Biomedical subjects

Y Ichinose

Publications and source records attributed to Y Ichinose.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2002

A phase I study of combination chemotherapy with gemcitabine and oral UFT for advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

A phase I study was carried out to determine the optimal dose and administration schedule for combined UFT plus gemcitabine therapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Twenty-four patients (including 11 patients previously treated with cisplatin as the key drug) received oral UFT 400 mg x m(-2) on days 1 to 14 with intravenous infusions of gemcitabine (800 mg x m(-2) on days 8 and 15, or 900 mg x m(-2) on days 8 and 15, or 900 mg x m(-2) on days 1, 8 and 15). The most appropriate dosing option appeared to be 400 mg x m(-2) per day of oral UFT for 14 consecutive days with 900 mg x m(-2) gemcitabine on days 8 and 15. Eight of the 24 patients achieved partial response. The combination chemotherapy UFT and gemcitabine was well tolerated and may benefit patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. A multicentre phase II study using a 3-weekly regimen is in progress.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2001

Unique minithoracotomy assisted by videothoracoscopy facilitates a maximal view even with a minimal wound for resection of primary lung cancer.

Resection for primary lung cancer with an unique minithoracotomy and use of videothoracoscopy is described. Through an incision of approximately 10 cm at an ausculatory triangle, the 5th intercostal thoracotomy is done following dissection of muscles. At the anterior and posterior portion of the 6th rib, the 6th intercostal vessels and nerve were dissected and the rib was resected. This approach makes feasible opening of a thoracic window without injury to the nerve and removal of the rib. Thoracoscopy is introduced through a midaxillary wound of 2 cm. We report nine patients in whom we achieved resection for primary lung cancer by using this approach. This technique facilitates a standard operation for lung cancer and an almost painless postoperative state.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Lung cancer in patients younger than 40 years of age.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: We investigated whether the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of lung cancer in younger patients differ from those of older patients. METHODS: Among 2,763 lung cancer patients treated during the period from April of 1972 to April of 1997, we retrospectively investigated the clinical features and prognosis of 53 patients under 40 years of age (young group) and compared them with the findings of 1,886 patients with 60 years of age or older (elderly group). RESULTS: The proportion of female patients in the younger group was significantly higher than that in the elderly group (39.6% vs. 24.1%). The young group had a significantly higher proportion of adenocarcinoma (75.5% vs. 44.8%) and stage III-IV disease (73.6% vs. 59.2%) and a significantly lower proportion of squamous cell carcinoma (3.8% vs. 32.1%). Regarding the selection of therapy, in the young group, a significantly lower proportion of patients underwent surgical therapy (35.8% vs. 41.5%) and a significantly higher proportion of those (37.7% vs. 16.4%) received chemotherapy. The overall survival between the young and elderly groups was not significantly different. Moreover, the 5-year survival rate of the patients undergoing a surgical resection was 56.1% in the young group and 44.8% in the elderly group (P = 0.0615). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that the prognosis of young patients with lung cancer is at least equivalent to that of older patients; therefore, they should be managed according to the general therapeutic guidelines.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Early phase II study of S-1, a new oral fluoropyrimidine, for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of S-1, a new oral fluoropyrimidine, were evaluated in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The objective of this study was to determine whether the drug should be investigated in a late phase II study. METHODS: Each treatment course consisted of an oral dose of S-1, 50 mg/body or 75 mg/body, twice a day for 28 days followed by a 2-week washout period. RESULTS: Fifty-six eligible patients were enrolled. Five of the 40 previously untreated patients (12.5%; 90% confidence interval, 6.2%-23.5%) showed a partial response (PR), and no tumor response was observed in the 16 previously treated patients. The median survival duration in all eligible patients was 8.4 months, with a 1-year survival rate of 27.3%. The incidences of grade 3 or more severe adverse effects were: anemia, 5.4%; leukopenia, 5.4%; neutropenia, 5.4%; thrombocytopenia, 1.8%; anorexia, 3.6%; diarrhea, 3.6%; and general fatigue, 5.4%. These effects disappeared after cessation of the drug or appropriate treatment. One patient died as a result of aggravated interstitial pneumonitis, but the relationship of this event to S-1 was not clear. CONCLUSION: S-1 showed modest activity with mild toxicity in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer. Based on this result, we will progress to the next stage of a late phase II study for advanced NSCLC, and a phase II study of S-1 and cisplatin for advanced gastric cancer. Final results will be reported as they are obtained.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed2001

Bacteriophage P4282, a parasite of Ralstonia solanacearum, encodes a bacteriolytic protein important for lytic infection of its host.

To enhance bacterial wilt resistance in tobacco expressing a foreign protein, we isolated the bacteriolytic gene from a bacteriophage that infects Ralstonia solanacearum. The bacteriolytic protein of phage P4282 isolated in Tochigi Prefecture was purified from a lysate of R. solanacearum M4S cells infected with the phage, and its bacteriolytic activity was assayed by following the decrease in the turbidity of suspensions of R. solancacearum M4S cells. The molecular weight of the bacteriolytic protein was approximately 71 kDa, and the sequence of the N-terminal 13 amino acids was determined. We used oligonucleotide probes based on this amino acid sequence to isolate the bacteriolytic gene from phage P4282 DNA. This gene of 2061 bp encodes a product of 687 amino acids, whose calaculated molecular weight was 70.12 kDa. The bacteriolytic gene was placed under the control of an inducible promoter. and the plasmid was transformed into Escherichia coli NM522. The soluble proteins extracted from E.coli NM522 cells harboring the plasmid with the bacteriolytic gene showed obvious bacteriolytic activities against several strains of R. solanacearum isolated in various districts in Japan. DNA fragments from five phages, isolated in Niigata, Aomori, Okinawa, Fukushima and Yamaguchi Prefectures, hybridized to the bacteriolytic gene of phage P4282. These observations indicate that the bacteriolytic protein shows nonspecific activity against R. solanacearum strains, and a sequence similar to that of the bacteriolytic gene is conserved in the DNA of other bacteriophages. These results indicate that the generation of transgenic (tobacco) plants expressing the bacteriolytic gene of phage P4282 might result in enhanced resistance to bacterial wilt in tobacco.

Bacteriolysis↗

PubMed2001

Molecular cloning and functional analysis of pea cDNA E86 encoding homologous protein to hypersensitivity-related hsr203J.

Clone E86 was isolated as cDNA for elicitor-inducible gene from pea epicotyls by differential screening. The deduced amino acid sequence of E86 showed high homology to hypersensitivity-related protein hsr203J in tobacco and also showed significant homologies to the Ser-active hydrolases, such as mammalian hormone-sensitive lipases, bacterial lipases and esterases. E86 polypeptide possesses consensus amino acid sequence motifs (His-Gly) and (Gly-X-Ser-X-Gly) conserved in lipases and esterases and showed esterase degradation of p-nitrophenyl butyrate. Northern blot analysis revealed that the E86-transcript is abundant in roots and stems and was induced by fungal elicitor in pea epicotyls. However, elicitor-induced accumulation of E86 mRNA was significantly inhibited by the fungal suppressor. Furthermore the expression of the genes encoding E86 and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase was induced within 1 h after the inoculation of a nonpathogen, but it was delayed for 5 h by the inoculation of a compatible pathogen. These results suggest that the elicitor-induced Ser-active hydrolase derived from E86 gene might be related to the plant defense responses.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2001

Prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer patients with positive pleural lavage cytology after a thoracotomy: results of the survey conducted by the Japan Clinical Oncology Group.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to clarify the prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer patients without pleural effusion whose intrapleural cancer cells were detected by a cytologic examination of pleural lavage fluid obtained immediately after a thoracotomy. METHOD: A questionnaire survey on the survival of the patients with positive pleural lavage cytology from January 1985 to December 1994 was performed by the Japan Clinical Oncology Group. RESULTS: According to the data collected from 15 institutions, 1890 non-small cell lung cancer patients without pleural effusion underwent pleural lavage cytology immediately after thoracotomy and 142 (7.8%) of them were found to have intrapleural cancer cells detected by the cytological analysis. The information of survival on 113 patients was available. This comprised of 64 males and 49 females with a mean age of 64.6 years. The predominant histologic type was adenocarcinoma (74%). Out of these 113 patients, 109 (97%) underwent a surgical resection. The 5-year survival rate was 30% in all patients, 49% in pathological stage I (n=35), 23% in stage II (n=20) and 26% in stage IIIA (n=34). CONCLUSION: Patients with a positive pleural lavage cytology in pathological stage I or II appear to have a poor 5-year survival rate.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

Prognosis of resected non-small cell lung cancer patients with carcinomatous pleuritis of minimal disease.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to clarify the prognosis of resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with carcinomatous pleuritis of minimal disease which might be considered as the next advanced stage of positive pleural lavage cytology. METHOD: The data were collected from a questionnaire survey on the survival of the patients with carcinomatous pleuritis found at thoracotomy from 1985 to December 1994 which was conducted by the Japan Clinical Oncology Group (JCOG). RESULTS: Out of 227 patients with carcinomatous pleuritis found at thoracotomy who had available information on a survival, 100 patients who underwent a resection of the primary tumor had carcinomatous pleuritis of minimal disease defined based on the criteria of the Japan Lung Cancer Society. The mean malignant fluid volume (+/-S.E.) was 37.1 (6.3) ml and the mean number of pleural disseminated nodules was 5.6 (0.9). A lobectomy was performed in 79 patients, a pneumonectomy in 11 and a limited resection in ten. The 3- and 5-year survival rates were 31.8 and 22.8%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The prognosis of resected NSCLC patients with carcinomatous pleuritis of minimal disease was unexpectedly good. This indicates that no fine line may exist between positive pleural lavage cytology findings and the aforementioned lesion.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

Overall survival and local recurrence of 406 completely resected stage IIIa-N2 non-small cell lung cancer patients: questionnaire survey of the Japan Clinical Oncology Group to plan for clinical trials.

BACKGROUND: the group of completely resected stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer patients (NSCLC) is considered to be heterogeneous in various aspects including survival and the recurrent pattern. In the present study, we attempted to clarify the factors which separate these patients into high and low risk groups based on the survival and local recurrence. METHODS: a questionnaire survey on the survival and local recurrence of non-small cell lung cancer patients with pathological stage IIIA-N2 disease who underwent a complete resection from January 1992 to December 1993 was performed by the Japan Clinical Oncology Group as of July 1999. The information on the survival of 406 patients and that of local recurrence in 332 of them was available. RESULTS: the 5-year survival of the 406 patients was 31.0%. In a univariate analysis, the age, clinical and pathological T status, number of N2 stations, pathological N1 disease, operative modality and postoperative radiotherapy were all found to be important prognostic factors. Clinical N2 disease marginally influenced the survival (P=0.07). In a multivariate analysis of these variables including clinical N2 disease, the survival was significantly worse in the case of multiple N2 stations (hazard ratio=1.741), the presence of pathological N1 disease (1.403), pathological T2 or 3 disease (1.399) and an age older than 65 (1.327). The rate of freedom from any local recurrence at the bronchial stump, or in the hilar, mediastinal or supraclavicular lymph nodes at 5 years was 64%. In a univariate analysis of the freedom from local recurrence, the clinical N status, pathological T status, pathological N1 disease and number of N2 stations were all found to be important prognostic factors. A multivariate analysis revealed the freedom from local recurrence to be adversely influenced by multiple N2 stations (hazard ratio=2.05), and the presence of either clinical N1 or 2 (1.733) disease. The 5-year survival and the rate of freedom from local recurrence at 5 years were 43 and 75% in patients with a single N2 station and 17 and 48% in those with multiple N2 stations, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: the number of N2 stations (single vs. multiple N2 stations) was found to be a useful prognostic factor, which can separate completely resected stage IIIA-N2 patients into high and low risk groups regarding both the overall survival and local recurrence.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Remission of hemifacial spasm after proximal occlusion of vertebrobasilar dissecting aneurysm with coils: case report.

Intracranial aneurysm is a rare cause of hemifacial spasm and most of the previously reported cases are treated with surgical microvascular decompression. Authors report a case of hemifacial spasm caused by a dissecting aneurysm located at the vertebrobasilar junction which improved after endovascular obliteration of the affected vertebral artery with coils. The patient was a 69-year-old man with 20 months' history of left hemifacial spasm. A vertebral angiogram showed an irregular dilatation of the right vertebral artery associated with aneurysmal dilatation at the vertebrobasilar junction. Endovascular obliteration of the abnormally dilated right vertebral artery proximal to the vertebrobasilar junction was performed. The hemifacial spasm gradually improved after the embolisation and disappeared 6 months later. Endovascular proximal obliteration of the vertebral artery may have changed the hemodynamic force inside the aneurysm and eliminated the vascular compression at the root exit zone of the facial nerve.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

Completely resected stage IIIA non-small cell lung cancer: the significance of primary tumor location and N2 station.

BACKGROUND: The number of N2 stations (single vs multiple N2 stations) is an important prognostic factor in patients with completely resected stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer. However, the significance of both the N2 station(s) actually involved and the primary tumor location remains unclear. METHODS: The database was built with the use of a questionnaire survey on the survival of patients with pathologic stage IIIA-N2 non-small cell lung cancer completely resected between January 1992 and December 1993. The survey was performed by the Japan Clinical Oncology Group as of July 1999. The data include information on the survival and N2 stations of 402 patients. RESULTS: A frequently metastasized single N2 station was the lower pretracheal station in primary tumors in the right upper lobe, the subaortic station in the left upper lobe, and the subcarinal station in the right middle or lower lobe and the left lower lobe. In multiple N2 stations, the frequency of metastasis of the N2 station observed in a single N2 station was as high as 72% to 89%, and one or two other frequently metastasized stations were added to each group. Regarding the survival of patients with a primary tumor in each lobe except for the left lower lobe, a single N2 station resulted in a significantly better survival than did multiple N2 stations. Furthermore, the overall survivals classified according to each primary site showed a significant difference among the four primary sites (P =.04). CONCLUSIONS: The primary tumors in each lobe showed a prevalence of N2 station(s). The number of N2 stations is a good prognosticator except in patients with a primary tumor in the left lower lobe. In addition, the site of a primary tumor itself is also considered to influence the survival of the patients.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

Effect of methyl jasmonate on harpin-induced hypersensitive cell death, generation of hydrogen peroxide and expression of PAL mRNA in tobacco suspension cultured BY-2 cells.

Methyl jasmonate inhibited the harpin-induced defense responses such as cell death, H2O2 generation and gene expression encoding phenylalanine ammonia-lyase in tobacco suspension cultured BY-2 cells. These results suggest that MeJA may act as an endogenous suppressor for plant defense response including hypersensitive reaction.

Acetates↗

PubMed2001

Gramine increase associated with rapid and transient systemic resistance in barley seedlings induced by mechanical and biological stresses.

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is one of the intriguing issues for studying the mechanism in signal transduction system in a whole plant. We found that SAR and increase of an antifungal compound were induced rapidly and transiently in barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Goseshikoku) by mechanical and biological stresses. One of the major antifungal compounds was identified as an indole alkaloid, gramine (N,N-dimethyl-3-aminomethylindole), by mass spectrum and NMR analyses. Gramine is well known as a constitutive compound of barley, but it increased significantly in the primary and secondary leaves of barley seedlings within 12 h after pruning or inoculating with the powdery mildew fungi of barley (Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei) and wheat (B. graminis f.sp. tritici). However, in the leaf detached from unwounded seedlings or in the leaf inoculated with the barley powdery mildew fungus, gramine did not increase at all. In the water droplets contacted with barley leaves, the amount of leaked gramine increased dependently upon the time after the seedling was injured mechanically. We also found a tight correlation between gramine increase and enhancement of resistance to the barley powdery mildew fungus in barley leaves treated with an endogenous elicitor. Furthermore, such a systemic resistance was not observed in a barley cultivar Morex that lacks the biosynthetic pathway of gramine. From these results, we conclude that gramine is the excellent marker in rapid and transient systemic acquired resistance in barley.

Alkaloids↗

PubMed2001

[The characterization of Vibrio cholerae non-O1 strain causing perforative pan-peritonitis].

We report a case of a 53-year-old male with Vibrio cholerae non-O1 (serotype O19) infection, resulting in perforative pan-peritonitis. The patient had a history of gastric cancer and a gastrectomy was performed one year prior. The patient had previously been admitted with nausea and vomiting and was diagnosed with a sub-ileus condition. He was provisionally discharged when his condition improved and during that period he ate raw fish caught locally in Nagasaki Prefecture, and several hours later he experienced a sudden onset of severe abdominal pain and nausea and on diagnosis of pan-peritonitis an emergency resection of the transverse colon was performed. We subsequently isolated Vibrio cholerae non-O1 from the patient's peritoneal fluid and stool. He died of multiple organ failure three weeks later despite intensive chemotherapeutic care and treatment for shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation. The strain of Vibrio cholerae non-O1 isolated was non-toxigenic but hemolytic with hyper-producing of metalloprotease.

Colectomy↗

PubMed2001

Hypothalamic encephalitis with bradycardia.

A 74-year-old man developed fever, somnolence, hyponatremia, and life-threatening sinus bradycardia for three weeks. He showed a slight elevation of lymphocyte count and protein level in the cerebrospinal fluid. A brain CT scan revealed a diffuse low density area around the hypothalamus which was identified as a high intensity signal by flair MR imaging. Marked sinus bradycardia developed with no abnormality in the echocardiograph or cardiac enzymes. Over the next 6 weeks he became alert and normal sinus rhythm resumed. The results of endocrine tests were compatible with hypothalamic insufficiency with partial hypopituitarism and the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of ADH.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

[Reevaluation of the surgical indications for non-small cell lung cancer based on the results of postoperative treatment].

Patients who undergo complete surgical resection for pathological stage I-IIIa non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are candidates for postoperative chemo- and/or radiotherapy. The indications for surgical resection are not a problematic issue, regardless of the results of postoperative therapy. So far there have been no definitively positive results in randomized phase III trials comparing postoperative adjuvant therapy with no further therapy. Therefore clinical trials should be conducted to determine the most appropriate postoperative regimen in NSCLC.

Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung↗

PubMed2001

Survival of non-small cell lung cancer patients with postoperative recurrence at distant organs.

BACKGROUND: Recurrence after complete resection of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is often observed. However, its influence on the prognosis of patients with recurrence is still unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Of 468 consecutive patients with NSCLC undergoing complete resection during 10 years, 118 experienced recurrence at distant organs. In such patients, the influence of the following variables on post-recurrent survival was analyzed; sex, age at recurrence, disease-free interval, cell type, pathological (p-) stage at operation, adjuvant therapy (thoracic radiation and/or chemotherapy), site of recurrence, and treatment against recurrence. To identify independent factors, multivariate analysis was performed for variables which were considered to be influential in univariate analysis. RESULTS: Mean post-recurrent survival time was 418 days, and survival rate at 2-years was 15.7%. Multivariate analysis revealed that female, early p-stage, younger age at recurrence, metastasectomy and intra-pulmonary metastasis were the significant favorable factors in patients with distant metastases. Adjuvant therapy and bone metastasis were marginally significant unfavorable factors. Chemotherapy for recurrence tended to prolong survival. Length of disease-free survival and post-recurrent survival exhibited a positive relationship with p-stage. Seven out of 16 patients who underwent metastasectomy survived more than 1000 days after recurrence. CONCLUSIONS: Patients even with recurrence in distant organs could expect for long survival if they are in the early p-stage of primary cancer or a resectable recurrent disease.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2000

Adjuvant action of Escherichia coli enterotoxin for delayed-type hypersensitivity to Oka vaccine virus on pernasal co-administration in mice.

The usefulness of a mutant of Escherichia coli enterotoxin for the induction of cellular immunity to varicella-zoster virus as a mucosal adjuvant is assessed in mice. When a commercially available live varicella vaccine (the Oka strain) and toxin were once administered simultaneously via the nasal route, delayed-type hypersensitivity to Oka vaccine virus was significantly induced and detected by footpad test in mice. Moreover, when spleen cells from mice immunized with the vaccine and toxin were re-stimulated with live vaccine in vitro, they showed more thymidine uptake and produced more IL-2 than those from mice immunized with the vaccine alone. These results suggest that mutant enterotoxin has adjuvant action to induce a specific delayed-type hypersensitivity to Oka vaccine virus on nasal co-administration with live vaccine virus.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗