Gly71Arg mutation of the bilirubin UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 gene is associated with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in the Japanese population.

The serum bilirubin level of Japanese newborn infants in their first few days is significantly higher than that in Caucasian newborn infants, suggesting that there might be genetic risk factors for the development of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in the Japanese population. Recently, it has been reported that a variant TATA box in the promoter region of the bilirubin UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1 (UGT1A1) gene is associated with the development of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. This finding led us to the idea that a mutation, glycine to arginine at codon 71 (G71R), in the coding region of the UGT1A1 gene can cause neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.

Hepatocyte growth factor as a potential predictor of the presence of atherosclerotic aorto-iliac artery disease.

Background: Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), a member of the endothelial-specific growth factors with the greatest mitogenic activity, may play a role in the protection and/or repair of vascular endothelial cells injured by atherosclerosis. As a result, plasma HGF concentration may increase in response to endothelial cell damage. To test this hypothesis, we measured plasma concentrations of HGF in patients with or without aorto-iliac artery atherosclerotic disease.

Significance of brain natriuretic peptide measurement as a diagnostic indicator of cardiac function.

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is increased in patients with heart failure due to myocardial infarction and cardiac hypertrophy, in proportion to the severity of left ventricular dysfunction. The aims of this study were to clarify the clinical features of BNP and to determine the diagnostic value of BNP for mass screening. The subjects were 818 office workers (565 males and 253 females; mean age 47 +/- 12 years) who participated in a 1996 routine health check at Kansai University All individuals were examined for blood pressure, serological findings, ECG and plasma BNP level.

Prediction of wall motion improvement after coronary revascularization in patients with postmyocardial infarction: diagnostic value of dobutamine stress echocardiography and myocardial contrast echocardiography.

The diagnostic value of dobutamine stress echocardiography, myocardial contrast echocardiography and dipyridamole stress thallium-201 single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for predicting recovery of wall motion abnormality after revascularization was evaluated in 13 patients with postmyocardial infarction. Seventeen segments showed severe wall motion abnormalities before revascularization. Nine segments which had relatively good Tl uptake on delayed SPECT images despite severely abnormal wall motion were opacified during myocardial contrast echocardiography, and showed improved wall motion after revascularization.