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Biomedical subjects

H Honda

Publications and source records attributed to H Honda.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Effect of xamoterol in Shy-Drager syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Xamoterol, a cardioselective beta 1-adrenoceptor partial agonist, has been reported to be effective on postural hypotension. We investigated the effect of xamoterol in five patients with Shy-Drager syndrome (SDS) in relation to their prevailing sympathetic nerve activity and sensitivity of beta-adrenoceptors and the change in circadian variation of blood pressure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ambulatory blood pressure over 24 hours was monitored by noninvasive sphygmomanometer (model 5200, Spacelab). Plasma norepinephrine levels of SDS patients were significantly lower than that of normal subjects (n = 5) both at rest (54 +/- 15 versus 178 +/- 83 pg/ml) and after 10-minute standing (74 +/- 24 versus 318 +/- 143 pg/ml). Infusion of isoproterenol (0.02 micrograms/kg/min) produced a mild rise of systolic blood pressure and tachycardia in normal subjects but resulted in marked hypotension and tachycardia in SDS subjects. After xamoterol administration (200 mg b.i.d.), systolic blood pressure and heart rate were significantly increased in the averages during the day; however, increases were more pronounced at night. In two of the five patients, the improvement in dizziness was large enough to enable them to increase their daily activities. CONCLUSIONS: Our observations suggest that 1) beta 1-selective, high intrinsic sympathomimetic activity of xamoterol increases blood pressure and heart rate in patients with SDS as a consequence of their prevailing beta 1-adrenoceptor hypersensitive state, and 2) blood pressure monitoring over 24 hours appears to have important advantages in evaluating the therapeutic effects on postural hypotension.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed1992

Diastolic vibration improves systolic function in cases of incomplete relaxation.

BACKGROUND: Incomplete relaxation of the left ventricle (LV) affects LV filling, but the subsequent effect on LV systolic function remains unclear. We attempted to improve relaxation by applying oscillatory mechanical perturbation during diastole (diastolic vibration) and examined the extent to which systolic function improved. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using 10 open-chest canine preparations, pacing tachycardia and administration of propranolol were imposed to induce various levels of incomplete relaxation. Myocardial length perturbation was induced with an oscillator attached to the LV surface (50 Hz, 1-mm amplitude) and was restricted to the period from the beginning of isovolumic relaxation to end diastole. At resting heart rates, diastolic vibration caused an immediate decrease in the time constant (T) of LV pressure fall without any influence on heart rate, LV peak systolic pressure (peak LVP), stroke volume (SV), LV peak positive dP/dt, and total systemic vascular resistance. With pacing tachycardia, diastolic vibration increased both peak LVP and SV at 160 beats per minute (before) and 120 beats per minute (after propranolol), simultaneously decreasing both T and LV diastolic pressures and increasing end-diastolic segment length. The increase in peak LVP and SV caused by diastolic vibration correlated with the T/diastolic interval (r = 0.82), the assumed index of severity of incomplete relaxation. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that diastolic vibration accelerates the LV relaxation rate and that this increased relaxation improves systolic function through the Frank-Starling mechanism.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Ventricular contractility evaluated by mechanical perturbation of the myocardium--experimental and clinical approach adopting small amplitude vibration input.

Small amplitude mechanical vibration has been reported to depress the function of the isolated left ventricle in an amplitude dependent manner. We examined, 1) contractility and preload dependency of the magnitude of functional depression (VID) by applying 50 Hz, 2 mm amplitude vibration to the epicardium of the canine left ventricle and 2) whether VID is present in the failing human ventricle. The magnitude of VID was independent of preload in the physiological range of LV volume showing peak LV pressure greater than 75 mmHg, and VID was correlated with Emax at each inotropic state. In the in-situ condition, VID appeared only in the failing condition with a sensitive increase at a mild level of heart failure. In a study during routine cardiac catheterization (n = 27), the presence of VID has been demonstrated in the human ventricle (n = 18). The magnitude of VID was correlated with ejection fraction (EF) as, VID in peak LV pressure (mmHg) = 80.6 - 110 x EF, r = 0.84, p less than 0.01 in patients with EF less than or equal to 0.7 (n = 14). Therefore, we concluded that VID could be a clinical tool for evaluation of mild heart failure.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[Effects of ambroxol HCl on the guinea pig tracheal mucous secretion and the rat pulmonary surfactant secretion].

The effects of orally administered ambroxol HCl (ambroxol) on guinea pig tracheal mucous secretion and rat pulmonary surfactant secretion were investigated histologically and biochemically. Ambroxol significantly increased the number of active goblet cells in guinea pig tracheal epithelium and total mucopolysaccharide level. Moreover, ambroxol significantly increased the neutral mucopolysaccharide level and PAS-positive substance in the guinea pig tracheal submucosal glands. Ambroxol did not show a significant effect on the content of the total phosphatidylcholine in rat lung lavage fluid, while ambroxol significantly increased the ratio of disaturated phosphatidylcholine to total phosphatidylcholine. From these results, it is suggested that ambroxol increases both the tracheal mucous secretion, especially the neutral mucopolysaccharide, and pulmonary surfactant secretion and these effects reflect part of the expectorant mechanism of the drug.

Ambroxol↗
PubMed1992

Virus-associated demyelination in the pathogenesis of Bell's palsy.

We examined the cerebrospinal fluid findings, including the activity of the myelin-associated enzyme 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphohydrolase (CNP), and virus serology in patients with Bell's palsy. Eighty-nine of 164 patients showed hematological and/or serological evidence of an inflammatory reaction. Examinations of the CSF disclosed an elevated total protein level and pleocytosis in 33% and 10% of the 91 patients, respectively. The activity of CNP was significantly elevated in the patient group (15.5 +/- 3.8 nmol/h/ml) as compared with the control (13.2 +/- 1.3 nmol/h/ml) (p < 0.01), suggesting the presence of intrathecal myelin breakdown. Furthermore, there was an association between antibodies against herpes simplex virus (HSV) and elevated CNP activity. The inflammatory alterations and accompanying spinal fluid abnormalities, together with the high frequency of HSV antibodies suggest that HSV-associated demyelination may play a pathogenetic role in Bell's palsy.

2',3'-Cyclic Nucleotide 3'-Phosphodiesterase↗
PubMed1992

Differential diagnosis of hepatic tumors (hepatoma, hemangioma, and metastasis) with CT: value of two-phase incremental imaging.

Two-phase dynamic incremental CT is a technique in which CT scans are obtained 45 sec and 6 min after commencing the rapid bolus injection of contrast medium. We analyzed the contrast enhancement patterns of three types of hepatic tumors (72 hepatomas, 39 hemangiomas, and 28 metastases) in 139 patients to determine if any differences in the patterns are useful in the differential diagnosis of these lesions. Dynamic incremental CT scanning was performed after 100 ml of iodinated contrast material was administered i.v. with a power injector at a rate of 2 ml/sec. A 1-sec scanning time was used with a 1.6-sec inter-scan delay, which allowed table motion between scans. CT scans (eight to 16 sections) were obtained 45-110 sec (early phase) and 6-7 min (delayed phase) after commencing the injection of contrast medium. The enhancement patterns of hepatomas were as follows: 32% were totally hyperdense in the early phase and totally hypodense in the delayed phase, while 24% were totally hypodense in both phases. Most of the hepatomas (88%) appeared as totally hypodense lesions in the delayed phase. In the case of hemangiomas, 56% were peripherally hyperdense in the early phase; in the delayed phase, 36% were isodense and 31% were totally hyperdense. Most hemangiomas (85%) were not totally hypodense in the early phase, and no hemangioma was totally hypodense in both phases. In the early phase, 61% of metastases were hypodense. In the delayed phase, 57% were hypodense. Metastases most commonly were totally hypodense in both phases (43%). We conclude that contrast enhancement patterns of hepatomas, hemangiomas, and metastases seen on two-phase dynamic incremental CT scans are useful in the differential diagnosis of these tumors.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed1992

Modified hemoglobin solution as possible perfusate relevant to organ transplantation.

A modified hemoglobin solution ( - conjugate solution, PHP solution) has very interesting characteristics such as oxygen-carrying property without corpuscular components. Experimental use of the PHP solution has shown promising possibilities as a perfusate relevant to organ transplantations. 1) Elongation of warm ischemic time in canine kidneys: Dogs survived even with the unilateral kidneys which had been exposed up to 4.5 hour warm ischemia and, thereafter, perfused with the PHP solution. 2) Elongation of perfusion preservation period of canine livers: Dogs survived with the transplanted livers which had been perfused for 48 hours with the PHP solution. 3) Successful perfusion of rat small intestine: Lewis rat intestines perfused and preserved for 12 hours with the PHP solution showed a higher survival rate compared with those with Collins or UW solution. 4) Removal of antibodies: By exchange transfusion with a total of 30-60 ml of the PHP solution, a Lewis rat hematocrit lowered to 5% while IgG went down to nil from 8970 mg/dl, IgA to 28 mg/dl from 118 mg/dl and IgM to 190 mg/dl from 897 mg/dl. This technique is expected to be applicable for removal of the naturally existing antibodies in xenotransplantation.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Saccades to targets in three-dimensional space: dependence of saccadic latency on target location.

The latency of saccadic movements to targets appearing at various positions in three-dimensional visual space was measured in four experiments. The first experiment confirmed that latencies of saccades to visual targets are greater in the lower visual field and showed that the increase is not influenced by the vertical starting position of the eye in the orbit, nor by a time gap between the fixation offset and the target onset. A hypothesis that this visual field difference was caused by a link between downward saccades and convergence movements was tested by recording saccade latencies when the targets were in a different depth plane from that of the original fixation. We did not find any direct support for the vergence involvement hypothesis, although the lower/upper visual field effect was shown to decrease consistently in monocular viewing. It was also shown that saccades to targets positioned in a different depth plane have longer latencies. In a final experiment, the visual field effect was shown to depend on the egocentric rather than the gravitational vertical.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Central nervous system lesion in myotonic dystrophy--demonstrated by X-ray computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging].

We made an attempt to detect organic brain lesions in eight patients with myotonic dystrophy (MyD) using X-ray computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The patients comprised seven men and one woman with ages ranging from 41 to 58 years (average 47 +/- 5.3 years). Seven patients had intellectual impairment assessed using an intelligence quotient test (WAIS-R < 70). CT scans were obtained in the axial plane with a slice thickness of 10 mm, and MRI scans were performed on a 1.5 tesla system in the axial and coronal sections with a slice thickness of 8 mm. CT scans displayed both marked sulcal and prominent ventricular enlargement in 6 of the 8 patients, indicating the presence of brain atrophy, and 3 cases had a few paraventricular low density area in the cerebral hemispheres. In contrast to CT, MRI study revealed more widespread brain parenchymatous lesions in all the 8 cases, showing the multiple foci of high signal intensity with varying size in the white matter on T2-weighted images and proton density-weighted images. No visible changes were detected on CT or MRI in the brain stem and cerebellum. The present study demonstrated that there exist organic cerebral lesions, predominantly located in the white matter in patients with MyD, regardless of focal neurological symptoms. The parenchymatous lesions in the brain can be detected with MRI, and lesser extent with CT, and are considered to be intimately correlated with intellectual deterioration commonly seen in patients with MyD.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Sandwich immunoassay for intact human osteocalcin.

To overcome the problems of limited-region specificity associated with conventional radioimmunoassay (RIA), we developed a sandwich enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for intact human osteocalcin (hOC). For this EIA we used antibodies to the N- and C-terminal regions of hOC that were raised against an N-terminal 20-residue peptide and a C-terminal 7-residue peptide, both synthetic. Immunoassay profiles of tryptic digests of hOC and serum from patients with renal failure, fractionated by reversed-phase HPLC, facilitated direct demonstration of the region specificity of this method. A preliminary study of serum osteocalcin concentrations in patients with renal failure further confirmed this specificity, showing lower positive rates obtained by this method than by conventional RIA. The cross-reactivity data of hOC with bovine and rat osteocalcins by the sandwich method indicated its species specificity. These studies demonstrate the superior specificity of this sandwich EIA compared with conventional RIA and thus confirm its potential diagnostic superiority.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Central nervous system disorders in patients with myotonic dystrophy--in relation to respiratory dysfunction].

Although central nervous system (CNS) involvement, such as intellectual impairment simulating dementia, in myotonic dystrophy (MyD) has been well documented, the cause of this condition remains unclear. In has been reported that the progressive cases of MyD are often accompanied with respiratory disturbance and sleep apnea syndrome (SAS). We studied the relation between CNS involvement and respiratory disorders in 15 MyD patients. They consisted of 10 males and 5 females with ages ranging from 21 to 58 years (average 46 +/- 8.4 years old). Arterial blood gas (ABG) analysis, respiratory function test, and monitoring of arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) during sleep were carried out. In some cases abnormal respiration during sleep was analyzed with polysomnography. For an assessment of CNS involvement the following examinations were performed; intelligence quotient (WAIS-IQ); electroencephalography (EEG); brain computed tomography (CT); and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE), S-100b and creatine kinase BB isoenzyme (CK-BB) which were estimated by using enzyme immunoassay. ABG analysis demonstrated the presence of hypercapnia (PaCO2 > 45 torr) during wakefulness in MyD patients. During sleep 14 of the 15 patients showed frequent desaturation phenomenon (SaO2 < 90%), indicating the episodic hypoxemia. Polysomnographic study revealed the occurrence of SAS of both obstructive and central types in all the cases examined. IQ test disclosed intellectual impairment in 80% of the 15 patients, and EEG showed slowing of basic rhythm in the majority of the cases. On brain CT both enlarged ventricles and dilated sulci were commonly observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Evaluation of implantation of a cancer chemotherapeutic vascular access device: report of 91 cases].

Between April 1984 and December 1990, 91 patients with advanced cancer were implanted with vascular-access-devices 97 times. The results were as follows. When the patients were divided into two groups according to the implantation, namely the earlier (until December 1986) and later (from January 1987) periods, the earlier patency rate was higher than later due to improvement of instruments and progress in the implantation technique. There was no significant difference in the rate of patency or complications between the abdominal and femoral method, but the femoral method had some subcutaneous hematomas. The direct femoral pathway is less invasive, correct and effectively therapeutic method.

Catheters, Indwelling↗
PubMed1992

CT analysis of metastatic neoplasms of the kidney. Comparison with primary renal cell carcinoma.

The CT findings in 32 patients with pathologically proven metastases to the kidney were compared to findings in 74 patients with renal cell carcinoma. Fourteen CT criteria were chosen to describe and characterize the lesions and 2 radiologists evaluated the CT images retrospectively according to these criteria. Renal metastases were characterized as small, multiple, bilateral, wedge-shaped, less exophytic, and located within the renal capsule. Renal cell carcinomas were single, unilateral, nonwedge-shaped, and exophytic, and easily transgressed the renal capsule. The sensitivity of CT to discriminate renal cell carcinoma from renal metastasis was 93.2% for renal cell carcinoma, and to discriminate renal metastasis from renal cell carcinoma was 75.0% for renal metastases by computer posterior probabilities. This study indicates that CT is useful for distinguishing these clinically important tumors. By using posterior probability, some unnecessary biopsies may be avoided.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Distribution of differentiated cells in a cell sheet under the lateral inhibition rule of differentiation.

The distribution of differentiated cells among undifferentiated cells was investigated assuming the lateral inhibition hypothesis of cell differentiation. Computer simulations were undertaken in a planar array of polygonal domains in which homogeneous polygons are all competent to differentiate, and immediate neighbors of a differentiated polygon exert lateral inhibition of differentiation. The simulation showed that the average cell number ratio of undifferentiated to differentiated cells is 3.32, when picking a polygon for differentiation at random from a hexagonal pattern. The ratio decreased when using disturbed polygonal patterns instead of a hexagonal one. A non-random sequence of picking polygons also varied cell number ratio values. Our results show that if there is no control system as a whole, the lateral inhibition rule produced cell distributions whose cell number ratio is around 3. Cell number ratios are discussed in regard to observations of epithelial cell sheets.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Detection of HTLV-I antigen in peripheral and cord blood lymphocytes from carrier mothers.

Vertical transmission of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-I (HTLV-I) from an antibody-positive carrier mother to her infant has been reported, but it is not clear when and by what route such transmission occurs. Peripheral blood and cord blood lymphocytes from 40 antibody-positive carrier mothers were cultured for 2 months and HTLV-I antigen was sought by indirect immunofluorescence. Viral antigen was detected in 28 (70%) samples of peripheral blood lymphocytes and in 2 of cord blood lymphocytes, both from mothers positive for antigen in peripheral blood. From these data it is estimated that transplacental infection occurs at a rate of about 7%.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Active site of mu-conotoxin GIIIA, a peptide blocker of muscle sodium channels.

The amino acid sequence of mu-conotoxin GIIIA (otherwise called geographutoxin I), a peptide having 22 amino acid residues with three disulfide bridges, was modified by replacing each residue with Ala or Lys to elucidate its active center for blocking sodium channels of skeletal muscle. NMR and CD spectra were virtually identical between native and modified toxins, indicating the similarity of their conformation including disulfide bridges. The inhibitory effect of these modified peptides on twitch contractions of the rat diaphragm showed that Arg at the 13th position and the basicity of the molecule are crucial for the biological action. The segment Lys11-Asp12-Arg13 has been reported to be flexible (Lancelin, J.-M., Kohda, D., Tate, S., Yanagawa, Y., Abe, T., Satake, M., and Inagaki, F. (1991) Biochemistry, in press), and this may represent a clue for the subtle fit of Arg13 to the specific site of sodium channels. Since known ligands to sodium channels, such as tetrodotoxin, anthopleulin-A, etc., contain guanidino groups as a putative binding moiety, Arg may be a general residue for peptide toxins to interact with the receptor site on sodium channels.

Amino Acid Sequence↗