Effects of HAART on platelet-activating factor metabolism in naive HIV-infected patients I: study of the tenofovir-DF/emtricitabine/efavirenz HAART regimen.

Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is implicated in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related manifestations. Increased PAF synthesis has been recently detected in HIV-infected patients. In this study, we examined in naive HIV-infected patients the in vivo effects of a highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) regimen, containing tenofovir-DF/emtricitabine/efavirenz, on PAF metabolism.

Comparison of Goldmann and Pascal tonometry in relation to corneal hysteresis and central corneal thickness in nonglaucomatous eyes.

Objective: To compare measurements obtained by Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) and Pascal dynamic contour tonometry (DCT), and to study their relationship to corneal thickness and biomechanical properties in nonglaucomatous eyes.

Methods: This is a prospective and randomized study of 200 eyes from 200 non-glaucomatous subjects who underwent intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements by GAT and DCT. The two methods were compared and assessed for agreement by means of the Bland-Altman plot.

Full Thickness Macular Hole Closure after Exchanging Silicone-Oil Tamponade with C(3)F(8) without Posturing.

Purpose: To report a case of macular hole closure after the exchange of a silicone-oil tamponade with gas C(3)F(8) 14%.

Method: A 64-year-old female patient with a stage IV macular hole underwent a three-port pars-plana vitrectomy and internal limiting membrane peeling. Due to the patient's chronic illness (respiratory problems), a silicone-oil tamponade was preferred.

Vascular manifestations of Behcet's disease: report of a case and review of the literature.

Adamantiades-Behçet's disease (ABD) is a relapsing vasculitis of unknown aetiology and variable clinical manifestations. The syndrome can be presented in a myriad of ways and can involve nearly every organ. Although vascular involvement is not included among the ABD diagnostic criteria, it is a unique clinical manifestation in adults with a potentially devastating outcome.

[Cognitive factors relating to mammographic breast cancer screening].

Objective: The purpose of this study was to identify cognitive factors relating to participation in mammographic breast cancer screening (MBCS).

Methods: A total of 2,345 women aged 40-69 years in two cities in A Prefecture were asked to participate in this self-administered questionnaire survey. Data were analyzed using logistic regression analysis.

Optimal cut-off point of waist circumference for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome in Japanese subjects.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been redefined by a new criterion in Japan, in which waist circumference cut-off points, that is 85 cm for men and 90 cm for women, are used; however, objections are rising against this criterion. The present study examined the criterion for waist circumference to predict the accumulation of the components of MetS. In the present study, we used data for 5972 Japanese people who received annual health examinations, and 621 men (16.

Breast cancer with cartilaginous and/or osseous metaplasia diagnosed by lymph nodal metastasis: a case report.

Breast cancer with cartilaginous and/or osseous metaplasia is a type of metaplastic carcinomas and is a rare disease. We report the case of a 49 year-old female who underwent right mastectomy for a large breast tumor. Histological examinations revealed a mixed tumor with both stromal and epithelial elements;the stroma showed poor differentiated spindle-shape and multiform cells with a massive osseous matrix, and atypical epithelial cells, which mainly existed on the surface of the cysts, showed nucleic atypia.

The effects of hypothyroidism on the mechanical properties and histomorphological structure of the thoracic aorta.

This experimental study investigates the effects of hypothyroidism on the descending thoracic aorta. Hypothyroidism was induced in 20 male Wistar rats by administering 0.05% of 6-n propyl 2-thiouracil (PTU) in their drinking water for 8 weeks.

Bone marrow large B cell lymphoma bearing cyclin D3 expression: clinical, morphologic, immunophenotypic, and genotypic analyses of seven patients.

We report seven large B cell lymphoma patients showing the involvement of tumor cells with cyclin D3 (CCND3) expression in bone marrow (BM) at the initial diagnosis. All patients presented with B symptoms, splenomegaly, and anemia/thrombocytopenia lacking hemophagocytosis in the BM. Five of the seven patients had suffered from immunological diseases or cancers.

Prognostic impact of intratumoral vessel invasion in completely resected pathologic stage I non-small cell lung cancer.

Objective: Intratumoral vessel invasion of non-small cell lung cancer is a readily available tumor-related factor that provides direct evidence of microscopic tumor invasion. We assessed the prognostic influence of intratumoral vessel invasion and its ability to provide a differential prediction of prognosis for completely resected pathologic stage I non-small cell lung cancer.

Methods: We analyzed 258 patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent complete resection between January of 1996 and December of 2005 and were diagnosed with pathologic stage I disease.

Association between corneal hysteresis and central corneal thickness in glaucomatous and non-glaucomatous eyes.

Purpose: We aimed to determine corneal hysteresis values (CH) using the ocular response analyser (ORA) in non-glaucomatous and glaucomatous eyes and their relationship with central corneal thickness (CCT).

Methods: Corneal hysteresis, intraocular pressure (IOP) as measured by Goldmann applanation tonometry (GAT) and CCT were prospectively evaluated in 74 non-glaucoma subjects with IOP < 21 mmHg and in 108 patients with treated primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). One eye in each subject was randomly selected for inclusion in the analysis.

Antipsychotics possessing antidepressive efficacy increase Golf protein in rat striatum.

Introduction: Recently, second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) have been widely used in the treatment of mood disorders. However, the mechanisms of the antidepressant effect of SGAs remain unclear. We proposed that Golf protein, a stimulant alpha-subunit of G protein coupled with the dopamine D1 receptor, might a play the key role in the antidepressive effect of antidepressants.

Irregular ventricular tachycardia underdetected by implantable cardioverter defibrillator device.

A case of sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia underdetected by a single chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillator because of RR interval irregularity is presented. The programmed stability criterion is responsible for the underdetection. Special attention must be paid when it comes to programming this detection parameter.

Serum interleukin-6 is elevated in symptomatic carotid bifurcation disease.

Introduction: The levels of circulating proinflammatory cytokines may express the extent of the inflammatory response and their participation in plaque progression and rupture needs to be evaluated. We aimed to investigate differences in circulating levels of proinflammatory cytokines and in plaque infiltration by macrophages between patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy for symptomatic and asymptomatic carotid atherosclerotic disease.

Methods: One hundred nineteen patients (91 men and 28 women; mean age 66 +/- 8 years; range 42-83 years) who underwent carotid endarterectomy for significant (>70%) carotid bifurcation stenosis were enrolled in this study.

Partial inhibition of ongoing antitachycardia pacing sequence due to T-wave oversensing.

We describe a case of partial inhibition of ongoing antitachycardia pacing scheme in an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) recipient with heart failure of ischemic etiology. The cause of inhibition was related to intermittent oversensing of paced T wave and sensing of intrinsic ventricular activation. In our effort to solve this problem, we reprogrammed the paced ventricular blanking period to a higher level.

Does sildenafil cause myocardial infarction or sudden cardiac death?

Sildenafil was the first oral compound to be approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. In this paper, we review the current knowledge of the effects of sildenafil on myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. The first factor we examine is the sexual activity itself.

Misleading findings of subclavian artery and vein transection.

Trauma involving the subclavian and axillary arteries is relatively infrequent. However, it can result in devastating functional disability of the upper limb due to significant and permanent associated neurologic deficits. Uncertainty exists in relation to certain aspects of therapeutical management of patients with trauma of the upper limb.

The outcome of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) after a surgical resection in our institute.

Purpose: Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are the most common mesenchymal tumors of the gastrointestinal tract arising from Cajal's cells and expressing c-kit. In a consensus report, the clinical behavior of GISTs was categorized into risk classes according to the tumor size and mitotic count. We analyzed the risk categories based on GIST patients who underwent a surgical resection at our institute during a period of 15 years.

Cardiac troponin I in patients with acute lower limb ischemia.

The presence, cause, and clinical significance of elevated cardiac troponin I in patients with acute lower limb ischemia is yet unknown. Forty-six patients (20 men [43%]; mean age 72 +/- 10 years, range 42 to 92) with acute lower limb ischemia were enrolled in this study. Serial creatine kinase (CK), CK isoenzyme MB (CK-MB), and troponin I measurements were obtained in all consecutive patients.

Statin treated patients have reduced intraplaque angiogenesis in carotid endarterectomy specimens.

Background: Treatment with statins is considered a first line therapy in atherosclerotic disease. Intraplaque angiogenesis is involved in plaque progression and instability. It remains unclear whether the beneficial effect of statin treatment in humans is achieved through reduced intraplaque angiogenesis.