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Biomedical subjects

Y Oka

Publications and source records attributed to Y Oka.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

A case of diabetic amyotrophy associated with 3243 mitochondrial tRNA(leu; UUR) mutation and successful therapy with coenzyme Q10.

We report the case of 71-year-old male who was once diagnosed as having diabetic amyotrophy, because of pronounced wasting in proximal muscles, massive weight loss, and development of paresthesia in his legs. Afterwards, ragged red fibers and mitochondrial tRNA mutation at position 3243 were documented in muscle biopsy. He had diabetes mellitus associated with 3243 mitochondrial DNA mutation, suggesting that clinically, diabetic amyotrophy may be overlapped with mitochondria-related disease entities in some parts. Coenzyme Q10 administration was effective in relieving the symptoms in his legs, fatigue, and residual urine in his bladder. These were confirmed with the improvement in neurological parameters. In conclusion, this case gives important help in understanding myopathy in diabetes. It would be important to check on the 3243 mitochondrial tRNA mutation in patients with diabetic amyotrophy and/or diabetic neuropathic symptoms.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Increase in human placental glucose transporter-1 during pregnancy.

Glucose transporter-1 (GLUT1) has been found in high abundance in human placentas. The purpose of this study was to analyze the changes in the level of GLUT1 during pregnancy. We have analyzed the gestational changes in human placental GLUT1 by [3H]cytochalasin B binding assay, immunoblot analysis and Northern blot analysis. Levels of [3H]cytochalasin B binding to placental membrane in pregnancy at 7-10, 18-20 and 38-40 weeks were 4.2 +/- 0.47, 5.2 +/- 0.46 and 7.2 +/- 0.40 (mean +/- SEM, N = 4) mumol/kg protein, respectively. Amounts of 49-kD and 60-kD proteins detected in immunoblot analysis increased during pregnancy in parallel with [3H]cytochalasin B binding to placental membrane. The GLUT1 mRNA levels also increased during pregnancy. Immunohistochemical examination showed that GLUT1 was localized in the plasma membranes of trophoblast cells. These findings showed that the GLUT1 level increased during pregnancy in human placentas and suggest that GLUT1 may play an important role in fetal development.

Blotting, Northern↗
PubMed1995

Sjögren's syndrome with pleural effusion.

Sjögren's syndrome (Sjs) can cause many organic changes, but is rarely accompanied by pleuritis. We report here a 62-year-old patient with subclinical Sjs who developed unilateral pleuritis with moderate effusion. He was diagnosed to have subclinical Sjs based on the positivity of anti SS-A/SS-B antibodies and the biopsy findings of minor salivary glands which revealed lymphocyte infiltration around the duct. In the pleural effusion, both increased lymphocytes and anti SS-A/SS-B antibodies were observed. He showed no signs of infection nor malignancy. There was no direct evidence that he had other collagen diseases which cause pleuritis. We conclude that the pleuritis was caused by Sjs. In patients with Sjs, activated polyclonal B lymphocytes and autoantibodies are considered to cause systemic tissue damage. This case indicates that these factors can cause pleuritis in Sjs patients.

Biopsy↗
PubMed1995

[Undifferentiated connective tissue syndromes (UCTS) accompanied by laryngeal involvement and autoimmune hepatitis].

Here we report a patient with undifferentiated connective tissue syndromes (UCTS) who developed hoarseness during exacerbation of autoimmune hepatitis. A 51-year-old woman was hospitalized in November 1993 because of hoarseness and liver dysfunction. She had demonstrated Raynaud's phenomenon, polyarthralgia and hoarseness since 1992. In August 1993, liver dysfunction was noted. On admission, laboratory data showed mild leukopenia, thrombocytopenia (WBC 3,900/mm3, platelet 12.4 x 10(4)/mm3), and elevations of transaminase (GOT 96 IU/l, GPT 79 IU/l) and IgG (4,556 mg/dl). Anti-nuclear antibody (ANA) and anti-smooth muscle antibody were positive. Other autoantibodies including anti-DNA antibody, anti-Scl 70 antibody were all negative. LE test and LE cells were also negative. On laryngoscopic examination, lesions that appeared similar to a bamboo-joint were noted at the middle of the bilateral vocal cords. Pathological findings of liver biopsy specimen were compatible with autoimmune hepatitis. She was treated with 30 mg of prednisolone. Polyarthralgia, hoarseness and the abnormalities of the transaminase levels improved rapidly. Laryngoscopic findings were also normalized. We considered this laryngeal involvement to be acute laryngitis accompanied by some UCTS, including a typical systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) because of arthritis, cytopenia and ANA positivity. Involvement of the larynx in collagen disease is rarely mentioned in published reports.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗
PubMed1995

[Nephron sparing surgery of patients with renal cell carcinoma in a solitary kidney or bilateral renal cell carcinoma].

PURPOSE: The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of nephron sparing surgery for renal cell carcinoma in patients with a solitary kidney or bilateral tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1982 to 1994, a total of 12 patients with a solitary kidney or bilateral tumors underwent nephron sparing surgery. The survival and complications were examined. RESULTS: The patients were 11 males and 1 female. Three patients were in stage 1, 6 in stage 2, 2 in stage 3, and 1 in stage 4, and the mean tumor size was 3.4 cm (0.8-6.5). The complications were post-operative bleeding in one patient and slight transient renal dysfunction which didn't require hemodialysis in 3 patients. The local recurrence was observed in 1 patient (8.3%), metastasis in 3 (25%), no evidence of disease in 8 (66.7%), alive with cancer in 1 (8.3%), death due to cancer in 2 (16.7%), death due to other disease in 1 (8.3%), and the 5 year survival of all patients was 62.5%, that was almost the same as the result of 141 renal cell carcinoma patients treated with nephrectomy in our hospital. The disease free survival rate of the patients in stage 1 and 2 seems to be higher than in stage 3 and 4 with no significant difference (p = 0.0956). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that nephron sparing surgery for renal cell carcinoma in patients with a solitary kidney or bilateral tumors is a useful therapy.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

[A study of middle-high aged impotent patients].

Background factors, which are causes of functional and organic impotence, of 729 impotent patients over 50 years old were evaluated. They were classified into 3 major categories, i.e., stresses at job, stresses at home, and diseases or accidents. Over 30% of the patients had 2 or more categories. A retirement from office and troubles at job were most frequent among stresses at job. As to stresses at home, marital problems such as wife's death and remarriage were most common. With respect to diseases or accidents, they were observed in 84 percent of all patients, and hypertension (HT) or diabetes mellitus (DM) were most common and the rate of medication was considerably high. The percent of clearly organic impotence was quite low (22%). Hormonal environment of 303 over 50 aged impotent patients was checked and compared with 120 impotent patients from 20 to 49 years old. Serum testosterone (T) levels in patients over 70 years of age decreased significantly. Lutenizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in patients after age 50 progressively increased. Patients administered anti-androgenic agenst tended to show lower T and higher LH, FSH, and prolactin (PRL) levels than non-administered. Patients with psychotropic drugs showed significantly higher PRL levels. Hormonal therapy (mainly T replacement therapy) tended to be more effective in patients of low serum T levels before therapy. However, some patients with normal T improved. In 141 impotent patients, 83 cases of which were after age 50, the degrees of their penile arterial impairment were tested using penile brachial index (PBI) and pulse volume recordings (PVR). PVR waveforms were classified into 3 groups, i.e., normal, slightly abnormal, and markedly abnormal. PBI was significantly lower in abnormal groups than in normal group. Between each parameter of PVR and PBI, statistically significant correlation and relevancy were found. Crest time were significantly longer, and PBI and angle of rise significantly lower in over 50 aged patients than in 20-49 aged. We evaluated the risk factors to penile arterial impairment, such as DM, HT, smoking, and cardiovascular disorders. Each of these risk factors was minor to age factor itself. PVR proved to be useful, simple, and non-invasive method for the screening of vascular impotence. In conclusion, degenerative changes occur about hormonal environment and penile blood flow according to aging, and many kinds of background factors have direct or indirect influence to occurrence of impotence. We emphasize such matters should be considered at examination of middle-high aged impotent patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[Acute lymphoblastic leukemia accompanied by severe hypercalcemia; successful treatment with bisphosphonate].

A 62-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of bone pain. Laboratory data showed blasts in the peripheral blood, hypercalcemia (corrected calcium 15.1 mg/dl) and an increased level of parathyroid hormone related-protein (PTHrP). Bone marrow aspiration revealed increased lymphoblasts (96.5%), indicating acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL, L1). Subsequent radiological examination disclosed bone infiltration of ALL. Although the hypercalcemia was successfully treated with bisphosphonate, the PTHrP level remained high. After chemotherapy, the blasts in the peripheral blood disappeared and the PTHrP level normalized. We hypothesize that in the present case the production of PTHrP by lymphoblasts resulted in the hypercalcemic state. Although ALL is rarely accompanied by hypercalcemia, this case might help us to understand the relationship between ALL and hypercalcemia.

Diphosphonates↗
PubMed1995

[Combination chemotherapy with FP versus FEP in patients with advanced gastric cancer. Research group of gastric cancer chemotherapy].

Forty-eight patients with unresectable gastric cancer were enrolled for a randomized trial of FP (n = 24) vs FEP (n = 24) combination chemotherapy with respect to their effects on survival period. Of these, excluding 7 patients, 21 in FP group were treated with 400 mg/m2 UFT po daily and 50 mg/m2 CDDP i.v. on days 1 and 8 every 4 weeks, and 20 in FEP group were treated with 400 mg/m2 UFT po daily, 50 mg/m2 etoposide iv and 50 mg/m2 CDDP i.v. on days 1 and 8 every 4 weeks. In FP group, 10 PR in primary lesions were observed with an overall response rate of 52.4%. In FEP group, 5 PR in primary lesions were observed with an overall response rate of 35.0%. Toxicities over Grade 3 were anorexia (35%), vomiting (25%), and leukopenia (12%), which were manageable. The 50% survival time in FP and FEP group was 233 and 176 days, respectively. Because of the high response rate and prolongation of the survival period, combination chemotherapy with FP seemed to be useful for the treatment of patients with advanced gastric cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1995

[Nerve sutures and nerve grafts for repairing a gap in peripheral nerve injury: an experimental study].

An experimental study was performed using the canine sciatic nerve in order to compare the efficacies of a vascularized trunk graft (VTG), a free trunk graft (FTG), a vascularized cable graft (VCG), a free cable graft (FCG) and a two stage procedure (TSP) for the repair of a peripheral nerve defect. Both a 4 cm, and a 5 cm nerve defect was repaired using each method, and also a 6 cm defect, using VCG and FCG. After 24 weeks, the intraneural blood flow (IBF) was measured in the 4 cm defect group, and the recovery of nerve regeneration and muscle reinnervation were evaluated by motor nerve conduction velocity, wet muscle weight, and histological examinations of the nerve and the muscles. VTG and VCG both demonstrated superior IBF. The IBF after TSP was less than after VTG and VCG but greater than after FTG and FCG. In the 4 cm defect group, VTG showed the most favorable recovery in both the axonal regeneration and muscle reinnervation and was followed by VCG. Although the recovery after FTG, FCG and TSP appeared to be worse than after VTG and VCG, there was no significant difference. In the 5 cm defect group, VTG showed the most favorable recovery followed by VCG and FCG. For axonal regeneration, FTG was significantly worse than VTG, VCG and FCG. TSP was worst within the 5 cm defect group for muscular reinnervation, although it showed somewhat better axonal regeneration than FTG. In the 6 cm defect group, no significant difference was found between VCG and FCG for the axonal regeneration. Clinically, TSP is used for repairing a short nerve defect just beyond the critical distance that cannot be overcome by a primary end-to-end suture. Nerve grafting, other than FTG, appeared to be the most reliable method of bridging a long nerve defect, and FCG might be the most practical method.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Regulation of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) gene expression by epidermal growth factor in bovine corneal endothelial cells.

The regulation mechanism of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) gene expression was investigated in cultured bovine corneal endothelial cells. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) stimulated both GLUT1 mRNA expression and cell proliferation. Fetal bovine serum, in contrast, stimulated cell proliferation but did not increase GLUT1 mRNA. IGF-I, hyaluronic acid or fibronectin did not stimulate GLUT1 gene expression. These results suggest that GLUT1 gene expression is controlled, at least in part, by EGF and is related to neither cell proliferation, cell motility nor cell adhesion regulation. The EGF signal was transduced through a pathway including protein kinase C. GLUT1 is reported to work as a water transporter, and so EGF can be considered as one of the possible agent which stimulate water transport activity through the corneal endothelial cells. EGF could be useful in the therapy of corneal edema caused by endothelial dysfunction.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

User interface design and evaluation for electronic medical record system.

A user interface for an electronic medical record system (EMRS) is proposed. A pen-based device adopted for data input and the GUI windows layout simulate conventional paper forms, so that doctors can quickly grow accustomed to the EMRS. A comparison study shows the proposed interface does not significantly delay the examination, even when used in hospitals with many outpatients.

Ambulatory Care↗
PubMed1994

Isolation of a cDNA clone encoding a novel membrane protein expressed in lymphocytes.

By subtractive hybridization using single-stranded phagemids with directional inserts, we isolated a mouse cDNA clone, LSM-1, from temperature-sensitive Abelson virus-transformed immature B cells whose differentiation was being induced after the shift from the permissive (35 degrees C) to the non-permissive temperature (39 degrees C). LSM-1, which encodes an as yet unknown peptide of 197 amino acids, has a putative signal sequence and a trans-membrane region, and is expressed in B- and T-cell lines, in spleen, thymus, and bone marrow of adult mice, and in embryos.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

A new yeast gene, HTR1, required for growth at high temperature, is needed for recovery from mating pheromone-induced G1 arrest.

A new temperature-sensitive mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was isolated. Arrested cells grown at the nonpermissive temperature were of dumb-bell shape and contained large vacuoles. A DNA fragment was cloned based on its ability to complement this temperature sensitivity. The HTR1 gene encodes a putative protein of 93 kDa without significant homology to any known proteins. The gene was mapped between ade5 and lys5 on the left arm of chromosome VII. The phenotype of the gene disruptant appeared to be strain-specific; disruption of the gene in strain W303 caused the cells to become temperature sensitive. The arrested phenotype here was similar to that of the original ts mutant and cells in G2/M phase predominated at high temperature. Another disruptant in a strain YPH background grew slowly at high temperature due to slow progression through G2/M phase, and morphologically abnormal (elongated) cells accumulated. A single-copy suppressor that alleviated the temperature-sensitive defects in both strains was identified as MCS1/SSD1. The wild-type strains W303 and YPH are known to carry defective MCS1/SSD1 alleles; hence HTR1 may function redundantly with MCS1/SSD1 to suppress the temperature-sensitive phenotypes. In addition, based on a halo bioassay, the disruptant strains appeared to be defective in recovery from, or adaptive response to G1 arrest mediated by mating pheromone, even at the permissive temperature. Thus the gene has at least two functions and is designated HTR1 (required for high temperature growth and recovery from G1 arrest induced by mating pheromone).

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Expression of the interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-6 receptor, and gp130 genes in acute leukemia.

Expression patterns of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-6 receptor (IL-6R), and gp130 genes in 39 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), in 23 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and in 7 patients with acute mixed lineage leukemia (AMLL) were studied by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Significant levels of IL-6 were expressed in 8 (21%) of 39 AML patients and in 2 (29%) of 7 AMLL patients, whereas in ALL, the expression of IL-6 was almost negligible. IL-6R was expressed in all patients with AML and AMLL, whereas only half of ALL patients expressed low levels of IL-6R as compared with those with AML and AMLL. However, gp130 was ubiquitously expressed in all the leukemia patients, and there was no significant difference in gp130 expression among AML, ALL, and AMLL. Significant correlation was observed between the expression of IL-6R and gp130 in AML. When tested for in vitro response to IL-6, the leukemic cells from 3 of 7 AML, none of 3 ALL, and both of 2 AMLL patients significantly responded to IL-6, showing the correlation between the expression levels of IL-6R and gp130 and the responsiveness of leukemic cells to IL-6. These results showed that quantitation of IL-6R and gp130 expression by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction is useful for the rapid prediction of the responsiveness of leukemic cells to IL-6, especially in cases of administration of IL-6.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Replacement of both tryptophan residues at 388 and 412 completely abolished cytochalasin B photolabelling of the GLUT1 glucose transporter.

A mutated GLUT1 glucose transporter, a Trp-388, 412 mutant whose tryptophans 388 and 412 were both replaced by leucines, was constructed by site-directed mutagenesis and expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Glucose transport activity was decreased to approx. 30% in the Trp-388, 412 mutant compared with that in the wild type, a similar decrease in transport activity had been observed previously in the Trp-388 mutant and the Trp-412 mutant which had leucine at 388 and 412 respectively. Cytochalasin B labelling of the Trp-388 mutant was only decreased rather than abolished, a result similar to that obtained previously for the Trp-412 mutant. Cytochalasin B labelling was finally abolished completely in the Trp-388, 412 mutant, while cytochalasin B binding to this mutant was decreased to approx. 30% of that of the wild-type GLUT1 at the concentration used for photolabelling. This level of binding is thought to be adequate to detect labelling, assuming that the labelling efficiency of these transporters is similar. These findings suggest that cytochalasin B binds to the transmembrane domain of the glucose transporter in the vicinity of helix 10-11, and is inserted covalently by photoactivation at either the 388 or the 412 site.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Effect of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor on sepsis-induced organ injury in rats.

The administration of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) to patients with severe active infections has been questioned because activation of neutrophils may cause tissue injury. To identify the effect of GM-CSF administration on severe sepsis, we examined the survival rate and pathologic changes in vital organs using the rat lethal sepsis model. Rats received 20 micrograms of recombinant murine GM-CSF (rmGM-CSF) 3 hours after the onset of peritonitis induced by cecal ligation and puncture. After 48 hours, the survival rate did not improve, and earlier deaths than in the control group were observed. In addition, the inhibition of early leuko-sequestration in the peritoneal cavity was seen in animals treated with GM-CSF. These results suggested that the administration of rmGM-CSF after the onset of sepsis was not beneficial; thus, we concluded that care should be taken in the clinical use of GM-CSF in severe infection.

Animals↗