Elevated levels of autoantibodies against DNAJC2 in sera of patients with atherosclerotic diseases.

Background: Serum antibody markers have been increasingly identified not only for cancer and autoimmune diseases but also for atherosclerosis-related diseases such as acute ischemic stroke (AIS), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), diabetes mellitus (DM), and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Biomarkers for transient ischemic attack (TIA) and non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTEACS) are potentially useful for detection of early phase of atherosclerotic changes against AIS and AMI, respectively.

Methods: We utilized serological identification of antigens by recombinant cDNA expression cloning (SEREX) using a human aortic endothelial cell cDNA phage library and sera from patients with TIA or NSTEACS.

Sagittal splitting of the temporalis muscle for encephalo-myo-synangiosis to prevent ischemic complications due to a swollen temporalis muscle without inhibiting collateral developments in patients with moyamoya disease.

Objective: Encephalo-myo-synangiosis (EMS) is an effective revascularization procedure for the treatment of moyamoya disease (MMD). However, the temporalis muscle used for EMS sometimes swells and causes ischemic complications by compressing the underlying brain. This study aimed to elucidate the effect of sagittal splitting (SS) of the muscle for prevention of ischemic complications and its impact on the postoperative development of collateral vessels.

Postoperative Cerebral Ischemia Due to Hypotension in Moyamoya Patient with Autonomic Dysfunction.

Background: Hypotension is a significant risk factor for the development of ischemic complication following revascularization surgery for moyamoya disease (MMD). However, it is currently unknown whether autonomic dysfunction also plays a role.

Case Description: Here we report a case of MMD in which hypotension due to autonomic dysfunction caused postoperative cerebral ischemia.

Cortical Venous Redness Represents Tissue Circulation Status in Patients With Moyamoya Disease.

Background And Purpose: Venous oxygen saturation (SO) is measured in medical fields to assess tissue circulation insufficiency. This study aimed to elucidate the use of a cortical venous redness measurement to evaluate hemodynamic changes during revascularization surgery for patients with moyamoya disease.

Methods: In this retrospective case-series analysis, we first quantitatively measured and correlated SO and R intensity of 24-bit color digital red-green-blue pictures of blood samples from 3 volunteers.

Brachial Plexus Involvement of Myeloid Sarcoma Detected by Reconstruction Magnetic Resonance Neurography.

Myeloid sarcoma is a rare hematological disorder that presents as an extramedullary mass of immature myeloid precursors. We herein present the case of a 57-year-old man with a seven-month history of progressive weakness in the right upper extremity. Reconstruction magnetic resonance neurography showed a marked enlargement of the right brachial plexus.

Features of brain magnetic resonance imaging diffusion-weighted images of aortogenic embolic stroke.

Background:  The features of acute aortogenic embolic stroke on magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) have not been fully elucidated, so we compared patients with acute aortogenic embolic stroke and those with acute cardioembolic stroke.

Methods And Results:  This study included 40 consecutive patients with acute aortogenic embolic stroke, and 40 age- and sex-matched patients with acute cardioembolic stroke. The diagnosis of aortogenic embolic stroke was made when patients met 5 criteria: (1)acute neurologic event lasting >24h; (2) positive signals on DWI; (3) atherosclerotic lesions ≥3.

Retinol palmitate prevents ischemia-induced cell changes in hippocampal neurons through the Notch1 signaling pathway in mice.

Retinol palmitate, an analog of vitamin A, plays multiple roles in the nervous system, including neural differentiation, axon outgrowth, and neural patterning, and is also an antioxidative agent and thereby potential neuroprotectant for brain ischemia. The present study aimed at investigating the protective effects of retinol palmitate against ischemia-induced brain injury in a bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) model in mice. Ischemia induced by 20-min BCCAO resulted in significant neuronal morphological changes and reactive astrocyte proliferation in the hippocampus, particularly in the CA1 region, and these changes were accompanied by increased Notch1 expression.

Skin temperature of the hand in multiple system atrophy and Parkinson's disease.

Aim: A previous study on a small number of patients showed that low skin temperature of the hands, the so called "cold hands sign", may be useful for distinguishing multiple system atrophy (MSA) from Parkinson's disease (PD). We have further investigated skin temperature of the hand in a larger number of patients.

Methods: Skin temperature on the palm was measured in 50 MSA (11 MSA-P and 39 MSA-C patients) and 50 PD patients, and 25 normal healthy subjects.