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Biomedical subjects

T Furuno

Publications and source records attributed to T Furuno.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

[Assessment of exercise-induced silent myocardial ischemia by dipyridamole thallium imaging: (1). Its significance in stable angina pectoris].

To assess the clinical significance of silent myocardial ischemia (SMI) in the elderly, 113 patients with stable angina who showed ischemic ST depression during treadmill stress testing were studied by dipyrimadole thallium imaging and coronary arteriography. They were divided into two groups: 44 patients with silent ST depressions and 69 patients with painful ST depressions. The groups were compared for scintigraphic and coronary arteriographic features as well as prognosis. There was a significantly greater proportion of older patients (> or = 65 years) in the group with SMI (64%) than in the group with painful ischemia (38%) (p < 0.01), although there was no difference in the mean ages of the two groups. The prevalence of multivessel coronary stenosis was not significantly different between the two groups (45% in the SMI group and 61% in the group with painful ischemia). Treadmill stress testing showed no differences in exercise duration, maximal heart rate, maximal systolic blood pressure, or maximal ST depression between the two groups. Dipyrimadamole thallium imaging revealed similar results in the site of reversible defects (RD), i.e. 76% in the anterior area and 24% in the inferior area in patients with SMI, and 83% in the anterior area and 17% in the inferior area in patients with painful ischemia. However, the size of RD was significantly smaller in patients with SMI, i.e. 14.6 +/- 6.1 segments in patients with SMI and 18.7 +/- 8.3 segments in patients with painful ischemia (p < 0.05). Although a significantly higher proportion of patients with painful ischemia (48%) underwent PTCA or CABG as their initial therapy as compared to those with SMI (16%), there was no significant difference in the cardiac event rate between the two groups initially treated medically. Among patients with stable angina, those with SMI may have a smaller amount of ischemic myocardium and may be older in a greater proportion than those with painful ischemia. Dipyrimadole thallium imaging is useful in the assessment of SMI in the elderly.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

[Assessment of exercise-induced silent myocardial ischemia by dipyridamole thallium imaging. (2). Its significance in Q wave myocardial infarction].

The clinical significance of silent myocardial ischemia (SMI) in the elderly was assessed in 91 patients with Q wave infarction who showed ischemic ST depression during treadmill stress testing, as well as reversible defect (RD) during dipyridamole thallium imaging. They were divided into two groups (47 patients with silent ST depression and 44 patients with painful ST depression) and compared for scintigraphic and coronary arteriographic features, and prognosis. There was no significant difference in age, gender and site of infarction between the two groups. The prevalence of single and double vessel coronary stenosis was higher in patients with SMI (66%) than in those with painful ischemia (p < 0.05). The results of treadmill stress testing showed a longer exercise duration (4.7 +/- 1.7 vs. 4.1 +/- 1.8 min) and higher maximal heart rate (138 +/- 15/vs. 126 +/- 20/min) in patients with SMI than in those with painful ischemia (p < 0.01). Dipyridamole thallium imaging revealed a larger infact (18.8 +/- 9.1 vs. 14.6 +/- 10.2 segments) in patients with SMI than in those with painful ischemia (p < 0.05). The prevalence of RD in the area of infarction was also higher in patients with SMI (74%) than in those with painful ischemia (45%) (p < 0.05). Although a higher proportion of the patients with painful ischemia (42%) underwent CABG or PTCA as their initial therapy, compared with those with SMI (25%) (ns), there was no difference in the cardiac event rate between the two groups who were initially treated medically. Dipyridamole thallium imaging is useful in the assessment of SMI in elderly patients with Q wave myocardial infarction. Those with SMI may have a larger infarct and a higher prevalence of ischemia localized within the infarction than those with painful ischemia.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

[Clinical efficacy of sulbactam/ampicillin in comparison with cefotiam in the treatment of elderly patients with pneumonia].

Clinical efficacy and safety of pareteral sulbactam/ampicillin (SBT/ABPC) was compared with cefotiam (CTM) in a randomized clinical trial of pneumonia in the elderly at 13 National Hospitals of Kyushu island. 37 patients received SBT/ABPC 3 g i.v., b.i.d., and 31 patients received CTM 1 g i.v., b.i.d. for 7 to 14 days. 1. 68 patients (37 for SBT/ABPC and 31 for CTM) were evaluated for safety. No statistical differences were noted in the patients' backgrounds of either group. 2. The clinical efficacy of SBT/ABPC was 96.3% (26/27 cases) while CTM was 75.2% (17/23 cases). This was found to be statistically significant (Fisher's exact test: p < 0.05). 3. 100% of evaluated cases (10 for SBT/ABPC and 4 for CTM) showed bacterial elimination. 4. No side effects were observed in the study. 5. Abnormal laboratory findings were noted in 10.8% (4/37 cases) for SBT/ABPC and 3.2% (1/31 cases) for CTM. The major adverse events were mild elevation of GOT, GPT and A1-P for SBT/ABPC, and mild platelets overproduction for CTM. No statistical differences were noted in both groups. These results are consistent with SBT/ABPC as a highly effective antibiotic in the treatment of elderly patients with pneumonia.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

[Congenital aortic regurgitation complicated by infective endocarditis of tricuspid valve due to spontaneous closure of ventricular septal defect: a case report].

A 32-year-old woman presented with a rare case of tricuspid valve endocarditis causing inflammatory reopening of the spontaneously closed ventricular septal defect (VSD), associated with aortic valve malformation. She was admitted to our hospital because of fever lasting 4 weeks. Severe aortic regurgitation was revealed by color Doppler echocardiography. Blood culture identified Microccus faecalis. Antibiotics were administered over 3 weeks, but serial echocardiography showed a developing vegetation in the right ventricle and left-to-right shunt flow. The diagnosis was infective endocarditis complicated by aortic ring abscess and interventricular septal fistula. Surgery performed on the 22nd hospitalized day found a vegetation of the tricuspid valve, a membranous type of VSD, and aortic valve malformation. Aortic valve replacement, patch closure of VSD, and tricuspid valvuloplasty achieved a successful outcome.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Delayed recovery of postexercise blood pressure in patients with chronic heart failure.

Thirty-four patients with idiopathic dilated and ischemic cardiomyopathy underwent a symptom-limited cardiopulmonary exercise testing to evaluate the significance of postexercise blood pressure (BP) response. The postexercise BP response was useful in assessing the impaired exercise capacity and increased sympathetic activity in patients with heart failure.

Blood Pressure↗
PubMed1997

Enzymic O-methylation of isoliquiritigenin and licodione in alfalfa and licorice cultures.

S-Adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM): isoliquiritigenin (2',4,4'-trihydroxychalcone) 2'-O-methyltransferase (CHMT) of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) catalyses the formation of 4,4'-dihydroxy-2'-methoxychalcone, which is the most potent inducer of nodulation-genes of Rhizobium meliloti, the symbiont of alfalfa which forms nitrogen-fixing nodules. SAM: licodione 2'-O-methyltransferase (LMT) is involved in the biosynthesis of a retrochalcone in cultured licorice (Glycyrrhiza echinata) cells and has been shown to be induced as a defence response of the cells. Because licodione exists in an equilibrium mixture of tautomeric 2',4,4',beta-tetrahydroxychalcone (major) and 1-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-propanedione (minor), the apparent mode of action of both enzymes is very similar. In this study, cultured alfalfa cells were shown to exhibit rapid and transient increases in the extractable activities of both CHMT and LMT after treatment with yeast extract (YE). Treatment of solution-cultured alfalfa seedlings with YE also resulted in a similar induction of both CHMT and LMT activities in the roots, but no activity was detected in the shoots. These activities were attributed to a single gene product, the CHMT protein, as extracts of Escherichia coli transformed with the CHMT cDNA exhibited both CHMT and LMT activities. In contrast, in G. echinata cells, LMT was induced after YE treatment, but no CHMT activity was observed. It is concluded that alfalfa CHMT and licorice LMT are distinct enzymes, the former displaying the wider substrate specificity.

Chalcone↗
PubMed1997

Inhibition by erythromycin of human pulmonary artery endothelial cell injury induced by human neutrophils.

Neutrophils are thought to play a key role in tissue injury. We investigated the role of human neutrophils in the induction of injury to the human pulmonary artery endothelial cells and the effect of erythromycin on neutrophil-induced endothelial cell damage. Incubation of unstimulated neutrophils with endothelial cells increased the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity and preloaded fura-2 from endothelial cells. When neutrophils were activated by phorbol myristate acetate, the release of LDH and fura-2 was enhanced further. Superoxide dismutase partially inhibited the release of LDH and fura-2 induced by neutrophils, whereas erythromycin markedly inhibited the release of endothelial cell LDH and fura-2 induced by neutrophils. These results suggest that endothelial cell injury is, at least in part, mediated by the action of superoxide and that erythromycin protects against neutrophil-induced endothelial cell injury.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1997

The role of neutrophil elastase in human pulmonary artery endothelial cell injury.

Neutrophils are thought to play a key role in tissue injury. We investigated the role of human neutrophil-derived elastase in the induction of injury to human pulmonary artery endothelial cells. Incubation of endothelial cells with neutrophils increased the release of lactate dehydrogenase activity, thrombomodulin, and preloaded fura-2 from endothelial cells, indicating that neutrophils induce endothelial cell injury. Attachment alone of neutrophils to endothelial cells appeared to induce activation because elastase release and N-formyl-mentionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP)-induced superoxide (O2) production from neutrophils incubated with endothelial cells were greater than from neutrophils only. When endothelial cell were incubated with neutrophils stimulated by fMLP or phorbol myristate acetate, the amount of elastase in the medium and endothelial cell damage was further enhanced. However, when neutrophils were blocked from direct attachment to endothelial cells using a membrane filter, endothelial cell damage was ameliorated, while exogenous neutrophil elastase and medium containing neutrophil-released elastase did not induce endothelial cell injury. An inhibitor of neutrophil elastase, ONO-5046 Na, as well as erythromycin, which reduces neutrophil-derived elastase, dramatically inhibited neutrophil-induced endothelial cell injury. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) partially inhibited injury. Injury was completely inhibited by treatment with a combination of ONO-5046 Na and SOD. These results suggest that attachment of neutrophils to endothelial cells is important for endothelial cell damage and that neutrophil-derived elastase plays an important role in endothelial cell injury in combination with O2. In addition, ONO-5046 Na and erythromycin may be useful in treating diseases worsened by excessive neutrophil activity.

Endothelium, Vascular↗
PubMed1997

Neutrophil-induced endothelial cell damage: inhibition by a 14-membered ring macrolide through the action of nitric oxide.

Macrolide antibiotics have been used worldwide for about 40 years. The clinical effectiveness of oral erythromycin for diffuse panbronchiolitis has been established and erythromycin seems to act not only as an antibacterial but also as an anti-inflammatory agent. We investigated the effect of 14-membered ring macrolides, erythromycin and clarithromycin, on human neutrophil functions and endothelial cell damage induced by neutrophils. The superoxide production of neutrophils and Ca2+ influx into neutrophils induced by N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine was inhibited by treatment with erythromycin but not by treatment with clarithromycin. When endothelial cells were cocultured with neutrophils, nitric oxide (NO) presumably released from endothelial cells were enhanced by treatment with erythromycin but not by treatment with clarithromycin and endothelial cell injury induced by neutrophils was ameliorated by addition of erythromycin but not by clarithromycin. The reduction of neutrophil-induced endothelial cell injury by erythromycin was abolished by treatment with carboxy-PTIO which traps NO in the medium. Moreover, nitrite in the medium in which endothelial cells were incubated with neutrophils was enhanced by treatment with erythromycin and the enhancement of nitrite by erythromycin was partially cancelled by addition of H-89, an inhibitor of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Erythromycin seems to ameliorate neutrophil-induced endothelial cell injury by affecting not only neutrophil functions but the release of NO from endothelial cells through the action of PKA. The usefulness for the treatment of diseases worsened by the interaction between neutrophils and endothelium might be different among 14-membered ring macrolides.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
PubMed1997

The role of nitric oxide in human pulmonary artery endothelial cell injury mediated by neutrophils.

Human endothelial cells are injured by the action of leukocytes. We investigated the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the induction of injury to human pulmonary artery endothelial cells. NO has been a putative source of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species in some settings. Incubation of endothelial cells with neutrophils increased the release of lactate dehydrogenase activity and preloaded fura-2 from endothelial cells, indicating that neutrophils induce endothelial cell injury. This effect was augmented by treatment with carboxy-PTIO, which traps NO in the medium, or with L-NAME, an inhibitor of NO synthase. When endothelial cells were incubated with neutrophils stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate, an activator of protein kinase C, endothelial cell damage was further enhanced and the amount of NO in the medium was decreased. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP, a cell-permeable analogue of cyclic AMP, protected against neutrophil-induced endothelial cell injury and increased NO release into the medium. The effects of dibutyryl cyclic AMP were abrogated by treatment with H-89, a potent inhibitor of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. The protective effect on neutrophil-induced endothelial cell injury by dibutyryl cyclic AMP was abolished by addition of carboxy-PTIO or L-NAME. Thus, our studies suggest that NO, presumably released from endothelial cells, protects against endothelial injury by activated neutrophils and the protective effect by cyclic AMP during coculture with activated neutrophils is mediated through the action of NO. However, when monocytes activated by lipopolysaccharide and IFN-gamma were used instead of neutrophils, endothelial cells were likewise injured, but a much higher level of NO was detected and injury was diminished by addition of carboxy-PTIO to the medium. These observations suggest that the high levels of NO released by activated monocytes contribute to endothelial injury, whereas low levels of NO protect endothelial cells against injury by neutrophils.

Benzoates↗
PubMed1997

Internalization of non-permeant materials into cultured mammalian cells by vortex-stirring in the presence of a high molecular weight polyacrylic acid: direct evidence of internalization and its dependence on the cell lines.

Laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopic analysis provided a direct evidence of the internalization of non-permeant Lucifer Yellow and a dextran of MW 4400 into leukemia L1210 cells when the cells were vortex-stirred in the presence of a high molecular weight polyacrylic acid, A-119 (MW ca. 9 x 10(6)). The morphology of A-119-treated cells was probed by scanning electron microscopic analysis using 2% glutaraldehyde for fixation. The cells immediately after vortex-stirring with A-119 showed many blebs on the cell surface, indicative of local weakening of the plasma membrane. The blebby surface returned to normal within 5 min at 37 degrees C, but not completely at 0 degree C even after 20 min. Several cultured cell lines, murine splenocytes, and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells were particularly susceptible to permeabilization by this method, although the efficiency varied from one type of cell to another.

Acrylic Resins↗
PubMed1997

Atherosclerotic aortic plaque detected by transesophageal echocardiography: its significance and limitation as a marker for coronary artery disease in the elderly.

OBJECTIVES: To elucidate whether atherosclerotic aortic plaque detected by transesophageal echocardiography can be a clinically useful marker for coronary artery disease in the elderly. BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic aortic plaque detected by transesophageal echocardiography has been reported to be a marker for coronary artery disease. Its significance may be important particularly in the elderly population, although to our knowledge, there are no data yet available. METHODS: We performed transesophageal echocardiography on 84 patients who had previously undergone coronary arteriography. The criteria used to diagnose atherosclerotic plaque on transesophageal echocardiography were the presence of focally or linearly increased echodensity of the aortic intima with lumen irregularity and thickening or ulceration. RESULTS: Significant coronary artery disease (> or = 50% stenosis) was detected in at least one major coronary artery in 27 of the 84 patients. Aortic plaques were detected by transesophageal echocardiography in 25 of the 27 patients (93%) with coronary artery disease and in 30 of 57 patients (53%) without coronary disease (p<0.001). Among 24 patients 70 years or older, aortic plaques were present in 13 of 14 (93%) patients with coronary artery disease and 9 of 10 patients (90%) without coronary disease. Among 60 patients younger than 70 years, aortic plaques were present in 12 of 13 patients (92%) with coronary artery disease and 21 of 47 patients (45%) without coronary disease (p<0.01). The independent association between coronary artery disease and the presence of aortic plaque, age, gender, and other coronary risk factors was examined by multiple logistic regression analysis. In patients 70 years or older, the presence of aortic plaque failed to be a predictor of significant coronary artery disease, although it was indeed a strong predictor of coronary artery disease in patients younger than 70 years (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In elderly patients, atherosclerotic aortic plaque detected by transesophageal echocardiography is not useful in predicting significant coronary artery disease. It is useful only in a relatively younger population.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Mechanism of silent myocardial ischemia in elderly patients with coronary artery disease--assessment by dipyridamole thallium scintigraphy].

To evaluate the clinical significance of silent myocardial ischemia in elderly patients with coronary artery disease, 147 patients (aged 65 years and older) underwent coronary angiography and dipyridamole thallium scintigraphy. Seventy-four patients (44 men, 30 women) who showed reversible defects (RD) and ischemic ST depression during scintigraphy were divided into two groups: 13 with silent RD (18%, 12 men, 1 woman), and 61 with painful RD (82%, 32 men, 29 women). Most patients with silent RD were men. The prevalence of myocardial infarction was similar in patients with silent RD (62%) and in patients with painful RD (49%). The prevalence of multivessel disease was also similar in the two groups: 85% in patients with silent RD and 82% in patients with painful RD. Among 38 patients with infarction, 8 had silent RD and 30 had painful RD. The prevalence of RD in the area of infarction was greater in patients with silent RD (63%) than in patients with painful RD (47%), but the difference was not statistically significant. The prevalence of extensive infarction (fixed defects) was greater in patients with silent RD (75%) than in patients with painful RD (30%, p < 0.05). Among 36 patients without infarction, there was no scintigraphic parameter which showed significant difference. Bypass grafting and angioplasty were initially performed in 23% of the patients with silent RD and in 36% of the patients with painful RD (ns). When the two groups were treated medically during the follow-up period of 29 +/- 22 months, the incidences of cardiac events were similar: 10% in patients with silent RD and 13% in patients with painful RD. The prevalence of silent RD is not high in elderly patients with significant coronary artery disease. Compared with the patients with painful RD, those with silent RD were more likely to have an old and extensive myocardial infarction, and they tended to have RD in the area of the infarct.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

[Prognosis for medically treated elderly patients with coronary artery disease: analysis by the Cox model].

The prognostic importance of age among well-known prognostic factors such as extent of coronary artery lesions, cardiac function, and myocardial ischemia was evaluated in 147 elderly patients with coronary artery disease aged 65 years or older who underwent dipyridamole perfusion scintigraphy and coronary angiography. After excluding 32 patients who initially underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), 115 patients who were initially treated medically were analysed by the Cox model for cardiac events during a mean follow-up period of 29 +/- 22 months. Among the 114 patients who were available for follow-up, nine patients (7.9%) had cardiac events, including five cardiac deaths and four non-fatal cardiac events (requiring PTCA or CABG). When the 114 patients were divided into three age-groups; 53 patients aged 65-69 years, 42 aged 70-74 years and 19 aged 75 years or older, the incidence of cardiac death was highest in those aged 75 years or older. Univariate analysis showed that age of 70 years or older (hazards ratio 15.15, p = 0.004), scintigraphic diffuse slow washout (hazards ratio 8.77, p = 0.002), and triple-vessel or left main trunk disease (hazards ratio 6.36, p = 0.05) were important prognostic factors. Multivariate analysis showed that scintigraphic diffuse slow washout (hazards ratio 6.33, p = 0.05), and triple-vessel or left main trunk disease (hazards ratio 11.94, p = 0.05) were statistically significant as independent prognostic factors. However, when age of 70 years or older was included in the analysis, it showed higher hazards ratio (21.21, p = 0.03) than that of scintigraphic diffuse slow washout (7.36) or triple-vessel or left main trunk disease (5.30). Age of 70 years or older may be a significant prognostic factor in elderly patients with coronary artery disease which has an equivalent importance to the extent of coronary lesions.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Effect of zeta potential of cationic liposomes containing cationic cholesterol derivatives on gene transfection.

Cationic liposomes are known to be useful tools for gene transfection. However, the relation between transfection efficiency and physicochemical properties of liposomes has not been well understood. Here, we synthesized eight cationic derivatives of cholesterol which contain a tertiary amino head group with a different spacer arm. Transfection of plasmid pSV2CAT DNA into cells was done by cationic liposomes made of a mixture of dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) and each cationic cholesterol derivative. At the same time we measured zeta potential of cationic liposomes by laser Doppler spectroscopy. The present results indicated that zeta potentials of cationic liposomes were well related to transfection activity of pSV2CAT DNA. This suggested that zeta potential of cationic liposomes is one of important factors which control gene transfection.

3T3 Cells↗