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Biomedical subjects

Y Aizawa

Publications and source records attributed to Y Aizawa.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Restriction fragment length polymorphism of the murine C4 and Slp genes: two C4 groups.

We have examined the related H-2 genes coding for the fourth component of complement (C4) and the sex-limited protein (Slp) from 30 inbred mouse strains by Southern blot analysis. With four restriction enzymes, 11 RFLP patterns distributed among 26 different H-2 haplotypes have been identified. Strains of the same serologic H-2 haplotype were found to have identical RFLP patterns. It was confirmed that the number of C4-related genes in most haplotypes is two, Slp and C4; but H-2SWI6 (SWI6) and SWI9, which have the same RFLP pattern, have four and Sw7 has five. Although C4 and Slp have many similarities, they also were found to contain distinctive features: relative to Slp, each C4 allele examined has two insertions totaling 1.1 kb located in introns 14 and 15; and each Slp allele examined, excluding hybrids, has a provirus insertion upstream. No other large deletions or insertions were detected. The RFLP patterns are also due to 10 polymorphic restriction sites, which have been placed on standard maps; two are associated with Slp and eight are associated with C4.Sk strains, the only strains that express low serum levels of C4, have the same RFLP phenotype as Sw14, Sw18, and Swx; Sk may have arisen from a recent common ancestor of these strains. Homologous recombination has been important in the formation of existing C4 alleles. However, based on complete linkage disequilibrium between three RFLP internal to C4, the haplotypes have been divided into two groups that may have functional significance.

Animals

Four-year follow-up of effects of toluene diisocyanate exposure on the respiratory system in polyurethane foam manufacturing workers. I. Study design and results of the first cross-sectional observation.

A 4-year cohort study was designed to assess the exposure-effect relationship of working in polyurethane foam (PF) manufacturing factories with exposure to toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and its effects on the respiratory system. This paper describes the results of the first cross-sectional observations. The study population included 90 male workers who had been working in PF factories for 0.5-25 years (mean 13.3 years) (PF workers) and 44 reference workers in the same factories. The mean exposure concentration of TDI calculated from 129 personal samples was 3.2 ppb. Peak exposure excursions above 20 ppb occurred in 16 of 129 samples. Pulmonary function and its change during the working day as assessed by examining the forced expiratory flow-volume curve, respiratory impedance, and airway resistance and specific airway conductance were not different in the PF workers from those in the reference workers. Chest X-radiographs did not show any noteworthy radiological changes. Prevalences of "phlegm in winter," "nasal stuffiness or discharge in winter," and "irritation of eye and throat mucous membranes" were significantly higher in the PF workers. The findings indicate that TDI exposure at levels around 3 ppb may not adversely affect the pulmonary function over many years of exposure of those who are not hypersensitive to TDI. The causal chemicals inducing some respiratory and irritative symptoms could not be specifically identified since the PF workers were exposed not only to TDI but also to other irritative agents in the PF manufacturing processes.

Adolescent

Successful radiofrequency current catheter ablation of sustained ventricular tachycardia.

We performed radiofrequency current catheter ablation in two patients with nonischemic sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). In one patient, two morphologically distinct VTs were induced by electrical stimulation. One showed right bundle branch block pattern and the other left bundle branch block pattern. The earliest site of activation during each VT was determined at the septum of the right ventricle. However, these two sites were close to the His-bundle electrogram recording area. In the other patient, a VT with a left bundle branch block pattern occurred spontaneously after the administration of isoproterenol. The earliest site of activation during VT was determined at the outflow tract of the right ventricle. During tachycardia, radiofrequency current ablation (40 W x 30 sec) was delivered to the earliest site of activation. A few seconds after fulguration, each VT was terminated and additional radiofrequency currents were given near these sites. After the ablation, VT could not be induced by the electrical stimulations, nor did it recur. No side effects were observed and the atrioventricular conduction remained intact. We feel that nonischemic VTs could possibly be treated by using radiofrequency current catheter ablation.

Aged

Two different reentrant circuits of ventricular tachycardia in a patient with an extensive anterior infarction: evaluation using electrical catheter ablation techniques.

Two morphologically distinct sustained ventricular tachycardias were initiated by programmed stimulation during attempted catheter ablation in a patient with an old anterior myocardial infarction. Right bundle branch block configuration of ventricular tachycardia, which was identical to the spontaneously occurring tachycardia, was initiated and displayed fragmented mid-diastolic potential at the apicolateral left ventricular site. Evidence of a critical slow conduction area was observed during delivery of electrical stimuli to this area. Following a 150-joule electrical shock delivered to this area, right bundle branch block pattern of ventricular tachycardia was no longer inducible but a new sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia with left bundle branch block pattern was initiated. The mid-diastolic fragmented activity at the ablation site became electrical activation of bystander area that was not participating in the left bundle branch block type of the ventricular tachycardia circuit. The critical slow conduction area was identified at the apicoseptal left ventricular site that was separated more than 5 cm from the ablation site. We speculate that two morphologically distinct sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardias may be due to two different reentrant circuits and not the different expression of the same circuit.

Aged

Frequency and output-dependent change in conduction over slow pathways in a patient with sustained ventricular tachycardia unrelated to coronary artery disease.

In a patient with sustained ventricular tachycardia, we obtained two different paced QRS morphologies from a single pacing site. In one QRS morphology the stimulus to the QRS complex was long, 150 msec, and in the other it was 100 msec. At the paced cycle length of 600 msec and the stimulus output of 4 V, one QRS morphology with the stimulus to the onset of QRS activation (St-QRS) interval of 150 msec was observed. At the paced cycle length of 400 msec, the other QRS morphology with a St-QRS interval of 100 msec was observed alternatively with the former. At the paced cycle length of 353 msec or 316 msec, the latter with a shorter St-QRS interval was exclusively observed. When the stimulus output was increased from 4 to 10 V, keeping with the paced cycle length at 400 msec, the St-QRS interval was shortened from 100 to 80 msec. For the two QRS morphologies with two St-QRS intervals, two slowly conducting pathways would be responsible. The site of the block in the faster pathway must be located at the proximity of the pacing site and the conduction at a shorter paced cycle length would be explained by "supernormal conduction."

Bundle-Branch Block

Incidence and mechanism of interruption of reentrant ventricular tachycardia with rapid ventricular pacing.

BACKGROUND: Information concerning the electrophysiological characteristics of the reentrant circuit is still limited. To understand the incidence and mechanism of pacing-induced interruption of ventricular tachycardia (VT), rapid pacing was performed to entrain VT, and the local electrogram at the VT origin and the surface electrocardiogram were analyzed. METHODS AND RESULTS: Among 25 patients, evidence of transient entrainment was confirmed in 20 patients, but the critical paced cycle length at which VT was interrupted was obtained in 13 patients when the paced cycle length was decreased in steps of 10 msec. During pacing at the critical cycle length (defined as block cycle length), changes in the local electrogram at VT origin were confirmed in all of the 13 patients; that is, 1) a change in morphology and 2) a change in the timing of activation: a sudden shortening in the stimulus to local electrogram time (third entrainment criterion by Waldo). The two changes mean that the exit is activated from a different direction (retrograde capture) because of an orthodromic block in the slow conduction zone. The QRS complex in the surface electrocardiogram showed a change in configuration from the fusion complex to the fully paced one at the same time when the exit was captured antidromically. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our observations in these patients, ventricular tachycardia interruption is very often associated with orthodromic block in the reentrant circuit at a critical cycle length of rapid pacing.

Adolescent

A case of vasovagal syncope with convulsions--the effects of midodrine hydrochloride.

A 42-year-old female had suffered from repeated syncope. She had vasovagal syncope with convulsions from vasodilatation and cardiac standstill which lasted for 9.8 sec. The 60 degrees head-up tilt test, nitroglycerin injection and isoproterenol infusion provoked vasovagal reaction. Although a beta blocker was not effective in preventing tilt-induced hypotension and bradycardia, midodrine hydrochloride (alpha-1 stimulant) or atropine prevented it. In this patient, insufficient constriction of capacitance vessels might have played an important role in activation of an inhibitory reflex from cardiopulmonary mechanoreceptors which caused hypotension and bradycardia.

Adult

Successful transseptal catheter electrical ablation of sustained ventricular tachycardia of possible intramuscular origin.

Low-energy electrical ablation at 100 joules was attempted via a catheter in a patient with sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) refractory to drug therapy. The patient was a 17-year-old woman who had undergone complete surgical correction of a double outlet right ventricle at the age of 9. The first episode of VT appeared at the age of 17. It was refractory to procainamide and lidocaine and it was sustained until termination with direct countershock. Two different QRS morphologies of VT were documented in the electrophysiologic study and one was identical to the VT observed in the clinical course. Conventional drug therapy failed to prevent induction of VT and catheter electrical ablation was attempted. The earliest activation site during the clinical episode of VT was localized to the right ventricular side of the interventricular septum (site 14-15), but pacing from this site resulted in a slightly different QRS morphology from that of VT. At the left ventricular side of this site (site 2), pacing during VT resulted in a QRS morphology identical to that of VT but the electrogram of this site did not precede the onset of the surface QRS complex. From these findings, the origin of VT was considered to be in the muscular layer of the interventricular septum. The method of transseptal shock using two catheters was applied and direct countershock at 100 joules successfully ablated the VT.

Adolescent

Possible intramural site of reentrant circuit in ventricular tachycardia of nonischemic cause. Pre and intraoperative mapping studies.

A patient with a drug-refractory sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) of nonischemic cause was mapped for the site of VT origin. The intraoperative mapping showed the earliest site of activation of VT on the epicardial surface at which the initial deflection of the local electrogram preceded the onset of the QRS complex of VT by 45 msec. The endocardial mapping could not indicate the site at which the electrogram was found prior to the onset of the QRS complex of VT. However, at the earliest site of the endocardial mapping, VT was entrained without change in the configuration of the QRS complex. After cessation of the rapid pacing, VT resumed at the intrinsic rate and the first post-paced return cycle was identical to each paced cycle length. The interval from the stimulus to the orthodromically captured local electrogram at the pacing site was identical to the cycle length of VT. Catheter ablation from the endocardial side and a cryoablative procedure from the epicardial side failed to eradicate the VT. These findings suggest an intramural site of VT origin and reentrant circuit of which the exit and the entrance face the epicardial and the endocardial surfaces, respectively.

Cardiac Pacing, Artificial

High prevalence of coronary artery spasm in survivors of cardiac arrest with no apparent heart disease.

The pathogenesis of cardiac arrest in the absence of any apparent heart disease remains unclear. Based on the hypothesis that coronary spasm may be a cause of cardiac arrest in the absence of apparent heart disease, ergonovine testing and/or electrophysiologic studies (EPS) were performed to evaluate the cause of cardiac arrest. Fourteen patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest had no apparent heart disease. A spontaneous episode of angina with ST-segment elevation occurred in 4 patients while under observation. Ergonovine testing was performed in 9 patients, and coronary spasm was induced in 5. EPS were performed in 8 patients, including 3 patients with coronary spasm. No electrophysiologic abnormalities were found in the 3 patients with coronary spasm. Ventricular fibrillation was induced by programmed ventricular stimulation in 2 patients with documented ventricular fibrillation at the time of resuscitation. All but one of the patients with coronary spasm had chest pain preceding cardiac arrest or at least a history of chest pain at rest, while 4 of 5 patients without coronary spasm had no prodromal symptoms. Patients with coronary spasm had a good prognosis when treated with a Ca-antagonist and/or long-acting nitrate. In conclusion, coronary spasm is the most frequent cause of cardiac arrest in cardiac arrest survivors with no apparent heart disease. Ergonovine testing should be performed to evaluate the cause of cardiac arrest when patients have no apparent heart disease.

Cardiac Pacing, Artificial

Intraventricular concealed double tachycardia: a case report.

An electrophysiologic study was performed on a patient with ischemic sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). During pacing at the right ventricular apex, ventricular double potential was recorded at the left ventricular apex. Sustained VT was induced by double extra stimuli from the right ventricular apex. Three types of VTs with different QRS morphologies were observed, and each VT was changeable to other types. The interval between one of the two potentials and the surface QRS was constant during all VTs, but the other potential showed dissociation from the surface QRS. During this dissociation, an intrinsic rhythm of the potential was sometimes shorter than the cycle length of the VT. The mechanism of a block between the VT and a bystander could hardly explain these electrophysiologic findings. Concealed double ventricular tachycardia was considered to be the likely mechanism.

Aged

On the organization of the Plexus lumbalis. I. On the recognition of the three-layered divisions and the systematic description of the branches of the human femoral nerve.

The arrangement of the nerve bundles at the branching point of the femoral nerve (F), the interrelations of the branches each other and toward other nerves in the anterior region of the thigh, and the patterns and the anatomical features of both the running courses and the distributions of the branches were macroscopically studied, whereby some special findings were observed and the following results were obtained: 1) The periphery of the femoral nerve was fundamentally divided into superficial-deeply arranged three-layered divisions. Including the femoral branch of the genitofemoral nerve (Rf) and the femoral lateral cutaneous nerve (Cfl), the nerve branches at the anterior region of the thigh were totally divided into five-layered divisions. 2) The cutaneous branches of each division including Rf or Cfl could be classified in three groups: the medial cutaneous branches (m), the anterior cutaneous branches (a), and the lateral cutaneous branches (l). Based on the above results, the branches could be described systematically. Parallelly, several accessory bundles of F penetrating the psoas major muscle were observed, and two types of accessory femoral nerves (F') could be distinguished: One was higher on the segmentation and mainly flew into the 1st division of F. While the other distributed only to the medial region of the thigh. To clarify the segmental or stratifical natures of the branches of each division, F', and the interrelations among them, analyses of the nerve fibers were undertaken under the operational microscope. Consequently, the segmental differences between the divisions were distinct, and the medial branches or F'm obviously contained ventral components. Thus, when a component originated from the higher segments, it distributed to the proximal region generally taking a superficial course; when it originated from the lower ones, it distributed to the distal region of the thigh forming the deeper division; when it belonged to the ventral stratum, it distributed to the medial region; and when it belonged to the dorsal stratum, it distributed to the lateral region. On the occasion of the fiber analysis, it was found that each root of the lumbar nerve was generally divided into two or three subsegmentally-arranged subroots that divided themselves into some fasciculi arranged micro-segmentally. A minute analysis of the segmentations of the nerves became possible because of the above characteristics.

Femoral Nerve

[Arterial clearance and cerebral uptake of Tc-99m ECD in patients with cerebrovascular disease compared with PET].

Technetium-99m ethyl cysteinate dimer (ECD) has recently developed for SPECT imaging in assessment of cerebral perfusion. We evaluated the arterial blood clearance and the regional brain uptake of Tc-99m ECD compared with the regional CBF measured by PET in patients with cerebrovascular disease. Nine patients with diagnosis of cerebral ischemic disorders (N = 7) and cerebral hemorrhage (N = 2) were studied. PET study was performed with HEADTOME IV by O-15 steady state inhalation method. Immediately after the PET study, 555-740 MBq (5-20 mCi) of Tc-99m ECD was injected intravenously. After injection arterial blood sampling was performed sequentially, and we separated lipophilic fraction from whole blood using ethyl acetate in two cases. The SPECT imaging with Tc-99m ECD (ECD-SPECT) was started 5 min (first imaging) and 60 min (second imaging) after the administration using a high resolution ring type SPECT system (HEADTOME II). Several ROIs were placed on practically the same anatomical location on both SPECT and PET images. Clearance of the tracer in arterial whole blood and lipophilic fraction was rapid. Concerning to the distribution pattern of ECD-SPECT images there was no differences between the 1st imaging and the 2nd imaging, although about 15% of diffuse decrease of Tc-99m ECD uptake was shown in the 2nd images. The brain distribution of ECD-SPECT was comparable to the pattern of CBF image by PET. The regional relative counts of ECD-SPECT corresponded closely to the CBF value by PET, but it was no linear correlation between brain uptake of ECD-SPECT and PET-CBF.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged

Low-energy catheter electrical ablation for sustained ventricular tachycardia.

Catheter electrical ablation using a relatively low level of energy--40 to 100 joules--was attempted in 12 consecutive patients with drug-refractory sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). They had 19 monomorphic VTs, and ischemic heart disease was found as the underlying heart disease in one, nonischemic heart disease was found in nine, and no structural heart disease was seen in two patients. Electrical discharge was delivered at the site of the earliest endocardial activation in 17 VTs, and at the slow conduction area in two VTs. Among 19 VTs in 12 patients, 12 VTs (63%) in seven patients (58%) were successfully ablated and became noninducible during electrophysiologic study. There were no major complications, but transient atrioventricular block occurred in one patient and transient friction rub occurred in another. Delivered electrical energy and the time interval between the local electrogram and the surface QRS did not correlate with the clinical outcome of the procedure. However, "excellent" pace-mapped QRS morphology was obtained from the site of earliest activation or from the slow conduction area in 9 of 12 VTs in the successful cases but in only one of seven VTs in the unsuccessful cases. Low-energy catheter electrical ablation seems to be a satisfactory therapeutic procedure compared with the conventional method that uses an energy level of 200 joules or higher.

Adult