Factors Contributing to Hospital-Associated Disability in Elderly Patients After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation.

Background: Hospital-associated disability (HAD), characterized by a worsening of activities of daily living and physical function following hospitalization, is a common complication in older adults during the course of acute care hospitalization. HAD is a significant concern affecting older adults undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI).

Methods And Results: This retrospective study investigated 243 consecutive patients who underwent elective transfemoral TAVI between January 2016 and April 2022.

Inhibition of Notch4 Using Novel Neutralizing Antibodies Reduces Tumor Growth in Murine Cancer Models by Targeting the Tumor Endothelium.

Unlabelled: Endothelial Notch signaling is critical for tumor angiogenesis. Notch1 blockade can interfere with tumor vessel function but causes tissue hypoxia and gastrointestinal toxicity. Notch4 is primarily expressed in endothelial cells, where it may promote angiogenesis; however, effective therapeutic targeting of Notch4 has not been successful.

Impact of Long-Term Exercise-Based Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure - A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: This study aimed to clarify the effects of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on patients with heart failure.

Methods And Results: Patients were divided into groups according to intervention duration (<6 and ≥6 months). We searched for studies published up to July 2023 in Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library, without limitations on data, language, or publication status.

Early mobilization for acute heart failure: A scoping and a systematic review.

Early mobilization of hospitalized patients is beneficial under certain circumstances. This has been applied in clinical practice for patients with acute heart failure (HF). However, its current definition, effectiveness, and safety are not well established.

[Display Performance of X-ray Image Output from DICOM-embedded Printer to Paper-based Hard Copy Print: Comparison with X-ray Image on LCD].

Purpose: We have been using a paper-based hard copy print (paper print) system of X-ray images, in which digital imaging and communications in medicine (DICOM) data can be directly output on papers from medical imaging systems or from a picture archiving and communication system (PACS) server, and they are utilized as patient referral materials or for preoperative planning. The purpose of this study was to compare the display performance of X-ray images on the printed paper and that on the liquid crystal display (LCD).

Methods: We measured contrast response to verify consistency of image appearance on both display systems.

High-intensity interval training versus moderate-intensity continuous training in patients with heart failure: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The effects of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in patients with heart failure (HF) remain controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to examine the efficacy of HIIT versus moderate-intensity continuous aerobic training (MCT) on exercise tolerance in patients with HF. We searched for studies published up to 4 March 2022 in Embase, MEDLINE, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library with no limitations on data, language, or publication status.

Kihon checklist is useful for predicting outcomes in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

Background: Frailty is a major risk factor for death and disability following transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). The Kihon checklist (KCL) is a simple self-reporting yes/no survey consisting of 25 questions and is used as a screening tool to identify frailty in the primary care setting. No clinical studies have focused on frailty calculated by the KCL in the TAVI cohort.

Clinical outcomes after IVF or ICSI using human blastocysts derived from oocytes containing aggregates of smooth endoplasmic reticulum.

In this study the clinical and neo-natal outcomes after transfer of blastocysts derived from oocytes containing aggregates of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) were compared between IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Clinical and neo-natal outcomes of blastocysts in cycles with at least one SER metaphase II oocyte (SER + MII; SER + cycles) did not significantly differ between the two insemination methods. When SER + MII were cultured to day 5/6, fertilization, embryo cleavage and blastocyst rates were not significantly different between IVF and ICSI cycles.

[A CASE OF ADVANCED NON-SEMINOMATOUS TESTICULAR GERM CELL TUMOR ACCOMPANIED PANIC DISORDER].

We report a 33-year-old male with a left advanced non-seminomatous testicular germ cell tumor (NSGCT) accompanied panic disorder. He had experienced palpitation and hyperpnea in crowds in his twenties. He was admitted to the Department of Otorhinolaryngology with the chief complaint of left neck swelling.

New Stethoscope With Extensible Diaphragm.

Background: This study compared the diagnostic efficacy of the common suspended diaphragm stethoscope (SDS) with a new extensible diaphragm stethoscope (EDS) for low-frequency heart sounds.

Methods and results: The EDS was developed by using an ethylene propylene diene monomer diaphragm. The results showed that the EDS enhanced both the volume and quality of low-frequency heart sounds, and improved the ability of examiners to auscultate such heart sounds.

Pharmacological Profile of GPD-1116, an Inhibitor of Phosphodiesterase 4.

We have previously reported that GPD-1116, an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase (PDE) 4, exhibits anti-inflammatory effects in a model of cigarette smoke-induced emphysema in senescence-accelerated P1 mice. In the present study, we further characterized the pharmacological profile of GPD-1116 in several experiments in vitro and in vivo. GPD-1116 and its metabolite GPD-1133 predominantly inhibited not only human PDE4, but also human PDE1 in vitro.

Embryological outcomes in cycles with human oocytes containing large tubular smooth endoplasmic reticulum clusters after conventional in vitro fertilization.

There have been no studies analyzing the effect of large aggregates of tubular smooth endoplasmic reticulum (aSERT) after conventional in vitro fertilization (cIVF). The aim of this study was to investigate whether aSERT can be identified after cIVF and the association between the embryological outcomes of oocytes in cycles with aSERT. This is a retrospective study examining embryological data from cIVF cycles showing the presence of aSERT in oocytes 5-6 h after cIVF.

Birth of nine normal healthy babies following transfer of blastocysts derived from human single-pronucleate zygotes.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the clinical outcomes of blastocysts derived from human single-pronucleate (1PN) embryos after conventional in vitro fertilization (cIVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles.

Methods: This was a retrospective study at a reproductive center of a hospital. To evaluate embryo quality and clinical outcomes, cIVF or ICSI cycles with one or more 1PN embryos were compared with same cycles with 2PN embryos (control cycles).

[Construction and usefulness of the dose management system using DICOM radiation dose structured report (Dose SR) in angiography].

The International Commission on Radiological Protection recommends diagnostic reference levels (DRL) in each radiological examination for justification and optimization of patients' dose in medicine. The aim of our study was to propose the dose management system by utilizing dose information in diagnostic X-ray radiation dose structured report (Dose SR) in The Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine to optimize radiation dose in institutions. Our dose management system is able to organize dose information obtained from various angiography systems and CTs.

Awa1p on the cell surface of sake yeast inhibits biofilm formation and the co-aggregation between sake yeasts and Lactobacillus plantarum ML11-11.

We examined mixed-species biofilm formation between Lactobacillus plantarum ML11-11 and both foaming and non-foaming mutant strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae sake yeasts. Wild-type strains showed significantly lower levels of biofilm formation compared with the non-foaming mutants. Awa1p, a protein involved in foam formation during sake brewing, is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein and is associated with the cell wall of sake yeasts.

α-1,6-Fucosyltransferase (FUT8) inhibits hemoglobin production during differentiation of murine and K562 human erythroleukemia cells.

Erythropoiesis results from a complex combination of the expression of several transcription factor genes and cytokine signaling. However, the overall view of erythroid differentiation remains unclear. First, we screened for erythroid differentiation-related genes by comparing the expression profiles of high differentiation-inducible and low differentiation-inducible murine erythroleukemia cells.

Response to intra-arterial cisplatin and concurrent radiotherapy in a patient with primary mucosal malignant melanoma of the nasal cavity.

Background: The prognosis for patients with mucosal malignant melanoma (MMM) of the nasal cavity is very poor because of the radioresistance of melanoma cells.

Methods: We present the first case report of the efficacy of superselective intra-arterial cisplatin (CDDP) infusion concurrent with hypofractionated radiotherapy (RT) for MMM of the nasal cavity.

Results: A pink, polypoid mass, histopathologically diagnosed as an amelanostic melanoma, occupied the right nasal cavity.

[Case of antiamphiphysin antibody-positive stiff-person syndrome with breast cancer diagnosed by FDG-PET].

We report a case of antiamphiphysin antiboddy-positive stiff-person syndrome associated with breast cancer, which was detected only by FDG-PET. A 46-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of painful muscle cramp and stiffness of both legs. Laboratory results were negative for anti-GAD antibody, but highly positive for antiamphiphysin antibody (1: 61,440).

Positron emission tomography for predicting malignancy of sinonasal inverted papilloma.

Background: Sinonasal inverted papilloma (IP) is an uncommon nasal tumor. It is known for being locally invasive and recurrent, with a high probability of malignant transformation. Accurate initial staging and close surveillance are critical in the management of the disease.

Dural arteriovenous fistula involving the transverse sigmoid sinus after treatment: assessment with magnetic resonance digital subtraction angiography.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of magnetic resonance digital subtraction angiography (MRDSA) in showing the presence or absence of retrograde venous drainage (RVD) in patients with intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) involving the transverse sigmoid sinus (TSS) after treatment.

Methods: Of 16 patients with DAVF involving the TSS, 13 underwent digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and MRDSA before and after treatment, and 3 underwent DSA before treatment and DSA and MRDSA after treatment. Five patients underwent these procedures twice after treatment.

Acute dural venous sinus thrombosis without brain parenchymal abnormality: assessment with cerebral blood volume using dynamic susceptibility contrast magnetic resonance imaging.

We report results applying the dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) magnetic resonance (MR) technique to a patient with dural venous sinus thrombosis (DVST) of the right transverse-sigmoid sinus without brain parenchymal abnormality. The DSC-MR technique clearly demonstrated increased regional cerebral blood volume of the right temporo-parieto-occipital region adjacent to a right transverse-sigmoid sinus thrombosis in a patient with DVST without cerebral edema or hemorrhage.

Significance of intraoperative monitoring of arterial blood flow velocity and hepatic venous oxygen saturation for performing minimally invasive surgery in a patient with multiple calcified pancreaticoduodenal aneurysms with celiac artery occlusion.

Even for patients with multiple pancreaticoduodenal aneurysms, successful treatment with noninvasive operative procedures can be employed, if intraoperative devices are considered. A 73-year-old man, without any symptoms, was admitted to our hospital and had computed tomography (CT) scanning to examine his liver for hepatitis C virus (HCV). Selective superior mesenteric artery (SMA) angiography confirmed multiple aneurysms in the anterior inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery (AIPDA), one aneurysm in the posterior inferior mesenteric artery (PIPDA), and another in the occluded celiac trunk, all with severe calcification.