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Biomedical subjects

T Soma

Publications and source records attributed to T Soma.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

[Comparison of surgical therapy and combined irradiation in rectal cancer--second report. Effect of irradiation and ACNU on the tumor].

As part of a joint study on preoperative radiotherapy for developing an optimal mode of rectal cancer therapy, ACNU sensitization was studied in a total of 120 cases, with the cooperation of 48 facilities participating nationwide. The following results were obtained. Improvement in depth of invasion was more distinct in the combination preoperative therapy-ACNU group than in the preoperative radiotherapy group, with no other significant differences between the two. This finding suggests that dose and administration method could be improved. White blood cells and platelets were reduced in some cases of the ACNU combination group, but these reductions were not serious enough to impede surgical procedures. In addition, no significant difference in complications was noted between the two.

Adenocarcinoma

Monocytoid B-cell lymphoma arising in extranodal organs.

Six cases of monocytoid B-cell lymphoma (MBCL) developing in extranodal sites (thyroid, three; stomach, two; rectum, one) are described. Patients were all women aged 46 to 65 years (median, 53 years). Three patients with thyroid lymphoma presented with an increasing goiter, two with positive serum antithyroid antibodies, and one patient had chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis (CLTH). The histologic type of surgically resected specimens was a diffuse proliferation of atypical lymphoid cells with monocytoid appearance, i.e., abundant pale cytoplasm with distinct cell border and small reniform nucleus. These cells were CD20+, 22+, 24-, 9- showing their B-cell origin. The monoclonal nature of the proliferating cells was confirmed by restricted expression of immunoglobulin (Ig) light chain and/or gene rearrangement study in three cases. Two cases of thyroid lymphoma in which the monoclonality could not be confirmed had histologic appearances characteristic of malignant lymphoma. All three patients with gastric or rectal lymphoma had reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH) near the tumors. These findings showed presence of MBCL in the extranodal sites with invariable coexistence with lymphoid follicles formed by CLTH in thyroid or RLH in stomach and rectum.

Aged

The clinical effect of bifemelane hydrochloride on dementia in aged patients.

The effect of bifemelane hydrochloride on dementia in the elderly was studied in thirty-one patients having cerebrovascular disorders. Alzheimer's disease, Parkinsonism and related diseases. The drug (150 mg) was administered orally three times daily for 10 weeks. The final global improvement rating was 77.4% for all patients. The rates of improvement for Alzheimer's disease were higher than those for cerebrovascular disorders, suggesting that this drug affects Alzheimer's disease through a cholinergic potentiating action. Psychotic, neurological and subjective symptoms, and the activity of daily life, were rated before, during and after treatment. All mean rates of improvement were based on observations made in the 4th week after the start of treatment. Improvement rates for global symptoms were more than 80% for emotional incontinence and prejudice or querulous attitudes toward the nurses, and in headache, tinnitus and dizziness among the subjective symptoms. The improvement in intellectual function was evaluated by the dementia rating scale for the elderly (DRSE), and a significant increase was found in DRSE after treatment with this drug. Side effects attributable to the drug were noted in one patient developing urticaria. It is thus suggested that bifemelane hydrochloride is useful in the treatment of different symptoms of dementia.

Aged

Malignant lymphoma of the rectum.

Eleven patients with primary lymphoma of the rectum were reviewed on a mainly histological basis, especially in association with reactive lymphoid hyperplasia (RLH). They included three males and eight females with an age range of 21-71 (median 59) years. Common symptoms were anal bleeding, melena, difficulty with defecation and constipation. A physical examination echogram and computed tomographic scans showed the tumor to be restricted to the rectum. The tumors were classified microscopically as six intermediate lymphocytic lymphomas (ILL) and five others. Histologic findings compatible with RLH were found in all five ILL cases and three of the others. Immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded sections revealed eight cases to be of B-cell type and one with a pleomorphic histology, to be of T-cell type; one case did not react with any of the antibodies tested, but were regarded as being of B-cell type purely on morphological grounds. A gene rearrangement study carried out in one ILL case showed a monoclonal rearrangement of the Jh chain. The findings showed rectal lymphoma to be characterized by a high frequency of ILL cases and an association with RLH. These are also common findings among patients with thyroid, salivary and gastric lymphoma, suggesting a common etiologic role in these diseases of long-standing inflammation.

Adult

Alteration of opioid receptors in seizure-susceptible El mouse brain.

The distribution density of opioid receptors in the brain of El mice (seizure-susceptible strain) was examined to determine the relation between seizures and the opioid system. Saturation curves and Scatchard plots of [3H]2-D-alanine-5-D-leucine enkephalin binding revealed that the opioid delta receptor density in adult El mice during interictal periods was significantly increased in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and septal area. It was further shown that the concentration of such receptors in 25-day-old El mice that had no seizures was also significantly increased in the hippocampus and septal area, with no changes in apparent affinities, as compared with in the corresponding regions in ddY mice (seizure-nonsusceptible strain; the mother strain of El). Such up-regulation of opioid receptors in the El mouse brain could result from deficits in endogenous opioid peptides, which could be associated with the pathogenesis of seizure diathesis in the El mouse.

Animals

No correlation between locations of bcr breakpoints and clinical states in Ph1-positive CML patients.

The majority of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) have a characteristic reciprocal translocation between chromosome 9 and 22, resulting in the Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome. During this translocation, the c-abl oncogene on chromosome 9 is transferred to the Ph1 chromosome and linked to a breakpoint cluster region (bcr), which is part of a large bcr gene. This phenomenon results in the formation of a bcr-c-abl fusion gene, which is transcribed into an 8.5 kb chimeric mRNA encoding a 210 kd bcr-c-abl fusion protein. The fusion protein has tyrosine kinase activity implicated in the pathogenesis of CML. The breakpoint near the c-abl locus on chromosome 9 can occur within a large area. In contrast, the breakpoints on chromosome 22 cluster within the bcr region of 5.8 kb. A chronic phase lasts for an average of 2 to 3 years; and, subsequently, most patients enter blast crisis. In the present study, we examined 15 Ph1-positive CML patients (eight in chronic phase, one in accelerated phase, and six in blast crises) as to whether the identifiable difference in the locations of the bcr breakpoints exist between CML patients in chronic phase and those in blast crisis. In seven of eight CML patients in chronic phase, in one in accelerated phase, and in four out of six CML patients in blast crisis, the bcr breakpoints clustered in the 3' portion of the bcr. Thus, we could not find out the correlation between the locations of the bcr breakpoints and the clinical stage of the CML patients. This might imply that blastic transformation in Ph1-positive CML was caused by other mechanisms than the transition of the bcr breakpoints.

Blast Crisis

Class switching from gamma 3 to gamma 2b in a murine pre-B cell line.

Class switching from gamma 3 to gamma 2b production at pre-B cell stage was observed in an Abelson virus-transformed murine immature cell line that is able to perform VH to DJH recombinations followed by class switch recombinations. A series of Southern blotting experiments indicates that the class switching from gamma 3 to gamma 2b was mediated by the deletion mechanism of the intervening CH genes on the expressed chromosome and that the break points in the switch recombinations might be different from each other among six independent switching events from gamma 3 to gamma 2b. This in vitro switching system should provide us with much information on the mechanisms of class switch recombination.

Abelson murine leukemia virus

Selective use of the VHQ52 family in functional VH to DJH rearrangements in a B precursor cell line.

AT11-2, an Abelson virus-transformed cell line has DJH complexes on both chromosomes and is able to form functional variable region genes by the joins of VH genes to the DJH complexes during culture. Therefore we examined which VH gene family was used in functional VH to DJH recombinations in AT11-2. Surprisingly, of 32 independent functional VH to DJH recombinational events in AT11-2, 31 events used the VH segments of the VHQ52 family, and the remaining one used the VH segment of the VH7183 family. Thus, we describe here the first B precursor cell line that almost selectively uses the VHQ52 family in functional VH to DJH rearrangements. The selective use of the VHQ52 family in this B precursor cell line strongly indicates nonrandom use of VH gene families, and the existence of a stage at which the VHQ52 family is preferentially used during the normal development of early pre-B cells and has important implications for understanding the ontogeny of VH repertoire development. Furthermore, this cell line should prove extremely valuable in further studies of this kind.

Animals

Start of mu-chain production by the further two-step rearrangements of immunoglobulin heavy chain genes on one chromosome from a DJH/DJH configuration in an Abelson virus-transformed cell line: evidence of secondary DJH complex formation.

A variant was selected from an Abelson virus-transformed cell line with identifiable and distinguishable DJH rearrangements on both chromosomes. Southern blotting experiments suggested that this variant resulted from a secondary DJH complex formation accompanied with the deletion of one of the DJH rearrangements on the same chromosome. Furthermore, this variant started making mu-chains by the further functional join of a VH gene to the secondarily formed DJH complex. Thus, we describe here the first evidence of a secondary DJH complex formation.

Abelson murine leukemia virus

Effect of rapid addition and dilution of dimethyl sulfoxide and 37 degrees C equilibration on viability of rabbit morulae thawed rapidly.

The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of various conditions of addition and dilution of dimethyl sulfoxide (Me2SO) and 37 degrees C equilibration, and also the effects of freezing in the solution which was prepared in advance and stored in plastic straws at -20 degrees C on the viability of rabbit morulae thawed rapidly. The embryos were cooled from room temperature to -30 degrees C at 1 degree C/min in the presence of 1.5 M Me2SO using a programmable liquid nitrogen vapor freezing machine with an automatic seeding device, then cooled rapidly, and stored in liquid nitrogen. The frozen straws were thawed rapidly (greater than 1000 degrees C/min). When Me2SO was added in a single step, equilibrated with embryos at 37 degrees C for 15 min and diluted out in a single step, a very high survival was obtained: transferable/recovered, 90%: developed/recovered, 96%. When embryos were pipetted into 1.5 M Me2SO that was prepared in advance, stocked in straws at -20 degrees C, and cooled, the proportions of transferable and developed embryos were equivalent to those of embryos frozen in the solution that was prepared immediately before use.

Animals

Differentiation of an Abelson virus-transformed immature B precursor cell line under the expression of tyrosine kinase activity of v-abl oncogene product.

The expression of v-abl oncogene during the in vitro differentiation of an Abelson-virus-transformed immature B precursor cell line from immunoglobulin-null to intracytoplasmic mu-positive cells and further to intracytoplasmic gamma 2b-positive cells was examined. The results showed no significant alteration in the amounts and tyrosine kinase activity of v-abl oncogene product during differentiation, indicating that B cell differentiation processes are independent of v-abl functions.

Abelson murine leukemia virus

Magnetic resonance imaging of heterotopic gray matter.

Heterotopic gray matter was detected by means of magnetic resonance imaging in a 3-year-old girl with left hemiparesis and atonic seizures. In the inversion recovery sequence, a large area of decreased signal intensity was noted in the right centrum semiovale and differentiation of the right basal ganglia was not clear. We speculated that the brain malformation in our patient occurred at ten weeks conceptional age.

Basal Ganglia

Randomized controlled study of postoperative adjuvant immunochemotherapy with Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (N-CWS) and Tegafur for gastric carcinoma.

We performed a randomized controlled study of postoperative adjuvant immunochemotherapy with Nocardia rubra cell wall skeleton (N-CWS) and Tegafur for gastric carcinoma between September 1979 and March 1983. A total of 309 patients were entered into this trial. Of the 309 patients, there were 98 evaluable patients in the chemotherapy group and 115 evaluable patients in the immunochemotherapy group. In both groups, Tegafur was given as chemotherapy at a daily dose of 400 to 800 mg, starting at 24-29 days after gastrectomy. In the immunochemotherapy group, 400 micrograms of N-CWS was injected i.d. within the 2nd postoperative week. It was given weekly during the first month and subsequently monthly for as long as practicable. The patients were surveyed for length of survival in March 1985. The postoperative survival rate was analyzed for all cases, and for patients with various histopathological stages of carcinoma for comparison between the two treatment groups. No statistical difference was detected between the two groups in terms of age, sex, surgical curability, or stage of carcinoma. The overall survival rate for all patients was significantly higher in the immunochemotherapy group than in the chemotherapy group (p less than 0.05). With stage III plus IV disease, 53 patients from the chemotherapy group and 61 patients from the immunochemotherapy group were included for the analysis. As a consequence, a highly significant survival rate was observed in patients with stage III plus IV carcinoma in the immunochemotherapy group (p less than 0.005) as compared to the chemotherapy group. The overall 5-year (1800 days) survival rate after surgical treatment was 60.2% for the chemotherapy group and 73.2% for the immunochemotherapy group. In patients with stage III plus IV disease, the 5-year survival rates of the two treatment groups were 28.8% and 52.4%, respectively. Accordingly, the 50% survival period of patients with stage III plus IV cancer was 1800 days or more in the immunochemotherapy group, whereas it was only 722 days in the chemotherapy group. These results emphasize the effectiveness of N-CWS as an adjuvant immunotherapeutic agent in postoperative gastric cancer patients. The main side effects of N-CWS were skin lesions in the injected sites and fever, but these were temporary and not serious.

Actuarial Analysis