Clinical Characteristics and Outcomes of Heart Failure Patients With Long-Term Care Insurance - Insights From the Kitakawachi Clinical Background and Outcome of Heart Failure Registry.

Background: In Japan, the long-term care insurance (LTCI) system has an important role in helping elderly people, but there have been no clinical studies that have examined the relationship between the LTCI and prognosis for patients with acute heart failure (HF).

Methods and results: This registry was a prospective multicenter cohort, 1,253 patients were enrolled and 965 patients with acute HF aged ≥65 years were comprised the study group. The composite endpoint included all-cause death and hospitalization for HF after discharge.

Nationwide surveillance of bacterial respiratory pathogens conducted by the surveillance committee of japanese society of chemotherapy, the japanese association for infectious diseases, and the japanese society for clinical microbiology in 2016: General view of the pathogens' antibacterial susceptibility.

The nationwide surveillance on antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial respiratory pathogens from the patients in Japan was conducted by the Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and the Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology in 2016. The isolates were collected from clinical specimens obtained from well-diagnosed adult patients with respiratory tract infections during the period between February 2016 and August 2016 by three societies. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted at the central reference laboratory according to the method recommended by Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute.

A decline in activities of daily living due to acute heart failure is an independent risk factor of hospitalization for heart failure and mortality.

Background: Although activities of daily living (ADL) are recognized as being pertinent in averting relevant readmission of heart failure (HF) and mortality, little research has been conducted to assess a correlation between a decline in ADL and outcomes in HF patients.

Methods: The Kitakawachi Clinical Background and Outcome of Heart Failure Registry is a prospective, multicenter, community-based cohort of HF patients. We categorized the patients into four types of ADL: independent outdoor walking, independent indoor walking, indoor walking with assistance, and abasia.

Increased amygdala reactivity following early life stress: a potential resilience enhancer role.

Background: Amygdala hyper-reactivity is sometimes assumed to be a vulnerability factor that predates depression; however, in healthy people, who experience early life stress but do not become depressed, it may represent a resilience mechanism. We aimed to test these hypothesis examining whether increased amygdala activity in association with a history of early life stress (ELS) was negatively or positively associated with depressive symptoms and impact of negative life event stress in never-depressed adults.

Methods: Twenty-four healthy participants completed an individually tailored negative mood induction task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) assessment along with evaluation of ELS.

Clinical Characteristics and Social Frailty of Super-Elderly Patients With Heart Failure - The Kitakawachi Clinical Background and Outcome of Heart Failure Registry.

Background: Social background is important in preventing admission/readmission of heart failure (HF) patients. However, few clinical studies have been conducted to assess the social background of these patients, especially elderly patients.

Methods and results: The Kitakawachi Clinical Background and Outcome of Heart Failure (KICKOFF) Registry is a prospective multicenter community-based cohort of HF patients, established in April 2015.

[Detectability of High Intensity Areas in FLAIR and Multi Shot EPI-FLAIR: Phantom Study].

In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain, fast spin echo-fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FSE-FLAIR) is widely used to detect high intensity areas (HIAs). The way of getting FLAIR contrast at high speed includes echo planar imaging-FLAIR (EPI-FLAIR), and in EPI-FLAIR there are single shot EPI-FLAIR (SS-EPI-FLAIR) and multi shot EPI-FLAIR (MS-EPI-FLAIR). There were negative opinions for the reports of SS-EPI-FLAIR, and it is reported that SS-EPI-FLAIR is able to acquire image quality that is equal to FSE-FLAIR in a shorter time, recently.

Nationwide surveillance of bacterial respiratory pathogens conducted by the surveillance committee of Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, the Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases, and the Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology in 2010: General view of the pathogens' antibacterial susceptibility.

The nationwide surveillance on antimicrobial susceptibility of bacterial respiratory pathogens from patients in Japan, was conducted by Japanese Society of Chemotherapy, Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases and Japanese Society for Clinical Microbiology in 2010. The isolates were collected from clinical specimens obtained from well-diagnosed adult patients with respiratory tract infections during the period from January and April 2010 by three societies. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted at the central reference laboratory according to the method recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institutes using maximum 45 antibacterial agents.

Effects of hepatocyte growth factor in myocarditis rats induced by immunization with porcine cardiac myosin.

Objectives: Myocarditis is considered one of the major causes of dilated cardiomyopathy. Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has pleiotropic activities that promote tissue regeneration and facilitate functional improvement of injured tissue. We investigated whether the epicardial sustained-release of HGF, using gelatin hydrogel sheets, improves cardiac function in a chronic myocarditis rat model.

A survey analysis of acoustic trauma related to MR scans.

Purpose: The maximum limit of MR scanner noise and necessity of ear protection is defined in the IEC standard (IEC60601-2-33) of MR safety. With improvements in MR scanner performance, pulse sequences generating higher scanning noise have been used clinically. In this study, we investigated the factors significantly related to potential acoustic trauma cases (PATC) after MR examinations.

Relevance of in vivo neurophysiological biomarkers for mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

Visuospatial dysfunction including defects in motion perception in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are clues to search for potential in vivo biomarkers. In this review, we focus on the clinical relevance of non-invasive neurophysiological findings in event-related potentials (ERPs) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess visual dysfunction in AD and MCI. We first summarize the current concept of the parallel visual pathways in primates and humans.

Impact of diabetes mellitus on outcomes in Japanese patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting.

Background And Purpose: There have been no large-scale studies on the impact of diabetes mellitus (DM) on outcomes in Japanese patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).

Methods And Subjects: A multi-institutional retrospective cohort study was conducted in 14 Japanese centers. All adult patients who underwent isolated CABG from 2007 to 2008 were included (n=1522, mean age: 68.

Fibroproliferative changes on high-resolution CT in the acute respiratory distress syndrome predict mortality and ventilator dependency: a prospective observational cohort study.

Objectives: To examine whether the extent of fibroproliferative changes on high-resolution CT (HRCT) scan influences prognosis, ventilator dependency and the associated outcomes in patients with early acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

Design: A prospective observational cohort study.

Setting: Intensive care unit in a teaching hospital.

[Surgical treatment for ischemic mitral regurgitation].

Background: Ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) is characterized by annular dilation and restricted leaflet closure with increased leaflet tethering caused by displaced attachment of the papillary muscles. Our surgical strategy for IMR consists of mitral annuloplasty (MAP) and additional left ventricular restoration procedures as needed. When the left ventricular dilation and mitral tethering are mild, we perform MAP alone.

Surgical repair of late aortic dissection after cardiac surgery.

Late aortic dissection is a rare but serious complication associated with cardiac surgery. We report two cases of late aortic dissection that occurred after cardiac surgery. The management and review of the preoperative factors, which may predispose to this complication, are the subject of this case report.

Understanding the Pathophysiology of Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Mini Review on fMRI and ERP Studies.

The prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is predicted to increase rapidly in the coming decade, highlighting the importance of early detection and intervention in patients with AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Recently, remarkable advances have been made in the application of neuroimaging techniques in investigations of AD and MCI. Among the various neuroimaging techniques, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has many potential advantages, noninvasively detecting alterations in brain function that may be present very early in the course of AD and MCI.

[Management of secondary normal pressure hydrocephalus and assessment of cortical reorganization using fMRI].

We assessed the motor recovery and cortical reorganization associated with intracranial pressure (ICP) control in a secondary normal pressure hydrocephalus (sNPH) patient. A 32-year-old man with sNPH resulting from a head injury presented with left hemiplegia. A ventricular-peritoneum shunt (VP shunt) was surgically inserted for the sNPH using a Codman Hakim Programmable Valve, and his ICP was controlled according to the ventricular size by CT scanning.

Evaluation of RF heating due to various implants during MR procedures.

We evaluated radiofrequency (RF) heating of various implants embedded in a gel phantom during magnetic resonance (MR) procedures. We examined the dependence of RF heating on variation in specific absorption rate (SAR) and angle between the implant and the static magnetic field (B(0)) and on the displacement of the phantom in the irradiation coil using a 1.5-tesla MR system, and we compared the influence of RF heating on the same implant using a 3.

Evaluation of RF heating on hip joint implant in phantom during MRI examinations.

Purpose: We evaluate radiofrequency (RF) heating of two kinds of hip joint implants of different sizes, shapes and materials. Temperature rises at various positions of each implant are measured and compared with a computer simulation based on electromagnetic-field analysis.

Methods: Two kinds of implants made of cobalt-chromium alloy and titanium alloy were embedded at a 2-cm depth of tissue-equivalent gel-phantom.

[Solid malignancy in patients who received cyclosporine for fibrosing interstitial pneumonia].

Objective: Since more solid malignancies are observed in transplant recipients treated with cyclosporine (CsA) than in healthy persons. We sought to describe the incidence of malignancy in patients treated with CsA for fibrosing interstitial pneumonia.

Methods: We prospectively reviewed 43 patients who received CsA and prednisolone for fibrosing interstitial pneumonia over 180 days at our hospital between April 2004 and October 2008.

Prolonged mechanical unloading preserves myocardial contractility but impairs relaxation in rat heart of dilated cardiomyopathy accompanied by myocardial stiffness and apoptosis.

Objective: Left ventricular assist devices are used in patients with end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy as a "bridge to recovery." However, physiologic and histologic changes under prolonged mechanical unloading have not been elucidated. Thus, we investigated these changes in the rat heart with dilated cardiomyopathy under mechanical unloading after heterotopic transplantation.