Prevalence Estimation of Dysfibrinogenemia Using the Clauss-CWA Approach.

Introduction: The actual prevalence of the qualitative fibrinogen abnormalities dysfibrinogenemia and hypodysfibrinogenemia is unknown. The major reasons are that patients with dysfibrinogenemia are frequently asymptomatic, and a recommended screening test, the Clauss fibrinogen assay, cannot completely distinguish qualitative from quantitative abnormalities. We previously established a high-throughput screening test (Clauss-CWA) to identify dysfibrinogenemia with high specificity and sensitivity by the Clauss fibrinogen assay alone.

Two Distinct Atrial Breakthroughs During Fast-Slow Atrioventricular Nodal Reentrant Tachycardia.

Introduction: The slow atrioventricular nodal pathway (SP) typically has a single atrial breakthrough site.

Methods And Results: We report a case of fast-slow type AVNRT with two distinct atrial breakthrough sites during tachycardia. The earliest atrial activation site (EAAS) was at the right inferior septum, followed by the inferolateral wall of the tricuspid annulus.

Raman microscopy of cryofixed biological specimens for high-resolution and high-sensitivity chemical imaging.

Raman microscopy is an emerging molecular imaging technology, yet its signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in measurements of biological specimens is severely limited because of the small cross section of Raman scattering. Here, we present Raman imaging techniques of cryofixed specimens to overcome SNR limitations by enabling long exposure of specimens under highly stabilized low-temperature conditions. The observation of frozen specimens in a cryostat at a constant low temperature immediately after rapid freezing enabled the improvement of SNR and enhanced the spatial and spectral resolution.

Characteristics of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinomas Based on Circumferential Localization.

Background And Aim: In terms of their longitudinal positioning, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) commonly arises in the middle segment of the esophagus. However, limited attention has been given to the circumferential aspect. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of ESCC lesions resected via endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), taking into consideration both longitudinal and circumferential positions.