Lower urinary tract symptoms after radical perineal prostatectomy.

Objective: To clarify the impact of radical perineal prostatectomy (RPP) on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer.

Methods: A total of 117 patients with a median age of 69 years who underwent RPP alone between August 2002 and August 2005 were included in the study. We measured LUTS on the basis of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and IPSS quality of life (QOL) questionnaire before, and 3, 6 and 12 months after surgery.

Control of juvenile hormone biosynthesis in Bombyx mori: cloning of the enzymes in the mevalonate pathway and assessment of their developmental expression in the corpora allata.

We have isolated the cDNAs of all enzymes involved in the mevalonate pathway portion of the juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthetic pathway in Bombyx mori, i.e., those responsible for the formation of farnesyl diphosphate from acetyl-CoA.

Nodal regulates neural tube formation in the Ciona intestinalis embryo.

Overexpression of a lefty orthologue, Ci-lefty, caused a failure of neural tube closure in the protochordate ascidian Ciona intestinalis. The body bent dorsally, and anterior-posterior elongation was inhibited. A similar phenotype was observed in embryos treated with SB431542, an inhibitor of Nodal receptors, suggesting that Ci-Lefty antagonized Nodal signaling as reported in other deuterostome species.

Molecular cloning and expression of two novel beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases from silkworm Bombyx mori.

Beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase is a major glycosidase involved in several physiological processes, such as fertilization, metamorphosis, glycoconjugate degradation, and glycoprotein biosynthesis in insects. A search using the Bombyx mori cDNA database revealed the existence of two putative beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase genes. Their full-length cDNAs were cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends and polymerase chain reaction using specific primers, and named BmGlcNAcase1 and BmGlcNAcase2.

Small hepatocellular carcinoma presenting with massive metastasis in the peritoneum, mimicking sarcomatous tumor.

The case of a 51-year-old man with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma metastasizing to the peritoneal cavity and mimicking a sarcomatous tumor is presented. A 12 x 12 cm mass, disclosed by computed tomography (CT), in the peritoneal cavity was predominantly isodense to muscle but had hypodense areas that suggested necrosis. T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a large mass, slightly hyperintense to muscle, with local hyperintense areas of suspected hemorrhagic necrosis.

Risk factors for intravesical recurrence following urothelial carcinoma of the upper urinary tract: no relationship to the mode of surgery.

Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify whether intravesical recurrence of upper urinary tract cancer after treatment is related to the mode of surgery or other oncological factors.

Methods: We evaluated 106 patients (mean age 70.4 years; mean follow-up 24.

Multistep hepatocarcinogenesis from a dysplastic nodule to well-differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma in a patient with alcohol-related liver cirrhosis.

We describe a rare case of the transformation of a dysplastic nodule into well-differentiated hepato-cellular carcinoma (HCC) in a 56-year-old man with alcohol-related liver cirrhosis. Ultrasound (US) disclosed a 10 mm hypoechoic nodule and contrast enhanced US revealed a hypovascular nodule, both in segment seven. US-guided biopsy revealed a high-grade dysplastic nodule characterized by enhanced cellularity with a high N/C ratio, increased cytoplasmic eosinophilia, and slight cell atypia.

Cloning and characterization of insect arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase from Bombyx mori.

Arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) catalyzes N-acetylation of arylarkylamines. A cDNA of Bombyx mori insect AANAT (Bm-iAANAT) was found by searching an expressed-sequence tag (EST) database of B. mori (SilkBase).

SAGE analysis of early oogenesis in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

To identify genes involved in the differentiation of Bombyx cystoblast, we constructed two 3' long serial analysis of gene expression (Long SAGE) libraries from stage 1-3 or stage 2-3 egg chambers and compared their gene expression profiles. In both libraries, the most frequent tags were derived from the same novel transcript. The transcript does not have any open reading frame capable of encoding a protein with over 100 amino acids in length.

Characteristics of Streptococcus suis isolated from patients in Japan.

Seven cases of Streptococcus suis infection in Japan during 1994 and 2006 were summarized. All cases had porcine exposure and five of them had hand skin injury during the exposure. Five cases presented symptoms of meningitis, three presented symptoms of sepsis, and one resulted in sudden death.

Protein composition of silk filaments spun under water by caddisfly larvae.

Silk fiber produced by the larvae of Trichoptera (caddisflies) and Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) is composed of two filaments embedded in a layer of glue proteins. In an aerial environment Lepidoptera spin silk filaments assembled from heavy chain fibroin (H-fibroin), light chain fibroin (L-fibroin), and the glycoprotein P25. The silk filament of caddisflies, which is produced and persists in water, contained homologues of H-fibroin (>500 kDa) and L-fibroin (25 kDa) but not of P25.

Exposure and risk assessment of 1,3-butadiene in Japan.

1,3-Butadiene is on the list of Substances Requiring Priority Action published by the Central Environmental Council of Japan in 1996. Emission of 1,3-butadiene has been controlled by a voluntary reduction program since 1997. Although the industrial emission of 1,3-butadiene in Japan has decreased in recent years, primarily due to a voluntary industrial emissions reduction program, the risks of exposure to it remain largely unknown.

Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Human Radiosusceptibility Gene, NP95.

The murine nuclear protein Np95 has been shown to underlie resistance to ionizing radiation and other DNA insults or replication arrests in embryonic stem (ES) cells. Using the databases for expressed sequenced tags and a two-step PCR procedure, we isolated human NP95, the full-length human homologue of the murine Np95 cDNA, which consists of 4,327 bp with a single open reading frame (ORF) encoding a polypeptide of 793 amino acids and 73.3% homology to Np95.

DNA methylation of the RIZ1 gene is associated with nuclear accumulation of p53 in prostate cancer.

The retinoblastoma protein-interacting zinc finger gene, RIZ1, is thought to be a tumor suppressor gene. RIZ1 is inactivated by mutation, deletion and DNA methylation in several human cancers. In the present study, the relationship between DNA methylation of RIZ1 and mutation of p53 was investigated in prostate cancer (PCa).

Isolation and characterization of sex chromosome rearrangements generating male muscle dystrophy and female abnormal oogenesis in the silkworm, Bombyx mori.

In deletion-mapping of W-specific RAPD (W-RAPD) markers and putative female determinant gene (Fem), we used X-ray irradiation to break the translocation-carrying W chromosome (W( Ze )). We succeeded in obtaining a fragment of the W( Ze ) chromosome designated as Ze (W), having 3 of 12 W-RAPD markers (W-Bonsai, W-Yukemuri-S, W-Yukemuri-L). Inheritance of the Ze (W) fragment by males indicates that it does not include the Fem gene.

Casein kinases I of the silkworm, Bombyx mori: their possible roles in circadian timing and developmental determination.

Doubletime (DBT), a homolog of casein kinase Iepsilon (CKIepsilon), is an essential circadian clock component and developmental regulator in Drosophila melanogaster. The authors cloned a dbt homolog from the silkworm, Bombyx mori(Bmdbt), and examined its spatial and temporal expression in comparison to a CKI[alpha] homolog (BmCKIalpha). Four Bmdbt splice variants and 2 BmCKIalpha splice variants were detected, and their expression patterns varied in different tissues.

Pseudoaneurysm embolization and vasopressin infusion for lower gastrointestinal bleeding due to recurrence of urinary bladder carcinoma.

We report a case that was successfully treated for massive lower gastrointestinal (LGI) bleeding due to a recurrent urinary bladder carcinoma. Treatment consisted of combination therapy including embolization of an inferior gluteal artery (IGA) pseudoaneurysm and low-dose arterial vasopressin infusion via a sigmoid artery (SA). A 57-year-old man presented with life-threatening sudden, massive LGI bleeding due to an obturator lymph node (LN) metastasis from a urinary bladder carcinoma.

Stat5 expression predicts response to endocrine therapy and improves survival in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer.

Constitutively activated signal transducers and activators of transcription (Stats), in particular Stat3 and Stat5, have been demonstrated to directly contribute to oncogenesis by stimulating cell proliferation and preventing apoptosis in various cancers. Stat3 is essential in mammary gland epithelial cell apoptosis and involution, whereas Stat5 is well established as a key factor in mammary epithelial cell growth and differentiation. Crosstalk between Stats and estrogen receptor (ER) has been demonstrated by several laboratories and we have focused on the role of Stat5 in ER-positive breast cancer.

Women's perception of male erectile dysfunction drugs in the general population.

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate trends in women's perception of male erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs in the general population.

Methods: We designed an online questionnaire survey and randomly invited an initial total of 2370 women to respond to it from a database population that included 450,000 men and women recruited through an Internet-based market research company. The 17 items of the questionnaire comprised 9 items related to socio-cultural background and 8 items related to the perception of ED drugs, ED itself, and sexual relations.

Lower urinary tract symptoms and risk of prostate cancer in Japanese men.

Our aim was to investigate whether or not men with lower urinary tract symptoms are at increased risk of prostate cancer. A total of 3511 men aged 50-79 years who underwent mass screening for prostate cancer between 2002 and 2004 for the first time, and completed the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) questionnaire at the time of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test, were enrolled in the present study. All men with PSA values greater than 4.

Purification, kinetic characterization, and molecular cloning of a novel enzyme, ecdysteroid 22-kinase.

This is the first report succeeding in the isolation and characterization of an enzyme and its gene involved in the phosphorylation of a steroid hormone. It has been demonstrated that ecdysteroid 22-phosphates in insect ovaries, which are physiologically inactive, serve as a "reservoir" that supplies active free ecdysteroids during early embryonic development and that their dephosphorylation is catalyzed by a specific enzyme, ecdysteroid-phosphate phosphatase (Yamada, R., and Sonobe, H.

Case of adult genotype C HBV carrier after acute hepatitis B, losing HBsAg and acquiring HBsAb after IFN and lamivudine treatment.

Here we report the case of a 48-year-old man, carrier of genotype C HBV for longer than 6 months after contracting sexually transmitted acute hepatitis B, who eventually lost HBsAg and acquired HBsAb by IFN/lamivudine therapy. The patient had been negative for HBsAg in 2001, but, during his stay in China from January to July in 2003, he developed acute hepatitis B after having an extra-marital sexual contact there. HBsAg was still positive and a liver biopsy indicated chronic hepatitis when he was admitted to our hospital in December 2003 for detailed examination of liver dysfunction.

Polycalin (chlorophyllid A binding protein): a novel, very large fluorescent lipocalin from the midgut of the domestic silkworm Bombyx mori L.

We studied a protein from the midgut of the silkworm Bombyx mori characterized by its ability to bind the prosthetic group of chlorophyll, that confers fluorescent properties to this protein. Several techniques, 2D electrophoresis purification, MS-MS and Maldi-TOF peptide sequencing, RT-PCR and nucleotide sequencing were used to obtain the nucleotide sequence and the deduced amino acid sequence. The coding sequence was compared to the gene sequence to define the number and size of introns and exons.

The female-killing chromosome of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, was generated by translocation between the Z and W chromosomes.

Bombyx mori is a female-heterogametic organism (female, ZW; male, ZZ) that appears to have a putative feminizing gene (Fem) on the W chromosome. The paternally transmitted mutant W chromosome, Df(p ( Sa ) + ( p )W + ( od ))Fem, derived from the translocation-carrying W chromosome (p ( Sa ) + ( p )W + ( od )), is inert as femaleness determinant. Moreover, this Df(p ( Sa ) + ( p )W + ( od ))Fem chromosome has been thought to have a female-killing factor because no female larvae having the Df(p ( Sa ) + ( p )W + ( od ))Fem chromosome are produced.

Sex differences in mechanomyographic responses to voluntary isometric contractions.

Purpose: This study was designed to compare mechanomyography (MMG) and the force relationship during isometric ramp contractions of biceps brachii muscles in females and males to identify sex differences in the MMG responses.

Methods: Subjects (10 females and 9 males; age range, 20-26 yr) were asked to exert an isometric elbow flexion torque from 5 to 80% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) at a constant rate of 10% MVC per second. The MMG signal was normalized to muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) as measured by ultrasound imaging.