Digital holography free of 2π ambiguity, using coherence modulation.

In this Letter, a quantitative measurement method with an extended axial range in low-coherence light digital holography is presented. Based on the characteristics of the light source, the degree of coherence and phase values are obtained. Because the degree of coherence is modulated with respect to the optical path difference, it can be used to remove the 2π ambiguity of the phase, without the use of numerical or dual-wavelength methods.

Wavelength-multiplexed digital holography for quantitative phase measurement using quantum dot film.

We propose an enhanced quantitative three-dimensional measurement system using wavelength-multiplexed digital holography. To simplify the configuration, a dual-peak quantum dot wavelength converter, combined with a blue LED, is adapted as a single low-coherence light source. Rather than a conventional dual-wavelength method, which records and reconstruct the object wave for each wavelength, the proposed system can capture the holograms of two wavelengths simultaneously with fewer acquisitions, simple setup, and low noise.

Dual-wavelength Fourier ptychography using a single LED.

We propose dual-wavelength Fourier ptychography for topographic measurement. To extend the axial measurement range, a single light-emitting diode (LED) and two appropriate bandpass filters are employed. This provides a speckle-free phase image, and reduces the possibility of a systematic error, which yields a high-quality topographic image.

Efficacy and Safety of Fixed-dose Combination Therapy With Telmisartan and Rosuvastatin in Korean Patients With Hypertension and Dyslipidemia: TELSTA-YU (TELmisartan-rosuvaSTAtin from YUhan), a Multicenter, Randomized, 4-arm, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Phase III Study.

Purpose: Hypertension and dyslipidemia are 2 risk factors of cardiovascular disease that often present simultaneously. Traditionally, treatment of these multiple conditions required separate medications for each disease, which may result in poor compliance and thus lead to possible treatment failure. Fixed-dose combination (FDC) therapy with a single pill may be a solution in these situations.

Dual-wavelength off-axis digital holography using a single light-emitting diode.

We propose a new low-coherence interferometry system for dual-wavelength off-axis digital holography. By utilizing diffraction gratings, two beams with narrower bandwidths and different center wavelengths could be filtered in a single light-emitting diode. The characteristics of the system are analytically determined to extend the coherence length and field-of-view enough for off-axis configuration.

Efficacy and Tolerability of Combination Therapy Versus Monotherapy with Candesartan and/or Amlodipine for Dose Finding in Essential Hypertension: A Phase II Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind Clinical Trial.

Purpose: Intensive blood pressure (BP) lowering is important for the treatment of hypertension; however, it has been a challenge to achieve target BP in many patients. The purpose of this study was to explore the optimal dosage of a fixed-dose combination of candesartan cilexetil (CAN) and amlodipine besylate (AML), by examining the tolerability and efficacy of CAN/AML combination therapy compared with those of monotherapy with either drug in patients with essential hypertension.

Methods: This Phase II multicenter, randomized, double-blind clinical trial enrolled patients aged 19 years or older with essential hypertension, defined as a mean sitting diastolic BP (msDBP) between 95 and 115 mm Hg, and a mean sitting systolic BP (msSBP) of <200 mm Hg after a 2-week placebo run-in period.

Dual-wavelength digital holography with a single low-coherence light source.

We propose a measurement system using dual-wavelength digital holography and low-coherence interferometry to measure micro- and nanostructure surface heights. To achieve an extended axial step-measurement range and better image quality, a single light-emitting diode generates two distinct light sources by filtering different center wavelengths and narrower bandwidths. The system can measure surface profile with higher step heights and lower speckle noise in a large field-of-view.

Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of the Lercanidipine/Valsartan Combination in Korean Patients With Essential Hypertension Not Adequately Controlled With Lercanidipine Monotherapy: A Randomized, Multicenter, Parallel Design, Phase III Clinical Trial.

Purpose: The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the lercanidipine/valsartan combination compared with lercanidipine monotherapy in patients with hypertension.

Methods: Part 1 of this study was the randomized, multicenter, double-blind, parallel group, Phase III, 8-week clinical trial to compare superiority of lercanidipine 10 mg/valsartan 80 mg (L10/V80) and lercanidipine 10 mg/valsartan 160 mg (L10/V160) combinations with lercanidipine 10 mg (L10) monotherapy. At screening, hypertensive patients, whose diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was >90 mm Hg after 4 weeks with L10, were randomized to 3 groups of L10, L10/V80, and L10/V160.

SUrvey of Guideline Adherence for Treatment of Systolic Heart Failure in Real World (SUGAR): a multi-center, retrospective, observational study.

Background: Clinical practice guidelines have been slowly and inconsistently applied in clinical practice, and certain evidence-based, guideline-driven therapies for heart failure (HF) have been significantly underused. The purpose of this study was to survey guideline compliance and its effect on clinical outcomes in the treatment of systolic HF in Korea.

Method And Results: The SUrvey of Guideline Adherence for Treatment of Systolic Heart Failure in Real World (SUGAR) trial was a multi-center, retrospective, observational study on subjects with systolic HF (ejection fraction <45%) admitted to 23 university hospitals.

A prospective, randomized comparison of promus everolimus-eluting and TAXUS Liberte paclitaxel-eluting stent systems in patients with coronary artery disease eligible for percutaneous coronary intervention: the PROMISE study.

We aimed comparing two-year clinical outcomes of the Everolimus-Eluting Promus and Paclitaxel-Eluting TAXUS Liberte stents used in routine clinical practice. Patients with objective evidence of ischemia and coronary artery disease eligible for PCI were prospectively randomized to everolimus-eluting stent (EES) or paclitaxel-eluting stent (PES) groups. The primary end-point was ischemia-driven target vessel revascularization (TVR) at 2 yr after intervention, and the secondary end-point was a major adverse cardiac event (MACE), such as death, myocardial infarction (MI), target lesion revascularization (TLR), TVR or stent thrombosis.

Everolimus- versus sirolimus-eluting stents for the treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery stenosis (results from the EXCELLENT registry).

Background: Data concerning the results of 2nd generation DES in the treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) stenosis are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of stenting with everolimus- (EES) with sirolimus-eluting stent (SES) for the treatment of ULMCA stenosis in the "real world" setting.

Methods: In this multi-center all-comer registry, a total of 275 patients with ULMCA stenosis were analyzed; 160 receiving EES and 115 receiving SES.

Safety and efficacy of second-generation everolimus-eluting Xience V stents versus zotarolimus-eluting resolute stents in real-world practice: patient-related and stent-related outcomes from the multicenter prospective EXCELLENT and RESOLUTE-Korea registries.

Objectives: This study sought to compare the safety and efficacy of the Xience V/Promus everolimus-eluting stent (EES) (Abbott Vascular, Temecula, California) with the Endeavor Resolute zotarolimus-eluting stent (ZES-R) (Medtronic Cardiovascular, Santa Rosa, California) in "all-comer" cohorts.

Background: Only 2 randomized controlled trials have compared these stents.

Methods: The EXCELLENT (Efficacy of Xience/Promus Versus Cypher to Reduce Late Loss After Stenting) and RESOLUTE-Korea registries prospectively enrolled 3,056 patients treated with the EES and 1,998 patients treated with the ZES-R, respectively, without exclusions.

Comparison of resolute zotarolimus-eluting stents and sirolimus-eluting stents in patients with de novo long coronary artery lesions: a randomized LONG-DES IV trial.

Background: Procedural and clinical outcomes still remain unfavorable for patients with long coronary lesions who undergo stent-based coronary interventions. Therefore, we compared the relative efficacy and safety of resolute zotarolimus-eluting stents (R-ZES) and sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) for patients with de novo long coronary lesions.

Methods And Results: This randomized, multicenter, prospective trial, called the Percutaneous Treatment of LONG Native Coronary Lesions With Drug-Eluting Stent-IV (LONG-DES IV) trial, compared long R-ZES and SES in 500 patients with long (≥25 mm) native coronary lesions.

Multicenter international registry of unprotected left main coronary artery percutaneous coronary intervention with everolimus-eluting stents.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the clinical outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with everolimus-eluting stents (EES) for the treatment of unprotected left main coronary artery (ULMCA) disease.

Background: The standard of care for the treatment of ULMCA disease is coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Data suggest that PCI with drug-eluting stents is a viable alternative to CABG for the treatment of ULMCA disease.

Outcomes after unrestricted use of everolimus-eluting and sirolimus-eluting stents in routine clinical practice: a multicenter, prospective cohort study.

Background: It remains unclear whether there are differences in the safety and efficacy outcomes between everolimus-eluting stents (EES) and sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) in contemporary practice.

Methods And Results: We prospectively enrolled 6166 consecutive patients who received EES (3081 patients) and SES (3085 patients) between April 2008 and June 2010, using data from the Interventional Cardiology Research In-Cooperation Society-Drug-Eluting Stents Registry. The primary end point was a composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), or target-vessel revascularization (TVR).

Potent mitochondria-targeted peptides reduce myocardial infarction in rats.

Objective: Previously, we demonstrated that a novel opiate peptide, 2',6'-dimethyl-tyrosine-D-Arg-Phe-Lys-NH2, provided cardioprotection against myocardial stunning in vivo. We subsequently showed that this peptide targeted mitochondria and can scavenge reactive oxygen species. The objective of this study was to determine the role of opioid versus antioxidant activity in cardioprotection.

Binding between azurocidin and calreticulin: its involvement in the activation of peripheral monocytes.

We found that azurocidin, a secretory protein in neutrophils, binds to calreticulin, a multifunctional chaperone of the endoplasmic reticulum. Azurocidin is known to induce cytokine production in monocytes, but the mechanism of monocyte activation by azurocidin remains unknown. On the other hand, an antibacterial peptide, KLKLLLLLKLK-NH(2) (L5), is known to bind to cell surface calreticulin of human neutrophils, resulting in their activation to produce O(2)(-).