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Biomedical subjects

Y Ito

Publications and source records attributed to Y Ito.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Therapeutic effects of simultaneous intraluminal irradiation and intraluminal hyperthermia on oesophageal carcinoma.

An applicator enabling simultaneous intraluminal radiotherapy and intraluminal hyperthermia delivery was developed to improve the treatment results for locally advanced oesophageal carcinoma. Eight inoperable cases were treated by this method. Six cases received 40 Gy external irradiation followed by simultaneous intraluminal hyperthermia and radiotherapy (3 Gy and 4 Gy in three cases each) once weekly for 3 weeks; the remaining two cases received 50 Gy external irradiation followed by simultaneous intraluminal hyperthermia and radiotherapy (4 Gy) once weekly for 2 weeks. Hyperthermia was delivered by a radiofrequency current thermotherapy instrument for 30 min at an output that raised the oesophageal mucosal surface temperature to 42-43 degrees C. Intraluminal radiotherapy was delivered with a microSelectron to a submucosal depth of 5 mm after the first 15 min of hyperthermia. Four cases achieved complete response, with all demonstrating local control. Partial response was obtained in four cases, and three of these patients died of local recurrence. There were no significant adverse side effects apart from fistula in one case. In conclusion, simultaneous intraluminal radiotherapy and hyperthermia may improve the current treatment results for locally advanced oesophageal carcinoma.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Two bacterial mixed culture systems suitable for degrading terephthalate in wastewater.

Two different mixed cultures, which degrade terephthalate at 50 degrees C and pH 8, were isolated from a wastewater treatment plant. These were useful for the treatment of wastewater containing a high concentration of terephthalic acid (TPA). Each mixed culture included a TPA-degrading bacterium, strain K1 or Pseudomonas sp. C4S, and another bacterium unable to degrade TPA, the as-yet unclassified strain K3 or Bacillus sp. C4B. In axenic culture, K1 and C4S showed poor growth even in a medium supplemented with yeast extract and tryptone. On the other hand, when co-cultured with the co-isolate from the mixed culture which is unable to degrade TPA, the growth was enhanced. Moreover, several bacterial strains in our stock culture collection showed the ability to improve the growth of both TPA-degrading bacteria. A mixed culture of strains K1 and K3 exhibited rapid growth and TPA degradation in a chemically defined medium, suggesting that the mixed culture system would be applicable to the treatment of wastewater containing TPA.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

New allyl ester linker and solid-phase block synthesis of the serglycin core region.

The prototype glycopeptidyl fragments of serglycin, a proteoglycan with the characteristic peptide sequence of repeating L-seryl-L-glycine, were synthesized by a convergent method involving block condensation on a solid support. In order to facilitate detachment of the protected glycopeptides from the resin, a new allyl ester type of linker, which is cleavable by Pd(O)-catalysis, was designed and used in combination with the commercial acid-labile Sieber amide resin for the solid-phase synthesis. Glycopeptide blocks consisting of [O-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-D-xylosyl)-L-seryl-L-glycine]n (n = 1 - 8) were produced in good yields. Block condensation in a solution was also successful to synthesize up to the hexadecapeptide (n = 8).

Carbohydrate Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Expression of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies demonstrated that heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) contributes to carcinogenesis and carcinoma progression. In this study, we investigated its expression in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma. METHODS: We immunohistochemically investigated the expression of HB-EGF in 40 cases of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. RESULTS: HB-EGF was only occasionally and faintly expressed in normal and hyperplastic pancreas duct epithelia. In pancreatic adenocarcinoma, 22 (55.0%) of the 40 cases were classified as positive for HB-EGF. Its expression was more frequently observed in cases with a low Ki-67 labeling index, well differentiated. early stage, small size, without lymph node metastasis and low EGF-R expression. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that HB-EGF mainly plays a role in early phase of the progression of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2001

Altered immunoreactivity of HPC-1/syntaxin 1A in proliferated nerve fibers in the human aganglionic colon of Hirschsprung's disease.

To clarify the pathogenesis of excessive proliferation of extrinsic nerve fibers in the aganglionic colon of patients with Hirschsprung's disease (HD), we immunohistochemically determined the role that exocytosis-related proteins play in the regulation of exocytosis using the antibody to HPC-1/syntaxin 1A, an exocytosis-related protein. Localization of exocytosis-related proteins (HPC-1/syntaxin 1A, N-ethylmalemide-sensitive fusion protein (NSF), soluble NSF attachment protein (SNAP), synaptotagmin, synaptobrevin, and synaptosome-associated protein 25 (SNAP-25)) was determined in surgical specimens obtained from normal proximal and aganglionic distal segments of the colon of 7 infant patients with HD. In the normal ganglionic colon, Auerbach's plexus, Meisner's plexus, nerve fibers in the muscle layer, and ganglion cells were immunopositive for all six kinds of antisera. In the aganglionic segments, numerous proliferated nerve fibers and hypertrophied nerve bundles were detected in the submucosal layer and myenteric layer by NSF, SNAP, synaptotagmin, synaptobrevin, and SNAP-25. However, HPC-1/syntaxin 1A was not recognized in the proliferated nerve fibers of the submucosal layer or the hypertrophied nerve bundles of the aganglionic segment. These findings show that immunoreactivity of HPC-1/syntaxin 1A was decreased in the affected bowel segments of patients with HD and may be related to the pathogenesis of extrinsic nerve-fiber proliferation in the aganglionic colon of HD.

Antigens, Surface↗
PubMed2001

Age differences in immunohistochemical localizations of large proteoglycan, PG-M/versican, and small proteoglycan, decorin, in the dermis of rats.

Proteoglycans were localized immunohistochemically in the dermis of Donryu rats, using monoclonal antibodies raised against large proteoglycan (PG-M/versican) and small proteoglycan (decorin). The localizations of these proteoglycans in the dermis were compared between young rats (22-day old) and old ones (24 or 30 months of age), and distinct age differences were observed. In the young dermis, PG-M/versican was observed to be abundant in almost all fibroblastic cells (both cytoplasm and cell processes) whose cellularity was very rich compared with the dermis of old rats. Decorin was only faintly visible in the interstitial fibrous elements of young dermis. In the old dermis, however, decorin was distinctly detected on the fibrous elements, which were diffusely distributed as a fibrous network, and likewise PG-M/versican was visible in only a few fibrous elements which seemed to be the fine processes of fibroblastic cells. In the border layer between epidermis and dermis as well as the basal layer surrounding hair follicles, both large and small proteoglycans could be observed in old dermis. Since decorin, which was abundant in old dermis, has been found to have a growth inhibitory effect, it is conceivable that decorin may be one of the Cell Growth Inhibitory Factors in aging as proposed by Tauchi et al. [17, 18].

Aging↗
PubMed2001

Reconstitution in lipid bilayer of smooth muscle cation channels activated through a GTP-binding protein.

Reconstitution of G-protein-coupled receptor activated cation channels into the lipid bilayer was attempted with plasma membrane vesicles prepared from guinea-pig ileal smooth muscle using the purification technique previously applied to the large conductance Ca2+-dependent and ATP-sensitive K+ channels (Toro et al., 1990). Under Na+-rich conditions, incorporation of plasma membrane vesicles into the bilayer produced GTPgammaS (100 microM)-activatable channel activities that are inhibited by GDPbetaS (1 mM), sensitive to Ca2+ and enhanced by depolarization. The reversal potential and unitary conductance (tens of picosiemens) of these channels varied in a manner dependent on Na+ concentration, but not affected by Cl-. These results strongly indicate that the reconstituted channels activated by GTPgammaS belong to a class of voltage-dependent, Ca2+-sensitive cation-selective channels that are activated through a G-protein, and correspond most likely to the muscarinic receptor-activated cation channels previously identified in the same preparation. These results also suggest potential usefulness of bilayer incorporation technique to investigate the receptor-operated cation channels in smooth muscle.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Comparative study of toxicity of 4-nitrophenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol in newborn and young rats.

The toxicities of 4-nitrophenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol in newborn and young rats was examined and the susceptibility of newborn rats was analyzed in terms of presumed unequivocally toxic and no observed adverse effect levels (NOAELs). In the 18-day repeated dose newborn rat study, 4-nitrophenol was orally given from Day 4 to Day 21 after birth but did not induce any toxicity up to 160 mg/kg in the main study, although it induced death in one of six males at 160 mg/kg, and three of six males and one of six females at 230 mg/kg in a prior dose-finding study. In the 28-day repeated dose oral toxicity study starting at 6 weeks of age, 4-nitrophenol caused the death of most males and females at 1,000 mg/kg but was not toxic at 400 mg/kg except for male rat-specific renal toxicity. As unequivocally toxic levels were considered to be 230 mg/kg/day in newborn rats and 600 to 800 mg/kg/day in young rats, and NOAELs were 110 mg/kg/day in newborn rats and 400 mg/kg/day in young rats, the susceptibility of the newborn to 4-nitrophenol appears to be 2.5 to 4 times higher than that of young animals. In the newborn rat study of 2,4-dinitrophenol, animals died at 30 mg/kg in the dose-finding study and significant lowering of body and organ weights was observed at 20 mg/kg in the main study. In the 28-day young rat study, clear toxic signs followed by death occurred at 80 mg/kg but there was no definitive toxicity at 20 mg/kg. As unequivocally toxic levels and NOAELs were considered to be 30 and 10 mg/kg/day in newborn rats and 80 and 20 mg/kg/day in young rats, respectively, the toxicity of 2,4-dinitrophenol in newborns again seems to be 2 to 3 times stronger than in young rats. Abnormalities of external development and reflex ontogeny in the newborn were not observed with either chemical. Based on these results, it can be concluded that the toxic response in newborn rats is at most 4 times higher than that in young rats, at least in the cases of 4-nitrophenol and 2,4-dinitrophenol.

2,4-Dinitrophenol↗
PubMed2001

Surgical treatment of hemangioblastomas with presurgical endovascular embolization.

The usefulness of presurgical embolization of hemangioblastomas was evaluated retrospectively in eight of 30 operations performed on eight of 27 consecutive patients with histologically verified hemangioblastoma. All tumors had over 3.5 cm maximum diameter of the solid mass. Presurgical embolization achieved 100% embolization in one case, 95% to 80% in two, 70% to 50% in two, and less than 50% in three. Total obliteration was obtained only in one case with a single feeding artery. No permanent neurological deficits developed after embolization, but cerebellar infarction occurred in one patient. The surgery was definitely easier than expected in three cases with 80% or more obliteration of tumors. Tumor swelling and cerebellar hematoma occurred during operation in one case with 70% tumor embolization and another case with less than 50%. Blood transfusion during operation was carried out in two cases with less than 50% tumor embolization. The clinical outcome was good recovery in one case, moderate disability in five, and severe disability in two. The reasons for residual neurological deficits were operation and meningitis in one patient, operative and preoperative symptoms in two, and residual preoperative symptoms in four. Neurological deterioration after surgery occurred in three patients with tumor embolization of less than 50%. Partial embolization of hemangioblastomas does not reduce operative complications or morbidity, unless almost complete embolization is achieved, which is not so easy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Validity and reliability of single-item questions about physical activity.

The Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk Sponsored by Monbusho (JACC Study) included in its self-administered questionnaires some single-item questions concerning physical activity. We examined the validity of the questions among 1,730 Japanese adults and the reliability of the questions among 1,075 Japanese adults. The validity of the sports and physical exercise questions was estimated by comparing the self-administered questionnaire responses with the time spent on the activity and the energy expenditure index for the previous 12-month period, elicited by the interviewing method used in the Japan Lifestyle Monitoring Study with a minor modification. The Spearman's rank correlation coefficients ranged from 0.43 to 0.60, showing moderate correlations. On the other hand, test-retest reliability was estimated by comparing the responses from two separate surveys conducted roughly one year apart. Weighted kappa coefficients of sports and physical exercise questions, classified according to sex and age, ranged from 0.39 to 0.56, showing moderate reliability; and those of a question about walking ranged from 0.25 to 0.39, showing fair reliability. We suggest that measuring physical activity level with these single-item questions may be appropriate for establishing baseline data that reflects long-term physical activity in a large-scale cohort study targeting lifestyle-related diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[The effect of celiprolol hydrochloride for lipid metabolism--especially for the low density lipoprotein particle size].

Recently, much attention has been paid to small sized low density lipoprotein (LDL) as a risk factor for ischemic heart disease. We investigated the effect of celiprolol hydrochloride (CH), which is a beta 1 selective beta-blocker with high intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (ISA), on the LDL particle size. We treated 41 hypertensive patients with CH and studied the change in LDL particle size according to the score of fast beta lipoprotein and LDL relative mobility value (LDL-Rm) measured by lipoprotein polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis (PAGE). We also studied changes in blood pressure, total cholesterol (TC), trygiyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and midband on PAGE. Systolic and dyastolic blood pressure and pulse significantly decreased during treatment. TC levels were significantly decreased at 8 weeks in all subjects and at 4, 8 and 12 weeks in patients with a TC value of over 220 mg/dl. TG levels were significantly decreased at 4 and 8 weeks in patients with initial levels of over 150 mg/dl, and significantly increased at 4 and 8 weeks in those with initial levels of under 150 mg/dl of TG. HDL-C levels did not significantly change during treatment. LDL-C levels were significantly decreased at 4, 8 and 12 weeks in patients with initial levels of over 150 mg/dl. Apo AI, AII, B, CII, CIII and E levels did not significantly change during treatment. Fast beta lipoprotein scores did not significantly change overall during treatment, but were significantly decreased at 4 and 8 weeks in patients initial TG levels of over 150 mg/dl and at 4 and 12 weeks in those with initial levels of over 220 mg/dl of TC. LDL-Rm scores did not significantly change during treatment. Midband scores were significantly reduced overall at 8 weeks, and after 4 and 8 weeks in patients with initial TG levels of over 150 mg/dl and at 4, 8 and 12 weeks in those with initial TC levels of over 220 mg/dl. These results indicated that CH did not change LDL particle size. It was suggested that CH might be a beneficial beta-blocker from the standpoint of prevention for atherosclerosis.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Expression of p73 and p63 proteins in pancreatic adenocarcinoma: p73 overexpression is inversely correlated with biological aggressiveness.

The significance of p53, a prominent tumor suppressor gene, and its product in various neoplasms including pancreatic adenocarcinoma has been established. We investigated the expression of two types of homologue of p53, p73 and p63, in pancreatic adenocarcinoma by means of immunohistochemistry. Overexpression of p73 was observed in 45.6% of the cases and this phenomenon was more frequently seen in cystic adenocarcinomas than in ductal carcinomas. Furthermore, p73 overexpression was inversely linked to lymph node metastasis, tumor size, and Ki-67 labeling index. On the other hand, p63 overexpression was observed in 68.2% of the cases, but was not related to any clinicopathological features. No correlation was established between the expression of these proteins and aberrant p53 expression. These results suggest that decreased expression of p73 protein and over-expression of p63 protein may play a role in the development of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2001

Microvessel density predicts the radiosensitivity of metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in cervical lymph nodes.

Cervical lymph node metastasis is the most common recurrence pattern of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and it is usually treated with radiation therapy and/or neck dissection. There has long been a desire for markers useful in predicting radiosensitivity to enable assignment of patients with recurrent head and neck cancer to clinical trials to improve their survival rates and quality of life. A total of 43 cases of HNSCC treated with whole or elective neck irradiation (total dose, 26-70 Gy; median, 60 Gy) for recurrent metastatic SCC in neck lymph nodes after neck dissection between 1992 and 1999 were the subject of this study. The relationship between radiosensitivity and clinicopathological and histopathological factors, including the Ki-67-labeling index for cell proliferation, p53 immunoreactivity and microvessel density (MVD), in surgical neck lymph node specimens were investigated by univariate and multivariate analysis. Of the 43 patients, 31 had recurrent tumors in neck lymph nodes after radiotherapy. Univariate analysis revealed significant associations between radiosensitivity and both high grade of keratinization (p=0.033) and low MVD (p=0.004), and marginally significant associations between radiosensitivity and grade of differentiation of the cancer in the lymph nodes (p=0.070). Multivariate analysis showed that only MVD had predictive value (p=0.016). Tumors with a high MVD possessed a significantly better neck control rate than tumors with a low MVD (p=0.004) by Kaplan-Meier analysis. MVD can be used as a good predictive marker for radiosensitivity of metastatic HNSCCs in cervical lymph nodes after neck dissection.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

[Gender stereotypes arising in a state of gender awareness].

This study examined the structure of gender stereotypes which might arise in the state of gender awareness that was triggered by social situations where people perceived their gender differences strongly. Out of 1,500 residents in Tokyo aged between 20-60, 342 females and 313 males were randomly chosen and answered the questions about gender consciousness in the state of gender awareness. A factor analysis revealed that "maternity" and "trustworthiness" were the dominant dimensions of gender stereotypes in the state of gender awareness, and that trustworthiness particularly formed the basis of gender stereotypes. Generation differences in gender stereotypes were also revealed between women in their 40 s and 50 s, and between men in their 30 s and 40 s. Generally, power for men and nurture for women were more likely to be perceived in a state of gender awareness.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Effect of temocapril hydrochloride on serum lipid levels in patients with hypertensive type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The effect of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, temocapril hydrochloride on the serum lipoproteins, and especially on the size of low density lipoproteins (LDL) of hypertensive diabetic patients, were studied. Temocapril hydrochloride (5 mg/day) was administered to 32 hypertensive type 2 diabetes patients for 16 weeks. During treatment, systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased significantly from 162/95 mmHg to 138/76 mmHg at 16 weeks (p<0.001), and serum levels of total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) showed significant reduction, but those of HbA1c, triglycerides (TG) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) showed no significant changes. LDL particle size evaluated by polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis was normalized from small size. It is concluded that temocapril hydrochloride favorably affects the serum lipoprotein metabolism of hypertensive type 2 dependent diabetes mellitus patients.

Antihypertensive Agents↗