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Biomedical subjects

H Nagashima

Publications and source records attributed to H Nagashima.

At least 361 records · Page 20Linked to original sources

Characteristics change in serum amino acid levels in different types of hepatic encephalopathy.

Serum amino acid patterns in patients with different types of hepatic encephalopathy were investigated. Marked elevations in most of serum amino acids observed in untreated patients with acute type of fulminant hepatitis were not remarkable in the patients who have already treated; particularly branched chain amino acids (BCAA), phenylalanine and tyrosine were much lower in the latter group. However, elevation of serum methionine levels and lower ratio of BCAA/(phenylalanine + tyrosine) were similarly observed in both groups. In encephalopathic patients with decompensated cirrhosis, many amino acids such as phenylalanine, tyrosine and methionine were elevated with a slight depressed levels of serum BCAA. Highly significant decrease in serum BCAA levels and no elevation of phenylalanine and methionine with a minimal increase of tyrosine were observed in patients with chronic type of hepatic encephalopathy; other amino acids except for glutamine and arginine were much lower as compared to those in decompensated cirrhotics and even to the control values.

Adolescent↗

Primary carcinoma of the gallbladder and the extrahepatic bile duct.

The clinical records of 68 patients with primary carcinoma of the gallbladder (39 cases) and the extrahepatic biliary tracts (29 cases) were comparatively reviewed. The survivals with carcinoma of the gallbladder were limited to five patients operated upon because of cholelithiasis and/or cholecystitis. The majority of the cases preoperatively diagnosed as cancer of the gallbladder were not able to undergo radical cholecystectomy. Of seven patients with radically resected tumors among 29 cases with carcinoma of the extrahepatic biliary tracts, only two patients survived and other five died with locally recurrent tumors. This experience reemphasizes the inadequacy of the present diagnosing approaches to the diseases. Therefore, for discovery of the early cases with primary carcinoma of the gallbladder and the extrahepatic biliary tracts, it may be far more important to make more aggressive measures by using newly developed diagnosing tools.

Adult↗

Effects of intraduodenal feeding of a branched-chain amino acid-rich solution on ammonia-induced encephalopathy in liver-injured rats.

A preventive effect of intraduodenal prefeeding of a branched-chain amino acid (BCAA)-rich solution on ammonia-induced encephalopathy was investigated with carbon tetrachloride CC14-injured rats with the elevated levels of blood ammonia. Five out of six cirrhotic rats, to which an electrolyte solution alone was preinfused for 24 hours, fell into coma following ammonia acetate injection and two comatose rats died. However, no cirrhotic rats preinfused with a BCAA-rich solution died and only two out of the six showed coma with complete recovery. The similar preventive effect could not be observed in rats with acute liver injury.

Acetates↗

Langerhans cells among bile duct epithelial cells in chronic liver disease.

Langerhans cells were found among bile duct epithelial cells in a biopsy specimen from a patient with chronic liver disease showing cholangitic features. The bile duct was 90 micrometers in diameter and surrounded with mononuclear cell infiltration. Under the electron microscope, the cell had a clear cytoplasm and contained a deeply indented nucleus, a centriole, well-developed Golgi complexes and many rod-shaped bodies (Birbeck granules).

Adult↗

Decrease in myocardial oxygen extraction with aortic constriction in the dog.

In the open-chest dog constriction of the descending thoracic aorta, which raises central aortic pressure by 30-80 mmHg, increases cardiac oxygen usage (MVO2) and coronary blood flow (CBF) but reduces heart rate and myocardial oxygen extraction [(A-V)O2]. Pacing tachycardia superimposed on aortic constriction further increases MVO2 and CBF but does not alter (A-V)O2. Atropine or vagotomy abolishes the effect of aortic constriction on (A-V)O2, whereas vagal stimulation in the presence of alpha- and beta-adrenergic blockade reduces (A-V)O2. L-propranolol and phenoxybenzamine fail to modify the effect of aortic constriction on (A-V)O2. These results indicate that aortic constriction reduces (A-V)O2 by eliciting parasympathetically-mediated coronary vasodilation.

Animals↗

Right and left ventricular oxygen metabolism in open-chest dogs.

A comparison of blood flow and myocardial O2 consumption (MVO2) in the right and left ventricles was made in 21 open-chest dogs. Simultaneous measurements were made of left anterior descending (LAD) and right coronary arterial blood flow and of O2 saturation in the coronary sinus and in from one to four anterior cardiac veins. Blood flow was greater in the LAD than in the right coronary artery, 87 +/- 5 vs. 46 +/- 3 ml.min-1.100 g-1. Similarly, the O2 saturation was 51 +/- 3% in the anterior cardiac veins and 40 +/- 1% in the coronary sinus. In a subset of seven dogs, the O2 saturation in blood from anterior cardiac veins varied substantially from vein to vein. The mean MVO2 was greater for the left than for the right ventricle, 8.6 +/- 1.4 vs. 4.0 +/- 0.3 ml O2.min-1,100 g-1. Increases in LAD flow with no increase in O2 extraction accounted for enhanced MVO2 of the left ventricle due to pacing, isoproterenol, or methoxamine. In contrast, pacing, isoproterenol, or constriction of the pulmonary artery increased MVO2 of the right ventricle by both augmented O2 extraction and a rise in right coronary blood flow. We conclude that right coronary arterial blood flow is lower per 100 g tissue and is less dependent on MVO2 than is LAD blood flow. The heterogeneity of O2 saturation in anterior cardiac veins suggests that regional differences in MVO2 may exist.

Animals↗

Therapeutic effects of tiopronin on chronic hepatitis: a double-blind clinical study.

The efficacy of tiopronin (2-mercaptopropionyl glycine) 600 mg daily in the treatment of chronic active or chronic persistent hepatitis has been assessed in a double-blind controlled clinical trial of 12 weeks involving 165 Japanese patients with histologically proven disease. Treatment with the drug was associated with a significant improvement in abnormalities of serum transaminase and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase, with reversion towards baseline values on stopping the drug. Improvement was independent of the histological classification of the disease, or HBsAg status. The drug was well tolerated with few side-effects. The results of this short-term study indicate that tiopronin may be of value in the treatment of chronic hepatitis.

Acyltransferases↗

Cough syncope due to atrio-ventricular conduction block.

A case of cough syncope due to A-V conduction block of the heart is reported in this paper. A-V conduction block and lightheadedness were induced by coughing but not by an Aschner test, carotid sinus massage, Valsalva maneuver, pharyngeal stimulation, and stimulation of systemic baroreceptors. Permanent right-ventricular pacing completely abolished the patient's symptoms. The results suggest that hypersensitivity of a broncho-pulmonary reflex to coughing was responsible for the A-V conduction block and resulting syncopes.

Aged↗

Enhanced visualization of the portal vein system in superior mesenteric arterial portography using prostaglandin E1.

The portal vein system was clearly visualized in superior mesenteric arterial portography using prostaglandin E1. Angiographic examination was performed in 68 patients with various liver diseases during the 2 year period from 1980 to 1981. Twenty microgram of prostaglandin E1 was injected into the superior mesenteric artery 30 seconds before injection of 60 ml of contrast medium. The main portal vein was visualized in all of 68 cases. A high rate of success for visualization of the intrahepatic portal vein system by prostaglandin E1 was achieved. The first branches of the intrahepatic portal vein were visualized in 100% of the cases, the second branches in 82%, the third branches in 44%, and the fourth branches in 4% in the right portal vein system. In the left portal vein system, the first branches were visualized in 87%, the second branches in 41%, and the third branches in 3% of the cases. The intrahepatic portal vein system was more clearly visualized in females than in males (P less than 0.05). This procedure is simple, safe and useful for clear visualization of the portal vein system.

Alprostadil↗

Effects of insulin and glucagon on serum amino acid concentrations in liver disease.

The effects of insulin and glucagon administration on serum amino acid levels were investigated in patients with severe liver disease, since simultaneous injection of pancreatic hormones has been recently introduced as a therapeutic approach. The changes in serum amino acid concentrations, as observed 3 h after ceasing a 3 h infusion of insulin and glucagon in 500 ml glucose solution, were an elevation of serum branched chain amino acid (BACA) levels and of the molar ratio of BCAA/aromatic amino acid (AAA) levels in patients with liver cirrhosis. Similar increases of serum BCAA levels during the infusion were also observed in patients with fulminant hepatitis. The results suggest that insulin-glucagon therapy for severe liver disease has no harmful side effects at least with respect to alterations in the serum aminogram.

Amino Acids↗

Percutaneous transhepatic portal catheterization-modification of Chiba method and portal vein pressure in liver diseases.

Percutaneous transhepatic portal catheterization was performed in 68 cases of liver diseases in the 2 year period from 1978 to 1980. The Chiba University method was modified. Portal vein catheterization was successful in 61 cases (90%). Selective splenic vein catheterization was successful in 55 of the 61 cases (90%) and selective superior mesenteric vein catheterization in 59 cases (97%). The liver was punctured an average of 4.6 times in order to successfully insert the catheter into the main portal vein, and the number of punctures was less than 10 in 57 of the 61 cases (93%). The portal vein pressure was 310+/-67 mm H2O in idiopathic portal hypertension (8 cases), 290+/-83 in liver cirrhosis (33 cases), 193+/-71 in chronic hepatitis (7 cases) and 166+/-50 in fatty liver (4 cases). Portal vein pressure rose from 205+/-75 to 380+/-55 mm H2O in 11 cases after forced Valsalva maneuver. No major complications were encountered.

Catheterization↗

Increased excretion of urinary cyclic GMP in primary hepatoma and preneoplastic liver.

Urinary excretion of cyclic GMP (cGMP) and the plasma level of cyclic AMP (cAMP) were determined in patients with liver diseases. The urinary excretion of cGMP, expressed on the basis of creatinine excreted per day, was at significantly higher levels not only in primary hepatoma but also in liver cirrhosis, while the plasma level of cAMP was higher only in liver cirrhosis. Thus, the ratio of urinary cGMP excretion to plasma cAMP level in primary hepatoma was significantly higher than that in liver cirrhosis. In cirrhotic patients studied by catheterization, the level of cGMP in the hepatic vein was significantly lower than that in the superior mesenteric or portal vein, indicating the uptake of cGMP by the liver. Since cGMP excretion correlated with KICG both in liver cirrhosis and primary hepatoma, the increased cGMP excretion appeared to be explained by a reduced uptake of cGMP by the liver.

Adolescent↗

Increase in stenotic resistance following a brief coronary occlusion in the anesthetized open-chest dog.

Changes in the stenotic resistance of a coronary artery following brief coronary occlusion were studied in the anesthetized open-chest dog. A critical coronary stenosis was constructed by tying a thick string around the circumflex coronary artery (LCx) near its origin. The LCx was occluded for 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 seconds with and without coronary stenosis then the reactive hyperemia was observed. In the absence of the stenosis, resistance of the segment of the large coronary artery remained unchanged during the reactive hyperemia independent of the duration of occlusion. In the presence of the stenosis, however, stenotic resistance increased for a certain time after the release of occlusion. This increased resistance lasted longer with more severe stenosis and with longer duration of coronary occlusion. These results suggest that stenotic resistance can increase dynamically, and that the duration of increased resistance may reflect the severity of the stenosis.

Anesthesia↗