Additive value of the right parasternal view for the assessment of aortic stenosis.

Background: Although Doppler evaluation using a multiplanar method is recommended to assess the severity of aortic stenosis (AS) with transthoracic echocardiography, evidence on the diagnostic significance of a non-apical method is limited. This study aimed to compare the use of the apical with the use of the right parasternal view (RPV) method to evaluate AS severity and to examine the diagnostic significance of performing the RPV method in addition to the apical method during the evaluation.

Methods: This retrospective observational study included 276 consecutive patients (mean age: 79 ± 10 years; women, 56%) with severe AS (aortic valve area [AVA] ≤1.

The dynamics of mercury near Idrija mercury mine, Slovenia: Horizontal and vertical distributions of total, methyl, and ethyl mercury concentrations in soils.

The distributions of the total mercury (T-Hg), methylmercury (MeHg), and ethylmercury (EtHg) concentrations in soil and their relationship to chemical composition of the soil and total organic carbon content (TOC, %) were investigated. Core samples were collected from hill slope on the right and left riverbanks of the Idrija River. Former smelting plant is located on the right bank.

Risk analysis of falls in patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

To identify fall risks in patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), the authors reviewed retrospective data on inpatients from April 2010 to March 2011. Among 77 HSCT patient records reviewed, the authors found that 35 patients had experienced at least one fall, including near-miss episodes (fallers). The main location of the falls was a corridor, and the main activity at the time of the fall was going to the toilet.

Comparison of two transport systems available in Japan (TERUMO kenkiporter II and BBL Port-A-Cul) for maintenance of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.

The kenkiporter II (KP II) transport system is commonly used in many hospitals in Japan for transporting bacterial specimens to microbiology laboratories. Recently, the BBL Port-A-Cul (PAC) fluid vial became available. However, no reports thus far have compared the effectiveness of these two transport systems.

Rapidly progressive symptom development of pulmonary arterial hypertension: a case report of Trousseau syndrome.

Trousseau syndrome is most commonly defined as a hypercoagulability syndrome associated with mucin-producing adenocarcinoma. We report here a rare case of Trousseau syndrome presenting as pulmonary arterial hypertension. The patient complained of cough and increasing exertional dyspnea.

[The effect of self-determination on time perspective and child-care anxiety].

This study examines the effect of self-determination on time perspectives and child-care anxiety from a viewpoint of life course. A total of 1,726 mothers with small children participated in a questionnaire survey. They were classified into four groups based on their planned life courses: mothers who work; mothers who stopped working, but plan on returning to work; mothers who don't want to work and plan to stay at home; and mothers who stopped working, but plan on returning to work when their children grow up.

Interstitial fluid shifts to plasma compartment during blood donation.

Background: A vasovagal reaction (VVR) occurs in 0.8% to 0.9% of voluntary blood donors in Japan.

[A case report of conversion therapy for initially unresectable colorectal cancer liver metastases after cetuximab as third-line treatment].

The introduction of monoclonal antibodies into the treatment protocols for metastatic colorectal cancer(mCRC)has significantly improved outcomes. There are some patients with mCRC, initially judged unresectable, who become resectable after chemotherapy. For patients with isolated liver metastases, surgical resection is recommended when feasible.

Retrospective analysis of the international standard-dose FOLFIRI (plus bevacizumab) regimen in Japanese patients with unresectable advanced or recurrent colorectal carcinoma.

Background: When applying the topoisomerase inhibitor irinotecan (CPT) with the infusional fluorouracil/levofolinate (FOLFIRI) ± bevacizumab chemotherapy regimen in cases of advanced colorectal carcinoma, the international standard dose for CPT is 180 mg/m(2). Despite this, 150 mg/m(2) CPT is widely prescribed and is the maximum dosage covered by Japanese health insurance. Consequently, the safety of dosing at the international standard has not been tested comprehensively and the efficacy of FOLFIRI in Japan may be underestimated.

Patients with Hypophosphatemic Osteomalacia Need Continuous Treatment during Adulthood.

The treatment for hypophosphatemic rickets in children includes phosphate and vitamin D preparations. In children, this regimen significantly improves symptoms, while a treatment for adult patients has not been established. We therefore investigated the clinical courses of 15 adult patients who discontinued therapy when final height was achieved in order to assess the necessity of treatment in adulthood.

Ovarian histological findings in an adult patient with the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) deficiency reveal the impairment of steroidogenesis by lipoid deposition.

Context: The steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) is essential for the production of steroid hormones. The mutations in the StAR gene typically cause congenital lipoid adrenal hyperplasia (lipoid CAH), characterized by severe adrenal insufficiency in both sexes and complete female external genitalia in genetic males. Affected 46, XX females feminize at puberty and menstruate but have progressive hypergonadotropic hypogonadism.

[Hypophosphatemic rickets/osteomalacia. - Mainly on patients with PHEX mutations -].

Most patients with inherited hypophosphatemic Rickets/Osteomalacia have mutations in the PHEX gene. In this brief review, we focus on the treatment for patients with this mutation. First, molecular basis of inherited hypophosphatemic Rickets/Osteomalacia, followed by pathophysiology of PHEX and its related disorders is described.

The pituitary function of androgen receptor constitutes a glucocorticoid production circuit.

Androgen receptor (AR) mediates diverse androgen actions, particularly reproductive processes in males and females. AR-mediated androgen signaling is considered to also control metabolic processes; however, the molecular basis remains elusive. In the present study, we explored the molecular mechanism of late-onset obesity in male AR null mutant (ARKO) mice.

Mutational Analysis of Androgen Receptor (AR) Gene in 46,XY Patients with Ambiguous Genitalia and Normal Testosterone Secretion: Endocrinological Characteristics of Three Patients with AR Gene Mutations.

The prevalence of abnormalities in androgen receptor gene (AR) among patients with ambiguous genitalia is unknown. Moreover, endocrinological data from prepubertal patients with AR mutation are very limited. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of abnormalities in AR among patients with both ambiguous genitalia, which was defined as a combination of two or more genital abnormalities (i.

Limitations of G-banding Karyotype Analysis with Peripheral Lymphocytes in Diagnosing Mixed Gonadal Dysgenesis.

Mixed gonadal dysgenesis (MGD) is an abnormal sexual differentiation syndrome usually presenting with ambiguous genitalia. Karyotype analysis is one of the essential components in the diagnosis of MGD and is conventionally done with peripheral lymphocytes by the G-banding technique. It is speculated that this conventional karyotype analysis has limitations since there are often difference in gonadal tissue analysis.

Premature ovarian failure in androgen receptor-deficient mice.

Premature ovarian failure (POF) syndrome, an early decline of ovarian function in women, is frequently associated with X chromosome abnormalities ranging from various Xq deletions to complete loss of one of the X chromosomes. However, the genetic locus responsible for the POF remains unknown, and no candidate gene has been identified. Using the Cre/LoxP system, we have disrupted the mouse X chromosome androgen receptor (Ar) gene.

Low level mercury uptake by plants from natural environments--mercury distribution in Solidago altissima L.-.

In order to elucidate the participation of plants in the biogeochemical cycling of mercury in natural environments, total mercury contents in leaves, stems and roots of tall goldenrod (Solidago altissima L.), Compositae, were determined. The mercury content in stems was considerably lower than that in leaves and roots.

Hearing evaluation in two sisters with a T8993G point mutation of mitochondrial DNA.

We report on two sisters with a T8993G point mutation of mitochondrial DNA, and their hearing evaluation. Considering auditory function, hearing in the elder sister remains almost normal. However, in the younger sister, the auditory brainstem response (ABR) threshold has fluctuated remarkably during a 3-year follow-up.

Karyotyping of female and male Hediste japonica (Polychaeta, Annelida) in comparison with those of two closely related species, H. diadroma and H. atoka.

Karyotypes of females and males of the brackish-water polychaete Hediste japonica sensu stricto, collected from the Ariake Sea, Japan, were examined by using regenerating tails. We used the Giemsa staining method and a computer-assisted image-analyzing system for the identification of each chromosome pair. The somatic chromosome number was 2n=28.

Molecular cloning of the gene encoding a novel beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase from a marine bacterium, Alteromonas sp. strain O-7, and characterization of the cloned enzyme.

We have reported that the chitinolytic system of Alteromonas sp. strain O-7 consists of chitinases (ChiA, ChiB, and ChiC), a chitinase-like enzyme (ChiD), beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases (GlcNAcasesA, GlcNAcaseB, and GlcNAcaseC), and a novel transglycosylative enzyme (Hex99). The gene encoding a beta-hexosaminidase with an unusual substrate specificity (hex86), located upstream of the hex99 gene, was cloned and sequenced.

[Male pseudohermaphroditism due to disorder of androgen receptor function].

Disorder of androgen receptor function, generally due to mutations in androgen receptor gene, is one of the causes of male pseudohermaphroditism. The disorder results in a wide spectrum of abnormalities of male sexual development ranging from phenotypic female to male with infertility depending on residual androgen receptor function. Clinical features, endocrinological data and treatment of patients with the disorder were discussed.