Biomedical subjects

K Fujii

Publications and source records attributed to K Fujii.

At least 721 records · Page 40Linked to original sources

PubMed1988

Long-term potentiation of synaptic transmission in kitten visual cortex.

1. Potentiation of synaptic transmission in visual cortex (areas 17 and 18) of kittens was investigated by extracellular recording of field potentials (FPs) and cortical units in cortical slices and whole-animal preparations. Responses to test stimulation (0.05 Hz) of the white matter (WM), lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), and optic chiasm (OC) were documented before and after conditioning stimulation (2 Hz for 1 h). 2. In slice preparations of area 17, the FPs were always depressed during conditioning stimulation and were usually potentiated immediately after conditioning stimulation. Long-term potentiation (LTP) of FPs developed rapidly during the initial 1-2 h and continued to increase slowly for several hours after conditioning. 3. LTP of FPs was age dependent: LTP occurred most frequently (43/53) at the ages of 21-34 days, less frequently (4/7 and 5/11) at 14-20 and 35-41 days, and never (0/5 and 0/5) at 7-13 and 42-49 days. LTP age relationship determined as a ratio of the amplitudes of FPs after conditioning to that before conditioning was greater at 21-34 days (mean potentiation, 2.4 +/- 0.6) than at 14-20 or 35-41 days (1.7 +/- 0.5). 4. LTP was also documented by the shortening in latencies of orthodromic responses of cortical units sampled from 10 pairs of conditioned and unconditioned control slices. Unit responses were classified into mono- and polysynaptic groups according to the central delay, defined as the time required for their activation after the arrival of afferent impulses. The monosynaptic central delays were 0.22 ms shorter in conditioned (0.60 +/- 0.17 ms, n = 56) than in control slices (0.82 +/- 0.22 ms, n = 57); similarly, polysynaptic central delays were 0.66 ms smaller (1.70 +/- 0.43 ms, n = 51; and 2.36 +/- 0.79 ms, n = 51). Both differences were statistically significant (P less than 0.001). 5. There were laminar differences in LTP of mono- and polysynaptic transmission. LTP of monosynaptic transmission occurred throughout layers II-V (central delays shortened about 0.2 ms), whereas LTP of polysynaptic transmission was greatest in layer II (1.17 ms), moderate in layer III (0.66 ms), and slight in layer IV (0.3 ms). The time course of shortening in orthodromic latency in five polysynaptic units agreed with the time course of LTP of FP. 6. Location of synapses involved in LTP of synaptic transmission was studied by current source-density (CSD) analysis in slice preparations of area 17 during test stimulation of WM. CSD analysis demonstrated two components of current sinks (early and late), probably representing mono- and polysynaptic transmission.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Physiological effects of portal ligation on the longitudinal and circular muscles of the dog portal tree.

We studied physiological effects of portal vein ligation on the longitudinal and circular muscles of the dog portal tree. Portal venous blood pressure after portal ligation was higher in dogs that died than in those that survived. The portal veins isolated from dogs that died after portal ligation exhibited both lower rate of onset and decreased intensity of spontaneous activity, compared with those from dogs that survived. Responsiveness of longitudinal muscles of each of the four portal segments to noradrenaline, acetylcholine, histamine and KCl was markedly reduced in dogs that died, compared with those that survived, although the responsiveness of circular muscle was nearly equal in both groups of dogs. The longitudinal muscle of the truncal portal vein from dogs that died responded less strongly to electrical transmural stimulation than that from surviving dogs. The nonadrenergic, noncholinergic response was almost abolished in dogs that died rapidly. The degree of spontaneous activity or responsiveness to various stimulations in smooth muscles of the portal tree is considered to reflect muscular development. The degree of development of the longitudinal muscle of the portal tree may determine the survival of dogs after portal ligation.

Acetylcholine↗

PubMed1988

Steroid therapy in IgA nephropathy: a retrospective study in heavy proteinuric cases.

29 patients with IgA nephropathy whose proteinuria persisted at a level of 2.0 g/day or more and who received prednisolone treatment for 1-3 years were retrospectively evaluated on their clinical courses. 13 of 14 patients with renal dysfunction of less than 70 ml/min in initial creatinine clearance (Ccr) values subsequently entered a progressive course during a follow-up period of 47 months, leading to end-stage renal failure in 8 cases. On the other hand, only 1 of the other 15 patients with preserved renal function of 70 ml/min or more ended up with end-stage renal failure during a follow-up period of 74 months, although 7 underwent a progressive course. Three patients in the latter group experienced a prominent reduction in proteinuria to less than 1.0 g/day and maintained renal function. Meanwhile, the steroid group of moderate proteinuric patients with a creatinine clearance greater than 70 ml/min had a benign course, while the nonsteroid group had an unfavorable one. These results suggest that steroid therapy in IgA nephropathy may be able to stabilize a progressive course, especially in the early stage of the disease, although, because they come from an uncontrolled study, a definite conclusion cannot be drawn.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1988

Glomerulonephropathy with amyloid-stain-negative microfibrillar glomerular deposits.

A 44-year-old man demonstrated proteinuria, microhematuria and renal dysfunction during the course of hyperthyroidism. Neither cryoglobulinemia nor paraproteinemia including light chains was found. No systemic signs suggestive of amyloidosis appeared. Histological findings showed a diffuse mesangial matrix increase with slight mesangial proliferation and diffuse granular depositions of IgG, IgA, C3, C4, Clq, kappa and lambda light chains. Ultrastructurally, microfibrils of about 20 nm in width were seen to be deposited diffusely in mesangial areas and in glomerular basement membranes. Congo red and thioflavin T staining were negative. These findings support the possible existence of a specific glomerular disease different from amyloidosis.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Effect of recirculation on the recovery of cerebral metabolism after experimental cerebral ischemia in male and female spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Lactate, pyruvate and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentrations in the brain were measured at the end of various periods of cerebral ischemia induced by bilateral carotid occlusion at 1-hour recirculation after the ischemia in spontaneously hypertensive rates (SHR). In both male and female SHR, a progressive and consistent increase in lactate and lactate/pyruvate ratio and a concomitant decrease in ATP were observed in the ischemic periods of 1, 3 or 5 h. Changes of these cerebral metabolites in females were two thirds to one half of those in males at corresponding periods of ischemia. At 1 h after recanalization of the occluded carotid arteries, metabolic derangements of the ischemic brain were little recovered in male SHR exposed to only 1-hour ischemia, whereas in female SHR the decreased ATP levels were recovered close to the nonischemic control level even after 7-hour ischemia. Furthermore, the increased lactate in female was attenuated to only one sixth of that in male at 1-hour recirculation after 5-hour ischemia. It is concluded that the recovery of the cerebral ischemic metabolism by reperfusion is better in female than male SHR, probably because of the smaller metabolic changes during the ischemic insult, and the fact that the degree as well as the duration of ischemia seem to be important factors for sufficient recovery from ischemic impairment of the brain.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

PubMed1988

Value and limitations of Doppler echocardiography in the quantification of stenotic mitral valve area: comparison of the pressure half-time and the continuity equation methods.

Two Doppler methods, the pressure half-time method proposed by Hatle and the method based on the equation of continuity, were used to estimate stenotic mitral valve area noninvasively, and the accuracy of these methods was examined in patients with and without associated aortic regurgitation. Mitral valve area determined at catheterization by the Gorlin formula was used as a standard of reference. The study population consisted of 41 patients with mitral stenosis, and 20 of the 41 patients had associated aortic regurgitation. According to the equation of continuity, mitral valve area was determined as a product of aortic or pulmonic annular cross-sectional area and the ratio of time velocity integral of aortic or pulmonic flow to that of the mitral stenotic jet. Mitral valve area was determined by the pressure half-time method as 220/pressure half-time, the time from the peak transmitral velocity to one-half the square root of the peak velocity on the continuous-wave Doppler-determined transmitral flow velocity pattern. The pressure half-time method tended to overestimate catheterization measurements, and the correlation coefficient for this relation was .69 (SEE = 0.44 cm2). The correlation coefficient improved to .90 when the patients with associated aortic regurgitation were excluded. Mitral valve areas determined by the continuity equation method correlated well with catheterization measurements at a correlation coefficient of .91 (SEE = 0.24 cm2), irrespective of the presence of aortic regurgitation. The ratio of the time-velocity integral or aortic or pulmonic flow to the time-velocity integral of mitral stenotic jet also correlated well with mitral valve area determined by catheterization at a correlation coefficient of .84 (SEE = 0.10).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Impairment of cerebellar blood flow autoregulation during cerebral ischemia in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Participation of the autonomic nervous system in cerebellar autoregulation during supratentorial cerebral ischemia induced by bilateral carotid ligation was studied using 23 spontaneously hypertensive rats. Cerebral and cerebellar blood flows measured by a hydrogen clearance method were evaluated under stepwise hemorrhagic hypotension before and 30 minutes after ligation and after a 30-minute recirculation period following 1 hour of ligation. alpha-Adrenergic blockade with phenoxybenzamine, beta-adrenergic blockade with propranolol, and muscarinic cholinergic blockade with atropine were selectively administered before ligation for inhibition of sympathetic and parasympathetic tone. Cerebral blood flow autoregulation was severely impaired during and after cerebral ischemia in each treatment group. During cerebral ischemia, cerebellar blood flow autoregulation was also significantly impaired in both the propranolol and atropine groups although it was better preserved in the phenoxybenzamine group. After recirculation, cerebellar blood flow autoregulation recovered almost to the normal range in the phenoxybenzamine and atropine groups but remained impaired in the propranolol group. Our results suggest that impaired cerebellar blood flow autoregulation in supratentorial cerebral ischemia is partly modulated by the alpha-adrenoceptor system, which is activated by hypertensive stimuli and cerebral ischemia, leading to vasoconstriction in the cerebellum.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Orthostatic hypertension due to coexistence of renal fibromuscular dysplasia and nephroptosis.

A 42-year-old woman presented with orthostatic hypertension. Increased plasma renin activity was noted and blood pressure rose gradually with standing. Selective renal arteriography indicated narrowing of the distal portion of the right renal artery and poststenotic dilatation and signs of arterial stenosis due to fibromuscular dysplasia. Greater arterial narrowing resulted from tortion due to nephroptosis brought about by excessive renin secretion. Thus, both renal arterial stenosis and nephroptosis were considered responsible for the present orthostatic hypertension. Percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty was found very effective for normalizing standing blood pressure and renal blood flow.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Relationship between the relative regional thallium-201 uptake and the regional systolic or diastolic filling function.

Both the resting thallium-201 imaging and resting gated radionuclide ventriculography were conducted in the left anterior oblique view in 35 patients with isolated disease of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD), and the corresponding involved region was compared from two differing perspectives, one measuring regional ventricular function and the other regional myocardial perfusion. In the thallium-201 imaging, the thallium activity in the septal or apical region supplied by the LAD was calculated as an activity ratio between the mean value of the normally perfused lateral region and that of the septal or apical region, and was called relative thallium uptake (%T1 uptake). In the gated radionuclide ventriculographic study, a computer program subdivided the image of the left ventricle into 4 regions. The time-activity and first-derivative curves were computed in the septal and apical regions. Significant positive correlations were present between the %T1 uptake and the ejection fraction or peak ejection rate both in the septal and apical regions, indicating that the regional systolic function diminishes progressively as the perfusion abnormality increases. However, positive but poor and scattering correlations were found between the %T1 uptake and the peak filling rate, and there were no significant correlations between the %T1 uptake and the filling period in these affected regions. Thus, we could suppose that the regional systolic function is closely related to the regional %T1 uptake which probably reflects the amount of the residual viable myocardium, but there is the possibility that the regional diastolic filling function may be not so much related to the amount of the viable myocardium as is systolic function or may be modulated by some factors other than the amount of the regional viable myocardium.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

The concentration of serum lipids in Zen monks and control males in Japan.

The concentrations of total, low density lipoprotein (LDL), and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglyceride and apoprotein B have been examined in Zen monks whose intake of animal products was almost negligible for 2 to 8 years, and in age-matched (24 to 35 years) control Japanese males who eat Western style food. The mean levels of total, LDL- and HDL-cholesterol, and apoprotein B were 135.1 +/- 16.7, 73.0 +/- 11.6, 50.4 +/- 9.6, and 70.6 +/- 15.6 mg/dl, respectively in Zen monks. These levels were 28.5, 32.8, 18.8, and 23.9% lower in Zen monks than in control Japanese males. These values are statistically significant compared to those of the controls (p less than 0.01). There were no significant changes in the level of triglyceride in both groups.

Adult↗

PubMed1988

Effect of cisapride on the cholinergic control mechanisms of gastrointestinal motility in dogs.

The action of cisapride on physiological and disturbed gastrointestinal motor function was investigated in conscious and anesthetized dogs and the mechanism of action involved. Regardless of the presence or absence of vagal innervation, administration of cisapride (0.2 mg approximately 1.0 mg/kg body weight, i.v.) during the quiescent period of interdigestive migrating contractions (IMC), induced non-migrating IMC-like motility in the entire gastrointestinal tract from gastric body to distal colon. Administration of cisapride in the digestive state resulted in the excitatory response of increased amplitude of digestive peristalsis and strong IMC-like motility was not observed. All of these excitatory responses in gastrointestinal motility disappeared by the administration of atropine (0.5 mg approximately 0.1 mg/kg body weight, i.v.). Furthermore, the excitatory response in gastrointestinal motility induced by cisapride in anesthetized dogs disappeared by the administration of TTX (10 micrograms/kg of body weight, i.v.). These results suggest that the excitatory action of cisapride on the gastrointestinal motility is based on its mechanism in which cisapride acts on the cholinergic neurones in the gastrointestinal wall to stimulate ACh release, resulting in the increase in gastrointestinal motility. Cisapride caused powerful IMC-like motility in the ileum of animal with pseudo-obstruction-like motor disturbance which had been seen after preparation of Thiry loop (ileum). This motility migrated from the proximal ileum to the Thiry loop and then to the distal ileum. Trimebutine maleate also demonstrated this effect, but metoclopramide and domperidone were ineffective. Administration of cisapride at the doses (0.2 mg approximately 1.0 mg/kg body weight, i.v.) causing stimulated motor response in the gastrointestinal tract did not induce significant secretion of gastric acid, pancreatic juice and bile.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Regional cerebral blood flow in chronic stroke patients with dementia.

Cerebral atrophy and regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) were examined in 52 chronic stroke patients with dementia, pre-dementia or non-dementia (according to the Dementia Scale). The index of cerebral atrophy was estimated on computed tomography, and CBF was determined using 133Xe inhalation method. Cerebral atrophy indices were not significantly different among various degrees of dementia except a slightly increased cella media index in pre-dementia group. Average values for CBF were bilaterally reduced in dementia, being 28.5 +/- 4.4 for affected hemisphere and 31.0 +/- 3.2 ml/100g/min for non-affected one. Compared with those, CBF were higher in pre-dementia (37.3 +/- 8.7 and 39.4 +/- 8.2 ml/100 g/min, p less than 0.05 vs dementia, respectively) and more higher in non-dementia (45.8 +/- 10.2 and 48.5 +/- 10.4 ml/100 g/min, p less than 0.01 vs pre-dementia, respectively). Of 11 recurrent stroke patients, 5 with newly developed dementia after the second attack presented the preceding CBF reduction 10 to 34 months prior to the recurrence. Present results suggest that bilateral reduction of CBF may be the primarily important factor for the initiation or development of vascular dementia, and the CBF reduction seems to precede the symptom of dementia.

Aged↗

PubMed1988