Abstract This is the first report describing up-regulation of telomerase activity in human normal cells. Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein enzyme, has been thought to be involved maintaining telomere length stability germline and most cancer cells, but not However, present study, we demonstrate that detectable at low levels T B increases by vitro mitogenic stimulation, hematopoietic progenitor cells upon their proliferation differentiation, decreases with aging. Understanding regulation may...

Objectives: Despite high smoking rates, few prevalence studies of COPD have been performed in Asia. The Nippon Epidemiology (NICE) Study used spirometry to measure airflow limitation Japanese adults. Methodology: Clinical, spirometric, and risk factor exposure data were collected on 2343 subjects aged ≥ 40 years who demographically similar the population. Airflow was defined according Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) criteria (FEV 1 /FVC < 70%). Results:...

Journal Article Telomerase Activity in Small-Cell and Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancers Get access Keiko Hiyama, Hiyama Department of Cell Biology Neuroscience. The University Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas Second Internal Medicine, Hiroshima School MedicineJapan Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic PubMed Google Scholar Eiso Neuroscience, Dallas, General Medicine Shinichi Ishioka, Ishioka Michio Yamakido, Yamakido Kouki Inai, Inai Pathology, Adi F. Gazdar, Gazdar...

The endoscopic treatment of symptomatic pharyngoesophageal diverticula (PED) with rigid instruments involves the incision septum between diverticulum and esophageal lumen, within which cricopharyngeal muscle is present. aim this study to report on feasibility efficacy our method using flexible endoscopy an electro-surgery system minimal trauma patients.Forty-two patients (13 female, 29 male) underwent treatment. average age was 68.4 years (range 46 102 years) 26 them (61%) had concomitant...

To evaluate if using a soft-tipped guidewire to cannulate the common bile duct may ameliorate development of post-ERCP pancreatitis and facilitate cannulation CBD.A single-center, blinded, randomized trial conventional technique sphinctertome contrast injection versus technique.We prospectively 300 patients (group I) or II) technique.Primary outcome measure was incidence acute secondary measures were ease (assessed by attempts required for & rates precut sphincterotomy) overall complication...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Both endoscopic and surgical drainage procedures are effective palliative methods for malignant biliary obstruction. Surgical is still preferred in developing countries due to the high cost of procuring metal stents. The aim this study was evaluate quality life care patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer after drainage. PATIENTS METHODS This a prospective, randomized controlled trial conducted tertiary referral center Brazil. Patients obstruction liver metastasis, but...

<i>Objective:</i> The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinicopathological features uterine sarcoma in Hokkaido, Japan, between 1990 and 1999, identify prognostic factors patients with such malignancies area period. <i>Methods:</i> One hundred six histologically proven were evaluated retrospectively. <i>Results:</i> 93.5% carcinosarcoma (CS) diagnosed as having malignant disease preoperatively, while 65% those leiomyosarcoma (LMS) 75% endometrial...

Background and Study Aims: Endoscopic evaluation of the excluded stomach after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery for morbid obesity is a challenge, pathological changes that take place in bypassed are unclear. A new double-balloon method evaluating described here. Patients Methods: This enteroscope uses two balloons, one attached to tip endoscope other distal end soft overtube. The procedures were carried out six patients using retrograde route, through end-to-side jejunal anastomosis via...

Polymorphisms at three loci in the thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT) gene are known to be responsible for azathioprine and 6-mercaptopurine (6MP) toxicity. Among them, only TPMT*3C variant allele with A719G mutation was found 15/522 (2.9%; 17/1044 alleles; 1.6%) Japanese individuals including two homozygotes. The frequency different from that Caucasians, investigation of TPMT polymorphisms consideration ethnic differences before administration or 6MP may provide clinically useful information.

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) has been applied as the most valuable source of autologous cell transplantation for various diseases including diabetic complications. However, hyperglycemia may cause abnormalities in intrinsic BM-MSC which might lose sufficient therapeutic effects patients. We demonstrated functional derived from both type 1 and 2 diabetes models vitro, resulted loss vivo nephropathy (DN). Then, we developed a novel method to improve using human umbilical...

Glucose uptake is mediated by members of the facilitative glucose transporter (GLUT) family. Malignant cells take up more than their normal counterparts. The aim this study was to investigate gene expression levels GLUT family, especially GLUT1, GLUT3 , and GLUT5 in primary lung cancer, metastatic liver tumors, tissues, compare tumors with those tissues. We analyzed 105 autopsy samples (35 35 corresponding 25 10 tumors) from patients using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain...

Recent studies demonstrated that a single guanine insertion polymorphism in matrix metalloprotease‐1 promoter created an Ets binding site and affected the elevation of transcriptional level metalloproteinase‐1 (MMP‐1). Furthermore, tumor cell lines derived from melanoma breast cancer, incidence 2G/2G genotype was significantly higher than normal population. To evaluate contribution this endometrial carcinomas, we genotyped 100 carcinomas then analyzed immunoexpression MMP‐1 these carcinomas....

Neutrophils play an important role in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). To elucidate possible involvement neutrophil elastase (NE) fibrosis, we investigated efficacy a new specific NE inhibitor (ONO-5046 Na) murine model human IPF, bleomycin-induced fibrosis. Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and histopathological analysis were performed on bleomycin-treated mice (group A), bleomycin ONO-5046 Na-treated B), saline control groups at 1, 15, 29 d after end treatment. At d,...

Polymorphisms in the gene for microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEPHX), an enzyme involved protective mechanism against oxidative stress, have been reported to be associated with individual susceptibility development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The polymorphisms exons 3 and 4 mEPHX were examined a total 358 Japanese individuals, including 40 patients COPD 71 lung cancer. overall frequencies variant allele codons 113 (exon 3) 139 4) 44% 14%, respectively. Moreover, novel...

Objective Endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) may facilitate insertion of self expandable metal stent (SEMS) and also help avert the development pancreatitis from stent-related occlusion pancreatic duct. On other hand, ES is independently associated with pancreatitis, bleeding, perforation. We evaluated whether before SEMS placement was a greater likelihood migration complications in patients malignant obstruction distal common bile Methods Seventy-four unresectable duct were prospectively...

Objectives The accuracy of endoscopic ultrasound-fine needle aspiration cytology (EUS-FNAC) for the diagnosis pancreatic cancer is suboptimal. Mutational activation kras oncogene almost universally present in tissue. We, therefore, investigated if analysis mutant gene EUS-FNAC aspirates supplements cytopathology adenocarcinoma (PAC). Methods specimens obtained from 74 patients with masses were analyzed presence mutation on codon 12 using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length...

MicroRNA-34a (miR-34a) is associated with invasion and metastasis of various cancers. The trophoblastic cells placenta accreta invade into the myometrium in a similar way to We studied roles miR-34a pathogenesis accreta.The human choriocarcinoma cell line JAR was used for vitro experiments as model trophoblasts, placental tissues from operative specimen patients or without were vivo. Morpholino antisense oligomer against (miR-34a Morpho/AS) added JAR, expression plasminogen activator...

One of the cyclooxygenase (COX) isoforms, COX-2, is overexpressed in various human cancers. In this study, we examined gene expression levels COX-2 primary non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC), metastatic lymph nodes, and normal tissues. The were assessed by means reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction 76 autopsy samples (29 NSCLC, 29 corresponding tissues, 9 nodes). NSCLC (both adenocarcinomas squamous carcinomas) significantly higher than tissues carcinomas. Differences between...

Oxidant/antioxidant imbalance is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Therefore, antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), are expected have an inhibitory potential against IPF. To elucidate whether a lecithinized SOD (phosphatidylcholine [PC]-SOD) has new therapeutic agent for IPF, we investigated effects PC-SOD at doses 1 mg/kg/d (low dose) and 10 (high methylprednisolone (mPSL) on bleomycin (BLM)-induced mice. Histopathologic...

To investigate the contribution of β‐catenin gene to development ovarian carcinomas, mutational analysis exon 3 was conducted. We analyzed 61 primary consisting 49 non‐endometrioid‐type and 12 endometrioid‐type tumors, for genetic alteration gene. Five carcinomas showed mutations (S37C, T41I, T41A), including 4 (33%) tumors 1 (14%) 7 mucinous‐type tumors. All these altered at serine/threonine residues that are potential sites GSK3‐β phosphorylation. detected no with interstitial deletion...

The involvement of platelet-activating factor (PAF) in bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) asthma has been controversial. To determine whether PAF is involved BHR humans, we carried out a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, two-phase cross-over study on the effects Y-24180, potent, specific, orally active receptor antagonist, to methacholine patients with asthma. subjects were 13 extrinsic stable provocative concentration producing 20% fall FEV1 (PC20-FEV1) was measured as an index...