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Biomedical subjects

I Kubo

Publications and source records attributed to I Kubo.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Antibacterial activity of totarol and its potentiation.

Antimicrobial activity of six diterpenoids isolated from the bark of Podocarpus nagi (Podocarpaceae) has been tested against twelve selected microorganisms. Totarol [1], the most abundant compound among the six, exhibited potent bactericidal activity only against Gram-positive bacteria, among which Propionibacterium acnes was the most sensitive bacterium. Totarol also showed strong activity against four other Gram-positive bacteria tested: Streptococcus mutans, Bacillus subtilis, Brevibacterium ammoniagenes, and Staphylococcus aureus (both penicillin-resistant and penicillin-susceptible strains). The bactericidal activity of totarol was enhanced when it was tested in combination with several other natural products. Noticeably, the activity of totarol against Sta. aureus was increased eightfold when tested in combination with 1/2MIC of anacardic acid [9]. The synergistic activity of anacardic acid caused the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of totarol to be lowered from 1.56 to 0.2 micrograms/ml.

Abietanes↗

Overall clinical effect of percutaneous coronary angioplasty: a critical analysis by follow-up and long-term angiography.

In order to determine the clinical efficacy of coronary angioplasty, the outcome was analyzed in 557 patients who underwent initial angioplasty prior to the end of 1987. Primary success (reduction of stenosis greater than or equal to 20% and residual stenosis less than 50%) was achieved in 492 (88.3%) of the patients. Follow-up angiography showed patency (stenosis less than or equal to 50%) in 295 or 60.0% of the 471 patients and ultimate lesion patency was achieved by repeating angioplasty up to 4 times in 425 (91.4%) of 465 patients followed angiographically. At the 3-year angiography performed in 209 patients with patent lesions, only 2 patients exhibited progression of their disease at dilated sites, while 48 had new lesions. Taking into consideration the 55 patients with unsuccessful primary angioplasty, 10 patients with major complications and 9 patients with mild restenosis, 434 out of 530, or 81.9% of the patients appear to have benefited from angioplasty.

Adult↗

[Effect of denopamine on residual left ventricular dysfunction after complete revascularization].

Denopamine (15 mg/day) was administered to 20 patients with residual left ventricular dysfunction after successful percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (75% or more diameter stenosis). Echocardiography was performed before and 6 months after denopamine administration to analyze the left ventricular function. There were significant decreases in both end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions from 58 +/- 8.3 to 54 +/- 8.4 mm (p = 0.001), and from 44 +/- 10.1 to 40 +/- 10.3 mm (p = 0.005)), respectively, while % fractional shortening remained nearly constant (from 25 +/- 8.3 to 27 +/- 9.6%). Thus, denopamine improved the left ventricular function by decreasing left ventricular size while maintaining wall contractility.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗

Left ventricular function during transient coronary occlusion: digital subtraction left ventriculograms during coronary angioplasty.

The impact of transient myocardial ischemia on left ventricular function was examined by digital subtraction left ventricular angiography. Contrast medium was injected into the right pulmonary artery before, at 60 seconds of balloon inflation, and 10 minutes after balloon deflation. A total of 69 patients completed the study. In 52 patients, the left anterior descending artery (LAD) was involved, and in 17, the right coronary artery (RCA) was the focus. Ejection fraction (EF) declined by balloon inflation and returned to baseline value after deflation of the balloon. There was tendency toward a lower EF and wider akinetic area for LAD dilatation. The linear correlation between resting EF and EF during balloon inflation suggested that the effect of momentary coronary occlusion on left ventricular function appears to be additive to pre-existing left ventricular dysfunction, and resting ejection fraction is an important parameter for estimating the degree of diminished left ventricular function during myocardial ischemia.

Angiography, Digital Subtraction↗

Isolation of steroidal glycoalkaloids from Solanum incanum by two countercurrent chromatographic methods.

Using a bioassay for inhibition of plant growth and a combination of two countercurrent chromatographies: rotation locular countercurrent chromatography and droplet countercurrent chromatography, two biologically active glycosidal alkaloids, solasonine and solamargine were isolated from fresh ripe fruit of Solanum incanum. The combination of these chromatographic techniques has established an efficient isolation of polar phytochemicals of steroidal glycoalkaloids.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗

[Long-term prognosis of coronary angioplasty: angiographic follow-up after three years].

Long-term angiographic follow-up was performed 3 years after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) between 1983 and 1986. Among 294 arteries with initially successful dilatation, in which diameter was reduced by more than 20% and residual stenosis was less than 50%, 192 lesions were angiographically patent (50% or less stenosis) in the 6 month follow-up. Three years later, angiography was again performed for 81 lesions. There was no difference between these 81 cases with angiography and the remaining 111 cases in other clinical manifestations except for a higher frequency of diabetes mellitus observed in the angiography group (33% vs 19%). Progressive deterioration of the disease (more than 50% diameter stenosis) was noted in 5 cases, all of which already had relatively severe stenosis (40% or more) in the 6 month follow-up. It was concluded that dilated coronary artery lesions by PTCA can be expected to have good long-term prognosis once they are proven to be patent in the 6 month follow-up angiography.

Adult↗

[A case of sialolithiasis in a two-year-old girl].

Sialolithiasis occurs due to the calculous concretion in salivary ducts or glands, but it is rare in childhood. In this paper, a case of sialolithiasis with a submandibular duct calculus observed in a 2-year-old girl is reported. This case is one of the youngest, based on a review of the literature regarding sialolithiasis found in Japan. The retrospective survey was made in 30 cases of sialolithiasis in children under 10 years of age which were reported in the Japanese literature with clear descriptions of age, sex and location. The summaries are as follows: 1) Sex difference: The difference between males and females was in the ratio 16/14. There was no significant difference according to sex. 2) Location of the salivary calcul: In 27 cases they were found in the duct of the submandibular glands, and 3 cases in the parotid glands, and no cases in the sublingual glands. 3) Term before treatment: Most cases were treated within a month after the patients has noticed the symptom. 4) Removal method of salivary calculi: Salivary calculi were removed by means of intraoral incision in most cases. 5) Number of the removed calculi: In each of all cases, one calculus was removed. 6) Size of the removal calculi: The diameter of the calculi was less than 5.0 millimeters long in most cases.

Child, Preschool↗

[Undesirable outcome of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty including irreversible damage and re-stenosis of dilated lesions].

To clarify the prognostic implications due to the limitations of coronary angioplasty, 564 newly-dilated lesions were analyzed for the prevalence of irreversible damage (sudden deaths, myocardial infarction, re-stenotic lesions and occlusion unsuitable for or unsuccessful following repeated angioplasty) and re-stenosis after re-dilatation. Re-stenosis occurred in 170 of the 564 newly-dilated lesions, and in 36 of the 135 re-dilated lesions. After repeated angioplasty, up to three times, 449 lesions (89.9%) were eventually patent angiographically, while irreversible damage was observed in 21 lesions. Re-stenosis after re-dilatation was observed more often in variant angina and in lesions exceeding 15 mm in length. Irreversible damage occurred more often in elderly patients and in patients with lesions of the right coronary artery.

Adult↗

[Digital subtraction angiography and Fourier analysis of the left ventriculography: new methods of analyzing left ventricular function].

To evaluate two new methods of analyzing left ventricular function, digital subtraction left ventriculography (DSLV) and Fourier analysis of left ventriculography (FALV) were performed after conventional left ventriculography (LV) in 17 consecutive catheterized cases. Ejection fraction of FALV and LV corresponded closely with the correlation coefficient of 0.906, while segmental wall motion corresponded less with the range of correlation coefficients from 0.56 for the apical segment to 0.94 for the anterior wall. In 10 cases with asynergic segments of the left ventricle, Fourier analysis showed less hypokinesis in four (all had hypokinesis at the septal segment), the same degree in five and more in one case, suggesting the possibility of FALV to evaluate three-dimensional left ventricular function in a single projection.

Angiography, Digital Subtraction↗

Percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for elderly patients.

To examine the clinical efficacy of percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty in elderly patients, 350 consecutive procedures of coronary angioplasty were reviewed by dividing the patients into two groups: 142 cases of elderly patients whose ages were 65 years or older and 208 cases of younger patients. The primary success rate was satisfactory in both groups (86.6% in the elderly patients and 88.5% in the younger patients) and frequency of complication was acceptable (3.1% vs 2.9%) in both groups. Although restenosis tended to occur more frequently in the elderly patients (36.8% vs 27.1%), most of the lesions were re-dilated. These indicate that coronary angioplasty can be extended to elderly patients. The primary success rate started to decrease with circumflex arteries at age 70 years, and a similar trend was seen with right coronary arteries at age 65 years. Careful selection of the patients for coronary angioplasty as well as detailed analysis of the coronary anatomy and aorta are required to obtain clinical success and to prevent complications.

Aged↗

[Emergency percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction].

Coronary angioplasty combined with thrombolytic therapy using urokinase (UK-PTCA) was attempted for acute myocardial infarction from September 1983 to December 1985, and without thrombolytic therapy (direct PTCA), thereafter. For UK-PTCA, the lesion was severely stenosed in 13, subtotally occluded in two and totally occluded in 21, and 29 lesions (81%) were successfully dilated. For direct PTCA, the lesion was stenosed in five, subtotally occluded in two and totally occluded in 14, and 19 lesions (90%) were dilated. Only one lesion in UK-PTCA had restenosis during hospitalization, but it was successfully redilated. Follow-up angiography was performed for 26 among 29 UK-PTCA cases and showed patency (diameter stenosis less than 50%) in 13, restenosis (less than 50%) in 12 and occlusion in one. Ten among 12 restenosed lesions were redilated and they were all patent at subsequent angiography. In 15 of 19 dilated lesions with direct PTCA, the lesion was patent in 10, and restenosed in five. Four of them were redilated and remained patent at subsequent angiography. Major complications occurred only in the UK-PTCA group before the judicious use of intra-aortic balloon pumping for hemodynamic instability. These included two deaths due to cardiogenic shock, one coronary dissection, and one sudden reocclusion, possibly due to thrombus formation. PTCA is applicable with or without thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction with high primary success rate and maintain coronary flow thereafter.

Adult↗

Kinetic study of immunoreactive human thyroglobulin.

Thyroglobulin (Tg) can be detected in the circulation of normal subjects. Serum Tg is increased in patients with various thyroidal disorders including Graves' disease; however, little is known about Tg metabolism. Therefore, a kinetic study of human Tg was carried out in 13 normal men, 19-28 yr old, and 6 untreated hyperthyroid patients with Graves' disease, 3 men (22 to 25 yr old), and 3 women (21 to 63 yr old). Ten milligrams of Tg were injected as a bolus dose. Blood samples were collected before and 10 min, and 2, 4, 6, 8, 12 h and every 12 h up to 72 h after injection. Concentrations of serum Tg were measured by an RIA method developed in our laboratory. Anti-Tg antibody was not detected in any subject. Various indices of this kinetic study were calculated using single compartmental analysis. In 13 normal subjects, the mean serum concentrations of Tg were 17 +/- 12.6 (SD) ng/ml; mean half-life was 29.6 +/- 2.8 h; distribution volume was 11,210 +/- 3,076 ml/60 kg body weight; fractional decay was 2.40 +/- 0.22%/h; MCR was 268.9 +/- 87.8 ml/h X 60 kg; and release rate was 100.3 +/- 50.2 micrograms/day X 60 kg. Serum concentrations of Tg were increased in four of the six untreated hyperthyroid patients with Graves' disease. Their Tg half-lives and MCR were within the normal range. In the two patients who had normal serum concentrations of Tg, the Tg half-lives were shorter and MCR were greater than in normal subjects. The release rates of Tg were increased in all six of these patients. In summary, in hyperthyroid patients, Tg release is significantly greater than normal, whereas Tg metabolism is similar to that in normal subjects.

Adult↗

Stimulation of thyroid adenylate cyclase activity by sera from patients with non-thyroidal illness.

We have previously shown that sera from many hypothyroid patients stimulated adenylate cyclase activity as measured by serum bioactive TSH concentrations produced by FRTL-5 cell line. This TSH-stimulating activity did not correlate with serum immunoreactive TSH. IgG fractions of these sera did not stimulate FRTL-5 cells. The present study was, therefore, undertaken to investigate the thyroid stimulating activity of sera from patients with non-thyroidal illness. Studies were performed in 36 patients with various non-thyroidal illness. In these patients, serum concentrations of T4, free thyroxine, T3, and TSH were determined. In addition, sera were incubated with FRTL-5 cells or porcine thyroid cells in primary culture in the presence of 0.4 mM MIBX, and medium cAMP concentrations were determined by radioimmunoassay. Sera obtained from some patients with various non-thyroidal illness increased cAMP concentrations in culture media of FRTL-5 cells as well as that of porcine thyroid cells. The thyroid stimulating effects of sera were not disease specific and significantly correlated inversely with serum T3 and T4 concentrations. Serum TSH concentrations in these patients were within the normal range even by the newly developed ultrasensitive assay. Although the nature of substance(s) present in sera of patients with low T3 syndrome which stimulates thyroid adenylate cyclase is not entirely known, it is conceivable that there exist mechanisms independent of TSH to compensate the decreased serum T3 levels in low T3 syndrome.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Degradation of circulating thyroglobulin.

Reported half lives of rat Tg were different according to various investigators. In order to elucidate whether the derivatives of rat Tg in the peripheral circulation affect the results of kinetic studies of Tg, the present study was performed to investigate kinetics of rat Tg after separation of 19S Tg from its derivatives using gel-filtration. Radiolabeled Tg was obtained from thyroids of rats injected with 125I 24 hours before death, and subsequently purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation. The plasma samples obtained at varying time intervals after intravenous injection of 125I-rat Tg were fractionated on a Sephacryl S-300 column. As determined by sucrose density gradient, 99% of in vivo radiolabeled Tg was 19S. On gel-filtration, the injected labeled Tg and plasma samples obtained within two hours after injection showed a single peak in an identical area. A second peak in an area corresponding to a molecular weight of 60,000 to 70,000 appeared within six hours, and became as high as the first within 24 hours. In the second peak, 22.8 +/- 3.8% (mean +/- SE) of radioactivity was precipitated by anti-rat Tg antibody, and 14.4 +/- 1.7% (mean +/- SE) of radioactivity of its TCA precipitate was not extracted by n-butanol. Thus, the second peak could affect the results of Tg kinetic studies which utilize TCA precipitation, n-butanol extraction or RIA procedures. The half life of rat Tg in the present study was calculated from the disappearance curves of radioactivity of 19S Tg separated from other radioactive substances.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗