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Biomedical subjects

Y Shirai

Publications and source records attributed to Y Shirai.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Recombinant interferon-alpha-2a for treatment of chronic hepatitis C: results of a multicenter randomized controlled dose study.

To compare the efficacy of low and relatively high dosages of recombinant interferon (IFN)-alpha-2a in Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis C, as well as to characterize the type of patients who will respond well to a low-dosage treatment, 88 patients with histologically proven chronic hepatitis C were randomly assigned to two treatment groups; one treated with IFN-alpha-2a 6 MU daily for 2 weeks followed by 6 MU three times weekly for 22 weeks (6-MU group), and another given the same initial treatment followed by 3 MU three times weekly for 22 weeks (3-MU group). The rate of sustained normalization of ALT 6 months after the cessation of treatment was 33% in the 3-MU group and 40% in the 6-MU group (p = 0.64). In addition, there was no difference in elimination of serum HCV-RNA 6 months after the cessation of treatment between the 3-MU group (26%) and 6-MU group (29%). Multivariate stepwise regression analysis revealed that serum HCV-RNA level (p = 0.0035) and platelet count (p = 0.0009) were independent variables useful in predicting a sustained response of ALT. The sustained response rate of ALT in patients with a serum HCV-RNA level less than 10(5) copies/ml and serum platelet level above 15 x 10(4)/microliter was 71%, whereas that in patients with a serum HCV-RNA level above 10(5) copies/ml and serum platelet level less than 15 x 10(4)/microliter was 12%. These results indicate that a high rate of sustained response to IFN therapy can be expected in chronic hepatitis C patients with a low serum level of HCV-RNA and a high level of platelets, even if treated with a low dose of IFN.

Antiviral Agents↗
PubMed1997

[Inhibitory effects of portal venous injection of type II collagen in collagen-induced arthritis].

Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) is useful animal model for human rheumatoid arthritis. We investigated the inhibitory effects of portal venous (p.v.) injection of type II collagen (CII) in CIA. The arthritis was suppressed by p.v. injection of CII before immunization for CIA induction. The p.v. route was more effective than intravenous or intragastric routes in the induction of tolerance in CIA. The dose of CII necessary for CIA suppression was 10 micrograms/20 g body weight in p.v. injection. Both anti-CII IgG and anti-CII IgG 2 a levels in serum were reduced in mice injected CII before induction of CIA. However, anti-CII IgG 1 levels did not differ between mice injected with CII and mice injected with buffer alone. Thus, the specific reduction in anti-CII IgG 2 a levels in mice treated by p.v. injection before immunization suggests that the suppression of CIA could be responsible for hypofunction of Th 1 cells. Reduction of anti-CII IgG and suppression of arthritis were observed when CII was injected through portal vein after immunization for CIA as well.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

A follow-up arthroscopy after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the patellar tendon augmented by woven polyester.

Follow-up arthroscopy was performed on 9% patients who had undergone anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with patellar tendon augmented by woven polyester. The interval between surgery and arthroscopy ranged from 6 to 26 months, with a mean of 13.1 months. The patients were classified into 4 grades according to the arthroscopical findings as follows: grade 1, ligamentous tissue ruptured or not observed; grade II, loose and thin ligamentous tissue observed; grade III, thick and taut ligamentous tissue observed, but some ligamentous strands exposed from the synovial tissue: grade IV, thick and taut ligamentous tissue with a synovial tissue observed, as in normal ACL. Based on the arthroscopical findings, 4 of the 92 patients were rated as grade I, 11 as grade II, 24 as grade III, and 53 as grade IV. Correlation between the arthroscopical and functional test results indicated that the mean injured-to-uninjured differences of KT-1000 measurements were significantly smaller in the grade IV group than in the grade I and grade II groups (p < 0.05). These results suggest that postoperative anterior knee laxity correlate significantly with arthroscopical results, and is a useful parameter for evaluating ACL reconstruction.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Ascending myelitis in association with herpes simplex virus. A case report.

A 50 year old man developed ascending necrotizing myelitis without any associated disease. After admission due to gait disturbance, the symptoms progressed rapidly and quickly. Neurological disturbance had progressed to an incomplete paraplesia below C 4 level; incontinence and drowsiness developed. Herpes Simplex viral myelitis was suspected through virological tests, which showed higher specific HSV antibody values of HSV-1 IgG of 640-fold in serum. Myelin basic protein (MBP) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) registered 24.3 ng/ml. When he was treated with Acyclovir for 17 days, his general and neurological status improved significantly. Virological examinations showed 50-fold HSV-1 IgG in serum, and MBP in the CSF was 3.3 ng/ml. The MBP measurement and virological tests of the CSF and serum prove extremely important in diagnosing an ascending myelitis of unknown cause.

Acyclovir↗
PubMed1997

Evaluation of combined therapy with chemoembolization and ethanol injection for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) combined with percutaneous ethanol injection therapy (PEIT) for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, we studied the effectiveness of TACE therapy combined with PEIT (50 cases) and TACE alone (50 cases). In both groups, patients had multiple lesions, or a single lesion with a diameter exceeding 2 cm or with vascular invasion (stages II, III, and IV in the tumor staging classification of the Liver Cancer Study Group of Japan). The clinical features in the two groups were comparable. The cumulative survival rates with TACE-PEIT were 95.0% for 1 year, 72.5% for 2 years, and 50.0% for 3 years, whereas the rates with TACE alone were 92.5% for 1 year, 57.5% for 2 years, and 20.0% for 3 years. The survival rate in the TACE-PEIT group was significantly higher than that in the TACE alone group. Moreover, the survival rate of patients with stage II or III disease in the TACE-PEIT group was significantly better than that in the TACE alone group, and the survival rate of patients with Child's classification B or C in the TACE-PEIT group was significantly higher than that in the TACE alone group. Multivariate analysis using Cox's proportional hazard regression model showed that the most significant prognostic factors in the TACE-PEIT group were tumor embolus in the portal vein and the number of tumors. These results suggest the effectiveness of combining TACE and PEIT for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Antibiotics, Antineoplastic↗
PubMed1997

Groove pancreatitis with recurrent duodenal obstruction. Report of a case successfully treated with pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Groove pancreatitis is a rare subtype of chronic pancreatitis that is difficult to distinguish from pancreatic carcinoma. Most reported patients have undergone a Whipple procedure because pancreatic cancer was not ruled out. We report a case of groove pancreatitis in a patient who presented with recurrent duodenal obstruction without biliary stricture. The diagnosis of groove pancreatitis was based on characteristic episodes of repeated duodenal obstruction and the absence of radiographic evidence of cancer. Subsequently, our patient underwent a successful pylorus-preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PPPD). PPPD is a favorable alternative to the Whipple operation for duodenal obstruction resulting from this disease.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Is regularization determined by semantics, or grammar, or both? Comments on Kim, Marcus, Pinker, Hollander & Coppola (1994).

Kim, Marcus, Pinker, Hollander & Coppola (1994) argue that the preference children and adults show for regular inflection for verbs and nouns with novel meanings (e.g. The batter flew/flied out to centre field) should be attributed to their grammatically based sensitivity to the derivations of these verbs and nouns. However, it could also be that speakers avoid the use of irregular forms to avoid conveying the conventional meaning associated with the irregular form, such as literally flying to centre field. This paper, in reply to Kim et al. (1994), reinterprets their findings and argues for a semantic/functional account, without resorting to a grammatical account.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Colorectal carcinoma metastases to the liver. Does primary tumor location affect its lobar distribution?

BACKGROUND: There is considerable evidence that blood returning from different abdominal organs does not mix completely but maintains streamline flow in the portal vein. This study tested the hypothesis that the location of primary colorectal carcinoma affects the intrahepatic distribution of liver metastases according to streamline flow in the portal vein. METHODS: Eighty-five patients with histologically verified liver metastases from colorectal carcinoma underwent potentially curative hepatectomy. Primary tumor location was the right-sided colon in 18 patients and the left-sided colon in 67. The liver was divided into two lobes by Cantlie's line. RESULTS: A total of 195 metastatic deposits were resected: 135 in the right lobe and 60 in the left. In the right-sided colon carcinoma group, 29 deposits were in the right lobe and 3 in the left. In the left-sided colon carcinoma group, 106 deposits were in the right lobe and 57 in the left. The pattern of lobar distribution was significantly different in the two groups (P = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Right-sided colon cancers selectively involve the right lobe, while left-sided tumors involve the entire liver, considering the ratio of weights of the right to left lobe is 2:1. This difference suggests that primary tumor location affects the pattern of lobar distribution of colorectal carcinoma liver metastases according to streamline flow in the portal vein.

Carcinoma↗