Cisplatin-induced in vivo differentiation of human embryonal carcinoma.

Objective: To investigate the differentiation of embryonal carcinoma (EC) by cisplatin, and the underlying mechanism, as untreated metastases of nonseminomatous germ cell tumours rarely consist of fully differentiated mature somatic tissues, but such mature metastases are more common after various treatments, including chemotherapy.

Materials And Methods: The TTSC-3 human testicular EC line heterotransplanted into nude mice was used as a target. After treating tumour-bearing mice with intraperitoneal injections of varying doses of cisplatin, the histopathology of the tumours was assessed and various gene expressions in the tumours determined by cDNA-array technology.

Prognostic significance of a combination of thymidylate synthase and dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase activities in grades 1 and 2 superficial bladder cancer.

There is no potent prognostic marker for recurrence in superficial bladder cancer at present. Thymidylate synthase (TS) is a key enzyme for pyrimidine synthesis. Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) is an important pyrimidine salvage enzyme.

Possible use of ultrasound estimated bladder weight in evaluating vesicoureteral reflux in children.

The present study was designed to reveal the possible use of ultrasound estimated bladder weight (UEBW) in evaluating vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) in children in terms of possible implication of bladder hypertrophy in VUR. In 27 children with VUR, UEBW was measured by transabdominal ultrasound. The UEBW in an individual patient was evaluated quantitatively using the percent deviation from age matched UEBW.

Susceptibility to vesicoureteral reflux in Japanese is linked to HLA-DR antigen.

Objectives: To determine whether vesicoureteral reflux is associated with the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes.

Methods: We evaluated 40 Japanese patients (27 males and 13 females) with reflux. HLA-DR low-resolution genotyping and high-resolution typing of HLA-DRB1 alleles were performed.

Follow-up study of bedwetting from 3 to 5 years of age.

Objectives: To evaluate the relationship between bedwetting and development in infancy.

Methods: Questionnaires concerning micturition habits and development at 3 and 5 years of age were completed by the parents of 157 children who had had their health checked by pediatricians at a group checkup at 3 years of age.

Results: The percentage of bedwetters in whom the frequency of bedwetting was at least once a month was 53% at 3 years of age and 21% at 5 years of age.

Alternative splicing isoforms of hippostasin (PRSS20/KLK11) in prostate cancer cell lines.

Background: Hippostasin is a kallikrein-like protease (PRSS20/KLK11), which is expressed preferentially in the hippocampus and prostate. We have reported that alternative splicing variants of human hippostasin are regulated in a tissue-specific manner. Brain-type hippostasin consists of 250 amino acids including a typical signal sequence, and is expressed in the brain and prostate.

[A case of primary adenocarcinoma of the female urethra].

A 53-year-old female visited our hospital with a complaint of acute urinary retention. Transvaginal ultrasonography, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed extreme thickening of the urethral wall. Histopathological examination of the transvaginal needle biopsy suggested well-differentiated adenocarcinoma.

Evaluation of reflux kidney using renal resistive index.

Purpose: We clarified the relationships of the renal resistive index, reflux and renal scarring.

Materials And Methods: The resistive index in the interlobar artery was measured using power Doppler ultrasonography in 22 patients with reflux (reflux group), 13 with postoperative or resolved reflux (previous reflux group) and 20 who served as controls.

Results: Resistive index values in 11 kidneys with mid or high grade reflux were significantly higher than in 22 with low grade reflux and in the 40 normal kidneys.

The significance of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) activity in bladder cancer.

Dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the pathway of uracil and thymine catabolism. DPD is also the principal enzyme involved in the degradation of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), which is one of the anticancer chemotherapeutic agents currently used in the treatment of bladder cancer. Little is known about the significance of DPD activity in human cancers.

Are micturition systems influenced by sleep-arousal system?

To clarify a relation between contractile condition of the urinary bladder and vigilance condition, bladder pressure was monitored simultaneously with cortical electroencephalogram (EEG) in urethane-anesthetized rats. Slow waves of large amplitude and those of lower amplitude appeared in EEG alternately. The bladder showed no contractile activity in the former EEG condition, while it contracted intermittently or continuously to urinate in the latter EEG condition.

State dependent response of the locus caeruleus neurons to bladder distention.

Purpose: The precise mechanism by which normal persons wake upon urinary sensation is unclear. The locus caeruleus in the pons is suggested to be involved in the activating systems for arousal. We evaluated the effects of bladder distention on the neural activity in the l.

Causes of nocturnal urinary frequency and reasons for its increase with age in healthy older men.

Purpose: We investigate the causes of nocturnal urinary frequency and reasons for its increase with age.

Materials And Methods: All voided volumes and times were recorded for 3 days in 188 healthy older men without prostatic diseases during a mass screening program for prostatic diseases in Japan. Nocturnal urinary frequency for each night was defined as the frequency during sleep not counting the morning void.

[Renal angiomyolipoma with marked extrarenal development: a case report].

A 28-year-old female complained of minimal fever elevation. Computed tomography (CT) revealed a left renal tumor of 10 cm in diameter. Ultrasonogram and CT, magnetic resonance imaging and angiography suggested a renal angiomyolipoma (AML) with marked extrarenal development.

Locus coeruleus function in enuresis.

There are four neuronal networks projecting to many areas of the brain. All networks relate closely to arousal and sleep function. Among the four networks, the noradrenaline projection network, originating from the locus coeruleus (LC), is the system most typically responsible for arousal.

Firing of putative cholinergic neurons and micturition center neurons in the rat laterodorsal tegmentum during distention and contraction of urinary bladder.

The relation between unit activity in the laterodorsal tegmental (LDT) area and the state of the urinary bladder was examined in urethane-anesthetized rats. Neurons in the LDT area can be classified into two populations: broad-spike (possibly cholinergic) and brief-spike (non-cholinergic). When the rats showed cortical electroencephalographic activity with large amplitude lower frequency, indicative of deep anesthesia, more than 40% of the broad-spike neurons was excited and about 10% was inhibited by infusion of saline into the bladder.

Systematic treatment for nocturnal urinary frequency following a sleep-micturition chart.

Seven patients complaining of nocturnal urinary frequency were treated following a sleep-micturition chart. By clinical analysis of the data, the causes of nocturnal urinary frequency were divided into three diagnostic categories: a small bladder capacity group, a sleep disorder group and a large nocturnal urinary volume group. The three groups were treated by anticholinergic agents, sleeping pills and restriction of water intake at night respectively.

Noninvasive evaluation of bladder compliance in children using ultrasound estimated bladder weight.

Purpose: In healthy children as well as those with urinary disturbance we determined ultrasound estimated bladder weight with the aim of revealing its possible usefulness as a measure of bladder compliance.

Materials And Methods: We measured ultrasound estimated bladder weight in 71 healthy children with a mean age of 10.3 years, and determined a standard value.

The objective assessment of urinary incontinence in children.

Objective: To assess urinary incontinence objectively in children.

Patients And Methods: Thirty-three children (mean age 8.2 years, range 5-12) were examined, of whom 23 suffered from incontinence and 10 did not.

Changes in the structure of sleep spindles and delta waves on electroencephalography in patients with nocturnal enuresis.

Objective: To evaluate the mechanism of the dysfunction of arousal in patients with Type I and Type IIa enuresis.

Patients And Methods: The numbers of sleep spindles and delta waves were analysed during electroencephalography in 19 patients with enuresis (17 male, two female, mean age 9.7 years, range 8-14).

Relationship between nocturnal urinary frequency and sleep disturbances in aged men.

The relationship between nocturnal urinary frequency and sleep disturbances is investigated in aged men in 12 rural towns in Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures. The subjects were 178 men who did not have diseases or symptoms that were likely to affect urinary condition or sleep. There were no significant differences in sleep disturbances, except sleep maintenance, between the normal group (nocturnal urinary frequency below twice per night) and the abnormal group (nocturnal urinary frequency twice or more per night).

How does the distention of urinary bladder cause arousal?

Under urethane anesthesia, the urinary bladder of male rats was distended by 0.3-0.5 mL of saline.

Effects of systematic treatment based on overnight simultaneous monitoring of electroencephalography and cystometry.

Objective: To clarify the effects of systematic treatment based on overnight simultaneous monitoring by electroencephalography (EEG) and cystometry (CM) on each type of enuresis.

Methods: For enuresis type I, the change in the awakening response during the conditioning treatment with a therapeutic machine was observed. For enuresis type IIa, the effect of imipramine on the EEG was observed.

Classification based on overnight simultaneous monitoring by electroencephalography and cystometry.

Objectives: To evaluate the features of the clinical findings in three types (types I, IIa, IIb) of enuresis, classified by overnight simultaneous monitoring by electroencephalography (EEG) and cystometry (CM).

Methods: We performed a test to evaluate bladder capacity, arousal response and the pattern of nighttime urination in sucklings and infants.

Results: As for the values of enuretic bladder capacity (EBC), the smallest were found in enuresis type IIb.