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Biomedical subjects

Y Harada

Publications and source records attributed to Y Harada.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

[Clinical effects of combination therapy with cefozopran and tobramycin for severe infections in patients with hematologic diseases].

We studied clinical effect of a combination therapy with cefozopran (CZOP) and tobramycin (TOB) for infections in 80 patients with hematologic diseases in 15 institutes. Combined doses with CZOP 2 g and TOB 60-90 mg twice a day had been given intravenously. Of the 80 patients, 61 patients (42 with acute leukemia, 10 with malignant lymphoma, 3 with aplastic anemia, 2 with chronic myeloid leukemia, 2 with multiple myeloma, and 2 with myelodysplastic syndrome) were evaluable. Those consisted of 6 patients with septicemia, 49 with suspected septicemia, 3 with pneumonia, and 3 with other infections. Clinical efficacy by the treatment was excellent in 24, good in 17, fair in 9, and poor in 11 patients, and the overall efficacy rate including excellent and good was 67.2%. Microbiologically, 5 of the 6 patients with septicemia (1 coagulase negative Staphylococcus, 2 S. pneumoniae, 1 S. oralis, and 1 E. coli) were responded. The efficacy rate in patients with severe granulocytopenia showing 100/microliter or lesser neutrophil counts during the drug administration was 57.1% (12/21). Side effects and abnormal changes of clinical laboratory findings were observed in 5 patients, and 16 patients, respectively, but most of them were mild. The findings above suggested that the combination therapy with CZOP and TOB is useful as an empiric therapy for severe infections in patients with hematologic diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Allelic loss at 1p34, 13q12, 17p13.3, and 17q21.1 correlates with poor postoperative prognosis in breast cancer.

Allelic losses of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs), or the chromosomal regions harboring them, in tumor DNA may become useful postoperative prognostic indicators. To examine whether specific allelic losses might correlate with postoperative survival in a 5-year prospective follow-up, we tested tumors from a cohort of 264 breast cancer patients for allelic losses of 18 microsatellite markers representing either a known TSG or a region where genetic alterations are frequent in breast tumors. Patients whose tumors had lost an allele at 1p34, 13q12, 17p13.3, or 17q21.1 had significantly higher risks of postoperative mortality than those whose tumors retained both alleles at those loci (at 1p34, a 5-year mortality rate of 29% among patients with losses vs. 7% with retentions, P = 0. 0008; at 13q12, 31% vs. 10%, P = 0.0062; at 17p13.3, 24% vs. 13%, P = 0.026; and at 17q21.1, 31% vs. 13%, P = 0.0047). Furthermore, combined losses at 13q12 and 17p13.3 increased the predicted postoperative mortality risks by a factor of 9.6 (5-year mortality rate of 42% vs. 5% with retentions, P = 0.0001), and combined losses at 1p34 and 17p13.3 raised the predicted postoperative mortality risks by a factor of 8.6 (27% vs. 3%, P = 0.0064). We conclude that allelic losses at these loci can serve as negative prognostic indicators to guide postoperative management of patients. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 26:134-141, 1999.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma in Mexico: analysis of 135 consecutive gastrectomies in two hospitals.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been implicated in the genesis of gastric carcinoma. The presence of clonal episomal viral forms in the nuclei of neoplastic gastric epithelial cells suggests that viral infection occurs before the development of gastric carcinoma. Mexico is a country at high risk for gastric cancer-it is the second cause of death among patients who die of cancer in that country. A series of 135 consecutive non-selected gastrectomies from two hospitals in Mexico City were analyzed to search for EBV in gastric carcinomas. EBV-encoded small non-polyadenylated RNA (EBER) in situ hybridization was performed on 5-microm paraffin-embedded tissue sections. Age, gender, anatomical site, histological type, and invasiveness of gastric carcinomas were obtained from the records in the corresponding Departments of Pathology. Eleven (8.15%) of the 135 cases were EBER-1-positive gastric carcinomas. Six occurred in males and five in females. In three women, the neoplasia was localized in the antrum. Five of the 11 cases were lymphoepithelioma-like carcinomas and, in two of them, an unusual foreign body-type inflammation was observed. Environmental factors could influence the distinctive pathologic features of EBV-associated gastric carcinoma in the Mexican population.

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

[A case of simple coarctation].

We report a successful surgical repair of the simple coarctation of a 80-day-old girl by extended end-to-end aortic arch reconstruction. She was admitted to our hospital at the age of 4 days because of poor pulsation of femoral arteries. The systolic blood pressure gradient between the arm and the leg was 30 mmHg. Echocardiography on admission revealed a simple coarctation and patent foramen ovale, with the mildly impaired left ventricular contraction (left ventricular fractional shortening was 23%). Although aortography demonstrated an isolated interrupted segment at the aortic isthmus with collaterals (type A classification of Celoria-Patton), the tubular connection between the distal arch and the descending aorta, of which intralumen was obstructed with abundant ductal tissues, was found at operation. The obstruction of the lumen of aortic isthmus in our case, which was originally patent, might be caused by ductal closure and present as a simple coarctation.

Aortic Coarctation↗
PubMed1999

WT1 Gene Expression in Human Testicular Germ-Cell Tumors.

The Wilms' tumor 1 gene (WT1) is a tumor suppressor gene whose alterations are linked to the genesis of Wilms¹ tumor. The gene is expressed in the urogenital organs and plays a key role in their development. Recent studies have shown that the WT1 gene product acts as a growth promoter of human leukemic cells. Because WT1 has been reported to be important in testicular development, we have investigated WT1 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in testicular germ-cell tumors. Quantitative reverse transcription­polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to examine the levels of WT1 mRNA in 34 patients with testicular germ-cell tumor, including 25 low-stage and 9 high-stage tumors. There were 23 seminomas and 11 nonseminomas. The WT1 mRNA was highly expressed in 6 of 9 high-stage lesions (67%) but only 5 of 25 low-stage cases (20%). A significant correlation was observed between the extent of WT1 mRNA expression and tumor stage (P = 0.017). There was no significant difference in WT1 mRNA expression between seminomas and nonseminomatous tumors. These results suggest that WT1 may be causal for the progression of testicular germ-cell tumors.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) induces duodenal phasic contractions via the vagal cholinergic nerves in sheep.

This study examined the effect of intravenous infusion of pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) on duodenal motility in sheep and the mechanism of the action of PACAP. The bilateral cervical vagus nerves were coiled with a cooling device under anesthesia. Duodenal motility was recorded by manometry in conscious animals. PACAP-27, PACAP-38 and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) were infused intravenously at 3, 10, 30 and 100 pmol/kg in phase II of the duodenal migrating motor complexes (MMC). PACAP-27 induced a cluster of phasic contractions of the duodenum, while PACAP-38 only augmented the spontaneous contractions. The pattern of PACAP-27-induced contractions was different from that of phase III of MMC, and the contractions were followed by a quiescence period. VIP at only the highest dose induced phase III-like activity of the duodenum. Both the intravenous background infusion of atropine at 10 nmol/kg/min and the reversible cooling blockade of the bilateral cervical vagus nerves blocked the effect of PACAP-27. The application of PACAP-27 at concentrations ranging from 10 nM to 1 microM did not induce contractions of ovine duodenal smooth muscles. These results indicate that PACAP contracts the ovine duodenum via the vagal cholinergic efferent fibers, suggesting that PACAP acts on the central nervous system.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Functional expression of green fluorescent protein derivatives in Halobacterium salinarum.

We investigated the applicability of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) of Aequorea victoria as a reporter for gene expression in an extremely halophilic organism: Halobacterium salinarum. Two recombinant GFPs were fused with bacteriorhodopsin, a typical membrane protein of H. salinarum. These fusion proteins preserved the intrinsic functions of each component, bacteriorhodopsin and GFP, were expressed in H. salinarum under conditions with an extremely high salt concentration, and were proved to be properly localized in its plasma membrane. These results suggest that GFP could be used as a versatile reporter of gene expression in H. salinarum for investigations of various halophilic membrane proteins, such as sensory rhodopsin or phoborhodopsin.

Archaeal Proteins↗
PubMed1998

Altering the context of an RNA bulge switches the binding specificities of two viral Tat proteins.

The bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV) Tat protein binds with high affinity to its TAR RNA site through a large set of specific RNA-protein contacts whereas human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Tat makes relatively few contacts to HIV TAR and requires the assistance of a cellular protein to bind with high affinity. The two TAR sites are structurally very similar, but BIV Tat appears unable to make the same set of high-affinity contacts to HIV TAR. To determine the basis of this discrimination, we examined BIV Tat binding to a series of hybrid TARs both in vivo and in vitro. We expected that differences in the architectures of the bulges might account for the binding specificity; however, the results show that flanking base pairs provide the key determinants. Based on these data, we designed a novel TAR that is recognized by both BIV Tat and HIV Tat. This RNA may be viewed as a primordial TAR from which two distinct recognition strategies can be evolved.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Changes in the distribution of nitric oxide synthase immunoreactive nerve fibers in the chronically hypoxic rat carotid body.

The distribution of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) immunoreactive nerve fibers in the carotid body was compared between normoxic and chronically hypoxic rats (10% O2 and 3.0-4.0% CO2 for 3 months). NOS immunoreactive fibers appeared as thin processes with many varicosities. They were distributed predominantly around small arteries and arterioles, and around clusters of glomus cells. When expressed by the density of varicosities per unit area in the parenchyma, the density of NOS fibers associated with the vasculature and with the glomus cells in the chronically hypoxic carotid bodies was significantly decreased. Because nitric oxide (NO) is an inhibitory neuronal messenger in the normoxic carotid body, the present findings suggest that the sensory mechanisms in the hypoxic carotid body may be involved in 'disinhibition' resulting from reduced NO synthesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

A cis-acting regulatory element that affects the alternative splicing of a muscle-specific exon in the mouse NCAM gene.

The pre-mRNA encoding the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) is spliced to generate NCAM isoforms containing the muscle-specific domain (MSD) during myogenesis. Utilizing chimeric NCAM minigenes, we searched for cis-acting elements that contribute to the alternative selection of exon MSDb, one of the four exons encoding MSD, and identified an intronic cis-element located downstream of exon MSDb. The cis-element acted as a negative regulator for the selection of exon MSDb in nonmuscle fibroblasts but not in myoblasts, that are already destined to differentiate into muscle cells. The suppressive effect of this cis-element on the selection of exon MSDb was released in the process of myogenesis. When MyoD was co-expressed with a minigene containing this element in fibroblasts, the suppressive effect of the cis-element was released as the cells underwent differentiation. We propose that this cis-element contributes at least as one of the regulatory elements in the differentiation state-dependent selection of MSD exons in vivo.

Alternative Splicing↗
PubMed1998

Molecular cloning and expression of a cDNA encoding an olfactory-specific mouse phenol sulphotransferase.

Previously we demonstrated the presence of phenol sulphotransferase (P-ST) in mouse nasal cytosols and identified its zonal location in mouse nasal cavity by staining with an antiserum raised against a rat liver P-ST isoenzyme, PSTg. In the present study a cDNA was isolated from a mouse olfactory cDNA library by immunological screening with the antiserum. The isolated cDNA consisted of 1347 bp with a 912 bp open reading frame encoding a 304-residue polypeptide. Both the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the cDNA were 94% identical with those of a rat liver P-ST isoenzyme, ST1C1. The expressed enzyme in Escherichia coli displayed high P-ST activity towards phenolic odorants such as eugenol and guaiacol, and it showed a high N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene sulphation activity in comparison with the rat ST1C1 enzyme. These results indicate that the olfactory P-ST encoded by the cDNA is a mouse orthologue of rat ST1C1; however, expression of the olfactory P-ST mRNA is specific for nasal tissues as revealed by reverse transcriptase-mediated PCR (RT-PCR).

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Mn Lalpha,beta and F Kalpha resonant X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy of MnF(2).

Mn Lalpha,beta and F Kalpha(1,2) (K-L(3,2)) X-ray fluorescence spectra of MnF(2) were measured when the excitation X-ray energy was higher and lower than the threshold energies. Monochromated synchrotron radiation was used for primary excitation. The resonance fluorescence of Mn Lbeta and the multiply ionized F Kalpha(3,4) satellites (KL-L(2)) were observed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Angle-resolved UV photoelectron spectra (UPS) of thin films of perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride on MoS(2).

Angle-resolved UV photoelectron spectra (ARUPS) were measured for thin films of perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) deposited on cleaved MoS(2) surfaces. The take-off angle (theta) dependence of the photoelectron intensity of the highest pi band showed a sharp maximum at theta = 32-34 degrees. A spectral feature of the binding energy at approximately 8.9 eV, which is believed to originate from a pi state, showed a remarkably different theta dependence from that of the pi band. A quantitative analysis of the observed theta dependencies clearly indicates that (a) the feature at approximately 8.9 eV originates from the oxygen 2p non-bonding states and (b) the molecules lie flat on the substrate surface.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Temperature dependence of photoelectron angular distribution from thin films of chloroaluminum phthalocyanine on MoS(2).

Angle-resolved UV photoelectron spectra were measured for thin films of chloroaluminum phthalocyanine deposited on cleaved MoS(2) surfaces. The take-off angle (theta) dependence of the photoelectron intensity of the highest pi band showed a remarkable sharpening upon cooling the film, indicating that thermal excitation of molecular vibrations gives a considerable broadening of the photoelectron angular distribution. The theta dependence observed at approximately 120 K agrees well with that calculated.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Spectrometer for polarized soft X-ray Raman scattering.

An experimental system for polarized soft X-ray Raman scattering spectroscopy has been constructed. The soft X-ray spectrometer is based on the Rowland circle geometry with a holographic spherical grating. Three types of gratings are used to cover the energy range from 18 eV to 1200 eV. According to a ray-trace simulation, the resolution is expected to be 200 meV at 700 eV by using a 10 micro m slit width. The polarized and depolarized soft X-ray Raman scattering spectra can be measured by rotating the soft X-ray spectrometer around the axis of the incident beam. Preliminary measurements of polarized and depolarized spectra were accomplished at undulator beamline BL-2C of the Photon Factory.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

[A case of the pulmonary thrombosis caused by unilateral pulmonary artery occulusion test].

A 71-year-old male, diagnosed as lung cancer, underwent unilateral pulmonary occulusion test. Through the guidewire, 7.5 Fr thermodilution catheter with occlusion balloon was introduced to the left pulmonary artery from the right internal jugular vein. Heparinized physiological saline solution was injected into the distal site of the occulusion. The occulusion time was 15 minutes. Pulmonary artery pressure and wedge pressure were within normal range. Soon after the examination, the pulmonary arteriogram (PAG) showed the defect of the branch to the lingular segment and the lower lobe. We made a diagnosis of pulmonary thrombosis. Three days after the administration of urokinase and heparin, both pulmonary perfusion scintigram and PAG exhibited the reperfusion to these areas. After the thrombolytic therapy was accomplished, antithrombin III and protein C in the serum showed within normal range. It was possible that the damage on the intima due to the thermodilution catheter or the guidewire and the following blood congestion by the pulmonary artery occulusion caused the thrombosis.

Aged↗