A Randomized Comparison of Radial Artery Intimal Hyperplasia Following Distal vs. Proximal Transradial Access for Coronary Angiography: PRESERVE RADIAL Trial.

Background: Distal transradial access (dTRA) is an alternative to conventional forearm transradial access (fTRA) for coronary angiography (CAG). Differences in healing of the radial artery in the forearm (FRA) have not been evaluated between these 2 access strategies. We sought to compare FRA intimal-medial thickening (IMT) in patients randomized to dTRA vs.

George Budd and His Contribution to the Early History of Amyloid Disease.

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A Standardized and Regionalized Network of Care for Cardiogenic Shock.

Background: The benefits of standardized care for cardiogenic shock (CS) across regional care networks are poorly understood.

Objectives: The authors compared the management and outcomes of CS patients initially presenting to hub versus spoke hospitals within a regional care network.

Methods: The authors stratified consecutive patients enrolled in their CS registry (January 2017 to December 2019) by presentation to a spoke versus the hub hospital.

Transradial access in acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock: Stratified analysis by shock severity.

Background: Transradial access (TRA) is associated with improved survival and reduced vascular complications in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Limited data exist regarding TRA utilization and outcomes for AMI complicated by cardiogenic shock (CS). We sought to assess the safety, feasibility, and clinical outcomes of TRA in AMI-CS.

Long-term effects of paliperidone palmitate on hospital stay and treatment continuation.

There is a growing need for real world data on long-term clinical and health resource utilization outcomes. The main purpose of this study was to establish the effects of 1-monthly Paliperidone Palmitate (PP1M) on treatment continuation and hospital stay in routine clinical practice. This is a naturalistic, 6-year mirror-image study examining retention and hospitalization rates 3 years pre-PP1M and 3 years post-PP1M initiation.

Outcomes among patients requiring unplanned intra-aortic balloon pump reinsertion in cardiogenic shock.

Introduction: The intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) is the most frequently utilized form of temporary mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in cardiogenic shock (CS). Withdrawal of IABP support may precipitate hemodynamic compromise such that IABP reinsertion is required. Data are scarce regarding the incidence and outcomes of patients undergoing IABP reinsertion in this setting.

Vstm3 is a member of the CD28 family and an important modulator of T-cell function.

Members of the CD28 family play important roles in regulating T-cell functions and share a common gene structure profile. We have identified VSTM3 as a protein whose gene structure matches that of the other CD28 family members. This protein (also known as TIGIT and WUCAM) has been previously shown to affect immune responses and is expressed on NK cells, activated and memory T cells, and Tregs.

Clinical implications of thrombocytopenia among patients undergoing intra-aortic balloon pump counterpulsation in the coronary care unit.

Background: Thrombocytopenia Hypothesis: intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP)-associated thrombocytopenia is not associated with an increased risk of major bleeding or in-hospital death. Thrombocytopenia is a common adverse effect of the IABP. However, the clinical implications of IABP-associated thrombocytopenia are unknown.

Clinical studies on anorectal myectomy for chronically constipated patients with outlet obstruction in childhood.

Background/aims: To clarify the significance of anorectal myectomy (ARM) for chronically constipated patients with outlet obstruction (CCPOO) in childhood, we analyzed the clinical features of theses patients before and after ARM.

Methodology: A consecutive series of one hundred and seven patients with CCPOO were included in this study. These were fifty-eight males and forty-nine females, aged between 0.

Surgical outcome in biliary atresia: etiology affects the influence of age at surgery.

Objective: The exact nature of the relationship between age at Kasai portoenterostomy (KP) for biliary atresia (BA) and outcome is controversial.

Methods: Single-center retrospective analysis of consecutive cases (January 1994-December 2005) undergoing KP, using 2 dichotomous measures of outcome (clearance of jaundice to <20 micromol/L and native liver survival at 2 years post-KP). Outcome was analyzed by age cohort (<30 days, 30-40 days, etc) and cumulatively.

Decreased adhesiveness, resistance to anoikis and suppression of GRP94 are integral to the survival of circulating tumor cells in prostate cancer.

The presence of circulating tumor cells (CTC) is common in prostate cancer patients, however until recently their clinical significance was unknown. The CTC stage is essential for the formation of distant metastases, and their continuing presence after radical prostatectomy has been shown to predict recurrent or latent disease. Despite their mechanistic and prognostic importance, due both to their scarcity and difficulties in their isolation, little is known about the characteristics that enable their production and survival.

Evidence of a novel docetaxel sensitizer, garlic-derived S-allylmercaptocysteine, as a treatment option for hormone refractory prostate cancer.

The recent introduction of docetaxel in the treatment of hormone refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) has made a small but significant impact on patient survival. However, its effect is limited by intolerance and resistance. The aim of our study was to investigate if the garlic-derived compound, S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC), was able to act as a docetaxel sensitizing agent.

Pathophysiological role of the cholinergic and adrenergic nerves in patients with allied disorders of Hirschsprung's disease (intestinal neuronal dysplasia and hypoganglionosis)--an in vitro experiment.

Background/aims: There are no reports about the pathophysiological roles of cholinergic and adrenergic nerves in the intestines of patients with allied disorders of Hirschsprung's disease (HD) such as intestinal neural dysplasia (IND) and hypoganglionosis (Hypo). To clarify the significance of the cholinergic and adrenergic nerves in Hypo and IND, we investigated enteric nerve responses to acetylcholine (Ach) and noradrenaline (NA) in colonic tissues obtained from patients with these diseases.

Methodology: Colonic tissue specimens were obtained from 8 patients with HD (aganglionosis; 4 boys and 4 girls, aged 6 months to 3 years), 4 patients with Hypo (4 boys, aged 9 months to 3 years and 5 months), and 3 patients with IND (3 boys, aged 6 months to 3 years).

Assessments of anorectal myectomy for short segment hypoganglionosis in childhood.

Background/aims: To clarify the significance of anorectal myectomy (ARM) in childhood patients with short segment hypoganglionosis (Hypo), we analyzed the clinical features of these patients before and after ARM.

Methodology: A consecutive series of twenty-nine patients with short segment Hypo were included in this study. These were sixteen males and thirteen females, aged between 6 and 15 years with a mean age of 9.

Garlic-derived S-allylmercaptocysteine is a novel in vivo antimetastatic agent for androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Purpose: There is epidemiologic evidence that high garlic consumption decreases the incidence of prostate cancer, and compounds isolated from garlic have been shown to have cancer-preventive and tumor-suppressive effects. Recent in vitro studies in our laboratory have shown that garlic-derived organosulfur compound S-allylmercaptocysteine suppresses invasion and cell motility of androgen-independent prostate cancer cells via the up-regulation of cell-adhesion molecule E-cadherin. S-allylmercaptocysteine is therefore a potential antimetastatic drug with broad clinical applications that we tested in vivo for the first time in this study.

A novel mutation in CD83 results in the development of a unique population of CD4+ T cells.

Using a mouse mutagenesis screen, we have identified CD83 as being critical for the development of CD4(+) T cells and for their function postactivation. CD11c(+) dendritic cells develop and function normally in mice with a mutated CD83 gene but CD4(+) T cell development is substantially reduced. Additionally, we now show that those CD4(+) cells that develop in a CD83 mutant animal fail to respond normally following allogeneic stimulation.

Histological studies on Hirschsprung's disease and its allied disorders in childhood.

Background/aims: To obtain accurate diagnosis for Hirschsprung's disease (HD) and its allied disorders such as hypoganglionosis (Hypo) and intestinal neuronal dysplasia (IND) in childhood patients with chronic constipation, we studied the histology of childhood patients with refractory constipation accompanied by abdominal distension and pain.

Methodology: Based on clinical signs and symptoms noted on admission, all of 109 patients (60 males and 49 females, aged 2-15 years with a mean age of 9.8 years) were suspected to have chronic refractory constipation.

Long-term survival following Kasai portoenterostomy: is chronic liver disease inevitable?

Objectives: Extrahepatic biliary atresia (EHBA) is the most common indication for liver transplantation in childhood. Most children who do not undergo transplant are reported to have chronic liver disease and its complications. The aim of this single-center study was to identify children with normal laboratory indices and no clinical evidence of chronic liver disease 10 or more years after Kasai portoenterostomy (KP).

Dendritic cells efficiently acquire and present antigen derived from lung cancer cells and induce antigen-specific T-cell responses.

Active immunotherapy of cancer requires the availability of a source of tumor antigens. To date, no such antigen associated with lung cancer has been identified. We have therefore investigated the ability of dendritic cells (DC) to capture whole irradiated human lung tumor cells and to present a defined surrogate antigen derived from the ingested tumor cells.

HLA and cytokine gene polymorphisms in biliary atresia.

Background/aims: Extrahepatic biliary atresia remains one of the major hepatic causes of death in early childhood. Though a number of hypotheses have been developed to account for this disease, its aetiopathogenesis is poorly understood. One possibility is that this is an immune mediated disease which occurs following either toxic or infectious insult in a genetically susceptible host.