Surgical treatment for chronic type A aortic dissection and aortic regurgitation in a patient with a tracheostoma.

We successfully performed aortic root replacement and partial aortic arch replacement by a T-shaped sternotomy at the second intercostal space in a patient who had undergone tracheotomy for respiratory insufficiency and cardiac failure caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus pneumonia during preservation treatment of chronic type A aortic dissection and aortic regurgitation.

Ten years experience of aortic root replacement using a modified bentall procedure with a carrel patch and inclusion technique.

Objective: A modified Bentall procedure with a Carrel patch and inclusion technique (Modified Bentall Procedure) has been used to treat combined disease of the aortic valve and aortic root. The current study examined the outcomes of this surgical technique.

Materials And Methods: Between April 1999 and March 2009, 16 patients (10 males, 6 females; 63.

Risk factor analysis for acute type A aortic dissection after aortic valve replacement.

Purpose: Previous aortic valve replacement (AVR) is considered to be an independent risk factor for late acute type A aortic dissection (AAAD). However, the predictors of late AAAD at the time of AVR have not been characterized.

Methods: A total of 285 patients who underwent isolated AVR were followed for 7.

Interactions between canine RAD51 and full length or truncated BRCA2 BRC repeats.

In humans, mutations in the gene for the breast cancer susceptibility protein BRCA2 affect its interactions with the recombinase RAD51 and are associated with an increased risk of cancer. This interaction occurs through a series of eight BRC repeat sequences in BRCA2. A mammalian two-hybrid assay using individual BRC repeats demonstrated that BRC6 did not bind to RAD51, whereas there was strong (BRC1, 2 and 4), intermediate (BRC8), or weak (BRC3, 5 and 7) binding of other BRC repeats to RAD51.

Identification of novel endogenous betaretroviruses which are transcribed in the bovine placenta.

Sequences of retroviral origin occupy approximately 10% of mammalian genomes. Various infectious endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) and functional retroviral elements have been reported for several mammals but not cattle. Here, we identified two proviruses, designated bovine endogenous retrovirus K1 (BERV-K1) and BERV-K2, containing full-length envelope (env) genes in the bovine genome.

Double patch technique for closing acute ventricular septal perforation.

Purpose: Ventricular septal perforation (VSP) is a rare but life-threatening complication of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Even with assisted circulation heart failure often progresses quickly, and urgent surgical intervention is required to close the VSP. For several years, we have been performing a double patch closure technique using an equine pericardial patch.

Transforming growth factor beta family expression at the bovine feto-maternal interface.

Background: Endometrial remodelling is necessary for implantation in all mammalian species. The TGF beta super-family plays a crucial role in this event in humans and mice. However, the role of TGF beta super-family members during implantation is still unclear in ruminants.

Cephalic index of Japanese children with normal brain development.

The cephalic index is a method of assessing skull morphology in craniosynostosis. There are known racial differences; however, there are few reports on this index in Japan. In this study, we investigated the cephalic indices of Japanese children with normal brain development using axial slice computed tomography.

{mu}-Crystallin, new candidate protein in endotoxin-induced uveitis.

PURPOSE. micro-Crystallin (CRYM) is a major taxon-specific lens protein. The purpose of this study was to investigate the function of CRYM in eyes of mice with endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU).

Expression of extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) and its related extracellular matrix degrading enzymes in the endometrium during estrous cycle and early gestation in cattle.

Background: Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer (EMMPRIN) regulates several biological functions involving the modulation of cell behaviors via cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. According to its diverse functions, we hypothesized that EMMPRIN may play an important role in endometrial remodeling and establishment of pregnancy in cow.

Methods: In this study, endometrial tissues from the cyclic cows during before ovulation, after ovulation and middle of estrous cycle; and pregnant endometrial tissues from Day 19 to 35 of gestation have been used.

Epileptic focus stimulation and seizure control in the rat model of kainic acid-induced limbic seizures.

The inhibitory effects of deep brain stimulation (DBS) were investigated in a rat model of kainic acid (KA)-induced limbic status epilepticus. Wistar rats were injected with 1.0 microg KA into the left amygdala after stereotactic implantation of a guide cannula and electrodes.

Current density distribution by ring and diagonally arranged half-ring electrodes in bipolar and overlapping biphasic impulse stimulation.

Background: We have studied the acute and long-term efficacy of overlapping biphasic impulse (OLBI) stimulation for atrial pacing with VDD pacemakers and demonstrated the feasibility of DDD pacing in OLBI with diagonally arranged half-ring (Half-Ring) electrodes. We made two three-dimensional computational analysis models to verify our clinical studies.

Methods And Results: Model I was composed of a heart, a pacemaker, and a human body.

Cleaved bovine prolactin-related protein-I stimulates vascular endothelial cell proliferation.

Prolactin-related protein-I (PRP1) is a member of a non-classical prolactin (PRL)/growth hormone family in cattle. However, its function is still unknown. PRL, when cleaved by cathepsin D and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), resulted in cleaved N-terminal 16kDa fragments (16K-PRL) that have antiangiogenetic properties in human and rodents.

Seven-year results of endovascular aneurysm repairs of abdominal aortic aneurysms with custom-made stent grafts.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term results of a 7-year follow-up of endovascular aneurysm repairs (EVARs) of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) using custom-made stent grafts (SGs).

Methods And Results: We performed a retrospective review of 17 patients (14 males, 3 females; mean age: 74.3 +/- 7.

Mutton fat-like subretinal precipitates associated with Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease.

Purpose: To report a case of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease presenting mutton fat like subretinal precipitates.

Design: Observational case report.

Methods: A 52-year-old Japanese woman developed bilateral uvetis with serous retinal detachment and mutton fat like subretinal precipitates.

Radiographic measurements in the evaluation and classification of elbow joint destruction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

We developed two new radiographic parameters-the humeral surface height ratio and ulnar surface height ratio-to precisely detect changes in the bony structure of rheumatoid elbows. Of the 59 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, 101 elbows were classified into four types (osteoarthritis, ankylosis, erosive, and resorptive) according to the radiographic appearance. Clinically, osteoarthritis type and ankylosis type were considered to be stable form, and erosive type and resorptive type were unstable form.

Cloning and expression of SOLD1 in ovine and caprine placenta, and their expected roles during the development of placentomes.

Background: The Ly-6 (Ly-6/uPAR) superfamily members share the Ly-6 domain defined by distinct disulfide bonding patterns between 8 or 10 cysteine residues. They comprise membrane- and secretory-type proteins. We recently reported the gene and protein characterization of the bovine secreted protein of Ly-6 domain 1 (SOLD1).

Active infective endocarditis after mitral valve repair.

A 22-year-old man was diagnosed with active mitral endocarditis 14 months after mitral valve repair. The responsible organism was methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis. Transthoracic echocardiography showed an 8-mm patch of vegetation adhering to the anterior part of the artificial ring.

Chronic occlusion of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

A 67-year-old woman with peripheral arterial occlusive disease in both lower extremities, secondary to an abdominal aortic aneurysm, developed chronic total occlusion of the abdominal aortic aneurysm during the 3-year follow-up period. She suffered from sudden onset of paraplegia 3 months after palliative axillobifemoral bypass grafting and died of pneumonia. The paraplegia was considered to have been caused by thrombosis of lumbar arteries that might have served as an important collateral pathway in the distal spinal cord, due to proximally propagated infrarenal aortic thrombosis.

Five cases of severe hyponatremia in the elderly successfully treated with low doses of hydrocortisone.

Hyponatremia is commonly defined as a serum sodium concentration of 135 mEq/L or less, which is reported to occur in 0.97-2.48% of hospitalized patients.