Catheter Ablation of Refractory Ventricular Fibrillation Storm After Myocardial Infarction.

Background: Ventricular fibrillation (VF) storm after myocardial infarction (MI) is a life-threatening condition that necessitates multiple defibrillations. Catheter ablation is a potentially effective treatment strategy for VF storm refractory to optimal medical treatment. However, its impact on patient survival has not been verified in a large population.

Anti-demineralization effect of desensitizer containing copolymer and sodium fluoride on root dentin - a transverse microradiographic study.

To evaluate anti-demineralization effects of dentin desensitizer containing sodium fluoride and methacrylate-co-p-styrene sulfonic acid (MS polymer) on root dentin using transverse microradiography (TMR). Twenty-four dentin specimens were divided into four groups: MSO (no fluoride), MSF (3000 ppm F), FJL (9000 ppm F), and Control. In MSO and MSF, each desensitizer was rubbed into the dentin surfaces for 10 s then left for 20 s.

Comparison between esophageal and intestinal temperature responses to upper-limb exercise in individuals with spinal cord injury.

Study Design: Experimental study.

Objective: Individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI) may present with impaired sympathetic control over thermoregulatory responses to environmental and exercise stressors, which can impact regional core temperature (T) measurement. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether regional differences in T responses exist during exercise in individuals with SCI.

Acute and late toxicities in localized prostate cancer patients treated with low-dose I brachytherapy (110 Gy) in combination with external beam radiation therapy versus brachytherapy alone (160 Gy).

Purpose: The aim of this analysis was to compare acute and late toxicities between low-dose-rate brachytherapy (LDR-BT) (110 Gy) in combination with 45 Gy in 25 fractions external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) and LDR-BT (160 Gy) alone for localized prostate cancer.

Material And Methods: One hundred five consecutive patients with localized prostate cancer treated from May 2014 to May 2017 were included in this retrospective analysis. Sixty patients received combination therapy and 45 patients received BT monotherapy.

Urgent cardiac resynchronization therapy is useful in patients with decompensated heart failure requiring inotropes and mechanical circulatory support.

Although cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is beneficial in patients with heart failure (HF) and left ventricular dyssynchrony, its effectiveness has not been established in patients with decompensated HF on mechanical support. Here, we report two patients with decompensated HF depending on inotropes and intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP), who were rescued by urgent CRT implantations. Both patients had non-ischemic cardiomyopathy with wide QRS of left bundle brunch block.

Retinol but not retinoic acid can enhance the glutathione level, in a manner similar to β-carotene, in a murine cultured macrophage cell line.

Scope: We evaluated the potential of retinol and retinoic acid (RA) to enhance intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels in a murine cultured macrophage cell line, RAW264, to investigate whether the RA signaling pathway is involved in the β-carotene-induced GSH enhancement.

Methods And Results: We examined GSH levels in RAW264 cells cultured in media supplemented with β-carotene and various inhibitors (ER50891 for RA receptor (RAR)α, CD2665 for RARβ/γ, or HX531 for all subtypes of retinoid X receptor (RXR)), to verify each inhibitor's activity against β-carotene, as well as in media supplemented with various stimulants (AM80 for RARα, CD2314 for RARβ, CD437 for RARγ, or SR11237 for RXR), to compare their activity with that of β-carotene. We also examined the GSH level and glutamate-cysteine-ligase (GCL) expression in RAW264 cells cultured in all- RA- or retinol-supplemented media.

Significant Association Between Coronary Artery Low-Attenuation Plaque Volume and Apnea-Hypopnea Index, But Not Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity, in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

Background: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is associated with augmented sympathetic nerve activity and cardiovascular diseases. However, the interaction between coronary artery plaque characteristics and sympathetic nerve activity remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationships between coronary artery plaque characteristics, sleep parameters and single- and multi-unit muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) in OSAS patients.

[Questionnaire survey of Scans Without Evidence of Dopaminergic Deficit (SWEDD) in Japan].

We conducted a questionnaire survey to collect epidemiological information on patients with Scans Without Evidence of Dopaminergic Deficit (SWEDD). We sent questionnaires to 4,970 neurology specialists in Japan in July 2015 and received responses from 933 of them. The total number of patients reported to have Parkinson's disease was 39,532, which included 237 cases of SWEDD in patients (111 males, 125 females, and 1 case without a gender description).

Differential effects of lipophilic and hydrophilic statins on muscle sympathetic nerve activity in heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction.

Augmented sympathetic nerve activity is associated with heart failure with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (HFpEF). Lipophilic statins reduce sympathetic nerve activity in patients with heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction. However, little is known about whether all types of statins, regardless of solubility, reduce sympathetic nerve activity in HFpEF.

Systematic estimation of insertion dates of endogenous bornavirus-like elements in vesper bats.

Endogenous bornavirus-like elements (EBLs) are sequences derived from bornaviruses (the family Bornaviridae) that are integrated into animal genomes. They are formed through germline insertions of segments of bornaviral transcripts into animal genomes. Because EBLs are molecular fossils of bornaviruses, they serve as precious sources of information to understand the evolutionary history of bornaviruses.

The potential hazard of a non-slip element balloon causing distal longitudinal stent deformation: the first clinical experience and in vitro assessment.

Background: A new complication, longitudinal stent deformation (LSD), is increasingly reported with recent intracoronary stent designs. There have been experiences of unusual cases of distal LSD caused by entrapment of a Lacrosse® non-slip element (NSE) balloon (Goodman Co., Ltd.

Signal-anchor sequences are an essential factor for the Golgi-plasma membrane localization of type II membrane proteins.

Despite studies of the mechanism underlying the intracellular localization of membrane proteins, the specific mechanisms by which each membrane protein localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus, and plasma membrane in the secretory pathway are unclear. In this study, a discriminant analysis of endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi apparatus and plasma membrane-localized type II membrane proteins was performed using a position-specific scoring matrix derived from the amino acid propensity of the sequences around signal-anchors. The possibility that the sequence around the signal-anchor is a factor for identifying each localization group was evaluated.

Are treatment outcomes in gastric cancer associated with either hospital volume or surgeon volume?

Surgical resection is the only curative treatment for gastric cancer. Postoperative outcomes may be affected by the average or total number of surgeries carried out at an institution (hospital volume) or by a surgeon (surgeon volume). Among seven large-scale studies that each enrolled over 10 000 patients who underwent gastrectomy, six showed that higher hospital volume contributed to a lower mortality rate after gastrectomy.

Effects of vitamin K epoxide reductase complex 1 gene polymorphisms on warfarin control in Japanese patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD).

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate relationships between times in therapeutic range (TTR) or warfarin sensitivity indexes (WSI) and VKORC1-1639G>A and CYP2C9 polymorphisms in patients with left ventricular assist devices (LVAD).

Methods: Severe heart failure patients who received LVAD from January 1, 2013 to October 31, 2017 were recruited. Relationships between TTR or WSI and VKORC1-1639G>A and CYP2C9 gene polymorphisms were investigated immediately after LVAD implantation (period 1) and immediately prior to hospital discharge (period 2).

Randomized Trial of Verubecestat for Mild-to-Moderate Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the deposition of amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques in the brain. Aβ is produced from the sequential cleavage of amyloid precursor protein by β-site amyloid precursor protein-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE-1) followed by γ-secretase. Verubecestat is an oral BACE-1 inhibitor that reduces the Aβ level in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Vitamin D Supplementation is a Promising Therapy for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma in Conjunction with Current Chemoradiation Therapy.

Background: The cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) are well known to play a dominant role in distant metastasis. Nevertheless, the effect on CAFs with current chemoradiation therapies remains uncertain.

Objective: This study aimed to reveal the role of CAFs under current chemoradiation therapy (CRT) and investigate the factors regulating CAFs.

Improvement of thoracic myelopathy following bariatric surgery in an obese patient.

Revision spine surgery is extremely challenging in super-super obese patients (body mass index (BMI) ≥60 kg/m). This is the first report describing how bariatric surgery was useful for a super-super obese patient with progressing myelopathy. A 44-year-old man with a BMI of 62.

In-office bleaching for the remineralization of enamel lesions filled with organic components of red wine.

Purpose: To investigate the effects of in-office bleaching on the remineralization of enamel lesions filled with organic components of red wine.

Methods: Enamel specimens were exposed to 0.1% NaF solution for 1 minute immersed in red wine for 5 days at 37°C, and subjected to in-office bleaching followed by remineralization in 1.

Double venous compression due to duplicated inferior vena cava-induced right common iliac vein thrombosis.

Venous compression syndromes are caused by extrinsic venous compression of anatomical structures, such as the adjacent arteries and bones. Chronic venous compression and pulsative vibratory arterial pressure accelerate the development of deep vein thrombosis. Herein, we report the first case of double venous compressions due to a duplicated inferior vena cava-induced right-sided common iliac vein thrombosis.