Prevention by DV-7028, a selective 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, of the formation of coronary thrombi in dogs.

STUDY OBJECTIVE--The aim was to determine the role of 5-HT derived from activated platelets in the formation of intracoronary thrombi in dogs. DESIGN--Canine coronary thrombi were produced by inserting a small catheter filled with collagen powder into the endothelial-injured partially occluded left anterior descending coronary artery. The effects of intravenous DV-7028, a selective 5-HT2 receptor antagonist (bolus of 0.1 mg.kg-1, followed by 0.3 mg.kg-1.h-1 by infusion), and intravenous aspirin (1 mg.kg-1, followed by 3 mg.kg-1.h-1) in this experimental thrombus model were examined. SUBJECTS--43 dogs of either sex were used. In experiment A, DV-7028 (n = 12) or saline (n = 11) was given. In experiment B, aspirin (n = 10) or saline (n = 10) was given. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS--DV-7028 significantly reduced the formation of coronary thrombi by 51% and attenuated the decrease in coronary blood flow without affecting systemic blood pressure and heart rate. There was a significant relationship between the thrombus weight and the decrease in coronary blood flow (p less than 0.005). Aspirin failed to prevent the formation of coronary thrombi. CONCLUSION--The results suggest that 5-HT is involved in the platelet thrombosis and that inhibitory effect of DV-7028, a 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, on coronary thrombus formation was superior to that of aspirin.     

Fucosylated fraction of alpha-fetoprotein, L3, as a useful prognostic factor in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma with special reference to low concentrations of serum alpha-fetoprotein

Background: The aim of the present study was to establish L3 fraction before initial treatment as a useful prognostic factor in a prospective fashion in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) where the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was very low. Methods: From 1990 to 2004, 298 HCC patients in whom L3 could be measured were examined in the present study. Enrolled patients with HCC underwent operation, transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and percutaneous ablation therapy. The current patient status was confirmed as of the end of March 2005. L3 was determined by crossed immuno-affinoelectrophoresis when AFP was >/=30 ng/mL. It was carried out by liquid-phase binding assay system on cases where AFP < 30 ng/mL. The tentative discriminating line of L3 was set at 15%. Results: The HCC group included four subgroups: 110 patients with AFP concentrations 15% (high L3), was significantly lower than that in the HCC group whose L3 was 相似文献   

Mechanical efficiency of the left ventricle as a function of preload,afterload, and contractility

Summary We have recently shown that the mechanical efficiency of the contractile machinery of the canine left ventricle is constant at 30%–50%, independent of its loading, heart rate, and inotropic conditions. In contrast, the conventional mechanical efficiency of the ventricle is known to vary between 0 and 30%, depending on these conditions. In this study, we derived an equation for the conventional mechanical efficiency as a function of ventricular preload, afterload, and contractility, based on the constant mechanical efficiency of the contractile machinery. In deriving this equation, we fully utilized our new concept of the total mechanical energy of the left ventricle, i.e., systolic pressure-volume area, and our recent findings of the linear relationship between left ventricular oxygen consumption and the systolic pressure-volume area as well as the dependence of this relation on the ventricular inotropic state. As a result, the conventional mechanical efficiency of the left ventricle was found to change between 0 and 25% as an explicit function of these cardiodynamic and inotropic conditions. Using this function, we obtained combinations of loading and inotropic conditions to maximize the conventional mechanical efficiency of the left ventricle.     

A case of chronic pulmonary paracoccidioidomycosis]

In a 43-year-old Japanese Brazilian who came to Japan in 2001, since subjective symptoms such as cough, sputum, and dyspnea on exertion had become severe, he was referred to our hospital because of suspicion of pulmonary tuberculosis in chest radiography and CT findings. A chest radiograph of initial examination showed interstitial shadows in both lungs with nodular, infiltrative or cavitary changes. No Mycobacterium tuberculosis was found. The mycetocyte with multipolar budding resembling the steerage of a ship, which was characteristic of Paracoccidioides was observed in sputum and transbronchial lung biopsy specimens. We cultured a fungus to show dimorphism of temperature dependency, and a diagnosis of chronic lung paracoccidioidomycosis was arrived at. By administration of ITCZ 200 mg/day, the chest radiography findings and clinical manifestations were improved. This case seems to be worthy of reporting in Japan since the affected site or organ was limited to the two lungs with multiple cavitary lesions and fibrotic changes on radiographic examination, and final diagnosis was made by cytology of sputum and pathology of TBLB specimens.     

Retention forces between primary and secondary CAD/CAM manufactured telescopic crowns: an in vitro comparison of common material combinations

Clinical Oral Investigations - To analyze the retention forces between primary and secondary telescopic crowns milled from various materials and to compare them with the retention forces between...     

Relationship between Plasma Fibrinogen Levels and Pulmonary Function in the Japanese Population: The Takahata Study

Background:Plasma fibrinogen is considered a biomarker of respiratory disease, owing to the relationship between plasma fibrinogen and pulmonary function established in Western populations. However, such a relationship has not yet been confirmed in an Asian population. We assessed this relationship in the general Japanese population.Methods:Totally, 3,257 men and women aged ≥40 years who participated in a community-based annual health checkup in Takahata, Japan, from 2004 to 2006, underwent spirometry, and their plasma fibrinogen levels were determined.Results:We found an inverse relationship between spirometric measures (percent predicted forced vital capacity [%FVC] and forced expiratory volume in 1s [%FEV₁], and FEV₁/FVC) and plasma fibrinogen levels in men, but not in women. The plasma fibrinogen levels were significantly higher in subjects with restrictive, obstructive, and mixed ventilatory disorders than in those with normal spirometry results. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that in men, plasma fibrinogen levels were predictive for %FVC and %FEV₁ (independent of age, body mass index, and cigarette smoking) but not for FEV₁/FVC.Conclusions:Plasma fibrinogen was significantly associated with pulmonary function in Japanese men, and as such, plasma fibrinogen might be a potent biomarker for pulmonary dysfunction in men.