Single-center analysis of cardiac amyloidosis using 99m Tc-HMDP imaging for diagnosis and evaluation after tafamidis treatment.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 99m Tc-hydroxymethylene diphosphonate ( 99m Tc-HMDP) imaging for cardiac amyloidosis and to demonstrate changes in cardiac uptake of 99m Tc-HMDP after tafamidis treatment.

Methods: Seventy-five patients with suspected cardiac amyloidosis who underwent 99m Tc-HMDP imaging were included. We compared visual Perugini grades and semiquantitative heart-to-contralateral (H/CL) area ratios, myocardial maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), and peak of SUV (SUVpeak) between cardiac transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) and amyloid light-chain amyloidosis (AL).

Structure of putative epidermal sensory receptors in an acoel flatworm, Praesagittifera naikaiensis.

Acoel flatworms possess epidermal sensory-receptor cells on their body surfaces and exhibit behavioral repertoires such as geotaxis and phototaxis. Acoel epidermal sensory receptors should be mechanical and/or chemical receptors; however, the mechanisms of their sensory reception have not been elucidated. We examined the three-dimensional relationship between epidermal sensory receptors and their innervation in an acoel flatworm, Praesagittifera naikaiensis.

Visualization of Airborne Particles as a Risk for Microbial Contamination in Orthopedic Surgery.

The operating theater is recognized to involve a high frequency of occupational blood and body fluid contacts. This study aimed to visualize the production of blood and body fluid airborne particles by surgical procedures and to investigate risks of microbial contamination of the conjunctival membranes of surgical staff during orthopedic operations. Two physicians simulated total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) in a bio-clean theater using model bones.

Incidence of and risk factors for hip fracture in Nagasaki, Japan from 2005 to 2014.

Unlabelled: The annual incidence of new hip fractures increased from 2005 to 2014 in Nagasaki and females were much more affected. High-risk factors were identified as age ≥ 80 years, winter, indoors, living room, Monday, and early morning. Seven days after admission, most patients remained hospitalized and had been treated surgically.

Estimating Joint External Evaluation Scores Using Country Data from 77 Countries, 2016-2018.

Since 2016, Joint External Evaluations (JEEs) help countries assess their health security preparedness and capacity to respond to public health risks. JEEs are 1 of 4 components of the International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR) Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. Compared with the mandatory State Party Self-Assessment Annual Reporting tool, JEEs use a transparent, rigorous, and collaborative process with international and in-country experts to evaluate IHR implementation.

Additive effect of heparin on the photoinactivation of Escherichia coli using tricationic P-porphyrins.

Polycationic porphyrins have received substantial attention in developing singlet oxygen-sensitizers for biological use such as in the photoinactivation of bacteria and photodynamic therapy (PDT) of tumor cells because they have strong binding affinities for DNA and proteins. However, these strong cellular interactions can retard elimination of the drug after PDT. Therefore, the studies on the interactions of porphyrins with other molecules present much interest, in order to modulate the sensitizers' activity or even remove them from the human body after PDT.

Facilitatory effects of fetuin-A on atherosclerosis.

Objective: Fetuin-A is a circulating glycoprotein that is produced by liver and adipose tissue. Fetuin-A is known to induce insulin resistance and suppress vascular calcification. There are conflicting reports that show increased or decreased serum fetuin-A levels in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

Counteractive effects of omentin-1 against atherogenesis†.

Aims: Omentin-1, a novel adipocytokine expressed in visceral fat tissue, is negatively correlated with obesity, insulin resistance, and stable coronary artery disease (CAD). However, there have been no previous reports regarding the effects of omentin-1 on atherogenesis.

Methods And Results: This study was performed to evaluate the atheroprotective effects of omentin-1 on human monocyte-derived macrophages, human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) in vitro, and aortic lesions in Apoe(-/-) mice in vivo.

Recording spatially incoherent Fourier hologram using dual channel rotational shearing interferometer.

The method to record an incoherent Fourier hologram is proposed. The interference patterns in the dual channel rotational shearing interferometer are obtained as the figure of the cosine and the sine transformation in the vertical and the horizontal polarization, respectively. The proposed optical system is simple without spatial light modulators or mechanical phase shifting devices.

Brain fragility can be estimated by its putrefactive signs on postmortem computed tomography.

Along with time after death, postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) of the brain can reveal sequential changes. In the present study, we investigated the relationship between brain rigidity and advanced postmortem changes such as intravascular gas production, cerebral settling or cerebral liquefaction on PMCT. We then examined the findings of PMCT as an indicator of successful macroscopic examination of arbitrary brain slices at classical autopsy.

Vasoprotective effects of urocortin 1 against atherosclerosis in vitro and in vivo.

Aim: Atherosclerosis is the complex lesion that consists of endothelial inflammation, macrophage foam cell formation, vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration and proliferation, and extracellular matrix production. Human urocortin 1 (Ucn1), a 40-amino acid peptide member of the corticotrophin-releasing factor/urotensin I family, has potent cardiovascular protective effects. This peptide induces potent and long-lasting hypotension and coronary vasodilation.