Angioscopic Assessments at 3 Months After Fluoropolymer-Based Paclitaxel-Eluting Stent Implantation for Femoropopliteal Endovascular Intervention.

Background: The detailed mechanism of early-phase arterial healing after novel fluoropolymer-based paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) implantation in the femoropopliteal (FP) lesions has not been elucidated.

Methods and results: We evaluated the intravascular status of 20 PES implanted in 11 FP lesions of 9 patients using angioscopy at approximately 3 months after implantation. Angioscopic images were analyzed to determine (1) the dominant degree of neointimal coverage (NIC) over the stent; (2) the extent of uncovered struts; and (3) the presence of intrastent thrombus.

Guidelines for the management of dermatomycosis (2019).

The "Guidelines for the management of dermatomycosis" of the Japanese Dermatological Association were first published in Japanese in 2009 and the Guidelines Committee of the Japanese Dermatological Association revised it in 2019. The first guidelines was prepared according to the opinions of the Guidelines Committee members and it was of educational value. The revised version is composed of introductory descriptions of the disease concepts, diagnosis, medical mycology and recent advances in treatment, along with clinical questions (CQ), which is intended to help in general practice for dermatologists.

A new clinical risk score for predicting the prevalence of low-voltage areas in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation.

Introduction: Although the presence of left atrial low-voltage areas (LVAs) is strongly associated with the recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) after ablation, few methods are available to classify the prevalence of LVAs. The purpose of this study was to establish a risk score for predicting the prevalence of LVAs in patients undergoing ablation for AF.

Methods: We enrolled 1004 consecutive patients who underwent initial ablation for AF (age, 68 ± 10 years old; female, 346 (34%); persistent AF, 513 (51%)).

Molecular Interaction Mechanism of a 14-3-3 Protein with a Phosphorylated Peptide Elucidated by Enhanced Conformational Sampling.

Enhanced conformational sampling, a genetic-algorithm-guided multidimensional virtual-system coupled molecular dynamics, can provide equilibrated conformational distributions of a receptor protein and a flexible ligand at room temperature. The distributions provide not only the most stable but also semistable complex structures and propose a ligand-receptor binding process. This method was applied to a system consisting of a receptor protein, 14-3-3ε, and a flexible peptide, phosphorylated myeloid leukemia factor 1 (pMLF1).

Randomized study comparing mannitol with furosemide for the prevention of cisplatin-induced renal toxicity in non-small cell lung cancer: The OLCSG1406 trial.

Aim: Evidence is lacking on the best standard method for forced diuresis to prevent cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity. We compared the cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity prevention effect of furosemide or mannitol in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods: Patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer suitable to receive cisplatin-containing regimen were randomly assigned to receive furosemide or mannitol with appropriate hydration.

Effect of Luseogliflozin on Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus.

Background Effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors on reducing hospitalization for heart failure have been reported in randomized controlled trials, but their effects on patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) are unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the drug efficacy of luseogliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor, in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and HFpEF. Methods and Results We performed a multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled trial for comparing luseogliflozin 2.

Massive Heterotopic Ossification in the Subdeltoid Space after Shoulder Surgery and Symptomatic Improvement from Conservative Treatment: A Case Report.

Background: We herein report a case of heterotopic ossification (HO) in the subdeltoid space after open resection and rotator cuff repair in a patient with refractory calcific tendinitis.

Case: A 56-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of right shoulder pain and difficulty in raising his arm. The patient was diagnosed with calcific tendinitis with contracture of the right shoulder joint and was scheduled for surgery because of refractory shoulder pain.

Effects of a novel variant of the yeast γ-glutamyl kinase Pro1 on its enzymatic activity and sake brewing.

Sake is a traditional Japanese alcoholic beverage brewed with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sake taste is affected by sugars, organic acids, and amino acids. We previously isolated mutants resistant to the proline analogue azetidine-2-carboxylate derived from a diploid sake yeast strain.

Risk Stratification for 2-Year Mortality in Patients with Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia Undergoing Endovascular Therapy.

Aim: The latest Global Vascular Guidelines (GVG) recommend assessing the 2-year mortality risk in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) before revascularization. This study aimed to reveal whether the Wound, Ischemia and foot Infection (WIfI) classification, developed originally as a risk assessment tool for limb prognosis, would be useful in predicting the 2-year mortality risk in patients with CLTI in the era of GVG and WIfI.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 849 patients with CLTI who were primarily treated with endovascular therapy (EVT) between April 2010 and December 2016.

pH-Triggered Self-Assembly of Cellulose Oligomers with Gelatin into a Double-Network Hydrogel.

Multicomponent systems for self-assembled molecular gels provide huge opportunities to generate collective or new functions that are not inherent in individual single-component gels. However, gelation tends to require careful and complicated procedures, because, among a myriad of kinetically trapped structures related to the degree of mixing of multiple components over a wide range of scales, from molecular level to macroscopic scale, a limited number of structures that exhibit the desired function need to be constructed. This study presents a simple method for the construction of double-network (DN) hydrogels with improved stiffness composed of crystalline cellulose oligomers and gelatin.

Impact of the Temporal Relationship Between Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure on Prognosis After Ablation.

Background: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the effect of the temporal relationship between atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) on clinical outcomes after catheter ablation.

Methods and results: We included 129 consecutive patients with AF and HF who underwent catheter ablation in hospital from December 2014 to September 2017. The patients were divided into 2 groups based on the temporal relationship between AF and HF.

Clinical utility of local impedance monitoring during pulmonary vein isolation.

Introduction: Local impedance (LI) at the tip of ablation catheter can be measured using a recently available technology. We aimed to explore target LI measurements at each radiofrequency application (RFA) for creating sufficient ablation lesions during pulmonary vein (PV) isolation.

Methods: This prospective study included 15 consecutive patients scheduled to undergo an initial ablation of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF).

Pyruvate metabolism redirection for biological production of commodity chemicals in aerobic fungus Aspergillus oryzae.

Pyruvate is a central metabolite for the biological production of various chemicals. In eukaryotes, pyruvate produced by glycolysis is used in conversion to ethanol and lactate and in anabolic metabolism in the cytosol, or is transported into the mitochondria for use as a substrate in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. In this study, we focused on controlling pyruvate metabolism in aerobic microorganisms for the biological production of various chemicals.

Increased Burden of Ion Channel Gene Variants Is Related to Distinct Phenotypes in Pediatric Patients With Left Ventricular Noncompaction.

Background: Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) is a hereditary type of cardiomyopathy. Although it is associated with high morbidity and mortality, the related ion channel gene variants in children have not been fully investigated. This study aimed to elucidate the ion channel genetic landscape of LVNC and identify genotype-phenotype correlations in a large Japanese cohort.

Additional Low-Voltage-Area Ablation in Patients With Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation: Results of the Randomized Controlled VOLCANO Trial.

Background The efficacy of low-voltage-area (LVA) ablation has not been well determined. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy of LVA ablation in addition to pulmonary vein isolation on rhythm outcomes in patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and Results VOLCANO (Catheter Ablation Targeting Low-Voltage Areas After Pulmonary Vein Isolation in Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Patients) trial included paroxysmal AF patients undergoing initial AF ablation.

Infrapopliteal Anatomic Severity and Delayed Wound Healing in Patients With Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia in the Era of the Global Limb Anatomic Staging System.

To investigate the prognostic impact of infrapopliteal (IP) artery anatomic severity according to the Global Limb Anatomic Staging System (GLASS) on delayed wound healing in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). This study retrospectively analyzed 639 limbs with tissue loss in 484 CLTI patients (mean age 74±10 years; 300 men) presenting IP lesions treated with endovascular therapy between April 2010 and December 2015. Two-thirds of patients had diabetes (323, 67%) and over half were on hemodialysis (255, 53%).

The RAS-interacting chaperone UNC119 drives the RASSF6-MDM2-p53 axis and antagonizes RAS-mediated malignant transformation.

The gene encoding the proto-oncogene GTPase RAS is frequently mutated in human cancers. Mutated RAS proteins trigger antiapoptotic and cell-proliferative signals and lead to oncogenesis. However, RAS also induces apoptosis and senescence, which may contribute to the eradication of cells with RAS mutations.

Comparison of prognosis and safety of pacemaker implantation in patients aged less than or 85 years and older.

Purpose: Cardiac conduction disturbance necessitating pacemaker implantation is common among elderly patients. However, patients often have comorbidities and increased frailty which may result in limited life prognosis and a high rate of procedure-related complications. We evaluated pacemaker implantation in older patients by comparing life prognosis and complication rate in patients aged ≥ and < 85 years.

Methods used to assess the severity of acromioclavicular joint separations in Japan: a survey.

Background: In acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) separations, patient characteristics determine the indications for surgery. However, in Japan, classification methods used to assess the severity of ACJ separations differ between institutions, and even within a classification method, different interpretations can lead to different assessments of severity. Therefore, in this study, we conducted an email survey of Japan Shoulder Society (JSS) members regarding their assessment methods for ACJ separation severity.

Identification of a novel pyrithiamine resistance marker gene thiI for genome co-editing in Aspergillus oryzae.

Marker genes are essential for gene modification and genome editing of microorganisms. In Aspergillus oryzae, a widely used host for enzyme production, only a few marker genes can be used for positive selection. One of these genes, the pyrithiamine (PT) resistance marker gene thiA, is not useful for CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing because of its unique resistance-conferring mechanism.

A Uterine Motion Classification in MRI Data for Female Infertility.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to classify complicated uterine movements obtained by MRI scanner and investigate the relationship between uterine peristalsis and female infertility.

Methods: Uterine movements are classified into six fundamental movements by their motility form and directions. Computer simulation of the uterine movements is performed.

Effect of starter on metabolites in Japanese alcoholic beverage sake made from the sake rice .

In sake brewing, the steamed rice is used in 2 ways, added to sake-mash and making rice. Rice- is made from the steamed rice by using starter, and its quality is an important determinant of the aroma/taste of sake. The sake rice (KOS) was developed in Niigata Prefecture by crossing 2 sake rice varieties, and .

Slow whole left atrial conduction velocity after pulmonary vein isolation predicts atrial fibrillation recurrence.

Background: Atrial conduction velocity may represent atrial fibrillation (AF) substrate after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). To elucidate the association between whole left atrial conduction velocity (LACV) and AF recurrence after PVI.

Methods And Results: This observational study enrolled 279 patients (147 paroxysmal and 132 persistent AF) who underwent PVI alone as an initial AF ablation procedure.

Limb-Based Patency After Surgical vs Endovascular Revascularization in Patients with Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia.

Purpose: To determine whether limb-based patency (LBP) after infrainguinal revascularization for chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) is similar between bypass surgery and endovascular therapy (EVT).

Materials And Methods: The database for the urgical Reconstruction vs eripheral tervention in Ptients With Critical Limb Isemia (SPINACH) study was interrogated to identify 130 patients (mean age 73±8 years; 94 men) who underwent bypass surgery and 271 patients (mean age 74±10 years; 178 men) who underwent EVT alone. Skin perfusion pressure (SPP) and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) were measured before the procedure and at 0, 1, and 3 months after revascularization.