Identification of a neural cell specific variant of microtubule-associated protein 4.

The microtubule-binding domain of MAP4, a ubiquitous microtubule-associated protein, contains a region rich in proline and basic residues (proline-rich region). We searched the bovine adrenal gland for MAP4 isoforms, and identified a novel variant lacking 72 consecutive amino acid residues within the proline-rich region, as compared with the full-length MAP4. The amino acid sequence of the missing region was highly conserved (about 85% identity/similarity) among the corresponding regions of bovine, human, mouse, and rat MAP4, which suggested the functional significance of this region.

Improvement of arterial stiffness by the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of short-term statin therapy in patients with hypercholesterolemia.

The preventive effect of statins on coronary events is not only associated with the cholesterol-lowering effect of these drugs, but also various direct effects on the vascular wall, which include improvement of endothelial function, antioxidant activity, and anti-inflammatory activity. We investigated whether short-term statin therapy could improve arterial stiffness and assessed its mechanism of action in patients with hypercholesterolemia. We assessed arterial stiffness in 10 patients (mean age: 62.

[Predictive value of coagulative molecular markers for thromboembolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation: prospective five-year follow-up study].

Objectives: Nonvalvular atrial fibrillation is a known risk factor for thromboembolism. This study investigated the use of coagulation markers to predict thromboembolism in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients.

Methods: One hundred thirty nonvalvular atrial fibrillation patients (104 males, 26 females, mean age 63.

Optimal therapeutic range for oral anticoagulants in Japanese patients with prosthetic heart valves: a preliminary report from a single institution using conversion from thrombotest to PT-INR.

The thrombotest (TT) technique has been widely used in Japan for monitoring oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT). The therapeutic range was originally recommended to be 10%-25%. However, the International Committee for Standardization in Hematology/International Committee on Thrombosis and Hemostasis (ICSH/ICTH) recommended using the international normalized ratio of prothrombin time (PT-INR) for monitoring OAT.

ISI/INR system in Japan: experience from simultaneous measurement of the same plasma at four different laboratories.

In 1984, the Scientific and Standardization Committee (formerly ICTH) recommended the use of the International Sensitivity Index and International Normalized Ratio (ISI/INR) System for the monitoring of oral anticoagulant therapy. This system was introduced because the sensitivity of thromboplastin reagents used for the measurement of prothrombin time (PT) was widely different and comparison among hospitals employing different reagents was virtually impossible. In this study, we simultaneously measured the plasma from 7 patients with warfarin therapy at 4 different institutions for PT seconds, PT-INR, thrombotest (TT) seconds and TT-INR.

[International normalized ratio (INR) for optimal anticoagulant therapy].

Optimal therapeutic ranges for an oral anticoagulant therapy has been discussed for many years. Prothrombin time, prothrombin time ratios (PTR) and thrombotest have been employed so far, but, recently, International Normalized Ratio of prothrombin time (PT-INR or INR) has been introduced. We investigated paying special interest to INR, the effectiveness of oral anticoagulant therapy in 170 prosthetic valve patients and in 157 patients with various cardiovascular diseases who received warfarin at two different centers.

[Antiplatelet therapy in cardiac diseases].

1) Myocardial infarction (MI): Aspirin (160-300 mg/day) therapy started immediately after the onset, with or without simultaneous coronary arterial thrombolytic therapy, reduces the mortality rate in vascular diseases, including MI, and prevents reinfarction. Maintenance therapy with the same dosage is also recommended. 2) Angina pectoris: In unstable angina, aspirin in a dose of 300 mg/day for 2 years reduces the mortality and the incidence of MI.

[Fifteen-year experience with 24 pregnancies associated with prosthetic valve replacements].

During the past 15 years, we followed 21 patients with prosthetic heart valves who experienced a total of 24 pregnancies at mean age of 31.3 +/- 3.6 years.

[Comparative analysis of mechanical and biological prosthetic valves after isolated valve replacement--cooperative study on total 1281 patients].

A total of 1281 patients (594 aortic and 687 mitral) received 734 mechanical valves (320 Björk-Shiley, 283 SJM and 131 Omniscience) and 547 biological (259 ionescu-Shiley, 227 Hancock, and 61 Carpentier-Edwards) were analyzed for postoperative valve dysfunction and thromboembolism. The actuarial survival rates (free from late cardiac deaths and valve-related deaths) were 88.6% (11 years) for mechanical mitral and 86.

Six-year experience with the St. Jude Medical prosthesis: early and late results of 540 valves in 462 patients.

From July 1978 to June 1984, 540 St. Jude Medical valve prostheses were implanted in 462 adult patients. Overall operative mortality was 4.

Natural history of atrial fibrillation.

The clinical significance of atrial fibrillation was analyzed in cases with chronic or acute heart disease and its significance at the acute and chronic stages of the disease was investigated in various disease groups. The types of disease, number of patients, and incidence of atrial fibrillation were: atrial septal defect (92, 14.1%), mitral valve disease (128, 79.

Present status of thromboembolic complications in patients with prosthetic heart valves.

When the incidence of thromboembolism (TE) as a complication was investigated in 171 patients with prosthetic heart valves using pyrolytic carbon, 10 cases were identified in a mean follow-up period of 2.43 years. Of these 10, two patients had died.

[Digital perfusion images for evaluating patients with mitral valve replacement].

To determine whether the distribution of pulmonary perfusion can be applied as a noninvasive means of evaluating patients with mitral valve replacement (MVR), computerized Tc-99m MAA pulmonary perfusion images (digital perfusion images: DPI) were obtained for 32 patients in the preoperative, early postoperative and late postoperative (18 months mean) periods. DPI consisted of isocount areas, and a 100-70% area was defined as a hyperperfusion area. The distribution of pulmonary perfusion was evaluated using patterns of hyperperfusion area in anterior DPI.

Platelet function tests in thrombotic cerebrovascular disorders.

A variety of platelet function tests were performed in patients with four forms of obstructive cerebrovascular disease (CVD); transient ischemic attacks (TIA), reversible ischemic neurological deficit (RIND), cerebral infarct, and cerebral embolism of cardiac source in rheumatic valvular heart disease (RVHD). Platelet studies included platelet aggregation induced by ADP and ristocetin, spontaneous platelet aggregation, von Willebrand factor (VIII:vWF), platelet aggregation enhancing factor (PAEF), and percentage of large platelets (megathrombocytes). Serial testing was carried out in acute stroke patients.