RBD-specific antibody response after two doses of different SARS-CoV-2 vaccines during the mass vaccination campaign in Mongolia.

The SARS-CoV-2 vaccination campaign began in February 2021 and achieved a high rate of 62.7% of the total population fully vaccinated by August 16, 2021, in Mongolia. We aimed to assess the initial protective antibody production after two doses of a variety of types of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the Mongolian pre-vaccine antibody-naïve adult population.

Prevalence and risk factors associated with human cystic echinococcosis in rural areas, Mongolia.

Cystic echinococcosis is a chronic, complex and neglected zoonotic disease with considerable socio-economic impact on the affected population. Even though Mongolia is included in the list of high cystic echinococcosis risk countries, there has been very limited research and evidence on the prevalence or prevention of cystic echinococcosis. This field-based cross-sectional study to investigate the prevalence of cystic echinococcosis and its potential risk factors in Mongolia was conducted from April 2016 to March 2018.

Influence of ultrasound contrast agents on spectral Doppler analysis in recipients of liver transplantation.

Background/aims: Clinical validation is required to determine whether Doppler measurements are comparable before and after administering ultrasound contrast agent (USCA). The purpose of this study is to explore whether the use of USCA affects spectral Doppler analysis in recipients of liver transplantation (LT).

Methods: For this study, 36 patients were examined using Doppler ultrasonography (US) along with a contrast-enhanced US for surveillance of vascular complications after LT.

Ectopic fat deposition and global cardiometabolic risk: new paradigm in cardiovascular medicine.

The obesity epidemic is a global public health concern that increases the likelihood of morbidity and mortality of metabolic and cardiovascular disease (CVD) and threatens to reduce life expectancy around the world. The concept of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) takes into account that visceral fat plays an essential role in the development of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases. However, MetS cannot be used to assess global CVD risk but is at best one more modifiable CVD risk factor.

Epicardial adipose tissue volume and adipocytokine imbalance are strongly linked to human coronary atherosclerosis.

Objective: The impact of epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) over abdominal or overall adiposity on coronary artery disease (CAD) is currently unknown. We compared the association among EAT volume (EATV), cytokine/adipocytokine profiles in EAT and subcutaneous fat, and atherogenic CAD.

Approach And Results: Paired samples were obtained from EAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue during elective cardiac surgery for CAD (n=50) or non-CAD (n=50).

Gender disparities in the association between epicardial adipose tissue volume and coronary atherosclerosis: a 3-dimensional cardiac computed tomography imaging study in Japanese subjects.

Background: Growing evidence suggests that epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) may contribute to the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). In this study, we explored gender disparities in EAT volume (EATV) and its impact on coronary atherosclerosis.

Methods: The study population consisted of 90 consecutive subjects (age: 63 ± 12 years; men: 47, women: 43) who underwent 256-slice multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT) coronary angiography.

Bosentan ameliorated exercise-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension complicated with systemic sclerosis.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a frequent complication in patients with systemic sclerosis. Bosentan is used in patients with symptomatic PAH; however, it has not been established whether or not bosentan ameliorates the progression of PAH in patients with no PAH-related symptoms. We present a case of systemic sclerosis with no PAH-related symptoms in which bosentan ameliorated exercise-induced PAH evaluated by 6-minute walk stress echocardiography, brachial flow-mediated dilation, and skin temperature of hands and feet.

Congenital ventricular aneurysm as an unexpected complication of monomorphic premature ventricular contractions.

Congenital ventricular diverticulum (CVD) in adults is a rare cardiac malformation, which includes fibrous type congenital ventricular aneurysm (CVA). CVA is often clinically asymptomatic and shows no abnormality in the electrocardiogram or chest X-ray. However, some cases of sudden death resulting from ventricular tachycardia, cardiac embolism or ventricular rupture have been reported.

Ezetimibe ameliorates metabolic disorders and microalbuminuria in patients with hypercholesterolemia.

Aim: Ezetimibe, an inhibitor of Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 protein, has been shown to reduce the intestinal absorption of cholesterol. We investigated whether it also has beneficial effects on metabolic disorder and/or renal insufficiency in patients with hypercholesterolemia.

Methods: Ezetimibe was administered to 38 Japanese patients with hypercholesterolemia to obtain appropriate low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-chol) levels.