Control by one drop of solvent: selective preparation of guest release/trap-triggered interconvertible molecular crystals.

Interconvertible molecular crystals 1 and 1 composed of 4-pyridyl-1,3-indanedione dimer 1 were selectively obtained. Thermal removal of solvent molecules in 1 afforded 1. Further dipping of 1 in a specific solvent reproduced 1.

Practical assessment of myocardial viability with a positron coincidence gamma camera using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose in acute myocardial infarction: comparison with dedicated positron emission tomography and 201Tl single photon emission computed tomography.

Objective: 2-[(18)F] fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ((18)F-FDG) began to be supplied commercially to our hospital, which does not have a cyclotron, in autumn of 2005. The purpose of this study was to compare the utility of a dual-head positron coincidence detection (PCD) gamma camera in the detection of myocardial viability using (18)F-FDG with that of dedicated positron emission tomography (PET) and with that of thallium-201 ((201)Tl) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).

Methods: A total of 15 patients (14 men and 1 woman, mean age: 60+/-7 years, range: 46-73) with a large acute myocardial infarction (AMI) underwent (18)F-FDG PET, (18)F-FDG PCD imaging after oral glucose loading (75 g) and (201)Tl SPECT imaging.

Effectiveness of nocturnal home oxygen therapy to improve exercise capacity, cardiac function and cardiac sympathetic nerve activity in patients with chronic heart failure and central sleep apnea.

Background: Central sleep apnea, often found in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), has a high risk of poor prognosis.

Methods And Results: This study involved 20 patients with CHF (left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <45%, M/F =19/1, age 65+/-10 years) and an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) >5 times/h who were divided into 2 groups: 10 patients treated with nocturnal home oxygen therapy (HOT) and 10 patients without HOT (non-HOT). All patients had dilated cardiomyopathy and underwent overnight polysomnography, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, and nuclear cardiac examinations to evaluate AHI, exercise capacity according to the specific activity scale and oxygen uptake at anaerobic threshold and peak exercise (peak VO(2)).

Digestion and gastrointestinal absorption of the 14-16-kDa rice allergens.

The digestibility and gastrointestinal absorption of 14-16-kDa rice allergens (RAs) were investigated. RAs and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were first evaluated for their digestibility. BSA was digested completely by in vitro incubation with some proteases, but RAs remained almost intact.

Nicorandil administration shows cardioprotective effects in patients with poor TIMI and collateral flow as well as good flow after AMI.

Background: Nicorandil (NCR) has been reported to have cardioprotective effects in patients with AMI. And collateral flow and TIMI flow are also important determinants of final salvaged myocardium in patients with AMI. There is no evidence as to whether TIMI or collateral flow modifies the cardioprotective effects of NCR in patients with AMI.

Effectiveness of distal protection with the GuardWire Plus during primary angioplasty for acute myocardial infarction.

Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of distal protection with the GuardWire Plus during primary angioplasty in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Methods: Thirty-eight consecutive patients undergoing stent implantation with distal protection using the GuardWire Plus (DP-group) were compared with a matched control group undergoing conventional stent implantation after balloon angioplasty without distal protection (NDP-group). Microvascular circulation after revascularization was assessed by Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) flow grade, myocardial blush grade (MBG), serum creatine kinase peak release, and ST resolution.

Prediction of functional improvement of ischemic myocardium with (123I-BMIPP SPECT and 99mTc-tetrofosmin SPECT imaging: a study of patients with large acute myocardial infarction and receiving revascularization therapy.

Background: (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET) is assumed to be the most useful method of evaluating the viability of the myocardium, but its use is limited by the need for a cyclotron. In the present study, the ability of a combination of (99m)Tc-tetrofosmin (TF) and (123)I-beta-methyliodophenyl pentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), a combination of (18)F-FDG PET and (123)I-BMIPP SPECT, and a combination of (18)F-FDG PET and (99m)Tc-TF SPECT were compared to predict functional improvement of ischemic myocardium after a large acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods And Results: Ten patients with large AMI were studied by (99m)Tc-TF SPECT, (123)I-BMIPP SPECT and (18)F-FDG PET within 3 weeks.

Evaluation of myocardial viability following acute myocardial infarction using 201Tl SPECT after thallium-glucose-insulin infusion--comparison with 18F-FDG positron emission tomography.

Objective And Methods: The aim of this study was to evaluate myocardial viability in patients after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). We compared 201Tl SPECT after 201Tl with GIK (10% glucose 250 ml, insulin 5 U and KCl 10 mEq) infusion (GIK-201Tl) with resting 201Tl and 99mTc-pyrophosphate (PYP) dual SPECT, positron emission computed tomography (PET) using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) in 21 patients with their first AMI, who all underwent successful reperfusion. GIK-201Tl SPECT, 201Tl and 99mTc-PYP dual SPECT were done within 10 days after admission and 18F-FDG-PET was performed at 3 weeks.

High numbers of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli found in bovine faeces collected at slaughter in Japan.

The prevalence and concentration of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in cattle faeces (n=605) at the time of slaughter was studied in Shimane Prefecture, Japan on a monthly basis between April 2000 and March 2001. Screening with stx-PCR determined a prevalence of 37.5%.

Usefulness of quantitative gated single-photon emission computed tomography to evaluate ventricular synchrony in patients receiving biventricular pacing.

Quantitative gated single-photon emission computed tomography was performed in 10 patients before and shortly after (<1 month) receiving biventricular pacing (BVP). They were divided into 2 groups (responder and nonresponder groups) on the basis of clinical status and echocardiographic parameters 18 +/- 6 months later. In the responder group, left ventricular synchrony shortly after BVP improved significantly compared with that before BVP (p <0.

Ecology of Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in brackish environments of the Sada River in Shimane Prefecture, Japan.

While there are several studies on the ecology of Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus in estuarine water environments around the world, there is little information on the distribution of both organisms during the cold-weather months. Thus, we conducted a multi-year study on the ecology of both organisms in brackish environments of the Sada River, a drainage canal flowing slowly into the Japan Sea from Lake Shinji in Shimane Prefecture, Japan. Water samples were collected twice a month at five sites from August 2000 to May 2002.

Evaluation of salvaged myocardium after acute myocardial infarction using single photon emission computed tomography after 201Tl-glucose-insulin infusion.

Background: GIK-201Tl imaging reportedly improves the detection of viable myocardium, so the present study evaluated whether it can detect myocardial viability after acute myocardial infarction (AMI).

Methods And Results: Resting 201Tl and 99mTc-pyrophosphate (PYP) dual single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and 201Tl SPECT after 201Tl with GIK (10% glucose, insulin 5 U, and KCl 10 mmol) infusion (GIK-201Tl) were performed in 25 AMI patients within 10 days of admission. GIK-201Tl SPECT images were obtained immediately and 4 h after infusion.

Efficacy of amiodarone treatment on cardiac symptom, function, and sympathetic nerve activity in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: comparison with beta-blocker therapy.

Background: Amiodarone, which is an antiarrhythmic drug used to treat life-threatening arrhythmias, is effective in patients with chronic heart failure. However, its effectiveness compared with beta-blockers has not yet been reported.

Methods And Results: In 30 patients (mean age, 57 +/- 13 years) with dilated cardiomyopathy, we compared 15 patients receiving amiodarone (group A) with 15 patients receiving metoprolol (group B).

Duplex real-time SYBR green PCR assays for detection of 17 species of food- or waterborne pathogens in stools.

A duplex real-time SYBR Green LightCycler PCR (LC-PCR) assay with DNA extraction using the QIAamp DNA Stool Mini kit was evaluated with regard to detection of 8 of 17 species of food- or waterborne pathogens in five stool specimens in 2 h or less. The protocol used the same LC-PCR with 20 pairs of specific primers. The products formed were identified based on a melting point temperature (T(m)) curve analysis.

Efficacy of carvedilol treatment on cardiac function and cardiac sympathetic nerve activity in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy: comparison with metoprolol therapy.

Unlabelled: Carvedilol and metoprolol have been reported to be effective in the treatment of patients with chronic heart failure. However, to our knowledge, there have been no studies comparing the effects of the 2 drugs on cardiac function, including cardiac sympathetic nerve activity.

Methods: We compared 15 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) who were receiving carvedilol (group A) with 15 patients with DCM who were receiving metoprolol (group B).