Distribution of anti-factor Xa activity in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation receiving 15 mg dose of edoxaban.

Background: The distribution of anti-factor Xa activity (AXA) in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) taking edoxaban 15 mg has not been fully elucidated.

Methods And Results: The trough and peak AXA were measured in 19 NVAF patients taking edoxaban 15 mg. We compared these results with those in patients taking edoxaban 30 mg.

Efficacy and safety of atrial fibrillation ablation in heart failure patients with left ventricular ejection fraction less than 50.

Introduction: The efficacy of catheter ablation in patients with low cardiac function has been previously reported; however, only a few studies have included mid-range ejection fraction (mrEF). This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) < 50%.

Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 79 patients (reduced ejection fraction [rEF]/mrEF, 38/41; paroxysmal/persistent, 37/42; heart failure hospitalizations within one year before ablation, 36 [45.

Usefulness of P-wave duration in patients with sick sinus syndrome as a predictor of atrial fibrillation.

Background: This study aimed to clarify P-wave duration (PWD) ability before pacemaker implantation to predict worsening atrial fibrillation (AF) burden after the procedure.

Methods: We retrospectively investigated 75 patients who underwent permanent pacemaker implantation due to sick sinus syndrome (SSS) at Komaki City Hospital between January 2006 and May 2019. Worsening AF burden was defined as an increase in the number of AF episodes, each lasting ≥5.

Low temperature synthesis of barium oxynitridosilicates using BaCN and SiO.

Barium oxynitridosilicates, Ba3Si6O12N2 and Ba3Si6O9N4, were obtained from a mixture of BaCN2 and SiO2 at 800 °C, which is several hundred degrees lower than the temperature required in solid state reactions using BaCO3, SiO2 and Si3N4. The low-temperature formation mechanism was investigated by thermogravimetry analysis in conjunction with gas chromatography and mass spectroscopy. The phase ratio between the oxynitridosilicates was controlled by tuning the reaction temperature, duration, and atmosphere.

Amorphous High-Surface-Area Aluminum Hydroxide-Bicarbonates for Highly Efficient Methyl Orange Removal from Water.

Amorphous high-surface-area aluminum hydroxide-bicarbonates were synthesized starting from AlCl, base, and bicarbonate in water. Composites with a chemical formulas of [AlO(μ-OH)(HO)(OH)](HCO) () and [AlO(μ-OH)(HO)(OH)](HCO) () were obtained by the use of NaOH/NaHCO and NH/NHHCO as base/bicarbonate, respectively. The surface area of the composites was highly dependent on the pH level of the synthetic solution, and composites with high surface areas (ca.

Reduced exercise capacity and clinical outcomes following acute myocardial infarction.

Reduced exercise capacity is known to be an important predictor of poor prognosis and disability in patients with cardiovascular diseases and chronic heart failure, and even members of the general population. However, data about exercise capacity assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients who underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is scarce. Among 594 consecutive AMI patients who underwent primary PCI, we examined 136 patients (85.

Comparison of the measurement properties of the Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale with the Barthel Index in community-dwelling elderly people in Japan.

Background: The new Functional Independence and Difficulty Scale (FIDS) is a tool for assessing the performance of basic activities of daily living (BADL). Because many BADL measures already exist, it is important to know whether FIDS can offer added benefit over the existing measures.

Aims: This study compared measurement properties between the FIDS and a representative BADL assessment tool, the Barthel Index (BI).

Developmentally-regulated excision of the SPβ prophage reconstitutes a gene required for spore envelope maturation in Bacillus subtilis.

Temperate phages infect bacteria by injecting their DNA into bacterial cells, where it becomes incorporated into the host genome as a prophage. In the genome of Bacillus subtilis 168, an active prophage, SPβ, is inserted into a polysaccharide synthesis gene, spsM. Here, we show that a rearrangement occurs during sporulation to reconstitute a functional composite spsM gene by precise excision of SPβ from the chromosome.

Clinical outcome and accommodation in ABO incompatible kidney transplantation.

We performed 84 ABO-incompatible kidney transplants at Toho University since 1989, with plasmapheresis and exchange replacing AB blood group plasma as pre-conditioning to reduce anti-donor blood group antibodies. Our current immunosuppression protocol consists of basiliximab, MMF, steroid, and cyclosporine or tacrolimus, including splenectomy. Overall patient/ graft survival rates (n=84) were 95/93 at one year, 94/92 at 3 years, 87/80 at 5 years, 87/75 at 7 years, and 83/67 at 10 years.

Clinical course of congenital nephrotic syndrome and Denys-Drash syndrome in Japan.

Background: The prognosis of Japanese patients with congenital nephrotic syndrome (CNS) and Denys-Drash syndrome (DDS) is not clear.

Methods: Five patients with CNS and four patients with DDS, which causes secondary CNS, were studied retrospectively.

Results: Seven patients were sporadic and two DDS patients were identical twins.

[Recurrence of sarcoidosis in a hemodialysis patient confirmed by abnormal calcium metabolism].

28-year-old man hospitalized for a fever of unknown origin. This patient was already diagnosed as neurosarcoidosis proven by brain biopsy in 1997, then entered chronic hemodialysis therapy in 2002. The data showed hypercalcemia without taking any calcium agent and vitamin D, also showed suppressed intact-parathyroid hormone and normalized 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D even the condition of end stage renal failure.

Post-transplant early recurrent proteinuria in patients with focal glomerulosclerosis--angiotensin II immunostaining and treatment outcome.

We reviewed the transplantation data and results of histopathological studies with additional angiotensin II (AII) immunostaining of renal graft biopsies of nine cases (10 grafts) with recurrent proteinuria and three controls without recurrent proteinuria that received renal transplantation for primary focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) between 1986 and 2002. Recurrent FSGS was confirmed in six grafts from nine cases by light microscopy. In cases with recurrent proteinuria, loss of graft function was noted in all six renal grafts received between 1986 and early 1992 but in none of four grafts received between late 1992 and 2002.

ABO incompatible kidney transplantation --immunological aspect-.

ABO incompatible kidney transplantation (ABOINCKT) has been developed in Japan because of the shortage of cadaveric donors. We have performed 76 living-donor ABOINCKT in our center. Donor blood type antibody was removed by immunoadsorption or plasmapheresis and exchange.

Development and application of serum cholinesterase activity measurement using benzoylthiocholine iodide.

Background: Measurement of cholinesterase activity in serum is important to identify substantial liver disease and damage by pesticides, and to assess the degree of development of fatty liver and preoperative risk. Many procedures using various artificial substrates have been developed but suffer from problems with substrate specificity and interference by endogenous substances.

Methods: An assay pseudocholinesterase (ChE, EC 3.

Activation of nuclear factor-kappa B and macrophage invasion in cyclosporin A-and tacrolimus-treated renal transplants.

This retrospective study was designed to compare the efficacy of cyclosporin A (CyA) and tacrolimus (FK506) on chronic rejection (CR) associated with nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activation and macrophage invasion. Non-episodic day 50 protocol renal biopsy was performed in 63 consecutive patients with renal transplants from living donors, treated with either CyA or FK506. Southwestern histochemistry for NF-kappaB, immunostaining for CD68, and Banff classification were performed, and these findings were compared with outcome over 34 +/- 13 months.

Detection of gender difference and epitope specificity of IgG antibody activity against IgA1 hinge portion in IgA nephropathy patients by using synthetic hinge peptide and glycopeptide probes.

Background And Aims: There are many reports on the presence of an incompletely glycosylated O-linked oligosaccharide(s) on the IgA1 hinge region in some immunoglobulin (IgA) nephropathy patients. Furthermore, the production of an antibody against the naked hinge peptide portion was reported in an IgA nephropathy patient. In this report, characterization of the IgG antibody against the hinge portion was carried out by using synthetic hinge glycopeptide probes.

Living related kidney transplantation in a patient with autosomal-recessive Alport syndrome.

We discuss a patient with Alport syndrome who received a renal transplant from a donor with thin basement membrane disease. A 30-year-old woman, diagnosed with Alport syndrome on the basis of sensorineural hearing loss, characteristic renal biopsy findings and a family history of microhaematuria, entered chronic haemodialysis therapy. She then received a renal transplant donated from her father, who had sensorineural hearing loss and persistent microhaematuria.

A highly sensitive chemiluminescent reverse transcriptase assay for human immunodeficiency virus.

A simple and highly sensitive reverse transcriptase (RT) assay was developed by combining a previously reported non-radioisotopic RT assay with the use of a template-primer-immobilized microplate, an enzyme capture protocol, product digestion and a chemiluminescent substrate. The assay was able to detect directly the RT activity in serum samples, plasma and cell culture medium without the need for concentration and extraction of the enzyme. The assay was able to detect RT activity equivalent to 100 virions/ml of HIV-1.