solutions were affected by the fact that the gel has no semipermeability, and that the latter result was due to chemical interaction between the gel and solution.

Alginates↗
PubMed2000

[Serum anti-arrestin antibody and disease activity of multiple sclerosis--a case report of 4-year-old child].

We report a 4-year-old girl with multiple sclerosis (MS) and increased serum anti-arrestin antibody. She was admitted to our hospital because of sustained fever, headache and anorexia. Serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed diffuse high intensity of cerebral white matter and basal ganglia on T2-weighted imaging. We treated her with high-dose intravenous methylprednisolone under a diagnosis of ADEM. She recovered without any neurological sequelae in three months and the MRI lesion almost disappeared. However, she developed optic neuritis and two episodes of neurologic involvement associated with multiple white matter lesions in the next two years. She was then diagnosed as having clinically definite MS. Anti-arrestin antibody is reportedly present specifically in adult patients with MS and uveitis. We performed an immunoblot assay using bovine retina, and our case revealed the presence of anti-arrestin antibody. Serial examinations showed that the serum anti-arrestin antibody titer correlated well with the disease activity. These results indicate that anti-arrestin antibody may be a good parameter of the disease activity of MS even in childhood.

Arrestin↗
PubMed2000

[Marshall syndrome].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1999

Induction of effective antitumor immunity in a mouse brain tumor model using B7-1 (CD80) and intercellular adhesive molecule 1 (ICAM-1; CD54) transfection and recombinant interleukin 12.

Although tumor-specific T lymphocytes recognize tumor-associated antigens (TAA) present on their cell surface via major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, T cells require other activating signals. These are provided by costimulatory molecules, including B7-1 (CD80), B7-2 (CD86) and intercellular adhesive molecule 1 (ICAM-1; CD54). Transfecting mouse tumor cell lines with the B7 gene can lead to primary tumor rejection and the establishment of protective immunity. However, some studies have shown that the B7 effect upon T-cell-dependent tumor immunity is limited. Therefore, we examined the antitumor effects of recombinant interleukin 12 (IL-12) and genetically engineered glioma cells expressing B7-1 or both B7-1 and ICAM-1. Vaccination of mice with B7-1-expressing tumor cells substantially inhibited the growth of subcutaneously inoculated gliomas but not those located in the brain. Vaccination with B7-1-expressing tumor cells and systemic recombinant IL-12 (rIL-12) was more effective than either B7-1-expressing tumor cells or rIL-12 alone. Our murine brain tumor model also showed that vaccination with tumor cells expressing both B7-1 and ICAM-1 combined with rIL-12 prolonged survival. We have demonstrated the therapeutic potential of vaccination with rIL-12 and tumor cells expressing both B7-1 and ICAM-1 in the control of glioma growth.

Animals↗