Application of the RIETE score to identify low-risk patients with pulmonary embolism: From the COMMAND VTE Registry.

Background: The RIETE score could be specifically useful for identification of low-risk pulmonary embolism (PE) patients for home treatment. However, the external validation of the RIETE score has been limited.

Methods: The COMMAND VTE Registry is a multicenter registry enrolling consecutive patients with acute symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Am80, a retinoic acid receptor agonist, activates the cardiomyocyte cell cycle and enhances engraftment in the heart.

Human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived (hiPSC) cardiomyocytes are a promising source for regenerative therapy. To realize this therapy, however, their engraftment potential after their injection into the host heart should be improved. Here, we established an efficient method to analyze the cell cycle activity of hiPSC cardiomyocytes using a fluorescence ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (FUCCI) system.

Immunosuppressants Tacrolimus and Sirolimus revert the cardiac antifibrotic properties of p38-MAPK inhibition in 3D-multicellular human iPSC-heart organoids.

Cardiac reactive fibrosis is a fibroblast-derived maladaptive process to tissue injury that exacerbates an uncontrolled deposition of large amounts of extracellular matrix (ECM) around cardiomyocytes and vascular cells, being recognized as a pathological entity of morbidity and mortality. Cardiac fibrosis is partially controlled through the sustained activation of TGF-β1 through IL-11 in fibroblasts. Yet, preclinical studies on fibrosis treatment require human physiological approaches due to the multicellular crosstalk between cells and tissues in the heart.

Purification of human iPSC-derived cells at large scale using microRNA switch and magnetic-activated cell sorting.

For regenerative cell therapies using pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived cells, large quantities of purified cells are required. Magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) is a powerful approach to collect target antigen-positive cells; however, it remains a challenge to purify various cell types efficiently at large scale without using antibodies specific to the desired cell type. Here we develop a technology that combines microRNA (miRNA)-responsive mRNA switch (miR-switch) with MACS (miR-switch-MACS) to purify large amounts of PSC-derived cells rapidly and effectively.

Mechanism of improvement in atrial functional mitral regurgitation after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation: Three-dimensional analysis using multislice computed tomography.

Background: Several factors associated with atrial functional mitral regurgitation development have been reported; however, geometric changes in the mitral apparatus after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation have not been sufficiently investigated. This study aimed to clarify what determines improvements in atrial functional mitral regurgitation after sinus rhythm restoration in patients who underwent catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation by using multislice computed tomography.

Methods: We analysed volumetric multislice computed tomography images of 44 atrial fibrillation patients with significant atrial functional mitral regurgitation (moderate or worse) before and after catheter ablation.

Periprocedural management and clinical outcomes of invasive procedures after venous thromboembolism: from the COMMAND VTE registry.

Anticoagulation therapy is prescribed for the prevention of recurrence in patients with venous thromboembolism, which could be temporarily interrupted during invasive procedures. The COMMAND VTE Registry is a multicenter registry enrolling 3027 consecutive patients with acute symptomatic VTE in Japan between January 2010 and August 2014. We identified patients who underwent invasive procedures during the entire follow-up period and evaluated periprocedural managements and clinical outcomes at 30 days after invasive procedures.

Sole Obstruction of the Inferior Mesenteric Artery With Acute Aortic Dissection Causing Critical Mesenteric Ischemia.

Inferior mesenteric artery obstruction rarely causes critical mesenteric ischemia, because of the good collateral blood supply. We report a rare case of critical mesenteric ischemia due to sole inferior mesenteric artery obstruction accompanied by acute aortic dissection. Early diagnosis and treatment of mesenteric ischemia are important.

Infrequent use of nighttime dialysis for emergency admission due to worsening heart failure in patients on maintenance hemodialysis.

In the emergency admission due to worsening heart failure (HF) in patients on maintenance hemodialysis, emergent dialysis may be indicated, which increases personnel expenses. To clarify the characteristics and in-hospital management of the patients, we conducted a multicenter retrospective study including 142 patients on maintenance hemodialysis emergently admitted for worsening HF (71.6 ± 9.