[A case of bilateral cervical internal carotid artery dissection following herpes zoster of the trigeminal nerve].

A 62 year-old man, who was taking prednisolone for nephrotic syndrome, was diagnosed with herpes zoster of the trigeminal nerve and treated with oral valacyclovir. One month later, he reported pain from the right side of the head and vomiting. MRI revealed an acute infarction in the right frontal lobe and dissection of the internal carotid artery of the right cervix.

Impact of Metformin on the Severity and Outcomes of Acute Ischemic Stroke in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Metformin therapy reportedly decreases the risk of stroke, but the associations between metformin treatment and neurological severity or patient prognosis have not been investigated in clinical studies. This study evaluated the effects of metformin on stroke severity and outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients with type 2 DM.

Safety and Management of Antithrombotic Therapy with Intra-Arterial Catheter Procedures.

Objective: Intravascular catheter procedures are often performed in patients undergoing antithrombotic therapy. However, methods for the management of antithrombotic agents in the perioperative period are currently unclear. Therefore, the safety and management of antithrombotic agents in these patients were investigated.

Acute thrombocytopenia after initiating anticoagulation with rivaroxaban.

A 75-year-old man with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation developed a traumatic intracranial hemorrhage during warfarin treatment. The administration of warfarin was stopped and rivaroxaban therapy, a novel oral anticoagulant (NOAC), was started. Immediately, his platelet count decreased to 3.

Receptor for advanced glycation end products regulates adipocyte hypertrophy and insulin sensitivity in mice: involvement of Toll-like receptor 2.

Receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) has been shown to be involved in adiposity as well as atherosclerosis even in nondiabetic conditions. In this study, we examined mechanisms underlying how RAGE regulates adiposity and insulin sensitivity. RAGE overexpression in 3T3-L1 preadipocytes using adenoviral gene transfer accelerated adipocyte hypertrophy, whereas inhibitions of RAGE by small interfering RNA significantly decrease adipocyte hypertrophy.

Enhancement of cell-based therapeutic angiogenesis using a novel type of injectable scaffolds of hydroxyapatite-polymer nanocomposite microspheres.

Background: Clinical trials demonstrate the effectiveness of cell-based therapeutic angiogenesis in patients with severe ischemic diseases; however, their success remains limited. Maintaining transplanted cells in place are expected to augment the cell-based therapeutic angiogenesis. We have reported that nano-hydroxyapatite (HAp) coating on medical devices shows marked cell adhesiveness.

Comparison of the effect of cilostazol with aspirin on circulating endothelial progenitor cells and small-dense LDL cholesterol in diabetic patients with cerebral ischemia: a randomized controlled pilot trial.

Aim: A recent clinical trial showed the preventive effect of cilostazol on cerebrovascular diseases. We compared the effects of cilostazol with aspirin on circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), a surrogate marker for cardiovascular disease, and lipid metabolism in a randomized controlled trial (UMIN000000537).

Methods: Forty-nine diabetic outpatients with leukoaraiosis or asymptomatic old cerebral infarction were enrolled in the study with written informed consent.

Different effects of diabetic autonomic neuropathy on regional transcutaneous oxygen tension in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

Background: Diabetic autonomic neuropathy (DAN) is thought to reduce skin nutritive perfusion through increase of arteriovenous shunting flow, resulting in foot ulceration. However, the correlation between skin tissue oxygenation and DAN has not been fully elucidated. Transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO2) is a reliable indicator of skin nutritional microcirculation.

Receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) regulation of adiposity and adiponectin is associated with atherogenesis in apoE-deficient mouse.

Objective: Receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) has been shown to be involved in cardiovascular diseases. We examined the involvement of RAGE in atherosclerosis under non-diabetic status, and its relation to the effect on adiposity.

Methods: Apolipoprotein E (apoE)(-/-)RAGE(+/+) or apoE(-/-)RAGE(-/-) mice were fed with an atherogenic diet or the standard chow diet.

Regions of arterial stenosis and clinical factors determining transcutaneous oxygen tension in patients with peripheral arterial disease.

Aims: Despite the clinical usefulness of transcutaneous oxygen tension (TcPO(2)) to assess the severity of limb ischemia, the factors determining TcPO(2) in patients with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) have not been fully clarified. We therefore examined the regions of arterial stenosis and clinical factors affecting lower-extremity TcPO(2).

Methods: Resting TcPO(2) (REST-TcPO(2)) and postexercise TcPO(2) (Ex-TcPO(2)) in the calf region and the dorsalis pedis were measured simultaneously in 66 patients (132 limbs) with clinically suspected PAD, in whom angiography was also performed.