Infective endocarditis with perforation of the anterior mitral valve leaflet due to mild aortic regurgitation: a case report.

Background: It has been reported that mechanical damage occurs when regurgitant flow from aortic regurgitation (AR) directly impinges on the anterior mitral valve leaflet (AML). However, only a few cases of mitral valve perforation have been reported. Previous reports suggest that AR in such cases tends to be Grade 3 or higher and that haemodynamic damage to the mitral valve due to AR may be proportional to its severity.

Investigation of Factors for a Poor Prognosis in Rutherford 4 Patients Who Undergo Endovascular Treatment.

Current classifications of chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) are insufficient to identify Rutherford (R) 4 patients with a poor prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic factors for patients with R4 CLTI who undergo endovascular treatment (EVT) using data from the Tokyo-taMA peripheral vascular intervention research COmraDE (TOMA-CODE) registry and to propose a risk-scoring system. We analyzed the data of 2,248 prospectively enrolled patients from the registry, divided into 3 groups: intermittent claudication (IC), n = 1,185; R4, n = 401; and R5-6, n = 662.

Application of transition-edge sensors for micro-X-ray fluorescence measurements and micro-X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy: a case study of uranium speciation in biotite obtained from a uranium mine.

In this study, we successfully applied a transition-edge sensor (TES) spectrometer as a detector for microbeam X-ray measurements from a synchrotron X-ray light source in the hard X-ray region to determine uranium (U) distribution at the micro-scale and its chemical species in biotite obtained from a U mine. It is difficult to separate the fluorescent X-ray of the U Lα line at 13.615 keV from that of the Rb Kα line at 13.

Right-sided iliac vein compression syndrome: when the vein is compressed between the internal and external iliac arteries-a case report.

Background: In its normal anatomical relationship, the inferior vena cava is located on the right side of the abdominal aorta. Iliac vein compression syndrome (IVCS) is a pathological condition in which a blood clot is formed due to blood flow obstruction when the left common iliac vein is compressed between the right common iliac artery and the vertebral body. Therefore, right-sided IVCS (RIVCS) is rare.

"Happy Heart Syndrome" Followed Up with Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

We herein report a 49-year-old woman who developed "happy heart syndrome" while watching a family theater performance. She was followed up with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). The time course of the CMR findings was similar to that previously reported for Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC), including the form of "broken heart syndrome.

Capecitabine May Accelerate Atherosclerosis and Causes Acute Myocardial Infarction in the Left Main Trunk.

We report a case of a 59-year-old man who developed acute myocardial infarction which is supposed to be associated with capecitabine administration. At the age of 57 years, the patient underwent a laparoscopic colectomy for sigmoid colon cancer and subsequently received adjuvant chemotherapy with capecitabine. About one year later, he developed an acute myocardial infarction and was treated with percutaneous coronary intervention.

Proof-of-Principle Experiment for Testing Strong-Field Quantum Electrodynamics with Exotic Atoms: High Precision X-Ray Spectroscopy of Muonic Neon.

To test bound-state quantum electrodynamics (BSQED) in the strong-field regime, we have performed high precision x-ray spectroscopy of the 5g-4f and 5f- 4d transitions (BSQED contribution of 2.4 and 5.2 eV, respectively) of muonic neon atoms in the low-pressure gas phase without bound electrons.

High-sensitive XANES analysis at Ce L-edge for Ce in bauxites using transition-edge sensors: Implications for Ti-rich geological samples.

Accurate determination of cerium (Ce) valence state is important for interpreting the Ce anomaly in geological archives for (paleo)redox reconstruction. However, the routine application of Ce L-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy for detecting trace Ce in geological samples can often be restricted by coexisting titanium (Ti) due to the proximity of their fluorescence emission lines. Therefore, the signal-to-noise ratio of Ce L-edge XANES spectra may not be sufficiently high for high-quality spectroscopic analysis.

Cyclophosphamide exposure via sweat of patients receiving CHOP therapy.

Introduction: "Secondary exposure to anticancer drugs" refers to exposure to anticancer drugs after chemotherapy via the patient's urine and other excretions. The necessity of countermeasures against secondary exposure to anticancer drugs has been recently highlighted. Although anticancer drugs are also excreted through sweat, few studies have reported exposure to drug residues via this route.

Deexcitation Dynamics of Muonic Atoms Revealed by High-Precision Spectroscopy of Electronic K X Rays.

We observed electronic K x rays emitted from muonic iron atoms using superconducting transition-edge sensor microcalorimeters. The energy resolution of 5.2 eV in FWHM allowed us to observe the asymmetric broad profile of the electronic characteristic Kα and Kβ x rays together with the hypersatellite K^{h}α x rays around 6 keV.

Broadband high-energy resolution hard x-ray spectroscopy using transition edge sensors at SPring-8.

We have succeeded in operating a transition-edge sensor (TES) spectrometer and evaluating its performance at the SPring-8 synchrotron x-ray light source. The TES spectrometer consists of a 240 pixel National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) TES system, and 220 pixels are operated simultaneously with an energy resolution of 4 eV at 6 keV at a rate of ∼1 c/s pixel. The tolerance for high count rates is evaluated in terms of energy resolution and live time fraction, leading to an empirical compromise of ∼2 × 10 c/s (all pixels) with an energy resolution of 5 eV at 6 keV.

Factors facilitating home death in non-cancer older patients receiving home medical care.

Aim: To assess factors associated with home deaths in non-cancer elderly patients receiving home medical care by general practitioners.

Methods: A retrospective observational study was carried out in a primary care clinic in Tokyo. Patients who received home medical care and died between January 2010 and September 2017 were included in the analysis.

Pericarditis caused by herpes zoster.

A 53-year-old immunocompetent male visited our hospital complaining of chest pain which persisted for 6 h. After detailed examination, the patient was diagnosed with viral pericarditis and treated with aspirin. On day 3 after admission, rash with blisters appeared on the right side of chest.

Hitomi X-ray studies of Giant Radio Pulses from the Crab pulsar.

To search for giant X-ray pulses correlated with the giant radio pulses (GRPs) from the Crab pulsar, we performed a simultaneous observation of the Crab pulsar with the X-ray satellite Hitomi in the 2 - 300 keV band and the Kashima NICT radio observatory in the 1.4 - 1.7 GHz band with a net exposure of about 2 ks on 25 March 2016, just before the loss of the Hitomi mission.

Potentially inappropriate medications with polypharmacy increase the risk of falls in older Japanese patients: 1-year prospective cohort study.

Aim: We aimed to evaluate whether potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) increase the risk for adverse clinical outcomes including falls, emergency department (ED) visits and unplanned hospitalizations in older Japanese patients with chronic diseases, comparing the difference between patients with and without polypharmacy.

Methods: A prospective observational cohort study was carried out in a Japanese outpatient primary care clinic. Baseline data was collected from January to March 2016.

Factors associated with the use of dietary supplements and over-the-counter medications in Japanese elderly patients.

Background: The use of dietary supplements and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs is increasing, and there is adequate concern about potential harmful effects. However, there are limited reports on the concurrent use of nonprescription medications with prescription medications in elderly patients. Therefore, this study was conducted to describe the use of dietary supplements and OTC drugs, and to identify predictors for their use in elderly patients using medications prescribed for chronic diseases.

Spontaneous closure of ventricular septal perforation following percutaneous coronary intervention for acute myocardial infarction.

We report on an 84-year-old woman with anteroseptal acute myocardial infarction. Emergency coronary angiography revealed the occlusion of proximal left anterior descending artery without collateral circulation, and percutaneous coronary intervention was performed. Two drug eluting stents were implanted, and the procedure was concluded with thrombolysis in myocardial infarction grade 3 without complications.

Association between potentially inappropriate medications and anxiety in Japanese older patients.

Aim: The use of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) for older patients is a major public health problem. However, there is little information regarding PIMs in Japanese primary care settings, and the association between psychological problems and PIMs is unknown. The present study was carried out to explore the prevalence of PIMs among older patients in a primary care setting in Tokyo, and to assess the association between PIMs and depression and anxiety.

Delayed cardiac tamponade 8 months after pulmonary vein isolation.

We herein report the case of a 55 year-old male who underwent pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. From 8 months after PVI, exertional dyspnea rapidly appeared. When he was referred to our hospital, massive pericardial effusion was observed by transthoracic echography.

Antimitochondrial antibodies-positive myositis accompanied by cardiac involvement.

We report a 55-year-old man who experienced proximal muscle weakness accompanied by the atrial flutter (AFL) with 1:1 conduction. Detailed examination revealed elevated antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) and creatine kinase (CK). AFL was converted to sinus rhythm by cardioversion.

An Adult Case of Unicommissural Unicuspid Aortic Valve Diagnosed Based on the Intraoperative Findings.

We herein report an adult case of unicommissural unicuspid aortic valve (UAV). A 59-year-old man, who was noted to have a cardiac murmur at 31 years of age, was admitted to our hospital due to acute heart failure. Severe calcification in the aortic valve with severe low-flow/low-gradient aortic stenosis and moderate aortic regurgitation was observed and thought to be the cause of heart failure, however, the etiology of aortic valve dysfunction was not clear.

A case of radiation-induced subclavian artery stenosis treated with percutaneous transluminal angioplasty.

We report on a female patient who underwent a standard radical mastectomy and radiation therapy for right breast cancer at the age of 50 years without recurrence. At the age of 76 years, she started to experience fatigue in the right upper limb. The symptom gradually worsened and she was admitted to our hospital for further investigation.

VCP Is an integral component of a novel feedback mechanism that controls intracellular localization of catalase and H2O2 Levels.

Catalase is a key antioxidant enzyme that catalyzes the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) to water and oxygen, and it appears to shuttle between the cytoplasm and peroxisome via unknown mechanisms. Valosin-containing protein (VCP) belongs to the AAA class of ATPases and is involved in diverse cellular functions, e.g.

Valosin-containing protein (VCP) in novel feedback machinery between abnormal protein accumulation and transcriptional suppression.

Abnormal protein accumulation is often observed in human neurodegenerative disorders such as polyglutamine diseases and Parkinson disease. Genetic and biochemical analyses indicate that valosin-containing protein (VCP) is a crucial molecule in the pathogenesis of human neurodegenerative disorders. We report here that VCP was specifically modified in neuronal cells with abnormal protein accumulation; this modification caused the translocation of VCP into the nucleus.