Global Results of Implantable Loop Recorder for Detection of Atrial Fibrillation After Stroke: Reveal LINQ Registry.

Background: We aimed to quantify the incidence of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with cryptogenic stroke globally, as well as separately in patients in and outside of Japan, using an implantable loop recorder from a prospective, observational, Reveal LINQ Registry.

Methods And Results: Patients developing cryptogenic stroke and monitored by implantable loop recorder for searching AF were studied. The primary end point was incidence of AF within 36 months after insertion.

Seroprevalence for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus among the residents of Miyazaki, Japan: An epidemiological study.

Introduction: Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is a tick-borne infectious disease caused by the SFTS virus (SFTSV). The Miyazaki Prefecture has the highest number of SFTS cases in Japan and requires countermeasures for prevention. In this study, we aimed to conduct an epidemiological survey in Miyazaki Prefecture to determine the exposure conditions of SFTSV by measuring the seroprevalence among residents of Miyazaki and to evaluate the factors that influence the endemicity of SFTS.

Design of Mid-Q Response: A prospective, randomized trial of adaptive cardiac resynchronization therapy in Asian patients.

Aims: The aim of the Mid-Q Response study is to test the hypothesis that adaptive preferential left ventricular-only pacing with the AdaptivCRT algorithm has superior clinical outcomes compared to conventional cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in heart failure (HF) patients with moderately wide QRS duration (≥120 ms and <150 ms), left bundle branch block (LBBB), and normal atrioventricular (AV) conduction (PR interval ≤200 ms).

Methods: This prospective, multi-center, randomized, controlled, clinical study is being conducted at approximately 60 centers in Asia. Following enrollment and baseline assessment, eligible patients are implanted with a CRT system equipped with the AdaptivCRT algorithm and are randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to have AdaptivCRT ON (Adaptive Bi-V and LV pacing) or AdaptivCRT OFF (Nonadaptive CRT).

Evaluation of an Integrated Device Diagnostics Algorithm to Risk Stratify Heart Failure Patients - Results From the SCAN-HF Study.

Background: Integrated device diagnostics, Triage-HF, is useful in risk stratifying patients with heart failure (HF), but its performance for Japanese patients remains unknown. This is a prospective study of Japanese patients treated with a cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT-D), with a Medtronic OptiVol 2.0 feature.

Renal uptake of substrates for organic anion transporters Oat1 and Oat3 and organic cation transporters Oct1 and Oct2 is altered in rats with adenine-induced chronic renal failure.

Chronic renal failure (CRF) leads to decreased drug renal clearance and glomerular filtration rate. However, little is known about renal tubular excretion and reabsorption in CRF. We examined transport activity of renal transporters using rats with adenine-induced CRF.

[Effects of acidification and alkalinization agents on statins-induced muscle toxicity].

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHC), a lactate efflux inhibitor, and citrate, an alkaline reagent, on statin-induced muscle injury using a human prototypic embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma cell line (RD) as a model of in vitro skeletal muscle and on statin-induced muscle damage in an in vivo study. Statin-induced reduction of cell viability and apoptosis was measured by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and caspase assay. In an in vivo study, plasma creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level was examined in cerivastatin-treated rats.

Association between risk of myopathy and cholesterol-lowering effect: a comparison of all statins.

In the present study, we examined the mechanisms underlying the cytotoxicity of pitavastatin, a new statin, and we compared the in vitro potencies of muscle cytotoxicity using a prototypic embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma cell line (RD cells), a typical side effect of statins and compared the cholesterol-lowering effects of statins using Hep G2 hepatoma cells. Pitavastatin reduced the number of viable cells and caused caspase-9 and -3/7 activation in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. The comparison of cytotoxities of statins showed that statins significantly reduced cell viability and markedly enhanced activity of caspase-3/7 in concentration-dependent manner.