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Biomedical subjects

K Higashi

Publications and source records attributed to K Higashi.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Masked thyroid dysfunction among elderly patients with atrial fibrillation.

Seventy-five elderly patients with atrial fibrillation (41 males and 34 females with a mean age of 75.6 years) were studied to evaluate the incidence of masked thyroid dysfunction. A thyrotropin (TSH)-releasing-hormone (TRH) test (intravenous injection of 250 micrograms of synthetic TRH) was performed in the patients and 30 age matched controls without atrial fibrillation. In the controls, no abnormal TRH stimulated TSH response was observed. In the patients with atrial fibrillation, no response of TSH to TRH (hyperthyroidism) was found in 5 cases (6.6%), while hyperresponse of TSH to TRH (hypothyroidism) was found in 6 cases (8.0%). Thyroid dysfunction (hyper or hypothyroidism) was more frequently observed in the patients than in the controls (p less than 0.05). Two of 5 hyperthyroid patients had normal thyroid hormone levels. All patients with hyperthyroidism were treated with antithyroid drugs or 131I. Unfortunately, atrial fibrillation persisted in all but 1 case. It is concluded that the TRH test is a useful screening test for detecting those patients with abnormal thyroid function among elderly patients with atrial fibrillation, and that hypothyroidism should be considered as a cause of atrial fibrillation in the elderly.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Myosin light chain kinase and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activities and calmodulin levels in placental and non-placental regions of the rabbit myometrium.

Myosin light chain kinase activity in the placental region of the rabbit myometrium on day 28 of gestation was 4.7 +/- 0.1 (mean +/- S.E.M.) nmol/min per mg protein, which was significantly higher than that (3.6 +/- 0.1 nmol/min per mg protein) in the non-placental region. The amount of calmodulin in the placental region was 4.2 +/- 0.1 micrograms/mg protein, which was significantly higher than that (3.2 +/- 0.1 micrograms/mg protein) in the non-placental region. In contrast, cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activities showed no difference between the two regions. These findings suggest that calcium- and calmodulin-dependent protein phosphorylation is activated mainly in the placental region, and uterine contractions can occur more strongly in this part than in the non-placental region. Such enzymatic phenomena may be related to the mechanism whereby the placenta separates from the myometrium after delivery of the fetus.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Elevation of anti-DNA antibody titer during thyrotoxic phase of silent thyroiditis.

The elevation of anti-DNA antibody titers was observed in two cases of silent thyroiditis; the levels reverted to normal as thyrotoxicosis improved. Biopsy specimens of the thyroid gland revealed chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis. The elevation of anti-DNA antibody titers during the thyrotoxic phase of silent thyroiditis, to our knowledge, has not been reported. In one case, antinuclear antibody testing was also positive during the thyrotoxic phase and became negative in the euthyroid state. These observations provide further support for autoimmunity in silent thyroiditis.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1986

[The penetration of cefotaxime into the cerebrospinal fluid. Comparison between acute and chronic stages in intracranial diseases].

Two grams of cefotaxime (CTX) were administrated by drip infusion to 10 patients (11 material) with acute or chronic stage of intracranial diseases. Concentrations of CTX in the serum and the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were determined at 15, 30, 60, 120, 240 and 300 minutes after injection. The results obtained were summarized as follows: Serum levels: Peak levels of CTX in sera were 66.2 +/- 10.23 (S.E.) micrograms/ml in the acute stage group (ASG), and 75.7 +/- 31.39 (S.E.) micrograms/ml at 15 minutes after injection in the chronic stage group (CSG). There were no significant difference between the 2 groups. CSF levels: Peak levels of the drug in CSF were 1.35-4.32 micrograms/ml in ASG and 0.18-0.7 microgram/ml in CSG. Average concentration at 60 minutes after injection was 1.11 +/- 0.09 (S.E.) micrograms/ml in ASG and 0.30 +/- 0.08 (S.E.) micrograms/ml in CSG. The value in ASG was significantly higher than the value in CSG by t-test. The ratio between CSF and serum levels: The levels increased as time passed in both groups and the values in ASG were higher than those in CSG at all time points. Average ratios at 60 minutes after injection were 3.85 +/- 0.29 (S.E.)% in ASG and 1.12 +/- 0.50 (S.E.)% in CSG. The value in ASG was significantly higher than that in CSG by t-test. From the above results, it is considered that CTX is useful for the prophylaxis of postoperative infections in intracranial diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Specific binding of tubulin to a guanine nucleotide-binding inhibitory regulatory protein in adenylate cyclase system, Ni.

A protein was isolated from the soluble fraction of rat brain by affinity chromatography with Sepharose to which guanine nucleotide-binding inhibitory regulatory protein in adenylate cyclase system, Ni, was immobilized. The molecular weight of this protein, specifically bound to the Ni-affinity column, was estimated as 54,000 on sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Alternately prepared tubulin also bound to the Ni-affinity column. The amino acid compositions of these proteins were also identical. It is strongly suggested that this Ni-binding cytosolic protein is tubulin.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗
PubMed1985

Heme metabolism and turnover of cytochrome P-450 in tumor-bearing mouse livers.

Hepatic heme metabolism and in vitro translation of poly(A) + RNA from livers were studied to elucidate the mechanism of the reduction of microsomal cytochrome P-450 in tumor-bearing mouse livers. Hepatic delta-aminolevulinic acid synthase activity in male C57BL/6N mice (0.203 nmol/mg protein/h) at 8 days after the transplantation of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells was the same level as that of normal livers (0.206 nmol/mg protein/h). On the other hand, hepatic heme oxygenase activity of tumor-bearing mice (0.482 nmol/mg protein/10 min) had increased 8 days following i. p. transplantation of tumor cells when compared with that of normal mouse livers (0.296 nmol/mg protein/10 min). SDS-gel electrophoresis of in vitro translation products of poly(A) + RNA extracted from membrane-bound polysomes of the livers from tumor-bearing mice showed no significant differences from that of normal controls in the region of cytochrome P-450, that is, the molecular weight region of Mr = 47,000-60,000, although microsomal protein content in this region estimated by Coomassie-blue staining was reduced. These results suggest that the decrease of heme biosynthesis or the translation of cytochrome P-450 mRNA played a very small part in the reduction of microsomal cytochrome P-450 in tumor-bearing mice.

5-Aminolevulinate Synthetase↗
PubMed1985

Clinical usefulness of the (chloride-90)/phosphate ratio for distinguishing primary hyperparathyroidism from hypercalcemia due to other causes.

In order to obtain a good separation line between patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (1 degree HPT) and those with non-parathyroidal hypercalcemia (NPHC), serum chloride (Cl) and phosphate (P) concentrations were analyzed. Ninety-nine per cent of the patients with 1 degree HPT had a Cl/P ratio greater than or equal to 33, but 29% of patients with NPHC were also included in this range. When the (Cl-90)/P ratio was used to separate into two groups, 98% of the patients with 1 degree HPT had a ratio greater than or equal to 5.0, and 94% of the patients with NPHC had a ratio less than 5.0. From these results, while high sensitivity was achieved both with the Cl/P and (Cl-90)/P ratios, the (Cl-90)/P ratio provided higher specificity. Therefore we conclude that the (Cl-90)/P ratio was excellent in distinguishing 1 degree HPT from other types of hypercalcemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

The cause of low voltage QRS complex in primary hypothyroidism. Pericardial effusion or thyroid hormone deficiency?

In order to clarify the cause of low voltage QRS complex seen on ECG (low voltage), thyroid hormones, LDH isozyme and pericardial effusion (PE) were studied in 39 patients with primary hypothyroidism. Low voltage and PE were found in 12 of 39 (30.8%) and 12 of 27 (44.4%), respectively. Serum T4 in patients with low voltage (Group 1) was significantly lower than that in patients without low voltage (Group 2) (T4 1.4 +/- 1.7 vs 2.8 +/- 2.3 micrograms/dl, p less than 0.05). Group 1 had a higher incidence of large amounts of PE than Group 2 (6/8 vs 1/19, p less than 0.002). However, there was no significant difference in thyroid hormone levels between patients with and without PE. No significant difference in LDH isozyme pattern was found among the groups. Low voltage without PE was found in only one patient. Two patients with low voltage and PE demonstrated that in spite of the presence of large PE, low voltage improved after thyroid replacement therapy. By multi-variate analysis, low voltage was related to large PE, patient age and low T4 levels. From these results, it was suggested that in hypothyroidism low voltage was brought about by a combination of both severe thyroid hormone deficiency and large PE. In addition, elderly patients over 60 years had low voltage more frequently than did patients under 59 years.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

[Clinical usefulness of integrated images of the radionuclide liver angiogram to evaluate diffuse hepatic disease].

New imaging method that was integrated image of radionuclide liver angiogram was proposed. Patients were placed supine beneath gamma camera, so that the liver, spleen, heart, and lung were included in an anterior image. Integrated image was recorded for 100 s, following injection of 111-222 MBq (3-6 mCi) of 99mTc tin-colloid. 595 cases were examined, and classified into 3 groups as follows. Group I: Cases without hepatic dysfunction Group II: Cases with hepatic dysfunction Group III: Liver cirrhosis. Numbers of each group were 208 (35%), 305 (51%), and 82 (14%) respectively. Integrated images were qualitatively determined by macroscopic inspection. Comparing liver intensity and lung intensity, 3 patterns of integrated image were classified. Pattern I: Liver intensity was greater than lung intensity Pattern II: Liver intensity was equal to lung intensity Pattern III: Liver intensity was less than lung intensity Numbers of each pattern were 412 (69%), 125 (21%), and 58 (10%) respectively. Numbers of group III distributed into each pattern were 8 (10%) in pattern I, 29 (35%) in pattern II, and 45 (55%) in pattern III. The correct diagnosis of liver cirrhosis as follows. In a case of choosing pattern III as diagnostic criterion, sensitivity was 55%, and specificity was 97%. The positive predictive value was 78%, and the negative predictive value was 93%. Total accuracy was 92%. This new method seems useful in evaluating diffuse hepatic disease.

Heart↗