Spatial and temporal variability of the complex fractionated atrial electrogram activity and dominant frequency in human atrial fibrillation.

Background: The presence of complex fractionated atrial electrograms (CFAEs) and high dominant frequencies (DFs) during atrial fibrillation (AF) have been demonstrated to be related to AF maintenance. Therefore, sequential mapping of CFAEs and DFs have been used for target sites of AF ablation. However, such mapping strategies are valid only if the CFAEs and DFs are spatiotemporally stable during the mapping procedure.

A case of cardiac sarcoidosis presenting with double tachycardia.

Although the most feared cardiac manifestation in cardiac sarcoidosis is the onset of ventricular arrhythmia, some patients may present with supraventricular arrhythmias. We present a rare case of cardiac sarcoidosis associated with double tachycardia manifesting as atrial flutter and ventricular tachycardia.

Recovery of the Corneal Stroma Associated With Rapid Reepithelialization Induced by the Fibronectin-Derived Peptide PHSRN in 2 Cases of Corneal Perforation Due to a Persistent Epithelial Defect.

Purpose: To report 2 cases of corneal perforation associated with a persistent epithelial defect (PED), which were treated with eye drops containing the fibronectin-derived peptide PHSRN (Pro-His-Ser-Arg-Asn).

Methods: A 67-year-old man and a 58-year-old man presented with corneal perforation associated with a PED caused by lagophthalmos. PHSRN eye drops were administered 4 times a day to both patients.

Platelet reactivity and hemorrhage risk in neurointerventional procedures under dual antiplatelet therapy.

Background And Purpose: Hemorrhagic complications during neurointerventional procedures have various etiologies and can result in severe morbidity and mortality. This study investigated the possible association between low platelet reactivity measured by the VerifyNow assay and increased hemorrhagic complications during elective neurointervention under dual antiplatelet therapy.

Methods: From May 2010 to April 2013 we recorded baseline characteristics, P2Y12 reaction units (PRU), and aspirin reaction units using VerifyNow.

MRI-detected bone marrow changes within 3 weeks after initiation of high-dose corticosteroid therapy: a possible change preceding the subsequent appearance of low-intensity band in femoral head osteonecrosis.

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head is considered to occur early during the course of corticosteroid treatment. However, it remains unclear exactly how early it can develop after initiation of corticosteroid treatment. We report a case of osteonecrosis of the femoral head in which abnormal findings were observed on short-tau inversion recovery (STIR) sequence image performed 2 weeks and 4 days after initiation of high-dose corticosteroid therapy.

SNP55, a new functional polymorphism of MDM2-P2 promoter, contributes to allele-specific expression of MDM2 in endometrial cancers.

Background: The functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the MDM2 promoter region, SNP309, is known to be associated with various diseases, particularly cancer. Although many studies have been performed to demonstrate the mechanism of allele-specific expression (ASE) on SNP309, they have only utilized in vitro techniques. It is unknown whether ASE of MDM2 is ascribed solely to SNP309, in vivo.

Effect of cryoballoon inflation at the right superior pulmonary vein orifice on phrenic nerve location.

Background: Cryoballoon catheter ablation was developed to simplify ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). Initial enthusiasm for its widespread use has been dampened by phrenic nerve (PN) injury (PNI).

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of cryoballoon inflation at the right superior pulmonary vein (RSPV) orifice on PN location and to elucidate the potential mechanism of PNI.

High Frequency of Early Repolarization and Brugada-Type Electrocardiograms in Hypercalcemia.

Background: J wave, or early repolarization has recently been associated with an increased risk of lethal arrhythmia and sudden death, both in idiopathic ventricular fibrillation and in the general population. Hypercalcemia is one of the causes of J point and ST segment elevation, but the relationship has not been well studied. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of hypercalcemia on J point elevation.

Ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma with a noninvasive growth pattern simulating a serous borderline tumor.

Ovarian serous borderline tumors (SBTs) being a precursor of low-grade serous carcinomas are morphologically characterized by noninvasive growth and low-grade cytology. On the other hand, many pathologists regard cytologically high-grade, noninvasive (HG-noninv) ovarian serous tumors resembling SBTs in low magnification as conventional high-grade serous carcinomas (HGSCs) by personal experiences. Nonetheless, there are no established molecular characteristic of such tumors.

Frequency analysis of atrial fibrillation from the specific ECG leads V7-V9: A lower DF in lead V9 is a marker of potential atrial remodeling.

Introduction: High dominant frequency (DF) sites during atrial fibrillation (AF) play an important role in the perpetuation of AF. We investigated the relationship between the DFs from intracardiac electrograms (iEGM) and the surface electrocardiogram (ECG) during AF, and the relationship between the surface ECG DF and atrial remodeling.

Methods: In 48 patients (57±11 years, 47 males, 20 paroxysmal), the V1-6 precordial leads and specific V7-9 ECG leads were recorded for 8s for an off-line analysis before AF ablation.

Outcome of transtrochanteric rotational osteotomy for posttraumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head with a mean follow-up of 12.3 years.

Introduction: This study examined the outcomes of applying transtrochanteric rotational osteotomy (TRO) for posttraumatic osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ON).

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 28 hips in 28 patients (male, n = 17; female n = 11) with a mean age of 34.8 years (12-61 years) at the time of TRO.

Clinical Features and Treatment Outcomes of 81 Patients with Aggressive Type Adult T-cell Leukemia-lymphoma at a Single Institution over a 7-year Period (2006-2012).

Objective: Despite the remarkable advances in chemotherapy and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), adult T-cell leukemia-lymphoma (ATL) is still associated with a high mortality rate. It is therefore essential to elucidate the current features of ATL.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 81 patients with aggressive type ATL at our institution over a 7-year period based on Shimoyama's diagnostic criteria.

Up-regulation of DRP-3 long isoform during the induction of neural progenitor cells by glutamate treatment in the ex vivo rat retina.

Glutamate has been shown to induce neural progenitor cells in the adult vertebrate retina. However, protein dynamics during progenitor cell induction by glutamate are not fully understood. To identify specific proteins involved in the process, we employed two-dimensional electrophoresis-based proteomics on glutamate untreated and treated retinal ex vivo sections.

Retrospective Analysis of Concurrent Chemoradiation with Triweekly Cisplatin plus 5-Fluorouracil Versus Weekly Cisplatin in Cervical Cancer.

Background/aim: Concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) is the standard treatment for locally advanced cervical cancer. The purpose of the study was to compare the outcomes of triweekly cisplatin plus 5-fluorouracil and weekly cisplatin regimens.

Patients And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed data from 91 patients with stage IB1-IVA cervical cancer.

Frequency characteristics and associations with the defibrillation threshold of ventricular fibrillation in patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators.

Objective: The dominant frequency (DF) in frequency analyses is considered to represent the objective cycle length and complexity of activation under conditions of ventricular fibrillation (VF). However, knowledge regarding the mechanisms determining the DF in human VF is limited. We studied the characteristics of the DF of human VF and relationship between DF and the defibrillation threshold.

Importance of nonpulmonary vein foci in catheter ablation for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.

Background: Pulmonary vein (PV) isolation is an established treatment strategy for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). However, the recurrence rate of PAF is 8% to 37%, despite repeated procedures, and the catheter ablation strategy for PAF with non-PV foci is unclear.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the PAF ablation strategy for non-PV foci.

Origin of IgM(+)IgG(+) lymphocytes in the bursa of Fabricius.

IgM(+)IgG(+) B cells were detected, by immunofluorescence staining of single cells, in the bursa of Fabricius after hatching. To study the role of maternal IgG (MIgG) in this emergence of IgM(+)IgG(+) B cells, MIgG-free chicks were established from surgically bursectomized hens. Deprivation of MIgG in chicks completely prevented the appearance of IgM(+)IgG(+) B cells in the bursa 1 week after hatching.

Attenuation of EMT in RPE cells and subretinal fibrosis by an RAR-γ agonist.

Unlabelled: Subretinal fibrosis contributes to the loss of vision associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells play a key role in the pathogenesis of AMD including the fibrotic reaction. We examined the role of retinoic acid receptor-γ (RAR-γ) in the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and other fibrosis-related processes in mouse RPE cells cultured in a type I collagen gel.

Relation Between Left Atrial Wall Thickness in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Intracardiac Electrogram Characteristics and ATP-Provoked Dormant Pulmonary Vein Conduction.

Introduction: Atrial remodeling plays a key role in development of the substrate for atrial fibrillation (AF). Whether the wall thicknesses of the left atrium (LA) and pulmonary vein (PV)-LA junction affect remodeling and AF ablation is unknown. We investigated the relationship between wall thicknesses, electrogram characteristics, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-provoked dormant PV conduction as they pertain to AF.

Uterine myxoid leiomyosarcoma with tumor embolism extending into the right atrium.

Uterine myxoid leiomyosarcoma (MLMS) is an extremely rare variant of uterine leiomyosarcoma; only 56 cases were reported from 1982 to 2013. Uterine MLMS is characterized by a myxoid appearance and highly malignant behavior. We herein report a case involving a 65-year-old woman with uterine MLMS with a large tumor embolism that reached the right atrium.

Clinical tumor diameter and prognosis of patients with FIGO stage IB1 cervical cancer (JCOG0806-A).

Objective: In order to determine indications for less radical surgery such as modified radical hysterectomy, the risk of pathological parametrial involvement and prognosis of FIGO stage IB1 cervical cancer patients undergoing standard radical hysterectomy with pre-operatively assessed tumor diameter≤2 cm were investigated.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective multi-institutional chart review of patients with FIGO stage IB1 cervical cancer who underwent primary surgical treatment between 1998 and 2002. The eligibility criteria for the analyses were (i) histologically-proven squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma or, adenosquamous cell carcinoma, (ii) radical hysterectomy performed, (iii) clinical tumor diameter data available by MR imaging or specimens by cone biopsy, and (iv) age between 20 and 70.

All-trans-retinoic acid inhibition of transforming growth factor-β-induced collagen gel contraction mediated by human Tenon fibroblasts: role of matrix metalloproteinases.

Background/aims: Scarring and contraction of the conjunctiva are common complications of many ocular diseases. We investigated the effects of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) on the contractility of human Tenon's capsule fibroblasts (HTFs) cultured in a three-dimensional collagen gel.

Methods: HTFs were cultured in a three-dimensional gel of type I collagen and in the absence or presence of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, ATRA, or an inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs).

Necrotic enlargement of cone photoreceptor cells and the release of high-mobility group box-1 in retinitis pigmentosa.

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) refers to a group of inherited retinal degenerations resulting form rod and cone photoreceptor cell death. The rod cell death due to deleterious genetic mutations has been shown to occur mainly through apoptosis, whereas the mechanisms and features of the secondary cone cell death have not been fully elucidated. Our previous study showed that the cone cell death in rd10 mice, an animal model of RP, involves necrotic features and is partly mediated by the receptor interacting protein kinase.

Genomic, Epigenomic, and Transcriptomic Profiling towards Identifying Omics Features and Specific Biomarkers That Distinguish Uterine Leiomyosarcoma and Leiomyoma at Molecular Levels.

Uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS) is the worst malignancy among the gynecologic cancers. Uterine leiomyoma (LM), a benign tumor of myometrial origin, is the most common among women of childbearing age. Because of their similar symptoms, it is difficult to preoperatively distinguish the two conditions only by ultrasound and pelvic MRI.

Up-regulation of semaphorin 4A expression in human retinal pigment epithelial cells by PACAP released from cocultured neural cells.

Development and homeostasis of multicellular organisms require interactions between neighbouring cells. We recently established an in vitro model of cell-cell interaction based on a collagen vitrigel membrane. We have now examined the role of neural cells in retinal homeostasis by coculture of human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells and neural cells on opposite sides of such a membrane.