Cholangiocyte organoids for disease, cancer, and regenerative medicine.

The biliary tract is a ductal network comprising the intrahepatic (IHBDs) and extrahepatic bile duct (EHBDs). Biliary duct disorders include cholangitis, neoplasms, and injury. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood.

A Case of Severe Post-Biopsy Bleeding and Perforation in Gastric Amyloidosis.

We herein describe a case of severe post-biopsy bleeding and perforation in gastric amyloidosis. A 70-year-old man who had been on dialysis underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy and biopsy was performed. Post-biopsy bleeding occurred, and three times of coagulation hemostasis and once clip hemostasis were performed.

A case of duodenal adenocarcinoma with a gastric phenotype demonstrating a rapidly progressive course.

We herein report a rare case of duodenal adenocarcinoma with a rapidly progressive course. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed Brunner's gland hyperplasia in the bulbs of the duodenum three years prior to this presentation. Two years earlier, gastric foveolar metaplasia had been observed in the bulbs.

The expression of the formin Fhod3 in mouse tongue striated muscle.

The sarcomere is the contractile unit of striated muscle and is composed of actin and myosin filaments. There is increasing evidence to support that actin assembly mediated by Fhod3, a member of the formin family of proteins, is critical for sarcomere formation and maintenance in cardiac muscle. Fhod3, which is abundantly expressed in the heart, localizes to the center of sarcomeres and contributes to the regulation of the cardiac function, as evidenced by the fact that mutations in Fhod3 cause cardiomyopathy.

Two Cases of Gastric Adenocarcinoma with Enteroblastic Differentiation which Demonstrated Rapid Progressive Courses.

We herein report two extremely rare cases of gastric adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation (GAED) that underscore the aggressive nature of GAED. Case 1: ESD was scheduled for early-stage gastric cancer, however, the tumor increased in size drastically and the morphology changed to type "0-I + IIc" in one month. Surgery was performed and the patient was diagnosed with GAED.

Sporadic gastric juvenile polyposis with a novel SMAD4 nonsense mutation in a mosaic pattern.

A 50-year-old female was diagnosed with gastric hyperplastic polyps 7 years before and was followed up at another hospital. She was referred to our hospital because of the growth of gastric polyps and progression of anemia. She had no family history of polyposis.

A case of hepatic reactive lymphoid hyperplasia: the review of 23 cases from the literatures.

A 70-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of slight elevation of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) and accumulation of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in S8 of the liver on positron emission tomography. The mass was strongly suspected to be malignant because of contrast enhancement and enlargement in size of the mass, and suspicion of portal vein invasion. Hepatic S8 subsegmentectomy was performed for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes.

Endovascular Aortic Repair for Thoracic Aortic Compression Resulting From Chance Fracture of the Thoracic Spine.

Blunt aortic injury is a serious condition with a high mortality rate. Although rare, blunt aortic injury associated with spinal fracture has also been reported, and appropriate management of aortic disease is key to a good outcome. This report is a case of a 78-year-old man who was found to have a transverse fracture (Chance fracture) in the ninth thoracic vertebra, with a sharp bone fragment compressing the thoracic aorta.

[A case of SIADH due to pancreatic cancer was improved by tolvaptan].

We report the case of a 68-year-old man, who presented in emergency care with inarticulate speech. The patient was diagnosed with syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) associated with pancreatic cancer. All diagnostic criteria for SIADH were met, and cancer of the pancreatic tail was identified by computed tomography.

A new combination technique of the modified Robicsek wire fixation and plate fixation achieves effective repair of transverse sternal fracture: a report of two cases.

Background: To maximize the therapeutic effect for complicated sternal fracture, we should know advantages and disadvantages of each surgical repositioning technique, and the choice of an appropriate procedure is essential. We report two successful cases for which a combination of two existing techniques, modified Robicsek wire fixation and locked titanium plate fixation, was applied to transverse sternal fracture with flail chest.

Case Presentation: One patient experienced a transverse sternal and rib fracture due to a traffic injury.

Differential effects of the formin inhibitor SMIFH2 on contractility and Ca handling in frog and mouse cardiomyocytes.

Genetic mutations in actin regulators have been emerging as a cause of cardiomyopathy, although the functional link between actin dynamics and cardiac contraction remains largely unknown. To obtain insight into this issue, we examined the effects of pharmacological inhibition of formins, a major class of actin-assembling proteins. The formin inhibitor SMIFH2 significantly enhanced the cardiac contractility of isolated frog hearts, thereby augmenting cardiac performance.

Successful papillary muscle approximation for severe mitral regurgitation via apical cuff hole in HeartMate 3 implantation via left anterior thoracotomy.

We herein report a case of successful papillary muscle approximation for severe mitral regurgitation and HeartMate 3 left ventricular assist device implantation via left anterior thoracotomy in a 39-year-old man diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy. He underwent papillary muscle approximation in the mitral valve for severe functional regurgitation via the apical cuff hole. The postoperative course was uneventful.

Determinants of Changes in Arterial Stiffness after Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair.

Background: Aortic stent grafting can cause aortic stiffening and increase pulse wave velocity (PWV), which can potentially affect long-term cardiovascular outcomes. The aim of this study was to clarify the factors contributing to increases in PWV after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR).

Methods: We included 64 patients with thoracic aortic pathology (51 men; mean age, 73 years) who underwent elective TEVAR, in this study.

Preoperative distal aortic diameter is a significant predictor of late aorta-related events after endovascular repair for chronic type B aortic dissection.

Objectives: Long-term therapeutic effects of thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for chronic type B aortic dissection remain controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the possible predictors of late aortic rupture and re-interventions after TEVAR.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the operative outcomes of 40 patients who underwent TEVAR for chronic type B aortic dissection at Kyushu University Hospital.

A case of giant right coronary artery aneurysm due to IgG4-related disease.

A man diagnosed with immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4)-related disease at the age of 65 years underwent abdominal aortic replacement due to an abdominal aortic aneurysm. In the same hospitalization period, a small coronary artery aneurysm was noticed. He was treated with corticosteroids and his serum IgG levels returned to normal.

Interaction between cardiac myosin-binding protein C and formin Fhod3.

Mutations in cardiac myosin-binding protein C (cMyBP-C) are a major cause of familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Although cMyBP-C has been considered to regulate the cardiac function via cross-bridge arrangement at the C-zone of the myosin-containing A-band, the mechanism by which cMyBP-C functions remains unclear. We identified formin Fhod3, an actin organizer essential for the formation and maintenance of cardiac sarcomeres, as a cMyBP-C-binding protein.

The actin-organizing formin protein Fhod3 is required for postnatal development and functional maintenance of the adult heart in mice.

Cardiac development and function require actin-myosin interactions in the sarcomere, a highly organized contractile structure. Sarcomere assembly mediated by formin homology 2 domain-containing 3 (Fhod3), a member of formins that directs formation of straight actin filaments, is essential for embryonic cardiogenesis. However, the role of Fhod3 in the neonatal and adult stages has remained unknown.

Long-term results after treatment of the ascending aorta for bicuspid aortic valve patients.

Purpose: We evaluated the long-term results of aortic valve replacement for bicuspid aortic valve patients with or without surgical treatment of the ascending aorta.

Methods: A total of 145 bicuspid aortic valve patients had undergone aortic valve replacement since 1974 at our institution. No surgical treatment (Group-N; n = 115) was performed in the ascending aorta if the diameter was less than 40 mm.

Mesenchymal-stem-cell-derived exosomes accelerate skeletal muscle regeneration.

Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation is used for treatment of many diseases. The paracrine role of MSCs in tissue regeneration is attracting particular attention. We investigate the role of MSC exosomes in skeletal muscle regeneration.

Endovascular Surgery for Traumatic Thoracic Aortic Injury: Our Experience with Five Cases, Two of Whom were Young Patients.

Objectives: We present our experience of endovascular surgery for traumatic aortic injury and the results of our procedures.

Materials And Methods: From January 2009 to December 2013, we performed endovascular repairs of traumatic thoracic aortic injury on 5 male patients 16-75 years old (mean, 50.8), two of whom were young.

Cardiac energetics analysis after aortic valve replacement with 16-mm ATS mechanical valve.

The 16-mm ATS mechanical valve is one of the smallest prosthetic valves used for aortic valve replacement (AVR) in patients with a very small aortic annulus, and its clinical outcomes are reportedly satisfactory. Here, we analyzed the left ventricular (LV) performance after AVR with the 16-mm ATS mechanical valve, based on the concept of cardiac energetics analysis. Eleven patients who underwent AVR with the 16-mm ATS mechanical valve were enrolled in this study.

Rapid progression of left ventricular thrombus with left ventricular dysfunction detected by preoperative transthoracic echocardiography.

We report a successfully treated case of rapid progressive left ventricular (LV) thrombus with ischemic cardiomyopathy. Initially, the patient was scheduled to undergo only coronary artery bypass grafting. After two months, preoperative echocardiography revealed a previously undetected ball-like thrombus in the LV cavity.