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Biomedical subjects

K Higashi

Publications and source records attributed to K Higashi.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

[Surgical treatment of left ventricular aneurysm associated with mitral regurgitation].

The purpose of this study is to analyze the early and late results of left ventricular aneurysmectomy in patients with mitral regurgitation secondary to myocardial infarction. Twenty patients who had left ventricular aneurysm combined with mitral regurgitation underwent the isolated or combined aneurysmectomy during the last 10 years. There were 18 male cases and 2 female cases, and their age ranged from 31 to 64 (mean age 52.6 years). In 19 cases, the left ventricular aneurysm were caused secondary to antero-septal infarction due to the occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery. In one case, the coronary spasm of circumflex artery provoked the posterolateral myocardial infarction and the tendon rupture of posterior papillary muscle. The isolated left ventricular aneurysmectomy were performed in 6 cases and the combined operations were coronary artery bypass grafting in 11 cases, mitral annuloplasty in 1 case, mitral annuloplasty and bypass grafting in 1 case, and mitral replacement in 1 case. There were no operative death cases. The preoperative mean functional class (NYHA classification) was 2.9 and the postoperative class was 1.4. The preoperative mitral regurgitation of grade 1 in Sellers' classification was observed in 11 cases. Grade 2 regurgitation was observed in 6 cases, grade 3 in 2 and grade 4 in 1. After surgery, mitral regurgitation more than grade 2 was recognized in 3 cases (group A) and regurgitation less than grade 1 was seen in 17 cases (group B).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

[The influence of ferric metabolism on Ga-67 distribution in the human body].

This investigation was undertaken to make clear the influence of ferric metabolism on Ga-67 distribution in human body. Count ratios for each organ to femoral soft tissue (i.e. relative Ga-67 uptake) were calculated in 125 scintigrams obtained 48 hours following injection, and the relation between the relative Ga-67 uptake in each organ and serum Fe, or UIBC were investigated. The relative Ga-67 uptake in the liver and the lumbar vertebra had negative correlation to serum Fe, and had positive correlation to UIBC. However, there was no significant difference in the relative Ga-67 uptake in the lumbar vertebra between normal and high serum Fe group. Only in group with exceedingly low serum Fe, each vertebral body was visualized separately in posterior view of the abdomen. These findings indicated that in group with exceedingly low serum Fe, Ga-67 accumulated mainly in the bone marrow, and in group with high serum Fe, Ga-67 accumulated mainly in the bone. The urinary bladder was visualized only in group with high serum Fe, which suggested that the excretion of Ga-67 to the urine was continued yet at 48 hours after injection. Ferric metabolism affected remarkably on the relative Ga-67 uptake in the liver, the bone marrow and the bone, and also the excretion of Ga-67 to the urine.

Adolescent↗

Nucleotide sequence analysis of the DNA binding region of the chicken fibronectin gene.

We have determined the nucleotide sequence of 2.0 kb EcoRI segment from the clone lambda FC32 of the genomic chicken fibronectin gene, which is called DNA binding domain. This segment overlapped another clone lambda FC36 and contained three exons which were 16, 17 and 18. They were classified as Type III repeat as originally shown in bovine plasma fibronectin. The average homologies of these three exons among the chicken, rat and human fibronectins in amino acid level are very high (87-98%) compared with that (79-88%) of the exons in the cell binding domain, indicating that this region is highly conservative during the evolution.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Acute respiratory failure induced by mechanical pulmonary ventilation at a peak inspiratory pressure of 40 cmH2O.

The effects of high pressure mechanical pulmonary ventilation at a peak inspiratory pressure of 40 cmH(2)O were studied on the lungs of healthy newborn pigs (14-21 days after birth). Forty percent oxygen in nitrogen was used for ventilation to prevent oxygen intoxication. The control group (6 pigs) was ventilated for 48 hours at a peak inspiratory pressure less than 18 cmH(2)O and a PEEP of 3-5 cmH(2)O with a normal tidal volume, and a respiratory rate of 20 times/min. The control group showed few deleterious changes in the lungs for 48 hours. Eleven newborn pigs were ventilated at a peak inspiratory pressure of 40 cmH(2)O with a PEEP of 3-5 cmH(2)O and a respiratory rate of 20 times/min. To avoid respiratory alkalosis, a dead space was placed in the respiratory circuit, and normocarbia was maintained by adjusting dead space volume. In all cases in the latter group, severe pulmonary impairments, such as abnormal chest roentgenograms, hypoxemia, decreased total static lung compliance, high incidence of pneumothorax, congestive atelectasis, and increased lung weight were found within 48 hours of ventilation. When the pulmonary impairments became manifest, 6 of the 11 newborn pigs were switched to the conventional medical and ventilatory therapies for 3-6 days. However, all of them became ventilator dependent, and severe lung pathology was found at autopsy. These pulmonary insults by high pressure mechanical pulmonary ventilation could be occurring not infrequently in the respiratory management of patients with respiratory failure.

Journal Article↗

Variations of activities in the segments of respiratory chain among tissues in a patient with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy.

Enzymatic activities of NADH cytochrome c reductase and cytochrome c oxidase were determined in the mitochondria from various tissues of a patient with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy and compared with those of controls. NADH cytochrome c reductase in the present patient decreased significantly in the liver and spleen and to a less extent in the kidneys. On the other hand, cytochrome c oxidase of the patient decreased severely in the skeletal muscle and kidneys and partially in the heart. Difference spectrum of reduced-minus oxidized form of mitochondria from patient's skeletal muscle and heart showed a decrease of cytochrome aa3 peak in the alpha region at 605 nm. These results indicate that there are cryptic deficiencies in the segments of the respiratory chain in the mitochondria from several tissues of the present patient, such as liver, kidney, spleen without any clinical manifestation. The weakness and atrophy of skeletal muscle was, however, well correlated to the biochemical analysis.

Adult↗

Rapid determination of internal volumes of membrane vesicles with electron spin resonance-stopped flow technique.

We have developed an electron spin resonance (ESR)-stopped flow technique and employed it for the simple and rapid determination of internal volumes of biomembrane vesicles and liposomes. A vesicle suspension containing a neutral and membrane-permeable spin label, 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-oxopiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPONE), was mixed in the stopped-flow apparatus with an isotonic solution of relatively impermeable line broadening agents, potassium tris(oxalato)chromate(III) or potassium ferricyanide, and an ESR spectrum was recorded. From the relative intensity of the sharp triplet signal due to TEMPONE in the aqueous space within vesicles, the determination of the internal aqueous volume was straightforward. Using this technique, it is possible to measure intravesicular volumes in 0.1 s. The internal volume of sonicated phospholipid vesicles was approximately 0.3 microliter/mg lipid. The light fraction of sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane vesicles isolated from rabbit skeletal muscle was estimated to have an internal volume of 2.2-2.6 microliter/mg protein in its resting state. Activation of Ca2+ pumps in the membrane upon addition of ATP and Ca2+ ions decreased the internal volume by about 10%. This finding supports the hypothesis that the Ca2+ pump is electrogenic and that the efflux of potassium ions compensates for the influx of positive charges. The present technique is widely applicable to the simple and rapid determination of the internal volumes of membrane vesicles.

Animals↗

Amplified allele of the human N-myc oncogene in neuroblastomas.

The N-myc amplification unit was investigated using two restriction fragment length polymorphisms for SphI and PvuII which we previously found to occur in the 2nd intron and in the 3' region of the human N-myc oncogene, respectively. All the three haplotypes which are dominant in the Japanese population were observed in the amplified DNA after analyses of a total of 22 DNA samples of fresh neuroblastomas with N-myc amplification. We conclude that only one of the alleles was amplified and that either allele could be amplified with respect to both the SphI and PvuII polymorphisms.

Alleles↗

Heterogeneity of dominant high-frequency sensorineural deafness.

There are several types of autosomal dominantly inherited sensorineural hearing loss (AD-SNHL), differentiated by audiograms. It is generally accepted that there are similarities in audiograms among members of the same family with dominant deafness. It has been supposed that AD-SNHL must be divided into several types according to their audiograms or clinical courses. Eighteen families with AD-SNHL are dealt with in this study. By measuring the slope of audiograms and superimposing audiograms, AD high-frequency sensorineural hearing loss can be divided into four types. The first type has the steepest audiograms, the second has somewhat less steep audiograms, the third has gently sloping audiograms, and the fourth has audiograms close to horizontal. In each type "The audiograms breed true", i.e. the audiograms even of members of different families having the same type do not overlap within the limits of error in audiometry. These four types of dominant high-frequency sensorineural deafness appear to be discrete clinical entities.

Audiometry↗

Effect of ursodeoxycholate on the biliary excretion of cefotiam and sulbenicillin in patients with percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage.

The effects of ursodeoxycholate administration on the biliary excretion of the antibiotics cefotiam and sulbenicillin were studied in five patients with stable hepatic function receiving percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage for obstructive jaundice. Cefotiam (I g) and sulbenicillin (2 g) were administered intravenously before and after ursodeoxycholate administration, and the maximum concentrations of the antibiotics in the bile and total amounts excreted in the bile during the 4 h after administration were determined. After ursodeoxycholate administration, both the maximum concentration of cefotiam in the bile and the amount excreted increased significantly. Ursodeoxycholate also increased the peak concentration and total excretion of sulbenicillin. For both cefotiam and sulbenicillin, the amount of antibiotic excreted in the bile during the 4 h after administration showed a significant correlation with the amount of bile acids excreted in the bile. This strongly suggests a common mechanism for the biliary excretion of these antibiotics and bile acids. Ursodeoxycholate administration is a benign way to increase both the concentration and the total amount of antibiotic excreted in the bile. Therefore, it may be useful in the treatment of serious biliary tract infections, especially in patients receiving biliary drainage.

Aged↗

Thyroid functions in patients with various chronic liver diseases.

In order to clarify an alteration in thyroid functions in patients with chronic liver diseases, serum total and free thyroxine (T4, FT4), total and free triiodothyronine (T3, FT3), total reverse T3 (rT3), thyrotropin (TSH), thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) concentrations, and T3 uptake (T3U) were measured by radioimmunoassays in 53 patients with chronic hepatitis (CH), 24 patients with compensated liver cirrhosis (LC), 17 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma associated with LC (HCC), and 40 normal subjects. Serum T4, T3, and rT3 in CH, and serum rT3 in HCC were significantly increased, while serum T4 in LC and serum T3 in HCC were significantly decreased. Serum TBG was increased and T3U was decreased in these patients. Serum TBG in CH and LC correlated positively with transaminase, and inversely with prothrombin time. FT4 and T4/TBG ratios in CH and LC and FT3 and T3/TBG ratios in LC and HCC were significantly decreased. Although T4/TBG ratios in HCC and T3/TBG ratios in CH were significantly decreased, FT4 in HCC and FT3 in CH were not decreased. The ratio of rT3/T3 in CH and LC correlated with various liver function tests. FT3 in LC and HCC correlated inversely with BSP (45') and positively with KICG. No differences in serum TSH values were found between chronic liver diseases and normal subjects. From these results, it was concluded that the thyroid functions in patients with chronic liver diseases were affected by the decrease in serum thyroxine, elevated serum TBG, the degree of which is in proportion to that of the liver cell damage, and impaired peripheral conversion of T4 to T3, the degree of which is in proportion to that of the hepatic dysfunction.

Adolescent↗

Effects of chronic inhalation of ethylene oxide on lipid peroxidation and glutathione redox cycle in rat liver.

The chronic effects of ethylene oxide (EO) on hepatic metabolism were investigated. Both reduced and oxidized forms of glutathione in liver were not changed during chronic exposure to EO for 13 weeks. On the other hand, increased levels of malondialdehyde were detected at 6 weeks and at the end of exposure periods, as compared with those of control livers. The activity of glutathione reductase was decreased at 6 and 13 weeks and therefore in inverse proportion to the lipid peroxide, although the reduced form of glutathione did not decrease probably due to the increase of de novo synthesis. These results indicate that EO treatment enhances lipid peroxidation and also affects glutathione redox cycle, but glutathione did not play a causative role in the induction of lipid peroxidation under the present conditions.

Administration, Inhalation↗