Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

K Akimoto

Publications and source records attributed to K Akimoto.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

[A clinical study of the myocardial protective effect of allopurinol].

This study was proposed to study the myocardial protective effect of allopurinol clinically. This study involved 65 patients undergone coronary artery bypass operations or cardiac valve replacements or plasties. Patients were divided into two groups: group I, 30 patients received 2,400 mg of allopurinol preoperatively; group II, 35 patients undergoing no treatment of allopurinol. Postoperative values of GOT, CK-MB and LDH1 + LDH2 in group I were significantly lower than that of group II. These results suggest that allopurinol has advantageous effect on myocardial protection.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Fungal mycelia as a novel source of eicosapentaenoic acid. Activation of enzyme(s) involved in eicosapentaenoic acid production at low temperature.

Several filamentous fungi belonging to the genus Mortierella were found to produce large amounts of 5,8,11,14,17-cis-eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in their mycelia only when grown at low temperature (12 degrees C), i.e., not at physiological growth temperature (20-28 degrees C). The results of experiments with cell-free extracts suggested that this unique phenomenon is due to activation of enzyme(s) involved in EPA formation at low temperature. Mortierella alpina 1S-4 produced 0.3 g/l of EPA (27 mg/g dry mycelia). This high productivity show the practical significance of these novel EPA producers.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1988

Plasma and right auricle concentrations of atrial natriuretic polypeptide in children with cardiac diseases.

To investigate the atrial natriuretic polypeptide (ANP) levels in congenital heart diseases, we measured plasma immunoreactive ANP (ir-ANP) in 29 patients with left-to-right shunt, and right auricle ir-ANP in 25 patients who underwent operation. The levels of ir-ANP in the pulmonary artery correlated with that in the femoral vein (r = 0.95, P less than 0.001), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (r = 0.74, P less than 0.001) and right atrial pressure (r = 0.53, P less than 0.01). The right auricle ir-ANP level was high in patients with heart failure combined with pressure or volume overload of the right atrium, as observed in tricuspid atresia, complete endocardial cushion defect, and total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage. These results suggest that the production of ANP in the atrium increases as a compensatory or secondary response to persistent release of ANP into the circulation in cardiac diseases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Effects of secretin on content of PGE2 and 6-keto PGF1 alpha in gastric mucosa.

To determine the involvement of prostaglandins in the action of secretin on the promotion of the healing process in injured gastric mucosa, the effect of secretin infusion on the content of PGE2 and 6-keto PGF1 alpha (a major metabolite of PGI2) in human gastric mucosa was investigated. Specimens of both normal and injured mucosa were obtained from each of the patients who underwent polypectomy a week prior to the study. The specimens were obtained before and 20 min after intravenous infusion of secretin [2 Crick, Harper and Raper (CHR) units/kg] or saline. The basal content of PGE2 in injured mucosa was three times higher than that in normal gastric mucosa. Secretin did not increase the PGE2 content of normal gastric mucosa. However, secretin induced a sevenfold increase in the PGE2 content of injured mucosa. The content of 6-keto PGF1 alpha was not affected by secretin. These results suggest that, in injured mucosa, PGE2 is involved in the healing process and in the action of secretin as well.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗
PubMed1988

Progressive vascular lesions in Williams-Beuren syndrome.

We report two patients with Williams-Beuren syndrome. The first patient showed no evidence of coarctation of the aorta at the first examination. Seven years later, she developed coarctation of the aorta. In the second patient, we found the progression of renal artery stenosis by serial angiography. We report that vascular lesions may be progressive in Williams-Beuren syndrome.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Plasma and atrial levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in pulmonary hypertensive rats.

Immunoreactive atrial natriuretic peptide (IR-ANP) was measured in plasma and atrium of normal and monocrotaline induced pulmonary hypertensive rats (PH rats). In these animals, there was right ventricular hypertrophy and right ventricular systolic pressure was elevated. Fourteen days after a single dose of monocrotaline (40 mg/kg), plasma IR-ANP concentrations were significantly elevated (964.3 +/- 63.0 pg/ml vs. 521.0 +/- 81.9 pg/ml in controls, p less than 0.001). Tissue levels of IR-ANP in the right atrium in PH rats was significantly lower than those in the controls (45.1 +/- 3.9 ng/mg vs. 240.5 +/- 10.4 ng/mg, p less than 0.001), while there was no significant difference in tissue levels of atrial IR-ANP in the left atrium between the two groups. Thus, development of pulmonary hypertension led to an increase in release of ANP from the right atrium.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Role of chemical mediators after antigen and exercise challenge in children with asthma.

Changes in chemical mediators after antigen challenge and exercise challenge tests were studied in children with asthma. Chemical mediators studied after antigen challenge and exercise challenge included histamine, leukotrienes (LTB4, LTC4, and LTD4), and neutrophil chemotactic factor of anaphylaxis (NCA). The pharmacologic modification of immediate and late-phase reactions was evaluated for procaterol (beta 2-agonist), cromolyn sodium, and prednisolone. Histamine levels were noted to rise in patients who had a dual response of a mild to moderate nature, but did not change in patients who had severe asthma. During exercise challenge cromolyn sodium inhibited both immediate and late-phase reactions but also inhibited plasma generation of NCA. Prednisolone, on the other hand, did not affect immediate reactions, but blocked late-phase reactions to exercise and also decreased NCA generation. Procaterol inhibited the generation of LTD4 and also inhibited NCA when compared with placebo. Exercise challenge did not alter levels of plasma histamine or of LTB4 or LTC4.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Molecular forms of atrial natriuretic peptide in the atrium of patients with cardiovascular disease.

To determine the molecular forms of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in patients with cardiovascular disease, we analyzed the ANP content in the right atrium using reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography and RIA. Tissue from 35 patients, ranging in age from 1 month to 64 yr, was studied. The right atrial ANP content was high in patients with congestive heart failure regardless of age. We found three ANP components (alpha-, beta-, and gamma ANP), as previously found in tissue obtained at autopsy. In patients younger than 20 yr old, the major component was gamma ANP. In older patients, the frequency and content of the two low mol wt forms, especially beta ANP, were increased. The differences in the content and molecular forms of ANP in atrial tissue reflect the pathological state in patients with cardiovascular diseases, as well as the patient's age.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1987

Stimulation of prostaglandin E2 production by phorbol esters and epidermal growth factor in porcine thyroid cells.

Effects of phorbol esters and epidermal growth factor (EGF) on prostaglandin E2 production by cultured porcine thyroid cells were examined. Both phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and EGF stimulated prostaglandin E2 production by the cells in dose related fashion. PMA stimulated prostaglandin E2 production over fifty-fold with the dose of 10(-7) M compared with control. EGF (10(-7) M) also stimulated it about ten-fold. The ED50 values of PMA and EGF were respectively around 1 X 10(-9) M and 5 X 10(-10) M. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), however, did not stimulate prostaglandin E2 production from 1 to 24-h incubation. The release of radioactivity from [3H]-arachidonic acid prelabeled cells was also stimulated by PMA and EGF, but not by TSH. These results indicate that both PMA and EGF are potent stimulators of prostaglandin E2 production, associated with the activity to stimulate arachidonic acid release in porcine thyroid cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Aortocoronary bypass surgery for Kawasaki disease.

A case of Kawasaki disease with precordial pain in a 6-year-old boy is described. Coronary arteriography revealed large aneurysms with subtotal obstruction of the left anterior descending artery and long-segment narrowings of the right coronary artery. The left ventriculogram revealed an old myocardial infarction of the inferoposterior wall of the left ventricle. The patient was given aortocoronary bypasses using both a left internal mammary artery and a fresh saphenous vein graft to the left anterior descending artery. Serial angiographic study, performed 6 weeks after the operation, revealed these grafts were both patent. Using the two techniques together may have the potential benefit of the saphenous vein bypass graft functioning as a temporary measure to ensure survival with the hope that the internal mammary artery supply will continue to grow.

Child↗
PubMed1987

Double outlet right ventricle with severe left ventricular outflow tract obstruction due to small ventricular septal defect and anomalous adherence of the mitral valve to the ventricular septum.

A 1-month-old male infant with a double outlet right ventricle complicated by left ventricular outflow tract obstruction due to a very small ventricular septal defect is described. The atrial septum was intact, but mitral stenosis was present. The characteristic finding in this patient was that the inherently small ventricular septal defect was further narrowed by abnormal adherence of the anterior mitral leaflet to the left ventricular septal surface below the defect. Intracardiac anatomical features other than the adherent mitral valve could be evaluated accurately by two-dimensional echocardiography. Because the atrial septum was intact, balloon atrioseptostomy was not possible. An attempt at surgical creation of an atrial septal defect was unsuccessful, and the patient died immediately after the operation. The autopsy findings of the heart are described, and diagnostic problems and the possibility of radical operation are discussed.

Autopsy↗