Risk of Sinus Sequestration During Redo Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation: The Prevalence, Predictors, and Risk Stratification.

The number of patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) with the potential for reintervention is steadily increasing; however, there is a risk of sinus sequestration (SS) during a redo TAVI. The prevalence, predictors, and risk stratification of the risk for SS remain uncertain. We analyzed computed tomography acquired from 263 patients who underwent TAVI between 2021 and 2022: balloon-expandable valve (BEV) (71%) and self-expandable valve (SEV) (29%).

Alcohol septal ablation markedly reduces energy loss in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy with left ventricular outflow tract obstruction: A four-dimensional flow cardiac magnetic resonance study.

Background: Functional follow-up modalities of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) with left ventricular (LV) outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) subjected to alcohol septal ablation (ASA) are limited.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients of HCM with LVOTO who underwent ASA and four-dimensional (4D) flow cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) both before and after ASA. We analyzed energy loss in one cardiac cycle within the three-chamber plane of the LV and aortic root, and compared between pre- and post-ASA measurements.

New carotid plaque, but not the progression of intima-media thickness, predicts the progression of high-risk coronary plaque.

Background: Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is regarded as a controversial risk marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD). We aimed to evaluate the role of CIMT and carotid plaque progression as predictors for the progression of coronary plaque and compositions.

Methods: In the Garlic 4 study, asymptomatic patients with intermediate CVD risk (Framingham risk score 6-20%) were recruited for a serial carotid ultrasound, and coronary artery calcium score (CAC)/coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) studies for subclinical atherosclerosis at a baseline and 1 year.

Association of Coronary Calcium, Carotid Wall Thickness, and Carotid Plaque Progression With Low-Density Lipoprotein and High-Density Lipoprotein Particle Concentration Measured by Ion Mobility (From Multiethnic Study of Atherosclerosis [MESA]).

Current risk stratification strategies do not fully explain cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. We aimed to evaluate the association of low-density lipoprotein (LDL-P) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL-P) particles with progression of coronary artery calcium and carotid wall injury. All participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study Atherosclerosis (MESA) with LDL-P and HDL-P measured by ion mobility, coronary artery calcium score (CAC), carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), and carotid plaque data available at Exam 1 and 5 were included in the study.

A novel density-volume calcium score by non-contrast CT predicts coronary plaque burden on coronary CT angiography: Results from the MACS (Multicenter AIDS cohort study).

Background: The purpose of this study is to determine if a new score calculated with coronary artery calcium (CAC) density and volume is associated with total coronary artery plaque burden and composition on coronary CT angiography (CCTA) compared to the Agatston score (AS).

Methods: We identified 347 men enrolled in the Multicenter AIDS cohort study who underwent contrast and non-contrast CCTs, and had CAC>0. CAC densities (mean Hounsfield Units [HU]) per plaque) and volumes on non-contrast CCT were measured.

Additive prognostic significance of ejection fraction for ESC risk model in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy patients.

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) clinical risk model is reported in predicting sudden death of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We examined the validity of this model and investigated the significance of ejection fraction (EF) in predicting the prognosis using ESC risk model in HCM patients. 305 HCM patients (198 males) were followed (median follow-up 4.

Ischemic stroke/transient ischemic attack events and carotid artery disease in the absence of or with minimal coronary artery calcification: Results from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Background And Aims: The association between minimally elevated coronary artery calcification (CAC) and cerebrovascular disease is not well known. We assessed whether individuals with minimal CAC (Agatston scores of 1-10) have higher ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) frequencies compared with those with no CAC. We also investigated the relative prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis in these two groups.

Correlation of Arterial Stiffness With Left Atrial Volume Index and Left Ventricular Mass Index in Young Adults: Evaluation by Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography.

Background: Increased arterial stiffness is reportedly associated with cardiac remodelling, including the left atrium and left ventricle, in middle-aged and older adults. However, little is known about this association in young adults.

Methods: In total, 73 patients (44 (60%) men) aged 25 to 45 years with suspected coronary artery disease were included in the analysis.

Coronary Artery Calcium Progression Is Associated With Coronary Plaque Volume Progression: Results From a Quantitative Semiautomated Coronary Artery Plaque Analysis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether coronary artery calcium (CAC) progression was associated with coronary plaque progression on coronary computed tomographic angiography.

Background: CAC progression and coronary plaque characteristics are associated with incident coronary heart disease. However, natural history of coronary atherosclerosis has not been well described to date, and the understanding of the association between CAC progression and coronary plaque subtypes such as noncalcified plaque progression remains unclear.

Presence, Characteristics, and Volumes of Coronary Plaque Determined by Computed Tomography Angiography in Young Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Prevention and management of coronary artery disease (CAD) is of great concern in patients with diabetes mellitus. Although the impact of coronary atherosclerosis is described well for subjects older than 40 years, the prevalence and types of coronary atherosclerosis in young patients are not well known. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, extent, severity, and volumes of coronary plaque in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) population younger than of 40 years.

Plaque progression assessed by a novel semi-automated quantitative plaque software on coronary computed tomography angiography between diabetes and non-diabetes patients: A propensity-score matching study.

Background And Aims: We aimed at investigating whether diabetes is associated with progression in coronary plaque components.

Methods: We identified 142 study subjects undergoing serial coronary computed tomography angiography. The resulting propensity score was applied 1:1 to match diabetic patients to non-diabetic patients for clinical risk factors, prior coronary stenting, coronary artery calcium (CAC) score and the serial scan interval, resulting in the 71 diabetes and 71 non-diabetes patients.

Inactivation of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase in human lung adenocarcinoma relates to high-grade histology and worse prognosis among smokers.

To evaluate the significance of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) activity in the development of human lung adenocarcinoma (AC), we investigated promoter hypermethylation of the MGMT gene by methylation-specific PCR, and the expression of MGMT protein by immunohistochemistry in relation to smoking history of the patients. In total, 31 of 87 AC patients (35.5%) showed hypermethylation of the MGMT gene, and no significant difference was observed between smokers (37.

The role of p53 in bleomycin-induced DNA damage in the lung. A comparative study with the small intestine.

To elucidate the role of p53 and apoptosis in the pathogenesis of lung injury, we examined histological changes, expressions of p53 and p21waf1/cip1 (p21), apoptosis, DNA double strand breaks, cell kinetics, and DNA synthesis in C57/BL6 mice (p53+/+) and mice deficient for p53 (p53-/-) at 2 hours to 7 days after a single intravenous administration of bleomycin. We also compared these parameters between the lung cells and small intestinal epithelial cells to explore potential differences in their response to DNA damage. Bleomycin induced p21 expression in a p53-dependent manner in p53+/+ mice but neither p53 nor p21 expression in p53-/- mice.

The roles of diesel exhaust particle extracts and the promotive effects of NO2 and/or SO2 exposure on rat lung tumorigenesis.

This experiment was carried out to clarify the roles of diesel exhaust particle (DEP) extracts and the promotive effects of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and/or sulfur dioxide (SO2) exposure on rat lung tumorigenesis. F344 male rats were intratracheally administered DEP extract-coated carbon black particles (DEcCBP) and exposed to 6 ppm NO2 and/or 4 ppm SO2 for 10 months. At 18 months after starting the experiment, lung lesions were histopathologically investigated and DNA in rat lungs was analyzed for the presence of adducts using the 32P-postlabeling assay.

Ki-67 (MIB 5) immunostaining of mouse lung tumors induced by 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide.

We immunostained mouse lung tumors using a mouse monoclonal antibody against recombinant Ki-67 antigen (clone; MIB 5) to establish an MIB 5 immunostaining method and to determine the extent of MIB 5 labeling to monitor cell proliferation activity in mouse lung tumors. A/J mice, treated with 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide, were killed after 18 months. One hour before killing, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) was injected intraperitoneally.

Dimethylarsinic acid, a main metabolite of inorganic arsenics, has tumorigenicity and progression effects in the pulmonary tumors of A/J mice.

The pulmonary tumorigenicity of dimethylarsinic acid (DMAA), a main metabolite of inorganic arsenics, was examined in A/J mice fed with drinking water containing DMAA for 25 and 50 weeks. Mice fed with 400 ppm DMAA for 50 weeks produced more pulmonary tumors than untreated mice (mean number per animal 1.36 versus 0.

Expression of heat shock proteins in squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue: an immunohistochemical study.

Twenty-four specimens of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue were immunostained for heat shock proteins (HSPs) to reveal differences in stainability among normal epithelium, dysplasia and carcinoma and to clarify the prognostic significance of HSPs in comparison with survival period, clinical stage, lymph node metastasis, histological grade, and p53 immunostaining. Normal epithelium was positively stained in the suprabasal layer for HSP60 and HSP70, but was negative for HSP27 and HSP90. Dysplastic lesions were positive for HSP27, HSP70 and HSP90, but stained variously for HSP60.

Hamster pulmonary endocrine cells with positive immunostaining for calbindin-D28K.

We have examined the distribution of calcium-binding proteins (CaBPs) in adult and fetal lungs of Syrian golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) using immunostaining with confocal laser microscopy and electron microscopy. Single and grouped (neuroepithelial body; NEB) endocrine cells were distributed from bronchi to alveolar ducts in the adult lung. Serial frozen sections immunostained for CaBPs in combination with immunostaining for endocrine markers such as calcitonin gene-related peptide, serotonin, PGP9.

Cytodifferentiation of atypical adenomatous hyperplasia and bronchioloalveolar lung carcinoma: immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies.

We used immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy to evaluate the differentiation of cells comprising atypical adenomatous hyperplasia (AAH; n = 26), early bronchioloalveolar lung carcinoma (BAC; n = 11), and overt BAC (n = 16), which are assumed to constitute a continuous spectrum of developmental steps of BAC. Surfactant apoprotein (SAP), a marker for type 2 alveolar cells, was expressed in cells from all the lesions of AAH, early BAC, and overt BAC. However, the proportion of SAP-positive cells decreased and their distribution became more heterogeneous with advancing lesion grade.

Development of pulmonary neuroendocrine cells of fetal hamster in explant culture.

Fetal hamster lung explant was cultured in serum-free medium on gestational Day 11-2 days before the appearance of pulmonary neuroendocrine cells (PNEC)--and the development and differentiation of PNEC from immature fetal lung epithelium was examined through immunostaining for neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) to establish an in vitro system to study the mechanisms involved. PNEC were present in the main bronchus after 2 days of culture. Thereafter, NCAM-positive clusters of PNEC increased and were distributed from the large bronchus to the terminal bronchiole with a proximal-to-distal wave.

Pulmonary endocrine cell hyperplasia and papilloma in rats induced by intratracheal injections of extract from particulate air pollutants.

We investigated the effect of intratracheal injections of an extract of suspended particulate matter (SPM) obtained from the urban ambient air of Tokyo, upon the development of proliferative lesions of pulmonary endocrine cells (PECs) in the rat. We also examined the modification effects of nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, or both of them on the PEC lesions. Male F344 rats were divided into six experimental groups of 5 animals each.

Immunohistochemical localization of facilitated-diffusion glucose transporters in rat pancreatic islets.

The subcellular localization of five isoforms of facilitated-diffusion glucose transporters (GLUTs), from GLUT1 to GLUT5, in rat pancreatic islets was studied by immunohistochemistry using rabbit polyclonal antisera against mouse or rat GLUT peptides. Animals were perfusion-fixed with phosphate-buffered 4% paraformaldehyde and the pancreases were removed. Some specimens were embedded in paraffin, serially sectioned, and immunostained for glucagon, insulin, somatostatin, and the GLUTs for light microscopic observation.

[University education in geriatrics--present status and future prospects of gerontology and geriatrics education in pathology].

The increase in the number and proportion of the elderly in Japan over the last 30 years has been faster than that in any other country. One of the measures we are compelled to take to deal with this drastic change in medicosocial circumstances is reform of the medical school curriculum. However, the necessary reforms are being implemented slowly and are still insufficient.