Practical determination of LODP (limit of detection for microarray platform) for the evaluation of microarray platforms.

The performance indicator called limit of detection for microarray platform (LODP) was defined in ISO 16578:2013. The methods to determine practical LODP were explored. In general, + 3 SD of the background is used as the signal strength of limit of detection and criteria for dividing positive and negative results.

[Endoscopic saphenous vein harvesting with non-disposable device].

Endoscopic vein harvesting (EVH) for coronary artery bypass grafting has been proved to be effective in reduced wound complications, without compromising long-term mortality or composite of death, myocardial infarction and repeat revascularization. However, only disposable devices that are costly and raise environmental problems, have been obtained on the market in Japan. Now, a non-disposable device for EVH is available.

[A case of duplication of the transverse colon in adult, lined with ciliated columnar and squamous epithelium].

We report a rare case of duplication of the transverse colon in an adult. A 26-year-old male presented to our hospital with upper left abdominal pain and fever. An abdominal computed tomography scan revealed an inflammatory mass in the gastrocolic ligament.

Slow stochastic switching by collective chaos of fast elements.

Coupled dynamical systems with one slow element and many fast elements are analyzed. By averaging over the dynamics of the fast variables, the adiabatic kinetic branch is introduced for the dynamics of the slow variable in the adiabatic limit. The dynamics without the limit are found to be represented by stochastic switching over these branches mediated by the collective chaos of the fast elements, while the switching frequency shows a complicated dependence on the ratio of the two time scales with some resonance structure.

[A case of toxic epidermal necrolysis with severe intestinal manifestation].

TEN is a severe dermatological disorder characterized by extended epidermal necrosis. Disseminated mucosal erosions have been occasionally reported to occur in the gastrointestinal tract. We report a case of toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) with severe intestinal manifestation.

A surgical case for hemolytic anemia after ascending and total arch replacement.

A 61-year-old man presented with consistent hemolytic anemia 15 months after ascending and total arch replacement for DeBakey I type acute aortic dissection. The cause of hemolysis turned out to be mechanical damage of red blood cells at the inverted felt of the proximal anastomosis. Reoperation of resection of the felt and repair of the proximal anastomosis successfully resolved this problem.

Late rupture of knitted Dacron graft.

An 87-year-old man underwent aorto-bifemoral bypass using a bifurcated Bionit II knitted Dacron graft for high aortic occlusion in 1987 at another hospital. In November, 2004, he was admitted to our institution because of difficulty in walking due to swelling and tenderness in the right groin. Computed tomography (CT) scan indicated bilateral aneurysms of the grafts in the groins.

A surgical case for severe hemolytic anemia after mitral valve repair.

We report a rare case of severe hemolytic anemia accompanied by moderate renal insufficiency after mitral valve repair. Although the degree of the residual mitral regurgitation was less than 1+ during the first three weeks after the operation, the maximum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was up to 7,430 U/l and the minimum hemoglobin was 4.9 g/dl.

[Surgical treatment of ventricular and pericardial perforation by a permanent pacing lead: a case report].

An 83-year-old woman was transferred to our hospital because of pacing failure and suspected ventricular perforation by a permanent pacing lead. She had undergone permanent pacemaker implantation 5 months previously. Chest radiography showed the pacing lead running out of the cardiac shadow.

Efficient repair of DNA damage induced by heavy ion particles in meiotic prophase I nuclei of Caenorhabditis elegans.

The effects of heavy ion particle irradiation on meiosis and reproductive development in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans were studied. Meiotic pachytene nuclei are significantly resistant to particle irradiation by the heavy ions carbon and argon, as well as to X-rays, but not UV, whereas diplotene to diakinesis stage oocytes and early embryonic cells are not. Chromosomal abnormalities appear in mitotic cells and in maturing oocytes irradiated with heavy ion particles during the diplotene to the early diakinesis stages, but not in oocytes irradiated during the pachytene stage.