Role of protein kinase D1 in vasoconstriction and haemodynamics in rats.

Aims: Protein kinase D (PKD), once considered an effector of protein kinase C (PKC), now plays many pathophysiological roles in various tissues. However, little is known about role of PKD in vascular function. We investigated the role of PKD in contraction of rat aorta and human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) and in haemodynamics in rats.

Aortic arch plaque morphology in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography with wide-volume scan.

Background: Wide-volume scanning with 320-row multidetector computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA-WVS) enables the assessment of the aortic arch plaque (AAP) morphology and coronary arteries without requiring additional contrast volume. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of AAPs and their association with coronary artery disease (CAD) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) in patients who underwent CTCA-WVS.

Methods: This study included 204 patients without known CAD (mean age, 65 years; 53% men) who underwent CTCA-WVS.

Effects of vasopressin during a pulmonary hypertensive crisis induced by acute hypoxia in a rat model of pulmonary hypertension.

Background: A pulmonary hypertensive crisis (PHC) can be a life-threatening condition. We established a PHC model by exposing rats with monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension to acute hypoxia, and investigated the effects of vasopressin, phenylephrine, and norepinephrine on the PHC.

Methods: Four weeks after MCT 60 mg kg administration i.

Long-term air-stable n-channel organic thin-film transistors using 2,5-difluoro-1,4-phenylene-bis{2-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]acrylonitrile}.

A long-term air-stable n-type organic semiconductor, 2,5-difluoro-1,4-phenylene-bis{2-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]acrylonitrile}, was synthesized by a high-yield simple procedure of Knoevenagel condensation with aldehyde and acetonitrile derivatives. A fabricated organic thin-film transistor (OTFT) using this compound exhibited good n-channel OTFT properties with a high electron mobility of 0.17 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and an on/off current ratio of 10(6) under both vacuum and ambient air operation.

Potential requirement of positron emission tomography apparatuses in Asia and latin america including Mexico.

The number of positron emission tomography (PET) machines has been increasing in regions of East-, Southeast-, and South-Asia as well as in Latin America including Mexico. This study was performed to assess the potential requirement of PET machines in 19 countries which already use PET in the aforementioned regions. Data on the number of PET machines and internationally available characteristics of the restrictive countries such as the land area, the total population, the gross national income (GNI), and the average life span of inhabitants were obtained from IAEA, UN, WB, and WHO.

[Usefulness of nuclear medicine extension code keeping the integrity with JJ1017].

Objective: Working group on JJ1017 nuclear medicine domain extension code in the Japanese Society of Nuclear Medicine has created nuclear medicine extension codes keeping the integrity with JJ1017. The objective of this study was to investigate the usefulness of nuclear medicine extension codes in real clinical settings.

Method: Nuclear medicine examinations of each institution were extracted from the examination master table and then the target subset of examinations to be coded with JJ1017 were identified.

Radiation exposure and risk-benefit analysis in cancer screening using FDG-PET: results of a Japanese nationwide survey.

Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate radiation exposure and evaluate the risks and benefits of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in cancer screening.

Methods: A nationwide survey of FDG-PET cancer screening was conducted in 2006, and the results were analyzed with a common index, "extension/shortening of the average life expectancy."

Results: The average estimated effective dose was 4.

Analysis of various malignant neoplasms detected by FDG-PET cancer screening program: based on a Japanese Nationwide Survey.

Objective: The most distinctive feature of FDG-PET cancer screening program is the ability to find various kinds of malignant neoplasms in a single test. The aim of this survey is to clarify the range and frequency of various malignant neoplasms detected by FDG-PET cancer screening performed in Japan.

Methods: "FDG-PET cancer screening" was defined as FDG-PET or positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) scan with or without other tests performed for cancer screening of healthy subjects.

The Japanese national health screening and intervention program aimed at preventing worsening of the metabolic syndrome.

Similar to the healthcare systems in other industrialized countries, the Japanese healthcare system is facing the problem of increasing medical expenditure. In Japan, this situation may be primarily attributed to advanced technological developments, an aging population, and increasing patient demand. Japan also faces the problem of a declining youth population due to a low birth rate.

[Business administration of PET facilities: a cost analysis of three facilities utilizing delivery FDG].

Background: PET (positron emission tomography) has been proved to be a powerful imaging tool in clinical oncology. The number of PET facilities in Japan has remarkably increased over the last decade. Furthermore, the approval of delivery FDG in 2005 resulted in a tremendous expansion of the PET institutions without a cyclotron facility.

[Business administration of PET facilities: a nationwide survey for prices of PET screening and a cost analysis of three facilities].

The purpose of this study is to analyze the business administration of PET facilities based on the survey of the price of PET cancer screening and cost analysis of PET examination. The questionnaire survey of the price of PET cancer screening was implemented for all PET facilities in Japan. Cost data of PET examination, including fixed costs and variable costs, were obtained from three different medical institutions.

Relationship between (99m)Tc-GSA scintigraphic indices of liver function reserve and portal circulation in patients with chronic liver disease.

Objectives: In order to predict the prognosis or complications of portal hypertension in patients with chronic liver disease, it is important to evaluate both hepatic functional reserve and portal circulation. On (99m)Tc-galactosyl human serum albumin ((99m)Tc-GSA) scintigraphy, the index of blood clearance (HH15) and receptor index (LHL15) have been widely used to evaluate the hepatic functional reserve. However, the relationship between these indices and portal circulation is unknown.

Arteriovenous malformation of the gallbladder: CT and angiographic findings.

We encountered a case of arteriovenous malformation (AVM) of the gallbladder in a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed serpentine vessels around and within the gallbladder wall. Angiography showed dilated and tortuous cystic arteries, a racemose vascular network, and early-filling cystic veins.

Cortical activation shortly after cochlear implantation.

We evaluated the cortical activations in postlingually deaf cochlear implant (CI) users in the early period (0-2 months) of CI usage. The subjects were 8 early CI users and 8 normal subjects. With tone burst stimuli (1 kHz) delivered to the right side, strong and broad activation of the ipsilateral (right) primary auditory cortex with 2 peaks and weaker activation of the contralateral (left) temporal lobe were observed in early CI users, in a clear contrast with the normal subjects in whom activation was observed in a small area of the contralateral (left) primary cortex.

Extraosseous accumulation of 99mTc-MDP in lymph node metastases of small cell carcinoma of the esophagus.

We report a case of esophageal carcinoma that showed extraosseous accumulation of 99mTc-MDP in lymph node metastases to the cervical and paracardial lymph nodes. There are few cases showing abnormal extraosseous accumulation of 99mTc-MDP in esophageal cancer lesion. The patient was a 53-year-old man with advanced esophageal cancer.

FDG-PET after radiotherapy is a good prognostic indicator of rectal cancer.

Unlabelled: In the management of rectal cancer after the combined therapy of the radiation and surgical operation, the evaluation of the prognosis is important. Although fluoro- 18-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) is considered as a useful tool for evaluation of therapeutic effect of this cancer as well as the other cancers, however, there are few articles that clearly describe the appropriate procedure of the FDG-PET in order to obtain the best prognostic value. The purpose of the present study is to compare several variations of a semi-quantification method, the Standardized Uptake Values (SUV) and to determine the most appropriate parameter, for the prognostic prediction and to propose the quantitative guideline of the FDG-PET.