Organization of atrial fibrillation using a pure sodium channel blocker: Implications of rotor ablation therapy.

Background: Rotors are the source of atrial fibrillation (AF). However, the ablation of rotors for persistent AF is challenging. The purpose of this study was to identify the dominant rotor by accelerating the organization of AF using a sodium channel blocker and detecting the rotor's preferential area that governs AF.

Important factors in left atrial posterior wall isolation using 28-mm cryoballoon ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation-Block line or isolation area?

Introduction: Left atrial (LA) roof ablation using the cryoballoon technique, combined with pulmonary vein isolation (PVI), has been reported to be beneficial for ablation therapy in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation (AF). Left posterior wall ablation also results in improved patient outcomes. However, the contribution of these techniques to the success of cryoballoon ablation (CBA) treatment of AF is not known.

Successful catheter cryoablation for premature ventricular contractions originating from the para-Hisian region.

We achieved successful catheter cryoablation in a patient with para-Hisian premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) without conduction disturbance using the freeze-thaw-freeze method while observing the atrial-His bundle interval. Cryoablation could be considered an alternative to radiofrequency ablation for patients with para-Hisian PVCs.

Japan ablation registry: cryoablation in atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia ("JARCANRET study"): results from large multicenter retrospective investigation.

Purpose: Cryoenergy has been demonstrated to be a safe alternative to radiofrequency ablation for catheter ablation of atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia (AVNRT). This study aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of cryoablation in patients with AVNRT.

Methods: A multicenter retrospective study was performed.

Novel use of a 3-dimensional mapping system in cryoablation of right-sided and septal accessory pathways: playback ablation.

Purpose: Despite recent advances in the treatment of eliminating accessory pathways (APs), catheter-induced mechanical block (bump) of APs has been reported to result in a less favorable outcome with high primary failure and recurrence rates. The real bump site cannot always be precisely reapproached under fluoroscopy so physicians can perform ablation to a location different from where the mechanical block was encountered. In this paper, we describe this novel use of a 3-dimensional (3D) mapping system (playback ablation) with a case series.

A relation between ablation area and outcome of ablation using 28-mm cryoballon ablation: Importance of carina region.

Introduction: Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) with wide antral ablation leads to better outcomes in atrial fibrillation ablation therapy, but the ablation area is relatively small during cryoballoon ablation (CBA). The present study tested the hypothesis that wide ablation can lead to better outcomes in CBA.

Methods And Results: Ninety-six patients with atrial fibrillation were enrolled (paroxysmal 76%, 64.

Renal Mucinous Tubular and Spindle Cell Carcinoma Shows a High Uptake on F-FDG PET/CT.

We herein report a rare case of mucinous tubular and spindle cell carcinoma (MTSCC) in an 80-year-old woman. A well circumscribed tumor located on the right kidney was discovered incidentally as a result of screening non-contrast CT. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET)/CT showed the increased tracer accumulation in the tumor.

Combined SN-38 and gefitinib treatment promotes CD44 degradation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells.

The aim of the present study was to search for an effective regimen among existing chemotherapies for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Among the tested drugs, we focused on combined SN-38, which is the active metabolite produced from irinotecan hydrochloride - a type I DNA topoisomerase inhibitor - after it is metabolized by carboxylesterase in the liver and gefitinib, an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment, based on the ability of this combination to inhibit HNSCC cell growth. Contrary to our expectation, in vivo, there was no significant difference in tumor growth suppression between gefitinib-only treatment and gefitinib plus SN-38.

Optimized workflow and imaging protocols for whole-body oncologic PET/MRI.

Although PET/MRI has the advantages of a simultaneous acquisition of PET and MRI, high soft-tissue contrast of the MRI images, and reduction of radiation exposure, its low profitability and long acquisition time are significant problems in clinical settings. Thus, MRI protocols that meet oncological purposes need to be used in order to reduce examination time while securing detectability. Currently, half-Fourier acquisition single-shot turbo spin echo and 3D-T1 volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination may be the most commonly used sequences for whole-body imaging due to their shorter acquisition time and higher diagnostic accuracy.

High-gamma power changes after cognitive intervention: preliminary results from twenty-one senior adult subjects.

Introduction: Brain-imaging techniques have begun to be popular in evaluating the effectiveness of cognitive intervention training. Although gamma activities are rarely used as an index of training effects, they have several characteristics that suggest their potential suitability for this purpose. This pilot study examined whether cognitive training in elderly people affected the high-gamma activity associated with attentional processing and whether high-gamma power changes were related to changes in behavioral performance.

Fission Yeast Exo1 and Rqh1-Dna2 Redundantly Contribute to Resection of Uncapped Telomeres.

The uncapping of telomeres induces a DNA damage response. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, deletion of pot1+ causes telomere uncapping and rapid telomere resection, resulting in chromosome fusion. Using the nmt-pot1-aid strain, we previously reported that Pot1 shut-off causes telomere loss and chromosome fusion in S.

Effects of Different Types of Cognitive Training on Cognitive Function, Brain Structure, and Driving Safety in Senior Daily Drivers: A Pilot Study.

Background: Increasing proportion of the elderly in the driving population raises the importance of assuring their safety. We explored the effects of three different types of cognitive training on the cognitive function, brain structure, and driving safety of the elderly.

Methods: Thirty-seven healthy elderly daily drivers were randomly assigned to one of three training groups: Group V trained in a vehicle with a newly developed onboard cognitive training program, Group P trained with a similar program but on a personal computer, and Group C trained to solve a crossword puzzle.

[One-stage resection of intravenous leiomyomatosis extending into the right atrium].

Intravenous leiomyomatosis (IVL) is a benign tumor that originates from a uterine myoma and rarely extends to the heart through the inferior vena cava (IVC). Echocardiography revealed an abnormal mass in the right atrium in a 63-year-old asymptomatic woman. Preoperative examination revealed a tumor extending from a myoma through the right internal iliac vein to the right atrium, and the patient was diagnosed with IVL.

Fission yeast RecQ helicase Rqh1 is required for the maintenance of circular chromosomes.

Protection of telomeres protein 1 (Pot1) binds to single-stranded telomere overhangs and protects chromosome ends. RecQ helicases regulate homologous recombination at multiple stages, including resection, strand displacement, and resolution. Fission yeast pot1 and RecQ helicase rqh1 double mutants are synthetically lethal, but the mechanism is not fully understood.

Anti-UV activity of lignin-carbohydrate complex and related compounds.

Background: We recently reported that an alkaline extract of the leaves of Sasa senanensis Rehder (SE) and Lentinus edodes mycelia extract (LEM), exhibiting lignin-carbohydrate complex (LCC)-like activity, protected cells from UV-induced injury (referred to as anti-UV activity). We investigated whether LCC is the major active components responsible for anti-UV activity.

Materials And Methods: Human oral squamous cell carcinoma HSC-2 cells were exposed to short UV irradiation in phosphate-buffered saline, containing different concentrations of LCC.

Anti-UV activity of Lentinus edodes mycelia extract (LEM).

Background: Using our recently established simple method for evaluating protective activity from ultraviolet ray injury (referred to as 'anti-UV activity'), the effectiveness of various antioxidants and plant extracts was investigated.

Materials And Methods: HSC-2 human oral squamous cell carcinoma cells were exposed to UV irradiation (wavelength: 253.7 nm, 6 J/m²) in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS(-)) containing various concentrations of samples and then incubated for 48 hours in regular culture medium to determine the viable cell number by the MTT method.

Constitutive overexpression of P-glycoprotein, rather than breast cancer resistance protein or organic cation transporter 1, contributes to acquisition of imatinib-resistance in K562 cells.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the contribution of drug transporters in acquired imatinib-resistance. Specifically, we focused on the efflux transporters, P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP), and an influx transporter, organic cation transporter 1 (OCT1).

Materials And Methods: We established imatinib-resistant K562 cells (K562/IM).

A case of type 2 diabetes mellitus developing hypothyroidism discovered as a result of a discrepancy between glycated hemoglobin and glycated albumin values.

We report a case of type 2 diabetes mellitus presenting hypothyroidism due to overeating of seaweed that was noticed as a result of a discrepancy between glycated albumin (GA) and glycated hemoglobin (GHb). A 71-year-old woman was undergoing managed treatment with oral medicines and insulin for diabetes mellitus with no sign of thyroid disease. Her thyroid function was euthyroid without aid of thyroid hormone.

Epidural spinal cord stimulation for the treatment of painful legs and moving toes syndrome.

A case of 51-year-old male with painful legs and moving toes syndrome was successfully treated with epidural spinal cord stimulation. He was previously treated with varieties of medication, epidural block, transcutaneous nerve stimulation, lumbar sympathetic block, with no or only a transient effect. Epidural spinal cord stimulation was applied by means of percutaneously inserted epidural electrodes connected to a percutaneous extension for 2-week test stimulation period and later to a permanent device (ITREL).

A potent inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase, ONO-1714, a cyclic amidine derivative.

(1S,5S,6R,7R)-7-Chloro-3-imino-5-methyl-2-azabicyclo[4.1.0]heptane hydrochloride (ONO-1714), a novel cyclic amidine analogue, inhibits human inducible nitric oxide (iNOS) with a K(i) of 1.

Myocardial high-energy phosphate metabolism in patients with stable chronic dilated cardiomyopathy under a dobutamine-induced prolonged mild workload.

Background: The myocardial phosphocreatine (PCr) to beta-adenosine triphosphate ratio measured by phosphorus 31 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, which is analogous to energy reserve, is one of the important clinical predictors in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). However, it may vary with the cardiac workload.

Method: The myocardial PCr to beta-adenosine triphosphate ratio was measured before and during a 5 and 10 microgram/kg/min infusion of dobutamine in 7 patients with DCM and in 8 normal patients.

The NMDA-receptor antagonist ketamine abolishes neuropathic pain after epidural administration in a clinical case.

A 14-year-old male patient developed severe right limb pain after traumatic sciatic nerve injury. His pain was diagnosed as neuropathic pain (complex regional pain syndrome, type II). He did not respond to any conventional therapy for limb pain including non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, continuous epidural administration of local anesthetics and psychotherapy.

Differentiation of vasospastic angina from noncardiac chest pain by history and coronary risk factors in patients with chest pain at rest.

To determine the efficacy of the medical interview and the coronary risk factor profile in differentiating vasospastic angina from other causes of chest pain, we examined 59 patients who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography with selective intracoronary injection of acetylcholine. In the medical interview, a questionnaire on the characteristics of chest pain and additional symptoms was given. We examined coronary risk factors from laboratory tests, life history, and physical examination.