Persistent expression of Aurora-A after neoadjuvant hormonal therapy as a predictor of a poor clinical outcome in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer.

Objectives: To characterize the changes in the expression of Aurora-A protein in prostate cancer before and after androgen-withdrawal therapy, and to assess the prognostic significance of the Aurora-A expression in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) after neoadjuvant hormonal therapy (NHT).

Patients And Methods: The study included 97 patients with clinically localized prostate cancer who received NHT followed by RP. Paired needle biopsy and corresponding RP specimens obtained from these patients were analysed for the expression of Aurora-A protein by immunohistochemical staining.

Clinical outcome of orthotopic neobladder replacement in patients with a solitary functioning kidney.

Objective: To evaluate the outcome of orthotopic neobladder creation in patients with a solitary functioning renal unit at the time of surgery.

Methods: This study included a total of 18 patients (15 men and three women) with a solitary functioning kidney who underwent radical cystectomy for invasive bladder cancer followed by orthotopic neobladder replacement. Of these, an ileal, ileocolic or sigmoid colon neobladder was constructed in 11, three or four patients, respectively.

First-line high-dose chemotherapy combined with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for patients with advanced extragonadal germ cell tumors.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of first-line high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT) combined with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) for patients with advanced extragonadal germ cell tumors (EGGCT).

Methods: Six male patients with advanced non-seminomatous EGGCT were treated with HDCT combined with PBSCT following 2-3 cycles of conventional-dose induction chemotherapy. The regimens used for HDCT were carboplatin, etoposide and ifosfamide (ICE) in five patients and ICE plus paclitaxel (T-ICE) in one patient, and that for induction therapy was cisplatin, etoposide and bleomycin (PEB) in all patients.

Rapid and simple solid-phase esterification of sialic acid residues for quantitative glycomics by mass spectrometry.

A rapid and quantitative method for solid-phase methyl esterification of carboxy groups of various sialylated oligosaccharides has been established. The method employed a triazene derivative, 3-methyl-1-p-tolyltriazene, for facile derivatization of oligosaccharides immobilized onto general solid supports such as Affi-Gel Hz and gold colloidal nanoparticles in a multiwell plate. The workflow protocol was optimized for the solid-phase processing of captured sialylated/unsialylated oligosaccharides separated from crude sample mixtures by chemical ligation.

One-pot solid-phase glycoblotting and probing by transoximization for high-throughput glycomics and glycoproteomics.

The development of rapid and efficient methods for high-throughput protein glycomics is of growing importance because the glycoform-focused reverse proteomics/genomics strategy will greatly contribute to the discovery of novel biomarkers closely related to cellular development, differentiation, growth, and aging as well as a variety of diseases such as cancers and viral infection. Recently, we communicated that rapid and efficient purification of carbohydrates can be achieved by employing sugar-specific chemical ligation with aminooxy-functionalized polymers, which we termed "glycoblotting" (see S.-I.

Stable hematopoietic recovery after peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy for advanced germ cell tumors.

Aim: The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of CD34-positive peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) in the hematopoietic recovery, in patients receiving high-dose chemotherapy (HDCT), for advanced germ cell tumor (GCT).

Materials And Methods: This study included 41 patients with advanced GCT, who were treated with HTCT combined with PBSCT. PBSCs were harvested after conditioning chemotherapy followed by the administration of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.

[Pathological prognostic factors of renal pelvic and ureteral cancer].

Objective: To determine the pathologic risk factors after nephroureterectomy in patients with urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis and ureter.

Patients And Methods: We investigated the clinicopathological features of 131 patients (94 males and 37 females) with urothelial carcinoma of the renal pelvis and ureter who underwent nephroureterectomy at our department and related facilities from August, 1994 to August, 1997. The mean age of the patients was 68 years, ranging from 24 to 86 years.

Feasibility and usefulness of high-dose chemotherapy (high-dose ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide) combined with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for male germ cell tumor: a single-institute experience.

Although the usefulness of high-dose chemotherapy with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for advanced germ cell tumor is still under evaluation in phase III randomized controlled studies, this approach is currently used as one treatment option for relapsed or advanced male germ cell tumor. Clinical outcomes of high-dose chemotherapy for a single institute from Japan are presented herein. We administered 63 courses of high-dose ifosfamide, carboplatin and etoposide chemotherapy (1250 mg/m carboplatin; 1500 mg/m etoposide; 7.

Interleukin-21 gene transfection into mouse bladder cancer cells results in tumor rejection through the cytotoxic T lymphocyte response.

Purpose: We developed the genetically modified mouse bladder carcinoma MBT2 (American Type Culture Collection, Manassas, Virginia), which secretes interleukin-21, to investigate the functional activities of interleukin-21 in tumor immunity.

Materials And Methods: The IL-21 gene was cloned from activated T cells by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, inserted into an expression vector and then introduced into MBT2 using Lipofectamine. Exogenous interleukin-21 was assayed in culture supernatants from transfectants using sandwich enzyme-linked immunoassay.

Interleukin-23 and interleukin-27 exert quite different antitumor and vaccine effects on poorly immunogenic melanoma.

Recent studies revealed that two novel interleukin (IL)-12-related cytokines, IL-23 and IL-27, have potent antitumor activities. However, the antitumor effects were mainly evaluated in relatively highly immunogenic tumors and have not been fully evaluated against nonimmunogenic or poorly immunogenic tumors. In this study, we investigated the antitumor efficacies of IL-23 and IL-27 on poorly immunogenic B16F10 melanoma and found that the antitumor responses mediated by IL-23 and IL-27 were clearly different.

High dose chemotherapy including paclitaxel (T-ICE) combined with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for male germ cell tumor. Preliminary report.

Aim: To evaluate the feasibility and usefulness of high dose chemotherapy including paclitaxel (T-ICE) combined with peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) for male germ cell tumor.

Methods: Five male patients with advanced germ cell tumor underwent 1-6 courses of high dose chemotherapy including paclitaxel (T-ICE; 175 mg/m2 of paclitaxel, 1250 mg/m2 of carboplatin, 1500 mg/m2 of etoposide and 7.5 g/m2 of ifosfamide) with PBSCT after 2-3 courses of induction chemotherapy (PEB or VIP).

High throughput quantitative glycomics and glycoform-focused proteomics of murine dermis and epidermis.

Despite recent advances in our understanding of the significance of the protein glycosylation, the throughput of protein glycosylation analysis is still too low to be applied to the exhaustive glycoproteomic analysis. Aiming to elucidate the N-glycosylation of murine epidermis and dermis glycoproteins, here we used a novel approach for focused proteomics. A gross N-glycan profiling (glycomics) of epidermis and dermis was first elucidated both qualitatively and quantitatively upon N-glycan derivatization with novel, stable isotope-coded derivatization reagents followed by MALDI-TOF(/TOF) analysis.

[Is second course intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy for recurrent carcinoma in situ of the bladder useful?].

We evaluated the usefulness of second course intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy for carcinoma in situ (CIS) of the bladder that failed to respond to the initial BCG therapy. Between January 1995 and December 2000, 185 patients with CIS of the bladder underwent an initial 6- or 8-week course of intravesical BCG instillation with an average follow-up period of 40.9 months (range: 3.

Direct N-glycan profiling in the presence of tryptic peptides on MALDI-TOF by controlled ion enhancement and suppression upon glycan-selective derivatization.

Even though the formidably laborious and time-consuming nature of oligosaccharide analysis limits certain attempts to analyze the glycosylation profile, the significant elucidation of carbohydrate modifications is largely dependent on it. Aiming to substantially improve the sample preparation procedure, a novel protocol allowing glycan-specific detection in the presence of other species, such as tryptic peptides, on MALDI-TOF was proposed and then evaluated. The new protocol is based on the concept that the desorption/ionization efficiency of glycans could be selectively and substantially enhanced while drastically suppressing the other ion species upon glycan-selective derivatization.

[A case of lymph node metastasis after 7 years from Hartmann's operation for stage IV sigmoid colon carcinoma].

The case was a 49-year-old woman. In 1995, she underwent Hartmann's operation for sigmoid colon carcinoma. Histological stage was IV [se, n4(+), P0, H0, M(-)].

[Efficacy and safety of weekly taxol (TXL) for advanced recurrent breast cancer evaluated in a multi-center cooperative clinical trial].

A multi-center cooperative clinical trial was undertaken to evaluate the safety and efficacy of weekly taxol (TXL) therapy combined with short-premedication as a pretreatment in an effort to determine if TXL can be used in ambulatory treatment. TXL was administered at 60 mg/m2 to patients with advanced recurrent breast cancer once a week without a rest or with a rest for 1 week after treatment for 3 weeks. A total of 36 patients were finally enrolled.

Molecular mapping of a gene responsible for Al-activated secretion of citrate in barley.

Aluminium (Al) toxicity is an important limitation to barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) on acid soil. Al-resistant cultivars of barley detoxify Al externally by secreting citrate from the roots.

Novel efficient routes to heparin monosaccharides and disaccharides achieved via regio- and stereoselective glycosidation.

A new methodology for the synthesis of heparin building blocks has been developed. We describe novel efficient routes to both L-iduronic acid and D-glucuronic acid acceptors. Glycosylation with thioglycosides donors gave corresponding disaccharides in a regio- and stereoselective fashion.

[Pancytopenia and ARDS with high dose hepatic arterial infusion].

The patient was a 74-year-old woman with gastric cancer with multiple liver metastasis. She was treated with daily oral administration of TS-1 100 mg/day (day 1-21) and systemic administration of CDDP 90 mg (day 8) as neoadjuvant chemotherapy for 2 courses. As metastatic lesions became smaller, we performed distal gastrectomy.

[A case of resected spinal metastasis following colectomy and hepatectomy for descending colon carcinoma].

The patient was a 49-year-old man. In 1995, he underwent left hemicolectomy for descending colon carcinoma, and in 1996, partial hepatic resection was performed for liver metastasis. Post-operative chemotherapy was performed with 5'-DFUR.

[A case of multiple superficial esophageal cancers with liver cirrhosis successfully treated by radiotherapy].

We report a case of multiple superficial esophageal cancers with liver cirrhosis successfully treated by radiotherapy. The patient was a 55-year-old man with liver cirrhosis who was under the treatment of internists at our hospital. Upper digestive tract endoscopic examination revealed multiple superficial esophageal cancers.

Recent progress in the research of external Al detoxification in higher plants: a minireview.

Aluminum (Al) is highly toxic to plant growth. The toxicity is characterized by rapid inhibition of root elongation. However, some plant species and cultivars have evolved some mechanisms for detoxifying Al both internally and externally.

[Acute pulmonary thromboembolism and deep-venous thrombosis at post-operative period in urologic surgery].

Acute pulmonary thromboembolism (APTE) and deep venous thrombosis (DVT) are categorized into venous thromboembolism. APTE is one of the most critical post-operative complications because of its high mortality. Meanwhile, DVT is responsible for more than 80-95% of APTE cases.

[A case of metastatic vaginal tumor of rectal cancer].

The majority of vaginal metastases from extra-genital tumors are from colorectal cancer. A case of metastases to the vagina from a huge rectal carcinoma is described. A 55-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital because of a barium ileus after upper GI.

[A case of esophageal cancer successfully treated by chemoradiotherapy after resection for multiple liver metastasis of sigmoid colon cancer].

The patient was a 56-year-old man. Colonoscopic findings showed a cancerous lesion of the sigmoid colon and we performed curative sigmoidectomy. Four months after the operation, abdominal CT scan revealed multiple metastatic lesions in the liver.