Biomedical subjects

Y Hara

Publications and source records attributed to Y Hara.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

PubMed1998

Angiopathies in pancreatic diabetes resulting from chronic pancreatitis.

CONCLUSION: Marked diabetic micro- and macroangiopathies were recognized in three autopsy cases with pancreatic diabetes resulting from chronic pancreatitis. BACKGROUND: Recent reports have suggested that diabetic retinopathy occurs as one of the microangiopathies in patients with secondary diabetes following chronic pancreatitis. METHODS: We report three autopsy cases with pancreatic diabetes. Cases 1 and 2 showed alcoholic chronic pancreatitis. Case 3 was a patient with chronic pancreatitis resulting from hyperparathyroidism. All three cases had pancreatic calcification and markedly decreased exocrine pancreatic function. There was no family history of diabetes in these patients. The HbA1 values were elevated, with diminished secretion of both insulin and glucagon. RESULTS: The common features of the clinical courses were poor glycemic control, including insulin-induced hypoglycemic attacks in the early stage and microangiopathy, followed by difficulties in treatment for hypertension in the late stage of pancreatic diabetes. Autopsies, performed after 12-18 yr of diabetes, revealed fibrosis of the pancreas, disappearance of acinar cells in the exocrine pancreas, atrophy, a diminished number of islets of Langerhans, and diabetic glomerulosclerosis, with arteriosclerosis in the brain, heart, and kidneys. Cerebral hemorrhage, heart failure, and myocardial infarction were suggested to be the main causes of death. Although the serum lipid levels were rather low in cases 1 and 2, arteriosclerosis was marked by the age of 60, and serum protein levels were also low in all three cases.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

Improvement in gonadotropin secretion after corticosteroid therapy in a case of POEMS syndrome.

We report a case of POEMS syndrome with various endocrine dysfunctions. A 49-year-old man was admitted to our hospital for pretibial edema and general fatigue. He had weakness of the lower extremities, hepatomegaly, monoclonal protein (IgG-lambda type), impotence, pigmentation and hypertrichosis. Endocrinological examination revealed impaired glucose tolerance, primary hypothyroidism and hypogonadotropic hypogonadism. After three months of treatment with corticosteroids, he showed an improvement in gonadotropin secretion, but no considerable change in the secretion of the other hormones. To our knowledge, this is the first case that showed an improvement in gonadotropin secretion as a result of corticosteroid therapy in POEMS syndrome.

Gonadotropins↗

PubMed1998

Metastatic model of human colon cancer constructed using orthotopic implantation in nude mice.

Nude mice have been used to grow subcutis (s.c.) growing human colorectal tumors, but these tumors rarely metastasize. This is a problem for studies into the biological behavior of metastatic subpopulations of human colorectal cancers. We have followed the evolution of the parental line and of a variant of human colon carcinoma KM12 cells, that were both tumorigenic, following implantation into the s.c. or cecal wall of nude mice. The tumors growing s.c. did not produce visceral metastases, whereas the cecal tumors metastasized to the regional mesenteric lymph nodes and to the liver. However, the incidence of liver metastases was different between the parental cell line KM12C cells and the in vivo selected cell line KM12SM cells after orthotopic inoculation. The morphological findings of KM12 cells proliferating in a monolayered sheet revealed that these two cell lines consisted of various cell populations. These results suggest that in the orthotopic colon cancer models, liver metastasis is defined by difference in subpopulations of metastatic phenotypes to the liver with early dominance of its growth in the implanted organ. As a result, our new model using orthotopic implantation of KM12SM cells, which produce a 50% incidence of liver metastasis, can help to provide a technique to study the biological behavior of metastatic subpopulations of human colon cancers.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Effect of black tea polyphenols on plasma lipids in cholesterol-fed rats.

The influence of black tea polyphenols on plasma lipid levels was investigated in rats fed a 15% lard and 1% cholesterol diet. The diet was supplemented with 1% black tea polyphenols extracted and condensed from black tea. Rats fed the lard-cholesterol diet showed an increase in plasma cholesterol and liver lipids compared to rats fed a basal diet. The supplementation of black tea polyphenols in this lard-cholesterol diet decreased the lipid levels in the plasma and increased the fecal excretion of total lipids and cholesterol. On the other hands, 1% supplementation of either instant black tea with a 20% polyphenol content of 0.2% supplementation of EGCg in the lard-cholesterol diet had no effect on plasma cholesterol and phospholipid levels. These results suggest that a high dose of black tea polyphenols exerts a hypocholesterolemic effect in cholesterol-fed rats.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Black tea theaflavins induce programmed cell death in cultured human stomach cancer cells.

The exposure of human stomach cancer KATO III cells to black tea theaflavin extract, free theaflavin, and theaflavin digallate that are main components of the extract, led to both growth inhibition and the induction of programmed cell death (apoptosis). Morphological changes showing apoptotic bodies were observed in the cells treated with black tea theaflavin extract, theaflavin and theaflavin digallate. The fragmentations by these theaflavin compounds of DNA to oligonucleosomal-sized fragments that are characteristics of apoptosis were observed to be concentration- and time-dependent. These data suggest that drinking of black tea in large amounts is recommended to protect humans from stomach cancer.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed1998

[An autopsy case of Degos' disease with ascending thoracic myelopathy].

Degos' disease is a rare multisystem vasculopathy of unknown etiology. We report a 44-year-old man who presented himself with gait and sensory disturbances mainly due to thoracic transverse myelopathy four years after the appearance of many characteristic umbilicated papules over the trunk and extremities. He did not complain of abdominal pain or discomfort. Laboratory, electrophysiological and imaging studies did not show any characteristic change, except for the increase of protein contents and cell counts in the cerebrospinal fluid. We tried methylprednisolone pulse-dose therapy (1,000 mg/day x 3 days) five times, but this patient's neurological condition worsened stepwise after it, although the appearance of new skin lesion was suppressed. Intravenous infusion of ozagrel sodium and cyclophosphamide (1,000 mg/day) were also ineffective, and this patient died of respiratory failure after showing oculomotor paresis and comatose state. Necropsy revealed Degos' disease-specific vasculopathy in the central nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract, where occlusions of small-sized arteries and veins due to the intimal thickening were evident. The tissue necrosis was macroscopically remarkable in the brainstem and the thoracic spinal cord. The efficacy of steroid therapy for this disease should be investigated more carefully.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

A family with high serum leucine aminopeptidase activity derived from a novel variant CD13.

We investigated a family in which some individuals showed extremely high serum leucine aminopeptidase (LAP) (EC 3.4.11.2) activity, mainly derived from a variant CD13. The isoelectric points of the variant and normal CD13 were 3.3 and 4.1, respectively, and both points converged at 4.4 after treatment with neuraminidase, indicating that more sialic acids are bound to the variant CD13 than normal. The molecular masses of both CD13s were 144 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. After treatment with neuraminidase, N-glycosidase, and O-glycosidase, apparent molecular masses of the variant and normal CD13 were 106 kDa and 100 kDa, respectively, suggesting that the variant CD13 contains a longer peptide than normal. This is the first case of familial high serum LAP activity in which the origin could be demonstrated by anti-CD13 monoclonal antibodies to be a variant CD13 inherited in an autosomal dominant mode. The isoelectric point of the LAP activity after neuraminidase treatment was different from that previously reported.

Adult↗

PubMed1998

[The mechanism of corneal epithelial disorder induced by prostaglandin F2 alpha isopropyl unoprostone].

Deleterious effects of isopropyl unoprostone (PG-F2 alpha) on the ocular surface were evaluated using the in vivo barrier function assay of corneal epithelial cells and the proliferation assay of human corneal epithelial cells in vitro. The barrier function of corneal epithelial cells in vivo was not impaired by treatment with PGF2 alpha, but it was significantly suppressed by timolol. The result of cell proliferation assay of human corneal cells showed that the 0.12% PGF2 alpha ophthalmic solution caused greater suppression of cell proliferation and acuter cell toxicity than 0.5% timolol ophthalmic solution. Further study showed that not the vehicle but the PGF2 alpha itself was responsible for these deleterious effects. We conclude that the 0.12% PGF2 alpha ophthalmic solution affects cell migration and proliferation but not the barrier effects of the ocular surface. These results suggest that the corneal epithelial defect of glaucoma patients may be caused by these two independent mechanisms, namely suppression of cell proliferation by PGF2 alpha and the destruction of the barrier function of the ocular surface by timolol.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

PubMed1998

[Prognostic significance of loss of heterozygosity in breast cancer].

Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was analyzed in 113 cases of sporadic breast cancer using 35 microsatellite markers on 20 chromosomes. LOH was frequently seen in 17p (44%), 16q (31%), 17q (29%) and 13q (23%). Individual patients were scored according to the incidence of LOH at the above four chromosomal markers; with no LOH as 1, with one or two LOH as 2, and with three of four LOH as 3. A high LOH score was well associated with high histological grade (p = 0.019) and a significantly poor prognosis (p = 0.0035). These data suggest that accumulation of LOH occurs at a later stage of breast cancer progression, and that the LOH score may be a useful prognostic marker of breast cancer.

Breast Neoplasms↗

PubMed1998

[Biocompatibility of polyvinylalcohol gel as a vitreous substitute].

Polyvinylacohol (PVA) gel cross linked by gamma irradiation was assessed as a possible vitreous substitute. In our previous, reports, elevation of intraocular pressure and inflammatory changes in the vitreous cavity after operation were observed in some of the experimental animals. Four types of PVA gel (sol) were produced by a newly refined method. We improved the gel systhesis process to remove the monomer and contamination. Colored rabbits were used for this experiment. Vitreous replacement was performed after vitrectomy. This was followed clinically by ophthalmoscopy, tonometry, fundus photography, electroretinogram, chemotaxis, and laser-flare-cell-metering. Histopathological examination by light microscopy was performed after 3 months. PVA gel has good biocompatibility in the vitreous cavity, and gel with a network similar to that of the vitreous body showed the best biocompatibility. Although it is necessary to investigate the biocompatibility over the long term and to evaluate the tamponade effect, PVA gel will be a bood candidate for a vitreous substitute.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

[High-speed recording of fluorescein fundus angiography using an argon laser as the illumination source].

We constructed a new fluorescein fundus angiography system using a speedy and sensitive fundus camera and an argon laser apparatus as the illumination source. The system consists of a fluorescein fundus camera, a high-speed camera, a digital recorder, an argon laser apparatus, and a cathode ray tube(CRT)monitor. The frame speed was 200 frames/s. It was possible to record high speed fluorescein angiography with lower illumination by using an argon laser as the illumination source. This system allowed us to measure the rate of blood flow in the retinal vessels because it easily detected the dye front in the retinal vessels.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

[Cerebral embolism with hemiballism due to putaminal lesion].

A 66-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of hemiballism of his left extremities. The hemiballism disappeared soon after beginning therapy with haloperidol and chlorpromazine. X-ray CT brain scan on day 3 showed infarction in the right putamen and the right parietal lobe. Cerebral angiography on day 9 was normal. Transesophageal echocardiography revealed no abnormality except for an atrial septal aneurysm. Transcranial color-flow imaging demonstrated high intensity transient signal (HITS) with Valsalva maneuver. Paradoxical embolism was, therefore, thought to have caused the patient's brain infarction. It was speculated that the hemiballism was caused by disinhibition of the cortex resulting from loss of negative feedback in the motor system due to the putaminal lesion. It is necessary to treat hemiballism using an appropriate therapy to prevent exacerbation.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

Marked attenuation of mitral regurgitation by stent implantation: a patient with unstable angina.

A 69-year-old woman was admitted because of increase of chest pain and dyspnea. Systolic murmur of Levine III/VI was heard. Electrocardiography showed ST depression caused by ischemia. Echocardiography revealed severe mitral regurgitation (MR) and inferoposterior hypokinetic wall motion. Left ventriculography revealed the presence of MR (II/IV). Coronary angiography showed severe organic stenosis of the right coronary artery. Based on these findings, the diagnosis was severe papillary muscle dysfunction caused by unstable angina. The lesion of the right coronary artery was successfully stented with a Palmaz-Schatz stent. During balloon inflation, the v wave of the pulmonary capillary pressure curve was greatly elevated. After the stent implantation, ST depression was normalized and MR improved dramatically. Therefore, we suppose that acute MR was induced by temporary papillary muscle dysfunction, and could be relieved with coronary angioplasty.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

Long-term effect of a trace amount of tea catechins with perilla oil on the plasma lipids in mice.

Cholesterol-free diets, which contain 0.003% tea catechins with perilla oil rich in alpha-linolenic acid, were given to male mice for periods of 6 and 15 months. Cholesterol levels decreased significantly in mice fed the catechin diet for 6 and 15 months compared to the animals fed the control diet. The phospholipid level of mice fed the catechin diet for 15 months was lower than that of animals fed the control diet. No marked difference in triglyceride levels between the catechin and control diet groups was observed. Hardly any enhancing effects of catechins on the percentages of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma lipids were found, although the eicosapentaenoic acid level at 15 months was reduced in the catechin diet group.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

[Etiological studies on 17 cases of retinal artery occlusion and 16 cases of amaurosis fugax].

Here we present etiological studies on 17 patients (12 males, 5 females, mean age 64 +/- 13 years) with central retinal artery occlusion and branch retinal artery occlusion, and 16 patients (8 males, 8 females, mean age 62 +/- 13 years) with amaurosis fugax who were admitted to our hospital between April 1993 and May 1997. In all patients, carotid ultrasonography and cerebral angiography were performed to clarify the extent of carotid artery disease ipsilateral to the retinal artery occlusion and amaurosis fugax. All patients had clinical assessment of cardiac function and electrocardiogram, and most patients had transthoracic echocardiography, and transesophageal echocardiography as they were required. Arterial stenosis over 50% of the diameter, and occlusion of the internal carotid artery ipsilateral to symptomatic eye were more frequent in retinal artery occlusion than in amaurosis fugax. Two patients with retinal artery occlusion had transient atrial fibrillation, and one had patent foramen ovale with atrial septal aneurysm. One patient with amaurosis fugax had transient atrial fibrillation, and another patient had mechanical prosthetic heart valve. Two patients had antiphospholipid antibody, and one had dysfibrinogenemia. We recommended to investigate internal carotid artery in the patients with retinal artery occlusion, because occlusive disease ipsilateral to the symptomatic eye is more frequent and severe in retinal artery occlusion than in the cases of amaurosis fugax.

Aged↗

PubMed1998

[A case of paradoxical brain embolism in a 17-year-old boy].

A 17-year-old healthy high school boy suddenly suffered from consciousness disturbance immediately after a karate match. His neurological findings on admission were consciousness disturbance, motor aphasia, right hemiparesis, and right Babinski reflex. Cerebral angiography showed occlusion of the precentral branch of the left middle cerebral artery, and X-ray CT scan on the second day revealed low density area in its territory. No abnormality was found on transthoracic echocardiography or Holter ECG. Contrast transesophageal echocardiography with Valsalva maneuver was performed twice (the 2nd and the 14th day), and patent foramen ovale (PFO) was found only on the second trial. It was supposed that paradoxical embolism had occurred. Transesophageal echocardiography is necessary for the embolic patients of unknown origin, especially young adults. To find PFO, it is important to repeat contrast transesophageal echocardiography carefully. if it is negative on the first trial.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

[Appropriate intravesical retention time of pirarubicin concentration based on its level in tumor tissue, anti-tumor effect and side effect in intravesical instillation therapy for bladder tumor].

The present study was designed to investigate the appropriate intravesical retention time of pirarubicin (THP) for the treatment of bladder tumor in terms of its anti-tumor effect and side effect. We administered THP to 22 patients with superficial bladder tumor intravesically and measured the THP concentration in the tumor tissues. Patients were divided into 3 groups by retention time; 8 for 30 minutes, 8 for 1 hour and 7 for 2 hours. Tumor tissues were obtained by transurethral resection 30 min., 1 or 2 hours after the intravesical instillation of THP at the fixed concentrations of 30 mg/30 ml. There was no significant difference in THP concentration between 3 groups. This indicates that the anti-tumor effect of intravesical instillation of the THP would be expected by only 30 min. of intravesical retention time at the THP concentration of 30 mg/30 ml. Then, we administered 30 mg/30 ml of THP solution for 30 min. to 10 patients intravesically 6 times every 48 hours to investigate its clinical anti-tumor effect and side effect. There were 2 complete responses, 3 partial responses and 5 cases with no changes for a total response rate of 50%. No side effect was observed. It is considered that 30 min. of intravesical retention time at the THP concentration of 30 mg/30 ml would be appropriate in terms of its anti-tumor effect and side effect.

Administration, Intravesical↗

PubMed1998

[Long-term administration study of propiverine hydrochloride (BUP-4 tablets) in pollakiuria and urinary incontinence].

The safety and efficacy of one-year administration of propiverine hydrochloride (BUP-4 tablets) were assessed in facilities affiliated with the Department of Urology of Yokohama City University School of Medicine. Changes in subjective symptoms showed significant improvement in mean frequency of urination in the daytime from 10.3 +/- 4.0 times before administration to 7.1 +/- 2.9 times 1 year after the start of administration, in mean frequency of voiding at night from 4.2 +/- 1.7 times to 2.1 +/- 1.1 times and in mean incidence of urinary incontinence from 2.9 +/- 2.1 times to 0.7 +/- 1.0 times. The final degree of overall improvement rate was 82.0% (41/50 cases). Adverse effects were observed 26 times in 22 patients, the incidence being 15.6% (22/141 cases). They consisted of digestive symptoms in 9.9% (6 events of dry mouth, 4 of constipation, 2 of abdominal discomfort, 2 of diarrhea and 1 of gastritis), urinary tract symptoms in 3.5% (4 of dysuria and 1 of residual urine), abnormal laboratory findings in 1.4% (increase in glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase or lactate dehydrogenase levels) and others (1.4%). These results provide further evidence of the safety and efficacy of propiverine hydrochloride (BUP-4 tablets) even when administered for a long-term in the treatment of patients with pollakiuria and urinary incontinence.

Administration, Oral↗