Visualization of Vulnerable Coronary Plaque and Prevention of Plaque Rupture.

In daily clinical practice, assessing anatomical findings and the presence or absence of ischemia is pivotal for determining the need for percutaneous coronary intervention. However, concurrently, comprehending vulnerability can greatly assist in predicting future cardiovascular events and formulating preventive strategies for individual patients. This review aims to describe the vulnerability of coronary artery plaques, primarily focusing on vulnerable plaques through pathological, morphological, and physiological viewpoints.

Association between apolipoprotein C-III levels and coronary calcification detected by intravascular ultrasound in patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention.

There are few reports on the association between apolipoprotein C-III (ApoC-III) and coronary calcification using intravascular modalities. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of ApoC-III levels on coronary calcification using grayscale intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). Consecutive 263 culprit lesions for 202 patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention using grayscale IVUS were included in this study and divided into four groups based on quartile ApoC-III values.

Long-Term Impact of Renin-Angiotensin System Inhibitors for Secondary Prevention in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Who Underwent Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Introduction: The long-term impact of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors for secondary prevention in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and coexisting coronary artery disease remains unclear.

Methods: Altogether, 1,160 consecutive patients with CKD (mean age, 70 ± 9 years; 78% men) who underwent their first percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) between 2000 and 2018 were included and analyzed. Based on their RAS inhibitor use, 674 patients (58%) were allocated to the RAS inhibitor group, and 486 patients (42%) were allocated to the non-RAS inhibitor group.

Impact of Low-Dose Prasugrel on Platelet Reactivity in Chronic Phase of Post-Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (CHAPERON): a Prospective Cohort Study.

Purpose: Asians often face the problems of clopidogrel resistance and East Asian paradox. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of P2Y inhibitors, including low-dose prasugrel 2.5 mg, on the P2Y reaction unit (PRU) in the chronic phase after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Relationship between coronary high-intensity plaques on T1-weighted imaging by cardiovascular magnetic resonance and vulnerable plaque features by near-infrared spectroscopy and intravascular ultrasound: a prospective cohort study.

Background: This study aimed to compare the coronary plaque characterization by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) (NIRS-IVUS), and to determine whether pre-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) evaluation using CMR identifies high-intensity plaques (HIPs) at risk of peri-procedural myocardial infarction (pMI). Although there is little evidence in comparison with NIRS-IVUS findings, which have recently been shown to identify vulnerable plaques, we inferred that CMR-derived HIPs would be associated with vulnerable plaque features identified on NIRS-IVUS.

Methods: 52 patients with stable coronary artery disease who underwent CMR with non-contrast T1-weighted imaging and PCI using NIRS-IVUS were studied.

Impact of simple equation for estimating appendicular skeletal muscle mass in patients with stable coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background: Sarcopenia, which is evaluated based on appendicular skeletal muscle mass (ASM) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and bioelectrical impedance analysis, is a prognostic predictor for adverse outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, a simple equation for estimating ASM is yet to be validated in clinical practice.

Methods: We enrolled 2211 patients with CAD who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention at our hospital between 2010 and 2017.

Relationship Between Optical Coherence Tomography-Derived In-Stent Neoatherosclerosis and the Extent of Lipid-Rich Neointima by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Intravascular Ultrasound: A Multimodal Imaging Study.

Background In-stent restenosis, especially for neoatherosclerosis, is a major concern following percutaneous coronary intervention. This study aimed to elucidate the association of features of in-stent restenosis lesions revealed by optical coherence tomography (OCT)/optical frequency domain imaging (OFDI) and the extent of lipid-rich neointima (LRN) assessed by near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and intravascular ultrasound, especially for neoatherosclerosis. Methods and Results We analyzed patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for in-stent restenosis lesions using both OCT/OFDI and NIRS-intravascular ultrasound.

Combined impacts of low apolipoprotein A-I levels and reduced renal function on long-term prognosis in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

Background And Aims: The relationship of apolipoprotein A-I (ApoA-I) and renal function in patients after intervention remain unclear, thus, we aimed to evaluate the combined impacts of ApoA-I and kidney disease (K).

Material And Methods: Altogether, 4101 consecutive patients who underwent intervention between 2000 and 2016 were included. The patients were divided into four groups based on the median ApoA-I values and presence of K.

Paradoxical Long-Term Impact Between Serum Apolipoprotein E and High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention.

Aim: Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) strongly affects arteriosclerosis but has atheroprotective effects in combination with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The impact of the quantitative relationship between serum ApoE and HDL-C levels in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) remains unclear.

Methods: A total of 3632 consecutive patients who underwent their first intervention between 2000 and 2016 were included.

Biotinylated peptides substituted with D-amino acids with high stability as anti-anaphylactic agents targeting platelet-activating factor.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is an important lipid mediator of anaphylaxis and therefore can be an anti-anaphylactic agent target. Recently, we reported that several synthetic biotinylated peptides containing a Tyr-Lys-Asp-Gly sequence markedly inhibited the bioactivities of PAF in vitro and in vivo; it also inhibited anaphylactic reactions such as hypothermia, hypotension, and vascular permeability in vivo. Here, we report the anti-anaphylactic effects of three biotinylated heptapeptides (peptide 1: H-Lys(biotinyl)-Trp-Tyr-Lys-Asp-Gly-Asp-OH, peptide 2: H- -Lys(biotinyl)-Trp-Tyr-Lys-Asp-Gly-Asp-OH, and peptide 3: H- -Lys(biotinyl)-Trp-Tyr-Lys-Asp-Gly- -Asp-OH).

High Apolipoprotein E Levels Predict Adverse Limb Events in Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease Due to Peripheral Artery Disease Undergoing Endovascular Treatment and On-Statin Treatment.

Little is known about the association between limb prognosis in peripheral artery disease and apolipoprotein E (apoE). We evaluated the long-term impact of apoE on adverse limb events in patients with intermittent claudication receiving statin treatment.A total of 218 consecutive patients (mean age, 73 ± 8 years; 81% men) with intermittent claudication who underwent their first intervention between 2009 and 2020 were included in this study.

Comparison of clinical outcomes between percutaneous coronary intervention for de novo lesions versus in-stent restenosis lesions.

In-stent restenosis (ISR) remains the primary concern after a percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and is considered to be associated with worse clinical outcomes. However, comparative data on ISR and de novo lesions are rare. Therefore, we aimed to compare PCI-related clinical outcomes between patients with de novo lesions and those with ISR lesions.

Long-term impact of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in patients with intermittent claudication due to peripheral artery disease following endovascular treatment.

Little is known about the prognostic impact of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels on causes of death during long-term follow-up. We, therefore, investigated the associations between hs-CRP and clinical outcomes in the patients with intermittent claudication. Three hundred thirty-five consecutive patients (mean age, 72 ± 8 years, 82% men) undergoing first intervention for de novo iliac and/or femoropopliteal artery lesions from 2009 to 2020 were studied.

Predictors of discordance between fractional flow reserve and resting full-cycle ratio in patients with coronary artery disease: Evidence from clinical practice.

Background: Fractional flow reserve (FFR) is an established method for assessing functional myocardial ischemia. Recently, the resting full-cycle ratio (RFR) has been introduced as a non-hyperemic index of functional coronary stenosis. However, the effects of clinical characteristics on discordance between RFR and FFR have not been fully evaluated.

Superconducting gap structure of spin-triplet superconductor Sr2RuO4 studied by thermal conductivity.

To clarify the superconducting gap structure of the spin-triplet superconductor Sr2RuO4, the in-plane thermal conductivity has been measured as a function of relative orientations of the thermal flow, the crystal axes, and a magnetic field rotating within the 2D RuO2 planes. The in-plane variation of the thermal conductivity is incompatible with any model with line nodes vertical to the 2D planes and indicates the existence of horizontal nodes. These results place strong constraints on models that attempt to explain the mechanism of the triplet superconductivity.

Antiproliferative effects of small fruit juices on several cancer cell lines.

Juices prepared from small fruits, mainly growing in the northern part of Japan, were studied in an attempt to explore the feasibility of an assay that screens cytotoxic properties. Screening of 43 small fruit juices indicated that Actinidia polygama Maxim., Rosa rugosa Thunb.

Differentiation-inducing effects of small fruit juices on HL-60 leukemic cells.

Epidemiological studies indicate that high intakes of fruits and vegetables are associated with a reduced risk of cancer, and several plant-derived drugs have been developed in medical oncology. Since only a small part of the flora has been tested for any kind of bioactivity, we chose small fruits as sources of differentiation-inducing activity against HL-60 leukemic cells. We have prepared juices from various small fruits that grow mainly in the northern part of Japan.

Double stapling method of anastomosis after esophagectomy with endoscopic stapler to prevent postoperative stricture.

To prevent stricture of an anastomotic site after operation of esophageal cancer, a new surgical technique, the "double-stapling method," was designed and applied clinically to 29 patients. According to the surgical technique, an automatic suture device for endoscopy was inserted from the side of the lesser curvature of the stomach to the esophageal side after performing end-side anastomosis between the esophagus and the stomach tube using a conventional circular anastomotic device to perform anastomosis between the anterior wall of the esophagus and the posterior wall of the stomach tube. As a result, a conventional anastomotic site, which was a plane (two dimensional), was transformed into a three-dimensional configuration.