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Biomedical subjects

T Fukui

Publications and source records attributed to T Fukui.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

A novel mutation in the vasopressin V2 receptor gene in a woman with congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus.

A 56-year-old Japanese woman with congenital nephrogenic diabetes insipidus (CNDI) is reported. She was diagnosed with CNDI accompanied by advanced gastric cancer. After total gastrectomy, approximately 500 ml fluid per hour was necessary to prevent dehydration. Urinary volume was decreased by administration of hydrochlorothiazide. We detected a novel mutation in the vasopressin V2 receptor gene of her chromosomal DNA. A substitution from G to A was found at the 631 nucleotide position, altering codon 12 from glycine (GGG) to glutamic acid (GAG) in the first extracellular domain. This missense mutation appeared to be the cause of her resistance to arginine vasopressin.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Health related research in Bangladesh: MEDLINE based analysis.

BACKGROUND: Health research is not a priority sector in Bangladesh. By and large, physicians and academicians are neither interested nor are they properly trained to conduct quality research. The objective of this study is to quantify the volume of researches related to health in Bangladesh with a view to propose remedial measures. METHODS: Data regarding health research, originating from Bangladesh during the period of 1990-1996, were extracted from MEDLINE database using certain inclusion criteria. Data on name of the institution, main author (Bangladeshi or foreigner), country of publication, and research topics were abstracted and analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: A total of 580 (on average 83 per year) articles met the inclusion criteria. About two-third (64.0%) of the researches were from International Center for Diarrheal Disease Research, Bangladesh, followed by Institute of Post Graduate Medicine & Research with 5.7%. Seven medical colleges and one dental college collectively contributed 5.8%. Infectious diseases was the single largest (54.8%) topic dealt with, followed by non-infectious diseases (7.7%), and nutrition and nutrition-related diseases (6.9%). CONCLUSION: The number of research articles from Bangladesh is very small possibly owing to the lack of proper training and funding shortage. Incorporating research methodology in both graduate and postgraduate medical education, appointing researchers in clinical and academic departments and allocating more funding towards research activities are necessary to boost health related research activities in Bangladesh.

Academies and Institutes↗
PubMed1999

The clinical epidemiological investigation of diagnostic modalities in breast cancer detection--a comparison of ultrasonography and mammography.

We reviewed the medical records and images of 39 women with palpable breast masses, including 18 cases with breast cancer and 21 cases with benign breast mass, to compare diagnostic accuracy and clinical agreement between ultrasonography and mammography in breast cancer detection. We showed that the operating characteristics of ultrasonography, including sensitivity, specificity and positive likelihood ratio, were superior to that of mammography. We also confirmed that the established malignant criteria for malignancy, including lobulated shape, irregular contour and non-uniform internal echo in ultrasonography, and stellate mass in mammography, were statistically significant in distinguishing breast cancer from benign breast lesion. Moreover, the interobserver agreement kappa of ultrasonography and mammography were 0.64 and 0.59, respectively. Ultrasonography was also superior to mammography in attaining clinical agreement between the different observers in breast cancer detection.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1999

[Choroid plexus metastasis of renal cell carcinoma causing intraventricular hemorrhage: a case report].

We report a rare case of choroid plexus metastasis of renal cell carcinoma causing intraventricular hemorrhage. A 75-year-old female was admitted to our hospital for SAH. Preoperative examination evoked suspicion of an anterior communicating aneurysm as a cause of SAH. Furthermore, there were lesions on the tuberculum sellae and in the left trigone of the lateral ventricle, which were enhanced by Gd-DTPA on MRI. The patient was operated on via the pterional approach on December 3, 1996, but no aneurysm was found. She underwent total removal of the tuberculum sellae mass, which was postoperatively proved to be a meningioma by histological examination. The intraventricular tumor was supposed to be a meningioma, but it was not treated surgically. Two months later, the patient presented hematuria and was diagnosed as having a right renal cancer and underwent right nephrectomy on March 18, 1997. However, postoperatively, disturbance of consciousness continued. A CT scan revealed intraventricular hemorrhage around the tumor in the trigone of the lateral ventricle on March 21. An emergency operation for tumor and clot removal succeeded in improving the patient's condition. Histological examination of the tumor revealed clear-cell type renal cell carcinoma. Solitary choroidal plexus metastasis from renal cell carcinoma is quite rare: only 5 cases have been reported. But only our case was accompanied by intraventricular hemorrhage. Renal cell carcinomas are divided into two types: a slowly progressive type and a rapidly progressive type. Four cases among the reported 5 cases were the slowly progressive type, and our case was regarded as being of the same type.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Effect of freeze-dried soybean curd (tofu) on various bodily functions.

The present study was designed to examine the effect of freeze-dried soybean curd (tofu) on various bodily functions. The dietary experiment consisted of 4 days of a non-prescribed ordinary diet, 10 days of an experimental diet that contained 190 g of meat contributing about 38 g of protein (hereinafter referred to as the "meat period"), and 39 days of an experimental diet that contributed vegetable protein, i.e., freeze-dried tofu, corresponding to the protein that 190 g of meat would provide (hereinafter referred to as the "freeze-dried tofu period"). Three eggs (about 150 g) and 180 ml of cow's milk were prescribed for the daily diet, and staple and other foods were dispensed freely during both the meat and the freeze-dried tofu periods. The results showed that serum cholesterol levels and diastolic blood pressure significantly decreased in the freeze-dried tofu period as compared with the meat period. Freeze-dried tofu was found to be a valuable food for preventing lifestyle-related chronic diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

[Molecular staging of testicular cancer using polymerase chain reaction of the testicular cancer-specific genes].

Most testicular germ cell tumors have serological tumor markers such as alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin beta-subunit (beta-HCG). On the other hand, molecular staging of these tumors has not been well established compared to other urogenital malignancies like prostate cancer. Recently, melanoma antigen (MAGE) which is one of the tumor-associated antigens recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) has been found to be present in a variety of malignant tumor types and normal testis. In addition, Wilms' tumor-associated gene WT1 has been found to be expressed in some testicular cancers. Thus, we examined the expression of these genes in testicular cancer tissues and peripheral blood of cancer-bearing patients using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression of the MAGE1-3 genes was examined in 34 testicular germ cell tumors (24 seminomas and 10 nonseminomas). Of the seminomas and nonseminomas, 87.5% and 40% were positive for MAGE1, 91.7% and 60% for MAGE2, and 83.3% and 30% for MAGE3, respectively. The expression of the MAGE genes was not correlated with the tumor stage. The expression of the WT1 gene was quantified in 26 testicular germ cell tumors. WT1 was highly expressed in 5 of the 7 high stage cases, but in only 4 of the 19 low stage cases (p < 0.01). The mRNA of these genes could not be detected from the peripheral blood of patients with high stage tumors. These results suggest that MAGE genes may be useful tumor markers for molecular staging of testicular cancer, especially seminoma, and that the WT1 gene may be a tumor marker for high stage testicular germ cell tumors. However, these genes cannot yet be used for molecular staging of testicular germ cell tumors.

Antigens, Neoplasm↗
PubMed1999

[Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus subdural abscess in an elderly patient with dementia].

A 74-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of a fever of 38.2 degrees C and drowsiness. Two months before admission, he was admitted to another hospital with the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. One week before admission, he had a fever which was judged to be due to pyelonephritis. Because imipenem cilastatin and minocycline were not effective in relieving symptoms, he was transferred to our hospital. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was cultured from the blood, and vancomycin was started on the 5th hospital day. Because of the persistent fever and signs of inflammation, Gallium-scintigraphy was performed, showing abnormal accumulation in the left fronto-parietal region of the brain and the sacral region. Enhanced brain CT revealed a crescentic low density area and a fine, intense line of enhancement in the left fronto-parietal region. An emergency drainage of abscess was performed via single left fronto-parietal burr hole. A slightly yellowish, bloody, purulent fluid was obtained. The subdural space was irrigated with saline containing antibiotics and a drain was inserted. MRSA was cultured from the obtained fluid. The fever gradually subsided and drowsiness disappeared. He had had decubitus ulcer, stage I on the surface, in the sacral region, which later turned out to have unexpectedly deep undermining lesion reaching to periosteum. MRSA was cultured from this decubitus lesion. MRSA which entered into blood stream from the decubitus site might have been implanted in the subdural hematoma. Thus, subdural abscess should be kept in mind as an active differential diagnosis in elderly patients with fever and drowsiness.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

[An effective case of arterial infusion therapy of low-dose CDDP and continuous 5-FU for isolated hepatic recurrence of gastric carcinoma].

We report an effective case of arterial infusion therapy of low-dose CDDP and continuous 5-FU for isolated hepatic recurrence of gastric carcinoma. An 83-year-old man was admitted for epigastric pain and vomiting due to a huge liver metastasis of gastric carcinoma in May, 1997. Nineteen months earlier, in October of 1995, he had undergone distal gastrectomy and D2 lymph node dissection with Billroth I reconstruction. His conclusive stage and pathological findings were as follows. The conclusive stage was stage II: t3, n0, P0, H0. Histological typing was tub 2. Lymph node involvement was not detected, but venous invasion was found in the surrounding regional lymph nodes. CEA had been getting elevated from November, 1996. But he had been well until March, 1997, when CT scans revealed huge hepatic recurrence. The artery-side port was placed for hepatic arterial infusion therapy for liver metastasis. Intra-arterial bolus injection of low-dose CDDP (5 mg) and continuous intra-arterial infusion of 5-FU (250 mg/day for 7 days) were started. Through 4 courses of this arterial infusion therapy, the patient improved. CT scans revealed shrinking of liver metastasis after 3 months of this therapy. The patient was followed in an outpatient clinic and continued to receive this arterial infusion therapy once every 4 weeks. New lung metastasis was detected 9 months after the start, but liver metastasis continued to be responded. The patient died from bleeding into the bile duct from the liver metastasis 16 months after the start of arterial infusion therapy, when metastatic lesions of liver continued to shrink. Arterial infusion therapy of low-dose CDDP and continuous 5-FU may be effective for isolated hepatic recurrence of gastric carcinoma.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

Adenosine A(1) receptor antagonist KW-3902 prevents hypoxia-induced renal vasoconstriction.

Studies were carried out to determine the intrarenal adenosine production during hypoxia, and the protective effects of a selective adenosine A(1) receptor antagonist 8-(noradamantan-3-yl)-1, 3-dipropylxanthine (KW-3902) on hypoxia-induced renal hemodynamic changes. We used an in vivo microdialysis method and measured the renal interstitial concentration of adenosine in response to hypoxic exposure in anesthetized mechanically ventilated rabbits. Normocapnic systemic hypoxia (PaO(2) = 32 +/- 6 mm Hg) caused a significant decrease in renal blood flow and increase in renal vascular resistance, indicating a renal vasoconstriction. The basal interstitial concentration of adenosine in the cortex was 293 +/- 70 nM, which was significantly higher than that in the medulla (170 +/- 23 nM). Five minutes after beginning hypoxia, the renal interstitial concentration of adenosine approximately tripled in the cortex and doubled in the medulla. During treatment with KW-3902, hypoxemia caused a similar increase in the adenosine concentration compared with that in the absence of KW-3902. The administration of KW-3902, however, significantly attenuated hypoxia-induced reduction in renal blood flow. These results suggest that adenosine was involved in hypoxia-induced renal vasoconstriction via its effects on adenosine A(1) receptors, and that KW-3902 had a partial protective effect against renal vasoconstriction during hypoxemia.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1998

Induction of differentiation and apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia HL60 cell line by a new type of steroids.

Mer-NF8054X is a new type of steroid whose structure has been established as 11-oxo-18, 22-cycloergosta-6, 8(14)-diene-3beta, 5beta, 9beta, 23S-tetraol (an 18, 22-cycloergostane), which has been reported to have antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus. However, other biological activities are unknown. Herein, we reported that Mer-NF8054X inhibited cell growth of HL60 human leukemia cells, when used either singly or in combination with retinoic acid (RA). In addition, Mer-NF8054X alone induced differentiation and apoptosis of HL60 cells. The induction of differentiation of HL60 cells by Mer-NF8054X was synergistic in combination with RA. On the other hand, Emesterone A, an analogue of Mer-NF8054X which is missing a hydroxy residue from the third position, showed much lower activity than Mer-NF8054X on the inhibition of cell growth and the induction of cell differentiation and apoptosis. However, Emesterone B, an analogue of Emesterone A which is missing a hydroxy residue from the fifth position, showed higher activity than Emesterone A but lower activity than Mer-NF8054X when examined for the inhibition of cell growth and the induction of cell differentiation and apoptosis. These results suggested that Mer-NF8054X and its analogs may be a new type of differentiation inducing agent. The hydroxy residue at the third position or fifth position in Mer-NF8054X may be necessary, but not essential, for inhibition of growth and induction of both differentiation and apoptosis of HL60 cells. In addition, Mer-NF8054X enhanced the differentiation of HL60 cells induced by RA. Based on these results, Mer-NF8054X may have utility in the clinic in combination with RA for leukemia patients.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1998

Induction of differentiation in human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL60 by a new type of polyenes, falconensone A and its derivatives.

Falconensones A and B are new type of yellow pigment isolated from the mycelial extract of ascomycetous fungi, Emericella falconensis or Emericella fruticulosa, whose structures are similar to retinoic acid (RA). To date, biological activities of falconensones have not been reported. Herein, we reported that falconensone A inhibited growth of HL60 human leukemia cells, when used either singly or in combination with RA. Falconensone A alone did not induce differentiation of HL60 cells. However, falconesone A enhanced the differentiation of HL60 cells induced by 10 nM RA, and its effect was synergistic. On the other hand, falconensone B, the 4'-nor-methyl derivative of falconensone A, showed much lower activity than falconensone A on the inhibition of cell growth. In addition, synthetic derivatives of falconensone A, falconensone A p-bromophenylhydrazone and falconensone A dioxime, were more potent on the inhibition of cell growth and the induction of differentiation than natural falconensones A and B. These compounds induced differentiation of HL60 cells into monocyte/macrophage-like cells, different from granulocyte-like cells induced by RA. These results suggest that falconensone A may be a new type of antiproliferative agent, and that the methyl residue at the 4' position of the cyclopentenone ring of falconensone A may be necessary for biological activity. In addition, falconensone A enhanced RA-induced differentiation of HL60 cells, while its derivatives alone showed growth inhibition and induction of differentiation of HL60 cells. Based on these results, falconensone A and its derivatives may have clinical utility in the treatment of leukemia.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1998

Focal, high dose, and fractionated modified stereotactic radiation therapy for lung carcinoma patients: a preliminary experience.

BACKGROUND: Stereotactic radiation therapy is highly effective in the treatment of small brain metastases, regardless of the histology. This suggests that small extracranial malignancies may be curable with similar radiation therapy. The authors developed a novel treatment unit for administering such therapy. METHODS: The unit consisted of a linear accelerator (linac), an X-ray simulator (X-S), computed tomography (CT), and a table. The gantry axes of the three machines were coaxial and could be matched by rotating the table. Patients were instructed to perform shallow respiration with oxygen. The motion of the tumor was monitored with the X-S. When the motion was slight enough, the table was rotated to the CT. To include all geometric movement on the CT images, each scan was made while the patient was performing shallow respiration. After the CT positioning, the table was rotated to the linac, and non-coplanar treatment was given. Beginning in October 1994, 45 patients with 23 primary or 43 metastatic lung carcinomas were treated. Radiation doses at the 80% isodose line were 30-75 gray in 5-15 fractions over 1-3 weeks with or without conventional radiation therapy. RESULTS: The treatment was performed with no or minimal adverse acute symptoms. The daily treatment time was short. During a median follow-up of 11 months, local progression occurred in 2 of 66 lesions. Interstitial changes in the lung were limited. CONCLUSIONS: With this unit and procedure, focal radiation therapy similar to stereotactic radiation therapy is possible for extracranial sites. The preliminary experience appeared safe and promising, and further exploration of this approach is warranted.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1998

Activation of the beta-catenin gene by interstitial deletions involving exon 3 in primary colorectal carcinomas without adenomatous polyposis coli mutations.

Among 222 primary colorectal cancers we examined, 58 showed no detectable APC mutations by the protein truncation test. We screened those 58 tumors for somatic mutations in the beta-catenin gene. Although amino acid substitutions in serine or threonine residues in exon 3 had been reported, we found no such mutations; however, in seven tumors, we detected somatic interstitial deletions of 234-760 bp, each of which included all or part of exon 3. Short nucleotide sequences at both ends of each deletion were either identical or complementary, indicating that repeated or inversely repeated sequences were involved in the somatic rearrangements. Reverse transcription-PCR experiments using RNAs isolated from three of these seven tumors detected transcripts that lacked exon 3, in addition to the normal transcript. In one of these cases, we confirmed accumulation of aberrant beta-catenin protein in cytoplasm and nuclei of cancer cells by Western and immunohistochemical analyses. This result suggested that, in the absence of a peptide encoded by exon 3, beta-catenin is stabilized and has a dominant oncogenic effect on colorectal tumorigenesis.

Carcinoma↗
PubMed1998

Efficient production of polyhydroxyalkanoates from plant oils by Alcaligenes eutrophus and its recombinant strain.

The ability of Alcaligenes eutrophus to grow and produce polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) on plant oils was evaluated. When olive oil, corn oil, or palm oil was fed as a sole carbon source, the wild-type strain of A. eutrophus grew well and accumulated poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) homopolymer up to approximately 80% (w/w) of the cell dry weight during its stationary growth phase. In addition, a recombinant strain of A. eutrophus PHB-4 (a PHA-negative mutant), harboring a PHA synthase gene from Aeromonas caviae, was revealed to produce a random copolyester of 3-hydroxybutyrate and 3-hydroxyhexanoate from these plant oils with a high cellular content (approximately 80% w/w). The mole fraction of 3-hydroxyhexanoate units was 4-5 mol% whatever the structure of the triglycerides fed. The polyesters produced by the A. eutrophus strains from olive oil were 200-400 kDa (the number-average molecular mass). The results demonstrate that renewable and inexpensive plant oils are excellent carbon sources for efficient production of PHA using A. eutrophus strains.

Alcaligenes↗
PubMed1998

Doubly entrapped baker's yeast survives during the long-term stereoselective reduction of ethyl 3-oxobutanoate in an organic solvent.

To attain long-term bioreaction in organic solvents with living microorganisms, we tried to protect the microorganisms from the toxicity of the solvent by immobilization. In this study, baker's yeast, which is not tolerant to organic solvents such as isooctane, was selected as a model microorganism and the immobilized living yeast cells were examined for activity in the steroselective reduction of ethyl 3-oxobutanoate to ethyl (S)-3-hydroxybutanoate in isooctane; an activity that correlated well with the viability of the yeast cells. It was found that double entrapment, that is, further entrapment of calcium-alginate-gel-entrapped cells with a urethane prepolymer, made it possible for the yeast to remain viable in isooctane, although other conventional immobilization methods, such as single entrapment using polysaccharide or synthetic resin prepolymers, were insufficient for its protection. Furthermore, doubly entrapped living yeast cells could carry out the stereoselective reduction in isooctane repeatedly for a long period (more than 1200 h) with occasional cultivation. Thus, double entrapment enabled a microorganism sensitive to organic solvents to survive over long-term bioreaction in an organic solvent.

Acetoacetates↗
PubMed1998

Aortocoronary saphenous vein graft aneurysm in redo coronary artery bypass grafting: report of a case.

We report herein the case of an 80-year-old woman who underwent successful redo coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) for a saphenous vein graft aneurysm found 10 years after her initial operation. On presentation, coronary angiography (CAG) revealed aneurysmal dilatation of the saphenous vein graft and severe stenosis of the left main trunk (LMT). A percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) of the LMT lesion was performed; however, a CAG after the PTCA revealed restenosis and the patient developed anginal chest pain at rest. Thus, repeat CABG was urgently carried out, which was followed by a good outcome. Histological examination of the aneurysmal dilatation showed a true aneurysm. Only 15 other cases of redo CABG for this indication have been reported, the features of which are also discussed.

Aged↗