Percutaneous pelvic perfusion with extracorporeal chemofiltration for advanced uterine cervical carcinoma.

This review was focused on a new intra-arterial infusion system with an extracorporeal chemofiltration circuit. After inferior vena cava isolation was percutaneously achieved by balloon catheter technique, cisplatin (140-240 mg/m(2)) was administered by intrauterine arterial infusion, with inferior and superior gluteal arterial embolization. The platinum-containing blood was pumped through an extracorporeal charcoal chemofiltration circuit.

Association study of vascular endothelial growth factor gene polymorphisms in endometrial carcinomas in a Japanese population.

Objective: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the most potent endothelial cell mitogens and plays a critical role in angiogenesis of endometrial carcinomas. Several studies have demonstrated positive associations between VEGF gene polymorphisms and several carcinomas. In this study we investigated whether VEGF gene polymorphisms are associated with endometrial carcinomas in a Japanese population.

Effects of corticotropin-releasing hormone and stresscopin on vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA expression in cultured early human extravillous trophoblasts.

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) takes a role in the regulation of the onset of parturition. Stresscopin (SCP) is a high affinity ligand for CRH receptor (CRHR)-2. CRHR-2 inhibits VEGF-induced neovascularization.

Adlercreutzia equolifaciens gen. nov., sp. nov., an equol-producing bacterium isolated from human faeces, and emended description of the genus Eggerthella.

Nine strains capable of metabolizing isoflavones to equol were isolated from human faeces. Four of the strains were characterized by determining phenotypic and biochemical features and their phylogenetic position based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. These strains were related to Eggerthella sinensis HKU14T with about 93 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity; they were asaccharolytic, obligately anaerobic, non-spore-forming, non-motile and Gram-positive coccobacilli.

Association study between catechol-O-methyltransferase polymorphisms and uterine leiomyomas in a Japanese population.

Purpose: To investigate a possible association between uterine leiomyomas and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) polymorphisms in a Japanese population.

Methods: We compared the allele frequencies and genotype distributions of the exon 4 NlaIII restriction site polymorphism (RSP), the P2 promoter HindIII RSP at -1217, and the exon 6 BglI RSP in the COMT gene in 250 leiomyoma cases and 182 controls using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment-length polymorphism analysis.

Results: No significant differences in allele frequencies and genotype distributions of the exon 4 NlaIII RSP, the P2 promoter HindIII RSP at -1217, and the exon 6 BglI RSP were found between uterine leiomyoma cases and controls.

[Case of moderately differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma with gastric metastasis].

A solitary liver nodule about 1cm in diameter was detected in a 68-year-old male HBV carrier during therapy for advanced lung cancer. A multiple IIc-like depressed lesion originating in the stomach soon became elevated as the liver lesion progressed. HE staining produced hepatoma-like histological findings for the tumors of the lung, liver and stomach, while immunohistochemical staining showed them to be positive for PIVKA-II and weakly positive for HP-1.

Selective progesterone receptor modulator asoprisnil down-regulates collagen synthesis in cultured human uterine leiomyoma cells through up-regulating extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer.

Background: A recent clinical trial demonstrated that selective progesterone receptor modulator asoprisnil is effective in reducing uterine leiomyoma volume. We investigated the effects of asoprisnil in vitro on the expression of the extracellular matrix (ECM)-remodeling enzymes and collagens in cultured leiomyoma and matching normal myometrial cells.

Methods: The expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors of MMP (TIMPs) and collagens were assessed by western blot analysis.

Effects of recombinant H2 relaxin on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases and tissue inhibitor metalloproteinase in cultured early placental extravillous trophoblasts.

Relaxin promotes softening of the uterine cervix and inhibits uterine contractility in rats, mice and pigs. Little information, however, is available about the role of relaxin in humans. In 2002, LGR7 and LGR8 were discovered to be receptors for relaxin and those receptors were identified in the human placenta.

Progesterone receptor modulator CDB-2914 induces extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer in cultured human uterine leiomyoma cells.

Effects of progesterone receptor modulator CDB-2914 on the expression of the extracellular matrix (ECM) components were examined in cultured human uterine leiomyoma and myometrial cells. ECM metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN), matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), tissue inhibitors of MMP (TIMPs) and collagen levels were assessed by Western blot analysis, MMP activity assay and real-time RT-PCR. RNA interference (RNAi) of EMMPRIN was performed using small interfering mRNA.

Comparative effects of SPRM asoprisnil (J867) on proliferation, apoptosis, and the expression of growth factors in cultured uterine leiomyoma cells and normal myometrial cells.

Progesterone plays a pivotal role in controlling uterine leiomyoma growth. The authors review studies they conducted to evaluate the comparative effects of asoprisnil on proliferation, apoptosis, and growth factor expression in cultured leiomyoma and normal myometrial cells. Treatment with asoprisnil decreased the proliferating cell nuclear antigen-positive rate and the number of viable cells and increased the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated 2'-deoxyuridine 5'-triphosphate nick end labeling- positive rate in cultured leiomyoma cells in a dose-dependent manner ( P < .

Radial augmentation index associated with increase in B-type natriuretic peptide in patients with hypertension.

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) level has been used as a marker of left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction (LVSD), even though some patients with atherosclerosis have a high BNP level irrespective of LV function. In this study, we investigate whether augmentation index (AI), which is an index of wave reflection, is involved in increasing BNP level in hypertensive patients without LVSD. Sixty treated hypertensive patients were enrolled in this study.

Adverse effects of ivermectin on the dung beetles, Caccobius jessoensis Harold, and rare species, Copris ochus Motschulsky and Copris acutidens Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), in Japan.

Effects of the antiparasitic drug, ivermectin, on the dung beetles, Caccobius jessoensis Harold, 1867 and the rare species, Copris ochus Motschulsky, 1860 and Copris acutidens Motschulsky, 1860 were studied in laboratory and field experiments in Hokkaido, Japan. Ivermectin was detected in dung from 1 to 21 or 28 days following treatment, with a peak on the first day after treatment in two pour-on administrations (500 microg kg(-1)), although there were considerable differences between the two peaks. In C.

Vascular endothelial growth factor +936 C/T polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of endometriosis in a Japanese population.

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentration in endometriosis patients is higher than controls, in serum and ascites, suggesting that VEGF may play an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. In this study, we investigated whether polymorphisms in the VEGF gene are associated with endometriosis in a Japanese population.

Methods: Genotyping of VEGF -460 C/T, +405 G/C and +936 C/T polymorphisms were performed in 147 endometriosis cases diagnosed by laparotomy or laparoscopy at a university hospital, and 181 controls, by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis.

The effects of progesterone on apoptosis in the human trophoblast-derived HTR-8/SV neo cells.

Progesterone (P4) is frequently used in the treatment of threatened abortion, prevention of recurrent miscarriage and threatened preterm labor. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of P4 in the regulation of extravillous trophoblasts' (EVTs) function. This study was designed to examine the presence of progesterone receptor (PR) in the human trophoblast-derived HTR-8/SV neo cell line, which is a possible model of EVTs, and the effects of P4 on apoptosis in those cells.

Adult neural stem and progenitor cells modified to secrete GDNF can protect, migrate and integrate after intracerebral transplantation in rats with transient forebrain ischemia.

Adult neural stem and progenitor cells (NSPCs) are important autologous transplantation tools in regenerative medicine, as they can secrete factors that protect the ischemic brain. We investigated whether adult NSPCs genetically modified to secrete more glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) could protect against transient ischemia in rats. NSPCs were harvested from the subventricular zone of adult Wistar rats and cultured for 3 weeks in the presence of epidermal growth factor.

Association study between epidermal growth factor receptor and epidermal growth factor polymorphisms and endometriosis in a Japanese population.

Objective: We investigated a possible association between endometriosis and polymorphisms in the genes encoding epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) and EGF in a Japanese population.

Methods: We compared the distribution of the Egfr+2073 A/T and Egf+61 G/A polymorphisms by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis in 146 affected women and 181 controls.

Results: No significant differences in the frequency and genotype distribution of the Egfr+2073 A/T and Egf+61 G/A polymorphisms were found between endometriosis patients with all disease stages and controls.

Selective progesterone receptor modulator asoprisnil induces endoplasmic reticulum stress in cultured human uterine leiomyoma cells.

A recent clinical trial (Chwalisz K, Larsen L, Mattia-Goldberg C, Edmonds A, Elger W, Winkel CA. Fertil Steril 87: 1399-1412, 2007) has demonstrated that the selective progesterone receptor modulator asoprisnil efficiently causes the shrinkage of uterine leiomyoma. The present study was conducted to examine whether asoprisnil elicits endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced apoptosis in cultured human uterine leiomyoma cells.

Epidermal growth factor receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 gene polymorphisms in endometrial cancer in a Japanese population.

Endometrial cancer is associated with both EGFR and HER2 receptor activation. The EGFR and HER2 genes could be disease susceptibility candidate genes for this cancer. This study was conducted to investigate a possible association between EGFR and HER2 gene polymorphisms and endometrial cancer and the influence of these polymorphisms on the clinical outcome of endometrial cancer patients in a Japanese population.

Effects of levonorgestrel-releasing IUS and progesterone receptor modulator PRM CDB-2914 on uterine leiomyomas.

We have found that the use of levonorgestrel-releasing IUS results in a remarkable decrease in endometrial proliferation and a remarkable increase in apoptosis in the endometrium; therefore, it is effective for long-term management of menorrhagic women with uterine myomas because of the striking reduction in menorrhagia. This prompted us to characterize the effects of progesterone (P(4)) and progesterone receptor modulator (PRM) CDB2914 on uterine myoma growth. In vitro studies with cultured uterine leiomyoma cells and normal myometrial cells revealed that P(4) stimulated the proliferative activity in leiomyoma cells, but not in normal myometrial cells.

Plasma adiponectin concentrations and placental adiponectin expression in pre-eclamptic women.

This study was conducted to compare maternal plasma adiponectin concentrations and adiponectin expression in term placentas between normotensive pregnant women and pre-eclamptic women. Plasma adiponectin concentrations were assessed by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 81 normotensive pregnant women, 27 pre-eclamptic women and 15 non-pregnant healthy women. The expression of adiponectin in the placentas was assessed by immunohistochemistry.

Differences in right and left ventricular remodeling after transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect among adults.

Objectives: To evaluate acute cardiac remodeling after transcatheter closure of atrial septal defect (ASD) in adult patients.

Background: In adult patients with ASD, longer periods of cardiac adaptation should be expected after the procedure due to long-standing RV volume overload and subsequent changes in the pulmonary vasculature. There are limited reports about this remodeling in adult patients.

Magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery for uterine fibroids: relationship between the therapeutic effects and signal intensity of preexisting T2-weighted magnetic resonance images.

Objective: This study was undertaken to clarify the relationship between the signal intensity of T2-weighted magnetic resonance images and the therapeutic effect of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) on uterine fibroids.

Study Design: Ninety-five fibroids in 63 patients were classified into 3 types based on the signal intensity of T2-weighted magnetic resonance images as follows: type 1, low intensity; type 2, intermediate intensity; type 3, high intensity. The treated area ratio of MRgFUS and the volume reduction ratio 6 months after treatment were used as the indices of therapeutic effect.

Pregnancy outcome of uterine arterial embolization followed by selective hysteroscopic removal of a placental polyp.

Objective: To evaluate the pregnancy outcome of uterine arterial embolization followed by selective hysteroscopic removal of a placental polyp.

Methods: Thirteen patients of placental polyp with abundant blood flow, which was diagnosed by ultrasound with color Doppler imaging, were studied. They underwent uterine arterial embolization followed by selective hysteroscopic removal of the polyp.